Joe

Phil Freeman is a frequent contributor to THE WIRE. He also used to write occasional pieces for BAGATELLEN.

Or, if you want to hear Hill in a more "accessible" context, check out his early sideman appearances... Hank Mobley, NO ROOM FOR SQUARES Walt Dickerson, TO MY QUEEN Joe Henderson, OUR THING No Hill compositions, but, there are insights to be had from a close listen to his accompaniments.

I'll throw a slight curveball and recommend DUSK, which, to my ears, is one of the most satisfying of Hill's later recordings. The other players aren't quite household names, but they really understand Hill's music, and give some inspired performances (I think Billy Drummond in particular sounds great here.)

Some of my favorite Big Joe can be found on the late-40s National sides collected on this Savoy compilation: Big Joe Turner / Pete Johnson, ATOMIC BOOGIE

Just finished Nathalie Sarraute's TROPISMS. Now I'm flipping through James Wagner's THE FALSE SUN RECORDINGS (for all you readers of contemporary American poetry.)

Dunno why, maybe I shouldn't be, but kind of (pleasantly) surprised to see so MUCH love here for EAST COASTING.

In the 90's (or heyday of indie record shops), Bucks owned and operated 14 RECORDS here in Dallas, just off Lower Greenville and at the end of my block. I used to walk up there often and ogle the many rarities -- 8-track and otherwise -- he would routinely bring into the store... I remember the day he finally procured NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS in that format. Bucks is also a huge fan of Tiny Tim's, and organized what he called "Tinypalooza" not long after the performer's death. Oh, and he was also partly responsible for the famed / infamous [?] Brave Combo - Tiny Tim collaboration... Their version of "stairway to Heaven" has to be heard to be believed. And I mean that it beggars belief in a good way, i.e., you may think you know what Tiny Tim's all about, but... good to know Bucks is still out there guarding the fringe.

I'll cheat... Studio: -- EAST COASTING -- PITHECANTHROPUS ERECTUS -- LET MY CHILDREN HEAR MUSIC Live: -- AT THE BOHEMIA -- AT ANTIBES -- JAZZ PORTRAITS: MINGUS IN WONDERLAND

Thanks Brownie. I think I have seen all or portions of this session out there on the tubes.

Was this originally issued on (one of) the Hat label(s)?

I think I've mentioned this recording before in another context, but it also seems to fit here: Rob Schwimmer, THEREMIN NOIR (yes, a theremin-led trio completed by Uri Caine and Mark Feldman) More info: http://www.polygraphlounge.com/Rob/thereminnoir.html

From what I've read, most of the complaints re: the Contemporary sides have to do with the supporting casts. But, IMO, Walter Norris does some valiant work on SOMETHING ELSE, and I really like Shelly Manne's (admittedly, sometimes self-consciously "hip") contributions to TOMORROW IS THE QUESTION.

I thought so. As a kid I could hear that in the music anyways. It also depends upon which part of Texas we're talking about / looking at. San Antonio, Austin and Houston are all within about 3 hours driving distance of each other, but Doug Sahm does not equal Roky Erickson does not equal The Red Krayola. Go a few miles north and none of them equal Bugs Henderson, who does not equal Bnois King. Then again, a lot of people do not equal Bnois King... Or Brother Vernard Johnson, for that matter.

I thought so. As a kid I could hear that in the music anyways. It also depends upon which part of Texas we're talking about / looking at. San Antonio, Austin and Houston are all within about 3 hours driving distance of each other, but Doug Sahm does not equal Roky Erickson does not equal The Red Krayola.

I'm confused (as is often the case). Is this the actual performance Allen's taking about? (One of the comments suggests that a performance from Woodstock was deleted form Youtube.) If not, id it on an available cd? (My wife heard this and just mentioned that she saw Johnny Winter at Massey Hall.) To the best of my knowledge and recollection, yes, this is the Woodstock performance.

Also, to the best of my knowledge, Joe Harriott's SOUTHERN HORIZONS (Jazzland) has never made it to CD... though were these sessions leased for American release? Ditto Shake Keane's IN MY CONDITION

Two early Islands: Harold McNair, AFFECTIONATE FINK (w/ Alan Branscombe, David Izenzon and Charles Moffett) [Worth the double mention] Ernest Ranglin, WRANGLIN' (w/ Malcolm Cecil and Alan Ganley)

Well, I hear a couple of (admittedly brief) touches a la the Butterfiled Blues Band's "East-West" in Winter's solo... or maybe's its just his going outside the established changes. Hurt plays 12 string on a recording of "Casey Jones" from his first "comeback" session; see AVALON BLUES 1963 (Rounder). But, yeah, number of strings aside, Winter sounds to me like he is drawing from a John Hurt / Skip James / Piedmont picking tradition here.

VOUS ET NOUS sounds not that much like COMME A LA RADIO, but, if you start to get a Fontaine jones, is one of the next best destinations in her discography.

I would offer these two slightly tarnished pennies: the volume, energy and occasional gestures towards vaguely "Eastern"-sounding patterns is late 60's / late psychedelia rock-ish, but overall, the performance owes much more to 12-string approach of Mississippi John Hurt.

Seeing this particular performance several years convinced me that I had made a grave error in overlooking / dismissing Johnny Winter as just another white dude infatuated with the blues. For the curious... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbFAEw_Foqw

Excellent stuff.

For those of us not so familiar with MOTIVATION... From: http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/BarronB/bb-disc.htm The early 70's may not have been a golden age for Savoy, but they certainly were interesting times. Also in need of re-issue / re-evaluation: Barron's 70's / 80's output for Muse.

A few additional words on HOT-LINE... "2 tenors" date with Booker Ervin, another player who, well, let's say was less influenced by Coltrane than he offered a rather personal interpretation of Coltrane's language... very spirited playing, but also very smart, with a bit less stretching out than you might imagine... with a very young Andrew Cyrille in the drum chair

Thanks Brownie. This thread prompted me to spin those 4 Budd Johnson / Jimmy Jones / Big 4 tracks... incredibly sophisticated and complex "mood" music, exemplified by "Strollin' Easy". Also, more prime Jones to be found on some of those CBS Buck Clayton jam sessions.