Woody Shaw's Cassandranite

[Pengbird]

I have a CD (Muse MCD 6007, shows copyright as 1989) of Woody Shaw’s Cassandranite for which I would love to be able to clarify some tracklist information. I’ve had this for a number of years, and I always thought it was interesting that the CD face and jewel case label list 6 tracks, when the CD actually has 7 tracks total. Recently when ripping the CD for my mp3 player, I became even more curious about the tracklist. The jewel case label identifies track 6 as “Medina” by Joe Chambers, and its length as 8:27. However, tracks 6 and 7 are actually not named in the individual files at all, and track 6 is not 8:27 in length, but 11:58. From what I can tell, none of the tracks on this particular CD is “Medina.”

The first 5 tracks are from a 1965 date led by Woody—a really splendid date! All five tracks include Joe Chambers on drums, and Joe Henderson on tenor. Tracks 1 & 2 have the distinction of including Larry Young on piano—seldom heard on piano rather than organ—and Ron Carter on bass. Tracks 3-5 have Herbie Hancock on piano and Paul Chambers (!) on bass. The “mis-named” track #6 does not sound like other versions of “Medina” I’ve heard, making me think it’s an altogether different piece. It includes soprano & tenor, acoustic piano, maybe Buster Williams or Cecil McBee on bass, and most likely Steve Turre on trombone (because of the brief use of shells in the intro.) There is various percussion, and a drummer I can’t identify. The totally unnamed track number 7 is a very nice piece (7:33 in length), likely recorded in the 70s, with tasty Fender-Rhodes piano (maybe George Gables?), soprano & tenor, trombone, percussion, and drums. I’d really like to know what this track in particular is, and who the musicians are. I’ve looked at a couple of online Woody Shaw discographies, one of which noted that some pressings of Cassandranite have inaccurate track into, but no real specifics on these mystery tracks. If anyone has any light to shed on this great Woody Shaw record, let me know.

[Valerie]

I checked "Cassandranite" and there are in fact 6 tracks. The last one being "Medina" by Joe Chambers from "The Almoravid" album. Yes, Cables and McBee/Buster. Joe Chambers on Drums. Woody on what sounds like Flugel Horn.

Carefully look at the details on this discography.
http://www.woodyshaw.com/discography/disco_06.htm

Regarding the alleged track "7", he may be referring to the 5th and final track on the other CD, "Love Dance", and if he is the song is called "Soulfully I Love You (Black Spiritual of Love)".

I did not find any misnomers on the CD or notes. The discography should help clarify things.

Yours truly.,
Another Serious Woody Shaw Fan.

[Pengbird]

Hi Valerie,

Thank you to you and your friend for the response to my questions. My copy of the Muse CD is definitely one of the odd pressings with mixed-up tracks and inaccurate info on the labels. I did a bit more research based on two online discographies and by listening to some music samples on Amazon. I’ve confirmed that there is no Medina track on my copy, and tracks 6 & 7 are the tunes “Sanyas” and “Katrina Ballerina” from another Woody Shaw release from 1974, “The Moontrane.” “Sanyas” was written by Steve Turre, “Katrina Ballerina” is a Woody Shaw composition. Here’s Scott Yanow’s All Music Guide entry for “The Moontrane”:

‘The Moontrane is a strong date by one of Shaw's finest units, a band including Azar Lawrence on tenor and soprano, the up-and-coming trombonist Steve Turre, keyboardist Onaje Allen Gumbs, either Buster Williams or Cecil McBee on bass, drummer Victor Lewis, Tony Waters on congas and percussionist Guilherme Franco. Although none of the group originals (best known is the leader's "Moontrane") caught on, the adventurous music still sounds stimulating more than two decades later. Recommended.’

I especially like “Katrina Ballerina,” a 3/4 composition that is very catchy. I’m glad to finally know who the musicians are on this great cut.

Woody Shaw has long been one of my favorite trumpet players. My introduction to his playing was in the early ‘70s when I bought a two-LP release (Atlantic, 1973) under Chick Corea’s name titled “Inner Space.” The first LP was a re-issue of Corea’s 1966 date, “Tones for Joan’s Bones,” which featured Woody Shaw, Joe Farrell, Steve Swallow, and Joe Chambers. I really love the wide intervals Shaw used, his unique harmonic approach and wonderful tone.

[tpt1]

Hi Pengbird and Valerie,

32 Jazz reissued both Cassandranite and Love Dance as a double CD some years ago under the title Last of the Line. I own it but don't have it handy right now. Medina is on there as "track 6" of the Cassandranite CD. Check it out here on amazon.com.

Always nice to see a thread about the great Woody Shaw.

( btw, Valerie, I read the Wayne Shorter bio recently and was so happy to see you mentioned in the book )

[jagor]

For Pengbird, I, too have one those seven-track "Cassandranite" CD's, which I picked up in second-hand jazz store in Paris. I would like to thank you for identifying the titles of the two additional tracks on the album that were not identified on the liner notes. [By the way, I was just wondering how you pronounce the title--making the last syllable sound like "night" or like "neat." I guess somebody will have to ask James Spaulding...]

Concerning Muse recordings, I would like to point out that at least some of them were released in France under the Vogue label. For example, I have a copy of one of my favorite albums, James Spaulding's "Brilliant Corners," re-issued in France on Vogue, but with different cover art.

Here's a link to a picture of the Vogue album cover: http://www.parisjazzcorner.fr/en/pochs_g/061928.jpg

For comparison, here's a link to a picture of the original Muse album cover:
http://www.dustygroove.com/prip/6/5/476456i.htm

Jagor