It's my 40th anniversary!

[GA Russell]

I expect to be away from my computer tomorrow, so I'll say now that tomorrow is my fortieth anniversary! No, not that anniversary. It was forty years ago tomorrow that I bought my first jazz record.

It was Hang On Ramsey! by the Ramsey Lewis Trio. It was the brand new follow up to his In Crowd album, and included two radio hits, both of which were given much more airplay in my hometown New Orleans than The In Crowd was - Hang On Sloopy and A Hard Day's Night.

After buying a Ray Bryant album and listening to some jazz radio, I bought in October my first hard core jazz album, Groove Holmes' Soul Message, and I was on my way.

What I have learned over the years is to trust my judgment. The jazz community includes quite a number of people who would like to be The Thought Police, and it took me awhile to realize that there is nothing inadequate about my tastes just because I don't share their preferences.

The avant garde is a good example. Back in the 60s the Impuse! New Thing albums always got five stars in Downbeat. There was no such thing as a mediocre free jazz album, according to them. Even as a kid I could see that that was suspicious.

Today I look for joy in other people's comments, whether they be record reviews or bulletin board posts. There are quite a number of people who discuss jazz with a "No dissent will be tolerated" attitude. Forty years ago these people had me thinking that there was something wrong with me for liking 50s jazz. Now I know that the problem is with them - no joy. I see this often from the Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton crowd.

Over the years my LP and CD collection has grown to a substantial amount, although it is still quite small compared to those of many of you here. I consider the money spent to be a great bargain. In the 70s the record industry put stickers on LPs which said something like "Music - your greatest entertainment value". I believe that that was true then and is still true today. It's hard to calculate how few pennies have been spent for each time I listen to a CD. And the fact that I often go back to play CDs I purchased over fifteen years ago is another indication of a worthwhile investment.

I've learned a great deal about many artists since becoming a regular here, and I expect that to continue for as long as there is an Organissimo board. It's great to be part of a knowledgable group of people with enthusiasm for my favorite art form.

edit for typo and grammar

Edited June 8, 2006 by GA Russell

[Epithet]

I wanna rain, rain, rain on your parade.

[JSngry]

40 years and you've never seen joy in a Braxton fan?

Dude, you ain't seen joy 'til you've seen me dancing to Braxton!

[JSngry]

And that's the problem right there - too many people don't dance no more. Don't matter if it's King Oliver or AEC - DANCE TO THE SHIT!

And if the dance ain't in you, youmaybe got a problem.

This I do believe.

[ep1str0phy]

And that's the problem right there - too many people don't dance no more. Don't matter if it's King Oliver or AEC - DANCE TO THE SHIT!

And if the dance ain't in you, youmaybe got a problem.

This I do believe.

Amen--and I'm sure one can find a lot of love in the Taylor/Braxton crowd 'round these parts. And hell, I dance.

-Really though, I wish I could rememeber the day I bought my first jazz album. Maybe I'll go rifling through my old receipts...

[BruceH]

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!!!

I envy your memory. I bought my first jazz album in 1979 or 1980, I think, but if I can't be sure about the year, I sure as hell can't pin down the DAY! More power to ya, and keep on listenin'!