T.D.

I placed another Concord order to beat the Jan. 31 deadline: Lockjaw Davis / Johnny Griffin: Blues up and Down and The Tenor Scene Illinois Jacquet: The Blues: That's Me! and Bottoms Up Barney Kessel: To Swing or not to Swing Shelly Manne: Live at the Black Hawk, v. 1

Haven't listened to it for years, but I recall getting the impression that Feldman's "opera" Neither, at least the Hat Art realization, seemed to make a certain use of "minimalist cells", or something akin to them. Possibly some other orchestral music, though my memory's hazy (can't recall the specific piece) since I personally strongly prefer Feldman's chamber works. But I wouldn't call Feldman a minimalist, or put any other label on him.

'Fraid nobody's been reading carefully. The original article was such dreck that most tuned out.

This is a really bizarre, and practically incoherent article. I can only hope, for the author's sake, that it got ruthlessly edited somewhere along the way... Prefer not to comment on the many gaps and peculiar assertions. (To many veterans of classical forums, the "tonality vs. atonality" subject has become tiresome and troll-ridden.) Thanks for posting it, though.

Gryce was a big (one of the biggest) discovery for me during '07, though I'd of course been familiar with Monk's Music. I also find him an excellent arranger, and am inclined to get any album featuring Gryce for that reason. Meaning to read the bio mentioned above (very interesting life story), but haven't gotten around to it. Mal-1 (Waldron), with Gryce and which I recommend, just so happens to be playing now. In case you don't have it yet, I strongly recommend the Art Farmer Quintet (OJC) with Gigi Gryce; slightly prefer this to When Farmer Met Gryce, though both are excellent. I have ethical problems re. purchasing Lonehill and that ilk, but the OJC Jazz Lab album I have is primo.

Not sure about integrated amps, but if you go the separates route (preamp + power amp), most preamps seem to lack tone controls.

Japan? Maybe Go ratings instead?

Christy Mathewson (Bucknell) Eddie Collins (Columbia) Harry Hooper (St. Mary's, CA) College-educated ballplayers were rare in those days.

Jim McMahon Steve Young Ty Detmer [bYU quarterbacks; not all Mormon, though...]

Frank Zappa (Dirty Love: 'the poodle bites...the poodle chews it') John "Frenchie" Fuqua Johann Fux

I always got the impression that Edgar Bronfman jr. is a moron who basically ran the family's financial empire (Seagrams money) into the ground. There's a book on the Bronfmans, which I've considered reading but passed on because I don't really feel like researching Junior. So I applaud Junior for seemingly doing the right thing compensation-wise this year, but I think the company's in practically the worst conceivable hands...

William Marcy "Boss" Tweed Thomas Nast Ilie Nastase

I'd never have imagined you listen to sports talk radio. [Disclaimer: I used to listen sometimes, while driving. Probably wouldn't listen any more, but currently live out of broadcast range of sports talk stations, so it's not an issue.]

Despite Evan's various sigs and avatars, this doesn't seem like the right forum for that sort of behavior...

Well, the markup on Bose product is huge...there are anecdotes about Bose engineers bragging about the low cost of the paper drivers, etc. used in the speakers. Years ago, I investigated and found that it's possible to buy speakers that use the same multidirectional principles as Bose, but sound much better, for less than half the price...Still, you can't deny that Bose has a massive following, and is (OK, mysteriously to me) exceptionally popular. My theory is that they're incredibly skillful at advertising/promotion.

Yes, I (only) skimmed the Naxos link and misattributed...thanks for not giving me a hard time re. the blunder.

Well, yeah. It's fairly easy to find info on composers and major works at sites like Naxos. I don't know enough about Offenbach to proffer recommendations, but presume Chuck was referring to The Tales of Hoffmann (opera), which seems by far his best-known work, though it was completed posthumously (see the link). I don't buy many opera recordings any more (prefer to see live), and don't have one of this work. He's famous for operettas, which aren't my cup of tea, and I wouldn't purchase recordings. I saw Orpheus in the Underworld (at Glimmerglass Opera a couple of years ago), but it was an awful campy modern director-theater spoof. Might be more palatable in another format.

Yep, my experience with J&R is that anything that isn't "In Stock" at the time of your order has no chance of ever shipping, and will merely serve to hold the (in stock portion of the) order up for three weeks.

No opinion about Pats, Bruins, Celts fans, but I've always found Red Sox fans obnoxious. It has nothing to do with appearing entitled, but with the exaggerated fatalism/overintellectualized analysis/whining practiced by longtime fans. The year I moved from the Midwest (Chi area) to the East Coast was 1978, the comeback/Bucky Dent year. I used to purchase the Boston Globe. The day after the playoff/Dent HR, the Globe ran a monstrous story in which they analyzed every single 1978 Sox loss, the message being "If we had won just one of these games, we'd be in the postseason". [The story was so detailed that it had to have been written before the 1-game "play-in" took place.] I found this incredibly whiny and bush, but typical of Soxdom, and it totally turned me off to the Sox, in perpetuity.

I was just gonna write that the Jints can't win a shootout, so we're going back to Bill Parcells's edict to offensive coordinator Ron Erhardt before SB 25 (Buffalo): Shorten the game. But I noticed that Peter King already penned such a story (admittedly, in 2002)

I was getting ready to place an order, but it looks like the sale is over.

I'm hoping for a good game (disclosure: I'm a Jints fan), but one has to expect that, with two weeks to prepare, BB and the NE brain trust will find a way to get into Eli's head. Despite Eli's big postseason breakout...

Below zero tonight, with wind. Going to be a cold week.

Before Conn mentions it, I'll say that it's fitting for the two clubs who elected not to dog it in Week 17 (and played a memorable game!) to meet in a SB rematch. Dungy and Peyton will be well-rested on their respective couches.

Dan, I have no love lost for "Team Clemens", but your repeated use of "scumbag" is not giving an impression of objectivity, and will probably get jumped on. I can perhaps see it applied to Clemens's agents (though I wouldn't do so, absent overwhelming evidence to the contrary; in fact, they seem to have done a good job of maximizing Roger's earnings), but the attorney? I mean, the whole business of defense lawyer potentially has a patina of sleaze (e.g., what do you do if asked to defend a dude you think is guilty? Turn down the money? Right)...