sidewinder

Jazz Crusaders 'Powerhouse' (World Pacific, stereo)

General Patton Big John Patton Ennio Morricone

Talking about the Blue Note long boxes, I fondly remember buying the Hank Mobley 'No Room For Squares', 'The Turnaround' and 'Caddy For Daddy', plus Joe Henderson 'In 'n Out' and Andrew Hill 'Point Of Departure' in an early batch one day (and taking damn ages to get them out of the boxes with waste all over the place afterwards). That was a very good day.

Sshhhh .... don't let the Greek Treasury know. Or the German one...

Giles Peterson/Various Artists 'Impressed' (UK Universal, 2LPs). I'm impressed !

The version of 'Bitches Brew' on the Complete Columbia box set sounds pretty damn good to my ears. Ceratinly the best version I have heard on CD.

It was only in 1989 after I'd moved across to North America that I started buying CDs. Previous to then in the UK I'd stuck with LPs and CDs were damned expensive (3-4 times the price of LPs). My first CD player purchase (Nakamichi) coincided with the first big batch of US Blue Note reissues ('Black Fire', 'Night Dreamer' etc - wet dream stuff at the time) and I bought loads of them. Stayed with CDs pretty well until the mid-90s with LP as a secondary (mainly at the time to spin the Cuscuna brown bag 2LP sets), then got back into it with a new deck after my return back across the pond and since then the vinyl side has taken precedence. These days I will get CDs for convenience and new recordings but like Porcy I prefer to listen and savour in analogue where this is possible. The convenience of CDs is a big plus though. Still like to dig out those early Blue Note CD reissues though. And CD prices in the UK have got much, much better. I think my first CD bought was Hilton Ruiz's 'El Camino (The Road)', purchased at Sam The Record Man in Toronto. Still brings a smile to my face every time I spin that one.

Allen Lowe David Bowie Ziggy Stardust

I suspect there is an art in aligning those building blocks. The designers ensure you will never feel completely comportable that you have got them quite perfect...maybe they even damage the mp3s if not set up right. I guess to get the full 'retro' feel you have to level them with a spirit level mounted centrally on the blocks.

Another (early morning) spin for Booby Hutcherson 'Linger Lane' (BN UA)

My supermarket stocks it - about 5 different varieties. Not quite as cheap as in Germany though. Just about to pop out to buy some.

:tup one of my favourite Nelson albums! I had it on an old UK Fontana vinyl (in great nick) but the CD eluded me and I want this one for the I-Pod. At £4, the price was right !

Well, I have to say that I have yet to hear a version of Bitches Brew that beats the UK-original orange label 'Two For The Price Of One' 2LP set acquired way back when. But I will probably end up getting the Anniversary box, when the price is right..

I would have said a Marilyn Manson mask..

Several CD acquisitions at the weekend: Oliver Nelson/Lem Winchester 'Nocturne' (OJC Limited) Soft Machine 'Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971' 3CD (Reel) Cannonball Adderley 'Cannobball's Bossa Nova' (Capitol)

I want an Aro/Ittok arm on it and not a couple of kindergarden building blocks

Lots of gnashing of teeth about the price of the trumpet case over there. I figured a lot of the regulars there would be pre-ordering..

Nice one ! It's a good compilation of those early Tempo sessions plus some Ember material including that elusive London Jazz Four. Brownie, have you come across yet those Tempo reissue LPs that the Japanese are currently putting out? Highly recommended, even though they are needle drops I believe (the original Tempo label tapes are lost).

John Fordham's review of the Sunday at Bath is now in. Too bad he didn't cover the rest ! Guardian Review

'Its Time For Tristam Cary' (Trunk Records, white vinyl)

El Cid El Presidente Tell Sid

Mr Crapper Armitage Shanks

This CD issue has had me literally frothing at the mouth like a rabid dog but I've yet to see a copy in my usual UK CD outlets. Amazon beckons I guess..

David Gest David Dickinson Arthur Daley

Apologies for the digression but Sir Patrick still regularly appears on his 'Sky At Night' programme late nights weekly on BBC4, which I find incredible, as he's being doing this since at least the mid-1950s ! The man is a phenomenon.