It’s a weird world we live in.

I’m with Joe on the merits of BASRA, a superlative example of a studio-only band (afiak) producing one of the diamonds in Blue Note tiara. Henderson’s solos throughout, but expecially on “Malaguena” and “Lazy Afternoon," are bracingly beautiful.

I consider this a Looking Glass World development.

If the concern really is Sims', I can respect that it is his. He is the artist, BASRA is his work, and so forth. But I can't fathom *why* he may be so concerned.

If he wanted, he could simply request that a disclaimer appear somewhere on the CD packaging. Nonesuch has done something similar with resepct to the original liner notes that are reproduced in their EXPLORER SERIES reissues.

"In order to provide a historical context for this recording, the liner notes that accompanied its original release have been reprinted in full below. The text has not been edited to reflect changes in general cultural perceptions or specific factual information that may have occurred since then."

Anyway, I think we all realize we are not living in 1965 anymore. Not that 1965 was, geopolitically speaking, that much less insane than 2005.

And, of course, it is entirely possible that Sims -- who is a practicing attorney, BTW -- wishes to suppress this release for other reasons, and the flap about the title is a smokescreen / more convenient means to that end.

What a bunch of fucking idiot wankers, honestly. (Sims too if he's sanctioned this bullshit.) We're now going to pull the plug on every fucking piece of music that even namechecks a place where "our boys" might be dying? (First of all, the city in question is in a zone basically administered by the British, but I don't suppose anyone has thought about that..) I can't believe how fucking daft some of you people can be on the other side of the pond sometimes. Holy Jesus Christ, get these dickheads copies of Robert Hughes' "The Culture of Complaint" and tell them to go away and read, if they can remember how to.

I love it when Dan “Jekyll” Warburton’s Hyde side rears its shaggy snarling head :) Time to pop a bag of popcorn & hope the fireworks don’t fizzle.

[fwiw, I think the whole name switcheroo is silly too, whether it’s Sims at the wheel or some EMI suit]

i just would like to say that regardless of the delay, this is indeed one of the classic blue notes that should be regularly available (I had to hunt down a japanese import.)
henderson's playing throughout is simply incredible, especially on BASRA, and for what its worth i don't mind using the 'b' word...

I should not neglect to mention that Steve Kuhn also sounds pretty damn good -- even feisty -- on this release.

holy CRAP!
idiotic. unbelievable. baffling.

fwiw, I'm a big Joe Henderson fan, and I've never thought this was one of his best showings. He plays well, as does everyone on the session, but I find the album to be monochromatic and even tedious in parts. Too much in the same tempo and feel, too much in the same key.

I have to concede that I'm in total agreement with Herr Beaudreau per Joe's playing and the album in general.

Well, to itch his own.

Henderson's solo on "Malagueña" has long been a favorite of mine. Then again, I've always preferred Joe's 60's and 70's work in all of its inconsistency to the more stolid playing he became celebrated for in the 90's.

I still very much like his work on the album in question. . .just wouldn't put it with his best. And I also completely agree with the second half of your post, Joe.

Well, Joe, i'll be revisiting "Malagueña" this weekend. And Michael, I'm with you. IMO, Joe's best work from the period (roughly mid-60s) is on his own Inner Urge, In N Out, & Our Thing; Andrew Hill's Black Fire; Kenny Dorham's Una Mas; & Freddie Roach's Brown Sugar. But Joe was so consistent in this period - I can't really think of a record where he's 'off'.

I like a lot of Joe's 70s work as well, but he lost me in the 80s: his playing became gestural at the expense of content: in recordings he often sounds impatient, or frustrated, or bitter. A surprising disregard of context. However, in the 90s, it seems to me, he took the 80s technical facility and re-invested it with a concern with structure, context and language. Began playing with more economy too.

I haven't spun the 90s records in some time, but the Blue Notes are revisited regularly.

I'd add "Unity," "The Real McCoy" and "Stick Up!" to your fine list, James.

I would add Page One to the Henderson body of fine work.

Addendum to Page One:
Speaking of solid Pete La Roca dates.

as long as we're rattling off joe henderson blue notes of note I'll add:
-point of departure, andrew hill
-idle moments, grant green
-little johnny c, johnny coles
-cape verdean blues, horace silver
-the sidewinder, lee morgan and mode for joe.
also, I think henderson's playing on the title track and lazy afternoon on basra really stand up there with his best work for the label, and I love his playing from that whole period, but to each his own, I guess.
i wish he and jackie mclean could have done a date together...

a La Roca album i like particularly is
"Swingtime" with Ricky Ford.

I would hesitate to presume that the name change is the work of some right-wing flag pervert. It may simply be that Mr. Sims (or whomever else is responsible) now considers the original name condescending to and/or disrepectful of another culture. I would hope that (for example), were Ray Noble to write "Cherokee (Indian Love Song)" today, he'd give it another title.

I don't follow what could be condescending or disrespectful about 'Basra'. It would be interesting to know the thinking behind the controversy. I do agree that I should not presume to know the motivation here. If anything is potentially offensive, it is removing the name of the place from the composition and album cover - removing it from the records, so to speak. Whatever was the idea behind naming the composition 'Basra' -- I don't care if it was a heartfelt tribute to the place, or cheap exotica -- the record stands, the name is there, and it should be left there. The worst connotation is that the label, or artist, or SOMEONE involved wants to remove a blemish from their work or product. If anyone has any more information about what's going on with the reissue I'd be interested to know.

Now, that's some stupid shit. Let's see. What shall we call it...

Hackensack?

Too Stupid For Words?

I'm Glad I Already Own It Because Now I Wouldn't Buy It?

If some were to read something perjorative into the title of this record, I would imagine that an idictment of that person rather than the author of the composition. This is being way too sensitive.

I hate to think what Brubeck might have had in mind when he recorded Jazz Impressions of Japan so soon after WWII.

"If some were to read something perjorative into the title of this record, I would imagine that an idictment of that person"

that's certainly true: the recieving mind is to be scrutinized first: what are the intentions of my own interpretative mentalities? is my own first question

"rather than the author of the composition. This is being way too sensitive."

more offensive by far would perhaps be the billboards i used to see in the usa a few years back of saddam cross-eyed as if he'd been whacked upside the head and the words "rock the casbah" coming up like a cartoon balloon. one of these was positioned outside kirtland afb in NM and at one point people wouild pay 25 but to be given an M-1 to take a shot at this paper tiger

"I hate to think what Brubeck might have had in mind when he recorded Jazz Impressions of Japan so soon after WWII."

a good question for colonialist discoursers maybe and one you might have gotten an interesting answer on from Said if he were still alive. maybe ask Otomo his opinion about such a thing. my abr review of imj will speak a little about colonialist cross-cultures

i am hearetened that no one take's dan's "across the-pond-isms" too seriously. europeans are not all highly politically informed (as if something given to them at birth)--and what is "political information" is a dubious category anyway-- nor enlightened and nor on the otherhand do i find all americans completely head-in-the-sand about everything. that said, what i see in these few weeks back in the usa is anything but encouraging to me and i live in europe for a firm reason...but i could be living elsewhere and maybe i shall be soon... the real tragedy is the colonialism of waste and pollution so widespread that the actual earth on which we subsist and will eventually subside is very hard to get in contact with sans extreme efforts--although i can testify it can be achieved

the colonialism of waste and polltuion that puts the glaciers on the run is the product of global capitalism and we can thank our european particpipants and the chinese marketeers for making it all possible, their desires as overwhelming as any american tyranosauraous brain-stem implanted in the OS of our values