Stereojack

On this point I agree with you. Bright is certainly no Flanagan, and he is pretty much under wraps on "Relaxes". Burrell, on the other hand, is a plus on this session. Each session has its strengths and its weaknesses.

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Dick Hyman Sandy Block Charlie Smith

I was once called Stereo Jack-off by an irate customer.

That's how I see it. To form an opinion based on what I see in this clip and what I know about all of the people in it is not to deny that racism was/is inherent in our culture. I just think that it is possible to see things that are not necessarily there, just as the John Birch Society saw Communism under every rock. You (fasstrack) bring to this clip what you feel you know about our society, and you attempt to qualify your observations by informing us that you are Jewish, which I guess makes you a bigger expert on bigotry than me. Sorry, I'm not buying it, man. Why not just stick to the facts as they are presented in this clip, and not read into it all that has happened in the ensuing years?

ga-BORE ZAH-bo

No need to. You have your opinion, I have mine. I base my opinion solely on what I see on the screen, as I would hope that you do. Wilson was a newspaper columnist, not a TV host, so to place him as representative of the TV establishment is inaccurate. In 1951 there was hardly any TV establishment to speak of, anyway. The industry was in its infancy. I don't deny that jazz musicians were denied access to TV for decades, but I think it was more for commercial reasons than for any racism, intentional or not.

I went back and listened to this record with Larry's comments about Cyrille in mind, and I'm not sure I agree. I get the impression that Cyrille is (consciously or otherwise) going for an Art Blakey kind of groove here. While there are no uptempo tracks, there are a couple on which a medium tempo groove is established, and Cyrille's heavy emphasis on the backbeat, primarily with his hi hat, contributes to the head-shaking kind of feel that we associate with Art Blakey. Also, we have another excellent soloist in Kenny Burrell, so I am revising my comment that these sessions are similar. "At Ease" is a much more low key date, while "Relaxes", although the emphasis is on ballads, does actually cook in places. I reiterate that Hawk is in fine form on both.

Are you sure? I'm not saying you're wrong but I was always told that was Joe Harris. Where did you learn that? Anyway if I'm wrong about this I've been wrong for years. Wouldn't be the first or last time, I guess. Who's playing bass? I'm clueless, though I can see his face and how much fun he was having in my head right now. It's Charlie Smith on drums, Sandy Block on bass, according to the Koster-Bakker Charlie Parker discography. If I may, I'd like to address the issue of Earl Wilson vs. Bird. I saw this clip for the first time back when it first came to light sometime in the late 1970's. While Wilson may come across as a little crass, I think Chan may have exaggerated her interpretation of Bird's reaction to Wilson. I've looked at this clip dozens of times, before and after hearing her comments, and I just don't see the contempt in Bird's eyes that others claim to see. Wilson's phrase "you boys" may cause people to cringe today, but I think that in the context of the times, I really doubt that there was any intended racial slur implied by Wilson. It was commonplace back then to refer to any group of males regardless of color as "boys", as in "boys in the band". The phrase was more akin to "you guys" or "you fellows", and would have been appropriate even if they were white. Parker's response about letting the music speak for itself is dignified, but I just don't see it as contemptible or hateful.

Just for curiosity's sake, I looked up Hawkins on AMG, and found Scott Yanow's reviews of these two records. Does this moron have any idea how to listen to music? Oh, I get it it - the tempos are slow, so these are "background music". And he finds Hawkins' moving rendition of Greensleeves on "Coleman Hawkins Soul" (one of my all time favorite tracks) "insipid"! Fucking idiot. This is why I stopped reading record reviews. I know more than these writers do. Lots more - I have ears. I urge younger fans who are still discovering the music not to place any credence in bullshit like this!!!

These are very similar records - Hawk fronting a rhythm section in a program of standards. I bought "At Ease" very early on in my musical development, so I have a closer affinity with it. Didn't catch up with "Relaxes" until some years later, but objectively speaking, these are both fine sessions, and you wouldn't regret picking up either one.

Admittedly, I've never heard the K2 release. I long ago stopped falling for the "remaster" hustle. In most instances, the original LP is best, and all the CD upgrades are just trying to get back to that.

I read the same somewhere on a thread here about the session with Hawk and Trane - stereo fetishism. Just to present an alternative point of view - I prefer the stereo masters. I had the mono LP for years, and it was from it that I became familiar with the music. I didn't even know that the session had been recorded in stereo until I picked up a Japanese pressing of the LP in the late 1970's. Of course, this is just a matter of taste, but after all, my nickname is............

Thanks for sharing this - another "whatever-happened-to" story.

I don't have a problem with Cage, but I vowed a long time ago never to waste my time or money on any more of Oliver Stone's pretentious bullshit. Disliked "JFK" & "Natural Born Killers". HATED "The Doors"! The guy always has an agenda, and is SO full of himself.

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Well, I live on the north shore, and there have been numerous reports of flooding. Fortunately, all we experienced was a little water in the basement, not enough to do any damage. Of course, now that the sun has returned, all is right with the world.

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