GA Russell

Not to beat a dead horse, but... I placed my order with Amazon UK Dec. 19. At that time, I was told that it would arrive April 4 - 9. Today the website says April 10. Saturday I received an email from them saying that it had been shipped. My price was 13.83 GBP + 3.08 GBP shipping = 16.91 GBP. My bank has not notified me of a currency exchange fee that I expected. Perhaps that is included in the $23.93 I have been charged.

I enjoyed his autobiography "Here and Now!" (currently $6.75 + $3.99 in hardback). https://www.amazon.com/Here-Now-Autobiography-Pat-Martino/dp/1617130273

Amazon UK Thursday charged my card $23.93.

Soul Message

This year's Hall of Fame inductees have been announced: Frank Cosentino (Builder) Hank Illesic Barron Miles Brent Johnson Scott Flory Tom Hugo http://3downnation.com/2018/03/21/flory-miles-johnson-and-illesic-headline-2018-hall-of-fame-class/#comments https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/21/call-hall-2018-hall-fame-class-unveiled-winnipeg/ https://www.cfl.ca/gallery/2018/03/21/images-2018-canadian-football-hall-fame-inductees/ http://www.3downnation.com/2018/03/21/hamilton-native-frank-cosentinos-life-football-honoured-hall-fame/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/21/hall-of-famer-brent-johnson-had-defining-impact-on-lions/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/21/never-in-doubt-alouettes-scott-flory-more-than-hall-worthy/#comments

Vince Young has said that he is no longer Riders property. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/18/vince-young-says-window-with-riders-has-closed/

I learned today that Zoverstocks, from whom I have purchased box sets, is now called musicMagpie.

CFL Week began today. This year it's in Winnipeg. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/13/50-cfl-players-winnipeg-cfl-week/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/16/3down-getdown-cfl-week-edition/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/20/3down-podcast-henocs-options-calvillos-decision-cfl-week-preview/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/21/cfl-week-sequel-will-face-comparisons-regina-original/#comments https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/20/commissioner-ambrosie-making-stops-ahead-markscflweek/ https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/13/52-players-confirmed-attend-marks-cfl-week-winnipeg/ http://3downnation.com/2018/03/15/cfl-week-line-notable-omissions-especially-canadians-duron/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/15/cfl-week-line-notable-omissions-especially-canadians-duron/#comments http://www.markscflweek.ca

A new US spring football league called the Alliance of American Football was announced today. Bill Polian is involved. His past favorability toward CFL players suggests that the CFL could lose a number of imports to this new group. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/20/cfl-threat-new-spring-football-league-big-name-backers/#comments https://www.bing.com/search?q=Alliance+of+American+Football&filters=tnTID%3a"274E3D7D-3C97-4ae1-B7CB-B1F390A6DB63"+tnVersion%3a"2392842"+segment%3a"popularnow.carousel"+tnCol%3a"1"+tnOrder%3a"def3968a-67ff-4789-abef-e2d5f71306dd"&FORM=HPNN01 ***** Tiquan Underwood has joined the coaching staff of Lafayette College in New York City. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/18/former-ticats-alouettes-receiver-tiquan-underwood-takes-ncaa-coaching-job/#comments ***** The Argos have finalized their 2018 coaching staff. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/19/argos-finalize-2018-coaching-staff/#comments ***** Troy Stoudermire has signed with Calgary. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/19/stamps-sign-former-bombers-db-returner-troy-stoudermire/#comments ***** Marcel Bellefeuille will be the OC for Queen's this year. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/19/former-cfl-head-coach-marcel-bellefeuille-hired-by-queens-university/#comments ***** 3DownNation today issued its own pre-season power rankings. They like Edmonton at #1, and Montreal at #9. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/20/cfl-power-rankings-eskimos-squeak-top-spot/#comments

This box's release date is this Friday. Amazon UK has not charged my card yet. I'll let you know what my price is when they do. I suppose all Americans here will be charged the same (the lowest pre-order price) but each of us my have different currency exchange charges.

Joe Kapp turns 80 today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Kapp ***** The league introduced its "new and improved" football today. Harder leather. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/19/cfl-unveils-new-and-improved-footballs/#comments https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/19/cfl-roll-new-ball-2018-season/ ***** BC has released both Ricky Foley and Mitchell Gale. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/15/lions-release-canadian-dl-ricky-foley-qb-mitchell-gale/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/14/released-b-c-end-ricky-foley/#comments https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/14/lions-release-foley-gale/ ***** Edmonton has released Cory Greenwood. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/15/eskimos-officially-release-canadian-lb-cory-greenwood/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/14/eskimos-release-lb-cory-greenwood/#comments https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/15/eskimos-release-lb-cory-greenwood/ ***** This year's national combine will be March 24 and 25. It will be carried live on the league's website cfl.ca. https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/19/cfl-ca-broadcast-2018-cfl-scouting-combine-presented-adidas/

The Fugitive (complete) - $35.83 prime https://www.amazon.com/Fugitive-Complete-William-Conrad/dp/B00TGNLUSI ***** The Wild Wild West (complete) - $31.21 prime https://www.amazon.com/Wild-West-Complete/dp/B00TZF2KEU ***** The Twilight Zone (complete) - $39.50 prime https://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Zone-Complete-Rod-Serling/dp/B01KOCNQUO ***** Becker (complete) - $27.43 prime https://www.amazon.com/Becker-Complete-Terry-Farrell/dp/B06XXCXSCS

Marianne Faithfull - The Collection - 3.99 GBP https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collection-Marianne-Faithfull/dp/B00070DK96/ (2 CDs, 40 songs, AutoRip for those in UK)

The signings of free agents have slowed to rra trickle, so the league has released its first power rankings of 2018! https://www.cfl.ca/2018/03/06/stamps-take-top-spot-nissan-titan-post-free-agency-power-rankings/ ***** Here's a look at the remaining free agents as of a month ago. http://3downnation.com/2018/02/18/complete-look-remaining-cfl-free-agents/#comments ***** Winnipeg is bidding for the 2020 Grey Cup. http://3downnation.com/2018/02/25/winnipeg-bidding-for-2020-grey-cup/#comments ***** D'Anthony Batiste has retired, and will join Oakland's coaching staff. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/01/eskimos-ol-batiste-retires-set-to-join-raiders-strength-staff/#comments ***** Eskimos OC Carson Walch will join the Philadelphia coaching staff this year. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/04/eskimos-offensive-coordinator-take-job-eagles-report/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/05/official-carson-walch-departs-eskimos-for-eagles/#comments ***** Moe Racine has died at 80. RIP. I had his bubble gum card in 1964. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/04/rough-riders-great-maurice-racine-dies-age-80/#comments ***** The Redblacks have released Ryan Lindley and Winston Rose. BC promptly signed Rose. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/05/redblacks-cut-qb-ryan-lindley-report/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/07/redblacks-release-qb-lindley-db-rose/#comments http://3downnation.com/2018/03/12/lions-sign-former-redblacks-db-winston-rose/#comments ***** Andrew Jones has retired. http://3downnation.com/2018/03/06/canadian-ol-andrew-jones-retires-as-an-eskimo/#comments

Everything in the Tiger-Cats Shop is 30% off with the code MARCHBREAK. https://ticats-store.myshopify.com

Happy Birthday FFA!

Happy Birthday jt!

Happy Birthday Brendan!

Happy Birthday Garth!

Happy Birthday Al!

Happy Birthday wb!

Happy Birthday Jon!

Happy Birthday t_f!

ECM Kristjan Randalu - Absence release date April 6, 2018 Kristjan Randalu: piano; Ben Monder: guitar; Markku Ounaskari: drums Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu makes his ECM debut with a striking album of his own rigorous-yet-lyrical music, sensitively played by a trio formed especially for this recording, with American guitarist Ben Monder and Finnish drummer Markku Ounaskari. As an improviser of prodigious technique, once described by Herbie Hancock as "a dazzling piano player", Randalu's affinities are with the jazz musicians, but the forms and dynamics of his pieces also reflect a discerning sense of structure, and he has cited composers Erkki-Sven Tüür and Tõnu Kõrvitz amongst his mentors. Absence was recorded at Studios La Buissonne in the south of France in July 2017 and produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM Kristjan Randalu Absence Kristjan Randalu: piano Ben Monder: guitar Markku Ounaskari: drums Released date: April 6, 2018 ECM 2586 B0028128-02 UPC: 6025 672 2679 6 Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu makes his ECM debut with a striking album of his own rigorous-yet-lyrical music, sensitively played by a group formed especially for this recording, with American guitarist Ben Monder and Finnish drummer Markku Ounaskari. The trio line-up was suggested by producer Manfred Eicher after hearing Randalu’s 2012 duo recording with Monder, Equilibrium. The featured compositions on Absence are robust, and in the past Randalu has played them also as solo piano pieces. In this session recorded in Pernes-les-Fontaines in the south of France, their structures are prised open. Guitar and drums subtly illuminate the pieces from inside, casting light on their originality. Among other attributes, Monder and Ounaskari are outstanding colorists and textural players, and they bring out much of the fine detail implied in Randalu’s writing with inspired improvising. Like much good music, Randalu’s resists capsule summary. Markku Ounaskari has observed that “Kristjan’s music is really a world of its own.” As an improviser of prodigious technique, once described by Herbie Hancock as “a dazzling piano player”, Randalu’s affinities are with the jazz musicians, but the forms and dynamics of his pieces also reflect a discerning structural sense, and he has cited composers Erkki-Sven Tüür and Tõnu Kõrvits among his mentors. Kristjan Randalu’s capacity to move between genres and disciplines is rare: his itinerary in recent months, for instance, has found him premiering new music of his own with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, performing Arvo Pärt’s Credo with Kristjan Järvi and the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and also playing duets with Dave Liebman. There are not many contemporary players with this kind of range. Born into a musical family in Estonia in 1978, Randalu grew up in Germany. Both his parents are professional classical pianists, and all of his early music training was purely classical. Hearing Chick Corea’s Inside Out at the age of 13 changed some of his priorities: “It seemed to me so perfect that I thought at first that it must be all notated. And it had all this rhythmic energy, and sound-wise, harmonically and colour-wise was very interesting to me. At that point I had almost no historical jazz references at all - no early Miles, even, no Coltrane – I would learn about all of that later. But I felt motivated to create my own music with piano and synthesizer and sequencer and soon had my first band. By this point I had already been performing classical music for years and was playing at a serious level, but there was a gap between practicing my Liszt and Chopin and beginning to deal actively with jazz…” The gap was bridged in the following years by studies with a number of notable pianists, including John Taylor and Django Bates. A scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music allowed plenty of opportunities to hear New York’s improvisers at first hand, Ben Monder amongst them. “Later it happened on a couple of occasions that our groups – Ben’s group and my group -- played one after the other at festivals in Germany and we talked several times about doing something together. But it didn’t happen until a festival organizer in Estonia proposed a duo concert….” Markku Ounaskari and Kristjan Randalu first played opposite each other in a concert series organized by German radio station NDR. Ounaskari was then playing with the second edition of his Kuára group with Trygve Seim on saxes. When Seim formed his Helsinki Songs project a couple of years later, he invited both Ounaskari and Randalu to be part of it (an ECM album with Seim, Randalu, Ounaskari and Mats Eilertsen is in preparation). Ounaskari has played with all the major Finnish jazz players and with many international jazz musicians including Lee Konitz, Kenny Wheeler, Tomasz Stanko and Marc Ducret. In addition to his Kuára recording with Samuli Mikkonen and Per Jørgensen, exploring Russian psalms and Finno-Ugrian folk songs in an improvisational context, Markku Ounaskari appears on several ECM recordings with folk singer and kantele player Sinikka Langeland, including Starflowers, The Land That Is Not, The Half-Finished Heaven and The Magical Forest. A musician in the New York City area for over 30 years, Ben Monder has performed with a wide variety of artists, including Jack McDuff, Marc Johnson, Lee Konitz, Billy Childs, Andrew Cyrille, George Garzone, Paul Motian, Maria Schneider, and Marshall Crenshaw. He also contributed guitar parts to the final David Bowie album, Blackstar. In addition to his own ECM album Amorphae, with Paul Motian, Andrew Cyrille and Pete Rende, Monder appears on Theo Bleckmann’s Elegy and Paul Motian’s Garden of Eden. The Absence trio is touring in April and May. For details consult Kristjan’s web site www.randalu.com Absence was recorded at Studios La Buissonne in July 2017 and produced by Manfred Eicher.

oldies.com has The Chartbusters - Mating Call for $4.98. https://www.oldies.com/product-view/63985N.html It is also on iTunes.