T.D.

Thanks, that's useful info. I always thought the breakeven/crossover point for Japanese imports from cdjapan vs DG was about a 4-CD order. My last 2 cdjapan shipping charges, pre-tariff, were 3864 yen for 9 CD and 4042 yen for 10. I've always received orders very quickly, even within 2 days of shipping, so that appears to have slowed (though still reasonably fast). Don't have time at the moment, but I'll have to make some test carts and try to back out the formula for "customs clearance fees" vs regular shipping. Maybe also compare Fedex and DHL in that regard.

I really enjoy #3, which is somewhat of a surprise as I don't have so many recordings with electric piano and many of those have a Japanese connection (which is unlikely here). No idea of personnel. The trumpet particularly impresses. Hannibal Marvin Peterson (of whom I'm a fan) played on some records kinda like this (e.g. with Roy Haynes and Gil Evans), so he came to mind. But I don't believe he's involved. Nor Haynes or Gil, for that matter.

Haden was my knee-jerk idea for the bassist on #12, but I have only three of his piano duet albums and this track isn't on any of them. Too early to sleuth, but the pianist reveal will be interesting.

It's been really slow for quite a while, especially if I'm not logged in. Somewhat better when I log in, but still slow.

It's at the Lace Mill in Kingston (where Michael Bisio has his monthly events) at 4 PM. Asking for a mere $10 donation. Weirdly not displayed on Lace Mill Facebook page, but I saw it today on the "Woodstock NY Local Music Gigs" FB page. Also on Kingston Artists Collective FB. [Added] They're on a mini-tour, just played Troy and Newburgh and will be in Brooklyn (Soup and Sound, 292 Lefferts Ave.) tomorrow. So you could save a drive and go then. Yeah, Jill Burton is a vocalist. I found a Youtube video of the trio plus a cellist from the Lace Mill last winter that didn't knock me out. But I'll roll the dice on it because I'm going to another show in Kingston later tonight.

Recalled just in time the Indian concert is tomorrow...today instead will go for improv by Chris Cochrane, Andrew Drury and Jill Burton. This is a real shot in the dark, don't know what to expect.

Really nice classical recital "When France meets America" tonight. French duet: Arthur Gautier (piano) and Emma Gergely (cello and mezzo-soprano) performing a mix of songs (some with cello) and piano/cello duets. Composers: Fauré, Massenet, Crumb, Debussy, Duparc, Ravel, Bolcom, Florence Price, Satie and Copland. Tomorrow: Indian (Hindustani) classical music, sitar duet with tabla.

Thanks for posting that link, Randy. AFAICT, it's the best available source of info on the enigmatic Dennis.

It's showing at a nearby film festival in mid-October. I'm on the fence but leaning against seeing it.

Very true. But a lot of big US vendors seem to have lagged on this. List too long to mention. Maybe it was more pressing for cdjapan because they do a lot of pricey int'l shipping.

I suspect it's a number slapped on by the shipping firms to cover their "overhead / expense" in addition to any putative tariffs. (Using "putative" because of the persistent assertion that "informational materials" are tariff-free.)

I bought this (last year?) with high expectations but found it disappointing on first hearing. After a few more listens I now think it's pretty good. But there are better Ranelin recordings around, so this one is mainly for serious fans of Phil.

I just got an e-mail announcement from cdjapan: Today, we would like to inform you of our new update regarding shipping. Depending on the size and combination of items in your order, the size of the box used for packing will vary, which in turn affects the shipping cost. To help reduce your shipping costs, CDJapan has implemented an Optimal Box Selection Algorithm. This new system automatically selects the smallest possible box to pack your items. No action is required on your part. In addition to reducing shipping costs, it minimizes empty space to lower the risk of damage during transit, and also increases the chances of using size-restricted shipping methods such as Airmail and FedEx Pak. Unfortunately, the elephant in the room (tariffs) was not mentioned.

The No Business collections Centering (William Parker) and Muntu Recordings (Jemeel Moondoc) are outstanding Loft Jazz as well. As an enthusiast of both principals I can't explain why I haven't acquired the Brown/Burrell. 🤔

I'll add that the "old" alto player in #2, though not a household name, has a significant following. 🤣

Randy, it's just a weird coincidence. I own both underlying albums. Listen to #2 often, and that exact track always stuck in my mind because I was surprised the ensemble covered that tune. The album of #7 imprinted on my memory because of the distinctive piano style and unusual/strange/distant recorded sound.

Only sampled 2 tunes so far, but they're great. No time to verify, but #2 sounds like it's from this album. #7 instantly rang a bell, track 8 (it's the alternate take) from this. Awesome selection!

Agreed, FE is a great vendor with really diverse inventory. Buy with confidence if they have something you want.

This is pretty good, as is Energy Control Center, the other Lightmen+1 album I got. Mostly learned of this group through a BFT.

Short excerpt from this new Another Timbre release, which I will probably have to buy. Ditto for this one, though more on the fence:

Maybe this is just anecdotal, but... Just received a periodic e-mail from Simon at Another Timbre, a UK-based label specializing in modern classical ( website ). It contained this excerpt: ...And finally, a note for everyone in the USA about posting CDs across the Atlantic in the era of bloody Donald Trump’s tariffs: I can still post discs to the US, and they are somehow exempt of tariff charges. However, amidst all the uncertainty the UK postal service has leapt in and considerably increased the price of sending small packets to the States. So if you want to order fewer than 5 CDs, it’s now probably cheaper to order them from Squidco – our US distributor, who carry virtually our entire catalogue. I’m still happy to send out smaller orders to the States, but the postal costs will be steep...

+1 Although I've made some import preorders from Dusty Groove, one of which has arrived and another is en route. That'll be my import source until the tariff thing clarifies. Not holding my breath.

NYT has a pretty sturdy paywall, so it probably wouldn't help. But to my amazement I was able to read this in an "InPrivate" tab: Shamek Farrah Made a Jazz Masterpiece. He’s Still a Mystery. - The New York Times

I bought this set on a whim fairly recently. Basically because it was cheap...ordinarily the instrumentation and mostly solo singing wouldn't appeal so much. But I think it's great and am happy I bought it (farewell Berkshire Record Outlet and thanks for the memories).