Matthew

This might be off topic a bit but one of the reasons that smooth jazz is so popular is that it does cover these great songs from the 1961 to present era. I listen to the local smooth jazz station while driving (I can't really listen when driving so I use music as background) and you hear Motown, R & B, Rock and jazz classics being covered, as well as contemporary "pop" songs. Say what you will about the whole smooth jazz thing, but that is one positive thing that it does, it attracts a lot of people by covering these songs that "legit jazz" ignores.

That one will linger for the Padres for a long while. Then again, if you can't hold a two run lead going into the last inning, you deserve the win. What a way for Hoffman to go out, I don't see him coming back after this one.

Leon Russell's This Masquerade has to considered a jazz standard by now, there's been a million recorded versions.

Good, when people unload their old 20-bit copies that I don't have, I'll pick them up cheap. To my ears, they sound great.

I really would like the Padres to win today, just for old times sake.

Forgot The Shadow of Your Smile.

Seem to me that Time After Time has become a standard.

Ictus Records is putting out a cd in honor of Rutherford, it sounds like an interesting one. Flights of Fancy Suite in 5 movements in memory of Paul Rutherford (1940-2007) Guido Mazzon Sextet featuring Paul Rutherford ICTUS 145 (2007) Tracks: 1. Flights of Fancy - Movement #1 2. Flights of Fancy - Movement #2 3. Flights of Fancy - Movement #3 4. Flights of Fancy - Movement #4 5. Flights of Fancy - Movement #5 Performed by: Guido Mazzon - trumpet, conductor Paul Rutherford - trombone Renato Germaia - saxophones Rudy Migliardi - tuba Umberto Petrin - piano Tiziano Tononi - drums Recorded: Noci, Italy, June 25, 1993 About: For more then 35 years, Guido Mazzon has been one of the leading voices of the new jazz in Italy. His musical endeavors crossed from contemporary jazz compositions, improvised music and songs, to interaction between music and poetry, literary prose, dance and video art. His artistic collaborations include some of the greatest European and American improvisers from Evan Parker to Anthony Braxton; at this album he is joined by legendary British trombone player Paul Rutherford. To compose or to play is like writing on a "tabula rasa" (clean slate) where I draw sounds, emotions and create intimate relationships with my partners. To play music together is to live common experience; to express emotions is not necessarily to utter high concepts but simply to tell the stories. (Guido Mazzon)

How's that Kool Aid tasting?

In the 1960s, when I started listening to jazz, I passed over a lot of hard bop records because of their formulaic quality. Later on - late 70s to the present - I was able to get past the formulas and hear the musicians and the music. I missed out on some great music back then, but I'm lucky enough to be able to hear it now - and can hear it differently than I could have back then. I don't find Leeway a boring date at all. Three of the tunes are taken at similar medium tempos, there's no ballad, and only one uptempo tune. Perhaps that's what Big Al is tuning into. Some fine solos throughout, and good tunes - a good record, to my ears. I think I'm going in the opposite direction, when I started, I listened to nothing but hard bop, especially Blue Note, now I'm flat burned out on it. I put Leeway in the cd player last night and I pulled it after ten minutes. I agree with Big Al -- boring... sorry guys.

Guido Mazzon / Andrea Centazzo: Double. Disk one.

It's going to be very strange watching the Giants without Bonds, in fact, it's going to be weird when Bonds does leave the game, I've been watching this guy since he was in college and I went to the Cal games in Berkeley. Even then, you knew he would be a great player. Everything aside, steroids, personality, the self-aggrandizement, he was a great player to watch and was never dull.

Disk two. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record on this box set, but it is very good. Disk three.

The Angels are a very good team and I think Boston will have a hard time winning the series (you guys on the East Coast always think we're lightweights out here ). I don't take their current play too seriously sine they clinched a while ago; they have good pitching, hitting, and I think Matthews will be O.K. for the playoffs. If Boston is smart, they'd just walk Vlad every time he comes up and make someone else beat him. I would love to see Cleveland take the Yankees in straight games, I just think the Yankee pitching is too weak to beat good teams in any series.

Disk three this morning.

I just want to say how much I love this cd by Perry Robinson, Nobu Stowe, and Andrea Centazzo, The Soul in the Mist, for me, this is the best jazz release of the year. Robinson is very creative in his clarinet playing, and it's nice to hear him since his is under recorded for so good a player. Nobu Stowe piano playing is unique and understated, nice touches, kind of a minimalistic style, but very effective. Centazzo wrote all the music played and adds his percussion style to move things along. It's just beautiful, thoughtful music, that is worth hearing.

Disk two. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record on this box set, but it is very good.

Whew! Padres pulled that game out last night, four run ninth to keep ahead of Colorado. Sorry Goodspeak, well, not that sorry.

Padres lose the game, and now Bradley is out for the season -- 2/3 of their outfield gone, looking bad for them. Of course, the Red Sox have their entire starting outfield out, after all, JD Drew is always out, even when he's there.

Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings. The sound on this set is atrocious, there has to be a better sounding set somewhere.

Been listening to Harris lately, think I'll email Mosaic and see what, if anything, is happening with the Select idea.

I just checked my Paypal account since I've used it a couple of times this month, and I noticed that my spending limit has been increased to $10,000, which is strange since in four years of use, I've only spent $700... I must have a honest face.

Me not listening to Gene Harris is about as likely as me not caring about baseball anymore. Good! I Like how he just says what he wants to and gets out -- no fuss, no muss, classy all the way -- and swings like mad. Honestly, there can't be too many people who have the complete recordings of TTS. Too bad Cuscuna never came to your way of thinking on a full-blown Mosaic.

The Complete Blue Note Recordings of Freddie Redd. Disk one. I'm still in shock over today. I go into Silver Platters in North Seattle, and I'm about ready to leave, I look down under the used jazz cd bin, and there's the Freddie Redd Mosaic for $29.99, so I jump on it. The set is in mint conditions too. Pure luck.

Supposedly, the contract that the Sonics have with Key Arena specifies the numbers of NBA games that the Sonics have to play there for the duration of the contract, and that is seen by the city as the key (pun alert!!) provision that insures the Sonics staying. Seattle is hoping to make it messy enough that Stern has to step in, which Stern might do, there is a huge market drop off from Seattle to OKC.