BillF

Maxine Carr William Gear Bill Hood

Interesting new altoist! With tune choices from Bud Powell, Monk, Clifford Brown, Rollins and Gigi Gryce, you'd expect Bird to be his primary influence, and while this may be true, there's both pre- and post-Bird influence in his playing - something of Benny Carter in his sound and, in common with so many latter-day altoists, just a hint of dissonance which I suppose derives ultimately from Ornette. He's certainly not an attacking player and, while this might be put down to youthful lack of confidence, he explains his quietness and fondness for the lower register to a decade's playing in New York restaurants and the need not to disturb diners! None of this adds up to cool in the 1950s or West Coast manner, though. So, a distinctive new alto voice.

Orville Emu Dodo

Lord Of the Rings Valentine Dyall, The Man in Black

Huckleberry Finn Stanley Fish Alex Salmond

Paulie Walnuts Maximilian Schell

Steady Eddie George Rock Hudson George Hudson the Railway King

I know! And nothing wrong with that! Time I posted my photo on the board:

Caught the last half. Not a big Baker fan. Sonny Stitt next week! Now on JRR which is shaping up nicely. Enjoyed the Bebop Presservation Society track especially so far. Edit: Really enjoyable programme from start (Bessie Smith) to finish (a thrilling Joe Zawinul track with the WDR Big Band...I blow hot and cold over Zawinul but 'Brown Street' was just wonderful). Yes, Alan Barnes on Sonny Stitt should be interesting. You've reminded me that I missed the beginning of today's show and I have never heard the young Chet with Bird, so must try the i-player for that. I think my favourite from JRR was the Dodo Marmarosa track, but then I'm a bebopper at heart!

Jazz Library from BBC Radio 3: Chet Baker

Love your new avatar, David! Must get round to the post office for some of those!

Ronnie Barker President's Poodle

Panama Francis Hattie Jacques Jack "The Hat" McVitie

Mrs Moore Brew Moore George G Ale

Interesting. I suppose in the end HMV had to go after the Top Sellers market to stay 'big', but couldn't compete with supermarkets and online. Meanwhile it alienated the customers who might have sustained it in a cut-down mode by minimising its specialist sales and depth of catalogue. Well put!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jan/19/hmv-calls-in-kpmg-debt-advisers?INTCMP=SRCH Looks as if, after all these years, his master's voice will no longer be heard:

Wow!

Love that one, John, especially the two jumpin' Krupa tracks and Gerry's wonderful voicings on "All the Tbings You Are"!

Thomas Lipton Sonny Liston

Armchair Socialist Bollinger Bolshevik Harold Pinter

Albert Heath Pee Wee Moore Simon Fell

Menzies Campbell Campbell Burnap

Thanks for posting this book, I was able to check out a copy from the local library. I kept meaning to read Chandler's biography at some point, and you gave me a nice shove. Mine was a library copy, too, but I was so impressed by it that I've bought a used copy from Amazon for the princely sum of £2.74!

Jane Austen Austin Powers Ford Prefect