garthsj

I had a "date" lunch today at Canyon Cafe .... my meal ... a delicious "southwest" grilled chicken quesadilla with marbelized onions and two kinds of spiced sauces. Of course, their complimentary multi-colored taco chips and green and red salsa was also consumed with enthusiasm .....I also tried a bottle of the peach and ginger flavored iced tea ... The price ... just $8.95 and $2.95 for the tea. Now my penance .... it is oat flakes and blueberries for dinner ....

We study THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL in some detail in my Social Aspects of Film Class. Wanna play a game .... 1. What name does the Michael Rennie character assume when he comes to Earth? 2. What is his mission on Earth? 3. What happens to him on Earth? 4. Describe in detail his death? Hmmmmmmmmm .. now where did I read all this before? I will follow this up when I return from Singapore with the details of a teriffic interview I once had with Robert Wise about his take on his directorial debut in this film ...

Great Story Brownie ..... I am sure that photograph will become a very treasured family heirloom... In the year before he died, at one of the West Coast weekends, I was able to get Gerry Mulligan to autograph one of his first Pacific Jazz 10" albums. I was on the verge of being pushy as his female guardian (whose name I can never remember) tried to shoo me away. He noticed the album, and smiling agreed to do it. I also got Carson Smith to sign the same album .... I was well on my way to trying to find Chico Hamilton, but I was told that Chet Baker was definitely not available to sign autographs! On a more serious note .... one of the main reasons I stopped going to jazz clubs/bars was the annoyance of patrons who persisted in talking all through the performance, including that of vocalists! That and the cigarette smoke and the overpriced drinks ... I much prefer the concert venue .... No wonder John Lewis had the MJQ wear formal clothes ... he wanted the same respect as classical artists ...

Eric Dolphy is, of course, the modern master, but there is one very interesting Tony Scott album where he plays lots of bass clarinet... This album has thankfully been reissued as I wore out my original Bethlehem vinyl. The album is part of the Avenue Jazz Bethlehem reissue series, and is "Milt Hinton: East Coast Jazz #5" and Tony is listed, for contractual reasons, I presume, under his real name, A.J. SCIACCA. Dick Katz on piano, and Osie Johnson on drums round out this lovely little quartet album.. highly recommended. Also, Joe Temperley plays great bass clarinet, as well as being one of the best baritone sax players around today...

Brad Mehldau once stopped during his solo (Rossy & Grenadier played on), and made gestures of hitting the photographer... (that was at a concert around 2001, I think). ubu Let me pose this question, which I once heard Gerry Mulligan raise when he was asked about audiences and their behavior (he was referring to talking in the audience while the artist played) .... "Would people do that to Horowitz?" So, are jazz musicians any lesser musical artists, or do they fall into the "entertainer" category, and thus subject to intrusions into their artistic experience?

The Lee Konitz Nonet material is wonderful .... a little rough in places, but it captures that "loose," flowing improvisational quality of the Tristanoites perfectly. There were four albums made, and there is one, on Roulette, that is yet to be reissued on CD. What are the chances of that? On the Chiaruscuro reissue, Konitz has added fairly lengthy "talk piece" about the history of the Nonets; he claims that in its brief two year history, about 90 different musicians went through its various chairs! I agree that Konitz does well with large groups ... there is an album on Verve (MGV 8362) "You and Lee" accompanied by a brass group with Bill Evans on piano, and Jimmy Giuffre on bari, and also the arranger which is just wonderful. I have NO idea why this album was noy included in the Konitz and Giuffre package that Verve put together, rather than William Russo's "An Image" ... so this great album sits out there as an orphan now, waiting for Verve to decide what to do with it! Finally, there is this album, with a string section, which I also highly recommend....

Tooter ... I have talked to Buddy about this recording in the past, and the story has been written up several times. He was persuaded by Leonard Feather to try the bass clarinet for this particular recording session with Blakey; made this one great album, and then never recorded on the instrument again. He jokes that it was too much of a hassle to carry around, and that his fans did not expect him to play that instrument. There have been many attempts to get him to pick it up again, but apparently he doesn't even own one. (I am sure that the Yamaha instruments people would have no qualms about giving him their best instrument). I am also hoping that this session will be reissued in a remastered edition sometime soon.

When Gerry Mulligan did his "Rebirth Of The Cool" album (GRP GRD-9679) in 1992, Lee Konitz was unavailable to reprise his work, and his place was taken by Phil Woods. This created an entirely new sound to the music, and while not bad, it was different, indicating what a major contribution Konitz had made to the original. BTW, Lee was 19-20 when he made those albums with Thornhill; and don't forget that many of those great Thornhill arrangements were done by Gil Evans.

How about this fine young 15 year-old fellow (I had lots of hair then ...NO MESSING WITH THAT COUW!!) on alto (a beautiful Selmer Mark Vi) circa 1955 ... in Cape Town, South Africa, playing with Hoppy Hopfeld and His Hopcats .. truly.... that was the name of the band.. That is my dad on drums...

Hmmmmmmmmm.. as a college teacher, this is always an awkward question for me to answer.. ... so, I won't ....

Sounds like you need one now! Yes, I agree .. can we start a GGAIN Fund on here ("Get Garth An Ipod Now!") ? I will start with $10.00 ... whose next?

You guys and gals are lucky ... I take a plane out of Houston at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning on my way to Singapore .. a 29 hour trip!! My weekend will be spent getting ready for that, and polishing up my powerpoint presentation for the conference I am going to. Mostly, I will be spending an inordinant amount of time selecting what CDs to take with me to assist in surviving the plane trip .... I am hoping to get an iPod for Xmas ...

I am doing some personal research into the Lee Konitz Nonet .. and I came across this very interesting interview with Lee, which I thought I would share with this group. There are always new facets to explore where he is concerned ..... http://www.sawf.org/Newedit/edit09182000/musicarts.asp

I assume that the last two days that could not be wasted on posting to other threads was spent in listening to this album, and composing some wonderfully incisive insights into this great music! Oh Yeah!... Time to go to work ladies and gentlemen! Garth, Houston.

I am also one of the "older" members of this board.. 64 last March. I started listening to jazz in about 1949, to Benny Goodman 78's ... graduated to be-bop (Parker, Gillespie), and the early west coast stuff (Rogers, Mulligan, Pepper etc.) by the time I was 13. While others were digging Guy Mitchell, and Patti Page, I was listening to Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald. It was tough being a jazz fan in the emerging age of Elvis and rock & roll, but I never wavered, and I have maintained an avid interest in this music ever since then. I have mentioned this several times in various threads, but I have loved being on this board and watching so many of you 20 to 40 somethings being so knowledgeable and appreciative of what I always considered to be "my" music ... It brings a real smile of joy to my face when one of you suddenly "discovers" an album that I have grown old with. There was a time when I wanted to jealously guard my music from the infidels, but here, I just want to rave about all of the wonderful music that has been an integral part of my life for fifty years! (God! That sounds like a very long time!). As someone else pointed out, as long as there are people like the members of this board, then an appreciation for this wonderful art form will survive. Garth.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK ..... Enjoy these "Golden Years!" It is a great time, you are still young enough to behave outrageously, and yet old enough so that people are willing to forgive you!

This may be, in fact, the story of Farmer's life .... he was always thought of as one of the "greats" and yet never quite captured the general jazz audience the way that others like Miles, Hubbard, Dorham, Mitchell, et. al. did. Yet, to me, he was more than their equal, and was very consistent in his performances. There are few, if any, bad Art Farmer albums from the fifties and sixties .... And he was the most lyrical of all of them -- perhaps that was his failing .... Discuss this among yourselves ..... B)

Actually, I have very poor eyesight ... 10/60 so there are, in fact, if they exist at all, very faint eyeball tracks in this paper ....

I got my Buddy Mosaic set so long ago that it's the LP format!! I have been looking for someone who wants to trade a CD set for it ... I am not going to connect up my Thorens turntable just to listen to this and my Shorty Rogers Mosaic LP set. I am waiting for the right moment when the neo-LP craze peaks, and each set hits the $500 mark! God! How I wish I kept all of those old Mosaic invoices .. but who woulda thunk it ..... It is you "younger" crazies, brought up on OBI's (do you smoke them?) that have made all of this ephemeral paper valuable...

Ubu, was it something like this that you had in mind? Too bad, someone else has already captured my attention ... Check this out .... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...3912326043&rd=1

Sent you a PM about the custom slips. Are they still available? Now wait a minute!! I had first dibs on those customes slips!! Butt out!!!

I have chosen this album not only because it one of my "desert island" discs, but I also believe that it has been underappreciated as one of the truly great albums of the "Golden Age" of bop. It was recorded in September, 1958, and was a precursor to the formation of the Farmer-Golson JAZZTET a few months later. The presence of a young Bill Evans adds greatly to the incredible level of the improvisations thoughout the entire session. The selection of tunes, both the originals, and the standards could not be better; but it is the quality of the improvisation that I keep coming back to over the years. It might just be me, but almost every solo on this album is near perfect. Farmer, in particular, is at the top of his lyrical form, and he carves out delighful new compositions with every solo. Just listen to his incredible take on Ray Noble's "The Touch Of Your Lips," and Cole Porter's "I Love You." From then on, Farmer "owned" these tunes as far as I am concerned. Well, let me leave room for others to comment. I hope that most of you already have this album; it is still available, even at a discount. If you have not listened to it in a long time, sit back, relax with that glass of whatever, and let the sheer joy of this great album overtake you ...

I essentially gave up living when I disposed of my entire 8,000 LP collection in 2001! Those bastards at Euclid Records in St. Louis still send me auctions notices of MY OLD ALBUMS ... Oh! The Horror! So.. I take it day by day .. and I appreciate your concern David, but I will make it if I can buy enough CDs!

LUCKY YOU, COUW! Because I had a hot date last night (see my date's picture in the "Babe thread") I did not get around to actually opening any of the discs. So, the shrink wrap is currently in mint condition. Now, if you are willing to guarantee a purchase, I will buy a surgical scalpel today, and carefully remove the shrinkwrap with just one slim cut. I can let you have them at $8.35 for volume 1; $9.75 for volume 2; and $8.59 for volume three. (Prices are based on rarity). Or I can make you a deal, of $25 for all three as a set. Please let me know within 24 hours. I must congratulate Couw in opening up a whole new area of "Mosaic Madness!" Just think of all that valuable shrink wrap that has been discarded over the years.

The first twelve numbers of the credit card are blanked out.. but that should not be a challenge to an enterprising lad such as yourself .... one of our mathematical genuises out there could probably tell you what the possible number of combinations there are .... If you purchase within 24 hours, I will give you the first number free, greatly increasing your odds.. Of course, if I keep buying Mosaic sets, there might not be any credit balance left for you to use..