The Jelly Jar

...a collection of links to cool sites, sources for good music, and some dumb jokes

All Songs Considered
If you listen to NPR's "All Things Considered," you may be intrigued by the interesting musical snippets that appear between stories. The director of ATC, Bob Boilen, now has a web-only multimedia music thing (what do we call these?) featuring his eclectic musical selections. It is well worth checking out to learn about artists and albums that will never get commercial airplay.

Experience Music Project
By now, if you have at least half an interest in popular music (and if you don't, why are you here?) you have heard about (Microsoft co-founder) Paul Allen's toy, Seattle's Experience Music Project. In addition to the cool new building, EMP also has a web site. It has interviews, music snippets and interesting articles, including one on Seattle's early Jackson Street jazz scene. Bookmark it, and come back from time to time.

The All Music Guide
An indispensible resource for musician biographies and discographies. It is huge and ambitious, and if it sometimes falls short in completeness or accuracy, that's understandable.

The Ultimate Band List A well-organized collection of music links and information.

  Have a site we should know about?

American Routes
Think of this program from Public Radio International as an audio version of Jelly. Each week from New Orleans, Nick Spitzer plays music by "Aretha Franklin to George Jones, Los Lobos to Howlin' Wolf, Count Basie to Beck, Gershwin to Dylan, Armstrong to Marsalis." Definitely our kind of vibes! If there is no station in your area carrying the program, you can catch a wee sample at the web site.

CD Baby
A great source for independently released music. For starters, check out:

Jack West
Peter Neri
Lorraine Feather
Panama Red
the Sandbox Trio

Red Trumpet, Acoustic Sounds, Music Direct and Elusive Disc
These "audiophile" stores are good sources for LPs (yes, LPs!) and hard-to-find CDs.

Red Trumpet, (877) 733-8786, or . If Rick can't get it, you probably don't want it.
Acoustic Sounds, (800) 716-3553, or . A huge selection. Chad Kassem, the owner, also reissues classic jazz and blues albums and produces brand new blues recordings on the Analogue Productions label.
Music Direct, (800) 449-8333, or . In addition to many fine CDs and LPs, they carry audio accessories, including turntables and cartridges.
Elusive Disc, (800) 782-3472, or . Good online catalog, with a great collection of hard-to-find CDs and LPs, plus audio goodies.

Miles of Music
A great catalog of roots music from folk to rockabilly to whatever. Intelligent and helpful catalog notes - they really listen to what they sell.

Music Selection
You can order the great Urban Turban CD and other imports at reasonable prices here.

"Jelly Roll Blues" and "Mr. Jelly Lord," Jelly Roll Morton
"It Must Be Jelly," Frankie Ford
"Jelly on My Mind," Big Joe Turner
"Jelly Roll Gum Drop," Ruben & the Jets
"Jellybread," Booker T. & the MGs
"Bring It on Down to Jelly Roll," John Fogerty
"Peanut Butter and Jelly," Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer
"Jelly Belly," Mongo Santamaria
"Jellybeans," Barney Kessel
"Hot Jelly Roll Blues," Hot Tuna
"Jam Up Jelly Tight," Tommy Roe
"Postcard from a Dream (Toast and Jelly)," Poi Dog Pondering
"My Jelly Roll Soul," Charles Mingus
"Jelly Rolls, But Mingus Rolls Better," Vienna Art Orchestra
"Jelly 292," Jimi Hendrix
"Guava Jelly," Toots & the Maytals
"Jelly Bone Jelly," Guy Davis
"She Don't Use Jelly," The Flaming Lips
"Meandering Jelly - A Contraceptive Failure," Michael Gulezian
"Flying Jelly Attack," Shonen Knife
"Jelly, Jelly, Jelly," Bobby "Blue" Bland
"Jelly, Jelly," Billy Eckstine
"Jelly," Uri Caine
"Jelly," Skip Heller

The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport features an exhibit of our favorite animal, the jellyfish. The JellyCam features frequently updated images of a tank filled with beautiful Oregon moon jellies, Aurelia labiata.

Of course, there once was a band named Jelly (it had to happen). It included the subsequently famous actress Amy Madigan (or, as they have it at the All Music Guide, "Andy"). At the Internet Movie Database, we learn Amy once appeared in Playboy wearing nothing but jelly.

Here's a place to find out all you ever wanted to know about Jelly Bellys, the late Ronald Reagan's favorite candy.

At the Wiz Balm site we learn that "Petroleum jelly (PJ), or Petrolateum, has often been maligned as a man-made or un-natural product. PJ was discovered by roughnecks and roustabouts on the oil rigs....They found that this very light, whipped component of oil would soften and moisturize their hands as they worked with the shaft." Remember, "it's available in flavors!"