clifford_thornton

Huh. YMMV. I feel like his 60s and 70s recordings are often excellent. Not all of them, mind you, but a lot of them.

I don't really have much of a problem with Brubeck's music for what it is, as long as I don't expect it to be anything more. It swings in an off-kilter way, and is interesting and inventive. But it lacks the multiple levels of engagement that, for me, sustain interest and encourage further invention.

I agree that Alto Summit is a better record than Altissimo, though the latter does have the intriguing rhythm section of Joachim Kühn, Palle Danielsson and Han Bennink... LK is probably right about LK I'd want to say that Lee Konitz is "freer" than Desmond, the implications of which could vary depending on your perspective. Or, to put it in Sonic Youth terms, "Lee Is Free."

yeah that is a Qbico/Sagittarius A-Star boot from the WKCR Musicians' Show, which you can stream from the WKCR site for free. The guy who runs those labels is a problem person, to say the least.

I have that Altissimo record - curious one for sure. It was issued in Japan on Philips, not particularly well-known but worth hearing. And for Lestorian tenor these days, one should look no further than Ted Brown, who's still playing and is an embodiment of that history.

I agree with you though I've listened to a lot more Konitz than Desmond. I can remember hearing the Desmond/Mulligan record on Verve (which oddly I still don't own) and thinking it was Konitz at one point! As far as critical writing on the subject, I've not seen any, but it stands to reason there'd be something out there. Sure, Bach's motivic/rhythmic approach does seem to inform both. I'm thinking of the cello suites especially, but the forms in those works certainly were a granular part of something much larger.

Interesting re: Pelzer. I should read that book.

Robert Wood - Tarot - (Edici, FR)

Leo Kottke - 12-String Blues (Live at the Scholar) - Oblivion, US orig

Have or have had all the Strata-East LPs here - missing a copy of the Payne right now, for some reason - but thanks for bringing this up again, as I really want to check out the Ware and Blackwell Frontier dates. I like Izipho Zam quite a bit, but recognize that it's not everyone's cuppa.

From an interview I did with Sunny Murray in 2003 for All About Jazz.

I recall reading somewhere that he and Frank Wright hung out a lot towards the end of Baker's life.

Mal Waldron - with the Steve Lacy Quintet - (America, FR) Mal would've been 90 today.

lots.

has Kalaparusha been mentioned? I can still hear his tenor sound wafting through the 14th St.-Union Square subway terminal. Nice guy. Had some really rough times.

^ Agreed with you on H & F to an extent; maybe they know one another too well at this point? I like the Thirsty Ear disc quite a bit, though. It's well-recorded and the choice of tunes is good. They start off with Dolphy's "17 West," and Reid storms on this one. It's clearly her record throughout. I've heard some very good Jeff Parker but I've also heard a number of things that didn't sit well and were a little too 'gauzy' for my tastes. That might actually be majority and I am not sure Reid's music would benefit from that approach. Rosaly is strong, inventive, and fun to watch live - I'm not sure if he's been captured on record as well as I've seen him play, though.

Excellent article; I have the recent archival LP, which is awesome, and the two Emanem LPs (really good too).

tempted to unload mine too. same condition.

I have most of it on LP and/or CD already but there are a few outlying sessions that I think I'm missing. Much fantastic music here. I'm somewhat tempted to consolidate and get the Mosaic.

Tomeka Reid Quartet on Thirsty Ear. Maybe out this fall? I have a review copy and it's very strong. Working band is as above.

It's odd to me that though he lives in Bastrop, Austin jazz players haven't sought him out too much. Maybe he prefers being off the scene? I know he could probably show people a few things, and tell them a few more. Jazzman CD issue of the Soulmasters album is cheap: http://www.discogs.com/sell/release/2504671?ev=rb

100% agreed. The new record is really nice.

never heard of that. Details? Looks like I have an email date with Sabu himself coming together. All questions will be answered, I hope. But this tidbit stands out: apparently he was one of Hamid Drake's teachers in the 1970s.

P-Vine = boot as far as my experience goes.

^ indeed, fantastic unit.