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Two weeks ago I was in Ghana with a group of 18 of my high school students. I'm in special needs education so while there intelligence is normal most of them have autism, adhd, anxiety disorders etc. The whole experience was indescribable... I'll never forget and I think most of my students won't either. Part of the trip was staying three nights with the local people in a very small village near Tamale in the north. Three days without running water, wifi, phone etc. was a learning experience for all of us and a huge confirmation that we really have nothing to complain about in the Netherlands. We did not do any development aid that is mostly profitable for the Instagram stories of western people that are doing those kind of things for their own good feelings about themselves. Our students we're all linked to somebody of their age and the goal was just to live together and learn from each other. So we went to church together, to school together, cooked, get water from the source outside the village and played soccer together. It was magic and so much fun. What a wonderful people. So the last night in the village they performed local dances and music as a farewell to us. I hadn't listened any jazz music since our arrival but it was there within seconds! Those rhythms: I closed my eyes and just pretended it was the Art Ensemble of Chicago I was listening to. I was sitting next to the local pastor who was the only one in the village that really spoke English and told him all their rythms reminded me so much of the jazz and particularaly freejazz I listened to. He did not know any jazz or jazz artists but smiled friendly back at me. Of course I know many jazz artists and especially among the freejazz musicians we're heavily influenced by African music and that jazz music itself has its roots in it. But who of them have actually studied there or visited to learn? Any interesting stories about their trips?

Whenever I am in Greece, I've got to have myself a pita Gyros Delicious stuff.

Cedar Walton/Hank Mobley Quintet “Breakthrough” Savoy Jazz cd Somewhere, possibly in storage, I have the 32 Jazz cd, but found this Savoy Jazz first (I am sure they are identical in sound). Not the best Mobley and the final one, the recording is not stellar (a Malcolm Addey one which I usually find better than this) but I’m enjoying it after not hearing it for many years. Cedar Walton, Charles Davis, Hank Mobley, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins

Ts find

Ts find

Disc 1.

Last night went to hear alto player Greg Abate at the at the fine jazz club here in Tucson - The Century Room. Abate was here for one night playing with, perhaps the best rhythm section in Tucson - Angelo Versace on piano, Scott Black on bass, and drummer Arthur Vint. The music was excellent. Abate plays with great passion and soul. Pianist Versace was a perfect partner for Abate. The music swang hard and was a joy to hear. Bebop lives when Greg Abate picks up his horn.

Goofy comes alive !

"...just goofing around, we're both goofs together." Love this! Me and my wife goof around all the time! Constant laughing.... Sample it on youtube. It's a WTH! or a WTF? kind of record.

I rarely get a chance to listen to music at night, I spend those with Lucinda watching TV or reading side by side or just goofing around, we're both goofs together. Music is my mostly solitary, centering and calming activity.

I've been think about buying this album but never came to that point ... I am not sure if i've been able to enjoy it ?!

Gonna guess, your nights were much more peaceful. 😄 Edit for grammar.

No, I'm not a fan of that one, I was referring to Jimi's composition on "Band of Gypsys." His biggest anti-war piece.

This? I was ready to play "Machine Gun" myself! But then my wife, who can fall asleep within moments, tells me to shut that shit off! In sum, the a-hole blaring music all night wakes up my wife and tells me to turn that shit off. Game, set, match. Reference See how she reacted when I put on Don Cherry's Complete Communion!

That is surprising. Everything at Cafe Oto is recorded to a 64 channel multitrack.

@Holy GhostI do most of my listening when I wake up, which tends to be early, because my wife stays up later and slesps in later. So I might listen to almost anything at the start of a day. Today "Machine Gun" seemed appropriate. On to Mingus Big Band “Blues and Politics” Dreyfus Jazz cd

Ts find

Ts find