sal

My favorite beer also happens to be a lesser known brand....Bell's out of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Their beer tastes so good, it should be illegal.

Johnny Hodges complete Verve small groups - disc 3 This is some beautiful music. It makes me want to stretch my tastes out further from my usual bop/post bop/avant garde bag and explore swing music more deeply.

Glad to hear this good news, Brad. Thanks for the review. I got it yesterday in the mail (along with 10 other CDs), but I haven't gotten around to listening to it yet. I look forward to. It sounds like a good one.

Fantasy put out a box set a few years back called "Live Trane: The European Tours", which contains some great stuff from Europe and a few shows from Birdland which were mistakenly labeled as being European shows. Its seven CDs of some fantastic live Trane. The sound on some of the previously unissued tracks are sketchy, but the majority of the sound is quite good. I love this set.

Thanks for the review, Jim. I'm extremely interested in hearing this. Does anyone know where it can be purchased?

I don't know if I'd go that far. I've seen him several times in the past year with various groups, and his soloing has been first rate. He's especially good when on the front line with another great player...seems to inspire him.

A few that come to mind: "Maiden Voyage" "Freedom Jazz Dance" - the Miles Davis version. Not necessarily lettered notes, but an amazing array of percussive notes from Tony Williams "Recorda Me"

So, you don't understand the Dead. Its your loss, not ours. You don't have to post here.....

I agree about the Mulgrew CD as well. Very exciting music. That last track is a burner!

Maybe I should have narrowed my praise a little bit considering my being somewhat unfamiliar with his newer recordings. But I think the consistancy he has displayed is more than most. The constant high quality of his Blue Notes makes his body of work the strongest on the label IMO.

I was pondering this question last night as, once again, I was getting my mind blown by another Jackie Mac album I'd never before heard, "Action". In my humble opinion, he must be the most consistant recording artist in the history of jazz. And what makes it even more amazing is that his personell was always rotating. But seriously...from his early Prestige stuff to the few newer recordings I've heard from him, they've all been of consistantly high quality. Of all his output, his stuff on Blue Note really stands out. "Action" is incredible. But as diverse as all of his music was during these years, it manages to still be consistantly innovative, exciting, and hard swinging. "New Soil", "Capuchin Swing", "One Step Beyond", "Right Now!"......ALL OF IT!! Jackie Mac is the shit. I don't know what else to say.

I have and love both of them.

I'm loving them so far. I picked up all except for Blue Mitchell, which I have in the Mosaic. "Inner Urge" is a vast improvement over the 80's CD. And I had never heard "Buhania's Delight" or "Action" before....both are fantastic. This was a great batch.

Bev, that's the one.

Yeah, and that soundcheck from the Watkins Glen concert, that turned into a mini-concert and is captured for all time on this box set.......don't buy this set, Lon.

I'm sure its a great thread.....just too long to jump into.

Hmmmmm...then I guess I'll stop talking about that beautiful "Bird Song" with Branford.....and that absolutely TRIPPY "Playin' in the Band".......and that killer "That's It for the Other One" from the sixties.......or the great "Scarlet>Fire" from 88......or the soundboard recording of the famous "Eyes of the World" from the Grateful Dead Movie.........or the rare studio recordings.......or the fantastic booklet..........or.....

I like that one too. The "Here Comes Sunshine" is really cool. Another song that has been under-represented in the "offical" releases.

I agree, but just by the previews, 2 looks to me MUCH better. I'll be checking it out, but only AFTER I see Farenheit 911.

The Funny Rat thread.

Wise words. I agree completely.

The "So Many Roads" box set has Branford playing on a "Bird Song" that is really nice as well.

I say get them both. Both are essential in my opinon. "Miles in the Sky" if I recall correctly, is about half acoustic and half electric (meaning just Herbie & Ron). But it has some great tunes on it. "Paraphernalia" and "Black Comedy" are two of my favorite Quintet tunes. This is probably the weakest of the Quintet albums, but with music of this order, that means nothing. Get it. "Filles de Kilimanjaro" is ABSOLUTELY essential. It's all electric, and half the album has Dave Holland and Chick Corea replacing Ron & Herbie. "Tout De Suite" is one of the greatest performances ever recorded. I don't know how your feelings are about "In a Silent Way", but this one is heading more towards that realm. Very atmospheric and intense. One of Miles' greatest albums.

Thanks relyles, I was on the fence about this one, but after reading your review I think I'll pick it up.

I agree with this, and would also recommend grabbing Quintet (Basel) 1977. These two, along with "Conference of the Birds", were my introduction to Braxton, and it definitely worked! I'd also recommend Circle's "Paris Concert", but that one might be a little too "out" for your tastes.