GA Russell

Ed Reed will release a new album June 21 called Born to be Blue. I've received a press release which lists his upcoming dates to promote the album: Ed Reed will be honored as a Bay Area Jazz Hero at the Jazzschool's satellite party for the Jazz Journalists Association Awards on 6/11. His CD release shows will take place 7/25 at Yoshi's Oakland; 7/26 Club Fox, Redwood City; and 11/18 Jazzschool, Berkeley. Other local performances include 6/4 Healdsburg Jazz Festival; 6/11 Birdland Jazzista, Berkeley; 6/12 Vallejo Jazz Society; and 7/30 Benicia Jazz Festival. Ed will lead a workshop on "The Power of a Lyric" at the Jazzschool 8/21.

Amen! And I think that the World Series in late October is an even bigger joke. I think the Canadian league has it right. They end their season the last Sunday in November, before it gets impossibly cold.

The Debut Records Story was fulfilled by Amazon, sent to me via USPS. But I see that Amazon is now sold out at the $9.99 price. The least expensive Marketplace Seller price is $21.99.

The Ticats today cut Sandro DeAngelis. http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=366758 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/tiger-cats-release-kicker-sandro-deangelis/article2033391/

Happy Birthday Jim!

I re-established my account today, and after some perusing I haven't found anything I want yet.

Any idea why, Ted? You don't usually have a problem with Amazon shipping to Canada, do you?

I drink coffee all day long. After 6:00 pm, I am fond of (believe it or not) the Walmart/Sam's organic decaf. I have liked almost all of the Gevalias that I have tried over the years. I am looking forward to trying something from a local roaster not too far from my home. Like Dave, I am not a fan of Starbucks. I have read that years ago they made the deliberate decision to over-roast their coffee in order to disguise the differences in taste between one batch and the next.

As I recall, Amazon had eight copies of this when I posted on the 16th. Today they are down to their last one at this price.

Yes, and I remember how that ended for one of us!

As I recall, all the ESP covers, like The Fugs, were black and white. Wasn't that Pharoah Sanders above one of them?

Moose, for the second consecutive year the City of Glendale (suburban Phoenix) will contribute $25 million toward the Coyotes' losses. The league owns the Coyotes. It looks to me like they are hanging on until a new arena is built in Quebec City. Because the league owns the Coyotes, I expect that the new Winnipeg owners will be able to purchase (if they want them) the rights to the name "Jets" as well as the record book, etc., which are now owned by the Coyote franchise, the former Winnipeg franchise.

The Globe & Mail reported last night that it will be announced Tuesday that the Atlanta Thrashers will move to Winnipeg. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/atlanta-thrashers-set-to-move-to-winnipeg/article2029179/ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/thrashers-failure-rests-with-owners-and-the-nhl/article2029445/ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/mayor-just-a-matter-of-time-before-thrashers-move-to-winnipeg/article2030044/

How much are they? How long would it take for it to pay for itself?

I've received this press release about the new release: "Art Pepper: Blues for the Fisherman/Complete," Vol. VI in the "Unreleased Art" Series, To Be Released by Widow's Taste Records June 14 All of Two Nights Live at Ronnie Scott's in London, 1980 4 CDs, 25 Tracks of Great Music Plus Bonus Tracks of Talk Transferred from Original Analog Tapes At 192 kHz, Remastered for CD May 18, 2011 "The Twelve Bars of the Decade." Blues for the Fisherman was hailed by one jazz journalist as just that when four of these tracks were released in the U.K. in 1980 by Mole Jazz. That LP remained at the top of the British jazz charts for well over a year, so Mole eventually released a second album from the same session. Fans all over the world have worn those LPs out and have been clamoring for 30 years to hear it all, everything that happened during those two historic nights at Ronnie Scott's, part of Art Pepper's first-ever tour of Europe. Laurie Pepper, the alto saxophonist's widow and owner of Widow's Taste Records, says there is a logic to releasing everything. "Art was a storyteller," explains Laurie. "Every tune was a vehicle, a way for him to express his life of pain and glory. He loved to talk about it, too. Communication, soul to soul, was what he aimed for. When we listen to these sets, we hear a narrative: In the music and between the tunes Art keeps us, the audience, informed. He lets us track the skill, persistence, anguish, and exhilaration of the process of performing, the story of an artist at work. From the stage he tells us what is and isn't working as he sees it at the moment. He reveals how nervous he is and how grateful for a sympathetic crowd to whom he jokes, complains, explains, and reminisces." The band features Milcho Leviev, "The Bulgarian genius" (Arnaldo DeSouteiro) and frequent Pepper sideman. (At left: Pepper and Leviev with original Mole release.) He was putative leader of this session. (Art was then under contract to Galaxy Records, which would not permit him to record as leader for any other label, however obscure). Also in the band: the young, exciting Tony Dumas on bass and Art's favorite drummer, Carl Burnett. At Mole's behest, Art plays some tunes less usual for him in 1980: "Stardust," "Rita San," "Untitled #34," "Blues for the Fisherman." He also plays familiar favorites, "What's New," "Goodbye," "I'll Remember April," "A Song for Richard," "Rhythm-A-Ning," and his own: "The Trip," "Ophelia," "True Blues, "Red Car," "Make a List," and of course "Straight Life" (while announcing it Art plugs his autobiography of the same name, about to be released in England later that year). And he plays clarinet, as well, on "Anthropology" and "In a Mellow Tone." Every set at Ronnie's was a little piece of art, a composition, lovingly constructed for an eager and perceptive audience. The album includes Laurie's personal photos and 24 pages of notes describing Art's emotions and preoccupations, how he felt about the situation's pressures and delights. (At right: Pepper prepping music, assisted by feline muse Blanche.) She talks about "The Fisherman," and, as usual, she gives us her own amused, nonplussed, and dazzled take on all of it. Laurie Pepper launched the Widow's Taste label in 2006 in order to introduce Art to a generation who "may not know how soulful jazz can be," to offer an alternative to the shoddy wares of bootleggers, and to satisfy the blessedly insatiable desires of Art's knowledgeable fans. Using previously unreleased sessions recorded by radio stations or picked up surreptitiously by fans, she's inspired to keep going by those fans and by the overwhelming praise of critics. Since it began, Widow's Taste has released one album every year: Volume I: Abashiri (2006) "Unreleased Art, Vol. 1 is a required purchase for Pepper fans who want to relish Art's devotion to his craft all the way to the end of his life. Playing from the heart that few alto players [can] match. . . . Bluesy and explorative. . . along with some frenzied avant blowing." --Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition Volume II: The Last Concert (2007) "He left this world at the top of his game, as one of the world's foremost alto sax players. And now, we can confidently state these things because of Unreleased Art, Vol. II. [He] nimbly hits every note bang on through some tricky passages [with] imaginative, lyrical improvising. [When] Pepper switches to clarinet, an instrument that for not being his primary one, is so well mastered by Art he could have stood toe to toe with Buddy DeFranco." --Pico, BC Music Volume III: Croydon (2008) "The album has enormous depth, pathos, and tension. Both Croydon discs vividly display Pepper's metallic warmth and seemingly limitless stream of ideas. This CD reflects the agony of his personal and artistic struggle. Pepper's tonal edge is on full display on uptempo numbers as well as the ballads. Dig what he does with Gordon Jenkins's 'Goodbye.' There's so much sorrow there, so much Billie Holiday. On Ophelia, a mid-tempo piece dedicated to women, Pepper's passion soars as he delivers line after line without ever coasting or doubling back." --Marc Myers, JazzWax Volume IV: The Art History Project (2009) "The set dedicates one CD to Pepper's work from the 1950s, one to the '60s, and one to the '70s. The early tracks float by on his urgent, vulnerable, and melodic alto saxophone improvising. It's some of the best West Coast jazz of that time, luscious pop art with a fighting spirit. The set becomes interesting in the 1960s, after Pepper's six on-and-off years in jail, and shows his increasing respect for John Coltrane. Ms. Pepper lobbies hard for the '70s as his prime period. . . . The intensity and experience they transmit is unmistakable." --Ben Ratliff , The New York Times Volume V: Stuttgart (2010) "[On 'Make a List'] Pepper proves what a great R&B saxophonist he is, funky and rich, full of that greasy good charm that causes feet to stomp and parishioners to cry 'Amen.' A master of musical drama. . . Pepper's playing is a tidal wave from a detonated atom bomb, relentless in climax. Extended readings of 'Over the Rainbow' and 'Cherokee' close the set illustrating Pepper's supreme command of the ballad and up-tempo bop. This is the Götterdämmerung of the jazz life." --C. Michael Bailey, AllAboutJazz.com Volume V in this series--Stuttgart--was named one of the top ten historical/reissues of 2010 by JazzTimes. Laurie plans to continue releasing great unheard Art as long as she continues to discover material. Planned for next year: A magnificent live concert in Norway including a video of part of the performance. "Maybe the most dramatic offering yet," she suggests. Art Pepper/Widow's Taste Web Site: http://artpepper.net

Happy Birthday 2011 David!

Happy Birthday Chuck!

The Stamps today traded PK Sam and Miguel Robede to the Argos for Reggie McNeal and Adrian Davis. The teams also exchanged neg list players. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/argos-acquire-pk-sam-from-stamps/article2028843/

Big news. Amazon announced today that they now sell more eBooks than print books. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1565581&highlight=

Wasn't BMG/YourMusic bought just a couple of years ago by Direct, the company that owns all the book clubs, for some huge sum? I'm surprised that they would shut it down so soon after purchasing it.

I got the free Super Saver Shipping, but it arrived two-day UPS.

Mine arrived today delivered by UPS. I thought that Amazon did all of its shipping with the USPS.

I've been enjoying Faithful very much as well. I think I like January better, but Faithful is great for a quiet Sunday afternoon. The Marcin Wasilewski Trio is currently wrapping up its European tour: Dortmund May 19 Bielsko-Biala, Bielskie Centrum May 27 Coutance , France, Jazz Sous Les Pommiers May 31

One of my happiest boyhood sports moments was when he pinch hit a home run in the '61 All-Star game.

I've received a promo of an album which I think many people here would like called Alternate Side by New Tricks. The band is trumpet, sax, bass and drums. The sound is very much like Ornette Coleman's group of fifty years ago, although the band stresses that their compositions are based on chords (unlike many of Coleman's). The group is led by two guys from Cleveland - Mike Lee on sax and Ted Chubb on trumpet. Lee was a roommate and bandmate of Dave Douglas for two years, and was also a member of Joe Lovano's Celebrating Sinatra band. You can listen to samples from the album here: http://newtricksjazz.com/listen/