The Magnificent Goldberg

Oh, I've got to think of one, now... MG

Haven't read B d'A. I can't make headway with French writers in French. MG

A shiter paid of whale MG

I've just been reading, for the first time since the 60s, 'The Thurber carnival'. Funny the things you hang on to. I don't know what I saw in it then, but I'm not seeing much in it now. My favourite collections may be off most people's beam 'West African trickster tales' ed Martin Bennett. Most of these seem to come from Nigeria. Very much like the Brer Rabbit etc stories. Every culture has 'em. 'Moral tales' by Jules Laforgue (with some nice illustrations by him). 'Cruel tales' by Villiers de l'Isle-Adam. 'Pharos and Pharillon' by E M Forster (stories and history about Alexandria). MG

However you figured it out, you are correct, sir! Now maybe someone will track down more info on this unusual record. Oh, you played me some Danny Barker in the car 3 years ago. Was this one of those tracks? MG

John De'ath (former Westminster butcher) Kenny Baker Gene Chandler

From Decca's West German subsidiary. MG

Is that a Bob Dylan song, then? MG

So, it'd be OK if they did it AFTER they'd been stoned? Or when they were getting ready to be stoned? Helen: The likelihood of a bad trip is gonna be reduced by 73.2% if we do this. Deirdre: OK Marjorie, get your duck; I'll get sewing. Mary: I'll get the dog; he'll enjoy this... MG

http://www.amazon.com/Gettin-Outlook-Bill-Mason-Chandler/dp/B00004TTOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1367766868&sr=1-1&keywords=bill+mason+gettin%27+off Don't delay - both albums are great! MG Ordered. Cor, you DO have some unusual records, Jeff! I like Billboard's ref to Budd as an 'alto sax star' Also like the fact that people seemed to be on the fiddle over credits and publishing, even before Alan Freed became king. Atlantic's speediness does indicate they were trying to cash in on a hit; or a possible Bostic hit version of a hit. There'd be no reason for Budd to do that on alto except for Earl Bostic, I've just reaslised. Glad you picked up the Chandler/Mason. I'd forgotten Chandler was on 'African marketplace'. Must dig that out. MG

I'm no expert in pop music but weren't lots of his songs pop hits by other people? 'Blowing in the wind' for example. MG

Lou did a somewhat different set when I saw him at the VV in 2010. There was only one song - 'Whiskey drinking woman'. And I remember him doing 'Fine and dandy', oh and 'Gravy train' instead of 'Blues walk'. 'Everything I play is gonna be funky' was in there, too. Sure, all old favourites but so? MG

Paulander. With 'Diana' on the reverse MG

Thanks Dan - just got a copy for under a tenner at Amazon UK - next price offered was £57.00, then £112 !!! MG

I’ve done some thinking and research about that tune ‘Off shore’ because it's just interesting. I only could get that Budd Johnson because I happen to have Earl Bostic’s version of the tune. The thing that confused me to start off with is that Budd’s approach to the tune, and the kind of arrangement, is so much like Earl’s. So, had Budd heard Earl’s version? I think he must have. Earl’s version was recorded on 4 October 1953, Budd’s on 5 November. Would Earl’s have been released by then? Don’t know for sure. But would that have been the only way Budd would/could have heard it – ie if it had been released. Lord’s discography shows that another version was recorded on 9 September, by someone called Mat Matthews, for Brunswick/Coral, with Benny Weeks (g), Ike Isaacs (b) and Walter Bolden (not the gospel organist, I assume) (d). But Matthews played accordion! So I guess his approach would have been different. No other earlier versions are included in Lord’s discography, (though the Sauter-Finnegan orchestra broadcast the tune in November 1953 and Herman’s band broadcast it twice in the summer of 1954), but two other nearly contemporaneous versions were on the pop charts. The first, by a harmonica (!) virtuoso called Leo Diamond, on the Ambassador label (1005), entered the chart on 3 October 1953 and stayed 5 weeks, peaking at #14. A fair sized hit. It seems to have been his own tune; the credits on my Bostic LP are to ‘Diamond’. The second was by Richard Hayman (another harmonica specialist) & his orchestra, on Mercury. That one didn’t get onto the chart until 2 January 1954, though when it was recorded, I don’t know. Anyway, Diamond’s was evidently the original version. The plot thickens – Ambassador Records was a Los Angeles indie label, whose President was Abe Diamond and Executive Leo Diamond! ‘Off shore’ was the label’s only hit, though the firm had been around since 1947. Since it was the label’s only hit, it’s strange that Galen Gart’s ARLD doesn’t give a release date for 1005; 1003 came out in January 1952; 1006 in November 1953. By 1957, Leo Diamond had moved to New York and was co-proprietor, with Benjamin Schur, of Michelle Records, a subsidiary of Eldee Music. I assume this would have been Leo’s publishing company. My Bostic LP is a British release, so it doesn’t have US publishing details. Who’s the publisher on the Budd Johnson recording? Is it Eldee Music? Is it licenced by BMI or ASCAP? We can see three things. First, there are likely to have been stock arrangements if two big bands of the day were using the tune for live broadcasts. And probably other big bands were falling in line, too. Second, if you’re making a cover of a current hit single, it makes sense to get the record out pretty damn quick, or there’s no point, and Syd Nathan’s operation could definitely get singles out within a few days of the recording date, if Syd wanted that. Third, that Earl Bostic’s version was the only likely model for Budd to follow, since he wasn’t using a stock arrangement and since neither Earl’s nor Budd’s would have been aimed at the straight pop market. Does this make sense? I kind of want it to make sense because Budd follows Earl so closely. And that’s probably why he sounded a bit like Hodges; if you’re trying to imitate one inimitable player, it’s not altogether unlikely that you’ll wind up sounding like another inimitable player MG

http://www.amazon.com/Gettin-Outlook-Bill-Mason-Chandler/dp/B00004TTOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1367766868&sr=1-1&keywords=bill+mason+gettin%27+off Don't delay - both albums are great! MG

Saul Goode, Dan. And cheap at half the price. Funny, I didn't think many people would have the Clifford Jordan; I assumed hard core jazz characters would shy away from a title (and sleeve) like that. So the answer is that 3 people have it but don't listen to it What Stitt is Grady on? 'TNT' must have been at least ten years later than that and, if his voice changed, well... 'TNT' will be cheap too and that Saul Goode too. No one wants to by old Milestone CDs MG

Struth! MG

Okay, it's the fourth day of the month, and my "impossible," "impenetrable" BFT selection has been identified. As far as I've been able to determine, this single has never been reissued. I assume that you're right and that it was issued on 45, but this recording is a transfer from my 78 collection. The other side is more recognizably Budd - he plays tenor on "Don't Take Your Love From Me." I'm not sure who's ahead in points - MG or JSngry. MG definitely gets bonus points for this one. Sorry, you're right Jeff, it was only issued as a 78. A bit late for only on 78 - don't expect Ahmet expected it to sell. But it seems to have been popular at the time. There was a Jackie Gleason recording of it a while later, so does that make it some kind of unknown standard? And Jim's always ahead because he gets stuff in a way I don't. I just have reasonably good reference skills MG

Jack Train Steamboat Willie Cars

Boots Mussoli Shorty Rogers (aka Boots Brown & his Blockbusters) Tyrone Shoelaces

BFT110 research then, volume 2 of this And the tune is 'Off shore', from 1953. MG

Budd it ain't Hodges, it's Johnson. Playing alto in 1953. With Lawrence Kayes (org), Hank Jones (p), Mickey Baker (g), Lloyd Trotman (b), Panama Francis (d). A 45 - Atlantic 1013. MG Oh, the tune is 'Off shore', recorded by Mr Bostic a month ealier.

Thanks for posting that - must get it for my daughter's birthday. MG

I forgot about that one! Must get it out an have a listen MG