Posted on 2024-12-02
Give The Gift Of Used Books
I have a large family and I was a math major as my family grew. It didn't take much calculation to figure out that even ten dollar gifts were unaffordable. Say we had seven of us around the tree opening presents. And say each person gave everyone only one present (which never happens at our house) We are talking seven people giving six presents each. 42 presents at $10 each is $420. Now that may not touch your Christmas budget but at the time I was a part-time student, part-time employed, with full-time financial responsibilities. $420 was not only impossible it never even made an appearance.
So we found Santa Claus everywhere. We went to flea markets and junk stores and best of all, library sales. This is when I learned to give the gift of used books.
Here are some of the advantages to giving used books.
Inexpensive. I buy used books for a quarter, fifty cents or a dollar all year long. When I buy a really nice book for a gift I sometimes go as high as three dollars. Yep, thats my upper limit. Really nice gifts for $3 or less. Affordable. And if I'm really broke or can't get out I already have shelves of books. I can shop at home.
No reciprocal obligation. I realize that most of my family will be giving me a present at Christmas. But sometimes when I'm out shopping a book screams a friend's name at me. I'll pick it up and wrap it for them knowing that I am not placing a reciprocal obligation on them. I even tell them how cheap I bought it when I give it to them. I am not concerned that they may feel an obligation to return a gift that they cannot afford.
Personal. If I know someone well enough to give them a gift I probably know their interests. I may even know their preference in reading. A well chosen used book says I know you and I love you. I think about you even when I'm shopping.
Regiftable. Whether read, glanced through, or unopened a used book is perfect for regifting. I mean that's what used books are for. Read them (or not) and pass them on.
Life changing. A correctly chosen book given at the right moment may change a person's life. Just try to think of some fifty dollar piece of plastic from Walmart that has that power. You can't.
Entertaining. Even if you don't give a gift that changes a life you might still give someone a few hours of entertainment. It's hard to beat that for a wonderful present.
I'm sure there are many more reasons to give used books. Please add them in the comments. Also post used books you have given or received that have changed a life or provided a few hours of entertainment.
Here's the comment thread on Gamer+DBN at gamerplus.org.
https://gamerplus.org/@hairylarry/113587295309380731
Thanks,
Hairy Larry
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
Dave Pearson
Posted on 2024-12-02
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2021-12-01
https://sbblues.com/2024/12/01/dj-hairy-larry-presents-big-creek-band-playing-sing-me-back-home/
Thanks Marty, today we're going to hear Big Creek Band play some real country music at Blues Fest.
I always say we play all kinds of music at Blues Fest because when you get right down to it, it's all blues.
Dennis Mathes was the bandleader of Big Creek Band with Sonny Ackerman on guitar and George Hinds on bass. They all played at Blues Fest every year and Dennis and Sonny were out at the park every week helping me build the bandshell.
Also playing on September 16, 2001, were David Pearce, vocals and guitar; Dave Pearson, vocals and guitar; and Mark Hill, drums.
The song we're playing today features Dave Pearson singing a Merle Haggard song. And it don't get more country than that.
Now for the interesting part of the story. I was rummaging around in the archives also known as a box of old CDs when I found a DVD labeled Big Creek Band. I looked at that and I thought, this is gold.
The video looks like it was shot on a VHS camcorder and it's kind of rough with some skips and stops here and there. Fortunately the music was with us and one of the best songs recorded start to finish with no audio issues.
I copied the DVD to my hard drive digitizing it with Handbrake. And I uploaded it to the Something Blue Archives, one of my collections on the Internet Archive.
I used VLC to convert the video to an audio file and then I got the song I wanted from that. There is also a Dennis Mathes original on the video and I'm hoping to find an audio version of that song without the skips and stops. I recorded every show at every Blues Fest so I should have it around here somewhere.
Ok, that was all very exciting but not quite as exciting as this moment, right now, when I get to share this music with you.
Recorded at Blues Fest, on September 16, 2001, Here's Big Creek Band with Dave Pearson singing the Merle Haggard song "Sing Me Back Home".
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-12-01
https://sbblues.com/2024/12/01/dj-hairy-larry-presents-big-creek-band-playing-sing-me-back-home/
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Big Creek Band Playing Sing Me Back Home
Something Blue Archives
https://archive.org/details/from-the-archives-of-something-blue-2021-12-01
Something Blue Archives - List Of Concerts
https://archive.org/details/somethingbluearchives?sort=-publicdate
music
And that's Dave Pearson singing "Sing Me Back Home" with Big Creek Band at Blues Fest 2001. Don't miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00, to hear Mr Blotto and Joe Russo's Almost Dead.
---
This is Hairy Larry inviting you to enjoy Something Blue every Saturday night at ten. This week we’re featuring Mr Blotto and Joe Russo's Almost Dead. For more about the show visit the Something Blue website at https://sbblues.com.
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM CST, at http://kasu.org.
---
Now Playing On Something Blue - Jigsaw
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/30/something-blue-jigsaw/
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
Mike Stern-Jigsaw
Posted on 2024-11-30
Something Blue - Jigsaw - November 30, 2024
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/30/something-blue-jigsaw/
Moore's Code - Moore's Code
https://moorescode.bandcamp.com/album/moores-code-2
Joe Henderson - In 'N Out
https://www.bluenote.com/artist/joe-henderson/
Mike Stern - Jigsaw
https://www.mikestern.org/
---
Moore's Code, Funky Chicken Biscuit
Welcome to Something Blue. I'm Hairy Larry and I've got the blues, for you.
Joe Henderson, Short Story
Now that's what I'm talking about, Joe Henderson playing "Short Story". Kicking us off tonight we heard Moore's Code play "Funky Chicken Biscuit" from their album "Moore's Code". My friend from the ASU Jazz Program, Tim Moore, is the bandleader and primary composer for the album.
Something Blue is broadcast on KASU, 91.9 FM and streaming on the internet at kasu.org.
I'm Hairy Larry host of Something Blue. Visit the Something Blue website at sbblues.com to listen anytime and for links to more music from the featured musicians.
Ok now, here's Mike Stern with "Loose Ends" and then Joe Henderson will play the title track of his album, "In 'N Out".
Mike Stern, Loose Ends
Joe Henderson, In 'N Out
---
Mike Stern, Jigsaw
Mike Stern, Kwirk
All right now that's Mike Stern playing "Kwirk". Before that we heard the title track of his album, "Jigsaw".
Something Blue is broadcast on KASU, 91.9 FM and streaming on the internet at kasu.org.
I'm Hairy Larry host of Something Blue. This week I'm featuring jazz composers. Jazz DJs make a lifetime commitment to staying hip. For more about contemporary jazz composers visit my website, jazzcomposers.net.
OK now here's Moore's Code playing "Swipe" and "Springtime". Then closing the show we'll hear Joe Henderson do "Punjab".
Moore's Code, Swipe
Moore's Code, Springtime
Joe Henderson, Punjab
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
Mike Stern-Jigsaw
Posted on 2024-11-24
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Moore's Code Playing Every Day
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-11-24
Thanks Marty, today we're going to hear a jazz song written by a former ASU
student.
Tim Moore would sit in with Jazz Alliance when he was in High School, driving in from Southern Missouri. Then he spent two years in the ASU Jazz Program while Ron Horton was the director of the Jazz Department. It was during that time that Tim and his brother Brandon wrote the songs for the Caprice album, "from dawn til dusk". We released that album on HairyLarryLand in 2013 and we still love it at KASU.
Of course, Tim didn't quit writing jazz songs after he left ASU. He went on to the outstanding jazz program at North Texas State where he honed his skills as a composer, a pianist, and a bandleader.
We featured Caprice several times at KASU jazz shows and then later his new band Moore's Code. I was not surprised that their self titled album, "Moore's Code", sounded as good as it does. It's on bandcamp. I'll post a link on the Something Blue website, sbblues.com. Highly recommended.
We'll hear some more songs from this album, Saturday night on Something Blue. For today I picked a song featuring blues piano, organ, and guitar with a tremendous melody played on the saxophone.
Ok now, here's Moore's Code playing "Every Day".
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Moore's Code Playing Every Day
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-11-24
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/24/dj-hairy-larry-presents-moores-code-playing-every-day/
Moore's Code by Moore's Code
Something Blue Archives
https://moorescode.bandcamp.com/album/moores-code-2
https://archive.org/details/dj-hairy-larry-presents-moores-code-playing-every-day
Something Blue Archives - List Of Concerts
https://archive.org/details/somethingbluearchives?sort=-publicdate
music
And that's Moore's Code playing the Tim Moore composition, "Every Day". Don't miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00, to hear more Moore's Code, Joe Henderson, and Mike Stern.
---
DJ Hairy Larry With Moore's Code Playing Every Day
Something Blue - Jigsaw - 29 second spot
This is Hairy Larry inviting you to enjoy Something Blue every Saturday night at ten. This week we’re featuring Moore's Code, Joe Henderson, and Mike Stern. For more about the show visit the Something Blue website at https://sbblues.com.
Don’t miss Something Blue, Saturday night at 10:00 PM CST, at http://kasu.org.
---
Now Playing On Something Blue - Conversations
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/23/conversations/
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
NJHB-Cricular Logic
Posted on 2024-11-17
DJ Hairy Larry Presents NJHB Playing Circular Logic
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-11-17
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/17/dj-hairy-larry-presents-njhb-playing-circular-logic/
Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear jazz from NJHB recorded at the very beginning.
I was planning on starting the New Jazz In Jonesboro concerts at TheArts@311 in 2013. It was Christmas break so I scheduled a session on December 29, 2012, with the founding members on NJHB.
I was rolling tape but I wasn’t really expecting to record an album. Turns out we played pretty good and we did. We recorded live in the studio, with just two mics recording the room, and we did it the NJHB way. We improvised the arrangements. We recorded four songs. I think I was the only musician there who had ever played them before. As I usually do with NJHB songs I made a radio mix for Arkansas Roots.
In our favor we had a room full of outstanding musicians.
Mike Lovell – guitar
Garrett Tyler – drums
Matt Jackson – bass
Hairy Larry – Fender Rhodes
Cody Ballard – tenor sax
and
Joseph Curtis – trumpet and flugelhorn
...
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
Posted on 2024-11-17
Andrew (Television Executive), @ajroach42@retro.social, has a thread up on Mastodon about why you should own your own platform. It is directed to small businesses (the wave of the future) but it applies equally well to hobbyists, collectors, fans, etc.
I am embedding the thread here.
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
Amy Helm-Silver City
Posted on 2024-11-16
Something Blue - Goodbye - November 15, 2024
https://sbblues.com/2024/11/15/goodbye/
Melissa Carper - Borned In Ya
https://www.melissacarper.com/
Amy Helm - Silver City
http://www.amyhelm.com/
Angie Owens - Blue Pearls
https://www.deltaboogie.com/deltamusicians/owensa/index.htm
https://www.reverbnation.com/angiecampbellowens/songs
Anna and the Tanks - Blues Fest October 6, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ovV_VZmxM&t=3s
Lady Day and The Prez
https://archive.org/details/hl2018-05-13.LadyDay
Eilen Jewell Live at The Hamilton on 2024-07-25
https://archive.org/details/eilenjewell2024-07-25.vwmule
Home - Table Of Contents - Most Recent - RSS - Permalink - Text
