Matthew

I hate you! Seriously, any Blue Note lp I've bought of Smith's has had the crap played out of it, I just can't get a good copy to save my life. I have most of the Smith JRVs, but still, I would love to find a primo Smith lp that doesn't cost $50.00 plus. Amoeba has to have the highest priced lps I've ever seen, even ebay is cheaper than them.

Jimmy Smith, for me, has been one of those artists that I never seem to tire of; he's just made quality music throughout his life. I find his earliest years on Blue Note his most interesting because to have the quality of wide open horizens to them. Smith was not just the "groove master" of records like "Back at the Chicken Shack" and "Midnight Special". No, his early stuff had a sense of the possible to them, that the organ, as an instrument, was something the he was just discovering, that's what makes them unique in the annuals of organ recordings. He did solo cuts, was not afraid of sounding "corny" and sentimental, and played wild bop on them also. Clearly, one of his models was Bud Powell, and that heard best on "Live at the Baby Grand", both volumes contain some of the wildest and most creative keyboard playing ever put on record. You have something like "Baby Grand" and then Smith puts out an amazing record like "Plays Fats Waller", and you wonder: "Did the same person make both these records?" Yes, he did, which was and is part of his genuis -- not being afraid to let the organ sound old fashioned. Well, I could go on forever about this guy but I'll stop right now and go listen to some Smith magic.

Just wanted to be the first, after b3-er, to wish the great Jimmy Smith happy birthday. I'm sure it's December 8, somewhere in the world now.

I like it too!

happy birthday

Check out his other books, too. Thanks for the link, on my way to some book stores this evening.

Thanks, I loved the quote so much that I have to buy the book.

The recent Classic Records 200gm of Peter Gabriel's So. Just a great sound to it.

Joe: Could you please give some more details on The Listening BooK you quoted from. Who wrote it? Thanks.

Even more....

Some more...

Something to get us ready for the hollidays.

Not as heavy duty as some of the above books but I enjoyed reading Beyond Category: The Life and Genius of Duke Ellington, by John Edward Hasse. It didn't have any great insights but presented a straight forward outline of Ellington's life. It is a good read for the purpose of getting an overall feel for Ellington's life, and now that I've read it, I can go on to some more detailed books on various aspects of Ellington's life and music.

Give me a chance! I'm still trying to get my thoughts together about Jimmy Smith.

Well, I don't think there are too many people in this world that can internalize 40 cd's of a musician like Ellington -- certainly I'm not one of them. The question for me in regards to the RCA box was this: Yes I loved the music I was hearing but how do I get the rest of his early stuff without spending an fortune? This, for me, was the best way to go. It might not be perfect but I'll live. yrs. in more velvet tones. Matt

I know it's a matter of personel taste but I also didn't care for the RCA box either, in fact, I traded it in after a year. Why didn't I like it? Just way too many gaps in the years for me, and too many alt. tks. I am much happier with this History 40 volume set, and am very pleased with the sound quality. One big plus for the History set for me is not alt. tks. I would die a very happy man if I never had to pay for another cd with alternate takes in my life!

For some reason I got to thinking on this question. I know a ton of solo piano records, solo sax, solo trumbone, solo drum, etc, but I've never heard of a solo jazz organ date. Does anyone know of one?

Then there's the great one: Jack Teagarden

Read an interesting fact recently. This cd sold 33,972 units in its first week. Not too bad, and the resaon BN signed Green in the first place. I wonder how Green's numbers stack up to someone like Jason Moran.

Now that would have been interesting. Never heard that before. Anyone else have any information about this? Think it was in some "History of Jazz" book I checked out of the library a couple of years ago. Can't, for the life of me, remember the author.

From the article: Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her. If this isn't the most unbelievable thing I've read, I don't know what is. I mean, does she still get the discount? Looks like it's not just the other shoppers that couldn't give a damn about the woman.

I've decided that I will devote the year 2004 to the one and only -- Duke Ellington. I got my 40 cd set of his early stuff, and picking up cds right and left. So, I'm wondering what lps I should pick up of the Duke? What is on lp only? What sounds much better on lp than cd? For example: I recently saw a lp copy of Uptown in pristine shape but for $40.00. Should I have bought that? Any help from you Ellington nuts would be a great help.

They add up to 79:41 minutes, which, I think, is just too long for a cd. A great two-fer might be these two lps, and maybe some unrealesed live recordings. One of the things I've always wondered about is if there are any unreleased tapes around the vaults. I always read where BN recorded a TON of live Smith in his first couple of years. In fact, didn't I read somewhere the Alfred Lion wanted to quit BN and just follow Smith around taping his concerts?

I just got tired of waiting for Jimmy Smith to come out on domestic RVGs, so I've been buying his JRVGs as they come out. Van Gelder does a great job on them, it's just that they are so $$$$$$. The recent group is very nice.