MomsMobley

apologies for earlier typos. two things got me started again on Rouse-- 1) "Think of One" master + alt w/ J. Watkins, S. Rollins, P. Heath, W. Jones 2) "Monk In Tokyo" mind you, i have had all Columbia Monk for decades and though I liked much of it, as soon as I could listen critically I realized Rouse was... off? The more you listen, however, the more you realize he kinda sucks. More than kinda, in fact, given the context: he does NOTHING but stir the air with "Monk-ish" muzak and there is NO worse contemporary "interpreter" (a word that gives Rouse too much credit) of TSM. (I once heard Wynton's Monk "tribute" in a record store and until an intellectual nullity like Joe Lovano or an insipid whore like Bill Frisell get to it, it remains "non-pareil.") THAT-- yes, Monk himself comes in swinging hard is true-- if you make it that far! AND-- what other choice did he have? Rouse kills-- deadens that is, puts to sleep-- EVERY solo, EVERY song. In that sense Monk is doubly shrewd-- not only is Rouse "reliable" (important) but he makes everyone sound better by lowering the overall standard at a time when the boss' interest in his own work was flagging. And yes, EVERYONE should grow up already and admit that in this case, hep consensus was correct and 95% of the Columbia material represents a diminution of Monk's powers and that, if Charlie Rouse never existed, our common adulation of Monk would remain as great. As it stands, nearly the only later Monk I can stand is solo or big band. Renaissance for a Record Industry: instead of "extended" versions of "It Club," "Jazz Workshop" etc how about CONDENSED editions-- Music Minus One, the absent one being the futile finger flapper with the insufferable tone... Rouse.

Rouse is hack-- a moderately "talented," if that, "pro" who made the gigs. Big deal. A comprehensive list of inspired Rouse solos with Monk follows: _______________ _______________ _______________ etc etc The guy was a zero (rhymes with NULLITY, not little rooty tooty or jackie-ing) and the fact that was can all name 4-5-6-7 others who rocked Monk hard(er) is evidence, as well as numerous non-Monk covers where, if one does miss the pianist some, NOBODY misses... Charlie Rouse? Please. There is NO-- repeat NO-- Monk session elevated by Rouse's presence; no solo that enriches the composition, etc. I dare anyone listen to "Monk In Tokyo," to name one of way too many time-killing dates and explain what the fuck Rouse was doing besides filling space before they could all get paid? That Rouse is such an exemplar (if not archetype) of the well-meaning jazz blowhard that's effectively killed the genre both mainstream is eloquent testimony of self-obsolescence and that's about it. Charlie Rouse: the 434th most interesting black tenor player of the years 1956-1968? Top 1000 counting all ethnicities/genres? Even ** that ** might be generous. That the Uptown records are listenable have to do with the groups not Rouse and I'll take ** every ** Ira Sullivan record of any Charlie Rouse.

p/s-- maddeningly expensive but excellent-- that Max Harrison on the genius of Rachmaninoff-- use inter-library loan, it's slow sometimes but works-- The pb, like most Brit paper, is pretty cheap-ass, making the premium price especially galling; publishers were dipshits, they'd have sold at least THREE times the # at half the price and presumably made more money; I was lucky enough to find a copy with cover crease for $20 but I'd much prefer the hardcover. http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff-Works-Recordings-Max-Harrison/dp/0826493122

right, Lebrecht's flogging dead horse because that's what he knows and that's what people recognize; also there are (were) stories there... what's he gonna write about the REAL major-in-efftect, Naxos? but the vast majority of their artists get only self-serve publicity, beyond the cd being made and in the few stores in the U.S. that still stock them. as memory of how things were, here's a hep Complete Faure Chamber w/ Strings set on Virgin-- don't have it yet but all involved are hep elsewhere, Brahms esp. http://www.amazon.com/Faure-Complete-Chamber-Music-Strings/dp/B0057JWUVG classical music in America is stronger than retail profile suggests, alas because look at all the university music programs (not just elite music schools) where people attend concerts, probably support their probably lame NPR station (NPR itself is despicable, as is most classical programming on local stations, but something like "Performance Today" is nice), etc-- the vast majority of those people have to go mail order only now, nothing even worth browsing at Barnes & Noble unless you need a pilates ball or some shit.

]Mandrill & Lebrecht are both correct-- Lebrecht (in his regular columns) mostly followed the major label classical racket, which today is nearly fucking irrelevant, with the exception big box reissues, a few star turns and a genuinely excellent artist from the tail end of the era, Hillary Hahn. (Someone like Murray Perahia is an abomination, despite making a few records which didn't stink.) French-based EMI/Virgin might be the last 'major' doing anything valuable on a regular basis-- alas! Especially because I want Chabrier "Le Roi Malgre Lui" on cd. Oh, the labial majors-- in conjunction with Euro tv-- do valuable work with opera dvd but that's a rich pill to swallow and motherfucking netflix stopped (or nearly so) acquiring opera and most other classical DVDs years ago, the jerks. That said, as regular reader of "Repertoire" (RIP), "Classica," and "Diapason," with the exception of Harmonia Mundi, those are all VERY small businesses-- CPO, which I revere in dozens of ways (JC Bach, Herzogenberg, Hindemith, Milhaud, Pfitzner, Reger, Telemann, Toch, Villa Lobos etc etc) is subsidized by their retail side-- much like Bear Family. MMMMmmm, add Hyperion and BIS the very important indies but how many cds a year does Alia Vox release? Goldberg mag went under though that might have had as much to do unsustainable production costs as lack of interest. Ophelie Gaillaird's Bach is superb, good call. And you might be the first person to mention Blandine Rannou here though I hope that's not the case.

and in Aug-Sep 1961, there was Kid Howard "La Vida Band" (AMCD 54)-- http://www.amazon.com/Vida-Band-Kid-Howard/dp/B00005YOAL Israel Gorman (cl), Eddie Somers (tb), Emmuel Sayles or Homer Eugene (bj), Louis James (bs), Eddie Sommers (tb). Your Moms will personally buy it back (for $5-6) from anyone dissatisfied with this astonishing release. (note bizarre error in Amazon listing above though WARNING is right; you might not ever tolerate jive 'avant' splatting again]

Lebrecht is fine and necessary if not always 100% inspired-- but if you're Brit 1) I'm sorry you have to claim goddamn Paul McCartney as your own (not just insipid pop 'legend' but a classical "composer" too!) and 2) you know the wages of Limey journalists and their tendency, among the talented, towards high level hackwork. Lebrecht's biz writing is better than his musicology... I've not read the book you mention-- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maestros-Masterpieces-Madness-Shameful-Classical/dp/0141028513 but if you dig it 1) check his sources and 2) read ** EVERYTHING ** by Nicolas Slonimsky and ** NOTHING ** by scumbags like Richard Taruskin and his ilk. I'd ignore glib hack Alex Ross too and gobble instead any/all Ernest Newman. however "old-fashioned." Don't forget Berlioz and Debussy either. Use the library for academic/specialist press monographs of what you're interested. Oh, Harold Schonberg makes some riotous fuck-ups but his books are mostly still worth reading for base-line view of American classical establishment. Read everything by Virgil Thomson also, even the "wrong" parts. Also, if you read German or French semi-decently, your musical life will be greatly enriched. Of musicological types, Paul Griffiths is very good, as are Peter Yates' two books--

For $20 it's worth having, maybe, but not much more-- Casals is vastly overrated, more important historically than musically though the Bach gave some a baseline to work from-- the further the better in most cases though sure, there are some brain dead 'virtuosos' who've proved it otherwise. Casals/Thibaud/Cortot is more interesting and not for the cellist. GREAT GREAT bargain-- Victoria box cond. Michael Noone (hero of x # of Guerrero recordings), Americans should get it from .co.uk, more revelatory, brilliant music/performances than every non-Nessa "jazz"/Mosaic Lunceford reissue of the past year-- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Victoria-Sacred-Ensemble-Plus-Ultra/dp/B0050F6JQE/

On a heavy Punch Miller revival, "Delegates of Pleasure" (AMCD 57) from Aug-Sep '62 gets ****** six stars, with Gorman (clt), Warner (tbn), Guesnon (bj), Tillman (bs), ALEX Bigard (dr). Worth it for a goddamn crazed "Gate's Blues" alone. http://www.amazon.com/Delegates-Pleasure-Punch-Miller/dp/B00004T1YT

Read the book-- the author is very clear about its contemporary existence; the book isn't about that, however-- it's about the ** business ** and culture of black road music from the early swing era (inc. terrible Natchez fire that killed Walter Barnes)* invention of hte circuit through electric r&b '60s or so, though picking up stories of folks who were on the circuit and are still around. WSJ writer Eddie Dean is, at best, a well-intentioned schmoe; some people have very sound arguments for thinking he's at least part schmuck too, see esp. some of the crap he let Ralph Stanley get away with in Stanley's "as told to" autobiography. Folks who think Stanley is just some cuddly old coot who's gonna die on the road like the gods Willie and B.B. (a big character in Lauterbach) are sorely mistaken. That "Chitlin'" was published by Norton and not 'just' some university press is both deserved and heartening; the only major gripe is it could have been longer, even sticking to the south. That x generations of frauds writing about "rock" and "blues" and "soul" have been allowed to get away with straight bullshitting is evidence of both Yankee ignorance (including Californian) and more trickster evasions, diversions-- the latter of which which I approve of. The book is better than ALL the reviews I've seen; shows again what a po' faced trudger Peter Guralnick and though there's an argument that says Guralnick has gotten some decent interviews because of that doesn't make his books any more 'insightful' (there insights are modest at best) or poetic (which they ain't at all). http://www.amazon.com/Chitlin-Circuit-Road-Rock-Roll/dp/0393076520/ * Howlin' Wolf The Natchez Burn

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Dal, please! And notice even JBaseball did NOT defend your absurd assertions about the Beach Boys as a band/business, nor your completely and factually wrong interpretation of their music. Again, what are your sources for these statements? There's a not inconsiderable body of non-just-journalism on the BBs since David Leaf's book-- tho' of course contemporary journalism is important too, even if-- or especially-- it contradicts the fantasy world of non-understanding + strong opinion you seem to cherish. As for the Beatles "White Album," that's just laughable but yeah I guess when you're a kid, and you've heard maybe even DOZENS of albums in two-three of genres, it might really trip you up. As an ** ADULT **, with all the combined resources of all Texas public and university library systems at your disposal, your limited cultural/historical reference is truly astonishing. You can like what you like, nobody cares, but to pretend your inherited prejudices are HISTORY is ludicrous. I know people who've written/published/are recognized as the authors of highly acclaimed books of Beatles history/criticism and even ** THEY ** wouldn't lean back in self-satisfied surety and call "The White Album" a great work of ART; like if that's great art, what the heck was Charles Dickens or Arthur Waley? Basho or Lady Murisaki? Machaut or Brahms? Aeschylus or Schiller? Wagner or Webern? Charles Ives or George & Ira Gershwin? Emily Dickinson? Frederick Douglass (as writer, not 'just' activist)? Jimmie RoDgers, country? Jimmie RoGers, blues? etc. Totally, totally unnecessary. Always appreciate someone covering my back. Moms/Clem/whoeverthehellyouarethistime, save your bloviating and your feigning me with damned praise. YOU are incorrect, if not incoherent. And yeah, I think the White Album is a great work of art. So what? It's a testament to your own small worldview that you can't accept people who dare have an opinion different from your own.

And your ten favorite Schubert compositions are? You have zero credibility as a musicologist or cracker ass cracker barrel ethicist until you up your history game considerably. But hey, tell us something about baseball, since that-- not musicology-- seems to be a more genuine passion. TTK-- there ** are ** surprises and if the box isn't everything possible... we couldn't keep up with that, and ALL the variants & (subjective) edits... in time i'm sure we'll get a concordance of some kind (I ** think ** I hear a few new old lyrics but...)

1) you won't regret it 2) Big Al is a big guy, he can take sharp statement. Name me your ten favorite Schubert compositions and then let's talk about how "incredible" "The White Album" is-- or ** any ** Elvis Costello. Elvis C. is a dude who truly loves music-- not something that can be said for many pop stars, true-- but Elvis Aaron Presley-- and the composer of "Moses Und Aron" was the gifted one. (Schoenberg was very hard worker too, which is the best that can be said for Elvis C. lyricist or-- ooof, really?-- 'composer.') Besides showtunes (and jazz versions thereof), I grew up on Carl Perkins on one side, the Platters and Bacharach-David via Gene Pitney on the other; explain to me what I needed the Beatles for, ever, except to imagine Dennis Wilson balls deep in Charlie's girls? I gave up Buck Ram for Bobby Bland and never looked back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjiSevkuKYY

which box, you mean disc five of the box set or some underground comp of sessions? either way, i'll tell you this DESTROYS every extant reconstruction and i've had plenty-- most impressive being a three-lp "Smile" set on green vinyl with poster from late '80s. i don't buy into any of the 'purple chick' crap, which is worth about what you pay for it... you likely know the most of the endless BBs sessions tapes right? i'm ALMOST sure there's yet stuff here you haven't heard and not in this sound quality... ... if i had to choose, i'd say you'll find more-- MUCH more-- of interest, of startling invention in the big "Smile" box than in the Miles bootleg which-- face it-- isn't all that special, just five dudes doing the pretty much the same thing you knew they did elsewhere at a fairly high but not staggering level. but, as you know, BW was pushing everyone way beyond mere "execution"... you're correct, btw, the transitions etc in the myriad reconstructions just don't make it. this isn't ENTIRELY pure of post-'67 editing but I'll eat your copy of David Leaf if can't dig it.

This is incorrect, save your own preference, with which I strongly disagree, especially if you think the "White Album" is an "incredible work of art." Really? Really? I pity you your very small world but otherwise, in the history of western art music, that's an asinine statement.(But wait, wait, lemme turn my back so you can tell us what an "incredible" work of art some goddamn Elvis Costello or REM album is while I guard my classical, jazz, blues, c&w, vaudeville, ethnic, "blue," Broadway show etc records from your mitts once "Big Al" gets hungry for genuine musical nourishment, which I hope for your sake happens soon... ... BW "Smile" is okay but soft; his voice is half-shot even with studio trickery (more saddening than 'moving') and the harmonies adequate. As far as simulacras go it's fine, glad it exists-- -- but it's not a goddamn patch on the original BAND, whose abilities and working relationship(s) you evince precious little understanding of. Care to source your statements "it's no secret that nobody was on Brian's side during the original sessions"? Nobody's a big word pardner. This statement too is utterly fallacious (and don't try to fellate yourself, Big Guy, it's easy to hurt your back)-- "the Beach Boys as a unit stood for everything this album isn't: sunny, simple, direct pop music." You ever listen to "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)"? Do you think "That's Not Me" is fucking party music? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYJJHSk0bnA

This is correct, Beach Boys "In Concert" is a fine document of a great band, tho' it misses "Okie From Muskogee," which I saw 'em do in '71 both at Fillmore East-- with ladies & gentleman the Grateful Dead!!-- and at Central Park-- "is that a request or a demostration?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRyD-biu7mQ also, of course, >>>>>> the combined careers of Eric Clapton, Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, Sabir Mateen-- You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone Listened to a lot of Beach Boys today. After a relisten (first time in many years) I agree on 'Friends', to me it is the best of their post-Pet Sounds albums by a good distance, truly charming. I also enjoyed parts of '20/20' quite a bit (realize it is a collection of scraps, not a proper album) and Wild Honey held up well for me. 'Sunflower', on the other hand, has not held up at all for me, just sounds fussy and troubled and weird, in the same way that so much of 'Smiley Smile' was so bizarre sounding. The "Surf's Up" album hasn't held up either for the same reasons, but the title cut and "Til I Die" are gorgeous (if inscrutable lyrically), and I got a retro kick out of silly old "Student Demonstration Time". I'll go through the rest of the early 70's stuff on Monday, but don't expect a lot of revelations after the letdown of 'Sunflower'/"Surf's Up" (though it will be good to hear "Sail On Sailor"). 'Holland' is where I get off the train, I never cared for 'The Beach Boys Love You', and have never known anyone to care for any of the other later albums (featuring Mike Love,mystical musical genius). Everything from Smiley Smile to Holland has 2-4 good to great tracks. Lots of stuff not so great also. I love Surfs Up though for Long Promised Road, Feel Flows and the great tile track. Even Holland has Sail on Sailer and Trader. I probably like 20/20 the best which has the two great Smile tracks in Our Prayer and Cabinessence. Finished relistening to the early 70's stuff. The live album from '72 was really good, best of their live recordings I think. The rest, as you said, had the occasional standout song amidst a bunch of gloop. I actually sort of liked 'Holland' OK, not sure why it has such a bad rep compared to the previous albums. I thought the production on it sounded good. But I think I basically get off the train after 'Friends' and '20/20', the end of their Capitol/60's era. I do see myself revisiting those two titles a good bit.

I used to pay lip service to Mateen (saw him lots of '90s) et al and while he has a variety of moves (thus my Bill Perkins reference), none of 'em are particularly inspired. In a different era he'd be a respectable section player; as it stands, it leaves you wondering: we know nobody's buying this jizz (funniest recent earnest-if-misguided Organisssimo Q I recall: is somebody bootlegging Brotzmann records, like that's a way to make $$$!), which is fine, but given that you then have Total Freedom... what has he done with it? I can appreciate, sorta, if people like his post-Ayler (via Bob Cooper) shuck the way I enjoy Terry Waldo but there's not much to it-- indeed, I'd argue there's more to what someone like Waldo uncovers, let alone the level of compositional/timbral invention on the Smile Sessions box. I should clarify that I have the highest regard for Anthony Braxton, just that few of his own tribute records are a patch on his best originals. I did like the Monk album on Black Saint at the time. Add Roscoe Mitchell to the list of important jazz composers too, btw. I'm with you on knocking "A Love Supreme" down a notch compared to "Crescent" or "Sun Ship" but "Ascension" is the sound of too many dudes trying way to hard to keep up and not knowing how. The struggle is there but it's not actually interesting.

Leeway-- oh the 'importance,' in its time of 'Ascension' is obvious but thebeyond that gesture, the music ain't so hot-- Hubbard is brilliant ** elsewhere **; Marion and Archie are blathering (though capable of making decent albums elsehwere, though neither are top shelf soloists, etc), Tchicai is like a better James Spaulding but not better enough etc. re: Kenton, it's hard to top Galt Macdermot but at least Carmichael gives it a try. Kenton plays "West Side Story" >>>>> "Ascension," let alone "City of Glass." Barney Kessel "Some Like It Hot" >>>>> "Ascension." Sabir Mateen is couldn't hang then and he only gets lip service now because he has an 'authentic' name, and a lack of competition within his micro-niche. Listen to a half-dozen Teddy Edwards or Bill Perkins records and tell me different.

if this is what "jazz" has come to, it deserves to DIE-- nay, it should be put down like a lame animal. "Ascension" is a LOUSY composition; the original is more annoying than transcdenent-- WTF could insipid Joe Lovan's version ** possibly ** tell anyone? Except that they were chumps who should have been anywhere else that night. Also, while LvB 5 has probably been viewed from as many angles as necessary at this point, there are VAST plains of classical composition that deserve far wider exposure than nearly all jazz compositions ever, with the usual exceptions: Morton, Duke, Mingus, Braxton, etc. (but ** NOT ** Tony's mostly lousy 'standards' albums) (The Bird one esp. sucked). 99 of 100 Monk covers should not exist-- the 1% is lucky Charlie Rouse was half-lame. Exception: virtuosic trad musicians >>>>>> the careers of these "Ascension"-ites combined (including go-nowhere Sabir Mateen), i.e. Vince Giordano is brilliant, likewise lotsa Randy Sandke projects.

its ** intended ** title, The Gentle HAM of the Bourgeouis is much better-- damm compositor's error!

i love Kenton "Hair" and x # of other jazz meets broadway, film, tv covers... the key-- nay the essential ingredient-- is that they show the same re-creative ardor as went into the originals... this tasteful homage shit is muzak by any other name and not even as well played as, say, the best dermatologist waiting room bacharach-david.

vomitous-- and it sucked when Rova did it first, too. "Ascension" isn't in Top 30 Colrane albums btw but that's neither here nor there... HERE, the only thing worse than Joe Lovano's insipid jazz career, period, Frisell's latest piece of cardstock & plastic dogshit. "Funny" how yokels will mock Chet Atkins latter day countrypolitan tendencies and still pay lip service to Frisell who, not content to sucking the lifeblood out of country-western guitar and calling it homage, doesn't have enough $$$-- and belive, he already does-- with inexpressibly craptastic "John Lennon" tribute-- a stupid-ass idea to begin with but done so goddamn TASTILY I wish John could come back from the grave and bash Frisell in the head with a little "scumbag" and watch his cute little NPR-donating ersatz environmentalist audience run crying to... ... their Joe Lovano tribute records? Moms John Lennon Tribute

ALL GONE-- thank you for your patronage. Mods can delete since I can't seem to find the button? *** is there a greater avant-trad label than Arbors? their, ah, 'unique' graphic design sense keeps some folks away from their numerous brilliant albums but don't let appearances fool; these ALL have moms' stamp of approval; Randy Sandke & Ken Peplowski esp. are undersung and superb musicians. $5 each postpaid U.S. int'l OK with suitable postage added; paypal ok, please pm if interested. *** JOHNNY VARRO Swing 7 s/t w/ Sandke, Phil Bodner, Harry Allen etc JOHNNY VARRRO SWING 7 Swingin' on W. 57th t w/ Sandke, Peplowski, Michael Moore etc JOHNNY VARRO SWING 7 Afterglow w/ Newson, Peplowski, Dan Barrett, Sandke etc CHUCK FOLDS Remember Doc Cheatham w/ Spanky Davis, Irwin Stokes etc KENNY DAVERN A Night With Eddie Condon w/ Davern, McGarity, CONDON etc BUCKY PIZZARELLI Visit With Duke w/ John Bunch, Jay Leonhart KENNY DAVERN Smiles w/ Pizzarell, Howard Alden, Greg Cohen, Tony DeNicola SCOTT ROBINSON Thinking Big w/ Pizzarelli, Richard Wyands, David Robinson etc SCOTT ROBINSON Plays C-Melody Sax w/ Jon-Erik Kelso, Greg Cohen, Mark Shane etc MICHAEL MOORE TRIO History of Jazz Vol 1 w/ Peplowski, Melito MICHAEL MOORE TRIO History of Jazz Vol 2. w/ Peplowski, Tom Melito KENNY DAVERN & KEN PEPLOWSKI The Jazz Kenection w/ Alden, Cohen, John Bunch etc RUBY BRAFF The Cape Codfather w/ Davern, Tommy Newson, Alden, Michael Moore, Kenny Washington BOB WILBER & KENNY DAVERN Reunion at Arbors w/ Pizzarelli, Frishberg etc

This is a correct analysis, re: Pepper, who had not the slightest reason to measure his dick against Sonny at that point ((or any other)). Also, if folks have not yet testified re: Jug (a-lug, Jug-a-lug) & Stitt road band, why might that be? Meanwhile, back at the ranch, how many of ya'll have heard this Teddy Edwards, from 1980? Ready for Teddy It may have been that the example of Coltrane gave Art "permission" to open up his playing in a way that was not possible for the early Art, but was sorely needed later to express what was going on in his life.

ADD: B.B. King "Blues N Jazz" from 1983 to the box, please amazing how cracker ass "blues" "fans" (see above) can so readily dismiss "Love Me Tender" but they're not the first ofays who want black folk to behave the way THEY want 'em to (or else) and they won't be the last. of the eight jillion people that recorded the best Kris Kristofferson songs, it would have been hep if B.B. was a eight jillion + 1.