Jazz Kat

It's hard to explain. I'm having an easy time finding what I am looking for with guitar players. Ex: Pat Metheny, John Scotfield. So it's not really avant garde. I'm looking for keyboard players, (preferablly organ players, ) and preferablly groups, that play modern jazz along the lines of what the guys I mentioned above are doing. Some funk, some contemporary jazz..

I don't think it's over the top to call Stevie Wonder one of the true geniuses of music... right up there with Ellington, Coltrane, etc. in my book. One jazz artist said the exact same thing on tv once. If I can remember right it went something like, "people would kill me if I compared Stevie Wonder to Duke Ellington, but he is just as talented as he was." (composition wise)

I'm looking for some groups with an organist that play some progressive jazz. You know, the kind of, 'out there' jazz. Any suggestions?

Since I just saw this drummer's thread, I always dreamed of having one mounted tom. (Funny, it's usually the other way around) On my old kit, I took off the tom on the right, and just had one like my jazz idols. When my dad bought me a new kit for my birthday four years ago, I took off the right mounted tom. He was so pissed! Ever since then, I been wanting just one tom. My dad don't let me take it off! What do you prefer? The right tom, for me is basically pointless because I just don't even play it. Here's the other question. Clear or coaded heads? I used remo coaded heads all my life. I finally decided to buy clear heads. I don't like the sound as much. The texture is much different. I also like to tune my mounted time really high. As where my dad is basically low. He changes everything when he sits behind my kit to play just for a minute, when I come back, its all fucked up. I prefer the 'Max Roach approach' when tuning my drums.

Funny, a friend told me it wasn't that good. I knew he was wrong!

yeah, I'm going, I just looooooooove smooth jazz. And nobody plays it like Cream! Especially rusty cream!

Some dickhead, sat around writing that list, and you believe it. I don't care, if you think Chuck Mangione is smooth jazz, you're deaf!! Or mental! You people anger me to such extants. Man, I think I'm gonna host a party with Aric and Che tonight! Yeah!!! Hope you luck in this little twisted fucked up forum.

Whatever. Bask in your own ignorance. No point in playing piano to a cow...

First of all Chuck Mangione is NOT smooth jazz! And either is Spyro Gyra! Are they most responisble for it, yes! But then again, so is Miles Davis. Beckenstein said himself, you don't call his band a smooth jazz band. If they're playing latin, IT IS a latin band, if they're playing blues, they're a blues band. No Spyro Gyra isn't a jazz band. That's the most outrageous thing I ever heard. And no Led Zeppelin is NOT HEAVY METAL!!!!!!!!!! It's pointless to try and proove it to you. Same deal, they were responsible for it, but did not play it. Granted, some of their live stuff comes really close to heavy metal. Led Zeppelin's greatest influence was the blues. They were a Heavy Blues band! Got it! And no, listening to Spyro Gyra is not like listening to Jeff Lorber! And once and for all, Spyro Gyra is not a SMOOTH JAZZ BAND!!! And the musicians in the band are some of the most talented players in the industry. You go hear Scott Ambush's bass solo, and tell me he's not the slightest bit talented. Absolutely pitiful!

not funny!

Press here: go suck it bro.

That's like calling Led Zeppelin heavy metal. (close, but no!)

where is the ignore button?? Is it coming back soon?

I'm throwin some funk out there tonite with The Backyards. I'm feelin greezy!

Nah I haven't heard Yellow Jackets. I have failed to find that much albums over the internet. Amazon only had one album.

That must be because they're a "smooth jazz" band. No mood for jokes, god damnit!!!!!!! They are not a smooth jazz band. AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Smooth jazz is lame!

Does this mean my joke is a day late? no.

Here's some trivia for our young Jazz Kat: Chippewa Street , in Buffalo, used to be famous for streetwalkers and other funky vices. I guess now ( I havn't been in the "Queen City" for many years, the last times was to see Wayne and Sonny ) that area has been gentrified. I'm sure those mayonnaise faced boys ( a Italo-American term meaning, roughly, suburban/white/rich ) of Spyro Gyra are referring to the later incarnation of the neighborhood? I don't know. If they're old enough, I'd imagine that they're familar with the earlier incarnation of Chippewa. That's certainly the association *I* make, and I grew up in Buffalo during the late 70s and early 80s. Chippewa was notorious at my elementary school (Waterfront) and was often the subject of dirty jokes and insinuating allusions. I remember that some friends and I wrote a parody of Toto's "Africa" called "Chippewa." I don't remember anything except the chorus: "I bless the whores down on Chiiiiipewaaaa..." Chippewa Street is a street in Buffalo, where Jay and the original band members are from.

How many times do I have to say I respected ALL OF MICHAEL'S REPLIES!!! THEY WERE VERY INTELIGENT. PEACE OUT DUDES!!!

My days here might be numbered. Fuck it, not that anybody cares.

And this coming from the man who said to "fucking grow up."

Michael, I already said I respected you with your first post. You don;t just give wierd smileys, you explain it. But most of it is your opinion. Dave Samuels started off as a guest star, toured with them even, joined them officialy for their 1985 album, Alternating Currents. Samuels left to dedicate his time to the Caribean Jazz Project. Simple as that. What credibility don't I have. Not much to it. He was a part of the band, now he's not. He left to devote his time to his own band. And yes, many Spyro Gyra fans I know, have a lot of 1960's hard bop and such, and do hate smooth jazz. Am I comparing Jay Beckenstein to Coltrane, no, but Beckenstein is my favorite player, in my favorite band.

BTW, their pianist is Tom Schuman. And I wouldn't call them a light bar band. Like all bands, some songs are light, but oh, why am I wasting my time...

how so?