Teasing the Korean

If you count Herb Alpert as jazz, then Herb Alpert. If you don't count Herb Alpert as jazz, then not Herb Alpert. And Johnny Frigo.

Progress!

Did you ever have a solo cocktail piano gig? I've had many over the years, and they basically fell into my lap simply by being at the right place at the right time. I suspect that these kind of gigs are going the way of the dodo bird. There are fewer places with pianos, and most of the clientele is no longer familiar with standards.

I think you can get furry leopard-print coverings to make them soft drives.

If you have a large accumulation of CDs, it is very helpful for things like seeing how many versions of a certain tune you have, or finding a tune when you can't remember which album it is on. A lot easier than going through a zillion CDs. Also great if you like to program you own playlists. You can do things like get rid of alternate takes that are foolishly placed directly beside the respective master takes. Not saying it's for everyone, but there are advantages.

A couple of points: 1. Create physical space 2. Make money off of the physical object. While keeping the music.

I used to play a lot of cocktail piano gigs, and my preference was generally that no one was listening! The dream was disappointing, though, both because I was asked to play for a small group, and because my playing sucked.

I dreamt that the Tonight Show band was doing a show of Sammy Nestico arrangements, with Sammy conducting. Everything looked like it did in the 70s. Doc was wearing a loud suit. I was part of a small audience that was on the stage with the band. They were doing a Latin number, and after the solos, everything started falling apart. Sammy looked up, perplexed. I motioned to him, and he came over. I told him, "The bass player can't feel where the 1 is." He nodded and thanked me, and pulled everyone back together. After the show, I was talking to Sammy and told him how much I loved his tune "Basie Straight Ahead." I told him that the melody reminds me of Henry Mancini. He didn't like that, and he walked away. Oh well.

Well, you can always back up the CDs and sell the valuable ones to supplement your income.

Love this stuff. I never knew that was Ricky!

Did the Nat King Cole Bio come before or after the Nat King Cole Trio? And which member wasn't involved in the bio?

A contemporary band should record these tunes in full and fly in Bird's solos where they occur. They could use AI and de-mixing technology to isolate the sax. At least that would make for a cohesive listening experience.

In the early 1960s, GNP Crescendo released two albums by composer, violinist, and multi-instrumentalist Elisabeth Waldo. Ms. Waldo is still alive, and if she makes it to June 15, she will turn 105!

I've had fun remembering all the gigs I've played over the decades, but I'm racking my mind to think of one as memorable as either of those Mai Kai gigs. Playing there for me is like playing Carnegie Hall. If I can think of a gig as memorable, I will post it.

So here is what prompted this thread: Last weekend, in the vinyl thread, I posted that I was spinning the 1967 LP The Private Sea Of Dreams (RCA, stereo) by Il Gruppo. This was a US release. The full name of this group was Gruppo Di Improvvisazione, with Morricone on trumpet. This led to a discussion about Morricone's out stuff, and along the way, we mentioned the 2-CD Crime and Dissonance compilation, the soundtrack to the 1971 giallo The Cold Eyes of Fear, a.k.a. Gli occhi freddi della paura, and a "compilation from 1979 on the General Music label...focusing on his experimental soundtrack music from the late 60s, including the stunning "Altri Dopo Di Noi" (“La Tenda Rossa”, 1968)." I should add there that a few years back, I picked up the CD reissue of Dimension Sonore, a 10-album library, half by Morricone, half by Nicolai, very much in the dissonant mode these composers used in giallo films. Each disc, though, has its own sonic palette. One of the things I love about soundtracks in general and a lot of Morricone's 70s soundtracks in particular is the juxtaposition of styles. One of his giallo scores may include a sad, minor-key theme, dissonant orchestral stuff, a Bossa, and a fake rock tune with a free-form trumpet freakout. So, with that, I'll post some favorites, and anyone else is welcome to chime in.

I'm going through a bunch of LPs of my Dad's. Many of these had been in my brother's basement. Among them is Squeeze Me by Sallie Blair, on Bethlehem. I will have to clean this and give it spin.

Is this why he titled one of this albums The Great White Hope?

And as a result, finding his albums never ends! Many of those films had different titles in different countries, and various releases of a single score have different numbers of tracks.

Seriously?!? Do tell!

I'm no fan of Mosaic, but how do they correct a centuries-old bias against women in the arts? They are doing historical releases, and those releases represent their respective eras.

Continuing a conversation in the vinyl thread that included @mjazzg and @corto maltese. We were talking specifically about some of Morricone's out/dissonant/avant garde stuff, but we can talk about anything here. I'm no expert, but I have more Morricone than any other artist. (Duke Ellington and Sun Ra must rank just below him). My preferred period is roughly mid-60s to mid-70s, which represents the time of his collaboration with Bruno Nicolai. While Morricone certainly did great scores afterwards, I can't help but feel that a little bit of the magic was gone. So if there is interest in sharing recommendations in this thread, I'm happy to suggest scores and learn about others.

If you are looking more for the out/experimental stuff, that compilation provides a good introduction. You may also like the score to The Cold Eyes of Fear, a.k.a. Gli occhi freddi della paura. And lots of other stuff to be discussed elsewhere.

Here is one of my most memorable gigs, at the Mai Kai:

Playing the Mai-Kai, not once, but twice. That was as close to being Martin Denny as I am likely to get in this lifetime.

Thanks, not familiar with that one. Are you familiar with the 2-CD Crime and Dissonance compilation?