T.D.

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Posts posted by T.D.

  3. Posted · Edited by T.D.

    18 minutes ago, BillF said:

    No good at cryptic crosswords, but think 21 Across is DIAL.

    Yes!

     I think the puzzle's pretty well put together. Among other answers are CHARLIE, PARKER, YARD, BIRD, VERVE, ORNITHOLOGY, ALTO, BEBOP, RARA, AVIS, HEROIN and LIVER (ouch). And much of the cluing is Bird-related.

    [Not overly worried about spoilers - only once before did I post a link to a puzzle on the forum, and that one got zero replies. ;) ]

    I acquired a taste for British cryptic crosswords early in this millennium.

  4. Posted

    10 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

    I promise you that I am not trolling now, but I've got a question to all of you who prefer CDs to digital formats which are not based on plastic discs: do you prefer them only because of the packaging (booklets, liner notes) or also out of a feeling of "safety" for owning "physical" copies (or for any other reason)?

    The reason for my question is the sometimes stated, sometimes implied, argument that CDs are a safer way to keep music than as files stored in another manner. But the fact is that hard drives, clouds and compact discs are only different ways of storing the same digital files. There are many safe ways to store digital data, and most often they are based on redundancy. CDs can get scratched, they can "rot", be stolen, lost or burn. A file storage solution based on multiple copies in different locations (as in local drive plus cloud) would probably be much safer. Ask a bank how they store critical data (it will not be as discs or printouts). 🙂 

    I appreciate physical product myself; these days primarily enjoyed in the form of LPs. But the "safety" argument has long seemed flawed to me. But feel free to put me straight. 😄

    For me it's purely inertia. I have a decent sound system based on CDs (gave up on vinyl about 20 years ago and no longer have a turntable).

    Going to downloads would involve purchasing a hard drive (or maybe 2 incl. backup), researching software (maybe purchasing, depending on research), purchasing a suitable DAC to play the files through my sound system, and then ripping/cataloguing my CDs. I'm some combination of too lazy / cheap to do all this.

    I hear you on "safety". I occasionally drop and scratch CDs, long ago gave up on lending them out because of damage, and have had discs rot.

  5. Posted

    13 minutes ago, ejp626 said:

    I'm sure it's gotten worse.  I thought Amazon wasn't that terrible 10-15 years ago, but like everything (Paypal, etc.) the fees for the small sellers have gotten much, much worse.  Then the postal rates started increasing, but Amazon didn't (at that time) allow any increase in what they reimbursed for shipping.  Then I moved to Canada, where the postal rates are basically insane (and there is no media rate equivalent), so I just stopped listing items.  It simply isn't worth it any more.

    I sold a lot on Amazon 10-15 years ago, but stopped because my selling slowed down and it became too much of a PITA. Then the terms started getting much worse. I stopped paying attention and wouldn't even consider it now.

  7. Posted

    I am still buying jazz CDs but feel I may be one of the last of the dinosaur holdouts.

    Over the next 6-12 months I expect to go digital. It's a matter of getting off my ass, doing the research on software, hard drives and DACs (I still want to play stuff through my stereo system), and spending money on same.

    I'm not so much into older jazz, however, so probably wouldn't be a big buyer of your listings.

  8. Posted

    3 hours ago, Д.Д. said:

     

    Yes. It is mostly quite austere stuff, particularly the later releases. On a more humane side:

    1. Madly You - Daunik Lazro, Carlos Zingaro, Joëlle Léandre, Paul Lovens. You can't go wrong with the combination of Lazro and Zingaro. I remember Joe McPhee telling me how great Lazro is and how much he enjoyed playing with him.   

    2. exaltatio utriusque mundi - Frédéric Blondy, Lê Quan Ninh - for phenomenal and absolutely unique drums (mostly just one bass drum, to be precise) playing by Lê Quan Ninh. The first track is so-so with Blondy and Ninh looking for the right balance, but from then on (when Ninh clearly starts leading) it's fantastic.

    3. Stengam - Cor Fuhler. As mentioned above, an absorbing solo piano masterpiece.

    4. Ichnites - Pascal Battus, Christine Sehnaoui Abdelnour. Battus is playing "rotating surfaces" here, i.e. various objects pressed upon rotating parts of thrashed walkmans, and the breadth and warmth of sounds he extracts has to be heard to be believed. Works great with saxophonist Abdelnour. I find this a surprisingly joyful and entertaining record. Squidco has some samples: http://www.squidco.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=12910&Store_Code=S&search=pascal+battus&offset=&filter_cat=0&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=0&sort=&range_low=&range_high=&srch_name=1&srch_artist=1&srch_personnel=1            

    Thanks, the Cor Fuhler looks very good. Have to agree with you on the austere nature of the catalog...I saw the names Beuger and Frey (familiar from Wandelweiser and Another Timbre) up near the top and didn't have the patience to explore further.

     

     

  11. Posted · Edited by T.D.

    Thanks! I'd already seen good reports on Metropolis.

    The studio recording of Citadel/Room 315 is indeed hard to find, but a recent release of an earlier live recording is available and looks promising:

    R-14875230-1583259527-6871.jpeg.jpg

  13. Posted

    Recently heard my first Westbrook recordings, On Duke's Birthday and Westbrook-Rossini. Greatly enjoyed them and would like to explore more.

    Looking for recommendations, preferably of releases with some chance of US availability. Thanks. Didn't see many prior threads on MW.

  15. Posted · Edited by T.D.

    12 minutes ago, JSngry said:

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    Odean & Khan bring out the best in each other. An engaging performance that is at once vibrant and stolid, with echoes of all sorts of different instrumentational  precedents but imitations of none.

    In other words, recommended!

    Thanks for the recommendation! But reading the back cover, I saw "Cadence" and "Rusch" all over the place, thought "...didn't I read some things about Bob Rusch?", and wound up feeling a little queasy. I dig both musical principals, not sure I'll put the recording on my wish list.

  17. Posted · Edited by T.D.

    Hoping this is an "evolving" (see below) situation. I just saw this on Facebook today (8/21):

    Gadzooks! It’s a beautiful Friday here in Woodstock and the [redacted] Beer Garden is open today 2 to 10pm!

    Incidental music for your dining pleasure begins around 4. Due to current and evolving NYS guidelines we cannot provide or promote info about musical performers or set times.

    We are currently talking to the powers that be in order to clarify these current rules and we are very hopeful we will be able to announce artists and set times again soon. We are just waiting to get a clearer picture and working very hard to stay in compliance with all restrictions and mandates! Please bear with us!

  19. Posted

    19 hours ago, bresna said:

    My 30 year old daughter just called to tell me that the husband of her best friend from high school is still debilitated from COVID-19 that he first contracted in March. He's now developed cardiac issues and the doctors are worried about the blood flow in his lungs. He's having trouble walking and often can't get himself out of bed.

    All of this from a "simple flu". It's "like a cold" . It "only affects the elderly" . It "only affects people with pre-existing conditions". It is "not a big deal". 

    I wish those quotes were made up and people really weren't that stupid and heartless.

    Same morons who spout "all lives matter" in other contexts.

  21. Posted

    17 minutes ago, Milestones said:

    Anyone know what happened to comments on news stories at Yahoo?  They don't seem to be present at all anymore. Isn't the input of the ordinary person part of living in a democracy?  Sure, you had some nutty comments, but also some astute ones.  I usually got more out of the comments than the (typically) poorly-written Yahoo articles.

     

    They took 'em out. Can't tell if it's permanent.

    Every story now has a link at the bottom (where comments used to be) to a poll or questionnaire concerning the issue. Surprised you didn't notice that.

    I love the fact that comments have been removed. I used to avoid reading Yahoo stories because of all the garbage that would automatically (on my browser) appear whenever I clicked on one. Wasn't most of that shit generated by bots?

    But I rarely look at Yahoo. I generally access financial news, and Yahoo coverage is inferior to other sources IMO.

  24. Posted

    51 minutes ago, colinmce said:

    it’s unfortunate that these NB CDs are so difficult to obtain in the US. Squidco and DG get them occasionally but they sell out immediately and are not often restocked. I was very lucky to grab all 3 a couple months ago, still need to work all the way through them. 

    As for the question of later Rivers, I find a lot to love in Configuration, a ‘96 session w/ Akchoté, Thollot, Paul Rogers, and Tony Hymas that veers between some very beautiful straight ahead playing and freer material. Also love Portrait and the All-Stars discs. One more shoutout for Celebration, a very deep effort from his working trio. 

    I've bought all 3 of the Rivers series and regularly buy from NB. I've always purchased via eBay (seller name poligrafovicius), as the "Buy it Now" price with free shipping to US seems a bit lower than the price + S/H (converted from Euro to USD) on the NB website. Easy enough to obtain, but shipping is a little slow and I only get tracking #s for larger purchases. It is necessary to watch the NB website (or Facebook) in order to "carpe diem" new releases before they sell out, but that seems true of many free jazz labels these days.

  25. Posted · Edited by T.D.

    1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

     

    Weekly Recap - PLAYING FAVORITES: Reflections on Jazz in the 1970s 

    Randy Weston - Vishnu Wood Duo – Perspective (Denon, 1977)
    Hal Galper Quintet – Reach Out! (SteepleChase/Inner City, 1977)
    Jimmy Knepper – Cunningbird (SteepleChase, 1977)
    Albert Mangelsdorff, Jaco Pastorius, Alphonse Mouzon – Trilogue: Live! (MPS, 1977)
    Arild Andersen – Shimri (ECM, 1977)
    Anthony Braxton – Dortmund (Quartet) 1977 (hatART, 1991)
    Don Pullen – Healing Force (Black Saint, 1976)

     

    I'd happily recommend all seven of these to anyone.  But the recordings by Randy Weston, Anthony Braxton and Don Pullen are EXTRA special.  If you haven't heard them, do yourself a favor and check them out.

    What say you???

     

    I'll vouch for the Pullen, one of the incredible solo albums included in the Black Saint / Soul Note box.