ghost of miles

Up. Is anyone familiar with this incarnation of the Coltrane Quartet plus? I often wonder what made Wes' sound a likely candidate. If anyone has heard this group, or has an online source describing the music, I'd be very appreciative if they'd post here. I know it's a topic that's come up numerous times, definitely on the old BNBB and probably here as well. Supposedly there's a low-quality audience tape of a 40 or 45-minute set w/Coltrane and Montgomery from late '61 (Monterey, perhaps?). Supposedly it's not as impressive as we might think. I'd certainly like to hear it if it ever surfaces (somebody on the BNBB reported they'd been offered a copy of this tape for the low, low price of $2,500), but I'm not expecting anything amazing. It's kind of difficult for me to imagine Wes and that late '61 quintet really meshing together--in a way, though, that does pique my curiosity, just to hear how it didn't work as much as how it might have worked.

On Veterans' Day, Weizy, a special birthday salute to you from one of your favorite American soldiers: He still wants to give you that ambassadorship to Vienna, even after you said those nasty things about him! Maybe for your next birthday, which should fall a few days after the election. In all seriousness, Weizen, I hope you have a wonderful day spinning JRVGs, drinking quality beers, and savoring whatever other aspects and blessings of your life that make you happy. Cheers!

(Playing piano) "You look like 500, but you're only 44!" Or something like that... In any case, have a good one, man.

One of my favorite Rollins pictures is in Jack Chambers' MILESTONES; he's wearing a cap, has a beard, and is looking up to his left. I'll have to bring it to work and scan it...

Betty Carter, FINALLY Uncle Tupelo, 89/93 Artie Shaw, 1944-45 (Hep) Wilco, SUMMERTEETH Wilco, YANKEE FOXTROT HOTEL

A few years ago a film crew came out to Bloomington from L.A. to shoot an episode of America's Most Wanted. (The episode concerned an abduction that had occurred here at an ice-cream parlor.) According to our local paper, the film crew was quite happy to be working in Bloomington because, among other things, they did not have to deal with street people bearing leaf-blowers. Evidently in L.A. it was a popular scam to find a film crew in the midst of a shoot and then walk around making a lot of nose with a leaf-blower, until they paid you to go away. Damn, whatever happened to good old-fashioned panhandling?

Damn! My wife & I go up to Saugatuck once or twice a year, and we always hit the coffeehouse right across the street from Wally's--Uncommon Grounds. I'm going to keep an eye on your schedule next summer, because I'd love to come up there some weekend when you guys are playing. Good luck w/playing the fundraiser, and with keeping the water treatment plant out of the park!

Not a fan, but didn't Jean-Luc Ponty do some recording along these lines, Dan? I'd love to dig up some weird, forgotten 40's or 50's session with Stuff Smith & an organ... but I doubt if any such session exists.

Jimmy Woods, CONFLICT Benny Goodman, COMP. CAPITOL TRIOS Bob Dylan, JOHN WESLEY HARDING John Coltrane, A LOVE SUPREME (2-CD edition) Webster Young, FOR LADY Ben Webster, GONE WITH THE WIND Rosemary Clooney, JAZZ SINGER Dave Brubeck Quartet, AT CARNEGIE HALL

I'm very interested in reading this. I have only a couple of Harriott's albums (as well as Ken Vandermark's tribute to him) and am eager to learn more about the man & his music.

Are there any? I thought the alternate take on the 1990 domestic CD turned out to be the same as the master. Who knows with the PJ vaults, though.

AB, I showed it to him & he really liked it... pretty cool, man! His fame is spreading.

Today mullet.com posted the other picture he sent in as well:

Isn't Tarantino's KILL BILL PT. 2 coming out in just a few months as well? Although I don't think the film was originally intended to be broken into two parts.

Agree w/you on both counts, Dan. I've followed Johnson for a long time, and I think he's a keeper. Glad to see Mattingly back w/the Yanks in some onfield capacity as well. Hopefully he can draw some more fire out of the NY bats.

A friend of mine went as a redneck for Halloween and had his long hair trimmed into a mullet before getting it all shaved off. He sent the following picture to Mullet.com, where it was awarded "Mullet of the Month":

Monktail Creative Music Concern, NON GRATA Andrew Hill, PASSING SHIPS Hank Mobley, THE FLIP Cassandra Wilson, GLAMOURED Lucky Thompson, LUCKY STRIKES Les Brown, BEST OF THE BIG BANDS

Agree w/you on that. I think he gives 1965--a huge year in the Coltrane canon--all of 4 pages. And the 1961 VV sessions w/Dolphy hardly get mentioned at all. Curious omissions in an otherwise fairly solid book.

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.