B. Clugston

Wonder if they'll reissue a record such as The Sermon, where you would have to turn the record mid-song.

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/mckenzie/?id=227713 Bob McKenzie on Don Wittman: http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/mckenzie/?id=227713 There are many in the broadcast world who will have better stories of the life of the late Don Wittman than myself, so let me say this not as a broadcaster but as a long-time television viewer and Canadian sports fan: Don Wittman was Canada's finest broadcaster. At least he was for me. He was certainly the most versatile. Whether he was calling hockey or curling or football or track and field or swimming or any Olympic event you care to name, he was a sheer joy to listen to. For starters, he had the voice. A great and rich and deep baritone, just made for broadcasting. When he called the game, he did so in such as a way to let the event come to you. He never got in the way, never imposed himself on the game or event. Rather, he was the conduit for the game to get to the viewer. I cannot recall how many times I was watching something on CBC with ‘Witt' broadcasting and I remarked to myself how much I was enjoying the event, how Don had a knack of entertaining, informing and allowing the game to breathe. He made the game or event better. That may never have been truer than when I would be on vacation in the summer, listening to whatever Olympic Games they happened to be. If it got any better than Don Wittman and Geoff Gowan doing track and field, I'm not aware of it. Quite frankly, I never understood why he didn't do more hockey games because I would just as soon listen to Don do a game as anyone, to be honest. I only ever worked once with Don Wittman. It was the 1990 World Junior Championship in Helsinki, Finland, on the CBC. I was really just starting out in broadcasting, a part time gig for me at the time, and Don was calling the WJC with Scotty Bowman as his color man. Brian Williams was the host and I was mostly along for the ride, working with three legends, and doing a little intermission analysis. Don was a gentleman, easy to be with, easy to deal with and fun to be around. And they just don't make broadcasters any more professional, versatile and enjoyable to listen to than Don Wittman. He will be missed.

It's a mystery to us. We call it back bacon. Ask an American.

RIP. I agree about moving him off the Grey Cup--Wittman loved the CFL; Cuthbert doesn't have a dramatic flair.

In A Silent Way was issued in the same dimensions as the other metal spine boxes, but I don't recall it having an actual metal spine.

That's great news!

Defensive co-ordinator Richie Hall seems to be the favourite to replace Austin. It makes sense to hire within after winning a Grey Cup. Meanwhile, Roy Shivers is with B.C. He's a real character, so I'm looking forward to hearing some entertaining interviews with him next season.

Amusing to see several posts about Van Dyke Parks in a thread about Today's Popular Music. Fogey alert!

I'm with you on that! The title track "Out in Space" is some of the greatest space stuff I ever heard! That's a great CD! "Out in Space" is a classic; it goes on forever and Sonny plays seven different keyboards. Silva has this incredible cello solo on one of the sets. The CD was reissued in its original format--ie. no bonus material, which is silly.

That would make a great Mosaic. Check out all the unissued sessions in the discography!

That would be half rotten.

There's also an Ayler disc promised -- HatHut 617.

Nor I. I notice they sometimes get those yahoos who post bizarre reviews at Blue Note about sets that haven't been released yet or they haven't heard.

Buy 'em all.

You can also use Google. Or just start a new thread and wait for some of the crankier board members to post links to existing threads.

The original post by Soulstation is almost 5 years old, and I don't know that he's going to post on the board any more. If it's forthcoming, it's had a long gestation! Or is the session "This One's For J.A."? There have also been references to a third unreleased DIW session on this board somewhere.

Sonny Rollins and his sextet. The band was in cracking form, particularly on the opener, "Sonny Please." I was worried Sonny's presence was going to be ceremonial, like a latter-day Lionel Hampton, as the first song began with a very long trombone solo followed by guitar. What about Sonny? After about 12 minutes, he got his solo and quickly dispelled any fears. What is it with jazz musicians who are 70+? I've seen Brubeck, Rollins, Sam Rivers and they've all put on great shows that would put most over-35 rockers to shame. Vinny Golia/Bobby Bradford Quarter followed by the Indigo Trio: Nicole Mitchell, Harrison Bankhead, Hamid Drake. Great double bill. I was particularly impressed with each group's respective bassists (Ken Filiano was with the Golia group), neither of whom I had heard before. Misha Mengelberg/Joe Williamson/Dylan van der Schyff: Bit of a yawner. Mengelberg spent as much time talking as playing and he never really gelled with the rhythmn section. Arch Enemy: Had never been to a metal concert before, but this was a riot. Arch Enemy are a Swedish-based band fronted by a female German vocalists who growls better than any guy out there. There were three other acts, whose mildy-demonic names escape me. Looking forward to seeing Ornette Coleman for the first time next month.

Hollander and his ilk want classical music to be embalmed music--dead, predictable and it ain't gonna bite no one.

Big John Patton, lots of Miles Davis concerts from 1973-75, Scandanavian metal acts Carpathian Forest and Arch Enemy, Kenny Dorham, Braxton, Bach. Big John was the big discovery of 2007 for me (thanks to this board).

When I saw him with Tyner last year, his ride cymbal was hanging vertically. His bass drum pedal got busted, but he kept playing as a techie was fiddling about underneath him.

The prison guard story has been posted here before. Gravatt was my favourite Weather Report drummer. I got to see him play with Tyner and Charnett Moffat last year and he was great.

I'm looking forward to hearing this.

I dig the Cancon (Canadian content) Mr. Russell brings to this forum.

None. But I got the new Braxton on Leo on order plus five from Concord.