The Magnificent Goldberg

There are also two Ammons/Stitt albums done there on Prestige - "God bless Jug & Sonny" and @Left Bank encores". The latter includes a guest appearance by Etta Jones. Nice stuff. Also there were two (I think) by Dex, which also appeared on Prestige. I forget the title of the first - a Roman numeral title - and I haven't got the second (yet). Label M/Hyena put out a Wynton Kelly set that I haven't got, either. Joel seems to have had a hard job keeping his record companies going, so I don't doubt that there's more somewhere. But who's got 'em now? Johnathan? The Stitt that Jim referred to is a killer. One of the best live albums I've ever heard; sure some as good, none better. MG

Under Shawn's expert guidance, I've found a few nice albums in Austin. Toure Kunda - Toure Kunda - Celluloid (produced by Bill Laswell, with Bernie Worrell on kbds) Fanta Damba - Fanta Damba - Tangent Otis Rush - Tops - Forget what label this is on Johnny Mandel - I want to live sound track - UA (orig) (99cents and perfect!!!) (NOT the Gerry Mulligan) Eddie Gale - Black rhythm happenin' - Blue Note (Water) Lon played me this and I just HAD to get it. MG

This looks a damn good thing. MG

"Feeling good" is accompanied by the Gerald Wislon Orchestra! MG

No rush, Mike. I shan't be able to post the answers until after I get home on 24 April. Allan

Well, not today, but JeffCrom took me to some of his local record shops in Atlanta on Friday and I splurged out on some $2-5 gospel LPs Barrett Sisters - God so loved the world - Creed Barrett Sisters - What shall I render (unto God) - New Birth Barrett Sisters - Carry me back - Savoy (Been lookingfor Barrett Sisters for a long time, but never seen any in UK) Mildred Clark & the Melodyaires - Help me Jesus - Heat Mildred Clark & the Melodyaires - Mildred Clark & the Melodyaires - Peacock Mildred & her group are one of my favourites from the sixties) Brooklyn Allstars - Rise - Atlanta International Rev W Leo Daniels - The answer to Watergate (sermon) - Jewel (Could you resist that title?) Rev Clay Evans & the Felowship Baptist CHurch Choir - From the ship - Savoy Arthur Scales (Gospel sax player) - I'm a believer - I Am Bessie Griffin - Testimony - Nashboro Swan Silvertones - Swan Silvertones - Harlem Hit Parade (don't know where this material comes from but I don't have any of the tracks) Rev Maceo Woods - Prelude - Savoy and, in an Acid Jazz shop, The JBs - Pass the peas - People MG

MG

As you've no doubt seen now, it IS Maceo. Yup! Yes, it's Tab. I thought you'd pick up the connection with the Hank Crawford. Well... TRACK EIGHT - Been looking for this one for quite a while...KNTU used to play it every do often...McGriff, I think..."Moonlight Serenade" w/no bridge, which is too bad, because that bridge at this tempo would be pretty sweet. But ok anyway! http://sudo.3.pro.tok2.com/Quest/cards/J/JimmyMcGriff/MovinUpsideTheBlues_x.html Would've been sweeter still to have heard Vick on this one, eh? MASSIVEVANGELDERREVERB!!!!

Who's Wayne Krantz? MG

I do wonder whether this is a class thing. In my experience, the middle classes are what they do. In the South Wales industrial valleys, people are identified by what the middle classes disparagingly call their "hobbies" and a job is just a job to enable them to pursue those "hobbies". But that is what they think of as their "real" life. And they're as passionate about whatever it is as we are about whatever it is (and it ain't only jazz, or even music). Or maybe it's the other way round, with us. Maybe we (well, I) have that working class attitude just because I'm a fanatic about some kinds of music, and my wife about African wildlife. I dunno. MG Yes, too true. If you all knew as much about the music of the West African Sudan as I do, you'd know I'm nowhere near an expert MG

After doing some searching, I found the album (the Bastids have it, and another Blue RCA). AMG sure isn't very kind to these sessions. If the rest of the record sounds like this, the Bastids will likely be getting an order from me very soon! Go easy, Al - there's one other track of this quality on the LP - Duke's @Day dream@ - the rest is quite poor imitation CTI stuff. It's OK, but not that OK, y'know? So don't pay too much. MG

Since I've gotten so heavily into 78s the past year, I've really noticed how much better Victor's recordings sounded than any other company. I'm talking just about any era - their 1915 acoustics sound better than anyone else for the time; likewise for their post-1925 electrical recordings. The CD I took this from was remastered by that English guy with the double-barrelled name who used to play with the Temperance Seven - forgotten his name for the moment but he's one of the gurus for remastering stuff from this era. So, when you've got a good original and a good remaster, bingo! MG

Quite right, Jim. MG

Not truly clueless, Al Yes, do. I'd have guessed you'd be the one to get this. Quite right. Some people should be kicking themselves about now This is one of my all time JOS and Poppa Lou favourites. Duh? Well, Jeff got this one, so there! Not Steve Cropper. MG Like Elvis, Glenn Miller is alive and well and playing organ in RVG's Nope, not Dudu. I'd be surprised if you'd heard this (though I'm sure Ubu has, but he's not joined in). This one you may have heard. But if you'd got it in your collection, I feel sure you would know who, what, where, when and why not.

Actually, Criss recorded in Paris with Milt Buckner. But this isn't that. Nope to English, nope to Taylor. Heavily influenced by Hodges - Jeff Crom identified this as Tab Smiff. Yes, you are The sax players are fairly obscure, I think (though I expect someone will be able to ID them). Glad the post office came through with it, Richard. MG

Not Dudu this time Dudu was pretty influential, but this guy is a lot less fiery than Dudu. Seventies is correct. Not Joe Smith (from memory - I'm 3,000 miles from my collection - Joe Smith didn't join the band until later). It's the arranger, John Nesbitt doing the solo and the obligato. Yes, a singing sax player. Hot Ptah got this one. HP got this one, too. For those who think Eric Alexander doesn't know the language (Yes, OK, he often doesn't, but this time he did.) I haven't got the personnel details with me, but you're right about Tab Smith (again ) Glad you enjoyed it. MG

I have a feeling this might not be terribly easy to find. There is quite a bit of material in this vein on the album, though. Generally available and in print in US and Europe. Yes to South Africa, no to Abdullah Ibrahim. As Jeff identified later, it's spelt "root man" Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. MG

Quite right. I love the intro, too. She recorded this in 1971, with another intro, though a few elements of the rap were retained for this version with the Earland band. MG

I played the Bill Evans Riverside recording of "Nardis" and then Track 2 back to back, and Track 2 sounded like the same song to me. But maybe it's not--maybe that explains why I can't find any reference to it in any discographies, as I am looking under "Nardis." We eagerly await the ruling of The Magnificent One himself. It's not "Nardis" but another classic jazz tune. Edit - Ah, and I see now that Big Al correctly identified the tune as Clifford Brown's @Delilah@ @" are reversed on US keyboards - please read them the other way round MG

Yes, that's correct. And, for Alex' benefit, the pianist is Mary Lou Williams. You were right: now I really want to hear more of the piano! As for 13: I'm pretty sure it's McKinney's Cotton Pickers from '29. It took me way too long to recognise this. Such a wonderful track. Yes, that;s correct. I love John Nesbit's arrangement for this. Incredibly groovy and greasy for '29. MG

Three right so far Jeff. Right! Of course, being in NO just now, I dare say you've caught this band. I dug the quote from "Up for the down stroke" behind the trombonist. Yes, you are going to kick yourself. Sorry you don't like the setting. Another I suspect you may be kicking yourself later.. Listen to it again Glad you like this. Not bad Jeff. Yes, it's Tab. Do you know the record? The echo was a trademark of the producer and I'm sure you've come across it before. Of course, I like a bit of showbiz Does "nasty" mean you don't like it or that it's NASTY? It's nice. Berating comes later. Yes, that's correct. And, for Alex' benefit, the pianist is Mary Lou Williams. Glad you're enjoying (most) of this. MG

Glad to hear you like it. You've got one right. I told you you wouldn't be stumped by them all. Wanna mention the band? MG

What are the cans attached to? ... And what are the headphones connected to? [rimshot] MG

Happy Birthday, and good wishes for the year ahead. MG

Phew! Billy Harper smokes - but he doesn't smoke never has, he told me. I got put in a seat at the bar and, after a minute, someone addressed the guy sitting next to me as Mr Harper. So I said "Are you Billy Harper?" "Yes." @Sorry I didn't recognise you; I don't get out much." He thought that was funny. Eddie Henderson seemed to be having trouble with his lip and also to be fighting a cold. Nevertheless, he made effective music - not flashy, but effective. Azar Lawrence impressed me, too. I've never heard him play before. Looks like I made a mistake not listening before. Billy Hart drove the band like mad. He was heroic and Cecil McBee only slightly less so. My only regret is that the band is slightly too big for everyone to get solos. But it does enable rather interesting voicings to be written - George Cables seems to be responsible mainly. And I've made a HUGE mistake in not keeping up with Mr Harper after his recordings with Lee Morgan and Charles Earland. He was fire and had me jumping up and down on the stool, nearly falling off at one point. Oh, what an exciting player! Damn good gig. MG Azar Lawrence (who played with McCoy Tyner in the '70s) has recently re-emerged and released a couple of excellent albums--Prayer for My Ancestors (a really good one) and Speak the Word. A third release is imminent. Billy Harper's most recent (fine) recording is Blueprints of Jazz. Thanks Ken. I had a quick word with Azar afterwards and apologised for having ignored him for forty years, although I was well aware of his Prestige recordings. He said to get onto his website, which I shall do, once I get home. I got the impression he's selling his own stuff. Good. A further gloss on the gig - David Weiss didn't get through to me at all. We've discussed showbiz and jazz in a number of threads here. Weiss struck me as the most un-showbiz jazz musician I've ever come across. I don't expect jazzmen to come on in short spangly skirts and kick their legs up But I do expect open body language that tells me they're glad to be there playing their music, which I feel shouldn't be hard for a jazzman 99% of the time. I also expect a bit of eye contact with the audience - not necessarily with me; Harper was standing sideways on to me; Cables was hidden behind the corner of the stage, except his hands, but they were eloquent anyway - even though it is probably hard to pick out individuals in a dark room when the stage is lit. For the whole set, David Weiss held his trummpet close to his body, pointed at the floor, and looking at the floor. That kind of tight, locked into himself body language, not interested in whether he was getting through, put me right off. It didn't matter what he was playing, I wasn't listening. MG