ejp626

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/25/acceptance-problem-as-most-oxford-covid-jabs-delivered-to-eu-not-yet-used "Four out of five of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine doses delivered to EU countries are yet to be used on a patient, a Guardian investigation has found" This is completely unacceptable.

That happened a couple of times to me, where obviously the seller hadn't bothered to keep up with postage and was totally surprised when they went to post office. Once was on discogs and once was on some book site (not Amazon, which I think really does lock you into whatever postal rates the seller has selected). I followed through, as the alternatives weren't any better -- and they still weren't asking for $20 shipping -- but I was extremely aggravated.

If TikTok can make sea shanties entertaining, I can't believe it can't "save" jazz for at least another media cycle or two... Somebody should get on that.

I was checking with this small indie press. They took two chapbooks to the USPS, where they wanted over $20 to mail to Canada! So I said, sorry but no. Sometimes you can slip stuff into a thin envelope and get a lower rate, but it is just getting harder and harder to escape these ridiculous rates. Fortunately, I have built up a big enough collection of everything that I can basically just accept that I won't be getting anything from the States from here on out. And my kids are basically of the mind that they aren't interested if it isn't digital.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/lawrence-ferlinghetti-beat-poet-dies-1.5924790 He died at 101! Hell of a run. RIP. He must have been the last of the original Beats. I've been to the City Lights bookshop on several trips to SF over the years, though never when he was in the shop, as least as far as I know.

My favorite was when I had an UK company that was shipping a couple of DVDs and a book marked on the invoice that the shipment was complete (when only the DVDs had arrived). I wrote them and said are you sure about that? They said, yes everything is shipped. I waited quite a while and finally wrote back and said I'd like a refund. At that point, they went back and said that I was in luck, they could send as a replacement the exact book that hadn't arrived. Sure. This did eventually turn up, so it was a happy ending, but was it that hard to confirm (or admit) that they just hadn't shipped the item in the first place?

A fair number of these (mostly the saxophone players) have been compiled into "episodes" of two or three interviews and added to iTunes (maybe Spotify as well). I'm listening to the Bobby McFerrin/Ken Nordine episode, which is most excellent, as Sidran convinced Nordine to create a short Word Jazz piece during the interview. Not sure if all the pianist and trumpeter interviews will eventually be added or not.

The LP cover (with Romare Bearden collage) is amazing. The CD reissue cover is truly horrible. Not even going to link to it.

It beats busking in the subway... I mean if I could convince someone to pay $5000 to watch me work on spreadsheets for an hour, I wouldn't turn that down.

Indeed, Eno did speak out from Brexit from the very beginning (https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/20/brian-eno-vote-remain-brexit-eu-referendum ), but then saw Trump/Brexit as a sort of wake up call for the left: https://pitchfork.com/news/71097-brian-eno-pleased-about-trump-and-brexit-because-it-gives-us-a-kick-up-the-arse/ But yeah, I think, all in all, we could have done without that particular "learning moment."

I did a reasonable amount of shopping at Sam's in 93-94 on my first stint in Toronto, though on a student budget! Then hit it for the last time in '97 or '98 on a visit. If my memory hasn't completely failed me, Sam's was one of the merchants that pushed for liberalized Sunday shopping rules.

Agreed. No question a lot of mistakes have been made by "the authorities" and the science has continued to evolve (along with the virus, to our detriment). I get that. It's frustrating, and I don't agree with some particular restrictions. But then there is just coming across as an arrogant guy who is so much smarter and in the know than the scientific community. He may not personally be an anti-vaccer but he sounds just like one. And we all decide what is a line too far to support or even listen to for a particular artist, and this, for me, is going too far during a dangerous time. So he is off my listening list forever.

A fair bit of snow in Toronto this morning. It was dry and reasonably light but there was still a lot to shovel...

There was just a long article Clayton Johnston, starting with a discussion of how he was singled out for dancing interracially on a TV program in Buffalo, but then talking about a strong jazz career. https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2021/02/14/more-than-60-years-ago-a-black-teen-from-malvern-ci-was-told-to-stop-dancing-with-a-white-girl-on-a-buffalo-tv-show-toronto-exploded.html (May be behind paywall...) "He [Johnston] recorded tracks with jazz icons Sadik Hakim and Pepper Adams for Expo 67. A year later, Johnston became the drummer for Duke Edward’s band, the Young Ones. Johnston secured a regular afternoon gig on Yonge Street at the Zanzibar and in the evening played in the pit band for the musical Godspell under musical director Paul Shaffer. ... If it were up to [Don] Thompson, the public would be more familiar with the name Clayton Johnston. He has hours of recordings of Johnston performances in the vault. “Clayton was really good people and a really good musician. He got lost in the shuffle.” I assume Don Thompson is in regular touch with Cory Weeds, but it would be nice if some of this unissued music could come out, up here at least. As a side note, when the Toronto reference library reopens, I should be able to listen to the LP (Sun Song) as it is in the collection, but sourcing a copy in the wild looks to be a real challenge...

The Chan Centre concert is starting right now. Turns out this is a recording done in Mexico in 2019! There seemed to be huge technical difficulties with the DSO streaming of Carter/Davis and they pushed it back to 8:30 and then it never started at all (at least for me). I'm going to write tomorrow and see what the story is and whether they will try streaming it again.

Village Vanguard this weekend: DAYNA STEPHENS QUARTET FEBRUARY 12 ‑ FEBRUARY 14 DAYNA STEPHENS – SAXOPHONES AARON PARKS – PIANO BEN STREET – BASS JAIMEO BROWN – DRUMS $10 Streams on Friday & Saturday at 8pm Eastern Will likely tune in Sat. If I read the email correctly, this is the last streaming session (as they try to return to in-person shows) but there will be some repeats apparently made available.

I definitely prefer Nik Bärtsch as part of Ronin (generally not that interested in solo piano), but I'll give it a listen.

RIP. Oh wow. Was not expecting this news at all. Saw him once in trio format with Avashai Cohen on bass at Lincoln Center. Massive sound/miking problems unfortunately, which I guess they finally worked through.

Of course if it was carried out in Japan, the machine would be likely be air-conditioned...

This seems like it would result in very warped records in the summer. Was this really a "thing" or more of a short-term publicity stunt?

This one of course from the 2nd Jazz Icons box - https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Icons-Charles-Mingus-Live/dp/B000TNJIJM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mingus+64&qid=1612941536&sr=8-1

Apparently they send everything to Sweden first...

This looks interesting. I have heard a few projects involving Brooklyn Rider. Of course, 7 pm PT is 10 pm here (Eastern), so I should also be able to see the Regina Carter/Xavier Davis concert at 8 Eastern - https://www.dso.org/events-and-tickets/events/2021-digital/wave2/regina-carter-and-xavier-davis

Maybe in the old days, but not anymore.

Surprisingly reasonable (after the shock of Amazon.co.uk base shipping). Now again, that was to a Commonwealth country... Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate to order directly from them again.