An opportunity to say thanks

[Big Al]

Started typing this in my birthday thread in response to something Dave James wrote, but decided to give it a thread all its own for reasons that I hope will be made clear below.

Here's Dave's original post, followed by what I started typing:

  On 3/4/2012 at 5:36 AM, Dave James said:

It is kind of weird to think about how long a lot of us have "known" each other. I first tied into the BNBB in search of Japanese Blue Notes. I "met" Lon and Kevin first, and then a whole bunch of other great guys..even Dan, who at the time, was going under the pen name, Gene Harris Fanatic. Some of those guys are still here and some aren't. That has to have been at least 10-12 years ago. But, I digress. Big Al...hope y'all had a good one.

I did, thanks! Man, you hit the nail on the head! I still remember fondly visiting Lon and his wife (RIP) with my son who was only two at the time, and while I rifled thru Lon's CD collection, his wife kept my son entertained, something I've always been grateful for. My son just turned 16 in January! He, of course, has no memory of this and I deeply regret not having had a camera with me that night because it was a very special evening for me.

And we still have a street here in Arlington named "Gene Harris Street."

Amazing to think that some of my closest friends are people I've never met in person, but without fail every one that I *have* met in person has been a pleasure to hang with: Michigan cats Jim Alfredson, Joe Gloss, Randy Marsh (and his big bear hugs), Chuck Nessa, and Uncle Skid; local cats JSngry, Greg Waits, Joe Milazzo, Joe Christmas (sure miss that guy), kh1968, rostasi; Austin cats Lon, Clifford Allen, Shawn Dudley; and various cats scattered throughout the world: RDK, jazzkrow, and The Magnificent Goldberg; and that doesn't even begin to take in all the cats I've bought/sold/traded CDs with over the years (anyone else miss the glory days of the old Jazz Trading Post? And whatever happened to Jim S? Another guy I miss!), all the cats that keep in touch via FacePage, and all the cats I've e-mailed back & forth over the years (a special tribute must be made here to Jim R, with whom I exchanged the craziest of e-mails for a number of years and I regretfully let fall by the wayside. I mean, the guy sent me another hilarious e-mail at Christmas and I *still* have yet to respond! Some fiend I am! But if you've never conversed with Jim R, imagine having an e-mail conversation with Paul Desmond and you get the idea!) Whew! So many memories, so many friends, and so many apologies to anyone I inadvertently left out!

Geez, you'd think I was dying here (actually I am, but only metaphorically and metaphysically), but as the opportunities to thank the ones who've made an impact on your life rarely present themselves, I wanted to seize the moment while it was still fresh in my mind.

Thank you. All of you. I don't know about other online communities, because I don't visit them and really have no desire to, but when this place makes the claim as "The best jazz discussion forum on the web!", that ain't cheap talk: it's a fact, and one that I stand behind proudly.

Of course, that's easy for me to say since I locked myself outta the political forum years ago.

[Pete C]

If it's the same Joe Christmas as on Jazz Corner (Al), I recently asked after him of someone who keeps in touch and he's doing quite well from what I hear.

[jazzbo]

Hope you had a great birthday Al! I remember that visit. . .and it's amazing how much my life has been influenced by this forum. A real community that has meant a lot to me over the years. Thanks all!

[mjzee]

That was a very nice reminiscence, Al.

[Chuck Nessa]

Cool.

[BeBop]

I have the (sometimes) good fortune to travel, but the misfortune of a 100-plus-hour a week job. If work ever provides any breathing room I hope to meet a few more of you and have you hip me to the local scene. Until then, I'm glad that Jim and Organissimo have provided this alternative meeting space.

[jazzkrow]

For those of you back in the day on Jazz Trading Post, Jim Sintetos, who started the Jazz Trading Post (how many years ago?) is happy and well in Santa Cruz, Ca. He helped run KRML radio station in Carmel, Ca. for a while.

He and I have been good friends for some time and till recently used to do Amoeaba and Rasputin Records

runs when I was down in the Bay Area (where I grew up).

I got my start on the JTP site back when the search for Dizzy Reece's "Trinity Blues", old TOCJ issues from Lou Donaldson, Stanley Turrentine, Big John Patton etc. drove us crazy in the search. That may be where I "met" Dave (Kinuta) from Tokyo, Big Al and many other friends to this day. I sure made some fun trades with Vic in Europe and others.

Once RVG and Mosaic series issued these hard to find treasures, it became much easier to find

the Magic Grail of Blue Note, the hunt was much easier, but maybe less exciting.

Thank goodness when the BNBB shut down that the good folks at Organissimo stepped up to fill the the

void.

AND thanks to jazzbro, Big Al for bringing back the memories. We made many trades ourself, good buddy.

Now that I am laid off from work, maybe it's time for me to unload some of my multiple copies

of said treasures to some of the newer members who are still "on the hunt"?

[JSngry]

It's fun to have fun. But you have to know how!

[Shawn]

It's amazing to me how much time has passed since the old BNBB days, while life itself hasn't always been a joy, this place and the people who hang out here have been.

[.:.impossible]

Man, I can't tell you how many times I have thought this. I have met quite a few past and present community members over the years. I'd sure love to hang with Mr. Owl sometime. One of these days we'll make it happen.

Through Facepaging, I have really gotten to know you Al, in a way that I definitely couldn't have here. It is nice to have both. I appreciate your friendship and am glad to see you having such a great birth weekend!

Greatest place on the www right here. I learn so much here. Mostly how uninformed I am, and how ok I am with that! Ha

Thanks for sharing these thoughts Al!

[Dan Gould]

For the record, I was Mogie Man originally, then GHF, then my birth name.

Also for the record, it is indeed amazing to realize how long I've "known" so many who are still here. Y'all have made me laugh too many times to count and helped drained my wallet, and to quote a bad pop song, "that's what friends are for".

[RDK]

Agree with all of the above! I was just thinking along these lines the other day, when I ran across several used copies of BN Connoisseurs and remembered that finding those way back in the day was the thing that originally brought me to the old Blue Note Board... and then, of course, here. I'm not as active as I once was, but I still drop by almost every day. I have to echo Al and Cary's comments about Facebook too - it really helps connect with you guys on a more personal level by seeing photos and getting to know some of you outside of jazz (and too often politics ). It was great to hook up with Al over the summer, during my brief run through Texas; I hope to meet more of you on my travels in the future. For all its crappy weather and politics, the many people I know in Texas are all really swell!

[Harold_Z]

Very nice Big Al!

You've hit the nail on the head!

BTW - Check out the dates we all joined - the old BNBB guys are March 03.

[Shawn]

Not sure why it took me until July of '03 to join, I guess I was temporarily abducted by aliens during that juncture.

[Peter Johnson]

I have to agree...I was just thinking the other day that it's been nine years--NINE YEARS!!!--since our happy migration from the BNBB that fateful March day. Like many of you, that nine years has been a wild trip--moves from Seattle to Philadelphia to Seattle to New York to Philadelphia; a divorce and a marriage; a daughter; a couple of houses. And like some of my oldest friends--this mad place has been an unshakeable constant.

Thanks to all, and most of all to our host for letting this grow organically.

[AfricaBrass]

What a wonderful post, Big Al!

I have appreciated all of you so much in my time here. When I left the board in 2006, I never had any desire to participate on any other boards. This was always the my favorite place and I never forgot about it.

Back in the day, it took me a while to finally start posting on the BNBB. I'd been lurking there for years and felt as if I knew many of you already by the time I started posting there. Back then, I was afraid that I didn't have anything of much value to say. I've found that same feeling arising since I returned here. I'm just a guy who loves jazz (and most all music), but I don't have as much knowledge about it as many of you.

I remember clearly that first day here when we all left the sinking BNBB. I'm so proud that I'm member number 51 and I'm so grateful you have welcomed me back.

Edited March 4, 2012 by AfricaBrass

[BeBop]

Just curious: anyone date back to Jazz Central Station or the rec.music (.bluenote) list, circa 1990? Yeah, I'm a geezer.

[kinuta]

I've also been here since '03 and the demise of the BNBB, where I posted as champ.

I like the congeniality and absence of elitism here and the home from home feel.

[mjzee]

I remember rec.music.bluenote. Is that still around? Not being moderated, there were some raw exchanges there, but I learned a lot. As I continued to do at BNBB and now here. Like others have said, I feel no need to look at All About Jazz or other sites...my time is limited and I enjoy the postings here. Fortunately, jazz carries on, even though recorded sales seem to be dying. Other than the dwindling postings about new releases, the tenor seems much the same as before.

[Chuck Nessa]

  On 3/4/2012 at 10:04 PM, BeBop said:

Just curious: anyone date back to Jazz Central Station or the rec.music (.bluenote) list, circa 1990? Yeah, I'm a geezer.

Yes to both. Not sure I ever posted on JCS but I did at least read it.

[Stereojack]

  On 3/4/2012 at 10:43 PM, mjzee said:

I remember rec.music.bluenote. Is that still around? Not being moderated, there were some raw exchanges there, but I learned a lot. As I continued to do at BNBB and now here. Like others have said, I feel no need to look at All About Jazz or other sites...my time is limited and I enjoy the postings here. Fortunately, jazz carries on, even though recorded sales seem to be dying. Other than the dwindling postings about new releases, the tenor seems much the same as before.

I was an active participant at rec.music.bluenote (under my real name Jack Woker) from around 1995. Saw it slowly fade away in the early 2000's, partially from the influence of some idiotic trolls who hung out there, and mostly due to the demise of Usenet, whuch my server stopped offering a few years ago. I've enjoyed my time on this board, but I have to confess that I'm not as active as I used to be.

[jazzbo]

  On 3/4/2012 at 10:04 PM, BeBop said:

Just curious: anyone date back to Jazz Central Station or the rec.music (.bluenote) list, circa 1990? Yeah, I'm a geezer.

I used to post on Jazz Central Station. Someone really hated me there, I think because I got along with someone else that was hated. Taught me a lot about internet behavior.

[Bright Moments]

nice post Big Al!

[Chuck Nessa]

  On 3/4/2012 at 11:58 PM, Bright Moments said:

nice post Big Al!

That could be taken any number of ways.

[Bright Moments]

  On 3/5/2012 at 12:02 AM, Chuck Nessa said:

  On 3/4/2012 at 11:58 PM, Bright Moments said:

nice post Big Al!

That could be taken any number of ways.

well for the record - i meant that it was nicely written and the sentiment was heartfelt.