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M3563, Stereo S7563 monophonic albums, $4.98; stereophonic albums, $5.98 —at dealers everywhere (nationally advertised manufacturer's suggested list prices) 8481 MELROSE PLACE CONTEMPORARY RECORDS LOS ANGELES 46, CALIFORNIA sion, his harmonic vision was more traditional qualities of swing, strongly related to the use of the earthiness and a blues tinged im• LETTERS upper partials of conventionally tri- provisatory base. As long as he adic based chords.) continues to develop in this direc• As far as the Thornhill orchestra is tion I don't see what more can be concerned, it is their inability to asked of him. grasp the rhythmic inflections of a —Don Heckman bop line that make some of the Evans charts sound so awkward. The (My remarks on Gil Evans, which I lines are there to be played, but intended to be quite cautious and even Chasing the Bird would sound tentative, seem to have produced a ridiculous if it were played with a lot of misunderstanding. First, I did ricky-tick dotted eighth note feeling. not say that Evans should have ap• Nor does it seem particularly fair prehended Parker's music; nor would to qualify Evans' brilliance as a jazz I, I hope, say anything so foolish; arranger-composer by his associa• nor was such a position the "basis" tion with Miles Davis. The alliance of my other remarks. Also, I did of Ellington with his orchestra is not intend to imply that Evans' also an important one, and in no talent (or even Thornhill's) functions way detracts from the specific jazz on the level of a Glenn Miller, a Martin Williams' recent (The Jazz talent involved. If anything, it's al• Rosemary Clooney, or an Ahmad Review, July) criticism regarding most as if the Evans' facility as a Jamal—far from it.—M.W.; the significance of Gil Evans as jazz arranger has tended to obscure a jazz orchestrator seems to be his talents as a jazz composer, and based primarily upon Evans' com• this would be a really sad loss. OLD RAGS prehension of the 'bop revolution' Martin Williams states that 'in no The Jazz Review and Mr. Tom Davin and the music of Charlie Parker. respect . rhythmically, linearly, are to be congratulated on 'Con• Isn't this a rather short sighted emotionally . does Evans appre• versations With James P. Johnson' criterion? No doubt it is true that hend Charlie Parker's music or the which appeared in JR, June 1959. the essenials of bop and the par• basic meaning of the bop revolution It's been a long dry spell since ticular rhythmic and harmonic ad• as such'. I can't help but feel that these eyes have seen information vances implied by it are not as this is begging the question. How of this type on the great James P. easily identifiable in Evans' music much of the basic meaning of the Johnson, and Davin's "oasis" is cer- as they are in that of Tadd Dameron bop revolution has been appre• atinly a welcome sight. Although or Dizzy Gillespie, but this is avoid• hended by Coleman Hawkins? Evans' much of the information was fresh ing the forest for the trees. art, like that of Charlie Parker would and straight-forward, one statement Evans satisfies a position in the de• be meaningless if it were limited by Davin about James P. does need velopment of jazz which is somewhat to this kind of awareness. Evans has clarification. On page 14, at the top analogous to that of Debussy and used whatever rhythmic, linear and of the 2nd column, appeared . Ravel in 'classical music'. At the emotional techniques of bop that he since he was the first Negro pianist time when Stravinsky was beginning found pertinent to the framework to cut his own rags.' This, we be• his massive attack on eighteenth of his own art. (Like most compe• lieve to be incorrect. Until other in• century derived harmonic and tent arranger-composers, he was well formation comes to hand, we would rhythmic concepts, the Impression• versed in the harmonic 'advances' record Scott Joplin as being the ists (possibly in a more subtle way) of the bop revolution long before first Negro pianist to cut his own were exploring the upper limits of that event took place, and by now rags. The following hand-played rolls triad-based harmony, venturing into has far exceeded it.) I do have a were cut by Joplin somewhere be• modality and bitonalities and widely slight inclination to wonder about tween 1910 and 1913 and released expanding the use of cross and con• his use of time, but when I listen ca. 1915-1917, if not earlier. to the wonderful rhythmic impetus flicting rhythms. Both approaches MAGNETIC RAG - Connorized (along with those of the Schoenberg of Gone on the "Porgy and Bess" album (even though poorly per• 10266 disciples) eventually resulted in the MAPLE LEAF RAG - Metro-Art contemporary music of today, the formed) my doubts soon dissipate. one method taking the form of a What it all comes down to is that 202704 violent iconoclasm while the other Evans is really a sort of prototype MAPLE LEAF RAG - Uni-Record explored the existing possibilities to of the totally sophisticated jazz 202704 such a degree, that there finally re• composer. He has borrowed freely MAPLE LEAF RAG - Connorized mained only new directions in which from whatever sources he finds con• 10265 to go. The analogy, therefore, is that venient, whether they be main• PLEASANT MOMENTS - Connoriz• of Evans remaining closer to the stream jazz, classical orchestration, ed (number unknown) developmental mainstream of jazz, or the rhythmic and harmonic teach• SOMETHING DOING - Connorized and less prone to the more violent ings of as avant-garde a composer 10278 excesses of the bop revolution. (I as Harry Partch. I think Evans is WEEPING WILLOW RAG - Con• think too that Bird was far less perhaps the only composer around norized 10277 of a harmonic revolutionary than is who has the ability and awareness I hope this clarifies matters. I will commonly considered, and that his to synthesize all of these elements be looking forward to further install• contributions were of much greater into a kind of greater whole which ments of the James P. Conversa• importance in the fields of melodic characterizes and reflects the tur• tions. improvisation and the destruction bulent elements active in jazz today, —Len Kunstadt, of the bar line. By his own admis• while at the same time retaining the Record Research Brooklyn, N. Y. 3 RAECOX RECORDS, Hotel, and among the JAZZ BULLETIN under the direction of regulars are trumpeter Teddy McRae and Eddie IRA SULLIVAN, tenorist Wilcox, recorded a clari• JOHNNY GRIFFIN, and the NEW YORK NEWS compiled SUN RA Arkestra (sic); the net trio record featuring from reports by Dan Mor- Jodie Christian trio, g;enstern. Frank Driggs, EDMOND HALL, HERBIE HALL, Richard Evans trio, Chris and others. and OMER SIMEON, with a Anderson and other Chicago The Upstairs at the Metro- rhythm section of Dick musicians frequently ap• pole, the Theresa Lounge Carey, Jimmy Raney, Al pear. Visiting musicians and the Arpeggio, all of Hall, and Jimmy Crawford. Sonny Stitt, Rolf Erick- which became jazz clubs Their plans include a son, Lee Morgan, Les this summer, have been CHICK WEBB memorial lp Spann, Philly Joe and Elvin Jones, Junior Mance joined by several new• with Webb's solos played and Tommy Flannigan all comers. The Show Place by Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa in Greenwich Village has sat in during recent and Cozy Cole and a band weeks. presented TONY SCOTT and of Webb alumni including Traditional and revivalist a LENNIE TRISTANO group Hilton Jefferson, Taft with Lee Konitz and Warne groups based in around Jordan, Eddie Barefield, Marsh. BABS GONZALES Chicago include the Franz and others. Off Beat) at 126th and Jackson band and LIL ARM• STRONG'S quartet at the Broadway opened with NORTHERN CALIFORNIA NOTES Red Arrow, the Charleston CHARLIE SHAVERS' quartet by C. M. Garrigues Chasers at the Lincoln featuring Ray Bryant. KJAZ, northern Califor• Lounge in Joliet.