BillF

Saw Alain Jean-Marie in a European rhythm section backing Joe Magnarelli and Dmitry Baevsky in Southport, UK a few years ago, but I've never heard any of his albums. This one looks promising. Must give it a listen:

Now playing. Yes, I think you're on to a good one there, Peter. One of my favourite Blue Note albums. Those Dorham compositions!

I, too, have always found The Magic Touch disappointing. I think the problem was that by the time it was made (1962) the music had moved on a great deal from the Dameron era. As befits an early sixties album, it's a hard bop date, not a bop session, as were Tadd's 1940s' recordings and even the 1953 Clifford Brown/Golson/Gryce band. There's a gentleness and lyricism in Tadd's music which wasn't shared by the leading players of the early 60s who made The Magic Touch. Of course, they had their own formidable talents, but they weren't Dameronian.

Reminds me of jazz humorist George Crater's Miles Davis windup doll (c.1960). Wind it up and it turns its back on you.

Now playing:

Chapters on Duke, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, John Heard, Bill Evans, Billy Taylor, Art Farmer and Paul Desmond.

Thanks for the recommendations, John.

I don't know the Hicks albums well. Which do you recommend? (So far, this one seems very good.)

Danny Boy Georgy Girl Billy Childs

Levi Strauss Blue Daniel Victor Feldman

Reminds me that in this country in the1960s it was said that for big sales a newspaper headline had to mention nudity, hippies, religion, drugs and sex and that the ultimate headline was Nude Hippies in Church Drugs Orgy.

Well, a pretty good choice!