patricia

Is this the same as the Jazztone lps ? I don't think so, Harold. JAZZTONE was a branch of a mail-order classical music company, totally unique and is not connected at all to the ones you mentioned. When I'm foraging for vinyl, my heart actually speeds up when I spot one!! I quite often see them on vinyl sites for up to fifty dollars, for a single disc, or more. I've picked them up for as little as a dollar at yard sales and second-hand stores, in immaculate condition. They are the old heavy LPs, although the later releases seem lighter, but not as light as the later RCA Dynagroove records, for example. Jazztone records are treasures. They always featured the original artists and top-drawer production values, unlike the cheap compilations of pop tunes from the sixties. What made them seem cheap, which I guess they were, comparatively speaking, at the time of their releases, was that they all have the same cover, the difference in the colour being the only one. They often came with a booklet, but the back of the cover had some of the most extensive notes, usually capsule bios of the artists, or great writeups by jazz-writers of the time about the music on the album. These are pure gold. If you see one, grab it immediately and race home and play it. There were many little labels during the period you mentioned, but they were either the budget, or specialty labels of the big companies like Decca and RCA, or labels which were created for specific music. Probably it would be more accurate to compare Jazztone to the boxed sets which were issued, mail-order from Longine, Reader's Digest, The Symphonic Society etc. I have quite a few JazzTones, and many of the sets, issued by the companies I mentioned. Jazztone, as far as I know, usually issued single LPs. Interestingly, the big sets of anywhere from six, to twelve discs from the other sources, boxed, from the fifties quite often are in almost mint condition. They were cheap when they were marketed and it seems as though once they were received, they were played very little. Sad for the original owner. A treasure to me. Yesterday, Wild Bill Davison's All-Stars/Dixieland Rhythm Kings and Pee Wee Erwin and his Jazz Band at my vintage store, $6.00 each. Jazztone. Immaculate condition. The covers, really ugly orange for Wild Bill and bright lime green for Pee Wee.

Yes, I agree with Harold. Recent releases on vinyl seem to be almost novelty items. CDs have definitely taken over the music scene. Not a horrible thing, but it has happened. My youngest daughter, who is twenty, has never owned a record and is a little embarrassed that I do . My older daughter did have her children's records, Sesame Street, the Muppet Show etc. on vinyl when she was little, but has never owned a record since. To them, I might as well be collecting cylinders. Getting replacement needles and other maintenance items and service for our turntables, as Harold mentioned, in order to play our treasured vintage Jazz is what concerns me. Even now, at least where I am, vinyl and the equipment to play it seems to be the exclusive territory of old guys who own vintage record stores, and luckily, I have befriended a couple of them. I've actually wondered what I will do if they show no consideration for me and die, which they surely will.

I haven't bought new vinyl for at least 15 years. I, of course, buy vintage jazz records, but all my recent releases have been on CD for at least ten years. I didn't buy any new music in the intervening years. Out with a whimper, not a bang, for most people, particularly my daughters' generation.

Salute to Newport - 2 record set [1962 on Impulse. Originally on Dot for Russell and on ABC for Wein] - Side 1 + 2 features Pee Wee Russell, my favourite clarinet player of all time. - Side 3 = 4 features George Wein and the Newport All-Stars. FABULOUS, if you like Russell and Wein, and I DO like Russell and Wein.

"Our Man In Hollywood" - Henry Mancini. Great version of "Walk On The Wild Side" which featured a kick-ass tenor sax. Rivals Jimmy Smith's. "Ted Heath and his Music" - compilation of Heath's various performances at various venues, including the Palladium, Carnegie Hall, and the Spotlight on Sidemen series. This is a promotion record, used by radio and TV stations. "It's So Good" - Earl Grant Soundtrack from "Crossroads", the film which starred Ralph Macchio [Karate Kid]. The music was Ry Cooder and was great Delta Blues.

Ingram, my dear, I am looking at the shirt itself on the cover of "The Man In The Green Shirt", which is on the shelf with my other jazz books. The shirt is what I would describe as EMERALD GREEN. It is a clear sharp green.

In answer to the orignal question, YES, I do have a Living Will. It is attached to my regular will, in a safety-deposit box, with copies of both forms to both my daughters. In addition, over the years I have told anyone, remotely close to me of my wish to be let go, with no extraordinary measures taken. Above all, I DO NOT want to be silent and confined to a hospital bed if there is no hope that I will recover from whatever catastrophe has befallen me. However, the Heimlich manouver, should I be choking, is to be administered. I don't have a wish for an undignified death in a public restaurant or at the family dinner table. I also wish to be told to step away, should I be seen looking into a barrel of flammable material by the light of a match. Don't worry, in those circumstances, that you may hurt my feelings by pointing out my error in judgement.

I usually pack everything exactly like that, if anything in the box is at all fragile. I once sent ONE dish, to complete my daughter's set, after an unfortunate breakage, wrapped in TWO full-size blankets, having first bubble-wrapped it. As for records, I almost always use a large box, plastic bag, twice-wrapped around the record in it's cover, bubble-wrap AND packing popcorn. It takes whoever I've sent it to, minutes to find the record and they have NEVER been broken. Can't be too careful. I always think, paranoic as I am, that postal workers search out my packages to run through the new automated crushing machine, which I believe replaced the mallet formerly used.

Yes, HAPPY EASTER!!! I was reminded of an incident, some years ago. We were in the car just before Easter, driving along a street, and a rabbit ran in front of us. I said, jokingly to my daughter that I wondered if that was the Easter Bunny and could I have seen him carrying an Easter basket?? She wasn't a little kid and she looked at me, distainfully and said, "Don't be ridiculous!! Don't you know that rabbits don't have an opposable thumb?" I felt stupid, I can tell you!!!

"Conquistador" - Maynard Ferguson [the 1977 incarnation of his band], with Randy Purcell on trombone and a track, "Mister Mellow" with George Benson guesting on guitar. Of course it has the theme from "Rocky" on it. But, the title track is my favourite.

"New Orleans Jazz Heritage 1976 Festival" This two record set was recorded live at the festival and is magnificent, I think. The album featured Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Lightenin' Hopkins, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, Lee Dorsey, Robert Parker and Earl King. Great stuff!!

Oh, I don't know about that, Jazzmoose. All three of my brothers and both my daughters collected postage stamps, in a big way. The side benefit was that they were prompted to learn more than I certainly do, about geography and the cultures of other countries. Of course, if all they had done was collect them and arrange them in albums, it wouldn't have been much of a hobby. However, the stamp itself had already served it's function and may be said to be serving yet another for them. Unsealed vinyl is being prevented from serving the function for which it was intended. It was not meant to just sit on a shelf, being taken down occasionally to be looked at. I'm not disputing the value put on mint, unplayed vinyl by collectors. I'm just puzzled at the idea that an item with an intended function could be valuable for just being. But, collectors of anything are often a separate species. After all, people collect rare wines, keeping them at exact temperatures, for decades and never drink them. I think that's odd as well.

British term for New Year's Eve. My mother was Scottish. They also talk about "first footing", which is a reference to the first person who crosses your threshold in the New Year being an indication of the direction the coming months will take. Apparently, a dark-haired person is the luckiest. Anybody's version of "That Old Time Rock 'N Roll" does the same thing at any New Years' wingdings I've attended. Hey Patricia, Thanks for the info. B-) Hey, I've already learned something today! You're welcome, Scott. I edited my comment to reflect Mother's dual Scottish/Norwegian heritage. Both cultures are loaded to the gills with odd little quirks. Both know how to celebrate in grand style. On my turntable now: "Carol Channing Entertains", a two record set. I'm not a huge Channing listener, but was intrigued by this collection. She does some standards, such as "Ain't Misbehavin' " and "Bye Bye Blackbird" and a few, like the song from "Hello Dolly", "Elegance" that are quite interesting. She doesn't have the greatest voice, but she's not bad and at least on vinyl I don't have to keep wondering why she almost never blinks. But, to be fair, this was recorded at the beginning of her career, before she became a characature of herself. What's interesting about the album at the outset is that there is a full-size biographical booklet, with text and several photographs, bound into the album, with an interview with Channing about the production of the album. I've never seen that done before. Usually when booklets are included, they are separate from the album.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BERIGAN!!!! Cake. Excellent wine. May you have many more happy years ahead of you.

I usually hesitate to say anything when my fellow vinyl fiends talk about their shrink-wrapped vinyl, factory-sealed being a good investment. After all, what people collect and why they collect it is a very personal thing, not to be criticized. But, I agree that to collect something, whatever it is, primarily as an investment, rather than because you love it, whether it's books, paintings, photographs, or anything else is fraught with peril. The saving grace of one's collection being something you love is that even if the monetary value evaporates, you still have whatever it is that you collect to enjoy, whatever it's market value is...........or isn't. The beauty of sealed records, assuming that they aren't warped and unplayable, to me, is the music. That doesn't change. If it's worth something, well, that's just a bonus. It's not about the money to me.

British term for New Year's Eve. My mother was Scottish/Norwegian, growing up in Edinburgh. The Scottish also have a tradition called "first footing", which is a reference to the first person who crosses your threshold in the New Year being an indication of the direction the coming months will take. Apparently, a dark-haired person is the luckiest. Anybody's version of "That Old Time Rock 'N Roll" does the same thing at any New Years' wingdings I've attended.

"Matterhorn" - The Louis Bellson Drum Explosion

Welcome to the small but dedicated ranks of the truly enlightened. Vinyl has a beating heart, a warmth, a pulse that CD's IMO do not. As for CDs not requiring the careful handling that vinyl does, that's nonsense. Quality things, whether they are cashmere sweaters, fine china, beautiful art or jazz vinyl, all deserve special care in order to last. Vinyl is surprisingly durable, as evidenced by collections which are decades old and still pristine and beautifully playable, because their owners cared. All the other qualities you mentioned are what draw me to vinyl over CDs, though, of course I have CDs as well. There is no turntable in a car, sadly. Vinyl. I love it!!!

My vote is overwhelmingly for real ice cream. When I think of ice cream I mean the kind that you make yourself, with an ice cream maker. The ingredients are few. They involve real cream, sugar, then whatever flavour you're in the mood for, real vanilla, real chocolate, fresh fruit etc. If it's not made that way it lacks the richness and sheer decadence of what it is. Heaven!!! If you're going to have ice cream, have real ice cream. Just don't have a huge bowl of it every day or you'll blow up like a blimp. There are some commercial brands that are made that way, but they are few and far between. If the ingredients are listed on the label, read them. If you can't pronounce most of them, you'd be better off just going to the Dairy Queen. Theirs is actually ice milk and not ice cream and is quite good.

Looking for some shelves today and also found: "Maria Callas In Her First Live Performance Ever Of Donizetti...Lucia Di Lammermoor" Mexico 1952 - first time ever on records. This is the complete opera on 2 records. Conducted by Guido Picco. WOW!! Callas was indeed magnificent!! The records are pristine, still in their plastic sleeves and in their box. What a find!! two dollars !!

At least at 78RPM, the sound of the G-ster would amuse, rather than annoy. A long time vinyl fiend friend of mine says not to use any kind of soap because it leaves a film, no matter how much it's rinsed. He uses hot tap water, laying the disc on a dish towel afterwards and blotting off the excess water. He then puts the record on it's edge in a plastic dishrack and lets it dry. But, the baby brush suggestion sounds like a winner.

"Backtrack" - Various - This has everyone from the Oslo Philharmonic through the Three Suns and the New Glenn Miller Orchestra to Floyd Cramer playing everything from the Emperor Waltz and Moonlight Seranade and Mood Indigo. Lots of other standards on a two record set from RCA. Shriner's Convention - Ray Stevens [i was on a serious search for jazz, a while ago and this beckoned me. What can I say? It's funny.] Stevens was really popular a couple of decades ago and this looks like it's been played only once or twice. Too bad all my jazz isn't in such great shape when I find it.

Which makes me think of how much trepidation film makers must feel when they let their "baby" go out into the world, not knowing whether we will see what they did when they originally came up with the concept of their film. Their job is finished when the film is and their enjoyment was in producing it. The added value is in the audience's reaction to it. There we are, regular people walking around, passing judgement on their life's work. I suppose it could be compared to any free lancer who depends on the opinions of those who can't do what they do to admire their work enough to go to the theatre and see it and, more importantly like it. The stress must be almost unimaginable. The handful of films which are widely seen and appreciated are only a tiny number compared to all the films which are released in an average year. The film makers who produce and release the lesser films work their buttocks off, with few exceptions, as much as the acclaimed ones do and almost never are recognized as great artists. Kind of sad, really.

Good point, Patricia. Even though I'm a musician myself; I still have a hard time understanding what I'm SUPPOSED to be listening for in jazz. That's why I don't participate in a lot of jazz criticism. I LOVE the music, but sometimes I feel like there's some hip secret I'm not in on. I think I know what I'm listening to and for, but I know it's tough for someone new to the music. Okay... I'm guilty of a little too much navel gazing, but I'm all for sharing this artform with all. I appreciate ANYONE who does so. Regarding the Oscars: If I was going to watch an award show, I'd watch this one. As I keep saying, my only sadness is that people revere celebrities too much. I've seen shows where people are getting surgery to look like their favorite star. I just wish everyone could see their own value and not put stars on such high pedastals. There's absolutely nothing wrong, IMO, with respecting someone for their great work, but celebrity oftentimes seems to trump craft. Thank you AfricaBrass. I just think that encouraging new listeners of jazz to feel jazz and enjoy it for it's beauty does not necessarily mean that the new listener should feel that they must understand the technical aspects of it's production. More than once, while talking to jazz musicians I have gotten the impression that if I don't understand what is involved in producing the sounds and rhythms, that the sheer joy I feel in listening to the music is not enough. I would compare their attitude to that of many of my fellow photographers who get hung up on the technical aspects of the process and lose sight of what the goal is. The goal is producing a picture that will be enjoyed at many levels, regardless of whether they understand how it's done or what I saw when I shot it. The goal in both endeavors is to show the listener or observer what is at the very basis for them and that is the joy that can be had by them. That's why the artforms exist. Without the listener or the observer, there is no point. Everyone gets something different out of the art and that is, ultimately it's beauty.

You're right, AfricaBrass. But, in a way, jazz has made itself an elitist artform. Sometimes those newbies who have just discovered the magic of jazz are put off by the navel-gazing that they see many jazz musicians and longtime aficianados doing. Not understanding the nuances of the artform is not a weakness. It's fixable in time, if those who could help them see the total spectrum would just do that, mentor them. I don't see a solution, because "accessable" quite often is wheeling in the dreaded Kenny G. There are many veteren jazzers, such as Oscar Peterson and others who have been great ambassadors, trying to spread the joy of jazz to the masses, but I fear that there is much of what I can only interpret as an unwillingness to share this most precious jewel we all know and love.