fasstrack

I get the idiot of the year award. I had a ticket. 40 f'ing dollars. Shit. I had it in my calendar and I was tired last night and spaced. I remembered when I saw a listing in the Times, but it was 10 PM (do you know where your brain cells are?....) by then. I'm glad, though, to hear Mr. Brecker was well enough to play. That's very good news, and a damn sight better than what I was hearing.

I think I played there once in the 80s, if it was still around. I know I played in a joint called the Three Eyed Shrimp, with some people from the Jazz Cultural Theater (a Barry Harris operated and part-owned place of pedagogy and performance. A lot of pros played there and we were the kids hanging and learning. We had gigs there too, all courtesy of Barry's generosity. This gig at the Shrimp was courtesy of Barry's friend and JCT mainstay, Richard Wilkerson). Kim Clarke, myself, Roy Haynes' son Greg (he used to play drums) and a guy named Haji Akbar on trumpet. We were kids (well, 20-somethings, anyway). We backed Al Hibbler on "Unchained Melody" and no one knew it. It was pitiful. Ah, memories! I also played a jam session at La Famille. I definitely remember that. Also one gig at the then new Small's Paradise with a singer. All the same period, '83-'85. But this Red Rooster sounds very familiar and I either played there or was in there.

I knew Bucky. Not well. Played with him a few times. Couldn't tell you anything about his personal life. But possibly could point you to someone who did. PM me.

A lot of sideman dates from the 70s have some of his best work and even some of his tunes: Ronnie Cuber: 7th Day of Acquarius (Open Air) Harold Danko; Coincidence Bill Evans: We Will Meet Again Phil Woods: Live in NY Horace Silver: Silver 'n' series Bob Berg: New Birth For Tom's leader albums I like the smaller label stuff better: Passages Stories Form Total (his first recording done in '79 or '76. Originall called Aurora. Rerealeased under current title on Pinnacle. Produced by the late Arnie Lawrence Great record) Play of Light Sail Away The best RCA I thought was Labyrinth. His solo on "Hot Licks on the Sidewalk" is beutiful. Nice writing. Art of Rhythm is good too, nmore for the ensemble writing than his playing IMO

There's a DVD out of that band, with Horave, Tom, Berg, Eddie Gladden, Steve Besrkone. It's from '76. Called Horace silver Quintet Recorded Live at the Umbria jazz Festival. I have it. It's excellent. Tom and Horace both sound great.

Good observations. Tom experiments a lot in his writing, and, like all artists who take chances, with varying degrees of success. But he never strays from human emotion, which is why his work resonates with people where others with perhaps equal writing expertise don't. He has a real melodic gift in his playing and writing besides deep knowledge, and of every kind of music, that came from a lot of work. I used to hear him in the late 70s when people were just becoming aware of him in NY. He was playing in all kinds of situations with people like Ronnie Cuber, Mike Nock, Bob Mover (the first one to tell me about him and in whose band I first heard Harrell), Jill McManus, Sam Jones, etc., etc. Every band he was in he brought something wise, fresh, passionate, and lyrical to, like his talent was the ideal prism the for material. That song Rapture and the album I first heard it on, Stories, has a real emotional resonance for me. I remember taking a long bus ride to Tuscon in '89 staving off boredom by listening to those tunes like Water's Edge and The Mountain. I hadn't heard Tom in a little bit when that album came out and I got into him again in a flash. For the person that asked about the Horace stuff the Silver 'n' series all featured Tom---some with Berg, some with Larry Schneider. I really liked Silver 'n' Wood. Barbara from Silver 'n' Brass has a beautiful solo and is one of my favorite Silver pieces from that period. Silver 'n' voices also has burning Tom. That tune Out of the Night is a standout. Great tune, great solo by Tom. I think Silver 'n' Strings was the best, though. Great Tom (in a front line and very nice blend with Schneider), really strong writing and nice playing by Horace and it even offers the very worthwhile singing talents of the late Gregory Hines.

I heard that band live in some long-defunct club on Broadway around 74th street, the Upper West Side that very year. Everybody in that band was kicking ass and taking names. But Tom! Every head on the bandstand was turned to him during his solos. He was playing so much that that piano player Moroni had to fight back a laughing jag.

Getting back to the original theme it really amazes me how there's so much music, often great or near-great, that is practically being given away---and few want it. So many new releases for close to $20 I wouldn't bother with because I know they're over-hyped and smell a rat immediately. But it's my gain, I figure. I just bought this beautiful Warren Vache with the Scottish (string) Ensemble CD (Don't Look Back, Arbor), a real off-the-beaten track labor of love for Vache, the string players, arrangers (the great) Bill Finegan, James Chirillo, and Alan Barnes. Price? $6 and change on amazon.com. James (a terrific veteran guitarist and great writer and one of my close buddies) played it for me in his home and there was no way I was not going to not own something so special and beautiful. To my personal delight it was to be had for a song plus postage. To my great consternation art on this level is going at bargain basement prices. I guess that's always the way it's been, though. Van Gogh, it is said, never sold a painting in his life.

What, the silverware? I knew you were the SOB stealing it

No, but I might charge admission to have people see me act psychotic. I'd throw in a set of silverware too if you ask me nice. What's it worth to yiz?

guitar + piano + bass + drums = trio You probably (maybe of all people here) would know this one: A psychotic says' 2+2=8'. A neurotic says '2+2=4. And I CAN'T STAND IT!! ' So, you admit to being neurotic? 'How to Give Too Much Information on the Internet', by Hugo First

guitar + piano + bass + drums = trio You probably (maybe of all people here) would know this one: A psychotic says' 2+2=8'. A neurotic says '2+2=4. And I CAN'T STAND IT!! '

Not a guitar trio. It's called Together! Jimmy Raney and Sonny Clark (plus Red Mitchell and Bobby White/ above-mentioned tenor and another drummer on two tracks).

Jimmy Raney (note correct spelling) is a master. This is a beautiful CD that was made coming off a tour so the group was tight. Jimmy, Sonny, Red Mitchell and co. play beautifully. Gosta Theselius on tenor, new to me, is added for a few things. Jimmy was a wonderful composer also and is well-represented here by his "Invention". Sonny's trio feature is Once in a While. In other words, yes. Grab this.

Seriously, ladies and Germans: There's a group that plays around NY called, I believe, simply the choro group or something close to that. They are first-rate. The clarinet player is Anat Cohen and she's a terrific musician. Everybody in this band can play though. They had a gig at a place called Jule's in the East Village 2 years ago. I had met one of the guitarists earlier at another gig and he invited me. They were real nice too and I hung for a good couple of sets. One of them asked if i wanted to sit in but I said no I want to listen. What really knocks me out about this very traditional music is that there are little slots for improvising but they are just part of the design of a piece, so a player gets to play maybe on a vamp for 8 or 16 bars so they have to make the most of it. It's a great discipline and cure for self-indulgence. Anyway I really enjoyed the hell out of them. I hope i got their name right but that was definitely Anat Cohen.

Now now, that is how rumors get started! Tell me about it. Between the years of 1978 & 1981. my life took the following turns, in this order: I began publicly playing and recording "free" jazz I took a house gig at a cumbia club which lasted almost a year, The clientele was exclusively illegal immigrants I moved in with a woman that I met at the club After the gig and the relationship ended, I went on the road for a little over a year with a "show band". While on the road, I met LTB in Albuquerque When the road gig ended, I moved to Albuquerque to begin life in earnest w/Brenda Well, when we moved back to Dallas in 1984, I was astounded to meet more than a few people who told me that they had heard that I had moved to Mexico, married a Mexican woman, and was involved in a radical political organization there, having actually been imprisoned for playing subversive music. WTF? I it. People's stories are priceless. So they thought of you as a sort of jazz Lori Berenson? (Not to make fun of a very unfortunate situation)

And another thing. That cooking of yours.....

I asked if it was important based on what that woman said because it got me thinking. BTW I just corrected your spelling. Hope you appreciate it. .

Ted Weems Jr.? Ted Weems Jr.? This is a name gig? No wonder junior is stealing the silverware. Too funny. How's this for burnout: I once knew a guy that got so sick of the club date scene he took his dirty nicotine-stained drawers and hung them on the wedding cake. Don't know if the leader fired him but I have a sneaking suspicion the band passed on dessert that night.

Hell no. Not even close. But if you're a performing artist you need people to come and to come back otherwise you're out of a job. That's all I meant. The audience also needs to be appreciated and not ignored or even abused as I've seen some ill-advised (I'm being rather restrained and polite here) cats do. I don't mean kiss anyone's ass or be phony. I mean 'thanks for coming out' and maybe talking a bit to them. They want to feel needed too. So in that sense it is important. Crucial even. But my own self-worth is defined by my own values and standards. Period.

OK. Now it's penetrated my dense skull and I basically agree. The compliments I've gotten from my betters in music, let alone my peers, have carried me a long way through some rough times and are still here in memory in the good times. Appreciation from someone who knows and does it as well as you or better is the best possible kind of appreciation---though I still think it's all good and my previous comments hold.

I'm not sure I agree. Or maybe we're sort of saying the same thing and I'm too stupid to see it right away. I mean the reason I started the thread in part is that after knocking my brains out in the overcrowded and at times virulently viscious NY jazz scene and getting little work or appreciation* I did what a lot of guys talk about: I found my own little scene where I'm the man. I finally met someone who wants what I want to give and will pay me. I wanted a place for one-stop-shopping where I could teach the kids, (since I was already doing that and doing a lot of running around with no benefits, etc. It's been mad tough) have a forum for my desire to hear my music for choral group and small jazz group, and bring in my group and other cats to play and do Q & A with the kids, maybe teach and encourage songwriting, etc. I found a woman who wants someone like me and is willing to pay me and also at least listen to, if not help me live, some of my dreams. And it's off the 'big circuit' and that's fine with me. People need music everywhere, not just in downtown Manhattan. If anything they need it more in more 'remote' locales. But as far as this me-against-the-world thinking that, unless I'm wrong, I sort of read into what you're saying I'm sort of done with that. I'm as much a rebel as the next guy and with a pretty uncompromising personality and worldview but I believe in reaching people. The role of a working musician, regardless of how creative; original; special; etc. he thinks he (or she) is, has traditionally been a utilitarian one. Without an audience to pay to hear us or someone to pay for lessons, etc. we don't have a job, unless you consider Mr. Lateef's proposal a job. I hear the chipmunks don't pay shit, though . I am an employee when paid for my services and feel that it's my job to reach people that are listening some kind of way on a human level and I've always tried to do that. I've done it without playing down to anyone or talking down to the children I teach. So yesterday was kind of a turning point for me appreciation-wise. I played the guitar the way I always have, was given a few features as a soloist and played St. Thomas (because the people were 90% Carribbean) and asked for the mic to dedicate Sophisticated Lady to the woman I initially mentioned and all the women that were working to teach these children to be sophisticated (among other things, naturally). I just played from the heart and let the chips fall. At the end of the event the woman that hired me came over to me and said the songs were beautiful and appropriate. And she's not a musician or 'hip' like we think we are. Other people also came up and said thanks for the music. And that meant a lot to me, you know? (*whether anyone else concurs about said scene is up for discussion but there can be no denying that it is cash starved and everyone is vieing (sp?) for the same gigs and props, so it seems)