The Magnificent Goldberg

I loved his work with Jimmy Smith, but it was George Braith's 'Two souls in one' that really made me realise that he was SERIOUSLY typecast as a drummer. His playing on 'Mary had a little lamb' was sensational, but the real gem was the jungle of sounds he created for Braith to wade through to get home in 'Braith-a-way'. RIP Donald. MG

I can imagine the 2 hour presentations by collectors must have been enthusiastic, if rather halting, in terms of patter. But good for the station for opening the airwaves to amateurs. MG

I've got Steve 'Silk' Hurley's 'Jack your body' on a 12" 45 and I think it's about 15 minute per side (2 cuts per side, different mixes) but there are no timings on my copy (because it's a UK edition and UK record labels have always been wary of the Trades Descriptions Act and almost never put timings on records in case some bastard sues - because the costs of defending a trivial case wouldn't be trivial for a record company), and I'm just going by memories of 1985. MG The TDAct has been replaced by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 which says much the same thing - in particular that a criminal offence may be committed by the misdescription. This means no-one can 'sue' and prosecution is by the local authority. These days, in the era of local government cutbacks, I suspect they have better things to do. You're doubtless correct. MG

Bobby Hutcherson Booby Hutcherson Chesty Morgan

Well, if we go beyond albums (and several people have) and beyond jazz (and, as for Bev, other things were also important in conditioning my jazz listening), there are two: The Drifters - There goes my baby - Atlantic (London) (Note the date published, the year before the record was made ) In the summer of '59, I resolved that buying records licensed from Atlantic was a sure way to find great music that wasn't played on the BBC, and this was the first I ordered knowing nothing about it apart from the Atlantic source. When I got it home on the day of release and put it on the record player, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The sound - the combination of Ben E King's voice, the background singing and the orchestration (an early Phil Spector effort) - that was the first thing that hit me. But, on the immediate second play, I realised that the song didn't rhyme. What? Never heard of any song that didn't rhyme. But it was right. Because the third thing, it FELT absolutely right. Ray Charles - What'd I say - Atlantic (illustrated isn't an original pressing, that had a triangle, like the Drifters' single.) A couple of weeks later, I brought the Ray Charles home and that just completely laid me out. And Ray inevitably led to Fathead and Hank Crawford... But it was this that put me on the trail. MG

Not the album cover I was expecting! It's Argo, not Muse Perhaps Houston Person should make an album with that title... MG

Amiri Baraka Richard Wagner Porter Waggoner

Enjoyable music doesn't need to be "essential" to be enjoyable. In fact, in many cases it better not be "essential" the way this term is generally used. Because if you limit your listening to a selection of "must-listen" items then you risk ending up with listening with other people's ears and brains ("what am I supposed to have listened to in order to be "of age" in my appreciation?") instead of your very own - and your own TASTE, above all, which you are entitled to develop and expand at your OWN pace, not as per somebody else's listening agenda. If you are into hard bop far enough to be likely to explore and enjoy hard bop IN DEPTH, then GO FOR IT. I for one certainly have a lot more records by comparative obscurities and also-rans in the fields of swing, R&B and West Coast Jazz, example, than I have of the majors in hard bop (of which I have quite a few but feel little need to dig that deeply) and beyond - and I make no excuses at all for it. It's MY taste and MY appreciation of what I like best, not what somebody else wants to sell me as "essential" that I "got" to own. It's a matter of personal preferences, not a matter of working off a listening schedule. I agree. To my mind, there's too much focus on 'great' recordings. Those who make what's often derisively called 'generic' music actually define the genre, not the geniuses, who define themselves (and long may they do so, if there are any left) and tend to push the envelope, or even rip it to shreds. In a sense, BOTH are essential. MG

Now back from Cardiff and listening to Bill Leslie - Diggin' the chicks - Argo (DG mono) Nice session with Flanagan, Schwartz, Tucker, Taylor. I've always liked this version of 'Lonely woman'. now Rufus Thomas - Doin' the push & pull at PJ's - Stax next Randy Weston - Carnival - Freedom (Black Lion) MG

Oh, I misunderstood. Nice photo Chuck. MG

It isn't a duo. It's Weston, Harper (ts, fl), William Allen (b) - is he an old Sun Ra man? - Don Moye (d, perc) - I think this is Famadou Don Moye from BAG - Steve Berrios (cga, perc). Recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival 5 July 1974. MG

Yes, there was a lot of stuff on the BBC in those days. My earliest memory is singing along with my Mum to 'Open the door Richard', when I was three. A bit later, early fifties, there was the Billy Cotton Band Show, on Sunday lunchtimes (after Family Favourites, and before the Archie Andrews show - a ventriloquist on the goddamn radio) That was a pretty awful show, bad comedy, bad sentimental songs, but a few of the old Londoners Music Hall songs, done well. But at the end, there was this theme; just a simple little riff, led by the guitarist, with the band quietly moaning behind him, then a trumpet solo, then Archie Andrews. I used to wait for the end, because this little riff would be on, and I can still remember it. In the later fifties, there were interesting instrumentals that were popular: 'Raunchy'; 'Swingin' shepherd blues'; and 'Tom Hark' by Elias & his Zig Zag Jive Flutes, a Kwela band from South Africa. But all the time, you'd hear Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, Fitzgerald, Bechet, Goodman, Shaw, Dorsey, Charlie Barnet ('Skyliner' is one I remember being played often), Miller, Waller, Peggy Lee and British traditional jazz musicians like Chris Barber, Humphrey Lyttleton, Ken Colyer and others on the normal BBC popular music programmes. You didn't have to look for a special channel, it was there, part of the regular programming for everyone. So one absorbed it and was prepared for more, later on. Market segmentation eventually arrived and killed the general knowledge of jazz (and lots of other kinds of music) that people had. Bad news. MG

Red Holloway Piano Red Rufus Gore

What's this Gene Ammons/Leo Parker Marcel? MG i have the Information from http://www.jazzdisco.org/gene-ammons/discography/ here. Gene Ammons Quintet Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone) Leo Parker (baritone saxophone) Junior Mance (piano) Gene Wright (bass) Chuck Williams (drums) "Club El Sino", Detroit, MI, October, 1947 private tape unknown title Medley: Red Top / unknown title / unknown title - unknown title - - - - - After Hours (partial) - i love to hear this recording!! maybe this was planned in the Long announced and never released Project of uptown records: Detroit: jazz before motown Keep boppin´ Marcel Oh, not yet released Oh well. Thanks. MG

This evening Professor Herman Stevens - The poet of the gospel organ plays your favourite hymns - Savoy Alfred Bolden - World's greatest gospel organist - Atlantic (he's not, but this is still a very good album) now Sensational Williams Brothers - Spreading a message - Nashboro MG

I'm sure you're right. That's one of the attractions of Ousley. I like his songs anyway. MG

Question - what's a jazz album? Is it this? Or these? The Five Pennies was my 3rd LP, (my Dad had taken me to see the film, which was just out) the MJQ LPs my 7th & 8th (bought in the same transaction, because they were on Atlantic, my favourite R&B label). Did I know what I was doing, on either occasion? Well, I still don't MG

Taxman (Beatles) Taxman (Lucky Dube) Taximan (Sekouba Bambino)

Vishnu Shiva Shaking Stevens

Lawrance Marable & James Clay - Tenorman - Jazz West (Fresh Sound) Called to mind by the discussion on west coast jazz MG

Never heard it. Didn't know it was out on Fresh Sound. My list won't stand it!!! MG

Hm, the presence of Joe Pass on an infinity of Pablo sessions was an instant 'ignore' message for me. It seems I've missed quite a bit of good music, that way (though Joe Pass is still a big turnoff - apart from his early recordings with McCann, Holmes, G Wilson & Bostic. MG Yeah - even if Granz or Basie didn't want to go with the obvious (Freddie Green), there are a number of guitarists who would have fit in better on this date than Mr. Pass. That said, his presence doesn't spoil the record for me. I think that's probably the thing. I thought he would, but maybe he wouldn't. Your post made me wonder about that. MG

Don McLean Jackie McLean Mr Clean

The only thing the least bit West Coast about "Blue Serge" was that it was recorded in Hollywood and that the bassist was L. Vinnegar. Serge, Sonny Clark, and Phllly Joe Jones could hardly be more East Coast, through Clark did spend some time as house pianist with the Lighthouse All-Stars. He was with Sonny Criss on Imperial, too. And with Marable & James Clay on Jazz West. Hm, think I'll get that out and give it a listen this evening. MG

Offhand, I can only think of four. in 1965 A love supreme Good gracious - the first Patton/Green/Dixon I heard. in 1991 Youssou N'doir - Immigres - Saprom Sidiki Diabate, Batourou Sekou Kouyate & co - Cordes anciennes - Barenreiter Musicaphon MG