Top 10 all-time stinkers

[Steve Reynolds]

jazz only

only criteria is that there was something that made me buy it at the time

1) Wynton Marsalis - Big Train
2) Don Byron - Bug Music
3) Eric Dolphy- Other Aspects
4) Wynton Marsalis - Citi Movement
5) Roy Hargrove - Family
6) Roy Hargrove - Tenors of Our Time
7) James Carter - the one with Take the A Train
8) Randy Weston - the one with strings on verve
9) Cecil Taylor/John Coltrane - Coltrane Time
10) Globe Unity - 1967/1970

many more - these came to mind

[Captain Hate]

7) James Carter - the one with Take the A Train

Jurassic Classics. I don't know why you're badmouthing this one so much but my money would go on close proximity in time to the Red Sox losing a series to the Yankees.

Countdown for Rob Damen to defend 1 & 4: 3....2....1...

[Uli]

[Steve Reynolds]

wrong forum

Uli - you still have that Polwechsel CD?

never heard it - want to - a trade in the works?

I was waiting for a picture of your favorite Italian music recording

[Uli]

wrong forum

Uli - you still have that Polwechsel CD?

never heard it - want to - a trade in the works?

I've never heard it either. I've heard them doing it "live" if it could be called that. So, this one for me is like reading Kierkegard: *never*. That's why it's one of my all time stinkers.

[Scott Dolan]

I definitely would not agree about Citi Movement.

I'd replace that with the Monk tribute disc. Or Mr. Jelly Lord.

Also, I'm likely one of the few that doesn't think Coltrane Time completely sucks.

But then again, I'd be more than happy to put Bitches Brew high up on that list.

And Other Aspects should be higher up on the list. #3 simply doesn't do it justice. Yes, it's really THAT bad.

[Frisco]

Spirit - "Fresh Garbage"

[Dan G]

Braxton/Brotzmann/Bergmann (can't remember the title, but wasn't expecting much when I bought it anyway)

Evan Parker et al - London Air Lift (just doesn't seem to work)

some Gary Bartz disc (Juju Man, I think) I bought recently with horrendous vocals on a Love Supreme knockoff

anything by Kali Fasteau (was on her mailing list when I was doing radio, so I've heard several - how they could be so bad considering the people she can get to play with her, I don't know)

John Butcher/Derek Bailey/Oren Marshall (again, can't remember the title, with I could forget the music)

Rowe/Nakamura - Weather Sky (after many many listenings, I still don't like it and probably never will)

ICP - Boospadje Konijehnol 1 + 2 (the era of some of the best ICP lineups, and one of the best live bands around, but it just doesn't translate to disc)

William Parker's Little Huey Orchestra - I've heard the first few: Flowers Grow..., Sunrise in Tone Workd, Mayor of Punkville, etc (same criticism as ICP, it just doesn't record well)

AMM III (Prevost/Rowe) - It had been a perfectly normal day... (boring as can be...easily the worst thing I've heard by either, including the abovementioned WS)

[Captain Hate]

Dave Douglas Tiny Bell Trio - Live in Europe . Should be titled DOA in Europe . I've given up on giving this sucker another chance; prolly the most lifeless recording either of these three (Douglas, Schoeppach (ne. Shepik) & Black) have been involved with. Worst Arabesque Ever.

[Nate Dorward]

John Butcher/Derek Bailey/Oren Marshall (again, can't remember the title, with I could forget the music)

Trio Playing. Which is an excellent disc, actually. But you're in good company, if David Keenan is good company, as he gave a notoriously harsh review of it in The Wire.

The number of stinkers I've bought or reviewed at this point are legion, but I think I don't want to dredge up memories of them at the moment.

[Rob Damen]

I, too, must disagree with Citi Movement as a choice here, but I'm sure that surprises no one. In fact, if anything, it's one of the most unique records I've heard in jazz.

I'd say Anthony Braxton's "Tentet" and "Octet" on Braxton House would be my choice among all-time stinkers.

Cheers,

Rob

[shrugs]

Herbie Hancock The New Standard

[Nate Dorward]

I'd say Anthony Braxton's "Tentet" and "Octet" on Braxton House would be my choice among all-time stinkers.

Then you probably haven't dug too far into Mr Braxton's bottom ten..... the man's a genius, but man he has put out some clunkers on occasion.

[Sergio Zamora]

There are very few recordings that I've bought that I'd consider stinkers. Usually even mediocre cds have some redeeming value for me.

One that does come to mind is Drew Gress' "Spin & Drift". Great players all, with some great projects behind them. But this one is boring boring boring.

Another one is Grant Green's "Idle Moments". Again, boring, boring, boring.

I guess if I find a recording to be boring, then I'm a lot less kind to its weakness and tend to overlook its strengths.

[AntManBee]

The first one that leaps to mind:

[Gary Sisco]

Citi Movement, while a snore, was definitely not closer to the top of the list than "In This House ..."

It's definitely not in *this* house. Gaaahhhhhhhhhhhh. Spare us.

[relyles]

Another one is Grant Green's "Idle Moments". Again, boring, boring, boring.

I disagree with that one.

[Tanager]

some Gary Bartz disc (Juju Man, I think) I bought recently with horrendous vocals on a Love Supreme knockoff

Probably I've Known Rivers... - while I agree, the vocals are annoying at best, the first few tracks of that album smoke pretty hard - and Bartz is at the top of his game, and the band is cooking. What's not to like, other than the vocals (and the disappointing left turn into some meandering funk grooving about halfway through)?

[Steve Reynolds]

after hearing Cit Movement, no way I was buying On Thi House

wasn't it alos a double CD monstrosity?

also:

Blood on the Fields - also a waste of a few hours

agree about the Little Huey I've heard on record - plus you think William might wanna hire someone who knows how to record a big band?

[Brian Olewnick]

Jean-Paul Bourelly - Jungle Cowboy
Eugene Chadbourne - Camper van Chadbourne
Don Cherry - Home Boy
Steve Coleman - Sine Die
Chris MacGregor - Country Cooking
Orkest de Volharding - Shoulder to Shoulder
Greg Osby - Sound Theatre
Sam Rivers - Crystals
George Russell - The African Game
Jamaaladeen Tacuma - Jukebox

[Pete C]

One that does come to mind is Drew Gress' "Spin & Drift". Great players all, with some great projects behind them. But this one is boring boring boring.

I haven't heard the cd, but I enjoyed the band live. I suspect you just don't like Drew's 60s Blue Note-influenced (to my ears) compositions.

[Pete C]

Citi Movement, while a snore, was definitely not closer to the top of the list than "In This House ..."

I had the misfortune of seeing that performed live at Boston Symphony Hall.

[Gary Sisco]

In real time? Did you bring food, water and a sleeping bag?

I'd rather take a stroll around Fallujah.

[John L]

With stinkers this good, jazz must be a great music!


I agree with Shrugs nomination of Hancock's The New Standard. That is really a frustrating record because all the ingredients were there for something special. Great idea, great lineup, but nothing happened.

In the W. Marsalis canon, I have never heard Big Train or Mr. Jelly Roll, and I have no immediate plans to rectify that situation. I really couldn't stand the Monk tribute. I got rid of that one as fast as I could. "In this House" never did anything for me either. On the other hand, I do like some moments in Citi Movement and Blood on the Fields.

Of those mentioned, I like Idle Moments, Tenors of our Time, Juju Man, Crystals, and London Air Lift.

[Gary Sisco]

The other day I was listening to random lps drawn from the shelves. I used to buy crackpot records if they were cheap enough, when a club dj, because you never knew what kind of little sample you could get that would be effective in certain circumstances.

Anyways, here's another for the list:

"More Or Les McCann" -- a Pacific World Jazz lp that took already existing McCann tracks from other lp's and had Gerald Wilson write charts for his band to record over them. Why? You tell me. I could easily think of a hundred thousand better things to do with the money and studio time. Truly awful, to the point of being funny, in a sick sort of way.

[Gary Sisco]

John -- Isn't that kind of like saying you liked "moments" of *The Ten Commandments*?

[Steve Reynolds]

stoner-

tell me it isn't true??

got any other ones by the Mad Swede you hate and want ot part with?

I don't have them all

however - there is one or two that are awful with Mats - they belong on this list - but the names of the recordings escape me - then agin, I could barely get through the lenghth of the CD's.

yeah - the Monk tribute thing by Wynton is laughable

damn - it feels good to beat on whynnie for the first time in a while

he *still* deserves it, IMO

[Jason Bivins]

Oh man, I *love* "Idle Moments." BWTHDIK?

Cherry's "Home Boy" is just ass, agreed. Another fantastically bad record, which I picked up on vinyl for a buck, is Larry Young's "Spaceball." Based on the title, I was hoping for something like "Unity" meets Parliament. I think I ended up smashing it in the driveway one cold night.

[stonemonkts]

stoner-

tell me it isn't true??

got any other ones by the Mad Swede you hate and want ot part with?

I don't have them all

however - there is one or two that are awful with Mats - they belong on this list - but the names of the recordings escape me - then agin, I could barely get through the lenghth of the CD's.

Tis true.

I was very excited upon receiving Mouth after reading high praise-y things about him, and this recording in particular. This was over a year ago. So it arrives, and I settle into my recliner with headphones and buzz on...but pffft nothing happens. So I sold it the very next day. If I had a burner at the time I would've made myself a copy in case my ears needed to catch up to whatever he was doing on that record...but no dice.

The only other things I have with Mats are with him in avant big band settings (Stone Water, Inscape-Tableaux). I like both of those a lot, so no to your second question.

[Dennis Gonzalez]

I was very excited upon receiving Mouth.

Is that almost like receiving Head?