Teasing the Korean

I think my speakers sound better when I dust the tops.

For years, my rule of thumb with CTI was this: If it pre-dates 1975 and it has either Don Sebesky or Deodato involvement, it is worth picking up. If it is from 1975 or later and/or has Bob James involvement, all bets are off. Of course, this is when I was finding CTI albums for a buck or two. At today's prices, I might be more selective. The other thing is that nearly all of those pre-1975 CTI albums contain at least one or two standout tracks, even if the whole album does not necessarily hold together all that well.

I am a lousy reader if you put an unknown piece of music in front of me, but if I know how something goes, I can write it down very quickly. So I can write out complex arrangements that I wouldn't be able to read if they weren't already in my head.

I knew an audiophile who claimed that the colors of the cables made a difference. He also claimed that records sounded different at various times of the day, because of the power grid. He said that records sounded the best at 3 am, because the fewest number of persons were using the grid at that time.

Agreed. Just making sure that I wasn't any more musically deficient than I already am.

Thank you both. I guess it's not really that strange after all!

About 25-30 years ago, I was very serious about piano and arranging, and I spent a lot of time writing arrangements of standards that I like. I say "writing," but I got around to transcribing only about half of them. The rest I have periodically had to dust off and play from memory. After stretches of not playing, which is more and more common these days, I spend time at the piano going through all of them to make sure I don't forget. Some of these have some very complex chords and complex passing chords, in which the number of voices in each hand will switch based on a variety of factors. A lot of times, if I decide to simply play the bridge, or start at the second chorus, I'll get a few bars in and I will forget some detail, and I'll have to go over that part. Sometimes I will get it right, but other times, I keep getting it wrong. But then I will start playing the arrangement from the beginning, arrive at that section, and play it perfectly. My question is: Is this normal, and do other players experience this? I don't understand why I have to play a passage in the context of the whole piece rather than just randomly dive into a particular section. Thoughts? Is this a weird quirk of TTK, or is this a thing among musicians?

Brilliant use of the opening line from "Golden Slumbers!"

What is his preference in wine, beyond red?

Been enjoying this LP, thanks to a generous forum member!

This seems interesting, thanks!

Two examples of what I'm talking about with Tony and Mel: Tony - On Green Dolphin Street Mel - How High the Moon

That went on throughout his career. A leftover from one album would show up someplace a decade later.

Yes, that is the version that is on Qobuz. Thanks!

Oh, yeah, clearly different. Thanks! Looks like I can get that one inexpensively on Qobuz also.

Thank you! Most of those titles are on either the Vogue disc, or the Kenny Clarke/Jazz Group. Any clue as to whether or not these are the same recordings, or if they are by a different group playing Hodeir's arrangements? The only title that I'm not seeing on the discs I have is "Alphabet."

Wow, not familiar with this one! There is an inexpensive lossless download from Qobuz. I may go this route. Many thanks!

I really love Andre Hodeir's music. I have the following four CDs, in chronological order: 1. The Vogue Sessions - two 10" albums from the early 1950s 2. Le Jazz Groupe de Paris Plays Andre Hodeir - 1956 3. Kenny Clarke Plays Andre Hodeir - 1956 4. Jazz et Jazz - 1960 How much more is there, and are the above albums the cream of the crop?

The holy triumvirate of musical acts with the most annoying fan bases, in no order: The Dead Zappa Jimmy Buffett Beatles fans are doing all they can to join this exclusive club.

Something that bugs me about both Tony Bennett and Mel Torme is they will often take a generally mid-tempo tune at an unusually slow tempo. That works every so often, but for me, it usually doesn't. The activity within the melody often dictates the ideal tempo range, IMO. Those English lyrics are on the Brasil '66 version from their 1967 album Equinox.

And these records gave listeners in the US a vision of an idealized Europe that both embraced the contemporary while acknowledging its monumental past achievements.

Yes, the guitar and vibes give it that air of mid-century futurism!

As for me, I haven't had a chance to absorb who arranged what!

Agreed! On first listen, that stuck out, along with the opening track, and also "You Go to My Head." I had it on in the background while I was working, so I couldn't give it my undivided.

Tentet arrived today and I just finished listening. This stuff is right up my alley: Postwar Twilight Zone jazz, along with some moody private-eye jazz sounding tracks. I am kind of amazed that it has taken me this long to find Teddy Charles, but better late than never! This will pair nicely on a playlist with Duane Tatro's Jazz for Moderns!