The Magnificent Goldberg

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In my view, this is the greatest comedy record of all time. Once heard, never forgotten. This is the record: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgPSBs12OU And here's a video version, introduced by the composers. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xLongUBPm5Y MG

I also like Stan Freberg. Here's a send up of Les Paul & Mary Ford's "The world is waiting for the sunrise" http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-nOFyHDow And "The old payola roll blues". Freberg really HATED Rock & Roll. My friend and I used to mime to this as our party piece back in 1960. I was Clyde Ankle, he was Freberg. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JOY6-fttd3Y MG

I've always had a great affection for Ferlin Husky's "Enormity in motion", a send-up of Johnny Tillotson's "Poetry in motion". This has the original version, followed by Husky's (under the name of Simon Crum). http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C8lpDAFUfYE MG

So why does he have those satirical-looking song titles? MG Because he's "clever". Ya' know, when he first hit the scene he was cool for a few minutes. It was droll and wry, and yes, "clever". I mean, how do you not get a kick out of an album called "A White Sport Coat & A Pink Crustacean"? At least, that is, until the same type joke gets told over and over and over without any variance whatsoever and self-parody and self-caricature are warmly embraced and cashed in upon... Thank you, Jim & Jazzmoose - that's most helpful. MG

Last night Thione Seck - Yow - Syllart Lonnie Smith - Afrodesia - Groove Merchant (tried side 1, too, but still can't concentrate on it; side 2 fabuloso) MG

Was Big Al sears living in Baltimore at this time? Listening to this version, it sounds like a pick up group of top whack pro jazz musicians, not a bunch of local guys. The rhythm section in particular is so loose and groovy it just swings the hell out of the Bryant version, which is fairly strict tempo. Maybe Brown DID form a band in Baltimore but it sounds like when they got to the New York studios, there were all these other guys who'd been assembled by a producer who knew what was what. I did find a personnel listing for the Al Brown record: June 1, 1960, NYC Al Brown (vo), Rudy Powell (as), Al Sears (ts), Budd Johnson (bars), Bert Keyes (p), Everett Barksdale, George Barnes (g), unknown (b), Herbie Lovelle (d) Thanks Jack; looks like I was right Bert Keyes ! Wow, and he's wailing on side 2! MG PS Hey! How did it get onto the Billboard R&B chart on 2 May, if it was recorded on 1 June?

I don't like them much - and I lived in Yorkshire when I was a lad. My wife loves 'em and she's dyed-in-the-wool rural Sussex. MG

I like Bechet's sound a lot. To me it feels a lot like Earl Bostic's. MG

No - that's chippy MG

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So why does he have those satirical-looking song titles? MG

You do amaze me Allen! MG

It does seem strange for a chippie to sell booze. Maybe that's common in Ireland. Never been to a chippie there. MG The ones by the sea are as good as the ones you get at Whitby and places in the UK. I went to a great one in Galway a couple of years back. Could you get booze there? MG

When in London, you should always have your fish & chips at The Laughing Halibut, Strutton Ground (I DO love that street name, doncha?) which runs south from Victoria Street, just east of Artillery Row. Truly, it's good enough for Jehovah! MG I will remember that! Actually, the one around the corner from Mole Jazz wasn't at all bad. 'Course, there's no reason to go there now, is there? MG

It does seem strange for a chippie to sell booze. Maybe that's common in Ireland. Never been to a chippie there. MG

Wow! I see the #2 chippy in Britain is Taylor's of Penygraig, Tonypandy - about ten minutes drive from here! But the Po Sang in Tonyrefail is only three minutes drive away - seven minutes makes a big difference to your f&c getting cold. MG

When in London, you should always have your fish & chips at The Laughing Halibut, Strutton Ground (I DO love that street name, doncha?) which runs south from Victoria Street, just east of Artillery Row. Truly, it's good enough for Jehovah! MG

I've heard of him. He's had endless hit albums in America. I've never heard him but, from a glance at some of the titles of his songs, I guess he's a satirist (whether intentional or not I don't know). But titles like "Desperation samba (Halloween in Tijuana)"; "Elvis imitators"; "Cultural infidel"; and "Perrier blues" do suggest something like that to me. But I've seen a photo of him wearing a Jack McDuff type of sailor's hat, which doesn't go well with satire (or not obviously). Can someone start a trhead about this mystry man, whose records have probably never been released in Britain? MG

Just went out to get our dinner; cod 'n chips twice. And it occurred to me that I never saw any chippies on either of my visits to the US. Do you have 'em over there? MG

Four tracks actually, all by the Fletcher Henderson orchestra. The version of JR Morton's "(New) King Porter stomp" recorded on 9 Dec 1932; The versions of "King Porter stomp" and Coleman Hawkins' "Queer notions" recorded on 18 Aug 1933; and The version of "Queer notions" recorded on 22 Sep 1933. MG

The sleeve notes to the LP (if I recall correctly - you can check TTK) said something like the sound system broke down so the audience couldn't hear the music, but the recording equipment picked it all up. I thought at the time - why are they applauding, then? But this was 1960 and I wasn't nearly so cynical at 16 Then, when I got the CD, it became clear. Didn't realise you didn't know that TTK. MG