fasstrack

Larry: Al is an actor, a sweet elderly guy doing this out of love for Chris. I doubt he even has a website. he has plenty of inventory though. I'm expecting a call today and will ask how you guys can order.

Write to Al at the above adress. I'll ask him if it's OK to post his #.

I'd like to report a hijacked thread, officer... Guys, get back on topic, please-and as a reward I'll spring for a motel room for you 2...

Alsut Records:110 East End Ave. NY, NY 10028. Mapleshade has an online catalog. I don't know if Long Night was issued on CD unless the master was purchased from whoever inherited the catolog from long-defunct Jazzland.

Pt. 2: Lest you think 'hey, this guy ended with him and his cockamamie project on a Chris Anderson thread, let me append an essential Chris listening list: Solo Ballads (1&2) on Al's AlSut label. 1 has a reharmonization of Sophisticated Lady that gives chills. Polkadots and Moonbeams on 2 is haunting. Also on Alsut is The Warm Voice of Billy C. has some of those duos, plus a trio of Chris, Billy Higgins, and Victor Sproles backing Billy-also there is a Bill Lee ensemble. What's nice is hearing Chris play in tempo after all that rubato, and his accompaniment. Then there's Love Locked Out on Mapleshade. Chris sings, and charmingly, on this. And a must have: the previously discussed Frank Strozier: Long Xight. Al gave me a bundle of these last night and I'm in listening heaven!

I've been so moved by Chris's rubato playing, his original voicings, the unexpected places they go, the cinematic intros, the reflective pauses-and that gentle touch that keeps the emotional control and schmaltz away. I had an idea for a solo guitar CD dedication project. I play a lot of solo guitar and am always thinking about Chris when playing ballads. I contacted Al Sutton, a great guy and Chris's friend and caretaker. Al invited me last night to play at a party. Turns out the singer is another Anderson confrere, and from way back in Chicago Billy Campbell. We hit it off, reminiscing and playing. Billy's a warm baritone in the Eckstine/Prysock tradition, but deeper, darker. Because of the bond and memories of Chris backing Billy at his gig sympathetically. I think now solo tracks spelled by ones with Billy and Bill Lee, whose name came up as the only bass other than Wilbur Ware who could follow Chrs. I hope this comes off-It'd be a family affair and a little different absent a piano.

Ok. Duly noted.

I saw that in the OP. Never heard of him before or since. And why a trio, esp. w/o Ellington's own bassist? (Who would that be in '68-I'm thinking Peck Morrison?). They made sublime music, so who cares?

Guess I goofed a bit. It's Norman J. O'Connor. He was a sort of media savvy John Gensel. He had his own jazz TV show w/performances and panels. And I don't know why I remember Carney, not Hodges w/Duke. I know it was a trio and the bassist was young and white. I have no clue how hd hooked up with Duke. I do remember O'Connor's poetry readings, but only now reading the program notes. The music was so overwhelming.

I saw this at what used to be called the Museum of Television and Radio-now named for Paley, as you mention. It's actually A Contemporary Memorial. It was in 2 parts at their library. It is astounding the emotion that was expressed by every performer-a much needed catharsis at a horrible time of division and assasinations of our leaders that jazz royalty rose to (and, typically, got meager promotion). They got past their own depression and did some righteous healing. Host John J. O'Connor said it all when he somberly entreatied 'Horace (Silver), can you please give us some Peace?' (Horace's front line was Randy Brecker/Fathead Newman). Other great moments: Ellington with just a trio of a young bassist and Harry Carney, Bill Evans w/string orchestra, Brookmeyer looking fat and ruddy-faced with drink conducting his St. Louis Blues chart w/Thad-Mel. Grady Tate had a group w/Richard Wyands. This really needs DVD availability. It's essential and shows how healing great music is.

It DOES NOT belong in Politics and Religion. I started this to posit theories and get feedback on Jewish self-deprecting humor-a CULTURAL phenomenon. The article appeared as a social critique in a secular newspaper in a democracy. What religion? What politics? I'm not responsible for the little sideshows. That'll happen...

Turgid....pompous... Oh, er, excuse me. Must've drifted off to the vision of Stan waving the Big Baton at Gene Roland and his Merry Mellophonics working up a sweat on the Valkeries. And to think less than a century after Mighty Richard there'd be a Star Wars!

I want to play Kenton in the movie. And my big moment will be when I conduct Wagner

It was in Roland's rehearsal band where they got that light, alto-ish tenor 4 sax sound together. He must've written some of it, like a lot of good arrangers around L.A. did. I remberer Gene Lees (my least favorite jazz writer b/c he's always writing himself into the action-so you were Woody's friend, nice, here's a cookie-and IMO his prose is show-offy, pretentious, and stiff like his lyrics) talked about this in a Woody Herman bio: Leader of the Band. Can't remember who he said wrote for them.

Jim, it's SPARKE-not Speake. And universities love to play incubator to snotty, cerebral art. They throw money at it. UNT has quite a rep! When a musician wants to diss a chart as academic and cold they say lots of times 'I didn't like the writing: very Univesity of North Texas. Yet scads of top writers and players learned there, so... And, John, I guess Roland was either a mad genius or did a damn good impersonation. Funny how no one has stories about 'normal' guys like Bill Holman no matter how great the work is. Non-lunacy/profiglacy makes dull copy, it seems. There's way less stories about Dizzy compared to Bird, and he was quite a character-and drinker. Jim, it's SPARKE-not Speake. And universities love to play incubator to snotty, cerebral art. They throw money at it. UNT has quite a rep! When a musician wants to diss a chart as academic and cold they say lots of times 'I didn't like the writing: very Univesity of North Texas. Yet scads of top writers and players learned there, so... And, John, I guess Roland was either a mad genius or did a damn good impersonation. Funny how no one has stories about 'normal' guys like Bill Holman no matter how great the work is. Non-lunacy/profiglacy makes dull copy, it seems. There's way less stories about Dizzy compared to Bird, and he was quite a character-and drinker.

One thing they nailed about Roland: he was bonkers. I used to see him in the 70s at the Local 802 Wednesday shape-ups (a trip in itself) at the old Roseland, and he wandered that cavernous hall, a tremendous crazy w/a shaved head and a mad glint in his eye. There were always rumblings afoot about his nutty doings. I mean the guy had genuine mental problems.

By British Michael Sparke. It's well-written and the prose, many interviews and war stories by alumni move along nicely. He did a very nice job and I have insight into Kenton now. Haven't made my mind up about his music. It ranges from pompous to visionary-but I respect Kenton's passion and self-belief. And that band, love it or hate it, was a playground for some great and daring writers (although I'm not in the mood for, say, City of Glass that often)and was definitely not for lightweight players. That music was DEMANDING! No way to BS through it. And if Kenton didn't like swing he still hired Bill Holman and other writers who did and could write in a way the band loved. And it took guts to pull a big band away from the dance band stereotype. You risked career suicide that way in the 40s-50s. Look at Sauter-Finegan. They got murdered financially. Anyway, a good read.

Goodspeak, I hear you-and to clarify, I have had nothing but good experiences with Methodists. I teach for a pastor in a Methodist church and have attended services at many. The inscription 'all are welcome' at the door is the McCoy. Very non-judgemental and Buddhist-like in their acceptance and compassion. I'm also very close w/a Christian woman who wants happiness, not salvation for me. When she says I'm in her prayers I am happy indeed. Regardless of how, where, or even IF one worships 'ain't nothin' like the real thing'. And it is personal, and best kept that way.

That wasn't my experience. I was toe-to-toe with the 'wages of sin is death' crowd-and this wasn't the first time. If you're not 'saved' and dont repent and accept Christ as Saviour-straight to H-E-double hockey sticks. Do not pass Go, forget Marvin Gardens. Belief in Jehovah cuts no ice with this crew.

Conversion to Judaism is NOT coveted-perhaps tolerated. Read my comments below re insularity (based on suspicion after centuries of pogroms and ill-treatment and complicated justifications of being The Chosen). If your mother is not a Jew your conversion will be whispered about at the very least. The complete opposite of Christians, who want everyne to be saved. Especially Jews.

That 'tribal' impulse is very, VERY strong. I've known many Orthodox Jews and had many conversations-and the fact is belief has nothing to do with anything in the embracing of other Jews by this most faith-driven people. Being in the tribe is it-a bit troubling in the way that all ethnic insularity (as opposed to pride) is troubling. I got friendly w/a well-known Conservative rabbi (Avi Weiss-I used to drive him along w/the late Dr. Billy Taylor when I was a car service driver in Riverdale). I asked Avi once how come when a Jew smells another (religious) Jew the bond is instant and never the same w/other peoples, though Jews will be be polite, even sociable. His response was what I'd feared: 'I want to make sure my family is alright first'. So much for the family of man. I went into a Yiddishkeit free fall after that b/c ethnocentrity of that ilk is a turn-off. Only recently when the old Christ-Killer canard came up from Jew-hater Christians I was around did I want to come to my people's defense and be proud.

I wasn't sure of the exact term. Naturalist seemed close enough. Please, I beat up on that guitar enough, poor thing. I love that thing too. It is durable, though. Like Grandma...

'May you be like Ruth and like Esther...'

This should have its own thread, but I came across Mike Gerber's Jazz Jews and started reading. Very exhaustively researched (although peppered with embarassing boners, like calling Cannonball Adderley a tenor player and Al Cohn alto), it covers a lot of ground (literally: there's much on jazz played by European Jews in the camps, and modern players in Israel). A lot about the names and lesser names here (including a late-in-life interview w/Artie Shaw. I never knew Flora Purim was a landswoman. The last name should've told me. An excellent read so far.