GA Russell

Al, thanks for your offer of a copy, but that's a lot of Columbia, it looks like, and I've never gone for the Columbia sound. My sister and brother-in-law have plenty of it, and I hear all I need for the year when I visit them! My Snowfall is the CD. My sister has the LP, and I'll plan to listen to it to see if I notice any difference. I doubt that they have overdubbed anything, as his style of singing on my CD is that of his older recordings when he was still somewhat ethnic, although not nearly as ethnic as when he started his career in the early 50s.

More love for Walter Booker! He's rated an obituary in the LA Times! Walter Booker, 72; played bass with Adderleys, Vaughan From Times Staff and Wire Reports November 29, 2006 Walter Booker, 72, a double bass player who performed with jazzmen Cannonball Adderley and Nat Adderley and mentored young musicians at his Boogie Woogie Studio in New York, died at his home in Manhattan on Nov. 24 after suffering cardiac arrest, said his wife, pianist Bertha Hope. Born in Prairie View, Texas, on Dec. 17, 1933, Booker began playing the double bass at age 26 when he was in the Army. After leaving the service, he joined a quintet that caught the attention of Cannonball Adderley. Booker's playing was marked by voice-like inflections, glissandos and techniques such as tremolo. He often danced while playing, Hope said. In a decades-long career, Booker played with a long list of jazz giants. One of his first jobs was touring with the Shirley Horn Trio. After moving to New York City in 1964, Booker worked with Donald Byrd and later with Stan Getz. In the 1960s Booker performed with such jazz artists as Sonny Rollins, Ray Bryant, Art Farmer, Milt Jackson, Chick Corea and Thelonius Monk. In 1969, Cannonball Adderley invited Booker to join his group, where he remained until Adderley's death in 1975. From 1975 until 1981, Booker performed with Sarah Vaughan. During those years, he also recorded with such artists as Betty Carter and Billy Higgins. From 1981 to 1983, he worked with John Hicks. In later years, he joined the Nat Adderley Trio and remained with the group until Nat Adderley's death in 2000. For 15 years, he also ran a free studio where young musicians were able to learn and "were free to explore their creativity," Hope said. In recent years, Booker performed with the Bertha Hope Trio, the Walter Booker Quintet and Elmollenium.

OK, md, I'll put it in my queue.

Last night I pulled out my Christmas LPs! First one up: Johnny Mathis - Christmas Eve with...

I thought this was going to be about album covers and cheesecake!

The Toronto Sun reports that even though Casey Printers' rights still belong to BC, the Argos' management are openly discussing their desire to sign him. Printers is currently on the Kansas City practice roster The article also says that BC has signed Buck Pierce to a three year contract extension. Why Pierce would agree to such a deal is a mystery to me unless he is being paid an awful lot of money. They are not going to let him start ahead of Dave Dickenson, and Pierce is IMO better than the starting QBs in Sask, Winnipeg, Toronto and maybe Hamilton. Anyway, with both Dickenson and Pierce, the Lions have little interest in Printers coming back. I believe that the Lions' rights to Printers expire in a few weeks, probably Feb. 1. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Tor...545653-sun.html

Here's an article about the Ticats. It says that former Als coach Charlie Taafe is the favorite to be the Ticats' next head coach, but they will also interview Winnipeg defensive coordinator Greg Marshall. Marshall used to play for the Ottawa Rough Riders, and should not be confused with the former McMaster and Ticat head coach of the same name. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Ham...530891-sun.html ***** Here's an article which verifies my hunch that Eric Tillman will hire Dave Ritchie for the Roughriders head coaching job. It also says that in Montreal Jim Popp will probably relieve himself of the head coaching duties, and is considering hiring BC Lions offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine. If both come to pass, Wally in BC would have to find himself both a new offensive coordinator and a new defensive coordinator to defend the Grey Cup with. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Sas...530892-sun.html edit for typo

I'm jealous! The Charles Brown is at the top of my list of Mosaics I regret not getting. I saw him at the 1991 New Orleans Jazzfest, and he was much better than I expected. I grew up hearing Please Come Home For Christmas each year on the radio, and in '89 I got a tape of the album it came from. I think it cost $2.99! So at the Jazzfest I didn't expect much, but I thought for old times' sake I would check him out. And he was great! If I had had the moolah at the time I would have gotten the Mosaic for sure, but I guess all of us can say that about one Mosaic or another.

I suspect that for the albums mentioned in this thread, the owners got tired of them and got rid of them. But my hunch for both USA and Aja is that their owners upgraded to CD and then disposed of the LPs. We shouldn't forget that most people consider CDs to sound better than LPs.

McDonald s has invented a tool to use in making a sandwich. It is seeking a patent in the US and Europe to prevent anyone from using a similar tool. The tool has a cavity. You put the garnishes in first, then the meat, then the bread, then turn it upside down. That s what I make of it. Here s the link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1952246,00.html

Here's a link to the Chicago Sun-Times' review of the new Microsoft Zune mp3 player. I don't recall ever seeing a daily newpaper rip into an electronic product like this review does. "just plain dreadful" "Doug Morris, CEO of Universal Music Group...is just a big, clueless idiot..." "a complete, humiliating failure" http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko...-Andy23.article

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!

On the one hand, John Candy was born the same week I was. On the other hand... I have outlived Grover Washington, Jr., by 16 days and Johnny Ramone by 44 days. In 30 days I will have outlived Dag Hammarskjold.

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'