EyeSpeech

Yikes...I've had a lot of problem with spammers there--the usual drugs, p*rn and general obnoxious stuff. I tried to solve it by blocking IP addresses...but I guess I got too happy with blocking. Sorry 'bout that. I'll work on it and hope you try again another time! No, not that kind of output device, heh heh. There was a special on PBS not long ago showing how dogs trained to assist cerebral palsy patients take cues from their owners' eyes. We all take cues from each other like that. The eye speaks volumes and instantly communicates all sorts of social cues. Anyway, we're far afield of Blue Note SACDs, but I can talk about this for hours. It's my passion.

The eye is an output device as well as an input device and am working on some big projects around that concept, including a new book, technology and website, which you're welcome to visit. As for the CBS logo, it's not even close. The US Patent and Trademark Office finds my logo to be unique enough for trademark assignment...so you probably should too. CBS logo EyeSpeech logo

Ha ha! No. You can't inquire over there. You ask a question like that and you'll just get gorted. If something even hints that Steve might have, maybe just a little, used a not-so-great master, that post gets deleted quicker than you can blink. Yep. Thanks for reminding me why I stopped participating there. Maiden Voyage does sound incredible on SACD, though. Would be great if AP comes out with subsequent series of these.

He seemed to be in good health. Knock wood.

Sorry if this topic was posted before. In addition to jazz, my main passion is film. The advent of Blu-ray is a great way to rediscover classic films and watch new ones. A couple recent purchases: The Social Network and the Toy Story 3. Plus Criterion just released its 50% off code, which I used to preorder Au Revoir Les Enfants and Solaris. I'm also looking forward to picking up True Grit, King's Speech and Mad Men season 4, coming out soon.

Here's a couple shots I snapped of Kenny Burrell signing some of my CD booklets backstage at Yoshi's. Great set when I saw him perform there a few months ago. His musicianship is matched by his personality. Really sweet guy. He signed my booklets for Introducing, Midnight Blue and Blue Lights and seemed shocked that I was bringing him these things to sign. Note the nice Gibson axe on the table behind him. It's difficult to get backstage at Yoshi's Oakland. In fact this was the only time I was successful. I did get lucky and met Stanley Turrentine smoking a cigarette out behind Yoshi's...that was miraculous. I got to tell him how much his music meant to me. He signed several of my CD booklets. That was less than two weeks before he died.

His band and his playing are in peak form, so I'd recommend it. Very tasteful soloing, occasionally veering into the characteristic squonking and screetching and bellowing into the bell of his horn. He keeps plenty of odd bells and trinkets around him, which he uses to good effect. If you get the chance to clear your sinuses out with some wasabi while hearing him erupt into a solo, I'd recommend it. There aren't many experiences like it!

Yep, I also have two rock titles. They sound great and I don't regret the expense although it's just too pricey. It will be difficult to control myself with several upcoming titles that I want, especially Giant Steps and My Favorite Things. Those weren't the world's greatest recordings to begin with but important enough to make any incremental improvement worth the expense, potentially.

Thanks for the tip!

Agreed--would be interested in finding them at that price. I've never seen them below $22-$23 on Amazon. Where are you finding them below $20?

I was very impressed with Maiden Voyage. Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman have encountered one or two master tapes in very rough shape before and managed to extract amazing sounds. The SACD is not unlike the Page One or Whistle Stop SACDs from the previous AP series in terms of the realism, openness, precision and detail. If you've heard those you can get a sense for what to expect with Maiden Voyage. Gray and Hoffman understand the importance of using the original source material so I would be very surprised if they used a Japanese master further down the chain for this project--though I suppose we can head over to Hoffman's forum and enquire.

In addition to the fine Analogue Production reissues of select BN and Impulse titles, SHM JSACD imports are now dribbling out. I haven't purchased any of the jazz ones yet. But based on the Steely Dan - Aja release with incredible sound quality, it may be worth splurging on one or two. The problem is they're ridiculously expensive at twice the cost of the AP stuff. The jazz titles of interest to some include (some of these are not yet released): Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar John Coltrane - My Favorite Things John Coltrane - Ballads John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Charles Mingus - Pithecanthropus Erectus John Coltrane - and Johnny Hartman Miles Davis - Cookin' Ornette Coleman - Shape of Jazz to Come Bill Evans Trio - Explorations Jimmy Smith - The Cat Bill Evans - Alone Bill Evans - A Portrait in Jazz Modern Jazz Quartet - Plays Miles Davis - Relaxin' John Coltrane - Giant Steps Sonny Rollins - Way Out West Art Pepper - Meets the Rhythm Section Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus Many of these titles were released on SACD domestically, so it's especially hard to justify. If anyone has heard these, though, I'd be interested in your impressions. A few Diana Kralls as well that I didn't bother including on the list.

I saw Pharoah Sanders a few weeks ago at Yoshi's Oakland. First time catching him perform live, but I'd like to share a story about my experience that night. Usually when you eat at Yoshi's before the show, they reserve good seats for you in the theater. This time, however, they stuck me and my fiancee all the way in the back. I don't like the PA system in there, and was a bit disappointed when Sanders started playing. Suddenly the floor manager appeared at my table and asked how many in my party. He asked if we wanted better seats and led us directly front and center, practically at the feet of Sanders himself to a table with another couple and two empty seats. Keep in mind this is in a theater with a couple hundred tables. It was like winning the lottery. I got to hear the music without the PA system gumming it up, and the man himself doing his thing right in front of me. On top of all that, a huge plate of sushi was brought to our table, and the other couple invited my fiancee and I to partake. Amazing evening. I'll never forget it. Often there is something magical about Yoshi's above and beyond the joy of seeing such great performers.

I saw Lee Konitz a few weeks ago at the "newer" Yoshis in San Francisco. Great playing, humorous guy. I ventured backstage after the set to get him to sign a CD booklet. Told him I was a big fan. He looked me up and down. "You don't look so big," he said.

I've been enjoying many of the AP Blue Note and Impulse SACDs, most recently Maiden Voyage (wow, the sound of Herbie's right hand making the piano resonate) and No Room for Squares. Just before that--Out of the Afternoon. Next I'll pick up Love Supreme and Duke and Coltrane. If it wasn't for Chad Kassem at Acoustic Sounds, the SACD format would be nowhere. I agree with Dmitry--these are the best way to hear the sessions as Lion produced them.