garthsj

Many Thanks Couw .... Hmmmmmmmm .. this does not make it a very economical prospect if I want to buy 10 or so .... Continental Airlines was running a special airfare to Paris or London for $329 return if I booked before midnight tonight ... that might be a better deal for me.. Seriously though, at E4,99 plus E4,00 for mailing the total of E9,00 is about $11.74 each .. still cheaper than here, without mailing. Are there magic German phrases that will alert me to which of the sellers do not ship to the U.S.? It is interesting that I have not been able to locate a U.S. source for those Sonets yet. I tried all of the usual places, including Cadence and World Records, without success. Has anyone out there found a source yet?

Pardon a dumb question ... I would like to replace many of the Sonet LPs I used to own with these new CDs .. so I checked out the Amazon.de site .... there they all are for E7,77!! (Except for the Buddy DeFranco I wanted .. sniff, sniff). My question is ... some are available for E4,99 for "used" CDs .... will these smaller, private sellers mail to the U.S. or is this on an individual basis? Anyone have an opinion? What is the average mailing price of a CD from Germany?

This is an interesting, if threatening thread. For someone like me, honing my jazz tastes in the fifties, the battle was more along the lines of Contemporary, Pacific Jazz, and Verve vs. Prestige, Blue Note and Riverside, with Atlantic, Columbia, Capitol, and RCA somewhere in the middle. I loved the smaller esoteric labels like Mode, Bethlehem, Signal (God! I could retire on all of my originals if I still had them), Fantasy, and Savoy. I once owned the entire Andex catalog -- no big deal, there were only about 12 of them, and a few dogs too. I know I am leaving out many labels like Metrojazz, Mercury, Liberty, Decca, Roulette, etc ... but the battle lineup I indicated was my limited vision of the jazz world at that time ... and in far off Cape Town, many of those labels were just not available to me. I used to read about all of these great albums in Metronome and Downbeat and feel sick with desire to own them. Ordering albums directly from the U.S. was very difficult at that time, and incredibly expensive. Two 12" albums took most of my 15 year-old allowance! I once spent my tennis lesson money on buying the latest Buddy DeFranco album, and I had to fake going to lessons for a month .... tennis anyone?!!

I hope that this is not self-serving, but here is a short account of the Petrillo AFM incident that I wrote as a "sidebar" for a book on the history of popular culture which has not yet been published. It might be useful as a background for those on this board who know nothing of the history of this event. The AFM Recording Strike, 1942-1944 One of the strangest events in the history of the American recording industry was the strike by the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) from August 1942 to November 1944. The history of the this strike starts in the mid-1930s, when the unemployment of musicians had increased dramatically due to the use of talking motion pictures and the decline of vaudeville. The fact that the Depression caused people to stay at home and listen to the radio and the increasing use of juke boxes in public places had added to the demise of live music. When he had been the head of the Chicago local of the AFM, James Caesar Petrillo, recognizing the harmful impact that "canned" music would have on the members of his union, had forced the radio industry to employ union musicians to manipulate turntables and program commercial records in radio stations. However, when Petrillo was elected as the president of the national AFM he decided to bide his time before seeking to redress the grievances of the musicians. As the battle between ASCAP and BMI was being waged in the late 1930s and early 1940s Petrillo patiently waited to see how the courts would rule on the issue of royalties and fee payments. Eventually he decided that the best place to attack would not be the radio stations or live music locations, but the record companies. The AFM was a relatively powerful union in 1942, and no live performance where admission was charged could be given anywhere, even by high school or amateur musicians, without the consent of the union. Petrillo approached the leaders of the recording industry in early 1942 asking for a flat rate to be paid to his union for each record pressed. His threat was to keep all musicians out of recording studios if the union's demands were not met. The recording industry doubted that he could make good on this promise, and they rejected the offer. When the members of the AFM gathered in Dallas for their annual convention in June 1942 the mood was militant, and Petrillo outlined his plan of attack. Union musicians would not be allowed to make any more recordings after a specific date except for those intended for the war effort or for use in the home. This basically meant that all recording would stop because the record industry could not control their product once it was shipped from their warehouses. No one in the recording industry seemed to take this threat too seriously, however an order went out to every AFM local in the country that after July 31, 1942 all recording engagements should be refused. This order applied to everyone in the union, from the pianist at the local bar to the piccolo player in the Philadelphia Symphony. The result was that on August 1, 1942, the recording studios at Columbia, Decca and RCA Victor were effectively shut down. It took a little while before the effects of the ban were noticed because record companies usually had a sizeable amount of back material "in the can" which they could issue. However, the public was used to having a wave of new material issued each month. The record buyers quickly discovered that music that they heard on the radio in live performances and in the theater could not be found in the record stores. The musical Oklahoma! had been a smash hit on Broadway, but there were no records of its popular songs available, except on live radio broadcasts. The silence in the studios continued, and the record companies were beginning to feel the pinch. While some smaller companies did sign with the AFM, the "big three" remained steadfast in their opposition to the strike. The record companies had hoped that President Roosevelt would intervene on their behalf because of the need for morale-building entertainment during the war, but even this did not work. The first of the "big three" to give in after thirteen months was Decca, which had no more product to release. The company signed a contract with terms specifying royalties from a quarter of a cent to five cents on every record sold, payable to the AFM for help to its members. The first major project that Decca undertook once the ban was lifted was to record and release the original cast recording of Oklahoma! which then sold 1,300,000 albums at $5 each. Both Columbia and RCA Victor continued to hold out, but at the end of two years both companies were getting to the bottom of their stockpiles. Another factor was that Decca Records was beginning to make serious inroads into their markets especially with juke boxes, and on Armistice Day 1944, both companies signed agreements with the AFM on terms similar to that reached with Decca. Almost immediately RCA Victor was recording songs from the movie Meet Me in St. Louis, and Columbia began its long association with the Philadelphia Philharmonic. The ban itself has some peculiarities, for example, Petrillo did not consider the harmonica a "musical instrument," and therefore groups such as the Harmonicats were able to make records and accompany singers. Some vocalists such as Frank Sinatra made records accompanied by "a cappella" vocal groups. The recording industry did, however, continue to turn our "V-discs" for the war effort, and much of the big band music that has survived from this period has been taken from this source. There were further strikes by the AFM in 1948, and later in 1958 but nothing on the scale of the infamous two-year ban during World War II.

As an admirer of the detective novels, I purchased a copy of the book on jazz exiles, and found it to be quite fascinating. Moody lets the exiles mostly tell their own story, and I had my eyes opened as to how much difficulty many of them had, and the reverse racism encountered by many of the white musicians. Essentially most of these people found that their "novelty" appeal wore thin after a while, and the jobs, and their pay packets began to get slimmer over time. The club owners and concert audiences were always looking for the latest "thing" ... This accounts for the fact that so many of them came home to the U.S. after encountering difficulties in Europe. Moody does not offer much in the way of historical or sociological interpretation, but the book does make a genuine contribution to the jazz literature. Garth.

It constantly amazes me what does, and, of course, does NOT get reissued. I guess it is an imposition of my own tastes, but I wonder who makes these decisions, and what marketing data they have to justify their actions. Hmmmmmmm... I could just as easily be talking about the films released from Hollywood .... Which bright-eyed studio exec greenlights some of them suckers?? Regarding the Levitt RCA albums, I am surprised that RCA in Europe has not reissued them in their rather active jazz reissue series (ref. the Fresh Sounds website).

Yes .. I have always loved this album; but what about reissuing his three great albums on RCA. Some of it appeared on "The Arrangers" CD, but a nice two-CD set would contain all of this wonderful and very dynamic music... INSIGHT Rod Levitt Orchestra R.C.A. Victor SOLID GROUND Rod Levitt Orchestra R.C.A. Victor FORTY SECOND STREET Rod Levitt Orchestra R.C.A. Victor

I have always been intrigued by Moondog's music, and I saw him on the streets of New York several times over the years. I like some of his pieces more than others .. but there are some wonderful pieces. I wonder how much Lincoln Continental paid his estate for the rights to use his Charlie Parker tribute "Bird's Lament" as the theme for all of their TV commercials. I almost freaked out when I first heard this as the background to a bunch of yuppies driving around in their Lincoln SUV. What perverted (or enlighted) commercial director played that subtle joke on the mass of the viewing public? I think that Mondog would have loved it! Garth.

Hmmmmmmmm .. I lived in Philly for four years, 1968-72, while I did my graduate work .. there was nothing like that there then! Very impressive ... what are the acoustics like?

Yes, you are absolutely right .. I was in negotiation with my architect for exactly such a building, but he (Philip Johnson) died this morning. So now I am looking for another .. I wonder if I. M. Pei is available?

I had a similar experience when I tried to insure my 8,000+ LPs many years ago (before I sold the entire collection). If I wanted to insure them, I had to create a separate policy, and some insurance companies I contacted wanted me to list each album, and its value! I finally convinced my long-time insurance man (State Farm) to just increase the value of the contents portion of my basic homeowners policy to cover some of the cost. But the collection was worth well over $100,000 and how could you ever increase the value of the house that much? So for many years I lived in fear of fire, hurricanes, and burglars .... I am now faced with the same problem with my growing CD (3,000+) collection. Ultimately, a totally separate policy is the expensive way to go. Garth.

Here it is .... a fine, chamber jazz album ... with Bill Smith (clarinet), Barney Kessell, Buddy Collette, Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne ... OJC 1015 (Contemporary 7534)

Has anyone actually heard these Japanese reissues of the "Jazz Studio" series ... have they been remastered into pristine, crisp CDs? I was a little disappointed in the Lone Hill reissues .. very obviously taken from scratchy LPs ... but it is still nice to have them in the house again. My old LPs were better though ... That Amram-Barrow group is

Anthony Ortega's career parallels that of Charlie Mariano to a remarkable extent, although he never quite had the same chops as Mariano. They both started out as consummate boppers, played the big bands (Kenton and Ferguson), and stylistically moving more and more "out" .... ending up in Europe where they felt more more appreciated for the music they were making. Mariano was more successful in the long run, and Ortega remains an enigma, even today. I have been a fan of his biting alto for along time, but he has not made that many albums over the years. The Bethlehem and Revelation (now Hat Art) albums were all we had for many years. He turned up last year at the West Coast Jazz Weekend put on by Ken Poston in Los Angeles (Mariano was also there). Unlike Charlie, who is able to turn on his "Kenton-thing" at will, Ortega seemed tentative and a little at sea. Those in the audience who did not know his history (and there were many) were not too kind. Here is one of his better recent albums with Mike Wofford on piano and Joe LaBarbera on drums. recorded in July, 2000.

This is a little off topic for this thread, but Yes! ... you are absolutely right .. "Checkmate" is a VASTLY overlooked album .... I was just playing this last week, and was reminded how fine an album it is ... John Williams's score and the powerful combination of Manne, Candoli, Kamuca, Berghofer, and especially Russ Freeman really bring this thing alive. Highly recommended.

A great choice .... I have always loved this album, and have faithfully followed its various release modes over the years, including the "gold" reissue. I think that Rollins "Contemporary" period is vastly underrated, but, as was mentioned previously, his "west coast" sojourn became something of a football in the "east coast vs. west coast" debates in this period. What is of interest to me on this board is the relative lack of appreciation of Shelly Manne's artistry. Yes, he is often mentioned, and even praised at times, but I get the impression that for most hard bop devotees he is not worth mentioning in the same breath as Roach, Higgins, Blakey, Taylor, etc. I think that any objective evaluation of his career, contribution, and actual musicianship over the years (remembering that he started out as as early be-bop drummer on the east coast) would place him very high in the pantheon of jazz drummers. I believe that this album makes my case stronger. Garth.

... the flip side .....

Remember that Blue Note is a trademark of Capitol records (EMI), and is sometimes listed as "released by Capitol Records". The number is CDP 7 84436 2. It was released in 1991, and has been OOP for quite a long while. Grab one while you can. Here is the cover of the CD ... it is an essential album...

... and for "early" out ... don't forget the seminal stuff by Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne and Jimmy Giuffre "The Three" and "The Two" ... Anyone interested in "free jazz" has to start here to some extent. Then there are the Teddy Charles albums with Rogers and Giuffre, and also "Prestige Jazz Quartet" albums, especially the one with Teo Macero. These albums, recorded in the mid-fifties, form the foundation of what was to follow, but somehow they have been neglected, They deserve their place in jazz history ...

Allen .... I agree with you on this. I love early Evans .... his role as a sideman in those Jazz Workshop recordings and other George Russell excursions, and his work with Tony Scott, Eddie Costa, even Jay & Kai is a joy to the ear .... But, I also agree with Larry about later Evans. Even though I tried to be an Evans completist, and acquired all of that material, including the expensive later boxed sets, I seldom listen to the later stuff when I feel the need for an Evans fix; I usually go for an early Riverside ... or one of the Verves, including some of the "symphonic stuff" ...

Ubu, You might find this interesting, and rather sad .... the end of an era indeed! http://allafrica.com/stories/200501130085.html

Hi Ubu, I just notice that this thread had been revived .... No, sorry. I hav ereally no idea where they came from. I do wish that there were more substantial discographies of this period of South African jazz available. There couldnot have been that much recorded, and there were only a few labels. I assume that somewhere in South Africa right now work is being done on researching this phase of South African culture. I have not yet read Gwen Ansell's book, "Soweto Blues: Jazz, Popular Music and Politics in SA." Have you???

My understanding is that they are the same cd's (not enhanced) originally issued in the early '90's, just packaged together for the first time (and in a nice, slim digipack box, by the way). These are early '90's Telarc digital recordings, and live up to Telarc's reputation for great digital engineering and sound. Damn! I was so looking forward to spending $30 on something I already have .. and I do so love boxed sets!

Which Manny Albam Sessions? West Side Story by any chance? Joe .. The Lonehill album referred to is: " Jazz Greats Of Our Time" .. a 2-CD set with Farmer, Edison, Candoli, Brookmeyer, Woods, Sims, Cohn, Mulligan, Holman, Mariano, Adams, Hank Jones, Lou Levy, Milt Hinton, Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne ... You should definitely have this. it was formerly on Coral records ... Garth. P.S. Yes.. a reissue of Albam's West Side Story is long overdue .... Maybe Fresh Sounds will do it.

I have the original four CDs which comprise this set ... I have seen no mention as to whether these have been "enhanced" in any way ... after all they are not that old ... Is this true? Thanks in advance ...