Big Al

Is it safe to say that the nine minutes of sheer joy that is "St. Louis Blues" speaks volumes about jazz, its past, its present (at the time and even now) and its future? If I ever need to exlpain jazz to someone, I'll just play this one track. From Dixieland to swing, bop to blues, it's all contained in this one tight little package! Honestly, I haven't listened to too much beyond that, because that one track is so GOOD, that I wanna keep playing it over and over and OVER!!! Lon is right on about Pops trumpet: fat and JUICY!!! And as if that wasn't brassy enough, there's Trummy Young playing the dirrrrrrrrrtiest 'bone I've ever heard! So baaaaad I gotta lock up the children! Once again Jim, this was a fantastic choice. Thanks for kickin' my butt to listen this!

Apologies if this offends anyone, but the mention of DC Talk got me to free-associating and... Bassist Unaware Rock Band Christian

Between McGwire's steroid-pumped pecs & Sammy's corked bat.... maybe they should give that record back to Roger Maris after all!

You're kidding, right? It no longer amazes me as much as it sickens me these days. I used to think that nutcases like MB were just the fringe, the extreme, the minority among the faithful. I'm quickly learning it isn't so. I wish I could remember the exact quote I heard on a dc Talk record years ago (a "Christian" band, BTW). Something to the effect of "the leading causes of atheism are Christians." And MB is more proof of that. And it makes me sad.

Good luck, and keep it Greece-y!!!

No kidding! Nonetheless, I'm also glad they're back!

Where's a 16-ton weight when you need one, thinks the judge........

GO MAVS!!! It was worth it just to see Sir Charles eat his words the other night. And liek Jim says, this is a team that refuses to die. So if it's over tonight, hey, it was a blast while it lasted and they didn't just lay down and die. But if it continues....... ooohhhhh BABY!!! May not need a !!!

Rooster Ties & JazzMoose, nice to see I'm in agreement with youse guys!!! While I agree ITTOD is their weakest album, "Carouselambra" remains such a wonderful guilty pleasure! Just a thought: are there any Zep songs you used to like, but can't stand 'em anymore because of "classic rock" overkill? F'rinstance, I used to really REALLY like "Kashmir," until I heard it for the 7,451,322nd time!!! (Needless to say, it ain't on my aforementioned comp, and just for the record, I did NOT download any of those tunes; took 'em straight off my own personal store-bought copies of the CDs). Then again, I gagged at "Fool in the Rain" the first time I heard it, and the outright hatred for that song grows every time it's played (which is usually 9 or 10 times a day).

Drat, this ISN'T good!!! Thanks for helping guys. This one, if it remains true, will be sorely missed!

Haven't been able to access it since Friday. Was there an announcement of some sort?

AC/DC POWERAGE cranked to maximum volume has kept me awake and alive for the drives to and from work! Been getting into the Byrds pretty heavy as of late (got Younger than Yesterday playing right now)!

I think I must sadly admit that this could be true... Gotta agree as well. In fact, I made a CDR of all my favorite tracks from HOUSES & PG which, to these ears, flows so much nicer than the two albums by themselves. (That, and if I have to hear "D'Yer Maker" ONE MORE DAMN TIME...... ) Anywho, I voted for III, but kinda wish I'd voted for PRESENCE, seeing as how no one's voted for it yet. IMHO, PRESENCE is their most honest album. Maybe that's why it's so underrated. It presents the mighty Zep as...... mortal?!?!?

I guess it is about time I hoid this album! Actually, my mother-in-law has the original six-eye Columbia LP, scratched all to hell. So I've heard it before, but I really need to get this CD. Dare I say it? I have no Louis in my collection. Oh the shame of it.....

Great poll!!! Had to give my vote to Silver, just because I've always felt he (and Blakey) laid the blueprint (pun only sorta intended). When it comes right down to it, whenever I hear Silver, I think Blue Note. And oddly enough, even on sessions on other labels, he still sounds like he's recording for Blue Note.

Favorite avatar: AfricaBrass's FAT ALBERT!!! Hey! Hey! Hey! I miss that cartoon. From someone who's like school in the summer: no class!!!

Anyone in particular?

Wasn't anyone else disappointed that Rooster Ties wasn't interviewed?

I suggest the same way you spent the first few 50's..... Happy Birthday!

“Big Al” just seemed like a general nickname I could use when I first posted at JCS, because I didn’t want to use my real name. It always seemed to me to be such a drab and obvious choice for a handle, but oddly enough, I’ve never had any trouble registering it anywhere. So if you see it at any jazz board, chances are it’s me. The avatar seemed pretty self-explanatory, right down to the full first name. It really is Alfred. My last name, Rearick, is a variation on the German “Rehrig” (I have no idea what that means), which got changed when my family came over in the 19th century. What I can’t figure out, though, is why anyone felt the need for a name-change, especially one that made an already-confusing last name even MORE confusing!

While I agree that the emphasis has been on music from the "golden decade," there have also been more than a fair share of topics outside of that decade. In fact, I think there's a real interest in music outside of that scope. Look at the recent discussion of a Weather Report album (FIVE pages now!); or another thread about the new Lonnie Smith album; or, heck, for that matter the Von Freeman on Nessa thread! In the grand scheme of things, this place may not be as diverse (or avant-garde, for lack of a better term) as Jazz Corner; but then again, this place is NOWHERE near as rigid as AAJ. It's that happy medium or median, whichever you prefer! So B-three cheers for the Organissimo gang for keeping the spirit and the camaraderie (as well as the comedy!) alive!

What Lon said!!! Verbatim. I haven't had this much fun since the halcyon days of Jazz Central Station.

Glad this topic is back up! I finally picked up Mysterious Traveller and Tale Spinnin, and they are everything that you all said they would be, and everything I was hoping it would be. It really is a shame that Alphonso Johnson only lasted three albums with this group. IMHO, these two albums, plus BM, are the three essential discs from Weather Report (he said, oh-so-self-importantly, as if he were some kind of WR expert!) Larsen, just to put things in perspective, I had no use for Heavy Weather, too; Black Market changed my mind dramatically. Listening to these three now, there is just so much that remains fresh about this music: the sense of searching and the thrill of discovery is fully evident. PLus, some of those grooves are so...... dare I say it? GREEEEEEEEEEEAZY!!!!!

New line of clothing for bass players: Wilburwear.