Guy Berger

The Blythe is a classic, one of the best jazz albums of the last 50 years. I like the other two a lot too. The version of “Lonely Woman” on the O&ND is amazing - a case of the ECM sound used for good not evil

Jack DeJohnette’s SPECIAL EDITION is outstanding. Arthur Blythe AND David Murray. Wow.

The San Francisco Bay Area's experience over the past 2 months suggests that Vermont and Maine should be somewhat worried about the winter... 70% vaccination rate *of the entire population* (incl people who are not eligible; much higher than the national average) is insufficient on its own to prevent a large wave unless complemented with a big slug of infection-induced immunity. And like San Francisco, Vermont and Maine weathered the pandemic really well up to this point, i.e. most of the people who are unvaccinated don't have immunity from prior infection. That said, the SFBA's summer wave had much lower hospitalizations and deaths than its winter wave despite probably being larger in terms of total cases. And unlike the winter when there were a lot of restrictions, we had zero restrictions (aside from the indoor mask mandate) this time around. So there's a silver lining - vaccines have made COVID far, far less deadly (as expected).

It’s interesting to contrast the austerity and cold fury of THE DARK TREE with the much more exuberant sound of the large ensembles.

To take this further... I think there are really two questions intermingled here. One is the "heritage" piece which is important, and those old show tunes are an important part of that and always will be. Jazz as heritage - African American specifically, and American more generally - is important and worth commemorating! If jazz as a heritage is important to you then you have to engage with the GAS. But there's a second aspect, that of people engaging with jazz as music that they listen to or perform. And there, the GAS absolutely not a "core curriculum". It's just one way people engage with the music, and much less so than in the past.

This one is really great. I’m glad I picked it up. Maybe it’s just a phase but I find myself gravitating to his larger ensemble recordings.

I agree the 1967 recordings are great. BUT they have a very curated vibe and it’s a little unfair to compare them to 1965. The releases of that year’s material are like a giant archival kitchen sink! The classic, the not classic but still great, the good but not great (nothing really bad - this is Trane after all)… Sun Ship is one of my 3-4 favorite Trane albums. The Half Note recordings, the live A Love Supreme from France, First Meditations, Living Space, Transition, Meditations….

It’s remarkable how much better Coltrane’s estate is at producing great archival recordings, relative to Miles Davis’s. Maybe it’s just luck, but I assume mostly it’s due to having Ravi in charge. The Davis archival releases have mostly been Columbia recordings, widely circulating bootlegs and session reels. I’m glad to have them, but they were obtainable before. I think the A Love Supreme from France is much more than nice!

Not sure if I responded in this thread previously, but I enjoy the music of the saxophonists mentioned in this thread. Wouldn’t call myself a passionate fan of any of them but they’re fun to listen to.

Am very excited about this. Didn’t realize this recording existed.

Pre ordered as well. Henry’s run on Pi is starting to creep up high on the list for “best run by a jazz artist on a single label”. I like that the albums have tended to be on the shorter side.

From Losin:

Pharoah's career trajectory and post-Trane music ended up pretty similar IMHO to Tyner and Jones's, and there were hints of that as early as Tauhid

I feel similar to you about both of those. The 1966 live dates feel more "settled" than Live in Seattle, like the band was moving in a specific direction I don't think the sound is that bad! Certainly better than the sound of the August 1965 Chicago live recording w/Archie Shepp or the 1967 Olatunji center recording.

But unlike “bleeding”, variolation actually worked! It was better than “naturally acquired” smallpox, worse than modern vaccination. If you read the articles I shared, it’s pretty interesting - there was a lot of resistance to the adoption of variolation, despite its effectiveness. Seems like some of this is hardwired into our brains or at least our society

Agreed on this and the live album with Lloyd being really good. I also enjoy the studio recording Fiddler on the Roof.

Variolation “The procedure was most commonly carried out by inserting/rubbing powdered smallpox scabs or fluid from pustules into superficial scratches made in the skin.”

The opening track from Live in Seattle, “Cosmos”, showcases that band at its best. Like Sun Ship with extra, raucous horns. IMHO the biggest issue w/LiS is the diffuseness of the music. Not a problem with Kulu Se Mamá or Meditations.

Has been circulating as a bootleg for 15-20 years. if you have Live in Seattle you know what to expect in terms of the music. Coltrane is great but I have mixed feelings about the rest of the ensemble

One thing I recently learned is that, to improve the Continental Army's ability to fight British troops, George Washington mandated his soldiers' inoculation against smallpox. Vaccination mandates are as American as apple pie!

IMHO this is going to be endemic for the foreseeable future, plan accordingly. Vaccinated adults will be at low risk, unvaccinated at very high risk. Vaccination mandates on certain activities will make them much safer. You'll probably want to plan on visiting areas with high vaccination rates and avoid areas with low vaccination rates. Outbreaks will occasionally disrupt plans but will be much worse, on average, in low-vaccination areas.

My sense is depending on where you are, late October could either be a very good time to meet indoors or a very bad time - the Delta wave has seasonal patterns in different locations, and seems to have a short life cycle (of course, it hospitalizes and kills a lot of unvaccinated people during this short life cycle). It's already peaked in some of the earliest epicenters (in Missouri, Arkansas) and is in the process of peaking in Florida. But if I was in the northern US, especially in a low- or mid-vaccinated state (of which there are a lot up north) then I'd be at least somewhat concerned about late fall and winter. For unvaccinated people it's going to be really dangerous. It's more shocking how few vaccinated people you're probably seeing. While I'm in 100% favor of a temporary return of indoor masking mandates when and where cases are high and/or rising, I'm troubled by how reluctant governments and businesses have been to impose and enforce vaccination mandates. I'm happy to see this turning around at least somewhat. Masking helps; vaccination helps a lot more. Here in San Francisco people there's a specific initiative to give J&J vacinees booster shots. I think official announcements on booster shots to vulnerable people and health care workers are coming soon, and will probably be open to the public sometime during fall. I also hope that vaccination for under-11 kids is authorized soon, and that it's coupled with mandates for students (students over the age of 12 need to be put under a vaccine mandate too).

Do you mean that you think he had HIV/AIDS, or that he was clearly in ill and deteriorating health (with the rumors as an outgrowth of that)?

It’s Zooid!!! I was communicating with their Twitter account a few weeks ago and they mentioned October/November ad the release date but maybe it’s coming out early 🎉🎉🎉

Is this a legit release? Haven’t heard this. If it’s available on Spotify I will listen, otherwise don’t feel a rush to head a bunch of really great musicians getting together and falling well short of their potential.