Late

I guess newly remastered editions of the Columbia big band material are essentially out of the question these days.

And the original cover of Jazz Goes to College, which of course Columbia/Legacy decided to abandon ...

Cover ...

Is Jazz Goes to Junior College doomed to oblivion? I've always wanted to hear it, at least once.

Is the Columbia reissue program dead? Aside from budget re-reissues, and what Mosaic can license?

The more I listen to it, the more I think Underground (minus the vocal track, which I've never liked, and I like Jon Hendricks) is a condensation of all things Monk. While likely not the "best" Monk album, it may be the quintessential Monk album — if that makes sense. "Green Chimneys" is a masterful showcase in the subtleties of listening (as opposed to "improvising" or "inventing"). When Monk drops out behind Rouse on the Columbia recordings, Rouse often (though not always) steps it up a notch. Something to ponder.

Heard Plays Bernstein and Anything Goes for the first time yesterday. Both very fine if perhaps not top shelf Brubeck. The one that's really been striking me as unfairly overlooked is Dave Digs Disney. Not what you'd think at all. Humor, sophistication, swing ... a hip set all around.

This is a good album. I could live without the recitations, but they're not too intrusive. As I recall, Harrison's solos are the most interesting. An album in this vein (without recitations) that I think is much better is Henry Franklin's The Skipper. Some great tenor solos from Charles Owens (who I haven't heard outside of this LP) and equally fine trumpet solos from Oscar Brasheer.

My saxophone teacher (years ago) used to have Ephemera on vinyl. Did it ever make it to CD? He played it for me once, and I can barely remember it. I'll have to look for that Camdan/BMG 2-CD set. It looks like one to have. Have any of the others made it to compact disc?

It seems like the most-noticed Adams work hails from the 50's and 60's. Recommend some favorites from the later decades! (What year did Adams pass?)

This may have been posted earlier (didn't check), but just in case it didn't: Anthony Braxton sings a Lee Konitz solo to Lee Konitz as Chick Corea watches ... then shreds "Impressions"

THCD 087 Bent Axen(p)-Bent Jaedig(ts) Jazz Groups / Let's Keep The Message* 2520 This is a good album, but you can get the whole session, plus two other sessions on a Steeplechase CD simply titled Axen (for about half the price of the upcoming Japanese version). An LP of this recording just sold on eBay recently, I think for around $1300. The seller probably gets e-mails from Hiroshi!

All of these tracks have appeared on (Japanese and German) compact disc, but, you're right, it would be nice to have a complete session, with both overdubbed tracks and then the same tracks with no overdubbing. I personally find that the overdubbing enhances the latter tracks — an opinion I didn't initially think I'd have. The original tracks without overdubbing can certainly stand on their own, but Alice created a certain vibe with the overdubs that, to borrow from Dusty Groove, adds that "spiritual angle that we love so much." Also a rare opportunity to hear Coltrane on bass clarinet. (Truth be told, I don't find the bass clarinet playing all that interesting.)

Can't wait for the Rollins and Kirk titles. The Evans and Simone will probably be good too.

Jack Sheldon is the "I'm Just A Bill" of West Coast Jazz. His epitaph: "I practiced. Chetty didn't."

Thurston left off some of those early Michel Portals. I still want to hear Jouck Minor.

And this just seems the stuff that was in Saida's possession. Ravi surely has additional tapes? I'd personally be most interested in unissued stuff post-1965.

Did Clark record anything after Leapin' and Lopin', live or as a sideman for anyone? He seemed on the cusp of a great (compositional) breakthrough.

The only Woods album that I really like is Warm Woods. The Japanese version has excellent sound. Very much worth seeking out. Woods has always been difficult for me to enjoy. His phrasing, intonation, sense of swing ... they're all perfect. He seems like the perfect alto player to me, and yet a sense of emotion, or there being something at stake in his solos, eludes me every time. I want to like Woods more, but few recordings have really worked for me. Warm Woods has been the only exception so far. Take Woods' absolute command of the horn and then add something like Julius Hemphill's ideas. That would be near my ideal alto saxophonist.

I can't find a copy of Storm Warning these days, but was thinking of purchasing Here And Now And Sounding Good, but would like to at least hear a few sound samples first. Anyone here have the latter album? I've heard There And Back, and it fairly smokes. I need to listen to It's Morrissey, Man! more. It hasn't grabbed me yet.

Thanks, Late. Have you heard anything about the 500 series? Are the 600s much better? I haven't heard/read anything about the 500 series, unfortunately. Clarke makes a good point about placement. Sometimes just pulling a speaker out about eighteen inches from the wall can make a considerable difference. Soundproofing is also something to consider. You can go crazy with professional soundproofing equipment, but I actually have had success with a homemade "solution": I purchased pre-stretched canvases from an art supply store, and then backed them with one-inch thick dense foam. Maybe I'm just convincing myself of "better" sound, but I do think it focuses the mid-range noticeably. A painter friend of mine, when he saw the canvases up on the wall, joked that the "paintings" must be from my "minimalist" period. (I don't even paint.)

If you play Kind of Blue and Blue Train at the same time, you can hear Marlene Dietrich sing The Star Spangled Banner.

If I recall correctly, Getz was getting (fairly/unfairly) bashed on the Blue Note board when, all of a sudden, his son popped in to say that he knew his dad had a reputation for sometimes being detached and aloof, but that on every birthday (the son's birthday), no matter where dad was, he'd call his son and play Happy Birthday over the telephone. Does anyone remember that from the BN board? Always struck me as poignant. (And I say all this in a Frank Wright thread. Not atypical. )

Though I'm not sure if they're made anymore, I've had very good results with these.