Jazzin'

A few of the discs I picked up recently were jazz selections. Hugh Masekala's Greatest Hits was interesting. If your experience of this South African artist is limited to the 1968 number one hit "Grazing in the Grass," this is worth checking out just for the flavor of the arrangements. Despite his talent, at some point I begin to tire of the sound of the horn, but the other instruments held my interest all the way through.

A second disk of interest was John McLaughlin's "Thieves and Poets." The title cut is actually a three-part classical arrangement. Be wary. This is not classical in old, dead European sense. The various influences woven throughout the three movements make it a challenging but rewarding listen.

One I haven't heard yet is "Count Basie Encounters Oscar Peterson: Satch and Josh." One of my favorite LPs is "The Giants" with O. Peterson, Joe Pass, and Ray Brown playing as a trio. This one is ripped and will be in my ears at work tomorrow.

Right now I'm listening to Blood, Sweat & Tears. I may have picked this up from Bill D. If I did, Mr. D., kiss yourself for me. There's something for everyone in this music--rock, jazz, gospel, blues. Love those horns!

Out of Control

My friend approached me recently with another offer for CDs from his music club at $1.99 ea., plus shipping. Three of us participated in our friend's generosity.

The bills came due last week. Participant 1 (not me) owed $4 and change. Participant 2 (still not me) owed something near $20. Participant 3 (if you've been keeping track, you know who this is) had to ante up $124.

My wife claims it's an illness. I prefer to think of it as an investment in world culture. You may hear Los Lonely Boys often on your station, but those two 35-minute cuts of Shivkumar Sharma on traditional Indian instruments just don't get much airplay around here.