Shrdlu

I don't really like to diss musicians, and there are sooo many jazz drummers that I love. But I really dislike Buddy Rich. I don't care about technique one little bit. I mean, obviously, he was a fine musician. But I just don't like him, or his big band style. Jimmy Cobb with Miles I don't like much too. Too tight, and pulls the beat forward, making too much tension for me. I much prefer Philly Joe with Miles from that era. Or Art Taylor. On a lot of BN dates, Billy Higgins is too heavy with the snare accents for me - can get overbearing at times. But after a lot of listening, I became a fan of him. He was great with Sonny Clark and Butch Warren - how great that section was on several sessions. One thing I look for in a drummer, as a sax player, is one who supports, and does not distract, the horn players. It would have been marvelous to play with Art Blakey kicking you up the ass, and all those press rolls. I used to play with a drummer who was into the Evans/LaFaro/Motian records a lot (which I love), and whenever we started to get wild in our solos, he would go wild to and make it hard to know where "one" was. so you had to pause your solo to let things settle. That was always a pain. I don't really like Roy Haynes's "snap, crackle pop" sound much, but he is certainly one of the greats. I think Max Roach was at his best with Bird. He was The Man back then, but, for me, not as interesting later. Will that get me booted from the site, Jim?

Yeah, babe!! Made my day!! [Just finished saying, in another thread, "how many more times are they going to reissue stuff".]

That's good! "little formal training" for Stewart. That's why he sounds so original. It reminds me of a remark a fellow musician made about Gary McFarland: "He didn't know enough to copy anyone else." (Not an exact quote, but that's the strength of it.) Unlike many Westerners, who worship it as a god, I have no respect for many aspects of the education system. The older I get, the more contempt I have for it. (And I was a university math professor for 20 years, lol.)

Lol! Well I had to live in New Brunswick for three years. What a pain in the ass place! Ughhh. I still shudder at the memory.

What the f**k!

I love that "Big Band Bossa Nova" album too. I never knew of its existence in the 60s, and only recently heard it when it was reissued as one of those marvelous mini LP CDs in Japan about 5 years ago. To me, it is way more interesting than the "Jazz Samba" album. My favorite track is "Chega de Saudade".

Lani is a marvelous singer. [i was able to get all the Japanese CD reissues of Sergio's recordings through about 1972. They sound fantastic. They use something called a rubidium clock, so that's why they are so good. ]

Great news (about Benny, not Mr M, whoever he was - I missed that, lol). He's far and away my favorite clarinet and I think he had the best sax section ever.

The OJC and Monk Box Set versions of this sound fine to me. How many more times are they going to re-re-re-re-issue stuff? I got tired of it all about 10 years ago, lol.

... and Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea (Return to Forever reunion), Miroslav Vitous, Charlie Haden and so on ........ Not exactly a shoddy lineup. But I've had enough of le Québec for a lifetime, and I'm not going back. (Most ludicrous thing they did was make Eaton's change their name to Eaton, ha ha. No ouay! )

I've always liked Mr Sting - he has a feel to his voice that only the top singers have. Check him out with Gil Evans! Stewart Copeland is a musical genius, and I don't think his Police recordings give much of an idea of just how talented the guy is. His scores for "The Equalizer" are where it's at. Those just blow me away. I was delighted to find an ultra rare CD of some of those in a used CD store in Huntsville, Alabama, of all places. I wish they would do what they have just done with Gary McFarland's "13" movie score, and put out a CD of all the music bites from the TV series.

That sure was big, and well exposed on the radio. It had a big influence on me. But I don't think I'd want to hear that album anymore. It's a story that's been told too often. Years later, I got Jobim's Verve album "The Composer Plays" and found out how Desafinado should really be played. Stan plays several wrong notes in the melody, and I have no doubt that Tom would not have approved, as he said that he recorded his songs to set them down correctly.

Brian sure has written some excellent liner notes over the years! Such albums as the U.K. two-LP issue of Gil Evans's "Individualism" sessions, and at least one of the Black Lion Monk albums (recorded in London, 1971).

Priceless, Noj! Beyond the call of duty ........

Not very smart of them, cos people then won't buy them.

There's a choice Milt performance on the dailymotion.com site - "For All We Know". That's Milt in top form, with superb backing from Oscar Peterson, NHOP and Martin Drew. There are a few blips in the film, but it's still a listenable copy. Nils-Henning's sensitive bass playing, the timing especially, is a marvel. [i don't usually like Oscar's playing, but he is perfect for Milt.]

Just as well it wasn't two gay guys! That asshole sheriff would have blown them away. What a racist place the U.S. still is, and the U.K. also! [i was chatting to a Canadian DJ who works in England, and he says he is sick of all the racism there. He's from BC, where there are so many people of Chinese descent, but there, they are called Canadians. In England, he says, they could have been there for several generations, but are still called Chinese, or even Chinkies, Likewise people of Indian descent.]

Oh, if only! My neighbors are all old fogey schmucks - not in numerical age, but mentally. (Some are only in their 30s, and I'm 60.) Only music you will hear from them is radio chart stuff, if any music at all. My immediate neighbors absolutely hate my jazz and electro/house - even though I usually use my headphones and seldom put my speakers on. Sadly, the two of my kids that still live with me hate my music too. But, when I was a teenager, I had a very hip neighbor who used to come over with such goodies as "Miles Ahead", "Bags and Trane", "Coltrane Live At The Village Vanguard" and "The Cannonball Adderley Sextet Live In New York" (the Riverside LP). These were not on the radio where I lived, and I owe a lot to that guy.

Did he make anything useful, lol?

"The Waiting Game" (Impulse) did come out on a CD - one of those jewel case Japanese Impulses, now as rare as hen's teeth. (How sad that pretty much all the Japanese CD reissues disappear so fast. I sure would love to have all of the Impulse reissues in that series.) I really like the album, though the recording engineer leaves a little to be desired. One highlight is the appearance of the excellent British harpist, David Snell, also to be heard on the recent CD issue of Gary McFarland's "13" movie soundtrack. Someone mentioned that Zoot didn't put on any airs. I remember being shocked at the sight of his tenor at Ronnie Scott's in London, England, in 1974. It was an old "balanced action" (i.e pre Mark VI) Selmer, with nearly all of the lacquer worn off. He must have felt that as it still blew O.K., why bother to change it, whereas other famous soloists, such as Sonny Rollins, would have gotten a new one. He also just had the simple plastic mouthpiece that comes with a Selmer and is usually tossed out and replaced with something like an Otto Link. I guess when you are at Zoot's level, you don't need any assistance like that.

I have never heard a Milt recording that I didn't like. He's been one of my top favorite players ever since a neighbor came around with a copy of "Bags and Trane" for my young ears to hear. Always very soulful. To answer one question, "The Jazz and Samba" (Impulse) is a fantastic album. I have the LP, but the jewel case Japanese CD, which would now be very hard to find, has superb sound. The opening, where Richard Davis kicks straight in, is an unforgettable music moment. To get Richard with Milt is a huge bonus. And Milt is with a favorite side-kick, Jimmy Heath, so the sessions are very relaxed.

Nice though that demo LP would be, the TOCJ CD of that album sounds great. It's one of my favorite albums, and it's a pity that it was not originally released. I love the guy shouting in the background on the opening track. (As so often happens with Blue Note CDs, the U.S. version sounds dull and masks the quality of the album.)

I once read a lineup that had Ron Carter with Dave Brubeck. Clark Terry would have had no trouble playing with Wayne Shorter. And, they would have dug each other, no question. Clark can do anything.

Bird was a "windy loudmouth"??? Yes, Jimmy's style was very different from Bird's, but there's no need for such sour grapes. Ludicrous.

That really IS good, Allen. I used to copy it on my alto in my teens.