The Magnificent Goldberg

It was only John's second album. I think "Along came John" sold so well, they decided not to issue this for a bit, then along came "The way I feel" and you couldn't issue "Blue John" when you had that album waiting in the wings. I used to get tremendously frustrated about this album, because it was illustrated on the backs of the subsequent albums. (Same with "Rollin' with Leo" which was on all the inner sleeves.) Michael Cuscuna's dismissive comments about this on the Mosaic box are quite wrong. Patton's complete BN output should have been on a proper sized box. But I always think he doesn't have much of a feel for Soul Jazz. He's only ever produced two great Soul Jazz albums in his life, and they must have been accidents. MG

I saw Lonnie at Brecon in 2000 and he killed me! It's not just what he plays, it's how he BEHAVES! What a show! With R Cuber and P Bernstein and drummer whose name I couldn't hear. Ahhhhhh! But sorry I couldn't make it to London to see him last week. Never seen Poppa Lou. MG

Well, the computer’s back from the menders. Recent purchases, while I’ve been off-line have been: Strangely, the sleeve notes say this was recorded at the end of Jimmy Ponder’s “What’s New” session, but the date given is July 2000. “What’s new” was recorded on 5 August 2002! Ponder’s “Thumbs up” was recorded on 3 July 2000, but Ludwig isn’t on it, though Brooks was. “Double exposure” is a great album, though. One my importer couldn’t get when it came out a year or so ago. Very nice stuff. Wonderful rare 70’s funk from a great, underrated, band. And is that a GREAAASSSSY sleeve or what! More from Rev Gates, from 1-6 December 1926. This one includes the incredible sermon, “You’ve got to lay down and die some day” – “You, you, you policeman; arresting innocent people; you know you’ve got to lay down and die some day!” Some things never change. MG

A couple of CDs by the great Rev J M Gates It's incredible how popular Gates was. He recorded 44 tracks for 7 different companies on the 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 & 16 September 1926; one day off in ten! (His manager didn't commit him to a contract with any company, and they all wanted to record him.) MG

Thanks but I want to BUY the CD - my LP versions are a bit shitty, see? (Anyway, I don't have a thing that can create a digital thing from an LP.) MG

Nope. And two or three people seem to have heard the unissued recordings. Wish I knew how. I'd like to hear Grant Green's Live at Club Mozambique set. MG

Three weeks late, it eventually arrived! MG

Got mine yesterday. Oooooffff! MG

Yes you do! Your next DLs should be "A Sure Thing", "Big 6" and "Blue's Mood" Yeah, "Blue Moods" is one of his most beautiful albums. "I'll close my eyes" just makes me go warm all over every time I listen to it. I also like "Smooth as the wind" a lot, of the Riversides. Tadd Dameron's and Benny Golsons arrangements fit Blue's beautiful sound perfectly. MG

Three of the tracks: Extemporaneous Mickey's tune Leebop were included as bonus tracks on Lee's album "The sixth sense" issued in 1999 on BN 22467. I like them. Actually, I like quite a lot of Frank Mitchell - a modern tenorist well in the tradition of the honkers and screamers of the forties. MG

In the post this morning: Didn't know about the Sanders until someone posted they were listening to it. Thanks, whoever!! MG

Thanks Shawn. I'll double check the times of those two cuts. Cutting down fade endings is what Fantasy did when they reduced "Leaving this Planet". As far as I can recollect, they didn't say they'd done that on the sleeve, but admitted it when I complained. That's why I want to be careful with this. Once bitten... When you've had LP versions for decades and are familiar with how a track ends, it's very disappointing to have it cut off in its prime. Course, Fantasy has INCREASED a track once without saying so. "Funk Fantastique" is longer than "Morgan", which was a remix done after Lee was killed. MG

On some of his Impulse albums in the early '70s, Pharoah Sanders used a kora player, referred to in the sleeve notes as a "bailophone". The kora is a 21 string harp played by the Mandinke in West Africa. The bala or balaphone is a keyboard instrument rather like a marimba. There have subsequently been quite a few jazz recordings made with kora players. MG

Pharoah Sanders - Journey to the one - Theresa original MG

Lowell Fulson - Chess Blues Masters Series - All Platinum reissue Rev Ted Cuveston - It's cheaper to seek her (sermon) - Songbird original MG

And they definitely did it for "Leaving this planet". MG

I was playing King Curtis' two LPs made with Nat Adderley recently. I bought the records 2nd hand and they're not in good nick, so I thought I'd convert them to CD. But there may be a problem. The two albums are: The new scene of King Curtis and Soul meeting. New scene is available on OJC as a single album. Soul Meeting and New scene are available on Prestige PRCD24033, which appears to be a straight conversion to CD of the record I've got, PRLP24033, although that was called "Jazz groove" and the CD is called "Soul meeting". The track listing for the CD is the same as that of the double LP. The trouble is, the times of the LPs add up to 81 min 35 sec. That might be because I didn't time them correctly. It might also be that the CD version has some of the tracks cut down. That's what Prestige did with Charles Earland's "Leaving this planet" - I was so disappointed when I got the CD, after years of listening to the LP, I gave it to a friend. I complained to Fantasy and got a reply to the effect of "Oh well, this is what we thought was best". Does anyone have LP and CD copies of these recordings? Can you confirm whether the CD version contains edited tracks? Please help. MG

I really like the first album - all of it - and am looking forward to the second. MG PS - Modern man is great, too. PPS And Sheldon's pix of Broom are great!

Betty also appeared on a few tracks of Johnny Lytle's "People and love" on Milestone in 1972. I thought her playing was very effective in what was a very funky LP. MG

Grrrr Grrrr - still waiting. Grrrr. Now ordered the CBIII as well. MG

To get over it, I'm gonna have to play my Lou Bennett 45 in a minute. Take me out to the ball game/Dark eyes - Columbia (UK) DB7296 (1964) (DJ copy) featuring King Curtis (loud tenor sax), Franco Manzecchi (loud drums), as well as Lou Bennett (extremely loud organ). Yes, yes. I feeel better now! Dark eyes is super-sensational! MG

Wowie Zowie! Phew! Gosh! I'm nearly speechless with envy. MG

Freddie Roach - My people (soul people) Maynard Parker - Midnight rider MG

I pre-ordered this - and I'm still waiting for it! Will be ordering the album with CBIII soon. Is this only the second entire album ever made by an organist and drummer duo? I don't think "Organ out loud" is a complete take-off of JOS. Gene plays a LOT more straightforwardly than Jimmy does; and a lot LOUDER. I became an immediate fan when I got this, donkeys years ago. It's a pity he hasn't recorded more. And also a pity that two of his early LPs were put out on his own labels and you can't get 'em. Having said that, Gene is a great player, without being one of THE greats. MG

What's wrong with the CD they issued in '87? Sounds OK to me. MG