Big Al

Yet another AOTW I'm floatin' to the surface: The RVG is an improvement. I wouldn't dismiss "A Swingin' Affair" too readily. No kidding! Count me in as another who prefers Swingin' to Go! But not by much! "Soy Califa" gives it the edge simply because it sets the tempo for the album, which never lets up! Have to disagree about the RVG remastering, but then I've never heard the McMaster. The RVG sounds awfully harsh and bright to these ears. Seems strange to me, cuz the RVG for Swingin' is warm and easy on the ears.

Yes it's me, bringing up yet another old AOTW thread: I guess the best way I can explain it, as someone who plays an instrument despite not being able to read music, is to try and hum along with the title cut. I've tried numerous times, and it still baffles me. I can't imagine how difficult it must've been to try and SOLO around that. I will state, for the record, that Max's solo on this cut is my absolute favorite Max Roach drum solo, no small statement Icantellyou! Count me in as someone else who digs Roach on the tympani on "Bemsha Swing." Anyone else dig the celeste on "Pannonica?" That song has a real Christmas-y feel to me.

Bringing this back up because I've been on a real Monk kick lately. Will anyone else agree with me that Art Blakey was the drummer who made Monk swing? Not to discount other drummers (especially Max Roach, who did the impossible on Brilliant Corners, AFAIC. I'm pretty sure Blakey couldn't have pulled off THAT one), but Blakey's work with Monk on Blue Note, the Prestige trios & quintets, and the Giants of Jazz seemed to force Monk into a rare situation: one in which he was NOT setting the rhythm. Generally, it seemed that other drummers were following Monk's rhythm (which is challenging enough as it is). Blakey forced Monk to follow Blakey's beat. Talk about chutzpah; and yet it WORKED! So it is on a track like "Well You Needn't" where Blakey and Monk musically argue about who gets to set the pace, Blakey wins again, and everyone falls in step with him and swings their asses off! This is not to say that Monk's rhythm was in any way inferior to Blakey's; it's just that when Monk wanted to swing, he chose Blakey because Blakey knew where the right beats were to take Monk's music to that particular level that straddles the line between boring 4/4 simple timekeeping and locomotive-powered steamrolling swing that mows down everyone in sight. Just my observation. I could be completely off-track in this.

Well, it's only because I'm married to a Michiganer that I know those last two. I've also been informed that NOTHING closes down between the months of November and March. That kind of wimpiness is saved for the DFW area!

Y'know, when I saw this morning that Fran had resigned, my first thought was "Pity that Mack guy didn't step down as well, and take that alleged "quarterback" with him." I totally agree that if A&M had played with that kind of intensity all year, Fran might still be around. But if Texas is the team that supposedly has the "better talent," I've yet to see it on a consistent basis all season.

That's exactly what I do, too; hence my record of 2-for-thousands. But it still hurts when it happens, as evidenced by the last paragraph you wrote!

Last weekend, I found Basie's SIXTEEN MEN SWINGING (Verve VE2-2517), beautiful condition, nary a scratch on it. I was about to put it on tonight when the record slipped outta my hand and the first track of side three was nicked by the corner of the cabinet holding my turntable. I COULD JUST SCREEEAM!!! I am such a butter-fingered idiot! (Well, maybe not butter-fingered, but definitely snickered). So now the first track of side three (You For Me) is unlistenable unless I can try and gently force the needle on the groove through the scratch. AAAAARGHHH!!!! I HATE when this happens, which thankfully isn't often (this is the second time; the last time was Stanley Turrentine's COMMON TOUCH), but still: two times is three times too many for me!

Gad, UT sucked today. I'm sure Agg's on cloud nine right now, and rightfully so: his boys came to play today, and the Horns showed up to.... well, from the looks of it, they seemed to be completely surprised that A&M would compete with them. Colt McCoy constantly had that deer-in-a-headlight look about him. Even at the end, he had this look on his face that said, "What? I don't get the ball again to lead my team to victory?" Absolutely dreadful play on the part of UT; were it not for the kickoff-return for a TD and the 50-yard interception play, this would've been a freakin' blowout! Congratulations Agg, your team played like they wanted it more than the Horns. Which apparently they did!

All prices include shipping to a US or Canada address. International shipments at cost. Les Spann GEMINI (OJC Limited) $15 Mel Rhyne ORGAN-IZING (OJC Limited) $15 Duke Ellington ELLINGTON UPTOWN (Legacy) $8 Art Taylor A.T.'S DELIGHT (RVG, BMG issue) $8 Or take the whole package for $40. And a book: THERE'S A RIOT GOIN' ON by Miles Marshall Lewis (33-1/3 Series) $7 PM or e-mail acrearick@hotmail.com. Thanks! SOLD Duke Ellington MASTERPIECES BY ELLINGTON (Legacy) $8

Cool! Thanks ispep!

Count Basie SIXTEEN MEN SWINGING (Verve VE-2-2517)

Congratulations!!!! Enjoy the ride, man; it's worth every second!

Joe Henderson Milestone box, disc 5, the Multiple session. Grooooooooooovy!!!!

Dammit, I just bought the Peterson and the Hawkins this weekend (for 11.99 each)! I thought I bought the Gillespie, but apparently I put it back (y'gotta understand, I was at Waterloo going apeshit and spent over $100). So, at least I can order the Gillespie at the reduced rate. But still...... (whine whine whine whine whine) You should have skipped the Hawkins, it sounds like an off day for him, and Pete Brown (who I like on a Classics compilation) is having a really bad day on this date. Really? I'm listening right now and these guys sound like they're on fire to me! Diff'rent strokes, I guess.

I wish I could agree, but those "with Strings" albums bore me just remembering them!

How can you go wrong with a track like "If You're Not Part of the Solution, You're Part of the Problem," which has one of the NASTIEST grooves ever committed to vinyl!

That is SUCH a sweet box! It is THE reason I'm willing to give Concord the benefit of the doubt.

I have no reason to doubt your pick, but then I also know nothing about the game and I'm just in for some Mosaic bucks! So, my pick is the Roughriders, with a total score of 34. I predict a close game!

Dammit, I just bought the Peterson and the Hawkins this weekend (for 11.99 each)! I thought I bought the Gillespie, but apparently I put it back (y'gotta understand, I was at Waterloo going apeshit and spent over $100). So, at least I can order the Gillespie at the reduced rate. But still...... (whine whine whine whine whine)

Driving back from Austin yesterday, listening to disc three of the Milestone box (the Lighthouse stuff) and hear, for the very first time, the track "If You're Not Part of the Solution, You're Part of the Problem," crank that mother and floor it..... DAMN!!!! Whatta funky tune!

I don't know the answers to any of your questions, but I agree that this is a very fun record. It has some outstanding Ben Webster on it, plus the shifts in moods make for a listening experience that never gets boring.

Don't know if needle-drops count, since I'm listening to a .wma version of Getz/Byrd JAZZ SAMBA, making sure there's no skips or anything before committing it to a CD. I used to have the VME of this title, and I don't remember the VME sounding so ALIVE like the vinyl does!

Thanks, got Herbie's Sextant & Duke's Blues In Orbit along with his Black, Brown and Beige suite w/ Mahalia Jackson too for 6 bucks a pop. You mean this coupon still works today?

Sorry Al - very nice writeup, but you mixed up the two: Milton Banana is the drummer (hope his sticks were straight), and Tommy Williams plays bass. Oops! So noted and corrected. Thanks Mike!

Happy B-day, Paul! Pats 19-0 all the way this year! Fuck the Dolphins!