Leeway

Ah, the power of suggestion. GOODEN'S CORNER, Grant Green. Music Matters 45RPM 2LP. I prefer Mr Fujiyama's cover.

That illustration reminds me of the ones that King did of Grant Green LPs in '79/'80. Is it the same artist? MG The King Grant Green illustrations were done by Toshio Fujiyama, per Discogs. I can't find the illustrator for the Hall.

I'll weigh in. Some of these have already been mentioned, but I think it just shows that a consensus is emerging. To get to it: Barry Guy, MAD DOGS (Not Two). The only fly in this ointment is the imaginative and even attractive, but woefully ineffective "box set" (no box) packaging, that left the CDs in a scratched heap at the bottom of the shipping container. But the music is great. Peter Brotzmann, LONG STORY SHORT (Trost). A great box set (actually in a box!) that will take a long time to absorb. The next four are given as a group. They were all released by NO BUSINESS, perhaps the best small label (but with an increasing portfolio of excellent releases) going today. All 4 are quite excellent: Tchicai, TRIBAL GHOST Gustafsson, CORRECTION Brackeen, MELODIC ART-TET Parker, Guy, Lytton, LIVE AT MAYA RECORDING FESTIVAL While we are mentioning Parker, VAINCU.VA!: LIVE AT WESTERN FRONT, a previously unreleased 1978 live solo performance by Parker, who is at the height of his powers. Another outstanding release: Braxton, ECHO ECHO MIRROR HOUSE. Does anyone doubt Braxton's greatness in the history of modern music? Others in no particular order (all excellent): Joe McPhee, DECOY (Otoruku) Kris Davis, CAPRICORN CLIMBER (Clean Feed) Wooley, SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN, III-IV, (Pleasure of the Text Records) Peter Evans, ROCKET SCIENCE, with Evan Parker (More is More). Parker had a very good year on record! Mary Halvorson, ILLUSIONARY SEA (Firehouse 12) DKV Trio + Gustaffson, Paal ilssen-Love and Maximo Pupillo, SCHL8OF (Trost). I'm sure I forgot some, but these are the ones that really stood out for me.

Checking out another Bennie Wallace LP. They remind me of Garrison Keiller's Lake Wobegon, where all the kids are "above average."

Bug Eye Sprite Eye of the Tiger Eyes Wide Shut

Luther Vandross Van Morrison Morrisssey

Tony Randall Jack Klugman The Odd Couple

The Thing: MONO. The Thing Records 2LP. Mats Gustafsson, IHF, and PNL. LOUD and wild.

DVD/Bluray does seem a better way to go than a 10 lb, LP box!

Give the Ring a go - it's stunning. Though I'd recommend getting to know some of the instrumental (or vocal) excerpts first. Not essential, but it does give you some points of familiarity. Yes, starting with some excerpts does seem good advice; preparing the ground so to speak. I probably have a fair number of LPs sitting about that have Wagner pieces. I also have a couple of complete operas that I need to dig up. I did pick this one up a couple of weeks ago: The Leinsdorf 5-LP box.

Allen Lowe Lerner & Loewe Loews

Ernst The Importance of Being: Earnest Hemingway

Pillsbury Dough Boy WWI Doughboys Chef Boy Ar Dee

Everybody loves arias (OK, not everybody but a lot of people), but they don't like opera. Didn't George Bernard Shaw say something like he adored the minutes of brilliance in Wagner, but it was the hours in between that were torture? People listen/watch for those famous and semi-famous arias, then tune out during the long stretches of recitative. Modern protocol has it that one sits politely through the dull stretches and listens attentively, despite being bored to tears or sleep. In the 19th century, audiences also loved the arias but during the other parts of the opera, they were busy talking, flirting, making assignations, walking about, etc. There are some nice opera scenes in War and Peace that reflect this behavior. Despite some foreboding, I'm going to take on Wagner in 2014 and give the "Ring" a go.

I don't intend to re-post my list, so that thread can be deleted as far as I'm concerned. It's good stuff, just didn't seem to need to be pinned. If you want it pinned, it's OK by me. One more: There are a bunch of other threads along this line that are not pinned.

Yanow was here for a minute and I think he felt insulted when I said he was a "reliable generalist". I wish he'd stayed around. He has interesting things to say about recordings for multiple decades. I think that description is quite accurate and not at all demeaning. In fact, it's a nice compliment.

Very much liked the clips. That's a fine group, and the compositions really worked.

Let me throw another name out that has not been mentioned: Scott Yanow. According to his Wikipedia entry, "Yanow has penned more than 600 liner notes for many record labels." Of course, he has done many of the reviews for the AMG.

I saw the Jimi Hendrix Experience once and The Doors several times back in the Sixties. Of course, Jazzbo's wife is right, but Jim Morrison had electrifying stage presence in his prime. I still have a clear image of Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding playing, there was tremendous synergy there with Hendrix.

Richard Russo Rene Rosnes Roz Russell

Taking another step with my Bennie Wallace survey: Nice, professional well-played, but maybe too nice, too technically correct, could use more edge. Chick doesn't bring anything interesting to the party. Then: This was a different story. Wallace comes out strong from the start, with some really intense playing. There's a lot of energy here. As usual. Wallace gets a Monk tune in, but if you compare his way of playing Monk, with say, Steve Lacy's, you find that lack of artistic discipline or toughness that Lacy has in abundance. Still, a pretty good album with Eddie Gomez and Dannie Richmond playing very well.

Discogs can be very effective in turning up wants, especially if one is patient. I happened to pick up my Miller box at the Vision Festival 3 or 4 years ago. Someone was selling a used copy (but in nice shape). Sometimes serendipity plays its part. Glad you found it!

I used to have a slightly higher opinion of him than I do these days. I think my standards are higher than they used to be. He's competent, but there's not a lot of substance in his playing. Just my opinion and I haven't heard anything he's done in the past twenty years, so perhaps take my opinion with that in mind. OK, thanks. I note too that the Penguin Guide is not terribly enthusiastic nor negative. I think I got a few more, IIRC, all on Enja. I'll spin them and see how how they measure up.