Rosco

Well, there's finally a UK release date for this and it's not until the end of October! Don't these boxes get released same day worldwide? Even with the late October date I'm not holding my breath that it will actually come out then. These things always seem to get put back.

Just had a quick listen to the three versions I have: Miles & the quintet (master and alternate) and Weather Report. The slow alternate take of Miles' is pretty straightforward; 18 bars repeated. Weather Report's also seems pretty straightforward although there it's 20 bars. The Miles master take is a little harder to pin down; the melody is played four times; the first three are 18 bars but on the final repeat it feels as though the phrase is extended to 20. Miles solos for 38 bars and- this is the key part- brings the melody back in by playing the opening phrase (Shorter jumps in pretty quick, Hancock is slower on the uptake). The melody plays again (feeling like 20 bars); Shorter solos for 44 bars (I think, I got lost ); Another melody, again feeling like 20 bars; Hancock, sticking closer to the form, takes two 18 bar choruses. Melody with a tag vamp out. So the form seems to be the melody is 18 bars, except when it preceeds a solo when it's extended to 20 bars. Miles and Wayne's solos are not over the form and melody is brought back in after an indeterminate number of bars by cue (something that Miles often did, as early as Flamenco Sketches and which would later become what Enrico Merlin calls the 'coded phrases' which would signal the change from one tune to the next or, in the 80s bands, the bridges to tunes). At least that's how I'm hearing it. Feel free to disagree.

I ended up with 'The Jon Spencer Ass Explosion'

I've thought long and hard about this question and I've decided it's... Whichever one I'm listening to! -_- Push comes to shove, the Sixties quintet box probably wins for sheer listenability... I can put on one disc after the other and never tire of hearing that music. But all of them have given me countless hours of good listening. Although (as I've said before on another thread) I felt the Bitches Brew box was a little botched.

And, let's be honest, there's some images of Frank Bough you really don't need... I've always liked Koln and as it was the first of the solo concert discs that I bought, I guess it's just ingrained in my memory a little better than some of the others. Bremen and Lausanne are both highly enjoyable though. There is a certain 'shapeliness' to the flow of improvisations on Koln that set it apart slightly and which I think people respond to (perhaps subconciously).

I don't own the box but IIRC the live Five Spot recordings with Trane (issued as Discovery ) have been pitch corrected.

September 15- 1926: Jelly Roll Morton records for Victor 1932: New Orleans Feetwarmers (inc. Sidney Bechet) record for Victor 1944: Tiny Grimes (with Charlie Parker) records for Savoy 1953: Clifford Brown- four tracks from Memorial Album (Prestige) 1957: John Coltrane- Blue Train (Blue Note) 1958: Stan Getz- radio broadcasts issued on In Sweden 1958-60 (Dragon) 1960: Nat Adderley- That's Right (Riverside) 1961: Oscar Peterson & Milt Jackson- Very Tall (Verve) 1964: Lucky Thompson- Lucky Strikes 1975: (15th & 16th) Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond- 1975: The Duets (Horizon) 1979: Woody Herman- Woody and Friends (Concord) 1987: (15th- 25th) Sonny Rollins- Dancing in the Dark (Milestone) 1992: Joshua Redman- session for Joshua Redman (Warner Bros)

Although... I still haven't seen a UK release date for the Miles. Don't these things usually get a simultaneous UK/ US release?

I'm with you on the Miles, the Monk & Trane, that batch of fine Blue Note Connoisseurs Also looking forward to the batch of Tubby Hayes reissues including Mexican Green, 100% Proof, Tubbs Tours. There's almost too much stuff coming out. But am I compaining? Hell, no. I can always buy food another time...

This seems somewhat a surprising entry. Good record, mind.

There was a similar poll done by listeners to Virgin Radio a couple of month ago http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4592897.stm This one chosen by the general public as opposed to 'music experts'... Not that it helps much. Oasis loom even larger. And Robbie Williams rears his ugly head again.

So... uh... is it any good?

Trcak 5 from here. That was driving me nuts. Don't know why I'd convinced myself it was Lee Morgan on trumpet. When I listened today it was obvious (Probably helped that Martyjazz hipped me to it not being Lee at all... )

Ha! Just listened to track 7 and realised who it is...

And another obvious one...

An obvious one maybe, but it always makes me smile... although it seems a little static to me these days for some reason...

Since when is this a prerequisite for a movie star?

I will not click that link on track 7... I will not click that link on track 7... I will not click that link on track 7... I will not...

More September 9th- 1937: Django Reinhardt records for Swing 1940: Woody Herman records for Decca 1946: Lionel Hampton records for Decca 1955: Ben Webster- Music With Feeling (Norgran) [reissued as part of Music for Loving (Verve) 1960: Dave Brubeck- Tonight Only! (Columbia) 1960: John Lewis- session for Wonderful World of Jazz (Atlantic) 1962: Coleman Hawkins- Today and Now (Impulse) 1968: Dave Burrell- High Won- High Two (Black Lion) 1972: Elvin Jones at the Lighthouse, Hremosa Beach- Live at the Lighthouse, Volumes 1 & 2 (Blue Note)

Thanks for posting, Mike. I should stress that this group is entirely an informal, co-operative, fun thing. I share your preference for structure which is, as I said, something that has been lacking at the workshops of late, due to circumstances being what they are. That said the structure needs to be reasonably flexible. Maintaining a regular personnel is just about impossible. There’s a reasonably strong core of regulars numbering somewhere between a dozen to 20 people. There’s an abundance of saxophonists (tenor players are two a penny!) and a dearth of bassists (most weeks one of our guitarists ends up playing bass, which is obviously less than satisfactory). Most weeks we can count on 4-6 tenors (two, including myself, doubling soprano- I sometimes take the bass clarinet and/ or flute), 2-3 altos, 2-3 trumpets, 1-3 guitarists, 1-2 keyboards, 1 clarinettist, sometimes baritone. It has been known for the occasional trombone or violin to turn up; even a vibist one week (I wasn’t there for that although apparently the guy didn’t play a single note!). Ages range from a 16 year old trumpeter to guys who are using their retirement years to learn an instrument. Most of the group is in their 30s & 40s. The ‘guy who runs it’ is the drummer, who was there at the workshop’s inception and who (by default) has ended up doing the admin., collecting funds, paying for rehearsal space, arranging guest tutors, etc. He has neither the time nor the inclination to lead the sessions on a week to week basis and he has reached the conclusion that someone needs to think things out and put some kind of long term plan into place. I’m happy to have been asked and I have the time to devote to it, if I can figure out where to start. I’m not exactly getting ‘roped in’; I would be getting paid for my trouble, so my reasons for wanting to get more involved aren’t entirely altruistic…. But yes, you’ve nailed my prime concern: the mixing of weak and strong. A couple of the guys who go are great; with a little application they could be out there gigging. A couple of others are good solid players, not great but fairly knowledgeable. Most of the players are what I would call ‘intermediate’; they can read, they know basic theory and occasionally they’ll do something real good, but not consistently. A few guys have been going along for years and still seem reasonably clueless. You can’t fault them for enthusiasm so maybe it’s more a case of not being shown the right way to approach things. I doubt that a couple of them could spot a ii-V-I let alone know what to do about it. Of course it may just be that they’re happy just getting out of the house and playing an instrument for a few hours a week and don’t have any ambitions beyond that. Yes, agreed, the website is less important, but it can be used as a tool, particularly to recap on work done at previous sessions for people who can’t attend on a strictly regular basis. But of course that’s only any use if there’s an overall plan being followed. Splitting the group by ability and taking them separately isn’t too practical as we have limited time and space so that’s a difficulty. There are a handful of players who are good enough and knowledgeable enough to act as ‘coaches’. Something that has been tried before, and I would like to do more of, is the occasional session where we split the workshop up into smaller groups (each led by one of the better players) who then have to work up an ad-hoc arrangement of a tune and perform it as a quintet- septet. They can choose a piece that fits their ability and style and they are more responsible for the overall performance than in a loose jam with 20 musicians all waiting to take their turn. So yes, I agree some manner of curriculum needs to be in place. It’s just a case of working out what shape that needs to take. The workshop meets tomorrow, so the drummer and myself will have to put our heads together. I’m all for asking the group what they want and expect from the workshops. It’s a co-op after all.

First run through, and as before, no peeking, sneaking or Googling (other than to provide links). 1. ‘All the Things You Are’ changes. Has something of the feel of the Bill Evans trio, though it’s not actually him (I'm fairly certain). No idea. 2. Instantly familiar. This chap?With the man here. Yep… it's track 4 from this album. 3. Another familiar one. Tenor on the bridge sounds like an early example of this musician. And the tenor/ trombone combo is the clincher… First track from this collection. 4. Not a particularly interesting theme. Sounds a little like Art Pepper on alto. The tenor sounds like Johnny Grifffin. I can’t imagine that those guys ever recorded together though. Like the sunny feel on this even if I don’t care too much for the tune itself. 5. Huh! There’s a surprise… is that an oud? There's one name that immediately springs to mind. The horn players sound familiar and lead me to believe it’s this album.If it is, I always wondered what this music sounded like. Will be seeking out more of this. 6. Ha! A tongue in cheek cod-Scottish vamp. This sounds very familiar but I can’t quite place it. Loose edgy baritone. Cool trumpet… Gah! The tenor sounds very familiar… sounds a lot like George Coleman in places, not in others! Tyner influenced piano. Hm, don’t know what to think here… 7. Now, this is one I know . I have it. But I can’t think what it is. Good tune. Good arrangement, getting the most out of a small group. The sort of writing I associate with Benny Golson or Horace Silver. That must be Lee on trumpet surely… Man, it’s frustrating when you know a tune and can’t think what it is… (see my Keith Jarrett quandary on the last BFT). Am gonna kick myself on this one. 8. Sounds like an 80s recording; peculiar bass sound… Fine playing all round without anyone blowing me away. Pleasant enough and swings nicely. No thoughts here, although the trumpet player seems naggingly familiar. Two bass solos? WTF??! 9. Interesting opening with just tenor & bass with fingersnaps. Good track. Again the tenor sounds like someone I should know. Like this. 10. ‘I Could Write a Book’; p, b,d & vibes. Not MJQ though, this digs in a little more groove wise and the vibes are a little sweeter sounding. No thoughts. 11. Once again I feel like I’m this close to IDing some of the individual players (particularly the tenor) but the brain ain’t kicking in. It’ll be obvious when I see the answers. 12. Modern recording, something from the last 15 years I’d guess. Spirited playing, works up quite a head of steam. The tenor/ soprano combo should be a clue but…. 13. Bowed bass… into a Hendrix riff! Like it! Good fun. I’m gonna give this a couple more listens to try and ID some of those familiar sounding players that are bugging me. And track 7! What the hell is track 7? I hate it when this happens… Good compilation Bill…

So here’s the deal… There is a jazz workshop that I go along to on Saturday mornings. It’s been running for about ten years and is open to anyone with an instrument who wants to turn up and blow. This means that it attracts all kinds of people, from very good musicians to people who can barely play. This has good points and bad; on the plus side the good players help the less good to improve, the bad side is that the sessions are sometimes held back by the weaker members. The sessions are informal and loose, occasionally bordering on the chaotic. But it’s good fun and on a good day it can sound like something approaching a jazz group. Plus we occasionally have guest tutors such as Peter King and Alan Barnes (two of the best jazz musicians this country has). I’ve been going sporadically for about five years (it really helped when I was getting my stuff together, especially reading which I admit I still struggle with ) and since the beginning of the year I’ve been there most weeks. I go along mostly to support the thing. Without a core group of regular attendees the whole thing would fizzle out, which has almost happened a couple of times. The last few months have been a little rocky; the regular tutor quit at the end of last year and the replacement guy didn’t really gel (attendance noticeably dropped because of it) so for the last couple of months members of the workshop have led the session for odd weeks here and there. It’s been getting by but the lack of a regular leader and the absence of any kind of overall long-term plan has made it feel a little directionless. The guy who runs it has asked me if I’m interested in (at least co-) leading the workshop. I have to admit I’m interested but I have never done anything like this before; I’ve never taught and (apart from the informal sessions at the workshop) have never even taken a music lesson. If I’m gonna do it, I’d like it to be a little different to what has gone before; maybe a little more structured (without it becoming some kind of formal music theory class). I have a couple of ideas that might work; from doing weeks on certain styles (bop, modal, cool, Latin, etc), particular composers, or concentrating on one aspect of improvisation (rhythm, harmony, developing ideas in a solo, etc). We’ve also discussed other ideas such as getting the workshop website up and running to include pages on recent workshop topics, links to useful sites and news on local events. Again, this is something I have time to do but absolutely no expertise in. It could be a really good opportunity all round. I just don’t want to screw it up… So, musicians: any thoughts/ suggestions? What did you find helpful when you were getting your stuff together? What inspired you? What discouraged you? What was the best advice you were given? If you went to workshops/ courses what were your best experiences? What were the worst? Am I nuts for even thinking about taking this on?!

I ordered this on Monday. I'll let you know...

September 8th- 1927: Bix Beiderbecke records for Okeh 1938: Kansas City Six record for Commodore 1960: John Coltrane- session for Like Sonny (Roulette) 1960: Helen Humes- session for Songs I Like to Sing (Contemporary) 1960: John Lewis- session for Wonderful World of Jazz (Atlantic) 1961: Eric Dolphy in Copenhagen- In Europe, Volumes 1- 3 (Prestige/ New Jazz) 1966: Charles Lloyd- Forest Flower (Atlantic) 1974: Dexter Gordon- The Apartment (Steeplechase) 1975: Sonny Fortune- Awakening (Horizon/ A&M) 1976: Chico Freeman- Morning Prayer (India Navigation) 1987: Larry Coryell- Toku Du (Muse) 1994 (8th & 9th): Mark Dresser- Force Green (Soul Note)

http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/W/Walloons.asp There are some days I can barely leave my house...