JSngry

I was unaware of his facility as a lead player. That's a serious skill, of which the "general public" is totally unaware. And I hear you about the overall Russian/Eastern European vibe. There's definitely a soulfulness there, and its got a flavor of its own.

Peter Nero Caesar Frazier Claudius Johnsonus

Mr. Tooth Decay Muhammed Ali James Clay

Them Storyvilles are great. I love Charles Tyler.

Well now, that's another thing I was wondering about. His arrangements for Monday are totally beautiful, wholly modern, and not at all concerned with conventionality. I was wondering if he brought the same audacity to his writing for his own projects.

Wayne Johnson Warne Marsh Smashmouth

Skip's a trip nowadays, but he used to be pretty sharp. He was predicting Landry's decline and fall when everybody else still thought that he'd put together another winner, and he was just about the only cat in the world who predicted Montana over Marino back in Super Bowl Whateveritwas. But that was a loooooong time ago....

The Spinners Sinners The Black Saint

I saw contact and a closed fist. The velocity of the contact is a bit less than I'd consider a "punch", though. Looked more like a shove to me. but a closed fist is a closed fist, I guess.

Yeah, he's Monday Michiru's husband, and yeah, he writes some freakin' great arrangements for her, and yeah, his playing on her sides sounds really focused and interesting, but what about his own stuff? His resume ain't too shabby http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&s...qhuh6j8871t0~T4 I see he's got more than a few sides on Criss-Cross, which is not nearly the "endorsement" for me that it is for some. I'm wondering if he's really a "distance" player, or if the format of Monday's stuff plays to his strengths. I really like what he contributes there, dense, busy-yet-ultimately-lyrical lines that aren't at all "commercial", yet enhance the the vibe of the songs by the fact that they aren't. If anything, they enhance it, bringing out the "advanced" nature underlying so much of hwr music. Yet I wonder if the surface "distance" in his playing is engaging over a more stretched out jazz session. I like "warmth" of some variety, no matter how far beneath the surface it lies. It lies none too close to the surface when he's playing with/for his wife, so I'm wondering if that's just how he always is. I'm willing toi listen to the opinions of those who have heard him. So speak away.

I dunno, man, looks like the potential for some hot monkey love is definitely there...

Got it a few weeks ago, haven't listened to it yet. Love Pope, but his other Saxophone Choir sides have been kind of a mixed bag for me. No matter what, it's good to see Odean getting the profile that haveing Lovano and Brecker on his side will undoubtedly bring. That cat's been in the shadows far too long.

Aramis Athos Porthos

The only cat I knowby name from Gangstarr is Guru (who is cool enough, if not uber-hip, for my tastes) What's the deal with DJ Premier? Truthfully, I hope she brings he whole modern hip-hop production bag tothis project, and I hope that the songs are nice and meaty. That would be really cool for what I'm wanting to hear these days. But DAMN the chick oversings. And that's not what I'm wanting to hear these days. Never was, and never will be. I for one am not dismissing the prospects that this might end up being an interesting Pop album until I hear it. It's probably going to be a "producer's album", and if she uses good, hip producers, hey - there's hope. But I'm not preordering ti by any stretch of the imagination...

Interesting to me that the title cut of the Cannonball album is a Staples Singers "social commentary" song from the time before that group reached pop stardom.

Surely somebody can.

Because if you listen to it, followed immediately by "I Like Big Butts And I Cannot Lie," the decline and fall of pop music, and civilization, is undeniable. Maybe, but if I listened to "Lady Be Good" followed immediately by some of Stevie Wonder's, Paul Simon's, Burt Bachrach's, Monday Michiru's, Joni Mitchell's, Brian Wilson's, et.als. better/best songs, I might come to the conclusion that the art/craft of popular songwriting has actually evolved significantly and positively. Can't say that I'd say the same about society in general though.

Wonder what his "fairly well-know" pseudonym was that he used for his plays.

Much love, and the bestest wishes from deepest in the heart.

Oh well!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Just saw the most recent episode. My faith that the writers are going somewhere, that they're building towards a big payoff, is really starting to wane.

Well, it pretty much is, isn't it? At least as "Popular Music" goes? And as far as "timelessness" goes, once you remove the aura of nostalgia (or if you prefer, the telling of tales of a certain lifestyle/mindset that is becoming increasingly irrelevant), the number of "Great American Songbook" material that really holds up as "great music" shrinks to a relatively small quantity. The rest of it is, when you come right down to it, Pop Music of a different day. The craftsmanship of the melodies and lyrics is to be admired, no doubt, but somebody tell me why/how "Lady Be Good", to pick one at random, should be viewed as anything other than an artifact of a day and time long since passed. Which is not to say that some great renditions have been offered, or that appreciation of these renditions and songs is inappropriate (appreciation is never inappropriate), but really, what the hell "meaning" does it have apart from its history? It's a pop song, period. Part of a legacy, sure, but what good is a legacy that survies on congratulating itself rather than evolving? Let the hacks have it, and let the lemmings consume it. The sooner they all go over the cliff, the better. Since they're not part of the solution, they must be part of the problem. Or something like that...

Nah, you can't get all of Monday with just one CD.

Fanta Apple. Trust me.