Lisnaholic

^ This is a great theme/metaphor for your thread, Neapolitan. I'm sure many of us have spent some indulgent hours checking out used-record bins. I know I have. I didn't realize we could click on your album covers, so that's a tip in itself which gives an extra dimension to your thread.

And it's thanks to that function, that I'm listening to Whalefeathers' second album as I type ... it's a pretty good album so far. I like it more now that the hectic pace of the first two tracks has slackened, and we have It's a Long Way Home (as you say, very ABB style!) plus the interesting Bastich and Shadows; I always like a song that's long enough to stretch out and explore different instruments/moods.

I haven't had time to listen to many your recs, but but I'll certainly be moving on to Midwinter next, based on your description, and Stephen's (guarded) approval:-

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Neapolitan

I'm still flipping through albums, but this time they're on YouTube. So most of my recs are from there, and if their on Spotify I try to mention that too. YouTube is notorious for yanking videos. So I thought if that happens without me knowing about it, at least the album cover will still be seen. I understand some people don't like YT sound quality, but it's not too much of a problem with me, it all depends. If their OK quality I don't mind posting them.

I posted Whalefeather pretty much as soon as I found them. Even though I enjoyed them the first time around, I really hadn't had time for them to sink in, I hope they hold up as a decent rec. I listen to the Midwinter album quite a few times, and still like it. I found them after I discover the Trees and I have yet to post their albums.

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Neapolitan

album title: Hip Harp
recorded
on: March 21, 1958
at: Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey
released:1958
style: Cool Jazz
Jazz artist:Dorothy Ashby - harp
musicians:
Art Taylor - drums
Frank Wess - flute
Herman Wright - bass
tracklist:

1. Pawky - 7:07
2. Moonlight in Vermont (John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf) - 5:17
3. Back Talk - 5:07
4. Dancing in the Dark (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) - 4:45
5. Charmaine (Lew Pollack, Erno Rapee) - 4:04
6. Jollity - 3:38
7. There's a Small Hotel (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 5:53

This is the perfect album for those uninitiated into the world of Jazz to play at their swinging cocktail party, or perhaps a change of pace for the consummate Jazzbo who wants to do a one-eighty degree turn away from music by Frownland, all depending who you are of course.

Moonlight in Vermont is a favorite of mine. I familiar with the song through Johnny Smith, it's the title track his 1956 album. In the beginning of the song, Frank Wess plays the melody on the flute while Dorothy Ashby provides a beautiful backdrop with the harp. The second part Dorothy takes over with the harp as the lead instrument during the middle. After the harp takes the spot light, the flute enters role as lead instrument, with bass solo by Herman Wright near the end the song. All songs are equally impressive. The album is cool as an autumn breeze. It swings like a leaf falling from a tree, meandering through the air, to a fro. It lifts your spirit off the ground like the autumn breeze gentling lifting a fallen leaf, and sailing it through the air with a care in the world.

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Neapolitan

album title: Instant Death
recorded
on: December 7, 1971
at: Brunswick Recording Studios, Chicago
released: 1972
style: Jazz-Funk, Soul-Jazz, Bop, Avant-garde Jazz
Jazz artist: Eddie Harris - tenor saxophone, varitone, reed trumpet, cowbell, shaker, horn vocals
musicians: (info from wiki)

• Muhal Richard Abrams - electric piano, African whistle
• Ronald Muldrow - electric guitar
• Rufus Reid - bass, electric bass
• Billy James - drums
• Master Henry Gibson - congas, African talking drum

tracklist:

1. Instant Death 5:45
2. A Little Wes 7:30
3. Zambezi Dance 4:09
4. Summer's On Its Way 7:46
5. Nightcap 5:08
6. Superfluous 3:18
7. Tampion 2:47

I never seen something so properly named. Instant Death, it's an album to die for.

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Neapolitan

band: Fear Itself
album: Fear Itself
tracklist:

1. Crawling King Snake 3:17
2. Underground River 3:12
3. Bow'd Up 1:40
4. For Suki 2:42
5. In My Time Of Dying 8:44
6. Letter 2:08
7. Lazarus 5:43
8. Mossy Dream 2:50
9. Billy Gene 3:06
10. Born Under A Bad Sign 3:30

artist: Buddy Miles
album: The Changes
tracklist:

1. Them Changes 3:20
2. I Still Love You, Anyway 4:13
3. Heart's Delight 4:06
4. Dreams 4:52
5. Down By The River 6:20
6. Memphis Train 2:55
7. Paul B. Allen, Omaha, Nebraska 5:31
8. Your Feeling Is Mine 2:11

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Stephen

Will have to check this one out. Can't say I've ever heard harp in a jazz context. Sounds interesting and '58 was a good year for jazz.

Frownland

Alice Coltrane?

The album's great, but I like her record Afro-Harping the best.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Neapolitan

..

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Neapolitan

album title: Grannie
released: 1971
tracklist:

1. 00:00 - Leaving [6:32]
2. 06:31 - Romany Refrain [4:07]
3. 10:38 - Tomorrow Today [7:08]
4. 17:48 - Saga Of The Sad Jester [4:32]
5. 22:20 - Dawn [5:07]
6. 27:28 - Coloured Armageddon [9:25]

band: Grannie
members:

• Dave Holland – bass, vocals
• Johnny Clark – drums
• Jan Chandler – flute, vocals
• John Stevenson – keyboards (tracks: B3)
• Phil Newton– lead guitar, vocals
• Fred Lilley – vocals
• Producer – Dave Richardson

Grannie is a band that almost slipped into total obscurity if it weren't for vinyl enthusiast who hunt for rare releases. The album garnered for itself a reputation for its music and would show up on most sought after rare album lists. The band had an opportunity to record and receive ninety-nine LPs and one master tape all for the low of price £100. Out the ninety-nine copies only three copies were known to collectors. The reissues came from them, and with time eventually found itself on the internet. The original album had a picture of an elderly lady in a Victorian dress with a Les Paul super-imposed into I assume. I'm sure they didn't play electric guitar in the Victorian era. The picture was pasted on the album cover, which gave the original albums an artsy and nice personal touch.

The first song "Leaving" the guitar and flute reminds me of "Can't You See?" by Marshall Tucker Band, or maybe it should be vice a versa because former proceeds the latter by two years. The style of bass player reminds me of Jon Camp from Renaissance. The drummer, Johnny Clark, at times reminds me of Jim Fox from the James Gang.

"Saga Of The Sad Jester" is another great track on the album. The songs with a has a choppy chords intro a la Jan Akkerman, and the riff re-appears after the verse. The riff is somewhat similar to Hocus Pocus by Focus. However during the verse plays jangly arpeggios.

"Dawn" is a very sweet guitar and flute song, reminiscent of acoustic number by ABB and CSN. The vocals have a thin high pitched voice similar to Alan Wilson or Steve Winwood, all which gives the song very authentic 60s Folk vibe.

I return to it every so often and give it another listen. The album has really grown on me. All and all it's one of my favorite albums, which I was able to find through happenstance (or perhaps a logistical algorithm) on YouTube.

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OccultHawk

At first I thought wow Dave Holland on bass. But it's not THE Dave Holland.

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