Big Al

How cool would THAT be? For any of us, I mean!

I'll look too!

KNTU has been playing a track from his album Tricycles lately. He’s playing in a pianoless trio on this album. If that one track is any indication, he’s smokin’ now!!! I’d see him!

It's a fluke, I tellya! A fluke! Trust me when I say the M's will prove to be the big spoiler and the A's are gonna stay hot while the Rangers falter. It's all John Hart's fault. And Tom Hicks, who shoulda stuck to running his hockey team into the ground. If there is any justice in the baseball world, your M's will snatch up Fuson and Jaramillo this coming off-season when the two-headed-behemoth of Hicks-Hart unceremoniously dumps 'em. And come right back to kick the shit outta the Rangers. It would be very deserving!

PTF! PTF! (For those of you who participate in the BFT but don't HAFC what PTF means, and even for those of you who DKDC because it's NYCOT but are looking for an answer PDQ, I'll get up offa my DMZ and yell you that PTF is short for "pounding the floor," as in, Jack Benny used to laugh so hard he would pound the floor. Jim R makes me laugh so hard, I pound the floor. I used to pound the feline, but he's no longer with us)

Patience, my man; you will soon have company.

BFT 15 NOTES I have to admit to following the discussion on this one before submitting my guesses. I don’t know any of these, and my curiosity got the best of me. On the one hand, it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who hasn’t a clue about most of these (or all, in my case). OTOH, I am scared shitless as to what I’m gonna put on my BFT: you guys’ll have me figured out before a week goes by! So without further ado and without having looked at anyone’s links, I offer cluelessness on display: 1. I like the electric piano on this one. In fact, I wish I could find more electric piano playing like this. 2. Sounds like Joe Henderson, Milestone era. (Like I would know what THAT sounds like, but it was the first thing that came to mind). That sounded like an electric piano backing the sax, but then it was an acoustic during the solo. Maybe I just wanted it to be an electric piano! I know this, though: I’ve been whistling the theme all day! 3. This and track 4 just kinda segued into each other when I wasn’t paying attention. Listening to this again, sounds sorta like Cannonball to me; but the drums make it sound more recent than ’75, so once again, HAFC™. 4. Well, I can see how people think this is Dolphy. I like the arrangement. Is this arrangement by Dolphy, and if so, is this typical? 5. Nice, but no clue. 6. Another nice one. Again, no clue. 7. Ehhhh, it’s okay. Sounds too smooth to me. Not a big fan of that fretless sound. 8. Very nice. Sounds like it could fit right in with Nefertiti-era Miles. That sax player needs to tone it down, though!!! 9. Nice piano trio stuff. Could be anybody. Goes on a bit too long, IMHO. 10. Nice idea, but again a bit too long. The drummer sounds like he has a few extra arms! Now, I have been trying to comment on tracks 11-14 for the last three hours. In fact, in that time, I’ve just been letting those four songs keep re-playing themselves, in hopes that I could find some spare minutes to write something down. What I’ve discovered is that, individually, I can’t tell them apart; but taken together, whoo man, talk about a nice set of songs! Marcus, you are a programming genius. I couldn’t’ve asked for a more relaxing soothing suite of songs to get me through the last three hours of mayhem here at the office! Great job, once again! Can’t wait to find out the answers to these four! And now for track 15. Jim R is gonna kill me for this, but this track was absolute TORTURE! My first reaction, on hearing the first few words was to just jot something like “Vocals, me no likey” switch it off, and move on. Then I started reading people’s comments on this song and discovered that it’s a vocal version of one of my favorite Jobim songs. And after reading Jim R’s moving description (assuming, of course, he was moving when he wrote it. I know that when he and I write to each other, I’m generally moved to hysterics), knowing that when the Guru Bossa-rishi (that’s Jim, of course) gives his grand pronouncement on a song, I know that he knows that I know that I’m gonna trust what he says. So I go and listen to it. Honestly, I’ve had root canals that felt quicker than this. Whole songs have gone by in the time it took for this lady to get through one word! So yeah, I didn’t particularly care for this version. Of course, it could’ve been worse: she coulda been singing “Two Kites.” Eh, bossa? As I said in the sign-up thread, with the exception of the last song, for the most part, this is some staggeringly beautiful music. The kind I’d listen to on a relaxing Sunday afternoon! Thanks again, Marcus!

Happy Birthday, Junior!!!!

Happy birthday, my friend! Your kindness and generosity cannot be overstated. The next used SACD I find is on me!

Up for air!

Freddie Redd - SHADES OF REDD (Conn, no OBI) $12 XXXGONEXXX Elvin Jones - POLYCURRENTS $13 Count Basie - BREAKFAST DANCE & BARBECUE $10 Prices include shipping to US or Canada. PayPal gladly accepted. Please e-mail or PM if interested. Thanks!

I hope you guys get a chance to hook up. Chuck's a great guy to hang out with!

Yeah, I hear ya about the drumming bit. I dig the drum solos, tho!

Yikes Almighty!!!! Have any of you heard this sucker?!!!?!?!?? This must be where Sweets used up some o' that class he hadn't used yet!!! This one swings like one bad mother-SHUT YO MOUTH!!! Barney Kessel damn near steals the show with his Freddie Green-like strumming! YOW!!!!!

Miles & Wayne Art Blakey & Sam Jones Byrd & Adams Andrew Hill & Richard Davis GRANT GREEN & BIG JOHN PATTON!!!!

Mine was at the house at lunchtime, and Noj & Catesta will have their copies out in tonight's mail! Like everyone else has said, this is some staggeringly beautiful music!

I don’t disagree with you that the Yankees are a dominant team, but I believe the reason they are as good as they are (and have been) has more to do with an unbeatable chemistry between the players than whatever money Steinbrenner is throwing around. Sure, Steinbrenner will buy players just to keep them from being on other teams; but he’s gotta do something with them besides just pay them to sit all year. (Again, this assumes he wants more of a return-on-investment than to just make BoSox fans angry. I certainly wouldn’t put that past him.) Anyway, the Rangers may have blown their wad on A-Rod, but at least they got something back when they traded him, and that is the chemistry that has been missing for years (and I believe that A-Rod contributed to that lack of chemistry by dominating both on and off the field). Besides that, the Rangers are notorious for blowing wads on complete wash-outs: Chan Ho Park anyone? Please????? The difference between the Rangers and the Yanks (among other things) is that Steinbrenner isn’t beholden to Scott Boras like Tom Hicks is.

It’s been unbelievable. I’ve lived here all 34 years of my life, and have NEVER seen it rain this much. Thankfully, our neighborhood was spared, but there were many areas around us that were hit pretty hard.

Oh yeah, my guys are now 2-8 and OUT of first place since making the big announcement. At the end of the season, when the Rangers are dead last (AGAIN!) and are looking for that turning point, they'll need to look no further than Wednesday, July 21. The baseball gods strike again.

Buying any player you want is no guarantee of success: ask the Rangers, who finished dead last despite having Mr. $252 at shortstop every year. Or the Marlins, who BEAT the Yanks despite having a payroll that wasn’t even the same stratosphere as the Yanks. Personally, I think keeping the Red Sox fans miserable is more important to Steinbrenner than actually winning the Series these days.

Well, the Canada package arrived yesterday, a full eight days after being sent. From the looks of things, I think they used it for some in-house batting practice, as there was a tear on the package, the “teeth” inside one of the jewel cases cracked off in my hand, and BOTH hinges of the cases had comeUN-hinged. Which is about what’s gonna happen to me! Thankfully, the discs were in good shape. So, one down, two to go..........

Yeah! I can't wait to get to that one!

I hate to interrupt the Yankees-Red Sox thread, but in other baseball news: has anyone else noticed the sharp downturn the Rangers have taken since they announced that John Hart was gonna remain as GM, instead of Grady Fuson whom they promised the job to (and, in the opinion of practically everyone, is far more deserving of the job)? They're 2-6 since that decision. Coincidence? I don't think so. Tom Hicks may be the most clueless owner in baseball, and that's saying a lot.

Where should I start? I read a review of his latest novel, which looks very funny. Also visited his website, and from what little I've read, he seems to be on the same level as Dave Barry. Another hilarious author I've started digging into is Christopher Moore. Saw FLUKE at the store, but decided to start from the beginning, PRACTICAL DEMONKEEPING. That was great! Now I'm halfway through COYOTE BLUE, and laughing even harder! Looking forward to plowing thru the rest of his catalog!