gmonahan

I absolutely agree that he made himself front and center with the big bands--he was never stricken with a sense of false modesty--but I can forgive it because he drove those bands so relentlessly. That drive is what makes the Pacific Jazz sessions of the sixties so compelling for me.

Nice! Always cool to see Nat play the piano. Was this from his short-lived TV show?

Sinatra loved Bennett. I recently read a story that I can't find now where Sinatra was in an Italian restaurant late at night where Bennett's music was playing and said something like "It doesn't get any better than this. A glass of wine, a good pasta, and my man Tony Bennett singing." I saw him live in late career when he appeared here in Portland at Edgefield. He was in good voice and gave a great show. As so many have said, it was obvious how much he enjoyed being before a live audience. He drew energy from us even as we reflected our affection and admiration to him. I feel privileged to have had that opportunity.

I did something like that with the Sinatra Reprise box, but in that case, I just printed out the original album orders and carefully taped them on the individual sleeves, so I could put the individual cd in and listen to the part I wanted in album order. In fact, I listened to the album "She Shot Me Down" just this morning doing that!

It is also possible that an owner would change out the old LP for a newer one if s/he had played the hell out of it. I remember doing that with my old 2-LP "Best of Count Basie" on Decca. I played that album so much I think needles nearly went through it. Got a new set and put the new rainbow MCA LPs in the old gatefold album because it had cooler photos and better liners and just because I'd developed an affection for it!

Sinatra himself considered Only the Lonely to be his best work, and I agree, but I still adore Wee Small Hours, especially the title cut.

Oh yeah, definitely. The documentation is slim, and it was put out by Membran. I got it because it was the only way to get some of these fairly rare records. I repackaged the discs into jewel cases, used Lord to double-check personnel and recording dates, and distributed them out under the specific artists. I listen to one or the other now and then, but the sound is definitely nothing to write home about.

Always nice to see you Jack!

My apologies for being so long to respond to this query. The answer is: not as far as I know. It was recorded and issued on LP in Germany, then acquired by Victor and issued on cd as part of that label's accompanying issues to its massive Ellington Centennial set. Those included Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi, the Hodges/Davis collaboration In Atlantic City, and Gonsalves's Ellingtonia, Moods, and Blues.

A great, great performer!! RIP.

Interesting interplay on this one between Terry and Gonsalves

Agreed, though what was there was a lot of fun!

I'm pretty sure that the third one from left is "The Complete Blue Note Sam Rivers Sessions," but I can't make out the others.

A fine set. I used to be all over Mosaic about doing the 60s Verve things, but then the Andorrans put out most of it, so that put paid to that suggestion! Even with that, his final two albums for the label--"Rippin' and Runnin'" and "Don't Sleep on the Subway," have still not been issued on cd, to my knowledge.

You really aren't missing that much with the Babs Gonzales book. I'd call it a fun read, but how much of it can be believed is difficult to assess. Since it was self published back in the 60s, it is hard to find and expensive to buy if you do find it (though its original price was 95 cents!). I got it from an ebay seller who was, I'm pretty sure, a member of this Board, though I don't know whether s/he still is! As for the Reig book, that one is worth finding. I got if from my local library. I see that it's for sale on Amazon and Ebay, but for too much money (in my view)!

Disc 1

Agreed. The ballads are to die for.

They also did the Peggy Lee/June Christy Capitol Transcriptions set.

I watched the first two episodes of "Citadel," the new spy series. Stanley Tucci is in it. I'll watch anything with Stanley Tucci.

And they could probably do that. Kirk recorded for Decca, and Mosaic has usually been able to license stuff from Universal. They could probably get hold of the Asch label material too, but who knows about the other stuff? She recorded some for Victor, Continental, Savoy, and Vogue. Sony owns the Victor and Vogue material and have been unwilling recently to license it. But a Decca/Asch set would be cool, and the Asch stuff could use a good sound magician like Doug Pomeroy to try to bring it back. I'd go for that set.

I managed to get hold of this one for not too crazy a price, though reading it without all the pages falling apart is tough. Wish I could get hold of his second one, but it's even harder to find!

The author makes pretty clear, I think, that Sonny's constant dissatisfaction with his own playing often extended to the playing of others in his various groups. Getting fired by Sonny became something of a badge of honor!