Guy Berger

When did Ellington drop this tune from his setlist? Guy

Let's do it. My one suggestion is that we do it like the BFT - otherwise the single thread will get too ungainly?

During the summer, there was a FLOOD of AEoC recordings washing over the site-which-cannot-be-named. (Probably 150 recordings.) I downloaded everything through 1985 - some amazing stuff. Guy

How so? When I listen to the 1966 Don Ellis, I hear plenty of interesting musical ideas mixed in with some relentlessly over-the-top and (to my ears) corny brass playing.

For what it's worth, the transcripts of many (all?) interviews are (were?) available on the PBS website, and they confirm that Burns was very selective in favor of quotes that furthered his thesis. I agree with Ted Storer. A generally enjoyable viewing experience, but a very poor history lesson. Guy

I guess "you had to be there". Though I enjoy some of Chicago and BST's early music, as a younger listener I find the in-your-face brassiness of these bands to be generally irritating. I'm no expert on the history of this music, but would guess they inherited the idea from the in-your-face brassiness of college-oriented jazz big bands, which I also have mixed feelings about.

I like his playing, haven't heard enough of it. I agree, he's great on Rava's New York Days.

There's a very goofy story about McIntyre in Paul Tingen's book about the Miles Davis electric period.

The site-which-must-not-be-named had two or three of these shows up. I haven't listened to them yet.

Congrats, Chuck. Guy

Jimmy Garrison, "Pursuance" and "Ascent"

Richard Davis on Eric Dolphy's "Hat and Beard" [not straight-ahead, though]

Ray Brown on "The Touch of Your Lips" (Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson)

I would disagree about Fiddler on the Roof being inessential - it's one of Cannonball's best non-live albums. Some great playing and arrangements on that one. Guy

Dream Weaver is the best of the lot (for the quartet with Jarrett), Soundtrack the weakest. I don't think that band shows the best Lloyd is/was capable of.

Sometimes Lloyd can be painfully diffuse as a player. Sometimes he isn't. I feel like, as a player, he peaked in the late 80s through mid 90s. Guy

Isn't all their stuff in print?

This pretty much sums it up for me too. I'd also add that "most people" have never had discerning ear or tastes, they just want something that "sounds like" what they want/need to hear at any given moment becuase let's face it - "most people" have more pressing issues in their lives than mulling over whether Eric Clapton is a real player, an erratic marginality, or pretty much worthless. They just ain't got time to go there, if you know what I mean. And really, why should they? Between raising a family (really raising it, not just being in the house & showing up at certain events), paying bills, keeping your relationship together, not getting fucked over on your job, fighting various illnesses, etc etc etc, why the fuck should anybody feel a mandate to figure out Eric Clapton's rightful place in the world? The literal downsizing of the players & and of the media itself is in perfect sync with what "most people" like to use music for - a lifestyle accessory. Nothing more, nothing less. For people like "us", well, that's hard to fathom, but...we do it too. It's just that our lifestyle hings more on digging deeper. I know a lot of people say that they'd rather be dead than live without their music, but....really? I agree with everything said by mjzee and JSngry and will add that our lifestyle hinges more on digging deeper... in music. I bet in many other aspects of our lives we treat things like lifestyle accessory - in a way that a snob of those aspects would surely decry, much like people are doing in this thread. Records sales <> music consumption

Just to clarify - this is not a "truth in advertising issue", it's a "truth in identity" issue. Guy

Thanks Chuck - that was interesting. In principle I'm sympathetic - I hate phony reviews - but I don't see how it is enforceable in practice. In the end you've got to hope that genuine reviewers drown out the phonies, and that's difficult with niche products. Guy

<Shrug> Can't blame others for your blind spot. or my own personal taste, you mean?? Well, your characterization of "Caroline No" suggests you are not very familiar with that song or much of their work.

<Shrug> Can't blame others for your blind spot.

Now that's something I can't object to - "Caroline No" is an amazing tune; Lloyd has a way with ballads and this could be really great.

Spoken word? Uggh.