Shrdlu

No method of storing information lasts forever. I share your concerns about this, as I have many CDrs of OOP recordings. (So far, none has died on me.) However, the Lord said "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35) The preservation, without any loss, of the Scriptures is further proof that they are the Word of God. He is the one who has kept them in existence. Even the most recent Scriptures (the books of John and Revelation) are still about 1900 years old, and the oldest book is Job, going back about 3000 years. Of course, the original manuscripts no longer exist, but preservation includes perfect copying and translation into other languages. In English, the King James Bible is a perfectly preserved collection of all of the Scriptures. In its context, it leaves far behind any deep groove, ear-in-the-dead-wax vinyl Blue Note LP from Alfred Lion's filing cabinet.

Nevertheless, I am tired of the continual attacks on Orrin Keepnews. Enough already. Anyone would think that he had flown an airplane into a skyscraper. Whatever his shortcomings (and they are not evident to me from the notes and recordings), he also did a lot for us jazz lovers. His many liner notes are quite interesting and informative. Yes, I have not met the man, but I am happy with the notes and the sessions that he produced. I have no bias either way. These notes, and the recorded music are now all that we have. Let's move on.

I would say that I'm pretty old - at least, old enough to have been around when Elvin and Stanley first became well-known on records. When I first heard them, I was still heavily into Brubeck, whose music was a lot simpler and lighter, of course. But I immediately liked both of them. My first exposure to Elvin was on the Coltrane Village Vanguard LP, which I mostly liked at once, though Trane's playing (not Elvin's) on "Chasin' The Trane" was a bit much to swallow. (It is still not a big favorite of mine.) I was immediately hooked on Elvin's style. I first heard Stanley on the Duke Jordan LP, though I soon acquired other albums featuring him, notably "Back At The Chicken Shack". His playing was another "love at first hearing". I don't think he has ever done a session better than that Jordan album, though the Smith session is also hard to beat.

Does anyone have any definite details about which selections, dates and cities would be included? I think it was said that this set would NOT include the material recorded in Paris, Zurich and Newport, all already available. The "problem" with such a set is that it would largely consist of a lot of "alternate takes" of the (by now) very familiar repertoire from the 1960 live dates that we already have. I wonder how much demand there would be for this. The plus side is that the performances and arrangements deliberately left room for on-the-spot variations and riffs, etc., and Mulligan was a very inventive improviser, so that each version of any given piece is different from all others, to some extent or other. Not all of the soloists, however, were as capable as Gerry of coming up with fresh ideas all the time. Quill, and the trumpeters (except for Clark Terry, who wasn't on the tour) repeat themselves a lot. Can't have too much Zoot, though!

Many of us were appalled by the omissions when the two RVGs came out. They apparently didn't do this to make more money, as the missing tracks have not been issued since that time. Why go to all the trouble to bring out and "cook" the tapes, only to pass over several choice selections, all in the name of replicating two old LPs which were somewhat arbitrarily put together in the 60s, the choices having been made largely because of time limitations rather than quality. You don't need the McMasters to get two of the tracks from the 8/25/57 session if you can find the rare Japanese CD called "Confirmation"; apart from the title track, which is from the 2/25/58 session, it has "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "Cherokee". I know a guy who has that CD, but he stopped trading burns, so that was that. (I don't know what the sound is like on that CD.) But that would still leave out "'S Wonderful" and "Blue Room", though those were on a Japanese LP called "Special Guests". Don't forget that there is also a trio track, "Little Girl Blue", which was included on the domestic CD "Standards". If anyone has the time and energy, I guess Michael Cuscuna would be open to requests for a "top off" CD.

That quickly became a favorite of mine when I got the CD entitled "Jobim". What a masterpiece. It is hard to play it right, though! The 3 CD set "The Man From Ipanema" includes some rehearsal footage of Jobim and Elis Regina going over it, and it was hard work. A few years ago, a fellow missionary who used to be in Brasil exchanged some emails with me, and I was telling him how much I liked Jobim. He gave me a link to a website where there is a chart of that piece in Jobim's handwriting. For starters, it's in B major (after all, he was a guitarist!). There's quite a collection of chord changes. I stuck the chart in front of my wife, who was an excellent reader and classically trained on the piano, but she was really struggling to play it. Ogermann did a superb job of it. It sounds like the vocals were overdubbed, as there are versions in Portuguese and English. I hear that Tom made his own English lyrics; they are brilliant. Such stuff as "A truckload of bricks in the soft morning light" is awesome!

Aric, one thing's for sure, that film is a classic, and has been a favorite for many years. The rarety alone makes it precious, for all of its drawbacks and "if onlys". The scene where Fred Katz plays the cello in a dense cloud of smoke used to send our drummer into gales of laughter. My all time favorite jazz movie, of the few that have ever been made, is "Round Midnight", and we even have two CDs of its music (one on BN, one on Columbia).

I agree with you, Jazzman, about Erroll Buddle. I lived in Australia for awhile, and regularly saw him on TV in a band led by Don Burrows. I used to have a Buddle LP where he played a version of "Love Is A Simple Thing" on the bassoon. He sure is a master of that awkward instrument. His main horn, of course, is the tenor, but he also plays the oboe very well. Aric, an LP on which Lateef plays the bassoon is the Impulse album "Jazz Around The World", not on CD unless the Japanese have briefly put one out. He is pictured with his various horns on the cover. I don't recall ever seeing any other album on which he plays the bassoon. The oboe, yes, but not the bassoon.

How sad that, with all of the technology available today, there seems to be no way to produce that original sound. Most of the session reels are still in good condition. There ought to be some way to use these to issue that great sound. But, and this is not sour grapes, I am happy with nearly all of my BN CDs.

Not much more to say, but here's another who really recommends "Filles de Kilimanjaro". I think it's a masterpiece. I could not count how many times I've played it since I got the LP (when first issued). It's a marvellously absorbing suite. Whether or not the instruments are acoustic is irrelevant when you have musicians, compositions and performance at this level. And I'm one who greatly prefers acoustic, pre-1968 jazz. I am not a huge fan of "Bitches' Brew" and Miles' later offerings, but "Filles" is just terrific. Someone well said that you can regard the album as a suite for Tony Williams. The wash of sound that he produces is a superb illustration of how good he was. The old Columbia CD sounded quite good, but I like the original suite so much that I put together a CDr from the box sets, and I imagine that the current CD of the album sounds like that. Be aware that the old CD, and the LP, had errors in the personnel listings. Like others, I also think that "Miles In The Sky" is not the best of the quintet's albums, but we are speaking relatively, and it is still good stuff, well worth a listen. I wouldn't place it at the top of my wants list, though. Buy it when things are quiet (if they ever are!).

For the Mendes (which is a fine album, well worth a listen), they ought to use the recent Japanese engineering, but they probably won't. The Japanese version of "Equinox" nox the U.S. CD out of the water. Similarly, the LPR of the Mulligan Concert Jazz Band wasn't as good as the corresponding tracks in the Mosaic set. Great to see that "Chamber Music of the New Jazz" is coming out. Those who haven't heard it, and know "Miles Ahead", will get a surprise. I wonder whether they will use the Argo artwork or the original Parrot cover that Mike unearthed on this board a few months ago. Actually, there were two different Argo covers. Having spent quite a lot on an LP, I think I will stick with that. (I tracked down a copy in very decent condition.) Surely they will not issue a CD with the fake stereo reverb when LPs in real mono can be had.

It would be great to hear that interview, Chris. I really like the one you did the year before with Pres (included, of course, in the Verve box set). A bit off topic, but I often bump into my LP of "Hip Vibrations", and I like your liner notes for that, too. That's an album that's way overdue for reissue.

This is sad news. Elvin has been my favorite drummer since the early 60s - first heard him on the Trane Village Vanguard LP which a neighbor brought around. That was a turning point for me. That loose feel, and the triplet thing, just knock me out. I can't begin to count how many hours I've spent listening to albums with Elvin on board. This was one of the players who was on a much higher plane than most others. One sign of his quality is the fact that, even when he was playing lightly with the brushes, you get the feeling that you are sitting on top of a volcano which is about to erupt. (Examples of that: the Johnny Hartman album "I Just Stopped By To Say Hello", and a few of those BN tracks with Larry Young and Grant Green.) That is not intended to mean that he did not play with taste when quiet accompaniment was needed.

Let's not get too far off the track. Obviously, Carlos's main point is that it stinks that not much media attention was paid when such a superb musician died. I agree with that. By the way, I had not heard about Elvin's death until I saw this post, which strengthens the point. Don't they call jazz "America's only native art form"? Yet is is treated with scandalous neglect. There ought to be room for at least one digital TV channel and one radio station in each major conurbation that plays jazz. But we won't see it.

I would also like to recommend "Lucky Strikes". It is a very relaxed session, with the great lineup of Hank Jones, Richard Davis (who was suddenly on just about everybody's date at that time) and Connie Kay. As someone mentioned, Lucky is also great on soprano, and that's one reason to get this album, which is, of course, easily available as an OCJ - makes a nice change from trying to hunt down that rare Japanese CD that someone's brother thought he saw at such and such a store. I'm particuarly fond of Richard's playing on pieces in triple time, and there's a good one on this album.

This has been a favorite of mine for many years. I first had it on a mono LP. The sound on this session is excellent, and I think it's largely due to the original engineering. Rudy got his best ever sound at that time, I think. He recorded things very "hot", and the sound jumps off the record at you. When I "test drove" the LP, I was immediately impressed with the way Art Davis's bass came through strongly, even on the cheap hi-fi that the seller had. Musically, this is hard to beat in the BN collection. I wish that there had been more selections recorded by that lineup. (How often do you think that when playing a BN album? "Back To The Tracks" is another gem where you want more, too.) That euphonium sounds great on this session, and has pretty much the same effect as a valve trombone. Curtis Fuller would have been at least as good on the date, but McKinney and his horn are very welcome. I haven't heard the new RVG, but the TOCJ is superb (and better than the Connoisseur CD, I think). Getting back to Rudy's original engineering, I have found that his recordings from that era sound good even in late 80s McMaster CD versions.

A great April Fool's cover, SS! They say that Michael got the BN 1577 T shirt from Naima Coltrane for the photo.

Something like "To God Be The Glory" (by Fanny Crosby, no, not a relative of Harry Lillis) would about do it. And it won't be the least bit morbid, as I'm saved and will be going to be with the Lord for all eternity. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." To God be the glory, great things he hath done, So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, Who yielded his life an atonement for sin, And opened the lifegate that all may go in. CHORUS Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice, Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son, And give him the glory, great things he hath done. Another choice verse: Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, And great our rejoicing through Jesus his Son, The vilest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. My friend, why not trust Jesus as your Saviour right now, and then you won't have any fear about dying.

Plus d'Antibes. Merveilleux! You may have your Sam Reevers, but I have my 'Erbie 'Ancoque.

Duke Pearson: his entire BN output. (Yes, I know about the little box that they did put out.) And all the Verves and Impulses by Gary McFarland, remastered by Malcolm Addey, of course. Possibly throw in the Skye albums, too. I've found his work very interesting recently, that is, the albums that I can get. Some are only available as used LPs, and it's slow going obtaining them. This would never get past Michael Cuscuna, I imagine.

These may end up displacing the "BN Works" CDs as the best BNs. But personally, I am just about exhausted from all the CD upgrading business, and I'm going to stick with what I've got. The orignal TOCJs will do for me until the Rapture. I am very pleased, though, for those who do not yet have Japanese reissues of these classic albums. Slightly ironically, I think my best-sounding Japanese CDs are those recent Sergio Mendes reissues. Those are marvelous! Possibly, they are as good as they are because the original recording engineer(s) were very good. I didn't hear the LPs much, so I can't compare with them. Those CDs are so good that I sometimes put one on just to hear the great sound; but the music is great, too.

Right, then, we'll have one of each!! I take it, Hans, that you are not recommending JRVGs. On that subject, I pulled out the TOCJ and JRVG of "Shades Of Redd" last night, as it's a favorite of mine. I decided to A/B them. First up was the TOCJ, which sounded so good that there's no need for anything else (except that it was a little hard-panned and could be pulled in a bit). Then a push on the remote brought up the JRVG; it sounded like I was listening to a $5.00 radio. Uggh! I also have the U.S. reissue, but I didn't play it last night. I recall that it sounds pretty good, though, and it has two extra takes, so it is worth having.

That one sure is a fine album, and the extra big band tracks are very good, too. My favorite on that is "Night Flite", with a terrific trumpet solo; McCoy's solo, where the horns riff behind him, is a fine moment, too. But pretty much all the Morgan stuff is very welcome. I can't remember hearing him play badly.

Take5, you'll really enjoy the Dial stuff. I would count myself as a Bird expert, having devoured just about everything by him that I could get, and having slavishly imitated him on my alto (as much as one could!) for awhile when I was a kid. After a lot of listening, I rate the Dial studio stuff and the radio air shots from 1948-50 as Bird's finest (not that his other recordings are bad). You won't get the best sound, though most of the Dial takes sound quite good, and some of the radio broadcasts sound very clear. But you will get him in his prime, in the aftermath of his rehabilitation at Camarillo, CA, with a regular working group that stayed together for a long time. The heroin etc. that he started taking again took its toll rapidly, and by the time of the Verve sessions, Bird was not as good as in the 1940s. The late 40s was when it was all happening and being laid down. By the fifties, it was pretty much a matter of going along familiar paths, and, also, Bird no longer had a regular group for most of those later years. The cream of the Dials is the stuff from late 1947: three New York sessions, with a lot of stunning slow numbers such as "Embraceable You". These performances place Parker on a plane much higher than nearly all other jazz musicians. For me, he was the best ever, though probably Louis Armstrong was the most important jazz innovator. My favorite air shots are the ones said to be from 1950, with Fats Navarro and Bud Powell, including "Ornithology" and "Round Midnight". The sound is poor on these, but the playing is dazzling. You won't hear more fiery live jazz anywhere. The date is suspect, as Fats died at around the time these are said to have been recorded. The other air shots, with Miles or Kenny Dorham, are prime stuff, too. What a shame that these live items were not recorded with more modern equipment.

It's all very good stuff. Bill said that Philly Joe was his favorite drummer, which would have shocked my friends in the early 70s who listened so much to the trio with La Faro and Motian and made scornful remarks about Philly Joe's drumming on the "Interplay" LP. I must admit that I was surprised to read that. I love Philly Joe's work on countless hard bop sessions, but never thought of him as a Bill Evans Trio type. (Bear in mind that, back then, most of Bill's records that were released did not feature Philly Joe.) But we must go with what Bill, himself, said.