JSngry

Well, sure. If you're a warrior by heart, what comes after survival if not revenge?

Interesting question...but he was apparently a tap dancer as a kid, which I did not know! http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2008/08/wonder-of-philly-joe-jones-part-1.html

I've got to think that those impositions were part of what drove him to not crack when so many others did...and maybe that if he were ever able to truly reconcile all of it in a way that was fully objective (neither ignoring nor denying the scars, just, accepting them for what they are and moving on), he might not have had anything left to drive him. Maybe that's where the Hartt gig was taking him, maybe that's why the loss of "fire" that some hear in his later work...but for me, I still hear it, just not as up-front. It's so integral a part of his being, he HAD to have it. Dolly, yes, that story would probably be epic, but I keep looking at what i have to look at, and I see Jackie, always with a record deal, always with a gig, doing his damndest to be a junkie AND a family man, and...there's some strain of character there, some uber-tensility that is nothing short of death-defying, really. The few excepts we have of studio chatter show him to be an almost obsessively driven careerist, the Prestige thing where there's laughter, but with no small amount of threatening in the air, the BN bit where he's flat out cajoling PC to play it his way...this is a guy with more determination, not just ambition but determination, than most of his peers, friendly or otherwise. The way he held that Coronet gig, defended it against all "invaders", Freddie Redd might be his own worst enemy, but apparently Jackie didn't let that be a problem for anybody but Freddie, that's some hardcore business game right there. Jackie McLean was not going to have everything he wanted, but you can best be sure that what he had, he was going to keep by any means necessary. Man your stations, indeed. As serious as your life, definitely. Game on, always. Options? None, really. To do what he did in the various conditions that he was in, all of it imposed in some form or fashion, either from without or from within...that's one tough, seriously driven motherfucker. Hell, if this was not America, he could've ended up as Donald Trump, maybe. So be glad this IS America, at least as far as that goes...but seriously, that kind of drive needs fueling, and nothing fuels better or longer than a refusal to be trumped (no pun intended) by The Man With The Upper Hand, because that shit NEVER goes away. Jackie McLean - American Hero. One of the real ones.

I think I got "Night..." must've had my rely merged before you saw the end results. Also, personnel on "Things..." check the link-only image, also in the spot that get merged with one already there...the piano sound on that is pretty out there, really brittle and aggressive in quality, not jsut in playing, recorded sound. Crazy! The Plas Beecher cut, wow. By any measure a treasure.

Old school marching shows its military roots...loots of symetricality, shapes, block movements, counter marches, etc. The drum corps style is really quite abstract, seems to be more about the movement than the results (or, more to the point, the movement IS the result). The music is pretty different too, I've seen drum corps routines set to a Bartok string quartet, stuff like that. Percussion pits on the sidelines for the mallet instruments, jsut really...not old-school marching, not even a little. In my Music Ed training, we took a class on how to score a marching band routine (yes, score paper with a football field on it, and you write all the movements for all the people, with its own distinct notation). By the time my son did marching band, they had dropped that entirely and had moved on to drum corps style. The first time I saw it, I though that everybody was lost, I swear to god. But no, it's supposed to go like that. They move around, get to places stop and then move again, but never in anything really "linear", there's a lot of curves and swirls and things. as for Chicago Jazz Fest, geez, I wished I lived in anything even remotely approaching driving range...eight hours or less, it's a day trip afaic. I'd be there.

re: After Hours, yes, Erskine Hawkins, if that needs stating for the record. And Plas as Beecher...if there was only one Johnny Beecher album, I have it. Don't recall anything about it, though, and sure don't remember anything "exotic" like this. But Plas ALMOST had me thinking it was somebody else...or maybe it was my phone "speaker". But that guy, it's like a fingerprint, there's only so much disguising you can do, ya' know? the alto on "Night..". I may very well have that record...it sounds familiar...but it's been a while since I've really done any "retro" lsitening in regards t o my collection, I really like a steady influx of new (to me) things, and have for a while now. But I'm trying to think of who it might be...somebody like in the Johnny Otis or, on the other coast, Arthur/Red Prysock circuit...Jackie Kelso, Rusty Bryant, somebody like that. The cat's in no way bullshitting, the horn is being palyed with full command and feeling, I really like it. But I don't have a name handy, just a "type". That Wild Bill cut..unexpected! Even more so! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YTKz7EChtOk/U-OV4o4RMMI/AAAAAAAAEME/yc-9CQyzCXc/s1600/Wild+Bill.jpg Gotta be Rusty Bryan, everything fits: http://www.discogs.com/Rusty-Bryant-For-The-Good-Times/release/1045460 Do not own the record, but definitely have the music in my collection. I know of no Rusty Bryan records that aren't at least as good as this one, no matter the material, you knwo it was going to be played right. The man could play, and not just "interpret". Play.

Quite possible, but...the lack of blatant exaggeration relative to the two things before it was...curiously refreshing, perhaps?

You know, that guy saw and survived all the usual pitfalls of "the life", not just the drugs, but the emotional and financial traps. I suspect he knew how tough he was to have done so, tougher in a way that those who didn't amke it were not (no value judgement meant by that either, because, I do not know what drives people to not give in/up after others do...nature, nurture, both, who the hell can say? Not me.). Point just being that if you get through the minefield, you have have a combination of extreme relief AND a bit of "survivor's guilt" - and you also got a pretty good idea where the mines are planted, who put them there, and why. Those are some tough shoes to be in...I know we think fo people as "survivors", but I don't know that we always give full weight to the implications of all that surviving really entails...seems to me that it's a life long condition to endure, not just a "badge of honor" one gets pinned on them. Blessed for Life, Damned For Life, all at once. Or maybe that's just some Romantic Notion Of An Outsider, could be. But...scars they never fully heal, probably best to not expect them to, that's all.

The autumn weather has not yet begun to turn the leaves to flame, so I've got time for the rating game. 1955 - Sixteen Tons ohhellyeah ***** 1956 - Singing The Blues by Guy Mitchell - 0*, jive turekyass POS 1957 - You Send Me by Same Cooke 3.5*, love Sam Cooke, but this record, in retrospect, is reflective of so many unfortunate things 1958 - To Know Him, Is to Love Him by The Teddy Bears **** Might seem like a Fleetwoods ripoff, but that's just on the surface. A really touching performance of a song that goes places not required of its commercial aspirations, and hey, Phil Spector, birthed here. 1959 - Heartaches by the Number by Guy Mitchell 0*, fuck you, Guy Mitchell 1960 - Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley **, Fuck Elvis 1961 - Please Mr. Postman by The Marvelettes ***** The tightness of a new pocket. Hardly the apex of anything, but confide4nt enough to send a message 1962 - Big Girls Don't Cry by The Four Seasons ****, ***** if somebody gonna whine about it. Those Four Seasons records were what they were, and this might be my least favorite of them, but as far as records go, I cannot find fault, ever, and I really dig how, maybe just for grins?, there a tape speed falsetto instead of a real one on that last verse. Hello Bobs Crewe & Gaudio! 1963 - Dominique by The Singing Nun ***** for the sonic memory of bizzarity, 0 * if I actually have to hear it. My mom got the record for some reason, Phillips iirc, some weird deluxe packaging with watercolor prints by the good Sister herself, not even The White Album went this indulgent in terms of peripheral packaging. 1964 - Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton *, which is a more fuquitous rating than 0* I got no use for this or anything it allows and/or suggests. 1965 - Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) by The Byrds **** I'm more of an Eight Miles High kind of guy, but the sound of the intro on AM radio is still one of those vibrational imprints that appear to be permanent. But the song itself, outside of its immediate environment, borders on insipid whiny preacherness, moreso as the years go by. Oh well, sorry, Old Testament, can't have it all, Pop Song Coolness really not important in the grand scheme of things, right?. At least you killed Bobby Vinton for about a decade, thanks for that, Scriptures Of Vengeance! 1966 - Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************* 1967 - Daydream Believer by The Monkees *** In retropect, some Monkees songs really are classic Pop Records. This ain't one of 'em, but it's still fun to occasionally listen to Shorty Roger's orchestral chart in the background. 1968 - I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye ***** I still have a sof spor for Gladys' version, but this thing is a beast in its own jungle. Later Marvin moves me beyond words, but this is not that, proceed accordingly. 1969 - Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye by Steam ** Weirdeset, sloopiest drum track ever, makes ofr a still WTF? listening experience. and the AMG bio of the band is a must-read, hey, only in the music business. Otherwise, 0*, almost as bad as Bobby vinton and Guy Mitchell. Almost. 1970 - The Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************* What Good vibrations did for cello, this one did for bassoon, Smokey Robinson & Brian Wilson, different beginnings, different outcomes, but same popsongrecord geniuses while they were. 1971 - Family Affair by Sly and the Family Stone ************ Not as impactful a record as sly ever had on the radio, but every bit as powerful of a one. 1972 - I Am Woman by Helen Reddy 0* I Am Not (Impressed). but can somebody dig up the footage of her summer replacement show where here guest were B.b. King & The MJQ? There's a jam session at the end while the credits roll, Helen is singing "Everyday I Have The Blues" with both of them. I Am Incredulaous (At The Temerity). Bonus years, graduated High School in 1974 Birthday 1973 - Top of the World by The Carpenters -0*, yeah, it was all over by then. Graduation Day (estimated @ 5.27.74) - The Streak by Ray Stevens. America Eats Its Young.

What kind of marching are they doing? Old-school symmetrical or that modern drum corp abstraction?

Bobby Few

The difference is that Christmas comes but once a year.

I'll buy it, sounds like a quintessentially Belden-ian concept in all regards.

They do, they're just making underground hip-hop records now. Well, sorta. But I like today's findability odds better there than in jazz.

Trying something different this time, downloaded file to phone, listening on phone while at work, so this might get fragmented... No matter, the usual thanks and disclaimers remain firmly in place, so away we go. TRACK ONE - Perez Prado. No idea who the extreme plunger trumpet is, but by this time, Prado was using a lot of L.A. studio guys on his records, so it might be a "surprising" name! TRACK TWO - Can't say that it failed to hold my interest, as it never really got it. Long vamp on the beginning leading into a nice but severely overplayed tune, that Black Orpheus song...it might be McCoy, but I really hope not. Really not digging that drummer, sounds like somebody totally misunderstanding (or, perhaps, misappropriating) latter-day Tony Williams. I mean, everybody's obviously a good player, and I'm sure they mean what they say, it's just that...not feeling it right now, none of it. "Strumming guitar" piano is not enough of a difference to make one. TRACK THREE - Oh crap, I know that voice...or apparently not...but that voice and that two sax horn section, SO familiar...and again, apparently not. But it sure sounds good, I like that. Es Cubano, no? TRACK FOUR - Perez Prado again, but earlier than the first one. "Pianolo". Earlier Prado is pretty intense and inventive. Gimmicky sometimes, but in the Don Ellis way of being willing to try anything once, more than once if it feels good. This is dated as 1950, so the dissonances might ave been "gimmicky" (and perhaps inspired in part by Stan Kenton), but they were also knowing. Props to Prado in my book, if not Unconditional Love. But that earlier stuff, yeah, let me hear that! TRACK FIVE - Dude's looking to throw down! Guitar player is interesting. Sounds more "African" than "Latin" to me, not sure how that plays out in reality, though. Pretty smokin' cut, no matter what. TRACK SIX - Plas Johnson? No? Hal Singer? Gator, maybe? Not sure who put the tympani in there, seems like that's relevant. Beautiful cut, phrasing is just right, tone meets rhythm in that sweet spot that only happens when it's real. Love this one. TRACK SEVEN - A Night In Nocturne. SO glad the intro was just a trick. Don't think that's Hank Crawford, almost sounds like Red Holloway playing alto...no idea, really. It's good, but I'd like to hear the rest of the record before saying how good. Everything sounds real on this one track, but...fakery abounds these days, and over the long haul gets exposed. But yeah, Red Holloway on alto? TRACK EIGHT - Like the chromatic coda, but otherwise, would not string along with this, much less risk getting strung out on it...it's exaggerated subtlety, if that makes any sense. TRACK NINE - Tenor violin? The only tenor violinist I can name is Harry Lookofsky. But it sounds like the organist's date. It's cheesy as hell, but in all the right ways. At 2:18, the perfect length to get lost in all the things that are happening, all of which are good. I really like the guitar, a part like that, he margin for error is incredibly high, really one one or two ways to get it right, and this is one of them. Kenny Burrell? TRACK TEN - "Rocks In My Bed" or so it begins. Cootie-ish trumpet. Piano player is crazy like Earl Hines. Oh, and here's some violin, quoting "The Champ". And now guitar, for some reason. Maybe some Ellingtonia? Maybe not? TRACK ELEVEN - The only vocal version of this I know is Johnny Griffin's on Okeh, and this is not that. This one kinda sounds like it was recorded by RCA, so that opens up all kinds of possibilities, which is another way of saying that I have no idea. TRACK TWELVE - Now that's an odd one! On my phone, the tenor's tone sounds like early John Gilmore.But it's a little too glib for Gilmore? No idea, really, it's an interesting combination of ingredients from all angles. TRACK THIRTEEN - Roy Eldridge? Not Pete Brown? Vic Dickenson? Sounds like one of those mid-40s indie things that got reissued so much on Savoy in the mid/late 70s. At some point they all sorta blend together, which is not a bad thing, really, but makes for a rough go when it comes to sleuthing, which is also not a bad thing. TRACK FOURTEEN - Well, they never are, are they. Not sure if I understand the purpose of this record...lots of Ellington "effects", but to waht end? If it's jsut to be "entertaining", well, I guess puzzlement of purpose is its own form of entertainment...but it sounds too real to be that superficial, so, what was the object of the record? A quick one for a 45, or a side-closer of an LP? A juicy throwaway at session's end? I'm left wanting more, and in this case, it feels like more is there to be had. But isn't. So,,,not sure. TRACK FIFTEEN - "After Hours", is there any trick to this one, or is this just straight-up the original? That thing stayed popular for years, probably still is on jukeboxes somewheres. And with good reason. TRACK SIXTEEN - What have we got here, one of those Prestige/Bluesville things? It's good, and I always like hearing the alto played hard like that. Is that Tiny Grimes on acoustic guitar? TRACK SEVENTEEN - Same guitarist? Jack McVea? Sounds a little insincere/calculating/whatever, to be honest, more like porn. Not really feeling the love here. TRACK EIGHTEEN - More sproingy guitar, surely not the same guy/girl again? Be-Bop T-Bone, the only name that comes readily to mind is, again, Tiny Grimes. Although, other possibilities, no doubt. Sounds like the same band as the last one, only with echo added. this style of tenor playing devolved so far into Hack Hell, that even if this is somebody good and sincere (and geez, I hope it's not Lynn Hope...), it almost doesn't matter...especially when applied to alto...you've not been music-violated until you get some guy up on the stand armed with just a horn, a figurative (or literal) hardon, and the inability to do nothing more than swoop and slur like this and, oh yeah, they're always dressed up too much to be serious, but seriousness does not stop them, nothing does, world gone wrong, cheapness in not your friend, ever, better to be poor than cheap. TRACK NINETEEN - Same thing, only not cheap. Thank you. TRACK TWENTY - Big Maybelle! At long last, love! I thought I loved Dakota Staton's version until I heard this one. Then I realized that there's more than one kind of love, and some of them don't involve having anything to say about it, such as this thing here. TRACK TWENTY-ONE - Ok, yeah, I still love this, used to get played with hard regularity on a Sunday afternoon jazz show on KZEY-AM, Soul 69, Tyler Texas. For years, I jsut assumed the arrangement was a slackerly Thad Jones, but no, Manny Albam, didn't see that one coming. No disrespectto Dakota, there was only one Big Maybelle, appearances notwithstanding, so, what can I say? Love is strange. TRACK TWENTY-TWO - Yeah, that is interesting, when was this recorded? Seems like the influence of "Stormy Monday" was in the air. and that's a groove you could lay down and take a nap on. Is that French? Is he talking dirty? I wish French food tasted as dirty as the sound of the language, to be honest, I'm not really into eggs and sauces and all that rolled into one light plateful, with or without mustard. And I don't really like wine, either. Yet this song holds a strange appeal for me, precisely because it is music, not food. Members, don't get weary, beginners, take heed. So, wow, that was a lot of songs,especially while also working. But I got a new app on my phone for zip files, and it works. First Smartphone BFT I've ever worked with, but, still, not going to post responses via phone, only have two thums and 24 hours in a day to work with. But the music was mostly excellent, for which I am always grateful. So, thank you!

Day job.

An ok movie, I could have done without all the "action" sequences and the effects therein, more or less fluffyfiller in between real story, but here's a question, Dustin Hoffman might have made a great Holmes, just probably with no accent, please.

He knows the right changes, always.

16 Tons, hellyeah.

Norman Granz should have had a Pablo Records Thanksgiving Day Parade, just like Macy's. Think of all the great giant helium balloons the label's roster would have made - and they would still be with us today.

I get no small satisfaction just hearing a guy who's found an organic starting point that many people could not even conceive of as a transitional point, never mind a destination point. The really good stuff, icing on cake, etc.

Oh, don't pay good money for it, hell no, it's not THAT good. More like second-hand store/Internet Is Your Friend good.

Jimmy Page, stealing blues records, destroying all the evidence.

The Stones Jazz is actually pretty darn good overall. I'll play that one of free will sometimes.

Again, the question is asked. Jeez, the world is vomit deep in pop sluthos, male and femal, and it's all supposed to be "hot", all this woman does is use her eyes, and I'm not just turned on, I'm in love, now and forever. World, go take a showerbath and come back clean, bring it correct, and maybe then, maybe then.