sheldonm Posted February 28, 2005 Author Report Posted February 28, 2005 Thanks for sharing the story guys. I wish I could have been there. ...we do also! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted February 28, 2005 Report Posted February 28, 2005 Chris, you need to move to the center of the country. The "shit" has been happnin here for years. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Chris, you need to move to the center of the country. The "shit" has been happnin here for years. I used to think I was lucky to live in California... now I'm not so sure. Quote
catesta Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Chris, you need to move to the center of the country. The "shit" has been happnin here for years. I know, I know, I remember how it used to be. If all works out, as I'm sure it will, I'll be in your backyard by July. B-) Quote
Larry Kart Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Von was in superb form, I thought, in a glowing-mellow mood for the most part. (That most recent album, with Jimmy Cobb and Richard Wyands, had me a bit worried about the current state of things. Oddly enough, that's the album that Dan Morgenstern recently told me had finally convinced him that Von was really good; he and Ira Gitler could never get past Von's intonation, as I recall -- too bad for them.) In a Pres mood, he began with "Lester Leaps In," went on to "In a Little Spanish Town" (!) at a gorgeous amble (he said that he'd heard Lester play this on clarinet, or at least I think that's what he meant) Like Chuck, I don't know what that tune was that started off like it might be "Lover Come Back To Me." Could it have been a heavily disguised "Avalon"? But who plays "Avalon" anymore? Von can think ahead further than anyone alive, maybe anyone ever -- he's like a man laying down what will be potentially the world largest living mosaic. Swear to God, if you wanted to lay out one of his better solos and subject it to the strictist formal analysis imaginable, there wouldn't be one false move, yet it hits in the moment like a landslide of boulders, rocks, and trees. At one point I began to think of this in purely physical/mental terms, trying to imagine the computational skills/storage capacity/what have you of the mind that's housed in Von's head. Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 Von was in superb form, I thought, in a glowing-mellow mood for the most part. (That most recent album, with Jimmy Cobb and Richard Wyands, had me a bit worried about the current state of things. Oddly enough, that's the album that Dan Morgenstern recently told me had finally convinced him that Von was really good; he and Ira Gitler could never get past Von's intonation, as I recall -- too bad for them.) In a Pres mood, he began with "Lester Leaps In," went on to "In a Little Spanish Town" (!) at a gorgeous amble (he said that he'd heard Lester play this on clarinet, or at least I think that's what he meant) Like Chuck, I don't know what that tune was that started off like it might be "Lover Come Back To Me." Could it have been a heavily disguised "Avalon"? But who plays "Avalon" anymore? Von can think ahead further than anyone alive, maybe anyone ever -- he's like a man laying down what will be potentially the world largest living mosaic. Swear to God, if you wanted to lay out one of his better solos and subject it to the strictist formal analysis imaginable, there wouldn't be one false move, yet it hits in the moment like a landslide of boulders, rocks, and trees. At one point I began to think of this in purely physical/mental terms, trying to imagine the computational skills/storage capacity/what have you of the mind that's housed in Von's head. Larry, I told you your reveiw would be better than mine!!! Here is an image of Von last night! Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 (edited) ....and the famous Chuck Nessa with Von!!! Edited March 1, 2005 by sheldonm Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 At one point I began to think of this in purely physical/mental terms, trying to imagine the computational skills/storage capacity/what have you of the mind that's housed in Von's head. I hear ya. I stopped trying to figure it out a long time ago. Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 ....and the equally famous (from left to right)....Larry Kart, Von Freeman, Uncle Skid and Mr. Nessa!!! Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 ....and for those who have never seen it..... the Jazz Record Mart's new digs! Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 I'll post some nice photographs of Von is a few days! Mark Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 All these years I've thought of Von being physically larger than me. Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 (edited) All these years I've thought of Von being physically larger than me. ....what about the phone books you're standing on! Edited March 1, 2005 by sheldonm Quote
Larry Kart Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Actually, I think Von's not a whole lot taller than Gillian Anderson. Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 Actually, I think Von's not a whole lot taller than Gillian Anderson. ...yes, but he's not a lesbian! Quote
Guest Chaney Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Terrific photos. Keep 'em comin'! Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Oh yeah -- sweet. Nice photos, and thanks for the words guys. Indeed, the cat is a heavy. By the way, his "Violets For Your Furs" on the disc with Cobb is a great example of what you're talking about, too, Larry K. Were you worried he took some of the corner's off his approach? Quote
AllenLowe Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Uncle Skid's last name wouldn't happen to be Marks? Quote
Larry Kart Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Lazaro -- He struck me as a bit ... I don't know ... dour and preoccupied on that album. Also, even though the estimable Jim Anderson was the engineer, I wasn't too crazy about the sound either -- both on Von's horn and on the group as a whole. As I recall, the stereo spread struck me as rather wide for a one-horn-plus-trio date, and as for Von himself, it sounded like a good deal of effort had been expended on trying to capture his sound but perhaps from the point of view that there was a problem there -- that is, that Von's sound was problematic -- which certain recording techniques/strategies (mike placement, etc.) might lessen. All I know for sure is that yesterday afternoon I was two-arms-lengths or so from the bell of Von's horn, and he sounded fantastic -- while the Von of that album sounded a fair bit airier (if that's the right term) than he does/did in real life. I was almost reminded of the sound ECM got on Konitz on that Kenny Wheeler-led album he did with Holland and Frisell. A real horn in real space -- it didn't sound that way to me, though I know that "real" is a tricky word to throw around when it comes to recorded sound. BTW, I think that Wheeler album and Von's album were recorded in same studio, Power Station. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Uncle Skid's last name wouldn't happen to be Marks? His first name is Mark. B-) And you thought you were so funny. Quote
catesta Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 You coming to MI, Chris?! I hope so. As I've shared with some, I'm going to be making a move to the east early this summer. I mentioned to Chuck in a PM the other day, that when I drive cross country, I hope to make a stop in your neck of the woods to drink a beer and catch a gig. Quote
JSngry Posted March 1, 2005 Report Posted March 1, 2005 Actually, I think Von's not a whole lot taller than Gillian Anderson. ...yes, but he's not a lesbian! Yet he craves the same thing they do. Curious creatures, these humans are... Quote
sheldonm Posted March 1, 2005 Author Report Posted March 1, 2005 Actually, I think Von's not a whole lot taller than Gillian Anderson. ...yes, but he's not a lesbian! Yet he craves the same thing they do. Curious creatures, these humans are... Quote
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