what was the last 'classic album' you got and were knocked out by?

Far East Family Band - Parallel World

Holy hell this is killer.

Xp I assume you mean ‘American Utopia’, yes there’s a movie and I think it’s the equal of SMS.

Over on the main Laurie thread, somebody refers to talking with somebody who should know who seemingly confirms that the original full-length reels of live United States no longer exist, and that Anderson's a tough self-critic, maybe esp. that era (also see the archived Norton Lecture which I refer to on the same thread as "My Life As A Capitalist Tool," for her confusing, unexpected involvement with 80s investors, from record biz and elsewhere)
TCM's Juneteenth schedule incl. one of if not the earliest landmark concert films, Jazz On A Summer's Day(1959) with theatricality in part planned, in part accidental (the storyline about two lovahs who go to the show, didn't come together at all), and no fucking narration or interviews, hallelujah, just Willis Conover's occasional foghorn IDs of the performers, direction by Bert Stern, a Mad Man and wizard of commercial photography, making his first and only film, with Aram Avakian, who I think took his innovative, then-startling edits to or at least influenced xpost Monterey Pop and Woodstock--mostly, he and Stern played it pretty straight, but this kind of thing freaked out some of the moldy figs of film as well as jazz (also bringing in non-jazzers like Big Maybelle and omg Chuck Berry, who def. holds his one with sets by Louis Armstrong ect.):

Even worse for jazzophiles is Bert Stern’s refusal to pay due reverence to his musical subjects. How dare he obscure Thelonious Monk’s rendition of “Blue Monk” behind footage of and announcements for the America’s Cup yacht race, introduce “Loose Walk” with Sonny Stitt in mid-solo, or lay an interview between Elaine Lorillard and radio reporter Donna Larsen over George Shearing’s “George in Brazil?” These objections, though, are questions of degree as Jazz on a Summer’s Day succeeds not just by capturing great jazz performers for posterity but by representing jazz in new and vibrant contexts. Stern’s “impression of jazz …was something downstairs in a dark room. [Jazz on a Summer’s Day] brought jazz out in the sun and it was different.” First and foremost is Stern’s election to shoot the film in vibrant colours, a decision inspired by seeing The Red Shoes a decade earlier (“the first color movie that used color instead of it being in colour”). By day, Stern captures the dappled sun on rippling ocean waves, while at night he turns his cameras into the stage lights and bathes his musicians in saturated red auras. Secondly, Stern attends to the juxtaposition of rich and poor in old-money Newport’s Jazz Festival. Yacht races and elderly citizens contrast with buses full of African-American attendees, shirtless children pushing strollers in adult heels, and beer-fuelled house parties spilling out onto roofs. And Stern merges these contrasting images into wonderful knots: a roving jalopy full of Yale students playing Dixieland, Nathan Gershman playing Bach on the cello in a smoky practice room, and Anita O’Day stealing the show with her up-tempo vocals and scat while poshly dressed for tea in white gloves and a wide, feathered hat

To its credit, Jazz on a Summer’s Day offers no moralizing interviews on the meaning of jazz, the problems of race or class or generation, or the promise of music to remedy or aggravate these ills. To the extent that Stern looks for answers, he does so by “poking around” with tight close-ups of the performers, with lingering views of their audiences, and with the possible transcendences that the music might offer to the otherwise banal life outside the Festival’s grounds. Stern finds a prosperous, stable, and progressing America in the desegregated acts and audiences of the Jazz Festival (particularly in Terry Gibbs sharing the vibes with Dinah Washington during “All of Me” and Louis Armstrong and Jack Teagarden’s cavalier rendition of “Rockin’ Chair”), in young white girls screaming for a somewhat subdued Chuck Berry, and in Mahalia Jackson’s heart-melting statement to the watching crowd, “You make me feel like I’m a star.” Above all, there is a breezy leisure to Summer’s Day, notwithstanding a few consternated faces of older residents apparently feeling a bit under siege. Young and old, black and white, observe the Festival patiently, bobbing their heads, puffing on pipes, and eating popsicles. The pace feels natural, in keeping with the cool ocean tide pools that lay serenely along the coast and the lively ocean sprays of yachts and ferries. In Jazz on a Summer’s Day, Stern reveals the secret of jazz, taking it out of monochrome nightclubs to breathe free in the world outside and to be made all the more glamourous in this new expanse.

Summer of Soul is about on this level overall, despite being a bit too pushy/obvious with the modern-day editorials.

Also, Stern and Avakian got there during a precursor to theee Sixties: the texture and tumult of rock and blues and social subtexts with older jazz stars at peak and Jimmy Giuffre 3 easing in there w the subtle shades of stoner aromatics, made more bold by the Chico Hamilton Quintet.

Not free jazz, but JG3 watercolors, CHQ oils.

terry callier - occasional rain. wow.

Oh, man. What Color is Love is a stone classic.

The Pretty Things and Philippe DeBarge - Rock St Trop

only here for the terry callier mention. if you want even more of that period: https://www.discogs.com/master/90954-Terry-Callier-First-Light-Chicago-1969-71

"trick all your time away" is his best song, btw.

thanks. i was inspired to check it out because of the new charles stepney demos comp.

is there no thread for charles stepney? for shame!

When John Hassell died someone recommended Possible Musics; oof that’s fantastic, especially Delta Rain Dream. It’s a shame he didn’t get as much credit for Houses In Motion as he should’ve.

What Color Is Love is all time... need to put on Occasional Rain again. His voice is the epitome of comfort/reassurance to me. Love the dude

what color is love is next on my list, certainly. and i might as well complete the stepney trilogy with i just can't help myself while i'm at it

occasional rain was my entry point, too + i think it's undervalued. if not quite as good as what color is love, it's close.

No idea why but I had never given ‘In The Court Of The Crimson King’ a listen until today.

I’ve known the album art since my teens, and remember King Crimson being referred to as an ‘influence’ by many bands I enjoy in NME / guitar mags back in the 90’s. I’ve even had phases of listening to Rush and Yes over the years but skipped KC probably on the basis of reading an interview with Robert Fripp about Fripptronics in my early teens and thinking it didn’t sound very punk.

Turns out I’ve been missing out, what a spectacular album. ‘I talk to the Wind’ especially, right up my street.

The recent 40 year anniversary remix/master of ITCOTCK was like listening to it new again. Felt like it had been recorded last week.

Tbf that is what I have been listening to, it sounds so good.

The best thing I've heard in the past year is 1974's "Anima latina" by Lucio Battisti. If you've never heard it, he was an Italian singer-songwriter inspired by the Brazilian/tropicalia music of the time to make something similar, and he was wildly creatively successful at it. Think Milton Nascimento and Lo Borges meets Italian prog. Gorgeous stuff. Bowie dug it too.

To connect the dots between those, I was just listening to Jon Lucien: Rashida ('73). Fairly diverse, tasteful and interesting auteur soul/bossa record with Dave Grusin string arrangements, all original songs, the singer overdubbing his own backing vocals.

jon lucien - thread is on fire with 70s altsoul guys today!

rashida also recommended 420 music.

One that keeps me coming back to the well is Parallel Lines.

this happened to me recently and i thought of this thread but forgot to post

I know the guy is a piece of shit but damn this Red House Painters album is punching me right in the heart lately https://open.spotify.com/album/3F9xD3Dg2zu2LZbVHdKeVD?si=ai3-rjLNRGSkr_zZ-Pc29w&utm_source=copy-link

I understand people who already knew Red House Painters still listening to them. But actively checking them out after the Kozelek revelations seems like an odd choice imo.

He put the disclaimer on there, and you're still trying to shame him?
I mean, if you extend that logic, you've cut out a pretty broad swath from the classic albums pantheon.

(fwiw, I can't listen to kozalek anymore, but I do think there's some recency bias at work here, because I'm fine with Prince or Jimmy Page or Miles Davis)

yeah, anima latina definitely has that MPB/RPI crossover sound to it and it is indeed great! i do really really think RPI is slept on as a genre in general; i've just gravitated to it more and more over time. (of course, there's the chico buarque/ennio morricone collabo for more of the sao paolo/lazio express!

wow yeah thanks Chris L, that album is sounding very cool, I’ve always seen Lucio’s albums about but didn’t know what his deal was

Gene Ammons 'Brother Jug'
- This is a very funky and groovy record. "Jungle Strut" has some filthy drums.

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers 'Free for All'
-Pretty much anything these guys did for a few years especially when Wayne Shorter was in the group is pretty ace. Title track to me is really great and to me sounds to have a bit of a Coltrane influence.

thank you earl! really love gene whenever i hear him, but so much of his catalogue is in limbo so i didn't know that one. "jungle strut" is indeed pretty badass. bernard purdie as solid as ever.

Just bought The Psychedelic Furs' Mirror Moves. I'd listened to it on Spotify on headphones before and really liked it, but what a gigantic sounding album through the stereo!

The second side faffs around a bit but the album's a solid compromise brokered between contemporary sounds and Butler's sudden interest in becoming the Bryan Ferry of "Dance Away."

kenny larkin, metaphor

i just am always looking for shimmering jazzy late night techno that sounds exactly like this

What Color Is Love is all time... need to put on Occasional Rain again. His voice is the epitome of comfort/reassurance to me. Love the dude

― octobeard, Tuesday, September 20, 2022 6:12 PM (two months ago) bookmarkflaglink

A very comforting voice...I always turn to TC when I'm down...

― henry s, Saturday, 15 May 2010 18:29 (twelve years ago) link

i just am always looking for shimmering jazzy late night techno that sounds exactly like this

would make a cool thread if there isn't one already

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/A1DXwtBwwuL._SX466_.jpg

how have i never heard this before?!

what is this record? i have bad eyes and on my mobile phone, lol

The Watts Prophets - Black In A White World

thanks!

gris gris

suddenly it clicked

Workingman's Dead.

King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown. Perfect dub!

It’s a good album, but overall I prefer the one where said rockers are met in a firehouse. Elements of that are haunting psychedelic dub.

Oooh, I don't know that one, thanks for the rec!

It's a cliche, but in the wake of Christine McVie's death I have put Rumors back in heavy rotation. It's a near perfect album.

It is. I however don't need to play it because my Starbucks has had it on rotation for years, every track except "Oh Daddy."

Haha, another album "ruined" by Starbucks.

The self-titled album is nearly as good, and "Landslide" is imho not only their best song but one of my three or four favorites of all time.

The only thing wrong with Rumors is the missing "Silver Springs"

Agreed, that song is next level.

Sidebar Starbucks fact: When I worked there, if you ever wanted to put your own CDs on the stereo (instead of Starbucks-approved CDs) it would play them backwards