kh1958

I wouldn't miss a chance to see McCoy or the wonderful Charnett Moffett. In fact, they are playing in Austin next month and I'm planning on driving (about 200 miles) to see him.

Dallas only has one egomaniacal receiver whining for the ball--the rest of them are all unselfish and team oriented. It is however rather difficult to disagree with your avatar in the room.

I disagree with you for the most part. There are still plenty of interesting creative jazz musicians, albeit there are lots more boring clones as you state. You just have to work harder to find them, unlike the past when it now seems like there was a giant on every street corner.

http://cdbaby.com/cd/frankhewitt4

Unless the plane takes you back to pre-1970 Donald Byrd, you are going to be very disappointed. He lost his "chops" a long time ago.

Prime Time played three two or three night engagements circa 1983-86 at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth. They also played live music for a very bad play in the Caravan's theater (the music was great, however, I wish there were a soundtrack recording). Ornette also played there with Pat Metheny/Charlie Haden/Denardo for a one night engagement. And he played a set with the Charles Moffett Family Jazz Band. I feel very lucky to have seen around 14 or so sets of Ornette in an intimate setting.

Herbie Nichols Trio (Blue Note, Japanese pressing).

Prime Time was no different from Ornette's other music, it was just louder. The group was actually closer to Free Jazz than to rock, a double trio with Ornette in the middle. The group with Bern Nix, Charles Ellerbee, Jamaladeen Tacuma, Albert McDowell, Denardo and one other drummer is one of the greatest groups I've seen in my life. When they played a set that worked, they were devastating, dense, multilayered, complex, overwhelming. The recordings do not match the live experience in a small club.

I've seen him live at least three times--a great evening of music with Mal Waldron and Reggie Workman at the Village Vanguard, another nice group with Geri Allen and Chico Freeman at Jazz Standard, and then about a month or so ago at Merkin Hall, in a quartet led by Dave Douglas, with Henry Grimes and J.D. Allen on tenor, then that same evening a double quartet (Roy Campbell led the other group with William Parker, Mixashawn, and Hamid Drake) performing Don Cherry's A Symphony for Improvisers. The Mal Waldron Trio was an unforgettable concert, and the Don Cherry tribute concert was thrilling.

Don't Let It Happen Here, also from the Monterey performance, is on the Monterey Jazz Festival Anthology.

Well, yes, you should get all the Art Pepper Contemporarys before delving into low-fi live recordings. This one even has Art playing Ornette Coleman's Tears Inside.

Smack Up probably would have been a better choice, even if you had to break a $20.

Kareem abdul Jabbar was in the audience once when I was at the Iridium (Wallace Roney was playing, I believe).

Did you happen to see Elvin when he played at the Caravan of Dreams (I think it was 1984 or 1985)? I can't remember who was in the group, only that it was tenor (Bob Berg, I think), guitar (a Japanese player, I believe), bass, and drums. I heard two sets, each of which consisted of three long pieces. The first two songs each set were just okay, featuring the band (no drum solos)--the third in each case was a more complex composition that featured Elvin, and I remember being totally blown away by these set-ending pieces.

I really don't need any more CDs right now, but I have called in my order for this one anyway.

Roy is great, and this set is great.

Tuesday night I saw the Mingus Orchestra at the Iridium. This is a 10 piece band--with two saxophones, trumpet, trombone, bassoon, bass clarinet, French Horn, guitar, bass and drums--They tend to perform the more orchestral Mingus pieces, and it was indeed a pleasure to hear, among other works, Half Mast Inhibition, the Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife, Noon Night, Just For Laughs Sap, Jelly Roll, Eclipse, Noddin' Ya Head Blues, and a few other great Mingus compositions performed live. Wednesday night--James Carter Organ Trio at Birdland. I enjoyed this immensely as well.

The signs said 30% off last weekend, but it was actually only 30% off of magazines.

I have the CD--it is a good one.

Yes, on Silveto (preachy self-improvement records with truly awful lyrics).

Dave Brubeck Trio (Alan Dawson and Jack Six), with Gerry Mulligan--Blues Roots. A truly great $3 purchase--a terrific album, with fine sound.

10% was enough to get me to buy 5 CDs. Horace Silver--Tokyo Blues (I only had the LP) A couple of OJCs--Duke Ellington, The Intimate Ellington, and Phil Woods with John Eardley, Pot Pie. A couple of Classics--Mess Mezzrow, 1951-53, and Tiny Grimes, 1951-54.

The Dallas Tower has already commenced its liquidation sale. However, at this point it is a very modest sale--only 10% off of CDs and DVDs.

Dick and Kiz Harp at the 90th Floor.

From Dusty Groove upcoming releases: Charles Mingus -- Charles Mingus In Paris -- The Complete America Recordings . . . CD . . . Late October, 2006