jpmosu

Place this in the "irony is NOT dead" file: In *The Royal Tennenbaums,* there's a suicide (attempt) scene involving Richie Tennenbaum (Luke Wilson). The music on the score: Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay." It's the only reason why I even know who Elliott Smith is.

Damn your eyes, you tempter

I'd vote for *Oblique* (I've got the CC version, but it's such a good session that everyone deserves a copy), and *Hi Voltage* for the same reason. My selfish choices (because I don't have them): Wilson's *On Broadway* *Andrew!!* Hubbard's *Here to Stay* (I stupidly unloaded a vinyl copy of this one) *Any* individual Larry Young titles john

Actually, I love *Jackie Brown* AND T.S. Eliot. The former because its source is Elmore Leonard, and he's written so much great stuff. Eliot I love because he's the only poet I know that annotates his own work (see "The Waste Land"). My students find that completely obnoxious, but I love it, because "difficult" poets ensure my continued employment.

Today (Oct. 21), this reissue is to be released. The AllMusic review is a rave. Wonder if anybody else here's curious like me. Here's the review in question: --------- For the first time anywhere — officially or not — two (mostly) complete performances by the Allman Brothers at the Atlanta International Pop Festival over the Fourth of July weekend (they were the bookends of the fest) in 1970 have been issued with stellar sound, complete annotation and cool liner notes. The festival took place while the Allmans were in the process of recording their second album, Idlewild South, when they appeared on July 3 as the hometown openers of the entire festival and proceeded to blow the minds of over 100,000 people — for their last set on July 5 at 3:50 a.m. they performed in front of as many as 500,000. Musically, other than a somewhat stiff version of "Statesboro Blues," the July 3 set is magical. There is a stunning version of "Dreams" lasting almost ten minutes with beautiful Hammond/guitar interplay between Gregg and Dickey. In addition, the short (5:49) version of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" gives the tune a rock & roll immediacy that is strained out of the longer versions to gain the improvisational edge. Long and ferocious versions of "Whipping Post" and "Mountain Jam" are here, but the track on the July 3 set is Berry Oakley's feral vocal read of Willie Dixon's "Hoochie Koochie Man." Disc one also restores Gregg Allman's "Every Hungry Woman," to its rightful place — previously only having been available on an anthology. Harp player Thom Doucette, no stranger to ABB fans, is here aplenty, adding his righteous, stinging harp lines to many tracks on both nights. The way Gregg's organ playing is recorded here offers a new view of just how integral an anchor he was for both guitarists to play off. He is a monster musician and, even at this early date, was showing off his improvisational and rhythmic skills. Disc two is graced by the original live mixes of "Statesboro Blues" and "Whipping Post" that were released on First Great Rock Festivals of the Seventies and these are stunning for their intensity and focus, as well as clarity. "Don't Keep Me Wonderin'" is as tough a set opener as there is with the ringing slide guitars attacking one another and going for broke to kick things off. The long versions of "Stormy Monday" and "'Liz Reed" are among the most intimate and groundbreaking the band ever recorded, while "Whipping Post" transmutes itself into a jazz tune for a few minutes and changes everything. The nearly half-hour "Mountain Jam" is deepened here by the addition of a third guitarist: Johnny Winter sits in with the ABB and Doucette for the definitive version of this classic — you can forget the one on Eat a Peach after this. While it won't replace Live at the Fillmore East as the greatest live record ever made, this is an essential purchase for ABB fans, one that gives us the treat of a dignified rendering of a very important and defining moment in the band's early career. It also provides an excellent, even mind-blowing introduction to a band that was at the peak of its power. — Thom Jurek

This is precisely where I get off the Tarrantino express: *Pulp Fiction* was thoroughly postmodern (my favorite allusion is to the great 1955 Robert Aldrich film noir, *Kiss Me Deadly*--a film even more sadistic than *Kill Bill!*). But the difference: *Pulp Fiction* still had a narrative and characters and *Kill Bill!* doesn't (not in Pt. 1, anyway).

Some interesting points in the recent posts: 1) I'm actually happy (is that the right word?) that Lon didn't find the violence appealing on any level, but rather fascinating, but I still contend that Tarrantino attempted to make it as stylish and beautiful as possible (imagine limbs being lopped off in silhouette if you haven't seen the film). (I also like Lon's analogy between the Viper Assassination Squad--or whatever their name is--and what I presume to be the Texas State Gvt.) Maybe, I'll come around to this movie after all! 2) I love the reference to the "Argument Clinic" Monty Pyton sketch from JazzMoose. But here's the really relevant Monty Python reference. If anyone's ever seen *Sam Peckinpah's Salad Days,* then you've got a good idea of what you're in for with *Kill Bill!* Fountains of spurting blood and all! For what it's worth, I railed against the film in a couple of my classes this week, and about a dozen students have since approached me with all of the reasons why they love the film. So I'm clearly in the minority.

*Kill Bill!* is a terrible, terrible film on every level--I can't express how disappointed I was. And, it's not a matter of being unsympahthetic to Tarrantino's style. I've really enjoyed the other films for one simple reason: the writing was clever. *Kill Bill!* is not clever. So maybe it isn't trying to be clever--that's fine, but here is a list of other things it DOES try to do: 1) Aestheticize violence. Can it be done? Yes, see *Raging Bull,* for example. But does *Kill Bill!* do so successfully? I don't think it does, because the film is so unrelenting. It becomes a cartoon (and I'm sure that's his intention), but I'd rather watch the castle siege sequence of *Monty Python and the Holy Grail,* which was cartoon violence for satirical ends. *Kill Bill!* is cartoon violence for the sake of itself. Or, as an homage to an uninteresting genre. Either way, consider me skeptical. 2) Completely dispense with characterization and causality: a couple of necessities for most narrative films (IMHO). Yes, I know that the film was not originally intended to be divided in two, but does that mean that we have to wait more than two hours to find out the reason our heroine was attacked in the first place. Or what her relationship was with Bill in the first place? Or why Darryl Hannah wears an eye patch? Or why I spent six bucks to watch this crap in the first place... There, I feel better. Feel free to flame away.

I took a stand and voted for a single title: *Straight, No Chaser.* (The question *did* ask where to start--presumably you'll get them all someday.) *Chaser* has a lot of tunes that don't appear on the Riverside or Blue Note releases and, for that alone, it's essential to pick up. I also love Charlie Rouse's playing on this session. Second place goes to *It's Monk's Time*--for all the same reasons. john

I've always loved this session, too. The first side of this album is as loose and infectious as any Dylan, ever. Despite some lyrical clunkers (e.g., the sun being "hotter than a crotch" on "Tough Mama"), this is a very under-rated record. As far as the sound goes, I've resigned myself to the fact that Sony can only do so much with many of these recordings, which is a funtion of Dylan's reportedly indifferent attitude toward the studio in general. An interesting exception might be *Oh Mercy,* a typically atmospheric Daniel Lanois production. But I don't like the songs enough to pick up the re-issue. john

I'm curious if anybody has an interest in the new Dylan re-issues. I picked up 4 this week (Highway 61, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, and Nashville Skyline). The packaging's similar to the Stones re-masters (which I'm not wild about), but the music sounds pretty good to me. (I do wish, however, that they'd released Blonde on Blonde on a single disk.) Of course, 2 of the 4 I never owned on CD--not to mention that I'm far from an audiophile--so here are my real questions: Does the whole project seem worthwhile to you? Is $17 (or so) a fair price for reissues with no extra tracks? Has Bob Dylan, inc. gouged its consumers? Or even re-released the wrong titles? (No *Times They are a-Changin,'* for example.) john

I'll watch every minute of this with great interest. But here's my question: could it ever provoke a firestorm to equal Ken Burns' *Jazz*? I suspect not.

Thanks for the help so far. The Wilmer title is one I've not seen, and the DB interviews may be helpful, too. I also just came across a reference to a Dec. 1966 Newsweek piece on The New Thing that may include a Shepp interview.

Lately, I've been curious to read more about (and by) Archie Shepp, but I've been a bit frustrated by the lack of ink devoted to him. I guess I have two questions: 1) Besides the chapter in Jost's *Free Jazz,* what are some good secondary sources about Shepp? 2) I know that Archie published a play (*Junebug Graduates Tonight*?). But is there a published collection of Shepp's writings? Or where can I find that particular play? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. john

I second what Berigan said about *Naked Spur.* It's probably not "underrated," but it is one to see--great western. And if you love Jimmy's "darker" side (a la *Vertigo*), then you'll love this one.

As someone who, at least part of the time, makes his living teaching writing, this warmed my heart. Hey, I'd be perfectly happy if Michael Cuscuna wrote the RVG liners! john

I'm curious about this, too, since I just saw a used copy. I hesitated because I remembered the lukewarm review in the Penguin Guide. But the lineup is intriguing...

Sure would be approariate if the product was that old hometown favorite of mine--Pittsburgh's finest--"Iron City Beer" Somehow I doubt it...

Wow, this produced more of a response than expected. What's amazing to me is the number of commericals that seems to be appropriating a particular jazz sound/label, so that instead of "The Sidewinder," we get a quasi-"Sidewinder." I guess it's cheaper just to rip off the originals!!!! john

Hi! I seem to recall the use of jazz in a few ads during the past decade or so. Namely, a Jeep ad that featured Trane's "Naima" and a Chrsyler spot that may have used Herbie's "Maiden Voyage." Am I just imagining this, or am I correct? And, are there other prominent examples of jazz on Madison Ave. that I'm fogetting? Thanks in advance for any help with jogging my memory. john

Interesting. I picked up *Jewels* over the weekend and find it to be as strong as some of the others on Impulse. But yet, the *Penguin Guide* dismisses it completely, and I don't quite understand why.

Thanks to everyone for the replies so far. If anyone has thoughts on other Pharoah Sanders titles on Impulse (i.e., without Alice C.), I'd be happy to hear 'em. (But maybe that's a subject for another posting.)

I've got the chance to pick up a few used Alice Coltrane/Pharoah Sanders titles (Impulse reissues), but I've heard very little by either artist. Does anybody have thoughts they can share before I take the plunge. Any favorites? Musts to avoid? Thanks john

Glad I actually read this thread to see what it was *really* about! Originally, I mis-read it as "Kenton's Boogaloo" thinking it was about a Stan Kenton re-issue that I'd never heard of (and frankly didn't want to). john

This is fascinating to me, Mike. What is the source of the Hendricks quote? I'd love to read more about this! Thanks in advance, john