Guy Berger

What are you trying to tell us about the actual voting results in Ohio? Guy

I love the gospel treatment, it's outstanding. I just think it could have been a few minutes shorter! Guy

Hey, I know you're joking, but seriously... TAKE IT EASY, everybody!!! I'm okay Maren, thanks! Just finished and it wasn't too bad. Light stuff was on top. Damn, it's cold out there though. Seriously. I know those of you in the midwest will laugh at me but it's 9 or 10 degrees out there and that's fucking cold! I miss San Diego! Guy

I haven't watched the Smurfs for a long time. Isn't there some sort of "Evil Smurf"? Or maybe we should rename "Rated X" to "Gargamel". Guy

Great choice! Since I'm stuck at home today I think I'll give this one a couple of spins. Guy

I've heard two versions of this (the officially released one, on Standards Vol. 1, and a 2003 bootleg) and it's a great concept that goes on way too long. Guy

I don't think so... Losin's website says the disc you are talking about is this one, from a year later (the Lucas/Cosey/Liebman band). Guy

Paul Tingen talks about this a lot in Miles Beyond (pp. 139-142):

This is going to be my second blizzard since moving out to the New Haven tundra. What a pain in the ass. Guy

Or what about ANDREW!!! ? I'd also really like to finally hear Bobby Hutcherson's Happenings. Guy

Maybe it's time for people named "Connoisseur Series" to start pulling their weight as well... Guy

Yeah, and the part where Michael Henderson finally locks into the groove... awesome. If you can somehow get a hold of a bootleg from Paul's Mall around the same time, the music is actually much better than the Philharmonic Hall gig. The big minus to me about this band (which, I'll agree, gets trashed unfairly sometimes) is that aside from Miles there aren't any really interesting soloists, just interesting textures. Guy

Weird... I thought the In a Silent Way mix was a disgrace. Well, not a disgrace really, but it sucked. There's a reason why the original album was awesome and hence screwing around with it is going to lead to subpar results. The other stuff is better because I don't think much of Miles's studio work post-Bitches Brew was intended as a finished product, if that makes any sense. Guy

If you want to hear it without the prominent keyboard parts, pick up Panthalassa. That mix really clears up the rhythm section as well, it sounds muddy as hell on the original. I think the freaky organ part adds something to the tune though there would probably be a happy medium between Teo and Laswell's mixes. Guy

I'm now halfway through the set... the live stuff on discs 2 & 3 (even the first session with Horn) is really good! I'm guessing I haven't touched the more comatose recordings. Guy

I'm not an expert on these works, and this one is awfully expensive at full price, but I really like the Giardino Armonico's (period instruments) set. Nice blatty baroque horns on the first concerto. Guy

I think a lot of the McCoy Tyner stuff from the early 70s could be considered out. Definitely way way out by 1959 standards. What about the Ervin/Byard/Davis/Dawson albums? Guy

Two favorites that haven't been mentioned so far: Charles Mingus, Town Hall Concert Sonny Simmons & Prince Lasha, Firebirds (would be routinely mentioned as a classic if it was on BN)

I just got the following from BMG Stan Getz, Captain Marvel Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris Freddie Hubbard, Ready for Freddie Milt Jackson and John Coltrane, Bags and Trane

Also, a gorilla smoking a cigar.

Not quite a monkey, but it is a primate. We've come a long way in the past 40 million years.

According to Alan L's site, this is coming out on Feb 8. Guy

I'm not a huge ELP fan, but I really like their debut album and in particular the piece titled "The Three Fates". The last section "Atropos", for piano-bass-drums, is maybe the closest I've heard a rock group approximating a post-bop piano trio. If you heard the piano trio section on a BFT, what would be your guess? Guy

Well, if you watch the Ken Burns documentary that didn't say much about Duke's work post-1960, then you might get the idea. Wait... who was the chief consultant for that documentary again? Guy

Are you including In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew here? I imagine that these were probably more successful with the jazz public than what came later. Guy