Justin V

Despite this being one of my favorite Blakey albums, I somehow don't have its companion album. The late Jymie Merritt is captured quite well here. 'Sleeping Dancer Sleep On' is an absolutely gorgeous tune that should be played more.

I was considering buying the Newman/Cohn/Green Mosaic Select but then found this. It has the two Newman albums from the Mosaic and two others. I have only one Newman album, so I am looking forward to hearing this.

Count Basie -Class of '54: A stealth classic. Half nonet and half full orchestra, with Gus Johnson on drums.

It had been a few years since I'd listened to this one. I couldn't locate my copy of Grant Green's Standards and saw a J.R. Monterose album. That led me to think of this one. With Hod O'Brien, Teddy Kotick and Tootie Heath, this one hits hard.

Nick Roseboro - Passageway: I was only familiar with bassist Roeder, but this is proving to be a great find.

It's a lot of fun hearing Henry Grimes on that one. With Dave Bailey's understated drumming and no chordal instrument, it is a great showcase for Grimes' buoyant bass. Now playing:

Here's wishing Herbie Hancock a happy birthday!

I have to look at the liners for this one to find out the circumstances of the concert. I'm assuming that this was just Henderson joining the Kelly trio and not a regular quartet. It's hard to believe that Chambers died the following year.

This thread led me to continue my journey through the Milestone box. I bought it for $20 last year in great shape. I'm listening to Multiple for the second straight time. It is a trip to hear Larry Willis on electric piano with DeJohnette. I've also pulled out the two Verve live albums with the Wynton Kelly trio. I also listened to The Montreal Tapes last night. I must've bought it shortly after its release and it was my first exposure to Al Foster and possibly Henderson (unless I bought Black Fire first). I guess I am in the minority, but I am fond of the album. I haven't heard the other two(?) the three recorded together, but I think that they sound great together.

Last year, I tracked down Joe Pass and J.J. Johnson's We'll Be Together Again. The combination of guitar and trombone, especially in the hands of two of the greatest, is quite appealing. Are there any other trombone/guitar duos out there?

Yes! Barcelona is a good one. Ed Soph is kind of hidden away in academia, but he is an excellent drummer.

Nice! I've seen DeGreg twice here in Cleveland, once with Ira Sullivan and once with a medium ensemble that was playing Tadd Dameron tunes. I spotted him in January at a Benny Golson/Emmet Cohen gig in Cincinnati. Now finishing: As much as I l enjoyed the bulk of my first listen, I won't be able to listen to it again. The samples of Eric Garner struggling to breathe on the last track are too hard to hear. Up next: Raymond McMorrin - Ray Mack

I've been checking out Truth Revolution Records, the label run by the Curtis Brothers, pianist Zaccai and bassist Luques. The label has an extensive catalog of releases from vets and newcomers and a subscription service akin to Greenleaf's but with low monthly payment. Raymond McMorrin - Ray Mack Albert Rivera - Back At It Andrei Matorin - Opus Nick Roseboro - Passageway

I attended 70+ shows last year, so the lack of concerts has been tough for me. To support musicians and hear new music (I acquire most of the recent albums I buy at gigs), I've been buying downloads from Bandcamp. Part of me balks at buying a download when it is the same low price in CD format (as low as $5). However, I have to consider whether buying a CD when I can buy the lossless download does anything besides satisfy a fetish for physical product. Besides checking out relatively recent releases that way, I've been revisiting albums I hadn't heard in years and ripping Mosaics into FLACs.

I am sorry to hear this. I saw him once with Avery Sharpe's group, which also included Craig Handy, Duane Eubanks and Yoron Israel. Besides being a compelling soloist, Gumbs knocked me out with his comping, which was so unselfishly right; he was so supportive that he took the music to another level. After the gig, I bought a CD and he signed it, taking a few seconds to blow on it to ensure that the ink wouldn't smear. I remember shaking his hand and my hand being (gently) engulfed by this large mitt of a hand. From the way he performed with the band, my brief interaction with him and the messages behind his songs, he gave me the firm impression that he was a man with a kind and generous spirit. Thank you for the music, Mr. Gumbs, and rest in peace.

Mokave, Vol. 1: A nice trio date with Oregon's Glen Moore, late pianist Larry Karush and percussionist Glen Velez.

Dang. I'm surprised that they never recorded together in something like a JATP format. A Stitt/Pass/Don Patterson/Billy James set would have been great. Thanks, guys!

Did Sonny Stitt and Joe Pass ever record together? If so, on what album(s)?

Clarinetist Harold Rubin died on April 1st at the age of 87. I only know him from pianist Alon Nechushtan's excellent Ritual Fire (with Ken Filiano and Bob Meyer), an album many here would enjoy. Thank you for the music, Mr. Rubin, and rest in peace.

He was a storyteller with so much soul! Thank you for the music, Mr. Withers, and rest in peace.

Peter Tomlinson - Momentum, with Dick Oatts, Anthony Cox and Jimmy Cobb: Amazon must've been clearing off some shelves, because I paid $2.69 after tax. I have never heard Tomlinson, but that band at that price was a no-brainer.

Disc 8 (Jess Stacy, Joe Sullivan and Mel Powell)

I haven't been ordering from Amazon much. I ordered coffee on Monday and chose the 'no rush' shipping because I still had some left. I expected it next week and it arrived in three days. The 'no rush' digital reward has been bumped up to $3 from $1, incidentally, so waiting an extra two days paid off.