Eric

Yes, I bought this on LP when it came out. Always loved this one, glad to have it on CD.

I traveled to Chicago frequently in the 90s and 00s and always allowed half a day extra to visit JRM. Loved that place! I never knew Bob, but had a funny (in hindsight) encounter. There was a guy in the store selling some Japanese Blue Notes and could not come to terms on what I believe was the Hank Mobley with both Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd. So as he was walking out, I asked him whether I could buy it from him. Bob saw what was going on and came over and gave me the business. Hey, his store, his rules, but at that point we were no longer in the store. I started to protest but saw that was going nowhere. I figured lifetime ban from the store was coming next, so I backed down. I think the other customer was just as bemused and we completed the transaction a block away, well out of sight

Yes I bought this (for a 2nd time) a while ago in hopes that I would like it more. I wish that I did but I don’t for the same reason. Even sequenced the songs in reverse order, but no luck.

WTF indeed

Saw this on Amazon ... quite the striking cover - and improves substantially on the original. I was able to pre-order on Target a while ago - had the existing cover.

Big 👍

Well of course my turntable is in the shop, so listening will come a little later. I can speak to the packaging and booklet, which is superb. Some nice photos of George, both by Francis Wolff and at the Famous Ballroom, albeit with Wynton Kelly, not this gig. The booklet starts with 5-6 paragraphs from Cory Weeds - I didn’t realize the Zev Feldman connection and that they had also worked together on the Cannonball Seattle record. Feldman contributes his notes and then Michael Cuscuna has a nice essay. Then Weeds has a long interview with Coleman, who describes his performance as “satisfactory” although based on the online clips I would say it is much more than that. Coleman talks about his time with Roach/Brown and the other band members on the current album. He also talks about his time with Lee Morgan and of course with Miles. Feldman then interviews John Fowler, who first became involved with the Left Bank Jazz Society at age 20, eventually becoming president and a member of the board. A ton of good info about the organization and in particular another one of his associates, Vernon Welsh who actually started recording the artists, always with their permission and providing them with their own copies of the tapes. He talks about the Baltimore jazz scene, how the Jazz Society operated, how they presented shows - just a fascinating level of detail. Finally there is a Weeds interview with Eric Alexander about his relationship with Coleman, how it came to be via Harold Mabern, who was one of Alexander’s professors at the time. Some funny anecdotes, particularly about his first lesson with George and the financial arrangement. The whole thing is really well done, informative and exudes warmth and fellowship throughout. Towards the end of the Alexander interview, Weeds let out they are working on a Harold Land set from sessions from 1962 - 1965. As for as hitting the place early - I have never been able to find titles at any of the KC stores after the fact. So starting with the last RSD drop, I have been following the drill with the largest record store in town. You get there at 4:00, get in line and then are assigned a number and time to return and get your stuff (I was number 11). Maybe overkill, but I have gotten what I wanted the past two times. Was also able to get the Sonny Rollins and the Bill Evans this time around. Got both Dexter Gordon’s, the Miles and the Mingus last time around.

Had to get up at 3:45 to sign up for a place in line, but it paid off!

When I first listened to the Mosaic set, part of it sounded slightly distorted ("hot"). Never enough to detract from the session, which is stellar!

Thanks for the heads up on the Goodrick. Picked it up. Love the Ronnie Mathews.

Waffle House Gets An Official Bacon-Scented Beer: https://www.pastemagazine.com/drink/craft-beer/waffle-house-bacon-beer-official/?utm_source=PMNTNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201116

Excellent call on the Rodney Jones!

I have always loved the title track ... something about says hope and joy to me 🙂

LOL - 13 years later 😎

Buys used CDs

Grabbed the two Gordons as well. I have the Squirrel on a Blue Note CD, but this one was new to me. Gave it a spin - very solid!

I own it, yet also have not knowingly listened to any of it

They really do a nice job with their covers. Some are Blue Note-like, but their influences seem pretty broad. I would be fun to have some of these on vinyl, not sure whether they do that.

I may have posted before, but from the back of Our Thing. Notes written on the back cover - "Every note on every song on this record is magnificent" and "There is not one moment of boredom or any lapse in creativity on either side. All the compositions are a gas. AAAAAAGH" and "This is a perfect record. There is not an average note anywhere." There is also a note beside Teeter Totter which says "This is the greatest tenor solo on record." The hippist of the hip indeed!!

Now I do remember - say from 1985 onward - buying a bunch of the Blue Notes Mark describes from JayBee Jazz out of St. Louis. They would mail you a list. Forgot all about that. And I bought some vintage Blue Notes off other lists - including a beautiful original copy of Our Thing for something like $30, which seemed enormous at the time.

As with all things Organissimo, this blog has been a (well-spent) drain on my pocketbook 😎 I have found this decade to be extremely rich and deep and thanks HutchFan, for taking the time to point out a bunch of things that were previously unknown to me. It has also prompted me to pull out stuff that had been sitting dormant in my vinyl collection. When I started buying jazz (early 80s), this was the only era that was really in print, at least in the middle of Kansas.

Those Essential Media Group CDs are routinely dinged for sound quality - how about this one?

Bill Hardman - Home, Focus & Politely I think the Junior Cook lps only came out in portions via compilation Love those Mickey Tucker lps. Also, believe there are some Ricky Ford and James Spaulding lps.

Funny how that works. I used to love the Police back in the early 80s ... Sting was even a jazz bassist ... but now is a bit of a snooze. The best tie back to that era is stuff with some sort of deep emotional resonance ... which was never the Police!

Maybe only part of it? The other tunes look like they are from a Paul Chambers VeeJay date with Cannonball date if memory serves ...