The Planet D Nonet is a Detroit based big little band that plays a range of music form jump blues to repertoire jazz performances. The music of Sun Ra has been one of the sources that they mined in the past, and they were joined at the end of the last year by trumpeter Michael Ray, an alumni of Sun Ra's Arkestra, who has continued to play Sun Ra's music in his own groups. The result is a new album Rays of the Sun on Eastlawn Records that provides new interpretations of Sun Ra's repertoire.
The origin of this recording happened when drummer RJ Spangler, one of the leaders of Planet D heard from Michael that he would be in Detroit. It was recorded at bassist Joel Peterson’s place, Trinosophies, and recorded (in Spangler’s words) “in the style of a Grateful Dead taper,” given a small budget. Co-leader trumpeter James O’Donnell and trombonist John Paxton have also known Ray for a number of years. Ray apparently fit in well with the Nonet and the band either played Joshua James arrangements or Rob E. Cohen’s transcriptions.
Joshua James is one of the stand-out players here on baritone and soprano saxophonists as well as clarinet and bass clarinet. Mention also must be made of the keyboards of Mike Malis and Daniel Bennett’s clarinet. Ray is of course playing familiar music (some of which he also plays in his own Kosmic Krewe) and contributes some lead vocals as the rhythm section percolates in support of the marvelous interplay amongst the horns and some nice soloing. While there are some chanting, it is briefer than one might experience during Sun Ra’s live performances which were very theatrical in addition to musical.
The music here is more of Sun Ra’s cosmic 1960s and 1970s mode with a bit less focus on some of the more Tadd Dameron-ish bop stylings of Sun Ra’s fifties band or Sun Ra’s revisiting of classic Fletcher Henderson arrangements that the prior East Lawn recording of Sun Ra’s music We Travel The Spaceways. The band sounds pretty solid and plays they interstellar numbers with a real feel for Sun Ra’s own performances (that have been well documented) although the sound lacks some bite (likely a result of how it was recorded) which is the only quibble with this production. It should be noted that poet John Sinclair recites one of Sun Ra’s poems for a bonus performance of There is Change in the Air. This can be obtained from http://cdbaby.com and more information can be found on http://www.eastlawnrecords.com.
I received my review copy from Eastlawn Records. Here is the Planet D Nonet playing some Sun Ra.
The musical legacy of Sun Ra continues to inspire many years after he made the transition from this planet. His pioneering blend of music, poetry, dance and theatre as well as the science fiction trappings of the performances may have led many to miss just how inspired a composer and arranger he was. Sun Ra visited Detroit in the mid-1970s and thereafter, and developed a substantial following there, like elsewhere. Included were musicians who have been and are performing Sun Ra’s music. The Planet D Nonet is a group of musicians from the Motor City who perform a range of music and have issued a double CD, We Travel The Spaceways: The Music Of Sun Ra (East Lawn Records).
For those familiar with Sun Ra’s recordings from the 1950’s such as has been reissued on Delmark or Evidence, the tenor of many of these performances (mostly recorded live) will not be surprising in the least. For those who attended performances by Sun Ra and His Arkestra, then one may be surprised by the performances absent the chants, heavy percussion and sun Ra’s electronic keyboards. Folks unfamiliar with Sun Ra from performance or recording might be unable to recognize the music here as coming from Sun Ra. This is music that has a touch of Tadd Dameron, intriguing harmonies, adroit tempo shifts and still sounds fresh.
The Planet D Nonet does a marvelous job in bring these compositions to life. While the personnel may shift, these are strong musicians anchored by R.J. Spangler on drums, pianist David Gadd and bassist Noah Jackson. Joshua James on baritone sax provides a presence while guest Salim Washington provides oboe and some holy ghost tenor sax on a few tracks, Jim Holder on tenor sax, James O’Donnell and Ken Ferry on trumpet to spotlight a few of the many folk who contribute in one way or another.
The notes from drummer Spangler and Rick Steiger provide a good overview of the compositions and the performances. The opening Velvet, described as a “‘Tadd Dameronesque’ swinger” opens with some robust baritone from Joshua James followed by Ken Ferry’s solid bop-laced trumpet. Trumpeter Herbert Dotson was an important member of Sun Ra’s groups in the 1950s and composed one of the leader’s signature numbers, Enlightenment, which in James’ transcription and arrangement, leads to some memorable ensemble playing with a short piano solo. Interstellar Low Ways is a moody-blues-tinged number a bit of exotic flavor captured in James’ arrangement with James Holden’s tenor sax featured followed by Salim Washington’s strong contribution on oboe. A studio performance has effective use of muted brass and different soloists including trombonist Tony Buccilli. The Kingdom Of Not, is a 1956 Sun Ra minor key blues with an outstanding solo from Justin Jozwiak on tenor (with some accenting by nice brass riffs) followed gutbucket some baritone sax from James that focused on the instruments lower range on the first of two performances of this.
Others tunes are heard in two or more renditions, including Ancient Aethopia. The first of the performances opens with a brief free ensemble chorus before Noah Jackson’s bass leads the statement of the main theme. Salim Washington takes the first of the featured solos, employing the tenor saxophone’s entire range, with honks, squeals and holy roller cries. After Joshua James explores the higher reaches of the baritone and its deep bottom, James O’Donnell takes off with a ’space trumpet’ solo. A second version of the tunes has guest saxophonist Kenny Millions conjuring up spirits with some fiery tenor sax with the rest of the band engaging in wild collective space-improvisation. The`final rendition is perhaps the most stately one although it has some fiery jazz tenor from James.
In addition to the fascinating explorations of Sun Ra’s book, there is a medley of the big band staples, King Porter Stomp and Big John Special, which were songs associated with Fletcher Henderson. The performances here evoke the charged, if slightly ragged, performances of the Arkestra this writer remembers watching 30 years ago. There is terrific high note trumpet from Patrick Hessian and stunning, spontaneous clarinet by Kenny Millions that connects the two numbers. It displays the same spirited ensemble playing and solos that characterize this salute to Sun Ra and his legacy. For more information on this, contact East Lawn Records at www.eastlawnrecords.com and they are on myspace at www.myspace.com/planetdnonet, Its available on CD and download from cdbaby.com and as a download from itunes.
I received a review copy from East Lawn Records. Here they are playing King Porter Stomp.
Nashville’s rich rhythm and blues history has been obscured by the emergence of the city as the country music capital. The following lengthy review appeared in the January 2008 Jazz & Blues Calendar (Issue 300) and all of these albums are available, although one may have to purchase mp3 versions of one of them. I was sent review copies of these from the publication.
SPV Blue is continuing its releases of recordings that document the rich rhythm and blues history of Nashville. The reissues of some classic and some rare recordings as well as some more contemporary recordings show that Music City produced more than simply country music.
Bullet Records Rhythm & Blues is the second reissue of the important Nashville label, this was focusing more on jump blues and blues shouters. In fact it opens with four selections by one of the greatest shouters, Wyonnie Harris and in addition to his vocals, these recordings include the first recordings of pianist Herman ‘Sonny’ Blount (better known as Sun Ra). Fred James speculates that its tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate’s band backing Max Bailey whose tune includes an exhortation to the troops on Drive Soldiers Drive. Alto saxophonist Sherman Williams’ selections feature pianist-shouter Skippy Brooks who would later be a mainstay in Nashville for Excello, and singing six strong tracks including Baby Don’t You Want to Go, a reworking of Kokomo Blues, a song that was the model for Sweet Home Chicago. Two tracks by The Bobby Plater Orchestra feature members of Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra backing a young Rufus Thomas, while Doc Wiley’s two tracks include a hot jump instrumental and the more philosophical Play Your Hand with Wiley’s strong piano and nice vocal. A few cuts are more in the vein of Mills Brothers styled harmony, and fill out what is a pretty exceptional reissue that will be of special interest to fans of blues shouters.
The Rogana Story: Hossman’s Blues compiles a number of blues tracks that legendary Nashville dee-jay and record producer, William ‘Hoss’ Allen produced, mostly which were licensed to other labels. The material here is very blues based and features both some Nashville recordings and Muscle Shoals sides. The Nashville sides often feature guitarist Johnny Jones who leads what are The Beat Boys (tied into the legendary TV show that Allen produced and emceed and who also included bassist Billy Cox). Vocalists Sam Baker and Dottie Clark (terrific on All Woman) benefit from Jones’ stinging playing. The tracks by The Beat Boys include not only Jones’ fiery fretwork but also the famed steel guitarist Pete Drake playing through a Leslie cabinet. Finger Lickin’ is particularly outstanding selection of deep in the alley blues guitar. Jimmy Stuart, trumpeter at the time with B.B. King, plays downhome blues harp on a couple selections (Sit and Beg My Baby has a nice soulful vocal) as well as on an instrumental duet with Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore. Gatemouth Brown was recorded by Allen (he was featured on Allen’s The Beat TV show) and is Have You Ever Been Mistreated is a fine blues. Also outstanding is Johnny Copeland’s Ain’t Nobody’s Business. Several other selections feature vocalist Art Grayson (singing in a deep soul vein) while the last selection is Hoss Allen’s tribute to Martin Luther King, He Went to the Mountain Top. A nice collection of blues and southern soul that is quite entertaining.
The Champion Records Story; Volume 2 Rockin’ R&B, perhaps brings together more pop and R&B flavored recordings than the other reissues here. Champion was one the labels associated with the legendary Ted Jarrett. Jimmy Beck opens things with three instrumentals with the opening Pipe Dreams suggesting perhaps a bit of a ska groove, while Nightmare. Johnny Jones was on guitar on these and other tracks. Little Ike comes across as a Little Richard copycat on She Can Rock, while Larry Birdsong’s somewhat forgettable Scooter Poopin’ predates his Vee-Jay days. Earl Gaines is still around and is heard on three rocking sides, while Chuck Harrod & the Anteaters have a rockabilly flavor to them especially on They Wanna Fight, and Crawdad Hole. Al ‘Murfreesboro’ Garner handles the lead on Oh My Love with doo wop backing. Don Q’s Band with Clenest Gant harken back to earlier jump blues with a rocking Hallelujah and Jump Jump Hi Ho. Joyce Paul’s two tracks are sorta of minor league Ruth Brown styled recordings, while Sandra Meade is a good singer with in a nice rendition of Fever. This closes with Baker Knight’s rocking Bring My Cadillac Back, as his baby ran off with his Cadillac. Nice booting sax solo on this and a simple rock groove. An interesting slice of music perhaps, but the least interesting of these reissues.
The last of these discs is an excellent collection of recent recordings that Fred James has produced, The Champions of R&B. James produced recordings and tours by these artists and the selections are ‘leftovers’ I guess, but that should not imply any musical shortcomings on any of the tracks issued here. The material is a nice mix of straight blues and southern soul ballads. Roscoe Gordon opens with a rocking She’s the One with some nice use of the whammy bar on the guitar while guitarist James Nixon’s One More Chance is strong deep soul as is Freddie Waters rendition of the Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham It Tears Me Up. Johnny Jones is likely the guitarist on Charles Walker’s terrific Monkey Blues with Jones’ playing complimenting Walker's gospel-tinged singing. I was unfamiliar with Larry LaDon, but the terrific Living on Borrowed Time is a great performance on a song that evokes some of Albert King’s recordings. LaDon has a vocal style closer to Junior Parker than B.B. King and more good guitar here. Johnny Jones’ Girlfriend’s Blues has Johnny in consternation after discovering his woman has another lover, “my girlfriend has a girlfriend too.” Earl Gaines’ A Fool’ Advice is a solid ballad with a philosophical tone while Al Garner’s marvelous Gonna Stop Drinkin’ also benefits from some wonderful T-Bone Walker styled guitar. Altogether there are 18 tracks here that are at least good and mostly exceptional. With about 76 minutes of music, this i also good value. While Roscoe Shelton and Freddie Waters are no longer with us, others still are and plans are in the works for organizing another touring revue by these acts. If they come to a town near you, I would suggest you catch these musical giants and in the meantime, do check this wonderful CD out.
Since I originally wrote this Johnny Jones also passed on and some others may have too.
Here is the great Earl Gaines from the legendary TV show The Beat!!! (available on DVD from Bear Family) doing 24 Hours a Day.
Here is some Roscoe Shelton found on youtube.
Finally Johnny Jones with gatemouth Brown from The Beat!!!
Saxophonist Odean Pope may be best known for his tenure with the late Max Roach, but was also part of the legendary cooperative group Catalyst and also the Saxophone Choir. The Philadelphia based tenor saxophonist is joined on his newest recording Universal Sounds (Porter Records) with Marshall Allen, one of the principal saxophonists with the late Sun Ra, on alto sax and electronic wind instruments, bassist Lee Smith and three drummers, Warren Smith, Craig McIver and Jim Hamilton creating an unusual setting for the performances here.
Listening to this CD, a number of reference points strike me. Custody of American Spirit, opens with Pope’s strong tenor contrasted with Allen’s electronic wind instrument followed by the Warren Smith’s employment use of percussion and what sounds like Indian chants and whoops backed by Lee Smith’s arco playing followed by Warren Smith’s timpani and the other drummers creating a wall of percussion as Pope and Allen, both on saxophones state the theme. Pope and Allen state the theme of Mwalimu with its African flavor followed by Lee Smith’s dueting with one (or more) of the drummers. The Binder conjures up some of the more intense free jazz of the sixties and seventies which evokes some of the recordings by Pharoah Sanders, Coltrane (particularly the latter recordings with Rashied Ali, including those which included Sanders and/or Donald Garrett). Allen follows with a furious solo with a fair amount of overblowing, screeches and honks set against the furious cacophony of the percussionists.
She Smiled Again is a more pensive composition with Pope’s ballad playing employing a slightly harsh vibrato with Lee Smith anchoring the performance while the drummers add their own accents here. Bassist Smith contributed the lively Go Figure, which is a lengthy bass feature with the drummers adding their comments. The Track by Allen has him on the electronic wind instrument contributing various electronic effects and sounds and engaging in a musical colloquy with Warren Smith on marimba and timpani. Allen’s playing here was interesting and suggests the possibility of electronics in the mix of usual wind instrument musical ideas with sounds one might associate more with, say, keyboard synthesizers. Blues opens with some driving percussion before the saxophones state the simple blues riff at the performance’s heart leading to fresh and robust blues playing by Pope (once again Lee Smith’s bass playing merits kudos) with some intense, fresh passages. A longer rendition of Custody of the American (Bullshit Version), concludes with Warren Smith’s wordless chanting supplemented by soft shouts of ‘Bullshit,” with more furious percussion by the trio of drummers.
There is powerful music here and when one considers that Pope is 72, Warren Smith is 76 and Marshall Allen is 86, one has to be astonished by the energy they impart into these performances. Obviously if one is not a fan of free jazz, this will not appeal to that individual. However, there is more on Universal Sounds than what might strike some as the frenzied cacophony during The Binder. Most of the performances more structured and providing for some fascinating, and thoughtful musical conversations. While admittedly this won’t be for everyone’s tastes, this is a most potent session.
Fred James has been putting out a number of collections of classic rhythm and blues recordings from Nashville on the German SRV Blue label. Bullet Records Rhythm & Blues is the second reissue in this series of the important Nashville label. It focuses more on jump blues and blues shouters. It opens with four selections by one of the greatest shouters, Wynonie Harris, and in addition to his vocals, these recordings include the first recordings of pianist Herman ‘Sonny’ Blount (better known as Sun Ra). These recordings may have also had Mr. Harris on drums. A few years later Mr. Blount would be leading a band in Chicago and emerge with his unique and influential big band. While these recordings will be of historical interest for that fact, there is plenty more here for fans of jump blues and blues shouters. Fred James speculates that its tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate’s band backing Max Bailey whose tune includes an exhortation to the troops on Drive Soldiers Drive. Alto saxophonist Sherman Williams’ selections feature pianist-shouter Skippy Brooks who would later be a mainstay in Nashville for Excello. He is heard strongly singing six strong tracks including Baby Don’t You Want to Go, a reworking of Kokomo Blues, a song that was the model for Sweet Home Chicago. Two tracks by The Bobby Plater Orchestra feature members of Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra backing a young Rufus Thomas, while Doc Wiley’s two tracks include a hot jump instrumental and the more philosophical Play Your Hand with Wiley’s strong piano and a nice vocal. A few cuts are more in the vein of Mills Brothers styled harmony, and fill out what is an exceptional reissue that will be of special interest to fans of blues shouters.
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