Marsalone

I've heard the Mooney album where he's on organ and singing. Pretty good stuff. So Strand sounded like Mooney. I'd still like to track down an LP or MP3's of the Prestige stuff. If I find anything, I'll let you guys know. Big D

Where can I find this guy's Prestige recordings? I'd love to hear a sample of his playing. Is Jimmy Smith backing this guy kind of like Charlie Parker saying Rudy Vallee was his only influence? Big D

Hey everyone, I've been trying to track down the Brother Jack McDuff and Joey DeFrancesco instructional videos put out by BT Productions way back when. Been to the BT site and they are not listed on there and the owner doesn't respond to my emails. Scouring eBay and the rest of the net. Does anyone know where I can find them or does anyone have any for sale. I saw an F-Blues clip on YouTube with Joey D. that I think is from the BT video but it doesn't say. This is the closest that I've come to finding them. Thanks, Marsalone

Hi Aloc, The Koss Porta Pros are nice and do blow away any kind of earbuds that come with the iPod. I had a pair back in the early 90's with portable CD player and they were great but I don't know what happened to them. I used buds in the 2000's with my ipods until about 4 years ago I picked up the Sennheiser PX100. They sound phenomenal like I remember the Koss' did but they aren't as clunky and they fold up nice and come with a hardshell case for travel. I didn't know that they still made the Portas but the Sennheisers are a good substitute if you can't find them. You can find them for about $30 online. Peace, Daniel

Hey thanks for the welcoming words. It's funny that you say he has the same set list and banter between songs. I haven't had the chance to see him live but I have heard a handful of live recordings of the off the air bootleg type from Lou over the last 10 or 15 years or so and he does have the same banter and pretty plays the same tunes like Nearness of You, and Alligator Boogaloo, Blues Walk... When you wrote the line he does about Kenny G, fusion, confusion, I thought that it was funny cause I heard it the exact same from four or five live recordings like you did the three times you caught him in person. Anyway, I still love the guy. His tone and his lines are so sweet. Oh and by he way when I mentioned that I don't like his "Sold Out" stuff I mean the mid 70's stuff. I remember hearing one record so freakin' cheesy. It was Lou with his varitone playing disco arrangements of standards like Night and Day and Begin The Beguine, with strings and female backing vocals. It was painful to listen to but I couldn't stop. It was like watching a movie that is so bad, cheesy and campy that it became a cult classic. Honestly it reminded me of watching Flesh Gordon. That may have been the worst movie I had ever seen. I had to force myself to watch the Flash Gordon spoof filled with sexual puns and jokes. Honestly the joke got old after the first 30 seconds of the movie but I forced myself to watch. Kinda like that Lou Donaldson disco Cole Porter record.... Of course my friends always crapped on me for thinking that Alligator Boogaloo, Everything I Play, and Hot Dog weren't so bad and had some good tracks. They say that he sold out then, and from the blind fold interview it looks like Lou confirms it. But I still dig it. Anyway from what Jazzkrow is saying it just looks like he is trying to get a rise out of people, like wanting to be the Howard Stern of Jazz minus the porn stars. Well maybe he wants them to but at his age he has his ticker to worry about with that sort of thing... Peace Out, Daniel

Hey Jazzkrow, Was Lou Donaldson as nasty and bitter during the interview or was he just jiving. The BF interview makes him come off as a bitter old man who's upset that more people imitate Trane than him. I was upset reading it. The dude said Cannonball couldn't play!?!? I love Lou's music especially the stuff before he sold out. I've read a couple of interviews where he claimed to be the one responsible for Blue Note's success and artist roster early on and the one who saved them from bankruptcy in the mid 60's with his hit records. He seems like he needs more love and recognition. But to talk smack about braking a chair over Art Blakey's back, that Donald Harrison and Terrance Blanchard can't play (hey I'm from New Orleans, but I did like the crack about pompous Wynton) To say that Lonnie would hire anyone to make a buck. This guy crapped on everyone with the exception of Earl Bostic and that guy from Memphis. Ciao, D

Thanks so much. I can't wait to get home to try it out. I heard that he didn't really use the Leslie much and didn't use chorus. At the end of some songs I hear him spinning the Leslie. I didn't know about the Vibrato. I hear the hint of distortion and grit. He definately has a unique sound and is one of my favorites. His staccato lines just get me going... Ciao, Big D.

Hey everybody, I am trying my hardest to come up with a sound similar to Baby Face Willette's Blue Note recordings. I love his sound on Grant Green's album and Lou Donaldson's and his own two records as leader. Does anyone know what registrations he typically used. His sound is so grungy, I just love it. Definately my idol on the organ next to Don Patterson and Brother Jack. Anyway I've been trying in vain to get something similar but it ain't working. I see lots stuff on the net regarding Jimmy Smith's settings and Groove Holmes' sound but nothing on Face's and I need help. Thanks, Daniel