Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 As some of you will remember I've long been a fan of Duke Pearson, even if it was perhaps more apparent on the BNBB (he was probably discussed a little more back there). I have all of his leader dates and I have heard most if not all other recordings he participated in. Well, not exactly true. There was one album I never got when it was reissued by Koch in the late 90s - 'Prairie Dog'. It's not like it's a rare album or anything and it could probably be found instantly online, but I never tried that hard. Why? Because then there wouldn't be any unheard Duke Pearson left. Then today after work I walked into a used record store. I picked a Nicholas Payton album I suspected was OOP, an early Clare Fischer big band album on Pacific Jazz (Extension), and then suddenly - a cheap CD copy of Prairie Dog lay before my eyes. After a moment of hesitation I decided that now was the time. So now I'm sitting at home, trying to figure out how I should go about listening to it. I think I'll make some tea, sit down, close my eyes and just listen. (It somehow reminds me of the moment years ago when I finally broke the seal on that first pressing of 'Sweet Honey Bee'.) And then perhaps start to think of how I should live my life post completing Pearson collection. Quote
sidewinder Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 So how is the 'Prairie Dog'? Picked up the 'Dedication' CD not too long ago - I'd held off that one for quite some time. Well worth getting hold of IMO - there's always something of interest in all of the DP sessions that I have come across. Quote
sidewinder Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 (It somehow reminds me of the moment years ago when I finally broke the seal on that first pressing of 'Sweet Honey Bee'.) Same thing happened to me. Liberty mono copy in shrink-wrap that had apparently sat in a cupboard somewhere in the States for eons before being bought by a London store dealer. Quote
Son-of-a-Weizen Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 And then perhaps start to think of how I should live my life post completing Pearson collection. Why not open a Dunkin' Donuts franchise? Quote
Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Posted September 29, 2006 So how is the 'Prairie Dog'? A bit more melancholic than Pearson's other albums, but quite right for my mood at the moment. Picked up the 'Dedication' CD not too long ago - I'd held off that one for quite some time. Well worth getting hold of IMO - there's always something of interest in all of the DP sessions that I have come across. Except that 'Dedication' is a Willie Wilson session. Why not open a Dunkin' Donuts franchise?Or a cat farm? Quote
Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Posted September 29, 2006 But as for the sound quality, the bass is poorly recorded. Absurd 60s Atlantic stereo separation. Will probably look for a mono LP in due time. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 I know how you feel - I completed my Grant green collection a few weeks ago with the Mary Lou Williams. Now I'm just waiting for the unissued material. I think it's kind of a good feeling; but at the same time, there's nothing to look forward to, from a practical point of view. Lou Donaldson, I suppose, but I don't quite feel the same about Lou. MG Quote
Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Posted September 29, 2006 MG, life is too short to keep on holding off! After all I'm happy I got to hear it at last. Now I'll order that Hank Jones discography and get going again... Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 MG, life is too short to keep on holding off! After all I'm happy I got to hear it at last. Now I'll order that Hank Jones discography and get going again... Hank Jones would be almost as difficult a task as David Newman... MG Quote
Hot Ptah Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 Milt Hinton. Try to collect every recording that Milt Hinton played on. You will never feel empty from the end of the quest. Quote
Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Posted September 29, 2006 Just ordered the 420 page Hank Jones discography! Heh-heh... I'll save Milt Hinton for later. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 Milt Hinton. Try to collect every recording that Milt Hinton played on. You will never feel empty from the end of the quest. David's discography covers hardly any of the R&B records he's appeared on. That's the real problem - lack of info. MG Quote
etherbored Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 can i interrupt this wonderful thread to inquire as to the merits of pearson's "hush"? it's a side i've been after for some time that i'm closing in on a la "prairie dog". btw, i will be in stokholm in november. a guide to the stores would be a godsend. -e- Quote
Daniel A Posted September 29, 2006 Author Report Posted September 29, 2006 Hush is a very enjoyable date. Some (but not all) of the tracks feature both Johnny Coles and Donald Byrd; the latter plays rather better than usual. Pearson himself also sounds more confident as a soloist than on some of his other recordings. The trio tracks are arguably a bit more low key, but all in all I'd say that this is actually one of my favourite Pearson albums. Quote
kh1958 Posted September 29, 2006 Report Posted September 29, 2006 Duke Ellington, of course. Best of luck acquiring the complete Ellington! Quote
mikeweil Posted September 30, 2006 Report Posted September 30, 2006 I can feel with you - I'm almost at the same point as far as Cal Tjader is concerned! Prairie Dog must have been among my first 50 jazz LPs - there was a shop in the mall where my parents used to go once a week which always had a lot of Atlantic cutouts. I like this LP, in spite of the inconsistency of moods and the slightly strange sound. I consider the version of Ron Carter's Little Waltz on this album the best ever done of this tune - all the solos are concise and on the point. A perfect performance. The other Atlantic Sweet Honey Bee was the one I never saw until the Koch CD was issued .... Quote
Chalupa Posted September 30, 2006 Report Posted September 30, 2006 Duke Ellington, of course. Best of luck acquiring the complete Ellington! Check this out... This guy is a local jazz radio treasure. According to this article he has over 600 Duke Ellington albums. Mind you this article is from 1998 so who knows how many he has by now http://www.citypaper.net/articles/041698/m...llectors3.shtml Quote
brownie Posted September 30, 2006 Report Posted September 30, 2006 Just ordered the 420 page Hank Jones discography! Heh-heh... Excellent idea! That's a lifetime endeavour. And you'll have a very hard time finding a bad album among the hundreds he recorded Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted September 30, 2006 Report Posted September 30, 2006 Just ordered the 420 page Hank Jones discography! Heh-heh... Excellent idea! That's a lifetime endeavour. And you'll have a very hard time finding a bad album among the hundreds he recorded Well, this says it's bad... But I think it's just BAAAAD! MG Quote
BruceH Posted October 2, 2006 Report Posted October 2, 2006 You can always take up collecting Sun Ra. Quote
Hot Ptah Posted October 2, 2006 Report Posted October 2, 2006 You can always take up collecting Sun Ra. If so, you need to be independently wealthy, for what the Saturns with magic marker artwork are going for now. Quote
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