Alexander

Here's the wikipedia entry, which confirms that the US and UK tracklistings were different. "Teacher" seems to have been a non-LP single in the UK that was added to the US album (a la "Radio, Radio" being added to "This Year's Model" or "Watching the Detectives" being added to "My Aim is True," both by Costello).

Vive la France!

...and I'll take it next, even if I don't intend to keep it either. Then who's next after me?? Not me. I already have it. I think it's one of those odd corners of pop music history that is definitely worth hearing (and having around). Dennis was always the least of the Beach Boys, lacking Brian's genius, Carl's heavenly voice, Al Jardine's "ordinary-guy" appeal, or Mike Love's braggadiccio. He was even superceded by Hal Blaine on most of the Beach Boy's studio sessions! That said, it cool to hear him step out of the shadow of his more talented band-mates and make something that's his. It reminds us that even stoned-out surfer boys have an inner-life and can occasionally approach profundity. Does it deserve the insane hyperbole of the liner notes? Hell, no! I even think the unreleased material on the second disc is better than the original album. However, it's a neat little gem that's been rescued from obscurity. Worth listening to, even if you don't intend to keep it!

That's a wonderful collection, too, as is "Violin, Play the Blues for Me," a collection of performances by African American fiddlers. Frankly, there isn't a single disc on Old Hat that you should pass on. I have them all, and I love them. They're not as broad in their focus as labels like Dust-To-Digital or Sublime Frequences, but like those labels, everything they release is worth checking out.

Mine must be broken. I keep getting Wayne Newton.

I think she wrote her own Wikipedia entry! I think it's interesting that she started her own religion. I guess if L. Ron Hubbard could do it, they'll let ANYBODY in...

Just to clarify, Robin Williams has never done a Pixar film. He did a Disney film (Aladdin) and has lent his voice to at least one Dreamworks film (Robots), but he's never done Pixar. While you may not have an interest in the subject matter, I would think that you might be interested in the craftmanship of the Pixar films. They really are superbly made, whatever you think of their "family friendly" themes. Moreover, it would be a mistake to compare Pixar to Boney James. Charlie Parker, maybe. The guys who did "Shrek"...THEY'RE Boney James...

I'll probably pick it up. The Legacy "Essential O'Jays" is fabulous!

I was a big fan of "Give Me The Night," "On Broadway," "The Greatest Love of All" (his version was played at my eighth grade graduation, over a year before Whitney hit with her version), "The Masquerade," "Lady Love Me," and "Turn Your Love Around" when those songs were new. I actually didn't even know who recorded them, much less that they were all recorded by the same guy, when they came out. I just liked the songs. I remember being surprised when I started getting into jazz and learned that George Benson recorded all those great late '70s and early '80s R&B tracks.

I'm not so sure about that. Isn't it a bit like MG said above: The frist step to tolerating and accepting the music (i.e. modern jazz - though to those outside the jazz world the notion of "modern" in connection with some 40 to 60 year old music must be abit odd) is NOT to run away or protest loud as soon as the first few bars are played across speakers. Of course some (probably the majority) will just take it in as a background tone pattern like they'd take in elevator muzak, but unless this jazz dispensed was just the more universally palatable Shearing and Brubeck fare (and apparently, from your description, it wasn't) then accepting this music even as background music over any lengthy period of time takes some serious adaptation and a degree of tolerance that still isn't found everywhere. And IMHO this IS the first step to getting into this music in some way. Kinda late, but better than running away screaming, isn't it? You're over-thinking this. The reason people, young and old, don't bat an eye is not because they tolerate or accept jazz music, it's because we are inundated with music everywhere we go and nobody pays any attention to any of it. I get weird looks from people all the time because I ask for music to be turned down in restaurants or the doctor's office or the gas station, etc. Most people don't even notice it's there. That's my feeling. Music has become background noise. No one pays the slightest attention to it. When I hear something good and point it out, people are often surprised because they hadn't noticed it. What people need to appreciate music is some QUIET. If they went a few hours of the day without hearing any music at all, they might appreciate the music they hear more...

Twisted is by far the best vocalese ever created (in my not-so-humble opinion). Proof that there is a reason the format was created, though I dare say I've never heard a second proof to back that up... My first exposure to "Twisted" was on Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark." Joni's one of the reasons I wound up checking out jazz in the first place (especially her collaborations with Jaco). Joni also did a version of LHR's version of "Centerpiece" on "The Hissing of Summer Lawns."

"Sweet Rain" is a great album! I'm glad I was able to track a copy down. "Plays" is great, too.

If that's the song I'm thinking of, it's pretty cool. The only other Sam the Sham track I know, of course, is "Wooly Bully."

What not a lot of people don't know is that the event many of us THINK we're celebrating (the signing if the Declaration of Independence) didn't actually happen until August 2, 1776. The document (written by Jefferson, but containing 47 revisions and alterations by Adams, Franklin, and other committe members) was presented to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776. Congress voted for independence from Great Britain on July 2, before making another 39 revisions to the Declaration. It was finally adopted on the morning of July 4th (not quite the earth shaking event we've come to think it was) and sent to the printer (John Dunlop). Only July 5th, John Hancock began distributiing copies of the Declaration to political and military leaders, including one sent to George Washington on July 9th (this copy is on display on Mt. Vernon). On July 19th, Congress ordered the production of an engrossed (officially inscribed) copy, which members of Congress (including some who had voted against its adoption) began signing on August 2nd.

Word!

More like "the culture is completely indifferent to jazz." I honestly don't think most people know it's there. In order to be hostile towards something, you have to actually be aware of it...

I think I'll go see it again. Maybe take one of my kids this time. AMAZING movie. But then, I've never seen a Pixar film I didn't think was extraordinary (well, "Cars" was probably the weakest of the bunch). I love the film's vision of mankind's future (without walking)! I agree, Cars was the most humdrum Pixar movie, but still not bad. Wall-E is one of those that's probably spoiled me for new releases for a while because nothing else can begin to compete. I loved "Cars". Its one of those films you have to see more than once to really"get" it. So many little jokes that fly by you the first couple of times. I have probably watched the DVD in excess of 50 times. That kind of stuff(watching movies repeatedly) happens when A LOT when you live in a house w/ a 4 year old.... We saw "Wall-E" on the opening day. My son's first movie theater experience. He actually made it through the entire film without getting fidgetity. I didn't do as well. In the trailers for the film one of the producers talks about a lunch that the Pixar brain trust had where they came up with the ideas for "Monsters, Inc.", "Cars", "Finding Nemo", and "Wall-E". I can see why they held off on "Wall-E". Good, but not great. Though I admit I probably went in with high expectations. Definitely better than last summer's Pixar offering - "Ratatouille". See, I completely disagree. "Ratatouille" was an exquisitely beautiful film. Very funny, but also incredibly evocative. I left that movie wanting two things: 1) Something REALLY GOOD to eat, and 2) to go to Paris!

Doesn't five hours of Johnny Hartman mitigate against that? This woman, for one, would prefer the surety of Bill Evans smack connection and any Louis Armstrong to either. This isn't a cut on Johnny, really, but his talents were very particular and there's nowhere near five hours of tolerable music there. Worthy documentary to move to people who've only fucked to the John and Johnny learn that no, really, they're not missing much but otherwise, please make mine Ivory Joe Hunter, Big Joe Turner or Charles Brown. Wow. Tell us how you really feel about it? I've got pretty much every album Hartman produced, and I think there's lots of great music there. To each his own...

Well, he will after he gets the munchies...

I'm tickled thinking of this guy trying to sound tough in the holding cell: Lopez - What are you in for? Big Scary Guy - I catapulted my wife over an Arbys. Lopez - Oh. BSG - What are you in for? Lopez - Oh, I blew pot smoke in a puppy's face. BSG - ...

I'm writing a zombie graphic novel right now! It's tentitively titled "These Honored Dead" and is set in 1863, culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. I don't have an artist yet, in case anyone is interested in collaborating... I'm seeing a series of these stories set during different historical periods.

While Willard Scott may well have been a "Bozo," was also the original Ronald McDonald.

This is completely out of line! I'll have you know that my father had every intention of marrying my mother, but the line at city hall was so darn long... Ahem... Never mind...

What continues to amaze me about Pixar is the same thing that I loved about "Toy Story" back when I saw it in 199-whatever: The CGI aspect is technically dazzling, yet it's probably the least important element of the film itself. In every Pixar film (especially the very best: "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo," "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille," and "Wall-E") the emphasis is on story and performance. And they are absolutely incredible at getting great perfomances out of these digitally animated characters (to go along with the pitch perfect vocal performances). It's proof that it isn't medium, it's the message. The Pixar animaters are every bit as masterful as the pen and ink Disney animators of the 30s and 40s (when Walt's company was at it's absolute Zenith. Decades and dozens of films later, and they STILL haven't improved on "Snow White," Pinocchio," "Dumbo," and "Fantasia"). To compare the artists at Pixar to those at Dreamworks is laughable (or even those at Disney's own digital animation studio). The Pixar animators don't need to make pop culture references (which will date their movies, in the end) or depend on celebrity casting (which is ultimately a waste of money, since for the most part great film actors don't necessarily make great voice actors (Johnny Depp in "The Corpse Bride" is the exception that proves the rule). Their films are classics the day they are released and will endure as classics long after films like "Shrek" are forgotten. You can tell that I take animation very seriously indeed!

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