ghost of miles

The book is out: I've been listening to FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET again this past week--man, what an event that was when it came out in 1990. That and NATION OF MILLIONS still sound pretty amazing to me whenever I throw them on.

ESPN polled 24 MLB managers and found heavy support for expanded replay--18 wanted it, two didn't, and four didn't want to comment.

This, in advance of this week's "Goin' Up: Space Age Jazz" Night Lights show: A fascinating book so far.

Chuck, do you have a general target date yet for when the Roscoe quartet and the Braxton/McDonough will be available for ordering?

Well, gents, it's finally up, fwiw: He, Too, Was America: Duke Ellington's Sepia Panorama Tranemonk, I had the same reaction as you re: Strayhorn when I read the book last summer.

Kearns struck out 7 times in the past two games against the Rays. His K in the top of the 4th with runners on first and third and only one out was particularly galling, a very bad AB that failed (as the Yanks have done so often lately) to get a runner in by making some sort of contact. Without Swisher and Gardner, though, Joe Girardi's OF options have been very limited lately. I do think I'd have to bet on the Rays winning the division now--our schedule being what it is, I'd hoped we'd come out of the Texas and Tampa series holding a two-game lead over the Rays, but we have no wiggle room left now. Earlier in the year the games with the Orioles looked like they'd give us a breather, but no more, now that they've morphed into the Fightin' Showalters.

The Jeter HPB situation was certainly one that would've been tailor-made for a replay challenge--but Selig won't countenance it, all of his "re-examine" talk after the blown perfect game was just that. Again, I know teams catch good and bad breaks, but it would've been an uneasy win from my POV if we'd gotten it on the basis of that and Grandy's following HR. And again, it shouldn't have mattered...we've been absolutely terrible with RISP lately. Swisher and Gardner are back on Friday night and Pettitte starts against the Orioles on Sunday; hopefully they can help revive the team, which is 2-8 in its last 10 games, and those two wins coming on on the basis of heroic feats (Swisher's walkoff against the O's and Golson's walkoff throw last night). TB's definitely in the driver's seat now, what with the rest of their schedule vs. New York's and their 8-6 season series advantage. NY will have to take 3 of 4 from the Rays next week just to end up tied in that column with TB...and even then, chances are that our hashing it out with the Orioles and Bosox will put some hurt on our AL East W-L record, the second tiebreaker after the head-to-head record. (All of this matters, of course, only if the Rays and Yanks end up tied.)

Well, Papsrus, congratulations on taking 2 of 3 from NY in an epic series--fitting that it ended with Soriano against A-Rod. Frankly it would've been a tainted win for NY tonight if they had pulled it out, given that bad call on the Jeter HBP. I just don't get Phil Hughes...even when he pitches really well, as he did tonight, he seems to make one or two huge mistakes that negate the rest of his performance--and why throw the same pitch in the same spot to Johnson, who'd taken him deep just two innings before? The Yankees continue their RISP misery as well--ridiculous that we scored only 1 run off Shields, given all the hits we got off him. Again I have to think this just may be TB's year. In any event, those were three great games of baseball... I hope we can get you back next week at the Stadium.

I goofed--it is indeed the rubber match tonight. (Then NY & TB go at it again 4 times next week in NY.) Listening on the radio, I had the proverbial panic attack when Longoria hit that one to deep center off Mo in the bottom of the 10th...sounded for a moment like it might be yet another walkoff loss. Batters have been hitting Mo pretty well his last couple of times out. I think the Rays still have the edge in the season matchup so far, 7-6, which could end up mattering if there's a tie in the overall W-L category. Though some Yankee fans at Pinstripe Alley are now saying they wouldn't mind the wild-card, because NY would face Minnesota in the first round instead of a 5-game series with Texas (and Cliff Lee twice in 5 games).

Phillies are looking tough in the stretch, J.H.... I'm starting to think they're going to rack up NL championship #3 in a row. The NL postseason is going to be really interesting this year. Papsrus, does this feel like a playoff series or what? And we play each other five more times before the playoffs even start! Another incredible game tonight... I really don't think NY could've taken another epic loss on this road trip from hell. After Nova's meltdown in the 5th (not sure why Joe G left him in so long, unless he was trying to let Nova go 5 for the decision...damn near cost us the game, though!), the bullpen really came through (save for Logan's giving up the HR to Aybar, of course), aided by those incredible plays by Granderson and Golson in the 9th and 10th. Man, you should've seen the thread at Pinstripe Alley in the bottom of the 5th, though. Talk about misery! At least we've avoided a sweep, and Pettitte's back on Sunday to face Baltimore. In the meantime, tomorrow night should be a hell of a rubber match, unless you guys knock Phil Hughes around (a distinct possibility, unfortunately--from my POV, of course ).

Ain't this the truth: AL East already has a postseason feel

Allegro is running a 25% off Hep label sale this week.

All best, Dan.

This past weekend's Night Lights show, Jazz From Monterey: 1958, Birth of a Festival, is now up for online listening (just ahead of the 2010 festival). It features live performances from the Jimmy Giuffre 3, Louis Armstrong, Gerry Mulligan, Billie Holiday, Cal Tjader, and Dave Brubeck. Coming later this week: "Goin' Up: Jazz in the Space Age."

Last week's Afterglow program featured Billie Holiday exclusively in big-band settings, including airchecks with Count Basie, a big-band performance of "The Blues Are Brewin'" with Louis Armstrong from the film New Orleans, her Decca recordings with large ensembles, and a concert performance of "I Cover the Waterfront" with Duke Ellington's orchestra. It's up for online listening: Swing It, Lady, Swing: Billie Holiday With the Big Bands

Thanks for this news, RogerF--hopefully I can pick these titles up in the next several months.

Also glad to hear you guys got a good crowd out for the game tonight (reportedly around 27,000).

Hey Papsrus, congrats on tonight's win--your bullpen outlasted ours. Yankees not hitting at all of late (or leaving lots of LOB when they do). Hate to say it, but tonight's game could be your equivalent to our 15-inning win over Boston last year.

Incredible Yankees-Rays pitching duel tonight, whatever the outcome.

Doing the One O'Clock Jump?

"Narrative, force, perspective...are you sure Joey drew this?"

Upping this for JSngry.

I stayed up last night and watched the 12:30 a.m. rerun on AMC--third time I've seen the episode, and it just hit me even harder this time around, even knowing what was coming. Right up there with "5G" and "The Wheel" from Season 1 and "The Gypsy and the Hobo" from Season 3 as one of the most moving episodes this show has done yet.

Peggy Lee wants to know as well.

Subscribe to: The New York Review of Books (my favorite non-music periodical) The New Yorker Downbeat JazzTimes Traces (Indiana history magazine) Men's Health Poets and Writers Buy regularly off the newstand: WaxPoetics Buy occasionally off the newstand: The Believer Mojo Oxford American (esp. the music issue) I had a subscription to Cadence for a few years but let it lapse (can't even remember why--no specific reason that I can recall) and haven't ever gotten around to renewing it. Same with The Nation (although in that case, it was just from a feeling of having too much already to read).