Fantasy in Orbit

Supersax, the band that played Bird: Lou Levy, piano; Frank DeLaRosa, bass; John Dentz, drums; Conte Candoli, trumpet; Jay Migliori, Ray Reed, Med Flory, Lanny Morgan, Jack Nimitz, saxophones ---- Clinic at Cal Poly, Pomona, California -- June 6, 1980 -- photo by Mark Weber ------ These guys were uniquely suited to play Bird simply because he was their idol and they had grown up as youngsters absorbing Bird and were hardcore boppers ---- also, they could read this involved material because they had all spent time in the big bands of Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, et. el. ------ By the time Med sat down in the early 70s to finally bring this idea to fruition and write some charts he had been in big bands 25 years ( ! ) SO, he KNEW what he wanted to hear ------ I wrote one of my most extensive ethnographies on this band SUPERSAX back before we stared Jazz For Mostly, so you can find it at drummer Cal Haines' website ---- Supersax recorded eleven albums of pure majesty and utter virtuosic artistry

Supersax, the band that played Bird: Lou Levy, piano; Frank DeLaRosa, bass; John Dentz, drums; Conte Candoli, trumpet; Jay Migliori, Ray Reed, Med Flory, Lanny Morgan, Jack Nimitz, saxophones —- Clinic at Cal Poly, Pomona, California — June 6, 1980 — photo by Mark Weber —— These guys were uniquely suited to play Bird simply because he was their idol and they had grown up as youngsters absorbing Bird and were hardcore boppers —- also, they could read this involved material because they had all spent time in the big bands of Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, et. el. —— By the time Med sat down in the early 70s to finally bring this idea to fruition and write some charts he had been in big bands 25 years ( ! ) SO, he KNEW what he wanted to hear —— I wrote one of my most extensive ethnographies on this band SUPERSAX back before we stared Jazz For Mostly, so you can find it at drummer Cal Haines’ website —- Supersax recorded eleven albums of pure majesty and utter virtuosic artistry

The Thursday Jazz Radio Show

January 14, 2o16 Jazz @ Noon every Thursday (starts at 12:07 after the satellite news) Host MARK WEBER KUNM Albuquerque, USA 89.9 FM (Mountain Standard Time) also streaming on the web KUNM.org Current time zone offset: UTC*/GMT -6 hours (*Coordinated Universal Time)/Greenwich Mean Time)

FANTASY IN ORBIT

One thing about a having a weekly radio show is it forces you to reassess.

I formed a lot of my musical opinions, like most of us, in my late teens, in the Sixties when so much was going on —- From age 14-18 you discover so much —- I still remember among my friends discussing this hermit who makes his own instruments, named Harry Partch, we really built a mythology around Partch —- and then all those Nonesuch Explorer records (all praise to series director Teresa Sterne) at a cut-rate price we could hear everything from Chinese zither to Japanese shakuhachi to Balinese gamelan, African hunting songs, Tibetan Buddhist chanting, and one of my all-time favorite records Ram Narayam sarangi —-ALSO, Nonesuch put out both of Morton Subotnick’s SILVER APPLES OF THE MOON and THE WILD BULL, early electronic music (on the first Buchla synthesizer) which were elevated in my teenage head to mythological status, so that years later amazingly I actually had lunch with Morton Subotnick (7/26/97 my autographed LPs say)(Thanks again to Teresa Sterne, both albums commissioned by her for Nonesuch). So that my ears were really going for this stuff, all those great records on the Philips label by Iannis Xenakis, Stockhausen, George Crumb, Elliott Carter, Luciano Berio, and another of my all-time favorites Charles Wuorinen’s TIME’S ENCOMIUM ———————–AND the record that really wiped me out, I think after Silver Apples this was the second one I acquired of electronic music (I hitch-hiked to Wallich’s Music City, Covina —- too young to drive) and brought home Tom Dissevelt’s FANTASY IN ORBIT (1963) which still to this day gets to me ———–AH, well, pardon my trip down memory lane.

One thing led to another and I became a jazz head. Which was an interesting odyssey in itself. And continual investigation and pleasure and looking over old opinions and reassessing.

Carmen McRae -- April 10, 1987 -- Cleveland, Ohio -- (I didn't catch the bass player's name) -- photo by Mark Weber

Carmen McRae — April 10, 1987 — Cleveland, Ohio — (I didn’t catch the bass player’s name) — photo by Mark Weber

Bobby Shew and Red Rodney kicking back at Carmelo's, North Hollywood -- March 17, 1982 -- photos by Mark Weber

Bobby Shew and Red Rodney kicking back at Carmelo’s, North Hollywood — March 17, 1982 — photos by Mark Weber

Eugene Chadbourne solo concert at P.S. 122, Manhattan ---- December 2, 1988 ---- I published a review on this great concert in CODA magazine ---- Dr Chadbourne opened the concert by wiggling out from the wings on his belly and adjusting dials on his feedback amplifiers and played his famed electric rake and was generally on his game this night, so much so that I still all these years later marvel at the memory -- photo by Mark Weber

Eugene Chadbourne solo concert at P.S. 122, Manhattan —- December 2, 1988 —- I published a review on this great concert in CODA magazine —- Dr Chadbourne opened the concert by wiggling out from the wings on his belly and adjusting dials on his feedback amplifiers and played his famed electric rake and was generally on his game this night, so much so that I still all these years later marvel at the memory — photo by Mark Weber

Rebecca Kilgore Quartet in Albuquerque -- September 30, 2o10 ---- Has it really been that long ago? This concert is still resonating inside my brain all these years later, what a great jazz singer ---- That's Dan Barrett set his trombone down and jumped on the piano; Eddie Erickson, guitar; Joe Forbes, bass -- photo by Mark Weber at Outpost Performance Space

Rebecca Kilgore Quartet in Albuquerque — September 30, 2o10 —- Has it really been that long ago? This concert is still resonating inside my brain all these years later, what a great jazz singer —- That’s Dan Barrett set his trombone down and jumped on the piano; Eddie Erickson, guitar; Joe Forbes, bass — photo by Mark Weber at Outpost Performance Space

Dr Wild Willie Moore -- San Francisco Blues Festival -- August 12, 1978 -- photo & squiggle by Mark Weber

Dr Wild Willie Moore — San Francisco Blues Festival — August 12, 1978 — photo & squiggle by Mark Weber

Don Pullen and George Adams afternoon music clinic at Tri-C Jazz Festival, Cleveland, Ohio -- April 7, 1989 -- photo by Mark Weber ----------- When I asked them about all that bluster from Charles Mingus on stage, when Mingus would yell out directions like a madman: "B FLAT MOTHERFUCKERS!" they told me that Mingus was a pussycat and all that was for show ------- My hair always stood straight up and I was quaking in my boots

Don Pullen and George Adams afternoon music clinic at Tri-C Jazz Festival, Cleveland, Ohio — April 7, 1989 — photo by Mark Weber ———– When I asked them about all that bluster from Charles Mingus on stage, when Mingus would yell out directions like a madman: “B FLAT MOTHERFUCKERS!” they told me that Mingus was a pussycat and all that was for show ——- My hair always stood straight up and I was quaking in my boots

I couldn't believe my luck when Janet & I were visiting Chicago that winter for a few days and read in the papers that Hubert Sumlin was bringing a band into Cottons ---- I spent my teenage years blown out of my sockets over Sumlin's guitar on Howlin' Wolf's records and here he was: Hubert Sumlin & The Nightcrawlers: Mark Burmback, piano; Sam Burckhardt, tenor; Shad Davis, guitar; Hubert, Stratocaster & vocals; Tom Sheely/Sheady? drums; Bob Stroger, bass ---- December 9, 1988 -- photo by Mark Weber

I couldn’t believe my luck when Janet & I were visiting Chicago that winter for a few days and read in the papers that Hubert Sumlin was bringing a band into Cottons —- I spent my teenage years blown out of my sockets over Sumlin’s guitar on Howlin’ Wolf’s records and here he was: Hubert Sumlin & The Nightcrawlers: Mark Burmback, piano; Sam Burckhardt, tenor; Shad Davis, guitar; Hubert, Stratocaster & vocals; Tom Sheely/Sheady? drums; Bob Stroger, bass —- December 9, 1988 — photo by Mark Weber

Ernie Krivda (tenor saxophone) performing his "Resurrection -- Concerto for Saxophone & Jazz Orchestra" plus his quartet (Jeff Halsey, Chip Stephens, Joe Brigandi) w/ 31-pc. Case Western Jazz Ensemble (conducted by Stephen Miller) -- November 7, 1986 at Harkness Chapel, Cleveland -- photo by Mark Weber

Ernie Krivda (tenor saxophone) performing his “Resurrection — Concerto for Saxophone & Jazz Orchestra” plus his quartet (Jeff Halsey, Chip Stephens, Joe Brigandi) w/ 31-pc. Case Western Jazz Ensemble (conducted by Stephen Miller) — November 7, 1986 at Harkness Chapel, Cleveland — photo by Mark Weber

Bill DeArango -- April 9, 1989 -- Cleveland -- photo by Mark Weber ---- This guy was out of sight, whew, the years I caught him in Cleveland he had a homemade amplifier and a highly modified guitar and he went OUT as the mood took him ----- He is known for his mid-40s work on 52nd Street and making records with Dizzy & Bird & Max, Ben Webster (we'll listen to some these on this show), Red Norvo, Erroll Garner, Don Byas, Al Haig, Charlie Ventura, etc and back home in Cleveland in the 60s he had a band with Ernie Krivda and kept things going as a guitar teacher

Bill DeArango — April 9, 1989 — Cleveland — photo by Mark Weber —- This guy was out of sight, whew, the years I caught him in Cleveland he had a homemade amplifier and a highly modified guitar and he went OUT as the mood took him —– He is known for his mid-40s work on 52nd Street and making records with Dizzy & Bird & Max, Ben Webster (we’ll listen to some these on this show), Red Norvo, Erroll Garner, Don Byas, Al Haig, Charlie Ventura, etc and back home in Cleveland in the 60s he had a band with Ernie Krivda and kept things going as a guitar teacher

Albert King's band ---- Finney Chapel, Oberlin College, Ohio -- October 11, 1986 -- photo by Mark Weber

Albert King’s band —- Finney Chapel, Oberlin College, Ohio — October 11, 1986 — photo by Mark Weber

Whew, we still look wet behind the ears! That's Nels Cline and myself sitting in an equipment van somewhere in Los Angeles -- May 15, 1982 -- photographer unknown ---- It might have been on one of the sessions for Nels' first album, the duet record he made with Eric Von Essen, that I got to write my first ever liner notes ( ! ) Long player album was called ELEGIES (Nine Winds) -- But I see here that that record came out in 1980, so, that photo is from some other time . . . . .

Whew, we still look wet behind the ears! That’s Nels Cline and myself sitting in an equipment van somewhere in Los Angeles — May 15, 1982 — photographer unknown —- It might have been on one of the sessions for Nels’ first album, the duet record he made with Eric Von Essen, that I got to write my first ever liner notes ( ! ) Long player album was called ELEGIES (Nine Winds) — But I see here that that record came out in 1980, so, that photo is from some other time . . . . .

You can tell by Norman O. Brown's look that he was amused by me ---- There was a literary conference going on at Cleveland State University and I had heard that Norman O. Brown was there, and so I conspired to be nearby in a bar having a few drinkie winkies that afternoon (took the day off from work) and although I couldn't afford the price of the conference I did find Dr Brown in a hallway and when I told him how much his LIFE AGAINST DEATH (1959) meant to me he turns around and asks me what I thought it was about --gulp-- I remember a dozen academics in tweed jackets (with the leather patches on the elbows) crowded around to watch me go down in flames, and I told him that to me his book was an extension of what Freud was going on about in his last book Civilization and it's Discontents, that it was a summary of history from a 20th century psychological point of view ---- He accepted that, generous person that he was, and told me he has a son named Mark, he told me that his friends call him Nobby and I was to do so, as well ---- He was about to deliver a paper and asked if I wanted to hear it, well, of course, he took me and sat me right in front of the podium ---- After that I had a modest correspondence with him, having sent him some of my chapbooks ---- photo by Mark Weber -- October 23, 1986

You can tell by Norman O. Brown’s look that he was amused by me —- There was a literary conference going on at Cleveland State University and I had heard that Norman O. Brown was there, and so I conspired to be nearby in a bar having a few drinkie winkies that afternoon (took the day off from work) and although I couldn’t afford the price of the conference I did find Dr Brown in a hallway and when I told him how much his LIFE AGAINST DEATH (1959) meant to me he turns around and asks me what I thought it was about –gulp– I remember a dozen academics in tweed jackets (with the leather patches on the elbows) crowded around to watch me go down in flames, and I told him that to me his book was an extension of what Freud was going on about in his last book Civilization and it’s Discontents, that it was a summary of history from a 20th century psychological point of view —- He accepted that, generous person that he was, and told me he has a son named Mark, he told me that his friends call him Nobby and I was to do so, as well —- He was about to deliver a paper and asked if I wanted to hear it, well, of course, he took me and sat me right in front of the podium —- After that I had a modest correspondence with him, having sent him some of my chapbooks —- photo by Mark Weber — October 23, 1986

8 Comments

  1. Fred Voss

    the usual evocative historical jazz photos Mark, thanks ah yes, Norman O. Brown, LOVE’S BODY (the book that followed LIFE AGAINST DEATH) was my bible for about 4 years until I entered the steel mill and had my life changed by a roaring white-hot flame) anyway yeah love’s body I was just thinking of it last night out of a dream and realized it was all kind of like Buddhism transcending the ego and connecting with something bigger than pure reason something godlike something powerful and full of love….(they say Freud was influenced by Jewish mysticism) thanks much for the good photo of him Mark — Fred Voss

  2. Marty krystall

    Jack Nimitz told me that when Bird sat in with the Washington DC big band he was in (there’s an LP of it) that instead of waiting during the first set (he was featured soloist on the 2nd set) he sat in the section and doubled the 2nd tenor part on alto!

  3. Nels Cline

    DANG, Mark!….

    I think that photo is of you & me sitting in Alex’s old Chevy van outside (perhaps) the L.A. Press Club on Vermont (now long gone, of course) before a Quartet Music show.

    Peace….

  4. Mark Weber

    ————————-playlist—————————————-
    Deep Winter Jazz Radio Show
    January 14, 2o16
    KUNM Albuquerque —–host MARK WEBER

    1. Northwoods Improvisers (Mike Gilmore, marimba; Mike Johnston, bass; Nick Ashton, drums) “Line Out”(Johnston/Gilmore) year 2000 cd BRANCHES
    2. Liam Sillery + David Sills Quartet (Larry Koonse, Joe Bagg, Tim Pleasant) “Two Time Blues”(Sillery) –June 2005 cd ON THE FLY
    3. Supersax “Just Friends” –1973 cd SUPERSAX PLAYS BIRD (Capitol) *&their first album
    4. Nancy King “Sermonette”(Jon Hendricks) –1993 cd CLIFF DANCE w/Glen Moore
    5. Wes Montgomery Trio “Round Midnight” — 5oct59 NYC from COMPLETE RIVERSIDE
    6. Wes Montgomery as previous “Jingles”(WM)
    7. Carol Liebowitz Quintet (Nick Lyons & Will Jhun, saxes; Don Messina, bass; Bill Chattin, drums; Carol, piano) “All the things you are” 1may11 live at Trumpets
    8. John Pizzarelli “Can’t Buy Me Love” c.2006 cd RHYTHM IS OUR BUSINESS
    9. Pizzarelli Boys “Stairway to Heaven” c.2010 —DESERT ISLAND DREAMERS (Arbors)
    10. Rebecca Kilgore & Dan Barrett’s Celestial Six “Sweet Substitute” (Jelly Roll Morton) –April 1994 cd I SAW STARS (Arbors) w/Bucky Pizzarelli, Scott Robinson
    11. Dick Wellstood & Kenny Davern “Winin’ Boy”(Jelly Roll Morton) –1973 cd DICK WELLSTOOD AND HIS ALL-STAR ORCHESTRA FEATURING KENNY DAVERN (Chiaroscuro)
    12. Ben Webster Quintet (Bill DeArango, Al Haig, John Simmons, Big Sid Catlett) “Frog and Mule” –15may46
    13. Charley Krachy “Track 42″(CK) — 4march2003 cd JAZZMAN’S SERENADE

  5. Mark Weber

    Every now & again (saxophonist/clarinetist/flutist) ARLEN ASHER asks me to come up to Santa Fe
    and guest on his morning jazz show The Jazz Experience . . . . . and we always have a roaring good time . . . . .

    ——————————playlist——————————————–

    KSFR ————-Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Arlen Asher & Mark Weber —– co-hosts
    Mondays 9am to Noon
    (I was on from 10am to Noon)
    January 18, 2o16 (Janet’s birthday & Martin Luther King Day)

    1. Charley Krachy “Track 42″(CK) blues — cd JAZZMAN’S SERENADE (Zinnia)
    2. Kazzrie Jaxen Quartet (Don Messina, Bill Chattin, Charley Krachy) “All of Me” — Aug. 26, 2o12 cd QUATERNITY
    3. Lenny Popkin Trio (Carol Tristano, Gilles Naturel) “Time Set” cd TIME SET (Lifeline) –5apr2006
    4. Carol Tristano solo drumset “Sock Time” –25sept99 cd DRUM STORY (Lifeline)
    5. Lennie Tristano “Manhattan Studio” –1955 cd MANHATTAN STUDIO (Jazz Records)
    6. Virg Dzurinko solo piano “Seven Eight” –1999 cd FUN CITY
    7. Virg Dzurinko “Short Melancholy Baby” cd FUN CITY
    8. Ted Brown & Jimmy Raney “Blimey”(TB contrafact upon Limehouse Blues) cd GOOD COMPANY (Criss Cross)
    9. Tribute Trio (Cal Haines, John Rangel, Michael Glynn) “Time”(JR) –2012 cd DEDICATIONS vol. 2
    10. Blakey Jazz Messengers “Blues March”(Golson) –30oct58 cd MOANIN’ (Blue Note)
    11. Charles McPherson Quintet “Nostalgia in Times Square” — 1994 cd FIRST FLIGHT OUT (Arabesque)
    12. Ali Ryerson “Blue in Green” –1995 cd IN HER OWN SWEET WAY (Concord)

  6. Mark Weber

    —————————–playlist————————————–
    THURSDAY JAZZ SHOW
    Host > Mark Weber
    January 21, 2o16
    KUNM Albuquerque

    1. Art Pepper & Jack Montrose Quintet (Larry Bunker, Claude Williamson, Monte Budwig) “The Way You Look Tonight” — 25aug53 COMPLETE DISCOVERY SESSIONS
    2. Claude Williamson Trio (Curtis Counce, Stan Levey) — “Thou Swell”(Rodgers & Hart) –29july54
    3. as previous “Salute to Bud”(CW)
    4. Lou Mecca Quartet “Bernie’s Song” –25mar55 (Fresh Sound)
    5. Cal Tjader Quintet (Brew Moore, Sonny Clark, Eugene Wright, Bobby White) — 6june55 Berkeley CA — “Moten Swing” cd TJADER PLAYS TJAZZ (Fantasy)
    6. Hank Mobley Sextet “Darn that Dream” cd POPPIN’ (Blue Note) –20oct57 (Art Farmer, Pepper Adams, Sonny Clark, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe)
    7. Urbie Green Quintet “Thou Swell” –12oct55
    8. Kazzrie Jaxen Quartet “Melancholy Baby” –18oct09 cd CALLICOON SESSIONS (Cadence)
    9. Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra “The Lighthouse” featuring trumpet Greg Gisbert — Mayb 2003 cd 27 EAST
    10. Stan Getz Quintet (Jimmy Raney, Al Haig, Tiny Kahn, Teddy Kotick) –28oct51 “Thou Swell”
    11. Lenny Popkin Trio (Carol Tristano, Gilles Naturel) — “Call” — 5apr06 cd TIME SET
    12. Michael Anthony solo guitar “Downton Abbey Theme” –26aug03 recorded at Studio 725
    13. Frank Wess Quartet “Rainy Afternoon”(FW blues on tenor) — 9may60 NYC

  7. Mark Weber

    ———————-playlist———————————
    KUNM Albuquerque
    January 28, 2o16
    Host MARK WEBER Thursday jazz show at NOON

    1. Shorty Rogers Quintet (Shelly Manne, Jimmy Guiffre, Lou Levy, Ralph Pena) “Martians Come Back” — 26march55 Hollywood CA
    2. J.J. Johnson Sextet “Minor Mist” — Aug.1960 cd J.J. INC (Columbia)
    3. Sun Ra Arkestra “Kingdom of Not” — Chicago1956 cd SUPERSONIC JAZZ
    4. Nancy King “Cherokee” —– 1991 cd IMPENDING BLOOM
    5. Miles Davis “Nuit sur les Champs-Elysees—take 1” soundtrack –1957 Paris
    6. Nancy King “Mountain Greenery” ibid.
    7. Ray Pizzi duet w/ John Chiodini (bassoon & guitar) “Ballad Theme for Jazz Bassoon”(Mancini)—23nov81 Lp ESPRESSIVO (Discovery) Los Angeles
    8. Red Callendar & His Modern Octet (Bill Green, Buddy Collette, Bill Douglass, John Ewing….) “Pastel” —–30nov55 (Fresh Sound cd) Hollywood
    9. Coleman Hawkins Quartet “Love Song from Apache” (movie theme) —9sept62 cd TODAY & NOW
    10. Art Farmer “Soul Eyes”(Mal Waldron) –May 1991 cd SOUL EYES (Enja) Japan concert
    11. Walt Dickerson & Sun Ra “Astro” —11july78 Lp VISIONS (Steeplechase)
    12. Mel Rhyne “Stranger in Paradise” –1995 cd MEL’S SPELL (Criss Cross)
    13. Horace Silver Quintet “Pretty Eyes” –1oct65
    14. Sonny CLark Quintet “Minor Meeting (First Version)” –8dec57 NY cd MY CONCEPTION (BN)

  8. Mark Weber

    ——————————————-playlist———————————–
    The Winter Mittens Jazz Radio Show
    February 4, 2o16 ——-KUNM Albuquerque
    Host MARK WEBER
    1. Claude Williamson Trio “June Bug” —19jan56 Hollywood
    2. Art Pepper – Warne Marsh Quintet “I Can’ Believe That You’re in Love with Me” (alternate take) –26nov56 (Contemporary)
    3. Dizzy Gillespie “Caravan” arr. Clare Fischer —–April 1960 cd A PORTRAIT OF DUKE ELLINGTON(Verve)
    4. Jack Kerouac “MacDougal Street Blues” cd POETRY FOR THE BEAT GENERATION —1959 w/ Steve Allen
    5. Shorty Rogers (Harry Edison, Pete Jolly, Bud Shank, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar, Shelly Manne)—-“Dickie’s Dream”(Prez) –16dec56
    6. Benny Carter 7tet “How Can You Lose?”(BC) –7oct57 cd JAZZ GIANT (Contemporary)
    7. Howard Rumsey Lighthouse All-Stars (Jimmy Giuffre, Milt Bernhart, Bob Cooper, Frank Patchen, Howard Rumsey, Shelly Manne, Shorty Rogers) “Out of Somewhere”(Giuffre) —22july52 Volume 3 (Contempoary)
    8.Pat Malone Trio (Cal Haines & Michael Glynn) “Out of Nowhere” ——16jan2o12 at KUNM studios
    9. Rumsey Lighthouse All-Stars (Rolf Ericson, Herb Geller, Bob Cooper, Bud Shank-bari, Claude Williamson, Max Roach, Howard Rumsey) “Jazz Invention”(Bob Cooper) —20oct53 ibid.
    10. Pat Malone Trio “I’ll Remember April” ibid. (guitar-bass-drums)
    11. Warren Barker Orchestra (Don Fagerquist, Frank Rosolino, Ted Nash, Barney Kessel, Red Mitchell, Shelly Manne, etc) “There Will Never Be Another You” —29may59 (Fresh Sound) reissue POP & TV THEMES GO JAZZ
    12. Michael Anthony solo overdub “Downtown Abbey Theme” soundtrack, aka “Noodling 101” —recorded at Studio 725 on August 26, 2o13
    13. Oscar Pettiford Sextet (Al Cohn, Kai Winding, Tal Farlow, Henri Renaud, Max Roach) “Marcel the Furrier”(Renaud) —21mar54 NYC

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