Michael Fitzgerald

What I object to is the idea that if one person likes one of three things and someone else likes all three - the second person is called "open-minded" as if that's some kind of praise. And the first person is called "closed-minded" when it could be that the first person has the wisdom to discern between the three, rather than thinking all three are great. I'm not saying that's *necessarily* true, but when you consider the background and experience of the people, that should tell you something. Just because one likes MORE stuff doesn't mean anything. What are the standards of evaluation? How are the judgments being made? Mike

More open? I would say instead "less discriminating" - listeners who have decades of background have "been around the block" and have wisdom to see what is substantial and what isn't. Someone who is new to - food, let's say - thinks everything is wonderful. It's only after years of development that one can discern the subtle differences and discriminate between what is mediocre, good, excellent, and superb. Of course, some people never get there and they still eat at the Olive Garden and they still like it and think it's fine Italian. Mike

Negative, ditched the hood for beautiful North Carolina a few months back. PBS on UNC-TV out of Chapel Hill - I guess they frown on fucking in the chapel. Mike

Joan's language was absolutely gratuitous. But unfortunately, that's what she said and how she said it. If someone asked her to make her point without those words, yes, I think it could be easily done. But no one did and dealing with this *after* the fact just doesn't work. The bleeping got to be so intrusive I could barely tell what she was saying - three or four in a sentence. As for Allen's comment on her singing - actually, I'm not a very big fan of Baez, but the stuff in the film was *more* appealing to me than what was in my memory and made me want to dig out what I've got and buy more! Mike

It was more gratuitous adjectivial usage and generic object reference. Mike

Hopefully all of Joan's foul language! Mike

Well, not any more than any other of this kind of thing - Blue Note cleared the hurdles with that Miles Davis 1951 CD, Baldwin Street Music is able to deal with this too. Throw enough money at the right people and anything is possible. Mike

The interview could be the August Blume one from Jazz Review. Done in 1958. Trane talks about a lot of people he worked with - I don't recall Jimmy Smith, but it wouldn't surprise me. Mike

OK, I can agree with that. I remember noticing last night how on one of the solos it seemed just wheezing in and out, absolutely no regard for the chords. It was to the point where it was not a harmonic or melodic instrument, it was more like a cuica, a rhythmic instrument with some ability to create colors and shadings. On the whole, I'd rather hear John Mayall. Mike

By when?

I have the LP, it's a good big band record. I'd say not a masterpiece, but I find something interesting in most every Nelson record. I guess we won't be seeing any additional material from the gig, which is a shame. They recorded three nights. Mike

The Boris Rose collection went to a college - can't recall which. But Doug Pomeroy is the engineer in charge of it, so it's in good hands. Some material is slowly being issued. Mike

Man, you really missed the boat on this - go to the Mosaic webpage and click on "wedding registry" - all your family and friends could have been adding to your collection. Now you'll probably get blenders and plates when the platters you really desire aren't Wedgewood or Lenox..... Mike

I don't hear "accidents" in the harmonica playing, I just hear massive limitations. But it serves its purpose. Mike

Turns out she's *into* being tied up..... Likes sport, eh? Whoa, eh!

It was Carter who gave them the dope (remember, a good Georgia farmer) - it just kicked in during Reagan's term. Mike

I ain't looking to steal your song, put you down, or do you wrong All I really wanna do is baby, be friends with you!

Related to this discarding of people, it was interesting to hear Joan talk about not being invited onstage, and to get Dylan's input too. Also, Joan-related - "Percy's Song" is one of my absolute favorite Fairport Convention tunes. Just stunning in Sandy's delivery, the vocal harmonies, and the simple accompaniment. Did FC get the privilege of having the premiere issue of that piece? Baez never recorded it and Dylan's version went unreleased until Biograph, right? Mike

It is standard practice in discographies NOT to list everything. This is something I disagree with. Just look at the Blue Note listings - you'll see tk 3 then tk 9 - so where are 4 through 8? If I can get the information from the producer or the session logs, I list it. See for example the entries for the Impulse records Henry Grimes plays on (Roy Haynes: Out Of The Afternoon & McCoy Tyner: Reaching Fourth). Mike

I agree - I was surprised to learn that the very revealing interview wasn't done specifically by Scorsese. It didn't seem like he had involvement in that aspect and he was just some guy who came in after the fact. I mean, he's certainly well-qualified and I think he did a good job. I really didn't pay attention to the preliminary hype, so I also didn't know it was going to be such a small scope. I was all set to make accusations about glossing over 35 years or whatever, but I'm glad for the limitation. I'd rather have this than something that tries to do the entire life and career and fails. Mike

In terms of major musicians of the time who were subjected to press conferences, I have to compare Dylan and The Beatles - and while totally irreverant, The Beatles ended up being seen more as "lovable" rather than being seen as "narcissistic" etc. Obviously there are differences - they had the benefit of four of them who could joke and juggle between themselves, etc. But The Beatles didn't turn the spotlight back on the interviewer the way Dylan did. "What do *you* think?" - I heard Dylan ask last night. When the interviewer said, "Well, actually I've never listened to your music. This is just my job." - I mean, Jesus Christ!!!!! Mike

I suggest a separate guitar thread (we've had to have done this here before, too), but yes, most all of your list I enjoy. Add McLaughlin, Peter Bernstein, Ben Monder, Tom Dempsey, John Dirac, etc. Mike

Since you asked...... www.valairballroom.com/history.html ========================== The Val Air Ballroom opened June, 1939 - the builder & operated was Tom Archer who arrived in Des Moines in 1936. Archer (1895-1963) was a pioneer in the ballroom business. Archer was one of the first entrepreneurs to bring the Big Bands from New York to the Midwest. With his ballrooms in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska & Missouri, Archer became the nation's leading ballroom operator, responsible for helping famous band leaders, such as Lawrence Welk & Jan Garber get their start. The Val Air was truly an open-air ballroom, a perfect example of the concept. All on one level, with a roof only over the hardwood dance floor, the stage & service areas such as the checkroom, bars & restrooms. All the rest was covered by big 'drop' sides which were lowered to keep out rain, but were raised for summer evenings of dancing & entertainment. At the west end of the maple dance floor was a polished concrete dance floor which enabled everyone to 'dance under the stars.' Everyone could begin dancing on the 8,000 square foot hardwood dance floor & swing right outside on the concrete dance floor. June 6, 1939 was opening night for the Val Air Ballroom. Admission prices were 85 cents for gentlemen & 25 cents for ladies. Attendance was estimated at 2,500. The opening act was Ted Lewis & his dance band. The remainder of the season was filled with such big names as Doc Lawson, Hal Leonard, Art Kassell, Ted Weems, Duke Ellington, Tiny Hill, Blue Barron, Eddy Duchin, Sammy Kaye, Wayne King, Shep Fields, Phil Harris & many others. The Val Air Ballroom was named in a public contest held in May of 1939. With more than 2,000 entries, the winning entry combined Val for Valley Junction & Air for open-air ballroom. A cash prize of $25 was awarded to W.D. Graham & Maurice Ward. In 1961, there was a tragic fire at the Val Air. The damage was estimated at $100,000. Archer rebuilt the Val Air, better than ever. A new maple dance floor was laid & other improvements were made. The ballroom continued to offer Big Band entertainment on most Saturday nights, booking all the big bands that were still touring the nation. The 50's brought new music to everyone - Rock 'N Roll. As tastes changed, so did the offerings at the Val Air. The Ballroom began to book the present rising stars of Rock 'N Roll on Thursday nights. The concerts were so popular that the Val Air would sell out on many occasions. Bobby Vee, Tommy Roe, Lou Christie, Jan & Dean & many other stars performed at the Val Air in the 50's. There have been many changes for the Val Air Ballroom over these many years - from Big Band music to Rock 'N Roll to Country to Hip Hop and in addition, the Val Air also specializes in all types of private parties - wedding receptions, proms, fund raising dances, annual meetings, luncheons, fashion shows, Christmas parties, political rallies & much more. With it's special art deco atmosphere & individualized service, The Val Air Ballroom has become on the most popular places in Central Iowa to hold parties for groups of 300 - 3,000 people. ====================== Mike

In this case, I was just identifying a period - I could have said "Revelations and Soliloquy". My point was that the late 1980s is not McCoy Tyner's finest period, in my view. But now that you bring it up, yes, I dislike just about every Scofield album that I have heard. I think "Quiet" is rather good. I could tolerate him as a sideman in the early days, but his Gramavision and Blue Note records - I cannot bear to listen to them. his tone, style, ideas, tunes - everything is just dead, flat, boring to me. And if he's on a record (past the early 1980s), I'm likely to give it a pass. Mike

Well, plenty of writers and critics in this episode - the idiot ones at the press conferences. Boy, some of them were really dumb as a post. And Dylan is ruthless - he just cuts them to shreds. If he were a little sympathetic they wouldn't come off so bad, but he doesn't give in at all and then you find out, "well, I read that in a movie magazine....." Unfortunately, now we've got the idiot interviewer Charlie Rose on. Somebody please tell me what this guy's credentials are. He knows nothing about *everything* - he's always a goofy grinning fool who overinflates whatever subject he's got. I guess he's the opposite of James Lipton, who fawns just as much except Lipton keeps a perfectly straight face. Mike