jeffcrom

Hope you're having a great one!

Spent an hour and a half among the shellac this afternoon. I started out with a bunch of pre-1920 classical - mostly lightweight stuff, but beautifully played, and classical 78 owners tended to keep their records in good shape: Pablo Casals - Chanson (Louis XIII); Pavane (Couperin)/Abendlied (Schumann) (12" Columbia) Pablo Casals - Traumerei (Schumann)/Salut d'Amour (Elgar) (12" Columbia) Fritz Kreisler - Largo (Handel) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal) Mischa Elman - Preislied (Wagner) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal) Alfred Cortot - Invitation to the Waltz (Weber) (12" one-sided Victor Red Seal) Vladimir de Pachman - Mazurka in F sharp minor, Op. 50, #3 (Chopin) (10" one-sided Victor Red Seal) Olga Samaroff - Sparks (Etincelles), Op. 36, #6 (Moszkowski) (10" one-sided Victor Red Seal) For some reason this led me to spin some ragtime/vaudeville: Sousa's Band - At a Georgia Camp Meeting (Victor - 1908) Vess Ossman - Invincible Eagle March (Columbia - 1907) Arthur Collins - Hot Tamale Man/Billy Murray & the Rambler Minstrel Company - Shining Star (Columbia 1909). Very interesting ragtime/minstrel record. Six Musical Magpies - Calliope Song/Laughing Song (Victor - 1924). An African-American vaudeville troupe. The second side is their version of "Watermelon Smiling on the Vine," which I grew up hearing played by local bluegrass bands in north Georgia. Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band - Slippery Hank/Yah-de-dah (Victor - 1917). The second side could pass for jazz; the first side ain't even close. It was probably pretty exciting music for New Yorkers in 1917, though.

I started buying CDs almost as soon as they came out, but I'm glad to say that I never got rid of my turntable. I mean that literally - I use the same turntable I bought in 1978. Now I buy more CDs than vinyl, but my turntable probably gets more playing time than my CD player. And like Clunky, I bought a turntable for 78s earlier this year. I had a box of 78s I hadn't heard for almost 20 years, and have (for better or worse) multiplied my 78 collection several times in the last nine months. I use my iPod for the convenience, and for the occasional download of an item I can't find in any other form.

Bud Shank - New Groove (PJ stereo). A beautiful copy I just picked up for a decent price.

Al Cohn: The Natural Seven (RCA Victor) - on convenient 45 RPM EPs - a three-pocket album.

Is the music on the CD "new" material, or is it stuff that's been previously released?

We're so ridiculous here in Georgia. It's in the low 20s (F) this morning, and the local TV news was featuring the "Severe Weather Team." When it snows two inches here, we get 24-hour "Storm Watch" coverage.

I never really wanted to get the unedited version, for the reason others have said - I've been listening to the original for over 30 years, and it has always seemed just perfect. But, inspired by this thread, I stopped on the way home from work and picked up the newest Legacy edition. My take - I'm glad I have both. The form and flow of the music is improved with the edited portions restored, but the intensity is somewhat lessened - for the most part, the sections that were cut aren't as hot as the rest of the music. Whichever you listen to, it's a masterpiece - beautiful and incredible. I can't find a date on my old CD - it's got the circular "Columbia Jazz Masterpieces" logo that I'm sure many of you remember.

I pulled the trigger on this one today, after swearing that I wasn't going to get it. I already have the sessions (Bechet, Pee Wee, Teagarden) that I was most interested in, but looking through the discography broke down my resolve - I just had to hear the other stuff, too. Oh, well - it's only money....

I was listening to Tom McDermott's quartet at Donna's in New Orleans a couple of years ago - Rick Trolsen on trombone, Matt Perrine on bass and tuba, and the King of Treme, Shannon Powell, on drums. They played traditional repertoire, but took it pretty out at times. Donna's is right on rough-and-tumble North Rampart Street. The guys had just taken "Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave to Me" to the outermost limit when a police car, siren blasting, pulled up nearby. They all looked at each other, started laughing, and simultaneously said, "The Jazz Police!"

There are actually three tracks by the IAQ on the Rounder New New Orleans Music CD - they're not quite as good as the older vinyl record, but they're good. The other half of the Rounder CD is also excellent - Tony Dagradi's New Orleans Saxophone Ensemble, a hot no-rhythm-section sax quartet.

Improvisational Arts Quintet - No Compromise (Rx). 1978 & 1982 recordings by Kidd Jordan's group with Alvin Fielder.

Perhaps a little off topic, but this discussion makes me think of a Mose Allison song. Mose (who is from Tippo, Mississippi) was being interviewed by a British music journalist who caught him off guard by asking him to talk about his career "since he stole the blues." After thinking about that for awhile, he wrote a hilarious song called "Ever Since I Stole the Blues." I couldn't find the lyrics online, but it's on the album My Backyard. It's worth checking out. (The whole album is worth checking out, if only to hear Mose with a New Orleans rhythm section, including the great Johnny Vidacovich on drums.)

HBTY, GoM!

Well, I don't feel that I've heard enough new releases to make a list of 10, but here are six, including some that haven't been mentioned yet: Von Freeman - Vonski Speaks (Nessa) John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble - Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside) Panorama Jazz Band - Come Out Swingin' (PR) Steve Lehman - Travail, Fransformation, and Flow (Pi) Tom McDermott - New Orleans Duets (Rabadash) Fly - Sky and Country (ECM) I'll be seeking out some of the others folks have listed.

East Atlanta Passover Stomp is now available on iTunes. Start yer downloadin'.

I'm a little late to the party.... I wrote the following before reading any of the thread, but added a few edits based on what I've read. I've enjoyed listening and like most of the selections. I see a couple have identified already. Is the theme Duos and Cellos? 1. Well, cello there! Beautiful cello sound. Just when the suspended feel was about to drive me crazy, the piece resolved. Very nicely done – nice improvising by the cellist, although his/her arco sound is so good that I wish he/she had continued using the bow throughout. (Edit - wow - was I wrong about it being a cello? I was so sure....) 2. Nice flugelhorn sound (I think it’s flugelhorn rather than trumpet, but I could be wrong), but he needs to take his horn to the shop – one valve sure is making lots of noise. A lovely seven minutes of music by two accomplished musicians – no forced climaxes; the piece develops organically. I like it a lot. (Edit - looks like was wrong about the flugel.) 3. Is it an Organissimo requirement that Django must be included in every blindfold test? This is an interesting recording. Since he doesn’t pick up his guitar until well after the violin has finished, I’m guessing that Django is playing the violin as well. Not much technique on violin, but lots of imagination. Stephane on piano? 4. I really don’t know what this is, except some of the synth sounds remind of what Sun Ra was using around 1986-88. Don’t recognize the tenor player – it doesn’t sound like John Gilmore to me. The homespun quality of the recording suggests Ra, also, though. In any case, it’s a pretty sketchy piece – it doesn’t start much of anywhere and doesn’t go much of anywhere. If it’s Ra, I hope he will look down from the cosmos and forgive me for not liking this, because I love much of his music. 5. “Nuages” by two basses. Or cello and bass – I never could decide about the guy or girl in the left channel. But very nice, whichever. I enjoyed the contrast in the two players’ sounds. 6. Don Byas/Slam Stewart – “I Got Rhythm” from Town Hall, 1945. An amazing display of musical prowess – Byas is all over the saxophone and the changes. When I first heard this years ago, it was the first time I had heard the substitute chords for this tune starting on F sharp and working through the circle of fourths back to B flat. I thought it was extremely hip, and still do. 7. “Love for Sale” in seven. Sounds like the kind of thing Brad Meldau would do, but I don’t really know. Swinging and creative – they never let the seven sound like a gimmick. The guitar player is driving me crazy because I think I recognize him, but can’t come up with who it is – it’s on the tip of my mind. 8. Vibes and marimba playing Sting’s favorite variant of “I Got Rhythm.” (See Bring on the Night if you don’t know what I’m talking about.) I couldn’t decide if this was two people or an overdubbed version. It’s very technically accomplished, but it didn’t do much for me in terms of emotional reaction. 9. “Night and Day” – the harmonies anyway – played very impressively in an arpeggiated fashion by an excellent cellist. The only question is why. I already know the chords of “Night and Day.” I don’t know what to say – it’s impressive and disappointing at the same time. Somebody’s an amazing player, but I’d like to hear him/her do something else. 10. Excellent basses over programmed percussion. It sounds like the kind of thing that Miroslav Vitous might have done at one stage of his career, but I don’t know who it is. I went through a period in my youth when I was accepting, even enthusiastic about programmed percussion, but that faded fast. Even when well done, as it is hear, the music just doesn’t breath with drum machines. Great bass playing, though. 11. Beautiful sounds from everyone (very accomplished cello and clarinet), even if it doesn’t cut very deep. (To me, anyway.) I have no idea who or what this is, but I hate not to hazard a guess on the clarinetist – could it be New Orleanian Tim Laughlin? (Edit - Ignorant me - I didn't know Paquito sounded so great on clarinet.) 12. I love Tadd Dameron, and these guys do, too. “Our Delight” played by two very good pianists whom I can’t identify. Who needs bass and drums? These guys are swinging – improvising excellently, too. (Edit - makes sense now!) 13. I don’t know who it is, but it’s good. The tenor player has a lot of soul – I’d rather hear this than someone playing really slickly. The tune is “Crazeology “ – by Benny Harris, not Charlie Parker. 14. Another piano duet I can’t identify. Good interaction between the two players. 15. What the hell is this and why have I never heard it before now? A couple of monster players. Both sound familiar, but I don’t know who they are. This is great – looking forward to finding out more about it. Looking forward to finding out more.

Lazy Bill Lucas Mojo Buford Buford Pusser

That one hit me, too. Spybot Search and Destroy wiped the SOB out! If you try Spybot (which is free to download but depends on donations), make sure you have the real site: safer-networking.org. And since the worm had basically disabled my computer, I had to download Spybot on another computer and load it via a flash drive. It worked, though. That's a nasty bug! Edited to say that I'm not sure the worm I had was the same as you're describing, but it was similar. Spybot might be worth a try for anyone in that situation.

Right now I'm listening to a nice mono copy of Adventures In Time, which I had forgotten I had and just came across while looking for something else. 14 brass - that's kind of ridiculous, except that this is a really well-done Johnny Richards suite. The poor saxophone, though....

I think I hate you! Do you know how impossible that one is to find?

I'm most chagrined at missing Jess Stacy, especially since I identified him in an earlier BFT. I've never heard him sound quite like this, though - I thought it was a younger guy. And I want partial credit for Lester Bowie and for the Microscopic Septet, since it was most of them! Thanks again for the fun.

Rules, rules, rules! I'm sick of you and your rules, Paul! But, okay, playing by your rules, my choices for today are: The Great Paris Concert (Probably the LP-era Ellington I play the most. "Star-Crossed Lovers," "Harlem," "Suite Thursday," and a killer version of "Rockin' in Rhythm" are among the highlights.) Masterpieces by Ellington Ellington Uptown. On another day, I might give you a different answer, including your #2 & 3 choices.

Terje Rypdal/Miroslav Vitous/Jack DeJohnette - To Be Continued (ECM). Picked this up a little while back and just got around to playing it. My first impression is that it's more atmosphere than substance.