OK, jazzheads, it's your night to shine with a nice 36th anniversary bombshell in two acts.
Tonight we'll kick down the first of two for the weekend, beginning with one of these ridiculous Brandeis tapes from the '80s
This one's another smoking iteration of the WBRS-FM series "The Joint," which thankfully someone dubbed off the air back when these things were broadcasted live.
It features two heavyweight players going at it mano-a-mano in a frenetic duo performance stretching over two, continuous sets.
In the months to come I am gonna post more of these Joints, because there's quite a few, and they're all off the chain in one way or another.
This particular one is the bomb in and of itself, with drummer extraordinaire Beaver Harris and alto athlete Vincent Herring engaging in 82 minutes of telepathy, as they blaze a wide open trail through two medleys totaling nine jazz standards.
Sadly, the days when this sort of thing would be played over the radio are as long gone as any sense of human dignity or purpose, other than the monetization of suffering, left in this world.
Well, at least people had cassette decks back in the day, and were hyped to turn them loose at the appropriate moments.
Even better, we thank Providence that dynamic captures like this tape exist for us to enjoy decades hence.
Beaver Harris & Vincent Herring
"The Joint"
WBRS-FM
Winer Wing, USDAN Student Center
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
3.5.1986
01 Cherokee/Ladybird/In a Sentimental Mood/Pursuance/St. Thomas
02 U.T./Afro Blue/Rhythm-a-ning/The Theme
Total time: 1:22:10
disc break goes between the 2 tracks, each of which was performed as a distinct, continuous set
Beaver Harris - drums
Vincent Herring - alto saxophone
1st gen cassettes of the original WBRS-FM live broadcast
volume throughout increased +4dB by EN, March 2022
523 MB FLAC/March 2022 archive link
Did I mention Beaver Harris is one of my all-time go-to drummers, and that I've been meaning to cover him on here since I started this page? Here, he provides a fertile bed of funky swing, enabling his partner Mr. Herring to remove the roof of the student union using just an alto horn.
I'll be back in less than 24 with some super Soul for your Sunday, but enjoy the blazing Sat. Night Beaver blast from Brandeis, taped 36 years ago tonight and resurrected here so you'll remember what real culture on public airwaves once sounded like.--J.
4.20.1936 - 12.22.1991
Many thanks
ReplyDelete