Quasimado

I enjoyed LaPorta's autobiography, but as far as his playing went, at least in the early days, for some reason he seemed to be included in company that was out of his league - you know, the stuff with Tristano and Bird ... Q

I see there is a new 2 CD Clifford release *PLAYS TRUMPET & PIANO THE COMPLETE SOLO REHEARSALS* on the *RARE LIVE RECORDINGS* label. Seems to have a lot of interesting stuff including private solo piano recordings, tapes of him practicing the trumpet unaccompanied at home, an unissued live performance of 'I Come From Jamaica' and a trumpet alto sax duet version of 'Ornithology' with his teacher Robert Lowery in 1949 or 1950, among other things. Any Clifford completists out there who have heard this? Q

Tristano certainly didn't have a high opinion of Monk's playing, and didn't hide it. Interestingly, a friend of mine once asked Monk what he thought of LT. Monk replied, "What about him! He's one helluva piano player, ain't he?" Q

In the Program Page, re the Hard Bop tributes, Art Lange says,"it (the group) rescues these tunes from oblivion while communicating the joy and exhilaration at their essence, and shows that a fresh, imaginative and fearless attitude can revitalize such material without mimicking older performance styles". Well, I have to disagree. To my ears, the "jazz" alto on the "hard bop" tracks is tiring, lacks cohesion and is completely derivative... the fearless Attitude (in abundance) means the music is far from being either fresh or imaginative. The film scores, if that's what they are, are more interesting, in a fractured kind of way ... Q ... (Thank you for the programs).

I once went to a local jazz recital here in Japan where the featured musician opened by lying on the floor with his soprano (saxophone). (Very) slowly he rose to a kneeling position, and proceeded to breath loudly into the mouthpiece while making fluttering sounds with the pads/keys. I retired to the bar about this time... He didn't blow a note, but impressed some members of the audience with his sincerity. I believe he was self taught... (True story). Q

Actually it's up to you. Q

Thanks Laz. I just picked it up myself and am working through it. I'm not really convinced about his Conception interpretation, but it's an opinion. The last line quoted above about Brew More playing "a Parker-like phrase in his high register" seems incredible to my ears. It's obviously Bird, at least on the take I have (imo)... Still, overall I'm enjoying the book and learning a lot. It's a mine of information... Q

PR says it (or some of it) was recorded by Clifford himself, which may mean it comes from the tapes held by his wife. Has anybody heard this? Q

Haven't got through all of this yet, but there is a lot of love and beauty here. Even when he doesn't get it quite right (previous article on Warne Marsh/ LT), Ethan gets pretty close to the source of what is jazz to me... guess I'll have to check HIM out ... Q

Go Lou! Q

Shhh! Q

But it's so good, man. It's all I need, and it's still around, thank God. Q

That is one hell of a list! One I searched for (on the list), but couldn't find, is *Afro- Cubop* issued as a 12" LP on Tony Williams' Spotlite label. This has a variety of airshots of the Machito band from the Royal Roost in 1949, supplemented by boppers such as Howard McGhee, Brew Moore, Milt Jackson and Charlie Parker. It also has a beautiful arrangement of *Reminiscing at Twilight* which supposedly has Bird on lead alto! TtK, I know you like good arrangements - I think you'd enjoy this, man... Q

That is one part of our rehabilitation program for pot heads, supervised by Dr. Nessa. Actually a successful one: at the end more then 80% of the treated people trade their copy of Aoxomoxoa with one disc of Roscoe Mitchell. AND they remain pot heads ! Q Of course, we treat only musical disease. Q

That is one part of our rehabilitation program for pot heads, supervised by Dr. Nessa. Actually a successful one: at the end more then 80% of the treated people trade their copy of Aoxomoxoa with one disc of Roscoe Mitchell. AND they remain pot heads ! Q

Disc 1 has Art with Warne Marsh!!! But then - this is probably originally from Contemporary, and has already been released(?). Q

Anyone care to opine on these two: "Complete Live at the Cafe Society" "Complete Live at the Rockland Palace" CORRECTED: The first is a collection of 1950 live recordings at Cafe Society comprised of medium-tempo tunes and ballads that were somewhat rare for Parker to perform at this stage of his career. Band includes Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Al Haig on piano, Tommy Potter on bass and Roy Haynes on drums. Both are essential IMO. Cafe Society has an extended *Lover Come Back to Me* that has some of the best Bird you can hear. Rockland has a version of *Lester Leaps In* that is simply miraculous. Q

Ah, life, LIFE - one beautiful, talented lady! Q

Just picked this double CD on the British Ember label. Apparantly it was recorded live by Chan in 1953, and sold to Columbia in the 70's. The Ember release dates from 2000. To my ears this is pretty fine Bird with a good rhythm section (Haig, Mingus, A.T. plus Benny Harris on trumpet, although he is mainly edited out). Bud also gets a mention, but does not seem to play. Has this ever seen US release? (Apologies if this is old news - I did a search ...) Q

Allen, is that the tape with Don Ferrara? GREAT playing by everyone involved. Q

Oh? Maybe you could be a bit more specific as to the problems with JJ - for example just what was the "narrow outlook"? Perhaps jazz magazines by their very nature are "unremittingly tedious, dismal looking, dull and overlong features, late reviews and generally poor writing ....". Afterall, hipness has long passed us by. Q

For those interested in Twardzik the jazz musician (naturally excluding anybody who has written or hopes to write a book about anything) it's a pretty informative read. Q

L, It's more obscure than I thought. I have it on the Bird Box Vol. 5 (JUTB 3005) - it's listed as Conception/ Deception. However the Bird Box is now pretty hard to find. I also have it on Philology Bird's Eyes vol. 51. If you go to the Philology Home Page, look for the Live Catalogue. Down near the the bottom you will see the message: !!!! PLUS 58 VOLUMES OF UNOFFICIAL BIRD'S EYES FROM VOL. 26 TO VOL.83 ( W 857 TO W 874 ) !!!! ASK FOR DETAILED LISTS !!!! It's one of those. (That is quite a list! ). Also it's on a Charlie Parker Birdland Sessions Vol. 2 on Ember, and I think there is a Miles Davis Birdland 1950 (or somesuch title) that also has it. Just to confuse matters more, on Bird's Eyes Vol. 51 there is a remarkable "Slow 52nd Street Theme", which supposedly features Miles, but which to my ears seems too advanced for Miles for the time, and may well be Fats! (All of this material comes from Boris Broadcasts, which may explain the dating problems). I should clarify that the Bird/ Bud Fats/ session and the Birdland jam session are obviously different groups (although both sessions are included on Bird's Eyes 51, which is sub-titled Bird'n Fats in 1950). Bird makes only a brief appearance at the end of Conception/ Deception) . (In my previous post I said the rhythm section was the same for both sessions - certainly Blakey is on both, but Walter Bishop Jr. would seem to be the pianist for the jam rather than Bud). Anyway these Fats Birdland sessions have so much incredible music, plus the intrigue. It'd be a great broadcast! Q

The dates are disputed, there is no doubt about that. For the "Conception" session, The Bird Box Vol. 5 has the date as a Birdland jam session from "probably" June 17, 1950, and dates the Bird/ Bud/ Fats/ session as June 30, 1950 (as does Giddins for the Columbia). Bird's Eyes Vol. 51 has the "entire" Bird/ Bud/ Fats session, including "Conception" (not released on the Columbia) dated as May 15/16, 1950... The rhythm section would seem to be the same throughout. But apart from the dates, which are obviously incorrect, if you have it, please listen to the long "Conception" track. On most releases, the trumpets are listed as Miles then Fats. Miles is obvious. The second trumpet sounds something like Fats, but is hopelessly lost in the changes ... which to my knowledge, Fats never was. So, either Fats "blew clear up to the end" (as exemplified by the fantastic blowing on the Columbia), or, the 2nd trumpet on "Conception" is not Fats. Or? Q

I've read that too, but the Ornithology session (Bird, Bud, Fats) is supposedly the same date, and that is arguably about the greatest Fats there is on disc/ tape ... Q