Milestones

The first track is "April in Paris." It is nice, but I have no guesses here. Track 8 sounds like Arthur Blythe at the opening, then Bob Stewart later. I don't know where this comes from, and I have no guess on the singer.

Yep, Art Taylor is outstanding on the landmark Coltrane album. Also, it is interesting to hear him (a few times) in a trio with Trane, such as: "Trane's Slow Blues" and "Goldsboro Express."

I've delved into the book quite a bit. It is often quite interesting. On the down side, it's aggravating that he asks the same questions of everyone--and some of those questions are quite dated.

I'm looking for some responses to the work of Art Taylor. He was extremely active during jazz's greatest period (in my view), and I guess he was the house drummer at Prestige. He was found on many jam sessions, and he was almost certainly the most frequent drummer for Coltrane's Prestige sessions. Of course, we can't forget he was on Giant Steps, with very fine work there--including the memorable opening to "Countdown." Art Taylor moved to Europe in 1963 and stayed for decades, pretty much not recording--not even for Steeplechase. Not as distinctive as Max Roach, Art Blakey, Elvin, or Philly Joe--Art nonetheless added immeasurably to all of his session. He was a vital figure in a vital period. This is a playlist I created that shows his range of work with Trane: Cousin Mary Bahia Trane's Slow Blues Blue Calypso You Say You Care Velvet Scene Goldsboro Express Dial Africa Countdown Spiral Slow Dance Cat Walk Good Bait Traneing In

Anyone with even a slight knowledge of old J.S. can hear the "borrowing."

R.I.P, Mr. Brooker. I never followed the group much, though I liked what I heard. I hadn't realized "Whiter Shade" went that far back--around the time of Sgt. Pepper.

The Hill Street Blues theme my be the finest TV theme of all time, at least for a dramatic show.

There is good and there is great, but then too it's all in the ear of the behearer.

Good albums for sure, but I personally don't find any of these "go-to" Tyner records.

Tyner from 1991 alone! Soliloquy (solo) Remembering John (trio) 44th Street Suite w. (Blythe and Murray) The Turning Point (his best big band record)

It is true that McCoy's work in the decade (80s) was rather poor. He started to come out of it late in the decade with Revelations (solo) and Uptown/Downtown (big band), but better records in nearly every format would soon follow. I find that the early 90s is the most consistent and finest period in his long career.

If John Lewis is NOT a composer, then hardly anyone in jazz is one.

Another Story is available on Apple Music.

I recommend Jim Hall's Textures and, to a lesser extent, By Arrangement. I also like the tracks of Andrew Hill with a string quartet, from the Mosaic box. J.J. Johnson's The Brass Orchestra is basically in the Third Stream vein. I would certainly call Sketches of Spain Third Stream.

How do you define that "Twilight Zone" sub-genre again? Moody and eerie? Perhaps some 60's Grachan Moncur?

If Hollywood stops making sequels and remakes, it will shut down.

Oscar nominations came out today, with a full slate of 10 nominated for Best Picture. I have not seen any of the movies (though some sound interesting), and I'm really not much into movies generally--and Oscar-winning films specifically--in recent years. The last Best Picture winner I saw was Green Book, which I thought was good--but probably not great. Interesting to see West Side Story get a nomination. It's not often that a winner is remade, and even rarer that the remake gets a nomination (Mutiny on the Bounty may be the only one previously).

Curtis Fuller needs more recognition as a GREAT jazz player.

Pretty good stuff. I was not aware of this, but no surprise given that Ornette is a major influence on Joe.

Tony Williams was sensational in his first year of recording, and he was so young. We will probably never again see the likes of this.

Yeah, Joe's 1963--thoroughly impressive. And it seems 1962 would be Hutcherson's first year, but his first real flowering in 1963 was nearly as strong as 1965. Some here have been picking any old year (not first year), and that makes for an almost infinite number of possibilities!

Ok, that was just weird. The titles were all wrong; I don't think anything matched up among the seven tracks. And I couldn't tell, since these are all obscure pieces by band members. The Coltrane thing just didn't make sense. So actually it is Trane on his two originals: tracks 3 & 7. Life in the world of downloads!

I have to look into this. My versions do NOT feature Coltrane. The YouTube version of "Nita" is quite a bit longer in running time than my version.

This is nice early record with Coltrane and Donald Byrd on some tracks. But I have been mystified by Coltrane being credited as the composer on two tracks and not playing on either one: "Nita" and "Just for the Love." Byrd offers a fine solo on the latter. Speaking of Byrd, he wrote the opener: "Omicron." How is that for being prophetic!!!!

Not enough of Lew in small groups, period.