'Jazz/Concord' was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles on July 29, 1973. It was produced by Carl Jefferson, and released on January 1, 1974, on the Concord Records label.
This album holds a special place in music history as the very first official release (Catalog No. CJ-1) by the highly respected Concord Jazz record label. The label was founded by Carl Jefferson after Herb Ellis and Joe Pass (whom unbelievably at the time were without recording contracts), asked him to produce a record for them following their fiery performance at the 1973 Concord Summer Festival. Carl Jefferson would go on to produce well over 500 recording sessions.
'Jazz/Concord' is high-energy live-in-the-studio album featuring Herb Ellis and Joe Pass on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jake Hanna on drums. The result is an intuitive dialogue
between two of jazz history’s greatest guitar virtuosos,
underpinned by one of the tightest rhythm sections of the era. Herb and Joe explore the history of
electric jazz guitar, while constantly switching between melodic leads and rhythmic
accompaniment.
Years ago, my husband Jerry and I had a conversation with Carl Jefferson. Over a joint and glass of bourbon, he told us the nine tracks were completed with no overdubs in eleven takes, due to one false start and a broken guitar string. They went into the studio at 3PM, and left the studio at 7PM, with a finished album and went out for dinner.
Tracklist
1. "Look for the Silver Lining"
2. "Shadow of Your Smile"
3. "Good News Blues"
4. "Honeysuckle Rose"
5. "Happiness is the Concord Jazz Festival"
6. "Stuffy"
7. "Georgia on My Mind"
8. "Love for Sale"
9. "Bad News Blues"
If you like guitar music, you'll love this album.
'Jazz/Concord' (not unlike all Concord Records releases) has excellent sonics, featuring excellent stereo separation with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown in the left and channel and Joe Pass and Jake Hanna in the right.
The freeload is a 2014 remastered CD released for the Japanese domestic market.
For the freeload:
In the recent Rickie Lee Jones feature, I asked about artists or groups you like, but whose work you find inconsistent or uneven. Regular poster, and all around nice guy "Mike" replied with his thoughts on the subject, and then asked:
"P.S. Which artist has made *exclusively* good albums or music? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on that...".
So would I, so let's go with Mike's question.
Well, what would be the cutoff for the number of albums. I don't think that the 3-album oeuvre of Nick Drake can be questioned for quality and listenability, but it was just three albums.
ReplyDeleteThere is no cutoff. Nick's discography is just that, his discography, and it gave us three wonderful albums. I suppose some might say that if he lived longer, he at some point would have made a "clunker", but that would be pure conjecture.
DeleteTwo come to mind: The Beatles (yes, I do like the White lp) and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Jobim's official discography runs from the early bossa masterpieces like "the Wonderful World of Jobim" to his later year orchestral gems like Urubu.
ReplyDeleteAntônio Carlos Jobim was too smart to release a subpar album.
DeleteI like the "White Album" too. The 'Yellow Submarine' album on the other hand...
Wait - that's an album?????? I kid....... Before the various compilations, was the only way to get most of the side one cuts (all of which I really like) and the orchestral pieces on side 2 I find interesting enough to still play.
DeleteTalking Heads. Even though a couple of their albums didn't hook you right at the start, upon reflection all are really good. Many styles represented over the years/albums too, sometimes seeming like an odd choice of musical direction.
ReplyDeleteAlso think The Crusaders might fit this category.
Thanks Mike & Thanks Babs
Sorry mumbles, I think that Little Creatures is of lower quality. True Stories is a soundtrack so it can't really be counted but I don't like that much either.
DeleteBe Good Tanyas & Frazey Ford
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Be_Good_Tanyas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frazey_Ford
~ Jon
Cecil Taylor (I honestly can't think of a dud), John Coltrane (albums issued pre-posthumously!), Henry Threadgill !!, Chris Whitley, Bunky and Jake (only 2), Sturgill Simpson, Iris Dement, Altan, Dick Gaughan, Gillian Welch, and on and on...
ReplyDeleteP.S. Los Lobos !!
DeleteI don't think any artiust Hits a home run every time, but I agree with Los Lobos, and I'll add Stevie Wonder.
ReplyDeleteThe Beatles
ReplyDeleteGillian Welch
Lucinda Williams
Herbie Hancock
Frank Zappa (I don't like all of his albums equally but that's a different question).
Agree with several of above (Los Lobos & Lucinda seem right):
ReplyDeleteThe Dandy Warhols
The Heartbreakers
The Riff Randells
The Sahara Hot Nights
Bikini Kill (and, sure, toss in Le Tigre too)
Blink 182 (in their own inimitable way)
Alex Chilton (in his own inimitable way)
Thelonious Monk
ReplyDeleteThe Doors
Steely Dan
Simon & Garfunkel
Bill Evans
Sonny Rollins
Tom Waits
Art Pepper
Sade
J.J. Cale
Hank Mobley
Duke Ellington
Ooooohhh...Sade, yes to that!
Delete~ Jon
Richard Thompson
ReplyDeleteGreen Pajamas
Walkabouts
Rain Parade
The Mutton Birds
Putting aside that other than regarding a handful of artists (Paul Weller, The Beatles & The Who come to mind), or indeed artists who only managed a couple of albums, I cannot say hand on heart that I have listened to every album by any other artists, so to that extent the question is moot but even so even if that were not the case I doubt I could name one anyway because I don't believe its possible to maintain the same quality with so many variables (music styles, musician changes, song interpretations, production team changes, technology changes etc).
ReplyDeleteFor example I vastly prefer the relatively sparse sounds of the 1950's and 60's (and the New Wave) to the much fuller sounds that have dominated in rock music in more recent decades. Sometimes ' more' is simply too much and that's how I feel about contemporary rock music in general and as such I am more likely to enjoy specific periods of popular music rather than bands throughout their existence. Often its at the beginning of a musical era when the music is still novel and original (eg rock n' roll 1955-1958; beat/psych/garage music 1963~1967;new wave 1976~1980 and so forth.
So the short answer to the question is I can't think of anyone who has produced 'exclusively' good albums. Not even the Beatles......
Link
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/K92gxG3UX2v
I forgot Steve Earle. The Phantom's points are well taken but there quite a few artists who have managed to maintain quality control and don't record when they don't have enough good material. Over a long career with many records even great artists are more likely to lose their way once in a while, especially when other aspects of their existence become problematic..
ReplyDeleteAbdullah Ibrahim, formerly Dollar Brand, had a consistently artistic discography in all sorts of settings, including fronting the Ellington band, his solo recordings, and work with South African musicians.
ReplyDeleteI respect the opinions of others and... no one qualifies in my experience. I might have listened to everything that Richard Thompson has recorded ("Cabaret of Souls" anyone?), and I think that there are a few that don't appeal to me. I think his QC has been wonderful, but anyone who goes and writes with the dedication he's put in, decade-after-decade, is going to take up an idea that maybe should've been left alone.
ReplyDeleteI think a creative artist's reach should exceed their grasp, or what's a heaven for?
But, again, if you find everything from S&G just perfect, that's fine for you, and enjoy it. Thanks for the link, Babs, and the topic, "Mike."
D in California.
Those with limited output are the best to go to, like Joy Division. Those two albums are superb. Dead Kennedies had 4 superb albums. The single Electro Hippies album is one of the best punk albums ever.
ReplyDeleteWhitestripes
ReplyDeleteBabs, I've tried to download this 3 times & all failed. Any ideas? Thanx!
ReplyDelete