Leeway

THERE'S A TRUMPET IN MY SOUL - Archie Shepp. Arista Freedom LP. NOT a cutout, promo, etc. But I had to pay the princely sum of $2.99 for it. I checked my copy of VIBRATIONS - it's properly A/B. That was another $2.99 deal but it does have a CC.

FIRST VISIT - Dave Liebman, Richie Bierach, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette. West 54 LP. 1980. Recorded in Japan.

Warner Brothers Werner Herzog Anthony Weiner

Since Steve addressed the Parker aspect, I'll address the Derek Bailey. In my view, Bailey might be THE central figure in free improvisation, the person who more than anyone, including Parker and John Stevens, both of whom I hold in the highest esteem, developed the language of free improvisation. Bailey provided the syntax, the grammar, others may have provided the vocabulary. Looking at the 4th edition of TPG, they list about a dozen Bailey titles together. Half get 3, 3 get 3.5, 3 get 4. Considering that these are absolutely seminal Incus recordings, I don't think they are out of line really. The valuation that follows the star ratings is measured and astute. Of course, if one's taste doesn't run this way, that doesn't mean much, and that's what the personal listening experience is about.

Some Steve Swell to consider: I've seen Swell at least a dozen times. Best, I think, when he is blasting away, but the guy is capable in any situation.

There were some cd issues of this series in japan circa 1990. http://www.discogs.com/label/303834-Fontana-New-Jazz-Series I would guess DMG used these CDs as their source. Perhaps this label too? I have Blood from that old series. I saw some of the others in Tower Records in NYC. Still kicking myself over not getting them. Yes, it makes sense that they may have a digital parent in common. Never having heard the original Japanese CDs (I have a couple of titles on LP) I wonder if anything was lost in the DMG or Jazzmessenger versions from the original Japanese CDs?

James Ellroy Ellery Adams Ellery Queen

I wonder if they used the DMG CD-R's? I have the DMG "Juba Lee" and it sounds good (enough) too. PS: I don't mean the actual CD-rs, just as a digital source.

Lou's work ethic is incredible, from the early Fifties to now. Plenty of good albums. That is incredible. And still gigging at 87. I can only hope I'm still breathing at 87. You have to respect that kind life in music.

VIBRATIONS - Albert Ayler - Arista Freedom LP NTU - Oliver Lake - Arista Freedom LP

The fate of most Arista/Freedom LPs it seems. Alas, I think you are right. I was just looking at a list of Arista Freedom LPs, and -- should I admit this?-- I think I have all of them except "New York Mary" (which I have passed on a dozen times). I suspect that if some of these titles were issued on Incus, or FMP, or some other difficult label to find, people would happily be paying big money for them. Maybe we should have an Arista Freedom "what are you listening to?" festival.

FATHER TIME - Frank Tusa, Richard Beirach, Jeff Williams, Badal Roy, Dave Liebman. Inner City LP. Just picked this one up and am really enjoying it. A bit unclassifiable, which is good.

Mary Kay Murray the K "K"

That's what we would all say, or at least think, if we were as candid as you

Steve Reeves George Reeves Della Reese

HEAVY SPIRITS - Oliver Lake - Arista Freedom LP. A very good album that does not seem to have obtained much status. Joseph Bowie does a nice track here too.

PARADISE SPACE SHUTTLE - George Adams Quintet - Adams (ts, fl, voc), Ron Burton (p), Don Pate (b), Al Foster (d), Azzedin Weston (perc). Timeless - Muse LP. EARTH BEAMS - George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet with Dannie Richmond and Cameron Brown. Timeless LP.

Lloyd George Charles Lloyd Lloyds of London

I don't know if I'm an "old head" but since I may be, I'll say I like Lehman (seen him live several times), have mixed feelings about Eisenstadt (seen him live several times recently as a sideman and he impressed me, but I didn't get into his Clean Feed albums first couple of times i heard them), and Hollenbeck has not managed to generate much interest on my part (could be my loss, but his groups don't appeal to me). The trombone bench is not deep, not like sax, so a really good new trombonist is welcome, but my initial impression of Blaser was dryness, to use Colinmce's term, or a kind of hyper-technical approach, but I have not heard the the more revelatory playing that Colinmce also noted. I hope that happens.

You can denigrate Lee Morgan if you wish; I'm not the LMDF I'm pretty ambivalent about "Sidewinder", since the money it brought in for Blue Note probably allowed the label to survive a lot longer than it might otherwise have; however, the cost was that just about every album after seemed to have at least one, maybe two "boogaloos" on it, as Alfred Lion chased another pot of gold. At the same time "Sidewinder" being the first and best of them all, does deserves recognition and you can't blame Lee for coming up with a killer tune. So Morton and Cook made their calculations and came out where they did. "Sorcerer" and "Nefertiti" are both 3.5 in the 4th edition (which is handiest to me). Rather than me try to explain, defend or castigate TPG, much better to consult the Introduction to one of the volumes for the authors' explanation of what the star ratings actually indicate and decide if it makes sense.

A couple of Art Ensemble of Chicago albums: REESE AND THE SMOOTH ONES - Affinity FANFARE FOR THE WARRIORS - Atlantic Jazzlore

I actually don't think the problem is an underrating of BNs (and more straight-ahead stuff), but an overrating of avant-garde jazz and non-jazz improvisational music (on average). They are much, much more generous with ****s with the latter than with the former. Guy That may be. Do you have any good examples of that? IIRC, in the case of many BNs, they tended to review the results as formulaic or pedestrian, so maybe did value the avant stuff higher just for being different. I know I have my own bias in that direction. But I would be interested in egregious examples of overrating the avant-garde stuff too highly.

The Toadies The Frogs The Eels

I suspect they make a lot more from their mail order/online business than they do from their shop. I was only in their ship once, some time ago. Looks different than the picture but can't place exactly why. It was a nice shop, but I thought there were better ones in Chicago for digging O/P LPs. But their mail order business is incredibly effective.