mjzee

Agreed. I've bought the first two releases, but I wouldn't spend $60 on such a lark...esp. considering I might hate it. If there was a money-back guarantee, then maybe. Do you really need a box, though? Perhaps you should consider a Digipak, similar to the recent Miles Davis bootleg. Just a thought, but it could bring the price down.

Essential Art House, Volume III (Ashes and Diamonds / Forbidden Games / The Hidden Fortress / Last Holiday / Richard III / Variety Lights), from Criterion, for $29.99: Amazon. Oddly, only this volume is at this price; odder still is that they carry volumes 1, 3 & 4, but not volume 2.

This makes sense. Thanks, Mike!

To clarify, there still is only ONE "Sun Ra" (fake) Horo that's been issued on CD, correct?? I have it (the fake "New Steps" quartet CD), but I really wished they'd also issued (even if fake) the "Other Voices, Other Blues" quartet release. I have "Other Voices..." on LP (maybe the rarest LP I own!), but would love to have it on CD. That is correct; only "New Steps." The complete list of (fake) Horos available on US eMusic can be found here.

That is true; I always compare the price of disc versus download. With disc, you also have the resale factor, and the documentation (graphics, booklet, etc).

Ever since my son was born, listening to music on my good stereo simply isn't possible - it'll wake someone up, or interfere with some activity in some other room. My home office has become my de facto man cave. I really like my computer speakers (Altec Lansing FX3022). They have excellent bass (the bottom of each speaker has a subwoofer) and good clarity; they really draw you into the music. They don't have that much power - if I were across the room, they wouldn't make much of an impression. But at my desk, centered between the two speakers, they're wonderful, almost like external headphones.

I think the Airport Express will also work with PCs. I think all you need is an existing wireless network in your house, and iTunes on your computer.

Book printing kiosks. See page 9 (I couldn't link directly to that page). I'm not saying this will work with Pullman's book, but it could be down the road.

From within your house, a good way to do this is with an Airport Express: Apple Music streams from your computer to the AE; it has audio outs which can connect to your stereo. Going out? If your car stereo plays mp3 files, just burn a couple hundred of them to a CD. Or, as I do, plug in your iPod to the car stereo. I bought a car unit that has a USB port and can control the iPod. Leeway's response is also interesting. There are so many technological innovations going on in this space that half the time I don't even understand the responses posted on this board. I don't at all download from any "unofficial" sites. I only frequent eMusic, Amazon, and when they have sales, 7digital.

My main objection to CDs and LPs is the concept of "out of print"...that the music is unavailable for purchase because the discs are not currently being manufactured. With the music migrating to digital files, we may soon reach the point that the music is always available for purchase or streaming. That's incredible. For contrast, I remember a time prior to 1978 when most of Charlie Parker's studio recordings could not be obtained in stores.

Kindle e-books can also be read on smart phones, iPads, and your computer. The software is free. I think some bookstores have kiosks that will print out-of-print books while you wait. I don't know if the licensing will extend to Kindle e-books.

That will no doubt diminish their value on eBay. I couldn't care less, but in my experience people attach much value to the number of a set. What could I do? Someone here suggested I give the set a number "1."

About a year ago, I received a Mosaic box with no number (not on the box, the booklet, or the receipt). I asked Mosaic, and they replied that with the move to a new distribution center, they no longer have the control or the ability to number every box.

It's interesting to see a Mobley album not on Blue Note. There aren't that many, right? 2 on Prestige, 2 on Savoy, the "Monday Night at Birdland" on Roulette, and the late Cobblestone. Are there any others?

Just noticed this on Amazon: Recorded live at The Rising Sun in Montreal, November 9-12, 1977. Featuring the great saxophonist Dexter Gordon, pianist George Cables, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Eddie Gladden. Tracks: Lover Man, You've Changed, Old Folks, Polka Dots And Moonbeams, LTD. Total running time: 78:47.

Life carried on as expected: I (and everyone else at the Vanguard) got their drinks, and the band played on. Reprimanded?? I think the bigger threat to the Vanguard was the waitstaff walking out en masse.

I saw him there, around 1976. My favorite memory was the attitude of the waitstaff. Jarrett came out, and announced that he wanted complete silence during their performance...and that the waitstaff should not serve drinks during the performance. Around 5 minutes into the set, my waitress came by to take my drink order. I said to her, smiling, what about Jarrett's request? She rolled her eyes and carried on.

Agreed. There was a major drop-off in pressing quality in the late '70's, which coincided with the price spikes/gas shortages of the era (oil being the major component of vinyl). Rampant inflation of the late '70's also a major cause. Though I've never been a student of it, you could tell the majors each either owned or used a particular pressing plant - you could tell by the way the vinyl was indented in the label area. Capitol had a largish circle near the hole (and their vinyl was thicker and harder too; probably poorer quality), Columbia had a rim around the outer part of the label, RCA had a small circle right near the hole, Atlantic had a rim around the outer part of the label, but different than Columbia's - it had a more sloping edge and got very thin near the label. Atlantic pressings could also be very warped, noisy, and off-center. MCA's also had a small circle near the hole, but different than RCA's, and their vinyl was also thicker, harder and noisier. Fantasy/Milestone pressings were always very good, even the inexpensive OJCs - I think they used Columbia's pressing plants. ECM's pressings, starting from when they were distributed by WB, were off-the-charts beautiful; they seemed to use some audiophile pressing plant, and they encased their discs in rice-paper sleeves. Dealing with all those noisy, warped, off-center vinyl discs in the late '70's - early '80's, I remember being baffled by the negative reaction to CD's. They seemed like a boon, comparatively.

Lorraine's Pepsi-Cola Club?

On the other hand... (courtesy of James Taranto): This August 2011 column by ESPN's D.J. Gallo speaks for itself: "There is still one area where we Americans are still No. 1: self-esteem. Yes, a study published last November in Psychology Today found that, thanks to going criticism-free from parents and educators for decades, today's American students feel they will make outstanding parents, spouses and workers--even if they've accomplished nothing in or out of the classroom to merit such positive feelings about themselves. We might be dumb, but we're proud of it! . . . "Which brings us to Eli Manning and the state of the American quarterback. On Tuesday, Manning -- again: this is Eli Manning, not Peyton Manning -- told ESPN Radio 1050 in New York that he considers himself to be in the same class as Tom Brady. Last year Manning led the NFL in interceptions and was 17th in passer rating. He has a quarterback rating of 80.2 for his career. I would compare his production to Brady's, but I fear doing irreparable damage to Eli's burgeoning self-esteem. "Unfortunately, Manning is not the only NFL quarterback with delusions of grandeur."

Tom Wilson is the guy in the front row on the far left:

My impression, although I've never read it explicitly, is that as long as you are logged into Google, in any way, they will track and record whatever web sites you visit, even if it's not directly from a Google search results page. I have yet to see any assurances to the contrary.

I genuinely enjoy Steve Reich's "Music for 18 Musicians." I saw a blurb recently claiming that Karl Jenkins is the most popular current British classical composer. Is this true? As a Soft Machine fan, I found this interesting/amusing. I have the first Adiemus disc, but consider it more New Age than classical.

Google's Ad Preferences Manager Here's where Google shows the inferences they've made about you based on what they've collected about you. You can also "opt-out" of their tailoring ad results based on your search history; I doubt they'll stop collecting information about you, however. Do you really trust their voracious data appetite at this point? Do a Google search for "Ad Preferences Manager" for related web pages on this subject.

More on Pauline Butcher's book: look at the first customer review: Amazon