The Mule

Indestructible! - Yeah, the situation with the seats was odd. I had made reservations on Thursday for the show and showed up at 7pm on Saturday to select our seats. At 10pm, once we sat down, there was another couple who had tickets C 10 & 11. Felt bad for them, but hell, I got there when the box office opened to make sure we got good seats and I wasn't about to move! So your impression was that couple didn't get to see the show at all? I had assumed they were moved to a different section. Man, I hope they weren't forced to leave... Yes, the Jazz Bakery has a pretty generous policy when it comes to seeing both sets for one ticket price if they place isn't full. I've seen both sets several times on one ticket. One reason I was so surprised (and pleased) it was a full house for both sets is that it's almost NEVER like that in LA... Tony - I haven't picked up the new Tyner/Hutcherson disc yet, but after seeing the show I think I will (if I can find it for less than $18.99!). btw, THAT KID IS ADORABLE!!!

We were in the same row, man. My group was sitting in C 8-11. Sounds like you were sitting next to my best friend's wife! Yeah, I agree the set was too short. Seemed to me McCoy was tired. Did you get that impression as well? Hutcherson, however, was wild. Seemed much looser and more animated than the last time I saw him at Catalina's.

Anybody else see their week-long stay at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles? I was at the second set on Saturday night and they were awesome. The set began with Tyner performing solo on Trane's "Lazy Bird." He worked up a sweat almost immediately stomping his left foot and humming/singing throughout. Hutcherson then came out and they launched into an amazing performance of "Love for Sale" (I think, my memory is a little fuzzy). Hutcherson was full of playful energy throughout the entire set. His body totally animated as the mallets flew across the vibes. He and Tyner were constantly glancing at each other and trading little flourishes making each other smile. Hutcherson's hands were flying so fast that at one point he cut one of his right knuckles on the vibes. One of the tunes they played seemed to be an original (probably off their new cd on Telarc) and there a couple of others I recognized from the Blue Note days but can't recall the names at the moment. The Jazz Bakery was as packed as I've ever seen it--as was the first set. Amazing. Last year I was there to see Andrew Hill and there were only a dozen people. The set was relatively short. Just shy of 70 minutes. It seems Hutcherson could have played all night, but Tyner seemed spent. They came out for one encore and called it a night. I think the audience would have stayed for another two hours. Tonight's their last night if anyone in the LA area wants to check it out. Tickets are $35.

KKJZ (formerly KLON) here in LA... Here's a link KKJZ.

Not on cd, but on Argo there's The Three Souls' DANGEROUS DAN EXPRESS featuring Sonny Cox on alto. Great version of "Milestones" on that one...

To all Cubs fan (me among them): "Forget it, Jake. It's Wrigleyville...."

I dunno about all this "it was just a natural reaction" talk. I saw pictures in the newspaper today that very clearly show every other fan in the area with their arms against their bodies leaning AWAY from the ball to give Alou a chance to catch it EXCEPT this jamoke and the other idiot. Seems a few people had enough sense to steer clear of the ball. PLUS that was very close to a fan interference call. That ball was right on the edge of the stands. Yet another reason they should have stayed in their seats.... ugh..

I don't disagree, but it had more to do with that blown doubleplay that would have ended the inning.... As a lifelong Cubs fan I finally recognized the team I grew up with last night. Word of advice to that fan: Move to Nebraska.....

Thanks, Weizy, but I'm not as panicked about Schwarzenegger as some of my brethren. Given the choices, he wasn't the worst, although his abuse of women may continue to haunt his career in politics... I'm more pissed off about EMusic!!!!

....and I've been downloading while all you East-Coasters are sleeping......

Yeah, this new system stinks compared to what we enjoyed previous. However, I agree that when the average download service charges $1 a tune, 40 tunes for $10 or 65 for $15 is still a bargain. It's nowhere near as good a bargain as it once was, but I'm not cancelling yet.... And, yes, for the first time since I've been on EMusic the download system was all jammed up this morning...

I agree. Clint seemed to have one question: "So who first inspired you to play the blues?" Otherwise it was a pretty good show. A bit scant on historical information, but at least he let people play entire tunes.

Sounds like Bob... I witnessed a couple of his fits when I was a customer. Hey, Chuck, were you ever involved in any of those 16mm screenings of old soundies and musicals Bob used to have at the old JRM?

Well, I'm glad there are some more favorable reports of the Burnett episode. I'll be sure to watch it. I enjoyed last nights as well and agree there was a little too much time spent with Tom Jones. I thought some of the interviews--especially with the older guys--were really interesting. What did you guys think of the Chicago blues episode? I haven't seen that one yet but a friend of mine (who is from Chicago like I am) loved it, although he admitted it might have been pure homesickness and nostalgia...

I've taped this segment but haven't watched it yet. I spoke to a friend who has really liked the first three episodes of the series and is a big Charles Burnett fan and he thought the Burnett episode was a disaster too. I'm almost afraid to watch it now....

And he fucked Salma Hayek! Oh, wait, that was the movie.....

Well, I've got a long fuse but when it blows people tend to duck and cover...

Totally agree. I honestly believe that it's big biz corporate policy to treat the customer with contempt. Tried to deal with your cable company lately? The phone company? A bank? Yeah, I know....This is the thing, tho, I start out very pleasant and professional, then I move to firm and quietly authoritative, then I move to terse and steely, and then and only then do I threaten. But I don't usually raise my voice. I just sound like I mean it....

Instantly forgiven!! I'm glad you understand!

I actually had the 10" Sadi Blue Note record in my hands at a used record store in Santa Barbara, CA, but the owner wanted $500 for it!!!!

Oh, I have no doubt whatsoever that this a problem when you've got that job. My only point is that in America these days there seems be a distinctly hostile attitude toward the customer--all customers--and companies make it almost impossible to get any kind of satisfaction if you've got a problem. I was in a cell phone store the other day and the girl behind the counter acted like she couldn't be bothered to deal with me. I'm talking she wouldn't lift a finger to make a sale. If I owned that store it would make me insane. She was literally driving people out of the shop with her horrible attitude.

Not here, man. These days I'm convinced that the first page of the customer service manual sez: "Make it utterly frustrating and time-consuming for the customer to get any satisfaction. It is our hope that the customer will then simply give up and go away and no further action need be taken." To tell this story fully would take up about 150 paragraphs, but here's the short version: I recently purchased a rather expensive chair for my home which broke (a spring bracket) about two weeks after I purchased it. I called customer service and they quickly dispatched a repair man to my home. I take the morning off to wait for him. He showed up, looked at it, and said, "The bracket is broken." No friggin' kidding as that's WHAT I TOLD THEM. I said, "Great! Fix it!" He says, "Oh, no, I'll have to come back. I'll have to order the part." I sez, "How long?" He sez, "Six weeks." SIX WEEKS?!?! He leaves. I call customer service back and they tell me, "Oh, no, we never told you he'd fix the chair on site. That was a consultation." "Funny, you didn't make that clear to me on the phone when I scheduled the visit. Indeed, I'll bet you purposely don't tell your customers that because they wouldn't stand for it. You're telling me that it's your POLICY to make the customer take AT LEAST two days off work to get their furniture fixed?," said I. "Well, sir, it takes six weeks to get the part because it has to be ordered from Europe. From Italy," she sez. I finally lost it then. "You mean to tell me that you don't have ONE lousy spring bracket for this chair in the ENTIRE UNITED STATES?" Long and short of it is, I asked for her boss and then the boss above that one and then spoke to the manager of the store I purchased the chair from (because of course the store employs an independent contractor to repair their furniture) and then I spoke to the person above her. I lost my temper and one point and said I'd be returning the chair by tossing it through their store window if they didn't give me satisfaction. Miraculously, the Italian bracket suddenly appeared in the city of Los Angeles and my chair was fixed four days later....

Hey, now! I only lose my temper when a conservative posts a stupid or untrue thought. I don't think you guys are always wrong.... Besides, I'm a Sicilian from Chicago...we have tempers and we lose them on occasion....

To question number one: Hmmm....let me think.....NO! I admire your restraint and politeness. I think I would have lost my temper once I realized what he was implying. As to the rest of it, I would either call or go there in person and demand an apology. I would also ask to speak to the manager or owner and inform them of what happened. I would also find out who the corporate parent of this company is (assuming there is one) and write them a letter explaining what happened. They should know. I don't take things like this lying down. I think every consumer who has had a bad experience with a company or product should take their beef as far up the corporate ladder as they can get. I've often found that the higher-ups are actually glad to know what's going on in their stores that they never hear about. Don't take no for an answer when dealing with customer service. Always get the names of the people you're dealing with and ALWAYS ask to speak to their superiors if you're unhappy.