mjzee

So I have a bunch of audio cassettes I want to load onto my computer. Normally, I'd just play them on my stereo and record on my CD recorder, then rip the CDs on my computer, etc. But I now find that, probably due to inactivity, my tape deck is shredding the tapes. I don't want to pay too much money for a tape deck that will be of limited use. Also, I'm not sure they're manufactured anymore! I see some tape-to-mp3 solutions, but they're getting bad reviews. Can anyone offer a solution?

Great clip. Yeah, Cosby's definitely a historical figure. Great man. And consistent in his outspoken love for jazz.

For more than 60 years, I've seen recurring obituaries of jazz. The threnodies are being prepared again—in the National Endowment for the Arts' latest survey on public participation in the arts and with such questions as "Can Jazz Be Saved?" in which widely respected music critic Terry Teachout wrote regretfully in this paper last summer, "I don't know how to get young people to listen to jazz again." Both the survey and Mr. Teachout's column attracted rebuttals in print and on the Internet, of course. But the most exhilarating one I've heard is musical— "Confeddie," the debut CD of 19-year-old alto saxophonist Hailey Niswanger, and a work with the joyous feeling of the first day of spring. More remarkable, Ms. Niswanger is still a student, at Boston's Berklee College of Music. It's an institution that continues to have many active jazz professionals among its alumni. She wrote all the arrangements for "Confeddie" in collaboration with three impressive Berklee students: Michael Palmer, Greg Chaplin and Mark Whitfield Jr. More here: WSJ

The Storyville set is still available as mp3 downloads from eMusic: eMusic Fargo

Click the column heading for track numbers; that should get them into numerical order.

I ordered Vonski Speaks from Chuck, and look forward to hearing it. The only Von album I've heard is one on Atlantic from the early '70's (the cover is where he's in a wife-beater t-shirt in front of a crumbling slum). It didn't do much for me.

In that period, he seemed to write a few "biography" songs. If you can find it, give a listen to "Catfish." This is a song about the baseball pitcher Catfish Hunter. It's a hoot!

Thanks mjzee. I've been dreading having to get a new shuffle if something happens to my current one specifically because of this headphone issue. I've been using vmoda and sonix lenntek with both my shuffle and 120 gig. I'm preety happy with them. Hopefully more manufactures will come up with alternatives. Do the phones that come with the current shuffle sound any better than the older phones? Maybe a little. I think I notice a little more bass than I used to. I use the headphones at work (only), and I'm content with them. At home, I listen to iTunes on my computer (and I'm very happy with the program, BTW). I also have a 120 gb Classic, and I listen to that on a JBL Micro Portable Speaker Dock (see Amazon). Audiophile? No, but I find it doesn't often concern me - I get drawn into the music, which must mean that on some level it's good enough. I used to travel often on business, and I bought the JBL to play my music in the hotel room - it's very portable.

A question about the new ipod shuffle. Do you have to use the phones it comes with or can you use your own? I'm not fond of the usual ipod phones. As you know, most of the controls are on the headphone cord. The following is from Apple's website: "Headphones or other audio accessories made by Apple or a third-party that do not include an integrated remote are not fully compatible with iPod shuffle (3rd generation). iPod shuffle can still be used with these accessories, but with limited functionality. "When a standard headphone or audio accessory is connected, you can initiate audio playback by simply switching iPod shuffle from the OFF position to the play in order or shuffle position. The iPod shuffle should be in the OFF position for at least three seconds before switching it back on. iPod shuffle will resume playback of the content that was previously being played at a fixed volume level. This volume level cannot be adjusted from the iPod itself. If iPod shuffle is connected to external speakers or a car stereo, volume adjustment may be possible from those devices. "iPod shuffle will pause audio playback when the device is switched off or when the audio accessory is disconnected." (This was taken from the following page: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3472 However, you should note that some higher-end manufacturers are making compatible headphones. One that I've been considering (but I want to hear them first) is the Klipsch Image S4i. You can view them here: Amazon.

Yes, just plunge in. Two more iterations you may want to consider: The new iPod Shuffle: It doesn't hold a lot (4 gb right now), but it's inexpensive, and, what I love is, while music's playing, you can press a button on the headphones and a computer voice tells you the track name and artist. It's wonderful at work; before, I used to pull the iPod out all the time to see what track was playing. This is much more unobtrusive. I also think the voice is really cool (although it insists on reading all Stan Getz tracks in French). The new iPod Touch: While the iPod Classic holds more (160 gb vs. 64 gb), the iPod Touch has wifi and a web browser. This makes it more versatile: in a wifi setting, you can surf the web, send emails and make phone calls.

Sound & Vision raved about the picture quality in a recent issue.

Gary Burton (been discussed many times before here). Does RCA hold the rights to Flying Dutchman? Might be some potential there.

They appear to be the original Horo covers. The Andorrans generally don't do that.

Good choices; you will enjoy.

Amazon

I'm still not sure that Dylan was being serious when he wrote (co-wrote, actually) "Joey." Not that he was being humorous; I've always wondered whether it was an exercise in hagiography, as in "you could make anyone into a hero if you really tried."

Feel better, Joe.

I want to offer a provocative, contrarian view: If you can afford it, and like .mp3's, the best way to just plunge in is to buy "Bob Dylan - The Collection" from the iTunes Music Store. For $200, you'd get every official BD release through Modern Times. Then you could explore his oeuvre at your leisure. It really is a tremendous price for the amount of music you'd be getting. Otherwise, in my long acquaintance with Bob's music (40 years and counting), I've always been bemused by how often I didn't love his "best" releases, and found wonderful things in his "lesser" works. "Blood On The Tracks," for example: never much cared for it. I like the original versions a little better; my guess is those songs went through editing and "sanitizing" to protect his family. But "Planet Waves," on the other hand: I've always loved that album! His singing, the songs, the arrangements, The Band's playing (Garth Hudson is such a monster!). Other albums I've loved (and you might): John Wesley Harding New Morning (very underrated) Slow Train Coming Infidels Real Live (great rock and roll, with Mick Taylor and Ian McLagen) Knocked Out Loaded/Down In The Groove (I think of these as one album; they could've easily fit on one disc) The later stuff is more problematic, for two reasons: I find his steadily-decaying voice difficult to listen to, and the point of view presented by the newer songs often doesn't connect with me. But if you're up for it, check out "Unplugged." I also liked "Tell Tale Signs." Finally, let's discuss "Dylan and the Dead." I LOVE this album. To me, it embodies so much of the Dylan ethos: the passion, the inscrutability, the implacability. "Joey," for example: Why "Joey"? What on earth made him think that the audience wanted to hear a 15-minute version of one of his hardest-to-buy-into songs? But I love that he did it, and I love the performance. Jerry Garcia is a monster throughout the whole record: listen to his guitar solo in Slow Train Coming. Queen Jane Approximately is a great rendition. So is I Want You, even if he flubs the words. And Knocking On Heaven's Door is just beautiful. My only complaint about the album is they left off Rainy Day Women, which you can probably imagine is a very appropriate song considering his back-up band ("Everybody must get stoned" indeed).

FYI, the Garcia is $14.99 pre-order at Amazon.

Note that in your orinal post, you said "both" Candid sessions. I replied that there are more than 2 sessions, not albums. So are we talking about: Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus Mysterious Blues Reincarnation of a Lovebird ? One more: He's also on something called "Newport Rebels," but that isn't considered a pure "Mingus" session.

I send a check twice a year. I'm kinda fond of this place.

Mingus went through many phases, with many different types of sounds. From his early period, which encompasses his early Atlantics, I like Mingus at the Bohemia, Pithecanthropus Erectus and Tijuana Moods. From his middle period, through the mid-60's, the Columbias are probably the most polished and exciting. Props should be given to Oh Yeah!, since it really captures his personality. I don't care for a lot of the Candids because I don't care for Eric Dolphy, and I also don't care for the Impulses because they're either too ragged (Mingus Mingus Mingus) or meandering (Black Saint). For the later period ('70's), I love the The Complete America Session and the Lionel Hampton session.

I love the hommage to Super Session:

:tup

Here ya go (I scanned it from the Mosaic booklet):