LATIN CD PICK OF THE WEEK - FRANKIE RUIZ

This weeks overdue Latin CD Pick of the Week is Frankie Ruiz with the double cd titled La Leyenda. Now I must say I am a big fan of the late, great Puerto Rican salsa singer, Frankie Ruiz and own several of his cd's including this gem. This particular cd makes up most of Frankie's biggest hits so it is something that can be enjoyed by all. Some of my favorite cuts on this cd include: Lo Dudo, Tu Con El, Quiero Llenarte, Desnudate Mujer, Mujer, Me Acostumbre, Tu Eres and Puerto Rico. A great cd that is a must have for all you salsa lovers. If you're not hip to Frankie then get hip! Go to this link to hear this cd or check out the video for one of the cuts from this great cd! http://www.amazon.com/Frankie-Ruiz-La-Leyenda/dp/B0017MQTT6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1293590921&sr=8-8

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL

Happy Holiday's to all! Yes, it's that time of year once again! With 372 blogs topics to date there appears to be no end in sight. I never seem to run out of endless topics to talk about as well as my many music and dvd picks to recommend. So from SAXOMAN to all of my many readers (2? 3?), Happy Holiday's to all!

SOUL CD PICK OF THE WEEK - GIL SCOTT HERON

This weeks Soul CD Pick of the Week is the great Gil Scott Heron with the cd titled Winter In America. Now I must say I am a big Gil Scott Heron fan and currently own nine of Gil's cd's. I even got a chance to see Gil Scott live way back in the 70's when he was at his peak. I first got hip to Gil when he released his smash hit, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. I recall that I used to recite the lyrics non-stop to drive my brother crazy. This cd has 13 tracks and also features Brian Jackson helping out on vocals. A really great cd that is must for your collection. Not hip to Gil Scott Heron? Here's a video of him performing his hit The Bottle which is one of the many great tracks on this cd. Check it out!

CULTURAL ASSIMILATION (OR HE DONE TURNED INJUN)

I like to travel a lot with the wife and one of the things we like to do when we travel is assimilate to the culture. Basically we tend not to do the typical tourist things like stay in fancy resorts or 5 star hotels. We want to really experience the country, the culture, and the local food. We tend to mingle amongst the people and go where the locals go and eat where the locals eat. There are people I know that go to another country and never leave their luxurious resort. I mean you don't have to travel thousands of miles to stay in a nice hotel so what's the point? Now as you recall in Dances With Wolves, Kevin Costner had found happiness while adopting to the Indian way of culture and living. When he was finally captured they could only surmise that "he done turned injun". Tom Cruise also experienced this in The Last Samurai where he found peace, tranquility and discipline living amongst the Samurai warriors.
Now it may be a little hard for me to blend in physically with some of these other cultures due to my height and complexion, I still try my best. Anyway, all SAXOMAN can recommend is that when visiting another country, experience life as the locals do.

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - THE LEGEND OF THE FIST

This weeks DVD Pick of the Week is Donny Yen in the newest action flick titled, The Legend of the Fist (The Return of Chen Zhen). Another top notch action movie from Donny Yen! This film is actually a remake of the classic Bruce Lee film, Fist of Fury. I think it's really amazing that a movie can come out in China in September and be in Chinatown in less than two months. For U.S. movies you have to wait 6 months for a dvd to be released in this country. Far too long in my opinion. This movie is slated to be released in the states in April so be sure and check it out! SAXOMAN recommended!

SO......WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL???

Now I can honestly say I have never eaten at this local place in my neighborhood but I have always been amused by their variety. I mean just look at what they serve, Chinese Food, Donuts and Burgers. What? And if this wasn't enough, the small sign on the right shows that they also sell Louisiana Fried Chicken as well HAHA! Now I just find this combination to be a little bit odd but maybe it's just me. Anyway, maybe one day I may be brave enough to try this out but for now I think I'll just pass.

WHY SO MANY KEYS?

Now I have to admit that I've never really understood people that carry around a whole bunch of keys like shown in the photo. Now I can understand if you are the janitor at a school but other than that, I just don't get it. I mean why would you need so many keys? Why would you want something this big in your pocket? Now I must say that I have only three keys on my key chain and these are, my car key, the wife's car key and my house key. That's it! Nothing else. So if you ever see anyone with a whole bunch of keys like in this photo just ask them where they all go and chances are they don't even know! HAHA!

REGGAE CD PICK OF THE WEEK - BUNNY WAILER

I realized I was long overdue for a Reggae pick so this weeks Reggae CD Pick of the Week is an outstanding release by Bunny Wailer titled Blackheart Man. Now for those that don't know, Bunny Wailer was an original member of Bob Marley and the Wailers but decided to stay in Jamaica instead of touring the world. This is one of his finest recordings and if you're a fan of Bob Marley or the "Roots" style of reggae then this one is for you. Not hip to Bunny Wailer? Here's a clip of him from 1986 singing the title track from this cd, Blackheart Man. Check it out!

OOOOHHH.......RINGTONES

So those of you that read my last blog post about being the last person on the planet to get a cellphone, there's more! I have just discovered ringtones! What? Yes, I know that I'm a little out of the loop. So instead of the cheezy sounds that come with my phone I can get some really cool tones. I can have my phone ring to James Brown's Sex Machine, John Coltrane's A Love Supreme, Impressions, Giant Steps, Miles Davis Freddy Freeloader, So What and even electric Miles too! And there's more, Dexter Gordon, Horace Silver, Grant Green, WHOOHOO!!! Too much. I can assure you that soon the cost of my ringtones will far exceed the cost of my calls! HAHA! This is dangerous!

SAXOMAN - LAST PERSON ON THE PLANET TO GET A CELLPHONE

Yes, you read right! SAXOMAN has finally gotten a cellphone. What? Now you're probably wondering how anyone could exist without a cellphone nowadays. I mean everyone from Gardener's to Grandma's have cellphones so let me explain. I've actually had a "work cellphone" for the last five years but never sprung with the extra cash for my own personal phone. I figured I didn't want to carry two phones in my pocket and being a cheapo I didn't want the additional bill. So know the wait is over. SAXOMAN now has his own phone! I am mobile! HAHA! Now all I have to do is learn how to use it! I am sure now that my many readers (2? 3?) will now harass me day and night. HAHA!

THE 3D CRAZE - WILL IT LAST?

Now it seems like a lot of movies nowadays are coming out in the 3D format. There are movies that don't even need to be in 3D like The Green Hornet. I mean, come on now! You can now buy 3D tv's and 3D dvd players and dvd's as well. Now I don't know about all of you but the last thing I want to do is buy another tv for a small portion of things that are in 3D and I'll be dammed if I'm going to sit in front of the tv wearing 3D glasses. Now I think 3D is really cool and enjoyed it when I went to see Avatar in 3D and the IMAX big screen. Oh yeah!
I'm sorry but I really think that this is just a passing craze that will soon fade away. Now I must say though that the thought of watching my beloved Purple and Gold (Lakers) and other sporting events in 3D sounds tempting, but I think I will have to pass on this fad for now.

JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - MILES DAVIS

This weeks Jazz CD Pick of the Week is Miles Davis with the cd titled Four and More (Recorded Live In Concert). Now I must say that I own a ton of Miles Davis recordings and was shocked to find out I didn't have this cd in my vast collection. How could this be? I looked the cd over and over, looked at the track listing, looked at my iPod and nothing! What? Classic 1964 jazz and I don't have it? Now adding to the confusion was that I had the Miles cd titled My Funny Valentine which is Part 1 of this concert but there is another cd titled My Funny Valentine and Four and More which is Part 1 and 2 of the entire concert. Jeez....how confusing. So once I figured out that I only needed the second part of the concert I picked up this cd. This cd features the Miles group with a young Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams and George Coleman on tenor sax. This cd sizzles as the group burns through classic tunes such as So What, Walkin', Seven Steps to Heaven and more! The group plays these tunes at a tempo much faster than normal and there are a couple possible reasons for this. Just before the gig Miles informed the group that they wouldn't be getting paid for the gig since it was a benefit for the Civil Rights movement. The group was furious and took out their anger on the music. Now either the group played these tunes faster than normal just to be done with them but I think they played them fast because they were so angry with not getting paid. Either way, a great set of Miles music that you need to check out! Not hip to this cd? Well check out the link to hear some samples!

http://www.amazon.com/Four-More-Miles-Davis/dp/B0007OP2CA/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1291427449&sr=1-1

KING KONG VS GODZILLA - HAHA

Believe it or not I actually saw this movie way back when it first came out. I remember seeing this advertised and said to myself, "WOW, two of the best monsters going head to head, I gotta see this!" Before I went I wondered how both monsters had come back to life as King Kong had been shot down from the Empire State building and I believe Godzilla was electrocuted. Anyway, it didn't matter to me! Now as I settled into my theater seat and first saw King Kong I said "What the??? That's not the King Kong I remember!" So I was a little disappointed as it appeared to be just someone in an oversize gorilla costume. Oh well.....I still stayed for the entire film. Not hip to this? Well, just check out the original trailer. HAHA!

BLACK FRIDAY

Now I must admit that I've never really seen what the big deal is about Black Friday. I mean I've never participated in this event and from the clips I've seen on the news it looks really, really crazy. I've seen that people have even gotten into fights over merchandise that they both claimed to grab at the same time. Just take a look at this photo and see if this looks like fun to you. Not me! Now maybe I would feel different if this was held at a CD or DVD store like Amoeba (Oh yeah!) but I really can't think of anything else I want this bad that I would subject myself to this craziness. Now I don't know if people really get deals or not or if it's just low prices on no name stuff. I dunno...... It also seems that Black Friday is getting earlier and earlier. I think I remember it used to start around 6:00AM but I now see stores opening at 3:00AM! What? Now I can tell you that SAXOMAN will be snuggled tightly in his bed at this outrageous time of morning and watching all of the nuts on the news. HAHA!

PINEAPPLE AND.........EWWWW

OK, now I don't have anything against pineapple. As a matter of fact I really like pineapple on it's own. What I don't like is when people put pineapple on things such as Turkey, Ham or worse yet, Pizza. Gross, gross, gross! (at least to me). Now maybe I'm the weired one here but this combination never appealed to me at all, Not at all! So beware this Thanksgiving of someone baking the turkey with pineapple. You've been warned!

SPICY TIME AT OROCHON RAMEN

The wife and I took a trip to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles yesterday. We were looking for a bookstore but at the same time came across the world renowned Orochon Ramen restaurant as well! WOW! What an unexpected surprise. Now we had seen this restaurant recently on a Man vs Food episode where the host tries to eat the fiery ramen number 2 in 30 minutes. I can tell you that only about 200 of 20,000 have passed this test and are proud enough to have their photos on the wall of fame. Being my first time I tried the Number 4 (Medium) and I can tell you SAXOMAN's lips were a burnin'. My wife and I agree that we could probably kick it up a notch to a number 3 but that's about it, at least for me. The wait was only about 10 minutes and there is seating inside and out. The bowls are huge and the wife and I ended up splitting a bowl with a side of fried rice. Everyone else in the place seem to be eating their own bowls but it looked like too much food for one person. Anyway, I'm anxious to go back and try it again. If you are a spicy food lover or just a lover of Japanese ramen then check it out!

LATIN CD PICK OF THE WEEK - WILLIE ROSARIO

This weeks Latin CD Pick of the Week is Willie Rosario with the cd titled Viva Rosario! A great Salsa cd that will get you up and moving! I used to own this on vinyl way back when and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to find it on cd. Not hip to Willie? Well shame on you! Anyway, check out one of my favorite cuts off this cd titled Anuncio Clasificado/Damelo.

AUTO-TUNE, NO TALENT REQUIRED

You've all probably heard some of today's music with a robotic sounding vocal track. You may think this is just an electronic effect of the vocals but it is actually something called the "Auto-Tune". Now for those not familiar with this device it is basically a device which corrects the pitch in a vocal and/or instrumental performances. It's used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform perfectly tuned vocal tracks without the need of singing in tune. So basically, there is no talent required nowadays for any singer as this will correct your off-key singing. Hmmm.....maybe I should get one of these for my sax playing? HAHA!

BROWSIN' AT BEST BUY

The other night the wife and I were browsing the aisles at Best Buy. We weren't looking for anything special to buy, we were just walking off the pizza we had just ate. Now Best Buy is about the only store left after The Good Guys and Circuit City went under. I typically browse the dvd's, give a quick tour of their pathetic selection of cd's, look at big screens and also various computer related stuff. I checked out some laptops and right away set the home page to this blog. HAHA! They are all probably wondering what the hell is this? Anyway, I also saw an iPad there and for once there wasn't a bunch of little kids playing with it, like it's a toy. I played around with it a little bit and then searched for this blog. I then put a shortcut on the iPad screen indicating Music and Cinema. HAHA! They're probably thinking it is a legitimate application until they read my blog. HAHA! I'm a funny guy.....yes, I am.

JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - ART BLAKEY

This weeks Jazz CD Pick of the Week is by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers titled The Big Beat. Since the wife had a bunch of ladies over to the house knitting yesterday I took advantage of this opportunity and headed straight to Rhino Records. I figured I had to take advantage of the 15% off Halloween sale they were having right? Anyway, I picked this up yesterday along with some other great cd's like Lou Donaldson, Ike Quebec, Coleman Hawkins (with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis) and Archie Shepp. How can you go wrong with a cd that features Art Blakey (drums), Wayne Shorter (sax), Lee Morgan (trumpet) and Bobby Timmons (piano). Some great tunes on here such as Dat Dere, The Chess Players and Lester Left Town. Get the Rudy Van Gelder edition with a bonus track. Not hip? Check out the classic Dat Dere from this album. Oh yeah.....

BIG HEAD COMMERCIAL - HAHA

I guess I'm just easily amused but I really get a kick out of this NBA Bighead (or Bobblehead) commercial. Check it out! HAHA!

ANOTHER BANNER, ANOTHER RING, AND TEARS OF JOY

Yes, last night my beloved Purple and Gold (Lakers) received their Championship rings and unveiled a new championship banner on the wall. This is something that never gets old! So once again the tears of joy were flowing freely. What? You say you didn't see it last night? Hey, no problemo. Here it is. Enjoy!

FLIPPED OFF - PART TWO - HUH?

My previous blog post talked about being flipped off while driving. This weekend while the wife and I were shopping at Costco there was a guy studying his coupons and blocking the aisle. I said "excuse me" twice but nothing. I guess he was too busy looking for the coupon to get the five gallon jar of mayonnaise or something. Anyway, I just went around him and loudly tapped my shopping cart with my middle finger several times although he was oblivious to what I was doing. My wife saw me do this and thought it was a little uncalled for. I didn't think it was any big deal. Anyway, the next night my wife is asking me to do some chore and I give her the typical "I'm really paying attention" look as always. I wonder if she can tell that my mind goes completely blank when she asks me do to something? My hands were where she couldn't see them and I saw her trying to catch a glimpse of my fingers. She said "I'm watching those fingers!" Huh? What? "You think I would flip you off?" I asked. Jeez....where's the trust here. I wouldn't do this would I? Hmmmm....HAHA!

FLIPPED OFF - WHAT?

For those of you that think getting flipped off is a thing of the past I can tell you that you are dead wrong! I seem to see this on a weekly basis and notice that this happens most frequently in traffic, when people are in the safety of their cars. Basically someone does something that you or they don't like and then BAM, there it is! The middle finger! Now just the other day a car passed me, cut in front of me, and the guy flipped me off! What? What did I do, I thought? Oh well, maybe I was going too slow for him in the stop and go traffic we were both stuck in. Oh well.....such is life.

HEAD AND SHOULDERS - HAHA

For some reason I really get a kick out of this Head and Shoulders commercial. Anyway, check it out and let me know. HAHA!

CAR CUSTOMIZING GONE WRONG

I'm pretty open to a lot of the customizing people do to their cars. Usually these people seek to improve a deficiency of the manufacturer or just want to make their cars just plain look better. Now I had to do a double take yesterday when I saw this car pull into the parking lot. On the hood of the car were a whole bunch of horses affixed to the hood of the car! What? Yep, I kid you not. This has to be one of the more hideous attempts at customizing I have ever seen. There was even a sign that said do not try and remove the horses, like someone would really want to. Although the photo I took probably doesn't do the full justice of this atrocity, it does give you an idea as to what I'm talking about. Yes, this is definitely car customizing gone wrong! HAHA!

THE FUNKY CHICKEN

Now I'm actually old enough to remember the dance called "The Funky Chicken". This dance goes way back to the very early 70's and was a favorite at the school dances. There was even a song called The Funky Chicken. What? You say you're not hip to this? Well check it out! Here's Rufus Thomas at Wattstax performing the Funky Chicken. HAHA!

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - IP MAN 2

This weeks DVD Pick of the Week is Donny Yen in IP Man 2. Now I know most of you have already seen IP Man 1 right? What? Anyway, IP Man 2 is even better! There is actually a third one as well but that's for another day. A great movie with a ton of action. Not hip to this? Well check out the trailer for this fine piece of cinema. Me? I want to see it again! HAHA!

LIVE CD PICK OF THE WEEK - EARTH WIND AND FIRE

Released in 1975 this is one of the classic live albums of all time although granted not all the songs on here are live. Anyway, a great cd you need in your collection. I'm sure you've all heard the live version of "Reasons" a million times but my favorite cut is the opening number with the medley "Africano/Power". Check it out and feel the high energy of this performance! If you don't have this cd, pick it up and get hip!

JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - JACKIE McCLEAN

This weeks long overdue Jazz CD Pick of the Week is Jackie McLean's cd titled Jackie's Bag. I have a fair amount of Jackie in my collection (11 cd's and counting) and recently picked this one up on yet another trip to Amoeba. Looking at the back cover and reading the lineup I knew I couldn't go wrong with this Bluenote release. This cd is actually made up of two separate recording sessions and features Jackie (of course on alto sax) along with Tina Brooks, Blue Mitchell, Kenny Drew, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor, Sonny Clark, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones! Whew! An All-Star cast indeed! Not hip to Jackie? Well hip up and click on the link to check this cd out or check out the video for a cut from this cd!

http://www.amazon.com/Jackies-Bag-Jackie-Mclean/dp/B00007KMNP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1286672958&sr=8-1-spell

BABIES - CAN YOU LEAVE THEM AT HOME ONCE IN A WHILE?

Now I don't know what it is but parents seem to feel the need to take their babies wherever they go nowadays. Now I'm talking about little babies that aren't even a year old. Is it too much to get a baby sitter once in a while? Do you have to take your baby to a movie that I paid my money to see? Is the baby going to remember the movie? I think not! Do I have to dodge non-stop strollers at the Fair because you didn't want to get a baby sitter? Is a noisy concert the best place for a baby to be? Anyway, maybe I feel this way because I don't have kids but I really don't get why a lot of parents feel the need to take their babies everywhere they go. Just doesn't make sense to me.......

CELL PHONE OBSESSION

I have really noticed that there are a whole lot of people that have a real obsession with their cell phones. It seems that people are just plain addicted to their phones and can't leave them alone for any amount of time. Everywhere I turn people are using their phones. While they're driving, walking, at restaurants, in the movie theaters! What? Just about everywhere you look nowadays. To me this has just gotten out of control. If people aren't talking on their phones they are texting on them. Too.....too much. I really can't believe that everything is so important that it can't wait but I guess I may be in the minority. Oh well......just my two cents on cell phones.

LOOK OUT BELOW....

The other night when I was eating my Pork Chop on a Stick at the L.A. County Fair I looked up and saw we were sitting right underneath the overhead tram. Now my first thought was, someone is going to spit on us! Now I don't know why I didn't voice my concerns to the rest of the group but I just sat there nervously eating my pork chop and glancing up occasionally. Now the only reason I thought of this is that my friends used to spit on people when we would ride on these trams. I never did this myself (I swear!) but I must say I was a firsthand witness to this on several occasions as a kid. Look out below........HAHA!

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - TRUE LEGEND

On a recent trip to Chinatown I had seen this recently released dvd but had passed on it because I hadn't heard anything about it. The lady assured me it was "really good and with English sub-titles" so I took a chance on it. WOW! Was she right! This is a modern day action movie like the kung-fu movies of old. Action packed! Supposedly this is a true story of the origin of the "drunken" style of kung-fu. I dunno....but all I can say is that I really enjoyed it. Directed by Woo-ping Yuen (Matrix, Kill Bill, etc.) and featuring cameos by David Carradine and also Jay Chou (Kato in the upcoming Green Hornet movie). Now although this movie has yet to be released in America you can still buy it online (or Chinatown) or just enjoy the trailer of this action packed movie that I have provided below. Enjoy!

GETTING FUNKY AT THE L.A. COUNTY FAIR

Yes, it's that time of year again! Time to get funky at the L.A. County Fair. Now I went to the Fair last night and I saw some new and very different (and unusual) things to eat. Things like chocolate covered bacon (huh?), chocolate covered pickles (yuk!), and deep fried Klondike bars (what?). Now I had to pass on some of these items but did go and have a good time as always. On tap for the entertainment was the Average White Band and Tower of Power. A double bill with two of the funkiest bands from the 70's. Now I must say I was sadly disappointed in AWB's performance. They played a listless set with no energy whatsoever. It seemed as they were just going through the motions. Sorry AWB but no love from SAXOMAN on this night. I have seen them before and they sounded much better but not tonight. Tower of Power then came on and were super funky as always. One thing they did different was mix in some other old school jams from the likes of Charles Wright, Billy Paul and a James Brown medley. Too, too funky! After that it was time for some Pork Chops on a Stick. HAHA! Up next? Why another funky time on Friday with WAR. Oh yeah......

GUYS - A COMFORTABLE AND SAFE DISTANCE

Recently the wife and I went to the movies. As we were waiting for the movie to start I saw two guys come in and sit down but with an empty chair in between them. Huh? Then I remembered that when I was a kid my friends and I used to do the exact same thing when we went to the movies. Basically you did not want to sit side-by-side next to your friend or you could be accused of being a couple or a date. HAHA! Anyway, I typically go to the movies with my wife but I got to wondering if I was to go to the movies with a male friend what would I do? Is this safe distance rule still in effect? Hmmm......I wonder.

BLACK TO THE FUTURE - HUH?

Now I have to admit the I really enjoy watching the show Black To The Future. Huh? OK, this is a show on VH1 and each episode deals with a different decade (70's, 80's, 90's, etc...) Now what the show does is show you all of the Black music and musical artists, tv shows, movies, fashions, etc. from that decade. It's hosted by a variety of celebrities and comedians who always have something funny to say about the decade. My favorite decade? Why the funky, funky 70's of course. Check it out!

THE HULA HOOP

To be perfectly honest I had forgotten all about the Hula Hoop. What jogged my memory was I was at Union Station waiting for the train to take me back from Amoeba (What? Amoeba again?) Anyway, I saw a lady getting on the train with a Hula Hoop. Now I don't know about you but the Hula Hoop has been around for as long as I can remember. It was around when I was a kid and I am surprised to see that it is still around. Now I never knew anyone that was very good with this toy. I mean you would shake it around your waist for a few times and then it would drop to the ground. What's so fun about this I thought? Anyway, I think we spent more time as kids rolling this thing around like a giant tire or using if for any number of things it wasn't designed for. The Hula Hoop lives on, I guess......

HEY PIZZA FACE

OK, now I have to admit that on more than one occasion I may have called someone Pizza Face. Now I swear that if I did this that it was a long time ago and I probably didn't know any better. Now recently yours truly had several spots on his face and had to go to the dermatologist so that they could do their thing. Now I must say that I am very grateful that nobody called me Pizza Face during this time although they could have. Now? Now this face is as smooth and handsome as ever! HAHA!

I GOTTA GO SOAK MY DENTURES - HUH?

OK, you're probably wondering what the hell is SAXOMAN talking about now right? Well the other day my brother reminded me of the fact that I used to make the statement "I gotta go soak my dentures". Now I had completely forgotten about making this statement until my brother had reminded me of this. It appears that after a trip to the dentist I was rather diligent about brushing my teeth after this visit. I guess the fear of shots and drilling and all that other dental stuff just scared me to death. So because of this instead of saying "I gotta go brush my teeth", I used to say "I gotta go soak my dentures". Now I'm sure maybe one day down the road I may be saying this for real but not for now! HAHA! I guess I was just one wacky kid.

THE MOUSTACHE

Now I must admit that I (SAXOMAN) had a moustache for many, many years. I don't have a moustache any longer and wonder why I had even kept it as long as I did. As I look at old photos of myself with a moustache I can honestly say that I look better without it. For some reason guys with moustaches tend to keep them far too long. Ask any man with facial hair how long they've had it and the answer you'll most likely get is "I've had it since High School". I've also noticed that facial hair tends to turn grayer on your face faster than on your head so it seems odd to see someone with a white moustache and a dark (natural) head of hair. So what made me shave my moustache? Well when I got my drivers license in the mail years ago I looked at the photo and said "Jeez, my moustache is really turning gray". So since that time this handsome face has been clean shaven ever since! Guys, take a look in the mirror and shave that ridiculous thing off your face. You'll look much better and if you don't? Well it's only hair. It does grow back you know! HAHA!

JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - JOHN KLEMMER

This weeks Jazz CD Pick of the Week is John Klemmer's cd titled Blowin' Gold. This was released way back in 1969 and I bought this lp way, way back when. As a matter of fact, I still have this classic lp sitting in my closet waiting for a cd release. Now I have yet to see this on cd however I do see that you can now download this album from iTunes for about $6. This is a great album with classic tracks such as Free Soul or My Love Has Butterfly Wings. A truly great recording! John Klemmer was one of my favorite sax players in the early 70's and he put out some really great music. John was a frequent user of the "Echoplex" and other electronic effects and frequently recorded as a solo sax player with no other accompaniment. This particular recording is not solo sax so don't worry. Anyway, not hip to John Klemmer? Well shame on you! Go check it out!

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - THE WORLD CHAMPS OF COURSE

This weeks DVD Pick of the Week is a real no-brainer. The brand new 2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers dvd. I mean really how could there by any other choice right? As I watched this dvd I relived all the ups and downs of the season, the game winning shots by Kobe, the playoffs, and finally the Finals against the hated Celtics. As I watched the magical moment of the Lakers winning the championship, the tears of joy were flowing freely once again. Now I feel that the dvd could have been longer and better and that the extras are more generic NBA extras then Laker extras but oh well........Anyway, if you're a true Laker fan and not a "Faker fan" then pick this up! HAHA!

SO THE WIFE'S ON A DIET........AGAIN

OK, so the wife is on a diet.......again. Now I don't know about you but I've noticed that people on diets are a little more, ummm... irritable than normal. Now you may be wondering what the hell this diet has to do with me right? Well I can tell you that in a very few days this diet has so far been one major inconvenience on my life. This weekend I was dragged to a variety of stores to buy fruits, vegetables and a whole assortment of other healthy foods. I was even dragged to a restaurant for lunch because they also served good salads! What? Yep, I kid you not. Yuk! Now I don't know how long this diet thing is going to last but if it continues much longer I'm gonna have to sneak away for some chili cheese fries, a pastrami sandwich, a Double-Double and some Rocky Road ice cream! I mean, I'm not on a diet too! Jeez......

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - WILLIE DYNAMITE

This weeks DVD Pick of the Week goes to the 1974 Blaxploitation flick titled Willie Dynamite. Now I picked up this gem this past Sunday browsing the used dvd's at PCC for only $5. WOW! Another classic tale of a pimp and his seven ladies. Now for some odd reason I had always thought Isaac Hayes was the star of this movie based on the picture on the cover but I was wrong. In this film Willie is stylin' in his purple pimped out El Dorado and the most outrageous fashions I've probably seen in any one blaxploitation film and I've probably seen more of these films than I'd care to admit. Check out the fur coats, the fur hats, the pink jumpsuit with the clamshell collar, the gold suit! Too much! HAHA! Anyway, not hip to Willie? Check out the trailer for this fine piece of cinema.

SALSA CD PICK OF THE WEEK - SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA

This weeks Salsa CD Pick of the Week is the 2004 release by the Spanish Harlem Orchestra titled Across 110th Steet. Now I remember reading some rave reviews of this cd when it first came out but everytime I would see it the price was always quite high. Well yesterday SAXOMAN found a sealed copy of this cd for only $5. Oh yeah, what a deal! Now this is the third release by this great group and now that I have this one I have to get the other two as well. Why? Well this is one hot, sizzling salsa cd. This will make those without rhythm want to try and dance. HAHA! If you're not hip to Spanish Harlem Orchestra then just give them a listen. I wouldn't steer you wrong and I know what I'm talking about.

http://www.amazon.com/Across-110th-Street-Ruben-Blades/dp/B00029RSY0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1280801946&sr=8-5

GIVING BIRTH - WHY ON EARTH?

It seems pretty commonplace nowadays for fathers to participate in giving birth to their children. There seems to be no problem being in the delivery room and participating in this process. My only question is why on earth would you do this? I mean do you get a reduced rate for doing the doctors job? I don't know but all I can tell you is that there is no way SAXOMAN would ever witness or participate in such a thing. I mean I can't even watch the fake births in tv movies. No way! If your a faithful reader of my blog then you know I'm a pretty squeamish guy to begin with right? Anyway, way back when I was in High School I had to run a film for a class. Now I had no idea what the film was about as I was just the kid running the projector. Anyway, this was a film of a baby being born! Yep, I kid you not. Now I can tell you that I was horrified, mortified, traumatized and scarred for life! I can tell you that others viewing this film felt the same ways as a few people almost passed out. As I was rewinding the film I felt pretty woozy myself after what I had just witnessed. Giving birth? Count me out!

THE JOY OF SLEEP

Now I don't know about the rest of you but I really enjoy sleeping. There's nothing better than closing my eyes for a long, restful night of sleep.

I have always enjoyed my sleep and have taken naps for about as long as I can remember. I have no problem sleeping in on the weekends (when the cats don't wake me up) and even taking a nap later that same afternoon. I find that as I've gotten older that I can fall asleep just about whenever or wherever I want. Ah, the joys of getting older. HAHA! I know some people that cannot sleep through the night and I can only imagine how terrible that would be. Anyway, just to let you know that SAXOMAN is a man that enjoys his beauty rest!

REGGAE CD PICK OF THE WEEK - DAMIAN MARLEY

This weeks Reggae CD Pick of the Week is the 2005 release by Damian Marley titled Welcome to Jamrock. A very strong release throughout that mixes Reggae, R&B and Hip-Hop. For those that don't know, Damian is the youngest of Bob Marley's sons and one you definitely need to check out! I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at how good this entire cd was when I had originally picked it up! Not hip to Damian Marley? Here's the video of the title track, Welcome to Jamrock. Check it out and hip up!

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK - RETURN OF THE ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN

This weeks DVD Pick of the Week is some classic early 70's Kung Fu starring my man Jimmy Wang Yu in Return of the One Armed Swordsman.

This is a must see for all of you fans of early Kung Fu and swordplay flicks. More action and more villains than the original! Recently released by Dragon Dynasty you can all now rent this at your local video store and watch it in English. Now I haven't bought this version yet as I already own the Chinese (IVL/Celestial) box set (of course) that contains the trilogy of these classic films. Unless there are an abundance of extras on this release I'll think I'll pass but I think the rest of you should definitely check this out to see what I'm talking about!

AM I THE ONLY ONE STILL USING A CAMERA?

A while back I blogged about going to the Pomona Car Show. Now one of the things I remember as I was taking pictures was that I seemed to be about the only person there that was using a camera. Now I don't mean I was using an old camera with film or anything like that. I mean I was using my trusty regular digital camera. So what were people using instead? Well everyone was taking photos of the cars with their cellphones instead. Man, I guess I'm just out of touch...