From today's tribute to Mundell Lowe (RIP) on jazzwax blog JazzWax JazzWax: What was it like playing behind Billie Holiday? Mundell Lowe: I first recorded with Billie when I was part of pianist Bobby Tucker’s quartet in 1948. I also recorded with Billie in 1949, with Buster Harding’s Orchestra, which included Lester Young. I first met her in 1948 when I was playing at Café Society in New York's Greenwich Village with George Duvivier on bass and Bill Clark on drums. Billie came in wearing a big mink coat, and as we were talking a little head pushed out of her coat pocket and looked up at me. It was her Chihuahua. She took that dog everywhere. The biggest kick I had with Billie was playing behind her for about 10 days in April 1948 during Holiday on Broadway. This was a small, little-known revue at the Mansfield Theater in New York. Billie would sing about a dozen songs and then showcase a bunch of groups, including the Bobby Tucker Quintet, which featured Bobby on piano, me on guitar, Tony Scott on clarinet, John Levy on bass and Denzil Best on drums. The show had a short run—about 10 days, I think—because the theater reviewers came in and couldn’t figure out what we were doing. Playing with Billie was like playing behind God. She had such innate talent and knew how to control it. There’s an art to that. For most artists at her level, that gift dates back to earlier days, when they had a terrible time and learned how to communicate with their audiences through their voice or horn.
NP Red Garland - Red Alone/Moodsville Vol.3 (Moodsville/Prestige) silver on green, dg mono pressing. Nice way to wake up, especially when you don't have to rush off to work. On a related note, I have finally set a retirement date for the end of February. Yippee!
NP Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage (Blue Note) mono NY pressing. Sometimes the classics need to be played if for no other reason than to be reminded why they are so good. Freddie is so good on the title track.
Kenny Burrell with Art Blakey - On View at the Five Spot Café AP 45 Excellent sound and performances on this one. Killer band with Tina Brooks, Bobby Timmons, and Roland Hanna sitting in on a few cuts.
Freddie Hubbard - Ready For Freddie (Blue Note) mono NY pressing. Wayne Shorter, Bernard McKinney (on euphonium), McCoy Tyner, Art Davis and Elvin Jones. How many jazz euphonium players out there?
I haven't heard every jazz guitar album ever recorded, but Pat Metheny probably has, and he says this is the best. I have no reason to doubt him. And this SACD sounds amazing, as you know.
Interesting new SHM-SACD from Universal Japan of Herbie Hancock's "Speak Like a Child" Blue Note. Very dynamic. . . but otherwise sounding a bit like an RVG mastering to me. (Which is not a terrible thing for me, I'm one of those few who have few problems with the RVG Editions). I have swapped out power tubes in my amp and am playing with my new Decware ZROCK2 so I don't have the cleanest "slate" at the moment for evaluating sonic character.
This new Japanese Ultimate High Quality CD of Antonio Carlos Jobim "Stone Flower" CTI (RVG mastering).
Where does one go after Ultimate High Quality cd? I'm currently spinning Joni's Blue that Steve remastered for vinyl.
I guess you go to SACD or vinyl. Does sound good. Little details seem to come through with proper perspective on these UHQCDs. Right now the newly released Japanese cd of Lee Morgan "Live at the Light House"
Horace Parlan - Movin' & Groovin' AP 45 That sale was a little too good to pass up. I have all the Music Matters titles (not all the 45s, but every unique title, on either 45 or 33). But this sale was my first time buying the APs. At $50 a pop, they were a little rich, for having covers that want to disintegrate in your hands. But at $25 each they were really a no brainer. I can't find much difference between these and the MM 45s that had Steve's involvement, despite some blogger saying otherwise. Sounds to me like the AP and MM series took the same general approaches to the material. Their marketing blurbs are certainly similar.
Listening to "Gone" by Nat Adderley. Bought "Soul Zodiac" a year ago, find it very cool. But still listen to his brother's "Soul of the bible" a little more. Have to investigate why they credited the albums like "Cannonball presents..."
Stefano di Battista Quintet - A Prima Vista Blue Note (1998) Starting the day with swinging Italian jazz. Aptly titled debut recording from the Paris-based altoist who doubles on soprano throughout the album. Flavio Boltro is the trumpet here, another in a seemingly endless line of excellent Italian hornmen. Recorded at the Gil Evans Studio in Amiens, France. The sound is fantastic on this cd, open, dynamic and warm. All the compositions are originals except for a lovely version of 'Lush Life' as the last track.
I have ne album by Battista but can't put my finger on it for some reason. It isn't his first but the title escapes me. It's a promo title so the cover is a bit faceless too. NP Wes Montgomery In Paris (Resonance) Listening to side two at the moment. My copy had a defect on the last track, a white blob that looked like it was brushed on ala whiteout. Very curious defect, one I've never seen in my many years of collecting. I sent an email to Resonance and they sent me a replacement right away so kudos to the people at Resonance for taking responsibility for delivering to their customers. I get to hear the Wayne Shorter tribute for the first time. After being unsuccessful at removing the white mark I wasn't about to let my new stylus go through it. They did a really nice job on the recording and the packaging so glad I was able to get a replacement.
Agreed... I jumped on that sale too but there are still a good number of albums I'd like to get, and this is one of them. Great cover.
Time for a martini and Miles. Miles Davis - In a Silent Way (1969) Late 1970s US pressing on Columbia Records
This is a hidden gem in the Riverside collection imho. When I began with Bill Evans I only wanted to hear solo, duo or trio at the most. Don't get in the way of Bill! Later I learned to relax that ultimatum and enjoyed albums he made with Tom Harrell, Toots Thielemans and Harold Land to name a few. Then there was the discovery of him and George Russell which is another thing all together.
