JAZZ CD PICK OF THE WEEK - MILES DAVIS

This weeks long overdue Jazz CD Pick of the Week is Miles Davis with the recently released cd titled Bitches Brew Live. This cd was just released a few weeks ago and being a huge fan of Miles Davis and his electric period, this was one I had to pick up! This cd offers previously unreleased tracks recorded in 1969 at the Newport Jazz Festival. These songs were recorded in concert a month before Miles went into the studio to record his fastest selling album of all time, Bitches Brew. In 1970, Miles played at the Isle of Wight Festival in front of 600,000 people and the full set from this concert is here on cd for the first time as well! Oh yeah....Now many were confused when Miles came out with this music because it didn't seem to be jazz or rock. What is this music people and critics wondered? Anyway, judge for yourself (see link). Not for the faint of heart. Check it out and hip up!

http://www.amazon.com/Bitches-Brew-LIVE-Miles-Davis/dp/B004ENAC4I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1298740221&sr=8-4

NORTH SIDE/SOUTH SIDE - I JUST DON'T GET IT

Now way back when I was in High School there was something going on with a certain group on campus that I really didn't understand. There was something known as being from the North Side or South Side of Pasadena. Basically you were known as either a North Sider or a South Sider. The two groups did not get along and were bitter enemies. Now SAXOMAN was friends with a lot of these people (mainly North Siders) but was also friends with several South Siders as well. I really didn't get the hostility and anger towards the other side and why they wanted to fight each other. We would drive by a party and my friends would say "we can't go there, that's a South Side party". "Huh?" I asked? "Why not? I don't get it!" Anyway, as I grew older I tended to understand this a little better. Anyway, SAXOMAN has love for all people and for the most part was able to avoid being caught in the middle of the conflict between these two groups. Jeez.......can't we all just get along?

LATIN FUNK CD PICK OF THE WEEK - LOS MOCOSOS

This weeks long overdue Latin Funk CD Pick of the Week is American Us by Los Mocosos. Another latin funk gem from this funky group. This is the third release by Los Mocosos and they are all winners! Click on the link to check out samples from this cd and especially their funky remake of the classic song, I'm Your Puppet. Oh yeah....or click on the video to hear another cut off this cd.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002A2VFA/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0200SQDNNYAESWXV1AE9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

HAPPY BELATED VALENTINES DAY

Happy belated Valentines Day to all! Now I can honestly say that more men probably get into trouble on this day than any other day of the year. Men either don't do anything for their wife or girlfriend or they don't do enough. Either way it's a lose/lose situation for the guys. If your wife works in an office setting it's always a competition amongst the girls as to who gets the biggest bouquet of flowers, who doesn't get any flowers, who's sending them to themselves, etc... It really is pretty sad. Now SAXOMAN has it easy as I've been married a number of years and know that as long as I provide some chocolate, I have no problems. Now I was astounded at the amount of last minute shoppers (men) buying cards and candy late yesterday evening. As I was at Rite-Aid stuffing my face with Rocky Road ice cream the line of guys buying last minute gifts was too much! On the train I saw guys furiously scribbling some last minute thoughts on Valentines card. I also saw some guy on the train with roses and a big Hello Kitty balloon. The wife gave me one of those hard "you'd better not laugh" looks! HAHA! Anyway, I hope that you all had a good one and guys, I hope you all didn't get in too much trouble! HAHA!

BEST NEW ARTIST - ESPERANZA SPALDING

I was watching the Grammy's last night when they were announcing the nominees for Best New Artist. As they announced Esperanza Spalding's name I told me wife "she won't win because she's a jazz player". I cringed as the announcement came near because I was dreading to hear the two words I did not want to hear. Yep, you guessed it. Justin Bieber was in this category also. Now maybe I'm just a little old but I just don't get this whole fascination with Justin Bieber. Well to my surprise and probably the entire world, Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist! What? Yep, a jazz artist walked away with the top honors! Way to go! It is good to see actual talent triumph over popularity. Way to go Esperanza! Congratulations!

REST IN PEACE - CREATOR OF THE GYPSY ROSE

The creator of the world famous 1964 Chevy Impala named Gypsy Rose has passed away. The owner and creator of this classic car was Jesse Valadez and he was also the founding member of the Lowrider Car Club known as The Imperials. This one of a kind lowrider was known for its hand painted roses as well as a hot pink interior with swivel seats and a cocktail bar in the back. Yep, I kid you not! This car has been featured in magazines, tv shows (Chico and The Man) and also in the Petersen Auto Museum. The custom painted coffin used for the funeral also carried the same hand painted rose theme. Rest in peace!

DECORATIVE PILLOWS - I JUST DON'T GET IT

OK guys, do you really get the whole decorative pillow thing? Now I can honestly say that I do not (see photo). Now that's not a photo of my bed but just a typical example of what I'm talking about. The reason I'm blogging about this is that the wife recently bought a new comforter for the bed and with it came many, many decorative pillows. Now these aren't pillows for sleeping or anything like that, no.........these are just for decoration! So every night before we go to bed we have to take all of these pillows off the bed and then put them back on the bed in the morning. Now I can say that I honestly feel like Ben Stiller in the movie, Along Came Polly. Anyway, check out this video to see what I'm talking about and also what I would like to do! HAHA!

THE CRITERION COLLECTION

For those of you that are not hip to the Criterion company all I can tell you is to get hip! Criterion is a company that restores classic pieces of cinema from all over the world and puts them out on dvd. They then add a ton of extras like interview with cast, crew and director as well as audio commentary. These are superb releases and are typically quite pricey in the stores and go for approx. $30 each! WOW! I have been picking up several Criterion classic Japanese dvd's on Ebay for a much better price and one I have just watched is Sansho The Bailiff (see trailer). A classic piece of Japanese cinema from 1954 that brought tears to my eyes. Not hip to Criterion? Here is their web site http://www.criterion.com/

LATIN CD PICK OF THE WEEK - TITO PUENTE

This weeks Latin CD Pick of the Week is Tito Puente with the cd tiled, Dance Mania 2. Now I had been aware of the cd titled Dance Mania but never knew that there was a Volume 2 until the other day. Yes, browsing the used bins in Pasadena the other day I stumbled upon this gem and picked it up along with a Thelonious Monk and Gene Harris cd all for only $5. WOW! What a deal! Anyway, for those that aren't hip to this cd just click on the link to check out some audio samples.

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Mania-2-Tito-Puente/dp/B0000A4G5Z/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1297279711&sr=8-2

What? You say you're not hip to Tito? Well just check out one of the cuts from this cd titled A Gozar Timbero.

TRILOGIES AND SEQUELS - WHY DO SO MANY FALL FLAT?

I got to thinking the other day about all of the movie sequels and trilogies that have been made and why so many off them never seem to measure up to the first movie. I believe that the "planned" trilogies seem to be much better versus those that get made just because a movie was successful. These planned trilogies have the entire plot and story laid out before filming of the first movie and are typically based on books. These seem to flow better (to me) than some of the other unplanned types of trilogies. One type of planned trilogy that I think worked really well (although I'm not a big fan) is the Lord of the Ring trilogy. I think back to Godfather I and II and how good these were and then how III was a disaster. I think back to Rush Hour I and II and how lousy number III was. I think of Infernal Affairs I and how II and III should never have been made. Now occasionally you will see the second movie be the bad one and then they make up for it in the third installation (Example: A Chinese Ghost Story - see photo). When Transformers II came out I thought it was way too much and really bad compared to number I so I hear they are trying to correct that in the upcoming third part. There are exceptions to the rules as I am a fan of the Rocky movies and felt that Rocky I, II, III and IV were all good but they could have done without number V. Now I am sure there a ton of other sequels and trilogies out there that you can think of but I just wanted to rant about a few.

OLD BLOG - YES, IT IS STILL THERE

I got to thinking the other day of when I first started blogging. My blog started slowly as I really didn't know what to write about. The blog had a different name and address as well as some funny old stories. Anyway, I figured that my many readers and followers (2? 3?) might be unaware of this old blog so I have decided to post the address here (see link) for all to check out. Enjoy!

http://jazzasiancinemalife.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=50

HAPPY NEW YEAR - CHINESE STYLE

Happy New Year to all! Yes, that's right! It's time to celebrate the Chinese New Year! Now this New Year is considered the year of the Rabbit 兔 which is the fourth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. So being a lover of all cultures as well as any excuse to go to Chinatown, SAXOMAN convinced the wife to go and check out the local New Year's festivities. Just getting there was an experience as the train was jam packed. Once there, there was a parade with the Mayor of Los Angeles as well as marching bands, floats and other political dignitaries. A good time was had by all as little kids from other cultures dressed up in their Asian costumes. While I was there of course I had to see what was new in the world of Asian cinema but there really wasn't anything new out yet. Oh well......Anyway, because Chinatown was so crowded we decided to hop the train to Little Tokyo. Once there the wife and I enjoyed a delicious meal at one of L.A.'s great ramen houses, Daikokuya. Oh yeah!

REGGAE CD PICK OF THE WEEK - BOB MARLEY

OK, this weeks Reggae CD Pick of the Week is really a no-brainer as it was just released today! That's right! Bob Marley with the double live cd titled Live Forever (September 23, 1980 - The Stanley Theater) This is reportedly Bob's final concert as he passed away in 1981. So 30 years after Bob's death we finally are now treated to this concert! It's been reported that Bob was so deathly ill before this concert that his wife, (Rita) called his mother from the dressing room, begging her to help stop the reggae legend from performing. The show went on anyway and it was a great one! Now I must admit that being a resourceful guy like I am, I did have a bootleg recording of this show but it wasn't the full complete show as we supposedly have here. I picked this cd up at Best Buy today and it includes a third cd with five bonus studio tracks and some interviews. Check it out!