The Magnificent Goldberg

All or almost all the tracks of these 3 LPs are available on "The best of Plas Johnson" - Wolf WBJ021CD Wolf is an Austrian company. I don't know whereabouts outside europe the CD might be available. MG

George Benson - Benson burner - Columbia MG

I too would very much like to hear more about what went on at Prestige, from the point of view of the business. MG

Walter Bishop - Soul village Coleman Hawkins - Hawk Eyes MG

Jack McDuff - Check this out - Cadet MG

Personally, I like the albums Plas Johnson made: Drum stuff - Tampa 18 (with George Jenkins) Bop me daddy - Tampa 24 Drum magic - Tampa 29 (with George Jenkins) T'ain't very hard bop stuff, however. Nor is it much like standard West Coast material. But it's enthusiastic all right. And Plas has made few jazz albums. MG

Tampa was one of a large number of labels owned by Robert Scherman. It started in 1955. At the end of 1958 Scherman acquired the Mode label and attached it to Tampa. The last Tampa album issued in 1958. After that Scherman started the Interlude label. Sherman was one of the earliest independent record company owners on the West Coast. He had also owned the Atlas label, which started in 1944 under the name of Premier (which was also the name of a St Louis label, so had to be changed). He sold the label to someone called Sam Lutz in 1949. Following that, Scherman started the Webster label, which only lasted about a year, from late 1949 to late 1950. He started Skylark records in 1951. That label seems to have closed shortly before Tampa opened for business. So, from 1944 to the end of the fifties, Scherman consistently operated a string of record companies, almost all of which recorded Jazz and R&B, which seem to have been his main interests. However, he also recorded C&W and Pop music in amongst the Jazz & R&B. MG

I'm saddened, but I'm astounded as well. Bob was only 43 when he sold Prestige to Fantasy and, effectively, retired to Florida (though he did produce some albums for Fantasy labels in the 90s). Why? MG

YEAH! YEAH! Then there's a great Moses Davis organ solo of which even Big John would be proud! I didn't know anyone else was interested in The (Fabulous) Counts! MG

Pharoah Sanders - Rejoice -Theresa Georgia Mass Choir - Yes he can - Savoy MG

Sorry, I can't. But thanks for posting this. I'm going to look for him myself. MG

I've got a test pressing of Jimmy Forrest's "Out of the Forrrest", pressed by Abbey Record mfg. It says: "OK for level... Content... Quality... Signed copy of test necessary before production begins" But mine ain't signed. It's a beautiful pressing though; as heavy, I should guess, as a 180g audiophile LP. The downside is, you have to look at the matrix number to know which side you're going to be playing. MG

I'm with Larry on this one. Cannonball was really raising the crowds on his band with Nat. Commercial music at its very best. MG

Bill Doggett - Hold it - King MG

You're not wrong about Clay having been underrecorded, but you've missed a few. Ray Charles - Sweet & sour tears - ABC480 Ray Charles - Have a smile with me - ABC495 Ray Charles - My kind of jazz 3 - Crossover 9007 Hank Crawford - True blue - Atlantic 1423 (Collectables CD6815) Red Mitchell - session Live - Calliope 3003 (not whole LP) Bill Perkins/James Clay - The right chemistry - Jazz Mark CD108 The full Frank Morgan album on GNP(J) KICJ104 is called "Frank Morgan on GNP" MG

Yes, Britain got the Cilla Black version. The US got the Cher version! Horrible singer, Cilla. Her voice grates every time I hear it... That must be why I can only remember Dionne singing it; mind blocks Cilla out. MG

Never heard Drake, Mateen or Jamal before. So far, I've heard the first three and am on the fourth. No disappointments so far. Not expecting any. MG

i DON'T THINK SO. i THINK dIONNE HAD THE HIT OVER HERE. MG

Heck yes. Did you need a license to convert that Studebaker into an Indian restaurant? MG

Hank Crawford - Cajun sunrise - Kudu Bill Doggett - Soft - King MG

The band also recorded a number called "The Boppers". I'll dig it up and give it a listen again. That was originally called "Floogie boo" and, according to the sleeve notes, was written by Cootie and Cleanhead. It was recorded on 4 Jan 1944, some weeks before Coleman Hawkins made the first Bebop record. (Ahem!) MG The cd on which I have it (Jazz Archives) claims that it was written by Cootie alone and that it's the same as "You Talk a Little Trash"-- which it is, just speeded up. However the cd notes also make the dubious claim that the alto solo may be by Bird, so who knows how much they can be trusted. BTW I'd say that Ken Kersey who plays on Epistrophy also brings some Bop to the band. I hadn't noticed that - I'll play them both later. The sleeve of my edition (Phoenix LP1) just gives Williams as the writer of Trash but both him and Vinson for the same song faster. Funny.... ? MG Just listened to them both. I don't think they're the same tune. They're both blues. There are some similar figures in them. That's it, far's I cnsi. MG

Kenny Burrell - Tin tin deo - Concord Jazz MG

Look forward to being a grandparent; you can give 'em back then. MG

Clarence Wheeler & the Enforcers - The love I've been looking for - Atlantic MG

Ya think? Is there one more I can't recall? I think that's all the Jags he did. He did a couple more cars: I don't think that's a Jag; I get more of a Bentley feel about that one. Clever shot. And that's DEFINITELY not a Jag. Elegant shot. MG