Why
did I create this website? I guess it's because I feel that I've had
the good fortune to have played with so many outstanding musicians
over the years and I realized that I had quite a few reasonably well-recorded
sessions that deserve wider public dissemination. While I made this
website primarily for my musician friends to once again enjoy the
fruits of their labor, I also feel that a larger musically
appreciative audience exists. The recordings span the past 40 years,
from the award-winning college big band I played in, to some of the
more recent things I have done. Unfortunately, I couldn't include
every band I've been a member of both for space reasons and because
either no recordings or only poor recordings exist for many of these
groups. The music is presented chronologically from most recent to
earliest with the exception of the first "Collage
ΰ
Trois" CD, which is, in itself an earliest to most recent
compilation of music.
The genres spanned in the included recordings are somewhat diverse,
even though there is an overall jazz influence present in all of
them. What do I consider the "cream of the crop"? That's a tough
one, but I'll try to sort it out a bit. If you're a post-bop
jazz enthusiast, you have to listen to "He Is Risen" and "Chant"
(Les Bloom - Bruce Dondero Sextet). If you prefer a smoother jazz
style,
try "Night Walk", "Small Steps", "Unnamed Sources"
and "Main Man" (Laughing Out Loud). Are you a free jazz
aficionado? Try "Real Time Clock" (either the Laughing Out
Loud version or the Tantra version) and "Fair Weather" (Les Bloom
Quintet). If you like Miles Davis's electric jazz fusion music,
check out the Incognito recordings, particularly "Nazca Plains"
or try "Encounter" for a change of pace. Do you like
funky, syncopated rock? Listen to "Diggin' on James Brown"
(Loose Shoes and the Shoe Horns). How about Chicago and Blood, Sweat
and Tears style horn-based rock with tight well-arranged vocal
harmonies? Listen to Canon, particularly "Superhighway" and
the opening few minutes of "Clown". Are you a blues fan? Try
"Punishment Blues" (Les Bloom Quartet). If you like lush,
well arranged female vocals, you should listen to "I Can't Make You
Love Me" (Alexis Merte). You also have to check out the
early work of a superbly
talented uncategorizeable hip group of musician composer friends (alternative, folk, jazz, rock??) called Walrus, represented here with "Helen
O'Loy" and "TV Twinkle".
The list goes on. I love them all. I hope you
have at least half the enjoyment listening as I've had playing with
everyone over the years. Please drop me an email if you have any
suggestions or comments at: lebloom @ yahoo.com (delete the spaces).
This is a welcome departure for this website. Here is a
tune that I wrote, but am not playing on. Jon Smuk, normally
recognized as a very fine Detroit area bass player, in this instance
plays all instruments: bass, drums, keyboard, guitar. Arranged and
digitally recorded by Jon on March 4, 2011 using ProTools.
Here are links to other versions of this tune on this site:
1.Helen
OLoy [3:07](Randy Tessier) - a song about a man
who falls in love with a female robot. Based on the
classic 1938 science fiction short story by Lester Del
Ray. Lead vocal by
Randy Tessier, backup vocal by Bill
Etten, clarinet horn section and clarinet solo by Les
Bloom.
2.TV
Twinkle [2:09](Randy
Tessier) - lead vocal by Bill Etten,
backup vocal by
Randy Tessier, flute background and solo
by Les Bloom.
Walrus
Summer, 1973, recorded at Morgan Sound Studio, Ann
Arbor, MI. Glen Quackenbush recording engineer
Personnel: Les Bloom clarinet, flute; Jim Bowers keyboards; Bill Etten
vocals; Don Kuhli drums; Mike McKelvy guitar;
Randy Tessier bass, vocals
3.
Apologies, No Remorse
[6:10] (Wendell Bigelow) bass solo by
Hugh
Hitchcock.
4.Dr.
Mobius
[6:06] (Wendell Bigelow) - solos by Les Bloom
(tenor sax), Andy Adamson (keyboards) and
Hugh Hitchcock
(bass).
Tantra
July 6, 1981, recorded at Les Blooms house. Big Ed Larned recording engineer
Personnel: Andy Adamson keyboards; Steve Armil guitars; Wendell Bigelow
drums; Les Bloom tenor and soprano saxophones; Dave
Cavender trumpet;
Hugh Hitchcock Bass; Dave Koether
percussion
5.Chant
[5:17] (Kalle Nemvalts) written by
Kalle
Nemvalts, the groups former trumpet player. Piano solo
by Andy Adamson.
6.He Is
Risen
[9:13] (John Hetherington) a compositional
masterpiece. Solos by everyone.
7.This
Ones For Clayton
[6:08] (Bruce Dondero) Max Morden and John
Hetherington display fabulous interplay between muted
trumpet and trombone.
Les Bloom Bruce Dondero Sextet March 13, 1983, recorded at Les Blooms house. Les Bloom recording
engineer
Personnel: Andy Adamson piano; Les Bloom tenor and alto saxophones; Karl
Dieterich drums; Bruce Dondero acoustic bass; John
Hetherington trombone; Max Morden trumpet,
flugelhorn
At
the right is a photo of an earlier (1982) band
incarnation. (Clockwise from the left):
8.
Punishment Blues
[3:18] (Richie Cole) There are 8 million
stories in the naked city. This is just one of them.
Les Bloom Quartet
recorded live at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, July, 1985 at
the Eclipse Jazz Stage
Personnel: Les Bloom alto sax; Bruce Dondero acoustic bass; Steve Dorer
electric piano; Don Kuhli drums
9.Dancer
[6:43] (Mike Ager) a well-crafted studio mix
layering live instruments, sequenced midi and sound
samples. Les Bloom solos with 2 horns simultaneously in
the style of Rahsaan Roland Kirk.
Mike Ager Project
recorded in 1998 at Big Sky Recording, Ann Arbor, MI.
Geoff Michael recording engineer
Personnel: Mike Ager keyboards, sequencer; Les Bloom alto and tenor
saxophones; Pat Sorise drum tracks
10.Small
Steps [6:19](Mike Adams) solos by Les Bloom (soprano
sax), Hal Davis (guitar), Jim Merte (piano).
11.The
Darker Side of Lonely
[6:25] (Mike Adams) solos by Les Bloom (tenor
sax) and Hal Davis (guitar).
12.Real
Time Clock [4:51](Les Bloom) drum solo by Mike Adams.
Laughing Out Loud
recorded in 1995 at Big Sky Recording and Solid Sound,
Ann Arbor, MI. Geoff Michael and Rob Martens -,
recording engineers. The Darker Side of Lonely
recorded in 1995 at Omnimedia Group studios, Ann Arbor,
MI, Howard White recording engineer.
Personnel: Mike Adams drums; Les Bloom tenor, alto and soprano saxophones;
Hal Davis guitars; Jim Merte piano; Ron Patterson
bass
13.Night
Walk [4:01]
(Mike Adams) solos by Jim Merte (piano) and Les
Bloom (tenor saxophone).
Laughing Out Loud
recorded in 2005. From the CD Rolling on the Floor.
Hal Davis and Jim Merte recording engineers
Personnel: Mike Adams drums; Les Bloom tenor saxophone;
Hal Davis bass;
Jim Merte piano; Jeff Maxwell electric guitar
14.I Can't
Make You Love Me [4:44](Bonnie Raitt) Lush studio
production/arrangement by Jim Merte with the Laughing
Out Loud band personnel providing instrumental
backing for Alexiss soulful vocals. Soprano sax solo
by Les Bloom.
Alexis Merte
recorded in 2004 at Solid Sound, Ann Arbor, MI.
Personnel: Alexis Merte - vocals with Mike Adams drums; Les Bloom soprano
saxophone; Jim Merte piano, arranger, producer; Jeff
Maxwell guitar, Ron Patterson - bass
Loose Shoes and the Shoe Horns
recorded live on June 20, 2001 at an Ann Arbor Summer Festival
"Top of the Park" concert.
Note: You can
either listen to "Diggin' on James Brown" and/or
"Hey Baby" or, if you can stand
looking at such a handsome bunch of guys, you can watch the live
videos.
Laughing Out Loud
recorded in 1995 at Big Sky Recording and Solid Sound, Ann Arbor,
MI. Geoff Michael and Rob Martens - recording engineers.
"Main Man" and The Darker Side of Lonely recorded in 1995 at
Omnimedia Group studios, Ann Arbor, MI, Howard White recording
engineer.
Incognito
"Secrets", "Uncle Pete" and "Nazca Plains" recorded in 1979 at a
live performance at "Mr. Flood's Party" in Ann Arbor, MI. Joe Tiboni recording engineer.
"Encounter" recorded by
Randy Tessier at his house.
Incognito
"3rd Stone from the Sun/Flight to
Spain" and "Daydreams" were recorded live by WCBN radio at the 1978
Ann Arbor Art Fair. "Nazca Plains", "Secrets" and "Flight to Spain"
were recorded by the band at a jam session with internationally
renowned avant garde jazz clarinetist,
Perry Robinson.
Canon recorded in 1972 at a live performance at "The
Roundup" in Erlanger, KY.
Personnel:
Les Bloom - alto saxophone, flute (on "Down by the River")
Dan Conley - trombone, vocals
Ron Crosby - Hammond B3 organ
George Miller - trumpet, arranger
Pete Mollett - bass
Mike Pallotta - trumpet Rick "Bam" Powell
- drums, vocals
Rick Rebman - guitar, vocals
The Same As Last Week
After returning from a 1969 summer "Woodstock era" road tour in
Akron, Indiana and Chicago this set was recorded in at a live performance at
a Case Western Reserve University outdoor fraternity party.
Case Concert Jazz Ensemble
(Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio)
recorded in 1969 at the annual Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival
in South Bend, Indiana. This performance won the band the
first runner-up position among all collegiate jazz bands in the country that
year. I played baritone sax in this group. The Best
Saxophone Soloist at the festival was won by Charles Barone who
played alto sax in this group. The band was managed and
directed by internationally renowned trombonist and former Stan
Kenton music director,
Bob Curnow.
