lonson, I think you nailed it, placing Herbie’s voice with the Quintet in it’s time.
Listening to this incredible 1952 recording this evening I couldn’t help but think of this passage: “Bud was totally immersed in music – his one constant reality. Even when there was no instrument available, he could hear the sounds. Once when a friend visited him in hospital, Bud sketched piano keys on the wall. ‘Listen, what do you think of these chords ,’ he asked while he banged his fingers against the drawing.”
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Don’t know what is going on with Mat Walerian recently. He had several great releases on ESP and then he’s gone silent…
This set was released in 2016.
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Have this double CD, a strong line-up to be sure. I have not heard much new material from Mat. As you say he seems to have disappeared.
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This one sans Hamid Drake is also a worthy set. I prefer that Hamid is included, a fantastic percussionist. Last Mat Walerain recording I am aware of surfaced in 2020 on ESP.
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A wonderful recording of a Dutch saxophonist specializing in soprano saxophone and tenor saxophone
In my opinion, the recording is of a high level.
A fine jazz record where you can unwind after a stressful day.
Whether it is high level musically does not interest me.
I am not a musician but I know many musicians who like to give their opinion about techniques.
But rarely say anything positive.
Similar to audiophiles who talk more about audio gear than listening.
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When I listen to this kind of jazz, I never tend to move on to the next song.
I listen and let the variations surprise me.
Music in the eyes of Nicholas
The multi instrumentalist.
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Tenor Conclave, to put it in 1956 vernacular, is a gas, man!
A humorous surprise is Paul Chambers’ arco playing on the opening track.
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Just arrived from Japan… the Kevin Gray remastered CD of my favorite Jimmy Smith album “Midnight Special” (part of the Blue Note 85th anniversary series on UHQCD from Japan). The band has a fantastic synergy here. Jimmy on organ, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Stanley Turrentine on sax, and Donald Bailey on drums. The bass you think you hear is Jimmy Smith on organ. Kevin Gray really brings life to the CD and it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. I like the sound better than the Qobuz hi-res version… much more natural sounding on this CD.
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Continuing to work through my recent acquisition of second-hand Jazz CDs:
PSA DMP > I2S > Modified PSA DS Sr. DAC
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I’m certainly not sure I would qualify these two releases “jazz” in the strictest sense–over time I’ve come to think of jazz as material more closely aligned to the tradition.
But I used to own these Ayers Ubiquity albums when released and at the time they were in fact a sort of personal joy as no one around me was into these, or the George Duke Epic lps they resemble to me, or electric Miles, or the growing interest of mine in acoustic jazz of the 'forties, 'fifties and 'sixties. All my “peers” were more into Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Bowie, and the pop on the radio. . . I was fine sharing an interest in Yes and Bowie, but the rest. . . a little dab did me and they were constantly around me to the point of annoyance.
The engineering on these Ayer albums stands out to me now–my system is so much better and the clarity and texture so prevalent that these sound reborn to me. So 'seventies and yet carefully and skillfully recorded. And fun to listen to! This new three cd set is really a reminiscent and ear-opening one for me.
I followed listening to the first disc in this set with the first disc of Miles Davis “Agharta,” the 2023 Blu-Spec CD2 edition. Wow. I have been holding off listening to this as it’s a mood and opportunity item, and the system is different from the last time I immersed myself in it, and again I’m taken back to the time of this album’s first years when it was a solo pleasure of mine and blew my mind. This time the sound of the hall and the textures are so well-presented. . . I love my system and the ability it has to transport me into a musical world. Amazing music! In 1975 Reggie Lucas, Michael Henderson, Al Foster and Mtume were a lift-off stage propulsive unit.
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