AndrewHill

And the Vince Guaraldi Christmas Album is my favorite Christmas album of all time.

High school champ, iirc... That's right. He also played while attending college too. He went to college in Shaker Heights which leads me to believe that he attended John Carroll University. Just a guess though. There's a picture floating around (don't know where) of Albert in golfing attire. Maybe its in the Holy Ghost box set. Will have to check and see.

The first track is killer

Agree that Capra Black is just a downright killer track! Man, if Lee were still living, I always wondered where his music would've gone next.

i hope to visit his gravesite, as well, some day. if you make it first, would you shoot a few pics? Of course (if no one finds that offensive ). I believe the name of the cemetary is Beachwood Cemetary, but its closer to Shaker Heights (where I think he grew up) then Beachwood. I should just mapquest it and go and pay my repsects.

My favs (of the ones I've heard) are Search for the New Land, Infinity, Lee-Way and his sideman appearance of GM III's Evolution. An honorable mention for his appearance on McLean's Jacknife (whom he shares the trumpet chair with Charles Tolliver). Oh, and I do like the Sidewinder too.

The cemetary that Ayler's buried at is about a half hour away from where I live. I tried to find it a while back but its kind of hard to find. I should try again. Oh, and happy birthday!

Have it, and dig it (mine's on the Abraxis label). Did the 'new ESP release it?

The wife has mentioned on many occasions what we could buy if I sold off my cd's

Man, I feel like I'm stepping into a den full of hungary lions, but I always found it interesting in the Monk movie 'Straight No Chaser' that when they show the clip of Monk, Abdul-Malik and Haynes at the (I believe) the Five Spot that after they play for a couple of minutes, they pan the audience and they are, if I recall, a predominantly, if not an all white audience. Maybe this was filmed in the late 50's? (that part is a guess too). Sorry that I don't have the exact date.

I'd totally get all of the RVG's and the new ESP's, if I could afford to upgrade. But because I'm in school still, its mostly the money, because if I had the cash handy I'd be there evey release day Luckily, it looks like the RVG's will be around (knock on the wooden door of what used to be EMI) for awhile and the same with ESP. But having tight purse strings is a good thing I guess, then I don't have a tendency to go overboard. Makes me wonder if I did have umlimited funds....oh oh

That's how I became familiar with Guaraldi's music, as background music at a bookstore. I asked the clerk what was playing (Impressions of a Black Orpheus) and proceeded right to the cd shop to buy a copy and have loved it ever since. 'The Trio' disk and 'A Flower is a Lovesome Thing' are also nice records. I particularly dig Eddie Duran on those sessions.

Thanks. I guess I'll hold on to the Calibre's because I just don't know if I can bring myself to upgrade SU for a third time (I'll most likely sell the Abraxas). Its one of those occasions where I kinda wish I was starting from scratch, so I could just go out and get the official product, but at this juncture, its so hard to replace a chunk of a collection because there's a new reissue (a problem I've been having with the BN RVG's as well).

I dig. The only ESP I have so far from the newly formed ESP company is Unity by Frank Wright, and I am very happy with it. Regardless, I will be plunking down for the Howard and the Cherry because all that really matters to me, bottom line, is the music. I will just overlook the editing issues with the notes/liners

Looks like you're right, just checked Amazon and they have used copies at decent prices. Now that's good to hear!

So when is Concord going to launch the Sonny Lester Collection?

Yup -- Free at Last. I think this one is in-print, at least in Europe. Guy I don't think Free at Last is available in the states anymore. Great album if you can locate one.

Just listened to the sound clips-WOW!

You haven't heard Infinite Search? Get thee to the record store, young man! I never picked up the original Universal Syncopations due to the reviews on this thread, and the upcoming sequel holds even less appeal. Guy Infinite Search (or Mountain in the Clouds) is a stone classic, IMHO. It was one of my first jazz lps, before I knew who the players "were". I see that its readily available at mid-price-I'm all over it!

I have the Calibre (Dutch?) editions of SU, SR, Bells and NY Ear and Eye Control and they all sound good to me. (not to mention the production, which is very impressive: nice liners, thick, well-made booklets and nifty slip cases). I also have an Abraxas (Italy) issue of SU which I compared to the Calibre and they sounded identical (I'm no audio expert, but to these ears I hear no difference). The Abraxas though, seems cheaply made: little to no notes and a flimsy card that folds into the cd 'booklet'. Same goes for my copy of an XYZ issue of NY E&E Control, which is not made of the same caliber of quality as the Calibre either, but at least there were liner notes. I also compared the XYZ with the Calibre, and it also sounded the same. I have no idea if the new ESP issues of the Aylers are an improvement over these. Anyone care to comment? But it does seem that the Calibre's, Abraxas' and XYZ issues are identical sonically. (I probably missed an account of this in this thread so sorry if I'm backtracking). Edited to say that I think I'm going out on a limb by saying that all of these issues sound the same (my bad). I don't know if they do, I just know that the ones I own do. I have no idea what the Get Backs sound like, but I did hear that the new ESP Slugs Saloon is a sonic upgrade from the previous editions.

Nice Nab!

I like this one quite a bit! My first real exposure to MV was through Corea's Now he Sings/Sobs and was immediately impressed. Consequently I have not heard his other disks. Would like to though.

The cd cover for the Howard looks totally badass. Any photos of Norman Howard or any of the other members of his ensemble inside? Too bad about the production/editing of the notes and sessionography. It seems that the production of Frank Wright's Unity is pretty solid (great cover shot, recording notes clearly listed on the back and all-together decent essay by Rusto inside, plus photos). I guess that's the inconsistency of ESP. That aside, I'm glad to hear the the Howard date is a good one. I've been looking foward to this one since I stumbled onto this thread. How's the Cherry?

Yeah, that's what Cuscuna says in the notes, that its due to time contraints. And agreed its a real disapointment to not have the whole second session. Since I have no idea how long the missing track is, it must be at least over seven minutes. And if the first track from the first session is an 'obligatory funk' track then give me that second one Strangely, there's no photos either and not even one in the inlay below where the cd goes. I mean they couldn't even find one of Bob Cranshaw?

I didn't. The last time I was in Vegas (2002 maybe?) there was a club out there called the Blue Note, that had pretty big name acts like McCoy Tyner, but the tixs were pricey and so was the food! This time I saw nothing (maybe I was looking in the wrong places) and the Blue Note appears to be gone. And if saw that Ronnie Foster was playing there, hell yeah I would've gone Foster's changed since "Two Headed Freap", but he's still worth seeing/hearing. Oh. Like how? It was the 'Two Headed Freap' that came exactly to mind. Man, maybe it was a good thing that I didn't see that he was playing there.