The Magnificent Goldberg

Thanks Jim. For an 18 year old, I guess it's not too bad. Thought she was a bit older than that. MG How much older did you think she was? 19? It is a teen beauty contest. Good thing she's not 17... you'd be locked up with that response! At that age, not only should you be able to identify every major nation on a map, you should be able to answer a direct question with a direct answer. Anyone remember the university admissions process? Essays, interviews, etc. Ann Curry is a melodramatic personality that doesn't seem to know how to act in front of a camera unless she is reading a news teleprompter in a dry, husky tenor. I'm sure she's very nice, but she gets on my last nerve with her "overacting". She's almost worse than Al Roker. The girl apparently won fourth place in this contest, despite this response, and the fact that she is not at all exceptional. One of the other questions that they showed on Today was something to the effect of "Who do you look up to more: Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, or Lindsay Lohan?" Maybe they decided that questions about reference materials were too difficult and decided to draw on television knowledge. Oh, I didn't know, or notice, that it was a teen thing. I assumed straight off she was somewhere around twenty-two, three etc. MG

Oh come on, tell us about her. Yes, it's relevant NOW, not in a week's time, Jim. MG

Albert Tatlock Minnie Caldwell Ena Sharples

Dexter Gordon - Go - Teldec reissue Dexter Gordon - A swingin' affair - Pathe Marconi reissue Dexter Gordon - Ca' purange - Prestige green label MG

Thanks a lot! MG

Doris Day Morris Day Rev Oris Mays

After a bit more research, it appears that there were actually some LPs released on the Status label. The NJLP series ends at 8303. According to the Prestige discography, 8304-8327 were issued on Status with an ST prefix. Most of these are straight reissues of PR7000 series releases, though there are some compilations of material previously issued on 10" or whatever, an MV reissue, one from TruSound, and a couple of themed various artist compilations . But there are four that seem never to have been issued before the Status issues. 8314 Red Garland - Little darlin' - previously unissued material from the Prelude live session 8321 Latin Jazz Quintet - Latin soul - unissued material from the "Hot sauce" sessions 8322 John Wright - The last amen - Wright's penultimate album for the company 8326 Red Garland - Live - more material from the Prelude None of these ST83XX series appears in the Spring 1964 catalogue. They must either have already been deleted by then or the catalogue simply didn't list the cheapos. All the John Wright LPs had been deleted by then, however, so I rather think that Prestige was having a major catalogue clearout in 1963 and 1964. I don't know whether these ST issues looked like New Jazz or whatever. The Fantasy twofer of the Latin Jazz Quintet (PR24128) states that "Latin soul" was issued on New Jazz 8321. I rather suspect they loked like Status issues - orange label with the arrow "S" - and the same trademark on the sleeve. MG

Yes, I did. Always had a soft spot for her. She's a good writer. One only usually thinks of people in one way. But really, they are all sorts of things you don't expect. MG

About 58 minutes of that must be the session done in 1954 at Birdland, with Doc Bagby and Charlie Rice. Half of it features Sonny Stitt - a great battle!. But I wonder why Stitt's name doesn't appear on the sleeve. MG

I've got a Prestige catalogue from Spring 1964. The prices it gives are PR 7000 Series 4.98 NJ 8200 Series 3.98 MV 1-39 Series 3.98 SV 2000 Series3.98 Gospel 60000 Series 3.98 Folklore 14000 Series 4.98 Int 13000 Series 3.98 Int 25000 Series 4.98 BV 1000 Series 3.98 Irish 35000 Series 3.98 Lively Arts 30000 Series 4.98 Near East 45000 Series 3.98 So most of Prestige's labels were priced lower than PR, but not much. Status doesn't appear in that list. It had probably been phased out by then. Most of those labels were on their way out. A catalogue for August/September 1964 contains only material on Prestige (4.98), Bluesville (3.98) and Folklore (4.98). MG

I never compared them side by side, and it's ten years since I got it, and since I played the LP, but I'm sure the Conn sounds like my LP, but in stereo. MG

BFT 50 DISC 2 1 Interesting piano trio number. I’m getting a Harold Mabern feeling about it, though it’s not a recording I know. Very nice indeed! 2 Another interesting piano trio. I can stand a LOT of this. The tune starts off sounding like it should be a slow version of “Tin tin deo”, then goes off into something else – something rather gospel cadenced. I’d like this to be Norman Simmons, but that would be too much to ask for. The little quote from “Eleanor Rigby” towards the end comes over charmingly. 3 Another piano trio, I guess, though one in which the bass player has a more than usual shout. I know the tune but – ah, here comes a clarinet – hey! It’s not a piano trio! The tune reminds me of “A certain kind of someone” but the way it’s played makes it difficult for me to recognise. I don’t know many modern clarinet players. And don’t recognise the other musicians. I didn’t really like this much; too messy, I thought. 4 A bossa nova I think I recognise. Very nice and cool and laid back. This sounds like something I want to buy quite a lot. Oh, I can’t wait to find out what this is! It just keeps getting better and better as the music goes on. I feel I should know both the trumpet player and the alto player. Booful! 5 Into the funk – or really, the pseudo-funk. But it’s attractive all right. Ah – the percussion seems to indicate south of the borderness. So it probably isn’t pseudo at all. Out of my depth here. I did like that, though. 6 Really groovin’ rhythm section. Lightly dirty tenor player. This is, all in all, working out to be a damn fine BFT disc, Marco! That drum solo is really keeping that groove goin’! Zowie! Oh and when the sax player comes back, he’s not lightly dirty; he’s heavily greased! But could you be anything else, I wonder, with that rhythm behind you? Would it be possible that the drummer is the leader of this band? It’s just a trio, I notice after all this time. Something else I’m dying to find out about. Terrific! 7 Portentous start a la Rachmaninoff (I dig him on and off, as Louis Armstrong said). But so does this pianist, because he’s gone off into something else. There are bits of this tune I think I recognise, then it drifts off. Don’t know who the pianist is. Don’t think I care, either. The drummer certainly has some funny sounding drums. I quit after five minutes. 8 Boring, pretentious, intro, but it picks up after a minute and a half. There’s a vaguely South African sound to the alto player, but not marked. And the pianist doesn’t have any SA markings at all. Can’t say I’m finding this very entertaining. 9 I’m not getting much out of this one, either, I’m afraid. Going straight over my head. 10 Sounds like the same pianist as on #9. Nuff sed. 11 “Get out of town” – a decent, if uninspiring, version. Rather too long, I feel. 12 A Latin groove. Attractive, but it isn’t making me feel anything. Sorry. The alto player’s doing all the right stuff, but it isn’t getting to me. Maybe it’s because of the last few tracks. But I DID like the first half! MG

Aha!! So here we go! BFT 50 DISC 1 Well, here we go… 1 Interesting start – sounds very Coltranesque that bass player. And the pianist’s backing, when he comes in, is very Tynerish. Don’t recognise the flute player. But the piano solo doesn’t sound to me like Tyner – it’s got more of a Cedar Walton feel about the way it grooves. Oh, when he goes into straight fours, out comes the Tyner feel. Back to the flute player now. I rather like this guy; he’s got a very full sound – and a groove. As his solo goes on, I’m reminded a bit of Rahsaan, but probably as an influence, not that it’s him. The name Charles Lloyd springs to mind; I used to have an album of his back in the sixties – can’t really remember it, though. Switch off during the drum solo. The track is a bit too long, for me, really. 2 “C jam blues” by a piano trio. Very fresh sounding; very enjoyable. Bass solo was just a little bit too long, I think. But this is a very nice cut. 3 I started off not liking this but, by the time he hit the third chorus, I was in there. I keep nearly recognising the tune – but he keeps on ending choruses with the last line of “It ain’t necessarily so”, which confuses me, ‘cos I don’t think that’s the song. An occasional bit of cutesiness creeps in from time to time; not sure why he’s doing that. I get a distinct Junior Mance feeling about the left hand – but definitely not the right hand – so, I don’t know who it is. But I like this track a lot. 4 A Brazilian singer? Or someone singing a Brazilian song? The impression I get of Brazilian singers (not that I’ve heard many) is that they are a lot more detached and low key than this singer. I suspect this is imitation Brazil. But thinking about where you’re at, Marco, maybe it really isn’t imitation… 5 Two saxes with rhythm… and a tune with a Mancini feel to it. If I’m in the mood, I could really quite get with this showboating tenor solo. But I’m finding it annoying at present. I like the alto player a good bit more; maybe he’s lucky enough to come after the tenorman. So now it’s just the drummer who’s annoying. Maybe it’s the drummer who’s the problem. Or maybe it’s just me. 6 Oh, I know this tune! What’s the effin’ title? Ah, “Blue bossa”? (Gets out Joe Henderson LP – yes, “Blue bossa”) Back to the BFT. It’s a tune that probably CAN’T be played badly and isn’t this time, either. Though I’d rather hear it with a rhythm section. 7 Strings and piano. “I didn’t know what time it was”. Can’t say I’m really with this. It’s OK. If I were in a bar with a beautiful bird, I could probably have a very good time not listening to it. 8 This is too long for a 78, so the intro is a fake. But the rhythm is nice. The tune is nice. And the band is nice. And the feeling is nice. The whole thing is put together so pleasingly, I really can’t be bothered about analysis! 9 Orhan Demir. I recognise the tune but can’t place it. Haven’t got the album it comes off. Funny, I was going to put one of his tracks on my BFT (the non-organ part). Great technician! And great enthusiasm! 10 Fairly routine hard bop cut. By a rather mellower follower of Jackie McLean, I’d guess. I’m not sufficiently moved to be terribly interested in who it is – or the trumpet player. Or the pianist. Sorry. 11 I think I know this. Is it “Step lightly”? No. Oh well. So, it’s live. I’m still getting a Duke Pearson/Blue Mitchell feeling off it, though that doesn’t seem likely. But the groove!!! And I don’t think it’s Pearson on the piano. Don’t think he would have played so fuckin’ hard! And it ain’t Blue, either. Unless Blue played a lot more forcefully live than in the studio. Now an alto solo. A wailing alto solo. Got to be Spaulding! Well, I think I’ve come to the conclusion that it could be Horace Silver live. A pretty varied set of cuts, Marco. Thanks. MG

Gotta disagree, and on several levels, not the least of which is the "everybody I know knows where the U.S. is on a map, so I don't know how relaible the data really is" thing. Yeah, all you know is all there is. Right. That's the problem right there... My daughter is 17, and her and her freinds (most of 'em anyway...) enjoy varying level of teen-girl "ditziness" (not an insult btw, it's a wonderful part of life that should be enjoyed while it can, just not as a "lifestyle", if you get my drift) can spank this "bimbo" up one side of the street and down the other when it comes to common sense and such. So excuse me if I do think that it is pretty bad. And she's not hot. Lauer & Coury ain't exactly out in front of the parade either. She mentioned wanting to pursue a career in graphic design & kept waiting for one of them to ask her if she planned on designing catchier looking maps to stimualte interest in geography. Logical follow-up, right? But no..... OK - I bow to superior knowledge. My daughter was fairly seriously ill during her teenage years, so she missed all that stuff - she's making up for it now So I don't tend to use her as a yardstick. MG

Loren Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg Dmitri Shostokovich

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Swedish lullabye - Sison Music orig MG

Thanks Jim. For an 18 year old, I guess it's not too bad. Thought she was a bit older than that. MG

Don't overstate the case. Ask David Beckham how his writing skills have helped his career. (But I almost agree with you 100%.) MG

Jan Jan Moses Davis Demetrius "Demo" Cates

That's interesting, Paul. I see most of the album is Lynn Hope. Is that material he recorded for King? (I think I have all or most of his Aladdin stuff.) MG The Lynn Hope material is all King stuff - specifically all from King LP 717 - Majaraja of the Tenor Sax + three unnisued sides. Only five cuts by Clifford Scott are included (one unissued), but they're all good ones. Looking at a discography, Clifford Scott recorded three times as much material as was issued on this CD, including a session with Andrew Hill and Malachi Favors - might be interesting to hear that one. Anyway, this CD was issued by Charly, so you might have a shot finding one in a used store in the UK for a cheaper price than the Amazon bandits want. Thanks Paul. MG

Bimbos aren't hot. MG

Ray Bryant made two albums for Columbia with Buddy Tate (& Harry Edison and other good guys). The Madison time Dancing the big twist Unpromising titles. And "The Madison time" single was a big hit - #5 on the R&B chart, #30 pop. And fetures a DJ, Eddie Morrison, calling out the steps on the hit track and a couple of others. And these are really nice albums. Collectables - as ever the home of the most stupid couplings - has put "Madison time" on the same CD as "Hollywood jazz beat" - a bunch of film ballads played with strings, while "Big twist" is coupled with "Ray Bryant trio". MG

Jack McVea Louis Jordan Count Basie

Incredible story. I had this discussion with a chemical engineer. He seemed to always look down on the arts and I told him that Americans were uneducated. Education in America is job-directed. There's a lot of niche education, while no one studies the liberal arts if they ever hope to get a job one day. In the meantime, our kids don't know how to find America in a world map, nor do they know what "War and Peace" is. Throw all the money you want to in this system, but until Americans realize the value of the humanities in education, then we'll remain uneducated. You're right - but alot of education is geared towards getting kids into paying jobs, not necessarily the arts. Does a mid-level production manager at Exxon care if prospective welders or engineers know where Slovenia is on a map, or have read War and Peace? From the manager's standpoint, will that have any effect on the employee's production? But that's the source of the problem. Our education is geared towards specific jobs. So we bow to the God of Mammon while those jobs that we became trained for eventually go overseas or become obsolete within a decade. Then it's back to school again if we don't want to make minimum wage. If you tie your education wagon to the job market, it will leave you vulnerable and unprepared for life. The American economy is a mess as far as jobs are concerned. We no longer have lifetime employment and American corporations only want part-timers or women (because they can pay them less) or immigrants. If you are lucky enough to qualify for good jobs, then you are walking on thin ice. You will be downsized or replaced by someone cheaper. Because the arts are downplayed, we are a nation of moral midgets. We have sacrificed everything for a mythical job market. Well, you're not wrong - I'd be the last to deny the value of a liberal education. But Britain seems - to me anyway - not markedly superior in terms of the general level of knowledge. And the economic results for Britain of having a liberal education system are clearly inferior to those of the US. But to what extent those results are caused by the education system isn't clear, and can't be proved, I think. What I think you have in the US is a very Americo-centric education system, which gives rise to stupid responses like that of the South Carolina bimbo. But it reflects a very Americo-centric viewpoint generally. The tiny proportion of Americans who have passports is a first class symptom of this - and it's NOT irrational or stupid. Not at first glance, anyway. America has so much and in such variety, why go abroad for your holidays? And, as for holidays, so for much else - why look abroad? I had what I think was very much an Anglo-centred education - what do you expect? But that is the view of a small nation that has always had to look outwards. That is nothing like America. But what it may generate (but not always; I'm reading E M Forster at present) is a sense of perspective and that is what seems to be lacking in America. I think. MG

Wilfred Pickles Give 'em the money Mabel Mable John