Spontooneous

Think seriously about replacing that lawyer. Especially if that lawyer was recommended by your friend's friend.

In 2006, someone who writes about jazz for local publications in Kansas City reviewed a show where "Blue Monk" was played. He mistook the tune for "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and enthused in print about the performance of that chestnut. Well, the first four notes are the same, but nothing else is. The guy can't even recognize blues changes, the DNA of American music? If you know what you don't know, unlike that guy, you're already well on the way. Go 'head.

But they're in such nice alphabetical order, except for Cecil Taylor being next to George Lewis. Jeez, I can't believe I noticed that. Wait. Yes I can.

Yep. (Thought it was in one of these so-called reference books sitting around the house, but can't find a citation this morning.)

In his early years, Phil hoped that music was his ticket out of the family hog-rendering business. But every time his father caught him practicing an instrument, the father would shout, "Get back to work and mill lard, Phil Moore!"

Phil Sr. did the Mercury date and had the Phil Moore Four. That's Phil Jr. with Curtis Amy, to the best of my knowledge.

Fred Tompkins (still at it, in the St. Louis area) may have issued that stuff on CD too. Lotsa discs on his web site.

It's at the Half Price Books stores in KC too. And it was enjoyed at my house last week.

Always appreciated, Mark. Takes me right back to Mel's show in Kansas City this fall, too.

Do NOT fall for that guy's praise of the disappointing, limp. soggy Valery Gergiev recording.

A really striking percentage of jazz artists I've interviewed have said that Oscar was one of their main gateways into the music. And it's not just the piano players. Gotta give him propers for that.

I used to supervise a small department, with five employees. The entire department was axed just before Christmas 1994. One of the co-workers never recovered -- killed herself in May 1995. The rest of us are alive and reasonably well. But I've never been able to feel as good about the holiday season since.

The Coleman Hawkins bio by John Chilton mentions a Fillmore East appearance by Hawk and Roy. (A friend claims to have been there.)

The seller's other listings are a total hoot. They include "I Love the Post Office" and "I Love Dimebag Darrell."

Did not know that he was using a plunger! Maybe it's just his hand over the bell. But it sure sounds like a plunger effect was intended. And I can't think of any other examples. Anybody?

OK ... but are there recordings of Freddie soloing WITH PLUNGER other than "Ghetto Lights" on the Hutcherson date?

It ain't even one of the tenors he's famously pictured playing. It's an alto.

Had a Numark for a while. It had the loudest rumble of any TT I've used in decades.

Yep.

I'm waiting for the Joe Besser Mosaic set. He's long overdue for critical reappraisal.

Then within five years, the industry will be fusing it with spork music.

My favorite part of the questionaire: 5) What direction(s) do you think jazz music needs to take to become more popular? a) It needs to fuse more with other genres (e.g. Rock, Pop, Latin) b) It needs to embrace modern technology (e.g. Electronic Jazz) c) It needs to be rebranded (e.g. New name) d) It needs to become more commercial

For me, the best part of the Pigpen numbers comes when the improv snakes away from the original groove and he has to deal with the crazy stuff the band is throwing back at him. There are some dandy examples from his last hurrah, the Europe '72 tour -- the "Rockin' the Rhein" set has some amazing Pig moments.

"The insertionists are in their last throes..."

You're thinking of the literary movement, Les Insertionistes, that Hemingway dabbled with.