JSngry

Randy Weston Eddie South Nathan East

Does Cal Massey count?

Definitely. And not just on this series. Dance was one of the true advocates for this type of jazz, and he understood the life it represented better than most who wrote about it. Yeah, he didn't really dig bop (although, based on his writngs in Jazz Journal International, away from American eyes, I do believe that a lot of his later antagonistic words towards bop were as much posturing to make a point as they were anything - after all, he wrote the first piece on McCoy Tyner, and it was a favorable one), but he dug how the whole organ scene evolved, and what it represented in terms of the "sociology" of it all. The cat knew, and that's more than I can say about a lot of more supposedly "sophisticated" critics. It took me a while to realize that he was more than the Duke Ellington Pimp that my first encounters with him in the 70s led me to believe. But once I got into reading what he had to say, I realized that, yeah, Stanley Dance didn't talk about everything, didn't care about everything. And what he didn't like, he didn't like in no uncertain terms. But what he did like, he knew and knew damn well. Stanley Dance was a motherfucker.

35.5? Seriously, congratulations & best wishes!

Aye Guy Charlie Chan Raymond Chandler

William H. Luden Allan Ludden Ned Ludd

What she does in her off-camera time is of no concern to me. Just keep bringin' it to the stage, babe.

Pete Fountain Al Hirt Don Payne

My first response. Exactly.

I'm just passing it on as I get it. (and I know there's a good joke there, so carpe diem!)

Theneria, that's her name.

That high altitude's a bitch.

Latest "off-the-record official word" is December 27. We shall see.

DOH! (thanks!)

This will hopefully be as much of a tribute to Stanley Dance as it will anything else. He deserves it.

No doubt a stupid question, but is the EP in fact a different take of the tune than what's on the LP set?

I kid you not - it was between this one and Dancing In Your Head as to what last week's AOTW was going to be, This is a fine album. Not Konitz' "best" or anything, but the various duets reveal a player who really has no limits other than those of expectations put on him by others, which he routinely goes about ignoring, bless him. I think the Ray Nance duet might well be my favorite, Ray getting into the free improv setting, and the Brown my least favorite (something about Brown just leaves me feeling like I've gotten all that I have a right to expect, in a non-satisfactory way). The rest of it is never less than interesting, and often quite captivating. Such an album from such a player was a bold concept back in that day, and as Konitz' inaugural album on Milestone, first of a very good run, it was a pretty bold "career move" for him and the label. Not that Lee's ever been a "career move" kinda guy... I hope that lots of people who haven't heard it take advantage of the spotlighting of this album and get on about checking it, and Lee Konitz' Milestone (and beyond) work, out. There is so much richness to be found. Accusations of "coldness", etc. are nothing more (or less) than matters of personal taste, as is the old argument over the "true jazz" quality of his playing. Again, purely personal taste. When viewed objectively, in terms of what he actually plays, the guy's a true giant of improvisation, period.

Oh, so it's a Christmas album?

That's a good, not great album. Certainly enjoyable, and since this is your main bag, perhaps even more than that for you. I'd go for it.

Thomas Dewey Dewey Redman Red Barber

1977, would this be what the kids today are calling "vinyl"?

I believe you are correct.

What Chuck said times 4!

Mary Worth Judge Parker Jo Jones

Redd Foxx Demond Wilson Paul Desmond