Alexander Hawkins

I agree with you re grammar and spelling, but shouldn't that be "themselves"? (them = plural) I'd agree with you, although Oxford University Press usage - a barometer for many academics here in the UK - has recently changed to allow 'they'/'them' as gender neutral singulars... Amazing, and they added "themself" as a nice and popular way to refer to "this person", I guess. Moreso, they were probably not using any capital letters either. Oxford University Press: go and eat earwax!

I agree with you re grammar and spelling, but shouldn't that be "themselves"? (them = plural) I'd agree with you, although Oxford University Press usage - a barometer for many academics here in the UK - has recently changed to allow 'they'/'them' as gender neutral singulars...

Don't know them, but I like the look of the two 'Sofas' featuring Pat Thomas.

Agreed! I think we're basically reading off the same page here. Of course, all of us that play - and, I take it, any conscientious non-players - can't stand uninformed criticism. It's just that being informed doesn't only come from playing. p.s. no feelings hurt at any stage

Don't hesitate on either 'Reese...' or 'Tarik'. PRIME (is there any other sort?) Malachi Favors on both.

That's the one.

I think it's important to have a conception of right and wrong tuning. Because if tuning was all 'right', just 'different', the music 'schools' would try to teach it. And that would lead to even more carbon copy musicians. Which would be great if we wanted another way to dole out certificates and official recognition, but a bit shitty if we wanted to keep producing musicians. So, here's to 'out of tune' musicians.

Another Instant Classic! My reaction, exactly. Funny and true. Same again! And I'm sure many people have read it already, but this kind of thing is on every page of Larry's book. I'm sure I'm asking for trouble saying this, but years ago when I was fatmouthing about someone far my better to Jaki Byard Jaki put me in my place with the following rejoinder: "Everybody's a big time critic, but nobody plays shit". How's your valve trombone playing, Larry? Would love to hear some hip rhythms come from those lips. IMO it would beat the hell out of reading none-too-funny observations like that one. (Said with a smile and only to be taken so seriously). I appreciate Jaki's sentiment there, but essentially, his point is rather weak, surely? I love football (some of you may like baseball ). Whatever - some of us probably really *know* the game as well. Can we *play* it though? Jose Mourinho is developing into one of the great football coaches, period. He was an awful player, however. Now, for sure there's eloquent, critically (a)cute musicians; there's also some, I suspect, who we'd like to glue to their mouthpieces. There's hypocritical, dilletantish non-playing listeners; however, there are also those with uncanny gifts for expressing something essential about the music.

Some talk here: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...863&hl=conflict I enjoy it! Hill's playing is great on it.

Quite - Ballads is phenomenal. I thought that to start with, and still it's grown on me! In some improv circles, it's quite fashionable nonchalantly to dismiss this one - 'Derek was doing this all along, but only got noticed when he bolted standards on to the ends of his improvisations' - but I think this is disingenuous. Beautiful recording.

Another Instant Classic! My reaction, exactly. Funny and true. Same again! And I'm sure many people have read it already, but this kind of thing is on every page of Larry's book.

Bright Moments - thanks for that - very enjoyable! Some guesses... 1) Nate - 'sting' gets it just right! My first instinct was Basie. I don't think it is, but I'd bet there are Basie players in the band (Snooky Young? Wendell Culley?) Ben Webster for sure. Arranger sounds to me like it could be Oliver Nelson? West coast altoist - my first thought was Paul Desmond (just listening to Southern Scene from Brubeck at Carnegie Hall, and the tone was very similar), but I'm not so hot at picking these players, so I'd not wager on it. A nice lead off! 2) Crazy. No real idea. First reaction was Stephane Grapelli, but again, I'd only rarely pick him in a line-up! Nice rhythm section. Really grooves. Solos I'm less keen on, but it's a novelty, this one. 3) Stormy Weather is the tune. Is it Rahsaan on stritch? Phrasing very RRK-like. It could be overdubbed, I suppose (my initial thought was the date with Tubby Hayes and James Moody, but I don't hear enough horns, and Tubbs isn't there on vibes!). Nice track, but only the stritch (or is it manzello? I get mixed up!) keeps me interested towards the end. 4) Exactly Like You is the tune. Instinct at first said Oscar Peterson, although I'm now not so sure. It's certainly from that stable. The ornamentation isn't exactly OP, the technique doesn't really come out to play if it is him. The LH voicing is very OP, but I wonder if this isn't Gene Harris or someone like that? Sounds like Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen, but again, something tells me maybe not. Nice, if cliched. 5) Very familiar, but I can't place it for the life of me. Could that be Max Roach (just listening to the cymbal work under the opening solo)? Nice alto playing - sounds generic, but there are wonderful moments where something really distinctive comes through. Is it Hubbard on trumpet? 6) Strange Fruit. Voice is familiar, but not sure. Not Baraka - could it be Shepp? Nice, eerie background work from the vibes and percussion. 7) Chops galore. In general I don't enjoy this. If it were a piano, I'd despise it (if that makes sense). However, there are windows here and there which sound almost West African, and are wonderful. Sadly, these are framed by a slightly cheesy workout on the bastard child of 'When you Wish Upon a Star'. I don't know - Gary Burton? 8) Ooh no. Tenor player is entirely undistinguished IMHO. Trumpet player is by far the most interesting of the bunch, but this isn't the context for him. I really don't know who these guys are. Nice tune, actually, but not done like this. 9) This is slightly mad. Sounds like the 'Very Saxy' band meets JATP. It's got that showboating thing going on for sure. It swings like crazy on the whole. Tenor sounds a lot like Jaws from time to time, but I don't know that it's him. Arnett Cobb? Don't know him well enough to say. Strange track though - quite enjoyable! 10) We're verging into smooth territory here...horribly produced sound. Bags of reverb added to a very saccharine alto sound. This said, it sounds quite familiar. I certainly don't have this, but it's reminding me of something I can't quite pin down just yet! 11) This is Bird blowing over Lester Leaps In. From the 'Bird' soundtrack, I think. This is a stunning, stunning solo. I taped the film when it was on on TV a few years back, and completely freaked out about this solo. Incredible. ...which said, shame about the rhythm section. I mean, it's a slightly bizarre idea to rerecord the material (I'm sure there were good reasons...). They play OK (drums very fine indeed), I guess, but there are some very unidiomatic moments, especially from the pianist (is it Monty Alexander?) But Bird here...this is one of those solos you play someone who doesn't understand why musicians and music lovers RAVE about Bird. Genius. In the proper, restrictive (not the effusive fan's) sense of the word. 12) Not for me. Not a nice bass sound. Uninspiring tune. Very average. Tenor player threatens to get into some interesting areas though! 13) Rahsaan. From the phone conversation at the end of 'The Case of the Three Sided Dream in Technicolor', perhaps? A nice test - thank you. I'm really curious (as ever) about the answers, and to read people's responses!

Me too - although it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in not 'getting' Sheppard.

Sorry - a bit late on this one. Andy Sheppard gets a really high profile here in the UK a lot of the time. I have to say, I haven't heard much of his work, but I did see him open for Ornette here last year. It was immensely dissapointing. His tone was, to my ears, limp, and he had little in the way of ideas (he was playing with Kuljit Bamra on tabla, and he seemed content to circular breath his way around arpeggios - a rather obvious, and IMHO unsatisfactory, response to the hypnotic tabla groove). So I've rather been put off him. That said, he's recorded with some great people (as well as the aforementioned Bley, Russell, Evans, he's put something down with Keith Tippett), so I feel like I should maybe give him another try sometime!

Mike - I agree, I really like the sound too. I'll take a listen to see if I notice any discrepancy between the channels, although I've never noticed anything before.

I don't mean to digress, but describing a trumpet tone as 'burnished' is surely one of the arch-cliches of jazz writing? That said, it's a nice way of putting it.

It's a nice place for sure. I've only been there the once, to see Roy Haynes, but it's a good space. Don't be put off by the pizza label - that's upstairs! Damn - can't believe I missed Sonny Simmons. p.s. how, at a month's notice, can you not be sure if you've booked Sam Rivers or Andrew Hill? Can we spark rumours of a one-off reunion? Edit: I see Sidewinder, you beat me to it. It'd be great!

Ah - away from the piano. Fair enough. I think Dohnyani is superb for strength, irrespective of whatever stage we're talking. I think Dohnyani v. Hanon is only really a fair comparison when looking at beginners. A few exercises in and the Dohnyani is NOT pretty (whereas Hanon is fairly easy all the way through)! Epithet - I don't know the Sandor. What's his take on Dohnyani?

Damn, I'm gigging, but Lee Konitz is there the night before as well.

I have to say I haven't tried one of these, but looking at the shape of the thing, I'm a little skeptical (I say this having been putting in a lot of technical time recently). For finger strength - and I realise that this isn't much good for the train etc. (necessarily) - I'd really recommend a look at the piano technique book by Dohnyani.

A few I enjoy: Charlie Christian sessions with Benny Goodman et al. Rollins - 'The Bridge', for some wonderful Jim Hall I have a real soft spot for Grant Green's 'Feelin' the Spirit' - hands down my favourite Herbie Hancock on record And one I've been enjoying recently, for a slightly freer take on things (and featuring Henry Grimes on bass) - Marc Ribot's 'Spiritual Unity'.

I don't know if it's up yet, but there's some great Wayne Shorter on a '58 Messegngers gig also featuring Barney Wilen and...Bud Powell. Bud burns on it.

I think a few guys wrote pieces for Wittgenstein. Pretty cool to study with him!

It's probably been quipped before, but I'm fond of the twofer containing 'Kenny G plays Ayler' and 'Koz in the Land of Pharoah'.