crisp

It's not jazz I agree, but that is a great CD! YMMV of course.

Yeah, the jazz on Radio 3 is good, but it has to be fenced off for some reason. The closest that regular programming gets is to play a jazz piece by a slumming classical performer -- Andre Previn, say, or Grappelli duetting with Menuhin -- when it should be playing the best of the genre. Your observation about personality-led presenters is spot-on. There has to be that TV profile it seems. Jamie Cullum's Radio 2 show is a disgrace: too many vocals and constant boasting about his global travels and other jaunts. Geoffrey Smith would fit right into that slot -- he's got a perfect Radio 2 voice. My wish would be to make 6 Music a genuine "music" channel with jazz, blues, folk, country etc -- contemporary stuff by day, vintage by night. Why should rock and pop listeners have *another* channel all to themselves?

Amazon US is listing the next batch for October 4: Wild Horses Rock Steady by Johnny Hammond Smith Don't You Worry Bout a Thing by Hank Crawford Mama Wailer by Lonnie Smith Performance by Esther Phillips

True. If I wanted to defend the BBC, I would say that this is probably only a reflection of the attitude the British generally have towards jazz: suspicion verging on hatred. Until BBC4 started, the only jazz on BBC TV was the insulting and ignorant Jazz Club sketch on The Fast Show. The assumption that jazz is just a way of being pretentious is where most British people seem to be on the music, unfortunately. But as I don't want to defend the BBC, I'll add this: I suspect the Beeb dislikes jazz partly because it can't be controlled in the way that classical and pop can. After ignoring it for years on its flagship music show, Later, it recently had McCoy Tyner on, and look what happened (watch to the end): Won't be doing that again.

Thanks for the heads up. I went for the Jazz Crusaders and, since it was covered by the shipping, threw in the Bobby Hutcherson Select for good measure.

Excellent find -- thanks. The odd (for me) scheduling of this show means I always miss it. The BBC seems to be relenting on making its archive available online. Since we in the UK paid for it to be produced in the first place, it seems right to me that we should be able to access it for free. Just clicked on the Bix Beidebecke programme to check running times: 39m 34s in this case so I suspect music cuts have been made (it's a 60 minute show). BTW on the Bix there's a notice that reads: "Guidance: contains behaviour which could be imitated". Quite right. Mustn't have the kiddies taking up the cornet.

Coming on November 7 according to Amazon UK. No other details, but this must surely be the next in the complete Original Jacket series.

Coming from Hip-o Select on September 27 according to Amazon. No track listing yet, but there is a cover shot here. As I have all the VME and VLPR CDs, I'm assuming I have most of this.

From this interview in the LA Times: Sony Columbia will also soon bring out a $500 box set of every album Bennett ever recorded dating back to 1950, an achievement the performer said he was especially proud of. "I'm thrilled about it, because 50 years from now, or 100 years from now, it won't sound dated," he said. "And that's really important to me. I'm anti-obsolescence." As a song fan I'm quite excited about this. Bennett has recorded lots of material that other singers never touched, and has had consistently good taste in his choices of material and collaborators (and apparently quite a bit of freedom to indulge that taste). Until now, he's also suppressed a lot of his early work, post-revival, so much will be new to many. This could be a very good -- and huge -- set to explore. Via this site, where there's a bit of educated speculation.

Probably useless to most of us here but there are two new three-CD sets listed for September: George Benson and Deodato. No details on which albums are included -- CTI ones I should imagine.

Thanks. It's only available through Marketplace sellers on Amazon UK. Maybe it's deleted. In any case, it's on the list. (That's in response to B. Goren's last post btw)

I've had the two discs of the Roge Poulenc for years now -- very lovely music. I think I prefer it to his Satie. Didn't know there was a bargain boxed set. Is it one of those "paper sleeves in a cardboard clamshell" thingies?

Details here. There's a similar set for Grover Washington Jr, FWIW. Details here.

EMI are known for using heavy noise reduction on their reissues, though I don't know if this set has been affected. I thought that was only on the 78-era material where clicks and pops were the norm even on the masters. This is way after that. I've been very happy with the other EMI Gold sets I've bought, such as the Hollies Clarke Hicks Nash box and the Matt Monro singles set.

EMI released a three-disc Helen Shapiro set earlier this year. It looks rather good and the price -- on Amazon -- is certainly right.

Vocalion has launched a "50% off" sale. Details here. Bizarrely, the first three titles (all jazz) are actually 30% off, but why quibble?

A Charles Mingus set is coming on August 23: Amazon listing. The image here shows what albums are included.

Track listing from here: Disc 1 1. Introduction by Norman Granz 2. Honeysuckle Rose - jam session featuring Flip Phillips, Illinois Jacquet, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Roy Eldridge, Buddy Rich and the Oscar Peterson Trio 3. The Ballad Medley: I Can’t Get Started/If I Had You/I’ve Got the World on a String - jam session featuring Flip Phillips, Illinois Jacquet, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Roy Eldridge, Buddy Rich and the Oscar Peterson Trio 4. Jumpin’ at the Woodside – jam session featuring Flip Phillips, Illinois Jacquet, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Roy Eldridge, Buddy Rich and the Oscar Peterson Trio 5. Introduction to Art Tatum 6. Someone to Watch Over Me – Art Tatum 7. Begin the Beguine – Art Tatum 8. Willow Weep for Me – Art Tatum 9. Humoresque – Art Tatum 10. Introduction to Ella’s Band 11. Love for Sale – Ella Fitzgerald 12. Just One of Those Things - Ella Fitzgerald 13. Little Girl Blue - Ella Fitzgerald 14. Too Close for Comfort - Ella Fitzgerald 15. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love - Ella Fitzgerald Disc 2 1. 9:20 Special – Oscar Peterson Trio 2. How About You – Oscar Peterson Trio 3. When It’s Sleepy Time Down South – Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 4. Back Home in Indiana - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 5. The Gypsy - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 6. Ole Miss Blues - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 7. The Bucket’s Got a Hole in It - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 8. Perdido - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 9. You Made Me Love You - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 10. Mack the Knife - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 11. Stompin’ at the Savoy - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 12. You Can Depend on Me - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 13. Mop Mop - Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra 14. You Won’t Be Satisfied – Ella & Louis 15. Undecided – Ella & Louis 16. When the Saints Go Marching In – Full Ensemble All tracks originally released in different order as Verve MGV-8231-2, 1956 except Disc 2, Tracks 3-13, which are previously unreleased.

Damn. A fine lyricist and a fascinating person. She lived near me and I always hoped I might bump into her. Won't be doing that now.

Well if it's vanity you're after: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/castaway/5c298a43#p009y1rb Or maybe he missed the point. In any case it's disappointing.

I think it still works; the show is called Desert Island Discs, not Desert Island Downloads. Has anyone yet chosen an iPod as their luxury object? They could fill it with the 544 old episodes available here.

Excellent preorder prices now up at HMV. Search string here.

A new release in August from Hip-o Select, spotted here. Seems to be an expanded edition of this 1956 album. Unreleased material aplenty perhaps?

Errol Flynn Adventures (Desperate Journey / Edge of Darkness / Northern Pursuit / Uncertain Glory / Objective Burma): $21.45 (57% off) at Amazon.

Now on the homepage under "Jazz -- July 2011" and there are no other releases to report. Unless Shakatak really is jazz. Is it?