From: mjs@fc.hp.com (Marc Sabatella)
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote
Subject: Re: Cadence order is nigh - opinions please!
Date: 27 Jan 1993 17:53:24 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Company
Reply-To: marc@hpmonk.fc.hp.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: hptrane.fc.hp.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.2 PL6]

I haven't heard many of the specific albums you mention, but I can offer a few
comments:

Michael G. McMahon (mcmahon@owlnet.rice.edu) wrote:
 
: Spencer Barefield: "Xonogenesis 2000", CAC 2
:   Advertising works.  What's the deal with this disc, and why do I want
: to buy it?  I think it's Spence's penetrating stare.

You know, I wonder how much it cost him to run that prime ad every month, and
whether it has paid off?

I can't speak for this one in particular, but when I heard a cut from his
previous album with Hugh Ragin and Oliver Lake, I of course recognized Hugh
right off, wasn't sure who the saxophonist was (he was in tune, so I don't
think Lake even occurred to me :-), but was completely mystified by what
sounded to me like a banjo.  And when I told Hugh I heard what sounded like him
on an album with what sounded like a banjo player, it took him quite a while to
figure out what I was talking about (Spencer plays an acoustic 12-string
guitar).

I can't say I was overly impressed with what I heard - sort of watered down
David Murray.  Oliver wasn't particularly "out"; maybe he was concentrating too
hard on intonation...

: Yusef Lateef and Art Farmer: "Autophysiopsychic" CTI 7082
:   Is this as "in touch with its inner self" as the title would suggest?

I strongly suspect this is as bad as other Lateef and/or CTI recordings of the
70's.  Think "Red Clay" without most of the fire and you're probably not far
off.

: Michel Camilo Trio: "Suntan"  Evidence 22030
:   Just wondering how Michel comes across in a trio format.  Is this a
: very early album?  Also, who are the other 2?  That could make a great
: deal of difference.  

I've never heard him in anything but a trio format, so I guess I can't compare
his trio work to whatever you are familiar with.  He has that same kind of
Chick Corea / Eddie Palmieri sound that Gonzalo Rubalcaba does, but much
slicker, and without the overtones of Cecil Taylor.  On the trio albums I've
heard, he is so dominating pianistically that it hardly matters who the bassist
or drummer are.
 
: Cindy Blackman-Debriano Trio w/G. Osby and J. Gonzalez  Freelance 15
:   Sounded like an interesting match-up.  Does it work?  I'm really not
: familiar with Cindy - what kind of music is this likely to be?

Well, she's played in your basic neo-postbop groups, but has also ventured into
newer sounds.  Not much of a description, I guess.  How about if I said she has
the same kind of approach, tastes, and range that Ralph Peterson does, even if
she doesn't necessarily play like him?  The presence of Greg Osby suggests this
is not your typical neo-postbop album, but I haven't heard this one in
particular.

: Maynard Ferguson - "High Voltage" and/or "Bip Bop Nouveau"  Intima 733**
:   Haven't heard any of his squeals in a while.  At four bucks a pop, are
: either of these LPs worth a Big Mac and a small coke?

"High Voltage" is almost laughably bad, IMHO - remember "Rocky" or the "Star
Trek Theme"?  Same era; same sort of sound (in fact, "Star Trek" may be on that
album).  "Bip Bop Nouveau" (isn't that really "*Big* Bop Nouveau?) is some sort
of attempt to regain respectability with a more or less traditional big band
sound.  It was just released a couple of years ago.  What little I heard of it
on the radio sounded pretty flat to me.

: Chuck and Bob Findley- "Relaxin'" Mirasound 9047
:   Reviewed in Oct. by Paul Matthews.  What is his taste usually like?
: He likes it, but I don't know anything about the brothers.

Chuck Findley - isn't he a studio trumpet player?  Seems to me I saw his name
on a Billy Joel or Dan Fogelberg album back in my middle-of-the-road days.

--
Marc Sabatella
marc@hpmonk.fc.hp.com
--
Amendment 2 Is Legalized Discrimination - Shame On You, Colorado
--
"Neither the State of Colorado ... nor any of its municipalities ... shall ...
 enforce any ... ordinance ... whereby homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual
 orientation ... shall ... be the basis of ... any ... claim of discrimination"
--
All opinions expressed herein are my personal ones
and do not necessarily reflect those of HP or anyone else.
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote