Joe

One of those names I'd never expect to see pop up here! There's room for him here, surely. His work has been influential on a number of contemporary improvising musicians -- or so it seems to me. Not to say I've liked everything I've heard by him, BTW.

FWIW, I was so glad to see this Davis piece, and so glad to see Larry Kart quoted at length. As I've written elsewhere regarding the "egoless" comment... Somewhat remarkable comments for their time, but even more pertinent today than they ever were. Except that now, these observations could be applied not just to single recording, but to an entire "genre" of music. No bashing intended, really. But this passage does cause me to wonder about the perhaps still not fully comprehended pervasiveness of Shorter's influence on the world of improvisation, and, by extension, to pause again over the idea that there is more "jazz" in "eai" [electro-acoustic improvisation] / whatever than maybe meets the ear. To wit… taking their cue from John Cage, many contemporary musicians cite Zen concepts in (partial) explanation of their own working methods, or, like Bernhard Günter, claim to be adherents of the wabi-sabi aesthetic. (Interestingly, reverence of the quintessentially Western concept of the clinamen – thank you Lucretius – appears to be much more rare.) I have little doubt that Kart was making at least oblique reference to Shorter's Buddhist faith here, however, not in order to exploit it for the purposes of his argument, but rather in order to delineate just how the very culture of the music was changing. Here we are standing at the other end of that change, I would argue, and now its time to return to the question that I feel is implicit in Kart's analysis, expressed as it is, and only could best be expressed, in a tone of slight resignation. "[T]o renounce the notion of the improvising musician as the purveyor of a competitive, flamboyant ego"... is improvisation as a practice even suited to this pursuit?

I rather like it, but it has been ages since I spun it...

I never really warmed to BLUE SPIRITS, but there's some fine Hank Mobley to be heard there.

FANTA products are big internationally, especially in South Asia. Look for this one the next time you're near an Indo-Pak Mart:

Townes Van Zandt

Can a reissue of THE LONG MARCH be not far behind???

Sly Stone Roky Erikson Mayo Thompson King Curtis Kenny Dorham Hot Lips Page Gibby Haynes Fathead Newman Cedar Walton Blind Willie Johnson Vanilla Ice

Two words: DR. PEPPER 10, 2 and 4, baby!

Dare I mention Theo Bleckmann? (His collaborations with guitarist Ben Monder are qite fine.) Lisa Sokolov?

I am just swelling with local pride on this one... maybe I can convince you all that Denton is actually in Oklahoma...

It's about time BN got around to documenting the fertile Minneapolis jazz scene...

I must be totally clueless, as I had no idea until I checked the AMG blurb on this that she is married to Elvis Costello.

The Charles Prestige dates from the early 50's indeed anticipate several developments in jazz that would not be accepted, if they ever were, in the mainstream until the end of the decade and into the 60's. For instance, COLLABORATION WEST has some early "modal" structures on it -- "Margo" is a lovely ballad -- and either "Further Out" or "Etudiez le Cahier" is a serial composition. The important figure in the background of this record is California composer / educator Wesley La Violette, whose other pupils included Jimmy Giuffre and Martin Denny. Charles could also flat-out blow, as the Bethlehem date or the date with the two Bookers (Ervin and LIttle) proves. Check him out, too, on this session (with Sonny Clark, Frank Morgan, and Larance Marable):

Also did some production work for Prestige in the 50's -- if I remember correctly, Trane's DAKAR was a Charles date.

Jim -- you'll just have to settle for a cinammon-flavored Italian soda.

Johnny Switchblade, Adventure Punk!

I am anything but a Bill Frisell fan, but he does sound terrific on the latest Dave Douglas record -- STRANGE LIBERATION -- which is, I feel, otherwise kinda lackluster. But Frisell's playing is free of additives here, and it is THAT good... Joe Bob says check it out.

Had the technique of Lennie Tristano, the blues sensibility of Wyn Kelly, and the emotional vulnerability of Bill Evans. A rather complete package. Be sure to check out: the latter of which, with its unusual front-line, is one of the great all-time BN sessions (IMHO).

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it." "I married your mother because I wanted children. Imagine my disappointment when you arrived." "Quote me as saying I was misquoted." "Military justice is to justice what military music is to music." "Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?"

Ben Monder, whose playing is (mostly) free of Frissell-isms.

I've always loved how Bill Dixon affects Taylor's music on this session. Then again, this is just a classic -- though sadly not well documented -- period for Cecil, as STUDENT STUDIES (reiussed last year on Fuel 2000 or whatever that label is) also attests.

I've always had a soft spot for STAR HIGHS (Criss Cross). Leave us not also forget the Konitz / Marsh material on Prestige... What do you all think of the Marsh / Joe Albany "rehearsals" that were released on Riverside as THE RIGHT COMBINATION? This recording gave me my first exposure to Warne...

Actually, Jim, this was my first thought as to what the set would be.

Note that these are dropping in on March 23rd. I Love John Frigo… He Swings Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet Lyle Ritz - How About Uke? Tony Scott [1967] Stuff Smith - Cat On A Hot Fiddle