The Magnificent Goldberg

Got one. Etta James recorded "W-O-M-A-N" for Modern records in 1955. She revived it on the Chess LP "Etta is betta than evvah" in 1976, retitling the song "Woman (shake your booty)", and it's MILES better than the original. Oh yes - Bobby Bland's 1983 version of "Queen for a day" on the MCA LP "Tell Mr Bland" is every bit as good as, and may be slightly better than, the original 1966 version on the Duke LP "Call on me/That's the way love is". Bland's MCA albums are mostly not very good but, here and there, you get the pure magic coming through. Ray Charles' original version of "Drown in my own tears" recorded in November 1955 was great, but truly not a patch on the incredibly beautiful live version he recorded in May 1959 in Atlanta. The same could be said of the versions of "Come rain or come shine" - the studio version from May 1959 is completely wiped out by the version recorded in October 1961 at the Olympia in Paris. It's almost certainly a matter of personal preference to chooe between Percy Mayfield's two versions of "River's invitation" - the original, slow version done for Specialty in January 1952, or the Bossa Nova version done with Ray Charles' band for Tangerine in 1963. I like both versions a lot, but slightly prefer the later one. MG

Good idea. I'll give it some thought. MG

According to a Leonard Woolf interview on BBC radio in '69 (about the time he recorded "The flip") Blue Note didn't pay royalties - they paid cash. They paid more cash than their immediate compe titors and also paid for rehearsal time. This was fine for the musicians until they got a hit record. When that happened, the aggrieved musician would turn up at the office and look for royalties. And be told to fuck off. JOS was the first one this happened to. "Midnight special" and "Chicken Shack" were both big hits; no royalties. So Jimmy went to Verve and recorded "Bashin'", from which "Walk on the wild side" was a big pop hit. But he still had a contract with Blue Note, under which he owed them 4 more LPs. So, early in 1963, he did four more sessions. 31 Jan 1963 - I'm movin' on (with Grant Green) 1 Feb 1963 - Bucket (Quentin & Donald) 7 Feb 1963 - Rockin the boat (with Lou Donaldson) 8 Feb 1963 - Prayer meetin' (with Stanley Turrentine) This WAS a big deal for Blue Note, because the last 3 were all hits. I love those four sessions - Jimmy was so relaxed and informal about them. "Open house" and "Plain talk" were recorded before the "Chicken Shack" session but, like lots of other Blue Note stuff, not released at the time. Lou Donaldson and Donald Byrd got the same treatment, when they had hit albums. Lou went to Chess, Byrd to MGM. So did Grant Green, whose records were selling well, though not hits. Woolf implied that, when Lee and Horace had hits, they had to change the BN business plan - and this was a contributory factor in the decision to sell to Liberty. MG

Happy Birthday, Kalo!!! MG

Thanks Paul - that's terrific! Now written on the sleeve MG

Well, I changed the stylus back, took the platter off, readjusted the belt drive, put the platter back, and have resumed listening to King Fleming - The weary traveler - Cadet (Oh, the things we go through to listen to a few 78s ) MG

I like this note on that link you posted (for which many thanks, must get it) This is the alternative universe, of which we've heard so much, no doubt. MG Yes. With popular entertainers like Jimmy Smith, it's important to get a grip on the rubbish, as well as the mediochre and the good, and not just stick to the great. Because it's all part of what his thing was. MG

Never noticed that. MG Berigan has 8 thousand and something posts, without the politcal forum being counted. Perhaps he'd be #1 if they were all added back in MG If I remember correctly posts in the political forum did count until Jim disabled the post count in that forum a while ago; that's probably why Berigan has so many posts. He does post a lot in the misc non-political, however. MG

Have any gospel collections appeared on Bear Family? I wouldn't say no to a Bear Family box But I like the idea of Mosaic expanding its horizons a bit. MG I believe Mosaic HAS already expanded its horizons! See Four Freshmen, Braxton, Threadgill and Carter/Bradford for starters. All jazz, though. I thought they were expanding their horizons when they issued some blues/R&B material, but they funked it. MG

All this thinking about The Caravans made me itch a bit to listen to my 78s of the group. So I went through the palaver of setting up the turntable for 78s and played: The Caravans – The man Jesus – States 146 (lead Albertina walker, sermonette Rev James Cleveland) The Caravans – What kind of man is this – States 146 (lead Cleveland) (both from 1954) The Caravans – Onward Christian Soldiers – States 159 (lead Imogene Greene, who is damn good! And this is NOT the song you think it is.) The Caravans – None but the righteous – States 159 (lead Albertina Walker, Rev James Cleveland) (both from 1956) The sound on these is very good. That Leonard Allen knew how to make good sounding records! They’re quite quiet – had to wind the volume way up! Having gone to such trouble setting it up, I went on to play Swan Silvertones – My soul is a witness – Vee-Jay 182 (leads (Claude Jeter, Paul Owens & Dewey Young) Swan Silvertones – Jesus remembers – Vee-Jay 182 (lead Claude Jeter) (both from 1956) The Raymond Rasberry Singers – I believe every word/Jesus king of kings – Savoy 4110 (Rasberry is a well-known gospel composer. Not known if he’s the lead singer on the A side, who is a real preaching singer! The B side features Rasberry’s boogie piano, sounding like “Honky tonk train blues” and a different lead singer.) The Raymond Rasberry Singers – Every round of the ladder pts 1 & 2 – Savoy 4118 – this one is beautiful. And not a mark on it! Both singles were from the same session in 1958. It sez on the label “A hi-fi recording” but no RVG in the dead wax Rusty Bryant – House rocker/Danger blues – Dot 1229 (Hank Marr (p), Warren Stephens (g) (later with Sweet Poppa Lou), Fred Smith (b), Jimmy Rogers (d) Jane Turner (voc side 2). 1953. Side 2 is very interesting. “You’re in danger baby, when you fool around with me, ‘cos I’ll cut your heart out daddy, cast it into the deep blue sea.” And guitar death march riffs at start and finish. Lloyd Lambert – King cotton/Heavy juice – Specialty promo 553. New Orleans band led by bass player. Lee Allen probably the incredibly NASTY tenor player. I have a sneaking suspicion the pianist could be James Booker. This disc isn't in the blues or jazz discographies. Hopefully Jeff will know sometrhing about it. The B side is nothing to write home about. Finishing off with Link Wray & his Ray Men – Rumble/The swag – Cadence (London HLA8623) An effin’ blinder! From 1958. (Well, the A side is. It’s where it all began, folks.) MG

Have any gospel collections appeared on Bear Family? I wouldn't say no to a Bear Family box But I like the idea of Mosaic expanding its horizons a bit. MG

Never noticed that. MG Berigan has 8 thousand and something posts, without the politcal forum being counted. Perhaps he'd be #1 if they were all added back in MG

Francis I Odo of Paris Childeric III

I have 2 Laserlight CDs from this gig. Both discs list 28 May 1965, but for "Night in Tunisia" on disc 2 which was listed as 24 Nov 1965. Don't know anything about a 1968/69 recording. And the trio was Quentin Warren and Billy BMF Hart. MG

Bessie Griffin - Testimony - Nashboro Etta Jones - Love me with all your heart - Muse Brooklyn All-Stars - Rise - Atlanta International now Sonny Stitt - Primitivo soul - Prestige next Fanta Damba - Fanta Damba - Tangent MG

Toyota Gyles Brandreth Victoria & Albert

Oh, did you mean for MUSICAL reasons? MG

Come, come, young sir - surely THIS is worth investigating? MG

The Caravans recorded for States from 1952 to 1956; for Gospel (a subsidiary of Savoy) from 1958 to 1962; for Vee-Jay from 1962 to 1965; and for Gospel again from 1966 to 1967/8. In that time, they recorded 229 tracks. Very little of the material has been reissued on CD, and it’s all out of print now anyway. Looks like it would make an 8 or 9 CD box. Mosaic has issued some blues & R &B boxes in the past – T-Bone Walker and Amos Milburn – so why not a box of one of the most important of the female gospel groups; one that featured: Albertina Walker Inez Andrews Dorothy Norwood Shirley Caesar Delores Washington Cassietta George Bessie Griffin (to whom I’m listening now) and Rev James Cleveland (who played piano and occasionally took a vocal with the group) The States material appears to have been acquired by Savoy, when United closed. The Vee-Jay material has been reissued variously by Peacock, Nashboro, Savoy, Trip, Exodus, Oldies, Buddah and Mistletoe. I wonder what MC’s reaction would be… MG

This morning MJQ - Blues at Carnegie Hall - Atlantic Otis Rush - Tops - Blind Pig MG

AMG has Al down as 6 June. MG

There's some excellent live stuff on Verve; sessions in Hamburg, Paris, Atlanta and LA spring to mind immediately. Of the studio material, two of the best are "Respect" - two small bands with Eric Gale or Thornell Schwartz, Bushnell or Carter, Bernard Purdie or Grady Tate - and "Organ grinder's swing" - a trio with Burrell & Tate. Don't automatically think it's crap because it ain't Blue Note. And on Mercury, there's "It's necessary", recorded live at Jimmy's own club in LA, with Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Blue Mitchell and Ray Crawford. I can't help thinking you'd want that, Chewy. MG

Super Furry Animals Eric Burdon War

Daft Ha'porth The Five Pennies Elsie Tanner This has been a Cheapskate post by MG

Cheers, Guv. You'd have to put up with Rev W Leo Daniels - The answer to Watergate (sermon) - Jewel Rev Clay Evans & the Fellowship Baptist Church Choir - From the ship - Savoy Mt Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church Choir - Mt Pisgah remembers Roberta Martin... Live - Jewel now Dolores Barrett & the Barrett Sisters - Carry me back - Savoy (with cover by Harvey) MG