60th Down Beat Critics Poll

[gnhrtg]

Congratulations, Chuck.

[David Ayers]

I guess if you buy enough lunches.... Plus I mean as the people who actually know you retire or die...

Couple of questions:

Did Downbeat review your stuff first time around? Do you have the reviews and would you consider scanning them in? Negative or cagey reviews make interesting history, though you might still feel a bit sensitive about them.

Also, their 'historical' category now seems to come up into the 1970s (Von Freeman same year as Koln Concert - no-one would call that 'historical', would they?) so is that maybe benefitting more of the things that are still filed in Rays over here as 'new music'?

In any case a lot of folks vote for these and there's no real system - they vote for what they like that fits the categories and they are glad to have them back after a long hiatus.

Hopefully the additional interest will help you complete the run of reissues.

[mikeweil]

Very well said, ep1str0phy - if I had the funds, I'd sure order some.

Many are called, but few are chose, and those are tested to their limits. There is a need for people sticking to their values and convictions in these crazy times.

[Chuck Nessa]

I guess if you buy enough lunches.... Plus I mean as the people who actually know you retire or die...

Couple of questions:

Did Downbeat review your stuff first time around? Do you have the reviews and would you consider scanning them in? Negative or cagey reviews make interesting history, though you might still feel a bit sensitive about them.

I think they reviewed all the lps. Only one snarky review, most of them 4 stars or above. I have copies of all the reviews and need to get them scanned. They also did a feature review of the Art Ensemble box in 1993 and then it stopped.

[Captain Hate]

10 Roscoe Mitchell Before There Was Sound

This was the most important "historical issue" in quite a while in that it didn't just collect together old stuff everybody already knew/knew about, it exposed something altogether unknown of and about people places and things that would go on to be even more known and even more important.

AFAIC, stuff like this deserve a category unto itself.

Yes, I've written about this release elsewhere and it fills a gap about which virtually everybody but Chuck and the participants were unaware. An extremely important disc imo. And even though I have my own issues with Downbeat, starting when my initial subscription happened just as it went from biweekly to monthly , kudos for the recognition all these releases received.