AfricaBrass

Those X reissues are nice. All have bonus tracks. The Plimsouls were good, too. Do you know that they just rereleased Camper Van Beethoven's first four albums as a 5 cd box set. It sells for a little over $30. I think they only pressed up 1000 copies. I bought mine a month ago. My favorite Camper album is Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart. Even though it was on a major label, it was really good. I have to admit that one band I really enjoyed back then was the Bangles. This was before their Manic Monday sellout. Their first album on Columbia, All Over the Place, had a great sixties vibe.

I know they were a little earlier than these groups, but are any of you fans of the band X? To this day, they are still one of my favorites. I remember in the summer of '83 listening to X's More Fun in the New World and R.E.M.'s Murmur non-stop.

One of my favorites from that era was the Long Ryders. I loved their Native Sons album. I had Let's Active's Big Plans for Everybody, but I didn't like it nearly as much as their first two albums.

Well, you're not alone. I like some pop music too. I'd say Let's Active were poppier than Nick Lowe (who is very cool in my book). :rsmile:

The leader of the band was a guy named Mitch Easter. He got attention for producing R.E.M.s first couple albums. If you like Murmur and Reckoning era R.E.M., you might like this, though it is a bit poppier. The track "Waters Part" off of Cypress is really good. :rsmile:

I can't believe that anybody remembers Let's Active. I saw the release in the Collectors' Choice catalog and I was thrilled. I loved those albums back in '85, especially Cypress. I had the old IRS records twofer cd of these albums, but I sold it off with much of my rock music when I got really into jazz. I'm glad I'm going to get a chance to pick it up again. It's cool that you mention Rickenbackers. Back then, I was learning guitar and was such a fan of Rickenbackers that if a band played one, I usually would try their album. Now I play Rickenbackers. :rsmile:

You hit it on the head. I am proud to be a member of the "MINGUS NUTS WHO HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL!" I was fortunate to be exposed to Mingus' music early in my jazz listening. I used to think everyone was a Mingus nut. How can you not be?

I wasn't picking on you, Jazzbo. I thought your reviews were quite insightful. I too, love Mingus' small group recordings. That's a good point about it seeming to be a bit of a patchwork and in a previous post you mentioned this possibly being an open letter to Duke Ellington. I think that is a great insight. It really does feel like Mingus is trying to do an Ellington album Mingus style. I think the ballads are better served in their original recordings, but the upbeat stuff is a kick. I just hope people will give this album a chance. There are some great moments on it. :rsmile:

I'll do my track by track review later, but I just wanted to chime in. I'm surprised at the poor showing this album is receiving. I agree that many of the tracks are not the definitive versions of these compositions, but I still find them very interesting and they nice bookends to the originals. I love the orchestrations and the spirit of the performances. It can be bombastic in places, but it is also thrilling in others. This album always lifts my mood. I also think that Mingus' bass really gets to shine on this album. Soul Stream, I wouldn't give up on this album so quickly. In my opinion, it's a nice entry into Mingus' universe. I think you'd really be missing out on not hearing it at all. :rsmile:

I quit smoking 5 years ago, after smoking for 10 before that. I used to really love smoking. It was nice being able to sound like Satchmo. I agree with Jazzmoose, when you quit, you have to just quit. I haven't touched a cigarette in the 5 years I quit. I had tried a couple times to quit before I was successful. I went 10 months once, but I figured it would be okay to just try one again. Game over, I was hooked again. I couldn't stop thinking about having another one. I couldn't imagine how awful I would feel if I was still smoking. I do feel bad for my co-workers who still smoke. They are treated like third-class citizens. It really pisses me off when people get all nazi-like about smoking. I don't like being around smoke now, but it's their right to smoke, so I just stay away from them when they're smoking. I have to admit that it is nice not to have to breathe smoke in restaurants and bars here in California. Whenever I go to Vegas or Reno, my lungs get pretty worked being in the casinos and restaurants. I'm sure glad I quit. :rsmile:

I do love that track. I guess Pink Moon is just tough to listen to because I understand what Drake was going through at that time. You could see his sadness in all his records, but Pink Moon and those last recordings on Time of No Reply seem more desperate. I guess Five Leaves Left and Bryter Later appeal to me because, although he was depressed, he seemed to have hope. I think he thought that Bryter Later was going to be his success. You can see the hopefulness in it. The fact that he had Richard Thompson playing on some of it probably built up some steam for him. I think after the failure of that record in the marketplace, that little glimmer of hope that he had seemed to vanish.

Chris, I usually listen to country from the late 60's and before, so I guess I have a little guilt complex liking the really overproduced stuff. But that is what I grew up around and I guess some of it got under my skin. :rsmile:

Thanks Chris! I love April Fool's Day! or as I called it this year - Kenny G Day.

I love the song Poor Boy off Bryter Later. His guitar on that song got me interested in Joao Gilberto years ago. I also dig, At the Chime of the City Clock. I really love the Five Leaves Left album because the songs are great and I love the orchestrations, but Bryter Later is my sleeper favorite. I know Pink Moon gets a lot of notice, but I don't listen to it nearly as much.

Well, in my Pat Metheny binge, I added another cd last night. I picked up a copy of Jim Hall and Pat Metheny on Telarc. I've listened half of it and I'm highly impressed. I went to the Wherehouse (which is a music store that sells used cds), last night and they're closing many of their stores. I got my Hall/Metheny cd used for 40% off. It was under $5.00

I agree. It seems as if the participants in this session really gave it their all. I love the drumming. It was so creative that I first thought it was Tony Williams. I thought Herbies piano was very creative. I thought Freddie shined. I especially love his solo on the first track. I could say good things about them all. :rsmile:

I went a little crazy tonight and picked up some Metheny. On cd, I got Trio 99/00. I've listened to most of the album and I have to say that I was blown away by it. I think it is really good. I'm eating crow now. I went to the used record store and found copies of Watercolors, American Garage, New Chautauqua, and Travels on vinyl for a couple bucks each. I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Thanks to all for your suggestions!

That's a great essay. He seems very reasonable in his opinion. It is disgusting what Kenny G did with that Armstrong track. There've been a lot of good laughs on the board today, this was the best one! I hope the Gorelick himself has read it. Me too!

That's a great essay. He seems very reasonable in his opinion. It is disgusting what Kenny G did with that Armstrong track.

Thanks David! I'll take your suggestions. I forgot about the Ornette Coleman disc. I'd really like to hear that. I appreciate the passion you guys have for Metheny, it makes me realize that I had really underestimated Metheny and had been unfair. I'm going to listen with a very open mind. I hope I can find some of his records today. :rsmile:

Thanks Ed! I look forward to getting to know this music better. :rsmile:

I haven't heard The Pinch yet, but I'll make sure I do. What a GREAT cover! Damn political correctness! I have to say that the greatest use of backup singers is on the track, Flat Tire, on I Wanna Get Funky. I laugh every time I hear it. If I could be as cool as Albert King for just one minute, I could die a happy man.

I don't know if he's been mentioned, but I was listening to Elvis Costello this morning and I thought of this thread. If anyone is looking for live Hendrix, they should check out Furthurnet.org, I believe his estate approves of trading live recordings. I've downloaded a bunch. :rsmile:

I'm in California too, so I miss out on the seasons. When I listen to Delius or Vaughan Williams, I do get the feeling of how an English spring might feel. I really enjoy that music. Speaking of seasonal music: Is anyone a fan of Vaughan Williams "Hodie"? I love listening to that at Christmas. :rsmile:

Wasn't Chet Atkins one of the architects of the Nashville sound? I have to admit that I have developed a fondness for those Billy Sherrill overproduced George Jones records from the mid-seventies like The Grand Tour. :rsmile: