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Well, we did brave the weather and went to see Eric Idle's new show Spamalot. We wondering if people would stay home since it was so hard to drive or even find a cab, but the theatre was pretty full. This is the last weekend of it's Chicago tryout, and it is heading to Broadway. My understanding is that the original run is already sold out, though it will probably be extended, since it is quite clear this will be a hit on about the same scale as the Producers. I broke down and went through the ticket brokers (legal scalpers), but it was worth it. Here's some info. Spamalot Webpage If you are a Python fan, you will enjoy it. No question. Some parts are lifted directly from Holy Grail, but there is far more music, including many numbers that spoof Broadway conventions. The best is a song called "Where is the song that goes like this?" but there is another good song by the female lead called "What happened to my part?" I can go into more details, but I would recommend it if you can find a way to go. I assume at some point it will do regional touring. We were lucky that the original cast was all there and not taking a break to save up energy for the last couple of Chicago performances. Tim Curry was great, as were Hank Azaria and David Hyde Pierce. I knew Curry could sing, but didn't know about the other two.

I live near Lake Michigan and we got about a foot of snow, not quite as much if you lived further west. The most annoying thing was the snow kept falling all day, and there weren't nearly enough plows out. At least I get to take CTA and not have to worry about driving. But I had to travel north to shovel the sidewalks near my building, and I'll have to do it again tomorrow. I was pretty surprised at how badly the merchants on Clark St. had shoveled the snow off in front of their stores, and far more places were closed than I expected. Seriously, this is Chicago, this happens nearly every winter. Many years back I lived in the Portugeuse part of Newark. We got hit with a blizzard/ice storm you wouldn't believe. The whole state pretty much shut down (was this 93 ?) but the Portugeuse merchants had everything cleared off and open for business the next day. That's the way to do it.

I haven't been able to make much live jazz recently, but I am hoping to make it to see this group at the Jazz Showcase, mostly to see Harold Mabern. I have most of his recordings on DIW, as well as the Prestige two-fers Wailin and A Few Miles from Memphis. Feb3 - Feb. 6 ERIC ALEXANDER / HAROLD MABERN QUARTET WITH DENNIS CARROL (B) GEORGE FLUDAS (D) Mostly likely I would make the Thursday show or the Sunday matinee. Let me know if interested.

Wow, this thread has gotten pretty far off track. I still haven't picked up the book but I probably will soon thanks to a Borders coupon. I did want to mention there is a very long and very positive review of the book in this week's Chicago Reader. I don't believe this is on-line (in the free section), but I didn't really look that hard. If it isn't on-line now, then in about a week, you can check the archive and order the article (for about $1).

I think you missed this line: Yes, that ever popular triple threat -- clarinet, saxophone and banjo. I think there's a bootleg out there where Eric Dolphy and Buddy Collette trade 4s while switching instruments, finally culminating in DUELING BANJOs.

I did pick up the Smith at Dusty Groove. Not sure about the others, but am considering one or two. One of the CDs available is the soundtrack to Tati's Traffic. Any thoughts on that one? The film is definitely not his best, but I don't recall the soundtrack offhand.

The Showcase schedule for the next few months is posted over in Live Shows. The Empty Bottle is where most of the free jazz is. Vandermark seems to be playing there every other day some weeks (good or bad, depending on your tastes). Hothouse is a relatively new club in the South Loop. I like going there when I get a chance. The Velvet Lounge is on the South Side. It is a bar owned by Fred Anderson, who often joins the jams. This may be the one Freeman is at weekly, or it might be another one. Of course, the Jazz Record Mart often has a free in-store performance on the weekend. I've never made it to Andy's, so I can't speak to that. In a couple of weeks, I'll see what I can add.

How about some love for the Bulls? 7 wins in a row, including two come from behind victories against the Knicks. Last year's team would definitely have folded. I am astonished, but they are better than mediocre and actually have flashes of goodness. They should make the playoffs and maybe even get past the first round. And assuming that most the very young players return, they have a decent core to keep building upon.

Yes to almost all above. Recently I did build two more bookcases -- one for books and one for CDs. I have managed to get all the CDs off the floor, so that was an accomplishment, but still stacks of paper everywhere. The problem is that I do often go through old files or whatever, but I don't know what I will want later on. And it is often over a year since I used it, but now I need it (so the advice to throw out anything you don't use in a year isn't very helpful). The worst is that I started backing things up digitally, then discovered that the CD I burned didn't work (either the master or the backup). Well, fortunately I hadn't yet thrown out the material I was backing up, so this only further confirms my packrat tendencies. I think I should declare my home office an archive and apply for preservation funds.

Ok, hopefully I'll get my CDs through Walmart (currently they only ship to the US). One was Clark Terry's Daylight Express, which seems to have vanished off the face of the earth. Second was John Lewis with Sacha Distel on Afternoon in Paris, which also seems to be OOP. Dusty Groove thinks it will get some of these in, but who knows. I thought I might as well liberate a copy from Walmart. A completely different kind of find just turned up. The Borders on North Michigan Ave. in Chicago has the Duke Ellington Complete RCA box (the 24 CD box) locked behind glass. I was awfully surprised to see one, since I thought they had all vanished. I got one a while back, but somebody out there must want one. I suspect they would ship it anywhere in the US and maybe Canada. Or maybe if I get a 20% off coupon, I'd pick it up and send it off to Ebay. But I'm giving you all a week or so head's up if you really, really want it.

Just found Wilen's New York Romance for $8 at a fairly lousy used CD store (the jazz section is nearly all Kenny G, Harry Connick, Jr., Chet Baker Sings, etc.) Not a supa supa rare CD, but not easy to come by. Down in Hyde Park last week, I found the following: Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims $12 (TOJC) Walter Davis Davis Cup $12 (TOJC) Fred Jackson Hootin and Tootin $15 Not steals, but these are pretty seriously OOP, so I was happy to pay up. Based on another thread, I discovered that Walmart actually has quite a few OOP CDs (not surprisingly they have no idea the value of what's in stock). If my orders go through, I'll come back and tip you off. One that I don't need from them is Elvin Jones Dear John C for $14, which seems reasonable.

I really don't have much by McDuff, but I do enjoy Down Home Style, which I picked up a while ago.

I used to resolve to be more patient, but that never worked out too well. I don't even bother anymore. I do resolve to go to the gym more, and hopefully in the process lose some weight. Turn my dissertation into a book (or at the least have it under contract by the end of the year) Give as much to charity as I spend on CDs and DVDs. Books don't count, since they are part of my "job." This one will probably be the toughest to keep, though I am doing ok so far ...

Is it that Michigan State - University of Michigan rivalry? It reminds me of a much more intense version of the U.C.L.A. - U.S.C. rivalry that raged, at least when I was a kid. My take is that there some great rivalries in the Big 10, but that for Michigan, they focus more on the MI-Ohio State rivalry, and Michigan State feels left out, like a kid brother. (They think MI-Michigan State should be the real rivalry.) Of course, I went to Michigan, so I know which one really counts. I didn't watch the game, but Michigan seems to be well on its way of continuing its tradition of making it to the Rose Bowl, then choking. I can only recall actually watching them win once, though they must have done a bit better than that.

Bumping this up. I just purchased the LP re-issue of East Meets West (not as good a deal as our friend ericaffron unfortunately). Anyway, I am enjoying this. It's quite short, and I paired it with Cannonball's Accent on Africa (another really unusual set) on a CDR. I think I'll have another spin to focus on the "Western" musicians, Golson, Griffin and Morgan, and to see what they are doing. Edit: Dusty Groove had at least one more copy of East Meets West for under $10 (can't recall which pressing) if anyone is interested. I didn't care as much for Jazz Sahara, though I'll listen to it again soon. I thought Griffin kind of disappeared on most of the music. I do like the Prestige Two-fer Jazz Sounds of Africa which collects The Music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik and Sounds of Africa. I think I was probably turned onto this in the first place by an earlier thread.

Woody Shaw -- Stepping Stones

Apparently it also goes by the title Sarala and is not that rare, so no need to take orders. I'd still like to know if it is worth acquiring out though. Thanks. Sarala on Half.com

A copy just turned up at HiFi Records, and I snagged it. I'll probably listen to it tonight.

Has anyone heard this album? I've pasted in the AMG review which is certainly positive, but I'd like some other opinions. I have no idea how rare this is, but a record store I don't normally frequent (not Lincoln Park/Lakeview) has three copies. I'm leaning towards getting one, and can take requests if it is particularly rare. Thanks. Eric Hank Jones Meets Cheick Tidiane Seck and the Mandinkas AMG review:

Well, the Aoki hasn't happened yet, so there's time. Wednesday, February 9 - Hothouse Tatsu Aoki's Miyumi Project Celebrates Chinese New Year 8:30pm Free, (21 & Over) I didn't make Spaceways either, but I read that one of the members (Drake ?) moved back to Chicago and they will probably be performing more regularly, so I will definitely keep my eyes open. Still don't think I can make Fathead, but we'll see...

You and me both. While it would have been nice to have more of the original covers tucked away inside the liners, the photos are really amazing and quite a nice bonus feature of this series.

Sadly, I am writing a couple of academic papers this weekend and can't get away. I'll keep my eyes open though. I did see that Tatsu Aoki has got something at Hothouse to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and it appears to be free! Did either of you make it to see Vandermark and Spaceways at the Empty Bottle yesterday?

Well, I have about half of those, but I only post half as often as most board members (if that) so I should be ok. And I also have Teshissimo, which is my ace in the hole. Caught on private security tape, the members of Organissimo secretly rehearse the music of John Tesh. To be released as a bootleg DVD if I am kicked off the board ...

I don't know if this counts as a find, since I can't truly keep it, but the Chicago library has a pretty decent collection of Mosaics. If they had two copies, then one might circulate, and the other is in reference. In the circulating library, they have the 3 LP set of Art Pepper Small Group Recordings on Pacific. It is actually in pretty decent shape, and I am making a CDR backup now.

Wow. I had no idea they had so much new material, relative to the VHS tapes. I've seen a few of these (Basie, Coltrane, Gillespie), and thought they were pretty great. I guess I will get this a bit later in 2005. Was Ellington ever invited and/or make an appearance? Obviously, if he did make an appearance, the tape didn't survive or they would have issued it, but I would certainly have thought he might have appeared with a small group like Basie did.