The Magnificent Goldberg

Not much going on, though. Happy Christmas VB2 MG

I've been slinking quick looks over here, in the intervals between helping my missus prepare the lavish buffet for the family (too many people, not enough table space). Now relaxing with a glass of port after the morning's labours. (We usually go to our daughter's, but they don't want us chucking food over the carpet, since they're in a rented place while they're building their new house.) MG

They were particularly valuable in Britain, where you didn't see ANYTHING in the shops, except one or two specialists in London. MG

I see Alliance Entertainment now owns what's left of Schwann. And AMG. And Concord. I have kept a few Schwanns; from the sixties and 1981. It's strange seeing the price lists at the end nowadays. MG

Hart Crane Billy Hart Jon Hart

Ah - I assumed that unmixed tapes would be two tracks on two separate tapes (or more than two tapes), which you'd have to listen to separately, so you'd only get a piece of the story each time and have to put it together in your head. MG

Lousy situation. And it's much worse at this time of year. I was in and out of jobs all the time in the sixties, so I guess I must have lost more than one job at Christmas, but the only one I can remember was being made redundant at Christmas 1969, when the record shop I was running had to close because the arcade in which it was located closed down. But that was the last time I changed jobs in my life; things were smooth after that. So, in a way, it was good. But that Christmas was a real pissed-off time - and the following months. MG

Happy Christmas! It's the same over here. I posted something a couple of weeks ago reporting that something like 14% of British families haven't yet paid off last Christmas' Credit Card splurge. Madness! But you have to wonder what the western economies would be like were it not for all this easy credit of the past 25 or so years, given that we're a consumer society. MG

I see you're still Fred Nurdley, Chris. Don't you like those photos much, then? I love the sunrise one. Another desktop background. MG

I agree with your sentiments entirely, Bertrand, but there are two big problems. The first is money - As Jim said, this stuff all costs money to digitise and also to mix the music bits of the tapes. And what's the return? Negligible, I'd say - you might get a few freaks like us who want to get the whole sessions of a few of their favourite artists, but a handful and that's it. The second is permanence. If this is valuable - and many of us, and others, too, perhaps, would agree that it is - it doesn't want to be on an impermanent medium like the Internet. Don't forget how worried some of us were at the thought of all the wisdom (and some of it really IS wisdom) on this board passing into the ether had Jim closed it down. Even an organisation like EMI, which would own the stuff, couldn't be expected to keep it permanently available. So that leaves academe; say the Institute of Jazz Studies. Who couldn't rustle up the money to digitise and mix it all. But they could leave the tapes as they are and allow researchers to listen to the unmixed tapes. What's it like listening to unmixed tapes? I can hardly imagine. MG

Earlier today, I listened to my newie Yellow label, mono, plays fine. Thirteen quid inc postage from Da Barstids. I think this is the only non-trio album John Wright recorded for Prestige. Eddy Williams is on tenor and he's a good man who was recorded far too seldom - a couple of times with Bennie Green for Blue Note and, it sez 'ere, with the Bobby Bryant big band (I assume on Vee-Jay, but I've never seen that album). Most enjoyable album! MG

Just had duck. Gorgeous! Cold, but lavishly fattening, buffet tomorrow as the kids and grandkids are coming and there's no room to sit down together. MG

Nathan East Sheila Easton The Beast of Bognor

I only paid $27 for FedEx in my last order of 11 CDs. Hoping the same thing happens again. What I did was request USPS and they gave me FedEx. I was well pleased. MG

"The day is past and gone"; so. And I haven't any grievances - the board is catching up and is now notifying me of posts made only two and a half days ago. So that's progress? MG

(Or is this too white for the supremely hip cognoscenti?) Good message! And suddenly no answer in sight. MG

Good grief Charlie Brown! No one's bought anything for four days!!!!! Well, the postman just brought this from Da Barstids in time for Christmas Thanks to Natural Soul for the tip-off!!! Orig yellow label mono in reasonable condition, though I haven't tried it yet. But it FEELS so good! MG

and Doc Pomus was not. Just thought I'd add to your aside. He produced some great albums with Spoon and B B, though. I saw him on British TV in '62, singing the song made famous by Fabian, "Turn me loose", which he and Mort had written. Incredible performance and carrying an entirely different meaning when you saw Doc singing it from his wheelchair. MG

I think you're right there. The first ten years after I left school were like that. I really appreciated the rest of my life MG

Stuff. Urgent. Thanks. MG

the maynard parker one is a overlooked great groovy jazz album. you get it for about 20 $ or less and it is much better than a lot of those rare groove jazz funk lps you pay up to 100 US$. Indeed it is severely overlooked. But I've never paid more than about $50 for an LP (and only once), so I wouldn't know how much better it is MG Cheapskate

How long would it take just to UNPACK 200,000 LPs? It's kind of unimaginable, like infinity... MG

Trying to put together an order for twofers earlier, I was astounded at some of the material that's disappearing. Not obscure material, but stuff I would have thought would have been good for perennial sales. Coleman Hawkins' "On broadway", several Jack McDuffs, "Gentle Jaws", Wes Montgomery's "Groove brothers" and so on. I wondered what kind of business plan the company has. But as I browsed around, I noticed a number of new artists on the site, so I checked up. Michael Bolton Paul McCartney Angie Stone Peabo Bryson Will Downing John Fogerty Boney James Dionne Warwick All of these artists have had big hits in 2007 - including two at #1 on the R&B album chart. And they've all only made one or two albums for Concord - so they represent a new direction. They also represent a BIG demand for warehouse space. Concord has never had to deal with this level of business before. Even Fantasy, in the heyday of CCR, wasn't moving as many albums as Concord now appears to be selling. So what does the future hold for jazz at Concord, since it's clearly not being subsidised by the popular material, as used to be the case at Fantasy? MG

Maynard Parker - Midnight rider - Prestige orig Groove Holmes - Star wars/Close encounters - Versatile orig James Brown - Sho is funky down here [yes, it is rather] - Polydor reissue MG

What does that mean? (I've been dying to ask someone.) MG