Saturday, November 20, 2010

Pomp and bombast

Listening to the TSO today. Not the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Will be interviewing head honcho Paul O'Neill soon to preview the TSO Christmas show in Grand Rapids. If you look up bombastic in the dictionary I'm sure Paul's photo is there. Always over the top, then piling on more, more, more. Great fun, but it can wear after a while. So just one disc at a time.

Then more CTI. The label produced some of the greatest jazz of the 70s, with powerhouses like George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter, Jobim, Deodato, Hubert Laws and more. Some was commercial/crossover, some straightahead, some Brazilian. All was melodic and listenable.The four-disc boxed set gives a great taste of the label's offerings. More in-depth coverage later here, and in Northern Express, along with new Bruce Springsteen, Dwight Twilley, Yoso, Bryan Ferry, and more.

On another note, go Green! MSU pulls it out in the fourth quarter. Michigan can't help the Spartans, though, getting roughed up by Wisconsin. Other than their decisive loss at State, they do look like the best team in the Big 11.

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