ghost of miles

Agree with HutchFan here on all counts and just wanted to toss another book rec into the thread--Harvey Cohen's Duke Ellington's America, which is a deep and well-researched dive that I reviewed for the Night Lights site not long after it was published. Oh, and for a book that deals primarily with Ellington's music, try to track down a copy of Eddie Lambert's Duke Ellington: A Listener's Guide, which goes for a pretty penny these days. It does look to be instantly available on Kindle at a high price. And then there's David Berger's ongoing project, which I haven't really kept tabs on since the appearance of that article several years ago.

A free Record Store Day Strata-East CD sampler:

My only RSD purchase, though I did grab a couple of the free Strata-East CD samplers—waiting for the CD versions of several releases that will follow in two weeks. But could I resist this LP-only compilation of Moodsville sides titled Night Lights? (I actually did a couple of Night Lights shows a gazillion years ago that focused on the Moodsville series, but I doubt that they served as inspiration for this 2025 Craft Records release)

I’m sure others here got the same email from Mosaic, but this set is on sale at $30 off for the next week.

This album, which came out just a little over a year ago, was a godsend for me. I’m a longtime fan of early Oasis (the first three albums and assorted b-sides, definitely the band’s “imperial phase,” as the saying goes) and the Stone Roses, so hearing Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and Roses guitarist John Squire together is a joy.

Definitely on board for another set. Listening to disc 1 of the new piano box, which arrived yesterday, after starting with disc 3 last night (couldn’t resist beginning with Mel Powell).

Good sound on this brand-new compilation of Ellington's recordings for his own Mercer label.

No surprise that I've greatly enjoyed the Yankees' bombs-away start to their season. Their offense may prove to be better than expected in the wake of Juan Soto's departure, though that's highly dependent on some of the younger players realizing their potential at the plate (Volpe, Wells, Rice, Dominguez), Judge and Goldschmidt staying healthy, and Jazz continuing to thrive in his New York setting. The rotation is a whole 'nother story, and therein lies the bigger vulnerability. Past Rodon and Fries, it's pejorative-worthy at this point. Even with Gil's eventual (hopeful?) return by early summer, there'll be little to no depth for the inevitable injuries. I gather that Milwaukee's in a much worse position regarding the health of their rotation? It's taken me awhile to get into the spirit of the new season this year (for various reasons)...pretty much ignored spring training and have little sense of who's seen as strong in the AL this year, though I've noticed Baltimore and Boston namechecked the few times I've glanced at anything online. And of course the new evil empire in southern California is supposed to reign supreme in the NL and inevitably in the WS as well...and they may well do so, but first they have to actually do it. Anyway, thanks a lot, NY.

Huge fan of Cherry Red’s work in all genres and have just started digging into their new British Jazz 1966-72 set. Thanks for the heads-up on this release.

Taking this in while awaiting the new Vanguard piano Mosaic. Sure does make me miss our friend BillF.

discs 8 and 9

Up for James Moody's centennial today. Blues For Moody: A Musical Remembrance

Still working my way through this one, with V. 17 (Saba/MPS) yet to be opened, and my local store now hipping me to an imminent V. 18 Jazz Behind the Iron Curtain V 1 & 2 coming in early summer. Such a fantastic series and glad that it continues.

Also starting an Alan Furst novel for the first time in quite awhile.

Thanks, this is one I want to get to sooner rather than later.

Excited to see that Rivera is writing a full-fledged biography of Newton, according to the NYRB's author note. I wish I could share a subscriber gift link to the whole piece, but I can't seem to locate that capacity on the NYRB website. Rivera mentions the paucity and scattered nature of available Newton music, but the Jasmine two-CD anthology apparently remains in print and is probably the best overview of Newton's music out there on physical media (not that it really has any competition).

Amazing! As you know, Mark, I've long contemplated doing a Night Lights show about Newton, and have that short biographical pamphlet that a Virginia history society published about him. Glad now that I haven't gotten around to it yet, as it seems there'll be a lot more information to draw on, thanks to the efforts of Matthew and your assistance. Can't wait to read the NYRB article after work this evening... thanks for posting it here.

Co-sign. Especially distressing to see non-problematic and longtime members (Paul Secor, Soulpope, etc) leaving the board because of a moderator’s tone of discourse. (We lost another valuable and civil contributor because of *two* moderators, one of whom is no longer active.) I stick around regardless because this is still my favorite jazz forum, a lot of great content gets posted here, and nobody’s perfect. So spare me sanctimonious edicts and condescendingly homey asides—I get that I’m free to leave at any time. (I have no inclination to do so.) I’ve been wary of stating this and honking off the resident sheriff, but given that Medjuck, surely one of our kindest and gentlest posters, has said something, I feel the need to back him up. A moderator driving away longtime civil members and always positing it all as delusions, vanity, a misguided showdown of pride, a misunderstanding, or some other personal failing on the members’ part is not a healthy pattern. This forum has had a remarkably long run, even if it’s not as active or as populated as it used to be. Given that 22 years is about a century in social media time, it’s amazing that it persists. That’s in large part because of its member core, so yeah, it’s a bummer to see people like Paul and Soulpope leave because of discourse clashes with a moderator. The forum will fall victim to time as all of us will, and the world will go on as it always does, etc. All the more important to speak your piece while we’re here.

Me as well. Hoping to do a 1950s sequel to the earlier Night Lights show I put together about Powell, and this set will be essential to its creation.

Picked this up used at Jazz Record Center—an excellent overview of Green’s 1960s Blue Note sides: Cue broken record, but I continue to enjoy well-curated anthologies like these, even when I already have just about every track that they contain. It’s especially useful with an artist like Green who turned in so many outstanding sideman appearances for the same label, making it easier for a collection like this to represent the breadth of his recording for Blue Note. I would’ve enjoyed a fifth disc of 1969-72 selections as well, but that would have muddied the “jazz years” concept of the set as described in the booklet by Bob Blumenthal.