Ted O'Reilly

Chris, to my knowledge money, money, money was/is a problem, and sometimes the technology itself, when it came to videotape. With a one-hour roll costing in the hundreds of dollars back in the '60s/'70s, I know the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation--the public national network) very often would be told by the accountants to re-use the archived tape, thereby erasing a bit of culture. This was two-inch reel-to-reel videotape, remember, not a convenient cassette, and unless you had a machine worth several hundred thousand dollars, it couldn't be watched or saved. Interestingly, in the days before tape, kinescopes were made: a 16mm film camera was set up in front of an on-line TV monitor, and the (live) show was recorded that way. The resultant film couldn't be reused, so it was saved, and the show was saved. Ditto, obviously, for programmes done directly to film. Even when the accountants have demanded film-dumping to save shelf space the shows have often been saved by fans who worked in the archive section. It should be noted that the material that was saved is now being valued as a money-making resource, but often copyright clearances and artists payments will hold up release. May I also say that sometimes stuff gets out of vaults (passed on by a friend in the archives--at PBS/CBC/BBC, wherever) and copy after copy gets out, thus destroying the already-small market for music other than Britney, et alia.

A friend of my daughter used to work for a firm that did refurbishing for Samsung in Canada, and she could get stuff really cheaply. In the earliest days of DVD players when they went for $300, I bought for myself and friends 4 or 5 for under $100 (Canadian!) each, as well as a couple of VCRs, and two or three TVs. Never had trouble with any of them, all going strong. I was told in most cases the 'trouble' with the products was most often a loose AC cord or such, shaken out in shipping and returned by retailers. Technicians fixed it in a few minutes and it went out the door to be sold for under half price, with a limited warranty. Over the years I've found electronic equipment (especially since transistors came in) goes wrong in the first month or so, or lasts for decades. I've had good luck with most everything, coming to like the price, performance and reliability of Panasonic/Technics products from TVs to microwaves to wet-dry battery powered electric razors...

From a friend in Europe--- Former Ellington bassist James Bryant Woode, who began his professional career in 1946 with his own band died yesterday at his home in Lindenwold, NJ. Among his early musical associates were Nat Pierce, Flip Phillips and Zoot Sims, and he was also accompanist to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. In the early 50s Woode was a member of the house band at George Wein's Storyville Club in Boston, where he played with numerous visiting jazz stars. By 1955 his reputation was such that he was invited to join Duke Ellington, a job he held for five years. After leaving Ellington he settled in Europe (first in Sweden), later on becoming a member of the Clarke-Boland Big Band throughout most of its existence (1961-70). A solid section player, Woode continued drawing the respect of his fellow musicians till the near end. James Bryant Woode, born September 23, 1928 in Philadelphia, PA, died April 23, 2005 in Lindenwold, NJ.

I forgot to mention that in addition to Robert and Dennis, there is a third musician-brother, Brian. That Robert was a fine jazz-swing arranger/orchestrator 'way back is proven on some CDs compiled by my friend, broadcaster/journalist Glen Woodcock, featuring the Canadian Band of the Allied Expeditionary Force (the Canadian equivalent of the Miller AAF Band; George Melachrino led the British version). Farnon was the director and main orchestrator, and those who have heard the Canadian group almost universally agree that it was equal to Miller's, and swung a hell of a lot more. If anyone's interested in hearing that group, saved in airchecks of reasonable quality, I'll dig out an eMail address to Woodcock, who may still have a few copies around.

JIm R., and Dmitri, please pay attention: the orchestrator on the Phineas record is Dennis Farnon, Robert's brother.

From a Swiss friend, who knew Niels well--- Famed Danish jazz musician Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen dies COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, one of Denmark's best known jazz musicians, who performed with legends such as Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon and Dizzy Gillespie, has died at age 58. Ørsted Pedersen, the bass player widely known by his initials NHØP, died Tuesday in Copenhagen, leading jazz experts and Danish media said. The cause of death was a heart attack. His career as a bass player took off in 1962 when, at age 16, he played in Copenhagen's famed Montmartre jazz club, where American greats including Count Basie, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon and pianist Bud Powell performed. However, his international breakthrough came in 1973, when he joined the Oscar Peterson trio produced by Norman Granz. "In reality, he was Denmark's best know musician regardless of the genre," said Cim Meyer, the editor of Jazz Special, a Danish music magazine. Meyer said Ørsted Pedersen was lucky to be a jazz musician in Denmark when famous U.S. musicians settled in the country believing they found refuge from racism, police harassment and musical obscurity in the United States. Ørsted Pedersen appeared on hundreds of records and played with Toots Thielemans, Chet Baker, Lee Konitz and Martial Solal, among others. Claus Vittus, a leading jazz expert with Denmark's public radio, dubbed Ørsted Pedersen "one of the world's greatest" jazz bassists. From 1964 to 1982, he was a member of the reputed Danish Radio's Big Band and also has performed with trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and keyboard player Kenneth Knudsen, both Danes. He is survived by his wife, Solveig and their two daughters Anna and Marie.

Yes, these are the same items...

I hope it's a self-adhesive stamp. I'm not sure I want to have to lick his backside...

Wow, I never would have thought that a late-night musing would have elicited this much response. Thank you. There have been some exceptional remarks pro and con, and I now have a good idea why some use 'alternative IDs'. Further, I guess I'm a pretty naive 64 year-old: I never considered that stalking and threats would come from merely expressing a differing opinion. I never wished to suggest that using a 'handle' would mean that people wouldn't be honest in their opinion, but that using a real name might in fact lead one to be a little more rational and responsible in expressing it. It's one thing to remark "I, Ted O'Reilly think that (INSERT ARTIST NAME) is a musician who plays out of tune, and has no originality", and another to say "I ('handle') heard that ugly MF stole his horn from an out-of-work widowed pensioner, AND he smells bad! And don't you dare disagree with me!!!" Jazzbo's signature line is a good one...

Thanks for proving my point.

It took a long while for me to sign up at Organissimo, as I was bothered by all the board names, pseudonyms and false identities that many posters use. (My parents taught me to always introduce myself). I used to do a six-day-a-week jazz radio show, and got a lot of mail, but after a year or two--I was there for 37 years--I always opened the envelope and first looked to see if there was a return address and name. If there was none, the letter went into the garbage unread. (The perfect solution: you can say whatever you want, but I don't have to hear it). It matters not the content: positive or negative, if the writer doesn't have the cojones to stand behind what they write, the opinion is worthless. I wonder: are other members bothered about this? Or do you think that anonymity allows people to really be truthful? Is it okay to 'talk' to someone without knowing who they are? (Special ONE-TIME OFFER: I promise I'll read every response).

Solal is a stunningly gifted musician, as pianist (leader or sideman), composer, or arranger. He's very deeply intelligent, and with a distinctive sense of humour that shows up if you listen very intently. The more you put in to his music, the more you'll get out of it. I happen to love his solo work, and remember especially a 1975 MPS recording called "Nothing But Piano". I had the privilege of recording his solo piano performance in a little Toronto jazz club in late June 1988, and still go back to listen to those tapes--2 hours' worth. I spoke with him about releasing the material, but he felt it was too similar in content to the material included on a sorta compilation record--various French artists--recorded the night before in New York as "9:11 PM Town Hall" for Label Bleu. I don't know if either of those releases is currently around, but I don't care---I have my tapes.

I think the MJQ turned into Lewis' band from the time Klook left. It was originally the Milt Jackson Quartet. The interesting thing is that while Connie Kay is thought of as a pointillist, he was a first call heavy R&B drummer before joining the Corporation.

AllenLowe: the Tom Lord Discography (4.4 version) doesn't show anything by Buddy and Dave....

If this reference is to a live taping in Toronto, I was the one that recorded it for broadcast on CJRT-FM. At least five years ago Barry's father learned I had done it, and called me about it. I sent it all to him (about 90-100 minutes of digitally-recorded solo work) and then never heard anything more. I thought it was releaseable music--I made a cassette to listen to in my car--but I guess the Kieners didn't.

Geez, 10 pages of OrganTalk, and not yet a mention of Toronto's Doug Riley. If youse guys were really hip, you'd know about this all-round great musician. He was only 23 when he arranged AND played organ and piano Ray Charles' "Doing His Thing" (1968, on ABC). He was Ray's own choice! There's a hot quartet release he did "Live at the Montreal Bistro" with Phil Dwyer that should still be available. The label was Seajam, now called Triplet. Try www.tripletrecords.com. He's done duet recordings with flugelhornist Guido Basso recently, and look under guitarist Jake Langley's name for a nice one called "Doug's Garage". You will be rewarded for your efforts...