DTMX

Big fan of Friends, especially Joe Farrell, but if I'm listening at work I have to hide the CD cover - I gotta rep to maintain.

I wonder if they show previews for other movies before this one? I'd think the audience wouldn't be interested in whatever Harrison Ford movie was coming out at Christmas.

SPOILER The surprise ending that sets the stage for the sequel:

The current version of the 21st Century Schizoid Band is made up of Mel Collins, Ian MacDonald, Ian Wallace, Peter Giles and the guitarist from Level 42. About as close to the Islands line-up as you can get. I hope they're playing some improv stuff in the vein of Earthbound or Peoria when they come to Atlanta next month.

666, 668 - either way they keep their TV too loud.

Theater's 'Passion' tickets start with 666 By NORMAN AREY The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/28/04 ROME -- "The Passion of the Christ" and the devil have been inextricably joined in this rural town in northwest Georgia. "The Passion" is showing at the Movies at Berry Square at Mount Berry Square Mall, and the machine that prints the tickets assigned the number 666, the biblical mark of the beast, as a prefix to all the tickets for the film. The fact that triple-six and "The Passion" have been joined is purely luck of the draw, says Gary Smith, who owns the theater complex. "It's from our computer and it's absolutely a coincidence," Smith said. "It has nothing to do with the film company or any vendor. It's completely in our computer. Several people have commented on it, but only one made a stink about it." That person asked for her tickets to be substituted and was given passes in exchange. She declined to talk about it with a reporter, but a family spokesperson said they had found Scriptures that eased their mind on the 666 reference. "I've got a feeling that the person who wanted us to exchange the ticket thought the devil had something to do with it," Smith said. "They didn't want it in their possession. "She just said that she had this superstition about the 666 number," said Smith. "She said she just felt uncomfortable having those tickets in her possession." Erica Diaz, who worked the ticket window Saturday, said she had heard quite a few comments about the numbering. "A lot of people have asked what the numbers mean, some said it seemed odd, some said it was inappropriate," Diaz said. Robin Miller, the general manager of the theater, says "The Passion" will leave its mark. "It looks like this movie will set a record [for attendance in Rome]," she said, breaking that of "Titanic." The movie theater is showing "The Passion" on two screens and had sold out all showings Saturday and today. Smith said he's using one auditorium for church groups exclusively. "We're sold out for church groups for almost three weeks," he said.

Those King Crimson Collector's Club releases with Mel Collins have been making a dent in my savings.

I just bought two of the Black Sabbath CDs with Ronnie James Dio as a member. I don't know why. I think the devil made me do it. That or Tenacious D.

Made it through yet another layoff/restructuring Friday, bought the Bud Shank/Bob Cooper Select on Saturday. The perfect way to alleviate that nagging survivor's guilt.

This is a great recording. I heard a piece from it on WREK (Atlanta) and bought the CD. I keep discovering something new in it every time I hear it.

On Green Dolphin Street

Chico Hamilton Quintet, Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams, John Patton Select - quite a hit in the wallet coming all at once.

Damn, that's one big Stewie.

Favorite quote from Stewie (giving orders to three butlers): You. Fetch me my copy of the Wall Street Journal. You two, fight to the death. Most tasteless Family Guy dialogue Auctioner: Our first item is a pair of panties confiscated from a prostitute. Glen Quagmire: Fifty bucks. Auctioner: She had nine STDs. Glen Quagmire: Forty-five bucks. Auctioner: And when we caught her she wet herself. Glen Quagmire: Fifty bucks.

There's no way this guy's "Can I Borrow a Feelin'" could be better than Kirk Van Houten's poignant version.

Don't ask me, I've got tickets to Wayne Shorter and Sonny Rollins on the same night in April (separate venues, miles apart). Damn my inability to read calendars.

Back in the day when I could eat anything I wanted I'd use buttermilk to make pancakes, cornbread and biscuits. But I couldn't drink it and most would go to waste. Fortunately someone in the dairy industry started selling buttermilk by the pint - enough for cooking or a glass for Grandpa but not enough to end up throwing most of it away if it goes sour(er). If you can stand a spoon up in it - or float a marble on top of it - it's probably expired. Tastes the same though.

Probably going to see the quintet in Athens GA Monday night. Saw them on their "Infinite" tour when Rick Margitza was subbing for Chris Potter. Clarence Penn was the standout performer that night - Uri Caine was in great form too.

The bassoon, aka "the farting bedpost". It's great for adding color to a piece of music but I don't think it's expressive enough for extended soloing. And yes, I've got CDs by Michael Rabinowitz and Illinois Jacquet (playing "Round Midnight") and they do wonders with it but the sound doesn't do much for me outside of classical music. A friend of mine bought a second-hand bassoon, aka "the bass duck", and was playing Charlie Parker songs on it - and playing them well - but to me it just sounded like a scat-singing mallard.

Another expensive eBay purchase - worth it despite this review. JH sounds great, and "The Hard Blues" works well in this stripped-down quartet version.

One recording that I passed on buying, then paid a very high price on eBay for was Berne's Diminutive Mysteries (Mostly Hemphill) which was a collection of unrecorded Hemphill songs arranged by Berne and played by Berne with Joey Baron, Hank Roberts, Marc Ducret, Mark Dresser, and the easy listening sounds of David Sanborn . Actually, Sanborn is hardcore on this one and does a great job of interpreting Hemphill's music. Hemphill does not play on this recording but the songs are unmistakably his. The last song, "Mystery To Me" is one of the most beautiful and soulful songs I've ever encountered - given Hemphill's health at the time of recording it sounds particularly heartbreaking. Review of Diminutive Mysteries

Julius Hemphill was one of those musicians that I didn't 'get' at first - then couldn't get enough of. I was much too late to the scene to see him perform but I was blown away when I was watching the "Woodstock Jazz Festival (1981)" DVD and saw JH playing tenor in Baikida Carroll's band (on the song "Left Jab"). Man, the things I missed... I've done 4 Amazon.com Listmania lists for Sam Rivers, James Spaulding, and Julius Hemphill (and one smartass list for Stockhausen). JH was the first list I did - when I thought of the phrase "The Essential Julius Hemphill" I knew I had to submit it. But I need to go back and revise the list - there's only 10 items on it and so many more great recordings to add. List of Listmania Lists

What I got: Chico Hamilton Quintet Bud Shank Sam Rivers Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams John Patton (Select) All great, but the greaterest one of all: Elvin Jones!

Dee's new Tull-tribute band: Crossdressed Mary. And this from a band that won a Heavy Metal Grammy? You'd never hear anything like this about Judas Priest!