Rooster_Ties

Check the other thread. In a word, YES!!

HO. LY. SHIT!!

I’ve never been in the audience for a live performance of the 8th — but I sang in a big production of it (maybe 400 musicians? — the final send-off concert for the longtime music director of the Kansas City Symphony, from 1986-98 (I sang in the KCS Chorus from 1995-2004). And I fully credit that experience — singing #8 — for making me finally ‘get’ Mahler. I’d heard #1 back in college (and liked the experience, but it was literally the very first large-scale ‘major work’ I ever heard performed live (Chicago Symphony, spring term my freshman year). But right after I moved to Kansas City, I heard #4 and/or #5 (can’t remember which, or maybe it was both) — and NONE of it made any sense at all, what with all the shifting tonalities and relatively-incessant chromaticism. Then maybe a year later I start rehearsing #8 — and it makes EVEN LESS sense to me. Singing within the parts of just the half of choir I was in (one of the “double choirs”), NONE of it made a lick of sense to me, though I was getting my part mostly pretty well (I could sing the notes, but the context for it all was bewildering). So, literally the week we started putting the two (separate) “choirs” together (the two halves of the chorus had been rehearsing separately, for like 5 weeks)… …so literally the week we start putting all the parts together, it SUDDENLY at least starts to begin to make a little sense. And then, by the final rehearsals with the “band” (big, fucking band too — maybe 140 instruments?) — that final week of rehearsals with the orchestra makes the lightbulb mostly go off in my brain. And the actual performance was nearly transcendent for me. And THEN I heard either #4 or #5 again (live) about 12-18 months later, and I was a total convert — and I had all 9 symphonies on CD within the next 3-4 months.

Back home again, and settling into my morning with discs 7 & 8 — having only heard 1-6 right before I left to move my dad (and most of that was later at night, with the stereo way down as my wife had already gone to bed). I’m often not especially a fan of stage announcements (with plenty of exceptions) — but I’m happy to report this is one of those exceptions. Lee’s laidback style and manner is so evident, and it’s nice to hear his ‘non-showboaty’ confidence shining through as he’s talking to the audience. May finally find some time to do more than skim the liners. I love Mosaic, but I have to say I love the semi-lavish but restrained packaging (and compactness too). I’m struggling to think of many (any?) other multi-disc sets like this, that seem to have gotten the packaging so right.

Ha!!!!!!! Soon as I got the gist of the subject of this thread, but well *BEFORE* I got past your first paragraph even — THE first and almost only name that immediately came to mind, was none other than JOHN HICKS. I’d like to claim great minds think alike, but it’s simply Hicks who was frickin’ great in every respect as a solid accompanist. Mulgrew Miller comes to mind too, but Hicks may have been the g.o.a.t. in this category.

Flying back to DC in the morning. All things considered, the move went very well. I’ll be back in 5 weeks, but I got nearly everything done I wanted and needed to. Maybe my assessment is a tad bit superficial, but I have been half-blown away at the quality of this assisted-living center we chose for my dad. I’ve said it all above, about the staff, and the facilities — but I continue to think this is really just a much nicer version of the place he was before — and with even better staff — and all their KEY staff (4-5 people, including the director) all seem super with-it, and on top of everything (and all the lower-level staff have all been great too). Plus, the whole frickin’ place — the building and everything — is brand new, all less than 6 months old. I hope I’m not proven wrong, but I’m really having a tough time imagining any sort of assisted living center that would be any better, without paying literally double the price. And what he’s paying here in the new place, (now), is barely $800/month more than what he was paying at the old place — which was nice enough back in its day, but is very shabby (almost rundown) now, 35 years after they opened their doors. I love the director (of the new place), a gal who almost seems like a younger version of the (great) director of the old place Dad was at before — both gals are each a pistol, and definitely full of piss and vinegar if you cross either one of ‘em. (The old director is going on our Christmas card list, for sure — and I told her I owe her a few dinners out in the coming years, for really being such a huge help in finding a place for my dad, and keeping him safe these last 18 months of Covid). And I even got (fit!) all his furniture into the new place, and all to his liking — with enough wiggle room to accommodate a walker, when he needs to start using one all the time, maybe in another year. Anyway, mission accomplished, pretty much in about every way I could have hoped for. Just about the biggest relief ever.

Holy shit, that’s NICE. Me likey, likey!!! Is this like the bass version of the insanely nasally sounding clarinet-like instruments I heard in Spain some 25 years ago?? Ear-splitting, my wife would call them. But man, that bass version is sweet!!!

I probably don’t understand Schrodinger's Box paradox well enough to have made a precise analogy… But the idea of the cat being both alive or dead (with no way to know which), seemed analogous to this jazz article in a folded up newspaper — too brittle to actually open — so there’s no way to tell… …if the cat is alive or dead (if the article in question has the relevant details to our discussion, or not). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger's_cat

Schrodinger's jazz article.

SO, how can we find that interview?? I’d be curious to see it, the section you cite in particular. Have to confess, I think other than those two sessions for Blue Note — and most of the bunch of side-man work he did with Elvin Jones — I don’t think I’ve heard much else by or with Foster, and I’ve probably (mostly) slept on him, I’m afraid.

I’d preorder THAT Mosaic set in a heartbeat!!

Looks like Mosaic fixed their snail-mail address.

No idea, I only peruse the Sexiest Album Covers thread periodically — and even then, I sure ain’t reading it “for the articles” (or the nouns, adverbs, prepositions, or any other part of speech). If a particular thread or topic gives you heartburn, just avoid it. I get that something rustled your jimmies — mine get rustled now and then too. But a conscious effort to just not let anything bother you is all it takes — to preserve one’s jimmies in a unrustled state. I occasionally fail at it, but by and large I try not to let shit get to me. And more often than not, it doesn’t. Takes a little practice, but after a while, it’s kinda second nature. I’m not taking anyone’s side in all this — nor am I defending anyone. If someone’s a pain in the ass, so be it. Doesn’t mean they have to be a pain in MY ass.

People are too prickly, and ought to develop a thicker skin. If one or more of the people — even mods — around here are an ass on occasion (and even a big pain in the ass now and then), that’s just the way it goes. People (imho, too) easily bent out of shape, are likely to find plenty things not to their liking where ever they want to find them. Have I gotten rubbed the wrong way by stuff here on occasion? Sure. Did I let it piss me off enough to want to jump ship? Well, doing so would have been more to my own detriment, than to anyone else here. I do have some sympathy for those who have felt aggrieved here and there — but they (like me) shouldn’t let it get to them/myself. Life’s a lot easier when you don’t let stuff drag you down. In most cases — especially in terms of online discussion forums — it’s just not worth getting worked up over (even when you think or know you are in the right).

Far as Frank Foster goes, I sure am fond of Manhattan Fever — along with it’s previously unreleased sister-session also for Blue Note (the bonus material on the CD reissue of Manhattan Fever). And I seem to recall Garnett Brown really shines on a few tracks on the original album. But I have to confess that those are the only Frank Foster leader-dates I have, or have ever heard. But on paper, it looks like The Loud Minority is maybe the next most obvious choice for me at some point.

My thought exactly. Our cat, Nikita, has been with us for almost 12 years — and she just gets sweeter and sweeter every year. Larry, I’m really sorry for your loss.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353679309285

I’m sure I heard him live a few times (at least), but off the top of my head I’m remembering him with Joe Henderson’s trio (with Jack D). Maybe with McCoy Tyner too.

That’s what I’ve heard too, iirc.

I’m gonna ‘gift’ mine to a musician friend, along with an OOP Mosaic Select that I came into recently (of a set I already had).

I’ve gotten several things over the years from them via eBay (maybe Amazon too?) — but I’m always a little leary of buying from them, and enough that I’m not sure I’d ever buy from them directly.

Been packing my dad up since I got here (outside St. Louis) on Monday night. Everything’s going close to really well now, but it’s been a Herculean task getting to this point. As I said above, about 3 weeks ago we discovered a BRAND NEW, full-blown “assisted living” retirement center, that just opened in March 2021. And it really is wonderful — large-ish 1BR apartments (560 sq-ft), 3 squares, and 4 levels of “assistance” when/if he needs it — but they don’t charge for the “assisted living” part until he needs it (and only at the level (price) he actually needs). It’s only $800/month more than he was paying at the place he in now that’s closing — and it’s all brand, spankin’ new. And the staff seems nothing short of wonderful (very down to earth, and they all seem like real people, and not at all like they’re stuck in jobs they hate). https://www.villasofhollybrook.com/belleville-il/ Moving truck gets here tomorrow right after lunch, then I’m here helping him get settled until Tuesday.

True, very true, and all good… But what I’m chompin’ at the bit for is something more unlike material we’ve already had and heard for 2 or 3 decades. Live documentation of Blakey bands from this era abound. Where’s some previously unreleased (presumably live) Joe Henderson from the 60’s? That piano-less Monterey set from 1966 (irrc), the one w/ Bobby Hutcherson, Elvin, and I wanna say Albert Stinson (one track’s been issued before, but not the whole set) — couple that with some other Henderson (even if it’s short too), and you’ve got a whole, long CD’s worth.

Younger me wouldn’t have liked this as much, but (now) seeing how Norm’s got poor Conan in stitches, that’s really a part of why this works.

Oh man, hang in there! Glad things are improving, and all good thoughts being sent your way.