GA Russell

I was a Boston Patriot fan when I was a boy. I remember the AFL on ABC from 1960 to 1964. I remember when Lou Saban was replaced by Mike Holovak. Gino and Babe P were my favorite players. In 1988 I worked just down the hall from Tommy Addison!!! And I remember when the Chargers' QB was Jackie Kemp.

I'll miss him a lot. For the past couple of years I have opened up one of his albums for Mardi Gras weekend. I was planning to do it again this year with his Ballads album, but maybe I'll get to that one now. When I was a senior in college, I had the first Dreams album (self-titled), which included Mike, Randy and John Abercrombie. I liked it a lot and persuaded a friend to buy it as well. I'm not sure if that was his first recording, but I'm not aware of an earlier one. One of my favorite albums, I've said this many times, is Mike Nock's In Out & Around, which was a quartet date with Mike B, George Mraz and Al Foster. I felt that his first album on Impulse! was a pale imitation of that one. Too bad it didn't get more promotion (It was on Timeless as I recall). RIP

I like Filles as well. But I believe that all of it is available in box form from Your Music (65-68 and Silent Way, right?). Considering YM's prices, I would recommend you get those box sets rather than CDs from them.

I'm listening to Sangam now. I don't put it on very often, but when I do I always enjoy it. I suppose I ought to get Charles Lloyd's Sangam to compare the two.

I see that CD Universe now has Sonny, Please available for pre-order. List price $16.98; Their Price $13.29; Pre-Order Price $11.89. Street Date: January 23.

I'm going to be the contrarian. I'm not keen on either one. True Blue is my only Tina Brooks. I enjoy it, and think that it's well worth the $6.99. But I've never thought it showed why Cuscuna felt that Brooks was worth a Mosaic box. I don't think it's that big a deal. The Bridge is my least favorite Sonny Rollins album. I think it's overrated. It's my only Sonny RCA album, and I'm curious to hear another to see if it is any better.

The talk of Janet Jackson suggests to me that the companies are putting too many eggs in too few baskets. One disappointing album shouldn't get senior execs fired.

I second TTK's recommendation of Short Stops, which is out of print but is usually available from Amazon resellers. Also out of print but very important is the EMI/Capitol/Blue Note/whatever CD The Birth of the Cool Vol. 2, which is half Shorty Rogers and half Gerry Mulligan's tentet with Chet Baker. As I recall, this includes Art Pepper's original recording of Over the Rainbow.

Happy Birthday Andy!

Noj, $5.99 is the old price. I'm elated! (Well, I saved a buck, anyway. )

I received my queue shipment confirmation today, and it said that the price was $5.99.

Happy Birthday Patricia!

Happy Birthday tjobbe!

Happy Birthday!

The Ticats announced today that Ron Lancaster will not be back as a football executive next year. They have offered him a position in community relations. Personally, I thought he did a great job as an analyst teamed with Leo Cahill on the CBC broadcasts years ago; and if it were up to me TSN would hire him for their games. I met him at the '85 Grey Cup game. Real nice guy. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

As I recall, it took two or three years for the iPod to catch on. Does anyone remember if price was a consideration then? With people willing to spend a thousand dollars for a big screen TV, I'm of the opinion that people will spend the money if they want the damn thing.

My pick this month is Gil Evans - The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings. I had this down at number six on my queue last month. I noticed that a number of people here and on AAJ included it in their Best of 2006 lists, and I believe I saw that it got some votes in the Downbeat Readers Poll. So I decided to bump it up to the top of my queue and give it a listen. I've liked everything I've heard of Gil Evans, but I can't say that I've loved any of it. I haven't really given him the chance his reputation deserves, so I'm going to play this one a lot and let it help me decide if I want to get any more of him.

Stefan, I agree with Dan. And you can chalk it up as a learning experience that didn't turn out to be too expensive!

Happy Birthday CT!

I took the day off today. Miroslav Vitous Group - s/t (ECM) Michael Gibbs - s/t (Deram) Walter Bishop - Valley Land (Muse) The Art Farmer Quintet - s/t (OJC/Prestige) Mike Nock - Ondas (ECM)

I continue to be a member of BMG, although I haven't bought anything from them (except spending my Music Points) since I joined Your Music two years ago. My current BMG deal is Buy One, Get Four Free. That works out to saving $2.01 for five CDs at BMG over Your Music. Of course, if there were five CDs I really wanted from them now, I would have bought them from Your Music the last week of December.

The Winnipeg Sun is reporting today that the Bombers' Board of Directors is considering asking for offers to buy the team. One offer already exists and will be considered. But they don't want to make a decision without multiple options. The concern is not only with the operation of the club but also with the construction of a new stadium. Apparently they have grown tired of the Bombers being a hand to mouth operation. It was just a few years ago that the team had a franchise value of $5 million and a debt of $5 million, making the team essentially of no value. I didn't realize until this past year that CFL teams are having trouble signing players who are practicing with the team. The money for an NFL taxi squad player is so much greater than what the CFL pays that many players just don't want to commit as long as there is a faint chance an NFL team will sign him. For that reason, I see private ownership as the way to go. Community-owned teams (except Edmonton, of course) can't compete with the NFL for practice roster players! However, I think it should be noted what I've never seen publicly discussed: Canada has a problem. There is a shortage of Canadian sportsmen who are willing and able to compete on a world championship level. (I consider the Grey Cup to be the world championship of Canadian rules football.) Montreal lost its baseball team. Quebec City and Winnipeg lost their hockey teams. Vancouver lost its basketball team. This is a Canadian problem. So the CFL, being a Canadian league, has the problem; but it is not a reflection of the CFL. It's a reflection of Canada. If someone with deep pockets offers to buy the Bombers I would do the deal. But I would not sell to anyone whose business plan required the team to be self-sufficient. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Win...176316-sun.html edit for typo

Happy Birthday Nate!

I received my Brasil '66 CD today, and the box was opened! What the heck is going on for all of us?

I don't dislike Gil Evans. It wouldn't surprise me if one day Miles Ahead clicks for me. It just hasn't yet. I'm going to give Evans another chance this week: His Complete PJ recordings are at the top of my Your Music queue.