Stephen Mejias

Music was playing,

so I sat there, quietly.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/092005knowing/">I knew nothing about high end hi-fi. Hard to believe, I know. But true. I didn't even know that the high end existed. My Magnavox boombox worked just fine. As a person grew older and gained the responsibilities and markings of an adult, I knew that his or her speakers and amplifiers grew larger and flashier and more expensive&#151like their houses and cars and debt&#151but I didn't equate those changes with better sound. I didn't even think about better sound.

My problem is intensified a million times over by the fact that many of these releases are severely limited. I’m talking as few as 300 (or even just 250!) copies of a certain album are pressed on delicious vinyl, and that’s it. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. Thank the holy lord up above that I live in the New York City area and I can get my hands on just about anything I want. A trip to Other Music or Hospital Productions takes just a few minutes. Of course, I could always purchase these titles online, but where’s the fun in that? Actually going to the record shop and finding a copy of the album is so much more special. It feels deserved, it feels won.

Sunday, March 27, 8pm: Sonic Youth, Yoko Ono, Mike Patton, Sean Lennon, Cibo Matto, Mephista, Marc Ribot, Uri Caine, and Aleph Trio&#151awesome line-up!&#151will perform at Miller Theater (2960 Broadway, NYC) in a Japan Benefit Concert.

“The tragedy and devastation is really overwhelming,” says John Zorn, who has organized and will host the evening. “I’ve always felt a strong personal connection to Japan, and I’m just glad to be able to do my part to help. It should be an amazing night.”

Both the performers and the theater are donating their services, ensuring that 100% of proceeds from ticket sales will go to benefit the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit near Sendai on March 11. Funds will be donated to the Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.

Tickets for the show were sold out shortly after they went on sale, but Miller Theater has created a web page with information on ways to support Japan relief and a list of other benefit concerts in New York. Included among those benefit shows:

Friday, April 8, 6:30 & 9:30pm: Thurston Moore, Matthew Shipp, Ikue Mori and John Zorn, Milford Graves, Mark Feldman and Sylvie Courvoisier&#151awesome line-up!!!&#151Norah Jones, Buke and Gass, and others will perform at the Abrons Arts Center.
Saturday, April 9: The Japan Society will hold a day-long benefit concert, including gala performances at 1pm and 6pm, with performances by Philip Glass, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

More benefit shows will be announced.

Tomorrow, March 23, 8pm: Yo La Tengo will perform at Maxwell’s (1039 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ). Tickets cost $50, with all proceeds from ticket sales and fees going to Peace Winds Japan. I hope to see you there.

A gang of Giyas prepare to stick it to a Steinway.

I’ve been digging Dexter Gordon’s 1963 album, Our Man In Paris, featuring Bud Powell on piano, Pierre Michelot (a JA fave) on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Look at how deep and cool Dexter Gordon looks on the cover, balancing a smoke between his fingers, lost in thought.

Because, three weeks later, my back, butt, and legs were still">http://blog.stereophile.com/stephenmejias/080707laziness/">still hurting, I decided to go to the doctor. My doctor is an audiophile. He had had a wonderful time at the Home Entertainment Show last May. He's mostly attracted to the more exotic loudspeakers such as the Proclaim">http://blog.stereophile.com/he2007/051207proclaim/">Proclaim Audioworks DMT-100 and Loiminchay">http://blog.stereophile.com/he2007/051507mandarin/">Loiminchay Mandarin Supreme, but he's also very enthusiastic about smaller, more affordable designs from ZVOXhttp://blog.stereophile.com/he2007/051307zvox/">ZVOX; and Audioenginehttp://blog.stereophile.com/he2007/051407audioengine/">Audioengine;.