fasstrack

I have that CD. It was a gift and it's wonderful. I recognized that picture of young Segovia immediately. He was kind of the Coleman Hawkins of guitar in that he really put it on the map. There were great guitarists before him, of course, but his fame made it possible to have works commissioned, etc, for guitar. It was taken seriously as a concert instrument post-Segovia. I love that recording I mentioned, Castles in Spain. He had a real feeling for Spanish music. He really makes it sound like folk music---delivered with perfect technique.

I'm not a musician but I've often read that Faure, Debussy and Ravel had a huge influence on the likes of Jobim; it might account for the richer harmony in Brazillian music than, say, Cuban music. Though I know classical influences long predate the Bossa Nova era. You'll find lots of enthusiasm for the Afro-Sambas (in their various recorded guises) on the Brazillian recommendations thread. Baden Powell has been one of the great delights of my discoveries of the last few years. Egberto Gismonti probably fits here too - his latest ECM is even reviewed in the main classical review section of the current Gramophone magazine! Listen to Insensitavez by Jobim, then listen to Chopin's Prelude #4. Jobim knew classical music very well, and was trained as a concert pianist besides in composition. And yes, the harmony is richer than in Afro-Cuban---but not in all cases. They are into some great stuff too. The main difference is in the rhythm---a bit more laid back in Brazil.

I had Julian Bream's Greatest Hits on Vanguard as a teenager----and loved it. I took classical for a minute and worked on Sor's Rondo Allegretto that Bream played. But jazz won, and that's why I'm the rich man I am today I also had Segovia's Castles in Spain and loved that. I have no connection to classical guitar these days except enjoying it when I hear it, but I do play Brazilian music (on electric, not 'viola') and that style really has roots in classical---harmonically and in the hand positions. (Baden Powell: a lot of his pieces were like position studies. A great record: Afro-Sambas.)

That scene from the living room with his parents should be in a movie. A classic........

Hey man, it's no diss at all! If you read my first post I said I'm not really a fan of Trane tunes that are ONLY about the matrix- I think of those cycles as a MEANS to an end, not the end itself. I think Giant Steps et al were exercises to him, ideas/concepts that led him elsewhere. As I said, as far as I'm aware he never did much with those tunes after recording them, but he did assimilate the harmonic aspects into his advancing vocabulary. So I'm essentially agreeing with you, Joel! No ass-kicking from me! (waiting for Sangrey to weigh in on this........ ) Right, he assimilated it. Well put. You know what record I love, where he really put modal devices to good work: Coltrane Plays the Blues. He could really stack those things on a simple structure like Mr. Knight.

I hear you. It can get to be a real obstacle course! In addition to 26-2, I really like the tunes where Trane just drops in a little curve ball on otherwise standard changes, like on the bridge to Body & Soul or the bridge of The Night Has A Thousand Eyes. Just enough to catch your ear, but not so much as to become cumbersome. Interesting to me that McCoy would often opt out of those subs on his solos. I like Spiral, Like Sonny, Moment's Notice. Naima, Alabama, and After the Rain are real compositions and beautiful, especially 'After'. I also meant to add to my original statement that Trane reversed the process----when he went to simpler chord structures on the forms he started hitting you with all kinds of angles on one chord. He was doing that already with Miles and on Prestige but he really brought it out later. This also can wear me out listening. What makes Trane's playing listenable in that phase is that sound, the lyricism, the cry he had in his sound. He was able to make a lot of that stuff sound more melodic than it actually was.

I guess I'll be the wet blanket here by saying Giant Steps changes never did much for me. Trane is a great musician and wanted to expand his harmonic vista, and it's all cool---but when I hear that stuff played usually even at its best it's clever music, a labyrinth. I just like more space to roam around in. It's crowded, that's all, and bugs me a bit. The best Giant Steps solo I've heard in terms of pure musicality (other than Trane himself) was by Tom Harrell on Paul Robertson: Old Friends, New Friends. I think tertial (speaking of pretentiousness modulations are nothing new, maybe they were in jazz at the time. But we've always been like 50 years behind classical music harmonically. And the funny thing is that Trane himself, after reaching his limit with thick chordal structures, opened it up with a much less dense approach---sort of like Debussy after Wagner. BTW, no diss on your thread intended. But I guess let the ass-kicking begin. I'm a big boy.

He has a brother, Jay, played drums. Probably still does. Always annoying me to play in bands. I got to hand it to Warren. He always had bizzarre tastes, but turned that into serious money. Crazy like a fox...... And I dig Zappa myself. He infused much-needed humor into rock and modern classical, etc. We're Only in it For the Money is a classic. 'My hair is getting big in the back'..............(You can hear that on the soundtrack of Medium Cool).

Does anyone remember Warren Cuccarula (sp?)? He appeared in Zappa's band in the 70s in drag as "Sophia Warren"---on rhythm guitar. He kept his mouth shut, did the gig and went on to fame and fortune with his own bands, Duran Duran. Now he's making porn movies, I hear. Nice work if you can get it. Well, sir: Warren and I grew up together in Canarsie. A bunch of us wastrels hung out in his basement ca 1974. He was always wearing me out talking about Zappa this, Zappa that. He was also always playing and writing tunes in, like, 12/18. Since I'm a guitar player and he looked up to me (and couldn't buy me and sell me yet) I was always trying to tell him 'get a foundation in 4/4, learn to play the blues, etc. Good thing he didn't listen to me But then, he had a trans-sexual girlfriend..... So, one day I came calling and asked Mrs. Cuccarulla where Warren might be, and the reply:"Oh, Joel dear, Warren isn't here. He's on the road with Frank Zappa." Not too long after a German film crew came there to film Zappa at Thanksgiving with the Cuccarullas. The funniest thing was when Mrs. Cuccarrulla became such a Zappa groupie, outdoing Warren by miles with Zappa this-and-that her husband finally had his limit. 'alright, goddamnit. I appreciate everything Frank did for us and he's a great guy. But SHUT THE F&*K UP, ACT YOUR AGE----AND MAKE ME SOME GODDAMN EGGS" I haven't seen Warren in at least 30 years and would love to catch up. What a character.

Damn, read the thread title and I thought 'Late Night Records' was a label----and was already trying to get a date

The last time I saw him I was headed to Holland to move there. He said 'have a great life'. That's what he wanted people everywhere to have. That's the way he sounded.

I heard the news yesterday that the great drummer Eddie Locke, originally from Detroit, passed away and am very sad. He was a very special individual. We worked together twice: once with trumpeter John Eckert as leader, in a joint that lasted about thirty seconds. That was a fun gig and John sounded especially good that night. Eddie was really digging it. But the story that I want to relate shows the kind of man Eddie was: I used to put groups together for special events at Mercy College in the NY area. I was asked to do a Black History Month event in Feb. 2002. I got James Chirillo, guitar, John Beal, bass, Eddie, and myself on guitar. I knew we would play for a group of young people unfamiliar with and probably uncaring about jazz. I made a special request to Eddie to talk to these young folks about the jazz life. I got more than I bargained for b/c besides playing with his usual energy, charisma, and great brush work, he spoke to the kids (who were looking, as I predicted, like 'what are these old guys gonna do?') Eddie talked about the way Coleman Hawkins, Red Allen, and Roy Eldridge, etc. adopted and looked after him when he got to town. He really made a point of the idea of jazz musicians as community, then went on to talk about neighborhoods, music education, and other topics with great wisdom and charm. He got into the social origins of jazz as a dance music and mentioned that once during the night they would have a little 'hot time', where they would play solos 'like we did tonight'. I could see the kids warming up after the first tune, girls first. We played well, and I enjoy playing with each of these guys, but it was really Eddie that gave it that special something. We finished with Topsy (it was a tribute to Charlie Christian and other musicians) and by the last tune they were cheering us. We were real jazz messengers that day, and that gig will always be a little special for me. By a miracle a young person recorded the gig on VHS and I had it edited and titles added with the hopes of releasing it commercially, but the video/audio quality was just not good enough for today's persnickety techno-heads. But I promised Loren Schoenberg I would donate it to his Harlem Jazz Museum, and I will. It ends with Eddie saying "you have lovely place here. I must come back"---after tearing it up on Sweet Georgia Brown. For now, those interested can hear a lengthy version of Topsy from that gig at: www.myspace.com/joelfass You can hear we were feeling the spirit. RIP, Eddie Locke. You had a great life.

Just a misprint. I know how his name is spelled.

Is this the brother of the trumpet player Ack Van Rooyen? There are some trmendous musicians still living in or around the Hague. Two others that come to mind are Ferdinand Povel (tenor) and Cees Slinger (piano). I regret I don't know Jerry's music but Ack is a world-class cat. Ferdinand was coaxed by Thad Jones to come to the States but declined. (There were radio orchestras in town then with work).

I went to hear Benny Golson in the spring and his musical mind is ever-evolving. He was touring in support of his latest recording. I don't remember the name, but they played music from it and I highly recommend it.

It doesn't matter to me if they swing or not. I play a lot of their tunes and don't try to do anything but let them be themselves. The melodies are strong and have internal rhythms that work fine as is.

That was a great interview. I was always impressed with his idea of music existing in a universal musical mind which connects people to it culturally/emotionally. It's really not so mystical, but more a matter of what I've always called 'musical memory' in approaching teaching and explaining playing. Bill goes it one better by stating that he'd rather make art out of universally accepted materials than to merely shock or be 'new'. His level of creativity and innovation within perimeters he gladly accepted bore that out.

And since I decided that it would be worthy to chronicle the many notable comments on his brethren: T-shirts with the insignia I WAS DISSED BY DONALDSON Hey, a guy gotta make a buck, ya know? Coming to a blatherfest near you..........

I played in a street band with Denis one summer. 'Many moon'. Playing out by the Plaza Hotel with a hyperactive trombone player from Italy. His entire repertoire consisted of what he pronounced 'Tenaahd Madaness'. He played 80 choruses and jumped around. Denis would stand up and play standing, yelling at Alex, our hero, to 'learn some goddamn tunes....I mean I love you, but....' Denis to me, from that and other situations I've heard him in, was a pretty straight ahead drummer. They used to get him to 'pass' for Art Blakely when Blakely was too sick or strung out to make the gig. He played with Sonny Rollins. (Jim Hall 'voted him out', he said). The out stuff he's more known for I think was a result of guys he knew with gigs for him. But he was a credible bebop drummer. I dug him as a person, too. We had nice talks. Sorry the drug thing dragged another one down.

Happy birthday, Sonny. You're still an inspiration.

Well, I finally read it the other day. Seems like some of what he said was meant to be tongue in cheek---and should be taken as that. I think, though I wasn't a big Frank Morgan fan and thought he was over-rated, he went overboard in calling him an 'amateur as an improvisor', or whatever he said exactly. He was no amateur and had something to say. Things like that are a drag to read. I thought early in the interview and throughout Lou made comments that gave insight into a lot of his attitude and misgivings: he broke his ass to make a living and I believe anyone who can make a living playing an instrument, let alone playing jazz, has an underlying terror that the economic carpet will suddenly be yanked. I can relate. That's why Lou was talking about players who 'if they would've bended just a little they wouldn't be on welfare now'. You hear someone doing something maybe original and you admire their courage b/c you know they're in for a bitch of a life. I think his comments about Monk being a genius but he wouldn't touch his music on a gig b/c he 'couldn't sell it' spoke volumes. I think he also sincerely believes in entertaining people and playing what they can relate to, and he manages to do it playing some bebop, not a bad thing at all. His opinions, otherwise, are just that, opinions.

When I saw 'past' I immediately thought---spelling notwithstanding--- I was about to read an obituary. Very glad that isn't the case. Gerald is one of the great writers, and has been for 60 years---from the days of Yard-dog Mazurka, et. al. His big band of the early 60s was a delight. I remember an interview where he got into his arranging MO, and as a composer myself I dug what he had to say. Also, I enjoy son Anthony's work---especially the duet with the late, great Nancy Lamott on P.S., I Love You (Nancy Lamott sings the lyrics of Johnny Mercer). He has a big band date also as leader, undoubtedly arranged by dad. I dug that, too.

I played with him at a party years ago, on the Upper West Side. James Moody was also a guest. My recollection is similar, very nice, supportive, and positive. So was Moody, tremendously so.

plus ça change! in my, and all my friends experience, bass players have always been a problem. Even 40 years ago it was hard to get one who was good and would turn up, especially to rehearsals. The main problem was their comparative scarcity - I mean who would rather play bass than a trumpet or saxophone or piano? In return for their sense of being taken for granted, put down rather than praised, no one really wanting to listen their solos and having to cart around a big fragile thing that doesn't fit in most cars and cab drivers hate, they get their revenge by being pretty much unavailable and almost never going out the door unless bread is involved. What you're saying is true in many cases, but let's be fair: Milt Hinton had to be one of the busiest bass players ever, and he was partly b/c he considered bass a service and worked his ass off making a group swing, the music happen, and the leader look good. And he wasn't the only one. If players are more of a drag today it's b/c the world has changed and a lot of things are more of a drag. But there are still bass players out there, of all ages, who know what time it is.