jazzbo

I've had successful transactions, both selling and buying with Al. I've also had recent experience that packages from Canada to the USA, and vice versa, take longer than they ever have had before. War on terror my guess. And that is nothing compared to the last package I sent to Agustin in Spain! Three months or so to get there, and that was airmail!

My wife is rarely interested in my audio interests. . . . I have done this comparison with my trumpeter friend Dave who seems to agree with me. 0s may be 0s, but there are many non digital aspects to playback from rotations to laser light waves. . . nothing is as simple as "bits are bits" in my experience. Anyway, remastering and fromat/equipment used makes a difference. For instance in my opinion the new Columbia DSD remastered cd of "Blues in Orbit" sounds better than the gold Mobile Fidelity cd release cd layer. The SACD layer of the same disc sounds better to me than the Columbia cd. Wierd!

I'm sure that the executives would have been swayed by the money they could make on the post Jack Johnson box. BUT I would not at all doubt that the producers (especially Bob Belden) have a sincere wish for this material to be given a box set. . . . Kudos to Michael and Bob, I really love this series and am glad that this is not the final box! I really hope one day there will be a Miles at the Fillmore box. . .When I interviewed Michael Cuscuna some years back he responded to my inquiry about a release of the Fillmore material without edits hopefully, saying that there was a desire to produce the release and he felt a possibility the idea would have label support. In this same conversation he revealed to me that the Cellar Door material was planned for release (and we're still waiting, with hope).

Chronogical (sic) Classics can indeed be a good way to go for the collection of the work of these artists. The sound is not bad. In general it's pretty good. There ARE better sounding sources for some, perhaps most of the work of these artists, BUT the Classics series allows one a quite comprehensive method to collect the work including commercial releases of all labels, in decent sound and well annotated. In addition there is a series on Neatwork that will provide the alternates that aren't included in the Classics series. One good way to go, certainly.

The bottom cd layer of these gold cds is a thin veneer (?) of gold rather than aluminum (or another metal, there is at least one other alloy used for some pressed cds). Mobile Fidelity used to put out a theory that the gold layer led to less errors when the pits and lans are read, and therefore better sound. (I think that's right, I'm too lazy right now to dig something up that has that information). Almost any gold cd will also feature careful remastering often by excellent engineers in excellent studio setups. . . . THIS contributes to pretty darned good sound in a lot of cases. So an argument is often made that this remastsering is what gives the gold cds their possible edge in sound. However, I actually think there may be something to the gold layer itself being a contributing factor. I have made cdr copies of a gold cd that don't sound to my ears as good as the original. They sound nearly exactly the same but there is something. . . warmth? smoothness? . . .that is not quite there in the same extent on those that I have tried this on (DCC, Mobile Fidelity). So. . . I'm interested to hear others' opinions. I like a lot of the gold cds I've bought (Sony/Columbia, DCC, Mobile Fidelity, a few others) for whatever reasons.

It sounded beautiful, and very blue. . . my guess is that it wasn't really a classical piece, but I could be wrong. Thanks for the information about the instrument (very cool instrument!) and here's hoping someone will know about the music itself.

Yes, very interesting different perspective than that of John. John sure dissed him too! Must have been worried. . . .

Does anyone know what that instrument is that the blind musician plays in the first battle scene? Is that an unmodified traditional Chinese instrument, or something else?

Great score on the Pascoal---you know I love him as well! The Costa lps I don't know about but I like all the Gal Costa I've heard. The Edu Lobo/Chico Buaroque could be quite good; I like the little bit of these two gentlemen I've heard. Egberto Gismonti . . . I have three or four of his ECMs (later recordings?) and enjoy them, though their sort of an acquired taste, I think you would like them though, they have a Pascoal like differentness to their conception, though they are guitar centric and spacier, noodlier than Hermeto's work. . . . These lps may be cool.

My secret.

Thanks John!

I'm going to have to look for that "Unity" --- what a band!

Now reading Elaine Pagel's "Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas". . . . I'm finding this very interesting. I hadn't until I read this seen how effective the Gospel of Thomas is in illustrating the stream of Christianity that was dammed and drained off by the Nicean agreements, and the Gospel of John does indeed serve as a great comparison with that of Thomas at illustrating the fundamental differences in the Christianity that was and the Christianity that became the orthodox after the Council of Nicea. I really find myself resonating against the Johanine/Pauline doctrine that salvation is only possible through "Christ" and that Christians that are saved are to "love one another". . . . THIS is the part of Christian doctrine that I cannot bring to life in my heart. I much more resonate with the idea of Jesus son of Joseph as rabbi and perhaps messiah in an ideological sense, and even with the christian-gnosticism that Thomas represented (Jesus as the light and the way, but the light being within everyone, and that knowledge and development of that light within everyone will bring the kingdom of God, not that the only way is individual salvation through "Christ"). I had spent years reading books on gnosticism, mystery religions, gnostic texts, the history of Christianity etc. and pulled back from that the last few years, this book is a good alarm clock to awaken some of the drive that led me to that study.

Many more happy ones and don't set sail on the ship of fools!

I ordered two CBBB MPS reissues from dustygroove: November Girl (the McRae collaboration) and Off Limits. This will upgrade some lp transfers for me. Also in this order I included the new "Elis and Tom" reissue from Brazil. I shouldn't have even ordered one of them! My finances are bad. My willpower not to buy is even worse!

Wes, maybe I'll just qualify my statement by saying that I am very much an introvert and I don't feel the urge to hang with many people at all as an extrovert might. I have a limited amount of time I can hang with other people, and an even more limited time that I can hang with other people that my wife is not interested in being around. AND I may be deceiving myself but I believe I have become pretty good over the last few decades at deciphering who I would or would not be compatible with, and I pursue compatibility not just "hey let's find out." (Time factor there again). To put things in perspective: not that many weeks ago I was not at all far away from Rolf (Weizy) in Arlington, a phone call probably could have been all it took to meet somewhere just minutes away (assuming he had any interest in meeting me, an assumption I'm NOT making). . . . I didn't make any phone calls. But he's not an enemy. I just don't choose to seek to "get to know him" better in person.

The answer is yes. I bought a dvd starring one of the actresses. That's my story.

I'm not much of a drinker, and I'm easy to please these days. . . a Heineken Dark suits me fine.

Eric, I'll buy you a beer sometime!

Yes I did. He's looking into it. His wayback machine is nearly up and running!

What does the assembled mass think. . . .What is the feeling about Ernie Watts. Can the man not play? Does the man not have a lovely sound?

What am I thinking! I really like Blues for Allah. After that is where it drops off for me pretty quickly. So I guess I'm quite interested . . . in one quarter of the box set.

NO, I definitely don't want to have a beer with Weizy. Yes, in a way JP it is about the nonmusic discussion. And it's not because of the politics per se, but because of the personality I see behind it, the jabs at people and the mockery. It's fine and dandy, more power to his right to do so, but I don't want to fraternize. But I still prefer having a place for complete conversation, not that whitewashed hall that is AAJ, etc. I'm pretty thick skinned and respectful about religion. I've lived a good share of my life within an organized belief system, and a good share outside of one. I'm a lot happier without one and can't swallow the black and whiteness of being in one. But I did live on the other side, and know how to be a good neighbor with a fence just the right height.

Man, I'm really divided about this next box set. . . . I mean I adore Wake of the Flood and Mars Hotel, but my interest after that really wanes dramatically. I'd like to have the remastered Flood and Mars, AND the bonus disc only sold through the website. . . but not the whole box. Play the waiting game I guess and hope they put out remasters of Wake and Mars soon.

couw! Why not?