Late

A million? I suppose I hear where you're coming from. I guess I was just thinking about the Atlantic recordings that Gunther Schuller set up, and in which Ornette soloed. I sensed at least some parallel ambitions there, but the more I think about it, the more Tatro's work seems less available (because of its through-composition, I guess) to an improvisor like Ornette. Just a thought, because that paragraph made me think of Harmolodics. (But maybe my understanding of harmolodics isn't all that clear ... )

Absolutely. Wouldn't want to be without that one — or any of the remasters Rudy did that were recorded by Doug Hawkins for Blue Note.

Thanks N. I pulled the trigger on this one. The VICJ is on its way ... along with the VICJ of Steamin'. $ $ (Oh, yes. I'm over my "upgrade-itis." )

©Penny Parker

I know ... how about the unreleased session with McCoy Tyner and Wayne Shorter?

I think that would make an interesting Connoisseur, too. (Have never heard the records, though.) If not, maybe Water will lease those tapes. Though I already have it on the Mosaic, Elvin Jones' The Ulitmate might be interesting ... though Jones evidently doesn't sell well — so maybe not. Any interesting possibilities from the late 60's, early 70's? (I'd be all over an Art Hodes Connoisseur reissue, by the way, but that doesn't seem too likely.)

Thanks for posting that article Vincent! Man, read that first paragraph. Does it make anyone else think ... Harmolodics? "the whole point ... was to remove the compositions from the province of a cyclical chord progression, and let the developmental nature of the music dictate the movement of the underlying harmonies ..." I wonder if Ornette soloing over Tatro's work would have (or could have) worked out ...

Any early words on what we might see reissued in October? I'm still digging Dance With Death, and don't want to jump the gun too prematurely, but the thought of the next batch did cross my mind, especially because ... now that Mosaic Selects (as in the case of Hill) are reissuing albums that only had a chance of reissue as a Connoisseur earlier, all future Connoisseurs on the horizon ought to be interesting, or at least surprising. The Booker Ervin unreleased session looks more likely. And maybe Where is Brooklyn? I doubt my own personal wish for Don Ellis' Essence on Pacific Jazz would make it as a Connoisseur, but I suppose the option lingers on. Given the current milieu of EMI, and that some Blue Note titles are now being leased to Water, what seem like reasonable candidates?

Fun thread. I've been appreciating Dameron's writing more and more these days. The Magic Touch is a new album to me (d'oh!), and it's a grand one. Takes a little while to get used to Barbara Winfield's two vocal tracks, but otherwise ... an enthusiastic . Now it's time to spin the album under consideration here. (Julius Watkins would be a nice second horn choice. Or, how about Jimmy Cleveland ... or possibly Teddy Charles?)

Argh! Time to start searching that one out. Was this one of those Elite Editions that came in those strange slipcases?

Our own Mr. Gitin is in this one! Very nice looking chapbook, Nate. I'm interested in poems under the "sonnet limit."

Small picture, but this is the one I have ... Things Are Swingin' - Jump for Joy

Syran's composition "Leap Year," from Jon Eardley's OJC Seven, is a pleasingly odd piece. I love the piano intro, and then, how the horns are harmonized to repeat it ... very nice. Overlooked for sure, but remembered by some!

This is currently available at Tower Online for $15.99. Seems like a relatively fair price.

Agreed.

I guess it's easy to say if one already has the set, but I think the best albums from the Mosaic have already come out as individual discs. Still, if you like those that have come out individually, you'll probably want the others. I guess I'd just say to not expect as much from the remaining sessions, and you'll likely be less let down if you end up purchasing the whole sha-bang. (It's great to have the booklet and box anyhow.)

Durn, I wish I'd picked up the Verve Elite Edition when I had the chance. I guess that it has (how many?) bonus tracks that the current Japanese edition doesn't. I'm in the same boat as Chuck.

Good scores, Wes (though I only have two of the four, the Montgomery and McLean, pictured above). In my book, the K-2s provide far more "value" than the RVG series, namely because of Miyamoto's and Beck's remastering work. (I just wish they'd drop the outside jacket and the price some.) Sadly, after the last RVG batch, I went cold on that series. But I'm glad both are around. (Now if Malcolm Addey were ever given free reign to remaster a Blue Note "Afficionado Series" ... I'd be on that like a jackass.)

I'd say so. In the moment of initial composition, a poem might feel like (or should feel like) improvisation, but I myself would be very hesitant to leave a piece of writing unchanged after its initial pressing out onto the page. Here is where, I guess, I choose to differ from the presumed aspiration of The Beats. Just as with a lot "free" playing that could readily benefit from some self-editing on the improviser's behalf, I think The Beats could have managed with some of that themselves ... but that doesn't seem to be their goal (so, moot point). For me, the two art forms (poetry and jazz) stand distinct of each other, but are equally capable of moving an involved audience to similar highs. Thank goodness we have both!

Thanks for the thoughtful post, nmorin! Well, that settles it, I guess ... I'll be plunking down for the VICJ of And Horns. Ka-ching. I already happen to have the VICJs of Dig and Collector's Items. Both are excellent. You will not be displeased to upgrade to the K-2s.

Thanks, Leeway. I'd agree: a person who writes poems is going to be influenced by just about everything that person sees or hears. I would say, however, that jazz, at least demonstrably, actually does not have an influence on my writing. Or, I hope it doesn't. For me, a poem is just about the polar opposite of the spontaneity one is moved by when listening to improvised music. A poem, as I understand it, is the result of a long process of (often painful) revision, such that every line, when the thing is finally done, has been determined — it's "written out," which I would consider the opposite of improvisation. It may contain, when read aloud, patterns of rhythm that are themselves lyrical, but I would never want for a poem to rely on the success of chance, as an excellent improvised solo sometimes does. I'm happy to let jazz music do that ... because I think it does so a lot better. I've written poems about musicians, and jazz musicians in particular, but their flaw, in my opinion, is that they always can only defer ultimately to the music itself, as if to say "Man, ____'s music is great." I'd simply rather listen to the music (which is part of the reason I can't read liner notes any more). At one time, Oxford University Press was putting together an anthology of "Literature on Jazz," and decided to include a poem of mine on Eric Dolphy. I (happily) agreed to this, but now the anthology appears to have hit its final roadblock (it was in the works six years ago) ... and I can't complain. To me, the poem (an old one) is more narrative than anything else, and I'd rather just listen to any Dolphy album than read it. I hope that answers your question some. Thanks for indulging me!

By the way, just received the VICJ of Tadd Dameron's The Magic Touch today in the mail. Wow! Nice sound, and, more importantly, great writing and great playing (especially from Johnny Griffin, though Julius Watkins gets in one pleasantly bizarre solo).

nmorin — Please let us know what this one's like! (I was just about to make the same order myself.) I've always liked this session, but it never seems to get any lip service among Miles fans. (The track "Tasty Pudding" is tasty indeed.) I believe the VICJ flips the playing order in contrast to the OJC. Is this correct?

No, but as I'm a fan Tchicai's, I'd probably enjoy it ... Yusef's latest book, Taboo, just came out recently. Haven't read it yet.

Aha ... I did read your "drone" thread. To answer — no, I stay away (as far as possible) from droning. I think we might be able to thank Pound and Eliot (and even cummings) for establishing (and perpetuating) "the drone" in modern American poetry. To be honest, I just don't hear the purpose it serves. For me (and one of my very favorite poets, Louise Glück, does this to an extent), "the drone" distracts from the content of the work, as if a listener is supposed to notice some kind of mantra, rather than the very meanings of the words used themselves. I just can't get with any of The Beats, but that's another thread ... To my ears, Yusef Komunyakaa is one of the most musical of contemporary American poets on the scene today. His work, when read aloud, actually seems to benefit from the cadence of his speech. The only poet I can think of, off the top of my head, that I'm not bothered by "the drone" when hearing his poems read aloud is Theodore Roethke. Every syllable counts with that guy ...