spring: another take
Sun Ra Arkestra (SR, 1914-1993, piano, composition; June Tyson, vocals; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone, et al.), “Springtime Again,” live, Rome, 1980
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lagniappe
reading table
Thus spring begins: old
stupidities repeated,
new errors invented.—Kobayashi Issa (1763-1827), translated from the Japanese by Sam Hamill
spring!
Blossom Dearie (1924-2009; vocals, piano), “They Say It’s Spring” (M. Clark, B. Haymes), 1958
*****
Bob Dorough (1923-2018; vocals, piano), “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” (T. Wolf, F. Landesman), 1997
*****
Sun Ra Arkestra (SR, 1914-1993, piano, composition; June Tyson, vocals; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone, et al.), “Springtime Again,” live, Rome, 1980
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
timeless
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (AB, drums; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; John Hicks, piano; Victor Sproles, bass), live (music starts at 4:25), Paris, 1965
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lagniappe
random sights
yesterday, Chicago
*****
reading table
If I had known
how sorrowful this world is,
I would have become
grass or a tree
in a deep mountain!—Ryokan (1758-1831), translated from Japanese by Kazuaki Tanahashi
like nobody else
This world is not my home . . .
—Sun Ra (1914-1993)
Sun Ra Arkestra (SR [keyboards, vocals], John Gilmore [tenor saxophone, clarinet, vocals], et al.), live, Spain (San Sebastian), 1985
#1
***
#2
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lagniappe
reading table
Appalled: by all the dead: Henry brooded.
—John Berryman (1914-1972 [MCOTD Hall of Fame]), from Dream Song 21
bad news/good news
Bad news: You’ve heard nothing this good in who knows how long.
Good news: You’re about to hear this.
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (AB, drums; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; John Hicks, piano; Victor Sproles, bass), “On The Ginza,” “Lament for Stacey,” “The Egyptian,” “I Can’t Get Started,” “Buhaina’s Delight,” live (TV show), London, 1964
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lagniappe
art beat
Robert Frank (1924-), Rooming house—Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, 1955/56
timeless
One of my favorite ballads.
“I Can’t Get Started” (V. Duke & I. Gershwin), Art Blakey (drums), John Gilmore (tenor saxophone), Lee Morgan (trumpet), John Hicks (piano), Victor Sproles (bass), live (TV show), London, 1964
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lagniappe
reading table
What I try to do is not miss anything.
—Cubs manager Joe Maddon, on his goal at work each day
passings
Paul Bley, pianist, November 10, 1932-January 3, 2016
Live, 1970s?
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With Charlie Haden (bass), live, New York, 2000
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With John Gilmore (tenor saxophone), Gary Peacock (bass), Paul Motian (drums; or Billy Elgart, side 2, tracks 2-3), Turning Point, rec. 1964/1968
Side 1
Side 2
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Live, Norway (Oslo), 2008
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lagniappe
reading table
I held a Jewel in my fingers –
And went to sleep –
The day was warm, and winds were prosy—
I said ”Twill keep” –I woke – and chid my honest fingers,
The Gem was gone –
And now, an Amethyst remembrance
Is all I own –—Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), #261 (Franklin)
more
Sun Ra & His Arkestra (with John Gilmore, tenor saxophone, et al.), “Take the ‘A’ Train” (B. Strayhorn), live, Switzerland (Montreux Jazz Festival), 1976
What’s surprising here isn’t that there are so many wonderful moments. Given the line-up, you’d expect that. What you wouldn’t expect is for these guys to sound so cohesive, as if they’d been playing together for years.
Sun Ra All Stars (SR, keyboards; Don Cherry, pocket trumpet, vocals; Lester Bowie, trumpet; Archie Shepp, tenor saxophone, vocals; John Gilmore, tenor saxophone; Marshall Allen, alto saxophone, percussion; Philly Joe Jones, drums; Clifford Jarvis, drums; Famadou Don Moye, drums, percussion), live, Germany (Berlin), 1983
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More Sun Ra? Here. And here. And here.
More Don Cherry? Here. And here. And here.
More Lester Bowie? Here. And here. And here. And here.
More Archie Shepp? Here.
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