Michael Fitzgerald

Oh please. I have the Verve Powell set and I still think Bud Powell is wonderful. For a real reputation "ruiner" (or the reverse) - everyone should learn the subject's instrument and work on performing and improvising at that level. Now *that's* some perspective. Mike

Love does get the writing credit for GV on the Smile release. But I assume that's more a legal department thing than an artistic thing. Hearing the original lyrics is like hearing "Hang On To Your Ego" instead of "I Know There's An Answer" - a little odd. I prefer the final lyrics, not only because they're more familiar, but because they have better rhymes. But I'll live. Mike

Buddy can play, no question. He's not a faker. And there are things out there where he really does some creative things harmonically that are his and not someone else's. I used to play in a quintet with a clarinetist and we did some of Buddy's tunes. But it seems like too often he's in situations where he goes into the comfort zone and stays there. Davern takes more chances, it seems to me. Thinking about some other names mentioned - I've never ever heard Harry Allen playing clarinet. Is this recorded? Ditto Loren Schoenberg - maybe just doubling in a big band section. For Loren's big band, he gets Ken Peplowski for any serious clarinet work. And actually, Ken Pep is someone I prefer on tenor. For me, his approach to tenor is much more exciting, in a restrained way. Perry and Henry have done much since last year. Tours of Europe, more radio appearances, week at Iridium this past July. See the HG discography. Mike

Gotta disagree with Larry about DeFranco and Scott. Buddy has always had this case of "running off at the fingers". I dig him, but so often he can be cold. The duo album with McKenna is indeed wonderful, though. Tony, on the other hand, does it for me more. He doesn't really have the chops anymore (no teeth will do that), but his ideas are wonderful and his tone was always amazing, moreso than Buddy's. Saw him and Buddy together every night for a week last year and Buddy was more or less on auto-pilot. Tony was the wild man. Re: the earlier post about the wide range of Louis Sclavis, I think Perry Robinson has been covering much of that for many years now. Funny thing is that Perry's the guy who introduced me to the music of Sclavis. Perry is a fan of every clarinetist out there. He's got to get credit for sheer perseverence in the face of screaming saxophones, electronics, fusion, huge collective improvisation ensembles, etc. - Perry has just kept on being himself. I mean, really, who can play with George Clinton and Pete Seeger, Gunter Hampel and Dave Brubeck, Archie Shepp and Klezmokum? Mike

Got this as part of a big shipment last week and have spent a few days with it now. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. Agree with most of what's been said already regarding the new coherence of the music. There are all these nice little hints that reward repeated listening. There are a few places that make me wish for the original versions - Our Prayer, one of my all-time favorites, just isn't as absolutely amazing as the Beach Boys one. But I will say it is beautiful how it returns in the strings, then the voices just before the concluding piece. Surf's Up has a couple of spots that aren't perfect - BW holds a couple of notes just a hair too long (e.g., "strike"), which in the original were very clipped, and the new execution emphasizes something about his voice - a little flat, an odd vowel sound, something. I miss the faster tempo bit too. Seems like the band was maybe trying for it but BW's vocal just dragged a little. Yeah, probably if I weren't so familiar with the old version these things wouldn't bother me. Then there's the vocal trickery to get to the high notes - using BW for the lead part and having him trade off to a different singer. The Beach Boys version is seamless. BTW, the finest performance of this I've ever heard was on the TV tribute to BW where Vince Gill sang this (along with David Crosby and Jimmy Webb). Gill's voice was astounding - he moved into the upper register with absolutely no strain and the effect gave me goosebumps. Good Vibrations - I'll have to dig into the reasoning behind the lyric change. It's a bit disconcerting (especially because the sound is such a perfect match to the original). Quite happy that there aren't sonic anachronisms - the weird but wonderful palette of sounds that BW created (one of his significant accomplishments in popular music) is there, without being updated (though not every instrument is "vintage"). I find this to be properly respectful. It considers the fact that this is a piece from the late 1960s, not thirty-five years later. It shouldn't sound like "now" (which usually ends up sounding "dated" pretty soon thereafter). On the other hand, what was new and different in the 1960s has become "classic" and there's no reason to have anything else. It all works great. In the end, I'm happy that the whole thing was redone, as opposed to using the original stuff. There would have been too many sacrifices that way. Regarding the idea of a sympathetic band, I do think there is something to this. Whereas the 1960s Beach Boys weren't the main players (many many wonderful LA session musicians), here the band is the band. They play, they sing. Yes, some added folks for strings, etc. But compared to the original, this is much more of an integrated unit. (And they can do it live. When I saw the opening night of the BW Pet Sounds tour, it was clear to me that the large pick-up orchestra was 98% superfluous.) This album is a great success and man, it's about time. Mike

I have his card here, from when I met him at a NYC memorial for Ted Dunbar (1998). It's a 212 (NYC) number. Mike

Cymbals is part of a 2-CD set on Evidence (ECD 22217-2) titled The Great Lost Sun Ra Albums. Issued in 2000. The other disc is Crystal Spears. Mike

Bruyninckx (& Lord) list this as Black Lion BLCD 760160 titled "The Comeback". Mike

Eiji Kitamura with the Concord Jazz All Stars. Concord 80180, rec. November 24 & 25, 1979 Eiji Kitamura (cl), Scott Hamiton (ts), Warren Vache (c, fh), Cal Collins (g), Dave McKenna (p), Phil Flanigan (b), Jake Hanna (d) Mike

I like it - better than I remembered. It's got lots of things that are NOT typical 1950s-60s Horace if you're expecting that, but the tunes are good and I'm glad to have everything all in one set. Mike

I wouldn't trust that discography for anything. Everything on that site is full of errors and omissions. For example, no mention of 1949 or 1952 sessions that include Waldron. Next, "Gregorian Chant" is wrong. The title is "Gregarian Chant" by Mingus, as listed by BMI. Next, the master numbers for the Macero session are missing (and so are the three other tunes recorded at that session: Neally, T.C.'s Groove, and Adventure). Next, "24X 18X" is wrong. The title is "24+ 18+" by Teo Macero. Next, "Hert On My Sleeve" is wrong. The title is "Heart On My Sleeve" by Teo Macero. Next, Ernestine Anderson is not the vocalist on "Sounds Of May." It is a man named Ernest Anderson. Next, Lenny DiJay is wrong. The name is Lanny DiJay (nickname of Orlando DiGirolamo). And those are just the problems in the first four sessions! Most of this is actually correct in existing discographies, so the folk on that website are introducing NEW errors. They do also copy existing errors too. I could go on and on, but there are so many problems that it would be a full-time job. Anyway, I agree that there are two tunes - Left Alone (tune #1) and All Alone (tune #2). The problem is that some places may use All Alone as the alternative title for Left Alone (tune #1). Might be that Quiet Temple is an alternative title for All Alone (tune #2). I can't say right now. My supposition at this point would be that "Quiet Alone" is somehow different but related to tune #1, due to the added name on the copyright. Maybe this involves additional lyrics or something. I'm pretty sure that Billie Holiday and Waldron only ever wrote the one tune together. The lyric to that tune (Left Alone) includes the line "I'm left alone, all alone." Which is likely where the trouble starts. Mike

According to this army buddy, he last spoke with Khan after EK moved from Salt Lake City, UT to Los Angeles to work at CBS in 1980, so that revises date of death a bit later. Khan served in the army at Fort Dix, NJ; Fort Lewis, WA; and in Korea. Mike

Bruyninckx CD-ROM identifies guitarist on Jazz Studio One as Johnny Smith, noting that Collins is incorrectly listed on a Coral reissue. To avoid confusion, I recommend specifying which edition of Bruyninckx is being consulted. (50 YORJ, 60 YORJ, 70 YORJ, the miniature books = Modern Jazz, Progressive Jazz, Vocalists, etc.), or 85 YORJ aka CD-ROM). Mike

Waldron's BMI listing shows a tune "Quiet Alone" by MW, Billie Holiday, and Dominique J. Vaulthier. Not familiar with that last name. It also shows "Left Alone" with alt. title "All Alone" by MW and Holiday. Waldron's GEMA listing shows "Left Alone" with alt. title "All Alone" by MW and Holiday. It also shows "All Alone" but only by MW. Neither of these databases has an entry for "Quiet Temple". Typically, the Lord CD-ROM has things confused. "All alone [by the telephone]" is how it lists the tune on several Waldron albums. There are also entries for "Left Alone" and "Quiet Temple". Obviously this is a mess in need of straightening out. Mike

Fresh Sound CD 137 "Out Of This World" has all seven titles from the session. Discographies list alternative takes for two (some list for five) of the titles (issued under different bogus names under other artists' leadership). I cannot confirm if this is correct. The other versions may be edited from the same master takes. The seven titles are: Birdhouse Mr. Lucky Day Dream I'm An Old Cowhand Curro's [aka French Spice] It's A Beautiful Evening Out Of This World Mike

I received an inquiry about Eddie Khan today from a former bandmate of EK's in the 173rd Army Band. I asked around and was told that Khan died (1970s?) in San Francisco (I believe he was from there originally). After leaving music he had worked successfully as a TV cameraman for CBS television. For the record, the dreaded allmusic site is wrong to list 1967 for Kahn's participation on the Blackjack CD. He is present only on the May 20, 1963 session. A session that the Lord discography doesn't even include. First recorded appearance is October 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival with Billie Holiday which was later issued by Black Hawk. Last entries for Khan in my files are May and June 1965 gigs at the Left Bank Jazz Society, first with Art Taylor, second with Clifford Jordan. Mike

Completely understand the response that official Blue Note behavior on the Blue Note board generated. It's about how you treat your customers. If BN couldn't or didn't make the connection that the board members were their customers (or did and just didn't care), well, that's *their* problem. The Internet has allowed for communication to happen in ways that it rarely did previously. And while that can be a very good thing, it does have potential pitfalls and BN really stepped in it with their shoddy treatment of the Blue Note board. It wasn't a case where they screwed over just one person, it was huge and it was very public: a PR nightmare. I don't mean to imply that no one else was at fault. But as the "big guy" company, BN's public actions had a potential for far greater impact than the other direction. If one member acts foolishly, it would be wrong to assume that every member is the same, but when the company spokesman acts foolishly, that's the company talking. And everyone witnessed it. Now BN has to deal with the consequences. I applaud Ed (and others) for holding his position. Mike

You seem to be under the impression that this board is a democracy (and even then, are things decided by simple majority or do they require 2/3 approval to pass, must it be unanimous, etc.). However, I believe that the board would be more accurately described as a benevolent dictatorship. And I have no problem with that. Mike

1. Can someone check the tune "Groanin'" released on the Jack McDuff album "On With It" (Prestige) - is this the same "Groanin'" as recorded by Jimmy Smith and issued on the CD of "Home Cookin'"? On that it is credited to Smith. BMI database only lists the McDuff tune, nothing by Smith. 2. Next - on the "Standards" CD there's a tune titled "The Last Dance" credited to Smith. Again, BMI doesn't have it in the Smith listing. There's a standard by this title written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen with which I'm not familiar - is this the same tune? 3. The tune "Motorin' Along" on "Home Cookin'" is credited to Jimmy McGriff on the CD issue, but the LP issue credits it to Smith. McGriff recorded a tune by that title ten years later on an album called "Step One" (Solid State) - is this the same tune? There are two separate listings in BMI. My gut feeling at this point is that Smith didn't play the McGriff tune. I have to be skeptical of some of these Blue Note CD issues because mistakes have happened - like the Horace Silver tune "Home Cookin'" (which is NOT on the Jimmy Smith: Home Cookin' album, btw) being listed as "One For Philly Joe" on the Jimmy Smith CD "Softly As A Summer Breeze" and crediting it to Smith. There are numerous other slip-ups outside of the Smith sphere too. 4. Anyone know composers of the never issued tunes "Fugueing The Blues" and "Ham And Eggs" that were in Smith's repertoire? Several unsuccessful attempts were made to record these for Blue Note in February and April 1958. 5. Lastly, the GEMA database gives Jimmy Smith's name as "Maurice James Smith" - but I always thought it was "James Oscar Smith" as in "J.O.S." - any thoughts here? Mike

OK - so which version is the album of the week? Edition I or Edition II? Mike

Yes, it is in the first edition of the Blue Note discography. Page 83. In the second edition it is on page 89. Mike

"What about Medeski?" That's funny. Jimmy Smith taught us all. Mike

Anyone who is a serious fan of RRK should be on the bright-moments mailing that I started back in January 2000. See my website for subscription info. It is now run by George Bonifacio, the world's premier Kirk fan/collector/discographer/documenter. I am certain you can get all the information you ever wanted to know about Radio Free Rahsaan there. BTW, the book was a huge disappointment. For an excellent review of it (by which I don't mean to say a "good review") see the fabulous 550-page Jazz Studies issue of Current Musicology (#71-73, Spring 2001-Spring 2002). I believe you can get purchase info by emailing current-musicology@columbia.edu. I contributed some of my Kirk research, but facts and accuracy were of almost no importance to the author. There are so many errors it's ridiculous. And then there's the writing style. Here's a great quote from the above-mentioned review: "Most of Kruth's writing, however, is simply pointless, goofy, and irritating." Fortunately, there's a more serious book on Kirk in the works. Unfortunately it will be in French (at least to start out - hopefully it can be translated). Mike

Well, that's a different question. Unissued sessions do sometimes circulate and this is one of them. The question is - is it the ENTIRE session? You need SIX different tunes each in multiple takes - last take in discographies is take 21. I would be interested to hear what you find about that. Mike

Yes - the answer is no. Mike