GA Russell

December 14 Spike Jones - 1911 June Taylor - 1917 Clark Terry - 1920 Cecil Payne - 1922 Abbe Lane - 1932 Charlie Rich - 1932 Leo Wright - 1933 Frank Allen - 1943 Jane Birkin - 1946

Free Agent analyses Defenders https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/12/ranking-the-top-pending-free-agent-defenders/ Quarterbacks https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/13/a-deep-dive-into-the-pending-free-agent-quarterbacks/ Winnipeg https://3downnation.com/2024/12/11/eight-pending-free-agents-the-winnipeg-blue-bombers-should-re-sign-for-2025/ Sask https://3downnation.com/2024/12/12/seven-pending-free-agents-the-saskatchewan-roughriders-should-re-sign-for-2025/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/2024-riders-positional-breakdown-running-backs-fullbacks/ Calgary https://3downnation.com/2024/12/13/the-top-eight-pending-free-agents-the-calgary-stampeders-should-re-sign/ ***** The teams have revealed another ten names on their neg lists. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/13/cfl-clubs-reveal-10-names-from-negotiation-lists-3/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/cfl-teams-reveal-winter-negotiation-lists-1.2219773 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/13/qbs-ben-dinucci-diego-pavia-headline-cfl-winter-negotiation-list-reveal/ ***** Kevin Brown has signed with the Argos. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/13/argos-ink-american-rb-kevin-brown/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/13/toronto-argonauts-sign-former-edmonton-elks-running-back-kevin-brown/ ***** Larry Tanenbaum has been named to the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. https://3downnation.com/2024/12/13/mlse-chair-larry-tanenbaum-among-inductees-to-canadian-business-hall-of-fame/

December 13 Phillips Brooks - 1835 Carlos Montoya - 1903 Lou Adler - 1933 Maurice Hines - 1943 Chuck Findley - 1947 Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - 1948 Ted Nugent - 1948 Taylor Swift - 1989 ***** Ross MacDonald - 1915 Randy Stoklos - 1960

Free Agent analysis - receivers and running backs https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/11/top-20-pending-free-agent-receivers-running-backs/ ***** Quarterback analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/11/landry-a-look-at-all-9-quarterback-rooms/ ***** Mason Bennett has retired. https://3downnation.com/2024/12/09/former-first-round-draft-pick-mason-bennett-retires-from-cfl-at-27/ ***** Antonio Pipkin has retired. https://3downnation.com/2024/12/10/longtime-cfl-qb-antonio-pipkin-retires-from-professional-football/ ***** Sask analyses https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-december-8/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/finding-a-special-returner-what-the-riders-need-on-special-teams/

December 12 Frank Sinatra - 1915 Joe Williams - 1918 Dick James - 1920 Bob Dorough - 1923 Dodo Marmarosa - 1925 Toshiko Akiyoshi - 1929 Connie Francis - 1937 Dionne Warwick - 1940 Tim Hauser - 1941 Dickie Betts - 1943 Grover Washington, Jr. - 1943 Alex Acuna - 1944 Tony Williams - 1945 Denny Dias - 1946 Irving Azoff - 1947 Sheila E. - 1957 ***** Bob Barker - 1923 Bob Petit - 1932 Charlie Turner - 1944

There was one for me. Recommended by Jim S. Disc One.

December 10 Don Sebesky - 1937 Chad Stuart - 1941 Larry Fast - 1951 Dianne Schuur - 1953 ***** Chet Huntley - 1911 Jeff Nicklin - 1914 Bill Mathis - 1938

The bowl matches were announced today. There will be a huge number of bowl games played after January 1. 2024 Bowl Games: Schedule, College Football Playoff bracket, dates, kickoff times, NCAA top 25 rankings - CBSSports.com

December 9 Donald Byrd - 1932 Junior Wells - 1934 David Houston - 1935 Dan Hicks - 1941 Joan Armatrading - 1950 Donny Osmond - 1957

Well, one benefit for me is that it has clarified the timeline of his recordings. It explains what was going on in his life at the time of each recording, and how the sidemen became involved.

I am reading Saxophone Colossus by Aidan Levy. Very thorough. I read a chapter each evening. After a month, I am only one-third of the way through. I am now up to the Rollins in Holland performances.

Kristian Matte has retired. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/05/end-of-an-era-als-kristian-matte-announces-retirement/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/veteran-montreal-alouettes-offensive-lineman-kristian-matte-retires-after-14-seasons-1.2214583 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/05/canadian-ol-kristian-matte-retires-after-14-seasons-with-montreal-alouettes/ ***** Tre Ford has signed with the Elks through 2027 for starter's pay. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/06/future-secured-elks-extend-national-qb-tre-ford-through-27/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/edmonton-elks-qb-tre-ford-agree-on-three-year-extension-1.2215939 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/06/electric-edmonton-elks-sign-canadian-qb-tre-ford-to-contract-extension/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/06/edmonton-elks-give-canadian-tre-ford-starting-cfl-qb-money/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/07/elks-gm-ed-hervey-wiping-the-slate-clean-with-starting-qb-tre-ford-after-distrust-of-previous-regime/ ***** Trevor Harris has signed with the Riders. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/05/report-trevor-harris-to-sign-one-year-extension-with-riders/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/roughriders-sign-quarterback-trevor-harris-to-one-year-contract-extension-1.2214999 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/05/staying-in-saskatchewan-riders-re-sign-veteran-qb-trevor-harris/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/06/if-you-slot-me-in-the-top-tier-its-a-team-friendly-deal-trevor-harris-analyzes-new-riders-contract/ ***** More on free agents https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/05/nye-best-pending-free-agents-missing-from-the-top-30-list/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/06/ferguson-1-priority-pending-free-agent-for-every-team/ ***** League analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/06/cauz-1-item-on-every-teams-off-season-to-do-list/ ***** A majority of the current head coaches are Canadian. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/06/hall-kilam-among-5-canadian-head-coaches-going-into-25/ ***** More on Ted Goveia https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/07/milton-general-manager-ted-goveia-back-home-with-tiger-cats/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/ted-goveia-brings-the-passion-to-new-role-as-ticats-gm-1.2215867 https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/ticats-name-longtime-bombers-executive-ted-goveia-as-general-manager-1.2214488 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/05/ticats-confident-gm-ted-goveia-can-help-team-achieve-ultimate-goal-bring-another-grey-cup-to-hamilton/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/06/new-hamilton-tiger-cats-general-manager-ted-goveia-not-numb-to-grey-cup-drought/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/tiger-cats-reportedly-hire-ted-goveia-as-their-new-gm/ ***** Tino Sunseri has agreed to become the new OC at UCLA. https://3downnation.com/2024/12/05/former-cfl-qb-tino-sunseri-to-be-named-ucla-offensive-coordinator-report/

Cigars International's annual Christmas sale is live, probably for another three days. Same as usual, with an additional perk. With each order you get a free magazine subscription. https://www.cigarsinternational.com/shop/10-packs-free-20-ci-bucks/2049426/

Greg, I'm glad everything hit the spot! Thanks, Brooks! And thanks to everyone who played again this year!

George Cables I Hear Echoes Impacting November 20th, 2024 Format: Jazz # Artist and Track Title Time 1. George Cables - Echo of a Scream 06:11 2. George Cables - Echoes 06:00 3. George Cables - So Near, So Far 05:16 4. George Cables - Morning Song 06:04 5. George Cables - Prelude To a Kiss 07:30 6. George Cables - Clockwise 06:54 7. George Cables - Like a Lover 05:44 8. George Cables - You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 05:26 9. George Cables - Blue Nights 06:14 10. George Cables - Journey to Agartha 07:18 11. George Cables - Peace 02:44 From HighNote Records A Brand New Recording by George Cables George Cables I Hear Echoes HighNote Records HCD 7356 George Cables – piano Essiet Essiet – bass (except track 11) Jerome Jennings – drums (except track 11) George Cables’ new album is featured in the Hot Box of Downbeat magazine’s January 2025 issue. Here are just a couple of highlights. “You expect the grace that shoots from the pianist’s fingers, but his umpteenth album is also about dazzle. And drive. Rhythmic interplay carries the day…” – Jim Macnie “Cables, at 80, hasn’t lost a step; indeed, his left hand on ‘Echo of a Scream’ would humble players half his age.” – J.D. Considine These reviewers were mightily impressed with I Hear Echoes. You will be too. Like our stuff? Let’s hear from you. Record Company Contact Barney Fields • HighNote Records, Inc. jazzdepo@ix.netcom.com • (212) 873-2020 • www.jazzdepot.com George Cab... George Cab...

Dec. 6 and 7, all MoonJune Records items on Bandcamp will be discounted 15%. Code: 06DECEMBER2024 MoonJune is releasing a new Soft Machine remaster from the mid-70s with Allan Holdsworth that might interest some here: Floating World Live.

December 6 Ira Gershwin - 1896 Hugo Peretti - 1916 Dave Brubeck - 1920 Steve Alaimo - 1939 Jay Leonhart - 1940 Mike Smith - 1943 Jonathan King - 1944 Frankie Beverly - 1946 Miroslav Vitous - 1947 ***** Steven Wright - 1955

The Bombers have lost another one. Ted Goveia has agreed to become the new Ticats GM. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/04/report-ticats-to-hire-ted-goveia-as-general-manager/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/report-hamilton-tiger-cats-select-ted-goveia-to-be-new-gm-1.2213894 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/03/burlingtons-best-hamilton-tiger-cats-hire-ted-goveia-as-general-manager/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/tiger-cats-reportedly-hire-ted-goveia-as-their-new-gm/ ***** More on free agents https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/04/costabile-5-pending-free-agents-that-need-to-stay-put/ ***** Analysis of the league's history https://cflnewshub.com/extra/the-cfl-through-the-decades-how-it-became-a-national-treasure/

A website called Cigar Place is also advertising on Babylon Bee with a similar deal: 10 good cigars for $24.99. https://www.cigarplace.biz/cigar-place-top-shelf-stogies-sampler-v1124.html

Buck Pierce has agreed to become the Lions' new head coach. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/03/report-lions-to-hire-buck-pierce-as-head-coach/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/bc-lions-name-buck-pierce-as-team-s-head-coach-1.2213785 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/03/buck-pierce-to-be-named-head-coach-of-b-c-lions-report/ ***** More on the free agents. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/02/top-3-pending-free-agents-from-every-east-division-team/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/02/top-3-pending-free-agents-from-every-west-division-team/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/03/cauz-9-underrated-pending-free-agents/ ***** More on Adams. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/01/vernon-adams-jr-brings-energy-leadership-to-stampeders/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/02/mmqb-3-reasons-getting-vernon-adams-jr-was-a-win-for-calgary/ ***** More on Kilam. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/12/03/3-takeaways-from-kilams-first-press-conference-as-elks-head-coach/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/mark-kilam-officially-named-edmonton-elks-head-coach-1.2212881 https://3downnation.com/2024/12/02/ed-hervey-players-want-to-play-for-new-edmonton-elks-head-coach-mark-kilam/ https://3downnation.com/2024/12/02/endorsement-from-former-players-put-mark-kilam-over-the-top-for-edmonton-elks-head-coaching-job/ ***** Sask analysis - defense https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/analyzing-the-roughriders-defense-what-do-they-need-for-2025/

Erik Jekabson Displays His Mastery of Orchestral Jazz on "Breakthrough," To Be Released January 17 on Wide Hive Records SF Bay Area Trumpeter-Composer Shows Another Side of His Multifaceted Musical Career With a Set of 13 Exquisite Original Compositions, Including 2 Multipart Extended Works, Performed by a Combination Chamber Orchestra - Jazz Combo CD Release Shows Include Keys Bistro, San Francisco, 1/26; Hillside Club, Berkeley, 3/21   December 2, 2024 Erik Jekabson retrains his musical focus in an unfamiliar direction—lush, intricate, ambitious chamber jazz—with Breakthrough, set for a January 17 release on Wide Hive Records. Featuring 15 musicians, the album is the San Francisco Bay Area trumpeter-composer’s first time marrying an orchestral ensemble (in the European sense, using strings, brasses, and reeds) with a jazz rhythm section, a surprising and marked turn toward the Third Stream. (The first single, “Jane Wants to Tell You Something,” will be released January 10.) That turn is not happenstance; Jekabson has long been an admirer of contemporary classical music, especially minimalism and its aftermath. “I really like the post-minimalist classical composers, like John Adams and people coming out of that direction utilizing jazz and rock language,” he says. “I like a lot of the ECM moody stuff, and contemporary composers who are pushing the boundaries in all different directions.” This “pushing the boundaries in all different directions,” of course, is an apt description for what Jekabson has been doing in Northern California for over two decades. It’s no surprise to find him trying something new. Nor that that new frontier would be a writerly one: Jekabson has for many years served as a house composer/arranger for Wide Hive Records. Even knowing all this, though, doesn’t quite prepare one for the delicate construction of album opener “Jane Wants to Tell You Something, Pts. 1 and 2,” with Jekabson’s trumpet declaiming graciously over layers of woodwinds, strings, and rhythm. It’s a fine introduction to such stirring pieces as the suspenseful “A Centered Vibe,” which indeed centers on vibraphonist Dillon Vado); the appropriately soaring, strings-driven “Above the Clouds,” with violinist Mads Tolling and Jekabson seeming to chase each other across the sky; and the mesmerizing 9/8 groove “Washington as a Surveyor,” driven by guitarist Jeffrey Burr and Max Brody but with overlapping melodic lines featuring oboist Matt Renzi and flutist Mary Fettig, as well as Tolling and Jekabson. Yet more surprises await the listener. For all his fascination with minimalism and post-minimalism, Jekabson takes a maximalist approach to the textural possibilities that this instrumental palette offers. Thus Breakthrough also explores more unusual soundscapes, like the busy pizzicato string conversations of “Sun on the Keys,” the double soprano vocal lines (courtesy of Becca Burrington and Alexis Lane Jensen) of “Speedway Meadow,” the unexpected cameo by tubist Jonathan Seiberlich on “El Don,” and the minimalist, but ever-shifting, accompaniment for Jekabson’s trumpet on the three-part feature “Into the Jungle” (commissioned by the San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra). Showing his dexterity with so many ideas, the album’s title is apropos: in terms of sheer accomplishment, this is indeed a breakthrough. Erik Jekabson was born March 23, 1973 in Berkeley, California. But though he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a part of the illustrious musical legacy of Berkeley High School, he is not quite a lifer. After high school, his pursuit of music took him to the Midwest, where he studied at Ohio’s esteemed Oberlin Conservatory; southward to New Orleans, where he paid dues in the cradle of jazz (and played with the New World Funk Ensemble); and across the ocean to France, where he worked with organist Eddy Louiss. Inevitably, Jekabson’s jazz-inspired wanderings took him to New York, where he spent five years. In that time he toured in the bands led by singers Howard Fishman and John Mayer, worked in an Off-Broadway show, played with the Illinois Jacquet Big Band, co-led (with saxophonist Dan Pratt) the jazz quintet Vista, and made his own debut recording, Intersection. Armed with these bona fides, he returned in 2003 to the Bay Area, where he earned a master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He's remained there ever since, building a formidable reputation as a trumpeter, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator, working on the faculties of several colleges. He has also helmed several musical projects, recording four albums with the 17-piece Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, which he cofounded; another as co-leader with percussionist John Santos; and eight more under his own leadership, of which Breakthrough is the latest. CD release shows for Breakthrough include Sun. 1/26 at Keys Bistro, San Francisco; Fri. 3/21 Hillside Club, Berkeley; Sun. and 4/13 Snug Harbour, New Orleans (Quintet). >>KQED feature on Wide Hive Records (by Andrew Gilbert) here.      Erik Jekabson Web Site  

Sonny Rollins - A Night At The Village Vanguard: The Complete Masters 2 CDs - $21.38 prime or $16.63 + $3.99 https://www.amazon.com/Night-At-Village-Vanguard-Complete/dp/B0CVDJPXNJ/

December 2 Moses Asch - 1905 Peter Carl Goldmark - 1906 Adolph Green - 1914 Eddie Sauter - 1914 Charlie Ventura - 1916 Sylvia Syms - 1917 Milton Delugg - 1918 Maria Callas - 1923 Wynton Kelly - 1931 Tom McGuiness - 1941 Nelly Furtado - 1978 Britney Spears - 1981 ***** Gerry Cheevers - 1940

The league has released its list of pending free agents. Free agency starts Feb. 11. https://www.cfl.ca/official-2025-free-agent-tracker/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/cfl-announces-free-agency-to-open-feb-11-with-list-of-pending-free-agents-1.2211263 https://3downnation.com/2024/11/28/official-2025-cfl-pending-free-agent-list/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/28/oleary-each-teams-top-pending-free-agent/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/28/landrys-5-takeaways-from-the-2025-list-of-pending-free-agents/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/28/ferguson-top-10-canadian-pending-free-agents/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/29/cfl-cas-top-30-pending-free-agents-10/ ***** The Free Agency Communications Window begins Feb. 2. https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/28/free-agency-communication-window-opens-february-2/ ***** You will recall that on October 30 the Stampeders let go their long-time special teams coordinator Mark Kilam. Yesterday the Elks hired him to be their head coach. (You will recall that two years ago, the Riders let go OC Jason Maas, and he promptly become the Als' head coach, and won the Grey Cup.) https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/mark-kilam-agrees-to-become-edmonton-elks-head-coach-1.2212013 https://3downnation.com/2024/11/30/green-and-gold-approved-edmonton-elks-hire-mark-kilam-as-head-coach/ https://www.cfl.ca/2024/11/30/report-elks-to-hire-mark-kilam-as-head-coach/ ***** League analysis https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/salim-valji-five-questions-that-will-shape-the-cfl-off-season-1.2211271 ***** With Ed Hervey moving to Edmonton, his assistant Spencer Zimmerman is following him. https://3downnation.com/2024/11/29/ticats-assistant-general-manager-spencer-zimmerman-to-join-edmonton-elks-report/ ***** Derek Wiggan has retired. https://3downnation.com/2024/11/30/veteran-canadian-dt-derek-wiggan-announces-retirement-from-cfl/ ***** Sask analyses Defensive line - https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/2024-riders-positional-breakdown-defensive-line/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-december-1/

December 1 Ike Isaacs - 1919 Matt Monro - 1930 Jimmy Lyons - 1931 Lou Rawls - 1933 Billy Paul - 1934 Sandy Nelson - 1938 John Densmore - 1944 Gilbert O'Sullivan - 1946 Jaco Pistorius - 1951 ***** Johnny Johnston - 1915