sidewinder

Wow - I've always thought of Plymouth as a desert as far as jazz was concerned. There used to be a specialist jazz vinyl store there back 20 or so years ago called 'Peter Russell's Hot Record Store' but that has long gone I'm afraid. I actually lived in Plymouth for a year back then - the Navy pretty well owned the place in those days. Probably still do.

That cover always reminds me of Gerald Scarfe's illustration for Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'. Currently spinning: 'Bob Brookmeyer and Friends' (CBS 2-eye stereo) Roland Kirk 'Domino' (UK Mercury stereo) Blue Mitchell 'A Sure Thing' (Riverside black label deep groove)

How's this book?? I'm afraid I heard about it once, or else maybe saw the cover in a store (and I guess didn't have time to even pick it up and read the back cover). Maybe I saw "road manager" - and wrote it off, possibly too hastily?? Read through this one over the weekend. Whilst no great masterpiece, it offers some interesting insights into the touring routine of the 73-75 bands, the characters of the various musicians and some pretty funny stories such as the one with Pete Cosey mingling at cocktails with the WASPS in Newport ( ). I found it a quick but generally enjoyable read.

Miles Davis 'Pangaea' and 'Agharta' (both CBS-Sony Japanese 2LP sets)

Here's continuing to wish Hilton well. There's no other musician I saw more of during the late 70s/early 80s at Ronnie Scotts than Hilton - he and George Coleman were both regular visitors. Great memories of that Coleman quartet with David Williams and Billy Higgins.

Wow, congrats on both counts ! Where was that found, if I might ask...

Definitely check that one out, evan. Ingrid's band is one of the most interesting to come out of the UK for some time. They played the Bath Fest on Friday but unfortunately I missed them ( ).

My favourite with the 'cello has got to be Dolphy's 'Out There'. Theres also a fine cellist currently operating in British Jazz called Ben Davis. He's prominently featured in the front line of Ingrid Laubrock's Quintet and can be heard on the release 'Forensic'. One to watch !

If my memory is correct it's Hilton Ruiz 'El Camino' on RCA Novus. Bought at Sam The Record Man in Toronto the day I bought my first CD player. Still extremely fond of this fine CD (with Sam Rivers featured in the band).

Picked up the 'Bebop In Britain' 4CD box set of Esquire material on Charly. Getting all but impossible now to find this one !

Stanley Turrentine 'New Time Shuffle' (UK Liberty BN 'Rainbow' Series)

Caught their performance at Bath yesterday and liked it (this was the first time I have ever heard them, having been put off by the name and some of the hype in the past). As has been mentioned, all 3 of the guys can really play and Dave King's drumming in particular was a real standout. Echos of Gordon Beck's 'Gyroscope' in places, even ( ). Not only did the band's playing have great precision but it really grooved too - something that only seems to happen at Bath when the big US names play there ( ). They (deservedly) got a warm response from the Bath Fest crowd.

Lots of good stuff is being broadcast by the BBC Radio 3 this wekend in honour of the great man's 80th. Last night there was a broadcast of the 'Lost Quintet' Rotterdam performance in 1969 plus interviews with Dave Holland and Chick Corea. Ian Carr's 6-episode Miles radio documentary is also being re-broadcast. Other tributes today on 'Jazz Line Up' and 'Jazz Record Requests'. Nice to see that the 69-75 material is getting increased exposure and the recognition it deserves these days !

You've had a bit of a Blue Note mono afternoon What's the distinction between the DG and other BNs? Are the DG ones the very heavy ones? MG Deep groove pressings have an indented ring near the perimeter of the label and (as they are Plastylite pressings) are in the heavy vinyl. The groove can be on both sides (usual in 47W63rd pressings) or (on some early NY USA pressings) just one side. Anything Plastylite in mono with an 'ear' is heaven to me.

Horace Silver 'The Stylings of Silver' (BN NY USA DG edition mono)

Art Blakey 'Mosaic' (BN NY USA mono)

Lou Donaldson 'The Natural Soul' (BN NY USA mono)

Mike Osbourne 'Outback' (Turtle Records)

Horace Silver '6 Pieces of Silver' (BN 47W63rd DG mono)

Very happy birthday !

Only a year? That's an eternity in Mosaic shopping terms !

This is indeed terrible news. Thoughts are with Hilton and here's hoping that things improve.

Alright, as long as we're on that subject, something I've always wondered: is this Benny Green who wrote those liners the same Benny Green the piano player who put out an album called "These Are Soulful Days?" Or are there three different Benny Greens: one the trombone player, one the liner note writer, and one the piano player? These are three different Benny Greens. The Benny Green who wrote sleeve notes was a British jazz trombonist. He wasn't Bennie Green, the American jazz trombonist. Nor was he Benny Green, the American jazz pianist. MG Wasn't he (Benny Green) the British tenorist/baritone sax player (ex Ronnie Scott Orchestra) who also wrote quite a bit for newspaper columns? Remember seeing him quite a bit on the TV way back on music shows and he also did an MOR-ish Sunday radio show which had a bit of jazz thrown in. Benny certainly knew his stuff, for sure.

also for the Slide Hampton 'Drum Suite'. Those octet recordings are wonderful, so I'll be pouncing on this one as an add-on for the next box set order.