Late

Simple bird trivia (that you guys probably already know): The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards. How? They move their wings in a figure-8 when "hovering" in front of flowers/feeders. Quincy — as Jim already mentioned, nice writing above. I actually read it aloud to my wife last night. She's more of a birder than I am. Then she said, "Why are you talking about birds on a jazz board?" Talk about hummingbirds reminds me — I have to go refill the "hummingbird juice" in our feeders today. We have a pair that wintered over, and we think they're about to breed soon. You know, I bet that are other birds that can fly backwards. I've always just accepted that "fact" as truth, but have never asked an actual bird expert.

Another in the series from Sonar Kollektiv. This time it's Romanian Jazz. Looks very interesting.

We get bushtits about once a week here. (We're probably not that far apart city-wise.) They arrive in a burst and depart the same way. Adorable little birds. Two years ago, a covey (woo-hoo! got to use that word) of California quail showed up on our driveway, hung out for about three hours, and then took off. I had actually never seen quail outside of books. I forget what the actual name of "camp robbers" is, but I saw some just recently while hiking Spencer's Butte. Those guys, if you give them time, will land on your head and hands ... especially if you happen to have some Cheezits. I don't know what I'm thinking. I've got to visit the Raptor Center here. I love owls, and would like to know more about them. Jim — that heron is amazing! Did you take that photo?

Oops. Left the final "S" off Frank's last name above ... (My third favorite smiley.)

Whenever I start getting excited about a certain label, I always forget to check Mike Fitzgerald's site. Thanks for reminding me, Mike W. Question — did these three ever come out on compact disc? The Philosophy of Phil Urso Marzette Watts Ensemble (I'm pretty sure this one didn't see CD reissue, but I'd like to be wrong.) North, South, East ... Wes

I like how "Secret Instructions" are labelled in huge print.

Save the whales! Down with vinyl fetishists!

And people wonder why the taxonomical reference is actually a "murder" of crows. It sounds like you have a nice variety down in the Bay Area, Jim. We get most of the birds you've mentioned, but I haven't seen an oriole around here ... or ever, I think. It's been a while since I've seen a cedar waxwing. Those birds are beautiful. Strangely or not, we've been getting Downy's here quite frequently in the last few weeks. I'd like to see a hairy woodpecker (I know, questionable name) — they're supposed to look just like the Downy, but up to twice the size! I'm a very casual birder too. I would imagine, out where your brother lives, there's an even greater variety than in the "big city" here.

Claude — you made me laugh on that one! But the photo you forgot to include was of the same model — the toy driver ejects himself through his sunroof, flies through the air, and, upon descent, falls through the offending driver's open sunroof and lands on said driver, whereupon toy fisticuffs ensue. Toy Barbie drives by, flashes her augmented bosom to the dueling ingrates, and they, oblivious with hate, don't even notice the kind gesture of driverly love.

Outside of my window right now are: • juncos • a Townsend warbler • a kinglet (male; flew away just now) • two chickadees • one thrush Curious to hear if there are other fans of birds here, and what's outside your window!

I recently did the same thing (— downloaded from eMusic). My first exposure to Malik as a leader. Great stuff! Too bad Prestige had to create such an ugly cover for the two-fer. I much prefer the simpler version from Sounds -- attached below.

Whoa. Didn't even know that Barron side existed. Do you have it Chas? I'm guessing that Kenny's on it as well. Now you've got me jones-ing to hear it! Must resist the Caps Lock! I'm enough of a Bill Barron fan that I sprung for the "complete" Modern Windows (simply meaning the Japanese mini-LP version) when it was reissued. Great album. Barron is usually tagged with "playing under a Coltrane influence," and I don't think that's always accurate. Some of his harmonic vocabulary does have a precedent in what Coltrane was doing when he recorded for Atlantic, but Barron does take some interesting detours — if not harmonically, then certainly compositionally — from this so-called influence. Savoy in the 60's is a hugely under-examined goldmine. And I'm not even really aware of any Savoy recordings from the 70's ... though I'd like to be!

That YouTube television segment that Brownie linked above is indeed fine. I love the look on Newk's face at the very end of the clip.

I think there were about 400 of these total. Man, you guys have a lot! ( ) (I wish I had those Jacksons! Will have to start looking.)

Thanks David. Funny -- today I listened to "Tomorrow is My Turn" no less than seven times! Something strangely engrossing about that tune. And so many words crammed into a fairly short melodic line. I agree -- something about Simone's singing actually wears well with age. I find that, on the very contrary, the opposite is true (for me) with Fitzgerald. Ella always sings perfectly in tune ... and the content often falls amazingly flat. Others are sure to disagree, which is fair enough, but I just don't find much in Ella's singing any more.

Toothpaste. Kinda minty.

Right — I just meant that the first in this series started appearing, at least where I was looking, around 1990, which is why I typed "and then some." I definitely agree with you on the sound. The purple-and-yellow is generally a give-away for great sound! How many were there? Do you have any idea, Lon? Weizen — I agree. That Ronnie Ball session is (using my best Napoleon Dynamite voice) sweet! I missed out on too many of these. Didn't pick up the Cecil Payne (argh!), some of the Klooks (were there more than one?), and the Al Cohn. Would also like to hear the Herbie Mann with Eddie Costa. Thankfully, I snatched up all the Bill Barrons. Love those.

This has got to be one of the best jazz reissue series in the last decade, and then some — and perhaps with the lowest profile! They seemed to just suddenly appear, a lot of them, and at decent prices, and then ... slowly vanish. I have a fair number already, but then I'll see one used in a brick-and-mortar, and say: "What? I didn't even know about that one!" There isn't any place on the web that has neatly cataloged this series, is there? What are/were your favorites? I have a special affection for Perry Robinson's Funk Dumpling.

Instead of making a new thread, I thought I'd bump this one up with a discographical question on a recording of Payne's. I'm trying to figure out the songs and personnel from Cecil Payne's 1956 Signal recording, simply entitled Cecil Payne. The catalog # is Signal 1203. Half of this session had Kenny Dorham, and I have that part, but I don't know the other half. Anyone here with the original vinyl? I'm assuming this album is comprised of two different sessions, but I could be wrong ... Thanks for the help!

I have two RCA's (All I Want to Do is Swing and I'm Still Swingin') and the two Prestige dates you mention above. I forgot about that Mercury session! Anyone have this one? (Microscopic cover attached below.)

Maybe you should just write to Fresh Sounds? Jordi has left specific instructions at his Andorran post office box not to accept various breads. I'd rather see it come out "officially" on EMI as well. Always the possibility of bonus tracks that way.

This one was also for RCA. I haven't heard it, but I bet it's not bad!

Dig this cover ...

That's the only Tony Williams album on Blue Note that's not out on CD yet, right? I'm a bit saddened that Louis Smith's Smithville did not make the final list after all. Maybe next time. Tony Williams' Tokyo Live came out as a 2-disc set in 1993. It received a 4-star review in DownBeat (along with Gary Bartz's Shadows, also 4-stars) at the time. I agree — the Louis Smith is very nice.

Agreed. It seems like, because of that, he would have fit perfectly into a Mingus ensemble. Mingus would have loved (or perhaps did love) the way Joe could growl and squawk on the horn, and then slide right into a nice bop line.