Bill Nelson

Yeah, the 'Mwandishi' LP smoked me thoroughly (and vice versa) when it first came out. I buzzed thru two copies prior to the first CD issue. Still got the DJ-only 7-inch promo w/ pic sleeve of 'Ostinato' b/w 'You'll Know When you Get There'. Really jumped at both the Norman Connors on Buddah, thinking they'd be hot shit. Kept 'em for a couple years, then had to admit they weren't happening, and unloaded them in '76. The first one was a notch better than the follow-up, but neither one really lit a fire -- like 'Ostinato'.

"Solid, Jackson!"

My discussion was limited to the 5 Freedom discs at hand. I wouldn't DREAM of exposing my flanks to such an easy ass-kick. I was expecting some sharp-shooter to nail me on Roswell Rudd (who was afforded decent recording situations by Impulse and Arista-Freedom).

Yes, the Frank Wright 'Uhuru' blew me away. I've gotta rave about the other four I got (on a 5-star DownBeat scale): Anthony Braxton - Donna Lee (4.5 stars) Emergency - Homage To Peace (4 stars, but climbing higher with each play) Clifford Thornton - Panther & the Lash (5 stars) Roswell Rudd - same (4 stars, sound not quite as clean as other titles) Every one's a keeper, featuring strong ensemble work with consistent blazing, brilliant solos by the horns. (I'm leery of excess noodling or prolonged, random squeaks and mere sound effects for the sake of 'art'.) Not to be a shrill shill, but with just 1,000 of each title being allocated for distribution Stateside...for the first-time ever issued on CD and at a reasonable price...clear and crisp sound...excellent packaging and booklets... WHY WAIT FOR THEM TO VANISH? It's not as if these leaders have a slew of other albums that were recorded as well (Braxton being the exception). The Free America titles might well rank as THE VERY BEST among the handful these artists properly recorded and 'officially' released.

No, it's just that Jazz: The Rough Guide is thin, hasty, and breezy for casual readers in a hurry. Almost worth taking up space on your shelf. It's basically a reprint of Jazz: The Essential Companion by Carr, Fairweather, and Priestley, which was published Stateside by Prentice Hall in 1988 and in 1987 by Grafton Books (on ye olde sodde?). Still, no match for either the Penguin or All Music Guide reference tomes.

The real deal of jazz vocalese ensembles: Les Double Six - same RCA/BMG Classics, 1999 Dizzy Gillsepie & the Double Six of Paris - Philips, 1986 Blue Stars of France - Lullaby of Birdland - Emarcy, 1989 (Japanese)

As for the current status of OJC's, you might want to check your favorite online CD sources. Notice how many titles say,"Back-ordered", or, "...more on the way". Well, when the last warehouse runs dry of 'second-tier', low-selling artists, Concord/Universal won't be motivated to press any new runs of 500 of any title. What they WILL DO is wreak 'concept package' comps of the bigger-selling Fantasy artists, like 'Sonny After Sundown: Down-tempo Rollins', 'Monk's Magic For Every Mood', and 'Debbie Does Miles'. I can hear 'em now in the board room: "We gotta find new angles and themes to position this stuff, you know, to 'get' the latent 'jazzsters' out there."

Today I ordered 5 of the 15 available from Dusty Groove at $16.99 each: Clifford Thornton - Panther & the Lash Anthony Braxton - Donna Lee Emergency - Homage To Peace Roswell Rudd - same Frank Wright - Uhuru Na Umoja More than half of the initial pages on this thread have dealt with the high cost ($24.99) of imports and relative Stateside unavailability of these limited edition CDs. Well, now at least 15 of 'em are here and quite available. With an apparent 5,000 per unit limit -- let me say at this juncture: "What are you waitin' for, buckeroos -- saddle up and git yer asses in gear!" By year end, please don't fill this topic thread with how you mighta, coulda, woulda, shoulda... And forget the prospect of copping promos or cut-outs on the cheap.

In 1969, buyers didn't have a choice to buy mono LPs because they weren't being made (unless you copped mono DJ copies thru 1972). For just a few more years into the 70's, you might score DJ singles with one side mono (usually a 'fold-down' from the stereo master). There's probably some indie labels which persevered with the mono format in the early 70's, but '69 is the cut-off year when the majors declared mono dead.

Let's hope that Kansas City cab driver can dig what's sitting in his backseat -- assuming he has a turntable at his apartment.

Yes, the vinyl jacket is bereft of any credits, just the historical blurb posted above. No producer, arranger, engineer, studio, recording date -- just lotsa white space. Maybe Imperial forgot to get it to the printer or it got lost in the rushes. BTW, this LP was one of 10 minty old Imperial, Atlantic, and Prestige LPs I scored last May in Pensacola, FL at a junk-tique: Luther Perry's Variety Store (4155 Barrancas Ave.) -- and when he totaled 'em up and said,"How does 35 dollars sound," it was like stepping back in time 40 years or so. The album is surprisingly tasty and happening, despite the dubious title 'Jazz Impressions of Folk Music'. A keeper, for sure.

RE: "Is there a bad one?" As in bad remastering? Yeah, the 'Buhaina's Delight' 24-bit RVG re-issue from last year. The remastering is so compressed, Bu's cymbals are smeared to smithereens. Until EMI gets Rudy a top-o-the-line Beltone, I'm laying off his 24-bit remasters. Malcolm Addey gets 'em right every time.

You're asking us, "Which are the best jazz books for the uninitiated?" Many of us simply cannot think that far back. You might directly address those newbies who just recently got into jazz for answers about a good primer for their introduction.

'Hard Latin' absolutely CLINCHES that it's Larry Young.

TO: Dept. of Warts and All -- When I'm clicking on 'Max' Health' for an update, I'm REALLY NOT interested in scrolling thru a rehash of all his past sins and trangressions. As noted just above, can't we let the man die in grace peacefully prior to listing all his offenses? Insisting on a full confession from Max at this time is sensational and exploitative -- whatever the socio-psychological justification -- and in bad form.

SNWOLF should start a new thread titled 'Jazz Domestic Partner/Spousal Abuse'. This would provide him the platform to write directly about domestic violence via his in-depth analysis of abnormal psychology as it pertains to jazz musicians. WOLF could also initiate a Jazz Spousal Abuse Hotline and provide counseling.

Chuck Nessa: "I don't know the folks and think they deserve the benefit of the doubt." Then maybe you'd like to buy the bridge in Brooklyn which Sonny Rolllins played on? C'mon, let's see some letters of authenticity from bona fide appraisers before cutting these 'folks' some slack. Wake up and smell the coffee, Chuck. Your $900 spent on a Mosaic set of Nat Cole is more real than spending same $$ on a purported hankie with Monk's snot.

Seller doesn't offer any certification of authenticity besides "Provenance: family of Juanita Coltrane" -- and goes no futher to provide proof. (Maybe to dodge claims of phony bootleg merchandise?) Red flags are flipping everywhere on this listing.

At just 12 inches in height, y'all are crushing your jackets -- which are standard 12 and 1/4 inches. (I cut my mid-shelf inserts at 13 and 1/2 inches.)

Carson's Hippest Regular Guest Jazz Musician -- Pete Barbutti During the 70's he would sit in with the band maybe once per month. Carson wold then give Barbutti a shot to do his jazz hipster bit with Doc's band. Earlier, Pete Barbutti did an LP of similar shtick (around 1965) for Vee Jay.

So you got yours in Iraq at a flea market? 'Slight damage' right?

Congrats, Cornelius. I believe you've gotten yourself nicely elucidated -- and with no dicking around!

Pryan: "...This thread was a bit over the top. Sure you have the "credentials" to do so, but does that mean that you should?" What a clear defense of mediocrity you make, Paul. You might just as well stick with your student newspaper, where nobody likely knows or cares about music analysis of any serious depth.

And that a lightweight novice writer was plucky enuf to be first outta the gate! There's at least 25 regular contributors to this Forum -- deeply committed to jazz all their adult lives -- who would've dropped their day jobs for a year to research and complete a bio of Wayne Shorter if certain of publication. That the first product to emerge from the chute (see: errors/problems cited by Mike Fitzgerald) has all the appearances of facile research, breezy details, and inferences about living jazz devoid of commensurate real-life gravitas of the author. Is the premise being made that since this Shorter bio is the first one out -- it means we are required to 'celebrate' it as some sort of victory? Is the premise being made that this inaccurate work can be justified 'because everyone makes errors'? I care if the author was hasty and subjugated her fact-checking for the 'higher' cause of her publisher's deadline and the prestige of being first. Until I find it as a remaindered title, I can get by re-reading my old DownBeats.

Very good put-on -- just the right naive tone -- nice touch.