Stereojack

I can't believe that anybody thought this record was worth reissuing! I heard it years ago and was underwhelmed. At least "The Transformed Man" has plenty of comic value. "Many Moods" is a straight bland album of easy listening instrumentals, and I suspect that it was issued to shut Murray up!

Never owned a set myself, but I definitly remember seeing him on TV!

From all reports I've seen, the fall was very minor, and she got up and walked away, insisting she was OK and refusing treatment. It wasn't until later that she began to experience headaches, and sought medical treatment. Although I assume that an autopsy will reveal the answer, some have speculated that she may have had some pre-existing condition. The whole thing is very tragic.

Plays alto (alongside Zoot Sims on tenor) on most of "Something Borrowed, Something Blue", also from this period.

Well put. This, like many of Duke's "suites" is a program of original compositions, tied together not by any common musical theme, but by titles that refer to New Orleans people and places. "Portrait of Mahalia Jackson" is, imo, one of Duke's most beautiful compositions, and it never fails to move me.

Where'd you hear this? James Lincoln Collier? Hodges left because he had a hit record (Castle Rock), and figured it was time to go out on his own. He was back within five years.

He's great on the Elvin Jones-Jimmy Garrison album "Illuminations", and also on Ronnie Mathews "Doin' the Thang". I prefer him on bari.

It was coupled with "Live at the Five Spot" on a Blue Note two-fer in the 1970's. Can't recall the title. A nice session, worth having, certainly, but not among my favorite Westons.

Pee Ree Russell and George Wettling were also painters.

Didn't he once make a record with Knuckles O'Toole? Or was that Joe "Fingers" Carr?

Well put! I voted for Braxton, simply because his music just doesn't speak to me. However, I know many people, whose opinions I respect, hold him in high esteem, so I'm not gonna condemn him. I used to ridicule Brubeck, but over the years I have come to terms with him and his music. There's a lot going on there, even if his attempts to "swing" are corny. Of course, I especially like the Desmond years, and have recently come to like the period when he was touring with Gerry Mulliagn. All of the others on the list are tops in my book.

These are all recorded for Musicraft, 1946. This material has been reissued on a wide number of cheapy labels over the years.

Leonard Feather, possibly?

Don't have any discographical details, but the Handy pictured in jazztrain's link is definitely a promo - the seller even says so. I can't give you a history of Columbia's color schemes of their promo releases, but I've seen plenty of these blue labels before.

Prestige, like many others indy labels at the time, was looking to get in on the pop market. This was not a hit in the states, and Manfred Mann's subsequent releases were on UA. Did Prestige issue similar records? I imagine they did, but frankly, I just don't have the energy to leaf through the Ruppli Prestige book to find out! I've always assumed that Prestige issued this because Manfred Mann had an element of jazz in their repertoire.

In the late 1970's, Buck Clayton played a gig in Boston with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. I'd seen Vinson several times, but had never seen the great Buck Clayton. I knew that he had given up playing a few years earlier, on doctor's orders I believe, but I was hoping for the best. Well, he really had nothing left, played rather poorly, and it was kind of embarassing. At the end of one set, Buck got a lengthy ovation from the crowd, and I remember a woman at the table next to us asking, "Why are they applauding? He's terrible!". All I could say was that my applause was not for his performance that night, but for the decades of great music that he had given us in the past, and coming out and supporting him was the only way I could show that appreciation. I'm sure that many in the audience that night felt the same way. Curtis Fuller is another case in point. Yes, he doesn't have much left, but maybe he needs the work. He was an important voice on the scene in the late 50's and 60's, and played with some of my favorite bands - Art Blakey & the Jazztet. His recordings for Prestige, Blue Note, & Savoy are as good as it gets.

I have this as "Esprit de Jazz", Interlude 1007. It is a reissue of Mode 123 "Jazz Band Ball". All Interludes are reissues from Mode with different covers and album titles. I have tried to get the Interlude releases whenever possible because they are stereo, Modes were only issued in mono.

OK, here we go - sorry for being late, but life got in the way! 1. My first thought was that this was reminiscent of Lennie Tristano, then I thought it might be Jimmy Knepper from his rare Debut EP, reissued on the Mingus Debut box. Just now it occurred to me – this is the Ronnie Ball quintet on Savoy – Willie Dennis (trombone), Ted Brown (tenor), Ball (piano), Kenny Clarke (drums). Lovely! 2. The alto on the left has absorbed early Ornette quite well, don’t know who anyone else is. My guess is that this was recorded within the last 20-25 years. I found the composition not too interesting, but some of the players were. 3. Avant-cool! I liked this, don’t have a clue who’s playing here. I suspect that this is of recent vintage. 4. I was willing to hang in until the guitar took off. Next! 5. A nice trumpet player, but the tune really didn’t grab me. Is that a string quartet? 6. Here we have a familiar sound, never rises above the familiar for my tastes. Could be Joey DeFrancesco or Mel Rhyne, might the guitar be Peter Bernstein? 7. Drivel. Loren Mazzacane? 8. “Crazy Rhythm” – a vintage side, probably from the early 50’s. Bad rechanneled fake stereo. Something tells me this is a European group – don’t know why. I liked the tenor player, trombone is a valve instrument, maybe a mellophone or euphonium? Pianist has a few interesting ideas. 9. This does nothing for me. 10. Not a clue here, doesn’t speak to me. 11. A nice crisp modern big band, well played, but the chart is all too familiar. Good soloists. Nice trumpet, Gene Quill on alto? Bill Watrous on trombone? Not too thrilled with the tenor player. 12. Couldn’t find much to latch onto here. Bonus disc 1. We seem to be in Larry Young territory here. I liked this track, but really haven’t a clue who this is. Don’t care for the tenor too much - Tyrone Washington? 2. For reason I want to say Lee Konitz, although I can’t find any aural evidence that it’s him! The tune is “There Is No Greater Love”. Good bass player, a nice performance all around. 3. During my first runthrough I got pretty impatient with this, waiting for something to happen, asking myself why Nate would include this lengthy meandering track. Around the half hour mark, the bari solo begins, and from here on I was taken in. This is a fine and moving solo, even though I had to wait through a lot to get to it! Thanks, Nate!

I bought the LP when it came out - never had a problem with the sound. Got the CD when it came out, and also had no problems. I wonder if there may have been different mixes avaialable at different times? This is one of the last great Ellington albums, IMO.

You can take some consolation in knowing that every time you hear a record that you and he listened to together or discussed, you will be reminded of him with warm feelings.

Joe was a tireless Teagarden collector - researcher. Several years ago he produced a documentary about Teagarden that was shown at an IAJRC convention, but Showler was unable to get a commercial release because music and video clearance costs were too high. Hopefully someday this film will be more widely released - it's worth it!

I have checked in Rust's jazz & dance band books. Neither is complete, as many of his sides are vocals with piano accompaniment, and therefore fall outside the purview of either book. Perfect 14938 is listed, and the dates match the site. Interestingly, Jack Teagarden is said to be present on the 1/25/28 date, and he does solo. The track is reissued on a Teagarden LP. Actually, not true. The LP has a different take!

Brian Rust's Dance Band discography has a full listing for Robison. Unfortunately the book is out of print. If you can provide me with titles and catalog numbers, I'd be happy to look them up for you.

Happy?