sidewinder

I think it's been said before but compared with the dark days of the 70s and through to the mid-late 80s Blue Notes of any sort were extremely elusive. Can't believe some of the rare and great titles that have been issued mid-price over the past few years. Stuff (that Baby Face for example) that you would have given an arm or a leg for.

Baby Face Willette 'Face To Face' (BN 47W63rd mono)

Nice to see the Baby Face being given a prominent CD issue. A classic.

For sure ! Cost me a wee bit more than the $40-ish that Mosaic are asking for the set. It's on my shopping list.

Really? I've got my eye on a couple of them so will pick them up based on your discriminating comment.

A lot funkier and mellower - not so experimental. Electric piano from George Cables given prominence - advantageously so in my opinion. Bobby also plays a lot more on marimba I think than on his 60s classics. Don't recall any (I'm going from the vinyl here as I don't actually have the Select). Very low - in fact I wouldn't say any of it is painfully cheesy. Some of the albums (e.g. 'Waiting') have mellow, MOR-ish tracks but they are very tastefully done. Like all of 'em - but have a particular fondness for 'Knucklebean', 'Cirrus' (some nice Woody Shaw) and the first side in particular of 'Waiting'. The 'Inner Glow' LP is real cool stuff too.

Get well soon John - hopefully nothing too nasty.

With this in mind, the board reliability has a really excellent track record since it was started in 2003. Well done to Jim and thanks for keeping us updated on progress whilst the maintenance was done.

Basie Complete Roulette Studio - LPs 5 and 6. Currently working my way right through this set. Then it will be the Basie Roullette Live LP box !

Up for the new board ! Earlier today - Woody Herman 'Woody's Winners' (Japanese CBS sony)

Good to be back ! Seems to be running pretty fast too.

Put in an order for two Sun Ra LPs - 'On Jupiter' (Art Yard) and the 'Lanquidity' reissue. Also for Trunk Record's reissue of mega-rare Michael Garrick 'Moonscape' .

Indeed, I'll second that - and not forgetting the guest appearance by Flash Gordon !

During one of the 'Joyfull Noise' DVD clips he's playing the keyboard with his back turned to it - amazing stuff. Liner notes for 'Disco 3000' state that the Crumar Mainman has a primitive beat machine built into it - used quite a bit by Ra on this recording. Also something like only 10 ever built and it apparently never went into full production.

The Sun Ra 'A Joyfull Noise' DVD has a nice snippett of film of Ra playing the Crumar Mainman - backwards - I believe.

Strange that wasn't issued on OJC. It does look nice. Not for $38, though. MG I'd avoid the dreaded 'Remastered for Stereo'

Sun Ra 'Disco 3000' (Art Yard). Crumar mainman at full bore !

Bobby Hutcherson 'Knucklebean' (BN blue label)

Caught them live at a festival over here a few years ago. Interesting, not quite my thing. I've only heard smatterings of their stuff, and this InterFrequences date is the only LP of theirs I have (actually from before they added the "de Lyon" to the name). It's a great mix of Afro-Jazz and rackety clanging. The performance I saw was a tribute to Edith Piaf with Piaf's voice backing on an old gramophone. Definitely interesting - but a bit of a curate's egg !

'The World of Dudley Moore' (Decca)

MC 900 Foot Jesus MC Hammer Peter Cushing

Yikes ! That's why they are banned from Chez Moi. My initial reaction - thank goodness it's not a Blue Note blue/white label on there.

Must find out who these people are, so that I can add them to my Xmas card/bribery list.

Is Cindy the one who fills in those numbers? My understanding is that it's someone in shipping (the people truly in control of the world ), who merely fills in the number that's already printed on the invoice. You could be right - I had always assumed it was Cindy with the hand on the pen.

That is quite a list of Prestige, Riverside and Contemporary sessions ! The OJC-series lives on in Japan, it would seem.