The Magnificent Goldberg

Karl Denson; sometimes he's a burnin' muthafucka, sometimes a useless git. Interesting. Shelley Carroll? Not sure how long he's been around. MG

Quite right. Quite right, too. MG

Yes, I get that Lon. But sticking to jazz artists for a minute, where was there a comprehensive LP issue of Cab Calloway's work in the thirties (over 200 tracks - a 17 LP set)? Or McKinney's Cottonpickers? Or Buddy Johnson's Orch; or Andy Kirk's; or Lucky Millinders? (To take a few bands I love). I'm just saying that no one could DO this stuff for most jazz (or any other kind of music) artists until the CD era. Partly for cost/price reasons and partly because people switched labels. Note that even Ray Charles didn't get all his Atlantic material out on US LPs in the sixties - the period when he could do no wrong commercially. You have to find 'A bit of soul' on the French edition of 'Ray Charles sings the blues'. (I know Ray is an R&B artist you DO have an interest in ) MG MG

Yes, Sounds of the Universe used to be Soul Jazz Records and is still owned by the record label of that name. MG

Is that because the CD reissues are able to provide a more encompassing selection of the material than were LPs? There never was an LP series, for example, like the Chronological Classics. In particular, in the R&B field, there are numerous artists whose work just wan't collected on LP anyway, except maybe as the odd track on a various artists compilation. That was partly the taste of the companies involved but mostly, I suspect, the plain limitations of the format which insisted on choices being made. The digital era has freed listeners to be able to make their own choices about what to listen to; eg only Bloggs' masterpies or the rubbish, too? (Or even just the rubbish.) MG Allen, when it comes to early jazz and big band there are thousands of lps to choose from. RCA put out comprehensive collections of Shaw, Barnett, Berigan et al that sound very very good. Several labels leased and released Commodore sides with very good mastering. Columbia has released comprehensive series of lps of Bessie Smith, Lester Young, Billie Holiday et al. All this material I've sampled shines on vinyl and is very enjoyable to listen to.Only the major artists were ever treated that way. The costs and consequent retail prices would have made similar approaches to the work of minor jazz artists unsellable. But even R&B artists of the stature and commercial appeal of Louis Jordan and Ivory Joe Hunter weren't treated that way. MG

uhhh... Didn't know about that one, Jim. I have a nice Savoy album by the J C White Singers. Max Roach is a guy I admire, rather than like much, but I'll look into getting that one. Oh, and that reminds me of this one Jack McDuff - Lift every voice and sing - JAM - which has on several tracks the accompaniment of the Mt Pisgah Baptist Church Choir of Chicago on most tracks - Coltrane's 'Naima', Lorber's 'Night love', Scott-Heron's 'A prayer for everybody', as well as the title track. Memory doesn't work flawlessly MG

A further thought into what makes the old LPs reissuing 78 material unsatisfactory is that they were, mainly, limited to the company that owned the copyrights. The opening up of that can of worms has enabled a more comprehensive approach to be made to the work of artists like Milt Buckner and Marion 'Blues Woman' Abernathy, who recorded for many labels in the forties and early fifties. MG

Is that because the CD reissues are able to provide a more encompassing selection of the material than were LPs? There never was an LP series, for example, like the Chronological Classics. In particular, in the R&B field, there are numerous artists whose work just wan't collected on LP anyway, except maybe as the odd track on a various artists compilation. That was partly the taste of the companies involved but mostly, I suspect, the plain limitations of the format which insisted on choices being made. The digital era has freed listeners to be able to make their own choices about what to listen to; eg only Bloggs' masterpies or the rubbish, too? (Or even just the rubbish.) MG

RIP Terry. MG

Phew! MG

It should be noted that the singers on 'A new perspective' were not a gospel choir. They were all stated in the notes to be graduates from the Manhattan School of Music and nothing in the notes implied that they ever sang in a church choir. I don't think any jazz albums have yet been made with a genuine gospel choir; the nearest was 'The gospel soul of Houston Person' (Savoy 14471, P-Vine PCD5345) in 1978, in which Houston was accompanied by the Atlanta Philharmonic Chorale and the Ogletree Brothers. In contrast, a number of secular pop records have been made with gospel choirs: Ray Stevens' 'Everything is beautiful' was made with the BC&M (Baptist, Catholic & Methodist) Choir of Nashville; Paul Simon's 'Still crazy after all these years' featured 1 cut with the Jessy Dixon Singers and 1 with the Chicago Community Choir; and Foreigner's 'I want to know what love is' was made with the New Jersey Mass Choir. You have to have big money in your budget to employ a gospel choir. More than most jazz musicians can get. MG

This hint is REALLY USEFUL! Thanks UBU - you'se da effin KING! MG

Bill Hardman - Home - Muse MG

I agree with you Dan. But I was never a big fan to start off with. I saw his photo on some of those Earland CDs and wondered how on earth a teen looking like that could play a tenor sax. He was OK with Earland. And with Harold Mabern. Really, I acquired some of his stuff because of other people. Same as Joey DeFrancesco. MG

Do you mean this one? Seems there are plenty around. Notwithstanding his Vault LP 'The jazz organs' , this is my favourite Jack Wilson. It's not a 'special) album but I never get tired of hearing it. MG

I confess I expected to see Big Jay McNeely honking his way down Central Avenue. MG

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My automatic reaction, seeing the thread title, wsa 'VIRGIN!!!' But no. ASDA. Oh well. MG

Sun Ra - Four classic albums + bonus singles - Real gone now just starting disc 3 MG

The Atlantic New Orleans jazz sessions MG

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This morning Dixie Hummingbirds - Christian testimonial - Peacock (MCA) now Al Grey - Struttin' and shoutin' - Columbia MG

Bobby Bland - Here's the man - Duke (MCA) MG