Guy Berger

I was addicted to these in college and recently started eating them again. Really intense flavor!

City of Glass is very cool, but I don't think it would be your "thing". Guy

Looks like I will have to pick this up! Guy

Dortmund is readily available on the internet if you know where to look. Guy

This one is excellent, as is Night Bird Song. I also really like the Simmons (Ancient Ritual); haven't listened to it for a while, so I should dig it out. The Odean Pope (Ebioto) didn't blow me away. Also: Louis Sclavis/Aldo Romano/Henri Texier: Carnet De Routes -- this one is very good

Well, it wasn't by 12, but it was a win. A very ugly one, but a win nonetheless. 8 in a row for your boys, Jim. They are playing well, though to be fair only one of the wins was over a good team. Dallas has reeled off 12 in a row. Guy

Wheel, now that it's all over, why were you talking to Creed Taylor? Guy

I'm about to give the Nessa 1967/68 box its first spin! (Disc 1) Guy

Hopefully I will get to that stage within the next 20 years! Guy

a binge before the yourmusic prices go up: John Coltrane, Live at the Half Note Miles Davis, Seven Steps box Miles Davis, Cellar Door Sessions

I think "classic" is a narrower category than "reissue or vintage old recordings". Obviously which recordings fall into the category are subjective, and ultimately I care more about people's subjective perceptions here. I am not familiar with Dizzy's 70s recordings. Guy

I was wondering about this question. I think the majority of the stuff I buy currently falls into the "classic" category -- stuff by Art Pepper, Bird, Albert Ayler's Spiritual Unity, etc. I "invest" in some of these knowing that I might not love them at first, but they will probably grow on me during the rest of my lifetime. On the other hand, with more recent releases or older obscurities I have much higher expectations. So I guess I would probably put myself in category 2. Maybe 3. But probably over time I will shift to 4. Guy

I decided to save myself $15 and ordered Coltrane's Live at the Half Note, the Cellar Doors Sessions and the Seven Steps box. Guy

Think what I could have done with $890! Guy

Wasn't it "Salt Peanuts"? Either way I agree. Guy

I haven't paid attention to the lyrics and haven't heard it in a long time, but my recollection is that this isn't a horrible song. Guy

Kirk Kerkorian has sold all his GM stock. He's probably concluded that GM is caput.

The following cost me $88.89: Art Ensemble of Chicago, Fanfare for the Warriors Albert Ayler, Spiritual Unity Gil Evans, Out of the Cool Jan Garbarek, Witchi Tai To Charlie Haden, Liberation Music Orchestra Charlie Haden & Hank Jones, Steal Away Roy Haynes, Out of the Afternoon Paul Shapiro, It's In the Twilight Archie Shepp, Four for Trane Bobo Stenson/Anders Jormin/Paul Motian, Goodbye If I didn't have a 40 cd backlog I would have picked up at least 10 others. Guy

Ron's amazon review:

That is a sweet chair, free! Guy

Ron, Do you mind if I copy and paste your Amazon review here? Guy

This was the first recording I'd heard featuring Murray. I don't have a ton of his stuff, but relative to earlier octet records like Ming or Murray's Steps, this one is more mainstream and much tighter. (Not a value judgment.) Also, there isn't quite the all-star lineup that the older albums had. It's nice to hear Trane's compositions performed in this setting. Murray's arrangements generate a nice density of textures without getting bombastic. Murray's playing on this album is fantastic. As far as the song selection, it is heavily weighted toward Giant Steps; only two tunes are from the Impulse! period. (I wonder if this is a nod to Shepp's Four for Trane.) "Naima" is beautiful. "Giant Steps" has an exhilirating arrangement of Coltrane's original solos. "India" gets a very intriguing, haunting treatment with flute and tablas. "The Crossing" is really out of place -- I'm not sure why Murray chose to include it. Finally, "Acknowledgment" starts out great -- the opening collective improvisation is great, really emphasizing the links between A Love Supreme and Ascension -- but peters out somewhat near the end. I'm not sure I like hearing it played with a funk rhythm -- seems somewhat blasphemous to me. Guy

Whoops, I totally forgot that I'd volunteered for the AOTW. Personnel: David Murray (tenor sax, bass clarinet), Ravi Best and Rasul Siddik (trumpets), Craig Harris (trombone), James Spaulding (alto sax, flute), D.D. Jackson (piano), Jaribu Shahid (bass), Mark Johnson (drums) track listing 1. Giant Steps 2. Naima 3. The Crossing (David Murray) 4. India 5. Lazy Bird 6. A Love Supreme: Acknowledgment all compositions by John Coltrane unless otherwise indicated

Amazing. It's a good team. They will fade somewhat as the season continues, but it doesn't take much to succeed in the east. Guy

Not sure about 20, but you're right. Guy