Mark Stryker

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.

Pace Soulpope and Peter Friedman above, McPherson's "Today's Man" is tremendous -- definitely the best of his Mainstream LPs and "Stranger in Paradise" is one of his best single performances on record -- astounding three choruses of flowing melody with Barry Harris, Lawrence Evans and Billy Higgins right on his tail.

With so much sadness to deal with recently, I thought the board could use a smile. This Sheila Jordan Facebook post today worked for me. ---- "Just got off the phone with my buddy from the 50's Sonny Rollins. Our calls last over an hour because we talk about the old days and the new days. ... He's doing fine. He has such a positive attitude about everything. We always sing songs together. Love singing with him and he knows all the lyrics to the tunes. Like Bird did. I like to test him. I will sing a very obscure tune and he always joins in knowing the melody and the lyrics too. What a great human being Sonny is. Love to all...Sheila"

Here's a 2009 piece I wrote about George for the Detroit Free Press. Unfortunately, he suffered a stroke recently and his health isn't good at the moment. But he is still with us. Nice man too. LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: GEORGE BENSON BYLINE: MARK STRYKER SECTION: FTR; PLAY; Pg. 15 LENGTH: 641 words THE LOWDOWN: One of the great unsung heroes of Detroit jazz, saxophonist George Benson, 80, is being honored Saturday by the Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association with its Ron Brooks Award for his contributions to jazz in Detroit. THE SOUND: Classic bebop. Benson is a traditionalist who swings joyously through standards, croons ballads with breathy passion and digs deeply into the blues with a soulful wail. On both tenor and alto, he plays with a tone as thick and juicy as 2-inch sirloin, and his improvisations arrive in clearly enunciated phrases that reflect his high-level craftsmanship. "I've never believed in glossing over things and not trying to do everything correctly," says Benson. "Playing the correct chord changes, playing the melody the right way." Benson's early influences included alto saxophonists Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. Benson later plugged into bebop, the emerging modern style spearheaded by alto saxophonist Charlie Parker. He developed a particular fondness for Sonny Stitt, who like Benson played both alto and tenor and channeled Parker's ideas into a chin-first strut and lickety-split attack. "Sonny and I had a battle at the Blue Bird one time," says Benson. "He won, but I loved him. He was such an articulate player." THE BEGINNINGS: Born in Detroit, Benson was 11 when he discovered his late uncle's C-melody saxophone in the attic. He started studying at school and soon acquired his own alto. He began playing in a school dance band in seventh grade and was working around town while in high school. THE GIG: Unlike so many of his peers, Benson remained anchored in Detroit rather than move to New York. With a wife and children to support, he felt Detroit was his best option. He always worked a day gig - a decade on an assembly line with Massey Ferguson building tractors, before working as a mail carrier from 1967-1993. At the same time, he was working clubs five or six nights a week. "It was hard," he says. "My wife had to wake me up and tell me which job I had to get dressed for because I didn't get much sleep." THE BREAKS: In Detroit, Benson made a record of "The Nearness of You" and "Begin the Beguine" that was released in 1951 on Regent, which was owned by Herman Lubinsky, who also owned the more famous Savoy label. The record sold well enough that Lubinsky asked Benson to come to New York for a follow-up, but by then Benson was in the Army and opportunity slipped away. THE PROFESSIONAL: Benson developed a reputation as one of the most reliable musicians on the Detroit scene. He shows up on time and takes care of business on and off the bandstand. "I've always been one to play what the people wanted to hear," he says. "That's why I worked all the time. People come out to hear you play and pay their hard-earned money, and you should give them what they want." THE DOPPELGANGER: The saxophonist Benson is forever being mistaken for the other George Benson, the famous jazz guitarist. They usually say, "I've got all your records." The funniest incident, however, came when the city of Detroit once sent the deed to Benson's home to the guitarist in New York. THE TRUTH: "I felt proud of the guys that went to New York and did well and knowing that I had played with them here. I was proud of them, but I thought that if I had gone to New York I would have made it too."

I offered this on Facebook: I'm heartbroken over the tragic death from cancer of Detroit native Geri Allen, a profound and influential pianist, composer and conceptualist. She was only 60. Her passing is awful news not only for her family, friends and the wider jazz community, but also for Detroit, where she was revered as a contemporary embodiment of the city's rich jazz legacy and a musician who took extraordinary pride in her local roots. A graduate of Cass Tech — the same high school that produced Gerald Wilson, Paul Chambers, Donald Byrd, Ron Carter and others — she was one of the first and most important young musicians to come up under the wing of the late trumpeter and legendary mentor Marcus Belgrave. When she began to get famous, she championed Detroit in interviews, talked up Belgrave's influence and used Detroit musicians on some of her early recordings. Geri drew strength and inspiration from her hometown during her entire career, and just last year took on the role of artistic director of the Carr Center, a downtown Detroit arts organization that primarily champions African-American culture and has a strong arts education program. Geri saw her appointment as coming full circle, a way she could give back to the community that had nurtured her. It gave Detroiters one more reason to love her — not that anyone here needed another reason. The physical body dies, but the music and spirit do not. This poem by the late Michael Harper -- an African-American poet whose work I bet Geri knew -- gives comfort. "The Essential Tree" Greatness in life is in spending it for something that will outlast life, and be life renewed in other lives: the death of death is illusory; the death of life an enigma. -- Michael Harper

Thanks guys. Yeah, I noticed the price on the Ebay set -- excellent value, especially considering the remarkably quality of the music. Anyone who doesn't have this music should jump at that price.

Gang: How many LPs were in the Treasury Shows series as originally released on D.E.T.S. in the plain white sleeves? And does anyone know when these LPs were released? I just acquired nearly the whole series at a fantastic price. A few gaps in the set that I'll have to fill in, but not that many ...

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/12/532634238/2018-nea-jazz-masters-class-honorees-include-dianne-reeves-pat-metheny

What I'm most interested in are additional tracks from the sessions that led to "The Standard Sonny Rollins," which as I have gotten older has become pretty much my favorite "official record company" Sonny after "LIve at the Village Vanguard." I also would LOVE to hear the session reels to see if whole takes remain of the stuff that got heavily edited such as "Three Little Words." Tom Lord Discography lists these tunes as unissued from June and July 1964. "LIttle Girl Blue," "Nothing ever changes my love for you," "Look for the silver lining," "Love look away," "Deep in a Dream," "Love Walked In," "Masquerade," "I Like the Likes of You," "When I Fall in Love," Has anybody ever heard any of those tracks?

If folks haven't seen Iverson's interview with George Walker from several years ago, it's here: https://ethaniverson.com/interview-with-george-walker/

Goes deep ... https://ethaniverson.com/interview-with-james-newton/

Have never seen any evidence of this. From Michelle Mercer's bio of Wayne, it appears he wasn't on Blakey's radar until July 1959 in Toronto, when Lee Morgan facilitated him coming into the band.(Wayne's first gig with Blakey was Aug. 1 in French Lick, Ind. Mercer says Hank's unreliability had become a problem and he had not shown up for the gig at the festival in Toronto where the Messengers were part of the bill with Maynard's big band in which Wayne was playing. Judging from the dates of recordings, Golson was with the band at least until late December 1958 for European gigs, Hank joined sometime before March '59 , because the Messengers recorded a rejected date for BN on 3/18. The live Birdland recordings were made on 4/15 and Hank there's an airshot of the band's July 4 appearance at Newport with Mobley still on board. That's at least a five month stay (perhaps as much as seven) including studio and live recordings -- also arguments against a placeholder status.

Yes, of course. Thanks for the reminder. I forgot that Hank snuck back in their briefly, before Wayne came aboard.

Dan -- what year was that that Eddie was offered the job?

Once the band got established, the personal was among the most stable in jazz for any band of more than three people. From 1959-61, the only real change was Timmons leaving and then returning. From 1961-64, once Freddie replaced Lee, Cedar replaced Timmons and Curtis came aboard, there were no changes except for Workman replacing Merritt. In fact, going back to '58, the band was intact, save Golson for Shorter. Now, as to what kind of crazy shit was happening between 1956-58, that was certainly an environment in a lot of flux. Coda: Are we sure Shorter took over as musical director for Golson? Wayne was definitely in charge of the music for the sextet with Freddie and Curtis, but I wonder if Morgan succeeded Golson at first. Too lazy to look it up. Someone please get on that. Thanks in advance.

I heard him conduct the Detroit Symphony maybe a decade ago and recall a warm and rustic-sounding New World Symphony -- less driven and bold than you often hear and more what I'd consider Old World/Czech in character. I don't know his recordings, however.

Thanks for the overview guys. Appreciate it.

Thanks for getting the ball rolling.