Jim R

I'm a Niners fan, and have been since the early 60's, when I was old enough to realize they existed. This discussion is embarrassing, as it pertains to complaining about bad calls or "fixes". Please. When the game ended, I was disappointed, but not frustrated or up in arms. The frustration had already peaked, leveled off, and died away before the power outage. The comeback was nice, and made the second half a bit less miserable (I thought the ads were less miserable, too), but little brother trying to beat big brother after getting himself in a headlock like that... wishful thinking. I watched a little postgame coverage, and then moved on. Haven't thought about the game since. SO different from the way I felt (at age 34) after the Roger Craig fumble against the Giants in the '90 NFC championship game that spoiled the three-peat. I think I'm actually becoming a sane adult (although I still can't let go of that Craig fumble, so maybe not).

Yeah, that was my impression too (at least one of them). I'm actually surprised that this is a famous player. Gotta work on this. It almost sounds like a 7-string guitar when he hits the lower notes, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. The tone (in that respect) might suggest someone like Bucky Pizzarelli (one of the first to use a 7-string), but the style and phrasing aren't saying Bucky to me. Hmm... Why don't you say Bucky? For the reasons I gave. The tone reminds me of Bucky, but not the style and phrasing. I have a few recordings by him, but not sure any of them are live, and they're fairly dated now. I don't know when this was recorded, but I suspect it's relatively recent, so maybe I'm just not familiar enough with the evolution of his playing... ... but if it IS Bucky, then that would mean you're giving it to us... so now I'm confused.

Mundell Lowe on #1?

Yeah, I can see (hear) that. For me, the sound quality on this is so distracting that it's hard to assess. Okay, back to track 1 for me. The more I listen to it, the less negative I feel about it. If this isn't a commercially-released thing, then I'd have to cut a little more slack to the amount of polish I may have been expecting/demanding. I'm still not crazy about the single line soloing, but there are some well-chosen chords in there, and the player has nice touch, resulting in a very rich sound. The conception comes across as more swing than bebop, and the rhythmic touches lead me to wonder if this player has any big band rhythm guitar in his background. I'm almost ready to say that this player is/was a contemporary of Kessel... someone born in the teens, 20's, or early 30's.

Yeah, that was my impression too (at least one of them). I'm actually surprised that this is a famous player. Gotta work on this. It almost sounds like a 7-string guitar when he hits the lower notes, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. The tone (in that respect) might suggest someone like Bucky Pizzarelli (one of the first to use a 7-string), but the style and phrasing aren't saying Bucky to me. Hmm... Not just you, and that's very well put. I still have that respect for the folks who can do that math at that speed, though. That one came at me like a major league slider. Scared the sh!t outta me, I tell you. I would have been upset if you were correct on that, and I missed it! Don't DO that! "The Great Guitars". Total blank job, when all the signs were right there (even the Herb Ellis tapping/percussion technique).

1. Darn That Dream. I don't really care much for this player. Decent tone, but the phrasing is stiff. Doesn't breathe well, to my ears. Sounds almost like he wants to get it over with and on to the next tune. The solo is very linear, and the heavy use of hammer-ons on gets a little tiresome. I also don't really care for his rhythmic concept. The rhythmic chordal passages at the end of the solo show that he's listened to a lot of Barney Kessel, but he doesn't have Kessel's musicianship (not many do). Not a bad coda, though. All in all, there are many guitarists that I'd rather listen to. Oh well. 2. In A Sentimental Mood. A refreshing contrast to track 1. This player phrases more creatively, and has a far better feel for rhythm and timing. Is this a piccolo? I'm not crazy about the tone… much prefer a fuller flute sound. Very nice rhythm section. 3. Ah… In A Sentimental Mood again. This flute sound does appeal more to my ears. Nice to hear a guitar replacing the piano comping. This is a seasoned bunch of players… really admire the way they handle this. They all know the ins and outs of the tune very well. Don't recognize this guitarist, don't really dig his tone that much, but he does a very nice job of supporting, filling, and expressing himself on his solo. 4. Giant Steps. We just had another organ/guitar/drums version of this on another BFT not long ago. This isn't the same one, though. I'm somewhat in awe of any musician who can blow through this- especially with this unusual arrangement. 5. Maybe you had to be there? 6. But Beautiful. Pretty straightforward throughout the main theme. Pretty. As with most of these tracks, the sound strikes me as modern, even if the style doesn't. Tenor has very nice phrasing and technique, to my ears. I'm wishing for just a bit more personality to help me try to identify. Well, he finishes with a flourish, but I can't really add anything else. Nicely played (hmm... another live track...) 7. But Beautiful again. Wow, this file got effed up somewhere along the way. Feel like I'm listening to a youtube video with bad edits. Very hard to listen to. Not only that, but so far all the tracks here are at a very low volume for me (have to turn them way up). Anyway, this tenor sounds to me like a modern traditionalist. Harry Allen, Scott Hamilton, someone like that. Doesn't quite sound like one of the older masters to me. Very nice playing, though. 8. Recorda Me, uptempo. Feels a little frantic to me. Skills definitely on display, though. Top notch playing. Don't really know my modern bone players too well. Maybe Steve Turre, or Conrad Herwig, or Steve Davis? Maybe Steve Nelson on vibes? Has there been a live album by these guys on Criss Cross? I'm grasping at straws now. Anyway, this is good stuff. 9. Monk's Mood. My favorite Monk tune, which seems under-appreciated and under-recorded. This version feels slightly show-offy and "insensitive" (?)to me, but that may just be my mood. I guess I prefer this tune with more melancholy. That said, this player is very creative and skillful, and that helps to make up for my minor gripe. No way I could even venture a guess as to who this is. Ah- transition into Body And Soul here… nice. 10. Okay, this one is definitely LOUDER! This is Strayhorn's Isfahan, right? Love this arrangement. Sounds like a nice tip o' the alto to Hodges, especially during the statement of the theme. Interesting how it gets sparse here at the beginning of the solo… ah, now the horns come back in. This ended up being pretty short, but that's okay- kind of refreshing. Well played. 11. This one doesn't appeal to me very much. Good players, but the music leaves me a little disinterested. 12. Well, this is interesting. I don't love it, but I am attracted to the sound and instrumentation. I actually like the sound of the much-maligned (probably more in years past) accordion quite a bit under the right circumstances. Hmm… now a voice kicks in! The layers here may require me to listen to this a few times before I can really say more, but... it's interesting. 13. Easy Living. The sound quality of this file is a bit weak… hmm, I don't know if it's just me with all these audio issues on this BFT. Traditional sounding group with an acoustic archtop comping. Ah, now a vocalist. At first it sounded like Carmen, but no, it's definitely not Carmen. I don't recognize this singer. She sounds mature, but not all that seasoned (like an older woman who hasn't been singing all her life, or something). This seems to be ending rather abruptly. Hmm… can't say this impressed me very much. 14. Nuages. Two guitars- an electric archtop and probably a Selmer a la Django. WTF? Goin' Out Of My Head? Wait- REWIND! How did THIS segue occur? Hmm… okay, I'm not hallucinating. This one ends way more abruptly than the last track. ??? I'll have to listen again to see if I can hear anything to allow me to guess who these players are. No time right now...

There... I fixed it for ya. The idea that I would get "kudos" for my contribution to that one... Wait... maybe you were pounding the floor (or the ceiling) so hard, it was "exciting" for you? Anyway, good times. Not only that, but I learned about a lotta places... Nineveh, Latinsville, Chicago, Tijuana, and of course, Wyoming.

The Lettermen Bill Parcells Shannon Boxx

Me too. I bought it some time in the 90's, and I used to pull it out for special family occasions, like when we'd have my Mom over to the house (she's a pianist and a Gershwin fan). I haven't played it for quite awhile... need to remedy that (thanks for the reminder).

I've been listening to this all day... without actually playing it! That's a good thing, though. I think I may need to learn this one. Parts of it have been reminding me of something, and I think it's "A Child Is Born" (but this adds some nice harmonic layers and interesting melodic twists and turns).

I'm (still) curious about that comment!

Listening to Sam's solo on 'You Don't Know What Love Is', he plays a nice chord sequence, but his tone isn't as fat. Seems to me that 'Passion Food' may have been a magic six-and-a-half minutes in terms of the sound he got. Guitar recordings can be that way. Anyway, this is fun, and even though it will no doubt be tough to figure it out, I'd still like to know what instrument he was using... Absolutely.

Thanks. I was just listening to samples at the iTunes store. "Ear-catching" is apt, although so far, his single-line playing isn't hitting me like those fat tasty chords on 'Passion Food' did. So, he worked with Jug, and Dexter (!). I'm blanking on that, in terms of whether I should be familiar with his name (at least).

So far, this is the only image I've found of Sam Thomas (with Sun Ra, circa 1957) I hope something else will turn up...

Thanks. Not this guy, then: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7245501&style=music

Alllll...righty then. (nice work, felser) Color me dumbfounded. My mind is in the process of being blown here, and I haven't even gotten around to thinking about the John Klemmer part. "Sam Thomas", eh? Sam Thomas? With tone like that, I've never heard of the guy? (afaicr, anyway). Wow. MUST research this. Al, if you've got anything on Sam Thomas, I can't wait for the reveal. No, I mean literally- I cannot wait.

Howard Roberts? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constant_Throb)?

I haven't seen that much of Atlanta, but Seattle scares me. After what they did to my Niners (albeit without having to deal with Justin Smith), and the way they came back against Washington (albeit with RGIII hobbled), and their current streak, they look like a force to be reckoned with. I agree with David. Wilson could very well take them all the way. (Pssst- I'm posting this mainly because I want those bastards out of the playoffs... they didn't used to call me Jimmy Jinx for nothing).

Yeah, the only thing I can come up with at the moment is that it almost sounds like he's doing a percussive thing with his right hand, closer to the bridge, and possible deadening the strings a bit with the base of his palm. Definitely has some tricks in his bag. The right hand technique at 1:49-1:52 reminds me of Billy Butler also (in addition to the big tone), but I can't quite step out on that limb yet. I've really never been a follower of Szabo. I'm not even sure why. At any rate, I tried listening to some samples of him, and I wasn't hearing a lot of tonal similarity. It's the breadth... the "bigness", fatness, crispness throughout the range, and shimmering upper register that's really hitting me. This guy is either a tone assassin, or he was just having a really good day in that particular studio. I still want to say it's an 18" guitar (less common than a 17" or 16" body), which ought to narrow things down, but... goddamit...

I may not be hearing a detail you're hearing, but here's my take on this. At the very end of his chorus (beginning at roughly 2:10 elapsed time), he hits a two or three-note chord a couple of times, with a fairly strong attack. The sound seems pretty much identical to me to the sound he got when hitting the same chord earlier in the solo, beginning at roughly 1:39 elapsed. I'm hearing reverb all the way through the solo, but the strength of the effect varies with attack and volume. I have to say that I like the solo (am impressed by it) more each time I listen to it. It's a little quirky (especially that slightly "sour" note at 1:26), but tasty, and some of the chords are perfect, creating a great mood.

That's a tough one. I thought I still had his (rare) "Wranglin'" album in my digital collection, but it seems to be gone. I don't recall him ever having a sound that big and broad (or impressive, to my ears). I guess I couldn't rule him out, though. Although I certainly know of them, I'm not too familiar with the work of the aforementioned Szabo, Sharrock, and Richardson (although I know I have some of the latter's sideman work somewhere in my collection). Listening to samples of the first two, I'm not hearing "it". Billy Butler did have a (18" body) Gibson Super 400 for part of his career (shows up on his Prestige work), but I don't think this is BIlly, whom I generally recognize pretty well (and idolize). The upper range of this player's tone almost reminds me of a Gretsch sound (but now I'm grasping at straws). Gotta keep thinking on this...

Al, I gotsta know... had you ever heard "Scratch"? So, I've spent quite a bit more time on track 2, listened very carefully, and did some listening to other recordings and samples at the iTunes store for more ideas on guitarists and their tones, and I'm back to say, quite confidently............ that I'm still stumped. $%^*@$!%@^%#!!!!

This is mainly a heads up for anybody it may help, but I also will be floating a few general ideas and questions below. I received an e-mail today, purporting to be from Comcast/Xfinity. The subject heading was "Comcast Account Maintenance", and it was sent from "Support (at) updatecomcastsupportmaintenanceserver (dot) com". At first glance, it appeared to be legit, but it didn't feel right when I read the body of the message: "Comcast team helps ensure your safety online with products and services protecting you, your computer, and your family. We are currently performing regular maintenance of our security measures. Your account has been randomly selected for this maintenance. Comcast would be shutting down all unused accounts. In order to avoid the deactivation of your account, you will have to log into your account by clicking the link below. What do I need to do? 1. Click the "Link" button below. You will be taken to the Data Security and Encryption page" Below this was a link, which of course appeared to be legit. I wasn't about to click on it, but I wanted to find out for certain if there was anything legit about the e-mail. I did a quick search online using the e-mail's subject heading. I found only one link- to an "Alerts" page on the Xfinity/Comcast site: http://xfinity.comcast.net/constantguard/Alerts/ They list this (with today's date) as a "High" threat level phishing scam. So, the good news is that I know I can ignore/delete the e-mail. As I perused the rest of the Alerts page, I noticed that under each heading ("Phishing scams", "OS and Applications threats", "Recent spyware"), a link is provided to download their security products (Comcast's "Toolbar", Norton Security Suite). Now... call me cynical, but I can't help but wonder if Comcast could be generating their own spam in order to scare people into using and (even if they appear to be "free") eventually paying for their security products. That may sound crazy to some, I know. Just putting it out there for some of you who are likely more knowledgeable than I on the subject. I've always been on a Mac, and thus far (I think we've been with Comcast for about 10 years or so) the only times I've even thought about security issues are when I receive these kinds of scam e-mails, or occasionally (very rarely, in fact) seeing a malware alert while surfing the web. I'm becoming less and less trusting of anybody these days (including big companies like Comcast), and I'm not quick to jump on board for "free" offers like Comcast's "Toolbar" or Norton Security Suite when my system "ain't broke". In addition to that, I'm pretty sure that downloading software like this is likely to make using my computer less convenient. At least that's how these things (tweaking or adding new software) usually turn out for me. End of ramble. Any and all thoughts appreciated.