The Magnificent Goldberg

Yes, maybe. But I have a more than sneaky feeling that Mr Cuscuna dislikes Freddie Roach. The only Roach LP that was reissued by BN USA was "Good move" and surely that was because Hank Mobley was on it. That's the least Roach-like of all the Roach albums. MG

Buddy Johnson - Go ahead & rock - Roulette His last album before retirement. MG

Today's haul is a couple of 2CD sets from Syllart, which are available from Sterns now, or Amazon, I think. Just been listening to the Sosseh. The sound on the earliest material is disgraceful! Sounds like those tapes that West African taxi drivers play. MOST authentic! I've got quite a bit of this, but there's a lot I've never heard before. Really nice! In the same series as the Laba Sosseh. I think I have quite a bit of this one, too. MG

Ah, Realm at 22/6! How I remember those! Looks like a pretty good haul, MG. Yes - listened to them all now. Very nice. And not expensive - a tenner for the MIlt, four and five for the Hamps. There was a Buddy Tate there - his Felsted album - but it was thirty-five quid (about $50). It was in the shop last year, too. If it's still there in six months, I'll make him a derisory offer. Ain't an album been made that's worth $50, to paraphrase Syd Nathan. MG

Shopping expotition to Cardiff today, accompanied by ipod with Cab Calloway - The early years: 1930-34 - JSP Cab Calloway - 1935-40 - JSP Just finished disc 1 of the later volume when I arrived home. Now on disc 2 Calloway is AMAZING! This set keeps revealing new stuff to me, every time I give it a listen - and that's fairly frequently. MG

Shopping expotition to Cardiff today and popped into Kellys 2nd hand shop in the market for an hour or so. Good vibes there Milt Jackson Quartet - an actual Oriole copy, not CBS, and looking pristine! Lionel Hampton - cheapo MFP reissue of a 1955 Clef album by the big band, with Eddie Chamblee sounding dangerous as ever. More Hamp - cheapo CBS reissue of a 1954 concert. Eddie Chamblee not with the band, regrettably. Another looking pristine. MG

Maybe Chet, don't know much about him. I thought of Fred Anderson overnight. In this connection, I mean MG

I just noticed that, in the Mosaic box, Louis Armstrong's complete Decca sessions, the track, "Baby don't you cry", on disc 7, is credited to Louis Armstrong, rather than the great Buddy Johnson. Bit of a swiz, because Buddy's estate, not Louis', should be getting royalties for this. MG

This just occurred to me as I was finishing listening to the Armstrong Mosaic. He didn't have a contract after Decca, but recorded for COlumbia, Flying Dutchman, Kapp, Audio Fidelity, Roulette and no doubt others. Of courer, if you're Satch, companies would want to record you. Sonny Stitt didin't have a contract from about 1956 onwards. But he recorded for Verve, Roost, Roulette, Argo/Cadet, Prestige, Jazzland, Atlantic, Impulse, PJ, COlpix, Black Lion, Delmark, Cobblestone, Muse, Denon, Solid State,Paula, Flying Dutchman, Muse, Jazz Masters, Sonet, Catalyst, Progressive, Yupitero, Clam, Ahead, Finite, Atlas, Trio and a label I've never heard of - Jamal (Ahmad's?). I bet there are others. WHo else? MG

Louis Armstrong - Complete Decca Sessions 1935-46 Just coming to an end after a lovely afternoon with Mr Armstrong. MG

I enjoy very much the boxed sets of Ben E KIng and Wilson Picket I got about a year ago. KInda cheap (GOOD!) but the music!!! MG

Oh, I lurve that one. I was a young teenager in Leeds. 'Sright. MG

Glad to know there was once something live in Morecambe: Mind you, the view out to sea is lovely: No wonder Ronnie made jokes about small towns he played in: "I played a gig once in Tamworth. They have one set of traffic lights - at the crossroads in the middle of town. They change once a week - at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Everyone comes out to watch." "Last night they nuked Stockton-on-Tees. It caused £3 worth of damage." How many of those jokes did he have? Seems it was the same two all the time. I went to Morecambe in 1957 - or maybe 58 - it wasn't memorable. MG

MG

OH, Buddy Tate had the house band at the Celebrity CLub, NY for years and years and years and years. MG

Well, I'd be well p;leased if it were raining John Martin paintings! One of my favourites. Nice day today. It might as well be spring. Rain tomorrow. MG

Wasn't Teddy Wilson the house pianist at the Onxy club, in NY, after he closed down his big band? House band at the Blue Note club in Paris for some time until mid '65. He was followed by Lou Bennett, with Rene Thomas and Kenny Clarke. Oh, and Fred Anderson at the Velvet Lounge. I bet there are hundreds! MG

Yes, some for me, too. RIP Duck. MG

This afternoon Bobby Bland - Sweet vibrations - MCA - his last great album, in my view. Reminded by this thread - Walter Benton - Out of this world - Jazzland MG

This morniongs vinyl Soul Stirrers - The gospel soul of Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers vols 1 & 2 - Specialty MG

Thaks for this Paul. I've got a couple of his albums (Hoodoo & It's my life) and I've been vaguely thinking I'd like more. This is very nice - and very short. I should think it's hard to get, too, since Gunther Gretz gave up the business several years ago. An e-mail direct to him might get a result. I had a few direct from him at one time or another. The two great unknowns I'm particularly interested in at the moment are Gnonnas Pedro and Laba Sosseh. Gnonnas Pedro was from Benin and led a band from the early 70s until his death a few years ago. A lot of Latin stuff - like the Star Band/Etoile de Dakar - but with some interesting 6/8 Latin rhythms that came from his own village. Quite a few compilation albums are available, but it's not clear which tracks are duplicates. Laba Sosseh was from The Gambia. Founder member (with Dexter Johnson) of the Star Band, which eventually, after more personnel changes than the Coasters, morphed into Etoile de Dakar. After Dexter's death in the sixties, he moved to Miami and became about the only African musician to make a career for himself living in America. Returned to the Gambia in 1997 or so and made 2 more albums before he died, also a few years ago. I bet Dan Gould can find Laba's albums in the 25c bins in Miami Sterns have new compilations by both artists issued last month and I've just ordered them. MG I have these two Gnonnas Pedro compilations on Ledoux, purchased from John Storm Roberts when he was doing mail order in the early/mid 1990s. (I miss Mr. Roberts. He introduced me to a lot of great music.) Fine music on these two, but they're probably all I want or need, since I'm not a specialist/aficionado in the field of African music like yourself. I don't have either of those Gnonnas Pedros !! MG Nice album. Must dig it out. Whenever I play it i think, 'must play this more often', but I don't. Probably because it's the onl;y Benton I've got. Thanks for the reminder. MG

Surely tsunami get higher than that? MG

Please, for the next few months, forgive typos! I haven't got used to where the keys are on my new machine. Half the letters were missing from the keys on the old one, but my fingers still knew where everything was. MG

I think you have this right. Concord has the potential to create great sets (the Ray Charles ABC Singles box being a good recent example) but. . . why should they in jazz in this day and age of cd devaluation. Absolutely right, Lon. Was going to say the same myself, but fogot MG

I have "So why not?" on Landmark. Nice session with Fathead on four tracks. I like it but wouldn't rave over it. MG