The Magnificent Goldberg

"Scratch" is one of my favorites as well. I'd agree that "Images" is definitely one to avoid. Way, way back when when I still had/played LPs I owned both "Rhapsody and Blues" as well as "Street Life". I remember nothing about "Rhapsody and Blues" which basically speaks for itself. "Street Life" makes my skin crawl and represents the ultimate in sell out in my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, the Crusaders ceased to be the Crusaders when Wayne Henderson left the group. Another big sign of their decline was when they started adding vocalists. Maybe I stand alone because I know a lot of people really dig "Street Life" which is totally beyond me. I just loathe it. I guess it's one of those "to each his own" kind of things. You're right about the changing sound after Wayne left. It changed even more after Stix left. You're also right about to each his own. I like commercial jazz albums quite a lot; at least partly because they're popular. MG

Oh yeah, both the blue and the yellow versions looked great. Just unsuitable for the purpose. And my wife would have moaned something rotten, because they were for a friend of hers. MG

Actually, in due course - quite a long time horizon actually - there's a good argument for putting all of Lou's '60s material into a big box. Well, 1961-1970, since his 2 1960 albums are in the first box and 1970 includes 3 good 'uns. That's 22 LPs plus unissued stuff. But there's not a dud album in the lot. And Lou was as important and influential a musician in Soul Jazz as Blakey was in Hard Bop. Of course, a lot of the BN material is out on CD, so it means waiting for those to go. MG

I'd forgotten about the unissued material. Yes, one would expect that to be included; unless it's not realistic because of technical problems with the masters. The unissued BNs look interesting. One or two look like mistakes - not commercial enough for George Butler. And I've always wanted to hear that track called "Don't worry about it George". MG

I expect it was fairly infrequent, but perhaps not negligible. Certainly ESP artists would have had a determining role. And I find it hard to believe that people like Mingus, Trane, MJQ, Ellington and Monk wouldn't have had a view which they would not have been shy about putting forward - and producers who would listen. How would BN or PR have got on with albums like "Blue & sentimental", "Heavy soul", and all those Moodsvilles? Black & Blue's "Midnight Slows", as well? I don't understand the technical issue here, I must say. Maybe, though it isn't the case if the CD is one's first encounter with an album, which it is for me in many cases, and I expect quite a lot of people younger than me. MG

That Lighthouse album is the best Crusaders I've ever heard. One of the GREAT live performances. MG

Richard Nixon Don Nix Leon Russell

Speaking of Donaldson and Argo albums, I also suggested a Lou Donaldson Select for the future. I don't know how the big box is doing so far and it'd probably be overkill to have both available at the same time but a Select seems like a good way to release all of those Argo albums of Lou's on CD in one go. I don't have exact running times for those LPs (except one) but I imagine they could fit all six of those on three Select CDs - I'd buy that immediately! There were 8 Lou Donaldson Argo/Cadets: Signifyin' - 724 (7/1963) Possum head - 734 (1/1964) Coleslaw - 747 (6/1964) Musty Rusty - 759 (6/1965) Rough house blues - 768 (12/1964) Blowin' in the wind - 789 (8/1966) At his best - 815 (8/1966) (this isn't a compilation, though you wouldn't know it from the title) Fried buzzard - 842 (8/1965) I think "Possum head" is about the longest - 40:26. Many are quite short, however. I reckon, though I haven't added them up, that you could get all 7 of the studio LPs into 3 CDs. That would exclude "Fried buzzard". I'd rather like that as a Select. MG

I've got a few of those Blue Thumbs - "Scratch" is my favourite. "Images" is about as zero an album as you could hope never to find, in my view. I like some of their later stuff, too. "Rhapsody & blues" and "Street life" are great favourites. So too is Randy Crawford's "Now we may begin" which was produced and accompanied by the band (plus a few others), and all but one of the songs written by Joe Sample. MG

Cor! MG

(I know it's supposed to be a Bebop album.) MG

I bought this in the late '60s but it seemed a bit too much like a Bebop album, so I didn't keep it long. MG

If you think the BN stuff kix ass, wait 'til you hear the Argos! Pow! Zapppp! Screeeeeeaaaaammmm! MG

Yeah, I love these Dex LPs (but still not got them on CD). And, since you so charmingly insist, I'll get them out this week and treat myself to another listen. MG

The Pink Panther Plas Johnson Red Holloway

It's fine now. It went all yellow when I put the new black cartridge in! It says in the manual that it won't print correctly when there's no ink in one of the cartridges. But I had to clean the nozzles three times, before it worked right! I guess not using the colour cartridge much means that it tends to get dust in it. MG

Thanks Couw - I'll try that. MG

I've just tried printing some photos my wife and I took of our garden. But they've all come out a severely bluish tinge. I've got an Epson Stylus C48. Haven't tried printing colour photos on this printer before. I'm using photo paper, the right way round. And of course, it's telling me that my colour ink thing is full. It's also telling me that my black ink thing is empty, but I don't suppose that matters, does it? Anyone know about this stuff? Any suggestions? MG

Noel Coward Santa Claus CLaus Fuchs

Dame Vera Lynn Lynn Hope Yunus Ali

Mike Todd ELizabeth Taylor Eddie Fisher

Bennie Green Select, discs 1 & 2 MG

Oh well - I'll ltry and remember not to put that in my BFT MG

Son of a Weizen Son House Lester Flatt

Terry, back from holiday, had something nice in his shop this morning MG