Dan Gould

There's word floating around that JD Martinez will opt out, as he only has one year left on his deal and with the strong year he had could get more than 1 year for a lot more than the 20 mil owed. And better now than at the end of his deal and a year older. If that happens I'd be OK with Schwarber but only as full-time DH, emergency leftfielder. If he'd commit to hitting to all fields his bat could play well in Fenway. But only if JD goes.

I've noticed that Scott/Zoot and wondered, but haven't found a copy, and seeing its Al Cohn in the last year or two of his life when he was really hitting on all cylinders, I went ahead and snapped that one up. Thanks Peter.

Yes! Should have mentioned that as one I found and enjoyed a great deal.

Anyone else familiar with this label? https://www.discogs.com/label/139579-Gemini-Records-7?page=1&genre=Jazz&limit=250 I came across them a year or two ago and have slowly added titles of interest when I find them ... I can heartily recommend the Harold Ashby - truly excellent, and the two Red Holloways, the Al Grey, and I recently got the Frank Wess recording too. Anyone know of other worthwhile recordings on this label?

Thanks Mike. Here's the kind of traffic report I like to see - over last seven days, decent number of people spending a good deal of time (on average) with the material. Edit to add: No doubt a lot of people listen to Night Lights when its up on the web, not when it goes out live.

I don't think the Yankees go in for Rizzo on too long a deal but after a couple of down seasons he might be willing to accept 3 years and try to rebuild his value. He's still what, 31 or 32? I don't know that his market is going to be that big.

A message from a gentleman in Australia, sent to GoM about his Percy episode: Percy France is the best "find" for decades. He slipped by me on the Jimmy Smith album, but you have brought him into the forefront: a superb player who carried long solos effortlessly with just the right amount of repetition. Well done!

Congrats to Atlanta and their fans. While they must rank close to the bottom of World Champion teams they did it without homefield advantage and dispatched better-on-paper teams to do it. So here's our Hot Stove thread ... which I'll start with some predictions. Yankees: Will make a strong, and likely successful, play for Corey Seager. Will sign Anthony Rizzo and hope that a full-season with the short porch will get him back into his usual 30+ homer groove. It is not coincidental that both of those guys bat lefthanded. What the Yankees do with CF, I don't know. Red Sox: I hope they spend the $$ to keep E-Rod. Kyle Schwarber goes away, unless JD Martinez somehow decides to opt out but I think that is highly unlikely, and that all works fine for me. Jose Iglesias signs on to play 2B, freeing Kike to play CF everyday. I think Iglesias could have made a difference at the bottom of the lineup over Arroyo but he couldn't play in October given when he was acquired. As he has said, he hits fly balls to LF and line drives to RF - perfect for Fenway. I don't think there will be a lot of other action given the excitement over certain rookies, and the fact that Sale should have a normal offseason and we'll just find out what is truly left in his tank. Anyone else for predictions?

Maybe that has to do with the fact that I'd probably go with the Transitions (Byrds Eye View and Watkins at Large) as favorite non-BN Mobley of the 50s.

+1. This may be my favorite BN recording led by Hank in the 1950s.

Sad news indeed. The fact that his cancer recurred so many times always had me wondering whether he was never able to quit the tobacco habit. Otherwise it was really beastly to have won after 13 years, especially in this day and age. Cancer sucks.

OK, adopted, or found floating in a basket, a la Moses or Dr. Evil.

I'm guessing mom was the looker.

6 pm tonight, Investigation Discovery runs the program that covers the murder of Milwaukee trumpeter Don Lewis.

Why anyone would waste time engaging with a shit-stirrer like the OP is completely beyond me. And Tom is right, garbage allegations/suggestions/imaginings do not belong on this site, unless and until there is a "there" there.

I hope people give a listen to David's excellent survey of Percy's life and music. I helped with the playlist and the skeleton of a script but David really did a great job bringing out material from the site to paint a fuller picture of Percy. It's great and I am forever grateful ... I may have helped but GoM didn't have to lend his airtime in the first place - but I am really glad he did.

I don't know but Gene Harris called himself "a blues piano player with chops" FWIW. Since he's always categorized as "jazz" maybe that makes him your North Star.

Suddenly I am wondering if those caramel apple lollypops are on the shelves again. Just as enjoyable and less mess.

While I suspect a lot of these tracks weren't my cup of tea, I wish I'd had time to listen ... might have gotten the Wayne on Vee Jay, and in fact I own that Zim Records issue of the Howard McGhee Big Band. I might have even used a track on a past BFT?

and second somewhat recent time, after I stumbled across that tribute to Soul Station recently. grammy.com/grammys/news/hank-mobleys-soul-station-60-how-tenor-saxophonists-mellow-masterpiece-inspires-jazz

I may be off on details but the story I liked most was that he would spend his time in his room in the house in Jersey, and various pianists would come and play the piano in the living room. Often with the door being shut after they started to play. But Barry Harris(?), Monk would open the door to hear him.

I am surprised Gene Harris didn't make your list. I spent about 8 hours in the car last weekend going to, around and back from Naples in the company of his Concord CDs. A fine time was had re-hearing albums I hadn't listened to in a while, from his second stretch of jazz fame.

I usually follow the "does it sound right" rule and there's only one way to say or write "I learned an important lesson today" or anything similar.

I take it you are medically compromised in some way? I thought boosters were at this stage only for seniors and those with medical conditions, and I know you are only a year or so older so if I missed something and I can get a booster I'll be doing so.

This was supposed to arrive when hell freezes over however I got a notice that it was changed to "upon your demise" so I'm cool.