What vinyl are you spinning right now??

[jeffcrom]

Sonny Cox - The Wailer (Cadet)

[jeffcrom]

Coleman Hawkins (U.K. Felsted stereo)

[paul secor]

The Carla Bley Band: European Tour 1977 (Watt)

I was listening to this and thought that it worked better listened to as theatre music than as jazz. Then I realized that it's only dolts like me who categorize music. Musicians generally don't.

[paul secor]

Sun Ra: Solo Piano Volume 1 (Improvising Artists Inc.)

[jeffcrom]

Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues (Columbia), with liner notes by christiern.

[paul secor]

Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues (Columbia), with liner notes by christiern.

Love that record!

[A Lark Ascending]

The Carla Bley Band: European Tour 1977 (Watt)

I was listening to this and thought that it worked better listened to as theatre music than as jazz. Then I realized that it's only dolts like me who categorize music. Musicians generally don't.

One of the last Bley albums that I really warm to. I think it's partially that 'theatre' influence (a strong Weill/Brecht feel)- along with the influences/musicians from the free scene - that makes her earlier music so distinctive. Towards the end of the 70s her music, to my ears, starts to sound much more in the American tradition. The quirkiness sounds more mannered.

Edited January 21, 2012 by A Lark Ascending

[Durium]

varsity seven/the varsity sessions-volume 2(lp)

Keep((it)Swinging

Durium

[brownie]

Zoot Sims/Al Cohn/Phil Woods 'Jazz Alive! A Night at the Half Note' (US, stereo, gatefold cover)

[Durium]

jugs, washboards & kazoos/(lp)

Keep((it)Swinging

Durium

[paul secor]

Oliver Lake Quintet: Prophet (Black Saint)

[kh1958]

Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin, Live at Minton's, The First Set (Prestige, yellow and black NJ)

[BillF]

Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Johnny Griffin, Live at Minton's, The First Set (Prestige, yellow and black NJ)

Wonderful album!

[paul secor]

Jerry Lee Lewis: Keep Your Hands Off It! (Zu-Zazz)

Previously unissued 1959/60 Sun studio recordings

[paul secor]

Thelonious (Buell Neidlinger/Marty Krystal/Billy Osborne/John Beasley): Thelonious (K2B2)

[paul secor]

Sugar Boy Crawford - Chess Blues Masters Series (Chess/All Platinum)

Couldn't find a cover image, but this photo is inside the double sleeve.

Edited January 21, 2012 by paul secor

[paul secor]

Johnny Otis: Great Rhythm & Blues Oldies Vol. 3 (Blues Spectrum)

My favorite later day Johnny Otis recording

[brownie]

Curtis Fuller 'Four on the Outside' (Timeless/JVC Japan)

with Pepper Adams, James Williams, etc...

[kh1958]

Johnny Hammond Smith--What's Goin' On (Prestige/Fantasy)

[paul secor]

The Louis Armstrong Story Vol. 3 - Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines (Columbia)

[Leeway]

The Carla Bley Band: European Tour 1977 (Watt)

I was listening to this and thought that it worked better listened to as theatre music than as jazz. Then I realized that it's only dolts like me who categorize music. Musicians generally don't.

One of the last Bley albums that I really warm to. I think it's partially that 'theatre' influence (a strong Weill/Brecht feel)- along with the influences/musicians from the free scene - that makes her earlier music so distinctive. Towards the end of the 70s her music, to my ears, starts to sound much more in the American tradition. The quirkiness sounds more mannered.

I more or less agree with you both. When I listened to the album recently, I was struck by how fine the musicians were, and how good the music was ---when Carla was not larding in theatrical cliches. I think hearing it as "theatre" music is perfectly legitimate. I found her theatricisms (?) contrived, and more to the point, in the way of the larger boy of music. I think this tendency got much worse as Carla went on, but there is enough here to make the performances problematic.

[jeffcrom]

The Perennial George Lewis (Verve mono)

[brownie]

Red Garland Trio (Prestige/Moodsville, Japan)

[paul secor]

Dexter Gordon/Wardell Gray: The Swingers (Black Lion/Trio Japan)

[Chuck Nessa]

The Carla Bley Band: European Tour 1977 (Watt)

I was listening to this and thought that it worked better listened to as theatre music than as jazz. Then I realized that it's only dolts like me who categorize music. Musicians generally don't.

One of the last Bley albums that I really warm to. I think it's partially that 'theatre' influence (a strong Weill/Brecht feel)- along with the influences/musicians from the free scene - that makes her earlier music so distinctive. Towards the end of the 70s her music, to my ears, starts to sound much more in the American tradition. The quirkiness sounds more mannered.

I more or less agree with you both. When I listened to the album recently, I was struck by how fine the musicians were, and how good the music was ---when Carla was not larding in theatrical cliches. I think hearing it as "theatre" music is perfectly legitimate. I found her theatricisms (?) contrived, and more to the point, in the way of the larger boy of music. I think this tendency got much worse as Carla went on, but there is enough here to make the performances problematic.

This era of her music (and probably most of the rest) could not have existed without the musical outline via Kurt Weill.