mjzee

I liked the article; thanks for posting (although I subscribe to the magazine, and would have seen it eventually). It's good to shine a light on someone who isn't discussed very often. Considering how many albums she's put out, I suspect the reason she isn't discussed (at least here) very often is that her music doesn't have much of an impact on us. It can be "appreciated," but if it were missing, I wonder whether people would notice. One problem with an article like Iverson's is that it's largely hagiography. And that's understandable: Iverson started out loving Bley's music, she granted him time with her, so he's not going to be dismissive or coolly analytical. Instead, the problems are elided or glossed over: "there are stretches of later Bley where competent soloists are given a lot (of) space and just don’t have the grit to lift the material into immortality." Someone who doesn't have skin in the game would say these performances were perfunctory and unmemorable, and perhaps some of the blame can be attributed to the compositions. So I hope this article begins a discussion on Bley as to what works and, honestly, what doesn't. I know what I've heard of Bley has been largely forgettable.

I listened today to one of my favorite CDs, Jackie McLean's "Nature Boy." Cedar Walton is so good on it, and I got to wondering what he's up to. Checking Wikipedia, I discovered that he passed away in 2013. I don't think it was ever discussed here. Now's as good a time as any to celebrate his work.

Does it have the long version of Bluebird?

The first ECM LPs in the U.S. were Polydor pressings, which were crackly, noisy, warpy, etc. Around 1976, Polydor switched to Columbia pressings and quality improved. But then ECM moved to Warner Bros. distribution, and pressings were amazing.

Listening now to "Further Explorations By The Horace Silver Quintet" and started thinking about Teddy Kotick. Not much has been written here about him. He seemed to be everywhere in the late '40's - late '50's, was said to be Bird's favorite bassist. Had a big sound and nice sense of time. Thoughts here about him? Favorite sessions? Also found this weird little mention here, where Hod O'Brien mentions "playing a set with Dizzy, Ornette, Ed Blackwell, and Teddy Kotick." Huh? Trying to imagine what that sounded like...

I received an email this morning from Tri-Centric Foundation, and at the end of it is this: On June 1, 2018, Sony Music Entertainment's Legacy Recordings will release a curated 16-track compilation digital album culled from Anthony Braxton's Arista catalog. Please be on the look out for Essential Anthony Braxton – The Arista Years on various streaming and download platforms. Timothy J. Smith, Digital Catalog Research & Development's Director of A&R at Legacy Recordings, has this to say about the release (interview conducted via email): "In the current age of audio streaming as a primary mode of commercial music consumption – our role as curators of the Sony Music Entertainment back catalog is to look at our Artists repertoire and adapt and deliver those discographies to digital service providers in a cohesive manner. As a majority of Mr. Braxton’s Arista catalog was previously unavailable at digital service providers – we found the vibrant original album catalog remasters (by the esteemed engineer Mark Wilder at Battery Studios - 8 nominations and 4 Grammys) provided to Mosiac for their 2008 box set ‘The Complete Arista Recordings’ the ideal sources to base our download and streaming versions upon. ‘The Essential’ compilation we are releasing serves as more of an ‘Anthony Braxton 101’ for those entry level listeners who may seem daunted by such a vast catalog. With the help of very insightful fans of Mr. Braxton’s work on staff – the most resilient representations of AB’s Arista career were culled for the focused 16 track 2+ hour collection." Questions: Are they phasing out physical boxes? What else are they planning to release? Can't someone spell Mosaic correctly?

Happy birthday, Larry! You'll have to give us a review of the festivities.

Sounds interesting!

Tom Wolfe, famous for works like “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” “The Right Stuff” and “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” passed away in Manhattan on Monday at age 87. His agent confirmed the news to the New York Times on Tuesday. He had been hospitalized with an infection. More here: https://pagesix.com/2018/05/15/novelist-tom-wolfe-dead-at-87/

"Compositions I Know" don't consist only of GAS, but rather melodies and songs people can recognize. The Bad Plus have made a cottage industry out of this. The (rather obvious) point is that a performer, especially a new performer, releasing an album of only original compositions is probably not going to appeal to a lot of people. Expand your appeal by meeting the audience halfway. Playing a standard (or a recognizable tune) opens a window onto your conception. (Album produced by Michael Cuscuna)

I remember way back when, maybe in the BNBB era (but making the point a few times since then), making a comment that new jazz musicians today should not put out albums consisting of only original compositions, and that are 70+ minutes. Rather they should include a few standards on each album, so the listener can relate to what is being played, and understand the musician's style better (because the listener already knows the compositions). I remember getting a lot of shade in response, accusations that I was trying to stifle creativity, etc. Today's Mosaic Gazette linked to an interview Cuscuna gave in 2011, and he echoes what I said: I'll tell you what I miss most from the LP era, is the lack of burnout. When you bought an LP, or just pulled it off your shelf, rarely did you play both sides. If you played one side, you'd play an 18, 20-minute program of music. When you get a new CD you pop it and when I see 74 minutes pop up, I think woah this is unbelievable. And unless I'm listening to a set that I'm working on, I've never gotten through a whole CD of anything! It's just a different way of listening now, and more exhaustive. I think a lot of young musicians don't help themselves. If I've never heard of you, but I heard something on the radio that I like, don't give me 74 minutes of originals, brand new music, with no anchors to compare you to someone else and get a fix on. Give me 60 minutes and make 20 minutes of it compositions I know, so I hear how you deal with something that I know.

26 Sharp Nine titles. 59 Video Arts Music titles. 329 Timeless titles.

86 Reservoir titles. 8 Xanadu titles.

64 AUM Fidelity titles. 144 Jazzwerkstatt titles - Charles Gayle, Max Roach, Steve Lacy - Mal Waldron, David Murray, Bob Berg, Andrew Cyrille, John Tchicai, and a lot more. 24 Firehouse 12 titles. 133 Les Disques VICTO titles. 514 New World titles.

To answer my own question: yes. The following tracks remain unissued (not rejected): Bamu bamu l'ayr (I have the strength to sing), and Toni omo re (Loving your child).

Isn't there more of the bonus session that remains unreleased?

28 David Murray Black Saint titles.

I see only the following De Paris tracks on Hot Jazz On Blue Note: Moose March, Everybody Loves My Baby, Please Don't Talk About Me, Ballin' The Jack, Who's Sorry Now (alt.), The Call Of The Blues.

What did he say when he explained the music, if you recall?

I understand the two ways you mention (sell out and license time out). My idea involves a THIRD category: titles that, through an unforeseen technical glitch, never reached to the end of one of the two ways. For example, let's say their inventory got destroyed by a flood. I think they could successfully argue they should be allowed to do a repressing. I think it's worth a shot to argue it to the rights holders, and could result in a quick financial shot-in-the-arm for Mosaic.

I think there was also an adapter you could buy that snapped onto the 3" CD and allowed it to be played in any CD player. I guess that's almost 30 years ago.

I'm not talking about titles that sold out their run (i.e., all 5,000 copies), but those whose sales were interrupted and unexpectedly halted. Mosaic could make the case that some titles could be brought back because they still hadn't sold out their entire run.