It was a full weekend, full of the Superbowl and full of maddening computer and server glitches. The down periods were frequent and frustrating. The beast is running for the moment, so we’ll post recent correspondence. I’m hoping for a return to complete online health after the digital doctor makes a house call. (DR)

There must be a whiff of country in the winter air.

Doug,
One more for the books—that works—Gatemouth Brown and Roy Clark, Makin’ Music. It’s listed as a country album, but it’s really Louis Jordan with a twang. The tunes include “Take the A Train” and “Caldonia,” and the band includes Airto Moreira on percussion and the Memphis Horns.
It may be slightly off topic, but with that cast I couldn’t resist adding it to the list.
—Peter Levin

Doug,
I also have a soft spot for Gary Burton playing with banjo icon Sonny Osborne on “Tennessee Firebird.” (1962) It’s more a display of Burton being able to play in Bluegrass rhythm than of Osborne being able to do jazz rhythms, but it’s very enjoyable.
—Anson Young

(DR responds)
Furthermore, it is an instance of drummer Roy Haynes kicking jazz and country behind in equal measure, so to speak. Haynes is also the drummer on Oliver Nelson’s The Blues and the Abstract Truth. If you want a real hoot, play Nelson’s “Hoe Down” and Burton’s “Tennessee Firebird” back to back.
“Wee-hah,” as they say, or holler, down yonder.

Doug,
Re your “Odd Couple” pairings, here is one that may shock you, but you ought to try and find it someday: Dorothy Collins and Barney Kessel!! That’s right! They did an album together in the Fifties called “Songs by Dorothy Collins”, which I remember very well. She was the “girl next door” pop singer on the “Hit Parade” TV show, and was never known as a jazz singer, but on this one album she selected some great standard ballads, put together a great rhythm section of Barney with an unknown bassist and drummer, and she really delivered a very credible jazz set — sort of an early Susannah McCorkle. She was probably chafing for years, singing all those pop songs, and secretly harboring a desire to be a real jazz cabaret vocalist. The album revealed a lovely voice with perfect pitch, a great rhythmic sense, crystal clear diction and great sensitivity to the lyrics. I’ll look for a copy on e-bay!
—Mal Harris

A search of internet music outlets, including e-bay, turns up references to the album, but no indication that it is available.

Might the moral of the “Odd Couple” series be that in jazz there are no odd couples—that the very nature of jazz allows for nearly infinite combination?
—Terry Teachout

Yes.
This is TT’s birthday, a momentous one, as you’ll see if you go here.

Doug,
I got hip to Paul Desmond from a line in a Michael Franks’ tune, “Rainy Night in Tokyo” – “Paul Desmond on the stereo…”
I went through my fathers’ jazz collection and found 3 albums. I’ve been hooked ever since.
Good luck with your book.
MIchael

Thanks.

Blogger John Salmon of Magritte’s Apple writes a followup to the recent review of a Dave Brubeck concert:

I did a little review of Dave’s Mass the other day.
Randy Jones and Bobby Militello are veterans of the Maynard Ferguson band, one of jazz’s great farm teams. When Bobby was on MF’s band he played baritone (and some flute); it’s nice to see that with Dave he gets to play an instrument that won’t wreck his back.
I’m wondering if others find themselves enjoying Brubeck’s playing more today than in the classic quartet days? He does seem to rely more on single note lines, but I’m not sure his playing has changed as much as my tastes have.

Thanks in DOUGS PICKS for recommending the superb album “‘Round Midnight” by Alan Broadbent. Broadbent doesn’t overwhelm with technique for its own sake, but his measured and tasteful playing remain with you.

However, if its “chops” you want, listen to the blistering performance on “The Man I Love”. I was also particularly struck with Joe LaBarbera’s tasteful and swinging playing throughout. One underrated drummer.

A class album that, without your recommendation, would have passed me by.

Don Emanuel

Kent, UK

My piece in this morning’s Wall Street Journal is about the brain connection between music and sports.

As someone who writes about and plays music, I would be the last to disagree with William Congreve that music hath charms. But silence has charms, too, and it’s getting hard to find. When Congreve wrote his famous line, circa 1700, people who wanted music had to make it themselves or go find it. The technological revolution in the past century changed that. Now music pursues us in the supermarket, the gas station, The Gap, the dentist’s office, the elevator, even the street. That’s bad news when I’m trying to think, let alone write. But it’s good news when I’m on the NordicTrack; the steady beat of music makes the workout easier. And I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Sorry, I can’t link you to the rest of the article. If you’re a WSJ subscriber, you’ll find it in the print edition and on line. Otherwise, a dollar at the newstand will get you the piece and bonuses including the day’s news, stock market reports and artsjournal.com blogmate Terry Teachout‘s theater reviews.

Entries continue to arrive in the unlikely-pairings sweepstakes. As we head into the weekend, here’s the latest batch.

Doug,

Here are a few “Odd Couplings”:

Gary Burton & Stephane Grappelli – Paris Encounter – Atlantic

Barry Harris with Don Cherry, Steve Lacy, Charlie Rouse, & Roswell Rudd – Interpretations Of Monk – DIW

Peter Friedman

Mixings of generations and styles don’t always work. Those collaborations did, because the participants had open ears and open minds. Interpretations of Monk has dicey moments, particularly in volume two. Over all, however, fun and musical values outweigh confusion.

Doug,

The one Johnny Hodges album I was always afraid to buy was the collaboration with Lawrence Welk.

Michael Moore

On the other hand, From a Rifftides reader who identifies himself as “Ellingtonrecords” (I wonder if that’s the first name or the last).

You did not mention one of the oddest pairings in the history of recorded jazz, the album Johnny Hodges and Lawrence Welk. I have it and while not a great album, it is not bad either. Welk had the good sense to let Johnny Hodges be Johnny Hodges. He hired big name arrangers for each of the songs on the album. It is far better than many of Johnny’s Verve label albums from the 1960’s.

Agreed. It’s a lovely album.

Doug,

The obvious one that comes to mind is one I haven’t heard, mostly out of fear. It’s Mary Lou Williams and Cecil Taylor’ Embraced, which is by all accounts a bit of a train wreck.

John Shade

Couplings don’t come much odder, or much less successful. The minds did not embrace.

Doug,

How about the odd couple that turned up on Joe Pass’ final studio date? Roy Clark & Joe Pass Play Hank Williams.

I don’t even know whether the Buster Ann label is still around, but it is an entertaining set.

Ken Dryden

How much is odd-couple entertainment worth? Amazon lists the Pass-Clark CD at $39.95.
Have a good weekend.

I’m grateful to your readers for their many excellent and interesting suggestions. And best of all, I can’t help but marvel at the friendly and civil nature of the responses. So much of the web, and blogs in particular, is marred by snarkiness run amok. What a pleasant surprise it is to find a little corner where interesting grown-ups are free to act like interesting grown-ups. Well done.
Eric Felten

Bob Coughlin, a longtime Dave Brubeck aficionado, attended a concert by the Brubeck quartet the other night, took notes, and posted his review on the Brubeck e-mail listserve. I thought it deserved wider dissemination. The quartet has the same musicians it has had for years—Brubeck, alto saxophonist Bobby Militello, bassist Michael Moore and drummer Randy Jones. “Russell” in Mr. Couglin’s report is Russell Gloyd, Brubeck’s manager, a musical collaborator who often arranges and conducts on large-scale Brubeck projects. “Iola” is Mrs. Brubeck.
I am frequently asked how Dave is doing at eighty-five. I usually say that he’s being careful, but touring and playing as if he were twenty-five. Mr. Coughlin’s report helps bear that out. The Rifftides staff thanks him for permitting us to share it with you.

Asheville, North Carolina, Grove Park Inn–Sat., January 28

Despite what I’ve heard about Dave being exhausted, he looks great and well rested backstage. Eager to talk, same twinkle in his eyes, but the traditional fingertip handshake has been replaced by an even more prudent extended left elbow and a gentle hello bump.

Dave being carefully attended to—Russell sets up a chair with two cushions backstage and Dave tries it out—wants the same arrangement onstage.

Onstage—Dave introduces the group and says that the dicey weather has
inspired his choice of tunes.

”Gone With The Wind”—Dave opens, Bobby solos, Dave solos—solid swinging
solos but they are just warming up.

”Stormy Weather”—bluesy intro by Dave, and then Bobby opens with long, mournful notes, deliciously stretching every note for all the anguish he can find. Super solo by Michael. Iola points out that we can watch Michael’s fingering on the bigscreen TV over to the left–amazing to watch, but makes me wish the cameramen could get equally good shots of Dave’s hands.

”On the Sunny Side of the Street”—smooth, swinging intro by Dave; Bobby’s first line is a blistering uote, “Standing on the corner, watching all the girls go by,” so fast I have to question whether I heard it.

”Thank You”—Dave starts slowly–the tune is disguised in rich, classical lines. Then the main theme emerges, followed by quite a few choruses of lovely variations. But then he pauses–not sure for how many beats. 3? 4? 6? 8? The silence is striking. And Dave seems to hunch over the keyboard, pulling his hands tightly together. Ba-boom! Da-da-da-dumm! (like the explosions in Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring) Tight little volleys of gorgeous chords, amazing stuff, dazzling choruses, finally leading into sweeping lines, and then several choruses that settle down into the final theme. There was no way this could have moved into the cue for Bobby, Michael, and Randy to jump in. It had to remain a solo. (Wow—this is why we go to concerts.)

”London Flat, London Sharp”—excellent version with Bobby and Dave both blasting and then a long solo by Michael—amazingly, he keeps the energy going, despite the limitations of the bass.

”Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” / “These Foolish Things”—Dave plays “Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me” more slowly than I’ve ever heard, reflective and sad, conjuring memories of Paul Desmond’s quiet solos. Beautiful. Segues into “These Foolish Things” and a happier mood. Great work by Bobby too, and then Michael wraps it up with a long, mesmerizing solo.

”Take Five”—Dave kicks it off, but is looking tired. Bobby carries the tune, building it up and up, and then handing it over to Randy for an extraordinary drum solo–the usual complexities but perhaps a bit more accessible than usual, culminating with several distinct rhythms chugging together and then the addition of one more pattern, which at this point seems impossible.

Abruptly, it’s over. The emcee interrupts the applause by having a birthday cake brought in and leading “Happy Birthday”—which would be what?—53 days too late?

Crud. It’s over.

—Bob Coughlin