Cali

Went to the Grammys last night with a musician friend. Some reflections: Just as all of you have said, the whole award process is a joke. The show is over-produced and LOUD! The graphics are incredible. The stage set-up between acts is fast and extremely organized. John Legend is the real thing. As usual, jazz and classical get short shrift, with performances and presentations recorded earlier. The tribute to Sly was over-produced with too musicians and singers onstage. BTW the drummer was Ndugu Chanceler. The music was very disorganized...BUT regardless of what he looked like and what he's been thru, when Sly came on he put the music on the one! He brought the whole groove together and we all felt it. It was palpable. And by the way, we could hear him there. It was the climax and everything after it anti-climatic. We just milled about in the lobby after that because there was nothing more to hear/see after that.

I've had a few cats over the years named after musicians or jazz tunes. Names have been Max, Prez, Lady Day and Stuff.

No comparison to Morgan ????? My jaw is dropping in disbelief. Talking about playing horn, Lee Morgan could incinerate Miles anytime anywhere. Miles was an great innovator , a great bandleader , a great judge of talent , a melodic player with a superior sense of time and space but he wasn't anywhere near the league of Diz or Fats or Clifford or Lee or Freddie or Woody in terms of ideas or execution on the horn. And charisma .... well I'm too young to have ever seen Lee live, but I heard he was something else in person. As someone who had the priviledge of seeing Miles and Lee on several occasions, I'll attempt to compare their respective "charismas". Lee was a mofo! He was fiery, cocky, funny, a virtuoso and very personable. One of a kind. Miles had a different juju. For all of his so-called limitations I was witness to some awe inspiring performances. Concerts which left the audience shaking their heads at what they had just heard and seen. He was a brilliant performer. No one could "set the table" like Miles. In the 60's when you went to see Miles you had the feeling that you were in the presence of royalty. He had an air of mystery. His mannerisms, his "style" (some people would come just to see what he was wearing!). He was a trend setter. And when he was on, he was magic! He was our shining prince. I don't mean to sound like a smart-ass (please forgive me if I do) but to understand it you had to be there.

I thought the store closing had been public for some time now. Always sad to see the smaller shops go. I got into record buying in LA some time after Amoeba had been established--back then, Aron's was already on the way out. Amoeba has since monopolized the used CD market; Aron's has been a virtual wasteland for some time now. Such is the tragedy of business. Uh, isn't Amoeba, L.A. only 4 years old?

Cannon had, indeed, been influenced by Trane during their association in Miles' band. But, on the '58 MILES album, on "Straight No Chaser" Cannon upstages Trane, IMO. That solo is just plain nasty!

I'm a big Bartz fan (his blowin', not his singin'). I wish the total IKR album lived up to the title track. The title track is epic with a great groove and incendiary blowing by Gary. Had the LP in the 70's and bought the CD when it was issued a couple of years ago 'cause that one cut is worth the price of the album.

Speaking of the Watts Towers........

Happy belated, D. Just moved, myself, I'm living the box life just like you.

In California, it's necessary to have the "un-insured motorists" addition in your policy to cover these type of instances. What a shame.

OH, NO!

To my ears, the RVG is superior.

Detroit, Chicago Alert! Zane Musa, a twenty-something alto saxophonist from Los Angeles will be there next weekend. Zane is my VERY favorite current alto player. He will be appearing as part of Phil Ranelin's Tribe Renaissance. Caught this band last night at 5th Street Dicks. Wow! What a beautiful, intense set. Members of the band are Phil - trombone, Zane - alto, Ryan Cross - bass, Lorca Hart (Billy Hart's son) - drums, Don Littleton - congas & percussion, and Tigran Hamasyan, an eighteen year old pianist! Schedule is: Detroit, Saturday, Nov. 19th at the Institute of Contemporary Art. Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 20th at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave. If you're in the Chicago or Detroit area, do yourself a favor. You'll be glad you did. Zane is a young saxophonist of Middle Eastern descent who plays like he was a contemporary of Bird, Dolphy, Jackie Mac, Cannonball, etc. I know this is lofty company for someone so young and at this place in time, but I kid you not, this is the real deal. The guy takes your breath away. As Miles Davis once said in describing Monk, "Sanctified!". Anyone who catches this group, please post your experience.

Harold's a beautiful cat! Remember he's on other excellent Lee Morgan albums like THE GIGOLO, THE SIXTH SENSE, THE LAST SESSION and the recently reissued Jackie McLean Blue Note, CONSEQUENCE with Lee Morgan and Billie Higgins.

Robert Stewart.

Lou's always been a good dude. I remember seeing him often in the early 60's in L.A. He's done a lot of charity work. Annually he raises millions of dollars for the United Negro College Fund. Here's hoping he's with us, in good health, for many years to come.

Still not as bad as the Ashlee Simpson halftime at last years national championship game, USC vs Oklahoma. She was booed off the stage.

My fondest memory of Shirley was chatting with her and her band at the bar at The Vine Street Bar and Grill in Hollywood 4 or 5 years ago. Going out on a mission to find some BBQ and fish and bringing it back to her suite at the Roosevelt Hotel after the gig. Listening to stories and laughing all night. What a woman, what a musician.

My fav on the album is "Snap Crackle". ROY...HAYNES!

Check out SONNY CLARK TRIO on Blue Note. There's a current discussion of this album in another thread. Also, A WORLD OF PIANO by Phineas Newborn, Jr.

Truly, a great album. And the RVG remastering enhances the listening experience. Although Sonny and Horace are out of the Bud Powell "school", I believe Sonny had more chops than Horace (and I love Horace). The runs he makes on tunes like "Be-Bop" are ecstatic. And the tenderness displayed on ballads like "I'll Remember April" is haunting. To hear Sonny in a trio context lets you hear all the facets of his playing that you may not notice in a larger group. We already knew his comping is unsurpassed.

That's cold!!!!

Alas, you're right, John Tapscott, Damb-it!

DAMMIT, ditto. I was going to wait until my funds were in order. But after reading that, I'm picking this up today (along with Jackie Mac's CONSEQUENCE).

From a reliable source, the sound is a major improvement over the bootlegs.

You only have 20???