Chuck Nessa

Ann and I live on a street one block long. Vans pull up at the end of the street and dump out kids. We get 2-300 kids a night. Years past, Ann dressed up in a scary outfit and I boomed up sound effects from the basement. After doing this for around 20 years and having to deal with "smart ass teenagers", we decided to go to the local multiplex for a movie to avoid the whole thing. Our plans were to be gone between 5 and 9. It worked like a charm. We arrived at the theater about a half hour before the start of Runaway Jury, so we went into the nearly empty auditorium. Slowly it filled to around one third capacity. We noticed EVERYONE in the place were couples about our age. Guess it wasn't an original idea for those in our age group. Not sure if it's reassuring to be part of this group, or not.

If you are talking about US/domestic issues, beyond the Urbie Green there is only the Lou Mecca date and the two Best From the West records. The Hank Mobley Quartet is in the Mosaic box, but not elsewhere.

FORCES IN MOTION gives you a terrific vision of Anthony's pesonality and his music. Thanks for the compliments but a bit of clarification is in order. The original sessions for THREE COMPOSITIONS were produced by Bob Koester. Bob hired me to produce all the Delmark AACM cd reissues, and I went back the the original session tapes to remixed/edited the sessions. For your next musical adventure, I suggest Muhal Richard Abrams YOUNG AT HEART/WISE IN TIME. This contains a half hour solo performance by Abrams and a quintet with Leo Smith, Henry Threadgill, Lester Lashley and Thurman Barker. Your perception of Leo's sound large sound is correct. I'll never forget a session where we had to be careful with the placement of his mike, so his sound didn't overpower the other guy's mikes. The engineer made the mistake of calling it loud - Leo responded "It's not loud, it's strong". He has a wonderfully personal sound as well. PS Being referred to as "Mr. Nessa" gives me the willies.

Gee, I didn't think you looked strong enough to master a brush that broad.

Strata-East, owned by Tolliver and Cowell (Stanley was a semi-silent partner), was a vanity label. You could release a record if you had the money to deliver finished tapes and artwork (and if Charles approved). Musicians usually used the studio and graphic artists used by Tolliver, but it was not necessary as far as I know. Clifford Jordan had a side deal to deliver his dates and others he produced (Sanders, Brackeen, Payne, etc). Lots of unhappy guys around the edges and the product suffered from indifferent production qualities, sound, distribution and finances. From what I've heard, lots of musicians were looking for money that never materialized and gave up. Tolliver was always painted as the bad guy, and Cowell came out relatively clean. In the mid '70s Clifford Jordan tried to make a deal with me to escape Strata-East. I could not afford it, so.......... I am completely mystified by the reputation this label has on this board.

Why? It is supposed to be about music. Secondarily, much of "collector lore" is false. If these guys knew minimal stuff about the way record companies operate(d) and the practices of pressing plants, many prices would be "adjusted". Much of the "collector lore" is a joke. What if after 120 pressings the stampers broke, the plant faulted the mothers, and requested a new mastering? Is number 121 a better or worse pressing. If they printed 2000 covers and labels and used them up. What if.... What if the first set of stampers is used way beyond reason. What if..... What if on the first day of production, things are slow at the plant and they make 10 sets of stampers and use them all to keep the staff working? I can keep the variations going for hours. Why do some pressings have a deep groove on only one side? Why might a pressing only have an ear on one side? How is a stamper with an ear better than one without, made on the same day in the same bath? What is a bath?

Fred is Dead! Not a haiku, but accurate.

Contact me, I'll give you his home address.

I bought this the day it was issued. No laminated cover. Damn, I hate this collector shit.

Since this is the first of my "productions" to make AOW status, let me say: If you have problems or criticisms of the music/production/etc., let go. No hard feelings - really. I will attempt a reasonable response. You can't possibly beat some of my mail. Please feel free, I'm a big boy.

More than "all the best".

Trompeta Toccata was out in the us.

The new issue omits the alternate take from the domestic cd issue.

Scabs are not an option.

I will take the other side. I did not need to see this. Keep this crap off the board.

As all know, I still have plenty of gas and matches. Bring the infidels on!

Now Grady's been canned by Boston.

Surely you've encountered the Amway Grand Plaza, Van Andel Arena or DeVos Hall. DeVos and Van Andel are the people who own Amway, Quixtar, Alticor and Access Business Group. AND Betsy DeVos is chairman of the Michigan Republican party.

I have a couple of lps by Serge Ermoll's Free Kata (with Lou Burdett, Eddie Bronson and, on one, John Clare. Are these people around anymore?

Elvin is on disc one, Nick Stabulas is on the other two. Nick is not a let-down. Don't pay big bucks for this. Buy the single disc and wait for the 3 disc set. I was in a used store in Vegas this summer and they had 2 copies - about $30 each.

I took two Aftabs before turning in last night and it didn't help.

Does everyone know there have been 3 cd versions. First Verve cd had some extras, next issue was 3 disc version and current issue is back to the lp tracks.

I checked about half of the tracks from LPM-6100 with Bruyninckx. All are available elsewhere if you can track down a bunch of (mostly bootleg) cds. My copy is not perfect, but probably better than yours. Contact me at cnessa@earthlink.net and I'll send it to you. I got the set for nothing and might as well pass it to you for the shipping cost.

If this is your understanding of jazz before bop, I don't know what to say.

So this was not a poll, but some sort of jerking off. Clean up and say good night Dan.