DMP

At some point, after relatively stable deals (Impulse, Blue Note, Milestone, even Columbia), Tyner wound up leading dates for several labels, in some cases just one offs (Elektra, Palo Alto, others)... But what I could never figure out were the couple of sessions for Laserlight, a budget label if ever there was one. They’re pretty good (Claudio Roditi!), but seem largely forgotten. Always wondered what the story was. (And Sonny Lester, that must be another story!)

Also saw the Joe Ford/John Blake, in Philly, Cafe Bijou - maybe mid-‘70’s? Terrific! But the first time I heard Tyner was with Coltrane - Birdland, late summer ‘63. (Not the date that was recorded.) Opened with Afro-Blue. A double bill with Terry Gibbs, and his pianist: Alice McLeod.

Tyner seemed to have a low point after his run at Blue Note, sort of lost in the shuffle. But in early 1972, he showed up at the Diplomat Lounge (a short lived club in the East Liberty section here in Pittsburgh) with a new band - Sonny Fortune, Calvin Hill, Alphonse Mouzon - they had just recorded “Sahara,” but it wasn’t released yet - it was one of the most memorable nights of music in my years of listening - nobody moved the whole hour and a half set... That performance announced he was back for good!

They’re all good, but I vote for the first one (the one with ‘Congolese Sermon’ and “Appointment in Ghana’). It was their third album, and I think it was the one that said we’re here to stay.

There’s also a more recent version by pianist Connie Han, with Jeremy Pelt and Walter Smith, on “Iron Starlet” (Mack Avenue). Not familiar with her, but it’s good.

I was at the original concert, part of the Newport in New York festival - it was billed as sort of a Herbie Hancock retrospective. The was a lot of anticipation. And it was sort of a homecoming for Freddie Hubbard, marking his return to more straight-ahead Jazz (he played in several Newport concerts that week and was very well received). The audience was excited for that first group, the one that eventually got the VSOP name, and they could do no wrong. But for me, the highlight turned out to be the second group - the Mwandishi band - it was almost other worldly, mesmerizing. The third group was some sort of expanded Headhunters, it became dreary pretty quickly and I left after a couple numbers. The next year (1977) what became VSOP toured - the Berkeley concert became an album, as did some Japanese concerts. For their New York appearance, again as part of the Newport festival, they played at the much larger Lincoln Center hall. John Klemperer was the opener, and he played a VERY long set, I think I was worn out by the time VSOP took the stage. In some ways it lacked the excitement of the previous year.

Jonah Jones, “I Dig Chicks.” ( But not for long, that shuffle/jump routine is usually only good for a few minutes.) (But Jones is a wonder player!)

Has he ever finished his book? He has some great stories.

Right. That’s probably where I got the idea. Thanks!

I just ordered a Buddy Defranco album (“Mr. Lucky,” Pablo, 1981) with Dailey. Never heard of it, don’t know anything about it.

Just what I’m looking for. Thanks!

Like Ellington, there are hundreds of air checks and unofficially recordings - how would you even begin to deal with it all? But is there something that stands out as essential in the Goodman discography that a neophyte might miss?

No kidding. I walked out on Buddy Rich a couple times, but one time he started playing before I made it to the exit and I immediately turned around. Turns out he’s a pretty good drummer. (But he’s no Victoria Spivey.)

This thread reminded me of the one time I heard Dailey... He oversaw a jam session on Sunday afternoon at Folk City (renamed “Jazz City” for the afternoon, as I recall) in the early’70’s - I was excited to hear him, but after a brief set he turned the stage over to some old-time blues singer, who I didn’t have much interest in. Turned out to be VictoriaSpivey. What do I know?

I think Ayler’s group played a second number, but it was never issued. There may have been others at the concert, also were never issued. Must have been a hell of a concert!