HutchFan

Ah, OK. Thanks Jim. A shame that the big boys never got this right. Such a magnificent record.

Is Essential Jazz Classics a PD label? Or are they a Uni imprint?

In the shops that I frequent here in Atlanta, I'd say that ECM LPs are typically priced between $6 and $9. Super-common ones are often less.

I buy lots of vinyl, and 99% of it is used. New titles are typically too pricey for my budget. Also, vinyl reissues tend to be "classics" that I often already own on CD. (And, in most cases, I'm not interested in owning titles in multiple formats.) I'd guess that about two-thirds of my record purchases are from brick-and-mortar stores; the other third is via the web (mostly discogs and ebay). I think the price of used jazz LPs are -- for the most part -- still remarkably low. Most of the vinyl that I buy is in the $4 to $6 price range. Occasionally, I'll go for something more expensive -- especially if it's something that I've been seeking for a while. For example, last week, I bought a Max Roach LP on Soul Note from Wax n Facts here in Atlanta. It was in near-mint condition, and I paid $10 for it. Some examples of great, inexpensive LPs that I bought in the last couple months: - Paul Desmond - S/T (Artists House) - $4 - Nick Brignola/Pepper Adams - Baritone Madness (Beehive) - $6 - Miroslav Vitous - First Meeting (ECM) - $6 - Lew Tabackin - Tabackin (Inner City) - $5 - Sam Most - The Attic of My Mind (Xanadu) - $3 - Rein de Graaff/Dick Vennik Quartet - Modal Soul (Timeless/Muse) - $5 Recently, I've paid more for other titles by Charles McPherson, Ronnie Mathews, and Ira Sullivan. These were mail-order buys. But even then I didn't pay more than $15. Obviously, most of my recent collecting has focused on jazz in the 1970s. With a few exceptions (like Strata East, mentioned above), most LPs from this era are very reasonably priced. I suppose that's because they're not considered "collectible" -- like Blue Note titles from the 50s and 60s, etc. That's fine by me.

Bev, I agree with your "Parable of the Bus Driver"... to a point. Booster-ism for (or criticism of) any given performer or conductor -- especially when it's taken to extremes -- can get ridiculous. But I would also say that I've heard many, many recordings of classical works that struck me as lifeless and flat. Then, subsequently, I've heard the same work performed by a different ensemble/performer and found myself thunderstruck. I would suggest that classical music performance is analogous to drama, the process of staging a play. If you see "Hamlet" performed by a high school drama club, you have certain expectations -- especially compared to what you might see from, say, the Royal Shakespeare Company. But you also might find profound differences in interpretation between two different RSC productions of the same play. Even though the exact same words are spoken, there are different actors, different directors, different lighting, different staging, and on and on. So the overall effect can be vastly different. Or not. It just depends.

Finally getting around to watching The Wire (Season 1). My wife told me this was REALLY good. She was right.

Different live. That makes sense. I'm definitely game if Wayne's on fire. The later studio albums? Meh. Just my take, of course.

I prefer the Vitous era band too. That's heresy, I know, to the many Jaco fans out there. But those later Weather Report recordings have just never grabbed me. To my ears, the 2-CD Live in Tokyo set from January 1972 is Weather Report at their peak.

Good one, Jim. That made me laugh. Revealing shins or no, that's one UGLY cover. Puts me in the mind of Pepto-Bismol. EDIT: No disrespect intended towards the musicians. Can't say that I'm on board with the graphic artist or the photographer though.

Nice article. Thanks for sharing.

Yes!

Wish those would be reissued.

Good to hear that Sonny's still on the scene. Great musician!!!

So sorry to hear this news. I'm sad that he's gone. But I'm grateful for all of the wonderful music that he made and the legacy he left behind for all of us to enjoy. I'm with you, Peter. I think Phil made great music from the beginning of his career to the end.

Got these two LPs today: Mickey Tucker - Mister Mysterious (Muse) w/ Frank Foster, Cecil Bridgewater, Pepper Adams, Cecil McBee, Eddie Gladden, Ray Mantilla & Azzedin Weston Sam Jones - The Bassist! (Discovery) w/ Kenny Barron & Keith Copeland

I was at that session. I'm jealous. I never got the chance to hear Roland Hanna in person. He's one of my all-time favorite pianists.

Yes! One of the glories of jazz: It's seemingly inexhaustible. There's always more to discover.

Misses the entire point of the topic. Check. Makes it about R&B. Check. "The Hucklebuck". Check. Erroneously labels R&B classics as "jazz songs". Check. "Another way is to think of songs that just won't go away, but keep coming back." Brilliant! Now I get it! They must keep coming back because... they're... standards? Sheesh, Jim. We're all just here to have some good fun. Why the harsh vibe?

Ah, didn't know that, mike. Thanks for the heads up. EDIT: I deleted the note in my entry above.

Last night, my wife and I finished watching Season 1 of Sense8. I enjoyed it. It's an interesting premise.

I'm in complete agreement here. What are people using for record-cleaning fluid? I've used both Nitty Gritty's and VPI's cleaning fluids. Both have worked well for me.

Thanks for that back-story, Jim. I had no idea.

A few more SUPERB Rowles records (in a sideman role): Ben Webster - At the Renaissance (Contemporary) This is the record that made me a Jimmy Rowles fan. Listen to his solo on "Georgia on My Mind." Yowee. Zoot Sims - If I'm Lucky and For Lady Day (both Pablo) In the 70's and early 80s, Rowles made a series of records with Zoot Sims for Pablo and Choice. All of them are worth hearing. But these two are the ones that I've enjoyed the most. For Lady Day wasn't released until 1991, more than a decade after it had been recorded. I'm not sure why it was delayed. The music is magnificent. Rowles is in superlative form. In some ways, it feels like he was the leader of the date, rather than Zoot. (Was that why it didn't get released sooner?) If I'm Lucky is equally grand -- if a bit more rambunctious and a bit less reflective. One other thing: The bassist on both of these dates is George Mraz. His contributions to this music shouldn't be overlooked. In my book, no bassist meshes more perfectly with Jimmy Rowles than George Mraz. He sings right along with Jimmy and Zoot!

These two immediately spring to mind: Jimmy Rowles/Ray Brown: The Duo Sessions (Concord) Jimmy Rowles Plays Ellington & Strayhorn (Columbia) EDIT: One more "must have": Al Cohn & Jimmy Rowles: Heavy Love (Xanadu/Elemental, just reissued on CD)

Some of my favorites: - Kenny Drew: The Kenny Drew Trio (Riverside) - Duke Ellington: Piano Reflections (Capitol) - Bill Evans: Portrait in Jazz (Riverside) - Red Garland: Red Garland's Piano & Groovy (Prestige) - Erroll Garner: Long Ago and Far Away; Body and Soul; Concert by the Sea (Columbia/Sony) - Hampton Hawes: HH Trio, Vol. 1; This is HH; Everybody Likes HH (Contemporary) - Roy Haynes: We Three (with Phineas Newborn, Jr.) (Prestige) - Ahmad Jamal: Cross Country Tour: 1958-61 (Argo/GRP) - Thelonious Monk: TM Trio (Prestige); TM Plays Duke Ellington; The Unique TM (Riverside) - Bud Powell: Jazz Giant (Verve) - Mal Waldron: Mal/4: Trio (New Jazz) - Randy Weston: Trio & Solo; Get Happy (Riverside)