ANTHONY DAVIS SEXTET "NDR JAZZ WORKSHOP NO.180"

James Newton, flute
Marty Ehrlich, alto & tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Cindy Iverson, bassoon
Shem Guibbory, violin
Abdul Wadud, cello
Anthony Davis, piano

1. Under the Double Moon: Wayang No. IV (A. Davis)     42:58
2. Whose Life? (A. Davis)     10:00
3. Still Waters No. IV (A. Davis)     33:25
4. A Walk Through the Shadow (A. Davis)     15:11


NDR Jazz Workshop No. 180; produced by Michael Naura.


Recorded on May 19, 1983 at Studio 10, Grosser Sendesaal des NDR Funkhauses, Hamburg.

JOHN CARTER QUiNTET - Variations on Selected Themes for Jazz Quintet (Moers 1979)

I've got this classic album uploaded for quite long time, but kept forgetting to post it. Ripped from most probably OOP CD version, although vinyl is possibly still available according to Moers Music website. Two concerts from around same time are already available here and here. Enjoy.

JOHN CARTER QUiNTET - Variations on Selected Themes for Jazz Quintet (Moers 1979)

John Carter – clarinet
Bobby Bradford – trumpet
James Newton – flute
Bob Stewart – tuba
Phillip Wilson – drums

1. B.L.'s Delight – 13:55
2. Echoes from Harlem – 7:25
3. Woodman's Hall Blues – 7:28
4. Petals – 7:21
5. And She Speaks – 7:21

Recorded at Studio 57, Düsseldorf, Germany, 15 August 1979

Moers Music 02084 CD

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JAMES NEWTON TRIO/QUARTET "BINU" (CIRCLE, 1977)

Finally >  Thank you Inamorata, for your third contribution:





James Newton Trio and Quartet: Binu (Circle Records, 1977)

Here's the third and last installment of The Complete James Newton on Circle Records.


James Newton Trio and Quartet: Binu
Circle Records RK 21877/11

James Newton, flute & ceramic flute
Mark Dresser, bass
Tylon Barea, drums
Allan Iwohara, koto (B2, B3)

A1.  The Change (James Newton)  09:06
A2.  T & E (James Newton)  05:23
A3.  Pinkie Below (James Newton)  07:28
B1.  Red Car (Butch Morris)  07:12
B2.  Past Spirits (James Newton)  06:18
B3.  Shakuhachi (James Newton)  07:33

Recorded August 21, 1977 at Studio Z, Los Angeles, by Bruce Bidlack
Produced by Rudolf Kreis

This studio date must be one of Mark Dresser's earliest recordings. It also is the first officially issued encounter between Newton and koto player Allan Iwohara who also figures on Newton's fine "Water Mystery" from 1985. A later (?) video of James Newton performing with Allan Iwohara ist at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjVgwOpXxgg.
Again, the LP transfer was de-rumbled and de-clicked but otherwise left unchanged.



Discography of James Newton's recordings on Circle Records (all timings are mine, don't trust those given on the LPs):

1977/01/16   James Newton & David Murray
    James Newton, flute
    David Murray, alto & tenor sax
The Smudge Pot, Claremont, CA (live)

1.  Monk's Notice (James Newton)  13:41        Solomon's Sons, RK 16177/5
2.  The Dean (James Newton) 6:19  (DM out)    Solomon's Sons, RK 16177/5
3.  Theme for the Kidd (David Murray)  8:59    Solomon's Sons, RK 16177/5
4.  3D Family (David Murray)  7:14  (JN out)    Solomon's Sons, RK 16177/5
5.  Solomon's Sons (James Newton)  8:07        Solomon's Sons, RK 16177/5
6. Woman (Bobby Bradford)  6:03  (DM out)    Flutes!, RK 7677/7

Notes: Recorded by Bruce Bidlack. The playing order of the tracks is unclear. Timings include announcements and applause.

***

1977/05/21  James Newton solo
    James Newton, flute
Studio A, KPFK Pacifica Radio Los Angeles, Cahuenga Blvd., N. Hollywood, CA

1.  The Dean (James Newton)  7:35        Flutes!, RK 7677/7
2.  Choir (James Newton)  4:26            Flutes!, RK 7677/7

***

1977/08/21  James Newton Trio and Quartet
    James Newton, flute & ceramic flute
    Mark Dresser, bass
    Tylon Barea, drums
    Allan Iwohara, koto (5, 6)
Studio Z, Los Angeles

1.  The Change (James Newton)  8:38         Binu, RK 21877/11
2.  T & E (James Newton)  6:22            Binu, RK 21877/11
3.  Pinkie Below (James Newton)  7:28        Binu, RK 21877/11
4.  Red Car (Butch Morris)  7:07        Binu, RK 21877/11
5.  Past Spirits (James Newton)  6:31        Binu, RK 21877/11
6.  Shakuhachi (James Newton)     7:34        Binu, RK 21877/11

Note: Recorded by Bruce Bidlack.

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JAMES NEWTON & DAVID MURRAY "SOLOMON'S SON" (CIRCLE, 1977)

Inamorata has provided us with another treasure - but let's 'hear' it in his own words:


James Newton & David Murray: Solomon's Sons (Circle Records, 1977)

Here we go with the second installment of The Complete James Newton on Circle Records. A discography of Newton's Circle recordings will follow in the last installment.


James Newton & David Murray: Solomon's Sons
Circle Records RK 16177/5

Dedicated to Martin Luther King

James Newton, flute
David Murray, alto & tenor sax

A1. Monk's Notice (James Newton)
A2. The Dean (James Newton) DM out
B1. Theme for the Kidd (David Murray)
B2. 3D Family (David Murray) JN out
B3. Solomon's Sons (James Newton)

Recorded live January 16, 1977 at the Smudge Pot, Claremont, CA by Bruce Bidlack.
Produced by Rudolf Kreis

Circle Records RK 16177/5


One further flute solo track from the same concert, Bobby Bradford's "Woman", is included on "Flutes!" (Circle Records RK 7677/7). This show is remarkable as one of the rare (if not the only) officially documented occasions of David Murray playing the alto sax.
This LP was posted before by Wallofsound on Inconstant Sol (http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2007/12/james-newton-and-david-murray-solomons.html), with a very interesting description (also see his remarkable posts on DM at http://wallofsound.wordpress.com/category/david-murray/). The flac links are dead; the mp3 links are still active but the files suffer from considerable digital clipping so this is clearly an upgrade.
As with the Flutes! LP, the transfer was de-rumbled and de-clicked but otherwise unchanged. For audio restoration I use the software written by Brian Davies at www.clickrepair.net which I cannot praise highly enough. However, just as any sharp tool, this has to be used with great care in order to avoid damage.

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SAM RIVERS TUBA TRIO/JAMES NEWTON "FLUTES" (CIRCLE RECORDS 1976/77)

I post this on behalf of inamorata.


In his own words:


Sam Rivers Tuba Trio/James Newton - Flutes!(Circle Records, 1976/1977)

This serves both as an alternative transfer of the final section of the Sam Rivers Tuba Trio at the Bimhuis in 1976 and as the first installment of The Complete James Newton on Circle Records.




Sam Rivers Tuba Trio/James Newton: Flutes!
Circle Records RK 7677/7

Sam Rivers, flute
Joe Daley, tuba & French horn
Warren Smith, drums & percussion

A1 Essence - Part XI (Rivers/Daley/Smith)

Recorded live September 2, 1976 at Bimhuis, Amsterdam by Rudolf Kreis

James Newton, flute

B1 Woman (Bobby Bradford)
B2 The Dean (James Newton)
B3 Choir (James Newton)

B1 recorded live January 16, 1977 at the Smudge Pot, Claremont, CA by Bruce Bidlack
B2, B3 recorded live May 21, 1977 at Studio A, KPFK Pacifica Radio Los Angeles, Cahuenga Blvd., N. Hollywood, CA
Produced by Rudolf Kreis


A link for Sam Rivers' Essence Pt. XI (courtesy of Nick) was posted by onxidlib in the comments to http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2012/02/sam-rivers-tuba-trio-essence-heat-and.html. However, that transfer appears to have gone though radical noise reduction, resulting in some loss of high frequency detail. This is my own transfer, carefully de-rumbled and de-clicked but otherwise unchanged except for the manual removal of some defects (mostly in the James Newton tracks).
For a Circle Records discography, see http://jazzlabels.klacto.net/circle.html
An interesting essay by Mark Weber on the wider historical background of the early James Newton recordings and the Los Angeles scene: http://metropolis.free-jazz.net/mark-weber-the-early-lps-of-the-los-angeles-free-jazz-scene/reviews/7875/

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John Carter All Stars - Live in Middleheim '79

The same line-up and the same program of the Roman concert,
even the same date! (What will be the right one?).

Rec. live at "Middelheim Jazz", Antwerpen, Belgium, on August 16, 1979
(mics recording)

John Carter,clarinet
James Newton,flute
Bobby Bradford,trumpet
Bob Stewart,tuba
Phillip Wilson,drums

1. B.L.'s Delight (24:58)
2. Petals (10:01)
3. Woodman's Hall Blues (16:24)
4. Abstractions For Three Lovers (12:54)
5. Circle (14:46)
6. Encounter [encore] (07:32)

Total Time 1:26:38

All compositions by J.Carter.

Encounter

Anthony Davis & James Newton Quartet - Live in Rome '79

A supplement to a previous post.
(Ilario's tape)

Rec. live at "Centro Jazz St. Louis", Rome, Italy, on December 15,
1979 (mix recording)

James Newton,flute
Anthony Davis,piano
Rick Roozie,bass
Pheeroan akLaff,drums

1. Lake [J.Newton] (17:28))
2. An Anthem For The Generation That Died [A.Davis] (16:54)
3. Meditations On Integration [C.Mingus] (28:06)
4. Hocket In The Pocket [A.Davis] (08:35)
5. Unknown [inc.] (21:08)

Total Time 1:32:13

Hocket In The Pocket

John Carter Quintet - Live in Rome '79

The same quintet recorded (the day before) "Variations on Selected
Themes for Jazz Quintet" (Moers Music CD2084).

Rec. live in Rome, Italy, on August 16, 1979
(mics recording)

John Carter,clarinet
Bobby Bradford,trumpet
James Newton,flute
Bob Stewart,tuba
Phillip Wilson,drums

1. B.L.'s Delight (22:45)
2. Carter's Intro (01:27)
3. Petals (07:57)
4. Woodman's Hall Blues (14:22)
5. Abstractions For Three Lovers (12:13)
6. Circle (13:38)
7. Encounter (07:11)

Total Time 1:20:35

Anthony Davis & James Newton Quartet - Live in Moers '79

For "jazz flute" lover(s) here is a very good concert
by one of the finest groups (in my opinion) of the
late seventies. The highlight is, without doubt,
"Meditations on Integration" : tribute to the Genius
passed away few months before.

Rec. live at the 8th Moers Festival, Moers, Germany,
on June 3rd, 1979 (mics recording)

James Newton,flute
Anthony Davis,piano
Rick Rozie,bass
Pheeroan akLaff,drums

1. Lake [J.Newton] (10:02)
2. Of Blues And Dreams [A.Davis] (25:15)
3. Hocket In The Pocket [A.Davis] (08:30)
4. Pinky Below [J.Newton] (16:04)
5. Meditations On Integration [C.Mingus] (27:38)
6. Encore [Unknown] (11:19)

Total Time 1:38:52

David Murray Big Band feat. James Newton plays 'The Obscure Works of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn'

David Murray Big Band featuring James Newton plays 'The Obscure Works of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn'
Jazzfest ñ Haus der Kulturen der Welt, November 7th 1998.

African Flower 19:03
Such Sweet Thunder 7:53
Chelsea Bridge 7:36
Love You Madly 7:51
Bloodcount 6:18
Wig Wise 11:11
Praise God 4:21
Warm Valley 12:10
Blue Pepper (Far East Of The Blues) 6:02

Carmen Bradford (vocals)
David Murray (tenor sax, bass clarinet, conductor)
Ricky Ford (tenor sax)
James Newton (flute, conductor)
James Spaulding (alto sax, flute)
John Purcell (saxello, clarinet)
Pablo Calogero (baritone sax)
Craig Harris (trombone)
Frank Lacy (trombone)
Gary Valente (trombone)
Ravi Best (trumpet)
Hugh Ragin (trumpet)
DD Jackson (piano)
Jeff Chambers (bass)
Andrew Cyrille (drums)
Klod Kiavue (percussion)

"James Newton and myself are interested in bringing to light some of Ellington's obscure extended works, while at the same time realizing Billy Strayhorn's influence on Ellington and unveiling the uniqueness of their collaboration" David Murray (http://www.festwochen.de/jazzfest/2002/archiv/jazzfest98.html)

I am in debt to LYM for a copy of the recording.

The first indication of Murray's interest in Ellington in the former's recordings came when Come Sunday appeared on one of the the saxophonist's solo albums, Conceptual Saxophone, in 1978. Given Murray's gospel background the choice may have been connected to the opportunity that the theme gave to Murray to explore his interest in the ecstatic.

There are, though, indications that Murray's interest in Ellington preceded this recording, and goes someway back into Murray's musical origins. Murray grew up in California, and studied on Stanley Crouch’s Black Studies programme at Pomono College and, according to Brian Case's sleeve notes to Conceptual Saxophone, Murray originally came to New York on a research trip for a thesis on Jazz saxophone. According to an interview in the Washington Post with Hollie I West he says specifically the paper was on changes in Saxophone playing since 1959. Case’s sleeve notes also cite Murray’s interest in Paul Gonsalves – Ellington’s long time tenor player – as an influence, and Gonsalves would certainly have been one of the key players in influencing post-1959 players. Many of Murray's later works signaled an interest in Gonsalves, Murray even gave a composition on his 1991 big band recording the title 'Paul Gonsalves'.

Murray went on to record 13 Ellington and seven Billy Strayhorn compositions with his own bands or the WSQ, and many more pieces from the Ellington band book. 'In A Sentimental Mood' gets four outings with different bands. Gary Giddins has suggested other Gonsalves-inspired thinking beyond the debt in muscular tone, when he notes that Murray's solo on Ellington's 'Take the Coltrane' is 27 choruses long, the same length as Gonsalves' solo insertion in the famous Newport performance of 'Diminuendo and Cresendo in Blue'.

Murray also seems to owe a debt to Ellington in his bag band work. Although large ensembles had been a key feature of the California new jazz scene in the early 1970s, and many of Murray's earliest New York appearances were in large bands, his big band recordings always seem (to me at least) to have much of the majesty of Ellington's classic performances.

In this context it's not surprising that Murray would get round to a detailed investigation of the Ellington oeuvre. And this is it: 'The Obscure Works of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn'

I'm not sure why Murray titled the whole performance 'The Obscure Works' because most of the compositions will be well known to Ellington fans, and a number have standard status. This project has clearly been in development for some time, and Murray used the basic idea many times. Giddins refers to a performance of the project in 1997 in Paris with big band plus string orchestra. He also suggested that the concert was recorded, edited and released in 1998, but I haven't been able to track down a copy, let alone another mention of the record. Giddins doesn't give a recording label, like he does for every record release in the book, so I'm even less sure how to find it (if it exists). There is clearly a recording, though because Giddins discusses it over several pages of the book. The band and set seem to be very similar as this one.

The project had several performances including:

Paris 1997
Carmen Bradford (vocals)
David Murray (tenor sax, bass clarinet, conductor)
Ricky Ford (tenor sax)
Hamiet Bluiett (sax)
Arthur Blythe (sax)
James Newton (flute, conductor)
James Spaulding (alto sax, flute)
John Purcell (saxello, clarinet)
Charles Ownes (sax)
Craig Harris (trombone)
George Lewis (trombone)
Ray Anderson (trombone)
Bobby Bradford (trumpet)
DD Jackson (piano)
Art Davis (bass)
Andrew Cyrille (drums)


JazzFest Berlin 98, Saturday 7th November 10:30 pm Auditorium
Carmen Bradford (vocals)
David Murray (tenor sax, bass clarinet, conductor)
Ricky Ford (tenor sax)
James Newton (flute, conductor)
James Spaulding (alto sax, flute)
John Purcell (saxello, clarinet)
Pablo Calogero (baritone sax)
Craig Harris (trombone)
Joe Bowie (trombone)
Gary Valente (trombone)
Bobby Bradford (trumpet)
Ravi Best (trumpet)
Hugh Ragin (trumpet)
DD Jackson (piano)
Art Davis (bass)
Andrew Cyrille (drums)
Klod Kiavue (percussion)


Brecon Jazz Festival, August 1999
Hugh Ragin
Rassul Siddik,
Nathan Breedlove (t)
Craig Harris
Gary Valente
Joe Bowie (tb)
James Newton
John Purcell
James Spaulding
Ricky Ford
Hammiet Bluiett (rds)
Hilton Ruiz (p)
Jaribu
Shahid (b)
Andrew Cyrille (d)
Klod Kiavue (perc)
Carmen Bradford (vo)

A scaled down version of this group played the North Sea Jazz Festival in July 1999 consisting of Murray with, Ragin, Harris, Newton, Purcell, Bluiett, Ruiz, Shahid and Cyrille and possibly one other (http://johnjazz.homestead.com/davidmurray.html).

I would be very interested to find out any further information, hear other performances of the project, and track down a copy of the record Giddins mentions.

James Newton and David Murray Solomon’s Sons, flac and lame

Circle Records RK 16177/5
Circle Records, Aachener Str 60/62, 5000 Koln, Germany

Dedicated to Martin Luther King

I’m honoured to be invited to join the contributors to one of the most interesting blogs around. I’ve just managed to get hold of a copy of James Newton and David Murray’s Solomon’s Sons , so I thought I’d start off with this one. It’s one of the final records I needed to complete my David Murray collection. (I’m still missing Live at Peace Church and Sur-Real Saxophone, if anyone has copies they want to sell at a reasonable price). If you’ve read any of my blog entries on Murray, you’ll know I like the detail. Hope there’s not too much here.

James Newton Flute
David Murray Alto and Tenor Saxophone

Monk’s Notice (James Newton) duo 13:29
The Dean (James Newton) flute solo 6:47
Theme For The Kidd (David Murray) duo 9:05
3D Family (David Murray) sax solo 7:09
Solomon’s Sons (James Newton) duo 9:05

Recorded in live at the Smudge Pot, Claremont, California on January 16th 1977

Recorded by Bruce Bidlack
Produced by Rudolf Kreis

Recordings of three duo performances and a solo each for two reunited musicians back where they started playing: Claremont, California. By this point Murray had become the darling of the loft jazz scene in New York, as well as a regular feature on the European festival circuit. Murray tended to work in a quartet setting in the late 1970s, and so along with a couple of solo recordings, it’s interesting to hear Murray work in such a challenging context.

The album is credited to Newton and Murray, and the inverse alphabetical order suggests Newton had the key role here. Nevertheless Murray plays an equal role in the playing and composition stakes. Murray worked with Newton on three further recordings that I am aware of: a 1995 release of recordings made under Jon Jang’s leadership (Two Flowers on Stem); a jointly led quintet CD released in 1996; and a1998 work with Guadeloupian musicians (Creole)

Two note-worthy asides of interest to Murray fans. First, the album credits suggest he plays both alto and tenor on this recording. Although I think I’ll need a couple more listens to spot where he uses the smaller horn, the back cover photo shows both in evidence. Second, although not noted on the cover, Newton’s 'The Dean' is dedicated in the live announcement to Stanley Crouch. It’s certainly possible to draw the conclusion that ‘The Dean’ was a the affectionate name for Crouch who, as a staff member at Pomona College (where Murray studied), became a mentor for many black musicians involved in the local black arts movement.

The associations of this recording with Murray’s past and future resonate particularly strongly in one track. This was also the first time '3D Family' was recorded; although he returned to the theme on three further occasions in 1978, ‘81 and ‘90. The importance of the composition to Murray is apparent in the 1978 release where he makes it the title track and dedicates it to (I think) his father Walter P Murray. When Murray Jnr moved to Paris he took the title as the name for his production company. Murray also recorded Newton’s 'Monk’s Notice' almost exactly a year later on Last of the Hipman.