Royal Oak

"No-one knows who they were......or, what they were doin'" They do now.

On Amazon.co.uk: Bill Evans "Moon Beams" (vinyl) = 500.09 pounds (I can not find the sterling button on this infernal Dell keyboard) Or how about 2 copies of "Cattin' With Coltrane and Quinichette" (CD) - one at 335.49, the other at the bargain price of 300.19. Seriously though, Amazon.co.uk is full of these silly prices, usually the same 5 or 6 US megasellers. While I can't imagine they ever sell stuff at such prices, logic suggests they must get an occasional bite.

Not now, but earlier this evening: "Prog Rock at the BBC" - compilation of prog rock bands performing on various BBC shows over the years (slightly superfluous explanation there...) I'm not a big fan of Prog Rock, but I enjoyed some of the performances, notably Jethro Tull and Wishbone Ash. Yes, Genesis and ELP I found pretentious and/or bombastic.

I don't think I've heard a bad one, but personally: Open Sesame/True Blue Blues And The Abstract Truth Bluesnik (Jackie Mac)

Signing in

I played those Prestige albums the other day, inspired by this thread. I bought them after hearing the Howard McGhee/Tal Farlow Blue Note, and the Art Farmer "Met Gryce" and "Featuring Gigi Gryce" albums. I like the Richard Williams quintet albums very much ("Rat Race Blues" is my favourite), but I just got the impression he was running out of ideas by this time, evidenced by recording very old standards ("Frankie And Johnny", "Lover Man" and "Summertime") or rehashing his old tunes like "Minority" and "Nica's Tempo". Much of the more interesting material seems to be written by others (I don't have the albums to hand but I'm sure "Blues In Bloom", "Monday Through Sunday" and "Strange Feelin" aren't Gryce's compositions). Would I be right in thinking that those three albums were his last recordings? I'm pretty sure they were all recorded in the same year, though don't quote me on that.

I tend to agree that the diversification route has weakened some of these stores. I would hazard a guess that my local HMV (Stockport, a large town), stocks more non-music product than music. Their jazz section has always been pretty poor, but like Bev says, it's now lumped in with easy listening/blues/country/classical as "specialist". I went in a couple of weeks back and was surprised to see a couple of Concord RVGs, but they were charging 14 or 16 quid for them! It's not as if HMV has any specialist music-shop competition in Stockport; the last few years has seen the disappearance of Sam Goody, Our Price and Music Zone. I note also that our Borders store (a BIG one) now stocks virtually no music.

Way to go ! Yes. My eldest is now 5, and pretty much every Christmas day has descended into a "not enough sleep-too much stuff to play with-want more chocolate" tantrum-fest. This year, it didn't happen and he was bloody lovely, which was VERY nice.

How about that? Zavvi UK has gone into administration today.

Not Viz? MG I was going on Glenda Slag's "Crazy name, crazy guy", but you could be right MG. I've not read Viz for a long time.

Up until 2006, HMV in Manchester had most of the basement dedicated to jazz (and a soundproofed room for classical). It was always very civlised down there. Now they have a tiny corner of the packed ground floor with a very desultory selection (RVGs are as far out as it gets). In the mid-90s, Stockport (my home town) had a Sam Goody's which had a well-stocked jazz section. The store didn't last too long; it's now a Halifax bank. I agree with Bob about Zavvi - to paraphrase Private Eye "Shite name, shite store!"

I've also got to get some Shihab! That tenor solo really blindsided me - I definitely heard Oliver Nelson in there - reminded me of (I think) "Cascades" from "Blues And The Abstract Truth".

I REALLY need to get more Tubby Hayes. I bought "Mexican Green" last year and was blown away, can't think why I've not gone back for more. This really did cook.

Bugger, talked myself out of Joe Henderson, saying it didn't sound cocksure enough! That this is from 1987 probably explains it, though Woody still sounds remarkably similar to whatever I've heard of him (which is only mid to late 60s).

Earlier, highlights of the 3rd day of the India-England test match.

Lonnie Doug Todd

I did wonder what on earth this could be! Makes me want to check out those Joe Harriott albums (I read your post about Keane's albums not matching up to his sideman albums)

Yes please Durium - I'd like a download.

Wynton Kelly for me. I only have the OJCs "Kelly Blue" and "Piano" with him as leader, but I don't them play nearly as much as I should, given how much I love his playing.

Pauline Calf Fat Bob Spiros

Thanks for your help Niko/Jazzbo.

I remember being quite excited when I first saw it, but I've never loved it. I've always liked Stanley T, and the best gig I ever went to was Gene Harris in 1998, but this record I always felt fell a bit short. I remember buying "Introducing The Three Sounds" not long after that gig, and that didn't blow me away either (apologies to Dan Gould in advance )

Saw this on Amazon today, looks interesting. All I know of Braith is that he featured in a group of (to me) near-mythical records in the BN cover art book of the mid-90s! I listened to some clips on Amazon. They were poor quality, but do I hear him playing two saxophones at once? Anyone help me out with any info? Who is/was he? Anyone have any opinion on whether this disc is worth having? Edit - just looked closer at the album cover, where he is, in fact, playing two saxophones at once! Plus, I did try and search the forum, but the facility doesn't seem to be working, so apologies if this has been covered before.

We probably have the Euro edition! Probably - it was a "Connoisseur" wasn't it? My copy's in the attic so I couldn't say for sure (I listened to it on the PC).

Just listened to "Gee Baby" on my copy - no skips there. I must have bought mine 5/6 years ago, maybe a different batch?