jeffcrom

Murray Lehrer/Dave Tarras - Freilachs for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and Other Celebrations, Vol. 2 (Request); Another of the great low-budget LPs Dave Tarras recorded in the 50's and 60's.

Louis Armstrong - Disney Songs the Satchmo Way (Buena Vista). Yeah, I know. Laugh if you must, but this 1968 album has some of the very best of Louis' late-in-the-day trumpet solos. And his singing brings so much life to some pretty stupid songs, cornily arranged. Of course, there are a few good songs, too. But damn, there's some magnificent trumpet playing here.

Spiritual Starlites - Long Black Limousine (ASL); One of my favorite gospel LPs, by an Atlanta group who put out this one album (and a single) back in the late 1980's.

Very cool.

The Bud CD has been claimed and will be on its way across the pond in a day or two.

I just picked up a nice vinyl copy of The Unknown Session (1960, released in 1979); I was surprised to find a bit of "Creole Rhapsody" included. The last track on side one, "Creole Blues," is the same melody as the third theme of the Victor version of "Creole Rhapsody" - the one played by Artie Whetsol (and not a blues). Here it's played by Lawrence Brown - just once through, played straight. I suppose that Ellington thought it was too good a melody to let die, and I agree.

Duke Ellington - Unknown Session (Columbia)

My thoughts are with you.

Two very different hunks of vinyl from about the same time: Paul Desmond - Pure Desmond (CTI); with Ed Bickert, Ron Carter and Connie Kay. Wildflowers 5 (Douglas); Two side-long pieces: Sunny Murray with Byard Lancaster, David Murray, Kahn Jamal and Fred Hopkins; Roscoe Mitchell with Jerome Cooper and Don Moye.

Annette Peacock - I'm the One (RCA); I had been thinking about pulling this one out for a couple of weeks; Bev and Jim reminded me to go ahead and do so. I like it a lot, although it won't be to everyone's taste - odd avant-rock, alternately sexy, melancholy, and menacing.

I'm the One is a very good avant-rock album - definitely Ms. Peacock's album; Bley only plays on two cuts. But it's good. The second one Jim pictures is the one I'm looking for.

You've got the best one - Scorpio is wonderful; one of my favorite jazz records from that period. I also like Improvisie on America - I have the vinyl, but I think it was included in the batch of CD reissues of America albums a few years back. Improvisie is a trio of Bley, Annette Peacock, and Han Bennink. The only one of Bley's synth albums from that period that I don't have is Revenge on Polydor. I've been looking for that one for years.

We may have had a thread on this before, but does anybody still play the C Melody Sax? gregmo Braxton and Scott Robinson, that I know of.

On piano or saxophone, I've never played RM in any other key except Eb minor, except when accompanying a singer who needed it in another key.

The Music of Ornette Coleman (RCA Victor stereo)

John tells me that my segment will probably be from 6:00 to 6:25 or so. Don't know, but I'll try to find out.

Okay, this is kind of odd, but I thought I would let folks know about it. I will be appearing on the Celtic Music Show on Atlanta's WRFG (Radio Free Georgia) this Sunday, November 21 from 7 to 9 PM. I'll be playing some of my 78s and talking with the host, John Falstaff. I'm so far from being an expert on Irish music that it's ridiculous for me to be on this show, but I've got some good 78s. We'll be playing some Irish 78s and exploring the connection between Irish music and early American country music. I don't know how long my segment will be, or when in the show it will take place. You can hear my Georgia redneck accent by clicking on the link above and clicking the "listen live" button this Sunday.

Cool! These two sound particularly interesting to me.

In the mood for something mellow and undemanding: Tyree Glenn at the Roundtable (Roulette mono); great quintet, with Hank Jones, Mary Osborne, Tommy Potter and Jo Jones.

Not trying to speak for Chris, but I don't think a link was intended. It's a screenshot showing the absurd juxtaposition of "You might like" and "Jill Clayburgh dies." Correct me if I'm wrong, Chris.

Okay, I really don't want to monopolize this thread. I hope some more folks will jump in with their thoughts on these Ellington pieces. But I just love it - it encourages me to go back and re-examine pieces I haven't heard for awhile and clarify my opinions about recordings I've heard many times. Anyway, The Goutelas Suite is a bit of a strange one. In 1966, Ellington was involved (at what level, I don't quite understand) with the restoration of of Goutelas, a 13th century French chateau. This a suite written for the opening ceremony. Again, I don't quite understand the details. But the music seems to have a ceremonial, "occasional" aspect to it. Only two of the six movements are longer than two minutes; this gives the suite a somewhat fragmentary, unfinished feel. But if you keep the ceremonial purpose of the composition in mind, it makes more sense - it starts and ends with a fanfare, and "Goutelas," the second movement, is obviously a processional of some sort. The longest movement, "Something," is full of Ellingtonian changing colors, and "Having at It" gives Paul Gonsalves a chance to stretch out; it's the only movement that has any jazz soloing to speak of. Goutelas isn't a masterpiece, but it was probably pretty moving heard in the candlelight in the namesake chateau. Ellington recorded it in 1971, and it was issued after his death on the Pablo album The Ellington Suites.

Two of the 78s I picked up last week have proved oddly affecting, and neither has anything to do with jazz. Adelina Patti - Robin Adair (12" Victor "Patti" Record); Patti was one of the most renowned opera singers of the 19th century. Her debut was in 1859, but she lived long enough to make some records in the early years of the recording industry. This one is an English folk song, recorded in 1905. It was obviously intended to be a real prestige item - Patti has her own special label, her autograph is pressed into the dead wax, and the price was $5.00 - $117.00 in today's currency. And although it's a 12-incher, it contains just over two minutes of music. I paid $1.00 in today's currency. But it's beautiful - arranged and sung in a simple, touching style. It's a pretty cool glimpse into the 19th century. Henry Burr (Saxophone obligato by Rudy Wiedoeft) - You Forgot to Remember/Alone at Last (Victor); Burr was one of the most prolific early recordings artists, but I picked this one up because of Rudy Wiedoeft, who was a very popular and accomplished saxophonist from around 1915 to 1930. Again, he had no connection with jazz. I half expected to play this 1925 record once, then discard it. But the first side turned out to be Irving Berlin's "Remember," which is a song I've always loved. (Remember Monk's solo version?) Burr and Wiedoeft perform it in an old-fashioned style, but they sound like they mean it, and it got to me. I'm keeping this one.

Chaucer Shakespeare Burning Spear

Ellington Capitol, disc 5. This is a strange set. There's some brilliant stuff here, but also lots of pretty lousy tracks. Ellington and/or Capitol were trying hard for a hit record, with sometimes regrettable results ("Bunny Hop Mambo," for instance). I'm really glad to to have this set, but some tracks will seldom get played again.

I like this one, too.