John L

I'm relatively sure that McShann did not record in the 20s. In fact, I don't even think that he recorded in the 30s.

RIP How many jazz musicans do we have left who recorded in the 1920s? I am having trouble thinking of one. Could he have been the last?

As far as I know, all of the individual discs in the set are in print and can be purchased separately.

To get to the other side?

Where did you read or hear this? Just curious.

My most hated song is there too at #30: "The Greatest Love of All."

So does this mean that we have to be DAMN careful what questions we ask outside of this thread?

I have the RCA French Jazz Tribunes. But they are probably hard to find at the moment.

You tell 'em, Deus. The J.J. set is at the very top of my Mosaic want list. But I have been restraining myself proud for a long time. Like Hell I need a thread like this.

I'm glad you didn't ask about disc 8. Seriously, I came to a shocking conclusion not long ago. After I buy box sets, I usually end up listening to the music less than before. There is something satisfying about reaching for a single disc of a single session presented in the order that artists actually presented it at the time... No fumbling through tight booklets to figure out which # discs the session is scattered over, no need to program out alternates and false starts that you don't want to hear. Just pure and easy, and you can gaze at the cool cover while you listen too. Sorry. I am currently in an anti-box phase. I'll grow out of it, I'm sure.

There are also the recordings from the 20s and 30s with Clarence Williams or Noble Sissle. Some of the bands might sound dated, but Bechet got off some mighty solos. There exist a number of budget European discs with this material.

I've been listening to jazz for about 30 years. All of this time I admired Art Tatum from a distance, and kept him in the category of jazz greats who just don't do much for me personally. This year something clicked. I finally hear Tatum differently than I every have before. I am suddenly receiving tremendous pleasure from listening to Tatum. Go figure!

I am a fan of Blue Mitchell's Smooth as the Wind. Orchestra and strings with arrangements by Tadd Dameron and Benny Golson.

CD Cellar is nice. But the best place by far for used jazz CDs in the DC area is CDepot in College Park. (9039 Baltimore Ave. College Park, MD 20740) If you have the time, I recommend going up there. It's as big as it looks, and the jazz section stretches for the full length of the store. Box sets are also abundant. If you are only going to be around Dupont Circle, you will probably want to check out Melody Records on Connecticut Avenue. They are one of the few genuinely indepenent record stores (for new records) in DC, and they do fairly well at ordering good jazz. For example, they stock Nessa!

I think we can say that about all of us! But most of us are not fascists...at least I hope not.

Yea, but have you seen her recently?

Is that right? Next time give me a call!

Now you guys are talking my religion. I don't want any direct line to Jesus. Just hook me up with Vernard Johnson. BTW, thanks for that clarification, Shurdlu.

This reminds me of a bumper sticker that some people put on their cars: "Christians are not perfect, only forgiven." This is one part of Christianity that I have never understood, at least from the moral point of view. I do not subscribe to any specific faith, although I consider myself morally to be a very religious person. Central to my beliefs is the idea that we have to bear the burden of our own past sins. That is part of life. So who do such Christians think that they are? They can do whatever terrible things they want, as long as they get down on their knees afterwards and ask Jesus to forgive them? Then their souls will be saved, whereas the "ignorant," who may have always lived decent and moral lives, will all burn in hell. The fact is, Curtis Mayfield was right about hell.

But why confine yourself to one small label?

It wouldn't be the first time.

Red is still blowing strong. Check him out if he comes to your town. Sometimes he brings Plas Johnson along for the ride.

Well, maybe sometime you'll swap me your Helen for my Ivie?

It some ways, I think that OM was the purest realization of a particular Coltrane concept. The musicians got together (maybe dropped acid), tried to form a collective spiritual bond, pulled out their instruments, and just blew continuously. The goal may have just been to try to create as much white heat as possible in a single spirtual direction and see what happens. Maybe it will open up a portal to the next dimension? Unfortunately, it didn't.