medjuck

I probably saw the Ellington band on tv in the '50s but my first real awareness was when the Columbia Record Club sent me The Nutcracker Suite. After that I bought Ellington Indigoes. Loved them both so I began collecting older releases. An RCA Lp called (IIRC) "In a Mellowtone" contained 12 cuts from the Blanton-Webster years and that blew me away. So I started collecting as much earlier material as I could. I love playing old broadcasts when I'm on long trips both in the car and on airplanes. I actually got to see the band twice in 1964. A great experience.

I really liked the old couple in the hall at the end of the show. I wonder if this was the actor: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-music-man-20100816,0,5301372.story

He was still working until fairly recently. I know he did a portrait of Sharon Robinson (L. Cohen back-up singer) this year. Best present I ever got was a portfolio of his called "In Remembrance".

I remember not going to Scott's to see Cecil Taylor on a double bill with Joan Armatrading (what a strange pairing) in the early '70s because it was too expensive. Five pounds would have been more than I could afford then. (I was just remembering this because Armatrading played a small theater her last week. My wife went and said it was great.)

Does anyone here know anything about the production of the Vitaphone film short based on James P. Johnson's "Yamekraw"? It's included in a very good 6 DVD collection called "Warner Bros. Big Band Jazz and Swing" but that contains no annotation except the titles of the films. There is a review of "Yamekraw" on IMDB that says Johnson was not paid for the music but no other information about the film's production.

All of her records are worth owing but her last one "Abbey Sings Abbey" is a killer-- all about life, regret, love and mortality. I think Tranemonk nailed it: there was no one like her and there probably never will be.

I liked the Hajdu book but think he's not one to let nuance get in the way of a good story. Elllington certainly didn't try to hide Stayhorn's contributions. If you listen to almost any of the many concert recordings of the orchestra you'll hear Duke introducing every Strayhorn composition with a reference to its author.

I've always had a soft spot for it because my sister gave it to me for a birthday present when it was new and I was hardly into jazz yet. Have no idea why she picked it and after 50 years I doubt if she remembers. IIRC one of teh songs is based on a riff he first used in one of the numbers he recorded with the Count Basie band.

Why does the camera pan over to a Savoy album? Were these sides included in it?

Happy B'day and many more!

This year I'm 55. \ A mere child! HappyB'day!

Wasn't Nica's book "Three Wishes" 2009. If so I'd add it. (Maybe it was earlier-- when you're my age everything is recent since about the time the Beatles broke up.)

Last night I saw and danced to the Janiva Magness band with the fantastic Jim Alfredson on keyboards and (many) back up vocals! Beer, blues and dancing-- a great way to spend Friday night.

And for this box set, I can't find The Complete On The Corner Sessions at a decent price, I didn't even see one at Amoeba's yesterday. I'm tempted to do a Amazon download for $40.00, though I would much prefer the real box -- I'm old and cranky, and don't like this new fangled computer stuff. You also get the new artwork from Corky McCoy with Miles as a goat-hooved devil playing the tambourine. Unmissable ! :rsmile: It's one of the neatest looking boxes even if it's not my favorite music.

My wife goes to jazz concerts with me and I go to rock concerts with her. We both have a good time, though I sometimes skip open air no seat events.

I agree with all this. I presume that it's now November '64 and I was thinking that they seem unaware of the Beatles and the British invasion but then they played "Tobacco Road" over the credits-- which IIRC is by The Swinging Blue Jeans or some such British group.

Is this release easily found? I'd like to get it.

Thanks. I found this when I was googling for information. Might be the source of the cd. I tried to download it just to see the ticket he mentions but I couldn't get it to work. Hard to believe that even Miles could get away with just a 65 minute concert at the bowl with no supporting act. If I get near a library I'll check out the LA Times review by Leonard Feather which was apparently pretty nasty. Miles later agreed with Feather-- not quite sure why, concert is pretty good though I'm not a fan of later day Miles.

Sounds like fun, but I think the Playboy festival is in the spring. I think I may have been in France in September '81 so I may be recalling a different concert. I'll check my old passports.

PM on Hawkins and Bechet.

I just got a cd of Miles at the Hollywood Bowl, Sept. 25, 1981. I saw MIles at the Bowl in the early '80s with the Gil Evans Band as the opening act. Much to my disappointment they didn't play together. I'm presuming this is the concert on the cd but I'm not sure. None of the information I can find on the gig mentions any group but Miles' but there must of been another act-- there's only a little more than an hour of music on the cd which seems to be the entire Davis portion of the concert. Was anyone else here at the Evans/Davis concert and was it the on the on the cd?

I saw him in the early fall of 1961 with a small group I think at The Place. All I remember is that it was September and he played The Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting etc.)

That's sad. I loved his recordings but never did get to see him. Guess I never will.

Sorry to hear about the band breaking up. Good luck to all three of you.

I got the Blu-Ray of the Searchers from Netflix. It looked so good that after watching it once I played it it again with no sound so I wouldn't be distracted from the images. IIRC it was made forom a Vista Vision print.