Uncle Skid

Definitely! In addition to the nice writeup, It is also extremely cool that there are a few MP3 samples from the AEC box set posted there as well. (I'm glad I already have my copy, as I wouldn't be surprised if the remaining sets go quick!)

More info on the "Limited Edition Director's Cut" here.

Yes -- I should have made that clear -- I was (happily) surprised by the number of new albums that have showed up there during the last few years; however, the downloads I mentioned are things that just weren't on my radar two years ago. The combination of all the new music available and a whole bunch of new things on my "want-list" finally pushed me in to joining again. It's nice that all of my old downloads still show up on my account -- I can download them again (without charge) if I wanted to.

Happy Birthday, Mike!

I just signed up again, after not being a member for almost two years. I couldn't believe all the new additions since then! Today's downloads: Mal Waldron - The Quest (w/Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin) Cecil Taylor - Looking Ahead Steve Lacy - Reflections Steve Lacy - Evidence Joe Henderson - Tetragon A fellow board member was kind enough to play Evidence and The Quest for me the other day -- outstanding! Double bonus: both available for download on EMusic!

I saw her earlier this year, with Geoff Keezer, on Marcello's high recommendation. Terrific show! Has anyone heard At Sea? This includes "Tea and WaterColors", a wonderful composition they played live.

I had (factory-installed) XM free, for three months, in my Honda I purchased this summer. In the end, I also didn't want another monthly bill ($13, IIRC), so I just cancelled it. The Jazz station(s) on XM were far too conservative for my tastes, and although it was nice to have Air America, I can live without that as well. I ended up buying an iPod adapter that plugs right into the factory radio, and that has been wonderful. The iPod's even better now that I figured out how to download David's Night Lights program.

I had that same problem where the PC just stopped recognizing the iPod. I don't use iTunes normally (I have a Winamp plug-in that works well), but when the problem happened, neither program would see it. I finally had to format the entire thing (with the iPod updater), and reload all the songs. It's been fine ever since. And spinlps, those brand new 60GB video ipods look mighty nice...

Well, I dig Autumn Leaves, fucking or not! The chord changes are so cool -- from a theoretical point-of-view, anyway. I was going to add "Sweet and Lovely" to the list of overdone standards, but then I went back and played every version of that song I have in my collection: I think it was the Cecil Taylor version that made me change my mind, or maybe it was Monk, or ...

WORD!!

Is the inclusion of Cecil Taylor really considered to be a "surprise"? If so, why? I'm just curious -- I was listening to "Conquistador" recently, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Although I've had it for quite some time, it took awhile to really "get" it. In retrospect, I'm glad that this title was included in the less expensive (and presumably more widely marketed and distributed) RVG series. My nominations for the next RVG releases: Unit Structures, and Andrew Hill - Compulsion.

Plenty of snow around here! I'm going to go out to the state park in the next day or two and see how the trails look. The lake effect snow keeps coming...

At least he still has his job as Tony Soprano's uncle!

Time to bust out the cross country skis! (...and the snowblower )

up -- great photos, great charities! Where was the photo of Grimes/Anderson taken? I'm still astounded by the great shots you get, and without a flash -- yes? The b&w images are my favorites.

Yes, but this really begs the question -- can someone who was originally a "60's hardbop trumpeter" transition into a "genuine progressive"? If not, why not?? I may be misunderstanding your post, but it seems like you are suggesting that being truly progressive almost requires one to be insulated from the mainstream and the journeymen. Isn't the opposite true -- can anything new and innovative arise from someone that is not fully cognizant of the past? I guess what I'm trying to say is that I agree that trying to categorize musicians (or any artist, for that matter) is difficult and error prone. But back to Rooster’s original post – what is it about the records on this thread that make them so attractive to many of us? I think that many of these dates are excellent examples of “forward-thinking” musicians being either pushed or pulled (or both!), into creating some very new and exciting music.

My panic order of Mothership finally arrived today. It lingered in "not yet shipped" purgatory for more than a week, and I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be cancelled. Guess I got lucky and got that order in before it disappeared. I really wish they gave us more time to react -- like Mosaic's "running low" and "last chance" categories. Somebody may have already mentioned it in this thread, but if not -- "Monk's Music" is gone, too.

That's a good question, and I have to admit I never considered it that way. I'm hearing this music isolated from that time in jazz history, and now have to wonder how much of it was fueled by real innovation and desire, vs. a reaction to the times. And wonder some more how much it matters in the end... My suspicion is that the closer one gets to 1970, the more potential there is for reactionary responses to the (more popular) music of the time, especially the rock/fusion angle. But then I see that Evolution was made in 1963, and Out to Lunch in 1964. That seems pretty "progressive" to me for that time, and least from my perspective. Fascinating discussion...

That's the kid from School of Rock. You guys didn't know that right away?? I forgot that Ms. Silverman was in that movie. FWIW, I think she's hilarious.

I remember reading (and bookmarking) this over a year ago, and I still go back to it after all that time. The opening post contains so many of my favorite Blue Notes, and the few that I don't have are already on the want list. Rooster, I think you're really on to something here, and I'm looking forward to more responses to this thread.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Larry Young's Mothership is now on the endangered list. I just put that in the cart, along with Count Basie - The Complete Decca Recordings ($17.97, 3 CD set!).

Thanks for the information, Hans and Paul. Hmmm.... very tempting!

Skidski Speaks: email sent on the Vonski CD!