Dan Gould

The last word of the last album is the first word of the next album. So: Stop, Look & Listen (Philly Joe Jones LP) Listen Here (Gene Harris) Here and Now (Don Cherry) ...

I believe on Board Krypton we had some fun linking album titles. How about doing the same thing, Alphabet Game style? Stop, Look & Listen Listen Here Anyone for "Hear ..."?

Oh, I get it-you want them to ship to Miami and then your Dad will pick them up there? Oh well-I'm now in Palm Beach county, about 40 miles north.

In Chuck's defense (and whoever thought I'd write that?), the initial post sure felt like spam to me, with the contact number, prices, and price break on the CD. Nevertheless, welcome, Marla, and don't worry about whether or not you're thoughts are worthy of sharing! There're guys here with 3000 posts, and about four of them are worthwhile.

And speaking of fifteen minutes being up, who was cast in the She Bangs video? The rather voluptous drunken girl from the Real World Las Vegas season. Hopefully she'll follow William back to the obscurity they richly deserve. (though I have a feeling that the board game Trivial Pursuit will use Mr. Hung for one of their fiendishly difficult questions, say in about 5 years

Thanks Dave, one to look for when I head to Borders for the buy three get one free sale!

Are you aware that the move to the Jazz & Vinyl Annex has meant that all of their jazz vinyl is now available to browse? Might be a reason to go back ...

Sounds like a great show, and its terrific to hear that Horace is feeling well enough to be touring and putting on a good long show. How did Eric Alexander sound with the Horace songbook?

Up, cause I know that me and Mark can't be the only ones with embarrasing purchases in our past. Heck, hardbopjazz copped to listening to Billy Don't Be a Hero all the time back then ...

Too bad Frasier is clearing out before you get there.

I'm so sorry to hear of this, Randy. Take care of yourself and your family.

Really? I could have sworn the lady said "Tower", and I remember what tipped me off was a magazine ad for Tower that listed different cities, and one was definitely Miami. Maybe it did close after all ... How is the Virgin store, BW? That might be worth the trip.

Marcus, There's a Tower records in south Miami; depending on where your father is, he should go to the very end of I-95, and then just keep driving. I think its on the left as you head south. Can't say anything about its stock, I only heard about it and have never gone that far south to see it in person, and at the time I heard about it, I was told it was more Latin than anything else. Heck, for all I know its closed since then, so forget I mentioned it. The one place I'd recommend is Blue Note Records in North Miami Beach. The Jazz is located in the vinyl annex and isn't as great as it used to be but is still pretty good. The jazz vinyl is good too. Be aware though that the vinyl annex doesn't have the same hours as the main store; I think its now open Noon to 7 pm. They have a website, so you can check for a phone number. PM me if you want driving directions. Otherwise, I think there're some other members more attuned to Miami stores-I stick mostly to Fort Lauderdale, with the occasional drive to Blue Note.

Here's a report from CNN.com: Frail Ray Charles vows to get stronger Friday, April 30, 2004 Posted: 10:37 PM EDT (0237 GMT) LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- American music icon Ray Charles, whose voice gave birth to soul music, has been reduced to a whisper, and cannot stand without support. The 73-year-old singer/songwriter turned up late in a motorized wheelchair to his own party Friday, when the City of Los Angeles conferred historic building status on his longtime recording complex in a rundown part of the city. Propped up at the podium by handlers, the frail entertainer, who recently had hip replacement surgery, could barely be heard as he spoke into the microphone. "I'm a little weak now, but I'm gonna get stronger," he said, before posing briefly for photos with luminaries including Clint Eastwood, and then being whisked away. His demeanor was a far cry from the wildly enthusiastic Charles known to millions of fans for more than half a century. A prolific performer, Charles has been off the road for almost a year so that he could undergo a hip replacement. Unspecified complications forced him to scrap plans to resume touring with a performance in New York last month. A recent tabloid report claimed Charles was dying of liver cancer and that funeral arrangements were being made. But Joe Adams, Charles's business associate for 46 years, told Reuters, "I can't give any credence to the story. ... They seem to know more than I do." But Adams did not seem optimistic that Charles would return to the road. "I hope so. It's his life, but he'll be 74 in September and it's kind of adding up," he said. "He wants to get out there now, because that's his communication. It's his therapy also. I don't know whether he'll go back out again or not." Even with his health problems, Charles has been busy working on a CD of duets with such performers as Elton John, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Diana Krall, Johnny Mathis and Willie Nelson. It is slated for release at the end of summer. Charles' biographer, David Ritz, who has known him since the mid-1970s, said, "I think his physicality has changed, but not his character," he said. Charles, who went blind from glaucoma as a youngster, is often credited with inventing soul music. He scored his first national hit in 1955 with "I've Got A Woman." Subsequent hits included "What'd I Say," "Georgia on My Mind" and "Hit the Road, Jack." ******************** I can't imagine wanting to hear this duets CD if he's trying to perform in his present state. I bet that will be tough to listen to, if its the last he leaves us. Hang tough, Brother Ray!

A likely story... Business seemed way off at the Borders I went to today; how's your business doing these days, 7/4? Still sucking wind? That's too bad; who will you blame if Bush gets canned in November?

Similarly, I bought a running suit a few months back, and when the weather turned cooler and I got out the jacket part, I discovered that the clerk had left the theft device inside that piece. By this time, I've tossed the receipt, so what am I to do? Well, I brought it back to Sears, and went straight to the nearest checkout counter from the entrance (a bit aways from the men's department, but I figure I don't want to be seen to be walking around with this loose jacket before I go up to the counter). I'm sure it was natural for them to wonder whether I was conning them, but fortunately they didn't give me too much of a hard time. I was absolutely prepared to go into full "it was the clerk's fault, now you get this freaking thing off" pitch a fit til I get what I want mode, but that wasn't necessary. And I did have an ace in the hole-as I walked in, I saw the security monitor that showed the exit, so I figured I could always get them to rewind the tape and see that I walked in with the jacket. But there's a definite moral to this story-check yourself to make sure all tags are off any clothing purchase!

Speaking of Neil Diamond, anyone see the SNL episode with the takeoff on those A&E shows? John Goodman was in the band; and Diamond is portrayed as a raving lunatic-he intro's "America" as a song written about his deep hatred for immigrants. Very funny.

I was going to post this on Moose's Album thread, but I realized it really deserves its own topic: A single you loved way back when, but now recognize as frighteningly horrible, repellent dreck. I am embarrased to admit I bought the following 45s when they were hits: "Billy Don't Be a Hero" "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" (in fact, they're still in my parent's house this very minute. Wonder if they're worth anything ...

Hey, both you AND Alex agreed with me! Gotta be some sort of record, right? (And anyway, since I'm outta the Politics Forum, don't we have a better chance of agreeing with each other occasionally?

If you want a Major Penalty, nausea-inducing top-selling tune, don't go no further than The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia, by Vicki Lawrence

That one falls into the special category of "too disgusting to even mention". Five minute major penalty... I disagree. The tune has wonderful, soaring harmonies, and whoever came up with the idea of that pedal-steel thingie after "Skyrockets in flight" .... in the words of Kenny Banya, "that's gold!" And anyway, at least they had a nice, clean way of describing the deed. I mean, imagine if that tune got written by a rap artist today: My bitch be horny in the afternoon So I slipped her some meat cause my shlong can't be beat In the afternoon Word!

You won't believe this, but the Starland Vocal Band is in the jazz section of used vinyl at All Books & Records, in Fort Lauderdale. I've never bothered to ask why ....

While I understand your attitude, wesbed, has it occured to you that the response of the other shoppers, the clerk, and the security guy might be directly related to your decision to keep walking? Do all shoplifters bolt from a store on a dead run? Or do they stroll out, ignore any beeping and just keep walking? Furthermore, as you mention, retail workers are poorly paid and treated, and they deal with a lot of customers. Was it the same clerk who spoke the one who rang up the purchase? Maybe he didn't take note of your mug. Otherwise, no one has any clue who you are. Who's to say you didn't wrap a slip of white paper around four pilfered CDs and made for the door? Basicallly, when you keep walking, you invite an over-reaction. You invite suspicion. Why not stop, look over at the front end counter, wave the receipt at them, and THEN keep going. Instead, in your haste to not be seen as a "sheep", you invited the reaction you got, by just walking onward, safe in the knowledge that yes, you had paid for these and are not in the wrong. But when the machine beeps, what is the implication? What is the assumption? Reasonable people acknowledge the malfunction, and take five seconds to get confirmation that your items are paid for. Another thing-ask for a bag next time, and fuck the environmental implications of that decision. Then, you've got a nice borders bag around your purchases, it looks a lot less suspicious than loose items being carried out the store by the guy who refuses to be seen as a sheep. And last thing: Its not sheep-like behavior. Its accepting that mistakes happen, equipment malfunctions, and things don't always go smoothly. Its acting like a reasonable person. I'll be heading to Borders today myself. And I guarantee that if the machine beeps, I will step back and wave my bag at the guy at the door. I won't keep walking without breaking stride. That's cause I try to be a reasonable person with my fellow human beings.

If you were indeed thinking of Black & Blue, the label has a pretty steady reissue program, which Alan Lankin has noted on his site. Among the albums reissued in the past year is a Willis Jackson/Groove Holmes session, and a really fine Lonnie Smith trio date.

Here's hoping you do!! Then you can head to Borders over the weekend and take advantage of the buy three get one free jazz sale!