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Why?

Off of the album Caravan, the tune "Caravan".......flipped me when I first heard it....the Wayne Shorter arraingement. Caravan is a favorite tune for me to play, BUT, the way those cats play it on the Caravan CD.....dammit, I don't want to sound like some empty "fanboy" here, but goddam that is some of the hippest three horn arrainging of a Duke tune. I know how the A sections are arrainged.....the bridge though....Freddie plays the melody and Wayne and Curtis play a counter line. A question for all: was this a line that Wayne came up with (and I think that it is) or is it derivative from something else?

Two other places in Portland, OR. to check out. Never been to this one, but organ groups play here: Goodfoot Lounge 2845 SE Stark St. Portland, OR. (I don't know the ZIP code) 503-239-9292 This next place, I've played. They're closing for re-modeling in mid-August and reopening.....well, nobody knows. Might not even do music anymore, but just in case: Jazz de Opus 33 NW 2nd Ave Portland, OR. (I dont know the ZIP code) 503-222-6077 www.jazzdeopus.com/indexb.asp

I had to go with Stablemates. I've been dealing with that tune since I was 16.

Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, You Don't Know What Love Is.....in D flat no less.....HELL YEAH!!!!

Two places in the Pacific NW: both jazz clubs that also do funkier organ-type stuff on occasion....maybe 4 or so nights a month....maybe more. Jimmy Mak's in Portland, OR http://www.jimmymaks.com The Blue Monk in Portland, OR http://www.thebluemonk.com

Never bought used from Amazon, Geoff. I got mine from Dusty Groove (the bastards!). They periodically get Enja stuff in at a reduced price (for whatever reason, seems to be used and resealed, but still in primo condition). From them you can buy with confidence. I don't know much about this outfit (Dusty Groove......bastards you call them). And, I don't have a credit card (a debit card, yes....and, as far as doing on-line transactions, makes me even MORE nervous!) What kind of problems (if any) have you had with these "bastards?" Will they accept alternate payment options (like a check, money order, etc.) what is their web address, dustygroove.com?

Thanks, Jim.

OK, I found Barcelona at Amazon for....not much. Classified as "used." Anyone here bought something from these guys "used?" Is it in good condition, etc.?

I'm glad to hear that. For whaterver stupid-ass reason, I never bought this side.....I think it was a little pricey....whatever, it was still a stupid-ass reason. Jim, I'll do some checking, but is Barcelona still available?

A pianist friend of mine saw Joe live sometime around '93, '94, '95, somewhere around there in NYC. He told me that Joe wasn't "on." I asked "was it still good?" and he said "yeah, just not......"on."" He told the same thing to Jim McNeely and Jim said something very telling. Jim said something like "Hey, an off night for Joe is a night that we (as musicians, that is) is something that we only dream of!"

Fortinuately, I have it and...... HELL YES!!!

If you get a chance, check out Wahoo! and Sweet Honey Bee, both Duke Pearson sides, both with Joe. Great writing and playing by all concerned. If you want to hear Joe tear up on some standard material, check out Joe Henderson with the Wynton Kelly Trio...two CD's, Straight, No Chaser, and Four! Some great late 80's early 90's stuff is on Red Records. An Evening with Joe Henderson, Charlie Haden, Al Foster. This was a live concert in Italy. The Standard Joe was a studio date in '91. The thing I love about Joe's playing is that he fits himself in to each situation in a different way, and is yet always himself. For example, on the Duke Pearson stuff, he plays more out of a "soul" bag. On the Andrew Hill recordings, more "avant."

Ornette on Tenor and In All Languages.

I kind of screwed up, and can't vote now. I'd put him in my top 5. For a period of a couple of months last summer, I was wrapped up in transcribing Andrew's compositions. Definately an eye opening experience.

For what it's worth (what, twenty bucks?)........get the Aladdin. The first four tracks (Indiana, I Can't Get Started, Tea For Two, and Body And Soul (YES!!)) are worth the $20 admission price alone. These are trio pieces with Lester, Nat Cole on piano and Red Callender on bass. In its totality, this is an absolutely beautiful set.

Dewey Redman plays alto on Ear Of The Behearer. Ornette plays tenor again on In All Languages.

No problem Mny. If you can find a used one that is in good shape, get that one. A new Yamaha student model will run you between, oh....$900 to $1000. A used one, probably between $300 to $600. Probably not $600, but you never know. Now what constitutes good shape? And, even if it is in good shape (cosmetics can be deceiving), it still might be a dog. I would recommend having a professional musician look at the horn. If your cousin's kid has a private teacher, that would be the guy (or gal). Even if it's the case where you see a horn in a pawn shop window, get someone to the pawn shop to check it out before any money is laid down. That being said, don't buy a horn on ebay. Once the deal is done' it's done and you might be stuck with a $400 horn that has been used as a dog's chew toy at some time. Mouthpiece: the stock Yamaha mouthpiece is called a "4C". That will be stamped somewhere on the mouthpiece. This is pretty much the same as a new Selmer S-80 C*. New, not vintage. Ok, so what the hell does all of that mean? S-80: Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the "S" is for Selmer and the "80" is for the 1980's. I'm just guessing, because around 1990 or so, I saw the S-90 model. The thing to remember here is the "C*" part. That is Selmers tip opening designation, tip opening being the distance in the gap between the tip of the mouthpiece and the reed. With Selmer, the higher the letter, the wider the opening. So, a "D" is wider than a "C*", an "E" wider than a "D" etc. At the end of the day, if he has a sax lesson teacher, the teacher would be able to suggest a different mouthpiece if your cousin's kid needs one. Band directors have their preferences as well. They usually demand that all of their sax section use a Selmer C*. If your cousin's kid has a Yamaha 4C....not really a big deal. They are essentially the same mouthpiece. Reeds: I think that I'll borrow a line from Sangrey that I read somewhere: "All reeds SUCK!" That being said, your cousin's kid will have to learn to deal with this part of playing the saxophone, as any saxophonist has to. Find out what he's playing on now, and that will probably do the trick. And I am loathe to recommend reeds, because, everyone is different. For whatever reason, I can't play on any reed made by Vandoren. I don't know why, it's just a piece of cane right? A friend of mine in L.A. can't play anything but Vandoren. Go figure. Hope this was helpful, and I'll talk to you later.

I often think "Man, if my mom had been into Kind Of Blue rather than whatever "adult contemporary pop"......" I was exposed to jazz through private lessons. I was playing in the middle school big band and going through jazz etude books (the one by Lennie Niehaus (sp?)). We moved right before high school. My new teacher was the one to turn me on to Lester Young and Coltrane through transcribed solos and recordings of those solos. Then came Charlie Parker (I switched from tenor to alto for a while). In a way, I found a lot of music myself. I would look to see who played on what album. Then I would go find albums by those sidemen. I think I found out about Sonny Rollins by hearing him on Miles Davis' Dig, then got Tenor Madness. Or Saxophone Colossus. This process was not without some pitfalls, however. Just going by name (and no knowledge of history at the time) I bought Coltrane's OM when I was 15 . Did not dig it at the time. I held on to it and checked it out a few years later and was in to it. Somewhat. Gotta re-visit that one. As far as brick and mortar stores, I remember most of the staff at Tower Records NYC in the Village (jazz dept.) being very knowledgeable about recordings.

I would tend to say, don't lay out a lot of money for a Selmer at this point. A Yamaha student model will probably do the job for now. I know the altos are very good, and I know a guy in Texas who played the tenor model for a while (not by choice; I think his Selmer got ripped off). And I'm not trying to be a spokesman for Yamaha ; I just have more experience (positive experience at that) dealing with those horns (I taught saxophone lessons for the last 5 years, most of them beginners, and most of them using a Yamaha student model). When he gets to be 15 or 16 and if he's thinking about studying music in college, or being a professional musician, then start thinking about a "pro" model horn. And don't think only about Selmers either. For the most part, the Selmers (Mark VI and Balanced Action models) I've checked out have been great. Then there's been some Selmers I've tried that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! If/when you guys are looking for a "pro" model horn, again like I said above, check out everything you can get your hands on. Conn made some great horns back in the 30's/40's. King Super 20 is a nice horn as well. I'm sure there are other people here who could tell you about other "pro" model horns (Keilworth, Couf, Yamaha, Yanagasawa, etc.) but those that I listed are the only ones I've checked out.

Mny, How long has your cousin's kid been playing?

As far as checking out horns, I'd say try anything and everything you can get your hands on. That Yanagasawa might be cool, but sitting next to it might be an old Conn that kicks ass and costs a lot less. Or a King Super 20. Ya never know I play on an old Selmer Balanced Action with a 6* Sugal. Reeds....ugh! Just had 2 bad ones in a row. Which is not a record for me. I think I once had 8 out of 10 reeds that sucked. I play Superial DC when I can get them (not so much of a suck factor with them. Out of 50 reeds, I think I had 2 that were unplayable, 5 that needed some severe breaking in, and the rest were cool). Hemke or Rico Royal when I can't. All 3 1/2.