Dave James

I can't buy into the idea that smooth jazz hi-jacked an audience that might otherwise have warmed to mainstream music. There's just too much distance between those two points. I would argue that those who are attracted to the music of the G's of the world are looking for exactly what they get...white noise...a soundtrack for their lives so as to avoid complete silence, but not something that would actually necessitate their paying close attention. Not exactly the band of brothers I'd visualize making the jump from Gorelick to Grant Green. I mean, how many people do you know who actually like the kind of music we all listen to? Or, how many times have you tried to turn someone onto your favorites only to have them respond with that all time great jazz put down, "how can you listen to that, it's just noise." For whatever reason, 99% of the people in this world are satisfied with music that is mindless and unchallenging. They're not looking for anything else. It's the way they like it. Up over and out.

Interesting if lengthly article cribbed from the ESPN website about three teams that continue to pursue The Rocket. Lots of question marks out there - in addition to those involving Clemens - for all concerned. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not a day goes by without another news alert from the Roger Clemens-watch -- which could be the difference between the U.S. prevailing or getting smoked in the World Baseball Classic. But the real intrigue begins in April (or May), which will impact the two 2005 playoff teams most in need of Clemens' fastball this summer. Without Roger Clemens, the Astros are a likely a longshot to return to the postseason.Baseball executives speak with one voice when they say that without Clemens, the Astros are doomed as a wild-card entry, let alone finishing second in the National League Central. And those same industry voices are saying the Red Sox, still sorting through the residue of a frenetic offseason, won't win 95 games again unless they can pluck the Rocket from Houston before May 1. In fact, the Boston Globe says a face-to-face meeting between Clemens and Red Sox officials might already have taken place last week. With so much at stake, it's no wonder that Clemens' agents are fielding a steady stream of just-checking-in phone calls from GMs, including the Yankees' Brian Cashman. He all but revealed the team's courting strategy this week, saying, "Roger's got a great place in our history. It doesn't mean history can't continue to be written." Still, the Yankees know they're long shots in the Clemens vigil, which is why they're not exactly sweating the next two months. Cashman told reporters that "we have depth" in the starting rotation. Despite Randy Johnson's and Mike Mussina's advancing years, Yankee officials still believe their starters will be more dependable than Boston's. And for the Astros, GM Tim Purpura doesn't try to minimize the Rocket's imprint on the franchise, or what his loss would mean. In a recent radio interview, Purpura said, "Our goal is to get back to [the World Series], and it would certainly be easier with Roger on board." Here's the breakdown of the Red Sox's and Astros' potential trouble spots: Boston After so much reshuffling, the Red Sox like to think they're younger and more athletic than they were in 2005. But one American League executive said, "There are too many question marks for me to think they're better than the Yankees right now." First on the list of curiosities is how well-conditioned Curt Schilling will be. He gained weight after post-surgery rehab on his right ankle last year, which resulted in the highest hits-per-inning ratio of his career and a diminished fastball. Depending on who you believe, the 39-year-old Schilling is due for a bounce-back season or else is on a slow, insidious slide towards mediocrity -- not unlike Mussina's potential trend line. The Sox are just as hopeful (or anxious) about Josh Beckett, who has the chance to be a young Schilling -- or just Josh Beckett, who's won more than nine games just once in his career and whose ERA on the road last year was almost two runs higher than at Pro Player Stadium. There's a whispering campaign under way about Beckett's health, as well, focused on his right shoulder that's in rougher shape than anyone at Fenway is letting on. It's no secret that at least one Red Sox executive was ready to kill the Beckett trade with Florida after an MRI of the right-hander's shoulder revealed excessive wear and tear. After being a World Series hero for the Red Sox in 2004, Keith Foulke suffered through an injury-plagued season in '05.However, the Yankees are fighting suggestions that Johnny Damon's shoulder is a mess, too. One rumor has it that Damon, who received a cortisone shot in his left shoulder last September, has been getting secretly treated all winter, although Cashman says, "That's news to me. He had to pass our physical, and he did." The Sox's list of concerns extends to Keith Foulke (how effective will he be after surgery on both knees?) and Mike Lowell (is he really just 32?) and Coco Crisp, who's better suited to play left field, not center. Alex Gonzalez is a far better defensive shortstop than Edgar Renteria, but the Braves' faith in Renteria -- admittedly fueled by Rafael Furcal's defection to the Dodgers -- will be worth watching. The good news for the Red Sox is that the Yankees, aside from Damon, are a slow and relatively unathletic team that has no choice but to engage in high-scoring games. Mussina and Johnson are older and not necessarily better than they were in 2005, and a completely new setup relief corps offers no clue as to whether Mariano Rivera will breathe any easier this summer. In fact, the Yankees will have to carry 12 pitchers because of lefty reliever Mike Myers' inability to retire right-handed hitters. That will leave just four players on the Yankees' bench: Bubba Crosby, Andy Phillips, Miguel Cairo and Kelly Stinnett. In the words of one scout, "[Joe] Torre better hope no one gets hurt." Houston The Astros were two different teams last year, losing 32 of 51 games in April and May, but winning 19 of 30 after September 1 en route to reaching the World Series. But not everyone was impressed. Nationals GM Jim Bowden told Florida Today, "I'm not sure they would have gotten into the playoffs as a wild card had the Phillies played the same schedule that [the Astros] had." Clearly, the Astros are pinning their hopes on Clemens' return. Other than adding Preston Wilson, the Astros, who were 11th in the National League in runs, haven't upgraded their offense. The Cardinals are the logical favorites in the Central Division, but second place could be anyone's prize, including the Cubs, who've added Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones as their Nos. 1 and 2 hitters. The two top spots in Chicago's lineup scored 173 runs last year, third fewest in the National League. The Astros are hoping, of course, for Morgan Ensberg to hit the way he did before being struck by a pitch on his hand on Sept. 5, forcing him to miss the next 10 games. Ensberg set Houston franchise records for home runs (36) and RBI (101) by a third baseman in 2005, but he had just one homer in the playoffs. The Astros' offensive profile is further complicated by an ongoing dispute with Jeff Bagwell, who insists he will show up for spring training and not retire -- despite the Astros' attempt to recoup through insurance $15.6 million of the $17 million Bagwell will be owed this year. Purpura insists no one is trying to force Bagwell out of the game, nor is he being denied his money. But, ruefully, the GM also says Bagwell is "a mere glimpse of what he used to be." Of course, Clemens could fix all this. At the very least, he could give the Astros what they most desperately need for 2006: hope.

Jim, Well stated. Back in the day, musicians like George Benson and Spyro Gyra served as a bridge between my rock/soul/pop/blues period and what has now become my life long avocation, jazz. I feel no need whatsoever to revisit any of this "bridge" material as it's already served its purpose. I'm reminded of the old saying that at least in part goes "...when I became a man, I put away childish things." That's the way I feel about the smoothies. No offense intended to anyone who appreciates this kind of music, but as Gertrude Stein said about Oakland, California; "There's no there there." Up over and out.

Seems to me if these recordings are of high enough quality, they would have the potential to make Dick's Picks look like child's play. Don't get me wrong...I love the DP series, but just thinking about what lies behind the door of this vault is mind boggling. My Lordy me. Any talk of commercial releases? I've also heard that Santana has recorded thousands of hours of his live shows. How 'bout some CP's there my good man? Up over and out.

I generally prefer them at the end of a session, especially when the cuts in question are lengthly. Look no further than The Complete CBS Buck Clayton Jam Sessions Mosaic and you'll see what I mean. I agree with what others have said, i.e. that if an alternate is different enough from the master take, then having it next door is fine. Problem is, how do you define "different"? Certainly, the person making the placement decision may look at what "different" is in a way that I would not. I guess all I'd ask is that there be careful consideration given to this; that the producer not approach a given reissue with any pre-conceived notions. I also think that many times alternates are just included to ramp up the playing time, making it appear to be a better value than it actually is. That tends to be the case with more than a few Fantasy reissues. Up over and out.

First of all, kudos to Mosaic for their willingness to explore a single disc reissue program. That opens up a lot of possibilities. Wish we had a better idea of the available troves from which these treasures might be plucked. That would give us some idea of what we might expect in the future. Given this decision, I would also think that Mosaic might be way more open to listening to the reissue entreaties of folks like us, given that the financial investment in single discs has to be significantly less than it is for a full box or a Select. I've said this before, but with the Concord acquisition of the Fantasy catalog and with the diminished chances of the more obscure elements of that catalog ever being released, I wish Mosaic would approach them about leasing some of their material. Up over and out.

Jim, If you deleted this account, how am I going to get my twenty eight million, six hundred thousand united state bills(us28.6m)? Pretty friggin' arbitrary if you ask me. Up over and out.

Among all the quality Xanadu releases, it would be easy to overlook guitarist Ted Dunbar. I dropped two of his albums off e-music, "Opening Remarks" and "Secundum Artem". Both are interesting, swinging dates. If you have the opportunity, give this guy a listen. You won't be disappointed. Up over and out.

I'm not sure to what extent people have considered this, but one of Mosaic's recent Selects breaks the mold as far as that series goes and, I think, opens the door for more of the same. I'm talking about "The Pacific Jazz Piano Trios", the one that features Dick Twardzik, Russ Freeman Jimmy Rowles and Claire Fischer. If they can do that, then wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that they might consider others of the same ilk down the road. i.e. ones that focus on the same instrument, but with different contributors. I say, more power to them. When you think about it, there's really no limit to what Mosaic can do with these smaller sets, as long as they maintain some continuity in terms of the music they choose to present. Point being, I don't think you'd sell many Selects that featured Tyrone Washington and, say, Bud Shank. Up over and out.

I too am a fan of the Red Garland sides. Moodsville stuff if I'm not mistaken, so it's definitely showcase the softer side of Mr. Cobb. "Black Velvet" is a particularly nice cut off this one. I have some of his other Fantasy material, but for me anyway, at times, there's still a little too much of the bar walker in him for me. Up over and out.

I was surfing the e-music website the other night, just entering names to see what popped up, when I stumbled across the entire VSOP catalog. This was made available in August of last year, so it's a relatively new offering, at least when you compare it with the downloads available from a label like Fantasy. I can see my $20 a month investment is going to pay off handsomely over the next few months. Lots of good stuff on that label. Up over and out.

Whoopee! Endless repackaging of the old warhorses. Just what the jazz afficianado is after. I mean, is it possible to have too many "So and So Plays for Lovers" in your collection? I wish Mosaic would approach Concord about leasing the portions of the Fantasy catalog that will never see the light of day. Some darn fine Selects could eminate from such an arrangement. Up over and out.

Yes, as Allen says, do not underestimate the power of charisma. Miles had it in spades. That's not something that can be taught, you either have it or you don't. Further, like Art Blakey, he had almost a sixth sense in terms of how to put a band together. He was also a great "sensor" of moods. He could see change in the direction the jazz winds were blowing, before anyone else even felt a breeze. Up over and out.

Chris, You're right, the word "just" was poorly chosen. Certainly more prejudicial than I intended. Up over and out.

Chris, It's just a kind of music I don't happen to enjoy. To each his own. No offense intended and, I hope, none taken. Up over and out.

If you'll reread my note, I think you'll see I haven't consigned anyone to anything. That's why I asked my question in the first place. Up over and out.

I sometimes let Mosaics go to "running low" or "last chance" before I pull the trigger. The Condon Mob set has been out for awhile and will, I'd think, be moving to at least "running low" status within the next few months. That would force my hand. LAL, you said "don't miss it". Help me out with this. Isn't Condon, for all intents and purposes, just trad jazz or, horror of horrors, Dixieland music? If I'm missing the boat on this one, I'd like to be corrected before it goes dark. Thanks. Up over and out.

Give or take, you can probably get 3-4 Selects for the price of one full-size Mosaic. That's one consideration. The other consideration for me would be availability. With that as a criteria, and if the J.J. Johnson box is still in play, I'd have a hard time not going in that direction. It's superb. Selects are going to be around for awhile. The Johnson won't be. Up over and out.

When I was listening to her sing the Billie song last night, I recall thinking that I didn't remember hearing Billie do that number. What I surely didn't recognize was that it was "Take Five". Still, as someone who prides himself on knowing something about this music, I should feel shame for not recognizing any iteration of "Take Five" no matter how tricked up it is. Nonetheless, I stand by my original statement. I thought her voice was terrific, especially considering her age. Up over and out.

The 17-year old gal in the blue top with the flower print skirt who sang two songs last night, one from the Dixie Chicks and one from Billie Holiday, was, at least IMO, stunningly good. Up over and out.

Globalization strikes again. This is what happens when you outsource instruction writing. You know...anything to save a buck. I mean, you've already purchased whatever whomever was trying to sell, so why should whomever care at that point if you can actually get whatever to work. Up over and out.

I've always found the "pay for play" issue an interesting paradox. To coin a phrase, "some of my best friends are teachers." One thing that sets them off like no other is to point out the fact that teaching is, in fact, part time work. The standard teaching contract calls for approximately 180 days of service, give or take a half a dozen days. You do the math...that's a half a year. The rest of the time is taken up by vacations, summer break etc. So, when you say a teacher "only" earns $40,000 a year, if you annualize that based on the fact that they only work six months, that's $80,000. OK, having said that, I still think teachers are worth more than they are being paid. What's different between the job now and the job then (whenever "then" was) is the attitudes a lot of these kids are packing and the fact that mothers and fathers now expect teachers to act "in absentia parentis". That by itself is worth more money. It's another indication of the lack of accountability that permeates all of society. On other comment. How do you separate education from intelligence or intelligence from education. Seems to me they are fellow travelers by definition. Up over and out.

My S.O.'s daughter is 15 years old, a sophomore at our local high school. The other night, she spent two hours making a model of the town from the book "Inherit the Wind" out of sugar cubes and graham crackers. I made the comment that this seemed like something that might have been appropriate in grade school, but in high school? WTF? If you ever talk to your kids about what goes on in their schools, I'm sure you're as shocked and dismayed as I am. It's no wonder that the kind of basic life skills, the 3 R's if you will, most of us were exposed to in grade and high school and that have served us fairly well since, are not being learned by today's kids because they're not even being taught. Up over and out.

For those not in the know, the card Impossible posted is that of Honus Wagner, a Hall of Famer who played for he Pittsburg Pirates. It is THE most valuable sports card ever printed. The reason for this is that Mr. Wagner, who was a virulent anti-tobacconist, asked that his card be withdrawn from circulation and destroyed because it had been issued by a cigarette company. There are only 3-4 of these known to exist. If I recall correctly, Bruce McNall, who used to own the Los Angeles Kings hockey club and Wayne Gretzky, who played there, bought one of them for something like $750,000. That was at least 10 years ago. I'd have to think this baby, by itself, would be worth over a million by now. WOW! What a find. Up over and out.

Yup, you'll not regret picking this one up. Like Lon, I got this from da bastids at Dusty Groove some time ago. A nice outing. Up over and out.