ghost of miles

here?

You beat me to it, Chris--a pattern I've also noticed in many new jazz releases of the past few years, where "The Creator" is often cited for thanks and/or involvement in the proceedings.

Well, all, I'm finally able to report that I'm being given a second jazz radio program at WFIU--or, rather, inheriting a longstanding one, The Big Bands, which airs every Friday night at 9 p.m. on WFIU here in Bloomington. I'll be taking over starting the first Friday of February, and suggestions, as always, are welcome. For Feb. I'm planning shows about Fletcher Henderson (there's a new bio by an IU professor), the Jubilee broadcasts, and Fletcher's brother Horace. Thank God I can now write off all those Hep purchases as "investments"! B-)

I'm a fan of JAMMIN' and the anthology that he edited (JAZZ AMONG THE DISCOURSES). Surprised that the latter didn't include Scott Deveaux's "Constructing the Jazz Canon," which would've made a nice fit (it turned up instead in an anthology that Gerald Early edited).

Perhaps I should have said "casual reference source." Yes, I agree w/Allen & Mike's comments about Yanow, but I still browse AMG and the AMG Jazz Guide simply because both sources are much more inclusive than, say, Penguin, which has far better reviews, but which stubbornly refuses to include OOP titles (although AMG Jazz doesn't have all of them either). For scholarly work, yeah, Yanow's a non-starter, but I'll probably pick this one up eventually as an "initial" reference source. What was the big book on jazz in film that came out back in the early 1980s?

A recent book from Scott Yanow--seems like it might be a good encyclopedic/reference source: Jazz On Film

Amazon is once again listing Laura for pre-order. Looks like this time it's actually coming out...

There is a smidgen of information on this page (scroll up a bit). Hasn't been updated in a few years, however... but there's a contact link.

I thought Allegro carried them, but apparently not... any suggestions?

Exactly my thoughts, DrJ. I've been listening to this set a lot in the past week, and I much prefer it to BITCHES BREW (not that I don't enjoy that set as well)... This might be my favorite electric Miles of all. Certainly I think he's at the top of his trumpet-playing game here.

News from Jack Chambers! Late spring/early summer, perhaps? At least we know it's still on its way.

Called Berkeley this afternoon, got an answering machine, and left a message. So far I haven't heard back--but somebody on Amazon is trying to sell a copy for $190.

Unless I missed one elsewhere.... Here's to you, Herbie. I think about you every year on this date and am always grateful for your gentle gift of compositional beauty:

You and Herbie Nichols, man!

"Holy Ghost" is now up on the site.

Go get it anyway... and mail it to me. Curses! Foiled by the moderator--again!

Go for it, Bol--if you don't, let me know and I'll get it! (I have a feeling I know where you saw it... )

Sorry about that, Pryan. Things have been real slow around the holidays, plus I was subbing every day for our regular jazz DJ and doing the big-band programs as well. Truly hope to have the Ayler and the Jan. 1 "Resolution: Jazz From Rehab" online by Tuesday morning.

John P. Marquand, THANK YOU, MR. MOTO. I'd like to see the 1937 film version of this that starred Peter Lorre; supposedly it influenced the cinematography of CITIZEN KANE.

Not to tempt anybody or anything, but Allegro still has almost all of the Heps at $11.99--free shipping on orders over $50--and now there's a coupon code (DOFIV) good for $5 off through Wednesday, Jan. 5. Allegro

I had meant to post this as a recommendation several days ago, after getting the CD for Christmas. It's a collection of Shaw's 1949 classical pieces (Schuller gives them high marks in THE SWING ERA) as well as some rare late Gramercy 5 recordings:

David Baker was going to present it to him 4 days from now. I'm going to have David on in just a few minutes--doing a Shaw tribute today: ArtieonWFIU

I got off the board here at the station around 5:45, halfway through All Things Considered, and went to have dinner with a friend. When I got home there were two messages on my machine, but I didn't check them till midnight--and one of them was news from a colleague that Shaw had died. NPR had announced it about 15 minutes after I left. I was up for hours after that, really upset--more than I probably should be, considering that he lived to be 94 and obviously got a lot out of his life. Maybe it's that his version of "Dancing in the Dark" has practically become a theme song for me this year in the wake of my mother's death, and also that I have an almost irrational passion for his music (I was really excited on Christmas Day because my wife gave me the new Shaw Hep, which contains his late-40s classical recordings). He also figures in an artistic project of mine, so I've spent a lot of time listening to his music, reading about him, etc. Truly the last giant from the swing era... his departure shuts a final door.

The Big Unit to the Yanks? Truly this time? JohnsonYanks