Michael Fitzgerald

There are dreams of a reunion of the band from Perry Robinson's first album, Funk Dumpling (Savoy, 1962): Perry, Kenny Barron, Henry Grimes, Paul Motion. I don't know that Perry and Henry have taken any steps towards this. Mike

One track on "Heavy Sounds" on Impulse (Elvin's Guitar Blues). As a guitarist, Elvin was no Billy Higgins. Mike

NASSA stands for "unadulterated quality"???? I thought it stood for Negro American Space Society of Astronauts. http://www.negrospaceprogram.com/ Oh - Nessa - never mind. Mike

Gotta love that "ignorance" shot. Yeah - pot, kettle, black. Mike

No, not all Chuck Mangione is smooth jazz. But what he was doing in 1977 and later is quite different from what he was doing in 1972. If you think that Spyro Gyra can actually BE a blues band or a Latin band, then you don't know what a blues band or a Latin band actually sounds like. I wonder if you have even heard any of the first five Jeff Lorber albums. Lorber and Spyro Gyra in that period were mining the same lode, almost exactly. The same cannot be said for Miles Davis. I'm not taking a position on Led Zeppelin and heavy metal, but a "heavy blues band" doesn't work. By the third album, there was only one blues tune. I consider them a bit more sui generis. Rather expectedly, a heavy blues band is a band that plays blues and does it in a "heavy" style - sure LZ could do that, but why don't we call them a "folk band" since they did repertoire borrowed from Joan Baez and Bert Jansch? But that was only part of them. Why don't we call them a funk band since they did that James Brown bit? Because it's not an accurate description of all they did. Jay Beckenstein might not want his band associated with bad smooth jazz stuff, but sure, why wouldn't he want to imply that his band is special, not the same as all those folks? It's a good marketing policy decision, but it's not based in any kind of fact. Go on and SHOUT YOUR INSISTENCE!!! BUT YOUR SHOUTING IT DOESN'T MAKE IT SO!!!!! Mike

When it comes down to it, yes, Spyro Gyra IS a smooth jazz band. They - along with Dave Grusin, Bob James, Grover Washington, Chuck Mangione, and folks like that - invented the genre. They're not a funk band, they're not a Latin band, they're not a jazz band, they're not a rock band, they're not a fusion band. They take bits of each of those and put it together in a largely unthreatening "easier listening" style. Does it take talent to do this well? Sure. The guys who play in Spyro Gyra have some chops - not necessarily a lot of taste, but they can get around on their instruments, they can handle the chord changes. Compositionally, there's a lot of formulaic stuff happening. Lots of vamp-oriented stuff. It's about the "groove" more than about melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic development. The tunes are "songs" more than they are "compositions" if we can understand that distinction. Now, if we can just accept that there is such a thing as a "good smooth jazz band", then we might be able to say that Spyro Gyra is a good smooth jazz band. Mike

This is the same guy. Motherhood was Klaus Doldinger's band. Jackson was also on Doldinger's Passport album on Atlantic. Mike

Phil Woods has one like that - is it "Bop Stew"? Mike

Not all takes, but the three tunes are on "The Best Of Duke Ellington" on Signature 45257. Used for $1.95 - can't beat that with a stick. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...388801?v=glance Mike

There are tracks in this set that are NOT in the Mosaic - three from the Storyville gig, I believe. And yes, I know the set limits/concepts are not the same (Roost Getz vs. Getz w/Raney), but I mean newly discovered stuff that *would* have made it into the Mosaic set. Mike

Maynard Ferguson did a record with Alan Haven in the late 1960s. Haven't ever heard it, but it's not a priority for me. Mike

I would say that interpolation generally refers to longer passages (maybe even an entire piece). If it's just a brief passing reference, quotation is probably the term needed. Most of kind of thing done during improvised jazz solos is quotation. I would say that Dexter Gordon playing the first eight notes of "Here Comes The Bride" at the start of an improvised blues chorus is quotation, while Stan Getz playing the entire melody of Gigi Gryce's piece "Eleanor" as part of an arrangement of "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid' is interpolation. Mike

Your initial response "I can't believe I tried this here" sounds like frustration. But maybe it's just simple amazement. "Why am I wasting my time" - now THAT's got to be frustration. Are you really surprised that people believe that you're frustrated? Now, who can answer this definitively: is Jay Beckenstein (born in Brooklyn, 1951) the son of the great session woodwind player Ray Beckenstein (born in Brooklyn, 1923)? It always seemed to be logical to me, but I can't find it in any web blurb. Mike

Well, perhaps you believe that just because everyone is entitled to his opinion that everyone's opinion is of equal worth. And it may be a long time before you realize that isn't the case. Might never happen. Can't help there. Mike

Yeah, but when we try to go out, the burglar-deterring automatic light-switcher-onner is kind of lacking when the bulb blows as it switches on....... Tom, thanks for the inside scoop. I guess this filament shaving scheme connects up nicely with that recent thread about "gaslighting". Mike

A tight band - that's decent musicianship. End of story. The local high school jazz band can rehearse until they're tight. I will agree with Samuels - Spyro Gyra DO respect the idea of soloing and improvisation. They do NOT simply paraphrase the melody over and over like some smooth jazz folks do. Samuels got a good deal because they got his name spread around very nicely (but I doubt that many SG fans have his stuff with Gerry Mulligan or his ECM records with Double Image and others). And Samuels certainly helped SG keep some kind of jazz credibility. But I still don't think you are in a position to say definitively what kept him in the band. For years he was just a guest, getting paid to play on the records. At some point maybe he cut bait with his own solo career and decided to get on the gravy train. Can't fault him - look at so many others who toured with big bands, played in Broadway pits, etc. However, "top notch playing" - compared to what? Compared to smooth jazz stuff? Sure, and I said as much. Compared to most rock folks? Sure, I'll go along with that. But compared to serious jazz players? Sorry, nope. When these guys were getting noticed, the Pat Metheny Group and the last versions of Weather Report were going. And there ain't no comparison in terms of the musicianship and musicality. SG is more in line with the Jeff Lorber Fusion - occasional nice stuff, but nothing monumental. So, you asked your question, you got an answer you didn't like (from someone who isn't ignorant of the music). Why ask the question in the first place? You wanted 10 people to just say "Yeah! Spyro Gyra ROCKS!" ? Mike

If you call that first album "100% funk" - we aren't speaking a common language and it may be very difficult to communicate here. Occasional nice melodies, decent (if limited) musicianship. Beckenstein cannot get out of the pentatonic rut. The Coltrane tribute based on Naima really doesn't cut it, but I award points for even trying. This band and actual jazz music have a few things in common, but they're not the same. BTW, I never could figure out if Dave Samuels was playing in that band just for the money or what. Anything past the mid 1980s (dawn of CD 101.9 radio) I have simply avoided. Certainly they are head and shoulders above the billions of pale imitations, but there is very little nutrition in their musical candyfloss. Mike

Watch this: Bruyninckx CDROM - -Brew Moore- : Brew Moore Quintet : Brew Moore, Harold Wylie (ts) John Marabuto (p) John Mosher (b) John Markham (d) San Francisco, Ca., November 5, 1957 Edison's lamp Fantasy 3264 Nancy with the laughin' face - Rhode Island Red - Marna moves - Pat's batch - Note : Entire session also on Fantasy (Jap)VIJ-4044 and OJC 049. Brew Moore (ts) Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Dean Reilly (b) Bobby White (d) University College of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, January 1958 Dues blues Fantasy 3264, (Jap)VIJ-4044, OJC 049 and from Lord CDROM 5.0 - Brew Moore: Brew Moore Quintet: Brew Moore, Harold Wylie (ts) John Marabuto (p) John Mosher (b) John Markham (d) San Francisco, CA, November 5, 1957 Edison's lamp Fantasy 3264, OJC 049 Nancy - - Rhode Island Red - - Marna moves - - Pat's batch - - Brew Moore (ts) Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Dean Reilly (b) Cal Tjader (vib) University College of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, January, 1958 Dues blues Fantasy 3264, OJC 049 Note: All titles from Fantasy 3264 also on Fantasy (Jap)VIJ-4044. The date of November 5, 1957 for the Moore goes back at least as far as the original Bruyninckx 50YORJ - can't check Jepsen for this right now. 50YORJ gives "1957-58" as the date for Dues Blues (and location as San Francisco). Now, what needs to be done is some periodical research to determine exact dates and locations of those California gigs. Mike

Hmmm - I have seen this too in the past 5 or so years. I wondered if it was something wrong with my fixtures or wiring or something. So it's just that the damn bulbs are crappier? Mike

Also studio recording with Anita O'Day and live recording with Nancy Wilson. Mike

Percy singing the blues with guitarist Mike Musillami and unidentified harp player.

All good guys. Worth investigation - I think I have all the early Brian Auger stuff on single CDs, I have all three early Jon Lord things done with a group called Santa Barbara Machine Head on a "White Boy Blues" 2-LP set, and the first two Ten Years After albums have the most jazz stuff. There's an organ appearance Winwood made with John Mayall issued on the LP "Raw Blues" where he was credited as "Steve Anglo" that is quite nice. Track is titled "Long Night". More info on Jon Lord (early and otherwise) here: http://www.thehighwaystar.com/rosas/jouni/jl.html Wynder K. Frog is really Mick Weaver - good jazz guys on some stuff http://funky16corners.tripod.com/6_wynderK1.htm And aha! Here's the complete listing: http://www.bear-family.de/tabel1/neuheit/s.../bcd16756_e.htm WYNDER K. FROG (Organ: Mick Weaver): Jumping Jack Flash SPENCER DAVIS GROUP / Mk. I (Organ: Steve Winwood): Stevie's Groove ARTWOODS (Organ: Jon Lord): A Taste Of Honey BOBBY GRAHAM (Organ: Kenny Salmon): Zoom, Widge And Wag JULIE DRISCOLL, BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY (Organ: Brian Auger): Ellis Island DAVE DAVANI FOUR (Organ: Dave Davani): Working Out MANFRED MANN (Organ: Manfred Mann): One Way GRAHAM BOND ORGANISATION (Organ: Graham Bond): Wade In The Water PEDDLERS (Organ: Roy Phillips): Horses Collar GEORGIE FAME & HIS BLUE FLAMES (Organ: Georgie Fame): The In-Crowd REMO FOUR (Organ: Tony Ashton): Jive Samba TEN YEARS AFTER (Organ: Chick Churchill): Adventures Of A Young Organ ZOOT MONEY'S BIG ROLL BAND (Organ: Zoot Money): Zoot's Sermon ALAN PRICE SET (Organ: Alan Price): Critic's Choice FREE (Organ: Steve Miller/UK): Guy Stevens Blues SMALL FACES (Organ: Ian MacLagan): Grow Your Own MOTHERHOOD (Organ: James Jackson): Back In The Grass SPENCER DAVIS GROUP / Mk. II (Organ: Eddie Hardin): New Toy HERD (Organ: Andy Bown): Impressions Of Oliver SOUL SURVIVAL (Organ: Nicky Hopkins): Soul Soup STEAMPACKET (Organ: Brian Auger): Holy Smoke SANTA BARBERA MACHINE HEAD (Organ: Jon Lord): Rubber Monkey NICE (Organ: Keith Emerson): Sombrero Sam So it looks to be a tantalizing taste, but where's the full meal? Not especially thrilled - I'd love to get a comprehensive CD of Emerson's pre-Nice stuff. I only have bits here and there. Mike

Excellent - *disproving* is as important as proving! Mike

Lord CDROM 5.0 says: Gene Norman poss. Willie Smith (as) poss. Tommy Todd (p) poss. Lionel Hampton (vib) poss. same concert, Pasadena, August 4, 1947 These foolish things Embraceable you both on Crown CLP 5415 Bruyninckx CDROM entry is virtually identical. Mike

Bruyninckx CDROM - -Jazz at the Blackhawk- : Cal Tjader Quartet : Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Gene Wright (b) Al Torres (d) San Francisco, CA., January 20, 1957 Land's end Fantasy 3241 I've never been in love before - Lover come back to me (*) - Thinking of you, MJQ (*) - Blues in the night (*) - Bill B. - I'll remember April - Two for blues suite - When the sun comes out - Jazz latino (+) Crown CLP5288 Note : Entire session except (+) on Fantasy 8096, OJC 436, CD436-2. (*) These titles on Jazztone J1277, see also May 24, 1956 for more titles. and Cal Tjader Quartet : Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Dean Reilly (b) Bobby White (d) San Francisco, CA., November 5, 1957 Journey's end Crown CLP5056, Modern MST827 Note : Crown CLP5056 entitled "Jazz confidential". Lord CDROM 5.0 Jazz at the Blackhawk: Cal Tjader Quartet: Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Gene Wright (b) Al Torres (d) San Francisco, CA, January 20, 1957 Land's end Fantasy 3241, OJC 436, OJC CD436-2 [CD] I've never been in love before - - - Lover come back to me (*) - - - Thinking of you, MJQ (*) - - - Blues in the night (*) - - - Bill B. - - - I'll remember April - - - Two for blues suite - - - When the sun comes out - - - Jazz latino Crown CLP5288 Note: Fantasy 3241(mono) = 8096(stereo). (*) These 3 titles also on Jazztone J1277 titled "Delightfully light". and Cal Tjader Quartet: Cal Tjader (vib) Vince Guaraldi (p) Dean Reilly (b) Bobby White (d) San Francisco, CA, November 5, 1957 Journey's end Crown CLP5056, Modern MST827 Mike