paul secor

I saw him several times in the 1980s and found him to be okay, definitely not great. Guess that I was lucky enough to catch him on a good night. It was obvious that he was ill too. He seemed to give it everything he had - guess he knew that there wouldn't be many more chances.

Don't know if old kids' shows qualify, but when I was a kid, I used to love watching Andy's Gang with Smilin' Ed McConnell, and when he died, with Andy Devine. Froggie the Gremlin tormented both of them and was GREAT! I remember resenting the fact that Andy Devine took over as host. I didn't know that Smilin' Ed had died - they didn't tell you that stuff back then. Can't remember if the show's name was changed to Andy's Gang when Andy Devine became the host, or if it was always called that. & I remember that it was sponsored by Buster Brown shoes.

As far as Gatemouth Brown goes, I heard him play live a few years before he passed and he was great. I don't feel that his later recordings captured that magic - at least not the ones I've heard.

$3.10 a couple of days ago here. I should stay home more.

Up. Anyone read this?

Seeing this made me wonder what a 1960 TV audience would have made of Ornette if he had been a guest.

No criticisms here. Not familiar w. the Cowell, but everything else is stuff I've listened to for years.

Have to strongly disagree with you about A Man & the Blues. It's surely not a "weak" Buddy Guy performance. Subdued compared to the over the top stuff he does these days, but much of it is very intense and smoldering.

I can't take anyone with the moniker, "Terry Teachout", seriously.

YEAH! Thanks for the posting and the music! Joe sounded hip and looked cool - how it's spozed to be.

Happy Birthday!

Folks can do what they want, and they will. I'd just like to quote a passage from Joe Boyd's White Bicycles where he writes about some differences between the music listening scene in the late 50's/mid 60's and today: "History today seems more like a postmodern collage; we are surrounded by two-dimensional representations of our heritage. Access via amazon.com or iPod to all those boxed sets of blues singers - or Nick Drake, for that matter - doesn't equate with the sense of discovery and connection we experienced. The very existence of such a wealth of information creates an overload that can drown ou vivid moments of revelation." Old fogeyism? Perhaps - but there's a lot of truth there.

Ross Feld's Shapes Mistaken

I've read about jazz coffee shops in Japan where people could listen to sides on great sound systems. Do they still exist in 2007? Does anyone have any memories/stories?

Coming to this a little late. I guess I'm of those "blues fans" - sorry kh1958 - but I recommend starting with Buddy Guy's Chess sides (there are some novelty items there, but also some very fine tracks). Then I'd try A Man and His Blues on Vanguard (somewhat low key but very intense) - both of these choices already recommended by others - just thought I'd join the chorus. Also, check out his recordings for Artistic - pre-Chess. There were only four issued cuts, but there are also alternate takes floating around, if you're into that kind of thing. As for Gatemouth, as others have said, go with the Peacock sides - available on Rounder and Classics. Dan Gould mentioned his Sings Louis Jordan record. It's one his better later recordings - the best I've heard.

Andy Bey doesn't bother me. I'm sure that something unique will come out of that. But - Cecil as a Boy Scout?

I've read several of his books on sports - The Breaks of the Game, The Amateurs, and, most recently, The Teammates - and enjoyed them immensely. I'll have to seek out some of the books he wrote on other subjects. I remember seeing him on C-Span 2's Book TV a couple of years ago and having the impression of him as interesting, intelligent, and a true gentleman.

Same date. Bird Is Free only contained part of the material from that dance/concert.

Are there still jazz coffee shops in Japan? Wish they existed in the U.S.

Joe Boyd: White Bicycles

Happy Birthday! Thanks for sharing your photographs with us.

Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nice Guys

Sounds like a domestic dispute to me - and none of my business.

Please tell us more.

How often am I going to be tempted into rebuying this music? And if I buy it again, how many more times will I listen to it in my lifetime?