thedwork

Sweeeeet!!! thanks for posting this lazaro. i will hopefully have time to sit and listen to this sometime within the next week...

yeah. just watched the trailer again. certainly an ace cast: denzel, torturro, gandolfino, guzman, etc... but the trailer makes me think that the film will consist of relatively predictable cliche after cliche after cliche... and tony scott's track record as a director isn't giving me any more faith. pretty much an excercise in mediocrity if you ask me. we'll see. could still be a bit of fun i guess

i saw the trailer a while back and it made me wince. it looked embarrassingly awful. but sometimes trailers can give a wrong impression. and of course Denzel is certainly the man. haven't seen 'the original.' i'll have to go youtube the trailer now and refresh my memory...

well... that sounds phenomenally interesting. i've heard much about Merton and have read snippets. what's the name of this book and would you think it an ok book for my 1st Merton? What I'm reading are the private journals (there are seven volumes) of Thomas Merton that he kept before and after he entered the Trappist monastery in Kentucky, and what you quoted are my thoughts for Volume Three. After Merton died, it was his expressed command in his will that these journals not be published until 25 years after his death. I can see why, a lot of forth-right comments about the situation and monks in Gethsemani Abby, where he spent most of his adult life. There is a lot of "inside" stuff about religious life and practices, and it is easy, if you don't have a good grasp of the context, to get lost. A good first book is either The Seven Story Mountain, which is Merton's autobiography of his life, of his conversion to Catholicism, and his entery into Gethsemani Abby a mere two/three years after his conversion. It is an interesting read, but as Merton himself acknowledges, a good bit of sanctimonious writing at times. It's a good book none the less. If you're interested in Merton's religious side, The Sign of Jonas is a very good start. This book takes you from Merton's study for the priesthood, to after ordination. Merton also struggles with a number personel and religious issues in this book. It is in a journal format, an easy read, but insightful at the same time. In fact, as I'm typing this, The Sign of Jonas might be the best way to be introduced to Merton, and after this, Seven Story Mountain as a way to get the basic outline of his life. Though, I must admit, the journals are very good, and if you like more immediate writing, and do not mind "monastic gossip," they are well worth reading. I keep on going back and forth on Merton, I've read him for a long time, and he was the one writer I read the most before my own conversion to Catholicism. I thought I had left him for good, but now, after many years, he coming back into my life. Strange, really, how that happens.... I can go on a whole lot more on Merton, but I better stop now, and in fact, I'm not sure I even answered your question! thanks for the reply matthew. though i've got a ton of reading/listening/writing on my plate at the moment, i'm hoping to get to some Merton in the next couple months. probably that Sign Of Jonas you've suggested. thanks again...

Hey Mike. The disc arrived today! Just got home from work and I’m sitting down to check it out: Disc 1 1. Digging it. Killer guitarist and band in general. No guesses on players. 2. Deep groove. Great sound on this organ. And I love the way the sax just comes in screamin’ at the opening of the solo. Heavyweight champion tone. Nice track. 3. This is the 1st track where the organist sounds familiar to me. Dr. Smith? No idea what tune it is. And it’s definitely not Bernstein on guitar (he plays w/ Smith a lot). But I don’t know who it could be. There’s a lot of grant green in his/her playing but I don’t think it’s him… 4. Not pulling me in. 5. This one’s leaving me cold. 6. Riff baby! Another killer guitar player. You’re schoolin’ me man. I should know some of these guys I bet. Beautiful playing all ‘round. But I gotta say that tonic pedal the organist used for the last couple choruses for his solo ruined it for me. Just doesn’t work. Maybe if he’d played it an octave down? Or up? Oh well… 7. I like the meter changes. burning playing. I’m guessing Joey D. Having a lot of fun w/ this disc so far. 8. Love the sound, but didn’t particularly dig the melody. But the blowing is real nice. Disc 2 1. Sounds like they’re goofin’ on “Woody ‘N You” for the head. This guitarist reminds me of jesse van ruller. I’m gonna guess it’s him. Great playing. Killer band but no guesses on the other players. 2. This track doesn’t grab me. Feels like going through the motions to me. Oh well. I’ll guess that the sax player is Mintzer. the guitarist reminds me of Abercrombie but I don’t think it’s him. 3. Bernstein is the man! Dr. Smith? 4. Sounds an awful lot like MMW. I’m gonna guess that it’s them, though I don’t recognize the track and it‘s a bit tame compared to what I associate with them. Great band, nice track. 5. This alto player is burning. Herring? I really like the whole vibe of this track. They’re diggin’ in. Mike LeDonne on organ? Like a track on the last BFT, I’m thinking this is Stewart on drums but may be confusing him w/ that other drummer from ny that has that “III” in his name. don’t know… 6. Bernstein is the man! Totally digging this tenor player. Sounds like a young modern player like a McCaslin, Cheek, or someone but I can’t place it. 7. “Temoin” by Brad Shepik Trio from Places You Go. Gary Versace on organ and Tom Rainey on drums. Good record but Lingua Franca is still my favorite from Shepik. I interviewed Shepik for this release Here 8. “Embraceable You.” this is great and a beautiful “set closer” for the disc. Listening to it reminds me of staying ‘til close at Smoke on a slow night in the upper west side. Great playing by both guys. Fun BFT. It’s a little late where I’m at and I went through and wrote these 1st impressions pretty quick one time through. Time to check in and see what else has been said. Thanks so much for sending it out Mike!!!

ok. here goes and i promise i'll never do this again: sometimes i see no connection whatsoever to the post someone is responding to. i promise to never mention that again. but seriously - wtf? sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry. yeah, i know: i'm uptight. got it. back to your regularly scheduled programming of occasionally somewhat related names or random nothingness...

well... that sounds phenomenally interesting. i've heard much about Merton and have read snippets. what's the name of this book and would you think it an ok book for my 1st Merton? i'm reading this right now: great long form music writing. finished the pieces on Dock Boggs, Phil Ochs, and Jason And The Nashville Scorchers. but what i was persoanally most interested in was the piece on Chris Thile. that guy is scary. been listening to his duets record w/ Edgar Meyer. they're both aliens. excellent writing in this 'bookazine.' it's a real pleasure. and i'm also reading this right now ('bout a 1/3 of the way through): great, in-depth interviews w/ fascinating artists: joey baron, tim berne, peter brotzmann, jack jack dejohnette, hamid drake, ken vandemark, bill frisell, greg osby, susie ibarra, etc... great book. so far i'm enjoying it much more than a book i finished a couple weeks ago: for me, not as exciting or illuminating as the Peterson book somehow. oh well...

Joe McPhee Gary Macfarland Jack McCoy

Sister Helen Prejean Sean Penn Harvey Milk

lots of very good music here and more than a couple surprises for me. some new stuff i'm glad i've got in my head a bit. but the Perry Robinson 4 is something that i'm gonna absolutely gonna go find. beautiful. it would seem to someone who doesn't know me that, since it's the 'straightest' thing on your BFT, that that's the stuff i generally like. not really the case. this one cut just really sits well in my ear. thanks bill!

Dear Abbey Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Rudy Giuliani

agreed. at the gigs/jams i used to frequent, it was just as likely (if not more so) to hear "Giant Steps," "Witch Hunt," "In Walked Bud," or "Blue In Green" called out as any on the above list. but like i said before, it's all good. the more tunes you know the better of course. and after you get down what you need to know for whatever gigs you may have (god bless you if you've got 'em...), learn what you love. i think anyone trying to be a gigging musician should have two separate lists that need to be practiced/learned: 1. Tunes for the gig. 2. Tunes you absolutely love. when the two lists are the same, you know you've made it into heaven.

it's a good list hardbop. but, at the risk of stating the obvious, unless you're going strictly by the number of times a tune has been recorded, the list will most likely vary a good deal depending on region, and more importantly what instruments are on the gig/jam/whatever. most notably whether there is a singer involved. you could probably come up w/ another two or three lists just like this one w/ tunes that just as (or quite close to) valid. but certainly a good list you've got there! "The Man I Love" is the only one on your list that i haven't played on a gig. but i definitely wouldn't kick it off. nothing whatsoever to object to

awesome! looking forward to it...

"Let's go run and see..."

How many BFTs does it take to change a light bulb?

drum roll please... Oh, I'm sorry. The answer is Cleveland.

agreed. i generally don't think "avant-garde" when i think of Herwig. he stretches for sure, but i think of him as a relatively straight-ahead player: time, tone, licks, changes, etc... i have his With Every Breath record. killer. i do have his duets w/ Beirach. now that's something i could think of as avantgarde. but it's the only thing i know of by him that's like that. maybe i haven't been keeping up on him enough... edit: hey - wait a minute! there was some Herwig on this BFT?! i gotta go back and check the answers...

PM me your street adress and your wish is my command! you've got mail!

ditto for me on everything above! looking forward to it. the stuff i've got set aside for my upcoming BFT doesn't really have a theme. maybe i should try to come up w/ one... or not (i figured out how to get the quotes to automatically space out like above. yea!!!)

i'm in. and as usual, i'd like a 'hard copy' cd if possible.

I've never noticed this much Keith in Hays's playing either. Maybe he was listening to a lot of Keith that week? What I love about Hays is the way he just makes everybody he plays with sound better without an excess of flash. Having a feel that perfect is really underappreciated. yup. question for anyone who still frequents Smalls. i haven't been there since i lived in the city around 2002-2003. this piano sounds pretty decent. when i was going there the piano seemed to have a different sound. different as in not as nice, out of tune, cool that it had some game to it, but still kinda hurtin' just the same. did they get a new piano?

cool Jim. thanks for the rec. i'll be checking it out. and that's cool that Kevin may post here occasionally. i'd assume that anyone who can play piano the way he does would also be able to write some worthwhile posts! but that's never a lock...

well... i just got finished listening to this gig: Kevin Hays Trio!!! just remarkable. i'm kinda freaked out right now. like i stumbled on a new element or something. haven't felt as excited about checking out someone's work since i got hooked on Rosenwinkel many years ago. i'll be buying as much Kevin Hays as i can afford (not much ) in the context of this Smalls date, the Jarrett influence is rather obvious but not overpowering or obsequious. and for me he's got something else going on that draws me in even more (the band! but something else beyond words also...). he also reminds me a bit of Richie Beirach in that he seems to have a lot of modern classical harmonic references in his playing. this music strikes me as very very deep. the 1st tune in the 1st set is Parker's "Cheryl" and they absolutely kill. masterful blues deconstruction. this blues and the couple of standards they play are like Hays's own personal magic hats and he's got an endless supply of rabbits he can pull out of them at a moment's notice. i can't place what the 4th tune in the 1st set is. if anyone can tell me what it is it'd be much appreciated. i feel that it's on the tip of my mind but can't pin it down. and the "Days Of Wine And Roses" that ends the 2nd set is wonderful. for those preferring a visual to accompany the sound, here's the clip that first made me sit up and say, "Whoa. this Hays is worth spending time on getting to know.": Hays W/ Potter Quartet this clip is definitely burning but the Smalls set is really something else. don't miss it. thanks again to whoever started this thread!!!