DukeCity

Lewis Black Joel Gray Slappy White

I don't know, Chris. The guy seems legit and pretty sincere. You should probably contact him right away, and just do whatever he says. After all, it's going to charity.

Thumbs up to felser for being a good seller. I just received the 20 titles that I purchased from him. All of the discs are in excellent condiditon and were mailed promptly. I may have to revisit his list next month and score some more! (Currently listening to George Colemand w/Wynton Kelly Trio at the Left Bank '68)

One caveat: A friend recently bought a Mac (switching from PC) specifically to use Logic audio software. He received the new machine and software, only to learn that Logic will not run in Leopard! Trying to "downgrade" to Tiger, he somehow mucked things up. Weeks later, still trying to straighten it out.

On my MacBook I've had success using a free audio editing program called Audacity. I think you might even be able to do a certain amount of editing in GarageBand (comes with the MacBook), but I haven't really checked it out.

No, no no, no, no. Which is not to "defend" VSOP, just that Ron Carter playing Bach is a realm of wrongness deeeeeep unto itself. Yessir! pianetus envy?

Good vibes heading your way! Safe travels, and do check in when you can!

From the mind and mouth of Paul Desmond: "I have won several prizes as the world's slowest alto player, as well as a special award in 1961 for quietness." "I was unfashionable before anyone knew who I was." "I tried practicing for a few weeks and ended up playing too fast." "I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini." On the secret of his tone: "I honestly don't know! It has something to do with the fact that I play illegally." When askfacted by Gene Lees what accounted for the melancholy in his playing he replied, "Wellllll, the fact that I'm not playing better." He was an English major in college. His reason for not pursuing a literary career, "I could only write at the beach, and I kept getting sand in my typewriter." "Writing is like jazz. It can be learned, but it can't be taught." Of writer Jack Kerouac he said, "I hate the way he writes. I kind of love the way he lives, though." Of Vogue fashion models, he said, "Sometimes they go around with guys who are scuffling -- for a while. But usually they end up marrying some cat with a factory. This is the way the world ends, not with a whim but a banker." "Sometimes I get the feeling that there are orgies going on all over new York City, and somebody says, `Let's call Desmond,' and somebody else says, 'Why bother? He's probably home reading the Encyclopedia Britannica.'" His response to the annoying banality of an interviewer, "You're beginning to sound like a cross between David Frost and David Susskind, and that is a cross I cannot bear." Shortly before the Dave Brubeck Quartet disbanded, "We're working as if it were going out of style -- which of course it is." Of yogurt he said, "I don't like it, but Dave is always trying things like that. He's a nutritional masochist. He'll eat anything as long as he figures it's good for him." Of contact lenses: "Not for me. If I want to tune everybody out, I just take off my glasses and enjoy the haze" On Ornette Coleman's playing, "It's like living in a house where everything's painted red." Doug Ramsey wrote that Desmond on seeing Barbara Jones' oil painting of four cats stalking a mouse said, "Ah, the perfect album cover for when I record with the Modern Jazz Quartet." Ramsey pointed out that the mouse was mechanical and Desmond responded, "In that case, Cannonball will have to make the record." Desmond's fondness for scotch was well known. So in early 1976 when a physical examination showed lung cancer, he was ironically pleased that his liver was fine. "Pristine, perfect. One of the great livers of our time. Awash in Dewars and full of health."

Thanks for the heads up! I received a couple of iTunes gift cards for Christmas, so what better way to start spending them than on some Woody Shaw!!! (no sign of the Griffith Park sides on iTunes yet )

I haven't heard Maceo playing much/any tenor lately. The albums of his that I have are all alto. There are some clips of Maceo and the WDR big band up on the YouTubes. Haven't checked 'em all out yet, but most of them appear to have been done with someone's camera phone with crappy audio/video. But, irregardless, Maceo is a master of that rhythmic, in-the-groove playing. Charts by Abene, and playing by the WDR band (with Dennis Chambers) is just a bonus!

And now, for you Sonny and Cher fans, "The Beet Goes On"! (FreeForAll: feel free to jump in any time with a "Premise Overload" post)

"Cantaloupe Island"? Anything by Coleman Hawkins?

Hey do you guys know "Watermelon Man"?

Tell me about it. Sr. had a career as a District Attorney in New Orleans, and is a very AMATEUR singer. Started in on some between-songs patter and it got quite surreal. I guess, as a father not wanting to "play favorites" he spent an inordinate amount of time talking about his other kids. "You know, I've got a bunch of great kids. My daughter Cheryl is a podiatrist who lives in Tucson with her terrific husband Jerry. They've given me some beautiful grandkids. Little Brittney isn't so little any more. Gosh, she's 12 already, and quite a good little ballerina! And Jerry, Jr, is about to turn 8 and is tearing up the baseball diamond. One day he might even play for the Cubs. That would give me a great reason to visit Chicago. And speaking of Chicago, Maestro, if you please..." (Cue: "Chicago")

Available for pre-order on the Concord website. Assuming that the arrangments are by Mike Abene, I'm interested to see what he does with those tunes.

Flipping between the Michigan/Florida game and Tx.Tech/Virginia game (Mrs. DukeCity is a T.Tech grad "Get'cher Guns Up!"). The Tech./VA game is pretty sloppy, but good entertainment.

Sounds like a fun evening. Ho that I am, I've also had a couple: A dynamic evening backing up Tommy Tune and Joel Gray. And a real train wreck backing up Harry Connick......Sr. !!! Played in a pick-up version of the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, led by Chris Riddle! Two-Thousand-seat theatre, almost sold out. As the audience began to realize that it was neither Harry, Jr. nor Nelson Riddle, they started leaving in droves. Much less than half a house after intermission. Kind of fun playing a bunch of those NR charts (instrumentals and Sinatra vocals), but pretty embarrasing beyond that.

Happry Birthday and Happy New Year!!!

Just a tongue in cheek reference to some recent discussion in this thread. Personally, I dig it.

How 'bout Sharon Jones (of the Dap Kings)? From the Daptone webpage: Sure, some of her detracters say that she's really just appropriating the style and trappings of having been a prison guard. After all, they protest, the prison system today is nothing like it was in the Golden Era of incarceration back in the '50s and '60s. There's no way she could guard those prisoners with the authenticity that can only come from having been there when it was really happening. But the way I see it is, as one of her former charges put it, "You know, when she used to crack me on the shoulder blades with her billy club, I could really feel it. And when something feels that real, then hey, how can it not be real?"

I used to occasionally check the Half Price Books stores when I lived in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area. Sadly, now the nearest one is about 8 hours away in Phoenix.

Robin Leach Stacy Keach James (and the Giant Peach)

Good score to get that one for $7.98!! Quick search shows they are going for $29.95 everywhere else!

Hold on a darn minute, now. Gladewater is the "Antique Capital of East Texas"? Really? I coulda sworn that honor belonged to Sulphur Springs... Go figure...

Hang in there, Mark. Let's hope 2008 will bring good things to you. A move to Oregon sounds like it could be good. I grew up there, and visit once or twice a year. Portland would be a great place to live! Edit to add: Hope you're able to get internet access whatever your new living situation is. We want you to continue to hang here!