I’m following up with a bit of never before heard by me Yes from the expanded reissue cd of “Tormato.” Yes is one of the few rock bands I still give a listen to, and I never realized until last week that they had included nearly another album of never before released material on this “Tormato” reissue. Nice stuff! I’m excited about the big deluxe edition of “Tales From Topographic Oceans” coming next year–that is my favorite Yes release.    

Well it’s cold but we dodged a bullet and didn’t get snow overnight that was predicted, so I just cleaned up the car a bit in preparation for a brunch with Texas in-laws that are here for just one more day. Revisiting disc 2 of this excellent new reissue of two Bill Evans albums and many alternates/outtakes. God bless the Plangent Process–I did a brief comparison with an SACD of one of these albums and there’s a subtle improvement in stability and spaciousness on this new release.        

O.K., so here goes:  A wisecracking question or hint about Sonorama C-100/L-100 (Cool Europa): Isn't a cover photo dating from 1949 (Fred Bunge blowing a lone trumpet to some kid onlookers in war-ridden Hamburg, photo by Susanne Schapowalow) a bit out of tune (literally ) with a record covering the 1959 to 1963 ("Wirtschaftswunder"!!) period?  More seriously, a question about some rarities and obscurities that should fit the release program of the label: 1) As Sonorama has released or reissued a couple of items on SWEDISH jazz from the 50s and 60s, are there any more plans for reissues of other Swedish artists/groups that have consistently been overlooked by labels such as Dragon or Caprice? 2) LPs were released back in the day with music from the German Amateur Jazz Festivals of 1958 and 1959 (on Metronome) and 1962 and 1963 (on Columbia). But nothing ever for the 1960 and 1961 festivals. Neither for the very first Amateur Jazz Festivals in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Does Sonorama know anything about the existence of recordings/tapes from these festivals and if so, any plans for future release projects?  3) A real, total, absolute obscurity: The July 1962 issue of the short-lived German jazz mag "JAZZER" carried the below brief news item. Does Sonorama have any knowledge of the existence of any such recordings and if so, any leads as to where to track down the music for a belated release?

Billy Hart: Enchance. Horizon AMLJ 725 [Holland 1977] – signed!