RDK

Thanks guys! I'm most thrilled to discover that I share a birthday with Grant Green. That, and D-Day...

That's a lot of Mosaics, Chris!

She's lovely, Jim. You guys done good!

Thanks for the heads-up. This is a must-have.

Ummmm. I love thick crust...

Pizza, as they say, is a lot like sex (or even jazz). When it’s good, it’s very good. But when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good...

Several of these indies are now being "distributed" through music...

What draws me here? Somehow my browser got defaulted to Organissimo as its home page... and I'm too stupid to figure out how to change it.

Well, I for one like to laugh at people more self-deluded than me. Come to think of it, that's one of the reasons I visit this board as well...

I concur. That, given a nearly 50 year career, is impressive.

I've got so much live Ellington, but I don't think I have that one (maybe on LP, with a different cover). I think I'd better track that one down. Seriously, though - and I've asked this question before, of different artists - is there that much "bad" Ellington out there? I can't think of any. (Poorly chosen comps, yes, and some bad-sounding recordings, maybe.) I'm curious: what Duke albums, if any, should one avoid?

Yeah, but the way I feel about it is that it's worth suffering through a minute or two of Kenny G every few years if it means hours of fun trashing him on the net until the next time one must endure him. Or one can just Tivo right past him...

Man! You have a sense of humor, how can that be??? with great lines such as.... Dracula: I'm going out for a bite to drink. Dracula: Children of the night, shut up! Ok, a flawed film for sure, but very 70's and Richard Benjamin's best role. I mean Come on, flashing Dracula his Jewish star, trying to kill him with a silver bullet in the heart , an Oscar worthy performance for sure! ← What can I say? An intense dislike of George Hamilton? Seriously, that was back in [pause as he refers to Maltin's] 1979. No, that can't be right - I must have caught it at a revival somewhere, years later. Yeah, that one should have appealed to me - I like comedy, vampires, and Richard Benjamin - but whatever. That's the first one, and like your first, ugh, kiss... one remembers such things. Did you guys know that if you leave early you can often get your money back (or another ticket) from the box office?

The first movie i ever walked out on was "Love at First Bite." Given what I do for a living and how many films I see, one would think that I'd walk out on more, but it's actually a pretty rare occurance. I did walk out on "Antz" after the first five minutes and got my money back, but part of that was due to a projection problem (though I still thought the movie pretty bad after I did get around to seeing it). To digress, did I ever tell you the time I convinced a group of co-workers to see "Bird" the weekend that it opened? Well, the arrangements were left up to a very cute but not exceptionally bright gal and we made a half-drunk pilgramage to the nearest drive-in to see it... only to discover that she misunderstood what we wanted to see and instead took up to see the other film opening that weekend: "The Burbs." It wasn't so funny then...

"Fun"" is right, and overall I have to give the nod to this disc over disc #1. It may be less “serious,” but it’s much more offbeat and interesting to me. Several of these tracks I definitely need to add to my collection... 1. This track, however, doesn’t do that much for me. Like the bit of a theme played in the beginning, but the rest of it feels meandering and unfocused and the track goes on for way too long (though it gets interesting again at around 8:30 on). 2. This I like. A little bit inside; a little bit outside. 3. Great groove, but almost non-jazzy in a way. I really like the muted sounds of the brass. Very curious about this one, but probably not one I’d rush out to buy. (Just have to add that I’m liking it more with repeated listening.) 4. This tune sounds familiar but I’m not caring for the sound of the combined horns in the beginning. The solo passages are better, but that rhythm section is getting monotonous. 5. If this isn’t Keith Jarrett I don’t know what is. Short, solo, and with that ECM sound, so probably from Facing You, though I haven’t listened to that one (on LP) in some time. What can I say? – I love this one. 6. Very atmospheric – lovely. Reminds me of track 3 from disc 1, though I think I like this track much better. 7. This sounds familiar, too, but no clue. Some good playing, but that incessant drumbeat tends to ruin the track for me. 8. My first thought upon recognizing the tune was that this might be from Stanley T’s Stevie Wonder album, but that’s so obviously not ST on the sax. Sounds more like Shepp in places, trying his best to stay inside on a pop standard. I dunno, but I definitely want to hear more of this. I love this style of impassioned playing. It’s recognizable, over-the-top, and above all fun. How could anyone not dig this one? Not the greatest sounding recording – live? – so maybe a boot? 9. Oh yeah. The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Great version and an unexpected choice for a jazz cover. Stuff like this really makes me wish that more guys did jazz covers of pop/rock tunes. Don’t have a clue as to who’s playing, but this is another of my favorites on this BFT. 10. Damn, I should know this one. I’m pretty sure I have it. Larry Young, Grant Green, and Sam Rivers from Into Somethin’? No, maybe not Sam… 11. Lots of this kind of post-BB jazz-funk on disc 1, but I like this track better than most of those on that disc. Dunno why, but more energetic and interesting to me. Bennie Maupin maybe on sax? 12. Whoa – buzz kill after that last track. Again, sounds like solo Jarrett, but later than track 5 – maybe something from “Dark Intervals?” If not Jarrett, certainly inspired by him and someone I want to listen to more. 13. Rinky-dinky organ in the opening, but the crowd suggests that he’s just putting us on. This may have been more fun for those in attendance – by the end, the “joke” runs out of gas – but still an enjoyable track.

The reason I asked was because I have the Brunswick and Okeh comps alrready, as well as some of the early Victor sides. I'm mostly (though certainly not exclusively) interested in the later 30's and 40's stuff, so I'll certainly pick up the "Never No Lament" set asap. Lon, don't think I can wait another ten years to get the rest of this stuff, but I'm sure I'll stumble across another copy of this box before then.

Yeah, let's not casually debate the merits and criticisms of a current motion picture. Let's go back to arguing politics instead!

Question for you, Chuck: how do the RCA recordings of 1927-34 stack up against the Brunswick and Okeh sides from this period? Same band, right, just different label? Never quite understood the overlap...

I was seriously thinking about going after that one today, but I've been buying so much lately and am really overextended. I have some of the material on other CDs already, and there are a lot of alt. takes on the first half of the set (not that I don't appreciate alts, but there's already 24 discs to listen to!). So I think I'll placate myself and buy the Never No Lament set instead. At least for now...

And thank goodness for that. Alan Moore's, er, uh... British!

No big surprise there. That pretty much describes Frank Miller to a T. ← Frank Miller? Awful? I don't think I've ever heard anyone ever say that before... ← ...Talk to Kalo. ← Kalo ??? You are talking about Frank Miller, the comic book/graphic novel writer/artist, right? You might not have liked Sin City, but Miller is generally considered one of the most talented and innovative comic book creators of the last 25 years. He's hardly "terrible."

That doesn't help me a whole bunch. The orchestral part sounds "timeless," though now I'm wondering if the end of the piano section turns into Waltz for Debby rather than just being edited too close to the cut. In that case, I'd say early 60s.

Sorry for the delayed response. I’ve listen to the discs several times over the last two weeks, but haven’t had the time to make any cogent comments (and now’s no exception ). Honestly, most if not all of these have me stumped. The disc is heavy on (what seems to me) early 70’s, post-Bitches Brew influences, and that’s not really my strength. Overall, I’ve enjoyed the disc (though I’m sure I like disc 2 better), but few of the tracks really stand out as “must haves” for me. Still, a lot of them are interesting and I have no clue as to what/who most of them are. 1. A movie theme? 2. Waltz for Debby. Lovely tune – Evans’ finest imo - but dunno by who. 3. Odd, but okay. Doesn’t knock me out. Trumpet sounds almost like Miles. Hmm – maybe from Aura (which I have on an old cassette somewhere but haven’t listened to in a decade)? 4. Funkier and more entertaining at least than trk 3. Has that early 70’s electro-jamming sound, but overall not my thing. 5. Sounds like a jazz version of the Odd Couple theme. No, not that, of course, but jaunty and loping in that style. Best track so far. 6. Again 70s and very electric. Weird processed trumpet. Eddie Henderson perhaps? I dig this but only in doses. Too short – why the fade-out? 7. A pleasant change-of-pace. A typical quartet. This one seemed rather too conventional and safe the first time I heard it, but it’s growing on me. Still can’t i.d. anyone though, though the pianist sounds familiar. Hmm – could that be Wayne Shorter? 8. More modal. I like this style much more, and the playing is good, though the tune itself leaves me a bit indifferent. Rooster sure likes his trumpets… 9. Oh yeah, I know this one. That’s uh, that’s… much too brief. I dunno? Lester Bowie maybe? 10. That chaotic opening gets me out of my seat. No friggin’ clue. 11. Again, with the more straight-ahead trumpet blowing. Okay, but no clue and again a quick fade. 12. This tune sounds familiar, at least the opening statement. But it’s very loose and stalls rather quickly for me. That bass solo (which I usually dig) kills it for me. 13. No idea. Maybe Woody Shaw? 14. Love the wacka-wacka 70’s porn music groove that opens this, but don’t care for the tune itself all that much. I prefer the sound of the guitar to that of the horns. Beyond that, no idea. 15. A refreshing change from the 70s, at least in style if not chronology. The old school still kills. Like the guitar accompaniment to the tenor sax. But I’m no good at identifying players. 16. I really dig the opening with the bass solo, then the drums and piano entering over it. Again with the muted/processed trumpet, but I really like this one. Late 60’s-early 70’s Miles’ influence is all over this disc, but I think he only appears on trk 3 if that is indeed Aura. This one gets a bit freer later on, especially in the piano solo. No idea, but I like it.

In no particular order and off the top of my head... Charles Mingus – Ah Um Thelonious Monk – Misterioso Wes Montgomery – Full House Modern Jazz Quartet – Last Concert Jimmy Smith – Cool Blues Duke Ellington – Piano in the Foreground Sam Rivers – Fuchsia Swing Song Keith Jarrett – Koln Concert Bobby Hutcherson – Happenings Paul Chambers – Quintet Joe Henderson – Page One Eric Dolphy – Outward Bound Archie Shepp – Attica Blues Pharoah Sanders – Karma John Coltrane – A Love Supreme Julian Adderley – In San Francisco Dave Brubeck – Time Out Miles Davis –Kind of Blue Bill Evans – Waltz For Debby/Sunday at VV Ella Fitzgerald – Cole Porter Songbook Stan Getz – Jazz Samba Andrew Hill – Smoke Stack Hank Mobley – Soul Station Donald Byrd – At the Half Note Horace Silver – Song For My Father Grant Green – Idle Moments Harry Sweets Edison Sweets – Swinger & Mr. Swing Clark Terry – In Orbit Roy Eldridge – Swingin’ on the Town Dizzy Gillespie – Jazz at Massey Hall (gotta put it somewhere) Art Blakey – Indestructible Weather Report – Heavy Weather Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage Chick Corea – My Spanish Heart Ben Webster – Soulville Sonny Rollins – Way Out West Horace Tapscott – The Dark Tree Freddie Hubbard – Blue Spirits Tina Brooks – The Waiting Game Randy Weston – Saga Clifford Brown – Brown & Roach Mal Waldron – The Quest Coleman Hawkins – Hawk Flies High Art Pepper – Intensity Steve Lacy – Live at Dreher Wayne Shorter – Adam’s Apple Oliver Nelson – Blues & Abstract Truth Lee Morgan – Leeway