Bill:
It is the same Victor Feldman, who also recorded with Joni Mitchell prior to his death in 1987.
Keyna Haynes from Winston-Salem NC wrote:
I'm am trying to find information on a jazz pianist by the name of Cyril Haynes. When I checked the web it directed me to this site, but I still can not find anything. I am looking for any or all information on Cyril Haynes.
Kenya:
The name didn't ring a bell right away, but I found out he recorded with Don Byas and Slim Gaillard, so I know I have him on some CDs.
Go to this All Music Guide link for more information:
www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=B0pfwxqr5ldse
Bob Lang from Port Jefferson, NY wrote:
I came across a question and answer in your April 2002 listing about Billy Eckstine's recording of "A Cottage For Sale". The person who asked the question mentioned that Ella
Fitzgerald recorded it also. Although you didn't comment on this possibility, do you in fact know of an Ella Fitzgerald recording? My wife's father, Larry Conley, wrote the lyric for the song and we have many recordings of it but have never come across any by her.
Bob:
I didn't comment about Ella supposedly having recorded "A Cottage for Sale" since he was looking for Billy Eckstine's version. I haven't found any indication that she recorded it, but I don't have access to a complete discography of her works (unless one is in Stuart Nicholson's dreadful biography of her; my copy is packed up along with hundreds of other books that I don't have shelves for at the moment). It's not on any of the three dozen or so titles I own. It seems likely she would have recorded it, since it is such a beautiful bittersweet ballad.
Mrs. Hanka Koleilat from Beirut, Lebanon wrote:
A few days ago I watched on the TV a film with Sean Penn about a jazz guitar player - as I saw the film from the middle I do not know the title - who was a contemporary of Django Reinhardt and his name sounded like Everet Ray. I did not find any similar name on the internet - can you help me? Thank you very much in advance.
Mrs. Koleilat:
The movie, written and directed by Woody Allen, is "Sweet and Lowdown," with Sean Penn portraying a fictional guitarist Emmett Ray.
David Krug from Kansas City, MO wrote:
I have heard a song I love called "Old-Fashioned Love" on my Soundtrack from "Sweet and Lowdown" CD (the Woody Allen film starring Sean Penn). It is a very fast moving, toe tapping, type of jazz, and I love this song. Lots of guitar, clarinet...but it always moves back to a central melody. What style of jazz is this? I would like to hear more of it. Any artists you would recommend if it is this song that I like? I think I have heard this style in New Orleans before. Please advise if you can. Thanks.
David:
The piece "Old Fashioned Love" was written by stride pianist James P. Johnson, but musical director Dick Hyman arranged it in a Classic Jazz style, which emphasizes the individual solos more so than group improvisations, though the ensembles clearly sound very loose as well.
As for artists, you might want to check out Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, Bix Beiderbecke, and Fletcher Henderson for starters, but be aware that these and other artists tend to overlap into several styles of jazz.
Lisa from San Francisco, California wrote:
First off, thanks in advance for your time and help. I am looking for a CD (title unknown) which is a live recording of Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Charlie Bird. The story I was told is Charlie Parker hocked his instrument for drugs before the performance, showed up to the venue without his trumpet and the other fellas rallied around only to get their hands on a plastic trumpet. If you have any leads on what the title of this particular CD is I would appreciate you passing it on. Again, thank you for you time.
Lisa:
The CD you are seeking is "Jazz at Massey Hall," a 1953 concert recorded in Canada, featuring Charlie Parker (who also was nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird") on a borrowed plastic alto sax (not trumpet), Dizzy Gillespie (Not Miles Davis)on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Charles Mingus on bass, and Max Roach on drums. Mingus himself taped the concert. There are other live CDs featuring Parker on a plastic alto sax but this is the best known one.
Don Emanuel from Kent, United Kingdom wrote:
I've always been a massive fan, as an amateur drummer, of Shelly Manne. I have two of his LPs, My Fair Lady and the Gershwin album on Capitol. Have either been issued on CD? Both are superb with the Gershwin one arranged by John Williams of Stars Wars fame. Williams was a great jazz arranger, one of the best tracks by Kenton's Neophonic Orchestra was arranged by him.
Don:
Shelly Manne's "My Fair Lady' has been available in Fantasy's OJC series for some time, and they just reissued it in 20-bit form as well.
The Capitol LP, 'Manne, That's Gershwin,' was reissued some time in the 1980s on LP by Discovery, but it has evidently never been put out on CD.
Gordon Peterson from Clemmons, NC wrote:
A jazz artist who died on Aug. 5th played what he called a puckalo. A cross between whistling and the piccolo. The name is either Robert or Ronald McGrovey(sp?) Can you help me out with the right name and some CD listings? Thank you for your time.
Gordon:
I wasn't aware that Ron McCroby had died recently, although I was only vaguely familiar with him. He made two LPs for Concord Jazz in the early 1980s (Ron McCroby Plays Puccalo and The Other Whistler), neither of which has appeared on CD. I always thought that the puccalo was just a fancy name he gave his whistling. If you enjoy whistling in jazz, be sure to check out the best at it, harmonica player Toots Thielemans, who is the guy you heard for years whistling the theme on the Old Spice TV commercials. Euclid Records might have one or both of his LPs.
Roz from Montvale NJ wrote:
I have Clyde Terrell's "Out of the Shadows", a fabulous album and have just received today, "First Time Out". I know there is another album from Clyde "For All We know" which I cannot find. Amazon.com had it listed but they can't seem to get it. I've searched everywhere. Any ideas?
Roz:
It may very well be that the label that issued both "Out of the Shadows" and "For All We Know," DBK Jazz, is out of business; that could be why major CD sites don't have it.
Half.com doesn't even have a listing for the very recent title from the late 1990s which you're seeking, and "Out of the Shadows" is selling for $1.89, so I don't think many used CD dealers are likely to be interested in carrying this little known singer. It's a common problem for jazz artists on tiny labels.
Robert Sweibel from Marblehead, MA wrote:
I heard a song on WGBH-FM in Boston called "Tuskegee Experiment" featuring a fantastic clarinetist. Can you identify the artist so I can buy the CD? Thank you.
Robert:
The clarinetist is Don Byron and the Blue Note CD is called "Tuskegee Experiments."
R. N. wrote:
Can you tell how to find a copy of "Coral Reef" by Neal Hefti, played by his band? My search goes back to around 1953.
R. N.:
Unfortuantely all of Neal Hefti's discs which he recorded as a leader are long out of print, including 'Swinging on a Coral Reef," a 10 inch LP recorded for Coral in 1951. You will likely have to go the auction route to secure a copy of this. Euclidrecords.com auctions 10 inch discs from time to time, and there are others around who do as well.
Joan Mason from Jacksonville, FL wrote:
Who is the jazz pianist born in Jacksonville, FL and raised in Hartford, CT. mentioned in an article in Time magazine in Aug/Sept. 1999 or 2000 praising his new release?
Joan:
I didn't see the article but that description fits pianist Brad Mehldau.
Mary Louise from Bend, OR wrote:
I am trying to find The Original Jazz Masters Series Volume I-V. The CD has DA music and Black Lion listed on it. It belongs to a friend, and it's incredible music! I'm trying to get my own copies. Thanx for any help.
Mary Lousie: Since DA Music/Black Lion is no longer in business, it has lapsed from print. You might want to check used sites like half.com, second spin.com, euclidrecords.com and the like.
