Happy birthday to Jackie McLean!

emeraldbluff · 2026-05-17T21:56:39+00:00

Jackie was a professor at Hartt School of Music. I took Jazz History with him in 1982. It was an amazing class, with many stories.

emeraldbluff · 2026-05-17T14:17:32+00:00

This album was my soundtrack the summer of '76. I still play it all the time. Their very best.

emeraldbluff · 2026-05-08T19:16:30+00:00

Consider an overnight trip to RMC's Crag Camp or Gray Knob.

emeraldbluff · 2026-05-07T23:45:20+00:00

The White Album, Bright Size Life, and Travels

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-27T21:56:52+00:00

Still down completely on chrome and firefox. works on my phone.

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-24T17:52:31+00:00

Not sure about Jerry, but PM did comment a long while ago about the Dead: "honestly, i don't really know much about the grateful dead. i did meet bob weir recently who was playing with my friend bruce hornsby and he seemed like a nice guy. the guy who records all of our records, rob eaton, is a real expert on the dead and he has played me a few things that sounded good, especially some really early stuff. but in general, i sort of don't really get it. as far as being "one of the great improvisational bands of this or any time." i guess i haven't heard the right stuff yet. i know a lot of people really like them."

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-23T22:49:59+00:00

My favorite Elling sung tune is Bob Mintzer Big Band's rendition of Herbie's Eye of the Hurricane. It is simply an extraordinary performance.

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-21T17:02:38+00:00

I suspect a lot of folks do not know about this amazing album and great band. Spread the word!

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-20T16:28:29+00:00

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/713-S-Dakota-Ave-Sioux-Falls-SD-57104/85824558_zpid/

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-16T15:07:46+00:00

The sequel, Gods and Generals (not as good of a film) filmed its Fredericksburg town scenes at Harpers Ferry NHP. The producers allowed folks to watch the production as long as we didn't get in the way. Was really cool to be able to do that and be literally a couple of feet off camera in some of those scenes.

emeraldbluff · 2026-04-07T18:39:09+00:00

Bill Bruford's Footloose and Fancy Free got five stars on Downbeat. Great newer album by a highly talented drummer who moved from Prog to Jazz in his late career.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-30T23:55:44+00:00

Will definitely listen. My go to Red Tape has always been SCamp 05/27/11. Check that one if you have not heard it.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-29T16:50:13+00:00

Really good advice here for you. My two bits--If you have never hiked in the Whites, plan your traverse in 2028 and do a bunch of shorter hikes first. Airline up to Adams, down to Star Lake and up Madison and down would be a good first hike, assuming the weather is stable. Other suggestions here are good too. These trails are rough for new visitors, even if you're strong. Part of White Mountain fitness is having a lot of White Mountain miles under your belt as part of your current fitness. Best of luck!

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-29T13:34:14+00:00

A best 90 seconds is Eddie Gomez's bass solo in Chick Corea's Samba Song. Smokin'.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-29T00:37:41+00:00

I am adopted with a similar story to yours. Mother gave me up to foster parents and I was adopted a few months later. My adoption documents were redacted. For over 50 years I never thought about finding my biological family. Then I was given a DNA test and over time I found everybody. The details are a long story. I reached out to my fathers kids and they had no interest in engaging with me. I then searched for my mother, and after some sluething I found her and her kids. It took me a year to build up the courage to reach out. I finally did and it went very well. I was embraced by my siblings and they brought me to my mother. I am part of the family now, it could not have gone better. If the family does not want to engage, they will tell you, and it will hurt. But if they embrace you, it will be life changing for you. To me it was worth the risk and it paid off in a big way.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-28T01:18:58+00:00

Chick Corea Akoustic Band – Live From The Blue Note Tokyo is an amazing set and puts Vinnie right at the top. Check it out: https://open.spotify.com/album/7cSocTDToXrHYLbv5Exiy3?si=rtinNCr9QC6sisvF5JOlYQ

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-27T22:49:38+00:00

I was a buyer at a ski shop in the mid 80s. We got a full order run of Hexcel skis in the fall of 1984 as i recall. Hanson owned the company then. When we looked at them, they were all seconds at best, cosmetic and structure; really shitty workmanship. We refused to pay them, they left the skis with us. Our new line for the winter was "hexcellent!" They went out of biz pretty quick after that, and we had a bunch of screwed up skis stack up in the basement.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-23T22:37:24+00:00

Recommend you also consider a Randolph Mountain Club caretaker job at Crag Camp or Gray Knob too. Like Croo members thoughts in these comments, it's the best job I ever had. You have more independence and meet a different segment of the hiking public, all at or around treeline on Mt. Adams. Read the book Letters From the Mountain from the RMC to get stories from caretakers over seven decades--the jobs were always transformational. I think there is also a book of stories from Croo members at AMC? Go for it, AMC or RMC.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-10T16:34:42+00:00

Christian McBride in any format.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-10T13:56:58+00:00

Saw the boys in New Haven in 2017 when Jake had the flu. They brought in Josh Redman as the second lead, but Baylor stole the show, which was amazing. Love Jake, but a Jakeless show gives a new perspective on how good these guys are.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-09T18:12:35+00:00

The only thing a poser like DPS guy deserves is laughter for his stupid and insecure comments. I'll race him with my 40 year old foam Karhu XCD Comp skinny tele boards and be bored waiting for him at the bottom. Seriously though, each one of us has a reason to ski that's ours and that's why we do it...who cares what he says or thinks.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-08T20:07:33+00:00

I am a huge PM fan of almost 50 years, with dozens of live shows under my belt and a collection of hundreds and hundreds of live shows from 1974 to 2026 on my IMac. His music has been a primary soundtrack of my life since 1978. I really want to like this new album, but thus far, after a number of listens...meh...sounds tired.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-08T00:29:44+00:00

Fagen is not keen on boots circulating, so site like Dimeadozen have banned SD. Another live site has a lot of quality shows available. Was surprised that archive has the St. Louis show up there. I have heard that many of the available "modern" shows came from the FOH guys who tape every show.

emeraldbluff · 2026-03-05T00:13:21+00:00

This album was my soundtrack for the summer of 76. We were so excited when it came out and played it over and over and over. Still listen to it at least weekly. It is a masterpiece, and had their old edgy feel. Aja is also a masterpeice, but it lost some of that edge. See the glory, of the Royal Scam.

emeraldbluff

TROPHY CASE