felser Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) This is a desert island disc for me, gorgeous stuff from 1969, my favorite flute music ever, and worth the price of admission for Eric Gravatt's drumming alone (though there is so much more). I've had this on LP for 40 years, and it's never lost it's magic. Listened to the CD this morning, and it sounds great, full liner notes, etc. Asha on Amazon site Edited March 1, 2012 by felser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 I'm glad to see you recommend it, felser. I saw the group in the fall of '68 and loved the show. I've never heard the album, but I put it on my wishlist June 2, and maybe I'll get it for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 That was one of the first jazz albums I fell in love with when I heard it on AFN Europe after it was released. It haunted me, but I never was able to get a copy of the LP, only later releases of McNeill LPs. I have a transfer of a scratchy LP, so this is celebration time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Nice! And those original Asha LPs are investment pieces worth hundreds of dollars. Or $20, if you want to sell it to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted August 11, 2011 Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 also reissued as LP for the vinyl lovers http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/releases/?id=19377 just ordered mine. Thanks felser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 I've been listening to my recently arrived vinyl Asha a few times now. I can certainly hear why it's proved a favourite for all those years, felser. a revelation, thanks for the tip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 This was noted in a post by another member in the Discography forum, but thought I would also mention here that McNeill's 'Washington Suite' is also now available on CD! These are desert island discs for me, amazing stuff, and a dream come true that they are on CD. Is anyone familiar with a recording by McNeill and Richard Kimball entitled X.TEM.POR.E ? I've not heard it, am not sure if I should lay down $15-20 for it, as it is from about 20 years later, and I did not find McNeill's final Baobab recordings as compelling as the earlier stuff. Also, does anyone know if 'Tanner Suite' is available anywhere in recorded form? There are some clips on youtube. thx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I hope this means that we'll be getting more of his music reissued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Man Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Just to second (third?) what's already been said about these two albums - they really are both very good. Although I'm not normally too keen on the flute as a jazz instrument I must say that Lloyd McNeill's playing here is excellent, as is the drumming of Eric/Robert Gravatt. However the musician that I think comes over best is the pianist, (Eu)Gene Rush. I must admit that his is a name I'm not familiar with. It seems he has been a Jazz Professor at The University of Memphis for 23 years. Does anyone know whether he is on any other recordings other than these two with Lloyd McNeill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Gene Rush plays on this one - Steve Novosel and Jimmy Hopps, too - but mostly service, accompanied congregational singing etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JETman Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Listening to Asha now. This is great stuff. And yes, Eric Gravatt is in fine form! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted March 20, 2012 Report Share Posted March 20, 2012 Asha clearly is one of the five all time greatest jazz flute albums, IMHO - it is the first on my list. Perfect all the way through. I'd have a hard time listing the next four ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted March 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Asha clearly is one of the five all time greatest jazz flute albums, IMHO - it is the first on my list. Perfect all the way through. I'd have a hard time listing the next four ... Also #1 on my list, and Washington Suite is #2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Head Man Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 Asha clearly is one of the five all time greatest jazz flute albums, IMHO - it is the first on my list. Perfect all the way through. I'd have a hard time listing the next four ... Don't let Jonathan know that...he's thinking about releasing "Jeremy Steig - Flute Fever"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted March 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 No problem here, I'll buy the Stieg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost of miles Posted June 16, 2017 Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 Both of these reissued once more: ASHA on Soul Jazz Records Listened to Asha last night--excellent record! Going to listen to Washington Suite this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted June 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2017 Grab them while you can. Â Utterly beautiful albums. Â I put "Asha" on my first BFT - no one ID'd it and everyone loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenrr Posted June 17, 2017 Report Share Posted June 17, 2017 Thanks for the heads up.  Loved the sound clips and ordered both on LP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted June 17, 2017 Report Share Posted June 17, 2017 (edited) I have a copy from the first CD reissue of Asha (thaks to a friendly board member) and an original (but rather noisy) LP of Washington Suite, but this time I ordered all three CDs (they still have copies of Tanner Suite, too). Thanks for the pointer! I just love McNeill's melodies. Edited June 17, 2017 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 17, 2017 Report Share Posted June 17, 2017 I ordered Asha. I'll think about the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted June 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 2 hours ago, jlhoots said: I ordered Asha. I'll think about the rest. Don't hesitate on Washington Suite. Â You need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted June 18, 2017 Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 1 hour ago, felser said: Don't hesitate on Washington Suite. Â You need it. O.K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 (edited) The Package arrived here a few days ago - sound is excellent. Good to hear Washington Suite without noise (pressed on bad vinyl, at least my copy, as it sounded that way from the beginning). It is still a mystery to me why a flutist of that caliber did not become known better or was offered a recording on a nationally distributed label. Maybe he was too modest about his playing abilities - I don't know. His music has haunted me with its melodies ever since I heard a few tracks on AFN Europe at the time Asha was first released. Edited June 25, 2017 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felser Posted June 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2017 I don't think he ever went after it.  I have had short exchanges with him twice over the years, and he is truly a renaissance man, and I think he has been even more drawn to art and photography than to music.  Here is his wikipedia biography.    Having studied Art and Zoology in Morehouse College, Atlanta, he moved on to be the first recipient of Howard University's MFA degree. in 1963. In 1964-5, he did further study in Lithography at Paris' L'Ecole Nationale Des Beaux Arts. During his residence in France, he spent a considerable amount of time with Pablo Picasso and his wife, Jacqueline in Cannes. He has also studied music composition privately with the composer Hale Smith, music theory and flute technique with the jazz musician Eric Dolphy, and classical flute technique and repertoire with Harold Jones. McNeill taught at several institutes of higher education, and is Professor Emeritus of Mason Gross School of the Arts, at Rutgers University, New Jersey, having retired in 2001. Through the 1970s, and in addition to his position in Art, McNeill also taught Afro-American Music History, private flute lessons, and was instrumental in launching the Jazz Studies Program at Rutgers University. McNeill has exhibited his paintings and drawings at several galleries and colleges in the U.S. Northeast. He published two volumes of poems: Blackline: A Collection of Poems, Drawings and Photographs and After the Rain: A Collection of New Poems. In 2007, Lloyd McNeill was chosen by the USPS to design a postage stamp for the celebration of Kwanzaa 2009.[2] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted June 6, 2019 Report Share Posted June 6, 2019 Souljazz just reissued another McNeill LP. 1000 copies each of vinyl and CD. https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/sjr/product/treasures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.