Michael Fitzgerald

Here's what Bruyninckx CDROM says: Cal Tjader Trio : John Marabuto (p) Jack Weeks (b) Cal Tjader (d,bgo) San Francisco, CA., September 1951 Charlie's quote Galaxy 702, Fantasy 3-7, FCD24764-2 These foolish things - , - , - Give me the simple life - , - , - Ivy - , - ,- Vince Guaraldi (p) replaces Marabuto, rest same San Francisco, CA., November 1951 11150 Vibratharpe Galaxy 703, Fantasy 3-7, FDC24764-2 11160 Mambo chopsticks - , - , - 11170 Lullaby of the leaves 705, - , - 11180 I want to be happy - , - 11141 Lullaby of the leaves - 11164 Three little words - , - Note : Fantasy FCD24764-2 entitled "Extremes", rest of this CD see September 1977. Here's what the Lord CDROM says: Cal Tjader [T3685-5] Cal Tjader Trio: John Marabuto (p) Jack Weeks (b) Cal Tjader (d,bgo) San Francisco, CA, September, 1951 Charlie's quote Galaxy 702, Fantasy 3-7 These foolish things - - Give me the simple life 701, - Ivy - - Cal Tjader [T3686-5] Vince Guaraldi (p) replaces John Marabuto San Francisco, CA, November, 1951 11150 Vibratharpe Galaxy 703, Fantasy 3-7 11160 Mambo chopsticks - - 11170 Lullaby of the leaves 705, - 11180 I want to be happy - - 11141 Lullaby of the leaves - 11164 Three little words - Mike

Probably nothing - but Lord CDROM shows Brubeck recorded Squeeze Me with Tjader for Fantasy way back in 1950. And Tjader recorded Just Squeeze Me for Fantasy in 1961, live at the Black Hawk, it seems. Like I said, probably nothing. Mike

Josh Berrett and Louis Bourgois did a nice book on J.J. Johnson for Scarecrow Press. Now available in softcover, more reasonable pricing and with an updated preface after J.J.'s death. Mike

I saw a nice concert with Percy France and Harold Ousley billed as "Two Tenor Boogie" led by pianist Sammy Price - would have been maybe 1987 or so - OK, it was April 3, 1987. This was at Westchester Conservatory in White Plains, NY where bassist Lyn Christie was on the faculty. He played - was there a drummer? Maybe not - I can't recall. At that time I was very into Jimmy Smith's "Home Cookin'" so it was great to see him - that's been the only time. Don't know if he's still around. Mike

Here's what REALLY pisses me off - The specific item that I have been waiting over three months for - is STILL listed on amazon from caiman, not once but twice. One is new, one used. The used one says "ship the same day" and then both say "Usually ships in 1-2 days". See, they KNOW they don't have it. Why? Because I've emailed them asking where's the one I ordered. And still for over three months they are advertising that it is in stock, ready to go immediately. Mike

I also have an item that was supposedly in-stock that is now on back order from Caiman.com. I ordered it on November 6, 2004 alongside some other things and received all but the one quite promptly. I wrote to them on November 25 and was informed that it was now on back order. At that time I was told "it will take 2 or 3 weeks to ship". I let it ride - well, kids, it's now February 7, 2005 - that's over three months. I have not heard a word from in the meantime. And yes, my credit card has been charged - aren't sellers only supposed to charge when the items SHIPS? Interesting that I'm not the only one who has encountered this problem. If I knew it would be a special order, that's one thing. I might or might not have gone ahead - but when it's IN STOCK!!!! - I assume it will be quick and easy, which is how everything else went. I have no sympathy for problems as simple as inventory - if you can't click the button to remove an item when it sells - come on! Mike

Appreciated! Now question - will we ever see a time when Kenny and Buster will do a reunion duo album with both Humps present? There are several situations where there are two tunes of the same title - but has there ever been an album that includes TWO different tunes with the SAME title? BTW, that Barron-Williams album title will of course be "Bactrian Jazz". Mike

*At the time of its recording*. CD is no big thing. Now if you had an original LP of this, that would be evidence, but there is no such thing. Mike

Yep, I missed that, thanks - of course the ASCAP database doesn't have anything on this. Nor on other tunes from that album. Mike

Uh - yeah. You want I should add Bubbe Miley? Mike

Israel Crosby?

Thanks - that's all info I have. What I need to hear (or have someone else hear) is whether the tune on the Lateef album is the same as the Williams one. Mike

Well - next question. Still Buster Williams category, as it happens: The Hump - recorded by Yusef Lateef 1972 LP Hush 'n Thunder - credited to Kenny Barron (BMI lists this) The Hump - recorded by Buster Williams 1975 LP Pinnacle - credited to Buster Williams, I believe (but no BMI mention) - anyone got this to compare? Thanks - Mike

OK - on Herbie Hancock's Blue Note LP The Prisoner, there is a tune named "Fire Water" - credits are: Charles Williams (CD) and Buster Williams (boxed set), the same guy in case you didn't know. The tune is also on the Jazz Crusaders LP Powerhouse (Buster also on bass there), which was its first recording, I believe. Checking BMI, I see that Herbie Hancock has a tune titled "Firewater" listed (and that Buster's is "Firewater" without the space). Any thoughts on this? Are there really two tunes? I can't find any Hancock recording other than the one for The Prisoner. Lastly - there is a Buster Williams tune called "Dual Force" - this is the SAME piece as his "Firewater." Mike

On Curtis Fuller's Mainstream LP Crankin' - Ray Moros is really Ramon Morris, correct? (BTW, on Fuller's other Mainstream LP Smokin' - Earl Dunbar is really Ted Dunbar, that's definite. Ted's given name was Earl. Several other albums list him as Earl.) Mike

Jefferson. Mike

Thanks Bill, fixed now - apparently CD differs: http://www.reservoirmusic.com/102.html Mike

One could make a distinction between recordings made specifically for album issue and those done for radio broadcast and only subsequently issued on album - I think the majority of the Montmartre things fit the second (for example all those Dexter Gordon things on SteepleChase and Black Lion). Considering that Boris Rose taped NYC radio broadcasts practically every week for years, with the majority from Birdland, if all of those were issued Birdland would be a strong contender. But in terms of "live-albums-intended-to-be-albums", the Vanguard probably has the edge. Mike

But there's so much more out there that I'd rather listen to than anything involving Frank Gambale, Dave Weckl, or Eric Marienthal. I gave up on those guys almost immediately when they first did the Elektric Band - no redeeming qualities. Patitucci I will cut some slack. Corea is someone who I really like, a lot of the time. But sometimes I don't know *what* he is thinking. If this new record approaches the glory that was the Elektric Band at its zenith - gotta give it a big miss. Because there was never any glory. Best stuff that group ever did was as a trio (prior to the first record) and even that wasn't as interesting as what Corea did with the same material elsewhere (for example, the Johannesburg sessions on Elektra/Musician with Steve Kujala, among others). And I'm not opposed to fusion, just bad fusion. Mike

Full details of the 1986 recording are in my Renee Rosnes discography. It has been suggested that this is not from any club named Bradley's at all, but rather from Europe. Further research is necessary. Mike

There are no plans to put it online as of now. It definitely needs some editing. I did not compile it. Any BRIAN user is welcome to what I myself have entered for Joe Henderson - just about all of his 1960s appearances, the Milestone box, plus various others. Mike

A Joe Henderson one has been created using BRIAN but it is not on the web yet. Did you have a specific question? Mike

Here 'tis:

I had some correspondence with him at various points and he also contributed to the Gryce book. Here are three obits - I had not known about his extraordinary military experience. ===================== Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel Jennifer Peltz Staff Writer Mort Fega walked into a New York City-area radio station one day in 1955 with an opinion. He walked out with a job. During the next nearly 35 years, the former rope-products salesman built his personal interest in jazz into a career. He was host of radio shows in South Florida and elsewhere, produced records and emceed concerts. Mr. Fega, who lived west of Delray Beach since 1986, died Friday of complications from surgery. He was 83. Mr. Fega grew up listening to Benny Goodman, Harry James and other big-band giants in New Rochelle, N.Y., said his wife, Muriel. But when he told a local radio station it needed a jazz show, his only credential was interest. Nonetheless, the station manager allotted him an hour on Saturday afternoons. It grew into three hours. Then into a six-night-a-week show on a New York station, WEVD. Mr. Fega's Jazz Unlimited was defiantly eclectic. A typical show might include big bands and bebop, comedy and spoken word, said one of his sons, Roger. "He was very strict about guarding his reputation as being someone who played what he wanted to play," Roger Fega said. As Mr. Fega's career took him to other stations in New York, Phoenix and Hartford, it also took him backstage and into the studio. He started a record label, Focus Records, and produced albums by singer-pianist Bobby Dorough and vocalist Carmen McRae, among others. Meanwhile, he produced and was host at concerts at some of music's most revered venues, including the prominent Newport Jazz Festival, Harlem's Apollo Theater and Carnegie Hall, Roger Fega said. Even after retiring in Florida, Mr. Fega could be found on the air. His Focus on Jazz was broadcast from 1987 to 1989 on WXEL-90.7 FM, the Boynton Beach-based public radio station. "He was someone who turned a passion into his life for a while and made it happen," Roger Fega said. In addition to his wife and son Roger, Mr. Fega is survived by three other sons, Russell, Douglas and Kenneth, and eight grandchildren. The family is planning an April memorial service for Mr. Vega, who flew 29 missions over Europe as a B-17 captain during World War II, at Arlington National Cemetery. Jennifer Peltz can be reached at jpeltz@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6636. ======================== Mort Fega, 83, Jazz Radio Broadcaster All About Jazz, January 27, 2005 Mort Fega, radio broadcaster, jazz record producer, journalist and teacher, died Friday, January 21 at Hospice of Palm Beach in Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boyton Beach, Florida. According to the family, the cause of death was complications following surgery. Mr. Fega was born on July 4, 1921 in New Rochelle, NY. He began his career in broadcasting in his hometown at radio station WNRC, where his Saturday afternoon jazz program garnered a loyal following. In 1962, he moved to WEVD, the radio voice of The Forward Newspaper, where he broadcast his program of modern jazz and spoken word six evenings a week. At the time, radio stations were permitted to broadcast the same content on both AM and FM frequencies. Consequently, Fega had listeners as far north as Canada and throughout New England. The show was called "Jazz Unlimited" and was one of the few radio programs that featured modern jazz. A typical show included big bands and bebop, comedy and the word jazz of Lord Buckley and Ken Nordine and vocalists like Blossom Dearie and Joe Williams. He produced and emceed concerts at Newport, Carnegie Hall, Randall's Island and the Apollo Theatre. After leaving WEVD, he continued broadcasting jazz from WBAI, WRFM, and WTFM in New York City, and then on KXIV in Phoenix and WWUH in Hartford. He retired to Florida where he had a five-hour Saturday evening program at NPR station WXEL and taught a History of Jazz course at Palm Beach Community College. In addition, he wrote a weekly column for the Palm Beach Post. Fega began Focus Records to recognize under-appreciated talents like guitarist Chuck Wayne and singer/pianist Bob Dorough, and to record musicians he favored such as Carmen McRae and Earl "Fatha" Hines. During World War II, Mr. Fega captained a B-17 Flying Fortress. He and his crew flew 29 missions over Germany and occupied France and were part of the first daylight bombings of Berlin. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts. Mort Fega is survived by his wife of 60 years, Muriel (Praete), and four sons, Russell of Altadena, CA, Douglas of Carefree, AZ, Kenneth of Sedona, AZ, and Roger of Amherst, MA, and 8 grandchildren. ========================================== New York Radio Host, Palm Beach Post Columnist by Pilar Ulibarri Palm Beach Post, January 28, 2005 Mort Fega's incredible ear for music led him to emcee several concerts at such places as Harlem's Apollo Theater, New York City's Carnegie Hall and Rhode Island's Newport Jazz Festival. Mr. Fega, former New York radio personality, Palm Beach Post jazz columnist, local host of "Focus on Jazz" on WXEL-FM 90.7 and Palm Beach Community College jazz history appreciation professor, died last Friday of complications from back surgery. He was 83. His radio career began in 1955 in his hometown of New Rochelle, N.Y. "He couldn't take listening to the bad music on the radio anymore," his wife of 60 years, Muriel Fega, said Thursday from home in suburban Delray Beach. "So he walked over to the local radio station and told the station manager, 'Your music is just horrible.'" That landed him his first on-air job: a one-hour Saturday show that soon became a three-hour show and later turned into a full-time gig in New York City. But his career in music really began in the 1930s when he first heard Benny Goodman's music and "just fell in love," said Muriel Fega, the other love of his life and sweetheart since ninth grade. And it wasn't just his ear for music, but his listening skills that made him popular with jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Billie Holiday and Carmen McRae, who he produced an album with when he owned Focus Records. Dizzy Gillespie would eat dinners at the Fegas' and buy them presents when overseas. "I was friendly with most of the giants in jazz," Mr. Fega said in 1994. "I've had a most fortunate life experience in theater and on stage." He also touched everyday people, who he'd make CDs and tapes for from his 20,000 recordings, one of which was always playing in one or another room in his house. "He loved sharing his knowledge with everyone, especially with young people," said Muriel Fega, noting a week-old letter written to her husband by his cousin's grandson, Paul Daniel, who lives in Maryland: "Although you may not realize this, you are the single most influential person in my life.... Music has saved my life on more than one occasion as well as enriched it from the time you taught me about it.... I cannot begin to tell you how much you have influenced my personality, political views, sense of spirit and worldview.... You are a diamond in this rough world." Besides Muriel, Mr. Fega is survived by his four sons, Roger, Russ, Kenneth and Douglas; and eight grandchildren. An April memorial service will be held in Arlington National Cemetery for Mr. Fega, who flew combat missions over Europe in World War II, participating in the first daylight raid of Berlin.

Apparently so - in addition to what you describe the US issues have an odd slipcase with perforated holes. Mike