Wildflowers: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions

[rene]

Anybody has these or heard these? it's a 3-cd set recorded in the late 70s(?) which features Hemphill, Lyons, Cyrille, Rivers, Roscoe, Threadgill, Crouch and many of the so called active on the NY jazz scene during that time.

Want to hear any inputs before i take the plunge in buying it. thanks...

[edpack]

I have this but haven't heard it for a while due to massive reno's on my house which forced me to pack up my CD collection for a while. As I recall, it's pretty uneven, but still worth the $$$. It wasn't too expensive, IIRC. Great as a document of what was going on at the time. I would go for it!

[Dick Bowman]

It's a set that documents (quite well) a particular time and place for the music. As usual, with these things, some of the combinations/performances are unique. You might also find that some of the artists are quite well presented by other recordings (either then or earlier or later). If you like the music of the time it's well worth having (assuming we're not talking collector-pricing). I often think I'd like to have heard set-length performances rather than the "highlights".

[Pete C]

It's an important document with some great music, but there is the frustration of relatively short entries from each of the artists.

[Clay Fink]

A lot of great performances on that. There's nary a clinker (I'd except Ken McIntyre's flute work and the too-long Roscoe Mitchell wankfest) . You even get to hear Stanley Crouch play drums.

[Darryl G. Thomas]

Clay beat me to it. Crouch as an avant-garde drummer! Yeah, I know. Hard to believe. As others have said, uneven, but worth buying.

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Pete C

It's an important document with some great music, but there is the frustration of relatively short entries from each of the artists.

Agreed. I'd add that the sound quality isn't all that great, but that's not a major issue to me.

Is this one still on Knitting Factory records or has it been re-reissued on another label?

[Tom Marcello]

What ever happened to Michael Gregory Jackson?

[Pete C]

I believe he performed in a reunion with Oliver Lake at last year's Vision Festival. I know he had moved to western Mass. some years ago.

[bluenoter]

I have a one-CD version called Jazz Loft Sessions (on the label Douglas Music; apparently also on Knitting Factory). It turns up on eBay fairly often, sometimes under the (incorrect) title Wildflowers. I'd call it very uneven. On the other hand, the price is usually right.

1 Tranquil Beauty--Hamiet Bluiett 5:45
2 Jays--Kalaparusha 6:11
3 Over the Rainbow--Byard Lancaster 5:48
4 Black Robert--Dave Burrell 5:43 My favorite!
5 Clarity--Michael Jackson No, not that MJ. 6:09
6 Shout Song--David Murray 2:45
7 Portrait of Frank Edward Weston--Randy Weston 9:17
8 Naomi--Ken McIntyre 6:31
9 Pensive--Julius Hemphill 9:54
10 73°-S Kelvin--Anthony Braxton 6:41

[rene]

Thanks all for your inputs.

Scored the boxset (3 discs) without the booklet that was suppose to come along with it. Excellent snapshots of different performers, (Sunny Murray, Fred Hopkins, Khan Jamal and Kalaparusha Mcintyre were all standouts!) recorded at Sam River's loft Rivbea studio in May of '76.

I'd agree with Pete C. that these are frustratingly short entries, you'ld think that these recordings were 'selections' or some sort of 'the best of free jazz' incorporated into a 3 cd set but it's still a very satisfying documentation of the free jazz scene during a time when jazz was suppose to be in a standstill.

Sergio, i dont know if these has been re-issued on another label but my copies are the original knit factory releases.

This is well worth having if you're into this kind of music. Liked it very much!

[crawjo]

With the Lyons material on the set, is there any overlap with the 5 disc box that was released on Ayler a couple years ago?

[Sergio Zamora]

Originally Posted by Face of the Bass

With the Lyons material on the set, is there any overlap with the 5 disc box that was released on Ayler a couple years ago?

I doubt it.

[Dick Bowman]

Originally Posted by Face of the Bass

With the Lyons material on the set, is there any overlap with the 5 disc box that was released on Ayler a couple years ago?

No.

[Tom Marcello]

Here are some photos that I took at Studio Rivbea on July 4, 1976

Earl Cross

[Tom Marcello]

Sam Rivers

[Tom Marcello]

Jameel Moondoc

[Tom Marcello]

Sam Rivers on soprano

[Tom Marcello]

Jameel Moondoc & William Parker

[Tom Marcello]

Earl Cross and David Murray

[bluenoter]

Wow. Thanks, Tom!

Moondoc's first name is spelled Jemeel.

[Tom Marcello]

Thanks, I'll correct that. These black and white negatives have been sitting aroud for 30 years and I just got a few digitized. I forgot what I had!

Joe Daley & Sam Rivers

[Pete C]

Thanks, Tom. I really liked Earl Cross. I was a regular at Rivbea in '74 and '75, less frequently in '76.

[Clay Fink]

Originally Posted by Tom Marcello

Jameel Moondoc

William Parker on cello. What a joy!

[Lore]

Thanks very much for posting these photos, Tom.

[rene]

COOL snapshots Tom. Thanks!

[Tom Marcello]

Arthur Williams on trumpet

[Tom Marcello]

Earl Cross, Abdul Wadud & David Murray / Studio Rivbea

Murray is showboating by sticking the bell of his horn in and out of his knee and honking. I believe this was Murray's firs gig in NYC.

[Tom Marcello]

[Cem]

I haven't put it on in a few years, but agree with the others. Definitely worth having this set, if nothing else, for archival purposes. Some really high moments & treats in there, iirc.

Thanks, Tom. Great pics!

A young William Parker, having already perfected "the intense look". Priceless!