patricia

And now, Il Giganti Del JAZZ on CURCIO label. This is a series of live performances by Dizzy Gillespie's quintet, "Be Bop" Sarah Vaughan, singing with the quintet, "Embraceable You" Dizzy's quintet, "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" [an amazingly effective interpretation] Dizzy Gillespie's Big Band - "Things To Come" Miles Davis's Quintet, "Milestone" and Charlie Mingus and His Sextet. "Pithecanthropus Erectus" I just recently moved [again] and couldn't find this. Well, tonight I did. One of my favourite albums.

"Little darlin'" was so completely naff it was lovable. I always imagined the bass singer kneeling at the feet of some lovely young thing (in a white DJ, ruffle fronted shirt etc, as you describe), one hand on his heart, the other stretched out to her, singing in that ridiculously straight voice, as if he's making a speech, "My darling...." etc. Wonderful. But terrible. MG Exactly my reaction, even when it was first released. The bass voice reminds me of The Platters. For some reason though I have an uncontrollable desire to listen to dance music. So, I'm now listening to Enchanted Tangos. The band is somebody called Bela Sanders and his orchestra. Pretty tame, straighforward tangos. The magic of the tango has always been the dance itself more than the music. I'm following that with another album, released in 1956, called Calypso From The Virgin Islands. I guess the original owner of this album was on vacation and bought this while there. It's by The Mighty Zebra [the vocalist, who was a big star in that part of the world] with La Motta Brothers Virgin Isle Hotel Orchestra. They cover some of Harry Belafonte's stuff, plus do some other less well-known tunes, written by the afore-mentioned Mighty Zebra. The band is certainly enthusiastic.

The Diamonds - Live & Well Yes, the Little Darlin' group. They were a fairly run-of-the-mill singing group from my childhood years. This has covers of: Side 1 That is Rock 'n Roll Why Do Fools Fall In Love Charlie Brown Walkin' Along A Thousand Miles Away Splish Splash Sillhouettes Little Darlin' [their only, but monster hit] Side 2 Da Do Ron Ron One Summer Night The Stroll Church Bells May Ring Buddy Holly Medley [Maybe Baby, Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, That'll Be The Day] Misc. Medley [Earth Angel, You Send Me, Sincerely, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Tears On My Pillow, Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight] Barbara Ann. Fun. The cover is autographed by all four of the singers, Gary, Gary, Steve and Bob "To Trina", so I assume that it was bought at one of their re-union performances. They are wearing those white dinner-jackets, with ruffle-fronted shirts, like they are dressed for the prom. ...................................................... Now, for something more challenging, Lee Morgan - Memorial Album. Blue Note label.

In an era like ours in which we're inundated with information - with inexpensive LPs and CDs everywhere - there is something kind of poignant about records like the one you describe. I agree. I found it on a shelf at my primary vinyl source, alongside 10" albums by Clifford Brown, Harry James, Sarah Vaughan, Woody Herman and Rafael Mendez. I bought those, plus the 8 Top Hits. Warmed my heart.

1957, as I live and breathe! MG Izzackually. I also had Harry Belafonte's first album from the calypso craze. It was decades before I discovered that he has a jazz/blues background. I found his Belafonte Sings The Blues album a couple of years ago. Beautiful collection.

The first record I ever had, given to me with a little portable record-player was an "8 Top Hits" one. Those of you who remember those records know that they weren't compilations of the original performances, but covers by musicians and singers quite often not credited on the cover. But, this one was done by Don Raleigh and his Orchestra with Jimmy Perry and Les Young doing the vocals. I'm playing one now. The track list is: Round and Round Marianne Butterfly Almost Paradise Mama Look At Bubu Party Doll Teenage Crush I'm Walkin' These were not bad, although they were lacking the heart of the originals. But, for 99 cents for a 10" LP they were a way people could have versions of the hits of the day. Not bad.

Earlier: Dixieland Comes To Carnegie Hall - Stan Rubin and his Tigertown Five [a college band from U of P] - 10" LP recorded live November 27, 1954. Enthusiastic audience, cheering, shouting etc. Fun. Stan Rubin - clarinet Win Morgan - drums John Dengler - clarinet John Eaton - piano Eddie White - bass Bill Spilka - trombone And now: Muggsy Spanier and his Dixieland Band - another 10" LP, but on the EmArcy label. My favourite track on this collection is the very first one on Side A, "Lazy piano man," a slow, bluesey beauty.

America's Music - The Basin Street Six - 10" LP on the Mercury label. Sidney Bechet - Jazz Festival Concert Paris 1952 - 10" LP on Blue Note And just before that: Dixieland Jazz and Chicago - Will Bradley & orchestra Rex Stewart, Trigger Alpert, Bill Stegmeyer, Bud Freeman, Bud Lamonde and Dave Bowman. 10" LP on Waldorf Music Hall Records. Nice line drawings by Tracy Sugarman on the cover.

Clifford Brown Ensemble featuring Zoot Sims - 10"Vogue label. Brown, of course, is wonderful, as usual. Shelley Manne on drums. Favourite tracks are Blueberry Hill and Daahoud.

The Panassie' Sessions - RCA Vintage Series Sidney Bechet Pete Brown Al Casey Cozy Cole Sidney De Paris James P Johnson John Kirby Tommy Ladnier Mezz Mezzrow Frankie Newton This is a recording of the 1938 and 1939 sessions recorded for RCA and organized by Hugues Panassie. Pure New Orleans Jazz and one of my favourite collections.

When Sonny Blows Blue - Sonny Stitt - 1970 - Jamal label

Last year on Canada's clone of the show, "Canadian Idol" a young jazz-singer Theresa Sokyrka, was one of the two finalists. She was very good and I have her CD, "These Old Charms", which also contains three of her own compositions, along with her interpretations of songs usually identified with Billie Holiday and others, including Diana Kraal's "Come Away With Me". She was refreshing and did not attempt to mimic any of the more famous singers identified with any of the tracks. Her stage presence was not as glamourous as a professional jazz singer who might perform in a club. Perhaps somebody should have groomed her. She was obviously thrilled to finally have a huge audience and gracious to the young kid who did win. He [i forget his name] sang in a more familiar to the audience pop style and was also was very talented. He was a really cute young kid, with curley blonde hair and a winning personality. His voice was strong and he had a real connection with the material and with the audience. In this case, exceptional talent did win and the audience did not reject Sokyrka because she sang jazz, but because the winner had a better connection with the audience. Their talent was almost impossible to rate one ahead of the other. The personality and presentation aspects won out.

LOVE that collection. My dear friend, now sadly dead, copied his original record of that onto CD for me and I listen to it often. Beautiful. Working at home today and I am listening to "BIXOLOGY - Bix Beiderbecke 1924-1930" This is a 14 record boxed set which includes tracks by the Dorseys, Eddie Lang, Miff Mole, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, Adrian Rollini, Red Nichols, Pee Wee Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, Gene Krupa, Bing Crosby, Bud Freeman, Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Bubber Miley and others too. This is one of my very favourite collections of artists of that era. Marvelous!!

Sidney Bechet - Jazz Festival Concert - Paris 1952 - 10" on Blue Note 7024

I disagree. I think that Socrcese's "Gangs of New York" was amazing, aside from the casting miscalculation. Daniel Day Lewis totally overshadowed the star, Leonardo di Caprio, which I believe was unintended.

Let's Play Fats Domino On Imperial label.

Tonight I am watching the hockey game between the Flames and the Sabres, with the sound off. I am listening to Jimmy Smith's Keep On Comin'" preceded by "bashin' The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith" with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that has my favourite Jimmy, Walk On The Wild Side on it, and before that, "The Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes and "Jimmy Smith. BTW, at this point, my Flames are ahead one goal.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Andy!!! Cake, libation and friends all around. What could be better??

Thank you Ghost of Miles. I'm not used to being farther along life's path yet, so good wishes are appreciated.

Thank you MG. I was a perfect lady in the posh restaurant. I had to call on my training as a child, for which I am eternally grateful to my late mother. I even know what a fish knife is. Funny thing. My daughter actually remarked that she thought all my finickyness raising her was totally useless, until she entered the real world. Thanks Mom.

Thank you so much. It's been a great day! We Capricorns really know how to party.

PhillyQ, You're a sweetheart and I thank you. Catesta, I guess that calls for another glass of some very nice wine. Thank you. May I share with all of you the text of a card that my daughter and her boyfriend gave to me?? The front of the card is a very nice line drawing of a really thin blonde at a table, seemingly talking to the viewer. It reads: "On you Birthday, you might well ask, 'What's it all about?'" Open up the card and it says: "I mean besides putting you right foot in, your right foot out, doing the Hokey-pokey, and turning yourself about!" I smiled. They accompanied the card with Nora Ephron's new book I Feel Bad About My Neck. I guess Erin either likes Ephron's writing, or noticed the other books by her on my shelf as she was growing up.

I am that. Thank you Chris. Thank you Erik. Thank you Bentsy. Question. What's in the big box??

Thank you G.A.

Chuck, there are those born on Jan. 10.............. and those who had to settle for other days. We love you just the same. Thanks Sidewinder. Lee Morgan's masterpiece is in rotation.................on vinyl.