Aggie87

About 6 months ago I picked up the Laswell/Keijo Heino/Rashied Ali (calling themselves Purple Trap) album "Decided.. Already The Motionless Heart of Tranquility, Tangling The Prayer Called "I"", on Tzadik. All of the song titles are about as abstract as the album title... I find it very interesting, but don't have much other Laswell to compare it to (other than his Santana "Divine Light" thing), so I'm not sure this is very representative. Very avant & noisy, and AMG compares it to instrumental Sonic Youth.

From Philly's website: "¥xÆWªº¿Õ©Ôã´µCD½æ¤T¦Ê¦h¡]¥ý«eÁÙ¦³¤¤»ù­ù¡I¡^ DVD­n½æ¨ì¡u¯S»ù¡G688¤¸¡v¡H¡H¡H¡H¡H ¡]³Õ«È¨Ó»ù¡^ Ãø¹D¸òÃöµ|¦³Ãö¡H ÁÙ¬O¤ÏÀ³DVD¤@¯ë¦æ±¡¡H" ...using good ole' Babelfish, translating Chinese to English, it comes out: "? X? W? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? CD? ? ¤T? ? ? H? ] ? ? E? ? ? ? ¤¤? ù? ù? I? ^ DVD? N? ? ¨ì? U? S? ù? G688¤? ? V? H? H? H? H? H? ] ? ? ? ¨? ? ù? ^? ? ? D? ò? ? ? |? ? ? ? ? H? ? ? O¤? ? ? DVD¤@? ? ? ? ±? ? H" Makes alot better sense to me

Talkin' about J.C. ... Talkin' about People... Talkin' about Luny Tune... Talkin' about Love... Talkin' about an old Cowhand... Talkin' about Fahrvergnügen! Just recently purchased a 2002 Volkswagon Passat, and have really enjoyed it so far! It's got a small-ish 1.8L turbo, but with a standard transmission and ALOT of get up and go, and is alot of fun to drive, whether just a trip to the grocery store, or a longer drive up to Austin to browse at Tower Records. It's definitely an upgrade from my previous car, a '91 Fiat Tipo. I don't believe Fiats are even available in the U.S. anymore. Anybody else have one of these, or driven one? I used to drive an older VW Passat when I was in high school (79-83) in Germany, though the car itself was probably vintage '75-76 or so. [editor's note: We used to use the bumper of this car to open beer bottles. This was back when bumpers were actually a physically separate part from the body of the car itself.] They have DEFINITELY improved in quality since then. This is what mine looks like, thought it's light green instead (and still needs window tinting). [editor's note #2: the previous note about opening beer bottles on car bumpers is not to be construed as a recommendation that anyone else ever attempt to do this, if you even have a detached bumper nowadays! This was a long time ago, and usually done on camping trips and other high school-type gatherings - NOT during a night out on the town! ]

Wow! And I thought I did well getting this one for $95 recently (I even hemmed & hawed about it at that price, until enough kind souls here helped me see the light). Congrats!

Found a cool picture from 1978: That's Sco with Adam Nussbaum and Steve Swallow, if you don't recognize anybody!

Anyone else have Blake's "Unmarked Van: Tribute to Sarah Vaughn", on Soul Note? I've been listening to it in my car today, and really enjoying it. Mainly a solo album, but with a tiny bit of support on occasion from a percussionist. I also have and enjoy Horace Silver tribute disc, which is still available on sale from hatology, I believe.

Aftab - I mentioned plans for the Star Wars trilogy in the DVD Corner thread. It's apparently coming out in September, and Lucas is planning to do some more tinkering with them.

Things no longer at Disneyland This isn't so much a goofy website, but it is a kind of fun trip down memory lane for any of you that visited Disneyland a long time ago...

How typically ignorant of you Aggie87. Just because the mundane proles with little or no intelligence fail to recognize the absolute perfection that is SACD is no reason to believe that the format will fail to reach it's obvious place at the apex of recorded music. While you may sneer at the format, anyone with an ounce of rational thought is quite aware that SACD is the wave of the future. -always willing to lend a hand! Thanks for enlightening me, JazzMaltz... By the way, I really dig your stereo! B)

up... Was looking at Steve Hoffman's BB for something or another, and came across a Norah Jones thread. Not that big a deal, but two comments caught my eye: 1. Someone asked if this would be coming out simultaneously in SACD format, and poster "tomd" replied: "Blue Note told me they don't think they will be putting out anymore SACDs citing low demand and high costs.Yet- since the Come Away With Me album came out on the format last summer many more people have adopted SACD.one would think if this one sells very well also-there will be pressure to put it out on SACD as well." Found this to be very interesting. I'm not sure who tomd is and what relationship he has with BN, or if he's just a fan and emailed them or something. Either way, if true, perhaps labels are starting to abandon the SACD format? Wonder what Greg would say about this? 2. Poster "therockman": "Excuse me for being stupid, but is Norah Jones Ravi's daughter?"

Another vote for "Live at Yoshi's" - what a smokin' album! I also have his BN debut, "All Sides Now" from '96, which doesn't hold together quite as well. It teams him up with a number of other guitarists - Charlie Hunter, Les Paul, Kevin Eubanks, Mike Stern, & Joe Satriani (!). I dig the intent, but wish it had come off a little better. Worth picking up if you can find it cheaply. Still need to pick up "Think Tank", and probably explore some of his earlier work as well.

I've only seen part of one episode, at a friend's house. It caught my eye (ear?), and for a while I couldn't figure out why. Then I noticed the absence of a laugh track (or a studio audience laughing), and realized it was on HBO. Seinfeld had a laugh track (not that there's anything wrong with that), and was still hilarious. But I appreciate a show that let's you decide where the humor is, instead of trying to decide for you. Definitely left me wanting to see more!

Also, it was reported that there are a number of Region two discs coming out this summer, to include Blazing Saddles SE, Goodfellas SE, and After Hours . Hopefully these will show up as R1 discs about the same time!

According to Digital Bits/Rumor Mill, the original Star Wars Trilogy is due out in September. HOWEVER, the following is an interesting quote from their website: "Interviewed for Robert J. Emery's The Directors: Take 4, Lucas reportedly says that when the original Star Wars Trilogy is released on DVD, he'll finally be able to release the films the way he originally intended. The site concludes that this confirms more changes to the original films as we've reported in the past. We'll just have to wait and see. September 2004's getting closer and closer every day." The "as we've reported in the past" link takes you to the following quote: "One other note today... we've heard from a number of interesting (and we believe reliable) inside sources that Lucsafilm is currently making major new changes to the original Star Wars films - the kind of changes he began a few years ago with the theatrical "Special Edition" releases. These changes include new special effects, revised and updated shots and scenes, and new footage shot with actors Hayden Christensen (Anakin) and Ian McDiarmid (the Emperor) that would flesh out moments with their characters in the original films. For example, an aged and scarred Hayden now appears as Anakin at the end of Return of the Jedi when Luke removes Vader's helmet. Among the other changes reportedly being made are the restoration of the original "Han shoots first" moment from Star Wars and a revamped lightsaber fight between Obi-Wan and Vader. What we've heard meshes with what we've been told before, which is that Lucas has always planned to release ultimate, "Archive" editions of these films that tie in better with the new prequels. The main question in our minds now is this: will these changes be completed in time to appear on the DVD releases planned for next September, or will we have to wait until after Episode III hits theaters to see them? And if we have to wait, what versions will appear on the DVDs? Time will tell." ***** I can sort of accept adding special effects to the films, which doesn't really change the story for the most part. But adding new footage? That seems a bit much - not sure I like that, in principal. At least September's not THAT far off, so we'll be able to see what Lucas actually does to the films...

Anybody who's on the fence about joining BMG, this might push you over the edge: They're currently offering 15 for 1 for new members. BMG 15 for 1 Deal

I think it's code. Translated, it means "Long ago on a BB far far away, I was once the poster known as 'softsong'"

I'm just disappointed I didn't get the chance to turn her/him onto MY Norah Jones "Feels Like Home" thread

There's another new Scofield disc coming out on 13 January, which I've mentioned previously, but just saw the artwork to recently, courtesy of alankin: This is an unusual title, it's a classical work co-composed by Scofield and British composer Mark-Anthony Turnage. It is performed by the Hessischer Rundfunk Orchestra, alongside the jazz trio of Scofield, John Patitucci, and Peter Erskine. The orchestral work is apparently written "around" a number of existing Scofield compositions. Also, I'd still like to hear a review of the Bennie Wallace disc I mentioned above, if anyone's got it, or at least heard it. Really got my curiousity up, and I'm wondering if Sco and SRV played together on any of the tracks.

Picked up Franco Ambrosetti's "Movies, Too" today, finally. Been looking for this and volume one for a while now. Very nice 1988 release, featuring Sco, Greg Osby, and Geri Allen. Also, does anyone have Bennie Wallace's 1985 BN release, "Twilight Time"? This one includes Scofield as well, and none other than Stevie Ray Vaughan. I'm assuming this is SRV's only time on a Blue Note release (?). AMG calls this a classic. Gonna have to keep an eye out for it as well. Scofield has so many sideman appearances, I'm not sure I'll ever finish my collection...

Norah Jones is such a great piano player, and an even greater daughter. She might be the greatest daughter ever! It would be great if Ravi Shankar gave us more great daughters. In fact, he did give us another great daughter. Anoushka. Say it with me. A-noush-ka. Anoushka is actually the greatest daughter ever, making Norah great, but ultimately penultimate.

ok ok, JM's post was the penultimate GREATEST post ever. There. Now we have something to look forward to again.

JM, you're great! That was a great response! I think it was about the greatest response I've ever seen (though Chris O.'s was pretty great as well). In fact, it WAS the greatest response EVER. And an even greater smiley.

I think it's the best coaching hire they could've made as well. Certainly gives instant coaching cred, that's for sure. They have alot of roster spots to upgrade still, hopefully between Gibbs and Cerrato they can talk Snyder out of any rash, foolish (re: Deion) signings. And I'm sure Snyder enjoys making big dramatic shows like this, like his role model, the old Jerry Jones.

Here is the english language version of their website - Zweitausendeins in English. If you're on the German version, there's a button on the left you can click to change it into English. Warning - shipping to the U.S. appears to cost either €22 (pkgs less than 2 kilograms) or €29 (more than 2 kg). If you end up buying a number of discs there, you can spread the shipping across your purchases, and the prices become much more reasonable. But it's prohibitive for just one or two discs.

Gotta put in a plug for my former favorite place to shop in person, zweitausendeins. They have the VSOP 2 disc set (this one) currently for €9.99. Probably cost-prohibitive to ship it to the US, unless you're planning to order a large number of discs from them, but worth a mention anyway.