Pete C

It was a free concert at the Museum of Modern Art sculpture garden. I waited in line for a while, but it was apparent that I was too far back to get in, so I gave up. When I heard the album I didn't feel so bad about missing the show.

dud

I'll be there on Sunday.

This Collectables disc of 2 late-50's Columbia trio albums is really excellent.

I love Gonsalves, but that interminable and generally unimaginative solo has to be one of the most overrated moments in jazz history.

I'm surprised at all the negative response for what I consider one of the finest straight-ahead working groups in jazz today (granted, not a category with too many contenders, IMO). I think Extended Play is the best of the current band's output, and in a sense it makes the studio albums by this lineup relatively irrelevant, as most of the best compositions of the last several albums are included. I do find the big band disappointing--basically the fluidity and tension of the small group are weighed down and subsumed by the charts. Potter is fine, but Eubanks and Nelson are easily in the top ranks of their instruments.

I think Brownie gave the most pressing reason, but in an interview he also claimed that the jazz scene in France had become moribund, and that he had become musically excited by both Danilo Perez & Dave Douglas. I was recently talking to another expat musician who has been living in Holland for years; he also expressed a disappointment with the current scene over there and a desire to return to the states. Now from my listener's perspective there's lots of interesting stuff going in Europe, but of course I have no sense of the day to day realities. At any rate, I don't think it's uncommon to yearn for home after years abroad.

No, Lacy had no idea he was ill when he made the decision to come back. He found out last August, and I think he started at NEC the prior year.

Do you really like Quarteto Em Cy? I find them very kitschy.

What's so interesting about that?

Phillip and I worked on a project together in the 80s. He's an excellent composer and a fine player. I'm especially fond of his film music. Phillip, as well of his old cohort Joel Forrester, generally misses the radar of most mainstream (and a lot of avant) jazz fans.

I don't know which I'd find more annoying: Byrne or the string section. He does, however, have great taste in music and has put out some wonderful albums on Luaka Bop.

That seems to have been the case with Baraka (see his postscript to his Shorter piece in Black Music). I can't say I agree.

The tapes of the Eaton session do exist according to my source at Sony.

Don't hold your breath for any reissues of his Mainstream albums, but they featured his band with George Adams (pre-Mingus) & Hannibal Marvin Peterson. I had "Senyah" on vinyl years ago. Good stuff.

Yes. The sound quality is very bad. Lacy takes very short solos compared to Rouse. WKCR played it during their Lacy festival.

Yes, the Keystone Bop dates and the Pablo recordings from the early '80s contain some of his best playing.

The other day I was listening to Estrellas de Areito - Los Heroes, from 1979, and Sandoval has some excellent solos.

This is not a political statement, but Sandoval was much more tasteful before he left Cuba.

Indeed. If not for Schlitten he would have remained in total obscurity, rather than relative obscurity. He's also on a nice Kenny Drew date for Xanadu.

I like Harrell's playing, but I too find that album a crashing bore. I've seen Stafford live about 3 times over about 10 years. I think he's one of the top straight-ahead trumpeters of his generation. I prefer him to both Marsalis & Hargrove. I nominate Hargrove for overrated. I nominate Payton for deserving of his acclaim.

Dorham and Little were extremely different players. I respect, but don't love Dorham's playing. I find Little to be one of the most expressive of players, and in a weird way I hear a Sephardic tinge to his playing. Little would be way at the top of an underrated composers list.

John, how familiar are you with the later stuff? Check out Strollin' and get back to me. A lot of great players have been named on this thread.

It has been confirmed by New England Conservatory.

He pretty much sticks around Chicago, which is why he isn't better known. I think the only major touring he did was with Elvin. A couple of other excellent Chigago straight-ahead pianists who stayed home are Jodie Christian & John Young (I saw Young with Von Freeman a couple of years ago when they were both 80).