Dave James

I heard once that towards the end of his life, Picasso started churning out paintings like Laurence Olivier took movie roles. Realizing the value of his work, and the need to provide for his daughter after his death, he went into the artistic equivalent of hyperdrive. These works were all stored together to be accessed as necessary. If this story is really true, then I'd have to say, Pablo? Mission accomplished. Up over and out.

I've just gotten into the first couple of discs of this set over the last few days. My initial reaction is very positive. As John just said, it's easy to forget how good a band this was; nothing earth shaking for sure, but absolutely rock solid. I certainly hear echoes of Art Blakey in their playing, especially in the way Stix Hooper uses his sock cymbal accentuate the beat. As a matter of fact, it's probably no coincidence that Blakey's band was the Jazz Messengers and these guys are the Jazz Crusaders. I know I've pissed and moaned as much as anyone about the eventual sell out to a more commercial kind of music, but there is not denying these guys could play. Up over and out.

dutchmanx, I've decided I won't be able to meet you in Nigeria after all. You'll have to find someone else. Up over and out.

Certainly one of the most telling testamonies to the difficulty of getting yourself heard as a jazz musician (especially if you're a bit off plumb) is the fact that someone as talented as Herbie Nichols has exactly four recording sessions to his name. If you have the Mosaic and the Bethlehem, that's it. What a shame. Up over and out.

Although I don't have any specific recommendations, Snuff Smith and Joe Venuti work pretty well for me. I'm also a fan of jazz cello. Oscar Pettiford for one. I think Sam Jones also may play cello on a session or two. Don't care much for Fred Katz. Grappelli is terrific. He has such a "happy" tone. I don't know how else to describe it. Very infectious. Up over and out.

Good draft, I think, for my Eagles. They get a stud DT, Brodrick Bunkley, in the first, and the guy late in the second round (Justice) who was pencilled in as their first round pick. I had heard that they might be in the hunt for Javon Walker, but I was disabused of that notion late Saturday afternoon. So, yes, I am worried about their receiving corps. For a team that passed 65% of the time last year, you'd think at some point, they might entertain the idea of drafting a wide out. How about Mike Haas from Oregon State for cryin' out loud? Up over and out.

Wasn't Barbour married to Lee at the time? That would make it a family affair. Seriously, though, he's on a all the Lee cuts, even those with the Frank DeVol orchestra. Certainly less prominent there than on the quartet sessions where he, necessarily, plays a larger role. All of discs III-V fall into the smaller group category. It took me awhile to warm up to this set, as I'm not one who's all that much into jazz vocals, but this one is definitely a keeper. Up over and out.

If we were to do this, at least we'd know that everything they issued would be way too big for its container. Up over and out.

Didn't Teschemacher play a C-Melody sax? I may be mixing him up with someone else, but, if not, that might account for the sound. Up over and out.

How do they handle boxed sets? Up over and out.

I have a copy of Isaac Newton's treastise, "Newton's Optics". It's a fourth edition published in 1644. The book is in pretty good condition considering it's well over 300 years old. I had it appraised several years ago at a book fair here in Portland. It's reasonably valuable, but nothing like if it was a first edition. That would have gotten me into the $30,000 range. Up over and out.

Hard to belive that Mary Lynn Ryjskub cut her teeth on Mad TV and The Gary Shandling show. Apparently she also does stand up comedy. Doesn't seem quite like the Chloe O'Brien I know, but this pic doesn't look too much like that Chloe either. Up over and out.

Moi aussi on the Basie. I already have the two Roulette Mosaics, but at this price, I couldn't pass it up. The fact that our own Chris Albertson penned the liner notes only makes it that much better. Up over and out.

So, in U.S. dollars, what is the individual cost of the Basie and the Gordon boxes at amazon.uk? Up over and out.

The Pixies. Some pretty good, creative stuff going on there once you get beyond the "in your face-ness" of their music. I will say, though, that the one everyone seems to think is the group's best effort (Surfer Rosa) I find the least attractive of the bunch. Up over and out.

What Mr. Goldstein is really saying may boil down to how you define "exciting". If he means aesthetically, that's one thing, but if he means economically, that's something else entirely. Personally, I think there is good jazz being made today, I just rarely buy it. As is the case with most of us, the amount of disposable income we have is finite. That means you have to make choices. I choose to buy old jazz, not new. Up over and out.

What if he's right? Just ask yourself what percentage of the music you buy is reissued and what percentage is new. Up over and out.

Can you say, "direct to video?" Up over and out.

First of all, a pox on the houses of all the unconscionable knuckleheads who are buying Duke lax gear like it was going out of style. What a collection of losers. Second, I refer to stories like this as Graceland, as in Nancy Grace. For sure the biggest downside of news on a 24/7 basis is that stories like this get so overcooked. Why can't people just wait until the judicial system does what it (supposably) does best and worry about the resolution instead of the process. I don't think anyone has learned anything new of substance since the release of the DNA test results. Now it's just an endless rehash of previously disclosed information, a.k.a. talking head Nirvanna. With regard to the prosecution, how much politics may be playing into the DA's decisions makes for an interesting sidebar. He's in an election year and could, conceivably, be making a little hay while the sun shines. Up over and out.

Lawdy, mama, light my fuse. Oh doo dah day!!! Up over and out.

Lon, No I agree with you, there's more style than substance afoot with McPhee. I hadn't even paid much attention to her until last night. Of course, with Simon harping all over everyone that last night's show was all about personality, who knows how that message gets absorbed by this grouping of Idol wannabes. Having said that, I didn't think her take on "Someone to Watch Over Me" was too bad. First of all, that's one of my all time favorite ballads (thank you Gene Ammons) and she did kind of wrap herself around the song. Besides, if Simon liked it, how bad can it be....right? Up over and out.

On the upside, if Stewart can get even a handful of knuckleheads to realize that there's more to music than Fifty Cent, we're making progress. Exposure to the so-called great American songbook cannot be a bad thing, no matter who's conveying the message or under what circumstances. Up over and out.

When whatshername McPhee vamped the camera tonight with that come hither stare, she could've been singing Camptown Races and she'd still have my vote. I didn't hear Paris, but I've liked her since day one. Also, say what you will about Rod Stewart, but those recordings he did way back when with The Jeff Beck Group - most notably "Ain't Superstitious" - will stand my test of time. I don't care what he's done for me lately. Up over and out.

Dan, I am absolutely shocked to find that we disagree on the casting of AFGM. OK, if you didn't like Cruise as Lt. Kaffee, who would you have wanted in that role? Up over and out.

Jim, If Phil Hartman has his way, that would be followed almost immediately by a hearty helping of "Super Colon Blow". Up over and out.