[The Ska Corner]

I'm a bit lucky here in Los Angeles, since we get the occasional show in town. And, Chris Murray (fka Venice Shoreline Chris) has a weekly gig at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood called the Bluebeat Lounge), where a lot of bands show up to play... some good times there!

Well whatta ya know - I've played there twice with my ska band, within the last couple years. Ever hear of 1337?

And by the way, the new Tokyo Ska Paradise Orcestra album is quite good, yes indeed.

Andrew Austin

[Question for you Musicians]

I like to close my eyes when I play, but as previously related, sightlessly improvising a passionate solo with a trombone is like holding a mace and a machete on separate strings and spinning until you're dizzy, and then some. It can get embarassing.

And, as I like to play with my bell real close to the mic, I too often find myself eating it, and for half an hour I've been distorted and blisteringly loud. That too is embarassing.

Doesn't stop me, though.

Andrew Austin

[Multi talented musicians]

Vladimir Chekasin

Vladimir Tarasov

Vyacheslav Ganelin

I think they've played everything.

[What live music are you going to see tonight?]

I saw the Pharoah Sanders Quintet with Dwight Trible at the Jazz Bakery last Friday for my 18th birthday spectacular.

Andrew

[Happy birthday Conn500]

¡Happy Birthday!

[favorite modern jazz RECORDINGS w/ 10+ players]

[How old are you?]

I'll be 18 in a month from yesterday.

I guess that means I win... or lose.

[Now reading...]

Recently finished James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, then read Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, and now reading Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness for the second time.

I think soon I'll start up some Nabokov... maybe Pnin.

Andrew

[Famous Cigar Smokers...or not]

Here's my favorite:

The Ashton VSG

All sizes kick an equivalent amount of ass.

I also really dig these two:

The CAO Brazilia Gol! and the Partagas Black Label Magnifico

I like my stogies full-bodied.

Andrew

[Dolphy: Iron Man and Conversations]

Is it like that fabulous one on "Out To Lunch"?

Well, just let me say this:

If Come Sunday were not on Iron Man, I would much prefer listening to Out to Lunch, and I'd probably never even bother picking up Iron Man. But seeing as how it is, Iron Man gets to see a whole lot more of the inside of my CD player than does Out to Lunch.

Come Sunday never fails to make me cry.

Andrew

[Dolphy: Iron Man and Conversations]

...and the rest isn't too bad either.

[Dolphy: Iron Man and Conversations]

I tell you what,

I would buy Iron Man if Come Sunday were the only track. That duet between Dolphy on bass clarinet and Richard Davis is perhaps one of the most beautiful recordings I've ever heard.

Andrew

[Famous Cigar Smokers...or not]

Hi hi hi.

My name's Andrew, and I've been a lurker here for many months, perhaps years. The company and knowledge you've all provided me has been invaluable, and all that time I've been persistently compelled to register and start participating, but at the same time I've realized my youth and inexperience may yield very little that may be of any interest to you.

But seeing as how I do like a good cigar every now and then (although I've been getting into pipes lately, in a big way), seeing this thread pushed me over the edge, and I suppose now's a fine time to begin and introduce myself.

I'm 17, I live in LA, I play the trombone pretty well methinks, I dig reading very much; I listen to lots of music, especially jazz of the more modern variety (avant-garde?).

And my contribution to this thread is this:

Mr. Lester Bowie