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Thanks for alerting me to this--I found a copy of the 1987 CD this evening. The unreleased tracks sound good. Actually, I like several of the Sebesky arranged songs; Wes sounds so good on these--I don't see how you couldn't like A Day in the Life or Road Song, for example.

You might try Banned in New York, a live at the Village Vanguard recording, with Jason Moran.

Maybe that Aric fellow could write a letter?

I was up in New York for a seminar about a year and a half ago and, after the Jazz Gallery turned the house after the first set, I walked over to Sweet Rhythm and took a chance on seeing Vijay Iyer with Mike Ladd, never having heard of either, and it was one of those--damn this is good surprise moments. I was back the next night for sure.

I assume you've heard the collaboration with Vijay Iyer, In what Language? If not, you need it because it is exceedingly good.

You should get the recent Bobby Watson, Horizon Reassembled.

Damn, I hate it when someone who knows what they are talking about posts next to me.

Does it mean someone who is highly proficient in the jazz tradition (Behop and hard bop) and in 1960s and beyond avant garde jazz, and who integrates the two traditions into a single style? If so, my own favorites among saxophonists fitting this description are George Adams, Roland Kirk, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Harper, David Murray, and Eric Dolphy. On piano, my favorite inside/outside players are Jaki Byard and Don Pullen.

Where are you in Texas?

Dear Blue Note: Thanks for all the great LPs and CDs. Sincerely, The Guys and Gals at Organissimo.

I like the last two cuts on the CD quite a bit, the rest not so much.

I have a few jazz 78s, but no means to play them.

The notes to the box describe him as "a pianist from Philadelphia about whom not much is known." Both dates are ascribed to March 10, 1955.

Both those sessions are in the Mingus Debut box, I believe.

I had no idea he was still alive. I don't suppose Clarence Shaw lives next door to him?

It depends on your minimum sonic threshold. I have the series (25 volumes or so)--some volumes are simply unlistenable, at least by me. That is, the recording is so bad I really can't enjoy the playing. Others contain wonderful gems, of surprising audio qualify. I'm glad I have it, but could probably condense the entire series into just a few CDs that I would listen to repeatedly.

How could a list of inside/outside tenor greats not include George Adams and Roland Kirk?

I enjoy ripping off the shrinkwrap.

In light of my overreaction, now I am compelled to buy the book.

Mr. Moffett was just as good the second night.

I've read lots of jazz books, but I grew tired of them, so I haven't been reading them over the last few years. I'd rather spend my limited free time listening to music than reading about it as a general rule. If you don't really like David Murray's music, that's fine. For me, I first heard him about twenty years ago--have seen him live six times or so, and found all to be very positive experiences (with Jack DeJohnette Special Edition and leading his Octet with Julius Hemphill at the Caravan of Dreams, his Big Band at the Knitting Factory, and leading a quintet at the Iridium). He has one of the most distinctive tenor sounds in jazz today; I can recognize him instantly, and that's a quality missing from alot of players today that I value. Plus, he consistently puts out recordings that are interesting to me, in varying contexts--for example, his two recordings with Don Pullen, his recent two recordings with Jon Jang, his recent Village Vanguard recording, his duet with Randy Weston, his recordings with McCoy Tyner, the Octet recording Home, his recent series of world jazz recordings... He seems to keep pretty fast company, if he is really such a flawed musician. He's most certainly not Wynton Marsalis-loke, who I gave up on many years ago after I realized that I never wanted to listen to his recordings more than once.

From about 1983-93, I was able to see McCoy live about a dozen or more times. He's one of my favorites and is absolutely great live. But since 1993, I haven't had the opportunity. A terrible drought.

Why would I want to read an essay trashing one of my favorite players?

It wasn't well publicized at all, just a small note in the back of the Morning News entertainment guide. The concert is put on by the Dallas Black Academy of Arts and Letters, with a very reasonable ticket price of only $15. They apparently put on another concert I missed and would have liked to have seen last November, Texas tenors with Marshal Ivery, Shelley Carroll and Rachella Parks. The hardest part was finding the small theater in the gigantic (and virtually deserted) Dallas Convention Center.

Charnett Moffett appeared last night at the Clarence Muse Theater in Dallas and is also there tonight. Mr. Moffett performed on accoustic bass, bass guitar, and piccolo bass guitar. His band consisted of his sister Charisse on vocals, wife Angela spoken word, Amareia Moffett (who appeared to be 10 or 11) on keyboards, and Charnett Max Moffett (also a youngster) on drums. Mr. Moffett performed primarily songs from his outstanding latest CD, For the Love of Peace, along with a few new pieces. The concert was simply terrific in every way. Mr. Moffett to my mind is the preeminent bassist in jazz today, and this skill was fully on display last night. The varied sounds and textures he achieved during a two hour concert, primarily featuring the bass as the lead instrument, was simply amazing. The theater had a good sized crowd but was not overflowing as should have been the case given the quality of the music. The whole affair had a very pleasing atmosphere, as if one were invited to the home of the Moffett family for a private concert given by its now grown-up child prodigy bassist. Anyone who loves jazz and is located in Dallas is making a mistake if they don't attend this concert tonight.