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The "Chi Congo" album was recorded around the same time as "Les Stances à Sophie" and was also issued in Japan by Emi/Odeon. There seems to be quite a bit of discographical confusion about this album. I suppose that session was not part of the recording deal with Pathé Marconi? Do you know what happened with those masters?

I thought the first song started out very promising, until the male voices joined in. From there on it succumbed to an excess of clever turns and effects. The group is already identified as Roomful Of Teeth; the track is called "Quizassa". I read above that the composer is a "name" in pop music. I don't know her and, based on this track, I am not convinced. Marie Daulne/Zap Mama already did this translation of traditional vocal music into quasi-pop music 30 years ago (she was mainly inspired by the Pygmy music of her childhood) and, for this listener, with much more charm. I liked the last track more than I would have expected, considering the ensemble playing here. Some added effects bothered me a bit: in general, I prefer either a piece built entirely on (the manipulation of) the vocal loops (like the early Steve Reich tape pieces mentioned above) or the preservation of the unedited/unadorned field recording. Still, an attractive piece, full of atmosphere (the guitar part was not necessary for me, but I can assume that it helps to warm up a wider audience for this music). The gorgeous snippet of Bartok is the first of his 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs. I have the complete Bartok piano music by Zoltan Kocsis, but it's not him playing. Remembering your enthusiasm about György Sandor, that name seems a safe bet.

Don't want to interfere with your recommendations and count me in as a fan, but that Lawrence Weiner is a very different record from the others mentioned here. Think artists' record, sound art, "broken music"...

That's a name not often mentioned here, although he recorded several excellent albums. It's a shame (and hard to believe) that none of his work has even been reissued.

A pity, because it's a really good recording and pressing. But it's nice to have an original with its gorgeous silk screened sleeve. And honestly, I wouldn't worry about the legitimacy of the signatures. Why would anyone forge Favre's and Schweizer's signatures on the cover?. Those two are not exactly hot among autograph hunters.

The "looks" and "feel" of those Sahara records were often promising, but they always failed to live up to (my) expectations. Except for the Dane Belany album which, like Clifford, I do like a lot. (I must confess I never heard the Monk tribute album.)

One of the three records shown in the picture is a copy of Don Pullen & Milford Graves "In Concert At Yale University", with hand-painted cover art.

This is a fabulous record.

I'm not a specialist on copyright matters, but on labels of French releases the legal notice "BIEM" was replaced with "SACEM" somewhere during 1971. This particular concert recording from July 1969 was released by the Edici label to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Summer Jazz Workshop at the Paris American Academy which was founded in 1965. Nathan Davis thaught and performed there from 1965 to 1969. So this album would most probably have been released in 1970. And my copy does indeed have a "BIEM" label;

For those among us who care about such things: the Discogs entry is not for the first pressing (although these copies are always advertised and sold as originals). The original issue has a "BIEM" label, which also means it was released before 1972. I agree with Clfford about the excellence of the music, but the sound quality is a bit disappointing.

I have a copy of the US original which was released in early 1969. However, all US copies I've ever seen were promo's and/or had a cut-out hole in the cover. I think it was withdrawn by Verve before its official release. The UK and the Japanese reissue, both marketed by Polydor, were released in late 1973.

Clifford, US orders are handled by Wayside Music.

It's a showcase for Gérald Merceron's compositions, dating (all, I think, or at least most of them) from the 1960's. I guess you could call these "advanced" or "third stream". One of the compositions (performed twice on the LP) is "Portrait Of Carla", an homage to Carla Bley, "compositrice américaine de grand talent". That should give you an idea. All tracks without Konitz are solo performances (some with re-recording), including a fine piano solo by Merceron himself. It's been some time since I played the record, but regarding both Konitz quartets, I remember especially liking the 1973 tracks.

I have this record. My copy is inscribed to the French philosopher and jazz critic Lucien Malson. I mention this, because the scarce references to this record mention different (and improbable) release dates; the inscription is dated 21 september 1977. The three tracks by the "Lee Konitz Quartet" were recorded in NYC in 1966, with Dick Katz, Victor Sproles and Ronnie Bedford. The two tracks by the unidentified "Daring Jazz Quartet" also feature Lee Konitz, this time playing with Jim Hall, Eddie Gomez and Beaver Harris. They were recorded in Haiti in 1973. Both sessions are documented (the second one with a few tiny mistakes) in the exhaustive Lee Konitz discography in Andy Hamilton's "Conversations on the Improviser's Art": Two other musicians on this intriguing release are Martial Solal and... Warne Marsh, clumsily disguised as "Rawen Shram"

That's correct, but still... those "old style" bootlegs were mainly marketed to hardcore fans who also bought all the official releases of the artist, while counterfeits are just cheap, sub-standard duplicates of these official releases.

Yes, it is nowadays. But that's unfortunate, because I agree with Dmitry. "Old style" bootlegs (unauthorized releases of live performanes or studio outtakes) are hardly comparable to the counterfeits of officially released recording that are now flooding the market.

I agree that "Giuseppe" is much more likely. I was reminded of (and wondering about) Mr. Logan first name, when Trump was speeching and tweeting about the Italian Prime Minister "Giuseppi Conte" a couple of weeks back ("Giuseppi was very, very happy"). I haven't catched up with his comeback music, but I am thankful for his earlier music on ESP (and with Roswell Rudd).

He played a couple of concerts here in 2005, with Marilyn Crispell and Andrew Cyrille. Someone has just put one of these shows on Youtube (sound only): To be honest, I remember being somewhat disappointed by his performances there and then (his bass was also amplified, which I generally don't like). But my repect and love for his playing in the 1960's is immense.

The first time I saw Lee Konitz was as a guest soloist (along with George Lewis) with the ICP Orchestra.

"Candy Girl" is supposed to be a session by Mal Waldron backed by the three members of Ice. But I've never heard or found any confirmation of that session. Mal Waldron's albums for Pierre Jaubert were recorded (and released) before Jaubert's association with Ice/Lafayette started. I've always suspected that this record was "created" by Jaubert, asking his studio band to add rhythm tracks to some older tapes of Waldron playing the electric piano.

Great news. Obviously, I'm excited about the unreleased Sun Ra. But maybe even more about the second release. Over the past few years, a lot of obscure music by Hartmut Geerken, recorded all over the world, has been released. I love all of it. I suppose the other Cairo Free Jazz Ensemble recordings ("Music For Angela Davis" and the session released on one of the Qbico labels) will be included and probably some more Salah Ragab sessions. Do you happen to know which label will handle this? Is it also Strut?

Yes, it is. The original cover is screen printed and designed by Hartmut Geerken. Inside the gatefold are extensive notes (also by HG) and the back cover has some nice pictures of the session.

You do realize it's you now who'll have to do the write-up for London Jazz Collector ?

I was wondering... that gorgeous picture of the percussion set-up on the inside of the gatefold of the album surely wasn't taken at Van Gelder's? Then I noticed it was only the piece "L-R-G", not the whole album, that was recorded there. Anyway, it's a great album and it sounds terrific.

Discogs mentions two Gavin Gordon releases: this one (from 1949) and a 12" on "Is It Balearic? Recordings" from 2011. Actually, that last one is by Coyote featuring Gavin Gordon.