Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (1969) (mp3 320kbps)

I'm having a bit of a Neil Young thing happening. I can't help it. This happens with some frequency. I consider myself a lucky man.

How good is this record? I've been listening to it for over twenty years and I love it more than ever. This is just Shakey's second record as a solo artist and the first of a legendary collaboration with Crazy Horse. The guitar solo for Down By The River is a transformative experience. The production and mastering of this record are so much more confident and unified compared to the previous year's 'Neil Young', which, at times becomes almost experimental. On 'Everybody Knows' Neil is solidfying a lifetime membership in the annals of hard rock with the opening chords of 'Cinnamon Girl'.

This record made me fall in love with great music.

1. "Cinnamon Girl – 2:58
2. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere – 2:26
3. Round & Round (It Won't Be Long) – 5:49
4. Down by the River – 9:13
5. The Losing End (When You're On) – 4:03
6. Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) – 5:30
7. Cowgirl in the Sand – 10:06

Should be working now. Sorry about the bad link.

Neil Young - Winterlong (Cincinatti, 1970) (mp3 160kbps)

Great soundboard recording from 1970, back before the death of Danny Whitten. I actually purchased this at collector show, or maybe even a shop with a flexible view of copyright law. The point is, it was a LONG time ago. It sounds great and the list of songs is everything you could hope for from this era, including a primordial version of Don't Let It Bring You Down. There must have been a reissue at some point, because there's much snazzier art available now, but I've supplied the picture that was on the cover of the Swingin' Pig release that I purchased so many years ago.

Feb 25th 1970 @ The Music Hall Cincinnati
The Swinging Pig TSP-CD-042-2

Disc 1
01 On The Way Home
02 Broken Arrow
03 I Am A Child
04 Helpless
05 Dance Dance Dance
06 Sugar Mountain
07 Don't Let It Bring You Down
08 The Old Laughing Lady
09 The Loner
10 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Disc 2
01 Winterlong
02 Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown
03 Wonderin'
04 It Might Have Been
05 Down By The River
06 Cinnamon Girl

Update - link is now working. Sorry about that!

Bob Dylan - Bleeding Shadows (2004) (mp3, 160kbps)

I have been so delighted with Bob Dylan's live performances between the late 90's and the early 00's. This show is more toward the end of that era, with Stu Kimball being swapped into the role that Charlie Sexton had occupied. Rumor is that Charlie had kind of a big mouth and he and Dylan eventually clashed - over something. Kimball had recently joined the band, just a few weeks before this recording. He was tentative and a bit reluctant to do too much. The other guitar continued to be multi-instrumental, jam band guru Larry Campbell, lately tearing it up with Phil Lesh & Friends. Campbell had genuine rapport with Dylan and had remained the last man standing during the turbulence at the end of the Sexton-era. Campbell was established and knew how to do everything just the way Dylan wanted it.

Kimball brought a Texas-Blues style of Strat through Fender Deluxe, no effects, amp all cranked. When I saw it in Wilmington a few weeks before this show, I forgot about not getting to see Charlie Sexton right away. Dylan had them sounding like a blues band!

We're also getting to hear a more relaxed Bob, who has just given up his struggle with the guitar during live shows. It makes me a bit sad, because the image of Dylan with his guitar is so iconic, but the story is that his fingers just couldn't take anymore, whether it be from arthritis, tendonitis or something else. He has now reinvented himself - starting as the old man playing in physical pain, to the child-like trickster, pounding away on his electric piano while twisting, dancing and crouching as he belts it out with what's left of his voice.

So, enjoy the band, the stunning recording, the pile of extras (see below) and some of the greatest rock music ever composed, sung by the man who wrote it.

Estadio Municipal Escribano Castilla
Motril, Spain July 10, 2004

Disc one:
Intro
Maggie's Farm
Tell Me That It Isn't True
Cry A While
Girl Of The North Country (acoustic)
It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
Positively 4th Street
Highway 61 Revisited
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
If Dogs Run Free
Honest With Me

Disc two:
Not Dark Yet
Summer Days
encore:
Mr. Tambourine Man (acoustic)
Like A Rolling Stone
All Along The Watchtower
bonus:
It Ain't Me Babe (acoustic) (1)
Get Out Of Denver (2)
Ball And Biscuit (3)
Hazel (4)
God Knows (5)
Joey (6)
Unbelievable (7)
Heartland (w/Willie Nelson and sons) (8)

(1) Riviera Theater, Chicago, Illinois March 6, 2004
(2) State Theater, Detroit, Michigan March 16, 2004
(3) State Theater, Detroit, Michigan March 17, 2004
(4) 9:30 Club, Washington D.C. April 2, 2004
(5) Warner Theater, Washington D.C. April 4, 2004
(6) Holmes Center - ASU Boone, NC April 7, 2004
(7) The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC April 9, 2004
(8) Warner Park, Madison, Wisconsin August 27, 2004

Bob Dylan - piano, harmonica, vocal
Stu kimball - guitar
Larry Campbell - stringed instruments of every type and more
Tany Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums

The link is in the comments.

Update: link should be working now. Let me know if there is a problem. Thanks.

Joe Zawinul - Brown Street (2006) (mp3, 320kbps)

I generally try not to post something so recent, but Zawinul is way special. This is with a 15-piece big-band and it really enhances the immense power that is a part of every Zawinul performance, even the softest ballad. the version of Boogie Woogie Waltz on here is about the best I've heard, and I've heard a lot.

Go get the latest posthumous release. It's called '75' and I just downloaded it from Amazon and it's another stunner!

Here's the info:

1. Brown Street (10:59)
2. In A Silent Way (5:16)
3. Fast City (9:05)
4. Badia / Boogie Woogie Waltz (11:46)
5. Black Market (7:31)
6. March Of The Lost Children (5:51)
7. A Remark You Made (8:07)
8. Nightpassage (6:27)
9. Procession (9:03)
10. Carnavalito (10:42)

The link is in the comments.

Sunday All Over The World - Kneeling At The Shrine (1991) (mp3, 160kbps)

Another Fripp collaboration, this time with his wife, pop/avant garde vocalist Toyah Wilcox. This was a nice fix while I was waiting for a new Crimson record to come out. It would still be a few more years until the Crim got back together, but this was a decent album and features some of the Krimson King's signature licks in a more restrained setting. He didn't want to take away from the songs and vocals, which are supposed to be center stage. It's an odd little records, but I've always liked it.

Track Listings
1. Sunday All over the World (4:06)
2. Blood Bruise Tattoo (2:54)
3. Kneeling at the Shrine (5:00)
4. Don't Take It Away (2:30)
5. Transient Joy (4:18)
6. Open Air (3:36)
7. Strange Girls (3:12)
8. If I Were a Man (3:11)
9. Answered with a Smile (3:08)
10. Storm Angel (3:29)
11. Freedom (7:57)

Total Time: 42:21

Line-up/Musicians
- Toyah Willcox / vocals
- Robert Fripp / guitar
- Trey Gunn / stick, vocals
- Paul Beavis / drums, percussion

The link is in the comments.

Cheika Rimitti - The Sidi Monsour Remixes (1995) (mp3, 160kbps)

Featuring Robert Fripp and Flea, this is an album by the grandmother of Raï, a form of Algerian folk music. There is some indication that Cheikha did not know that her music was being subject to 'remix' treatment, but that doesn't take away from the vibe and groove. Is this another "east-meets-west" fusion collaboration? Yes, but it's also very good and somewhat rare.

1. Mendirch el Haseb (9:46)
   
2. Rah Yahki (street mix) (11:10)
3. Rah Yahki (dune mix) (11:06)
   
4. Lillette el Ouihda (19:39)

I believe Fripp and Flea are only on the first and last tracks, but the whole ep is worth checking out. The link is in the comments.

Bob Dylan - Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (1973) (mp3, 128 kbps)

If you said to me that you thought this was the best Bob Dylan record out of ALL of the Bob Dylan records ever released, well, I couldn't really argue with what you were saying. Great instrumental work, great vocals, Knockin' on Heaven's Door - this is an all time, must-have.

1. Main Title Theme (Billy)
2. Cantina Theme (Workin' for the Law)
3. Billy 1
4. Bunkhouse Theme
5. River Theme
6. Turkey Chase
7. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
8. Final theme
9. Billy 4
10. Billy 7

The link is in the comments.

McCoy Tyner - Lugano Jazz Festival (2005) (mp3, 128kbps)

Another thunderously powerful show from a true master. Whether you're hearing him with a big band, as a trio, or in an an all-star quintet, as here, he always BRINGS it. This is right off the radio, so the quality is basically an A+.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tyner's shtick, this is very much in the feel eraly 60's Coltrane Quartet. This is not avant garde noise exploration. On the contrary, there is beautiful melody and composition that you will like right away. But it is all INTENSE. McCoy has a heavy touch, and even here, at the age of 68, the bop is as hard as ever.

1. Soulstice (10:19)
2. Manalyuca (13:02)
3. Blues On The Corner (9:40)
4. Angelina (20:16)
5. Moment's Notice (8:12)
6. Ballad For Aisha (12:27)

McCoy Tyner - piano
Gary Bart - alto sax
Ravi Coltrane - tenor sax
Charnett Moffett - bass
Eric Gravatt - drums

The link is in the comments.

S.B.B. - Göttingen - Alte Ziegelei Live'77 (released 2004) (mp3, vbr)

Even today, S.B.B. are all about the 'official' bootleg. That was necessitated by their extraordinary live show. This was a prog band with great musicianship and love for jazz. In the live settings, the songs were more akin to 'heads' around which the band's dynamic mission would take place - S.B.B. equals Search, Build, Break. As far as what I've heard, that was something they did far more successfully live. I guess studio time was a bit expensive for too much 'Search'-ing.

Between 1974 and 1980, this band created a lot of extraordinary music, both in the studio and on the road. We are now enjoying a new wave of live releases from this period, which includes shows from Koln, Marburg, and Nekargamund, all in this special period, all with the band at the height of its powers. There is also a brand, spanking new studio album, which is pretty damn good - 'Iron Curtain'. This will actually be released in the states in a few weeks, and he European version I've heard shows there's still a fire in Józef Skrzek's 60 year old belly.

This one's more essential listening. A little on the early side of when things started to get really good. This is before Piwowar joined, so it's just Antymos on guitar, and he shreds mightily. Józef Skrzek is his usual outrageous self, sort of a mix between Tony Banks and a Polish, bass playing Joe Cocker. Check him out on Youtube for the full effect. You're not exactly dealing with Joe Zawinul here.

1. Ze słowem biegnę do Ciebie - introdukcja
2. Toczy się koło historii
3. Wolność z nami - temat
4. Światłowód
5. W kołysce dłoni Twych (Pretty Face)
6. Follow My Dream (instr.)
7. Follow Our Music - bass solo
8. Odejście - finał
9. Drums solo
10. Freedom With Us
11. Wołanie o brzęk szkła - finał
12. Coda
13. I Want Somebody (bonus track)

Line-up/Musicians
Józef Skrzek / vocals, keyboards, bass, harmonica
Apostolis Antymos / guitar
Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion & drum

The link is in the comments.

Sylbat - Mara (2008) (mp3, 128 kbps)

New prog from France, and it's tasty. They cite Mahavishnu, King Crimson and Weather Report as influential, and you can hear that, but the band's composition is something different than any of those acts. First of all, there is no keyboard. Instead, there is a prominent electric harp that carries off much of the Zawinul-esque texture. This gives the music, which is groove and jam oriented, an almost Celtic flair that really drew me right in.

The other exciting thing about the band's composition is that the harpist and the guitarist are both young women - that is not something normally associated with prog. Oh sure, we have the tradition of female vocalists going all the way back to Annie Haslam and Rennaissance, but this is an instrumental outfit.

Regardless of gender, the result is a very satisfying groove that varies in dynamics in a way that certainly recalls the legendary collaboration of Zawinul and Shorter. In the same way that those musicians evolved the vision of Miles Davis, Sylbat is looking to, once again, push the envelope with something that is both technically exciting and emotionally engaging. I can't wait to see what they do next.

1. Bull Machine (6:35)
2. Gigue Hantesque (5:29)
3. Magmafrica (7:41)
4. Menn (5:38)
5. Androide (7:12)
6. Transfert (1:02)
7. Tour D'ivoire (6:52)
8. Marche Des Sept Pas (5:27)
9. Valse Des Loups (6:10)
10. Mara (2:17)

Line-up/Musicians
- Clotilde Trouillaud / electroharp
- Patrick Boileau / drums
- Hilaire Rama / bass
- Hélène Brunet / guitar

The link is in the comments.

Albert King - Live Wire/Blues Power (1968) (mp3, 320kbps)

Let me just put it this way - this is the best blues record of all time. How's that for bold? How's that for extreme? Well, let me, maybe, take it one further - is there a better 36 minutes of guitar in any style, anywhere, ever?

Listen for yourself and decide. That's what I did about twenty-plus years ago when I was just learning to play guitar. I did not decide to like the blues. No one listened to the blues in my house when I was a little boy. I listened to rock and pop and whatever else was on the radio. In the early 80's I discovered Eric Clapton and that started me going backwards to the blues REAL fast. And then I found this record, and it was all over. When I heard, this the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up and I knew that I had been chosen, chosen by the blues.

This isn't the jazzy single-note bounce that BB was doing. This is Texas. This is a six and a half foot giant southpaw with a right-hander's Flying V named Lucy. And he even strung it for a righty and then he just flipped it over. No one had ever done that before. There was no frame of reference for that style. Albert had to reinvent the finger-to-note relationship. A few have tried to replicate the feat, but no one has acheived any notoriety playing this way. Even Jimi Hendrix, who was a lefty playing a right-handed guitar, strung it backwards so it would make sense. Albert King made his own sense.

The result is a stinging, searing solo style that just goes on and on. It's a sound that can peal the paint of your walls, remove the fillings in your teeth and rearrange internal organs. That's Blues Power.

"Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock) – 4:04
"Blues Power" (King) – 10:18
"Night Stomp" (Raymond Jackson, King) – 5:49
"Blues At Sunrise" (King) – 8:44
"Please Love Me" (B.B. King, Jules Taub) – 4:01
"Look Out" (King) – 5:20

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Willie James Exon – Guitar
James Washington – Organ
Roosevelt Pointer – Bass
Theotis Morgan – drums

Produced by Al Jackson

The link is in the comments.

Lindsey Buckingham - The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992) (mp3, 160kbps)

I've been playing guitar for a few decades and few things make me happier. It takes me back to the innocence of my youth, when we used to ask each other questions like, "Who would you rather be, Superman or Luke Skywalker?" Well, I wouldn't want to be Lindsey, but if there's one guitarist's super powers I would like, it's this guy. I loved the dark curly hair, the custom-made Rick Turner guitars and that unstoppable, God-given talent. He could play, he could sing, he could write, he could produce - he did it all!! And the amazing thing is he's still doing it all as good as ever. Simply put, Lindsey is a monster.

Which brings us to this post. This is a soundboard-quality recording from the tour that supported 1992's Out Of The Cradle. That's a tremendous record which gives a perfect blend of the top-notch pop sensibilities, mixed with a fierce helping of the avant garde. It's an extreme studio record, with tons of overdubs, crazy percussion and dazzling, dizzying guitar. The tour was Lindsey's first as a solo artist and he was clearly tentative, not in his performance (always manic and intense) but in the scope. There were only a handful of dates and I thenk he even played as an opening act. His more recent outings have shown a much more cohesive, band-oriented approach to the live show.

But when I listen back to this perfect sounding show, I'm really taken at how well he pulled it off. The band looked unwieldy on stage (lots of extra guitars and vocals) but the sound is right where it should be. This is a great mix of the solo stuff (focusing on 'Out of the Cradle') and the obligatory Fleetwood Mac standards. His audience will never let him play a show without getting to hear 'Go Your Own Way'. It all comes across beautifully, so PLAY IT LOUD. That's what my Dad did back in the 70's and I've been loving it ever since.

Quality: A Live soundboard recording, unknown date and venue

Big Love
[Go Insane] - missing from this recording
Don't Look Down
The Chain
Trouble
Tusk
You Do or You Don't
I'm So Afraid
Street of Dreams
Never Going Back Again
All My Sorrows
This is the Time
Go Your Own Way
Eyes of the World
Soul Drifter

James Booker - Blues & Ragtime From New Orleans (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

Here's the other record from the same set of shows as the lp featured below. Just a quick note on the performance. Any bad behavior has been clipped out of this pair, which is fine. You just get sheer virtuosity, encompassing the classical training and the baddest boogie woogie ever. He blends all his considerable skills on these two records.

I also have nice scans of the back of the lp sleeves. If they are wanted, I will make them available.

1. Desitively Bonnaroo / Right Place Wrong Time
2. Tico Tico
3. Wake Up Mr. Moon Man
4. Save Your Love / Lonely Avenue
5. All By Myself / I'm In Love Again / Four Winds / Such A Wonderful Feeling
6. People Get Ready
7. Besame Mucho / Until The Real Thing Comes Along
8. Love Monkey / Feel So Bad
9. Ora
10. Baby Won't You Please Come Home

James Booker - The Piano Prince of New Orleans (1976) (mp3 160kbps)

What an outstanding treat. I feel like I'm sitting on a gold mine with these two posts. A few years ago the Dime coughed up this gem, indicating that it was a solo piano show by Mr. Booker emanating from a soundboard or FM source. The dates of the shows are October 29th and 30th, 1976. I made mp3 of this show available way back in the days of my comcast.net version of mpomy.com. That relic had 'Jazz and Blues Fridays', which then lead to the 'Prog Listening Group', which it still up and running and has plenty of tasty musical treats.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the content off of the old comcast.net page. The links are there, but the music is not. Worse still, Googling this show brings up that same old page - with links but no music. I've even had a request for these from some unknown music-lover. I would never have thought this item was so rare, but a quick search revealed zero good sources.

This morning, I finally found my copies of the disks, only having undergone lossless conversion. When I looked for info on these steller performances, I quickly found out why they sound so amazing. Excerpts of the two dates appear to have been released as two live albums in Germany. Good luck trying to get your hands on THAT vinyl!

So here's disc one - 'The Piano Prince of New Orleans'

1. Life
2. One Helluva Nerve
3. United Our Thing Will Stand
4. Slowly But Surely
5. Too Much Blues
6. Junko Partner
7. Classified
8. Stormy Monday
9. Sixty Minute Man / You Talk Too Much
10. Please Send Me Someone to Love

Vangelis - Albedo 0.39 (1976) (mp3, 160kbps)

This instrumental, analog masterpiece could only have become a charting lp (#18 on UK Charts) in the glorious '70's. The success of this album touched off extraordinary soundtrack success, including an Oscar for Chariots of Fire. The sound pallet and melodic sense that you may recognize from Chariots of Fire is present in this earlier work, but the shorter works, conceived without pictures, is more comfortably in the realm of prog. He certainly gives the drums a good workout in 'Main Sequence', 'Alpha' and both parts of 'Nucleogenesis'. There are no guest musicians at any point on this record, only Vangelis' engineer giving the narration on the title track.

"Pulstar" – 5:45
"Freefall" – 2:20
"Mare Tranquillitatis" – 1:45
"Main Sequence" – 8:15
"Sword of Orion" – 2:05
"Alpha" – 5:45
"Nucleogenesis (Part One)" – 6:15
"Nucleogenesis (Part Two)" – 5:50
"Albedo 0.39" – 4:30

Amon Tobin - Supermodified (2000) (mp3, 128 kbps)

This is a devastating piece of electronica from a time when the genre was starting to loose some of it's popularity. Squarepusher and The Prodigy had broken through in 1997 and every major artist from U2 to Madonna was hiring a DJ to give their record that modern sound.

Tobin was different. He came from Canada, not England, and he exploited his family's Brazilian roots. He was also shameless about his deep held love of jazz and wanted to bring that sensibility to his electronic music. As a result, the soundscape is very organic. His drum patterns, in particular, give a decent approximation of the real thing, but the rest of the music brings a very heavy vibe that, especially on this record, suggests living machines.

To my ears, this record was the pinnacle. Since Supermodified's release, Tobin has engaged in more experimental pursuits, including music for a video game and a record comprised of found noise. The result is always innovative and forceful. this is NOT a tenative artist. Check it all out if you like this selection, but for me, this one is hard to top.

"Get Your Snack On" – 4:22
"Four Ton Mantis" – 4:45
"Slowly" – 5:37
"Marine Machines" – 5:45
"Golfer vrs Boxer" – 6:17
"Deo" – 6:44
"Precursor" featuring Quadraceptor – 4:39
"Saboteur" – 5:18
"Chocolate Lovely" – 6:03
"Rhino Jockey" – 7:28
"Keepin' It Steel (The Anvil Track)" – 4:29
"Natureland" – 5:48

All music composed, arranged, performed and produced by Amon Tobin.

Miles Davis - Juan les Pins Jazz Fest, Antibes (1969) (mp3, 160 kbps)

Directions - 6:00
Miles Runs the Voodoo Down - 9:17
Milestones - 13:45
Footprints - 11:44
'Round Midnight - 8:51
It's about That Time - 9:30
Sanctuary - The Theme - 4:53

Miles Davis trumpet
Wayne Shorter soprano & tenor saxophones
Chick Corea electric piano
Dave Holland bass
Jack DeJohnette drums

July 25, 1969 Juan les Pins Jazz Festival, Antibes

Max Roach - Members, Don't Git Weary (1968) (mp3, 128kbps)

1. Abstrutions
2. Libra
3. Effi
4. Equipoise
5. Members, Don't Git Weary
6. Absolutions

Bass [Electric Bass] - Jymie Merritt
Drums - Max Roach
Piano - Stanley Cowell
Saxophone [Alto] - Gary Bartz
Trumpet - Charles Tolliver
Producer - Joel Dorn

Albert King - I wanna Get Funky (1974) (mp3, 192kbps)

1. I Wanna Get Funky (Clifton William Smith) – 5:08
2. Playing on Me (Sir Mack Rice) – 3:25
3. Walking the Back Streets and Crying (Sandy Jones) – 6:28
4. 'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone (Eddie Floyd, Alvertis Isbell) – 7:32
5. Flat Tire (Henry Bush, Booker T. Jones, Albert King) – 4:43
6. I Can't Hear Nothing But the Blues (Henry Bush, Clark) – 4:16
7. Travelin' Man (Albert King) – 2:52
8. Crosscut Saw (R.G. Ford) – 7:45
9. That's What the Blues Is All About (Bobby Patterson, Jerry Strickland) – 3:53

Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
Donald Kinsey (name on album credits incorrectly spelled as "Donald Kenzie") – Guitar
Memphis Symphony Orchestra – Strings
The Memphis Horns – Horns
The Bar-Kays, The Movement – Rhythm section
Hot Buttered Soul, Henry Bush – Background vocals

Recorded Memphis, TN, 1972

Roy Buchanan - My Father's Place, Roslyn, New York 5/6/78 (AAC/mp4, 128 kbps)

This is stinging blues from a master of both soaring technique and burning passion on a custom telecaster turned all the way up. Read more about Roy and his unfortunate end, or just sit back in wonder (esp. on 'The Messiah...') as you listen to the greatest unknown guitar player in the world.

1. Soundcheck
2. Just Got Back From New York (Soundcheck)
3. Introduction
4. Further On Up The Road
5. Soul Dressing
6. I'm A Ram/I'm Evil
7. Walkin' Talkin'
8. Baby Won't You Tell Me Wehre You're At
9. Can I Change My Mind
10. Hey Joe/Foxy Lady
11. Slow Down
12. The Messiah Will Come Again
13. Crowd
14. Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
15. Outro

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay (1970) (mp3, 320kbps)

Freddie Hubbard was undoubtedly one of the all-time greats. His trumpet playing went in a different direction from Miles, though he did not sacrifice commercial success. His sound was so string and confident. I saw him one in the '90's at a concert on Penn's Landing. It was a hot sunny day and the outdoor event included a special dual (duel) performance by the always natty Wynton Marsalis, and the (then) slightly full-figured Hubbard who wore comfortable slacks or jeans and a JVC Jazz Fest t-shirt from some untold number of years ago. It didn't fit him very well. The duel featured Wynton first, and he was measured yet sublime. For Hubbard's solo, he first played all of the notes from Wynton's solo, then elevated the jam to a whole new direction.

Hubbard's involvement with the CTI label yielded some extraordinary work. He was a confident and purposeful band-leader who knew how to get the most out of a session. In my opinion, Red Clay is his best solo album, but his work with Coltrane, Art Blakey, Eric Dolphy and Herbie Hancock all stand out. He was a giant and he will be missed. Freddie Hubbard: 7 April 1938 – 29 December 2008.

"Red Clay" (Hubbard) - 12:11
"Delphia" (Hubbard) - 7:23
"Suite Sioux" (Hubbard) - 8:38
"The Intrepid Fox" (Hubbard) - 10:45
"Cold Turkey" (John Lennon) - 10:27
"Red Clay" (Hubbard) (alt take) - 18:46

Fish - Vigil In The Wilderness Of Mirrors (1989) (mp3, 320kbps)

Looks like Fish may be taking some very-well deserved time off. The worry is that he may have a much bigger problem as a result of being on the road so long, performing so many shows, living the rock-star life, and always giving so much of himself to the audience during studio sessions and live performances. One forum has used the term 'cancer-scare', but Fish's own recent statements paint a picture that is much less bleak.

This is his first solo record after leaving Marillion and it's a real killer. He was still young and hungry. These could have all been great Marillion songs. They don't have that extra-Fish-y quality of his later writing, but this transition period represents an exciting time for the artist and some great music.

1. "Vigil" (Dick/Simmonds) - 8:43
2. "Big Wedge" (Dick/Simmonds) - 5:19
3. "State Of Mind" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 4:42
4. "The Company" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:04
5. "A Gentleman's Excuse Me" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:15
6. "The Voyeur (I Like To Watch)" (Dick/Simmonds) - 4:42
7. "Family Business" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 5:14
8. "View From The Hill" (Dick/Gers) - 6:38
9. "Cliché" (Dick/Lindes/Simmonds) - 7:01

Robert Fripp String Quintet - Soundscape (Tokyo '92) (mp3 160kbps)

Back in 1992 I was a sophomore in college and starting to discover and develop my musical personality. This period in my life helped to define the kind of music I would want to play and listen to for the rest of my life (so far).

On a whim, a friend and I went to the TLA on South Street to see a Fripp solo show. We knew and liked King Crimson, but there was no King Crimson back then, so this was the best we could do. I knew what Frippertronics were and liked ‘No Pussyfooting’ and ‘Evening Star’. I had never heard of Soundscapes, but I could sort of figure out what that meant. The California Guitar Trio, which I thought was an opening act was a band that may have had one album at most.

So there we were, having no real idea what to expect. Although the attached post is from Tokyo, it is the most reliable indicator of what we heard on South Street that night. Alternating ‘soundscapes’ that traveled the emotional depths of new age and avant garde, to the surf-inflected classical lockstep of the trio, banging through three minute arrangements with ferocity, wit and extreme dexterity.

So there they were, five musicians on stage: a plucky trio conjuring the spirit of Leo Kottke from three acoustic guitars, a tall and swaying touch bass player and the old master himself, with computers, racks, pedals, effects, synths and his guitar. They would watch each other with measured silence when not performing, and then push each other to new heights when all combined. It had a holy air and I said, at the time, I don’t what any of this is, but I know that I really like it.

There is an ‘official’ release from this tour called The Bridge Between. That’s a good name considering that this project takes the listener from a quieter period in Fripp’s career to the reemergence of King Crimson in ’96. That record always sounded too thin to me and lacked the organic beauty – the woody-ness, if you will – of this bootleg I got on Bleeker Street so many years ago. Though not an official release, this is one of the best and most accessible Fripp releases out there. Listen with joy to the performance and sound quality!

Recorded live at TFM Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 11 November 1992.

1. Soundscape
2. Yamanashi Blues
3. Melrose Avenue
4. Kan-On-Power
5. Firescape
6. An Easy way
7. Moving Force
8. Asturias
9. Walk don't run
10. Chromatic fantasy
11. Contrapunctus
12. Eye of the needle
13. Blockhead
14. Hope
15. Urban scape
16. Pipeline
17. Kan-On-Power

Robert Fripp (guitar)
Trey Gunn (stick)
Bert Lams (guitar)
Paul Richards (guitar)
Hedeyo Moriya (guitar)

Brand X - Rated X (Bottom Line, NYC, 1978) (AAC 128kbps)

Sorry about the cover. I couldn't find a larger jpg online. I'll have to scan mine for a better image that you can all download and enjoy. It's raunchy.

Brand X was the British fusion outfit that grew out of Phil Collins' need to go outside the confines of Genesis, starting in the mid-'70's. They made three great records with Phil, but he soon became too busy to keep up with both Genesis and Brand X. While Phil's star power (such as it was back then) may have helped get Brand X on the map, it was the stellar ability of the other musicians in the band that made it more than just another fusion band from the 70's.

When I first started listening to this band, I was absolutely knocked out by the 'unorthodox' bass playing of Percy Jones. His approach on fretless is pretty avant garde compared to Jaco and some other fretless bass giants. Percy uses a stuttering, sliding, gliding technique that goes in and out of the melody and rhythm. It is amazing and complements the percussion of Morris Pert so perfectly, at times they sound like one instrument on this set.

Percy is absolutely fierce, but often took a back seat to the McLaughlin-inflected guitar pyrotechnics of John Goodsal. On this particular night, Goodsal was under the weather and guitarist Mike Miller came in with a very understated style that, instead of taking up lots of space with showcasing licks and solos, he keeps back and lets the band regulars, especially Percy, go to town on this Halloween show.

One other thing. Phil had moved on by this date, but the drummer on this particular night was the incomparable Mike Clark of 'Headhunters' fame. This band burned righteously.

Brand X - live at the Bottom Line, NYC
October 31, 1978

B/Percy Jones
G/Mike Miller
Key/Peter Robinson
D/Mike Clarke
Per/Morris Pert

1.The Ghost Of Mayfield Lodge (18:05)
2.Earth Dance (14:07)
3.Black Moon (8:46)
4.Nuclear Burn (12:07)
5.Deadly Nightshade (19:53)

Frank Zappa - Piquantique (1973) (aac/m4a 128kbps)

There is something that fascinates me about the short time Zappa spent working with Jean-luc Ponty. I don't know if he had ever had such a talented musician in his band up to that point. Ian Underwood, who appears on these recordings comes to mind, but more for the number of things he could do well, as opposed to his extraordinary talent on any one instrument. George Duke may be in the same class as Ponty, but he really comes into his own as a bandmember in the next two or three years.

Ponty was not the crazed lunatic that often appeared in The Mothers. he wore an argyle sweater vest. His entry in Waka Jawiki states hat he and Frank did not part as friends, but that it's clear they both benefited from the relationship. Obviously, Ponty went on to huge success as a fusion guy who incorporated a lot of Frank's progressive ideas. But what did Frank get?

There is so much confidence in Ponty's soloing, that I imagine I can almost hear Zappa trying to chase him down. The short solos on RDNZL are a great example.

But it's on Father O'blivion that things really go to another planet. There's plenty of room for fantastic jams and it's clear that Jean-Luc relishes taking the spotlight away from the flamboyant band leader for a soaring melodic journey that finally envelopes the whole band. This whole joyful process begins around the 2:00 minute mark.

The 'march thet eats my starch' takes up a good chuck of the next few minutes after the solo and gives the band a chance to space out. This eventually resolves into nice little boogie with the aid of a few echo units. Again, and almost without warning, Ponty comes out with another face-melter. This insanity starts around the 10:00 minute mark.

Ponty eventually gives way and he and Zappa go back and forth in a twisted tribute to the band that Ponty would soon join. The result, however, sounds nothing like Jerry Goodman or John McLaughlin. Zappa has to wrestle the band back from his 'guest star', but proceeds to put his thing down for only a few measures, at which point it's time to explore the percussion part of the piece. First vibes, then acrobatics from the whole band and then a fine drum solo by Ralph Humphries - one of Frank's most underrated drummers.

The finale is a beautiful statement of the melody, incorporating bits from Gregory Pecry and other stuff floating around the master's head. He's so proud of it, he makes the band play it twice.

This is a transitional moment for Zappa, and it is extremely well-documented in compact, and listenable form. It sounds like a 35 year old bootleg because that's what it is. But it's also a document of some of the finest playing by two renowned musicians who clearly shared a great respect.

1. Kung Fu (02:14)
2. Redunzl (04:25)
3. Dupree's Paradise (11:26)
4. T'Mershi Duween (01:56)
5. Father O'Blivion (20:41)

Live recording from Solliden, Skansen, Stockholm August 21 1973 with the exception of T'Mershi Duween, the location and date of which are unknown.

Frank Zappa (guitar, vocals)
George Duke (keyboards)
Bruce Fowler (trombone)
Tom Fowler (bass)
Ralph Humphrey (drums)
Jean-Luc Ponty (violin)
Ian Underwood (woodwinds)
Ruth Underwood (percussion)

Pink Floyd - In A Neutral Land (12/9/72) - m4a/AAC 128kbps

Pink Floyd bootlegs were a real onramp for my music collecting. they were readily available and the music was a little different each night. Plus, they worked out new material extensively on the road before going into the studio. There is no better example of this than Dark Side of The Moon. The record is released on March 17, 1973, but the music was performed countless times all during 1972. This was without extra musicians of vocalists (which would come on the '74-'75 tour), so The Great Gig In The Sky was obviously very different. There was also more extended improvisation during On The Run and Any Colour You Like. this was a band either at its peak or very close.

This recording is from the audience, but the quality, while a bit rough around the edges, is still very good to excellent. Everything is clear and the speed (a common affliction among some older recordings) sounds pretty spot-on.

So you've got all of Dark Side, in it's pre-release version; you've got all of Echoes, and a great version at that; and you've got Childhood's End, which was played pretty rarely. There are A LOT of Pink Floyd boots out there and this might be one of the best from their most exciting era.

Trilok Gurtu - Arkeology (2007) (mp3 320kbps)

You've gotta love Trilok.  Born in 1951, the son of professional musicians in Bombay.  He is trained by one of the foremost tabla masters and appears to have a promising career as a music professional when he veers off and starts playing jazz.  He listened to western fusion and world music, but had no multi-track recorder, so he started playing everything at the same time.  This man could play a western drum kit in any style and sound completely convincing.  That single instrument however, restrains the pure experience of bringing music into being.

On this record he's challenging himself and the listener yet again, but the context is pastoral, the strings playing a soft portrayal of inner peace.  And then there are times when the fury of Gurtu's talent spills over to his band mates and the whole thing starts to elevate a bit.  One reviewer accurately states:

While the chamber music resonances are clear enough, there is a fascinating composite vocabulary that emerges with many pieces steeped in a Mediterranean, quasi-folkish sound that is both rousingly danceable and emotively lyrical

Another review describes the outcome in the context of other influences:

Crossing strings and tablas with the Arke String Quartet, their stirring tunes imply Indian, Balkan and Celtic rhythms, in asymmetric time signatures that suit Gurtu right down to the last demisemiquaver.

Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to see him do his magic act, which included a metal pail of water, assorted gongs, beads, necklaces, drums of every size, including western style drumheads closely mic'd for a walloping effect. His instrumentation often includes his own voice in sacred chants of counting and rhythm.

The Arke String Quartet and Trilok have gone their separate ways, but the Italian group's MySpace proudly indicates its recent association with the restless boy from Bombay, who is already seeking new challenges and breaking new ground.  This quiet stop on his musical journey is one of the best so far.

1. Balahto
2. Nanda (To My Mother)
3. Kermansah
4. Dea
5. Fes
6. Taranta Suite
7. Yoragathupaga
8. Folded Hands
9. Skopje
10. Sveva

Grand National - Kicking The National Habit (2004) (mp3 128kbps)

This is a band I first heard on Pandora. I don't know what song I used to start my 'station' on Pandora that day, but somehow, it lead me to this. This was a classic example of the single ("Talk Amongst Yourselves") sounding nothing like the rest of the record. I was attracted by the single's arpegiated riff and the smooth vocal line. The vocals are great throughout, but the heavy synth sound gives way to something a bit different. The influence of the Police is celebrated throughout, but mixed with a strong dose of electronica and 21st century. So while the rest of the record is quite different, it's also quite good.  I especially like 'Playing In The Distance", "Cherry Tree" and "Daylight Goes".

1.  Drink to Moving On - 3:23
2.  Talk Amongst Yourselves" - 4:29
3. Playing in the Distance" - 4:04
4. Boner - 4:24
5. Peanut Dreams - 3:19
6. Cherry Tree - 3:16
7. Coming Round - 4:24
8. Daylight Goes - 4:06
9. North Sound Off - 3:56
10. Litter Bin - 3:59

Arcana - The Last Wave (1996) (mp3 160kbps)

When I first heard this record, at the age of 24, it scared the bejebus out of me. I'm still not entirely sure that this is music.

Bill Laswell is a bit troubling to me because he's an artist, but also a big fan. His technichal ability is not really on par with the prowess of Tony Williams. Laswell is a puzzle. He can certainly play, and god knows his heart is in the right place, but he's more of a facilitator, whether as producer or as (here) jam-mate.

Which brings me to Tony Williams - the reason I got this record in the first place. Tony Williams: child podigy, Miles Davis alum, founder of Lifetime (featuring John McLaughlin). He had pretty much done it all leading up to this session. A first ballot hall of famer - no question. And what comes out here is a clear evolution of everything from the bop, the cool, the fusion, the rock, the smooth jazz - it's all played on the same drum kit by the same man - only here, in the last year of his life, Williams is now at the outermost edge of sanity. This is the avant garde.

Derek Bailey appears to have been a man of ferocious vision and ability. His free-jazz approach conjures such a cacophonous mess, that it's hard to tell which end is up. He takes what the other two musicians are doing and he absolutely obliterates the groove. There seems to be no rhyme or reason - just noise. But when I mustered enough criosity to explore the chaos, I saw that there is pattern and melody, albeit twisted unside out. Despite the first impression, these are not the noodlings of a madman. Bailey knew exactly what he was doing.

This record has been known to make some people very uncomfortable. It is atonal throughout. But the ability to inspire such discomfort is exactly what makes it so good. There is poerty and genius, to be sure, but the absolute irreverence, the nauseating, frustraing, unresolved mess followed so close to the date of Williams fatal heart attack that it has a very dark and foreboding feel. Chaotic, tragic, overwrought, and close to death. Proceed with caution.

Oh yeah, Bailey died in London on Christmas Day, 2005. He had been suffering from motor neurone disease.


1. Broken Circle 11:04
2. Cold Blast 8:17
3. The Rattle of Bones 7:57
4. Pearls and Transformation 16:27
5. Tears of Astral Rain 8:06
6. Transplant Wasteland 8:32

Goblin - Suspiria (Soundtrack) (1977) (mp3 256kbps)

Italian prog by Goblin and classic slasher/horror from genius Dario Argento. Great combination! This is not the remaster and does not have the 'bonus tracks'.

Suspiria – 6:01
Witch – 3:12
Opening To The Sighs – 0:32
Sighs – 5:16
Markos – 4:05
Black Forest – 6:08
Blind Concert – 6:16
Death Valzer – 1:51

S.B.B. - Memento Z Banalnym Tryptykiem (1980) (mp3, vbr)

This is one of the great all-time prog records. If you don't know the instrumental prowess of S.B.B. (with occasional vocals), you should start here right now. Think of the subtle stylings of Tony Banks on keys with a jazz fusion sensibility that is somewhere between Steely Dan and Mahavishnu. I love this band and I love this record. Here's the info:

1. Moja ziemio wyśniona (My Land Of Dreams) (8:39)
2. Trójkąt radości (The Triangle Of Joy) (7:48)
3. Strategia pulsu (Strategy Of Pulse) (3:29)
4. Memento z banalnym tryptykiem (Memento With A Banal Tryptych) (20:56)

Bonus track (CD):
5. Z których krwi krew moja (10:40)

Total time without bonus: 40:52
Total time with bonus: 51:32

Line-up/Musicians
- Jozef Skrzek / bass, piano, moog, vocals
- Apostolis Antymos / guitar
- Jerzy Piotrowski / percussion

GUESTS:
- Slawomir Piwowar / guitar, bass, clavinet, Fender piano, Handclapping
- Jan Skrzek / Mouth-organ, Handclapping
- Alicja Piwowar & Renata Szybka / Handclapping

John Lee Hooker - Bedroom Boogie (1976) (mp3, 128kbps)

For some reason I couldn't get this uploaded to my normal hosting, so this is a RapidShare link.  Tremendous show - must-have Blues!!

01 - Boom Boom 4:18
02 - Serves Me Right To Suffer 4:19
03 - You Know It Ain't Right 4:07
04 - Hobo Blues 4:20
05 - One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer 4:10
06 - Whiskey And Women 5:40
07 - Crawlin' King Snake 4:12
08 - Boogie Chillen 9:03
09 - You Know I Love You 5:41
10 - Maudie 4:10
11 - Crazy 'bout You Baby 4:43

Bonus:

12 - Boogie Chillen 15:32
13 - I Need Some Money 3:08
14 - Bundle Up And Go 2:13

Bonus Track 12: Jul 15, 1983, Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux, Switzerland
Bonus Tracks 13 - 14: 1962, Basel, Switzerland, Swiss Radio Broadcast

O Terco - Criaturas Da Noite (1975) (mp3, 128kbps)

One of the greatest prog records from any country, in any language, in any era. These guys were on the vanguard of Progressive music in Brazil. The mixture of acoustic guitar and pastoral soundscapes with the more aggressive and rhythmic sounds of rock - this record is extremely satisfying from beginning to end. See comments for link.

1. Hey amigo (3:22)
2. Queimada (3:04)
3. Pano de fundo (3:44)
4. Ponto final (4:38)
5. Volte na proxima semana (2:51)
6. Criaturas da noite (3:41)
7. Jogo das pedras (3:25)
8. 1974 (12:27)

Total Time: 37:12

Tangerine Dream - Tangerine Tree Vol. 10 (Newcastle '81) (mp3, 128 kbps)

Tangrine Dream in 1981. Sequencing, arpeggios, ancient drum machines, fat analog leads - it's all here. This is after the improvisations became a bit more constrained and some beatuiful song-ideas (complete with melody, verse, chorus) began to take shape during the legendary live shows. And there's still a healthy dose of spacing out, for those who love the classics. Quality-wise, this is one of the best and the performance is very satisfying. The link is in the comments. Here's the setlist and other info.

Johannes Schmoelling, Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese
Newcastle City Hall, October 25, 1981

CD1
1. Logos Part One (extended version) 9:53
2. Sobornost (Edinburgh Castle) 7:55
3. Digital Times Suite 15:32
4. Bondy Parade 13:17
46:38

CD2
1. Mojave Plan 26:34
2. Thermal Inversion 11:29
3. Remote Viewing (intro) - Force Majeure (excerpt) - The Price 8:00
4. Kiew Mission (encore) 7:17
5. Choronzon (encore) 10:08
1:03:30

Cat Power - The Black Session (Paris 1-23-08) (mp3, vbr)

This is a brilliant session. Broadcast quality, excellent song selection and a very 'on' performance from Chan. The link is n the comments.

01. Metal Heart 04:37
02. New York, New York 02:27
03. Ramblin’ (wo)man 03:58
04. Silver Stallion 04:13
05. I Lost Someone 03:15
06. Lord Help the Poor and Needy 03:21
07. Dark End of The Street 04:26
08. Song to Bobby 05:04
09. Naked 03:19
10. Don’t Explain 04:35
11. Aretha, Sing One for me 03:51
12. She’s Got You (bad) 01:20
13. She’s Got You 04:26
14. Live in Bars 03:49

Tony Banks - Bankstatement (1989) (mp3, vbr)

This record had nothing like the success of Mike and The Mechanics. And don't even mention Phil Collins' solo career. In fact, the album had nothing like success at all, with next to no sales. At the time, you were still making a record like this with the hope of having a single break the top ten. The song chosen, 'Throwback', is clearly the weakest on an otherwise heartfelt and complex 80's prog record. 'Big Man' returns the token Tony vocal. All the other songs are, thankfully, sung be extremely talented guests, including Jayney Klimick and Alistair Gordon. If you can get past some of the pop schmaltz, you will hear the genuis of the man who brought you Firth of Fifth, One For The Vine and Island In The Darkness. There is a thoughtful intensity that really comes out in The Border and The More I Hide It. Thursday The 12th is the instrumental no-brainer to close the record. The link is in the comments. Here's the track listing:

1. Throwback
2. I'll Be Waiting
3. Queen Of Darkness
4. That Night
5. Raincloud
6. The Border
7. Big Man
8. A House Needs A Roof
9. The More I Hide It
10. Diamonds Aren't So Hard (omitted from LP version)
11. Thursday The Twelfth

Lusk - Free Mars (1997)

This record has been described as heavily experimental psychedelic pop. I would add progressive rock to the list. The band comes from the mind of ex-Tool bassist Paul D'Amour and Chris Pitman, who went on to work with Guns and Roses. Apparently this was nominated for a Grammy, but there was never a follow-up. The project was heavily overshadowed by a record called OK Computer, which came out the same year. The track listing is as follows:

1. "Backworlds"
2. "Savvy Kangaroos"
3. "Gold"
4. "Free Mars"
5. "Doctor"
6. "Mindray"
7. "The Hotel Family Affair"
8. "Black Sea Me"
9. "Undergarden"
10. "Kill The King"


This is mp3 at 128kbps. The link is in the comments.

Billy Preston - Live 1973

Billy Preston opening for the Rolling Stones back in '73. This is a high powered set featuring Mick Taylor on lead guitar. AAC file format at 128kbs and sound quality is superb. Setlist as follows:

1. Day Tripper
2. The Bus
3. Let It Be
4. Let's Go Get Stoned
5. Billy's Bag
6. Will It Go Round In Circles
7. Outta Space
8. Higher
9. band intros
10. Get Back
11. Higher
12. That's The Way God Planned It

Link is in the comments.

Genesis - Nir Perfect (Birmingham 1998)

Great sounding recording of the Calling All Stations Tour. Setlist is as follows:

1 No Son Of Mine 07:49
2 The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway 05:28
3 Calling All Stations 07:05
4 The Carpet Crawlers 05:00
5 Domino (In The Glow Of The Night) 04:13
6 Domino (The Last Domino) 06:34
7 Dancing With The Moonlit Knight 02:12
8 Lover's Leap (Acoustic) 02:29
9 Not About Us (Acoustic) 03:13
10 The Dividing Line 10:08
11 Mama 06:46
12 Turn It On Again 03:32
13 Invisible Touch 05:10

Total Running Time :
1:09:39

Supposedly a Pre-FM recording. See comments for link.

Could Blogerantz find new life as a music blog?

I'm a huge fan of the Rapidshare revolution, featuring such winners like Dr. Fusion and T.U.B.E., but I don't think I need to be giving Rapidshare my money, considering that I'm only using a fraction of my Hostrocket space.  Hmmm...

Labor Day culture - fringe and a movie

This long weekend, in addition to working on upcoming trials and putting a roof rack/bike rack on the car, we've done a decent job of enjoying others' company and art-works.

First the Fringe performance of Flamingo/Winnebago. JoeZ accompanied us to the Painted Bride and the 90-minute show was rocked out, musical, dance, movement, road-movie extravaganza. Politics, humor, and a kicking band with the best name, all combined to make a great show. Just four performers took us from the planes and dessert to Vegas, all on pretty much the last day anyone will ever be able to buy gas or use anything requiring fossil-fuels. It's a lot to take in, but the energy level is contagious and by the time you get to the classic rock sing-a-long finale, it's pretty much worth a cheer.

We also got a very gracious invitation from our neighbors down the street. We sat on their roof deck while watching The Good Shepherd. Although a bit bleak, it's good psychological drama. Robert DeNiro's direction shows strong awareness of his love of classic movies, without looking derivative. I was expecting more of an espionage thriller, but this was understated and very deliberately paced. I particularly like Oleg Shtefanko as Matt Damon's super-spook counterpart.

PHILS WIN!! PHILS WIN!!

Marlon Anderson goes apeshit as he is called for interference on the last play of the game. Endy Chavez would have scored easily, but Shawn Green got doubled up as a result of Anderson's ill-advised 'take-out' slide. Actually, Anderson tried to tackle Phils' 2B Iguchi. Game over.

I celebrating by listening to WFAN, your flagship station for the crying, weeping, moaning, complaining New York Mets fan.

Thanks to my Dad, I'll be there for the fourth and final game of this crucial series. More on that later.

A quick shout to Neil Gaiman

His work is proving to be a constant source of delight and wonderment. For me it all started with American Gods, but his true masterpiece is the comic series Sandman, now collected in ten beautiful graphic novels. He's a compulsive story teller and keeps his online journal with great regularity. I can't recommend his work enough. I just finished Ananzi Boys and, of course, loved it.

How about this guy for AG?

I know I was hoping that Kimi would be able to pull it out this season, but how do you not love his diminutive teammate Felipe Massa? Here he is on the center spot of the podium after the Turkish Grand Prix. Bravo on pole and a solid victory. Felipe is the real deal.

Ferarri started this year fastest and then all this nonsense with the spying and the cheating and the in-fighting (at McLaren) came up. It may generate copy and keep people interested during the summer break (which has just ended), but it's silly and it takes away from the racing. I read a great interview in the August issue of F1Racing with Pat Symonds, top racing engineer at Renault. He suggested, and editor Matt Bishop agreed, that McLaren had gotten a bit luck with their aero calculations this year and ended up with a car that was slightly faster than expected. Good for them, I say. But would Ferrari, now without the other-worldly focus and talent of Michael Schumacher, lose itself and its advantage in light of unexpected success from McLaren, and partciularly Lewis Hamilton? It sure looked that way a month or so ago. Then, as all the silly-ness of the scandals and the egos and the pouting, Ferrari quietly suggested that it might very well win the rest of the races this year. Well, that's one down, 5 to go.

P.S. Symonds also suggested that the best thing Schumacher could do now is offer his services as a driver's teacher so that these cowboys, these daredevils, these egomaniacs (not all of them) could learn the artistry and the engineering and the humility that brings success in this sport. What a wonderful idea!!

Not gonna miss this guy...

For me, he was a symbol of everything I dislike about this inept administration, particularly that feeling that they are above the law. The only question is, why now?

Heating Up...

Well, it's actually been hot for quite a while, but that's not what I'm talking about. You've got the Phillies heating up, with 9 wins in their last ten games. Cole Hamels pitched beautifully, but we may have lost Victorino and Michael Bourne for a little while, so that could be a problem. But, hey, a little adversity can provide a lot of inspiration for this team.

What else... I'm reading a bunch of great sci-fi, including John Scalzi and John Twelve Hawks. Neil Gaiman continues to inspire, as do the Hellblazer and Swamp Thing graphic novels. That stuffs all been big this summer.

I don't know why there's a picture of Warren Oates here. Maybe because he was kind of a bad-ass in Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia and some other Sam Peckinpah movies.

Now that I've endorsed Kimi for F1 champion, he's cooling off a bit, but F1 has been a circus lately, what with the spy scandal and everything. They're in Badapest this weekend, so we'll see what happens. Scott Speed has been replaced by Sebastian Vettel at Toro Rosso. I wouldn't care so much, but Speed, in addition to being the only American driver in F1, also has ulcerative colitis, just like me. It's pretty cool that he managed to overcome his disease and get to the top of his sport. On the other hand, he's not been the best driver and certainly doesn't get along with team management. Hopefully he'll land on his feet and keep promoting UC awareness.

Now it's back to work - and there's a lot of it. Big civil trial coming up regading the Michael Simmons shooting. I look forward to reporting on that in mid-September. But I'm sure I'll have something else interesting soon.

Robert F. Simone 1933-2007

I had a few opportunities to hang out with the great Bobby Simone before his recent passing. You could tell how great he was, even in the last year or two. I just could feel that what this man did in a courtroom was the kind of stuff that made me want to be a lawyer in the first place. Not 'To Kill A Mockinbird' or 'Inherit the Wind'; this was the REAL thing.

The best thing to do is read it in his own words. His autobiography is an audacious history of Philadelphia, at times frightening, at times hilarious.

Bobby will be missed by so many people. I only wish I could have seen him in a Courtroom, where he had no equal.

Musical Inspiration

The funky, white (Jewish?) boyz are killing me right now1 Go buy these records. BUY THEM!! First is the Beastie Boys instrumental (that's right!) 'The Mix Up'. Over the past several releases, there's always been a little funky gem on there - now you got a whole album of it!

The other thing needs a little apology because I got sucker punched by NPR, but in a good way. Let me exlpain. On Sunday, 7/8/07, they ran this bit on weekend edition. I don't 100%subscribe to the NPR orthodoxy - blindly Tivo-ing Ira Glass TV shows and holding my breath until the next uprorious episode of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. That being said, I listen because I think much of what they (the NPR/Greenpeace/Amnesty/tax&spendliberals/environmetalistas /etc.) just makes good sense. So then I hear this funky action and this young guy talking about how his dad was an A&R man for Atlantic Records in the 60's and 70's, and, well, I was hooked. The album is called Cinco de Mowo and it's a joyous mish-mash of big band, latin, and funk. CHECK IT OUT!!

Kimi - Iceman takes Silverstone

Well, this year's British Grand Prix wasn't the most exciting race ever, but I liked seeing Kimi win and it made me think how great it would be if he could take home the championship. Yes, everyone loves Lewis Hamilton, but he's so young. He'll certainly have his chance in due time. Kimi, on the other hand, has been toiling away for a good little while. Now he has a fantastically quick car and it would be great for him to finally take his place among the immortals.

As a side note, BMW continues to impress as the 'best of the rest' and my man Kubica scored a solid fouth place. Well done!

French Grand Prix This Weekend

The Supreme Court of the United States is looking to overturn Brown v. Bd of Education, The Vice President has declared himself a separate branch of government, the war rages on with no end in sight, the world's gone mad and peak oil is around the corner.

And with all this, I still can't help my excitement for this weekend's French Grand Prix. Robert Kubica will return after his horrific crash in Motreal; Lewis Hamilton may continue his assault on history by winning his third consecutive race, and the once proud prancing horse of Ferrari appears to be in disarry, complete with fingers pointing and rumors flying. In short, it's all great entertainment with beautiful vehicle that travel at unheard of speeds around death-defying corners in the greatest racing series of them all - F1.

If that don't bring you back...!

UGH - it's been a long time. But I just found a James Booker video, so it's time to start sharing again. Here's the vid and some other cool James Booker stuff:

James Booker
Uploaded by oublierleracismeskyblog

And check out this link for stuff on "Papa Was a Rascal" which is a great song that is on Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah, which you should buy now. This man was a genius.

This is more fun than we should be allowed to have! Here are the still pictures.