MartyJazz

Glad I finally got to see him when I visited the Pacific Northwest back in the summer of '04. He and Cyrus Chestnut duetted at the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival one Sunday afternoon. Extremely enjoyable set. Aside from the music, I recall Morgan having a few very praiseworthy words about Abbey Lincoln who had preceded him on stage. A real gentleman as well as a fine saxophonist.

"Behind the scenes" is correct in more ways than one. RC did not sing with the orchestra for this date(s), her vocals being added subsequently to the orchestral tracks. For some reason I can't pin down, I can't enjoy it as much as I do when I can visualize the singer performing in real time with the musicians behind her (him).

Lee Konitz: OLEO (Sonet), 1975 trio (drummerless) date with Dick Katz & Wilbur Little

I'm pretty sure that one is a re-packaged Storyville title that I got a couple of years ago. Very fine, mostly standards and ballads, the sound was exceptional, too. I actually transferred the audio part to CDR. Actually, including the one Jim is curious about, there are three Lockjaw DVDs available on the CD Universe site. As all were recorded in Copenhagen, I suspect that there is much duplication (as well as "triplication") among the three. CD Universe provides discographical data on only one of the titles. Can anyone point to which one is the best, i.e., the most "complete" to get? The three on the site are: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6070908 http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...amp;style=movie

I hope she at least likes you.

I caught this band often on Monday nights at the Vanguard, circa 1970-72. The featured tenor soloist then was Billy Harper.

Jimmy Heath: TRIPLE THREAT (Riverside) Heath signed this LP for me when he appeared locally the other day. Is this one reissued on CD? P.S. Just now checked the Concord site. It has been reissued.

I'm kicking myself for not giving a few southeast Floridians on this board a heads up about this marvelous event that took place last night. For a little over an hour beginning at 5:30 PM, Heath appeared with a local rhythm section (featuring Dolph Castellano on piano) at a workshop class where the quartet played "Green Dolphin Street", "All the Things...." and "Bags Groove". In between, Heath answered assorted questions, technical and otherwise, from the audience. This was free to the public. Afterwards he graciously signed one of my early Riverside LPs. At 8 PM, at a concert that was priced at only $10 (!!) to the public, he then appeared for the 2nd set with a big band that is simply known as the "Tuesday Night Big Band". All I can say is that everyone was fabulous and it was obvious that this was a well rehearsed performance. Heath's charts ("including his own "Project S", "Gemini", "Gingerbread Boy") were played with much verve and conviction and it was very apparent that Heath was quite pleased. A terrific night out. And BTW, Jimmy Heath soloed with a sound and swagger that belied his years. Next time I learn of a major jazz figure appearing with this band at this venue (I missed Slide Hampton's appearance with this group last year), I'll be sure to post early enough.

I had no problem with "the Sopranos" ending. Comparing a 6 year+ TV series that couldn't possibly be neatly tied up in a bow to a 2 hour movie is not valid. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS (Don't read further if you intend to see "No Country......"): One of the plot problems I had with this film is that the bulk of it is taken up with an intricate, hugely suspense-filled cat and mouse chase between Anton and Moss. All of a sudden, we learn that Moss is taken out, off camera, by a third party. WTF????? We're simply shown Sheriff Bell discovering the body. What then follows is a painfully boring, galling scene of the old man with the cats waxing philosophical for what seemed like an interminable amount of precious screen time. Please! Then, I guess to show the whimsicality of what can happen in this universe, Anton is sideswiped out of nowhere by someone completely unrelated to the story, only to hobble off, I guess, to create some future kind of murderous mayhem. Bell then closes off this disastrous ending of a film with a monolog while sitting at home with the wife. Credits then roll. I have absolutely no desire to read Cormac McCarthy's novel (and I'm a reader) to attempt to understand this ending. Walked out of the theater muttering. Perhaps the joke is on the viewer. When the deputy earlier in the film says to Bell, "It's a mess, ain't it, sheriff?" and he replies, "If it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here", Bell was actually referring to the ending of the film.

I love Coen Brothers films and was eager to see this one which I did this past weekend. For over an hour and a half, it was riveting and I agree with all the reviews that praise the Coens and their collaborators for their filmmaking prowess. Acting, especially that of Javier Barden whom I've enjoyed in several of his Spanish language films, was great. The fault AFAIAC lies I guess with Cormac McCarthy's novel to which the Coens, I understand, adhered to completely. I didn't at all appreciate much of the philosophical ramblings particularly during the last 20 minutes or so of the film especially in light (NO SPOILERS INTENDED) of this viewer's terribly thwarted expectations. Most of the attendees left the theater muttering to one another and more than a few opined to complete strangers the equivalent of WTF???? The ending IMO is enough to kill the commercial appeal of this film by word of mouth. For my money, "Miller's Crossing", "Fargo", "O Brother, Where Art Thou" and even I daresay, "The Big Lebowski". are my favorite Coen Brothers endeavors.

A great book to read about Wilder, if a little lengthy (600+ pages), is Ed Sikov's "On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder" (Hyperion). My favorite Wilder films: "Double Indemnity", "Stalag 17", "Some Like it Hot", "The Apartment", "One, Two, Three" and "The Fortune Cookie". He was a tremendous director and a great wit as well.

I gather you didn't much care for "Blood Simple", "Miller's Crossing", "Fargo", "The Man Who Wasn't There" either. They all have their fair share of violence but are in varying degrees, wonderful Coen Brothers films.

He did make a wonderful duet recording with George Coleman.

Check out Max Bruch's Violin Concerto for a classical piece that really "cooks". The version I recommend is the 1962 RCA Victor Red Seal recording of Heifetz with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London. Absolutely thrilling!

On CD, I like the Telarc recording featuring Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra

Charlie Parker - "Little Willie Leaps" Sonny Rollins - "Street Runner with Child" John Coltrane - "Spiral" Joe Henderson - "Jinrikisha" Wayne Shorter - "Children of the Night" Dexter Gordon - "Fried Bananas" Sam Rivers - "Fuchsia Swing Song" Charles Mingus - "Ysabel's Table Dance" Tadd Dameron - "On a Misty Night" Kenny Dorham - "Minor's Holiday" Thelonious Monk - "Four in One" McCoy Tyner - "Passion Dance" Andrew Hill - "Le Serpent Qui Danse" Cedar Walton - "Turquoise Twice" Grachan Moncur - "The Coaster" Curtis Fuller - "Arabia"

You did understand that Alexander was referring to a jaded expectation of winning, not literally changing allegiance, right? Because I don't see why you would find that "ridiculous". Do you think that the team won't continue to win with some regularity? Every fan base has its subset of assholes, what makes it ridiculous to think that our assholes haved started acting like Yankee fans? No, I didn't understand it as you explain it. I took it literally. My bad.

Some thoughts: The idea raised by Alexander that some Sox fans might turn into Yankee fans is absolutely ridiculous. As far as A-Rod is concerned, I can't for the life of me understand his thinking. While his numbers for the past season were stupendous, he still shanked the postseason as usual. Additionally, any of the "money" teams who would even consider what he's asking for would also have to pony up millions in luxury taxes. The Yanks were prepared to make him an offer most of the big money teams would be reluctant to make and that was with some $21 million coming from the Rangers under the old contract. WTF is he thinking? I've never ever rooted for the Dodgers in my life having grown up in NYC when the Dodgers were still in town during my formative years. But now with Torre at the helm, I'd really like to see them at least win the NL West next season. As for Girardi, he's got his work cut out and if the Yanks don't even make the postseason - a definite possibility - after doing it 12 straight seasons under Torre, it will be quite embarrassing. David Ortiz was quite entertaining on Conan O'Brian last night. When Conan asked him what he says to his teammates at the end of a game, he replied, "Go home and get some ass." Even Conan seemed to be taken aback by that.

The last 7 game series was in 2002 (Angels-Giants) and the last 6 game series occurred the following year (Marlins-Yanks). Since then, they've all been rather one sided and dull, this one arguably the most uncompetitive thus far.

Well, it will be interesting to see what the Sox due in the NL park without the DH. It may be sacrilege but I think Big Papi should sit and Youkelis should play. KY is hitting very well and he's very good defensively. In a tight game, Ortiz can be then available to pinch hit, a real plus considering what a great clutch hitter he is. Anyway one looks at it, the Rockies had a nice run but an 8 day layoff combined with their youth and the fact that they're facing the best the AL has to offer has IMO done them in.

Yep, I can't help myself. I've been into baseball a very, very long time and can still painfully recall when the NL had the upper hand, in terms of stars (Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Rose, Gibson, Koufax, Bench, Marichal, and on and on and on), all star game wins, etc. So I've always rooted for the AL whenever the Yanks failed to cop the pennant and, alas, still continue to do so. I guess I'm just like Rudy (in this one respect only ). My wife however, is rooting for the Rockies, i.e., the underdog, which is what I would normally do, all things being equal. I'm pretty sure that since you come from a later era and a headset that's really anti-Yankee, you'd be rooting for the NL if the Yanks were in the Series.

Even the Rockies are admitting as much. Funny, I think if they hadn't run into a pitcher at least as hot as they "were", they wouldn't be saying the layoff hurt, they'd be saying how hot they still are. If Schilling holds them to five runs or less, it will take a minor miracle for them to get their hoped-for split at Fenway, and that four or five game prediction by It Could Be You will be exactly right, only he got the team wrong. According to what I read, Ubaldo Jiminez can really throw the hard stuff, so I wouldn't be so sure that the Rockies can't win if they score 5 or less tonight. If he can somehow match a Beckett performance, a low scoring win is possible.

Actually, he's not far off the mark, even if it is naive. Just considering Naima, Central Park West, Alabama and Lonnie's Lament alone, you've got a helluva ballad canon that I'd put up against almost anyone's in terms of quality, if not quantity. Along with Naima, he's composed a handful of tunes that I'd call standards by this point: Giant Steps, Blue Train, Mr. P.C., Equinox, etc, etc. (and Tunji should be a standard, dammit) And, insofar as standards go, he did a doozy on a few of 'em in his day: My Favorite Things, Russian Lullaby, Bye Bye Blackbird, Out of This World, Lush Life, Body and Soul, and that list goes on, too. I think for the relatively short period he was on this earth, Trane put out a formidable body of work, one that I frequently listen to, especially the Prestige, Atlantic and for my taste, the early Impusle recordings. Still, when one thinks of ballads composed by jazz greats, Duke especially and Monk as well are the main figures that come to (my) mind.

Latest Newsweek issue has an article by Malcolm Jones in praise of Coltrane in terms of his enduring influence some 40 years after his death. While well written as a whole, the author gives away (to me at least) his naivete about jazz with this sentence: "No one ever composed or played a better ballad or standard". Still, the article is worth reading.

You're going to sit Lowell, an excellent 3rd baseman, who is not in a hitting slump and who led the Sox in RBI this past season with 120? I don't think so. No way that happens.