Mark Stryker

Benny has ALWAYS talked a lot, but I heard him in early September and he was in great form. Yeah, shorter solos than he played in the past, but he's still putting air through the horn and the ideas were creative and spontaneous. Lots of ways to define jazz, but one that never goes out of style is Benny Golson playing his own songbook.

Not me. I hear his eighth-note placement mostly way behind the beat, and his articulation producing a distinctive detached-legato that sounds halfway between early Horace Silver and Bud Powell.

Among the many interesting details here is that Hersch got $100 a night at Bradley's in 1978, which he says was a lot of money in those days. He's right. That's equivalent to nearly $400 in 2017 dollars, or $2,400 for the 6-night gig. At the time, however, Hersch's rent was just a little more than $100 a month. One night paid a month's rent. Now think about the economics of NY today. Also, how many gigs are still paying $100 per night 40 years later? https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/10/24/arts/music/fred-hersch-the-first-time-i-played-for-charles-mingus.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0&referer=http://m.facebook.com

"Darn That Dream"!! ""The Big Challenge" was one of the records my late father had that were absorbed into my collection. (Coda -- he also had 78s of Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit/Fine & Mellow"; Bird and Dizzy's "Satl Peanuts/Hot House; Hawkins/Eldridge's, "Smack" and others by Goodman, Kenton, Cole and -- wait for it -- Dodo Mamarosa on Atomic. I I treasure them now. )

Whatever the problems with who's in and who's out, however, it's a valuable resource for when you need biographical information on those that are included. It's not infallible on the facts but pretty good most of the time. I have been glad to have it on my shelf.

This is a good question, though I'd probably leave off the Weinstein tag but that's just me. But it seems as if would Chick would have had film opportunities over the years. FWIW, Terrence's film scoring career really owes itself to Spike Lee, who kept using him for movie after movie, allowing Terrence to learn the craft and for others in the business to hear/see his work, which led to more opportunities.

More generally I'd ask: What is it he looks for in a bass player and a drummer in putting together a band? I've always thought he's a really spontaneous player -- definitely a true improviser in the moment rather than a lick player. Did he make a conscious effort early on to play that way? What experiences in his early years cultivated that kind of attitude? Also, one thing that I've heard a lot of pianists say about Chick: He NEVER flubs, Nothing ever comes out clumsy or hits a dead end in a seemingly wrong (unintentional) note. He never starts an idea that doesn't finish with clarity -- even when, as he often is, taking chances. How did he develop that ability? , How much does he practice, and what does he practice? Finally: When was the last time he performed wearing a suit?

One historical thing I'd ask is about his six months working with Sarah Vaughan in 1968. I've never seen him address this in print. There are bootlegs on YouTube and they are incredible in the way that Chick plays the swinging gig of accompanying Sarah but is still is 100% himself -- how did he walk that line, did he enjoy the job and what was Sarah like to work with? t she wanted. Chick throws a TON of harmony at her and the more he punches, the more she punches back. She just loves it, never loses her balance and she never sounded so adventurous. Herbie Mickman is the bassist and Steve Schaeffer is the drummer. I'm sure Chick has heard the tapes (Los Vegas. Did they record anything commercially that's unreleased? Are there clean enough copies of the Vegas stuff that they might ever get released?

Hey, bumping this thread because I'm desperate to get my hands on a copy of this side or a tape/burn of it. Willing to pay. Anybody help a brother out? Boss : Bossa Nova : George Bohanon (tb) Kirk Lightsey (p) Joe Messina (g) Cecil McBee (b) George Goldsmith (d) Detroit, Michigan, 1962 Bobbie Jazz Workshop LP207 Speak low - El Rio - Cormigo - Simpatica - El rig - Micki -

Returning to the main thrust of my original question: Is there any recorded evidence that Mel in fact sat in with the Coltrane band as this one discography entry suggests? Certainly not implausible that Elvin was AWOL one day.

When the John Coltrane Quintet (with Dolphy) toured Europe in the fall of 1961 the band was part of a package with Dizzy Gillespie's band that included Mel Lewis. There is a bootleg recording of Mel playing with Dolphy, McCoy and bassist Bob Cunningham at a jam session that got recorded in Munich. The personnel for this has been reported differently, but I think this is accurate. On another front, an online McCoy Tyner discography lists the following, although the Tom Lord Discography does not list this date. Anybody know any details -- did it happen, circumstances, are there tapes, etc? John Coltrane Quintet John Coltrane (soprano, tenor sax) Eric Dolphy (alto sax, bass clarinet, flute) McCoy Tyner (piano) Reggie Workman (bass) Mel Lewis (drums) "Falkonercentret", Copenhagen, Denmark, November 26, 1961 So What rejected My Favorite Things - 3 unknown titles

"Impossible to underestimate the accomplishment of being a successful businessman and artist/"artist", getting to have more than usual control over your own destiny and narrative. The business is not set up to encourage that, especially not in those days." Jim's point above is seriously on point. The older I get the more I understand how significant this is. It doesn't really fit within the critic's innovator/individualist/journeyman paradigm or the uncompromising artist/sellout paradigm. And it doesn't really relate to one's own personal taste paradigm. It also doesn't mean those paradigms don't exist or have value. They do. But life is a 360 degree proposition. Gotta remember that. Taylor's greatest accomplishment was that he invented Billy Taylor -- that shouldn't be underestimated, regardless of how hip, important or personally meaningful the records are to you. Coda 1: I've written about Donald Byrd sort of in the same way. His greatest invention was "Donald Byrd" in an era and world that was mostly hellbent against someone like Donald Byrd from becoming "Donald Byrd." That doesn't exempt his music/choices from criticism; But credit where credit is due. Coda 2: I never knew about those Taylor LPs with Oliver Nelson -- thx for the tip.

The greatest of them all For Sonny's 87th birthday, I created a 15-song playlist of some favorite live material and posted it on Facecbook and Twitter. Figured I'd put it hear too. Not everything I wanted to include was available via YouTube -- particularly the quartet version of "Remember" taped at Newport in 1963 -- but what's here is choice. May he go forever. 1. “Bye, Bye Blackbird” w/Miles Davis Quintet, Café Bohemia, NY, 7/57. Fun to hear the band with Sonny rather than Trane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TwQwy8Hdmk 2. "Old Devil Moon,” Village Vanguard, NY, 11/57 Wilbur Ware, Elvin Jones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4t1g2esXbU. My favorite track from my favorite LP bar none ("Live at the Village Vanguard"). Dazzling flow of spontaneous and witty melodic and rhythmic rhyme from greatest standards player ever. The trio has the flexibility of a rubber band. 3. "Striver’s Row,” Village Vanguard, NY, 11/57 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RULNDD42MEA. "Confirmation" changes. Almost as good as "Old Devil Moon." Sometimes I think it might be better. 4. “Woody ‘N You,” Aix-en-Provence, France, 3/59 Henry Grimes, Kenny Clarke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuwXoBIHCD8 Sonny's sound, intensity and stamina foreshadow his work in the '60s. 5.“St. Thomas,” Nalen, Stockholm, Sweden 3/59 Henry Grimes, Pete La Roca. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgAd9PWNW0k A crackling performance full of surprising twists. 6. “Love Letters,” Stockholm, Sweden. Henry Grimes, Joe Harris. 3/59 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3lKjVygptU Sonny has Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" on the brain, but the virtuoso and varied articulation as his improvisation unfolds is the real stunner. 7. “If Ever I Would Leave You,” Ralph J. Gleason's "Jazz Casual" (television). 4/62 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iPMqJuGQes Sonny stretches out. Thematic improvisation, ecstatic rhythm and a bellowing tone. 8. “Lover,” Village Gate, NY, 7/62. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-TnYJh7TRw RCA issued one heavily edited LP from the Gate, but more than 400 minutes of Sonny's most abstract band (Cherry/Cranshaw/Higgins) was captured, including this blazing 18-minute "Lover" -- all Sonny from start to finish. Anchored to the tune, but loose.. 9. “Oleo/Sonnymoon For Two/Darn That Dream,” Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, 10/65 https://youtu.be/SPlRHwhlvDQ?t=1502 The three minutes of improvisation starting at 26:48 amount to the most remarkable playing over "I Got Rhythm" that I know. Ever. 10. “I Can’t Get Started/Three Little Words/Interlude (St. Thomas)/There Will Never Be Another You,” Salle de la Mutualite, Paris 11/65. Gilber Rovere, Art Taylor. http://saxonthetube.blogspot.com/…/sonny-rollins-live-in-pa… If I had to pick the most inspired Sonny on film, it's this concert, Olympian authority understands the case. Almost everyone else in jazz sounds like child after this.. 11. “Four,” Copenhagen, Denmark, 9/68, Kenny Drew, Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson, Tootie Heath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY9OHEFk5Pk Sonny plays more than 23 minutes straight, before ceding the floor, then comes back later to spar with Heath for another 13. 12. Untitled solo, Tonight Show, 1979. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPCBqSy3lwk. Still can't believe that Sonny played a 6-1/2 minute a cappella solo on national TV. Heard about this not long after it happened and then waited 35 years to actually see it. 13. “Best Wishes,” Kosei Nenkin Hall", Tokyo, Japan. 5/86 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM2DxNlq5J8 Paced by Al Foster's driving drums, Sonny turns in what for me is his most exciting and inspired playing on the four recent "Road Shows" discs. 14. "G-Man,” Saugerties, NY, 8/86 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfa9NPHNhPM Another track where Sonny never gives up the ball. Fifteen minutes of G dominant 7. Glorious. 15. “Long Ago and Far Away,” Jazz à Vienne, France. 7/94 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-g89Hqo-og. Sonny and drummer Billy Drummond go at each other for about 12 minutes of trading eights and fours (more or less).. Punch and counter-punch.

Anybody out there have any idea or any source that tells us what the maiden name was of Keiko Jones -- Elvin's (second) wife?

Is a "bootleg reissue" an accurate characterization?

Dropped the ball on this -- sorry. The sides I got from EBay are nice -- nothing earth-shattering, but in the Tyler mold of jazzy R&B, heavier on the jazz here, with a little more instrumental prowess than many of the bands in this genre. "You'll Never Know" is a ballad -- all Tyler alto; Tip Lightly is a 32-bar groove number, on the moderate side of medium tempo. There's a sbrief little call-and-response from a muted wah-waht trumpet in the melody. Might be Thad, might be the other trumpeter. But it's not improvised, it's written and whoever it is plays the same pattern every time through. I'm beginning to think the "Jimmy Harris" on trumpet listed in Lord's discography might actually be Little Benny Harris. Big Beat Steve: What the name and label of the CD reissue that you have where "Take it Away" appears? Still looking for "Little Jim" ...

That Geri Allen solo piano record is fantastic -- only her second LP as a leader, coming on top of "The Printmakers," which is even better.

For the record it was "I'm a Fool to Want You" and Elvin -- but the you were right on the meaning. https://books.google.com/books?id=CRmxCmOPIhMC&pg=PA155&dq=liebman+i%27m+a+fool+to+want+you&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiSzKOA0szVAhXGSyYKHWu3B78Q6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=liebman%20i'm%20a%20fool%20to%20want%20you&f=false .

Costa Rica? I'd be delighted to learn that he was still alive (having feared the opposite). But one way or the other, sounds like there's a story there.

Anyone know whatever happened to trombonist Brian Trentham, who worked with George Russell in the mid '60s? (I always assumed the connection to Russell came via Trentham's teacher, David Baker.) Trentham only has five credits in the Lord discography, the most recent a 1973 LP with Don Cherry taped in Europe.

Me too, and I hope the final results rock Caveat Emptor: Opera is a BEAST -- very tricky to get right even for experienced composers in the idiom much less a newcomer to the form. Moreover, I'd feel better if there was an experienced librettist on board, because the failure of a number of contemporary operas is really a result of dramatic issues with the libretto or language that doesn't work well when sung. Just because you can write good songs, doesn't mean that you can tell an evening-length story through music. My gut says given Wayne's inexperience in the form, a seasoned librettist as a partner would be a better bet -- but Godspeed to all.

Opera Philadelphia has commissioned Wayne Shorter to write an opera with a libretto by Esperanza Spalding http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/david_patrick_stearns/grammy-winner-esperanza-spalding-has-found-a-new-creative-homebase-in-philly-20170717.html?mobi=true

I checked in last night with Barbara Cox, the widow of pianist Kenn Cox, who was also a co-founder of the Strata organization. I learned the following: 1. The music on "Live 'n Well" was most likely recorded at a club called the Village Gate on 2nd Ave. (I think) in the Cass Corridor neighborhood (now re-branded on as Midtown). The Bohanan/Fields Quartet was working regularly at this club when during the period in which this music was recorded in April 1965. 2. As to why the music was released under Myrick's name, it seems Bert had a lady friend at the time who was championing him and pushing him to record under his own name, but he had (a) no band of his own and (b) no material or even really a concept to build upon for a recording. But Kenny had this label (Strata) and there was this 1965 tape around, though it's not clear who exactly had possession of the tape. Nor was it immediately clear to me if Bert's lady friend helped finance the project to get it released.

Noted.

I found a sealed (!) copy of this record today at a used store in Detroit. Very excited to finally have this piece of local history. I too wonder why it was released under Bert's name. I'm hoping Kenn Cox's widow, with whom I'm close, might be able to answer, and I also have a contact for George Bohahon so I can check with him too. Would also like to find out exactly at what club it was recorded. This is a particular gem -- not only for the quality of the playing, which as Jim suggests above, is in a mid '60s Blue Note post-bop bag, where hard bop meets modal ideas and structures -- but it's also important because there are very few pure documents of the sound of the Detroit jazz scene in this particular era. I'll report back when I learn more.