Clunky

Stanko/ Makowicz Unit -------Klub Peytowy Polskiego....XIII. (Warsaw 1975)-----(Bialy Kruk Czarnego Krazka/Pronit) It's one of those "White crow black disc" Polish releases with a generic cover. Adam Makowicz plays piano and some nice Fender Rhodes either solo, or trio/quartet with Stanko. It's hard to know exactly what the title is of this record !!

recorded November 8th 1983, London at Wave Studios,

Yes that's the one but it has Top Rank in the top right hand corner.

Miles Davis----The New Miles Davis Quintet------(Top Rank Japan) deep groove , 1960s ? Japanese release of Prestige material . I'm not clear then this was released but the DG on both sides , laminated thin card sleeve with flip backs makes it look much older than any other Japanese issue I have .

Spinning a number of 78s to gather a dozen or so to play at the weekend . I'm taking them to play for an elderly but very beautiful lady in her nursing home. Random picks from the shelves which I know she'll like to hear on my Bush portable TT. Louis Armstrong --Georgia bobo/ Wildman blues--(Brunswick) Johnny Hodges --Things ain't what they used to be/ Squatty Roo---(HMV) Humph Lyttleton---Oh ! Dad /Mainly traditional ---(Parlophone) plus sides by Oscar Peterson, Benny Goodman, Hot lips Page,Red Allen , Charlie Parker ( stupendous) A nice mixture I feel? She'll love everything - always does . Hope none break on the 5 hour journey!!

None of my HMV Impulses have RVG stamped on them. Second generation tapes were used. As I recall it the deluxe 2CD of A Love Supreme issued a few years ago was sourced from the UK copy tapes of the stereo master, used orginally for the HMV release.

Two Tranes this morning. Both in mono but don't sound any the worse for that. HMV pressings ultra reliable and quiet. A love supreme---(HMV) mono Crescent------(HMV) mono

Good to see him getting some recognition .

Sun Ra ----- In some far place Roma '77---------(Strut/ Artyard) well recorded, essentially solo Ra with occasional percussion and voices

Sunday morning purchase Bill Evans- ----------Some other time---------(Resonance 2LP) I hadn't planned on picking this up but bought it on the spur of the moment when looking for the Artyard Sun Ra Roma '77 release. As you'd imagine this sounds very good indeed , it's pretty astonishing that this has sat in the vaults for quite so long. I'm not enough of fan of Evans to hear differences of approach with Dejonette/Gomez as compared to any other combinations.

Kenny Wheeler --- Deer Wan---(ECM) Ger. Wheeler's own favourite according to his obit in the Daily Telegraph .

Don Friedman-------Metamorphosis-----------(Prestige) mono edition bought sealed a few years ago. A really top drawer release. The only thing not to like is Prestige's less than perfect pressing.

Howard McGhee -------Nobody knows you when you're down and out.....-------(UA) two quartet sessions one with organ the other piano. The whole thing has an appropriately melancholy air . Maggie's tone is suitably poignant. It's clearly one off date for all concerned but Howard sounds more alert than other sessions of this vintage . (Unlike some other UA vinyl no 'ear' in the dead wax)

Listened to a fair amount of Monk today the Black Lion sessions and now ..... Monk/Coltrane ----at Carnegie Hall -----(Mosaic/Thelonious Records)

Various artists -------Loaded--------(London/Savoy) UK Vido Musso gets plenty of space here. The tracks have an interesting swing to bop feel but Musso is really too vulgar a player to make it truly enjoyable. Boots Mussulli or Lem Davis would be more interesting but get much less space. Denzil Best is the drummer on most of the tracks. So interesting but nothing incredible on these less well know mid forties titles.

Frank Strazzeri-----View from within-----(Creative World) reissue of Revelation LP A tougher sound than one might expect from Candoli/Rosolino etc.

Picked the Seaman and the Bryant Esquire up at Oxfam.

Shirley Scott-----plays Horace Silver-------(Prestige) Now this .,,, Phil Seaman -------Now !.....Live!-------(Verve MGM UK) picked this up for £4 yesterday and therefore appear to quite a bargain if Popsike is to be believed. Competent swing piano trio , pretty mainstream fare but quite energetically played.

indeed, hard to make comparisons but both transfers sounded really vivid.

The Esquire art department surpassed itself with this alternative cover. Mind you the Prestige original isn't anything to talk about (although it is better IMO) . I'm uncertain how four stones equates or relates in any way to the blues or being alone. Perhaps it's the type of rock depicted or some 'in joke' that a half century later is entirely lost. Spinning this now as I found a nice near mint copy yesterday. The music is pretty good , perhaps my favourite Bryant. Sounds very fresh. Ray Bryant-------Alone with the blues-------(Esquire UK) dg etc.. here's the Prestige original for completeness

Lucky Thompson----------- plays Jerome Kern -----(Moodsville) mono

Claudio Fasoli/ Kenny Wheeler / JF Jenny Clark-----------Land--------(New sound plane/ INNOWO) Bought to get more Wheeler and Jenny Clark is always going to be bonus. Spare sounding trio from 1988. Digital recording which doesn't sound better or worse than many analog recordings but admittedly Jenny Clark does sounds a bit light weight, compared to how he's usually recorded. Wheeler seems completely at home with Fasoli's originals (all tracks). It's great to him have so much space in this setting. Recommended.

Woody Herman Sextet--------s/t-----------(WRC) UK budget edition of Roulette session (At the Roundtable) Really good all-star line up. Nat Adderley, Charlie Byrd, Eddie Costa (piano and vibes) Jimmy Campbell (drums). Not your average Herman session. Don't get me wrong it's not some amazing gem but it is pretty nice. Poor cover, although the Roulette original is odd to say the least . for completeness here's the Roulette

I've this new one on pre-order , although I'll confess I didn't realise that Henry doesn't play - real pity. Mind you that never stopped Gil Evans' records from being great. Or indeed most Ellington records

Perfect Sunday morning album