Shawn

I've been asked by Ron McMaster in assisting with this project. The package will include a special bonus Greatest Hits CD with posts narrarated by famous Hollywood movie stars. We're still currently in the casting process and are looking for suggestions on who should be the voice behind your favorite BN Board posters. We've already signed William Shatner to play Aric.....

Ah...I thought this was a "want list" thread... As far as box sets I already own: John Coltrane - The Prestige Recordings --While there may be more essential releases from Trane, I still find myself pulled back to this set time and again. This was one of the first box sets I ever purchased and it really turned me onto a lot of players that I was previously unfamiliar with. I remember going gaga over the Mal Waldron material in this box, just loved his arrangements (the ability to add class and character to a jam session recording). Then there's the benefit of having all the wonderful recordings Trane did with Red Garland gathered together in one place...a host of unsung horn players...some killer Kenny Burrell...etc, etc... Duke Ellington - The Centennial Collection --While there are arguments over the sound quality and packaging (aren't there always?), that I believe pales by comparison to the wealth of incredible material collected in this sucker. It may be a huge box set, but there's not a single disc in here that I don't like. An expensive acquisition to be sure...but well worth it. I grabbed it used for a good price. Wes Montgomery - Complete Riverside Recordings --Personally, I think this is the only way to really own this material. Not that the original albums aren't worthwhile...but all the sessions are so damn good that it just doesn't make sense to have less than ALL of them. I have a few replacements in better sound quality, but I love the fact that I can grab any disc at random and be a happy camper.

I know, I know...it's not jazz...but this is a box set that has been long deserved...

Hmmmm...I don't know. I personally love the drumming on Believe It (w/Holdsworth)...in fact whenever I run across a drummer who hasn't heard it I always recommend it....

This was the first Ike session that I bought and it made me an IMMEDIATE fan. I was already getting into Turrentine, so that was one of the reasons I picked it up initially...but man, Ike really knocked me out. I love both sessions.

When I first tried to learn to play guitar, my Mother got me one of those cheapo models...and not only was it impossible to keep in tune...the action was horrendous and all the adjustments in the world didn't make it any easier to play. So it ended up in a yard sale eventually.... I then bought a used bass from a friend who was in a band, it wasn't super expensive, but it was a nice Ibanez Roadstar II custom model....that bass had easier action than the guitar had! Anyway, I found it pretty easy to learn stuff on and made much faster progress. When I eventually switched to guitar, I waited until I could afford a nice one before taking the leap...that was a wise move as I think it really helped me out initially. Now, someone can hand me a real cheapo axe and I can play it just fine....so I agree with the others above that a nicer instrument is most necessary for people who are starting out.

Let me just say that Piano In The Foreground & Background are ESSENTIAL!!!! These are some of my most frequently played Ellington CDs, I will be picking up these reissues. Yeah!

Worktime is the album that really opened my ears and got me interested in Sonny in the first place. You just can't beat "There's No Business Like Show Business"...WOW! Anyway, I had heard Rollins previously..and even owned a couple discs and enjoyed them, but they never really "sunk in". But man, when Worktime hit the player I was on my way....

"Millie" (Duke Pearson)

Hank Mobley & Wynton Kelly Johnny Griffin & Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Bong Hits & Pringles....

Midnight Blue is one of those recordings that really does have it's own personality, which makes it hard to find "duplicates" to recommend. Ever have somebody ask you to recommend "something that sounds like Kind Of Blue"? It's not as easy as it sounds... Back to Kenny. One of the aspects of this recording that makes it so memorable, was the decision to drop the piano from the linuep. Now don't get me wrong, I love piano...but the lack of another competing chordal instrument makes Burrell's wonderful guitar playing stand out in sharper focus. This does seem to be a rarity during that time in history though, even in Burrell's own work. Aside from trio recordings, I can't think of any other Burrell dates without either a piano or organ from this time frame. Blue And Sentimental is a good choice, because there is no pianist (aside from Ike comping now and again) But even with that, Blue And Sentimental doesn't really sound like Midnight Blue. Midnight Blue seems to evoke strong reactions from people. Some (like myself) put this up there in our list of favorite jazz albums, it IS a classic recording. While others describe it as "boring". I've never understood that last opinion...but to each his own. While more contemplative and moody, I think Idle Moments would be a good recommendation. The feel and instrumentation are different, but it also stands as an album that has a life of it's own. One more suggestion: Grant Green - Street Of Dreams.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

GAG ME WITH A SPOON. ...oops, just dated myself...

That unreleased Wilbur Ware album....

I've been using the Mozilla Firefox browser for a couple months now..first at work at my bosses suggestion...now at home. I LOVE this thing, it renders pages with greater detail than IE...it's faster...and the whole Tabbed experience is great. The composer section is very easy to use as well.

I'm looking for a copy of this out of print box set....or CDRs of it...either way. If you have any info, email me at shawndudley@yahoo.com Thanks!

Re-Recorded usually means that the engineer (in this case Rudy) took tapes that were recorded at a different studio/live venue...ran them back through their own board, changed EQ settings, balance, added effects, etc...then recorded it back to tape for making the master.

I would buy it! I think all of Freddie's BN albums were very good. It's always interesting to hear how different his playing is on his own albums, compared to the sound on the Ike Quebec dates. I remember the first time I heard Down To Earth, I couldn't believe it was the same guy.

Forgive me if this topic has been covered elsewhere... I haven't studied Coleman's recordings in great detail yet, I've been nibbling away at his catalog for the past few years. But recently I've been getting the urge to focus more intensely on his compositions. So I'm curious to hear the opinions of my fellow board members on this subject. If you can, describe what it is that inspires you about certain pieces. Also, if you can, recommend good performances of the tunes by other artists. A couple of my favorites... Lonely Woman - I find this song to be completely addictive, one of those tunes that I constantly get cravings to hear. I can't find sufficient words to describe it, but it is somehow gorgeous & disturbing at the same time. I highly recommend Helen Merrill's vocal version on A Shade Of Difference. Una May Bonita - I was first exposed to this piece on Bobby Hutcherson's Stick Up! and loved it immediately. For someone that is considered by many to be "difficult", I find this song is a great example of Coleman's sense of humor, it's playful but is winking at you at the same time.

I suppose I'll have to revisit this one of these days. I used to own the old US version and was underwhelmed by the whole date. But, time goes on and our perceptions change, so maybe I'll give it another shot. But...I would still have picked MANY other titles to reissue before this one.

Up for some air: I've been spending a good bit of time recently checking out his CDs released in the OJC series and man is this some killer music! Just love his tone and overall conception...slashing and driving (although always tasteful) on uptempo material, lush and expressive on ballads. The album Good Gravy! is a standout, check out his lovely "way behind the beat" playing during On Green Dolphin Street. One of those rare players that can easily play laid back...but still sound totally vibrant. I'm looking forward to exploring more of his work. ...Anybody ever see that great video of him playing with Sonny Criss & Sweets Edison?

I basically drink caffeine all day. Have countless cups of coffee at work, then when I get home I'm usually drinking either ice tea or coke. I usually switch to water about an hour before I go to bed. The caffeine doesn't really seem to bother my sleep.

From an artistic standpoint I couldn't agree more. However, from a financial perspective? I'm sure that Foreigner was a far more lucrative enterprise than KC. Maybe McDonald's involvement with them was because his need for funds was "Urgent"?

One thing that does irritate me though, it doesn't recognize Mozilla as an accepted browser.....it's "designed for IE"....of COURSE it is....

I'm able to log on...and navigate the pages, but it doesn't recognize that I'm "logged in" when trying to access certain areas. I recieved the confirmation email but it doesn't seem to work.