[Harry Dean Stanton R.I.P.]

RIP, HDS.

[R.I.P. John Abercrombie]

RIP, JA. Very fine player with an original voice.

[Francois Rabbath ....]

Interesting! Thanks for the post.

[James Newton (Iverson interview)]

Nice interview, thanks for the link. I used to see James all the time in the late eighties in LA. I ran into him a few years back at UCLA backstage at the Ornette concert at Royce Hall. I was shocked at his appearance! He was always heavy but he's morbidly obese now. Too bad, doesn't bode well for his longevity. He's a superb musician and seemed on track to do great things, in my opinion. Maybe he still can. Sure hope so.

[Buck Hill RIP]

RIP, Buck.

[video - Lee Morgan with Oscar Peterson trio 1959 cbc]

Nice! Thx for posting. Always great to see more video on Lee.

[Jaki Liebezeit, Drummer (1938-2017)]

Jaki was a real original. Nobody played like him. Perfect for the music of Can. He'll be missed.

[Review of Miroslav Vitous "Music of Weather Report"]

Nice review. Good album.

[Carla Bley Trio: Andando El Tiempo]

I like it, too.

[Billy Paul Dies at 81]

Adios. RIP.

[Bassist John Lindberg on demand today only]

Nice.

[Esperanza Spalding]

She is, by no means, talentless and a case could be made for her as a quality singer, I suppose. But as a bassist, she's quite over-rated. Her intonation is inconsistent (although she is naturally more accurate on a fretless bass guitar than a contrabass) and her chops are nothing that really distinguishes her playing. She has found a niche, however, based on qualities that she does possess. But it's problematic to call her a "great bassist" as some have. I see her more as a pop artist, frankly. And she seems to have found a place based on her social messages, identity, etc. Good for her.

[Your favorite headphones?]

I love headphones and have a fair amount of money tied up in them. I own a number different headphone amps. For various types of music with differing amplification, etc., I prefer Seenheiser HD800, Beyerdynamic T-1 or Audeze LCD3. I probably listen to the Audeze's most of the time.

[Ornette Coleman - RIP]

He was exactly like this music: direct, original and warm. He was a great artist, father and friend. Ornette was a REAL human being.

[Threadgill and Air]

I recently got the Mosaic box and have listened to the whole thing. I'm very pleased! Great sound, nice booklet, the usual Mosaic treatment. Henry's music is certainly diverse.

[(RIP) Clark Terry's health]

Respect. Adios, CT.

[Herbie Hancock: Possibilities]

I thought Herbie did a good job with the book. I read it rather quickly. An easy read and enjoyable.

[Ornette Coleman, New Vocabulary]

I like it very much. Fresh and invigorating. It's always great to hear Ornette, of course.

[John Ore: 1933-2014]

A life of significance and art.

[Buddy DeFranco RIP]

Sorry to hear it. He made a real contribution.

[Charlie Parker Savoy & Dial Master Takes v. Complete Studio Sessio]

Amazing response from Savoy. Got the replacement disc and erratum yesterday. If everyone involved with putting out recordings cared this much, it would be a better world!

[Miroslav Vitous - Purple - On Columbia]

I have a copy. It's a nice album that links the players to their chronology by filling in a gap, so to speak.

[Charlie Parker Savoy & Dial Master Takes v. Complete Studio Sessio]

Thanks for this heads-up! I've also requested the corrected disc. I had no idea about the issue previously.

[Mosaic Dial set coming soon]

I'm enjoying the set and find the sound and organization to be good, overall. The notes are also informative and well-written. All told, a good Mosaic set.

[Terry Teachout's "Duke" -- any thoughts?]

I actually read this entire book and I must admit that by the end, it had me viewing Duke in a very reduced light. Not good, IMO. I think this is somewhat of a hatchet job, in fact. I do not believe that what Teachout has written is objective or necessarily factual. I'm not sure what his agenda was but I really don't find this work to be a useful addition to the scholarship on Duke and his music. It really seems concerned with trying to tear down his memory and minimize his achievements and, despite the fact that he periodically refers to Ellington's "genius," it's not at all supported by the tone of his narrative. If anything, he spins a tale that Duke was NOT deserving of his reputation. I came to the conclusion that the book is dishonest. If Teachout's version was reality, it's hard to imagine Duke Ellington rising to the level that he did in Jazz and the American music lineage. Lastly, I'm beginning to entertain the possibility that the charges of racism may have some validity here. It's hard to imagine what other reasons would cause this author to have such an axe to grind.