sidewinder

Neil Ardley 'Harmony of the Spheres' (UK Decca stereo) Count Basie Orchestra 'Basie Meets Bond' (UK UA stereo factory sample). Cover art beyond cool !

Bob Brookmeyer's two appearences during the weekend left a strong impression too. The speed and power of old are gone but the great lyricism and solo strength remains. An object lesson in the use of space and how to make each note count. The quartet session on Saturday was lovely - Brookmeyer started off on piano with a telling ballad feature (didn't realise he was so good on this instrument) and then spent the rest of the 90 minute set with his young, talented quartet - John Hollenbeck, Drew Gress and Brad Schepik on guitar. Hollenbeck and Gress fitted this music perfectly. Schepik was new to me but his Jim Hall-ish comping behind Brookmeyer was tasteful and spot-on. Bob is just recovering from knee surgery so he came on stage with aid of a walker and played seated. Once he'd picked up the horn though the magic was there. His second performance - 3 numbers Sunday night with Hans Koller's Octet of British musicians (plus Kenny Wheeler also featured - honourary Brit) - was the definite highlight of that concert (which started well past 10pm). His solos swung like the klappers on all 3 numbers - again, object lesson on how to maximise impact with a minimum of bluster.

A very good Hill obit in Saturday's London Times. Times Obituary After buying copies of this for the expected obit, it finally appears on the day I don't buy a copy.

I would go as far as to say that with this lineup Lloyd has the makings of a truly great and well-balanced quartet. The only previous time I've seen him was back around 1992 (with McCoy and Elvin) and this was way better. Yes, hope they record soon. Lloyd with Moran? Sounds fantastic -- I really want to hear this group. Guy The day after, I'm still enthusing over Moran's playing. Fantastic technique - and he really knows how to build a solo up in an exciting manner. He can even throw in a bid of the old Milt Buckner 'locked hands' style when he wants, too.

Very Happy Belated Birthday Yves ! Hope the Mosaic is a good one and - even better - that it is of the vinyl denomination !

I would go as far as to say that with this lineup Lloyd has the makings of a truly great and well-balanced quartet. The only previous time I've seen him was back around 1992 (with McCoy and Elvin) and this was way better. Yes, hope they record soon.

Maupin and Lloyd were both outstanding at Cheltenham today ! Maupin kicked things off in the afternoon at the Everyman Theatre with lots of material from the 'Penumbra' CD. He's in great form on all horns (with one absolutely scorching tenor solo in his typical style from the Lee Morgan years). Some nice tributes, including one for Walter Bishop Jr (the idea for the tune I believe was scribbled on a bpiece of paper by Bish at his home in LA in the early 70s then found in a box by Maupin many years later). The CD stand had a box of 100 or so of his CDs which were selling like hot cakes so I bought one. Lloyd's performance in the Town Hall was sensational. That is a stellar group, with Jason Moran and Eric Harland. First time I heard Moran and I was very impressed. Loved every minute of it. Both performances were pretty well sell-outs !

That's the only of Ray's LPs that I don't have. Really dig Rites and Rituals and June 11, 1971, though the Intercord isn't bad either. It's a really good one from 1968. Fairly straight-ahead, kicking off with Wayne's 'Footprints' then a nice version of 'Bonita'.

University of Essex eh? Say no more.

Marlon Brando Gato Barbieri Lalo Schifrin

Diggin' the Cheltenham Fest this weekend: Yesterday - Gwilym Simcock Big Band, Claudia Quartet with John Hollenbeck and Mat Moran, Ben Allison Quartet with Ron Horton and the Bob Brookmeyer Quartet. Today it's the Ingrid Laubrock Group, Bennie Maupin Quartet ( ), Charles Lloyd Quartet and the Hans Koller Octet with Kenny Wheeler and Bob Brookmeyer.

Ray Russell Quartet 'Turn Circle' (UK CBS green label stereo) and John Mayer 'Radha Krishna' (UK Columbia Lansdowne). Indo-jazz fusion plus operatics !

It could be, it's well known that at least one alien from Betelgeuse lived in England for a while. Hey, you guys cut it out, I'm not an alien life-form ! (although there are quite a lot of them over here) The Art Taylor wasn't cheap - but not anywhere near $1k either. It's an 'archive' copy so I think played once or twice by a critic (Alun Morgan) then filed away for 40-odd years before I picked it up.

Just listening to the Andrew Hill edition of the Marion McPartland 'Piano Jazz'. Wow !

That AT album is a smoker, isn't it? Of course, the Hill album isn't exactly chopped liver either. Yep, the AT is an excellent album. Very under-rated !

I have a French CBS 2LP of this currently 'in the mail'.

That's a bit more like it. I always thought that original review of 'Understanding' was total BS. Couldn't believe it was the same session as the one I was acquainted with !

That's next on my radar. I will then have the full monte Miles Mosaic vinyl.

Andrew Hill 'Andrew' (BN Liberty stereo) and Art Taylor 'AT's Delight' (BN 47W63rd DG mono)

Bennie Maupin 'The Jewel In The Lotus' and Kenny Wheeler 'The Widow In The Window' (both ECM)

I'd forgotten about that one - vaguely remember seeing it too. What the hell was it about again?

Wow - what a lineup ! Especially so with Norma. Wheeler and Brookmeyer will be in performance at this weekend's Cheltenham Festival, in an octet. I have a ticket.

Dave Holland 'Extensions' (ECM). - Brings back memories of standing behing Kevin Eubanks and Dave Holland at a small club years ago when they opened up a set with the title track.

On a typical ebay search theres usually 100 of these listed in order, with something like a Shorty Rogers Mosaic lost in the middle.

The German Liberty is great sounding too - prefer it if anything to the Toshiba CD. "Vorsprung Durch Technik etc."