Joseph Geczy is a pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor who moved from Hungary to Canada in 1969. Apparently already accomplished in Hungary, he continued his work in Edmonton, Alberta releasing a number of singles and even opening some Commonwealth Games. Bananas was his first album (1979), and as the back states consists of “all Geczy […]
Charles Moffett got his chops in the 60s and 70s playing percussion on such ridiculously good and ambitious albums as “Four for Trane”, Coleman’s “Town Hall 1962”, and Prince Lawsha’s “Firebirds vol. 1”. Yet, for all his work as a sideman, he didn’t lead much: during these decades his only credits were one LP for […]
What makes this double-LP from 1977 special is it perhaps the earliest appearance of backing tracks to many of the avant-garde films in Canada. They were composed and sequenced (if you can call it that)using the earliest synthesizers and/or tape manipulation techniques. The compositions date from 1951 (!) – 1972, early in the game indeed. […]
This is cool jazz album all the way around. From the black and white hand drawn cover (with its apparent nod to Van Gogh’s self portraits and house paintings) to the fact that it came out of Fresno, CA (not exactly a hotbed for jazz) to the handful of styles present (straight ahead, funky, free, […]
Put it this way, if Buddy Raymond didn’t sing this record would be alot better. It turns out it’s more of a two tracker for that reason. The track “Why Shouldn’t I” wouldn’t sound out of place on a Frank Cunimondo record with it’s swinging funky rhodes sound. The other track that makes this a […]
I’m not going to go into the differences between the cultures of Japan and the United States, specifically in the realm of education, but suffice it to say that they’re different. Very different. The Yamaha Music Education System exists to create accomplished musicians at a young age and bring out the full potential of musical […]
WARNING: I am not the biggest fan of “Spiritual Jazz” – to me it mostly sounds like freaky smooth jazz, usually with some woman, or Leon Thomas sound-a-like lamenting the death of mother Africa. I just have a hard time taking it seriously. I do however realize that this is an unpopular opinion. Anyhow, Infinite […]
Here’s a great duo record from 1978 on Philly Jazz records, Bill Lewis plays the vibraphone and Khan Jamal plays the marimba. This album basically consists of three long mellow tracks, “the river”, “the vanishing man” and “as salim”. I think the liner notes sum it up best: “The music on this album is called […]
Here’s the first of four volumes in Folkways’ New American Music series. You know it’s new American music because the Eagle on the cover is playing a harp. Eagles mean America, harps mean music and new means new. But this record is actually 30 years old, so I guess in this case new means old. […]
Crazy record that probably scared Freddie Hubbard fans with it’s extreme Avant Garde-ness. Yet, does not seem to be super well known among Avant Garde enthusiasts – probably because it’s credited to Hubbard and was released on Atlantic. But, this is every bit as ruthlessly experimental as anything I’ve heard on any fringe Classical label. […]
No date on this one, but my assumption is that Gerry released this in the early seventies. This is a double lp, most of this record is really nice standard jazz trio stuff. They do a really dark version of Gershwin’s “summertime” that’s just begging for Rza from the Wu Tang to work wonders with. […]
Here’s a really nice funky jazz record from Pittsburgh on Mondo records. Frank is joined by Mike Taylor on bass and Roger Humphries on drums. This record has a really swinging sound that reminds me of the Overton Berry Trio. This is a really solid lp, not a bad track on here. Check out a […]
Here’s a private press jazz lp outta San Diego from 1978. Overall this one is too late and smooth for my tastes. I do like “tribute to Wayne Shorter” and the funky track that follows it called “seclusion”. Overall, this one is by no means essential but has it’s moments. Plus Teresa is lookin hot […]
Private press Free Jazz lp from Bennington University in Vermont by Trumpeter Art Brooks. What originally got my attention when I dug this up in a local antique shop was that the liner notes were written by Bill Dixon, and that Brooks dedicates the lp to his teachers – Dixon, Cecil Taylor, and Milford Graves. […]
This was recorded live in Washington D.C. at the “One Step Down” Oct. 12th-14th 1979. Side one starts off with the three part “who got de funk?” Some pretty swingin funky jazz, even starts off with a drumbreak if that’s your thing. Side two Andrew and the group do their take on John Coltrane’s “afro […]
Fairly rare private press lp from Sacramento, CA (I think) by jazz vocalist/pianist Primo Kim. A good deal of this lp is quiet vocal stuff which didn’t really do much for me, but there are a couple of decent Bossa-y tracks. What really makes this worthy of note however is a good funky jazz instrumental […]
Howard Wales is probably best known for his association with the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia. But, he also stepped quite firmly on the terra firma of jazz funk via his playing on “Music of El Topo”, and with this private solo lp from 1976. The track that quite deservedly gets attention here is “Karnaval” […]
Every so often you come across an album that, but for one track, is just another addition to the endless heap of profoundly mediocre music. This baffles me; I don’t understand how a band recording an otherwise crappy LP manages to create the one fantastic track. Maybe, after a long session and a lot of […]
Don’t know the group’s name on this one as it isn’t listed anywhere. Here’s the lineup though, John Gruntfest, Weldon McCarty, Richard Festinger and Joseph Sabella. This is a wayout avant jazz record, to give you an idea here’s some instuments played on this album: tin cans, log drum, oil drum, bell and gong tree, […]
The Tuba Trio consists of Sam Rivers, Joe Daley and Warren Smith. As you can see by the picture, this was recorded live at the Bim Huis in Amsterdam in 1976. Surprisingly the tuba sounds great in the free improv setting. I really dig Sam Rivers flute playing on this one as well as Warren […]
Poitier reads Plato. ‘Nuff said. Listen
Mind numbing Sweedish free jazz with electronic accompainiment. That’s Claes Sweger’s business card taped to the cover. He must have given this record to the transvestite i purchased it from.
“Emmett Frisbee used to travel the country entering Hoagy Carmichael look-alike contests. He was never a winner, though once he was one of the ten finalists. Discouraged, penniless and having turned vegetarian, Emmett decided one Thanksgiving over his bowl of cold oatmeal to make music his career. Life took an immediate upward swing. Today, Emmett […]
Heres a rare private press funky jazz record outta Chicago circa the late sixties. Cozy on tenor backed up by just a drummer and an organ player so its pretty stripped down. Has a smoky nightclub feel to it for sure. Killer stuff!
One of the most unique & beautiful jazz albums I’ve ever heard. Sounds ranging from exotica with wordless female vocals, to free jazz – often all within the same track. Worlds away from the typical one dimensional soul jazz that Prestige was cranking out at the time, and from most jazz albums that came before […]