kh1958

This is one of my favorites and any version is worth having. I especially like the latest 2CD version, with all the alternate takes and some incomplete takes. Any additional playing by the great Gene Shaw is extremely valuable. My favorite track is Los Mariachis.

I like the Jazz Standard also. They are actually nice to their customers.

You need some new glasses. Cassandra Wilson is a jazz musician, and a very good one.

Mayan Temples on Black Saint is a very good introduction. It's very well recorded, features excellent performances, and a variety of styles. It's probably his best recording from his later years. Sun Ra's two visits to Fort Worth's Caravan of Dreams (1987 and 1988) rank rather high in my favorite live experiences. Eight great sets.

Actually, I forgot my very favorite McPherson performance with Mingus, which is Mingus at Monterey.

I think he's referring to Mingus and Friends in Concert, which was recorded at Philharmonic Hall. I used to not like the original LP issue of this one, making it almost the only Mingus release I didn't care for (other than the two features for Gene Ammons, which I always thought were great), but the 2CD reissue (thankfully deleting Bill Cosby) of the entire concert changed my mind. My favorite McPherson with Mingus recordings are the two French America releases which used to be available on Prestige as an LP twofer, Reincarnation of a Lovebird (with Byard, Bobby Jones, and Eddie Preston). I wish I had a good CD reissue of this one. And the bootleg, Live at Chateauvallon (a quartet with John Foster on piano) is a really good one.

What do the Mac users use? The only one of these that seems to have a Mac version is Readerware.

That front line of Hadi, Jimmy Knepper and Gene Shaw is truly fantastic.

I enjoyed the article, as it reminds me that thanks to the Caravan of Dreams, from 1983 to 1986 I was so exceedingly fortunate as to see Ornette perform with Prime Time in the club on no less than five occasions, and also once in the Theatre there providing music for a play. Not to mention, I saw Ornette play there with Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden, and finally a single set performance with Charles and Charnette Moffett. Some of those Prime Time sets are among the greatest I've heard (better than any of their recordings, what a powerful group.)

I really like all of these saxophonists. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that Shafi Hadi has been the highest ranked by so many. As far as I can tell, he only played regularly with Mingus for a year or so (1957). Of course, that was one of Mingus' greatest and most creative years. Perhaps he benefits from that association. I do love his playing on Tiajuana Moods and the Clown/Tonight at Noon. And he's also good on East Coasting and A Modern Jazz Symposium... But I don't really think he is at the same level on alto as Handy or McPherson.

All of them! I just bought Tivoli Gardens but haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. Excluding that one, I might recommend The Intimate Duke Ellington first. It is very.... intimate. One well done 30 minute solo and trio program, and one 30 minute session with an octet. It is great. Next, I would recommend Memories of Duke, which has great footage from his 1968 Mexican tour. And of course, On the Road with Duke Elllington is also worthwhile.

The one time I saw Don Pullen live, it was in an auditorium and I was below and to the right of him, so I couldn't see his fingers on the keyboard. He was amazing to hear. I've read that he would leave blood on the keyboards from playing the keys with his knuckles.

When the drums are on the right, sort of behind the pillar, they sound perfect--the best drum sound I've ever heard live. When they were set up on the left at the Cyrus Chestnut appearance I saw, the balance is not right, with the drums being too loud for me.

With one exception, every time I've been the the Village Vanguard (probably only 30 times or so, unfortunately), the piano has been set up on the left, the bass in the middle and the drums on the right. The only exception I recollect was Cyrus Chestnut, who set up on the right, with the drums on the left.

I saw him with Dizzy the last time I saw Dizzy--it was a great concert--an expanded group, in a double bill with Miriam Makeba. Then a few years back, at another excellent perfomance at the Village Vanguard. I like him.

I saw him at Sweet Rhythm in New York City last month. I had never heard of him either, but he was terrific. His music (and group) entranced me and I had to come back the next night to hear more. Frankly, he doesn't sound at all like Andrew Hill to me; he has his own unique sound. His new CD is "Bood Sutra" on Artist's House, and it is excellent.

I once attended a show by blues guitarist Philip Walker at a club and there was one other person besides myself in attendance.

There's a fine trio release on DIW, with Cecil McBee and Ronnie Burrage, from 1990, Close to You Alone. I also like Waiting for the Moment, a solo recording on Galaxy from 1977.

I saw Bandwagon play three sets at the VV last month, and they sounded great, both in a musical and accoustic sense. (The pre-recorded parts were played off of a mindisc recorder.) The VV is the best place on earth to listen to small group jazz, so I imagine any deficiencies are the recording engineer's.

This advice is completely wrong. Bandwagon is a terrific CD, recorded live at the Village Vanguard.

There's a Gil Evans DVD, also at Umbria (different year) that's really outstanding.

I wish I had seen the band while Gil was alive, but it did continue for awhile after his death to play at Sweet Basil, and the couple of times I got to see the group, it was a pretty intense experience still.

That sounds like a good one as well. River of Life has lots of bass clarinet and very lyrical, engaging melodies.

I've been going to see the Mingus Big Band for about 10 years, whenever I've been in New York on a Thursday night (used to be Wednesday night). It is always a thrill to see them at the Time Cafe, in the basement. I wish I could see them more than one or two times a year.

Has anyone else had the opportunity to hear this duo on Asian Improv featuring Jon Jang on piano and David Murray? It's rather superb.