jazzbo

I have the Strayhorn box but have not yet fully explored it. It would be an incredible value if I did not already have a chunk of it, but I'm glad I have it and I think any fanatic of Ellington/Strayhorn recordings would want to have it.

"You are Beautiful" from "Secret Ellington." Just an amazing duet performance, and the engineering and production transform it into something piercingly touching to me, just makes me a puddle, brings out a bundle of recent emotions in me, all great emotions to revisit.

Probably walked across the brightness control. I love cats, and I miss the three that I had the last two decades. Two died of old age and one disappeared overnight. My new gal is allergic though, so no cats in my immediate future.

Yes it is page, thanks.

Okay, yes. I don't really think of that as a "comp" as it has the complete Blue Note sessions and nothing else. It will take me a bit of time to get back to it and say whether the "middle session" sounds inferior to the rest. There's an answer to that regarding the two separate Japanese SHM-CD reissues above.

I don't remember it sounding significantly different. It may be a while before I can revisit it. . . .

The comp? Are you referring to the Universal Miles Davis, which reissues all the Blue Note material Davis recorded in the first half of the 'fifties? It's a very good looking package that has decent notes and music remastered for cd by Kevin Reeves from the Grundman transfers. I haven't yet compared the sound directly against that of the Japanese SHM-CD releases that preceded them, but the sound is very good. Nice photos in the booklet as well, a few I've never before seen.

Thanks marcel, and I'll keep boppin'!

I think they are just mastered from really good transfers on really good equipment by a qualified engineer. I picked up the new Miles Davis two cd set on Universal and it shares this sort of sound, and perhaps the same transfer engineering and engineer (on the Davis that is credited to Bernie Grundman).

Thanks Adrian. This year has a good start going for it! Today discovered my Mom can participate in a palliative care program where doctors and nurses will come to HER and we won't have to go through the very stressful process of getting her to them, which will eliminate about 75 percent or more of her rounds of clinic visits. Whew!

Good to know. I'll forego a big party, not my thing, but also don't really expect any big "problem." It's nice to be this age.

That IS an amazing concert, and great sound! I listened to several discs from this set (and a few other Pops items) on Monday, the BIRTHDAY. Great job Ricky et al!

Thanks Stuart!

Yes, I agree there are upsides. I've enjoyed a lot of my fifties. Okay, not the losing my wife part. Don't recommend that.

Thanks everyone! It was a good day. Boy. . . I just realized. Next one is. . .SIXTY. Gulp.

Thanks Evan! It was a good one, glad it's over.

I don't at all see her as a "minimally talented singer." I think she acquits herself very well, even on "The Nearness of You." (I sometimes think for many "talent" only counts if it is really in "jazz" or "classical" or maybe blues, etc. -- that's the type of snobbery that really pisses me off to no end, as if to have talents that reach the masses and become successful were total BS nonsense, not mattering, dismissable entirely). All this animosity against her. . . just not something I'll share in. She's not the greatest jazz singer. So what. She's in the popular music biz. Jazz artists just flat aren't any longer. If they want to be. . . well, tough noogies. Come back Allen. You need us, we need you.

Thanks guys. Finally got a good night's sleep so it was a good night after a nice day!

Happy Birthday Shawn! Many many happy happy returns!

I hope Allen comes back. I can sort of understand his upset, but it's not worth an exit stage left.

Yes, but i also share a birthday with Obama and Billy Bob Thornton is EXACTLY as old as I am! So. . . I'm all over the place. Thanks guys. Next year has a lot of promise, even with my sad duties here in Bay Village. I have to say my life was rescued on May 3 when my gal Lucinda knocked on my door and I grabbed her in my arms after not seeing her for 33 years. We just hit it off and it's a serious thing now, a serious thing that has given me a lot of strength, comfort and hope. She made my birthday celebration Saturday something else, today is just anti-climatic with the highlight being my youngest neices (5 and 6) stopping by to visit.

Thanks guys!

Watching the last two episodes of The Assets.

Thanks all of yous!