papsrus

Dan, can you or anyone else explain why the questioning seems to be along party lines here? It can't simply be because Clemens is a good Republican.

That AP story was much less specific when it first moved last night. It initially said something like Clemens "talked to Pettitte about HGH" ... much more nebulous phrasing, and I have to wonder why AP wasn't more specific in its original story. I thought it was because that's all they had. I figured whoever leaked it wanted just enough ambiguity out there to invite Clemens into a perjury trap. Congress would let Clemens give his side of that story today, then confront him with more incriminating details from the Pettitte affidavit. Nice that he's hanging his wife out to dry. The guy is toast, IMO. He'd better start focusing on staying out of jail at this point.

I wonder if Schuster would find any irony in a thread about his using the term "pimpin" to describe Chelsea Clinton morphing into a thread about "tapping" the lovely and talented Sarah Silverman? (I'm in the "yep" camp when it comes to SS)

Hope that goes well, Papsrus. I saw Moody many years ago...can't recall in what context! Yes, I'm looking forward to it. It appears that some top-notch jazz is starting to make its way to the local performing arts venue here. Hopefully this is a good sign for the future. Branford Marsalis will be playing here in about a month as well. EDIT: Blanchard concert was very good and the 1,700 seat hall was about 9/10ths full (corners in the back were empty). Moody -- 82-year-old James Moody -- was great, and quite a showman too, cracking a few corny jokes. Audience loved it. But his tone and phrasing were perfect, and his playing and stage presence were energetic. Amazing. Highlights of the first set were the opener -- "Bebop" -- and "Monterey Mist," which the band played with deft touch. The unquestioned highlight of the second set was a mini-medley of Blanchard's "Levee" and "Funeral Dirge" from the album "God's Will" (for which he won a Grammy Sunday night). Played with an orchestra on the album, the two tunes were beautifully rendered in trio and then quartet settings respectively. Gorgeous.

Not surprising. On CNN this morning the anchor commented "I didn't know Herbie Hancock was even still in the music business". Well, CNN isn't as hip as those pimpin' MSNBC cats. EDIT: FWIW, I dig the Hancock album quite a bit. Played the heck out of it when I first got it. Shorter is great. It's a pretty well-thought-out album. Sensitive, yada, yada. Gave a copy to my non-jazz-lovin' sister for Christmas, so she'll be impressed with my expert taste ... maybe.

Tonight: Terence Blanchard with James Moody (sax), Benny Green (piano), Nnenna Freelon (vocals), Derrick Hodge (bass) and Kendrick Scott (drums). Part of the Monterey 50th Anniversary Tour.

Thanks for posting this. Very much enjoying it. I've just recently started listening to Black Brown & Beige, so this broadcast provides some needed context for me. The Nelson suite I am completely unfamiliar with, but from the recordings here, it sounds very good indeed. Interesting that he was initially reluctant to write the suite. I am familiar with Castles of Ghana, but nothing else of Carter's mammoth contribution here. Anyways, thanks again for providing this. Very much enjoying it.

Avant-garde saxophone player Andrew D'Angelo had a seizure while driving and doctors found a brain tumor. He needs brain surgery but has no health insurance. LINK I kicked in. Hope others will also.

Given Obama's great, great showing Saturday night, that might be a moot point, with any luck.

I disagree. It's a smart and politically astute response. Yeah, it's not the first time a politician has twisted the knife just a little after they've got someone down. She's basically playing to the moms of America (of which there seem to be very few here), me thinks, and maybe people who are generally hostile toward the MSM (whatever that is) to begin with. Next week we won't even remember this. There'll be some new skirmish to divert our attention. But the battle is won in small increments. And so it goes ....

All bets are off when it comes to Silverman, bless her heart.

Thank you for posting this. I'll be tuning in Sunday.

Maybe Schuster should take over Safire's "On Language" column, since he seems to be on the cutting edge of modern usage. Language evolves. But it does reflect, among other things, our level of civility. I can't see myself using the phrase "pimpin" in serious conversation. But I guess if you're floundering around (or is it "foundering?") trying to find things to rip the Clintons about, this is where you end up. Tune in next week, when Chris Matthews calls Hillary a "Ho" for taking $$ from Big Pharma. Drug users will react with outrage, and Matthews will be forced to apologize on air and offer that what he really meant to call her was a "pimp." All will be forgiven, and progress marches on.

This arrived today, and I'm just winding up a first listen: Boy, you were right about Lotus Blossom, Bev. Tugs at the old heart strings. A beautiful album start to finish. Beyond Category also arrived today, so I'll be diving into that shortly. Cuing up "And His Mother ..." for another go round first.

THE KEYTAR!!!!!!! I saw Herbie headline the 2003 Clearwater Jazz Holiday (organissimo played as well) on piano with just bass (Scott Colley) and drums (Terri-Lynn Carrington). It was phenomenal. I'd love to see him in that combo. Clearwater is just up the road from me. Let us know if you ever head back there.

The phrase does suggest a certain cheapness or inappropriateness of her conduct, which as you point out is absurd. As I said, seems to me it reveals more about the person saying it than it does about Chelsea Clinton or what she was actually doing.

Is it the phrase itself that's offensive, or what his choice of words reveals about his own biases? He is supposed to be a newsman, after all. Or maybe that line has been blurred beyond all recognition on TV.

Feast your eyes on this baby! Grabbed image from here.

The photo: What's the guy to his right playing? Another rather large-looking instrument of some kind.

Yes, gosh it has been too long since I've listened to that Douglas-Solal. I'll be cuing it up today. Thanks. Both "Third Man" and "Krakow" sound great. Fujji has put out some beautiful music, including the recent "Minamo" with violinist Carla Kilhstedt, but that's an entirely different animal of free improvisation.

While I really enjoy discovering the various earlier Ellington periods (thanks to all the great help here), I find myself pulled by the richness of the Ellington suites, and so have ordered the African-Eurasian Eclipse, Latin American and New Orleans Suites to round things out here on that front. (On the shelf here already: Far East, Such Sweet Thunder, Black Brown & Beige, and The Ellington Suites. Love 'em all.) At the risk of posing a dumb question, anyone else find these as compelling as I'm finding them lately, or have any thoughts on these three I have on the way? btw: Listening to Standard Transcriptions now and Mercer Ellington seems to be a nifty composer in his own right ... "Jumpin' Pumkins" What a great tune! (and title!) This one's growing on me too.

... Yeah ... I'll say That Cannonball "Plus" is a great album, yes?

It's about time!

Nice to see you made your way over stuartjewkes! Very cool. I've not heard the Braxton discs you mentioned, but it's a great period for him, I think -- mid- to late '80s. I still haven't received the "Vienna" disc I ordered to replace the MP3 version I have. Some sort of snafu with the seller being offline for a while. Maybe today. Ive sort of veered off into Ellington, Basie et al lately, but the appetite for Brax is always there.

That Pepper box is amazing. Snagged one myself. Too good to pass up at the price they offered it.