The Magnificent Goldberg

George Freeman - the most incredible jazz guitarist I've heard. For a guy who's been around since the forties, he's made few albums as a leader - even fewer than his brother Von. Birth sign - Delmark 424 (1969) (still available, I think) - features Von Freeman & Maurice MacIntyre (ts), Lester Lashley (tb), Sonny Burke or Robert Prince (org), Billy Mitchell (a different one) (d). Produced by Michael Cuscuna, so you know this goes a bit beyond what I usually go for Introducing George Freeman with Charlie Earland Sittin' in - Giant Step GS005 (1970/71) (very hard to find I think) New improved funk - Groove Merchant 519 (1973) - with Von (ts), John Young (p), Leroy Jackson (b), Bob Guthrie (d) or Von (ts), Bobby Blevins (org), Marion Booker (d) - looks as if it's a funk album but it's much more. Man & woman - GM 3305 (1974) - with Harold Mabern or Kenny Barron (p), Bob Cranshaw (b)m Buddy Williams (d). Mostly standards. These GMs have recently been reissued on CD by Unidisc of Canada and are also on e-music I think. Frantic diagnosis - Bam-boo 003 (c1976) neither this nor the Ubiquity LP reissue are available. With Dave Hubbard (fl,as) Von Freeman (ts) Caesar Frazier (org) Charles Earland (synt), Gary Jenkins (d) Eddie Moore, Donald Rivers (perc) Billy Conners (cga) - very popular with the acid jazz crowd but this is a very avant album, but with a crackling beat. Just been listening to it. Fantastic! Rebellion - Southport 027 (1995) - with Von (ts), Penny Pendleton (b), Michael Raynor (d). Very interesting long versions of standard material. George Burns! - Southport 0057 (1997) - with Lou Gregory (p), Eldee Young (b), Phil Thomas (d) + guests, inc Von (1 track). I love this one. People say it's not as interesting as Rebellion and I guess that's true, but it has such enthusiasm. And yes, George BURNS! I think these two Southports are available. At long last George - Savant 2035 (2000) - with Lloyd Wilson (org), Curtis Prince (d), Kevin Patrick (perc) + guests inc Von (3 trks), and some vocals by Kurt Elling (2 trk) Rene Marie (1 tk). George doesn't sound like anyone else. He is definitely off to one side. MG

All the very best, Daniel. MG

Indeed! But I can hardly believe you ignored this for so long. Wow! Too much Sonny Rollins, if you ask me MG

Well, there's "Let's do it again" by the Fatback Band; their first LP. I got this when it came out and when I heard "Give me one more chance", complete with girlie backing singers, I had to say, who the fuck is this tenor player coming on like Pharoah Sanders? It was George Adams, of whom no one had ever heard at the time. I've always had a deep affection for the three LPs made by Charles Williams for Mainstream, largely because of the unexpected personnel. These LPs were based on a co-op band called the Four Souls, who were Bubba Brooks (Tina's brother), basically a blues and Websterish swing stylist on tenor; Williams, a modern Soul Jazz alto player; Don Pullen on organ; and Bill Curtis (who left the band in 1972 to form the Fatback Band) on drums. This band really should not have worked, but it did. It's curious that Pullen and Adams both had a connection to the Fatback Band. Dorothy Norwood - Look what they've done to my child. Dorothy is one of the great lady gospel singers from the classsic period - a former Caravan and still singing I believe. This LP, from 1981, on Savoy, has a Muslim (!) guitarist credited as Melvin Hassan, who's better known to O readers as Melvin Sparks. A big surprise for me (perhaps not others who know jazz better) was Jimmy McGriff's 1988 CD "Blue to the 'bone", which featured Al Grey, a trombonist whom I'd always ignored up 'til then, thinking him just an old Basie man. MG

I retired five years ago and am now dedicated to enjoying myself. Work was work; yes, it was interesting and reasonably well paid, but it was work. Now I've started drawing my State Pension, instead of just my occupational pension, I've been thinking a bit about whether I made a difference. And I guess it wasn't too bad. I played games with the Welsh economy for many years and was pretty influential at that. But most of that has died away now I think. The thing that hasn't gone away is that I changed the orientation of official (from the EU down to local councils) thinking about Wales from north/south to east/west. And I think that may have helped a bit. It wasn't very original though - just a question of looking at the facts from the far side - and anyone might have done that. As far as music is concerned, well maybe a few people here have a slightly different appreciation of Soul Jazz now. I know I have MG

Speaking personally, Chris, you've done that with me. MG

Well sir, consider your life a success, as far as I'm concerned. Agreed. Jim is the teachingest guy on the site! MG

Thanks folks. It was kind of hell. I was on Organissimo, trying to post and waiting and waiting and waiting. And while I was waiting, I fired up Horoshi's site and found an interesting Houston Person CD, opened up Amazon UK and had to do two searches for the CD, but eventually found it after looking at several pages, then fired up a currency converter to see how the prices compared. And all the time, my ISP's connection software was telling me that I had a problem with the connection! So I phoned the ISP and told them and the guy said, "the software's telling you lies, I can see your conenction and it's OK" - what the fuck?! But everything I tried to do on Org was taking forever - and nearly as bad on my mailbox. And he just said there must be something wrong with those sites, which I knew couldn't be true. I just fucking gave up at that point. But I managed to identify a virus a few days ago, which had eluded several scans from AVG, Avast and an on-line scan from F-secure. So my warranty company advised me to do a full system restore, which was hell, because my computer is so old that it's restore discs only go up to Service pack 1 and you need Service pack 2 to get updates from Microsoft. So I had to get the computer firm down the road to do another system restore, which they did this morning (yes, Sunday - local guys are definitely good for something). And it looks like the problem, which may have been the virus, has now been cleared up (cross fingers). But I've still got a dodgy CD drive - very fussy about what CDs it reads. And it's the last day of my guarantee today, so I'm going to get them to provide a new CD drive. I guess that'll mean I dont have the computer for a couple of weeks. Oh well. Glad to be back. I'll have a look at what's going on here, now I've got most of my programs put back. MG

Pooh! Thank Gawd for that (I hope). I have had some dreadful bleedin' trouble wit hmy computer, particularly with Organissimo (and my mailbox), for some reason that no one can explain. Waiting up to ten minutes fo a page to come to me. Seems to be better now. Cross fingers, I'm back. But there are still problems. I think in the end I'll have to buy a new PC. MG

Pooh! Thank Gawd for that (I hope). I have had some dreadful bleedin' trouble wit hmy computer, particularly with Organissimo (and my mailbox), for some reason that no one can explain. Waiting up to ten minutes fo a page to come to me. Seems to be better now. Cross fingers, I'm back. But there are still problems. I think in the end I'll have to buy a new PC. MG

Pooh! Thank Gawd for that (I hope). I have had some dreadful bleedin' trouble wit hmy computer, particularly with Organissimo (and my mailbox), for some reason that no one can explain. Waiting up to ten minutes fo a page to come to me. Seems to be better now. Cross fingers, I'm back. But there are still problems. I think in the end I'll have to buy a new PC. MG

I've spent two days downloading about two thousand photos (onto my wife's new PC) from my wife's and her friend's camera - on over a dozen memory sticks - from their last holiday in Sept/Oct 2007 in South Africa & Namibia. Then even more time looking through them to find nice ones. This one I think is particularly superb, so I took a copy and it's now my background. MG

Rained all day yesterday, but lightly. And this morning, too. But seems to be clearing now. Probably optimistic. MG

Aha! I'd recognise you anywhere! This evening's playing has been The Loving Sisters - Tribute to Dr Martin Luther King - Peacock (Vogue France) Bobby Timmons - Got to get it - Milestone (Fantasy) Bobby Timmons - Do you know the way to San Jose - Milestone (orig yellow/brown label) Jack McDuff - Steppin' out - Prestige (Fantasy) Kenny Burrell - Midnight blue - BN Liberty MG

What it is, I thought you were continually adding new items into your list, and wondered how we'd know what was a new addition and what we'd seen before and decided not to buy... MG Until this listing that compiled every remaining CD, I was posting new portions of the listing in new threads, so everyone knew what was "new" to the sale and what they had seen previously. Ah, right. Thanks Dan. MG

Hey Porcy, you're back! Did you have a good time in Scandinavia on your bike? MG

Ouch. Warehouses should be fireproof. Atlantic masters, Impulse masters, Decca masters, your funnybooks... Ha fuckin' ha! The mortgage company had my deeds in a warehouse, which caught fire AFTER I'd paid off the mortgage, but before the firm got off their arses to send me my deeds! And then they wanted to charge me $150 to get copies from the Land Registry!!!!!! They did it for free in the end - and I got some compensation out of them. MG

What it is, I thought you were continually adding new items into your list, and wondered how we'd know what was a new addition and what we'd seen before and decided not to buy... MG

When you look at that photo full size, she looks a bit pissed off. She's supposed to be waiting for her sailor man to sail back into harbour isn't she? I should think she'd be glad he wasn't coming back. MG

Sonny Criss - This is Criss - Prestige (OJC) Sonny Criss - Up, up and away - Prestige Sonny Criss - I'll catch the sun - Prestige (Ace) MG

Raining now. MG

A given - especially as we are now 'officially' in recession. No we're not - GDP growth was zero in the spring quarter, not negative. But wait until next qauarter's figs come out Looking like rain here now. MG

Of course. Shall we have a poll on how much the overspend will be? My bet is £3 billion, give or take. MG

Last night Blue Mitchell - Stablemates (Last dance in US) - Discomate (Jazzamerica) Wynton Kelly - Full view - Milestone (Fantasy pressing) MG

Didn't rain yesterday - first time for weeks. So after the shops it was mowing the effin' lawn! It's traditional for it to rain over August Bank Holiday, so I expect it'll rain this weekend. MG