Rooster_Ties

I've been using AuctionStealer.com for years. They give you three (3) free last-second snipe bids per week, and a dozen snipes per month is well enough for me most of the time. Basically set it and forget it. Flawless, and I've never lost an auction that I didn't get seriously outbid on as a result. Swear by it.

Stanko, along with Kenny Wheeler (who I always felt was a kindred spirit), did a great deal to open my ears up a bit 15-20 years ago. He will be missed. https://www.discogs.com/Tomasz-Sta%C5%84ko-Bosonossa-And-Other-Ballads/release/2869225 One of my favorites, from 1993 -- and despite the "and other ballads" nomenclature, I see this as being more of a simmering caldron of mid-tempo excitement -- that occasionally threatens to boil over, but never quite does (and I mean that in the very best way).

Good for Wayne! Whatever one thinks of these particular awards (or frankly, almost any sort of 'awards' these days) -- it's hard to get bent out of shape when good people are recognized for their efforts over the decades. If there's even ONE good honoree on these kinds of award shows, then that's a "win" as far as I'm concerned. Or even better if there's a couple in the same year. I keep my expectations in check, and so I'm never too deeply disappointed. I think the last thing I let piss me off about an awards event/show, was the lack of an "album of the year" Grammy nomination for David Bowie's Blackstar last year (or would that have been the year before?). So genuinely, three cheers for Wayne Shorter, a real jazz artist -- for getting a solid 15-17 minutes of airtime on a show like this. Realizing there's 500 channels airing stuff at the same time on cable, to say nothing of an infinite number of things "airing" on-line (or recent, and streamable). With any luck, you-know-who won't be there (like last year), and it should be a lovely evening. I know some folks here in DC who've gotten to go a few times, and I hear its a really nice event there in the hall. It is what it is, and as long as you don't pretend it's anything other than what it is (or hope too hard for it to be something it ain't), then it's all good! And a hearty "Yay Wayne!" If nothing else, the 6-minute mini-doc on him should be good, knock on wood. That's about how long they are, right? Maybe 8-minutes tops.

Half a crime, if you ask me -- that Billy Harper is still that far under the radar. Honestly, I think he's one of the 20 best tenor players EVER (whole history of jazz), if you ask me. You could argue where 'where' in the ranking (off the top of my head, he'd be around #10 for me, give or take)... ...but from the sounds of things, he'd barely crack the top 100 (if that), if you polled everyone from the last 50 years who ever owned more than 200 jazz albums. For me, Billy's probably been THE voice on tenor for the last 20 years. Like, nobody tells a story, or can spin a solo - like he does. I sort of half mean "voice" literally -- his approach does seem almost 'vocal' to me. If anybody deserves to get 'rediscovered' like Joe Henderson did in 1991, it'd be Billy Harper now. Hell, Joe was 54 back in '91. Jesus, Billy is 75(!) - I just saw when I looked it up. (I thought more like 70.) So Billy's 15-20 years OVERDUE for rediscovery. I know, I know -- the world ain't like it was in 1991 - and hasn't been for a good 10-15 years (at least). At the very least, Billy needs some sort of "fan club" or something.

Honestly, I'd love to mount a write-in effort for Billy Harper -- every year, in fact -- until he gets added to the pre-printed ballot under the "tenor" category (so he isn't just a write-in any more). Honestly, in terms of *current playing* -- I cannot think of a tenor-player I like better. Gary Thomas is close (for me), but Billy's WAY more active, nationally.

I've got one too -- probably found a used copy at some point (don't remember buying it new). I've seen copies in the bins before -- but I guess it's been well over 10 years since I saw one (other than mine), come to think of it.

I wrote in Billy Harper, and was SHOCKED when I didn't see his name listed. Honestly, I think he's just about THE best tenor-player working today. Can't remember all the names that were listed, but when I probably didn't even recognize half the names -- but no Billy Harper?? -- what is this world coming to??!!! I mean, I can at least (sorta) understand how Gary Thomas isn't listed -- since he barely records at all any more (not even hardly as a sideman -- what? -- maybe 5x in 20 years?). And Gary hasn't had an album out under his own name/leadership since 1998. But Billy, sheesh, he's an active part of an active band that plays his tunes -- and he's been on 10 albums in the last dozen years (including 2 under his own name, and 5 with The Cookers).

Is there a good way to sequence all this material, so there aren't quite so many repeated takes in immediate succession? I love the sound of this stuff, but I've admittedly not spun my copy of the earlier reissue as often simply because of the sequencing. Come to think of it, more often than not I just put the thing on 'random' and go with that -- absent any other kind of specific way to listen to it.

I rarely do downloads, even legit ones (unless it's something I desperately want). I think I can count on one hand the number of albums I've bought as downloads on-line. I'll buy vinyl if it's never been on CD, and I'm *really* interested. But to release something as vinyl/download only is about a 98% chance way to guarantee I'll never hear it.

Just voted for Hank -- though I'm more surprised that Sam Rivers isn't already in their hall of fame.

So that half-painfully out-of-tune piano wasn't at the regular Left Bank venue?? If so, that's GOOD -- because I'm more put off by that damn piano, than I think I am by sound-quality issues generally. I've got that Lee Morgan date on CD (or at least I had it), and it's not one I pull out very often at all (because of that piano).

I like Dance With Death. Or let me revise that to say I really appreciate having Dance With Death. Tolliver's also interesting to hear in Hill's world (definitely not the context he shines in best, but it forces him to operate differently, which is interesting) -- and it's good to have Joe Farrell (who also shines on Passing Ships). But I'll admit to liking the mostly previously unreleased Hill session(s) with Tolliver found on the Hill BN Select better (the one(s) with Pat Patrick and Bennie Maupin) -- i.e. most of Disc #1 of the Hill BN Select.

I'm sure there are some offers (special pricing) I'm missing out on by not having a Prime membership. But since I don't take advantage of any of their video/movie streaming (no interest), the only other real benefit to me would -- I presume -- be the free 2-day shipping. But since they still offer free standard shipping for any order over $35 (I think that's the limit), it's nothing to find $35 worth of stuff to buy from them, to avoid shipping costs. Yeah, it takes a few more days -- but I'm pretty cheap, and I'm glad to wait 6-8 days (and it's usually more like 5 days) in order to both avoid shipping costs -- AND also avoid Prime membership costs. Other than convenience (and all the streaming stuff), what else am I missing out on by not having Prime? My other worry is that if I had Prime, I'd be temped to order from Amazon ALL the time. As it is, I usually only order stuff from them about 4-6 times a years. I look for stuff on Amazon all the time, mind you -- but I just save everything to my wish list. And then when I get around to really NEEDING something -- only then do I pick out enough things from that list to get to the $35 threshold (for free shipping), and hit the "buy" button. I'm sure I save hundreds a year in NOT buying stuff I really don't need. Mrs. Rooster and I live in a 630 sq-ft 1BR apartment, so the last thing I need is more stuff (let me tell you). If I lived back in Kansas City (in our 1,400 sq-ft house, I'm sure I'm be WAY temped to buy more stuff, and probably be on Prime - come to think of it).

I only ever saw Steve Coleman live once -- back in Kansas City maybe 10 years ago. Amazingly detailed, hard-hitting but 'delicate' too (not sure how to explain that), and complex as all get-out. The thing I remember most was trying like hell to figure out the *meter* of the tunes, and I finally just gave the fuck up and counted everything in a relatively fast "1". Seriously -- I must have spent a good minute or more of nearly every tune trying to figure out the meter -- and it all seemed impossibly difficult. Like damn near EVERYTHING was designed to obscure any sense of strong-beats vs. weaker-beats. ALSO, very little tension and release (as I see I said in an earlier post in this thread, some 12 years ago). ALL tension, NO release -- or at least that was my experience of it. Impressive music, but I was done wore the fuck out when the night was over, that's for sure!!

Ok, that's crazy! This I gotta see. Time to set the DVR to record CNN for about 24-hours "Straight (,No Chaser") -- and see if I can catch it.

I'll ask a little more directly... Where the hell did Two Is One come from?? Or is there more lineage between it, and some Rouse that preceded it -- and if so, what?? -- than I'm aware of. Serious inquiry.

I might add that Two Is One (1974) really pushes a LOT of buttons for me, in ways I would have never guessed from any sort date that Charlie Rouse was on (let alone leader of). I've long thought at times, it almost sounds like something Steve Coleman might have been listening to, in terms of early M-BASE influences. Not in every detail, but in the overall rhythmic/mathematical complexity of it all (or at least the impression I'm left with). And quite seriously, given what sorts of dates Rouse was on and led before, in 1974 who the hell could have ever foreseen Two Is One being a Charlie Rouse(!) date?!! Include it on any blindfold test circa 1975-80, and I can't imagine anyone guessing Rouse. I'd love to know more about Two Is One, actually. It's such an out-of-left-field sort of date. The line-up is below (from Wikipedia). Practically all these guys were a generation younger (I'd have to guess). The only other name I know is Stanley Clarke (of course) -- is there anyone else on this album that I should be more aware of? Bitchin'" (George Davis) - 7:19 "Hopscotch" (Joe Chambers) - 7:18 "In a Funky Way" (Davis) - 4:52 "Two Is One" (Charles Rouse) - 11:16 "In His Presence Searching" (David Lee) - 9:29 Lineup: Charles Rouse - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet George Davis (tracks 1 & 3), Paul Metzke - guitar Calo Scott - cello Martin Rivera (tracks 1 & 3), Stanley Clarke (tracks 2 & 4) - bass David Lee - drums Azzedin Weston - congas (tracks 1 & 3) Airto Moreira - percussion (tracks 2 & 4)

Rouse's 1974 Strata East date, Two Is One, has long been a serious deep favorite of mine, going back maybe 20 years (for me), though I can't remember exactly when I first heard it.

Much of what I like best about Trane (on tenor), comes through in some of his soprano playing - but I do wish he'd played soprano a bit less. But I really shouldn't talk, because -- horror of horrors -- in all my 30 years of jazz listening (since I was 20), I've never gotten bitten super hard by Coltrane (tenor or soprano). Nothing but the deepest of deep respect (and abstract appreciation) for all he did, but I've never truly been smitten with Trane. FWIW, my opinion of soprano in general is similar, including Wayne Shorter. It's just not an instrument that I like as much after about 15-20 minutes. And similarly, pretty much any clarinet (jazz, or otherwise) would be better voiced on bass clarinet, or the far too less well-known alto(!) clarinet - imho. BTW, Nathan Davis on soprano is a voice that I've found surprisingly refreshing, not necessarily for what he said with it, but HOW he said it. But I'm sure I'd tire of it too, if he'd played it a lot more.

Interesting. I'd be curious to see a copy. Full page? - goodness sakes.

FWIW, Slice of the Top and Third Season are probably my two favorite Hank leader-dates -- and two of the best 'slightly-larger-than-just-a-combo' dates in the entire BN catalog.

The last thing I 'need' is (even) more Woody Shaw. But if the reports on this one are good, I know I won't be able to resist getting it.

At the risk of being castigated for this line of inquiry, I'll ask if there's any discographical ("sessiongraphal"?) clues as to the proportion of tenor vs. soprano?

And I remember that "two solos, one fast and one slow" comment from here, quite clearly, I really like Ervin (I have 8-10 of his albums on CD), but I think I agree (and did at the time), that he did tend to have two speeds, fast and slow.

I picked up the piano-trio record I linked to above (full YouTube upload of "God Is More Than Love Will Ever Be"). It's really nice, and I sure wish Ra had recorded in a trio format more often like this (inside and outside, about as much in/out as Andrew Hill). Apparently it's the ONLY piano-bass-drums full-length session that Ra ever recorded, other than a few individual tracks here and there from other sessions. Then again, "inside/outside" piano-trio dates is kind of an area I've tried to find as many good examples of as I can find (think Valdo Williams, or late 60's and 70's Mal Waldron).