[Henry Threadgill]

Yeah, thanks for the Threadgill piece!

[Favorite Modern Big Bands]

I'm amazed nobody mentioned Gil Evans. I really dig the Individualism Of Gil Evans recorded in 1964.

[What radio are you listening to right now?]

Rick Petrie's Northstar Sounds is the only jazz show I'm currently listening to.

Mostly avant garde/free jazz, with other stuff mixed in to keep it interesting.

Tuesday nights on WGMC-FM 90.1 Rochester, NY

[Favorite Modern Big Bands]

I'm always game for more of Wheeler's music. Will look into the ECM release, thanks!

[Favorite Modern Big Bands]

I have Westbrook's Citadel/Room 315. I love Kenny Wheeler's playing, but have not heard his big band stuff. I have one album by Italian Instabile Orchestra. Pretty intense music!

[Favorite Modern Big Bands]

Who do you like to listen to? Some of my favorites are:

Either/Orchestra, especially Radium thru More Beautiful Then Death

Pierre Dorge & New Jungle Orchestra-Giraf, China Jungle

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble-Eternal Interlude

Carla Bley-European Tour 1977

Sam Rivers-Crystals

Frank Zappa-Make A Jazz Noise Here, great band while it lasted.

Mingus Big Band

Exploding Star Orchestra

Any others I should know about?

[Frank Zappa, Classical Composer]

...but don't trade your Sleep Dirt CD for Lather. Keep both because the acoustic title track is not on Lather.

[Frank Zappa, Classical Composer]

I read some negative comments about the video production of 200 Motels as well. Check Biffy's Pages website. Michael P. Dawson knows just about everything there is to know about FZ.

Although it's a jazz big band, I highly recommend Ed Palermo's Zappa albums. Especially the first two. Ed is a great arranger, and his band is phenomenal. Try the Cuneiform release, Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance.

Anybody who has that crappy 80s Sleep Dirt CD should get the original vinyl, or the Lather CD set to hear the original arrangements and mixes.

[Frank Zappa, Classical Composer]

Yes, there is a DVD.

[David Murray]

I called it quits with Murray after the Sacred Ground CD. Ishmael Reed is such a huge turnoff. This guy is so full of himself and so angry it's pathetic. If he's such a towering intellectual, why can't he figure out that R. Crumb is not a racist?

[What music did you buy today?]

Ben Monder-Oceana

Ben Monder/Theo Bleckmann-At Night

Cuong Vu-Come Play With Me

John Hollenbeck-Eternal Interlude

[Album covers all in B&W -- minimal color, if any]

[Frank Zappa, Classical Composer]

The Ensemble Ambrosius album is a beauty! Any fans of 200 Motels? It features some wonderful orchestral writing.

[Frank Zappa, Classical Composer]

The Yellow Shark concert was televised in Europe, and I have it on DVD. I'd also recommend the Studio Tan album. Music For Guitar And Low Budget Orchestra is a beautiful piece. The Adventures Of Greggery Peccary is wonderful as well, but due to the vocals will probably only appeal to Zappa freaks.

[Mr. Mingus]

How about the Mingus Big Band? I only have a few Mingus covers in my collection by the Either/Orchestra, Joni Mitchell, Mark Murphy, and Pentangle.