Late

This has been a good discussion. Let's keep this up! (I have a few ideas for album of the week. How does one go about getting nominated to nominate an album?) Pryan, if you're looking to start a Paul Bley collection (at least one or two discs), I strongly recommend picking up Bley's Closer. An amazing trio album, with Bley really pushing the limits of piano improvisation for the time, and within small time frames. (All the tunes are around the 3 minute mark.) This is one album that I think Penguin nails in its review. The version (the original?) of "Ida Lupino" is very moving. I return to this one a lot, and never get tired of it. Then, if you like Closer, go for Turning Point, which adds John Gilmore on tenor. Beautiful, beautiful playing.

Just picked this one up myself. Well worth adding to your collection. Very fine playing, and something to keep returning to. To hear some sound samples, go here.

Thought I'd bump this one back up for reading, and so that others might post. A good topic! My handle is actually my name. Late is short for Laton (which is pronounced as if there were a "y" in there). I've heard of and met people with the name "Layton" or "Leighton," but I've yet to meet (or even read about) another Laton. Got to be some in Scotland, I think. You can call me Late or Laton. Am used to the jokes regarding tardiness or being deceased. (The avatar is Newk — from the recording session of The Bridge!)

What, in particular, is unsavory about the sound of the Turrentine Mosaic? I haven't picked this one up yet (due to, in part, having some of the music on separate discs), and would like to hear a few more pro's/con's about the sound. I'm sure the music itself is fantastic.

Welcome back (fellow Oregon resident)! I'd enjoy reading your posts once again.

Does anyone have an idea as to why Weston particularly dislikes Destry Rides Again? Cuscuna (rather cryptically) refers to Weston's reasons in the latest Mosaic brochure (magazine), but it didn't help me to figure out the situation any more clearly. Not that it matters all too much, of course. I certainly respect Weston's call to have this album withheld from reissue. I was just wondering about the details behind the situation. Anyone in the know?

I have none of those recordings that Fontana's on! I do have him on Bill Perkins' On Stage, which is quite a nice record (that I'm guessing you have already?)

No love for the Elvin Jones Mosaic? I think this set pays fine rewards with repeated listening. Plus, it's the only way (besides owning the vinyl) to get the wonderful The Ultimate Elvin Jones, a trio session with real huevos! Joe Farrell was a perfect fit with Elvin's band, and isn't too heavily influenced by Coltrane (or Coltrane's shadow). The Lighthouse material, as well, has some exceptional tenor interplay between Dave Liebman and Steve Grossman. Some of the "battles" (while actually quite friendly) are fierce with chromaticism and altered chord substitutions. My old saxophone teacher used to joke that this was the only album (Live at the Lighthouse) you needed to own in order to learn the tenor. (He was huge fan of Liebman and Grossman.) This set is worth owning, at least down the road. Some of the later 70's stuff is iffy, but that's at the end (and skippable!) If Mosaic ever has a 10% off sale again, that would be a good time to pounce on this one.

Finished grading about 120 student essays (midterms). It's party time! • Jorge Ben: Samba Esquema Novo • Della Reese: Della Della Cha Cha Cha — this album is enormously fun! • Teddy Edwards: Good Gravy! • Andrew Hill: Andrew!!! • AEC: Nessa Box, Disc 1

As long as we're hijacking ( ) ... Ralphie, I would strongly recommend this Weston album: It contains the original version of "Little Niles," which is wonderful. This album I don't have, but I dig the cover! And this album contains the original (I think) melody for "St. Thomas," which Weston titles "Fire Down There." (That's at least two melodies that have largely been attributed to Sonny Rollins — "Tenor Madness" and "St. Thomas" — that other musicians have recorded first. )

Dana, I've often wanted to hear Lee in place of Donald Byrd on Newk's Volume One. Not that Byrd doesn't make a good showing, but I think Lee's sassier playing (and especially with Roach on board for the session) would have made this date even finer. This is getting off-topic a bit (sorry Rooster), but what do you all think would have happened were Lee to have filled Clifford Brown's chair in Roach's band (instead of Kenny Dorham), circa mid-'56 to '57? I think Lee coud have brought a greater cohesiveness to that unit, especially before Rollins left, and Max recruited the Turrentines. OK, as for the poll at hand, it's essentially a straight tie (so I couldn't vote) between Hill and Young. I think my favorite Morgan soloing, however, is still on Evolution.

John (Tapscott), if you check out that Rosolino link on the first page, you'll find a link to a page on Carl Fontana. Apparently, he's in the later stages of Alzheimer's right now. Very sad. What I've heard of Fontana (which admittedly isn't much), I've liked quite a bit. That trombone page also has links to quite a few other (unheralded) masters of the slide instrument. I don't suppose Bob Brookmeyer would fit into this category (as the valve trombone has no slide, unless it's the super-bone, which I guess has both valves and a slide), but I would have cast a vote for him too. Can't wait until the Mulligan CJB Mosaic comes out. There are going to be some tasty Brookmeyer solos in that set.

Jan, I did read that Ben's melody was indeed plagiarzed by Rod Stewart. And ... that Ben sued and won the legal case! Ben is also the composer of "Mas Que Nada," a tune popularized by Sergio Mendes and Tamba Trio. I'll have to look into that album you mention. Lon, I think you'd dig this one, especially if you're into Brazilian work from this time period. Dusty Groove is carrying quite a bit of Ben material from the 60's right now. One of the pros of this album (besides the fine music) is its (to my ears, etc.) fine remastering. The originally recording must have been quite good. Make that excellent, because this remaster sings through the speakers. The one con of the album (if you could call it that) is its short playing time — 28 minutes. Still, with 12 tunes, it seems long enough. Ben voice's takes just a little getting used to. He's a tenor (or at least I'd call him one), and so the range is a little higher than I expected. He also has a very fine falsetto, which he uses to fine effect on a number of tunes. The vocals, for lack of a better description, are somewhat "raw," but certainly packed with emotion. I wish I knew Portugese!

Lately, I've been spinning this album a lot. Not jazz, of course, but very catchy stuff at times, and with jazz-like references from the horn section. Recorded in 1963. I feel like I should have known about this guy a lot earlier! Have you checked out Ben's music? (Apparently his last name is now Benjor.) What do you think?

Damn! Thanks, Mike. Now all we need is a scan of Hosea Taylor to post here. The phantom!

I just wish that this album ... had been included with the West Coast Classics series. Don Ellis, Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, and two drummers?! Argh! I have wanted to hear this album forever, but don't think I will any time soon. Where is the emoticon of a crying face (due to unrealized reissues)? We need one of those ... By the way, that photo comes from an excellent site on Don Ellis's music. Definitely worth checking out. Did someone here create it? If anyone has a copy of this album, and could manage dubbing a copy (any format, even 8-track ), I'd compensate happily. Then I would use this guy ...

This set is also a good way to expand one's collection of BOB GORDON. Highly recommended (thumbs-up icon ... where'd it go?) Alternative: (I "wub" this set.)

Allright then, so Haiti it's not. I take it that A.B. Spellman was duped by Andrew too? Weird.

"Queer Notions" is a great tune. If we're thinking of the same recording, I believe it was made under Fletcher Henderson's name (though Red Allen, of course, was part of that orchestra). Love the whole tone scales! Side note: The best-sounding version of that track that I've come across is actually on the Ken Burns' Fletcher Henderson disc. Another side note: I guess Hawkins couldn't really have contemplated a mohawk. He was already doing his Cleanhead impression at the time.

OK, I just checked my sources — the liner notes to Black Fire, by A.B. Spellman, and Leonard Feather's The Encyclopedia of Jazz in the Sixties both list Hill(e)'s birthplace as Port au Prince, Haiti. His family did move to Chicago, however, in 1941 when Andrew was 4. As a note of interest, according to Feather, "Hill started in music as a boy soprano, singing, playing accordion and tap dancing. He appeared in local talent shows from 1943-47. In 1950 he learned to play blues on the piano. His teacher was a baritone saxophonist. On his early jobs he played baritone as well as piano. He worked with Paul Williams' r&b at 15, later coming into contact with many name jazzmen at Joe Segal's jam sessions." Feather even lists his address (from 1969): Andrew Hill 212 West 102nd St. New York 25, NY p.s. Mike Weil, I dig your avatar!

I voted for Frank. In my book, Rosolino's the only trombonist who's the equal of Jay Jay's talent. I also enormously dig Roswell Rudd, but I've already gotten off the list. Here's a Rosolino site with a sobering account by Gene Lees of Rosolino's last days. Good, albeit painful, reading.

Paul Bley has agendas? Wait, are those Annette's hands, or ... ? That photo actually comes from an interesting site. Some of my favorite Bley recordings therein. I've read elsewhere about Bley's (sometimes curious) comments, namely that he only listens to his own records. I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. Doesn't diminish the fact, of course, that he's an amazing pianist. Red, nice call on "a moment of truly transcendental playing." I'm struck the exact same way. When I reach for this recording, it's always because of Rollins' playing. I love Coleman Hawkins too, but when I want to dig Bean, I reach for something else — right now it's his 30's work with Benny Carter's orchestra. In fact, a great solo of Bean's to check out from this time is on "Crazy Rhythm." Recorded in 1937 in Paris, Bean, in his brief solo, plays some wild lines that almost seem to prophesy what Newk would play nearly 30 years later. Not just incidentally, I suppose, was Bean The Daddy of the Tenor Saxophone. His 30's work strikes me just as transcendentally as Newk's 60's work. Cut, uncut, those two (I like to think) had to have had a good laugh afterward: cigar smoke, scotch in hand, maybe even Bean considering a mohawk.

Sonar operator for the navy? Hey, that's Al! (Joe X-mas.) Has he been to this board (yet)? I miss the guy's posting humor. Sidewinder, the JRVG, when it comes out, might just have (probably will have) an entirely different sound pallette. Maybe Taylor's alto will sneak through a bit more. That is, if the two bonus tracks are on it. If so, I'll likely be lumping over the sterling for that disc. The question is ... will Hans? Blue Spirits might be finding its place in the Offering & Looking For forum in coming days.

The Japanese remaster (in mini-LP format) of this album is staggering. One of the best-sounding discs I own. This is my favorite Rollins studio session. I hear it less as a cutting session than as a meeting of two generations — one, a sort of mentor (Hawkins), the other a sort of student (Rollins). I've always thought that Hawkins' was, in a way and I guess ironically, following Rollins' lead. Newk, to be sure, is letting his "avant garde" inclinations dominate his playing here, and I hear in return Hawkins pushing his own boundaries. I imagine that Newk was probably just a little nervous for this gig. He's recording with his idol, and likely doesn't want to sound like him. So, what does he do? In my perception, he tries his damnedest to improvise figures that are anything but like Bean. And, for me, this pays off handsomely. There is a creative tension in Newk's playing here that one doesn't always hear — in large part because Newk's mastery is always so total: confidence brims in his lines. On this date, however, I hear something different. His improvisations have an edgy (in a positive way) hesitation: he's forcing himself into territory that he's necessarily never fully explored. And that is precisely why I think his improvising here (in the studio) was never matched in quite the same way. Whereas Saxophone Colossus displays authority and youthful vigor, Sonny Meets Hawk displays a curious, and wonderful, uncertainty that ultimately (in my opinion) translates into some inspired thinking. In my book, this is the most forward-looking Rollins on record, and I wish he would have kept pushing himself in this direction.

Sidewinder, Try a few more spins (so I don't start feeling paranoid). The "third horn" is actually pitched differently (different notes, I mean) than Joe's horn. It's right under Freddie's trumpet: quiet, but not too quiet. Blocking out Herbie's comping (strange thing to say!) helps bring out the alto. Jürgen, I understand from your post that Taylor is indeed on alto? I wonder why Cuscuna would call it a quintet session then. Late