Pete C

I got mine when I bought the box--perhaps at Tower.

I see Henry in the audience at NY gigs all the time, with Margaret Davis. Adam, any chance you're coming to NY for Vision this year? I didn't get to meet you last time--was it 2002? Already announced on the Henry Grimes website is that Henry will have a trio with Crispell & Cyrille!

The Christian airchecks & jams set is excellent, and the Minton's & Monroe's material with Dizzy, Monk etc. is in the best sound I've ever heard it.

DrJ, I'm BLOWN AWAY by your insightful posts.

I think you're right in large part--he was a catalyst and a synthesist, extremely attuned to what was going on in the wider musical culture as well as the potentialities of his chosen sidemen. The sound of the second quintet was a convergence of the history of Miles before that, the rhythmic input of Tony Williams, and the compositional/improvisational sensibilities of Wayne & Herbie, IMO. Miles gave Wayne the chance to realize certain directions that the Blakey association wouldn't allow. But Miles was the ringmaster, don't forget that.

This thread got me to do some listening and searching and I found something really interesting: Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre - Something About Lee Wiley First Aired October 11, 1963 Guest Stars: Piper Laurie (as Lee Wiley) Claude Rains (as Mr. Fare) Steven Hill (as Ruben Fare) Alfred Ryder (as Paul Eastlake) Ruth White (as Mama) Synopsis The story of jazz singer Lee Wiley, her failed marriage to bandleader Jess Stacy. Notes Director Sydney Pollack received an Emmy nomination for this episode. Now I have to see if the Museum of Television and Radio has it.

As far as I know Purcell has been off the scene for a while.

I wasn't chewing. Just gently nibbling.

I'd bet she was into Ethel Waters. As far as the RCA material goes, West of the Moon is good, but it doesn't get to me as much as A Night in Manhattan or the songbooks. I haven't heard A TOuch of the Blues. So, do the Wiley fans who've weighed in know Barbara Lea?

Interesting observation. With all the discussion on the Miles thread, I'm starting to see some similarities I've never thought of--and realizing why Lee Wiley may appeal in much the same way as Shirley Horn.

Sweets may be the only other trumpeter who had as distinctive a muted sound as Miles. And it worked great on recordings with Sinatra & Lady Day.

Yeah, I dug the film too and remember Dex. And a search on IMDB reveals that he also had a role in a 1968 Swedish film, Jag älskar, du älskar.

Hey, I just looked at that lineup for the Tolliver band closely and was surprised to see that Cables, and not Tolliver's shadow, Cowell, will be on piano.

For my money, Clifford may have been the greatest jazz TRUMPETER of all, but Miles was the greater jazz MUSICIAN.

I'm assuming you mean the Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers & Arlen. You absolutely must hear Night in Manhattan, then. And now it's available along with the Berlin & Youmans Columbia songbooks, a later R&H date, and a few other tidbits on a 2-cd set from Jazz Factory, The Complete Fifties Studio Masters. The LP of A Night in Manhattan had the contents of the 10-inch version, plus several tracks from the Berlin & Youmans projects, which may have never made it beyond 10". I think this set was the first time all that material was released on CD. Also on the set is a 1965 date with Joe Bushkin as accompanist, and she still sounded fine. I also have several discs of airchecks, some with alternate versions of the Night in Manhattan repertoire.

It must be the Jazz Worksop.

I couldn't agree more. Interestingly, the recordings where Miles shows the most chops, IMO, the Philharmonic Hall recordings, are among my least favorites--but I know a lot of people really dig these.

Or maybe he was just making music. In other words, I can understand where you're coming from, but I find your response both overly romantic and overly analytical. But that's me. I also find the rampant portrayal of Coltrane's music as "spiritual" annoying too.

Actually, while his style of MUSIC always changed, his style of PLAYING didn't change that much over the years.

Hey, that last one sounds great. I love the earlier Rava ECMs with Abercrombie.

Almost!

Has anybody heard the Brownie & Dolphy tracks? I'm curious to hear what Dolphy sounded like in '55.

I absolutely love her, especially the songbooks & "Night in Manhattan" period. Lots of her stuff is available these days. What else do you have to say about her. & are you familiar with Barbara Lea? She's still around, and was a sort of protegee of Lee Wiley.

Jim, quit yanking Matthew's Chain.

By the way, you reminded me to pull out this KILLER album: