BeBop

Well, thirty-plus years ago. That counts, right?

Yeah, you and just about anyone with a Euro/Pound in his/her pocket. As for me, I flew about 500,000 km last year (300,000 miles). It'll be about the same this year. Fortunately, I only pay for about 12% of it. As for the rest of travel burden, I never check bags, nor do I carry on more than one, medium-sized messenger (shoulder) bag. Loafers only. Belts with simulated-metal buckles.

Sad news indeed. RIP.

55% (Dixie). Barely into the Dixie category. ...in case you were wondering how a 'non-American' would score...

Happy Birthday, Kenny. I heard him back in the late 70s - maybe very early 80s - at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco with Johnny Griffin, if I recall. 50. Hard to believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inF0Ctrwy9A No gunplay, though... I've never been to the YouTube website before, but a quick look-around and I couldn't find the "gunplay" video. Essential Sugar Chile Robinson material! I hope to have access to my collection soon and might feel ambitious enought to convert the 16mm to video to YouTube. If someone else locates this material on-line, let me know.

Sugar Chile and Basie! (I assume the video is out there. Be warned: gunplay.) I've got virtually all of Sugar Chile's recordings. Don't ask me why. Fascinating rumors about womanizing, cigar smoking and mis-statement of true age. Great musician? Genius? Prodigy? Perhaps one out of three, if I'm feeling generous.

Have a great one!

My (intended) words exactly.

Happy birthday!

I saw him (not playing) in California just a few weeks before... It was a conversation that left me truly speechless - to hear about his then-current life. Chet, I hope you're in a happier place now.

Mom, I'm thinking of you today. Not just because you always said you'd be checking up on me from "the great beyond". I'm thinking of you because I miss you, Mothers' Day and every day. As for the checking up on me, you weren't every clear on how you'd be doing that. I haven't been expecting a phone call or postcard. A singing telegram with a reply message feature seems a little more your style. But none of those either. Maybe you'd anticipated the internet. So maybe you're monitoring my life through this place where I hang out a lot. Yeah, too much. But the people here a nice, and they understand that music I'm still listening to. Good old reliable me. I think I'm doing pretty well with my life. I hope you agree. But I miss your insights, even the ones I thought - and I'm sure you could tell I thought - were outdated. Here I am, outdated myself. Thanks for letting me do just about anything I wanted growing up. I think it's made me less fearful and more understanding of other people. Seems like kids these days don't get that freedom. There, I said it: "kids these days". I'm now you. But I can think of a lot worse things to be. Love.

Was just enjoying White Windows last week.

Perhaps someone could invent a 'noise' reduction system, a la Dolby or CEDAR or dbx.

Very sorry to hear. My condolences.

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Pr...kendSale.050908 It's a refurbished Audio-Technica (also sold as a Sony, I believe). You'll need a cartridge and (hopefully) a receiver or pre-amp with phono input (or a phono amp for line only front ends). It isn't a Goldmund, or even a Rega. But it'll spin 'em. Cheap way (back) into vinyl.

And no, I'm not expecting "greasy".

So how's the B3 work on his new album?

I saw Hal on my most recent trip through the Bay Area - a bit less than a year ago. He played at a little bar as part of a street fair. Sounded good too. I'd taken a few private lessons with him, back in the dark ages...not to date Mr. Stein. Among other things, he did some duo work with Al Plank, under the name Plank n' Stein

Reported by SFGate.com. Thanks and RIP, Hal.

Or, as one of my associates in Los Angeles discourteously remarked, 2 hours ahead and thirty years behind.

Enjoy!

That said, of course, it's hard not to accept the fact that citizens like them. So why not take advantage? It'd be hard to claim that banks enjoy some moral 'high ground'.

U.S. credit unions enjoy a state-sanctioned competitive advantage (no taxes), despite long-ago abandoning their mission (helping under-banked/niches). I hate them.

Good. Or, better yet, pay down some high-cost debt.