Allan Songer

Ike Quebec It Might As Well Be Spring original New York mono

Randy Weston With These Hands Original white label Riverside mono

Bobby Shew is a very interesting guy. I used to keep close track of him when I was way into Toshiko's big band and caught every live performance I could. There were a number of pieces she composed that showcased him. Unfortunately I've forgotten the albums and the tunes' names and I lost all my boxes of vinyl in a move. Not only was Shew a quite lyrical improviser who well knew the art of gradually building a story, but he also often played lead (and Toshiko wrote some of the toughest lead parts ever). I'd guess Shew is perhaps one of twenty or so of the greatest leads of the 20th century. Last year, I happened upon a large collection of web videos of that huge bash they threw for Maynard in L.A. Although I lost interest in Maynard's music over 15 years ago, it was nostalgic to listen to all the tributes: all the old bravura, showmanship, towering egos, and ferocious playing was present in spades ... actually in a royal spade flush ! Many of the greatest living high note artists composed the horn sections of the various bands assembled... including, much to my surprise, ... Bobby Shew. Shew is a gas in a small informal quartet setting too! He's played gigs like this around L.A. for years and I check him out at least a couple of times a year--most recently out at Charlie O's with John Heard, Roy McCurdy and Jon Mayer on piano. Three smokin' sets. Dude can flay out PLAY!

It's a great record. I have owned several different copies of this one over the years. The Toshiba sounds damn good.

Sun Ra A Fireside Chat with Lucifer original El Saturn

Red Galrand Red Alert! on Galaxy. Anyone else like these late Red Garland records. I bought them new back in the 70's and am still enjoying them--good stuff!

Lester Bowie "The 5th Power" Black Saint

Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims--Blue Note 1530 original Lexington

Art Salt Horace Silver Jack Webb

Jimmy Smith, Live at the club Baby Grand, vol. 2--Blue Note 1529, original deep groove flat edge Lexington pressing. DAMN this is a great record!!!

Last Night--The Benn Clatworthy Qoartet at Phlight in Whittier Tonight-- Rickey Woodard w/John Heard trio at Charlie O's Tomorrow morning-- Jack SHeldon at the Lighthouse

I love John Heard. He's a friend and a great human being and a HELL of a bass player. I've heard John live several HUNDRED times and will be there tonight at Charlie O's hearing him again. This is a nice record and John is proud of it--these weren't the tunes he WANTED to play--they were decided upon by the label, buit John was happy just to get the opportunity to record with what are pretty much the "Charlie O's Allstars." even though Danny is in New York now. For all of you who want to support NEW music on VINYL, BUY THIS RECORD NOW!! John Heard and Co.

Grant Green "Idle Moments" orginal mono NY deep-groove Duke Pearson "Sweet Honey Bee" original mono Liberty Ike Quebec "It might as well be Spring" original NY mono

Harold Land "Chroma" original Mainstream Helen Merrill/Dick Katz "A Shade of Difference" original Milestone Stereo Harold Vick "Don't Look Back" original Strata East Stereo

You got that right! I have a near mint flat-edge deep-groove "New York 23" pressing that is DEAD quiet--it's one of the cleanest Blue Note I own and it STILL sounds like mud. This is the worst recorded Blue Note of the 12" era in my opinion. I'd like to hear what RVG says about this session--why does it sound so BAD?

The Return of Art Pepper --Jazz West mono original Tenors Head On-Bill Perkins/Richie Kamuca--original Liberty mono Playboys--Art Pepper/Chet Baker--original World Pacific mono Jimmy Heath "The Thumper" original Riverside mono

Duke Peason "Profile" original deep-groove Blue Note mono Hampton Hawes "Green Leaves of Summer" originanl black label Contemporary Stereo Sonny Clark Trio --original Time mono Andre Previn "Plays Vernon Duke" original Contemporary mono Ray Bryant Trio--original Prestige deep-groove mono Tommy Flanagan Overseas--original Prestige deep-groove mono

You're probably right. All I know is that the guy next to me was about 65-75 years old and was introduced by Jimmy Heath as "Fred Jackson, the GREAT tenor saxophone player and one of my dearest friends." I don't know if this guy was THE Fred Jackson--I just assumed so. If it were Fed Jackson's son then Fred Sr. would have to be about 85 years old! They're probably not related and this cat was probably NOT the Fred Jackson from "Face to Face." Oh well . . .

I don't know Fred is all that active these days--he was there to see his good pal Jimmy Heath--they seemed really close. I do know that he was a "first call" session player for much of the 70's and 80's--right there with Plas Johnson, Bill Perkins and some other cats.

Glad it arrived OK! Dontcha just LOVE Fred Jackson? I sat next to him at the Jazz Bakery about two years ago at a Heath Brothers show--he looked great. And sitting two over from me was Horace Silver who REALLY looked good.

Stan Getz "The Steamer" original Verve mono Stan Getz "Award Winner" original Verve mono Bill Perkins "On Stage" original Pacific Jazz mono Lucky Thompson "Lucky Strikes" original Prestige mono

Sunny Murray ESP 1032 original Stereo Phineas Newborn "Phineas Rainbow" original RCA mono John Young "Young John Young" Original Argo mono Mal Waldron "Jazz Confronto 19" Original Horo Stereo Sonny Stitt "with the New Yorkers" original Roost mono Clifford Jordan "In the World" original Strata East stereo It's raining today and I've been spinnin' since dawn!

It was probably pressed in 1964. This was a slow seller but stayed in the catalog right until the end--they had to use up all the Lexington labels that had been lying around since '56. Blue Note used Lexington labels some of these early 12" releases up to the end and you can even find them on early LIBERTY pressings! I have a Jay Jay Johnson Liberty mono with Lexington labels. I guess it's POSSIBLE the record is a first pressing. Does it have a flat edge? That would be the most obvious determining factor . .

I've known Larry for a long time--he's nuts, but also a REALLY great guy. He has taught me so much about Blue Note and it always ready to talk about it! He has also bought quite a few records from me over the years and has horse-traded a few as well. He gets an A+ from me . . .

Sun Ra "The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra" original deep-groove Savoy mono (MINT!!) Ronnie Boykins ESP Stereo original Albert Ayler "Love Cry" original Impulse Stereo