Music - Film - Ramdom Ramble - Journal

More Vinyl

2009-12-18T10:05:00.000-08:00

Picked up:

1. Cannonball Aderley - Somethin' Else 45RPM

2. Grant Green - Idle Moments 45RPM

3. Melody Gardot - My One And Only Thrill

Thinking about it is already giving me a ear orgasm.

Vinyl

2009-12-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

I made an order for few Vinyls so now I have to go and setup my Linn. The only thing I need now is the Phono pre-amp, which could cost anywhere from few hundred bucks to few thousands. Damn!!!

John Coltrane Quartet- Ballads

2009-12-16T20:47:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, I pop in this record and just mesmerize at how beautiful this session sounds. It's a perfect in every aspect and even more so when it's blistering cold outside. It warms my heart and soul so much that I have no words for it. I just feel and listen like a droid.

Surprisingly...

2009-09-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive... just busy at work. That's all.

Denon AVR-2809CI

2009-03-20T10:03:00.001-07:00

If you're looking to upgrade your home theater, considering getting this Denon receiver. It's currently comes with a free Denon Blu-ray player which retail more than $1000.

Grant Green - Idle Moments

2009-01-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

I owned many of Grant Green 60s albums and they're all great, but if I have to pick one to put my two cents on it... it would be Idle Moments. As a singular straightahead guitar player, his style suited well for this album. "Idle Moments," titled track, extended at 14 minutes and 56 seconds but felt more like three minutes. It is simply because there's no idle moments that would cause you to be idle. Each solo piece in the track is breathtaking beautiful. Joe Henderson's moody solo is haunting and reflective. Like other jazz legends, this album is the hall-of-fame for Grant Green and for all the jazzoids out there.

Bolt

2009-01-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

One of the three best animated this year along side with Wall*E and Kung Fu Panda. Wall*E is sorta nostalgic while Kung Fu Panda is all out awesome-ness. The story central around Bolt, an actor dog who never ventured out of the set and he thinks that the TV series that he's in is real. At any rate, definitely worth watching.

Gran Torino

2009-01-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

Clint Eastwood, even in his old age, can act as a tough guy better than most much younger actors that I've watched. In Gran Torino, the premise is simple and the story is straight forward but it draws me in. It's much better than most movies I've watched lately and certainly worth a matinee.

Bankok Dangerous - Street King

2009-01-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Bankok Dangerous is almost a watchable movie but failed short because of ole tired "assassin with the heart of gold." It's easily forgettable and you left feeling unsatisfied.

Street King is almost as bad as Bankok Dangerous but just a bit better. Worth a rental if there's nothing else to watch.

Work Work Work!!!

2008-12-29T13:16:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'm actually happy to be at work, but I am today. After working from home for over a week, I'm ready to be at work with a happy face.

F*cken Snow

2008-12-28T12:14:00.000-08:00

My car is not equipped with chain or any sort of winter accessories so for the last few days, I felt like a prisoner trap in my own house. This is by far the worse Christmas I've ever had. Damn!!!

Hopefully new year is better.

Crazy Weather

2008-12-20T22:47:00.000-08:00

I'm wearing two pair of socks, thick sweat pant, ass warm sweater, heater going at 71F and my feet are still freezing. Damn!!

John Coltrane, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Burrell, Idrees Sulieman - The Cats

2008-12-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Discovered this record while listening to NPR's "The Art of Jazz" and it's amazing. This record is one (the other being Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane) of the only two records that John Coltrane and Kenny Burrell jam together. Tommy Flanagan provides all the composition except for "How Long Has This Been Going On." The whole set is bright and joyus with Flanagan provides a heartfelt interpretation of "How Long Has This Been Going On." I guess magic do happens when the jazz masters get together.

John Coltrane Quartet - Coltrane

2008-12-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

It's hard to find a John Coltrane record that's not worth listening to, especially the material he puts out with his classic quartet--pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Elvin Jones. It's hard to put words to Coltrane's music simply because it needs to be felt and heard. Literal words simply can't describe the breath of Coltrane's creativeness and his passion for music. So, listeners simply has to experience the music on their own and form their own opinion.

Louis Armstrong - New Orleans Nights

2008-12-18T12:05:00.001-08:00

Jazz is best when experience live, and that's no exception on record. Many of my favorites jazz records are live recorded sessions. This New Orleans Nights sessions are compilation between 1950 and 1954 with different sidemen. This 2008 remastered edition is quite a kick. The bass line is thick and Louis' trumpet is swinging. It's funkily swinging and very satisfied session.

Let it Snow!

2008-12-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

Damn, it's snowy and icy in Seattle.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

2008-12-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

This game brings back so much memory of the golden days of arcade. Now, in a glorious 1080p HD remix, the game is even better. Fast paced, simple, and best of all... online competition. Downloadable on PS3 or XBOX, get it and start owning!

ICE ICE BABY

2008-12-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

Washington's weather has been quite extreme the last few days. It snowed last Saturday and remain below freezing temperature since. At 7:30AM this morning, when I looked out the windows getting ready for work... ice had formed about an inch or so in front of my house. So, I'm working from home. No chain for the car :).

Sleeping Beauty (2008 Blu-Ray)

2008-12-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

I watched a lot of Disney movies simply because I was exposed to it a lot. My nieces when they were younger constantly watching Sleeping Beauty but I never my any heed to the movie. It was on VHS and I simply wasn't interested. The movie is now meticulously restored and remastered, it looks as though it was just made yesterday. The grandeur, the score, the animation, and the overall story were simply amazing. The color palate was simply popping!! Beautifully drawn and it stood the test of time well. Simply amazing (hah, I said simply amazing twice.. thrice now). If you own a PS3 or any blu-ray capable player, you owe it to yourself to get this masterpiece.

Transporter 3

2008-12-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

Utter was of time!!!!!!!

EAC - Exact Audio Copy

2008-12-16T08:23:00.000-08:00

EAC is the only tool I used for audio ripping. I was trying to look for something similar in MAC but there's nothing. I can't ask for everything, can I?

Wadia 170iTransport - iPod Dock

2008-12-15T20:11:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought with just a little help, iPod would becomes a high-end player. Wadia 170iTransport enabled direct digital read from the iPod and then output it purely digital so that the only limitation is your D/A converter. Luckily enough, my SimAudio SuperNova CD player has a digital input specificly for this occassion. Soundwise, unless I do a really fast A/B switch... I would not be able to tell which sounds better. Granted, the CD player sounds just a shade more dynamic and forward... other than that, it's pretty much identical. While I love my CD player, iPod on the Wadia transport enabled me to listen to custom playlist without reservation. I did a A/B listen on most people and none could really tell the difference. If anyone's looking to build a high-end rack without breaking the bank, this is it. Pair this with a high quality D/A converter and you are practically there.

Few caveats, it seems that its output is fairly high jitter... meaning that if your D/A converter is not good enough you will experience digital jitterness in your music. The Bob Marley stuffs that I rip using EAC were experiencing this issue when I playback on my system. Other stuffs that I tried didn't have any problem.

Paris By Night 94 – 25th Anniversary

2008-12-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

It's been ages since I actually bought a DVD from ThuyNga (simply because I rarely ever watched one), and it turns out to be better than what I was expected. Nguyen Huy is definitely the highlight of the show. The rest is not so painful that I didn't have to skip around too much except for a few.

Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose

2008-12-15T19:55:00.001-08:00

First time I heard the song was in Wall*E and I immediately fell in love with the song. It's sentimental and it gives you a sense of euphoria. It's something that most modern music genre lacks...especially pop music these days. Anyway, it's great to be discover music anywhere and anytime.

Thanh Lam - Lam Xua

2008-09-24T14:23:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I didn't really listen to the album entirely... but having sample a few, I can't say that I will have the patient to actually sit through it. Though it seems that she toned down the "Le Minh Son" effects and deliver it the "old school" style, I can't say that it works here. The "Le Minh Son" residue still have its influence on her classics that made her famous. When the pair team up for "Ru Mai Ngan Nam" and "Nang Len", I thought I was going to get a steady stream of good shit. Instead, everything after those two album seems to be a test of patient.

Google Chrome

2008-09-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

As if most people haven't heard about this yet, but thought I should mention it... the new browser is pretty OK. Worth switching to if you're using IE exclusively. It still lacks features compare to FireFox 3, but it's in beta... so it's not the same comparison there.

One Word: OBAMA

2008-08-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

The man does now how to work the crowd on his acceptance speech. Looks like he got my vote! :)

Hancock

2008-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

Err... wtf happens to anti-superhero? First half of the movie was promising, but it's all down hill from there. Good premise, but lack substance.

Batman: The Dark Knight

2008-08-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

Saw this movie a while back on its opening night and it was simply amazing. Dark, gritty, and thoroughly entertaining. Heath Ledger's interpretation of the joker is completely different than that of Jack Nicholson. Fans of Jack will argue that "Jack is the Joker," in my opinion not only that Heath's version of The Joker is darker but he embodied it. Two-Face's performance is not by any mean sub-standard, it is just as good.

I'm thinking of seeing it in IMAX!!

Ads: No More

2008-08-25T22:52:00.001-07:00

Adding Ads Sense to my blog was an experiment but it's gone now. Squeaky clean blog the way it should be.

Zohan ... Love Guru = Tired Dick Jokes

2008-08-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I made a mistake of seeing Love Guru even though the reviews were miserable. The whole movie is one long running about dick jokes. Really, it's just tiresome after 20 minutes. "You don't mess with the Zohan" is a bit more entertaining, but it still a lot of dicks in there.

Bottom line, I'm dick-out.

Interesting Post Regarding Mr. Nice Guy

2008-08-25T15:13:00.001-07:00

The best part of the article:

The nice guy cares too much, too soon. He has made the woman too important and too valuable and it shows in everything he says and does. He is too available, too eager to please, too accommodating, and he gives too much -- all without getting anything in return. By doing so, he has made himself appear desperate, insecure, needy of this woman's attention, affection, and approval -- and he has stripped himself of any value in her eyes.

Friends on IRC

2008-08-25T14:52:00.001-07:00

It sucks when you have a blog and can't even keep up with it. A while back, I made a post regarding Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and someone from the old days actually have a chance to read my post and made a comment. I do remember her IRC nickname and it's too bad that she didn't leave means of communication other than a post.

Anyway, I hope that she does find her way back here and make contact again. :)

FireFox3 Add-ons

2008-06-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Few of the recommended add-ons for are Better GMail 2, and CustomizeGoogle. For those who doesn't like Google's ads, installing CustomizeGoogle will enabled you to disable those Google's ads. Better GMail 2 has few nifty options of skins other niceties.

FireFox3

2008-06-30T11:18:00.001-07:00

If you don't have it, you're not cool! :) Get it!

Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-09T16:48:00.001-07:00

Expedia DOT COM

2008-05-22T15:22:00.001-07:00

Now that I'm on my fourth week at Expedia.com and it's pretty exciting. New job, new co-workers (some old ones I knew from my previous job too), and new challenge. I think I'm going to stick it out here!

Indian Jones ... Iron Man

2008-05-22T15:16:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of advance screen of Indy 4 two days before the official release and saw Iron Man on the same day as well. Indy was Indy and it was thoroughly enjoyable. However, I felt like it lacks a bit of energy and this movie was made to milk money from the franchise (more or less).

Iron Man on the other hand was awesome. I never thought of Robert Downy Jr. as some superhero type but he made it works. It's easily one of the best superhero movies to date like Spiderman 1&2 and Batman Begins. I'm looking forward to The Hulk as well as second installment of Batman: The Dark Knight. It's going to be a fun summer.

The Bank Job

2008-03-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! This is so true when I didn't realize that my vacation had stopped accruing few paychecks ago. As a result, I'm forced to take a day off just so that vacation can start accruing again. I went to the movie theater (alone, how sad) in an attempt to catch up with latest movies and "The Bank Job" was one of them that I wanted to see. Based on a true story with lots of other drama added, the movie was thoroughly entertaining. It wasn't a slick heist like Ocean's Eleven series or other high-tech heist, it was just old school robbery with few twists and turns to keep it interesting. It wasn't campy nor savvy but "realistically" enough so that one could suspense their belief for a few hours.

Charlie Haden & Egberto Gismonti - In Montreal [LIVE]

2008-03-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

A Charlie Haden tribute concert recorded in 1989 results in several outstanding records (of which some are already out-of-print). In this edition, it's Haden with Egberto Gismonti. Even though it's a Haden's tribute concert, it's Egberto Gismonti that stole the show. Gismonti played with such intensity on "Maracatú" that it's almost like Haden is not there. But closer inspection reveal that it's Haden that provide the landscape for which Gismonti can shine. The tracks alternate between Gismonti playing guitar and piano, but it's the piano tracks that are the gems. Gismonti is romantically lyrical on "Palhaço," and the twelve minutes closing track "Don Quixote" sums up all what Gismonti's virtuoso is all about... lyrical, elegant, and soothing.

Charlie Haden & Kenny Barron - Night and the City [LIVE]

2008-03-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

In this outing with pianist Kenny Barron, Charlie Haden takes duet to a new height of intimacy. It suites well for a rainy cold night. Both players delivered a relax and romantic ballads in a live club setting. Though I'm not familiar with Kenny Barron work, his display of virtuoso is thoughtful and intensely musical. Kenny's organic piano is well-met with Charlie's sweet thick bass and there's no wasted moment in the entire CD.

It Sucks! But Anyone Buy Records at Store Anymore?

2008-03-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Bud's Jazz Records is one of Seattle's jazz specialty store is going out of business. It really sucks, but anyone still going to records store to buy it anymore? I do sometime, but most of my purchases are online.

Herbie Hancock - The Joni Letters

2008-03-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

Even though this album won the Grammy as the best album of the year, I find its star-studded guests to be thematically lacking. The music is great track by track basis, but as a whole... um, sounds like a hotpot to me. This remind me of Santana's comeback album "Supernatural." To me, the first three Santana's albums superior to "Supernatural" in many ways. Classics such as "Black Magic Woman," "Oye Como Va," "She's not there," and "No One To Depend On" were much better. If anyone wants true Herbie Hancock's masterpieces, try "Maiden Voyage,"Empyrean Isles", and "Takin' Off."

Grant Green - The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark

2008-03-24T22:45:00.001-07:00

Grant Green is probably one of the few under-appreciate artist of his generation of jazz guitarist. Player like Wes Montgomery cast a huge shadow that's for anyone to be in the same lime light would be pale in comparison. Grant Green's style of music is simplicity in its core. He simply avoid chordal playing, in fact... he said his style of playing influenced by horn players such as Charlier Parker or Miles Davis. "No other player has this kind of single-note linearity . There is very little of the intellectual element in Green's playing, and his technique is always at the service of his music. And it is music, plain and simple, that makes Green unique" (Michael Erlewine).

This two CDs box set is part of another box set that cut especially with Sonny Clark in mind. With Sam Jones on bass, Art Blakey on drum, and Sonny Clark on piano... the quartets produce a poignant and reflective music that please even the most demanding listener. Sonny Clark's bluesy and elegant chops match up with Green's simplicity is a marvel to listen to. Clearly, jazz has no boundaries.

Withdrawal

2008-03-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

I'm having a bit if Vietnamese music withdrawal with nothing interesting to listen to. Releases from both side of the oceans are pretty shitty. I have to resort back to old stuffs whenever I need a fix of Viet music... damn it! I need some new breaths like Tung Duong's "Chay Tron," Tran Thu Ha's "Nhat Thuc," or something like Trinh Cong Son "Loi Cua Giong Song."

Rock On...

2008-03-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

Last Friday toward end of the day at work, I cranked up some classic AC/DC's "Back In Black" album and was just rocking on, one of my co-worker stopped by and said "I know you're a jazz kinda guy, what's up with this rock?" I raised my eye-brows and went, "I rock on dude..." Anyway, we ended up talking about rock'n roll and other interesting rock stuffs such as simplicity of rock song and how different band employed certain rhythm vs others. At the end, we agreed that as long as the music moves you... it's all that's mattered. Of course there are certain category of music that shouldn't be made in the first place, but that's totally another discussion.

Brad Mehldau - Songs (The Art Of The Trio Vol. 3)

2008-03-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

It's undeniably that Brad Mehldau Trio sounds much like Bill Evans Trio (Evans, LaFaro, Motian), but that's just to draw a comparison since Bill Evans practically re-invented the trio format with the outing at The Village Vanguard. The Art Of The Trio has been quite an interesting series. Vol. 1 & 3 are studio albums while 2 & 4 are live setting. Vol. 2 & 4 focus on pyrotechnics and showmanship while Vol. 1 & 3 are moody and intimate. This is especially true for Vol. 3. The trio covers variety of tunes from standards such as "Bewitched, bothered and Bewildered" to RadioHead's "Exit Music (For a Film)". The trio works its magic on each piece to create a moody, late night, melancholy feeling as if music and musicians are inseparable. Mehldau have yet to have a great break-through work, but his steady stream of CDs are always interesting.

Houston Person & Ron Carter - Dialogues

2008-03-19T14:03:00.000-07:00

Third collaboration between two jazz masters, one is an accomplished accompanist and the other is soulful tenor saxophonist. Ron Carter is "a brilliant rhythmic and melodic player, who uses everything in the bass and cello arsenal; walking lines, thick, full, prominent notes and tones, drones and strumming effects, and melody snippets." Person & Carter are clearly having a good time while bouncing off each other with endless wits and wisdoms. Dialogues is entirely appropriate title for this two jazz titans.

Charlie Haden & Christian Escoudé - Gitane

2008-03-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Lately, I'm all about duet/duo jazz. Notably either Charlie Haden or Ron Carter. Charlie Haden is probably more accessible to main stream audience than Ron Carter, but that's not to say he's poppy. Gitane pit Haden against Christian Escoudé (a gypsy jazz musician) which seem an unlikely pair but the music speaks for itself. Pure straight-head jazz with Haden having plenty of time for full sweet bass while Escoudé plucking away in his gypsy guitar. It's a rare encounter that produce this rare gem.

Bloggin'

2008-03-19T13:49:00.001-07:00

It's hard to find time to actually write anything useful, let alone intelligent when I'm always pressed for time. Maybe instead of trying... I should just do it.

MusicIP Mixer Vs SongBird

2008-02-26T10:11:00.000-08:00

Although SongBird is pretty cool in its own right, it still has a long way to go before it becomes stable and useful. There are still a lot of known bugs and quirky user's operation that ones has to go through but overall it's great for a free program. Now, entered MusicIP Mixer. It does just about everything that iTunes and SongBird do and it's also free. I like it more than iTunes because it can handle FLAC natively (reading metadata and modify it). I'm cataloging my entire music collection so that it is ready when I get the Slim Devices Transporter.

SongBird Vs iTunes

2008-02-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

When it comes to Mac, iTunes is the king of media player... except of course if you're one of the few who has a large collection of FLAC. Then iTunes is not so sexy as it looks anymore. It's a great player that plays just about every type of media files out there except FLAC. I'm not sure what gives but that's Apple, they want control and since iPod does not work with FLAC... I guess the decision not to support FLAC in iTunes is pretty obvious. I've been force to use two different kind of media player just to play FLAC.

However, my search was not in vain. SongBird does just about everything that iTunes does plus some. It can plays FLAC, catalog my library, import playlists from iTunes, etc.. and etc. The only small caveat is that it doesn't do is cook and serve dinner on a silver platter. I love how I can even add metadata to wave file and it retains the information in SongBird. Truly, SongBird is the FireFox of media player.

Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited

2008-02-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

In a way, Anderson's sense of humour is somewhat of an acquired taste. Not everybody will like his movies, and not everybody will. The Darjeeling Limited is, in many ways, a work of a true film maker. There's no Hollywood's laden pre-manufactured dialogues, no perfect figured leading actors/actresses, and it's just a well made film.

Trio In Tokyo [live]

2008-02-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

Anyone who's like me, whom listened religiously to Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Keith Jarrett, and Brad Mehldau... it seems that trying to find a place for another pianist is a tough act. Not to mention finding a voice that was distinct enough to call his own in the pantheon of jazz pianists is an act of God. I discovered Michel Petrucciani merely by luck, that is... I sample a track by accident and immediately "wow" by his ferocity.

In this outing with Anthony Jackson and Steve Gadd, it was magic at the very beginning. They push and pull the pianist, flexing their fusion-oriented muscles while providing a swinging backdrop that Petrucciani can relate to, allowing him to exhibit his unbridled lyricism. The trio swing hard on "training," melodic on "September second," and just all hell cut loose on "Little Peace In C For U." The entire album glued me to my seat 'till the very end.

Michel Petrucciani Trio... Simply Brilliant

2008-02-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

Bill Evans - My Foolish Heart

2008-02-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Matrix Had Me

2008-01-31T22:31:00.000-08:00

The original Matrix is probably one of my favorite movie of all time in its genre. I remembered when it was in the theater, I actually went to see it twice and I can't remember how many times I've watched on DVD. I own the original releases of all three films and then I bought it again when the ultimate box set came out with the correction of color of the first one. Now The Matrix trilogy is on HD-DVD, it's gloriously glorious. The time between the first and the last two is quite a few years but I couldn't tell them apart because of the re-mastering process. The hi-def treatment is such a treat that I spent three consecutive nights watching it. In all fairness, it's impossible to live-up to such high expectation that Matrix Reloaded seem stale but it was entertaining. The Matrix Revolution was a bit of a let down and the finale was (in my opinion) weak. Nevertheless, I enjoyed them thoroughly. It's too bad that HD-DVD is a dying format and Blu-Ray is the winner of the hi-def war. I have a feeling that one day, I might have to buy this box set again on Blu-Ray.

Spiritual Jazz

2008-01-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

Charlie Haden & Hank Jones don't just play jazz, they lived and proliferate it. Previously when I post my thoughts on Steal Away, I did not include any samples... well, here it is.

Good Bye Oscar!

2007-12-24T14:39:00.002-08:00

One of my favorite jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, had passed away. The last time that he was at Jazz Alley, I was not able to go and see him. Now that chance is forever lost.

Tila Tequila

2007-12-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

I don't watch MTV (or any TV) for that matter, but an article from Seattle Times makes it sounds like Tila made it big time with MTV. Congrats Tila. On an interesting note, people whom are on the show actually find Tila attractive:

Tequila, who realized she was bisexual at age 11, says she's still dating the person she selected when production on the show ended earlier this year. She also doesn't communicate with any of the contestants who didn't earn one of the giant keys to her heart.

"I don't keep up with anybody except for the person I picked," Tequila says. "I've eliminated them. I don't intend on reopening those sores, to respect the person I'm with."
However, Tequila will come face-to-face with at least 20 of the contestants, including a few folks that claimed they fell in love with Tequila on the show, during a special reunion show that will air Dec. 23

For me, she's just an average girls with lots of modified wares :). Nothing special.

Vignola Plays Gershwin

2007-12-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

A modern jazz-man pays tribute to one of the cornerstone of jazz, George Gershwin, in Vignola Plays Gershwin. Accompanied by Corey Christiansen--whom mostly just enjoying as a rhythm guitarist, bassist Tom Kennedy and his frequent musical partner drummer Joe Ascione. The music is pretty straight forward with little or no surprises but surprisingly good after few sessions. The recording is excellent if heard on a good system. The sound stage is wide, and the sound image is terrific. Vignola Plays Gershwin will pleases even the non-jazz-believer.

If Working Out Were This Fun...

2007-12-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

http://view.break.com/413456 - Watch more free videos

J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard

2007-12-14T11:42:00.000-08:00

For a mere £1,950,000, you can own one of the seven book in its existence.

Rowling's handwriting is like the familiar scrawl of a favorite aunt--it's not hard to read, but it does require attention--allowing you to take it slow and savor the mystery of each next word.

Rush Hour 3

2007-12-14T08:50:00.001-08:00

Other than some standards Jackie's slapstick comedy & Chris' motormouth, this movie is as unimaginative as it gets. Just when the movie started, I already know who the villian is and what the plot it going to be. There isn't enough action and oh! Jackie's having a body double this time. At his age, I can't really blame him.

Dilbert on President Bush

2007-12-13T14:46:00.000-08:00

Quite an interesting twist:

Terrorism was a priority during the Bush administration. History won’t blame him for the first attack on 9/11, but it certainly might credit him for the fact no other attacks happened during his two terms. That’s a perfect record on homeland security.

Diana Krall - Christmas Songs

2007-12-12T23:22:00.000-08:00

Normally, during Christmas season I would completely ignore the radio stations altogether because of their relentless substandard Christmas songs. I don't even listen to Christmas songs anymore just because it is over-exposured. However, Diana Krall's Christmas Songs stands above all others and I was able to completely enjoy Christmas songs as it should be. From the swinging opening "Jingle Bell" to the very last "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," it was done with care and it's very jazzy. Nicely done Ms. Krall!

*EDIT* Uploaded a song with link.

Unhealthy Habits

2007-12-10T21:03:00.001-08:00

To contradict the healthy habits, staring at blondes may cause temporary dumbness. The irony is that it going to make me live long... but stupid:

Now French researchers have found that the stereotype can actually affect mental performance.
A recent study showed that otherwise intelligent men performed below par on general knowledge tests after viewing photos of blonde women.

Healthy Habits

2007-12-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

If you find your man obsessively looking at boobs, don't be alarmed because it's actually good for them according to The New England Journal of Medicine:

The New England Journal of Medicine and Weekly World News recently said that men staring at women's breasts prolong their lives by several years.

Houston Person - Now's The Time

2007-12-10T14:50:00.000-08:00

If I can say one thing about jazz is that it's unpredictable. For me, it's unpredictable in every aspects. First and the obvious one is the music itself, and the thing I want to convey is that it's impossible to know all forms of jazz. There're literally thousands and thousands of artists and different genre of jazz that to know and listen to them all is an impossible task. To me, just when I thought I am "ok" with what I have, I would then found that there're more out there that I haven't heard. Like this album, Now's The Time, put out by Houston Person & Ron Carter. The duet album that involved just Ron Carter on bass and Houston Person working the tenor saxophone. From beginning to end, Houston's soulful tone and Ron's swinging bass rock me to my core. Now, there's nothing "impressive" about Houston's technique or Ron's bass line, but combine them together and you get something completely new. Like this track, "Since I fell For You", delivered just about everything that one could expect from a duet. Ron's bass played like dutiful dancer to provide Houston a chance to shine like a star.
If there's a complain, it would be that it is so damn tasteful that it doesn't improvise much. Another minor disappointment is this album is out of print.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC)

2007-12-07T23:23:00.000-08:00

Anyone old enough to remember how cool a 14.4K modem was probably remember what Internet Relay Chat (or IRC) is. Back in the heyday of Internet, there wasn't Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, AIM, Google Talk, or plethora of IM clients like we have today. The only source of communication via Internet were e-mail or IRC. Anyone who were "rich" enough were signed up with services like AOL and use AOL proprietary chat engine and then later AOL developed AIM. For the rest of us, IRC is the only way to meet other people across the globe. There were few network for IRC such as EfNET or UnderNet and the most popular network was EfNET. I was one of those people who thought IRC is the greatest invention of all. EfNET makes it possible to talk to people anytime and it was fun. Of course majority of IRCers were in America but there were also ambles of people from other part of the continent such as Australia, Germany, France, etc.
I talked to a lot of Vietnamese all over the world and it becomes a cyber-social network. Our group of friends established our own channel called #vietfun and it was pretty fun. Though it was much smaller than #vietnam/#tho*/#saigon/#viet, but it was a much tighter group of friends. We played games together (such as Starcarft and Age of Empires) and even the girls joined in. This was on going 'till I graduate from college and few years into my new job. And in that time frame, we become looser and looser 'till I can no longer care for it anymore. Once in a while, I still logon to see if anyone I know still hang out but like everything else... it comes to an end.
Tonight, while listen to some old track... it reminds me of IRC so I decided to logon. The channel is emptied.

That Wine

2007-11-29T08:10:00.000-08:00

Previously on Good Cheap Wine , the recommendation was not all in vain. Wine Spectator gave it 90 points, and rank 71 on the top 100 wine list of 2007. Best bang for the bucks! :)

Columbia Crest Merlot Columbia Valley Grand Estates 2004
Rank: 71 Score: 90 Cost: $11

That Curve

2007-11-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

Interesting article.

Curvier women with high waist-to-hip ratios have higher IQs than women with "apple-shaped" bodies, according to a new study

What's Next?

2007-11-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

Sex offender as Mayor? What's next? Teacher who teaches at school who also does porn at night? Well, of course it can happen.

Lingerie At Work

2007-11-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

I thought that every work place should have something like this everyday. It'd definitely boost morale by ten folds :).

Can't Kill That Germs

2007-11-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

I had always against the use of excessive antibacterial products because if you stop and think about it, you can't 100% kill germs. Assuming you can kill up to 98%, that 2% that you can't kill will just multiply you're not really achieving much. However, that does means to say that you shouldn't wash your hands after bathroom or things in that nature, but obsessively wash your hands with product that has antibacterial agents actually do more harm than good. It weakens your immune system and you're helping to build a super-virus. Here's an interesting quote from an article from Washington Post:

Levy cites several studies, among them a 2004 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, in which 228 New York households were divided randomly into two groups: One used regular soap and water; the other antimicrobial soap. There were just as many instances of vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose and pinkeye among the antimicrobial users.

.... Regular soap and water will do.

Lam Blue Ta

2007-11-12T23:02:00.000-08:00

I really tried to listen to this album, but it just doesn't go down regardless of what I do. I drank a little to smooth out the music but it couldn't flow, I listen it attentively but it's just too damn hard to focus, and I even try to ignore it but it just doesn't work. It was a gift that my brother brought back while he was in his business trip in Vietnam, but it was so damn horrible. Argh, Thanh Lam & Le Minh Son really need to do something new... tossing around the same old songs with different mix and unbearable delivery just doesn't work anymore.

Found Love

2007-11-12T12:53:00.001-08:00

Looks like VisualGUI had finally found love. Congrats dude!

Good Cheap Wine

2007-11-09T14:24:00.001-08:00

Washington State is quite interesting in a way that the western part of Washington is shielded by the mountain and whole lot of rain. On the other hand, eastern Washington is like another state compare to western. Hence, we have this dynamic agriculture where many great things are from eastern Washington. For example, apple's capital of the world is in eastern Washington, and it's also the ideal climate for grape wine. Being a Washingtonian, I'm whole heartedly support local wine and there are many great ones. For example, Columbia Crest Gran Estates Merlot is selling retail at $12.99 is a great price:satisfaction ratio. If anyone frequent Safeway/QFC/Albertson enough, one should notice that this wine is never selling above $8.99 a bottle. If you want a taste of Washington, this is a great wine to start.

Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section

2007-11-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

One of more spontaneous and well-known Art Pepper recording is with Miles Davis' Rhythm Section. Art here is free to improvise and play with the guys that he "idolized." Even though Philly Joe Jones, Red Garland, and Paul Chambers serve as a rhythm, they never failed to match up with Art. What's fun about this record is both sides never play or re-hearse together but that doesn't mean that this isn't a gem. In fact, it's one of those rare gem in jazz that one should never pass up.

Charlie Haden - Steal Away

2007-11-02T14:36:00.001-07:00

It's rare to see a successful duo in jazz, especially when just two musician trying to bounce off each other in a session. Charlie Haden's style as a bassist isn't as flashy as Scott LaFaro or having a powerful tone and pulsating sense of rhythm like Charles Mingues, but he's lyrical and harmonically simple aesthetic. This duet with Hank Jones cover mostly hymns, spirituals, and folk songs. All were performed with utmost reverence and it's very rewarding with each successful repeat listening.

American Gangster

2007-11-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

American Gangster is one of the better movie I've seen this year. A must see.

Painless

2007-10-27T09:20:00.001-07:00

One word, wow!!! It has never been this painless upgrading from one OS to another. I went from Mac OS 10.4 to 10.5 in less than 30 minutes including transferring my application files. I can't remember the last time it has been this, again, painless. I didn't have to worry about finding new drivers or find out that my new OS had just rendered some of my peripherals useless or simply just fuck things up.
One feature I found particularly useful is Space. The rest of the features such as Finder or QuickLook were implement in Windows in one way or another. And come on, Time Machine? Windows had this long time ago, and though this new feature in Mac OS 10.5 might be flashier... it's nothing new really.
All in all, new OS is nicely done. I still am a bit dazzled, Wow... painless!!

Waltz for Debby

2007-10-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Bill Evans' famous "Waltz For Debby" get a vocal treatment by Monica Zetterlund.

3:10 To Yuma

2007-10-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time when I went to see a Western genre type movie and come away impressed. 3:10 To Yuma exceeds my every expectations plus some. My mind did not wander and I was hooked. It was not a typical Western where there's some bad ass that you have to shoot down or a final gun showdown between the good and bad guys. It was a good thing that I did not read any review prior to seeing the movie and I was thankful that I didn't. Great movie, great acting, superbly cast, and very unexpected ending.

Chuck and Larry... Lucky Chuck

2007-10-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

"I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry" trailer shows some promises but it's a tad campy. None of the actor seem to do anything out of ordinary and the story is... well... let just say campy. Did I mention that Jessica Biel just awesomely hot? She got one fine ASSet that I wouldn't mind tapping.
"Good Luck Chuck" on the other hand is neither campy or funny. It's the type of movie trying to find its identity. It feels almost like a romantic comedy and yet some elements of the film just doesn't make this a romantic comedy. The only saving grace was Jessica Alba's "scenes."
I should have listen to myself and not go with friends to see these kind of movies :).

iTunes changes its tune: Hi-Rez ... Low-Rez

2007-10-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

Apple's iTunes Store announced that it was dropping the price of its non-DRM iTunes+ 256kbps files to the same 99¢ price as regular iTunes files, presumably to compete with Amazon MP3. Apple claims this now makes it the largest source of non-DRM music on the Web.
When Apple first announced iTunes+, the higher-rez files cost $1.29, as opposed to the regular 99¢ file price. Customers who had purchased the lower-rez files could "upgrade" for the 30¢ difference. The company has not announced how—or whether—regular iTunes files can be converted to the similarly priced non-DRM version.

First of all, this sucks because for anyone who have purchase the track... why can't they just get a replacement for free instead of a freaken 30¢ upgrade? I mean, what the fuck? It just doesn't make sense and I'm seeing this kind of practice repeats everywhere else. Secondly, for those who actually purchase the MP3 tracks... shame on you. And I mean it. Assuming there's just one or two tracks per album that anyone want to purchase, buying 14 tracks a month could very well be spent on service like Rhapsody offer by RealNetworks with access to million of files. Very lastly, MP3 low-rez or hi-rez cannot compete with the resolution of an actual CD... let alone other ultra high resolution like SACD or DVD-Audio.

I can understand the portability of MP3, but that's all it is... it is portable and you can load up your favorites track at all time, but listen to hits all the time really defeat the purpose of music. Compile hits lack cohesiveness of an album and it's like fondue... lot of stuffs throw into the pot to cook but it's not great food. That being said, music scene now-a-day is lame with one or maybe two good songs in one album instead of making great front to end without skipping a track. I would never spend a dime on any of the latest pop album, and I wouldn't even take it even if it is free.

Bourne Ultimatum

2007-10-22T22:57:00.001-07:00

Though this suppose to be the conclusion of the Bourne series, the truth of the matter is... this only scratch the surface of Bourne. For those who've read the book, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. For those who haven't, these three movies are about summing up the first book and not really touch the second or third. Though all three movies are good, the books are better. I felt like there'll be more Bourne movie down the road.
Regarding the movie, the hand held camera technique to indie up the movie is really overdone here. First movie was just about right, second was a bit more but still enjoyable, but the third movie really work that hand held camera to the max. I wish they could they get a steady cam during the action scene for at least once. At any rate, it was still enjoyable.

Ahh.. Only The Insanes

2007-10-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

VisualGUI previously mention about KEF Muon, and here's how much you can spend on them.

These curvy monsters are carved out of a six-foot block of solid aluminum using computer-aided manufacturing and take a week to create. The four-way, eight-speaker setups weigh 253 pounds each...

Good Food

2007-10-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Prior to my recent clubbing experience, my friends and I were having some great time at Umi Saki House. The food was delicious while the atmosphere was pleasant. There were some sushi rolls that I've eaten before such as "Bad Boys Roll" which was quite tasty considering the name. If anyone's tired of same old sushi joint, hit up Umi Sake House for a difference.

I'm Too Old For This Shit

2007-10-21T17:20:00.001-07:00

It's been a really while since I put my foot inside of a club, and by "really while" I mean like 8-10 years kind have while. First thing that I notice immediately was how astronomically the price of alcohol has risen and how the music is so horrible. I try to dance but I really couldn't move to the music. To further my dismal boring mood, the guys continued the tradition of "I can't dance but look at me" while the girls really know how to flaunt their wares these days. Skirts are as short as it can be and everything else is as revealing as it possibly can. Though, I'm that old by any means... but I met young girls that I used to teach when they were in their school age children (8-12) and now I saw them in the same club. I felt like I'm lost into a world that I'm really not part of... I'm thinking to myself: "I'm too old for this shit!"

10 Things You Didn't Know About You

2007-10-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

Creepy, but fun.

Evan Almighty

2007-10-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Few chuckles and not as funny as Bruce Almighty, though it might pass for a boring Wednesday's night if you have nothing else to watch. Worth a rental if you haven't seen it in theater.

Let It Breaths

2007-10-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

Discovering and unearthing red wine is fun and exciting. Wine's like women, it comes in so many different variety and flavor and each has its own characteristic. 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon would not taste the same as 2002 even though they're of the same vintage. It depends on many different factors such that year climate, the grapes, manufacturing processes... etc and etc.

A co-worker at was not serious about wine, but he does drink wine on regular basis. I was telling him that wine needs to breath in order for it to reach its full maturity. He did not believe so and I was determine to prove it. I bought a 2003 Genesis Cabernet Sauvignon by Hogue and pour him a glass without letting it breath, he was making faces when he gulp it down because it was bitterly overwhelming. I then pour a second glass, swirl it around for few minutes and let him have it... first word that comes out : WOW!!!! The rest of the bottle went into a decanter, and let it breaths for 1/2 hour or so... he said it was one of the best wine he had ever have.

So, if you like wine... let it breaths!!!

Lady and Gentleman: Our President

2007-10-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Fool me once..

Booty Call & Beautiful-bottom Babe

2007-10-17T16:47:00.000-07:00

A "How To" guide to Booty call. My favorites:

No timetables
So you've called every Saturday night for the past two months? Bad move! The key to successful booty calling is to keep things uncomplicated, relaxed and elastic. If you make the call on a schedule, things are going to get very stale very fast.
Look good
Yes, the sex is almost guaranteed. No, it's not a date. But you're still going to have to make an effort to look and smell good. Make sure your booty calls get answered by staying on top of your outward appearance.
Please please me, please please you
Be generous in bed. It doesn't cost you a thing. As much as you may want to get off, remember there is someone else involved here. If all you're thinking about is yourself, you've probably just screwed your chances at another booty call down the line.In the end, the booty call is not for everyone. You have to be good at drawing a distinction between the emotional and the sexual, and so does she. But if you do it right, the good times are guaranteed. Just don't call collect.

For butt-guys: Japan's "Beautiful-bottom Babe". Funny sniff:

"I always take care of my bottom, but I'm embarrassed to show it today because I burned it by sitting on a hair iron the other day," Kaho Watanabe, clad in pink baby doll lingerie, said in her short self-promotion spiel.

Seattle Views

2007-10-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

A friend and a former co-worker had some great views of Seattle.

Ratatouille

2007-10-17T12:04:00.001-07:00

Pixar Animation is so far ahead of its competition that it's practically a monopoly in terms of creativity, production value, animation technique, and finally... story telling. While DreamWorks animation studio thrive on Shrek sequel to make money, the only sequel so far was Toy Story 2 for Pixar. Pixar really recapture what Disney once was, telling original story with great animation. So far: Toy Story 1 & 2, Bug's Life, Monster Inc, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and now Ratatouille are all major hits. It has that re-watch-ability, the charms, and all around great eye candies. So how does Ratatouille stacks up against its predecessors? In one word: awesome! I really feel like Pixar's flicks are for adults with a little bit of flowery throw in for the kids. If you miss this while it was in theater, make sure to rent/buy it this November.

Sarah + 2

2007-10-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

Follow up to her "After Hours" is this West Coast jazz influence with two Barley Kessel on guitar while Joe Comfort on bass. It's another chance for Sarah Vaughan to show off her ability to articulate each and every song in the utmost exhilarating manner. This album and "After Hours" represent the most accessible Sarah Vaughan's album for casual listeners. Simple in its arrangement and pitch perfect in its delivery... it only gets better if the music accompany with some fine wine.

Graphic On Mac Vs PC

2007-10-17T11:04:00.001-07:00

Graphic in general looks much better on Mac, and looking much better is a gross understatement. All my digital photos after editing looks like it glows while when I view it on PC, it somehow seems a bit flat. When it looks just right on a Mac, it would look a bit washed out or bright in PC... so adjusting the photos so that it looks consistently on both Mac & PC is quite tricky.

John Coltrane Live At The Village Vanguard: The Master Takes

2007-10-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Previously on John Coltrane Complete Village Vanguard, the box set was so overwhelming that it took me a while to absorb. I also had the master takes CD of the box set which features five of the box set... the choicest ones of the all. If the Complete Village Vanguard represent what you could experience in a club setting, then the master takes represent the accessible live Coltrane. It is one of the greatest live jazz CD any serious or casual Coltrane's fan need to have. Accessible to everyone, powerful in its delivery, hypnotic music, and all around great casts.