Ted O'Reilly

Dunno: I'm still trying to find out. It's no one I recognize, but a very good player, competent in solo playing -- stride/swing-to-bop. Maybe a European? I doubt if Storyville will ever tell, even if they know, having been duped. It would make a good Blindfold Test, though. Maybe it was thought that the TF tracks at 47:13 were too short for a CD issue, and came up with 24 minutes of someone else to fill it up. (I've been told that especially in the UK, if there's not more than 60 minutes on a CD they think they're being ripped off).

I forgot to mention in the above message that I do have that CD, and tracks 11-20 are OBVIOUSLY by a different pianist. I don't know how Storyville wouldn't have caught the change: the recording quality is different, so is the piano itself.

Okay, here's a 2005 email from my friend Arild Wideroe, of Baden Switzerland, about the Flanagan release. (Arild has personally researched and created a massive Swiss Jazz discography). "Well, it seems the original Storyville-CD "Solo Piano" (101 8387) of Flanagan is becoming a collector item: "Storyville (Copenhagen) has stopped selling the solo-CD and is also instructing their retailers NOT to sell the CD anymore. Reason are the nine quite obscure tracks (12-20) which hardly can be of Tommy Flanagan! "After all it seems executive-producer Anders Stefansen has been lured by Paul Meyer's wife Kiwano, who sold the tapes to Storyville. Paul Meyer (†1988) was the original producer of the original solo-recording (track 1-11), which was edited by Bruno Spoerri (Zurich) March 1975." So, it would seem that even Scott Yanow, the liner note writer, was taken in, but in referring to some of the tracks (from12-20)he does say "Few would guess that it was Tommy Flanagan, who sounds even more versatile than normal." The question does remain: who is the other pianist?

Has the label corrected itself from "The Chronogical...." to "Chronological" on the covers? That's what has appeared on the ones that I recall. Whoops! I see the Ellington example above has it right! On which CD did the changeover occur?

One of the few "southpaw" bassists. I only ever saw him play acoustically, but I suppose he played electric bass lefty, too?

Nate, sorry I missed it by a day. Happy Birthday! (You're getting closer to the "age requirements" to join the Old Farts at the Friday Imperial Pub 'meetings'....

There's been no mention yet of the great Danish violinist Svend Asmussen, who has been playing and recording since the mid-'30s, and still going strong as he approaches his 92nd (!) birthday.

Ummm? If you're referring to George Clooney, he's a nephew of Rosemary. George is the son of Nick Clooney, a TV journalist/anchorman. (First reading of your note made me think you believed George caused the pregnancy...)

Okay, I went to the website, looked around, listened to samples, and I'm convinced. I've just ordered it...

Umm, you mean "Bobby" Hackett. BUDDY Hackett was funny listening, not easy listening...

"....created an issue where none existed." I guess Arkansas and Dr. Caldwell thought segegation was just fine...

Nate's Shelly Manne suggestion is a good one, if a bit offbeat. But why not check out the original? Bob Haggart's tune featured the trumpet of 21-year-old Billy Butterfield with the Bob Crosby Orchestra on Decca with the original title of "I'm Free", title changed to match later lyrics. (Rec. NYC, Oct. 19, 1938). It's on CD, GRP GRD-615 but I don't know whether you have it in your 'amazing vinyl collection'. (You can't get it any longer, and it was only ever on vinyl, but I produced a lovely solo piano version by Dick Wellstood recorded "Live at Cafe des Copains" May 29, 1985 Unisson DDA 1003).

An up-and-comver to look for is Dan Shulman, who has been doing ESPN baseball on radio these days. A Torontonian, he's intelligent, articulate and informed. Does other sports, too, and is excellent!

Paul Barbarin and his New Orleans Jazz recorded in stereo for Atlantic (S 1215) on January 7, 1955. I had it as an LP in the mid-60s (when it was actually released I don't know), with "Stereo" pressed in gold foil across the top of the 'mono' cover. And from sound track recordings in the early 40s, Rounder has issued some tunes in stereo by Tommy Dorsey, featuring Buddy Rich. They sound just fine, having been optically recorded on 3-track film stock. (Movies early on had separate tracks for dialogue, effects and music).

I concur. The CD sounds fine. It's available on eMusic as well, with bonus tracks. I thought the recording quality wasn't that great. I had the LP and eventually got the CD, which is when I realized how poor the sound was. I was told that Desmond actually blocked the release of this concert during his lifetime. "Jesus Christ Superstar" is easily one of the lamest tunes that Desmond ever recorded. I think I heard at the time that it was recorded on a cassette machine, as a souvenir, and never intended for release commercially. I have it as a Finesse CD from Japan, copyright 1981 (it was a Finesse LP) with 7 tracks. Doug Ramsey reports in his great Desmond book that 'Take Five' and 'Valeria' were dropped, and that Desmond was not happy with 'Take Five', so perhaps his wishes were followed in the long run...

Geez, mikeweil, don't give away the punchline! Make 'em go to the two pages to be dumbfounded...

A look at the cover picture suggests Norgran/Clef/Verve ripoffs. It was a good period for Peterson material...

That's the difference between "selling" and "marketing". Looks like the sort of example that will turn up in MBA courses...

$1,069,366. The vast majority of jazz musicians the world over would LOVE to earn as much as the last 5 numbers, never mind all 7. They'll likely never make that much in their entire careers...

Oscar also did a few vocals on a Pablo release called "Personal Touch", which featured compositions by Canadian writers. Still sounded a lot like Nat, so I'd guess that's what he actually sings like, that he wasn't just following a trend. (I'd like to sing like Nat, too...

Perfect example! Oscar Peterson is the pianist on that ditty. And he's a pretty good, if occasional, singer---

grady tate should, and did. And frequently enough that I'd almost consider him A Singer, not just a great drummer. I'm really thinking of the ones who only occasionally do it, and rarely on record. Maybe we can add George Shearing?

OOh.. good on both counts. I had the recent experience of hearing back-to-back the Sinatra/Buble versions"I've Got You Under My Skin". Even with the same fine chart, Buble just doesn't get it, which means he can't make it. Russell is indeed a fine singer...

So, an old topic renewed. How about a new thread, concerning players who don't sing often, but should. I'll suggest two: Kenny Burrell, and Roy Hargrove. Others?

The Amazon.com link shows the price as USD$16.49 (list price 24.99). Going to Amazon.ca it is CDN$43.02 (list price 49.71). According to xe.com the exchange rate today is 1.00 USD = 1.05355 CAD, so, the book should be CDN$17.37. But it's $25.65 more! A bit of an exchange ripoff, isn't it? There's no indication of the size or format (square, rectangular) of the book anywhere. Does anyone know?