#except……… I think Oscar is much more in tune with Charlie than the other two. and vice versa. like they Get eachother much the same way

[potato-lord-but-not]

I offer to you the ship of Roland Cummings, Delphine Cummings, and Charlie Dowd that has been absolutely rotting my brain and is ripe for Charlie angst. I talk about them a bit here in which I discuss multiple Charlie ships but I must spread the propaganda of them o7

Ohhhhhh despite not really being Roland/Noel girlie I can indeed see the appeal 👀

[3006tocontrol]

WOOF! first post in over six years - i'd been off the casualty bandwagon longer than i thought. sorry 4 hoarding this url lmao

i've been watching casualty on-and-off since 2006 (series 21 i think). none of the cast that were there when i started watching (excluding long running extras - shout out to paul oscar anderson!), and i'd often tune in after a period of non-watching to a cast of characters i knew nothing about. but up until this march, there was an exception to this rule: charlie! he was a familiar face, a constant and comforting presence and anchor - though i did often wonder if he had a short term memory issue given that he was remarkably emotionally stable given the loss of two spouses and all the traumatic coworker deaths. i wouldn't be surprised if they numbered in the hundreds after nearly 40 years (come to think of it, there have been a couple of character deaths where other characters been shown planting a tree outside the hospital to memorialise them - i always think, how is the hospital not now surrounded by forest?).

anyway. going off on a tangent there. i always assumed that casualty would end when charlie left. he's almost synonymous with casualty. i obviously had to watch his exit. started watching the episode before, then had the typical casualty re-entry experience of realising i had no context for what was going on, or any of the characters, with the exception of dylan, iain, jacob (who i thought was a nurse but is apparently a paramedic now? am i misremembering?), rash (who i think first appeared not long before i last fell off the bandwagon, so he still felt fairly new to me), and of course charlie. so i went back and watched all of a history of violence (casualty series have names now??? was news to me). i didn't really watch casualty at all from 2018-2023, and i notice that the format has changed a bit - the mini-series with more frequent breaks, which i think is probably a good idea, but also the sort of disintegration (to some extent) of the classic casualty dramatic distaster-of-the-week formula, which... yeah okay, i understand why they did it, it's hard to maintain that after 40 years. but i really liked it, even when it was cheesy or silly. hell, especially when it was cheesy or silly. i loved it when an episode started with something like a woman up a ladder in slipper socks holding a bunch of glassware and a long metal rod in a lightning storm. oooh, is she gonna fall? is she gonna get struck by lightning? is she going to safely descend the ladder as we cut to her husband gasping and clutching his chest? or her son collapsed on the toilet with a needle in his arm? is the whole house just going to burst into flame? all possibilities in holby - most casualty watchers have played "guess the accident". i was sad to see that format break down a bit. but then i was extra pleased that they brought it back with a vengeance for charlie's last episode. the road accident was an absolutely classic casualty Series of Unfortunate Events (tm) - just escalation after escalation, and then an oil tanker barrelling in just to double fuck everything right when you thought it had finished. it felt like the writers had just thrown out all their reservations about cheesiness or believability to give charlie one last absolutely classic casualty disaster. and i LOVED it, despite the undeniable cheesiness - not just in the disaster but charlie's flashback, the 80s dialed up to 11 (tears for fears on the walkman, someone said "sod thatcher", everything looks yellow), the reveal that the little girl he treated in the flashback was stevie, the "whatever the bloody hell i want" response to being asked what he was going to do with his retirement. i know some people thought it was a bit much, but i liked it. the final scene where he leaves the hospital was really touching as well, mostly because you could tell that there wasn't really any acting involved there - it was as much them acting out a scene in which the hospital staff applaud charlie as it was genuinely just all the actors and crew applauding derek thompson. and there's a moment where he's clearly caught off guard by it and chokes up (don't get me wrong, i've got a lot of respect for derek thompson, but i don't think his acting ability is quite up to that) and jfc i nearly did the same.

the prospect of charlie giving his life to the NHS and then facing death because the system is breaking down and there wasn't a surgeon available for him was heartrending, too, even though i was sure they were never actually going to let charlie die. one thing i love about newer casualty is that they're not afraid to be honest about the state of the NHS in a way that is undeniably political, to the extent that sadly it sometimes surprises me that the BBC allows it. whilst they are "quasi-independent" or whatever it's called, their status as a government-funded entity means that there have been instances over the last 14 years where it has felt like it has pandered to tory opinion (perhaps in the hope that it won't experience any further drastic cuts if it can endear itself to those in power? i don't know). my train of thought is getting lost here but hopefully you get what i mean

the only thing was, i was sort of expecting more of... i dunno, a fuss? a feature length episode, or more classic character guest appearances? i was expecting zoe, and was pleased to see her face (and iconic purple stethoscope) in the ED again after all these years. i was caught off guard by josh, and i genuinely jumped out of my seat and cheered when he appeared on screen (despite it being about 2am at the time lmfao). but i was expecting more - especially in comparison to his 30th anniversary episode. i know a lot of them in the 30th anniversary ep were clips (i imagine so the actors were able to do the scenes remotely rather than on set), but honestly i wouldn't have minded if they pulled the same trick again. if departed characters recorded clips for his 30th anniversary party, surely they'd record them for his retirement party? eh

[theloniousbach]

A Listener’s Journal #24: The Jazz Piano Trio in the 1950s, Pt. 3: Monk in Context

I started this (probably) three part series thinking about how Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner, and Ahmad Jamal (and, Nat King Cole, I was reminded after the fact) helped create the piano/bass/drums but sometimes early on guitar trio as a fixture in jazz.  Art Tatum's virtuosity and embellishment was an influence as these players built a repertoire around the Great American Songbook.

Part 2 looked at Miles's '50s pianists--Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, and Bill Evans with Ahmad Jamal's space and taste as formative on Miles and influential on these players.

Now, I happily think about Thelonious Monk again, in relation to his friends Bud Powell and Elmo Hope along with the under appreciated Herbie Nichols.  These are composers, mostly, and I'll focus on Powell's "Un Poco Loco," Hope's "B's a Plenty," and Nichol's "Shuffle Montgomery."  The Monk trio work includes his original Blue Note 10" recordings recently rereleased, a '65 Columbia date, and two anomalous Riverside discs, one devoted to Ellington tunes and the other of standards.  The anomalies are chances to explore just how he conceived of tunes, the de/re- construction of standards sheds light on the ones he built himself.  

Monk's compositional logic is one of the more immediate rewards of my "listener's piano" exercises which I've reinitiated after a hiatus that began in the summer.  I have been playing much more guitar, in part spurred on by what I had been doing with the piano.  I return to the keyboard with a clearer sense on how to learn music.  "Well You Needn't" was where I started with an A part modulating from F6 to Gfl 6 with a nifty little repeated figure and a bridge with a figure that moves in half steps from G7 to B7 and back down.  I want to return to "Misterioso" which similarly takes a pattern up and down by steps to reinforce my wonder at the sheer logic of Monk's music,  It sounded so fresh, so magical, and so unlike anyone else, that it is a revelation to have even a small sense of how it works.  And how it works is as fascinatingly logical as JS Bach; making my theloniousbach sobriquet even more appropriate than I imagined.

But, it's equally true that Monk didn't exist in a vacuum--and listening to him in relation to these comrades has suggested some context.

Bud Powell is a giant, a mighty improviser who stood his ground with Charlie Parker.  A subsequent Listener's Journal with think about those two with Milt Jackson and Clifford Brown as consummate players (it will be hard to resist calling it "Bird, Bud, Bags, and Brownine").  He plays more covers than the others as he gobbles up improvisational vehicles.  But, his "Un Poco Loco" has a Latin rhythmic feel and Monkish angularity.  It's busier than Monk (nearly everybody is.  Monk can and does play, but his genius is that he's brave enough to let his compositions stand in their stark simplicity.), but it is nicely off kilter and of course he has a flurry of ideas about what to do with it.  Powell was Monk's friend and honored by the contrefactual of "Blue Skies," "In Walked Bud."  They were bebop veterans together, peers.

Elmo Hope was friends with both of them and can be seen as a synthesis of both of them.  That is, he is a fluid, adept player who deftly incorporates Monk's wonderful angles and discords.  He bears serious attention and I have welcomed this opportunity to listen to him closely in this context.  His "B's a Plenty" kicks off his self-titled album.  It's a jaunty bit of virtuosity, a prime example of being the proud little brother of Monk and Powell.  That would be enough except the wonderful little shards of phrases of at least "In Walked Bud" which perfectly makes the point.  It's busier than Monk, but then it's supposed to be.  It's also more than just Bud Powell lite.  His fluidity, invention, and skill deserve their own attention.

Finally, there's the even more undersung  Herbie Nichols who came to my attention years ago in AB Spellman's Four Lives in the Bebop Business.  Just as in this context, he was lesser known than Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Jackie McLean.  His portrayal of Coleman as fiercely innocent was formative and Taylor's equally fierce intelligence was vivid.  McLean probably had the most contemporary success yet had that snatched from his too.  Nichols though was perhaps the most tragic figure.  He played the gigs he could, never quite in the mainstream (or perhaps they were too mainstream and old-fashioned).  In any case, his curious (and quite wonderful compositions) never got their due.  There are 4 Blue Note discs, but these tunes really didn't get played until Rosewell Rudd, Steve Lacy, and thenBen Allison and Frank Kimbrough (who in 2018 also did a wonderful survey of all 70 Monk compositions with Scott Robinson, Rufus Reid, and Billy Drummond) did a couple of albums with a quintet as the Herbie Nichols Project which also incorporated manuscripts that were never even recorded.  The exception that proves the rule is that Nichol's wrote the signature Billie Holiday song "Lady Sings the Blues."

Nichols is a thoughtful composer who creates nifty little puzzles to work through.  They are smart but not simply head trips.  "2300 Skidoo" and, for my purposes, "Shuffle Montgomery" have catchy but quirky melodies that sneak up on the listener.  He's a fine player and these albums are appealing, but the emphasis is on the compositions.  Monk recorded several versions of his tunes and that made the individual performances interesting as we got to compare sax players (oh what sax players), arrangements, rhythm sections.  If Monk had only been able to record one version of his tunes, we'd delight in them as compositions and wonder at the piano technique behind them.  Nichols isn't nearly as idiosyncratic as Monk as both pianist and composer, but, insofar as I think I know the dancer from the dance, in Nichol's it's the compositions.  But those are way more than enough to seek out these recordings on their own and in worthy juxtaposition to Powell, Hope, and Monk himself.

The piano trio came of age in the 1950s.  Getting to listen to all of these players chronicled in these three linked essays have secured them in my regular attention in this defiinitive idiom.

[nimzzz]

“So, What’s Your Favourite Type of Music?”

A good question.

A classic icebreaker. A great conversation starter. A brilliant way to assess a potential new friend.

Except with me. Ask me this question, and expect silence – or expect to be pretending to look interested after 6 hours of me pondering out loud over the plethora of genres – with your eyes glazing over and regretting your decision to ever consider me a “potential new friend”.

I wish I was joking.

Now, I’m not just being pretentious; hear me out.

It’s just – I love all music. Music is such a universal language – a form of expression of emotions, a communication that transcends cultural and language barriers. It can be used as a political statement or to add an extra dimension to media in the form of soundtracks. And I love it all.

As you may have noticed, I love a good list on this blog. This one: it’s a big ‘un. Lists within lists of artists in the hope that you will branch out and listen to something different – or indeed recommend more music to me (please)!

(Unfortunately, because I don’t pay for WordPress Premium, I cannot embed videos or audio into the post – so for every artist I mention I have linked a music video of theirs you can check out. I have also got a spotify playlist of all the music mentioned here that you can listen to here while reading!)

Here goes.

Bands

I’ll start with bands. For the majority of my teenage years, I liked to listen to the stereotypical “emo” music – the pop punk and rock that stemmed from the garage/grunge revolution in the late 90s and 2000s. I refused to listen to pop music. I assumed none of it had musicality or the deep meaning that is offered in these bands. Some of those iconic bands, such as Green Day or My Chemical Romance, I no longer listen to, but the likes of Welcome to the Black Parade will always be nostalgic anthems.

Having moved to University, I am actually getting back into those old bands again, as I finally have the chance to see them live. You Me At Six were incredible at Leeds festival last year, Fall Out Boy‘s dystopian narratives are gripping (particularly notable in the album Save Rock and Roll), and I love the authenticity and full-on Northern-ness that is represented in Arctic Monkeys‘ music. The rawness of Foo Fighters as the modern(ish) equivalent to Nirvana is also fun to listen to. Lyrically, I think Twenty One Pilots are definitely worth listening to, even if you don’t like the duo’s musical style. They juxtapose hope and despair, and faith and existentialism in a clever yet sensitive way.

Mayday Parade, however, were my ultimate favourites out of the “emo” class. Their songs are just saturated with emotion and the sound itself is relatively musically complex.

I tend to go through phases with bands and music (such as my mad Mcfly phase when I was fourteen #GalaxyDefendersStayForever), but one band I will never grow tired of is Muse.

  If you were to take my personality and put it into a band, the end result would be Muse (and not just because I share a birthday with Matt Bellamy).

Muse Playing Live in 2012

Muse draw inspiration from classical music, philosophy, science, jazz, politics, social issues and even other popular culture and blend it together in a heavy, yet melodic, rock trio. They are also incredible to see live – they put so much thought and meaning behind the set that somehow relates to the songs and creates an intricate story. I love the use of the Benedictus of Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcellis in their album Drones, and the fact that The Resistance is based off Orwell’s 1984, and that Origin of Symmetry was greatly influenced by Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto.

Muse are the definition of art in my mind – they are musically complex, versatile, challenge world views and make you think. Every thing they do is down to the last detail and tells interesting narratives.

Guys, if you listen to one band in your life, listen to Muse. Don’t just take my word for it. Listen.

2. Pop

If I told the fourteen year-old me that the nineteen year-old me would love pop, I would have scoffed. I actively didn’t listen to pop. I was adamant not to be caught up in One Direction mania. I had a hatred for Justin Bieber. (I was such a music snob.)

I have to say that my taste in pop music fluctuates more than any genre. In two months time, this post will be outdated. There is always so much music coming out that it’s impossible not to get new favourites all the time, if you ask me!

Dua Lipa

Staying at Tamara’s

Currently, I am loving George Ezra‘s new album: Staying at Tamara’s. It fits in so well with the beautiful summery aesthetic of last week. It has a light-hearted sound and all in all, the songs are bops. Dua Lipa is a current icon of British diversity and multiculturalism, and her self-titled album is well put together and catchy. She is widely becoming a global sensation, and for good reason. On a complete contrast to her dark sound, I will always love the funk and soul infused songs of Bruno Mars‘ music, as well as his unique voice and catchy tunes. Other notable mentions are Florence and the Machine, Jess Glynne and (call me basic but) Ed Sheeran.

Of course, I am a big fan of the cheesy oldies and one-hit wonders of the naughties. I am also a huge musicals and disney nerd.

The problem with many popular artists is that they’re really original and authentic until they’re overplayed. There’s a fine line between a well-known, catchy song and an annoying earworm.

3. Classical Music

(Or, to be more specific: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century music.)

There is a plethora of subgenres and types in classical music. Maybe it’s because it’s my first instrument, but I’m particularly partial to solo piano music. For this, there are a multitude, my favourites including Liszt and Debussy. I believe Chopin, however, truly is the king. The Etudes complilation is stunning; his Waltzes are beautiful. My ultimate favourites on the other hand are the Ballades. I first came to love Ballade No. 1 through the Japanese animation Your Lie In April and, it’s just exquisite.

Your Lie In April character Kousei Arima playing Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 in G Minor

Favourite piano concertos of mine include all of Rachmaninov‘s concertos, Grieg‘s piano concerto, and Tchaikovsky‘s Concerto No. 1.

In general, I mostly listen to romanticism and early 20th century Russian music. I love that it can be used for political protest against the Soviet union without even using words – I mean, you can hear and analyse the rich emotion Shostakovich‘s Symphony No. 5, especially the third movement.

Although I am more likely to listen to relatively modern romantic and 20th Century music, we mustn’t forget the sphere of influence of the early composers. We wouldn’t have such vibrant and diverse classical music today if not for Bach‘s baroque genius, especially in his fugues. Mozart gets a little samey to listen to, but he really helped build the foundations of classical music.

In modern classical music, it’s often very atonal and avant garde, which at first I could not listen to. (Give me tonality!) But, being exposed to it more and more, I am beginning to see the genius behind the likes of Stravinsky and Schoenberg, even if I don’t particularly listen to them.

Modern classical music I definitely do listen to is soundtracks. They are often a gateway to classical music through other popular culture. John Williams‘ composed a library of amazing soundtracks, including Star Wars and Jurassic Park. Hans Zimmer‘s iconic works include Pirates of The Caribbean and the Hidden Figures soundtrack (one of my all-time favourite films). Hands down, the most iconic film score has to be The Lord of The Rings soundtrack by Howard Shore, whose other works include the soundtracks of The Hunger Games and How to Train Your Dragon.

The iconic soundtrack of Lord Of The Rings is perfect accompaniment to its scenery

5. Jazz

My love for jazz is largely due to my grandfather, who is pretty much a walking jazz encyclopedia. I also have the privilege to immerse myself in jazz music at university.

Jazz’s roots stem from horrific black oppression in America. Blues music originated in the fields of the slave trade, and New Orleans marching bands were gatherings of African-Americans who were displaced after slavery was abolished. The combination of these things as well as the western classical tradition influenced early jazz in the 1910s-20s. Jazz’s rich history and emotion can be heard so well in the music.

Early jazz pioneers in the Dixieland (20s) period included The Original Dixieland Jass Band and King Oliver. I don’t usually listen to this early jazz because of its old recording quality, even though they are just as important in the development of jazz. The 1930s marked the swing period, where great artists like Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald made their names. From the 40s onwards, the style of bebop was born, and some of my favourite jazz artists from this era include Oscar Peterson, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and Charlie Parker. 

While South African jazz artists like Abdullah Ibrahim and Brazillian artists like João Gilberto frequent my listening list, I mostly listen to contemporary jazz. Last summer, I had the privilege of seeing the Billy Hart quartet and Joshua Redman at the Village Vanguard in NYC. The best way to enjoy jazz is live in an atmosphere like that; the music is made for it.

The Village Vanguard in NYC is one of the best venues I’ve been to

A clarinet inspiration of mine is Anat Cohen, who covers a broad range of the jazz spectrum. Furthermore, I love artists that take core elements of jazz and put their own twists on it. Herbie Hancock was one of the first artists to do this in the 40s, fusing jazz, electro and funk styles together. For example, Snarky Puppy are a large contemporary instrumental group that use jazz harmony in many of their albums. Similarly, solo artist Jacob Collier uses modern music technology and multi-layering techniques with jazz harmony to produce complex and interesting music. Nubiyan Twist are an British jazz group incorporating Afro-jazz and hip hop into their style, and I was only introduced to them recently. There is so much to choose from!

One-Man jazz-infused musician Jacob Collier

Many people say jazz is dying. But there are so many ways to keep it alive. start by listening.

6. K-pop

Dear reader, I am going to let you into a little secret. A guilty pleasure of mine. And that is Korean Pop.

My love for K-pop is purely superficial. It goes against everything I stand for within art – meaning, authenticity, musical complexity. It’s a manufactured industry that is full of flaws, including overworking and paying artists unfairly.

But it’s mesmerising.

Seventeen’s MV “Don’t Wanna Cry”

Watch one music video – or even better, a live performance – and see the highly trained voices and slick choreography and beautiful people and you’ll be hooked. With the world getting smaller and the internet the way it is, it’s never been easier to fall down the K-Pop rabbit hole. It’s a mish-mash of all pop-like genres, with a fusion of multicultural influences – with the most popular groups specialising in the sounds of Hip Hop and EDM. It’s as much, (if not more) of a visual experience as a sonic experience.

K-Pop singer Ailee performing at the 2018 Paralympics Closing Ceremony

If you are persuaded, here are my recommendations. Sonically, I think the soft sound of band Day6 or the soulful voice of Ailee are fantastic. Choreography-wise (and looks/popularity-wise), my favourite groups are BTS (you’ve probably heard of them – they beat the likes of Justin Bieber in a popularity vote at the BBMAs), Seventeen (there are a lot of them), Blackpink, KARD (one of the few mixed groups), GOT7 and EXO.

I dare you to try listening to a new genre this week. I also dare you to recommend me more music! If you want to have a nosey – here’s a link to my spotify.

My favourite radio stations:

Radio 1 (Their greatest hits show especially)

BBC Radio 3 (both new and old jazz and classical music, as well as live concerts like the Proms)

BBC Radio 6 Music (who doesn’t want to hear about the new stuff?)

Absolute Radio (commercial radio with the #NoRepeatGuarantee for all your rock, indie, and nostalgic needs)

Classic FM (not as wide repertoire as BBC Radio 3, but their Facebook page’s memes are on point.)

Stay sound!

– Naomi

“So, What’s Your Favourite Type Of Music?” A good question. A classic icebreaker. A great conversation starter. A brilliant way to assess a potential new friend.

[diamantcowboy]

Radio, a yank the Musical Fanfiction

(pairing, Rotelli x Professor. You can find it on Ao3 if you want)

The Radio was playing an upbeat, jazzy tune when it all happened. Rotelli and Simon, aka “professor” were fast friends from the moment they met. It was almost like they were tied together somehow. For Rotelli, Professor seemed approachable to him. Sure he was taller than the Sicilian, but there was something in the soft brown eyes behind those glasses that made him seem kind, but there was a certain mischief to him like he could hold a conversation. It also could have been the sweet voice or handsome face or the slight curl of that light brown hair, but Rotelli preferred to call him approachable.

For Professor, he truly couldn't point why he liked Rotelli so much. Maybe it was all the things they had in common, after all, he wouldn't share his grandma's cookies with anyone. Rotelli was a sort of beacon of happiness, difficult to find nowadays. He was nice and had a very good voice that Professor liked.

It just makes sense that the two were each other's chosen dance partner from the moment someone played a record. On one particular day when the Squad was all dancing with each other, having a gay old time, something happened that Rotelli just could not get out of his head.

So, the fellas start laughing and dancing, of course, czechowski is the first down on the dance floor, dragging Tennessee down with him, and then Professor laughs that sweet laugh and says “C’mon Rotelli” and drags his chosen partner down too.

Rotelli didn't put much thought into it, dancing with Professor had become second nature to him, but something was different this time. This time Rotelli’s head seemed far away from dancing. Professor had noticed this and decided to do some grounding. Professor twirls Rotelli, who is caught off guard and trips, immediately being caught my Professor’s hands landing on Rotelli’s waist, right above his hips. Rotelli is looking into those sweet brown eyes now, and he blushes and laughs awkwardly.

“There's that smile!” Says Professor as they continue to dance, and Rotelli laughs again, this time because the Professor’s Bostonian accent made smile sound like “smoil”

“ Professor, it is a smile, not a ‘smoil’” Rotelli says jokingly and this time the Professor laughs

“You gettin’ smart with me Rotelli?”

“No, I am making a joke.”

“Lo stesso lo stesso” retorts the professor in his own Bostonian version of Italian.

All while they're bantering and dancing the Professor’s hands remain firmly on Rotelli’s hips and Rotelli can't seem to get this off his mind, nor can he get the

Professor’s voice or eyes or… pretty much anything off his scraped off of it as well.

Now, of course, Rotelli is a romantic, as much as he dislikes the fact, and he knows what all of this means, also unfortunately.  I mean how could he not know, he's read Oscar Wilde books, he's read the Hobbit, he knows that people fall in love with their buddy's on accident. He figures there's gotta be some way to stop it.

‘Maybe a member of the company can help me out? Think, this is gotta have happened to someone else in Charlie… can't be someone who's been blatant about their dislike of boys who are friends with Dorothy… probably, Stu, he looks at mitch in a way that someone whos in love probably would.’ Rotelli thinks to himself while in bed and he resolves to talk to Stu about his issue later.

--

“Stu I need your help,” says Rotelli when he finally gets a chance to ask Stu about his feelings and emotions issue.

“Uh, sure Rotelli, what do you need?”

“So uh, how do you stop accidentally being in love with your buddy?”

Stu's eyes get wide and scared “why do you think i know anything about being in love with

Anybody??”

“Well, you look at a mitch like you're in love?”

Stu’s head whips around and he whispers “How do you know about that”

“So you do--!”

“Hush!! You haven’t told anyone have you??”

“No? Why would I tell someone when I have the same problem”

Stu sighs in relief “Fine. what do you need help with”

“How do you stop being in love with a boy who  you think is a very nice and a special?”

Stu stares off into the distance for a moment

“Gosh, Rotelli. If I knew how to do that I don’t think I'd be looking at mitch the way I do”

“So we're both fucked, ah?”

“Seems to be we’re fucked, Rotelli” Stu confirms, “so, who do you have eyes for, seeing as its apparently blatant that I've got a thing for mitch”

“I don't a know Stu, it seems mine should be blatant as well. I fell for Professor, glasses and all”

“... yeah now that I think about it it is pretty blatant”

“See! I told you! I mean but how could you not love him! He's a handsome, and funny, and his eyeballs are warm somehow???? He is strong and lovely”

“Gosh don't even get me started on mitch! He's so tall and manly and ugh, don't tell anyone but he is a very good kisser”

“Woah, really”

Stu nods.

That day a friendship was born from being really gay for your friend.

Stu and Rotelli started hanging out more, talking to each other about their respective cute boys. Every time Mitch would whisper huskily into Stu’s ear, Rotelli would hear about it. Every time Professor complimented Rotelli, or cried to him, or held on a little too tight when they danced, Stu was the first to know. It was a comradery that only the gays truly know. It was like when you meet someone and say “I like your hair” and they say “I like yours too” and then makes a gay joke. It was that magical feeling of queer solidarity.

Now, of course, they started hanging out more, and of course, Professor had noticed. To him, he could tell that Rotelli was keeping secrets from him and telling those secrets to Stu. He felt like he’d done something wrong. What’d he do to make it so that Rotelli didn’t trust him with something? I mean he always told Rotelli his secrets… well all except one, but he sure as hell wouldn't be telling anyone that anytime soon. Nobody but him needed to know all the weird feelings he felt for the green-eyed Sicilian boy that may or may not be motivating this jealousy against Stu. He shouldn't even be jealous anyway, it's not like Rotelli belonged to him. It's not like sometimes professor stayed up thinking about him and whenever they were on the front lines he was the first one he worried about.

Ok maybe that second part was true, but the first one wasn't. Rotelli has the right to hang out with whoever he wants. Still, he doesn't wanna keep swallowing, but what's a fella to do?

But the next time they danced, this time dancing was far from Professor’s mind. This time Rotelli noticed that the Professors hold on his hips wasn't as tight as it was, and the professor didn't twirl him or dip him or anything like that. He didn't do anything that took paying attention. Rotelli felt a pang in his chest that he really did not like, and so he resolved to talk to Professor after lights out. Stu told him that American men often had no clue how to handle their emotions and so they bottle them all up till they have no idea what to do with them and try to drink them away, which is not an unfamiliar concept to him.

--

“Professor? Are you awake” Rotelli says quietly to his bunkmate climbing down from the top

“Yeah I am, what's on your mind pal?” answers the professor matching the volume.

“I've,ah… noticed that you have been a little with your head in the sky? I was wondering if you had a something on your mind that you’d want to tell me about”

Professor figured it was pretty much sooner rather than later that he’d have to talk about at least some of his feelings.

“You know how you’ve been hanging around Stu a whole lot?”

Rotelli nods

“Well, I keep gettin’ this feeling like, ya know your keepin’ secrets from me. I was just wondering if I did something wrong…”

Hearing these words out of Professor's mouth made Rotelli feel that pang again, poor guy. “No no not at all, you've never done anything to make me not trust you. It's just… there are some thoughts that I have that I can a only really say to Stu because Stu and I are the same. That's the only way I know how to say it”

Professor sighs and looks up at Rotelli “Are you… sweet on Stu?? I won't tell anyone I promise!” he rushes,

“No no no, I don't like Stu. besides he is interested in someone who is not me.”

“Oh.. well that's good then, you know you can really make a fella jealous keeping secrets like that you know. What's so similar about the two of you anyway”

Rotelli blushes, but it goes unseen in the dark of the cabin, “That is a harder question to answer my friend”

“C’mon, it can't be that bad. Not bad enough that you couldn't tell your best buddy right?”

There's a pause

“What if I told you, hypothetically,” Rotelli says the word with six syllables “that I fell in love with you on accident”

“Well, I’d hypothetically tell you that I would die for you,” Professor says, saying the word with five syllables

Rotelli laughs “and if I hypothetically asked you to kiss me?”

The Professor stares “I’d Hypothetically do it right there on the spot”

“Do it then”

Not a moment passed after Rotelli get that last word out before his mouth was caught by a pair of very soft Bostonian lips, The kiss was long and exciting, something that neither of them had ever felt and that neither one of them wanted to stop feeling. They kept going before they had to stop so they could sleep.

--

Stu and Rotelli meet at their usual spot and the first thing Rotelli says is “Professor is a good kisser”

-end-

[raggywaltz1954]

The appearance of an original Blue Note record has caused a stir in the Raggy Waltz office.  The excitement coupled with the all-around greatness of the album made a write-up necessary.  To the music we go!

The Music

https://raggywaltz.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/scrapple-from-the-apple.wav

The Tune:  Scrapple From The Apple

Recorded: 23 May, 1963 in Paris, France

Personnel:

Dexter Gordon-  Tenor Sax

Bud Powell-  Piano

Pierre Michelot-  Bass

Kenny Clarke-  Drums

This is one of those albums where it’s hard to single out one track as a favorite.  Unsurprisingly, this is one of those albums where you can listen to the entire thing through without skipping a single song.  Each track is strong and is a great example of Dexter Gordon’s muscular and ebullient sax work simultaneously showcasing the rhythm section as well.  The track list is straight from the bebop glory days of the 1940’s, which makes sense considering the fellas on the record.  With the exception of French bassist Pierre Michelot, everyone in the group came of age during the bebop era.  Bud Powell was the great pianist that successfully transferred the rapid lines of Charlie Parker’s alto sax into the piano idiom, while Kenny Clarke was one of the pioneering bop drummers.  And then there’s Dexter Gordon, a giant on the tenor sax, figuratively and literally (the man was well over 6 feet tall).

This album was recorded shortly after Dexter Gordon had relocated to Europe, one of many black jazz musicians to do so in the 1950’s and 60’s.  The more tolerant and respectful climate of Europe was much more attractive to black musicians than the unrelenting racism and stress of America, and this group was made up mostly of such expatriates.  Apparently, pianist Kenny Drew was supposed to be on piano and the album was going to be full of originals from Gordon, but Bud Powell ended up being in the studio instead, and since he could’t play the originals, some jazz standards were called.  The results are a free-wheeling, happy session of jazz.  Gordon sounds particularly invigorated on the first track, Charlie Parker’s original “Scrapple from the Apple”.  He blows chorus after chorus, inserting a few bars of the ‘First Call’ bugle call and then a quote from “This Can’t Be Love”.  He occasionally seems to be on the verge of leaving the confines of the tune for the more avant garde sounds beginning to be in vogue in the early 60’s, but always comes right back, swinging firmly and joyfully.

Bud Powell’s playing on this track and on the album in general is fantastic.  I’ve read that his playing declined during the 1950’s and that by the 1960’s, due to numerous factors, his playing was a shadow of what it used to be.  To my ears, uneducated in Powell, he sounds fine, both his piano and his voice.  In the great tradition of pianists such as Erroll Garner and Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell sings his piano lines, which adds to the whimsical nature of the album.

The main reason why I chose to feature this track over the others (“Night In Tunisia” was an extremely close second) was because of the catchy melody and the infectious “Tea For Two” tag Gordon plays after Powell’s solo during the fours with drummer Kenny Clarke.  After listening to the album through twice, this tag and the melody were stuck in my head for the rest of the day…and the next.  And then, to cement the fact that this is indeed a real bebop album, Powell comes in on Clarke’s drum solo in what seems like an accident.  If at least one person doesn’t accidentally barge in during the drum solo, is it really bebop?  Nope.

This album was a critical success, with many modern critics and fans having designated it “core collection” status, or as the high-faluting jazz snobs call it, “if you don’t own this album, do you even LIKE jazz?”  The general consensus is that “Night In Tunisia” is the clear highlight of the album.  Like I said earlier, it was hard for me to come up with a favorite, but “Tunisia” barely lost out to “Scrapple” on account of the latter’s rash-like infectious nature.  However, since I didn’t include that version here, I thought I’d instead include a hip version of “Tunisia” from a live-ish setting.  It’s Dexter Gordon as a lucky club patron in Europe would have seen him during the time of this recording.  Tunisia.  Tunisia!

The Cover Art

Raggy Waltz Rating:  A+

This is quite possibly the hippest, suavest album art I have in my record collection.  In fact, this is part of the reason why I always liked and wanted this album.  Dexter Gordon was a cool dude.  He dressed like a GQ model during the 1960’s, had a rich voice that he used to great effect by introducing ballads by reciting their lyrics, and was a native Californian- all factors that made him one of the hippest and smoothest jazz musicians of his time.  This album cover exudes all of that.  Looking like an Ivy League disciple with his club collar, pinned together with a safety pin collar pin, and glen plaid coat, Gordon definitely looked the part of a jazz musician.  The side profile catching him deep in thought adds to the serious nature of the photograph, and it being in black and white makes it all the more arresting.  The playful, tasteful pop of color and arrangement of the album title keeps things from getting TOO serious.  After all, jazz isn’t just about being serious.  It’s about having fun expressing one’s self!  Francis Wolff and Reid Miles strike again.  The artwork on this album doesn’t just invite attention; it demands it.

The Back

You know you’re in for a treat when Nat Hentoff is in the writer’s chair.  You also know you’ll need a dictionary when Nat Hentoff is in the writer’s chair, and he starts off with a beautiful word in the first sentence with ‘sanguine’.  What a great word.  The liner notes are informative, insightful, and interesting.  Thanks to Mr. Hentoff, there’s nothing much to add, other than that the album jacket is in relatively great condition considering its age.  The back is still relatively white, with barely any tearing, all good news on a fifty-plus year old album from the banner year of 1963 (at least in America).

The Vinyl

Rudy Van Gelder may not have been in the recording booth during the making of this album (shoutout to the French engineer Claude Ermelin), but his mastering skills still grace this album, and as a result his name is stamped in the runnout.  By 1963, most vinyl was stamped with the fancy new presses that left no deep-groove, and this album is an example of that.  The labels are beautifully crisp in their classic white and blue.  Absolutely gorgeous.  This is a mono recording, but the music is still front and center and full of life.  On a good system, the music leaps right off the record and comes not just to you, but AT you.  It’s as if Dex and the band are right in the room with me.  Each time I play this album, I’m blown away with the fantastic quality of the record and the sound of the recording.  Another round of applause to Mr. Claude Ermelin.  The vinyl plays remarkably quiet, with not a crackle, pop, or snap.  In fact, it sounds brand new to my ears, as close to 1963 as I’ll ever get (then again, I am in the American South…).  The presence of the Plastylite ‘ear’ in the runnout combined with the medium-heavy vinyl make me think that this is a first-pressing.  Of course, it could be a fourth pressing for all I know, and I truly don’t care.  It was made before the Liberty acquisition of ’66, so it’s alright with me.  Speaking of acquisition, how did a newly graduated guy like myself come to be adding this album to my library?

The Acquisition

One of the coolest aspects of running this blog has been correspondence I’ve had with the readers.  Some are a few states away, others a border away, and still others an ocean away.  Two weeks ago, a reader all the way in Belgium contacted me and after saying a lot of nice things that made me blush (a hard thing to do for somebody that looks like me), told me he wanted to send a gift.  This being 2018, I was highly suspicious, but decided to trust him.  A week later, a package arrived in the mail.  I opened it, and began to weep.  It looked absolutely beautiful.  Then I took the vinyl out and began to weep even harder; it looked pristine.  Doing my best to clear my eyes, I put the record on my turntable and carefully dropped the needle on the first track.  There was the delicious quiet swish as the needle slipped into the opening grooves, then the crisp sounds of piano, bass and drums sounded.  As I weeped even more, I decided to check what a good condition copy of this album goes for these days.  The results made me cry so loud, I had to replay the album so I could actually hear it.  “Willow Weep For Me” has a new meaning for me.  Amen and amen.

There have been many highlights and high points during my blogging experience, but this is certainly the highlightingest and high pointingest.  A beautiful album, one that I’ve always wanted to eventually own, now mine.  For the absolute best college collector price in the world.  To my Belgian reader and friend, if you are reading this, thank you again for this graduation gift/birthday gift/Christmas gift/Kwanzaa gift.  It will forever have a special place in my record collection.

Our Man In Paris // Dexter Gordon (Blue Note BLP 4146) The appearance of an original Blue Note record has caused a stir in the Raggy Waltz office.