The Flying Dutchman: 1969-1975 - RYM/Sonemic (2024)

I did not know much about Steve Allen, or his affinity for jazz piano, but I began peeling back the onion, after discovering his charismatic persona on the old show What's My Line.
He was (part) originator and original host of the Tonight Show, before hosting his very own Steve Allen Show, and you can find Steve tinkling some piano behind poet Jack Kerouac on YouTube if you look hard enough.

Heading into the Flying Dutchman label releases chronologically, I was pleasantly surprised to see Steve Allen as the first artist to be featured on an LP for the label, and was excited to hear it.
It really is a beautiful record to hold.
Orchestra arranged and conducted by saxophonist Oliver Nelson, Soulful Brass #2 can be considered a bit of a dated piece.
There are some funky backbeats, and a few wild guitar solos reminiscent of late 60's Coryell (and the melding of rock and jazz going on there), but Soulful Brass #2 is smothered in big brass takes, making you feel a little out of your era and into a time of old upscale bars attempting to connect the out of touch with what was happening at the time.

The liner notes reference Blood, Sweat, & Tears and the practice of melding rock with jazz, and asking the question what happens when you meld jazz with rock?
And why shouldn't that equally be accepted?
The answer is in this record...because things with balls is what the mainstream were after, and Soulful Brass #2 shows you those balls on only a few cuts.
Steve Allen's very own "Where Did the People Go?" (the released single of the album) is very good and attempts to go in on more of a looser, rock feel before not being able to break free completely from its big band jazz theme.
I guess this old man on the cover can really let it go when he wants.

Despite the dated sound, it really was a fun listen in 2021, (and you're drinking a gimlet or whatever), but I would gladly go back and throw on again if I was feeling a certain way.
A nice debut softball tossed to the public by producer Bob Thiele and the Dutchman.

Rating: B
Zona Rosa: B

The little known Spontaneous Combustion band was a jazz-rock outfit headed by percussionist Gary Coleman.

After Flying Dutchman's first release (Steve Allen's Soulful Brass #2), Spontaneous Combustion seemed to be a further exploration into the hot new craze of melding jazz and rock...only this time with more emphasis on the rock side of things.

There is plenty of chaos to go around on this instrumental outing, and the liner notes suggest a direct influence by Frank Zappa's outfit at an attempt to stretch the boundaries of fusion ideas.
There are two drummers, two guitars, two horns, a percussionist, keys, and a bassist.
The musicians themselves were studio cats, some more partial to jazz, some more partial to rock, but when melded together, created indeed a spontaneous combustion of sound and style.

The tunes themselves (all but one being written by Gary Coleman) are "far-out" groovy endeavors stemmed in the 60's, rooted in rhythm, and rock capabilities.
Maybe its the absence of vocals that prevent this record from calling itself a true rock album, but the songs themselves are still too adventurous to settle into any kind of mainstream.

It appears by the liner notes that Spontaneous Combustion never had the opportunity to perform live, because like the group name, the band seemed very much thrown together in the hopes of being something more...it just appears the musicians involved were just too damn busy to commit themselves.
Recorded over a few sessions, Come and Stick Your Head In might be a fantastic choice to waste away to if you're feeling the vibe.

Rating: B
Zona Rosa: B

It does appear that the fledgling Flying Dutchman label was attempting to tap into (possibly even get ahead of) the next big thing.
This was an exciting new era were jazzers could rock and rockers could jazz, and the Dutchman wanted to say something about it heading into the new decade.

I have to give credit where credit is due.
This is why I've decided to explore the Flying Dutchman.
Fearless.
This, the third LP release by the label, explore the realms of "electronic music".
Rhythmic themes and bop you will not find here, and unless you are into the abstract rhythms of the world around you, you are going to miss the point of Appleton Syntonic Menagerie.
Swirling sound effects, electronic frequencies, and what await outside of your window abound within the grooves of this record.

Zona Rosa and I had lain on the floor and cut out the lights while listening, and the experience was transcendental.
I had no idea what was going on exactly, but as the record progressed, I was completely comfortable to where the record wanted to take me.
The liner notes are extensive in making the case for electronic music, and Jon Appleton's vision.
And although I'm quite curious to how many units this release actually sold, I'd be surprised if that number was into the thousands.
Although Appleton Syntonic Menagerie will not be on constant rotation, I will never forget my experience with it.

Rating: A-
Zona Rosa: A

Such an odd, yet understandable release, considering the times, and the attempt by a label to meld the yesteryear into the present day.

Head Start is a gobbledygook of material envisioned by label founder Bob Thiele, and executed by an array of respected musicians, young and old.

Side A attempts to continue what the Flying Dutchman label had been trying to tap into since their first release.
A fusion of ideas which looks into the future of popular music at the time, and big band ensembles that precluded it.
So far, these attempts, while acceptable, sound a bit dated and watered down for me. Big band seems to polish what should otherwise remain dirty.
A sophisticated attempt at Frank Zappa, one of whom is thanked on the back of the album.

Side B attempts to educate the hopeful young pop listener to a history of jazz, something Bob Thiele had already known all too well.
Side B is a medley of jazz styles that although ambitious, because a tedious listen.
It was obvious.
Bob Thiele wanted to step into the future of music without abandoning the roots of popular music's development.
Head Start's mission is an attempt to say everything in Bob Thiele's head.

Side C is the masterpiece, dedicated to John Coltrane, a lament of love, haunting and beautiful.
In three movements, a musical tribute is laid down to Coltrane, complete with spoken word/prayer, and an Ornette Coleman echoed performance, said to be recorded at John Coltrane's funeral.
I could see myself revisiting this piece on occasion.

Finally, Side D has us revisiting the electronic works of Jon Appleton, some spoken word, and excerpts of speeches from now iconic leaders in America.
Bob Thiele, who I am sure was no stranger to the plight of the black man and woman as a jazz producer, seems to want to give back in his own way, on record, through this experimental piece.
A piece which is less musical, as it is avant-garde.
Staying "now", attempting to stay ahead... and yet releasing whatever the hell he felt like, Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman was by no means the greatest label ever to exist, but it certainly was the most fearless.

Ratine: almost B+, but a solid B
Zona Rosa: A

I had always wanted to hear this album by Stanley Crouch.
Both Richard Pryor and Gil-Scott Heron had referenced Ain't No Ambulances for No Nigguhs Tonight in their own respective performances, and given the times of the late 60's, it was bound to be powerful.
It was hard to find an affordable copy, leading me to believe it was relevant in its history enough to boast an eye opening experience.

The Flying Dutchman label had made this their fifth release, and seemed to be increasingly aware of the disparity in civil rights plaguing the nation.
As we venture further into the label, producer Bob Thiele decided to do something about staying relevant, Flying Dutchman became a label of awareness in music, not necessarily commercial pop rock.
At the same time, in staying ahead of the curve, maybe it could catch fire.

After releases that saw electronic music and collages, and the melding of jazz with rock, Stanley Crouch's Ain't No Ambulances for No Nigguhs Tonight is straight commentary and poetry...not a single note to be found.
The delivery is definitely pro-blackness in the face of oppression, and incredibly angry.
Irony by today's standards might grab you as Stanley frequently uses derogatory terms for hom*osexuals more than a handful of times throughout.
Speaking quickly and fiery, it may be hard to grasp Stanley's ranting at first listen, but the historic nature of the release continue to pique your interest.
There are other points made that stick with you, like Louis Armstrong's real influence, the Chuck Berry overlook in favor of Elvis Presley for young white teens, and white artists of that time using black influences to create their own masterpieces.

Plenty of truth, but also "his" truth as well, sometimes stemmed in anger.
It was, and remains, a difficult time for minorities in general, and recordings such as this can be necessary to shout, "we are here!"
The diction and cadence does not come through as clear as the readings of Gil-Scott Heron, nor are they as engaging.
Stanley Crouch's speech is straight ahead, while his spoken word is cryptic and woven, requiring repeated listens for full understanding.

Rating: B-/C+
Zona Rosa says A

I must have listened to this album at least 5 times.
Each time I wanted to really root for it, and make my investment into the Flying Dutchman label justified.
Each Flying Dutchman release had carried a theme with it to this point, settling itself into what it felt was adding to the revolution of the era no doubt.
Label creator Bob Thiele had a unique way of making each Dutchman release mean *something* in the cosmos of music history, and counterculture.
This particular release by saxophonist Tom Scott clung to the latest Broadway phenomenon Hair.

Bob Thiele since the beginning of the Dutchman was trying to stay with, and ahead, of the counterculture curve, but he hadn't struck gold, yet.
His slightly out of touch vibe (he was 47 years old by the first release) kept him on the spectrum, his utmost love for jazz kept the genre in the forefront of his approach, but his production was lacking power and grit to compete with the bigger acts of the day I'm sure.
The Dutchman was indeed getting weird and experimental, which anybody could dig, but results were an afterthought.
A morbid hipster curiosity to this point it seemed.

Hair to Jazz attempts to capitalize on the controversial play Hair, beginning with its clever album title.
Taking tunes from the play, Tom Scott indeed jazzes them up...to the point of complete background music.
Nothing here commands your attention, nor does it push the envelope enough that it would show potential.
The arrangements borderline on the elevator, a band playing for a ritzy co*cktail party, or in a club where music was more secondary in nature to the social blabber over a whisky sour or whatever.
The sax doesn't bite you, or command your respect, but who knows, maybe that was the goal in hindsight.
But take the world by storm this album was not going to do in the least.
The tunes are polite and acceptable enough to relax and fall asleep to, but you're not *really* listening.
The dated 60's vibe is there if that's your thing, but you're hoping the label would grow a pair already.

Rating: C-/C

The release of The Giant Is Awakened finds producer Bob Thiele and the Dutchman venturing into edgier territory.
The attempts at fusing friendly jazz with rock themes, spoken word albums, and sound effects, were now over. For now.
This Horace Tapscott Quintet offering delves into the avant-garde, with simplistic, yet rhythmic offerings, on the darker side.
The album "feels" dark. Oblong and disjointed.
Jazz for those against the normalities of the day. There is some urgency here.
There is no swing to this album, rather repetitive themes that attempt to break the mold of standard jazz music.

The Giant Is Awakened could fit nicely within the realm of the groundbreaking Miles Davis recordings of the era, or the slightly more chaotic readings jazzers were getting into at the time...only this record is not as timeless or memorable.
It does fit nicely within the Flying Dutchman catalog however, a label hell-bent on pushing the envelope.
The production is deeper than previous releases, and not so friendly.
This is the avant-garde, through standard jazz glasses.
A journey that does not leave you fulfilled, only aching for more depth.

C
Zona Rosa says C-

*As an added note, this is the first Flying Dutchman record I have had to listen to digitally, as first pressings of this album can get into the hundreds of dollars.
I am positive this setback has taken away a bit from having a better experience.

On a whim, I sat outside in the backyard on a summer night.
Just an impulse, but I decided to play Flight for Four on the turntable.
As I sat there, the music oozed through the screens of my opened windows.
I was transported, and came to the conclusion that this album was the Dutchman's first truly great release.
Thematic, minus bells and whistles...a pure jazz record.
Maybe it was the moment, but this sound commanded my attention.
Slightly on the avant-garde side of jazz, everything about this hidden gem seemed classic.
Pocket burst horn lines swirling around a frantic, yet controlled, rhythm section.
Two horns, bass, & drum. Fairly unique.
As each track bled into the other, you ached to understand the nuance of it all, and when it was all over, you felt it was just enough.
The fact that this quartet never recorded again is a crime, and at the same time a bit of a blessing in that you have all you ever need by the crew.
Next time I'm feeling a little introspective, Flight for Four will play again.

A-
Zona Rosa says A-

For the legendary resume Jimmy Gordon holds, I had expected a powerhouse of electric drums and face melting drum fills.
Instead, Jimmy Gordon churns out an album in Hog Fat that holds on to the extremely dated sound of the mid to late 60's...like something out of a counterculture B film soundtrack.
The liner notes by Frank Kofsky (Associate Editor for Jazz & Pop Magazine) state that Jimmy Gordon himself had heard the final mix of the album and thought it could be better. Frank goes on to convince himself and the reader that the album isn't really all that bad.
These are not very promising liner notes.

To listen to Hog Fat, you would never assume that anybody was leading this band, and Jimmy Gordon is indeed buried in the mix just a smidge.
His drumming his funky and busy, but it would have helped to place him on top a bit, and maybe give the guy a few drum solos.
On the Jimmy Gordon tune "Hog Fat", the only drum solo on the album is cut short before fading out!
The production Bob Thiele employs is achingly out of touch with the hard edged sounds of the day, and his love for the watered down versions of that era are abundantly clear.
Polished hippie rock that didn't know if it wanted to be dirty, with jazz undertones.
Bob Thiele was a jazzer at heart you understand, partial even to big band...and now he wanted to tap into the youngsters and what they had to say, but even jazz was changing at that time, in a very non traditional sense.
Everybody was playing catchup, and jazz was struggling to find its footing as well, taking a backseat to rock and soul.

Jimmy Gordon was the preferred drummer of so many musical icons, I can understand his disdain with Hog Fat...it just fell into the wrong hands this first time out.
If anything nice could be said is that some of the sporadic guitar solos are pretty tasty (shout out to Don Peake and Louis Shelton), and the reading of Gary Burton's "Walter L." is kinda funky jump sexy.

D+/C-

Zona Rosa says D-

The Flying Dutchman to this point has been a bit of a lopsided affair for me.
Bob Thiele's production cannot seem to get itself out of the generic free love hippie sound of what the label felt was in the "now".
In the case of Ron Anthony, it wants to work, when the guitarist and Bob Thiele want to settle into an easy listening funk vibe.
Oh! Calcutta! is recommended listening over a co*cktail in your one bedroom flat...in some far away place...in the 70s.

Tunes like "Oh! Calcutta!" and "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" sound so incredibly hip and straight out of a Tarantino flick, only to have the unwelcomed cover of "Ballad of John & Yoko" come around, bringing things to a crashing halt.
For example, the tune "Flying Dutchman" is an easy listening banger, followed by "Waltz of the Groupies"...get my drift?

Very little is known about guitarist Ron Anthony, and this appears to be his only long player ever released (only one other single release is documented), so that, in essence, is the rare treat.
Ron Anthony's guitar playing is tasty and even funky, and the whole record has a slight bossa-nova feel, and aside from the aforementioned highlights, the album is very polite.
All instrumentals, with a few haunting background vocals, the Dutchman still struggles to find its footing among a growing counterculture interested in harder edged sounds I'm sure.
Producer and founder Bob Thiele indeed had the vision with his new label, and was still enamored with jazz of course.
Thiele seemed to want to grab the outer limits of his nearly 50 year old mind in an attempt to meld the ever changing worlds of rock, funk, & jazz through his eyes, nevermind the new culture itself, which was a generation away from his own.
Still, when it worked, tunes like "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" stood the test of time when hip hop beat makers came around, crate digging to this day, looking for a fresh approach to sampling outside of James Brown and the like.

B
Zona Rosa says B

I really cannot grasp Bob Thiele's mission (as of yet) when founding Flying Dutchman.
Had he made so much money running Impulse! that now he was free to release every feeling within his very being, commercial or not?
This is what makes the Flying Dutchman label so unique to this point.
"A Night at Santa Rita" is counterculture to the umpteenth degree.
Spoken word at first glance, but in reality an editorial by journalist Robert Scheer, spoken by Bill "Rosko" Mercer, a poet/radio broadcaster.
The formidable Ron Carter plays bass, and James Spaulding plays flute, laying down a background foundation, adding feeling and ambience as the words flow on.
A darkness takes over, compelling you to listen.

Rosko speaks, telling you of the injustice seen by journalist Robert Scheer at Santa Rita county jail.
A jail which to this very day, has seen its share of class-action lawsuits for conditions and medical care.
Compared to a concentration camp, violence reigns over prisoners at Santa Rita, the album's gatefold is littered with photos of police and protestors, commentary and somber faces of our credited musicians and production grace the inside.
The late 60's, what a time.
This is what has the Dutchman standing the test of time, perfectly encapsulating an era.
The Flying Dutchman was a commentary by Bob Thiele, and an attempt to be ahead of the curve, never realizing it was always in the now it seems...just not the most commercial of "nows". It is what middle-aged Bob Thiele considered to be now.
Highly revolutionary I still say.

As an added note, in bold print, on the inside of the album, it reads:
Charges were subsequently dismissed in Berkeley Municipal Court for lack of evidence of criminal behavior against all those arrested and incarcerated in Santa Rita.

B+
Zona Rosa says B

Our first reissue within the Flying Dutchman journey, producer/founder Bob Thiele resurrects a most ambitious passion project by the iconic Duke Ellington.
Realized in 1963, and in tribute to the centenary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Duke Ellington would write a stage play, titling it "My People", complete with musical and dance performance.
Bob Thiele, who in 1964, was working with ABC records, set up the subsidiary label Contact, another effort to release what he felt was important. The label would be short lived.
Contact's first release would be Duke Ellington's "My People" in 1964, bringing the stage play to record.
A commercial disappointment upon release, Bob Thiele some six years later, would make "My People" the twelfth release for Flying Dutchman.
A project that obviously meant the world to him, and as such, attempted to reintroduce to the public.

The performances themselves fit well within the Flying Dutchman repertoire, which at that point was still very independent, embracing counterculture.
Seamless flowing compositions meld into each other, offering deep rooted feeling drenched in gospel and big band blues.
Spoken word, chanting, ensemble voices, flying jazz drums, male and female vocal leads, "My People" remains an experience.
Even at 65 years of age, Duke Ellington was still very much a powerful force in originality and creativity.
The man was and is a treasure.

B+
Zona Rosa says B+

*As the journey continues, Flying Dutchman seems to be an extension of Bob Thiele's psyche.
Equality, devotion to jazz and its evolving forms, shots in the dark, and thought provoking releases giving consumers sneak peaks at the revolutionary and the world around them.
Out of jazz, and his productions which saw the likes of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World", and fusion with The Free Spirits in '66 when he was producing for ABC, I feel Bob Thiele felt he still had much to discover for, and offer the people, outside of whoever the next pop sensation may be.
Duke Ellington's "My People" is just another chapter in this journey.

Esther Marrow's "Newport News, Virginia" (the title referencing Esther's birthplace) is a bit of a malnourishing affair.
A powerful voice to be sure, having been raised within the church choir as a child, Esther has a wonderful soul gospel reach.
Esther's voice does all it can to make these tunes better than what they are.
Funky polish r&b numbers with absolutely no sweat or dirt between the fingernails.
Where all the musicians played exactly what was on the sheet music in front of them.
The Dutchman had yet to feature a soul artist, so my hopes were quite high going in.

Released in 1969, the material herein honestly doesn't stray too far from the likes of Erma Franklin or Marlena Shaw, but when tackling soul, it might be important to have a hit melody somewhere in the mix.
This is high end soul in need of a heavier feel.
The Esther Marrow penned "He Don't Appreciate It" (backed with "Mama") was released as a single, and is pleasant enough, only doesn't take hold of your attention like the bigger hits of the time.
The strongest number may be "Walk Tall", a head bobbing number asking you to boogaloo (or whatever the latest move was), but the album as a whole falls just short of the finish line.
*Arranging tasks were handled by Gene Page and Artie Butler

"Newport News, Virginia" is acceptable soul with an artist who sang much better than the production allotted to her.
I can't say producer Bob Thiele and the Dutchman dropped the ball...on the contrary, it's nice to see the label stretch out into other genres.
And while I continue to applaud the label thus far, I pray for an all out smash that has yet to come.

C-
Zona Rosa says D

I guess first things first.
Take a look at that cover and tell me if there is anything even remotely "Jazz/Rock Excursion" about it.
A guy with a horn sitting on a bale of hay.

Of course I had high hopes into this Tom Scott album based on the title, the second he recorded for the Dutchman, the first being "Hair to Jazz" (a light pleasant romp through the musical "Hair").
"Paint Your Wagon" is another musical themed record...whoop-pa-dee-do.
Strike 2 on this whole jazz rock excursion thing.

I love the jazz-rock genre, but this release is so far in the other direction it should have been titled a "Light Jazz Explanation".
Tom Scott is so incredibly vanilla I'm not sure where the allure is to this style of play.
Drummer John Guerin is the real takeaway from this release, seems like he was the only guy to get the memo on the jazz-rock thing.
To make matters worse, the low in cholesterol Tom Scott produces the album, making tunes that are so devoid of real substance, I mean actual excursions beyond the realm of possibilities into the unknown.
Very paint in the numbers is my assessment of Tom Scott.
Well arranged and friendly...even if it didn't want to be.
False advertising is what this is.
If there is one track to check out it would be "Gold Fever" featuring drummer John Guerin.

In passing, a buddy of mine happened to step in the room as "Paint Your Wagon" played and he said, "this sounds like cheesy game show music."

I'm not sure the stranglehold the Dutchman (ie Bob Thiele) was trying to grip in a release of middle of the road albums such as this.
In attempting to get into Bob's head, I can only surmise he loved jazz going back to his early days as far back as the 40's, but the landscape (had changed and) was changing drastically, and in his old mind's eye, Tom Scott possibly encompassed what *Bob* felt the direction of jazz was going in an acceptable commercial sense.
Of course the Dutchman offered many vibes as the label progressed, in many extremes (not just the vanilla), and therein lied the fearlessness, despite some of the "commercial" dated sound of select LP's.
Records must sell to keep your label alive, although I feel Bob Thiele had passion projects too.

C-

Spiritual Oneness in Vocal

To this point with the Dutchman, it has been fairly rare that the journey sees us come across a timeless piece, a piece that would rise above into the elite, no matter the label.
Leon Thomas' "Spirits Known and Unknown" is such a piece.
A seemingly live affair, boasting the talents of drummer Roy Haynes, bassist Richard Davis, Lonnie Smith on piano, and on and on, this debut solo effort is a spiritual awakening in jazz music.

Avante-garde and soulful, Leon Thomas presents his unique yodel scat to the masses, changing the game, and having you wish you had lived in the 60's.
Adding lyrics to Horace Silver's timeless "Song for My Father", I wept in the kitchen while I cooked, thinking about my own father.
I sent the track to him and asked him to expand his mind.
My favorite track would have to be "One", and more specifically when the groove gets swinging, allowing Leon Thomas to do his thing up and down the track.

The phrase: "New Vocal Frontiers" sits quietly on the cover, reminding you this will be a unique experience to be savored.
Free of conformity, the Dutchman had finally struck something new and exciting, only could it translate to the mass public?
No matter, we are thankful.

And still I wonder, was Bob Thiele melding his love for jazz into the possible commercial world by way of the avante-garde, the free thinkers and mind benders?
These were not the most commercial of sounds, rather a fusion of ideas rooted in jazz.
The respect I have for this label grows, the search for diamonds on the outskirts, giving those a chance to spread their wings for you.
Only the hungriest of artists are here.

A+

To this point with the Dutchman, it has been fairly rare that the journey sees us come across a timeless piece, a piece that would rise above into the elite, no matter the label.
Leon Thomas' "Spirits Known and Unknown" is such a piece.
A seemingly live affair, boasting the talents of drummer Roy Haynes, bassist Richard Davis, Lonnie Smith on piano, and on and on, this debut solo effort is a spiritual awakening in jazz music.

Avante-garde and soulful, Leon Thomas presents his unique yodel scat to the masses, changing the game, and having you wish you had lived in the 60's.
Adding lyrics to Horace Silver's timeless "Song for My Father", I wept in the kitchen while I cooked, thinking about my own father.
I sent the track to him and asked him to expand his mind.
My favorite track would have to be "One", and more specifically when the groove gets swinging, allowing Leon Thomas to do his thing up and down the track.

The phrase: "New Vocal Frontiers" sits quietly on the cover, reminding you this will be a unique experience to be savored.
Free of conformity, the Dutchman had finally struck something new and exciting, only could it translate to the mass public?
No matter, we are thankful.

And still I wonder, was Bob Thiele melding his love for jazz into the possible commercial world by way of the avante-garde, the free thinkers and mind benders?
These were not the most commercial of sounds, rather a fusion of ideas rooted in jazz.
The respect I have for this label grows, the search for diamonds on the outskirts, giving those a chance to spread their wings for you.
Only the hungriest of artists are here.

A+

Another lackluster production by Bob Thiele.
His big band recordings are always so clean. Too clean. Polished and light, despite how adventurous some may be.

The music itself by Oliver Nelson is incredibly wanting.
Oliver does play and create thought provoking material however, keeping with the Dutchman theme.
Social commentary as it were, through instrumentals, on the "current" state of racism and social divide.
An America which prides itself on going to the moon while so many suffer back home.
I only know this because Oliver Nelson tells me so through liner notes.
Liner notes that read angry.
"The concept that this country is moving toward two separate societies is true. Our country is Racist, the Churches have failed completely, Uncle Tom is gone forever and the Black, Brown and White Militants are here to stay."
Black, Brown and Beautiful is a reflection of Oliver Nelson's experiences in the few years leading up to its recording, including a trip to Africa which made him realize his "roots are here in America."

Side A is mostly sound effects and soundtrack like material. Sweeping violins and strange arrangements.
The back cover shows Oliver Nelson holding African art. Yes, when you listen to this album through the scope of needed change
and anger, it makes more sense, although it doesn't necessarily call to be played over and over.
It is a nice look into the mind of a much heralded musician, and the communication used through song.
Side B could be viewed on the more swinging side of things, but just barely.
This album is an art piece, a commentary on how beautiful black American culture is, and what it will take to achieve total freedom and respect.

In this entire regard, the Dutchman stays true to its label, nevermind the somewhat shocking cover (leading you to believe you're in for a fantastic jazz ride... that never shows).
Black, Brown and Beautiful is more wonderful jazz fluff when NOT experienced for its social commentary.
Either way, I give Bob Thiele credit in doing his part to get the word out on injustice.
And the record could be treasured in that Oliver Nelson tackled quite a thematic piece

C-

Gato Barbieri has intrigued me for some time.
I had seen his name and image pop up here and there, especially within the Flying Dutchman catalog.
Let me preface by saying I am not the biggest fan of the saxophone.
I actually find the instrument to be rather annoying if not used passionately enough, and within the right context.

The Third World is a defiant record, screaming with passion, and nothing of the light brazillian type jazz you would come to expect based on Gato Barbieri's name alone.
No, the Dutchman was now venturing into free jazz, the first of its kind that I can remember within the catalog.
I will further admit, free jazz is something I have never been able to understand no matter how hard I try. And I try hard.
I love jazz.*
*The freedom of improvisation and expression in the moment....within context.

There is absolutely no actual musical context within this record, rather spontaneous combustion of feeling in the actual moment.
And while it makes for a riveting moment in time, there is truly nothing to latch on to keeping you coming back for more.
The track "Antonio Das Mortas" (a character within a film of the same name about said character's transition from political assassin for hire turn rebel) is the closest thing you will get to conventional jazz as you know it, before falling off a little over the edge into "freeness".

The liner notes suggest Gato Barbieri is still figuring out the free jazz movement anyway, and at 34 years old, is still actively involved in social political change within his art, believing that music alone cannot lead a movement, but rather inspire movements within listeners.
Musicians in this era were indeed once leaders in society, and the Dutchman steps outside of the box once again to explore a new sound.
A sound unfortunately that does not age very well.
Passionate noise without time signature, rooted in free expression, expression that has yet to be understood fully by yours truly.
Liberating music painting a moment in time.

D+
Zona Rosa says C

The cover art alone is incredibly eye catching. Grotesque.
Dead bodies lie on one another. Women, children, helpless old men.
Released at the height of the Vietnam war, the Flying Dutchman showed incredible courage releasing a spoken word album of sorts, commentating on the atrocities of war, and the politicians who make it.

There are two formidable musicians on this record offering only subtle accents and supporting improvisation, James Spaulding on flute, and Ron Carter on bass.
Massacre at My Lai is not a record about the atrocious massacre, rather the title offers a theme to dissect the entire war through commentary written by journalist Pete Hamill, and spoken by poet and radio broadcaster Rosko.
Massacre at My Lai serves as a sequel in a series of sorts (the first album being A Night at Santa Rita), as the liner notes indicate this record is what (record label founder) Bob Thiele considers his "Audio Quartely", penetrating reports that get into the core of what is happening in America.

Clearly there was no pop commercial intent on selling a million records, only instead an attempt at tackling social injustices head on, taking on the powers that be amid their hypocrisy and double talk, and getting it to the people.
A brave record indeed.
The selections within carry so much drama and heartache.
I turned off all the lights, so that Zona and I could take in every gut wrenching word, a salt lamp the only illumination in the room.
Massacre at My Lai covers the war from inside the White House, from the everyday American, the active soldier, the veteran, the Vietnamese, the dead.

Gripping commentary that transported me to a time before I was born, leaving a timeless memory in me of the needless lives lost, our own corrupt government, and the young men who will stay young forever.

A-

I had known of all three of these artists on the cover. I was impressed with myself. Allow me that please, jazz has been a constant education.
Johnny Hodges, our star, was frequently featured on Duke Ellington records, Oliver Nelson I had known from James Brown's "Soul On Top" record, arranging tunes in a big band style for JB to shout on, and of course Leon Thomas, a personal favorite and vocalist extraordinaire.

The results for the Dutchman find 3 Shades of Blue falling back into Bob Thiele's old tricks and love for jazz of his era, the old time era.
Still, title of the record aside, you'll find yourself having an inner monologue, telling yourself, "this is some heavy blues".
I can only compare this record to the B.B. King records of old when they had that swinging jazz to them.

What's fun about it all, is hearing a big band do a blues thing with a little more flair, I think that is what Leon Thomas brings to the table.
He shouts and sings the blues, scatting in that wonderful frantic unique way.
The spirit of Duke Ellington is all over this record though, six of the compositions here are credited to the icon.
Leon Thomas' "Disillusion Blues" and "Welcome to New York" offer a bit more grit and attitude in a big band style, and although it can be frustrating to hear Bob Thiele's label not quite shake that old time sound into the future, he does offer guitarist David Spinozza on a few tracks, electrifying yesteryear.
A sexy big band record.
The Flying Dutchman is unique in this way, a constant struggle between what was, what is, and what will be.

The players on this record are no joke either, dig some of these names: Randy Brecker, Joe Farrell, Hank Jones (brother of Elvin), Ron Carter (bass on all tracks), & Grady Tate on skins.
The album was recorded on March 17 & 19 of 1970.
Less than two months later, while visiting a dental surgeon, Johnny Hodges would have a heart attack, dying at age 62.

B-/B

*AS AN ADDED NOTE, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO CATALOG NUMBER 10119 (FDS-119) FOR THE LABEL, INSTEAD SKIPPING TO NUMBER 10120 (FDS-120) FOR THIS RELEASE

The advent of electronically free music harkened in a new era.
Synthesizers, moogs and the like were all coming into their infancy.
Drugs and scientists of sound collided for what seemed to be a revolution in the music industry.

Jon Appleton's first Flying Dutchman release Appleton Syntonic Menagerie was an experience to be savored...sound effects, looped commercials and what have you were all welcomed in a sound collage.
Teaming up with Don Cherry on various instruments, including the indelible pocket trumpet, the duo lead you into 40 minutes of expressionist avant-garde and freedom.

Thankfully this isn't the kind of freedom that annoys you to no end, noise for the sake of making noise without thought.
Jon and Don carry themes, darker, mysterious themes...foggy night, dimly lit themes.
Sound effects from the synth play, and Don circles above it all with his wind instruments and kalimba.
There is no variety here, but we thank the Dutchman for opening up a little to this newer sound.

The artwork was contributed by Moqui Cherry (Don's wife), so this is all a family affair, very intimate it seems.
I'm not quite sure what producer Bob Thiele expected to accomplish with an electronic exploration release such as this, but it serves its purpose, even so many years later.

B-/B

*First things first, I see no 1968 release anywhere of this record, despite the recordings themselves being completed in 1967 and 1968 respectively for both compositions here.

Produced by George Russell, Flying Dutchman label creator Bob Thiele must have released this as an archival release of sorts...he is usually in the control room.

This "Othello Ballet Suite" is a collage of an ensemble going through movements, mostly in an avant-garde way, big band swing may surprise you for a moment before heading back into chaos.
Unlike most avant-garde you've heard, this music has some sort of meter within the chaos, transcribing Shakespeare musically...I cannot even imagine the thought process that went into these snippets of colors, and the composition involved.
Musically it doesn't completely grab you in terms of melody, but has you in terms of fresh movements around every corner.

The closer "Electronic Organ Sonata No. 1" is every bit of what it sounds like. Only turn out the lights and place someone who knows nothing about a church organ in front of it.
Let the tinkering and pounding commence.
Madness without direction.
However, I give the Dutchman credit for releasing this and adding to the mystery that were newer possibilities in music.
On the flipside, when the avant-garde takes a bit of a turn into "even a 5 year old can do this" type of sound is where the barometer begins to drop into annoyance and humor for me.
Yet still, there is something unique about this era, and what they all thought was worth listening to, and dammit, I am here for it.
Bob Thiele and the Dutchman label appear to want to turn jazz inside out at times, and explore other avenues than just the standard.

C+