jeffcrom

I kinda wanted to know that, too.

Nice!

A new blog entry on Boyce Brown - here.

Jimmy McPartland - Shades of Bix (MCA) Side three - 1936 & 1938 sessions.

Dude, once you get past the lack of presence in the way Sonny was recorded, Side One of that album (the 1st 3 cuts) contain some very high-level playing...same sort of thing with Nucleus...most fucked-up material/arrangements, but when Sonny himself (or on two cuts, Sonny & Benny Maupin), that tone (fucking HUGE if you know how to extrapolate recorded sound into real sound...) & that time just take over. But you gotta get past the "surface" to get to that, and I understand how/why many people don't care about all that. It's there if you look for it is all I'm saying... I agree - I have belatedly discovered the joys of 70s Sonny. There is some wonderful playing by Newk to be found in the most unpromising settings, on the lamest-looking albums. And by saying that I'm probably negating my point above. Or maybe I'm not. It's okay either way.

I'm in for a download.

No, because there's no such person. Stop makin' stuff up!

Unfortunately, my copy has seen better days, so I need to pull out some of the special software that'll clean it up and save it from further wear and tear. Sounds like you got the copy I had for years, until I found a reasonably-priced near-mint set.

I like variety, and that leads me to a certain amount of fair-to-mediocre music. Just last night I listened to Sonny Rollins' 1974 album The Cutting Edge, which I just picked up a few months ago. Ten years ago I would have said, "Why waste time listening to The Cutting Edge when I could be listening to Saxophone Colossus or Volume Two? But by now I can practically sing every note of Saxophone Colossus, and have listened to Volume Two and most of Rollins' other acknowledged masterpieces for years. I enjoy exploring "lesser" music for the variety. Lots of the early jazz I enjoy is flawed in various ways - clunky rhythm sections, corny arrangements, and singers who are painfully bad. But that "lesser" music sometimes gives more insight into what was really going on than the "masterpieces."

:tup :tup Buncha thumbs up on this one - one of the best of that Time-Life Series. For those who don't know, this is Frank Teschemacher's complete recorded output, plus a side of "possibles." For me right now: Sonny Rollins - The Cutting Edge (Milestone) Montreux, 1974. Not considered to be one of his best, and it's not. But it's pretty good for this period, and I like it.

I left just before the end (I think) of the first set in order to get to another show I wanted to catch. And yes, Janiva and the band were amazing. Every one of your solos just killed.

Y'all should hear this band!

A blues harp player I used to play with would say, "We can sleep when we're dead."

What an interesting day.... The five horns of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra played at the wedding of our guitar player this afternoon: traditional and original wedding music. The Janiva Mangess band at Blind Willie's tonight was smokin' - great singer, great band, and Jim A. was fabulous. Then I drove across town to Kavarna and walked in halfway through Richard Devine and Josh Kay's duo set of analogue synth improvisations. It was fascinating to hear/see musicians improvising by turning knobs and plugging in patch cords rather than by pressing keys. I really enjoyed it. Then Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel worked their magic for 45 minutes. They produce an amazing range of sounds. Col. Bruce Hampton was in the audience at Kavarna; that might mean something to some of you. What a great day and night.

I'm about to head out the door. If I have the energy, I'm going to two Atlanta shows tonight: Janiva Magness (w/ Jim Alfredson on organ) at Blind Willie's. Then to Kavarna to hear a very interesting band whose name tells the story: Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel.

Air Time (Nessa). Beautiful.

Edmond Hall - Rumpus on Rampart Street (Rae-Cox). A wonderful 1959 album with lots of nice Ed Hall original compositions. Jimmy Raney is on guitar, and some tracks have three clarinets - the other two are Omer Simeon and Ed's brother Herb.

Mel Brooks Sam Rivers Veronica Lake

Very cool -congrats!

Peter Parker Percy Pilbeam Paul Provenza

Another New Orleans trumpet player: Wooden Joe Nicholas, Vol. 2 (Dan)

I recently added another Guarente 78 to my collection - "My Mother's Eyes" from the same 1930 session as "Sweethearts on Parade" mentioned above. The tune is pretty grim, but it's not a bad little record. Both of the Guarente 78 sides I have are backed by the same studio dance band - The Harmonians. I still love the thought of Frank Guarente and King Oliver giving each other trumpet lessons in New Orleans.

The Georgians (VJM) Volume 1 of their complete works. I talked about them here.

Some early 20s blues ladies: Rosa Henderson: Midnight Blues/Lizzie Miles: Cotton Belt Blues (Victor-1923) A winner on both sides. Rosa is accompanied by Fletcher Henderson's band, pre-Louis. Daisy Martin and Her Jazz Bell Hops: Everybody's Man is My Man/Won't Somebody Help Me Find My Lovin' Man (Okeh-1921) I played this one mostly to see if it was as bad as I remembered. Nope - it's worse: screechy and unmusical. Garvin Bushell is on clarinet, so I'll probably play it to hear him every once in a while. Lucille Hegamin and Her Blue Flame Syncopators: He May Be Your Man/I've Got the Wonder Where He Went and When He's Coming Back Blues (Banner-1922) Vaudeville blues rather than the real deal, but very well done. This is what Daisy Martin was trying for. Sara Martin: Sugar Blues/Achin' Hearted Blues (Okeh-1922) With Clarence Williams on piano. Sara was a very good second-tier blues singer - not one of the greats, but nice. Sara Martin: Last Go Round Blues/Mama's Got the Blues (Okeh-1922) I always have to play this Sara Martin record after the other one, or Clarence Williams' piano would be too much of a letdown. This one has Fats Waller on piano; it was only his third record date. And I ended with the Real Deal: Clara Smith: Awful Moanin' Blues/I Never Miss the Sunshine (Columbia-1923) Clara sounds great here, with Fletcher Henderson on piano. White record company execs still didn't know what to think of the blues; the label calls here a "Comedienne," but she's deadly serious.

Very enjoyable BFT, MG. I'm kicking myself over a couple of these - you've got a pretty good idea about which ones.