xybert

Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock tonight.

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.

If this is a simple case of them releasing it without Ornette's (or Denardo's, it seems) permission then this really does explain a lot. It took them years to get the album out; i wonder what went on behind the scenes? You can really go down the rabbit hole of what Jim's saying above, there's so many different angles. My head is practically exploding with speculations. On the subject of "if they 100% didn't have permission why would they be so suicidal as to proceed": I could definitely see it seeming like a good idea at the time. I had no idea they (label or musicians) existed before this: being associated with Ornette they'll effectively go down in history whatever the legal outcome is. I guess it depends on how much they had to lose, which maybe wasn't much. Either way, they've cemented their place in jazz history.

I had to google it.

Received my copy of Bud Powell Trio (TOCJ-50040) today. It's hard for me to differentiate as the mastering is clearly louder which can be confused for higher pitched, but i believe that it hasn't been pitch corrected. There's not a huge difference though (to my ears, musicians and/or people with perfect pitch may beg to differ). For your listening pleasure, i've uploaded a back to back comparison. The version from the BN/Roost box starts at approximately 2:47. EDIT: I've now deleted the video from Youtube.

Ellery Eskelin's Solo Live at Snugs is now available from his website. He has a deal on at the moment of Snugs plus other CD of your choice for $25. I picked up Snugs and Forms, which i've wanted to check out for a while. http://home.earthlink.net/~eskelin/styled-2/

The crotch/legs/feet remind me of old Rob Liefeld art:

Thanks erwbol. I'll report back once i've received it and compared it to the BN box for anyone that's interested.

I ended up cancelling the above order: a couple of weeks in the listing on the main site changed to that status where it looks like it'll never be back in stock and there were other things that i needed the money for anyway. Was pleasantly surprised to see it back in stock while browsing last night: re-ordered, so stoked. I believe it's not speed corrected unlike the BN box that was. Dang. I actually have a lossless copy of the BN box that i ripped from the library years ago so it'll be interesting to compare. I have a Japanese disc from 2006 (TOCJ-6806) and the track times do not correspond with those of the BN box. I think the sound is pretty off-putting. Here's a link to the one i'm getting, not sure if you can tell anything from it. Looks to have been released in 2010: http://www.amazon.co.jp/バド・パウエルの芸術-バド・パウエル/dp/B003VPMF18/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1431814450&sr=8-14&keywords=Bud+powell

I ended up cancelling the above order: a couple of weeks in the listing on the main site changed to that status where it looks like it'll never be back in stock and there were other things that i needed the money for anyway. Was pleasantly surprised to see it back in stock while browsing last night: re-ordered, so stoked. I believe it's not speed corrected unlike the BN box that was. Dang. I actually have a lossless copy of the BN box that i ripped from the library years ago so it'll be interesting to compare.

I ended up cancelling the above order: a couple of weeks in the listing on the main site changed to that status where it looks like it'll never be back in stock and there were other things that i needed the money for anyway. Was pleasantly surprised to see it back in stock while browsing last night: re-ordered, so stoked.

Fair warning, the weather's pretty bad in October/November too, but it's hard to predict. Auckland is famous (or 'world famous in New Zealand' as we say here) for having 'four seasons in one day' weather.

If you buy into the idea that all musicians must 'progress', 'challenge', 'push envelopes' then your analogy might hold true. But isn't there another way (aren't there many ways?)? Taking something that works and then concentrating on refining it or revisiting it from different angles. I've often had the 'oh, not another Standards Trio' feeling but when I've listened to the discs I've always found plenty to absorb me. I understand the appeal of perpetual change but this is really a very Western concept fuelled by the way our capitalist system (I'm not using that term in a derogatory way) works - the need to create rapid obsolescence. Jarrett's approach might well reflect other philosophical systems. Which is not to say that I wouldn't have preferred hearing him in some other contexts. Yeah, totally. I actually tied myself up a bit adding 'good on him, nothing wrong with that, he can do whatever he wants, we're lucky that he's done anything at all, he's done more by being 'safe' than most men will ever achieve, all due respect, this is not a diss of the music itself etc' stuff to my original post, but it came off as insincere (and i meant it sincerely) so i dropped it and just posted. I'm projecting on Jarrett, i know, and i get that it's way more complex than that.

I've kind of got the impression that the last 25 years of Jarrett's career have been the equivalent of a sports team holding the ball in their own half, running out the clock. Don't want to attack, don't want to do anything embarrassing or foolish, you've already won, just play it safe and run out the clock.

At the Golden Circle Volume 1 & 2 have been getting a lot of spins at my place. Definitely some weird moments (the head to 'There'll Never Be Another You' on Volume 1 for example) but overall, yeah, glad to have these. Have ordered Volume 3. Just some minor 'product' issues to note for the sake of anyone else that's ever looking this stuff up and wants to compare notes: minor digital glitches and audio issues pop up through out both volumes, not to deal breaker levels for me but yeah. As they sound like they're digital, i.e. not on the original tape, it's just slightly frustrating as it's obviously avoidable with a bit of QC either when the original transfer to digital was done or when the CDs were manufactured. Also not sure why the track list on Volume 1 (both the order and some of the actual songs) doesn't seem to match what's listed on the back of the CD. Anyway, doesn't bother me too much but along with the minor audio issues it just adds to the feeling that not much care has gone in, and SteepleChases aren't cheap, either. Note: audio issues might just be my copies, don't know for sure. EDIT: I thought i'd just edit this update in to this post rather than bumping the thread. I've ended up ordering Volume 4 and 5 as well as the Budism set. I've kind of been immersed in Bud's later recordings, but just recently i was stuck somewhere and i was listening to Parisian Thoroughfare off the Amazing Bud Powell pretty much on a loop as it's a track that i have on my phone. And yeah, there is indisputably just line after line of brilliance in his playing on that track that when you compare it to say Swedish Pastry off the Golden Circle Volume 3 (which was an album that i was listening to a lot having just received it at the time) there's just no comparison. But even though the Golden Circle recordings don't quite have the brilliance of the earlier stuff and are downright rough in places, i still really, really enjoy listening to them. YMMV.

I live in Auckland. I'm generally pretty clueless with regards to hotel pricing (not sure if they are planning to stay here or if it's just a stopover) however if you have any other questions or need any help i'll do my best. Cheers.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - Frozen Corpse Stuffed With Dope

Great to hear about the new Liberty Ellman album. A lot has happened since Ophiuchus Butterfly, can't wait to hear what he comes out with. And yeah the new Zooid... fast approaching, can't wait.

Great to see the discussion continuing here. I've ordered a few of the recommended discs along with Volume 1 & 2 of the Steeplechases, waiting for them to arrive and FWIW i'll report back once i've had a decent listen. Still digging just about any Bud that i'm hearing. It's frankly a wonderful place to be in, but at the same time i'm constantly questioning myself as to why i enjoy the less well regarded stuff so much.

Yeah, i'm really enjoying it. I've probably already spun it more times than i've spun Functional Arrhythmias, which to this day is an album that i like more than love, although i think i got off on the wrong foot with it and sometimes that can be hard to get around no matter how hard you try. Honestly, if had to choose just one Coleman Pi album at this moment it would be Synovial Joints. They all have a different flavour for me though, even the first two which appear to be the most similar have a different vibe to me. A lot of the things that i like about this album are the same as i've liked about other recent Coleman albums: the solos are compelling to me, the compositions do it for me and i find them interesting, i like that there's a groove but we're not in Kansas anymore, i like that it's funky but again it doesn't sound like it's overtly trying to be FuNkEe in a corny way. Talking from memory here, the first two Pi albums could be a bit 'wall of sound' at times, and with the larger personnel on SJ i was kind of expecting something almost Exploding Star Orchestra-like but in a Steve Coleman stylee. I've been pleasantly surprised by how spacious SJ is, how the strings come in and out and add interesting colours when needed but don't overwhelm. It almost sounds 'programmed' in a way, a copy and paste method, like he's got a pallete in front of him and he's constructed the music from that palette without blurring the colours all in to a sonic mush.

I'm still discovering new-to-me artists, part of the old 'the more you know the more you know you don't know' thing. There's also re-discovering which can sometimes bring an even stronger buzz than initial discovery. I thought i'd already had my discovery moment with Bud Powell, had listened to him plenty, but man just recently it's gone to another level and it honestly feels like i'm just discovering him.

^^^ So there's the five indivdual volumes plus this 3 disc edition? Man, they were exhaustive. Actually realised that this is listed in The Penguin Guide as well. I've ordered Volume 1 and Volume 2 so i'm going to see how i go with those. Fair call. I agree that the BNs are as you say, but i still like the RCAs for what they are. I don't know Bud as well as many of you here, yet. When you get to know someone really well you start to be much more conscious of, and bothered by, when something is not right with them.

Thanks a lot for the responses all. I won't respond individually to everyone but yeah this has really given me something to work with. I have Portrait, Bouncing and In Paris and really enjoy them. So on my 'worth checking out' list goes: Shaw Nuff (Xanadu/EPM) Live in Lausanne Live in Geneva Essen Jazz Festival (Black Lion) Live At Birdland 1957 The SteepleChase Golden Circle recordings On my 'probably best to avoid or at least leave until last' list goes: The Return Of Bud Powell on Roulette Ups and Downs Does anyone have any further thoughts on the RCA albums? They don't seem to get much love but i really like them (Strictly Powell and Swingin' With Bud). I guess they were recorded around the same time as The Amazing BP Volumes 3 and 4 for BN. As i say, i already have them but would still be keen to hear some thoughts. I have a similar feeling. I don't know what it is, but i put on a Bud record and whether it's late Bud or early Bud it just does it for me. It fills the gap, whereas maybe some technically better stuff from the era doesn't. I wish i could put it in to words. I don't think it's me doing mental gymnastics just because the early recordings are so great and i have some need to like the later stuff, as there's really no motivation for me to do that. For better or worse it's true love. This (and John L's comment) gives me confidence about checking them out. I don't know if i'll play them more often than the BNs, but this tells me that they are worthwhile to someone and therefore could be worthwhile to me. Thanks Allen! I'll email you later today/tomorrow.