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Herbie Nichols: Herbie Nichols Trio – Blue Note 1519
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The next CD on my quixotic Blue Note odyssey is Herbie Nichols Trio, a 1955-56 trio record by the criminally under-appreciated pianist. GreatI'm looking forward to it! I know almost nothing about

Herbie Nichols
piano1919 - 1963

Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Except... you can't really buy this CD. Not easily. And not cheaply.
Go to Amazon and look it up. The first thing you see is that the album is available on MP3 for just $6.99. OK, that's good, but a last resort. I'd rather have the tangible CD for my collection. Then you see the two-CD set Complete Studio Master Takesa Spanish import selling for $40 to $50. Um, no. Not yet. Maybe never.
There's also Herbie Nichols Trio, Volume 2, which some nut is selling for $2,339.99 new. That has to be a typo. Used copies start at $28. Maybe when we get to Volume 2. But not yet. And even so, that's kind of expensive.
How about eBay? There's a $13 used copyshipping from Japan! I'm not sure I trust that. A $15 copy shipping from South Korea. A $50 copy shipping from Japan, and two $60 copies shipping from Canada and Japan. Uh, no.
So MP3 it is. Which is great, if all I want is the music. But I don't. I want the CD.
Sigh. Eventually. Meanwhile, the MP3s will do, says the cheater.
Oh yeah, and then there's the music.
It's great, just as I'd hoped. The critics are right. Herbie Nichols is just slightly less off-kilter than Monk, but they're in the same ballpark. Clearly, he can play a tune straight, but doesn't choose to. Each tune is full of odd pauses and note choices and rhythms that are a tiny bit offintentionally.
It's enough to make every song interesting. It's cerebral bop, but not quite as extreme as a typical Monk tune.

Max Roach
drums1925 - 2007
Al McKibbon
bass, acousticb.1919

Teddy Kotick
bass1928 - 1986
The biggest surprise is "Lady Sings the Blues." Yes, that song. Nichols co- wrote it with

Billie Holiday
vocals1915 - 1959
Actually, every tune on this wonderful CD is full of unexpected turns. This is piano trio music with a twist. It's a great findeven in MP3 format.
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Availability: Rare as a standalone CD, only available as an import; Sold as MP3 files on Amazon
Cost: $7 in MP3 format
Tags
Herbie Nichols
My Blue Note Obsession
Marc Davis
United States
Thelonious Monk
Max Roach
Al McKibbon
Teddy Kotick
Billie Holiday
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