tjluke68

I never watched it but I thought Gray's Anatomy was more of a soap opera, not something funny with flashbacks, what ifs, etc...

I'm a HUGE fan of Scrubs as well and have the first 3 seasons on DVD and still Tivo the syndicated reruns. I haven't had a chance to see too many episodes this season since I'm not quite sure when it's on (lately it's been Thurs at 9pm and that interferes with CSI - one of the wife's faves). Like every other brilliant show that the network neglects, doesn't get and shifts the days/times around (Freaks N Geeks, etc), I think Scrubs has suffered as well. I was checking out Nielsen ratings from the first season or two and Scrubs was always in the top 10 or 20. Now, who knows how it fares since it starts in January or mid-season or some other unlikely midpoint in the TV season. I'm sure the neglect takes its toll on directors, writers, actors and producers, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last season or next to last... Hate to see it go, but the quality isn't the same. There were some great episodes last season, especially the one with Nicole Sullivan with rabies and the 3 transplants. I love the dramedies. Scrubs continues to make me laugh and gets me choked up in the same episode.

I was at the Lincoln Center Tower yesterday and picked up 3 CDs - Aaron Sachs Fresh Sounds CD, a Joe Thomas LRC cheapie and Groove Holmes/New Groove CD from Unidisc/Groove Merchant reissue. Not to sound mean, but looking thru the store, I can see why they filed for bankruptcy. Who was doing the buying for the chain? Tons of crap there. Did the rock buyer really think they were going to sell so many copies of Bruce Springsteen Japanese reissues and at $30-$40 a pop? There were probably 20-30 of each title. I really don't see how they possibly could've sold them. There were other large quantities of no-name jazz artists in the Jazz section. Plus I'm sure they have a deal with cutout distributors already and have packed up/sold some of their inventory. I just found it weird that there was only 1 Horace Silver title sitting there or the Best of Donald Byrd, but no other Byrd titles....

I paid the $20 for the early entry on Friday - not sure if it was worth it since I only walked away with 5 LPs. Some of the prices are crazy, plus my wife has told me to stop buying records - yeah right - that'll happen... Anyway, I found the following... 3 LPs for $10 Rein De Graaf TIMELESS/MUSE LP - with Ronnie Cuber, Tom Harrell (I have a Cuber XANADU LP with Harrell and enjoy it, so...) Sonny Stitt CADET LP - SATAN - it's Stitt and it's on Cadet, so it has to be good, right? Dexter Gordon XANADU LP - forget the title but it has Blue Mitchell, Sam Jones & others ART TATUM/BENNY CARTER on Clef - NM/VG++ condition for $10 PEE WEE RUSSELL/HENRY RED ALLEN Impulse LP - College Concert - WHITE LABEL PROMO for $7 That's all - nothing else really piqued my interest. Anyone else go?

I left empty-handed yesterday since their prices are too high and reduction was only 20%. Maybe I'll try back in a week or two...

BOBBY HACKETT TRIBUTE CONCERT OK, it's not until next week, but has anyone in the NJ area gone to this in the past? It's been occuring since 2001. I was thinking about going...

I remember in the late 80s/early 90s when I was late teens/early 20s, going to Tower Records in Philly. I was into more alternative music at that time (Japan/David Sylvian, Ministry, Thrill Kill Kult, Siouxsie, etc) and always finding some interesting titles or imports there. Now, I hit the Tower by Lincoln Center once-in-a-blue-moon to see what they have, but the prices are just too much - after tax, almost $20 for some re-issues. I worked in the music biz for 5 years (in marketing) so I hate to see them close. Maybe it's inenvitable considering the state of music, but I think the judge should've gone with Trans World, considering all the jobs lost, potential revenue stream and his gavel hammering another nail in the coffin of the music industry...

This is a 'remake' of a Hong Kong thriller, Infernal Affairs, which is on DVD and is quite intense. Definitely a nail-biter...

At a yard sale recently, I saw a NM copy of Hank Mobley/Lee Morgan Blue Note 1540 in shrink with a Lexington Ave address on the record label. The owner wouldn't sell it to me because 'it shouldn't have been in that pile because the price books say it's worth $1K.' Wonder if he plans on selling it on ebay and what he would get for it?

Great Trad Jazz circa 1978 from Charquet & Co, with Jean-Pierre Morel, Alain Marquet, and others. THIS THING SMOKES & SWINGS - if it doesn't get you moving, check your pulse!!! Everybody Stomp

Trolling Virgin Records and Tower here in NYC and scoping out some websites and catalogues, I found some interesting items that are new reissues or newly found reissues of stuff I've wanted to burn to CD from vinyl. Does anyone have these CDs and care to comment? Hank Crawford/Centerpiece Centerpiece Les Brown All-Stars (Don Fagerquist, Dave Pell, Ronny Lang, Ray Sims) on Capitol LP from 50s (I believe) - all the way down at the bottom - some other Dave Pell releases from 60s there as well Dave Pell related CDs Dave Pell/Ma-na-ma-na MA-NA-MA-NAH Some others from Collectors Choice are some Crusaders Blue Thumb LPs and a Benny Goodman CD called Hallelujah with approx. 24 tracks from his MGM 3LP Treasure of Jazz set...

Sorry, didn't realize he was in the initial post. I think I even did a search and didn't come up with it, unless I spelled his name wrong...

What about Franz Jackson? He's on some recordings from the last 5 years, but not sure if he still plays/records...

I'm actually listening to a CD copy I made from the Volume 1 LPs (listening to Fried Bananas right now). I enjoy it and give it a spin from time to time. One of these days I'll burn Vol 2 to CD...

I must say Montreal is great! I was there when I was 10 but didn't know much back then ;-) Got back from Montreal last night and had a great time. Landed Sunday in some horrible weather but made the best of it by checking out the Underground City (around rue Ste. Catherine) and buying a jacket in Simon's (forgot to bring one). Unfortunately, the wife hates music stores since she met me 4 years ago, because I made the mistake of bringing her to a few early on and she stood around for 30 mins doing nothing. (I realized quickly that was a mistake since I don't like to be rushed, but if I'm in a new town, I definitely have to check out the selection at a few stores). So we only made it to Cheap Thrills, but nothing jumped out at me so I left w/o any music purchases for the trip. Montreal is perhaps the cleanest city I've been in. That fact stood out moreso when I got out of the airport in Newark, NJ last night and when walking up 7th Ave NYC towards work this morning :-P The streets of Montreal are spotless, you could practically eat off the floors of the the subway stations, there was no horrible trash on the tracks and the subway/metro stations didn't smell like rotting flesh, garbage and rats. I only wish we stayed a few more months days ;-) Dining was great. On Sunday, after we landed we ate at Van Houtte for a quick lunch around Ste Catherine and I had a great apple and brie sandwich. Sunday night we ate at Cube in the Hotel Ste Paul - pricey but mighty good. We took in some dinner and a little guitar/bass Jazz duet on Monday night at Modavie. Tuesday we drove to the top of Mont Royal and travelled to the Laurentides to Ste Agathe and Ste Savaur (spelling?) on later that day. Tuesday night we stopped in a little coffee/tea place back in Montreal, I believe called Brulerie Ste Denis. The Arctic Fire loose leaf tea was so good, we bought some to bring home. We finished the great vacation by having lunch at a great little 'chain' called Premiere Moisson. We ended up taking a loaf of Olive Oil Sourdough bread home (thank God customs let it thru or else we would've stuffed ourselves with bread before boarding ;-) All in all it was great! I love Montreal and hope the time between the next trip is much, much less than 27 years...

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be there Sun 8/20 thru Wed 8/23 - just a short mini-vaca.

nuttin?

The wife and I are heading to Montreal for a little R&R (she wanted to go to Las Vegas again, but I have no deisre to sit in a casino for 3-4 days because it's 150 degrees outside). I was in Montreal last when I was 10 years old (quite some time ago) and remember Mount Royale, the Notre Dame cathedral, the underground malls (or cities as they're called now), and a few other things. I believe the hotel we're staying in is on Sherbrook in an 'art gallery' area/district, but we'll have a rental car to jet around to other destinations. I plan on checking out Modavie (restaurant with live jazz daily), but wanted to know of any other hotspots and good CD/LP stores. Merci, TL

I know I don't post a lot here; I guess I do more lurking/trolling than anything but I come here on a daily basis (during the work week that is), but something's been bothering me and I need to tell someone. My wife doesn't want to hear it and I'm sure my co-workers aren't the appropriate people to discuss it with, so I turn to you, my Jazz brethren to find out exactly what the problem is with people today. Recently I've seen an increase in people who publicly dig for gold, trying to pick some winners - hell, THEY'RE PICKING THEIR NOSES IN PUBLIC! Yesterday, I sat on the train to NYC watching a guy (actually trying not to watch, but watching in disgust thinking how could he do that on a crowded train) in the seat across from me probe each nostril for approx 5 mins. each. I couldn't contain myself and started saying under my breath, 'How could you pick your nose?, could you please stop picking your nose?, etc, etc. I got a little louder but he didn't hear, plus I wasn't sure about making a scene on the train. I was totally disgusted. I've noticed several others picking/diggin' on the train (and just walking down the street) since I started working in NYC/taking public transportation again about 2 yrs ago. And these are professionals in shirt & tie. I guess what was reserved for the bathroom (or in some cases, in your car - stuck in traffic) has now been brought out into the open! Is this not a filthy habit any longer? Is it OK to probe the schnozz in other countries? And yes, it was a pick, not a scratch! Actually, it was more investigative as I'm almost certain he looked at his fingers several times to see what treasures were found. Any comments? Should I say something next time someone on the train next to me starts to probe? I was tempted to take out my camera phone and take a picture of the guy on the train... Sorry to complain but this is something that bothers me. What's next? I'd rather not to think of the possibilities.

We have a news service in our elevators at work here in NYC - Captivate - and the first thing I saw this morning was about Coltrane's death 39 yrs ago today in NYC. I didn't bring any Coltrane with me to work to listen, but will have to try to catch some on pandora.com or see what anyone else has around me...

Andrew Hill - PAX Original Memphis Five - Columbias 1923-1931 Jack McDuff - The Honeydripper Metallica - Ride The Lightning (on sale at Virgin megastore in Times Sq)

I have a Jazz Soundtrack LP from "Oh Captain" with Marilyn Moore and Jackie Paris (and Osie Johnson on 1 song) and I don't hear the similiarities between Marilyn and Billie. I highly recommend this LP as it has Tony Scott, Dick Hyman, Harry Edison, Coleman Hawkins and the highlight for me is Osie Johnson singing Hey Madame!

If you're ever in the area of Central New Jersey, check out Grounds for Sculpture - off 195, 295/95, Rt 1, Rt 33, etc. Great place with wonderful grounds and sculpture throughout the landscape. www.groundsforsculpture.org

I was in Russia in Sept 2005 and had dinner at one of my wife's relative's house. We had what they call, 'Chicken Belly-buttons' which in reality are chicken stomachs. Blech! I thought I was eating liver - which I also hate. My wife didn't clue me in the real dish until we left for the evening. Never again! They do have Chicken Belly-button soup at a popular Russian diner in Brooklyn, but I won't be eating it anytime soon...

I have The Complete Sessions, Vol. 1 (1923-1926), but I imagine you have that one already.