Milestones

Cleveland Guardians hit back-to-back-to-back home runs (Ramirez, Naylor, Frey) last night as they destroyed the Angels. Guardians are among the highest scoring teams in the MLB, and now the power has shown up after being their big deficiency in recent years. The team is playing great under the new manager, Steven Vogt.

I never knew until I just looked it up that Shadow Wilson died in 1959 at the tender age of 39.

I was struck but some of those repetitions in Green's work, which can sound like "getting stuck." But then you realize it is an intentional part of his style. I actually find "No. 1 Green Street" to be my favorite track from that record.

I'd have to look up the dates for my favorite tracks, but I know some of those Blue Note dates were in the early 50's. I can hear Blakey's fine drumming quite well on tracks like "Straight No Chaser," and "Four in One." He is also heard advantageously on the Prestige recordings that followed over the next 2-3 years.

That's a pretty thick book. But it sounds interesting, so at some point I'm sure I will at least dip into it.

Never apologize for counterpoint. 😁

John Lewis wrote great pieces and he was a pioneer in Third Stream. He had a unique vision and had his own style on the piano. And if you want to hear the MJQ expressing their bebop roots, go to The Last Concert. That sound nothing like a funeral.

It's not clear to me just how much Blakey and Monk worked together live (and I did red Kelly's Monk biography a few years back), but I always found they connected really well--even brilliantly. Art seemed to be the clear favorite drummer in the the Blue Note days, and there sure are some great performances. They got together pretty often for quite awhile. For instance, there is the 1954 (I think) "Blue Monk," which is as killer a piano/bass/drums track as I've eve heard. Art was masterful on the essential Monk's Music album. I also like the record where Monk sits in with the Jazz Messengers.

Christian McBride was in the band on a couple of Jimmy's records for Verve in the 1990s. Also, I believe the Christmas album features bass.

For Grant Green's ballad mastery, do not miss "My Funny Valentine" from Grantstand.

Well, it was great to have (at the time) Idle Moments and Feelin' the Spirit--and others as well. But there have been odd cases of really good music sitting in the can for 10+ years, with many other culprits besides Blue Note. .....The truth is that so much jazz sells at such low volume, it's a wonder that the majority of artists (past and present) get record deals at all.

Definitely a significant figure in cinema history...in multiple ways. R.I.P., Mr. Corman.

If not taint, then to give a somewhat inaccurate view. You would think it would be a good idea to put out records where McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones are key members.

This is a question I pose in part because I was very young in the 60s (born in 1960) and became a jazz lover as a full adult and I barely knew about Green at all in my early years as a jazz guy. I greatly enjoy Matador and Solid, which came out many years later soon after Grant Green's death. Then there were the three records with Sonny Clark, which came out quite a bit later yet. So you had this fine jazz side to Green that was hidden, while his releases at the time were more groove-based and often in an organ combo of some sort. Not that there weren't some good records in that mode, but I prefer Grant with more challenging material and sideman like Tyner, Henderson, and Hutcherson. Blue Note has quite a history of holding some really good records in the can for long periods, and as a result tainted jazz history--and never more so than with Grant Green.

It's great to see the Night Music videos. That was a fine show, and we will probably never see one like that again. ;;

R.I.P I enjoyed Sanborn on Hutcherson's Enjoy the View, as well as the occasional appearance with John McLaughlin. Not the kind of guy who would be discussed much on these boards, but he had jazz credentials. I'm guessing he was ill for some time, as I don't think he released a record in the past 10 years.

#6--I would say that's Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan playing "Goldfinger." #7--I've heard Dave Stryker play "Wichita Lineman," but it's not him. The guitarist is channeling Metheny in some spots. #10--I will guess Joshua Redman. #11--This is an odd one. A bit of Shakti/Indian stuff combined with Country and Irish Reels?

Plenty of good suggestions...thanks!

He has some fine spotlights on the Mingus Big Band album, Live in Time. I know he's on other albums by this group. I recently started on a thread on Jack Wilkins--two albums there.

Randy has done an awful lot of work in jazz and other music. I find that he is sometimes a bit submerged in big bands/ensembles. I also definitely prefer him in straight-ahead sessions, such as Don Grolnick's two Blue Note albums. So I am looking for suggestions of such work by Mr. Brecker--albums and especially individual tracks. Thank you.

I had completely missed that he had passed away roughly a year ago.

This is a nice album from the seemingly little-known guitarist Jack Wilkins. I believe it goes back to 1977 and features Randy Brecker, Eddie Gomez, and Jack DeJohnette. I had this one on vinyl (found it years ago), and I have not been able to replace it. I have been able to listen online, and I think this version has an additional three tracks--long pieces spotlighting Michael Brecker. I don't know that much about Wilkens; I do have a Wes Montgomery tribute album where he appears on a couple of tracks. He is keeping good company here. I like hearing Randy Brecker in straight-ahead settings. Michael Brecker offers some sensitive work on the opening of "Invitation," but unfortunately the tune become an uptempo romp after that.

I know quite a few people who are published writers (mostly fiction writers), and I wouldn't be surprised if sales are more like 200 copies. I have to confess that I have rarely been in the habit of buying new books--at least not for a long time. I'm more into used books; I haunt Half Price Books and thrift stores. My interest is definitely toward older, classic titles.

But as you pointed out earlier, Guardians of the Galaxy 4 and Super Mario Brothers?????

I don't recall ever seeing a Chris Pratt movie. I wouldn't recognize him on the street. This is the modern idea of a silver screen star?