Joe

Alright, its past time I compiled one of these... would the keeper of the schedule please pencil me in for the next available slot? Thanks, JM

A) Stein was definitely "a mother". B) She's about as nurturing as a wire monkey momma. C) She may have mothered us all.

Seems to me so much of what we consider art (insert your own definition here) "happens" somewhere between regularity and surprise. As to what counts as either... well, my own experience has taught me that both shift over time. Just as perceptions do, and as those perceiving live, grow, change, and, one trusts, gain wisdom. In other words, if one does not find enough regularity / order in a particular instance of cultural production, one is likely to consider it formless, or amateurish, or "bad". But the presence of too much regularity / order often leads one to conclude that the thing encountered is boring, more of the same, lacking in excitement, etc. Or, as Gertrude Stein once said (then wrote): (from Composition As Explanation, 1926)

Just this afternoon I listened to Charles Dodge's EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD -- an old Nonesuch commission -- for the first time in over a decade. Still intriguing, and oddly moving.

The Omnitone store also has a selection of these still available for purchase. http://www.omnitone.com/store/label-blacksaint.htm http://www.omnitone.com/store/label-soulnote.htm

Seconded. Big fan of all versions of this group... I may even prefer to edition with Charles Burnham in the violin chair, which, alas, did not record for BS / SN. (Their two Stash discs = superb.) But the Regina Carter edition did, and BLUES... is a fine effort. Somewhat related: John Lindberg's DIMENSION 5; subtract Emery (g) but add Hugh Ragin, Marty Ehrlich and Thurman Barker.

Some relatively obscure BS / SN dates worth investigating... Glenn Horiuchi, OXNARD BEET Wayne Horvitz / Butch Morris / William Parker, SOME ORDER LONG UNDERSTOOD TOM VARNER QUARTET Ellery Eskelin, THE SUN DIED Tony Oxley, THE ENCHANTED MESSENGER John Carter, DAUWHE Amina Claudine Myers, THE CIRCLE OF TIME

Some favorites not yet mentioned... Lacy / Rudd, REGENERATION Billy Bang, VALVE NO. 10 Frank Lowe, EXOTIC HEARTBREAK Leroy Jenkins Sting!, URBAN BLUES Guido Manusardi, THE VILLAGE FAIR Roscoe Mitchell, 3 X 4 EYE Andrew Cyrille, X-MAN Baikida Carroll, SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS John Lindberg, QUARTET AFTERSTORM Barry Altschul, IRINA

Yes, absolutely. Especially fond of his trumpet work. Was first -- and still am -- impressed by his playing on those Richard Bock-produced Elmo Hope tracks from 1957 that Blue Note tacked on to the CD reissue of TRIO AND QUINTET. Have since tracked down some of his leader dates on Bethlehem; the music there is slightly more "polite", but there are sparks (Charlie Mariano is a frequent partner on these recordings). Speaking of Mariano... Williamson was of course an integral part of the Shelly Manne quintets that recorded for Contemporary in the mid-50s. I presume you own or have heard SWINGING SOUNDS, MORE SWINGING SOUNDS, and THE GAMBIT?

Arthur Blythe also appears on Jeff Palmer's EASE ON and ISLAND UNIVERSE. Palmer has also recorded with George Garzone on a pretty obscure but pretty fabulous disc entitled OPPOSITE VOLTAGE. On his 2000 Steeplechase release PRIDE, Lee Konitz is backed on a couple of tracks by organ (George Colligan).

Particularly fond of this recording: Incredibly inventive compositions and arrangements, and lyrically very much in the Antropófago tradition. (And isn't jazz, as a "form", pretty cannibalistic too?)

I'm a fan of the 2 Trees LPs, GARDEN OF JANE DELAWNEY and ON THE SHORE. Very indebted to the Fairport aesthetic, but there's slightly more "rock" -- thus a little more shading and grit -- here than folk. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_(folk_band)

There is something of a companion volume to this release as well, recorded for Capitol... SOUNDS http://www.bagatellen.com/?p=560

I've tried and tried, and I love the work of every player involved. But... this one still does not connect with me. At the end of the day, I have to fault the compositions themselves, which I find a little too schematic / straitjacketing.

Lyricon, ukelele and castanets

FWIW, I prefer the QUINTETS AND STRINGS date to the Octet recordings (ZOUNDS is the best of the lot, IMO)... the instrumentation really compliments Niehaus' often meticulous arrangements. Vol. 4 is buttoned up rather than buttoned down, if you know what I mean. Then again, I'm a big fan of Hal McKusick's IN A TWENTIETH CENTURY DRAWING ROOM and Konitz's AN IMAGE, so, clearly, I'm not entirely objective when it comes to "standard jazz combo featuring frosty / cerebral lead alto plus string quartet / section" dates.

To the best of my knowledge, this is this session's first appearance on CD. Long been intrigued by this one, largely due to that frontline. BTW, the Futura website has the recording date listed as 1970 (1974 being date of original release, I suspect). http://futuramarge.free.fr/ (scroll down)

Sad news. The novels and stories (esp. "My Appearance", a dissection of both the dread and fascination televised spectacle inspires in us) are mostly wonderful, but I'll really miss Wallace the essayist. Wide-ranging and pretty fearless on that front. The "profile" he wrote on David Lynch for the old PREMIERE was one of the best peices of magazine writing I've ever read.

If you can track down a copy, carpe diem (as JSngry might say) on VALVE NO. 10, a Soul Note recording under Bang's name featuring Lowe alongside Sirone and Denis Charles. Wonderful rendition of "Lonnie's Lament". I also very much like Lowe's duets with Eugene Chadbourne, DON'T PUNK OUT, though they probably won't be to everyone's tastes. If I may... http://www.onefinalnote.com/features/2001/lowe02/

Julian Jaynes' THE ORIGIN OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BICAMERAL MIND Philip Ball's UNIVERSE OF STONE: A BIOGRAPHY OF CHARTRES CATHEDRAL

4 of 8... and I actually saw the TWIN PEAKS movie in the theaters

Nice collection of performances and interviews with "experimental" musicians available here: http://www.ubu.com/film/roulette.html Among the jazz or jazz-related artists featured are Billy Bang, William Parker, Andrew Cyrille (with Bob Stewart and Roy Campbell), Marilyn Crispell, Oliver Lake and Guy Klucevsek.

A couple of Italian recordings... Guido Manusardi, THE VILLAGE FAIR Gianluigi Trovesi, FROM G TO G Oh, and any of the Henry Threadgill sessions on About Time (WHEN WAS THAT?. JUST THE FACTS AND PASS THE BUCKET, SUBJECT TO CHANGE).

My favorite Rava releases: -- L'AGE MUR (Philology), a pianoless quartet with Lee Konitz and a great (if not "name") Italian rhythm section -- DUO IN NOIR (Between The Line), with Ran Blake -- THE PILGRIM AND THE STARS on ECM -- ITALIAN BALLADS (Music Masters), with Richard Galliano

First there is a mountain Then there is no mountain Then there is ***** When I was a boy I thought about the times I'd be a man I'd sit inside a bottle and pretend that I was in a can In my lonely room I'd sit my mind in an ice cream cone You can throw me if you wanna 'cause I'm a bone and I go Oop-ip-ip oop-ip-ip, yeah! If I don't start cryin' it's because that I have got no eyes My father's in the fireplace and my dog lies hypnotized Through a crack of light I was unable to find my way Trapped inside a night but I'm a day and I go Oop-ip-ip oop-ip-ip, yeah! One... Two... Three... Four! [Followed by the sound of a nuclear explosion] ***** Chewin' on a piece of grass walkin' down the road tell me, how long you gonna stay here Joe? Some people say this town don't look good in snow You don't care, I know. Ventura Highway, in the sunshine Where the days are longer The nights are stronger than moonshine You're gonna go I know Cause the free wind is blowin' through your hair and the day surround your daylight there Seasons cryin' no despair Alligator lizards in the air Wishin' on a fallin' star Watchin' for the early train Sorry boy, but I've been hit by purple rain Aw, come on Joe, you can always change your name Thanks a lot son, just the same Ventura Highway, in the sunshine Where the days are longer The nights are stronger than moonshine! you're gonna go, I know Cause the free wind is blowin' through your hair and the days surround your daylight there seasons cryin' no despair Alligator lizards in the air in the air [Doodle-loo-do-doot etc.] ***** The continent of Atlantis was an island which lay before the great flood in the area we now call the Atlantic Ocean. So great an area of land, that from her western shores those beautiful sailors journeyed to the South and the North Americas with ease, in their ships with painted sails. To the East Africa was a neighbour, across a short strait of sea miles. The great Egyptian age is but a remnant of The Atlantian culture. The antediluvian kings colonised the world All the Gods who play in the mythological dramas In all legends from all lands were from fair Atlantis. Knowing her fate, Atlantis sent out ships to all corners of the Earth. On board were the Twelve: The poet, the physician, the farmer, the scientist, The magician and the other so-called Gods of our legends. Though Gods they were - And as the elders of our time choose to remain blind Let us rejoice and let us sing and dance and ring in the new Hail Atlantis! Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be, Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be, Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be. Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be, Way down below the ocean where I wanna be she may be. My antediluvian baby, oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah, I wanna see you some day My antediluvian baby, oh yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah, My antediluvian baby, My antediluvian baby, I love you, girl, Girl, I wanna see you some day. My antediluvian baby, oh yeah I wanna see you some day, oh My antediluvian baby. My antediluvian baby, I wanna see you My antediluvian baby, gotta tell me where she gone I wanna see you some day Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, oh yeah Oh glub glub, down down, yeah