Brownian Motion

Bastard Out of Carolina Jesse Helms Strom Thurmond

Nicholas Roeg Albert Nicholas Louis Malle

Why was Dupree Bolton imprisoned?

What's interesting to me is how much more creative and inspired Jabbo was in 1961 than many of the New York City-based swing trumpet players of that era. It's our loss that he waited until the 1970s to make his comeback

Jabbo sings on about half a dozen of the cuts, mostly wordless scatting. He's a fine scat singer. He also plays some mellophone on one cut, and what I believe is a euphonium on another. Frank Chace, btw, is a slavish devotee of Pee Wee Russell, which, interestingly, makes him Jabbo's near-perfect foil

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/business...;pagewanted=all

I'm a fan of Jabbo's, but I until last week had no idea that these sessions existed. They were produced by guitarist Marty Grosz, who plays strong rhythm guitar throughout. The complete sessions (2) are presented here with all takes and false starts, and although Jabbo had been out of music for years by 1961 he plays very well and very movingly on a nice selection of standards. Also heard are clarinetist Frank Chace (mis-named "Fred" in the liner notes), bass saxophonist John Dengler, and guitarist Mike McKendrick. If you like Jabbo this is an album worth having.

Mr. Peepers Five Little Peppers Peter Piper

Johnny Blowers Johnny Got His Gun Dalton Trumbo

I've been looking for those 4 McPartland sides on CD for years. I'm pretty sure they never made it to CD, not even on the Classics label. Damn.

Fuller Bop Man A K Salim Tadd Dameron Harlan Leonard Fred Beckett Fred Becker

Harry Piel Bert Piel Mr. Hooper

Reverend Norman J. O'Connor Boyce Brown Brother Matthew

Ladonna Harris Barry Harris Harry Barris

I'm not sure who some of these folks are, but it looks to me as if Boots gets credit for the first real jazz version. Unfortunately, Boots' recording is an unmitigated disaster: the arrangement sucks, the band executes raggedly, and the soloists are semi-pros. Worst of all they play it at a velocity more suitable to "Bugle Call Rag" than a wistful ballad. Not hard to see why Boots and His Gang remained a regional band.

I really liked this one, too, with its fine Shorty Baker solo. I received the record when I joined the Columbia Record Club back in high school days, many years ago. I notice that the current reissue has an alternate take of Willow. I'm tempted.

Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then?

Ann Ronell, although a prolific songsmith, never wrote anything to rival "Willow Weep for Me" as a vehicle for improvisation. Indeed, her authorship itself is in some doubt From Wikipedia: "Ronell was romantically involved with George Gershwin at the time she wrote her most famous song, "Willow Weep for Me" and speculation in the New York City composer community is that Gershwin actually wrote the song and gave her the copyright as a gift. However, this has never been proven and is still, at this point, based on the striking similarities in the song to the blues-inflected style of Gershwin." I'm sitting here listening to Herb Hall's version of this great song. A song search on Amazon returns 1461 hits. Anyone have a favorite version?

Lanny Budd Molly Bloom Bill Withers

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- Sculptor Robert Graham, whose massive bronze works mark civic monuments across America, including the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, has died at 70. His 18-foot monument to jazz great Charlie Parker, depicting the musician's head above the words ''Bird Lives,'' is in Kansas City, Mo. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2008/12/28...-Graham.html?hp

Among other things I received a lifetime supply of dried persimmons. About a pound.

Nice remembrance of Bobby. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/magazine...ml?ref=magazine

Ernest Hemingway Hart Crane Youngblood Hawke

Orange Julius William of Orange Betelgeuse

Tom Turnipseed Mr. Potato Head Miss Peach