Comments for livingwithmusic.com http://livingwithmusic.com Collecting ... and more! Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:18:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Comment on Oscar Peterson Trio: London House Sessions, ‘61 by Larry Dwyer http://livingwithmusic.com/86/london-house-sessions-61/#comment-34736 Larry Dwyer Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:18:34 +0000 http://development.livingwithmusic.com/2005/11/21/london-house-sessions-61/#comment-34736 Thanks to Volkher for having this blog and to Arnold for the accurate list of recording dates. I was 17 years old and at the London House on 29 July 1961 during one of the recordings sessions. It was apparent that they were recording, because the coat room which was just inside the front door on the left was filled with recording equipment, with wires going out to the microphones on the bandstand in the middle of the north wall of the restaurant. Thanks to Arnold's dates, I know that this was the night I was there because I specifically remember the song "Ill Wind." Oscar played an extraordinary unaccompanied solo at the song's beginning, reminiscent of Art Tatum but clearly still Oscar. I was ecstatic, and thought that the whole room would erupt with applause. When Ray and Ed began playing on the second chorus, I waited two measures, heard no one else applauding , and then started the applause myself (heard at 1:39 on the recording). Fortunately, many others joined in! At the end of our dinner, when the Eddie Higgins Trio (the house band) was playing, we went out to our car in the lot on the corner adjacent to the London House building. Standing there getting some fresh air were Oscar, Ray, and Ed. My parents and I talked with them for a couple minutes, telling them how much we had enjoyed their performance, and their response was extremely cordial. Wanting to get their autographs, I went back inside the London House and got three of the restaurant's large post cards, which Oscar, Ray, and Ed then autographed. I still have those original autographs, and now know the date. Subsequently I purchased all four of the Verve vinyl LP recordings from these London House sessions, and loved the music, but always wished that Ray Brown's bass would be as deep and rich sounding as what I had remembered live. Fortunately, on this 5-disc set Ray's sound is absolutely wonderful. One must question Scott Yanow's review on AllMusic.com where he says that, "this very extensive set is mostly for Peterson completists and his greatest fans, because a certain sameness pervades the music after awhile." Well, yes, it is a piano, bass, drums trio all the way from beginning to the end, so that may account for the "sameness." Would he want a Wagnerian opera to be interrupted after two hours by a half-hour by a country and western band? To my ears, the trio's playing is incredible, the energy level remains extraordinarily high on every track, and -- having finally purchased this set "like new" (it was!) only two weeks ago -- I have now listened to it all twice through, and will probably do so dozens of additional times, with not a moment of boredom yet or anticipated. This is Oscar's greatest trio at the height of their powers, and I love every moment of it. Perhaps someone can answer a question about the song "Sophisticated Lady." The entire Ellington song is played through by the trio, and then Oscar the plays its last half as a piano solo. At the 2:51 mark, he continues playing solo, but segues into another song which apparently begins at 3:00, a song in which he is joined by Ray and Ed at 5:16. I do not recognize the song, and it is not listed on the printed materials accompanying the discs nor on this board's discussions. Does anyone know the title of this beautiful song? Thanks to Volkher for having this blog and to Arnold for the accurate list of recording dates. I was 17 years old and at the London House on 29 July 1961 during one of the recordings sessions. It was apparent that they were recording, because the coat room which was just inside the front door on the left was filled with recording equipment, with wires going out to the microphones on the bandstand in the middle of the north wall of the restaurant. Thanks to Arnold’s dates, I know that this was the night I was there because I specifically remember the song “Ill Wind.” Oscar played an extraordinary unaccompanied solo at the song’s beginning, reminiscent of Art Tatum but clearly still Oscar. I was ecstatic, and thought that the whole room would erupt with applause. When Ray and Ed began playing on the second chorus, I waited two measures, heard no one else applauding , and then started the applause myself (heard at 1:39 on the recording). Fortunately, many others joined in!
At the end of our dinner, when the Eddie Higgins Trio (the house band) was playing, we went out to our car in the lot on the corner adjacent to the London House building. Standing there getting some fresh air were Oscar, Ray, and Ed. My parents and I talked with them for a couple minutes, telling them how much we had enjoyed their performance, and their response was extremely cordial. Wanting to get their autographs, I went back inside the London House and got three of the restaurant’s large post cards, which Oscar, Ray, and Ed then autographed. I still have those original autographs, and now know the date.
Subsequently I purchased all four of the Verve vinyl LP recordings from these London House sessions, and loved the music, but always wished that Ray Brown’s bass would be as deep and rich sounding as what I had remembered live. Fortunately, on this 5-disc set Ray’s sound is absolutely wonderful.
One must question Scott Yanow’s review on AllMusic.com where he says that, “this very extensive set is mostly for Peterson completists and his greatest fans, because a certain sameness pervades the music after awhile.” Well, yes, it is a piano, bass, drums trio all the way from beginning to the end, so that may account for the “sameness.” Would he want a Wagnerian opera to be interrupted after two hours by a half-hour by a country and western band? To my ears, the trio’s playing is incredible, the energy level remains extraordinarily high on every track, and — having finally purchased this set “like new” (it was!) only two weeks ago — I have now listened to it all twice through, and will probably do so dozens of additional times, with not a moment of boredom yet or anticipated. This is Oscar’s greatest trio at the height of their powers, and I love every moment of it.
Perhaps someone can answer a question about the song “Sophisticated Lady.” The entire Ellington song is played through by the trio, and then Oscar the plays its last half as a piano solo. At the 2:51 mark, he continues playing solo, but segues into another song which apparently begins at 3:00, a song in which he is joined by Ray and Ed at 5:16. I do not recognize the song, and it is not listed on the printed materials accompanying the discs nor on this board’s discussions. Does anyone know the title of this beautiful song?

]]> Comment on Elusive Reissues I: Dinah Washington and Siegel-Schwall by Kevin Bowen http://livingwithmusic.com/942/elusive-reissues-dinah-washington-siegelschwall/#comment-34720 Kevin Bowen Sun, 24 Mar 2013 02:04:16 +0000 http://livingwithmusic.com/?p=942#comment-34720 Hi Volkher, I have been a big fan of Dinah Washington for the past 20 years or more and have lots of her vinyl LP's. I have brought volumes 2, 3,&4 of her complete Mercury CD's just to get the obscure tracks I didn't have on the records. Looking through second-hand record shops I have picked up cassette tapes of her very early recordings with Lionel Hampton and radio broad-castes which I have not come across on CD as yet so I treasure these even though the sound is a bit scratchy. They have recently made some of Dinah's "live" material available. What I find annoying is that there are no full discographies available as they have for such artists as Billie Holiday. In her case there are at least three complete and annotated discographies for Billie which is very useful for the fanatical collector of which I have become one. I love most of the early 30's to 60's female jazz and blues singers. I live in New Zealand and have written several articles on the jazz singer Mavis Rivers (and compiled a thorough discography of most of her material) because of her connection with New Zealand. She lived here between 1947 to 1953 before leaving for the United States, but because she had family here she made frequent visits and tours to New Zealand. I collected all of her 78rpm recordings made on the New Zealnd TANZA records label and most of her "live" NZ recordings. That has been a very interesting exercise for me and through my research have met many very interesting and helpful people including a number of Mavis's family. She sang at some of the same clubs as Dinah did so must of seen her performing. I agree with you about not caring what the critics say about Dinah Washington's later material. I love most of her recordings as I love her voice and her phrasing. I also find there is very little video material out there of Dinah in concert or on TV. I love watching her performing so it is disappointing of how little there is out there. No complete concerts of her performing at all. At the Jazz festival film she is only filmed singing "All of Me" even though she sang other numbers that day. Kind regards....Kevin. Hi Volkher,

I have been a big fan of Dinah Washington for the past 20 years or more and have lots of her vinyl LP’s. I have brought volumes 2, 3,&4 of her complete Mercury CD’s just to get the obscure tracks I didn’t have on the records.
Looking through second-hand record shops I have picked up cassette tapes of her very early recordings with Lionel Hampton and radio broad-castes which I have not come across on CD as yet so I treasure these even though the sound is a bit scratchy.
They have recently made some of Dinah’s “live” material available.

What I find annoying is that there are no full discographies available as they have for such artists as Billie Holiday. In her case there are at least three complete and annotated discographies for Billie which is very useful for the fanatical collector of which I have become one.
I love most of the early 30′s to 60′s female jazz and blues singers. I live in New Zealand and have written several articles on the jazz singer Mavis Rivers (and compiled a thorough discography of most of her material) because of her connection with New Zealand. She lived here between 1947 to 1953 before leaving for the United States, but because she had family here she made frequent visits and tours to New Zealand.
I collected all of her 78rpm recordings made on the New Zealnd TANZA records label and most of her “live” NZ recordings.
That has been a very interesting exercise for me and through my research have met many very interesting and helpful people including a number of Mavis’s family. She sang at some of the same clubs as Dinah did so must of seen her performing.

I agree with you about not caring what the critics say about Dinah Washington’s later material. I love most of her recordings as I love her voice and her phrasing. I also find there is very little video material out there of Dinah in concert or on TV. I love watching her performing so it is disappointing of how little there is out there. No complete concerts of her performing at all. At the Jazz festival film she is only filmed singing “All of Me” even though she sang other numbers that day.

Kind regards….Kevin.

]]> Comment on Anita O’Day (1919-2006) by Manfred Jüliger http://livingwithmusic.com/37/anita-oday-1919-2006/#comment-34711 Manfred Jüliger Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:09:07 +0000 http://development.livingwithmusic.com/2006/11/28/anita-oday-1919-2006/#comment-34711 I fell in love with Anita's music when i bought "Pick yourself up" some twenty years ago. Here singing is not that sad as Billie's: even the saddest lines she sings own a shining, positive quality. For example listen to "I never had a chance". This not simply sad, no she even enjoys thinking back of this love affair that was in vain. Very often i thaugt that her performing of the lyrics is much more deeper than that of Ella's. As a german i can understand every single word she sings. That is astonishing for me. Could it be that the people of Chicago speak a kind of American English which is near to your german articulation? Greetings Manfred I fell in love with Anita’s music when i bought “Pick yourself up” some twenty years ago.
Here singing is not that sad as Billie’s: even the saddest lines she sings own a shining, positive quality. For example listen to “I never had a chance”. This not simply sad, no she even enjoys
thinking back of this love affair that was in vain.
Very often i thaugt that her performing of the lyrics is much more deeper than that of Ella’s.

As a german i can understand every single word she sings. That is astonishing for me.
Could it be that the people of Chicago speak a kind of American English which is near to your
german articulation?
Greetings Manfred

]]> Comment on Universal Deluxe Editions by Richard Adam Hendricks http://livingwithmusic.com/27/universal-deluxe-editions/#comment-34696 Richard Adam Hendricks Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:41:42 +0000 http://development.livingwithmusic.com/2007/02/21/universal-deluxe-editions/#comment-34696 Is anyone in the mood for a good laugh from the past? Well, I just happen to have several classic stand-up comedy albums that we truly believe deserves to part of the Deluxe Edition Series. They are Woody Allen: Standup Comic from 1979 (which was recorded live at a club in New York City's Greenwich Village in 1963). My father told me it was the funniest album he ever heard in his life. Another one made by Robin Williams titled Throbbing Python Of Love, which came out in 1983 and can be included alongside his acclaimed live performance he gave at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall in 1982 in 'audio form'. You can also check on Reality...What A Concept from 1979 to see if it needs to get the Deluxe Edition treatment. Now that I had given you this special list, I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Is anyone in the mood for a good laugh from the past? Well, I just happen to
have several classic stand-up comedy albums that we truly believe deserves
to part of the Deluxe Edition Series. They are Woody Allen: Standup Comic
from 1979 (which was recorded live at a club in New York City’s Greenwich
Village in 1963). My father told me it was the funniest album he ever heard
in his life. Another one made by Robin Williams titled Throbbing Python Of
Love, which came out in 1983 and can be included alongside his acclaimed
live performance he gave at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall in
1982 in ‘audio form’. You can also check on Reality…What A Concept from
1979 to see if it needs to get the Deluxe Edition treatment. Now that I had
given you this special list, I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year.

]]> Comment on Mosaic Discographies by Jim Northover http://livingwithmusic.com/discographies-lists/discographies/download-mosaic-discographies/#comment-34695 Jim Northover Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:44:45 +0000 http://livingwithmusic.com/?page_id=766#comment-34695 I am looking for the liner notes for the Mosaic 108 L.P. The Complete Port of Harlem Sessions. Do you have them? Many thanks Jim Northover I am looking for the liner notes for the Mosaic 108 L.P. The Complete Port of Harlem Sessions. Do you have them?

Many thanks

Jim Northover

]]> Comment on IKEA Ivar by cb http://livingwithmusic.com/92/ikea-ivar/#comment-34682 cb Sun, 28 Oct 2012 09:46:57 +0000 http://development.livingwithmusic.com/2005/11/13/ikea-ivar/#comment-34682 What do you guys think the ikea change to plastic rails/edge or has that not happened all over the place yet? In the uk thlae bit of wood and metal that existed between the side units is replaced by plastic grey edge, serious compromise in aesthetics, and possibly strength... tell ikea so.. What do you guys think the ikea change to plastic rails/edge or has that not happened all over the place yet? In the uk thlae bit of wood and metal that existed between the side units is replaced by plastic grey edge, serious compromise in aesthetics, and possibly strength…

tell ikea so..

]]> Comment on Daiquiri: My Sound of Venezuela by Marcia http://livingwithmusic.com/1714/daiquiri-my-sound-of-venezuela/#comment-34679 Marcia Fri, 19 Oct 2012 18:46:56 +0000 http://livingwithmusic.com/?p=1714#comment-34679 I lived in Vzla all my life. This tune was very catchy. It was not until just the other day that it has popped back into my head. A certain customer at the coffee shop would come in and that song would pop into my head. I finally got him to listen to it after I explained to him why. He is from Costa Rica and never had heard the song. It fits him to a 'T'. I lived in Vzla all my life. This tune was very catchy. It was not until just the other day that it has popped back into my head. A certain customer at the coffee shop would come in and that song would pop into my head. I finally got him to listen to it after I explained to him why. He is from Costa Rica and never had heard the song. It fits him to a ‘T’.

]]> Comment on IKEA Ivar by diane lawrence http://livingwithmusic.com/92/ikea-ivar/#comment-34671 diane lawrence Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:23:19 +0000 http://development.livingwithmusic.com/2005/11/13/ikea-ivar/#comment-34671 Hi just discovered your web site have been a long time user of ivar even in old pre metric days (england went metric in 1971) I have used standard wine boxes (from a wine merchant locally who used to give them away but now charges £3.00 which they say goes to charity for the storage of cps. U just put a shelf in the middle horizontally. The box then sits on the ivar shelf. It could be screwed down but seems to work ok. It does keep them neat and safe. I use my mine for cds, large books, and have a series of drawers which no longer seem to be available. Thought u might be interested in this solution. Hi just discovered your web site

have been a long time user of ivar even in old pre metric days (england went metric in 1971)

I have used standard wine boxes (from a wine merchant locally who used to give them away but now charges £3.00 which they say goes to charity for the storage of cps. U just put a shelf in the middle horizontally. The box then sits on the ivar shelf. It could be screwed down but seems to work ok. It does keep them neat and safe. I use my mine for cds, large books, and have a series of drawers which no longer seem to be available.
Thought u might be interested in this solution.

]]> Comment on Ed Thigpen: Live at Tivoli / Master of Time, Rhythm and Taste by Jan Fischer http://livingwithmusic.com/1759/ed-thigpen-live-at-tivoli-master-of-time-rhythm-and-taste/#comment-34653 Jan Fischer Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:38:23 +0000 http://livingwithmusic.com/?p=1759#comment-34653 Ok, I sent it already. Yes, for the other readers too: CIJS for Copenhagen International Junior School :) thanks Volkher! Ok, I sent it already. Yes, for the other readers too: CIJS for Copenhagen International Junior School :) thanks Volkher!

]]> Comment on Ed Thigpen: Live at Tivoli / Master of Time, Rhythm and Taste by Jan Fischer http://livingwithmusic.com/1759/ed-thigpen-live-at-tivoli-master-of-time-rhythm-and-taste/#comment-34652 Jan Fischer Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:32:07 +0000 http://livingwithmusic.com/?p=1759#comment-34652 Fantastic!!! I've really got to borrow into this. I remember Mr. Thigpen when he came to visit CIJS, this must have been 1979 or 1980 ... its in the yearbooks, I've got to check it. hils, Jan Fantastic!!! I’ve really got to borrow into this. I remember Mr. Thigpen when he came to visit CIJS, this must have been 1979 or 1980 … its in the yearbooks, I’ve got to check it. hils, Jan

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