Larry Kart

Dave and other Zoot on alto fans -- try to get a copy of John Benson Brooks' "Folk Jazz U.S.A." (VIK), from 1956: http://classicjazzguitar.com/albums/artist....jsp?album=1064 If it's not on Fresh Sound or the like, it's a prime candidate for this thread. It also has Al Cohn on baritone, and Nick Travis on trumpet. Brooks was the composer of "You Came a Long Way from St. Louis" and other pop songs; later wrote "Alabama Concerto" (OJC) for Cannonball, Art Farmer, Barry Galbraith, and Milt Hinton; and was a close associate of George Russell.

2 LPs on 1 CD: Betty Bennett/NOBODY ELSE BUT ME (1956)/Lurlean Hunter/BLUE & SENTIMENTAL (1960). NOBODY ELSE BUT ME: Personnel includes: Betty Bennett (vocals); Shorty Rogers (arranger, trumpet, flugelhorn); Andre Previn (arranger, piano); Jimmy Giuffre (baritone saxophone); Barney Kessel (guitar); Ralph Pena (bass); Shelly Manne (drums). Originally released on Atlantic (1226). BLUE & SENTIMENTAL: Personnel includes: Lurlean Hunter (vocals); Jimmy Giuffre (arranger); Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Harry Edison (trumpet); Rudy Rutherford (clarinet); Jimmy Jones (piano); Jim Hall (guitar); George Duvivier, Trigger Alpert (bass); Don Lamond (drums). Originally released on Atlantic (1344).

Here's a good Hunter album, from about 1960, with charts by Jimmy Giuffre and a band that includes Harry Edison, Bud Freeman, and Jim Hall: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...04WJZR?v=glance There's another earlier Hunter on RCA, "Night Life," with charts by Manny Albam and I think Al Cohn, from about three years earlier that's a jot better as I recall, but I believe you'd have to pay a prohibitive price for that one. BTW, the first Hunter album is shared with one Betty Bennett, Andre Previn's first wife, who is not unlike Jeri Southern in vocal quality and manner, though more girlish than worldy-wise. Good West Coast players behind her.

Teri Thornton's "Devil May Care" is a beaut: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I8Z...0979942?ie=UTF8 She had a gorgeous voice, deeper than most female singers (reminiscent in this of her Chicago predecessor Lurlean Hunter, whose work is also worth checking out if you can find any), fantastic time, and no "hip jazzy" mannerisms, even though she could reshape a melody at will. I would avoid the "comeback" album Thornton made before her death. Based on what I've heard, it was sadly too late.

Lee Wiley -- Night in Manhattan, etc. (Collectors' Choice) -- Sings Gershwin and Cole Porter (Audiophile) -- As Time Goes By (RCA) Peggy Lee -- Mink Jazz (Capitol) Ruth Price w/ Shelly Manne & His Men (OJC) None of the above is trio stuff, but the settings are small-group jazz. I also endorse much that's been mentioned already. If you try Jeri Southern and like her, ask me about Audrey Morris.

No, it's not a "tome," as someone used to say, but I think eminently sound in its human and (with a few minor cavils) musical judgments and simpatico in tone. Chet isn't given a pass, nor is anyone else, but neither is Chet or anyone judged by standards that a saint might not be able to meet. De Valk knows the scene, its people, and their behavoir (note, for example, the account of the abortive Getz-Baker tour and the distinction that is drawn between their personalities), and he also doesn't presume to know more than he does or what is simply unknowable.

Wouldn't the first on of the list have to be the Bird Dial version from 1946, the one that, as Max Harrison put it, "contains a four-bar break that is an astonishing outburst of virtuosity...."?

Don't know the Webster. Will try to get my hands on a copy.

Finally got my hands on and definitely can recommed De Valk's "Chet Baker: His Life and Music." Fine job in its own right and a needed corrective to James Gavin's "Deep In a Dream" (though De Valk's book, published 2000, came first). Among many things, De Valk's convincingly establishes that there was nothing fishy about Baker's death; Chet was alone in his hotel room behind a locked door and full of heroin and coke; he either fell or jumped from an open window. But that shouldn't be the final note; the book brings us as close to Baker the man and the musician as it seems possible to get. The only drawback for some will be that the emphasis is heavily on Baker's European years, but De Valk (a native of the Netherlands) makes a strong case that these were the years in which Baker's major musical contributions were made.

To paraphrase Mingus, If Adam Mackowicz were a gunslinger...

"Adams' playing carries with it an air of fait accompli that is quite the opposite of Tyrone's" is true, I think, and perfect. You oughta be a jazz critic.

The one that seemed topnotch to me was "Weaver of Dreams."

Dick Wellstood's notes for the James P. set are topnotch too.

I should add that I'm the idiot who reviewed "Natural Essence" for Down Beat way back when (April 3, 1969), in conjunction with the Steve Miller Band's "Sailor." I gave "Sailor" ****, "Natural Essence" ***1/2.

Well, there's Washington's own playing, which is unique IMO -- soulful and in some ways quite "hip" but at times veering toward the Ayler-esque; nobody else had those things going AFAIK. Then there's his writing, which also is special and different. Everybody else on the date plays great, especially Woody Shaw and Joe Chambers. And, finally, the feel of the album is special, too -- kind of "within bounds" in terms of the shared/received musical language but with a sense that things are just about to explode, as they often do, especially during Washington's solos. Also, I'm sure that sound-wise there's a whole lot more to be gotten out of those tapes than made it on to the original LP, which is what I have.

If you get a chance to listen to Levitt's "Vera Cruz," take note of John Beal's bass playing, especially the "pinging" cleanness of the harmonics he hits. When this track was played for Miles in a Blindfold Test, he singled out Beal for praise.

She'll meet you in the manger.

Uncle Chris ... I love it. And they let you use Fred Nurdley?

Me too.

I wrote an article about numerology for a high school literature textbook I was editing, using the name Conrad King (chosen by me). It seemed just right.

Everyone knows about Von Freeman now, but he was under the radar for a LONG time. Nessa's two superb Freeman recordings from 1975 (when Von was already 53 years old) were a big step in changing that -- all that preceded them, I believe, was the Atlantic Freeman LP from about five years before.

Bad typing. The bassist on Schweizer's "Pure Reason" is Hans Glawischnig, admittedly not the easiest thing to type.

King Ubu -- I knew Schweizer from his American released or distributed stuff; the first one was "Normal Garden" on Mons, rec. 1994. At one point I wrote a lengthy, detailed e-mail to Schweizer about how much I dug his work, and he responded at length himself. At one point, I recall, he was going to ask me to modify what I'd said so he could use it as a recommendation for an academic musical position he was going to apply for, but then I didn't hear from him again. It was in the course of that e-mail exchange that he sent me a copy of "Pure Reason," that fantastic disc with Dave Binney et al. It's similar in feel to "Portas" (MGB), with Eric Rasmussen on alto, and both discs include the excellent pianist Jacob Sacks, but the bass-drum team on "Pure Reason" is remarkably locked in and inventive.

The trumpet player was Henry Boozier, I think.

I'm a big fan of Schweizer. He's really on to something -- as a player, composer, and bandleader. He's got one still in the can I believe -- "Pure Reason," with Dave Binney, Jacob Sacks, Hans Glawishnig, and Dan Weiss -- that's a killer. Of his available work, I'd suggest "Physique" (Omnitone) over the Full Circle Rainbow disc.