Soul Stream

I've been a big fan of this LP for years and have been singing it's praises as long. This was the last recording Big John made before hurting his right hand very badly in a tire-changing accident. And although he made some great albums in the 90's for DIW like "This One's for J.A."..., John never had the facility after the accident to express his ideas as fully as he did on "Soul Connection." He often lamented (although he never dwelled on it) that he wish he could "reach" for those chords he was trying to open up to around the time of the accident. Thank God for Alvin Queen making this LP initially. John's previous session as a leader was 13 years prior for Blue Note! Can you imagine! We get to see John's concept on organ leap ahead a decade and a half later...and how had he grown! Soul Connection is a masterpiece! Thanks for getting it on CD.

I think it's written as "Okouté" I'm sure you're right....hard to read even on the original LP since it's all hand-written. Anyway, good luck with the CD...some of the best jazz organ ever commited to tape!

GREAT NEWS!!!! As far as the liner notes are concerned, to me it looks like it's signed with his name first, followed by his creditials... O.K. Aut'e poet, journalist NY editor in association Jazz Spotlite News

Funny how the music doesn't sound like much until Marvin starts singing...then it all happens...(great musicians by the way, whoever they are...)

Yeah...but when I'm looking for one of their CDs in my collection...that black plastic clunky CD box is REAL easy to spot!!!!! So I've come to kind of like them (and the cheesy covers too!)

I haven't heard the record...just LOVED the description!!! That painted an aural picture I can't get outta my mind! All that said, I'm a HUGE Gloria Coleman fan. Definately going to get the CD. Number one...she hasn't recorded all that much, especially as a leader. And secondly, it's on Pete Fallico's label and he's a bad cat for making this record and deserves the support!

net result is kinda like Moms Mabley impersonating late-70s Big Joe Turner impersonating Little Jimmy Scott wow.

I'd say that covers it for the most part. John wasn't really a "sideman" too much on record after he became a leader. I'd have to say Harold Vick's "Steppin' Out" is about as good a Patton LP as anything from that era. If you don't have it, get that one FOR SURE. Also, Don Wilkerson's "Shoutin'" is a MUST! But...if you don't dig The Natural Soul...you might not like either one of these.

Nerdy jazz majors of the 70's at colleges everywhere, put away your Coltrane LP and come out of your dorm rooms! Unite! The future of jazz is upon us, it involves dudes, scales played fast, tight white pants and pitch bending!!!!

Looks good...just not sure if we need another version of Impressions....

From the picture it looks like Sam Yahel on organ.

To his credit, Mel doesn't seem like the type of guy who'd be interested in "organ duel." Although to hear him and Lonnie play music together would be wonderful!

Super cool!!!! Man...Mel looks so good...what a badass. What a master and still keeping current after all these years, amazing.

The Jimmy Smith title...Village Gate...is...well, and oddity. 4 songs that don't really showcase Jimmy at his best in a live setting. Never been a big fan of this LP, probably my least favorite Jimmy album. Not sure why this would be so high up in the Verve reissue rotation. By no means a BAD album...but short and a little uninspired considering the time and place.

People always point to Miles when this topic comes up. I always read this as being Miles way of entertaining. Hell, what would be more entertaining and engaging than watching Miles prowl the side of the stage...turn his back on you and blow....serious as a heart attack. That's pretty damn entertaining too...Miles was no dummy. There's lots of ways to engage the audience and that's what I'm talking about. Taking the Miles Model without BEING Miles...too much of that in jazz. Maybe that's where jazzers dump on a guy like Lou Donaldson...he's actually trying to be an entertainer and musician. Whether it's the Treniers or Coltrane (Oh yeah, believe it folks), they're both entertaining us in their own way. I've seen (and been) on lots of bandstands where there was just Zero going on with the audience because of the "jazz" attitude. You don't have to shuck and jive and do backflips, but you at least have to have a rapport with the folks in front of you on some level. Knowing how to play your instrument ain't enough unless you're just a sideman.

I haven't heard this CD, but the vibe I'm getting from the discussion is...yeah, entertainment...what a concept. The lack of ENTERTAINMENT has killed live music. Quite being so goddamn SERIOUS and ENTERTAIN somebody!!!!!

When masters like these reach a certain level, I think they play what they WANT to play...not what YOU might necessarily want to hear. How that stacks up in a "sports" kind of what to their past doesn't even matter to them. Music ain't a competition. I'm sure Sonny played EXACTLY what he wanted to play and Kirk played EXACTLY what he wanted to play and they could probably both give a shit as to how anyone perceived it.

From Harold Z: Last time I saw him was sometime in the 80s with Big John Patton at Jones' Chateau in Plainfield. Love to hear about that gig Harold. Do you remember much about it?

I've got a pretty obscure LP on the Giant Steps label called "Sonny Hopson 'Life & Mad' featuring Charlie Earland." Not a great musical event, Hopson's singing is pretty bad but Earland is his usual cooking self. Anyway, today I realized in small print on the front cover it says This album was recorded live and on video film at Sonny Hopson's Celebrity Lounge, 6210 Germantown Ave. Phila. PA. Dammit....Where is that Video tape!!!!!!!

A couple of questions Jim. Why do you record with the louver-cover on the bottom? Also, curious as to why you are not using your B3? Good luck on the recording!

That's a Great album. I've been listening to it for a good 15 years. His version of Polka Dots and Moonbeans is actually one of my favorites.

Thanks for the article Jim.... Sophisticated Lou is a w/strings album...Stella, ect... so yeah, I guess the 'critic' dug it more than the 'trivial' funk of Everything I Play Is Funky. Typical of the era and critical establishment in general. Everything I Play is a GREAT LP.

The Baby Grand sessions are another Blue Note Reissue missed opportunity...looks at all the extra material they didn't bother sifting through. Laziness. Jimmy Smith Trio Jimmy Smith (org) Thornel Schwartz (g) Donald Bailey (d) Mitch Thomas (ann) "Club Baby Grand", Wilmington, DE, afternoon 1st set, August 4, 1956 tk.1 Blues Blue Note rejected tk.2 Indiana - tk.3 My Old Flame - tk.4 This Can't Be Love - tk.5 Where Or When - Jimmy Smith Trio same personnel "Club Baby Grand", Wilmington, DE, afternoon 2nd set, August 4, 1956 Introduction By Mitch Thomas Blue Note BLP 1528 tk.6 It's All Right With Me Blue Note BLP 1529 tk.7 I'll Remember April rejected tk.8 Joy Spring - tk.9 Caravan Blue Note BLP 1529 tk.10 Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing Blue Note 45-1666, BLP 1529 * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1528, BST 81528 (pseudo stereo)) * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 2 (Blue Note BLP 1529, BST 81529 (pseudo stereo)) * Jimmy Smith - Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing, Pt. 1&2 (Blue Note 45-1666) Jimmy Smith Trio same personnel "Club Baby Grand", Wilmington, DE, night 1st set, August 4, 1956 tk.11 Lady Bird rejected tk.12 Where Or When Blue Note 45-1665, BLP 1528 tk.13 Stella By Starlight rejected tk.14 Red Sails In The Sunset - tk.15 Blues - * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1528, BST 81528 (pseudo stereo)) * Jimmy Smith - Where Or When, Pt. 1&2 (Blue Note 45-1665) Jimmy Smith Trio same personnel "Club Baby Grand", Wilmington, DE, night 2nd set, August 4, 1956 tk.16 Red Sails In The Sunset rejected tk.17 Someone To Watch Over Me - tk.18 A Night In Tunisia - tk.19 The Nearness Of You - tk.20 The Preacher (The New Preacher) Blue Note 45-1660, BLP 1528 * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1528, BST 81528 (pseudo stereo)) * Jimmy Smith - The New Preacher, Pt. 1&2 (Blue Note 45-1660) Jimmy Smith Trio same personnel "Club Baby Grand", Wilmington, DE, night 3rd set, August 4, 1956 tk.21 Mitch's Movement rejected tk.22 Jean Elaine - tk.23 Rosetta Blue Note BLP 1528 tk.24 Get Happy Blue Note BLP 1529 tk.25 Sweet Georgia Brown Blue Note BLP 1528 * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 1 (Blue Note BLP 1528, BST 81528 (pseudo stereo)) * The Incredible Jimmy Smith At Club Baby Grand, Vol. 2 (Blue Note BLP 1529, BST 81529 (pseudo stereo))

Yeah...I've been mad about that reissue's omissions of those cuts since it came out!

I'm not so convinced. In the past "rejected" has meant several things. One of which was....oh, that's actually good. Once it was listened to. Here's an example of another Donaldson missed opportunity Lou Donaldson Quintet Blue Mitchell (tp) Lou Donaldson (el-as, vo) Charles Earland (org) Jimmy Ponder (g) Leo Morris (d) Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 6, 1968 tk.1 Brother Soul (alt. take) Blue Note B1 31883 tk.2 Brother Soul Blue Note BST 84299 tk.3 Snake Bone Blue Note 45-1943, BST 84299 tk.8 Say It Loud, I'm Black And I'm Proud - tk.10 Caravan Blue Note BST 84299 tk.12 Summertime - tk.16 Red Top unissued * Various Artists - The Lost Grooves (Blue Note B1 31883) * Lou Donaldson - Say It Loud! (Blue Note BST 84299) * Lou Donaldson - Say It Loud c/w Snake Bone (Blue Note 45-1943) When "Say It Loud" was reissued, neither the alternate of Brother Soul was included or the unissued Red Top. That's a very short album time-wise anyway and the omission is a drag imho.