jeffcrom

The Sheridan book indeed puts Monk at the Central Park Music Festival on 7/7/69, with Rouse, Wilbur Ware, and Ed Blackwell in the band. No mention of Allen or Eubie Blake.

Mae West W. C. Fields Claude Debussy

John Carter/Bobby Bradford - Secrets (Revelation)

I don't think it has to be that way. But if you try to perform songs that are not suited to your point in life, it can get kind of ridiculous. I mean, "Teenage Wasteland?" At their age? Please!

On my iPod - the video portion of St. Peter Street Serenade, a download-only album by the Preservation Hall Hot 4. The videos are "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Complicated Life," and "St. James Infirmary," sung by Clint Maedgen. I'm not sure how I feel about the addition of singer/saxophonist/modern vaudeville performer Maedgen to the main Preservation Hall touring band a few years ago. Musically, he's not the equal of the veteran New Orleans guys, but he adds a contemporary edge that I kind of like. And I think it's very cool that the current banjo player with the band is Carl LeBlanc, a New Orleanian who used to played guitar with Sun Ra.

Track title finally fixed - that was just a slip of the brain. Wow - thanks, CT. I appreciate the kind words.

In honor of the Saints, who just won Super Bowl XLIV: The Olympia Brass Band of New Orleans (Audiophile).

Catfish Hunter Kilgore Trout Sharkey Bonano

Just finished spinning my latest find: Audiophile AP-1, a 12" microgroove(!), red vinyl(!) 78 by Harry Blons' Dixieland Band. The record was state-of-the-art audiophile for the early fifties, with three tunes on a side. Musically, it's solid, unspectaular dixieland by clarinetist Blons' midwestern band. The sleeve has the original price tag from Olson's (locations in Akron, Cleveland, and Chicago) - a whopping $5.95. I found a couple of pictures online at this interesting website about the Audiophile label.

Another mention of our strange little jazz/klezmer/Afropop band; kind of meaningless, but still welcome - we are #41 on Atlanta Magazine's list of 67 Things Every Atlantan Must Do. There's no free link (the digital edition costs 99 cents), but here's what they say: "41 - Catch the surprising sounds of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra. The euphoric mishmash performed by this up-and-coming ensemble can begin with the brassy bounce of Eastern European klezmer, then segue into slinky jazz heavy on Fender Rhodes keyboards before dabbling in Fela Kuti-inspired Afro-pop. On East Atlanta Passover Stomp, 4WAKO's CD released in November, Jewish musicality anchors the sound, though on tracks such as "9th Ward Dirge," it startles to realize how fluidly such klezmer can meld with jazz idioms - in this case a New Orleans funeral lament." Personally, I think that hearing local blues legend Luther "Houserocker" Johnson at Blind Willie's is more of a must than catching the 4WAKO, but we'll take it. And it looks like I've done about half the things on the list, for what it's worth.

Since a lot of folks expressed interest in this concert, here's a brief report. The small hall was packed - we had to put out more chairs. Musically, we flubbed a few things slightly, but there were no "fatal" flaws. The most rewarding thing about the concert was the number of people who came up and said, "Thank you for introducing us to Alec Wilder," or some variation thereon.

Do I get any points for liking Irene Aëbi? And not minding Paul Chambers' arco solos? (I said Major Holley, but it's Slam Stewart. I'll keep working on it.) When I was about 15 and learning about jazz, my wonderful mom would bring home records from thrift stores if she thought I'd be interested in them. One day she come home with a 10" LP - a Just Jazz concert with Lionel Hampton playing "Stardust." Slam Stewart was the bass player, but when he played his solo, I had no idea what in the world that sound was. It was only after I went to the library and did some research that I figured out what was going on. And, yes you get points for liking Irene. I think her diction got really weird later - it sounds like she got dentures. But the limited-edition LP Sideways on the Roaratorio label was kind of a wake-up call in terms of appreciation for her singing, for me anyway. Irene sings a cappella for the first two minutes of "The Way." On the last note of this complex melody, she's joined by Lacy's soprano, and she is perfectly in tune - her pitch hasn't wavered at all for two minutes. Even if you don't like her sound, she's a musician.

Sorry to hear this. I spun my Capitol 45 of "Experiments With Mice," which is pretty funny, for a musician friend about two weeks ago.

This has previously(1970s)been released on a French LP titled "Roswell Rudd" (IIRC the label was called "America"). These are Dutch radio (studio) recordings from 1965. The group also played at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, with the Ornette Coleman Trio doing the second part of the concert. I was there. The new CD doesn't appear to be the same as the America "Roswell Rudd Quartet" album. It has some of the same tunes, but the timings are different. And it has tunes which don't appear on the America album.

Don't know the answer to the first question, but as far as I know, Cuneiform has never appeared to be a pirate label. Here's their page on this release.

Anyone seen/heard this yet?

Often on the bandstand (or concert stage) with Eddie Condon.

Dudu Pukwana & Spear - In the Townships (Virgin). 1988 reissue of the 1973 album.

PM sent on Jones/Garrison.

Happy Big Four-Oh!

Earl Hines/Jake Byard - Duet! (Verve/MPS)

The Dixie Hummingbirds - Smooth Sailing (AIR - Atlanta International Records)

Alec Wilder is very much on my mind right now, for some reason.... Frank Sinatra - She Shot Me Down (Reprise). This has Sinatra singing Wilder's last two songs, "A Long Night" and "South to a Warmer Place." Morgana King - The Winter of My Discontent (Ascot). A 1964 album totally devoted to Wilder's songs. A little over-dramatic, but still beautiful.

New Music by the New Phil Woods Quartet (Testament) - digitizing as I listen.

What a great idea!