B. Clugston

You've picked a beautiful part of the world to visit. I can't comment on the northwest Highlands, but I have been as far north along the eastern side as Inverness and then headed southwest along Loch Ness to Fort William and Glencoe. No problems with the roads on those routes. The roads are much slower going than North America in speed limit, capacity and the fact the routes aren't always that direct. But we are talking about a country that's half the size of California, so it's not a big deal. Never been to Ullapool. Can't help you on the scotch, either, though there seem to be distilleries everywhere to the west. Inverness to Dunnottar Castle would be a short day trip. I really like Inverness. Aberdeen is a fair-sized city on the way to Dunnottar. The whole north of Scotland is beautiful. Have a great trip.

Is Pluto big enough for a Mosaic Select? Or just a Mosaic Single?

I'd put on some Al Haig or Bill Evans. If that didn't fit the bill, I'd bring out Black Vomit.

Excellent points. I remember the largely negative reaction to Joni Mitchell's creative turn (not so much Hejira, but definitely the rest). There was also the live set Shadows and Light. She took a lot of chances and it didn't always work out, but the best of it was far better than the uncomprehending critics would lead us to believe. I've always respected Mitchell. She's never rested on past laurels like too many rock acts do.

For Kagel fans, Winter & Winter is releasing this in a few months: The Mauricio Kagel Edition CD I: »Pandorasbox«, »Tango alemán«, »Bestiarium«, CD II: »(Hörspiel) Ein Aufnahmezustand« DVD: »Ludwig van« A report by Mauricio Kagel 910 128-2 On December 24, 2006 the great contemporary composer, performer and film director Mauricio Kagel celebrates his 75th birthday. Winter & Winter publishes in a special hard cover package three most important, handpicked, historic works produced by WDR, an extraordinary German radio station which is most important for the realization of Kagel's works in the last fifty years.

Seems to be a dispute between label founder Jost Gebers (new site) and marketer Helma Schleif (old site). Interestlingly, a lot of FMP archive stuff started showing up on Atavistic while newer releases were showing up Schleif's own a/l/l. There's an interview with Schleif at AAJ: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=712 "FJ: Certain FMP catalog titles are being reissue through Atavistic Stateside. HS: That's right. I was not very amused when I found out about this. FJ: I was under the impression this was a cooperative effort. Do you not own the catalog? HS: I do. I do. I'm the exclusive worldwide of FMP. As I said, I was not amused when I found out. I was not informed beforehand and this is something of a conflict now. Nipples, for example, was certainly done like that. As I heard before, it was intended to be re-released on FMP, but Jost Gebers couldn't find the outtakes or didn't want to, so Peter Br?tzmann, obviously, decided to give it to John Corbett in order to see it released at all. That is how it started, but the rest, there is a catalog of twenty-five titles I suppose, planned to be re-released through John Corbett's Unheard Music Series, which is something of let's say a legal conflict now." Here's Jost Geber's take: "Since 01.01.2000 the label's CDs are marketed by Ms Helma Schleif under licence of FMP-Publishing. On the basis of the production documentation owned and financed by the label, Ms Schleif is authorized to manufacture, according to requirements (print and press) and to market the CDs. In the case of new productions she is obliged to deliver demo copies to performers/contributors involved in the production and to submit promo copies to the media worldwide in accordance with FMP-Publishing. There are no rights regarding a say in the production planning, realization and design of the CDs. Further rights, in particular copyright and ancillary copyrights, have not been conferred upon Ms Schleif. Owing to the ongoing violation of the contract the licence agreement was cancelled without prior warning in February 2003. After an objection was filed on behalf of the licensee, action against the notice of termination was pronounced in May 2003. A judicial ruling is still pending. Independent of this decision the last four productions of the label were completed in 2004. As a result of these developments, continuation of the label is no longer possible. The lawsuit of the licensee against the summary dismissal of the licence agreement was dismissed by judgement of May 15, 2006 at first instance by the district court."

Saw this last night and it was a bit of a letdown considering the hype. Not a bad movie—there are a lot of good elements here (ie. good suspense, nice to have a movie with women who are active, not passive)—but it could have been so much better (I don’t want to give away spoilers). But since so much Hollywood horror sucks, when a movie that isn’t shite comes along, I can see why people tend to rave about them. Worth a look, for sure, but this ain’t a classic... Also, the U.S. version has a different ending than the original U.K. release.

I don't know if Blues & Roots is all that unappreciated, but it does seem to get overshadowed by the contemporaneous Columbia stuff. Mingus in Wonderland , At the Bohemia and Oh, Yeah! are also candidates.

Love this album. We remember Ellington as a genius composer and bandleader, but Money Jungle demonstrates he could play a mean piano, too.

Two in One - One in Two isn't freely improvised. It contains many of the tunes from the studio session. While Braxton has made quite a few improv records, often in duets, they do not make up a big part of his discography. Another memorable improv partner has been Richard Teitelbaum.

You want more Braxton albums? I don't think Braxton's standards albums haven't necessarily been overvalued. Some of them have gotten quite a thumping, (see Lee Konitz' negative take on the Tristano album in The Wire a few years back, for example). The more recent "Standards Quartet" albums have generated a lot of discussion (probably as much to do with the fact they have been rather fully documented), but even there, the jury is mixed. But I agree his free outings tend to get overlooked, but since so much gets released, it's easy for this stuff to fall between the cracks. While albums like the aforementioned Bauder may sound "essentially free", there is still a different process going on than "total" improv, even though the end results sound familiar. And speaking of totally free, the trio with Parker and Rutherford is as remarkable as the duo with Parker.

I was reading Graham Lock's Forces in Motion , a book of interviews with Braxton and his quartet during the 1985 England tour and Braxton does address the topic of "total" improvisation. To paraphrase, Braxton said, post-1960s, he wasn't interested in only total improvisation. "Structure is part of how evolution is arrived at; but I don't mean any disrespect for collective improvisation. I am an improvisor." "It's like everybody wanted to use freedom as a context to freak out, and that was not what I was talking about." "For a great many people, so-called freedom music is more limiting than bebop, because in bebop you can play a ballad or change the tempo or the key." Of course, his views are far more complex than that, but there's a few sprinklings of thought to give you a rough idea where he's coming from. Basically, Braxton has developed several systems for improvising. Sometimes, they even incorporate open improvisation.

Maybe the Toronto Argonauts will sign him.

Bitches Brew , in 1984. Used to crank "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" and the bass would shake the windows. Subsequent CDs have never sounded as good. I got "At Fillmore East" next, the same year Miles came to town. I passed on seeing him because his '80s stuff didn't impress me (based on his Saturday Night Live appearance). Too bad, because that was night someone decided to throw Wynton Marsalis on stage midway through a Miles' solo. Miles was not impressed.

I'm looking forward to seeing this. Jim Emerson gave a good review: "The Descent" -- what a great title. This British horror-thriller recalls grueling, adrenaline-pumping classics like "Deliverance," "Jaws," "Alien" and "Dead Calm." It's that good. Finally, a scary movie with teeth, not just blood and entrails -- a savage and gripping piece of work that jangles your nerves without leaving your brain hanging. And so, for a change, you emerge feeling energized and exhilarated rather than enervated, or merely queasy... http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...EVIEWS/60724004

"One Up, One Down," "One Up and One Down" and now "Down One, Up One." "One Down, One Up" may well be the most mistitled song in jazz.

I wonder Braxton's "aversion" to totally free improv may have been a phase at the time (1974), since he went to do many totally free projects (ie. Company). His susequent duo albums range from compositions to improvisations, with quite a few having a mix of both. Moment Precieux sounds like they may have agreed on a strategy beforehand. Mind you, they were very familiar with each other's playing by this point (1986).

Ornette Coleman Crisis Anthony Braxton’s Arista albums (only Creative Orchestra Music and 3/4s of Montreux/Berlin were ever released on CD) Anthony Braxton Live at Moers Festival (and all the other Ring/Moers releases) Willem Breuker Live in Berlin (FMP) Jimmy Giuffre’s Ad Lib, Seven Pieces, In Concert (Verve) Roscoe Mitchell Duets with Anthony Braxton (Sackville) Sam Rivers Black Africa! Perugia (Horo) Archie Shepp & Philly Joe Jones (this may be out there in some dubious version) Sun Ra - various Edward Vesala Kullervo And how about a widely-available release of Charles Mingus’ Live at Monterey? There’s a few other Mingus dates from the mid-1960s that have made little or no appearances in the digital era.

Here's some articles about him: http://vancouverjazz.com/billsmith/03.shtml http://www.rickmcgrath.com/al_neil.html http://www.bruntmag.com/issue1/neil.html

Great choice for Album of the Week. For some reason, this one rarely gets discussed. I agree with Penguin about the earlier duos being a dialogue of the deaf (though in some circles the duo encounter on Emanem is highly regarded). The 1986 encounter is much different. I’ve always been curious what Braxton’s and Bailey’s “game plan” was entering this concert. They dovetail quite nicely over the first part of the concert; I love the way Braxton’s alto soars over Bailey’s jagged chords. Besides Company 3, 5, 6 and 7, the two also recorded an Incus LP called Royal Volume 1, recorded a couple of days after the aforementioned duo on Emanem. An interesting comparison is Braxton’s duo with Fred Frith, recorded 19 years later at the same festival.

He's a Marxist all right.

There's also Everette Harp doing What's Going On and George Howard's There's a Riot Goin' On. Haven't heard them.

If it's the Ben Watson I think it is (author of tome on Derek Bailey), I'm surprised he didn't bring up class war and attacks on the bourgeois.

Parker and Bailey split under bad terms. I never got the sense Parker was the "dick," though hopefully someone with greater familiarity of the personalities involved could further enlighten.

If you have kids, they'll probably say the same thing about you one day. :-)