Alexander

More spanking.

Dusty Springfield a "belter"? She was a lot of things, and I have a lot of love for a lot of her work, but I've never thought of her as a belter. Quite the opposite in fact! Agreed. Poor choice of words.

Yeah, "Candyman" is on the second disc (which is supposed to be the "retro" disc). It's cute. Christina does an Andrew Sister's-type jump tune. The problem, as Jim noted, is a lack of subtlety. "He's a one stop shop/Makes the panties drop" and "Makes my cherry pop" don't exactly leave much to the imagination. It's the double entendre that makes it sexy, Christina! The whole album doesn't sound like this. In fact, this is the only "swing" tune on the entire two disc package. As I said before, I prefer the first disc which goes for a retro-soul sound mixed with contemporary hip hop. It's more Christina's style and it works much better. The second disc is more of an excersize in style. It's not that Christina CAN'T make a decent soul record. I'd like to hear her do a kind of "Dusty in Memphis" thing. That's certainly what I was hoping for on this disc. Now that I think of it, my abiding love of Dusty Springfield might just be the source of my interest in people like Christina or Joss Stone. I just can't get enough of sexy-white-chick soul belters!

I saw the same video, but my opinion and description to the people around me was not quite as creative. Which track was it? The two cuts that jumped out at me on the CD were "Back In The Day" and "Still Dirrty." Was either of these the video you saw?

I love both scat and vocalese, although they are two completely different styles of singing. I'm a big LH&R fan, as well as a fan of both Annie Ross and Jon Hendricks solo material (Hendrick's "Freddie Freeloader" album is a favorite. The title track, in which Hendricks, Al Jarreau, Bobby McFerrin, and George Benson sing the cut from "Kind of Blue," is a classic). I love King Pleasure's music, as well as Blossom Dearie and Bob Dorough. Yes, it's dated, but I'm big into that late 50s/early 60s sound. Scatting is a different skill entirely, and when it's done well, there's nothing like it. Curiously, I discovered a track on Bob Marley's "Kaya" where HE does some wonderful scatting!

Andre's Prince imitations on The Love Below were awful and their new Idlewild soundtrack is pretty lame stuff too. I just don't know that Miles would want a pale imitation of one of his masterpeices especially with his old buddy Wynton on them. I loved "The Love Below" and I'm really looking forward to the "Idlewild" soundtrack. The thing that interests me is that ?uestlove is involved in this project. That man has some of the best ears in music today. I can't imagine that any project he's involved with would be anything less than good.

I was very impressed with Christina's turn on Herbie Hancock's "Possibilites", so when I had an opportunity to pick up "Back to Basics" for half off the regular price ($24.99 at Borders. I found it new, but selling for $11.99 in a used place) I thought I'd give it a go. Of course, I don't own any of her previous albums (I don't think I've actually heard any of her music aside from things I've seen on MTV like "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful"), so I really have no basis for comparsion. But I can compare her to any of the several Nu Soul singers I enjoy (such as Erika Badu, Joss Stone, Jill Scott, Meshell, Angie Stone, India.Arie, etc), and since that's what she seems to be going for on this album, it seems perfectly fair to do so. First of all, as I think I've mentioned before on this thread, Christina has a powerful voice (which is more powerful when she avoids oversinging in the Mariah/Whitney tradition). She's certainly a more talented vocalist than any of her late '90s teenie-bopper peers (Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, etc). And she certainly seems to have good influences (you're not likely to hear many other pop albums this year that name drop John Coltrane and Otis Redding or that feature samples of Dizzy's voice). Musically, however, "Back to Basics" has little or nothing to do with these apparent influences. They may inspire Christina in spirit, but she certainly doesn't try to emulate them. And I like that. This is NOT an attempt at a jazz album. At all. She doesn't perform any standards, for example. The arrangements harken back to classic 70s soul, and make good use of samples (most of the songs sampled are fairly obscure). Her vocals seem (relatively) restrained, and while she is sexy, she avoids being sleazy (as she was on the "Stripped" album, based on what I've read). She sounds like herself while her collaborators create catchy songs that entertain. That said, the album is far from perfect. First, it's too damn long. As a two disc set, it's somewhat tiresome. I actually could have done without much of the second disc (which, ironically, is the disc performed with live musicians rather than samplers and sequencers). I also could have done without the self-congratulatory last track on the first disc during which she plays snippets of adoring messages left by fans on an answering service. Most of the songs express a "love yourself for who you are" message, which is obviously easy for a woman who looks like this. The rest of the songs are either love songs, hootchie cootchie songs (for which Christina is well equipped), and (more tiresome of all) the songs that describe how hard it is to be Christina Aguilera. Again, this is fairly common on Nu Soul albums. Jill Scott sings (a lot) about being a strong woman who loves herself. So does India.Arie. It's really only tiresome when it comes from a woman who looks like Jean Harlow on a good day. It's easy to love yourself and not care what people say about you when half the male population of the United States is jerking-off to your pictures. People diss you, Christina? That's too bad. Now all you have to console yourself with is your good looks, your magnificant voice, and your scads of money. However do you cope? For all of that, this is pretty entertaining listen. I'm not sorry I picked it up, but I certainly wouldn't have paid full fare for this ride.

No. I burned out on newer Costello releases years ago. He seems like Woody Allen, just keeps pumping 'em out regularly out of habit. I heard North and hated it. His singing, always mannered, has become more and more self important and humorless. I love a lot of what Alan Toussaint has done over the years as a producer, but somehow the mixture of him and Costello seems like oil and water. I'd love to be proven wrong, though. I think you're wrong. "The River In Reverse" is the best Costello in years. Of course, I liked "The Delivery Man" and even liked "North" so maybe I'm not the best judge...

I agree. It seems kinda nutty. If this turns out to be a red herring...

The worst are the stickers Sony puts on the front of jewel cases. I can get them off, if I'm very careful. But sometimes the old ones rip and are a bitch to remove. HATE those things. The plastic strips on the top I never have any trouble getting off. I just slice 'em with a razor. The peel off real nice after that.

I loved him in "Good Morning Vietnam," "The Freshman," "The Godfather II" (as the young Clemenza), and ESPECIALLY in "When Harry Met Sally." "Nobody's ever quoted me to me before..." RIP

'hearts and bones' is a masterpiece. if you're comparing it in any way with that record, it's a huge compliment. i was given 'suprise' for my birthday on june 2nd and still haven't spun it yet. what's wrong with me? -e- If you're a fan of "Hearts and Bones" I think you'll enjoy "Surprise" a great deal.

What will happen to the Plutocrats?

I don't know if things have changed in the last few years, but when I was Music Mgr at B&N, I was given a pretty free hand when it came to ordering. I had a few contacts at corperate who were inclined to listen to me and to let me have anything I asked for. I always ordered extra stock for when a big concert came to town. I also would order extra titles for R&R Hall of Fame inductees, major artists who died, and pretty much anything else I could think of. I was given three extra tables that the book floor didn't want, and I made good use of them. One was turned into a perminent display area for local artists (I'd change the display once a month or so). The other two were used to promote anybody I felt like promoting. I'd also often cross-merch with the book floor. I'd order in a bunch of books on Miles Davis as well as several Miles CDs and make a big display. I had the power to put "staff recommendations" on sale for 10% off, and I'd use this power to discount anything I put on display. I was proud of the fact that MY music department looked different from every other store in the chain, and that I was promoting backlist items. Often, stuff would sell off of my displays, although there were times that nothing seemed to move at all. I once did a Johnny Cash display (around the time "American IV" came out) that did *nothing* at all. I found this ironic after Cash died and suddenly the stores couldn't get displays put up fast enough. Yes, I was actually trying to honor a great artist while he was still ALIVE and nobody paid attention. One time, I ordered in a bunch of Clash CDs to display. No reason. Just felt like promoting the Clash. Everybody who saw the display asked me if someone in the group had died, to which I answered: "No. Do we really need a reason to celebrate great music?" The CDs didn't sell, and I took the display down. A few weeks later, Joe Strummer died. I put the display back up, and the CDs sold out within a couple of days. Needless to say, my methods didn't sit well with the district manager. Everytime he'd stop by, he'd complain that my department was full of "unsanctioned" displays. I used to joke that the DM had a rare ocular disorder that prevented him from seeing anything that wasn't on the planner. He'd just see a big void. That explained why every time he'd see one of my displays, he point to it and ask "What's that?" "It's a display." I'd say. "Is it on the planner?" He'd ask. "No," I'd reply, "But it's doing well. A lot of stuff has sold off of it." "But it's not on the planner." "No. It's not." "You can't put up unauthorised displays. Take it down." I wonder why I got fired?

I have it, and I think it's probably Paul's best since "Graceland." I haven't gotten into "Rhythm of the Saints" or "You're The One" nearly as much as I have "Surprise." More than "Graceland," actually, it reminds me of the underrated "Hearts and Bones" in terms of writing and production. If you haven't heard "Hearts and Bones," I highly recommend it. It's probably my favorite Simon album overall. Favorite track on "Surprise:" "Outrageous." "It's outrageous to line your pockets on the misery of the poor. It's outrageous the crime some human beings must endure. It's a blessing to wash your face in the summer solstace rain. It's outrageous that a man like me should stand here and complain But I'm tired..."

Salt on hard-boiled eggs - yes. Salt on cucumber - yes. Salt on watermelon - NO! NO! NO! Yuck!

Awesome!

I have both albums (along with "Mingus") and I love them, although it took time for me to appreciate them. When I was listening to them as a Joni Mitchell/rock music fan, I tended to find them pointless and full of instrumental noodling. When I approached them years later, as a jazz fan (and in particular having been hipped to the music of Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorus), I found these albums to be a brilliant fusion of jazz improvisiation and singer/songwriter/folk-rock.

It's good to see the graphics department at 32Jazz getting work again, though. That's the first thing I thought when I saw it!

I have the Desmond, and I love it. Great stuff!

Yeah, my friend has had to play for up to three different orchestras at a time to get by (plus she teaches). I remember when she was playing for orchestras in Rochester, Buffalo, and (I think) Pittsburgh. She puts a lot of miles on her car...

A good friend of mine is a double bassist with a big "classical" orchestra. She has complained about performing the "canon." However, the thing she REALLY dislikes is doing pops concerts. I know that she's begged out of doing them on more than one occasion (since they don't need a full bass section for pops concerts).

Her acting in "PHC" was fine, but I thought her singing was completely unremarkable. I'm shocked that she actually has a career as a singer. She sounds like a high school kid in a school play. She grew up with my dad and is a very nice girl. Lay off. Yes, yes. I get it. Ha ha. That said, I didn't insult the poor girl or imply that she is of bad character. I merely gave my opinion of her singing. I seem to recall that Wolf Blitzer was being called names when I raised my objection. Not the same thing at all.