fasstrack

Speaking as a guitarist and a jazz player generally I don't think Pat really changed at all. I heard him right at the beginning of his comeback (ca. 1984)and it was as if nothing had happened to him. Pretty remarkable. I think he changed some of the trappings, like switching to a solid-body. It sounds like his touch lightened some and that he might have switched to a lighter gauge string. But if you really listen his sound was always bass-heavy and dark, and still is. The content and concepts---the approach, and I won't go into all the details here---though relearned reveals no radical difference to me.

Right on to that! I think it was an improvement, too. Meaning he was great before, but he never shut his ears down, but rather absorbed the best of what was happening (harmonically, especially)and kept that blues sensibility he had before. My favorite example of this evolution was the duet recording with Charlie Haden (As Long As There's Music). A real growth spurt there especailly in voicings. Hamp moved on where some other pianists of the bebop era didn't, whatever their reasons. And good for him.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, Jim, and guys and gals, but I remember Leslie Gore's version of that song very well. It was part of the soundtrack of my own youth. I appreciate the appeal of it to suburban teenage girls' angst and it definitely did resonate. But as a pop song it's not even close to first-rate IMO. Very boilerplate, with cookie-cutter arpeggios spelled out all through the melody. Compared to a song like You Really Got a Hold on Me, from roughly the same period (and dealing with the same subject matter, but musically and lyrically so much better in every way) it's not anywhere near the 'hood. It's just irritating. As far as Lesley Gore's performance, I don't want to be too rough on a teenager. The emotion was there for sure and I appreciate that, but her voice doesn't knock me out. It's cloying and loud. The whole production lacks any subtlety, and comes off rather whitebread to me, cliched whitebread, at that. I think it might have been music of this type that drove me eventually into the loving arms of jazz. And if you interpret this statement as anti-pop, you are absolutely barking up the wrong tree. I grew up on pop, white and black, and R&B. There are some pretty deep roots there, and much affection. I mean this record in particular, and others like it. Even though Quincy and cast brought it off letter-perfect. No problem there. Agreed it had 'snap' to spare. Anyone could hear that, I think. I'll agree with this: Quincy had and has, among his other many talents, a phenomenal ear for trendy sounds. He hears what's in the air and knows how to get it down on score paper and out of the players. An exceptional arranger of popular material, he deserves a lot the credit IMO for the success of this record. I'm not saying Leslie Gore didn't have something, though it may not appeal to me. She wasn't sitting on her hands, and the message was real to those kids. But Quincy is the one who took a third rate song and nailed sound that got into everyone's head. And, coming off a tour that nearly bankrupted him, it was a career-saver. BTW: great discussion, everyone

His best---and longest---story by far is this one about the 1962 tour of the USSR with (to Crow---and others to be sure) everyone's favorite selfish tyrant, Benny Goodman: http://www.billcrowbass.com/billcrowbass.com/To_Russia_Without_Love.html

Nice photos! Thanks! Just looked at these again. Truly amazing. We can only imagine the riches of the private collection of recordings from her jam sessions---that the family will never release (on her instructions). We have the photos, at least. I wish now I would have spoken more to Nica the one time I sat with her at the JCT. I guess I was a bit star-struck at my tender age. But, referring to my sitting next to someone of her pedigree, I made a weak joke to the effect of 'well, I always wanted to make a royal ass of myself'. She laughed anyway. And I shut up....

Yes,sad and a major loss. Foster could have stood on his rep as a player, but taken with his composing-arranging you had a triple threat. He had a way of voicing the saxophones especially in those Basie Charts and elsewhere, like his Loud Minority, that was all Frank Foster. His tenor playing on Elvin Jones' Elvin! was killer, as were the Basie tenor battles. I also remember notable pedagogy by him at the Jazz Cultural Theater in the '80s, including one class for singers: If you must scat, be relevant! A stroke slowed him down considerably, (I saw him regularly at Local 802, waliking with great difficulty) but he kept on ticking---and writing. Alas, not anymore. A bad day for music.

These photos are wonderful! My favorite: Rouse and Sonny. I wish I could read the German text. Gleaned a bit, though. I was in the 'cathouse' in 1983 when Barry Harris asked me to come out and help with an upcoming concert. I was supposed to go around the neighborhood and write down addresses he could send flyers to. Evidently he felt it would be weird to have the neighbors see him walking around doing that. Nica had a servant who fetched Barry and myself breakfast before I set out to my chore. And, naturally, cats were running around everywhere. They really owned the joint. Barry was busy writing at the piano and I needed to be out of his face, so he asked if I wanted to see Monk's room (he had died a year before). It was a tiny warren abutting the 2nd floor loft Barry lived in, railroad apartment-style. It looked like the room's contents and sparse furnishings had been untouched, nothing of Monk's moved an inch. All those famed hats were sitting in a stack, frozen in time.... The other thing I remember that was funny was that after I finished my rounds I came back upstairs and was looking through Barry's LP collection. There was a Bill Evans album with a foldout sleeve that hadn't been cracked in so long the two sleeve sides were fused together. We both cracked up over that.

If interested, here's a thread I started about the new biography with own my thoughts and those of other posters:

That's the thing, Marcello: He's not a music person, at least not a jazz person. His jazz pages and paragraphs were stiff and mostly retreads. The blurb says he's a 'music historian'. I don't know about music, but his bona fides as a pretty good historian are evident in the first few chapters about the Rothschilds' history and Nica and husband Jules, their wartime French resistance doings. These are very well done, and also the only time his prose lights up. He writes like a historian, a bit dry. But I learned quite a bit about Nica's early life and the Rothschild and Koenigswater clans. Not quite brought to life, but fleshed out pretty well. 'Just the facts, ma'am'. I recommend taking this out of the library and reading the first 3 chapters.

Yes, great stuff. Paunetto's Point (from 1974, I think) also has a hell of a cast, with Tom Harrell, Ronnie Cuber, and Milton Cardona, among others. Classic conjunto with the nice twist of Paunetto's vibes, the soloists, and nice tunes, too. A lot of musicians I know are hip to these recordings. Not sure about listeners.

By David Kastin, and not at all bad, but frankly not really good either. This is a modest biography, best used to learn a bit about the Baroness's lineage, Rothschild family history, and early life in the early chapters. But it has a few more things going for it: there are a few insights into lesser-known musicians and one club (see below). My main reservation here is that there is little about Nica Rothschild de Koenigswarter's circle of jazz musicians she befriended and patronized that isn't already covered in other books (and that circle is Mr. Kastin's centerpiece). For example there are many pages spent on Nica's relationship with Monk, but this is already covered in Robin G. Kelly's Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original (from which Mr. Kastin quotes liberally, and which is a far better book---IMO one of the best biographies of a jazz musician I've read). But the coverage of Monk and Nica is well-researched and I appreciate the fact that there are now two books went the extra mile on this. The more, the merrier. There's little about Charlie Parker having died in Nica's apartment not covered hundreds of times, including the lurid press coverage. However the fresh angle here is Nica, not Bird, as biographical subject, and in particular her being dumped on by the (racist) tabloid press---Walter Winchell in the front ranks---in the indirect but unmistakeable style of the day for not only consorting with Parker and other jazzers of note, but being a Rothschild and a Jew. I'm surprised Mr. Kastin was either unable or unwilling to interview or obtain access to Barry Harris, a Nica devotee still living in her Weehawken home. Maybe something happened to prevent this, but knowing Barry since 1976 I find it hard to believe he wouldn't be thrilled to talk at length about Nica, who he adored, and provide stories and insights. Whatever happened or did not it amounts to a wasted opportunity that would've significantly upped the book's value. There's also only a precious few pages on the Jazz Cultural Theater, Barry's teaching space and a performance venue for some superb musicians from 1982-1987---but, more to the point, a regular Nica hangout and project she helped underwrite (the book does touch briefly on the latter point). Again, more exhaustive coverage would've made this a much worthier addition to the literature. Many people from that scene are around and would've granted interviews. But at least there are those few pages. The JCT has been almost written out of jazz history. I give Mr. Kastin points for at least mentioning it and getting the facts straight. The book does not contain the most holding prose I've read, in fact it's wooden and workmanlike at times(a little more life sometimes, please. She was a hell of an interesting gal), but I do admire Mr. Kastin's apparent desire to leave no footprint of his own personality in staying out of the way and telling the story. However, strangely, a gossipy tone does sneak in at times, which I found irritating. Also on the plus side there is a pretty in-depth rendering of the scene at the Five Spot, with a good set-up describing the pre-Monk doings. There are also cameos of musicians not always covered, like Buell Nedlinger. So all in all a not at all bad, long-overdue, and worthwhile if unremarkable start on the subject of Nica. Let's keep 'em coming.

Goon Gardner: A wiseguy with a beef might send him after you with a pipe wrapped in newspaper (nice alliteration, too) Killer ray Appleton 'Jaws'. Ok, it's a nickname. Shoot me (see above....)

Happy birthday to my 'stablemate' (same date mate)!

Just picked up Nica's Dream, David Kastin's new biography of the good Baroness. Will report back presently. Anyone who has already read it by all means weigh in. But spoil the ending and I'll moiderlize ya. Wait, wait, er, I forgot. It's not fiction ! Damn, gotta read those pill bottle labels more careful-like..... Also writings, book excerpts, audio interviews and speeches by Josef Skvorecky. If you haven't read him or don't know him, go to where they live, here: http://www.skvorecky.com/ The Bass Saxophone, a novella, is a great place to start, but you can't really go wrong with anything. Great man of conscience also, who moved to Canada after the bitter ending of the Prague Spring, and has been there ever since inveighing about and lampooning totalitarianism.

Thanks all, for the good wishes. I'm on the upswing after some rough years and hard lessons learned, so it's a good birthday. I'm glad I can discuss various and sundry with such well-informed, hip folks as yourselves. One guy even sent me a CD he wanted to sell gratis, b/c my old buddy C. Sharpe was on it. That's O people in a nutshell. Wish you all the best, too.

Oops, wrong again! What I remembered as The Heroes actually is titled Zbabelci (The Cowards). For more information on Josef Svorecky and his writings visit his website: http://skvorecky.com/index.htm

Does anyone here have any notion of what might be the title of the film I sketchily described? B/c now it's bugging me, and won't stop til I know. That last scene is a vivid memory, with the guy tripping on himself and his kit that way. The reference by the leader to seeing a shrink is my only other memory. I'm sure it's Stone Age crapola, though.... Although probably no worse than The Connection, no doubt. (Unfortunately, for some bizarre reason I cannot re-install Flashdrive, hence cannot view clips at the moment, so did not see those posted. But I have a feeling they're not from this, a '50s noir piece, for sure, and B all the way.) Nobody then? I don't blame you. It's an obscure and not very good flick and I don't care that much myself. I was curious, but got over it....

This talk of Hermeto has got me wondering who the third member of the erstwhile Rio Trio was, other than Hermeto and Sivuca. Also an albino? Not that that matters, but it sure would make a hell of a package in conjunction with all that talent. Also, let me put in a vote for Toninho Horta, a world-class talent for many years as guitarist, composer, singer. His samba solo pieces, comping for himself and others, and just about anything he does on 'viola' (nylon-strung guitar) are beauty itself. His single-string soloing on solid-body electric are models of compositional melodicism. His time is to die for. It's sort of against the law in Brasil not to play guitar well, but he is special in a nation rife with guitar talent. I love his songs also, and he sings them with passion, accompanying himself. Some of them, truthfully, cross that line into 'flowerland', but they all are harmonically very well-made, at times ingenious, and there are darker ones too. All have beautiful melodies. Much of what he does is unique to Tonhinho Horta, and the rest is unique to his native Minas Gerais---in the south, and culturally way different than Rio, Sao Paolo, or Recife. His connection to and love for jazz is also very evident in his playing, and I guess that's 'fusion' in the truest sense. Finally, I've met him and he's a sweetheart besides.

To get more insight on the German take on 'proper' music, CA 1930s-40s, read Josef Skvoreky's preface to his novella The Bass Saxophone (the point of which is to give the background against which he and both his real-life Czech friends and the story's fictional characters rebelled with swing dancing, playing jazz etc.). He cites strict Nazi-era rules re 'correct' dance tempos (which I believe even specified metronome markings) to be strictly adhered to by German dance band musicians. Any feeling at these tempos remotely evocative of swing is to be, of course, avoided. For musicians to disregard such directives or otherwise veer towards jazz/swing was to draw dangerously close to indulging in 'JudeoNegro Music' and, if memory serves, 'JudeoNegro caterwauling'. March tempos for military and other official bands are similarly delineated as to the permissible and the verboten. And I'm only remembering the tip of the iceberg, the list goes on and on and gets nuttier and funnier by the sentence. It really makes remarkable reading. Do yourselves a favor and pick up a copy. I also heartily recommend the novella itself. It's Skvoreky's finest hour IMO. At one point I owned this book. I'm not sure if it is in storage or I let it slip in one of my moves. I'll try to track it down again... I myself bought it at least twice, and would again in a heartbeat if it's not in storage. Aside from the great satirical nailing of petty officials in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, Skvorecky writes quite poetically and accurately about what music does and musicians do. Very amusing and potent general imagery also. He's well translated in English, and not speaking his native language I can only guess as to whether he's as good a writer in his native tongue as anyone ever was. I'm a reader, not a literary critic, but my instincts say 'yes'. After reading The Bass Saxophone I read everything available by him, starting with short stories which were thinly disguised accounts of growing up with his jazz-playing teen friends. I next progressed to a detective mystery of the type he was compelled to write under a pseudonym to survive after getting in trouble with the Czech government for writing The Heroes. The Heroes, naturally my next read, got him in hot water for his temerity in portraying the Soviet army liberators of WWII concentration camps as humans with human frailties, not the gods the Party was officially letting on about. He eventually emigrated to Canada, where he wrote as he wished and also enjoyed a career as a professor. I've heard of health problems in the past few years at what must be an advanced age. We can only all wish Josef Skvorecky the best for a lifetime of service as artist and conscience who spoke for many. Glad to see the reference to The Bass Saxophone. Josef is an old friend and I'm proud to say the English translation of the novella is dedicated to me. Unfortunately he has been ill recently. Yes, we've spoken of your old friend before, Medjuck. I figured you'd weigh in if you read my post, and I'm glad you did. Sorry Mr. Skvorecky is still under the weather, and may he return to health, writing, and B.S. detection/exposure. People like Josef Skvorecky are as rare as they are irreplaceable.

Does anyone here have any notion of what might be the title of the film I sketchily described? B/c now it's bugging me, and won't stop til I know. That last scene is a vivid memory, with the guy tripping on himself and his kit that way. The reference by the leader to seeing a shrink is my only other memory. I'm sure it's Stone Age crapola, though.... Although probably no worse than The Connection, no doubt. (Unfortunately, for some bizarre reason I cannot re-install Flashdrive, hence cannot view clips at the moment, so did not see those posted. But I have a feeling they're not from this, a '50s noir piece, for sure, and B all the way.)

I do remember a film noir with a very intense drummer and another musician (perhaps the bandleader)asking him if he was 'still seeing that psychotherapist?' The film had more of a '50s than '40s look, if I recall correctly, but it was so long ago....Sorry, Larry, have not a clue what the title may have been. Also do not remember Dana Andrews in it all. Perhaps it was another film entirely... I remember clearly the ending though: the drummer by himself on the stand, deserted by everyone and not caring, banging away intensely and saying something like 'everything's cool now', or 'I don't need anything but to be cool and play'.

I wish I knew more of his stuff to recommend. I don't own anything, but everytime I hear anything by him it knocks me out. There's also a youtube video of Hermeto accompanying Elis Regina that's wonderful. When I find the link again I'll send it on. Meanwhile, you may want to look into the other two I mentioned. That Tamba 4 is really nice and holds up well, with traditional chants to stuff more on the edge of what was happening then.

The film to which you refer is Jazz in Exile, also featuring Dexter Gordon, and many others (Woody Shaw?). There was also a long (maybe too long) sequence with the Art Ensemble of Chicago. They qualify b/c I believe they were expats or 'exiles' then. The interviews were very telling in that film. Jazz itself has had an uneasy relationship with cinema, at least in the U.S. A lot of good composers trying to survive were assigned the writing of quasi, questionable jazz to be played under scenes where various types of moral decline were taking place. I Want to Live with a score by Johnny Mandel was certainly not quasi-jazz, but first-class writing. But look at the story: the protaganist is a woman on death row who happens to be a Gerry Mulligan fan. (God forbid she was a fan of any black musician, but this was the '50s. I can only imagine what the creators went through getting their product past the 'suits' with the depravity of a jazz-loving murderer heroine. I guess they figured 'better keep it white' and quit while we're ahead...) The classic example of what I point out here is the use of music by the Stan Kenton Orchestra in Blackboard Jungle----in the scene, no less, where the delinquent teens break the poor teacher's records. And there's even a worse one in an otherwise deservedly loved film: Anyone remember the Fisherman's Wharf scene in D.O.A.? I won't even go there.... As to Spike Lee's Mo Better Blues, let's just say it was not his finest hour. I like much of his work (I think School Daze was by far his best). Mo' Better is IMO an insult to musicians generally (a distorted and heavy-handed presentation of obsession in artists in the Denzel Washington lead character); black musicians (I shouldn't be the one to broach it being white, so musicians of color here please weigh in---but I thought there were some embarrassing stereotypes therein, they offended this white man); and Jewish club owners (I'm Jewish and can speak a bit more authoritatively here, and I can't believe he let that vile, boilerplate representation of money hunger see the light of day.)The music itself was OK, at least. I want to end on a positive note, though, and I think you brought up two of the most enduring examples of a great marriage of jazz and film: Miles' score for Elevator to the Gallows (I won't mangle the French.)It's not background music, but so important to the mood and tone it's really an important character there. Jazz on a Summer's Day remains a classic of jazz (and gospel, come to think of it) being played by top performers in lyrical settings. There are too many great concert films to even do justice to, but if they were shown and composers could get their 'mechanicals' (not even sure this would happen as per ASCAP/BMI stipulations), unlike the Wild West situation with youtube, it would be worthwhile for that alone. Not to mention the musicians being compensated for their work and images used. Good films like these would benefit both jazz lover and practicioner.

Even if somewhat over-hyped, Jazz at Massey Hall has some great moments. I think Perdido was a highlight. Also, the overlooked companion recording of the trio of Bud, Mingus, Max has Bud sailing through everything with focus, confidence, and inspiration he didn't show at times during the 'main event' (Dizzy bailing him out by playing the melody of All the Things....when Bud seems to have gotten lost comping for him). But for a Parker/Gillespie memorable event I'd probably give my vote to Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945. Bird's many thrilling, building choruses on Bebop after showing up late and Don Byas covering for him (and playing his ass off)are as inspired as it gets. It's amazing to think this was a mere 4 years after the stuff with McShann. A phenomenal growth spurt....(edited for spelling and clarity). Then there's Summit Meeting at Birdland.....(who said it had to happen on a concert stage?) Wow! Never even heard of this. Have to ferret it out. Thanks, Mr. O'Reilly, and 'good lookin' out'

The following recommendations are somewhat off-topic by your criteria, but: A 1966 one-shot date by Sergio Mendes, The Swinger From Rio http://www.amazon.com/Swinger-Beat-Brazil-Sergio-Mendes/dp/B00000IJPP has as soloists Phil Woods and Art Farmer, among others. Tamba 4 (originally Tamba 3) had a 60s recording, We and the Sea, which featured the first recording of (Luis?) Eca's The Dolphin---at a much slower and more relaxed tempo than the jazzer's concept of samba that Stan Getz and many others performed and recorded it in. Not that I don't dig those too, but an original is an original, and this one is 100% pure Brasil (they hate the Americanized 'Z'). And very much on-topic, I believe: If you can even find it anymore, Hermeto Pascoal's(70s?) big band recording called Hermeto (hey, it's his title, or maybe the record company's). His imagination and mastery of so many instruments (including the Rhodes) is in itself worth the price of the ticket, but for the record in the band is Thad Jones and Ron Carter among many other aces I can't recall. Plenty of percussion, too, I have no doubt. Haven't heard it in ages, but it knocked me on my hindquarters when I did. He's as interesting a writer and musician as you'll find anywhere. I'll stop there, being a lover of Brasilian music and not wanting to go on all night...