Nature’s Table Archive Volume 16: Tom Paynter Quartet – June 24, 1988

Volume 16 showcases pianist, flautist and composer Tom Paynter leading a quartet at a Friday Happy Hour gig in June 1988. Tom is equally comfortable hanging out in the avant-garde as well as the inside, straight-ahead world. This session is firmly in the latter category, with Tom on flute.

Paynter played the Table in the “later” period. He was in one of Table regular Guido Sinclair’s last bands, and was one of the musicians who played at Guido’s funeral. Paynter went on to earn a PhD in music from the University of Chicago. Tom’s also hosted a jazz show on WEFT-FM for several years.

The band is comprised of Table regulars and students of the day. Curt Morrison was also in Oscar Sulley’s Bontuku in 1985-1986;  Listen to Curt in Bontuku here. John Hurtubise played bass with almost everybody during his tenure, most notably with trumpeter Jeff Helgesen.

It doesn’t sound like there were a lot of people in the audience. As this was a happy hour gig in June, maybe everybody was enjoying $1 bowls of red beans and rice on the front step.

Tom Paynter Quartet – June 24, 1988

Tom Paynter Quartet
Live at Nature’s Table
Urbana, Illinois
June 24, 1988
Nature’s Table Archive – Vol. 16
Source: Unknown Cassette > ? > WAV > FLAC8
Mixing/EQ done on source tape: None
Recorded by Tom Paynter
Digital transfer by Jeff Machota
FLAC conversion, mixing/EQ and upload by Sean Kutzko
The Band:
Tom Paynter: Flute
Curt Morrison: Guitar
John Hurtubise: Bass
Mike Gould: Drums
(Total Time = 1:21:19)
01: Stella By Starlight (10:00)
02: Serenade To A Cuckoo (10:25)
03: All Of You (9:24)
04: Ode To A Hecklephone (9:21)
05: Autumn Leaves (9:27)
06: Banter1 (0:31)
07: Dolphin Dance (12:18)
08: Windows (8:55)
09: Banter2 (1:43)
10: 500 Miles High (9:10)