johnagrandy

Ok ... so I guess I gotta come up with some stuff that maybe some people haven't heard yet ? So ... no Messengers "Free For All" ... no Lee "The Gigolo"... no Larry Young "Softly" ... no Miles .... oh man ! ... ouch ... ok, well, here goes: John Scofield on "Teo" from Joe Henderson's "So Near, So Far". John Scofield on "So Sue Me" from his "Time On My Hands" ... and the comping counts too ! Wait, and Lovano self-immolates ! What's a humble listener to do ? And then you see Sco live and it can be ten times that good. Josh Roseman on "Meera" from "Treats for the Nightwalker" (especially near the end of track, plunger, then open). Anthony Coleman on "Nature Abhors A Vacuum Cleaner" from Marc Ribot "Rootless Cosmopolitans". Skerik on "Gat Swamba" from Garage A Trois "Emphathizer" ... and apparently nobody knows the soul this guy has got ! Any Pete Cosey with Miles (ok, I snuck some Miles in, but only because Cosey beats McLaughlin, Stern, Sco, WHOMEVER, hands-down as Miles most innovative man on six-strings). Herbie Hancock on "Mr. Clean" from Freddie Hubbard's "Straight Life" ... this might be some of the baddest m/f s*** ever played on electric piano. And I didn't figure it out for years and years and years. Helps here if you're flying on something. And, of course, Woody Shaw on the alternate take of "Tapscott's Blues" from "The Moontrane" ... actually everyone on both of these tracks is melting down right through the floor. ... actually, I could add another 20 Woody improvs that go to the front of this list ... heh heh ... but some here are aware of my addiction ... so I won't.

Hmmmm, another middling review of Shaw's music ... including the typical "his music was a combination of this with that with the other" characterization (almost as bothersome as the endless ridiculous Freddie Hubbard comparisons). I think a big problem with jazz criticism since about the time of ...., well the time time of Wynton's arrival on the scene ! .... is that most of these critics apparently are only capable of seeing anyone's music as a derivative of one or more of the "True Greats" (Satchmo, Prez, Bird, Dizzy, Miles, Blakey, Trane, Tyner etc.) .... Kind of reminds me of the pedigree-based analysis used in horse racing : you have these "kingpin horses" like StormCat and , and their successful progeny, and everything is related back to them. But jazz ain't horses, and Woody's music wasn't an amalgam of the music of a couple of other persons. http://www.musicbox-online.com/ws-live.html

A 2-disc "Moontrane"? Really? Is it the same material as the 32 Jazz or the Muse CDs (2 "Tapscott's Blues" 2 "Katrina Ballerina" ... ?) Wish I could find "Demons Dance" for less than $50. That is a rare disc. The biggest problem right now, of course, is Columbia locking up all those studio leader sessions. I talked to Mosaic and they said there's nothing they can do -- the reproduction rights were sold to them only for that 5000 box-set run. I almost wish Woody had never got involved with Columbia. And they continue to disrespect him 20-something years later. As far as "Stepping Stones" ... they said they shipped mine on Monday ... so where is it already? Heh heh .... I admit it, I'm an addict.

Not sure exactly when, but Mike's website has been updated with a lot of information: http://michaelbrecker.com/ The key thing I noticed is that Mike is asking that any able and willing stem-cell/bone-marrow donors step forward for everyone in his situation, not just him.

That's one of the very few Shaw discs I don't own. I heard that the sound quality is terrible ... so I stayed away. My recommend would be to take a look at what you don't have .... All Shaw as leader is extremely good. He never recorded a bad studio session as leader. In the later 80s his playing is much more oriented towards standards and ballads ... and by that time Wood had understandably lost a fair amount of the ferocious fire present in his playing in the 70s to early-80s as he confronted and dealt with the almost unfathomably bad run of hard luck that ultimately brought him down. (But more than a few people out there prefer this later "more lyrical" period.) Also, do you own Eric Dolphy "Conversations" and "Iron Man", Larry Young "United", Louis Hayes "The Real Thing", Woody Shaw-Louis Hayes "Lausanne 1977", Dexter Gordon "Homecoming", "Sophisticated Giant" and "Gotham City", and then there's some late 60s Joe Henderson discs with Woody. All of the above is outstanding. I'd definitely get all of the above sessions with Wood as a co-leader or sideman before I got "Jersey Blues". Also, the less "Woody centric" discs such as Andrew Hill "Passing Ships" and McCoy Tyner "Expansions" ... and even the more obscure stuff such as Hank Mobley "Reach Out". Plus ... more Woody is on the way. They can't keep it locked up in those vaults ! It's too good and eventually all of it will cleverly figure how to sneak out ... well, that's what I think anyway. On a trumpet sidetrack ... Randy Brecker's '86 "In The Idiom" is very fine modern straight-ahead jazz. Until recently, I'd forgotten how good this one is. Carter, Henderson, Foster ... and unknown-to-me Dave Kikoski absolutely deserves to be right there with those stars -- anyone know what happenned to him? If only Randy had recorded more straight-ahead sessions ... not that he still couldn't. Here's a review I found ... : Woody Shaw Quintet Jersey Blues Lone Hill Jazz by Germein Linares Unfortunately, the poor recording on this CD is, by far, its most prominent feature. Considering the potential fireworks from a cleaner pairing of Woody Shaw and Art Blakey, it is a shame that the recording is not better. The material in question was recorded on April 15, 1969 in New Jersey and is being issued on CD by Lone Hill Jazz, a European label that focuses on releasing previously un-issued (on CD) live and studio recordings. It seems that Lone Hill did the best they possibly could to clean up this recording, but the quality of the original seems to be the real problem. Another point of contention is in the content of this CD. Priced at nearly 18 dollars (import), there are only two tracks on the CD, the often-approached "A Night in Tunisia," and another piece titled "Original Theme." Better versions of the first song abound, while the second song is decent, at best. For such a price, Jersey Blues is solely recommended for zealous fans of Shaw. Lone Hill on the web: www.freshsoundrecords.com. Track Listing: A Night in Tunisia/ Original Theme Personnel: Woody Shaw- trumpet; Carlos Garnett- tenor sax; George Cablepiano; Scott Holt- bass; Art Blakey- drums

You gotta be kidding man ! Kilson is the most innovative, inventive, energetic, propulsive, killin' man on skins today ! Well, jazz is all about personal taste so I guess I should respect your opinion. But really you're blowing my mind right up into the ozone layer, and I don't think it's coming down for awhile. If there's an "Art Blakey" or "Miles Davis" of jazz right now it's got to be Dave Holland ... and Kilson is his man ! BTW, before this thread goes overboard into criticism of jazz drumming, has anyone experienced the dire and painful misfortune of hearing, say, Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, play live ? Or am I the only stupid white boy on these forums who went to shows like that ..... years ago .....

"Theme For Maxine" and "Little Red's Fantasy" were both written for Woody's wife and manager at Columbia, Maxine Gregg. "Theme For Maxine" is on the original "Stepping Stones" LP. Whether the former will show up on the "Stepping Stones" CD ... I could be wrong, but initially I heard that it will not. However, the CDUniverse website does list it as one of the tracks (albeit misspelled) ...... ??? The sound work on this live date(s) is superlative, so hopefully everything that was recorded on that night(s) will eventually make it into high quality form (CDs, MP3s, etc.). Not holding my breath -- but anything is possible ! I've read some reasons why T4M might have not been chosen to be included, but that's really that's not for me to comment on. If you do some digging on this and other jazz forums you can find some info on this topic written by others.

12 more days ... http://www.woodyshaw.com/index2.htm

http://www.drjazz.com/conf/MichaelBrecker/page1.htm

from Joe Lovano's site : http://www.joelovano.com/guestbook/chitchat.php from JamBase : http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=7005 But I don't understand why the search isn't more publicized. It doesn't show up in any newspapers, any online jazz magazine websites, most jazz musicians' websites, etc. Maybe I'm mixed-up on this ... but as a huge fan of Mike's I view it as getting the news to all the serious Michael Brecker fans out there ... if they have the right genetic background it's very likely they might want to go ahead with the potential donor blood testing through a private doctor, and if they match forward the results to Mike's doctors. I'm sure there are thousands upon thousands of fans out there who don't know. I know that I'm so busy with my work that I don't spend much time keeping up with news anymore.

Some new info (well, new to me). I talked to someone at marrow.org today and after you have your blood typed it can be up to 2 months before the results are known and in the national database. (It's only $40 for the blood-test.) Unfortunately, I don't think a national donor organization would necessarily see things the way myself or many of you would ... they might not agree with someone committing to a marrow donation but only for a specific person. However, even though I don't personally know Mike, his music has had a huge positive impact on my life ... I guess it's a personal decision. From another website, I found out that for those who can afford it, apparently you can go to a private physician and be tested and can request that the results be sent immediately directly to Mike's doctors. You can also call this number to setup private testing : Tepnel Lifecodes 800 915 3695 You have to tell them that you want to donate for a specific person. It's amazing, I just found out one of my friends is Eastern European Jewish ... and maybe of Ashkenazi bloodline. I'm trying to get him to go on Monday.

Ok. I edited out all the e-mails. Sorry about that. I didn't even see them.

As I mentioned in the other MB topic, I have been through bone marrow extraction myself and it is nothing at all really. It has no lasting effects on your health, provided you are healthy to begin with. It is a near-riskless procedure. I've got a scar on my very lower back and had some stiffness and pain in that area for a few months. But that was 20 years ago. Today, I'll bet you don't even get a scar because they use all these advanced cutting and taping methods so that incisions heal so that they are almost invisible.

Forums administrator: Can we please pin this topic to the top ? FROM: Susan Brecker SUBJECT: Michael Brecker needs your help. Dear Family and Friends, My husband, Michael Brecker, has been diagnosed with MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome), and its critical that he undergoes a stem cell transplant. The initial search for a donor (including Michael's siblings and children) has not yet resulted in a suitable match. Michael's doctors have told us that we need to immediately explore ALL possible options. This involves getting as many people of a similar genetic background to be tested. There are some important points to understand concerning this process: 1. The screening involves a blood test only. It can be done very quickly either at a marrow donation center or at a LOCAL LAB. The cost is anywhere from $40 to $75 and your insurance may cover it. (In NYC, you can call Frazier, at the NY Blood Bank, at 212-570-3441, and make an appointment for HLA typing. It costs $40.00.) Check with your local blood bank, or go to http://www.marrow.org to find the donor center nearest you. 2. Your blood typing information can be posted on the international registry, if you choose, where it would also be available to others in need of a transplant. BEING ON THE REGISTRY DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DONATE, it just means that you may be ASKED to do so. You can take your name off the registry at any time. 3. Should you be selected as a potential donor for Michael, please understand that there have been tremendous advances in bone marrow transplants and the term itself can be misleading. Bone marrow donation is no more invasive than giving blood. Stem cells are simply harvested from your blood and then transplanted to Michael. 4. A match for Michael would be most likely to come from those of Eastern European Jewish descent. If you or anyone you know are in this category please make a special effort to immediately get tested. Ultimately, you would be doing something not just for Michael, but for so many more who are in a similar situation as my husband. 5. You are now part of our internet-based drive for donor testing. If everyone who receives this can motivate a bunch of their friends to get tested, and those friends then forward this email to get their friends to get tested, we will have rapidly expanded the pool of potential donors. I urge all of you to get tested AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Any local blood center/Red Cross center can assist in organizing a drive for Michael, although it would be desirable if you can get a large group, e.g. a synagogue, to sponsor it. Should you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to get in touch with Michael's management office at 212.302.9200 or info@michaelbrecker.com. Thank you so much for your love and support. We are so grateful. Susan xo

For those that are interested/concerned but don't want to wade through all those medical websites here's a little summary I wrote-up about MDS. Essentially, MDS is a genetic disease of the precursor stem cells that continually produce new blood cells (the stem cells live in the bone marrow). It was formerly known as pre-leukemia, and can progress into full-blown leukemia, which unfortunately is most likely a death sentence. The disease most commonly strikes in old age, 65+, but can hit at any age. It's actually somewhat common (at least compared to other diseases): 10-20,000 new cases per year -- the number is not well known because many cases go undiagnosed. It initially has symptoms similar to anemia and mononucleosis ... you become exhausted all the time. If the healthy blood cell count continues to degrade, ultimately most deaths occurs due to either acute bleeding or untreatable infections. The most hopeful statistic I could find is that in milder forms of the disease, with proper treatment a patient can live for another 10 years or so, relatively healthy and productive. But apparently it is not possible to be cured of MDS. One option is continually tranfusing the blood, which obviously requires that a lot of your type blood is readily available all the time. Another option is introducing into the blood synthetic growth agents such as erythropoietin. EPO is the infamous "doping" drug abused in professional cycling, and other endurance sports, to aid recovery. EPO catalyzes red blood cell production -- you artificially enable your body to product more healthy blood cells. This is a safe and easy option if administered correctly, but it doesn't always work. The more difficult or dangerous options are chemotherapy, introducing extreme biological agents, and bone marrow transplants. Although all of the web-sites I looked over mention bone marrow transplants in connection with young patients, nowhere have I read that transplants are not an option for older patients. Now I can't find the website where someone posted that Mike is looking for a bone marrow donor. I really wish I hadn't blown-off all those opportunities to give blood. If you're a healthy young person, you should be giving blood as often as possible. If you want to learn more, this is the best site I found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelodysplastic_syndrome

Donating bone marrow is no big deal. I had an operation when I was 21 where they needed some bone marrow to fuse part of my spine. They just make a little cut right in the lowest part of your back and suck the marrow out of one of the bones in your pelvis. Your body replaces what is lost with time. The only side effect is a scar. Anaethesia these days is 99.something % safe.

Updated: July 25, 2005 - 10:30pm ET Michael Brecker Needs Stem Cell Donor The renowned saxophonist is very ill and in need of support, both medical and emotional. He's in New York'sSloan Kettering Cancer Center. You are encouraged to send him a message via e-mail at info@michaelbrecker.com. Michael is also badly in need of a stem cell donor. There is a simple blood test to find out if you are a donor; he is looking from someone preferably of the Ashkenazi Jewish bloodline. You can go to www.marrow.org for more info and how to find out if you are a match. A great friend and beautiful artist needs help. Let's do what we do best -- rise to the occasion. Information on Brecker's progress will be posted soon on his website.

Considering I've got at least one Hunter CD on me at all times ... I guess that makes me a fan. Heh heh .... Who cares what they call his music, the cat communicates such a positive and realistic vibe on the day-to-day reality of living trying to stay hip, one that so many people can relate to. I don't know anyone who considers him to be relying on his unusual technique or axe. It actually doesn't matter what instrument Hunter would have chosen to play ... he would have been and is a massive talent and a massive influence to so many .... and he's on top of his game, right here, right now. Anyone who was out and about in the Bay Area jazz scene in the early 90s has gotta remember Hunter's $4 Tue night gig at Elbo Room ... the place was consistently packed ... and it wasn't a bunch of jazz-heads either. Word got around that that was the best time and place to be all week any week. I remember Charlie told me once he was just barely making the rent on that gig and another at the Up And Down club. As far as his rise to fame (and maybe fortune) I say right on man! CH deserves it. Check out GAT Emphasizer and Stanton Moore All Kooked Out for some other heavy rotation Hunter.

I got busy and didn't check these boards for six weeks ... and now it hits hard. I last saw Mike way way too long ago, on the BB reunion tour. If I remember right they did Sponge ... and definitely SSF. Mike was in such a frenzy on those two -- you know how he sways way forward and backward when he's got his groove -- I was thinking, man, he's going to fall over. This disease he's got ... I read a little on the web ... I don't want to say it, but it sounds you've got to defy death to beat it ... like most fans, I guess, I don't personally know them, but I feel so bad for Mike and Randy and their friends and family. And please don't think just because of all the money he reportedly made as a session man that he's got the funds to pay whatever the bills are to fight this thing. Who knows what kind of health insurance he has? Did he ever anticipate this ... etc. ... Whenever I'm feeling old ... feeling like I don't want to fight all negative shit in this world any longer, I put on Heavy Metal BeBop ... yeah, I know Mike went on to many many other things, but there's this spirit of youth he infused into these funk numbers ... it cheers me up like nothing else. What to do ? If Mike goes down, that's it man, my youth is over. Ohhh, East River Ohhh, East River Ohhh, East River Ohh, ain't no river there no more Wounded river opens wide Swallow good and eat a tide Keep us far away as long Robot killer can stay on the run Heavenly funk 'n earthly fate Wanna jump in 'n be its mate Elude yourself, disintegrate Ohhh East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Oh East River, la de da Ain't no river there no more Left its skin like a giant snake Is the fake real or the real fake Is it just some fat catfish Feeds all day 'n waits down wish I'm standin' on the bridge of time 'N there's no way across but to lose my mind Jump off time, and see what I find Ohhh East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da Ohhh East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da Ohhh East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da East River, la de da Died and went to heaven, uh huh huh Dancin' with the angels, cha cha cha Singin' with the devil, ooh la la Aiii, aiii, East River, la de da

Reportedly, Paris Hilton is also racist againt African Americans ... do you think that's hot ?

Anybody watch Sco with Mayer on Leno Wed night? I couldn't bring myself to do it because I don't dig Leno anymore and I really could do without someone like Paris Hilton in my field of vision ... on a permanent basis. Apparently she walked over afterwards and gave some props to Mayer and Sco. Yuck. What an image. Some porno-making filthy rich b**** skank on stage next to one of my all time favorite jazz musicians. Yes. I do have strong opinions. Sorry. Can't help it.

There's a excellent condition used copy of Bemsha Swing 2 CD set on E-Bay right now, bidded at about $10 currently. 1986. I think this is the last disc Woody playing a lot of his originals ... before he went to playing all standards. At that point in time, I believe that he had no permanent label contract and no permanent working band, and I believe this session's budget was too low to include additional horn players (could be wrong about that, as he did talk in an interview about the challenges of playing trumpet quartet). Still, there's real talent on the session, as previously mentioned. You can still hear the bite and fire in Woody's playing.

Larry on "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" on Unity is mind-blowing. And I feel like he had a lot more to say, I mean simultaneously, not necessarily stretching it out, but there just wasn't any way to do it since he only had two arms and hands. It's like Trane that way. The entire tune is amazing, the way it builds, and Joe and Woody play their role perfectly to build it up just right for Larry's entrance. I only wish it was a little longer. And to think that when I first got Unity I always skipped over that track ... Well, I guess I didn't exactly answer the question ... BTW, does anyone know much about Anthony Coleman, the organizst on Marc Ribot's Rootless Cosmopolitans ?

Did anyone get this e-mail today from SFJazz where they say that "due to illness" Josh Redman is replacing an "ailing" Michael Brecker in the June 14 sax summit ? But they don't say anything else ... frustrating. If today's the 9th, and the show's the 14th, and Mike has already cancelled, then it's not a head cold they're talking about. "Illness" and "ailing" could mean a lot of different things. It would really bum me out if Mike Brecker's health is failing. An truly mind-blowing live performer who gets so intensely into his own groove like almost no one else can ... ... and I've always, and still, think of him as a young guy ! Anyone know anything?

Sal, Randy Brecker was playing incredible jazz trumpet and incomparable funk trumpet over 25 years ago ... so what's your point ? Cats in the SF Bay Area like Charlie Hunter starting mixing all kinds of genres together easily over 10 years ago and even Sco jumped onto jam band jazz scene for a few years. But none of them are hawking panties on their websites. As for myself, why would I would want a bunch of random chicks I never met wearing panties with my name printed on them? So they're with their boyfriend on a hot romantic night and then at the critical moment when the dude is removing the panties he sees MY name? Sorry. That doesn't appeal to me. Not at all. Not in the slightest. However, I think it appeals quite a bit to dudes like Tommy Lee of Motley Crue or any G'nR/Velvet Underground or L.A. Guns member or Kid Rock or Snoop Dog or 50 Cent ...and that's why I see Brown selling all this "I wanna be worshipped by the babes" as pure commercial "sellout grab-the money-and-run 'cause I got some good press" ... he is presenting an image not befitting of a truly serious jazz musician. He's young, he made a mistake. As for whether Maurice Brown's trumpet playing kills like you say he does, yeah, maybe I should check him out live ... But maybe I'll just stick to Duane Eubanks who sounds to me like he's got the real goods and is on the road to becoming a player with really original ideas and style. But it ain't gonna happen overnight -- no matter how famous his brothers are -- but I'll stick with him. As for your comment "obviously I have no idea what I'm talking about" .... uh, hey, Sal, I'll bet I've forgotten more about the history of jazz trumpet than you'll ever know. Are you a betting man? You wanna lay some money on that ? BTW. Chris Botti studied with none other than my personal hero, Mr. Woody Shaw ... then he says that he decided Chet and Miles were more his style ... and that's his justification for playing the sugary crap that clueless "beautiful" women who know nothing about jazz but love pretty-boy dyed-blonde fake-curly hair fall for. "When I Fall In Love" ... uh, Chris, how often does that happen? After every concert? Of course, the kind of money Sting pays for a tour probably also figured into the equation ... don't you think?