Big Al

Thanks for all the replies. I think I have to agree with Rooster that the box, which includes some things the individual CDs don't have, would be the better buy.

That's what holds my main interest. Is the box worth it for those tracks?

I recently heard the compilation "Best of Miles Davis & Gil Evans," and enjoyed it a lot. Since only four albums came from that, that would seem to be the better deal. However, is there anything on the box not on the individual CDs that would make the box the better deal?

Wow! I've never heard of these and they look VERY intriguing. I hope I can pick them up sometime this month.

Easily the best Super Bowl I've ever witnessed. Sorry your guys lost, Conn. You show a lot of grace in defeat! I wonder if Wade Wilson still thinks the "better team lost" when the Giants beat the Cowboys a few weeks back.

No, thank YOU for your signature picture! Who is that?????

Rachel, I would rather watch you shake it than Stewie!

Who in their right mind would name a town "Manteca"? People who have much faith in the lard. If I had Pepsi in my mouth, I would've just sprayed it on the screen.

Bob Brookmeyer Select, disc 2

Me, too!!! PM sent!

All of the above!

The top half of Dan's avatar looks like the cover to The Cure's Pornography LP.

Oops, missed one.... Y'know, I probably would've guessed Sweets as well if I hadn't put this together. Not him, though.

A few comments! But, but, but..... not even on account of the drummer? Not at all! Hard to pick a favorite player on this track. My favorite's the drummer!

My pleasure! For some reason, I've been digging disc two more than disc one lately, but maybe that's just the mood I've been in. I find disc two to be much more relaxing than disc one. Guess you could say that this is my own little Moon Beams and How My Heart Sings. My biggest concern in all of this is that nobody would find anything substantive, much less enjoyable. Happily, I see that, for the most part, I was wrong on both counts!

PM sent! Well, stuff is "new and exciting" if its been ages since you've dug out your copy of the vinyl. At least I know now what will be next in the "transfer to CD" pile. FINALLY!!! I thought nobody would pick up on this! I'd love to take full credit for this one, but the reality is that Booby is my default guess for vibes. So ... Hey, gotta take credit when you get it! Woody Shaw is my go-to guy whenever I'm guessing a trumpeter, and there's been a couple times I've been right! It ain't much, but I'll take it!

PM sent! You would be correct! Great (and appropriate) play on words there! You are. FINALLY!!! I thought nobody would pick up on this! And I can't wait for your comments! Great guesses all around!

Man, I love it when folks dig a BFT! Yes, but this isn't from that session. Are you thinking of that Bethlehem reissue from some years back that was actually under Trane's name? Interesting how a lot of folks are thinking this is a big band! Yup. Correct on all three points! Griff fools nobody! You are very much right on track! Breakin' it up again!

I would gripe about the return of the RVGs, since I went out and paid more for them at the brick-n-mortar; but since that recent BMG coupon code got me a ton of other discs for about $50, and the brick-n-mortars could always use the help, I'm cool with it.

Duke Pearson, eh? I can't hear that one. But it certainly is Blue, and he is the leader here! Can't believe you don't dig the tenor! Ah well, like I said earlier..... I looked through ALL my Blue Mitchell CDs and didn't find this. I should have looked thrugh the fuckin' LPs - oh bleedin' God! MG

Is that his first Muse date? I didn't know that! If so, you nailed it, description and everything! Oddly enough, I just received Montara from BMG this week. If it's anything like the Barron date, as you say, then I can't wait to dig into it! I have that side. It's called "Sunset to Dawn" and Warren Smith plays vibes. That's the LP, indeed!

Well, given that the article itself is almost nine years old.....

And for me, the drummer absolutely KILLS on this song! Ah well, 'twould be a boring world if we all agreed with each other! Duke Pearson, eh? I can't hear that one. But it certainly is Blue, and he is the leader here! Can't believe you don't dig the tenor! Ah well, like I said earlier..... Again, can't hear the Pearson connection, but then maybe it's because I readily identify this sound with the leader on this date. Perhaps you're thinking of the Cannonball version? Wrong on both accounts. However, any recs you can give me for Michael Howell would be cool. I've never heard of the guy. Yet another reason why I love BFTs! I take it you're a Duke Pearson fan? Nope, not Hubbard. I had trouble getting used to the way they slowed down as well, but it grows on you after a while. IMHO, anyway! Wanna bet? I'm glad you picked up on the piano player. I've always thought that was one of his greatest strengths: the ability to be chameleon-like in emulating the Count and the Duke. But then, that may be giving away the answer to another tune (oh, like I haven't already done that repeatedly around here)! Lotta people calling this "lounge music" or the like. Yeah, I s'pose so. In the context of the album from which it's lifted, it's actually quite a nice respite. I guess that's what happens when one isolates a track away from its kinfolk! Boy, are some of y'all gonna be surprised when you find out who's playing vibes! Speaking of that, I've always wondered why this song was faded out. Maybe the tape was running and the trio started futzing around on this tune; perhaps they stopped abruptly only to find out they had something halfway decent. I could speculate all day. Sure seems like the bass player is throwing a few people for a loop around here. Good! Great guesses, MG! Can't wait to see your comments to disc two!

Yay! Someone else who enjoyed the BFT! Nope! Wrong on both accounts! Nope! Wrong on both accounts! This is what I love about BFTs: y'all make a call like this and I go back and listen to the tune and think, "Hey, I can hear it, too!" It's not the tune you mentioned, but I can certainly see where you're coming from on this! Again, another guess that made me listen to this tune with new ears. I've only ever listened to this for the arrangement; I've never really paid attention to the soloists because the color of the arrangement took away from the prominence of the soloist. Which is not a bad thing, mind you. So I listened to it again tonight and focused on the soloists; by themselves, eh, we could probably agree to disagree, but again I think the charts either mask any shortcomings or give the soloist more meat to chew on. Take yer pick. Wow! I'd like to hear your definition of "modern" sometime! I tell ya, when I put this thing together, I had no theme in mind. In listening to these tunes again, quite a few themes have developed, and if I remember them come answer time, I'll tell y'all about 'em! Breakin' it up again! I can't resist commenting on y'alls groovy guesses!

Judging by your choice of Eddie Harris and Paul Desmond tracks you're o.k. with a smoother , more commercial sound , and so I think you'll really enjoy Montara . It has similarly 'slick' production values , but plenty of atmospheric , hypnotic , low-key grooves . Cool. Now I really can't wait to dig into it! True, it's not from his Christmas album. I guess you could call this one of his Peanuts records, but I don't know if this tune was ever used in one of the specials. Good call!