Larry Kart

and a lot of high-flown classical reviewers are going to get their asses handed to them: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTempla...newssectionID=1

Yes, Van de Leur did play a major role in those Dutch Jazz Orchestra Strayhorn albums, which are excellent. In fact, the way the DJO plays that music shows up almost every American big band I've heard that tries to take on a re-creative role (that is, work in a prior muscial style).

If I were a Strayhorn scholar myself (I'm not), I might have been a bit suspicious of that aspect of Hajdu's bio anyway before I read Van de Leur's book (and I did read Hajdu first), because I recall thinking that Hajdu's approach to the music in general and to the clearly tricky question of attribution seemed rather superficical, if that's the right word. But when I did read Van de Leur, whatever doubts I might have had while I read Hajdu certainly crystallized. On the other hand, Hajdu's focus as I recall was more on Strayhorn the man and his milieu, and my recollection is that he was quite good there.

About Strayhorn: First, we need to straighten out what Duke composed on his own, what Strayhorn composed for the Ellington band on his own (a whole lot more than used to be thought; on this, see Walter van de Leur's authoritative "Something To Live For: The Music of Billy Strayhorn," not Hajdu's bio, which is however good on the man), and what they did together and how they collaborated (again, see Van de Leur, who makes it very clear that Ellington and Strayhorn's musical habits/fingerprints were quite different). As for Strayhorn's stature on his own, as much as I admire his music, I'll always have a problem with "on his own" because as different as his methods might have been from Duke's, he essentially used Duke's "instrument" (i.e. the Ellington band) and was shaped to a great degree in his musical thinking by its pre-existing, continuing presence.

Here's a link to those Plummer albums: http://db.cadencebuilding.com/searchresult...;offset_count=0

If you have a bad back, like Jim does, it's not too much money. Chronic pain is a bitch, and avoiding more expensive medical treatment, if you can, is a good thing.

Good as Plummer was with Russell, he became an even better and more individual player over the years, based in Indianapolis. Don't know about their currrent availability, but he made two fine CDs with Cincinnati-based drummer Ron Enyard for Cadence and an earlier quite magical one, an LP, with keyboard player Steve Corn. Last I heard, Plummer sadly had his lost teeth and had to stop playing.

Aeron. Worth every penny IMO.

I knew of no alternative.

You've got something precious. I've heard about Gourley's Singer tapes but assumed that after all this time there was primal barrier to their emergence. Singer was a Chicagoan; he and Raney came up on the same scene there (along with Gourley), and those who heard Singer later on in NY (Ira Gitler most notably, also Dan Morgenstern) have told me that Singer was his own man and just amazing. He and his wife committed suicide together, stuck their heads in a gas oven. Sorry about the bluntness of that, but that's the story. Clearly theirs was not a happy family.

I have a good friend who used to be (and I'm sure still is) ga-ga over Nina Simone. To me, she was and is kind of like a humorless Eartha Kitt.

No, it says "Jack Monterose" -- a step in the right direction but not far enough.

And it's Wade Legge on piano, not "Wade Lagge".

Lee's October 1957 quartet album for Norman Granz has been packaged (by an EU outfit by the name of Gambit) with Lee's superb May 1957 quintet album "Very Cool" (with Don Ferrara -- his only substantial outing on record AFAIK -- Sal Mosca, Peter Ind, and Shadow Wilson). "Very Cool" I've known and loved since it first came out, but "Tranquility" (I'm semi-embarrassed to say) was new to me. A beautiful date, with some of the most relaxed, lucid Lee ever. Interesting originals (Lee's "Stephanie," Bauer's "Jonquil") and interpretations (a very down tempo "Sunday," a medium-up "The Nearness of You") as well. BTW, does anyone know who the Jack Fuller is who wrote the liner notes for "Tranquility"? It's a new name to me, and phrase or two gives me the feeling that it's Whitney Balliett writing under a pseudonym. (I do know a Jack Fuller who is interested in jazz -- the former editor of the Chicago Tribune, who wrote a novel about a Coltrane-sh figure -- but that Jack Fuller was in high school in 1957.)

I agree that lateish Al was almost uniformily superb -- got to hear him pretty much every year at the Jazz Showcase in the '80s (until his death), paired with Zoot, Lee Konitz, Allen Eager, Clark Terry or on his own -- but one middle period Al Cohn disc that should not be missed is the one he did for Coral with Bob Brookmeyer that Verve put out a year or so ago. Backed by Mose Allison, Teddy Kotick, and Nick Stabulus (in a neo-Blakey groove), both horn soloists are in great form. Some nice discreet writing -- charts and originals -- too. I'm especially knocked out by the performance here of "A Blues Serenade." A lovely day in the studio. Only possible drawback is 12 shortish tracks (maybe nothing as long as 4 minutes), but on the other hand, the need to get it said within those frameworks seems to stimulate everyone. I've loved this album since it came out in 1957 or so. Grab it before it's gone, if it isn't already.

You're right, there. I'm told you can get it elsewhere for about $10-$12. But I like your title better than mine.

Hey, wise guy -- Jack Nimitz was/is a good, distinctive player.

I'm there. What a strange album this might be. I'm reminded of a non-existent album that I "listened to" in a dream as an adolescent -- the frontline consisted of Jack Teagarden and Paul Desmond, with the former stating and embelishing the melodies of standards (e.g. "Stars Fell on Alabama") in relatively slow motion, while the latter circled around him.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but so far everything I've bought from Caiman (through Amazon) has arrived as quickly and cleanly as anything ever does. On the other hand, most of what I've bought from Caiman happens to have been Lone Hill type stuff; perhaps it's like buying stolen goods from an outfit that steals from thieves.

King U -- What I wrote above was "the band in general, with the exception of Land, is in fairly tepid form..." That is, Land IMO is in very good form on "More Live at the Beehive," while the rest of the band is not.

Broke down and bought "More Live from the Beehive." Have to say that the band in general, with the exception of Land, is in fairly tepid form; Brown (by his own high standard) sounds about as untogether (not technicially but in terms of coherent, long-lined thinking) as I can remember ever hearing, and Roach seems similarly disengaged. I get the feeling of the last set on the the last night of the gig, with few people in the club and the band thinking about leaving town. Completists will want it, but IMO this is miles below the level of the Nov. 7 Beehive material, though admittedly that may have been as hot a night as any band ever had. Perhaps this is God's revenge upon those who succumb to the Lone Hill impulse.

Yes, on both counts.

Anita Gravine, NYC-based. Her album of Burke-Van Huesen songs from the "Road" pictures, "Welcome to My Dream" (with Mike Abene charts), is to die for. I should know; I wrote the notes, and it killed me. Some excellent playing from Gary Burton on the album as well. Anita really swings, without any hip chick mannerisms, and she has a gorgeous contralto-ish voice.

From a June 2003 Village Voice story on Russell: "Russell was stung when Jazz at Lincoln Center canceled plans for a 70th birthday concert because he uses electric bass. Understandable maybe in 1952, but in 1992?"

Leaving aside the question of how big Joe Z's ego is, the going off on Wynton thing probably had more to do with J@LC's longstanding but recently abrogated (or temporized) ban against booking any group that used electronic instruments. This came into play most notably when a George Russell Orchestra concert at J@LC was cancelled after management (read Wynton) learned that Russell's outfit included an electronic bassist. Wynton looking down his nose at/pulling rank on George Russell -- Jeez!