Joe

I'm a big fan of the two volumes of CALIFORNIA CONCERTS, with a basic band of Mulligan, Jon Eardley on trumpet, Red Mitchell and Chico Hamilton, sometimes augmented by Bob Brookmeyer and Zoot Sims. Shows off Mulligan's range, I think, as well as any other recordings from this period (1954). AT STORYVILLE -- Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Bill Crow and Dave Bailey -- is a kind of a sentimental favorite... the first Mulligan recording I ever bought. Oh, and I also very much like the collaboration with Astor Piazzolla.

DAUWHE is on Black Saint and is technically in print. The remainder were issued by Gramavision, which was at one time owned / a division of / distributed by Rykodisc. I've no idea what the current state of the Gramavision masters is... but one could assemble a number of fine Mosaic selects around artists on their roster: Anthony Davis, Ray Anderson, John Scofield, Oliver Lake, Bobby Previte.

After some research, I've also discovered that Moer recorded a trio session for Del-Fi, again, presumably in the early 60's. His rhythm support? Jimmy Bond and Frank Butler, who also backed Elmo Hope on his classic HiFi Jazz trio date. I know Bond and Butler played with just about everyone in LA during that time, but, still...

Thanks; always nice to have my Joe Comfort discography expanded.

IIRC, Moer recorded an entire program of Elmo Hope compositions for Fresh Sound in the early (?) 1990s. Never heard it, though its always tempted me... I'm wondering if Moer knew / hung with Hope during Elmo's time in Los Angeles. Emil Richards is still active, and has a website that appears to be fairly current: http://www.emilrichards.com/ All of the Richards leader dates I've heard (what I presume to be an early 60's session for Del-Fi, YAZZ PER FAVORE; two late 60's sessions for Impulse) edge a bit into exotica... not a bad thing in and of itself, but it means less of a "jazz" content than you might expect. The man is a master percussionist, however, whatever one chooses to call the style / genre in which he performs.

Recently auditioned Chico's TALES OF ELLINGTON (AMG review). An interesting experiment, with the results pitched somewhere between his more "commercial" and more "out" productions. Blue-chip supporting cast, including Johnny Coles.

Sunday, 1/17 Presented by Inner Realms Outer Realms 8 pm / $8, $5 for Phoenix Project Collective members The Phoenix Project Collective 406 S. Haskell Ave Dallas, TX 75226 First set Chris Cogburn + Jesse Kudler Second set Screwed Anthologies Third set Remi Alvarez + Aaron Gonzalez + Stefan Gonzalez http://www.noideafestival.com/

Ah, yes, I'd forgotten about this little gem. Has to be one of the most purely tasteful trio records I can recall enjoying. Wyands has such a wonderful touch, one that matches well with Haynes' delicate aggression. Here's one I enjoy as much for the leader's compositions as for his playing: Michel Sardaby, NIGHT BLOSSOM (w/ Jay Leonhart and Tootie Heath) And, for John Taylor, how about his ECM collaborations with Peter Erskine and Palle Danielsson? YOU NEVER KNOW, TIME BEING, AS IT IS, and JUNI (my personal favorite of the quartet). Dick Katz, who passed on late last year, recorded this fine trio session for Reservoir in 1992... Finally, there's Mel Powell's unusual, but unfailingly swinging trios with Ruby Braff and Bobby Donaldson, collected (but not complete) on the Vanguard anthology THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE. This thread has been both an education and a re-education... thanks all.

Have not spun them in a while, but my memories of both POLYOGUE (Songlines, 1997) and SOFT SHELL (Knitting Factory, 2000) -- both with the always-colorful Herb Robertson, Drew Gres and Tom Rainey -- are warm. What has Laster been up to lately?

Important Records have recently reissued two discs worth of early / long-unavailable works by Elaine Radigue, TRIPTYCH and VICE VERSA ETC.. Though I'd still recommend ADNOS I - III or TRILOGIE DE LA MORT over these, they are nice additions to her discography. Also "meditative"... I'm not sure exactly how I would classify his work (there seem to me to be are some prog-rock / New Age elements floating about in it) but J. D. Emmanuel, though relatively obscure, is a pretty fascinating manipulator of synthesized tonalities.

On the experimental animation tip... Diz in the Hubley's THE HOLE Part 1 (Youtube) Part 2 (Youtube) Oh, and The Oscar Peterson Trio provides music for Norman McLaren's BEGONE DULL CARE

Tom and Jerry do Louis Jordan

Another fine Enja-sponsored homage... Yosuke Yamashita, TRIBUTE TO MAL WALDRON

Maybe not terribly representative, but this recording finds Parker playing is a more approachable / accommodating style and context... I think it helps that he sticks to tenor throughout. His soprano sax work stirs a different pot, IMO. Evan Parker / Stan Tracey, SUSPENSIONS AND ANTICIPATION (Psi) (My overlong and sloppy OFN review of this disc)

Paul Knopf... so wish those Lps were widely available. Three more: Andre Previn / Red Mitchell / Shelly Manne, WEST SIDE STORY Not sure that I could ever adequately explain why this session appeals to me (Ben Shahn actually has a lot to do with it), but there's a certain playfulness (irreverence?) on display here that I find charming. Dave Burrell, HIGH WON-HIGH TWO If only all history lessons were this full of passion and invention. Phineas Newborn Jr., THE NEWBORN TOUCH Or, "Phineas Plays The Contemporary Records Songbook". The interpretations may appear to be "airplay-friendly" in length, but each one is a gem, really. Great rendition of "Grooveyard" in particular.

That's how I read it as well.

Amerocentric, heck... it barely -- and unsurprisingly -- ventures outside of the five boroughs. Which five boroughs? NYC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_%28New_York_City%29

Amerocentric, heck... it barely -- and unsurprisingly -- ventures outside of the five boroughs.

Re: John Wright (count me as a fan as well) and Chicago pianists who remain relatively unknown... there's also a fine King Fleming Trio record on Chess, MISTY NIGHT. A Japanese CD issue exists, or once existed. Not sure about the later STAND BY, though, which features some very early work from Malachi Favors. Perhaps Larry, Chuck or John Litweiler could speak more to Fleming's relationship with Favors, Muhal Richard Abrams, and the seeds of the AACM?

Thanks all. Some great selections here. Count me as another fan of the Cowell, Beck, Perkins and TRIANGLE dates, at least. Another one I wish was better-known... Walter Norris, LOVE EVERY MOMENT If all you know about Norris is based on his presence on Ornette's SOMETHING ELSE, you owe it to yourself to check out his later work.

"Obscure" just being my not wholly appropriate shorthand for recording about which you feel strongly but have never seen / heard anyone else discuss or recording you like to turn other listeners on to. Trios of all eras, styles and constitutions welcome. Household names? Forgotten heroes? Eternal sidemen finally stepping out? Ditto old favorites and new discoveries. An initial trio of trios: Don Friedman, CIRCLE WALTZ I suppose I hear the Bill Evans connection... or is it one that is jut easy to make based on the presence here of Chuck Israels? Mostly what I hear, however, is a much hard-driving ensemble than Evans was wont to put together around this time, exploring different -- more stark, more jagged; lunar, not moony -- harmonic terrain. John Bikerton, SHADOW BOXES Bickerton seems not to have much of a presence on the scene these days, and I'd be curious to hear what he is up to these days. But hat we have here is evidence of a pianist who knows his Andrew Hill without being too beholden to Hill's simultaneously contemplative and restless style. Amina Claudine Myers, THE CIRCLE OF TIME Some may find her vocals (and lyrics) off-putting, and some may prefer her Bessie Smith or Marion Brown recitals, but, as this was the first Myers LP I ever heard, I have something of a sentimental attachment to it. Besides, I think it shows off the wide-ranging (fearless?) soulfulness of her playing as well as anything I've heard by her. Looking forward to seeing what others have to contribute.

Also, Ran Blake, in his more "Bernard Herrmann Meets Duke Ellington" moments... SHORT LIFE OF BARBARA MONK being a good starting place.

Welcome to the Age of Postmamboism... http://www.boingboing.net/2009/12/15/principles-of-postma.html

Huge Rudd fan myself -- wish he would write more on the music and his experiences in it -- but you had me at "Matt Shipp on Farfisa organ"...