ghost of miles

...a topic which has drawn my interest of late, particularly in regards to a project of mine. I seem to remember it surfacing on the old BNBB and am wondering if anybody has books, online sites, etc. to recommend. I've come across a book called ONLY THE BALL WAS WHITE, which looks promising, if a bit dated--looking perhaps for a more contemporary treatment of the subject.

Listening to this right now & liking it very much. Man, such vitality to this guy's playing!

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.

Oops, yeah, I overlooked that one... Will probably have to pick this one up. Our local guy who carries Okka stuff is hospitalized indefinitely, so maybe I'll take the Nessa train. Intrigued to hear KV in a purely solo setting.

Here's to the vets. We here may furiously debate our nation's military policies both pro & con, but I'm grateful to all of those who have served. In my own family my grandfather fought in WWII, my uncle fought in Vietnam, and my step-aunt is currently serving in Iraq. And a special salute to Jazzmoose and all others here on the board who have done time in the armed forces.

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.

Haven't heard it yet and am curious--it's a solo CD, correct?

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.

Article in the NY Times today: LetItBe

Don't know what to think about this:

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

Went home & read most of the Mosca interview last night (I'm usually about two-three issues behind on Cadence). I never really thought about it, but Tristano seems in some ways the progenitor of the modern approach to teaching jazz. I know there were many, many superlative teachers in American high schools (in fact, once started a thread about them on the old board, to which Jim contributed a wonderful story); but had anybody specialized it to the extent that Tristano did? Jazz educators, feel free to jump in here and tell me if I'm getting it wrong--just an idea that I'm positing.

Has anybody else heard the entire CD? I sampled a cut last night for my community radio station program and ended up playing it on-air: a wonderful small-ensemble version of Beiderbecke's "Flashes." Beautiful! I'm going to try to give the whole CD a listen ASAP, but wanted to alert others--Bix fans & otherwise--to this interesting title.

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

Up for some Monktail following Don Ellis & Jaki Byard's "Waste."

Yet another reason for me to check out that Marsh bio. Yeah, I definitely get the impression that LT was a disturbing person in some respects. Some shadows thrown by more than just the magnitude of his music. I'm also curious about what he was up to the last 10 years or so of his life--still teaching? Still recording? (Little if anything's been released from that time.) As Lawrence Kart says, it might be difficult to find a writer who could approach him objectively. I'd love to read something by, say, John Litweiler (who may have written about Tristano in THE FREEDOM PRINCIPLE--can't remember, will have to check my copy of it when I go home tonight). But yeah, the protectiveness around his "cult" might make research/access difficult as well. I will give that LaPorta book a look--thanks, Lawrence.