danasgoodstuff

actually, one of the reasons I chose this was that, to my ears, the dreaded varitone is barely noticable, like Stitt forgot to turn it up or something...Also, I actually prefer this to the other Stitt/Patterson I've heard...I'll try to do a full length account of what I do like about Brothers4 on Boxing Day.

Saw Cray with Curtis several times here in Portland, various incarnations including the one with Warren Rand on Alto and another with a guy whose name I'm forgetting on tenor and keys. Curtis is quite a collector of early blues/jazz soundies, kinescopes, etc. so he might have something himself. On the other hand his personal life was somewhat unsettled in the past, so maybe not. I've read of an early Cray single called "Dog Style" but never seen or heard it so I don't know if Curtis was on it. I've read that Curtis was squeezed out of the band by management, but perhaps it was inevitable that such a two-headed monster couldn't last. Curtis is the best singer I've ever heard in a local band, but I'm considerably cooler on his writing. We are blessed with good and cheap local music here in Oregon.

I think Metheny has done as excellent job of balencing art and commerce. I personally dig most of the side project stuff: 80/81, Q & A, Song X, various sideman appearances (not No Tolerance for Silence). The more predictable and high-gloss PMG stuff is there for those who dig that. Not always crazy 'bout his tone/effects, but I could say the same about sco' and Frisell. Has anyone heard the boot(s) with sonny Rollins?

It's true the've sliced and diced this catalog every which way: by artist, by composer/producer, by year, by the zodiac, etc. I'm assuming this will include singles on all the sub-labels like Gordy...

Dude, In the Circular file! Sorry, couldn't resist. I have mine with the corea, but it would make as much sense with the Braxton or under "Circle" as a collective.

It's one of those Fantasy owned things you gotta get before the new owners remainder it...CD is from 2001, so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

Hey Aric, It's J. Geils, and yes I'd put them in the Hall before Yes, Queen, or U2, none of whom could play convincing blues or fix your Ferrari when it was broken. OK, I gotta admit the Geils band's originals weren't that much, but still more my idea of R 'n R than any of the aforementioned posers from across the pond. Meet me in Cleveland, Dana

Hip-O Select (Hip-O's version of Rhino Handmade) has recently announced it's intention to issue a series of box sets collecting ALL THE MOTOWN SINGLES (through ___?). And unlike the Stax Boxes (which are wonderful in and of themselves), these will include ALL THE B-SIDES! And unlike anyone else's singles boxes, these are chock full o' hits since Motown's batting average was so much better than anyone ele's. Gotta stop before I go full aric... Anticipatin' Dana

Most consistent Blue Note leader? Why, Alred Lion, of course! Seriously, it's hard to compare guys who made 5 or 6 albums for the label during their prime with guys like Horace or Lou who made 20+ and stuck with the label (with small exceptions, but still) through not only the good years in the '50 & '60s but on into the tuff years in the '70s. Fruit of the Month Club apples vs. average quality of the whole tree...

After considering many options, including more recent and more obscure albums, I decided to go with this CD which combines 2 Prestige LPs and one compilation track to collect all the tracks recorded at the session on Sept.15, 1969. Several reasons: it affords an opportunity to discus CD reconfiguration; I know our gracious hosts are big fans of Don Patterson; and while it might look at first glance like a 'typical soul jazz organ date', I feel it has enough distinguishing features to make it interesting... And, it's readily available so here 'tis- BROTHERS 4 Sonny Stitt Don Patterson Grant Green Billy James Brothers 4 Creepin' Home Alexander's Ragtime Band Walk on By Donny Brook(sic) Mud Turtle St. Thomas Good Bait Starry Night Tune Up Sept. 15, 1969 RVG, NJ

I'll pile one here and agree that Sam's demise was, indeed, a great loss for American music as a whole. Neat Beat is, IMHO, 11/12 superb: "Shake Rattle and Roll" doesn't work in this context for me - another Charles Brown number (in addition to the several already there) would've been more in keeping with the late night mood. Again, IMHO, not all of Sam's renditions of standards work, but one I particularly like is his version of "These Foolish Things". Whatever happened to his brother L.C. (also a singer)?

bummer, I love fruitcake and I don't think my mom made one this year...

Just suggesting a possibility for discussion, oh well...

Can't do the dates and numbers of sessions (a little help someone?) but I think Doc Cheatham would fit here.

Al, Sign me up please Al - here's your chance to make me look like a complete idiot now that I've insulted (not really, but) your taste in another thread.

i thought Ginger's two albums with Haden and Frisell were quite nice, as was the one with J. Carter mentioned above, but Ginger's still v. much Ginger on all of them so the're not likely to change anyone's mind. Why anyone would hire Bruce to sing but not play bass is beyond me. Might just as well hire him for his meager harmonica skills, but then dylan did some session harmonica work so what do I know.

DrJ, I think your "shouting over different chasms" metaphor efinitely has some truth to it, here and elsewhere. But I'm not sure how you can say that "age, expectations..." have noting to do with it unless you actually know what everyone's age, expectations and thought processes actually are/were...maybe my chasm's half full and yours is half empty? dana

I don't usually feel compelled to pile on and say "me too" on threads like this one, but I think this one particularly illustrates the truism that you gotta listen to what's actually there instead of what you think should be there/was gonna be there. Also, I think it may be hard for younger listeners to get what this particular one is because the musical/cultural context that it made sense in has changed so much. Glad that I can more or less agree with Big Al here; this is nice in it's own way/for what it is. I might even include "for all We Know" in the GG mix tape in my head...

Frank Morgan, only one date as a leader before his stay at club fed, correct?

also, possibly, one track on the Complete Live in the Village (or whatever it's called) dbl CD on Impulse! Isn't it Cal, with one "l"? I love the Going Home/Spirituals album and think it might have done for albert what Plays Elington did for Monk. Would really like to see it reissued along with the originals from the same session(s)...2 LPs would do it I think.

I almost qualify myself since I now have a CDR of my sideman gig with Perry Robinson sitting in (along with a couple of other Sound Sunday Pleasure gigs). I just turned 50. Now I am mostly off mic and nothing special when you can hear me, but still... seriously, my vote for the guy I'd most like to hear a few years earlier than the first recordings we have is Lester Young...didn't he claim to have done something round 1932?

Forrest, trees...

This reminds me of when Packard bought Studebaker (not the other way 'round) and then found out just how sick Studebaker really was (except Packard was the high end of that deal). Not sure which American auto independent that would make Monkey Wards (to stretch an already iffy metaphor). I don't shop at Wallmart either (been in one or two). Target is my lowend all purpose retailer of choice, sears once in a while, all the K Marts I've been in recently just felt poor and chaotic. Wal Mart does understand their market, great location choices and playing to their psychological needs. I'll even go to Pennys (usually small town ones that feel like you're in a time warp) before WM, but that's just me. Has anyone studied the correlation of retailer v. political preferences?

Have heard and liked, but I think the comparison to Albert is a little over stated. Their is a connection but Vernard is v. much his own guy, for better or worse, and God knows Albert was totally his own guy...

I still vividly remember the Grey Cup the year we moved to Canada, 1966. It was Saskatchewan v. Ottawa and I just knew the Roughriders were gonna win...