Whats on your turntable tonight?

It's a rainy day here in CA so the stereo is going to get a workout. On right now is Messian's amazing maxi-opera St. Francis conduced by Kent Nagano, which will take the next 4 hours. My wide and I saw it performed in San Francisco last year and, frankly, something this long is easier to enjoy on disk than having to sit still in a coat and tie for all that time! Then, if the mailman brings it today, Tom Russell's new CD, Hotwalker.

Neither are on vinyl or likely ever to be, but don't let that stop anyone.

All this talk of Roland Kirk has me playing The Jaki Byard Experience (Prestige), with Kirk on reeds. It's a terrific LP (also now on CD). It also features Richard Davis on bass. I was lucky enough to catch Kirk at the Village Vanguard back in 1973 when I was right out of college. It was around the time he released "Bright Moments," and he used a lot of those songs to really stretch out. Incrediable musician. I had to catch a train so couldn't stay for the end of the second set, to my lasting regret.

A very entertaining Impulse! 3-LP set called The Saxophone, A Critcal Guide. Don Byas is playing All The Things You Are right now. Great stuff.