makpjazz57

I usually made a trip out to the west coast once or twice a year to visit my close friends, Kay and Andy Simpkins! I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss both of them. Andy passed away in June of 1999. Now, I'm wishing my memory was better 'cause he always had stories from being on the road with the Three Sounds and always talked as if those were very happy years. I do remember that he spoke of being in Washington D.C. ( I think) - young and still "wet behind the ears" and how honored he was to have Sonny Stitt play with them! Oh, and on one of my trips out there - the man who had just left Kay and Andy's guestroom several days previous...Bill Dowdy! Marla

Hello Chris, I was reading the liner notes to Carmen's "Alive!" CD and you made reference to Carmen doing a recording of Monk's tunes. Would it be correct to assume that you did liner notes for the CD release of this recording post-1988 (the year the Monk recording was made)? Also, curious to know if you were fortunate enough to be in the audience for the Alive! Village Gate recordings? Regards, Marla

Hey Mark, Happiest of b-days to you and thanks for sharing your talent with us! I love your photos and your sincere love of the music and the musicians playing it! Marla

Unless I missed something at WGBH's website, this film won't be on PBS in Boston until April 13 at 5 in the morning. Marla

A partial exaggeration, but it seems as though every CD Bobby Timmons appears on features a badly out of tune piano. It has become a joke between a musician friend and myself that any piano poorly out of tune is bestowed the honor of being called a "Bobby Timmons piano." Marla

Brother of Gene Quill? Marla

Cannonball Addict - Love your avatar - that is one of my all time favorite Woody Herman Recordings - Woody's Winners. Just love the 60's Herd with Nistico, Pierce, etc. Marla

Shame no great artists will play there. Well, maybe at least for the opening they could try to get Horace Silver there, though I know he isn't playing live and/or traveling much anymore. Maybe they will get some folks like Barry Harris to play the opening (they would if I was on the the "book the music" committee)! Marla

Yes, still on 118th Street in Harlem, where it has been since opening. Bascially looks the same from the outside. What is missing is the original awning, which can be seen in the famous William Gottlieb photo outside of Minton's around 1947 with Monk, Teddy Hill and Roy Eldridge. The inside was damaged badly back in the 70's by a fire. The famous mural had smoke damage, but was completely preserved. Marla

I tend to listen to my cable TV provider's straight ahead jazz station provided by Music Choice - this morning, so far, they've played Bill Charlap, Monk, Marty Paich, Jim Snidero and Kenny Barron...not too shabby! Marla

Pretty funny! If all else fails, I just might do that! I've read so much regarding the history of Minton's, as well as the failed re-openings. I hope whatever jazz magazines do an article - that they dig deep enough because the history of the re-opening efforts alone are fascinating - Then we get to the jazz history - if those walls could talk...wow! Marla

I am soooooo happy about this I can barely contain myself!!! Now, I've got to figure out how to get an invite to the re-opening!!! Marla

Both Lovano and is wife, vocalist/educator Judi Silvano are very nice folks. In 2002, Lovano and other Woody Herman alumni were featured (along with Frank Tiberi and the current Woody Herman "herd") in a tribute to Woody Herman which was also a ceremony to commemorate the moving of Herman and his wife Charlotte's remains to a nicer final resting place in the Hollywood Forever Cemetary. The gal was held right on the cemetary grounds. I had the opportunity to ride in a van with Lovano from the hotel to the cemetary and told him how excited I was about his upcoming release, 52nd Street Themes, as I was a huge fan of Tadd Dameron's compositions and I knew he was going to feature Tadd's compositions on the new recording. His eyes lit up and he talked a bit with me about the CD, genuinely interested in happy to talk. A great guy, yes and what a thrill to hear him with Andy McGhee and other Herman alumni that evening. I'm looking forward to the May release of the 2nd recording of Lovano/Jones/Mraz Motian (I think this is the date of the release). Marla

Wow!!! 50 years ago tomorrow... Marla

Getting to hear saxophonist Steve Grossman at the Grand Street Bar, NYC was a very memorable live gig, too. Marla

Don't they rotate? Or revolve? Or whatever it would be? --eric Not sure, Eric. Next time I'm up in Quincy, MA (only location I know of in my neck of the woods), I'll take a peek. B-) Marla

Years ago, someone told me about the way places such as Boston Market cook 'dem 'dere chickens - they are stacked in a bg 'ol rotisserie and all the greeeeeeesy stuff is dripping from the top chicken on down, so by the time you get to that poor 'ol bottom chicken - it is a greaseball. Now, I love some greeeeeeeesy stuff and back in the 80's frequented Fattburger in L.A., but I wouldn't want to be the recipient of that bottom chicken!!!! Marla

Dorn is! I had the pleasure of meeting him about 3 weeka ago at the Jazz Standard in NYC - talented guy and a real jazz fan. I have the Joe Williams Cd (posted to the "What are you listening to" thread on 2/24 - date I rec'd the CD). Priceless - despite the bad weather, low turnout at the gig, sounds like Joe and the band are having a ball. The liner notes are a great read, as Dorn speaks of his personal experiences with Williams. This CD is a "must have," as it is yet another important part of jazz history. There's always something special about live recordings when everything comes together and the musicians are having fun. For those of us not old enough to have the good fortune of walking into Minton's, Birdland, The Royal Roost, etc., we at least get to hear what it was like, if not experience it live and in person! Marla

Marla, I saw Benny this past September at the Chicago Jazz Festival and he looked/played well.....big smile on his face the entire time (not when he was actually playing ). Mark That is great news!!! Thanks, Mark. Seems as though older jazz legends and the younger musicians are so much more health conscious today. I know that doesn't speak for everyone, but just my perception based on what I've read, who I know personally, etc. Marla

How is Benny Powell doing health-wise? So glad to hear he is teaching and gigging. Didn't he go on dialysis a long time ago? Marla

I recently picked up pianist Bill Mays' "An Ellington Affair" with John Goldsby and Lewis Nash. I like buying from cdbaby because the artist gets a decent portion of the profit - CDbaby takes $4.00 per CD. Several other Bill Mays CDs available at cdbaby and I'd recommend anything by Mays. His playing this past October on the Jazz Cruise was astounding. Marla

Leave it to this great board. Did a search here and came up with this thread on Booker Ervin. I do have The Blues Book, but that's about it. I was doing some work on my PC and had MusicNet@aol going on "shuffle." MusicNet allows you to listen on line, user-controlled. to thousands of jazz tunes - one of my choices today was Stolen Moments from "Structurally Sound." Reminded me of how much I love Ervin's style of playing. Also, Ervin, like Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley, Prez and others - you know you are listening to Ervin after just a few notes! Marla

Just send in a donation. Times like this, I wish I was a wealthy girl so I could donate more. Marla

There's also a lot of pianists who spend/spent a great deal of their lives accompanying others - still monster mucians on their own gigs, as well as master accompanists. Brad already mentioned Gerry Wiggins (spent many years with Lena Horne and Helen Humes). The late George Gaffney played for many vocalists - I always loved hearing him in a duo/trio format. Frank Colett (sp?), Norman Simmons, just to name a few. Marla

Marla, Stereo Jack has/can get this 2 CD set. That's where I got mine. Just ask Jack to special order it. It was under $20 for the set. Kevin HI Kevin, Thanks...will call Jack today and ask him to special order. You are a wealth of information! Thanks, Marla