clifford_thornton

I'll second that one. How about Homer reading/singing the Iliad to hand drums and Greek lute?

I could swear I saw that on CD somewhere... but likewise, can't remember the label or where I saw it. Gots to be out there, though.

Me (I play 'cello), Patty Waters and Becky Friend. 'Course, wouldn't hurt that they were/are sixties free jazz goddesses...

Hmm... that does look interesting too. I guess it's worth picking up that "Drums of Passion" LP; the price and interest sound matched. Nice story, Rimshot. Thanks.

Talk to Brandon Burke about donating some of your collection (especially things they don't already have) to the KU Jazz Library. I've already willed my stuff to them (and I'm only 27!)... That way, it won't be picked over (it's appointment only) and will be guaranteed proper care by jazz fans, musicologists, and students.

OK, maybe this should be in the "Vinyl Frontier," but here goes... I should know this by now, but how is this LP? I saw one sitting in a local shop, cover in good shape with the LP (original DG mono) still sealed in its plastic baggie for $15. Is this one of those 'exotica'-marketed slabs or is it a record worthy of merit outside the party scenario? I know he and Coltrane were tight, so...

The two Oxley CBS records are very different from one another; "Baptised Traveller" is the most 'straight' Oxley recording I know of (not counting the Ronnie Scott and Gordon Beck dates). You might like early Spontaneous Music Ensemble records like "Challenge" (reissued on Emanem), or the Howard Riley CBS records. The first couple of Ray Russell albums ("Turn Circle" and "Dragon Hill") might hit the spot for that reflective-yet-tough freebop sound. Tenorist Alan Skidmore's "TCB," on Philips and recently cut to CD, might also be of interest. But as for Oxley, I'd give "Four Compositions" another listen, as well as his later dates for RCA-Victor, Incus and other labels. The process of his composition is interesting, especially since he revisits some of the tunes later in different contexts. Enjoy.

I just read a post on another board that the wonderful drummer Walter "MJT" Perkins had just passed. If so, that's truly sad. He'd gone from playing soul-jazz to free, a truly all-encompassing career. He'll be missed. May he rest in peace. Any thoughts on Walter from the peanut gallery?

That is some mighty good yoghurt, I must say. I like the vanilla, personally. Some granola sprinkled on top... Not to stray too much from the subject at hand, of course...

...unless, of course, augmented by Braxton's contrabass clarinet.

Word on that... No Potts for Late? There's a really fine and very tough solo that he takes on Francois Tusques' Shandar LP, "Intercommunal Music." It steals the show, and takes up a considerable amount of the LP's first side. Worth hearing. I think his off-kilter rhythmic approach meshes well with Lacy (and with the Tusques-Murray juggernaut), but indeed, it's not as 'precise' as Lacy's. He should stick to alto, though.

Wait, didn't I see you do that to the Curtis Fuller LP you just sold?

I completely agree. GOLDMINE lists a mono copy of Jackie McLean Destination Out at all of $30 so we can conclude that they're way off. Yeah but Brandon, you know you were glad that Love Garden used it!

I dunno, I waaaay prefer "Ghetto Music" over "Black Rhythm Happening." The former is harder, and that transition from the plaintive folk melody to the ensemble playing on "The Rain" kills me every time. $.02 anyway.

Not that it's really 'jazz' per se, but all those turntables and laptop computers in modern 'improv' really annoy the shit out of me... ugh! I can imagine Maneri and Cecil would suck, if only 'cos Mat Maneri sucks. Last time I saw him he just sat on stage with a Heineken and a ciggie while Rob Brown and Whit Dickey went at it... what a poser.

I played the crap out of "Change of the Century" (Ornette) and "Four for Trane" (Shepp)... the classics always get jammed the most.

I've always had a soft spot for Grachan Moncur III, but Peter & Pepi Lemer are pretty great too... Of course, we can't forget the mysterious one-named percussionists: Robidoo Groentje (pronounced "Grain-chee") Djibrill Sahumba (AKA Raleigh Sahumba, but Sahumba for short) Adeyeme and: Ostaine Blue Warner (another mysterious percussionist)

Fuck this shit; I was watching the halftime show and didn't even notice anything. I guess I'm desensitized to portrayals of skin by half-baked pop stars, but really, that cartoon posted earlier hits the nail on the head... Don't I have a Michel Portal record on CBS? My, how things have changed!

While Hutcherson is the obvious choice (his importance in the instrument's history) and Dickerson is a great player as well, I picked Teddy Charles. He's a great bandleader and arranger, and his quirky phrasing has more warmth than Walt's. He's an unsung hero of the instrument whose recordings with the PJQ, the Tentet and his "Jazz in the Garden" should not be missed. Whither Karl Berger? His first recording, albeit on piano, was in '64 I believe, and his dates with Don Cherry and as a leader for ESP and Milestone are great advances in the freebop tradition. Nice to see mention of Naughton and Hoggard, two very interesting players of the '70s. OTIC on... Al Francis and Earl Griffiths each made scant recordings as sidemen, but showed great direction on the vibes early in the decade. Lest we forget the great showing of Charles Moffett on the vibes for his own Savoy date ('68)? He's not often thought of as a vibist, but he was really something.

A buddy of mine has the Chris McGregor "Brotherhood of Breath" on Neon 8-track. Needless to say, it hurts my feelings...

Considering that an "EX" copy of that record (in Stereo, mind you) went for around $150 on eBay recently, I'd say $25 is reasonable if it's not too marked up. I'm all for vinyl, and usually buy LPs as 'upgrades' from CDs. But then I get to work and find I have nothing to listen to...

Reece does a lot of Cherry-esque fluffs and things like that here; it's an odd date, especially considering the instrumentation. All of his BNs are excellent...

Schweizer is amazing and rather underrated in the continuum of free European pianists. For some of her earlier recordings, I recommend the trio with Pierre Favre and Peter Kowald, "Santana" (on a private LP as well as an FMP reissue), the Favre quartet on Wergo (which adds Evan Parker on his usual axes), and any of FMP LPs of the 70s -- especially those involving the powerhouse saxophonist Rudiger Carl (sort of in between Brotzmann and Parker on tenor). Hopefully the Atavistic UMS-FMP reissue series will hit some of these superb titles.

Here are the titles for the Roling series... I'll post the link when it's all done. Albert Ayler "Spirits" (unissued?) Carla Bley-Mike Mantler "Jazz Realities" Paul Bley "Touching" Paul Bley "Blood" Dollar Brand "Anatomy of a South African Village" Marion Brown "Juba-Lee" Ted Curson "Urge" Ted Curson-Bill Barron "Tears for Dolphy" Jazz Composers' Orchestra "Communication" Rod Levitt "Dynamic Sound Patterns" (unissued?) New York Art Quartet "Mohawk" New York Contemporary Five "Consequences" Dewey Redman "Look for the Black Star" George Russell "The Outer View" Archie Shepp-John Tchicai "Rufus" Cecil Taylor "Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come" Any additons/corrections?

Well, as I think I've said somewhere else, Jazz/free music (and 'modern classical')saved me from the boredom that I was experiencing with (even progressive) rock... but now, my ears are back on open to a lot of rock... classic stuff like the Byrds, Neil Young, early Dead, etc. Also bought back all that SY, some of the Minutemen and the like and am enjoying it heartily once again. SY were great (can't say I like the newer stuff), and Thurston's improvised stuff isn't all that bad either. Hmm, what else -- early acoustic blues, bohemian whi'boy acoustic blues (Takoma Records), Brigitte Fontaine and the Daniel Vallencien/Saravah crew, Canterbury prog, some Krautrock, Parson Sound/Trad Gras och Stenar, generally anything really skronky gets me goin'. I've actually been listening to less jazz lately, and I know when I go back to it, my ears will be expanded once again.