The Magnificent Goldberg

Yeah - it took ten seconds for the Durium one to sink in. Wow! MG

Spillers told me today that they're being released in Britain on 2 June. MG

I never heard the Armstrong LP, but I find it hard to believe that he ever did anything that wasn't truly infused with jazz, even though it might have sounded like something else. The Benson LP is mostly instrumental. It's a while since I listened to it, but I think there's only one vocal - "This masquerade". 'Course, it's very Claus Ogerman-ish. But "Jazz Samba" isn't exactly hard-core, is it? MG

I keep meaning to get that Weston Select. MG

Bout time, too. MG

George W Bush - Mission accomplished! MG

Cynic. Plenty of organists acknowledged the help Jimmy Smith gave them. I know JOS was a bighead, but I don't think he'd ever claim to have given lessons to someone he hadn't. And he surely didn't give lessons to Baby Face, who had developed his style before JOS recorded. MG

Ronnie Barker Ronnie Corbett William Cobbett

Chart stuff "Jazz samba" entered the Billboard LP chart on 15 September 1962. At the time, there were two separate charts - 150 positions for mono LPs, 50 for stereo LPs. It stayed on the chart for 70 weeks and reached #1 on the mono chart on 9 March 1963 and stayed at #1 for one week. (Alan Sherman's "My son, the celebrity" was #1 on the stereo chart that week.) It wasn't the last jazz album to make #1 on the Billboard album charts. Subsequent jazz (OK, it depends on your definition of jazz, but I don't want to be fussy here) albums that made #1 were Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly - 1964 Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the night - 1966 (was Sinatra a jazz singer? Sometimes, I suppose) Santana - Santana III - 1971 (which also made #16 on the jazz chart, so was it a jazz album?) Diana Ross - The lady sings the blues - 1972 (hmm) George Benson - Breezin - 1976 Natalie Cole (& Nat) - Unforgettable - 1991 (double hmm) Not sure I should mention Kenny G - Miracles: the holiday album - 1994 (treble hmm) Norah Jones - Come away with me - 2002 Norah Jones - Feels like home - 2004 There are two that I think most people - even jazz fans - would agree are jazz recordings - the Armstrong and the Benson. The Benson is the only one I've heard, so I don't know what the others are like. MG

MG

Have a great Birthday! MG

The doggie in the window (about whom Bob Merrill wrote earlier) Snoop Dogg Mr Doggie

Emu Rod Hull Peter Brough

Jake Holmes Jake the Peg Rolf Harris

Well, I’ve tried this without looking anything at all up. (Probably no worse than when I do look things up ) 1 Sounds a bit like Rene Thomas to me, but it seems as if it’s not quite melodic enough. And there are Wes-zy bits coming in sometimes. Overall, this is far too Bop-oriented for my taste, though there is something of Thomas’ approach in this. 2 “Bags’ groove” I liked the guitar solo but it didn’t kind of stand up and yell at me; genteel swing. Piano solo was fairly ignorable. Tenor player is interesting; something of a Gene Ammons man, I think. Drummer showing off on hi hat in the out sequence is a bit of a turn off. 3 This is one of those Cleanhead Vinson tunes, isn’t it? I’m getting a kind of Barney Kessel feel about the guitarist, though I’ve heard little of him. OK for Bebop. 4 Oh, this is NICE! I almost recognise the tune. No idea about the guitarist, but he’s full of grace. And his own man. 5 Something perhaps based on “Dearly beloved”. I’m getting that old Kessell feeling again, despite not being able to spell his name. 6 Full of fifties atmosphere; a bit like a theme to a film noir. I give up on the guitarist. 7 “Will you still be mine”. Pretty arrangement. Solos didn’t say anything much to me, though. Another similar-sounding guitarist. 8 And another one. I quite like this guy’s solo – very nice melodies in there. I wonder if this one could be Howard Roberts – another I don’t have much of. 9 “Stompin’ at the Savoy”. Why do they all try to sound the same? Or so many of them, anyway. 10 “I’ve thrown a custard in her face” so “Get me to the church on time”. Nice. I love the way this band swings. This reminds me of some of the things Joe Pass did for PJ when he was having fun playing. Maybe it’s him. Doesn’t sound like the others. 11 Damn! It’s so annoying when you can’t remember a song title! I have this by Chris Connor, I’m sure. This player doesn’t sound quite like all the others, too, but I doubt I’ve heard him before. 12 This sounds like Kenny Burrell. I may even have this tucked away somewhere, but I think not. Nice tenor player, whom I should probably recognise. Is this “I’m beginning to see the light” in disguise? 13 “Don’t blame me” by Sasha Distel? Very nice! 14 Ah, this is Rene Thomas! But not, I think, with Lou Bennett (but I’m probably wrong there). Nice! 15 A Bebop style cut. But much more recent than the classic era. In its way, this is a pretty exciting track, full of invention, flair, elan and cheerfulness. What more could you ask? But I just don’t like it. 16 A waltz. Very rhapsodic guitar solo, which I’m enjoying very much, particularly as it moves into 6/8. Don’t recognise the tune; actually, there’s not much of interest to me in the tune itself. 17 “Too marvellous for words”. Very staid opening, then it livens up. Not much of a guitar solo in here, is there? Seemed to be over before it had really got going. 18 Boppish number featuring an organist with a very odd sound. Another guitarist who sounds the same. I like the baritone player, though. Baritones have a big advantage over all other instruments because, however they’re played, they just sound so great! But this guy is really playing his socks off! Some Larry Young in the organist. Could this be Eddie Louiss? 19 “Lush life” by a very definite guitar player. I love the way he plays the intro. The statement of the main tune isn’t quite so attention-grabbing. Compelling once again on the out. I could listen to this guy a LOT! 20 Is this a Bronislav Kaper tune? Too much orchestration that sounds like it’s intended to be for an easy listening album. But the guitarist doesn’t think so. Well, that was pretty interesting. You’ve got a few things in there that intrigue me greatly, Michel. Thanks indeed! MG

This afternoon T-Bone Walker - Complete Capitol & Black & White recordings - all 3 discs MELLO!!!!! MG

Allen Lowe has http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...st&p=782342 MG

Hey Lonson - nice commentary, great sales pitch. You make me want to buy that set (which I will in any case when it gets to 'running low'). You should definitely be working for Mosaic A&R/Marketing. I do agree. Put me down for one, too. MG

Shake Yermani Maker Elmore James Homesick James

Thanks Jim. Interesting article. Rather neglected them, I'm afraid. MG

Ah, there's a reason for that - it's the year when Britain joins the Euro MG

Brownie Tom Storer Aparxa

Here are a few quotes relating to Strand, from Geoff Alexander's "The jazz organ: a brief history". Here's a photo of Les Geoff Alexander's history is here http://www.afana.org/jazzorgan.htm MG PS - Oh, I see you referenced this site already Jim.

Bumpin' fer later. MG

Was it yesterday? Are those my feet? Happy Birthday!!!!! MG