jasonguthartz

Yes, I should have included Rothenberg among the masters. Another is Abe Kaoru -- if you think an all-solo record is a challenging listen, Abe's 10-volume Live at Gaia series (1977-78, DIW) might be the ultimate challenge! And I really screwed up by omitting John Zorn, whose 2-volume Classic Guide to Strategy (1983/1985, Lumina, reissued on Tzadik) is indeed a classic. (He recently released Vol. 3, which I haven't heard.)

I agree -- not essential Hawk, not on the level of "World on a String." That "Standard & Warhorses" record was reissued as one disc of a 2-CD set on the Jazz Classics label called The Tenor For All Seasons; the other disc has the live 1959 concert with Roy Eldridge that was originally released on Just You, Just Me (Stash). -Jason

If you've become inspired to explore solo sax records, here are some other masters (and masterpieces) of the genre: Evan Parker (Monoceros, 1978, Incus, reissued on Chronoscope; also Conic Sections) Joe McPhee (Tenor, 1976, Hat Hut, reissued on hatOLOGY) Peter Brötzmann (14 Love Poems, 1984, FMP) Roscoe Mitchell (half of Nonaah, 1978, Nessa LP) CALLING MR. CHUCK!! Mats Gustafsson (Impropositions, 1996, Phono Suecia) John Butcher (13 Friendly Numbers, 1991, Acta, reissued on Unsounds) Steve Lacy ( Solo Live at Unity Temple, 1997, Wobbly Rail; his two Monk records on Soul Note are also superb) And recent CDs by artists who have not been documented extensively in the solo genre: Scott Rosenberg - V: Solo Improvisations (2000, Umbrella) Ken Vandermark - Furniture Music (2002, Okka Disk) I should also mention a great solo clarinet record by John Carter, Suite of American Folk Pieces for Solo Clarinet (1979, Moers) Discovering For Alto led me to get a turntable (this was before it was reissued on CD) and, eventually, to this. For Alto is certainly great and certainly of great historical significance. But I think there are better solo Braxton records, perhaps the best being the newly-reissued Saxophone Improvisations Series F. His solo saxophone performances have changed over the years; the early solo works functioned like etudes and provided the basic building blocks ("language music") of all of Braxton's subsequent work, including his later solo work. Much to explore! -Jason

if anyone's looking for a copy of the out-of-print Dexter Gordon Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions box set, I'm auctioning it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=4713124013 Jason

Happen to come across this entry in an online Blue Note discography: http://www.jazzdisco.org/bluenote/1963-dis/c/#640212 Grant Green Sextet John Gilmore (ts) Bobby Hutcherson (vib) Duke Pearson (p) Grant Green (g) Butch Warren (b) Billy Higgins (d) Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, February 12, 1964 1299 Untitled Grant Green Tune, No. 3 BN rejected 1300 Minor League - 1301 Grant's Tune - 1302 Un Poco Loco - 1303 Ezz-thetic Damn. That Warren/Higgins combo is unbeatable (esp. with Sonny Clark), and with Gilmore as the only horn along with Hutcherson (who'd be making history on the "Out to Lunch" session less than two weeks later) -- I can't imagine this being a below-average session. Q: Anyone know if the tapes still exist, or of plans to issue it? Jason

When I first listened to the Savoy CD a few years ago it didn't blow me away, but I should give it another spin. It was interesting to see his name pop up again in the "Sightings" section of the Ayler Holy Ghost box: Aug. 30, 1964 @ unknown NYC coffeeshop - Williams (p), Ayler (ts), Alan Silva (b), unknown (d). -Jason

My understanding is that there is no percussion on the album - just vocals (sometimes electronically manipulated, as in "Desired Constellation") and some piano. Here's your "percussion" (link launches a brief Quicktime video): http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/medu...ulla_rahzel.mov If you're intrigued by the contributions of Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq Gillis, you might want to check this out: http://www.ubu.com/ethno/soundings/inuit.html -Jason

ahhh... Björk Here's a link which will launch The Greatest Video Ever Made: http://link.toolbot.com/bjorkvid/8793 Gling-Glo is my least favorite of her records. It's not bad, but it's not a context which allows her to do the things she does best as a vocalist. Then again, I've not heard any traditional jazz vocal recording from the last couple of decades which does much for me. (Well, there's Steve Beresford's Signals for Tea, but... ) Her greatest recorded performances might be: 1) the version of "It's In Our Hands" on the Live at the Royal Opera House DVD (much different than the studio version included on her Greatest Hits CD); 2) the version of "Undo" on the Vespertine Live CD; and 3) the version of "Scatterheart" on the Selmasongs CD; 4) most versions of "Hyperballad" (incl. the almost unrecognizable "Over the Edge Mix Live" version). As far as whole albums go, her two masterpieces are Homogenic & Vespertine, though about half of Medúlla is as great as anything she's ever done. -Jason "Björk's pitch, cadence and enunciation are so unpredictable you could start a drinking game around them. She's the anti-Sinatra, and one weird pixie." -- D. Strauss, The New York Observer

There have been rumors floating around for a few years now about Michael Cuscuna (who produced the Arista sessions) working on a Mosaic box of those recordings. Though a straight reissue of the LPs would be terrific, it'll be worth the wait if unissued material is included as well (if it exists). We wait...

re: Burks I was going by this entry Damn those sloppy online discographies

Stop, Mike - I'm getting dizzy ...which reminds me about that trumpeter "John Burks" on Leo Parker's Let Me Tell You 'Bout It (Blue Note, 1961) -- really Dave Burns, right? But thanks. I'll have to track down those Moody tracks, maybe on one of his Chronological Classics CDs?

Mike: What record has that '49 Moody date? Any more info on the session? "clifford_thornton": What Patrick record on Saturn?

Did Marshall Allen play on any non-Arkestra recordings besides these two: Paul Bley, Barrage (ESP, 1964) Phil Alvin, Unsung (Slash, 1986, which I believe featured Ra & the Arkestra) I know he's done a few away from the Arkestra since Ra died, but I'm curious about any others recorded while Ra was alive. Jason Guthartz Chicago, IL

Thanks Mike!! I should have known to check your Grimes & Dotson discographies - duh! Anyway, I suspected that "Duet" was a phantom. How did you see the video footage of those gigs? It be great if someone would put 'em on a DVD!

I had posted this query to other boards and got no replies. Jason G. jason@restructures.net The sources listed below provide varying and conflicting details for the material issued on Ozone 19 (LP). My copy of the record doesn't include the Cecil/Mingus duo (damn!) referred to below. Can anyone confirm the existence of this "Duet" track, along with dates & personnel for everything else on this record? SOURCE A: http://www.jazzdisco.org/mingus/cat/a/#621026 Ed Armour (tp) Don Butterfield (tu) Charles McPherson (as) Jaki Byard (p) Charles Mingus (b) Dannie Richmond (d) "Birdland", NYC, October 26, 1962 Monk, Bunk and Vice Versa The Search O.P.O.P. Lonnie Hillyer (tp) Jimmy Owens or Hobert Dobsons (tp, flh) Julius Watkins (frh) Howard Johnson (tu) Charles McPherson (as) Charles Mingus (b, p, recit) Dannie Richmond (d) live in NYC, January 18, 1966 Majonet: The Arts of Tatum and Freddie Webster / Don't Let It Happen Here Cecil Taylor (p) Charles Mingus (b) same location, date Duet SOURCE B: http://webusers.siba.fi/~eonttone/m...ls/ozone19.html 1. The Arts Of Tatum And Freddie Webster (Majonet) (5:25) 2. Don't Let It Happen Here (3:10) 3. Duet All compositions by Charles Mingus * Hobart Dotson - trumpet (on 1,2) * Lonnie Hillyer - trumpet (on 1,2) * Jimmy Owens - trumpet, fluegelhorn (on 1,2) * Julius Watkins - French horn (on 1,2) * Howard Johnson - tuba (on 1,2) * Charles McPherson - alto sax (on 1,2) * Cecil Taylor - piano (on 3) * Charles Mingus - bass, piano, narration on 2 * Dannie Richmond - drums (on 1,2) Information Date and location September 10, 1965, Village Gate, New York City Original issue Ozone 19 from TV recording Comments Ton Witberg: 1,2 original given as orchestra drawn from the Town Hall concert 12 October 1962. 3 given as New York 18 January 1966. SOURCE C: http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/rec/ps/efi/mtaylors.html The Village Gate, NYC, September 19, 1965 1. Number One 2. Octagonal Skirt and Fancy Pants Cecil Taylor: piano; Jimmy Lyons: alto sax; prob. Henry Grimes: bass; Sunny Murray: drums Rare Broadcast Performances Ozone (Italy) 19 (lp) Note: This was originally recorded for BBS tv broadcast by WNET-TV, NYC. the original material was broadcast followed by a panel discussion involving CT, novelist Ralph Ellison and critic Martin Williams. The taping from this original broadcast is some 29 min. long. These are believed to be rehearsals, not concert performances. Note: Some sources give the drummer as Andrew Cyrille. Some give the bassist as Alan Silva. Note: The rest of this record features music by Charles Mingus. SOURCE D: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?...g06gtq8znu45~T1 Unfortunately bassist Charles Mingus and pianist Cecil Taylor do not actually appear together on this bootleg album but their separate performances apparently both took place at the Half Note on the same night. Taylor plays quite free and with plenty of power with his quartet (altoist Jimmy Lyons, bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Sonny Murray) on two numbers while Mingus (who was otherwise completely unrecorded during 1966-68) leads a septet (with trumpeter Lonnie Hillyer and altoist Charles McPherson) on a variety of undocumented originals. The generally adventurous music is better than the cheesy packaging which completely leaves off the personnel and recording date.

Can't say I'm familiar with his entire oevre, but "Judo Mambo" from New Sound/New Star: At the Organ v.1-3 kicks my ass. -Jason "In Japan, I'm a God. They worship me, man. They'll cut your ass all over the place if you talk about Jimmy Smith." --Jimmy Smith