Justin V

Sean Jones - Gemini: With Jones being on Mack Avenue out of Detroit, being based in Pittsburgh for years and formerly being associated with both the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra, I have seen him many times in many different contexts. The last time was with Gary Bartz doing Bitches Brew and In a Silent Way material! This is a very strong album! Mulgrew Miller sounds so good with Jones. I'll be revisiting his other albums that I have, but this is one that I should be listening to more often.

You would love the Bee Hive Mosaic!

For as much as I love this record, this is my only leader date of his, which is nuts.

My friendship with this album has blossomed into a full-blown love affair. I remember listening to it several times and liking it when I bought it in January of last year. It was in the month leading up to my daughter's birth, so maybe I was too distracted to realize how great this album is.

My point was that out of the whole listed lineup, Allen couldn't resist popping in to make a petty little dig at Miller on the heels of already expressing his negative opinion of her in another thread. When his comments about current musicians whom he doesn't personally know are almost all negative, coupled with comments regarding his own career, it sounds like jealousy and bitterness. The act is getting old.

I must've acquired this when I was having issues with a CD drive because I didn't rip it immediately. I ripped it yesterday and my already very favorable opinion has improved. Shaw deserves to be remembered for more than his stint with Mingus.

Wow. That is one heck of a lineup! Any thoughts on the album?

This has been getting a lot of play since I picked it up two weeks ago. It looks like I'll need to get at least the twofer of Monk and Coltrane's 1957 sessions to get the rest. Lord knows what is included in the various versions of the Monk box and whether they use the mono takes included on this disc.

I have worn contacts for about 20 years and went without glasses for a foolishly long time. When my eye doctor suggested I get a pair if glasses to give my eyes a break, I bought a pair from Zenni in the fall. They were too small for my giant noggin, so I returned them for a full credit to my Zenni account. I believe that that full credit was a one-time deal, with subsequent credits being a 50% refund to the credit card used. I finally ordered another pair and did a better job of finding a frame size and shape for my head. Although it felt like I was walking on the moon at first, my eyes soon adjusted and I have now worn them for the last 6 days aside from maybe 5 hours when I threw in contacts. Having gone so long without glasses, I had forgotten how it felt to be able to see while having fresh air circulate to my eyes. When I stopped by my doctor's office to order contacts, I found out that the outside company that had been operating the eyeglass store within the hospital had gone bankrupt, so getting a prescription and then walking down the hall to pick out frames is now impossible. I am happy with my Zenni glasses (which were very reasonable and arrived quickly) so far. If that changes, I'll post here.

I'd love to hear about the concert. That sounds like a can't-miss group. I saw Barron and Holland as a duo a few years ago and they were great. I am hoping to see Barron's trio with Kiyoshi Kitagawa and Johnathan Blake next year. The last time I saw Barron was last year with his quintet (the aforementioned trio plus Dayna Stephens and Mike Rodriguez) in support of their excellent Blue Note release, Concentric Circles. I didn't have the nerve to stick around long enough afterward to meet Barron. I admire his music so much and worried that I would either gush uncontrollably or get tongue-tied and squeak out monosyllables.

I am a bit younger than many here (37), which means that I missed out on the days of the LP but have been able to take advantage of the demise of the CD and ridiculously low prices. Most of my buying comes in bulk from bargain bins and library sales, while I buy new albums at the gigs I attend (~30-50 a year). At some point, I would like to digitize my collection to FLAC and get rid of most of my jewel cases to save space. I'd venture a guess that the number of albums I own, including legal downloads is 1,500-2,500 albums. I plan on selling some and giving away others. At a certain point, you have to think about the albums you love that you haven't listened to for years because your collection has become so large. There are then the albums that are pleasant but you find yourself wondering whether you need to listen to them ever again. You then have to decide what the saturation point is for artists, whether that be 2 albums or 50. I am not up on pop culture but have heard of Marie Kondo, who is apparently an expert organizer. Wikipedia says that her method amounts to "gathering together all of one's belongings, one category at a time, and then keeping only those things that 'spark joy.'" That sounds like a reasonable way to approach one's collection when it hits a certain size.

God forbid a straight answer.

Disc 2: This expanded reissue has such deluxe packaging. I was pretty shocked at how much care went into it. The music and presentation are worth the premium price.

I bought 4 discs for $10-$20 total. I ended up keeping Discs 3 and 4 and sold Discs 1 and 2 because the vocals were a turnoff. I do have a Jackie Gleason album featuring Hackett when I am in the mood for Hackett with a lush background, though. It's a set that has something for everyone even if the entire set might not be for everyone. Some people in my position might have even sold the small-group discs and kept the mood music.

Disc 3, A Chip Off the Old Block: I am in love with this set.

Bumped up and reduced.

The Either/Orchestra: Mood Music for Time Travellers: This album, acquired in 2009, and a live performance in 2006 didn't grab me. Revisiting it 10 years later makes me think it was me, not them.

My little girl trying to sing along with Ayler's echoey introduction to 'New Ghosts' and dancing to 'Heart Love' just made my morning. I hadn't listened to this one in several years. I liked it before and can appreciate it even more recognizing Ayler's influences and influence.

Where's the member monkboughtlunch when you need his expert opinion?

Disc 4, Curtis Fuller's Fire and Filigree, with Sal Nistico, Walter Bishop, Jr., Sam Jones and Freddie Waits.