Rooster_Ties

Realizing Kenny Wheeler has an upcoming ECM release that was recorded not all that long ago (for which I'm fairly sure the results will be well worth while), I'm wondering what other "last albums" (i.e. leader-dates) or even last sideman appearances that you can really recommend as being of a high caliber, and a great note to have gone out on. The first one that came to mind (in seeing that the upcoming Kenny Wheeler date is on ECM), I immediately thought of this title... Don Cherry - Dona Nostra (1993) Which is among my favorite Don Cherry leader-dates. If I'm not mistaken, this may be Cherry's last appearance of any sort on a studio date as well (meaning no other sideman appearances after this one). What other titles spring to mind as being really great "last releases" that, even if not perfect, really work for you.

Oh man, I'm going to have to spin a LOT of KW tomorrow and all weekend. He (along with Tomasz Stanko) were/are my favorite tp-fh players of that sort and variety. I discovered Dave Holland's 80's quintet's output with KW *very* early on in my jazz listening -- easily among the first 100 jazz albums I ever had/heard. Those DH albums were very important to framing a lot of my sensibilities about jazz, and how it was beyond mostly what I'd first heard in my Jazz 101 class in college. RIP, Mr. Wheeler, and thank you.

Ok, that's pretty damn funny!

Tried to find if there were any special showings in theaters, but came up with nothing. Anyone know of any? - Washington, D.C. area for me, but others may wish to see this in their area (should anyone be lucky enough to live close enough to where it might be shown). I know, 1 in a million chance of this actually being in theaters, but one or both of the links above implied such.

Has this ever been issued on CD? Somehow didn't realize until today that Carmell Jones was on this (or half of it, anyway).

So, what are THE one or two "must have" post-PJ Gerald Wilson led dates to own? (I have the Mosaic, but that's it.)

Maybe try on another computer (that has another browser), or even a different computer same browser.

Were perhaps Gerald and Gil Evans arguably the most important big-band leaders after 1960?

Shipping terms?

Isn't that practically the only organ date Joe Henderson ever recorded on? The only soul-jazz organ date, in any case (iirc).

And Hill's piano-trio work too, come to think of it -- or a lot of it, anyway. Including a few one-off "trio only" tracks from his various Blue Notes (63-66) where the horn(s) sat out, along with a handful of post-BN albums. Also much of Smokesstack (with two bass players, and no horns), and Judgement! (no horns, piano trio plus Bobby Hutcherson) -- would qualify here. Pretty much anything with or by Hill, without horns probably qualifies.

Here's a great jazz cover of Red! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JhwFI0WUmkM

Speaking of Red... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JhwFI0WUmkM

Nearly all of Andrew Hill's solo piano recordings -- the Select, and two or three other albums -- would seem to fit into this category, IMHO.

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.