A Lark Ascending

Hey, Jazzmoose, I am part of the diaspora too!! Mike may just have provided a compromise here. It strikes me as fair: http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread....43385#post43385

I've deliberately taken a a step away from Organissimo in recent weeks because of a specific issue. I've continued to post at AAJ. AAJ remains my first port of call. Why? Because it's better? No. Because it has posters more interested in European, UK and (more recently) Australian jazz that I rather like. Despite my very specific issues regarding a specific situation I find Organissimo to be better on other fields. Why has Mike acted like this? Well I don't think his action has been wise. And I've PM'd him with my view on the situation. But I think some members of Organissimo need to ask if they've really helped things. All those 'Arn't we the best', 'This is my Home' 'Look at the statistics' etc posts. Come on. Isn't this what kids do over favourite football (or baseball) teams. Is it really so difficult to recognise that two boards can support the same music but show an interest in different aspects of it? I'm hopeful that Mike might change his decision. But that will be achieved by reasoned argument rather than terminal 'I've had it with AAJ' comments (less convincing from those who rarely post there). AAJ and Organissimo are two oases in a relatively jazzless world. I want to see both thrive as jazz and relate music discussion boards. It's sad to see this blowing up, regardless of who is or is not responsible.

Exactly that. Completists only. There's a new Andy Partridge + Peter Blegvad CD due at any moment. Details here: http://chalkhills.org/reelbyreal/a_Orpheus.html I've not read anything about it.

I'm not sure if you're aware that your record has been reviewed in the UK's Jazz Review for February. A lukewarm review, unfortunately. It turned up in the 'Fast Taste' section where some poor fellow (one Jack Cooke) gets the job of reviewing a dozen or more discs. I suspect they only get a cursory listen. He certainly missed it on this one. Anyway, assuming you follow the 'any publicity...' line here's the review. Look away now if you're squeamish. Organissimo Waiting For The Boonaboo Sisters PKO RECORDS 020 Whether the sisters showed eventually isn't stated, but there's a lot of that insistent choppy beat during the wait, varied with a couple of slow numbers, a tricky 3/4 called "Young's Dream" and a sizzling straightahead "Jimmy Smith Goes To Washington" which makes you wish they'd stayed with that groove a little longer. You've guessed by now this is an organ combo, drummer Randy Marsh slicing the rhythm, Joe Gloss the guitarist, Jim Alfredson at the B3 and demonstrating he knows exactly what he's doing. Made in Michigan, and it's equally clear they've been more than just introduced to each other - it's slick and beyond doubt they're great in a club setting. Tenorist Peter Blake guests on a couple, doing a good school-of-Don-Wilkerson on "Clap Yo Hands". Spot the careless liner note reading!!!! It would be tempting to critique the cliched reviewing style, but... It has to be pointed out that Jazz Review, for all its virtues, has what I call a 'Grumpy Uncles' approach to reviewing. They find it very hard to owning up to liking things!

A few of you might be interested in this, especially if you enjoyed last year's 'Impressed' compilation: Details: http://www.bgo-records.com/detailsBGO2.asp...alogNo=BGOCD615 Due any day. First time out for 30 years they say! There's also a great live set from the mid-60s: It sounds like a fifth disc from the Miles Blackhawk set! Wonderful! Details here: http://www.jazzscript.co.uk/CDs/rendell65har.htm

I've been following the Westbrooks since the mid-70s. There's a big gap in available recordings from the early 70s to the 90s - superb recordings like 'The Westbrook Blake', 'Goose Sauce', 'Love-Dream Variations', 'Mama Chicago' and 'The Paris Album'. I find the more recent recordings a bit too theatrical for my taste. However, I would recommend two recordings available on ENJA: The Cortege - originally a 3LP set, now on 2CDs. A piece linked with the death of Westbrook's father. A collage of poems from various European writers in various languages. Unlike the more recent stuff the music dominates over the vocals. They arrangements are superb and quite unlike anything else I've heard. There are some spine tingling solos from the likes of Malcomn Griffiths, Guy Barker and Brian Godding. To my mind the best extended jazz piece I know. Glad Day - this collects all the Westbrook Blake settings in a new recording from the late 90s. Astonishingly it's as good as the original 'Westbrook Blake' album - my only disappointment was that I preferred the original sequence. It adds songs not on the latter album. Quite wonderful. Again, lots of instrumental richness and soloing. Columbia reissued the original late-60s Westbrooks a few years back in a British re-issue series that quickly died. I suspect they've all but disappeared. If you're interested buy one now. Three I've never heard that have never got to CD (except possibly in Japanese form) are 'Tyger' (an even earlier Blake arrangement); and 'Love Songs' with Norma Winstone; and 'For the Record'. Enja are about to release Westbrook's new extended piece, "Chanson Irresponsable" which sounded superb on the radio a couple of years back. A return to the large format Westbrook.

I was the guilty starter of the thread. I've never deleted any thread I've started to my knowledge! I suspect it was on the old BNBB. I think I posted it around the time of the box set issue which was spring, 2002. Don't overlook the two most recent XTC albums - Apple Venus and Wasp Star. I'd put the former up there on a par with English Settlement, Skylarking and Oranges and Lemons. Most people seem to give up on them after Oranges and Lemons (In the UK they gave up after English Settlement!). I'd recommend taking a chance with Apple Venus.

Thank you all. I'm not looking for any prodigal returns thing here!!! As far as I'm concerned a line is drawn under the previous disagreement. Time to move on. [Oh! And Hi JSngry! Hope all is well with you. Excuse me if I don't post on your thread elsewhere but I think that one might need to disappear given the above.]

Thank you for you kind words, Ed. Just to clarify, I’ve not left this board in a huff! Been reading it daily and continue to enjoy and learn from it. I’ve not posted here for a few weeks largely to avoid giving D’Imperio another opportunity to go off on one. I’m not remotely sensitive with regard to the man – it’s just that I deal with 14 year old versions on a daily work basis (D’Imperio’s a real pansy compared with a few that I teach!). So I prefer to relax in a different atmosphere. I don’t care for gutter talk but am more than capable of ignoring it. I continue to believe vicious personal, racial and homophobic abuse needs to be challenged. If that makes me a puritan, well I’ll happily live with the label (a bit weird giving my Catholic upbringing!). Ed is right – I was disappointed by a few members here who chose to treat him like a hero. It’s been amusing to watch some of their desperate attempts to ingratiate themselves with him (‘Tell us your stories’; ‘I’ve bought all your CDs’; ‘Look, I tried to get thrown off another board just to be like you’). The following painting comes to mind: Incidentally, at no point have I asked for D'Imperio to be banned. For the bulk of the membership here I retain the utmost respect and will continue to read your posts with enthusiasm. Above all I feel Jim has done an excellent job in dealing with a very awkward situation. I wish Jim and the Organissimo board every success in the future…and look forward to the band’s next album.

Understood. I'll shut up.

No need to apologise. It is those who have rushed to embrace D'Imperio and said nothing about his treatment of Chris who puzzle me.

Dan, I don't use ignore buttons. I browse boards, read posts as they come. And generally ignore this sort of manic behaviour by not responding - I have an ignore button in my head that works perfectly. I don't know how many of D'Imperio's post are left over at AAJ but if they are you'll not see any comments from me about him for many months until last week. No, I don't go looking for anyone's silly posts as a rule...though I will admit that it was a bit hard not to ignore a whole thread with mine and Chris' name on it. I'd not be human not to wonder what the hell he's saying elsewhere. Anyway, I'll keep you happy by promising to keep out of the drumming thread - he can have free reign there. And those who are star-struck by communicating with a minor jazz 'celebrity' can join in the chuckles. But if he chooses to post in the general columns then I'm going to see what he says. Chances are I won't say a thing. There may be occasions when I won't be able to hold back. This is not about D'Imperio and his childish comments. It's about his relentless hounding of Chris via innuendo. And, above all, about the failure of so many on this board to speak out for Chris. That disturbs me greatly.

Apologies, jazz. It was a rhetorical question, not directed at you personally. I was questioning your point that bigots are entitled to their point of view and the right to express it. Well, of course. But if they do so in open society they should, in my view, be challenged. If they want to express those views to one another in private then that is fine. But if they want to express views that try to make others uncomfortable then they should be challenged. Ignoring them is certainly an option, often a wise one. But not always. If everyone on this board had ignored the offensive posts in question one member of this board would have been left isolated. Again, I'm not suggesting anything about you as a person. Just disagreeing that the 'ignore' stance is always the right one.

1. Well, I'm in an impossible position there. If I refer to a specific reference then I'm just giving it more publicity; if not I fail to make my case. You don't have to look hard. 2. Yes, I've no doubt they said that in Munich in 1923. And would you defend those arrested for racial abuse at football matches? After all, 'they're entitled to their opinions.' Yes, he's entitled to his opinion. But it's an opinion that flies in the face of the way in which posters have behaved towards one another most of this time on this board. It is for him to fit in, not the existing board members to adapt to his intolerance. 3. As I said above I agree entirely for 90% of what he writes. But when he relentlessly goes after one long term member of this board (who has consequently taken a 'rest') then I will not play Pilate.

One more note concerning Wingy. Please please please PLEASE... unless it's directly aimed at you and is threatening to you or your family... ignore him if you know you don't like him. I'll say it yet again. Version 2.0 of this software will be out this coming January with full ignore implementation. Until then, please censor yourself. Don't read his posts, don't respond to them if you do. If you think they're above and beyond, let me know. I'm trying to work this out fairly with all involved. I admit I like Danny. I know people like him in real life from being a musician. I'm somewhat used to that stuff. I realize some people are not used to it and don't want to be. That's fine. But let's deal with it like adults. Tell me. Email me. PM me. I won't complain about it like the other day, I promise! Ideas, opinions, criticism, comments... fire away. For 90% of what D'Imperio posts I agree. The prattle, the grandstanding, the irritating but essentially harmless childish abuse (and in my case, I'm afraid, even the knowledgeable part about jazz - I can't do the moral compartmentalisation that comes easy to some). Ignore is the answer. As was done for the many, many months that he lived at AAJ (a fact that has been overlooked in all the crocodile tears about his banishment from there). But when the line into homophobia is crossed then any poster deserves a verbal battering from everybody here. And when it is personally directed at other board members then speaking out becomes an imperative. Not so much to crush the offender but to speak out in support of the person assaulted. The day will come when a poster will arrive who will spout racist abuse. I don't believe for a minute anyone here will excuse him or her because of their musical talents. I suspect many will not go into 'ignore' mode but stand up and express their disapproval. I certainly hope so. The same standards that apply to racial abuse must apply to homophobic abuse. Unless, of course, the latter is considered harmless by comparison. If that is the policy of the board then it needs to be made clear. I'm not black. I'm not gay. But I'm a human being in a liberal democracy and find the 'humorous' use of racial or homophobic comments exceptionally offensive. You don't need a lecture from me on 20th C history to know where 'turning a blind eye' to this sort of bigotry leads. Most of us have never had to risk our lives to defend common decency against extreme bigotry as our fathers and grandfathers did; the least we can do is choke it off the moment it rears its ugly head in even the silly form it has taken here. This board has been a very unpleasant place over the last few days; not just because of D'Imperio's posts but because of the willingness of many to welcome him aboard in spite of his flagrant insults. There are posts on this board that have appeared from this one man - locked or otherwise - which I find personally insulting; others which attack other board members that I feel cross well over the boundaries. They should be removed. Yes, the administrators have the right to decide what is and what is not decent. I suggest they think again about this case. The members of this board are prone to group hugs where we all tell one another how wonderful we are. This week that all looks very, very hollow. So, to conclude: 1. I am not recommending banning anyone - I am recommending taking the necessary action to ensure all members do not stray into blatant bigotry. However hard the board administrators work that is not a role that can be abrogated. 2. As long as the homophobic comments made so far are capable of reappearing on the board that issue has not been addressed. I am requesting that all such comments be removed. 3. If warning lights help then that's great. But it does not allow us to thereby wash our hands of standing up to bigotry. 4. I am all in favour of readmitting previously banned members. If they can work within the boundaries of decent behaviour they should have a place. 5. I will take B-3ers advice and (once again) ignore the posts I find generally irritating - but I will continue to speak out against those that cross the line. Organissimo has gone relatively quiet compared with the last few days. Great. But I for one cannot simply press a mental ignore button and pretend it didn't happen. I remain deeply saddened by the way Mr. D'Imperio's abusive entry onto this board was greeted in some quarters. A great deal of trust and goodwill has been shaken. Apologies for breaking the 'feelgood' nature of this thread but I am not convinced that the issues of the last week have yet been resolved. My previous experience of both the administrators and members of this board lead me to hope that ultimately the right thing will be done.

I get the impression there are some here who would urge us to welcome Heinrich Himmler on the grounds of his piano playing skills! Homophobic insult - whether levelled at a gay or heterosexual individual - is completely unacceptable in any civilised situation. There's a funny set of standards at work when the rights of absolute free speech of an insulter are considered of greater importance than the rights of those being insulted. Most of D'Imperio's comments are best ignored. That his bigotry has not been met with howls of outrage leaves me dumbfounded (kudos to those who have spoken out!). Don't pretend it's a matter of 'a sense of humour' or 'tolerance.' It's cold moral cowardice.

Amazing how history gets distorted by selective reporting. My interpretation of the AAJ situation is similar to PDs. To correct another error. At no point did I request Mr D'Imperio's banning from AAJ. I did openly challenge him on the board when he was in full flight at the weekend. I did not ask for a ban. Mike contacted me on Sunday morning saying he was considering banning him and one other member and asking my opinion. I suggested they be warned i.e. asked to tone down their behaviour and if they refused then ban them. A couple of hours later Mr D'Imperio had been banned, the other person had not. This was clearly a result of Mike consulting a number of members. I fully support what Mike did and made that quite clear at AAJ. It was his board and the board was suffering as a result. It was at that point that I put forward the request for sympathetic Organissimo members to help out over there. Well, Mr D'Imperio has arrived here, firing off personal insults from the off. Now let us not mythologise this man. I am clueless about his real personality - Chris A. tells us he is likeable in real life and am quite willing to believe that. In his online persona we have something else. I am fully aware that what we have is a wind-up merchant. He says things to provoke. But be very clear. This is what will happen: a) He will hurl abuse at a few members to get them riled. b.) He will also extend the hand of camaraderie to a few others. Some will go along hoping to keep him calm; some sadly, will join in with him hoping to bask in his notoriety. c) The outcome will be board members turning on one another in quarrels over whether he should stay or go. d) Mr D'Imperio will dance around all of this enjoying the mayhem he has caused. Should he be banned? I leave that to the board managers. I find his presence on the board extremely ugly but it is not for me to say. But don't think he will be tamed. If past experience is anything to go by the current manic phase will be followed by a calm period followed by another eruption when someone else unwittingly tweaks his cage. I'm not going to be intimidated by Mr. D'Imperio. I state categorically that he is very bad news for this board. Those who defend him are being extremely naive. Having said that I see no point in continuing any exchange with him...when it comes to being unpleasant I defer to him totally. I also see no point in continuing in any debate over the wisdom of banning or not banning him. Time will tell on that one. As always, I leave the last word to...

I think I might be getting paranoid but these things look like terrorists!

The odd thing is I'd not say it in real life except in the most ironic manner. I say, bulletin boards bring out the sheer class, nay, the very blue blood within one, what?

The 'Colour Symphony' of Arthur Bliss is another beautiful early 20thC English piece.

I think that was the one.

Looks like "Deep 7: The Revenge"!

This happened last year I recall when he was in a spot of bother. Can't recall over what.