Elissa

I like the turn this thread has taken to standing up for drummers dissed. Apologies if my defense of Tain was too personal.

To what book are you referring? The late Michael James is not a contributor to "The Essential Jazz Records, Vol. 2" (publ. 2000) If you mean "Modern Jazz: The Essential Records 1945-70" (publ. 1975 -- BTW a much better book IMO) here, for one, is James on the Massey Hall Concert": "...Mingus and Roach lay down a constantly inspiring beat and take gripping solos..." James also writes enthusiastically in that book of Roach's work on the album "Drums Unlimited." Actually I meant Whitney Balliet's take on Max post Clifford; and Michael James as in Duke's nephew - comments he made to me rather than published. Please don't get me wrong btw, of course I love Max - but think that there's an argument to be made that he played more academically, or with a diminished fire, after the loss of his dear friend.

Have you got the book handy? I read it several years back and am at work, but remember Michael James saying something not so far off.

Balliet does have a point about Max before and after Brown's passing - not much in his oeuvre compares to the records they made together in terms of swing.

Tain is absolutely amazing; whoever the sadmofo is that listed Tain's name here could only have a tin ear. And Al Foster and Jimmy Cobb? Sorry but those guys swing! Funny tho too see them mentioned together - they are married to sisters. Course, Al Foster's playing, even today, is groovier than 98% of the beats hiphop cops. And the idea that someone who appreiates jazz could resent a drum solo - well that alone could make a girl cry. Seriously. I thought that drum solo haters were restricted to the Dooby Brothers fans.

I always appreciate Claudia's take on time - she often does standards in non-standard time signatures and with latin inflexions. Pleasant and pretty voice, assuredly with good bands; but not atall as readily digestible (or indigestible, as the case may be) as say Krall or Monheit (aka the Hair Singer); and not quite as fun as say, Mz Lezlie Harrison or Kate Fenner - both of whom are better live than on the recordings here, but I spose that's always the case... How's about some Abbie Lincoln? I love Turtle's Dream and the classis Abbie is Blue. Or Nancy Wilson with Cannonball for that matter....

I've never heard this but sure would like to. Have to wonder though: how does Red Callender sound on this? I always find that he kinda drags down the AT record with Papa Jo.

I went to college in Portland and was friendly with Leroy, rest his gracious soul. I used to pick him up from where he lived, at Portland's famed Jazz Hotel, and drive him around town, nominally siting a location for his restaurant. He and drummer Dick Berk were friendly at the time and were forever talking about the restaurant they were going to open. It was to be called Leroy's Dick and as for the menu: Dick Burgers, Dick Shakes, Fried Dick, Dick Soup....you'll have to trust me on this one - but at the time it was hilarious, especially as delivered in that deepest of growls in which he spoke. A grand fellow and much missed.

Last night Ron Affif's gig was pretty fun - they were sounding very happy, groovy and New Orleansy. It was Roy Hargrove's bday so he was in; Pablo Calogero is in town and played his bass clarinet beautifully; Jerry Gonzalez is in from Madrid and sat in most of the night, as did killing guitarist and sweetest of hearts Saul Rubin. Saul was telling me he's penned a couple tunes for the Big Band album Roy's going to cut. The magnificent Lezlie Harrison sang a version of You Don't Know What Love Is that got me all choked up. Ugonna Okegwa on bass and a wonderful drummer named Nat whose last name it embarrasses me to say I forgot. Shall likely drop into the Zinc for Halloween - Alex Diaz and Son de la Calle will be there.

So who gets the royalties, ya think?

Happy to report they took it back opened. Bastards. Where is the organissimo discussion?

I guess in my excitement I saw 'never-before released' and 'rare discovery' on the cover without getting to the 'brand new performances by the Count Basie Orchestra' bit. Surely they'll make millions. This is one of those sick post-mortem creations - like the job Natalie Cole did on her blessed papa. Grrr.

So I walked downstairs to get my cuppa joe just this minute and happened upon a thing I'd never heard of: Ray Charles and Count Basie on a record called Ray Sings, Basie Swings, for sale at the Starbucks cd trolley. So of course, along with my coffee, I bought it. Well I've only just opened it and feel totally duped to discover ain't no Basie nowhere near this album. Bastards. I haven't listened to it yet but want to return it anyhow. It could have been the actual Count Basie Orchestra from looking at the cover, or should I have known better? Not that I have anything against Butch Miles, Tony Suggs, James Leary and Will Matthews - I just don't want them passed off as the real thing. Grrr

As I'm sure you all know, Stanley has a new book out this year, called Considering Genius. I picked it up Saturday just long enough to read the piece that got him fired from Jazz Times about Dave Douglas. The man has a point there - even if his point is that of a deadly blunted instrument - but nevertheless there's something to it. His novel, worse than unreadable, was made hilarious by listening to him promote it by saying it'd give Joyce, Faulkner and Hemingway a run for thier money, but I often find that his essays, no matter how desperately in need of an editor they inevitably are, no matter how heavily peppered with bigotry and ignorance, still more likely than not have a kernal worth exploring.

Also, Peter Davis' Hearts and Minds and Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers and looking forward to Barbara Kopple's new film about the Dixie Chicks, Shut up and Scream

It seems that Henry Timrod contributed some influence here. Article in NYTimes today.

Great one! Also Jarecki's Trials of Henry Kissinger.

After Wilson's passing, the Signature had to wait a bit to run the Wilson-dedicated season that was then being planned, but now it's commenced with the brilliant Seven Guitars. Charles Welson utterly perfect as King with Stephen McKinley Henderson, Lance Reddick, Kevin Carroll, Cassandra Freeman, Brenda Pressley and the transformationally inspirational Roslyn Ruff. As fine an ensemble as one's likely to come across. Two Trains Running and King Hedley II up next. Extraordinary.

All Errol Morris films - Mr Death especially, though Vernon, Florida & Thin Blue Line essential as well. Of course, the Maysles films - Grey Gardens and The Salesman chief among them. Barbara Kopple's Harlan County and American Dream, though maybe her film about Tyson, Fallen Champ is my favorite. I liked Wild Man Blues too. DA Pennebaker - Don't Look Back and The War Room. Smartest Guys in the Room was purtty ferocious.

I quite like Modern Times and have also fallen headlong for the last tune, Ain't Talking. In the edition we got, it comes with another cd that has a fabulous hour from his Theme Time radio show all about baseball, with a Sonny Rollins tune thrown in for good measure.* It also has an awesomely cool 4-song DVD that makes this package quite a deal. He's on a tour of minor league ball fields at the moment and we caught his show at Cooperstown over the weekend. Was great too; weather held out until just after he finished his two hour set. Three bands opened for him, the best of which was the amazing Junior Brown, who is certainly up there with the finest guitarists around. His axe is a combined six string and steel, each with its own neck. Elana James and the Continental Two were first up - she has a really pretty voice and a fucking great bass player. Fun music, with a real kinda Kentucky mountain vibe, though they're from Austin. Jimmy Vaughn also played, with a singer who looked like a stone cold junkie, spitting venom and attitude with some mean n' greazy blues. And Bob gave a performance that really opened up as he went along - he got happier and more loose and comfortable. Seemed at the end to have truly enjoyed the gig. Played mostly older tunes (sadly, not Ain't Talking) in a kinda cowboy blues style that was cogent throughout the set, but fairly rendered all the old material in a wholly new way. Lay Lady Lay, Rolling Stone, Everybody Must Get, All I Really Want To Do - that sort of stuff. And played for about 2 hours, with nary a nod to the audience until the end, when he took a really elegant bow - as you see more in the theater than at rock shows. Hugely enjoyable, and again, a lot of music for the money. Tix were $45; later this month he's playing at a colusium with the Raconteurs - tix are $180! *which he introduces with the creative untruth that Rollins was called Newk cause he looked like Don Newcomb! I always thought it was because he was dubbed the new Coleman Hawkins: the New Hawk, or Newk.

My brother's daughter, due in two months, will be Ellington.

Caught Dr Lonnie Smith at the Jazz Standard Tuesday, with the fine drummer Allison Miller. Peter wasn't on guitar, another young feller was but I missed his name. I love the Doc and my goodness does he ever swing. A wonderfully soul-expanding set he played too, not that that's extrordinary. In fact I can feel the new contours where he made my heart a bigger place.

Let me start by asking a silly question. Are Mel and Melvin two different blokes or the same? Do you know the work and if so, what's your take? Thanks.

Those are actually her real lips, fellas. Really. I've seen her baby pix - they wre the same 20-odd years ago.