mikeweil

I just learned that Brazilian trombonist Raul de Souza passed away in Paris, where he was living for many years, on June 13, 2021, at age 86. His latest album was released only a few months ago: https://rauldesouza.net

Today's package:

I am working on an update of the disco including the Wes Montgomery sessions with Rhyne and some videos made in his later years. Stay tuned.

It's now on my desktop screen.

That donate button simply accepts dollars only, and no cents!

So many writers let their tastes dominate their judgements. I think one should try to avoid any evaluations as far as possible when writing about music. A writer's yardstick should be what the musician tried to achieve, and to see if he did succeed. That is hard, but pays respect. In the case of that "maligned" statement about Hawes, he should have done his homework. Hawes played and recorded with bebop pioneers as early as 1947. He and Silver shared many inspirations and each went their way from that. But who could say one was better than the other?

I looked further into this and remembered that Dave Mackay and Vicky Hamilton first recorded "Here" and "Now" on April 1, 1968 for Albert Marx productions. A total of four tracks, which remained unissued until 1983, when they were included on this LP: Maybe this was a demo, maybe a first session for an album that was never completed - three of the tunes were included on the first Impulse LP of the duo. But since this stuff in 5/4 (or Tom Scott's tune in 7/4) needs some practicing, they might have played them in public, or the demo was passed around. That's how Tjader and others may have learned about it. Dave Mackay was in the Hindustani Jazz Sextet with Don Ellis, and a member of his octet and big band, recording on the two Pacific Jazz LPs and the "Pieces of Eight" album that was released posthumously. Hank Levy wrote "Alone" for the Don Ellis big band which basically is a jequibau. and when you slow down two other Mackay/Hamilton tunes, "Pek-A-Boo" and "Jacque The Junkman", they are jequibaus as well. The guys that studied with Hari Har Rao at the UCLA all were interested in these "new time signatures", and played 5/4 very differently from Brubeck/Desmond (well. that was California, too, and a Darius Milhaud influence): Ellis, Emil Richards, Mackay, Tom Scott ...... Some Brazilians experimented in that direction, too, another gang-type thing: Moacir Santos, Airto, Hermeto Pascoal, Egberto Gismonti ....... I love all these things! Much more interesting grooves than the omnipresent "Take Five" groove everybody knows.

FWIW, i recommend this well researched biography for all things Guaraldi:

Finally got a copy of the Japanese CD reissue for a decent price. I wanted to hear this for more than 30 years! A very good album, very underrated, a bit like a modernized version of Jackie and Roy. Both Mackay and Vicky Hamilton (who died from leukemia a year after this was recorded) turn in some good vocals.

It was pre 1969 session tapes that wete stored in the warehouse that was destroyed.

But does it include a pdf of the booklet?

This afternoon:

I'm on a Quinichette kick lately. Of the three Basie tributes he recorded in the late Fifties, this one seems the best to me: Great recorded sound by Tom Nola, much better than the two for Prestige Van Gelder engineered. Lots of dynamics. Nola catches the punch of the four trumpets so well. Jo Jones' drums sounds great here, too.

Earlier today in the car: https://www.discogs.com/Paul-Quinichette-The-Kid-From-Denver-Complete-Dawn-Sessions/release/8013418