GA Russell

Living Soul is a favorite of mine. Great guitar solos on Gemini and the title track! I expect to review this for AAJ. This, from Fantasy: "On Basie's Bandstand" was recorded by organist Groove Holmes and his working band--guitarist Gene Edwards, drummer George Randall--at Count Basie's Lounge in Harlem. (The April 22, 1966 session had produced an earlier Prestige LP, "Living Soul," now available on "Legends of Acid Jazz: Spicy.") "Although Holmes loved slow, sentimental ballads--and milked them for all they were worth," writes George Kanzler in his notes, "the program here is all mid- to up-tempo, like a late-night set at Count Basie's, when the crowd was already in a party mood. It's all about high energy and indefatigable, soulful, funky grooves."

That's THE Donna Rice, isn't it? Anybody here ever voted for Gary Hart?

My recollection is that New Dance! was one of the first batch of Revelation releases in 1968. I think Dennis Budimir's Alone Together was another. But I don't think it was a new recording. I think it had sat on the shelf for six years or so.

Thanks Chris. There was something about his writing style that appealled to me when I was a teenager. Can't tell you why, but I felt his columns in Downbeat had the ring of truth.

I was interested/surprised when Michael Cuscuna mentioned in one of his catalogues that the Shorty Rogers and the Buddy DeFranco were the two slowest moving Mosaic sets he had made. Perhaps the Rogers is expensive today because so few people bought it when it was new. Indestructible, as I recall Art Pepper's famous solo for Over the Rainbow is on Disc One of the Rogers set. Let us know what you think of that!

Chris, what's your opinion, if any, of Martin Williams?

When you find it at your next reunion, it would be cool to make a pencil rubbing of it! I'm guessing your parents would enjoy seeing it.

I have a vague recollection of when I was 8 or 9 of the beatniks, hipsters wearing black turtlenecks in Greenwich Village, seeming cool. It was also about that time (late '50s) that Peter Gunn (which was on after my bedtime) was written of as being cool because of its jazz soundtrack. Maybe my older sisters spoke of it as being cool. I started buying jazz records when I was fifteen. But even before then I was buying the rock instrumentalists like The Ventures. I suspect that I was predisposed to liking jazz because of the cool association I had with the beatniks.

My first Blue Note purchase was called Blue Note's Three Decades of Jazz 1959-1969 Volume 1. It was new when I got it in October of '69. At that time, Blue Note was celebrating its thirty years of existence. Each decade had two double albums which were samplers of the music. Mine had: Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack Ike Quebec - Blue & Sentimental Kenny Burrell - Chittlins Con Carne Donald Byrd - Christ Redentor Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch Horace Silver - Song For My Father Stanley Turrentine - River's Invitation Ornette Coleman - European Echoes Lou Donaldson - Peepin' Today, I'm curious about what was on the five volumes I didn't get!

Great idea Berrigan! I'm going to look up Manfred Mann and Mose Allison.

Prayer sent! I heard on the news last night that all fires are believed to have been started by arson. Today Drudge is headlining speculation that it is terrorist action.

I voted '52-'67, but that category is a bit misleading for me, because I believe that popularity of '50s jazz, particularly West Coast jazz, is more significant than whatever happened in the '60s. I'm thinking of popularity not in terms of jazz fans but rather the general population. For example, West Coast jazz was the basis of movie soundtracks for decades, and many think of the Peter Gunn soundtrack-type jazzb when they hear the word "jazz". Thanks for the poll!

For me, Mulligan sets the standard. Everybody else sounds harsh in comparison. I also enjoy what little I have of Bob Gordon and Serge Chaloff. Is anybody else familiar with Ronnie Cuber's solo on Mark Murphy's Eleanor Rigby? Great record!

When I was in college, I got Monk's group and Herbie Mann's group: Monk, Charlie Rouse, Walter Booker, Jr., and Roy Haynes; and Herbie Mann, Steve Marcus, Roy Ayers, Sonny Sharrock, Miroslav Vitous and Bruno Carr.

In regard to the EMI catalogue, I would go for Very early Four Freshmen Julie London The Fourth Way (Mike Nock's rock-jazz band) If (Dick Morrissey's jazz-rock band)

Congratulations Jim!

Not to nitpick, but... My recollection is that Bruce joined Cream from his stint with Manfred Mann. He is the bass player on Pretty Flamingo, and about half the tracks of that album.

GA, didn't you say on another board that you worked at Borders, or am I confusing you with someone else???? Yes, I worked at the Duluth, GA, Borders for four years. It was my first experience with Gen Y slackers!

Happy Birthday Chris! What cigar will you smoke, if any?

I had long wondered about this music, but had never seen it in a store. Mosaic sent me a catalogue, and I order the Monk and Mulligan boxes right away. When I called to place the order, I spoke with Charlie Lourie, and I asked him how he got my name and address. "The jazz police." What struck me about the Mulligan box was how influential the music was for French (and probably other European) movies a few years later. It was the sound of pianoless jazz. It is my view that without this Quartet (and its popularity), we wouldn't have had West Coast jazz. Sure the Kenton alums would have made records and found Hollywood work, but the Mulligan Quartet is what made the style hip and popular. So for its influence and its popularity, I will disagree with Chuck and say that it qualifies as essential in my book.

For example, The Beatles' Second Album was their third album!

In the original L&O, I find the role of the big mouth know it all beautiful young babe to be almost repugnant. I think the current blonde does an excellent job of it.

I was disappointed by Wayne Shorter's Super Nova. Of course there's much I haven't heard, but I find it his least interesting Blue Note work, including his work as a sideman.

LOL @ Jim!

That's too bad, BFrank. I saw your post just the other day of Wayne Shorter material they have available. That was very helpful. I plan to sign up as soon as I get broadband, which is not available here yet (I'm in the country.). November is next month, so it won't be too long for them.