What's your latest jazz purchase?

[Joseph K]

That caught me unawares - sorry to have heard that!

I always retain the forlorn hope that things of special value that get nicked will somehow transform the thief into a better person, having gained in insight in some way from their ill-gotten possesion, or learned that they won't get much from trying to sell on the same, since things of genuine value that don't translate into instant practicability such as moble phones, laptops or fast sports cars, aren't recognised as such by the market... unless of course they're great paintings, sculptures and statuary, though few of us would possess such things!

Crucial information is in #4.

As it happens - I discovered some of my stolen CDs in a local pawnshop, so I did get some of them back. And (and I feel that enough time has elapsed since that event to speak about this) I discovered who the culprits were - one was an erstwhile friend of mine! And I sort of knew the other guy.

I actually bumped into the other guy responsible in Birmingham and - would you believe it - he attempted to accost me! I was tripping on DOC at the time though, so I had to run away (although probably would have run away anyway, despite the temptation for some kind of revenge). Like in Peep Show - the victim flees!

[Serial_Apologist]

Crucial information is in #4.

As it happens - I discovered some of my stolen CDs in a local pawnshop, so I did get some of them back. And (and I feel that enough time has elapsed since that event to speak about this) I discovered who the culprits were - one was an erstwhile friend of mine! And I sort of knew the other guy.

I actually bumped into the other guy responsible in Birmingham and - would you believe it - he attempted to accost me! I was tripping on DOC at the time though, so I had to run away (although probably would have run away anyway, despite the temptation for some kind of revenge). Like in Peep Show - the victim flees!

Don't know if I've mentioned this elsewhere, but back in the 1970s I loaned by copy of Miles's "Live-Evil" to a charming young couple who lived in a flat backing onto ours. He was as happens a white South African guy, who had been involved in Anti-Apartheid and had recently expressed an interest in joining our left wing organisation. Well, it seemed a bit unusual, but what the hell? Better a sinner repenteth, etc etc, we all thought; and I thought likewise about lending out one of my favourite recordings, even though he seemed not to be in the spirit of reciprocating as far as his own record collection was concerned. Anyway, after about a month I found some excuse of paying him a visit, and diplomatically asked for my records back. He had been storing them leaning against a hot radiator, can you believe it??!! and as a consequence the records had warped. Very luckily - this was before CDs - I was able to re-straighten them by a combination of hot water and piling up the collected works of William Shakespeare on top of them for a week - (Don't try this at home!) - though ever since there would be a sh-sh-sh-sh noise at the start of each of the 4 sides. And do you know what? Shortly after this we were tipped off by a useful source that the two of them were agents of BOSS - apartheid S Africa's secret police - part of whose job required them to infiltrate left-wing groups for intelligence about future demos. It was BOSS who had previously nobbled Peter Hain leading to his arrest for conspiracy against a forthcoming tour by the all-white S African cricket tour. The existence of the mole in the Young Liberals was exposed to Hain in the TV series "Lefties" of about 15 years ago - while Hain denied having had any knowledge of this in the programme, we can't deny our own naivety at the time either. My claim to fame in all this is the heroic role played by my Miles Davis recording in the fight to end apartheid.

Going from sublime to ridiculous, or ridiculous to ridiculous, there was known rivalry between the Young Libs and the Young Communists as to who was to the forefront in those flour-wielding demos - the comrades of the YCP claiming that it had been they who had thrown the flour, while the Young Libs insisted that it was they who had played the key role in that they had bought the flour in the first place!

[Joseph K]

Don't know if I've mentioned this elsewhere, but back in the 1970s I loaned by copy of Miles's "Live-Evil" to a charming young couple who lived in a flat backing onto ours. He was as happens a white South African guy, who had been involved in Anti-Apartheid and had recently expressed an interest in joining our left wing organisation. Well, it seemed a bit unusual, but what the hell? Better a sinner repenteth, etc etc, we all thought; and I thought likewise about lending out one of my favourite recordings, even though he seemed not to be in the spirit of reciprocating as far as his own record collection was concerned. Anyway, after about a month I found some excuse of paying him a visit, and diplomatically asked for my records back. He had been storing them leaning against a hot radiator, can you believe it??!! and as a consequence the records had warped. Very luckily - this was before CDs - I was able to re-straighten them by a combination of hot water and piling up the collected works of William Shakespeare on top of them for a week - (Don't try this at home!) - though ever since there would be a sh-sh-sh-sh noise at the start of each of the 4 sides. And do you know what? Shortly after this we were tipped off by a useful source that the two of them were agents of BOSS - apartheid S Africa's secret police - part of whose job required them to infiltrate left-wing groups for intelligence about future demos. It was BOSS who had previously nobbled Peter Hain leading to his arrest for conspiracy against a forthcoming tour by the all-white S African cricket tour. The existence of the mole in the Young Liberals was exposed to Hain in the TV series "Lefties" of about 15 years ago - while Hain denied having had any knowledge of this in the programme, we can't deny our own naivety at the time either. My claim to fame in all this is the heroic role played by my Miles Davis recording in the fight to end apartheid.

Going from sublime to ridiculous, or ridiculous to ridiculous, there was known rivalry between the Young Libs and the Young Communists as to who was to the forefront in those flour-wielding demos - the comrades of the YCP claiming that it had been they who had thrown the flour, while the Young Libs insisted that it was they who had played the key role in that they had bought the flour in the first place!

These days - in my experience - not having a social media account like facebook marks you out as an object of suspicion in a left-wing group... (though - AFAIK, since I'm no longer really involved - nothing was actually proven unlike in your experience!)

[Joseph K]

Just ordered 'Miles in Berlin'.

I've been sorting out the CDs I have in the boxed set 'The Complete Columbia Album Collection' - actually, I didn't have this box at my flat when it was burgled, but some of the disks were in my flat, and while I got some of them back, a fair few I didn't. I don't know if anyone else has this boxed set, but the CDs cases are cardboard with the original LP notes on the back, like they were mini LP cases - so even if I order a replacement CD it won't be like the ones in the box. Oh well - the box is still mostly complete.

Another one I lost and didn't get back was 'Live at Fillmore East - It's about that Time', and I searched for it but it's prohibitively expensive, even if it is a double CD. Actually, while 'Miles in Berlin' is Wayne Shorter's first cut with Miles, that Fillmore East double CD is Shorter's last with Miles.

Anyway, while I like George Coleman, I do prefer Shorter - I am looking forward to having Miles in Berlin again!

[Joseph K]

Just tried and failed to buy a CD of Ant Law - the only option for shipping country is the USA! I've sent him a message.

[Serial_Apologist]

Just tried and failed to buy a CD of Ant Law - the only option for shipping country is the USA! I've sent him a message.

Best of luck with Ant, Joseph - he has always come across to me as being a nice guy, so I hope he'll prove helpful!

[Joseph K]

[Joseph K]

Other things awaiting in the post: the complete Hot Fives & Sevens by Louis Armstrong and the complete Live at the Village Vanguard by Bill Evans.

[Joseph K]

Hot Fives and Sevens arrived yesterday.

Have exchanged messages with Ant Law, ordering his first album from the man himself.

[cloughie]

Download of Bill Evans 12 Classic Albums 1956-62 from Amazon.

[Padraig]

Hot Fives and Sevens arrived yesterday.

Nothing hotter than that! Happy listening.

[Joseph K]

Download of Bill Evans 12 Classic Albums 1956-62 from Amazon.

Here's hoping that the download does not feature instead of 'All of You' the same recording of 'Solar' (both on the Sunday at the Village Vanguard album) like my CD copy.

[Joseph K]

Nothing hotter than that! Happy listening.

Thanks!

[Joseph K]

the complete Live at the Village Vanguard by Bill Evans.

This just arrived.

[Joseph K]

Well, I've gone and ordered the Sunday at the Village Vanguard album. Why? - you ask, when you've just got the complete Village Vanguard recordings? Well a) While the album appears to be on youtube, actually some of the tracks run into each other with beginnings and ends cut off short and b) I want all these fine, exquisite tunes and different renditions thereof on one disk and c) while I have the Sunday at the Village Vanguard on the 12 Classic Albums collection mentioned upthread by Cloughie, as I mentioned, that for some reason features the same recording of 'Solar' where 'All of You' should be, at least on my copy, and also, it does not feature the bonus tracks.

I actually went to order Sunday at the Village Vanguard - or just to see if it was in store - at HMV - neither was it in the store nor could they order the version with bonus tracks! So I went and got it from the South American rainforest, along with Herbie Hancock's Thrust - which I used to own and am looking forward to once again owning.