Late

Also adding the Tchicai, Ikiru!

Nate — yup. I don't have any ROVA on those labels, though do have some Larry Ochs sides. I have one Taylor (For Olim), and have always meant to get Winged Serpents. I think I might go for the Roach-Taylor collaboration first though.

Thanks for the reminder, Guy — I'm adding Jang to the list. From reading about it in the Penguin guide, Tianenman! looks interesting. Anyone heard that one? Jang has at least one more on Black Saint (or Soul Note), but I can't now remember the title.

Listening to Blu, Blu, Blu right now. Patience Higgins — woo hoo!

Up! I've been compiling a shopping list of Black Saint and Soul Notes, and thought I'd poll the board for further recommendations. Here's the list so far: 1. Sam Rivers-Don Pullen: Capricorn Rising 2. Max Roach: Scott Free 3. Frank Lowe: The Flam 4. Andrew Hill: Strange Serenade 5. Joseph Jarman-Don Moye-Don Pullen: The Magic Triangle 6. Joseph Jarman-Don Moye: Black Paladins 7. Muhal Richard Abrams: Hearinga Suite 8. Andrew Cyrille: Metamusicians' Stomp 9. Andrew Hill: Verona Rag 10. Marcello Melis: The New Village on the Left 11. Max Roach-Cecil Taylor: Historic Concerts 12. Don Pullen: Milano Strut 13. Rob Brown: High Wire What titles would you add? Delete? Prioritize? To complicate things, I have a fair amount from these labels already. Rather than list them all, I'll just mention some names that are already in the collection: • Steve Lacy • Jimmy Lyons • Julius Hemphill • Henry Threadgill • Billy Harper • Anthony Braxton • David Murray • Ellery Eskelin • Tim Berne • Bill Dixon Judging from that list immediately above, I guess I'd say my ears gravitate toward the saxophone — and I always welcome "out" sounds (while generally of an acoustic nature). Recommend away! Thanks.

To my knowledge, Joe McPhee hasn't recorded with Mathew Shipp — or at least not on the album pictured above. Are you thinking of another album?

I actually don't spin Lovano too often, but 52nd St. Themes is my favorite record of his — by a lot.

Sahib Shihab (on baritone especially) and Cecil Payne of course would be great — two of my favorite under-remarked saxophonists. I was just having fun mixing so-called "Coasts". (A person can't knock Henry Coker on trombone for his contributions to Dameron recordings, either. Great sound.) Actually, on drums, I'd like to hear Roy Haynes with Dameron. Yes, Fats with Tadd has that extra sprinkle of magic ...

Is the Williams on Frog generally the "best" way (sonically) to go? I only have one Williams disc (on a non-"legit" label), and would like to change that.

I mentioned Chuck Mangione over in the current Blakey Trumpet thread — somewhat tongue-in-cheek — but the guy, a Jazz Messenger circa '66-'68 (I think those are the years), really does have solid chops. Cannonball Addereley got the Mangione brothers (and Sal Nistico) onto Riverside, and all their efforts there are worth hearing: The Jazz Brothers Hey Baby! Spring Fever Recuerdo Listen to some sound samples online — you might be surprised!

Are those your photos, Marcello? Chuck with a Diz horn — nice!

... and he used to sport a crewcut —

Listening to Tadd on Clifford Brown's Prestige Memorial at the moment — I think it's Dameron's use of dynamics that reminds me of Blake. (Though "stark" is certainly a good word for both pianists.) Not to derail the thread too much, but what would your "dream" Dameron band be? Or, to put it another way, who would you most like to hear play Dameron's compositions and arrangements? For fun, let's say it's the mid-50's. I'd go with: ~ for brass: Clifford Brown: trumpet Julius Watkins: French horn Frank Rosolino: trombone Bill Barber: tuba ~ for reeds: Charlie Mariano: alto saxophone Bill Perkins: tenor saxophone Danny Bank: baritone saxophone ~ with: Tadd Dameron: piano Wilbur Ware: bass Philly Joe Jones: drums Candido: conga Not a very likely conglomeration, but I'd love to hear how these guys would tackle Tadd's charts ...

No Velebny in my collection, but his name has popped up in my reading more than once lately. Any suggestions as to where to start, or favorite albums?

Haven't heard that RCA comp, but those trading cards are dead-cool. (I don't own any, but I've seen them online.) "I'll trade you my Blind Blake and Blind Boy Fuller for your Blind Lemon Jefferson — puh-leeze?"

Poor Chuck Mangione — he never wins these "Best Blakey Trumpet" things ...

I have some duplicates of artists on Yazoo and JSP (e.g. Patton, Jefferson), and the Yazoo titles sound better to my ears. I've had good luck in the past ordering Yazoo discs from Alldirect — who charge $10.68 per disc, I believe. They almost always have Yazoo titles in stock (or at least they used to). Perhaps my very favorite single artist compilation on Yazoo is the Ma Rainey disc. Not only are the tracks great musically, but the programming seems especially effective. If I were putting together a compilation of Rainey tunes, I'd probably follow the order of that disc exactly. The music won't be to the liking of all ears, that's for sure, but once you're hooked ... it's love.

Listening to this one right now: It's been a couple of months since I spun it, and I'm liking it even more now. Apparently, this group (Wyands, DeHaas, Haynes) was a working trio, having put in stints at The Five Spot and The Prelude. It really shows — they're tight. This isn't just another "piano trio" recording — it's truly a "drum trio" recording. Beautiful Van Gelder recording, too. The liners (by Nat Hentoff) on DeHaas, I thought, were interesting. I'll retype them here: "Eddie De Haas may be the only full-fledged jazzman so far to have been born in Bandoeng, Java, Indonesia (February 21, 1930). When was ten, he started on ukulele. From 1942-45, he played guitar in Hawaiian groups during the Japanese occupation. He went to the Netherlands, and started playing bass in 1951. There weren't many records available, but from those that were, Oscar Pettiford became the first formative influence on De Haas' playing, to be followed by Ray Brown and then, years later, by Percy Heath and George Duvivier. De Haas ranged the continent, working with Pia Beck, Wally Bishop, Martial Solal, Bill Coleman, Henri Renaud, and Chet Baker. He came to America in 1957, and has since worked with Terry Gibbs, Sal Salvador, Miles Davis, Bernard Peiffer, Kai Winding, Benny Goodman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Blossom Dearie, and Chris Connor. In 1957, Miles Davis heard him with Blossom Dearie, and offered De Haas a long-term engagement with his group. Eddie, however, had already promised to go on the road with Sal Salvador, and his sense of honor forced him (and I use the word literally) to fulfill his promise. He's had a few calls since from Miles to fill in when Paul Chambers was unavailable, and De Haas is gratified that, at least, he's still on Miles' list." Had anyone heard of this De Haas-Davis connection before? Interesting, to say the least ...

B. Clugston — where does your avatar come from? Any way we can see an enlarged version? I think it's interesting that, this time around, Werner decided to put Clifford Thornton's name on the cover of the package. Poor Byron Morris — he was there too! I rather liked the original cover ... but I'm not going to complain ... the music's out again!

Nice photo, Mark! (Thanks for the information, Margaret!) I wish the prices of new hatOLOGY discs weren't so prohibitive. That, and the only local retailer who would carry them has closed shop. Do you guys use jazzloft to purchase hat titles?

Thanks for all the information, Claude! I remember, back in college, my roommate buying a commerically packaged 3" Art Blakey disc — I believe it was the band right before Wynton. I know it had Bobby Watson on it, and I want to say David Schnitter as well, but that's probably off. At any rate, I remember that it was 17 minutes long — I thought it was ridiculous. Now I wish I could remember more about that disc — at least what label it was on, and what the tunes were (I think there were at least two).

Anyone picked this one up yet? How is it? I'm slobbering to get it.

Listened to this one today. Damn! While the album isn't the greatest, Haynes' drumming is spectactular. His unaccompanied solos are a thing of beauty ... I still can't quite get over how, in the annals of jazz music, Haynes seems to take a backseat (as far as recognition) to Blakey, Roach, et al. He was easily their equal.

I know, why bother — but I was just curious. Miles' Blue Moods, for instance, would fit entirely on a 3" disc. And a lot of 78 r.p.m. recording dates, in their entirety, would fit. Sometimes all I want to (or have the time to) listen to is around 20 minutes. Just made me think of that somewhat obsolete format ...

I especially like the Kokomo Arnold sides on the disc Joe pictures above. Also, this disc should not be passed by — fabulous music: