Soul Stream

Like Jim mentioned.... Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Patton, Mcduff, McGriff, Leon Spencer Jr., Larry Goldings, Sam Yahel, Mike LeDonne, ect...those guys were all piano players FIRST, before they picked up the organ. So for them to play is no big deal really. However, to a guy like Jim or Groove Holmes or myself....playing piano is just ridiculous. We've never learned to chord much with the left hand, much less comp rhythmically,...we play full chords w/our right hand...it's just COMPLETELY different. And we sound horrible on piano. Adam Scone, although he played a piano originally, said he doesn't even feel comfortable on that instrument anymore. We are organists...it's just different...

Dan, I have a good friend in Dallas who was a radio broadcaster for years on traditional-style stations. He then went to satellite radio (which he still does some on weekends). But his main source of income now is doing voice work for local t/v and radio stations mainly in 300 miles radius or so. He rounded all this stuff up himself and does it ALL out of his house in his little studio he made. It's all computer-based and he makes a very good living doing this stuff. Always amazes me. And w/2 kids...he only does it about 2 to 4 hours a day! So.....

Jim, be sure to let us know how the gig went.

Is that your basic character or is it the lack of dedicated co-workers? It is the group vibe in one of my bands that makes me carry on. Not my character at all. I LIKE to be part of a team. It's hard to play baseball by yourself! I've always thought of music as a communal experience. There's plenty of guys who'll play a gig, it's another thing to find chemistry, love of the same style of music, and a common goal.

Thanks Chuck.

Yes FFA, I doubt jazz is much different here than most places. Some great players here obviously. But, unless you're playing Infant Eyes, cats think you're lame. What I do is on par with what a Lou Donaldson set might look like. Kind of old-timey and bluesy what most jazz guys today want to play. I'm stuck between two genres which isn't a great help gig-wise or trying to find the right sidemen to make the gig. Jazz guys can't play the blues aspect of the gig, Blues guys can't play the jazz aspect of the gig. Anyway, organ jazz is a unique sub-genre of jazz imho with a lot of different challenges as far as trying to wedge it into today's club scene. Jim Alfredson and Joe, Randy I'm sure would pretty much tell you the same story. Although they have a nice 3 musketeers vibe and I'm the lone ranger.

Thanks SGUD, I did re-read your post and it's some great insight into the lifelong struggle of music. Thanks. Clem, always good stuff in your posts. Thanks again for taking time to prop me up.

Thanks Joe and Jim, You guys are really putting some much needed wind back in may sails. Thanks.

Wow. Thanks guys for all the encouragement! I guess I'm just coming to that crossroads between playing for bread, which I can do (very meagerly). Or playing what I want, which I can't seem to really keep steady work doing (very, very, very meagerly). It's the old..."if a tree falls in the forrest and nobody hears it" thing.... Is a musician a musican if he doesn't work? I want to believe so, but don't know on a personal level. I'm going to just let things happen as they will. If a trio gig falls in my lap, I'd certainly take it. However, I know there's nobody out here covering my back so to speak. Everyone's dispensable from the scene. People drop out and the music goes on. I'll leave the next few months up to fate. If it's meant to be, something will happen. I know that's a pacifist view, but it's all I got right now. Thanks again ya'll!

Thanks Jim, Dan, Free For All and Jazz Kat, I've been trying to make this work for years now as far as the organ trio goes. I could continue to work as a rock/funk/soul bar band sideman. Just don't have the enthusiasm for that much these days. The trio was the thing that always kept me going after every lame but well paying R&B gig. But, without people interested in coming to see live organ soul jazz, I can't make it. I can't waste my life waitin' for 1965 to come back. Like an older jazz organist told me when I first started playin', "Why do you want to become an antique before you even start?!" That's making a lot of sense right about now. So my last trio gig is in April and I won't be looking for any more gigs after that. At least my final gig is backing up Marchel Ivery.

Along the lines of the original intent of the thread.... I think I've finally come to the decision to throw in the towel. I've thought long and hard about it and have come close to quitting many times. However, things seem different this time. I think I've finally realized the opportunities (ie clubs) to play jazz organ just don't exist much these days south of Philadelphia. Been scrambling trying to "invent" places that really cater to rock or roots music. To boot, Organ many times is frowned upon in jazz clubs. Too jazz for blues clubs, too blues for jazz clubs. So, after getting canned again today, I've just given up. I'll be calling it quits when my gig ends in April.

Great Jim! Of course, this news does come on the day I got my 4 weeks notice that my weekly gig is getting cancelled! I never could draw, so I understand it when Jim says "Dammit, come see us!!!!" Good luck Jim! Hope Quartet Out has finally found a home worthy of some out shizit!

ouch.

I have nothing against screen names and for this reason. Gene Harris Fanatic is just as real to me in the computer realm as is Dan Gould. I doubt outside of a few more well known people such as Chris Albertson, Chuck Nessa, ect. nobody would know someone anyhow. Plus, screen names are fun and for the most part are more revealing about a person's nature and interests than just "John Doe." I don't think anybody's "hiding" behind screen names so much as they are enjoying having a little fun. Plus, you can link yourself to something that otherwise you couldn't. I am "Soul Stream" because I dig George Briath's "Soul Stream" LP. Took me 2 seconds to sign on at the original BNBB, and I've had it since. Not a lot of thought went into it, but it was a kick at the moment. Fun.

Yes, this is a great session! Green takes a bit of the bop edge normally associated with the Patterson/Stitt/Marino lineup. Green has really loosened up by now and is into his more funk bag at this point. So that takes Don out of his normal thing a little bit. Mud Turtle and stuff like that...hearing Patterson play funky is pretty interesting. GREAT record, and Walk On By is killer on this....

At this point.... If it was anywhere close to good, it would have been out by now. Just mho. I think they've really made an effort to get anything releaseable out. I mean we all cheered "Grant's First Session," but you could tell right away why it was never released by Alfred.

I don't know if I'd say Shuggie was the link between Sly Stone and Brian Wilson. But "Information" sure has gained momentum in the respect dept. lately. I like it, but am far from saying it's a masterpiece. Great record by a young musican who had a ton of talent and a lot of promise. It's a very unique record. Something you can't say a lot anymore.

Water...what BN used to be before Norah.

I think that's what they're talking about Jim. Money to run the site. Although, who does run that? AAJ is a print thing for the most part isn't it?

I guess I'm mistaken. Their fund drive is to fund themselves. Not to help musicians (ie the Eric Kloss drive). Sorry for the confusion. Although their e-mail makes it sound like they're helping musicians as well. A little misleading to me.

Got an email today announcing AAJ's first ever FUND DRIVE to help musicians, ect. Sound familiar? Anyway, it's all good. Glad to see more help on the way! But it's nice to know Organissimo lead the way.

Congrats Jim, Joe and Randy. Anytime a working musician has management, that says quite a lot imho.

Yes. Not as successful as the Lonnie Smith tribute to Beck. I thought that was really, really genius. The R. Wilson disc just doesn't hold up as much. Big fan of Reuben, just not of what's going on here. But, then again, if you can pick it up real, real, real cheap then do.

Boy, why is this mindlessness always in Texas. I looked at the thread and thought..."yeah, must be a texas lawmaker." Sure enough. Guess they're not busy enough here in the texas legislature raising taxes (just sales and sins, property taxes are now cut by a third) and generally screwing everyone but the rich. I mean, ya'll just 8 years o' Bush and his like. We've had ol' George and his frat buddies for a loooonnnnngggg time down here. Pretty soon they'll outlaw sex for everyone but the rich too.

Great Jim! Now...um, time to woodshed.