Thanks, Chris. Your guidance in these realms is appreciated always. But it can get expensive ... I may have to sell another company. A quick comment after a first perusal: I am surprised at the low slot for "Francesca" and the higher ranking for (inclusion of?) the Messthetics / Lewis. But hey, you're the pro in the know. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Michael
The slower ones on the Murray drag a bit, I think, and my reception was perhaps somewhat colored by having seen him in a fiery trio setting with Ingerbrigt Håker Flaten and Paal Nilssen Love when I frist heard the album. Francesca seemed a tad too restrained by comparison, But I still think it's pretty great, and it has grown on me since then. Plus, as I say in the intro, the ranking isn't all that strict. But it wouldn't make it into a top 25, much as I love Murray (and the rest of the group, really).
OK, good points, thanks. I think my reaction came from the "much as I love Murray" part of me. Murray has been so prolific and so great for so long that I find it hard to give all of his releases the 'critical' listens that they deserve and require. And he faces the burden of having to live up to - compete with? - his own very high standards. I love Charlie Haden too, for example, but his work, both as a leader and as an accompanist, was so broad and varied, (Ornette to the LMO to Hank Jones to ... to ... etc.), that he didn't face the same problem. And hey - give me Murray's magic and talent and I'll take the burden.
Thanks, Chris. Your guidance in these realms is appreciated always. But it can get expensive ... I may have to sell another company. A quick comment after a first perusal: I am surprised at the low slot for "Francesca" and the higher ranking for (inclusion of?) the Messthetics / Lewis. But hey, you're the pro in the know. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Michael
The slower ones on the Murray drag a bit, I think, and my reception was perhaps somewhat colored by having seen him in a fiery trio setting with Ingerbrigt Håker Flaten and Paal Nilssen Love when I frist heard the album. Francesca seemed a tad too restrained by comparison, But I still think it's pretty great, and it has grown on me since then. Plus, as I say in the intro, the ranking isn't all that strict. But it wouldn't make it into a top 25, much as I love Murray (and the rest of the group, really).
OK, good points, thanks. I think my reaction came from the "much as I love Murray" part of me. Murray has been so prolific and so great for so long that I find it hard to give all of his releases the 'critical' listens that they deserve and require. And he faces the burden of having to live up to - compete with? - his own very high standards. I love Charlie Haden too, for example, but his work, both as a leader and as an accompanist, was so broad and varied, (Ornette to the LMO to Hank Jones to ... to ... etc.), that he didn't face the same problem. And hey - give me Murray's magic and talent and I'll take the burden.