Big Beat Steve

See, that's one of those things ... I never got into those games (just not my cup ...) and the one time I followed one a bit closer I very fast got the distinct impression things were running in circles. Probably a case of instant boredom and even dislike - just like those album cover threads touch a sore spot with a few forumists here, it seems... "To each his own ..." ( a song idolized to death on that other (big band) board , incidentally)

Good to hear that. Enjoyed his contributions both at AAJ and on a Big Band bulletin board I frequented for a while but gave up after some time as there just were way too many "nostalgia oldie sentimentalists" there.

Didn't know she died. This is a major loss. I read her posts with great interest when I checked out the AAJ forum passably regularly around late 2006-2008/9. Her contributions towered sky-high above most of the rest of the posts abut the history of jazz there IMO (I am afraid Fran, another one who had lots of knowledge and experience over there, probably no longer is around either - IIRC he already was an adult at the end of WWII). Wonder if Chris A aka Christiern still lurks there. But as for the rest - see my earlier post. Just my 2c and not intended to slight those who like to hang out there but just to put things into perspective.

A forum that bans Chuck Nessa ... why should one go (back) there? I for one had signed up there at about the time I signed up at Organissimo and read and posted there occasionally for a while. But after a while I found it utterly pointless. One the one hand, the forum may be fine for musicians and those who are near live events in various regions of the USA (and to whom the discussions of "home region heros" would mean something, as opposed to overseas readers), but beyond that? How many start-from-scratch NEWBIE "I've heard a tune on the radio, recommend me tons that are like that" or "I gotta do a high schol paper, tell me what to write" threads do you need? And even at that time back then when I still lurked there off and on, the comparatively small number of threads that I found led to constructive and interesting (if sometimes controversial) exchanges of ideas there seemed to lead to irritating cases of banning of forumists (and I remember at least one forumist whose typical posts I for one certainly did not find "below the belt" - in fact he did manage to put in good arguments for his positions IMHO but must have been at odds with what probably was "jazz-politically correct" to be said in a forum). I haven't missed that place for years, sorry to put it that bluntly.

An other subscriber-only link. Not much use as it is, sorry.

Can't tell you specifically for today's jazz artists but from what I've witnessed in other musical genres (niche markets where musicians/bands marketing their own CDs do exist) it's a definite YES. The calculation is easy: The price the musicians/bands sell their own CDs for is not very much below what the CDs go for via the usual outlets, but "avoiding the middleman" (or rather the middleMEN) makes all the difference.

At any rate it will be interesting to hear about any concrete expericence by forumists bcause this seller also is the only one who has this item listed on German Amazon.

:D

A point that cannot be made often enough, particularly the underlined section. Yes, the JATP 10-CD set is Italian too. When I first read about that Brownie box, my first thought was "Another case like that JATP set?". I have a lot of that Brownie EmArcy stuff on vinyl but might well spring for that box, given its completemness and affordability ...

Further discussion here:

I haven't read Larkin's book (though I might be tempted if it came my way cheaply) but have read other in similar situations: It all depends on whether you are inclined to read books on your favorite hobby as a document of its times and are willing to make allowances for those "times", i.e. you are not dead set on wanting to read everything with the benefit of hindsight. Honestly ... I have read several of Hugues Panassié's books (as well as two volumes of his HCF "Bulletin" of the early 60s) and while I definitely disagree with a lot (the vast majority, in fact) of his evaluations and judgments of specific artists and styles of jazz I do find quite a bit of interesting reading matter and judgments there that can help your understanding of specifc artists after all - and in some aspects as late as the late 50s/early 60s he was fairly right on the ball where others flawed constantly and came up with evaluations that from today's point of view are just as dated. Similar with other "period" jazz publications. You just need to take them for what they are - a mirror of their times - and apply a grain of salt and your own judgment. But I feel this often is more helpful in understanding the history of the music than if you were to read only publications that look at it from today's point of view and - above all - that permanently work in their own TODAY'S agendas. And from what I have read in John Litweiler's 1985 review of Larkin's book above, the same will probably be applicable there too.

You mean you've changed your opinion since?

So ... a question to those whom might be able to judge: How would the Bird book by Chuck Haddix rate overall (and in comparison), then?

You nailed it. Trying to go for effects, and pouring those effects on by the ladle. Nuff said ...

Well ... if the book review in the opening post is anything to go by, Vian's jazz writings are much more valid. They may often be lopsided and biased and they are a sign of their times (and need to be seen in the contexts of the times, like MANY jazz writings need to) but at least they are witty and poignant in a progressive and clear-cut way and not as much a matter of "trying to grasp the subject matter at all" as in the case of what Larkin had to say about Oliver's book.

RT, I'm not familar with the examples you quoted in your opening post so cannot start from there, but along the lines of Jimmy Raney, how come nobody has mentioned the TAL FARLOW-Eddie Costa-Vinnie Burke trio dates yet? Cannot fault him for what you might call excessive volume (unless turned up on your unit) but he's certainly fast and harmonically interesting, I'd say. Or would Eddie Costa be too "busy" for your taste? (His percussiveness sometimes might come across as a bit busy but certainly not here, I feel) Or how about the Tal Farlow-Red Norvo-Red Mitchell dates? (Of course if you are afraid other office passers-by might object you might have a point because vibes can indeed drive the unsuspecting non-jazz listeners up the wall ))

Among 50s jazz (and before, of course, i.e. in the pre-LP time) there must be dozens if not hundreds of jazz sessions that fall into this category. Just one example: The Hall Daniels Septet session recorded on Feb. 14, 1955 and released on Jump JLP9. Later reissued on Zim as by Zoot Sims/Dick Nash (with Zoot Sims receiving primary billing, of course). Understandable re-crediting in cases like this (Hall who? ) but still ...

:D :tup

Could this indeed be the reason why Avid omits certain tracks (as indicated above)? They stuck with the orignal LP programming? I haven't checked the discographies in detail but the Goldmine Price Guide to Collectible Jazz Albums 1949-1969 states that Tony Scott In Hi-Fi is made up of two 10-inchers: Music After Midnight (BL-58040) and Tony Scott Quartet (BL-58056). (No mention that the third 10-incher, Jazz for GI's (BL-58057) is included too.) So this statement seems to be wrong and "Tony Scott in Hi-Fi" is a mixture of all three? At least it sems to include PART of "Jazz for GI's".

You're not talking about the "West Coast Jam Sessions" 3-LP box on the Scarecrow label, are you? That would be different live Wardell recrdings.

Great job. Says this Wardell Gray fan. Looking through your research at a glance and in a nutshell, did I get this right? "Tenderly" remains the "odd track out" throughout these releases as 1) it does not feature Wardell at all 2) is a studio recording and not something taken from the "Just Jazz" concerts? Any idea why this was retained? (Apart from the arbitrary programming and crediting on a lot of Crowns) I have the Just Jazz tracks on a 70s UK Vogue double LP featuring the Just Jazz recordings, but apart from the various Way out Wardell" and "Shades of Gray" Bihari-related releases, have there been any other vinyl reissues of those recordings where the vinyls were credited specifically to Wardell Gray?

Somehow I am at a loss as to finding out what is so special or cultish about making "mix tapes". I've always thought this was the main purpose of having blank cassette (or K7, as the French cal them so fittingly) tapes. I've made them most of my life, not least of all to have my very personal mixes of my preferred music to keep me company in my car(s). Don't know how many hours it sometimes took to fill one C90. But it was fun and indeed more stimulating than the simple digital copying via the program on your Pc you can do today. In fact I still have cassette players in my cars and the last time though it's been close to two years now that I made the last mix tape. Never really got too much into the cassette format for prerecorded albums (don't think I ever bought any, and the only prerecorded ones I still have are a couple of band demos from the late 80s). The winding process to skip tracks turned me off most of the time, and though it was convenient to be able to copy LPs to K7 to at least be able to listen to the music if you could not get the album somewhere else this always was a stopgap measure to me. I tried to replace those self-copied "LP to K7" items with the real deal at the very earliest opportunity. Anyway, nice article in the Grauniad - brought back some memories and was interesting to read up on the early development. How come MG hasn't had his say here yet about the ongoing importances of cassette sales in Africa?

As promised in my initial mail, my preorder for both of your books just went out through P'pal. Hope you will be able to round up enough preorders for both books soon..

O.K., so if I got this right I'd need to pay $50 for both of these books plus shipping to Europe, right? WIll send a mail during the weekend with my formal reservation and payment. BTW, did I overlook something or is the Really The Blues Vol. 1 (1893-1929) CD set the only set of the projected 4 that has for far been released?

This one should fit the bill for comprehensive coverage of the MGM years (European P.D. reissue). No idea about how the sound rates compared to other (piecemeal or older) releases, though. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Quintet-Studio-Sessions-1949-1954/dp/B007JYQTEG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1376860267&sr=8-11&keywords=George+Shearing+complete