Late

This is an experiment. It might not work because most of the listeners here already have formed their opinions on Marsalis and his playing. I don't exclude myself from that statement — I have my opinions too. But the Shreds video on YouTube got me thinking. What if, hypothetically, a Wynton solo were overlayed onto, say, a Lester Bowie video — assuming, hypothetically again, it would sync up finger-wise and breath-wise — what would the response be like? Would a flood of "Bowie was a genius" comments be unleashed? Or would "there doesn't seem to be a lot of emoting going on" comments predominate? If you can, watch this video to the end, with as an objective ear as possible: Cherokee What do you think? I'll offer right now that while I'm not necessarily impressed with Marsalis's virtuoso display (although I don't think any other contemporary trumpet player has matched his technical prowess), there were moments (some of the smears, some of the rhythmic displacements) when I chimed in. To me, the solo doesn't "swing" — which might be deeply ironic considering Marsalis's emphasis on "The Big 2 & 4" — but part of me thinks: No other trumpet player I know of could play that solo. Was I moved? Not really, but that might be because of my pre-existing condition of skepticism.

Yep, the Dookie thread: "I Am Dookie Coleman!" That was a winner. I wish he'd sign up and enliven the scene here. I actually half-believe his story. Aggie — I think maybe you're thinking of Joe Albany's daughter? I think she posted either here or on the BNBB. Joe Albany At Home is one I've been spinning lately. Good stuff.

He posted a touching (well, to me) story about how his dad would call him on his birthday, from wherever he was, and play Happy Birthday over the phone. Kenny Dorham's daughter posted once or twice, too.

Chauncey = Clem?

I remember that discussion too, but don't remember the poster. I can't remember what the consensus was: whether or not a tape actually exists. On the same note — does anyone remember when Stan Getz's son posted on the BNBB?

No mention in this thread yet of Giuffre's two 70's dates on Choice Records (later reissued on Candid with different titles). These trio recordings have skyrocketed into some of my all-time favorite Giuffre. They're on eMusic (with different covers), for those that swing that way.

All this time, a drag queen.

Stanley Crouch starts following you around.

I think you're probably pretty on target with that assessment, Hans. The AMCY of Giant Steps, for example, does seem too "precise" (if that makes any sense) at times on the high end. Maybe that's because of the boosted higher frequency. I don't know for sure (and am not techically savvy enough to find out). On my system, the original U.S. edition sounded somewhat lifeless, and the MFSL edition sounded bloated all out of proportion — very boomy. As we all know, of course, it's just a matter of systems and taste. There will never be a "best," only a "preferred." I do know that I love a lot of the music that was recorded for Atlantic records. I was exposed to that label (just by chance) long before I heard a record on Blue Note. Atlantic is one label, in general, that makes me wish for my (pretty much gone now) vinyl days. At any rate, I hope you like the AMCY of Olé, riverrat. The box'll probably be just the ticket. You'll scoop up some WPCRs along the way, I'm sure. If you have any affection for Giuffre, I'd recommend that title before it goes OOP in Japan (whenever that may be). And, it doesn't hurt asking Hiroshi if he happens to see any of the old AMCYs used or new ...

Laughing is good for the abs. Wynton, thank you for the six-pack.

It'll be interesting to see what Cuscuna selects for the 2009 batch. The series has been going since 1994! Hard to believe. I can't really think of that many Blue Note titles that haven't seen CD issue at one time or another — U.S. or Japan, single disc or Mosaic — that might be in this new batch. I suppose we'll eventually see Tyrone Washington's session (the TOCJ works for me though) sans trainwreck. Personally, I'd be more interested in what could be excavated from Pacific Jazz, Colpix, United Artists, Solid State, and any other associated arcane labels. Otherwise, though I have the respective Mosaics, I'd welcome the aforementioned Rivers and McLean titles. Maybe someday Cuscuna will put out an Art Hodes Blue Note Mosaic Select. I'd be all over that.

I'll throw another opinion into the mix. For Coltrane, I think the first edition Japanese mini-LP series (AMCY) are quite fine. They're in 20-bit, if that matters, but are probably pretty hard to find these days. This series had Warne Marsh's eponymous Atlantic album whereas I don't think the WPCR series does. I will say that the WPCR of Jimmy Giuffre's 3 is amazing. Highly recommended. Way better than the original domestic CD issue, and better than the Mosaic IMO. I've never heard the Rhino Coltrane box so I can't make any comparisons there.

Wishful thinking? Will there be a batch? What might be included?

Do a blog search for Massimo Urbani. Great trio record on Horo. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think this label will ever have (legitimate) CD issues. This leaves searching for the original LPs (spendy), or turning to blogs. Sometimes the latter is the only way to hear out-of-print music. A shame, perhaps, but true. I really want to hear the Sal Nistico on Horo.

My sentiment exactly. That's one of the best bonus tracks I've ever heard on a CD. That, and "The Collector" on Wayne Shorter's Adam's Apple.

I think all of these are very good records — not just worth having, but worth close listening: • Dennis González: NY Midnight Suite • Kirk Knuffke: Big Wig • Empty Cage Quartet: Stratostrophic • Harris Eisenstadt: Guewel • Tetterapadequ: And The Missing R • Steve Lehman: On Meaning (I think this is Lehman's best recording to date) • Rob Brown: Crown Trunk Root Funk * There are a number of others, but these stand out in particular to me. For some reason, I haven't been able to get into any of Gerry Hemingway's work on this label, and I usually like his bands. Even the record with Ray Anderson, who wows me almost every time, didn't move me. In general, I'd say go for the names and/or bands you know almost nothing about. You're likely to be pleasantly surprised. * Aha! This CD isn't on Clean Feed. It's on Aum Fidelity. One of Brown's more interesting records (I think) so far.

This is an essential Blue Note disc. (I actually bought my copy from Chuck about four years ago.) It also has Earl Hines' only recordings (just two tracks) on Blue Note!

This label is fast becoming one of the best imprints for new improvised music. In particular, check out: • Kirk Knuffke Quartet: Big Wig If you're exhausted by all the new Dave Douglas releases but are still a fan, you really need to hear this disc. (It's also on eMusic.) Trumpet, trombone, bass, drums — and the quartet finds a way out of the usual Ornette trappings. Recommended. • Empty Cage Quartet: Stratostrophic This quartet (alto saxophone, trumpet, bass, drums) works within the Ornette "trappings" and finds new things to say. They've played together for a while, and it shows in all the best ways. • Harris Eisenstadt: Guewel This is a good record in a very unexpected way. Taylor Ho Bynum's on it, and perhaps it's he who brings the Braxton "march" influence to the proceedings. Just when you think the music devolves into aimless noodling, it snaps right back into something organic and organized. Hemingway, Dresser, Lehman, Mahanthappa, Gonzalez, and Eskelin are some of the "bigger" names on the label, but I've found that some of the more rewarding discs are those by relative "unknowns." For the seven-degrees-from-Blue-Note angle, for those that want to have some kind of connection: think Jackie circa 1967, or Ornette circa 1968, then throw in a healthy dose of Braxton from 1975 (OK, not Blue Note) — and take all those musics and push them forward a notch or two.

Really? (To make room for new recordings?)

James P. had a Tiffany pendant? What were the "possessions" — musical, or otherwise? (And did they end up in a museum?) I believe Duke listed James P. as his favorite pianist, if I'm not mistaken. Or at least, when he sat down, the pianist who "could really play."

The Billy Harper is great. Try the Julius Hemphill (Raw Materials and Residuals) as a tonic, however.

I'm glued to the Smithsonian/Folkways disc recently.

James P. doesn't get talked about too much here, and seems (is) a vastly under-recognized figure in the music. Tell us what you like about Mr. Johnson's playing, and what CDs you'd recommend.

I'm repeating a number of titles, but here are some of my favorites: Black Saint: • Muhal Richard Abrams: Mama and Daddy • John Carter: Night Fire • John Carter: Dauwhe • Andrew Cyrille: Metamusicians' Stomp • Chico Freeman: No Time Left • Charles Gayle: Consecration • Billy Harper: Black Saint • Julius Hemphill: Raw Materials and Residuals • Joseph Jarman/Don Moye: Earth Passage/Density • Frank Lowe: The Flam • Jimmy Lyons: Wee Sneezawee • Keshavan Maslak: Blaster Master (ignore the title and awful cover art) • Roscoe Mitchell: The Flow of Things • Don Pullen & Sam Rivers: Capricorn Rising • Don Pullen: Healing Force • Don Pullen: Warriors • Don Pullen: The Sixth Sense • David Murray: Home • John Tchicai: Timo's Message Soul Note: • Bass-Drum-Bone (Ray Anderson): Wooferlo • Borah Bergman & Evan Parker: The Fire Tale • Ran Blake & Houston Person: Suffield Gothic • Ran Blake: Short Life of Barbara Monk • Jaki Byard: To Them-To Us (didn't like this one for a long time, but it grew on me) • Bill Dixon: Son of Sisyphus • Dave Douglas: Parallel Worlds (I think this is his first album?) • Ellery Eskelin: Figure of Speech (great music; the volume is disturbingly low for some reason) • Tim Berne: Loose Cannon • Andrew Hill: Strange Serenade • John Jang: Tiananmen! • Steve Lacy: Vespers (the best Aebi out there, in my opinion) • Frank Lowe: Decision in Paradise • Max Roach: Scott Free (also took me a while to get into this one) • George Russell: Othello Suite • Cecil Taylor: For Olim (the "gentle" Taylor album; still great) • Gebhard Ullman: Kreuzberg Park East (the most obscure Soul Note?) • Tom Varner: The Mystery of Compassion (Julius Watkins would be proud of Mr. Varner)

In my 30+ orders over the last three years, Tower.com has been fairly reliable (— I've had one item that never shipped), and I've never received a used disc in place of a new disc. One caveat: never put anything in your shopping cart that doesn't say "in stock" or "on sale - ships in 12 hours." Those are the only items that actually ship. I've usually received my orders in 7-9 days, sometimes all in one box, but more often separately and in successive days. The prices at Tower.com are almost always the lowest on the net, but they fluctuate wildly. After you place an order for a disc (and it ships), check back on the price from time to time. It will usually drop for about a week or so, and then go up considerably after that. For no reason in particular, I've been following the pricing on the Criss Cross label (usually $17 retail per disc), and have watched prices go down to $11, and then back up to retail. As far as Caiman goes, I've had even better service from the Caiman Outlet (through Amazon). Their "used" discs, at least in my experience, are almost always new for some reason. I ordered a 15-disc box set of Montserrat Caballé used for $62, and it arrived in shrink wrap with the manufacturer's sticker on it. That said, when I'm shopping through Amazon, I always try to purchase items from ImportCDs, even if the price is slightly higher. They're based out of Irvine, California, have a diverse selection (mostly classical and jazz, but with a decent tango selection as well), and they ship promptly (though that may be because I'm on the West coast). I usually receive orders from them in about 4 days. Anyway, enough on that. I have no connection with any of the above sellers; just wanted to share my positive experience(s).