Big Al

I rented it, and it was just as much fun as I'd hoped it would be. What a roller-coater ride!

Especially the coda!

Dude..... GET THE MFing BOX!!!! You must hear FRESH before you die.

Don't ever underestimate Big Don's psychological genius (or his ability to be completely full of shit!). His team has nothing to lose, while the Mavs have everything to lose. He knows how to get inside the Mavs' heads. I've said it all along: when the Mavs panic (which is what they do), they start playing Nellie-ball. And losing. I predict a four-game sweep/upset here, and the Mavs will go down in history as basketball's answer to the '98 Mariners. (I know I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it until I'm proven wrong)

-On the whole Open Sesame is just OK thing--Hubbard didn't have the most consistent run as a leader on Blue Note (one or two near-classics sprinkled in--Breaking Point, I think--with some very classic sideman appearances), and set next to some of the more (inexplicably) celebrated sides, like Hub-Tones (which, IMO, gets pretty boring after the first couple of tracks), it's really great. And, for what this music is, that band really is killer. I gotta respectfully disagree with you on a number of points: 1) I think Hubbard's albums as a leader showed remarkable consistency in that he never stayed in one place for very long. Just about every album has a different instrumental lineup; 2) I think Breaking Point is Hubbard's most unlistenable album 3) I love Hub-Tones from beginning to end HOWEVER, I completely agree that this is/was a killer band! Pity his wandering muse didn't allow him to record more with Brooks.

Yeah, but in Texas????

Hub's Nub. Love humming along with the head on that one!

Coming from you, point well taken.

If you've got a turntable and easy access to a Half-Price Books, you'll be able to score most of the CTI stuff on LP for about 1/5 of what you'll pay Mosaic.

I've been listening to this again today, and I love the harmonies played by Freddie & Tina, especially on "Hub's Nub." Pity they didn't make more albums together.

yeah, but at least the Energizer bunny knows what he's talking about.

Moi?

The Mavs lost last night for the same reason they choked in the finals and for the same reason GS will upset the Mavs: when the Mavs panic, they revert to Nellie-ball. They SUCK at Nellie-ball, and yet this lesson still hasn't sunk in. It's gonna be a short post-season for my Mavs. Go Mavs.... but it's gonna be Suns all the way, baby.

You got THAT right!!!

I don't find that odd at all. It's my least favorite Hill (the presence of Dolphy plays a huge part of that).

Nice tribute from Wiley Miller (Non-Sequitur): I'm surprised no other strip has offered a tribute to Hart, and I think it says a lot about Miller that he gives props to someone in his common field, despite huge differences in their style and content.

I could listen to this and its companion, Tina Brooks TRUE BLUE, back-to-back for hours at a time and not get tired of them. In fact, I think I'll put 'em on now!

That's probably the best thing I've ever read about this album, and I think you nailed it as far as its overall mood. Heck, you may have just described Hill's entire musical journey, for that matter!

I think it is more accurate to say "hi, i want you to think that I worship violence and thievery." More about the image than anything. Amen! While my wife and I were having dinner last night, this dude pulls up in a tricked-out Caddy; his woman gets out all dressed to the (sixty)-nines, and he gets out all baggy shorts & bling. All this just to go to a movie. My wife and I rolled our eyes and giggled at the spectacle. Jazzmoose had it right: the times haven't changed, just the actors and the costumes.

Will do! Actually, don't forget there are TWO Selects! Yes, and the Night Lights program is a worthy intro to the first one. (Unfortunately, it convinced me that that music is a bit out of my range as far as comprehension and listening enjoyment). The second set, the solo piano set; that one I'm saving up my pennies for. Hill solo piano? I am SO there!!!

Thanks! I may just go see it myself anyway and see what it's like. Thanks for the input!

Has anyone seen this? The reviews have been good and the commercials have been hilarious. The only problem is, my 11-year-old son wants to see this. He also thought the commercials were funny, and was disappointed to see it was rated R. So, for those of you who have seen this: is that R-rating deserved? Or do you think an 11-year-old would be able to sit through this with little problem?

I think the key isn't the actions in the public eye, its the public-fed ego that leads him to think that his time is so precious and he is "screwed" by not connecting with his daughter at the appointed time. Has anyone said that this was specifically leaked to the public by Basinger? Or was it submitted to the court as evidence of his being unworthy of having custody of the child, and it became public because its a court document? Big difference, imo. If Basinger was putting it out there to make Baldwin look bad in the public eye, as opposed to looking bad in front of the Judge, then she's a horrible person. But it becoming public because of a public right of access to court proceedings is only a reflection of the screwed up culture of celebrity. Agreed, especially that last sentence.

Get the box. I'm serious. Music has rarely been this revelatory for me. IMHO, all of these albums need to be heard from the first to the last to get the true Sly effect and story. How good is this box? The first four albums are nothing short of a butt-shakin' joy, the sound as clear and punchy as we could ever have hoped for. The old cliche of "If you can't dance to this, check yer pulse" couldn't be more applicabel than it is here! I'm finally getting to Riot and beyond. Vic Anesini has done the impossible with Riot: he's taken the murky fog and brought it right out into the open and into your face so that you have no choice but to face it head-on. I'd always imagined that a cleaned-up Riot would be a let-down, because it was never supposed to sound clean, slick, or commercialized. The new remaster is none of those things; what it is is a full technicolor nightmare with the wounds still fresh, but even rawer than before. Nowhere is this more evident than on "Africa Talks To You (The Asphalt Jungle)." The only way I'd ever heard this was on the old CD version, which was muddy, hissy, and distant. Well, the remaster is still muddy, although much more organic; it's all together, man! The hiss is still there, showing the countless overdubs. But it is so IN YOUR FACE that not only is Africa talking to you, you damn well better listen! Timber, all fall down indeed! I'd never heard FRESH before, and on first listen it still lives up to its name. Hopefully, I'll have time to comment more on this album, but right now I can tell you that it is downright funk soul all kinds of good badness! Keep on dancin' indeed! The liner notes are probably the best of the bunch, AFAIC. So yeah, get the box. You will not regret it, I promise you!

No better way for him to leave. Amen to that!