SEK

Gentle Giant is certainly a worthy addition.

Happy Birthday, Rooster!

Che! You keep bringing up some of my favorite musicians! I've been enjoying Stenson's music since the '70s. I first heard Bobo Stenson playing with Jan Garbarek (and vice versa). Then I also picked up some Rena Rama records (Stenson, Lennart Åberg, etc.). He also played with Turkish drummer, Okay Temiz, in his group, Oriental Wind. (See the Album Of The Week thread for the Stenson-Garbarek collaboration, Witchi-Tai-To). My favorite of his more recent trio recordings is "War Orphans". I also like what he did with Charles Lloyd, especially "Canto".

Have a great birthday, Berigan!

I've really liked that Leo Kottke album since it was first released on LP. They played stuff from it very often on KPFK back then. I finally purchased the CD last year. Nothing else in that Fahey-Kottke sub-genre connects with me quite as well. For me, it evokes a rough-but-delicate beauty and a rush of nostalgia. "Six & Twelve String Guitar" goes well with "Embryonic Journey" from the Jefferson Airplane's "Surrealistic Pillow".

I don't know why "Exile" is the only Gilad Atzmon CD sold in the USA. I also liked very much the music from his most recent CD, "Musik, ...", that he played in his London concert that was on the BBC website for a short time.

It ain't dead yet...Happy Birthday, Free For All!

My favorite today is "Music Of My Mind".

Wayne Shorter - "Night Dreamer"; This one is not much of a sonic upgrade from the 1987 McMaster CD, but great music nonetheless.

"Talking Book" and "Inner Visions" are in a photo finish on my track, but I chose "Talking Book" to put the rankings in better balance. Favorite Stevie tunes include "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "I Was Made To Love Her" also.

Ice cream, preferably rocky road!

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and good wishes! I had a fine, low-key birthday, that featured my wife's marvelous spinach-Gruyere quiche with a walnut crust for dinner.

JAZZ ZEALOT, Happy Birthday!

1954 - Miles Davis with Horace Silver, Percy Heath and Art Blakey, currently a part of the "Miles Davis, Vol.1" RVG.

Skeeter Shelton is a very impressive player with the Northwoods Improvisers (they all are). His compositions and methods are generally more direct than those of bandmates Faruq Z. Bey and Mike Carey, and his music is very compelling nonetheless. The "scene" for that kind of music in Detroit is pretty damn sparse. The Chicago players seem to get a bit more attention, but, these days, most musicians with anything special to say seem to struggle everywhere.

Happy Birthday, Johnny!

Better late than never...I hope that you had a Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Big Al!

I've got Markus Stockhausen's "Karta", with Terje Rypdal sounding as good as he ever has (meaning much better than his usual). "Karta" is an atmospheric album, with Stockhausen sounding like a cross between Miles Davis and ECM-era Don Cherry to me. Arild Andersen is in fine form, and the drummer, Patrice Héral, also plays very well, reminding me a bit of Paul Motian. I've not heard Joyosa. I only tried "Karta", because it was at Berkshire Record Outlet for $5.99. Based on "Karta", Markus Stockhausen should be better known.

Happy Birthday, Noj!

I first got well-chosen selections from that concert, from NPR's "Jazz Alive!" (I think). When that "INTERPRETATIONS OF MONK" set appeared, it was a no-brainer to purchase it immediately. I simply forgot to include it on my list (again?).

A not-surprising and easy win, and my wife and I enjoyed it. I wish that the rest of this road trip would be this easy (but it won't be...). It'll be fun to watch nonetheless. Three observations/opinions: To many around the country, the Pistons are still, somehow, underrated. That can only work to the Piston's advantage. Kobe is quite overrated. I'm glad that he's not a Piston. National NBA broadcasts are usually lousy.

Some of my favorites ("official" releases on CD and LP) in no particular order: Mingus at Antibes Eric Dolphy - at the Five Spot (Vols. 1 & 2, Memorial Album, Here and There), "Last Date" Clifford Jordan - "Epistrophy/Now's The Time" (Muse) Abdullah Ibrahim - "Matsidiso", "African Piano", "Autobiography", duet with Carlos Ward recorded in Poland (Poljazz) Don Pullen - "Live...Again" (Blue Note) Charlie Parker - The Quintet at Massey Hall John Coltrane - Village Vanguard 1961, "Live at Birdland" Elvin Jones - "Live at the Lighthouse, Vols. 1 & 2" Randy Weston - "Carnival: Live At Montreux Festival 1974", "Live In St. Lucia" (great on DVD too!) Don Cherry - "Nu" (BBC Jazz Legends) Steve Lacy - "School Days" Ed Blackwell - "What It Is" (Enja) Thelonious Monk - at the Five Spot ("In Action", "Misterioso") Horace Tapscott - "Live at IUCC" Faruq Z. Bey and the Northwoods Improvisers - "Auzar"

I prefer the "Serenade and Blues" set.

Gilad Atzmon has been a favorite since I heard and recorded his group's marvelous November 19, 2004 concert that was on the BBC website for about a week (Thank you, Bev Stapleton!). I find Atzmon's mastery and integration of so many musics and styles stimulating and compelling. He and the rest of his Oriental House Ensemble must be one of the tightest and most flexible bands around. Also I think that I sympathise with most of his political perspectives, though that's not necessary to connect with his wonderful music. I recently bought "Exile", the only Gilad Atzmon recording currently available here in the states. I think that it's quite beautiful, and I've played it several times over the past month.