Guy Berger

Judgment, Andrew!!!, Dialogue (a Bobby H album) He appeared on Dialogue, Hank Mobley's No Room for Squares, and Joe Henderson's Our Thing. Guy

Both Noj and SS1's recommendations are right on the money. Black Fire is my second-favorite Hill. A combination of great compositions and great musicians doesn't go wrong in this case. Passing Ships is my favorite of the late 60s Hill recordings for BN (I haven't heard the Mosaic Select) -- you can hear the Hill vision projected onto a larger ensemble. Guy

My thoughts -- hey, if they want to reissue this stuff, best of luck to them. That said, I really wonder what they're thinking. Mosaic has never before shown interest in "contemporary jazz" and this change of heart seems insincere. It really seems like a gimmick with the primary purpose of (relative) commercial success. Ghost's question about Mosaic's dilution of their brand* is on the money. Companies sometimes paint rosy pictures of other pastures and as a result spread themselves too thin, forgetting their values and core competencies and what made them successful in the first place. We've been down this road before. Let's hope that's not the case here. Guy

This is a combination that will work on teams without a legit big man. Detroit has been playing OK since he showed up. This is definitely a pale shadow of the championship Pistons team. Guy

Did Chewy get booted off the board again? Guy

There's a lot more to this concert. The highlight is an abstract collective improvisation (Miles sits out) on "This". Guy

Trust me, there will be many other auditions. In a few months you'll forget this audition ever happened. guy

Amen. Guy

Who is Andy? Guy

A really "tight", controlled style. (In contrast to Elvin and Blakey.) Also, a real precision and attention to the sounds coming out of the drum kit. I probably haven't paid enough attention to Roy Haynes. Guy

Did Tony ever talk about being influenced by Max? I hear a lot of similarities in their playing. Guy

My feeling as well. I'm not sure why anybody (well, it is chewy...) would get worked up about this. FWIW, I was just thinking that Tony Williams's 60s BN albums could have easily been early ECM releases. Guy

Larry -- I'm not judging it as an interpretation, I'm judging it as music. Guy

I'm not sure if this phrase equates to the oft used, 'trying to polish a turd', but, yes....if the song is a bit cheesy this band's attempts at giving it credibility have to be admired. Or you think not? I think not, because the hook progression in the song is so annoying/nagging that any "tasteful" attempt to play "Send In The Clowns" must attempt to significantly modify that phrase or skate away from it altogether, but when you do that, either there's nothing left or you're not even playing the song. I have a copy of "Goodbye" (don't ask why), and, as I recall, the interpretation there is close to both of those alternatives, but that damn phrase finally turns out to be unavoidable. I'd say that the only way to handle it is the way Albert Ayler might have. I guess I am lucky not to be familiar with the original song. I think their interpretation is really nice. Guy

Keith Jarrett's Fort Yawuh really knocked my socks off when I first heard it. I picked it up during an Impulse! binge a few years back and it turned me into a huge fan of this group. Guy

Greatest Hits 2 has some great stuff as well. That's where you'll find "Levon," "Tiny Dancer," Elton's versions of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Pinball Wizard," "Island Girl," "I Feel Like A Bullet From The Gun Of Robert Ford," and "Philadelphia Freedom." Or you could just get the albums from that era. They really are great. Most of those songs (w/the exception of "Levon" and "Tiny Dancer") make me want to barf. Maybe J Larsen can pass the bucket. Guy

Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding? All The Girls Love Alice? C'mon. I think we've now listed almost all the good songs on the album! Guy

Tumbleweed Connection is a great album, and Madman is pretty good as well. I've always thought Yellow Brick Road was overblown ("This Song Has No Title" and "Grey Seal" are pretty awesome, though) and judging by what I've heard on compilations from the mid 70s onward his music descended into the toilet in a hurry. He had a very nice gospel touch to his piano playing. I've never liked Rod Stewart's voice. My parents love him, though. Guy

What do you think of this album? I decided not to pick it up in the Tower megasale -- there were a ton of copies. Guy

This is one of the funniest+saddest (at the same time) things I've read on this board. Guy

Aric is American... hence with the decimal point he meant 40 exactly (no Shorty fractions). Guy

I think Motian is underutilized on this disc. Guy

I picked up this album during the Tower blowout. I like Bobo's playing quite a bit but have not made up my mind about it yet. I don't think it's as good as War Orphans, and in general I am somewhat ambivalent about this very-low-key, slow-tempo ECM piano trio style. (Bill Evans fans might like it more than I do.) Hopefully my assessment will improve after a few more listens. Guy

"Soulville." And I agree, was disappointed when I got it at the time it came out. Just compare it to the way Webster sounds on Harry Edison's "Sweets," from about the same time. Uh oh... I am planning to order Soulville and Meets Oscar Peterson from yourmusic -- should I avoid? Guy

Chuck -- I think you are being lame.