DukeCity

To what to you refer? I'm always up for reading some bad and torturous prose. Please elaborate...

Just ordered a copy of the 2-disc Laserlight from here: http://www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000p8q Keeping my fingers crossed that it actually works! Edit- They did respond, but the price was 18.5 Euro which seemed high. So I cancelled my order, and placed an order at Play.com from above. Anyone receive theirs from Play.com yet?

I'm certainly not a champion of the smooth jazz thing (I prefer my jazz to be chunky) But I have enjoyed some of Sanborn's stuff, and I have seen interviews with him where he says clearly that he doesn't consider himself to be a jazz player. He puts himself into the R&B category. Similarly, I seem to recall Botti referring to his music as 'instrumental pop' or some such thing. That's in contrast to that Kenny G guy who often (quite 'humbly') compares his own greatness to that of the jazz masters. The whole idea of trying to split hairs with defining different labels for music gets tedious pretty quickly. But I have to give guys like Sanborn and Botti props for keeping their thing in perspective. So whoever informed you of their jazz giant status may need to attend a 're-education' facility of some kind.

Keep us posted (no pun intended), 'cause if they do ship to the US I'd like to get a copy too! --Glenn

Paul-- I never you you did those sides with Von. Looks like a pretty happening band. Are they still in print and available? --Glenn

Free For All beat me to it! I thought of Mitch Miller, but didn't know he was still around...

We used to have an annual Trane's Birthday party in college. Lots of revelry and a listening marathon. Good times...

Don't know much about the Roswell Rockets, but I've been digging the Albuquerque Isotopes (named from an episode of the Simpsons where their beloved Springfield Isotopes are purchased by a group of businessmen from ABQ). Cool new stadium, good beer, and yes, the ball does carry up here at 5,000 ft. altitude.

It is about the music, right?

As I understand it, mid-grade (Octane ca. 89) is literally a mixture of regular (86ish) and super (92 or 93), drawing from the two tanks. So if they run out of either regular or super, then the mid-grade is out by default. Is this correct? Either way, things are looking a little bleak!

Ahh...the '78 Ford LTD. Great land yacht for sailing the open freeways when I lived in Texas. Not so good for parking when living in Chicago.

Thanks, DB. Turns out, my university library has both of these titles. So I can check-out (literally) either of them gratis. --Glenn

I agree, vibes. "The String" seems not to be the most inspired Stitt rhythm changes. And "The String" uses the standard Rhythm Changes bridge (with no written melody) vs. the very cool chromatic "Eternal Triangle" bridge that Free For All mentioned. Sure, we're picking nits here. A little Stitt to start your day is always a good thing.

Candy Corn + Salted Peanuts = PayDay Bar!!! Trust me...

Which 24?? ← Don't know which 24. Mostly I'm interested in whether the writing is any good...

I just got a mailer from Oxford Press and two titles looked interesting to me: "The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz", by Jeffrey Magee and "Growing Up with Jazz: Twenty-Four Musicians Talk about Their Lives and Careers", by W. Royal Stokes Have any of you read either of these books? Any assessment, or recommendations either way? --Glenn

I'm in. PM on the way...

I just d/l the two sides from iTunes and am digging them both. Hearing all that audience chatter on "Money.." makes me not feel quite so bad about people talking through my own gigs! If they can't shut up for Cannonball... I got a Japanese import of Cannonball with Strings about 15 years ago, and everytime I hear him take that burning break on "Surrey with the Fringe on Top", the phrase "polishing a turd" comes to mind. Anyone else? --Glenn

I thought the "fist casualty" was going in a very different direction... I've never had a CD crap out like that. --Glenn

I've had some friends get DVDs from Deep Disount DVD.com, but don't know what the service is like for the CD part of the operation. Looks like they have a decent selection of sides... --Glenn

I just saw an ad for the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival. The headliners are: Loggins and Messina Widespread Panic Willie Nelson John Fogerty Joan Osborne Maxi Priest oh, and at 2pm, opening for J. Osborne and Loggins and Messina is some trumpet guy named Terrence something. Sounds like a swingin' festival, no? --Glenn

A buddy of mine did this for one of his house parties. It certainly is easier than hauling in the crate, but much less fun... The flyer: ← Ah, yes. I remember the good ol' days trying to swap out those wax cylinders fast enough to keep the dancers goin'...

That's a joke, right? ← I'm not counting on the proceeds to find the cure, but every little bit helps. If people are gonna buy some compilation disc, I'd rather the money go to a charitable organization than to Starbucks... --Glenn

I've heard there's a whole new niche of DJ's referred to as mp3J's. I bet it's a lot easier than dragging crates of singles to the next Bar Mitzvah gig! --Glenn

Sides from my youth: Maynard Ferguson MF Horn 3&4 "Live at Jimmy's" early '70s with Bruce Johnstone and Ferdinand Povel in the sax section and Bob Summers playing some nice trumpet solos. A couple of baritone sax sides: Nick Brignola and Pepper Adams, "Baritone Madness" Brignola, Ronnie Cuber and Cecil Payne, "Burn Brigade" --Glenn