Tonight I'm Taking The "A" Train

Duke Ellington

Count Basie

John Lee Hooker

I've got some really good old jazz and blues CD's, from a collection called Forever Gold. I picked them up for a steal one day at Best Buy.........yes, the same place I got my track ball mouse yesterday, and yes, one again I had to wait in one of the two ques out of a dozen, that were open. I don't mean to pick on Best Buy, but hey if the the shoe fits, wear it! All mega and big box stores seem to be guilty of the same crime. Why do they install so many registers, and then have only a small fraction of them open at any one time?

Anyway.........getting back to Forever Gold, it is a wonderful 3 CD collection, that includes some of the the works of legends, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and the king of the Delta Blues, John Lee Hooker. This is legendary stuff! For someone like me, who is sort of post rock (although still loves it, and all of the other genres when in the right mood), some of the older classic stuff really appeals to me now. Ellington and Basie, along with their contemporary, Billy Holiday can put me in such a very peaceful, relaxed mood, especially after a couple of glasses of the grape. Now in my younger days, that would have meant, Thunderbird, Mad Dog, Night Train, or Red Rocket, and those choices may actually have been more authentic to the genre, but my tastes have become a bit more sophisticated in my old age, and now I prefer a nice velvety Zinfandel.

At any rate, here is a tune from each of these great legends, starting off with Ellington's Sophisticated Lady


Count Basie's One O'Clock Jump


John Lee Hooker's No Shoes

And John Lee Hooker's Dimples


And since I love you all so much, here's a sweet bonus number, from Billie Holiday! Miss Brown To You



This is very old stuff, so I hope you can enjoy it. Why hell, it was old even when I was young, but it's great stuff nevertheless!


Warmest regards to all,
Melissa XX