jeffcrom

Okay, I fulfilled a record collecting bucket list item today, when this record arrived in the mail. King Oliver's Jazz Band - Sobbin' Blues / Sweet Lovin' Man (Okeh) It has been a long-held ambition to have an orignal 1923 Oliver Creole Jazz Band 78. This one is in VG+ condition, and sounds pretty good with the right stylus. It wasn't cheap, but on the other hand, I paid less than it's really worth. And what I paid was less than I made teaching saxophone lessons today. I think it's the first time I have actually been nervous before playing a record.

Lots of 78s lately, but of special interest might be what are among my "best" two 78s - in terms of musical quality, condition, and value: Louis Armstrong - Basin Street Blues / No & Two Deuces / Squeeze Me (Okeh). This is the version of the Hot Five with Earl Hines. Three of the sides are a solid E (78 collectors don't use "mint"), and "Squeeze Me" is V+ or E-. I've said before that these are the records that finally revealed to me what Zutty Singleton was really doing on these sessions - he wasn't well recorded, and reissues generally filter out most of what managed to make to wax, as far as his drumming goes. And I just acquired the second of two records from a 1942 Decca session by a "jump blues" singer who called himself Sonny Boy Williams. He has no connection to either of the blues singers who called themselves Sonny Boy Williamson. These records are little-known, but important, due to the presence of the great Freddie Webster on trumpet. Webster wrote one of the tunes and plays short, but beautiful solos on three of the four sides. The trumpet solo on his own "Reverse the Charges" is very "modern" and quite impressive. The pairings are: Reverse the Charges / Rubber Bounce & Savoy is Jumping / Honey It Must Be Love. Webster doesn't solo on "Savoy."

That's a pretty cool album.

Gordon Jenkins Presents Marshall Royal (Everest mono). It may tell you something about the kind of afternoon I had to say that this easy-listening-ish album is just what I needed. To be fair to Marshall, there is far more jazz content here than on the similar Johnny Hodges/Lawrence Welk album from around the same time.

Tab Smith, 1945-1953, on Hub, Queen Chess, and United. Amidst just enjoying these records, question arose. At what point does not-great music cross over into being pretty great? Is there a tipping point, after which a certain quantity of limited, perfect-in-its-own-right music becomes more than the sum of its parts? Anyway, as you can probably tell, I really enjoyed these records tonight, even if I'm not sure how "good" they are.

I'm spinning the Olympia BB (their first session, from 1962), the Eureka BB, and the Stooges BB on vinyl, thinking about my upcoming New Orleans trip. I'll be there in three weeks, and since it's second line season for the social aid and pleasure clubs, I thought I'd search for the second line schedule. It looks like I'll be second-lining the Prince of Wales Social Aid and Pleasure Club parade uptown in the Irish Channel on October 11. But while I was looking, I came across a listing informing us that the Young Men Olympians Benevolent Association will have their 131st annual second-line parade this coming Sunday, September 27. Think about that. Every year since 1884. That's a beautiful thing.

Roswell Rudd - The Definitive Roswell Rudd (Horo). Overdubbed trombones, piano, bass, drums, and vocals. Jerome Richardson - Going to the Movies (United Artists mono). Prompted by someone else here (Clifford, I think) spinning this recently. It's very nice - the tunes are all from movie soundtracks, but treated interestingly and uncompromisingly.

I'd like it if still available. It's yours. PM me with your address.

I'd forgotten about this thread. Here's an offering: Years ago, I found a vinyl copy of Byard Lancaster's self-issued Personal Testimony, a solo-with-overdubs album from 1979. I like it a lot. Porter Records reissued it on CD in 2008, with five new performances added. I recently picked up a used copy of the CD, but had a strong, visceral, negative reaction to the new pieces. So I'm keeping the old LP and giving away the CD. Someone else might like the new pieces more than I do. And if not, you'll have the original album for free.

Steve Lacy - Stamps (Hat Hut). Still not on CD, I think. Milt Jackson - Bags and Flutes (Atlantic stereo). First hearing of this in probably over 20 years. The first wife was a flute aficionado and a Milt Jackson fan, and had this one. I recently found a nice copy.

1959, I thought. And I almost didn't reply to this thread because I knew I would forget someone major. And I did. Herbie Nichols on Blue Note!

I'm with HutchFan on Bud, Monk, and Bill Evans' Portrait - the Evans I turn to most often. In addition: The Elmo Hope Trio on Contemporary; Dick Twardzik on Pacific Jazz; The Cecil Taylor Trio with Buell Neidlinger and Dennis Charles - they are the ensemble for half of Jazz Advance and half of Love For Sale; And the Art Tatum Trio with Red Callender and Jo Jones - some of my favorite Tatum. Jo Jones played with an authority that seemed to make Tatum realize that life real; life is earnest. There's lots more I like (such as George Wallington), but I wouldn't want to be without any of the above. Later: I see that Larry already mentioned Twardzik. The Horace Silver trios would be high on my list, too.

Anthony Braxton - 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006 (Firehouse 12). Disc 8: Composition 357. I've always wanted to "understand" this music, and I've listened to it kind of analytically - figuring out what's composed and what's improvised, what material is interpolated from other compositions, who's soloing or duetting, etc. Tonight I didn't even crack open the booklet to remind my self of who is in the ensemble - I just let the music wash over me. It was pretty amazing.

Years ago, a friend told me that he had a dream about my record collection. In the dream, I had three copies of every record: one to play, one to read the liner notes, and one to just stay on the shelf.

Never an easy thing. Condolences.

Bachelor time, and blues time: Jim Jackson, Kansas City Blues, parts 1 & 2 (Vocalion, 1927) Tommy McClennon - She's Just Good Huggin' Size/My Little Girl (Bluebird, 1940) Tony Hollins - Fishin' Blues/I'll Get a Break (Decca, 1953) John Lee Hooker - Hug and Squeeze/The Syndicator (Modern, 1955) John Lee Hooker - Looking for a Woman/I'm Ready (Modern, 1955) Elmore James - I Believe My Time Ain't Long (aka Dust My Broom) /Bobo Thomas - I Wish I Was a Catfish (aka Catfish Blues) (Ace, 1951 - licensed from Trumpet) Willie Love - Shady Lane Blues/21 Minutes to Nine (Trumpet, 1951) Sonny Boy Williamson - Your Imagination/Let Me Explain (Checker, 1956) Billy Boy (Arnold) - I Ain't Got You/Don't Stay Out All Night (Vee-Jay, 1955) Billy Boy - I Wish You Would/I Was Fooled (Vee-Jay, 1955) Lowell Fulson - Trouble Blues/I Want to See My Baby (Big Town, 1947) Lowell Fulson - I've Been Mistreated/Juke Box Shuffle (Swing Time, 1953) JImmy Rogers - Walking By Myself/If It Ain't Me (Chess, 1956). Big Walter Horton on harp - some of his best work. Memphis Slim - My Country Girl/Treat Me Like I Treat You (Money, 1954) Little Walter - You're So Fine/Lights Out (Checker, 1953) Little Walter - Tell Me Mama/Off the Wall (Checker, 1953) Little Walter - I Got to Go/Roller Coaster (Checker, 1955) Bo Diddley is on guitar. Jimmy Reed - You Got Me Dizzy/Honey, Don't Let Me Go (Vee-Jay, 1956) Jimmy Reed - I Don't Go For That/She Don't Want Me No More (Vee-Jay, 1955) Clarence Garlow - Blues As You Like It/She's So Fine (Macy's, 1949) Billy Stewart - Billy's Blues, parts 1& 2 (Argo, 1956). Bo Diddley is again on guitar - maybe. Unless he's not - sources disagree. Roscoe Gordon - Booted/Cold, Cold Winter (RPM, 1952) Eddie Bo - I Cry Oh/My Heart Was Meant For You (Apollo, 1956) Earl King - Those Lonely Lonely Nights/Baby You Can Get Your Gun (Ace, 1955)

Again. This is truly beautiful music.

Not a "great" album, but it's enlightening to hear Nichols in this context.

A bunch of Mitchell's Christian Singers, my favorite gospel group. This was inspired by the mailman bringing me "Standing By the Bedside"/"What Kind of Shoes Do the Angels Wear" on Conqueror. It looks about V, but plays V++. I have the same pairing on Perfect (G-) and Oriole (F), so this is a big improvement.

great band. Does it fulfill it's promise? Very much so - top-notch band that blends well, playing excellent compositions (five by Workman; one by Crispell). I was going to say that I particularly enjoyed Crispell's playing, but that's not fair, because everyone is great. This was apparently reissued on CD with one more track and a different running order (I assume to restore the original playing order of this live date), but I'm more that satisfied with my very quiet, well-pressed vinyl copy.

The Sunny Meadows Radio Show - 1929 (Sunbeam). An extremely interesting collection of very early radio transcription discs - in this case the "Sunny Meadows" show sponsored by Meadows Manufacturing, a company that made washing machines. Side one features Ray Miller's hot band, with Muggsy Spanier featured pretty extensively. The liner notes imply that this side reproduces one complete show, which it doesn't. The notes also claim that Miller's guitarist, who plays one single-string solo, is Eddie Lang, which is definitely not the case. Side two, featuring a pseudonymous band calling themselves the the Dixie Two-Steppers, is less enchanting. Again, the notes imply that this is a variation or sub-group of the Ray Miller orchestra, but I seriously doubt it. Next time I take this one off the shelf, I'll try to remember to just play side one.

Reggie Workman - Synthesis (Leo)

Knocky Parker and his Backwoods Boys (Audiophile). An enjoyable, pretty lightweight LP from 1964. The interesting personnel includes both New Orleans clarinetist Raymond Burke and 23-year-old Delbert McClinton on harmonica - his first recording session, I think. As usual with Ewing Nunn's Audiophile label, the sound is excellent.

Paul Bryant - Something's Happening (Fantasy mono)

Charlie Haden / Paul Motian / Geri Allen - Etudes (Soul Note). Gorgeous!