tkeith

Thanks! Not a big AB guy, but that certainly gives me an idea who it may have come from.

HF is on one of my favorite guilty pleasures -- Johnny Hartman's TODAY.

Every conversation I had in High School.

I agree with Sam Cooke. My list is heavy on the singer/songwriter genre: Ellis Paul James Taylor Bill Withers Marvin Gaye and recently, Ray LaMontagne but as you say, tomorrow they could be different

Just like it says -- I found an unlabeled disc, it's not a brand I typically use, so I'm reasonably certain this is something somebody gave me to listen to, but I have no idea who. I've ID'd some songs and I have some thoughts as to who some of the players may be, but I'm not certain enough to label the tunes in iTunes. If you get the chance, give a listen and hit me back here with your thoughts. Here's the link, just scroll to the folder HelpMeID. There's one complete album, a latin-jazz feel that sounds like it was recorded in the mid-late 60s. One album is a 70s/80s sounding big band that sounds like a cross between Thad/Mel and Braxton, and there are multiple cuts from an avant garde group that sounds very Air/William Parker influenced. There are also some additional random cuts. Good luck! And thanks for the help!

After seeing the Bombers twice this week, reports of their demise (including my own) seem incredibly premature. I can't help but cite the return of The Captain as one of the key reasons for the turn in their performance. By the way, speaking of young guys throwing heat, I haven't heard mention of Sidd Finch!

Can anyone do anything in this friggin' country without somebody throwing a conniption? Does baseball really have an obligation to check every religion's calendar? I don't recall the Catholics recognizing the issue of playoff games on Yom Kippur.

No, no and no. 214 wins considering how long he was in the league isn't good enough. Plus if the HOF takes character into consideration Schilling is a class A jerk. Great post season pitcher and I would have loved to have pitch for my team in the post season but personality wise I never liked him, even back when he was in Philly. You left out No, No, No, NO! and HELL TO THE NO!!!! When they DNA sample to prove that the bloody sock was nail polish, we'll see how much of a McGuire Effect he experiences.

Interesting read. I agree that he's lost a step, but at the same time, those stats don't consider the intangibles. Jeter is a winner, and that DOES matter. Also, how much are those fielding stats influenced by his surrounding cast? In the glory years, he had Brosius on one side and Knoblauch on the other. He's well-covered to his right (an area manned by the superior SS), but Cano is a combination of limited and lazy that is much more detrimental to the performance of the team than Jeter. I'm a certified Yankee hater, and I appreciate the captain. It reminds me of the hub-bub that surrounded Ripken in later years. Quite seriously, what was the better option? Baltimore *thought* it was Manny Alexander and look how that turned out! I would have thought Jeter would be destined to finish at 1B or DH, but with the money paid out to Teix, that ain't gonna happen. Perhaps he'll replace Johnny Demon in LF? Either way, he'll die a Yankee, that much is sure. I don't think even Hank is dumb enough to make that error.

Agreed. I always loved Scully, but he just needs to hang it up. He simply rambles and babbles, not all of which is incoherent, but that which matters is lost in a sea of sludge... much like this sentence. Locals around here always rave about our announcers, but I've never cared much for any of them. Don Orsillo is inoffensive, but he doesn't add much. Remy has his days, but a lot of the time, I just wish he'd shut it. A lot of my buds loved McDonough, but I think he fits into a very special suck category. The "classic" guys were Ned Martin and Dick Stockton. Martin bored the hell out of me and Stockton is a pompous ass. I'd take today's version of Scully over any of them, and that's not a compliment.

Agreed. Yeah, you did -- that was a good game. The announcers were awful, but the game was good (Jeff Huson -- he was actually a better infielder than he is announcer). I was pleasantly surprised to see what a good bunter Lee is. He looked right on schedule -- if healthy, he should be a lock for 16 wins. At least you START asleep -- some of us aren't even getting that far! :eye:

Hey, you gotta hear Liberace's version of Jackie-ing!!!

Hey, I for one appreciate that aspect of your responses. You make me feel more like I'm offering an opinion and less like I'm being a curmudgeon. That is to say, I usually agree with 98% of what you say, you just make it sound better than I do.

No kidding! I think Ausmus was catching for Mike Scott & Nolan Ryan back in the 80's! Well, no. But in defense of the aging Ivy leaguer, in his first AB this spring, he doubled. In his second at bat, he singled and stole second off Geovanny Soto. He's going to make a solid back up for Russell Martin. I have a baseball that i got signed by Scott, Ryan, and catcher Alan Ashby (and a slew of teammates - Billy Hatcher, Glenn Davis, Bill Doran, Charlie Kerfeld, even Hal Lanier signed it for me), so I know he wasn't around back then - was just playin'. Unfortunately the ball was used and well worn, because I wasn't expecting to get down on the field that day. Knew you were being sarcastic, but you were doing so with guys who were playing while I was in high school, so I had to speak up.

No kidding! I think Ausmus was catching for Mike Scott & Nolan Ryan back in the 80's! Well, no. But in defense of the aging Ivy leaguer, in his first AB this spring, he doubled. In his second at bat, he singled and stole second off Geovanny Soto. He's going to make a solid back up for Russell Martin.

Oh Christ! I'm such an idiot! It's this. I knew I recognized it. One of my favorite bassists -- I'm ashamed of myself.

Part 2: Enjoyed part 1 much more than part 2, but I also had more time to dig part 1. Disc 2 Track 1 -- I recognized this instantly, but I'm drawing blanks. I was literally listening to this last week. I want to say The Bad Plus, but I'm not confident. I definitely have this, but it's drawing total blanks. Track 2 -- Can't hear this all that well (on the laptop at work), but I have no clue who this is. I like it, but again, not sure how it would hold up to repeatedly listening. It's the sort of thing that would be nice as a break in an ensemble set, but not sure I'd want to hear a whole night of it. I like the bass hook, though. Track 3 -- Afro Blue, but not crazy about the arrangement. No clue who -- tuned out very quickly. In fact, it was the statement of the theme that got me listening again. Track 4 -- Hate to sound like a broken record, but that's Kenny Wheeler. Don't know the guitarist (probably my weakest area to identify). Always like Kenny. Track 5 -- Odd, no idea who this is, but it reminds me of the original The Fringe (with Applebee on bass instead of Lockwood), only featuring a trumpet as a lead. Sounds a bit like Roy Campell, though not as fiery. Seems two raw to be Dave Douglas... I'm just not sure. Track 6 -- At first I thought this was What A Wonderful World. Not sure what it is, but the pianist reminds me of one of the young guys who's really tied to the tradition (somebody like Goeff Keezer). Not sure who it is, though. Nice sounds. Track 7 -- Thought of Don Pullen immediately, but the tune is Norwegian Wood. Way too clean for DP, though. Track 8 -- Crime Jazz!!! Interesting and energetic, but doesn't do much for me. Maybe Bobby Sanabria? Track 9 -- Very familiar tune. Not big on the pianist's touch... that sounds ridiculous, but he sounds very 'pop-ish' to me. I know what it is, it sounds like a soundtrack. Actually reminds me a bit of the soundtrack to Being There. Interesting BFT -- in like a lion and out like a lamb. Looking forward to the answers!

Wow... speechless.

I saw that interview, and the printed quote doesn't convey what was said. If anything, Alou was being condescending towards the play of his own team. His point was that the D.R. has the most talented team and simply didn't play up to the level they were capable of. I had no problem with his statement.

Woo-hoo! I get to be first. No pressure! I liked most of this a great deal. I'm itching to know about several of the cuts. I may actually have to spend some more time on this one, because some of it is great. But for part 1 (1-12), here goes: Track 1 -- Cold Duck Time. Not diggin' the interpretation of the head. If you think of the words "Cold Duck Time," Cold and Duck should be the same duration. This is being played in a way which rushes the Duck. I know that's nit-picky, but it gets back to the notion that a wind player should learn the words to a tune (though I'm not sure this tune actually has any). This isn't really being sold to me. I want to like it, and there are moments where it's clicking, but it's... I dunno, maybe they're trying to do too much with it? It just seems like the sax player is playing completely out of his element. Clearly *they* were having fun, and I guess that's enough. Not sure who, I'm guessing not 'name' players. Track 2 -- Bass line reminds me of Sun Ra's Discipline 27, but the head is different. Not sure if that's a plucked cello of just an off sounding bass taking the solo early on, but it's not really clicking. Then, I've never heard that format when it fully did. I like the sound of this recording and I'm going to guess it might be a Mapleshade date. Trumpet player is blowing now. What didn't hit me about track one is VERY present here. This grooves nicely. Trumpet player isn't hung up on the pretty shiny thing in his hands -- just playing, no bullshit. I recognize the drummer (I think), but can't put my finger on him. Maybe an outside guy playing really in the pocket, like Rashid Ali. Alto player sounds like he's more of an inside guy, definitely knows that stuff really well. I can't place this definitively, but I like this a lot. I assume the bass solo in the beginning was overdubbed. If so, I could live without that, otherwise, this is a keeper. Track 3 -- Another one that grabs me pretty quickly. Nice tone on the tenor and a pretty song, reminds me of something like Ronnie Matthews would write. I know this tenor and I'm digging him a bunch. Shades of Pharoah in there, but I don't think it's him. Aw!!! Lovin' this!!!! One of the post-Tyner piano guys, but not John Hicks. I like him, but not quite in the way I love Hicks. Again, sounds very familiar. Could it be Ronnie Matthews? Man, I GOTTA have this!!!! Maybe Chico Freeman, but sounds more ballsy. This is a great cut. Track 4 -- Dwight Trible covering Pharoah's YOU GOTTA HAVE FREEDOM. I'm not familiar with this, but I'm liking the modern west coast theme. I'm wondering if that last cut could have been my guy Jesse Sharps. Love the bass clari. I've never known Pharoah to play that, but this could certainly be him. This is rough, but raw and beautiful. Could that be Michael Session on bass clari? Track 5 -- Man! Why have I been putting this BFT off!?!??! This is friggin' gorgeous!!! Really nice 'bone sound, warm and fat. I know who it's NOT, and that's Lacy, Anderson or Harris. But I'm not sure who it IS. Guitar is a little up front in the mix (aren't they always?) at times, but overall, a pretty tasteful approach. Nice. I like that they let this groove and it isn't just the straight head-solo-solo-head approach, but it isn't over-orchestrated, either. This is really nice, too, but again, I have no idea, and that's starting to grate on me. I've NEVER dug four straight cuts in a BFT, and I'm not sure a bit about three of them! Why do the record companies never send me this kind of stuff for the show? I'm going to guess this is from the 80s. It's got that feel of some of the mid-80s stuff. Very nice. Track 6 -- This sounds like it's trying too hard to be deliberate. I'm not sure about this cut. Not a vibist I'm familiar with (unless he's intentionally trying to throw me off). That piano makes me think this is from the late 70s. I like the piano solo a lot. Hearing someone (I assume the vibes) counting makes me reiterate that this is trying to be too deliberate. Track 7 -- Not crazy about the head, but once the solos start, this is nice. Drums sound a little hyper-compressed, so I'll guess late 70s/early 80s. You can keep the clarinet. Maybe a Franklin Kiermeyer date, because the drums are a little too busy. The Zappa-ism in the middle loses me. I don't know, overall this one just seems like it's trying too hard to be different. Track 8 -- I've guessed four different songs and three players one minute in. I'm hearing all sorts of influences. Definitely some Blythe in there, some Strozier... maybe Bruce Williams? Seems a bit less funky than him, though. The tune is very modern and new age influenced. I like it, but I'm not sure how it would hold up to repeated listening. Track 9 -- Song is based loosely on Horace Silver's The Natives Are Restless Tonight. I'm pretty sure this is Horace Tapscott, though it's not something I have, and that makes me wonder... I thought I had him pretty well covered. On second listening, the piano sounds a little heavy-handed on the head for Tapscott, but the solo is definitely derivative. Track 10 -- This is nice, but it's not really my bag. A little too serene and new-agey. I'm going to guess an ECM recording. It's got that clean, hyper-compressed sound. Track 11 -- This one isn't resonating for me. Not a clarinet fan, and the stiff drums are off-putting. I'm thinking younger guys, trying for something different. They're achieving different, I'm just not convinced I care. Guitarist likes his Grant Green (and really, who don't!?). I'm guessing saxophonist doubling on clarinet, because, well, it sounds like it. Track 12 -- Maybe Joe McPhee on tenor. No idea about the clarinet. An odd recording. Not sure how I feel about it. I might love it if not for the electronics. Certainly unique. The more I'm listening, this guy doesn't sound as heavy as McPhee to me. Could be Daniel Carter, but again, doesn't sound strong enough to my ear.

Shit! #1, with him out of the lineup, the Skankees actually have a chance to be winners. #2, the jerk is on my fantasy team as one of my four keepers. Aaaaarghghghgh!!!!

You know, that was the one thing that didn't impress me in the least about Arizona -- very low HQ (Hottie Quotient). Fortunately, my wife was with me, so I was a happy man. But really, not an attractive populace. You have got to be kidding me!!! Where were you, staying in old age homes??? Perhaps. We stayed in Scottsdale and went to Hohokam and Scottsdale stadium. But everywhere we went, arts district, casino, restaurants... I'm telling you, the talent level was low (and the weight level was NOT). Loved the climate, but when it comes to gauging HQ, 'Zona is no Florida.

That'll go away in about two days.

You know, that was the one thing that didn't impress me in the least about Arizona -- very low HQ (Hottie Quotient). Fortunately, my wife was with me, so I was a happy man. But really, not an attractive populace.

Thanks... about to go plow... just punch me in the nuts.