Strata East

The SJR comps are def. the best place to start. Alongside the already mentioned Pharoah and Shamek Farrah, classics here are the two Ju Ju's (precursors to Oneness of Juju), Gil's massive Winter In America, Charles Sullivan's Genesis, the Heath Bros' Marchin' On, and Cecil McBee's Mutima. The second sides on these last three titles contain my favourite Strata East moments.

Mtume's Alkebu-Lan is a sprawling statement but not as intoxicating as his next step, Rebirth Cycle.

I see my incomplete discography is still available at http://www.freeform.org/music/Strataeast.html

I'm not familiar enough with the three labels to make an informed judgment, but I'd probably still rank them like Broheems.

Back to Strata East, how's Weldon Irvine's In Harmony? I've got most of his other albums and like them in varying degrees.

Message has its moments but i thought it was just too hit-or-miss to feel good about spending the money. "what we need" hits the mid-70s afropositivism note perfectly but "for the children" is just saccharine. the uptempo tracks just sound like library music, which is not to say they're bad, just sort of undistinguished for a label like soul jazz. "la margherita" is just awful, the sort of obscurity that deserves to stay obscure.

i guess the reasons i haven't sold it back are 1) the enclosed magazine excerpts are fantastic 2) the downtempo tracks ("what we need", "moves") are just great.

This is sooooo true. i love these two albums.

I have a copy of Music Inc's "Impact" and while it definitely is interesting to hear how 70s spiritual jazz affected the big band sound, I'd much rather listen to  either of the "Liberation Music Orchestra" albums.

I've heard many times that Billy Harper's "Capra Black" is great, but I've never heard it. I love Eugene McDaniels and he sings lead on this.

Shorter tracks, with none of the sloppy vocal charm or extended group interactions that elevated Time Capsule. It's also top heavy with the best cuts. "Fat Mouth" is nice and humping r&b, while the slinky groove on "Turkish Bath" is the main reason I keep a copy. That said, it ain't that far removed from what Lonnie Liston Smith was working around the same time. "Turkish Bath" may be a big deal to some, but it still ain't no "Mr. Clean."

After these two opening kicks, the album settles into a diverse snooziness, w/ a couple of solo piano cuts, a shuffling blues, and a cover of "Sweet Georgia Brown" in 3/4. Eh, not my choice fare.

I think Ubiquity reissued this one back in the early 90s, which likely contributed to its overrating.

the double squealy bass and the female vocals are fucking ace!

what's good? what's in print?

and i need some weldon irvine schooling too!

the dude is (rightfully so) a bit crazy. i guess souljazz didnt't pay licensing fees and he's pissed. he also goes on a anti bootlegging rant inside the site. once you're inside, though, it's a great resource. all the records, covers, bios, some sounds, tracklisting.

and who wouldn't want this on a shirt?!

http://www.blackjazz.com/images/BlackJazzLogo.jpg

1. kellee peterson - be all your own
2. walter bishop, the jr. - coral keys
3. henry franklin - little miss laurie
4. gene russell - black orchid
5. calvin keys - gee-gee
6. doug carn - mighty mighty
7. walter bishop, jr. - 4th cycle / blue bossa
8. gene russell - you are the sunshine of my life
9. rudolph johnson - the water bearer
10. doug carn - reveration
11. henry franklin - soft spirit
12. the awakening - brand new feeling
13. gene russell - my cherie amour
14. calvin keys - shawn-neeq
15. walter bishop, jr. - waltz for zweetie
16. doug carn - naima

1. henry franklin - blue lights
2. doug carn - power and glory
3. rudolph johnson - the highest pleasure
4. roland haynes - eglise
5. kellee paterson - magic wand of love
6. doug carn - little b's poem
7. the awakening - mode for d.d.
8. walter bishop jr's 4th cycle - n' dugu's prayer
9. doug carn - chant
10. gene russell - my favorite things
11. doug carn - higher ground
12. rudolph johnson - diswa
13. chester thompson - power house
14. gene russel - get down
15. the awakening - kera' s dance
16. kellee peterson - see you later

1. gene russell - get down
2. the awakening - slinky
3. kellee patterson - soul daddy (lady)
4. chester thompson - weird harold
5. roland haynes - funky mama moose
6. calvin keys - aunt lovey
7. rudolph johnson - devon jean
8. gene russell - listen here
9. walter bishop jr. - soul village
10. doug carn - adam's apple
11. cleveland eaton - chitown theme
12. henry franklin - plastic creek stomp
13. calvin keys - bk
14. kellee peterson - see you later

and i still haven't bought the universal sound "best of black jazz records", which has the following tracklisting:

the awakening - mode for d.d.
doug carn - higher ground
calvin keys - aunt lovey
roland Haynes - eglise
the awakening - slinky
walter bishop jr. - coral Keys
rudolph johnson - diswa
henry franklin - blue lights
kellee patterson - maiden voyage
chester thompson - powerhouse
the awakening - march on
walter bishop jr. - soul village
rudolph johnson - highest pleasure

and runs about $20- where i shop.

but toru hashimoto's roy ayers compilation was so great! i have great faith in the p-vine compilations, as far as hand-picking the best tracks.

so ... which is the best chicken burger for my money??

the dude is (rightfully so) a bit crazy. i guess souljazz didnt't pay licensing fees and he's pissed.

I haven't checked out the Black Jazz website in a couple of years, so I don't know if the write up has changed, but I was under the impression that this guy had the rights to the discography/catalogue BUT Soul Jazz being in Europe just licenced the tracks from someone else (I'd find it hard to believe they would release something illegally). The Doug Carn and Best of Black Jazz were out of print for the better part of 5 years until aboot 2 years ago, so either they worked out the problems, or don't give a shit. This becomes even more bizarre when you think back to the original bio material they had on Doug Carn on the Soul Jazz website where they said that bootlegging was such a problem in the US in the 1970s that more albums were returned to Black Jazz (for refunds) than they had actually pressed!

WANT THIS!

has anybody noticed that "space odyssey" is practically a cover of freddie hubbard's "red clay"??

how is the sound quality on the japanese p-vine reissues of black jazz albums?

they are damn expensive, $30.49 for a CD in a cardstock LP-style sleeve.

you can get the black jazz stuff from the new US black jazz for around $10-15 depending on whether you go to ebay or direct or what, but lots of those albums have these totally ominous labels on the back like "transfered direct to digital from one-track analog" and stuff.

is the sound on US versions terrible compared to JP or what?

i always hear the same about sun ra albums but to be honest i haven't ever caught much difference there ...

bump?

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/emd/2512514369.html

Jazz/Master Tapes/Vinyl/Cd/Lps

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there is 20 master tapes total. The price for the entire Label is $285,0000 or you can buy the masters indivually for $12,000 each.
There is no liens or licenses for the masters. They have a clear title, No royaltie obligations, This is a great deal for a label that
wants to ad Jazz Masters to their masters library. Once you purchase the Masters your granted to rights to Re-produce Cds
and Vinyl and and to all Digital Download sights. Contact James if intersted. 510 452 5299 blackjazz a totally new jazz expierience.......

http://s974.photobucket.com/albums/ae229/jamesah/?action=view¤t=MastersDoubleStaxcopy.jpg

Oh wow.

:O

https://strata-east.bandcamp.com/album/strata-east-the-legacy-begins