Soul Stream

"A Tribute To Lionel Hampton" is pretty mediocre.... and "Feelin' Good" is one of the best organ jazz records made last year imho. HUGE difference between the two.

Yes, Oh Baby was actually Patton's favorite record along with Along Came John. It's blistering, and Night Flight is simply amazing. All of the compositions on that record are completely memorable and original. Plus, Vick and Blue Mitchell really take it to another level. Awesome.

...actually, I was just teasin' a little bit Lon. . By the way, how's the new sound compared to the bootleg's?

Lon, how could you have had such a steadfast opinion on the music earlier before you had even recieved it?

I just got an email from Mosaic saying they'd exchange it for the Stitt! Mosaic rocks. Anyway, to answer the question about not wanting the J.J.... It's just I've wanted the Stitt for a long time but will never pony up that much money for a Mosaic ever again I don't think. So, if I can exchange one for the other I'm happy. I've come to the conclusion in life that I don't HAVE to have every type of jazz ever made. Give me my organ jazz, some Miles/Coltrane prestige sides, some Hank "Soul Station" and about a dozen other titles and I'm cool. My interests are relatively shallow and middle of the road late 50's/ early 60's hard bop. There's a lot of stuff that I like to listen to once through out of curiousity, but I usually listen to the same stuff over and over....including a lot of Stitt.

Thanks Brad. I emailed Mosaic on Monday but haven't heard back. Don't know if they're in the office or not this time of year. But yeah, we'll see. May hold on to it and Ebay it when it goes OOP, although I'd like to get the Stitt set before then. Can't afford the amount of the Stitt set outright.

I got a J.J. Johnson Mosaic for Christmas. New in the box. Looking to trade for a new or used Sonny Stitt Mosaic....

Who's Derek Bailey?

If you're a Jarrett fan, I'm sure you'll love the set. If you're not (count me in), you might find yourself wishing someone else, like Herbie Hancock, would be at the keys. To hear a Miles electric band this stripped down is exciting, but Jarret isn't a fav of mine and I just find what he's doing too much against the grain. Anti-groove. Anti-band. I dig some of where he's going at points. But he hates what the bass player is doing and you can tell. He's fighting where the rest of the band is going. Some might like the tension that makes, perhaps Miles was one. Just my feeling when I listen. I'm sure all others will disagree. well, you are aware that Miles told Henderson to ignore what Jarrett was doing, right? He wanted them to play against each other. It's not like Jarrett was "fighting" the rest of the band. That's what Miles wanted, without telling him. It's all in the booklet I don't have the booklet, just downloaded it through itunes...so I don't know what they've said in the booklet. Anyway, the idea that Miles wanted the tension isn't surprising. That this is EXACTLY what Miles wanted wouldn't surprise me. However, it's not my bag...not at this moment in time...perhaps in a year this will be the end all and be all for me. It's happened before. But, I'm not counting on it.

If you're a Jarrett fan, I'm sure you'll love the set. If you're not (count me in), you might find yourself wishing someone else, like Herbie Hancock, would be at the keys. To hear a Miles electric band this stripped down is exciting, but Jarret isn't a fav of mine and I just find what he's doing too much against the grain. Anti-groove. Anti-band. I dig some of where he's going at points. But he hates what the bass player is doing and you can tell. He's fighting where the rest of the band is going. Some might like the tension that makes, perhaps Miles was one. Just my feeling when I listen. I'm sure all others will disagree.

I would have liked if Herbie would have conked Keith on the head before the gig and hijacked the electric piano.

I heard some Kenny G in a restaurant, and it was not unlike some of the things Hank Crawford does. Najee, Kenny G....it's a different thing for sure, I don't dig it. But to harp on how bad it is seems like an easy target. Kenny might could actually play some badass shit we'd all be surprised at...just a thought.

I downloaded some of the songs of itunes. I just keep think how much more I would enjoy it if Keith Jarrett were not on it. Miles and the rest of the band are into it, but Jarrett just seems hellbent to prove to the bass player that this is NOT going to be a funk band. Mr. Monkeywrench. One CD of this would do it for me. Of course, if you like this sort of thing...this might be the holy grail.

35 pages of people in dire anticipation. Cardiac arrest that it might not see the light of day. Now that it's here, not too much discussion....

Yeah, just went by Border's and they had it...there in the flesh so to speak. But at 102 bucks retail, I didn't pick it up.

Perhaps the imagination lacking might be your own.

Well, reversion or no....I could use a good dose of an old-timer playing the shit out of a melody right about now.

All this makes me wonder if we will revert back to past approaches concerning jazz? I.E....lester young vs. coltrane's approach to give a over-simplification to the issue. Maybe Baby Face Willette will overtake Jimmy Smith in CD sales soon.

After all is said and done, I'm a firm believer that it's not what is played but how. I saw a trio back up dewey redman. they were a very avant group and played 3 songs of their own to begin with. pretty 'out' stuff. then dewey came up and made them do a med-down version of 'lester leaps in' (the most worn out standard ever of course)....but it was the hippest song of the 4 simply because dewey is such a master that he made that song happen. it was awesome. so yeah, it's the song, but it's also how it's played. do I want to hear "satin doll" again?...not really by a bunch of college students with no feel (saw that recently at a jam, pretty excruciating)...but if james moody played it, it'd be great no doubt.

o.k...watched the whole thing now. Not up to the Brazil tape for sure. but some great performances. ray bitches at length on 2 different shows how the sound is fucked up. the band is too far away he says and it's b.s. that they won't put the band behind him and show the band. the band is the studio band on all 3 shows. the 3rd show has a different guitar player who ain't that hot to my ears although it might be Joe Beck for all I know. The BIG drag is that EVERY show....dick cavett sings Am I Blue with Ray and it's a horrible/joke thing that drags on and on, reminding us now 30 years later that we could be hearing another charles classic instead of this crap. that said, ray kills on this thing. plays the fender rhodes a couple of times which is the highlight for me. a killer version of 'shake' by sam cooke and a shuffle blues instr. that's super badass.

To be honest, I haven't had time to watch but about 3 songs so far off Show # 2. They didn't show the band, but it's a kiler and whoever's playin' organ is killing it. They do pan to the guitarist at one point and he's all denim'ed out...though it was melvin sparks for a second but realized it wasn't. Great band though, hope they do show it on some of the shows.

3 full dick cavett shows w/Ray Charles doing LOTS of full songs (hey the shows were 90 minutes, one show charles does 7 full numbers) from the early 70's GREAT, GREAT, GREAT stuff. Maybe the best stuff on video he ever did, up there with the Brazil shit for sure.

People don't play cool, different tunes because there are no bands anymore. Just thrown together sets of sidemen whores.

Does he say much else? Is it worth picking up for the Patton stuff. If it's just a few sentences, maybe not for me. But if it's pretty informational, I'd be sure to pick it up. Is that a newstand thing?

No, he did a GREAT session with Alvin Queen, Melvin Sparks, Grachan Moncur and Grant Reed (tenor) on the Nilva Label in the 80's. Lp only.