The Magnificent Goldberg

I get the impression he was watching the pianist. MG

I had better put it down for April. MG

I bet Ernie Andrews STILL doesn't want to be an actress. MG

Thank you Steven - nice interview. I don't understand the video thing; the screen says that the video's playing, but I can't see it. Do you have to be a member before you can see it? MG

It's Jimmy Ponder's 60th birthday today. Happy birthday Jimmy and thanks for four decades of listening pleasure. Here's a list of Jimmy's own albums and recording dates. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Cadet 1973 Illusion - Impulse 1976 White Room - Impulse 1977 All Things Beautiful - LRC 1978 Seven Minds - America 1978 Down Here On The Ground - Milestone 1983 So Many Stars - Milestone 1984 Mean Streets - No Bridges - Muse 1987 Jump - Muse 1988 To Reach A Dream - Muse 1988 & 1989 Come On Down - Muse 1990 Soul Eyes - Muse 1991 Something To Ponder - Muse 1994 James Street - Highnote 1997 Ain't Misbehavin' - Highnote 1998 Guitar Christmas - Highnote 1998 Thumbs Up - Highnote 2000 Alone - Highnote 2000 What's New - Highnote 2002 MG

Blimey! Struth! And WILD BILL MOORE AND ELI FOUNTAIN PISSIN' ALL OVER Houston Person! I'd love to see that. MG

I haven't got that one. I haven't got it on my OJC list either. WHat do you think of it? MG

Just looked it up. Koenig's sleeve notes say that he wanted "to experiment with more interesting, alive and natural sounds", so the job was done in the gymnasium-auditorium of the Los Angeles Police Academy. I must say, the sound of the album has never made any specfic impression on me. The Hawes album I DO think has a funny sound is "High in the sky", which has a cover photo of the trio playing in some lounge overlooking an airport, but was recorded in the Vault studios. You couldn't be thinking of this, could you? MG I'm probably just misremembering something from Ted Gioia's book West Coast Jazz--anyone have a copy handy? I remember it had a few comments on the circumstances of recording. In view of what you said, I listened to Hamp's first two albums earlier. I suppose there's a difference, but I wouldn't characterise it as very noticeable. MG

Looks like James Brown shops there, too! First time they put it in there, I had to do a double take. MG

There's one more; his first recording. Tommy Dean Tommy Dean (org); Fred Lee (ts); Grant Green (eg); Hattuch Alexander (b); Milton Wilson (d, bgo); Joe Buckner (voc). Universal Recording, Chicago, October 23, 1956 56-562 Boogie Googie (part 1) Vee-Jay unissued 56-563 Boogie Googie (part 2) 56-564 Ain't No Justice 56-565 She Left Me Alone 56-566 Come On That would be REALLY interesting to hear. I have a couple of 78s by Dean and his band swung like crazy! MG

I'm afraid you're confusing congas and bongos here - Sabars, or Sabhars, as their name is pronounced correctly, are smaller than congas. This pic shows three congas on stands with a pair of bongos mounted on top, so you can see the size relations: Here are some old style congueros: Here are sabar players to give an idea of the drum size: (should be an interesting CD, BTW: Sabar Wolof-Dance Drumming Of Senegal) On an average, sabar drums are smaller than conga drums. Thanks Mike. I got a different impression from the bands which I saw using them, maybe because they were in racks, so appearing taller than they really are (and allowing the drummers freedom for the choreography). MG

Just looked it up. Koenig's sleeve notes say that he wanted "to experiment with more interesting, alive and natural sounds", so the job was done in the gymnasium-auditorium of the Los Angeles Police Academy. I must say, the sound of the album has never made any specfic impression on me. The Hawes album I DO think has a funny sound is "High in the sky", which has a cover photo of the trio playing in some lounge overlooking an airport, but was recorded in the Vault studios. You couldn't be thinking of this, could you? MG

? There aren't any notes on Houston Person's "The real thing" - well, not on my edition (Eastbound 2EB9010), anyway. MG

Very, very nice indeed. That was the first Blue Mitchell I ever bought. And a lovely cover, as you say. MG

I like congas; love the groove. I don't doubt that they're unsuitable for some sessions but I've never yet heard one. I also like sabars, which are slightly bigger and are played with sticks. To see a couple of sabar drummers playing their pairs of sabars in unison is to watch a tremendously exciting drum choreography. MG

I just went back for a closer look, and I can't disagree with anything you wrote. The entire site just has a "dated" look to me -- and it doesn't seem like they update it very often. For instance, the "On Sale Now" page hasn't been updated in almost two years. But, I see that you (and others on the board) have had good experiences ordering from them online, and that's good enough for me. Well (rueful grin), it may be easy to order stuff from JRM, but it sure ain't easy to actually get it! I just had an e-mail from Bob Koester to say that, of the 5 albums I'd ordered, he could only supply one! Made the excuse about volatility of stock which, as far as I can see, butters no parsnips - if his stock is 80% volatile, he's making a lot of money No, this appears to be as you said, Uncle, he isn't updating the site frequently enough. And THAT'S very unprofessional. MG

I had forgotten about that. Looks like a very good session to me. Claude Bartee, Manny Riggins, Herbie Lewis, Idris Muhammad - great band. I can't leave your love alone Let yourself go (a true funk workout I should think) Love on a two way street (GG did another version on "Visions") Green acid Raindrops keep fallin' Something (that would be a good tune for GG) Let it rain I guess this is another one to ask about. MG

Great, I hope this is true. Haven't heard anything further though. I got an e-mail from Mosaic on 6 March. This is what it said. "All that has survived on the Mozambique gig is 7 1/2 ips rough mix tapes. Blue Note has transferred them all and will eventually issued the best performances on a CD or two. The sound is pretty poor thought." I don't know what rough mix tapes are. But I'll buy it under any circumstances. MG

Finally, the world's oldest record shop, where I buy a lot of records. Spillers was established in 1894! MG

And one from last year, with #2 grandson MG

Nice thread! So here's me at my retirement do, between Sonia and Clive, who organised it. MG

Blissful is absolutely the word for that track. But the whole LP is wonderful. Including the cover. The other Blue Riverside I like a lot is "Smooth as the wind". Blue really sings on that one, too. MG

Spoon and Webster were great together (and Spoon and Hawk and Webster). One missing from the list is Etta Jones & Houston Person. But I wouldn't vote for them, much as I love their work. Another pair missing is Junior Parker and Jimmy McGriff. Their live album "Chicken fried soul" is the greaaazzziest! But I wouldn't vote for them, either. And what about James Brown/Maceo Parker? If there was one man who expressed Brown's vision instrumentally, it was Maceo. But I wouldn't vote for them either (a near thing, though). I'd go for Irene Reid and Charles Earland. Together they summed up perfectly what Soul Jazz vocals are all about. I wish they'd recorded live together. MG

Nat Adderley's "Work song" features some splendid cello solos from Keter Betts and Sam Jones. Mongo Santamria's "Montreux heat" features an unbelievable cello solo on "Pajaro Cantor" from French reedman Allen Hoist. MG

It's definitely not a splice. The horns are sustaining right through the vamp where it goes from the first chorus to the second and I hear differences in Ben Dixon's playing, particlularly on that accented part towards the end of each chorus. I think I will score the cd. I don't have Grasella's other album plus "Grass Is Greener" may be an entire "alternate" album! "The Grass roots" is another good album, with more excellent Ousley work and some good sounds from Bobby Hutcherson. And lovely tunes by Ousley, who should be better known for writing enjoyable jazz pieces. I'm still seriously considering the Collectables, even though I have "Greener" on CD and "Roots" on a stereo LP. MG