jazzbo

Yes, that is the way it is in the circuit, I've seen a few shows like that here in town, and I know there are many more to see throughout Texas. skeith, I don't think your intelligence should feel insulted. That film was not geared towards us specifically. I don't think we can ever expect to see a flock of documentaries with full historical etc. comment . . .we'll get this mixed bag.

This box is an overview; your set is going to have material not on this box, and material that is. Sound IS much better. The live material has sessions with Young, and sessions without Young, and are all primo selections, not "filler."

My wife loves my beard, I've had it in place for ten years now, after about a six year cleanshaven period and then about ten years of a beard before that or more. Shaving my cratered acne-scarred cheeks ain't fun, so I've been content with the beard. Shaving my throat is a necessity and Sensor or Excel is used for that, and Aveeno shaving cream (y'all should try this, fantastic stuff.)

Okay, you didn't like that stuff. I wasn't crazy about a lot of it either (including Raitt's performances) but I did like some and it was interesting to see in some of it how the music was being adapted to the newer styles. Doesn't mean I like the newer styles that much. Maybe it's because I'm in Texas where the blues began but I don't find local talent of any hue to really be that bad at singing the blues. . . . I guess I'm lucky.

I was thinking Gretsch too, but the headstock threw me too! Really cool guitar, really nice sounding too.

I hope it's not untowards to say. . . the instrumental tracks on that cd are KILLIN'!

Man, what is that guitbox that J. B. is playing? It's a very nice sounding and distinctive axe! And he does some rhythm chording that almost sounds like a harmonica! Excellent guitar. . . and player.

I've got Jack Johnson box in the house as well. Now Jack Johnson is actually probably my LEAST favorite of Miles' electric albums. Just too much like rock and roll for me to really go apeshit; I mean there's a Derek and the Dominoes jam that sounds almost like Right Off to me in shape and even in the riff used. I like it fine, but I always was more of a Miles at Fillmore/Live Miles/On the Corner/Get Up With it GUY! I instead have been dying to hear the expanded and unreleased material that was on Directions and Big Fun that are in this set. And they don't disappoint. Like RT I haven't heard much yet, but man the sound is excellent AND these are LOUD cds! The booklet is perty darned good and I'm going to be enjoying these sessions this week!

Well, we'll just have to continue to disagree. I have many many hours in listening to Louis. There are times when Louis puts on a deeper growl as an effect, totally different from the timbre of his speaking or crooning voice. Also I almost think that Wolf's whole shtick is largely based on the effect of the growl he puts on. And Taj uses it as a device, clearly, undisguisedly. It may sound tacky and unnatural to you in white singers--and I don't necessarily disagree for many of them--but the reason that they do ths is because it is part of the language of the genre, part of being bluesy. This music is an American thing, and it's not black or white or black and white. I see the connection to much African music, BUT that music is African music, not the American blues, and I think last night's film showed some ways the music has morphed in the last century and into this one, and maybe some ways it will go further.

I'm sorry, I disagree. I believe that Taj in particular, and most likely Wolf and Louis both used the growl as a texture, as an effect. Or at least AMPLIFIED their already natural tendency. This is the same thing you are accusing white singers of doing as being wrong. And so you didn't like Lucinda's interpretation. Doesn't mean that others might like it, or that it may not bring a Lucinda fan (I know quite a few) to curiosity about the song and the writer. Cream's version of "I'm So Glad" was probably also not like Skip's original mood and intent. . .but it actually helped Skip out. I guess I just don't feel that all these singers and interpretations were somehow inappropriate.

This is one of the best of the MBB cds if you ask me. I'd recommend it.

Yeah, you know Howlin' Wolf and Taj and even Louis should quit that hokey growlin' trick thing, y'know?

I don't know, reverence is great, but there's a point where songs can be transformed, and it is this transformation that brings new life to music. If everyone reverently treats Monk's music then will Monk's music live on into the 22nd century? Maybe. But I bet the odds are better if his music is played around with a bit. MONK PLAYED AROUND WITH HIS MUSIC. And the music of others. And made something new out of both. I know dozens of people who know of Robert Johnson because of Cream's version of "Crossroads." That is one transformed tune! For me Bonnie Raitt playing a manythousand dollar Guild and so smoothly singing out that Skip tune just didn't move me. It was perhaps a very reverential treatment and I'm totally aware of Bonnie's prowess as a singer and player. But this music is still alive and that is but one way to go, that reverential way. That way is the way of thye ghost swing bands, etc. And of the Lincoln Center Jazz mindset. Another way is to have the music reexamined and even turned on its head. I can dig both approaches, and am glad to see that these filmmakers can too, because I think they are featuring both approaches to the featured songs so far.

I think the impetus behind these films is partly to educate, partly to honor, and partly to sell cds and dvds. All of sudden there are tons of blues cds for sale! Even more than with JAZZ because blues is that less an esoteric thing. The target audience for the blues cds is the audience for the contemporary acts that are playing these songs. I think that featuring these artists both allow the younger pop viewers to appreciate the blues a little, see a way into it from the music they are into now, and to show that the music has been reinterpreted and regenerated in the past and will into the future. The blues HAS evolved in the last century, and there is a world of music in between Charly Patton and Magic Sam and yet it is all the blues. And there is another universe of music between Magic Sam and Cassandra Wilson, but still it is the blues. I think this series is highlighting this. I'm glad that it is. I bet there are more avid blues fans six months from now and I like that idea too. I remember the excitement I felt exploring the blues greats of the past, when I got the bug from Hendrix and Mayall. If someone else gets the bug from John Spencer and Beck that won't bother me any at all. It's a testimony to our culture and its dynamics that we don't have seven straight historical documentary films in a row on the blues to watch this week. From my vantage point of 48 years, an adult life spent in this culture and economy I would NEVER expect we WOULD get that. This is what we get, what we can expect to get. And it's to my mind a lot better than nothing.

Well I've seen the first and final third of this second episode so far, and enjoyed them. Blind Willie Johnson has always seemd an important figure to me, his voice and the mood he invokes is so unique, AND he's a monster guitarist. I was glad to see them devote time to him. J. B and Skip I know less of and was quite happy to learn more of. I found much of the contemporary recreations entertaining, and I think that they make the point that the music is still vital and being reinvented. Yes, John Spencer's over the top rooster recreation of the styles of Wolf and Jagger et al is not exactly the purist's cup of tea, but it is a new look at the James tune, certainly. Beck. . . well he was being a Beckian Skip James. I don't like his shtick, but again he's a new figure and the music grows a new wing. I wasn't that impressed by Bonnie's rendition to be perfectly honest, a bit too pat. And I liked Garland Jeffries' and Cassandra Wilson's appearances fine. This is an interesting series. As a long time blues afficianado I don't believe it is really directed at me (or most of us) just as I felt the JAZZ series was not aimed my way, but I enjoyed JAZZ and I'm enjoying this series; just the chance to see John Lee and Skip and J. B. and others perform is a treat. And the overall vibe of the films is entertainment, and I think that serves the music form and future well, better perhaps than a strictly documentarian approach. Just my two.

Only one from the Famous Door.

Re-reading Velikovsky lately I am inclined to think YES DEFINITELY, but then again global catastrophies. . . hardly worth it it will be all ruined anyway, nothing to collect and no one to collect from.

No tatoo here. Like several here, no watch, and I wear my wedding ring, only jewelry I have EVER owned unless you want to call a tie clasp jewelry. . . I'm not opposed to tatoo acquiring, but can't imagine what I would like to have on me that I would want on me as long as I breathe, and I have no real desire to have any ink on me. . . . Plus my wife hates them, so I know what's good for me!

I've got it. I think it's nice. . . but. . . I'm not crazy about it. A bit too slick for my tastes these days!

I THINK this may be the Liberian Suite cover. . . it is at least A Liberian Suite cover. . . .

I'm a huge Patton fan, but I confess. . . I haven't preordered. I have all the material. I'm resisting as hard as I can! Next for me will be the Jack Johnson set.

Congrats! I KNOW you will do a great job!

In general the music is very well recorded for the time and circumstances, and the remastering is pretty darned fine. I have an awful lot of these. . . almost all the first 75 and some of the subsequent ones. I'm BROKE! I am quite happy to have discovered a lot of great music from French and other European musicians. AND the Americans in Europe aspect as well. I've had some of these titles before, but the sound is better here. Great series! Highlights for me recently are the Hodier, Clarke and Pfeiffer sessions.

I didn't get a chance to see the entire episode; I'll watch the remaining tape hopefully right away when I get home tonight. My impressions are positive, I basically agree with Jim and Joe.

The Mosaic is an excellent set. It features the working band that produced "Mis'ry and the Blues" and has two fabulous live discs, and two discs that reissue their three studio lps, with additional previously unreleased tracks. If you liked "Mis'ry" the Mosaic is a great set to explore. Expensive. . . but I preordered it and am darned glad I did.