sidewinder

Enjoyed watching/listening to Mulligan with Mingus (!) on that Mingus 'Montreux 75' DVD yesterday.

I picked up a copy of this Cadillac/BBC 'Cortege' 2CD at the Westbrook gig in Torquay this afternoon. Will give it a listen tomorrow. The 'Band of Bands' sounded great today, for my money it is one of the best Westbrook lineups. The material also draws on gems of the past repertoire and is astutely selected.

I was fortunate enough to tell Ian how much I appreciated his book and his albums to his face ! Had forgotten that I've also got a copy of the Cole book. Picked it up cheap last year but not yet read.

I saw Coleman with this group in late 79 or early 1980 at Ronnie's and they played much of the material from 'Amsterdam After Dark'. He - and the group - were phenomenal. From memory it was Herbie Lewis on bass but I did see the group with Ruiz and Higgins several times over the 79-83 period and tried to catch at least one gig during each of their 'seasons' at the club. I think Ronnie Scott Club must have had an agreement with Wim Wigt during that period. I have a copy of that Coleman at Ronnie Scotts LP on Pye somewhere in the racks. Around that time, Coleman also brought his Octet over to the club (with Idris Muhammad on drums plus Sal Nistico, Danny Moore and Mario Rivera - with Mabern on piano).

The programme has been low-key and gradual but is certainly not 'dead', thanks to Tony Higgins' good work with Decca. December sees the long awaited reissue of Neil Ardley 'Greek Variations' and 'Lola' is also imminent. John Cameron 'Off Centre' also got a fairly recent reissue in the series, with new sleeve notes. Plus we have the two Mike Taylors, so some good reissues this year.

I've got quite a number of them - in some cases duplicating original titles for which I have monos. In most cases they compare favourably and it is good to hear a stereo version on very good vinyl. Sleeve quality is exemplary. Recently picked up Bobby Hutcherson's 'Montara' - compared it with the CD and it sounds better. Will be giving Andrew Hill's 'Andrew' a first spin later on. The list of 2026 titles looks pretty good. 'Compulsion' was no surprise - long overdue a good vinyl reissue.

Coltrane 'Live at the Village Vanguard Again' (Image posting not working - for me at least).

I have a Tone Poet of the 'Picture of Heath' and it plays fine and sounds nice. A good issue. Never heard the Pure Pleasure version.

I'm only sorry that I never got to meet him in person and very saddened by this news. Commumications with him and the posts both here and on the BNBB were always a pleasure and he really knew his stuff. Also very kind to send me a couple of spare CDs from Paris on one occasion. May he RIP.

Big fan of the Ian Carr book here. Bought it in hardback when it came out here in 1982 (not long before the Hammersmith Odeon gig I saw) and at that time there were no books out here on Miles. From my recollections, when Carr interviewed Miles in London in the early 80s he was aware of the book and Carr and viewed it favourably.

Whoever designed that one must have just come out of the movie theatre having seen 'Close Encounters..' Gets my vote too. That one I will buy.

I have a copy of the 2LP set too. Need to dig it out. Mike and Kate W. have two performances coming up. One in Torquay with his 'Band of Bands' and another in Greenwich, London of his Blake material. I hope at least to catch the Torquay gig. Just noticed that there was a free Q&A with Mike and Kate on 'The Cortege' reissue in Exeter on Nov 9th - sadly didn't know about it so missed it. Good that Mike is back in action and gigging again.

Montreal 30.

It sold out in CD format even before release and there were only 300 copies made, with no review copies. I managed to get one of the last ones. Spun CD1, the Cheltenham concert and it is really good. Pretty much as I remember them. The booklet includes a photo taken in the centre of Bath - must have been taken on the day I saw them there back around 2003/4. What I do recall from that gig is that it was jam packed with their (and Keith Tippett's) fanbase in the Bristol area - so that may account for the rapid advance sales of the CD.

I was at the Bath Pavilion performance on this tour. Mainly UK big band plus Ron Horton, Nasheet Waits and a few others. Got to chat with Hill either after the performance or at intermission, whilst he was sipping a local Bath Ales beer backstage (liked it). Very nice guy, signed my Mosaic booklet and a few other things. I was saddened when he mentioned that the tour schedule didn't time to sightsee Bath and the environs, got the impression he would have quite liked to.

Absolute bargain. Recommended !

I bought one of the copies in Michael Cuscuna's 'stash' when he was selling off his spare Mosaics on Ebay. I think I paid $99. Great set and in good sound. The number of the copy he sold was ridiculously low, something like 0005.

We are spoilt for choice as no doubt both jazzmessengers and TYQ Music will both stock it. Both are very good. Tempting to order direct as there is a $20 early bird discount.

A suprising but welcome announcement. I think I only have 'Journey To The One' on LPs so almost certain to go for this set, as it coincides with the period in which I saw Pharoah with his quartet with William Henderson. Only a matter of time now before Bill Barron announced, I guess.

I have 'Hipnosis' on a King LP and very good sounding it is too. To my mind, this would be a good candidate for the Tone Poet series so only a matter of time I guess. Maybe more likely that plus a DL than a new CD reissue.

Also in the old Top Of The Pops Orchestra. He can sometimes be seen in the section on BBC repeats.

'Homeward' by Ack van Rooyen is actually one of my favourites. I have most of their LP releases by the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and also at least one by Kolbe/Illenberger. Also a CD of one of the Mangelsdorff/Dauner duet albums- also enjoyable. There was a welcome CD reissue programme by Inakustik about a decade ago for which I picked up a number of them - Dauner/Marian, Volker Kriegel, Mangelsdorff/Dauner, UJRE. That was a good set of reissues.

Presumably that will be the 'Still Waters' Band? I caught them at Swanage last year - always a delight. Instead of Pete Hurt on tenor they had Tori Freestone subbing on that occasion. I don't think Henry will be appearing at the seaside this year, although he has done for the previous 3 years I think.

In the vinyl days I got a bundle of Jasmine Impulses from them plus a 'Sun Ship' original in their stores (Munich and Koln I think). They also did those bargain 'Euro-Mosaics' in the 2000s (with Tal Farlow's Concert Band). They also seemed to specialise in Wolfgang Dauner's 'Mood' label. Indeed, their tome-like recycled paper catalogue used to have a whole category called 'Mood' - which really confused me at the time as I thought it was something to do with mood music/MOR and why were Wolfgang and co. recording in this genre?

Such sad news. Along with the recent news of Joe Ford's passing, seems like the end of an era. I can only recall seeing him the once but there might have been other occasions - that was with Miles Davis, in London.