Soul Stream

Yeah, you're right...To Seek A New Home!!!! Damn, that's a great record! ...and if anyone's listening over at Verve...Get JImmy Smith's "Groove Drops" out on CD!

Ronnie Foster "Live At Montreaux"...or ANY Ronnie on Blue Note. I was a sleeper on what a freaking monster Ronnie Foster was until I heard "Sweet Revival". That record is mostly commercial pop stuff, but some of the solos he takes are simply mindblowing in the way Jimmy Smith on Verve was, which it seems Ronnie's style is mostly based on. Never heard this live recording 'cause it's so rare, but to see it on CD would be awesome....and yeah Cheshire Cat...ANY ronnie I would buy. Already lots of great suggestions. Set Us Free is a GREAT suggestion. And what DID happen to Water and their penchant for cool "Rare Groove"-like reissues? See What Tommorrow Brings...I love it. But Jack McDuff's "To Seek A New Home" absolutely TOPS my list of Blue Note groove stuff I want on CD. Followed real damn close by Lou Donaldson's "Cosmos"

Spring/early Summer always used to mean a new batch of Rare Grooves from Blue Note. Some of my all time faves were issued under that series. Is there any chance we can try and get that back? Damn, I Miss THESE!!!!

Yeah! Dig all those.... McGriff's uptempo version of Stella By Starlight is a killer on The Main Squeeze. Also, one of my all time favorite of the McGriff/Sonny Lester teamups is his "I've Got A NEW Woman" The songs are short, but tight and full of fire. And the sound of the organ is killer on that one. Fly Dude is just one of his best albums period!

I pulled out my old copy of McGriff's Stump Juice last night and have to admit I haven't listened to this one that much since before I was a little snobby 'bout later organ stuff as other keyboards and bass players crept in to those early 70's records. Although I dig that stuff quite a lot now. However, side 2 is totally old school...Jimmy's playing organ only and his basslines are KILLING. He's really throwing the bass side of the organ around like a little beotch. Side one is killer also with Bob Cranshaw on bass (sounds like he's got a flange effect going on some stuff). Purple Onion is a great head and it's got the super 70's flute think happening. Some great sax happening on this record too.

As I've already mentioned, I think it is superior to any of Braith's BN cds. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree in a big way on this one conn., as I think Braith's 3 Blue Note albums are near masterpieces all.... I do dig "Laughing Soul", but it's a more commercial outing. Not a huge fan of the mix or Big John's organ sound on this one, but it's typical of Prestige for this time period. FYI, Grassella Olliphant's "Grass Is Greener" LP was cut on the same day by Green and Patton on both sessions....

...that actually is Guitar Shorty.

I'd suggest checking out Ephraim Owens group on Saturday night at The Elephant Room (315 Congress Ave.) The Matt Wilson that was suggested above is NOT the Matt Wilson we're thinking of. That place called JAZZ on 6th street is ironically anything but jazz for the most part, and not a destination I would suggest. I'm playing at a place called the Continental Gallery, it's upstairs next to the Continental Club on south Congress. Fri-Sun...10:30-1ish and no cover. Also, pick up The Austin Chronicle when you get to town. It's a freebee and is easy to pick up most restaurants, ect. It'll have all the listings around town. I think Pintop Perkins who's in his 90's and used to play with Muddy Waters is doing an early show at Antone's today (Thursday). Have fun and eat some Mexican food (Guero's on S. Congress and Maria's Taco Stand on S. Lamar or Taco Deli on Barton Skyway are good bets for that...if you don't mind a wait check Chuy's on Barton Springs Road)!

...call be a beotch...but baseball ought to be a $27,000 dollar a year career.

First off, these guys are BURNING. Get this CD. But also, I've got to say I'm a little disappointed in the sound. The idea that it's a bootleg-type recording is no marketing gimmick. Either the recording device is on the other side of the room from the organ, or tt must have been recorded by the club through the board or something. The net result is that you get a lot of distant sounding organ. Also, Coleman is a little off mic at times. This is really George Coleman's affair. He's burning and Joey is playing a supportive role for the most part although he does burn it down when it comes his turn. His solo on Cherokee is just unbelievable at that tempo. The more I hear George, the more I become a huge fan. He maybe the best tenor on the earth right now imho. Anyway, obviously the music itself is wonderful, but wanted to give a heads up about the other issues here... Don't know if I'd pay the @$18 bucks retail for this. I paid $9.99 for the download on itunes and am glad I did. *I edited this since I've gotten a chance to listen to this more. These legendary musicians are playing at the height of their powers. Would have like to have had more songs on this, but that's a minor quibble.

O.K...somone needs to get on Michael C's e-mail ass about getting this stuff out!!!!!

no...but george coleman is....

?....I do love his sound on Plays Pretty Just For You. Great record that doesn't really get heard that much. That said....."old school hammond sound that really works better"? I think Crazy Baby, Chicken Shack and Organ Grinder Swing would have something to say about that.

Yeah, that CD is one of the all time great organ/tenor boogaloo records! Bob Cranshaw is killing on bass on that session. Who in the hell thought "Blowin' in the Wind" could be swung to death like that!

Well,...if there's a vote... I cast my "would be porn star" vote for Kelly Pickler last night! I thought her puppies were gonna hop outta that blue dress at any point.

My kids are 8 and 11 years old. And for whatever reasons, this is the ONLY show on T.V. that we can all watch together. I haven't watched the show religiously before this year, but at this age my kids love it and I enjoy being with my kids and interacting with them on a show we can all enjoy. Yeah, I'm gettin' old I guess! However, I will say the talent level has gone up it seems every year. Say what you will, but they've got an Oscar Winner from their talent pool. It may be a cheesy way to get exposed. But someone like Melinda Doolittle is as deserving as anyone in America. Without AI, she would most likely have never had a chance in today's record industry....

That girl wasn't anything close to a jazz singer. Hell, Melinda Doolittle who basically won the week with "My Funny Valentine" IS a jazz singer, though she obviously can do all styles of music. Her version was a powerhouse that I'd kill to hear in any jazz club in America. I don't say that lightly either. I dug how they closed the show with that chick singing her song, and at the end she sung "Why did I try to scat....people don't like jazz!" Do you hear that! It was pretty damn funny. Melinda Doolitle. She KILLED it with My Funny Valentine. And that's a tall order on that show. edit...here's the clip of Doolitle singing Valentine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4YUPmKwFOc

I think you have to have a different vibe when you put on Bucket or Rockin' The Boat or Prayer Meeting. I mean....Come Rain Or Come Shine from Bucket is surely as wonderful of playing as Jimmy Smith ever got in many ways. That said, I think if you listen to those albums with your "blues" ears more than your "jazz" ears you'll be more satisfied. I know Bucket gets kicked around a little for the sameness of beats on it, and I can't disagree on that, but there is 'gold in them thar hills' too.

Where's Jsngry? He was the one who really championed Frank to begin with in these parts! As for me...I've got one of his releases and really have enjoyed it. A friend of mine who played piano in the One O'Clock Jazz Band of NTSU for several years came over, I played him it and he thought it was utter shit. Shows what I know, I dig it. Frank rules. Gotta check out the new one.

heard Cherokee from this on the radio last night... MIND BLOWING

I think it will be a very good session. Bucket and Rockin The Boat...which have a similar feel and some don't dig all that much, were made it seems in haste so Jimmy could go to Verve. That said, I really love Bucket and RTB....Jimmy just didn't make bad records to my ears!

No...not more revelatory than THAT! Hell, NOTHING is! But, I just think a session left in the can from 1961 of Jimmy, Q. Warren and Donald Bailey has GOT to be a great session. I always think some of Jimmy's best years were '60-'63 ish. "Best" is a silly word. But he was finding the essence of what would become the style that would remain with him until the end of his life during this period imho. Anyway, enough academic b.s....let's hear that tape!

I bet Jimmy Smith's "Straight Life" is gonna be a revelation. Cut with his working band and the height of his powers. That "Chicken Shack" era is just hands down some of the best organ JOS laid down. Can't wait.

SS, with all due respect, one could use that exact phrase to criticize separating music into different genres. I think not "labeling" music is a sort of misplaced idealism. There are different kinds of music. These different kinds of music made by human beings on the planet earth can pretty much be lumped together into groups. Is that "bad?" For some it is...for others such as myself it's just a given reality. On the whole, musicians like to think of themselves and their music as unique and individualistic. But there's always lots of other musicians out there doing similar things. That's why terms like Rock, Rap, Blues, Country and Jazz hold up. They're constants. Lot's of subdivision goes on beyond that...but if it ain't broke don't fix it. And I guess I just don't see it as broke. If you're a punk-country-klezmer band...there's a catagory for you...it's called alternative rock.

Yes.