Mark Stryker

Here's an index to part of the Avakian archives at the New York Public Library. Use the guide on the left and click on the Series IV: Audio and Video Recordings. Scroll down to see recordings from the sessions he produced that are available to anyone for study. He probably took these home as reference recordings and/or editing. https://archives.nypl.org/mus/22589?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email#detailed

Lewis Porter gives us a previously unreleased "Three Little Words" from the Sonny Meets Hawk session. Incredible stuff, especially from Hawkins, who comes at Sonny on the younger man's turf. Point made. https://lewisporter.substack.com/p/rollins-and-hawkins-an-astounding?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Happy birthday, Julius Watkins, born in Detroit on October 10, 1921. #JazzFromDetroit

Yes. Valuable book, especially the insightful, close readings of individual films, and draws out themes and connect the dots between films and generations.

FWIW, I wrote this a few years ago about my favorite Charlie Parker live recordings. It's been post on the forum in Jazz in Print threads, but seems like this is a good place and time to post it again. Had a lot of fun putting this together. https://ethaniverson.com/live-bird-is-the-best-bird-by-mark-stryker/

Some folks have mentioned Nick Brignola in conjunction with Woody, but there may be some confusion. Nick Brignola did play baritone sax with Woody in the early '60s. I don't know how long he was on the band. However, a MIKE Brignola was on Woody's band for a much longer tenure in the 1980s. If you saw Woody in those years, it was Mike not Nick you heard. I don't believe the two bari-playing Brignolas were related.

"Succotash" in my experience was a GREAT sounding LP, at least in its "black b" version from 1973 I've not heard the "white b" reissue from 1975 so I can't speak to the that but have always assumed it sounded excellent too -- still a real bargain in terms of Blue Note reissues. "Inventions and Dimensions" was always scarce and expensive and I assumed this was because it was never reissued under its original cover in United Artists blue label white or black b versions in the '70s. There are Liberty reissues up to a 1970 black/turquoise version and a 1971 Division of United Artists version with a classic blue/white label and black text. I have have also assumed that "Succotash" appeared with a non-traditional Blue Note cover because the label was trying to capitalize on Herbie's skyrocketing fame in the '70s. I could be wrong about the this. and perhaps there's another reason. What are the other Blue Notes that got a similar treatment? Cannonball's "Somethin' Else" is one. Others?

Looking forward to Jim's Milestone survey! Meantime, here's the outline of a related Sonny Rollins essay I'm going to write. I've been toying with a Sonny Rollins Top 10 and Bonus Tracks list for a while now, including official releases and unauthorized material from a variety of sources. Not everything is set in stone, but this is my current thinking. YMMV and all the other caveats apply. Sonny Rollins: A Personal Top 10 and Bonus Tracks. 1. A Night at the Village Vanguard, 1957 (Blue Note) 2. Paris concert, 11/4/65 3. The Standard Sonny Rollins, 1964 (RCA) 4. Alfie, 1966 (Impulse) 5. Newk’s Time, 1957 (Blue Note) 6. The Sound of Sonny, 1957 (Riverside) 7. Saxophone Colossus, 1956 (Prestige) 8. Now’s The Time, 1964 (RCA) 9. Newport Jazz Festival, 7/7/63 10. Falling in Love with Jazz, 1989. (Milestone) Bonus Tracks in chronological order 1. There’s No Business Like Show Business (Worktime), 1955 (Prestige) 2. Misterioso (Sonny Rollins Vol. 2), 1957 (Blue Note) 3. Freedom Suite (Freedom Suite), 1958 (Riverside) 4. If Ever I Would Leave You (What’s New), 1962 (RCA) 5. Lover, Village Gate, 7/28/62 6. Oleo, Paris, 10/31/65 7. Three Little Words, Copenhagen concert, 9/6/68 8. First Moves (The Cutting Edge), 1974 (Milestone) 9. Best Wishes (Road Shows Vol. 1), 1986 (Milestone) 10. Darn that Dream (Old Flames), 1993 (Milestone)

Some backstory. I wrote about the late Jim Dapogny’s discovery and restoration of this lost James P Johnson score back in 2002 for the Detroit Free Press and attended the subsequent performances that led to the recording. The story was reprinted here: http://ml.islandnet.com/pipermail/dixielandjazz/2002-December/005443.html

Shades of Live in Japan ...

In addition to the remarkable two live clips that Michael just posted, I humbly suggest that folks check out the chapter about Charles in my book, Jazz from Detroit. Chares is as great as great can be. Proud that that he's also featured in the forthcoming documentary film that I'm coproducing, The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit, which is inspired by the book. We have a rough cut done and expect a 2024 premiere.

Fair point about the size of the press. I'm editing my original post to remove the qualifier. Thanks.

Gary self-published "Reflectory" as an e-book. "Saxophone Trailblazer" is a paperback version of "Reflectory" but it's an edited/condensed version published by an imprint of a university press. The original book was about 400 pages; this one is 254 pages. The earlier "Joy Road," published in 2012, was an expansive, annotated discography-chronology that was a precursor to the eventual full biography.

This copy with a hand-painted cover is up to $6,100 in bidding at Carolina Soul. Anybody know how many of these were pressed or anything about the cover? I'm curious as to why the insane bidding... https://www.ebay.com/itm/204404362114?mkevt=1&mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m43.l1123&plmtId=700008&mesgId=3024&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=44356787009&trkId=0a776638-7c2c-4019-9dd8-e32ef66cf5b9&cnvId=700003&recoId=204404362114&recoPos=1

FWIW, I put together this Playlist of some of Bennett's more jazz-influenced tracks (from his more jazz-influenced) records. Might be a place to hear some things that have eluded you.

Gang, what's the best Cab Calloway single CD/stream out there that is widely available/attainable that gives you the most substantial jazz stuff (Chu Berry, Dizzy, etc.) with a minimum of the jive numbers and hits?

Thanks to all who have picked up on this thread in the last week.

Newton essentially switched careers from playing to formal composition. Ethan Iverson has written about this music extensively and interviewed Newton. Recommend these: https://ethaniverson.com/2021/10/18/updates-on-james-newton-and-misha-mengleberg/ https://ethaniverson.com/interview-with-james-newton/

Can't answer for sure, but the fact that Gilmore is not indexed in Robin Kelley's Monk biography is a strike against the possibility.

Related: Yes, Thad sounds fantastic with Monk because of the balance of thematic unity and total spontaneity of his trumpet solos. Those same qualities would have made also made him an ideal trumpet player for Sonny Rollins and the one track that survives with both improvising, "52nd Street Theme" on The Standard Sonny Rollins, proves it. Frankly, Thad really was a better match for Sonny than Don Cherry in the sense that Thad and Sonny's natural aesthetics were closer, both deeply rooted in bebop and abstracting the changes from a place of deep knowledge and technical control. I love Cherry, but if Sonny and been willing to keep a band together for longer, Thad would have been a GREAT longer-term solution -- at least for Sonny. Not sure if that would be great for Thad's ultimate destiny as a composer, arranger, and band leader, but it would have been a perfect showcase for his imagination as an improvisor. Imagine Sonny, Thad, Cranshaw, McCurdy c. 1963-66. Now add Bley. I'd like to either of those records.

FWIW, I reviewed this record positively when it came out specifically for the Latin rhythmic flavorings, breezy melodicism, party vibe and the rehearsed and focused sound of the band. Cuber's spirit is undeniable no matter what is going on around him, but I also like what's going on around him here and how he relates to it. Of course, everyone's mileage can and will vary and that's fine. I still play this record on occasion and always enjoy it when I do.

Makes sense. I know the writing but not the man, though I did cross paths with him once for a minute in the Dallas Morning News newsroom in 1999 and was able to tell him I like his work.

I just gave him a shout out on Twitter, asking if he might weigh in to tell us what Mosaic titles those are. Of the books, I see Gary Giddins' Visions of Jazz, George Wein's autobiography, a couple of Penguin guides, etc

Thanks. Read them on Discogs. Yeah, Charles! I've had this conversation with him about Stitt before, but he also says some stuff in these notes that was new to me. Great stuff.