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Just released, Charnette Moffett, The Bridge (Motema).

Modern Jazz Quartet, disc 2

Clare Fischer, So Danco Samba (World Pacific stereo)

Tonight, Pandit Nayan Ghosh (sitar), Praveen Sheolikar (violin) and Ishaan Ghosh (tabla), at the Allen Pubic Library Auditorium. This was a fabulous concert. Thanks to the Indian Classical Music Circle of DFW.

The Symphonic Ellington (Reprise promo), and The Genius of Sonny Stitt Gets Close to You (Jazz Masters)

He's a favorite of mine, but I never got to hear him live. Favored recordings are these five: Blisterstring; Fast Fingers; Me, My Gitar and the Blues; Tribute to Orange; and West Side Guitar Hero. For awhile, he had Otis Rush on second guitar.

When they say Texas is BIG, they are not kidding..

West is home to a favorite gas station on the Dallas to Austin drive. http://www.czechstop.net

That's no big loss.

The Legendary Buster Smith (Atlantic black label), and The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster (Norgran). With a price tag from the University of Texas Coop, dated June of 1954, $4.95. The sound of this LP is so real and lifelike. A fantastic record. The Verve LPs that sound great in my experience are the trumpet label pressings, and the Verve T deep groove pressings. The ordinary non-deep groove Verve T pressings from the '60s and '70s (and I generally can't tell the difference) are okay, but nothing special in terms of sound.

After the set, I ordered Music for Organ Sextette on Steeplechase. This morning, I've been listening for the first time to Tyler Mitchell, Live at Smalls (Abraham Burton, Josh Evans, Spike Wilner, Eric McPherson). This might be the finest release so far in the CD series. Definitely the best Abraham Burton I've heard on record.

Gil Evans, Big Stuff (New Jazz mono) Kenny Burrell Trio, A Night at the Vanguard (Argo stereo)

Finally catching the last set by this group; they sound pretty good.

Those Ari Hoenig sets are invariably good. His Live at Smalls release is definitely worth buying.

I felt like a robber, getting the Moffett sets and the Ari Hoenig/Kenny Werner sets that followed for a daily charge of 16 cents. A few years ago, Charnett put on two concerts in Dallas, which were partly solo and partly he was backed up by his kids (on drums and keyboards). He played three different basses (accoustic, electric and piccolo). The variety of the concert performance, which was essentially a solo bass concert, was pretty astounding. moffett kept the selections short, and focused, and provided variety.

Today's music mail: Charnett Moffett, The Bridge (Motema), Maria Del Mar Bonet, Amic Amat (PIcap), and Davy Mooney, Astoriano (Late Set)

Now that was fantastic; a disappointingly small crowd though; either the whole world doesn't love solo bass concerts, or it was too early.

Last Night, The Wes Montgomery Trio (Riverside), and Gems of Jazz No. 3 (Joe Venuti Blue Six and Fletcher Henderson with Coleman Hawkins) (Decca ten inch).

Monday night, there is a solo performance by Charnett Moffett, followed by the Ari Hoenig group with Kenny Werner.

May 24: Janiva Magness at Loose Wheels, Denison, Texas.

This morning, Thelonious Monk, Monk's Mood (Prestige blue label mono). Next, Jimmy Smith, Crazy! Baby (Blue Note stereo, W. 63rd).

Stan Getz, Cool Sounds (Verve Trumpet label)

Last night, Tuckers Blues in Deep Ellum reopened for the weekend. Andrew Jr. Boy Jones and Lucky Peterson performed, among others. Lucky Peterson was fantastic, as usual.

Perhaps a demand letter for the return of stolen photos is in order. "Dear Wynton..."

The content of this release (with false starts and complete and partial alternate takes) seems better suited for CD format. On the other hand, while pricey, the Mosaic LP release of the Monk/Coltrane concert is rather nice.