gmonahan

Gee Allen, I had no idea you were so hot! As to LPs, I give mine to the local university library and take a tax deduction. I usually value them at about $10 per disc. Some are probably worth less, some more, but I never give one away that I haven't already doubled on cd, so I figure I'm in the ballpark. It's a lot easier than selling them, and it does have the benefit of potentially making them available to more people. gregmo

I only recently discovered the great records he's made with Hank Jones (yeah, I'm slow). He strikes me as a guy who both understands and appreciates the history of the music without being overly bound by it--in other words, a really fine jazz musician. I wish him a speedy recovery! gregmo

I do a fair amount of academic writing, so I have a lot of respect for editors and have always appreciated their efforts to clean up some of my more embarrassing mistakes. Communication definitely IS the key. gregmo

Yes, well, I'm pretty sure the blue note set ripped off the now oop Mosaic set, and RCA has put out some Bechet in the past, but that is one place to get it. Lon, is that King Jazz material the stuff he did with Mezzrow? I'm at work rather than home and can't check! gregmo For the record - I have the Bechet Mosaic and I have the RCA Bechet cd reissues. I also have the blue note vinyl and RCA vinyl - ALL of which I purchased new. BUT... if I came along at this stage of the game with no Bechet and wanted to hear that material Disconforme would be the easiest place to get it from. Even if I was inclined to hunt down the "legit" issues none of my payment would be seen by either Mosaic or RCA or Bluenote. If Bluenote and RCA leave it to the default ...then the default gets it. Edit to add: BTW ...the 60s Bluenote vinyl kicks the shit out of any subsequent issues that I've heard. No criticism intended. I have my share of Spanish pirate releases, including the Bechet RCA on Definitive. Those picked up on cd material I had on two RCA Vintage LPs. Gee, that doesn't date me, does it?! Thanks Lon. I thought those were the issues. Good stuff. But then I like everything Bechet did, including several of the French Vogues in the 50s. gregmo

Yes, well, I'm pretty sure the blue note set ripped off the now oop Mosaic set, and RCA has put out some Bechet in the past, but that is one place to get it. Lon, is that King Jazz material the stuff he did with Mezzrow? I'm at work rather than home and can't check! gregmo

It was a great group, but Gambit did a 2-cd set of all of Counce's Quintet masters for Contemporary, and "Exploring the Future" has been issued, though it's kind of spendy now, so I don't imagine we'll ever see it. I think that Jack Sheldon, in particular, does fine work on those quintet sides. gregmo

Me too. I'm particularly fond of Carmen's later stuff for Novus--the Monk album stands out. I came to Connor later as well, but she sort of grew on me to the point where I like her better than Christy. A chacun son gout. gregmo

I've not heard of this one. I'll try and locate a copy! gregmo

Exactly. I'd add that compositions are often the direct result of specific life experiences, and I think that knowing what Monk was doing at a given moment he wrote a given piece can enrich even further one's enjoyment of that piece. gregmo

Thanks for the heads up -- I just ordered "Drew Page's: Drew's Blues: A Sideman's Life with the Big Bands" from Amazon -- $5.77 including shipping! I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. Like I said, hardly an essential jazz classic, but interesting reading. gregmo

Triple thanks! greg mo

Buy booze, go to Tahiti, order porn...... gregmo

Funny this thread should come along. I just finished Drew Page's _Drew's Blues: A Sideman's Life with the Big Bands_. I'd had it on the shelf for years and finally decided to read it. Very episodic and anecdotal, but also very readable and interesting, and definitely a different perspective from the "star" bios one usually reads. I've read that some of it was pretty fictional, but I still like Bechet's autobiography, _Treat It Gentle_. Just got Gioia's _West Coast Jazz_ based on recommendations here and am looking forward to reading that. Mention of Simon's _Big Bands_ brought back memories. I think it was the first book of its type I ever read! There are many, many books on jazz music and artists worth reading, some of them by regular contributors to this Board. gregmo

Artie Shaw Mosaic disc 2. Really good sound! gregmo

Whoa. Somehow, I never quite conceptualized my old trombone this way!!! greg mo

Thanks, and welcome to the Board! greg mo

I may try to pick this one up. I've always been fascinated by that line in "Straight No Chaser" where Monk is said to have intimated to Nellie fairly late in his active career (I think it's Nellie--might be someone else--been a while since I've seen it) "You know, I'm very ill" or words to that effect. And no, it's not about scandal mongering or some kind of weird nosyness about his mental state. I'm just fascinated by the way genius coexists with personality--and Monk had one very individual and eccentric personality, especially in his later years. Does the author delve into this late period very much? Or does he mostly stay with the more creative earlier period of the 40s and 50s? greg mo

True, but then those present (I wish I had been among them) would have missed out on what sounds like a really great night of music. The headstone will be nice, but remembering James P. with some fine piano strikes me as nicer! greg mo

"Coop" by Bob Cooper is a good one. Just about anything by Shorty Rogers will work, but my favorites tend to be the Howard Rumsey Lighthouse sessions on Contemporary. Lots of classic West Coast there. greg mo

Hi Vic, Do you keep them in the boxes? I've found I play mine a *lot* more by taking them out of the boxes and putting the jewel cases on the shelf with other cds. greg mo

I'm willing to keep my ears open, Jim. Just got the Don Cherry Blue Notes and have been listening to those. What Sextet album would you recommend? 'You Know the Number' has some wickedly swinging blues on it, well worth a listen IMHO. Thanks--I'll check it out! greg mo

Oh yeah, "Above and Beyond" is a great album--Freddie in *great* form. greg mo

OK, this one is really funny. greg mo

I'm willing to keep my ears open, Jim. Just got the Don Cherry Blue Notes and have been listening to those. What Sextet album would you recommend?

If you're looking for straight-ahead blowing, it's hard to go wrong with just about any of Freddie's Blue Note dates. The CTIs can be a mixed bag on that score--he gets a bit fusiony on some of those, and least to these ears. That doesn't mean I don't like them, it just means they're different kinds of dates. I also like the Impulses. The Atlantics, not so much. greg mo