JSngry

Wilmer Mizell Wilma Flintstone Gary Puckett

Just take their swords away before you do...

You left out prison...

The original was/is fine by me, and unlike many here, I think that Sandler's turning into an interesting character actor now that he seems to have learned to play it straight. Couple him with Chris Rock, who I already like, and you got a movie I'd consider seeing if I went to the movies anymore, which I hardly ever do. But I'll be there for the DVD, fersure. It seems like a good pairing of actors and story. The trailers/previews I've seen do nothing to dissuade me of this notion. As for the ESPN cat being upset about "desecrating a vlassic", all I can say is , , and . The original was all about disrespecting the status quo, so why change now? Besides, does anybody on ESPN have any room to talk about things not being what they used to be? I think not...

Jay Silverheels Rube Goldberg Jeremy Irons ← Brian Rust Tom Lord Steve McGarrett

Tuff Ass Jazz now has some serious competition:

Napoleon Solo Han Solo The Lone Ranger

Well, it's all good, but I pulled out this one last night, and it mildly blew me away. It's just ear candy, but such rich ear candy it is! And it's also a little mind-b;owing to hear this lush, multi-textured orchestral pop/R&B all made by real people playing real instruments and then try to imagine anybody making the same type of record the same way today. The guy didn't just have "tricks" as an arranger, he had a genuine pallate, and he painted with it in an unstinting manner. I dig hearing cats who can do that, and who aren't afraid to do that. The actual material on the above album is actually pretty "variable", but it's Bell's arrangements that draw me (and keep me in) in every time. I also like his arrangements for the O'Jays, HArold MElvin, and for the Dusty In Memphis album. At the time, I was pretty down on the Pfilly Soul trip, because it was so slick and when it came to R&B, I was still a hardcore Southern Soul & hard funk guy. But over time, I came to appreciate the work of Bell, & Gamble/Huff. But Gamble & Huff were primarily songwriters and producers. Bell, it seems, was the one who actually painted the pictures that they so skilfully framed. It's an art that I definitely appreciate more now than I did then.

Jan Berry Jan Hammer Sarah Vaughn

Chi Chi Rodriguez Choo Choo Coleman Jerry Grote

Posting this a day early, because I might be out of town tomorrow. I'll just say at this early date that this is an album that I've owned since release, and it's appeal continues to grow as the years pass. Many will complain for all the usual reasons, but I suspect that a few or more will listen with open ears and minds and hear some delightful music, albeit of a smaller "scale" than the name SONNY ROLLINS might lead some to hope for. And the size of that scale might cause some to write off what is here simply because of what isn't. Different strokes and all that. Selecting any Rollins Milestone side other than Next Album or, possibly, +3 is a risky gambit to be sure, and probably doomed to fail to one extent or another. But dammit, I dig this album! Judge for yourself. If you're like me, it might take a while before it really sinks in that this a perfectly fine record on its own terms, and one with no lack of rewards, the type of rewards that only Sonny Rollins could offer. But if you're lucky, you won't be like me. Take that any way you want!

Tom Kite Alicia Keys Jimmy Buffett

Green Acres was a regular part of the stoner college musician regimen back in the day. This was when the reruns came on little independent UHF staions in mid-afternoon. The number of people I knew who got high, watched Green Acres, and then practiced for the rest of the afternoon easily goes into double digits. Paul Henning was beginning to get trippy w/The Beverly Hilbillies, but w/Green Acres, he went all the way out. Not just with the characters, but with the actual structure, dialog, and visual style of the eprsodes. Very Kovacks-like quite a bit of the time.

I'll need to relisten again, but I played this one a few months ago, and was struck by how thrown together the whole thing felt. Other than "The Elders", not a lot of the type of things that made WR such a great band before and (less often, but often enough) after. Apparently the album was put together at a time when the band was undergoing one of it's regular bouts of personnel instabiltiy and unlike other such periods, when the touring schedule and other demands weren't as intense and a good album could be assembled using a rotating cast, this one was put together under pressure to follow up the surprise(?) success of Heavy Weather. Not a bad record (certainly not a * record), but it could have been better, a lot better.

At the time, I did not approve. I was wrong. Very wrong. Where have you gone, Thom Bell? Thom Bell is BAAAAAAAAAAADDD!

Dean Chance Bo Belinsky Mamie Van Doren

Catchy pop drivel, yeah, no doubt, but Deniece Williams is a very, VERY, VERY good singer.

Well, if I had a dime for every time I've heard that story, I could buy me some new shoes.

Yes, Moe.

Doesn't this story come out every few years?

Archie Bell Don Robie Billy Harper

Oh, I thought you meant that you, Kart, Litwieler, & Martin had a hand in their early doings.

How did he keep clean while his brothers didn't? Did he plan on outliving them by as long as he has? Maybe that goes to the "never taking a chance" thing. I will say that his comps on the Dexter Prestige date often raise an eyebrow. The exception to the rule, perhaps, but still...

Which one?

Green Acres remains a high point in TV surrealism.