AllenLowe

I honestly couldn't tell you at this point what it was, but I remember hearing a recording of her doing a standard-type jazz tune, and everything was wrong about it, particualrly her phrasing, her phrasing, and also her phrasing. It might even have been something from Prairie Home Companion.

the few things I have heard of Nora Jones singing country/pop/etc sound very good. But as a jazz singer she is god-awful. That, to me is the problem, that they think, talent-wise, she can cross over. She can't.

just read the Berne posts; pretty reasonable. Tim's a good guy.

I love that band and there is also some terrific film.

yes, exactly. And there is an interface that has USB in, SPDIF out - but, for now, I just do not want to invest in it. I am set up to do transfers/remastering, but it's a fairly involved setup; but it works. I have tried the USB to HDMI adapter; it doesn't work on my machine. Macs are a real pain in this way, they lack uniformity (the adapter DOES work on my IPAD).

also, where and when did Tim Berne post?

Scott: I need to go out digitally from my MAC and into a digital input - what you are suggesting with the USB is only a means of outputting the digital signal, BUT THEN changing the signal to analog in the next immediate stage, for playback purposes; I need to KEEP IT in the DIGITAL DOMAIN in order to work on it as well as listen - and to keep the DAC stage for that part which is AFTER THIS MASTERING STAGE (in other words, coming out of my CDR, which is recording digitally, but which can be used to output the sound in an analog way). this cannot done with a MAC unless one uses a USB interface that accepts the USB digital signal and then outputs it DIGITALLY as well. I DO NOT want to spend $300 for such a thing. please tell me othewise - how to go out digitally from my MAC, directly into a another Digital output, without the interface. (and if you can I will send you a free copy of Mulatto Radio). and Shawn gets it - I need something like a MAC with an HDMI, but what I have is an older MacBook pro; there is an optical output possibility, but it requires an adapter which does not work on my machine (I have tried it); plus, optical is not reliable enough for me.

the USB, in Scott's prior scenario, is being converted to analog for listening purposes; in my scenario, for all the mastering work I do - I want a digitial signal out to stay in the digital domain to master to a 2 track source - these days I am mastering to CDR through a digital input. So I want digital to digital; only way to do that through USB is with a USB interface that has a digital output ($300). So it pains me to have already invested in this expensive MAC and then to need to use an interface to preserve it's digitality (a word I just made up). I think that's where we are at cross puposes; mine is not just for listening but for re-mastering. either way it is dumb for MAC to exist without a digital output.

I hate USB; if you want to go to line for audio you need an interface; I want to stay digital for remastering purposes; so I would really rather just have some kind of hdmi-like line connection, which does not exist for MAC -

I love to mix it up with the fans and other commoners.

I have yet to see a MAC with a decent and easily use-able digital output for audio; or anything analog other than a mini jack. if there is one, I'd like to know about it. though now that I think about it you could use a USB interface if it had a digitial SPDIF output. but if at any point coming out you have a conversion stage - to analog before going back to digital - there will be some degredation; and I am thinking in this direction because I do a lot of mastering.

if all your listening is computer based (and I apologize if someone has already addressed this); are you not limiting your listening to speakers which, even if higher-end powered speakers, are going to be sub par? Yes, you can do it otherwise by connecting through a power amp; but you will still likely have to use an inferior analog out. At least if you have a MAC. Though I guess there are much better digital output possibilities with a PC.

hmmmm.....a real mystery.

I could be wrong, but I don't think he is. But I don't think he's coming back; he probably had one of those "google alerts" that his name came up; so unless we splash it around again, he may be gone.

dead now. But I still think he was, basically, the Elvin Jones of rock drumming. I actually find Cream to be a very rhythmically stilted band; Clapton especially, very stiff. Baker was dynamic, definitely, but I still think the whole Hendrix thing was completely transcendant in a very different rhythm way.

I do agree with Cliff that there is a lot of interesting info and stories that came out of various generations of 78 collectors, particularly in the blues area; it's just been overdone, I think; lots of articles and a few books; I may be wrong but I don't think there's a lot to add, after Gayle Dean Wardlow, Pete Whelan, Dick Spottswood, Mary Beth's book, there's been articles galore on Joe Bussard; books by and about John and Alan Lomax, interviews with Chris King and Dave Freeman, back issues of 78 Quarterly. yes, Marybeth's book - and correct, it does not hit the collecting obsession directly, but goes at it in a far more interesting way, about the history and the obsession for the history.

I know a lot of people like him.

hmmm.....I wouldn't trust him at this point; next converation will be: "I guess I was wrong, but I was right about Hersch." And then "I was wrong about everything; can I show you my tattoo of General Grant?" and then: "I don't really have a tattoo, but for $15 you can go out on a date with my wife."

Mitch Mitchell was the rock drummer of that era for me. Ginger Baker couldn't touch him. and I really do think Mitchell was a great drummer; I think he suffered from being a little white guy. People could not separate the image from the ingenious way in which he set up that band rhythmically.

that's not Dick? Or, really, that is Dick, but it's not Dick. Funny, because I thought it was Dick. I guess I don't know Dick.

Truthfully, I've lost interest in the whole subject, which has been beaten to death. Rather than deal with the music itself, there appears to have grown a cottage industry built on overheated sociological rationale and rather futile attempts to present Americana prototypes; it's become the trade equivalent of building academic careers on fragile theories that are more gimmick than idea. Marybeth Hamiton did it well and did it best, however, and her book bears repeated reading. I've been collecting as long as anyone and with as much obsession; but it's not that interesting and I don't think the story is in the obsession or the process. It's in the music.

very interesting; any recordings?

Tardo can you lend me a few bucks? but all seriousness aside, we met when you were working with Jamil Nasser many years ago. I admire your playing; though not as much as I did when I thought you were rich. are you sure you are not related to Armand Hammer?

I'd rather sniff it. Makes all problems go away as well.

grand opening of the Sistine Chapel.