jazzbo

Yeah, I hope people will give this album a chance to. As you say there are some moments that are just brilliant! But you know, if they keep listening to Mingus I think it is possible that one day as Big Al mentions they might SEE and then they may become like I am (and I suspect you are): MINGUS NUTS WHO HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL!

I wouldn't exactly say I gave it a short showing. . . . It's not my favorite of Mingus' big band dates, and I'm not always moved to the core by this (in some ways it seems a patchwork, coming from two sessions) BUT it's Mingus and he's high on my list of composers and leaders and players. I did say that I thought he had the best solos!

Big Al, hey that happens. One day Mingus may click for you. I think that the one that did it for ME was an lp reissue of "East Coasting." That session just opened up the way that he put together his music, and then when I started to collect and study and absorb Ellington, I found a way to understand and enjoy other Mingus works. I'm glad you listened to Mingus x 5 and gave it a chance! As you say one day you may find yourself a big Mingus fan, and if not, 'salright!

Actually R, I believe that US and Japanese RVGs are NOT cut from the same cloth. At least not in the case of these early ones; the separate One and Two Miles were made before the Complete double JRVG which used the disc sources as the American separate counterpart RVGs did. And I don't believe that any of the JRVG single releases were actually sonically the same or using the same masters by RVG as the American versions (when applicable.) The two cd Japanese Complete Miles Davis JRVG should be nearly the same as the American separate volumes. . . though I bet the polarity is reversed. (Seriously!)

PS: What spurred me to listen to the cd when I did was hearing a Horace Tapscott live recording with Roberto Miranda on bass. Miranda was playing amazingly, with some sonorities and some technique that made me think immediately of Mingus, then I remembered I had meant to listen to Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus. Miranda is a MONSTER!

I think that there is a resurgence in interest in Ayler; I've seen it with myself and a few others coming into the fold. "Healing" is an interesting album. . . I'm down with almost all but the bagpipes! "New Grass" is in my opinion a better album, and may have been a better choice, but as I have the Japanese of "New Grass" I'm happy they released "Healing." That sax sound on both is just so huge and expressive!

Hmmm. . . . I won't flame, I agree essentially, but two points: Miles I think DID fit in well with a host of sax players, I think he and Mogie were pretty much equals in this department, and I think that Brownie probably could/would/should have had we had him longer. It's one of the great tragedies of 'fifties jazz that Brownie was just coming into his time of great work and influence and then was taken away. . . . And there are some others, such as Diz and in his way KD and also Clark Terry that I think were as good as Miles and Lee in this; I think that Lee is right up there in the top rank of trumpeters who can meld so well with front-line partners, and when you get to the top rank it's hard to say one is better than another.

Jo Jones. . ."The Wind". . . what a great player! What a confident man! I enjoy that "Dixieland USA" a lot as well!

I'm glad this release was recommended, because I haven't spun this in a while and I enjoyed listening to it again; it sounded really nice on a stereo that is improved since the last spinning, and I heard some new aspects to the music. Really, this one I've had differing reactions to over time. Ultimately, I prefer the Mingus compositions here almost exclusively in their first recorded incarnations. I find that I like Mingus' works better in a small group. He worked hard to make a small group sound large and the effort helped to put across the emotions in his music. (And boy is his music emotional!) Still, he had some great albums with a larger ensemble. This isn't usually my top pick in that category, BUT this time around, I enjoyed it. (Sometimes I don't have the patience for this release; this time I was feeling groggy and I let it wash over me, and it was akin to motorcycling on a very hot Texas afternoon. . . the hot wind washes past you and pushes against you. . . .) I think this and several other works during the years surrounding this can be interpreted slightly as another open letter to Duke Ellington. Mood Indigo certainly seemed to be pointing at that orchestra and saying "you could do this chestnut this way, roast it a little." Also I felt that "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" and "Theme for Lester Young" were approached with ducal intention. . . I may be way off base on this, way off base. I also would like to know how extensive and in particular where the Bob Hammer attention and execution was. "I X Love" and "Freedom" (not on the lp; I've only got the cd any longer) seem to me to have a Gil Evans sound to the arrangements, and this made for an interesting listen this time through, listening to that sound. . . . I found that I still think Mingus had the best solos and showcases, although every time I hear Dolphy on this it perks me up. Dolphy and Richardson are excellent here. Richardson's baritone is really a force on this---the recording in general is very good, but the way that the baritone and other saxes are captured is quite exciting. Booker Ervin is a saxophonist that I seem to be less enthused with as time goes by (another is Wayne Shorter; I find that the odd sounds in the style of each are just a little too "bag of tricks" for me in the long run) but the way that his tenor is recorded here helps to make this a standout recording for his work for me, and he has a great solo or two here, some of my favorite of his. Also having Perkins on some tracks lends a different feel than the locktight pulse that Mingus and Richmond always produce. That's something to listen for on this release as well. Thanks again for bringing this up as a choice; I really enjoyed my listen to it today!

Jim, I would take a chance on the Gal Costa in your shoes. What I've heard of her seems to indicate that the sound of her voice is worth pursuing. . . . I have an earlier cd of hers on order to arrive soon (and a much more recent one as well) and will be learning more about her work in the near future.

I put down Lee and Wayne. It's how I like Wayne best.

Those are two interesting women in one image frame! Two cd "Rainbow Bridge"? Could you mean two cd "Isle of Wight" (Blue Wild Angel)?

Jimi Hendrix Tanita Tikaram Traffic James Brown

MM, I do myself think that the new material on the three cd set is up to the quality of the original release. I'm sure you'll like it! I enjoy the "Lost Sessions" cd for what it represents, a new direction that is not necessarily the direction that others seeking something new traveled. It would have been great to see where he would have gone. . . .

I most enjoy Coltrane's feature, dedicated to the others, "Get out of Town."

Chris, it's the same Buddy. . . in many ways. I have heard only a lot of live Gatton and Emmons. This is a little different, but essentially it is Buddy swingin' away.

This spring for me it's bossa nova. One year, about three back it was Bud Powell: I played Bud Powell a LOT til summer hit. The year after that it was Duke Ellington, session after session. Generally speaking, in the spring some genre or artist takes hold and I dive in deeply.

There are 75 cds in that box set I believe. Dusty Groove was selling the box for about 400 dollars I belive, but I don't believe they have them in stock any longer.

So many of these are great recordings that I really enjoy. "Changeless" is different, and a favorite.

Right now I'm listening to the Gene Cedric Chronogical Classics. Before that it was the first volume of the Big Maceo RCA cds. And before that it was the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's "Salted Gingko Nuts."

I'm in the middle of reading this now. Really an interesting book.

'Scool. I dig them fine. And the music is great!

I hear ya. . .but I like those voices. I like the voices on "Lift Every Voice" by Hill and the unreleased session included on the Conn. I like the Sun Ra voices. So these are all in the same vein. I like the two Gales and will be on the lookout for the reissue of Ghetto Music on cd. . . .

That was a pretty intense and amazing performance. In many ways I think it's like comparing apples to oranges, but in 1965 Archie was blowing as if to save his life!