Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Linus and Lucy Theme by Vince Guaraldi - The original song

I know Vince Guaraldi Trio only in "Peanuts", or "Charlie Brown". I can't foget these comfortable jazz music. I have several CDs of Vince's.

Ray Sings-Basie Swings & a Charlie Brown Christmas/Vince Guaraldi Trio




I went to Starbucks for lunch and found these CDs. It cost too much here, but I bought them.

Ray Sings-Basie Swings/Ray Charles+Count Baisie Orchestra=Genius2(2006, Concord Records)

a Charlie Brown Christmas/Vince Guaraldi Trio(1997, Starbucks)

Monday, November 27, 2006

Neil Young - Imagine


I like this song by Neil Young better than John Lennon. Sorry, John's fan.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Filmore East March 6&7, 1970


I bought "Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Filmore East March 6&7, 1970" at Best Buy in Atlanta. It cost more than in Amazon, but I couldn't wait until Amazon's delivery.

In March 1970, "Deja Vu" by CSNY was released. This album was a more than $2 million pre-sale album and became one of the best selling albums in 1970. But Neil Young had been playing with Carzy Horse before "Deja Vu" and his rock'n roll with Crazy Horse was completely different from with CSN.

CSN had holiday from Jan 1970 after a long gig, but Neil Young started short U.S. tour with Crazy Horse and Jack Nitzsche. Filmore East was a live performance of one of these stages. Sound is good, as Neil Young approved to release this album as a official one. It is said Neil Young would issue as a box set, but he changed his mind to issue these unreleased tapes like Bob Dylan's "Bootleg Series".

"Come on Baby Let's Go Down Town" on Filmore East might be same recording as one in "Tonight's The Night", I think. Sound is better than "Tonight's The Night". "Down by the River" more than 12 minutes and "Cowgirl in the Sand" more than 16 minutes are really something.

The stage at this time was with acoustic set by Neil Young and electric set with Carzy Horse. I wonder why no "Cinnamon Girl", which bootlegs of this stage includes and why no acoustic set (it is said tapes of acoustic set is lost. I can't find any bootlegs of acoustic set). 43:19 minutes isn't enough but this is really wonderful live album. I can't believe that this is a recording more than 36 years ago. Hurrah for Neil!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Best Live Rock Recordings (1969-79)

There was "Best Live Rock Recordings (1969-79)" in All That Jazz's article. 7 of these 10 album are my favourites.

Time Magazine's The All-TIME 100 Albums

On Nov 13, Time Magazine released "The All-TIME 100 Albums".

North Fulton Golf Course


On Nov 20, I went to North Fulton Golf Course alone. I played 36 holes at Stone Mountain Golf Club, but I didn't mind at all because I was a real golf nuts. This course is one of 4 municipal courses of Atlanta City. It took about 30 minutes from my apartment. I arrived at 8am but start was delayed due to frost. I checked in and started at around 9am with 2 sum and single, who I found he was a PGA pro, lesson pro I thought. He made 37 and 39. This course is flat and very walkable, with some hilly holes in back nine. Play fee was $24.76(incl tax). I made many good shots and scored at 44, 45.

Stone Mountain GC Stone & Lake

On Nov 18, Sat, I went to Stone Mountain GC again with my colleagues. It's 3 degree F in the morning, cold. We teed off at 8:30am from white tee, 6129 yards, par 70 at Stonemont Course. I made 47 and 45 with 34 putts. I didn't use my driver. It worked. But green was so fast and to read direction was so difficult.

One of my colleagues wanted to play one more round at Lakemont Course. I had no objection at all because we rode electric carts, no walking. We started at 1:30pm from white tee, 6008 yards, par 71. 46 and 48 with 40 putts! 2 lost balls and 40 putts. I don't remember 40 putts for long time. It is said direction on every greens went to the Stone Mountain. On 16 hole sun went down and after 18 holes it became completely dark.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Wave Music System by Bose and "The Road to Escondido" by JJ & EC



My stereo set of Pioneer was broken finally, which traveled between Hong Kong, U.S.A. and Japan more than 10 years. I decided to buy Bose's Wave Music System. I don't mind audio system at all even if I am a maniac classic rock fan. Wave Music System is quite good. It performs very well comparing to ordinary mini stereo set. No problem at full blast. It costs $499 only before tax.

I bought J.J.Cale & Eric Clapton's "The Road to Escondido" in a record shop in a mall which Bose had retail shop last last weekend. This album was recorded in August 2005 in California and I found Escondido in northern San Diego. Clapton plays his guitar quietly and calmly as we can listen in his Crossroads Guitar Festival with JJ. I like his guitar with JJ. Anyway, this collaboration album goes down history, I believe. After coming back to my apartment, this CD continued to play by Bose's Wave Music System for a long time.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

North Fulton Golf Course


I woke up at 7am. Fine day. Yesterday I played 36 holes at Stone Mountain Golf Club. I rode electric cart but I had a muscle ache this morning. But I'm real golf nuts.

I arrived at North Fulton Golf Course, which was owned by Atlanta City. I checked in alone at around 8am, but I could tee off at around 9am, with Hoan, Jose and Chris. I teed off from Back tee, 6,301 yards, par 71, with Chris. My driver shots improved from previous few rounds, and made 44, 45, total 89.

Chris was very good player. I asked in a round and found he was a golf pro. Ah! his driver shot went straight and very far, 280 yards or more. He was born in Atlanta and grew up in North Carolina and came back to Woodstock, Georgia. He is very nice person even if with players like me. He told me "You're good player" after the round. I was very happy to hear that.

This course is better than Bobby Jone GC where I played last week. Back nine is hilly , but it has wide fairways in some holes, walkable, downhills, uphills, doglegs, long par 3s with only $24.76(incl. tax).

Stone Mountain Golf Club Again


On Nov 18, Sat, I went to Play golf at Stone Mountain Golf Club again. At 8:30am we started at Stonmont Course. I made 47-45=92(34 putts). Not too bad for me. I hit my driver several times and balls didn't go to the trees. After having a hot dog and Miller Lite, we started at Lakemont Course, which might be tougher than Stonemont Course. My driver was not too bad again, 46-48=94(but 40 putts!). Scores were very stable. It is said putts on both courses would move toward to the mountain, but I could not read correctly because some putts move toward the mountain very much, but some went almost straight. Or it was because of my putting stroke problem, wasn't it?

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Bobby Jones Golf Course


On Nov 12 (Sun) I went to Play golf at Bobby Jones Golf Course. On Sat at Stone Mountain GC Stonemont Course, my driver shots were so terrible, into the trees many times, so golf nuts like me wants to play again very soon. It's so cold in the morning but very fine day. The course is owned by Atlanta City and managed by American Golf. It is in downtown Atlanta but away from center of downtown, so many trees here too.

I checked in at around 8am and pro-shop man told me I could start any time if available. Play fee was $29.35, walking. In Atlanta, I always ask at pro-shop whether I can walk or not, because there are so many courses which is hard to walk. Here, he told me "I'm walking all the time, yes you can walk, some holes are hilly but you can. Good exercise".

I started at around 8:20am with Tracy and Roy, both seemed 60s. I didn't use my driver and hit tee shot with fairway woods and 4 iron because the course has 5,666 yards only with par 71 from white tees. It worked very well and front nine was 44 (3 pars) and back nine was 40 (1 birdie and 3 pars). Ah, my first round in Atlanta with 80s.

Relatively short course, but some par 4s has 400 yards. Good course. I can say condition of the greens are not too good. I don't know Bobby Jones played here or not but this is one of old courses in Atlanta, built in 1934.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Stone Mountain GC Mountmont Course


On Nov 11, 2006 (Sat) I went to play golf at Stonemountain Golf Club Mountmont Course with my colleague. We played with a guy from India, who came to Atlanta for a conference and would fly back to India in the afternoon. He got a rental club. He was also real golf nuts!

Stonemont Course isn't hilly comparing to Lakemont Course where we played last week. There are almost no water hazard. However my driver shot was terrible again. I lost a few balls and hit provisional balls a few times. My score was 51 and 47, total 98 at 6,129 yards, par 70 course. Not long but many par 4s has 390 yards, so if tee shots are in the trees, it is impossible to get on the green in two. I finally changed my strategy. It's too late though. At 18th hole, par 5, I hit tee shot with 5 wood which wouldn't reach to the bunker on the left, and 4 iron, then pitching wedge, and got a par.

Above pic is Stone Mountain GC, Stonemont Course 1st hole.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

"Someone Like You" by Van Morrison

I was watching "Bridget Jones's Diary" on Bravo at 10pm on Nov 10 and I found ending music was by Van Morrison, one of my favorite singers. It was "Someone Like you" in his album "Poetic Champions Compose". I belive I have all of his official albums but I didn't recognize it.

My most favorite song by Van Morrison is "Wonderful Remark" in the album "Philosopher's Stone". This song is the ending of the motion picture, "King of Comedy", which was produced by Martin Scosese and performed by Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis. Music of this movie was produced by Robbie Robertson of The Band.

River Pines Golf Club


On Nov 5 (Sun) I went to play golf at River Pines Golf Club in Alpharetta. I arrived at around 7:20am, but start was delayed due to frost. It was so cold at around 40F in that morning. This course was a public course and play fee was $55 (walking). I asked the pro shop if I could walk or not on this course and he said "very walkable", so I decided to walk. After practicing at the driving range which I could shot on grass, I started with three Americans who rode electric carts. Yes, this course is walkable, relatively flat and wide course, but 13 holes come with water and there are a lot of trees. I got 2 pars with 20 putts, 48 strokes on front nine, but I lost my balls at 3 holes, 52 strokes with 17 putts on back nine. My tee shots was still not good and I practiced 50 balls at the range after 18 holes.

Pic is the club house from the green of 9th hole.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

The Tour Championship 3rd round


Today I went to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta to see The Tour Championship. I left my apartment before 9am went via GA-400 south and I-85 south. I was surprised to see there was a tollgate on GA-400, which was only 50 cents. Parking for the tournament was a parking of Turner Field. I didn't find the way after getting off from I-85, but I could get into the right parking luckily. There were not so many cars parked in the lot, because 1st party would start 11am. A party but Davis Love alone who shot 82 at 1st round. A bus took me to East Lake Golf Club which was on the corner of 2nd Ave SE and Memorial Dr SE, off Glenwood Ave on I-20. I was in a lot of trees and houses.

I exchanged my e-ticket to formal admission ticket at the entrance and took a look at the shop, the went to driving range, where K.J. Choi was practicing his short iron. Every shots by pitching wedge or 9 iron were around pin at 150 yards or something. I bought a cup of coffee and took a seat beside 1st tee. Against expectation, there were not too many people here. Today's Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that the tournament was criticised because of no appearance of Tiger Woods and Phil Michelson.

It was too cold to wait David Love on the 1st tee. His hooked his driver shot. I watched 2nd party and 3rd party but only one player hit fairway. Hmm. After David Toms' tee shot, I walked with him to 6th hole, then I waited for Ernie Els. Big Easy's swing was very easy, slow and very beautiful. It was nice to see big names like him very close from a few yards. Thank you, Tiger. I walked with Ernie to 10th hole and I had a hot dog near 10th hole. I waited for Vijay Singh there and walked with him to 12th hole. 12th green and 13th tee was very close, so I decided to wait for Retief Goosen here. I walked with Retief to 15th hole and waited for Adam Scott. After Adam's tee shot at 15th hole, I moved to 18th hole, 235 yards, par 3. I could see several parties very close to teeing ground. After Retief's tee shot at 18th hole, I decided to leave here before heavy traffic.

I bought a $20 cap which had The Tour Championship and East Lake GC logos. Traffic was unexpectedly no problem at all. Thank you again, Tiger.

Friday, November 03, 2006

City Club Marietta


On October 28, I went to play golf at City Club Marietta, which located at the center of Marietta, 30 minutes by car from my apartment in Sandy Springs. This is a municipal course which is owned by Marietta City. I arrived at 8am and teeing time was 8:30am, play fee was $55 including electric cart. I played with 3 Americans. They seemed around 60 years old and very average golfer. Their score was not less than 100. Me too. I didn't keep my scores but I scored less than 50 at back nine. This course is very hilly as always in Atlanta. There are no flat lie and greens are so small. Rating from white tee, 5,396 yards, is 71 and slope rating is 119, so it should not be so tough. But my tee shot was terrible and I could make only approach shots and putts. I asked them "Are there any flat courses in Atlanta?". They told me "No, you must go to Texas or Florida". Atlanta City locates at a height of around 300 meters, so there should not be many flat courses here.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Blue Heron Golf Club


I went to play golf at Blue Heron Golf Club on Sunday, October 22.

After I worked at my office from 8am to 10am, and received a washer and a dryer from Lowe's at around 12pm. Set up of a washer and a dryer finished at around 1pm. Then I went to Blue Heron, which is open to public and has 1 par 5, 5 par 4s and others are all par 3s, total par 61 course, with 4,1-2 yards at blue tee. Condition of greens and fairways are not so good and very hilly, narrow fairways. It was very tough for me. I walked alone but I recommend not to walk here. Play fee was $32.10, including electoric cart. I didn't keep my scores but I made some good shots. I finished 18 holes for 3 hours. It was my first appearance at golf course in Atlanta.