GA Russell

Not jazz

Finally finished it! The item that struck me the most was not about Sonny! The fellow at Riverside (perhaps he was the #3 exec behind Grauer and Keepnews) says that he believes that Grauer faked his death to avoid being arrested and imprisoned.

Apparently I misread this deal. The two brands are Rocky Patel and La Aurora. ***** Cigar Place now has its own deal for $19.99. Ten different good cigars for $19.99 with free shipping. Add a lighter for $4.99. https://www.cigarplace.biz/cigar-place-top-shelf-stogies-sampler-v1124.html

Free Agent analyses https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/cfl-free-agency-window-set-to-officially-open-at-noon-et-on-sunday-1.2243567 https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/cfl-free-agency-best-remaining-top-10-canadians-and-americans-1.2243610 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/29/2025-cfl-free-agent-rankings-running-backs-fullbacks/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/2025-cfl-free-agent-rankings-receivers/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/roughriders-gm-jeremy-oday-canadian-ol-receiver-strongest-positions-in-cfl-free-agency/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/29/2-key-pending-free-agent-extensions-per-team-so-far/ ***** Jonathan Jones has signed with the Bombers. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/bombers-sign-american-linebacker-jonathan-jones/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/winnipeg-blue-bombers-sign-former-argonauts-lb-jonathan-jones/ ***** Tre Crawford has signed with BC. https://3downnation.com/2025/01/29/b-c-lions-sign-former-tiger-cats-roughriders-dl-tre-crawford-two-others/ ***** As the date to pay the off-season bonuses approaches, we are seeing players let go. The Redblacks have let go Brandin Dandridge. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/29/redblacks-release-american-db-brandin-dandridge/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/ottawa-redblacks-release-veteran-db-brandin-dandridge-1.2243715 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/29/ottawa-redblacks-release-veteran-db-brandin-dandridge/ ***** The Elks have let go Brett Boyko. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/elks-release-veteran-offensive-lineman-brett-boyko/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/edmonton-elks-release-canadian-ol-brett-boyko-ahead-of-offseason-roster-bonus/ ***** The Ticats have let go DeWayne Hendrix. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/ticats-release-dl-dewayne-hendrix-sign-two/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/hamilton-tiger-cats-release-dl-dewayne-hendrix-ahead-of-offseason-bonus/ ***** The Lions have let go Alexander Hollins. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/report-lions-to-release-receiver-alexander-hollins/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/b-c-lions-release-former-west-division-all-star-alexander-hollins/ ***** The league has released the names of the invitees to this year's combine. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/cfl-reveals-2025-cfl-combine-participants/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/cfl-reveals-list-of-2025-inivitational-combine-participants/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/cfl-reveals-list-of-2025-combine-participants/ ***** Quarterback analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/30/a-look-at-all-9-quarterback-rooms/ ***** John Huard has died at 80. RIP. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/former-toronto-argonauts-head-coach-john-huard-dies-at-the-age-of-80-1.2244343 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/30/former-toronto-argonauts-head-coach-john-huard-dead-at-80/ ***** Glenn Love has announced that he has ALS. https://3downnation.com/2025/01/29/former-cfl-lb-glenn-love-launches-gofundme-after-als-diagnosis/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riders-positional-breakdown-offensive-line-2/ ***** Bombers' Schedule analysis https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/review-critique-2025-bombers-schedule/

RIP. I got this eight years ago, and never got around to opening it up. Now's the time.

January 29 Derek Bailey - 1930 Leslie Bricusse - 1931 Beverly Kenney - 1932 Ron Townson - 1933 Sacha Distel - 1933 Noel Harrison - 1934 James Jamerson - 1936 Bobby Scott - 1937

Another surprise from the Bombers. They have let go Drew Wolitarsky. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/27/bombers-release-receiver-drew-wolitarsky/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/winnipeg-blue-bombers-release-veteran-receiver-drew-wolitarsky-1.2242525 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/27/winnipeg-blue-bombers-release-veteran-receiver-drew-wolitarsky/ ***** The Stampeders are cleaning house too. They have let go Mike Rose and James Vaughters. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/27/stamps-release-defensive-linemen-mike-rose-james-vaughters/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/27/calgary-stampeders-release-starting-dl-mike-rose-james-vaughters/ ***** The Elks have let go Boris Bede, rather than pay him his off-season bonus. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/28/elks-release-veteran-kicker-boris-bede/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/25/elks-discussing-k-boris-bedes-future-with-off-season-bonus-looming/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/28/edmonton-elks-release-kicker-boris-bede-ahead-of-offseason-roster-bonus/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/27/mmqb-4-most-significant-defensive-contract-extensions-so-far/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/28/crystal-ball-cfl-ca-makes-bold-free-agency-predictions/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/28/2025-cfl-free-agent-rankings-quarterbacks/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/27/4-potential-landing-spots-for-janarion-grant/ ***** Shane Ray has signed with the Riders. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/27/riders-sign-defensive-lineman-shane-ray/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-former-grey-cup-super-bowl-champion-lb-shane-ray-1.2242565 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/27/saskatchewan-roughriders-sign-super-bowl-grey-cup-winner-shane-ray/ ***** The Alouettes have announced their coaching staff. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/28/alouettes-announce-2025-coaching-staff/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/alouettes-head-coach-maas-returns-all-but-one-assistant-to-his-25-staff-1.2243084 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/28/montreal-alouettes-make-one-change-to-coaching-staff-for-2025/ ***** 3 Down Nation here considers the Top 20 Passing Yards leaders. It might be worth noting that Sam Etcheverry's stats are missing his first two years. The Rifle was a rookie in '52, but the Big Four did not begin to keep official stats until '54. https://3downnation.com/2025/01/26/evergreen-top-20-cfl-passing-yard-leaders-of-all-time/

Cigar Page has a new deal similar to the last. 10 good cigars (Oliva and La Aurora) for $19.99 with free shipping. Add a lighter for $5.00. https://www.cigarpage.com/the-fab-collab-tenski-cigar-grip-ii-ks-notthebee0125.html

The RCMP officer sees a car drive by, and the driver is not wearing his seatbelt. So he pulls over an elderly couple, decides to give them a warning. As he approaches the vehicle, he sees the driver reach up and put on his seatbelt. "You know, we have a mandatory seatbelt law in Alberta," he says. "I have my seatbelt on," the old guy replies. "I saw you put it on as I came up," says the cop. "I’ve had it on since I left the house. Ask the wife!" (Heavy sigh) "Look, I’m just giving you a warning. Wear your seatbelt." Old guy is outraged. "My seatbelt is on! I have had it on since I left my driveway. Ask the wife!" Cop just wants to end it. "Ma’am, do you corroborate that he’s had it on the whole time?" "I never argue with him when he’s been drinking."

As I recall, (after the Vivendi deal soured, and before he took over WEA) Edgar Bronfman, Jr., started a company which sold $700. tickets to concerts with very small audiences.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of compilations. That reminds me. With St. Valentine's Day coming up, I need to pull out my Plays for Lovers CDs! However, part of the appeal of a compilation is that it is a cheap way to learn about folks you are not familiar with. Five dollars per CD is right, not ten.

January 27 WA Mozart - 1756 Jerome Kern - 1885 Harry Ruby - 1895 Hot Lips Page - 1908 Skitch Henderson - 1908 Elmore James - 1918 David Seville - 1919 Bobby "Blue" Bland - 1930 Bobby Hutcherson - 1941 Kevin Coyne - 1944 Nick Mason - 1944 Cal Schenkel - 1947 Bob Mintzer - 1953 ***** Howard McNear - 1905 Billy "White Shoes" Johnson - 1952

Stop the presses! The Bombers have decided not to bring Adam Bighill back. His contract expires next month. He injured his knee late last year. https://winnipegsun.com/sports/football/cfl/winnipeg-bluebombers/bombers-discard-bighill-jan-25-2025 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/24/bombers-moving-on-from-veteran-lb-adam-bighill-report/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/25/im-not-mad-lb-adam-bighill-thanks-winnipeg-blue-bombers-fans-team-in-social-media-post/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/24/15-top-pending-free-agents-who-could-be-available/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/24/5-pending-free-agent-pff-grades-that-standout/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/three-free-agents-the-hamilton-tiger-cats-must-pursue-in-2025/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riders-positional-breakdown-defensive-backs-2/

Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/23/3-stats-that-could-change-in-free-agency/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/23/nye-5-potential-landing-spots-for-justin-mcinnis/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/23/5-potential-landing-spots-for-tyrell-ford/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/defensive-lineman-celestin-haba-looking-forward-to-cfl-free-agent-experience-1.2240721 ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/ajous-nfl-opportunity-causes-questions-for-riders-ratio/ ***** Wilfred Laurier's Taylor Elgersma has become the first Canadian-college quarterback to be selected for the Senior Bowl. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/23/taylor-elgersma-becomes-first-u-sports-qb-to-be-named-to-senior-bowl/ https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/wilfrid-laurier-qb-taylor-elgersma-accepts-invite-to-play-in-senior-bowl-1.2240474 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/22/canadian-qb-taylor-elgersma-accepts-invite-to-senior-bowl-marquee-all-star-game-in-nfl-draft-process-sources/

January 24 Jimmy Forrest - 1920 Jack Scott - 1936 Julius Hemphill - 1938 Ray Stevens - 1939 Aaron Neville - 1941 Neil Diamond - 1941 Warren Zevon - 1947

The Scouting Bureau's winter rankings have been released. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/22/rourke-maintains-hold-of-top-spot-in-winter-edition-of-cfl-scouting-bureau/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/22/5-interesting-things-from-the-winter-cfl-scouting-bureau/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/kurtis-rourke-tops-cfl-scouting-bureau-winter-list-for-2025-draft-1.2240136 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/22/qb-taylor-elgersma-among-nine-to-debut-on-cfls-winter-scouting-bureau-rankings/ ***** Free Agent analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/22/5-under-the-radar-free-agent-extensions/

Key Off-Season Dates https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/21/key-2025-cfl-off-season-dates-you-need-to-know/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/21/cfl-unveils-key-dates-for-2025/ https://x.com/i/status/1881787135814144480 ***** Bo Lokombo has retired. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/21/bo-lokombo-announces-retirement-from-pro-football/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/bc-lions-bo-lokombo-retires-after-10-cfl-seasons-1.2239569 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/21/canadian-lb-bo-lokombo-retires-after-10-seasons-in-cfl/ ***** GM and Head Coach contract status for each team https://3downnation.com/2025/01/21/how-long-each-cfl-head-coach-gm-is-under-contract-again/ *****

Jonah David Makes His Long-Delayed Recording Debut with "Waltz for Eli," Releasing February 28 on Swish Tap Records Recording Features Standards & Originals Performed by a Core Trio with Pianist Joel Sanford, Bassist Joe Bussey, Plus Special Guests Including Jake Stith, Anna Perkins, Jason Arce, Bryan Carrott, & Jeremy Pelt   January 21, 2025 Drummer Jonah David is already a fully formed and remarkably accomplished artist as he arrives in the jazz world with the February 28 release of his debut, Waltz for Eli, on Swish Tap Records. Produced with a core trio of pianist Joel Sanford and bassist Joe Bussey, plus an impressive array of special guests, David introduces himself with an infectious set of straight-ahead jazz tunes, delivered with aplomb and crisp precision. Indeed, one might even call it “military precision,” but that’s a bit on the nose. David is a career U.S. Navy Sailor as a musician, currently holding the rank of First Class Petty Officer and stationed in Hawaii. While he recorded Waltz for Eli in 2024, though, David was working as a percussion instructor at the Naval School of Music in Virginia Beach, VA, as well as a first-call drummer on the surrounding Hampton Roads jazz scene. “My duties as a Navy musician made producing this (any) project challenging,” David says in the album’s liner notes. “My goal was to create a Jazz aesthetic that is accessible to both connoisseurs and laymen…. Additionally, I aimed to cultivate a group of musicians who trust each other and could ‘speak’ their perspectives on the music.” Waltz for Eli is an unqualified success on both counts. The core trio’s take on Thelonious Monk’s “Rhythm-a-ning” evidences their synchronicity both emotional and rhythmic, Sanford and Bussey playfully locking in with David at the dead center of the beat. The addition of guest guitarist Jake Stith and tenor saxophonist Jason Arce on “Little Sunflower” gives that Freddie Hubbard standard a sinuous, scintillating edge; conversely, Bryan Carrott’s gorgeous vibraphone on “How Insensitive” (with Arce switching to flute) softens the bossa nova’s mien. Jeremy Pelt’s trumpet, meanwhile, puts a declaratory, yet inquiring, character into the original “Pretenderly,” and vocalist Anna Perkins colors “Waltz for Eli” and “Sunrise, Sunset” (from Fiddler on the Roof) with enigmatic romance. While the album has one other auxiliary musician, it wouldn’t be fair to call keyboardist Ettienne Stadwijk a special guest. No doubt that his Fender Rhodes irradiates “Sunrise, Sunset,” and his organ adds unexpected crunch to “The Genius”—but Stadwijk is also David’s co-composer on all of the album’s three originals, as well as his co-producer, and even helped with the arrangement of “Little Sunflower.” David credits Stadwijk as an important mentor earlier in his career. “Ettienne looked out for me and helped me develop my pop sensibilities,” he says. Still and all, Waltz for Eli remains David’s own statement, and a tremendously personal one, even as it was designed to accentuate both his own strengths and those of his accompanists. “It took time to grow this sound, to bring out each other’s strengths and get to know each other all over again,” David says. “But I couldn’t be happier with the way things came out.” Jonah David was born October 30, 1977, in South Orange, New Jersey, just outside New York City. His father had been an activist attorney in New Orleans, putting David at the intersection of two jazz hubs from birth. His introduction to jazz, and to the drums in particular, came from a Preservation Hall Jazz Band record in his father’s collection. The next phase came in middle school, when a band teacher gave him drumsticks and a copy of the seminal drumming book Syncopation by Ted Reed (to whom Waltz for Eli’s “The Genius” is dedicated). By high school it was settled: David was devoting his life to the drum kit. He quickly developed enough proficiency to start gigging; spent his summers at the Drummers Collective in Manhattan; and studied music at Rutgers University and the New School. From there, David went on tour with ska/reggae artist King Django and with the Brooklyn Funk Essentials (for which he was hired by Ettienne Stadwijk), then got a steady gig at Manhattan’s Nuyorican Poets Café, which led to the formation of the band Roots Tonic, the original backing band for Matisyahu. A difficult personal situation led to David enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 2010. He was stationed around the country—in Illinois, Washington State, and Maryland—and spent three years in Italy before becoming an instructor in percussion at the Naval School of Music in Virginia Beach. There he met Joe Bussey and Joel Sanford, who joined David in his regular trio in the Hampton Roads region (Virginia Beach/Norfolk/ Chesapeake/Hampton, VA). In 2024, they—along with his old friend Stadwijk—became the core ensemble for Waltz for Eli, his stunning debut album. Photography: Olivier Koning    EPK: Jonah David "Waltz for Eli"  Jonah David Web Site  

Sorry to hear about it, Jim. Get well soon!

Andrew Harris has agreed to become the Roughriders' running back coach. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/20/andrew-harris-joins-riders-as-running-backs-coach/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders-add-four-time-grey-cup-champion-andrew-harris-as-running-backs-coach-1.2238995 https://3downnation.com/2025/01/20/riders-hire-former-bombers-star-andrew-harris-as-running-backs-coach/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/20/saskatchewan-roughriders-rb-coach-andrew-harris-wants-to-be-cfl-head-coach-or-gm/ ***** Off-season review https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/20/mmqb-3-teams-that-have-made-big-splashes-this-winter/ ***** Trevon Mason has signed with the Alouettes. https://3downnation.com/2025/01/20/montreal-alouettes-sign-former-hamilton-tiger-cats-dl-trevon-mason-one-other/ ***** The union is objecting to Lucheiz Purifoy's suspension. https://3downnation.com/2025/01/20/cflpa-strongly-protests-cfls-recent-suspension-of-veteran-db-loucheiz-purifoy/ ***** Schedule analyses https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-2025-season-opens-june-5-full-schedule-released/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/bc-lions-2025-schedule-breakdown/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/the-hamilton-tiger-cats-2025-schedule-what-you-need-to-know/

Not as many interesting stories as I thought there would be. ***** The last Lew Archer story. I enjoyed it.

Ottawa Lansdowne analysis https://3downnation.com/2025/01/19/new-suites-no-roof-and-temporary-seating-plans-what-redblacks-fans-need-to-know-about-lansdowne-2-0/ ***** Sask analyses https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riders-positional-breakdown-receivers-2/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-january-19/ *****

Lucheiz Purifoy had a bad day. First he was cut by the Elks. Then he was suspended for two games. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/17/elks-release-american-defensive-back-loucheiz-purifoy/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/17/edmonton-elks-give-all-star-db-loucheiz-purifoy-early-release/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/17/purifoy-suspended-two-games-for-violating-cfl-cflpa-drug-policy/ https://3downnation.com/2025/01/17/recently-released-db-loucheiz-purifoy-suspended-two-games-for-violating-cfl-cflpa-drug-policy/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/loucheiz-purifoy-cut-by-edmonton-elks-earlier-today-given-two-game-suspension-1.2237687 ***** Argos analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/17/turning-the-page-defending-champions-set-sights-on-2025/ ***** Stampeders analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/17/stamps-have-a-plan-to-get-back-to-the-post-season/ ***** Alouettes analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/01/17/5-takeaways-from-jason-maas-winter-meetings-availability/ ***** Today's view count is 439,200. 1,900 in 22 hours?

THE CRITERION CHANNEL JANUARY 17, 2025 NOW PLAYING ON THE CHANNEL Celebrate David Lynch Please join us in saluting the life and work of an artist who not only changed cinema forever but also altered how we experience the world and showed us what it really means to dream. From now through the end of January, we’ve made the intimate documentary portrait David Lynch: The Art Life free to watch—no account necessary—as part of Celebrating David Lynch. If you have questions, comments, or feedback about the Criterion Channel, please reach out to channelhelp@criterion.com! We’d love to hear from you.

January 17 Big Sid Catlett - 1910 Eartha Kitt - 1927 Cedar Walton - 1934 Chris Montez - 1943 Francois Hardy - 1944 Robin Lumley - 1948 Mick Taylor - 1949 Cheryl Bentyne - 1954 Steve Earle - 1955 Paul Young - 1956 Susanna Hoffs - 1959 Cyrus Chestnut - 1963 Kid Rock - 1971 Zooey Deschanel - 1980