Late

Also meant to ask — is the Plays Alto, Tenor, and Baritone album worth picking up? Usually I don't care for overdubbing, but knowing that it's Zoot, I'm kind of interested.

There's actually no indication that I can see in the notes whether or not it's a 24-bit remaster. Even if it's "only" 16-bit, it doesn't matter of course. It was properly done to my ears — the surface noise is left in for the most part (there's not much), and this lets all the ranges (esp. the high range) come in with warmth. This edition (UCCU 9276) was reissued in late '06. What I wonder is — why didn't the Japanese market re-release any of the other Keynote sessions? (I'm going on memory, but I think this was the only one.) It would be great to see the Coleman Hawkins, Lennie Tristano, and Roy Eldridge Keynote Sessions reemerge — especially because I don't have any of them!

This Japanese import is available again ... for the budget price of 1000¥! I've never heard the original 1987 domestic pressing, but I think the current edition might have the same remastering. At any rate, the disc sounds good and the music sounds ... timeless. If you don't already have this disc, I'd strongly recommend it. Superlative Pres. I ordered my copy from Hiroshi, but CDUniverse has it for $12.09 right here. 16 tracks total. A lot of alternates, which I'm usually not crazy about, but in this case they're indispensable.

Just an update. I am now un-dogged. After multiple re-downloading, all the Cuber-invaded tracks play as they should (sans Ronnie). The Xanadu catalog at eMusic is, after all, clean. I guess there was some sort of cyber-glitch when I initially downloaded them. But now I wonder ... what were those mysterious Cuber sounds? (Twilight Zone music plays.) I also notice that when you do a Xanadu label search at eMusic, the top hit is now Sam Noto. Cool! (I wish they would add Walter Bishop Jr.'s Bish Bash to the list, though. I feel like I'm nevuh gonna hear it!)

Getting back to McNeil, I've always meant to check out some of the Steeplechase sessions he's on. The one with Harrell is on the list. How is Glass House?

Me too. Thanks for the heads-up, Randy. (Any Scrabble tournies lately?)

Ubu — you're going to like that Bix/Goldkette disc. Tasty, and (to my ears at least) very good sound. John & Hans — you're absolutely right. I haven't purchased the Archeophone set yet, but intend to — especially after having read so much about it and then listened to sound samples. It's not cheap, though! Have you guys bought anything else on Archeophone? I listened to a ton of sound samples on their site, and liked a LOT. Argh! One disc that I was really taken with was the Arthur Pryor set. That euphonium soloist is excellent. I also dug the "Record of the Week" series. Archeophone was not on my radar until a month or two ago. I was thinking about starting a thread on that label to ask for recommendations and to hear what others thought ...

Well, that does it. I think I'll sell my individual discs (after checking them against the discography), and spring for this set ... around June. Hopefully I'll have some more $ flow around then. (I just ordered the Ellington, so that will certainly tide me over.)

The 1923-1931 Okeh Hot Dance Band Recordings disc appears to be a new reissue on Retrieval. Looks tasty.

Here are details on the NORK set.

I'll give it a spin tomorrow. As I recall (on the 1990 reissue), the distortion, or whatever it is, is only present two or three times on the disc. It sounds similar to the bell of a horn coming too close to the mike — a rattling, overblowing sound. I actually thought that this was the case, but when The Soothsayer, which had the same problem, was "fixed" back in 1998 (— the first reissue was 1990, I believe), it made me think that the same problem might be fixable on Clubhouse. The 1990 Clubhouse reissue also happens to be on the quiet/flat side (to my ears), so perhaps Rudy's amp-it-up treatment might actually be an improvement. I hope they keep the original Toshiba cover! (For some reason, I don't think Blue Note will. They didn't, at least, for Oblique.)

Retrieval also just re-reissued The Complete 1932 Rhythm Makers set. Argh — I want that one too! The only place on the internet I can find these new reissues, however, is Worlds Records. They're a fine e-tailer, but their prices aren't the best.

When I was 14, I loved The Police. I revisited my favorites about a year ago (their first two albums), and sadly just couldn't get with them. Strangely or not, the same wasn't true for another band I loved at that age: U2. Their first two albums still sound good to me. I actually like Branford Marsalis — — — when he makes fun of Sting. Though it's not The Police, I think one Sting tune that's absolutely aged the worst is: "Russians." Egad.

What set do you all recommend seeking out to optimally hear NORK? Now that it's back in-print, I had my eye on the Retrieval, but thought I would ask here first.

This may have been mentioned earlier (haven't read the whole thread), but Dex's duet (completely sans rhythm section) with Al Cohn entitled "On the Trail" on Silver Blue is excellent. It's really interesting to just hear two tenors going back and forth, one creating "rhythm" while the other solos.

... and Jimmy Rowles. If anyone would like to share some jpgs, that would be great!

In the spirit of sharing Xanadu cover art, I'll post a few (smallish) jpegs. They work well for anyone using iTunes. Here's Dolo Coker and Walter Bishop Jr. for starters:

Thanks TL! I was just looking for a simple jpeg, but this was very kind of you.

Chuck, you usually take it easy on me — so, no worries. I find Gettin' Around "pleasant," but I do quite like Clubhouse. The modal title track has a superior Dex solo, and the ballad "I'm a Fool to Want You," as Lon mentioned, is a heartbreaker. These are the best two tracks, in my opinion. Hubbard doesn't do much for me on this session, but that's allright. When you have a chance — and not that I really think I'll change your mind — give Dex's solo on "Clubhouse" another spin. There's some intensity there worth listening to.

I actually think that Clubhouse is one of Dex's best Blue Note efforts. I think it was recorded the same week as Gettin' Around, but it has a lot more fire IMO than the session with Hutcherson (which I also like). The original 80's CD version, with the cool (and original) Japanese cover, has some awful distortion on it — the very same problem the original version of The Soothsayer had. I hope, for this new remaster, that problem was addressed. (I've never heard the Dex box set.) I'm guessing the distortion wasn't in the original tapes, but of course I could be wrong. At any rate, I'm in for the Dex and Hill. Too bad CDU bumped their prices up.

Some day I want to fly to Paris and see your vinyl collection, Guy. (I promise to bring fig jam with me.)

Another thanks. Blue Boyé is one of my all-time favorites. For those who like that record, I'd encourage you to check out a CD entitled Statements by multi-instrumentalist Michael Cooke — on Cooke's label called Black Hat Records (out of the Bay Area). Hemphill's solo effort was the direct influence and inspiration for Cooke's record. It only sounds like Hemphill at times, however, and Cooke adds bassoon to the mix.

The guy from jazzmusicdepot.com who made at least four separate posts at various times in the Offering forum for Xanadu LPs still has a number for sale. I've never ordered from him, but I think a member above (in this thread) has.

I own that film. I remember when I first watched it — I actually turned it off right at the very scene you mention. Flea's patronizing remarks pissed me off that much (I was 21 at the time). He then asks Chet about Lee Morgan, and "did Lee Morgan really get shot by his girlfriend?" Chet responds quietly and nurses his drink. Flea breaks out into laughter. Flea also had a similar exchange with Charles Bukowski. Perhaps "Louse" would be more apt for his moniker. He's also responsible for some of the world's worst scat singing ever — at the very beginning of "Let's Get Lost." Oh, this is an Ornette thread ...

Chuck — interesting that you should mention the Fontana. I just received it in the mail this weekend. Have spun it once so far. A nice session indeed.