Ed S

As a relative newcomer to the sport, I hear claims of how the sport has been trying to clean itself up. Maybe it will take me awhile to figure out what's going on right now - as opposed to what happened in the past, and whether there's any difference at all. I started watching professional cycling as an offshoot of the fact that recreational cycling became my primary source of physical activity/exercise the last few years. In my naivete, I marveled at how those guys could ride over distances and conditions that are unattainable to me. I want to believe that the sport is cleaner now, but I'm not sure - and that causes me distress. When I read attestations like yours, it troubles me even more. I started watching the Tour de France a few years ago because of the scenery. I've enjoyed similar experiences now that I've been watching the spring classics, tours of California, Dauphine and Suisse. Maybe I should leave it at that.

I've really started to enjoy cycling over the past few years - both from a recreational standpoint, but also watching professional cycling on TV. I even went to see last year's Grand Prix Cyclistes de Montreal. Good times! But the longer I've enjoyed cycling, the more I've come to believe that Lance could not possibly have been clean. Today, the USADA leveled charges against Armstrong: Velonews- USADA levels charges against Armstrong

Coin The Nat arrived safe and sound. This is my first Hip-O set and was pleasantly surprised. Thanks

David - my CDs arrived safe and sound. Thanks!

Back in January of 06 I debated whether or not to get a lifetime Sirius subscription. It was $500 at the time. I went back and forth and ended up getting it. It was a good investment. With a 38 month break even point, I'm now in my 3rd year of free service.

I still occasionally use my car CD player, but I would not miss it if it were gone. Between my ipod, pandora, and Sirius - I'm set for my music listening. I used to have one of those visor CD holders - now I just have one or two CDs in the car and that's enough.

PM sent re: Riffin'

If I recall correctly, while Norah Jones might be considered the "epicenter" of the BNBB's demise, there was a whole lot of contributing factors. By the time Norah had hit it big, the board was akin to a Wild West town with no Sheriff in sight. No one was running it - or policing it - as far as I remember. Bo was long gone and Tom at Blue Note was more or less a guy who was dishing out "corporate speak" to a clientele wanting more reissues, Conns, and Rare Grooves - irrespective of the economics. The political stuff was breeding a negative atmosphere through out the board and there was constant bickering and personal attacks. The naked babes thread and the free sharing of ripped material was just icing on the cake. So when the legions of fans of Norah - most of whom I assume would be teenage and female - and/or the powers that be at whomever controlled Blue Note (was it EMI?) - finally paid attention to the BNBB, they found a lawless environment with naked babes, rampant bickering and absolute/complete bashing of their prized star - Norah Jones. A few feeble attempts were made at restoring order, but the board members would have none of it - and soon, the BNBB was no more. IIRC

At the same time I started this thread, I also emailed Mosaic to ask about future LP sets. The answer I got was encouraging. I was told that they are looking at producing more 3-4 LP sets and that they have a set waiting for approval that will be announced soon. I like the 3-4 LP sets from an affordability standpoint and I'm glad to see more Mosaic LPs on the way.

Clearly late to the party, but I just ordered this set. I have ZERO Artie Shaw in my collection. It was between the Goodman and Shaw sets this time around, as I have a bunch of Goodman including his Mosaic, I thought Shaw would be a good choice this time around. Have to say I am a little put off by the reviews that I saw that were critical of both the Goodman and Shaw relative to omission of vocals. I have to say that in general, I'm a fan of the vocal stuff - even if it is commercial or "pop". Never having heard any of the vocal Goodman or Shaw, so I guess I don't know what I am missing. Hope the rest of the material makes me forget about the fact that they've omitted some vocal pieces.

I'm placing an order for some Mosaics today. They'll be CDs. But that's because I have no choice. My most recent Mosaic acquisitions have been the Monk LP set, the Getz LP set and the Monk/Coltrane LP. I've really been enjoying LPs lately, so I wonder if others here wish that they'd release more LP sets?

I think Lon nailed it. I'd like it to become a trusted name in jazz again. I'm as big a classic Blue Note era fan as there is on the board. Unlike most, I actually enjoy the later 60s and early 70s stuff too. After the label was reborn, I think they put out some really excellent stuff. I think I must have about 90% of what they put out after the revived the label up until the Norah Jones era. That's where they lost me. I stopped looking to Blue Note as a source of jazz, though I did pick up some stuff over the past few years by the likes of Lovano, Glasper, Cassandra Wilson and a few others. I know that times have changes, but I'd like to see them have a decent sized roster of jazz artists. Even 5-10 years ago they had the likes of Don Byron, Osby, Scofield, Truffaz, Blanchard, Lovano, Brian Blade, Eliane Elias, MMW, Stefon Harris, Jason Moran and a few others I can't think of. It would be nice to have the label putting out some jazz on a consistent basis from a stable of artists again.

Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage

Grant Green - Idle Moments

Donald Byrd Mustang

Miles Davis/Gil Evans Mosaic. Record 1 side 1

Mosaic - Monk/Coltrane. Got this and the Wes for my recent b-day

Wes Montgomery - Echoes of Indiana Avenue

Blood, Sweat, and Tears - the self titled album with Spinning Wheel, God Bless the Child, And When I Die, etc

I've been cleaning out a section of my basement - in part because I've been spinning a ton of recently acquired vinyl on my recently acquired turntable. The area I am cleaning will allow me access to my vinyl collection - which has been blockaded by an accumulation of crap for the past decade or so. I feel like it's taken longer than it took to reach the Chilean miners, but finally, today I reached my goal - and rediscovered a lot of lost treasures. Right now, I'm listening to the Coleman Hawkins Giants of Jazz set. I counted the Giants of Jazz sets that I have and they number 28 - which I believe to be the entire collection based on this: "These were 3-LP box sets with an embossed silver-covered 54-page book, and an 8x8 print suitable for framing (the same picture as on the LP box cover). There were 28 volumes in the series. The label was also silver, with black print, with the "Giants of Jazz" logo at the top." Quoted from this site - BSN Pubs Giants of Jazz discography I remember purchasing this collection from someone on the Blue Note Bulletin Board a long time ago - can't remember from whom though. At any rate, if you're still out there - your collection has been well preserved and is once again being played.

I've always been a Tour de France guy, but the past few years, I've really started following the sport closely. We don't get a lot of cycling on TV in the US, but certainly the Spring Classics, the Tour of California, Tour de Suisse are must see TV for me. I even went to Montreal last fall for the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal. My new interest really goes hand in hand with my own pursuit of recreational cycling. I've discovered that at my age - 55 - cycling is one of the few things I can do that really gives me the feel that I'm doing something athletic. I used to play hockey and basketball, but that competitive spirit really kicks in when I'm cycling - and taking a hill aggressively or really working to keep my speed up on flat road. It's also a great way for my wife and I to do something together. We'll never set records, but we ride several times per week in the good weather months and always come back tired and sweaty. In some ways, I draw my inspiration from watching cycling on TV. But this doping stuff drives me crazy - and has me wondering how much longer I can tolerate it. I would love for this sport to be clean once and for all so that I know that what I see on TV is real. I was so disappointed to see HTC Highroad collapse this past year as they had really worked to ride clean. The only thing I regret about the Contador decision is that they made it retroactive. Half the reason I watch the races is for the scenery anyways - so I guess I'll always have that.

Dexter Gordon -The Other Side of Round Midnight. - Society Red ....... And by the time I finished this post - As Time Goes By

Dexter Gordon -Our Man In Paris

Stan Getz Clef/Norgran Mosaic

Thelonious Monk - Live at the It Club. Mosaic