Holiday Diary

Austin Dispatches

No. 121

Jan. 5, 2009

Everywhere I went I noticed a dearth of décor. The festivities were as lacking.¹In fact, the whole season was grim. It’s as if putting up the lights was one hassle too much,² what with the economic woes, stalemate and quagmire fighting the Muslims,³ and the incoming Obama administration, promising more of the same, when it’s not stumbling around in the dark – like he did when the power went out on his Hawaiian vacation.⁴ The power elite can’t dodge shoes forever.⁵

Only the children looked happy. The soft, spoiled little brats’ll learn soon enough. Those grim Christmases past were good training for me from the winter holidays. And that includes the year Christmas dinner was a vending machine burrito in the break room of the Waco Tribune-Herald.⁶ But that’s not the same as feeling grim. That, and husbanding my credit rating. I’ve never felt so detached.

Some detached highlights:

Dec. 18: The holiday lunch at the office was just another excuse for certain people to behave like officious assholes. Even Santa Claus brusquely told me I’d have to go back through the office, out the doors, and wait in line, in the cold, before I could eat.

“That was rude,” said my second supervisor in four months.

“Good thing he doesn’t actually exist,” I said. “Otherwise, I might be offended.”

Festivus: When what to my bleary eyes should appear, but a squirrel dithering in the road on my way to work.⁷ First it couldn’t decide whether to hibernate. Then it couldn’t decide which way to scamper. A thump indicated my left front tire decided its future.⁸ Maybe it was despondent over stock market losses.⁹ My car was undamaged.

Christmas: I was going to start the morning with a cup of warm cocoa, but the Financial Times reported a pending shortage from the Ivory Coast.¹⁰ The people who’d be harvesting the crop have all applied to work for Barack Obama, or “this motherf**ker,” as his good close personal friend, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, calls him. Because, as we now know, something like cocoa is a “f**king valuable thing. You don’t just give it away for nothing.”¹¹

Then I agreed to lunch with an Israeli friend at Threadgill’s. Despite being armed with cell phones, and despite my prepping the restaurant staff after I arrived first and snagged a table, we still ended up missing each other in the same building, with him waiting in the hallway, and me drumming my fingers at the table.

Dec. 26: At the San Marcos factory outlet malls, the only thing I picked up was stomach flu from the teaming masses, yearning to breath on me. When I recovered, I checked my bank account by phone and learned my agency hadn’t deposited my paycheck that day, even though the local office made a big deal about us contractors submitting our time sheets early so we’d get paid on time.

Dec. 29: Back on billable hours, I called the local office and got an answering machine. Then I called the national office and learned the local flunkies never submitted my time sheet.

I didn’t have high hopes for the goddamned holidays, people being what they are, but I was looking forward to not having quotidian money worries this time of year for once. Shows you what hope gets you.

Then trumpeter Freddie Hubbard died.¹² He was one of the first musicians I listened to when I became interested in jazz, and I saw him in college, before his chops deteriorated.¹³ The reviewer for the local daily was miffed he and saxophonist Richie Cole¹⁴ spent so much time cracking up at each others’ jokes, but I, who actually paid for my ticket, was entertained. Pretty much anything Hubbard recorded between 1960 and 1970 as a leader or sideman is worth listening to.¹⁵ I should especially mention the two-volume live set aptly named “Night of the Cookers.” Hubbard’s mid-sixties quintet, plus trumpeter Lee Morgan, plus conguero Big Black, play one song per LP side. There’s no taste, subtlety or restraint here – just a bunch of young guys trying to blow each other off the stage. Even the ballad is up tempo.¹⁶

New Year’s Eve: What, are you kidding me?¹⁷ Any longtime reader could guest-write a scenario that’s better than what happened: I had a moderately enjoyable time at Go Dance studio, but the small crowd’s vivacity flatlined shortly after midnight. This was no Freddie Hubbard album. The prospect of trying to engage people in such a slump bored me, so I returned home and dreamt, in color, about golf…

New Year’s Day: … awoke and wrote about it. Turning life into prose was the day’s highlight, because even the First Thursday merchant’s fair along South Congress Avenue was dead. A few scraggly buskers crouched in the darkened storefronts that had defiantly remained open on major holidays during the last recession. On the other hand, parking was easy.¹⁸

Grease Is the Word

I received a flyer from the City about my neighborhood having trouble with food grease backing up in the sewer system. I hadn’t heard about this before, and the Web page listed on the flyer doesn’t actually list anything about clogged sewer pipes anywhere in Austin. In fact, the page photo is from Portland, Ore. For all I know, that’s not grease, but tofu. It is from Portland, after all.¹⁹ On the same page, the City complains about having spent $38,000 last year fixing grease-related sewer backups. Since when does City government ever complain about spending anything? If it needs money so bad, might I suggest a few cuts and eliminations in the budget?²⁰ I resent the finger-wagging insinuation that flyer conveys.

Also in the neighborhood, the recession has forced a halt to further projects at The Domain.²¹

Austin Death Watch

The Business Journal reports on the increase of film and video production companies that have moved to or started up in Austin. One will be making a feature about the life of Gus Garcia.²² It’s the story of a dull guy who spent his life in meetings and eventually became mayor. Later, he killed a Mexican with his car in my neighborhood.²³ Instead of “Stand and Deliver,” it’ll be called “Sit and Drone.”²⁴ Should be a big hit with the kind of people who watched Andy Warhol films in the ‘60s.²⁵

Back in reality, police found the corpse of transsexual officeseeker Jennifer Gale in public. It had died from exposure to the cold. In life, it was as addled about policy as its sex. Nevertheless, in life it also managed to annoy the likeminded local power elite – likeminded about politics anyway. I don’t know what those people do in private when they’re not destroying the city. I once told the TCLP that we’ll know we’ve truly won when we hold all offices in the county and we’re stepping over the bodies of the former aforesaid elite. I used the example of Will Wynn, Austin mayor and unindicted assailant, befouling himself in the gutter, or better yet, stiff enough to scrape off the pavement with a snow shovel. My supposed confederates blanched at my remarks, which may explain why they’re no closer to political power than Gale.²⁶ The point of participating in electoral politics is to win, to implement one’s agenda. And to win, foremost, one must have the proper mindset.

Police are prowling for a Hispanic suspect wanted in connection with a trio of store burglaries in the star-crossed chi-chi Second Street District.²⁷ The Business Journal reports even local lawyers are feeling the recession’s pinch.²⁸ The Statesman’s editorial staff fulminates about the proliferation of urban deer in the county.²⁹

Media Indigest

“Envy,” a free new glossy magazine praising the trendy, prolifigate lifestyle in the major metro areas along insterstates 35 and 45 – supposedly discredited by the recession – has joined the news racks. For example, the slick praises a new Dallas lounge whose partners spent six figures to come up with a design concept of “1970s porn chic.” The pictures don’t prove it.³⁰

Which reminds me, Rock Creek Free Press reports that scientists think many AIDS cases may actually be misdiagnosed cases of syphilis.³¹ That won’t help the AIDS industry’s pretensions.³²

Speaking of syphilis, NPR announced personnel cutbacks to cope with curtailed corporate contributions.³³ I didn’t drink coffee in college because after I awoke, I turned on the radio to the NPR affiliate. Hearing those smarmy Beltway voices roused me to boiling fury. Then I was ready for my first class.³⁴

Cultural Canapés

I happened to see a Time-Life infomercial for ‘50s oldies hosted by Bowzer of Sha Na Na fame. He looked, well, like an older Bowzer, still wearing the same tank top and sneakers from his heyday. Whatever money he earned as an entertainer obviously didn’t go into his wardrobe. I know most of you haven’t been asking yourselves, “Hey, I wonder whatever happened to Bowzer from Sha Na Na?”³⁵ But in case you did, this tidbit’s for you. Austin Dispatches: We report. You retch.

On Colorado Street, Carlos Santana opened the fourth in his new restaurant chain, Maria Maria.³⁶ Looking at the menu, I think he missed an opportunity to plug his back catalog: “The Borboletta plate mixes norteño cuisine with Brazilian elements for a piquant fusion entrée.”³⁷

Plenitude of 2008

Last year was actually the first where I kept a running tally of the voluminous media/entertainment output that impinged on my consciousness and that I think is good, informative or entertaining. Three people I know personally are responsible for two of the entries below, and they’re the main inspiration for this very long list. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have attempted this. In fact, despite the recession, this is incomplete. For example, as of today, more than 200 possibly interesting books – and perhaps 250 – were published last year that I know of, but I haven’t had a chance to even browse them, let alone decide if they’re worth recommending. Alternately, the television and cinema sublists are much closer to being complete, because the expense and labor-extensive collaboration still required for them naturally limits the number of productions. I was going to wait until Jan. 31 for the preliminary cutoff, but many other tasks demand my focus, so I’m including the list with the rest of the issue that’s conveniently gelled for me. I write “preliminary” because more movies, books and audio releases from 2008 that were underpromoted or -publicized will appear for about the next two years in art house theaters, remainder catalogs, and citings in Lew Rockwell.com columns.

I. Television
1.    The Family Guy. Fox.
2.    Late Night With Conan O’Brien. NBC-TV.
3.    Mad Men. AMC.
4.    The Simpsons. Fox.
5.    South Park. Comedy Central.

II. Cinema
1.    Burn After Reading. Mike Zoss Productions/Relativity Media/Studio Canal/Working Title Films.
2.    Frost/Nixon. Imagine Entertainment/ Relativity Media/Studio Canal/Working Title Films.
3.    In Bruges. Blueprint Pictures/Film4/Focus Features/Scion Films.
4.    Pride and Glory. Avery Pix/New Line Cinema/O’Connor Brothers/Solaris.
5.    Rachel Getting Married. Clinica Estetico/Marc Platt Productions.
6.    Redbelt. Sony Pictures Classics.
7.    Righteous Kill. Millennium Films/Nu Image Films/Emmett/Furla Films/InVenture Entertainment/Grosvenor Park Media.
8.    Synecdoche, New York. Likely Story/Projective Testing Service/Russia/Sidney Kimmel Entertainment.
9.    Traitor. Crescendo Productions/Hyde Park Films/Mandeville Films/Overture Films.
10.    Tropic Thunder. DreamWorks Pictures/Red Hour Films/Goldcrest Pictures/Road Rebel.
11.    Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Mediapro/Gravier Productions/Antena 3 Films/Antena 3 Televisión.
12.    W. Emperor Motion Pictures/Global Entertainment Group Co./Ixtlan Corp./Millbrook Pictures/Omnilab Media/Onda Entertainment/QED International.
13.    What Just Happened? 2929 Productions/Art Linson Productions/Tribeca Productions.

III. Publishing
1.    Anarchism/Minarchism: Is a Government Part of a Free Country? Ed. Roderick T. Long and Tibor R. Machan. Aldershot, U.K.: Ashgate.
2.    Anderson, Chris. The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More, rev. ed. New York City: Hyperion.
3.    The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, 42nd rev. ed. Ed. Darrell Christian, Sally Jacobsen, and David Minthorn. New York City: Associated Press.
4.    Ayoob, Massad. The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry. Iola, Wis.: Gun Digest Books.
5.    Barrett, Jo. The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom, rev. ed. New York City: Avon.
6.    Beronä, David A. Wordless Books: The Original Graphic Novels. New York City: Abrams.
7.    Bird, Chris. The Concealed Handgun Manual: How to Choose, Carry, and Shoot a Gun in Self Defense, 4th rev. ed. San Antonio: Privateer Publications.
8.    Boudreau, Tyler E. Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine. Port Townsend, Wash.: Feral House.
9.    "Brecher, Gary." War Nerd. New York City: Soft Skull.
10.    Binkley, Christina. Winner Takes All: Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, Gary Loveman, and the Race to Own Las Vegas. New York City: Hyperion.
11.    Brown, Damon. Porn & Pong: How Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider and Other Sexy Games Changed Our Culture. Port Townsend, Wash.: Feral House.
12.    Burrough, Bryan, and John Helyar. Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco, 2nd rev. ed. New York City: Collins Business.
13.    Cannell, Stephen J. At First Sight: A Novel of Obsession. New York City: Vanguard Press.
14.    Cannell, Stephen J. Three Shirt Deal: A Shane Scully Novel. New York City: St. Martin’s Press.
15.    Christe, Ian. Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga, rev. ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
16.    Conversations With Anthony Burgess. Ed. Earl G. Ingersoll and Mary C. Ingersoll. Jackson, Miss.: UP of Mississippi.
17.    Corace, Don. Government Pirates: The Assault on Private Property Rights and How We Can Fight It. New York City: Harper.
18.    Corsi, Jerome R. The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality. New York City: Threshold Editions.
19.    Crawford, Alan Pell. Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson. New York City: Random House.
20.    Davis, Michael. Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. New York City: Viking.
21.    Dean, John W., and Barry M. Goldwater Jr. Pure Goldwater. New York City: Palgrave Macmillan.
22.    Doherty, Brian. Gun Control on Trial: Inside the Supreme Court Battle Over the Second Amendment. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute.
23.    Faulks, Sebastian. Devil May Care. New York City: Doubleday.
24.    Fletcher, Martin. Breaking News: A Stunning and Memorable Account of Reporting From Some of the Most Dangerous Places in the World. New York City: Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press.
25.    Fontova, Humberto. Exposing the Real Che Guevara: And the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him, rev. ed. New York City: Sentinel.
26.    Freddoso, David. The Case Against Barack Obama: The Unlikely Rise and Unexamined Agenda of the Media’s Favorite Candidate. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing.
27.    Fruchter, Rena. I’m Chevy Chase … and You’re Not, rev. ed. London: Virgin Books.
28.    Garfinkel, Jonathan. Ambivalence: Adventures in Israel and Palestine. New York City: W.W. Norton & Co.
29.    Gleick, James. Chaos: Making a New Science, rev. ed. New York City: Penguin Books.
30.    Grandmaster Flash [Joseph Robert Saddler], David Ritz, and Geoff Martin. The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash: My Life, My Beats. New York City: Broadway Books.
31.    Groopman, Dr. Jerome. How Doctors Think, rev. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
32.    Hajdu, David. The Ten-¢ent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America. New York City: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
33.    Harvey Pekar: Conversations. Ed. Michael G. Rhode. Jackson, Miss.: UP of Mississippi.
34.    Healy, Gene. The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute.
35.    Hedges, Chris, and Laila Al-Arian. Collateral Damage: America's War Against Iraqi Civilians. New York City: Nation Books.
36.    Hülsmann, Jörg Guido. The Ethics of Money Production. Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute.
37.    Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form. Ed. Paul Buhle. New York City: The New Press, 2008.
38.    Kapoor, Jack R., Les R. Dlabay, and Robert James Hughes. Personal Finance, 8th rev. ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
39.    Katz, Ephraim, and Ronald Dean Nolan. The Film Encyclopedia, rev. 5th ed. New York City: Collins.
40.    Kauffman, Bill. Ain’t My America: The Long, Noble History of Antiwar Conservatism and Middle American Anti-Imperialism. New York City: Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Co.
41.    Kennedy, Dan. Rock On. Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
42.    Kerouac, Jack, and William S. Burroughs. And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks. Ed. James Grauerholz. New York City: Grove Press.
43.    Kucinich, Dennis, David Swanson, and Elizabeth de la Vega. The 35 Articles of Impeachment and the Case for Prosecuting George W. Bush. Port Townsend, Wash.: Feral House.
44.    Kuwata, Jiro. Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan. Trans. Anne Ishii and Chip Kidd. Ed. Kidd, Geoff Spear, and Saul Ferris. New York City: Pantheon Books.
45.    Land of the Permanent Wave: An Edwin "Bud" Shrake Reader. Ed. Steven L. Davis. Austin, Texas: U of Texas P.
46.    Levey, Gregory. Shut Up, I’m Talking, and Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government: A Memoir. New York City: Free Press.
47.    Liebling, A.J. World War II Writings. Ed. Pete Hamill. New York City: Library of America.
48.    Mandel, Howard. Miles Ornette Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz. New York City: Routledge.
49.    Manso, Peter. Mailer: His Life and Times, rev. ed. New York City: Washington Square Press.
50.    Meek, James. We Are Now Beginning Our Descent. Edinburgh, U.K.: Cannongate.
51.    Mitchell, Greg. So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits – and the President – Failed on Iraq. New York City: Union Square Press.
52.    Morris, Benny. 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War. New Haven, Conn.: Yale UP.
53.    Mr. Boston Official Bartender's and Party Guide, 66th rev. ed. Ed. Anthony Giglio. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
54.    Newton, Harry. Newton’s Telecom Dictionary, 23rd rev. ed. New York City: Flatiron Publishing.
55.    Oates, Joyce Carol. Wild Nights!: Stories About the Last Days of Poe, Dickinson, Twain, James, and Hemingway. New York City: Ecco.
56.    Parker, T. Jefferson. L.A. Outlaws. New York City: Dutton.
57.    Paul, Ron. Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property. Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute.
58.    Paul, Ron. The Revolution: A Manifesto. New York City: Grand Central Publishing.
59.    Price, Jill, and Bart Davis. The Woman Who Can’t Forget: The Extraordinary Story of Living With the Most Remarkable Memory Known to Science. New York City: Free Press.
60.    Richards, Peter. John Lilburne (1615-1657): English Libertarian. London: Libertarian Alliance.
61.    Reid, Tim [Timothy Isabel Jr.], Tom Dreesen, and Ron Rapoport. Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White. Chicago: U of Chicago P.
62.    Roberts, Paul Craig, and Lawrence M. Stratton. The Tyranny of Good Intentions: How Prosecutors and Bureaucrats are Trampling the Constitution in the Name of Justice, rev. ed. New York City: Three Rivers Press.
63.    Rockwell, Llewellyn H. Jr. The Left, the Right, & the State. Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute.
64.    Roizen, Dr. Michael F. et. al. You: The Owner’s Manual: An Insider’s Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger, rev. ed. New York City: Collins.
65.    Rothbard, Murray N. The Mystery of Banking, rev. ed. Auburn, Ala.: Ludwig von Mises Institute.
66.    Sailer, Steve. America's Half-Blood Prince: Barack Obama's Story of Race and Inheritance. Washington, Conn.: VDARE Foundation.
67.    Sanchez, Lt. Gen. Ricardo (ret.), and Donald T. Phillips. Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story. New York City: Harper.
68.    Scahill, Jeremy. Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army, rev. ed. New York City: Nation Books.
69.    Shenon, Philip. The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation. New York City: Twelve.
70.    Shorrock, Tim. Spies for Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing. New York City: Simon & Schuster.
71.    Solin, Daniel R. The Smartest 401(k) Book You'll Ever Read: Maximize Your Retirement Savings – the Smart Way!: (Smartest 403(b) and 457(b), Too!). New York City: Perigee.
72.    Sowell, Thomas. Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One, rev. ed. New York City: Basic Books.
73.    Steingold, Fred S. Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business, 9th rev. ed. Berkeley, Calif.: Nolo.
74.    Steyn, Mark. America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It, rev. ed. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing.
75.    Sublette, Ned. The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square. Chicago: Lawrence Hill Books.
76.    Synecdoche, New York: The Shooting Script: Screenplay and Introduction by Charlie Kaufman. New York City: Newmarket Press.
77.    Waldman, Steven. Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America. New York City: Random House.
78.    Weiner, Tim. Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA, rev. ed. New York City: Anchor Books.
79.    Wiest, Andrew. Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN. New York City: New York UP.
80.    Wolf, Michael Allan. The Zoning of America: Euclid v. Ambler. Lawrence, Kan.: UP of Kansas.
81.    Wolff, Tobias. Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories. New York City: Alfred A. Knopf.
82.    Woods, Thomas E. Jr., and Kevin R.C. Gutzman. Who Killed the Constitution? The Fate of American Liberty from World War I to George W. Bush. New York City: Crown Forum.
83.    Woodward, Bob. The War Within: A Secret White House History 2006-2008. New York City: Simon & Schuster.
84.    Wright, Evan. Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America and the New Face of American War, rev. ed. New York City: Berkley Caliber.
85.    Young, Toby. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, rev. ed. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press.

IV. Audio
1.    AC/DC. Black Ice. Columbia.
2.    Akiyoshi, Toshiko, and the SWE Big Band. Let Freedom Swing. Hanssler.
3.    Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin. Mosaic Select.
4.    Eric Alexander Quartet. Prime Time: In Concert. Highnote.
5.    Barron, Kenny. The Traveler. Sunnyside.
6.    Beck, Jeff. Performing This Week: Live at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. Eagle.
7.    Becker, Walter. Circus Money, Japanese ed. Sonic 360.
8.    Bernard, Will. Blue Plate Special. Palmetto.
9.    The Best of Cal Tjader: Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-1980. Monterey Jazz Festival.
10.    Billy Boy Arnold Sings Sonny Boy John Lee Williamson. Electro-Fi.
11.    Black Orpheus. Universal France.
12.    Black Sabbath. The Rules of Hell. Rhino/Warner Bros.
13.    Braxton, Anthony, William Parker, and Milford Graves. Beyond Quantum. Tzadik.
14.    Brazilian Trio. Forests. Zoho.
15.    Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band. Seasons of Change. Verve.
16.    Art Blakey and the Giants of Jazz. Live at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival. Monterey Jazz Festival.
17.    Carla Bley and Her Remarkable! Big Band. Appearing Nightly. Watt/ECM.
18.    Blue Mambo. Blue Mambo.
19.    Braden, Don. Gentle Storm. Highnote.
20.    Brownout. Homenaje. Freestyle.
21.    Bruford, Bill, and Michiel Borstlap. In Two Minds. Summerfold.
22.    Buena Vista Social Club. At Carnegie Hall. World Circuit/Nonesuch.
23.    Cables, George. Morning Song. Highnote.
24.    Cables, George. You Don’t Know Me. Kind of Blue.
25.    Carter, James. Present Tense. Universal Jazz.
26.    Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!, European ed. EMI Europe Generic.
27.    Elvis Costello and The Imposters. Momofuku. Lost Highway.
28.    Carlin, George. It’s Bad for Ya. Laugh.com.
29.    Champion, Mickey. Bam-a-Lam: The R&B Recordings 1950-1962. Ace.
30.    Chase. Chase/Ennea/Pure Music. Wounded Bird.
31.    The Collectable King Crimson: Live at Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 1996. Inner Knot.
32.    The Complete Arista Recordings of Anthony Braxton. Mosaic.
33.    The Complete Clef/Mercury Recordings of the Oscar Peterson Trio (1951-1953). Mosaic.
34.    Connick, Harry Jr. What a Night!: A Christmas Album, Barnes & Noble ed. Sony.
35.    Copland, Marc. Another Place. Pirouet.
36.    Cray, Robert. Live at the BBC. Mercury.
37.    Davies, Peter Maxwell, and the Maggini Quartet. Naxos Quartets Nos. 9 and 10. Naxos.
38.    Davis, Geater. I’ll Play the Blues for You: The Legendary House of Orange Sessions. Soulscape.
39.    Davis, Jamie. Vibe Over Perfection. Dig.
40.    Davis, Sammy Jr. The Capitol Years. DRG.
41.    Day, Margie. Dawn of a New Day/Experience. Poker.
42.    Del tha Funkee Homosapien [Teren Delvon Jones]. Eleventh Hour. Definitive Jux.
43.    Diddley, Bo [Elias McDaniel]. Road Runner: The Chess Masters 1959-1960. Hip-O Select.
44.    Bill Dixon With Exploding Star Orchestra. Thrill Jockey.
45.    Dr. John and The Lower 911. City That Care Forgot. 429.
46.    Duke, George. Dukey Treats. Heads Up.
47.    Edmond, Rita. Sketches of a Dream. T.O.T.I. Music.
48.    Exodus. Let There Be Blood. Zaentz/Mega Force.
49.    Richard Festinger: Chamber Works. Bridge.
50.    David Finck Quartet. Future Day. Soundbrush.
51.    The Firesign Theatre’s Box of Danger: The Complete Nick Danger Casebook. Shout! Factory.
52.    Al Foster Quartet. Love, Peace and Jazz!: Live at the Village Vanguard. Jazz Eyes.
53.    Franklin, Aretha. Oh Me Oh My: Aretha Live in Philly, 1972. Rhino Handmade.
54.    Galliano, Richard, and Eddy Louiss. European Jazz Masters. Dreyfus.
55.    Derrick Gardner and The Jazz Prophets. A Ride to the Other Side … of Infinity. Owl Studios.
56.    Galynin, Herman. Piano Music, Vol. 1. Toccata Classics.
57.    Garrett, Kenny. Sketches of MD. Mack Avenue.
58.    Gil, Gilberto [Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira]. Banda Larga Cordel. Warner Music.
59.    George, Inara, and Van Dyke Parks. An Invitation. Everloving.
60.    Glawischnig, Hans. Panorama. Sunnyside.
61.    Green, Al. Lay It Down. Blue Note.
62.    Greene, Jimmy. The Overcomer’s Suite. Nu Jazz.
63.    Grupo Fantasma. Sonidos Gold. High Wire Music.
64.    Guy, Buddy. Skin Deep. Silvertone/Zomba.
65.    Hamilton, Chico. Trio! Live @ Artpark. Joyous Shout.
66.    Roy Hargrove Quintet. Earfood. EmArcy.
67.    Harrison, Donald. The Chosen. Nagel-Heyer.
68.    Heavy D [Dwight Myers]. Vibes. Stride/Fontana.
69.    Henze, Hans Werner. Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8. Wergo.
70.    Herwig, Conrad. The Latin Side of Wayne Shorter. Highnote.
71.    Hill, Andrew, and Chico Hamilton. Dreams Come True. Joyous Shout.
72.    Holiday, Cynthia. All the Way. Miles High.
73.    Dave Holland Sextet. Pass It On. Universal AB/EmArcy/Dare2.
74.    Horn, Shirley. Live at the 1994 Monterey Jazz Festival. Monterey Jazz Festival.
75.    Hot Club of Detroit. Night Town. Mack Avenue.
76.    Freddie Hubbard and the New Jazz Composers Octet. On the Real Side. Four Quarters/Times Square.
77.    Hunter, James. The Hard Way. Hear Music.
78.    Jackson, Javon. Once Upon a Melody. Palmetto.
79.    Jackson, Joe. Rain. Rykodisc.
80.    Jamal, Ahmad [Frederick Russell Jones]. It’s Magic. Dreyfus.
81.    James Brown: The Singles, Vol. 5: 1967-1969. Hip-O Select.
82.    Jazzanova. Of All the Things, Japanese ed. Universal.
83.    Bujo Kevin Jones and Tenth World. Live. Motema.
84.    Kapustin, Nikolai. Piano Sonata No. 15; Preludes; Etudes; Bagatelles. Naxos.
85.    King, B.B. [Riley King]. One Kind Favor. Geffen.
86.    Klein, Guillermo, and Los Guachos. Filtros. Sunnyside.
87.    Kuti, Femi. Day by Day. Mercer Street/Downtown.
88.    Labelle. Back to Now. Verve.
89.    Lee, Peggy [Norma Deloris Engstrom]. The Lost ‘40s and ‘50s Capitol Masters. Collectors’ Choice Music.
90.    Little Ceasar [Harry Caesar]. Your on the Hour Man: The Modern, Dolphin and Downey Recordings 1952-1960. Ace.
91.    Locke, Joe. Force of Four. Origin.
92.    Lost Tribe: Mike Eisler’s Bluegrass Instrumentals. Mountain View Audio.
93.    Lovano, Joe. Symphonica. Blue Note.
94.    Gene Ludwig Trio and the Bill Warfield Big Band. Duff’s Blues. 18th & Vine.
95.    Mahal, Taj [Henry St. Clair Fredericks]. Maestro. Heads Up.
96.    Maria Bethania & Omara Portuondo. Biscoito Fino BR.
97.    Ellis Marsalis Quartet. An Open Letter to Thelonious. ELM.
98.    Maupin, Bennie. Early Reflections. Cryptogramophon.
99.    Chris McGregor’s Brotherhood of Breath. Eclipse at Dawn. Cuneiform.
100.    Mela, Francisco. Cirio: Live at the Blue Note. Halfnote.
101.    The Melvins. Nude With Boots. Ipecac.
102.    Mendes, Sergio. Encanto. Concord.
103.    Metallica. Death Magnetic. Warner Bros.
104.    Microscopic Septet. Lobster Leaps In. Cuneiform.
105.    Bob Mintzer Big Band. Swing Out. MCG Jazz.
106.    Moody, James, and Hank Jones. Our Delight. IPO.
107.    Stanton Moore Trio. Emphasis! (On Parenthesis). Telarc.
108.    Motörhead. Motörizer. Steamhammer.
109.    Mover, Bob. It Amazes Me…. Zoho.
110.    Murray, David, and Mal Waldron. Silence. Justin Time.
111.    Newman, David “Fathead.” Diamondhead. Highnote.
112.    Newman, Randy. Harps and Angels. Nonesuch.
113.    O’Dell, Brooks. I’m Your Man: The Anthology 1963-1972. Kent UK.
114.    O’Farrill, Arturo Jr. and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. Song for Chico. Zoho.
115.    O’Farrill, Arturo Jr., and Claudia Acuña. In These Shoes. Zoho.
116.    Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada. The Alchemist Manifesto. Eighteen Street Lounge Music.
117.    Otero, Fernando. Pagina de Buenos Aires. Nonesuch.
118.    Parker, Charlie. Washington D.C. 1948. Uptown.
119.    Parker, William. Double Sunrise Over Neptune. Aum Fidelity/Arts for Art.
120.    William Parker Quartet. Petit Oiseau. Aum Fidelity.
121.    Passing Strange: The Stew Musical. Razor & Tie.
122.    Passos, Rosa. Romance. Telarc.
123.    Perry, Sacha. The Third Time Around. Smalls Records.
124.    Person, Houston, and Ron Carter. Just Between Friends. Highnote.
125.    Portishead. Third. Mercury/Island.
126.    Dafnis Prieto Sextet. Taking the Soul for a Walk. Dafnison.
127.    Puente, Tito. The Complete 78s, Vol. 1. Fania.
128.    Tito Puente and His Orchestra. Live at the 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival. Monterey Jazz Festival.
129.    Ritmo Masacote. Fantagious. Masacote.
130.    Roc Doc: Louis Jordan on Mercury 1956-1957. Rev-Ola.
131.    Rodriguez-Lopez, Omar. Apocalypse Inside of an Orange. Infrasonic.
132.    Rollins, Sonny. Road Shows, Vol 1. EmArcy.
133.    Sonny Rollins/Don Cherry Quartet. The Complete 1963 Paris Concert. Gambit.
134.    Kurt Rosenwinkel Group. The Remedy: Live at The Village Vanguard. Artist Share.
135.    Rundgren, Todd. Arena. Hi Fi Recordings.
136.    Sanchez, David. Cultural Survival. Concord.
137.    Saxophone Summit. Seraphic Light. Telarc.
138.    Scaggs, Boz. Speak Low. Decca U.S.
139.    Schuller, Gunter. Journey Into Jazz. BMOP/Sound.
140.    The Sea and Cake. Car Alarm. Thrill Jockey.
141.    Sharpe, Avery. Legends & Mentors: The Music of McCoy Tyner, Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef. JKNM.
142.    Shaw, Jaleel. Optimism. Changu.
143.    Simone on Simone. Simone’s World/Koch.
144.    Simply Kenia. Mooka.
145.    Smith, Wadada Leo. Tabligh. Cuneiform.
146.    Something for You: Eliane Elias Sings & Plays Bill Evans. Blue Note.
147.    Southern Gentlemen. Valley of Fire. Leviathan.
148.    Southside Johnny [John Lyon] and LaBamba’s Big Band. Grapefruit Moon: The Songs of Tom Waits. Evangeline.
149.    Spaulding, Esperanza. Esperanza. Heads Up.
150.    Stereolab. Chemical Chords, Japanese ed. Phantom Sound & Vision.
151.    Stuff. Live at Montreux 1976. Columbia/Eagle.
152.    Tate, Howard. Blue Day. Evidence.
153.    Thicke, Robin. Something Else. Star Trak/Interscope.
154.    Thomas, Rufus. The Sun Years Plus: His R&B Recordings 1949-1956. Bear Family.
155.    Mel Tormé Meets the British: The London Recordings 1956/1957. Sepia.
156.    Tower of Power. Ain’t Nothin’ Stoppin’ Us Now/We Came to Play/Back on the Streets. Beat Goes On.
157.    Tower of Power. The East Bay Archive, Vol. 1. Tower of Power.
158.    Turre, Steve. Rainbow People. Highnote.
159.    Tyner, McCoy. Guitars. Half Note/McCoy Tyner.
160.    Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The Motown Years. Hip-O Select.
161.    Wallace, Wayne. The Nature of the Beat. R.N.L.G.
162.    Walton, Cedar. Seasoned Wood. Highnote.
163.    Was (Not Was). Boo! Rykodisc.
164.    Washington, Walter “Wolfman.” Doin’ the Funky Thing. Zoho Roots.
165.    Watson, Bobby. From the Heart. Palmetto.
166.    Chip White All-Star Ensemble. Double Dedication. Dark Colors.
167.    Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. The Tiffany Transcriptions. Collectors’ Choice Music.
168.    Wilson, Cassandra. Loverly. Blue Note.
169.    Winter, Johnny. Live Bootleg Series, Vol. 2 & 3. Friday.
170.    Witherspoon, Jimmy. Live at the Renaissance. Acrobat.
171.    Wolfe, Ben. No Strangers Here. MaxJazz.
172.    Wooten, Victor. Palmystery. Heads Up.
173.    Wuorinen, Charles. The Dante Trilogy (Chamber Version). Naxos.
174.    The Yellowjackets. Lifecycle. Heads Up.
175.    Zappa, Frank. One Shot Deal. Zappa/Vaulternative.
176.    Zappa Plays Zappa (Fan Pak). Razor & Tie.

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