Spontooneous

He came to Kansas City in 2004 to deliver a lecture before the Charlie Parker Memorial Concert. After all, Crouch has supposedly been working on a book about Bird for 20 years. So he's well-prepared and well-qualified for this, right? The so-called lecture is about 10 painful minutes of free-form rambling and joking, centering on Bird's love for the ladies. I've heard better and more persuasive lectures from wild-eyed drunks at bus stops.

Get the Decca set first. Learn the best cuts on the Decca set (you'll know them when you hear them) inside out. Because so much later music, not just Basie's, is based directly upon this music.

And the young alto player on it, Logan Richardson, is a KC friend of mine. His recording debut, to the best of my knowledge.

What he said. I heard the "Morning Dew" from this on the GD Hour one night while driving home, and I just about had to stop the car.

I think "Eternal Spirit" had a second life in the Collectors Choice series, about 1996. "But Not Farewell" never got that chance.

Make sure you get a return privilege. Quite a few copies contained a hair-metal disc mislabeled as Andrew's.

Man, I love Gorky. Never got the hang of Matta.

Second to all of the above. It's especially absurd that 20 years into CD technology, US Blue Note still hasn't released all the McLeans or all the Jimmy Smiths.

Benton Harbor Ann Arbor Jan Garber

Irene Ryan Irene Cara Jennifer Beals

It was the Umbrella Man.

On a classical board I read, word is that the Naxos price is going up toward $10 soon. No idea how reliable the source is.

At least he didn't say "Skeletons of Spam."

Field Title Value Meaning ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 39729502 39729502 NAME YOUNG#LESTER#W########## YOUNG#LESTER#W########## RESIDENCE: STATE 91 CALIFORNIA RESIDENCE: COUNTY 037 LOS ANGELES PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 9141 LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 30 30 DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 09 09 DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 44 44 GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private GRADE: CODE 8 Private BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION NO# No branch assignment BRANCH: CODE 02 No branch assignment FIELD USE AS DESIRED # # TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law LONGEVITY ### ### SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life NATIVITY 45 MISSISSIPPI YEAR OF BIRTH 09 09 RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 2 Negro, citizen EDUCATION 0 Grammar school CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 024 BLACKSMITH or BAND OR ORCHESTRA LEADER (Band leader.) or MUSICIAN, INSTRUMENTAL (Bandsman.) or BANDSMAN, CLARINET or BANDSMAN, CORNET OR TRUMPET or BANDSMAN, DRUM, BASS or BANDSMAN, DRUM, SNARE or BANDSMAN, EUPHONIUM OR BARITONE or BANDSMAN, FLUTE OR PICCOLO or BANDSMAN, FRENCH HORN or BANDSMAN, SAXOPHONE or BANDSMAN, TROMBONE or BANDSMAN, TUBA MARITAL STATUS 2 Married COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men) CARD NUMBER # # BOX NUMBER 1467 1467 FILM REEL NUMBER 7.38# 7.38#

Then there's the Spanish edition, blue with orange lines...

Leak Onitz Art Salt Buckshot LaFunke

Cedar Walton's tunes are very consistent in their motor habits.

And do the band members have to pick up their checks at the union hall because the leader won't spring for postage stamps? There was a bandleader in KC like that.

Exactly. In every post-Camarillo Bird performance I can recall, he plays the "composed" version of those four-bar spaces. Pretty much the same every time. It's the superior version to my ears.

John Hinckley Velma Dinkley Slinky

Just keep telling yourself: It's only a Hal Leonard book. It's only a Hal Leonard book. It's only a Hal Leonard book. It's only a Hal Leonard book. It's only a Hal Leonard book. It's only a Hal Leonard book.

Up, because the book is finally out. The actual publication date is Jan. 23, 2006. Not recommended -- dry as dust -- but what do I know?

Wasn't it adapted for drums from a lick Ray Crawford played on guitar with Ahmad Jamal? Don't have time to look this up right now, but I think that's mentioned in the Miles/Troupe alleged autobiography. Or maybe it's Philly Joe's interview in Arthur Taylor's book.

Paging Chris Burnett ... please pick up the red courtesy phone ... Chris Burnett, AAJ columnist and occasional Big O poster, is the reigning authority on all things Alaadeen. He's also the maintainer of alaadeen.com.

Cher Sonny Newt Gingrich