AllenLowe

yikes, that all reminds me why I don't miss the old days of playing gigs in the winter -

no offense to anyone, but I've tried Bernstein's territory stuff and it just sounds too staged, too stiff, never makes it for me - hate to do it but if you want to know how this stuff should/can be done, listen to my Louis Armstrong CD - these groups always sound like they are working too hard to get it right; it needs to sound almost off-handed, rough and on the edge of sloppy - it always sounds to me like territory-band music for people who have never really listened to territory bands - like Trent, the Yellow Jackets, et al -

I like to expose myself as much as the next guy, but writing is more like having immodium-proof diarrhea - or maybe projectile vomiting.

this is an integrated tube amp that includes a terrifc phono stage pre-amp - all tube and stocked with either new tubes or NOS or tubes that test strong; my tech recently went through it and it works great, can be used for vinyl and/or cd players; sounds way better as a phono pre-amp than most solid state units. I am selling because, with my new massive blues re-mastering project, I am upgrading to an even better unit (have to sell this first and get around the wife). However, I used this unit on Devilin Tune (all 36 CDs) so I can tell you it is pro quality. new these are around $1800, I think; used they seem to go for about $600. I will sell for $550 plus shipping, will really have to stick to the USA on this, my paypal address is alowe5@maine.rr.com

I'm not sure that I would consider James Jones an authority -

ummmmm.......goats...................

all saxophones, trombones, pianos, guitars, trumpets, clarinets, flutes, basses, and drums - did I leave anybody out?

yeah, it was with Haig at Greoory's in NYC that Wayne walked out in a huff (or, maybe a minute and a huff, as Groucho would say) - might have been the same problem with Puma, as Chuck liked to strum the changes while Puma had a very mellow approach, as I recall (and I remember Puma playing the most beautiful guitar solo I ever heard at Bill Evans' funeral) -

on that album cover she looks like David Ferrie - nice eyebrows -

is there any other kind?

' "official" jazz is stiff while the musicians blow their guts out creating discordant "music." ' you got a problem with the way I play? I'M SPILLING MY GUTS OUT, MAN!

curious if anyone has listened to the ESP 4 disc set Bird in Time - conveniently the publicity does not mention that it has lifted a lot of this early stuff from Stash (the early KC sessions, the Redcross sessions); I was wondering if the sound is ok (meaning compared to the original CD issues) or if they've botched it -

interesting stuff - just to mention, there is a very good recording of Emancipation Day, very early (can't remember the year) by Len Spence, a very good white minstrel singer, and it is on volume one of Devilin Tune - recently, though I cannot remember where, I was reading a piece by Cook in which he recollects that first show up on the rooftop (may have been in Eileen Southern's collection on writings on black music) - also, for a very fine depiction of that era, I recommend James Weldon Johnson's Black Manhattan, which I believe is still in print (da capo?).

re- the Eddie Baker cylinders, I have them on an LP -

actually, once it's remastered, it's considered to be black and blue -

I love the Sauter arrangements - also the Capitols/Mary Lou Williams charts - and anything with Stan Hasselgarde -

I believe that Stereo Jack's photo is from that performance -

a junkie to the end - my kind of woman - I was there - I saw her puking in her dressing room at the Blue Note in NYC - ahh, those were the days - but seriously, she is my favorite singer - I've just been listening to her 1950 (?) version of Lovesick Blues.

I just find later Benny - post 1935 - as cold and uninteresting, though I have tried to like it because I figure I should - it's neither fish nor fowl to me - Artie Shaw is more "modern" and interesting, Albert Nicholas/Rod Cless/Danny Polo/BUSTER SMITH and more are much more compelling as swing style - you are right, the early Benny is much more under the Tesch influence, and this plus his natural virtuosity makes for some amazing records, on the Earl Baker cylinders (which are REALLY early) or the things he did in 1930-31 (or close to these dates.) His sound later on is too sweet, his tone neither firm enough nor pliant enough - his technique, in my opinion, has overcome his feeling.

"this is why Laura always looks so unsatisfied."

as far as I'm concerned Benny did his best playing prior to 1932 - -the Jazz Curmudgeon

"a bunch of bimbos with boob jobs and bad plastic surgery." I thought he meant that as a POSITIVE thing -

John - I want my CDs back - nah, keep 'em as a birthday present -

I think they make a GREAT couple - the facist and the goniff -

I want to mention, as I think I did a while back, the small group sessions with Duke - apparently one was done when Armstrong was extremely tired, and it sounds it - but the other, which includes It Don't Mean a Thing, Duke's Place, I Got it Bad, Azalea, and some others, is to me as good as anything Louis did after 1945. He's very inspired, has chops to spare, and sings great all over it -