ghost of miles

We be cookin' with gas!

I love what Frank Morgan I've heard. A couple of weeks ago in our local used bookstore I ran into a guy named Pete Amaral, who plays drums with Junior Brown, and who has played with Frank a lot in the past. He just went on & on about what a great guy & musician Frank Morgan is; had nothing but praise for him. He really is one of the last of the old Central Avenue scene, isn't he? At least I can't think of anybody else still alive who emerged from that particular world. (I must be overlooking some folks here--Snooky Young? Others?)

Yes, some friends & I did it once. Pretty psychedelic & much easier on the ol' brain cells. As I recall, you're supposed to cue the CD at the third roar of the MGM lion.

Reminds me that I need to get a new battery for my old Blue Note Connoisseur timepiece. I'm not normally a watch-wearer, but I love that one.

No takers for Manny: Ramirez I think the Yanks should give Boone a chance at third. But agreed about two pitchers, right field, and middle relief. Those positions needed to be dealt with whether or not NY won the Series, though; my anxiety now is that Steinbrenner will tear everything up. Much of their success in the mid-to-late 90s, IMO, stemmed from the two years he wasn't involved with the team. They were able to build in a way that they've rarely been able to do during the Boss's tenure.

I think there was some discussion of this on the old BNBB. If you can find it used (or remaindered--I hear they really overprinted it), I'd definitely pick it up. Giddins' portrait of the late-20's/early-30's Whiteman/Bix/Bailey scene really made the book for me. Yes, Giddins is exhaustive regarding Bing's childhood & other areas that might not be quite as interesting. The evolution of BC as a cultural icon is fascinating to me, though, so I didn't mind it as much, and look forward to reading at least the 1940s part of the second volume (Part 1 ends around '39, I think). Lon read this book as well & might have some comments to offer.

I'm listening to this CD all the way through for the first time after having sampled some of it the other night. What are others' impressions? I find myself liking it a lot, but perhaps that's because the sound seems to harken back to that of NEW MOON DAUGHTER, which remains my favorite BN album of hers.

Have any of the Rogers Atlantic or EMI recordings been available recently as single CDs?

BOO, etc.

Ha-cha-cha! This one will definitely be appearing in my "December listening" posts.

This board hipped me to this artist, and Steve Schwarz hipped me indirectly to his new release, which I just got as a promo a couple of days ago. Pelt plays in a quartet setting on some tracks (Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, Lewis Nash); on some tracks they're augmented by a string quartet and/or guitar. Nice selection of tunes by Mingus, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Rowles, Ellington ("Don't You Know I Care," a nice solo flugelhorn performance); nothing that's been done into the ground. I hear traces of Lee & Woody influence, but the guy really does seem to be developing his own sound & voice. A very laidback CD; I'm going to check out INSIGHT later on. Always great to discover a young, promising artist--thanks to youse guys for pulling my coat!

Still reading PRESS BOX RED, but now I have a work book started... I tend to have a book that I read while eating breakfast, a book that I read while sitting in my study, and one that I read while taking breaks at work. A little crazy that way! In any case, I am starting James Ellroy's WHITE JAZZ for the third time. I've blitzed through most of his other books, but for some reason the style is SO amphetamine-jagged in this one that I always end up putting it down after about 50 pages. I figure that reading it in short bursts at work might just do me the trick of getting through it.

Hey, I've seen Aebersold play a few times at Bear's Place here in Bloomington--they do a series called "Jazz Fables" every Thursday night. Heard it for the first time (as in purchased an LP & listened to it) when I was 19. Got religion around age 26. Still in the church & ain't leavin'.

Jeremy Pelt, CLOSE TO MY HEART Elvis Costello, NORTH Cassandra Wilson, GLAMOURED Harry James, Mosaic disc 7 Count Basie, AMERICA'S #1 BAND (all of it)

All I can say is that this makes me less than optimistic about 2004. In any case, nothing Steinbrenner does will make a difference regarding the Yanks' fate in the WS--he's better off doing all he can to help a Democrat win the presidency so that NY has a chance in 2005. Beware the curse of the GOP!

The "King of Pain":

Nope. That's one I meant to mention, Paul. Haven't listened to it in awhile, but it made a strong impression when I first encountered it.

Ah, yep, Nate, you beat me to it with those two suggestions, in addition to Chuck's recommendation of AN IMAGE (one of my faves). Might I also toss Bob Graettinger's work with Kenton into the mix?

Krupa/James Mosaic, discs 5-6 World Saxophone Quartet, DANCES & BALLADS (beautiful!) David Murray, OCTET David Murray, BIG BAND Lennie Tristano, INTUITION (Capitol)

Just, for God's sake, man, whatever you do, don't drink or think about babes!

Stretchin' my toes out by the hot-stove w/Irwin Silber's PRESS BOX RED, the story of Commie-pinko ( ) sportswriter Lester Rodney, who covered sports for the Daily Worker, and who helped the push to eliminate the color line in professional baseball.

I just took a look at the roster of the '96 Yanks, and there were hardly any free agents on it. Again, almost all of the key players in the 1996-2000 run were either homegrown or acquired through trades. Yes, you could say that Steinbrenner "bought" the '77 and '78 titles, to some extent, by signing Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage. There were no players of similar significance acquired through free agency on the late-90s teams. (With the possible exception of Orlando Hernandez, who was signed away from Cuba, as opposed to another MBL team.) Ironically enough, Steinbrenner did sign some big-ticket players in the last couple of years--Mussina & Giambi--and hasn't won a Series since. I still think it was arrogant of Walker to say what he did, but that's a matter of personal judgement, I suppose. I just know that I would've been horrified if any of the Yankee players had said something similar.

I've heard that the re-mastering on it is excellent. (Malcolm Addey?) I just re-joined BMG (they always invite you back a week or two after you cancel your membership) and am going to nab this one in the second part of the buy-1-get-12 deal. Never heard the record, but it's supposedly prime late-50s Count.

Have yet to grab the Jack Johnson box, but VERY eager to hear this one, as I'm also a fan of the LIVE-EVIL material. Is any of the 1969 "Lost Quintet" material scheduled for release in this series?