GA Russell

When I'm feeling melacholy, I put on the Paul Desmond.

Today: Various - Rockin Little Christmas (MCA) The Beach Boys - Christmas Album The Kingston Trio - The Last Month of the Year Peggy Lee - Christmas Carousel Various - A Jazz Noel (Windham Hill) The Four Freshmen - Freshmas! Various - Bummed Out Christmas (Rhino) Various - Yule Be Boppin (Blue Note) Various - Yule Struttin (Blue Note) (5 song EP I got with my subscription to Down Beat!) Perry Como - Season s Greetings Tony Bennett - Snowfall Bing Crosby - The Very Best of Bing Crosby Christmas (Decca)

I have one Steps Ahead album, Modern Times from 1984. Warren Burnhardt, Eddie Gomez, Peter Erskine, Michael Brecker and Mike Mainieri. Not bad, not great. I play it once a year when I want to hear something electric (I have very little fusion in my collection.). It's not as good as you would expect such a lineup to produce, but as I say, it's not bad.

Well, I think Ritchie would be the better choice, but in Austin's defense, many of the Argos were injured when he was the coordinator. As I recall, they only played Williams on first down because there was an import ratio issue preventing them from leaving him in there for second down. I also recall that Damon was out at the time, and all the defenses was keying on Williams on those first downs because they didn't think that Spurgon Wynn could complete a pass. It's my recollection that the game after they fired Austin Damon came back, and from then on the team started to win. Not that it should matter in the selection of a coach, but Austin might sell some tickets as well. He had some great years as the QB in Regina, including the '89 Grey Cup. Did Austin leave Regina after alienating the fans there with a comment? I can't remember the circumstances. ***** On another note, the Cowboys cut Mike Vanderjagt today. I saw him play in the '96 Grey Cup. I looked him up in my encyclopedia and was surprised to see how little time he spent in the CFL. He played two games (no placekicks, 17 punts) for the Roughriders in '95, won the Grey Cup twice with the Argos in '96 and '97, and joined the Colts in '98. I thought he was in the CFL much longer than that. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

I'm delighted to see the many posts to this thread. For all these years I thought I was the only guy who really liked him. One of his recordings that hasn't been mentioned yet is Wayne Shorter's Super Nova.

As expected, the Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today that head coach Danny Barrett will not be back. Barrett s contract expired at the end of the season, so it is not really a firing. He was hired by GM Roy Shivers; and when Shivers was fired in the middle of this season, everyone figured that new GM Eric Tillman would replace Barrett with his own man. From what I read when Tillman was the GM of the Ottawa Renegades, he may very well hire Dave Ritchie, currently the defensive coordinator of the new Grey Cup champion BC Lions. Ritchie won the Grey Cup as head coach of the Lions, and has also coached the Montreal Alouettes and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I heard an interview with Ritchie conducted the day before the Western final two weeks ago in which he said that he would very much like to be a head coach again. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

I don't have any Bill Frissell in my collection. Does anybody have an opinion of this one with Carter and Motian? And what is the word on the Garrett?

Al, tell us what they are!

Garcia looked pretty good against the Colts. He didn't throw deep downfield much, but he was effective getting first downs and engineering drives, looking like a Canadian league QB. The Eagles defense was terrible, but Garcia brought the team back to within ten in the fourth.

I thought that the Eagles defense was supposed to be good, that it "carried the team" as Rush Limbaugh said. Through three quarters so far, they've stunk. On the other hand, Jeff Garcia has looked pretty good, not like a 36 year old who hasn't played much for a couple of years. Right now he is 14 for 17 with 1 TD and 0 INTs. edit for Canadian spelling!

Today: Ramsey Lewis Trio - Sound of Christmas Stan Kenton - A Merry Christmas! Various - Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas Party Various - Christmas Cocktails Part Two (Capitol Ultra Lounge) Various - Hipsters' Holiday (Rhino) Various - Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits 1955-Present (1989) (Rhino) Various - Doo Wop Christmas (Rhino) Diana Krall - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (EP from 1998) Peter Cincotti - My Favorite Time of Year (single from 2003) Frank Sinatra - A Jolly Christmas Mel Torme - Christmas Songs

Just listened to this one today. I recommend it!

And since my last post... Various - Jazz Yule Love (Mack Avenue) Blossom Dearie - Christmas Spice So Very Nice Jaymz Bee & the Royal Jelly Orchestra - A Christmas Cocktail Various - Merry Christmas Baby (Capitol) Wynton Marsalis - Crescent City Christmas Card Andy Williams - Personal Christmas Collection Joe Pass - Six-String Santa Jimmy Smith - Christmas Cookin'

Vanier Cup: Laval Rouge et Or 13....Sakatchewan Huskies 8 The game was played in Saskatoon, the first time ever outside Ontario. I read a couple of days ago that the temperature at kickoff was expected to be -20C, which I think is about 0F. This article doesn't specify the temp, but implies that it was too cold to be playing football. This is Laval's third Vanier Cup in four years. For those of you who don't know, the Vanier Cup is awarded to the Canadian collegiate champion of Canadian rules football. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

Is there the usual bedding of beautiful women? Somewhere along the line I got tired of that schtick and started longing for a good adventure story.

Rooster, I have Dark Journey, which is a 2-CD compilation.

Various - Jazz Yule Love II (Mack Avenue) Michael Franks - Watching the Snow Charles Brown - Please Come Home for Christmas (King) Various - Superstars of Christmas 1995 (Capitol) Manhattan Transfer - The Christmas Album

I'm very sad about this. Walter Booker was my first favorite bassist. I think I first heard him on the Ray Bryant album Gotta Travel On. A couple of years later I saw him with Thelonious Monk, and a year later with Cannonball Adderley, when I was fortunate enough to interview him for my college radio station. Nice guy. RIP.

RIP, Anita. I just gave my sister for her birthday a copy of the Anita entry in The Diva Series; so I am glad I did that during her lifetime. Yesterday I alerted The Drudge Report on Anita s death, and today Drudge has the link to her obituary near the top of the column; so I guess that Drudge pays attention to the people who alert him to the news. Of course, I can imagine that there were many jazz fans from throughout the world who did as I did, so maybe Drudge figured that Anita was someone he should know about.

Good find, Jim!

My CFL Encyclopedia says that Garcia was a rookie for the Stamps in 1994. Here is an article that says he is 36. The Eagles play the Colts on Sunday night, so all of North America will be able to see if he still has it. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

Shane, I ordered your Blakey Mosaic today. If it goes out on Monday the 27th, you can probably count on receiving it Monday the 4th. Hope you enjoy it!

Chet Baker PJ Live, disc 1

I'm not sure how old Jeff Garcia is now, but he was a rookie for the Calgary Stampeders about 1990, so he's getting up there. Today the Eagles named him their starter to replace the injured Donovan McNabb. http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsFootball/home

No plans, so I'll probably catch up on chores. Good luck to Jazzbo and Jazzbette!