ghost of miles

Here's to stayin' alive!

A new bio of Johnny Mercer--SKYLARK.

Eh? The managerial "staff" all went on summer break? Nice work if you can get it... or should I invoke a less "out" tune?

We should form a pool and do one or two missives a day... a steady, summer-long barrage of Ornette requests.

Crazy radical! Which program is yours? What time does it air? You should promote it here in the forum.

Sometimes I get the feeling that the radio industry has a disdain for the "jazz lovers" and/or "purists." They will pander a great deal to an audience that "likes" jazz, but that doesn't have a love for, or a loyalty to, the music itself. I think that they ignore their base at great peril--unless their goal is simply to eliminate jazz radio. At my station, we thankfully still have complete creative control over what we play. I do not interpret that power as a license to jam "difficult" jazz down a listener's ear canals at 4 in the afternoon, and I do play artists sometimes that I might not be so wild about myself, but that I believe a certain part of our audience--the "jazz likers"--enjoys. (Diana Krall, for one example, though I did like her last two CDs.) But I've certainly played Ornette's Atlantic material in the afternoon... you just go for creating an enjoying, interesting weave of music that hopefully both entertains and intrigues, that doesn't yank people out of their comfort zone, but that also suggests something outside of that comfort zone. Don't bludgeon 'em--seduce 'em, I say. And Ornette's Atlantic period is one of the most accessible introductions to "avant-garde" jazz (45 years old at this point!) that I can think of.

No kidding to that, either. "Ramblin'"? "Peace"? "Lonely Woman"? For God's sake, even Wynton and the LCJO did a program of Ornette music about a year ago or so.

← No kidding... I'd take the pd's sentiment as a badge of honor!

Hey Allen, check out my review of the earlier Kempton book.

I thought their name was Ornette Floyd.

What?! Them's fightin' words around Bloomington, son! What I like about the LOA volumes (for both WWII and REPORTING VIETNAM) is the varied perspective and the contemporary "history-in-the-making" feel. Obviously this makes for some limitations as well; I'm just thinking that if TMM wants a big, general overview, that might be a good way to go. You know, when it comes to WW1 I can recommend John Keegan's book, but I'm not sure I've ever even read a similar, comprehensive text about WWII. Obviously they must exist by the bushel, but I've ended up reading more specific treatments (life on the homefront, Stalingrad, etc.). Although I've tended to avoid Ambrose, I'm tempted to give his CITIZEN SOLDIER a go at some point.

TMM, I've enjoyed what little I've read so far of the Library of America's two journalism collections (REPORTING VIETNAM is also very good--we've discussed these volumes before, I think, maybe in PMs). Antony Beevor's STALINGRAD is a harrowing, well-detailed account of that city's siege and the slow destruction of the German army trapped there. I'm sure you'll get a wealth of suggestions from some of the history buffs around here (we should revive Conn500's history thread at some point). Not a book, but the DVD set of THE WORLD AT WAR is tremendous, highly recommended.

Chris, did Bill Dufty still have a copy of the original manuscript--and if so, does it still exist? I noticed the comments about that near the end of Kempton's review; it would be very interesting today to read a restored version that included material such as that to which you alluded.

Arthur Kempton has a review of this in the new NY Review of Books that just showed up in my mailbox.

I hear noooooooo-think.... noooooothinkkkk! I'll have to look into financing this sucker. We're buying a bigger house, and the CD budget is going to take a hit... (On the upside, I'll finally have more room to store the CDs that I already have. )

I think I mentioned this elsewhere, but there's a rumor afoot that Bear Family is working on a complete Nat King Cole 1955-65 Capitol set. Just a rumor--I need to e-mail a friend of mine who occasionally does liner notes for them and see if he's heard anything about such a project.

Found the old thread about it. In the meantime, still hoping the Slack/Richards sets show up today--eager in particular to hear the Richards. And I really hope that Mosaic does something with "the Fischer orchestral stuff," as alluded to in that older thread.

Clare Fischer and Jimmy Rowles on one piano set? Sorry to be a pain, but where did you hear about this set? Those are two of my favorite "undersung" musicians, and will absolutely start salivating when I get some more info on this one. What period? What label(s)? Tease... ← Chuckyd4, I believe it's a Pacific Jazz compilation that will also include Dick Twardzik's sessions for the label--and perhaps others? I'll hunt around and see if I can find the thread on which this was originally mentioned.

"Ain't He Funky Now" is now archived.

What a goof--and I know that! Must not have had enough coffee yet when I did the taping. Thanks for the catch, CJ--I'll edit it into the playlist header. Ay yi yi...

Yes, Donald Clarke's WISHING ON THE MOON, which I think is the best of the bunch. I've also approached Coltrane in the same composite manner that you suggest; even Porter's book doesn't cover everything as much as I'd like (I'm thinking in this instance of the '61 VV recordings and the entire year of 1965).

I'm on the lookout for one... Ran Blake and Jaki Byard recorded one for their LP IMPROVISATIONS, but I don't have it on-hand. I've been racking my brain, trying to think of somebody else who did this as a duo.

LWayne, not long after reading your post yesterday, I heard a story about Wright on NPR's All Things Considered. Story here.

Bought this some time ago, listening for the first time today: These guys ain't bad... they do anything else of note?

Dusty Groove is "temporarily out of stock." Has anybody seen it online in a domestic shop? I'm seeking it for a program that I'm doing about Teddy Charles. Much thanks in advance to anyone who can steer me towards a copy.