Big Al

akanalog walked out of "Sin City." My sister and I walked out of "Meet the Parents." THAT was one of the worst movies ever made. Hey, if people like Ben Stiller's shtick, fine; I can only take it in small doses. Pair that with Robert De Niro doing yet ANOTHER parody of his "Taxi Driver" persona, and a gorgeous blond who wants to stay with Stiller's schlub despite the fact that he has LOSER written all over him..... I'm glad we got our money back on this one. So, how's about y'all?

I wish I were in a better mood while typing this, so I apologize in advance if I come across as more overcritical than usual. Track 1: No clue, but it sounds like the piano player is the leader. I’d venture a guess that this is from the Andrew Hill Mosaic Select, as that sounds like his phrasings. Trumpet player Johnny Coles maybe? Track 2: Nice piano trio, no clue as to who the players are, but the composition itself is reminiscent of an Earl Zindars waltz! So, perhaps this is a tribute to either him or Bill Evans (a man who could play Zindars like nobody else!). Track 3: I dunno, whenever I hear a big band sound like this, the first thing that pops to mind is Bob Mintzer, or the One O’Clock Lab Band at North Texas U. Or Blood, Sweat, & Tears. Discussion of this one oughta be interesting, but I’m losing interest in it. Off to the next track. Track 4: Well, I wanted to say Wayne Shorter, perhaps around Native Dancer or something like that. Except that on closer listening, that is not a tenor. Oh, wait, whatsamatta with me? This is Cannonball from that Bossa Nova album he did for Riverside..... no wait, this is definitely the brothers Adderley, but I have no idea from what album this is lifted! Track 5: Listened to it twice, and still no clue. All I could think of was George Winston doing the Doors, but no clue as to which song. Track 6: Rather like the buildup throughout the song. No clue as to who it is. Like I said in the disc one discussion, I’m completely ignorant when it comes to trumpeters not named Miles Davis. Track 7: That has GOT to be the world’s most boring drummer on a jazz track! I haven’t heard drumming this stiff since whoever did the drumming on “Your Mama Don’t Dance” by Loggins and Messina! I dunno, this sounds like a quintet that wishes it was the Miles Second Quintet. No, worse than that: this sounds like a high-school marching band. On a bad day! Track 8: That is one of the HIPPEST Stevie Wonder covers ever! Is that Joe H.? I gotta do some researchin’ on this. But that high-pitched wailin’ is getting mighty old mighty fast! This is starting to sound like that sax player from the SNL band from the 80’s. Track 9: I used to have this disc. Note the tense. Note also that I don’t remember the name of the performer or the album from which it came! Didn’t do much for me, but I do recall this track as being the highlight of it. Track 10: Ridiculously greeeeeazy “Passion Dance!” Can’t wait to find out who this is!!! Track 11: OOWWWW!!!! I daresay this version of “Spanish Key” surpasses the original brilliant Miles Davis version! The slightly slower tempo just adds that much more of an ominous tone! I can’t WAIT to find out who this is!!! (An AMG search reveals that it might be the UMO Jazz Orchestra with Tim Hagans. Worth looking into?) Track 12: No clue, but I like the constant return to the droning theme. Sounds like a George Winston-type thing (which I like!). Track 13: Everyone’s clapping like they know what song this is. As usual, I have no clue. But the forcefulness suggests Brother Jack! Oy! Another trip down Clueless Ave. Ah well, ‘twas fun while it lasted. Now to see how badly I did!

Yeah, especially when he tries to indulge his classical sensibilities. (What was the name of that awful album with the cover that looked like a rug that you find at a garage sale?) But you are correct about his ability to churn out a hit single. And the man can rock out like nobody’s business, especially with the original JJ Band. Their reunion and new album was one of the few times that something like that WASN’T embarrassing. In fact, “Volume 4” was one of the best albums of the year! Sure not as epochal as those first two albums, but a highly worthy addition to the catalog of the JJ Band! Plus, it rocks!!! Here’s hoping they’ll stick around for a few more albums before JJ follows his next muse.

I know what your saying. I very rarely listen them on my own accord any more. That said, I was driving home late on Saturday night and heard "Sway" on the radio from the album Sticky Fingers. When I got home a popped on Sticky Fingers and gave it a listen. Still sounds pretty good to these ears. It's cool when a station deviates ever so slightly from the typical classic rock staples. Reminds you of how good those albums were front to back. ← I remember hearing "Moonlight Mile" on the radio sometime back and thinking/doing the exact thing.

Could someone explain the connection between Johnny Smith and Venus?

Amen to THAT!!!

The forthcoming Terry Gibbs album on Mack Avenue features Joey D on B3. Terry Gibbs gettin' greeeeeazy? This oughta be interesting!

...before they got overplayed on "classic rock" radio. The "Led Zeppelin II" thread got me to thinking about this. I used to like this album, until "classic rock" radio played "Whole Lotta Love," "What Is....," "Ramble On" over and over and over and OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!!! Same with LedZep IV. And "Kashmir!" Would it kill these guys to play "The Rover?" Or "Celebration Day?" Or "The Crunge?" "Dark Side of the Moon" is another one. The brilliance of this album was lost on me right around the 25,871,926th playing of "Time" and/or "Money" and/or "Breathe." Although to be fair, I can never get tired of "Us and Them." I always hated Boston, and for the life of me cannot figure out why these guys are supposed to be so phenomenal (they sound like Queen without the flambouyance!). Yet not a day goes by that I don't hear some combination of any of those damn songs! Hell, I wish I could live off the residuals off of an oeuvre that consists of only TWO ALBUMS!!! Anyone else wanna vent?

From Alan's website (apologies if this has been brought up elsewhere): Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball In Europe (Blue Note Records) June 7 — Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone), Yusef Lateef (tenor saxophone, flute, oboe), Nat Adderley (cornet), Joe Zawinul (piano), Sam Jones (acoustic bass), Louis Hayes (drums); 1962 June Christy - Ballads For Night People (Blue Note Records) June 7 — reissue of 1959 Capitol LP; arrangements by Bob Cooper — musicians include Cooper, Frank Rosolini, Bud Shank, Buddy Collette, Joe Castro, Red Callender, Stan Levey, Mel Lewis and others — also includes five tracks from 1961's "Do-Re-Mi" The Jazz Crusaders - The Festival Session (Blue Note Records) June 7 — reissue of 1967 Pacific Jazz LP recorded at 1966 Newport & Pacific Jazz Festivals — also includes two previously unreleased bonus tracks recorded in 1968 at Shelly's Manne-Hole — Joe Sample, Stix Hooper, Wayne Henderson, Wilton Felder Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra - Live At The Village Vanguard (Blue Note Records) June 7 — reissue of 1967 Solid State LP; with three previously unreleased bonus tracks — musicians include trumpeters Snooky Young, Marvin Stamm and Richard Williams, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, the reeds of Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels and Pepper Adams, pianist Roland Hanna and bassist Richard Davis and others; arrangements by Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Garnett Brown Stan Kenton - Viva Kenton (Blue Note Records) June 7 — reissue of 1959 Capitol LP; with six bonus tracks arrangements by Gene Roland; — soloists include Charlie Mariano, Don Sebesky and Rolf Ericson — includes bonus material from 1963's "Artistry in Bossa Nova" Johnny Smith - Walk Don't Run! (Blue Note Records) June 7 — compilation of two Roost 10-inch LPs I'm looking forward to the Jones/Lewis, Crusaders, and Johnny Smith discs. I've heard that the Jones/Lewis set SMOKES!!!

Haven't seen it mentioned much, but EC's collaboration with Burt Bacharach, Painted from Memory, is one of my favorite albums of the last ten years! When he sings "I want him to HURT!" on "God Give Me Strength," you can just feel the anger and frustration of a lost love, and Bacharach's orchestration behind EC underscores and fuels that hurt. I sure wish those Rykodiscs were still in print, but I suppose they can be found pretty cheap used nowadays. Not that there's anything bad about the current Rhino 2-CD sets (I mean, hey, two CDs for the price of one? Can't complain about that!), but in my case it's a lot of sensory overload. One disc was plenty for me; heck, I still have my Ryko version of Get Happy!!!, and will likely keep that one.

Marc Cuban, apparently. GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

Great album, very solid, but one I don't listen to very often. I guess because I'm so used to hearing Tony Williams go bananas on other recordings that he sounds extremely subdued on this session. That Dorham-Henderson patrnership is one of those you just don't see much of anymore: the older mentor and his younger charge going at it like two young lions. Kenny inspired Joe to undiscovered terrain (for Joe), while Joe seemed to light a fire under Kenny that made him sound and feel 25 years younger! Six albums together; pity there weren't 60!

I have to confess that this album didn't do much for me. Don't know if it was high expectations after enjoying the Mosaic studio sessions so much, but I could never warm up to this set. For that matter, "10 to 4" didn't do much for me either. I guess I just like these guys in the studio more than in a live setting. That said, I have to totally agree with the description of Adams solos as "brawling." Angular and slashing, too. Good choice for an AOTW, though. I hope more people contribute to this thread.

DAAAAMN FUCKING STRAIGHT!!!! How did the Mavs get to the playoffs with this loser? That last game was the biggest choke since the Houston Oilers gave up 35 unanswered points to the Buffalo Bills! And to think the Mavs had the lead after the 3rd quarter!!! UNFUCKINGBELIEVABLE!!!! Hell, if Dampier's the 2nd-best center, I must be third!!! I hope the Mavs faithful boo his worthless ass when he hits the court in Big D on Friday!

How you like? I think it's their strongest album in years, even better than Murray Street which I loved!

I voted for Bad Benson before reading the first post about the completion of the transformation. Bad was just the beginning.

Uh, Steve, you feelin' alright? I mean, I hate to point this out, but this is sorta like Lucy reminding Schroeder that he missed Beethoven's birthday....

Electric Larryland - Butthole Surfers

I'm flyin' into NJ early Wednesday morning, drivin' down to DE for the day before driving back up to NJ to catch a Thursday morning flight to Orlando. Depending on what time I hit the road going back to NJ, if I have time, I'm gonna try and hit some good used stores, or a Borders or a Tower, on the way back to Jersey. (Got that?) Any recommendations from any locals? For that matter, what about Orlando? Any good shops to hit there? (I'd like to hook up with anyone that's gonna be where I'm headed, but I have no idea how long I'm going to be at the warehouses I'm visiting, so I'd hate to set up a hang with you guys and then not show up.)

Yup! Unfortunately.....

The opening sequence, of the drive into work, had me in tears!!! That happens to me at least every day!

It's #3!

The local public library has a CD of his called Boss of the B-3. If only the music lived up to the title (and the self-serving liner notes). Like the Godfather said, he's "talking a lot, and sayin' nothin'"!

Since I'm late with the wishes, I hereby grant you permission to do your best Cagney impersonation and tell me: "YOU DIRRRRTY RAT!!!"

Happy belated! Sounds like you had a great time!