Christiern

I recall an interview with Artie Shaw where he was asked about one of his marriages. "Why waste time talking about things that did not work out?," he replied. "I have had eight unsuccessful marriages and I am always asked about them. I have also had seven wonderful divorces--why doesn't anyone ask me about them?" Artie's wives included Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Doris Dowling, Evelyn Keyes, and novelist Kathleen Winsor ("Forever Amber").

Here are some of the results on my Mac keyboard. The only characters that I sometimes have a need for but cannot find are: ð and þ--both appear in my father's first name--so I go to any Icelandic site and copy. Option (alt) 1 = ¡ Option (alt) 2 = ™ Option (alt) 3 = £ Option (alt) 4 = ¢ Option (alt) 5 = ∞ Option (alt) 6 = § Option (alt) 7 = ¶ Option (alt) 8 = • Option (alt) 9 = ª Option (alt) 0 = º Option (alt) y = ¥ Option (alt) q = œ Option (alt) w = ∑ Option (alt) e = ´ (followed by character = é, ú,ó, í, etc.) Option (alt) r = ® Option (alt) t = † Option (alt) i = ˆ Option (alt) o = ø Option (alt) p = π Option (alt) [ = “ Option (alt) ] = ‘ Option (alt) a = å Option (alt) s = ß Option (alt) d = ∂ Option (alt) f = ƒ Option (alt) g = © Option (alt) h = ˙ Option (alt) j = ∆ Option (alt) k = ˚ Option (alt) l = ¬ Option (alt) ; = … Option (alt) ' = æ Option (alt) z = Ω Option (alt) x = ≈ Option (alt) c = ç Option (alt) v = √ Option (alt) b = ∫ Option (alt) n = ˜ (or, if followed by character, ñ õ) Option (alt) m = µ Option (alt) , = ≤ Option (alt) . = ≥ Option (alt) / = ÷ Option/Shift 1 = ⁄ Option/Shift 2 = € Option/Shift 3 = ‹ Option/Shift 4 = › Option/Shift 5 = fi Option/Shift 6 = fl Option/Shift 7 = ‡ Option/Shift 8 = ° Option/Shift 9 = · Option/Shift 0 = ‚

This should give you some idea. I had the original LP set and it was more than a mere gathering of existing material--a very unusual set, it is one of the few complete Porgy and Bess recordings available, and probably the only one with whites in the title roles. Only $10 for the remastered two disc set--you can't go wrong!

Thank you, Madame Flora.

And, should that kind of post materialize, as long as nobody says anything bad about everything not being positive--and let's hope nobody comments on..... Seriously, death does not make us immune to discomfiting comments. In fact, I think we should be more upset by the knee-jerk responses and the hypocrisy they so often reflect. I happen to have known and liked Ozzie many years ago, and I continue to respect him for his work, as well. Even so, I find nothing wrong with Horny B.'s statement of fact--none of us is perfect. VB's sarcasm was, IMHO, uncalled for, again. Now, back to Ozzie, I grieve less when people pass away at his age, especially when they do so leaving behind an admirable legacy of accomplishments.

Perhaps they had better ears than you give them credit for. Then again, Marie LeVeau had a certain charm.

Horny B, my experience with Ozzie was always very positive, but you have to watch out certain people who seem oddly attracted to RIP threads and will bring out their fangs to defend the departed.

I really don't know what to say other than that she is a wonderful, warm person and a dear friend of many years who not only has recorded excellent albums of folk songs and blues, but also is a fine actress. I have always thought that she should have pursued acting harder, but it wasn't easy to make t in the theatre when Odetta began to explore that part of her talent. She has done Shakespeare in Canada (Stratford), she was in the dreadful "Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman" (the TV film in which Cicely Tyson did her Godzilla number) and she had an important role, Nancy, in "Sanctuary" (Faulkner), a 1961 film that starred Lee Remick and Yves Montand. Back in the 70s, when I was in bed with hepatitis, Odetta surprised me by showing up at my apartment with an absolutely fantastic homemade soul food dinner. Cannot say enough good things about Odetta the person or Odetta the artist.

Six Brown Brothers was a sort of forerunner to Supersax, they all played Buechers, recorded fpr Victor as early as 1914. and apparently shared a love of dotty clothing. This photo is from around 1920. More photos and info at this link.

Yes, Ruth was wonderful and very down to earth. When she came to a press party held for my Bessie Smith Songbook, she stepped up on the bandstand (it was held in a small, mostly black NYC bar) and joined in, singing blues and gospel tunes to which she knew the lyrics. I was impressed.

It was quite an eclectic group of guests (an estimated 2000, actually) and they had a special sunken area roped off for me and my personal guests. I was standing at the foot of the stairs, talking to a bewildered and somewhat amused Dan Morgenstern when I saw his face drop. He had just finished asking me, "what is this all about?" when Liberace, clad in something white, silky and sparkly, approached, led toward us by one of the tuxedoed security people. Before I could answer Dan's question, Liberace said, "Chris, I love your party. I looked around at this wonderful crowd and said to myself, 'I love it!'." I didn't think Dan's face could drop any farther, but it did. I should point out that I had never met Liberace before, but he acted as if we were old friends and you can imagine how inexplicable that was to Dan! Professor Corey was admitted to my inner circle and I remember vividly looking over towards the bar and seeing him wildly gesticulating as he explained something to Ruth Warrick and my mother (whom they had flown in from Seattle). To get back to the question Dan asked me, I have to confess that I myself did not know what the party was all about, but when they approached me about throwing it, I asked that it be a fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund--which it was. BTW, Evan, Ruth W. was indeed Phoebe Tyler, but she was also one of Orson Welles' wives in "Citizen Kane"--a more distinguished notch in her career cane.

Amazing, I thought he was long gone--and then to still be performing is truly wonderful. I thought of him as being "old" 24 years ago, when some people threw a party in my honor, and he was among the guests:

Of course--thank you, Aggie!

Yes, all the recordings in the "Living Legends" series were recorded in stereo and issued separately in mono, as well (that's how it was done when mono styli could damage stereo grooves). In post #4 of this thread, you will see my own record of these recordings and their initial issue. I don't know what Concord did with the CD reissues, but I put out 2 LPs of the Cottrell sessions and included a couple of tracks on a 2-disc LP that kicked off the series (see below). Most of the material in the double LP (Riverside 356/7 and 9356/7) did not duplicate what followed in the individual sets. I had such a "sampler" set in mind when I did the sessions, so when I called for another take, it was often with that set in mind rather than needing a better performance. In Cottrell's case, yo will note that I rejected four selection from the first session and one from the second. "Slow Drag" Pavageau was, I thought, a bit to rough for Cottrell's smooth style, so I decided to replace him with McNeal. I also did not like the vocal version of "Down By the Riverside," so I left it unissued. As for Dave Jones, I agree that he was very good--had a better ear than Rudy, I think, and did wonders with just an Ampex in a travel-worn enclosure and one or more microphones.

Dave Jones was the engineer, a great guy who loved the music and, I hope, is still around. He also recorded the Bill Evans Vanguard sessions, which I was present at.

Accidentally came across this on the web, a great picture with some great musicians: “Piron-Williams Orchestra.” Photograph by Arthur P. Bedou. 1915. Bedou’s portrait of this band organized for a vaudeville tour that never materialized included such future jazz stars as Clarence Williams (top left), Jimmie Noone (clarinet), Oscar Celestin (cornet), Armand Piron (violin), and Johnny St. Cyr (lower right). Bedou had a studio in Tremé and toured as a staff photographer with Booker T.Washington. William Ranson Hogan Archive of New Orleans Jazz, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library Special Collections, Tulne University Library.

Rummaging through a pile of old photos, I found one that I took on the second day of recording the trio: Cottrell, Emamuel Sayles, McNeal Breaux - N.O. Jan. 27, 1961 BTW, McNeal owned a wonderful little restaurant in the Quarter and, being white in 1961*, I had to enter through a back door. He was also a cousin of Wellman Braud, the wonderful Duke Ellington bassist. * I'm still white, but I would no longer need an exit strategy to leave McNeal's restaurant.

It obviously was a she cake!

Rolf, you look very different in this picture did you also eat the cake?

No Ginzu knives here, Paul, but if this thing works as advertised, why not. I am only paying about $30 a month now (Vonage), but if I can get the same service for $20 a year, hell--I'll have money left over for my Norah in Tora Bora boxed set!

Two friends of mine are now using MagicJack, a $39.95 USB dongle that gives you unlimited USA/Canada phone calls for $19.99 a year. The original $40 payment includes the first year. The quality is amazing, so I have just ordered one for myself. They are giving yo a 30-day free trial, so your card won't be charged for 31 days, and then only if you decide to keep it. When I get mine, I'll come back to this thread with an evaluation. In the meantime, here's a link to their site: Check it out!

Ozzie and I had many interesting conversation in the early Sixties. Sad to hear that he was ill before his departure.

How odd that the people of Chipping Campden (in the Cotswolds) can thank a Texas storm for giving me time to get their dentist's son's liner notes closer to completion.