GA Russell

Thanks bluesoul!

I received an email from All About Jazz today telling me that John Abercrombie will be in Durham on the 6th of next month with his trio/quartet. Might be fun! http://raleigh.jazznearyou.com/event_detail.php?id=560708

I see that Kobie Watkins and his group will be appearing in Durham on the 30th. I'll try to save up some money to go. http://raleigh.jazznearyou.com/event_detail.php?id=572696 I also see that this album is now up on Spotify.

Today is Orson Welles' 100th birthday! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Welles Other than Citizen Kane, what would you say was his best movie? Or if not his "best," your favorite?

Thanks Scott! I had no idea.

Cardinals tight end John Carlson surprised the team and told them he has decided to retire. http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/cardinals-lose-tight-end-john-carlson-to-surprise-retirement/ar-BBjezel?ocid=ansFOXsports11

This one is now up on Spotify. I like it. It's a little more "out" than I would normally go for, but these guys are good. I suspect that by the end of the year, my opinion of this album will change some, but I don't know whether I'll like it more or less!

can i bring my green sharpie? LOL! I'd forgotten about that!

Thanks for that suggestion TMG. I looked him up, and saw that he is the author of Deadball Stars of the American League which I was familiar with. John, in 1961 my dad took me to see Satchel Paige pitch for the Portland Beavers in Seattle against the Rainiers. This was in the Coast league. Paige started and pitched four innings. He did well, but obviously did not qualify for a win. He looked like he was made out of rubber! John, I am currently reading Turning the Black Sox White by Tim Hornbaker. Last night I read about the 1906 World Series. I recommend the book! http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Black-Sox-White-Misunderstood/dp/1613216386/

I have an opinion about the Negro Leagues that anyone is welcome to correct me on. My understanding is that the teams were, for the most part, barnstormers. There is no doubt in my mind that the best Negro League players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame. But I suspect that it is in the nature of barnstorming that the players did not develop their skills and their conditioning the way the Major Leaguers did. I suspect that most barnstormers (of any race) could not get much further than their natural ability could take them. Another thought occurs to me: I've never seen praise for the coaching of the Negro League players. I've seen interviews with the old players talk about how they played inside baseball, but I never once saw one praise a manager or coach for being wily, or winning games by cunning.

Here is a new Twitter address for you to follow. I think it started today. https://twitter.com/3DownNation

Wait! These responses have been about the morality of an American purchasing a European public domain compact disc. Barnaba is a European, a Pole, so the morality of American law is irrelevant. I think that those who know should be discussing which European labels have reputations for issuing high fidelity PD CDs, and which labels are known for poor quality PD CDs. Barnaba, the label of the Art Blakey release you cite is Real Gone, whose reputation is not particularly good. I'm sure that there are some here who can recommend companies which do a better job.

Jim, up until 1970 or so, Columbia, Reprise, A&M and London (British Decca) made quite a number of records for your dad's friends. In fact, I remember your linking me to a 1966 Billboard chart for adult music.

This report says that most people lose interest in new music at age 33. So I wonder...Could it be that most new music is made for the teen market, and therefore is of no interest to adults? http://skynetandebert.com/2015/04/22/music-was-better-back-then-when-do-we-stop-keeping-up-with-popular-music/

As you know, the NFL draft was held the past few days, so let's see how it affects the CFL. First, let's look again at the Scouting Bureau's Top 20 prospects. http://cfl.ca/article/final-scouting-bureau-rankings-released The #1 guy was Grover Covington's son Christian. He went to Rice, and was drafted in the sixth round by the Houston Texans. http://www.tsn.ca/texans-select-canadian-dt-covington-1.273437 #2 was Brett Boyko who was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. http://www.tsn.ca/eagles-sign-canadian-ol-boyko-1.273608 #13 Jason Ruby has been invited to the mini-camp of the New York Giants. http://www.tsn.ca/giants-invite-canadian-ot-ruby-to-mini-camp-1.273619 #19 Brandon Bridge has been invited to the mini-camp of the Dallas Cowboys. http://www.tsn.ca/canadian-qb-bridge-to-try-out-for-cowboys-1.273692 ***** Here's an article about each CFL team's mini-camp this week. http://cfl.ca/article/recap-three-storylines-from-each-cfl-mini-camp

What are the odds of this happening? Remember, these two are today married to each other! http://www.thestar.com/life/2010/06/10/disney_world_photo_captures_couple_together_15_years_before_they_met.html

Now $10.33 + $3.99.

I think it was in '91 that Atlanta was a test market for Miller Reserve. I loved it. The following year, Miller reintroduced Miller Reserve to Atlanta, but it was clearly a different recipe, and I didn't like it nearly as much. The first microbrewery that I ever heard of was Sam Adams, and that was because my aunt lived in Boston, and she told me about it. That was probably in the mid-'80s. (I'm pretty sure that I had heard of Anchor Steam before then, but I don't think that that was ever considered a microbrewery.) Boston Brewing now claims to be the largest American brewery because the big ones have been sold to foreign corporations.

I'll trust your memory, Larry. I don't remember him ever being called Louis.

Happy Birthday Alexander!

"Louis?"

Is it impossible by definition for a megabrewer to make a craft beer? Maybe under California law. http://consumerist.com/2015/05/01/millercoors-sued-for-selling-blue-moon-as-a-craft-beer/

The Ticats released nine today, including Cary Koch. http://cfl.ca/article/koch-among-nine-released-by-tiger-cats http://www.tsn.ca/koch-among-players-released-by-tiger-cats-1.272237 ***** The Als released seven today, including Larry Taylor. http://cfl.ca/article/alouettes-release-return-specialist-larry-taylor http://www.tsn.ca/return-man-taylor-highlights-alouettes-cuts-1.272501 ***** 5/1 Checking Down http://cfl.ca/article/checking-down-mini-camp-season-winds-down

I think the last time I heard a comedy record on the radio was many years ago - Hudson and Landry's Ajax Liquor Store.

"Misfits II: Pop," 3rd CD by Pianist/Composer Enoch Smith Jr., Due for Release by Misfitme Music May 19 Like 2011's "Misfits," New CD Features His Working Band of Bassist Noah Jackson, Drummer Sangmin Lee, & Vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles May 1, 2015 Pianist/composer Enoch Smith Jr. has embraced the "Misfit" mantle ever since his days at Berklee College of Music, when the self-taught musician realized he didn't quite fit into the mold of his classmates and their daunting formal training. But Smith's eclectic, refreshingly different music does fit quite nicely into the ever-evolving jazz tradition. On his third album, Misfits II: Pop, he continues to refine his approach to the jazz mainstream and other influences, including hip-hop and his ongoing work as a church pianist. Smith's newly launched label, MisfitMe Music, will release the disc on May 19. The Smith original "Everything's Alright" showcases his gifts as both melodist and lyricist. Expanding on an idea from the song "It's Alright to Swing" by gospel-influenced jazz pianist Eric Reed, the backbeat-driven new composition serves for Smith as something of a declaration of independence from the opinions of some jazz purists. "Whatever you choose to do, however you do it, it's alright," the pianist explains. "Don't hate me for what I'm doing, and I certainly won't hate you for what you're doing." Whereas Smith's 2011 Misfits CD emphasized his own writing, Misfits II delves into some of the pop and R&B songs he grew up with, shining new light on hits associated with Joan Osborne, Amerie, the Roots, and -- a special favorite -- the Beatles. (The disc opens with a haunting version of "Yesterday.") Misfits II also contains two arrangements of "Sweepin through the City," a staple of gospel superstar Shirley Caesar's repertoire for more than 50 years. "I grew up hearing that song at least three or four times every week," Smith says. "It became an anthem for the church I grew up in. There's a huge emotional connection to that song and the concept of moving on to something better." Smith's tight-knit working group of vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles, bassist and former Detroiter Noah Jackson, and drummer Sangmin Lee, a Seoul, South Korea-born Berklee colleague, are at the core of the music on Misfits II: Pop, as they were on its predecessor, which DownBeat called "soulful and melodious" and "an original album full of ideas." Enoch Smith Jr., 36, was raised in Rochester, New York in the Church of God by Faith, a Pentecostal denomination, where he began singing at age 3 in the children's choir. He later played drums for services, then got a chance to sub for the regular pianist, making his way through trial and error. "Growing up and playing mostly in church, you get a whole different side of what music is all about," he says. "For me, it was always more of a spiritual connection than a connection of the head." Although he had originally intended on becoming a lawyer and had done several internships at Rochester law firms while still in high school, Smith decided to interview for admission at Berklee at the suggestion of his high school choir director. He was accepted on the spot. "It was amazing and intimidating and exciting all at the same time," he says of his classes at Berklee. "How much of it I'd gotten didn't sink in until five or six years later. It was a really great experience -- probably the best experience of my life." Smith continues playing piano in church. For the past two and a half years, he's worked full time as Director of Music and Worship at Allentown Presbyterian Church in Allentown, New Jersey, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. In 2014 he started a monthly January-though-June jazz vespers program at the church that has combined worship services with performances by his own quartet, as well as by such musicians as bassist Mimi Jones, saxophonist Stantawn Kendrick, drummer Reggie Quinerly, and saxophonist Camille Thurman (all of whom he's recorded with as a sideman). Smith has composed music for independent filmmaker Nefertite Nguvu's short I Want You in 2007 (he included his version of the title song on Misfits) and her 2014 feature In the Morning. The latter film won the audience award when it debuted last month at the Urbanworld Film Festival in Manhattan. Also on the film front, Smith has tried his hand at acting, portraying Thelonious Monk in Nica, a 20-minute thesis film by an NYU student about the friendship between Monk and the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. "It was awesome," says Smith. "I was able to use 'A Misfits Theme' in the film. It was great to play the role of a true 'Misfit' and legendary icon." The theme for Enoch's next project is suggested by "One of Us" (a hit for Joan Osborne in 1995) on Misfits II. "As technology improves, our humanity just kinda declines and our value for each other is depreciating," he notes. "This record embodies that concept: What if you look at everyone like that person is a reflection of God, then how would we treat each other?" A question Enoch Smith Jr. intends to ponder. Web Site: MisfitMe.com