Larry Kart

That's one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

He was great in Robert Aldrich's "Attack!" as the tough sergeant who pulls his crushed arm from under the tread of German tank in order to seek out and kill his unit's cowardly commanding officer, Eddie Albert. No U.S. Army cooperation on that film.

Uncle Meat: http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=fz-um

The Cortazar story, "The Pursuer," can be found in English here: http://www.amazon.com/Blow-Up-Other-Storie...r/dp/0394728815 It's excellent IMO, especially the Bird-like character's remarkable monologue about what ran through his mind between two stops on the Paris Metro. In a way, the story seems to exist so that monologue could exist; the whole business with the Leonard Feather-like narrator Bruno, while nicely handled for the most part, is also so slimy that its sliminess extends a bit beyond what one might wish. That is, the story arguably is as much or more about Bruno than it is about Johnny (the Bird-like character); that is that way makes one of Cortazar's main points. But the skill with which Cortazar creates a believable Johnny, and the effect of that believable Johnny on the reader, is such that you almost wish that Bruno and his nastiness could have been relegated to a relatively minor role rather than a near-central one.

Johnny Smith

To what book are you referring? The late Michael James is not a contributor to "The Essential Jazz Records, Vol. 2" (publ. 2000) If you mean "Modern Jazz: The Essential Records 1945-70" (publ. 1975 -- BTW a much better book IMO) here, for one, is James on the Massey Hall Concert": "...Mingus and Roach lay down a constantly inspiring beat and take gripping solos..." James also writes enthusiastically in that book of Roach's work on the album "Drums Unlimited."

That's not what Balliett said, and it's not really what Stuart Nicholson (author of the quoted passage to which you're referring) said either.

Can't find the specifc quote right now, but Balliett, an amatuer drummer at one time, has actually said that Roach doesn't swing. This is a point of view rediscovered or echoed by another semi-intelligent idiot, Stuart Nicholson, in "The Essential Jazz Records Vol, 2," p. 103. Writing of the album "The Magnificent Thad Jones," Nicholson says: "Perhaps it was the sudden and unexpected death of [Clifford] Brown on 28 June 1956, some two weeks before the first of these sessions, that explains Roach's singularly detached drumming. On 'Thedia, for example ... he is boorishly metronomic, plugging away with a basic ride pattern hear the cup his symbal throughout Jones's long solo. He maintains the same volume level throughout, taking no account of light and shade or rhythmic variety and failing to respond in any way to Jones's wholly original lines. This unyielding and unsupportive aspect of his ensemble playing is the one weak feature of this album and indeed is a criticism that can be levelled at Roach's drumming in general." Well, Max is in a very weird mood on "Thedia" (Nicholson's description of his playing there is accurate, and it's possible that Clifford Brown's recent death had a good deal to do with this, as Nicholson suggests). But this Roach performance is a quite untypical one (even in the context of this album), and to generalize from it as Nicholson does is absurd.

Matt Wilson. He's so square he's cubical. And the sound he gets out of his kit is dead.

Miami got FOUR offensive rebounds, and I think they were all long ones. Everything under the basket belonged to the Bulls. Also, it seemed like very few Miami shots were taken from anywhere near the paint.

Thanks. If he can get his hands on the set, my drummer friend will be very happy. BTW, without giving away too many secrets, if things go according to plan, he's the guy who eventually will be publishing Peter Pullman's long-awaited Powell biography. Nice that my friend is a fine player (has been for almost 50 years now -- we met when we were in high school) as well as a longtime editor at a major academic publishing house.

I have a 1991 Fresh Sound CD of the above material on "The Bud Powell Trio, Birdland '53, Vol. 1." It's superb Bud (however Vol. 2 shows a notable falloff on Bud's part IMO), and Roy Haynes take a long solo on "Salt Peanuts" that may be the most amazing thing he ever played -- at one point he seems to pause for a breath as though he himself were stunned by it all. In any case, a friend -- a drummer who's a Haynes freak -- is looking for this music, and I wonder if anyone can point him the right direction, if in fact there is one. I see that some of the 3/23/53 material (Boris Rose airchecks) is out on ESP 3022, but ESP lists "Salt Peanuts" at 2:56 versus Fresh Sound's 4:16, which suggests that some or all of Haynes's solo has been clipped out.

More on Vicari: From allaboutjazz.com: (Slightly edited by yours truly, for grammar/spelling ). Tenor Saxophonist Frank Vicari Dies Frank Vicari died in NYC, on Friday October 20 at 3:47 eastern time. Although only known through specialized circles of jazz aficionados, saxophone legend Frank Vicari has truly earned the title of master. He started on clarinet and was encouraged by his father to practice hard every day. When he was fourteen Frank added tenor sax to his repertoire and started hanging out in the Newark Jazz clubs with cats three times his age who gladly accepted the talented teenager into their group and showed him the ropes. By the time Frank was 15 he joined the local union in order to be able to do gigs but when he was eighteen drafted into the Air Force where he played in various service bands from 1951-55. After serving in the Air Force Frank played around New York City where he rapidly became known as a respected musician and played in various ghost bands until 1960 when he was recruited by Maynard Ferguson for the lead tenor chair and where he remained until 1965. This band is said to be the pinnacle of Maynard's big band career. After the Ferguson band was dismantled. Frank joined Buddy Rich but soon was convinced by Woody Herman to join him and his Thundering Herd in 1965. He remained as lead tenor player and eventual became the leader until 1970 when he moved to St. Thomas so he could play in small jazz ensembles seven nights a week and just blow and escape the hectic New York music business. Upon his return from St. Thomas, Frank toured and recorded with Dave Matthews, White Elephant, J. Giles, George Benson, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, Billy Eckstine, Tom Waits, John Lennon, and on the Saturday Night Live Band. Frank was also nominated for his solo on “Mary Ann” while with Maynard Ferguson. He was a featured member of the Howard Williams big band, which appears at The Garage in Greenwich Village, New York, every Monday evening.

There are some things on "The Jaywalker" that would have given Sun Ra pause.

Frank Vicari, an excellent player, died a week ago last Friday. I'd say he was out of Trane primarily but in a very personal, oblique manner, circa '57 Trane perhaps.

Picked up "The Jaywalker" yesterday, having never seen or heard of it before. So far it's amazing. Thank you.

"The Schizophrenic Bud Powell" Art Blakey "Eat You At The Jazz Corner Of The World"

Herbie Hancock -- Weak, Like A Child

"A Blind Date With Jimmy Smith" Art Blakey "Orgy In The Next Room" Lee Morgan "Candide" Jackie McLean "Jackie's Shoulder Bag" Jackie McLean "Let Freedom Knock"

Stanely Turrentine "That Is Where It Is"

John Coltrane -- Blue Choo-Choo

Jackie McLean "Swing, Swung, Having Been Swunged"

Lee Morgan "Search For The New Gland"

Hank Mobley "Another Lockup"

Geographically, McKusick's Jazz Workshop is a wholly east coast record, though it's certainly not a hard bop blowing date. BTW, if you're curious about about McKusick would sound in a less-arranged setting, check out his "Triple Exposure (OJC), where the rhythm section is Eddie Costa, Paul Chambers, and Charlie Persip. Especially interesting for Chambers fans; he's captured with exceptional clarity.