Joe

Live music? Monday nights at the Amsterdam Bar in Exposition Park (across the street from the State Fair grounds) = rather good jam session. Shelley Carrol is usually there, and sometimes Andrew Griffith (he used to play with Marchel Ivery and was once a member of this board, I believe) mans the skins. http://amsterdambar.blogspot.com/ There's also Sandaga Jazz, recently relocated and re-opened, also in Exposition Park... http://uptownjazzdallas.com/profile/SandagaJazz

Was quite an enjoyable performance... nice band, sound was a bit rough, a little bit too much grand-standing for my tastes (I liked trumpeter Mike Rodriguez's relative restraint; the rest of the audience, less so), but, what a killer rhythm section! SOme pretty entertaining dancing in the aisles.

Michael Howell's records are definitely worth hearing. A bit beyond "straight-ahead," but... Linc Chamberland! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I35l6A83A7c

Also, he recorded fairly often, especially in his later years, but there's a wonderful set of duets between Ira Sullivan and Joe Dioro -- THE BREEZE AND I -- worth tracking down. Rory Stuart is another fine guitarist whose work seems to have gone relatively unnoticed. There's HURRICANE on Sunnyside, a few sideman appearances... Thar Joe Cinderella date was released in 2001, and is now well OOP, but, thanks to Youtube, you can get a sense of what the man's eight-string work sounds like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umrB-VJV-jI

A. Spencer Barefield (he can play in a straight-ahead context, and very well) Les Spann's GEMINI, while featuring more than just his guitar playing, is a good one. Al Casey: Yes. His BUCK JUMPIN' is worth tracking down as well. And there's a Joe Cinderella leader date floating around out there somewhere...

Norman Mapp... any relationship to bassist Gary Mapp?

He also gave work to farm animals. I was fortunate to see him perform in Leningrad about 22 years ago. The pig was wearing military garb. Kuryokhin was an amazing talent. Have all of his original Leo recordings been fully restored to that label's catalog?

Mickey Tucker can be something of a pan-stylist. As can Dave Burrell.

All right! THERE!

Ahmad Jamal Ben Webster (IMO)

Much grass, all. Herman also has a copy of recordings out (or so it appears) focused on Misha Mengelberg compositions. Intriguing... how have I not heard of this guy before now?

Any board members have any thoughts to share on this one? Herman (as) Pierre Christophe (p) Jos Machtel (b) Joost van Schalk (d) The AMG review by Ken Dryden (!) is complimentary, but other takes are most welcome. Thanks in advance.

Another vote for the Farrell / Pepper session. For one thing, you get two very distinct players working rather differently through their respective Coltrane influences. For another: features some brilliant assists from George Cables. A sample from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTAa6BUbq_0

Carlo Actis Dato has a couple (at least) of solo sax releases on Leo that are worth hearing. Pieces tend towards the miniature, and, while free-ish, aren't all that out. THE MOONWALKER is probably the most approachable of the batch.

"In Tribute to Harry Carney" from Hamiet Bluiett's BIRTHRIGHT =

This quailifies on all three counts, from the REAL best album of 1967. Listen to the how one rhyming line is resolved by the first word in the third sentence rather than the last word in the second sentence. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBV91Cj8H5I Love fans may care to watch this as well. Greatest "lost" single of the psychedelic era? Maybe...

There are also two Sun Ra releases: BLUE DELIGHT and PURPLE NIGHT. Chery's MULTIKULTI annd Art Blakey's ONE FOR ALL were also released as part of this series.

My mileage with Steve Grossman tends to vary considerably, but he almost always assembles a crack rhythm team for his dates. Cedar Walton, David Williams and Billy Higgins for LOVE IS THE THING and SMALL HOTEL and a Juni Booth / Joe Chambers team for both volumes of WAY OUT EAST. Wilbur Ware... another good one is JENKINS JORDAN TIMMONS, with Bobby (naturally) and Dannie Richmond. And Blue Mitchell's BIG SIX: Ware, Wynton Kelly and Philly Joe.

I am very fond of Eric Kloss' playing, but his Prestige dates with the Corea / Holland / DeJohnette trio certainly qualify, IMO.

Walt Dickerson... like Barron and Gilmore, could have brought Trane-like concepts to Miles' group, but also a whole different timbral and spatial character. Grachan Moncur III, and not just from a compositional point-of-view. I've always wondered how Miles might have sounded with McCoy Tyner behind him. Not sure it could have worked at all, but I'm still curious. A pianist like Don Friedman, especially in him post-Giuffre "phase," would have been an interesting pianist for Miles: Friedman understood Evans' approach to harmony, but he has more drive and swing in his playing. Plus a willingness to experiment more boldly ...

Damn! Thanks for reminding me of that one. Isn't that Buddie Emmons on pedal steel?

Another great Bear Family set... Ray Price & The Cherokee Cowboys, THE HONKY TONK YEARS 1950 - 1966 [Link to the Bear Family website] If all you know is the Price of "Make The World Go Away" and "For The Good Times," this set should be a revelation. IMHO, Price is -- questions of genre aside -- one of the great male singers in American pop music history. Just check out what he's able to do with a near-novelty like "Bright Lights and Blonde-Haired Women"...

Sad news. Wonderful writer, often mordant but also incredibly humane. His ENGINEER OF HUMAN SOULS is superb.

I am totally counting Joe Cinderella. His playing on Gil Melle's Prestige recordings in particular in incredibly advanced (at least to these amateur ears).