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gmonahan

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Everything posted by gmonahan

  1. That's interesting. Ed Kirkeby's book was also one of the first books I ever read about jazz, and my first jazz biography. I did a term paper on Fats in high school that used it. We won't talk about how long ago THAT was. Love the photo, Chris! gregmo
  2. Oh, I think so. I like Brubeck's "The Duke" and Coltrane's "Giant Steps." I like the first as a tune (and Desmond's solo, of course), and the second because it's just amazing. gregmo
  3. I could play this one fairly safe and just say Brubeck, whom I keep trying and failing to like, but I'll commit a combination of hara kiri and horrendous blasphemy and say (he quakes)...Coltrane. I have just about *everything*, especially the Prestiges and Atlantics, and a lot of the early Impulses, but there is just something about the tone. I love the ideas, the structures, but despite *constant* effort, I've never gotten myself to love Trane's tone on the tenor. Sorry to all of you worshipers, but he always sounds slightly flat and a bit "blaring" to me. (I have a friend who says Tony Bennett sings flat--I tell him he's crazy--different ears to different listeners I guess.) I promise to keep trying. gregmo
  4. I was looking at that, too. It's so damned expensive, though. That's what stopped me buying the Buddy Johnson box, which I regret now... MG Yeah, it's not cheap, but it's kind of rare to find a Bear Family box for any kind of sale price at all. At least, I've seldom found one. You have to love Louis Jordan's juke box music. I do, but for some it's definitely an acquired taste! gregmo
  5. "Teranga," a more recent disc by Faddis on Koch, is a fine record. I come back to that one now and then. gregmo
  6. I've never had a problem with any orders from them. I appreciate the heads-up on the Bears. I took the opportunity to order the Louis Prima. That one should be great fun! I'd also recommend the Louis Jordan. gregmo
  7. EXCELLENT deal! Congrats! You'll love the Basie set. I preordered the Jamal set today. No problems...so far. gregmo
  8. Late 2010 at the earliest, but probably later. Haven't heard from them lately. There were no LP albums in the 1930s, just 78s. Tranemonk probably meant reissue albums. It should have all the material from the two classic old Ellington Era 3-lp boxes which are still sitting on my shelf as well as innumerable European reissues over the years. Wish we'd see it sooner rather than later! gregmo If I remember correctly the Ellington Era 3LP-boxes also included recordings from the 1920s. Those will not be included in the upcoming Mosaic. You're right. My bad. The Mosaic will be devoted to the 1930s Brunswicks and, presumably, any big band stuff for subsidiary labels. gregmo
  9. And you are a better person for having "ridden the dinosaur". Regarding the chops- one thing that starts to happen (to most, not all) with age is some "unpredictability" comes into play, usually in the mechanical areas of flexibility, range & endurance (the physical aspects of playing a brass instrument). Regardless, Curtis is still Curtis. The SOUND is still there & the message is still strong- the years of experience have resulted in a vast (bop & blues) vocabulary. Curtis is one of the major trombone cats, and he still has a lot to say. I haven't met him, but if I did I would thank him (I got to meet J.J. for about 5 minutes. I avoided the thousand questions I had for him- it was after the set and he was relaxing. But I did thank him (that was important to me). I hope I get to cross paths with Curtis. I hope *if and when* I make it to 75 I can still play. In general the larger trombone mouthpiece is more forgiving than the much smaller trumpet mouthpiece, so the effects of age (chops getting stiff) tend to hit the trumpet players harder than the low brass guys, I'll pick this recording up for sure. Actually, those brontosauruses were kind of uncomfortable! Like I said, I've always loved Curtis Fuller's music. I imagine I'll shell out for this one too. gregmo
  10. Late 2010 at the earliest, but probably later. Haven't heard from them lately. There were no LP albums in the 1930s, just 78s. Tranemonk probably meant reissue albums. It should have all the material from the two classic old Ellington Era 3-lp boxes which are still sitting on my shelf as well as innumerable European reissues over the years. Wish we'd see it sooner rather than later! gregmo
  11. Back when this thread started, I would have voted for the swingers, but while I still love them, I've come around to the ballads, especially since TTK turned me on to the Original Master Recording (in gloriously recorded Mono) of "Only the Lonely." I'd owned the stereo version for years and loved it, but I've listened to this one many times now, and it just gets richer with each hearing. It used to be that I went directly to the saloon songs, of course ("Angel Eyes" and the sublime "One for My Baby"), but with added listenings, I go to the incredible title cut and Frank's version of "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry." Both are definitive and among those special recordings in my collection that make me shake my head in wonder. gregmo
  12. Good for you John. I'd make sure it got back to them too. Let's hope it's an isolated error. gregmo
  13. Or maybe about Curtis's wife?? I too was a bit perplexed. I must be too literal. I am wondering about the great trombonist's chops. Has anyone heard him lately? Always been one of my favorites, but then, I'm a sucker for trombonists, having been one when dinosaurs still walked the earth. gregmo
  14. Wisconsin? Nah, he's a Hawkeye! Happy Birthday Chuck! May this be a great year! gregmo
  15. uncontrollable, insane, unstoppable addiction. 4000 cds, 1000 lps (left), 500 or so 78s...and counting. And I've been at it since the 60s. Of course, then, I couldn't afford as much. Not like that stopped me.... Sure doesn't now! And this board definitely enables and supports my addiction. Shame on all of you! gregmo
  16. Sad news indeed. I was just playing Live at Maybech Recital Hall yesterday and enjoying the wit and wisdom of his playing. A great jazz life well lived. gregmo
  17. The Teagarden Roulette set had an album's worth of unreleased material from the Round Table sessions. I think it's still available too--some very nice stuff there! gregmo
  18. Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz, "Two Not One" on Storyville, disc 4. gregmo
  19. Very nice--fine Sonny too. Thanks for posting. gregmo
  20. I love Sarah. This reminds me to ask. Does anybody know if her Mainstream record with Jimmy Rowles has ever been issued on cd? I've never seen it. I know Jazz Heritage put out some of her Mainstream stuff, but I've never seen that one. gregmo
  21. Right! Sure! Uh-huh! How many times have I told MYSELF that one?!?! gregmo
  22. I'm surprised not to see more enthusiasm here for the Jamal set. Seems like lots of people on the board have been panting for that one for a long time! I'm not that familiar with Jamal's work, but what I've heard makes me think this might be quite the set, provided the sources permitted them to remaster it with good enough sound. All that about the warehouse fire did sound a bit worrisome, soundwise. gregmo Edit--did I really use the word "sound" that much?! :blush2:
  23. Now why didn't I think of that? And here I was all pleased with myself for working out a weekend trip to New York and Philly. Well you just gotta sacrifice for the music, you know?! greg mo Well, after a year of holding out hoping that DG or some other US source would get the Grappelli in (The Nearness of You, I believe is the title), I finally broke down and ordered it from Amazon.co.uk. It's probably sourced from Amazon.fr, but they combined shipping with some other items I was interested in off the UK site, so the shipping doesn't sting quite as much as from Amazon.fr or FNAC. It should arrive early next week. It's probably crazy (and the music wouldn't sustain such hype on its own), but it is the only one from the JIP series that I don't have. I can relate. It's a pleasant enough record. I had to go to at least three FNACs in Paris before I found it, and then it was more expensive than all the other JiPs they had! Sigh. I am addicted to the series. I know Volkher monitors whenever the topic comes up. Any sign of further issues in the series, Volkher?! gregmo
  24. I've tried to like it...really have, but it just doesn't get there for me. He sings slightly flat, and his winsome tone, which some find affecting, I tend just to find maudlin. There's a later version of his signature tune, "My Funny Valentine," that I can listen to, but for the most part, nah. gregmo
  25. Do you know if there's any overlap with the Proper box? gregmo There are two tracks in common, the 1956 'Jazz At The Flamingo' tracks. Otherwise no overlap, as far as I can see. FWIW, the Tony Kinsey Ember album and TAP28 which was under Crombie's leadership are said by the liner-writer to have been made as mood music and to be deliberately 'underplayed'. Older British listeners may even feel that they subliminally recall this music as it was used for test-card accompaniment on TV, back in the back of beyondness. Those sides are pretty muted and, while I hesitate to suggest it in a completist's heaven such as this, are maybe not a priority, though there are deft contributions by Tubbs (and by Deuchar on the Kinsey) which bring a bit of life to one or two of the tracks from those two LPs. I won't be going back to them often, I suspect. The two Jazz Couriers LPs (TAP 15 and TAP 22) are of course very good, so the set is a curate's egg and the transfers are pretty basic. Thanks!! gregmo
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