Big Al

This album is a monumental disappointment to me. On paper, the lineup features a lot of my personal favorites: Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, and Art Blakey. So why do they sound so drastically uninspired? All the songs sound the same! Even Blakey sounds bored, which is highly unusual! What do y'all think?

Also get Jim Hall's CONCIERTO for some fantastic Desmond playing. It, like SKYLARK, is a CTI production: nice sound, smooth sheen, great playing all around. FROM THE HOT AFTERNOON is one of my favorite Desmond albums.

Man, those Chet K2's are sweet! I'd snag 'em if I didn't already have 'em!

Anyone think that Jerry Jones, ten years after the completion of the JerryDome new Cowboys Stadium, won't start hitting up the city of Arlington for taxpayer-funded renovations?

With the Borders 40% off coupon: Dizzy Gillespie GILLESPIANA/CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT Miles Davis VOLUME 1 (RVG) Lee Morgan LEEWAY (RVG)

So have I and I've only had to watch one team accomplish that!

My experience with Wes Montgomery, as do a lot of my jazz experiences, begins with my dad. He had this record and GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD in his collection. When I first started exploring his collection, I didn't really dig this album too much. I mean, how can a record that starts off sounding like an Andy Williams Christmas record be even remotely jazzy? A CD from the library of Wes' Verve recordings brought a little more understanding, but despite the technical brilliance of Wes' playing, the orchestrations proved too much. So I filed it away. Years later, when I really started getting into jazz, I rediscovered Wes via his Riverside recordings. However, even then something felt amiss. Whereas I found the Verves to be overproduced, the Riversides seemed to be underproduced; a little too dry. I loved SO MUCH GUITAR and still do, but THE INCREDIBLE JAZZ GUITAR left me bored. So that was the end of trying to find the perfect Wes record. At a library book sale, I found a mono copy of TEQUILA. I'd finally found the perfect Wes Montgomery record. Wes Montgomery, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, and Ray Barretto in a pianoless setting (save for the occasional tasteful vibes overdub). Carter and Barretto had already appeared on SO MUCH GUITAR, so the rapport was clearly established. This was the album I'd wished those Riverside efforts could've been: warm, inviting, sultry, intimate, sly, and above all swinging. The version of the title track is THE definitive one, IMHO. "Bumpin' on Sunset" became an instant favorite after I'd heard it on that library CD from years back. So why didn't I pick this as my AOTW? Because even though it's my favorite, it's not the one I listen to the most. The parts are greater than the whole in this album. I find myself skipping over the last track of side one (can't remember the name, shows you how much I like that song). Sometimes it's a little too quiet. Which brings me right back to the present AOTW. As I said, this is not my favorite Wes record, but for me it perfectly blends the raw technique of the Riverside days with the overflowing color of the Verve years. I can listen to this album from start to finish without ever wanting to skip a track. Unlike TEQUILA, the sum is greater than the parts. But there are some shining individual moments: the vamp at the end of "Movin' Wes Part 2" that Wes plays one of his fieriest solos; the orchestrations of "Matchmaker Matchmaker," especially during the fadeout; and perhaps my favorite version of "West Coast Blues." For me, somehow, it just works! I'll be very interested to hear some comments on this album. I know for a lot of people it represents the beginning of the end, and that after he left Riverside he was never the same. Then there are those for whom the Verves are the pinnacle of his playing. I fall somewhere in between. But I can't listen to GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD anymore. That one was waaaaaaaay overdone, IMO.

She'd likely take that as a compliment!

That is my dream as well. Should have happened in 2003, barring a return of Bartman or Little, maybe it can happen this time. With the Cubs visiting the Marlins this week, I am planning to head down for Thursday's 4 pm start. I'm hoping the stadium will be empty and I'll buy or scalp super cheap tickets and sit wherever, but its possible that Cub fans will come out of the woodwork. But a 3 1/2 game lead means that with a little luck, Thursday could be clinching day. Better bring extra film. Man, and I thought it was cool seeing Sammy hit #600 against his former team. I hope it works out for ya, Dan. And yes, this Cubs fan also says take LOTS of pictures!

I recently placed an order for seven OJCs. They arrived within a week, sealed, packaged nicely, and without any problems or defects. I'll definitely be ordering from them again.

Aren't you the same guy who hated Jerry Jones last year? (PS - I wasn't a fan of the T.O. signing either - but he's been a relative boy scout this season, compared to last year under Parcells. That attempted suicide thing seems like a long time ago now!) Oh, I still hate Jerry Jones. But I don't hold that against the players. And what can I say about TO? He's finally walking the walk. Finally! But, in the words of the immortal Sweets, "Let's find out what's gonna happen!"

The Boys game was actually a great defensive display by both teams until that second half started. Grossman sure ain't having a very good night, that's for sure. I would never have guessed the Boys would be 3-0 to start the season. They're doing well; let's hope it lasts!

Boy, I enjoyed her on Match Game. For the longest time, I had no idea why else she was famous besides Match Game. In the end, if that was all she was famous for, it would be enough. Her rapport with Charles Nelson Reilly (RIP) made for one of the finest underappreciated comedy teams. RIP, and thanks for the laffs!

Simple math: Complete Blue Note Horace Parlan: 5 CDs, $88 (incl. shipping) for seven OOP albums/CDs. Price/OOP album: $12.57 Complete Stanley Turrentine Blue Note Quintet/Sextet: 5 CDs, $88 (incl. shipping) for six OOP albums/CDs. Price/OOP album: $14.67 Combined for this order: $160 for thirteen OOP albums/CDs. Price/OOP album: $12.30 If any of you naysers can get all of these individual albums/CDs for that price or less, please let me know. Mosaics not a good value? Please.

You got THAT right, and I can't believe I didn't notice that before! Add STRAIGHT LIFE to that mix and you've got a grand slam! Thanks for reminding me of that lineup; I've got 'em all programmed to listen for the rest of the day! Yeah, I've wondered that as well. The only music I remember from Fat Albert was the opening theme with the "Hey Hey Hey! It's Faaaaaaat Albert!" and the closing theme with "Na na na na, gonna have a good time!" Neither sounded like Herbie to me.

Very nice indeed. The article on "The Girl from Ipanema" is very insightful.

Mine's here today, too! Will give it a spin at work tomorrow!

Congratulations! Next time we're in Michigan, we'll have to go there to check this place out. It sounds very nice!

Amen!

You certainly got MY attention. I wish you hadn't, but I'm glad you did!

Sweet! I'll be heading there to get the new Trane box!

Enjoyed reading your story, Al. Thanks! FWIW, I cleared up some pronoun vagueness in my original post. In the above paragraph, I don't know if it was clear that my spouse's ex-husband passed away.

I have two discs of the Buck Clayton Jam Sessions that were released on the Spanish Blue Moon label. Looking for a new home, as I've purchased the complete set.

We met during a church bowling league, but I had had seen her before at church. I fell head over heels for her the moment I saw her. In fact, I started going to choir practice on Wednesday nights so I could be with her (she was going through a divorce at the time*). I am very proud of how I warmed/wormed my way into her heart: I lived with my folks (I was in college) and we lived very close to church, about a fifteen-minute walk. I would walk to choir practice, and then walk home afterwards, hoping she would drive past me and offer me a ride (this was around November 1990). To this day, I'm still surprised that worked as well as it did! The first time I tried that trick, her daughter--who was three at the time--was sitting in the back and said, "Now you're my daddy!" My wife was completely flabbergasted and embarrassed, but in my heart I was thinking "Gimme time, kiddo!" The divorce was final in March of '91, and we began dating shortly afterwards That was seventeen years ago. Three years after that (January 1994), we were married and her daughter became our daughter; we included her in the ceremony as part of the wedding vows. Two years later, my wife and I had a son, and the rest is living continuing history. *I want to make it clear that the divorce was in process long before we met, and they were separated long before I entered the picture. I should also add that I had a great relationship with my spouse's ex. John was always supportive of how I was raising his daughter, and he never gave me any grief. In fact, after our son was born, John was so happy for us. He treated Nathan like his own son, sending him birthday and Christmas presents, and even inviting Nathan to come with his daughter on visitation weekends as Nathan got older. When John passed away last year, we went to the memorial, and his widow told me how much he loved Nathan, and that I was the best "step-husband" he'd ever had. I know that there was some history between him and my wife, and I don't deny the strain that was always there. But he was always good to me, he was always good to my son. And for that, I was completely blessed; I've heard the nightmare stories of psycho ex-spouses and this was clearly a happy exception! (Edited to clear up some pronoun confusion I noticed)