Soul Stream

I gotta get this LP. Man, is the rest of the album consistent with these tracks? For my money...that's Larry Young. And although I don't hear Grant's usual approach on the first track ('cept for the decending gliss, a tell-tell Grant lick, which he uses over and over), I do hear it on the second. Either way, gotta get this. They have a "Buy It Now" of the LP on EBAY but it's 38 bucks.

I understand what you're saying Jim. However, I think the "hesitency" you talk about is perhaps the result of 2 things...Larry not being in the pocket as much because he's not playing organ bass, and secondly, trying to jam his style into this overblown orchestrated boogaloo and go-go song. It kind of makes me chuckle, it shows Larry is going to play his style no matter what! That's great. I think his playing is more recognizable on the second track because the song itself is a jazz waltz that lends itself more to Larry's style. THAT'S the track that really clenches it for me totally. The first track sounds a bit as if Johnny Hammond Smith had taken a Larry Young pill before the session. But it's still cleary Larry and Larry only in my mind even on that track. I just don't see how someone had totally absorbed Young's style to that degree by the mid sixties.

Hmmm. I have absolutely no doubt that's Larry Young.

You guys are nuts. That's not Jimmy Smith. It's Larry Young.

GREAT story Marcello! Thanks, makes me appreciate the man even that much more. He is all about the music, and that's such a rare thing. No matter what the era.

Definitely not true in Tokyo. The used stores here are great and there are some real bargains to be had. Japan doesn't count. Somehow they've jumped off the evolutionary chart and have split off as a civilized race with good musical taste.

please...let's not be a McCoy threadkiller and derail this into a Chuck Mangione thread!!!! (I'm only half kidding, but that means I'm also half serious)

My dad said that the whole time we were growing up. I wonder if he picked it up while stationed in Texas... Probably. Never knew if people were saying fair to midland or fair to middlin', even though I've heard it a million times. The Texas drawl just slurs it all as one word basically. Midland being the west texas town of Midland/Odessa.

...yes, maybe play all original free jazz from now on...maybe he'll change his mind then.

Bring your own rack of lights. and tell him to take out $1.50 for BMI/ASCAP. Or tell him if this is the new rule, you'd like to put out a tip jar to make up the difference.

There is something to "nipping it in the bud" so to speak. I'd LOVE to see you walk, but life's not a movie...baby still needs shoes.

I wondered where he was last night. He was suppose to be in McCoy Tyner's band last night here in Austin. Was dissappointed he wasn't there.

McCoy Tyner was everything you'd hoped he be as a person. And the show...unbelievable. He played "Moment's Notice" and he incorporated every style of jazz piano at some point from James P Johnson and Art Tatum to free elements, classical all within his own concept. That single song may have been the best single jazz performance I've ever seen live.

I played at a bar last year on a weekly gig. Of course the owner didn't know sh*t about anything (as usual). One day, there's a sign on the bandstand that says all songs must be original because he doesn't want to pay BMI or ASCAP. I told him I was a BMI writer and that no matter what I played, original or not, he'd have to pay. I got fired. Jim, like all musicians do...bend over and take it. That's the way it is, and you and I both know whether you draw or not, if you piss the owner off you'll be fired. I guess I'm asking how bad you need the gig vs how bad you want to stand up for what's right.

By some odd twist of last minute fate, I was in a room with just McCoy Tyner and myself after his show tonight. Wow. And I started off the evening watching bad t.v., not even knowing he was in town playing. How any of this happened I have no idea.

...Hey, How ya doin'?...Fair to midland....that's some real Texas sh*t. or for some more hokum (I worked at a north Texas pawn shop for many years and heard this ad nauseum)...."Workin' hard?"....(reply)"Hardly workin'"

Maybe this has been discussed....but will someone tell me the lowdown on Water Records? Is this Michael Cuscuna's doing? Who runs this label and how do they decide what to reissue? I LOVE this label...it has the guts to put out Say It Loud...and Who Knows What Tommorrow Brings and A Groovy Situation.... All with wonderful packaging and care. Reminds me of what BN and Mosaic used to be at their best. Adventursome with an attention to detail.

Say what you will, but I heard James Taylor's original version of "Going To Carolina" on the radio the other day and it completely blew me away. Some pretty spiritual music if you ask me.

We dedicated the entire first set last Thursday with my R&B band to Jimmy Smith. Just me, the guitarist, and the drummer. The audience at the casino didn't like it (NASCAR & truck country up there) but we didn't care. I know what you mean Jim. Saw my share of cowboy hats at my JOS tribute too! But still, had some people who were there to remember Jimmy so that made it nice. Felt like I had some good Jimmy channeled on A Night In Tunisia, Lover Man and The Sermon in particular...so I hope Jimmy was listening .

Hey Peter, thanks for posting that. I was wondering all day yesterday about what was going on up there in Philly. Beautiful. Wish I could have been there. I did do my own little Jimmy Smith Tribute yesterday at the club and had a lot of people out remembering Jimmy. Still saddens me to think of it.

...as to your initial question...does anybody care?... NO Now if we could just do the same for the rest of the major sports, maybe we could all concentrate on other things for a change.

Hey Jim, sounds like a great trip!. Glad you got to meet Adam, thought he was out of town, but I guess not. Was curious as to whether a lot of organ players were out at Smoke since Jimmy Smith had just passed the previous Tuesday.. Was Eric Alexander playing too? Usually he is.... Anyway, sounds like a blast!

Now let's hope they finally RVG them! I'm just spinning tons of Smith as I'll do a short memorial thing on radio on Sunday and have to decide on the tunes. Will definitely play the opener of "Back at the Chicken Shack", which probably still is my favourite Smith album (the first I got, too). How about digging the vaults and give us a bit of studio atmosphere, maybe a few false starts, and if we're really really lucky, there's an alternate or two? A nice 2CD set like the Turrentine/Three Sounds would be so sweet! Yeah, I'd love to hear some JOS false starts or studio chatter. Never really heard any on him, or any BN or Prestige organ date come to think of it.

I've been screwing up my own AOTW....been listening to the hell out of the Chicken Shack/Midnight Special session. Hard to believe they cut both those LPs in one afternoon. With no rehearsal. Turrentine said Jimmy drove by him on the way to the studio and stopped and asked him if he wanted to play.... It's sh*t like that which really blows my mind. I mean you can tell some of those tunes are johnny-on-the-spot made up (Messy Bessie, ect.)... Even "Minor Chant"...Jimmy does that killer little chord intro into that...and it kills. You know he just threw it out off the top of his head. Bastard, he was a genius.

I've got it and it's a very nice recording. However, I could have done without the vibes on this. The piano/vibes combo isn't really fitting the music all that much. That said, Fathead is very, very economical these days and doesn't blow notes without having good reason. Some nice interpretations and low-key arrangements.