Peter Friedman

"Butter" from The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - 20 Years at the Village Vanguard - Atlantic Wow, this tune has it all. A beautiful ballad composed and arranged by Jerry Dodgion. Lovely solos by Ken Werner on piano and Ed Neumeister on trombone along with outstanding ensemble playing by the band. This is a tune to listen to many times.

I have been listening to jazz continuously for more than 60 years, and reading jazz periodicals and jazz books for about the same number of years. The music has enriched my life in a way that it is impossible to describe. The things I have read by critics, reviewers, jazz historians and others has played a very significant role in the way I have learned to appreciate the music. So for me, the music and the writings related to the music go hand in hand in the formation of a holistic experience.

Sorry to hear this sad news.

Just listened to disc 1 from the 3 CD set - Bud Powell Trio - Budism on Steeplechase. While it is clear that Bud's playing is not his very best, I still find it worth hearing. Yes he seems tentative at times and stumbles a bit, but not enough to make me want to stop listening. There are certain qualities in Bud's choice of notes and his phrasing that make it readily identifiable as Bud Powell on piano. And that special feeling in the music that come from the essence of Bud the jazz giant makes this a session from which I derive pleasure.

"The Natives Are Restless Tonight" and "The Kicker" Both from The Horace Silver Quintet album - Song For My Father - on Blue Note.

As I read through this thread again after close to 9 years, I realized that a number of other recordings with nice to very good playing from Harold Land were not mentioned. I should indicate that my definite preference is for the pre-Coltrane influenced Harold Land. His later more modal Trane influenced playing has it's moments, but has lost some of Land's more unique individualistic qualities (in my opinion). Herb Geller - Fire In the West - Fresh Sound Victor Feldman - On Vibes VSOP Elmo Hope Trio and Quintet - Blue Note Frank Rosolino - Free For All - OJC Thelonious Monk Quartet Plus Two - At Blackhawk - Riverside Wes Montgomery - Montgomery Land - Pacific Jazz Dolo Coker - Dolo - Xanadu.

The tune "Blue Skies" from the album of the same title by Stan Getz on Concord. I find the Getz solo on that tune particularly creative and very enjoyable.

Nice chart ! It was so many many years ago when I saw Louis Armstrong at the Michigan State Fair that the exact year and personnel I referred to in my previous post could have been off slightly. I am certain Joe Sullivan was not the piano player. So it may have been 1952 rather than 1951. Once you paid a very modest amount to get into the fair grounds most of the entertainment was free. The show I attended by Louis was so impressive that I defintely remember staying for a second performance.

Back in roughly 1951 or so I saw Louis Armstrong playing at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit. It is all a bit fuzzy, but to the best of my recollection Trummy Young or Tyree Glenn was on trombone and Barnet Bigard on clarinet. Marty Napoleon was the piano player and Cozy Cole the drummer. I am afraid the name of the bass player eludes me. That may have been the very first live jazz I ever heard, though I also saw the Lionel Hampton big band at one of the downtown Detroit movie theaters either just before or just after seeing Louis.

I have these CDs by Bob Mover. They are all very good in my opinion. Bob Mover - You Go To My Head - Jazz City Bob Mover - Television - DSM bob Mover - It Amazes Me - Zoho

One of the qualities I find interesting is the versitility of both Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan. By that I mean how they seemed able to fit well with musicians of broad stylistic approaches to the music. Both of them played / recorded with Pee Wee Russell, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Pepper Adams, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane to name just a few. Hank even recorded with Anthony Braxton as well as Yank Lawson.

Chuck, though not a fan of most of the ESP records, I greatly enjoyed your piece.

I had a good laugh with your comment on Hank Jones and Sonny Red. Of course as you may expect, I do not share that view. Sonny Red has also recorded with Tommy Flanagan who plays very much in the same style as Hank Jones. In fact Flanagan has made , IMO, many many excellent recordings with hard bop players. Of course as so often is the case, personal taste is a crucial factor in how we come to apppreciate certain musicians. For me, both Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan have been among my very favorite jazz pianists for many many decades. They share my top favorites list with quite a few others such as Bud Powell, Barry Harris, Cedar Walton, Sonny Clark, Carl Perkins, Duke Jordan, Horace Silver, and perhaps a half dozen others.

Been listening to the two Curtis Fuller - Prestige sessions on which Larry has been commenting. I should say in front that my CD copy of New Trombone is a Japanese issue from 1992. Though no specific name is given, it looks like it was remastered in Japan. My thoughts on these two sessions are a bit different than what Larry wrote. Though I do hear a slight difference in sound between the two CDs, but have no negative reaction to the Curtis Fuller with Red Garland date. The sound on that session seems to be a slight bit brighter, but I would not call it brittle. I am happy with the sound on both CDs. I also differ with Larry in that I find New Trombone the more interesting musically. Fuller plays very fluently and his solos are generally a bit more interesting , to me, on this session. In my view Hank Jones is a far more interesting pianist than Red Garland and fits well with Fuller, Kyner and the rhythm section. Can't figure out why Larry did not consider him a good fit? The sense of "swing" on the New Trombone CD is a bit greater (IMO). Larry commented favorably on the playing of Doug Watkins and I am in complete agreement. I do like both recordings.

I have had this for about 15 years on a Jazz Unlimited (Storyville) CD titled - Midnights At V-Disc. Great Stuff !

A number of the Great American Songbook composers can also be considered fine melodists.

I have a number of recordings by Argerich. Some of my favorites include. Mozart Piano Concerto No.18 with Jochum. Chopin - The legendary 1965 recordings Chopin - 26 Preludes, etc Bach - Toccata BWV 911, Partita No.2, English Suite Her playing is often fiery and captivting and has excellent technique.

Last evening was the final concert of the season by the Arizona Friends Of Chamber Music . The Berlin based Artemis Quartet performed. I was unfamiliar with this group prior to last nights performance. They began with an excellent performance of Beethoven's String Quartet Op18/1. It would be difficult to imagine that this delightful piece could be played any better than last nights version by the Artemis Quartet. Next came Quartet No.5 by the Latvian composer Peteris Vaska. Though I am not a fan of most contemporary classical music, this piece composed in 2006 was more enjoyable to me than many other modern pieces I have heard. After the intermission the Artemis played Quartet No.1 " From My Life" by Smetana. Listening to the Artemis Quartet do their magic with the deep emotional content of this magnificent piece was a thrilling experience that almost brought tears to my eyes a few times. The Artemis Quartet played each piece with a combination of great technique, sensitivity, and serious intensity. It is a group I hope to have an opportunity to hear again. I also plan to look for recordings by this steller string quartet.

Has anyone compared the audio quality of the Fantasy (Prestige, Riverside, Contemporary) K2 20 bit recordings with the SHM-CD series?

The tune "Silver's Blue" from the CD of the same title on Epic. Horace Silver's solo is a knockout.

A wonderful story. Thanks for sharing it. Long ago when I was a college student I had a summer job with the Detroit Dept. Of Parks and Recreation. I was working at a recreation center not far from where Charles McPherson lived. i remember a couple of times Charles And his good friend trumpet player Lonnie Hillyer came to the center to check out a basketball and shoot some hoops. We spoke a bit and of course part of the discussion had to do with Barry Harris. By the way, Charles McPherson has a new CD out. It it titled "Journey" and on the Capri label. I have heard the first 4 tracks so far, and it is excellent.

When I arrived home this morning after playing tennis I found a box had arrived from CD Japan. The following SHM-CDs were in the box. Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers At Cafe Bohemia, Vol.1 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Mosaic Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Free For All Clifford Brown Memorial Album Freddie Hubbard - Here To Stay Horace Silver - Song For My Father Ike Quebec - Easy Living JJ Johnson - The Eminent, Vol.1 Jackie McLean Quintet Larry Young - Unity Milt Jackson Sonny Clark - Mt Conception Sonny Clark - Leapin' and Lopin' Thelonious Monk - Genius Of Modern Jazz, Vol.1 Thelonious Monk - Genius Of Modern Jazz, Vol.2 Tina Brooks - True Blue

You Don't Know What Love Is by Mike Melito Quintet - The Nest Step - Weebop Terrific solos by Grant Stewart, Joe Magnarelli, Dino Losito, Mike Melito

I too have always enjoyed Gibbs playing. His series of Dream Band albums on Contemporary are marvelous.

Just played my new SHM-CD copy of "When Farmer Met Gryce". Outstanding audio quality. Encourages me to get some more Prestige SHM-CDs.