xybert

It's also amazing how much he wrote. Right from the get go, Something Else!!!!, album after album: "all compositions by Ornette Coleman."

I know that i suddenly got the urge to finally pull the trigger on some Ornette purchases that i'd previously held off on: ordered the recent remasters of Love Call and New York is Now! to replace my old second hand copies of the original CD releases, as well as The Empty Foxhole to replace my 'CDR on demand' version, and Chappaqua Suite which i've never had.

FWIW, it's probably possible to still find but Wood Flute Songs is OOP. Interesting, looks like it's coming out on Aum. Wonder if they'll be releasing anything else around that time; i'd love a new album from Eri Yamamoto. On that day, they will also release a new William Parker 3 CD box, on which Eri Yamamoto will also be playing: http://news.allaboutjazz.com/william-parker-3-cd-box-set-of-new-works-to-be-released-august-21-on-aum-fidelity.php Yamamoto is good with Parker, but i just love her own trio. One of my favourite piano trios.

Interesting, looks like it's coming out on Aum. Wonder if they'll be releasing anything else around that time; i'd love a new album from Eri Yamamoto.

Pretty hard to pick ten favourites, but some favourites off the top of my head this morning: Chippie (Something Else!!!!) Free (Change of the Century) Faces and Places (At the Golden Circle Vol. 1) What Reason Could I Give (Science Fiction) Street Woman (Science Fiction) Law Years (Science Fiction) Police People (Song X - Twentieth Anniversary) 3 Wishes (Virgin Beauty)

Yeah, i like that one too. Slight sidetrack but i'm looking forward to Meridian Suite. I really like Lovano on all of the Paul Motian albums that i've heard him on. The only leader dates of his that i have are From the Soul and Sounds of Joy, both of which i like. Haven't heard much of his recent stuff other than the Zorn album that he was on. Wouldn't mind checking out some more of his music, always been interested to check out the Trio Fascination stuff. From memory when i've looked before it was out of print, probably not too hard to find second hand though. Just not high on my priority list (no snark intended). I have actually seen him perform live, with Scofield, Matt Penman and Matt Wilson in 2008. Excellent show!

Ornette and co also featured on that Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band record.

One of many, many artists that i've never really gotten in to but need to explore further. I used to have Bridging (The Great Divide Live) on clean feed and thought it was good. This, though, was around the time where my modus operandi was to cover as much ground as possible by buying just one album by an artist. I then felt like, on my limited budget, i'd ticked the box of having heard them and having them featured in my collection. Of course if an album particularly grabbed me i'd investigate further. Now i realise that with certain artists i need to immerse myself in order to really get a grip on their music and i reckon that Dunmall is one of those guys for me. Sometimes dipping a toe is effectively pointless for me, may as well not bother until i'm ready to at least get a few albums and go from there.

Monday morning coffee.

Excellent album. I really dig the drums. The Drumming that opens the album on Sweet Duke just totally gets everything off on the right foot for me.

I remember how ridiculous i felt putting ''i am passionate about providing excellent customer service'' in my CV... but you've got to have it there! They want someone that's passionate! If you're not passionate, they'll find someone who is!

RIP.

Paying my respects. What an amazing man. It strikes me as utterly miraculous that we've been able to enjoy his music. Things could have been different. His music will be 'making me feel better' until the day i die. RIP.

For me, i think the thing that usually gets up dedicated jazz fan's noses when this sort of thing happens is not so much the album in question but the hype that surrounds it. Let's say it's not a bad album, but when there's press saying that it's groundbreaking and pushing boundaries and points a way forward for jazz it's kind of annoying for a number of reasons.

Guru Luminary Wunderkind Especially when it's anything social media, internet, business or corporate related.

If you know the session already, and like it, you will not be disappointed with this new edition. At 1000¥, and with a superior (SHM-CD) remaster, it's a bargain. So far, I've been cherry-picking titles from this latest reissue batch that were previously SHM-CDs, and each title has — as I've posted above — used the SHM-CD remaster. Great way to get the music in excellent sound. Even better when you have CD Japan points stacked up. Yeah I have the GRP version, there's a lot of room for improvement sound wise. When it was the only option, fine, but knowing this alternative is out there and for a reasonable price... i just placed my order. Also ordered Living Space (one i've wanted to get for ages) and Meditations (used to have it but traded it). I don't really have the money right now but fugg it: i always end up looking back and being thankful that past-me stretched his budget at the the time because current me really can't afford stuff now. I should check out CD Japan at some stage. I use Amazon Japan whenever possible and have had nothing but good experiences. They have some sort of points system but not sure how it compares to the CD Japan one. For some reason, i guess partly geographical although it doesn't entirely add up, it's cheaper for me to get something couriered from Amazon Japan than it is to get something posted from Amazon US. It's cheaper, and items arrive mint at my workplace within 2-3 days of shipping rather than 4-6 weeks when posted from Amazon US. A no brainer, i wish i'd discovered them earlier. When pre-ordering, Amazon Japan also starts the process of debiting my bank account a few days earlier than the release date and then ship on the actual release date rather than starting the process a couple of days after the release date like Amazon US does for me. Sorry to go on but the contrast has just been astounding; again i wish that i'd discovered Amazon Japan and ditched Amazon US/UK earlier.

The retro thing doesn't worry me too much. For me, use whatever framework you want, the result either works for me or it doesn't. There's ostensibly cutting edge stuff that doesn't do anything for me and there's less ambitious stuff that i'll listen to a thousand times because it just subjectively does it for me. Haven't listened to The Epic apart from the first track and the Amazon samples. The first track put me right off, but Coltrane/Tyner homages almost always get my back up as soon as i hear those chords. The samples of the rest of the album sound okay to me for what they are. Not the type of thing that i'd go out and buy (too much other essential-to-me stuff out there etc) but i wouldn't diss someone for enjoying it. The praise it's getting from relatively mainstream internet media is of course a bit much but look at the context... look at what else they go for... you could scratch your head at a lot of the rock/indie/electro/hip-hop stuff they cover as well. Now jazz is joining the party! Have you guys heard Future Islands? Holy shit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ee4bfu_t3c

I was wondering about First Meditations, thanks for posting. Very tempting.

Got such a copy myself from amazon.it two years ago (for 16 something €) ... no cracks, no mud, but wavy booklet with rusty staples, too. A friend of mine who ordered one there, too, got one in good condition (that is good, not american "good"). Yeah, sounds like the wavy/rusty thing might have been an issue at the suppliers end. I'll survive, it just bugs me that i could have gotten it cheaper second hand and i threw all that cash away to have it couriered from the UK so that it would arrive in good condition. At least the hair wasn't curly, i guess.

Interesting, thanks for that.

I've really been enjoying Budism. Definitely worth getting if you dig the other SteepleChase releases. Just a word of warning for any prospective buyers: Amazon UK are selling 'new' copies that are in second hand condition for $33 GBP+. Figured it was worth it to get a new copy, also shelled out to have it couriered to keep the precious new item in good condition. Turned up unsealed (not the end of the world, not all UK stuff is sealed) with a cracked case, a wavy inlay card most likely caused by moisture, rusty staples in the booklet (like, they're more rust than staple), discs that were soiled both in the playing surface and label side, and even a nice long hair on the playing surface of one disc. Thankfully i was able to clean up the discs and they both play and were ripped without issue. I can live with having a second hand copy, but i would have found a cheaper one in better condition and definitely wouldn't have paid a premium to have it couriered. Here's a link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000027UQB/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me= Sorry for the apparent rant, but i figure it's worth it if someone else is looking at buying and by some chance is doing some googling. I've given feedback to Amazon UK and tried to post a warning as a review but it wasn't allowed. Could try and do a more sneaky/less blatant one but i can't be arsed.

I feel like, yeah, a lot of it does come down to whatever hard proof the System Dialing guys have. I also think that, whichever way this goes, particularly if it's a settlement but even if it's a judgement, things are always going to be muddy as hell and there's always going to be a benefit of the doubt element, reputationally. Deny deny deny, stick to your story (especially if it's true!). And that's why i don't think that this will be career ending for the dudes involved, unless they are literally sue-nuked into non-existence. And when all is said and done and the dust settles these guys are part of jazz history, like it or not. Buuuuuut i'm not an expert on the culture of musicians and the industry. Is there a precedent for someone effectively getting blacklisted by the jazz community, in a career ending way, for crossing someone of high standing? Without looking them up, Holzman aside, are these guys really involved in jazz circles? If not, would their actual peer group look upon them that unkindly?

jcam, let me know how you go with that one if you get a chance. Have come close to picking it up a couple of times but it gets mixed reviews. A solo Sonny disc is mighty tempting. I have listened to it twice and find it to be excellent. I think if you play you will find it awe-inspiring. I know critics gave the impression that this was nothing more than a practice session, but i would give a leg to have a practice session flow so easily. I find it interesting because it shows his ability to associate ideas, and in such a different and more melodic manner than most solo woodwind albums. My favorite solo woodwind of all-time is Vinny Golia - Clarinet but for far different reasons than this one. Cheers man. I'm not going to rush out and get it at this stage but i'll keep it in mind next time i do an order. I still really want to explore the Milestone years in more depth. I know there's the Silver City double disc but, you know, i want the full albums for better or worse. Really wish they'd put out a budget-ish box set along the lines of the recent Universal Italy ones.

Well, here's my report on the Corea/Hancock concert. It was allright. A bit of a mixed bag, some transcendent moments where they really locked in and some really lacklustre moments. Started out good, with Chick and Herbie walking out and joking with the audience. This is my fourth time seeing Chick perform live, and he has always had a warm, relaxed vibe about him when i've seen him. Herbie was cool, and when he first touched the acoustic piano it was a real 'holy shit' moment for me. The first piece was a free improv that started out in that sort of atmospheric/plucking the piano strings way. Herbie rotated round to his synth and started laying down these really cheesy, stock new age synth pads and i'm not kidding it did briefly occur to me to get up and walk out. It just put me in the headspace of 'this is bad' and i think it kind of set the tone for the rest of the night for me. It reminded me of that episode of Friends when Ross played keyboard. I was seriously tempted to call out ''infinite time!' in a nasally-nerd-doing-a-robot-voice. I love synths, but this just... there was just something absurd about it. The next piece was amazing with Chick and Herbie just totally simpatico, playing furiously and joyously. They went on to do Maiden Voyage, Canteloupe (sp) Island, Green Dolphin St. All quite good. They did an 'improv-jam-on-the-synths' part which was fun but ultimately sounded like it could be any two dudes messing around. There was some audience participation: New Zealand audiences tend to be very reserved and the reluctance was palpable but it actually went pretty well, partly due to some really enthusiastic i assume to be music students in the back. They came back for an encore and did Spain. It kind of fizzled for me. They got a standing ovation, and i don't begrudge them one bit; i was standing and clapping enthusiastically with the rest of them. And that was that!

I'm very excited that you are getting this once in a lifetime opportunity to see this. I know you are a huge Corea fan and I guess the two of them are not coming back to New Zealand any time soon. As you know, I am very fortunate to be able to see a wide variety of many of my favorite musicians on a very regular basis (if I choose to go), so I don't know what it's like to have a rare opportunity to see live music but I imagine you have it has you all kinds of fired up. Very little in this world for compares favorably to seeing my musical heroes up close and personal. I love listening to my CDs - but as it was 2 nights ago seeing, hearing and feeling Mark Dresser and company from a few feet away simply makes the world feel like a better place. Cheers man. Yup, you guys are lucky as, spoiled for choice. I think you'd lose your mind if you moved down here Steve!