Rooster_Ties

Mehldau has incredible technique, and his hand independence (ability to play what I think are fairly radically different things in each hand at the same time) is pretty amazing, and almost unmatched. My wife really loves his playing, so for a while there - I had nearly everything he'd ever recorded (or at least the trio and solo recordings) -- and still have 8 or 10 of his releases. My interest comes and goes. Personally I've liked his trio work a LOT better with Jeff Ballard on drums (who replaced Jorge Rossy in 2005). I can't say for certain that Mehldau's own playing was changed by switching drummers, but Ballard often brings a lot more energy and drive to the up-tempo numbers - and I find his (Ballard's) playing a lot more imaginative, and maybe even more "Tony Williams"-like (in that every measure seems different, and new). Mehldau's solo playing is also interesting, and I've heard him solo in concert too (just once) -- which is an entirely different experience than his solo work on records. In recordings (solo), he's much more classically inspired (it seems to me). But in concert (solo), he's way more "wall of sound" with extended use of the sustain pedal, and the room is filled with more sound than I would ever imagine from anyone (other than perhaps someone with a totally different approach, like Cecil Taylor). But definitely something that works better in person, than on record (that "wall of sound" thing would really fall flat for me anywhere other than in the concert hall itself). Mehldau pushes a lot of the right buttons for me, but he certainly doesn't push all of them. I don't feel like he swings in what I think is any conventional sense (and often seems a bit stilted when he does sorta swing) -- but there is often a lot of great forward momentum to some of his music, that does 'swing' in its own sort of way. I'd be really disappointed if every new pianist was trying to sound like Mehldau, but he does fill a nice niche that needs filling (and does so a better than most others ever could). And there are probably few other players who can do the two-handed contrapuntal thing as well as he does (though, for instance, Helen Sung can and does that with some of her music -- she has a very classically-trained background too, which is where I'm sure some of that comes from). So, I'm a big fan of Mehldau, but can easily go months without needing to listen to any of his music. Agree with the "both overrated and underrated" observation earlier.

Wynton Kelly? Not with Miles, in '68?

I know I've read or even seen in an interview (like maybe an online clip), with Grossman -- that this happened at his suggestion -- something to the effect that he wanted (even just once) to be able to say he played So What wth Miles, and "with Miles band" was as close as he could get. Maybe have even read/heard it here on this board.

You don't have to reveal here where it was from, but was there a postmark that identified where it was mailed from? Good luck with all this, and keep pursuing a remedy with every option you have.

Isn't it commonly thought that the "unknown title" that was performed with Gil's orchestra, was... "Falling Water" (take 4) - 3:45 "Falling Water" (take 6) - 4:25 "Falling Water" (take 8) - 4:17 "Falling Water" (take 9) - 4:23 ...which is found in four (4) studio takes on the Miles & Gil Evans box (recorded in 1968, as best I'm recalling). I know I've read/heard that a number of times, and it may even be mentioned in the liners to the Miles & Gil box too (where it was also speculation, though a pretty educated guess). Was this concert covered any in Downbeat around that time? Not that anyone (then) could have had any idea what to call that unknown tune.

Any thoughts on the book from members here?

Of those still available, the Wilson is my favorite - highly recommended!

I think I would have guessed he was in his mid-to-late 70's -- because I guess that's about how old he was the last time I thought about how old he was. Wishing the very best for Kenny. My own father is 87, but he's still "around 80" in my mind, so this way of thinking isn't uncommon for me.

And frankly, I'm just as excited to hear that the band is even more energetic / looser on the alternates (even if there are a few warts).

I forget, was the date with Lee Morgan only issued as part of one of the brown-cover two-fers? Or did it ever get issued by itself (as a single LP)? Or, rather, what cover (or covers) have ever accompanied the Elvin date from this set with Lee Morgan? I've always wished it had come out on CD by itself at some point -- an easily overlooked/underrated date.

I grown to really like the later studio material, discs #5 and #6 of the set, a lot more than when I first heard them. Not the very best material out of the whole set, but too easily overlooked.

Damn, that's a good response too. Especially liked this quote (re: jazz abandoning lyrics and vocals)... >> What Moyer seemingly can’t hear is the beauty and individuality of horns, pianos, guitars, basses and even drums applying themselves to melodies, along with the intention and personality that drive instrumental musicians. That’s almost pitiable, especially from an admitted instrumentalist.

Just killed 30 minutes of my lunch hour doing Google searches using the modern catalog numbers of the new SHM issue of Unity, i.e... Catalog No. UCCQ-5049 JAN/ISBN 4988005850881 That did bring up a whole bunch of other Japanese websites that have the title listed, and I then cut-n-pasted the Japanese string of characters (in Japanese) for what appeared to be the phrase "Unity + 4" into Google, and that brought up even MORE Japanese-only sites... ...a few of which had track-listings (with Japanese titles), but only for the regular 6 tunes on the original release (none of the bonus tracks were specifically listed). Eventually some of these search techniques might bring up something useful (and I figure it's not hard to then see what the bonus tracks are, even if they're listed in Japanese only) -- but, for now at least, the info doesn't appear to be out there yet (not even in Japanese). There are plenty of translators online, or the characters will probably just match the regular titles (if they are just alternates, which I'm sure they probably are).

Do you mean Chris Richards' piece? http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/08/11/all-what-jazz-or-how-to-declare-something-dead-without-listening-to-it/ THAT'S the one. Been a crazy week -- my wife's in-laws have been in town, and it's been crazy at work too -- so I only heard her read it to me Monday night (while I was making dinner), and I haven't had the chance to go back and look for it. There were also several letters-to-the-editor in the last day or three (or at least that's when my wife mentioned them to me, and read a few choice quotes). Good to see some great rebuttals in print in regards to some of this nonsense.

Can't wait! Some more raw/energetic/sloppy delight with Woody Shaw is the Andrew Hill session with Sam Rivers from disc #3 of the Hill BN Select. And lord knows there are spots in some of Larry Young's latter BN leader-dates that were kinda rough, but spectacular for their energy ("Contrasts" especially). Between a greatly expanded "Unity", and also "Out To Lunch" -- some of this is turning into a real and surprising wealth of new and important material.

This (above) is post #689 (which I was directed to above) -- and nothing I'm seeing about Unity, let alone the Unity bonus material. Searching within this thread on "Unity" didn't turn up anything specific either (that I could see/find). Nothing in the 2001 edition of the Cuscuna-Ruppli book either (which I do own). Nor half-a-dozen Google searches for the last 15 minutes. Any specifics that someone could point me too would be greatly appreciated, re: the specific bonus tracks to be included on this new, expanded reissue of Unity. Many thanks!!

Do we know yet what the Unity bonus tracks are specifically? I looked on the CDJapan website, found the Unity+4 listing, but could not find any specific track listing. Many thanks in advance!

Fantastic rebuttal piece in the Washington Post this week, Monday's Style section (maybe). Will try and post a link later when I have the chance (and when I'm not on my phone).

Hot damn on more Unity alternates!!!

I enjoyed his serious roles best of all. I think Moscow On The Hudson might be my very favorite, and it my mother's favorite Wiliams film as well. RIP.

My Dad lives in the St. Louis area; perhaps I could buy some (enough to make it worth the hassle), and arrange for him to come get them, or get them from you at some convenient meeting place that he can get to (he's 86, but still drives all over, and is in the best of health, thankfully).

Thank you. That was also a big part of my beef; you don't (or shouldn't) fuck with old people like that.

Jack D might be my all-time favorite Miles drummer (even over Tony). Maybe. Or if not, it's a damn close race. I mean, I *LOVE* Tony's playing with Miles (absolutely love it) -- but Jack just knocks me over on a deeper, maybe more 'emotional' level (mileage may vary). Jack's playing with Joe Henderson in the early 70's is another favorite... Power to the People (1969)Black Is the Color (1973)Multiple (1973) Also with Joe Henderson... With Miroslav Vitous Infinite Search (1969)

And that's the worst part, craw. Sonny said the exact same thing. See, I don't understand your whole online only rebuttal. I'd be willing to bet the majority of New Yorker readers ONLY read the magazine online. That's the way all publications, and their readership, have gone. So you'd cancel your subscription if it were printed on paper, but it's OK if it's only online? Can you explain that line of reasoning? I encounter lots of crap on-line (and have come to expect it). In fact, probably a majority of stuff on-line is throw-away (though, come to think of it, print too - if one considers the wider world of everything that's actually published on paper, even these days). My initial reaction was based on the notion that this actually got into print specifically in the print-version of the New Yorker (where, I think, the bar is and should be a lot higher). I'm not a regular reader, but I've come to expect at least a certain level of quality with any monthly print publication of that sort. Sure, the bar should be higher for online-only material too -- but it clearly isn't, so that's a battle not even worth considering. (Then again, my expectations of print media are probably out of sync with reality, as I find even print copies of Time magazine to be a pale comparison with what they were as little as 10 and 20 years ago -- so what do I know.)

Me too. I'm not so focused on sound-quality issues, but this new issue was a big improvement. And the bonus material was an amazing surprise, and well worth the upgrade (for the new material alone).