patricia

Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough. W. Shakespeare Taking Bill's advice, I generally go to bed around 1AM and get up around 5:30AM. Who knows what could be happening while I was sleeping??

I love Shaw's music and I think that it's not surprising that he is regarded as one of the greats of Jazz. However, he is much like many people in that he didn't seem to see the big picture and realize that our lives are over in a blink of an eye. Touching people in a positive way doesn't come easily to some, but it costs the same as alienating them. We will still have his music, but it's sad that he chose to be a jerk and that's how people close to him will probably remember him, while carefully qualifying their opinions with praise for his contribution to Jazz. So there's that.

How terribly sad.

I wanted to mention that if you are looking for examples of stride and boogie-woogie in vintage vinyl places, check with the nice man at the counter to see if they are in a separate section from their jazz stuff. I know that quite often they are, as is Dixieland. Some vintage guys don't consider those as jazz in the classic sense. I don't know why.

May only your dearest wish come true. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Drink only GOOD booze and eat only the finest chocolate.

OK, you guys... knock it off! Euclid's selection is horrible, they're prices are outrageous, and Joe is a schmuck!!!! Euclid is for us locals and no one else. They're strictly our own private "layaway" shop for vinyl... warehousing it for us until we can slowly buy all of the tasty vinyl.... so back off! Fat chance!!

Isn't it interesting that all those sets of compilation records, usually including a flip top case, with the track list on the flap are now recognized as worthwhile, even coveted? I would include JazzTone, even though they usually had only one record, but were SO FINE and included a booklet and extensive biographical material on the artists. Judging by the pricetags on them on-line, the secret is out and the venders quite often ask for $50 for a single record. They are more reasonably available at second hand stores and yardsales. I've picked them up, in excellent condition, for as little as a dollar. Keep your eyes open. When these records were released, they were quite often regarded as second-rate, mostly because they were mail-order and low-end. JazzTone retailed, by mail order was around two dollars per disc and the collections of three to six and even ten to twelve records, issued by Book Of The Month, Time/Life, Reader's Digest, Longine's Syphonette Society RCA and the like were around twenty-five dollars, total. A bargain, by anyone's estimation. But, that was the problem. Because they were relatively inexpensive, they were, at the time, thought of as second-rate, which we all know now is ridiculous. They featured the original musicians, full length tracks and excellent production values. AND when we find them now, quite often they are close to mint, even if they are decades old. Once people had them, they didn't seem to play them much, or even at all. Strange. Look for the sets at yard sales in old neighbourhoods and............snap them up whenever you can.

NICE, Leeway. Happy New Year back at ya! On my turntable as I type is Nina Simone's Blues album, followed by the same lady's greatest hits album. Wonderful. Jimmy Smith will be favouring me with his Walk On The Wild Side collection later. Glass of ice wine in the air to all!! Vinyl never grows old. It matures, like fine wine. To all: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'm going to be more patient with those I love and less patient with those whom I don't love. I'm going to start listening to the records and CD's I have more carefully before I spend my hard-earned folding currency on more records and CD's. I'm going to learn how to cook, beyond my approximately twelve no-fail recipes. I guess that will involve my becoming more interested in food, more as a sensual pleasure and less as a means to merely staying alive. Beyond that, I'm going to continue to mentor a work-mate whom I've recently introduced to jazz and to another whom I've helped nurture his interest in photography, thus passing along my two passions.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TONY!! Hope the weather holds and the salt is minimal. We get older, but we don't get taller. Long life to you.

Cleo Laine / Ray Charles' "Porgy and Bess". This was the 1976 Norman Granz produced recording over four days in April that year. Every track is perfect, IMO. WOW!!! Stellar back-up personel. Almost every musician of note at the time played on this album. Rivals Armstrong / Fitzgerald, which is also excellent. Love this play, no matter who does it, but this version has a definite updated jazz feel to it. Big. Lush. Worthwhile.

OK, now this is not one of the "finds" I'm usually on the eagle-eye lookout for, but the title caught my eye. Ping Pong Percussion [A while ago I mentioned another album, Persuasive Percussion, which was not in as good shape as this one, but interesting in a different way.] This new one is a record on a label I've never heard of, StereoRama and Chuck Sagle is the leader of a series of personel. The tracks are fresh approaches to standards like Who's Sorry Now?, For Me And My Gal, The Sheik Of Araby, Make Love To Me, etc. The personel, not the same on all tracks, are: Harry Breuer Archie Freeman Marty Grupp Warren Hard Willie Rodriguez Ted Sommers Joe Venuto Moe Wechsler George Duvivier Barry Goldbraith Doc Severnson Phil Bodner Harry DaVito Al Klink Phil Krause Lou McGarity Jimmy Crawford Mundell Lowe Johnny Glasel Phil Olivella The record is mint. There is a sheet of paper, included with the album, which breaks down each track into sections to listen to in a certain way. Interesting. ONE DOLLAR!!!

What a shame. RIP Mr Orbach.

It's like a death in the family. If the site exists long enough, most of us will be mourned eventually. In a way, that's comforting. RIP Ken and my sincerest condolances to his family.

The Kings Of Dixieland - Pete Fountain, Jack Teagarden, Eddie Condon, Earl Bostic and Pee Wee Hunt. Followed closely by: The Individualism of Pee Wee Russell and Soft - Bill Doggett It's late, so after the Doggett disc, into the arms of Morpheus.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jazzmoose!!! I know I'm late, but it's not the first time and I'm certain it won't be the last. Hope the day brought cake and a nice glass of wine. But, I must say that I really miss your old avatar. It made me smile. THE BEST TO YOU!!

As is my custom, I asked for nothing specific. However, my loved ones know me well enough every year to gift me with things that show me that they actually pay attention to what I do for work and relaxation and gift me perfectly. In years past, they have replaced my duct-taped tripod, fixed my spare camera, found rare vinyl and CD's and books they knew I would enjoy. They have also given me things which I would never have dared ask for, but loved. I don't know how they do it, but every year, they do. I must confess that if someone who feels close enough to me to give me a gift gives me something that doesn't reflect me, I wonder what they were thinking? I know it's not fair, but I'm spoiled by those who know me well. Whatever I am given, it will be an adventure opening whatever gifts are for me. There is a no sqeezing, shaking or lifting to test heft rule always in place.

Jimmy's "Christmas Cookin'"? Playing as I type. Love it!!

Seeing your mention of "Kind Of Blue" reminded me of the mint copy of "Porgy and Bess" by you know who that I picked up a few weeks ago. It actually does sound warmer than the identical CD that I also have. Maybe it's my imagination.

What other kind of country music is there? B-) For me, most of it after Hank Williams would qualify, especially current C&W. Clem, my father, a HUGE jazz guy, only liked Hank Williams in the country genre. In his estimation, everyone who came after him was a poseur. I would add George Jones to that and I still listen to Hank's early stuff and to George on occasion.

You're welcome. Much like the convert to Catholicism, I am probably even more enthusiastic than usual, having started with vinyl and been lured away, first by reel to reel, then 8-track, then audio-tapes and finally CD's. There are two things that CD's have over vinyl. They are small, so more can be stored in the same space. They also have more room for content. However, the inescapable fact is, to my mind, that LP's are warmer and more real to listen to, not to mention having more room on the cover for art and text. Add that to what I've said previously about vinyl and you can understand, I hope, my passion for vinyl.

You should have snapped it up, Sidewinder. I listened to it the other day, as well as "The Pit And The Pendulum", read by David Kurlan. Every once in a while I like to listen to narrative discs, much the same way that I like audio tapes when I travel. I had forgotten that narratives existed before audio tapes. Who pays attention?

Today: Glenn Yarbrough "The Lonely Things" The love songs of Rod McKuen. Haven't listened to it yet. Should be interesting. Also, in the spirit of the Season: "Switched On Santa" Sy Mann on the Moog Synthesizer. My contribution to the Christmas cacophany!!

Speaking of turntables, I am amazed at how many really good ones are out there. Sometimes, as has happened TWICE for me in the last few years, people will just give them away. If you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you can get really lucky. I went vinyl, having spent a couple of years looking for records for a friend and sending them to him. I fell in love with records again. My first turntable, after my epiphany, was given to me at a second hand store, just because there was no price marked on it. I was buying shelves and stuff and they just threw it in. Not a high-end, fancy one, but it does have '78 as well as '33 and '45 and is compatable with my existing sound system. Excellent condition. I was happy with it, but then a friend came into possession of a very nice two-speed, ['33 and '45] high end turntable. I took it home and it is amazingly good. Both units attach to my sound sysem. but, when I moved, I had no room for both. So, reluctantly, I had to choose and went with the two-speed, keeping the other unit in a safe place. So, you don't have to spend big bucks necessarily. It's not surprising though that new ones are being manufactured, with the resurgence of interest in vinyl. Check out the second-hand stores and classifieds first though. Avoid as you do in other expenditures, flinging your money around in the manner of the proverbial drunken sailor. You don't have to do that.

Louis Armstrong/Al Hirt "Dixieland Trumpet". Four record boxed set. Immaculate condition. Magical. Love it!!! But, of course, I love Dixieland!!