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I was lucky to get to see Tom Harrell this past Friday and Sunday at the Village Vanguard. He was playing at a very high level. as was his group. He played mostly flugelhorn for the three sets I saw--there was no inconsistency in his playing at all. I guess you would call the music hard bop, but it sounded completely fresh and without cliches. Every song they played was a Tom Harrell original (mostly from the new release, Prana Dance). A duet performance between Harrell and the pianist was a striking divergence from the quintet performances. The group was Wayne Escoffrey on tenor, Danny Grissett on piano, Ugonna Ukegwo on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums--they were really in tune and sounded great in the Village Vanguard. It was a thrilling musical experience.

I was able to narrow my list down to a Top 30 list... Pithecanthropus Erectus The Clown East Coasting Tijuana Moods A Modern Jazz Symposium of Poetry and Music Blues and Roots Wonderland Mingus Ah Um Mingus Dynasty Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus Mingus At Antibes Pre-Bird Oh Yeah Tonight at Noon Black Saint Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Plays Piano Town Hall Concert (1964) Cornell The Great Concert of Charles Mingus At Monterey Right Now Music Written for Monterey Reincarnation of a Lovebird Let My Children Hear Music Mingus Moves Changes One Changes Two Cumbia and Jazz Fusion

Shafi Hadi with Mingus in 1972?

Friday: Tom Harrell at the Village Vanguard (with Wayne Escoffery on tenor, Danny Grissett on piano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums). Two inspiring sets from this dynamic group. Saturday: Go Home at the Jazz Standard (Charlie Hunter, Ben Goldberg, Curtis Fowlkes, Scott Amendola). I didn't know what to expect, but rather enjoyed this group, especially Charlie Hunter. Pat Martino at Birdland (with Tony Monoco on organ, Jefftain Watts, and Eric Alexander). This group didn't entirely work; Martino and the organist sounded good, but I don't much care for Jefftain Watts; though I could have tolerated him if the group had been a trio; Eric Alexander was sonic wallpaper as usual. Sunday: Ron Carter Trio/Francisco Mela Trio at the Blue Note. The Ron Carter Trio, (Mulgrew Miller and Russell Malone), was very refined and elegant, and in fact very enjoyable. Cuban drummer Mela fronted an excellent latin jazz trio, with Cuban pianist (Arturo Rodriguez(?)). Finally, back to the Village Vanguard to hear the last set of the week from Tom Harrell--really excellent.

I also like Ben Allison's Think Free (and the Palmetto label in general).

If anyone finds a U.S. source for this CD, please post the address.

Happy birthday!

I found several Slim Gaillard Classics discs last week used, and I must say I enjoyed them alot. Especially the 1945 disc, which features a session with Lucky Thompson and Teddy Edwards, plus a bounty of Dodo Marmarosa. Maybe lighthearted and humorous, as opposed to the usual seriousness of jazz, but still interesting music.

I pre-ordered the Jazz Icons series 4 DVD box set, which is being released this week. • Jimmy Smith • Live in '69 • Coleman Hawkins • Live in '62 & '64 • Art Farmer • Live in '64 • Erroll Garner • Live in '63 & '64 • Woody Herman • Live in '64 • Art Blakey • Live in '65 • Anita O'Day • Live in '63 & '70

Jimmy Smith at the Organ Vol. 1 (BLP 1551) (W. 63rd deep groove) Dizzy Gillespie--Have Trumpet Will Excite (Verve)

Jimmy Smith at the Organ--BLP 1514 (Lexington)

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (Blue Note mono deep groove, W. 63rd St.)

Jimmy Knepper, Invisible Lady (on Charles Mingus, Tonight at Noon)

A Grand Night for Swinging (High Note), Roy Haynes on drums.

Yeah, Clare. That first tune especially, UMMG, is beautifully handled. And it's a walk in the park for Diz. Nice, relaxed tempo, too. There's a live recording of Dizzy featured with the Ellington band at a birthday party for Duke in Washington, D.C., I believe. He gets a spot and there are a few other guests. I'm sure it came out commercially at some point but I wouldn't know what it's called. Jazz Party on Columbia. It's live in the studio.

Me too, it came yesterday.

Gil Evans (John Carisi/Cecil Taylor)--Out of the Hot (Impulse, red and black)

Jimmy Witherspoon with Jay McShann--Goin' to Kansas City Blues (RCA black dog)

Rearward is a legit label? Or a Spanish pirate?

Buddy Guy at House of Blues.

Well, thanks!

I really like the solo piano version on the Walter Davis Jr. recording, In Walked Thelonious--in fact, I really like just about every performance on this CD. http://www.amazon.com/Walked-Thelonious-Wa...9858&sr=1-1 Another fine version is by local tenor hero, Marchel Ivery, on Marchel's Mode.

Don Byrd--Gigi Gryce--Modern Jazz Perspective (Columbia, six eyes)

Duke Ellington--The Pianist (Fantasy)

Jimmy Smith--The Sermon (Blue Note stereo, NY USA, deep groove on first side only)