ejp626

I largely agree, though I worry greatly about the long-term impacts. There is, naturally, a brand-new study showing that when you come off the drugs, particularly the injections, then you gain the weight back very quickly. So it really does mean taking the medication the rest of your life. In some cases, this is probably a reasonable trade off, but not for everyone.

I was about to bitch again about how few jazz artists show up at the Toronto Jazz Fest. I was particularly getting sniffy that Arooj Aftab was going to the Ottawa Jazz Fest but it turns out she will be at the Toronto Jazz Fest, so I stand corrected. Still, she is just about the only ticketed performance that I am planning on seeing. (She's hitting Chicago just before Toronto, then Ottawa, then Montreal.) I didn't go to see Vieux Farka Toure in Montreal. He's coming to a festival in Guelph this summer. I probably won't go, but it's at least a possibility.

I just finished State of Grace by Joy Williams. The writing, as ever, is fine, but I just really couldn't get into the story. I have a few more by her to read, so I am hoping I like the next one better. I'm just starting The Book of Lamentations by Rosario Castellanos, which seems promising, but I won't know until I really get into it.

I actually was able to donate one Mosaic set to the U of Toronto Music Library (though I would have had to donate a lot more to get a donate slip for tax purposes...) but they didn't seem that interested in large scale donations, just very targeted ones. That said, I might try again when I am ready to downsize.

This was fun. It was an awful lot like seeing Bitches Brew played live, though not as elaborate on the percussion. Anyway, Sarian is continuing to tour this new album. He said he would be heading to Detroit and also Chicago (where he is playing Elastic).

Soundway is really good. There was also the Ethiopiques series. Most of this was licensed from Buda Musique, but I don't know how they distribute in North America, if at all. I mostly listen to a lot of the "heavy hitters" that are in heavy rotation on BBC 3 Music Planet, so Salif Keita, Ballaké Sissoko, Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté. And of course Tinariwen.

There is a min- Mel Brooks film festival up in Toronto. I'm going to see Spaceballs tonight and plan on seeing High Anxiety in about two weeks. I don't think I'll be able to fit any of the other ones in.

I picked up some vary random things, including African music, but I did get a few jazz downloads. (I already had the Ibrahim listed above.) https://britprogjazz.bandcamp.com/album/the-kenny-wheeler-big-band-friends-vol-2 https://timberne.bandcamp.com/album/yikes-too https://mrbongo.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-waters-strange-and-sublime-sounds-of-rio-de-janeiro https://yazzahmed.bandcamp.com/album/la-saboteuse-remixed (I'm a bit on the fence on this one, but will probably pick it up before Bandcamp Friday ends in a couple more hours): https://yazzahmed.bandcamp.com/album/a-paradise-in-the-hold Oh, if you haven't been following him, Neil Swainson is an incredible bassist up in Canada. He has 3 albums on Bandcamp: https://neilswainsonquintet.bandcamp.com/album/here-for-a-while https://neilswainsonquintet.bandcamp.com/album/fire-in-the-west https://neilswainsonquintet.bandcamp.com/album/49th-parallel He's on a fair number of Cellar Live recordings, including The Magnificent by Brad Turner https://bradturner.bandcamp.com/album/the-magnificent (I keep hoping Brad Turner will tour Toronto, so I can get a signed CD, but he's been staying on the West Coast so far...)

Nice! I saw Smulyan for the first time about a month ago when he was passing through Toronto. I'm planning on seeing Michael Sarian on Monday (he's playing The Rex Sunday and Monday). I assume he'll be promoting this project and will likely have some CDs for sale, so I'll try to be ready (with some cash). https://michaelsarian.bandcamp.com/album/esquina

Possibly tonight but more likely tomorrow: Peter Bernstein and Lorne Lofsky w/ Neil Swainson at the Rex.

That's kind of what I figured. Still, absolutely no interesting in catching this. I may have to wait Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme hits the screens. Though Epiphany looks a bit intriguing, so we'll see which hits first...

I'd actually considered seeing this, as Bill Murray is in it. However, after watching the trailer and it's all about the dog -- and how can she cope with a large dog in a small apartment, etc. -- I had zero interest in seeing this.

I enjoyed the Gide, but not as much on the second go around. That is often, but not always, the case with me. I read Dorothy Edwards's Winter Sonata and was underwhelmed. Just not enough going on in this tale of frustrated love for me. I'm rereading Tim O'Brien's America Fantastica for a book club, and then will read Kobo Abe's The Woman in the Dunes.

The guitarist and singer Amadou Bagayoko of the Malian music duo Amadou & Mariam has died aged 70 after an illness, his family said, paying tribute to the Grammy-nominated blind musician. More from the Guardian here: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/05/amadou-bagayoko-of-music-duo-amadou-and-mariam-dies-aged-70 Just by coincidence, I have been listening to a fair bit of Amadou & Mariam lately, as Apple Music/iTunes has 5 volumes of their recordings on the Maikano label. I also have been planning on picking this up from Bandcamp but was waiting for the next Bandcamp Friday (which is apparently in May): https://afrosunnyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/le-couple-aveugle-du-mali-amadou-bagayoko-et-mariam-doumbia-le-couple-aveugle-du-mali-amadou-bagayoko-et-mariam-doumbia-vol-5 (I am not sure how much is not covered in the 5 volumes on iTunes, but I will likely buy the digital version anyway, as it is easier for me to listen to Bandcamp rather than iTunes at work.) Sadly, I never was able to see them live. I am not sure how often they toured North America.

I did see La Strada. Wow, that was depressing. I was almost wondering if I wandered into a Bergman film by mistake. 😉 I didn't manage to see Mickey 17 for a variety of reasons, but I will probably manage it tomorrow. I just saw The Royal Tenenbaums for the first time. Definitely a very strong movie.

Not sure when it was added, but I see Apple Music now has Filet of Soul and Las Vegas available.

Rereading Lafcadio's Adventures by Gide. (And yes I did go out of my way to get the edition with the cover by Gorey...) After this, probably State of Grace by Joy Williams and then Lampedusa's The Leopard, which I have not managed to get around to before now.

Back from seeing Gary Smulyan at the Rex with Neil Swainson and Terry Clarke. Lot of fun and generally high energy, esp. the final song of the last set. Small chance I would go tomorrow which is the the land night of their mini-residency. If transit cooperates, I'm a bit more likely to go Sun. evening to see Frank Botos, Kirk McDonald and Lorne Lofsky.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I've seen trailers for it, but it just isn't grabbing me. I am going to try to catch Mickey 17 this weekend, and perhaps Fellini's La Strada on Monday.

Just had the opportunity to see Rashomon on the big screen. I had seen it before but certainly a film that merits repeat viewings! In April, I will be seeing Yojimbo at the same theatre. Sadly last week was The Seven Samurai, but I just couldn't spare the time... Will try to make it on the next go-around.

I saw Anora a bit over a week ago (right before the Oscars in fact). I enjoyed it for the most part, though I struggle to see how it was best picture for all of 2024! Just back from seeing Guidance by Pat Mills. This screening brought together the director and most of the cast, which was pretty cool. Such a weird movie. Next weekend I am going to try to squeeze in Mickey 17.

Kind of kicking myself for missing Friday. It wasn't entirely my fault. My main computer broke down, and then I was traveling pretty much all day (without a laptop!) and I was working pretty much right up until the last minute when I headed out to catch the bus (about 8:45 am). Oh well. Maybe they have one next month.

Last Thurs, Don Byron with Michael Occhipinti on guitar. The best song was Michael's composition "Go Fly a Kite," though they also did a Nirvana cover. I believe it was Lithium. That really got the crowd at the Rex going. I did manage to get to the Women from Space event with Myra Melford, Ingrid Laubrock and Lesley Mok last night. Sadly I did not enjoy this at all, as it seems like particularly pointless free jazz noodling that didn't cohere at all for me. I left after 40 minutes. I will have to stop going to free jazz shows, as I never enjoy them. Next week Gary Smulyan is at the Rex, backed by Neil Swainson and Terry Clarke (no piano or guitar in the mix). This should be interesting, and I'll make it over once or maybe twice. I don't think I've ever seen Smulyan live.

It is confusing -- quite a few (though not all) of the other Buckner and Tate and even Lafitte sessions were reissued, and often on the Definitive Sessions (which is great from my perspective), but I'm not seeing these Midnight Slows recordings reissued in any form. I may be wrong of course, but I might end up ordering a few. I just wish shipping LPs wasn't so crazy expensive these days. ☹️

Highjacking this thread a bit. It seems to me that a fair bit of material on Black and Blue label has been available at iTunes and elsewhere as the Black and Blue Definitive Sessions, but there seems to be a lot still unavailable (though often available on CD -- go figure). I'm probably going to pick up Stéphane Grappelli/Hank Jones London Meeting and am deciding on a few others. Anyway, I am trying to understand the Midnight Slows series, there are nine or so volumes, and they certainly look like they are compilations but then only one line-up is ever listed, so maybe not? This is Midnight Slows Vol. 2 (It surely doesn't help matters that Midnight Slows Vol. 1 and 2 seem to be identical!)