Soul Stream

Hey y'all, Been out of the loop on the forum for a while, usual post divorce stuff last couple years have kept me busy to say the least. But the clouds are parting and got some good stuff coming my way, and wanted to let you know...if you happen to be going to Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in April at Madison Square Garden... I'll be playing B3 April 13th with Jimmie Vaughan and also Dave Biller (phenomenal guitar player from here in Austin) on the big ol' main stage. Not sure if any of my organissimo brethren will be there, but if so, I'll be representin'!

Hey y'all, just wanted to let you know.... After many years of doing B3 trio and people asking "when are you gonna make a record?"...finally have one coming out. This is with a group I've had for a few years called Dupree which is myself, Jake Langley on guitar (you might know him from Joey Defrancesco's trio a while back) and a great young drummer Kyle Thompson. We've played together so much, it was just a matter of walking into the studio one afternoon and playing it down. Great live sounding room all right next to each other, just like the old days. Recorded about 15 songs, one or two takes each, live straight to two track tape. Picked six to put on 180 gram colored Vinyl (comes with a download card), but also will be available on itunes, ect. too with 10 songs to download. It will be released April 30th on Public Hi Fi Records. Anyway, just a heads up... Pretty proud of how it all came out and sounds. So pick it up after you get Organissimo's "Dedicated" if you will!

Really cool research, thanks MG!

You know what I think of this Jim...awesome...great idea!

I was in NYC last week and was lucky enoug to see the Dr. on wed and thurs nights. Mind blowing. What a great band too...just going for it song after song...relentless. Amazing! He also played string arrangements on a controller and electric congas too...as if the organ wasn't enough. He made it all look effortless as always. Wow!

Thanks ya'll...good to hear you're good Jim...long live John Patton! ...and yeah, Frosty and Lee Michaels...a two piece organ group opening for Zepplin...wow!

Hey Everybody...thanks for all the support! Thanks Jim for adding the link and ordering one as well, hope you enjoy it and lemme know what you think. So good, to be back on the board for a bit. Sorry it's just for shameless self promotion! Kind of wanted to check in though and let everyone know I'm still out here and doing good. Been a couple years since my divorce which really turned everything upside down for me for a while. But been doing really good...happy and playin the B3...can't beat that. Hope everyone has been good too. How's Jim Sangrey, don't know if he's active much on the board these days or not but hope he's good. I'll keep you posted on the Jimmie CD...hope it's out soon, it's all live and Jimmie mixed it so it sounds really old school like a "Live at The Black Orchid"-type thing which is one of his favorite organ albums....

Hey Everybody, It's been quite a while since I've been on the ol' forum, but it's been pretty hectic the last couple of years. Hope everyone is well, and I miss the old gang! Just wanted to tell you I've got a recording out now. My drummer, Barry "Frosty" Smith actually made it, ect. It's myself on B3 with Jake Langley on guitar and Frosty on drums. Jake moved here last year and we've been playing a lot together, so it's just a session we cut in an afternoon...I wrote 6 songs and Jake 3. Frosty is selling it through his site as of now www.befrostysmith.com he's got clips of it on there if you wanna give a little listen. Think it'll be on CD Baby and itunes pretty soon. Anyway, got a few things in the works recording wise. I recorded with Cornell Dupree on his last recording just before he passed which was quite and honor/experience. Also, I have a live trio CD that's mixed and ready to go with Jimmie Vaughan on guitar....not sure when it'll be out as Jimmie's doing that but hopefully soon. Other stuff too coming up and I'll keep ya'll posted. Edit by Jim Alfredson: CLICK HERE to listen / purchase on CDBaby!

Hey Jim, Was at the newstand yesterday and saw Keyboard had some organ stuff in it, I opened it up and was stoked to see ya'll right inside and upfront! Awesome!!!! So happy for you, that's a milestone and then some! Congrats Jim great article, glad to see you representing...

Hey Ya'll! Been a while since I checked in, but did a few days ago...made a few posts and then just stumbled across my little birthday thread here. Thanks so much everybody! Actually was a greeeaaat birthday. What a difference a year makes for sure. Last year, the weekend of my birthday I left the house and was dealing with the divorce....what a nightmare it was. This year, back on my feet and on my own. I used to have such an issue with my birthday, since my marriage was on the rocks and my wife just barely acknowledged it for many years...I just really didn't look forward to it. This year was the complete opposite. It was filled with lots of friends and family. And although my girlfriend was out of town, I played a gig with Jimmie Vaughan, who sang me happy birthday on the mic...pretty damn cool ya'll! Anyway, thanks again for the birthday wishes ya'll. I haven't been around that much just because everything's so hectic right now, it's always great to come back to organissimo and see the old gang. Thanks again! Mike

Wow...can you imagine that was "this close" to getting thrown away! That's so crazy...congrats Jim, that's so awesome!

word. a great place to start too...and in bflat, most other organ blues walking basslines from jimmy are in f. so that much better. i would suggest learning a medium blues in f, the b flat, g, c, e flat, a flat and d flat... in that order. f and b flat should keep you busy for a year or two or ten !

All I can say is...Dude!

Back at The Chicken Shack is a great song to start on...maybe not the whole album for beginning though. An album I think is great for beginning to learn organ basslines and comping, soloing is Jack McDuff's "Tough Duff" on Prestige. There is no guitar player on that album just vibes, sax, organ and drums. So it's very easy to hear everything since the guitar usually occupies that same frequency range. Also, check out the song The Sermon by Jimmy Smith. Groove Holmes' "Soul Message" album is also very good for clear definition of the organ's specific parts...start with the song "Groove's Groove."

Wow, thanks for the info on Earl Turbinton...I didn't know anything about him. Love his playing on this album. I was wrong too earlier...it's all covers and one boogaloo original (the way all albums should be! !) Anyway...gosh, I wish Water would do some more jazz organ reissues...they do such wonderful work. The interview with Rueben, the photos...really help tell the story behind the music.

I've had this CD for a while and something about it draws me back to it again and again! For one, I love the sound that Rudy Van Gelder gets on this...some nice stereo seperation and pretty dry overall. Reuben is just in top form here, covering some hits as usual and some very nice pop sounding originals and a boogaloo in Sweet Tooth that is similar in form to the song Love Bug. The saxophonist and drummer are virtual unknowns, but sound great and it they really groove. Eddie Diehl's on guitar and he's always been a favorite of mine. If you haven't heard this one yet, pick up the beautiful Water reissue...great liner notes and interview with Reuben about the session.

Man, what a fantastic record! Lonnie is just...just...AMAZING! I'm not sure what else can be said. He's the champion of the world. Wow. Palmetto has done a hell of a job with him...these recordings sound soooo damn good...and capture his deep sound so well. What he plays is just mindblowing. He's a virtuoso of no bounds and the amount of soul he has is unmeasurable. That combination is his alone. Get this Cd ya'll!

Once again, thanks for the kind comments, pms, and words of wisdom and comfort. Always nice to be part of the Organissimo family when things get tough. Anyway, been doing pretty good and can't do much more than to keep on keepin' on and try to stay outta the weeds! Music really does take on more importance at times like these and have helped me along as always. Thanks again ya'll!

Thanks everyone for all the support...lots of great words of wisdom. Getting through it all with the help of a wonderful family, good friends and the love of my kids. Also, like Jim said, music is about the only thing I can depend on right now, as it has been at other times in my life. Trying to channel myself into more positive things lately. Went down a self-destructive path for the first 3 months or so, but that wasn't getting me anywhere and I knew I couldn't sustain that for long. Now that I've gotten used to the idea that it won't be me, the wife and kids as it has been for so long...I'm feeling my way through this new way of living, which is strange and like walking in borrowed shoes. Lots of evil things that I felt the pull of, but think I'm strong enough now to turn back and swim for shore. Thanks again all.

I've been avoiding this inevitable post for quite some time now. But since ya'll have been good friends over the years, I feel like I should let you know what's been going on with me. I haven't been active on the board lately for good reason. My wife of 20 years and I split up. I left the house almost five months ago and have been living on my own. We have two kids that I took care of while my wife shouldered the burden of bringing in the bread. Ultimately, that's what drove a wedge between us. It's been simmering the last couple of years, but finally...it was all too much and we called it quits. It's all amicable...but strange, weird, sad, frustrating, heartbreaking...and too many things I can't describe. I'm super close to my kids and being apart from them so much has brought me to depths of depression I didn't know were possible. I feel like I've been pulling out of my nosedive the last few weeks, so I feel strong enough now to lay the news on ya'll. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and bring my family back together... but I can't, and my wife is steadfast in her decision. Thank God my music career has been the best it's ever been and I'm able to support myself and the kids as well as I have been able. This apartment feels like a lonely prison late at night and it's the best I can do to make it through til morning sometimes. I could go on and on, but I think that about covers it. I really only post this message as a warning to all my friends in a long-term relationships...nurture it and fix the things that are broke before it's too late. It's too late for me, but not for some of ya'll that might be facing the same sort of compications life and relationships bring. Love, love, love...it really is the only thing that matters.

Thanks for the heads up. Never heard of this album...killer!!!!

9 out of 12. Didn't get any about Medeski, Soulive...new stuff....and the alabama born thing...don't know..

This is actually a really cool album. I think Reuben gets overlooked. I know I didn't really get into his style as much until later on. He's definately got a unique way of phrasing and laying things down. Some of the stuff he plays on the long out vamp on Ronnie's Bonnie is mind blowing. Also, Groovy Situation is a stone cold motha foya... if you're into his style. He doesn't float like Lonnie, or dig in like Earland...kind of in between those guys. But definately super, super funky. His compositions are really cool too....Orange Peel, Bus Ride, ect... he had a knack for coming up with some nice twists on boogaloo.

Love this record, but mine's pretty scratched up...would love to have it on CD....does anybody know if Japan has gotten to this one yet? Thanks, Mike

Always wondered what happened to him... now I know. What a shame. This type of story is so commonplace among even the greatest of musicians. We just don't value the people that make music in this country in any REAL way.