jeffcrom

Mose Allison is one of my absolute favorite musicians. The thing is, he has so many talents that different people respond to different aspects of his music. I can certainly understand those like Chuck who regret that his career moved away from pianist/jazz composer to hip songwriter. To me, though, the most impressive aspect of his talent is his songwriting, and I don't regret his career direction at all. Some of my favorites, for both music and lyrics are "How Much "Truth," "Stop the World," "What's With You," and "Ever Since the World Ended." "Ever Since I Stole the Blues," from My Backyard, is a hilarious response to a British interviewer who asked him about his career since he "stole the blues." And I don't won't to admit how much "One of These Days," a song about how the singer is going to eventually get his act together, relates to my life. Well, not the part about hanging out with jail bait.... My Backyard is one of his 1980's/1990's albums for Blue Note. If you only know Mose's early stuff, check these out. They all have dead spots, in my opinion, but they also have some brilliant songs and great playing, along with musicians like Paul Motian, Joe Lovano, John Scofield, and Johnny Vidacovich. And I don't really hear the pianistic influences that that some of you hear in his playing, although I see where you're coming from. To me his playing has always sounded like a bizarre combination of Sunnyland Slim and Bartok, but I really don't think he sounds like anyone but himself. Mine, too. A great album - very few low points here. Another favorite from this one is "Gettin' There," his look at his career: "I'm not discouraged, but I'm gettin' there." (Edited to correct a stupid typo that completely changed the meaning of what I was trying to say.)

In memoriam: A Jazz Portrait of Charlie Mariano (Regina)

Monkey Joe Coleman Ornette Coleman Arnett Cobb

T-Bone Walker Bones Howe Slide Hampton

I just listened to an interesting find, which I've actually had for awhile without knowing it. About a month ago I bought an album book - no records - for 12" 78s from a guy on Ebay. He said he would put some junk records in it so that it would qualify for the media rate. I've had it for several weeks, but didn't even bother to open it until yesterday. Yep, most of the records are junk - whistling solos, vaudeville routines, etc., but one was by Dabney's Band. It took me 24 hours to realize that it could be by Ford Dabney, with African-American New York bandleader who was an associate of Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, James Reese Europe, and that crowd. Looked it up, and yes, it's that Dabney's Band; one side was recorded in 1918, the other the next year. The music is frankly not that great - basic arrangements with lots of repetition - but it's interesting. Cricket Smith, the trumpeter, is the only musician on the record besides Dabney that I'm familiar with.

Lee Collins in the 30s: I Can Dish It - Can You Take It (Collectors Items). This is a nice reminder that Louis Armstrong didn't appear out of a vacuum. He was the most accomplished of the "modern" school of New Orleans trumpet players that were born around 1900 - the generation who built on the work of King Oliver and Freddie Keppard. This group included the unrecorded Buddy Petit and Chris Kelly, as well as Punch Miller and Lee Collins, who made lots of obscure records. The last two remained semi-obscure largely because they had a bad case of wanderlust. Also, they were "only" extremely talented - they were not geniuses, as Louis was. This album is a collection of Lee's trumpet backing up blues singers in Chicago. Hearing him on Lil Johnson's "Can't Read, Can't Write" and "Ramblin' Man Blues" reminds me that he was only a step or two behind Armstrong. The best of Punch Miller's recordings lead to the same conclusion.

I love that one!

Don Pullen - Solo Piano Album (Sackville). I miss Don Pullen.

My 78 rig is finally back up and running after being out of commission for almost a month. This afternoon's favorites: Two Pablo Casals 12-inchers on Columbia. Casals' signature is etched in the run-off, like the Van Gelder stamp. Very cool as objects and great playing. Early Columbia classical 78s just don't sound as good as Victors from the same period, though. "Cruisin' With Cab," "Pammy," "The Saint," & "The Moors" by Gerald Wilson on Black & White. Some nice Hobart Dotson solos on a couple of these. And Melba Liston wrote "The Moors" Danny Polo - "Doing the Gorgonzola" & "Montmarte Moan" (London) Great sounding record with Garland Wilson, Oscar Aleman, Alix Combelle, etc. Teddy Weatherford - "Ain't Misbehavin'" & "My Blue Heaven" on French Swing. Really nice. "Reefer Head Woman" and "Leap Frog Blues" by Buster Bennett. He's a Chicago alto player who played on some Bill Broonzy records. He's a good singer and plays some excellent, Pete Brown-ish solos. "Leap Frog" is a simplification of the Les Brown tune. As far as I can tell, this one has never been reissued. Man, it's nice to be able to play my 78s again!

Kid Howard - Great Spirituals: "Kid" Howard and his New Orleans Jazz Band at Zion Hill Church (Nobility). Outstanding New Orleans spiritual music, with Louis Cottrell, Big Jim Robinson, and Dave "Fat Man" Williams, recorded in 1964 at Kid Howard's church while he was basically drinking himself to death.

Kid Howard - Kid Howard's new Orleans Band (Jazzology) with Capt. John Handy on alto sax (and clarinet). After an hour of listening to Albert Ayler, I needed to go in a different, but equally intense direction. This 1962 album by a five-piece band is the epitome of hot New Orleans music.

Kicked in about a month ago.

Buck Clayton Money Johnson Kash Killion

Albert Ayler - The Last Album. In my opinion, this one is far superior to New Grass and Music is the Healing Force, the last two Impulse albums released while he was alive. There are a couple of dud tracks, and "Toiling" is just an alternate take of "Drudgery" from Healing Force, but most of the music is excellent - and Mary Maria Parks only has a couple of vocals. "Water Music" is on right now - it reminds me of late Coltrane. Just beautiful.

Dee Dee Bridgewater DeDe Pierce Dee Dee Myers

You guys are killing me! I've become addicted to 78s, but my 78 turntable is in the shop - I haven't been able to listen to my 78s for several weeks. And a couple of days ago I bought 20 near-mint, pre-1920 classical records - Caruso, Pablo Casals, Mischa Elman, Stokowski/Philadelphia, etc. from the collection of someone who obviously loved and took care of his records. And I can't play them!

Max Roach - Pictures in a Frame (Soul Note) I saw this band in Atlanta just after this album came out. They played a couple of tunes from the album, about which Max said "Don't look for it in your local record stores, because you won't find it!" I'm glad I found it - just 30 years later.

The last three are so primo! I've been enjoying the Baby Face lately myself, and the Miles session with Bird and Rollins is interesting, but the session with Rollins and Tommy Flanagan is an overlooked gem. Don't know the Rhyne. Let me know how you like the Leo Parker; as a sometimes baritone saxophonist, I've never checked out Leo's Blue Note albums because I dislike his Prestige recordings so much. Sounds like you had fun.

Gerry Teekens got my copy for mucho bucks. Never seen that one in LP form. Must be rare as hen's teeth. Jeez, guys - all you have to do is walk down to the used record store on the other end of your block and lay down a ten spot for a mint copy. At least, that's what I did. I'll admit that I was totally unfamiliar with this album and didn't know what to think when I saw it - there is no personnel listing or recording info on the cover. But I thought I remembered it mentioned here, so I came home and checked before going back to pick it up. It's really nice - recorded in Copenhagen in 1960 with a Danish rhythm section.

Albert Ayler - Swing Low Sweet Spiritual (Osmosis)

As of last night, I seem to be starting an Albert Ayler jag. My wife's going out of town this weekend, so no divorce should result. I stopped by my favorite local CD store today and filled some gaps: The Hilversum Sessions (ESP) and Music is the Healing Force of the Universe (Impulse).

Joel Futterman - Inneraction (JDF Records)

Please put me on the list for a BFT. Thanks.

What a great team - as a duo or with their quartet. Luckily, they played Atlanta several times, and I always tried to be there. Their performance at the 1980 Atlanta Jazz Fest inspired me to order my first Soul Note album - Don't Lose Control. I think it took three months to arrive. Adams was from a small town about 25 miles from Atlanta, and they apparently first met at the famous Royal Peacock on Auburn Avenue when Pullen came through with some band or other. (The Peacock's piano ended up in Fat Matt's Rib Shack, where I played it many times.) There was a local TV broadcast from that 1980 Jazz Fest, with the Adams/Pullen Quartet playing a 15-minute "Metamorphosis for Mingus." I didn't have a VCR at the time, but I made a cassette recording through my little portable TV's headphone jack. That sound is really bad, but the music just smokes - I listened to it again just a few days ago. What a great blend of funk and free, swing and stratosphere. I think I'll listen to Don't Lose Control or Live at the Vanguard or Decisions or Breakthrough tonight.

Enjoyed my first BFT very much - thanks!