Dave James

Hard to believe, but da bastids are currently offering The Many Moods of Murray Wilson on CD. For those who did not pass Intro to Beach Boys 101, Murray is the father of the brothers Wilson. This album was made so that Murray could prove to number one son Brian that he was equally gifted musically. Needless to say, his efforts fell somewhat short of, say, Pet Sounds. I'm almost tempted to get this much in the manner I'm tempted to get William Shatner's The Transformed Man. Up over and out.

Never had the art set, but I sure remember seeing him on TV. His show was on the UHF channel in Portland. Why I recall this, I have no idea, but he used to say "and now its time to blend." The other guy I liked who I guess passed away a few year ago was on PBS. I can't remember his name, but he had curly hair and he used to say things like, "let's put some fun little trees right here." He also had a pet bird he kept in the pocket of his shirt. He was a weird little guy, but it was sure fun to watch him paint. Up over and out.

The videos of Zeitlin's wine tasting party and the tour of his cellar make a trip to his website worth the effort. In addition to his musical ability, his professional accomplishments and his extraordinary knowledge of wines, he's also an accomplished fly fisherman. Quite the renaissance man. Up over and out.

I've always found this "version" to be kind of interesting: Up over and out.

Lou Levy - Lunarcy on Gitanes (Verve). The Stein Brothers Quintet - Quixotic. One brother on tenor, the other on alto. Both with very round, Mobley-like sounds. Nice. Also, received the Benedetti Mosaic today from a seller on eBay. I'm looking forward to hearing this after many years of waffling back and forth on its purchase. Up over and out.

Well, first off, I try to draw conclusions based on music alone. For example, I know Getz was a serious jerk, but I love his sound. Same thing with Ben Webster. He could be a real yahoo, but how can you not like his music? So, anhyhow, put me down in the Armstrong column. It's not that I don't appreciate what sprung from his loins and how important he was to the development of music in general, but, again, judging him solely on the basis of his music, I just hear too much of a traditional, even dixieland sound in what he does. I have the same reaction to Ory, Teagarden, Red Allen etc. etc., even though my respect for their musicianship is off the charts. I don't have a lot of Louis (The Hot Fives and Sevens and the original Mosaic) and I've tried to get into what he's doing, but it remains a struggle. I plan on getting the new Mosaic as well, as I think at some point with enough exposure, I'll finally get it. But, for now, it ain't happening. Up over and out.

Barney Wilen was all of 17 years old when he recorded this session with Cameron's International Sax Band. Up over and out.

FWIW, here's some biographical information about Jay Cameron: This talented reed player shares the same birthday as Joseph Jarman, another modern jazzman whose taste in axes includes low-speaking horns such as bass clarinet and baritone saxophone. It is the latter horn that Jay Cameron is best known for, although he also recorded on both bass and regular B flat clarinet as well as alto saxophone, the horn he started out on in the early '40s. Cameron was several touches more of a mainstream jazzman than Jarman, although both have reputations as exciting soloists. On baritone, Cameron was treated to regular standup features during his tenure with both the Woody Herman big band and trombonist Slide Hampton's group, perhaps the contexts in which he was heard by the widest audience. Cameron also took part in dozens of brilliant jazz recordings during the '50s and '60s, and has been profiled as one of a group of American "expatriate" jazzmen who lived in Europe for extended periods. He came out of the music scene in Hollywood in the years immediately following the end of the Second World War. Up until 1947 he was part of Ike Carpenter's band; by the end of the decade he had begun the first of his European sojourns, teaming up with veteran trumpeter Rex Stewart in France and Italy. In the early '50s Cameron wandered around with a variety of bands in Belgium, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. Cameron spent much of 1955 balancing a baguette on his knee, working in Paris with groups that would often hit at the same club for four months running. The following year he was back in the United States and had begun working with Herman, in subsequent years gigging with top jazz leaders, including contrasting trumpeters Chet Baker and Dizzy Gillespie. Trumpet, in fact, seemed to be the instrument of choice for many of his collaborators. Cameron was one of the first players to work with Freddie Hubbard when that fiery trumpeter first showed up in the Big Apple in 1958, while also holding down the floor for high-note specialist Maynard Ferguson during the same year. He was a busy freelancer during these times, racking up nearly 35 recording dates over the a stretch of only a dozen years. Jay Cameron's International Sax Band was one of the only projects under his own name, and a recording of the group that appears with various scramblings of the title Third Herdsmen: The Vogue Sessions has become something of a collector's item. Beginning in the late '60s, Cameron toured with multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Paul Winter. In 1993, author Bill Moody published -The Jazz Exiles: American Musicians Abroad, a study of the expatriate movement with a chapter focusing on Cameron. And more courtesy of our own Michael Fitzgerald: Date: January 10, 1955 Location: Paris, France Label: Vogue Jay Cameron (ldr), Jean-Louis Chautemps, Bobby Jaspar, Barney Wilen (ts), Jay Cameron (bar), Henri Renaud (p), Benoît Quersin (b), André Reilles (d) a. a-01 Blue Note - 3:39 (Jerry van Rooyen) b. a-02 Rosy - 2:23 (Rob Pronk) c. a-03 Give Me The Simple Life - 4:29 (Rube Bloom, Harry Ruby) d. b-01 Brother J. C. - 3:14 (Christian Chevallier) e. b-02 Static Test - 2:32 (Rob Pronk) f. b-03 Wooden Sword Street - 3:30 (Jay Cameron) All titles on: Vogue LP 10": L.D.E. 148 — Jay Cameron's International Sax Band Swing LP 10": M 33.341 — Jay Cameron's International Sax Band BMG CD: BVJJ 2952 — Jay Cameron's International Sax Band BMG CD: 7432 161025 2 — The Third Herdsmen/Jay Cameron's International Sax Band (1999) Some sources show additional takes of Brother J. C. and Wooden Sword Street. Further details needed. Date: October 2, 1962 Location: New York City Label: Atlantic Jay Cameron (ldr), Jay Cameron (bar), Slide Hampton (tb, eu), Barry Harris (p), Eddie De Haas (b), Elvin Jones (d) a. 6477 Soft Pretty (Composer Unknown) Additional titles 6478 "Swingin'" and 6479 "Take It Easy." All titles need composers determined. Up over and out.

I wouldn't know Radiohead from Televisionhead, but this is kinda cool. Thanks for sharing. Up over and out.

I had only heard Zeitlin once before, many years ago when my ears were not as open. I didn't care much for him then, but when the Select was announced, I decided it was time to reinvest in his music. I must say, I'm glad I did. This one is a keeper. It just might end up being one of my favorite Selects. Up over and out.

An 8 CD limited edition release by the Jonas Kullhammar Quartet called The Half Naked Truth. All the music is previously unreleased and was recorded live or in studio between 1998-2008. If you haven't heard this guy, he's the real deal. Up over and out.

One of the options for the question about how you got into jazz was as a result of getting married. Yeah, right. LOL. Up over and out.

When I come across something I've been interested in for awhile that shows up from Fresh Sound, I generally fold my tent. Case in point is the reissue of the '60's sessions involving Johnny Hodges and Wild Bill Davis. Fresh Sound is releasing all ten Hodges / Davis albums on four CD's. I just ordered Volumes 1 & 2. The latter is of particular interest because both the LP's included on the CD (Joe's Blues and Wings & Things) feature Grant Green on guitar. Call me weak or irresponsible, but the music took two out of three falls from my conscience. Even if you don't plan to buy anything, just navigating the Fresh Sound website is a hoot. Up over and out.

I sent a note to Marc Myers at JazzWax after his Friday post about the Manne Black Hawk CD's. This morning, my comment were published on his blog. Also, perhaps more significantly, note the reference to Organissimo from Bill Forbes. Shelly Manne. Following my Friday post on Shelly Manne & His Men at the Black Hawk, comments from readers and Manne fans poured in. It's gratifying to know that the drummer is still appreciated and has such a large following. From Charles Landy: "You are correct: Manne is easily overlooked. His Deep People, At the Manne Hole series, and 2-3-4 albums are superb. Some months ago, I suggested you get the recent Japanese reissue of The Soft Land of Make Believe. It is unusual, and I think the music is terrific. Of course, I would like to see your thoughts on it. Needless to say, your blog is a daily must!" From Bruce Armstrong: "Your post on Shelly Manne really made my day. I came of age musically in Los Angeles while attending college in the early and mid-1960s. I was at Shelly’s club in Hollywood (the “Manne-Hole”) many times over the years. It was always a bonus when “The Men” alternated sets with guest artists (usually on weekends). Believe me, they never took a back seat to anyone. "You were right to recommend Vol. 1 as the starter. Over the years, whenever a fellow musician would tell me that West Coast jazz could not compare to East Coast hard bop, I would play a couple of cuts off Vol. 1, like Our Delight or Poinciana, my personal favorite. They were usually converted immediately. "On several occasions I had the opportunity to talk with Shelly while I was at the Manne-Hole. I was just a college student then and totally unknown to Shelly. But he had the very nice manner of always treating me and my friends as equals, as though we were fellow “A- list studio players that he saw every day. There was never any talking down to us. A great guy, as well as one of the most musical drummers who ever lived. The day I received the news that he had died it felt like I had lost a member of my family. "Thanks again for a great tribute to a great group of musicians!" From Brian Sheridan: "Wow, what a crazy coincidence. I had been listening to Manne's Peter Gunn stuff and wanted more. At Emusic.com, they have all five of the Black Hawk albums, and I have been going back and forth on which ones to download for this month's selections. The service also provides most of the other Manne and his Men releases." From James Wardrop: "Boy, you really hit me in the heart today with this one. I have been collecting recordings since the late 1950s. To this day, Vol. 1 is probably the one record I have played most over the years. I never heard Manne in person. Fortunately he was blessed with great engineering during his recording career, and your comment on his brushes was on the money." From Dave James in Portland, Ore.: "Without question, this is among the finest, if not the finest example of live recorded jazz extant. No one drives a band like Shelly Manne, and, as you point out, he does so very subtly. No drum solos, no bombast, no look at me; he manages to be in the background and the foreground all at the same time. "I've long thought that Victor Feldman [pictured] is what makes this set so special. Russ Freeman was no slouch, but there's something about the way Feldman comps and solos that really makes it tick. His approach to piano was so percussive (after all did get his start on the drums) that with his preference for locked hand chording, it almost feels at times like there are two drummers on board, not one. "Whatever is behind what this group brings to the table, it's pure magic. We just need to thank our lucky stars that Manne had the presence of mind to recognize that what was occurring at the Black Hawk that weekend was special and that it needed to be heard. From Bill Forbes in Manchester, England: "I'm pleased to report that these great albums are not 'largely forgotten and vastly under-appreciated,' at least not with members of the Organissimo jazz discussion forum! They get frequent mentions and always very positive ones. For me, the greatest highlights are Victor Feldman's piano solos. I'm not normally given to national pride, but I regard Victor as one of Britain's greatest exports! "I read somewhere that Cannonball Adderley [pictured], before hiring Feldman, played Victor's Black Hawk piano work to members of his quintet, before asking if they would play with him. Only after receiving a very definite "yes" did he reveal the pianist's identity and unexpected background! I saw Victor play once—on vibes at Ronnie Scott's Club in London during a return home for Christmas in 1959. Deservedly, he was treated like a returning hero!" Up over and out.

Thought I'd let folks know that this album is now available as an MP3 download on Amazon. It's rara avis personified, so any access to this music is welcome. I'm listening to it right now. Up over and out.

With Allen, Chuck and Chris all commenting on this, I feel a little like George Gobel on the Tonight Show with Bob Hope and Dean Martin when he said he felt like everyone else was a tuxedo and he was a pair of brown shoes. Nonetheless, there is no room on this or any other board for either ad hominum or grossly insensitive attacks. Those who stoop to that level need to be vaporized. Up over and out.

I found this CD several years ago on one of my hockey junkets to Vancouver, B.C. The Virgin Megastore up there used to have a pretty decent selection of Japanese CD's. This is one of probably 20 or so I picked up from them over the course of several years. I haven't listened to it for some time, but my initial reaction was nice but not necessary. Agree that with the players involved it should have / could have been much better. Up over and out.

Not to mention that there are 103 other names out there someplace. Just because someone only blew the whistle on A-Rod doesn't negate that fact. Selig's true occupational calling was automobile sales. That's precisely where he should have stayed. Up over and out.

Only one word for this: sublime. Up over and out.

I have Newton's Romance and Revolution, but I also have another Blue Note Newton that must be kind of rare called The African Flower. It's the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. An interesting collection of musicians play on this including Arthur Blythe and Anthony Braxton. It was recorded in 1985. Up over and out.

The three camera technique was pioneered by Karl Freund working in conjuction with Desi Arnaz on I Love Lucy. Fruend's resume dates back many, many years, well before sit coms and even television. He was the cinematographer for Fritz Lang's classic Metropolis in 1927. Also, director Jerry Paris played next door neighbor Jerry Helper on the original Dick Van Dyke Show. Up over and out.

Just to bring this full circle, I contacted Mosaic to make them aware of their shipping mistake. They offered to sell me the Handy Select for $35.00, an offer I gladly accepted. Up over and out.

About a month ago, I ordered the Tony Williams Select. When it arrived, I realized I already owned it. I contacted Mosaic to see if I could return the Williams and order another Select in its stead. No problem. I asked them to substitute the new Denny Zeitlin. Again, no problem. On Thursday, I received the package, but when I opened it, I saw that in addition to the Zeitlin, they had also sent me the John Handy Select. What is the right thing to do? Up over and out.

Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told the Post that the DNA testing "won't matter at all. It will still be evidence fabricated by McNamee," Hardin was quoted as saying. "I would be dumbfounded if any responsible person ever found this to be reliable or credible evidence in any way." What dumfounds me is that anyone would hire this moron to represent them. If Clemens hopes to avoid some serious jail time, the first thing he should be doing is replacing his lawyer. Up over and out.

I never thought of this before, but maybe special treatment for the precociously talented extends beyond the realm of athletics. Those of us who are into sports get righteously indignant when a jock walks and a "normal" person pays the price. The prevailing logic is that because of their extraordinary skills, athletes are allowed from a very young age to live by one set of rules while everyone else must live by another. I suppose there's no reason to think that someone like Jarrett, who had to have demonstrated his extraordinary talent early on, would not have benefitted by the artistic equivalent. Maybe that would partially explain his behavior. Also, Bev, if my comments about Jarrett came across in a manner that made you think "if I'm irritated, you should be too" then I must tell you, that was in no way my intent. I don't operate like that. I've never asked that anyone accept my opinions about anything. They are just my opinions and mine alone. I don't think anyone should have to attach a "don't try this at home" warning to their musings. If a post influences someone else's thinking, that's fine. If it doesn't, that's fine too. Up over and out.