jazzbo

Yeah, you know Howlin' Wolf and Taj and even Louis should quit that hokey growlin' trick thing, y'know?

I don't know, reverence is great, but there's a point where songs can be transformed, and it is this transformation that brings new life to music. If everyone reverently treats Monk's music then will Monk's music live on into the 22nd century? Maybe. But I bet the odds are better if his music is played around with a bit. MONK PLAYED AROUND WITH HIS MUSIC. And the music of others. And made something new out of both. I know dozens of people who know of Robert Johnson because of Cream's version of "Crossroads." That is one transformed tune! For me Bonnie Raitt playing a manythousand dollar Guild and so smoothly singing out that Skip tune just didn't move me. It was perhaps a very reverential treatment and I'm totally aware of Bonnie's prowess as a singer and player. But this music is still alive and that is but one way to go, that reverential way. That way is the way of thye ghost swing bands, etc. And of the Lincoln Center Jazz mindset. Another way is to have the music reexamined and even turned on its head. I can dig both approaches, and am glad to see that these filmmakers can too, because I think they are featuring both approaches to the featured songs so far.

I think the impetus behind these films is partly to educate, partly to honor, and partly to sell cds and dvds. All of sudden there are tons of blues cds for sale! Even more than with JAZZ because blues is that less an esoteric thing. The target audience for the blues cds is the audience for the contemporary acts that are playing these songs. I think that featuring these artists both allow the younger pop viewers to appreciate the blues a little, see a way into it from the music they are into now, and to show that the music has been reinterpreted and regenerated in the past and will into the future. The blues HAS evolved in the last century, and there is a world of music in between Charly Patton and Magic Sam and yet it is all the blues. And there is another universe of music between Magic Sam and Cassandra Wilson, but still it is the blues. I think this series is highlighting this. I'm glad that it is. I bet there are more avid blues fans six months from now and I like that idea too. I remember the excitement I felt exploring the blues greats of the past, when I got the bug from Hendrix and Mayall. If someone else gets the bug from John Spencer and Beck that won't bother me any at all. It's a testimony to our culture and its dynamics that we don't have seven straight historical documentary films in a row on the blues to watch this week. From my vantage point of 48 years, an adult life spent in this culture and economy I would NEVER expect we WOULD get that. This is what we get, what we can expect to get. And it's to my mind a lot better than nothing.

Well I've seen the first and final third of this second episode so far, and enjoyed them. Blind Willie Johnson has always seemd an important figure to me, his voice and the mood he invokes is so unique, AND he's a monster guitarist. I was glad to see them devote time to him. J. B and Skip I know less of and was quite happy to learn more of. I found much of the contemporary recreations entertaining, and I think that they make the point that the music is still vital and being reinvented. Yes, John Spencer's over the top rooster recreation of the styles of Wolf and Jagger et al is not exactly the purist's cup of tea, but it is a new look at the James tune, certainly. Beck. . . well he was being a Beckian Skip James. I don't like his shtick, but again he's a new figure and the music grows a new wing. I wasn't that impressed by Bonnie's rendition to be perfectly honest, a bit too pat. And I liked Garland Jeffries' and Cassandra Wilson's appearances fine. This is an interesting series. As a long time blues afficianado I don't believe it is really directed at me (or most of us) just as I felt the JAZZ series was not aimed my way, but I enjoyed JAZZ and I'm enjoying this series; just the chance to see John Lee and Skip and J. B. and others perform is a treat. And the overall vibe of the films is entertainment, and I think that serves the music form and future well, better perhaps than a strictly documentarian approach. Just my two.

Only one from the Famous Door.

Re-reading Velikovsky lately I am inclined to think YES DEFINITELY, but then again global catastrophies. . . hardly worth it it will be all ruined anyway, nothing to collect and no one to collect from.

No tatoo here. Like several here, no watch, and I wear my wedding ring, only jewelry I have EVER owned unless you want to call a tie clasp jewelry. . . I'm not opposed to tatoo acquiring, but can't imagine what I would like to have on me that I would want on me as long as I breathe, and I have no real desire to have any ink on me. . . . Plus my wife hates them, so I know what's good for me!

I've got it. I think it's nice. . . but. . . I'm not crazy about it. A bit too slick for my tastes these days!

I THINK this may be the Liberian Suite cover. . . it is at least A Liberian Suite cover. . . .

I'm a huge Patton fan, but I confess. . . I haven't preordered. I have all the material. I'm resisting as hard as I can! Next for me will be the Jack Johnson set.

Congrats! I KNOW you will do a great job!

In general the music is very well recorded for the time and circumstances, and the remastering is pretty darned fine. I have an awful lot of these. . . almost all the first 75 and some of the subsequent ones. I'm BROKE! I am quite happy to have discovered a lot of great music from French and other European musicians. AND the Americans in Europe aspect as well. I've had some of these titles before, but the sound is better here. Great series! Highlights for me recently are the Hodier, Clarke and Pfeiffer sessions.

I didn't get a chance to see the entire episode; I'll watch the remaining tape hopefully right away when I get home tonight. My impressions are positive, I basically agree with Jim and Joe.

The Mosaic is an excellent set. It features the working band that produced "Mis'ry and the Blues" and has two fabulous live discs, and two discs that reissue their three studio lps, with additional previously unreleased tracks. If you liked "Mis'ry" the Mosaic is a great set to explore. Expensive. . . but I preordered it and am darned glad I did.

All the recordings in question are from July 15. 1939. I've had all the recordings on this set before this set, but man they sound EXCELLENT here.

www.decware.com has some kits now, and more on the horizon, and these are EXCELLENT products.

Dmitry, I think you'll love all the domestic Vanguard Jazz Showcase cds; the sound and the music are excellent on these. The whole series is great, the only downside being the way they have been slicing and dicing and placing the various lps on the cds.

It runs about 27 minutes or so, three long numbers.

Ubu Rex: you must correct the sad state of your Teagarden holdings. At the very least get the other Verve recording on cd, "Mis'ry and the Blues", just released a few weeks ago. It's a great companion to the Elite, similar in nature (and two more Willard compositions). And if you like that one, keep on exploring. He's one of my favorite artists.

Bertrand, I don't know what is up with the Sin-Drome Records thing, it says it on amazon too, but on the package it is Thelonious Records and Hyena Records. No reason to let this bother you one bit.

I really enjoy this set. The sound is very very good, better than any other release of the mateiral I have heard. The only possible downside to the sound is that it is remixed ---very effectively, making the sound very modern sounding---from the original three track masters, and if you are very used to the lp sound as far as separation of channels etc. it's odd to hear this newly set up, but it doesn't appear that you are, so . . . . I think you would enjoy it. The Chambers material I really like, and the Kelly material is great. . . lots of alternates but that may or may not bother you. . . .

Unless I'm mistaken, Kersey was not on the Holiday sides for Commodore, that was Eddie Heywood or Sonny White. He did appear on JATP sides with her. . . .

Seriously, I think he's working for Hallmark (and Lil Debbie)

Yes, this has been out on Musidisk I believe in France before. Excellent stuff.