Milestones

Ornette and Max? There was that early violent reaction by Max--so much so that he hit Ornette (or at least so the story goes).

Trane had open ears and was very adaptable, and it's worth noting that both Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison played with Ornette.

Why not? Why not at least the attempt? Isn't it fair to say that Trane and Sonny admired Ornette as much as did Jackie Mac?

Raise your hand if you wish Ornette had met up with Coltrane one time (instead it was Trane and Cherry) or if you wish Ornette and Sonny had recorded together in their primes.

I remember trying to track down the Jackie McLean record for a long time, then I finally did find it. Certainly a winner, though (like many) I wish Ornette had played alto and/or tenor.

It's not always clear to me how much Ornette influenced this or that musician...there have been countless. For the most part I have followed those who actually played with Ornette, especially the earlier musicians. Unfortunately, I think they are all gone now. I particularly liked Old and New Dreams with four Colemen alumni, especially Playing on ECM. I'm a big fan of Charlie Haden, and the Ornette influence is strong on several of the "Montreal" records. Drummers...Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins...oh yeah! Please discuss your favorites.

I'll have to check out "First Take" again...it's been a long time. I'm not sure about killer compositions, but I really like the duet album with Charlie Haden: Soapsuds, Soapsuds. I had it on a cassette that went bad, but it can be heard in its entirety on YouTube.

I guess that can happen. I've seen Lovano on stage three times--two good performances and one great one.

By the way, Lovano has written at least two direct tributes to Ornette: "Fort Worth" and "Etterno." Count me as another who loves the Mostly Coltrane disc with Kuhn. He can sound a lot like Trane on some moody, ballad-type pieces (more often on other records), but ultimately Lovano always plays Lovano.

As we all know, Ornette was one of the music's great compsoers. Here are my top 10 Ornette pieces: Lonely Woman Peace Ramblin' Blues Connotation Una Muy Bonita Mob Job Broken Shadows The Legend of Bebop Cross Breeding Happy House

For a man so well-travelled, it's kind of remarkable he talked about Memphis so much. But roots run deep.

For relatively latter-day Van, I strongly recommend Too Long in Exile, A Night In San Francisco, and Down the Road.

Is there really that big a connection between Ornette and the punk rockers? See the article on AllMusic.com.

"Close Enough for Jazz"

To my mind, Van is one of the great figures in music: rock, blues, folk, country, R&B, Celtic, jazz, etc. A truly gifted music artist, and if one places value on singers/musicians receiving knighthoods, it should have happened a long time ago for Van.

I get the impression that Orentte was most valued in NYC. Of course, that is the jazz capital.

It is a huge challenge for the Cavs, but one has to admire this team--one of the great cases of excellence by a team unbelievably decimated by injuries.

RIP for Ornette, a towering innovator.

The version by Duke and Ivie is very nice. Wow, Ella....the greatness of Ella!

I am really getting into the version on Hank Mobley's A Slice of the Top. That's a record I should have owned a long time ago; it's loaded with highlights. "There's a Lull in My Life" may well be Mobley's greatest ballad performance ever, with a fine assist from Duke Pearon's lovely arrangement (an octet, and nothing like it anywhere else in Mobley's discography). I understand singers, such as Ella, have done this song. I've never heard it before. You may recommend versions that you know. I will go on loving Mobley's rendition.

Best wishes, B.B. I've just been listening to a lot of your stuff.

I never knew him to play with Carla Bley (at least on record); Gary Valente always seems the go-to man on trombone in her groups. In fact I only know his fabulous work with her big band (and smaller groups). Turre has got impressive credits with Shaw, Dizzy, Tyner, Bowie He seemed to have a distinctive thing going on as a leader in the 1990.s I love that front-line of trombone-violin-cello on Lotus Flower. A favorite is "Ellington Medley" on In the Spur of the Moment. The only other trombonist that I can think of who does really cool Ellington stuff is Wycliffe Gordon.

Any fans of Steve Turre? I find him to be one of the great trombone men, and of course he does those interestint things with the shells. I have 9 records by him, as well as work he did with Lester Bowie, Dizzy, Tyner, and many others. He's got a new one out, Spiritman, and I should look into that. For me, Rhythm Within and Lotus Flower were not just two of the best records of the 1990s, but two of the best ever. I come back to them frequently and thoroughly enjoy them.

Just came upon this thread. No discussion of Mostly Coltrane on ECM? This is a great set with Joe Lovano (on most tracks), and the group mainly plays Coltrane tunes and pieces associated with him--but some originals too. Marvelous record. I remember reviews noting that Kuhn sounds nothing Tyner; I would concur.

Among the classics in this field are In Cold Blood by Capote and The Executioner's Song by Mailer. I'm afraid I never read the latter.