jazzbo

Wow, my sincere condolences. They were too young! Losing a parent or a spouse or a child. . . these are so hard to process and get beyond. I lost a wife, and it took me years to recover, then my mother, and I thought I might lose my father right after my Mom passed but I got very lucky and he rebounded and is thriving in his way five years later. All the best. Remember the great times and the love!

Tania Maria "Bela Vista" World Pacific cd. I just love Maria. She has such a grip on her art and so much energy! I love the version of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" . . . .

Tomas Janzon "Experience." Wow this is a great listen. Al "Tootie" Heath makes this special, the tunes are excellent and well-sequenced, and the engineer deserves great kudos, this is a very natural and balanced sounding recording.

Benny Carter "The Alternate Takes in Chronological Order, Vol. 2" Neatwork cd

I have quite a few of these, probably close to 50. Thanks to a board member here I got all 19 of the Bechet at once, and they are a fantastic way to collect Bechet. I have all the Christians, all but one of the Pres, all but a few of the Holidays, the Wardell Grays, nearly ten Ellingtons, and key volumes of Basie, Parker, Armstrong, Gillespie and a few others. A fantastic series. I actually think in many cases their versions are among the very best possible cd versions of particular sessions and tracks. I will always have an eye open for these. . . . Rarely sighted these days.

Saw this is to be reissued in Japan and realized I hadn't spun my copy in some time so I'm rectifying that. . . . Philip Catherine/Neils-Henning Orsted Peterson "Art of the Duo" Enja cd What's not to like?

Sun Ra "Continuation" Disc 2, unreleased material from the recording sessions of the (whacky) original Saturn LP. Sound on these new officially released Ra sessions is really good.

I feel another Ellington/Strayhorn binge on the horizon. Duke Ellington "The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse" https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0002/061/MI0002061671.jpg?partner=allrovi.com[/img] Followed by Tomas Janzon "Coast to Coast"

Kenny Clarke & Francy Boland "The Golden 8" Blue Note TOCJ cd. I forgot how much reverb is on this one! Kenny and Francy though. . . love their work together.

Tower Records Austin, Texas employed my best friend Dave Laczko for nearly twenty years. For most of those years he was the Jazz and Classical buyer. I met him over a row of Miles Davis cds and we've been friends since. I especially enjoyed shopping there Saturday mornings. My late first wife's private nickname between us was "Sleeps Til Noon." I would have a nice breakfast and shop there and visit and then get back home with brunch just in time. I especially remember Dave and I attempting to secure copies of the Japanese version of the Plugged Nickel material, and the disappointment that the store did not receive any of the allotment scheduled for them. And working with Dave to get every release in the Savoy series of reissues by Denon. And I remember meeting a few artists there either at special appearances or just shopping.

Watching a bit of TV ("Black Lightning") prompted me to listen to a little Jill Scott, which prompted me to listen to this punchy cd, BARRENCE WHITFIELD SOUL SAVAGE ARKESTRA "Songs from the Ra Cosmos"

"Marty Krystall Plays Herbie Nichols." This is a fun session, recorded direct to two track. Bass drum could have been tamed a bit and piano could have been a bit more present, but Marty's three horns are well-presented and the violin sounds great on the tracks that it appears. Spirited playing.

Miles Davis "Milestones" Mobile Fidelity SACD This is such a brilliant, timeless album. Ultimate bebop!

Maybe. But when I think of jazz interpretations of spirituals, this is what leaps to my mind.

Reissued this month, this Octave Records release of Erroll Garner, "Up in Erroll's Room," is perhaps my favorite. A huge piano sound, and . . . that amazing playing. Yes there is cheese. . .and ham, it's a record by one of the most extroverted pianists ever. But there's also chewy rye, and lots of mustard, and buttery lettuce. And the other two thirds of the trio do exactly the right things for the boss!

On to Stanley Turrentine "Up at Minton's, Vol. 1" this time the Analogue Productions Blue Note SACD version. Grant Green is playing to impress on this one. . . .

Right now. . .Philip Bailey's new one, "Love will Find a Way." It's what a friend and I call "stoner jazz" and there definitely is a "quiet storm" pop and R&B acid wash going on at times, but with some nice spacey arrangements and great players. I never quite heard the Marvin Gaye influence on Bailey's singing so strongly before, but that's not a bad thing at all.

I don't know. I don't mind it.

Randy Weston, "Blue Moses" CTI Supreme Series Blu-Spec cd from Japan. This apparently was not a session Randy wanted to make this way (with electric piano) but I've always loved it, for decades on LP and then several cd versions.

This is my short answer.

Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra "When Angels Speak of Love" (new expanded cd edition).

Tomas Janzon Quartet "Live in Stockholm" cd I got my copy via eBay, but I found this: Promotional CD Available -- Live In Stockholm featuring Bobo Stenson - piano Petur Ostlund - drums Christian Spering - bass To request a copy, contact info@tomasjanzon.com