nina low

I have these cds reissued by Fantasy as the "Jazz in Hollywood Series". According to the booklet there were 8 Nocturne 10-inch albums. two Herbie Harpers, Bud Shank/Shorty Rogers, Harry Babasin Quintet, Bob Enevoldsen Quintet and Virgil Gonsalves Sextet. Also recorded for Nocturne but not released on that label Steve White Quartet/Quintet and Lou Levy Trio. These now are compiled into five cds. Apparently the other 2 cds that were issued by Nocturne(and not reissued on Fantasy) are"two commercial packages....A mixed bag album by Earl Hines and The Piano Artistry of Conley Graves."

I really enjoy the music he performed with his sisters Geraldine and Salome in the mid 60's. Two albums now re-issued as "Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters" on Prestige. Some jazz, blues and gospel, and three part harmonies backed by Jerome Richardson, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, Jo Jones, Richard Davis, Osie Johnson and Barry Galbraith. Wonderful music done in a style you don't here too often anymore.

Temptation is by Tom Waits. This was also covered by the "pseudo jazz" vocalist Holly Cole maybe 8-10 years ago, when she recorded a whole cd of Tom Waits songs.

Kronos is so eclectic in their choice of composers from Zappa to Reich to Piazzola etc. that it seems logical that they would also choose Monk and Evans. We are so familiar with the sounds of Monk and Evans that when placed it in a different format we may be over critical. It would be interesting to hear from someone who loves string quartets but is not familiar with Monk/Evans. I think this was last reissued as a double cd on 32Jazz which also re-issued other Landmark music.

I really have a soft place in my heart for his three warner bros. albums, most recently compiled into 2cds as "A Standing Eight" on 32 Jazz. A great eclectic collection of music with great sidemen/women (Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, Trudy Pitts, Charlie Persip, Steve Turre, Percy Heath,Tiny Grimes, Sammy Price, etc). Kirk mainly plays tenor sax with some flute and harmonica. Very little multiple horn playing since a fair amount of this music is post stroke. I doubt many people think these are his best releases but you certainly have to admire his determination to the end even though he didn't have much left to give. I equate his last album to Ellington's tribute to Billy Stayhorn in that you feel the joy and celebration in the music as well as the sadness and melancholy.

my first order was the monk blue note, clifford brown, tina brooks and the quebec/hardee. my first ten or so mosaics were all vinyls either because they were not issued as cd's or i had not progressed yet to the new cd technology. The early booklets had sort of a bluish black look to the cover and Mosaic was located in Santa Monica. I first heard about Mosaic while driving through Webster, MA and listening either to Michael Cuscuna or Charlie Lourie being interviewed on a local NPR station.

My biggest letdowns are Andrew Hill's-Lift Every Voice and Donald Bird's A New Perspective. Would be great to have the music without the voices. I will probably be disappointed with the voice tracks on the Duke Pearson-Mosaic Select also, not to mention the "ten Christmas classics." These are sort of Blue Note reissues, aren't they? Sometimes the letdown is that some of this his being re-issued when musicians like Leo Parker are lost in the ozone.

The Smith boys (Jimmy and Johnny) are currently my least favorites. Jimmy, I think, because of high expectations. Johnny might require more listening but its probably the weekest of the guitar sets(Green and Pass). Maybe too much technique and too little swinging. Besides the sessions with horns most of the other sessions are sort of interchangeable. Maybe if I were a musician I would appreciate this set. There are a few clinkers on the Woody Herman that disrupts my listening pleasure either because of the vocals or novelty. Actually grating may be more appropriate. One of the few Mosaics in which I carefully choose which cd I play. Needless to say these aren't complete washouts, still some fine music on all the above.

I just received the Reprise Ellington (#8501) today from Walmart.com. $79.88 not including shipping and taxes. Not only is this my first post but this is my first purchase from the big W. Ordinarilly I boycott them for their censorship, labor practices, visual pollution, etc. I guess it would have really made a statement if I decided not to but the Ellington from them. Guess I panicked. Well, at least I don't go into the stores.