Gil Melle

[Teasing the Korean]

I really love "Tome VI" on Verve. Does he have other albums along these lines?

[JSngry]

He did an electronic album for Blue Note in the early 90s, but I've never heard it. Same w/an early 70s thing called Waterbirds.

Tome VI is an interesting record.

[rostasi]

Don't know if it's the electronics or the jazz (or both)

that you like, but the soundtrack to The Andromeda Strain is interesting,

but not at all like his band The Electronauts.

He also did an all electronic soundtrack for the Night Gallery series as well.

[Teasing the Korean]

Thanks for the suggestions. What I like about Tome VI is the combination of electronics, modal jazz and free jazz. There's one track that has kind of an eastern feel, and a couple of others that have that introspective minor key/modal vibe characteristic of lots of spacey/soul/groove jazz that would come along a couple of years later. Basically, the album has aspects of a lot of sub-genres I'm into, while simultaneously having its own thang.

The Andromeda Strain goes for big $$$ when it shows up. I don't think it's ever been on CD.

I recently rented some Night Gallery episodes and I noticed the music. Late 60s/Early 70s TV scores are so amazingly great - nothing like what you hear on TV now. It's hard for me to pay attention to the storylines. When I'm not distracted by the cars, the fashions, or Jack Lord's hair, I'm listening to the music.

[rostasi]

The Andromeda Strain goes for big $$$ when it shows up. I don't think it's ever been on CD.

It's available. I've got it and listen to it pretty often. It's not legit mind you, but it's available.

Actually, the quality is not that great and I've thought more than a few times

of transferring from the LP to CDR. When the soundtrack came out in the 70's,

there were a few promo versions that had the key included

(you'll know what I'm talking about if you've ever seen the film).

It's a prize possession - well, one anyway...

Edited October 23, 2006 by rostasi

[Dmitry]

He did an electronic album for Blue Note in the early 90s, but I've never heard it.

It's titled Mindscape, and it's what an antique collector would call a bric-a-brac; nothing special, nothing spectacular, nothing specifically memorable.

[rostasi]

I think Enja re-released it on CD with a couple of bonus tracks a while back.

Also, (for T the K): The soundtracks are nothing like the

things that you enjoy in the Tome recording, but it could be fascinating

listening if you come across them sometime (at a reasonable price).

[sidewinder]

He did an electronic album for Blue Note in the early 90s, but I've never heard it.

It's titled Mindscape, and it's what an antique collector would call a bric-a-brac; nothing special, nothing spectacular, nothing specifically memorable.

I have the CD of it. Quite like it - sort of an electronic music-scape. Not much jazz content though.

[Eloe Omoe]

He did an electronic album for Blue Note in the early 90s, but I've never heard it. Same w/an early 70s thing called Waterbirds.

I have both. Mindscape is nice, but nothing more. Waterbirds is far more interesting.

Luca

[Teasing the Korean]

Did Gill do other albums for Verve around the time of Tome VI, or was it a one-off?

[Eloe Omoe]

Did Gill do other albums for Verve around the time of Tome VI, or was it a one-off?

I think it's the only one. Waterbirds came out for Nocturne.

Luca

[Van Basten II]

Bought this CD from him.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:qtf5zfioeh6k

Loved especially the second cd, especially the cuts with Lou Mecca.

[jeffcrom]

I recently picked up two Gil Melle recordings, a Blue Note 78 (Four Moons/The Gears) and the Prestige/OJC CD of Primitive Modern/Quadrama. I've been listening to jazz for over 35 years, and all I've got to say is, "Where has this guy been all my life?" My fault for not checking him out sooner, but I'm glad I did now. The first cut from Primitive Modern, "Dominica," made me a believer - what a striking piece of music. There was a whole group of jazz musicians in the fifties (and today, for that matter) who were not content to just blow solos over changes. Melle is one of those guys, like Giuffre, or John Graas, or Hal McKusick, who made sure there was an interesting compositional structure going on, not just strings of solos.

And has Joe Cinderella, the guitarist on the Prestige CD, been talked about in this forum? Very interesting player.

I just bought Tome IV from an Ebay vendor. I'm looking forward to hearing it, although I know it will be very different from the 50's stuff.

[mjzee]

Jeff, I highly recommend you pick up The Complete Blue Note Recordings. It's available on Amazon as a BN-authorized CD-R.

[AllenLowe]

Melle was an artist for the last years of his life - I called him up out of the blue and he was very friendly if a bit guarded. He told me he was the first to use electronics in jazz and had done so in the 1950s - and according to Teo Macero, he and Melle and some others participated in some concerts in the 1950s that not only used electronics but which had Varese as a participant. I assume this is true as I see no reason that Macero would make this up (he was crotchety and only semi-friendly but forthcoming once I got him interested in the topic). The idea of a Varese/Macero/Melle collaboration is quite fantastic, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to get much documentation -

[oneofanotherkind]

Melle was an artist for the last years of his life - I called him up out of the blue and he was very friendly if a bit guarded. He told me he was the first to use electronics in jazz and had done so in the 1950s - and according to Teo Macero, he and Melle and some others participated in some concerts in the 1950s that not only used electronics but which had Varese as a participant. I assume this is true as I see no reason that Macero would make this up (he was crotchety and only semi-friendly but forthcoming once I got him interested in the topic). The idea of a Varese/Macero/Melle collaboration is quite fantastic, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to get much documentation -

Teo was being crotchety ? Really ? You mean like Ernest Grainger ?

[AllenLowe]

well, Macero was an ego maniac and my conversations with him were somewhat comical - he would answer the phone, I would tell him why I was calling, he would mumble and growl a bit, and then I would tell him that I regarded his recorded work of the 1950s as some of the most interesting music of that era, and he would say, "oh, yeah," and relax a bit and talk - this exact same scenario occurred on about 4 occasions. I hate flattering people, but I meant what I said and it was the only way to get him to stop growling -

[BruceH]

well, Macero was an ego maniac and my conversations with him were somewhat comical - he would answer the phone, I would tell him why I was calling, he would mumble and growl a bit, and then I would tell him that I regarded his recorded work of the 1950s as some of the most interesting music of that era, and he would say, "oh, yeah," and relax a bit and talk - this exact same scenario occurred on about 4 occasions. I hate flattering people, but I meant what I said and it was the only way to get him to stop growling -

That's hilarious...not to mention pathetic.

[Joe]

Re: Joe Cinderella... I agree; he is one of the primary reasons I keep returning to Melle's work (particularly the Prestige sides).

I actually spoke with Mr. Cinderella about 4 - 5 years ago, via phone (no, no sammich talk). We discussed doing an interview, but, unfortunately, that was at a time when I was "between publications" -- a crack out of which I ultimately chose not to re-emerge -- and nothing ever came of it. He was still playing regularly at the time, in a 2-guitar quartet IIRC, and indicated he had just finished working with an associate on his website. If that ever came to pass, there's no evidence of it on the web that I can find.

Recordings of Cinderella apart from the Melle group are not exactly plentiful, but, for anyone whose interested...

http://cdbaby.com/cd/cinderella

[JSngry]

well, Macero was an ego maniac and my conversations with him were somewhat comical - he would answer the phone, I would tell him why I was calling, he would mumble and growl a bit, and then I would tell him that I regarded his recorded work of the 1950s as some of the most interesting music of that era, and he would say, "oh, yeah," and relax a bit and talk - this exact same scenario occurred on about 4 occasions. I hate flattering people, but I meant what I said and it was the only way to get him to stop growling -

That's hilarious...not to mention pathetic.

I dunno man, Teo has a lot to be proud of on his own. thinking of him as first and foremost a producer would be a big mistake. But hell, the guy's still not getting full props for his role as Miles' arranger/editor/producer (one could make the case for co-composer in some instances, perhaps) during the first electric era, much less as a player/composer, so I think he's got a right to have an attitude.

Allow me to suggest a read of this older thread: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...p;hl=teo+macero

[AllenLowe]

I agree; he was also a terrific saxophonist with perhaps the most beautiful altissimo sound I've ever heard - check him out on Mingus's Elegy for Rudy Williams -

[JSngry]

He played like a more "studied" Warne Marsh, and by that I mean zero disrespect. He was not a "profound" improviser, but I don't think that was his game anyway. Improvising was simply part of his it, and not necessarily even the dominant part. He was just waaaay out of sync with the "jazz mainstream" of his time and place, that's all. But the cat was no lightweight, that's for sure. And a lot of those Teo Records releases of his are worth hearing.

[AllenLowe]

I was just listening to Blues For Amy, maybe 1959, great Phil Woods solo. Beautiful arrangement by Teo-

[Fer Urbina]

The idea of a Varese/Macero/Melle collaboration is quite fantastic, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to get much documentation -

Allen,

Have you tried the Teo Macero collection at NYPL?

F

[AllenLowe]

have not - thanks, will check it out -