Chuck Nessa

Hey, I'm on a diet/exercise program and have lost 45 pounds in the last 6 months. I be eatin' a pork/chicken wrap, etc for dinner tonight. Damn good. Thank god for Ann. She's extending my life.

My understanding: It has been shopped around to almost every recording company for 20+ years and she had no takers. Snippets, etc in bad sound. Not a complete issue worthwhile is my understanding. I think some, if not all, of this stuff has been issued by various labels. I think at least one major label bought something only to find out it had already been issued elsewhere. But then, I could happily be wrong. I think more likely sources are private collectors turning tapes over like the Bird in Boston cd I worked on. The trouble is these guys are dropping like flies and the tapes are being trashed by the heirs. You don't wanna know stories I've heard.

Stop the damn poll. This is an ego trip for everyone involved and could turn REALLY ugly. Not a single person in this series of exchanges comes out "clean" by my standards. As someone who pisses people off from time to time (and I try to sell stuff to all here B) ) I think this is all crap. If anyone wants to leave - GO. If you really want to stay - SHUT UP. Time to drop all this stuff and get back to music.

You might add Von Freeman to 1922.

Aren't they called Aftabs?

Sound is good although I am pretty sure that Chuck mentioned some time ago that the Nessa LP sounded better. Nothing wrong with the Ensayo sound but my mastering guy improved it. Lucky thought so too! The cd is currently available at Berkshire for $2.99. You'd be silly not to snap it up.

I had been talking with the guys about making a record since I returned to Chicago in 1975. First thing I recorded upon my return was a session with Von Freeman. After mixing the first lp from this date I went to Terry Martin's apartment to give him a copy so he could do the liner notes. While there Henry called to see if Terry could make a tape copy of their first date(Air had just done their first date for Why Not and needed individual copies for all members). Henry and Steve arrived a few minutes later and we listened to the wonderful Why Not date as the copies were made. As soon as that was done they wanted to listen to my Von tapes and Steve and Henry laughed in glee throughout the playing. Henry next played as part of a saxophone quartet (Roscoe, Jarman, Wallace McMillan & Henry) for Roscoe's Nonaah project. Suddenly late in '77 Henry called to say they were about to sign a 3 record deal with Arista/Novus and if I wanted to do a date it had to be soon. I borrowed some money and we did the date. They spent about a month in rehearsal for the sessions. We recorded on two successive nights and made sure nothing was touched in the studio between the dates. The most difficult to record was I'll Be Right Here Waiting... Over the two nights we made 7 incomplete takes and 4 complete. Steve kept stopping takes when it didn't feel right to him. The issued version was the last recording from the second night. I just checked the tape logs and was surprised to note that Keep Right On Playing was done in one take with no false starts. Damn! The band had the record sequence decided before the session. When they were ready to start a tune Henry would say something like "This will be the first track on the second side". Fred Hopkins was a very warm "down home" guy. The world is poorer for his absence. Don't know what else to say. I am very pleased with the way we were able to reproduce his sound on the date. This was achieved by recording it acoustically on one channel and taking a feed from his pickup directly to the board. We then mixed the two channels together for the stereo master. I decline rating the record against their other sides...They are all worthwhile. Concerning "how it fits in the Nessa catalog" - it is number 12. B)

First cd I heard (early '83) was a Philips disc by Art Blakey.

Couple of points: The AACM did have "critical coverage" at home. Remember Down Beat is based there, and at least 2 daily newspapers wrote about them. I first became aware of Muhal, etc. thanks to a Pete Welding concert review in DB. That piece prompted me to look them up as soon as I moved to Chicago. The "elders" in Chicago such as Von and Fred didn't need records in the marketplace to be held in high esteem by the younger musicians. One BIG reason the first tier of AACMers went to NY was to lose the mantle of being "local musicians" and all the baggage that comes with that tag. After making the move they could return home and command higher fees.

More than anything, I think it is the "laid back" feeling.

Shortly after the lp issue of "The Rajah" and Mobley's "Far Away Lands", I ran into Kenny Washington at the Jazz Record Mart. He asked me about recent records that turned me on. I mentioned the Mobley session and he stopped me. He dissed Donald Byrd on this session and said "all the guys in New York are digging the Lee side". After this I relistened to "The Rajah" and see it as a sequel to "Lee-Way". Thank you Kenny.

Beyond Braxton and Lacy (more solo recordings than I can digest and be coherent)my favorites remain Evan Parker's Monoceros (direct to disc lp) and the "live" solo portions of Roscoe's Nonaah on my label. Don't know if the Parker is on cd and to my shame, Roscoe's is not. In another thread I sang the praises of RM's Sound Songs, and repeat that recommendation here. I'm sure I'll think of others later.........

Not sure when he started using "cues" etc, but Roscoe Mitchell's 1975 Sackville quartet recording has a version of his composition "Cards".

Not fair for me to say since I have not heard the tapes.

Someone told me at the time, more material was recorded at the sessions for Vol. 1. I'm not sure there was enough for another lp. Someone else told me the unissued material had major intonation problems courtesy of one of the bass players.

Which one of you won that argument?

Three months after Air Time the band recorded their first Arista/Novus lp. The contract was already signed when we made our record. The title was Open Air Suit. The back of the jacket depicts playing cards fanned out with the graphic from the poster (in my cover) on the cards. Each tune listing has a hand signal in front of the title. I wish I had a scanner to show you. Much hocus pocus in the liner notes about the tunes as related to cards, suits, etc. The cover of the lp was a painting of a mandrill displaying his colorful butt.

You should have ordered it from me.

Sex? Who mentioned sex? If that's important, let me mention Keep A Knockin' (but 'cha can't come in)! Come back tomorrow night and try it again.

No, I'm sure Jim believes what you do is your life......and nobody's life is easy. Lou done a great job.

While we can all quibble about details (and personal prejudices) I think we all owe AMG and Mr. Yanow a debt of gratitude. We all have personal feelings about certain records: Maybe you got your first lay as a result of Spiritual Unity.... BUT this is a great source of info and Scott is a decent guide through 75 years of music. Some of the later entries by others are suspect.

I don't have a fuckin' clue.

Yes, Steve was a stickler about tuning his drums. I spent extra time making sure we captured all his sounds and gradations in the recording AND mixing of this date.

Better than if it had been intonined or intotenned. The mind reels at the possibilities.

Dan, get the Weinstock interview! If Cadence passes, someone else will be interested. If you contact Ira Sullivan feel free to use my name. It may help. If you have difficulty contacting him, I can help with that.