Free For All

i thought it wasn't supposed to be a copy of a BN lp? Sorry. I never was good at following rules. I flunked coloring in kindergarden. Seriously.

Good enough then......you guys OK to drive?

And of course, what good is a hamster without.......... How's THAT for off-topic?

I know these are correct: Bill's Blues comp. by Bill Stapleton Watermelon Man arr. by Tony Klatka Reunion at Newport comp. by Alan Broadbent ..still searching for the others........

I've always enjoyed Palmas and Arete which feature a great horn section of Brian Lynch, Donald Harrison and Conrad Herwig. Eddie write some challenging horn parts and those cats can blow. I also like La Perfecta II.

The first one. I always think of the other one as the closing theme. Wow, it was cool to hear the "long" version! Thanks for the link BW! I haven't heard that for a long time, and I stand corrected- I forgot there was already an actual melody on the bridge, and it's even a typical rhythm changes bridge! So it's a complete tune as is! There's a lot you could do with that as an arrangement.................hmmmm.....................

Hmm...."soft organ"? I've never really thought about that......hmm..... It could also be "organ" + "fortissimo"........... .......or "organ" + "bellissimo"............. ..or "largissimo" based on the speed of the board this weekend........... How often do you guys play at the "pianissimo" dynamic level anyway?

I remember watching R&B when I was young. Much of the humor was lost on me at that age, but I remember liking the music. The opening theme, the closing theme and the "Fractured Fairy Tales" theme were all very hip to my young ears. Who did the music for R&B? BTW, FWIW, the first eight bars of the opening theme makes a great rhythm changes head. Try it sometime (just blow over the bridge).

Clark Terry? Late Bob Dylan?

As the sun sets on this AOTW, I'd like to thank all who participated. There were many excellent and informative posts which confirmed and expanded my admiration for this great recording (as well as my admiration for our esteemed board members). It's good to hear others feel as I do about this one. Viva Mingus!

Yeah, Matt, NICE CRIB! Congratulations! That's about the beefiest mailbox I've ever seen! You a golfer? Enjoy your new home!

Congratulations to Argentina. They came to play and deserved to win the gold. Looks like the US team needs to do a little soul searchin'...........................

R E A L L Y S L O W T H I S W E E K E N D .......................................!

That's essentially where I'm at with OP. I love his playing, and often refer to him when asked for an example of someone who plays with a great sense of time and swing. I appreciate hearing a tight trio playing well-constructed arrangements. I'm often in the mood to listen to OP- his recordings always elevate my mood. Sometimes I'd rather listen to Monk. Or Bill Evans. Or Tatum.......etc. IMHO with OP there is a "sameness" to many of his performances. I might compare him to Stitt..........a great player who returns to a familiar repertoire and plays familiar licks and phrases. Not a lot of harmonic exploration, but a great sense of melodic construction. I've made the same comment about Carl Fontana, who I love. My intent is not to diminish any of these artists' talents or importance. Being able to play at that level requires a LOT of hard work. If you need more, look to other artists. I find a lot to like about OP, however!

DO IT BABY!!

Yeah, I've got a vinyl copy, but I'd bet that if they put it out on CD they might manage to dig up some extra unreleased material from the gig. Wouldn't that be nice? Woody in top form.

My wife attends Unity regularly, and I join her from time to time. Of course the Unity "headquarters" is located near here in Lee's Summit. Plus they feature a lot of varied types of music- the local Unity here has a jazz series. I might try to play there sometime. When I walk into church and hear "All the Things You Are" I think "Yeah, this might be OK!" As someone who has been resistant to belonging to a specific church, I really like the the nurturing approach of the Unity church. At any service there is a varied ethnic mix, and many gay as well as non-gay couples. That feels right to me, it seems like a very positive Christian vibe. Everyone together. Celebrating blessings. No heavy guilt trips. Works for me!

A great set for sure. I only wish that they would reissue the live date Stepping Stones on CD.