MartyJazz

My sister, coincidentally also named Lynne, has been recommending this book. I guess I'll pick it up rather soon.

Mentioned very early in this thread is one Shafi Hadi who graced a couple of late '50s Mingus sides. Elsewhere, e.g., as a sideman on a Hank Mobley Blue Note session, he was known as Curtis Porter.

January 6th. Recorded on this date: 1) 1956, Teddy Charles leads a large group that includes Art Farmer, Gigi Gryce, J.R. Monterose who play arrangements by George Russell and Gil Evans in a major part of this album: 2) 1961, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis & Johnny Griffin perform live at Minton's: 3) 2000, John Scofield begins a 3 day recording session with Kenny Garrett, Brad Mehldau and Billy Higgins for this album:

Last week I stopped by a CD Warehouse in North Palm Beach with my 13 year old daughter as I promised to let her indulge in her taste for ©rap (ugh!) at 2nd hand, used prices. To my surprise, I found two keepers in the limited jazz bins: 1) Shelly Manne: STEPS TO THE DESERT, a 1962 Contemporary recording of a quintet (featuring Teddy Edwards, Shorty Rogers, Victor Feldman) that celebrates Jewish and Israeli songs (!) Never heard "Hava Nagila" performed quite like that. The CD cooks and is a most pleasant surprise as I had never been aware of the recording beforehand. The price $5.99 plus tax. 2) Dave Douglas: STARGAZER, a 1996 Arabesque recording of a sextet (featuring Chris Speed and Uri Caine) performing music by and for Wayne Shorter. Definitely one of the more cooking and accessible discs by this controversial trumpeter. Price, even better, at $3.99 plus tax. No discernible scuffs, marks, scratches, etc. on either disc.

Did you see some of those names for the Lifetime Achievement Award, like Led Zeppelin? How many CDs make up the entire LZ output so as to merit "lifetime" achievement awards? How about some people who have consistently put out superior product in far greater number and are still around, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Max Roach to cite just three examples? (If any of the three musicians cited have been so honored, I stand corrected however I doubt it).

Play a little of that CD-R of the out of print Bennie Wallace session I sent you and have a very happy one. (We first week of January newborns have a tough time celebrating after being all partied out from Christmas and New Year's).

So when do we get the answers to BFT #20? I have a feeling Big Al will be posting his answers to BFT #21 first especially in so far as BFT #22 is currently being sent out.

A creative friend of mine who has since passed away once took apart a cheap watch and artistically inserted letters on the face of the watch. Once in a while I would wear it and whenever I would reflexively look at my wrist to see what time it was, I would read those letters instead. It said, "NOW'S THE TIME". And I would always chuckle. And damn, I've lost (or seriously misplaced) that watch.

Also recorded on January 5th: 1) 1954, Billie Holiday live in Koln, Germany with her trio and guests that included Buddy DeFranco, Sonny Clark and Red Norvo 2) 1954, Lee Konitz Quartet with Ronnie Ball live at the Storyville Club, Boston 3) 1990, Geri Allen group that included Marcus Belgrave & Kenny Garrett, the first day of a two day session, THE NURTURER (Blue Note) 4) 1999, Brad Mehldau Trio, BACK AT THE VANGUARD, first night of a week's engagement, aka ART OF THE TRIO, VOL. 4

QUOTE Track 2: doorbells galore and more theatrical big band. does the guy on alto have a name? QUOTE His solo is one of the.... er, "main" reasons this track is on here! Duh, could it be Joe Maini?

Was it Phil Woods? After that one is solved, perhaps someone knows the answer to this one (not too difficult): "The motherfucker died before we could get even".

January 4th. Recorded on this date: 1) 1956, Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet with Sonny Rollins records Gertrude's Bounce Step Lightly (Junior's Arrival) Powell's Prances 2) 1973, Cedar Walton Quartet with Clifford Jordan, live at "Boomer's", NYC 3) 1983, Craig Harris Quintet with George Adams (1st day of session that ends 1/13) 4) 1997, Jacky Terrasson with Cassandra Wilson (1st day of session that ends 3 months later)

As another birthday - this one a milestone of sorts or so I've been told - draws to a close, I'd like to thank one and all here for wishing me a happy one. Many thanks in particular to Brownie who let me know what was actually recorded - by the Duke no less (!) - on the day I was born. I've always wanted to know that.

January 3rd. Lots of good stuff recorded on this day 1) 1947, Count Basie & Orchestra record "Bill's Mill" and "Brand New Wagon" (RCA Victor) 2) 1949, METRONOME ALL STARS featuring Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Lennie Tristano, etc. record long and short takes of "Victory Ball" and "Overtime" (RCA Victor) 3) 1958, Gene Ammons group with John Coltrane on alto sax record for Prestige: Ammons' Joy Groove Blues The Real McCoy It Might As Well Be Spring 4) 1963, AMERICANS IN EUROPE (Impulse) featuring Don Byas, Bud Powell, Idrees Sulieman and other groups led by Bill Smith, Kenny Clarke and others perform a terrific concert in Koblenz, Germany 5) 1969, John Carter-Bobby Bradford Quartet (West Coast Hot) 6) 1977, Tete Montoliu (Blues for Myself on Ensayo) 7) 1988, Branford Marsalis (Trio Jeepy - recorded thru 1/4) 8) Danilo Perez (Panamonk - recorded thru 1/4)

January 2nd. Recorded on this day: 1) 1961, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Tokyo concert, vol. 1 of which is seen here. 2) 1962, Coleman Hawkins Quartet with Tommy Flanagan.

Aside from the vocal versions mentioned previously in this thread, I would recommend the following: On "Stella...", Ella Fitzgerald does a wonderful rendition on the cd, CLAP HANDS, HERE COMES CHARLIE (Verve). For both "Stella..." and "Green Dolphin Street", check out of all people, Tony Bennett on a wonderful anthology of tunes associated with jazz that he recorded between 1954 and 1967, backed variously by people like Art Blakey, Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Herbie Hancock, etc. The title of the CD fittingly is JAZZ (Columbia). I hope it's still available.

This would be heaven for me:

As I mentioned in an earlier post listening to Shaw when I was barely a teenager over 45 years ago was the start of a lifelong passion for the music that we discuss so avidly here. As a Shaw collector, I too always felt that Shaw did protest too much about fame and having to play songs that pleased the masses, a point that Gunther Schuller also elaborates upon in his great analytical work, THE SWING ERA (see p698, paperback ed.). The proof of his insincerity to me occurred when I picked up the Book of the Month Club LP box of his last Gramercy 5 sides. Even though Shaw had paid to record these sides ostensibly for purely musical reasons, he still saw fit to record yet another version of "Begin the Beguine", the song that catapulted him to fame but one which he continually appeared to resent at least in print. Despite his personality which could be so off putting to so many - see what Gene Lees has to say about Shaw in a whole chapter he dovotes to him in his MEET ME AT JIM & ANDY'S - the man made marvelous music and was simply the greatest clarinetist ever IMO. And for those who particularly enjoy his short-lived boppish band of 1949, check out the work of the '44-45 band that featured Roy Eldridge, Dodo Marmarosa, Herbie Steward and Barney Kessel. Lots of terrific, forward-looking sides with wonderful arrangements by Buster Harding, George Siravo, Ray Conniff and others. HEP records has put out a three CD box of this outfit that is well, well worth getting.

Apropos of that, I read an interview within the last two years where he discussed how he appreciated Brad Mehldau's playing. The guy was open to experience his entire lifetime which probably accounts in some measure for his lengthy stay on this earth, despite the fact he could be quite prickly in his personal relationships. See Gene Lees regarding that point. In any event, when my father brought home Shaw's "Moonglow" RCA LP which contained 12 of his best known tracks recorded between 1938 and 1940, I became instantly hooked on first swing, and then of course later manifestations of jazz. But I've always been a Shaw enthusiast my entire life. Aside from his prodigious musicianship, the man led quite an enviable personal life (if one could discount the inevitable dismay and heartbreak that accompanies parting and divorce). Marriages to Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Kathleen Windsor, Evelyn Keyes, etc. RIP indeed.

No, you heard somebody say Noel Coward, but the one time he blew an alto is a story that doesn't belong in this thread

December 30th. Recorded on this day: 1) 1960, Coleman Hawkins (Night Hawk, with Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis): 2) 1963, Thelonious Monk (Big Band and Quartet in Concert): 3) 1996, Dave Douglas (Stargazer, music by and dedicated to Wayne Shorter):

I've also been digging a lot of mid '50s Lennie Niehaus lately. These OJCs are all very good.

John Handy! I'm referring to his Roulette and Columbia sessions as well as his sideman dates with Charles Mingus. (He made some pretty awful commercial sides later on).

There are some actors, performers, that one perhaps inexplicably, feels an attachment to. In my case, Jerry Orbach was definitely one of them. From what one could gather from interviews both in print and on TV, he seemed to be a real mensch. In all the films and stage appearances that I was fortunate to see him, he had a real presence. I'll miss seeing him.

December 29th. Recorded on this day: 1) 1953, Oscar Pettiford Sextet with Charles Mingus: 2) 1958, Chico Hamilton chamber jazz group with Eric Dolphy, 1st day of a 2 day session: 3) 1961, Yusef Lateef Quartet with Barry Harris and Elvin Jones: 4) 1963, Bobby Hutcherson records THE KICKER with Joe Henderson and Duke Pearson: 5) 1979, Steve Lacy Trio with Dennis Charles: and as mentioned previously, Bud Powell's THE SCENE CHANGES (1958)