Peter Friedman

Wow, Peter, I'm surprised to hear that -- it was from you to John Norris to me that I started on Oz wines 20 years ago. I remember you choices at some dinners in Lewiston during the Artpark Jazz Festivals. I'm with you, though: I think success led to a lot of people jumping into th Oz wine biz, though there are still some Barossa Valley shirazes that are good drinking. Ted, Australia makes a lot of wine and no doubt some of it is apt to be very good. There was a period when wines from Australia were available at good prices for better than average bottles. But things took off and a lot of mass produced wines from Australia started to inundate the marketplace. They became big sellers and were not to my interest. Also wines from Argentina and Chile began to come into the market with many high quality wines at decent prices. So while on the whole I tend to not buy much wine from Australia, with care it is unquestionably possible to locate some Australian wines that will be highly pleasing.

When I lived in the East I drank a lot of French wines. i recall the days when I could get many very very fine Bordeaux's at very reasonable prices - under $20. A bottle. Many of these were classified growths. Here in the West the selection of French wines is very limited. So since living here I have focused more on wines from California, Oregon and Washington State. There was a period when I drank a lot of Zinfandels. But the high alcohol and jammy quality turned me away from that varietal. I drink very few white wines. I have become a serious Pinot Noir lover. My favorites come from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. I also enjoy Pinots from Sonoma and the San Luis Obisbo regions in California. New Zealand is also coming out with some nice Pinots. Along with Pinots, I also like Cabernets very much. Wines from Argentina, especially Malbecs are a good value, as are wines from Chile. There are many wines from Spain and Italy I like, but don't drink many of them. Wines from Australia have disappointed me lately so I tend to stay away from them for the most part. We drink wine with dinner every night, and it is always fun to pick out what bottle to open depending on the food.

Looking forward to comments from those who have a copy.

I read this book a few years ago and thought it to be one of the best jazz biographies out there. I did not find it a bit "plodding".

Mel Rhyne was one of my favorite organ players. His recordings with Wes and the numerous things he did on Criss Cross are all music I defintely have enjoyed. R.I.P.

Joe Pass / JJ Johnson - We'll Be Together Again - Pablo Zoot Sims / Joe Pass - Blues For Two - Pablo Scott Hamilton / Bucky Pizzarelli - The Red Door - Concord Jazz

I remember owning an RCA LP by Carroll back in the 50's or early 60's. Didn't care for it much and disposed of it. It had a lite weight quality that reminded me a bit of the early recordings by Marian McPartland. The few things she did as a sidewoman with bebop players back in the late 40's are, for me, her most interesting playing. If I understood Larry correctly, I disagree in regards to comparing Carroll's later playing with that of the later playing of Marian McPartland. Over time it seemed to me that Carroll's music got further away from her jazz roots in the 40's. For McPartland it was to my ears the opposite. Marian had no true roots in bebop or "modern jazz" but she learned and grew as a jazz pianist. Carroll's later recordings seemed to me very heavily cocktail or caberet type music. McPartland was not in that category. Marian was a jazz player. No, not among the top tier jazz piano players, but someone who was serious about playing jazz piano.

Thanks for the comments. These speakers are not for me. I have some very good speakers in a few different rooms in my house. My question was to help out a friend who is looking to buy some decent floor speakers primarily for listening to music. One problem is that the number of specialty audio shops where one can go and audition speakers has greatly declined. Here in Tucson the choices are very limited. Back when I bought my top pair of high quality speakers I was living in Rochester , New York and had the opportunity to visit about 5 audio shops and listen to a large variety of speakers.

I also have this George Cable CD and share Marcello's opinion.

Yes, lovely album! Yes, I am in total agreement. A terrific recording with excellent playing by Dorham and Cannonball.

Slam Stewart & Major Holley - Shut Yo' Mouth _ Delos with Dick Hyman and Oliver Jackson

Yes, those 3 are good, and so are these by Jon Mayer Do It Like This (Trio w. special guest Ernie Watts) - A Records Live At The Jazz Bakery (Trio) - Fresh Sound Strictly Condiential (Trio) - Fresh Sound Round Up The Usual Suspects (Trio) - Pullen Full Circle (Trio) - Reservoir My Romance (Trio) - Reservoir

Oscar Peterson And The Bassists - Montreux '77 - Pablo Live w. Ray Brown & N.H.O. Pedersen

Kind of funny that we have a thread today about milt Jackson's vocals, and now the Kenny Burrell thread is discussing his vocal album. There are many musicians whose vocals I definitely like - Dizzy, Roy Eldridge, Kenny Dorham, Jack Sheldon, Warren Vache, Wycliffe Gordon, Byron Stripling, Dexter Gordon and Jimmy Rowles to mention just a few. I just posted on another thread that I did not care at all for Bags singing, and I feel the same way about the vocals of Kenny Burrell. Perhaps one song by Kenny in a club would be ok, but an entire album of his vocals is not at all something I want to hear.

I agree with Mike. I have heard Milt Jackson sing on one or two recordings and thought his vocals were terrible.

A good friend is ready to buy a pair of new floor speakers. They will be used for both home theatre and music. She is prepared to spend about $1,000. for the pair. Would welcome any suggestions for her to consider.

Pammie's Tune - Stan Getz Quartet from Stan Getz At Large

Don't recall mention of the two very early Blue Note albums with Burrell as leader. They are among my favorites by Kenny.

Back when I was living in Rochester, NY I went to see the Bill Evans Trio playing at The Roundtowner. I sat at the bar with Bill between sets and we talked about a number of things. I asked him why he didn't play the blues very often. He seemed a bit puzzled by my question, and turned to Eddie Gomez and said something like - don't we play the blues? I don't actually remember what Gomez answered, but thought it interesting that Bill Evans didn't seem to recognize that he did not play the blues often. In my view Bill was a good blues player as he shows on a variety of recordings, but the reality is that he only played the blues infrequently.

Ted is absolutely correct. As well as owning most of what Ed Bickert has recorded, I have been fortunate to have seen/heard him live many times. His playing is logical, has great depth and a delight for the ears. He was a truly marvelous guitar player.

I have the feeling that Donald Byrd has been under-appreciated. Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell, Kenny Dorham and a few others were usually referred to in positive ways, but as time went on, Donald (and also Bill Hardman) received less respect. Personally I generally found the playing of both Byrd and Hardman to be highly enjoyable. That does not include Byrd's later more commercial recordings.

I have always enjoyed this one. Meet Oliver Nelson - Prestige With: Kenny Dorham/ Ray Bryant/ Wendell Marshall / Art Taylor

It is surprising that Jam Blues with Bird, Hodges, Benny Carter and Ben Webster has not been mentioned.

Lee Morgan fans should read the fairly recent biography of him. i just finished reading it a few days ago. It was very interesting. Delightfulee : The Life and Music of Lee Morgan by Jeffrey S. McMillan

I have had a copy of this book since it was originally published. Have referred to it many times over the past 42 years.