You know, it is just fun to contemplate the classic Ornette quartet. They must've seeemed like the biggest Fuck You in the history of jazz to date when they came along. Ornette was playing on a white plastic saxophone! Cherry was playing a pocket trumpet! They've got a white guy (Haden) who grew up playing in country bands on bass!

It's kind of ironic that Ornette's first major supporter was John Lewis Modern Jazz Quartet leader. (The irony is in the disparity between the MJQ's conservative rep & Lewis's big ears, not that he was really conservative but dug the weirdos from L.A.) I think Lewis was the one who pitched Ornette to Nesuhi Ertegun & got him signed to Atlantic.

I'll don the asbestos suit and defend Kenny G's "Songbird" as a single. When it came out, it was something a little different for Top 40 radio and made a nice change of pace. If he were a one-hit wonder, I'd remember him rather fondly.

But he caught on. And his shtick got old fast. One new-agey song, rather nice. VH-1 staple, ick.

And I claim no jazz cred for anything created after about 1945.

Quote from Patrick Berkery, drummer for The Bigger Lovers, after leaving Bernie's men's room:

"G.G. Allen wouldn't take a shit in there."

1. Where's Bernie's?

2. Patrick is a great guy. I met him when the Bigger Lovers played live on my radio show a couple of years ago. A total music geek and a writer as well (I think he writes for some Phillie paper?). More recently, he's also been drumming for the Pernice Brothers.

3. I was just reading about Ornette yesterday. I was trying to remember the name of the drummer on those early Sandy Bull albums (Billy Higgins). And if you've never heard the early Sandy Bull stuff, it's definitely worth seeking out. Proto-world-folk-music with a droney yet jazzy edge. The first three albums each had a side-long piece called Blend, Blend II, and Electric Blend (respectively) that were outstanding.

I was trying to remember the name of the drummer on those early Sandy Bull albums (Billy Higgins).

Joe's favorite drummer, no? Or is it Max Roach?

If I had to pick a favorite I'd probably go with Max or Tony Williams, but I'm terrible at choices & prefer to look at it as a buffet: so much good stuff & I can enjoy it all! I was fortunate enough to see & hear Billy Higgins not long before he died. You wouldn't have known he was sick to look at him. He was very thin, but he was beaming & very energetic. (Jackie McLean, on the other hand, didn't look so good. Try Jackie's 1963 Let Freedom Ring for one of the summits of each man's career.) I've never seen another musician who looked as if he were enjoying himself so much. Sounded great, too.

Anyone, huh? Count me in, if you're offering. Ya'll have peaked my interest.

OK, SA. DO you want them in MP3, or individual CDs? If MP3, I can throw in some other stuff, too . . . .

MP3 is fine. My profile addy is good. Thanks, man.

Velvet Tinmine seems to have spawned a competitor Glitter From the Litter Bin.

More insanely obscure glam singles including such titles as "Butch Things" and "Do You Like boys" and "Ride A Black Sheep." My favorite band name, though, is Edwina Biglet and the Miglets.

This is a really good comp - I think it's better than Velvet Tinmine which I wrote up for the book.

Heh. My iTunes says I have 6.1 days of music.