Guy Berger

I remember reading an article about how you could get a "workaround" for your ipod if you emailed Sony. Anybody knows if this applies to the CSDs (consumer-screwing discs) in question? Guy

I think this case it might be a mitzvah to pirate the music on these CDs. Of course, I'm not a rabbi. Guy

Uggh, stupid packaging -- almost enough that I want to avoid this thing. It seems a little heavy on outtakes for me, but for for $7x5.99 a bargain nonetheless. Guy

I think so. I haven't checked my copies of Dance With Death and Of Love and Peace too closely, but they seem normal, except for the big "$5.99" printed on the CD itself. Just kidding. Guy

Congrats, Alexander!

That's my main consideration -- 8 CDs implies at least a dozen albums, so I'm guessing the box is a better value. Thanks Lon. Guy

Question: how much of this stuff is available separately, and on how many discs? 2nd question: how much of the "essential" stuff is available separately, and on how many discs? Just trying to figure out whether getting the box is the best route in this case. Guy

Bumping this thread for more reviews -- I'm thinking of adding it to my yourmusic queue after seeing him perform a great solo concert at Newport. Guy

A brief review of Saturday: Got there a little late and missed Carla Bley's set, unfortunately. Caught the tail end of the Saxophone Summit w/Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, Phil Markowitz, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart. This show didn't do much for me, despite being a fan of the concept (post-bop saxophonists taking on Trane's '65 & onward music) and several of the musicians. A little too focused on the individuals. My perspective might be skewed by the fact that it was hot and I could barely see the stage. I saw a bit of the Mark Whitfield trio. Very good -- I might have to pick up one of his albums at some point! The drummer was excellent, though I don't remember his name. Reuben Rogers on bass. At this point I decided to see McCoy's quintet w/Ravi Coltrane and Terrell Stafford instead of Kurt Rosenwinkel's group, which might have been a mistake. While McCoy with horns is a lot more exciting than McCoy in a trio (which, at least the one time I saw him, was a little dull), something was missing. Ravi was very good. The highlights of the set were a great version of "Mana Layuca" as well as a Trane tune that I didn't recognize (and sounded like it came straight of a mid-60s "progressive" BN session). I didn't like McCoy's bassist. As far as McCoy's health, he looked kind of frail. The highlight of the day (for me) was Brad Mehldau's solo set. I'm not a big Mehldau fan -- I really liked his work with Charles Lloyd, but am ambivalent about the one trio album I have (vol. 4). Still, he was terrific. He did a Nick Drake tune from Pink Moon whose title I can't remember, "Mother Nature's Son" (I think), "Countdown", "How Long Has This Been Going On" and some other tunes. Really great -- I might have to pick his recent solo album. Then I decided to skip out on the Ponty/Fleck/Clarke trio and get good seats for the Charles Lloyd group. That meant that I caught most of the Wynton Marsalis quintet performance, which was kind of boring. The Lloyd group performance was mixed. The rhythm section (Geri Allen, Reuben Rogers & Eric Harland) was great. Charles started out really strong (a great sax-drums) duet but seemed to lose energy and focus near the end of the set. I was a little disappointed given that the set started out so strongly. Guy

Alright folks, it looks like it will be a brutally hot Saturday in Newport tomorrow. If anyone sees a dude in flip-flops, blue shorts, white t-shirt and baseball cap with a "Y" on it that's me. Guy

Hmmm.... I watched SNL a lot when I was in Jr. High and that was the period when Miller left and Nealon replaced him. I'm a big Nealon fan (one of the best "2nd tier" SNL comedians) and dug his Weekend Update. No diss against Miller intended, except that now he is a lame and unfunny right-wing hack. Norm McDonald was terrible. (The guy is just not funny.) And I don't think Jimmy Fallon is very good either though obviously better than McDonald. Guy

You know, I watched the Hartman and it actually wasn't that great. (And I'm a huge fan of the guy's work.) Maybe they made poor skit selection (for example the Bush-Clinton-Perot debate from '92 wasn't in there) but a lot of the stuff just wasn't funny. Maybe he did his best stuff in other peoples' skits? Though "Anal Retentive Chef", Bill Clinton at McDonald's, Ronald Reagan masterminding Iran Contra and "Anal Retentive Chef" are all classics. On the other hand, Mike Myers's is terrific so far. (I've seen about 60% of it.) Aside from classic Shprockets ("Dieter's Dream", "Germany's Weirdest Home Videos"), Coffee Talk (w/Madonna, Roseanne Barr & Barbra Streisand), and Wayne's World sketches, the following had me rolling: Weekend Update, "Point/Counterpoint on Cop-Killing Lyrics" w/Mick Jagger as law-and-order conservative Keith Richards & Mike Myers as 1st amendment advocate Mick Jagger ("Mick, you ignorant slut!")* a skit with Nicole Kidman and Myers as 5 year old kids, with Myers as a hypoglycemic & hyperactive ("a hyper hypo") kid *Any opinions on Kevin Nealon vs. Dennis Miller doing the Weekend Update?

Yup. I think the story was that Red was pissed off and left the studio -- perhaps because Miles was giving him so little solo space on the album? Guy

I think the "completely independent of foreign oil" line is misleading -- as long as we consume any oil (or other substitute), our energy prices are affected by international petroleum markets. Guy

I'm going with some friends on Saturday. Here's the schedule. Shows I'm probably catching: Carla Bley Joe Lovano & Dave Liebman mark whitfield trio, maybe (or lunch) McCoy Tyner w/Ravi Coltrane & Terrell Stafford (or perhaps Kurt Rosenwinkel's group) Brad Mehldau Wynton Marsalis, maybe (or dinner) Charles Lloyd

The Mitchell and Turrentine I'll definitely pick up at some point. The Turbanator CD might also get picked up. Guy

This is a fun record. Maybe a tiny bit too slick, but these guys lock into a really nice groove. "The Turnaround" is great. Guy

You need to mellow out, man. Guy

The LPs included (and currently in-print) are 'Round About Midnight, Milestones, Newport '58, Jazz at the Plaza, Kind of Blue and Someday My Prince Will Come (two tracks). I think the four (classic) studio recordings from May 1958 ("Green Dolphin", "Stella", "Fran Dance', "Love for Sale") are now OOP outside of the box. In addition, I think some of the alternate takes on the box are unavailable elsewhere. I'm too lazy to do a search but Losin's discography will have answers to all your questions. Guy

Because costs are higher in the USA. Guy

If we had to go back to wearing American-made shoes, we'd be complaining about the price of shoes AND the price of gasoline. Guy

They are being reissued domestically as well. Not sure why the Jarrett has been postponed. (alldirect.com sells ECMs for under $12) Guy

That's a studio recording. Guy

I'm thinking of picking up either Central Park North or Consummation from Yourmusic. Both are slated for delivery in 2009, but I'm thinking of bumping up delivery. Any recommendations on which to get first? Guy

Frank, thanks a lot for the info (and thank Paul as well) -- it looks like we got a real lead! Guy p.s. I guess it's too much to hope that Paul has a tape of that gig?