paul secor

I recommend Nobody's Fool.

Ali Smith: Public Library A collection of short stories by one of my favorite writers (along with some short thoughts about public libraries and their present day fate in Britain by a number of her friends and colleagues).

Some thoughts: Ricky Ford does yeoman's work as the main soloist - this is probably my favorite of all the recordings I've heard him on - though even when Blake lays out, there's no doubt that this is a Ran Blake album. The sound and the feel of the record is all his. The title track is a moving tone poem with dark tinges. I found Ricky Ford's playing on the two short (less than one minute each) versions of the Sephardic theme "Una Matica de Ruda" very moving. The bassist (Ed Felson) and the drummer (Jon Hazilla) play very well, though they're subservient to Blake's vision. I wondered what it might have sounded like if Blake played with a more aggressive rhythm team. Pure speculation (probably unnecessary) on my part, but still I found myself wondering. My favorite track is "Dark" - Ellingtonian, with a fine solo by Ford (channeling Johnny Hodges channeled by Ben Webster, to my ears) leading into a beautiful short Blake solo with some tinges of Ellington and Monk but, in the end, all Ran Blake. Ran Blake seems (and perhaps only seems) to mine a relatively narrow stretch of musical ground, but somehow creates a wider (and certainly deeper) vista from that. Thanks to Jim for choosing this record. I truly enjoyed the time I spent listening to it today and, for me, that's the best part of the Album of the Week.

A funny book.

I don't think his name has been mentioned but, even if it has, it deserves to be mentioned again - Marchel Ivery - a very wonderful tenor sax player.

I may have missed their names, but Hilton Jefferson and Paul Plummer certainly deserve mention if they haven't received it already.

It's obvious that Mosaic was begun to appeal to serious jazz fans. Nothing wrong with that.

Happy Birthday!

Steve, I'm still waiting for some info on Ace (U.K.) buying the King archives. A good friend of mine who is more knowledgeable than I has no knowledge of this.

Hear Me Talkin' To Ya by Nat Shapiro and Nat Hentoff has already been mentioned, but it's a good one to capture the spirit of jazz. Sidney Bechet's Treat It Gentle is another book that can give people a sense of the feeling of the life that's in the music. A.B. Spellman's Four Lives in the Bebop Businesss Donald M. Marquis' In Search of Buddy Bolden and Michael Ondaatje's Coming Through Slaughter capture the facts (as far as they can be known) and the myth of Buddy Bolden. You might want to present some visuals that capture some of the spirit and life of the music: Your students could find photographs and artwork online from sources such as: Swing Era New York: The Jazz Photographs of Charles Peterson Milt Hinton's photographs in Bass Line and Over Time Roy DeCarava's photographs David Hammons' artwork J.J. Sempé's The Musicians Lee Friedlander's The Jazz People of New Orleans The collection Seeing Jazz, edited by Elizabeth Goldson Sometimes visuals can give people as much of an entryway as words can. Not to tell you what to do, but I found when I was starting to listen (and even after that) that I learned and experienced more by jumping around to different eras and listening to the music in that way rather than listening strictly historically. And I found that I had a better sense of the music by listening to musicians who were possibly not "the biggest" names (though who were very good musicians) mixed in with the major names - Bubber Miley or Buck Clayton, along with Louis and Miles. for example, I hope that I don't come across as telling you what to do with your class. I don't mean to do that - just offering some ideas.

I didn't see a link posted until today. I will listen.

Did Ace (U.K.) buy the King archives? I know they bought the RPM/Kent archives, but didn't know that they bought King. I could just be misinformed about them buying King. I know they've leased material from the King Archives.

Miles in Berlin

Barry Harris: Preminado

Dick Motta Jerry Sloan Norm Van Lier

Clark Terry w. Thelonious Monk: In Orbit

Grant Green: Solid

Happy Birthday, MG!

Thanks for the feedback!

Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets Vol. 1

Happy Birthday!

Oscar Moore/Tal Farlow/Barney Kessel/Nick Esposito: Swing Guitars

Wes Montgomery Trio: Portrait of Wes

http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/citywiseblog/the-king-is-dead-long-live-the-king3/

Twisted Sister Sister Ray Brother Ray