Leeway

Phil Klay's Redeployment , a group of 12 stories, each with a different narrator and each focusing on a different aspect of the Iraq War, and Kevin Powers' Letter Composed During a Lull in the Fighting, a collection of poems also dealing with the Iraq War, had been heavily recommended, so I put in a "hold" at my library (all copies were out). When they came in last week, I put aside the 20th century modern English women authors for a bit. The defining military engagement of my generation was the Vietnam War. The great books for me that came out of that conflict were Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried and, If I Die in a Combat Zone ; Michael Herr's Dispatches; and, Phil Caputo's Going After Cacciato. I think Klay's and Powers' books can stand comparison with these books of a previous war. What they all have in common is brutal honesty, deep feeling, and no easy answers.

The Fernwood Flasher Jumpin' Jack Flash Flash Gordon

Rumsfeld Rumpole Rumpelstiltskin

There are a lot of radio stations here (U.S.) that run "Breakfast with the Beatles" shows on Sunday mornings, and you're right, it's a good fit.

Eager to get to that one. My plan is to read all Spark's novels this yar. I'm about halfway there, with 10 down. Aiding and Abetting is next, plus I just got a couple of later titles from my local library. Stannard's bio got me particularly interested in Robinson, I just need to locate a copy. Spark usually wrote quickly, and eschewed the advice or guidance of editors, so sometimes there is a slightly slapdash quality to her work, occasionally the seams show. There very well may be too many characters on stage at once! I'll keep that in mind as I read. Right now I'm reading something completely different from Spark; a world away (I think). I'll post on it in next couple of days.

The Flaming Lips The Firehouse 12 Smokey & The Bandit

Job The Comforters Muriel Spark

Wale Starbuck Ahab

Henry Rollins Rollie Massamino Mino Cinelu

Hardbopjazz's OP said, "Any artist or artists that you just been floored by recently that you [k]new of but never really gave that extra effort listening to." Recently, for me, that has been Dave Rempis. Since he started his own label, and stepped out as a leader, his work has really drawn my attention.

Sounds like a great show, Chuck.

Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle Roscoe Bartlett Bartleby

Dobie Gillis Dopey Opie and Anthony

I hink a lot of pressings are coming out of Eastern Europe and Russia, so in that sense there are a lot of new sources of vinyl. Very very variable quality.

LOITERING WITH INTENT - Muriel Spark - 1981 The story of aspiring poet and novelist Fleur Talbot and her employer and nemesis, Sir Quentin Oliver, with his nasty assistant, Beryl Tims, stand-ins, respectively, for Spark and the Poetry Society she briefly worked for, a stint that ended amidst wreckage. Thanks to Stannard, I could pick out the considerable amount of autobiographical material Spark herself included. Lots of score settling going on. As usual, Spark demonstrates a quick wit, and she throws some wicked jabs. I found it very amusing. If one thinks of the novel as in any way realistic, one would likely end up disappointed. It's really more of a fantasy or fairy tale. Which is not to say it doesn't deal with serious things, nor that it is perfectly constructed. There are two lines in the novel that go far towards explaining Spark own attitude: "How wonderful it feels to be an artist and a woman in the twentieth century." This is stated near the beginning and the end of the book. Another, taken from Benvenuto Cellini, is repeated several times: "And so, having entered the fullness of my years, from there by the grace of God, I go on my way rejoicing."

Noddy Boffin Silas Wegg Silas Marner

That is very significant information. Share that with law enforcement. That information plus information from the mailing, could make the case. I wouldn't confront the person directly.

I gave "Poco-A-Poco" a listen today. Found it better than "Strictly for..." Nevertheless, I find it cut from the same mold: a little avant, a little straight-ahead, a little razzle-dazzle something or other. Not saying this won't work for a lot of people. I like some of it, just not that moved by the group's work overall. I think the music is not aging well. There is an aura of nostalgia about it. The back story of the group occasionally threatens to take over from the music. Steve Kulak's hyperbolic liner notes, in my view, get it backwards. He posits that if "three white guys" in New York came up with Ganelin music, it would have changed the world. I don't think so. It was the fact of the Iron Curtain that gave the music its importance. Kulak says, "The music of the Trio is not a political statement." Again, to me that is bass-ackwards. If it is not a political statement, it is nothing. Its energy is derived from the suppression of social and political life, of waiting on line once too often and long, of squeezing into a small state-owned apartment, of the constant threat of censorship. Not a coincidence that when the Wall came down, so did the Ganelin Trio. I celebrate the music as a political event. The avant element was an act of political opposition; no wonder everyone was nervous about that. As a result, it seems like much of these concerts are given over to tub-thumping music and circus antics. Russian wedding music I call it, having been to some of those, I feel Chekasin's reeds and winds are saying something. A musical samizdat. Tarasov's drum/percussion energies generate intense excitement. I still find Ganelin on piano too prone to musical cliche and sentiment. When all the currents flow together, when the art is advanced, good things happen.

That's a great one! Agreed! Thank goodness they gave Trevor appropriate credit!

Since it came through the mails, I would meet with the Postal Inspectors (not the Postal Inspector General). They might have a way of tracing the letter to at least the geographic point of origin. They also have sophisticated forensic tools to analyze the letter. What strikes me as odd is that the play in question would have to be at least 25 years ago. That is a very very long time to hold a grudge. Why now? something must have happened now to cause a resurgence of ill will. OK, in the meantime, you need to do what you can to protect yourself. Change your routines. get some pepper spray, be aware of your surroundings. My feeling though is this poison pen letter is just meant to upset and frighten, and nothing more. Someone trying to settle scores by frightening others.

I have "Poco-A-Poco" sitting about here, will give it a spin tomorrow. No "Con Affetto" I'm afraid.

I have those: good discs! Do you have The Feel Trio box set?

I gave Strictly for out Friends another listen. I hope there is some room for a mild dissent. I like them well enough, but I don't have the same kind of strong reaction that others have for them. I think Tarasov on drums is exciting, and Chekasin on reeds has his moments. Ganelin on piano does nothing much for me. In their more avant mode, they can be really interesting, but they often revert to straight-ahead, or even Russian pop stylings, which for me is not interesting. I think the fact that they did not have easy (or any) access to jazz/avant players much of the time contributes to their strengths and weaknesses, that is, a chance to make their own identity, OTOH, the unavailability of leading edge performances that could have given them more to work with.

Soft Machine Soft Heap Uriah Heep

Seymore Butts Rumpelstiltskin Jennifer Lopez