Peter Friedman

Sorry to hear the bad news. Tootie, get well soon.

I fairly recently acquired a CD of the Brahms Sextets performed by the ASMF Chamber Ensemble. I have 3 or 4 other recordings of the Brahms Sextets and the one I just mentioned is as good if not better, in my opinion, than any of the others.

Jim, you have expressed your opinion on that concert quite clearly and indicated the reason. I respect that as I do many, though by no means all of your opinions. Your words regarding Mozart being a dramatic case where we have a serious disagreement. The only point I was attempting to make in my previous post here is that opinions, by knowledgeable listeners to classical performances (including the ASMF) are likely to differ. Performance styles vary and the one you heard by the ASMF was not at all to your taste. So be it. As I indicated, the discussion, which I entered after quite a few posts had been made by others, caused me to recall the many differing opinions i have read on numerous classical recordings. it has been interesting to observe the intensity of many of those "arguments". That was not aimed at what you said, but this discussion brought that to mind.

While reading this thread I kept thinking of the diversity of opinions, especially among serious classical music listeners. And some of those opinions are very very strong ones. Some are highly enthusiastic about a conductor, or soloist, or style of performance, while others hold highly negative views. I often read the opinions of the posters on the Talk Classical site and also the opinions of classical recordings on Amazon. Many who would seem to be longtime classical music fans get into serious debates. It strikes me as even more argumentative than the discussions on jazz. It is almost unheard of to read someone expressing negative opinions about Zoot Sims or Clifford Brown, but whether it is Heifetz, Rubinstein or pretty much any other classical music "star", both very positive and very negative views are expressed. So I expect that there are "serious" classical music listeners who will disagree with Jim's opinions about the performance he attended.

Recently heard the George Cables Trio live with George Mraz on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. The trio was outstanding, but as this is a bass thread will focus on Mraz. George is perhaps my favorite living bass player, and the way he played with the Cables Trio verified for me, that opinion. His rhythmic feeling, his choice of notes and his sound were perfect. Some bassists annoy me with their attempt to wow us with their technical prowess. I wonder if they think the bass is actually a guitar. The main thrust is to play lots and lots of high pitched notes often as fast as possible. My personal enjoyment comes from hearing many low bass notes as the name of the instrument suggests. I want the bass player to understand that their role, in most settings, is to provide support to the soloist and group, not try to overshadow the soloist and become the dominant voice. Mraz plays the bass the way I like to hear it. All parts - rhythm / note selection / sound/ feeling / support for the soloist - are ideally balanced . Of course all of this is just my personal view. There are likely many who have a quite different opinion.

I am entering the Basie Zone very late. Not sure how I missed it in it's previous periods? 2 key differences to me between the Old Testament Band and what came after. First is Lester Young. His many solos are true classics that knock me out whenever i hear them. Second, there is a freshness and enthusiastic feeling I hear from the Old Testament Band. The later bands often sound cleaner and well rehearsed, and though I very much enjoy them, miss Pres. The writing by Hefti, Foster, Wess, Wilkins, Thad Jones and many others was terrific, but Nestico's arranging was never all that high on my list. I would agree that the Roulette sessions were a bit better, in my view, than the Verve recordings. The Pablo Big Band albums were a notch lower, but I enjoy them nonetheless. The Pablo small group Basie recordings are another matter entirely. What a marvelous treat to be able to hear Basie in so many small group sessions joined by a number of excellent musicians . I would not want to be without any of them.

Here's that "Rhythm-a-ning": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phOe763QsU0 The opening phrase or so of Davis' solo is indeed between-the-cracks par excellence. And his comping behind Rouse is something else too. Think I can see Larry Gales digging what Davis is doing. Davis sure does sound great here. I also thought Rouse was in very good form. The rhythm section of Gales and Riley did their respective things well too. Not sure why, but I often find Rouse more interesting when he is not playing with Monk?

These are two other Dave Pike recordings I like.

Sorry to hear that Ray has died. I agree with Dan's comment about the Sharp 9 and Naptown Legacy CDs. Another one I have with him as leader is" Latin Dreams" on the Lineage label. Ray also does a good job as a sideman on Mel Rhyne's "Front and Center"on Steeplechase, and Rhyne's "Remembering Wes" on Savant. R.I.P.

It may be hard to find a copy, but this is a Walter Davis Jr. CD I like a lot.

Pike is actually a bebopper, and the recordings he made with Barry Harris and Bill Evans show him at his best. His MPS sessions take him away from what I perceive to be his strength ,and are not anything I enjoy.

We recently had a thread on 50's piano trios, so it seems like the next step is to move up a decade to the 60's. After doing some checking of my collection, here is the list I came up with today in random order. Phineas Newborn, Jr. A world of Piano - Contemporary Barry Harris - Magnificent - Prestige Bill Evans - Explanation - Riverside Ray Bryant - Con Alma - Columbia Tommy Flanagan - Eclypso - Enja Jimmy Rowles - Our delight - VSOP Wynton Kelly - Kelly at Midnite - Vee Jay Horace Parlan - Us Three - Blue Note Pete Jolly - Live in LA - VSOP McCoy Tyner - Reaching Fourth - Impulse Jan Johansson - 8 Bitar / Innertrio - heptagon Bengt Hallberg - at Gyllene Cirkeln - DIW Bud Powell - Bouncing With Bud - Storyville Thelonious Monk - March 2, 1965 - Columbia Elmo Hope - Here's Hope - Fresh Sound Chick Corea - now he Sings, Now he Sobs - Blue Note George Shearing - Jazz moments - Capita; Ahmad Jamal - Poinciana Revisited - Impulse Roy Haynes (Richard Wyands) - Just Us - New Jazz Hampton Hawes - Blues For Bud - Black Lion Oscar Peterson - Night Train - Verve Bobby Timmons - In Person at Vanguard - Riverside Decided to limit my selections to only one per pianist. Could have selected more than one for some of the pianists.

Just listened to this CD for the first time. The entire album is one of the best new (to me) CDs I have heard in quite some time. George Mraz is and has been one of my very favorite bass players.

Though many here were not fans of Woods playing over the past 30 or 40 years, I was not one of them, and enjoyed his playing throughout the various stages of his long career. I will miss Phil no longer being part of the jazz scene as both player and writer. R.I.P.

I grew up in Detroit and was reasonably familiar with the local jazz scene there until I moved away in 1967. Ted Harris was very much a part of the Detroit jazz scene though certainly a notch or 2 below the major Detroit piano players such as Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan, Roland Hanna, Hugh Lawson, Kirk Lightsey, and the earlier Hank Jones from Pontiac. A couple of other Detroit jazz piano players were Harold McKinney and Will Davis. I recall seeing Ted Harris play a time or two those many years ago. He was quite young at that time.

Here are a few more Rowles recommendations. These don't have him as sideman with horns so you get to hear more from Jimmy.

There are many 50's piano trios that I like very much. Elmo Hope - Meditations - Prestige Barry Harris - Breakin' It Up - Argo Tommy Flanagan - Overseas - Prestige George Wallington - Workshop - Verve Sonny Clark - Time Ray Bryant Trio - Prestige Horace Silver Trio - Blue Note John Lewis - Improvised Meditations & Excursions - Atlantic Roy Haynes Trio (Phineas Newborn,Jr.) - We Three - New Jazz Hank Jones Trio _ Savoy Duke Jordan Trio - Signal Hampton Hawes - The trio - Contemporary Kenny Drew - Modernity - Verve Kenny Drew Trio - Riverside Claude Williamson - Kenton Presents - Capitol John Williams Trio - EmArcy Roy Haynes Trio (Richard Wyands) - Just Us - new Jazz Pete Jolly - When Lights Are Low - RCA Bud Powell - May 1,1951 & Aug.14, 1954 - Blue note Thelonious Monk - Unique - Riverside Bill Evans - Everybody Digs . . - Riverside Jimmy Rowles - Rare But Well Done _ Liberty Dave McKenna - The Piano Scene of . . - Epic Carl Perkins - Introducing - Dootone

Pure fun.

There are really quite a few very good CDs under Stanley Cowell's leadership.Perhaps my favorite is this one: Stanley Cowell / Freddie Waits / Buster Williams - We Three - DIW Others I can recommend include: Live At Maybeck Recital Hall - Concord (solo piano) Close To You Alone - DIW (trio) Sienna - Steeplechase - (trio) Departure #2 - Steeplechase -(trio) Are You Real - Steeplechase (trio) Dancers In Love - Venus - (trio)

Sublime Lester Young indeed !!!

Returned late last night from the Vail (Colorado) Jazz Party. My wife and I have attended this event many times. It is a chance to hear a tremendous amount of fine music over 5 days. And being in the beautiful Rocky Mountains is a huge bonus. Some of the many players we heard up close during this years jazz party included George Cables, George Mraz, Lewis Nash, Terell Stafford, Sean Jones, Shelly Berg, Herlin Riley, John Clayton, Joel Frahm, Byron Stripling, Larry Fuller, Sherry Maricle, Marion Haydon, Russell Malone, Howard Levy (harmonica), Jeff Hamilton, Dick Oatts, Bill Cunliffe, Gerard Gibbs, Nicki Harris, Roberta Gambarini, Eric Gunnerson, Wycliffe Gordon, and many others. Each year a 5 day student workshop is held just prior to the jazz party. 12 of the very best high school students from North America work with a group of faculty made up of 6 professional jazz musicians who perform at the jazz party. The students receive a scholarship to defray the costs of attending. The students get to play a couple of sets during the jazz party. This years highlights for me were 2 sets by the George Cables Trio with George Mraz and Lewis Nash; a set led by Russell Malone with Larry Fuller, John Clayton and Herlin Riley; and the truly fine tenor saxophone playing of Joel Frahm over a number of different sets. Though it would be difficult to identify any of the countless sets over the 5 days that were less than good. We are already planning to return to this event next Labor Day weekend.

I tend to agree with Larry with respect to Joe Pass playing solo guitar. Too much embroidery and emphasis on technique. Did not usually swing, and did not reach me emotionally, with just a few exceptions. But in small group setting such as the various Basie Jams ( to select just one example) he could swing beautifully and , to me, was a fine jazz player.

Getz plays outstanding solos on two versions of "Out Of Nowhere" on this CD.

I like Gene Harris, but would rate Oscar Peterson above him. The comment that Gene Harris and Les McCann shared a similar position makes sense to me. Now Junior Mance is another case. He is very blues oriented and I enjoy much of his playing, but would rather hear Horace Parlan. It is impossible for me to explain completely, I hear less depth in the playing of Junior Mance. But Junior is a hell of a nice guy. When it comes to modern jazz piano players with a strong blues orientation, I would rate Horace Silver, Carl Perkins, Kenny Drew and Ray Bryant above Gene Harris, Les McCann, or Junior Mance.

I recall hearing the very good Swedish tenor player Nisse Sandstorm at a club in New York in a small group led by Red Mitchell. Another good Swedish tenor player is Bernt Rosengren.