Face of the Bass

Picked up a copy of it today. Looking forward to reading it. I definitely get what he means about needing a novelist's approach to fill in the gaps. Writing the biography of a man is an art, not a science.

Name one good one? But they all suck!

Of course the issue is not that the charge is out of proportion to the material being offered. But hell, they could include nuggets of gold in the box set and be justified in charging a much higher price. The problem is that this is a case of the "go big or go home" model run amok. It's basically a fuck you to anybody who is interested in this stuff but doesn't have the money or appetite for THIS large a set. I'd also question whether the category "blacks in Europe" is the right one, or whether clearer distinctions should be made between African Americans and Africans. But I'm sorely tempted all the same. Maybe I'll just sell a dozen box sets to try to dig up enough money to get this.

I mean, why not break it up into smaller box sets?

Man this looks like it will be a great set. I've got a keen and growing personal and professional interest in this sort of thing, but that price tag is an enormous obstacle. It makes me wish they had edited themselves more, and maybe limit it to 20 discs and 1 huge book instead of two. As it is the only way I could afford it would be to sell off half of my Mosaic box sets.

Honestly, I think it would be the Mingus box released last year. I have others that I love but to me that's the most essential one they've ever done.

So I've decided to part with my copy of the Threadgill Mosaic. Discs #3 through 8 are still sealed and box and booklet are in like new condition. This set is on backorder until 2014 now but I will sell it for $115, including shipping to the US. (For international deliveries, I will ship at cost.) Paypal or Amazon gift card only. PM if interested. Thanks for looking! Edit: ON HOLD

I like the way it sounds. Writing to me is a musical activity. It's poetry, and should be regarded as such. So I guess what I want to say is that I like being "writerly" when it is done well, and IMO that sentence is done well. If you try to logically deconstruct it, you're right, there will be another way to say it. But sometimes hot sauce needs to be poured on top of hot sauce. I've never enjoyed Crouch's musical criticism or his public persona, but I'm holding out hope that Parker is now going to get the biography he deserves. I think Crouch *might* (with emphasis on might) be the right kind of writer for the job.

I like the sentence myself.

I'm a big fan of the duo with Gary Peacock.

Yeah, I think that Sonny needs to get better and then keep playing. It's what he was born to do.

To me Keith Jarrett might be the most overrated musician in jazz history. I've never heard anything from him on disc that would justify all the exposure he gets.

Idle Moments is, for me, one of the five best albums ever released on Blue Note. Just impossibly good music.

Made it to Princeton Record Exchange today. From where I live it's a hard place to get to, but conveniently my daughter was going down to stay with my parents for the week and Princeton is exactly halfway between my house and their house, so I met my Dad in the town and after lunch went over to the store. Spent a long time there, but I easily could have spent an entire day, no problem. I brought with me a bunch of CDs and DVDs to exchange, and ended up walking away with a nice copy of the Larry Young Mosaic LP set (I own a couple of the albums but don't have several others), as well as a couple more BYG/Actuels that I had yet to pick up (two of the AEC ones). Easily could have spent a lot more money than I did. Don't know when I'll be able to go back, but it's definitely worth it. It's a crime that there aren't stores like this in every major city in the United States.

Bump, with price drops on the last two remaining sets. Thanks for looking!

Gee, you're even grumpier than me! Last month I was at an Enrico Rava concert and during the entire performance the asshole next to me kept holding up his cell phone right in front of my face in order to take meaningless pictures that nobody in the history of the world would ever care to see. If somebody had put a bullet in his head right then with a silencer I would have felt only a little bit bad but mostly would have felt that it was necessary for the good of society. You must be really pleasant to sit next to. Actually I am. I don't say a word at the time, I just come on internet forums months later and share my violent fantasies. That seems pretty pleasant, if you ask me. I must confess to having flayed, drawn and quartered many tables of non-attentive loud talkers over the years, but it was only in my mind (I think). The screams would be too loud. That's why you've got to take them out with a silencer. Quick shot to the head, and then a waiter can come along and quietly clean up and also maybe refill your drink at the same time.

Gee, you're even grumpier than me! Last month I was at an Enrico Rava concert and during the entire performance the asshole next to me kept holding up his cell phone right in front of my face in order to take meaningless pictures that nobody in the history of the world would ever care to see. If somebody had put a bullet in his head right then with a silencer I would have felt only a little bit bad but mostly would have felt that it was necessary for the good of society. You must be really pleasant to sit next to. Actually I am. I don't say a word at the time, I just come on internet forums months later and share my violent fantasies. That seems pretty pleasant, if you ask me.

Gee, you're even grumpier than me! Last month I was at an Enrico Rava concert and during the entire performance the asshole next to me kept holding up his cell phone right in front of my face in order to take meaningless pictures that nobody in the history of the world would ever care to see. If somebody had put a bullet in his head right then with a silencer I would have felt only a little bit bad but mostly would have felt that it was necessary for the good of society.

I hate people who take pictures at concerts. It's extremely distracting to other people in the audience, and extremely selfish. I personally would not be bothered if we passed a law saying that such people would be immediately removed from the concert and beaten with whips out in the street. I would support the establishment of a totalitarian state just to get assholes with cameras in their phones to put them away, and just once in their lives, try enjoying something in the moment instead of being obsessed with recording it for posterity. Seriously, live in the moment for once. If we can't publicly beat such people, at the very least we should destroy their cell phones on the spot.

Turns out I'll be able to make a trip to the Princeton Record Exchange next weekend, looking forward to it. I was wondering if anybody could speak to the sound quality of the original Horo releases, especially the Sun Ras. I picked up some CD boots of these a few years ago that I assume were needle drops and wasn't impressed. Anybody who can comment on the original pressings, or for that matter, some of the repressings that are out there (some on the Klimt label), I'd very much appreciate it.

Bump...Updated with price reductions and a few new box sets added, including two Mosaics. All are priced to move and will ship right away, so jump at the chance while it's here!