Chuck Nessa

Good luck with the book Jason. I look forward to reading it.

A better way to remember her than the current news stories.

are we talking about numbers?

A good life lived in interesting surroundings.

No money from here unless......... I might be different if you don't know the subject.

Big Brain Fart!!! It has been 20 years since I did that reissue.

I've received untold shipments from them.

It is a farming district in Norway. Frode Gjerstad caught that when we met.

Ooh (sort of) Dang. I kinda wanted to hear your take on the Sound tapes. It has been 10 years since I last did them, and it was a huge pain in the ass, but I learned a lot of techniques I used on nessa reissues.

Yes, no negative vibes from me - the word raises my hackles. You really don't want to see that.

This was originally part of a 2 lp box called The Birdland Story. It came with a booklet covering the history of the club written by Leonard Feather, IIRC. One lp side of "historical" tracks and 3 sides by "representative" groups also including a Lee Morgan/Wayne Shorter/Bobby Timmons group and another with Thad Jones/Billy Mitchell/Al Grey.

I wish to hell presenters, investors, providers, hosts had not appropriated the fancy, schmancy word curator. It seems so damn pretentious to me. Good luck with your event.

I admire your restraint.

I get all I need from the original program. The rest give me the creeps.

Dang, I use both and hadn't checked.

You should check them out, to say the least.

Me too.

Mine arrived this morning but no time to listen yet. Nice package.

It is included on my OJC cd.

My DMM sounds pretty good. Did this ever see a quality Japanese issue ? I have a very nice Toshiba pressing with that cover.

My (slightly revised piece from 2005): MY CONTACTS WITH BERNARD STOLLMAN Chapter 1: THE PHANTOM Early 1968, with one record issued and a 2nd in the can, I received a letter from Elizabeth Van Der Mei on ESP stationery (cream color paper with green hand print). I recognized the name from "new music" articles she had written for various publications. In the letter she indicated she was working for ESP, they were considering distribution deals with other independent labels and wanted to include me. I think we exchanged a couple more letters and I decided to make my first trip to NYC to discuss the proposal with Elizabeth and Bernard. From 1967 through 1974 I worked for a chain of record stores called Discount Records. I asked for a couple of days off, to make the trip and booked a ticket for my first venture to the Apple. I wrote Elizabeth of my plans and told her when to expect me. I cabbed directly from the airport to ESP, suitcase in hand. I don't remember the address, but their offices were in a quaint old building that looked like it might house the office of Sam Spade. That may be why my memories of the visit are in black and white. I opened the door to the small reception area to be greeted by a pretty, young (18?), thin, large breasted female in what seemed to be a perpetually wet t-shirt. She was eating a sandwich at her desk. She told me Elizabeth was in Europe and maybe didn't work there anymore. She said Bernard was at his psychiatrist, and called down the hall for someone to come talk to me. This nice elderly couple waddled down the hall, and invited me into another room. She was in a flowered dress and he was in a black suit, unbuttoned vest, white shirt and tie. They said they were Bernard's parents and though they were retired (from the garment industry I believe), had gone to work for their son. Pop said Bernard needed help with "business things". They were "beamingly" proud of Bernard and said they were delighted to meet one of his colleagues. They told me Bernard was having some problems, had gone to the doctor four days in a row, but would be in the office at 4 o'clock. I mentioned the need to find a hotel, and said I would return at 4. They yelled to the receptionist to book a room for me and I returned to her desk. "Miss Congeniality" said I could go home with her, but I declined and took a room at the New Yorker Hotel. When I returned at 4, I was greeted a guy sitting behind the receptionist's desk. He said he was Bernard's best friend, Bernard could not come to the office, and his parents called him to talk to me. This "slick looking business type" said "So you have a record. Give it to me and I'll check it out. I don't understand this stuff myself, but I'll give it to my kid. He's only 14, but he's smart as a whip". I declined and left. I bummed around the city the next day and flew home that night. While exploring the streets of Manhattan, I did notice a strange black and silver record jacket in a store window and copped "Cosmic Music" on Coltrane Records, so the trip was not a complete waste of time. Chapter 2: THE PEDDLER Jump ahead to 1973. I'm now a regional manager for Discount. We live in Boston and I have stores in Burlington VT, Amherst, Albany, Cambridge, Boston, Stamford CT, Greenwich Village and Scarsdale. The Scarsdale store was the front part of a building that housed the home office of the company. My normal routine when visiting the NYC area stores was to call on Stamford first, then Scarsdale, get a room in the city and spend the 2nd day at the Village store. One afternoon after visiting the Stamford store, I arrive at the home office to find Bernard waiting for me. He was a tall, thin, brown suited, slightly shabby looking salesman with a tattered sample case. He was there to sell records to Irwin Katz, the exec vp and buyer for the chain. Earlier someone had mentioned my name in Bernard's presence, and he waited to greet me. He seemed very untogether, and fumbled through his case locating a copy of his new Frank Lowe record. He proudly pointed out Joseph Jarman's name on the jacket, and mentioned a session occurring "as we speak" with Raphael Donald Garrett "and his family". By the time I got home with the new record, the liner notes separated from the jacket. I put the record on the turntable, and the pressing was horrible. Obviously ESP was on hard times. Chapter 3: THE PHANTOM RETURNS In the Spring of 1979 Ann and I traveled to Boston (from home in Chicago) to attend the NAIRD convention. This was a trade convention for independent labels and distributors. A fixture at all these get-togethers is always a “trade show”, where companies had display tables and booths. This year a larger than normal percentage of participants were jazz people. On the first day, while setting up our table, I was aware of a couple watching from across the room. The man wore black jeans, black turtleneck, black stocking cap and carried a black leather coat. The tall, woman was in black as well, with gold jewelry accents. They exhibited the spare elegance of money. After a few minutes they approached and he said "Mr. Nessa, Bernard Stollman here" then he introduced his companion as his fiancé. During the introductions he told her "This is a very great man". Where the hell did that come from? He said he came to check out the business climate to see if he should reactivate the label. As he walked away he said "It's important we talk tomorrow". At breakfast the next morning someone, Bob Porter I think, suggested a group photo of all the jazz producers at the convention. Ann got her camera and we proceeded to round up all the appropriate people. Checking with the desk, we discovered the Stollman party had checked out. EPILOGUE: A few months ago Bernard made an appearance on the Sun Ra mailing list. I sent him an e-mail and he chose not to respond.

You mean the armpit? Me, giving too much credit again.

Once again Adorno has lured Larry into the wormhole.

Farrell Sanders Harlan Sanders Sandy Dennis

Probably not.