Photo copyright Michael Romanos (www.michaelromanos.com)
Here it is by request from Centrifuge, the great album from Arthur Blythe, "Lenox Avenue Breakdown." How this ever managed to go out of print I will never know. This recording sports a truly dynamic line-up that shares a tremendous amount of chemistry. I remember reading that the group had only been together for a short while before this was recorded, but there aren't any hints in the music to suggest that. Simply stunning. The opening track, "Down San Diego Way" has a real exuberance about it, and it swings with some great ethnic melodies and lyricism. My wife usually isn't a huge fan of the music I listen to, but she really digs this tune when I put it on. It just feels like San Diego itself--sunny, active and vibrant. Or at least the more pleasant aspects of San Diego...)
There are two things that I also really enjoy about this disc that set it apart. First of all it showcases some tuba, and I can't think of too many other albums that make that work. Not just any old tuba work, either--Stewart really gets a lot out of his uberhorn! Secondly, this album also has some great contributions from James Blood Ulmer. If you have been keeping track of this blog and the comments associated, you might have already read that I wasn't always a huge fan of guitar in jazz. This was one of the albums that got me thinking differently about all of that.
What else can I say? Really give this one a chance to sink in--highly interesting and entertaining, cohesive and it never seems to get stale!
Lenox Avenue Breakdown
Arthur Blythe
1978
128 Rate AAC files (Equivalent to 192 rate Mp3 files)
Line-up:
Arthur Blythe - Sax (Alto), Mixing
Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Guilherme Franco - Percussion
Cecil McBee - Bass, Guitar
James Newton - Flute
Bob Stewart - Tuba
James Blood Ulmer - Guitar
1 Down San Diego Way Blythe - 7:44
2 Lenox Avenue Breakdown Blythe - 13:11
3 Slidin' Through Blythe - 9:33
4 Odessa Blythe - 9:30
24 comments:
Even though I have this, I thank you on behalf of all jazz fans. A tremendous record!
Thank you! I've been looking for this. I'm thinking about buying the Arthur Blythe album Metamorphosis with ABDUL WADUD, AHMED ABDULLAH, BOB STEWART, STEVE REID & MUHAMAD ABDULLAH on India Navigation and I was wondering if you already have this (because I'd hate to spend all that money on an out of print record that appears on a blog).
man, what a badass album :)) thanks j!
Glad everyone is enjoying this album. It is definitely one of my favs. As for the Metamorphosis album (his first as a leader, right?), it sounds great but unfortunately I do not own it. If you do end up with a copy of it, let us know! ;)
This is Blythe's masterpiece, IMO. I have it on CD, so shan't be downloading.
What I'm missing is Metamorphosis and The Grip. AFAIK, they were both on India Navigation, a label which has never surfaced on CD. There may have been other albums from that period, but they were the two I had on cassette as a student.
Oh dear J-Bombay. Looks as if you've been hit by that bastard troll. All your links seem to have gone. How can they gat away with this ?
hi
j bombay thanks for this and other great records.
sun myth i have metamorphoses and
the grip, both of which were reissued a few years ago on a cd with a couple of extra tracks.
as far as i know india navigations
been reissuing a fair bit of stuff.
not sure about availability,perhaps theyve gone under again.
if you guys would like ill rip the vinyl and post it, in the next few months
i cant see evidence of trolls, but i downloaded this a few days ago.
thanks again and cheers
Heya Dipmong,
Great stuff going on over at your site! I just need to find time to listen to it all now...
Yeah, "trolls" (I guess that is what they are called) dumped all of my links from Rapidshare here. What a bummer. Hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. Urrrghhh--the nerve of some people.
About the Metamorphosis and Grip albums, that would be awesome if you threw those up eventually. However, with the selection you are already posting, I am sure it can wait! Thank you!
If you are reading this and not Dipmong, go check out his blog, Inconstant Sol. It is in the links...
J
I'm glad you managed to recreate your links. I commiserate with you for all the trouble this must have caused you.
I've tried to get this recording for quite some time now. Many thanks.
glad to hear you've restored your links j. let''s hope they leave you alone in future.
What a wonderful record !
Thank you very much J. Bombay
Chaamba
P.S : I understand that some people here would like to hear Arthur Blythe in Concert - Metamorphosis - The Grip ; the cd reissue seems to be out of availability, as far as I could see after a quick search, so I guess I can offer it in two parts :
Part 1 : http://tinyurl.com/28xxnb
Part 2 : http://tinyurl.com/2hq8k3
Chaamba
You're a star!
I'm going to sooo enjoy hearing The Grip again! In fact I may even send a copy to my long-suffering house mates from university who loved it so much (not).
'twas my revenge for them playing Delius, you'll understand ;-)
Chaamba!
This is great! I thought I noticed that this post had a few extra comments and man was I glad I checked in. I wasn't aware that these two recordings had been put together into a single compilation. After reading more, I guess they were from the same date, huh? I guess you learn something new every day. Anyways, thank you for your generous contribution and for stopping by!
J
A great upbeat album for a sunny Sunday afternoon in downtown London; many thanks. Mr. Blythe is a relatively unknown to me, it's hard to imagine that this was recorded with a new group.
Oh and if I don't mention it elsewhere a big-up for the Jim Woodring illos. A wonderfully twisted tallent.
Regardez
djh
Hi DJH,
Glad you stopped by and enjoyed the Blythe and the Woodring. Nice how Woodring and Bill Frisell are collaborating on different creative projects these days.
Right now I am also trying to imagine a sunny day in London. I was there once for a couple of weeks during one winter, but don't remember ever seeing the sun. Still, it was a great trip!
J
Wow, haven't seen this for years! Can't wait to hear it.
Thanks :)
I'm a bit puzzled by the statement "How this ever managed to go out of print I will never know". It's in print and always has been as far as I know (at least on amazon.co.uk). Anyway, thanks for all the great music, but I urge anyone that wants this to buy it and support the artists.
hey, i would never have known this was here if sotise hadn't just mentioned it... evidently i stopped watching the comments here after a couple of days..!
nice one to fred for the rips :)
lenox ave *was definitely* out of print
it is now possibly available on import but for a while it was only available used, etc
Hello J-Bombay and chaamba
We start 'India Navigation Discography' and made a link to this post.
If you do not want it, please tell me so.
Keep it up and thank you in advance.
eG
Thanks Chaamba!
Does anyone have Arthur Blythes Illusions?? I have the LP but the digital would be nice.
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where is the link to this?
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