SEK

Any 8 Bold Souls recording is worthwhile. My favorite is that one on Thrill Jockey, "Last Option". My other favorite is their first recording, simply called "8 Bold Souls", released originally as an LP on the Sessoms label and currently available on CD on the "Open Minds" label. Nothing beats seeing them live. I saw them twice, in Grand Rapids and in Alma, Michigan.

I like the groove of "Summun, Bukmun, Umyun" even more than "Black Unity".

Old school, September 10th mindset, apparently. I saw that Frontline too, one of their best.

Thanks for the fine review. I love 8 Bold Souls. I wish that I could have been there.

That's the policy in our household for the reasons you've specified, Jim. It's a pity that some of this era's of pie-in-the-sky idealists place their faith in such a set up. It was better when the Soviet Union was the big evil, and competition in most things was at least given lip service and, in many areas, substance. Within the past month, we bought a new clothes dryer from the local Sears. I'm suspicious of the merger, mainly because I don't like K-Mart much more than Wal-Mart.

Definitely comic relief. Remember, I'm from SE Michigan and a long time Detroit sports fan. I don't agree that Dumars has anything to do with it. As I understand it, The NBA is in charge of security for the entire league. Joe is head of Basketball Operations. Blame Tom Wilson, or even Bill Davidson, but there is no way Joe Dumars should be on the hook for this. I agree with this take on the whole fiasco: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writ...eact/index.html Thanks for the link. I agree with Mannix too.

I quite agree with Jim Sangrey. There can never be an excess of wisdom and never too soon. I am not surprised by Dan Gould's response. That seems to be too often the accepted "wisdom" available or practiced these daze. I recall banned Greg saying something like "I give as good as I get". I am unable to appreciate Jim Dye's quip about Detroit fans. I hope it was offered as an attempt at comic relief, but I fear that it may become a common sentiment. Joe Dumars's judgement and demeanor have always been exemplary (Dorko was the only exception that I'm aware of). I fully expect him to do what he can to resolve this situation, but he's not the only guy in the Piston or NBA hierarchy. While previewing this post, I see what has transpired. Wallace's absence is going to be painful for this Detroit fan, but I think that the NBA is setting what it hopes will be a useful example.

My "Oblique" CD has the date 1990 at the bottom. It says that "this album was previously issued only in Japan." It was recorded in 1967 by RVG and sounds pretty damn good for a Ron McMaster digital transfer of that vintage. Of course, it's the remarkable program of music on the disk that I've been so enamored with. Hutcherson, Hancock, and Chambers had teamed up before on the classic "Components" and in the fine quartet (with Cranshaw) on "Happenings". It's hard to choose between "Oblique" and "Happenings"; I think I play "Oblique" even more than the other quartet recording because of of Albert Stinson's rare and unique voice on bass, and I always like those Chambers compositions.

That was bizarre, disgusting, nauseating, and embarrassing! I've always had a warm feeling about the fans at the Palace... The Pacers were essentially the Pacers... Ben Wallace surprised me by going so ballistic... I expect that a few players will get suspensions and fines, several knuckleheads from the crowd/mob should face legal penalties resulting from their criminal acts against the Pacers and the Palace, a few Pacers may be sued by some of the knuckleheads for their "heated responses", there will be official handwringing and reforms, and... This was a sad episode for the Pistons. I hope that they can recover soon. Watching them play has been a respite for us from all the b.s. and tension.

FARUQ Z. BEY W/ the NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS featuring; MIKE CAREY-flute,tenor & bass clarinet SKEETER SHELTON-tenor, soprano DENNIS GONZALEZ WILL BE JOINING FARUQ Z. BEY AND NORTHWOODS FOR THE FOLLOWING CONCERT DATES IN NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER 18th, CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, MT. PLEASANT CMU LIBRARY AUDITORIUM 7:30 P.M. $7.00 adult 5.00 student (donation) NOVEMBER 19th, KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE, ANN ARBOR MI. 8 PM http://kerrytown.com/concerthouse/ NOVEMBER 20th, UICA THEATER, GRAND RAPIDS MI. 8 PM http://www.uica.org/ NOVEMBER 21st, DELTA COLLEGE, LECTURE THEATER 3:00 P.M. (afternoon concert) 10.00 adult 7.00 student

The University of Michigan has one of the very best neurology departments in the country. Indeed, the U of M Hospital and clinics are at or near the top in many medical specialties. It's one of the potential perks of living in or near Michigan. People go there for treatment from throughout the country and throughout the world. I've never heard much about MSU's neurological expertise. MSU specializes in putting out osteopaths, whose biomechanical expertise may have applicability, but that would not be my choice. In 1991, I was originally diagnosed with a brain tumor and treated at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, and they did very well for a regional hospital. Fortunately, I was sent on to U of M after my first surgery for a chance at experimental follow-up treatment, and they've managed to help keep me alive since then. I hope that you'll get a definitive diagnosis soon (Waiting with uncertainty is almost the worst predicament!!!), and that the problem is easily treatable. It may not even be neurological in origin. Stay assertive and focused, and keep a notepad with you. Be buoyed by all the positive thoughts and other vibrations sent your way from friends and family (It's worked for me).

I got that record shortly after it came out and saw them live at the Hollywood Bowl. I haven't heard "Closer To The Ground" in many years, and don't know if I'll still dig it, but now's a good time for nostalgia, I suppose...

Looks good!

I walked a little over two blocks from my house to the township hall at about 3 p.m.. I got into the right line (North Side), filled out a little slip of paper (signature, name printed, address), handed it to the nice older man, and when a "booth" became empty two minutes later, he handed me my punch-card ballot in an envelope. I inserted the card into a slot in the little desk under the ballot template in the open booth so that two holes at the top were properly aligned. I then used the little metal stylus that was attached to a chain on the desk to punch out the appropriate chads. This time, I voted straight Democratic Party, which was accomplished with one punch. I then used a sample ballot that I had carefully premarked to chose the judges and other "non-partisan" people and issues. I then took the card out of the slot, held it up to the light to detect any "hanging chads" (there were none), slipped it into the envelope, and handed it back to the election official. He called out the ballot number, then put it into a ballot box. I then heard that over 50% of the registered voters in my township had already cast their vote. I was in the towship hall a total of 5 minutes. Folks, as usual, were very friendly

In "jazz": Ken Vandermark.

My NAD 541i also replaced an old Phillips, which exhibited a decided peak in the bass, as you describe. That old Phillips also gave an unnatural sheen to the highs and flattened the soundstage. With the NAD, all is in proper balance. I keep my audio components enclosed in a cabinet, so I can't speak to the tray noise issue, except to say that my DVD player (a Panasonic) was mechanically noisier when I got it over a year ago; it's much quieter today (YMMV).

I think that I'll pick it up too. A friend who bought the Elvin Jones Mosaic set told me that that Lighthouse material was his some of his favorite stuff on that set. I have a vague recollection of hearing it when it came out on LP and digging it, but there were competing purchases at the time...

I think that either CD player would be great. My NAD C541i has served me verrry well. I chose it after extensively auditioning many CD players, several costing much more than my NAD C541i. I can't say that any sounded consistently better to me (all but two were lacking). So if I had to get a new CD player today, I'd probably get the 542 (but I'd check out the 521BEE too).

I could not understand the attraction of "Astral Weeks" when it first came out, and I still am not moved by it, despite Richard Davis's sonorous presence. Van seemed like a cryptic poseur. I recall that Davis considered "Astral Weeks" to simply be a relatively well-paying studio gig. For a similar feel and sound, I've preferred Van Morrison's "Veedon Fleece", since its release 5 or 6 years later (not as cryptic, more mature, and earthier than "Astral Weeks").

A favorite Abdullah Ibrahim quartet recording (with Carlos Ward) from 1981 is "Duke's Memories". I had it originally on LP, and now on CD (both on the String label). It is currently available on the "Black & Blue" label, with the tracks in a different order for some reason.

Happy Birthday, Chris!

Braxton's writing seems more grounded and better reasoned than most academic post-modern critiques, which perhaps isn't saying much, but I found it to be an interesting exercise...

You're bold, Noj. I hope you're right. Go Pistons!

Yeah! Great stuff! I got that session many years ago on an LP paired with a Savoy Herbie Nichols date.

Jackie McLean - Disc 3