mailman

This might be an extreme example but I've never engaged a writer to "sell the record and promote the artist". I ask folks I think have some special knowledge of the artist/project and have never edited content. Mack was a serious guy and having his "reflections" on the scene is worth more than any slight to Mr. Hopkins. Lightnin' had his money for the date and didn't give a shit anyway. Nothing wrong with that either. Did you ever release a recording with notes on the back cover saying that the record was lousy? Of course the notes are intended to help sell the record. Just like the front photo and cover design and label logo. The problem to me is that McCormack had no idea that what he wrote was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In a biography or a magazine article. No problem. But not on the artists piece of work. Pablo Piccasso was by many accounts a not so nice guy. Should we but a note on his paintings asserting this. I don't doubt that Mr. McCormack knows his stuff. What he wrote is probably true. Just seemed like a strange place to write it. This is the only recording I've ever purchased with notes that assert that the artist is a nogoodnick. And I think that an artist is entitled to more than his money. Surely Mr. Hopkins is entitled to some dignity, even if some record label owners don't seem to think so.

On Lightnin' Hopkins Smokes Like Lightning Prestige Bluesville 1070 A blues historian named Mack McCormick informs us that Lightnin' Hopkins is essentially a useless human being with the sole exception of his ability to entertain. Forced one of his band members to arrange his mothers funeral etc. When I first bought this back in the middle sixties I was stunned. This thread got me to take it of the shelf and reread it and it's as sickening now as it was then. The guy was getting paid to at least help sell the record and promote the artist. Even if it's all true it was hardly the place. Lightnin' (who I've always adored) just couldn't get any respect.

I have to take Bob Koester seriously. I've been buying his releases since I bough Junior Wells Hoodo Man Blues in 1966. I believe that in the past he has served as the head of an organization of independent record labels. That said, it must be noted that some Delmark releases are available for download at emusic.com. Independent record stores (mom and pops) are vanishing. But major chains like Tower are in more than a little bit of trouble. I used to spend hours on end browsing in record stores. The key work is 'record'. Once the cd era came in record stores lost their appeal. No longer was it possible to learn anything reading liner notes. Now, what information that is provided is locked inside a jewel case in print so small I can hardly read it without a magnifying glass. I can learn more buying on line and reading reviews available on numerous websites. I can also go to the websites of the actual artists and read what they have to say about the music they have created.

Doesn't he play that on 'The Vist'-his first for the then new Muse label. I love that lp. Also a second to the advisory for 'Bar Wars' by Gatortail Jackson. Everyone smokin' on that one. Whew.

This one came in today's mail. A quick listen through while working in the kitchen and it sounds lovely. Johnson seems to turn out one recording every few years and hit the bullseye every time.

Rib Joint is one great set. Smokin' stuff.

It says 'mellotron' on my lp.

I recall seeing Redman with Coleman at the Prince Street loft somewhere between 1972 and 1974. An unforgetable evening. I wish I could remember who was on Bass and Drums but I seem to have developed CRS.

Anything from 'One For Me' is great. Someone really need to put this wonderfull session out on CD. She even sounds great on that mellowtron or whatever it's called on one track.

I downloaded this one from emusic a couple of months ago. Excellent. I really like the vibes-organ combination and Nelson plays really well here. It's a winner.

I understand that in his book of a year or two back, Fred Wesly says that James Brown knows almost nothing about music. He sure made some great records though. And those bands were something else.

The Complete Recordings of The Port Of Harlem Jazzmen-Mosaic MR1-108. My first Mosaic, purchased in 1984. Beautiful Sidney Bechet. This was my introduction to the wonderful guitarist Tedd Bunn.

This one was added on emusic today. I Haven't had a chance to listen to the sound samples yet but the description in the Times does make it sound interesting.

Some of my favorite time wasters are threads that involve heated debates involving the remastering of things like Huey Lewis's Greatest Hits. There's at least one guy on there who seems to buy 4 different issues of a disc all at the same time just so he can try to find the best sounding copy (though often none of them satisfy.) OK, enough of making fun of the place. It's a great place to visit. And it always makes me feel more grounded afterwards. Geez, I still have the lps and there's no upgrade in my future. None at all.

Jessica Williams. Somehow I'd not heard this great pianist before. Wow, can this lady ever play.

But is this really any different from how most labels have handled their catalog over the years? I surely don't have to remind you, Chuck, of how many Blue Note or OJC labels titles were oop over the years on LP (let alone the myriad smaller labels). Heck, when I was discovering jazz in the early 80s, I had to hunt down oop Mingus for crissakes - and to me that's like making Shakespeare unavailable. Weren't deletions a necessary part of the business model, cutting the chaff as it were and opening up shelf space for new records? I can't help but think that we may have become spoiled somewhat by Fantasy's willingness (or ability) to keep everything in print. Don't get me wrong - like everyone else I think it will be unfortunate if Concord deletes titles, but are we expecting/presuming too much in thinking that they wouldn't/shouldn't? Or that perhaps Fantasy's decision to keep everything in print may have helped lead to the circumstances requiring them to sell out in the first place? Given the widely reported "low sales" of most jazz titles it's astounding that Fantasy was able to do what they did for so long and remain profitable. Even before the sale to Concord I figured it was only a matter of time before Fantasy made much of their catalog on-line only, per something like emusic or itunes. I certainly hope that Concord continues to keep the OJC titles in-print, but i find it curious that we expect them to do something that no other label - jazz or otherwise - has managed to do with their respective back catalogs. What don't you understand when I said "I never really understood how Fantasy managed such a huge catalog of very slow selling titles"? The terrible situation of you hunting Mingus titles in the early '80s had me in friggin' tears. When I first started listening to jazz in the mid 1960s there was very little Charlie Parker in print.

Anyone who has never heard this should grab this download. I've got the LP as released on Arista Freedom back in 1977. It's a winner.

Emusic mp3s sound quite good, and you can put them on an Ipod or any other player. You can also burn them to cd. Emusic files contain NO DRMs. You are free to do whatever you want with their files. Once you download them they belong to you. You own them.

I've got the Azar Lawrence LP 'Summer Solstice' and it's nothing to write home about. Fairly typical of a lot of what was getting recorded at that time but hardly of great interest or import thirty years later. I've never heard his other two which also came out on Prestige. His recordings with Tyner are strong.

I downloaded this one from emusic.com. Excellent playing and writing. A fine example of where things are at today.

I've been looking for that one for a long time. ← If you find it jump on it. I got it when it was first released and it's a winner.

I like this CD more than you do. ← Mark Turner

Tina of course plays on Kenny Burrell's "On View At The Five Spot Cafe", and on Jimmy Smit's "Cool Blues" which was recorded at Smalls Paradise. Nothing else that I'm aware of.

I only recently became aware of Al Casey. I had downloaded his Prestige Swingville date from emusic.com. Wonderful stuff. I'll have to check out some more.

This is one gorgeous record.