For those of you wanting to see my latest non-music ramblings visit here
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Buyer Beware
I made the mistake of buying on the cheap (a motherboard for HP Slimline) from this online buying site from China. Avoid them like the plague. read more…
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Robert Casadesus’ Ravel
This will be a short one. I was exposed to the Robert Casadesus Complete Ravel Piano Works originally by my father, who had the record collection on vinyl. The record is magical and I’m happy to say is available on Rhapsody. IMO there is no one to this day that can capture the feeling of his rendition of Pavane pour une infante défunte NO ONE. The piece ofcourse is one of Ravel’s most famous (making it that much harder). It carries the unique and difficult task of a pulsating background in regimented time but still the feeling and romance in melody typical of (lets say) Chopin. And ofcourse that marvelous…
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Defeating Computer Viruses
For those of you that have an interest in the subject, click here.
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Jimmy Raney’s Ideal Rhythm Section
Will all due respect to some of the players on my father’s albums I’ve just given a re-listen to one of his most overtly swinging lesser known albums on which he was a sideman: Dave Pike Plays the Jazz Version of “Oliver” The rhythm section consists of: Walter Perkins on drums (yeah baby!)George Tucker on bass (double yeah)Tommy Flanagan on piano! *Note. Photo above is different session with Dave & Jimmy around the same time (1963). George Duvivier is pictured. I believe that session is Limbo Carnival. That one just sets your foot tapping and Dad gets positively groovy (for him – he was pretty laid back) on the all…
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More on Ronnie Singer
Felix Lemerle (son of the late Jimmy Gourley’s bassist, Dominique Lemerle) has referred me to a new blog page about Ronnie that incorporates some of the prior archive website data along with some never before seen photos. I’m hoping the amount of info will increase over time as more facts become known about this lost legendary bebop guitarist. Ronnie Singer page
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The “Real Jimmy Raney” circa 1952
Hold on to your hats folks. This is the Song Is You 2 Chorus Jimmy Raney Solo referred to in previous post. Time to rethink what you knew about Jimmy Raney Getz period playing. There was (or since??)no other player on earth besides Jimmy that could create a bebop solo with this amount of chops, articulation and clarity at this tempo in 1952. BTW the key is Ab not the usual C. Also note the tempo stays absolutely locked to the metronome for 1 chorus and 8 bars. Pretty astonishing. It moves slightly during a particular bar but the tempo is still pretty locked to the speed 314 bpm. Interestingly…
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Jimmy Raney, Ronnie Singer and the Birth of Bebop Guitar
There’s one guy that (if he had lived) might’ve given Jimmy Raney a run for his money as top 50’s bebop guitarist. His name was Ronnie Singer and my father would often talk about him. Ronnie Songer’s death was an apparent double suicide. What a horrible thing. My father got wind of these recordings (shown below) when I was staying with him around 1985. A friend had them and asked Dad about them (thinking Dad was the guitarist) and Dad exclaimed, “No that’s Ronnie Singer!!” We both listened to them. They were not officially released until after Jimmy Gourley (the original possessor of the tapes) died according to available information.…
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Is There a Cure for Herniated Disc?
In short, probably not. But in reality there are few very serious illnesses that are truly eradicated as much as controlled. And every case is different. Everyone reacts differently to different treatments. In my case I was fortunate. My problem turned around Read More…
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The pRoBLeM With a romantic
The pRoBLeM With a romantic A romantic is movedbut is a bit removed a romantic is lovingbut is often longinga romantic pursuesbut often peruses A romantic likes happy endingsbut doesn’t like them, depending…a romantic like things close at handbut becomes distant at the wave of a wand Cynicism, (the romantic’s alterego)may take the thronebut then is soon overthrownthe romantic blooms againbut a bit overblownand shrinks back to earthand is once again alone The seeds are always thereand the cycle continueswith blindness to the pastand unrestrained hopefulnessabout a future much less hopeless
