Rooster_Ties

I've loved Dawson's symphony for almost 20 years now -- and imho, it's one of the all-time greatest symphonies by any American composer. My other nominations might include Ive's 2nd (which feels more like a real "symphony" than his equally great 3rd and 4th), Sessions' 6th (or 7th? or 9th?), and Barber's less-well-known 2nd -- all off the top of my head -- ignoring some Europeans who took on American citizenship well into their adulthood. And I'm FINE if we want to turn this thread into a discussion of other top-drawer symphonies by American composers. A search on this forum on "Levi Dawson" will bring up half-a-dozen times I've waxed poetic for my love of this piece over the last 10-15 years. AND, this will be the very first live classical music thing my wife and I will have been to in over two years -- in just 3 days I get to hear the Dawson here in DC... https://www.postclassical.com/shows/hope-in-the-night Who else digs the Dawson??

This time tomorrow, it won’t be this time tomorrow. (Maybe only those of us here in the US who see this before tomorrow will get it.)

On a related note, how the hell has it been nearly 30 years(!) since this album came out? I got all four band members to sign it, at four entirely separate concerts (well, come to think of it, I got Al Foster to sign it one of the times I saw him with Joe, so at three concerts). And I was 24 when that album came out (which is when it got it, the very week it came out). That album is now 5 years older (now), than I was at the time it came out. Boggles the mind, how time flies.

I usually like but don’t always love Scofield’s sound (if I’m being honest, I probably rarely “love” it)… That said, I think it actually works (or, rather, I quite like it) on So Near, So Far. For one, it’s quite nice to hear Joe in a really rather different sort of context, in terms of timbre. I’ve also heard some circulating recordings of Joe with Scofield and this same (or nearly this same) rhythm section (sans piano) — but playing JOE’s regular songbook — and that stuff smokes!! I would LOVE if there were a legit live release of THAT band, let me tell you. I’ve had as many Scofield discs over the years that I’ve traded away, as kept — so I get what people are saying. But I really like the timbrel variety in this particular case, and the date is a winner in my book.

You know, I’d forgotten specifically who all was at this lunch —other than the people I was meeting for the very first time (you and your lovely wife, and I think this was the first time I’d met Eric too). A good time was had by all, and very fond memories. I didn’t know Bill as well as I’d liked to, but he will certainly be missed.

I knew Bill through the board better than in person, though I saw him at a few jazz shows about 5 times total over 8 years. He was a nice and thoughtful guy, and very kind. Joe, my dearest friend in Kansas City, knew Bill quite a bit better than I did — and he introduced us in about 2004 (and Joe called me about Bill’s passing last night). Bill and his (then) wife had an adult son with developmental challenges (who required their constant supervision), and they made the brave decision not to institutionalize him. This kept Bill from going to very many live shows (maybe once a month, at most). And I think every time I saw Bill in person it was at The Blue Room in KC (and he always brought his son with him, which was usually challenging, and only enabled Bill to stay for one set, at most — and sometimes he had to leave early even from that one set). But I never saw Bill ever complain, or show anything but an infinite amount of patience with his son. A truly remarkable father. I also never had the opportunity to get to know Bill much in person — and knew him far better from his presence on the board (and also on the Steve Hoffman Forums). Bill always seemed like one of the nicest guys you could ever think of.

So wait, then my dream of the trainwreck (from Aug 1968) getting a PD release from somewhere in Europe is off the table? (Half kidding, but half serious too.)

Wish you were looking for this on CD, as I think I might have an extra one, maybe still sealed even (iirc).

Just seeing the recent postings in this thread about the Cherry / Williams / Taylor titles — which I had noticed on the Dusty Groove site a few weeks ago. So, they’re NOT legitimately licensed?? Son of a bitch. So there goes my brilliant idea of trying to get them to license The Trainwreck and finally releasing it that way (via Hat). I’m mean, The Trainwreck deserves a proper Blue Note release (and cover!!) — but if the only way to get it out (legit) was via Hat, I would have taken it. But I guess that’s even more of a pipe dream than it already was (even if these Cherry / Williams / Taylor 2-fers were legit). ALSO, are those the only 3 BN artists Hat has done dirty like that? All this PD stuff rubs me the wrong way, and I try to avoid all of it like the plague.

Yup!

I’ve never heard the album, but I definitely enjoyed it as a concert experience. That said, getting the live album hasn’t been any sort of priority of mine — but if I ever saw it real cheap out in the wild, I’d probably give in and get it. I went never having heard Ponty — or YES (or Anderson solo) — live, in any context. And on those terms, it was a lovely night, in a small-medium size theater (The Howard, here in DC, barely a half-hour walk from home). All seated at tables, with table service — and they had hard cider too, on draft too iirc. It was nice!

Probably trying to make up for lost gigs during the pandemic. Can’t say as I blame anyone for that.

That’s sort of a good way of putting it. I’ve only sampled some clips from YouTube, but they’re SO damn slick, and — to my ears, at least — bereft of soul… of solos and soloists who want to try and say something — rather than just blow. TONS of chops, I’ll give ‘em that. But there’s just something lacking. I feel like if I could find just one Snarky Puppy release that showcased them maximally playing to the strengths *I* like best — that I’d still be hard-pressed to play them more than a time or two every several years. I’m a little more bully for Go Go Penguin — but it’s a similar kind of thing. And much as I hate to say it, I get a little of the same feeling out of Medeski Martin & Wood (much as I do love a lot of aspects of what MMW does, and I’ve heard them live 3x though that was all 10+ years ago). Most slick fusion from the late 70’s thru the 90’s hits me the same way — just cold.

About 3 years ago, I got Carla to sign my CD copy that I’d had since the early 90’s when I was still in college — one of the first 50-75 jazz CD’s I ever owned. And I’ll be damned if I can remember where or why I got it — but probably my uncle turned me onto it, I’m guessing. I’ve got the CD set in the fatboy jewel box with like a 30-page booklet inside (cd booklet size). I really loved EOTH in college, but not instantly. But over a year’s time it wormed itself info my brain, not unlike Pierrot Lunaire around that same time (circa 1991, my senior year, and the two years after while I stayed in college getting a second degree). I don’t listen to it but about 2-3x per decade these days, but it definitely brings back fond memories.

Saw JLP but once about 5 years ago, in DC — on his collaborative concert tour with Jon Anderson (of YES). It was basically JLP and his band backing Anderson. A two hour evening and even mix of JLP’s fusion material and YES tunes, back and forth (and Anderson sang wordless backing vocals on a number of JLP tunes, and even added a few lyrics to some of them too). Quite enjoyable — my first time ever having seen/heard anyone from YES before either. Here’s a sample…

Santana played with Miles once or twice, but was never “in the band” so to speak. Peter Losin’s site suggests just once… http://www.plosin.com/milesahead/Sessions.aspx?s=860615 There’s a little more about it at the link above, but here’s the main details… June 15, 1986 (5 items; TT = 24:50) Giants Stadium, East Rutherford NJ Westwood One Radio Network (B) Miles Davis (tpt, synth); Bob Berg (ss, ts); Robben Ford (g); Carlos Santana (g); Robert Irving III (synth); Adam Holzman (synth); Felton Crews (el-b); Vincent Wilburn Jr. (d); Steve Thornton (perc) 1 One Phone Call - Street Scenes (M. Davis) 1:10 2 Speak - That's What Happened (M. Davis-J. Scofield) 7:40 3 Tutu (M. Miller) 3:05 4 Splatch (M. Miller) 5:50 5 Burn (R. Irving III-R. Hall) 7:05 Add Santana (g)

Got Dad back to his assisted living center apartment AOK this morning, out of rehab finally. Cantankerous as ever, but not continuously (which is a good sign). He looks and sounds good. We got him a new/different kind of walker on the way home, and the only issue is getting him to use it. Looks like this is going to be a better week than I was necessarily expecting. (See prior two posts.)

Flying to St. Louis tonight (Sun) right after work, to spring my dad from his rehab center first thing Monday morning (since his fall 2 weeks ago). Then I’m his 24/7 helper to get him half back into the swing of things (thru late Thu). And then I’m back to DC just in time for 4 days of work — and then next Tuesday is another date with the cardiologist for a “nuclear stress” test for myself (see my immediate prior post, from Feb 17). I’ve been walking 5-6 miles per day for almost 2 weeks now — haven’t missed even one single day — and have been eating better too. And I definitely feel better (maybe some of that may be a placebo effect, but I’ll take it). So, I think I’m doing better-ish — and so is my Dad — but the next week’s gonna sure take it out of me, I’m betting. PS: But then on top of everything, my boss at work is making things unnecessarily difficult at times (especially the last 2 days, but off and on for months). So my stress levels have been off the charts. I’m dealing with that halfway well, actually — but it takes a toll too.

…and the version of Denzil Best’s “Move” — a ‘Birth of the Cool’ track (at least how my brain organizes things) — is also a real standout.

I’ve always found him delightful.

I’d love to hear it once. Maybe 2-3 times. But not anything I can really justify buying.

Psy… Bonus: I was actually at this event — and it was even cringier in person, than it looked on TV.

I’ve streamed a few of his albums, and actually saw him live here in DC back in 2013 — in a group backed with a trio that was either acoustic piano and/or Rhodes (can’t remember). On paper, I should have loved it (I’m no stranger to some amorphous but not entirely squonkin’ jazz)… …but it (the concert) did nothin’ for me. But I figured my ears were on backwards again or something. Wouldn’t be the first time I didn’t connect with an artist that looked like they should have been right in my wheelhouse. So, yeah, I don’t get him either — but he’s doing something pretty different, and at least some people really dig it — so I’m all for that.