J Larsen

I think that Yourmusic is pretty clearly doing a marketing study and selected a random sample of customers to stay in the $5.99 club. I'd put money on it.

Here's a vinyl fuck-up for you: I sold off a collection of ridiculously rare punk, indie and rap records from the late 70s through late 80s about six months before eBay became a household word. Suffice to say I've seen single items from the collection go for about what I sold the whole thing for. At least I got all the money I put into it back out.

I already committed to Braxton on on the Friday and Saturday, but will try to make the Sunday show. I'll be spending a lot of time at the Vanguard this month...

This has the potential to not suck.

&@#$ing COLD!!!!

Don't forget that I'm a physicist. If anybody knows their geeks, it's me!

Well, I went to the show tonight. The band hadn't played together before (she had to ask the bassist for his last name as she was introducing him on stage), and it really showed. For much of the set, they weren't hanging together at all. There is loose, which can work, and muddy, which can't. This was the later (for most, but not all of the set). I may be off base on this, but IMO it didn't help that they were playing over a tape of backing vocals and synth string sounds. The tape can't push and pull like the drummer and bassist can to adjust. Also, and it may have just been an off night, but her voice was very thin live - not at all like the scattered fragmentary samples I've heard online. She did make a subtle passing reference to not feeling so good about her throat. That being said, even with the rough edges I could tell that there were some interesting ideas in the music. They played a couple songs that were very influenced by Bitches Brew. Oh yeah - she is even better looking in person. No lie. She seems like a bit of a geek, too -- I don't mean that in a bad way, she is just a little awkward in her movements and says things like "golly" and "gee willickers" without a trace of irony. I sort of liked the contrast between her looks, high fashion and dorkiness.

Those are my three favorites, too.

American Who?

Anthology of American Folk Music Box Set Ahmad Jamal - The Awakening and Chamber Music of the New Jazz Don Ellis - Jazz in 3.67/4 Time Chet Baker Quartet Featuring Russ Freeman Fennesz - Endless Summer I need a bigger apartment.

My very good friend grew up in Northern Vietnam and is home visiting her family right now. She gets back next weekend. If you like, I can ask if she'd be interested in posting a reply. I think she'd probably be happy to do it. PS: She timed her return so as not to miss Cecil Taylor play J@LC.

I've been meaning to check out Monday's music. I'll probably go to that show. It's a lot cheaper than buying one of her CDs.

I had a perfectly good time without you.

I try to keep it below 5% of my net income on a monthly basis.

I've heard a muzak version of Crazy Love a couple times.

I am making a business trip to London on short notice and will have most of the weekend free. I do know a couple people there, but they have already made plans to be out of town. If any UKers want to check out jazz show or something this weekend, let me know. Thanks.

I saw the Sony set at J&R last weekend. I didn't notice the price. I got it (the Sony) through one of the record clubs years ago for pennies - BMG or YourMusic may still have it.

I hope to one day find that you are right.

Eames lounge chair - another Herman Miller product. Good company.

The Grant Green Blue Notes have a clean Fender amp sound to my ears.

I have to admit that I almost never read liner notes. I don't think I've ever read any of my Mosaic books straight through. Then again, I think it's fair for me to assume that I have a less-than-average amount of free time.

The Etymotic ER4s are incredible (but some may feel they are revealing to a fault).

Didn't RCA put out their own version of this in a small, white box? If I recall correctly, it has everything that in the Mosaic but one track.

Il Laboratorio del Gelato, but it isn't so easy to find.

I have the Masterpiece and Signature collections. Both are worth going through, and they are priced such that you may as well buy rather than rent. Excellent video and audio quality throughout.