sidewinder

Incredible blue ocean seascape with a couple of gulls zooming over it. Taken by a Japanese photographer, I believe. One of my fave ECM covers.

I have to say that every bit of King or Toshiba vinyl I've received from him has been in absolutely A-1 condition. Recommended and service absolutely first rate! Small package rate (limited to about 4-5 LPs each) usually works out best for shipping of LPs to Europe. Usually they are from Japan to UK within 5 days !

Wasn't there something written somewhere about these sessions being listed amongst those for which the master tapes were probably in too rough a shape for transfer to CD? I've got both on German ECM vinyl and they sound excellent. 'Love, Love' is very much in the Mahavishnu/Eddie Henderson Capricorn vein and highly recommended. 'Polarisation' is probably my favourite of the two - fine playing by Priester in a quartet and superbly recorded. Great cover on 'Love, Love' too ! Groovy - for sure !

Wasn't he a stickler for food etc. in the studio? In which case, he must have been following them around with a turbo-charged extractor fan !

There's a wonderfully atmospheric one of Melvin Lastie which has the same effect - ciggie in hand as he plays, taken at the 'Alligator Boogaloo' session.. Yes, I have the big book of Wolff photos. Invaluable, IMO

Amen, brother !

I've seen Elvin quite a few times over the years, from about 1980 onwards (when he was truly phenomenal in terms of firepower) but the most memorable has to be back in 1989. The band at that time included Ronnie Mathews, Cecil McBee and Sonny Fortune ( ) and was on tour up in Toronto, playing the now-defunct 'Bermuda Onion' club on Bloor Street. I was accompanied by both of my parents that night, who were visiting me from the UK, and by some fluke of chance my mum ended up seated right in front of Elvin's bass drum and hi-hat location ! After the set Elvin came over to the table, most graciously apologised to my mother for the loud racket and then sat and chatted a while, talking about the band and mentioning his time with the Coltrane quartet (of course at times like this your mind goes blank as you try to think of questions to ask ). Oh - and he also signed a copy of a flyer with 'love and peace - Elvin Jones', which I have sinced had framed and hangs pride of place on my wall. Ever since that night, this guy can do no wrong.. . I wish Elvin the very best of health and speedy recovery from the current ailment.

There has been an excellent exhibition of original Francis Wolff prints at one of the London galleries during the past few weeks. Lots of great shots on show - Mobley, Dexter, Wayne, Coltrane/Morgan/Fuller, Herbie and Elvin, to name a few. Now showing over at the 'Spitz' gallery in Spitalfields, I believe.

Sorry to hear this - I can truly sympathise and hope that some of this is salvageable.

Here's a colour miniature of the front sleeve of 'Cleopatra's Needle'.

'Fraid so - In my dreams, I guess....

'It don't Mean A Thing' must be Elvin's favourite tune. He's played it just about every time I've seen it live - usually on brushes with the vocal accompaniment ! Sure hope he makes his annual trip later this year over to Ronnie Scotts. This year, I'll make sure I'm in attendance (last time he had Sonny Fortune in tow so a double treat !)

Copy of Tina Brooks 'True Blue' 47/W 63rd deep groove edition in the local Oxfam shop. £15 - in near mint too !

The bit about the Mosaic sets is just too much of an ultra wind-up for the congiscenti so I think (hope) you're right.. B)

Damn.... 'The end of the World is nigh..' I've yet to hear the whole of 'Passing Ships' and 'The Flip' thanks to these damned Euro- Conns. I had thought of the US market as a bastion of sanity to date. How wrong....

Soul - it's definitely the coolest version I've ever heard of that tune. Listening also to 'Boogaloo' over the past few days. One of my favourite of the 'Rare Grooves'..

I just got hold of a copy of 'Let Em Roll' this weekend, as a US import at Tower. This one is so hot it's radioactive - can't believe I held off so long before hearing it. Fantastic stuff once again from Big John and Grant !

Anyone know if '4 Men With Beards' will be putting out 180g vinyl of 'The Phantom', in the same way that they did with the Eddie Gales?

You should definitely try to go. Elvin is an extremely nice guy in person and all of the shows of his that I have attended over the years have invariably been pleasant experiences, irrespective of his legendary status. And no Jimmy Smith-like dissin' of the audience here ! B)

If I remember rightly, he is shown on this film looking at a Francis Wolff print of himself. Maybe this was one of the scenes filmed in the back of Mosaic's warehouse (with endless racks of black boxes in the background)?

I remember seeing a BBC TV broadcast from the Rainbow around 74/75 of Billy Cobham's band. I think this was some of the material from the 'Shabbaz' album. Glenn Ferris on trombone, and Randy Brecker on trumpet, in the lineup.

No way ! - I even hand out white gloves for anyone who wants to inspect the booklets..

This is just the excuse I need to book a transatlantic flight to NYC ! B)

Miles/Trane on the Mosaic, Heavyweight Champion on vinyl and the VV and Impulse sets on CD. Can't get enough of it ..

With regard to Gerald Wilson recording the commercial stuff on 'California Soul' I think I read somewhere (might even have been in the Mosaic booklet) that it was hearing some of these tunes played on a gramaphone by his daughter that influenced him to do the album of covers. The resulting album is not without faults but for me at least is an endearing 'period piece'. As for the Woody Shaw - I have to say that this is one of my very favourite Mosaics. It was one of the first I bought from them and gets lots of airplay. A hugely vital collection of some of Woody's finest work.