GA Russell

Happy Birthday tf! Are there any Trane albums left that you don't have that you could have asked for for your birthday?

Now that you mention it, I should have asked for it for Christmas!

I have just finished reading a 1997 book by New York pianist Jonny King called What Jazz Is. I've never heard of King. He says that he is also an attorney, and I wonder if he has given up music to take up the practice of law. Anybody know? This is a book for people who like what little jazz they have heard, but know nothing about it. He explains some pretty fundamental concepts. The book comes with a ten-song Blue Note sampler of recordings from the 50s and 60s. Each of the songs is given a three page analysis, for example going over what the rhythm section is doing while each soloist takes his turn. The ten songs are: Hank Mobley - Remember Sonny Clark - Speak Low Art Blakey - Blues Chick Corea - Matrix Wayne Shorter - Miyako Sonny Rollins - Reflections McCoy tyner - African Village Lee Morgan - Ca-Lee-So Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage Ornette Coleman - Round Trip I see that Amazon resellers have used copies starting at 99 cents. I have to wonder if they have the CD at that price. Be sure to use the Organissimo link! http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/080...8003&sr=1-1

Today is not only George Washington's birthday. It is also the 90th birthday of Don Pardo! I'm sure that most Americans now living think of him as the booth announcer of Saturday Night Live, but for me he will always be the announcer of The Price is Right with Bill Cullen. I didn't know that he, Milton Berle and Bob Hope are the only three people to have signed lifetime contracts with NBC! http://www.tv.com/don-pardo/person/137979/summary.html

I've been listening to Holon for a week now, and I like it a lot. It really is not what I expected. Stoa was straight out of Philip Glass's bag. I like Glass, although I don't listen to him very often, and I liked Stoa in part because it was my first minimalist album in years. Holon is not a minimalist album, although there are parts of songs where they get into that mode. It reminds me of what some of the Canterbury groups were doing in the 70s, particularly Hatfield and the North, and maybe National Health. The songs on Holon have beats that make you want to get up out of your chair, which Stoa did not. Holon's electric bass is in the foreground, like Richard Sinclair's of Hatfield. Holon sounds like it might be a transition album from the minimalism of Stoa to the prog rock of Hatfield. I suppose whether they continue the transition will depend in part on how the audiences of their tour respond to their new sound. Too bad they won't be coming to my area.

Kevin, your argument is with the New York Times, not with me. The article posted above states in its first sentence that the Patriots were "illicitly videotaping the signals of opposing N.F.L. coaches" beginning in 2000. I agree with the sentiment expressed by most of you that it shouldn't be against the rules. But it is, and everyone should play by the rules IMO.

I was familiar only with Commander Cody's recording of Hot Rod Lincoln until a few months ago when I heard on Sirius for the first of a number of times what I assumed to be the original version. Can't say for sure that Sirius has been playing Ryan's recording, but probably so. Here's his AP obituary: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-...1,7248174.story Charles Ryan, 92; co-wrote pop hit 'Hot Rod Lincoln' template_bastemplate_bas From the Associated Press February 22, 2008 Charles Ryan, the musician and songwriter who co-wrote the hit song "Hot Rod Lincoln," died Saturday in Spokane, Wash., after a long battle with heart disease, his family said. He was 92. Ryan and W.S. Stevenson wrote "Hot Rod Lincoln" and in 1955 Ryan first recorded the song with the rockabilly beat and the vivid lyrics describing a nighttime car chase: "My fenders was clickin' the guardrail posts; the guy beside me was white as a ghost." It began with the line "My pappy said, 'Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that Hot Rod Lincoln.' " The song was inspired by Ryan's commutes in his 1941 Lincoln from Spokane to play gigs at the Paradise Club across the state line in Lewiston, Idaho. It has been recorded many times since. Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen made it a hit in 1972, and it has been a mainstay of popular culture for decades. Ryan was born in Graceville, Minn., on Dec. 19, 1915, grew up in Polson, Mont., and moved to Spokane in 1943. He served in the Army during World War II. He worked as a musician and songwriter, touring with Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton and others. Ryan's version of "Hot Rod Lincoln" hit the Billboard Top 100 charts in 1960 and stayed there for six months. Many versions exist, with the words often altered by each new group.

Now a former Patriot says that the videotaping has been going on for years. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/sports/f...rtner=TOPIXNEWS By JOHN BRANCH and GREG BISHOP Published: February 22, 2008 INDIANAPOLIS — The Patriots’ pattern of illicitly videotaping the signals of opposing N.F.L. coaches began in Coach Bill Belichick’s first preseason with the team in 2000, a former Patriots player said. The information was put to use in that year’s regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Belichick’s debut as New England’s coach. Skip to next paragraph L Enlarge This Image Victoria Arocho/Associated Press Patriots cornerback Ty Law tackling Keyshawn Johnson in Bill Belichick's first game as coach. The secret taping of signals, which is against league rules, continued at least through three championship seasons to the 2007 season opener against <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/sports/profootball/nationalfootballleague/newyorkjets/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="Recent news and scores about the New York Jets.">the Jets, when the Patriots were caught and subsequently sanctioned by the league. As coaches and executives gathered here Thursday for the N.F.L. scouting combine, many saying they were satisfied with the league’s investigation and ready to move on, new details were emerging about the history of the Patriots’ videotaping. According to several executives in the league, the season opener against the Jets was not the first time the Patriots had been spotted taping another team’s defensive coaches at Giants Stadium. In the final preseason game of 2006, the Patriots were caught taping a Giants defensive assistant giving signals, the executives said. The incident prompted a letter addressed to all teams seven days later from the N.F.L. vice president Ray Anderson that detailed the league’s interpretation of the rules. That letter was cited by Commissioner Roger Goodell when he punished the Patriots. Belichick has said that he misinterpreted the league’s bylaws, telling Goodell that he thought it was permissible to use electronic equipment as long as the information was not used in the same game. That explanation has been greeted with disbelief by some peers and league officials. In a news conference last week, Goodell said Belichick’s explanation led to the assumption that he had been videotaping opponents’ signals “as long as he has been head coach.” The league’s nine-member competition committee spent three days this week discussing various rules changes that it might recommend for next season. After a 90-minute briefing on the Patriots’ videotaping activities Thursday by Goodell and three league vice presidents, the committee said taping rules would not be changed in the aftermath of the controversy. “The rules are very, very clear,” said Tennessee Titans Coach Jeff Fisher, a committee member. “There is no need to be more specific or clarify any rules whatsoever.” Questions linger about how much of an advantage the Patriots may have had if they intercepted defensive signals. Under Belichick, the Patriots have often run a no-huddle offense, which forces opponents to quickly call a defensive play. N.F.L. rules allow quarterbacks to hear instructions from coaches — through a headset and into a speaker in the quarterback’s helmet — until there are 15 seconds left on a play clock. When the defensive play call is deciphered, the Patriots could call a play to counteract. The Patriots lost the 2000 opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when videotape of signals was used in preparation, according to the former Patriots player, who was among several former players interviewed by the N.F.L but said he did not want to speak publicly because the investigation is continuing. The Patriots appear to have continued the practice of taping opposing signals for seven years. Last September, Goodell fined Belichick $500,000, fined the Patriots $250,000 and took away one of team’s first-round draft choices in 2008. After the sanctions were announced, the Patriots submitted six tapes, from games in 2006 and 2007, and some notes that dated to 2002, Goodell said. The tapes and notes were destroyed days after being handed to the league, because Goodell considered the matter closed. But questions remain about how wide and deep the Patriots’ taping habits extended. Senator Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican who met with Goodell last week, is among those still questioning why the league was so quick to sanction the Patriots and destroy the evidence. Goodell met with the competition committee Thursday to discuss his handling of the spying case. Committee members seemed satisfied and eager to turn the page. “We were all satisfied, every one of us,” said John Mara, the Giants’ president. “All of us have our different opinions about the Patriots, but we were all satisfied that this thing was investigated properly and that they came to the proper conclusion.” Bill Polian, the president of the Indianapolis Colts, said: “It’s behind us. It’s time to move forward.” But emerging details continue to pull the league back in time. On Feb. 2, The Boston Herald reported that the Patriots might have taped a St. Louis Rams walkthrough practice the day before the teams played in the 2002 Super Bowl. The Patriots won, 20-17, on a last-second field goal. Belichick, speaking to The Boston Globe, recently denied that the practice was taped. In the hallway at the convention center here, Mike Martz wanted to talk about his new job as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator. Instead, reporters peppered him with questions about the Patriots. Martz was the coach of the Rams when the teams met in the Super Bowl six years ago. He took exception to the theory that the Patriots could not have gleaned much information from taping the walkthrough. He said indeed they could, but added that was not the point. “For somebody to say that, it’s kind of disgusting,” Martz said. “The whole point is if they really cheated. To say he took some steroids and it did help or it didn’t help, that’s never the point. The point is, to all these high school coaches and high school kids and college kids, that if they did cheat, that’s the point.” Martz said he assumed the walkthrough report was false. A similar sentiment was voiced by Chicago Bears Coach Lovie Smith, the Rams’ defensive coordinator that season. “It’s just hard for me to fathom anyone would do anything like that,” Smith said. “I’m sure, if there’s something to it, No. 1, it will come out later. Time has a way of taking care of all things.” Martz was asked if he wanted the N.F.L. to continue investigating the walkthrough. “Of course,” he said. “I was involved in that. I was responsible for a lot of people in that game.” Executives dismissed any lingering notions that the Patriots’ taping opponents was a common practice around the league. “I don’t want the outside perception to be, ‘Boy, there are all these teams and they’re all doing all these things,’ ” said Rich McKay, the Falcons’ president and a member of the competition committee. “Because it’s not true.” Belichick was not seen in the hallways of the convention center Thursday. Representatives of 21 teams are scheduled to meet with reporters for news conferences from Thursday to Sunday. Belichick and the Patriots are not among them.

Welcome back brownie! It's not on the LA Times obit page yet. I'll post what they have when it comes up.

This article says that they are suing for invasion of privacy and emotional distress. I would like to see their arguments, but I can't imagine that it will go to court. Maybe the court papers filed are available online. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...portsOther/home edit to add link

Bev, a few months ago I was given a promo by ECM of a Scandinavian folksinger named Sinikka Langeland. The album is called Starflowers. I didn't review it because I didn't think anyone here would be interested. It's the only Scandinavian folk music I have ever heard, so I don't know how to compare it to others of that genre. I enjoy it because it is unique in my collection. I can't say that I understand it, or that it's up your alley, but you might like it too.

Me too, montg. That's usually during the summertime. I listen to a lot of surf guitar then.

Noj, I've mentioned this in the distant past, but since no one is expected to remember what everyone says, I'll repeat it... I "explore what I already have" by starting each New Year with the resolution to listen to all of my CDs at least once in the calendar year. For the first time in a number of years, in 2007 I actually did it. Here's my method: I do not shelve my CDs in alphabetical order. I keep one shelf separate for the CDs opened in the past twelve months. They get by far the most play. All of my other CDs, regardless of genre, I keep together. There is no order except one - I place the CD I have just listened to at the end of the top shelf. When that shelf is filled up, I slide all of my CDs down to make the top shelf empty again. I call this the LIFO method (for the accounting term "last in, first out"). Because there is no order except that of having been played, I sometimes cannot find a CD I am looking for. But that doesn't happen very often. The benefit of this system is that I know right where to go to find the CDs I haven't listened to in a long time. They are on the bottom shelf. I believe that my habitual browsing of the bottom shelf keeps me from getting burned out on my collection. And I often hear things in a record that I hadn't noticed before when hearing something for the first time in many months! edit for typo

Any opinion of the Desmond? I think that was an A&M, wasn't it? I don't recall ever reading much good about any of his A&Ms.

Chalupa, it seems to me that there are two different markets. The first would be the group (probably most people, maybe not) for whom the old DVD is good enough. I can see this group downloading videos when it becomes more convenient and the price is competitive. The second are the people who want the high def. They spend the money for the high def TV, and will go out to buy the Blu Ray player and discs. As long as the picture quality of downloads is relatively low def, I don't see the second group moving over to downloading.

The league released its 2008 schedule today. The regular season begins Thursday June 26. http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=newser&...y&nid=22590 2008 CFL Schedule DATEVISITORHOMELOCAL Thursday, June 12TORMTL7:00Thursday, June 12WPGHAM7:00Friday, June 13BCSSK7:00Friday, June 13EDMCGY7:00Thursday, June 19HAMTOR7:00Thursday, June 19MTLWPG7:00Thursday, June 19SSKEDM7:00Thursday, June 19CGYBC7:00Thursday, June 26MTLHAM7:00Thursday, June 26BCCGY8:00Friday, June 27TORWPG7:00Saturday, June 28EDMSSK5:30Thursday, July 3HAMTOR7:00Thursday, July 3CGYEDM8:00Friday, July 4WPGMTL7:00Friday, July 4SSKBC7:00Thursday, July 10CGYMTL7:00Thursday, July 10TOREDM8:00Friday, July 11BCWPG7:00Saturday, July 12SSKHAM4:00Thursday, July 17HAMCGY7:00Friday, July 18WPGBC7:00Saturday, July 19MTLSSK5:00Sunday, July 20EDMTOR4:00Thursday, July 24CGYWPG7:00Friday, July 25EDMHAM7:00Friday, July 25MTLBC7:00Sunday, July 27TORSSK5:00Thursday, July 31HAMMTL7:00Thursday, July 31BCEDM8:00Friday, August 1WPGTOR7:00Saturday, August 2SSKCGY6:00Thursday, August 7TORHAM7:00Thursday, August 7CGYSSK8:00Friday, August 8MTLWPG6:30Friday, August 8EDMBC7:30Thursday, August 14HAMWPG7:00Friday, August 15MTLTOR7:30Thursday, August 21SSKEDM7:00Friday, August 22CGYBC7:30Friday, August 29BCMTL7:30Sunday, August 31WPGSSK1:00Monday, September 1EDMCGY2:00Monday, September 1TORHAM7:30Friday, September 5CGYEDM7:00Saturday, September 6BCHAM4:00Sunday, September 7TORMTL1:00Sunday, September 7SSKWPG3:00Friday, September 12WPGTOR7:00Friday, September 12MTLCGY8:00Saturday, September 13HAMEDM5:00Saturday, September 13SSKBC7:00Friday, September 19WPGHAM7:30Saturday, September 20TORCGY4:30Saturday, September 20BCSSK7:30Sunday, September 21EDMMTL1:00Friday, September 26EDMWPG7:00Saturday, September 27CGYTOR7:00Saturday, September 27HAMBC7:00Sunday, September 28SSKMTL1:00Friday, October 3BCTOR7:00Friday, October 3CGYSSK8:00Saturday, October 4MTLHAM4:00Saturday, October 4WPGEDM5:00Friday, October 10TORWPG6:30Friday, October 10EDMBC7:30Monday, October 13HAMMTL1:00Monday, October 13SSKCGY2:30Friday, October 17BCEDM7:00Saturday, October 18MTLTOR3:00Saturday, October 18WPGCGY4:30Sunday, October 19HAMSSK1:00Friday, October 24CGYHAM7:30Saturday, October 25EDMSSK4:30Saturday, October 25TORBC7:00Sunday, October 26WPGMTL1:00Thursday, October 30SSKTOR7:30Friday, October 31MTLEDM7:00Saturday, November 1HAMWPG1:00Saturday, November 1BCCGY3:00 PS I'll see if I can't find a better way to print this.

Dan, you've been into the blues for the past year. Do you need another BB King?

The Duke lacrosse players who were not indicted in the rape charge case will file suit tomorrow against Duke and the City of Durham. Our local paper The News & Observer should have good coverage of it. I'll post again when I have more details, like what their legal theory is. This will be a civil suit, probably to be settled out of court. Duke has plenty of money, so the settlement will be plenty more than enough to cover legal fees. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331568,00.html

In the AHL tonight: It's OT. Delayed penalty, so Chicago pulls its goaltender to put an extra attacker on the ice. They're in front of the Manitoba (that's Winnipeg to you) net, and the Chicago guy passes back to his teammate, who doesn't get it. The puck goes all the way back into the Chicago net! So Manitoba wins the game, and the Manitoba goalie gets credit for the winning goal! http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...lobeSports/home

Happy Birthday Mike! In celebration, I'll put on some Cal Tjader.

Dang! Too cloudy here. Can't find the moon in the sky.

What would you do? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331536,00.html <h1 class="head">Man Arrested After N.Y. Bank Lets Him Withdraw Millions</h1> Wednesday, February 20, 2008 NEW YORK — A man was charged with withdrawing $2 million from an account after a bank confused him with a man who has the same name. Benjamin Lovell was arraigned Tuesday on grand larceny charges. The 48-year-old salesman said he tried to tell officials at Commerce Bank in December that he did not have a $5 million account. He says he was told it was his and he could withdraw the money. Prosecutors said the bank — which advertises itself as America's Most Convenient Bank — confused Lovell with a Benjamin Lovell who works for a property management company. The lesser-funded Lovell gave away some of the withdrawn money and blew some of it on gifts, but lost much of it on bad investments, prosecutors said. The district attorney's office did not immediately have information on his lawyer. Calls left with Commerce Bank on Wednesday were not immediately returned.

I agree 100%, Soul Stream. I put this on again last night. Never get tired of it. I was into listening to the radio and going to record stores less than a year when this was out in the summer of '64, and I remember it being displayed prominently in the stores. The Girl from Ipanema was a hit on the radio, so everyone knew what to expect from the album. Although Stan Getz was one of the few artists whose albums could be found in the stores' miniscule jazz sections, this album was presented in the stores as adult music rather than modern jazz music. Accessible. One artist who comes to mind about whom that could be said today is Michael Franks. (Not that Franks' contemporary jazz is in the same vein as mainstream jazz, but rather that his albums can be found in the jazz sections near Getz's, but [like Getz/Gilberto] when displayed are not presented as something only the cogniscenti would appreciate.) Of course, I guess that could also be said about Kenny G's records displayed in the stores, but that is a big part of the controversy about the record companies' classifying smooth jazz as jazz. Anyway, I think that jazz would be more popular if there were more jazz records based upon Soul Stream's recipe of Simplicity, Beauty and Melody.

Here's an article from Reuters that says that the moon will turn red tonight at 10:00 pm eastern if the atmospheric conditions are right. An article in our local paper Monday said that the midpoint of the eclipse will be at 10:26 pm eastern. http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews...028499420080220

Well, this is all over my head, but if I understand it correctly this article from the Times of London says that an iTunes customer can take the song and instead of moving it to his iPod, he can move it to a phone which uses non-Apple software. http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/ne...icle3403705.ece