DrJ

Hey Tod, all the best to you, and glad to see you checking in. Get better fast!

Looking at the controversy objectively, it seems clear to me that JazzTimes has nothing to hide. I find nothing in their actions to indicate he has a legitimate beef. Did anyone not read Nat Hentoff's column in the latest issue? Now, I heartily disagree with old Nat (who I admire tremendously) regarding his take on Crouch's firing - I just think he flat out got it all wrong, focusing on the smokescreen Crouch created and probably not aware of the more mundane but critical issues, such as the inability to make a deadline - but the point is that JazzTimes published Hentoff's column, which included a pretty stinging indictment of JazzTimes over this whole issue! Now that doesn't seem like a magazine that's not up to a little diversity of opinion and self-criticism, does it? Neither does their printing of many "con" letters concerning the firing in the same issue, including one by jazz guitarist Russell Malone. The sad thing is that through his sensationalist and self-serving rhetoric, Crouch is if anything turning people away from reasonable, meaningful dialogue about an important issue. There IS a problem with racial inequities, in jazz journalism as in many other arenas in the U.S., that seems pretty clear to me. It needs to be confronted. It just so happens that the issue of Crouch's firing has zilch to do with that issue, and by trying to make the connection, Crouch not only discredits himself but will undoubtedly lead many who are turned off by his antics - maybe, for example, those who happen to be white males and are sick and tired of being referred to collectively as "the problem" - to discount or, worse yet, totally avoid the issue of racial disparities in society. Nice move, Stanley. Whatever Crouch may have been at one time, he comes off as a pompous, boring, and apparently desparate windbag in his recent writings. There are a lot of interesting parallels between his "evolution" and that of Amiri Baraka...people who started off with real promise and talent, channeling some righteous and on-target anger concerning very real inequities in this country, and then in effect de-volved in their professional pursuits (I don't care so much about their personal lives and can't comment on that anyway - so none of this is addressed at these men as people) into something that is sadly quite the opposite - all the outrage with none of the intelligence, and a complete inability to discriminate accurately among various issues to identify those that actually have anything to do with racial politics and those that do not. Vis a vis the recent "do you believe in a higher power?" thread: if there is such a higher power, and a "hell" as fundamentalists would have us believe, then in that hell, many of the CDs would be recordings of Baraka reading his more recent poetry, and all the tray cards would contain reprints of Crouch's later Wynton Marsalis album liner notes.

Hard to add much to those eloquent comments. I would say that for me this is a GREAT Ellington unit album for a few reasons - consistency, recording that captures the impact of the band, and most importantly a wonderful representation of both the beauty AND contained but still remarkable power of the band. In other words, it alternately carresses and swings the listener nearly to death! While I understand the comments about use of eastern elements maybe sounding a bit contrived at times, on the whole I think Ellington and Strayhorn admirably avoided that. It sounds like the Ellington organization, really.

32 Jazz reissued THE FREE SLAVE in 1998:

I'd suggest NOT passing up those Hep Wilsons if you find them. I have the lot, and they are outstanding. There is some overlap but it's great to have the other tunes, in GOOD sound - and that's where I find Hep outstrips a lot of the other labels putting out material from this era, including the French Classics series, which is really inexcusably uneven in the sound quality category in my opinion.

"OHH, OOHH, Mis-ter Kot-ter...my name...is Bah-ry AltschUWAL...snort...heh, heh, heh, heh..."

Hey, that's cool. Not everyone likes everything! I am curious though Out2Lunch -what do you think about the bass solo that opens the album CONGLIPTIOUS, "Tutankhamen"? I find it's very melodic and traditionally "musical" (not to mention phenomenal to my ears and beautifully, realistically recorded - a great "true" bass viol sound). Have you heard all the material and specifically this piece? Might serve as a nice way "in" if not...assuming you're even interested, you may not be (which is certainly OK!).

Oops, just remembered I inadvertently cheated a bit on 32 Jazz's behalf on that B-3 compilation - was actually a Label M deal (although kind of one in the same, no?).

That Al Cohn/Zoot Sims cover always reminded me of the backgrounds they used to put behind Jack Handy's DEEP THOUGHTS segment on Saturday Night Live (or a really cheesy Hallmark card, same difference!). There were a few that weren't TOO horrible: Captures the era of the recording well, no? Woody looks like he's cultivating a "good fella" pose in that one, but kind of nice overall. (Because ONE James Moody just isn't enough...) ALMOST a winner, then they had to go and muck it up by using every available font color in their desktop image editing program for no apparent reason... This one is nice, creative photo, and somehow captures the "confined" nature of Brooks' life (and I don't mean that as a crack, it's truly sad) And who could forget:

So much great music! I can't really pick favorites, they change over time, but the ones that are getting me going most recently are: Leader dates IN 'N' OUT OUR THING The live Milestone date with Woody Shaw SO NEAR, SO FAR The Verve big band session Sideman Renee Rosnes - FOR THE MOMENT (Blue Note) Joanne Brackeen - ANCIENT DYNASTY (Tappan Zee) Little Johnny C - JOHNNY COLES (Blue Note) Miroslav Vitous - INFINITE SEARCH (Embryo) Valery Ponomarev - PROFILE (Reservoir) Couple of things to comment on: first, Joe seems to have been, for lack of a better way of putting it, a "jazz feminist" in the best way, approaching collaborations with female musicians as true equals but in a refreshingly unshowy, "I'm making a statement" way (I regret that I never did get a chance to hear the all-female group he had behind him). Second, the guy just enlivened everything he played on. On the Rosnes date, the music is kicked up several notches in the intensity department on the tracks he's featured on (including a knock-out version of Woody Shaw's "The Organ Grinder.").

Man, I just listened to CONGLIPTIOUS again yesterday evening...I cannot WAIT for this box to arrive. Nothin' at all "frivolous" in that collection, although certainly well-placed use of humor is abundant.

THE REAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS - Jack M. Hollander. Nice, rational, evidence-based (when possible), and refreshingly un-hysterical look at the salient points and trouble spots in the often crazed debate about man's impact on Mother Earth. My wife and I have recently also worked through a whole slew of birth and baby preparedness books...quite an amazing industry, considering these things happen whether one reads about it or not, and have of course been happening in most parts of the world without books since the dawn of time! We've also been reading a lot of things to the baby (due any day) in the evenings - fun for dad to feel him first start moving at the sound of my voice and then fall asleep. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (Maurice Sendak of course!), MY DADDY AND ME (Jerry Spinelli), and the first 1/4 or so of the latest Harry Potter tome are the most recent. Ghost of Miles: I read THE QUIET AMERICAN last year, before the movie (which I still haven't seen) and agree it's pretty gripping.

Yep, the word "essential" comes to mind. Roswell Rudd! Roswell Rudd! Roswell Rudd!

Never one of my very favorite Mobley dates, but solid and enjoyable. I think what's been said already captures it - as far as the front line is concerned, nobody is having their best day. On the plus side, everyone sounds relaxed and cool, but on the down side, there is a critical element of tension or drive lacking somehow. Fuller seems largely wasted, too - what, no compositions? This was an era when he was churning out some GREAT ones for the Messengers. I think it would have been well to play up his writing and trombone a bit. Still, this FAR exceeds much in the pocket, mainstream modern jazz recorded by other mere mortals before or after. Several other things struck me on re-listen: 1. A remastering is DEFINITELY overdue. It would give an extra sparkle and certainly improve the sound of the ensembles. 2. This may be one of Billy Higgins' finest hours on Blue Note. He is just on fire. Listen to "The Morning After" especially. Cranshaw has less of an impression but again it may partially be a remastering thing. But Higgins, this has to be some of his best playing for Lion and he's captured well on the recording. 3. I had forgotten this date had a version of one of my favorite Mobley compositions, "Third Time Around." (I don't play CADDY as much as a lot of other Mobleys for the reasons outlined above). I don't like this interpretation quite as much as the one on STRAIGHT NO FILTER but it's still pretty swell. What a great, hip song! That "da duuuh dah, da duuuh duh" release back into the main melody just builds an incredible amount of tension and momentum. So overall, glad to see this one singled out for careful attention, I enjoyed pulling it out from "the archives."

Horace Tapscott. At his best, whether it be in solo, trio, or large group configurations, his music often takes me up to the heavens. Another one whose music is starting to have that impact on me is Zbigniew Namyslowski, the very fine Polish saxophonist. An album like WINOBRANIE (Power Brothers) is certainly transcendent, even as it sketches impressions of something as earthly as an Eastern European "wine feast."

An update for the interested - The Music Resource now lists my order as "completed" on their Web site, so I'm assuming it is actually something they carry. Will keep people posted on when/if it actually arrives. $58 is a nice bargain for the brand new set, couldn't pass it up. I don't think ordering from them should hurt Chuck or his reissue plans - they had to pay him to get it to sell to me after all, no? Better than buying it used I suppose...

I haven't heard this one yet, hope to soon. Can't quite keep up with this juggernaut of a tro - still digesting and enjoying the fine WHISPER NOT (ECM).

ubu said: Yep, got it on my "wish list," and since I'm going through the Mosaics by release date, that is one of the very next ones on my list!

Yeah, the slow tempo thing with Horn is simply unbelievable...the stuff would just fall apart in lesser hands. Jim, you're right Scott is one of the only others who can hang with Shirely in that category, and you may be interested to know that I picked up the fabled FALLING IN LOVE IS WONDERFUL (Tangerine/Rhino) CD reissue based on your accolades back on the BNBB. I totally agree that it's a monumental recording, amazing to think about how that music just sat in the vaults forever and was pulled off the shelves before it had a chance to make its destined impact. Anyway, it now sits alongside my personal favorite of Ms. Horn's (YOU WON'T FORGET ME - Verve) as a shining example of sublime balladry.

Incredible pictures, Lon, THANK YOU for sharing them!

What a sad thing to happen. I hope she is able to work with the prosthesis over time and perhaps get back to accompanying herself up to the level of her own exacting standards. Horn is one of my favorite vocalists because of her ability to get across the deeper meanings in a lyric, to communicate emotionally. This news really tugs at my heart.

Inspired choice!

I enjoy many, many ECM recordings. I can't say exactly what the technical issues are behind the sound, but I would say there is most definitely a relatively uniform sonic impact on these recordings, a house sound, which is remarkable given the diversity of the music being played and the range of musicians playing it (many of whom, incidently, were steeped in American blues and coming out of the African-American musical tradition, so I don't think that this is a European vs. American aesthetic issue at all). So you have albums like Enrico Rava's PILGRIM AND THE STARS, Paul Motian's DANCE Jan Garbarek's TWELVE MOONS, Sam Rivers' CONTRASTS, the Metheny stuff, and Dave Holland's POINTS OF VIEW, for example, all having a relatively uniform label sound, and that sound remains distinctive across a range of listeners and listening systems. Look at the players included on these and other ECM albums, which includes people like Rivers and Julian Priester and Dewey Redman, and you have to realize there are other factors at play in the sound rather than an absence of players with blues featuring prominently in their musical development. To me, it's really no different a situation than the Rudy Van Gelder classic era BN sound (albeit the RVG and Eicher signature sounds are ultimately very different of course)...sure, not every ECM album sounds exactly the same, and the music being played is varied, but the sonic impact is generally unmistakable and is probably down simply to the producer/engineer combo rather than anything more involved. I wouldn't call the ECM sound cold, emotionally distant, anything negative at all, but there is pretty clearly to me a sense of space and physical distance between the musicians and the listeners, not what I'd call an intimate, living room, horn of the sax in your face kind of sound. It's gorgeous and arresting most of the time, whatever you call it.

I snagged the Basie CD last weekend and let me tell you it SMOKES. The remastering is very vivid, packs a great wallop. Malcom Addy did the tape transfers, and it really shows - that guy is fast becoming my hero! Worth the upgrade from a so-so LP pressing and THEN some.

1. That cover of the old pop song "Venus" that came out a few years back - Bananarama I think - always sounded like in the chorus they were saying "I'm your penis..." instead of "venus." 2. One of my buddies, as a teenager, used to think Elton John's line in "Bennie in the Jets" was: "Oh, but the weed and it's wonderful" instead of "Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful" Tells you where HIS head was around that time...