ghost of miles

Groucho as Wagstaff teaching a class in HORSEFEATHERS, after Harpo has replaced an educational poster with a portrait of a scantily-clad woman: GROUCHO: Upon closer examination... hmm, this needs a closer examination. In fact it needs a nightgown. Baravelli, is this your picture? CHICO: I no think so. It no look like me. Full scene dialogue here. It's one of my favorite Marx scenes.

The new Penguins are based on the 1989 Pleiade edition, although I understand that the French version includes much extra material that was left out of the English translations. One of these days I need to seriously re-visit my weak grasp of the language and read Proust in the original. Magic is a great way to describe it, Brownie. I've been reading it late at night, which seems like the perfect time to inhabit the pages.

Freakin' A, has anybody noticed this on Alan's Jazzmatazz site?! FINALLY! I don't even care if it's a bit of a letdown--I've wanted to hear this date for years.

Looks as if the Smithsonian is re-issuing it formally: BlackChrist

Somebody posted that to the Proust list, but I haven't read it yet. Just started the "Combray" section last night... so far, the translation is really living up to the hype. (Each volume was done by a different translator; the others have gotten mixed reviews.)

If so, I'd better hear from you so we can meet up! Goes without saying, my friend, goes without saying! I wish they'd bring all of the Thin Man series out on DVD--so far they've issued only the first, but I liked the second and third quite a lot, and even the last one, Song of the Thin Man, was mildly enjoyable, with the Charles interacting with hep-speaking bop musicians.

Thanks for the tip, Dan. You're spot-on about High Note--a big tip of the hat to them for all they've done re: Person/Edwards/Newman/Hicks in the past few years.

Note for those in the Western Michigan area: Lazaro Vega's public radio station, Blue Lake Radio, will be broadcasting the Jump for Joy program this Sunday night (April 18) at 7 p.m., on frequencies WBLV-FM 90.3 in the Muskegon area and WBLU-FM 88.9 in Grand Rapids.

I was telling my wife at breakfast today about this thread and she said, "From what you've told me, the average Organissimo poster sounds intelligent, neurotic, and somewhat aggressive... kind of like certain types of jazz." I love being married to this woman!

"The Big One? Elizabeth, honey, I'm comin' to join ya!"

THE COOL WORLD was based on a rather controversial novel by Warren Miller, btw. I've never read it--the author was white, writing from a black adolescent pov in Harlem. I once wrote a short story along similar lines, and therefore avoided Miler's book, since it seemed to provoke such a strong reaction from black writers (maybe I should've read it to get a better sense of what not to do!). Another subject, sort of related to the thread topic: anybody ever catch Franklin Ajaye? I saw him about 15 years ago on HBO, doing stand-up, and he was fantastic. I think he wrote briefly for "In Living Color" but quit because he thought it glamourized ghetto life.

I would love to find the original soundtrack of that, with Waldron playing. Another version with Dizzy was re-issued a few years back as part of a Verve twofer on one CD. Did the one with Waldron, done for the film itself, ever come out?

Stan Hasselgard Joe Harriott Jimmy Lyons (as a leader) Kenny "Pancho" Hagood (flame away! ) Savoy Sultans Earl Hines w/Parker (anything!) Teri Thornton Joe Albany

Definitely getting that box come May 4. Speaking of avatars, Jim, is that S.J. Perleman occupying your box now? I have an old Modern Library compendium of his stuff... he worked on Monkey Business and perhaps some other early Marx flicks too, though I can't remember which at the moment.

Ha, I heard that song on the radio the other day and was just lovin' it! War indeed... they ruled.

Carl Perkins Dodo Marmarosa Christopher Gaddy Sal Mosca (on a pianist kick, I guess) Sonny Berman John Gilmore (as a leader)

Joe Gordon Dick Twardzik John Dennis Freddie Webster Helen Carr

Just starting Lydia Davis' new translation of Proust's SWANN'S WAY. Only 25 pages or so into it (I'm going to try to read about that much each night), but so far it reads beautifully, with more clarity than the earlier Montcrieff and Kilmartin translations. I also bought IN THE SHADOW OF YOUNG GIRLS IN FLOWER (aka WITHIN A BUDDING GROVE), the only other new translation to come out in the States so far (they all came out in the UK about a year and a half ago). The covers are beautiful, too: I read REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST (the Kilmartin translation) all the way through about 10 years ago... wondering what another decade of experience will do for the second time through. I think I'll have even more appreciation for it than I did when I was younger.

I'm definitely going to make it up for the Mehldau trio and the Coe tribute.

Stranger alliances have been formed playing games of Risk!

"Excuse me, stewardess... I speak jive."

Quick question: do you have to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on capital gains (stock sales)? I always thought those were payroll taxes--but I'm thinking I better make sure.

Conn, you might want to beware of the Turrentine set--it came in for a great deal of criticism regarding audio quality either here or on the old BNBB. You might also want to go for only the sets that Malcolm Addey does. Sound is not as big an issue for me, so I can live with the McMasters, but I've seen so many unhappy postings about his work that I have to give them some credibility. I'd suggest trying one of the big black boxes, such as the aforementioned (and soon to be vanished) Tristano/Konitz/Marsh box. Well-annotated, good sound, and great music to be found there.

Well, I don't think they exactly ran away with it last year. I'm sure that Dan Gould doesn't think that, either! But yes, pitching may be a bit of a weak spot--Mussina is struggling early on, and Contreras still hasn't really come through for them as a starter.

That book looks really cool, Soulstation. I haven't really followed the season much yet because of other circumstances, but I'm hoping to gradually plug into it... read about Bubba Crosby's debut at Yankee Stadium, hitting a home run his first time up and crashing into the outfield wall to make a catch. The crowd loved him. And what a great name for a baseball player!