Thrift used to be a virtue in America. In Asia, thrift remains a way of life - for example, it is estimated that the average Chinese family's thrift rate is 30 to 40 percent - which helps explain the rapid growth rates there.

Last month Governor Rod Blagojevich proclaimed that the Illinois House absolutely, positively, without a doubt had to pass the Senate-approved pension-obligation bond deal, a special-funds sweep, and the entire capital-construction package or he'd have to slash the state budget right down to the bone. Much suffering would result, the governor warned, unless the House complied with every one of his directives.

We here at Daytrotter have been overjoyed with the response to the last two Daytrotter Presents shows at Huckleberry's -- Amos Lee/Shelley Short and Justin Townes Earle/David Vandervelde. We have to thank everyone for coming out, and if you were one of those people, bring two others with you for the next one.

We promise to continue bringing in high quality acts -- putting together diverse bills that you're only going to be able to see here. The next two shows that we have upcoming promise to be just as eclectic.

Any description of Recapturing the Banjo feels inaccurate.

It was released under the name of trance-blues artist Otis Taylor yet is more of an all-star collaboration, featuring Guy Davis, Corey Harris, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Keb' Mo', and Don Vappie on the titular instrument.

Yet that description would suggest an album dominated by the banjo, and overloaded with it, when the reality is that the instrument is merely an accent on some tracks, including "Hey Joe," with a ringing electric-guitar solo closer to Hendrix than anything traditional.