jeffcrom

So long to a great American musician. I'm glad I got to hear him a couple of times - once while Merle was still alive, and once later. Some years back, I heard a really touching radio interview with Doc. Apparently he always felt somewhat guilty about the course of Merle's life - Merle just wanted to be a farmer, maybe playing on his porch in the evenings, but Doc felt that he needed Merle with him on the road, for both musical and logistical reasons. After Merle's death, Doc wished he had let Merle be the farmer he wanted to be.

I don't think Janiva Magness' new album, Stronger For It (on Alligator), has been mentioned here, except in passing by Jim A. I picked it up at a local brick-and-mortar store today, and it kills! (And I'm not just saying that because our fearless leader plays on it.) The first two songs were written (or co-written) by Ms. Magness, and they're very strong. I don't know if I should admit this, but I can't listen to the second song (ironically, it's called "I Won't Cry") without choking up a little. The sidemen don't get as much room to stretch as they get at Magness' live shows, but Mr. Alfredson has a couple of hot solos. I recommend this one to R & B/blues/roots rock fans.

I think you just described John Tchicai's style.

Except those Mezz Mezzrow solos composed entirely of arpeggios.

Miles Davis - Miles at Fillmore (Columbia). Sides one & two. There's so much amazing stuff here. It goes without saying that I'd love to hear the unedited performances. They'll be issued, I'm sure - I just hope it's within my lifetime.

"Gathering in a Clearing" was apparently not a "keeper" in the Ellington book. It was recorded in July, 1946 for RCA; it showed up a few times on broadcast recordings later that summer, but disappeared after that. It's co-credited to Ellington and Cat Anderson, who is the featured soloist..... I always thought that it was Ray Nance who was the featured trumpet. But if Cat Anderson wrote it, it would make sense that he would solo. He was quite a chameleon as a stylist... Aurally, I never would have thought it was Cat. But not only did he co-write it, both the Black, Brown & Beige and Centennial Edition box set notes identify him as the soloist. And he made the only other recording of the tune that I'm aware of, on an album in the 1960's - I haven't heard it.

Glad the Ellington-a-thon is back. I'll try to restrain myself a little. Well, after tonight, anyway. "Gathering in a Clearing" was apparently not a "keeper" in the Ellington book. It was recorded in July, 1946 for RCA; it showed up a few times on broadcast recordings later that summer, but disappeared after that. It's co-credited to Ellington and Cat Anderson, who is the featured soloist. Al Sears also has a few solo passages on tenor sax; he claimed that he should have also received a writing credit. The piece is a slow-medium-tempo quasi-gospel number. There's very little harmonic motion until the bridge, which is still pretty simple - an "I Got Rhythm" bridge. Al Sear's opening licks remind me of Albert Ayler, as Sears often does when he's in his gospel mode. Anderson is playing with a plunger, rather than doing the high-note thing; he basically blows over almost the whole arrangement, except when Sears is playing. He's very effective, although sometimes I wish he would stop so that I can hear the details of the arrangement better. The main melody is stated by the trombone section, supported by the saxes. The melody itself is not that interesting or memorable, but the sound of the trombone section is. I can't be sure, but it sounds like each of the three players is doing something different, mute-wise - maybe one plunger mute, one cup or felt mute, and one open horn. Or maybe it's one plunger and two cup mutes. In any case, it's an interesting sound; they blend, but you can still pick the individual voices. And it couldn't have been easy to swing this hard at that tempo! Not a masterpiece by Ellington standards, but there's still plenty of interesting stuff going on.

Duke Ellington - Centennial Edition (RCA). Disc 16, from 1946. I hate the internal design of the box - my CDs slide all over the place - and the booklet fell apart within a week, but this is still one of the cornerstones of my collection.

White New Orleans jazz from the 1950's: Santo Pecora and his Dixie-Land Jazz Band - Basin Street Blues/Twelfth Street Rag (Mercury, 1950) Santo Pecora and his Dixie-Land Jazz Band - March of the Mardi Gras/My Lou'siana (Mercury, 1950) Both of Santo's records feature the great, ill-fated George Girard on trumpet; the second disc also has Pete Fountain (who was a great jazz clarinetist when he was young) and pianist Armand Hug, one of my favorites. George Girard and His New Orleans Five - Liebestraum/My Gal Sal (Vik, 1956) This is an odd one. It's not listed in the Lord discography, and it doesn't seem to have ever been issued on LP or CD, just 78 & 45. It probably comes from around the time of Girard's 1956 album for Vik. Surprisingly, a little research shows that "Liebestraum" was a minor radio hit in Chicago in late 1956. Sounds like Harry Shields on clarinet. Sharkey Bonano and his Kings of Dixieland - Somebody Stole My Gal/With a Pack on My Back (Capitol, 1950). Sharkey's always fun. My favorite moment is when drummer Monk Hazel puts down his sticks and plays a solo on the mellophone, continuing to keep time with his feet. Armand Hug and Ray Bauduc - Little Rock Getaway/Breezin' Along (Okeh, 1950). Nice Jess Stacy-influenced piano, issued in Okeh's Rhythm and Blues series!

Yay!

At the Station The blue light was my blues, and the red light was my mind. ROBERT JOHNSON The man, turning, moves away from the platform. Growing smaller, he does not say Come back. She won't. Each glowing light dims the further it moves from reach, the train pulling clean out of the station. The woman sits facing where she's been. She's chosen her place with care- each window another eye, another way of seeing what's back there: heavy blossoms in afternoon rain spilling scent and glistening sex. Everything dripping green. Blue shade, leaves swollen like desire. A man motioning nothing. No words. His mind on fire. - Natasha Trethewey

Lambert, Hendricks and Ross - Sing a Song of Basie (ABC Paramount mono). Not a group I listen to often, but I found a very nice copy of their first album in the dollar bin down the street. It's a hoot - just a really fun album.

I miss this thread, but wonder how much I contributed to its demise by being the club bore. My wife is a saint - she has to listen to me talk about music every day.

The World of Duke Ellington, Volume 3 (Columbia). I love these three double-LP sets, which cover Ellington's late-40's/early 50's Columbia recordings better than just about anywhere else. My copies are all in fake stereo, but they don't sound bad with a mono cartridge - just a little too reverb-y.

Gene Ammons - The Twister (Prestige blue label mono). Apparently the rarest of the several covers under which this excellent blowing session (AKA Jammin' in Hi-Fi with Gene Ammons) was issued.

That's the deal, and I was thinking about it. My interest waned a lot this afternoon when I turned on Real Jazz this afternoon to hear a version of "The In Crowd" with a drum machine. I'm very surprised to hear you say that. They have a channel called for "contemporary jazz" that it wouldn't surprise me to hear that kind of thing, but the Real Jazz channel is very mainstream. Take a look to see that you had it on the right channel. Of course, I'm not trying to deny your experience. Yeah, I had Real Jazz. To be fair, they played Johnny Griffin after that.

That's the deal, and I was thinking about it. My interest waned a lot this afternoon when I turned on Real Jazz this afternoon to hear a version of "The In Crowd" with a drum machine.

Interesting - my car has Sirius, but it's not activated. They're having one of their free trial periods right now, and have offered me a ridiculously cheap deal, since I've had the car for almost three years without activating the service. I've tried listening to it, but I don't really enjoy it - I'd rather pick my own music. The CD player and iPod jack get equal time in the car.

Happy Birthday, Jim! Thanks for letting us play in your yard.

Wow - congrats, Chris!

Sun Ra - The Soul Vibrations of Man (El Saturn). Live at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, November, 1977. I'll bet that Larry, John L. or Chuck was there. My pressing is in plain black sleeve, but here's the label. Edited to correct a slip of the brain regarding the venue.

Borbetomagus/Shaking Ray Levis - Coelacanth (Agaric 10")

Strangely, a lot of people seem to have a hard time pronouncing my first name. Instead of "Hey, Jeff," many folks pronounce it "Hey, asshole!" (I axed asked my wife if it would be okay to post this joke - she said to go ahead. If you're offended, blame her.)

I'm in, and already have the music, of course.