paul secor

I don't know if Chuck Nessa writing about Jimmy Clanton is a put on, but I'm a sucker for a put on, so ... I have some Ace (UK) LPs of Ace (US) recordings, and one of them has a recording of Jimmy Clanton's "Go, Jimmy,Go", along with some studio talk. Jimmy Clanton sarcastically jokes, "Am I singing mickey mouse enough? ... I'm not Frankie Avalon, you know." And a Doc Pomus tale about "Go, Jimmy, Go": He and his partner, Mort Shuman, wrote the song for Bobby Rydell - originally titled "Go, Bobby, Go", obviously. When they pitched the song to Bobby Rydell's manager, he wasn't impressed and told them he could use it as a B-side on a single. Doc Pomus talked him out of taking it, took it to Jimmy Clanton, and got a hit song out of it. Chuck - now that I've bitten - who's Gary?

Another recommendation for Taylor's Tenors. Rouse and Foster are in top form and the whole band is cooking - good tunes, including a fine arrangement of Jackie's "Fidel". As long as I'm here, I'll add a few more personal favorites to the listings: Taft Jordan: Mood Indigo - Joe recommended this to me on the BN Board a few years back when I was looking for Hilton Jefferson recordings. I picked it up, found some good Hilton Jefferson, and also found Taft Jordan. I've enjoyed this one since then. Bill Harris and Friends Al Casey: Buck Jumpin' Bill Evans: On Green Dolphin Street - I'm not a big Bill Evans fan, but I like this one. Philly Joe brought out something else in his playing. John Fahey - any of the Takomas (tho I'm not familiar with The Great San Bernadino Birthday Party or the Takoma he shares with Kottke and Lang). All the others are more than worth listening to. Mabel John: Stay out of the Kitchen. Willie John's sister, and a fine funky singer (and songwriter). Johnnie Taylor: Raw Blues - His best. Rufus Thomas: Can't Get Away from that Dog. Very fine Rufus, and worth it just for Steve Cropper's guitar on "Cherry Red".

Another belated happy birthday wish.

Southern Journey: Harp of a Thousand Strings - All Day Singing from the Sacred Harp (Rounder) Merle Haggard: Haggard Like Never Before (Hag) Mance Lipscomb: Trouble in Mind (Rhino Handmade) John Fahey: The Great Santa Barbara Oil Slick (Water) Doug Sahm: The Genuine Texas Groover (Rhino Handmade) Doug Sahm: The Return of Wayne Douglas (Tornado) - I bought this about three years ago, but couldn't bring myself to play it until this year - a final goodbye from Sir Doug.

Red Snapper: Paul Murphy at CBS (Cadence Jazz Records) - Good playing by all, but most of all, a chance to hear more Jimmy Lyons. His connection to Bird is clearer than ever on these recordings. Warne Marsh: Quartet at Dana Point (VSOP) and All Music (Nessa). Hearing All Music with the unissued tracks was hearing a new record. Cecil Taylor & Italian Instabile Orchestra: The Owner of the River Bank (Enja)

Hope you're having a great birthday!

Anyone have an opinion - positive or negative - on any of the following? I'm sure that none of these will be around in the future. OJC 812 - Kenny Dorham Sings and Plays - This Is the Moment! OJC 1929 - Al Haig: Trio and Sextets Prestige 24215 - Claude Hopkins: Swing Time OJC 1756 - Elmer Snowden Quartet featuring Cliff Jackson: Harlem Banjo! Prestige 24152 - Buddy Tate: Groovin' with Tate Thanks in advance for any feedback - pro or con.

My favorite Christmas recording is the Roches We Three Kings, but I wouldn't want to leave out: John Fahey's The New Possibility - Guitar Soli Christmas Album (Rhino CD) - minus one track due to time limitations, and John Fahey: Christmas Guitar (Rounder) - 1982 rerecordings of some of the same material - but well worth hearing, and John Fahey: Popular Songs of Christmas & New Year's (Rounder). New England Christmastide (North Star) - "Traditional carols and melodies performed on authentic instruments in the spirit of old New England" - their description. I'm not sure if there are any unauthentic instruments in this world, but this is very fine listening. Plus a couple of Rhino collections: Blue Yule - Holiday blues sides, including Eddie C. Campbell's "Santa's Messin' with the Kid", Texas Pete Mayes' "Christmas Holidays", and Poppa Hop Wilson's "Merry Christmas Darling". and Hipster's Holiday, with Babs Gonsales' "Be-Bop Santa Claus".

Welcome, Allen. I have at least five of your recordings (spun one of them this morning), but haven't read your books - on my "to read" list sometime soon down the line.

Hank Mobley (Blue Note/King - Japan)

Happy birthday to the Big D!

A Yankee fan who reads - great combination! Happy birthday!

Anyone interested should grab the Specialty CDs by the Swan Silvertones, the Soul Stirrers, and the Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama. These groups, along with several others, were to post World War II gospel what Bird, Diz, and Monk were to post World War II jazz.

I was listening to Roy Milton and his Solid Senders (Specialty CD 7004) today and realized for the first time what a fine, bluesy boogie woogie pianist Camille Howard was. I think that I had just taken her playing for granted before this. She was obviously the backbone of Roy Milton's band and records. I have the feeling that when people think of boogie woogie pianists she's usually overlooked, but she was one hell of a piano player.

I'm more interested in reading opinions of Michael Dregni's biography than I am in reading opinions about Adam Gopnik. For example, how does Dregni's biography stand up next to Charles Delaunay's? I haven't read either one, so I'm curious. By the way, anyone who disliked Gopnik's review should check out Gene Santoro's review in the N.Y. Times a couple of weeks ago. That was a total piece of hack work.

Eric Dolphy & Booker Little: Memorial Album (Prestige/OJC)

That "someone" was me. Thanks to Chuck and slide for getting the CD to me.

"Ain't Misbehavin'" is from The Genius After Hours. The saxophonist is Fathead Newman.

I only have two Benny Waters recordings in my collection - From Paradise (Small's) to Shangrila (Muse) and Hurry On Down (Storyville). I like the Storyville a bit better - his playing seems to flow a bit easier - though he's in more spirited form on the Muse (recorded by RVG, by the way). Can't claim to be a Benny Waters expert from these two recordings, but I thought I'd offer what opinions I could offer. Incidentally, to my ears, "No Problem" on the Muse album seems to be a Duke Jordan tune - not a Benny Waters composition, as Phil Schaap's liner notes and the composer credit on the label claim. When I heard Claude Williams play live in (I believe) 1997, I talked with his manager, who mentioned that one of his other clients happened to be Benny Waters. He no doubt managed the two oldest performing jazz artists at that time.

I bought my vinyl copy for about $13 when it came out and have enjoyed it since then. I believe that it was reissued on CD at some point.

Charles Mingus: Jazz Abstractions (Jazztone) I always considered this as more interesting than essential Mingus, and still do, but I enjoyed listening to it more this time than I ever did before. Thad Jones shines on this record.

Just a side note - Gene Deitch recorded John Lee Hooker in 1949 playing acoustic guitar in Deitch's living room. The recordings feature Hooker performing some unusual material - spirituals, traditional songs that he learned and played before he was a professional musician, and even Cecil Gant's r&b hit, "I Wonder". It's fascinating to hear John Lee Hooker in 1949 playing in a non-commercial environment. The music is pure Hooker - not "folk music" - even though he's playing an acoustic instrument. Recommended listening. Flyright first released these recordings in 2000, and Eagle rereleased them this year.

Tell Us Only the Beautiful Things (Trio/Whynot) with Wilbur Ware and Andrew Cyrille is a great record - probably my favorite Dickerson.

Two good ones to grab before they disappear: Lonnie Johnson with Elmer Snowden: Blues and Ballads Vols. 1&2

Agree that the later recordings of Joe Thomas show he lost some of his spark but his contribution to that Coleman Hawkins All Stars was noteworthy as I recall. Will spin this again. This is the right time to celebrate Hawkins (and Joe Thomas)! Don't want to add to the controversy (?), but I just listened to this today and to my ears, while Joe Thomas' chops aren't what they once were, his solos on "Cool Blue" and "Some Stretching" are worth listening to. I will say that Hawk is the main reason that I'll listen to this the next time out.