fasstrack

Probably. But two wrongs......make three wrongs----or something. Trust me, the stories beside my own are not nice ones----and that's all I'm saying. I'll not put the business of others on the street. Like I said, let's focus on the music. It's the greatest teacher..........

With all due respect, I wish one wouldn't cite that bullshit book. It was a disgrace and the 'facts' are, in fact, suspect. Gavin did the literary equivilent of that other bullshitter, Bruce Weber: since any knowledgeable discussion of music or musicians is way over their heads---beyond their respective ken, they 'image pimped'. These 'works' are an insult to the memory of Chet, the jazz lover, the serious music lover, and---while I'm at it---my intelligence . This jackass, James Gavin, went on NPR when his rag came out and proved himself a moron in his insightless discussions of Chet Baker, comparing him unfavorably to, for example, Miles Davis----by saying Miles had a greater technique. Totally missed the point of both players, and then he arrogantly declaimed he 'nailed' Chet's death. Unless you were in the room, screw you Gavin. You didn't 'nail' shit other than how to embarrass oneself with clueless 'journalism'. Go to the Dutch bio of Chet (I forget the author's name). It's long on musical insight and respect----without glossing over the unpleasant facts. The Weber movie was homoerotic horseshit and it was embarrassing to see Chet sell himself so cheap in his role in it. Pitiful to see a great artist in that shape, and succumbing to whatever he succumbed to by allowing himself to be used by an ass that was pimping an 'outlaw' image or some such bullshit. IMO, Chet had a worse end than Woody in a way. I implore the reader and my Web friends here, please pass on this claptrap. BTW, I have at least a little personal insight into Woody, b/c I met and played with him at the nexus right before his unfortunate fall from grace. (ca: 1985). I also knew one of the guys that put him up (perhaps put up with him would be more like it) in Holland. I remain a fan of his music. I believe he was one of the last trumpet innovators and a harmonically very advanced and original musician. But what a mess.* I had the misfortune of getting in his line of fire when he was evidently looking for someone to verbally abuse---and verbally abuse he did. A total asshole, to be frank---at least with me that night. But, sadly, there are other citations, like one Branford Marsalis recounted on his old website. I did later learn the kind of changes he was going through and felt bad for him. But, I'm sorry to say, I've met, played with, dealt with all kinds of musicians and no one ever acted like he did, using a young cat to wipe one's capacious ego on. It's really a drag Woody went out the way he did----a tragedy when a brilliant mind and talent is taken so soon, as we need people---rare people like that----more than ever now. But it's even more of a drag when they act in a lousy way to themselves and others. Let's not sugar-coat Woody or Chet. They were junkies and wasted much of their lives and talents---and were not very nice to others, like most selfish and childish dope fiends. Romanticize them and others at your own peril..... I learned from my encounter with Woody---the hard way---a young musician trying to 'hang out' may well be playing with fire, and fire burns. Ever since that regrettable incident I've just concentrated on the music, and always will. *[i wish to make it clear that I only played with Woody Shaw in a one-off jam session context (at Barry Harris' Jazz Cultural Theater, if anyone's interested) and it's not like the cat hired me or anything (likewise I never met Chet Baker, but his playing just has so much soul it makes me quiver sometimes----and he sounded phenomenal to the end to me). ]

Wow. The sketch pad. The 'beatnick' beard. The smock. The sniffing blow on air, and then the bust by officer Joe Bolton. (OK, I lied about the last one ) No, I never drew the assignments, but I was a young aspiring visual artist and stayed so until around 14, when already into music. Music won, obviously. But that was a great show. There was a guy on cable in the 90s with a painting show. Anyone remember him? Beard (must be a law to have one playing artists. Kirk Douglas in 'Lust for Life'....), curly hair, wild-eyed look and a voice like Selma Diamond pissed at her kid. He looked like he needed a serious infusion of Zoloft. 'I knew John Nagy. Senator----you're no John Nagy.... '

There's a fine line between creative and being annoying with quoting----and some guys erase it at times IMO. Sonny Rollins is one thing, it's part of his style. If it's done with humor, in the thrill of the moment, if it really fits the chords/architectural scheme or is an inside joke on the tune, or sly commentary, etc. it's all good. But there are players who slavishly----eg 2nd hand---copy other players' quotes. Dumb and embarrassing IMO. It's possible to dig a little deeper, generally. You just have to bust your ass. If it's important enough not to sound trite or like a clown it is a better option..... It's funny you bring up Quicksilver, as I was thinking about this the other day. It's my least favorite of Horace's tunes, and truly annoying as a composer, to me. I understand what he was doing----writing something as if it was an improvisation and using the quotes as humor. But when you're composing especially---well, I think we can do better. There's time for detail and honing you don't have when you're improvising and have toi be a bit sketchier. Horace at his worst to me---writing or playing---is a corny quoter. Bird/ Sonny are hipper, way hipper---not to mention funnier. I really dig Horace at his best, though, which is all the other times. No dumb quotes in "Barbara" or "Gregory is Here", just really nice melodic writing over fresh changes. Some players, FWIW, avoid quoting altogether, preferring to keep the language fresh---at least in their minds. I remember Bill Evans being asked about it and he said "the other day I quoted something and we (the trio) looked at each other, rolling our eyes, as if to say 'oh boy, it's come to this?' It's a pleasant game, but that's all it should be". I like Miles' statememt, too: "Cliches are OK, but if your whole thing is a cliche.......' A word to the wise, I guess.

It was a guy on Long Island, NY. Can't remember his name. He had a lot of nice projects in the late 70s. The recordings had the worst sound ever----like they were recorded underwater. But he definitely recorded some worthwhile players that were practically ignored. That Al Haig date someone mentioned was actually a co-lead with the great Jimmy Raney---and nice indeed. Also there was a nice Benny Aronov date, Shadow Box, that had Bob Brookmeyer and Tom Harrell as front line. My old friend Bob Mover did his first leader date for them, On the Move, also with a young, burning Tom Harrell.I have these two. I remember the Roland Hanna record. Wistful Moment, right? Then there was Eddie Daniels/Bucky Pizzarelli, also lovely. If you can get past the sound, and jazz fans are, unfortunately, used to crap sound (money talks, etc....) there is gold in that catalogue, or anyway silver.

And they said it wouldn't last ...... Wonderbar!

I have to listen to this now. I was talking from memory. I think Prisoner goes into the minor a major third up, if I remember correctly. (Em if it were in C Maj.). I know lots of tunes, but don't play happen to play that one. Guess I'll learn it now. Nice melody.........I can hear B's recording in my head. Now that I think about it, I don't think the A section changes are exactly the same as Body and Soul . (Dm7////G7////). Body & Soul, in the same key for argument's sake, is usually played (Dm//A7b9//Dm//G7). Also, now that my memory is jogged, the last few changes in the last 2 bars is also a little different in each. To confuse things even more, Hawk's famous record of Body, I'm pretty sure from memory, eliminates that common usage A7b9 (like a 5 of 2).

Good titles, though. You never know. There's probably funny stuff if you look. Imitation is good if it doesn't stay there. It's sort of a neccesary step----like copying mom across the table to learn to eat. (I feel sorry for you if she eats with her hands, though ....) I mean how many guys copied Bird? Not all sucked. (Whole other discussion). Sincerest form and all that...............

Well, whatever key it's in, or wound up in , it's a MF for sure. Like going Body and Soul one better. And that was pretty snappy itself. Should be studied, both of them. Learned like a graduate course, after the ABCs, etc. (way after other H.W. is done first) They probably are, in better schools. I bet Sonny Rollins wore out a few of those pressings....

I believe you answered your own question: probably it was speed differentials or shellac erosion. Just a guess, and hardly 'enlightening', but I bet that's it............

And you're gonna stay insulted....

Well done. Thanks for bringing your tapes, Michael. I remember seeing you at the LIRR depot on Atlantic Ave. en route to one of those gigs. Yeah, I remember Junior and those bad-ass tempos. DJ Sid Gribetz did a hell of a nice job.

Great. Now I insulted two guys, one an innocent bystander.... LUUUUCCCCYYY----YOU GOT SOME 'SPLAININ' TO DO...........'

Anyone remember Cracked? (Or was it Sick. I'll go with Cracked). I never read it, but even to my 12-year-old sensibilites it seemed an obvious rip-off. Anyone read it then?

Fine date; Monk program; all tenor. My favorite date with Davis on baritone is the aforementioned Dorham JAZZ CONTEMPORARY... which also, IMO, has some of the finest KD on record. And there's a recent Japanese issue that adds bonus tracks. Who the f@#$ asked you? What do you, run the joint or something? Wassup? Long time, guitar bro...... What's up with that avatar, BTW? If I was in Michigan I would hire you for my kid's birthday----if he were younger than 4. Actually, that outfit might scare a kid. Then maybe they'd grow up neurotic. Unlike me What tunes are on Jazz Contemporary? I'm confused. But you knew that............

That's your opinion, and you are certainly entitled. Scan, if you would, the citations I, and others, made here of brilliant parodies of our society and especially the cold war by Mad----under Willaim Gaines' stewardship---in the 60s. If you still disagree-----then we will both agree to do that. Perhaps I am wrong here, but I think part of this---and the criticism of Mad post-60s by myself, post 50s by yourself, and comments made here by more than one---may well be the age-old defensiveness of one's generation over the following one. Human nature....... Anyway, why take Mad so damn seriously? Let's frickin' lighten up. I mean: WHAT, ME WORRY?

No, it was Roland Alexander who recently died. Sorry if that wasn't made clear. It's Joel, BTW.

It wasn't just the instrumentation, though that was definitely part of the charm and appeal. A lot of that sound had to do with Gerry's writing: making the harmony very clear with counterpoint and picking notes in the respective ranges that would outline it.

You and everyone else, it seems. Especially record producers. But he prefers himself on tenor. I'm starting to realize why Fats Waller was frustrated over how no one took his organ playing seriously......................

George, yeah. Why did I think Charles? Thanks. Oh, well.....great recording, though. I played with Roland Alexander too, a few times. He used to play at a loft owned by a guy named Gerry Eastman----(who no one knows about, but created his own scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn). He passed away recently. Too bad. Good player. Pretty nice writer, too. We played his compositions.

Funny, I was just listening to the Sextet stuff a few minutes ago----Charlie Christian, Hamp, Buck C., etc. Benny and the rest sound pretty damn great to me there. I grew up on that stuff-----under the LP name 'Solo Flight'. Some of my all-time favorite music and an early and seminal influence on my own phoney-baloney work. Consider me annoyed----but I think I know what you mean. He ws really into Jimmy Noone early on, wasn't he?

......'In Needle Park'........

One of the better American poets of his time and beyond. And he was smart enough to own all his songs when a lot of guys were getting ripped off........ I'd be proud to have written 'People Get Ready'. Also I love 'Woman's Got Soul'. Gets me right here.................. ' Speaking of which, on a related tip: I heard Dion singing "Abraham, Martin, and John' this morning on the radio. I didn't even realize he was that good. That's a heavy tune. I remember Moms Mabley, of all people, covering it. Back to Mayfield: A lot of people don't realize what a good guitarist he was. Him and Bobby Womack (known now mostly for writing 'Breezin') are two of the best rhythm players in that style. Jimi Hendrix owes a lot to Curtis if you check out his rhythm playing and R&B influence.