Soul Stream

The reason I'm bummed is because the master tape now has a 15 second segment of music that is now virtually ruined. To most this isn't a big deal. But hey, as silly as it might seem to you...."The Way I Feel" is MY "Love Supreme." If the jazz community at large found out that the tapes from "A Love Supreme" had be compromised from the remastering process. I think a more than a few would be upset. I've got the TOCJ. And I urge everyone to buy the Patton set. It's a great set, and yes that 15 seconds isn't going to be worth missing 5 albums worth of great material for. THAT would be ridiculous. It just hurts me to think that some of this music is being lost for eternity. "The Rock" is a great tune with a POWERFUL intro....that is now gone. Bummer.

I love the enthusiastic notion of it. But, I'm kind of with chuck on this one. I've seen several posts by self-proclaimed organ haters/fence sitters who have been converted by some of the conversations.

Just wondering. There's so many great ones, but thought I'd throw this out and see what people's thoughts were.

Burrell not an exciting player? Hmmm. Well, to each his own. Maybe we're listening to different recordings. If his playing on "Blue Bash" ain't exciting, I don't know what is!

Maybe so. But it would be hard now that he's dead.

In my opinion, The Way I Feel even disregarding the tape problems, sound pretty dull and lifeless compared to the TOCJ. Not a very good job on that one. Also, That Certain Feeling, sounds O.K. but I feel like the sound could be clearer with a MUCH better bass response. But, it IS nice to have it on CD.

The TOCJ of The Way I Feel is still available. However, That Certain Feeling is not available on CD. So, in order to have that, you must by the Patton Select.

It's not Mosaic's fault that the tapes have been ruined. That's that. It's sad that whoever's responsible for the master tapes of the great Blue Note sessions has/is not transferring these tapes one time to a permanent digital storage medium and leaving the tapes alone after that. Instead they transfer them for a TOCJ. Transfer them again for a JRVG. Transfer them again for a domestic RVG. Transfer them again for a Box Set. You get the picture. With each new transfer, those tapes are threaded on a machine and played, rewound, ect. Not to mention the shipping via Fed Ex, climate changes during shipping. And with 40 year old tape, it doesn't take much of a stretch of imagination to see dropouts happening, tape stretching, breaking..... I guess I'm as guilty as anyone for buying these constantly remastered editions. But since Blue Note doesn't seem interested in going beyond the ordinary to preserve these tapes, I think we all need to reconsider how we're contributing to the problem of constant reissues destroying the masters. Also, the TOCJ version of "The Way I Feel" sounded great. Clean, clear. This version isn't as full of life. Why not just use the TOCJ transfer? The constant call to put "newly remastered" on some of these mosaics seems silly wihen nice transfers exist.

Grant.

This brings up a real problem for me. Now I know that all this endless remastering (not to mention repeated FedExing of these tapes) is taking a toll on the original tapes. To know that "The Rock" is forever screwed pisses me off.

Actually I dug the Bobby Rush part the most. Because, like it or not, that's the real modern day chitlin' circuit scene. I know, because I played it for several years. That's the kind of show black people play for black people in the little brass rail and mirror clubs down south. Bad synthesizers, 6 string basses and a lot of posturing by all involved. But it's a whole world unto itself and one that I'm glad I got to see first hand. Say what you will about the music and performances. But that's hard work. And it's REAL. Like it or not (I never did dig the music either, how many times can you play "Down Home Blues." A lot.)

The Rock is totally f'd up sounding on the Mosaic Select. The tape is being eaten by the machine for the 1st 15 seconds or so before it rights itself. Horrible.

I'll ask George again for more specifics about Jackson's death. Even in my conversations with Patton when he was still alive....he always said he never knew what happened to Fred Jackson ultimately. So, I'll ask George again. I just thought it was amazing that Jackson was still alive as late as 1992. And yes, who knows...maybe Fred is still alive. But I'll try and dig deeper.

I saw last night's episode (hey, they re-run it at midnight so I caught it after my gig!). Anyway...now THIS is what a blues documentary should be. I had no grips at all with this one. Great episode!

Just has a conversation with George Braith. He told me he was at John Patton's house in '92 rehearsing for a recording session. George said Fred Jackson was over there just hanging out. Matter of fact, George said Fred lent him his tenor moutpiece for the rehearsal which George still has. Turns out Fred left and Braith never saw him again. Next thing George heard about him was that Fred had died. Just a little info I thought people would dig.

I question why we need modern groups performing these guy's songs on this stuff. This music doesn't need "updating" as far as I'm concerned. Good or bad, these modern performances aren't teaching us anything about the original performers. I'd rather hear/see more of the originators. Either interviewed or performing. If this series was done in the eighties, we'd be listening to ELO perform a Skip James song. 20 years from now the Beck, Cave, Spencer, ect performances will seem just as dated...and ultimately hollow. Leaving us wishing for more footage of Skip James that ended up on the editing room floor. That's why I liked the J.B. Lenoir stuff so much. We actually got to see JB JENOIR for an extended period.

Hey, didn't Bill Heid say he used to see Grant Green there all the time?

Well, I hated it...turned it off...turned it back on...and was then sucked in by the best shit I'd see so far. I really dug the extended J.B Lenoir footage. They really showed a lot and for THAT I give them credit. Otherwise....I'm not quite sure what I saw. I Hodgepodge of bad re-inactments of stuff that didn't need re-inacting. After watching this episode, all I'm definately sure of is that Blind Willie Johnson was an astronaut. Other than that, I'm clueless.

Hey...I can't even pick out a video at Blockbuster. How am I supposed to pick something out to put on my body for the rest of my life. Plus, how many poor bastards from the 70's still have that ol' "Keep on Truckin'" tatoo.

Just got this today. GET IT!!!!! This is some great stuff. And it got me to thinking what a shame it is we don't get more of this from these guys. As healthy as the organ scene is now (and it is very healthy in my estimation), these are the cats that can REALLY play this stuff. Paul Humphries, Melvin Sparks....Red, Frank...and Lonnie. You know, they're all playing better than ever. Also the SOUND of this one is great. RVG did all the recording, mixing, editing and mastering (24). And he did a WONDERFUL job. It has a touch too much lowend at times imho, but otherwise is fantastic. I'm so glad Rudy, Bob Porter and this band is still around, working and making things that sound as great in 2003 as they did in 1964. This ranks right up there with many of the best Prestige organ sides imho. Get it if you can. I want to see these guys still financially able to continue this great work. And that can only happen with some SALES damn it~!

Yeah, but WHICH Freddie Roach and Charles Earland did you leave off????

Man, the sound is good on these. I HIGHLY recommend people buying this set. If for only that Patton's widow, Thelma, will see some bread from you doing so.

Hey Man...George DID play on those early B.B. King records with the Newbournes. I'd say his blues roots run pretty darn deep.

Oh..to have not heard "The Way I Feel" "That Certain Feeling" and "Understanding" again.... On the upside for me, having only gotten these one at a time with long waits between, I REALLY had a chance to absorb all these albums. I think I could sing you every note played on each of these albums. With all of these hitting you at once it maybe a bit overwhelming. Big sylistic leaps between Along Came and Understanding. Big John's style and scope broadened with each album.... Well, I digress. Did I say "ENJOY THE HELL OUT OF THEM, AND REJOICE THE DAY YOU RECIEVE THIS SET!!!!!!"

Yeah, mine just dropped this morning. I've got all the music...but the booklet is BAADDD. GREAT PICTURES. Mostly of the "Along Came John" session. Some great shots that show the Dixon/Patton/Green team talking it out during the session among other things. It's GREAT to hear "That Certain Feeling" cleanly for the first time without pops and crackles!!!! That session is so awesome. Bad stuff.