DMP

Had it since it came out and I've always been lukewarm on this one - promises more than it delivers. The title tune has one of the worst edits you'll ever hear. And there's a long ballad in there that dominates the second side, nothing special, not sure I'm looking for that in a Messengers album. (Are there many ballads in their discography? A good one on "Ugetsu.") However, the original LP (and one of the Japanese CD reissues) had one of those elaborate covers that were a feature of the label - if you've never seen one, check it out.

Collectables also issued Rogers' 2 Reprise LP's - from a later period than the material discussed above - and, while not essential, they're pretty good.

If I was beginning a vocal collection, there are probably a thousand items I'd put before the Kenny Burrell. Now, if it was a jazz GUITAR collection... Gene McDaniels - the only time I ever heard him was at Newport, with Eddie Harris - "The Silent Majority" - that's about as bitter as it gets! (An afternoon session, not many people - the song seemed out of place in that sunny setting. But still a lot of fun.)

Like most of these new Fantasy RVG's, the covers are way too dark. Compare them to the LP's or the original CD releases, you'll see what I mean. A small matter, of course, but how hard can reproducing a cover be?

My US copy is fine. The new notes are good, too. Now, the cover...

The description of the Ellington IS confusing... Almost sounds like they're confusing 1958 with 1956. What am I missing here?

I've never had any trouble with the service at yourmusic.com. My last minute, under the wire New Year's Eve order (several RVG's) arrived today. Maybe a record.

The CD era has been pretty good for Charlie Parker's discography - some new discoveries, most of the LP material has appeared. (Just got the Jirayr Zorthian's ranch CD, sounds better than I expected)... Is there anything that hasn't come out? Maybe the Barry Ulanov sessions? Anything to look forward to?

After "The Complete World Pacific Studio Recordings Of Billy Larkin & the Delegates."

People with better ears than mine think he plays out of tune.

Kai Winding's "Dirty Dog" - "Blindman" and "Cantaloupe."

"Hang On Ramsey" has been out, as has some of the "leftover" material from the same Lighthouse gig (originally on a couple LP's, including "the Groover"). And some of the trio material (including part of the original Cafe Bohemia Lp - pre-"In Crowd") was on one of those double CD's that Universal put out a few years ago (there were also sets by Ahmad Jamal and Sonny Stitt in that series). I guess it would be too much to expect that there would be a "Mosaic Select" style reissue of the Lighthouse stuff, but there's a lot of wonderful music in there that has held up well and might be a revelation to those who only associate Lewis with pop jazz. By the way... I caught the trio on a bill with Roland Kirk (Horace Parlan was on piano - Kirk was plugging his upcoming "flute album" on Mercury) at Leo's Casino on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland back just before the "In Crowd." The emcee was Flip Wilson, and Leroy Kelly was hanging around at the bar. Those were the days.

Guess they came from all over the city (and, while a young crowd, a nice mix), the whole scene was a mystery to me. Does Melvin Sparts have some kind of reputation with the jam band crowd?

Well, Pittsburgh has a great jazz tradition, many important figures are from around here (you know the list - Earl Hines, Mary Lou Williams, Erroll Garner, Art Blakey, Billy Strayhorn - and some names you might not associate with the city - Sonny Clark, Horace Parlan, Bob Cooper - there are lots more), but, unfortunately, the once thriving club scene no longer exists. The days when you could routinely catch a Freddie Hubbard or Grant Green (or any number of local musicians who never left town, like Gene Ludwig) in a neighborhood spot ended years ago. So it was a surprise to find Sparks (who I last saw here with Lou Donaldson, ages ago) playing in a bar that may well have occasional music but certainly no regular jazz.

Melvin Sparks played at a small neighborhood bar in Lawrenceville (a working class section of town along the Allegheny River that's been up and coming for about 20 years - known mostly as the birthplace of Stephen Foster) last night, no publicity, no listings in either of the 2 local papers' weekend guides - and the place was packed! (Lots of kids.) An organ trio (although some electronic keyboard standing in for the organ), the set was 4 long numbers, mostly one chord vamps - reminded me of what Grant Green sounded like live. It was a lot of fun, the crowd loved it, but the whole thing was surreal - is there some kind of alternate jazz universe out there? (Apparently he was in town a few months ago in a trendy club on the South Side - another working class neighborhood, along the Mon, but this area has been successfully transformed, for better or worse - and the place was empty.) The tickets (at the door - $10) - said "The originator of soul jazz" - I always thought that title belonged to Horace Silver (or was it Bobby Timmons? Jimmy Smith? Les McCann?), but the music was funky enough that we'll let that pass.

Is the Tower "on-line" operation still going?

Thanks for the suggestions. I've already ordered a few. (Avoiding the "Collectables" stuff for now - they seem to be the easy listening type material referred to above.)

I have next to nothing - how about some suggestions where to begin?

What about Freddie Hubbard's "Sing a Song of Songmy" or Bill Evans and George Russell's "Living Time?" (Donald Byrd's "Electric Byrd" has a few elements, although mostly it's like the other traditional jazz plus trendy touches discussed above.)

Certainly better than 1 1/2 stars (no sticks!), but, on the other hand, not up to the earlier Riverside recordings of the Adderley group in Japan.

I've always thought the additional material that appeared on "Music Y'All" was every bit as good, maybe better. (By the way - "Price You Got..." was one of the few of the thousands of LP's I bought that I ever got rid of. Embarrassing stuff. But if it ever shows on CD I'll pick it up and maybe find I was all wet on this.) In person (and I caught this addition of the Adderley band several times) Duke always seemed to be holding back.

The Hubbard is nice, post-bop - one of his better "Atlantic" titles. The Dizzy is (and I hope I'm remembering correctly - someone please correct me if I'm off base) lousy. The Sanders is good, in a Norman Connors kind of way - almost a "smooth jazz" album. (Interesting how Sanders and Gato, two firebrands, would find themselves in these kind of settings.)

"The Jazz Soul of Dr. Kildaire."

Steig's first album - "Flute Fever," on Columbia - was announced as an upcoming release on Collectables a couple years ago, and never actually appeared. It's a fine album - Denny Zeitlan (sic?) on piano - made up of jazz standads like "Blue Seven." That would be worth looking for.

Another vote for "It Club." Even though it was recorded around the same time as "At The Jazz Workshop," it's always seemed much more inspired