Am reading with great interest your Jazz column; well done. Especially liked your kick-off with Brubeck. I collected a bunch of Brubeck and Getz during my college years and thought Desmond was as lyrical an alto as ever lived. He never failed to come through when I had a new date (kidding).
Brubeck came to Penn State for a concert I attended in the ’60s, as did another group by the name of “The MJQ.” To this day they are in my top five. The interplay between Jackson on vibes and Lewis on piano is without equal; the transfer of lead from one to the other is seamless. Milt Jackson is very different from Lionel but a genius in his own right. Connie Kay is also brilliant while maintaining an understated tempo. I will never forget when they appeared on stage in black suits and were amazingly restrained, almost classical in their approach. Their “Porgy and Bess” album is a treasure as is the first one I bought, “Comedy.”
Down the road if you’re looking for more greatness, you can find it with Keith Jarrett. I possess about 15 of his CD’s. His “God Bless the Child,” Vol. I of his Trio album, is akin to Goodman’s “Sing,Sing, Sing” in that it goes about 12 minutes. Check out Dejonette’s bass accompaniment throughout the entire piece. He has a brief solo but his driving, relentless background is awesome. A piece entitled “UDance” is another favorite; it is impossible to sit down when you hear it; you feel an urge to get up and boogie.
Keep up the good work. Hope your heart situation is under control.
Dave Cowles
P.S. I was at Benny Goodman’s final concert at Wolf Trap in the ’80s.
Once again we have a “shame on you letter” that is anonymous. If people choose to write-in to complain they should sign their names. The Sun Day should think about making it their policy not to print letters of any kind that are not signed. Everyone knows that the Sun Day only prints the news and in no way has any political agenda. As far as Mr. March’s article, I don’t understand how anyone could have been offended by his beautifully written letter. If you have a complaint, sign your name or shame on you.
Betty Barnett
