ghost of miles

Mosaic traditionally has had a hard time getting material from BMG... Cuscuna once said, "It's hard to get anybody there to call us back" (in reference to why there hadn't been an Arista Braxton set yet). From what I hear they torpedoed the originally-planned Tristano set, and outside of the Jacquet material (which came out 8 years ago), I don't think Mosaic has put out anything for a long time that was leased from BMG. I could be overlooking something, but it just seems as if BMG doesn't much like leasing to them. Maybe the merger with Sony will change that, since Sony leases quite often to Mosaic. Hope it's not the other way around. But a Shorty Rogers RCA set would be sweet indeed. I just got my hands on a copy of THE SWINGIN' NUTCRACKER, at last, at last...

Wow, that was fast! Arizona

Pryan, unfortunately the fund-drive shows won't be archived--at least there are no plans to do so right now.

It was included in the 5-CD Desmond RCA box that BMG put out a few years back. I love it... a great summertime record in particular.

My God, it's actually in the Yahoo "top stories" newsbox: Bushkin

I have some very good news regarding Night Lights; because of the positive responses that the program has garnered, it will not be moving back an hour because of the time-change. Instead, Portraits in Blue will now air at 12:05 a.m.(from November through April) and Night Lights will continue to air at 11:05 p.m. on Saturday nights. That change--which is actually no change at all--takes effect immediately, beginning this week with our first-ever fund-drive program. A year ago this program didn't exist, and the opportunity to create it has given me a great deal of pleasure and excitement. I hope some of that pleasure and excitement comes to you, whether you're listening live or on the archives page. In particular I want to express my gratitude to you, the members of the Organissimo board, for your support, your input, and your all-around jazz savvy--your far-flung listenership has provided an invaluable boost for the show at my station. In the coming weeks I'll be doing programs on jazz and Marlon Brando's THE WILD ONE, jazz coffee songs (more than you might think), Shorty Rogers' take on THE NUTCRACKER SUITE, Charles Mingus' Savoy Jazz Workshop album, Albert Ayler's HOLY GHOST, and Dinah Washington's early-1960s Roulette recordings. In 2005 I'll be doing programs on the film version of Jack Kerouac's THE SUBTERRANEANS (featuring Gerry Mulligan as a hip priest), jazz "cameos" (hit pop tunes on which famous jazz musicians appear), singers Oscar Brown Jr. and Jeri Southern, and much, much more. I love jazz, I love books, and I love movies. This show has given me the chance to present programming that draws on all of those aspects of jazz culture. If you share that love and enjoy hearing the shows, then I hope that you'll pledge during this Saturday evening's Night Lights show, airing at its new/old 11:05 p.m. time (8:05 p.m. on the West Coast, 10:05 in Chicago, 11:05 in New York). You can call 1-800-662-3311 toll-free since most (heck, nearly ALL) of you are outside the WFIU listening area, or you can pledge online at WFIU. I've managed to assemble what I think is a pretty cool list of thank-you gifts that I'll be playing during the show: The Herbie Nichols Project, STRANGE CITY. I played several tracks off this on the recent Herbie Nichols Project program (here). Nearly all of these songs, written by Nichols, were never recorded by him. Various artists, ALL THAT JIVE. A Savoy collection of Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Eckstine, Eddie Jefferson, Annie Ross, Jackie Paris, and other hip vocalese (including the first-ever vocal version of "Round Midnight," featured on the 7/10/04 Jackie Paris program). Eric Dolphy, BEST OF. A new 78-minute-long compilation of Dolphy's 1960-61 work for the Prestige label. Jackie McLean, BEST OF. A new compilation of Jackie's mid-1950s recordings. Miles Davis, BEST OF. A new collection from Miles' mid-1950s Prestige period, with Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane, among others, featured prominently. Duke Ellington, FAR EAST SUITE. Ellington's monumental mid-1960s ode to his State Department tour. Frank O'Hara, VOICE OF THE POET. When I put together the Billie Holiday "The Day Lady Died" program, I thought finding a recording of O'Hara reading his own poem would be futile. Fortunately for me, Random House had just released this CD, replete with an accompanying book of the texts, of O'Hara caught on tape during a number of readings in the 1960s, including, sure enough, "The Day Lady Died." We also have the new (and, sadly, last) Ray Charles CD, GENIUS LOVES COMPANY. Most of these CDs are given away at the $90 pledge level. I have some Verve Elites, however, that I want to give away to any Organissimo poster who pledges at the basic $40 membership level. They are the Jazztet's HERE AND NOW, the Jazztet's AT BIRDHOUSE, and Art Farmer's LISTEN TO THE ORCHESTRA. I'll mail 'em to you ASAP (Monday morning after the show). One last, big-ticket item: the four-CD Fantasy spoken-word box, HOWLS, RAPS, AND ROARS: THE SAN FRANCISCO POETRY RENAISSANCE (online description here), with monologues and readings from Lenny Bruce, Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, and others. I hope you'll call with whatever amount you can pledge this Saturday night between 11:05 and midnight Indiana time at 855-0811 or 1-800-662-3311 or at the online site. Thanks so much for whatever you can do, and, as always, please feel free to send me suggestions, comments, and ideas regarding Night Lights. This show came about in part because the previous program, the syndicated Worldwide Jazz, lost its corporate sponsor and ceased production. WFIU was considering filling the time-slot with expanded overnight classical music until I proposed Night Lights. Christina Kuzmych, our station manager, gave me the chance to do this show and to continue providing our listeners with a late-night Saturday jazz program. We are locally-produced and locally-sponsored (a tip of the hat to the Laughing Planet Cafe and Soma Coffee and Juice Bar) and we hope for your support, whether you're local or global! Thanks again, David Brent Johnson Night Lights Saturday 11:05 p.m. WFIU 103.7 FM Bloomington, IN

These look wonderful, Late! How much are they apiece through Early Records?

I'm a fan of TENNESSEE FIREBIRD, LOFTY FAKE ANAGRAM, and A GENUINE TONG FUNERAL, and I certainly wouldn't mind making the acquaintance of the other albums... great idea, DrJ! Whether or not Mosaic could ever pry the masters from BMG is a problem, though... I'm really curious as to how the Sony-BMG merger will pan out in this regard.

Somebody may be able to offer compelling legal reasons not to do so, and I know that you can't presume someone's guilt based on this, but really, if you were accused of murder and you were innocent, wouldn't you be getting your keister up there on the witness stand?

To quote a favorite old Doonesbury strip: GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A recently acquired pair of old slippers--the Artie Shaw IN HOLLYWOOD and EVENSONG cds on Hep.

Has the Pete LaRoca been put out again? That was one of my faves in the old 32 Jazz series... and they chunked out quite a lot of good Woody Shaw as well. Man, some of the Muse catalogue has been out on CD three different times now... first through Muse in the late 1980s/early 90s, then through 32 Jazz, and now through Savoy. What happened to 32 Jazz? I thought they'd made a million or three off their "Jazz for a Sexy Smiling Sunday Afternoon" series.

I have a Groove Holmes from the old 32 Jazz series (the Muse catalogue). Don't have the title handy (not TIMELESS) but it was good stuff. A lot of the 32s still float around new & used, and Savoy has put a lot it back out on the market as well. Been digging the Holmes/Ammons on Pacific Jazz of late.

I was grateful that there weren't any terror incidents at the polls. Just a couple of assault weapon/suicide bombing attacks would have created real havoc in the voting process--not to mention loss of life.

I voted in a nearby church, as always--an experience pretty close to what Jim Sangrey describes. About a 30-45 minute wait, a bit longer than what I remember in 2000. Saw about five of my neighbors--ours is a pretty liberal neighborhood, but everybody always talks in a non-partisan manner when they're in line, so as not to offend others who might feel differently. Lots of joking, a very good civic feeling in general. I always enjoy voting.

Wow

Brian Wilson's SMILE as a birthday present for a friend, along with a $16 used copy of this long-sought item: This puppy currently goes from $80-$200 on Amazon Marketplace. Damn! Not that I'm ever gonna ditch it... I've had the single-disc STEPPIN' OUT for years and have wanted the complete shebang for many moons.

Are we talkin' 'bout Toledo? Toledo could actually determine the outcome of the whole election. I ain't kiddin'.

I haven't forgotten about it, Chuck! ejp: I think it was pointed out a ways upstream, but yes, the Clarke date was included on the 2-CD Savoy Adderley SUMMER OF '55 set that came out several years ago. Some picks from me: Oliver Nelson, NOCTURNE Jimmy Lyons/Andrew Cyrille, BURNT OFFERING John Dennis, NEW PIANO EXPRESSIONS Albert Dailey, THE DAY AFTER THE DAWN (pretty sure somebody here hipped me to this one)

The Rhino set is a pretty good 2-CD compilation: Ultimate Got into them as a kid through "For Your Love" and then discovered there was much, much more to them than that. I still love to rev up "I Wish You Would" and "Shapes of Things" (one of my favorite 60s singles) around the house from time to time.

I think your concerns are valid, wesbed (about money drying up) and the idea of a graph sounds like it might be a good one... not that it's my board or anything! Maybe when the new CD comes out they could offer a Organissimo-board-supporter option of paying $1 more (with said dollar going to the board fund).

In memory of Gil Melle and Robin Kenyatta--and to the future good health of Organissimo and its denizens--please accept another small donation.

Many happy returns from the other side of the political fence.

I still haven't learned any "stragedy." How about "strategiosity?" B-)