Melvin Rhyne

[Soul Stream]

Over the years, Melvin Rhyne has increasingly become one of my all-time favorite organists. His recordings for Criss Cross are some of the best pure jazz organ recordings ever done. If you're not real hip to Mel, pick up any of his Criss Cross releases and get in on the secret...Melvin's the unsung hero.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I think I have all Mel's Criss Cross Jazz albums except "Aztec blues" and "Mel's spell". My favourite is "Classmasters".

And don't forget "Remembering Wes" on Savant and "Organizing" on Jazzland/OJC.

He plays piano on a couple of tracks of a Jimmy Coe album that's mostly big band, but for the two live cuts with Mel. V nazz, particularly "Now's the time".

I think he's probably the coolest organist ever - in the sense of unflappable, calm and laid back. But he's always right there, making it happen - there's no coasting.

MG

[mikeweil]

Rhyne is one of the greatest. He's grown a lot during the gap in his recording career (after Wes' Riversides until 1990, when he was rediscovered). I think there are only two of the records he's on missing in my collection, and there's not a single bad track among it all. But I find his piano playing somewhat insensitive as far as touch is concerned.

Almost everything he's recorded after 1990 is top-notch. But I dig his Trios with Wes very much, especially "Boss Guitar".

Edited September 13, 2007 by mikeweil

[Chas]

And don't forget "Remembering Wes" on Savant and "Organizing" on Jazzland/OJC.

I seem to recall reading somewhere on the board that Rhyne was pretty unhappy with the Jazzland side . Notwithstanding the fact that looser blowing dates sometimes sound like rehearsals , the music Jazzland issued was , IIRC , in fact a rehearsal .

[mikeweil]

Rhyne reported he had no idea it was going to be released, or that he was to be credited as the leader.

It was Keepnews' idea to arrange that session after Gene Harris had dropped in on one of Wes' Riverside sessions and played some impromptu duets with Rhyne.

[Soul Stream]

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of his stuff with Wes and the pre-Criss Cross years. I think the stuff he did later in life really blew away everything else he did. Usually, it's the other way around. Not with Melvin Rhyne. He's getting better and better...

[mikeweil]

For those interested, my Melvin Rhyne disco, Part 1:

p.s. the attachments were lost when the board had to be updated. I will try to upload them again some time.

Edited September 13, 2007 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

... and part 2:

updated April 16, 2007

Edited April 16, 2007 by mikeweil

[andybleaden]

Wow

Fascinating resource. Thanks for sharing it (them ) with us

BTW never heard of the Buddy Montgomery thing on Impulse

(cover attached I think/hope)

Edited October 2, 2006 by andybleaden

[mikeweil]

Yes that's the one - one of only two Melvin Rhyne sessions I never heard. I once held a copy in my hands in a second hand shop in Munich, but the price was ridiculously high, and I couldn't afford it.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks for that work Mike - very interesting indeed!

I see there was no link to the Jimmy Coe/Paul Weeden album "Now I know dreams do come true" except the Coe discography on the Red Saunders site. Anyone know how to obtain this album?

MG

[fasstrack]

Over the years, Melvin Rhyne has increasingly become one of my all-time favorite organists. His recordings for Criss Cross are some of the best pure jazz organ recordings ever done. If you're not real hip to Mel, pick up any of his Criss Cross releases and get in on the secret...Melvin's the unsung hero.

True dat. He had as much to do with the sound of the Wes Montgomery Trio as Wes, backed him like the pro he is, and played bad-ass solos. He's a no-frills, no BS, 'brown paper bag player'. But what goodies are in that bag! He does sound better than ever, too.

[Eric]

And don't forget "Remembering Wes" on Savant

MG

Went back to check this out based on this thread - very tasty date.

[mikeweil]

I see there was no link to the Jimmy Coe/Paul Weeden album "Now I know dreams do come true" except the Coe discography on the Red Saunders site. Anyone know how to obtain this album?

If I could only remember where I got it ..... must have been some site like Cadence. If you can't obtain a copy, I would be willing to sell or trade mine. I bought it to complete my Rhyne collection and for the discography, but I'm not so thrilled by his piano playing. Far from his qualities as an organist, his touch isn't very subtle. PM me if interested.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I see there was no link to the Jimmy Coe/Paul Weeden album "Now I know dreams do come true" except the Coe discography on the Red Saunders site. Anyone know how to obtain this album?

If I could only remember where I got it ..... must have been some site like Cadence. If you can't obtain a copy, I would be willing to sell or trade mine. I bought it to complete my Rhyne collection and for the discography, but I'm not so thrilled by his piano playing. Far from his qualities as an organist, his touch isn't very subtle. PM me if interested.

PM sent - thanks for the offer. We'll see if we can do it.

MG

[mikeweil]

I updated part 2 of the disco attached above - please replace the file on your hard disks. I added two more CDs recently released.

[mikeweil]

Got Rhyne's latest last week - another tasty date. Rhyne, Peter Bernstein, and Ray Appleton make a good trio.

Got Appleton's latinized date with Rhyne, too - cookin'!

Edited September 13, 2007 by mikeweil

[ghost of miles]

I'm interviewing Melvin tomorrow (Thursday) by telephone...he's playing here in Bloomington on Sunday for a Jazz From Bloomington benefit. Hoping to interview him at greater length in the coming month for another project.

[Jim Alfredson]

Check this out, Mel Rhyne fans:

http://owlstudios.com/player/index.php

Scroll down to where it says Dixon-Rhyne Quintet Live at the Jazz Kitchen

I believe it's Mel Rhyne, Fareed Haque on guitar, Rob Dixon on tenor, Kenny Phelps on drums, and I don't know the tabla player's name.

Tracks 2 and 3 are frickin' sweet! Track 1 is so-so.

[mikeweil]

B3 and tabla - and it works!

I will purchase this as every Melvin Rhyne album.

[mikeweil]

Track 1 is so-so.

The drum beat is unimaginative - you can't play simple oom-pah-oom-pah anymore ...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

B3 and tabla - and it works!

I will purchase this as every Melvin Rhyne album.

Melvin Sparks' "Groove on up" has a tabla player on one track. It works really well.

MG

[bertrand]

If all goes well, I will see him at Smalls' tonight.

Bertrand.

[sheldonm]

Check this out, Mel Rhyne fans:

http://owlstudios.com/player/index.php

Scroll down to where it says Dixon-Rhyne Quintet Live at the Jazz Kitchen

I believe it's Mel Rhyne, Fareed Haque on guitar, Rob Dixon on tenor, Kenny Phelps on drums, and I don't know the tabla player's name.

Tracks 2 and 3 are frickin' sweet! Track 1 is so-so.

Thanks for posting Jim. I shot the recording session for this cd and the line up is correct...I'm also spacing the tabla player's name as well. I do a lot of work for Owl Studios as well and see Mel on a regular basis. I'll see him tomorrow night as well...probably with Fareed, Rob and Kenny. Mel is a great musician as many have suggested and a great guy to talk with...I see him weekly at one place or another and one of my best friends is his brother in law.

I think he did tell me at one time he did not like the JazzLand recording mentioned earlier.

m~

[sheldonm]

If all goes well, I will see him at Smalls' tonight.

Bertrand.

Mel was originally scheduled to play in Indy tonight with the Dixon/Rhyne project and got the Small's gig. He'll be back home tomorrow for a gig here in Indy at Oranje http://www.oranjeindy.com/ . I think they take the stage at 1:00 a.m.

I have some nice casual photos of Mel with Dr. Lonnie Smith as well as a shot of him with Joey D and Tony Monaco.

m