Larry Kart

There are laws against that kind of thing.

No, I didn't notice that it was Wynton doing the intro, but back in 1981-2, he either had no particular reaction or a very guarded one when I played that Shavers track for him -- again, probably, because he thought the blindfold test aspect of it meant that I was trying to trick him in some way. I just thought he might dig the music and recognize a somewhat kindred soul in Shavers, and I didn't want to put Shavers' name out there before I played the track in case that might shape Wynton's response. In any case, the days of Wynton's impishness have been pretty much gone since the mid-1980s IMO; royal role models don't behave/can't afford to behave that way. To answer your original question: If I heard that music coming out of Lester Bowie's horn, I'd be astonished and dismayed and wonder what was the matter. Back in 1982 Wynton may not have even been 21. There are a lot of precocious 21-year-old players who are completely unfamiliar with Shavers and Wynton may have been no exception. On top of this I think it's not unlikely that Wynton at the time was doing the vast majority of his trumpet listening to: Miles, Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, and Dizzy - the pre-bebop thing didn't come until later. So I'm not too surprised that he was weirded out by the Shavers thing. He wasn't weirded out by the music as far as I could tell, not at all, but was put on edge by the social situation as he saw it, as I tried to explain above. That is, I think he thought that by playing something and not telling him who it was first, I was trying to trick him in some way -- getting him to say that he liked someone he "shouldn't" like or vice versa or just trying to stump him. That wasn't my intent (see above), but I can see where he might have been wary/guarded. I should add that this turn of events came as a bit of surprise because up to that point the encounter/interview had been very relaxed on both sides.

Maybe in Riley's mind the cameras are running all the time, especially the one that feeds back to Wynton.

And what's with all that mugging by the drummer? Sure, some guys' faces respond to what other guys are playing, but this looked kinda corny to me.

What's not to like about Charlie Barnet's great-grandaughter?

Ruby Braff?? Wynton sounds more like Rafael Mendez before his morning prune juice has had time to take effect.

No, I didn't notice that it was Wynton doing the intro, but back in 1981-2, he either had no particular reaction or a very guarded one when I played that Shavers track for him -- again, probably, because he thought the blindfold test aspect of it meant that I was trying to trick him in some way. I just thought he might dig the music and recognize a somewhat kindred soul in Shavers, and I didn't want to put Shavers' name out there before I played the track in case that might shape Wynton's response. In any case, the days of Wynton's impishness have been pretty much gone since the mid-1980s IMO; royal role models don't behave/can't afford to behave that way. To answer your original question: If I heard that music coming out of Lester Bowie's horn, I'd be astonished and dismayed and wonder what was the matter.

From the very first, I've thought that Wynton's secret musical soulmate was Charlie Shavers -- that is, that the kind of musician that Wynton was at heart (and at best) before he tied himself up in knots of pseudo-nobility was akin to Shavers' impish/playful temperament. In fact, I once played a Shavers' solo for the young Wynton (the title track from Shavers' great album with Coleman Hawkins, "Hawk Eyes") to see what he would make of it, but Wynton was understandably skittish, as though I were trying to trick him in some manner, and had little to say. In any case, Shavers IMO could play rings around the (to my taste, quite static) Wynton of that "Cherokee" clip, as this clip of Shavers, in good form with Buck Clayton, may demonstrate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9j5y84t0X4 More startling Shavers' solos are to be found (e.g. "Hawk Eyes"), but not on video ASFAIK.

Some info on Lou Mecca (1927-2003): http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/021118/3.shtml http://classicjazzguitar.com/artists/artis...e.jsp?artist=40 http://classicjazzguitar.com/albums/artist...m.jsp?album=640 Be sure to check out the last link, which has a decent-sized clip from his solo on "Bernie's Tune" from his Blue Note album.

Melle had great taste in guitarists -- Tal Farlow, Cinderella, and Louis Mecca, the latter two little known other than for their work with Melle. In fact, Melle needed such guitarists; his writing for them in his piano-less groups being quite novel and demanding, though perhaps Cinderella and Mecca brought some of their own ideas into play there.

Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then? That must be Greta Keller, not "Grace Keller": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVmvL9LxYQ http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Me-Other-In...s/dp/B000EBGFQ8 http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Greta-Keller

Oh, that's a good one!

It's important IMO to keep stuff like that straight. It's not always the end of things, but some dumb things get said and thought that are based on mis-information at that level.

Similar in spots, notably the bridge, but not a direct contrafact by any means. "Inspired by" is about as close as I'd go. Thanks for the correction. I was "inspired by" that similarity.

Sinatra's on "Only the Lonely." Maybe the best thing he ever did, though clearly there's a lot of competition. The way he colors and links together the song's vowel sounds is uncannily poetic -- in effect, he uncovers a deeper song beneath the one Ronnell wrote, and the one she wrote was already pretty deep. Also, though I'd have to listen again to be sure, I think Sinatra's only means there are timbre coupled to insight; I have no memory of him changing the rhythmic value of a single note. For some reason, when I hear that track, I think of Lester Young listening to it -- not that I know he did, but... And now that I think it, my favorite Pres solo from his time with Basie is on "Taxi War Dance," and that tune is on "Willow Weep for Me" changes, which is nutty because Pres famously launches that solo with a quote from "Ol' Man River."

The pianist on "Everything I've Got" was Ehud Asherie, from his recent trio album "Swing Set" (Pentatone). The transition from Ayler to that rather genial track was jarring, though I'd liked the Asherie outside of that context.

I don't think that's the one, because "Luminescence Live" is a quartet recording and this one is a duo. Didn't see a title at the time, but I have a copy at home, still packed way though, I think, so it may take me a while to check. It was issued in an edition of 100 or so copies and has a beautiful handmade cover.

I see you were listening.

Nope -- just Chuck wondering why I picked a Walt Weiskopf record. There was one limp transition, after an Ayler recording, but what can follow Ayler? Otherwise, it was fun, at least in the studio.

BTW, that Zoot Sims' alto solo I extolled on John Benson Brooks' "Folk Jazz USA" was on "Turtledove," not "Saro Jane." His "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" on that album is also very nice.

Yes , keyboard duties in that band were handled by Ray Santisi . Thanks. Very curious to hear this Pomeroy session... Don't have the album anymore (one of those that mysteriously evaporated at some point in my life) but recall liking it a good deal. On the other hand, I have no memory of any Byard tenor solos on it (all the tenor solos IIRC were played by ringer Zoot Sims), though there is a fine Byard chart on his piece "Aluminum Baby" (based on you know what). Also no longer have (for the same mysterious reason) its successor, "Band in Boston," on United Artists, which was also very good, though I do have the CD reissue of the Irene Kral-Pomeroy album "The Band and I."

Warne Marsh's "All Music" and Von Freeman's "Have No Fear." Thanks to Chuck, I was present for parts of both of them, though he'll never forgive me for talking to someone down the hall while Warne was recording a take.

I much prefer his Richard Stark novels, about a professional thief -- very tough and efficiently brutal when necessary, but only then; he's a pro -- named Parker. In chronological order they are: 1. The Hunter (Also published as "Point Blank" -- it's the source of the film of that name) 2. The Man with the Getaway Face 3. The Outfit 4. The Mourner 5. The Score 6. The Jugger 7. The Seventh 8. The Handle 9. The Rare Coin Score 10. The Green Eagle Score 11. The Black Ice Score 12. The Sour Lemon Score 13. Deadly Edge 14. Slayground 15. Plunder Squad 16. Butcher's Moon 17. Comeback 18. Backflash 19. Flashfire 20. Firebreak 21. Breakout 22. Nobody Runs Forever 23. Ask the Parrot 24. Dirty Money The first two or three (or is it four?) essentially set up the Parker character but also are very good. After that, it's almost solid gold. Also, Westlake took a long break (20 years?) between "Butcher's Moon" and "Comeback" and then moved on with great panache. Of the early Parkers, I was especially impressed by "The Seventh," "The Sour Lemon Score," and the trio of "Slayground," "Plunder Squad," and "Butcher's Moon." Of the later Parkers, "Ask the Parrot" is an incredible tour de force IMO.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/books/02...tml?_r=1&hp Rather paltry obit, with at least one unnecessary error -- or so I believe. The writer goes out of her way to say: "Despite the diversity of names [under which Westlake wrote], one shared feature was that almost all his books were set in New York City, where he was born." I'm most familiar with, and especially admire the books Westlake wrote as Richard Stark, and while some of them have scenes set in NYC, most of them take place elsewhere.

Haven't read it for years, but I recall thinking that Blish's "A Case of Conscience" was very good. I'm reading Balzac's "Beatrix" -- my second Balzac in a row, after "The Gondreville Mystery." My first two Balzacs also. Was drawn to these lesser known books because I had reason to feel confident about the translations, believing that with Balzac this was especially crucial. I think I was right on both counts. Balzac is amazing/overwhelming -- semi-insane too, but that's part of the deal; he's unlike any other novelist I know. Here's the IMO very compelling opening of "Beatrix" (1957, Elek Press) trans. by Rosamund and Simon Harcourt-Smith, which I think shows the nature of that British publisher's house style with Balzac translations (they did about six or so, by various hands) -- among other things, retain the knobby, gritty stuff at all costs; ironed-out Balzac is pointless: "Even to this day you find towns in France, and particularly in Brittany, standing completely aloof from the stream of social progress which is a peculiar characteristic of the nineteenth century. Lacking swift and regular communications with Paris, barely linked by abominable roads with the seat of the sub-prefecture of with the principal town of the district from which they draw their life-blood, these town observe the progress of our civilization as if it were a peep-show, gaping at it without necessarily applauding, and because it apparently inspires in them fright or derision, they cling to the ancient customs which are part of their being." It's almost a novel in itself.