Michael Fitzgerald

Somebody seems to have confused Hank Jones with Percy Heath. It's quite unlikely that a Percy Heath interview will happen. So Percy doesn't have to endure that oft-asked question ever again. Hank Jones, on the other hand, has almost certainly *never* been asked that question about Love Song, his only album as a leader, so maybe that will be a nice curve ball. Then again..... Mike

Obviously wrong, then. Not a Van Gelder recording. Mike

Oops - I should have specified "accurate information that we missed" - Schaap did an on-air interview of Tommy Gryce (Gigi's brother) and was putting out all kinds of speculations and misinformation, right in front of Tommy, who quite politely let it all pass. It was sad. Mike

I have this but can't verify details right now. Almost positive it's the Italian. All Sun Ra has skyrocketed in price, mostly stupidly without any good reason other than death (and Thurston Moore). Stuff that was regularly $5 is now $50+. Mike

I suspect it was the stuff on Atlantic 1257 - the Paris concerts of March 25 & April 6, 1952 - originally Blue Star? And the studio session of February 29, 1952. The Paris stuff has Byas, the studio has Bill Graham, Milt Jackson, Joe Carroll. Mike

Yes, Atlantic 1271 where it was coupled with Barbara Carroll. Subsequently Koch CD. Mike

Marty - do you recall anything about the audience reaction? Were they cool with both or was it obvious that there were factions that were there to hear one but not the other? My experience is that people who dig out stuff are much more likely to appreciate in stuff than the other way 'round. Mike

Oh please - there's more to humor than a "big guffaw" or a "belly laugh". A smile, a chuckle - no need for blatant excess. Something like the British version of the TV show The Office (with no laugh track and plenty of awkward silence) is unbelievable funny. British humour has long been my preference. If TV and movies are any indication, Brits are far funnier than Yanks. Mike

You want I should give you everything?

http://www.bsnpubs.com/atlantic/atlantic100400.html Mike

Ask him about working with Conte Candoli, Bill Perkins, and Jack Sheldon. I regret that I am not familiar with most of his Swedish compatriots. Mike http://www.sittel.se/artists.php?view_artist_ID=5

Doubtful. Costello has probably been listening to jazz longer than Diana Krall has been alive. I think it quite possible that the reverse influence would be the case. Mike

I'd love to read a good book on Gigi Gryce if someone can come up with information that we missed. Mike

I seem to recall a recent CD reissue of the Time album was canceled or postponed, Japanese, I think - did it ever come out? Mike

Actually, I didn't mind the "rug" album - Will Power - too much, if my memory serves me well. It may not have been a masterpiece, but there were some interesting things going on. I haven't heard the other classical things like Symphony No. 1. Mike I'll have to relisten to this (and maybe check out the others) in light of Costello's attempt (Il Sogno). I suspect that Jackson is more capable in this area.

There has been extensive research done on Hot Lips Page by Todd Weeks - book planned, don't think anything is in place yet. Yusef Lateef has reportedly written his autobiography (or it may be a "told to") and it needs to be edited. Mike

Sure - he's one who has done some very interesting things in different areas over the years. I myself am not crazy about all of it, but he's for real. I think his "Breaking Us In Two" could have some legs the way that EC's "Alison" or "Baby Plays Around" have - anyone know other versions of that one? Jackson has a much better grasp of harmony than Costello or the other guitar guys - he attended music school, was a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, etc. So when he writes a simple pop tune, you can find some interesting subtle twists in there. I think he sometimes gets in over his head though. Mike

The 1985 Clapton tour was for "Behind The Sun" - still an awful album, but the last good live tour he did. Immediately following this he changed the band and got involved with Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East, Phil Collins and other cures for insomnia. I think you are correct that Parker's LP was Steady Nerves on Elektra. That's one I don't own. Mike

The one AR guitar record I have is a 1978 Larry Coryell album "Difference" where Rhames and Coryell are in the company of Mike Brecker, Tony Williams, and Glen Moore. I'll have to relisten - it's been a while. Then I have the 1981 Albert Dailey record "Textures" - AR plays tenor on one tune. I think we may have just listed every issued appearance - but I'd be glad to be proven wrong on that. Mike

This guy was a MF on guitar too - folks I know who saw him play have compared him with McLaughlin - but these ones mentioned are just tenor (and some piano on the Rashied Ali), right? Mike

Yes, exactly. I'd like to see a Kampuchea DVD, or an expanded set a la The Last Waltz. (And down the road maybe a superexpanded edition.....) Regarding Graham Parker - I've got at least half a dozen of his records and have seen him live (opening for another EC, as it happens - Eric Clapton). While he had some nice pieces, I can't put him in the class as Costello, even for the period when they really were overlapping in that small area. And once Costello started expanding away from the "new wave" sound, he left Parker in the dust. I think the reason everyone brings up Costello rather than Parker is because of longevity and his ability to go into new areas and stay high quality. Parker was never at the same level of musical sophistication - he had a good band sound, some well-crafted tunes - but I never saw him developing anywhere near as much as Costello. But like I said, I do like his stuff that I have (the Mercury and Arista records - my pick of them would be Squeezing Out Sparks which has the hit Local Girls). Mike

You are almost certainly remembering the footage from The Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea, which was a heck of a nice thing (4 days: December 26-29, 1979) - the young guys and the old guys together: Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury and the Blockheads, Rockpile (w/guest Robert Plant), The Clash and Matumbi, The Specials and The Who, Paul McCartney & Wings, Queen. There was a large ensemble jam called the Rockestra combining the forces of a lot of the bands (incl. 3/4 of Led Zeppelin). Mike

There is a huge amount of overlap between Lord and Bruyninckx, but each has information that the other lacks (or has incorrect). Lord's approach is convenient but because of the many flaws in his data (misspellings, duplicated names, duplicated sessions, etc.) it doesn't work as well as it should. Bruyninckx doesn't try to get too sophisticated, so the same errors don't affect things as much. Either or - toss a coin. Mike

There should be a lot of discussion in those earlier threads. Do I need to supply further information or clarification? I will be glad to. Let me know. I have spent a great deal of time with the Lord CDROM. I have found over 100 pages worth of problems in the Lord CDROM. Some of these are over 12 years old still uncorrected, some are brand new. What is most annoying is that they are so easily found - if one even bothers to look. But Lord doesn't even bother. Mike

Too bad you can't even get the original Star Wars anymore. Mike