Paul Read News

Caveat Emptor. Today I purchased Snow Leopard, the latest operating system for Mac and so far it has been hideously buggy. I know there is a natural wait time for all applications to catch up, but even Apple’s Safari is operating with tremendously frustrating required reloads. Over and over again. I don’t know why I do this… buy the latest operating system instead of waiting until the bugs have been exterminated.

Live and…hopefully….learn

P

It is amazing how much music is literally at our fingertips these days through digital distribution. I make use of it myself on a regular basis. Think of something – look it up on eMusic or iTunes (or…) and minutes later, for a little cash (much less to the creators of the music) you have the tracks on your hard drive. If you are EXTREMELY lucky you might get a pdf file with liner notes. (Rivers by Herbie Hancock is an example – but should be the norm instead of a rarity). What is promoted by these sites seem to be lists based on previous purchases or the purchases of the masses. Its usually easy to tell for me, since my tastes seem to run into the paths less followed. I wonder how the “What’s Hot” or “Featured” lists play into the purchasing of most people.

For those of us looking for less popular fare – like maybe the greatest hits of Sly and the Family Stone, or Ornette Coleman’s Atlantic recordings, or even Michael Brecker records (which you would think would be more towards the top of the pile) – it is amazing and wonderful that you can find so many things. But I can’t help but wonder what is going to be the shape of iTunes or other digital distributors, in 40 years or more. Will the mountain of music (growing exponentially) just continue to grow and grow. How then, will my grandson (or his children) be able to find Miles Smiles (in my opinion one of the great recordings in the last 50 years). Or will they even be interested? Or should they be? My thought is that Miles Smiles (a pinnacle of achievement) should be well known and well preserved by that time. Of course, what does a 61 year old jazz musician in 2009 know? Wayne Shorter is Wayne Shorter though. And by that I mean: genius is genius. And masterworks should inform the future while they reflect the past. At any rate, I am thinking this and I have a blog, so I am writing about it. What is astonishing to me (and encouraging) is that we read each other’s thoughts and take them to heart, at least some of the time.

Thanks for stopping by

Paul

Funny thing at the drugstore yesterday. I went in to find some over the counter stuff for a blister on my foot. There was a sign at the pharmacy with a private looking booth marked “Confer with Pharmacist”. It all looked very discreet – it didn’t need to be in my case. Then one of the pharmacists yelled from the back of the store, “Ya got a question????”. So I yelled back and said, “I found this stuff (holding up the package) for a blister on my foot. Is this the best stuff or would you recommend something else?” She then came over and talked to me. I just wonder how well all this would have gone if I had had genital itch or something else less appealing.

See ya

P

Haven’t written an entry for some time. For those who check the blog for health updates: I am doing great! Have been getting some writing work in and am playing saxophone with increased pleasure recently. It is good to be back to the land of reed soaking (and reed seeking). My jazz orchestra project (PRO) is very much on my mind these days and I am giving the matter of recording the band some serious consideration for the fall (and will be assisted by the Canada Council for the Arts). I have some new music nearly finished and am looking forward to having it played.

This winter and spring I have been involved in programs involving meditation and mindfulness. The practice of both has been very beneficial from many perspectives. Currently I am taking a course taught by Dr. Jackie Gardner-Nix who at one point studied under Jon Kabat-Zinn who wrote a well respected book called Full Catastrophe Living. Dr. Gardner-Nix (Dr. Jackie) is a physician who is involved in chronic pain management (referring to pain in the broadest of its definitions). Her course has been very beneficial so far and I will continue to be a member of her class until the early part of the summer.

I’ll write more soon….no really….I will.

PR

Looking forward to the PRO gig at the REX this month. I’ll be sending out a newsletter. For those who have been asking I include an update on my health. I’m of two minds about posting this stuff. It seems personal and boring. On the other hand I have had people tell me that like to be kept in the picture. I sent Andrew Jones an email today with the following update:

I am still on long term disability and the wretched disease, despite months (now three years) of therapy, medication of various names and descriptions, months of hospital stays and a new life regime (which I try to hold fast to), leaves me feeling only sporadically improved. But having said that, the picture isn’t all glum. I think that certain symptoms (tremors, speech difficulties) have really improved and I am really working hard to try to accomplish what I can. One of the nagging symptoms is an inability to stay focused on a task. This plays havoc with writing music. Yesterday, I managed to knock off (15 minutes) a submission to the Hockey Theme contest, so short projects are okay. Also it was a who cares kind of deal.

Thanks for visiting the site. Hope to have a new audio file posted later this week.

I remain

Paul