ghost of miles

No doubt that was said after somebody passed a hat around to collect cash for another keg. Shall we start a "I-never-cared-for-a-kegless-party" thread? Now that should create some unamity!

I'm a late-blooming O.P. fan, but I have to say I don't understand--Jim started this thread in response to complaints that criticism of Peterson in the RIP thread was inappropriate. Now he's being criticized for creating this one. Damned if you do, damned if you don't... The death of a major figure (and, like him or not, O.P. was obviously a major figure in terms of recognition) will always bring about a period of critical assessment. Jim's creating this thread (again, done in response to overt suggestions elsewhere that he do so) seemed to me like a perfect way to pay-yer-respects there, discuss worthiness of artistic legacy here. O.P. was much-loved by some posters here and by a large number of music fans--maybe that's why there's a backlash against criticism of his playing here. But it seems to me that any sort of attempted pressure or intimidation being exerted here is coming from those who think highly of him as a musician. And I have to say that I've never seen Jim write anything that would even REMOTELY resemble "you're stupid for liking this." He's a rare blend of high, high intelligence and genuine, soulful respect for his fellow human beings. Like Catesta, I also feel as if I've learned a little more, might listen a little more deeply, from reading what Larry and some others have written here, both pro and con. This board is never going to be "perfect"--but it's as good a place as I've ever found on the Internet, and I'm still grateful for it. As a wise man once said, "My ass is stayin'!"* *--overheard at swell party in my youth

This is probably the version I'll end up springing for as well.

We inhabit a parallel universe on this one, Jazzbo. I had (almost exactly) the same experience. But really, I should stay the heck outta this thread! Props to Mr. Sangrey for starting it...

The great 33 1/3 series has a new entry out, on Drake's PINK MOON... the last third of the book is devoted to the 2000 VW commercial that used the title track, and the ensuing hubbub. We had just bought our first house that year and didn't have cable (even in the new place, I hardly ever watch it) so I never saw the ad itself, but of course it's posted on YouTube: It's kind of beautiful, actually, for an ad. The only time Drake's sister has allowed a song to be licensed for a commercial, and I can see why she signed off on this one. I was working at a Borders at the time, and it did cause quite a bump in Nick Drake sales.

It's also on YOUNG BIRD V. 5, 1945-46 (which contains the two sides with the Nat King Cole trio as well).

Three bucks?! If anybody is even remotely an Ellington fan and doesn't have this already, I say unto you-- GO!!! GO!!! GO!!! :excited:

Well, I think that's part of it (and I'm speaking as somebody who likes/liked O.P.'s records, even though for a long time I DIDN'T like him... for exactly the reasons stated by some above. I had a similar problem with Tatum for the first several years that I was a jazz fan as well--not to mention Cecil Taylor). Like it or not, a person's death becomes a period of summation/judgment, and if some people think O.P. was overrated in life, they (they being the intelligent, articulate lot that most posters here are) are going to feel compelled to respond at some point in a thread like this. (And threads like these often seem to get a bit bristly...tricky online etiquette biz, I think, as such threads are somewhere between say-a-prayer-and-sing-a-hymn and all-out critical dissection, both good and bad.) This place values honesty above all else, and jazz musicians deserve no less, alive or dead. They also deserve respect, and again, I don't really think anybody here has, you know, kicked O.P.'s corpse or spat on it, metaphorically speaking. I hear the things being criticized in his playing--I just hear other things as well, and he's somebody I've come to like a lot in the past few years. I don't love his playing the way I love Bud Powell's, or Herbie Nichols', or early Bill Evans, etc. In many moods a little of Oscar can go a long way... other times he really makes me smile. RIP, indeed, and the rest of us just gonna have to carry on somehow...and we sure will!

Organissimo calling for Mr. Clem...

Amen... Oscar Peterson (and of course my jazz lovin' mom) was a great inspiration and cornerstone of my deep love of jazz and decision to become a musician. When I was a little kid my mom often had Oscar Peterson on the record player. Her favorite lp was the live recording of the trio in Chicago in the early 60's on Verve with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. I really loved that album! I knew every solo on that record. I remember loving that record so much I brought it to my sixth grade teacher who had encouraged us to bring our music to "Music Appreciation Hour" for the rest of the class to listen to. I brought the record to school and was so excited I could barely wait for the music appreciation hour to begin.. When the time finally arrived I proudly put the needle at the start of the record; And to my dismay and disappointment only one classmate liked the record, a girl who's father owned a bar with a jumpin' juke box and had jazz on all the time in their home; everyone else, only into the top 40 hits of the day booed and wanted the record taken off.. That was my first realization that I was sadly but PROUDLY in a cultural minority much like Maynard G. Krebbs, the beatnik character I enjoyed and related to on the Dobie Gillis show. My fellow classmates were obviously not educated nor sophisticated enough when it came to music appreciation. At the time I just couldn't understand why they couldn't hear and feel the deepness in Oscar Peterson and the trio's soulful and swinging renderings of "I've never Been In Love Before", "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Whisper Not", "Billy Boy', or the sweet and melancholy ballads like "In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" and 'The Night We Called It A Day", nor could they appreciate drummer Ed Thigpen's effortless and tasteful rhythmic mastery of the drums and brushes particularly on "Billy Boy", or the warm and soulful harmonic pulse and groovin' solos of bazz wizard Ray Brown, let alone the absolute depth and brilliance of Oscar Peterson's artistry and the awesome chemistry of the trio. Right on, Randissimo! Beautiful post.

Me too.

The above (although I'm assuming the reviews were not all written by the same person) strikes me more than anything else as lazy criticism in a reflexive mode. I love Bud, love lots of late-Bud, but there's no denying that he was more erratic from 1954 or 1955 on. The Essen Jazz Festival date is a particular favorite--as is a Xanadu CD I have of him from around the 1959-1960 period. It's been a long, long time since I listened to the RCA sides, but my memory is that they were more uneven than the Blue Notes, but at times a little more inspired-sounding... will have to dig them out and give them another listen. There IS quite a lot of good late-period Powell, but I'd see what others here have to say. I don't own the Golden Circle sides, but heard them and remember thinking they might have been better distilled down to a 2-CD set. It's not that any particular album is awful in and of itself... just that the execution, precision/control, and sense of driving purpose go MIA from time to time on a number of dates. (What exactly is the UPS AND DOWNS album? That one might be pretty bad all-around, if it's the one I'm thinking of.) All that said, yeah, I do think he's better than his rep for this period.

It's been hip for many years now to put down O.P., and there's substance to the various criticisms that have been voiced of his playing--but damn, he brought joy to a lot of jazz listeners, and he's someone I came to enjoy as well... particularly the London House sessions, the Porgy & Bess album, and the Stratford Festival. RIP, O.P., and here's hoping the next generation of pianists will carry on the swing in new and inventive ways.

Thanks much, Marcel.

The "Songs of the Season: Christmas" Afterglow show from last Friday night is now archived as well: Hour 1 Hour 2 Merry Christmas to the Big O!

Season's greetings from Nat King Cole. Grateful as always for this board, and grateful that it/you all will be back for another year... happy holidays, and best wishes for multiple jazz-CD arrivals come Tuesday.

Much, much good listening to you in the year to come.

On the recent Gerald Wilson Chronological Classics 1946-1954, there's a 1949 recording of "S'mada" (dedicated to L.A. entertainment personality Joe Adams) that includes a saxophone soloist quote of "Pop Goes the Weasel" around the 1:18-1:23 mark--about six years before Thad Jones' celebrated moment on Basie's "April in Paris." I'm sure "Weasel" was quoted from time to time in live performance before the Basie side, but has anybody else heard it on any other studio recordings that (like this Wilson one) predate Basie/Thad?

Allen--apologies for taking the conference idea rather lightly... didn't realize that you were seriously committed to proposing something along those lines, but I'd have to go along with the Herd (First? Second? Third?) in seconding what Larry and Chuck said. I think a socializing/music get-together would be a fine thing--have yet to have a negative experience through hanging with another board member. All we'd really need would be a couple points of congregation over a weekend--JRM on Saturday afternoon, an Organissimo-or-other-artist performance that night, a get-together at a good Chicago bar or restaurant the following day...something more along those lines, perhaps? Interesting and fun conversations and actitivites bound to ensue from all of that with these folks. O posters could double up on hotel rooms or stay with any friends or relatives that they might have in the Chicago area. Logistics will undoubtedly be tough enough for some--conference events might end up being an added discouragement. Now if you're proposing crashing the IAJE and raising some hell there...

The Hamp/Quincy Mosaics and Sonny Stitt, STITT'S BITS.

Hey all, hoping to spread a little holiday radio jazz cheer... this weekend's upcoming Night Lights Christmas show is a re-broadcast, so it's already archived for online listening: The Night Before Christmas: Holiday Jazz (Organissimo--the band, that is--makes an appearance in this one) The Night Lights Before Christmas (2006) Holiday Happening (2004) Also, from last weekend's Afterglow (a weekly two-hour jazz and American popular song show that I host): Hour 1 (winter songs) Hour 2 (holiday songs) Happy holidays to all of you--with heartfelt gratitude that the board and community is still here, David

Fly in Friday morning, drink all day and night straight through Sunday morning, then get flown out... is that the plan? Anyways, I'm in. That's the weekend before Memorial Day, right?

Still working on a best-new-releases list--here's the "favorite reissue/historical" list that I've compiled so far for the Night Lights site: Miles Davis, LIVE AT THE 1963 MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL Art Farmer, THE TIME AND THE PLACE Lionel Hampton, COMP. VICTOR SESSIONS 1937-1941 Julie London/Bud Shank, ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT Bennie Maupin, THE JEWEL IN THE LOTUS Charles Mingus, CORNELL 1964 King Oliver, OFF THE RECORD: THE COMP. 1923 JAZZ BAND RECORDINGS George Russell, EZZ-THETIC (Keepnews Collection series) Jimmy Smith, BACK AT THE CHICKEN SHACK/MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (RVG series) Various, THAT DEVILIN' TUNE V. 4 (technically 2006? close enough for jazz) ...and the entire ESP catalogue.

So I went looking for a picture of an aluminum Christmas tree to post for the Night Lights holiday show, seeing as how they evoke the 1950s/60s and all. Mentioned this to a close friend and fashion-wise savant, who subsequently informed me that such trees are "all the rage" this year. True story?

After The Vanguard: The Return Of Bill Evans is now archived for online listening. Answer to the Bill Evans cover girl question: it's Nico.