Christiern

Ross Russell's book is interesting but far too fictional to be taken seriously by any scholar or historian. He knew Bird well and I have often wondered why he felt a need to embellish. So far, IMO, there is no definitive Parker bio, but there are more reliable sources out there. Stanley Crouch has allegedly been working on a Parker bio for a very long time, but--based on his previous writings--I don't expect it to prove worth the wait. Let's see, he may surprise us all.

I am outspoken, that's true, but your inference that I somehow have it in for people who "did something or said something" to me years ago is pure nonsense. I have--to the chagrin of some--criticized or frankly stated my personal observations re Stanley Crouch, Wynton Marsalis, Phil Schaap, and Orrin Keepnews, but none of these people (all of whom I have had personal contact with) has ever done or said anything to me that is so terrible that I simply feel compelled to demonize them. I get the impression that this is how you want the scenario to run, but I must disappoint you--it's all in your mind and I fail to understand what it is that motivates you to turn a totally non-confrontational thread into an argument. Finally, I have no idea what "negative comment" you refer to and think I ought to have backed up. If it is my expressed skepticism re this show, I hardly think it can be construed as a negative comment. I don't know why you feel a need to make a big thing out of this, but I strongly suggest that such petty arguments as you here have started serve no purpose. I will go on to other subjects and I hope you will, too.

What an idiotic assumption. George (if it is Wein you have in mind) and I have always gotten along very well, whether it has been over dinner or simply meeting in a business-related situation. I don't know why certain people always thing that the slightest criticism or apprehension has to be attributable to some sort of personal animosity--I wonder if that mind-set does not tell us more about the person who makes the assumption than about anything else. I'm used to it, however, for whenever I dare to criticize Wynton (for example), some outraged soul pops in to accuse me of wanting his job, having had a fight with him, or some other such nonsense. In this case, all I did was express doubt about a program purporting to be about jazz "legends," basing that doubt on a list of artists, some of whom are excellent and to be admired, but none of who IMO qualifies as a "legend."

And now also available in paperback... Some reviews

A program called "Legends of Jazz" whose first episode includes Nancy Wilson, James Moody, Jon Hendricks, Paquito D'Rivera and George Wein does not sound promising.

Can't find anything interesting about Harry Connick--he bores me. Don't tell me there's a Mosaic featuring him! Storm P, on the other hand, is among my favorite humorists--In my childhood, Christmas wasn't Christmas without the annual Storm P book. Saxofonen er det eneste Instrument, som lyder ens, mens man lærer at spille, og naar man har lært det! Sorry for the slight detour--back to Mosaic.

I don't have any Nica stories, but I vividly recall her visits to Riverside's offices. She apparently felt a need to "approve" of album covers whenever one of her favorites had an impending release. She drove a Bentley and since Riverside's offices were in the Paramount Hotel on West 46th Street (in the heart of NYC's theater district), she could never find a parking space. No problem, she simply stopped the car at the hotel's entrance and left the motor running. On one visit, when she came to give a Barry Harris album the okay, I looked out the window and saw that she had also left the car door open. She was vivacious and, it seemed, always in a hurry; she carried a small silver hip flask with her, offering people a sip--I never accepted the offer, so I have no idea what was in there, but I never thought it might be lemonade.

I would bet on it, medjuck.

I used to hear from her regularly, but that stopped about 3 years ago. The last time I saw Martha was at Nola Studio's Christmas party, a couple of years ago. She looked okay, but the aging process has a way of accelerating when one passes 80. There are many Martha Glasers in jazz--Helen Keane comes to mind. I got along with her very well, but she did at times seem overly protective re. Bill Evans.

"They" is one woman. She was Garner's manager and--some say--lover, and she ended up with the estate. She has always been difficult for record companies to deal with--sometimes, justifiably so.

I think the jury's decision was probably in large measure swayed by the crowd of pedophilia supporters whom they had to pass each day as they entered the court house. This is a jury that asked to be left alone, then conducted a press conference--this is a jury that went with the immediate flow.

Yes, and these were the very same people who had asked to be let alone and allowed to go quietly into the night!

Bonus Tracks Sold Separately

They are saying that juror #5 has already negotiated a book deal. Business as usual--hell, who needs justice when we have a regime that doesn't know the meaning of the word.

I think the fact that they did not even find him guilty of giving alcohol to kids is very telling.. This jury was not playing it straight. So now we can all glorify child molestation?

I knew he'd get away with it. I wonder how much they paid this jury.

I think he is guilty but that he will get away with it. We should have had a pre-verdict poll.

I will only buy it if it is factory refurbished and comes with a warranty. Even then, I am leery of anything that is mechanical. For example, I would never buy a refurbished hard drive or CD player, but I might consider an amp or a radio, even a computer. I would also be careful when it comes to a tube-based TV or monitor. Actually, I think I've only bought 2 or 3 refurbished pieces of equipment, ever.

Have you read any of Scott Yanow's stuff? He's gotta be doing it for free! ← I would think so, but he also churns out assembly-line-type books and I'm sure he gets something out of that--beyond ego fodder. BTW, I have seen a couple of Storyville liner notes by him that were better than the stuff he does for AMG. Scott seems to be into compiling statistical lists.

He may also be deaf, as so many other AMG writers seem to be, for Lucille neither shouts nor moans, and Willie the Lion doesn't "rock." If AMG's purpose is to sell albums--and it seems to be--they had better do quality checks. Do they pay these writers, or is it a vanity deal?

Check out this AMG review then let me tell you what's really on the album called "Songs We Taught Your Mother": Lucille Hegamin, Alberta Hunter and Victoria Spivey each sing four songs. The accompaniments for Hegamin are by: Willie "The Lion" Smith, piano; Henry Goodwin, trumpet; Cecil SCott, clarinet; Gene Brooks, drums. The accompaniments for Hunter and Spivey are by: J.C. Higginbotham, trombone; Buster Bailey, clarinet; Cliff Jackson, piano; Sidney deParis, tuba; Zutty Singleton, drums. I don't know who this clown, Ron Wynn, is, but his "review" of this album has got be one of the most idiotic I have seen. Somewhere else, Scott Yanow describes Lucille Hegamin as a blues singer, which she was not. These guys really need to get their act together. BTW one of my other albums is listed as having been released a week after it was recorded--damn! This is the cover photo by Don Schlitten. Sorry for the wrapper reflection. Left to right (front row): Willie The Lion, Victoria Spivey, J.C. Higginbotham, Alberta (with his trombone), Jimmy Rushing (who wanted to be there), Lucille, and Zutty. Left to right (back row): Cecil Scott, Sidney de Paris, Gene Brooks, Buster Bailey, and Henry Goodwin.

That brings back very distant memories. You must be using an old Mac, possibly one that can be upgraded to accommodate OS 9 or, perhaps, Jaguar. If you tell me which model you have, I'll gladly look around for possibilities of improving it.

So what you are saying, Dan is that Orson Welles, Roland Hanna and Duke are off the old HUAC subversive list? That's a relief. I hope the Narcissus Ballet Corps of Ames, Iowa has also been cleared!

The mail lady just brought me the new Storyville releases, but this is the first time I've seen that green tape. Has anyone else received customs-opened mail?

It has never been wholly satisfactory, but I agree that the new format is not an improvement. I wish they had spent the energy it took to change it on something else--like fact and consistency checking.