papsrus

Well, I ran a Memorex cleaning disc through the CD player and the voice on the cleaning CD that prompted me through the process was skipping a lot. But I just let it run and after running it I played the CD that was skipping and it played fine. The next CD I tried, the player started skipping again, so I ran the cleaning CD several times. The second offending CD is playing fine now, but I suspect there may be something more going on. An alignment problem maybe. We'll see how it performs over the next several days. btw, I'm running a Cambridge Asur 640C, three years old.

A variety of discs have been skipping on my CD player lately. Even after I've cleaned them, they still skip. Listening to one now on my laptop that was skipping on my CD player earlier and it's playing fine now. So, just ordered a cleaning disc. This one. We'll see.

LeBron was right about one thing: "Not one, ..."

Don't they have treatments now that dissolve those things?

I guess nobody ever makes fun of these two? If folks are looking for unspoiled, mature, humble human beings among the ranks of pro athletes, they're going to be disappointed more often than not.

Yes, I mean rhythm, but also just about any other aspect of Thomas' playing you can name. Crude tone, not interested in solo playing, harmonically unsophisticated, etc. (And I use all of these terms as descriptions, not criticisms.) Kid Thomas sounds completely untouched by Armstrong, and that's pretty unusual for trumpet player who didn't record until 1952. Thanks Jeff. Yeah, that describes his playing all right. Gritty, plowing straight ahead, staying right on the rhythm. It's quite beautiful in its own way. So glad you brought this one up. Recall reading this a while ago. Thanks Chris!

Great news. Thanks. Definitely would love to hear more of Gryce with Williams.

Just peeled this one from the wrapper and giving it a listen now. When you describe Kid Thomas' playing as pre-Armstrong are you thinking in terms of his rhythmic approach? The music here overall is primitive (in the best sense of the term). Anyways, loving this one. It jumps. And you're right about Barnes here. Expressive player.

Waaait a minute. GCA = Great Choke Artist ...? How about Lame Ballin' Joker? I still say Carlisle is the difference. And Dirk. Carlisle and Dirk. That's it. Well, Carlisle, Dirk and Terry. ... and Chandler. But that is it man. Carlisle, Dirk, Terry and Chandler. ... and Berea. Carlisle, Dirk, Terry, Chandler and Berea. Other than that, they got nothin! Dallas in 6

World's most-pierced woman weds (wonder what she looks like without makeup?)

Dallas has the better coach. Which usually works out better than having the inmates run the asylum.

Vancouver seems very weak on the puck both defensively and in the Bruins' zone tonight. Much like Game 3. Lots of backing up, fumbling around with the puck and turnovers. And not near enough pressure in the offensive zone. And it's open season on Luongo's glove side. ... again ...

Open bar!? Does 'open bar' mean the same thing in NY as it does elsewhere?

The league (Mike Murphy, NHL senior VP of hockey operations) is saying the hit on Horton would have been legal if it wasn't late. The Canucks are saying it was a legal hit to Horton's chest, only an instant late, maybe.

Padres draft Kyle Gaedele, the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel. Unlike his 3-foot-7 great-uncle who walked in a publicity stunt 60 years ago Kyle stands 6-foot-3.

Shawn, I sincerely hope you are able to turn things around soon. Try to seek out and surround yourself with those things that make you stronger.

I've had a couple of kidney stones in my lifetime and all I can say is I wouldn't want to be him. I'm sure the team has some strong pain killers he can take, but still.... And if he is on strong pain killers, I wouldn't want to be an opposing hitter. Are there rules/guidelines about that sort of thing? If someone's out there blitzed on Oxy-whatever and injures another player either because he's disoriented or can't feel any pain, that doesn't seem right.

Bruins are full of beans tonight.

OK last one tonight. Listening now to Percy Humphrey & His Sympathy Five (blue label). It also includes four previously issued tracks by Humphrey with Paul Barbarin's Band and three tracks at the end by Blind Gilbert's Trio (with Raymond Burke). All of it recorded in the early 50s. Burke also appears on Sympathy Five stuff. Really tight. Anyone else know this one? Jeff? I'm sure none of these I've been listening to tonight qualify as "essential," but all have their own distinct flavor and are a blast to listen to.

Rays bullpen threw some nice batting practice for the Mariners today.

Another AM title (pale blue label) with the aforementioned John Handy on board (playing clarinet) is "Punch Miller 1960" Most of his playing is in support of the ensemble, and kind of in the background, but there are moments where he steps out front and howls the blues, as on "Tin Roof Blues." But this is Punch's gig.

Just ordered Kid Thomas 'Very First Recordings.' Looking forward to it. Did a label search for 'American Music' at amazon using the advanced search function and they've got a decent number of titles, probably 5 or 6 pages worth. After burrowing through the shelves here I found a couple of other AM titles that I'd overlooked. Alto player Captain John Handy is an interesting guy, someone Allen had mentioned a while back. His American Music release -- also titled "The Very First Recordings" -- is pretty ragged, quite honestly. The trumpet player on the bulk of these recordings from 1960, Jimmy Clayton, isn't really up to the task. But Handy's unique R&B-tinged alto is worth hearing in these settings. GHB or Jazz Crusade are better places to start with Handy, though.

I'm thinking I need a vacation.

Yeah, Chara was weak on that goal, but there was a series of blunders there -- all within 11 seconds. Ference's turnover in the neutral zone off the opening faceoff, then his failure to peel back (he was pretty much caught flat-footed), left Chara having to sprint in from the other side of the ice to cover Burrows. And then Thomas made one of his gonzo moves by launching himself into no-man's land in an all-or nothing gamble to knock the puck away from Burrows. Chara should have plowed Burrows into the end boards at that point though, no doubt. Here's hoping the Bruins can bounce back on home ice and make a series of it.