Edward

The Johnny Smith album will be released in Japan on November 3. With some persistence (and luck), I'm sure that you will be able to eventually track down the other titles.

I wonder what the reserve is on this one: ebay auction Apparently, it is at least in good condition.

I just received my set today. I pre-ordered it, but I ran into trouble because I had to cancel one of my credit cards last week Monday and I forgot to contact Mosaic with new credit card information. My set is numbered 30. I cannot wait to sink into this Mosaic over the weekend. I have heard quite a bit of this material before, but a good chunk of it will be new to me.

You mean that you don't also own that classic jazz album, "The Cream of Clapton"?!

No, at least not half as good as the U.K. box in my opinion, and the sound of that box is really amazing, like I said much, much better than all domestic (U.S.) reissues I had (and sold). Hans, I remember learning from a BNBB discussion that at least some (I believe the first group of eight Capitol Remasters: "In the Wee Small Hours", "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!", "A Swingin' Affair!", "Sings for Only the Lonely", "Come Fly with Me", "Come Dance with Me!", "Nice 'N' Easy", and "Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!!". The remaining Capitol reissues were released a couple of years later.) of the Capitol "Entertainer of the Century" discs were remastered TWICE. I do not recall who did the original remasterings of these eight discs, but now ALL of the Capitol remasters (and the Concepts boxed set) identify Bob Norberg as the remastering engineer. I do not doubt your assessment of the sound of the 21-CD Capitol Years set, nor have I had the opportunity to A/B the two remasters of the first eight Capitol CD's that were released in the "Entertainer of the Century" series, but may I ask whether you compared the Capitol Years set to the initial remasters or those done by Bob Norberg? Thanks!

Sinatra's Capitol sides are generally considered to comprise his best work. His earlier work for RCA and Columbia are not nearly as accessible, although I would not say that it is all pop shlock or extremely dated. Sinatra's singing for these two labels is different (a traditional crooning style), however, and I would not consider such material a good starting point for most. (If you would like to explore this music, however, I would suggest the single disc "The Complete Columbia Recordings with Harry James", which, I think, represent Sinatra's first recorded efforts.) If you do not want to acquire Sinatra's Capitol albums individually (a recommended course), the 3-disc "Capitol Years" is an excellent alternative. This set includes most of Sinatra's best loved recordings for Capitol plus a number of rarities that appear to be available nowhere else, including a definitive version of "One for My Baby" where Sinatra is accompanied only by pianist Bill Miller. There are also many rarities on the 4-disc Capitol Singles boxed set, but a large number of essential Sinatra Capitol performances are missing. If you do choose to acquire Sinatra's Capitol albums individually, I would recommend first buying "Songs for Swingin' Lovers!". After this album, my favorites include "Songs for Young Lovers/Swing Easy", "In the Wee Small Hours", and "A Swingin' Affair!".

I think that the midline Verve CD, "The Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow", might be a great place to start if you want to get a feel for the music on the Mosaic set. (I would also recommend "The Tal Farlow Album", "Autumn In New York", "The Interpretations of Tal Farlow", "Tal" and "This Is Tal Farlow", but each of them should cost more than the aforementioned disc.) Alternatively, I suppose that you could get the Verve compilation disc, "Tal Farlow's Finest Hour". There are also some fine non-Verve Farlow albums, but I do not think that the music thereon would prove as representative of the music contained in the Mosaic.

Thank you, Hans, for the play-by-play. Why does it seem, though, that my two teams (English mother and Dutch father) always seem to lose big games on penalty kicks? (I do not mean to take anything away from the victory by a splendid Portuguese squad.)

I got 14 out of 16 - I mistook one female for a shemale and vice versa. I would NEVER make the latter mistake in real life - there are too many telltale signs.

I am quite happy with my Simpsons and Family Guy DVD boxed sets. Eventually, I will pick up the Looney Tunes material, and I would LOVE to see the complete unedited Tex Avery cartoons released in the U.S. (apparently, the Tex Avery set released in France last year was edited).

You mean 1984, right? In 1986, the Patriots DID make it to the Super Bowl only to be dispatched 46-10 by an awesome Chicago Bears team.

No need to apologize, Jim. It is insulting, and if I were a Pistons fan I would be pissed too. Still, I do not like the way that this series has been handled by the referees. Generally, I think that the bad calls in a game or series tend to balance out. In this series, however, I think that the Lakers are getting called for a lot of ticky-tack fouls, fouls that are also being committed by Pistons players on the other end of the hardwood. It is a little more difficult for a player to adjust when the game is not being called evenly on both ends of the floor. This is my opinion, and obviously there are other reasons why the Lakers are presently trailing 1-3.

So you're saying that every time the Lakers drive to the basket they are getting fouled but no call? Yeah... that's why Detroit got to the Finals. Because their defense is a myth and the refs are turning a blind eye. That's why Rasheed played his first full second quarter of the series last night. Those two fouls that the refs have hit him with in the previous three games were... uh, what? I've been reading and hearing so much whining from Laker fans about the refs. It's all the refs fault. I mean, how else can you explain why the Lakers haven't swept the Pistons, like everyone thought? Maybe because the Lakers are old, tired, slow, and do not play as a team. Shaq does great in the first half but all the running the Pistons make him do tire him out. Throw him the ball all you want in the second half. He will not be as effective because he's tired. Payton vs. Billups is a joke. Billups mops the floor with Payton. Same for 'Sheed vs. Malone. Prince has been doing a tremendous job on Kobe, contesting every shot and forcing him to take wild shots from odd angles as the clock runs down. Besides, I though officials gave preferrential treatment to superstars... who are the superstars on the Pistons roster? Face the facts... the Lakers are lucky to be in the Finals in the first place (thanks to Fischer's lucky, but should've been discounted shot against the Spurs) and they completely under-estimated the Pistons. They have been completely unpredictable the entire season... swinging from terrible to amazing back to terrible again due to the massive egos floating around on that team. They are frustrated and thus fouling more and have absolutely no answer for the Pistons. And no team has ever come back from 3-1. You can blame the refs all you want but the simple fact is that the Lakers have been outplayed. Even Magic thinks so. The passion just isn't there. WHOA!!! Slow down, partner. If you didn't notice, I closed the post prior with, Hey, I realize that there a lot of other reasons why the Lakers are trailing this series 3 games to 1. It just would be nice to see the rest of this series (whether 1 more game or 3) officiated more evenly and objectively. I guess, though, that ANY complaint that Lakers players/coaches/fans utter are to be completely discredited as just being sour grapes. However, I have watched a LOT of basketball over the years, and I stand by my remarks. But let's make certain that we are on the same page. I did NOT say that the Lakers are getting fouled every time that they drive to the basket, without the benefit of receiving a call. It has happened a number of times in this series, however, and if you do not think that it affects how a player approaches a game, then you are sorely mistaken. I DID say that the Pistons players seem to be getting away with a lot more physical play on the defensive end than the Lakers players. Deny it if you like, but I know what I have seen. Who questioned why the Detroit Pistons made it to the Finals? Not I! I did NOT say that the Pistons defense is a myth, nor did I say that the referees have been paying a blind eye to Detroit throughout this season or throughout the playoffs. I only commented on what I have observed happening during this series. Rasheed has always had trouble (i.e., he has gotten into foul trouble) when he has tried to guard Shaq. Just ask the Trailblazers. How many Lakers-Trailblazers games did you watch while Rasheed was still playing for Portland? I am sure that some Lakers fans have blamed the Lakers' poor performance in this series entirely on the referees. I have said nothing as drastic, and any inferences to the contrary are completely unfounded. I hope that the Lakers do throw the ball more to Shaq during the second half. Then we will see how tired the Pistons have made him. Rasheed Wallace has "mopped the floor" with Malone? I don't think so. Before game 4, Rasheed was averaging 9.3 pts. and 8.3 rebounds in about 30 minutes per game. If Malone were healthy, the Wallaces' numbers would be down significantly. As I have stated before, Malone's injury is just tough luck for the Lakers. It is obvious that Payton has lost a step or two, but Kobe is getting bumped all the time that he is handling the ball. I would not have a problem with this if the Lakers were afforded the same luxury on defense. I wrote that I had been watching playoff basketball for over 20 years now and that I had come to expect superstars and the home team to receive preferential treatment from the referees even though I did not like it. My whole point is that it seems as though the Pistons are receiving preferential treatment because they have a reputation (albeit well-deserved) of playing exceptional defense. I would not say that the Lakers are "lucky" to be in the NBA Finals. The Lakers posted a 56-26 record during the regular season (despite Malone's prolonged absence), where on average they got to the free throw line more often per game than any other team in the league. Now, suddently, they cannot buy a foul. (BTW, do you know how much time should have been left on the clock the moment that Duncan's last shot in game 5 swished through the net? I am positive that if the timekeepers had stopped the clock the instant that the ball went through the net [as they are supposed to strive to do], then Fisher would have had more than 0.4 seconds to make that miraculous shot. As it was, the NBA denied the Spurs' protest, ruling that the game clock "started appropriately". End of story.) I do not doubt that the Lakers underestimated the Pistons. I also do not deny that the Lakers season has been a rollercoaster ride, although I would attribute their down stretches to something more than just massive egos. Surely Karl Malone missing about one-half of the regular season did not help matters, but obviously there is the risk of such injury related absences from any player, not just older ones. I agree that the Lakers have committed some stupid fouls out of frustration, especially as the games have progressed, but that has NOT been the entire story. You are entitled to your viewpoint. Remember, it ain't over until it's over. In 1981, the two best teams in the NBA (the Celtics and the '76ers, both sporting 62-20 records) met in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics dropped three of the first four games to the '76ers before winning the remaining three games (two at home) by a combined total of 5 points. The Celtics then went on to beat the Rockets in the Finals in 6 games. Don't worry, b3-er. I AM a betting man, and I would not bet that the Lakers are going to recover to win this series. More likely than not, you will soon be celebrating your team's triumph, and Lakers fans will have to wait to see what will transpire during the offseason. Still, the season is not over yet, and hope does spring eternal.

Fact of life - when you get fouled when you drive to the basket and nothing is called, you tend to resort to taking jump shots. If you haven't noticed, though, most of the foul calls against the Lakers have NOT been made when a Pistons player was driving to the basket. All the bumps and grabbing that are permissible when the Pistons are playing "D" are not afforded to defending Lakers players. Hmmm.... seems to me that Pistons players were griping openly about the relatively few calls that WERE made against them. Yes, if you do not remember, when Michael Jordan did not get the calls, he whined big time. As for Shaq, he is an incredibly difficult person to referee. If Shaq's detractors had their way, though, he would be called for an offensive foul every time he tried to make a move AND defending players would still be allowed to lean up against him and push him as much as they desired

I agree with you 100%. As for the officiating in this series, I have been watching playoff basketball for over 20 years now, and I think that it has left a lot to be desired. I don't like it, but I expect there to be some sort of bias in favor of both star players and the home team, especially during the playoffs. This is the first time, however, that I have seen a team receive preferential treatment because of its reputation as a great defensive team - something similar to what Duke enjoys whereever it plays because Krzyzewski is the best college coach around. Too often have I seen Lakers getting called for fouls that are being ignored when committed on the other end of the hardwood. Of course, the lousy commentating for this series only adds insult to injury. I have seen several replays of Pistons players getting away with fouls without comment from either Michaels or Rivers. Last night this dynamic duo even went so far as to say that the only reason that Detroit is getting to the line more often is because they are being more aggressive than the Lakers - BULLSHIT!!! Then they proceed to criticize Lakers players for complaining about missed calls without showing replays of ANY of the plays in question. If the Lakers complaining is so unjustified, then why not show a replay or two as proof? Or is ABC fearful of treading on the NBA's (and Stern's) toes? Hey, I realize that there a lot of other reasons why the Lakers are trailing this series 3 games to 1. It just would be nice to see the rest of this series (whether 1 more game or 3) officiated more evenly and objectively.

I think that I am more impressed with the Piston's calculated offense. The Lakers are not playing well offensively, and part of that does have to do with Detroit's defense, but there is much more to it than that. The Lakers really miss a healthy Karl Malone out on the floor (I am not making any excuses here. As b3-er rightly pointed out, injuries are part of the playoffs - it is just tough luck), and I think that Payton in particular plays better with Malone out there. If the Pistons win game 5, it will be Detroit's first NBA championship clinched at home. I do hope that the Detroit police are out in force - look what happened in L.A. in 2000 when the Lakers won their first championship in 12 years. I don't know what to say about Tolbert's suit. He is certainly not hip enough to wear something like that. I like Michael's commentating for Monday Night Football, but I cannot stand listening to him and Doc Rivers (at least I do not have to worry about Doc next year) during this series. I don't find either of their comments particularly insightful or honest.

With Mosaic's present free shipping offer, you save a couple of bucks on shipping costs if you purchase either the J.J. Johnson or Sonny Stitt. These are all great sets, and you cannot go wrong with any one of them. I voted for the J.J. Johnson set because several times I have gotten burned purchasing a newer set instead of an older set. After the purchase, the older set has shown up on the endangered list.

Game 3 is basically over right now - I am glad that I didn't make any bet regarding b3-er's spread. I look for the Lakers to bounce back next game, and (as b3-er originally predicted) a 7-game series.

I don't think so! (To be said as stated by Fred Willard's obnoxious character, Mike LaFontaine, in A Mighty Wind.)

I would definitely bet against Detroit covering that spread. I predict that the series will be at 3-2 after the next three games, hopefully with the Lakers in the lead. Since the switch to the 2-3-2 Finals format, no home team has won games 3 through 5. The Pistons in 1990, the Bulls in 1991, and the Lakers in 2001 each swept games 3 through 5 as the visiting squad.

I like Shelby Lynne as a singer also, but as for the , Ms. Lynne is TINY. I saw her open for Chris Isaak; the two later performed a duet, and Chris looked like a giant standing next to her.

OK, that guy. I've never seen him sitting next to Nicholson though. Everytime I see Nicholson, Altman is sitting next to him (on the right I believe). I still say the Lakers in 6, remember the 76ers won game one a few years ago. Thanks for the clarification, KDD. I think that you must be right - the guy whom I am talking about I have seen sitting next to Jack on the floor for many years now. Altman looks pretty damn good for 79! I am not too happy with the Lakers' effort on Sunday, but I have faith in their ability to make the appropriate adjustments. One of the things that I like best about Karl Malone is that he is so hard on himself after he has had a bad game. I expect some big performances from him before this series is over.

Yes, indeed. So many Allied successes depended on the actions of very brave, young men. Without Anglo-American resistance (Britain largely alone for about 18 months) to Nazi aggression, the world would be a far worse place. I have spent a good deal of time watching various programs on the History Channel, which has done an excellent job of commemorating the day.

Thanks for the information, SoulStation1.

Here are some interesting statistics regarding the NBA Finals series since the 2-3-2 format was adopted during the 1984-1985 season: Record of team with home court advantage: 15-4 Record of home team during games 1 and 2: 25-13 Record of home team during games 3 through 5: 24-30 Record of home team during games 6 and 7: 10-3 Of course, all of these statistics mean nothing - the only thing that matters is the present. That said, I predict that the Lakers win in no more than 6 games. I am sorry, Detroit fans, but the Pistons appears to lack both the experience and the offense to knock off this Lakers team. If Shaq and Kobe go their separate ways at season's end, then Detroit may be able to look forward to another NBA Championship in the near future. BTW, I found the article by Ralph Wiley incredibly biased and netiher informative nor persuasive. (Do any of you Lakers fans know the identity of the older gentleman who appears to have had a courtside seat next to Jack Nicholson during every Lakers game for so many years now? The gentleman appears to be around 60 with longish white hair protruding from a hat that he never seems to be without.)