Allan Songer

No nightmares? That's because you weren't spinning side 2 of the Smiley Winters on Arhoolie! That's some freaky shit... NICE! I ran into Sonny Simmons on the street in San Francisco about 20 years ago blowin the SHIT out of his alto right in front of the BART station downtown--maybe Montgomery St? Playing for loose change.

BITE YOUR TOUNGE!!! (My speakers are over 40 years old--no foam on THOSE woofers!)

I just read that Sonny Simmons has formed a trio and has been playing in New York this month. Would love to see him make a trip to Los Angeles! Anyway, I was spinning this late last night before heading to bed and NO, I did NOT have any nightmares--even after heard Barbara Donald's trumpet at full tilt!

I might have an extra one. Let me check. It would be the 70's vinyl set on PABLO. The original Clefs are out there and MOST of them are very reasonable (except the Ben Webster LP that seems to sell for $150). You might want to try to put an original set together via ebay--get them one or two and time . . .

Clef/Verve

Anyone here collect 10" records? I only wish I had bought them back in the day . . . . .

Nope, it's because the Tristano stuff is boring and has no fucking soul whatsoever with that horrible drumming and those nothing bass lines. I mean, how can anyone listen to that stuff? Even the Chinese restaurant sides are boring and I really love Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz--hell, I heard Warne live dozens of times and he was NEVER boring. But Tristano? No, thanks . . .

#1 and #2 "on hold" #3 SOLD!

Just in time for the new cd reissue. Isn't that ALWAYS the case?

#4, #5, #6 SOLD!

I FINALLY found a nice mint copy of this one!! Paid through the nose, but it was worth it!

1. Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus Prestige 7079. This is a late 1950's/early 1960's pressing--deep grooves both sides, yellow "Fireworks" label with Bergenfeld NJ address. Vinyl is beautiful--no feelable scuffs or scratches, conservatively graded VG++, close to NM and plays quiet with incredible dynamics. Jacket is VG, borderdline VG+ with corner dings and a small amount of spine loss--image is BEAUTIFUL and the back is nice and clean with no writing, 2 1/2" seam split on top seam. This is a NICE copy of 7061 and was my primary playing copy for a long time before I scored a NM NYC address copy. $75 2. Lou Donaldson Blues Walk Blue Note 1593. Double sided deep-groove pressing with the 47 W. 63rd. labels, "ear" and "RVG" in dead wax. The vinyl is VG++ and plays NM--there are just a couple of uneelable scuffs. This is an early Blue Note, a 1500 series in superb condition and has INCREDIBLE dynamics--a good chance to hear what all the fuss is about regarding early deep-groove Blue Notes. BEAUTIFUL!!! The jacket is VG++ with NO seam splits, NO significant spine or seam wear, a nice clean back with no writing--would be NM if not for some FAINT ringwear on the bottom of the jacket. I three copies of this LP and just can't justify not selling one of them. $95 3. Joe Henderson In 'N Out Blue Note 4166. A rare ORIGINAL mono pressing with the New York labels and the "ear" and "RVG" in the dead wax. A KILLER SESSION with Henderson joined by Kenny Dorham, McCoy Tyner, RIchard Davis and Elvin Jones. The vinyl is truly NM and plays that way--almost PERFECT. The jacket would be NM if not for some eveidence of tape removal from the bottom edge and some white tape along the back's bottom edge--all corners are SHARP, no dings, no wear and the back is super-clean. This is a REALLY tough one to get as an original pressing in ANY condtion and this one is SUPERB! $135 4. Lou Donaldson Mr. Shing-A-Ling Blue Note 84271. Original , blue/white "Liberty" Stereo pressing. Vinyl is NM, but there is a name written on one label side. Jacket is super-clena but with hole-punches (cut out?) in upper left and and lower right corners. Good GOD you get FUNKY on this one with Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Dr. Lonne Smith on the B3, Jimmy Ponder on guitar and Leo Morris on drums. Plays PERFECT!! $25 5. Donald Byrd Byrd's Eye View Transition 4. This is a KING pressing of the IMPOSSIBLE to find original Transition session (yes, I now have a mint original and I never play this one any more) with Mobley on tenor, Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Art Blakey on drums. Basically, this is a Jazz Messengers LP with Byrd billed as the leader. The vinyl and jacket are as close to mint as you can imagine--I bought this one brand new in the 80s--includes the original insert. NICE $40 6. Miles Davis Nefertiti Columbia CS9594. Original 2-eye Stereo pressing in NM shape--jacket and vinyl are alomst perfect. A great session from Miles' 2nd quintet!! With Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. $20 7. Chet Baker Sings and Plays Pacific Jazz PJ1202. A perfect Japanese KING pressing from the early 80's. NICE!!! Some great work from Russ Freeman on piano. You won't find a nicer copy. $35 8. Bud Shank The Bud Shank Quartet Pacific Jazz 1PJ215. Seminal "west coast" session--probably Shank's best record from the 50's. This is a Japanese Toshiba pressing from the 90's. PERFECT. $30

Original black label deep-groove mono . . .

Freddie Redd Jazz Is Trio Records (Japan) 1977 A fairly obsure trio date--NICE! Much of this was issued a few years later on Interplay under the title Staight Ahead

Sonny Rollins The Bridge Original RCA deep-groove Stereo --going to hear Sonny tonight!

When I last spoke with Freddie in December he was living in a Motel 6. How fucked up is that?

Freddie Redd is alive and gigging in Los Angeles. He played several dates in the Fall at local clubs but nothing in the past few weeks. He still plays BEAUTIFULLY.

Her radio show was BITCHIN'. For that alone she gets a big thumbs up from me. I heard her perform once about 20 years ago. It was a fun, swinging evening. But a "legend" she is not.

I was there too. It was a good show . . .

I remeber taking my girlfriend (now my wife of 18 years) to hear Jackie. She wasn't feeling all that well and drank WAY too much wine at dinner and almost backed out. But she agreed to go and we sat about 3 feet from the bell of his alto and I remember looking over at her and seeing the look of TOTAL rapture in her eyes about 30 seconds into Jackie's first solo. That look in her eyes has never left me.

"This cover is a view of one of the moons of Saturn taken from about 300 space miles up."

Sonny Simmons Staying on the the Watch original ESP-1030 Stereo

That PIERCING whistle followed by "Block chords . .. block chords"

Bill Evans Verves. I don't have them any longer--sold them off 10 years ago. I kinda wish I'd kept them.