BeBop

HB2U

Happy happinin's

Frustratingly close all week - I'm in Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and Pullman.

I can't remember seeing this on CD before. Cool. I think I'd seen later stuff (1939-46 or 47) on Neatwork. And I've got a Tax on vinyl. Someone should pick up this priceless music.

Rest assured, I never read anything you post.

I was at Jazz Record Mart (name? Chicago store) a while back. They had hundreds of Blue Note cassettes.

Well chosen.

Ball sports. (Football, baseball, "football", basketball...) I s'pose I could say any spectator sports.

Every time I read the results of a poll, I note the proportion of the "respondents" who have "no opinion". I'm hard-pressed to think of things about which I have no opinion. I suppose some arcance consideration among stamp collectors or the things that (only) women think about. But broad, controversial topics...

I try to keep my ravings over the Django low-key. But I'll take this opening to repeat...

A month or so ago, I got my brother a box with a 40% off coupon, online. (Stores were/are hopeless, except for books, and even then...) I think it showed "out of stock - available in 5-7 days". And, by golly, a week later he got it.

For our End of February sale, we've selected 10 old friends in our catalog that some of you, especially newer Mosaic customers may have missed along the way. The list brings up a lot of memories for us but all points to the infinite variety and beauty that falls under the heading of jazz. The Complete Blue Note Hank Mobley Sessions "This beautifully recorded [Rudy Van Gelder] set makes an overwhelming case for Mobley's insertion into an immortal triumvirate with Trane and Rollins. Not as declamatory as the other two, he nevertheless matches them for inspired improvisation. Additionally his splendid compositions that abound in this set reflect the subtlety of his playing...The string of pianists here is unbelievable and even if there were not so many fine delights from Mobley, the box would be worth buying for Silver, Clark, Timmons and Kelly, all at or near to their best. Which is to say nothing of Farmer, Morgan, Byrd and Hardman...Mosaic specializes in hitting the listener with overwhelming collections of good music. This must be one of their best yet." - Steve Voce, Jazz Journal International (MD6-181) 6 CDs Regularly $96; Now On Sale For $85 Blue Note Stanley Turrentine Quintet/Sextet Studio Sessions The six Blue Note dates collected on our new Mosaic set are in a class by themselves; they are pure hard bop in the selection and treatment of the material and in instrumentation with Stanley Turrentine sharing the front line with a trumpet player or trombonist equal to him in talent. "Stanley Turrentine had a sound. Until his death in 2000, he was the master of a tenor saxophone tone that demanded attention from the first note. A throwback to the brawny tenor stylists of the swing era - Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, Don Byas - as well as the funky R & B players of the late '40s and '50s. Turrentine took no prisoners, no matter the tempo." - Steve Futterman, Washington Post (MD5-212) 5 CDs Regularly $80; Now On Sale For $69 Complete Columbia Recordings Of Woody Herman And His Orchestra & Woodchoppers (1945 - 1947) With bassist Chubby Jackson's keen ear, he and Woody were able to hire a core of unknowns who jelled into one of the greatest bands of any era: vocalist Frances Wayne, tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips, trombonist Bill Harris, vibist Margie Hyams and later Red Norvo, a killer trumpet section that included Sonny Berman, Pete Candoli and Ray Wetzel in addition to veteran drummer Dave Tough and key arrangers Ralph Burns and Neal Hefti. No other band sounded like this one; full of verve in fiery solos and brilliant arrangements. (MD7-223) 7 CDs Regularly $119; Now On Sale For $105 Oliver Nelson: The Verve/Impulse Big Band Studio Sessions As varied and surprising as they are, Oliver Nelson's compositions are unmistakable, two bars into the tune. There's that signature cluster sound in the woodwinds, playing odd inversions of chords with even odder discordant visitors. Vibrato is W-I-D-E. Crescendos build a tiny, backroom blues combo into a wall of sound. Trumpeters squawk into plungers. And in everything -- even the numbers where every note has been written out for every part -- the drummer is kicking, the saxophones are swinging, and the lead trumpeter is sailing. (MD6-233) 6 CDs Regularly $102; Now On Sale For $89 The Complete Benedetti Recordings of Charlie Parker "Fellow pilgrims, the quest for the legendary Dean Benedetti collection has ended. Presented on these 7 CDs, this collection is not for dilettantes. To those, however, who understand and appreciate Parker as a genius, I can unreservedly recommend it." - Ira Gitler, Jazz Times These are the Benedetti recordings in their entirety, and after 40 years of rumor, speculation and debate, they are at last available to the world. Everything is transferred directly from the original discs and tapes by legendary engineer Jack Towers and coproducer Phil Schaap. The 48-page booklet includes musical transcriptions by Benedetti and others, essays by Phil Schaap on Parker's life during this period, a biography of Dean Benedetti by Bob Porter, a musical analysis by Parker authority James Patrick, and Phil Schaap's complete annotated discography of all the music in the set. (MD7-129) 7 CDs Regularly $112; Now On Sale For $99 The Complete Django Reinhardt and Quintet of the Hot Club of France Swing/HMV Sessions (1936-1948) "There are certain figures who are almost impossible to calculate or over-rate, hard even to define, whom no string of superlatives ever quite captures or indicates. Django Reinhardt is one of those figures..." - Stuart Broomer - Coda These 118 recordings span Django's most productive years, from 1936 to 1948, and feature him performing solo and in duet with Grappelli as well as with the Quintet. The quintet, which included Joseph Reinhardt, Roger Chaput and later Pierre Ferret on guitar and Louis Vola on bass, became internationally known for these exact recordings now available from Mosaic. They reveal Django's power, his melodic abilities, and his skill at achieving, simultaneously, technical precision and deeply meaningful tonal nuances. The booklet includes evocative and historically significant photographs as well as a lengthy text by guitarist-writer Mike Peters on Django's life and his music. (MD6-190) 6 CDs Regularly $96; Now On Sale For $85 The Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions This cache of music by Dizzy Gillespie is material we have long sought after, much of it available for the first time on CD, and some for the first time anywhere. The music represents a time in Dizzy's career when he was peaking creatively. These sessions document unequivocally why Dizzy Gillespie is still considered one of the greatest improvisers in the history of jazz, for his mastery of the instrument, his command of time, his control over musical ideas, and his ability to entertain. (MD7-234) 7 CDs Regularly $119; Now On Sale For $105 The Complete Capitol Bobby Hackett Solo Sessions "Long out of print, and, it must be said, neglected by many collectors who should have known better, some of Bobby Hackett's most beautiful recorded work now comes back into view, helping to round out the legacy of a truly great musician" - Dan Morgenstern, original liner notes Bobby Hackett's 1953-1959 Capitol recordings include quartet sessions with excellent rhythm sections (some with Dave McKenna and Buzzy Drootin) and an unusual and interesting band that Hackett led at the Henry Hudson Hotel in New York City, which included Bob Wilber, Ernie Caceres, Milt Hinton and Dick Cary in a number of standards and originals. (MD5-210) 5 CDs Regularly $80; Now On Sale For $69 The Complete Roulette Sarah Vaughan Studio Sessions "Not unlike July Fourth fireworks, bursting forth on 8 CDs you will be easily overpowered as you are swept away to a time (1960-1963) when Sarah was at her most pure and consistent. The transfers are remarkably clean and actually ear shattering. What you will hear is her magnificent timing, intonation and great harmonic sense throughout. The selections range from a fine mix of jazz and classic popular songs. In all there are 13 albums and 28 rare and unobtainable singles which are here for the collector and all knowing vigilant fan." - Dan Singer, In Tune International (MD8-214) 8 CDs Regularly $128; Now On Sale For $109 The Complete Roulette Jack Teagarden Sessions He was a musician beyond category, admired by critics, musicians and listeners alike for the gorgeous, delicate solos he fashioned in the trombone's upper register, working his slide with a loping gait all his own. While many musicians appreciated his gift, none could approach his uncomplicated virtuosity, his clarity of musical thought, and his graceful phrasing. A night in July 1959 will be the most telling legacy of the Jack Teagarden sextet with trumpeter Don Goldie, clarinetist Henry Cuesta, pianist Don Ewell, bassist Stan Puls and drummer Ronnie Greb. Twenty-one new discoveries have been added to the original eight performances on Teagarden's "At The Roundtable" album. "The immaculate execution of either free ensembles or written arrangements, the emphasis on cleanness, the balance of hot and pretty - this group could well have written the contemporary Dixieland book." - Jim Leigh, The Mississippi Rag (MD4-218) 4 CDs Regularly $68; Now On Sale For $59 Mosaic Singles End of February Sale All Singles Sale Priced at $12 Each!

Have a great birthday!

Hey! Hey! Birth Day! Hope it's a GREAT one!

Just between us, I wouldn't disagree. I tried to and failed to make a career of bicycle road racing, and continued to ride competitively until my body failed. So I've considerable appreciation for the intricacies of the sport, as well as the physical and mental difficulties cruelties. But to watch it?

The second most popular spectator sport in the world? (When last I checked)

If he's vindicated, I'll have to take back about half of what I've said about him. (Big "if" there.) The other half - dislike him personally and think he's a media wh*re - will have to stand.

2011 Birthday Updates. Have a great one, medjuck!

No one ever asks if I'm related to Louis! I do enjoy sharing his birthday (and Obama's as well). Back in the 'eighties I would occasionally be asked if I were related to Neil Armstrong, especially when it is learned I'm from Ohio. As for Lance, his flame is slowly diminishing here in Austin, where he should be top dog hot shit. It started fading with the Sheryl Crow thing. . . . No one asks if I'm related to anyone famous. Heck, I'm just famous myself.

...and "Louis" is father to both of you?

I'm pretty sure this happened in a recent-past Hat sale at JazzLoft, with most orders ultimately being filled.

Growing up, my parents had a cabin just below (like 25 meters/yards below) Interstate 80 on the Donner Pass downgrade. All night long, the semis... After a while, it was almost a lullabye, giving me dreams of one day being on the road.

A very happy birthday to my old long-time friend!

I wish I had a collection of stories from his practical jokes at hand.

Borders online 40% off any one item with code BXP8221X. Could be good value on a box.