Soul Stream

I don't know much about the rest of the select...but I USED to have "Bass On Top"...actually, one of my first Blue Notes...and I always loved it.

Paul Chambers is simply unbelievable. That's a given. However, I was unaware just how YOUNG he was. NINETEEN years old when he came to NYC and TWENTY when he joined the infamous Miles Davis group... That's just mind blowing.

It's "schmaltzy," OK? Schmaltzy! And Berklee, no? BERKLEE! (I'm such a schmuck). ← Agreed...I'm the world's WORST speller....

O.K....I'm a little slow. I've heard OF podcasts, just never checked it out even though I'm heavy on the ipod. However I downloaded D.D. Jackson's podcast (which was basically an informmercial) and was wondering if there are others you've found....

Find out where Marchel Ivery's playing and go see him. He's one of the best tenors in the country. ...Jim is Quartet Out still holding down that weekly?

I think this recording is at a much higher level than the others you compare it to. O.K...take away the Nirvana song which is obviously a mistake...but there's some surprising stuff that's obviously been scrutinized as to it's remaked-ness, so to speak. Van Halen's "Jump" really kicks. Rem's "Everybody Hurts",....and others. Hey, I don't like Paul Anka's singing...it's schmalzy...he sucks. But the arrangers, musicians and recording engineers did a good job and some of the songs actually work. I guess my point is this....we accept that there ARE new "standards" being written in the pop field when it comes to our favorite jazz players playing them....Bjork, Coldplay, Radiohead, come to mind as all being overdone by the Berkley crowd (now replacing the overdone Stevie Wonder for jazzers). Why not Spandau Ballet, Billy Idol or Van Halen...or are those guys considered too, too, too mainstream to have not been considered. Miles Davis didn't think so. ...and no, I CAN'T believe I'm defending this crap at all...

I got this and didn't really take to it....maybe someday.

From what I heard, the arrangements were surprisingly thoughtful and interesting. Sounded very well thought out and performed. However, the material just didn't stand up in this context. The words to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" just aren't meant to be sung in this environment. I'd like to hear something similar but without all the obvious attempts at kitch. It did make me listen in the record store (it was overhead), and I though the arrangements and band were top notch.

I you have something bad to say about Let Em Roll....you need bigger ears.

I think most would say the same thing given the backdrop of the complete Hank BN discography. That said, it's still a personal fave because I dig that era of BN and it's interesting to hear Hank in this environment. He never fails to bring his full self to the table.

Hell, Hank thought Lou was old THEN...that was 20 years ago!!!!

The Hank was THE mind blower for sure. And to hear how joyous Alfred was about the whole thing, his surprise at the sheer success of what he had created...wow.

Yes!!! And who'd of thunk it? Turning Point...not high on the list of BN probabilities in my mind. But GLAD it's come up. Simply one of Lonnie's greatest and with Lee Morgan and Bennie Maupin on board, there's just some BEAUTIFUL sounds on there. I love organ with a full horn front line, and it's just not represented that much.

The ONE record that changed my life as a musician and lover of organ jazz was John Patton's "The Way I Feel." Patton's writing, playing and arranging on that album shed a whole new light on what jazz organ could be about that had nothing to do with Jimmy Smith or Larry Young. That record in particular gave me a lot of personal incentive to find John and develop a relationship with him. Which I'm glad I did because it changed everything. "The Way I Feel" is, for me, a 'perfect' record. (Although Big John actually liked "Oh Baby" and "Along Came John" as his personal favorites.)

To me, this list is as good of one as I've ever seen. That's MY tastes only, yours may not apply. Can't wait.... . I'll be picking them ALL up...

Hey...Freddie Roach is maybe the most overlooked jazz organist in history. The Hank Mobley of the organ. I mean, there were faster, more harmonic, players...but Freddie had a SOUND.... One day AMG will wake up a realize what Freddie Roach did wasn't so goddamn easy.(as a matter of fact, it's pretty goddamn hard!!!!!)

HELL yes.

Does this mean I get to play major league baseball now? Finally, my chance to show what I can do at bat.

I agree Lon. Really surprised. Haven't A/B'd it, but don't think I have to....

Funny how 3 of those 10 are organ records. The Ximo Tibar is also outstanding with Dr. Lonnie Smith on Organ. And the Terry Gibbs has Joey Defrancesco on organ. Really smokin' stuff. Looks like Organissimo is in a rough crowd.

I don't remember what tunes were played. The singer Lodi Carr was fronting the gig. I was stuffed in a standing-room-only area and it was difficult to concentrate. This was twenty years ago. To my dismay as well as yours, I don't remember any more than I told already. I wish there was more to it than that. ← Thanks for telling the story. Great one.

Some of the circumstances that surround some of our heroes lives that may seem demoralizing to many...well, that's just what happened. Hank Mobley was a genius imho, and his efforts were less than rewarded by society. O.K., for some of those guys, they accepted that and soldiered on. Some fell. Hank fell, but don't let that get in the way of his inner beauty...THAT he showed to us all. But don't pity Hank, if his music was any indication he was on higher moral ground than any of us. The drugs may have taken it's toll, but I'm sure Hank was ALWAYS about the music. That's the way those guys are/were. *(of course this is all based on my little, bitty, teenie weenie, nothing experience)

I think around that same year, a friend and I called him up in Philly and asked if we could visit him, but it didn't come together. He was living in some kind of halfway house. I heard Hank at the Angry Squire with Duke Jordan. He was a shadow of his former self, but it was unmistakably the shadow of Hank Mobley! ← That's really great. Could you tell more specifically about the gig at the Angry Squire? The circumstances. Maybe what TUNES they played and any particular ones Hank seemed to shine on. Thanks for the memories (so to speak), I think I speak for many others on the board who could have only hoped to have such a nice brush with greatness. Not a lot of first hand stuff about Hank floating around. Also, Just what were those chords and scales Hank hipped you to on Deep In A Dream? (any chance you'll record this on an upcoming release?)

Now THAT'S a hip goodwill...

WOW!!!!! GREAT STORY!!!!! Thanks for sharing! Do you have any other stories of Hank, or is this the only time you met him?