Late

Volume 4

So Hat Hut is no longer Werner. That's news indeed. I reached out to Melanie Imhof (the new owner of Hat), and she promptly wrote me back. It sounds like she and her husband (co-owner) are figuring out how they're going to move forward with the catalogue they've inherited. My impression was that they're going to focus on new recordings for the immediate future, and address their back catalogue after they've come up with a reissue plan. In the meantime, it looks like Werner—via AlAy—is going to issue Ayler concerts on compact disc. It'd be cool if he could find/issue the Don Ayler session made for Amiri Baraka's Jihad label: Donald Ayler (t), Noah Howard (as), Don Pullen (p), Reggie Workman, Sirone (b), Muhammad Ali (d) [unknown titles] • New Jersey, March [1968 or 1969]

💥 👏 Really nice. I hadn't heard it!

My two favorites: I envy a listener who gets to hear them for the first time! Edwards was so classy...👇

Yes, I'd agree with that. The disc in question, by trimming radio announcements and applause, fits the 2-disc Verve/Impulse package onto one disc. No editing of music. I'd guess that Ravi is at least aware of "Creation." If there are any plans for its "official" reissue...is anyone's guess.

Almost as fast as snail mail! 😁 But pretty speedy compared to John Cage. 🫠

Iberian Waltz

Out Front

Heckyeah. I think Lateef's playing a Berg Larsen mouthpiece. 🤔

Almost three years behind, but just now listened to this. 👉🔥👈

A cursory internet search tells me that this one was first: Then this one: And a third cover! Singin' The Blues

Introducing Memphis Willie B. BAM. Hard Working Man Blues And this album, containing one of the funkiest saxophone solos EVER. (On "Money's Gettin' Cheaper.") Thank you, Clifford Scott. Evenin' Blues

I always wondered why there were two covers for this album. I'm sure the story is out there. It was beautifully recorded. I spun it twice today. Shepp is great, but Curson...is not having the best day. His chops are spent at the end of Girl From Ipanema. And what happened to Joseph Orange?

Excellent writing. Woods' solos are full of feeling—but he could've soloed longer!

Bad. Ass. And then...this: PHUNK.

Bley, Peacock, Levinson, Motian Levinson was married to Kim Cattrall?

From hatology to ezz-thetics to revisited to first visit to thingamajig. 🤔

Mulligan on clarinet!

Yes! 👍 I don't know it as well as some of Montgomery's other Riverside titles. I feel like Boss Guitar is an old friend, while Trio is someone I'm still getting to know. Last night I got out this 2-disc set: At first I thought: "Eww—the "jazz sides"?? But no. This is an excellent compilation, particularly the second disc. The liner notes suffer from printing/copyediting errors (e.g. the interview with Russell Malone et al), but there are some pertinent (while not revelatory) insights into Montgomery's perspective on "commercial" music. I warmly recommend this comp to anyone who doesn't already have the music.

👍 850113 is one of Takayanagi's finest recordings in my opinion. A person could own that one and perhaps "be done" with Takayanagi if the music fed that noise genre "itch" sufficiently. The only other title I'd say is indispensable is April Is The Cruelest Month. I freely admit that his music can be exhausting. It's easy to not connect with it (happens to me all the time) if the context isn't right. Have you heard Flower Girl? It's the total opposite of the two records mentioned above. That's one of the things I love about Takayanagi. He could legitimately (while idiosyncratically) play standards and bossa while, later in the day, wreak complete and utter sonic chaos. 😁 Oh, dang it, I really love the No Business record as well. After listening to Mass Hysterism, the No Business record feels like lounge music to play for the in-laws.🫠 👍 Bam.

I missed it the first time around (from DG) too. Put it on my watch list (never a guarantee, but still), and was able to purchase it the second time it became available. You will not be disappointed! This page offers a 48-second sound sample (but I know you know Takayanagi). Having two basses and no drums changes the vibe...in a good way.

Up for renewed reading...👍