Guy Berger

Shana tova! Guy

an alternate of In a Silent Way with Miles?? Wasn't everything from those sessions already released on the Miles box? I assume that the alternate take from the Miles box is exactly the one on this WR box. Guy

I was looking online yesterday and noticed that Thelonious Monk's Monk in Tokyo and Jazz Workshop Complete are OOP in the US, though they still seem to be in print in Europe. I think I should pick these up... Guy

Now this is a Mosaic that's got me interested. But what about the Big Band sides? Guy

Is there that much to say? He doesn't do a lot. Guy ed: I realized that my response to Late might be construed as rude -- that was not my intent at all!

This has nothing to do with being protective of Scott Yanow, and everything to do with basic internet etiquette regarding private correspondence. Guy

This thread should be deleted. Posting a private e-mail in public is in very bad taste. Guy

I have this on CD, but I agree -- it's a nice album. Guy

I've never understood the hostility directed toward "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", which is a silly but fun song. But that's nothing compared to skipping "Octopus's Garden". Guy

This was among the first dozen or so Hutch CDs I bought. Definitely a great one, though not necessarily my favorite CD by the guy. Guy

Jack D has played in one of the premier piano trios in the history of jazz for the past 23 years. Yet oddly, his discography outside of the Jarrett trio consists of only a few piano trio dates.* I find this somewhat surprising. Any ideas/explanations? Since I imagine that demand is high, my guess would be a supply-side issue. Guy *Interestingly, all three of his non-Jarrett piano trio dates since 1990 have included Dave Holland.

Any fans of this album? I picked it up about a year ago but only started listening to it a week ago. Not a classic by any means but some nice playing by Bley and Peacock. The drummer on the first 5 tracks in Paul Motian; Billy Elgart replaces him on the last 3. The music is more straight-ahead than some of Bley's later stuff. Guy

I thought Clem's comments were right on. Guy

I'm really digging this album. Profound music. Haden and Jones, both masters of economy, are just the right guys for this sort of thing. Guy

I've been really enjoying both Monk's Music and With John Coltrane over the past two or three days. For whatever reason, I think MM is a better realization of Monk's Music than Brilliant Corners. Not something I can explain. Maybe it's because the tunes were more familiar to the musicians? Coltrane is really in excellent form on the three quartet tracks from WJC. Some of his best work up until that point. Guy

I haven't heard the album yet, but if what you are saying is true then Dylan has acted unethically. Guy

If he owns Ah Um, it's in a partnership with Booker Ervin. I think he outshines Booker on Dynasty, however. It's great to hear them with Mingus regardless. Guy

Since I picked the AOTW, I should probably offer my thoughts about it. The ensemble sections on this album are great, and probably my favorite thing about the album. I like Mingus's quintet and quartet albums too, but there's just something special he could bring out of a mid-sized ensemble. Instead of conventional big-band writing, there's this wonderfully raucous polyphony. "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" is the first of Mingus's 1959 gospel-infused tracks. Unlike "Slop" and "Better Git It In Your Soul", the melody is simpler. It's also rawer than the other two. I think I like it better. "Cryin' Blues" has a classic bass solo. I also really like Jackie Mac's playing on this one. "Moanin' " is the crowning achievement of this album. The way the riffs pile on top of each other, Pepper Adams's baritino, and Booker Ervin's solo... Damn. "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too" I heard after "Hora Decubitus". Usually I tend to prefer the first version of a track that I hear. Not in this case. While Dolphy's solo on the latter is a classic, it has little of the wild ensemble playing that the original had. Too clean. I like John Handy with Mingus a lot, but feel that he was in better form on Ah Um, Mingus in Wonderland and Dynasty. Guy

The second concert is as good as the first. While I agree that these concerts are more conservative than the fall concerts, they do have the upside of featuring different material. Guy

Both recordings (Dance and Le Voyage) are on CD, but only in Europe. Guy

Do you mean the 7-25-69 Juan Les Pins concert? Guy

I've had mixed experience with them. Sometimes they delivered stuff promptly, but occasionally they have trouble getting out-of-stock stuff. One time they kept telling me they would have an item within 10 days, and repeated the mantra after the 10 days expired. Nice prices, though... Guy

The Dolphy solo is nice, but other than that "Hora Decubitus" is much more tame, especially in the ensembles. This is also my favorite Mingus album. I like Ah Um a lot, but the rawness and sheer explosiveness here really gets to me. I mean, how can you argue with Pepper's baritone riff on "Moanin'"? Interesting about comparison to the other Atlantics -- I like this one substantially better than Pithecanthropus Erectus or the (IMHO) overrated Oh Yeah. Guy

I like New Directions in Music with Carlos Ward. Rashied is also on David Murray's Body and Soul, which is pretty good. Guy

1. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting 2. Cryin' Blues 3. Moanin' 4. Tensions 5. My Jelly Roll Soul 6. E's Flat Ah's Flat Too 7-10 bonus tracks on deluxe edition Musicians: Mingus (bass), Willie Dennis & Jimmy Knepper (trombones), John Handy & Jackie McLean (alto saxophones), Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone), Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone), Horace Parlan & Mal Waldron (piano), Dannie Richmond (drums)