Thousand Finger Man

Wow. What a different album than "Beautiful." Same band really, same arranger, same engineer and studio. Different producer, and that producer makes a difference.

Lots more reverb to this album than I would have thought. This one is so pop jazz, sort of Hollywood in spots, sort of Motown in others. Horns are bunched together more in arrangement. Duke Pearson is the producer.

"Beautiful" is a bit more funky, cheesy in a different way. Sounds less frantic and sweeter. This time the arranger Joe Cain is the producer.

With Duke Pearson as the producer of "Thousand Finger Man" I would have thought the opposite!

A really great sounding collection of reimagined Miles material.

What a great artist Duke was: pianist, composer, arranger, band leader, producer. . . .

Scored the Yes & Marillion at local record store yesterday....$10 for both. LP's last nites session.

Disc 2

Saw these guys, Hippo Campus, on TV over a year ago and ordered their first release, an EP, "Bashful Creatures". . . it was cheap. I realize I hadn't listened to it since I got it!

I was impressed with their "clean" Fender guitar sounds and playing. They remind me oddly enough of early Pretenders if the Pretenders were bashful nice people instead of the punky brewsters they were. Anyway, a nice listen, something different.

And now something totally different as well.

Lon,

Also waiting on Triplicate although I just ordered mine

JD

Mine arrived! Got to listen to about half of the first disc before I had to shut down the stereo for the day. Very similar to the other two so far. Sound is very good.

In the Cave for a Vinyl Therapy Session.  I just popped a couple newly acquired Sylvania Gold Brand Triple Mica gold pin 5751's into the ZP3.  These are NOS so a little burn in will be needed but they sound fantastic so far.  I'll go get Joe's Tube Lore from 1999 to refresh my memory what he said of them. I have and like all the Sylvania triple Mica 5751's, these gold pin gray plate as well as steel pin gray and black plates...both Mil spec and Sylvania branded.  They are all great.

Started with a bit of Frank...side one then on to Art...

This ebay Art Pepper MSFL ebay purchase played for the first time today is very clean...nice...

"Sylvania Gold Brand grey pl ate gold pin - OK, this is the legend. When people talk wantonly about the famous Sylvania Gold Brand 5751 gold pins this is the tube they are referring to. Its strength is its midrange, but it may also be its weakness. The mids here are full, lush, tangible and maybe (just maybe) a trifle overblown. Occasionally i find the lush full vocals obscure just a bit of detail and reduce transparency slightly, but the mids are so lush I could understand how you might not care. The tube also has a measure of life and vibrancy, similar to the Sylvania's black plates and it also has a bit of the forwardness that's seems to be endemic to Sylvanias in the 5751 family. I've lived with this tube enough to know I could use it quite happily, though that would be in the context of a fairly neutral system where its own colorations would not go over the top. If your rig is already warm, smooth, lush and a bit lacking in detail this guy could turn things just a touch syrupy. But given the sound of a lot of cd based systems he could be just the ticket... Availability on this guy is limited. His reputation has made him a rare, if not outrageously expensive beast."

Hey Mark,

I've used Sylvania 12au7 steel pin before with success, never tried any 12az7 though. I currently am using all Mazda's in there now.  Haven't listened to vinyl in a couple weeks, i'm jonesing and have about 9 new records to play Monday. My Torii III is getting upgraded and rewired for some new speakers.

JD

Yeah getting the Jupiter beeswax caps. I had to send it in to get the ohms wired for 4-8 ohm instead of 8-16 so i figured why not.
I ordered a pair of Omega super alnico ho xrs floorstanders (4 ohm) a couple weeks ago in zebrawood. I was saving for a pair of his single driver alnico's when he came out with these, after a couple of great conversations with Louis I knew they were what I wanted.

JD

This next...an original copy...

PS...this LP reminds me I need to get a Vinyl Cleaner I'll actually use.  I have a Spin Clean still in it's box for 2 or 3 years...LOL.  A while back I was looking into the ultrasonic cleaners.  Very pricey but a semi DIY version would cost much less...anyone have one?  I saw one that could do 12 LPs at a time...that's the ticket.  Then it had a computer fan attachment that blew them dry as they turned after they were clean.

Just break out the Spin Clean and use it. They do a great job cleaning records to be honest. It's paid for already, and you might find it fun (I enjoy using mine).

Ultrasonic disc cleaners, phew.




Thats what I call a coincedence...shakedown streetand & ult. cleaner  :)

I have to admit. . . I'm really digging this. Bob is doing his best with these and even when he doesn't quite get the notes he FEELS these chestnuts and his interpretations bring something new.

And I LOVE this band and the arrangements, and some of these tunes have some very nicely done subtle horn arrangements. And the sparse country-swing arrangements and playing are just lovely in my opinion.

It still amazes me that Charlie Sexton has been in this band so long. I remember hearing Charlie a half a dozen times at Antone's in Austin in the 'eighties, even talking to him a few times. I never imagined he would end up in Bob's band this century and hold down a seat so long. He's become quite a player.

I know this is not everyone's cup of tea but I really liked the two before this and these three discs (none are very long) are well-sequenced and well-recorded mood pieces. I'm glad it's finally here.

Going to listen to a few hours of music before the morning Sunday news programs.  Looks like I'll be watching several movies today...at the very least, "The Manchurian Candidate" and Hitchcock's "Shadow Of Doubt" starting at 5PM with the other at 7pm.  

but for now...this excellent Promo Compilation of selections from Coltrane's  Quartet recorded on Impulse...

Thanks Lon, I'll definitely check them out.

Next is this never played before/sealed CD.  So I'm reading...this Kim Parker is the daughter of Chan Parker...so also step daughter of both Charlie Parker and Phil Woods.  I obviously picked this Soul Note CD up because of the wonderful Kenny Drew Trio. Kim has an ok voice but nothing I'm wild about.  Maybe it'll grow on me...

PS...recorded November 1981

This is CD #1 of 5 from this Oscar Peterson Trio set recorded in 1961 at The London House in Chicago...

Next a 45 RPM Art Pepper reissue from Analogue Productions...

Really great recording!