The Magnificent Goldberg

Sure - went to bed early last night, so missed your message. MG

What a lovely photo! Those Japanese gardens and parks are serene! MG

Part 2 Yes, Arthur. That's the thing about a sad story. Even happy blues are about sad stories. Arthur is one of my favourites. Yes, Illinois and Milt. Have you got this album? Yes, another Handy tune. Thoughts on the tenor player, Jim? Authorities are divided as to who it is. Not Ethel Ennis Glad you enjoyed it Jim. Oh, MVP - Miles Vows to Practise? MG

Very glad you could spare the time at the moment Jim, thanks. Nope. Hot Ptah got this one. One ofthe unsung geniuses of R&B. You're not the only one to think of Freddie Hubbard. The bass player (only 1 with lots of fingers) isn't Clarke. If you don't know this, I don't reckon anyone will, so surprises in the reveal. Watch everyone's face when Mike Weil comes in What's FTW? WTF backwards? And MVP? I expect you do. Jim R got this one. Yep, South African. Surprised Dan didn't cotton on Not Plas. You'll really dig the answer. Not Leo. But the period's right, of course. Yes, it's Jimmy Owens. Thought you'd get him. Don't think you'll get the leader, and it ain't Dr John. Oh, it's not Ron Carter either. MG

What an extremely interesting article! Thanks Ubu. MG

Oh, yes I see what you're getting at. MG

I was just looking for a Plas Johnson sleeve to post and stumbled on the AMazon UK page of Plas' albums. I was astonished at the prices (in pounds). £21.24 £22.74 (and these 2 are recent Spanish releases on Blue Moon) £42.73 new £85.95 used £31.99 £25.76 new £33.99 used £29.20 new £29.95 used £26.95 These prices are nuts! MG

Have a good move (if possible - moving is hell). now playing Plas Johnson - Rockin' with the Plas - Capitol (Pathe Marconi France) MG

I'm sure there's only one band in this. Am I seeing it wrong? MG

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I suppose those researchers would say that Liszt isn't new to you; you've tried again and again for years and got no reward (for whatever reason) so your brain knows it's a waste of time. Have you ever heard his 'Via crucis'? That was the only Liszt I got into. I know your brain gets rewarded by choral music MG

Sidney Bechet select Still getting lots out of this. MG

I haven't got it any more, but I liked it when I had it, back in the day. It came out in UK with the cover of 'Kulu se mama' so no one knew what the hell they were listening to for quite some time MG

My first experience in hearing Coltrane was one night at work when the French radio station we listened to when the BBC closed down played 'A love supreme' from start to finish. I did no work for half an hour. I didn't hear the announcement, so I didn't know what I was hearing but I'd read about Trane and I knew that it must be he I was hearing. I rushed into town in the morning, when my shift finished, had breakfast at Joe Lyons, waiting for the jazz shop to open, went in and said something like, 'I've just heard an amazing record by Coltrane, but I don't know what it was. It went on forever, though.' And Ken. the proprietor said, "'oh, they all do. This one's just come out, though." He put it on and I recognised it immediately and bought it. 'Course, that's not as far out as the VV stuff or 'Om' etc. MG

I never have that problem MG

Can vary. In most cases listening to new music that I have absolutely no context for just provokes boredom. Japanese court music, for example. But occasionally something can come completely out of the blue and make me go wow! Though I suspect even there my brain is subconsciously connecting things in the new music that relate to music I already know. I think I get the greatest excitement from new music when there are clearly things I can relate to alongside elements that leave me at sea. At that point there's that feeling I recall from my teens of the promise of entering new realms of discovery. It's fascinating how we do relate to new music we hear. There's that elemental reaction you get (like/dislike) but at the same time your 'intellect' is consciously at work, attempting to decide if you ought to be liking it or not. A long time since I read any Freud but ids, egos and superegos come to mind. ******************* There's also the issue of why, as people get older, most prefer to live with their existing music rather than carry on exploring. If the brain 'rewards' new listening, why are most people content not to go down that path? I suppose that most people never explore new music, other than what they grow up with. So they never realise the rewards they can get. Others, who may have explored some kind of music or other may think that it was the music they found rather than the exploration that was the kick. But the journey is as valuable as the destination (Grasshopper ) MG

True. But to be serious for a mo, I think there's more in it than just listening to new stuff that's the same as the old stuff. It would be interesting to know what music these experiments had played to the subjects. It looks like it was new stuff that's the same as the old stuff. But I have found - and I'm sure with your broad taste, you'll have found the same - that exploring a new music genre really IS more rewarding - I think I mean exciting - than exploring a known music in depth. But that seems to apply to the avant garde, too... MG

Well, it's music you haven't heard before, not 'New Music', so the avant garde probably wouldn't benefit much So, I've never heard Kenny G before.... No, I shan't MG

That's what I thought in the sixties, when I had the LP. DIdn't have it long. Later I grew to love Phineas but never got this again. If you're having a struggle, I shan't worry about thinking about that one. MG

No, I don't intend to do flac stuff. But thanks. MG Thanks - seems a helpful little bugger, don't it? If it's possible for freeware programmes to be this helpful and useful, why the hell aren't MS programmes? (Or iTunes. for that matter.) MG

Well, about a third of the BFT has been identified. But some are definitely there to be a puzzle, including one that's been got MG