[August listening]

Lester Bowie: The Great Pretender

"Cool", "Philadelphia", and "Steel & Breath" from The Phillip Wilson Project (Jazz Door CD)

- Needed reminders (for me) of what a fine musician Lester Bowie was and how well he and Phillip Wilson fit together.

The Southern Sons: Deep South Gospel (Trumpet/ Alligator CD)

An Unsung Cat - The Life and Music of Warne Marsh (Storyville CD)

Pee Wee Russell Quartet: New Groove

[An Unsung Cat: The Life and Music of Warne Marsh]

Thanks for the feedback and info. I knew the price was steep - that's why I wanted to get some opinions before I had to pay for it. (I tried to order a copy through my library, but was told that there were no copies available in the NY state libarary system.) Anyway, thanks, Chuck, Jim, and Lawrence. I'm going to order a copy today.

[An Unsung Cat: The Life and Music of Warne Marsh]

Has anyone here read Safford Chamberlain's book on Warne Marsh?

If so, any comments would be appreciated. I've thought about getting it, but I'd like to hear some feedback before ordering it.

[Seriously, if you could only have one CD/LP]

Billie Holiday: Lady Day - the old Columbia LP. It has my favorite jazz solo, Pres on "I Must Have that Man", which I've never tired of despite listening to it probably hundreds of times. Then there's Billie and all the great musicians playing with her. I could live with that one if it had to be just one.

[Sam Phillips Died]

He was a businessman who went into the recording and record business. Unlike most of the other independent record label owners, he loved music. He also seemed to be as much of a free spirit as many of his artists were, and that's saying something.

I'd add "rest in peace", but somehow, at least in my mind, Sam Phillips and peace don't quite go together.

I guess I hope he keeps on having a good time.

[Favourite Miles Columbia Box set]

I voted for Miles and Trane. Before I voted, I figured that one would easily get the most votes. Interesting - I guess that shows how well I can predict other people's tastes.

[Do you like Doo-Wop?]

ghost, you might want to check out The Very Best of the Manhattan Brothers - Their Greatest Hits (1948-1959) - Sterns STCD 3013. The Manhattan Brothers were the most popular South African vocal group during their heyday, and possibly an inspiration for the Cool Crooners, judging from the description given in the press release you printed. The Manhattan Brothers were much more influenced by the Mills Brothers and other earlier vocal groups than by doo wop, and they made some great records.

Hope you do get to emcee that concert.

[Do you like Doo-Wop?]

They did that for the CHARLIE PARKER label???                 

What's the story THERE?

I don't know where the material on the pictured recording comes from, but in 1962 the Orioles (with Sonny Til - they weren't the Orioles without him) cut an LP for the Charlie Parker label - some remakes, some new material. Among the backing band were Mundell Lowe, George Duvivier, and Panama Francis.

[July listening]

Beiderbecke,Trumbauer & Teagarden Mosaic #1

Pepper Adams -The Master

Ella Fitzgerald - Lullabies Of Birdland

Matthew Ship - Strata

Dave Holland - Seeds Of Time

Tierney Sutton - Something Cool

Michael Kanan - Convergence

kinuta - Good to see another Mike Kanan fan on the Board. Convergence is a fine cd, and Mike is a nice guy. He played at my wife's and my wedding.

[Do you like Doo-Wop?]

Added the Orioles (not the remakes, though) to the list.

The remakes for the Charlie Parker label may not be the originals, but they still sound pretty damned good.

[Amina Claudine Myers]

For fans of hers in the NYC area: she's listed as one of the performers at the Caramoor Jazz Festival in Katonah, N.Y., next Saturday, August 2.

[Album of the Week July 20 to July 26]

I only have an LP of Tune Up, so my comments apply only to that half of the Album of the Week. Actually, just two short comments:

Sonny sounds as if he was in incredibly good spirits.

The date is a pure bebop date - at least Sonny and Barry Harris - the rhythm section sounds a little more modern. Except for the drums and bass, this could have been recorded in 1952! - not a bad thing, in my opinion.

Great record! Great choice!

[Album of the Week July 20 to July 26]

Also in the same issue:

News about a few other things, including a "Stan Getz LP made up of both previously released and unreleased stuff from a Bob Brookmeyer date that also included Herbie Hancock, Gary Burton, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, and guest vocalist Tony Bennett." When did THAT one ever come out?

Three tracks, "Just Friends", "Have You Met Miss Jones", and "Clear Out of this World", with Bennett accompanied by Getz, Hancock, Carter, and Jones, were released on a Columbia 1983 vocalist compilation called Singin' 'Till the Girls Come Home - Columbia FC 38508. I haven't listened to it in a while, but I remember enjoying the Bennett cuts much more than I had expected.

[LF Lynn Hope]

I checked the CD and Couw is partially right.  It looks like the Scott/Hope material was recorded in 1950. 

I think that Dan meant to post the date for the Scott/Hope material as 1960.

Hope's original version of "Tenderly" was released in 1950 on the Premium label and was a top 10 r&b hit.

[Uptown]

Returning to the subject of Uptown Records, perhaps Chuck can let us know which Uptown vinyls are still available.

[Uptown]

I remember I read about the Schildkraut back then, or his "comeback". Sure would like to hear this!

Me too! I never thought Schildkraut had recorded as a leader. I thought he had been lost for music until his death.

And then I went back to AMG and found the following,

It was released by Endgame in 2000. Schildkraut playing be-bop tunes mostly.

Is this some kind of forgotten tape from the 50's or what ?

Features Bill Triglia (believed he was out of business too) on piano and a bassist named Jeff Fuller.

Anybody heard this ?

Last Date is a concert recording from 8/12/79 in New Haven, Ct. Drummer Frank Bennett completes the quartet. Schildkraut is in good form - there are a few rough spots - and how much of his playing is readily available these days? The tunes are all pop standards or bop standards, with the exception of "Stars and Stripes Forever", the concert closer. I'd say that, for anyone with an interest in Dave Schildkraut, this is a record worth having.

Endgame may have some connection with Jeff Fuller, since he plays on their only other release, a live trio date with leader Percy France and Dick Katz.

[Releases you really like, but with players on them]

Branford Marsalis' Trio Jeepy double LP. I bought it and have kept it because Milt Hinton is on bass.

[Uptown]

What's the deal with the John Bubbles?

From Chuck's comment, I may be alone on this, but I like the John Bubbles Uptown. I bought it when it came out mainly because I remembered John Bubbles from the Tonight show when I was young. When I got the record I played it once and I guess it didn't connect with me (or vice versa), because I put it away and didn't listen to it for years. In 1996 a friend who was teaching an evening college class on jazz asked me about renditions of the song "Why Was I Born?" in my collection - he wanted to show how the same song could be done in myriad fashions by different musicians. One of the versions I found was John Bubbles'. It brought me back to the LP and got me to relisten. This time I found that I did truly enjoy it - if I had to use one word to describe the recording, that word would be "charming". I've listened to it a number of times since I rediscovered it and have enjoyed every listening.

Again, this is just one man's opinion, but I'm glad I have it in my collection.

[Live Blues Discs]

  Let me ask you though, what's the sound like on the Magic Sam ROCKIN' WILD IN CHICAGO?  I heard it's kind of rough.  Is it listenable?

Rough but listenable is a good description the sound on Rockin' Wild in Chicago. If you have some Magic Sam studio recordings , you'll probably like this. If you don't have any studio stuff, I'd go for those first. West Side Soul is a great record and a good one to start with.

[It's a boy!]

Congratulations to both new families! You are truly blessed.

[What would like to see get re-issued?]

I'd like to be able to hear the Art Hodes 1962 Emarcy with Truck Parham. As I recall, it received 5 stars from Down Best when it was released. (That doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I'd like to hear it anyway.)

[NEW, NEVER HEARD, DIZZY & BIRD FROM UPTOWN]

Lacy and Cherry Atlantic trios...  Perhaps someone can put a bug in Michael Cuscuna's ear and they could be issued as a Mosaic mini-select? Any other ideas?

Can anyone (Kevin??) mention these sides to Michael sometime, and just get his perspective on this. Maybe get him to brainstorm about how to somehow get them released??

I'm just another person on this board, with no connections in the music biz, but I sent an email to Michael Cuscuna c/o Mosaic to let him know that people are interested in hearing this music. Perhaps if a number of other Board members did the same, it might do some good. I know that people like Chuck and Kevin may actually accomplish something, but it probably wouldn't hurt if Mr. Cuscuna knew that others were interested

[July listening]

Earl Hines: Once Upon a Time

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra: 1928 (Classics)

Steve Lacy duets: Associates (Felmay)

[NEW, NEVER HEARD, DIZZY & BIRD FROM UPTOWN]

God willing and the creek don't rise, I know I'm going to get get the Dizzy/Bird Uptown and listen to it as soon as it's released.

I would like to hear the Lacy and Cherry Atlantic trios sometime, preferably on a legal release, where royalties are paid to the artists. We're a small but enthusiastic and vocal crowd here. Does anyone have any ideas as to how this might be accomplished? Perhaps someone can put a bug in Michael Cuscuna's ear and they could be issued as a Mosaic mini-select? Any other ideas?

[Favorite Benny Golson Composition]

I'm with Dmitry on this one - "Park Avenue Petite". I picked up Blue Soul about a year or so ago, and that version of this tune grabbed me immediately. I have to admit that "You Don't Know What Love Is" runs through my head for a moment whenever I hear this, but Blue, Wynton, Sam, and Philly Joe do it so perfectly that it doesn't matter. Perhaps I'm voting for their version of the tune rather than the tune itself, but either way it gets my vote.