BeBop

ATT:REPLY TO PATRICK_UDOMA@YAHOO.COM Dear friend, It is indeed my pleasure to write to you this letter, which i believe will be a suprise,as we are both complete strangers As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because I believe everyone will die someday. My name is GEORGE LANDIS, a merchant in Dubai, in the U.A.E.I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when I have a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that it is dark for me, I have willed and given most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few close friends. To correct my wrong past life, I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self any more. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for them. The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of twenty four million dollars that I have with a Security Company in Europe I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatched it to charity organizations. I have set aside 10% for you for your time and patience. Thanks. GEORGE LANDIS

The best move I ever made was to quit buying. (My music bucks now go to live concerts and other direct support to musicians.) With the good fortune that comes from having a large collection, I can find continuing enjoyment without digging through the crates at the local record store. Okay, I missing out on the newly issued material, but the pressure that comes from obsession is relieved. Highly recommended.

Has anyone heard Mama Rose <<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311140955370486&sql=A5v6ktr8lkl3x>> Mi amiga gave me a copy while I was in Madrid last year; it looks really good, but I haven't had an opportunity to listen to it yet. (For those who don't know me, I travel constantly, so things like this happen.)

I have really gained far greater appreciation for Shepp, especially in his small group settings - duets most particularly. Check out his stuff with NHOP (Looking at Bird) and Horace Parlan (Trouble in Mind and Goin' Home). Deep and bluesy, but adventurous and soulful. Wailing, hollering, muttering. Shepp could capture it all. Unfiltered.

My Massey Hall is filed under "C", for Charlie Chan.

Sounds like just the sort of thing I need to get into the holiday spirit.

Well, when I get that LP back in-hand, I'll have to give another listen. If I can't tell Red Garland from Herbie Hancock, I will shoot myself. (...in a non-violent fashion; I can't stand violence.) Frankly, I didn't listen to the pianist closely before.

Clearly, I should be less of a lazy SOB and just go back and listen to the tenor player a little more. I should be able to ID - there aren't a whole lot to choose from (though it is a live date under unspecified conditions and an unlikely date, so who knows). Unfortunately, the LP is now 6,000 miles away.

I haven't timed it (yet), but the liners say 9'25". By the way, I was wrong; it's not Europa, it's Il Grandi del Jazz. (Both labels discussed in Europa thread.)

Gee, I thought I could believe everything I read ...even on Europa Jazz.

Listening to one of the Europa Jazz LPs discussed on another thread. There's a version of Milestones with Miles and a band identified as Hank Mobley, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. But I didn't see this listed in the Mobley discography <<http://www.jazzdisco.org/mobley/>> It's definitely Miles; I'm not sure it's Hank, though. Not his usual languid phrasing, though the tempo's pretty 'up'. Assume this is just a Europa Jazz mistake; I'd guess it's Trane or someone else. I'm sure there's an easy answer. But I'm feeling lazy today.

Thanks for reminding me of these old dogs. I pulled out a few: Europa 1056 - Howard McGhee; James Moody with Zoot Sims (I don't know of other issues of this material, but I wouldn't doubt it.) Europa 1043 - Zoot Sims, Bucky Pizzarelli, Milt Hinton (Issued far and wide on cheapie labels) Europa 1034 - Dizzy Gillespie; Hubert Fol; Gerry Mulligan with Ruby Braff, Bud Freeman Europa 1014 - Big Joe Turner with Buck Clayton, Vic Dickenson; Stuff Smith with Stephane Grappelli; Memphis Slim; Buck Clayton I Giganti del Jazz 43 - Johnny Guarnieri, Jimmy Shirley, Stephane Grappelli; Slam Stewart I Giganti del Jazz 38 - Benny Goodman Big Band with Taft Jordan, Zoot Sims, Seldon Powell, Gene Allen and Billy Bauer I Giganti del Jazz 29 - Mezz Mezzrow; Buck Clayton with Pee Wee Russell, Vic Dickenson and Bud Freeman I Giganti del Jazz 26 - Harry "The Hipster" Gibson; Benny Carter; Cecil Gant I Giganti del Jazz 13 - Milt Buckner with Buddy Tate I Gianti del Jazz 2 - Sarah; Diz, Miles, Mingus I Grandi Incontri - Harry Edison and Ben Webster Some thoroughly decent music here. I'm shaking my head, though. Marveling at how mainstream my tastes were 20 or so years ago. And how I might have 'passed' on some other interesting-looking items - Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Billy Taylor - Michael Longo, Joe Farrell, Ron Carter and Randy Brecker (?) - Monk, Phil Woods, Jimmy Cleveland, Max Roach - Mingus, Monk, Trane, Dolphy - Earl Hines, Lockjaw Davis, Harry Edison - Tony Scott, Maynard Ferguson - Lucky Thompson, Cedar Walton, Sam Jones, Louis Hayes - Lionel Hapton, Chick Corea, Don Lamond - Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver, Max Roach Who knows how many of these artists actually played together on the LPs... (Strictly rhetorical question. I'm not buying recorded music any more, so it's just water under the bridge/rumination.) Anyway, fun.

Would you believe...Captain Davy Read!? Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Even through many pirates have a reputation for not being the brightest souls on earth, you defy the sterotypes. You've got taste and education. Arr! (Based on my response to the Reading thread, I suppose this isn't entirely bad. And I kind of like "Davy".)

I've got the other problem - and it's no better. I read constantly. I subscribe to 71 magazines (hey, down from 92!) and read each, cover-to-cover. I also read four daily newspapers, though not always c-t-c. And I manage to squeeze in a book or so each week. And then I do reading for work. I'm sick. But I love it.

I've never been 100% jazz. I may be 60, 70, 80 or 90%, but life's just too short and there's too much good music out there to be too narrowly focused - especially when the defining terms - jazz, blues, avant, 'classical', prog, techo, house, dance, remix, hip-hop - have become rather squishy anyway. That said, within the 'jazz' category, there's plenty of diversity, so perhaps one could stay within the genre (however defined) and not suffer too much burnout.

Ah, the music in my head. That's the appropriate question for me. In my current life(style), I seldom get to hear music of any kind, much less what I want to hear...except in my head. sundog's mention of In Walked Bud has that "playing" now, previously, I'd been 'listening to' Weston's Blues for Africa and Blues in the Closet (improvising over the latter with my mental tenor).

You can't find better than Chipotle in Texas? (Sorry if I've mis-remembered your location.)

McDonalds is opening a McCafe in the SF Bay Area (Mountain View, I think) with great fanfare. The local press is all covering this as if is something truly groundbreaking - Starbucks-style coffee and espresso drinks at McDonalds. Yet I can clearly remember visiting McDonalds in Seattle 10-plus years ago, Hungary 10-plus years ago, Madrid several years ago, Frankfurt many years ago (et cetera) and seeing espresso and such on the menu. So what's the big deal? Frankly, my question has less to do with McDonalds and more to do with marketing. Perhaps during the long period since I've been to a McDonalds, these products have disappeared and are now being reintroduced. Any thoughts? What's next, trying to pass off beer as a novel McDonalds offering? (Beer's on the menu many places.)

Almost forgot another favorite: Sonny Stitt.

Illinois Jacquet and James Moody are two accomplished vocalists. Well, they're fun anyway. Eddie Harris was too.

As much as I wish it was a Tenaya Creek beer, or some fine French Roast, both are off my list for now. Whatever I choose instead, I will raise a glass in a toast to fine music and the people here on the bulletin board who enhance my understanding of (and hence appreciation for) it.

Buncha lightweights. I chew the beans and wash them down with a boiling water chaser. Actually, that's not as much of an exaggeration as it appears. I do chew coffee beans from time to time. Mmmmmmm.

Would you believe Colonel Mustard in the foyer with a dust mop?

Does Archie Shepp have a solo recording? Seems like it would be a natural for him; he plays so well in duo settings. I know it doesn't naturally follow that one who plays in duo settings is necessarily adept in a group half that size, but Shepp seems to have the independence and rhythmic foundation to carry on solo.

Mmmm. I can smell it all the way in Flagstaff. Yes, please. Black. Nothing like a nice, hearty French Roast, or some Peet's House. I could really go for an afternoon coffee 'ceremony' in Ethiopia right now. (You listening, Mr. Armstrong?)