connoisseur series500

Hey, I've got all his cds...

Interesting, Conn--why is that? I don't recall that being the case in the late 1970s when I was playing regularly. If anything, the older players seemed excited by the enthusiasm that Fischer had generated for the game among the young. And what do you think accounts for this wave of activity? You know what else has been big with the kids for the past couple of years--poker! Don't know if I'm qualified to answer these questions, but I have had long discussions with people like IM Calvin Blocker about it. He told me that event sponsors only cater to scholastic tournaments and that there is little interest for "chess professionals" at his rating level 2470. He bemoans the great influx of foreign chess grandmasters and feels that local talents have been ignored. Blocker will show up at a local tournament and will find few masters to compete with him. He feels the money is spent on Scholastic chess. I don't know whether any of this means anything. I do know from my personal experience that a lot of chess parents like to place thier juniors in higher rated sections. So I might encounter some 1700 or 1800 juniors in my Under 2200 section, or Open sections. I think in general that adults sometimes feel intimidated about playing a lower rated junior. The kid could be on the verge of a big rating growth spurt of something. USCF ratings are always slow to catch up to real results. They tend to fall 3-4 months behind. I don't know. It doesn't really bother me to play juniors. I've played many of them. I am not a big fan of having to play a junior several hundred rating points below me when I'm in a high section. I normally don't get the chance to play others in my rating group, so I do get annoyed if a chess Dad decided to place his kid in my section when he could have played in his own rating section. Parents do that in order to maximize the junior's chances of gaining rating points. I have received several offers from around the country to teach chess to juniors. The pay is around $25,000-30,000 per year. Not enough for me! But I point this out to highlight the tremendous interest in Scholastic chess. I am only a rated expert, for crying out loud! How many offers to grandmasters and masters get? I just think it's terrific that these employment opportunities now exist for professional chessplayers. As mentioned, I do have a paying chess student. These kinds of things would not have been possible 15 years ago. The growth of scholastic chess has given us players the opportunity to have chess students. Long ago, such opportunities would have been confined to grandmasters only. I don't charge much for my student. His Dad has to drive 1 1/2 hours to come to my place, so I only charge him $10/hr. I use it as an opportunity to stay sharp. Plus, I really want to help the kid. Today, parents look at chess lessons as they do violin or piano lessons. Personally, I think it's great!

Had to vote "other." George Cables is the man...

Don't have any, but I would if I did.

Chess veterans are grousing over this growth of scholastic chess. I shrug my shoulders and think it's fine. There's no doubt that chess has taken off in the schools. As I sit here and type, I am waiting for the arrival of my chess student who comes down from Troy, Michigan every two weeks for chess lessons. His father is bringing his daughter today as well for the first time. Hmm, should I charge him more for the lessons now? -_- Wish my own kid showed more interest... Damn, if I had a good player giving me lessons as a kid...

It just sounds like you're cranking up your post count. Not at all. I am supporting the concept of "negative jazz threads." I've always try to say something, 7/4 unlike some people around here... Check the history of my post counts and you'll see how "important" it is to me. I used to be in the top 10 for a long time. I really don't care where I rank.

and when you get it, pryan, make sure you offer me your individual Teddy Wilson cds, which become redundant with your Mosaic purchase/trade.

I didn't vote because I'm not too fond of electric bass. I do like electric piano, however. Howzabout starting a poll on electric pianists?

I voted for "other" because I'm not really familiar with most of these singers. Actually, I don't mind a thread here or there which might "bash" some musicians. We've got to be objective. Can't praise every thing.

To be issued domestically Weizy; or will this be a Japanese reissue? Couldn't find anything on the Jazzmatazz website; and the local store didn't have anything on it.

I've been listening to it a bit as a result of seeing this thread. Definitely not Green's best session by any means, but it's not bad. Very mellow. I've heard worst. I think it's better than Patton's "Along Came John," which is a weak session in my opinion. The comparison to "Blue Hour" is appropriate. I think it's a keeper. I've got to listen a few more times in order to give a more comprehensive opinion.

Who wouldn't want to revisit (or visit) Europe? But now with the dollar/euro exchange stacked against us...

Cow vs Couw, but a cud-chewing, methane-producing bovine is still a bovine!

I gave this only a couple spins when I first got it. I'm going back to listen again now...

Most people are going to vote for "Something Else," so I gave a vote for "Things are getting better."

more post count envy...if it's eating you up inside, let it go man!

BINGO!! Well I meant starting threads to bait others, and not posts. If we shut down all bating comments, I'd find my butt on the street awfully quickly.

Man, AAJ has lots of users but they don't post much. Must be the title that attracts all the new members. Of course, we've got lots of idle chattter and 7/4 and Couw padding our post numbers...

... just tell us how the Hawkins K-2 is (I love that session) in the K-2 thread, and you'll be forgiven. Agree. Great session. I've got the older mastering.

And to you too, Noj!

Nice win by the Pats over KC. If they lose another cornerback, I'm gonna puke. Looked like Asante Samuel hurt his wrist on the second to last play of the game. Hope it isn't serious. Reserve corner Earthwind Moreland was getting burned all night. When will Tyrone Poole and Ty Law return? Belichick patches up the injured secondary and the team keeps winning. Baltimore comes into town on Sunday.

Agreed They've lost a lot of good people...

Yes, but I'm still banned at AAJ! B-) ...and in most bars

I'm in the "ambiguous" crowd. Or at least I was until I noticed I am joined by Bruce Willis and Monica Lewinsky...