Joe

W.H.O.A.!

Helped to shape whatever understanding I have of this music and its makers. Only came to his poetry and dramatic writing later. THE SYSTEM OF DANTE'S HELL, people... still incredibly powerful... Rest now, Mr. Baraka. Rest.

I did not know he had a filmography. Sad to hear of his passing, but glad to know there is more of his work to explore.

I have to admit, I think it's kind of genius.

I post this hesitantly, but, hey, it's out there to hear... or whatever... http://kindofbloop.com/ Kind of Bloop An 8-Bit Tribute to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue

GERRY MULLIGAN MEETS BEN WEBSTER ELMO HOPE TRIO (HiFi Jazz / Contemporary) George Lewis, HOMAGE TO CHARLES PARKER Charles Mingus, EAST COASTING Sonny Clark, LEAPIN' AND LOPIN' Ran Blake / Jeanne Lee, NEWEST SOUND AROUND Monk, ALONE IN SAN FRANCISCO Miles, FILLES DE KILIMANJARO Coltrane, LUSH LIFE

The original Bill Evans. I'll miss him. But I'm so glad he left such a huge and diverse discography behind. The Doctor is Always In.

SEA BREEZES is very, very good... but, IMO, it doesn't have the warmth of IN HIS GOOD TIME. I also find this earlier date more exploratory, with some bigger risks taken. Great thing is, the repertoire on each disc is rather different. The only repeats are "Kwa Tebugo" and "Sonia." Consider them bookends!

Reviving this thread to say I finally got around to ordering the new, expanded version of this. It's even better than I remember. In fact, as far as solo piano recitals go, I'm willing to rank it at the level of some other (IMO) masterpieces from the 1970s: Cecil's SILENT TONGUES, Muhal's "Young At Heart", Andrew Hill's performances from Montreux 1975, Dave Burrell's WINDWARD PASSAGES, Bley's OPEN, TO LOVE. McGregor's work is very different, of course, and very much rooted in song. But as those other records are also statements of purpose and provide a kind of unprecedented access to the inner workings of each pianist's unique approach to his materials, so too with this recording. Highly, highly recommended.

John Litweiler's THE FREEDOM PRINCIPLE also features a really nice discussion of SOULTRANE and its (I agree, vital) role in the formation of Coltrane's mature aesthetic(s). "Good Bait" indeed...

Leave us not neglect that some of the most "there" Coltrane of the 50s is to be found in the company of Thelonious Monk...

I know I held back on this material for many years because the word was 1) Coltrane here was early and unformed, "not really Coltrane"; 2) the material was too traditional and boring compared to the later, more revolutionary Coltrane; and 3) the only "true" Coltrane was found in his Impulse explorations (though everyone also loved The Gentle Side of JC). Obviously, actually hearing the Prestige material shows otherwise. That was pretty much my experience. My first Coltrane purchase was AFRICA / BRASS, thanks to a mention in a Lester Bangs essay (don't recall which one). I think I acquired GIANT STEPS after that, and only really worked my way back to the Prestige dates after acquiring all the Atlantics, A LOVE SUPREME, LIVE AT BIRDLAND, INTERSTELLAR SPACE and, IIRC, LIVE IN JAPAN (it was new at the time). Glad I finally did looked into SOULTRANE and LUSH LIFE. In addition to offering pleasures all their own, they helped me understand even better what makes that latter music so... titanic.

I trust that he and Lorraine are jamming together again now.

Another vote for LUSH LIFE, too. Love the piano-less tracks on that one. The STANDARD COLTRANE / STARDUST / BAHIA stuff is great too... though I have to express a slight preference for the Savoy dates with Wilbur Harden.

I have a soft spot for Andre Previn's WEST SIDE STORY "songbook" for Contemporary. Somehow, his predisposition towards cuteness enhances rather than undermines the material. It's as if he gets (and maybe only subconsciously) the Great White Way-ness of it all and just runs with it as far / high as he can. I mean, the vulgarity of Broadway, not that vulgarity is always a bad thing... like, if Stanley Elkin made a jazz LP... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aXqdR3EwuA

Ray Price was one of the great American singers of the past 100 years, period, that is, regardless of genre. Not to mention the fact that he helped to launch the career of the great Roger Miller. Rest in peace, Ray, rest. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8QDRMeSJ7o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meM5nlZRCw8 Part 1 of 13, all worth the time it takes to watch...

2 very nice sets on that excellent blog, in pretty decent fidelity all considered. Sharp certainly can play and both bands are top notch. Yes, BIG thanks for the link! Pretty sure the Sharpe is on at least one Clifford Jordan Big Band side as well. No Sharpe, but -- to my surprise -- John Jenkins is listed among the personnel on this Mapleshade release: http://mapleshaderecords.com/cds/03232.php

Wonderful player and composer. He owed a lot to Monk, but, like Mal Waldron and Andrew Hill, he took that influence to new places. Of his later recordings, I find the duets with Evan Parker most rewarding... http://www.onefinalnote.com/reviews/t/tracey-stan/suspensions-and.asp

Not only do they appear in the movie, but Jay Ferguson has a speaking role...

Steve Wilson indeed... first heard him on Ralph Peterson's Blue Notes, been a fan since. John Park was mentioned on this thread... recorded one LP outside of his Kenton association; info here... http://homepage3.nifty.com/mrmanri/Etc/JohnPark.htm For those so inclined, I believe it is still possible to audition this rarity out there in the blogosphere... Finally, another alto player overdue for some recognition: Ed Jackson, who has recorded with french horn player Tom Varner and whose lone date for New World records, WAKE UP CALL, is worth hearing.

Nice that this set includes SHOWTIME, which is otherwise unavailable Stateside in physical form (IIRC). Spun BOOMER'S STORY again recently; first time in a long time to spend some time with that one. I forgot how killer his version of "Dark End of the Street" was... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bAZFgUV4s