Mark Stryker

Don’t overlook the previously unissued Bob James sessions from 1965 on Resonance. Full disclosure: I contributed the main liner note essay. https://resonancerecords.org/shop/bob-james-once-upon-a-time-the-lost-1965-new-york-studio-sessions/

Long a favorite record -- Randy's best as a leader, rewarding compositions and playing, team spirit, and to me one of the best straight-ahead records of the '80s.

Goes to some really interesting places. Good questions from David Marchese (whom I don't know) that draw Sonny out. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/02/24/magazine/sonny-rollins-interview.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=The+New+York+Times+Magazine&fbclid=IwAR3Uj8X_SZ-iAM-64P0FMdPv9nqixWaSBfrDHXzfO6UysfK6AEi2kz28hAI

Lyle Mays’ niece, singer Aubrey Johnson, is reporting on Twitter that he has died. She writes: “It is with deep sadness that I share that my uncle, Lyle Mays, passed away this morning in Los Angeles surrounded by loved ones, after a long battle with a recurring illness. He was my dear uncle, mentor, and friend and words cannot express the depth of my grief.”

Totally new to me. Footage of Jug from the early '70s, apparently from a Chicago public television program produced by Dan Morgenstern. YouTube posting went up today and says Dan only recently found the tape. Yes, it's late period Jug and there's Varitone, etc. But still, holy shit! Plus, you get to hear Jug speak. With King Kolax, George Freeman, Wallace Burton, Chester Williamson, Bob Guthrie. Anybody know if this has ever circulated before and do any of you Chicagoans remember the program?

To be clear, I've never met Tom. Your reference above was the first time I heard his name. Presumably this is what he's been up to recently: https://banyanproject.coop/biography/tom-stites/

What did Tom do at the Tribune?

This is a good piece -- and I would say that even if I wasn't quoted prominently and my new book, "Jazz from Detroit," wasn't given a nice shout-out. Gio captured the DYI aesthetic of Detroit jazz & the ongoing legacy of Tribe & its founders, Wendell Harrison & Phi Ranelin. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/arts/music/detroit-jazz-collective-tribe.html

What's the discography story on this release? Has it been bootlegged previously or released legitimately before, and is this release legit or a bootleg? Thanks -- MS

There's some incorrect information floating around in this thread and on the web about the self-determination organinzations in Detroit and the record labels that they spawned. So, just to set the record straight: 1) The Strata Corporation, including the Strata label, was founded by pianist Kenn Cox and trumpeter Charles Moore in 1969.. 2) Tribe, including the record label, was formally incorporated by saxophonist Wendell Harrison and trombonist Phil Ranelin in January 1972, though the group Tribe had debuted a coupld months earlier. Doug Hammond had nothing to do with it, other than a record he co-led with David Durrah, was released on Tribe in the mid '70s. (That record, "Reflections in the Sea of Nurnen," was actually taped in San Francisco.") Coda: Marcus Belgrave and Harold McKinney are also often cited as co-founders of Tribe. This is incorrect too. They were part of the Tribe circle, but only Harrison and Ranelin were the founders. And speaking of Detroit, Dizzy Gillespie started Dee Gee Records in the city with Detroit businessmen Dave Usher in 1951.

mIssed this the first time around. thanks for posting.

"I had no problem with Gerry when I was not working for him." My understanding is that Phil's memoir is close to being published. I'm not authorized to speak on this, so I'll keep details close to the vest, but I had a recent conversation with someone within the orbit of the project and was left with the clear understanding that it was on its way. I do not know the timetable.

I don't disagree. However, just to circle back (pun intended) to what I presume to be the implication of MJZEE's opening volley and question: "Can Chick still play out?" -- by which I think he meant:, Can Chick engage meaningfully with Braxton in a musical language akin to Circle's original aesthetic as opposed to all the other musical languages that Chick has been associated with in the last 49 years, the answer is: "yes." Coda: Now, taking into acount the rest of our discussion, it would be equally valid to ask whether Braxton can still play "out"?

Well, yes. "Out" and "free" are vague terms. At the highest level "bebop" is too I suppose ... But in this case, I think we're talking about music outside of standard conventions of harmony, form, melody, texture. Chick still does that on occasion. Also true that any musician making music of quality is operating from a point of working "inside" of something, even that if that something is "outside" of standard conventions. Which is not to say that there aren't "conventions" within outside or free music. But back to Chick, that motherfucker can play anything, and he can play from nothing if he wants to. But of course, like anyone, he brings his entire history to the table when he plays, whether he's playing "from nothing" or a b-flat blues.

Is there any film footage of Circle? There's the stuff of Braxton at Woodstock, NY, in 1981 with Chick, Miroslav, Jack etc., but I've never seen stuff from 1970-71. Coda: As to the earlier inquiry about whether Chick can still play "out," the answer is of course he can. Whether he would want to play with Braxton (and vice versa) is a separate question and whether those guys playing together would produce music of quality and expression in 2019 is yet another question, though the only way to know for sure would be to actually hear it.

Thanks, Dan

Thanks for posting this. Hadn't seen it yet. FWIW, I wrote this a few years ago about a signficant Hammons sculpture, "Bird," acquired by the Detroit Institute of Arts. https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2016/07/20/dia-african-american-art-david-hammons/87291024/

John S. Wilson wrote about jazz for the NYT forever. Don't have time to really scour the archives but here are some things: Feature review of "The Connection" from 1960. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1960/06/26/99746217.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=ArticleEndCTA&region=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=303 Brief capsule revew of Freddie's "Open Sesame" in 1961 https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1961/02/12/118022261.html?action=click&contentCollection=Archives&module=LedeAsset&region=ArchiveBody&pgtype=article&pageNumber=371 Interesting snapshot piece about Andrew HIll story that's not a record review but mentions Blue Note label. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/03/17/83035710.pdf

Re: that Arethan Franklin ad for Harmony House posted earlier. Harmony House was a metro Detroit chain of excellentall-round record stores, including one all-classical stores that was as fine a classical store as you could find anywhere. When Neeme Jarvi was music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, he also did a commercial for Harmony House. Not jazz but fun.

Good Lord, how did I not know this existed?

Oops. I'm sure you're right. Sorry about that. I'm a little self-centered at the moment ... Carry on.

Sorry 'bout that. We should have offered a package deal combining the book and reading glasses.

https://www.nytimes.com/1977/04/17/archives/jazz-lofts-a-walk-through-the-wild-sounds.html

Thanks for your enthusiasm! Hey, thanks. Much appreciated. Thanks, Peter. Hope it brings back some memories for you. Glad you're enjoying it ...