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On the quartet pieces, there is print-through echo at certain points--that is, you can hear a ghostly duplication of the horn soloist, slightly out of sync. I read this was because the tapes were not properly stored--that is, if they go too long without being rewound, the adjacent tape prints through to get the distracting echo effect. I assume early versions would not have this problem. The earliest version I have is a mid-1970s Barnaby reissue, which has the problem.

We are just trying to keep up with the ubiquitous debates on what CD versions are best and whether or not to upgrade to the latest and greatest. I have both Mosaics and the sound on both serves the music and my listening experience. I have always thought a couple of the Candid discs were pretty special sonically, but I won't go into details. You should pick them up. They can be had for around $100, at times, on EPAY. Mosaic bargains if there are any. The Classic Records 'TJ Moods' is a bit bright, but very good nonetheless. The Impulse reissue, from a few years ago, of Mingus Mingus....sucks. As Mingus is my favorite musician, I have every official Mingus release on LP and CD, sometimes more than one of each, but I don't think I have any "first pressings" prior to Mingus Moves, which was the first one I bought. I also have the two Mingus Mosaic sets, the Atlantic box, and the Debut box, not to mention most, though not all of the bootlegs. I would like to have the two Candids on LP, to avoid the dreaded "echo" on every version I have, but haven't been successful yet in picking one up (I'm not entirely sure what a first edition Candid label looks like.) The two worst CD issues of Mingus material are Mingus Plays Piano (very harsh and unlistenable, I think it was a "gold" CD as I recall; I think there is a subsequent version I haven't heard) and the only CD issue of the "Reincarnation of a LoveBird two-fer/French America release, which is pretty terrible sonically.

The Mingus recordings on Atlantic are so great, that issues as to which sound source is a bit better than another are not important.

The Best of Cannonball Adderley on Capital was my first jazz record. I listened to Work Song and others on this LP over and over again. He's one of my favorites, for sure.

Experience Hendrix has just released a third volume of this great series featuring blues giants on tour recorded for 1960s European television. Highlights of volume 3 include: 1. Big Mama Thornton, backed by Buddy Guy, performing Hound Dog. 2. Big Joe Turner, backed by Otis Rush. 3. Hound Dog Taylor, backed by Little Walter. 4. Earl Hooker performing one of his great guitar instrumentals. 5. Helen Humes backed by T Bone Walker. 6. Accoustic blues peformances by Skip James and Son House. 7. Two performances by Muddy Waters. Collectively, the three American Folk Blues volumes (with a possible fourth to come) are an unrivaled compilation of filmed performances by blues giants, most of whom are now gone.

Breakthrough and Song Everlasting are two great CDs, which I wouldn't sell ever.

Here are two with Ron/Rahn Burton that I have on LP and like alot: George Adams/Paradise Space Shuttle (Timeless) Jemeel Moondoc/Nostalgia in Times Square (Soul Note).

I ordered a Mu CD from Cadence years ago, and they sent me the next CD in the catalogue by mistake, Radius by Thomas Chapin. It's a terrific CD and led to his becoming one of my favorite artists of the 1990s, before his tragic early death.

I hate the crappy Windows mouse, which is designed for righthanded people, forcing a lefthanded person to have to figure out how to reverse the buttons. As usual, the single button mac mouse is highly effective and simpler to use. (My mac-expert friend looked at me in justified puzzlement when I first got my imac and asked how to change it from right to lefthanded.) And why wouldn't you go into Control Pannel -> Mouse and switch the buttons? You must be a Window user and/or righthanded. The point is that the Apple single click mouse performs, in simpler fashion, all the functions I need, so that there is no need to reverse the buttons.

Not me personally, but there's this guy running for president, the mediocre, former alcoholic son of a former president, who had the opportunity to attend one of the country's great universities, but lacked the intellectual capability to do better than a C average; got arrested for drunk driving; was set up in the oil business and failed; then became wealthy on taxpayer money as frontman for some Texas businessman who owned a baseball team--I'm not kidding, this guy has scammed around half of the country into believing that he is qualified to be president....

It's not that I wouldn't like to have this, but I would guess that Pullen was not fully formed at this stage, so wouldn't one rather have virtually all of his later work (which I do) before paying big bucks for this early work?

I hate the crappy Windows mouse, which is designed for righthanded people, forcing a lefthanded person to have to figure out how to reverse the buttons. As usual, the single button mac mouse is highly effective and simpler to use. (My mac-expert friend looked at me in justified puzzlement when I first got my imac and asked how to change it from right to lefthanded.)

Speaking of Melvin Sparks, has anyone heard his new record on Savant, It is What it Is? This one is exceedingly good.

I got an imac two years ago, after always having a Windows computer. The imac is great; I will never willingly use a Windows computer again (I have no choice at work). The imac is extremely reliable; it's operating system is much simpler, more logical and intuitive than Windows. My imac is a thing of beauty; no Windows computer I've ever had has been more than an adequate machine. I recommend imacs to anyone who asks, and everyone who has listened to me has thanked me and felt the same as I do. (Of course, if you are into Photoshop, graphic design, art, and the like, you need an Apple for sure; and the G5 is the best for that use.)

Rudresh Mahanthappa also plays on some of the tracks on Vijay Iyer and Mike Ladd, in what language?, a very compelling jazz and poetry recording.

I was in New York about a year ago, and after the Jazz Gallery turned the house after the first set, I walked over to Sweet Rhythm for the second set, without being familiar with Vijay Iyer. I was immediately strongly taken by the music, with Mahantappa on alto, and was back the next night for two sets.

Eric Dolphy--Last Date James Newton--African Flower

He projected an incredible joy in his playing, pure efffortless swing; I thought he was wonderful, both times I was able to see him live.

I saw the group in the fall of 1982 in Austin, and it was not a very inspiring performance or group. Mike Stern was on guitar. I was pretty disappointed at the time. The two subsequent times I saw Miles a few years later were much better.

Perhaps because Monk heard Art Tatum in person and Oscar Peterson is just a decent imitation of Art Tatum?

Yes, I enjoy hearing the band at the Fez. I'm managed to hear the group a dozen times or so, over the years, and it's been wonderful every time.

The orchestration of the Mingus solo piano performance, Myself When I Am Real, as Adagio Mon Nommo Troppo, it really great and my favorite piece on this recording. I also quite like Bobby Jones on Hobo Ho.

That's a really nicely done short Ellington film. And it's a real film, well made.

You should take a fresh listen, as the group concept you describe is still present. When I saw him, he had the same kind of telepathic rapport with James Cammack on bass guitar (he's superb).

I noticed on the Iridium website that the Mingus Big Band is going to start playing there on Tuesdays commencing in November. Does anyone know if they are going to continue at the Fez on Thursdays? Two chances to see the group in a week would be great, if that's the case.