ghost of miles

The Anita O'Day--I remember saying to a friend in the late 1990s, "I wish Mosaic Records would do an Anita O'Day Verve set," and a couple of years later one came out. (Nothing to do with my wish, of course... just a happy turn of events.) Great singer, great era for her on record.

Jsngry, evidently some bad blood lingering between the Tigers and Jays!

Doing a 10-minute phone interview with her this morning...here's the Night Lights show I did a few years back about early recordings of her music: The Carla Bley Songbook

Excellent album; featured it on our weekday program this past Monday.

Going to see it if it opens in Bloomington next weekend.

Anybody ever hear the Madhouse albums? Madhouse

PM sent on the Smithsonian Jazz Piano box.

I've really enjoyed Ambrose Akinmusire's work on the label. Jose James did a good Billie Holiday tribute for BN last year (and like Jsngry, I dig the Cassandra one too, though not on BN--an underrated disc, IMO).

Up for Herbie Hancock's 76th birthday today: Maiden Voyage: Herbie Hancock In The 1960s

Yes! Listening to it right now, and Mitchell's playing on it and today's revisitation of the set in general brought me back to Organissimo looking for a previous thread devoted to this set--an underrated Mosaic, IMO.

AP report: Gato Barbieri obituary

Jackie McLean Blue Note 1964-66:

A recent new Night Lights show, highlighting singer Ella Fitzgerald's prolific year of 1957, which saw her recording close to one hundred tracks and collaborating with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, and Stan Getz: Ella '57: Ella Fitzgerald Flies High

Hey Justin, that is indeed an excellent CD, if unfortunately a bit hard to find these days; I play something off it several times a year on the Thursday Indiana-jazz edition of my show, it seems. DownBeat put it on their "Best 100 Jazz CDs of the Century So Far" list a few years ago.

That's beautiful, Mark--a tribute worthy of the man. Thank you.

Very sorry to report that jazz educator, composer, and trombonist-cellist David Baker has passed away at the age of 84. He was one of the most generous spirits I've ever encountered. More to follow, but here's the WFIU report: Award-winning composer David Baker dies at 84 and a 2010 Night Lights show in which David and I discussed and played recordings of his music: The David Baker Songbook

Up in honor of Harold Mabern's 80th birthday today: A Few Miles From Memphis: Harold Mabern, The Early Years

Thank you, Steve--I'll incorporate those next time I update the list. I had not heard of that particular Holiday biography before.

I would hope so... I'll try to find out more. Alternate takes from the Basie Decca sessions, I'm guessing? Also wondering if this might push the ETA for the set back. I'll see what I can find out from either Loren or Scott and report back, if somebody else doesn't find out first.

Posted just now by Loren Schoenberg on the Lester Young Appreciation Society Facebook page: >>BREAKING NEWS ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A MAJOR FIND in the Lester Young/Count Basie Decca recordings has just been discovered - stay tuned for further announcements. Back to you, Wolf.<< More details as Loren divulges them.

Posting this here for any fans of the band or of 1980s indie/college-rock in general--an article I wrote about the band's month-long stay here in the spring of 1986 to record their album Lifes Rich Pageant, including some quotes from an interview that I did with bassist Mike Mills: Talk About The Pageant: WHen R.E.M. Came To Bloomington In 1986

Updated with several additions--thanks, all!

I've put together a list of biographies, historical overviews, and interview/essay collections for the Night Lights site (there's also a list at the bottom of some Night Lights shows that focus on women in jazz). Suggestions for additions welcome: Women In Jazz: A Bibliography

Called Mosaic this morning to order the James P. Johnson and Gerry Mulligan sets, and asked Scott for an update on the release date for Prez. He says ETA is late May/early June, in time for Father's Day.