Leeway

Happy Birthday RVG. At one time, Rudy was a god. People (self included) on the old BNBB frothed over each new RVG or JRVG. Now with the multitude of remaster/reissue gurus, each advancing their own agenda(and brands), we find out that Rudy was only a statue with massive clay feet, and that his work is hardly worth listening to. I don't feel that way, and I still think that Rudy created a sound that has defined jazz for generations.

Anna Kournikova Anna Federova Oksana Baiul

Meet Joe Black Blind Joe Death Blind Faith

Jack Lemon Tatars Arthur Treacher

Invitation to a Beheading Dinner at Tiffany's Naked Came the Stranger

S. E Hinton The Outsiders The Stranger

I've seen Alessi but not in this quartet. How did you like it?

THE PRINCESS CASAMASSIMA - Henry James (1886) I was led to read this longest and probably most obscure of James' novels due to the title character, who also appeared in James' previous novel, Roderick Hudson. She's quite a fascinating character, so much so that James himself became fascinated with her and used her in the two novels, the only time I think he carried over a character from one novel to another. Her transposition is mostly successful, although it obviously lacks some of the novelty and originality of her initial appearance in Roderick. The Princess, nee Christina Light, BTW is the offspring of an Italian nobleman and an American mother (these things matter in James). Her title comes from her marriage to an immensely rich Italian nobleman from an ancient lineage whom she of course despises. The Princess Casamassima finds the title character in London, where she grows bored with high society, disposes of her mansions and furnishings, and takes up revolutionary politics, extending her reach into the underworld of radical plotters and international syndicates. She forms intimate relationships with two men, Hyacinth Robinson, a book binder, the son of a French mother and English lord, the latter stabbed to death by the former out of rage and jealousy, and Paul Muniment (munificent and monument?), a chemical plant worker and utterly resolved revolutionary. The novel moved towards a violent revolutionary act: will it be consummated? Some of the things I found quite interesting about this novel: 1) The first 150 pages (in which the Princess does not appear) or so are quite markedly Dickensian in tone and language. I suspect that in the literary equivalent of a BFT, passages from TPC could fool a few people into thinking it was Dickens. There are even some Dickensian characters, including a nervous, spinsterish English lady given to good works, who yet seems a bit absurd, and Muniment's sister, Rosy, who is bed-bound due to curvature of the spine, yet brightly seems to know everything going on in London. In fact, Hyacinth, small, part-French, dandified, may be said to start off as a Dickensian character to end as a Jamesian figure. The language of the novel parallels that development, moving from Dickensian to Jamesian, starting with the appearance of the Princess. There is more humor here than one might expect, although it is quite dry. 2) Long before Tom Wolfe coined "radical chic" to described the parties given by Leonard Bernstein and other intellectuals, celebrities and socialites for radical groups, James had written a "radical chic" novel. This is really the strongest aspect of the novel. James goes quite surprisingly deep in to the politics of revolution, the condition of the masses, the validity of democracy, and the preservation of culture and the arts, as the characters and circumstances develop. I suspect this is James' most thorough examination of the issue. The ending of the novel is not easily guessed, a testament to James' open-ended treatment, yet it is both powerful and enigmatic.

Richard Hellmann Lillian Hellman Joseph Heller

I doubt DSW decided on that move. It's more likely Shipp was responsible for moving the group out of its comfort zones and into this brave new world. Shipp was exploring electronica and synths on his own, teaming up with FLAM, etc. That poses an interesting question of who was driving the car. It wouldn't work for me, since I think the synth work is undeveloped here, except for DSW's playing, which is like Sam Johnson refuting it all by kicking the rock.

Johnny Get your Gun Pistol Pete Maravich Pistoleros MC

looks like an alto to me... I don' t think it is.

I just thought I'd mention that at a recent Paradoxical Frog concert at Greenwich House in NYC, they doubled the pianos. That is, Kris Davis played her piano, while Tyshawn Sorey had his drum kit snuggled up near his own piano and played piano and drums alternately. Laubrock played saxes of course. I think this group has a lot of surprises left in it.

I saw Joseph Daley with the Bill Cole Untempered Ensemble earlier this year in DC (it's somewhere in the Live Performance thread) and he really knocked me out playing tuba and euphonium. The guy is phenomenal. Really. Daley has played with a lot of fine ensembles, including Sam Rivers with whom he had a close association. Here's his bio data: http://www.jazz.com/encyclopedia/daley-joseph-peter

Jonas Brothers Jonah Wale

Bambi Dondi Where's Waldo?

Glad you posted this clip. For me, this is as good as modern free improvisation/skronk gets - the addition of the *great* Barry Guy is a very unusual yet successful addition to the trio. The funny thing too is that Mats is a big fan of Lars Gullin. Check out "Torturing the Saxophone" and the Swedish Azz albums. And not just on record. When I saw Swedish Azz in Philly, Mats talked about Lars. Personally, I love Mats bari playing; it's like a bayonet charge.

Tim Berne is better known for his alto, but he has played and recorded with the bari too, usually in tandem with the alto. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbpJDwP38Us

The Boys of Summer The Girls of Slender Means The Women of Brewster Place

Was going to mention Mats, but didn't have time earlier, glad you did. Another ferocious player on the bari.

Anthony Blount Guy Burgess The Fifth Man

Ken Vandermark-- Ken plays the hell out of the bari. Saw him playing the bari at a club and can attest to the power he brings to it. Plus he makes it groove too.

Ford Frick Momofuku Francis Fukuyama

Percy Sledge Tardo Hammer Spike Lee