jeffcrom

I just got back from the concert that was meant to be my Edgewood Saxophone Trio opening for the Shaking Ray Levis. It ended up being a wonderful Dennis Palmer tribute concert. Bob Stagner, the other half of the Shaking Rays, came down and played half of the Edgewood Trio set with us, then played a set with the amazing Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel. Bob and his old friend Roger Ruzow (Gold Sparkle Band, 4th Ward Afro Klezmer Orchestra) played a duet, and all seven musicians ended with a collective blowout based on a sketch I wrote called "Holy Ghost Rumble, or Dennis Palmer Storms the Gates of Heaven." I think it did Bob, and Ernie Paik, president of the non-profit Shaking Ray Levi Society, a lot of good. And I think Dennis would have loved it.

Four new aquisitions: Edna Hicks - I'm Goin' Away (Just to Wear You Off My Mind)/Lizzie Miles - You're Always Messin' Round With My Man (Victor, 1923). Lizzie is the winner here, not surprisingly. Maggie Jones - Undertaker's Blues/North Bound Blues (Columbia, 1925). I had only heard Maggie's sides with Louis Armstrong, but I like them a lot. This record is excellent, with Charlie Green and Fletcher Henderson. It looks to be in terrible condition, but it plays pretty well. Rev. J. M. Gates - Baptize Me/Dying Gambler (Regal, 1926). Wonderful; recorded for Paramount. And the winner: Rev. J.M. Gates - I'm Going If It Takes My Life/I've Left This World Behind (Paramount, 1926). I don't have that many Paramounts; this is a nice one.

Louis Armstrong - The Okeh, Columbia & RCA Victor Recordings 1925-1933. I got this much-maligned set to get a couple of tracks I didn't have, so that I would have all of the Okeh big-band sides. For that, it does the job. And while the criticism concerning the use of old, inferior masters is justified, I'll give the devil his due: disc eight, which I spun this morning, sounds far better than the old Columbia/Portrait CD which contained most of those tracks.

There's a bunch of Steve Lacy I could name, but here's a particularly nice one: The Rendezvous, a duet album with guitarist Barry Wedgle. An excellent recital, and the only place (to my knowledge) where you can hear Lacy play a Jobim tune.

I've been spinning 78s almost daily, but not posting everything. But this one again today - I love the Hawkins records, and wow - Don Byas is mighty mighty on the Gillespie sides. And yesterday: The Stuff Smith Trio on Asch, with Jimmy Jones on piano and John Levy on bass. A real pleasure from beginning to end.

Weather Report - 8:30 (Columbia). I like this band a lot more now than I did back in the day.

Pretty Purdie Gorgeous George Foxy Brown

Duke Pearson - Jolly Ole Soul (BN Liberty blue and white label). An odd choice for March, I know, but I just found this record yesterday. I'm amazed that there are now two versions of "The Little Drummer Boy" that I actually like - the other is a Steve Coleman/Marvin "Smitty" Smith duet. Pat Metheny Group - Live in Concert (ECM). A promo-only 1977 record - never officially released to the public, although the internets tell me that Jazz Door pirated this one. I seldom listen to Metheny, but Larry Kart's thread (and his Metheny interview, which I read today) made me want to hear this. And okay, I don't need to hear any more Metheny for awhile.

I was going to stay out this, knowing that you would be in good hands, but I want to expand one of cih's recommendations by saying that these two albums: Snooky Pryor and Chicago Blues Harmonicas, both on Paula, are not only excellent musically, they're kind of "important" in terms of documenting Mississippi blues in the process of becoming Chicago blues. The Chicago Blues Harmonicas disc has further Snooky Pryor tracks not on the first album.

Interesting timing, Larry - I just read your interview with Metheny today. I'm not a huge fan of either guitarist, but I think that they've both done some very good work - as well as some stuff I never want to hear again. I'll check out House.

Hambone Willie Newbern Barbecue Bob T-Bone Walker

It's a Mean Old World (SFCRP - Southern Folk Culture Revival Project). 1966-72 recordings by Johnny Shines, Hazel & Alice, Macon, Georgia's Rev. Pearly Brown, etc. As a teenager, I ran across Rev. Brown on the streets of Macon. I was kind of scared of him. I wish I had talked to him.

Not sure if anyone but TTK will get why I'm spinning this kind of "guilty pleasure" album: Pete Rugolo - 10 Saxophones and 2 Basses (Mercury)

Oregon/Elvin Jones - Together (Vanguard)

Charlie Mariano - Modern Saxaphone (sic) Stylings (Imperial 10"). No skips with the new mono cartridge. Yay!

Oh, and practically anything (except funeral dirges and angry raps) by practically any New Orleans brass band. In full cry, the Eureka, Young Tuxedo back in the day or the Society, Rebirth or New Birth Brass Bands today are just irresistibly joyous.

Yep - first thing I thought of was Dudu's In the Townships.

I meant to post in this thread before now. I absolutely loved Magic Slim. I was lucky enough to hear him at Blind Willie's in Atlanta and at his home turf, the Zoo Bar in Lincoln, Nebraska. (If that sounds weird to folks who don't know the story, he was so impressed with Lincoln after playing the Zoo Bar that he moved his family there in 1994 to escape the violence of his Chicago neighborhood.) He wasn't an innovator, just a great practitioner of Mississippi-by-way-of Chicago blues. During the period I saw him, he played a Fender Jazzmaster plugged directly into the amp - no pedals or effects - and his sound was raw and nasty. And damn - the grooves! Pick up Black Tornado and play "Wake Me Up Early" and "You've Got Bad Intentions" back to back; "Wake Me Up" is a hard Chicago blues, and "Intentions" is a relaxed "flat tire" shuffle. I would say that's the yin and yang of Magic Slim, but that leaves out the extremely slow blues he sometimes played - so slow that the pain of the lyrics was doubled or tripled - and the country-flavored instrumentals he would occasionaly break into; when he was growing up in Mississippi, there was no such thing as black radio, but there was plenty of country music to be heard. I knew that Slim wouldn't live forever, but I somehow hoped I would be wrong. RIP, Bad Boy, the Black Tornado.

I printed out Wild's chart way back when and keep it folded up inside the Live Trane booklet.

"He was mighty good with mustard" - W. C. Fields

Mel Powell Septet (Vanguard 10"). I seem to be in 10" LP mode; this is a pleasure to hear with my new mono cartridge, without the "Grado dance" of my old mono cart.

Another spin of this great little record. And once again. Still can't find a cover pic.

In for a download.

Charlie Parker - Yardbird in Lotus Land (Spotlite)

The only thing that really surprised me was Sonny Fortune. I've enjoyed his flute playing in the past, but this cut drove me up the wall. Loved Frank Wess and Yusef Lateef, and never would have guessed either.