clifford_thornton

Brandon, I think those Getz-Tjader sets have different tracks between the two of them. Fingered 'em both at one point, I think.

I'm a little suspicious of all the electronic stuff that was mentioned earlier, but I see now I have to get serious about Vesala and Aaltonen at the very least. Thanks!

John Hicks made his first appearance on the Sonny Simmons LP "Staying on the Watch" (ESP, 1966). He tears it up on that one, for sure. Apparently he was so young that his dad sat in on the session to make sure no funny business happened.

The Great Concert of Chas. Mingus (America), LP 2. You'll be pleased to know, Sidewinder, that this follows a cranked-up jam of Surman's "How Many Clouds Can You See?". Traded my Westbrook RCAs; maybe I should find 'em and give 'em another shot.

Sealed Valdo? Shiiit...

I'd like some recommendations too, for sure. Always been curious about Aaltonen, and have heard a little Vesala - he's a great drummer. Maybe someone will reissue the Brotzmann-Aaltonen-Kowald-Vesala record, Hot Lotta, which I've heard is mind-blowing. Any sites or people that you guys recommend?

I suspect it's a version of Alan Shorter's "Mephistopheles" that appeared on the ZYX reissue. It's a heavy, heavy track and for some reason appeared with the wrong title "Exhibition," which was the Bennie Maupin piece that was supposed to be there.

Well, I'd say you couldn't find me at Starbucks, but I just had one the other day. CT

Nate: Is your Tusques review appearing in the March issue of PT?

The Bley is his electronic stuff - long Moog tones and squeaks with Bennink rustling around it. Pretty weird, but not bad. The title track is the better of the two, imho. I suppose technically there is another Bley on America, but I don't think it'll be part of this series (Hillcrest recording). The Rudd is excellent - a bit reminiscent of Mohawk but with Moholo instead of Milford on drums (they actually play similarly here) and a particularly good pickup Scandinavian bassist, Finn von Eyben. Get it! Cheers, CT PS: Nate, thanks for the "props."

For my 2 cents, I haven't listened to as much McPhee as many of the posters here. Particularly fond of Tenor and the trio with Mike Kull and whomever else could be found in town on drums (Harold E. Smith; Makaya Ntshoko). Not much for Po Music, though I like Boni and McPhee in other contexts. His sound has gotten more impenetrable over the years, even more difficult to quantify than Lacy's, and maybe that's why I find his music hard to listen to. But Tenor is a motherfucker.

And here I thought this was going to be another "lor." thread!

Gone are the days when Columbia would sign Burton Greene as a tax write-off!

Yeah, but if we're talkin' Sonic Youth covers, I'll take Pettibon over Richter any day.

That is the same sign that's on the cover too. I went and checked. Wild!

Mutha Fucka!!!

Autobiographies? Have you ever read Cecil's or Ornette's liner notes?!?

Hentoff, Giddins, Corbett (sometimes, when he's not being hoity-toity), and Whitehead's pretty good.

I dunno, I interviewed Marshall for AAJ and he was really lucid and had a lot of his own things to say, not necessarily Ra-related. I mean really, you have to assume that the BF-test is a little flawed and loaded towards certain answers. Also, the Ellington-Ra connection would make me think that Jeep is more on the forefront of his brain, and Bird and Jeep don't always sound that dissimilar - especially on ballads. And especially when you consider recording sources, which can mar distinctions.

I agree about the lack of early titles on CD. Nice reissues with detailed liner notes (shit, a lot of us don't have anything better to do - why don't they ask us?) would be helpful. Barre Phillips' "For All it Is" (Japo) really, really needs a reissue. That record is one of the most unique and joyous listening experiences you'll ever have, period.

I loved that Will Ferrell scene - fucking hilarious!!! As for films, well, there's always Michael Snow's "New York Eye & Ear Control" starring the music of Albert Ayler and featuring John Tchicai in a starring role. Depictions of Tchicai, Ayler, Peacock, Murray and the whole gang on film - beautiful, classic stuff. And it's not really a 'documentary' but a piece of film that walks the line between structural and post-structural concerns. Great date flick!

Clean Feed, from Lisbon, is a force to be reckoned with. Over 40 discs in about two years, most free or avant-garde, and many from Portuguese players most of us have never heard of. Great, great roster of superbly-recorded and very 'alive' sessions. www.cleanfeed-records.com Check it!!!

The Japanese free jazz scene is very, very rich, and has been well-documented by labels like PSF, Alm, Trio-Nadja, etc. A few names: Masahiko Togashi (d), Kaoru Abe (as), Sabu Toyozumi (d), Motohiro Yoshizawa (b). Heavy stuff, particularly Abe.

Anything with Don Ellis from the early '60s is a motherfucker, and should be heard. That includes George Russell records, but y'all knew that anyway... Sidewinder, I don't think Simmons' "Rumasuma" is on CD, and the LP is very, very hard to find.

"Black Suite" was #49, "Scorpio" was #50. Both were hijacked from America, so I would think that they might come out as America/Universal CDs before BYGspots. The Coursils and Jones are some of the best from that period, for sure. I'm wondering if they will reissue the Joachim Kuhns or the Acting Trio. Kuhns are pretty good and pretty odd; Acting Trio (buncha heavily obscure French cats, tenor player Philippe Mate the only one of any real recording pedigree) is way, way out. Like Brotzmann playing Stockhausen... except 'French.'