The Magnificent Goldberg

This is a great album! I have had it on LP for donkeys years, but it's one of those crummy United pressings, so I just felt like getting the CD today. Fabulously funky playing from Preston, Johnny & Shuggie Otis & Clifford Solomon. MG

Yes it is on the Sunset label, but "Spring Is Here" isn't on it, unfortunately. The track list is: Side 1 Mona Lisa You Let Me Down Never Like This In Times Like These The Facts Of Life Side 2 Love Is A Many Splendored Thing I Believe In You It Happened In Monterey The Long Hot Summer Golden Earrings I haven't seen anything by McDaniels since the '60s. I had forgotten how skillful he was. Well, of course he wrote "Compared to what" for Les McCann, and Les has continued to record Gene's songs. Gene wrote the words to Wayne Shorter's "Passion world", which Les sang on his latest album, "Vibrations". Gene also arranged the voices, and sang lead, on Bobby Hutcherson's "Now". I didn't like that in 1970, but relented last year and bought it on CD; found out I was right in 1970. I also didn't like Gene's 1970 classic "Headless horsemen of the apocalypse", which has been reissued by Collectables. He's extremely talented but doesn't follow Lou Donaldson's advice - "Play the right thing". MG

I guess that album would have been his Liberty material. I saw Gene in Harrow in 1961 or '62; he was on a tour of Britain with, of all people, Johnny Burnette and US Bonds. He wasn't known at all in Britain except as a songwriter - all his US hits had been covered by English singers - well, I had his records, and went specifically to see him. So this was suposed to be a rock & roll show. Gene stopped the show completely singing "Spring is here". Is that on the Sunset LP? MG

Duh MG

A friend just sent me some funny examples of letters to the editor of a British newspaper. This one seems relevant in an offbeat way. "The record companies would have us believe that the money made by CD pirates goes to fund the drug industry. But the money rock stars make from legal record sales ends up in exactly the same place. When they stop breaking the law, so will I. P Boddington, Ringway" MG

Several years ago, Eddie told me that the band on that album was working with Hank Mobley and was set to record the album. Frank Wolff wanted to replace Eddie with Kenny Burrell, but Hank insisted that Eddie play on the date. Eddie called Hank a "true friend" who was willing to stand up for him. "Thinking of home" is my favourite Mobley. Thanks for posting that story. Hank didn't have it easy and it says much for his character that he stood up for Eddie. MG

Jackie Ivory was born Grant Ivory MG

Ray Charles Robinson became Ray Charles MG

Oh well, I didn't give him "Face to face". MG

I thought he was born Bob Azzara. MG http://www.jazzimprov.com/links/legends.cfm?legend_id=13 Thanks - I just dug out all my old Willis Jackson LPs to find that, for forty years, I've been thinking of him as Bob, when there's no justification whatever for it! MG

A great Mosaic Select, if anyone could persuade Nippon Columbia to license the material. I forgot to mention earlier one of my favourite later Cobbs. "Midnight Slows vol 6", Arnett, Eddie Chamblee (can you believe that!), Milt Buckner & Panama Francis. Arnett & Eddie play four tracks together, and each lays out on two. Object lesson in how to kick ass very, very slowly; very, very sexily. MG

Just to be contrary, I have the 'Stop and Listen' NYUSA mono in excellent vinyl condition ! I gave a stereo copy of that to a friend when I got the CD. It was in VG+ or better even though I'dhad it since the '60s. Did I make a financial error? MG

I thought he was born Bob Azzara. MG

I agree with all the recommendations made. There is no such thing as bad Arnett Cobb. Or rather, it's all BADDDD! My favourite is "Smooth Sailing" - only, I think, because it was the first I got. MG

I've loved Gene's music since the year dot. My only problem with him is that he looks a lot like my father. MG

OK, if the topic is burns and downloads, then I'll answer #1 with a clear conscience because I can't be bothered with the fucking technology! MG

YEAH!!!!

That's not so; the questions on which we were polled are chock full of ethics. MG

Me too; except in my case it's about forty years. So long that I can't tell whether this is relevant to the thread or not. Am I supposed to be learning something from this? MG

I'm guessing it is because the wording of the poll responses. The poll wasnt asking about behavior, but was in a way trying to take a poke at those who do download. Words like "weak" and phrases about whether one can sleep at night arent exactly neutral. Quite right; normative language is not best calculated to secure honest responses, or any kind of responses. MG

I think you've made a mistake by linking the law with morals and ethics. Music goes out of print because of commercial decisions by its owners. Copying such music is illegal. Copying such music is not immoral or unethical. Chuck is right, but only to the extent that someone is actively trying to make money out of the product. I haven't voted because my position is that it depends on the status of the music. MG

Aisha (sometimes spelt Aicha) is a very common name in West Africa. MG Aicha Gawd blesher MG

Look them up in the 50 greatest jazz pianists book. Hur hur MG

Absolutely right, it's not worth buying now. But 40 years ago, it was VERY difficult to pick up BB King records in England and we had to take what we could find. Too true. Even in the early '80s B B King Bihari material wasn't all that common over here. Ace had only just started up. And, much as I love B B King, there are about a hundred people I love more, so completing a collection has had to wait. MG

WHOA!!! Details, please! Yes, this is on the DVD THE BEAT Vol. 4. It's an expensive DVD compiling by Bear Family of many of the shows (maybe all) of the T.V. show THE BEAT, which was broadcast out of Dallas in the mid sixties. Shows include a lot of great stars and the backup band is headed each time by Gatemouth Brown! Freddie's on a lot of the shows and others include Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Joe Simon, Patty LaBelle, Frogman Henry, ect... a who's who of sixties blues and R&B. The best part is local redneck D.J. Hoss Allen who's a hoot and actually is too drunk to announce one of the shows so Otis Redding steps in to M.C.... We have this series for rent here at Waterloo Video (also for sale there) here in Austin. That said, don't think Blockbuster's gonna have this one. Is this the DVD? (I note to my dismay that it won't play over in Britain.) MG yes, that's it... I think there's 6 volumes so far. each has 4 shows on it i believe. Thanks, Soul Station. Now, how to get something that lets me play US DVDs is another bunch of technology I've got to get to grips with. At my age, there are diminishing returns from technology... MG I'm a tech idiot, but I think Bear Family is out of Germany...although I don't know anything beyond that. Thanks for that tip; I see Amazon Germany are flogging it. MG