Chuck Nessa

The first 3 Contemporary lps are all I own by Kessel. Remember liking all of them but have not played any of them in a while.

Seven Steps is indeed metal.

If you can't find a "real" copy of Little Jazz, it's available as a download from Verve on iTunes.

If you want "classic" sides and can deal with (good) '30s/40s sound, get the GRP/Decca cd called After You've Gone. The Hawk/Roy cd mentioned is a great one too. Too bad my favorites from Verve (the first 2 discs on the Mosaic set) are not available as single discs. The Verve compilation called Little Jazz is a decent anthology of the '50s stuff. Once you get hooked you will need to seek the big band sides with Henderson, Krupa and Shaw. Roy was a favorite.

A fella's gotta eat. B-)

My "best guess" is the goods will be delivered here in a couple of weeks. It will take some more time to get them to distributors and then to stores.

In the mid '60s I had contact with Rollins via a third party and suggested a project. I wanted to do a trio session with Wilbur Ware and Blakey (or Pete LaRoca). Sonny's response (related back to me) was discomfort in recording situations. I responded with "no time limits (within reason - meaning I'd ignore union 3 hour rules)" and offered the (new at the time) clip mike on the horn. He never responded (as far as I know).

S'pose you didn't get feedback 'cause nobody knows details. Since it is called "Master Takes" it seems unlikely there are unissued items. No reason to believe Mosaic is involved in this package. A bit of discographical research will reveal the records at their disposal. Why not look up the content of the "complete" Verve set and start subtracting?

One difference is Uptown made a financial agreement with Lorraine Gillespie for the Town Hall concert. She received an advance and (since she has now died) her heirs will stand to get royalties. The European companies will not be bound by this agreement.

So why would a French distributor have a business relationship with Uptown if budget versions of the same material will be available shortly?

I believe in music. I love GREAT music. I really like music with aspirations toward greatness. Always like a "near miss". All sorts of popular, nostalgic and "warm" crap intrudes and dilutes the stuff along the way. Some "popular music" is "good music" and some might be "great music" but most is just high quality pop music. Nothing wrong with that. I believe Stevie is high quality pop music for a decade. Nothing to sneeze at if you lived through that decade.

considering Stevie's age when he wrote, arranged, played every instrument on and produced those albums and it becomes even more staggering. I can't even begin to imagine such talent. Are you Jazz Kat?

We live in very different worlds.

Just based upon just those 4 albums it wouldn't be 'over the friggin' top'. But factor in Songs In the Key of Life, Hotter Than July, songs of utter originality and beauty for artists like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, Smokey Robinson, Syreeta, Michael Jackson, Roberta Flack and despite all the cheesy abominations of late I still think Stevie is up there with the greatest musical talents of all time. Easy... B-) Guess i been in the wrong place.

So I guess "over the friggin' top" is the order of the day.

This is where I suggest a flaw in your thought processes.

Mr Rollins in "real drag" mode is better than Sonny Stitt.

ram along a ding dong.

I was speaking of the "fan perception".

I picked it up in the store, scanned it, put it back.

I think you (and your edit) missed the point.

It's a quiz. Nothing if you get it right - worse if you miss.

Mister Mooster be makin' fun of a recent classical listening thread. DD complained about "segregating music" or some such and I was kind enough not to mention the Rat thread, the Greeze thread or any other thread. Now my mammalian friend makes fun. He's still my friend but I'm not amused.

Since people seem to be ringing in with useless posts - never read it.