jazzbo

I got this in the mail this weekend as well. I LOVE the sound. . . a killer example of early stereo done well, and there is a little too much audience noise. . . but that makes it like being there. As Jim says, Warne's playing is beautiful. As is Joe's. I really like this!

Is this REALLY going to be out tomorrow? (Ya never know with Columbia!)

Anybody else have an opinion to help the Marine?

However this is not always a safe assumption to make, that early stereo is bad. There are beautiful examples of early stereo. . . check out any of the earliest Columbia stereo recordings for example. . . FANTASTIC. Also check out nonbiglabel work such as the live Tristano date with Konitz (in 1955!) and the recent Marsh at Dana's Point (excellent stereo recording in my opinion, a little too much audience noise but that too has its pluses).

The advice here is good. Exercise can help. . . and it can be as simple as a long walk through the neighborhood (if you have that sort of an environment) . . . . Just getting out of your four walls and being open to different surroundings can help get your mind on a different track. There was a period of time eight years ago when I was being attacked by someone at work who had turned the best job I ever had and still now wish I had into a nightmare, my wife had come down with a serious delusion and we were separated by a thousand plus miles and even more distance really because she believed if she returned to our homes the cats and I were in danger, and I felt as if the world was crashing in on me. I made it through by a variety of methods, one was persisting being my wife's best friend persuading her to change doctors, which she did and led to a proper diagnosis and eventual mental health, a return to this town, a career with the University and a much better life for us both. Another was toughing out round after round of conflict resolution with this coworker, which led to Human Resources asking me to come to work for them because they wanted me in their team and did not at all believe the accusations (falsely) assigned to me by my attacker; that job move led me to a better career path (though I've never since enjoyed my work as much as I did at that job before the troubles began out of the blue!). And finally I became interested in the life and work of Krishnamurti and began to read what biographies of him I could find, which I found fascinating, and very helpful . . . . His nihilistic approach and his belief that one has to extricate oneself from the conditionings of the world and family to find the right path for oneself was very explanatory to many facets of my life and very strengthening. I had almost given up on my marriage and almost lost my job, and instead things gradually turned to the better on all fronts. So get some air, evaluate what is positive and fan it to a better flame, and explore some spiritual or artistic material that seems to "speak" to you. . . . My two cents! I'm hoping all improves soon, my best to you.

I'll leave that to you.

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!