AfricaBrass

Thanks JSngry! Jim Dye, Great suggestion about the 32 jazz contest. Having just ate lunch, I don't know if I can participate. My mom always told me to wait 30 minutes before I went back in and designed horrific covers. :rsmile:

Thanks for the heads up, too! I remember driving a hundred miles to get a cd of Music Inc. on Strata East about 10 years ago. I think I paid $20 for it. :rsmile:

Thanks RDK! Do you guys know any websites where I can get good photos for this thread? I've been looking around in Google images, but I'm not finding much. Thanks!

Thanks Rooster and Jim! I really liked your cover too, Jim! :rsmile:

This is a great thread! I've really been enjoying all your covers. Here's my Stanley Cowell - Brilliant Circles. I tried to do it as if it was Reid Miles in 1969 doing a 2-color cover. I hope you like it. :rsmile:

Wonderful post, Jim! I don't really have any words to say, but I feel like I've been punched in the gut. I knew this day was coming, but it's still pretty sad. I grew up hearing Johnny Cash's music. Especially with my grandparents. They've been gone awhile and losing Johnny is like losing a bridge to a happier time for me. I'm just happy that he's back with June and I hope that he's jamming with Luther right now. Rest in peace, Johnny.

Congratulations Jim and the misses! My son just turned 2. I was one of those guys who thought I'd never have kids. Heck, I'd never even held a baby before. I was terrified. When my wife and I took parenting classes at our hospital, I couldn't do anything right. I couldn't wrap the dolls up right, and when I held a real baby, the poor little guy just cried and cried. He could smell my fear. Now having said this, I've never experienced anything like having my son. He's the best thing in the world to me. I have to say that it's been hard at times, but the rewards are beyond anything I could have imagined. Until I became a parent, I never realized how self centered I had been my whole life. It was really hard for me giving up my freedom, but once I just went with it and relaxed, I found what a joy it is to be a parent. My recommendation is, before the baby is born, try to enjoy the time you have with your wife as much as possible. Congratulations! :rsmile:

I've done some downloading here and there. But what happened with me is that if I liked what I downloaded, I usually bought the cd. If I didn't like what I downloaded, I deleted it. I know I'm not the normal case, but mp3's are inferior to me. I even cancelled my emusic.com subscription because I just don't love mp3's that much. I'd rather have the real thing. Chuck, I've never downloaded any of your stuff, but someday I hope to buy some. The biggest problem for me is finding it. I like to buy my cds from local merchants, but since Tower is in trouble, they don't have much stock anymore. To me, the threat of mp3's is to record labels that put music out that is so bad, nobody will buy the album for $19. I blame the slump in sales on: a.) the economy b.) high cd prices c.) fewer outlets to purchase product d.) Clear Channel type radio stations with narrow/rigid playlists e.) after all these things, I could see mp3's being a problem. To me, the biggest problem with music these days is finding it. I have absolutely no idea anymore how to find good music. I also think that music isn't as relevant as it used to be to younger people. Kids have been growing up listening to cr@p. If I was a kid and had the musical choices that are out there today, I don't think I'd be 1/8 the music lover I am. It's like the music industry has developed a hate relationship with the consumer. They give us bad music, endless compilations, or like Blue Note did, alienate their biggest supporters. So now they're suing everybody. It makes me want to stop buying cds altogether.

I wonder what David Blaine is thinking about right now?

I really like the idea. It would be fun to have topics on LPs that haven't been released on cd yet. I know I've got a ton of them. It would also be fun to talk about albums from different genres. :rsmile:

I'm with Aric, I can't believe anyone will sign up for this stupid amnesty program. This makes me want to buy even FEWER cds. Since Blue Note shafted us, I've barely bought any of their product. I think it's time to enjoy what I already have. Sorry RIAA! B3-er makes a great point. In this kind of economy, paying $19 for a cd doesn't make a lot of sense, and I've never found any good jazz on Kazaa, etc... I really wish we could do something to show the RIAA that they're wrong. I'm prepared to not buy ANY cds for the next year from labels that support the RIAA. Maybe if enough people did that then they'd get the message not to kick those who have been their biggest supporters.

Congratulations David! I hope you have a very special day! :rsmile:

I'm still enjoying it. I think it would be worth it even at full price (I bought mine for $11.99 ). It's really nice to see Neil Young's creative juices flowing. I have to give him a lot of credit for completely going with the concept the way he has. I really sells the story in the acoustic version that I've seen. The studio version almost seems like a live album to me. It sounds like they recorded a show. NY is off-mike at times. I know he likes to get the raw performance, but this is pretty raw at times. I really do like it though. :rsmile:

I too prefer the acoustic version. I think it suits the material better. To me the songs really have a porch feel, by that I mean that is the place where they were made to be performed. It's like sitting on a hot summer night and listening to a story. I've tried to keep up with all of NY's work, but I prefer his seventies and earlier stuff the most. I like Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere a lot more than Rust Never Sleeps. I've been trying to familiarize myself with his newer albums with a totally open mind. So far, I like the older stuff better, but maybe I'll hear something I've been missing. :rsmile:

Sorry, Tony J! Great idea! I know how it is to be up all night with a newborn. My son is now 2, but when he used to keep us up at night, I couldn't come up with any ideas. I couldn't think of anything at all. What's your secret? Dan, you still came up with the GREAT idea of sending out-of-print titles out. I'm still digging the Lou Donaldson you sent me. Thanks! :rsmile:

I just wanted to pipe-in and say how much I like the idea of the Organissimo Blindfold Test. I haven't been around that much lately, so I'm not sure who came up with the idea (my guess is Dan), but I just want to say "good job!" I think having a separate forum for it is a GREAT idea. I was thrilled when I first saw the AoTW forum. It makes it really easy to follow. Nice work! :rsmile:

I've been listening to this album since it came out. I had seen the acoustic show before I heard the studio album. As a BIG ol' fan of NY's guitar playing (both electric and acoustic), I was happy that the studio version was electric. I love how NY plays electric guitar. I was very influenced in my own guitar playing by him. But for me, the acoustic version seems more poignant. As far as the concept, I'm not completely sold on it, but I've committed myself to listening to this album for a while with VERY open mind. Nice observation about those Martin guitars. NY has the most amazing guitars. I saw him on the Harvest Moon tour, and he was surrounded by these beautiful acoustic guitars. I just love the way NY strums. He has his own special rhythm. I've also been listening to the 4 albums that were finally released on cd. I've already said my piece about On the Beach in the other thread, but I'm surprised at how much I've been enjoying the other ones (even ReActor - gasp!). I hadn't spent much time listening to American Stars and Bars before, but I'm especially digging that one. I don't know why, but I like it. Though I wouldn't recommend it to someone who's just getting into Neil Young as their first NY album. I wish they'd remaster and re-release the rest of his early catalog. Those albums deserve better sound. :rsmile:

This was the first Criss album I ever heard. I was really impressed with it. I haven't listened to it in a while, but for me Criss and Tapscott were two highly underrated musicians. I've picked up quite a few Criss albums (avoid the Impulse ones - oof!) and I have a couple Tapscott cds, but I'd really like to hear more of Horace. Nice choice!

Bev, That's a great analysis of Shakey. I agree about the double standard and the hanging out with NY and the trains part. The truth is, for me, NY doesn't come across that well in the book. He seems to take a lot more from people than he gives. Stills comes across really badly in the Shakey. I'm curious how true the account is. But I still love Neil Young's music anyway.

That must have been really cool to see, Jazzdog! I love that track! I guess for me, OTB is a favorite because you can real sense that NY was going through a tough patch. The vibe is really deep on that album. I really enjoyed the biography, Shakey, it really helped me to see NY's music in a different light. :rsmile:

I just took the test again - I hadn't taken it in 10 years. I've changed from an INFP to an INFJ - That's weird! Thanks for the Link, Lon! :rsmile:

Me too!

I'm another huge On the Beach fan. I've had it on cd-r for a long time. The reissue sounds great to me. I recently read the Neil Young biography "Shakey" - I really enjoyed the stories about the recording of this album. Especially the story about Young and his cronies freaking out David Crosby during the recording of Revolution Blues. I could just imagine his reaction to the line "I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars - I hate them worse than lepers - I'll kill them in their cars" - Crosby must have been freaked. For me, all of Neil Young's albums up to Zuma are essential. I enjoy his later work, but it just isn't on the same level to me. I just wish they would have released Time Fades Away too. At least I have it on cd-r. BTW - I agree with Clementine - Skip Spence's Oar is a GREAT record!

Then we'd also finally have a place to talk about Kenny G and muzak.