Aggie87

Couple of new things today: Wes Montgomery - Smokin at the Half Note (!!!!!) Monty Alexander - Live at Iridium Solomon Burke - Make Do With What You Got and of course, for the Charlie Parker fans out there.... Kenny G - At Last...the Duets Album

I was able to see this movie this evening, and think Lucas did a wonderful job resolving all the loose threads and story arcs into the original series. This was a FUN movie, and very well made, for what it was. I think Hayden Christensen may not be a very good actor, but then let's be honest, Mark Hamill wasn't, either. And I'm a fan - I was 12 when the first came out, so the perfect age to get hooked into this series. I also got to meet Hamill, and got his autograph in '77 on a promotional tour of Japan. But Christensen certainly had the menace and anger down in this flick. Even I could feel it seething through him. Okay, maybe it's more the dialogue part where he has his issues... Big thumbs up for Episode III. I haven't liked all the marketing and overkill, but I agree with Sal, the movie itself will be worth picking up on DVD for repeat viewings...

Peter - This was one of my father's very favorite compositions as well. I have treasured memories of him "air-directing" this in our living room when I was young. I have two versions of this already - the Philadelphia Orchestra directed by Eugene Ormandy (RCA), and a Berlin Philharmonic recording, with Pierre Cochereau on the organ at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (orchestra directed by Herbert Von Karajan, on Deutsche Grammophon). But you've piqued my curiosity enough to order this version. PS - Lon, I've found the Munch, two Reiners, and a Rubinstein Living Stereo discs at yourmusic. What am I missing?

He was funny as Mugatu (?) in Zoolander, I thought: He was also an amusing Mustafa in Austin Powers...

I just tried one of these today for the first time. It reminds me of a generic, store-brand diet cola.

A couple from the rock world: REO Speedwagon - You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish Joe Walsh - The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get Joe Walsh - You Bought It, You Name It Chicago - Chicago VIII (*self dignity preservation mode on* I own none of these, by the way)

Spurs took the series 4-2 last night. IMO it was a GREAT game, hard fought on both sides. Ray Allen is a warrior, and I hope the Sonics aren't foolish enough to let him go in the off-season. Daniels played a great game as well. Fortson got away with a cheap shot against Ginobili late in the game again, his reputation is deserved, I think. Duncan couldn't buy a shot all night (except from the free throw line), but when the game was on the line he was able to score the game winning basket on a great pass from Ginobili. Unlike in Game 3 when he clanked it off the rim. I don't know that either the Suns or the Mavs will be as physical with the Spurs as the Nuggets and the Sonics have been so far. But either way it should be a great series coming up. Hats off to the classy Reggie Miller!

I'd be curious to see whether you get a promo copy or not, GA. Please share when you receive it!

I have no problem with this!! B-)

Be careful Chuck, or your assistant is gonna file harrassment charges on ya...

I like it, think it looks great!!! Gonna explore some of the new features a bit as well. One suggestion - the orange and white square next to the thread titles (when you do "Today's Active Topics") is sort of small for my big stubby fingers. You know, the button you click to take you to the postings that have been made since you last viewed a thread. Can this be enlarged at all?

I hope HE doesn't have guns, like those other guys!!

bump... ABC is going to be showing the new Nightstalker series, starting this fall. Stuart Townsend (stepped into Tom Cruise's shoes as the Vampire Lestat in Queen of the Damned) is Kolchak this go-round, with Gabrielle Union as the "sidekick". New Nightstalker on ABC

I'll second the Combustication recommendation, as well as Scofield's A Go Go. Sco and MMW made one helluva funky, greazy team on that album. John Medeski has also been involved in some other recordings that may be worth checking out. Top of the list for me would be "The Word", teaming with Robert Randolph and the North Mississippi All Stars. He's also involved with Club d'Elf, having played on at least three of their live albums.

up...... Bill has a new live album coming out on July 12th (not in June like it says on the below quote):

I'm glad to see this. Adrian Belew also guested on PT's new release, Deadwing. Seems to be a bit of mutual respect that has formed between the two groups. Porcupine Tree is my favorite contemporary rock group, and I've babbled about them in the Viva Prog Rock thread a bit. They're originally a Steve Wilson solo project, in a psych/prog vein, that evolved into a real group, with Richard Barbieri (former Japan keyboardist) on board as well. Well worth the effort to check them out! Sorry for the hijack, back to the Fripp stuff. Percy Jones and Tunnels is opening some east coast gigs. What does PT sound like? I'm not familiar with Percy Jones/Tunnels. I'd highly recommend going to a Porcupine Tree show if you're able to though!! Every album they've put out has been a progression from the last. They definitely haven't sat still, or become stuck in a particular rut. These guys are an album-based band, like King Crimson, Radiohead, and others. Their two most recent albums, In Absentia and Deadwing (both on Lava/Warners), find them with a harder, more aggressive sound...shades of Tool perhaps? Steve Wilson (the writer/guitarist/singer) recently produced an Opeth album, so I think that has influenced his direction a bit recently. The early PT albums were almost psychedelic in style, and were basically Wilson solo albums. As he brought in sidemen and fleshed the band out, he went through a trance (Voyage 34) and Pink Floyd period (Sky Moves Sideways), with songs that stretched out to 20+ minutes. After that, the band became more song focused, and gradually got heavier and the songs got shorted, all the while keeping their strong sense of melody and vocal harmonics igoing. My favorite album of theirs is still Lightbulb Sun, which I believe came out in '02. The two most recent albums are the easiest to find, but the older ones have pretty much all been remastered and re-released with bonus tracks and goodies, and are available from most online sources.

Funny how everyone sees things differently. I (and Popovich for that matter) thought that Duncan was about the only one that came to play on Sunday. And that game on Sunday was the first one against the Spurs that I thought the Sonics actually played like a team in. I think the Spurs are substantially more talented than the Sonics, though the playoffs are all about execution. The Spurs didn't execute on Sunday. They did in the first game in Seattle, but Duncan didn't get a good shot off at the end of the game. Otherwise they win that game. And I don't give Seattle any credit on that last shot, it was simply a bad shot by Duncan. I think the Spurs will come out, play hard, and win tonight, and will win the series in either 6 or 7 games.

I'm glad to see this. Adrian Belew also guested on PT's new release, Deadwing. Seems to be a bit of mutual respect that has formed between the two groups. Porcupine Tree is my favorite contemporary rock group, and I've babbled about them in the Viva Prog Rock thread a bit. They're originally a Steve Wilson solo project, in a psych/prog vein, that evolved into a real group, with Richard Barbieri (former Japan keyboardist) on board as well. Well worth the effort to check them out! Sorry for the hijack, back to the Fripp stuff.

Is that Carla Bley or Karen Mantler?

Okay, about time!! New at yourmusic.com: Tina Brooks - True Blue Ike Quebec - Heavy Soul Hank Mobley - High Voltage Johnny Coles - Little Johnny C Art Blakey - A Night in Tunisia Blue Note Perfect Takes (w/the dvd and still only $5.99) edit - sorry to steal your thunder, Chuck!!

My favorite Nigerian scam was the one regarding the Nigerian Astronaut who was stuck aboard the Russian module of the Space Station. I don't recall if they needed money to get him home, or were trying to unload his money since he wasn't gonna make it back to Earth. B-) edit - found a copy of it on the net (I hope the author doesn't mind me posting it here, since it is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, of course): Subject: Nigerian Astronaut Wants To Come Home Dr. Bakare Tunde Astronautics Project Manager National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) Plot 555 Misau Street PMB 437 Garki, Abuja, FCT NIGERIA Dear Mr. Sir, REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE-STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL I am Dr. Bakare Tunde, the cousin of Nigerian Astronaut, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde. He was the first African in space when he made a secret flight to the Salyut 6 space station in 1979. He was on a later Soviet spaceflight, Soyuz T-16Z to the secret Soviet military space station Salyut 8T in 1989. He was stranded there in 1990 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. His other Soviet crew members returned to earth on the Soyuz T-16Z, but his place was taken up by return cargo. There have been occasional Progrez supply flights to keep him going since that time. He is in good humor, but wants to come home. In the 14-years since he has been on the station, he has accumulated flight pay and interest amounting to almost $ 15,000,000 American Dollars. This is held in a trust at the Lagos National Savings and Trust Association. If we can obtain access to this money, we can place a down payment with the Russian Space Authorities for a Soyuz return flight to bring him back to Earth. I am told this will cost $ 3,000,000 American Dollars. In order to access the his trust fund we need your assistance. Consequently, my colleagues and I are willing to transfer the total amount to your account or subsequent disbursement, since we as civil servants are prohibited by the Code of Conduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/ or operating foreign accounts in our names. Needless to say, the trust reposed on you at this juncture is enormous. In return, we have agreed to offer you 20 percent of the transferred sum, while 10 percent shall be set aside for incidental expenses (internal and external) between the parties in the course of the transaction. You will be mandated to remit the balance 70 percent to other accounts in due course. Kindly expedite action as we are behind schedule to enable us include downpayment in this financial quarter. Please acknowledge the receipt of this message via my direct number 234 (0) 9-234-2220 only. Yours Sincerely, Dr. Bakare Tunde Astronautics Project Manager tip@nasrda.gov.ng

Will Ferrell was in fine Gene Frenkle form tonight, WORKIN the cowbell on SNL, alongside Queens of the Stoneage!!!!!

I think the old Alexander would be all over this. He would be speaking German/Japanese/Swahili just to rile up the feathers of anyone within earshot...

My family has also had Japanese-named pets by the way, Dan. We had an Akita named Samurai Musashi (Toshiro Mifune reference), and another dog named Ami Kaibutsu (which means Rain Monster, I think). Also had a cat named Neko, which is "cat" in Japanese , and another named Aki. No pets now, but I'll continue with the Japanese names for sure. I think they're cool...

How about Alice, if she's gonna be 'Trane's partner?