Late

Thanks, Tony. Somehow skipped right over that thread. It's OK if this thread dies; that one seems the most likely discussion thread at this point. David, whenever I'm up in Portland, I check the usual suspects: EDM, Django's, even Tower. Cadence has a dwindling number of hatART's with Braxton on them, but I do check them from time to time. Not too familiar with Downtown Music Gallery, and will have to investigate. I hit Amoeba whenever I get the chance — I love all three stores! The L.A. store (though I've only been there three times, so I can't say with any certainty) seems to turn over its stock rapidly. Last time I was there, they had some juicy OOP stuff. p.s. Have the Basel date and like it, but must confess to not knowing it as well as the Dortmund and Zurich dates. Will listen to it this weekend!

Hi b3-er, Please add my name to the non-politics list. Thanks, Late

After doing a search, I found that no threads (with Braxton's name at least in the title) were on this board. Time to start one. Yesterday, and the day before that, I listened to Braxton's Performance (Quartet) 1979, which might just be, along with his Dortmund set, my favorite Braxton on record. But, I need to qualify that right away by saying that I don't own too much Braxton. I have For Alto, and some of his quartet work with Marilyn Crispell, along with various other recordings, but still feel I don't have a handle on this man's work, which is probably all for the best. To start some discussion, I'll ask: What Braxton recordings do you return to most often? And how do you listen to Braxton?

On a Rudd related (or inspired) note ... Mr. Redoux — have you checked out Steve Swell? If not, you're in for a huge treat. (I'm guessing you've already checked him out, though.) Swell, while his own person on the trombone, comes out of the Rudd (and Dickenson? and Ray Anderson?) mold, and plays with a wonderful exuberance. I highly recommend a trio recording of his on CIMP entitled Atmospheels. It's a trio recording with the wonderful Lou Grassi on drums and Will Connover (a veteran from Horace Tapscott's Arkestra) on alto saxophone, clarinet, and bass clarinet. Not having a bass in the mix really frees Swell up to converse with Grassi, and lots of exciting "duologs," as a result, take place. Swell's recorded quite a bit for CIMP, and if you like this disc, you'll have more to explore in the same vein. This is a fun disc that I think Ros himself would get a kick out of!

Had to go with Kirk, though I adore just about every player listed. To me, Kirk's playing on Oh Yeah! is so enormously dominant on that session — with even Mingus noticeably giving over the reigns at times, albeit from the piano chair — that I couldn't not vote for him. If I ever need an instant "good mood" punch, I put on "Hog Callin' Blues." It's almost no-fail for me. Some of the most spirited "Mingus" playing on record. Of course, Mariano on "Celia" does it too ...

Ubu — If you haven't heard any Lacy/Rudd recordings, you're in for a big treat. I'd pick up School Days first — a great live session. Though recorded with only a single microphone, it actually sounds pretty darned good, with Henry Grimes especially audible. I'm still wondering about the "lost" Lacy/Rudd sessions on Verve and Columbia from around 1963. (I think Chuck or Michael Fitzgerald righted me on this topic a while ago. Can't remember what got said, though.)

I make my coffee the same way, Lon. (Didn't know that those drip filters came in different colors though! Imagine the pink one ... eventually with indelible streaked brown coffee stains ... not a pretty image.) Though I love the smell and taste, I actually have an allergy to the stuff. Not to the caffeine, strangely, but to the coffee bean oil. I used to drink cold water extract coffee, which removes a large portion of the oil, but it didn't taste the same. As a result, I can only consume about 4-6 ounces a day, lest my stomach and intestines play their version of Ascension. My current favorite is green tea. While traditional is fine, I prefer Celestial Seasonings' Antioxidant green tea with rose hips. Also dig chai, but that's another thread. doubleM — Have you tried Coffee Time? Their homemade chai is something that one writes their mother home about.

Weird. I got mine three days ago. Way out here! The Amy Select has Curtis with a soprano for the cover. S'nice.

I could live without "My Funny Valentine" for about the next 27.6 years. This tune, for better or worse, often prevents my purchasing certain discs.

Coincide (vinyl) is currently on sale for $6.99 at Dusty Groove.

Hey, Blind Lemon Pledge is a local band here! The singer was my YMCA camp counselor.

This album could also fit snugly into the "solo sax" recommendations thread.

Any readers of poems here? If so, what authors do you like?

Somewhat related question: Did this one ever come out on disc? (I have a feeling it didn't.) I have the one track "Premonitions" from the BYG box, and would like to hear the whole set!

Some of my most cherished recordings are often in the format of that most challenging trio: saxophone, bass, drums. Going about twenty years back, and up to the present, what are some recommendations you'd make with this trio in mind?

Just got done listening to Wee Sneezawee. Mmm-hmm. I'm in for it now. What's a credit card to do? This box will eventually end up in my (mail)box. A few more comments on the sound, in addition to Mr. Taylor's notes? Would you say that this is a it's-the-music-dummy-not-the-sound box, or rather a actually-the-sound's-not-so-bad box?

I guess I wasn't checking the board around November 3rd, and missed these reviews until now. Thanks for posting Mike and Reinier! The session is now in line, on my long list of will-probably-get-this-one-even-though-I-should-stop-spending-for-a-while cd's.

Oops, sorry John. I thought I remembered it as being Mike's avatar at one time, so I just assumed he was the artist. But, yes, I do like it!

Joe — I completely neglected Hemphill in my comments above, and shouldn't have, because I always list Blue Boyé as one of my desert island recordings! I guess I do tend to think of this session as not strictly "solo" saxophone (even though it certainly has its "solo" passages), but no need to split hairs. It's wonderful, was recorded by only one person, and there happens to be some overdubbing. I used to be prejudiced against the use of overdubbing (a crazy bias) ... and then I heard this session and finally changed my mind (or, rather, my ears finally opened up). A huge thumbs-up for Blue Boyé. I'd go so far as to say that this recording is an essential, if not indispensable, chapter in improvised music — a "must-hear." I have the Gotham Minstrels set, but haven't listened to it enough to be able to endorse it one way or another.

I hear you, Brandon. I think we're on the same page here. My only guess is that the admittedly already small market that supports this kind of music would enjoy it, and, I can only assume, purchase a copy were one available. The point's probably moot, however, because I too don't forsee its reissue any time soon, but at least there's a little enclave, right here, that can dig into the sounds of this (unfairly) obscure record. Curious to hear what other people think of this one, or if you hear different "hybrids" than those I described above.

Some details I spotted on the "inter-net": • The album cover art of BLUE NOTE, 1991, 126 pages, Collins & Brown • The album cover art of BLUE NOTE, vol. 2, 1997, 112 pages, Collins & Brown • CALIFORNIA COOL: West Coast cover art, 1992, 110 pages, Collins & Brown • EAST COASTING, the cover art of PRESTIGE, RIVERSIDE and ATLANTIC, 1993, 110 pages, Collins & Brown • JAZZ WEST COAST, 1992, 124 pages, Bijutsu Shuppan-Sha, Tokyo • JAZZICAL MOODS, 1993, 132 pages, Bijutsu Shuppan-Sha, Tokyo

Jim, that price was at an online vendor's site. If anybody could point me in the direction of "affordable" copies of either California Cool or East Coast Hot, I'd be most appreciative! I am a big dumb sucker for cover art. Love that Vintage Vanguard site, too. Never thought I'd see the original cover to Coltrane Time, which of course is a Cecil Taylor record: Dig the UA tagline: "Recorded for the Talented Listener." Ah yes, pass the Pinot Grigio, would you please?

Thanks to the generosity of a member here (and one in this thread), I finally got a chance to hear this recording. I'm glad I did! This is music I'll be returning to. First some details: Impressions of New York Rolf Kuhn: clarinet Joachim Kuhn: piano Jimmy Garrison: bass Aldo Romano: drums recorded 1967 for Impulse! Some initial impressions, at random: • I wonder what Jimmy Giuffre thought of this album. Kuhn's not working in the same vein that Giuffre did in the early 60's, but he's certainly "looking forward" here. Though I hope it was, I can imagine this album being not-so-well-received at the time of its release. Still, I'd say that, if only for a moment, it carves out its distinct little niche in improvised music from the late 60's, and does so with intelligence, authenticity, and a dedication to remaining listenable. This is my first exposure to either Kuhns playing, but I'm an instant fan — even if this particular recording was a one-off. Rolf Kuhn, to me, sounds like a more articulate version of Perry Robinson — which is not to disrespect Robinson at all; he's one of my favorite clarinetists — with a solid coloratura range, and strong sense of rhthym. • Joachim Kuhn's playing here strikes me as a sort of hybrid of Don Friedman and Cecil Taylor. Very nice indeed. And, thinking on the hybrid track, Aldo Romano's playing on this particular session strikes me as a combination of Sunny Murray and Elvin Jones: the swing and thunder of Jones with the occasional pulse work of Murray. Again, nice indeed. Jimmy Garrison sometimes seems the odd man out, but acquits himself admirably, as he almost always does. • The "Impressions of New York" in question here certainly don't share, say, Woody Allen's vision of New York — what a relief! (And I'm a huge fan of Woody Allen.) No, these impressions, and the titles that accompany them ("Arrival," "The Saddest Day," "Reality," "Predictions") speak to something darker, and far less nostalgic. The suite seems to take on a new dimension in light of the titles it bears. I might have to disagree with one of Brandon's comments that started this thread. I think people would buy this album if it were reissued on disc. I certainly would. And I think many here (and at Bagatellen, Jazz Corner, etc.) would too! We can only hope that the Japanese market sees fit to eventually release this one. It would be a nice surprise to fans of this music. What does the cover look like?

Here are three — actually my favorite, in order — solo Lacy recommendations: Remains; 1991: hatART Actuality; 1995: Cavity Search; recorded live at The Old Church, Portland, Oregon Clinkers; 1979: hatOLOGY (This is the original vinyl cover; I only have the compact disc.) I like Braxton's For Alto, but it's actually not a disc I return to with any frequency. While the recording does pay its fair share of dividends, it also seems to require a fair amount, and sometimes large amount, of patience on the listener's behalf. While not solo saxophone, though one of my favorite solo recitals ever, and one that I always recommend to fans of "free improvisation" music, is Peter Kowald's Was Da Ist on FMP. Amazing.

I'm still looking for California Cool, but so far the lowest price I've come across is around $75. Ouch!