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Thanks for your helpful response! Yes, the period I was refering to is basically the stuff between "Dancing in your Head" and "Sound Grammar". I like the Prime Time sound just fine, but I really prefer his acoustic stuff.

When I saw him in August, he had three really excellent openers. A bluegrass band with a really attractive lady on vocals, a cool country singer/guitarist, and Jimmy Vaughn.

Before picking this one up, the most recent release from Ornette Coleman that was in my collection was "Dancing In Your Head", and "Song X" (if you consider that an Ornette album). What Ornette records between these two periods would you all consider essential? The more I listen to Sound Grammar, the more I realize that this may very well be a gaping hole in my collection that needs to get filled!

I feel confident that they will keep it going somehow. It may not be the same as it has been, but there will still be something. Can't see those guys doing anything else but bringing great music to Chicago.

Happy belated, Rob! Hope you didn't sleep through the festivities!

I'm not commenting on the Bears' Super Bowl chances, but in defense of the Bears, I don't think that last night was indicative at all about the team's quality of playing. There was obvious disinterest in the game on both the defensive and offensive sides. Nobody was getting fired up over anything. The lack of emotion from the coaching as well as the players was very visible. All I'm hearing on the local news is how dis-heartening this loss was, and how significant its going to be going into the playoffs. I don't agree. The great thing about this sport is that anything can happen on any given Sunday. Bears fans need to only worry about the quarterback situation. When Grossman is firing on all cylinders, they can beat practicaly anyone. I am excited for the playoffs, not nervous. The unpredictability of all this is what makes this time of year so much fun. Its hard to judge a team at this time of year. Look at the Eagles. Look at the Cowboys, or the Patriots. Their situations have been changing so quickly. The only team I can say I'm "confident" in are the Chargers, and even then...... everything else here is completely up for grabs to anyone. Its going to be a great month of football!

Of the many gifts my late mother gave me, one of the greatest was her introducing Bob Dylan into my life. For about 10 years now, Dylan's music has enriched my life, and his music has gotten me through some hard times. A question I always have a hard time answering is what my favorite album of his is. I've most often leaned towards "Blood On the Tracks", but there are SO many good ones that it can change daily. From his earliest folk stuff, to the peak years of the mid sixties-mid seventies, through the mixed bag which is his eighties output, to his recent resurgence of the last three albums he's put out, he is truely an American treasure. Great live performer as well. May he give us much more music.

Def Jam Records 10th Anniversary set

Lots of folks choosing Dylan...good to see! I'll take a stab at this.. Miles Davis John Coltrane Ludwig Van Beethoven Bob Dylan Charles Mingus

I had tickets to the Bears/Packers game tonight, but I caught a nasty cold/fever yesterday and am still quite sick, so I sold my ticket. A bad way to start the new year, but then again, a quiet night at home with the Bears on TV and some tea on the kettle ain't so bad. Best wishes in 2007 to you all!

I loved both "Hero" and "House of Flying Daggers", but my favorite film of Yimou's is "Raise the Red Lantern". I'm looking forward to this one regardless. I was somewhat crabby when I wrote my previous post!

I will watch this movie, though I'm not as excited about it as I normaly am for a Zhang Yimou film. It looks like it might be a bit over the top.

I'm embarassed to say that I've never heard this before, nor Tommy. The only Who albums I've heard are "Whose Next" and "Live at Leeds", and I really like them both.

The "strangeness" of the music I think tends to overshadow how "on" the quintet was on this date. Of course, they played amazingly on every recording, but there's a ferocity on "Miles in the Sky" that sets it apart.

Brown biopic in the works Lee signs on for Godfather of Soul film By MICHAEL FLEMING Spike Lee has signed on to direct a feature on the life of James Brown for Paramount and Imagine Entertainment. Brian Grazer is producing, and the pic could be in production by late next year, though 2008 is more likely. Lee will rewrite a draft recently turned in by Jezz and John Henry Butterworth. Script has been through several drafts since Steve Baigelman wrote the original. Brown was an active part of the development of the biopic project. The singer met with Baigelman, and gave the Butterworth brothers access to his camp. Brown's longtime sideman Bobby Byrd also was interviewed for two days by the Butterworth duo. The rights package includes Brown's life rights, and also access to all his music rights. "Like everybody, I was surprised and saddened that James Brown died," Grazer said Tuesday. "Having known him well, and after spending lots of time with him and researching his life, it's somehow not surprising that he died on Christmas Day. He was the ultimate showman, all the way to the end." Lee has two other projects with Grazer. He will next direct a John Ridley-scripted film on the L.A. riots for Universal and Imagine. He will either follow with the Brown film or an "Inside Man" sequel, which Russell Gewirtz is scripting.

Nice Mark! Fred rules.

Someone else said this was a good one. Might have to check it out....haven't bought a Nas album in 10 years.

I've been listening to Ben Allison and other JCC artists quite a bit lately. I found a used copy of "Third Eye" at a store in Chicago a couple of weeks back. Its a very nice record, and kind of got me started on this kick. I really like these guys' sound. I've heard all of Ben's albums except for "Buzz", and I've enjoyed em all.

If they still have "Freak In", I'd get that one.

Am I the only one who thinks "Paraphernalia" is one of the best performances of a Wayne Shorter tune by the Quintet?

I thought the Eagles were finished after McNabb's injury....Garcia's leadership has been really impressive. Suddenly the NFC has another contender.

#6 is a disturbing book.

One of my favorite JB songs, "Funky President", is on this disc. Its probably my favorite song to listen to in the car with the windows rolled down and the volume way up. That "Star Time" set is one of the greatest box sets I've ever heard. A great intro to the man's music, and one of the richest career retrospectives ever compiled IMO.

This sucks. RIP James.

Along with the downward trend in DVD prices has come a downward trend in bonus materials, booklets and packaging. Criterions are pricey, but worth it IMO. Plus, with these Borders coupons going around, there's no need to pay more than $20-$25 per movie if you have access to a Borders bookstore.