ghost of miles

Hey Rachel, I used to live close to 23rd & New Jersey--we had fireworks year round! I actually did get used to hearing gunfire at night while I was falling asleep...

I am not, however, a master saxophonist and/or jazz sage & all-around good guy w/a gift for empathy & insight. Got such a long way to go... I just consider myself lucky to be married to Ms. B.

And many more, my friend! Best birthday wishes from the land of J.J....

Has the radio interview that she did with Mike Wallace in 1956 ever come out on LP or CD? I'll look into those ESP CDs... BTW, working on this program has given me reason to re-visit Donald Clarke's WISHING ON THE MOON. It's a top-notch bio of Billie; Clarke was able to get access to Linda Kuehl's archive, although he encountered problems that certainly confirm Chris' post. I highly recommend WISHING, if you want to read only one Billie bio (Stuart Nicholson's book is also worthy too, if you're a real fanatic).

Damn close--it's June 26! We just celebrated... as I gather you did. Say, you're not a Sagitarius, are you? B)

Up for Bing & Glenn in another couple of minutes.

Well, I am married to a lovely and talented woman named Brenda (no joke!)--guess I'm already there.

Waiter, I'll have some of whatever Sangrey's drinkin'. B)

I'm stoked too... Anybody seen a list price for this puppy yet? I'll definitely check the usual suspects--Deep Discount, CD Universe, Amazon's, etc.--when it comes out.

Hey all, I'm sitting in on our afternoon jazz show today, playing a fair amount of Louis (since IU's official observance of the 4th falls on this Monday), including the two aforementioned tracks from PARIS BLUES that I was asking about in the discography forum. In addition, I'll be featuring a late-August 1944 England broadcast of Bing Crosby with Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. Audio quality isn't so hot, and nothing really revelatory happens, but it's the only time I've ever heard two of America's leading WWII pop culture icons together. (They apparently pre-recorded another broadcast that week, but this is the only material I've been able to find, taken from a 1983 Broadway Intermission LP.) I'll also be playing a couple of cuts off LOUIS ARMSTRONG & FRIENDS, including "Give Peace a Chance," and I'll wrap up with Brother Ray doing "America the Beautiful." You can listen here if you're interested, from 3:30-5 p.m. (1:30-3 California time, 4:30-6 New York). The Bing/Glenn material will be on from roughly 4-4:30.

Joan Didion's SLOUCHING TOWARDS BETHLEHEM and Geoffrey Butcher's NEXT TO A LETTER FROM HOME: MAJOR GLENN MILLER'S WARTIME BAND.

I love the alternate take of Billie Holiday's "No More" that appears on her COMPLETE DECCA RECORDINGS. The audio quality is bad, as it was taken from a re-processed, multi-generational Japanese tape source, but the take is slightly slower and even moodier than the master. It has an almost-sinister spookiness about it--going to use it for my Holiday program on July 17.

No personnel listings come with the 1997 Rykodisc re-issue of Ellington's PARIS BLUES, although the promotional wrapper says, "Louis Armstrong appears on one track. Tres cool." Yeah, yeah... to my ears, it sounds as if he's on two, both "Wild Man Moore" (the name of the character he plays in the movie) and "Battle Royal." Can anybody else confirm that?

Thanks so much for your comments, guys! Next week's show will be on Jackie Paris... the 17th on Billie Holiday... the 24th (tentatively) on unreleased recordings of Miles w/Sam Rivers in Japan in 1964. And the shows will be archived... hoping that eventually I might get bumped up into a slightly earlier time-slot. Anyway, I really appreciate the feedback.

It's a good 'un, kids, don't miss out!

Chuck, is John still the director of the Jazz Institute of Chicago?

I just noticed that our newest member is John Litweiler, author of two outstanding books on jazz, THE FREEDOM PRINCIPLE: JAZZ AFTER 1958, and ORNETTE COLEMAN: A HARMOLODIC LIFE. John, welcome!

Thanks, man! Yeah, it's a freedom thing--a jazz freedom thing.

bebopbob: I have the Watkins on hold for you at a local shop. It's new/still sealed; their price is $14. If you can send me a check for $15 ($1 to cover postage), I'll buy it & mail it to you. Warning: contact me through PM rather than e-mail notification, which doesn't seem to be working lately.

Catesta, does your girlfriend approve of your posting her picture like that?

Add another vote for BUZZ here. Great review, Relyles! I'm quite a fan of Frank Kimbrough as well. In fact, Kimbrough has actually begun to post here on occasion.

Weren't they grouped with one of the McGhee Connoisseurs?

I think you mean to say, "Aaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

I somehow overlooked your comment here, Mobleytime... that is a shame. I think we have the LP in our station's library... I seem to recall using it once before for a Gryce special that I did. I'll check this afternoon, but thanks for the heads-up--I'll know to look for just "Elgy" on the CD when it arrives.

More about Paris in this article, which is accompanied by a picture of Jackie touring w/Charlie Parker: Both come from a Jackie Paris website here.