Bill Nelson

Let me add Phil Moore's 'New York Sweet' (Mercury SR-60783) from 1962 to the above jazzy interpretations of Gotham. Back to TTK's query about Oliver Nelson's 'Jazzhattan Suite' -- yes, five of six tracks were included in Verve's 'Jazz Masters #48 'Oliver Nelson' CD: 'A Typical Day in New York', 'Penthouse Dawn', 'One For Duke', and 'Complex City'. ('East Side, West Side' gets a 6:28 version versus the 4:10 on vinyl.) It also appears on Side 2 of 'The Sound of Feeling' (Verve V6-8743) with a running time of 5:45, so pick your take.

Still, the premise of Gilligan's Island' continually strained audience's credulity and realism. Examples: If the S.S. Minnow was only on a three-hour tour, why would Ginger ("the movie star") bring along her extensive wardrobe and costumes? Are Mr. and Mrs. Howell so distrustful of banks that they bring loads of cash on a brief boat tour? As for The Professor, unless his PhD. arrived from a diploma mill, he should've been bright enough to devise some means of off-island communication. These are but a few of the 'Gilligan' inconsistencies which have been simmering on my back burner for nearly 50 years. On the advice of my life coach, "Get one first, then call me for an appointment."

Seriously following any recording artist is comparable to subscribing to a magazine -- you gotta get every issue when it comes out (and back issues, too). Pat Metheny provides a perfect example of my own realization of the consumption law of the diminishing marginal utility of each additional item acquired. And his product release schedule is way too prolific for me to keep up. The moment hit me in 2006, when I got 'Metheny-Mehldau' -- bringing my total to 22 Metheny CDs sitting in a row. I looked at the shelf and said, "Basta". Enough already. I've since thinned the herd by removing 'Rejoicing' and 'Beyond the Missouri Sky'. (Metheny and Haden are too polite and the playing is precious.) Until there's something brilliant and sensational, I'll stay with what I got.

Jimmy Lunceford: re-assessing the Decca Jazz GRP vs. the Decca Jazz Heritage series 'enhanced stereo' vinyl (1969): Since writing #8 above, I've A/B'd the Jimmy Lunceford tracks on both and consistently arrived at a surprising conclusion: If you can handle the slight reverb of its 'enhanced stereo', the Jazz Heritage vinyl provides more clarity, open air, and detail. The computerized NoNoise of the Decca GRP CD not only dampens the total sound but also muffles the instrumental solos and vocals. The result of this processing and re-equalizing depletes the ambient air so the Lunceford band sounds like it's in a closet full of clothing. While the seven bonus tracks on the CD are nice, the overall playback does not reward close listening.

And in the realm of physical media in this world as we know it -- "That's all folks!" For the bulk of these Decca GRP Jazz masters, they ain't happening again.

Yes, Decca's Legendary Masters of Jazz series of 59 titles (listed above) was released thru GRP from 1992-95 and was a quality CD reissue endeavor. The one most Organissimo's have in hand is Hal McKusick's 'Now's the Time' (GRD-851, issued 1995). On this and the three others I've got (Lunceford, McShann, McRae), Orrin Keepnews was the project coordinator and producer (probably for the entire series). Each CD booklet is thoroughly researched with historical perspective and discography with details of each track. The CD era of the early 90's was one of boundless destiny and most major labels green-lighted reissue projects from their holdings but few were this good. With the exception of McKusick, each of the 58 other titles was perhaps given a run of 2,500 copies. If 5,000, then I would've seen 'em appear in cut-out bins (Music For A Song) and discount merch catalogs (Daedalus). Maybe they were and I didn't get busy when they got dumped. Wish I had more but am happy with what I got.

Of course, of course. Or as my mother-in-law would say, "So, whose fault is that?"

Buff it. Puff it. Stuff it.

What I especially like about Friedwald is his critical thinking and creative way of calling 'em as he sees 'em. As a result of his audacity, he frequently leaves me hooting or howling.

It officially becomes a 'hat trick' when a third label repeats this ruse. (Andorran pirates, start your engines.)

I've always given Martin Williams creds for defending Ornette w/ liner notes on Atlantic LP jackets, however... his lengthier pieces of writing sag from the weight of overwrought verbiage in over-intellectualizing his totems within jazz. In 1984, I got to hear him lecture for 45 minutes on the topic of 'Duke Ellington' and he had his audience embalmed by midpoint. By the end, I had no desire to meet him so I just split.

Old School: Carol Sloane and Sue Raney New School: Stacey Kent (with heavy Joanie Sommers influence)

"He (the assailant) lives less than a half-hour from my house and that concerns me." So when Brutus makes his bond and gets parole... he'll have lots of time to wait for the right moment to 'thank' Mr. Rescue.

Could be the battery contact in Wig's ear trumpet.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his... uhh... fellow city bus drivers."

So Jimmy Smith was also a MENSCH? "No, but on this occasion it wouldn't hurt."

Tim Green tonight? What time?

Verse/Naxos moved on Bethlehem's catalog 15 years too late to make a profit -- and 10 years to break even on manufacturing physical product. (Unless they made numbered limited edition gold disc CDs personally remastered by Kevin Gray or Steve Hoffmann.)

I suppose Rick and Oscar simply ran out of time to listen to them all. I'm starting to get that feeling myself.

Happened to find an interview with Nancy Wilson's pianist and sometime music director Ronnell Bright, who was with her from 1963-66. At the time of this interview (DownBeat, Feb. 5, 1970), Bright was done touring and seemed ready to tell all about the singers he'd played for. On Nancy Wilson: "She's a charming lady with a very appealing voice, as warm as Nat, but she's not a jazz singer or a creative singer. I watched her grow from a sweet, humble talent to an over-assured person. She thinks she's a musician and tells conductors her opinions but she hasn't the experience or musical training to do that. Her talent lies in finding her own way. It's foolish for singers to talk to men who have studied 12 or 15 years about matters that they, the singers, don't understand." To give you some RB creds, in 1958 he replaced Jimmy Jones in Sarah Vaughan's trio. And it's him playing piano on 'After Hours at the London House', with Richard Davis and Roy Haynes completing the trio. About Sassy: "Of all the singers I've played for, Sarah is unquestionably the greatest -- the only one who can claim the very highest standards of musicianship. She could tell you to move from F# to E in the middle of a ten-note chord and she'd always be right."

My experience with the original Focus pressings gave me plenty of 'agita' -- the vinyl looks cloudy and plays with continual hiss. Atlantic Record Sales Co., Inc. may well have distributed them but they were likely pressed at a subsidiary of Pickwick. I've since gotten a Japanese pressing of McRae's 'Bittersweet' (Warner-Pioneer, 1980) and Dorough's 'Everything' on an Evidence CD. The Wayne 'Tapestry' is nice but not essential.

Let me echo Jeff's tribute to Ben and his very real jazz club, Hannah's. The time I went in May, 1992, vibist Dave Pike had brought his rig and was sitting in. The band swung even harder and Ben (then 61) was digging his scene. Since then, as I acquire West Coast jazz albums, I continue to find 'Ben Tucker, bass' in the credits. And the music is always solid underneath.

When parking at the truck stop, there's a secluded area in the back where, if you wait, a variety of other deals start at $8.

Just dug this out of one of my crates and put it on the TT to let it 'sing for its supper'. Hell yeah, it'll be filed into the main library. Liberty/Pacific Jazz gave Bud the green light to stretch with his buddies on this one. They're all on the cover of the gatefold jacket and the liner notes by J.William Hardy are detailed and worth it. Both tracks on the witness stand are so well-arranged, they synch with all other tracks. 'Grass Is Greener' doesn't sound like the Pet Clark hit 'The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener'. Shank's 'Grass' is dynamite by comparison.

But wait -- there's more! Buy 12 copies for yourself and, with each book you can: exterminate exfoliate excise excrete execrate exhort exonerate expatriate expectorate expunge exuviate, and then extinguish the glowing ashes