Up and Running Again

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Hi all-

So I just moved back to C-U after being in Connecticut for twelve years. Life got hectic for a while, but things are back on track again. Met with Jeff Machota yesterday and we’re going to start getting things operational again.

We’ve lost several great Table-era musicians recently. Pianist Don Heitler, Pianist/drummer Gary Peyton, multi-instrumentalist Tom Paynter, and Ghanaian master drummer and composer Oscar Sulley Braimah. All of these musicians were regulars at the Table, and it hurts that they are gone now.

Jeff gave me a couple of tapes yesterday. I’ve already dubbed one of them down, and hope to have it posted soon.

It’s good to be back home. Look for more output from us.

Sean

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

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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)

Nature’s Table Archive Vol 15: Joel Spencer Quartet – December 16, 1987

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From the collection of Brad Wheeler comes this latest addition to the Archive.

Drummer Joel Spencer, now on faculty at the U of I, was a staple in the Chicago scene for many years in the 1980’s and 1990s. He has worked with numerous big names in jazz, including pianist Earl “Fatha” Hines, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Eddie Gomez, trumpet artists Red Rodney, Clark Terry, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, saxophonists Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter, David Liebman, and pianists Hank Jones and Cedar Walton.

Spencer would come down to Urbana to play the Table regularly. The quartet featured on this recording was a working group out of Chicago, in town for a two-night stand at the Table in December 1987. Guitarist Akio Sasajima was born in Japan and was a regular in the Chicago scene at this time as well. This quartet also featured Table regulars Mike Kocour on organ and Brad Wheeler on sax. Joel recorded two CD’s with this lineup: “Jazz Hit” and “Interior Window.” Both are out of print. More information about this group is in the Joel Spencer oral history interview by Jeff Machota, found here.

The date is in question. The Table calendar shows this band in town on December 9 & 10, but the recording is clearly labelled December 16. Other curiosities that muddy things a bit is an incomplete second rendition of the theme from “Mannix,” and a second “thanks and see you next time” announcement after a “see you next time” announcement at the end of Push and Shove. It would seem that the source tape, long gone at this point, could have been recorded over a different show with the same band.

Regardless, enjoy this great Chicago band playing hot on a cold December night in Urbana.

Joel Spencer Quartet – December 16, 1987

Joel Spencer Quartet
Live at Nature’s Table
Urbana, Illinois
December 16, 1987
Nature’s Table Archive – Vol. 15
Source: Unknown cassette/recorder > Brad Wheeler’s remastered CD >
WAV > FLAC 8
Mixing/EQ done on source tape:
Recorded by unknown
Digital transfer by unknown
FLAC conversion, mixing/EQ (none) and upload by Sean Kutzko
The Band:
Joel Spencer – drums
Brad Wheeler – sax
Akio Sasajima – guitar
Mike Kocour – organ
(Total Time = 80:59)
01: Theme from “Mannix” (12:36)
02: I Know IT’s Wrong (13:51)
03: Arise and Shine (15:13)
04: Theme From “Mannix” – incomplete (6:18)
05: Goodbye Again (10:05)
06: Briar Patch (8:21)
07: Push and Shove (14:34)
Uploaded by permission of Brad Wheeler

 

 

Brad Wheeler Talks Table

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Another NTAP oral history recording from Jeff Machota, this time with saxophonist Brad Wheeler, a stalwart from the Table’s early days. Recorded September 16, 2016 at the Urbana Free Library in Urbana, IL. Look for it on the Oral Histories page.

New Oral Histories

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Thanks to the efforts of Jeff Machota, we have a lot of new oral histories about the Table posted now.

Early Table employee Laurie Solomon, Sorgum organist Russell Cheatham, and Terry’s wife Shelley Masar have all been interview by Jeff in the last two months and posted in the Oral History area.. All three were heavily involved with Nature’s Table for many years.

Thanks to Laurie, Russell and Shelley for their insights!

Nature’s Table Archive Volume 14: Sorgum – May 14, 1988

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Another warm spring night at the Table, another chance to record Sorgum. I made this recording with PZM mics on the back wall of the seating area, and it came out really well.

First recording here at Nature’sTable.net that features Tim McNamara (sax) and Tom Flanagan (trumpet). Guitarist Lamont Parsons also makes a cameo, sitting in on the first two tunes of the second set. Too bad I ran out of tape before The Way I Feel ended… sorry ’bout that, Tom.

Enjoy!

Sorgum – May 14, 1988

Sorgum
Live at Nature’s Table
Urbana, Illinois
May 14, 1988

Nature’s Table Archive – Vol. 14

Source: Sony home cassette recorder> Radio Shack PZM microphones taped to the back wall >
Maxell UDXLII-90 cassette > WAV > FLAC8

Mixing/EQ done on source tape: Normalized to -1dB;

Recorded by Sean Kutzko
Digital transfer by Doug Berkman and Sean Kutzko
FLAC conversion, mixing/EQ and upload by Sean Kutzko

The Band:
Russell Cheatham – Hammond B3 Organ
Charles Tripp – Guitar
Walter  “Jelly” Hines – Drums
Tom Flanagan – Trumpet
Tim McNamara – Tenor Sax
Special guest: Lamont Parsons – Guitar on “Tough Duff” & “Mellow Mood”

(Total time = 2:31:37)

Set I (56:51)
01: Driftin’ (11:49)
02: Banter1 (2:07)
03: Morris The Minor (13:55)
04: …Killer Joe (13:17)
05:Mama Told Me (12:34)
06: Band Intros

Set II (1:34:46)
07: Set II Intro (2:29)
08: Tough Duff (14:27)
09: Banter2 (1:05)
10: Mellow Mood (15:10)
11: Banter3 (0:45)
12: Jive Samba (12:32)
13: Banter4 (0:37)
14: Nica’s Dream (15:07)
15: Banter5 (1:08)
16: A Real Good ‘Un (13:07)
17: …West Coast Blues (10:51)
18: The Way I Feel… (7:28)

Set notes:
1) Tape flips before “Killer Joe” & “West Coast Blues”
clips the intro of each song

2) Tape ran out during Tom Flanagan’s solo during “The Way I Feel”

Notes by Sean:
My friend Geoff Applebee had just acquired these Radio Shack PZM mics and
I wanted to try them out. Sorgum was playing that night at the Table, so
what better way to try them out? I took my home tape deck out of my stereo
cabinet, threw it and the mics into my backpack and biked down to the Table.

PZM mics need a flat surface to mount them to, so I set up in the back of the
kitchen, on the prep table by the storage area. Ran the mics to the back wall
on the opposite side of the storage area and let the tape roll. I was amazed at
the bass response that came through on this recording.

Lamont Parsons came to the show, and Chuck let him sit in for the first two
tunes of the second set. Lamont used Chuck’s guitar and amp; he didn’t bring
his own gear. This was the first time I recall hearing Lamont.
I think this is also the only recording I made that has Tim McNamara and
Tom Flanagan.
Just another spring night at the Table, full of great music, a Gondolette
sandwich, and a few Augsburger Darks. Life was good then!

***
Part of the Nature’s Table Archives Project
More information on Nature’s Table can be found online at:


http://www.40north.org/jazzthreads/jazzyarns/naturestable.html
http://www.cujazz.org/natures_table/
“I Used To Play, Work or Hang At Nature’s Table” group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17787069962

Nature’s Table Archive Volume 13: Ron Dewar Quartet – October 22, 1981

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Another Ron Dewar recording from the collection of Joan Hickey. Great playing runs throughout, and the sound is very good indeed! The recording was a little imbalanced toward the right channel; I tried to add more even balance to both channels, and cleaned up some of the harsh tape starts and stops. Unfortunately, the tape runs out during the drum solo in “Bolivia;” I added a fade-out to make the ending a bit easier on the ears.

Thanks, as always, to Jeff Helgesen for identifying the song names. Despite his encyclopedic brain for tunes, we still have a mystery song in this set. If you know the song, email us and clue us in.

EDIT: Mark Stryker pegged the missing title as “Theme For Ernie.” Thanks Mark!

When Helgesen says, “Really looking forward to hearing this one,” you know it’s gotta be good. Enjoy, folks!

Ron Dewar Quartet – October 22, 1981

Ron Dewar Quartet
Live at Nature’s Table
Urbana, Illinois
October 22, 1981
Nature’s Table Archive – Vol. 13

Source: Unknown cassette recorder/mics > unknown cassette generation >
Maxell UDXLII-90 cassette > WAV > FLAC8

Mixing/EQ done on source tape: Normalized to -1dB; minor edits/fadeouts
to eliminate harsh tape starts and stops

Recorded by Unknown
From the collection of Joan Hickey
Digital transfer by Jeff Machota
FLAC conversion, mixing/EQ and upload by Sean Kutzko

The Band:
Ron Dewar – sax
Joan Hickey – piano
Marlene Rosenberg – bass
Joel Spencer – drums

(Total time = 92:29)
01: Alone Together (11:51)
02: Hammerhead (11:42)
03: Serenity (8:24)
04: Locomotion (13:36)
05: Speak No Evil (10:49)
06: Third Plane (10:14)
07: Theme For Ernie (7:09)
08: It’s You Or No One (8:50)
09: Bolivia… (9:33) [tape ends during drum solo]

Terry

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I had had enough. I was working at Trito’s Uptown (the only Italian “Grinderhaus” I’ve ever known), on the main drag in Campustown, and I simply didn’t want to be there anymore. It was May 1987, I was working there one Saturday morning, something snapped, and I simply walked out, still wearing my apron.

I was walking home, and had no idea what I’d do for work. I was a student and needed the extra money, and had put myself in a bit of a spot. Coincidentally, I walked past Nature’s Table, where Terry was out back, emptying stuff into the recycling bins. I had always loved being there to hear Bontuku, Sorgum and some of the other music I didn’t quite understand yet. I sheepishly asked if he was hiring.

“You need work?”Terry2

“Yeah.”

It seemed he was incapable of saying no, even though he acted like he wanted to. “Come by tonight around 8. We’ll see what we can do. We have aprons here, though.”

I was unemployed for about fifteen minutes.

And so began a two-year experience of me working at the Table. I developed a taste for Augsberger Dark, poppy seed dressing, Troublefunk, and a lot of jazz. There was always somebody willing to cover my shifts when I went to see the Grateful Dead.

There are too many stories to list. It was simply a way of life for a while.

I wasn’t always the best employee. Terry and Shelley kept with me, though. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I learned a lot about toughing it out and working with people with different backgrounds.

I never could  repay Terry for what he gave me. After some time, when I was able to reflect on those years and see more clearly what I had learned, the best  I can do now is to try and give those things to other people.

That’s a great legacy.

Thanks, Terry.