Jazz greatest Trombone player Jack Teagarden: Mis’ry and the Blues

For a while now I’ve been meaning to do a review of Jack Teagarden’s masterpiece Mis’ry And The Blues, but I never seemed to know what to say about it. It’s hard for me to find any flaw within this beautiful work of art, and it is hard to put to words the emotions created by musical masterpiece of this album. For this reason I have kept myself from reviewing Mis’ry And The Blues, but I feel it is high time this album gets credit for how truly amazing it is. Although their is little I can say Mis’ry And The Blues that doesn’t amount to praise, I feel that it is important to bring to light the reasons this album is so breathtaking.

Like most of Jack Teagarden albums Mis’ry And The Blues combines elements of dixieland, Blues and, Texan swing (it’s difficult to define what makes Texas swing, but very easy to hear it). This blend creates a special sort of sound that can be both relaxing and, exciting at the same time to listen to. What sets this album apart from many of Jack’s other albums, though it’s strong use of Folk music he grew up with. This use of Folk music creates a even warmer and familiar atmosphere that benefitsTeagardens band as well as the listener immensely. Their is a nice variety of types of songs from sad blues, to uplifting Dixieland melodies; this album has a little of everything on it.

The ensemble Jack has put together for Mis’ry And The Blues at first glance doesn’t seem to be a big surprise. It has a the typical front-line (trumpet, trombone, clarinet), back-line (piano, bass, drums, and on one track a organ) set up commonly found in dixieland groups. What really is surprising is how the ensemble operates together and, who Jack has playing with him. The first thing that is shocking is you’ll notice that most if not all the names of the players he is playing with are not extremely famous or well known musicians. Despite their lack of fame, however these are some of the finest musician’s ever and, rival the players in some of the masterful groups set up by Louis Armstrong. The outstanding and, sophisticated sound of Don Goldie on Trumpet and, HenryCaesta on clarinet could serve by themselves as star and, create strong albums. Together with Teagarden they create amazing team with a professional sound, that can only be found in a top level group. The back-line is equally strong with the stride master Don Ewell on piano and, as well as Barrett Deems on drums and StanPauls on bass. Combine that with Tea Gardens smooth, lyrical and, outstanding playing and, you have the making of a all star group.

What is so amazing about the group though is not only are the players outstanding in their own right, but their ability to work as a band unit is amazing. This album clearly shows that these musician had been playing together for years and, know each other in a extremely musically intimate way. Each is able to play off the other and, match to each others sounds making the music sound effortless. The front-line always knows when to add in tasty, complimentary fills and, key off each others playing to create a united sound. The back-line is always heightening the mood of the piece and, provides the perfect flavor by listening into what soloist is doing and, matching them to make the music seem seamless and, flowing. Together the musician’s skills and their ability to present their skills in Mis’ry And The Blues are at a peak.

The biggest thing that makes this album a masterpiece is the music presented. Many of the pieces are obscure, however it is clear by Teagarden’s presention of the the material that they are just as well written as the well known pieces. The pieces in the album were clearly chosen with great care to match the dynamics of the band members and, to show off their talents. Teagarden also makes sure to a have a variety of moods represented within the album, their are slow blues like the title track “Mis’ry and the Blues,” uplifting folkish pieces like “Peaceful Valley,” and, exciting classics like “Original Dixieland One-Step.” It is definitely clear that Jack is using many of his favorite Folk tunes, many of which he knew by heart and, it shows in the performance of them his knowledge. The obscurity of the many of the pieces adds to the interest they attract, and are the perfect choices for Jack Teagardens band.

If you’ve never heard this album before then prepare yourself for a treat when listening to this album. If you’ve never heard JackTeagarden at all before then be prepared to have your mind blown. Mis’ry And The Blues is simply a masterpiece and, definitely is one of my all time favorite albums ever. It is a must buy album classic that matches thebrilliance of many of the better Armstrong albums. It has Teagarden at one of his personal bests and, shows just so how much a effect he had on the role of the Trombone within Jazz. It might be a little tough to find, but it is definite worth going at of your way to pick this album up. Mis’ry And The Blues definitely falls into the category of a life changing album, that needs to be heard.

Hats list of top video/arcade games: part 6

25. Ninja Gaiden Two: Ninjas seem to be one of the most awesome characters ever. They are full of interesting tales in a variety genera’s so long as your not to worried about sticking to the facts. This is definitely proven true within series Ninja Gaiden, not only does the game feature some of the best platforming, power ups and music the NES has to offer; it also offer a creative challenge that is hard to match even by today’s standards. In this sequel to the first Ninja Gaiden, once the player takes the role of Ryo as he searches for his captured girlfriend by fighting your way through droves of evil Ninja’s in a variety of stages. Ninja Gaiden Two is the only game I know of to include constant wind effects in a game, and is one the few games to feature battle on a moving train. Definitely a classic in many respects, this game clinched early on that ninja games are usually awesome and tough.

24. Super Smash Bros Brawl: Nintendo is truly a not only one of the best gaming companies, but also has some of the greatest game designs of all time. Yes I know that technically it was Hal Labs and, Sora that created games for the Smash series, but it might as well have been Nintendo as far as a player is concerned. The Smash series is proof of Nintendo’s ability to create multiple mascots and series that appeal to most video game players (or at least to those brought up with them). In this second sequel to the original Super Smash Bros. the concept is basically the same and, continues to add to the appeal of the series. The premise is easy, place a bunch of characters from various Nintendo games (and products) together to duke it out. What makes this game special is that instead of using life bars it uses a percent system, the higher one’s percent gets lighter the character gets and the harder it is to stay on the screen. The object of the game is knock the opponent from the screen. Brawl increases the character variety, music, the graphics, adds new stages (though I liked melee’s stages better), but what makes the game shine is the sheer variety of easy to pull off move sets and that the game the was more accessible then Melee. Despite this the game advances it still suffers from character unbalance (I’m especially disappointed ((but not surpised)) with their treatment of Sonic) and, some of its stage choices are questionable. Perhaps I like this game so much because of the mass of play it get, but still I feel it was a definite improvement in some area upon Melee and the original Smash Brothers game.

23. Resident evil 4: If you want a scary game, gory, action packed and, at the same time incredibly well designed game this is definitely the game for you. Leon S. Kennedy a secret service agent who is sent to a village in village in Eastern Europe to rescue the president’s daughter from a cult parasitically controlled people know as the “Los Ganados.” These people at first seem like mad villagers, however it quickly becomes apparent they are much more sinister and dangerous when you enter town. This game is difficult, but not as tough as other resident evil games due to thankful change in controls, action base of the game and, focuses much more on the monstrous insect like parasite then zombies. As I mentioned before the change in control style is impressive, as is it’s use of the over the shoulder style of game play, with a first person mode if desired while firing. This game is full of the classic horror element such as narrow spaces, darkness, gruesome images and, lumbering monstrous evil that make it my favorite within the Resident Evil Series and the survival horror genera.

22. Dig Dug: Speaking of gruesome games, if you really think hard into Dig Dug it is easy to see why there is no modern remake of the this game with a improved graphical style. Dig Dug is a about a man in a white jump suit tunneling around in an attempt to destroy all the creatures within the tunnel. Dig Dug (the main character) most either drop rocks or use your pump to inflate to death fire breathing dragons and, orange shade wearing balls. This game is as strange as it sounds, and as entertaining and addicting. Thankfully it’s primitive graphic disguise the creepy under tone within the game, because this is a true arcade classic that I’d love to play over and over again.

21. Star Fox 64: This is sort of game that every Star Wars star ship game wishes it could be. A clear improvement on the original Star Fox, Star Fox 64 did everything the first game wishes it could have done (but was limited by graphics), creating the perfect aerial dog fighting game. Everything about the game was at it’s peak: the spunky slightly corny dialogue, the action, the waves of enemies, the rival team lead by Star wolf, the presentation of the game, the exciting music and, the freedom of movement that made you feel as though you were in the action. Part of what I feel made this game so good was the creative use once again of limited graphics of Nintendo 64, to create a game that used every bit processing power it had and, was exciting to play. I wish they’d create another game using the same level of care they did with this game. This game puts even the game Rogue Squadron to shame, yes it’s that well designed!

King of Bandits Jing: A steal of a deal

Humorous, strange and, action packed are three words that most accurately describe the manga King of Bandits Jing. Filled with fun and excitement, and unlike most shonen manga is the sort of manga that doesn’t take itself to seriously. It goes for a more fun then serious tone and delivers on fun, rather then a sophisticated storyline. The story is short and simple, but at the same time clever; creating amusing series that sets it’s own limits. Though it’s style prevents from being bestshonen to pick up, it’s original and, entertainment allows it to stands out from a crowd derivative titles that exist.

One thing the manga does to make it stand out from the pack is it’s art style, a style which is very different from the average shonen artists style of art. The first thing that jumps out to you when you read Jing is how much it’s creator Yuichi Kumakura enjoys to draw backgrounds. It is clear that Kumakura puts special care into most of the backgrounds (with the exception of a few fights with action lines). King of Bandits Jing is filled with sprawling background (especially cityscape’s) which show immense detail, but don’t look artificially computer created and hyper realistic like in such as inmanga as Apple Seed. Kumakura, also seems to enjoy drawing monsters and machines, which shows with ample variety of creatures employed with the stories. The character design really is a mixed sort of design, which has a set of both advantages and disadvantages that comes with them. On the one hand the character’s appearances for the most part are different from othershonen titles. On the other hand the lanky character design and, interesting appearance of the characters limits the facial expression possible and, makes for some what stiff art (though no where as stiff as the art in Fist of the North Star). My overall biggest complaint with the art would be that it seems too mesh to well together, makes it seem as though the character were mostly added into a background later. It’s nice to see art for a change that focuses less on character’s design and more on background. I would prefer; however a more equal balance of focus and quality like that of excellentmanga like Lone Wolf and Cub, it is still nice to though to see extra attention to the backgrounds (especially in a Shonen manga).

Another element that sets King of Bandits Jing apart is that the stories are typically comprised into short stand alone tales, lasting around around half a volume long. These tales are simplistic and, typically involve the confident heroJing (the king of bandits hence the title) and his wise cracking crow Kir hunting for a rare objects. On the way they usually end up helping others in need on the way by foiling a sinister villain of some sort, who is usually protecting or attempting to find the object thatJing is seeking. To defeat the enemy Jing employs his wit, a concealed blade and, the ability merge Kir with his arm to create a powerful blast known as the “Kir Royale.” The plot outline is pretty formulaic, however the Kumakura makes the best of this formula by employing creative antagonists and, interesting treasure for Jing to capture. Throughout, the series Jing most face off against a humanoid clockwork, chicken’s mercenaries armed with huge mallets, a living casino, a killer volcano and, variety of other monsters on his adventures. What is also interesting is the variety of environments the story takes place in including: deserts, mountains, a castle, hills, and various cities just to name a few. Though the story is simple and the concept never changes much or evolves,Kumakura does a great job keeping the story seeming fresh even though it repeats often.

Where story has the most problem is characterization is very weak. Even the heroes lack a real depth of variety, and emotion; ending up as have lacking emotional depth.Jing as hero goes has good basic personality traits, he is heroic, brave, and a bit of a rebel at the same time. He’s the average heroic personality, not to interesting, but his personality gets the job done well enough. Where Jing as a character has the most problems is his lack back story, little is explained in Jing about his life or his relationship with others (though perhaps their may be more on this in the sequel, King of Bandits Jing: Twlight tales). Jings partner Kir has more of a personality then Jing and, it is amusing to watch him wise crack and flirt with the various women in the story, though he too lacks a real back story. The various supporting cast and the villains are pretty standard and, unambiguous or interesting personality wise. The villains typically are evil because they are greedy and/or inhuman, not due ego, need, mistakenperception or, personal trauma. Many have distinguishing factors, however they overall lack a distinctive personality that would be worth exploring. The supporting cast typically have goals such as finding treasure or, to protect others from the villain and, don’t go much farther then that. They are okay, but don’t really add much to the story quality; forcing the plot and interest in the appearance of villain and, henchmen to lead the story. Thankfully King of Bandits Jing keeps it’s story short to cover over some of the weak characterization of the series.

King of Bandits Jing is a great manga despite it’s many flaws, it offers a fun and creative story. It’s very premise, however holds it back from being an excellent manga. However, it is well worth your while if your looking for something quick and easy to read. It wouldn’t be one of the first shonen manga’s I recommend, though its format makes it easily accessible to pick up and is good for all ages. I haven’t read any of the sequel King of Bandits: Twlight tales, but have heard good things about it so I look forward to reading it. If you happen to have some extra cash and, are looking for a entertaining manga then this is the manga for you.

Hats list of top video/arcade games: part 5

30. Gunstar heroes: If there is any game that could prove the processing power of the genesis was faster then the Super Nintendo (it’s only advantage), then this would be one of the few that really show it. Soldier and stuff is constantly through at your hero as he navigates through colorful stages with awesome gun upgrades, taking advantage of Sega “blast processing”. Unlike games like Contra in this game you actually had life, this makes it thankfully easier to survive in and, less frustrating. Another great feature in this game is the epic boss battles you most face off against buffer Guile with a bear and Bison look a like boss, for example on top of moving air plane. With two-player action included this game just had to be included.

29. King of Fighters 98: The biggest rival to the Street Fighter series, the King of Fighters series has recently fallen on some hard times (as has SNK). Despite a new version pf the King of Fighters coming out every year, this series really reached it’s peak with King of Fighter 98 and has had a hard time continuing to improve. The sheer amount of characters with personality and, fighting styles in this game is outstanding and, make it a worthy foil for Street Fighter. Though the music and, many of the stages can’t match up the classic Street Fighter arenas, this game has a certain charm about it that makes it still able to stand out. I love the variety play styles that went into the game, and, yet how balanced it’s system is at the same time. The mechanics of the game are more difficult to master then most Street Fighter game (except 3^rd strike), but they are just as rewarding as Street Fighter’s engine and offer more depth then most Street Fighter with the use of three-person teams and more complex engine. If SNK could only create a new game with the depth and elements of this game, they might once again have a shot at winning back a large fan base in the U.S.

28. Soul Caliber 2: Soul Caliber 2 is the only 3D fighter that really has any appeal to me, besides games in the Virtual Fighter series. The second in the series was clearly the best one I have been able to play in comparison to the others which come off as knock offs of the second (I haven’t played the first in the series, but have heard it was similar to two). The elements in this fighter make it the one of the few (perhaps only one) with a 3D feel that actual feel like feels exciting to play. Unlike games other 3D games like Tekan this game doesn’t boringly looking for who can start a juggling combo and, instead focuses on solid game play with a variety weapons and styles. The new Soul Calibers have clearly focused much harder on making the game appeal as a fun game, rather then a game with any sort of depth, which is disappointing. The newer games feature a greater unbalance, more mostly pointless fighters and more superfluous customizations, instead of trying to improve game play or for that matter keeping up with the same quality even of game play. Plus who doesn’t want to play a game where you can fight as Link and actually have him kick ass?

27. Mike Tyson’s Punch out: For all the bad things that Tyson has done in his life, this is the one greatest thing I think he has ever done. This game is the greatest sports game of all time! In this game you play as the small New York boxer Little Mac as you try to fight your way up to the top to defeat the monstrous Mike Tyson. The game tests your ability to memorize patterns and react quickly. What truly makes this game entertaining though is the creativity and variety of comical the boxers Little Mac most defeat as well as his silly looking trainer. It helps that the music has the that catchy 8 bit greatness I love.

26. Mega man 2: The Mega man series alone is proof that Capcom knows how to create amazing games, and create sequels using the same simple concepts done the right way. This series was designed so well that Capcom even went back to create a new Mega man based off the original Nintendo Entertainment versions recently, and it that sold relatively well. The greatest of all the Mega Man games, however has got to be the sequel to the original for a number of reasons. In this game you play as the famous Blue bomber who is sent to hunts new set of robot men, taking their powers as upgrades as he hunts down the evil doctor Willy in his castle. First reason this game one of the best in the series is the creativity of this game is outstanding and, definitely one the greatest and most genuine of it’s type in all of the Mega Man series. Secondly, it’s difficult is just high enough to be a challenge, at the same time it isn’t so hard as to be as to be as frustrating as the first game and, later games would be. Lastly, the music in the Mega man series like that in many Capcom games is top notch, and this game’s music is especially good even for a Mega man game making it stand out.

Hats list of top video/arcade games:part 4

35. Donkey Kong Country: Though I have played very little of the Donkey Kong Country series, every minute of playing it was exciting and it had a profound influence on me. The first Donkey Kong Country showed off for the first time the full capabilities of the Super Nintendo’s processing power. At the same time in it’s own right to this day is it an enjoyable game. This platformer stared Donkey Kong making his comes back along with his new pal Diddy Kong. To this day the graphics are still great to this day (which says a lot), however it is the exciting, and challenging croc stomping action and, music that stands out in this game. If I had played it more (I didn’t own a Super Nintendo when I was a kid) I’d most likely have placed it much higher.

34. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Is a relatively new addition to the Capcom vs. series, Tasunoko vs. Capcom is a worthy addition to the list. TvC barrows the support elements and has the same fast game play found in many of the other games within the versus series. TvC is also unique because its game play core is based on air combos and suppers. The graphics are simply stunning with elaberate 3d textures and, the character-based themes are exciting (though not really revolutionary). My one biggest complaint with this game is why did Capcom choose to do a game with Tasunoko? I have only a vague idea who the characters are on the Tasunoko side and, the Capcom side is pretty small and, lack many of my favorites. I look forward the U.S. release of the game so

33. Super castleveina 4: This is another great classic by Konami (a godly company) I have recently had the pleasure of picking up on the virtual console. Once again this game stars Simon Belmont as he hunts for the legendary vampire Dracula through spooky environments. The Castleviena is full of hits and is known for quality for good reason; however, this game stands out as one of the best. The game clearly builds off of the others in its series: the graphic are slick, the monsters and environments are creepy, the boss’s epic (as they are in all Konami games) and, the music captures the tone of the wonderful game. I’ve heard that Symphony of the Night is the best in series; having not played it though, this is definitely my favorite.

32.  Super Metroid: This game takes on every element game in great Komani game like Super Castleveina 4 and doubles it. This sequel to Metriod is one of the top games for the Super Nintendo of all time. In it you play the brave intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran as you hunt for the last metriod (a powerful jelly fish like creature), which has been captured by a Pterodactyl like creature know as Ridley. This is the type of game that encourages exploration through a vast maze of detailed areas in search of new upgrades and save spots. Sometimes it this vastness can be frustrating, however normally it adds to the excitement of the adventure. My only big complaint beyond sometimes being frustrated is that; although, the music does fit with the sci-fi feel of the game I would have liked for more memorable music from the game.

31. Tetris: This is another classic example an arcade style game (which is easy to pick up and play) done right. In Tetris the objective of the game is to simply fit various shapes of blocks (by flipping them) to create complete lines (which cause the lines to disappear) and, avoiding filling the screen. This is a simple concept and, it seems easy to avoid making mistakes at first; however, as the game speeds up this seems to get harder and harder to pull off. Add in a catchy tune and, you have an arcade classic that is addicting, simple and, easy to spend hours playing without getting bored.

Hats list of top video/arcade games: part 3

40. Golden Eye: I’m normally not a big fan of first person shooters; despite this Goldeneye is a huge exception. One of the first and greatest first person shooters ever Goldeneye is all around fun. The story mode has a variety of cool mission’s, the settings are creative and, best of all it only loosely follows the plot of the film, making it exciting action packed and, challenging. The real reason why Goldeneye ends up on this list; however is the multiplayer aspect of the game is so great. One would wonder why anyone would buy any other shooter after playing the multiplayer within Goldeneye. What allows it to shine is sheer number of well-balanced modes that allow for taking on your friends in a variety of stages. The stages allow for wandering, but at the same time are not so expansive that you’ll have trouble finding a friend for long. It helps that Goldeneye has a great Bond movie style soundtrack and, overtop sound effects that would be at home in James Bond film.

39. Ikaruga: When I think of tough games this is usually the first to come to mind. I wonder how anyone manages to get through this game at all, let alone beat it easily. This shoot em’ up is part of a popular Japanese genera of games that translates roughly to “Bullet Hell.” After playing this game the meaning of this title will quickly become apparent. Bullets come at you from every direction, however what makes this game truly interesting it that there are two forms of colored bullets, one of which a red black and blue white form of bullets. Your ship has the ability to switch between two forms of shield that stop a single color of bullets and absorb them, and is vulnerable to the other color of bullet. This defense might seem to make the game easier, however the sheer amount of bullets on the screen makes and the need to switch is what makes this incredibly hard. I’ve never made it past the second stage, because of the sheer difficulty of this game. Even beating part of the first stage feels like a major accomplishment in Ikaruga. It is this difficulty as well as the slick graphics that makes me come back to play this game again and again.

38. Melty Blood: Melty Blood is a great fighter and, true example of the excellence of independent game developer’s. Melty Blood is really a far reach from the Street Fighter like muscle bound fighting, instead Melty Blood focuses on a more cute anime style of character. The game throws out the special attack and timed based emphasis combat of Street Fighter, replacing it with a for a more aggressive and, chain based system of fighting. Though I have only started to play this game recently it has had profound influence on me as fighting game fan. Melty Blood is a fast paced game with a variety of uses the magic meter, including a variety of special attacks and, healing. If you are new to the fighting game genera this is a good one to start off playing. It is so easy to pick up and, action packed. Though it is only second fighter on this list (I’m a big fighting game fan), it certainly is deserving of being on this list.

37. Mario kart double dash: Having not played Wii version of Mario Kart; this is newest version of Mario Kart I have had the pleasure of playing. Mario Kart is a great game due to number of factors. First off, it is easy to pick up and play, this is important in a racing game so as to avoid excess frustration (like that found in GX). Next, is the crazy game pace with a variety of weapons such as turtle shells, bananas and, fake item blocks just to name a few. It features better stages then the first Mario kart did and the two-player system is an interesting idea. Lastly it retains the great multiplayer of the first game, while adding the team element. I’ve always I enjoyed this game and, can’t wait to get a chance to play the Wii version of Mario Kart. This is the best Mario sports based game title I’ve played beating out some other great games.

 

36. High seas Havoc: One of the reasons why the Sega Genesis is one of my favorite systems is the sheer number of platformers it has. Though most are poor, some like High Seas Havoc are truly a lot of fun. The creativity of this game is truly outstanding, as is the difficulty within later stages. The game stars a bandana wearing otter as he attempts to rescue his family from a group of pirates. To do this however he most pass through Pirate Ship’s, under water ruins, a burning city, an icy mountain, a factory, and mysterious spider filled cave and, lastly a flying ship. The enemies are cartoony, colorful and, well designed. The boss battles are likewise exciting and, the music is excellent. This game would be much higher on the list if not for the last couple of stages in the game though. These stages are nearly IMPOSSIBLE TO BEAT, High Sear Havock is challenging before these last stages, but the difficulty suddenly ramps up to ridiculous level. If you even some how managed to get through the cave level; then you most face off again a magician wolf who is almost impossible to hit. To make things worse he has a pattern that is almost impossible to survive against. It is truly this level of challenge that it is a turn off for me and, forced me to place it this low instead of near the top.

Hats list of top video/arcade games: part 2

45. Ghouls and Ghost: Man is this game tough and epic at the same time. In this game you play the devoted knight Author, as he goes on a quest through various dark settings in search of your girl friend. Author most face various monsters including, Demon’s, Hellhounds and, even the lord of hell himself. However there is a catch, Author can only take two hits before dieing with checkpoints only appearing when you move to the next area. It is insanely hard to survive long due to the huge mass of constantly re-spawning enemies and traps. To make things worse there is a twist, once you defeat the lord of hell for the first time you most go back and do it all over again! I remember being so frustrated after realizing this the first time I made it this far, and then picked up my controller to once again traverse the world. Besides the difficulty though, it is a great game that reminds me a lot of another game that will come later on the list.

44. Contra: The game play style of Contra is frantic and similar to Ghouls and Ghosts in that you must take on a mass of enemies, only the setting of the game is totally different. In this game you play as shirtless Rambo look alike as you shoot your way through the enemy bases filled with turrets, foot soldiers and, robotic monstrosities. As far as I know this game doesn’t have a plot, but what I do know is that I have a hard time even making it through the first stage. It is excellent game though, despite only being able to be hit once. This is makes the game insanely tough as you are always having to dodge a barrage of bullets, and starting with only three lives. It is definitely one of the most action packed games I have ever played and reminds me of the excellent Metal Slug (which sadly didn’t make the list).

43. Batman: Putting together one of the coolest heroes and Nintendo Entertainment System is a no brainer. Even better is the addition of game play that mimics other great platform adventure games for the NES. Though the game only last five levels, it definitely is a challenge to beat and is one of my favorite NES games. Perhaps the new Arkham Asylum game would have made the list (replacing this game), had I played it. However as of now I have only been able to see clips of it so sadly I haven’t had a chance to experience it’s greatness. Strangely enough game is the best Batman game despite being back on the NES because of its solid simple game play and, great soundtrack.

42. River City Ransom: River city has been over run with gangs that have captured your girl friend (I guess this part is kind of common for beat em’ ups). This concept just screams NES beat em’ fun despite being constantly reused. As with Double Dragon and other great beat em’ ups you fight your way through the cities many gangs. To add to the flavor of the game the villains have some of the best defeated phrases such as, “Barf,” while dropping coins on the ground. With this money you can buy various products for power ups, such as books that teach your character martial arts, magazines and, lots of varieties of food. It is this little extra polish that makes this game so different and innovative even to this day you’re your average beat em’ up(which is especially promising providing it was released on the NES). It’s disappointing and surprising that despite a few remakes of the game there has never been a true sequel to this cult classic. To top things off it was one of the first games to allow free roaming where your character chooses their path. Not much in the way of music or graphics (though they are pretty good for a NES game), but the sound effect of the coins dropping is great.

41. Bubble Bobble: What can I say about Bubble Bobble is that it truly an arcade staple. Despite only playing the NES version of this game even it feels like an arcade game and, boy is it addictingly fun to play. Bubble Bobble is one of those games that just hook’s you in with its simple and entertaining concept. In the game you play as the little dinosaur Bub or Bob as you make you way through colorful mazes defeating enemies with the use of bubbles to trap them. When you pop the bubbles trapping them turn into food. All you have to do is avoid being hit by the enemies or their attacks. Enemies can also turn angry if they are the last ones left on the screen or if they escape your bubble adding to the arcade feel of the game. All I can really say is that it definitely deserves to be considered a classic, and I can’t wait to play the new Bubble Bobble Plus on Wiiware. Though this game has only one real tune, even this tune is addicting and doesn’t ever seen to get old despite being the only music in the game.

Ay Valeria!: Bringing the party

The Los Angeles area is a host to a wide variety of Latin groups and styles; however there is no group with a sound I like that of Makina Loca as far as I know. The sound, style and, format of the music is truly original (something very hard to find the LA area despite the large number of groups). Of the many albums they have put out I think my favorite of all the albums would have to Ay Valeria! This album features many of the bands strengths and has a special feeling that has influenced me much in deep way, much like The Lonesome Brothers and, Gypsy Wrangler’s have (I will get a review on them soon). Since this is truly original content, it has to be heard to understand completely, but I will do my best to describe its style in this review.

The style of Makina Loca is very hard to define and, at the same time clearly influenced by multiple musical traditions. Makina Loca borrows most heavily from African and Cuban musical traditions, though it also contains little bit Mexican and, American style as well. These styles are then fused together into one sound that it is all it’s own. This is the sort of music that has it’s own flavor of sound, which is hard to relate really to other works, much like the sound found in the album Purple Cha Cha Heels.

The instrumentation of Ay Valeria! is very much what you would expect to find in a group doing Cuban music. The band has multiple trombones, trumpets, a rhythm section, drummer, a (stellar) guitar player(s), a bassist, vocalist and, a piano player. What is really fascinating about the group is the use of these instruments, which created a wonderfully coherent sound. Each instrument is used to create this sound by the weaving of complex rhythmic hits to moving the music. This system gives every instrument an important part in creating the complexity of the piece and, at the same time makes the music sound clear and coherent. This use of instruments is far from how instruments are typically employed in Latin groups.

What really sets this apart from most Latin jazz is the style it employs. Most Latin Jazz emphasizes the soloist and, a single strong melody played by the horns, which backed up by a rhythm section, which create pulse and feel. Ay Valeria! emphasizes creating a song through the process of growth and development and complex interweaving of instruments. Ay Valeria! uses the entire range of the instruments in it to drive the melody and rhythm at the same time. Instruments play off each other in a variety of ways creating various mixtures of sound. Another note worthy element of the music is the variety of languages, used by the group’s leader Ricardo Lemvo and, the amusing singing style of John Robert in the song FikoFiko Ko. The music reminds me a lot of James Brown’s music because; many of the tracks are created through building grooves. There is also frequent use of call and response, with driving horn parts, which is also strangely enough, can also be found in Brown’s music. It is clear that even though there are solos, the music does not revolve around them like in most Jazz, but instead the sound of the group.

Minka Loca is a unique band with special sound, nowhere is this shown better then in Ay Veleria! This album shows off the bands unusual use of instrumentation and, ability to shape and develop its sounds. It is definitely different from most Latin albums, which is what makes it so worth having and, hearing. This album is one of my all time favorites and, is a most have album. It may be difficult to find especially outside of the Los Angeles, but it is certainly an album worth having.

Hats list of top video/arcade games: part 1

Sorry to take so long to post new content, but I have been working hard on setting up this list of great games. This is a list comprising my all time top 50 video/arcade games I have played. These games have had a huge effect on me, and in some cases changed my life. As in many list I am enforcing the one game per franchise rule to avoid to repeats and, will be releasing a description of five great games a week. So enjoy and hopefully you’ll see some new games that are worth investigating.

50. Double Dragon Arcade: This is a great game because the concept is so simple for it; you’re a buff dude who beats up thugs take away your girlfriend. Your goal is simply to get her back by beating up hordes of villains. Double Dragon is one of the greatest beat em’ ups I have ever played, because it keeps things simple and to the point. It might not be the most creative or memorable game, but it give you what you expect out of it (something that can’t be said for all games), a chance to beat up hordes of thugs. This barely made the list, but is still incredibly deserving game that does the job right.

49. Wario land: Though I have played a number of good Wario this game always seems to stand out in my mind as one of the best. It is the best Game Boy platformer I have ever played beating out other good ones like the Mario games to be number 1 due to it’s clever use of a two goal objective. The first goal is simply to beat the game, this isn’t too difficult on it’s own, the next objective however is to make as much money as possible is not so easy (finally giving a good reason to collect coin/rings/other objects in a game). On top of that there are treasures hidden after the game that bring in a great deal of money. This game has some of the classic Wario humor, but mostly focuses on good game play. Still this game simply can’t compete is size, music (though the music is so bad it’s good many times), graphic or content with system platform adventure, but for an early portable platformer it is definitely is the best game of it’s kind.

48. Battle toads: This game can either be incredibly frustrating or exciting, but what can be said about it is that it is based one of strangest concepts ever. You are an anthropomorphic toad with a gross name who is dropped by a bird from a ship in outer space. Your mission, to rescue your friend from the clutches of the evil Dark Queen by traveling through one of the rockiest planets ever conceived. To make things weirder whenever you attack their body can transform, enlarging their hands and legs, turning them into wrecking balls and many other weird things. Despite the bizarre plot and cartoonish nature of the game it is incredibly difficult. I’ve never even made it close to beating it, because of the difficulty despite playing it many times. The music and other parts of the design aren’t that stunning though is why it’s so low on the list.

47. Sunset riders (arcade): Ever wanted to play good game where you lay down the law in Wild West, with your six-shooter by your side? Well then this is the game you’ve been looking for. Though I only have played this game once at an arcade, it quickly caught my attention as a great arcade platformer. The basic premise of the game is that you’re a sheriff or bounty hunter after a boss characters bounty, to do this you must survive running on top stampeding cattle, speeding trains and surviving the deadly minions of your bounty before finally defeating him. My biggest complaint with this game is that is too easy to die and, that to continue playing you have to pump in the quarters into the machine.

46. Ultimate Mortal Kombat: Mortal Kombat is a fighter better known for shock value then it’s system of fighting. That being said Mortal Kombat might not have the greatest fighting system, but it is an interesting system that is easy to play. Ultimate Mortal Kombat combines the mass amount of characters and stages from MK2 and 3 all into one. This game is definitely a Mortal Kombat players dream having everything included in the two best 2d games. The music is sub-par, but it makes up for this with neat character designs and the gruesome fatalities (where a defeated opponent is killed in violent and flashy way). Overall the novelty of the fatalities and digitized graphical style has some what subsided, but with easy to master controls and, different sort of fighting system it is still entertaining.

Film Noir meets Manga: Benkei In New York

Benkei In New York is probably the Manga (and perhaps comic) that best represents the film noir style. The art, story and characterization all are perfectly in tune with the film noir style. From the shady background and characters dressed to the nines, to the dark unrelenting story with a grey sense of morality, Benkei In New York seems to fit in all the many great elements of a Film Noir. This is definitely a niche Manga, however if Noir is your thing this Manga will leave you more then satisfied.

Jiro Taniguchi captures the story perfectly with his dark and detailed artwork. The art is modeled clearly off of film, with a variety of panel sizes and angles. It also mimics realism present in the genera with a realistic character design. At the same time it takes advantage of the manga style to capture the expressive nature of the characters faces. The imagery stands out so well, that it many times can stand completely. The best example of this occurs in the story “Throw Back.” Perhaps the most shocking element of the work is the immensely detailed moody backgrounds. Jiro is clearly a master in the art of shading; his work is filled with a variety of shades and hues despite being in black and white. The art of Benkei In New York is stunning and one of the best (if not the best) of it’s kind.

Benkei In New York has a story stuffed full of various elements taken from the Film Noir genera. Although each story has the main character Benkei perform a different task, all the stories revolve around the theme of Benkei giving out various forms of revenge. New York is portrayed as a dark, crowded and lonely place filled with desperate people and criminals, just as it is in many Film Noir films. Each story is written so that it stands alone from the others, Benkei’s and his girlfriend are the only real reoccurring characters. The dialogue and pacing of the story both resemble a film noir film as well, with dialogue like, “You like the night?” “It’s more honest than the day,” being commonplace. If you love film noir or, dark short stories then Benkei In New York is the manga to read.

The characterization in this manga is what really allows its stories to be convincing. Although Benkei seems to very skilled (he is master forger, revenge hit man, and barman) the way he is written in a way that is believable. He is neither an entirely good nor evil man; though he ends up helping some people his methods are brutal and cruel. Neither is he a content man, he rarely smiles and typically has a gloomy expression on his face throughout most of the stories. Benkei is very much like many leads in film noir; both gritty and humanistic. Although a few targets of Benkei are truly evil most of them are ambiguous figures, which have made questionable choices. The same is true for his clients who many times higher him to brutally murder, making his clients just as dark as his targets are. The characterization of Benkei and the people in the story set the dark mood of the story up and allow it to seem at the same time convincing.

Benkei In New York is pretty much a series of short Noir films in book form. Everything in its design emulates classic Film Noir movies. This is definite the type of book that’s either a love or hate. If you have any interest in Film Noir this manga is a great choice to pick up (even if your not a manga fan) and, will not disappoint. However, if you dislike Film Noir despite the great quality of design of this book it probably isn’t the manga for you.