Late

This looks to be a great comp. Newly remastered, too.

It's now up on the CDJapan site. When you click on one of the titles and then scroll down to the song tracks, it will say (for example) "Remastered/2003 Rudy Van Gelder Edition." Goin' Up and the live disc are exceptions, however.

Bummer! These are RVG remasters. Just cancelled my order.

Five new SHM-CDs. None of these titles, to the best of my recollection, have been reissued as SHM-CDs in Japan. I'm especially excited about Hub-Cap and Blue Spirits. The latter will have seven tracks, which means it will include the fabulous "Melting Pot" track, not found on the TOCJ Blue Note Works issue. Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones. (And the stealth sixth man Hosea Taylor on alto saxophone, though only in ensemble.) I hope these SHM-CDs sound as good as the 75th anniversary titles.

Thank you!

Not too long ago I put together a 78 minute personal "best-of" compilation from Shirley's Prestige catalog — importantly, with no horns — and listened to it while making dinner last night. Everybody else at home was doing their own thing, so I had a chance to really zero in on Shirley's soloing — how she finesses grace notes (both quick and slow), her use of glissandi, and her approach to eighth notes in general. I must say, I think Shirley Scott is perhaps my very favorite organist, or rather the organist I derive the most pleasure from listening to. Ten or so years ago, I know I would have said Larry Young. But these days I'm listening for other, perhaps more subtle, aspects in a jazz organ solo. There's a slyness, and a reluctance to dazzle, that I hear in Scott's work that I don't hear in other organists of her era. Granted, I still don't know organists in the way that I'm familiar with other instrumentalists, but Scott — perhaps because she was a woman in a male-dominated scene, and perhaps because her choice of organ settings made her playing occasionally sound dated or comical — I think is still greatly under-valued. There's no question she could swing. Her solos on paper might not be especially remarkable. But her handling of the jazz idiom for organ is unlike any of her contemporaries that I can think of. Those trio records with George Duvivier and Arthur Edgehill aren't just fun listening; they offer, in my opinion, an essential alternative to the Jimmy Smith experience. And that Plays Horace Silver record? Damn. I hope Horace owned that one.

I'm going to spin that today, along with the track "Mediocre." Thanks for mentioning. I haven't spun Time Waits in a long time.

Stumbled upon this short article this evening while doing some John Carter research.

I had the same experience a year or so ago. Never mind technique; he has a command of the jazz piano idiom (mostly Peterson and Hancock as I hear it), which is something else entirely. I hope he continues to develop and become (crucially) more idiosyncratic. In that vein, I hope someone plays, say, Cecil Taylor or Lennie Tristano for him.

"On that note, one wonders about Yeats’s claim that the best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity. Trane is as passionately intense as ever. Did he lack conviction? Maybe the Yeatsian opposition is false and passionate intensity covers up or disguises a deeper lack of conviction." I missed this thread the first time around (three years ago). Some fine reading. I have two thoughts when reading the Dyer quote above: • No, I don't think "one" wonders about Yeats's claim at all. At least Yeats doesn't enter into my mind when considering Coltrane's Temple recording. I do understand that "one wonders" is rhetorical, but I think Dyer's underlying sentiment is actually imperative, that is: You should wonder, like me! • When I do wonder about Yeats's claim, I can see how Dyer's proposition fits his own writing — e.g. Dyer's "deeper lack of conviction" when it comes to examining Coltrane's music in context is disguised by a "passionate intensity" of his own opinion, conveniently leading him to his own "terminus" or "brick wall."

Very interesting observations. I've never considered that Bud had songs he'd lean on (and that weren't in a typical set list) while struggling through especially dark periods. "Epistrophy" makes more sense in this regard. That opening ostinato in the left hand is dark indeed.

This was my impression (based solely on sound samples) as well. I have to return to Remains. I remember being blown away the first time I heard it. Solo Lacy is so different than Lacy in a trio; it's like talking about different varieties of wine.

This has been stuck in the car's audio system for some time now. A wonderful mono recording. Highly recommended.

I thought this board, and this thread in particular, might appreciate fourteen lines on Chet Baker.

Blues For Bobby Ward

I've been listening to sound samples. They sound good, but I have so much solo Lacy that I need to revisit first. Still, that set is the only place to hear some Lacy compositions.

On a Monday. It wasn't last week, so it must have been the 11th! (Maybe Japan to the West Coast happens faster?)

Today I made a personal burn of Disposability and Sortie to fit on one disc. They fit perfectly — 79:15. Great to listen to both albums back to back. I've also listened again recently to The Forest and The Zoo. Better than I've given it credit for over the years. I wish Rava and Lacy had stayed together for a few more albums. And ... I hope Emanem keeps finding Lacy albums to reissue! I haven't picked up Cycles (from Emanem). Anyone here have it?

Listened again today. This is my reissue of the year. So good.

I like both discs. The Hancock/Corea influence is strong but genuine. On Wishbone, Moore's eighth notes are occasionally stiff (in a "swinging" sense), but his covers of "Pinocchio" and "Vonetta" are inspired. By the second album, Furioso, the playing has loosened up and is perhaps more adventuresome, but the repertoire (e.g. "Hi-Heel Sneakers," "Bo-Diddley") is of its time. The Roberta Flack cover is pretty good though — but you probably have to like the song to begin with. There's no laziness in Moore's playing, but it's not as fluid as (what seem to be) his influences. I'd be curious to hear what pianists on this board have to say.

Very true. I listened to both discs today, and was amazed at how good these new transfers sound. The "tap-dancer" is completely gone from Disposability. Carter's bass is slightly more up-front, Lacy is a few feet back, and Romano, though slightly further back in the mix, is very clear. In fact, this new reissue had me pay attention to Romano's playing much closer than before. What a great free drummer he was during this period. What he has to say is much different than, say, Ed Blackwell or (especially) Sunny Murray. Romano puts a fair amount of space, or "windows," into his playing — the result is drumming that simultaneously explodes and floats. The bonus sessions are good. The film cues are interesting (though I've never been able to get with Berger's playing), while the 1972 work on Disc 2 is amazing. I have to re-listen to those three tracks.

Agreed. This particular edition, from looking at the tracklist that Claude posted, doesn't seem like it would be much of a listening experience. The cat on the other hand ...

The cachet of the album seems simple: it's Coltrane as a leader on Blue Note. It happened only once, and was well-recorded. Coltrane alternate solos are always a good thing. I'm happy with the SHMCD, however, and will take a pass on this one. Agreed.

Looking forward to it.

As well as the :06 studio chatter clip "Coltrane Sneezes." Plus "Coltrane Sneezes (alt.#1)" and "Coltrane Sneezes (alt.#2)." Must have been Lee Morgan's after shave.