ILX0RS: JAZZ IS THE TEACHER. YEAH, IT'S A JAZZ THING >> THE ILM JAZZ LISTENING CLUB! [NEW CHOICES EVERY WEDNESDAY!]

wooo!

March 2 - Shakey Mo
March 9 - Doug Watson
March 16 - Algerian Goalie
March 23 - Ride
March 30 - xtian DC
April 6 - ilxor

Okay, here are some free fusion gems from the less obvious decades (read, I avoided anything from the 70s.)

Pinski Zoo - Introduce Me To The Doctor (Despatch, 1981)
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8854/00introducemetothedocto.jpg
Not a Spotify link
The debut disc of this frenzied post-punk jazz outfit from the UK. Fronted by reed player Jan Kopinski and-- for this album at least-- keyboardist Steve Iliffe. Kinda like if Rip Rig & Panic had eschewed the vocals and had developed under the tutelage of Ornette Coleman rather than Don Cherry.

Corporate Art - Corporate Art (JMT, 1991)
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7403/00corporateart.jpg
Not a Spotify link
A sort of supergroup that happily manages to deliver on expectations. Bobby Previte, Gary Thomas, Christy Doran and Mark Helias recorded this one-off session that blends angular jazz rock with the funky tensions of M-Base. Doran really shines here, with a style that reminds a bit of John McLaughlin's more soulful comping (Miles' "Right Off", Joe Farrell's "Follow Your Heart")

Date Course Pentagon Royal Garden - Report From Iron Mountain (P-Vine, 2001)
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/3597/00reportfromironmountai.jpg
Not a Spotify link
Don't know that much about this Japanese ensemble. There's some involvement by Otomo Yoshide and it's led by Naruyoshi Kikuchi, who may be related to keyboardist Masabumi Kikuchi (whose "Circle/Line" is covered here.) Actually, the whole affair pursues that digitized free funk filter that Masabumi stretched over Miles' apocalyptic funk concept. For more reading, Sonic Asymmetry has a very worthy read here.

lol never heard of any of this!

Hopefully that's a good thing?

totally

Seem to remember Pinski Zoo having at least one release on SST...? Would have been mid 90s.

I don't think SST ever released a Pinski Zoo record. Zoogz Rift, maybe?

dunno these either!

March 16 - Algerian Goalie
March 23 - Ride
March 30 - xtian DC
April 6 - ilxor

I think we will move to 1 album per week, see if that stimulates more chat.

I remember back in my days as a high school "radio station" "dj" we had that Byrd record floating around. I think my hip-hop-loving friend was also into it because of some sample on it. At the time I was sort of still sorting things out and categorizing things and being kind of uptight and purist, and I didn't really know what basket to put the record in, so I wasn't so keen on it. Would be curious to give it another chance.

I think we will move to 1 album per week, see if that stimulates more chat.

Fair enough. Since we've still some time before next week, why don't we limit my above selection to just the Pinski Zoo? Am interested in hearing other impressions.

no no thats ok. your picks are fine. Hopefully there will be some discussion

i still need to listen, anyone else play them?

Hank Mobley - Soul Station (1960)
https://www.ifmusic.co.uk/images/product_images/HankMobley-SoulStation.jpg

http://open.spotify.com/album/6LgMSHDA0nBRV9Vlgy8j5r

Often overlooked, perhaps because he wasn't a great innovator in jazz but merely a stellar performer, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was at the peak of his powers on Soul Station. Recorded with a superstar quartet including Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano, it was the first album since Mobley's 1955 debut to feature him as a leader without any other accompanying horns. The clean, uncomplicated sound that resulted from that grouping helps make it the best among his albums and a peak moment during a particularly strong period in his career. Mobley has no problem running the show here, and he does it without being flashy or burying the strong work of his sidemen. The solidness of his technique means that he can handle material that is occasionally rhythmically intricate, while still maintaining the kind of easy roundness and warmth displayed by the best players of the swing era. Two carefully chosen standards, "Remember" and "If I Should Lose You," help to reinforce that impression by casting an eye back to the classic jazz era. They bookend four Mobley originals that, in contrast, reflect the best of small-group composition with their lightness and tight dynamics. Overall, this is a stellar set from one of the more underrated musicians of the bop era.

I left this out the last time i took a turn so here it is. Enjoy!

Like that album a lot. If you enjoy it I also recommend checking out No Room for Squares

Great album...the only Mobley I own so far. Curious to hear more. Gonna give it some more spins tonight and tomorrow now.

Btw, my copy has more of a green-blue sepia tone. Any story with the subtle variations of the cover?

i have no idea

Blakey's solo on This I Dig Of You owns. (What a great song title, btw!)

Mtume - Alkebu-Lan (Land of the Blacks)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3602/218/1600/alke_front.jpg

Heavy shit, cats! Dig!

Nothing Is' description

Listen

messed up the image link somehow, let's try again

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3602/218/1600/alke_front.jpg

Recorded August 29, 1971 at The East, New York. According to Jim Flannery of the Kozmigroove Mailing List, it's "Pretty damn wild...AACM goes to Africa... but I guess I'd have to add 'Pharoahs go to Saturn' to get the picture complete. Starts out with a four-minute speech describing the role of 'these jams' in the service of Black Nationalism... and then backs it up. Cover is black with white line-drawing of a sorta Egyptian-meets-subSaharan figure (Pharoanic beard, pyramids for eyes, goat amulet), back side has an eye-in-pyramid drawing with photo of Mtume leaning against it." Having finally heard this record finally, I love it. While it's certainly dated, it's a fascinating glimpse of the marriage of early 1970s Afro-centric music, politics and spirituality, plus it really grooves. To me reminiscent of Bartz' Ntu Group work, it's more energetic and colorful than those records. A treasure: Strata-East was an extraordinary label.

-Ian Scott Horst: Jazz Supreme

looks like img tags ain't working for me

Awfully quiet here of late. My turn?

Let's go with the record I am listening to for the first time, right now:
Pharoah Sanders Tauhid(1966)
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc400/c486/c486189tn40.jpg

Tauhid marks the 1966 Impulse debut of tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, who had already gained fame as a flame-throwing saxophonist of the "new thing" playing with John Coltrane. However, Sanders' tenor appearance doesn't saturate the atmosphere on this session; far from it. Sanders is content to patiently let the moods of these three pieces develop, whether it be through the percussion of Roger Blank and Nat Bettis, guitarist Sonny Sharrock, or his own piccolo. For those looking for Sanders' patented screeching tenor throughout, Tauhid will disappoint.

I see Pharoah is getting some play on another thread at the moment. I am loving Karma, Jewels of Thought and Thembi. Excited to let this one weave its hypnotic spell.

Did I mention I am seeing the man play the first weekend in May? Beyond excited.

nice, I've latched onto this record and Karma pretty heavily. also be sure to check out Black Unity (the other i've heard; it's also fantastic)

Black Unity is on its way to me as we speak! Also picked up a nice vinyl copy of Live At The East. Not sure if this one ever made it to cd or not?

get elevation too guys...amazing record.

just properly reading back over this thread, the mtume sounds well up my street. checking it out now.