BFrank

I keep meaning to pick up the "Self Portrait" box. It got great reviews when it was released and sounded like a very interesting compilation. Maybe now it's time.

Me, too. That's the scary part. Maybe that's the difference between those who like the film and those who don't. It's the level of connection. (maybe age, too)

I enjoyed that article, too. Great art! Thanks, Jim, for the link!

Well......it didn't arrive today. Now I have to wait until Monday. Bummer.

Received from BMG today ($1.99 clearance specials!) Traffic "On the Road" Jefferson Airplane "Takes Off" (remaster) Jack Bruce "Shadows in the Air" Latin Playboys "Dose" Sandy Denny "No More Sad Refrains - Anthology" ($3.98 - 2CD) Miles Davis "Volume 1" RVG Miles Davis "Volume 2" RVG "Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins" (Impulse)

I just ordered it from Amazon the other day. Hoping it arrives today, so I can watch it over the weekend. Sounds great.

I agree - DeJohnette's "Directions" band was really good. Especially the "New Directions" configuration with Bowie. I think they only made 2 albums - "New Directions" and "New Directions in Europe". Both excellent.

You had a class with Marshal McLuhan? That's pretty impressive, too.

I was actually listening to "Gateway 2" just the other day. I liked it a lot. I'll have to track down the first one, one of these days.

"Infant Eyes" and "Mama Roots" (both on Muse vinyl) would be great ones to pick up if you can find them.

Bay Area legend, Vernon Alley.

Ahmad Jamal - "Reevaluations: The Impulse Years" (Impulse collection from 1973)

I know him from the 1975 Herb Geller album, "Rhyme and Reason".

Ahhhhh, the truth comes out.

Does anyone really care about these guys anymore?

Santana - "Lotus" (with the insane "fold-out-o-rama" cover)

LOVE those albums!

I was fortunate to see the Adams/Pullen Quartet a few times. Always incredibly entertaining! I recommend "Earth Beams", if it can still be found anywhere. Also the Mingus albums with these guys: "Mingus Moves" and "Changes One & Two" are good starters. I wonder why Atlantic hasn't re-packaged the "Changes" albums together....perhaps with additional tracks?

If Tony were alive today, he would be wondering the same thing

Here's a very interesting retrospective on the life of Ralph Gleason in today's SF Chronicle - the newspaper he wrote his columns for. Don't let the tweed jackets, trench coat and pipe fool you -- Ralph J. Gleason was an apostle of jazz and rock with few peers

KCSM Jazz 91.1, of course. Favorite DJ has to be Sonny Buxton on Saturday mornings. Not only does he play great music, but he always has interesting anecdotes and stories. All the DJs are local - including Clifford Brown, Jr. At 9pm on weeknights they run syndicated shows by Nancy Wilson, Ed Bradley, Marian McPartland and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

Kevin Whitehead reviews his favorite box sets from this year on NPR's Fresh Air. This is one of them, but it's worth listening to the whole thing. It's pretty interesting. Check it out HERE

Hey, Guy, you covered all my bases for me! I live in SF and was born in Santa Barbara. Thanks! B-) BTW, I lived in NYC for a few years, too. Well documented already.

Another Alou is coming to Giants Moises, S.F. agree on a two-year deal - Henry Schulman, Chronicle Staff Writer Thursday, December 23, 2004 The Giants are planning to give their manager a Christmas present: his son, wrapped in a San Francisco uniform. The club has reached an agreement with free-agent outfielder Moises Alou on a two-year contract that will not be finalized until he passes a physical on Monday, two sources told The Chronicle on Wednesday. Alou would shift from left field to right and join Barry Bonds and Marquis Grissom in one of oldest outfields in major-league history. The agreement was reached Tuesday and reportedly is worth $13.25 million if Alou plays both years. The second year of the contract is a player option. An Associated Press story out of the Dominican Republic said the 38-year- old outfielder also received offers from the Dodgers, Mets and Astros and will take less money to play for his father, Felipe, before retiring. The story also quoted Alou as saying on Dominican television Tuesday, "If I sign with the Giants and they win a World Series, then I will retire immediately." Neither the Giants nor Alou's agent, Fern Cuza, would confirm the agreement. Assistant general manager Ned Colletti said, "We have been in contact with Alou's agent. But we have been in contact with agents for a lot of players. When we have something to announce, we'll make an announcement." Alou would provide the potent right-handed bat his father declared the Giants needed to hit behind Bonds. Alou batted .293 with 39 homers and 106 RBIs last season for the Cubs, who made him a free agent by declining to exercise an $11.5 million option for 2005. Alou turns 39 in July and, barring a further acquisition, would play right field alongside Grissom, who turns 38 in April, and Bonds, who turns 41 in July. He would also be the fourth member of his family to play for the Giants in San Francisco, joining his father (1958-63) and uncles Matty (1960-65) and Jesus (1963-68). This was not Plan A for the Giants, who hoped to upgrade their outfield defense and find a long-term solution in center. But after 39-year-old Steve Finley spurned the Giants, they found no viable alternatives via trade, changed course and began looking at corner outfielders. They also have held discussions with free agent Jeromy Burnitz. It is believed that even if they sign Alou the Giants will continue to discuss deals between now and Opening Day to strengthen their outfield. Felipe Alou did not return phone calls Wednesday. As recently as 10 days ago he sounded pessimistic about a reunion in San Francisco with Moises, who played for his dad in Montreal from 1992-96. "We have a lot of veterans in the outfield," the elder Alou said. "Mo is 38. If he were 33 or 34, I probably would bring his name up." Furthermore, Alou said, "He's going to get a good job and he's going to drive in 100 runs. Mo was born to play right field." Despite Moises Alou's age, durability does not appear to be an issue. He played in 155 games and had 601 at-bats for the Cubs last season, his 13th in the majors. His solid numbers in 2004 might have been inflated by playing at Wrigley Field, but he also has fared well in San Francisco, batting .321 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 56 at-bats since the club moved to China Basin.