ghost of miles

This week on "Night Lights" it's music and dialogue from THE CONNECTION, a groundbreaking 1959 off-Broadway play from New York City's Living Theater group, written by Jack Gelber, that cast jazz musicians as heroin addicts waiting for a score. Artists that passed through the play included pianist Freddie Redd (who composed the original score), alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, and pianist Cecil Taylor. THE CONNECTION was made into a 1962 movie directed by Shirley Clarke, who would go on to the film the adaptation of Warren Miller's controversial Harlem-set novel THE COOL WORLD. A West Coast production was also staged in Los Angeles, with different music written by cast member Dexter Gordon. The show won several Obies and ran for more than 700 performances; eventually it was presented in London, where its raw immediacy and demolition of the normal boundaries between audience and cast provoked a near-riot. We'll hear music from four different versions of THE CONNECTION's soundtrack--the Blue Note album released under Freddie Redd's name, the Felsted record on which Tina Brooks replaced Jackie McLean and trumpeter Howard McGhee was added to the line-up; baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne and pianist Kenny Drew's rarely-heard 1962 score; and Dexter Gordon's Blue Note recordings of two of the pieces he wrote for the Los Angeles production. We'll also hear dialogue from the 1962 movie version, which included original cast members Freddie Redd and Jackie McLean. Though parts of THE CONNECTION may now sound dated, it remains a cultural landmark of both early-1960s jazz and theater--a moment when the jazz world found itself in the service of avant-garde drama. THE CONNECTION is available on DVD from Dusty Groove America. An interview with CONNECTION director Shirley Clarke can be read here. Jazz and fiction writer Joe Milazzo's meditative take on THE CONNECTION: Milazzo This obituary of CONNECTION playwright Jack Gelber talks about the play's initial reception and its impact on other playwrights such as Edward Albee: Both versions of Freddie Redd's THE CONNECTION (on Blue Note with Jackie McLean and on Boplicity with Tina Brooks and Howard McGhee) are currently out of print. I have not been able to find a CD copy of Cecil Payne's version, though it was supposedly re-issued at one point by either Fresh Sounds or Collectables. A friend was able to supply an LP copy for this program.

Yikes!

OK, probably a shameless plug, but I taped a "Big Bands" program last week that will air this Friday night, and it's devoted almost exclusively to the Herman set. It's nearly all vocals (with the exception of "Non-Alcoholic"), three of the tracks Larry mentioned above are included, and nothing I played is on the BLOWIN' UP A STORM comp. It'll be on WFIU Friday at 9 p.m., if you want to hear some of the vocal material in full-length format.

Dave, Was this a commercial issue? Didn't vocal numbers tend to do better? I'm not dismissing the large number of instrumental hits in that era, but perhaps he was influenced in part by sales viability. P.S. Just read John's post above, so I guess I'm just echoing him!

What's on that, Matthew? Still wishing they'd put out an "official" complete BASEMENT TAPES.

Now re-reading Thomas Merton's NEW SEEDS OF CONTEMPLATION and ESSENTIAL WRITINGS. Thanks to Matthew's rec, I hope to soon pick up a copy, used or otherwise, of THE SIGN OF JONAS. And finally wading once again into some Indiana jazz books--JELLY ROLL, BIX & HOAGY and THE JAZZ STATE OF INDIANA.

Yep, that one came up as well on my short-list. Lots of gems in there that I'd never heard before ("I Must Move" is a particular favorite). Another short-list candidate was the 4-CD Joy Division box that came out first in England and then a year or two later in the States.

I don't know if it's necessarily my favorite, but it's the first one that came to mind: the Nuggets box from Rhino, which adds 3 CDs to the original 2-LP set (contained on CD 1). Lots of fun garage-pop stuff I'd never heard before and a great booklet to boot. The Velvet Underground's PEEL SLOWLY AND SEE might give it a run for its money, though. It compiles all of the band's albums and some interesting outtakes.

The concept of this album reminded me of the famous 1966 concert in which Coltrane, Ayler, and a third tenor saxophonist (Sanders?) all played into the same microphone. Did a recording of that ever surface? Maybe I should check the forthcoming Ayler box tracklist, eh?

I like the two tracks I've heard off it so far &, ironically enough, was just programming "Peace on Earth" for radio play when I saw this thread.

That's a sad, crazy story, J Larsen. Needless to say, I'm glad the jumper didn't land on you--would have compounded the tragedy.

Hey all, wanted to hip you to a very cool organization, the Midwest Pages to Prisoners project, that's based out of Bloomington. They're a volunteer group that sends books to people in jail--you can donate books and/or packing materials/reuseable manila envelopes (or checks for the postage) to the address listed on their website: PagesToPrisoners

Andrew Hill and Jack Wilson for me. Have the Rivers & Young as part of the Mosaic boxes, and want to learn a little more about the Horace & Hutch titles before picking them up... I liked IN PURSUIT OF THE 27TH MAN a lot.

Hope Dan has completed battening down the hatches and is all right:

Send me, Jackson! And pull my coat when the next QO platter hits the streets!

Yes, I kept passing over this thread because I thought it was a misplaced Berigan political topic... Dan, stay safe & hold on tight!

Some discussion of KKJZ going on over at AAJ here.

I notice that Nistico recorded only sporadically as a leader throughout his career... any recommendations on where to go next (besides the Herman Philips recordings) for more?

Even if he was a Russian spy who killed Charlie Parker, you understand... B-)

I had a jazz drummer friend once who used the word "cats" a lot, and could use it with conviction. His favorite term for a good guy or killer musician, though, was "Heavy hoss," as in, "Art Blakey is a heavy hoss!"

Not only will I face that fact, I'll listen to it!

That's the gig during which Ellington and Sid Kuehler conceived JUMP FOR JOY! Well, not that particular date, as far as I know, but Duke was doing an extended stay at the Casa Manana, & he & members of his band were jamming regularly at Sid's house afterwards (Sid was working on the Marx Brothers movie THE BIG STORE). Wow! I'd like to hear/see all of this material! Wish it had been around when I did the special on JFJ last year... I've got the red box, but I'll be picking this one up for sure.

I had a girlfriend who used to joke, "I'm stealing your male generative energy!" Or was she?

Got a large Fantasy order not too long ago & have been slowly, joyously working my way through it. I think there may have been discussion of the Sal Nistico twofer CD back on the old BNBB in 2002--if not, any fan of Nistico & his work with Woody Herman would be well advised to give this reissue a shot. I particularly like the lineup on the first half of the CD (the original HEAVYWEIGHTS LP, minus "Just Friends") which features Nat Adderley on cornet, Barry Harris on piano (really diggin' him on "Au Private"), Sam Jones on bass, and Walter Perkins on drums. Just great, swinging early-60's bop.

What about what Carla taught Paul?