brownie

Of Sudhalter's books, enjoyed the Bix book very much, found his 'Lost Chords' totally absorbing and full of interesting perspectives but somehow missed his Hoagy Carmichael biography. Hope to get a copy of it one of these days.

Peter, if you read The New York Times article on Paris restaurants, let me recommend you also the one called 'Le Petit Pontoise' on rue de Pontoise. Another excellent Paris bistrot. I live near that one and know the owner. His restaurant has always done good business (and for the right reasons) but he is now turning diners away since the New York Times article appeared!

Bertrand, next time you're in Paris, we will have a reserved table at Le Pre Verre Also there was a showing of the Granier-Deferre flick 'L'Homme aux Yeux d'Argent' on cable TV which I stumbled upon a few minutes after the film start. Watched it just to get to listen to the sountrack score. Did not like the film, a subHitchcock thriller - but there was just a bit more music to it than on the Philippe Sarde sountrack CD, mostly by Toots Thielemans. And the credits at the end of the film did list all the players including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Clark Terry et al...

Ah! women! And those Fellini women! Won't argue about Anouk Aimee! Saw her recently. She still looks great! But Sandra Milo? she is the prefect Fellini woman in 8 1/2. Know she is also in 'Juliet of the Spirits'. Would have to see that one afresh but I can't remember the film as being very high on my Fellini films list. And to get back to a rather negative remark about Giulietta Massina (she must have gone straight to Heaven just for enduring Federico so long), try to see 'The Nights of Cabiria' next time it shows. Usually agree with being unconfortable with her acting but in that one she plays a superb role of a prostitute (a perfect Gellini gift to his wife!).

Absolutely! I remember visiting the Rhino store in LA in 1984 when I was assigned to cover the Olympic Games. Nice store but gee! it did not look like a $60 million business deal then. Don't remember if I made any Great Finds there but the US dollar was way high compared to the French franc then (those were the Ronald Reagan Glory days) and life in LA seemed very expensive every time I ventured out of the press center.

The other day, I had lunch with a friend in a highly recommended recently-opened restaurant on the Paris Left Bank near the Sorbonne University. Restaurant is called 'Le Pre Verre' (a play on the French words Pasture and Glass and the name of late poet Jacques Prevert who loved those kind of bistros and restaurants). The place was crowded with happy-looking people at lunchtime. The owner behind the well-stocked bar looked familiar. Turned out he was a regular at the jazz record store Paris Jazz Corner where he often dropped in and regaled the man in charge of the store and some happy customers with delicious bottles of wines. It was just great to mix jazz records purchases to the delights of good wines. Lunch at the Pre Verre turned out to be a gastronomic adventure. If you travel to Paris, that's the place to go to enjoy the delights of French gastronomy. The New York Times had a report on several Paris restaurants in its Travel Section several days ago. This is how they described 'Le Pre Verre'. Note the reference to the jazz albums decorating several sections of the place.

Came upon this CD yesterday by the George Coleman band 'Danger High Voltage', a TwoAndFour recording from 1996 that was released in 2000. Very nice album which I had never heard of. Here is a Jazzmatazz review of it by Alan Lankin. http://jazzmatazz.home.att.net/reviews.p/R0009f.html

Just gave up trying to access Organissimo last night (European time). Everything back to normal this morning.

Very interesting what Fellini does with Anouk Aimee! In her part as the director's wife, she is made to wear eyeglasses that gives her a hard, mean look. Then there is that dream sequence when she reappears without makeup and no eyeglasses in her true beauty. I fell in love instantly . But then I already was in love with Barbara Steele. And my love affair with Barbara Steele goes a long long way

I know of at least one recorded encounter: 'Pyramid' where Lee Konitz and Paul Bley are joined by Bill Connors on guitar. This was released on Bley's IAI label. It is as beautiful as can be imagined. I have this on LP. Not sure it was issued on CD but is l worth the search.

Just checked. They're down for maintenance.

8 1/2 was on cable TV last night. The idea was to watch a few minutes of this film which I had not seen in a very long time and then get on with something else. As I already said in an earlier post, I wanted to see this on a big movie screen. It did not work. I started watching this and just got enthralled. What a great film! Of course, the TV screen cannot do justice to the masterful photography of Gianni di Venanzo. Even the dreaded Italian postsynchronisation job (very few Italian films have live sound, they dub everything) works on that film giving it a dreamlike effect. The film is a complete trip in itself with brilliant dialogues and some of the best acting ever (Fellini is a monster at getting the best out of his actors and his love of the actresses - from Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimee, Barbara Steele down to the bit players - shows in every scenes). Did not remember that Anouk Aimee's entrance was to the sound of a corny 'Blue Moon'. Oh yes, the music by Nino Rota! The music literally carries the film. How lucky that Fellini and Rota worked together so often! Will watch for a showing of this film on the big screen now.

Didn't realize this was rare; It's a favorite of mine: 'Stardust Memories' Beloved and Rare Songs of Hoagy Carmichael, that's on A record. Released in 2001. And Barbara Lea is one of the singers (along with Bob Dorough and Jim Ferguson).

Took time off today to plunge myself in one of my favorite reading: the letters of Franz Kafka in the French Pleiade edition. This is always a complete experience in itself. A mix of a brillant mind at work and near total frustration.

The 'They' referred to material released by companies from the Definitive group from Andorra/Spain. I am well aware of the added - and very welcome - material that is included in releases from other labels.

Another call for a reprinting of 'Jazz Street'. One of the must have jazz photo books that's so very hard to find. Dennis Stock is a veteran member of the prestigious Magnum photo agency. Magnum is a photographers' cooperative. Which is one of the reasons why some of their photo prints command very high prices. The agency members have to make a living! Guy Le Querec is another jazz-oriented Magnum photographer.

Very sad news! Just had to listen to 'A Jackson in Your House' this morning. What a great player he was!

Thought tits were barred from Organissimo Forums

Jazzbo did know! Never saw that CD. Ever!

OK. I know the feeling then Forget about the rest of the Ronnell Bright albums. There is one Savoy LP and another Vanguard LP, all recorded in the late '50s. I have searched for those for years and never ran across them. I know the Savoy LP was reissued in LP form in Japan several years ago. Don't think they have appeared as CDs anywhere. But you're so young and you have all those years ahead of you so you may be lucky and just be patient enough to see a proper reissue

Ronnell Bright is one of the two pianists (the other is Art Simmons) featured in the 'Piano aux Champs-Elysees' album nr. 61 of the Jazz in Paris series. A 1958 trio session recorded in Paris with Richard Davis on bass and Art Morgan on drums when the trio backed Sarah Vaughan for concert appearances here.

The Tom Lord discography does not list any of those names (Jimmy Leach, Organolians or New Organolians). Are they any good?

I have not seen 8 1/2 in quite a long time. This was my favorite Fellini film for years, a complex and intriguing film with scores of extraordinary moments. This is the kind of films I'm rather shy of seeing again. Maybe I am afraid of being disappointed at a new vision. And I'm with Alexander on seeing it on the big screen. The last time I saw 8 1/2 was at the Paris Cinematheque with is BIG screen. Magnificient it was. Do most of my viewings nowadays on the TV screen which may be why I am apprehensive of a showing of the film on that screen. Other Fellini films I cherish include 'I Vitelloni', 'Nights of Cabiria' (Giuletta Massina is superb in that one), 'La Dolce Vita', 'Roma' and 'Amarcord'.

Dmitry, they won't even try getting the master tapes. With good reasons., The answer to that request would be a straight NO. They just copy from available material (US or non-US). Sound can be pretty good but these releases never include new material nor add anything to the audio quality.

Great news! And about time... In previous Next Mosaic want lists, I kept asking for something on Ruby Braff. If the set materializes, hope it will include the United Artists sessions.