The Colbert Report

So, Stephen Colbert is taking over for David Letterman. Colbert is a fine actor, comedian, interviewer-even a good song and dance man, I'm told. And it's those talents that will be on display as star of "Late Night." His choice as successor to Letterman does not portend tectonic changes at media megalith CBS, which airs the program. His slyly transgressive persona will be persona non grata.

Can anyone believe that CBS will adapt it's basic economic structure to accommodate Colbert's shtick as a left-liberal masquerading as a right wing wingnut? Will they happily sacrifice a broad swath of their demographic, as the good natured political ribbing that has dominated the show-with resounding financial success-goes right in the dumper and the character Colbert played on Comedy Central is given free range to acerbically dissect the foibles of the American power structure? Rather than the usual fawning treatment, will the cavalcade of Hollywood guests (whose movies are produced and distributed by the same company that owns CBS) now be in for the kind of ironic diss served up on the Colbert Report?

Sure, it could happen. If the sponsors of the Late Show decide they'll be happy to pay the same rates for a smaller and smaller but hipper and hipper audience. I'd be surprised. More likely, they will shave down Colbert's canines and reduce his bitter irony to a wholesome pap. Not too quickly, though. No doubt the network, the sponsors and producers will devise a strategy to woo Colbert's old viewers while reassuring the mainstream audience by slowly mutating Colbert from his current complex persona into something with the ring of the renegade, as has been perfected by the ad industry to sell jeans.  

Colbert might change the multi-billion dollar culture of late night TV; and Chris Christie might get a job as a tolltaker on the George Washington bridge, but I'm afraid my money's on Proctor and Gamble, Mercedez Benz and Sheldon Adelstein. There's just too much money at stake. Meanwhile, good luck, Colbert, we love you, er we love your persona, we think we love you, but we hope that what we love is really you [voice trails off to infinite recursion]...

Boston Piano Players

Jaki Byard

On the April 3, 2014 edition of the Duplex Mystery Hour on WZBC, guest Dick Vacca, author of the Boston Jazz Chronicles and I take a look at some piano players with a Boston connection.

Listen to the show.

Playlist:

Sid Reinherz "The Boston Trot" 1923 on Gennett 

Jaki Byard "Spanish Tinge No 1" 1989 on Candid 

Sabby Lewis Orch "Boston Bounce" 1946 on Continental 

Dave McKenna "You Stepped Out of a Dream" 1991 on Concord Jazz 

Ran Blake and Sera Serpa "When Sunny Get Blue" 2010 on Inner Circle 

Joanne Brackeen "Dr. Chu Chow" 1990 on Concord Jazz 

Nat Pierce Septet "Gale Boogie" 1949 on Crystal-Tone 

James Williams "Love Letters" 1987 on Emarcy 

Dominique Eade and Jed Wilson "Never Let Me Go" 2006 on Jazz Project 

Dick Twardzik "A Crutch for the Crab" 1955 on Pacific Jazz 

Chick Corea "Pannonica" 2002 on Blue Note 

Ray Santisi "Pendulums"  2005) on Rasan 

Get Miff-Ed

Miff Mole was a leading light of early jazz trombone. He played with everyone-check out the playlist-and his playing always shone.

Listen to the show.

Playlist:

Lanin's Southern Serenaders. "Aunt Hagar's Children's Blues  (1921), Paramount

Lanin's Southern Serenaders. "Shake It Break It" (1921), Paramount

Original Memphis Five "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like Sister Kate" (1922), Perfect 

Original Memphis Five "Tin Roof Blues" 1923), Perfect 

Ray Miller and His Orchestra "Mama's Gone" (1924), Brunswick 

Bix & Sioux City Six "I'm Glad"  (Jazz, 1924), Gennett 

The Red Heads "Nervous Charlie" (Jazz, 1925), Pathe 

The Cottonpickers "Prince of Wails"  (Jazz, 1925), Brunswick 

Ray Miller and His Orchestra "Nobody Knows What a Red Headed Mama Can Do" (Jazz, 1924), Brunswick 

The Tennessee Tooters "How Come You Do Me Like You Do?" (Jazz, 1925), Vocalion 

Bix Beiderbecke & Sioux City Six "Flock O' Blues" (Jazz, 1925), Gennett 

Red And Miff's Stompers "Alabama Stomp" (Jazz, 1926), Edison 

Red And Miff's Stompers "The Stampede" (Jazz, 1926), Edison 

Red Nichols & His Five Pennies "That's No Bargain" (Jazz, 1926), Vocalion 

The Arkansas Travelers "Sensation" (Jazz, 1927), Harmony 

Miff Mole and his Little Molars "I Ain't Got Nobody"(Jazz, 1927), Okeh 

The Six Hottentots "The Memphis Blues"(Jazz, 1927), Domino 

VIsiting the Abel Meeropol Archive

Abel Meeropol, under the pen name of Lewis Allan, was the composer of the song "Strange Fruit." I'm producing an animation about the amazing story of the song's creation and its linkage to Billie Holliday, so it was a natural to pay a visit to the Howard Gottlieb Archival Center at Boston University, where his papers are stored. 

An internet search will easily get you biographical details of Meeropol's life, but in this post, my aim is to give you a sense of how these documents brought me closer to the person.


Read and see more.

The Edge of Schmaltz

Schmaltz-easy to say, but how do we really define it? Where does it lay along the slippery border between cheese, camp, marginal taste, pathos, bathos and emotional catharsis?  Is the very use of the word cringe-inducing? Not to me. One era's hip is often another era's schmaltz. Sometimes there's great musicianship involved. Is that enough to rescue the song or not? Sometimes the musicians are amateurish, but through sheer dint of sincerely, a hoary tune or corny lyric works. In one mood, a song sets your teeth on edge and in another mood, you reach for the handkerchief. 

Some of the folks in this playlist will be no surprise, some may bemuse and some annoy, but that's my job. 

Here's The Show.

Blue Stars "Hernando´s Hideaway" from "Jazz in Paris" (1955) on Barclay 

Ziggy Elman and His Orchestra "With a Song in My Heart" from "Dancing With Zig" (1950) on MGM 

Sarah Vaughn "Jim" from "w. Clifford Brown" (Jazz, 1954) on EmArcy  

Andre Previn "Mad About The Boy" from "Previn at the Piano" (1958) on RCA 

Cannonball Adderly "Shake a Lady" from "Domination" (1965) on Capital 

Chet Baker "Time After Time" from "Time After Time" (2002) on GFS 

Sam The Man Taylor "Tara's Theme" from "Blue Mist" (1955) on MGM 

Johnny Hartman "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" from "Sings" (1947) on Savoy 

Lena Horne "Beale St Blues" from "Swinging Lena Horne" (1962) on Coronet 

Matt Dennis "A Trout No Doubt" from "Saturday Date" (1957) on Tops 

Errol Garner "April In Paris" from "Concert By the Sea" (1956) on Philips 

Frank Sinatra "Autumn in New York" from "That Old Feeling" (1956) on Columbia 

Earl Hines "Why Must We Part" from ". . . And His Orchestra" (1933) on Jazz Archives 

Esperanza Spaulding "Precious" from "Esperanza Spaulding" (2008) on Heads Up 

Freddie Hubbard "I Got It Bad (And That ain't Good)" from "The Body and The Soul" (1963) on Impulse 

Bobby Hackett "Stairway to The Stars" from "Dream Awhile" (1961) on Columbia 

Jazz and Poetry Show

Poets like Pound, Cummings and Eliot began experimenting with form, rhythm and meter in the 1920's. At the same time, poetic practitioners in the Harlem Renaissance opened up to the influence of jazz. Weary Blues, written by Langston Hughes in 1925 was both an imitation of the music and a description of the environment where one watched and listened to the music. In a broad sense, it tried to bring a sense of improvisation to the poetry.

Jazz and poetry hunkered down for a while but re-energized with the coming of the Beats in the 1950's, which is the era wherein most of my playlist derives. Practitioners from that era are scarce, but the tradition maintains itself. There are also later experiments, using electronics and recording techniques, a couple of examples which I include.

Here's the Show.

Here's the Playlist:

Langston Hughes "Weary Blues" 1958 

Bob Dorough "Night and Morn" from "Jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific 

Bob Dorough "Daybreak in Alabama" from "Jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific 

Jack Kerouac "Blues and Haikus" (Jazz, 1959) on EMI 

Mark Murphy "Parker's Mood" from "Bop for Kerouac" (Jazz, 1981) on muse 

Christopher Logue "Red Bird" from "Red Bird" (Jazz, 1959) on Parlophone 

Kenneth Patchen "As I Opened The WIndow" (Jazz, 1959) on Folkways 

Bob Dorough "Dog" from "Jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific 

John Carradine "Poets to Come" from "Jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific 

Ben Wright "Sullen Art" from "jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific

Ben Wright "Lament" from "jazz Canto" (Jazz, 1958) on World Pacific 

United Future Organization "Poetry And All That Jazz" from "UNITED FUTURE ORGANIZATION" (Jazz, 1993) on Talkin' Loud 

 Mark Murphy "Kool Down" from "Tenth and Parker" (Jazz, 2000) 

Music (& Influences) of David Dominique

David Dominique is on hand to talk about his music on this edition of the Duplex Mystery Hour. We listen to large ensemble music from his "Ritual" cd and also to some of the music that either inspired him or simply helps to put his work into context. 

Here's the Audio.

Here's the Playlist:

David Dominique “Ritual” (David Dominique 2013)

Franco Donatoni “Lumen”  (1975)

David Dominique “Ritual 4” from Ritual (David Dominique 2013)

Charles Mingus “Duet Solo Dancers” from The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (Impulse 1963)

Igor Stravinksy “L'histoire du Soldat” (1918)

David Dominique “Ritual 4” from Ritual (David Dominique 2013)

David Dominique “Drunk Hump”from Ritual (David Dominique 2013)

Henry Threadgil “Paille” from You Know The Number (RCA Novus 1987)

David Dominique “Golden Retriever” from Ritual (David Dominique 2013)

Prefuse 73 “Suite For The Ways Things Change” from Extinguished: Outtakes  (Warp 2003)

David Dominique “Mulatto Shuffle” from Ritual (David Dominique 2013)

Dave Lambert-Pt. 2

Lambert at lower left

The Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour of Jan. 23 continued on to the last few years of vocalist/arranger Dave Lambert's career. The scatting that he and Hendricks do on "Airegin" is unsurpassed.

Here's the Program

Here's the Playlist:

Lambert Hendricks and Ross "Things Aint' What They Used to Be" from "Sings Ellington" (Jazz, 1960),  Columbia 

Lambert Hendricks and Ross "Midnight Indigo" from "Sings Ellington" (Jazz, 1961),  Columbia 

Dave Brubeck All Stars "Everybody's Coming" from "Real Ambassadors" (Jazz, 1961),  Columbia 

Dave Brubeck All Stars "Cultural Exchange" from "Real Ambassadors" (Jazz, 1961),  Columbia Lambert Hendricks and Ross "In A Mellotone" from "Sings Ellington" (Jazz, 1961),  Columbia 

Dave Brubeck All Stars "Swing Bells" from "Real Ambassadors" (Jazz, 1961),  Columbia 

Lambert Hendricks and Ross "Airegin (live)" (Jazz, 1961) 

Lambert, Hendricks and Bavan "Watermelon Man" from "At Newport '63" (Jazz, 1963),  RCA 

Lambert, Hendricks and Bavan "Nuthin for Nuthin" from "Havin a Ball" (Jazz, 1964),  RCA 

Lambert, Hendricks and Bavan "Deedle-Lee Deedle-Lum" from "At Newport '63" (Jazz, 1963), RCA 

Dave Lambert Singers "Think of Me"(Jazz, 1964) 

Dave Lambert Singers "Individualist Waltz" (Jazz, 1964) 

Dave Lambert Singers "Comfy Cozy" (Jazz, 1964) 

Dave Lambert "Donna Lee" (Jazz, 1965) 

Who Applied for LPFM in MA.

I thought it would be interesting to post this list of applicants for LPFM radio licenses in Massachusetts. There are a number of governmental agencies, schools, religious groups, public access corporations and community arts groups, including my former haunt Zumix in Eastie and our friends at the Zeitgeist Gallery in Lowell. There are 9 applicants in Boston.

Props to Scott Fybush.

ACTON 94.9 TOWN OF ACTON MASSACHUSETTS
AMHERST 103.1 HAMPSHIRE ARTS CON
ATHOL 105.9 ATHOL ORANGE COMMUNITY TELEVISION INC.
ATTLEBORO 101.1 ATTLEBORO ACCESS CABLE SYSTEM INC.
AUBURNDALE 102.9 LASELL COLLEGE RADIO
BELCHERTOWN 97.9 DWIGHT CHAPEL INC.
BOSTON 94.9 BOSTON HISPANIC COMMUNITY RADIO
BOSTON 94.9 RENAISSANCE CHINESE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
BOSTON 102.9 CITY OF BOSTON
BROCKTON 96.5 MASSASOIT COMMUNITY COLLEGE
BROCKTON 96.5 RANDOLPH CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY RADIO INC.
BROCKTON 102.9 RAHAB INC.
BROOKFIELD 98.1 A.P.P.L.E. SEED INC.
CHELSEA 94.9 CHELSEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CHICOPEE 98.7 CHURCH OF NEW COVENANT
CHICOPEE 102.5 ST. JEROME PARISH HOLYOKE EDUCATIONAL RADIO ASSOCIATION
DORCHESTER 94.9 FAITH TABERNACLE CHURCH OF JESUS- CHRIST
DORCHESTER 102.9 GLOBAL MINISTRIES CHRISTIAN CHURCH
DORCHESTER 102.9 GLOBAL MINISTRIES CHRISTIAN CHURCH
EAST BOSTON 94.9 ZUMIX INC.
EAST BOSTON 94.9 BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
EAST BOSTON 94.9 WINTHROP ART ASSOCIATION
EAST FALMOUTH 102.3 CAPE COD BUS FOR LIFE INC.
EASTON 96.5 EASTON COMMUNITY ACCESS TELEVISION INC.
FALL RIVER 88.1 MELISSA CLEAVES
FALL RIVER 88.1 JASON CLEAVES
FRAMINGHAM 96.5 ST. STEPHEN PARISH FRAMINGHAM EDUCATIONAL RADIO ASSOCIATION
FRANKLIN 102.9 FRANKLIN COMMUNITY CABLE ACCESS INC.
GOSHEN 103.1 HIGHLAND ARTS CLUB
HAVERHILL 98.1 PUBLIC MEDIA OF NEW ENGLAND INC.
HOLYOKE 102.5 WORD OF LIFE CHURCH OF GOD
HUDSON 96.3 THREEFOLD MINISTRY BNPL-20131115AVM
HUNTINGTON 104.7 WHAB FOR BB INC
IPSWICH 96.3 IPSWICH BAY BROADCASTING CORP.
LAWRENCE 92.1 ILUMINACION DIVINA INC
LAWRENCE 97.9 ST. PATRICK PARISH LAWRENCE EDUCATIONAL RADIO ASSOCIATION
LEOMINSTER 95.1 CITY OF LEOMINSTER
LOWELL 94.9 ZEITGEIST GALLERY INC.
LYNN 94.9 IGLESIA CHRISTIANA TORRENTE DE CEDRON
LYNN 96.5 CITY OF LYNN SCHOOL COMMITTEE
MOUNT HERMON 106.7 NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL
NANTUCKET 105.5 TOWN OF NANTUCKET POLICE DEPARTMENT
NEWBURYPORT 96.3 NEWBURYPORT COMMUNITY MEDIA CENTER
NEWBURYPORT 96.3 EVOLVEMENT MEDIA GROUP
NORTH ADAMS 107.1 NORTHERN BERKSHIRE COMMUNITY TELEVISION CORPORATION
NORTON 96.5 WHEATON COLLEGE
NORWICH HILL 99.7 HILLTOWN COMMUNITY CHURCH
OAK BLUFF 105.5 M&M COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC OAK BLUFF BRANCH
QUINCY 91.3 QUINCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
SALISBURY 94.9 GOOD NEIGHBOR STATION INC.
SOMERVILLE 94.9 CHRISTOPHER W MORIARTY
SPRINGFIELD 98.7 ABOVE THE RIM INC
SPRINGFIELD 101.7 CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
SPRINGFIELD 101.7 WILFREDO HERNANDEZ
SPRINGFIELD 101.7 MEDIA PRESERVATION FOUNDATION
SPRINGFIELD 102.5 CATOLICASPRINGFIELD.COM
TEMPLETON 102.9 TEMPLETON BIBLICAL EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY INCORPORATED
VINEYARD HAVEN 105.5 MVPBS
WARREN 97.7 ST THOMAS AQUINAS SCHOOL
WEBSTER 97.9 SACRED HEART PARISH WEBSTER EDUCATIONAL RADIO ASSOCIATION
WESTFIELD 102.5 QUABOAG HILLS PUBLIC RADIO INC.
WESTHAMPTON 97.7 HILLTOWN CHRISTMAS STOCKING
WILLIAMSBURG 97.9 CITIZENS FOR A BETTER HILLTOWNS
WOBURN 94.9 WINCHESTER SCHOOL OF CHINESE CULTURE
WORCESTER 102.9 PRIDE PRODUCTIONS INC.
WORCESTER 102.9 WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY
WORCESTER 106.1 CHURCH OF GOD PENTECOSTAL SALVATION ROCK
WORTHINGTON 103.3 HILLTOWN COMMUNITY ARTS
YARMOUTH 103.5 CAPE COD CATHOLIC RADIO INC.

Oldham (Todd) In The Ozarks

"Or maybe your granny (great-granny?) was a weathered-but-gorgeous sharecropper, a Dust Bowl refugee in frayed frock and battered boots, only-wait! what if those boots were splattered with glitter?"

Sunday New York Times Style Magazine

                                         
"Damn heels." Granny was trying to weed the beans when one of our gopher holes intervened. "Pa, I told you to flush out those varmints and fill up the holes!"

"Be right with you, sweetie. Just trying to decide if these jeans ride too high in the crotch."

"Stop preening and get out here! God, my things are a mess. You'd think Gucci would find a way to dust-proof its purses."

"Stop frettin'. Next time I go to town I'll see what they have for clutches in Zeke's General Store."

"With that old nag laid up with the dropsy, it'll be a while before anyone gets back into town."

"Damn, that means we won't be able to pick up this month's Harper's Bazaar."

"Pooh. There's nothin' in there you can't see in Potato Grower's Weekly."

"Well, who's a little snippy? Just because that burlap frock of yours showed up in a J.C. Penney's ad."

"Like to know what Martha what's-her-name got for designing that."

"Honey, it'll be a hot day in I.J. Fox's mink storage vault the day she can slop 10 pigs and do what you do with a can of spam."

"You're sweet. Hand me that bucket of glitter, will you?

"Wait, you're not planning to...?"

"Yes I am, you old fuddy-duddy."

"But honey, a dozen designers slaved for months to achieve that shade of puce. And 6 Bangladeshis spent two weeks hand-applying 10 coats of lacquer to the vinyl. "

"I don't care, pa. It's mostly covered with cow manure anyway and I need a little sizzle in my life."

"But glitter? It's so--louche!"

"Just because nobody else in the dust bowl has done it before doesn't make it wrong."

"Oh, honey, that's why I married you. (That and your pa's shotgun). You always were out in front of the rest of the pack."

"Like to see those rubes next door try to measure up to our standards."

"Too late for that now. The sheriff took 'em away after they missed their sharecrop payment."

"I know. I offered to lend her my Chanel suit for the trip to Leavenworth, but she just gave me a blank look."

"Most of these Okies couldn't tell the difference between Prada and Pravda."

"That's a good one, pa, but let's get going. If we move fast, we can patch that hole in the ceiling with last week's Style section before the next tornado and still have time for that skin peel we promised each other."

"Honey, have I told you lately you're weathered but gorgeous?"

"Come on, lover. let's go take a hard look at the crotch on those jeans."

Dave Lambert Music 1945-1962

On the last Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour on WZBC, I got through music from the early days of pioneering jazz vocalist Dave Lambert up through much of the Lambert, Hendricks and Ross material. On my next show, I'll cover the material he did as he approached his untimely death in 1966, but right now, here's two solid hours of scat and vocalese with Dave Lambert and confreres.

The Program:

The Playlist

 Dave Lambert with Gene Krupa "What's This"  (1945) on Columbia 

 Dave Lambert with Gene Krupa "I Should Care" (1945) on Columbia 

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart w. Red Rodney's Beboppers "Gussie G." (1946) on Keynote 

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart w. Red Rodney's Beboppers "Charge Account" (1946) on Keynote 

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart "Hot Halavah"  (1948) on Sittin In With

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart "In the Merry Land of Bop" (1948) on Mainstream 

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart w. Allan Eager Sextet "Bopelbaby" (1948) on Sittin In With 

 Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart w. Allan Eager Sexte "Bopelground" (1948) on Sittin In With 

 Dave Lambert Singers "Hawaiian War Dance" (1949) on Capital 

 Dave Lambert Singers "Always"  (1949) on Capital 

 Charlie Parker w. Dave Lambert "In The Still Of The Night" from "Charlie Parker with Voices"  (1953) on Verve 

 Charlie Parker w. Dave Lambert "Old Folks" "Charlie Parker with Voices" (1953) on Verve 

 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross "It's Sand, Man!" from "Sing a Song of Basie" (1957) on Impulse 

 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross "Two For The Blues" from "Sing a Song of Basie" (1957) on  Impulse 

 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross "One O'Clock Jump" from "Sing a Song of Basie" (1957) on  Impulse 

 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross "Little Pony" from "Little Pony" (1957) on Impulse 

 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross "Four" from "The Swingers" (1958) on Pacific Jazz 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Now's the Time" from "The Swingers" (1958) on Pacific Jazz 

 Dave Lambert "Dark Cloud" from "Dark Cloud" (1958) on Pacific Jazz 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Charleston Alley" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on  Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Moanin'" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Twisted" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Bijou" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Cloudburst" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Jumpin At the Woodside" from "Sing Along With Basie" (1958) on  Emus 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Goin to Chicago Blues" from "Sing Along With Basie" (1958) on  Emus 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Tickle Toe" from "Sing Along With Basie" (1958) on Emus 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Let Me See" from "Sing Along With Basie" (1958) on Emus 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Every Tub" from "Sing Along With Basie" (1958) on Emus 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Cottontail" from "Sing Ellington" (1960) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "All Too Soon" from "Sing Ellington" (1960) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Happy Anatomy" from "Sing Ellington" (1960) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Rocks in My Bed" from "Sing Ellington" (1960) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross "Main Stem" from "Sing Ellington" (1960) on Columbia 

 Lambert Hendricks & Ross  "Centerpiece" from "Hottest New Group in Jazz" (1959) on  Columbia

The Catechism of Jazz Criticism Cliche; Volume The First

All cliches guaranteed culled from jazz blogs.

• Into his efforts what must a jazz musician put: His all.
• Can the state of originality be surpassed? Yes, by ultra-originality.
• Can note choice, harmony or sense of time be peccable? No, only impeccable.
• What method of transport sometimes inheres in jazz performance: Being swept up.
• What effect may other musical genres sometimes inflict on jazz:"Tinge-ing"
• Can the adjective "neo" be attached to to any stylistic jazz descriptor: Yes.
• What dangerous cardiac condition can be induced by certain ballad performances: Heartbreak.
• Of what form of empty bombast is the tenor saxophone sometimes accused: Bluster.
• In what practical sartorial appurtenance can a drummer likely be found? In the pocket.

With apologies to Myles na gCopaleen

The Sound of Boston Jazz: 1960-66

On the last Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour, I was joined by Dick Vacca, doyen of Boston Jazz history. The music in this show represents many of the threads running through jazz in that era-modal, hard-bop, swing-to-bop as well as the more venerable sounds of blues, lounge and big band. It includes some hard-to-find, indeed, some un-findable tracks. 

Here's the show:

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

And the playlist:

Joe Bucci "Midnight Blue" from "Wild ABout Basie" (Jazz, 1962) on Capital 

Bill Berry Quintet "Manhattan Blues" from "Jazz and Swinging Perc." (Jazz, 1961) on Directional Sound 

Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio "Homework" from "Toshiko" (Jazz, 1956) on Storyville 

Toshiko Mariano Quartet "When You Meet Her" from "The Toshiko Mariano Quartet" (Jazz, 1961) on Candid 

Dave Lambert Singers "Individualist Waltz" from "Individualist Waltz" (Jazz, 1964) 

Charlie Mariano Quintet "To Taiho" from "A Jazz Portrait of Charlie Mariano" (Jazz, 1963) on Regina 

Joe Viola "Minor Mannerisms" from "Joe Viola Plays Manny Albam" (Jazz, 1959) on Berklee Records 

Rocky Boyd Quintet "West 42nd Street" from "Ease It" (Jazz, 1961) on JazzTime 

Roland Alexander Quintet "Orders To Take Out" from "Pleasure Bent" (Jazz, 1961) on Prestige 

Paul-Champ Three "Big Jim" from "The Paul-Champ Three" (Jazz, 1966) on Fleetwood 

Paul-Champ Three "Angel Eyes" from "The Paul-Champ Three" (Jazz, 1966) on Fleetwood 

Herb Pomeroy Orchestra "Woody 'n You" from "Woody 'n You" (Jazz, 1961) 

Woody Herman Orchestra "Mo-Lasses" from "Woody Herman 1963" (1963) on Mosaic 

Ken McIntyre "Curtsy" from "Looking Ahead" (Jazz, 1960) on Prestige New Jazz 

Woody Herman´s Orchestra "Jazz Hoot" from "Woody Herman 1964" (Jazz, 1964) on Philips 

Jes 2 "Our Love is Here To Stay" from "Our Love is Here To Stay" (Jazz, 1966) on arco 

Jaki Byard Trio "Cinco y Quatro" from "Here's Jaki" (Jazz, 1961) on Prestige New Jazz 

Sam Rivers Quartet "Fuschia Swing Song" from "Fuschia Swing Song" (Jazz, 1964) on Blue Note 

Jaki Byard Alan's Got Rhythm from "Live Vol. 2"1965 on  Prestige 

Regrets, Recriminations and Resolutions Show

It's the end of the year, a time to try and reckon with all that bad behavior. Here's a show about the stuff you did that you want to give up, the stuff you don't want to give up but should and the stuff you didn't do and want to do (not to mention what you want the ones who are near and dear to you to do or not to do).

Here's the show.

Here's the Playlist:

Frankie Ford “You Talk Too Much” (1960)

Louis Armstrong “Muggles” (Okeh 1928)

Blood Sweat & Tears “I Can't Quit Her” from child is father to the man LP (Columbia 1967)

King Pleasure “What Can I Say”  (Blue Note 1952)

Lee Morgan “Speedball”  (Blue Note 1963)

Mose Allison “Ever Since I stole the Blues” from Jazz Profile (Blue Note 1997)

Shirley Horn “Isn't It a Pity” from With Strings (Verve 1992)

Chris Connor “Miser's Serenade” from Chris (Bethlehem 1957)

Bob Dorough “Too Much Coffee Man” (Blue Note 2000)

Jackie Paris “Its Your red Wagon” from Songs By... (Emarcy 1956)

Jack Teagarden “Casanova’s Lament” from Basin Street Blues (Fabulous 1943)

Peggy Lee “Why Don’t You Do Right” from Let's Do It (Decca 1942)

Chu Berry “My Secret Love Affair”  (Movietone 1937)

Oscar Brown Jr. “Somebody Buy Me A Drink” from Sin & Soul (Columbia 1960)

Betty Carter “Ego” from Betty Carter (Bet-Car 1970)

Dizzy Gillespie “Hey Pete, Let’s Eat Mo Meat”  (RCA 1949)

Stick McGhee “Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee” (1947)

Champion Jack Dupree “WIne, Whiskey, Gin Headed Women” (Impulse 1963)

Lambert Hendricks and Ross “Gimme That Wine” from Hottest New Group in Jazz (Columbia 1960)

June Christy “You Took Advantage of Me” from This Is June Christy (Capital 1958)

Johnny Mathis “I Won’t Dance” from Live It Up (Columbia 1962)

Lee "Shot" Williams “I Ate Too Much OVer the Holidays”  (2006)

Nick Apollo Forte “Agita” (1984)

Ella Fitgerald “You’re Blasé” from Ella Fitgerald (Mgm 1970)

Tom Waits “Way Down In The Hole” from Frank's Wild Years CD ALBUM (Island 1987)

Syd Valentine “Goin Away To Leave My Baby” (Timeless 1925)

Edith Piaf “Je ne regrette rein”