clandy44

Thanks for all the replies to my question. Sounds like 40 is the way to go. Now, for my next question...and the reason I have hesitated to get an ipod...how long does it take to load 1 60 min cd into this baby? After that, I can do the 90 times thing....

Bertrand-Can you translate the 10,000 songs thing into minutes or some other more meaningful measure? In other words, how many of my Mosaics or other albums can I figure will fit in 20mb, etc?

Your Highness, are you listening to Ray because you saw the movie or just because? If you have not seen it, do see the movie-the music is well worth the price of admission and will totally turn you on to Ray. Plus, there is probably an Oscar winning performance in there.

Jim, fair comment. Sarah Sings Soulfully is a superb album. Trouble is is that there is so much awful stuff-either maudlin songs like "Send in the Clowns" or horrific arrangements which sound like 200 violinists/cellists escaped from Mantovani's prison and were hired to back Sarah. But, you raise an excellent point-there are a number of Mosaics (for example, Berigan and Bailey) where you have to separate the wheat from the chaff on every disc.

As much as I dig Sarah, I rarely spin her Mosaic. It is filled with Sarah the singer songs, not Sarah the jazz singer...way too many "Send in the Clowns" quality stuff. I have only listened to the first cd of Dinah, but I liked it and will listen again. She is mostly backed by jazzers and the songs are jazz arrangements-I heard few strings or accordions. Full disclosure: D's voice always gets in my wheelhouse, no matter how mundane the song or the setting, while Miss V's voice is a thing of beauty but just not as compelling for me. I have a number of the Mercurys and, while the Mosaic will not compete with the young, raw D's voice on those sets, it works for me. Unfortunately, Dinah did her best work when young, like many others.

Jeff Barr lived in DC and then moved to Cali in the 70s, I think. Still in business.

Ventura/Phillips lp #1.

What is the title of the new Granz set?

All of the above. Plus, look for Basieites on their own. Coincidentally, I am presently listening to The Complete Joe Newman on Jazz Tribune, a 2-cd set that will give you plenty of the Basie-like magic from performances in the mid 50s.

Give it up for Tea, Lon. Besides, I like Avid's work so let's show that label some love. They have done a very nice job with Glenn Miller and others.

Although I have much of his early work, I couldn't pass up the chance to buy the Avid set. Sound is very good and there are some things I didn't have. A must for Tea devotees.

As usual, thanks PD.

Anyone heard these Japanese reissues and have an opinion on sound/performances?

I agree with BruceH. When I first got the "old" Woody, I was put off by some cheesy Dixieland stuff and Woody's attept to do some early rock and roll numbers in a semi-jazzy style. But, repeated listenings have persuaded me that this box is well worth getting. First, I should say that I like Woody's vocals for the most part. Second, I admire his guts in taking on a variety of new musical themes rather than playing the same old style. He reminds me of a creative football coach (not Spurrier) who adapts his play book to his personnel. All in all, I recommend the set if you like big band music which is tightly arranged and well played.

Favorite guitarist of these is Farlow, but favorite box set of these is Venuti/Lang.

Two more to get: Gary Bartz" there Goes the Neighborhood and the Marty Paich.

Just one of my favorites-probably top ten. Gorgeous music. Not to be missed.

Ah, the missing no. 223. So, there must have been production/technical/licensing issues which resulted in no. 224 (Tal) being released before the Woody. This won't be going to the cold case division.

As a teen in the early 60s, I had Only the Lonely and a couple of other Capitols. I agree that his Capitol work is excellent altho I know less about the RCA. But, I'm too impatient now to do it album by album. Is there an American alternative to the UK Capitol box that is well regarded?

By the way, are there others like me who never look at whether there is a number in the booklet and who could care less what it is..if it's there?

Need to collect some of Frank's earlier work. Would appreciate box set or other compilation recommendations. Thanks.

PD-It's all about the numbering, not the music! Bad joss for you.

I'm the real 42..seriously. But, the Farlow is No. 224-what is 223? Eldridge is 222.

LK-no disagreement from me on your general comments, especially the condescending remark about white players. But, it is a positive that a Member loves and supports jazz, evn if he has (but, luckily, we do not have) flaws. Washington is a cold place so his jazz warmth is appreciated.

From today's WSJ: advertisement The Congressman From the Land of Jazz By NAT HENTOFF June 24, 2004; Page D10 Since 1964, 75-year-old John Conyers -- a long-serving Democrat in his 19th term, a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus and a leading critic of the USA Patriot Act -- has represented the 14th Congressional District, which includes Detroit. His legislative record includes the passage of a 1987 resolution declaring "the sense of Congress that jazz is [a] rare and valuable American national treasure." In his office, Mr. Conyers told me recently that he often communicates with his "spiritual musical ancestors" by playing recordings in his office of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. He adds, "This really helps me in my work here." When he's asked about the pressure of that work, Mr. Conyers says, "It really isn't that hard for me because I always have my music with me." Jazz has been an integral part of his life from the ninth grade, when he started playing cornet and became a regular visitor to Detroit's Paradise Theater to be in the presence, over the years, of Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie. While histories of jazz focus on such vital centers as New Orleans, Chicago, New York and the West Coast, Detroit has been a bountiful source of a long list of singular and influential masters of the music. Fellow students at Northwestern High School were such subsequently renowned jazz figures as Betty Carter, later a startlingly inventive jazz singer; and the deeply swinging tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. At Cass Technical High School, the congressman told me, "there were bassist Paul Chambers, trumpet players Howard McGhee and Donald Byrd." Also from Detroit, he enthusiastically added, were guitarist Kenny Burrell, vibraphonist Milt Jackson and the formidable Jones brothers -- Elvin (drums), Hank (piano) and Thad (trumpet). As a teenager, "putting my age up and deathly afraid of being found out," Mr. Conyers frequented the city's most significant jazz clubs -- Baker's Keyboard Lounge, the Blue Bird Inn, El Sino and the Frolic Show Bar. The challenge was that, to act his alleged age, he had to order a beer -- but he couldn't drink it because it would make him sleepy. Still, it was in plain sight on his table. While in high school, he heard a recording that, he says, "changed my whole cultural approach to music -- Charlie Parker's 'Now's the Time' with Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie playing piano. I became an instant bebopper. I've played that record at least 10,000 times." Having interrupted his glowing memories to go to the House floor for a vote, the congressman returned to the phone interview with a story of a trip some 20 years ago to Ghana, where he attended a meeting of the Organization of African States: "There were about 50 women singing and shouting, and they had these huge conga drums. There was this little guy with a horn, blowing a riff at everybody. I realized that this was the precise background music I'd heard in John Coltrane that I thought he had created. But I knew these Africans hadn't heard Coltrane on any recording, so it was very clear who got what from whom. Coltrane had brought this over, creating this African song as part of his music. It was the same song! I thought, 'Oh, God, this is tremendous!' Like I said, jazz for me is like recontacting my spiritual ancestors. "But," he continued, "although this is an African-American created music, it's available to everybody if you want to get it. I've always argued that white guys can learn to play jazz." Citing baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, the congressman said, "He was the greatest on that instrument there ever was -- and he came out of Detroit! There are African-Americans that can't play jazz. But if you've got it, you can play it. You're never too old. It's never too late." After another interruption, Mr. Conyers came back excited: "Hey, guess what happened, Nat! I ran into Neil Abercrombie (D., Hawaii) in the hall. We've been working on getting an appropriation for a Billy Strayhorn Chair at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington." (Pianist-composer Billy Strayhorn was Duke Ellington's alter ego in the orchestra.) "With Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, chair of the Appropriations Committee," Mr. Conyers went on, "and Tom Davis of Virginia, the No. 2 Republican in the House, they're going to write a line in the Appropriations Bill for the Billy Strayhorn Chair." That legislative accomplishment didn't make the news wires, but it made Rep. Conyers's day. I asked him if he still played the cornet. "You know what," he said buoyantly, "I just told my sons this weekend before I left Detroit that I'm buying two cornets, two trumpets and a clarinet, and we're going to all start playing again." John is in junior high, and Carl is in elementary school. While he was reminiscing again, about Detroit's jazz clubs, the congressman noted that Baker's Keyboard Lounge is still going strong. Indeed, a new release on the Warner Brothers Records label is saxophonist James Carter's "Live at Baker's Keyboard Lounge." And the extensive definitive, illustrated history of Detroit jazz, "Before Motown," by Lars Bjorn with Jim Gallert, is available from the University of Michigan Press in Ann Arbor. The introduction states: "Jazz historians have usually passed by Detroit when discussing the development of jazz." However, the congressman from the land of jazz remains one of its best informed chroniclers, and emphasizes: "There's a lot of jazz still going on there. And there's a lot more Congress can do for jazz once we're over Iraq. There'll come a time when we'll be able to look back at our domestic program and get an effective national infrastructure to support, preserve and celebrate this national treasure." The NEA Jazz Masters Program and the efforts of the Smithsonian are important. But the congressman believes more can be done to increase the audience for jazz in this nation.