Ted O'Reilly

That German version of Wallander was actually the second Swedish series, with Krister Henriksson and the late Johanna Sällström in the leading roles. It was adapted for German television. Sällström committed suicide in February 2007; she was 32. I've read and enjoyed all the Wallender books, so an English-language series is welcome. Do you know if they'll be shooting in Sweden, for authenticity? It seems that half the story in a Wallender book is about the countryside itself. (I assume the German version is a dubbed-from-Swedish one?)

I'm going to have to disabuse you of the circumstances of Breau's death. It remains unsolved, but it was certainly a homicide -- his body was found in a swimming pool, yet he would avoid swimming, and was uncomfortable in water above his waist. In the excellent biography of Breau, One Long Tune (by Ron Forbes-Roberts, University of North Texas Press) the author reports "...the official coroner's report declared that Lenny's death had not been accidental. Water was not present in Lenny's lungs, indicating that he was dead before his body entered the pool...." He continues "...Bill Gold of the Los Angeles coroner's office stated that 'asphixia caused by; compression of, or to, the neck consistent with those found in strangulation' had ended Lenny's life, and the LAPD officially declared his death a homicide". I knew Lenny, and he certainly had his problems with drugs, but he did not 'die from drugs'. I recorded him with Dave Young on bass at Bourbon Street in Toronto in June of 1983, and I belileve this release itself would show anyone how great a player he was. The best release (2 lps were out) is the complete recordings in performace order is "Live at Bourbon Street" (Guitarchives TNXD 0119, 2 CDs). This isn't a commerical, by the way: I have no commercial interest in either the book or recording, but I do love Lenny Breau's music. I see Peter Friedman has acknowledged another great Toronto guitarist: Reg Schwager. And to add to the list of my countrymen/guitarists, check out Lorne Lofsky and Vancouver's Oliver Gannon. One more thing: you'll love Barney Kessel's work on the recent OP Mosaic set...he's 1/3 of the reason to buy it, but there's also a new book about him from the UK I can recommend. Barney Kessel--A Jazz Legend by Maurice J. Summerfield, Ashley Marks Publishing Company with a website at www.FretsOnly.com. It has a bio, an impressive jazz discography, lots of pictures and documents such as contracts and advertisements featuring Barney.

...but maybe not to pyromaniacs.

Well, I'd say you can't go wrong with anything by Ed Bickert. He's got the biggest ears in the world, most incredible harmonic sense, a respect for melody, and incessantly creative. A superb soloist and marvellous accompanist, a favourite of other guitarists, and loved by everyone who ever worked with him. (Anyone from Paul Desmond to Rosemary Clooney to Ruby Braff to Rob McConnell to Milt Jackson to Buddy Tate to...) What else could you want? He's well-represented on Concord and Sackville under his own name, and lots of other labels as a sideman. Bickert's one who should come with a money-back guarantee!

A few years back, the then-mayor of Toronto (a woman) wouldn't allow a local little suburban pop band to play at City Hall square because of their name. The ensuing tussle brought them more publicity than they could have ever generated on their own. Bare Naked Ladies is pretty well known now. ("Thanks, Your Worship!")

I think you'll find it's Jean Shrimpton, one of the '60s star models from England. (You know, the Twiggy era)! Gorgeous! There are a few hundred pictures of her for you to compare, at http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/jean-shrimpton-pictures.htm

Easy Wikipedia search says 1967. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Cabaret_Card

...and, in an interview I did with Mingus, he said that he was under-recorded, necessitating the over-recording, but that the studio engineer couldn't properly sync him with the original. As a result, two bass tracks can sometimes be heard.

And in addition, appearing on screen and doing most of the actual piano-playing (other than the score) is Aaron Bridgers. From the website www.marsclubofparis.com comes: "Aaron Bridgers was the bar pianist at the Mars Club. He and Billy Strayhorn were a couple when they lived in New York. According to the biography of Billy Strayhorn, Lush Life by David Hadju, 'Most evenings, Strayhorn and Bridgers relived their treasured Cafe Society days at the Mars Club, where Bridgers was the house pianist. It was a little room in the eighth arondissement, off the Champs-Elysées.' "Aaron Bridgers appears in Paris Blues in the role of pianist."

Yup, that's right. You would have guessed wrong. It's the "Battle Royal" session at the Maries Cave jazz club. Byers taught Paul Newman how to at least LOOK like he was playing, and Lafitte did the same for Poitier. Duke Ellington provided the underscore, and the Klaus Stratemann book "Duke Ellington Day by Day and Film by Film" confirms this on page 433. On the underscore, it's Murray McEachern doing the trombone soloing, but Byers plays for Newman's character. (edit to include close quote)

Was that music? I thought it was company goons beating the sh*t out of him as he left the room.

http://www.radioearth.com/OnAirResignation.html

I got the same one. We'll be safe as long as we don't travel together.

Recording techniques changed as studios or labels acquired hi fi equipment. Naturally, it came earlier for some than others. That's right, and it's been so from the beginning...cylinders to flat discs, one-sided or both, acoustic to electrical, 78 to 45 to 33 to tape in all formats to digital on a hard drive. The search for most in the tech side of the record industry is for accuracy in recording, in any format using horns to crystal microphones to ribbon to dynamic to condenser. The playback part has been mostly in the hands of retailers. Hi-Fi is a marketer's term more than an engineer's. (I recall London records used "FFRR" -- Full Frequency Range Recordings, which seems more precise). There are recordings done in the '20s that sound wonderful -- and I mean off the original disc, played on appropriate equipment -- and just-released new recordings that offend the ear.

I'm probably confusing it with the Bermuda Onion on Bloor St. West - which for sure didn't last long, although they had a fantastic venue and lineup (remember seeing Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Pharoah Sanders, Barney Kessel, Mongo Santamaria and Phil Woods there. Just missed Sun Ra and Oscar P.) Yes, the B.O. had a shorter lifespan. Oscar's gig there was a good one, with parts of it filmed for a documentary (In The Key Of Oscar), and five tracks came out on a CD. OP, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown and Jeff Hamilton on drums; June 11, 1991.

Claude, thanks for this. One of the best overviews of the whole reissue scene, explaing all the differing rights involved, and adding even more shades of gray. Maybe even pinstripes!

Listening to the audio of the bonus disc of the new Series 3 Jazz Icons DVDs. Rahsaan Roland Kirk is blowing through "Domino".

I produced and recorded for broadcast a 10-concert a year series (for 25 years!) of Toronto jazz groups, soloists to bands as large as McMurdo's, and even the 22-piece Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass. (Dizzy Gillespie came to that concert.) I remember the Henderson gig very well -- did an hour-long interview with him that week. He was a fairly quiet man, so it was an 'uphill conversation' as far as radio went, but he made up for it with the music. I don't specifically remember his horn, but surely few had a horn as beat-up looking as Zoot Sims' tenor. (Sidebar -- Zoot bought that horn in the late '40s from a guy in Toronto. I don't know if he EVER had it relacquered. ) As to the Top O'The Senator, it had a pretty good run of about 15 years. Not bad. Not Village Vanguard life, but not bad.

Yup, likely would have been me, but not recording for CBC, rather my employer CJRT-FM, a local commercial-free, listener-supported public station. Nowhere near the size or budgets of CBC, but I did record EVERY artist who played at the Cafe des Copains (almost all solo piano, but a few with bassists). When the operators Lothar and Brigitte Lang closed the place, they simply moved the music to their second establishment, the larger Montreal Bistro. I continued taping there, too, for years. The Bistro expanded to larger groups eventually, even big bands crammed to a corner (must have been like that with Basie at the Famous Door). The Montreal Bistro closed a couple of years back now, for many reasons, and the city's been much the worse for it. You're right about Young and Fuller with Joe Henderson. Jerry Fuller was an excellent musician, not just a great drummer. I remember him steaming along, and calling out upcoming changes to less-experienced bassists.

Jeez, quoting myself, but only to add something I ran across this afternoon... In Gene Lees' OP biography he quotes Whitney Balliett from a 1954 Saturday Review article "Pandemonium Pays Off" about the JATP tours, and the Clef/Norgran output. "Granz officiates at every recording date, and ominously announces this fact on every record label and record sleeve with, respectively, the words 'Recorded under the Personal Supervision of Norman Granz' and 'Supervised by Norman Granz'. He also composes all the liner notes for his albums, which have become noted for barrages of adjectives and their lack of information." Mosaics certainly update and add to the information lacking on past issues, creating as I think, new 'originals'.

I pretty much agree with Jazzbo in post #46, and go a step further: look at a Mosaic as a "new original". The liner notes are new, usually better-written with more accurate and impartial information, and certainly less puffery than many of the LPs. Certainly more accurate discographical information, and Mosaics include rare session photos, and alternative/unissued tracks. (They could work on the copy-editing though -- too many spelling errors and typos). The booklets are darn near LP size, something Collectables and Fresh Sound don't offer. And, the main thing is the music anyway, at least for me. My copy of the Peterson arrived last week, and I'm slowly working my way through it, with no duds yet. OP, Barney and Ray were wonderful individuals, but remember it was the Oscar Peterson Trio, and what a great group it was!

He was one of the favourites there, and at the Montreal Bistro, the follow-up club. I recorded him many times in both places, and it was always a pleasure. I recall a particularly burning session with Dave Young on bass and the late Jerry Fuller on drums...should have been issued!

Don't bother looking for the image -- that's the one. I'd call it ugly. And distasteful.