The Magnificent Goldberg

Alexander the Great Richard the Lionheart Ethelred the Redeless

And not by Duke - Norman Simmons' version on his album "In private" is one I find a particular knockout. He says in the sleeve note that he always thought pling the tune fast was wrong; he aways imagines a string of camels plodding slowly through the sand. So he plays it slowly, with Lisle Atkinson behind him giving up the "A love supreme" riff. I think that's THE masterpie version of the tune. MG I find this kind of discussion bothering. This implies jazz is a repertoire music, not an improvisational/performance music. The value of a piece like Caravan ultimately rests on the performances resulting and these performances are "apples and oranges". This type of comparison plays into the worst aspects (IMO) of jazz academia as it exists today. Duke, Mingus and Roach made a fine performance based on Caravan, as have many others. This individual performance is what matters, not other performances. Do we downplay Bird's "Out of Nowhere" because some consider Tristano's version superior? Ridiculous! What is the best blues in b flat? Idiotic! Well of course, you're right. MG

I had a feeling there was a Reuben Wilson in there, but I haven't got it. I ought to find out. Pity Water don't have a website. MG

St Helena St Louis Grant Green

Aminata Fall Pape Fall Baye Fall

I have "Brown sugar" by Freddie Roach "The phantom" by Duke Pearson (though you no doubt have several copies of that Chewy) (as well as the Lou) BTW, Water has also issued a 2 CD set of Young-Holt Unlimited's Atlantic/Cotillion albums "Born again" and "Mellow dreamin'" MG

I must remember this is here - us furriners, don't y'know? MG

Keter Betts Denzil Best Jack Good

Stop dancing for a minute! MG

My only complaint is my avatar doesn't come out so nicely there as it does here MG

And not by Duke - Norman Simmons' version on his album "In private" is one I find a particular knockout. He says in the sleeve note that he always thought pling the tune fast was wrong; he aways imagines a string of camels plodding slowly through the sand. So he plays it slowly, with Lisle Atkinson behind him giving up the "A love supreme" riff. I think that's THE masterpie version of the tune. MG

Orval Faubus Orville the duck Rod Hull

Nor can I, but I swear I remember seeing him on some three tenor date on that label from the early/mid 80s. It wasn't an "out" thing either, just three tenor players and a rhythm section playing tunes. Can't remember who the other two tenors were, but they were better-know than Cabell. Such a side exists! Maybe it was a different label... There's no mention of anything other than the five I posted earlier in Lord. Not that that's an absolute guarantee, of course, but if there were two better-known tenor players involved, I'd expect someone to have told him. And it's a label that isnt too difficult to research. I suppose it wasn't James Branch Cabell? MG

Not bad - two songs - sunny, cool breeze. MG

Harold Dorman Pee Wee Marquette Tiny Grimes

That forum seems to work funny. I couldn't get the indices to list anything newer than July 2004, yet there are more recent posts. MG I can help you on this one! In order to access all recent posts, you must register with the forum first. We had some idiot hack the website back in the fall of 2004. He deleted over 12,000 posts and the entire membership directory which at the time was over 700 people. Use a legit email address when you register and you'll be good to go. Hope that helps. Thanks Tom. I wondered whether registering would help, but thought I'd like to have a look round first. I'll have another go later. MG

George Benson - In Concert Carnegie Hall (side 2) MG

Where? I can't see no boat! MG

The Mar-Keys Marquis de Sade Small Sad Sam

Yes maybe. But also maybe a guy should be able to retire if he wants to. The tragedy often is that a musician may have earned plenty in his working life (as I expect Jimmy has) but too often doesn't make provision for retirement and so many are therefore ground into the mill past the point of no return. You can't make people wise, however. MG

That forum seems to work funny. I couldn't get the indices to list anything newer than July 2004, yet there are more recent posts. MG

Oe important factor is, would the two LPs fit onto one CD. I hate it when one track is left off. Fantasy were particularly loathesome at that. If you have to leave out a cut, it makes more sense to issue the two LPs on separate CDs. So, my list contains only those combinations that I think would fit. Paul Bryant - Somethin's happenin'/Groove time - two great sessions recorded for Fantasy, both featuring Plas Johnson. Johnny Lytle - The soulful Rebel/People and love - both recorded for Milestone. People and love contains two masterpies. Jimmy McGriff - Black pearl (Blue Note)/Junior Parker & Jimmy McGriff - Chicken fried soul (UA) - though there's no precise date to either session, both were recorded live at Jimmy's own Newark club The Silver Slipper, and the band's personnel is identical. So I've always felt that they were recorded on the same evening. Odell Brown & the Organizers - Raisin' the roof/Mellow yellow - two great Cadet albums by one of the unsungest organ groups. The Three Souls - Dangerous Dan Express/The Three Souls - another unsung organ band from Chicago, recorded by Cadet. Baby Face Willette - Mo' Rock/Behind the 8 Ball - I think Willette's Argo material was even better than his BN stuff, fabulous though that was. Sam Lazar - Playback/Soul merchant - I reckon both of these two are much better than the celebrated "Space flight", which had the disadvantage of Willie Dixon's unnecessary bass (though the advantage of GG on guitar). Even so, these are both beautiful albums. I LOVE Sam Lazar. Bill Hardman - Home/Politely - two excellent sessions done for Muse. Reuben Wilson - The sweet life/The Cisco Kid - these were actually reissued by Groove Merchant on a twofer double LP. Clifford Scott - Plays the big ones/Lavender sax - doesn't sound very promising, but there's real playing on these. Les McCann & Teddy Edwards - It's about time/Les McCann & Clifford Scott - Out front - two great sax players accompanied by the Ltd. Les McCann - At Shelley's Manne-hole/At Bohemian Caverns - two under-appreciated live albums les recorded for Limelight. PLUS I want a Freddie McCoy box with all 7 of his Prestige LPs AND A Billy Larkin & the Delegates box with all 8 of their Aura/World Pacific LPs. (Don't want much, do I?) MG

Oh my - a great Texas Tenor player I had (almost) forgotten about. Has this one been issued on CD? MG Not to my knowledge, but I did recently find a used Japanese mini-LP CD reissue of Off the Wall, another of his Argo recordings. There's also the excellent, Let's Swing, on OJC. Thanks, KH. I'll add the OJC to my endless list. MG

Volvo Saab Citroen

So where should I start? Is any of his stuff on Pablo good for an Ellington newbie? A lot of that is currently on sale at 2001, available for ridiculous €2.99. If you're liking "Money jungle", try this one An earlier trio session with lots of very interesting playing. Available on Columbia Legacy. MG