JohnJ

One song of his that has been widely covered is "I'll be Around". One of my favourite songs, particularly the Sinatra version on 'In the Wee Small Hours'.

Not recently Conn. My wife recently had her bag stolen from inside the ladies toilet in a department store. Some guy rushed in, reached over and grabbed it, and run off. He ran straight past me, but I had no idea at the time what he had done, even though I thought it strange to see him running so fast. By the time my wife emerged in a panic, he was long gone. I have other experiences of less that honest behaviour too.

The three CDs that I have played the most often are probably: The Velvet Underground & Nico Songs for Swinging Lovers (Sinatra) Crescent (Coltrane)

It comes in handy when you most expect it too.

Thanks kinuta. I still take my so called advanced classes twice a week but unfortunately neither age nor aptitude are on my side. Actually, recent lessons have been about the Livedoor versus Nippon Broadcasting saga. Very interesting but, as you say, hard to follow in Japanese.

Moose, Chris, you are both wrong. By the time I get to Phoenix she'll be rising She'll find the note I left hangin' on her door She'll laugh when she reads the part that says I'm leavin' 'Cause I've left that girl so many times before

I have never been to Arizona. By the time I get to Phoenix it will be even bigger.

Wish I was a linguist. After all these years I still struggle with my Japanese.

PHILLYQ, there was a thread on this topic last September to which I remember contributing. I am sure if you do a search you will find it. Anyway, fabulous place, enjoy!

Congratulations to Wales, I know how much they love their rugby. Nice to see them beat the Irish. Anyway, England are still the world champions.

Soul Stream, thanks for starting this thread. My feelings exactly.

"Seasons in the Sun".

Chaney, thanks for the heads up. My copies of the two 'From the Vaults' CD's and 'After Hours' arrived yesterday from World Records. I never thought I would be able to pick up these fabled releases so cheaply.

Glorious spring weather in Tokyo the last couple of days, around 60F and sunny. The short skirts are already coming out of winter storage .

Claude, in all my trawling around the used CD stores of Tokyo I have never seen this. I will be on the lookout for this set.

I see already four people say they are posting from Asia. I am in Tokyo, who are the other three?

I really like Shepp's more recent releases, I just bought the Venus CD 'True Ballads' which is very nice.

It was "Burma" in 1985 when I visited... Same year I visited Conn, November 1985. This is really eerie. I don't remember the month, but could probably find it through some research. I think I visited in the Fall too. Could we have been on the same plane? How did you get to Pagan? I had to take an awful route: train to Thazi then jammed up bus from Thazi to Pagan. I remember it took hours. Couldn't stand to take the bus back to Thazi, so I paid for a personal "taxi" back from Pagan to the train station in Thazi. I don't recall seeing any other foreigners in Pagan...well wait...there was a French woman who kind of hitched up with us on the horse and buggy. But that couldn't have been you! Yeah, great pics, brings back memories. Conn, back in '85 I was told that the only way to visit Burma was on an organized tour. The details are hazy now but I seem to recall that we flew from Rangoon to Mandalay, spent some time in the Shan state and then flew from Mandalay to Pagan before flying back to Rangoon. I do remember that the aircraft were very old Fokkers and being told that they had lost half of their fleet (2 planes) in crashes over the previous few years.

It was "Burma" in 1985 when I visited... Same year I visited Conn, November 1985.

Reading the last three posts makes me realize how hard it is to chose and how wonderful every different place can be. Conn and White Lightning, I also have special memories of Burma (Myanmar) and the people. I visited for a week twenty years ago and it really was eye opening. People used to joke that just before landing in Rangoon the pilot would say "Ladies and gentlemen, please set your watches back thirty years as we are about to land in Burma". I am sure it has changed by now, but that statement was very true in the 1985. Pagan is truly awe inspiring and like you Conn, I vividly remember sitting atop a temple as the sun went down staring down at the scene below. Such friendly and innocent people too. And Kenny, how I loved New Orleans when I visited a couple of years ago. Itching to get back again soon.

I'm very fond of Spain too. Until recently I owned a house with my father in the Malaga area. Many good memories.

You could be on to something Chris. The winner of the Nathans Hot Dog eating contest every year, and he wins easily, is a skinny little Japanese guy.

Not a bad choice . As a country to visit alone, or with friends, I am rather partial to Thailand.

High prices indeed, although the Larry Young Mosaic recently sold for $500 on e Bay.

Herbie Nichols, CD 1. This is the first time for me to listen to Herbie, pretty amazing compositions. The booklet with this Mosaic is particularly good.