The Magnificent Goldberg

My memory may be failing me, but I don't remember much in the way of Mods after 1964. "Blow up" was what, 1966? 1967? MG

An Esmond Edwards production! I'd forgotten about "Hard work". Yes, Esmond produced most of the good, sound, commercial stuff at Impulse - though Ed Michel did the Coulters. Esmond also did the Ponder album on Cadet and hired Bob James for the arrangements - kind of superior Kudu. MG

Von Freeman - Doin' it right now - Atlantic orig George Freeman - New improved funk - GM (People UK) John Young RIP. MG

A guy I know in the music business in West Africa once said to me, "it's easy to make money in music; all you need is to know what to do and how to do it", and smiled, knowing that it applied to everything. But Blue Note's people in the seventies seemed to have neither the knowledge of what to do nor how to even do what they thought they should be doing half decently. MG

There are a few to the left of the photo, out of shot. And some with other people - lots with Hank Crawford and one with Groove Holmes - maybe some others - and several I haven't got on CD 'cos I've got 'em on vinyl and can't be asked to upgrade EVERYTHING! Jimmy McGriff made a hell of a lot of albums and most have come out on CD. I think there's one with Junior Parker missing from this list. Dan Gould has it, but I forget the details. I GOT A WOMAN SUE 1012 1962 ONE OF MINE SUE 1013 1963 AT THE APOLLO SUE 1017 1963 CHRISTMAS WITH MCGRIFF SUE 1018 1964 AT THE ORGAN SUE 1020 1964 TOPKAPI SUE 1033 1964 BLUES FOR MR JIMMY SUE 1039 1964 BLACK AND BLUES GROOVE MERCHANT 2203 c1964 THE JIMMY MCGRIFF CHRISTMAS ALBUM JELL 1888 12/1964 LIVE WHERE THE ACTION'S AT VEEP 13515 12/1965 THE BIG BAND SOLID STATE 18001 2-4/1966 LET'S STAY TOGETHER GROOVE MERCHANT 506 prob 1966&c1/1972 A BAG FULL OF SOUL SOLID STATE 18002 1966 CHERRY SOLID STATE 18006 Autumn 1966 A BAG FULL OF BLUES SOLID STATE 18017 Summer 1967 I'VE GOT A NEW WOMAN SOLID STATE 18030 Late 1967 HONEY SOLID STATE 18036 1968 THE WORM SOLID STATE 18045 8/1968 STEP ONE SOLID STATE 18053 12/1968 A THING TO COME BY SOLID STATE 18060 6/1969 THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT SOLID STATE 18063 1969 ELECTRIC FUNK BLUE NOTE 84350 9/1969 SOMETHING TO LISTEN TO BLUE NOTE 84364 Autumn 1970 SOUL SUGAR CAPITOL ST616 11/1970 & 1971 GOOD THINGS DON'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY CAPITOL ST569 2/1971 WITH JUNIOR PARKER CHICKEN FRIED SOUL UNITED ARTISTS UAS5597 summer 1971 WITH JUNIOR PARKER BLACK PEARL BLUE NOTE 84374 1971 GROOVE GREASE GROOVE MERCHANT 503 late 1971 COME GO WTH ME GROOVE MERCHANT 529 late 1971-74 FLY DUDE GROOVE MERCHANT 509 1972 FRIDAY THE 13TH COOK COUNTY JAIL GROOVE MERCHANT 515 10/1972 WITH LUCKY THOMPSON COME TOGETHER GROOVE MERCHANT 520 1973 WITH GROOVE HOLMES GIANTS OF THE ORGAN IN CONCERT GROOVE MERCHANT 3300 1973 WITH GROOVE HOLMES THE MAIN SQUEEZE GROOVE MERCHANT 534 1974 THE LAST BLUES ALBUM GROOVE MERCHANT 3303 10/1974 WITH ILLINOIS JACQUET & BUDDY RICH STUMP JUICE GROOVE MERCHANT 3309 1975 THE MEAN MACHINE GROOVE MERCHANT 3311 1976 RED BEANS GROOVE MERCHANT 3314 9/1976 TAIL GUNNER LRC 9316 5/1977 OUTSIDE LOOKING IN LRC 9320 1978 ALIVE & WELL 51 WEST 16110 1978?XXXX CITY LIGHTS JAM 002 12/1980&2/1981 MOVIN' UPSIDE THE BLUES JAM 005 12/1980&6/1981 THE GROOVER JAM 009 6/1982 COUNTDOWN MILESTONE 9116 4/1983 SKY WALK MILESTONE 9126 3/1984 STATE OF THE ART MILESTONE 9135 5&6/1985 SOUL SURVIVORS MILESTONE 9142 1/1986 WITH HANK CRAWFORD THE STARTING FIVE MILESTONE 9148 10/1986 STEPPIN UP MILESTONE 9153 6/1987 WITH HANK CRAWFORD BLUE TO THE BONE MILESTONE 9163 7/1988 ON THE BLUE SIDE MILESTONE 9177 4&8/1989 YOU OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT ME HEADFIRST 379 3/1990 IN A BLUE MOOD HEADFIRST 1011 1991 RIGHT TURN ON BLUE TELARC JAZZ 83366 1/1994 WITH HANK CRAWFORD BLUES GROOVE TELARC JAZZ 83381 7/1995 WITH HANK CRAWFORD THE DREAM TEAM MILESTONE 9268 8/1996 JAZZ ORGAN SUMMIT CANNONBALL 27102 5/1997 WITH EARLAND, L SMITH & JH SMITH ROAD TESTED MILESTONE 9274 6&7/1997 WITH HANK CRAWFORD STRAIGHT UP MILESTONE 9285 5/1998 CRUNCH TIME MILESTONE 9287 11/1998 WITH HANK CRAWFORD MCGRIFF'S HOUSE PARTY MILESTONE 9300 9/1999 FEELIN' IT MILESTONE 9313 10/2000 MCGRIFF AVENUE MILESTONE 9325 10/2001 Did that work? Well, not really. It'd be nice if there was a way of getting Excell tables to come out neat in here. MG

I was going to mention Impulse, too. Even when Impulse was issuing overtly commercial records in the late seventies, they were actually very, very good - Sonny Criss' "Warm and sunny" is a classic of that kind of music; Blue Mitchell's "African violet" and "Summer soft"; Jimmy Ponder's "Illusions" and "White room"; Clifford Coulter's two albums - this is stuff I still play and enjoy a lot. And, at the same time, they had a decent vault programme and issued stuff like Sonny Criss' Peacock album, the complete "Queen of the organ" set on a twofer and so on. And don't forget that ABC owned Peacock and the seventies Peacock albums I've got (and I've got quite a few) are not inferior to the company's product when Don Robey owned it. Atlantic's seventies product is damn good, too! David Newman, Les McCann, Eddie Harris, Herbie Mann etc etc. on the jazz side - but its R&B/Soul/Funk stuff was as good as it had ever been. Chess was also, by then, owned by a large corporation. And was still issuing fine gospel albums in the seventies. And some classic Etta James albums. And isn't McDuff's "Heating system" Cadet one you always rave about, Dan? (Well, someone here raves about it and not me, cos I've never heard it.) But Jimmy Ponder's "While my guitar gently weeps" is another fine album. I don't know Cadet's seventies jazz output as well as I should - but I'm sure there is some Stitt and so on in there that's a lot better than the average BN seventies material. Yes, Blue Note could have done a LOT better. UA closed Solid State and moved Sonny Lester to Blue Note, but then let him get out of there, where any sensible company would have tried to keep him onside. Don't you think we'd perceive Blue Note differently if the material that he issued on Groove Merchant had continued to come out on Blue Note? MG

Thank you Bill and, particularly, Rod. Never heard of her before except Jim's quote. MG

Oh my! Having a birthday when your BFT is on! Have a great day, Steven. And many thanks. MG

Yes - forgot Sounds Inc - a very interesting band, with a wide range of different influences including jazz and Arthur Lyman type exotica. Also a very good one to see live. I saw them in a huge warehouse in Southall, backing Gene Vincent - this was '61 or '62, after the crash. Fantastic gig! MG

any connection to mods? Too moodern! Birds didn't dye their hair like that in the sixties - probably those dyes hadn't been invented even. This is retro-mod. MG

Wouldn't keep the theives away from my LP collection as effectively as Chef! MG

Well, Lion/Wolff's did give us Sabu's Palo Conga, but that was a blatant "outside the box" release from them... There were other good BN albums released during Butler's tenure, no doubt, even if on some of them he was "Executive Producer", which to me has usually always meant that that's the person who approved/funded the project, not too much else. Important indeed, but... Something like The New Heritage Keyboard Quartet was a pretty wacky idea in concept - I mean, a quartet with two pianos as the lead instruments? Get outta here! But when those two pianists are Roland Hanna & Mickey Tucker, hey. And of course, the Hutcherson & Silver sides (although some of the former's seemed to suffer from lack of planning/budget/whatever as the years went by, for whatever reason). The Eddie Henderson sides weren't bad, although they didn't in any way measure up to the Capricorn sides which preceded them. And there were a few others, some not-sucky (but not great either, although that's a pattern long in place before and after his BN releases...) Chico Hamilton sides, etc. Some of it, like the Marlena Shaw & Carmen McRae albums, were actually not-at-all-bad albums from a jazz-pop vocal standpoint. And one or two of the albums by Ronnie Laws (produced by Wayne Henderson, IIRC) & Noel Pointer have held up as fine examples of that particular thing. So it wasn't all doom and gloom. Indeed - but almost all of what was good is stuff one can imagine Lion or Wolff doing had they been in charge - and yes, in many cases doing better. The Santos would not have been made, I feel. I didn't know about the New Heritage Keyboard Quartet. I can kind of imagine Lion or Wolff going along with that idea, if it's Hanna and Tucker. Actually, it's hard to imagine George Butler being keen on such an idea... MG

Well, I started off not liking this BFT much, but after a few tracks, I was really into it. And one track just killed me. So, mucho thanks for a great experience, Steven. 1 I can’t say I like the kind of spiky playing this alto player is coming out with. In fact, I can say I don’t like it at all. His tone is very hard, too; a bit harsh for my taste; reminds me of Jackie McLean. But it isn’t him of course; it’s no doubt a French musician, verging on the avant garde. The pianist’s playing has a lot more flow to me and I’m quite with what he’s doing. 2 This sounds like Blue Mitchell. But all the electronics persuade me that it ain’t him. I really don’t like the synthesiser player; he sounds to me like he’s trying to “create an effect”, rather than just being. The trumpet player does keep on reminding me of Blue Mitchell, though. I’d like to hear other stuff he’s done. 3 The guitarist reminds me of Joe Pass. Is this the same trumpet player as on #2? Arrangement seems too clever by half – no emotion, just clever stuff. The trumpet player has it though. Oh, and in comes someone who sounds a bit like Phil Woods. I’m not keen, but the guy’s got his own story to tell and it’s there. It seems to me that, in their solos, those two are pretty well ignoring the stuff the band’s doing behind them – is that even possible? 4 Oh fuck! That piano intro is definitely coming from a different place! As he develops the track, he’s getting more down to earth and I can relate to it – though I’m still not really sure why someone would want to play like this. Ah, the things people do to earn a crust! 5 “Autumn in New York”, taken at a very relaxed groove. I must say, following the last one, this is a very welcome piece of music. But I think it does stand by itself and not merely as a counteraction to the preceding number. I’m not very good at flute players, so I’ve no guesses about his identity. The pianist is very nice, though his solo in my view isn’t terribly full of character. 6 I thought this was going to be “Good bait”, but it immediately turned into something else. A very weak-sounding alto player; I’m afraid I like people who pump a bit more air. The pianist reminds me of Red Garland; enjoying his solo quite well. 7 “I can’t get started” and this surely must be Stephane Grappelli. Such fucking grace to his playing! This is just a KILLER! The pianist doesn’t live up to Stephane’s playing, though he’s by no means poor and is developing his ideas very well and clearly. He’s just moving the thing away from Stephane’s vision, which is what this cut seems properly to be all about. The bass player brings it back home, though. Funny how sometimes a bass solo – surely the most ridiculed of all jazz elements – can really do it for you? This track has really made me determined to get some good Grappelli, though. I used to see him so much on TV that I never thought I needed to buy any of his records. Thinking about this cut, and I’ve nothing against the pianist except he left the vision, I’d have preferred a guitarist – someone like Kenny Burrell or Joe Pass – in that context. I think a violin, guitar, bass, drums quartet could be a band made in heaven. 8 This sounds like a Jaws/Griff tune – or maybe an Ammons/Stitt line. And played in that spirit by two somewhat lesser guys – but only a little bit lesser. The first tenor man sounds a good bit more his own man than the second – who has a LOT of Sonny Stitt in him. Well, IS it Sonny? I don’t think so, but it may well be some gig he did sitting in with a French tenor player. No, I don’t think it is Sonny. 9 A blues by another good violinist. I think this may be Svend Asmussen (not sure of the spelling), another guy, with the greatest smile in Christendom, I used to see a good bit of on TV. Now this time, the pianist is right there with the violinist! And so’s the bass player. In fact this whole goddamn band is groovin’!!!! 10 The rhythm vamp from “Night in Tunisia” – but not the tune; I thought it was going to be something else. Very nice tune, though. Sounds like it was based on “Tunisia” – was it? I quite like the trumpet player. But the sound of the tenor player is quite wrong for me; too reedy. I couldn’t really listen to what he was playing, his sound so upset me. 11 Soprano sax, played with great delicacy and poignancy. I love the guy’s sound; quite different from most other players. And he’s playing those blues like they belong to him, which, for the moment, they do. This is almost bringing tears to my eyes. Now that is a man with a bleeding story to tell! God! My wife came in, two minutes before the end, wanting to add something to the grocery order on line. I was very polite, though. And a second listen was just fine, after the grocery order had been amended 12 Good baritone-led bop band. Great tone to the baritone player! Tenor player and pianist are good too. No mucking about here – they get down to the point right away and exchange fours the whole time. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were something that Ronnie Cuber recorded for Steeplechase, with Continental colleagues. Wouldn’t be surprised if it weren’t, either (hur hur). Haven’t got any of that stuff. Drummer’s definitely in the house! 13 “Tin tin Deo”, by an organist. Lou Bennett is my guess, knowing how you like him. But it does sound like him, of course. Is the guitarist the guy whose name begins something like “Cour”? I haven’t heard any of the recordings he made with Lou. No, it can’t be because isn’t that Kenny Clarke on drums? This must be from his second RCA session, which I haven’t got. And the guitarist was the same guy as on the first – Jimmy Gourlay, I think. Is this the one with Pierre Michelot on bass? I haven't looked any of this up. 14 “All the things you are”, by a pianist whom I feel I know. Yes, it must be Hamp Hawes. 15 Oh, so who was that? A Frenchman? MG

Jerry Blaine Herb Abramson Ahmet Ertegun

There was British Rock and a very small part of it was very good indeed - mostly the jazz musicians who got involved and made a living that way - Red Price, Cherry Wainer, Tony Crombie & his Rock & Roll Rockets, Lord Rockingham's XI (featuring all three I think) and others. And there's also British food. You wouldn't want to eat the Cardiff speciality though - curry half and half; half chips, half rice. But ESSENTIAL down Caroline Street after a heavy pub crawl. MG

I fear you didn't understand me, Steve. I meant it would be nostalgia for me personally. It's a part of my life that I lived and it was great at the time. But, though the period and the people I shared it with had a big effect on my personal development, I've gone past that, as far as being deeply interested in the music is concerned. MG

I agree with all that. Except some geezers can't really DO a two CD set filled with great (or even very good) music. Mg

Back to George Butler. I've just been listening to Moacir Santos' album "Maestro", a 1972 Blue Note, and finding, once again, that it's a marvellous album: chock full of interest; great to dance to; soul renewing; quite beautiful. This album is so far from Alfred and Francis' ideas that there's no doubt in my mind that it wouldn't have been made if either of them had been running Blue Note in those days. I can't read who produced it - the print's too small and faint. But George was in charge and must have said yes to it. So, thanks George. MG

Russ Conway Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson Winifred Atwell

I'm sorry to hear this. I don't have any of his own albums, but I keep running into his name elsewhere in my collection - George, Von, Clarence Wheeler and others. RIP MG

I've always said that George was the most potent argument against affirmative action, but it wasn't his fault. He was just there; like Clyde Ankle in Stan Freberg's "Old payola roll blues". And if you were there, wouldn't you say yes? RIP. MG

Now that is a VERY interesting photo. Thanks for putting it up. Reid Miles looks like a movie star! Especially compared to the others. Did Alfred carry around with him his own personal hole in the ground to stand in when being photographed? I never realised he was such a tot! MG

When I hit the link, I got a "your session timed out" message. MG

Art Farmer Benny Golson Hank Crawford

Good to see you - no, better than that - GREAT to see you back again. How wonderful to see a thread title in block capitals once more! MG