Mark Stryker

Given the awful stretch of news we seem to be in, I thought the board might enjoy this lovely story from today's paper about a philanthropist leaving each musician in the Detroit Symphony a $5,000 bequest. http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/07/15/marjorie-fisher-detroit-symphony-orchestra/87084818/

Interesting observation. Now that I think about it, I don't see as many vintage Savoys as I do other labels, (Reissues are a different story.) FWIW, I have a modest sampling of original Savop LPs, though many of them are related to Detroit (no surprise; I live here and stuff like this shows up in the used stores) -- Yusef, Byrd, Hank, etc.

Re: Yusef For me the two best Yusef LPs are "Jazz Mood" from '57 and "The Dreamer" from '59. Many options in terms of various reissues on LP and CD etc going back a long way ...

The Hank Jones solo piano LP from 1956 is one of the greatest solo piano records ever. The title is variously seen as "Piano Solo," "Hank Jones" or "Have You Met Hank Jones." All of Hank's Savoys are really good, but that solo record is the one that is truly essential. Hank was basically the house pianist at the label, often pairing with Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke. While I'm thinking of it, the Joe Wilder record with Hank, Wendell and Klook, "Wilder 'n' Wilder" is a sweetheart too. But, again, that Hank solo LP is a must have.

Great playlist, David. That fantastic Latin version of "Night and Day" was completely new to me. Those "Perfectly Frank" performances are really something else. Would add as a coda that I think some of Sinatra's best jazz singing -- looser phrasing, improvising with the melody, really swinging with the band -- came on two early '60s reprise LPs, "Swinging Brass (Hefti) and Ring-A-Ding Ding (Mandel). On the former check out "I'm Beginning to See the Light," especially Sinatra's last half choruses after the ensemble and Ben Webster's solo. On the latter, "A Foggy Day" is representative, particularly his second chorus. That's Don Fagerquist on trumpet.

No argument here, though I would note that some music critics are more complicated than others.

Families are complicated.

Such a great, great quartet. Every single LP it made is worth having. I wish they made more ... The quartet was underrated in its day because of their studio day gigs and the "Hollywood" taint, and the fact that they didn't tour much . But there are times when I think it was equal to the Juilliard quartet -- certainly these were the two best American quartets of the era. In later years, their Capitol LPs were WAY out of print and were pretty much forgotten until some EMI reissues in the 80s and the Testament CDs in 90s, the latter of which sparked a revival/reassessment. I've spoken to Leonard Slatkin a bit about the group -- Felix and Eleanor were his parents of course -- and he has great stories about various composers being at the house and "Uncle Frank" singing he and his brother to sleep ...

Worth noting: The author who worked with Hampton Hawes on "Raise Up Off Me" was named Don Asher, and he deserves a lot of credit for helping shape the book and capturing Hawes' voice and spirit on the page. (This is a lot harder than it looks.) Asher himself was a pianist, who for many years was the house pianist at the Hungry I in San Francisco during the nightclub's heyday. He wasn't exactly a jazz pianist, but more of a hip cocktail pianist (in the most profound sense) and a true professional musician. In later years he became a writer too (novels and more). His memoir "Notes from a Battered Grand" is really a wonderful book. I can't recommend it highly enough. I met Don once. We were on vacation in San Francisco in 1998 and I found out that he had a steady gig at the Fairmont Hotel (I think that's where it was). Heard a few tunes and shared a drink with him at the bar. A lovely man. https://www.amazon.com/Notes-Battered-Grand-Honky-Tonk-Society/dp/0151672814

I assume the Prestige recordings are owned by whoever owns all the other Prestige recordings -- which is to say whoever owns Concord, right? I don't think the Ammons estate, assuming it exists, would legally have any involvement in production of a box set, and the extent they were paid at all would be subject to the conditions of the original contracts, publishing etc. Chuck Nessa could clarify this for us: Who gets paid or would have control if Concord wanted to put out an Ammons Prestige box or if, say, Mosaic wanted to license the material?

Birthday bump: Happy 84th, Lalo. (b. 6/21/32) This is the piece the Detroit Symphony will play next year and that I referenced above. Nice piece.

All of these Jug dates have confused me for decades -- the original LPs, the LP reissues, the twofer reissues, the CDs etc. For a long time I kept a notebook in my car with everything I had written down so I could try and fill in gaps but it was still a mess. I would totally pay A LOT of money to have all of this material boxed in chronological order and smartly annotated. In fact, I'd like to have a go at writing those notes myself if someone wants to give me a chance ...

Yeah, "Coalition" is very good; so are the Village Vanguard recordings (various sources) with Little and Coleman. Are the latter all collected somewhere in reasonable sound and legitimate provenance? "On the Mountain" is killing with Jan Hammer and Gene Perla. Overall, "Heavy Sounds" was never a favorite of mine -- YMMV -- but I do like the way they play "Shiny Stockings," especially Elvin on brushes. Has anybody ever made brushes sound as gritty and dirty as Elvin did? I also like Billy Greene's tune "M.E.," whose melody and harmony reminds me of those deliriously lyrical Freddie Redd/Tina Brooks pieces that I think of junkie music. What ever happened to Greene anyway? Re: "And Then Again" (1965) -- this was the last of the four LPs that all three Jones brothers appeared on together. The title track, spontaneously conceived with no written material and loosely in D minor, is particularly interesting, among the most "modern" settings in which Hank appeared. (note: if you go looking for this on youtube, be aware that "And Then Again" has been mislabeled in some instances so that while you see the correct cover what you're actually hearing is the music from "Midnight Walk." For the record the other three records that featured all three brothers were "Keepin' Up with the Joneses" (Metro, 1958); Herb Geller's "Gypsy" (Atco, 1959), "Elvin!" (Riverside, 1961/62)

: Here are a few paragraphs about Jones' early recordings as a leader that I've drawn from my forthcoming book (2017) about Detroit jazz musicians. ---- Jones earliest recordings under his own name date back to “Elvin” (Riverside) from 1961-62 with his brothers and three LPs for Impulse, the best of which is “Dear John C” (1965). It’s a lyrical nod to Coltrane that features strongly melodic songs and tremendous playing from alto saxophonist Charlie Mariano. Hank Jones and Detroit-born pianist Roland Hanna alternate on piano. Jones’ finest body of recordings as a leader was the group of 10 albums recorded for Blue Note from 1968-73. They range from lean trios to eight and nine-piece bands and they sweep through a striking range of material. The initial LPs, “Puttin’ it Together” and “The Ultimate Elvin Jones,” showcase his first working group with Jimmy Garrison on bass and Joe Farrell on tenor and soprano sax, flute and piccolo. With no piano and the bass hot in the mix you can really hear the death-grip bond between Garrison and Jones. “Puttin’ it Together” has an extra spark heard in the greasy hipness Jones slaps on the march beat on “Keiko’s Birthday March” and the George-of-the-jungle tom-toms that drive “Gingerbread Boy.” If Farrell felt pressure from stepping into Coltrane’s shoes less than a year after his death, he doesn’t show it, and he turns in some of the best work of his career. Of the other Blue Notes, “Merry-Go-Round” (1971) stands as an inspired, thoughtfully arranged microcosm of the eclecticism entering jazz. The 10-member cast expands and contracts as it journeys through all kinds of repertoire. Older Jones associates like Farrell and Pepper Adams rub shoulders with a new generation — saxophonists Dave Liebman and Steve Grossman, keyboardists Chick Corea and Jan Hammer, bassist Gene Perla and percussionist Don Alias. By 1972’s “Live at the Lighthouse,” Liebman, Grossman and Perla were now in Jones’ working band. The young saxophonists sound like twin wild animals tearing into a post-Coltrane language. -----

In the last month the world has lost two of the three men I admired most on the planet: Muhammad Ali and Sheldon Stryker (my father). All I can say right now is that whoever is running this fucking circus better be taking damn good care of Sonny Rollins.

Thanks for the feedback folks. As I said, I'm never giving these up. I do want to get a machine or turntable that will play them. I listened to them often as a kid. Made a large impression...

For a long time now I've had my father's 78s. He was hip -- Lady Day, Basie, HInes, Dizzy/Bird, Hawk, Jacquet, Goodman etc -- even Dodo Marmarosa (!). I'm interested in getting a sense of any monetary value these might have. To be clear: I'm not interested in selling anything; these records mean too much to me. But I'd like to know, especially since there are some rather obscure labels represented including several on Atomic. I can't really evaluate condition as I don't have a turntable that can play them, though I can say with some certainty that nothing would qualify as "mint" -- yet the surfaces on many look pretty darn good. They are not beat to shit. But I really don't know my way around the 78 world, from scarcity, condition issues, etc. I'm going to list many of them here and if anyone can offer insight I'd be much obliged: Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit/Fine and Mellow (Commodore 526) Dizzy Gillespie, Salt Peanuts/Hot House (Guild 1003) Count Basie, It's Sand, Man/Ride On (Columbia 36647) Benny Goodman, After You've Gone/Body and Soul (Columbia 36781) Benny Goodman, Let's Dance/Boy Meets Horn (Columbia 35301) Benny Goodman, Why Don't You Do Right/Six Flats Unfurnished (Columbia 36652) Benny Goodman, I'm Not Complainin'/My Sister and I (Columbia 36022) Benny Goodman, Lazy River/No, Baby, No (Capitol 20124) Benny Goodman, Music Maestro Please/The Bannister Slide (Capitol 20127) Benny Goodman, How High the Moon/Benny's Boogie (Capitol 20126) Illinois Jacquet, Wondering and Thinking of You/ (Apollo 758) Illinois Jacquet, Ghost of a Chance/Bottom's Up (Apollo 756) Coleman Hawkins, Smack/Dedication (Commodore 533) 18324) Coleman Hawkins, I'm Thru With Love/Hollywood Stampede (Capitol 10036) Jay McShann, Moten Swing/On the Sunny Side of the Street (Capitol 10039 Earl Hines, Stormy Monday Blues/Second Balcony Jump (Bluebird 11567) Jimmie Lunceford, White Heat/Jazznocracy (Bluebird 5713) Jimmie Lunceford, I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town Parts I and 2 (Decca Johnny Hodges, Things Ain't What They Used to Be/Squatty Roo (Bluebird 11447) Dodo Marmarosa, Mellow Mood/How High the Moon (Atomic 225) Lyle Griffin, Wolf Song/Strictly for Kicks (Atomic 202) Ray Linn, Where's Pres?/Eastside Jump (Atomic 220) Fats Waller, Buckin' the Dice/All that Meat and No Potatoes (Bluebird 11102) Stan Kenton, Artistry in Percussion/Ain't No Misery in Me (Capitol 20089) Stan Kenton, Harlem Folk Dance/Do Nothin' til You Hear from Me (Capitol 145) Nat King Cole, Nature Boy/Lost April (Capitol 15054) Glenn Miller, Juke Box Saturday Night/Sleepy Town Train (Victor 20-1509) Glenn Miller, Slow Freight/Bugle Call Rag (Bluebird b-10740) Eddie Miller, Stomp, Mr. Henry Lee/Yesterdays (Capitol 170) Jan Savitt, Sugar Foot Stomp/Quaker 30-0813) City Jazz (Bluebird 10005) Erskine Hawkins, Bear Mash Blues/Don't Cry Baby (Bluebird 30-0813) Erskine Hawkins, Blackout/Who's Beatin My Time With You (Bluebird 11192) Sonny Thompson, Blue Dreams/Blues on Rhumba (Miracle) Erskine Butterfield, Monday's Wash/Blackberry Jam (Decca 8543) Louis Jordan, Knock Me a Kiss/I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town (Decca 8593) Jimmy Dorsey, The Spirit's Got Me/Charleston Alley (Decca 4075) New Friends of Rhythm, Fable in Sable/Bach Bay Blues (Victor 26315) The Capitol Jazzmen, Sugar/Ain't Goin' No Place (Capitol 172)

Here's John Marshall sounding great with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra in 1994 on Thad's classic "Low Down" (on the changes of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You.") Also, board member Michael Weiss on piano. There's youtube footage of Marshall also playing this tune with Mel and the band in 1980. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzSL_jYtBzQ

It's 1931. I once asked him specifically about the conflicting dates. He said at some point when he was young he told an interviewer for some liner notes that he was born in 1932 to make himself a year younger -- he said he had no idea why he did it, maybe just for a goof -- and from there the mistake kept getting repeated by other through the years.

Folks: Henry Threadgill has won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for "In for a Penny, In for a Pound."

In fairness to Mrs. JSngry, there is "opera" and there is "Wagner," and while the latter is a subset of the former, not everyone who digs the former digs the latter. Me? You can take all of Wagner and I'll take "La Boheme," "Marriage of Figaro" and "Falstaff" and we'll call it even.

I've told Michael Weiss this story before, but I don't think I've shared it with the forum. I saw "Epitaph" performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival in the early '90s. At one point during one of the more abstract and quietly intense "night music" sections, John Hicks interrupted the spooky mood by coming down hard on the keyboard with both hands to play a dissonant, double forte tone cluster. I happened to look over at Gunther, who was conducting, and he was looking at Hicks and shaking his head and waving his arms in big "no" gestures. Then after conducting a couple more bars, Gunther gave a big cue toward Hicks, who brought his hands down and played the cluster again. The first, obviously, was a mistake. Oops.

It hasn't been mentioned yet, but "Sound Suggestions" on ECM is a record that holds up -- interesting to hear George with Beirach/Holland/DeJohnette and how the group finds a balance between the pianist's more formal and advanced harmonic language and George's homegrown harmonic "looseness." Rhythmically, everyone is bashing together in a good way. Doesn't really sound like a working band but rather one of those days in the studio with good cats and a good vibe. Plus, you get Kenny Wheeler in the mix. I used to play "Imani's Dance" with my group in Urbana.

There's Facebook tribute page ("Remembering David Baker") that's been created by his former students where people are sharing stories and memories. This was recently posted and it relates to these Down Beat transcriptions. -------- Has anybody told the Filles de Kilimanjaro story? Here's the version I know: David transcribed Miles Davis's solo from "Filles de Kilimanjaro", and the solo was published in Downbeat Magazine. Soon after, David received a late night phone call from Miles. [in Miles rasp]: "Why you put my sh*t in Downbeat?!"... David: "Well Miles, they paid me!" [Miles hangs up.] [A few seconds later, Miles calls back.] "That's some hip sh*t, ain't it." ------ Quote: "AH! A Lester Young guy, you like to take the express, not the local, right?" -- That's David's concise interpretation of George Russell's "boat-going-down-the-river" metaphor, which may be in the text of the Lydian Chromatic Concept but which I heard from David himself as he was explaining some of Russell's ideas to me in an interview some 13 years ago. Here's an interview that Russell did with Jason Gross that I found on the website Perfect Sound Forever: PSF: If you were to describe your theory to a layman, what would say about it? GR: You can think of it as this- you're going down the river in a local steamboat. The towns along that river (are) chords. The boat would stop at each chord. The captain would have some melody that caused the genre of the chord to be heard as such. Continuing down the river, that's the way the melody would be received. Each town has its own sound. The captain, let's call him... John Coltrane. (laughs) If you think of his famous solo on "Giant Steps." He's stopping at every chord/town along that river. (He's) playing a melody that centers the listener right on that chord/town. Then to the next one. That's the way he gets down the river. Lester Young got down the river in a faster, express boat. It did not stop at each chord/town. It stopped only at the larger cities. He had to depend more on time. Forward movement, time itself to make that journey. But he would sound a melody for the listener, over a number of chord towns that center on the... might call it the final, to which those chord towns resolve. PSF: So it's a destination then? GR: Yes, that's right. Immediately, he's sending a message that these four/five chord/towns are final and he goes down the river, stopping at those larger cities. PSF: After you work and published this theory, did you see your work as a break from the tradition of bebop? GR: It doesn't fight anything. What I was looking for is how melody behaves. At first, you might say how it behaves in a jazz sense. Lester Young didn't mind choosing a final chord, a larger chord town in which the smaller towns resolves. Coleman Hawkins represented another school- he was an originator of what I'd call vertical playing. He and Lester were each indicating tonal center. With one, the river was the tonal center, the other was a final chord, a major and minor one. PSF: So you see the theory as a natural progression of what was happening then? GR: Well, what was happening, the horizontal way of playing really came out of slavery. Blacks were denied musical instruments. It comes out of church music, which is so prominent these days in commercials. It kind of became a hierarchy and sort of a duel with the vertical way of playing, performed mostly by Coleman Hawkins. The vertical players had a term for the horizontal players- they called it 'shucking.' (laughs) They weren't sounded the genre of each small town along the river. They were only sounding the genre to which those chords ultimately resolved. By that, they automatically had to be playing a melody that would indicate that chord-town over the vertical melodies. So you have the horizontal players who the vertical players said that they didn't go to school but that wasn't true. Lester Young really had both sides down and he used it to show occasionally that he had the chords down. They were also the supra-roles for certain players and these were people who reached beyond the horizontal and vertical, combined them and actually created what I call 'secondary chords,' like Ornette. He floats down the river. He's just out there! (laughs) He had a huge influence on jazz. Bebop is basically based on all kinds of show tunes. "What Is This Thing Called Love" is actually a horizontal melody. Bebop was a very vertical music for a number of reasons, some not having to do with music. After World War II, black soldiers came back to find the same old thing, nothing had changed for them. Black intellectuals, which I'm not, didn't go too far up in the educational field. I made the choice to drop school and go it on my own. People kid intellectual people all the time so I laugh when I get called that. Ornette was the first one to change melody, change rhythm, change form and brought all of that with him and used it in music. In concept terms, he would be a supra-player