I was in the Village last night so I stopped in Tower and now all titles are 30% off, matching the sale price you can get at Borders with a coupon.

I did pick up a couple of titles on my "want to buy" list including two obscure Harold Vick CDs: "The Caribbean Suite" and "Straight Up." Vick recorded for RCA back in the 1960s, but as you would expect that label didn't have any interest in reissuing music from a musician as obscure as Vick. But in 2004 the CDs did come out in Spain in '94, through Jordi Pujols, the owner of the *great* Fresh Sound label. I must say I was surprised to see them sitting in Tower's shelves.

I also picked up Jimmy Greene's latest CD, "True Life Stories" on the Danish Criss Cross label, one of my favorites. Greene plays in the hard bop mode and I am excited about giving this one a spin.

quote:

I was in the Village last night so I stopped in Tower and now all titles are 30% off, matching the sale price you can get at Borders with a coupon.

As of this morning, Tower on-line has still not changed its prices!

Chris,
Criss Cross isn't danish, it's dutch. I suppose you were probably confusing it with Steeplechase

quote:

Originally posted by K-Bee:
Chris,
Criss Cross isn't danish, it's dutch. I suppose you were probably confusing it with Steeplechase

My bad.

What is interesting is that Criss Cross CDs are widely distributed in the U.S. Steeplechase, unfortunately, no longer is. You can't find Steeplechase titles in Virgin, Tower, Borders et al. It is either on-line or, fortunately, in NYC you can still find them at J&R Music World. With Tower's demise J&R has the best jazz selection in the city.

Thank God for the Internet. I pulled a 30% coupon off the Internet and went to Borders and picked up pianist Mulgrew Miller's new Maxjazz disc, "Live at the Kennedy Center Vol. 1. Mulgrew performs in the classic trio formate, i.e., piano, bass, drums. His trio mates are drummer Rodney Green and bassist Derek Hodge. I can't wait to give this one a spin. Miller is on my short list as my favorite pianist.

I found a copy of Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Band's "Memories of T" for $9 yesterday. I heard this band live at the Vanguard and Riley brings quite a bit of verisimilitude to the proceedings because he had a long stint in the 1960s as Monk's drummer.

I made the mistake of popping into Tower yesterday and they were giving an extra 10% off the already sale price of 30% off CDs. So, it was 40% off and that is the equivalent of offering alcohol to a drunk and I went wild.

I probably wouldn't have bought two of pianist Eddie Higgins' CDs, "Again" & "When Your Lover" has gone, but the sale price on these obscure sides on the Japanese Venus label was too good a deal to pass up. Both discs were priced above $20 so the sale was substantial.

I also picked up drummer Ignacio Berroa's new CD "Codes" on the Blue Note label. I have long wanted Harold Land's "Take Aim," originally released in 1980 on Blue Note (though recorded in the early 1960s) but it never came out on CD on Blue Note. Mighty Quinn is a label that is licensing Blue Note titles and "Take Aim" was one of the label's first releases so I grabbed it when I saw it yesterday.

I never got around to buying Cedar Walton's "Spectrum," released by the Fantasy folks on Prestige. It is a two-fer, combining two late 1960s LPs. Who knows what is going to happened to the Fantasy holdings now that Concord owns it so when I saw the disc on the shelf I grabbed it.

I also found a pianist Dave Kikoski's new CD "Lighter Way" on a label, Apria, I've never heard of. Kikoski had been recording prolifically for Criss Cross.

Speaking of Criss Cross, one of my favorite labels, 'bone player Steve Davis' latest disc "Update" was still on Tower's shelf and I grabbed it. Davis put together a killer group of sideman for the disc, including two of my favorites, pianist Anthony Wonsey and trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

Finally, I went into the Virgin store with some $4 off coupons and found another Criss Cross disc high on my "want to buy" list, 'bone player Wycliffe Gordon's "Cone's Coup." Another disc with a great group of sideman, including up and coming sax player Stacy Dillard, ex-Messenger Johnny O'Neal and two-thirds of Wynton Marsalis' former rhythm section, bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Herlin Riley.

I picked up a copy of pianist Mike Longo's "Live at the Detroit International Jazz Festival" on his own Consolidated Artists Productions (CAP) label. Longo is best-known for his long tenure as Dizzy Gillespie's pianist. He uses the classic trio format on the disc, using bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Ray Mosca as his rhythm section mates.

I also went to a gig last night led by bass player Greg August, who I wanted to see ever since the "New York Times" reviewed his CD and likened his compositions to those of the formidable Cedar Walton, one of my desert island musicians. The aforementioned CD was on sale at teh gig and I bought it. It is called "Late August" on the Iacuessa Records label.

Living in the "Boonies" means the time between purchase and arrival can be a week of so. A whole bunch of "Live At Maybecks" just arrived and I am going thrugh my new CD ritual. This involves getting them into my database, convering them to mp3, and setting up some new playlists. The house in networked and one computer is connected to the stereo system. When I get up I pick a few playlists and them have music all over the house all day. Its a great way to get to know new CDs.

Now waiting for Bill Evan's "Waltz for Debby", Barney Kessel's "Carmen", and Brown and Roach's "At Basin Street".

The racks at Tower are looking awful picked through, but the 40% off price is tempting and I picked up vibes player Roy Ayers' "West Coast Jazz" CD. It is another one of those long out of print LPs from the Blue Note holdings (the LP was originally issued in '63 on United Artists) that have been recently licensed and reissued by the Mighty Quinn label.

Ayers is mostly associated with fusion/smooth jazz, but a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Ayers was a straight-ahead jazz musician and this CD reportedly reflects that.

Boy there is not much left on Tower's shelves so the end is near. In any event, I went in there again last night and did find -- at 40% off -- the new or one of the new CDs by the Great Jazz Trio called "S'Wonderful." Since Hank Jones in the principal in this group it doesn't take much arm twisting for me to buy it. His trio mates are bassist John Pattituci, best known for his work on electric bass with pianist Chick Corea, and drummer John DeJohnette, best known for his long tenure with Keith Jarrett in his Standards Trio.

The disc is on the Japanese 88's Label, which is distributed in the U.S. by CBS/Sony.

Tower on-line "Jazz in stock" is now down to 12,500 (from about 14,500 about two months ago. Prices on most items have not fallen, however, boxed sets are now 25% off. The price of my sample bag of 5 CDs I might buy is holding steady!

Chris - Where are you?

Hank Mobley - Roll Call
Dexter Gordon - Our Man In Paris

Two more of the Live at Maybeck Recital Hall series: Barry Harris and Stanley Cowell. Only five more to go!

That Cowell is, without question, my favorite of the series, MG. Congratulations on tracking it down.

I've been meaning to mention, but have been terribly remiss. As you keep looking for a good online source for ordering jazz, you might check out Euclid Records. I've known the owner for years, though we've spoken little since I moved away from St. Louis in '99. He's long made a specialty of mail order.

Now Playing: "Hole in the River" Crowded House Farewell to the World

Thanks LT. I'm on my way there now! BTW I haven't hear the Cowell yet. It usually take about 10 days to get a CD I buy on-line since my Paypal is set up direct to my checking account.

The Stanley Cowell Maybeck disc is ESSENTIAL!! Everyone even slightly interested in solo piano performances will need it asap! Nothing less will do, it's just that good.

LT

That is a great site. Good selection, good prices, and reasonable shipping. I filled up my basket and then decided to calm down a bit. So didn't get anything. Planning on going back, but with a limited list on hand.

BTW They had Cowell at Maybeck for a very reasonable price! I wish you had been a day earlier! lol

LT

Have you heard vol. 8 Gerry Wiggins or vol. 22 Ellis Larkins?

Listening to vol. 12 Barry Harris.

I've cut way back on my jazz purchases, but did pick up three Cal Tjader two-fers that were on sale at J&R Music World in NYC.

The first, is "Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen" which is paired with "West Side Story." I like the latter more than the former.

The second disc is called "Sentimental Moods" and it pairs "Latin For Lovers" and "San Francisco Moods."

The third disc is "Black Hawk Nights" and was recorded live at the the Blackhawk jazz club in San Francisco. This one combines "A Night at the Black Hawk" and "Live and Direct."

All were originally recorded on the Fantasy label, which is part of the conglomerate that owns the Concord, the Fantasy/OJC catalog and now Telarc.