BillF

Review in today's Guardian of a new album, Given Time, by the Clark Tracey Quartet which features "the dynamic young Brandon Allen on tenor". Gareth Williams is on piano and Arnie Somogyi on bass.

"Five Points" is the only bonus track on my OJC Intensity, manufactured in Germany.

Frank Rosolino Quintet, Frankly Speaking! (Affinity/Capitol) With Charlie Mariano, Walter Norris, Max Bennett and Stan Levey in 1955.

Great album!

I have thirteen Art Pepper albums in my collection, the latest recorded in 1960.

Stan Levey, This Time the Drum's On Me (Bethlehem) With Conte Candoli, Dexter Gordon, Frank Rosolino and Leroy Vinnegar in 1955. Charlie Rouse/Paul Quinichette, The Chase Is On (Bethlehem) With Wynton Kelly, Hank Jones, Freddie Green, Wendell Marshall and Ed Thigpen in 1958.

Thanks for the recommendation, MG. I must search round for that.

I think it's because Miles had already recorded a different tune called "Milestones". But I think (I'm not sure) that on the original Lp release it was called "milestones". Yes, "Milestones" was one of four tracks recorded in 1947 by what was essentially the Parker quintet, but with Miles as leader (his first leader date) and Bird on (marvelous) tenor.

Listening to it now. Tremendous stuff!

there are some copies of this on ebay, mostly vinyl but also a pricey copy of a 1985 cd... http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Message-From-Newport...1QQcmdZViewItem Thanks for the info, Niko! another boring day at work... Retired. Hooray!

there are some copies of this on ebay, mostly vinyl but also a pricey copy of a 1985 cd... http://cgi.ebay.com/A-Message-From-Newport...1QQcmdZViewItem Thanks for the info, Niko!

The similarly-titled A Message from Newport has been for me an elusive Ferguson album. I've heard tracks from it on jazz radio shows, but have never owned, or even seen, a copy. Has it ever been issued on CD? Anyone own it? How does it compare with the following year's A Message From Birdland?

Such a record of its time in so many ways - right down to that fifties modernist chair Miles is sitting on in the cover photo!

I remember my reaction to Milestones when I first heard it in about 1959. Being used to Bird-style saxophone, I just couldn't take Coltrane's "sheets of sound" (and Adderley was emulating them to a certain extent, too). "Why does Miles surround himself with these guys?" I asked! Fortunately, within weeks the new sound had "clicked" with me and the album was soon in my collection, where it still gets regular airings. The popularity of this music in those days can be judged by the fact that "Straight No Chaser" from the album could be played on a jukebox at my university in about 1962.

Yes, I think "John Brown's Body" is the best track - surprisingly, as I wouldn't have expected it to be promising material!

These are the two Ammons/Stitt albums I have - and both wonderful! But what should I get next? Recommendations?

Count Basie, Kansas City Suite (Vogue/Roulette) First heard this last week on an archived radio show by the late Oscar Treadwell at www.oscartreadwell.com. Amazon.uk was offering used copies from £55, but I got it for 10 euros via the French priceminister site, which Niko recommended! Thanks, Niko!

WVCD116 by Spillett is also excellent. Recently I arrived very early for a Simon Spillett gig. The only people there were the gig organiser and Simon, doing warm-up practice. The proprietor said he was sorry the bar wasn't open yet, but I said not to worry as listening to Simon was better. When his partner arrived, Simon told her, "There's a guy there who says my playing is better than alcohol"!

Newport Rebels (Candid) A real curiosity! Superlative musicians from different eras united by participation in an alternative festival at Newport in 1960. Features Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Eric Dolphy, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones. Performances of Eldridge and Dolphy (together!) particularly noteworthy.

Gerry Mulligan/Shorty Rogers, Modern Sounds (Capitol) Features a ten-piece group led by Mulligan in 1951 and a Rogers octet from 1953, both clearly influenced by the Miles Davis nonet. Both landmark sessions with arrangements by the leaders and including sidemen of the calibre of Chet Baker, Bud Shank and Chico Hamilton (Mulligan group) and Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes and Shelly Manne (Rogers group).

The Marty Paich composition "Lonely Time", which here features Willie Maiden, was recorded by a previous Ferguson orchestra on Live at Peacock Lane three years earlier as "Velvet" with Richie Kamuca taking the solo. Both are 13-piece bands, with identical instrumentation, but the only survivor from the Peacock Lane band who's still there at Birdland is Willie Maiden, apart, of course, from Maynard!

Art Pepper + Eleven, Modern Jazz Classics (Contemporary) Marty Paich arrangements with Art the featured soloist on alto, tenor and clarinet in 1959. Another triumph for Contemporary Records!

The U.K. equivalent, V.A.T. (Value Added Tax) stands at 17.5%!

Art Pepper, Smack Up (Contemporary) With Jack Sheldon, Pete Jolly, Jimmy Bond and Frank Butler in 1960, shortly before Art's long disappearance and showing awareness of new developments in jazz. A classic album!

Art Pepper, The Way It Was! (Boplicity/Contemporary) Includes three tracks by a 1956 quintet with Warne Marsh and Britain's own Tristano-ite Ronnie Ball on piano.