Big Al

Jackie Gleason in The Hustler

Voted Friday in early voting. Waited 1-1/2 hours with Chris Moore’s The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove in hand, which made the wait much shorter. AFAIK, I was the only one standing in line convulsing with laughter. I’d like to share my wife’s experience with y’all: she early-voted last Tuesday, and she also had to wait in a long line. She voted at a rec center (as did I), and the line she waited in wrapped around the wall inside the gym. As she waited, there were some small children running and playing, having a good time. At one point, I guess one of the bigger kids decided they should all play “Duck Duck Goose.” So the kids sat in a circle and began playing. There was another child, maybe about two years old, who wanted to play, but was intimidated by the older kids (“older” in this case meaning five or so). The mom walked her child over to the circle (and didn’t lose her place in line either), and the kids made a space for the new child. When one of the kids would choose the little one, they would pretend to “run” only to be caught by the happy two-year-old. Everyone in line was now focusing their attention on these kids, cheering for the chasers, cheering on the runners, etc. After a little while, the littlest one got was chosen to be the “goose” and began running. The child tripped and came crashing down. There was a collective gasp, and my wife said the place fell silent, literally to the point of hearing a pin drop. After five agonizing seconds when everyone froze, the child got up, smiled, and said “I okay!” My wife said the ovation was thunderous! After she told me this, she marveled that here we were in the midst of probably the bitterest, most divisive election in the history of this country (not to mention the added division of voting on the Stadium Tax for the Jerry Jones Cowboys); and yet, for that brief moment, the world seemed to stop, and everyone’s focus was on these children and the wonderful time they were having. Would that we all could be like this.

So, are they hot? They're eight years old. Hence, their nausea at the whole campaign.

Can you imagine how much better the beer would be if they took their advertising budget and spent it on creating a product that was actually drinkable?!?!?!? (BTW, I'm with you, Jim, on that whole "Twins" thing. Some friends of ours have twin daughters, and that commercial/campaign just makes them nauseous!)

Been listening to Sixth Sense and Charisma all day. Great stuff all around. I love these sextet albums that Morgan did in the late 60's, especially when he was working with Jackie McLean and Billy Higgins. And speaking of all three men, they absolutely SMOKE on Jack Wilson's Easterly Winds. MAN, what a fantastic album that is!!!

Yikes! I've had mine for a few days now, and completely forgot about it! Gotta start listening PRONTO!!!!

Happy birthday Greg!!!!

Cal Tjader's Los Ritmos Calientes A great conga-bongo-timbales-everything fest, with some good vibes from Cal and a few jams featuring some tasty playing by Vince Guaraldi!

His tenor playing tends to be overshadowed by his bari playing, but I always enjoyed his tenor playing on those early BN albums. Coulda given Getz a run for his money had he never made the switch! B-)

DRAT!!! He truly was one of a kind. RIP

Co-incidentally, those are the first four words of my biography. And they're followed by a period. Then there are those of use for whom that sentence is punctuated by a question mark.....

Ehhhhh.... a little.....

Well, here’s another vote for the Jack Wilson disc. I like what wesbed said, that it’s a breath of fresh air. The booklet indicates that the Conn was taken from a 2nd-generation master, but doesn’t get any more specific than that. Whatever. The music more than makes up for the lack of fidelity (if there is any; I don’t think it sounds any worse than some of those early OJC’s or McMasters from the 80’s). The horn voicings on the title track and “Frank’s Tune” (which has one of the loveliest chord sequences/vamps I’ve ever heard) are simply exquisite; dig the tinkling of the piano during the fadeout of the title track! I’m so glad Blue Note put this one back in print. Happy music, if some ever existed!

What's the KJV word for..... well, you know......

Happy birthday, youngster!!!!!

Since the server went down, I’ve been listening to this disc a bunch. All I can do is reiterate just how colossally wrong I was about this album. I still stand by my original assessment of the tracks in their original Beach Boys state. Where those tracks seem to reek of jarring paranoia, this album more than lives up to its title. At its essence, Brian Wilson finally sounds like he’s enjoying himself, and enjoying BEING himself. You know..... smiling!

Two words: Tina Fey.

Got a copy from the library. Listened to it a few times. I was wrong. No, I was mind-numbingly, completely bass-ackwards, head-in-the-hole, unbe-fucking-lievably WRONG!!!!! So many thoughts run through my mind when I listen to this, none of which amount to a grain of salt after the way I shot off my mouth at the beginning of this thread. But it did answer my question about the differing bands: I understand that Brian had empathetic and sympathetic musicians during the recording of this way back when. But those musicians weren’t his bandmates; those guys--the bandmates, the other Boys, that is—were, I suppose, part of the reason why this never came together. THIS band, however, is the complete package: great musicians, dedicated to the cause of their leader. Maybe more later, I dunno. As I said before, it doesn’t matter what I think. Crow eaten here. Smackdowns invited, if not encouraged. B-)

Well, I guess that explains the end of the previous marriage......

E-mail sent!

Now that's just scary..... So much for sleep tonight!

How is that one? I guess it's worth picking up the TOCJ over the domestic on this one, ya? I really like it, and I'd agree that it is underrated. I picked up the TOCJ a few years ago when I was on a big Cedar Walton kick, and I wasn't disappointed. I've never heard the domestic version, but the TOCJ sounds mighty fine to me! Actually, the domestic version came out in '97, so I guess it can't sound all that bad. OH well, whichever I find first and cheapest is the one I'll get!

Ah well, 'twas fun while it lasted. At least the Astros can take consolation in the fact that they lost to a Division Champ with a better record than theirs, not a wild-card winner. Unlike another unnamed American League overpaid team.

What Sangrey sez!

This BFT is gonna break me for sure. Just added a lot of Tjader & Guaraldi to my Want list, starting with Black Orchid!