marcello

Mike, I DID buy your book through a online store, as a matter of fact, but you still have to be looking for it. One of the pleasures of a walk-in bookstore is that you can linger, browse and sample a little. Maybe you already have a interest, maybe not.... If you want exposure, you have to get it in front of people!

Larry, the major problem with big box stores such as Barnes and Noble and Borders is that if the person in charge of the "Jazz" section has no real knowledge or care for the subject, the selection and service is mediocre and slip-shod. In that case, it's the distributor's resposibility to make sure that the product they represent is in the stores by giving the buyers a kick in the ass. There are a lot of criteria that goes into where and why you place and push a product in different markets, but it's not rocket science ( or music theory for that matter! ); it just takes some thought and hustle. There are many lazy distributors, in music and print. If you don't get your product in the stores, nobody can expierence it. For the record, I found mine at B&N when it first came out but since then, it hasn't been restocked.

To add my two cents about Birks; he once said to me that, to paraphrase, that Jews, Italians and Putero Ricans can really play the music. That they had a lot of Natural Soul. I think he was just trying to add the whole human race as Soul Brothers! He was a Bahai, you know! By the way, does everyone here really enjoy this diarrhea of the mouth going on here?

Dan - It really depends on the State you live in with regards to tax questions. If you don't have a complicated return with a lot of income streams and deductions, you return shuld be a no brainer to do yourselves. You could always have the IRS volenteers do it for you for nothing.

Budd Johnson In the same vein, I have always liked Ira Gilter's book "From Swing To Bop " because it covers many of same players and their involvement in the evolution of music during this peroid.

To my ears, the greatest living soprano saxophonist ( outside of Wayne, who has a real gift for playing it ) is TIM GARLAND. Really fantastic sound! Warm, full and exciting As for the older generation, I love Zoot!

Has anyone ever heard the "Live at The Stratford Festival" set? You have to admit; there are nights when the guy is really playing! Go ahead, have a drink! The Oscar Peterson Trio At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Label: Verve Issue number: V6-8024 Recorded August 8, 1956 - Stratford (Stratford Shakesperean Festival).

Allen - I have the Byas ( and a Dexter Gordon from the same show and peroid ) on audio tape. Rufus Reid is on bass, if I remember right.

Re: Christian.. Chris, could part of the reason for so few recordings, not only ones where he could be a leader but over all, be one of lifestyle? That is was his nightlife and traveling a hinder to him establishing himself as a leader and to be available to record as one? In the overall, there really are not that many recording of him in total. Correct? Being on the scene and giging around, and being a leader in the studio or clubs, are different jazz animals.

I have the Mingus on vinyl but the sound, to me, is not very good. It has a "boxy" sound; not very expansive or open.

I was fortunate enough to hear a test pressing og Keezer's soon to be released new cd, that is recorded live at The Dakota. I'm not too bold to say it's one of the best piano trio recordings I have EVER heard. It will be on Maxjazz. His work with the Storms/Nocturnes trio ( Tim Garland, Joe Locke and Geoff ) gives you a good example of his facility and ideas, also.

I have a LP called "Makatuka" on Seue', recorded in Pittsburg, with Rodger Humpries on drums that we could talk about. Send me a pm today as I'm leaving tomorow for a week in sunny Florida! Makatuka (1970) Segué LPS 1000 (LP). Recorded at WRS Recording Studios, Pittsburgh. Nathan Davis - tenor sax, soprano sax, bass clarinet; Nelson Harrison - trombone; Joe Kennedy - piano; Don DePaolis - electric piano; Roger Humphries - drums; Mike Taylor - bass; Virgil Walters - electric bass; Wheeler Winstead - vocal. 1. Makatuka (Davis) 8:09 2. To Ursula With Love (Davis) 7:41 3. Slave March (Davis) 5:10 4. Extra Sensory Perfection(Davis) 8:45 5. I Want To Be Free (Davis) 3:19 6. Ladies Lib (Davis) 5:49

The good music continues there with Geoffrey Keezer in April. Geoff's web site with his itinerary:Geoff Keezer

The first time I saw Basie, in a club, was such a kick sitting front and center of the band that had Curtis Fuller, Lockjaw Davis and Sonny Payne in it!

Sure, send me a email. Tom Marcello

Lew Soloff - "Yesterdays" LEW SOLOF: YESTERDAYS PADDLE WHEEL, K32Y 6121(CD) (P)©1986 KING RECORD CO. LTD. INC., JAPAN RECORDED: SEPTEMBER 15&16, 1986 RELEASED: DECEMBER 21, 1986, JAPAN Lew Soloff : trumpet Mike Stern : guitar Charnett Moffett : bass Elvin Jones : drums TRACKS (total time 51:28) : 1. Yesterdays (9:46) [J.Kern, O.Harbach] 2. Barbara (8:55) [H.Silver] 3. Beautiful Mimi (3:37) [L.Soloff] 4. All Blues (8:59) [M.Davis] 5. Thaddieus (6:28) [L.soloff] 6. Little Laura (6:00) [L.Soloff] 7. Antigua (7:21) [R.Prince]

I couln't possibly add another name to this list. Everyone has done such a fine job in brining up great , underated players, but I have these comments: John Marshall - Played with both Buddy Rich and Mel Lewis. The last I heard he was living in Germany. Lew Soloff - Can really play it all. I would refer you to a recording called "Yesterdays" that he made under his name with Elvin Jones. Richard Williams and Cecil Bridgewater - I always thoiufgt that they were some kind os soul Mates; cut from the same cloth and very interesting. Charles Sullivan - I have a recording, on vinyl/Strata East called "Genesis ", that is fantastic and saw him with both Fortune and on a Jazzmoblie gig with Billy Taylor, Victor Gaskin, Frank Wess and Freddie Waits. I really believe he should be the ultimate candidate here!

Hey Allen, mabe you should be asking what ever happened to RUTH Gordon?

OK, maybe it's time to start this topic. JSngry asked, on another thread about drummer DAVID LEE who was/is a great drummer with Sonny Rollins and Dizzy Gillespie. I love his playing too, Jim. Does anyone have any information?

Spider's motto was "When in doubt, take it out!"

This is where I found a page dedicates to Spider: Spider Martin Spider was from Niagara Falls, which is close to Buffalo, and lived in Rochester for about 10 years after his release from Attica prison. He was always getting in trouble for passing bad paper, drugs and burning his bridges; it was like he coulnd'nt help himself! He could hustle a gig better than anyone, though. When he got out of prison in the early 70's, he got a concert organizied with the Rochester Philharmonic showcaseing him, in a couple of months. Soon, he was playing everywhere. His bands had local players like a young Joe Locke on vibes and Steve Davis (on electric bass from John Coltrane's group before Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner's brother-in-law) along with the occasional Eastman student like Tom Whaley ( on drums, who went on to play with Woody Herman and Red Rodney ) and Barry Kiener on piano along with older, local vetrans who also had some "big time" history. Spider's big name claim to fame was his work with Lionel Hampton in the 50's and 60's, and of course, because he was from the Buffalo area, Grover Washington ( who was much younger ) and Lonnie Smith. Spider wasn't that much of a player because he spent most of his times on scams and didn't put the time into his horn, but I loved him as a person. I spent a lot of time with him and his band after hours and he DID know everyone in the Jazz Scene in the country. He introduced me to Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Hayes, Jimmy Owens, Percy Heath, Max Roach and many others who passed through. Spider was a typical tenor/organ/soul jazz/ blues player who could play with a lot of heart in that genre, when he was inspired to. After about 10 years, he ran out of town because of trouble and dug himself in South Flordia, where he again went thouh a series of goog giugs and made himself the "Jazz Guy" in the Miami area. The last time I saw him play was at a concert he put together in Miami, in 1986, at the Gussman theatre there for MLK Day. He called in his friends to play like Dizzy, Joe Locke, Mongo and the Miami flute player, Nestor Torres. After a number of years, he was on the run one again and settled back in Niagara Falls, where he died in 2000. That photo with Lonnie and Lou looks like a later one when he came back from Miami.

Here is a photo Of Lou Donaldson, Spider Martin and Lonnie Smith.

Hal Galper - Now Hear This with Tony Williams HAL GALPER: NOW HEAR THIS ENJA RECORDS, ENJA 2090(LP) (P)1977 ENJA RECORDS GmbH, W.GERMANY RECORDED: FEBRUARY 15, 1977 RELEASED: 1977, W.GERMANY RE-ISSUED: CROWN RECORDS, ENJ-1026(CD) Hal Galper : piano Terumasa Hino : trumpet, flugelhorn Cecil McBee : bass Tony Williams : drums TRACKS (total time 40:46) : 1. Now Hear This (8:19) [Hal Galper] 2. Shadow Waltz (6:11) [Hal Galper] 3. Mr. Fixit (5:02) [Hal Galper] 4. First Song In The Day (9:02) [Hal Galper] 5. Bemsha Swing (6:09) [Thelonious Monk] 6. Red Eye Special (5:32) [Hal Galper]

Sorry, but I think she is quite unlistenable! It's a shame that she has to rip off Billie, and a bad rip off at that, to make a name for herself!

Well, Soul Stream, I'll try before going to work: As I said, Groove Holmes I liked because he played interesting music. By that I mean he played music of the day ( and the blues, of course ) and didn't pander too much to the crowd with effects. He played nice modern changes and had a way of making long lines interesting and "grooving" at the same time. Charles Earland, I liked also, but he REALLY had a crowd pleaseing bent so much that it could be a turn-off for me. I remember always seeing him with either a quartet ir quintet ( a guitar and tenor ). That said, he had a great rapport with the audience. Jimmy McGriff played here a lot also. I mentioned before of a Quartet that Buddy Rich had with him that played for a week here. He also seemed always to come with a quartet. He always impressed me and put on a organized set. Jimmy Smith I only saw once but he played his ass off and, if I remember right, had something wrong with his hand or arm and played mostly with one hand. One of a kind! Lonnie Smith I saw really often. He lived in Buffalo and used to come here so often he may have had one of several 'sisters" that he lived with here. Small, skinny with conked staight hair, he was a favorite with the women who used to flaunt themselves in front of him. He played quite often at the clubhouse ( which was open to the public ) of the Knights of Pythias called The Pythodd Club, where many bands from NYC used to play including Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, Johnny Lytell etc. and was in the oldest Black neighborhood of the city. Lonnie appeared often with local players, if he was here for more than a week. He could play a whole set of ballads very softly with a lot of color and power. He would make the organ whisper like you would into a lover's ear. The ladies loved it! I saw him last Summer and he had the same old schtick when you shook hand with him. He would hold onto your hand, look you in the eye and say" You owe me money! I KNOW you owe me money!" I almost forgot Jack Mc Duff. He always had Joe Dukes with him on drums. Have you ever heard 'Rock Candy"? That's the way I remember him! There were also, of course, many local player with Tenor /Organ groups to hear. It was cheaper than getting together a quartet. White and Black groups. Hell, Doug Duke had a club here! One of the pioneers. At his club he had a lift that the organ sat on that came up from the basement. So the lihts would go down, the organ sounds would come from below, vibrating the floor ( It was a small, narrow club ), and it would rise up in volume with Duke on the organ through the floor! Show Business!