Justin V

I picked it up (without a box or giant booklet) for $49.99 in June. Great set. I'd like to track down the booklet to hopefully learn some more about Hardee (and Quebec, for that matter). For anyone interested in the Thad Jones Mosaic that JRM is selling, I recommend it. I found it recently for $9.99 (yes, $9.99) without the box or booklet and it is a marvelous set.

On the 1st, I caught Roy Haynes and his Fountain of Youth Band in DC as part of Haynes' 90th birthday tour. It was just an overnight trip, which meant that we logged about 18 hours of driving in 36 hours. The show was at Blues Alley, which I'd never visited before. We showed up over two hours in advance to get our pick of seats and our early arrival was rewarded with a table next to the drums. I literally could reach out and touch Haynes's hi-hat from where I sat. I'd seen Roy Haynes with his band in Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh and once in Detroit with Chick Corea's Freedom Band (w/ Kenny Garrett and Christian McBride); however, this was the first time seeing him in a club setting. To be right next to the drums in an intimate environment was something that I will never forget. As always, Roy Haynes continues to surprise and delight with his inventiveness and how he responds in the moment. During the first song, while he was adjusting his drums and taking off his jacket, he still hit at the right times. Haynes behind the kit is like a percussion orchestra exploring the full range of the drums with sticks, brushes and mallets (he even used his hand on the hi-hat once); at different times during the night, he played on the rims and stands and rattled his stick between the shells of the drums. For as fiery and propulsive a drummer as he is, it's also fascinating to hear him on ballads. There were only a couple of ballads throughout the night (the first set's ballad was 'Round Midnight'), but the sensitivity Haynes demonstrated and the momentum he provided went way beyond the type of ballad drumming you might hear from other drummers. On one of the ballads, he tapped his foot on the bandstand in lieu of using the bass drum, which showed an exemplary attention to detail and dynamics. He talked between songs about every moment being precious, and that zest for life was evident in his playing, facial expressions and general demeanor. On the ballads, he had this dream-like smile on his face with his eyes half-closed, and you could see and hear how into the music and the moment he was. Being so close to him, I could also hear him humming the melody of the tune at times. During one section of a song, he would do a drum hit and then turn around on his drum throne. Being seated where I was, I could see the huge smile on his face every time he turned around. As if his drumming wasn't proof enough that Roy Haynes is an ageless marvel, he tap-danced across the cluttered stage. That enthusiasm was infectious. Roy Haynes engaged the audience in some back-and-forth banter and told some stories about coming up in Boston and the beginning of his career. He talked about being the kid who would be drumming on his desk and having the other kids in class checking him out instead of paying attention to the teacher. At 90, it's easy to imagine Haynes as that irrepressible youth because he is still that mischievous, hip showman. His band has remained intact for several years now, with pianist Martin Bejerano (with Haynes for 14 years), saxophonist Jaleel Shaw (10 years) and bassist David Wong (9 years). Having seen the band several times now, I was struck by how much the band continues to grow, both as a unit and as individuals. Wong has clearly soaked up a lot of Haynes's rhythmic flexibility, with his playing ranging from rock-solid timekeeping to a very loose style that meshed perfectly with Haynes's drumming. His solos were melodic and adventurous, and Haynes would open things up by laying back a bit. Jaleel Shaw can sustain momentum (and interest) and build a solo that raises in intensity throughout. Like his other bandmates, he has an unassuming confidence about him. With his full tone and total command of his instruments, it's hard to imagine Haynes's band without him. It was cool to see Haynes quieting the crowd's applause during a Shaw solo so that he and/or the crowd could hear what Shaw would do next. Martin Bejerano is another young musician who continues to grow during his tenure with Haynes. With Haynes and Wong being so loose and interactive, Bejerano has a lot of freedom to work with in his solos and comping. Like his bandmates, he is mature beyond his years in his approach to his instrument. Haynes gave each of his younger colleagues a chance to speak, and they all displayed a deep affection and respect for Haynes. I can't imagine what it must be like to share a stage with a master like Haynes for so many years at a young age. I don't think that I'd ever get past the 'I'm on stage with Roy Haynes!' voice in my head, but the stage has never proven to be too big for them. Knowing how much of himself Haynes gives to the music and the confidence he must have in them, his band thrives in his company and each member is consistently inspired. I also found myself thinking about the continuum of the music and how Haynes's influence will continue on in the ensuing decades through these long-serving sidemen. It's pretty funny to see the band be the straight men to Haynes's comedic asides, like when he tried to get each member to sing along to Kenny Rogers' 'The Gambler'. First try: Shaw. No dice. Second try: Wong. No luck. Last try: Bejerano, who launched into a surprisingly enthusiastic piano rendition of the country tune. Haynes did get a lady from the audience to come on stage and sing along. The audience was game, too, joining in on 'The Gambler' and also singing 'Happy Birthday' to Haynes during the first set. The night came to a close with fearless, intense, thunderous versions of 'Green Chimneys' and 'Summer Night', which had the band firing on all cylinders and caused the crowd to give a well-deserved standing ovation. It was a great night and an honor as always to see Haynes, who is still at the top of his game, with his outstanding band.

I still kick myself for missing him at the Detroit Jazz Festival. For as much as he recorded as a sideman, I think that people sleep a bit on his excellent recordings as a leader. I'll spin some Mulgrew Miller this weekend and be thinking of him.

I saw her three years ago at the Detroit Jazz Fest and was very impressed with her tone, phrasing, range and charisma. I imagine that Mark Stryker may have been there, and I was in the front row. It was before she released her Mack Avenue debut, and I knew almost nothing about her (I may have known that she'd won the Monk competition). If you don't like her singing, that's one thing, but it's absolutely silly to be suspicious of her because of her white-framed glasses, for Pete's sake. She likely received some good press from winning the Monk competition and Mack Avenue promotes their artists well, but she is the real deal.

Someone is selling a copy on Amazon of The Roy Haynes Trio Featuring Danilo Perez & John Patitucci for only $0.58 on Amazon. When I purchased it years ago, I was excited to find it for only $9.99 as it was OOP. For anyone into Haynes, Perez, Patitucci or piano trios (which should cover just about everyone, I'd think), it's essential stuff.

I haven't heard much of his playing, but I fondly remember Sandi's posts about the Lighthouse days from the old JC and AAJ days (speaking of someone whom I miss). I'll have to check out the interview with Rumsey on Jazz Wax, because he must've had some interesting stories to tell. Thank you for the music, Mr. Rumsey, and rest in peace.

Disc 3

A one-song album. Almost 40 minutes.

Were the new Jones-Smith, Inc sides just discovered? If not (okay, even if so), it irritates me that they weren't included on the previous set, which I own. With so much music out there that I haven't heard, Mosaic or otherwise, I don't foresee picking up this set when I have the Aladdin and Keynote material.

I like what I've heard of him on albums with Kenny Wheeler, live recordings and his own Requiem for a Dreamer. Thank you for the music, Mr. Taylor, and rest in peace.

FYI - that set is ALL good! After hearing the Cowell/Houston/Barbaro tracks for the first time last night, I definitely agree. I actually picked it up without even knowing who was on it, so I'm glad that my blind faith was rewarded. For being a live collection, both bassists were recorded particularly well, which is a blessing given how strong McBee and Houston are. My only Tolliver-led date that I owned before picking up the Mosaic Select was With Love, so I think that I made a great decision in picking up this set. EDIT: I hope that that was a general FYI for the uninitiated and that I hadn't given the impression somehow that I didn't like the band with Cowell,Houston and Barbaro, which I was about to hear for the first time when I posted.

I picked this up last month. I'm about to listen to the half of the set with Stanley Cowell, Clint Houston and Clifford Barbaro. I enjoyed the tracks with Cowell, Cecil McBee, who is easily one of my favorite bassists, and Jimmy Hopps, whose playing I hadn't heard before.

Good call. Gene DiNovi is a wonderful pianist. I plan on ordering more music from his website this year. I'm not sure whether he's been mentioned elsewhere, but Richard Wyands is another pianist who gets overlooked for some reason. This might be to his relatively few leader dates, but he has been so active and consistent as a sideman that his low profile among the listening public is mystifying. I finally saw him perform last month at Mezzrow and his playing is still impeccable. Like DiNovi, he turned 87 his year, and I'm glad that they are both active and appear to be aging well (much like their music).

Freddie Redd released an album on Steeplechase this year, which I recommend: It's available as a download on Amazon, but for some reason Amazon lists the CD release date as October 2nd. I recently received it from importcds.

I'm a little behind in posting, so I'll be posting in a few chunks: On 6/25: Jeremy Pelt/Richard Wyands/Peter Washington, Mezzrow: My wife and I moved up our vacation a day just for the opportunity to see Richard Wyands, who doesn't gig that often anymore, and it was fantastic. Wyands is absolutely flawless as an accompanist and soloist. The way he can be so responsive, supportive and subtle (yet enthralling) is something special. His playing calls to mind a Stan Getz quote about never playing a note that he didn't mean. He and Washington have worked together for years, it was evident in their rapport, with Wyands's spare playing freeing up Washington to play some busier lines at times or holding back a bit for this understated groove. You could tell that Pelt and Washington were excited and honored to be playing with Wyands, who has contributed so much over his long career. Like Wyands, Washington is one of my favorite musicians on his respective instrument, and this was the first that I've seen him in a group without drums and being afforded so much solo space. I love the drums, but Washington is so solid in his technique and time that I didn't miss the drums. I'd only previously seen Pelt as a sideman with Louis Hayes and playing originals with his own group, so it was cool to see him playing standards in an intimate venue. We were the first ones in the place, so I sat next to the piano bench and my wife's head was a couple feet away from the bell of Pelt's horn. Pelt had this soft, cornet-like tone that lent itself to the ballad numbers like 'Everything Happens to Me' and 'Never Let Me Go', but also worked on the uptempo numbers. He is one of the best young trumpeters out there with an obvious respect for history of the music. I must say that Mezzrow is a nice club, and Spike Wilner proved during his opening solo set that he should be known as more than just a club owner. When someone requested some Harold Arlen, he did an inspired take on 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' leading into 'If I Only Had a Brain'. He's an interesting guy, to boot. After a long day, both sets were what the doctor ordered. I owe my wife for finagling an extra day off so that we could make it.

I'm saddened by this news. I was one of the Kickstarter backers for Fewell's last Variable Density Sound Orchestra album, which had John Tchicai, Roy Campbell, Jr., Steve Swell, Dmitry Ishenko and Reggie Nicholson, Five months after the recording session, John Tchicai had a stroke and passed away a few months later, and then Roy Campbell, Jr. passed away in January of last year. Now Garrison Fewell's gone. He was very conscientious regarding the Kickstrater project, posting many updates and even creating a limited, hand-assembled version of the album due to the album being scheduled for official release at a much later date. It's a wonderful album, and Fewell's passing makes what was already a bittersweet listening experience even more so. I'd like to check out more of his work. Thank you for the music, Mr. Fewell, and rest in peace.

I enjoyed his work on a Paul Motian Trio 2000 + 2 Village Vanguard album (I still have to pick up the other two volumes), and I only recently picked up the first Tethered Moon album, which is excellent. I was struck by how patient an improviser Kikuchi was and how he could develop a tune at a glacial tempo. I'll be exploring more of his work in the future. Rest in peace, Mr. Kikuchi, and thank you for the music.

Inexplicably and indefensibly, despite being a Baker and Mulligan fan, I still don't have the original Mulligan quartet sides (yet I have two later reunion discs). I do like Whitlock's playing with Chet Baker's quartet, and that Marc Meyers interview was an interesting read. Rest in peace, Mr. Whitlock, and thank you for the music.

I picked up Sentimental Feeling from a shop in DC last year and really enjoyed it; I need to listen to it more often. I'd like to pick up his trio disc with Rene Thomas and Kenny Clarke; it should be interesting to hear him in a trio context with that caliber of players. Thank you for the music, Mr. Louiss, and rest in peace.

I picked up this set after Christmas and have gotten a lot of mileage out of it. It's really a treasure trove of material and an incredible bargain given the quantity and quality of music.

I was impressed with Francisco Mora Catlett's AfroHORN when I saw the last half of their set a couple of years ago at the Detroit Jazz Fest. The group included JD Allen, Sam Newsome, Alex Harding, Aruan Ortiz, Rashaan Carter and Roman Diaz. Powerful music.

Thank you, Mr. Coleman, and rest in peace.

The second time that I saw Lee Konitz live, it was in the company of Jeff Denson, Vadim Neselovskyi and Ronen Itzik in West Virginia. After the show, I picked up Denson's Secret World, which is a good one. Like Dan Tepfer, Denson is a talented, young collaborator with whom Konitz has developed a strong rapport. I'm looking forward to checking out the new album.

I'm excited to see that, among the other enticing titles, they are reissuing Frank Butler's lone leader date. Butler was such a musical drummer.