Joe

Wire's first three albums, as recently re-issued:

The original Stuff LPs await proper CD reissue, but this compilation will do in a pinch:

What I've heard of Gospel sax fits that description, too. But it's not much. I don't think the Gospel sax tradition is well documented, either on records or in the literature of Gospel music. That makes it much more difficult to relate particular jazz saxophonists to Gospel saxophonists and the tradition. But I don't doubt that that relationship exists. MG Brother Vernard Johnson? Of a later, post-Ayler generation, but certaily worth investigating for his understadning of / contributions to the gospel saxophone tradition.

I love this record: As for Joe Bussard, anybody here sprung for this recent set? http://dust-digital.com/fonotone.htm

The title to the boingboing.net story says it all: Japanese R&B group in blackface http://www.gosperats.com/ Sponsored by Sony Music.

Hasn't our good friend Jordi Pujol had the Blackburn / Hill material out for some time on one of his imprints (Fresh Sound)? If so, I'm presuming that said issue was sourced from vinyl. Very, very, very happy to see those Gil Evans recordings back in circulation. I wonder if we can expect any significant sonic upgrade? I'm skeptical, given the general state of Dick Bock-produced masters, but one can hope.

well I'll be dipped...

The Bee Hive material issued by Columbia. Yes, the sound is rough, but the playing... this is "Brownie Meets Sonny", for all intents and purposes. Vinyl only, but you won;t let that stop you, will ya?

Yes.

Joe, that's a hometown label--in fact, I know the owner from the days when we were both part of the Kirkwood Avenue record-store-clerk community. Talking to him this Thursday about a possible "Profiles" program on him for WFIU... Secretly Canadian is a really happening enterprise. David -- very cool. Let me know if that comes together; I'd like to listen in.

Hey, I like Unrest too... they were just perverse enough for me. Clementine is right in the Laughing Clowns material though. And I think it is now all handily available in a 3-disc box set. Joe Bob sez check it out. P.S.: the Secretly Canadian label -- http://www.secretlycanadian.com/home.php -- has recently reissued the first two LPs by the brilliant Swell Maps. If you dig Stereolab, check 'em out.

"Big" Ernie McCracken Tripper Harrison Jason Voorhees

Donald Byrd – Royal Flush Its about time. IMO, Byrd's finest recording as a leader.

Not sure why, but I waffled on plunking down the old hard-earned on this until Jim and I talked about it a couple of weeks ago. I guess maybe I was a little concerned about the importation of an youngish arranger. or unfamilair names in the band, or some other stupid excuse. Rest assured. I am. Arrangements largely by Johnson (didn't he arrange big chunks of Fathead's "comeback" dates on Muse, late 70s / early 80s?), and they are peaches. As Jim notes, the centerpiece here is "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing". The way Newman plays here -- there's a tranquility, but also a feeling of unfolding. Its beautiful but it doesn't insist on being beautiful, if that makes any sense. Still, to me the most appealing aspect of this recording is that it finds Newman revisiting some interesting material by some of his old DFW cohorts (Claude Johnson and Roger Boykin), material first heard on one of his more or less so-so late 70's dates, FRONT MONEY. Admittedly, that's something of an "extra-musical" appeal. But the tunes themselves are strong and given very nice settings as well as solos, especially from Fathead, who seems to really be enjoying himself, not just picking his ways through the changes, but "telling stories". And I have to admit that I have not sat with a contemporary "jazz" record in a long while and felt the pleasure that comes from hearing a good story or two. Not that I always want that pleaure. I have to acknowledge though that sometimes its nice -- not to mention important -- to be reminded of what I've been missing. (And, yea, the version of "Goldfinger" that kicks off this record is pretty damn hip.)

Big fan here. Though the latest release (FAB FOUR SUTURE) isn't doing a whole lot for me just yet.

We're all Scientologists. Its just that some of us have already achieved clarity on this point, and some of us have not.

To complicate matters, East Coasters such as Max Roach and Sonny Clark both put in regular stints at the Laguna Lighthouse. And then there's Charles Mingus...

I dearly love Dorham's work, but, for whatever reason, he was struggling in the studio this day. At times, he sounds completely winded. On the plus side, there's some terrific early Grant Green to be heard here.

There's some brief performance and interview footage with Chance in the recent documentary PUNK: ATTITUDE. You get to se him do / talk about his James Brown routine. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446765/ http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:325664 I would be most interested to know what Chance / James White is up to these days.

Whit Bissell James Spangler Francis Scott Key

This is an odd, at times "popp-y" but still intriguing LP. In fact, I still love "The Old Laughing Lady" and "Here We Are In The Years", which is as beautiful a thing as Neil's put on record (IMHO).

I can't imagine that I could call mine a "record collection" anymore if it were missing copies of BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD AGAIN, EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE, AFTER THE GOLD RUSH (especially), and TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT.

This session was reissued domestically, with alternates, as part of the short-lived Blue Note 10-inch 2fer series. It is coupled with a Frank Foster Quintet session (Benny Powell, Gildo Mahones, Percy Heath, Klook). Wallington led several quintet sesions for Prestige. The bands included players like Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Phil Woods, Paul Chambers, Teddy Kotick, Art Taylor and Nick Stabulas. I believe this session was originally issued on the Progressive label, but was eventually picked up by prestige and reissued as a OJC "limited edition". Good stuff, if a little raw in places.

A 2fer of Duke Pearson's 1959 trio sides (PROFILE & TENDER FEELINGS) would be nice.

"Trane Whistle" is pretty smoking. I prefer this version to the (slightly ater) big band treatment, in fact.