king ubu

One more for "Tell It The Way It Is", the Stitt collaboration and especially "Gettin' Together" (I think this is one of very few albums of an Ellington musician with a non-Elligton (hard-bop) line up. And Gonsalves could do this better than probably expected - a great record! And the Chess Clark Terry CD also had attached as a bonus, "Cookin' " (by Gonsalves with Terry). Another recommenden one. ubu

I like the transition sessions a lot! I had not heard any of this stuff (and eagerly awaited "Bird's Eye View") and was quite delighted upon my first listen! The quartet tracks are nice, the two-trumpet blow-outs with Jon Gordon are nice (Byrd did the same as a guest on Dizzy Reece's also very nice "Blues In Trinity" and with Johnny Coles on Byrd's own "Groovin' for Nat", although on this later, Byrd is easily overshadowed by Coles, I'd say), as are (of course!) the tracks with Hank Mobley. And Doug Watkins in my opinion rates as a very close second to Paul Chambers in being the most important and best bass player of the hard bop area! Other nice stuff with Byrd is on the Mosaic: the quintet/sextet recordings with Pepper Adams (I don't have that one, but people keep saying they end up listening more to Pepper than to Byrd, which I can imagine well, cause it's sort of the same with one I have, "Out Of This World", and also with the 2CD live "At the Half Note" which I do have). Actually, with Byrd, I prefer his early stuff (say 55-57), because at that time he had sort of a blue flame thing going on, and was not inflicted to play like say Brownie or later Booker Little or Freddie Hubbard. Particularly well is the Columbia "Jazz Messengers", a tremendous record, nicely reissued in the late nineties with worthwile additional material and nice liners by Kenny Washington. Also Byrd's appearance (alongside Coltrane, Burrell, Silver & Philly Joe) on Paul Chamber's "Whims of Chambers". Then "Fuego" and "Byrd in Flight" are very nice, too, as are the two Jazz in Paris volumes (featuring Byrd's working band of 56 with Bobby Jaspar, Walter Davis Jr., Art Taylor and Doug Watkins - if I get it all right). In the same vein is Donald's playing on the Silver records of the same time. "Free Form", then, is something else, but something I'd say, that was not totally successful, and once again, I tend to listen more to Shorter and Hancock than to the leader of the date. If you want to present Byrd in general, though, this deserves mention, as does the somehow a little awkward "A New Perspective". Then the later hardbop sessions ("Mustang", "Blackjack" and the fine recently RVG'd "Slow Drag") are a nice but unspectacular bunch, too. On Byrd's rare groove sessions, I cannot comment competently, having only "Kofi" so far, but I like that one quite well, too. Generally, I think Byrd dissed to often as sort of an unispired second rate trumpet player of the fifties' hard bop aera. I think he deserves a little bit more of enthusiasm. He was not the one to technically shine in the manner of say Clifford Brown, but his blue flame playing is extraordinary fine in my opinion! ubu

now this site seems to answer some questions - and it was not the Power Bros. series but the seemingly 23-volume-series on Polonia which I passed by (f*****g s**t!)

Komedas work is published by a Polish record label, no possiblity to order online directly from them. go here for info on Komeda: Komeda Homepage if you go for the discography, you'll see a list of his releases. The Poljazz issues seem to contain the early music which is also on the Power Bros. series discs. And the single Power Bros. releases also seem identical with the corresponding discs from the Power Bros. series. Anyone happens to know whether the Power Bros. series is sort of a complete documentation of Komeda's music, and whether they are available elsewhere but via the Power Bros. website? (as they don't accept direct credit card orders, it seems to be quite complicated to get this stuff from them, I figure) (I can still kick my ass for not picking up all the Komeda stuff when visiting Poland some 3 or 4 years ago - but they had such good prices and quite some OOP US-releases, that I could not buy all the stuff I would have liked - jazz fan's destiny ) ubu

oh yes, the Atlantic box! one of my first and most loved box-sets! and what wonderful music. Love these alternates, too! What a pity that more of these were destroyed in that infamous warehouse fire at Atlantic's ubu

Here's another sucker to the Rivers' first disc! And then I think - maybe that's just the usual and that's why it has not been mentioned yet - Bird deserves being in this list, as (almost) every note of his (like the Famous Alto Break) is worth being heard. The 8 CD is hugely enjoable - even though I have the Dial on Spotlites 4CD set and the Savoy in an LP reissue, it was great fun listening all this stuff again! Then also the alternates of Bud Powell's early Blue Notes (Un Poco Loco and Night In Tunisia, Then Dance of the Infields, Bouncing with Bud etc.) are an enjoyable lot, which, for me, belong to these records as much as do the masters. ubu

another witness the Dolphy Prestige was one of my first box-sets and still one of my favorites. You'll not only find the Five Spot date there, but (listing only highlights): - Far Cry (another lovely date with Booker Little) - Out there - Mal Waldron's "Quest" (with Booker Ervin) - Ron Carter's very nice "Where" - two Oliver Nelson sessions of which the second ranks easily as equal to "Blues & the Abstract Truth" (that's another essential purchase, if you don't have it already) - a nice pairing of Dolphy with Ken McIntyre for the latter's "Looking Ahead" and the "In Europe" albums which concerning Dolphy are fine (the local rhythm section is not quite up to his playing, but they try - then there's a nice long duo with Chuck Israels) indeed an essential! ubu

can anyone tell me which Conns have also been issued on LP? I've got Jordan/Gilmore-Blowin' in, Coleman-Empty Foxhole, Walter Davis-Davis Cup, Freddie Hubbard-Ready for Freddie, Johnny Griffin-The Congregation. Were all of the first two (or more?) batches also released as LPs? 'Cause these LP issues (although they lack the occasional bonus track) sound extremely well-done to these (humble) ears. thanks for your help ubu

"Tears for Dolphy" (by Ted Curson) is a very good one. And "My Name is Albert Ayler" too. Has one of the most moving takes on "Summertime" And how come no one has mentioned one of my perennial favorites: Roswell Rudd, Flexible Flyer then, as far as I know, 1201music is the label which nowadays does 24-bit remastered reissues of former Black Lion stuff. They give their discs new titles, but the music is the same. They have the Ben Webster stuff, some Kessel, Grapelli, Gordon, Wilson, Stitt, Ayler's "Witches & Devils" and some more (they have a website, by the way, 1201 music) ubu

thanks for this reviews! I will have to get at least some of these. they hit the stores of old (still not european, though) switzerland, too, a couple of days ago. ubu

David these are the Freedom Groove Series

I would have to vote for the box seriously: I did not know any of these except for Maiden Voyage before I got the box. And it blew me away! What a wonderful debut recording session, the great Dexter doing sideman chores for a youngster. Then of course Maiden Voyage (one of my favorites when I got the box, but I have not listened to it for a long time - will give it a spin tonight, I guess) and Empyrean Isles with the great original Cantaloupe Island and that wonderful free tune (called "The Egg"? or was that another one?) "Speak" was a nice discovery. Then "Point of view" had some nice things, too. Hearing "The Prisoner" made me get the Warner double disc set and the wonderful "Sextant" right ahead (though Prisoner is the best, I think, with Johnny Coles, Garnett Brown and Joe Henderson). But then, the biggest surprise for me was "Inventions & Dimensions" (great cover, would love to have the LP!). Willie Bobo's great and Mr. P.C. is his usual self. This music was a revelation for me, the free-flowing feel, wonderful grooves, marvellous bass solos, ever inventive piano... Anyone has similar feelings on "Invention & Dimensions"? - That were 2 or 3 VERY lucky days, when I heard this music for the first time! ubu

Dan, it would say something like "Ihre Amazon-Bestellung wurde verschickt" oder "...versandt". And you will always have the order number somewhere. Most probably in the subject field, otherwise in the mail body. If they send you any mail with a different subject, this would most probably mean that they had to order the item from the record label (which would obviously mean you might not get it, alas) or in the better case, that they are delayed. If you got any further questions, feel free to PM me or ask for my Email-Address (I don't feel like post it here), forward me the mail they sent you, and I'll translate it for you. However let's hope you receive the disc without any further problems! I'm glad my confusing post was of any help to you! Hope you will receive the disc! (I don't know it myself, but I got the Griffin/Parlan for 6 or 7 bucks last year and I like that one a lot, too!) ubu

Dan: you can get it from www.amazon.de. Type "Pee Wee Ellis Horace Parlan" in the field called "Schnellsuche", choose "Pop Musik", hit "Los". You then will reach the site of the CD directly. The price of amazon is 17.99 Euro which would be around the same amount of $. ((The other prices you see (Neu ab ... and Gebraucht ab ...) are from sellers (like the ones you find on amazon.com or .co.uk). "Neu" meaning new, "Gebraucht" meaning used - the problem though, is it doesn't show whether those sellers do ship internatinally.)) So if you want to go for sure and get the amazon offer, hit "In den Einkaufswagen", then "Zur Kasse gehen", which leads you to the page where you have to register (if you are registered at amazon.com, you enter your email-address and that password. If you are not registered at any amazon-site, you may register at amazon.com for it would be easier, otherwise: if you register at amazon.de, you will receive a "5-Euro-Gutschein", a gift of 5 euro for new clients, which would bring your cd down to a reasonable price) Then you fill in all the necessary data (or if you are registered, hit "An diese Adresse versenden", and in the end there's something like "Bestellung abschicken" which end the order process ("complete order" on amazon.com). You then, as usual receive an Email that contains your order info, and later an email telling you your order has shipped... all quite confusing, I admit. Should you have further questions, write me a PM and I'll try to help you! ubu

this is collectables' reissue of the Jordan session. I don't have it, but have listended to it a couple of times in some store. Don't remember the music. It is listed on AMG: Jordan, Liaisons Dangereuses

skeith, I wrote you a pm earlier today! ubu

You can't go wrong with Booker Little. Get his "4 & Max Roach" (Bluenote CD), "And Friend" (Bethlehem, also reissued on CD) and "Out Front" (Candid, CD too). There was a fourth LP of his (which I don't own) on Time, I think. "Far Cry" (by Eric Dolphy, a Prestige/OJC release) is a further good one. If you get this stuff, you will most probably find the track you were talking about, and you will find quite a lot to marvel about, too! ubu

And how about the Mingus Candid session with Jones & Eldridge aboard? I love it! The best of it is Jones' playing while Roy's soloing, sort of like the two elder guys have even more fire than Mingus & his aggregation (which certainly did not lack in fire either)... ubu

as vibes said! and still valid. ubu

I was not one of those who took part in the BN(BB)-bashing, but: everyone who does not have the Turrentine/3 Sounds 2CD should check this out. Go to the "Weekly Specials" section and get one for 0.23$. Not a bad deal, I must say!

I gave it a spin yesterday and I do like it a lot! Then how about nominating another one of Green's Solid? I love that one since I first heard it! The wonderful James Spaulding, Tyner, Green doing George Russell - exciting stuff! ubu

just got this great CD yesterday and love it. Last week found the self-titled atlantic and love that one, too. She is for me, next to June Christy and Peggy Lee one of the great stylists of her era. And also, she seems to be one of the sources of Diana Krall and other younger singers. ubu

Same with me, Hans. But I think these two are quite closely linked. Two tracks from Mingus x5 are from the Black Saint session, if I remember correctly. And the other session has our perrennial hero ( )Booker E. aboard and the remakes of the older compositions are quite nice, too. Though I have to admit that I prefer Haitian Fight Song on The Clown and Better Git It... on Ah Um (which is one of my all time favorites). But what makes the versions on Mingus x5 interesting is first that they feature a large ensemble and it works out very well, and, second, that on drums there is Walter Perkins instead of Dannie Richmond, and this works out well, too. ubu

Great review, Soul Stream! Thanks! I think for me, this album is a grower. I eagerly awaited the RVG (never heard it before) - and, I have to admit, I was a little bit disappointed after my first listen It seemed a little too laid back, too easy, not as lively and grooving as what I knew by Grant Green (and this was one of the last Blue Notes - I think Goin' West will complete my collection). Anyhow: this seems to be a quiet, slow burner, something on blue flame and all the more heat for it... Every time I put it in my CD-player again, I like it better... and I sure have to listen to it again tonight or tomorrow after reading your comments! Thanks ubu

Actually due to the amount of money I can spend on music, I started to buy only those Mosaics which are running low - but I got the Parlan when it was quite new. And I loved it from the time I first listened to it. I mostly got the set for Booker Ervin and Stanley Turrentine (and Johnny Coles), but I fell in love with the three trio LPs as well. Wonderful stuff! Knew Parlan only from his sideman work with Mingus (which I like a lot, too), and the music on the Mosaic was all new to me! ubu