When Dallas Used To Be Fun

[porkerdavis]

great links. thanks.

[SGUD missile]

Also, Dave Zoller is doing some very interesting stuff with a fairly

out sextet lately ..although according tohim, there haven't been many

gigs since the Denton Jazz festival ..plus, his drummer is leaving to

join the Airmen of Note ..so some regroouping is going on..

[porkerdavis]

I had Dave and Co. come play at my White Rock Rhythms at the Bath House last spring. they sounded pretty cool. nothing too exciting. this fall, weve had The Innercity All-Stars...Denton band playing New Orleans street beat brass... The Mark Tonelli Group...straight-ahead light fusion originals and, more to my taste, Flipside Trio, with Dennis Durick on drums, Paul Unger on bass and Dave Monsch, a real reeder, who combine free improv and jazzrock fusion with nice abandon.

I'm also looking forward to Circo with Pete Brewer on Jan. 16th. I think they take what dave z.'s been doing to the next energy plane (http://www.circomusic.faithweb.com/framesong.htm). then Jamal brings in his SMU world music ensemble in february. I've really enjoyed booking diversity. I prefer the out stuff, but I like all but the most predictable stuff.

music without surprise betrays the primary directive. by the way, Paul Unger, Daniel Huffman (Ghostcar guitarist) and I are improving at the Spiral Diner in FW this sunday afternoon.

Edited December 21, 2004 by porkerdavis

[SGUD missile]

Tell Pete B Phil Kelly sez "hi" when you hear the group ..he's an old friend and he'll shit!

and you're right ..Durick is a real m!#$%@%^*@% er drummer!

other names are new to me ..been gone too long

[Big Al]

and you're right ..Durick is a real m!#$%@%^*@% er drummer!

You got THAT right. What a treat it is to see him live, he looks like he’s got a few extra arms flyin’ around back there with him!

[porkerdavis]

yeah, dennis is probably the closest thing we have to elvin in today's texas. I have to take a moment to huzzah gerard bendiks on the planet of drums. though never getting a foothold on the studio or commercial scene, gerard has developed into a world class rhythmatician. his very tightly loose polyrhythmic abilities are a joy to observe, let alone play with. he's thoroughly steeped in the art of the raga and one man african ensemble. if dennis is elvin jones, gerard is max roach. his flexible jammability makes him my favorite local drummer. if I had a diploma, clock and medal to give him, I would. but I'm keeping the ruby slippers.

Edited December 28, 2004 by porkerdavis

[John L]

Now you all Texans just have to get one of these!

[maren]

jerry hunt would like knowing he was still alive in this most elusive of media.

who even knows these words are here, really?

I missed this thread the first time around.

Just wanted to say how much I was awed by Jerry Hunt the two times I saw/heard him in a live performance, and that the wealth, depth and breadth of creative experience among Organissimo posters never ceases to amaze me.

I mean, "rostasi" is Rod Stasick! Wow!

[SGUD missile]

yeah, dennis is probably the closest thing we have to elvin in today's texas. I have to take a moment to huzzah gerard bendiks on the planet of drums. though never getting a foothold on the studio or commercial scene, gerard has developed into a world class rhythmatician.

According to my friends who used to participate in the so called "studio scene" ( as did I wwhen I lived there ), it's pretty much gone these days.

the drum machines ate all the drummers, the samplers finished off everybody else ,and general overall bad taste in music administered the coup de grace ( or in good ol 'boy Texan terms:

"shuvved thet ol' beer bottle uppen the poop chute " )

I look back fondly upon my early days in Dallas in the 60s, when there were LOTs of gigs to be had, several recording studios were going full tilt, and sessions were going on practically every day.

PLUS ..there were several places going where you could find jazz happening: The Fink Mink, The Recovery Room , Strictly Tabu, the Arandes, the Villager, the Woodsman , all come to mind ...

[JSngry]

I remember in 1974, my uncle, for a high school graduation present, treated me to a night out at the Sailor Club, where the band was Peyton Park, Fred Crane, Lee Robinson, Alex Camp (iirc), & Jimmy Zitano. The Dallas Caucasian Jazz All-Stars of the day! My uncle bought me drinks (18 waa legal then), we sat right in front of the band, and I made tapes of the night. Still got'em, too.

Where was the Sailor Club, anyway, Phil? I didn't know the city at all then, being from Gladewater, and by the time I hit Denton, it had closed.