Rabshakeh

I did not know any of this. Could be true but seems a little odd. Why would the contract require a witness and notarisation? Who is the current owner? No I didn't discuss this with Herv, not only because I didn't know there was a dispute but also because he is not a very chatty man. Laconic irony and appraising glare.

Thank you!

I was in a record store in West London a few months ago, doing my own effusing over Rickey Kelly to the guy behind the counter, who was drily listening what I had to say as if it was news to him. Turns out it was Harv from Outernational, who was personally responsible for reissuing half of this stuff. I’m not sure why he let me rabbit on, but perhaps he knew better than to interrupt a Rickey Kelly fan during a monologue. It is not the worst Swamp Dogg front cover concept. Gosh. £79.

Thanks! Which of those do you think you’ll be returning to most?

Nice cover and interesting title. What’s it like?

Watts towers, I think

GoGo Penguin - v2.0 Listening out of interest only. I'm all for a wide and evolving conception of jazz, but something in me baulks at including music like this. It’s a lot better than some of their other records, though. Less insipid, and more fast bits or rhythmic bits. Now onto: Gerald Cleaver, Brandon Lopez (2), Hprizm – In The Wilderness This one is great. Happy memories of listening to AntiPop Consortium back in the day but this is even better. The same feel but fewer failed experiments or lame rhymes.

On Gioia, yes. I did mean the general history book. Actually it is perfectly fine, although I think its treatment of the jazz of the mid-40s is a weaker section, since it misses the multiplicity of what was actually happening.

I love how pulpy and aggressive this era of Prestige's design was.

This is roughly how I felt about it. I enjoyed Ross' playing but found Wilkins disappointing, probably because I did not enjoy the writing for him, rather than his own playing. There were some nice bits. I know that others on the forum hold this record in high regard, though.

He's the first! But he is barely interviewed. He almost refuses to engage with the questions and just slides off hip and meaningless answers. Like Griffin's rage and Blakey's alternative answers, Gordon's polite indifference stood out to me whe. I read it.

That is interesting. Budd Johnson is a particular favourite of mine.

Will try to do both in the near future. Whether Texas will depend on where the wind blows.

My problem with Notes and Tones is that the questions seem to me to be geared towards getting the response the author is seeking. As a result, there's not really a range of responses. I thought that the few who do give alternative answers like Gordon (barely answers), Blakey or Griffin (who, if nothing else, stands out for sheer rage) were noticeable. Otherwise I found it samey.

Thanks! Will check it out.

Roosevelt Sykes – Dirty Double Mother (Bluesway, 1973) This one's been showing up recently on my socials. I initially assumed it was just another guy with the name Roosevelt Sykes. A great funky update on one of the very earliest blues sounds.

I am currently reading (albeit slowly due to time constraints) this book for the first time. I am quite amazed at how good it is. Extremely exciting. It makes me want to stop reading and put on records at every point then plunge back in, which is surely what a good book on jazz should do. Plus, it is in the musicians' own words, and apparently without the glaring leading questions that, for me, ruined the more famous Notes and Tones. Very strange that it is not among the first books recommended on jazz, and that it is not in print in a glossy edition, but is just the same old tatty thing from ages ago. The contrast to the stodginess of the main jazz histories like Ted Gioia's is very marked. Unless there is some sort of catastrophic collapse in quality coming around the corner, it is the book that I would give to a young jazz fan, without reserve. Any other views on it? Feel free to tell me I am wrong or that there is some gruesome history to it that keeps the book out of the To Read lists.

The Vandermark 5 – Burn The Incline Vandermark could really write. Now on to this: Slim Gaillard And Bam Brown / Meade Lux Lewis – Opera In Vout / Boogie Woogie At The Philharmonic Someone recently posted a video of Slim Gaillard and Bam Brown singing Dunkin' Bagel to Twitter and Instagram, which on the one hand set off the usual run of half chewed political takes, but on the other reminded me to play this.

Gary Bartz / Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge – Jazz Is Dead 6 Really enjoyed this one. Makes me wonder what other records in this series I've missed.

The magic words.

I've never heard of it. Let us know once you've listened to it.

All the signs are there.

There is going to be a terrible accident.

Spyro Gyra – Spyro Gyra Secretly great fusion record. Blachman Thomas Meets Al Agami & Remee – The Style And Invention Album Not a secretly great jazz rap record.

He's really good on that record. I thought the same.