paul secor

Sonny Fortune Buddy Rich "Friendly Chap"

Jim Murray: "Spring is the time of year when the ground thaws, trees bud, the income tax bill falls due - and everybody wins the pennant."

Unfortunately, you're not alone.

Bob Blumenthal, in the Mosaic booklet, writes: "Roger Williams, an older pianist who had moved from Pittsburgh to New York, gave Parlan the lovely 'Pyramid'". Obviously not the "Autumn Leaves" Williams. Jim wins the donuts.

Your father must have been a cool guy to have gone for something like that.

Gabby Hayes Pat Brady Pat Buttram

Corporal Klinger Colonel Klink Al Klink

Hank Cochran Hank Locklin Humpty Dumpty

Not to get stuck in negativity, I'm looking forward to the release of the Lunceford box. That's the kind of thing that Mosaic does better than anyone else.

The Velvet Fog The Shadow Woody Allen

Late to the dance. Most of the music was unfamiliar to me - hope there's not something there that I have in my collection & didn't recognize. 1 - Didn't grab me. Seemed as if the musicians were on cruise control. 2 - Seemed like an exercise rather than music. 3 - I used to have a couple of Colin Nancarrow LPs in my collection. This sounded like something I remember from those. 4 - No idea who, but I love this one & want to get it when I find out who it is. 5 - Blues pianist - Might be something I may have in my collection, but I can't place it. Liked this track. 6 - Great trombone, tho no idea who. Another I'd buy. 7 - No comment - except not to my taste. 8 - Monk's "Bye-Ya". Liked the fact that the pianist tried to step outside and not play Monk's music as a Monk clone or turning it into a straight improviation. It wasn't completely successful to my ears, but props for trying something different. 9 - "Old Man River" - Didn't grab me. Strangely recorded - was it a drummer led session? A musician friend has a line that it's more fun to play in a big band than to listen to one. I'm not a musician, but I can imagine that being true - with a number of notable exceptions. 10 - Not sure if I ever need to hear another vocal version of "Willow Weep for Me". Enjoyed the pianist's contributions very much. Thought of Ran Blake, but probably not he. 11 - I'd buy this one just for the violinist's playing. The band's energy sounded a bit forced/unrelaxed to me, but perhaps that's what people needed back in the 30's - assume that's when it was recorded. 12 - First time I listened, I thought someone trying to do a Dolphy. Second time I listened, I thought perhaps it is Dolphy. Third time, I decided for sure that it wasn't Dolphy. No idea who it is. Arrangement sounded like they copped some things from Mingus, but without Mingus' magic. Each time I listened, I went back & forth between liking it and feeling that at times someone was being different just to be different. 13 - Kept waiting for something to happen. Then waiting for it to end. That said, I'm curious to know who this is. 14 - Liked this one some, but I have the feeling that this wasn't the saxophonist's strongest playing. Don't know who it is, but I just had the feeling that there was something more to be heard. Seems as if I had a lot of negative comments, but I did find a number of tracks that I enjoyed enough to add to my collection. And, if that was a Nancarrow piano roll, I'm kind of sorry I traded my Nancarrow LPs.

The Hollywood Flames Bobby Byrd Bobby Relf

The Electric Flag Nick Gravenites Nick Dandolos

Somehow I had it in my head - and I guess maybe it was just in my head & nowhere else - that the Rivers Mosaic was going to be trio/small group recordings. I've never been able to get into Rivers' big band recordings. Perhaps I'll try again.

My favorite kind of pi.

Peaches and Herb Herb Oscar Anderson Oscar Wilde

Penelope Lively Deadly Headly Charon

Sunny Murray King Sunny Ade Sunny Ozuna

There are probably many, but Jimmy Reed's "Honest I Do" (VeeJay) comes to mind immediately.

My Melancholy Baby Lowman Pauling Blue Smitty

Stubby Kaye Shorty Long Long Tall Sally

Beasts of Bourbon The Whiskeyhill Singers

Hard to imagine. Prayers and hopes for all involved.

Fanny Goldie & the Gingerbreads The Shaggs