Jim Alfredson

My wife even loved this movie! GOSH! All you people who are bad-mouthing it are only totalling ruining my life!

Thanks, Soul Stream. Sure, I'm influenced by Jimmy Smith and Larry Young and every other organists I've heard and studied the records of, but in the end, I am not Jimmy Smith, so why should I try to play like him? I didn't grow up during the Great Depression in Pennsylvania, I'm not black, I didn't live through the 50s and 60s, so why should I sound like that? I am really happy and proud of how the group is sounding these days. I think when people hear us on the radio, they'll be able to say, "Hey, that's Organissimo!" just by the sound. That's what I've always been striving for. This record will probably not please a lot of people who think that jazz should sound a certain way. But it's not supposed to. My goal from the beginning was to no less than redefine the jazz organ trio. I don't know if we've gotten there yet, but we're getting closer.

It's a sad commentary when Sesame Street has to try to teach kids not to eat cookies and junk food all day. Whatever happened to parenting?

I wish my jazz sold more. Does that count?

I don't know, guys. This was really, really bad. Of course, I have not seen "Sin City" nor "Closer". But man... I can't imagine a worse idea for a movie than to have multiple Michael Keatons on screen at the same time.

I don't think cookies are the reason child obesity is on the rise. Maybe it has something to do with letting kids under two eat french fries, pop, etc. on a regular basis. I've seen it more than I care to admit.

Our last day of tracking began Saturday morning, bright and early at 10am. I was absolutely beat after playing in Grand Rapids the previous night with my r&b band. But I managed to drag my scraggely ass into the studio first! HA! We began by tracking a certain Zappa tune that has become a fan favorite at our live shows. Will it end up on the record? We'll see... it came out great and has a lot of energy. Maybe it was the two pots of coffee we all downed before hitting? After getting a good take of the Zappa tune (guess which one, folks!) Randy tore down his Yamaha kit and set up the "jazz" kit... a small Ludwig kit with an 18" bass drum that has a great open sound! Our favorite saxman Johnny Gist arrived at around 11am and we did a couple takes of my tribute to Don Patterson called "Patterson's People". This is an uptempo burner in the vein of Don's classic "Dem New York Dues" and Johnny was tearing it up! We then moved on to record a quartet version of "Stomp Yo' Feet". Oh baby, it's funky and greazy and slower than the one we cut on Tuesday! Slick, with a nasty Meters groove, poppin' away on that open bass drum! Yowza! Finally, we tracked one more with Johnny... a little awkward blues I call "Third Right On The Left". I just remembered that Joe had an idea for the head-out a week ago that we never worked up. Oh well... the take is smokin'. Johnny played great and it was a pleasure to work with him. He really brought some fire to the proceedings. After Johnny departed, we tracked another swinger of mine called "Orange Colored Day". While listening to the playback of take 2, Greg Nagy (our new manager) and Matt Hayes (the drummer from my r&b band... or Mr. Pocket, as I like to call him!) stopped in. Matt was kind enough to loan Randy his Pork Pie snare for "Wealthy St." We did another take of "Orange" and then called it a day. We were all wiped out. On a serious note, Joe is going through a really tough personal time right now. I don't want to get into details, but he really needs everyones well wishes, thoughts of goodwill, and prayers. Joe is a great musician, a great friend, and a superb human being. He played his ass off on the sessions, especially considering what was going down during the week. Joe, I love you, brother. You're my musical soulmate and I am extremely proud of our collaborations and compositions. Without you, I probably would've given up on the organ thing a long time ago. It's going to be all right. I guarantee. Much love. Here's some pictures from the proceedings on Saturday: Joe with his gee-tar. He's a morning guy. 10am and he's smiling like he just won the lottery. Me: "Consarnit... g**damn coffee... C'MON!!!" Randy is ready to go, coffee in hand. Johnny, listening to the playback. It's greaaaazzzy, baby! Randy, Matt Hayes, Joe, and I diggin' the playback on some funky stuff. Can't get enough! Zora did come out to the studio, although this pic was taken at home. I just couldn't resist putting her cute little face here!! In a few weeks we'll go back for mixing and mastering. Noj is hard at work on the artwork, Lazaro is writing liner notes (aren't you, Lazaro?! ) and we're on target for a late May, early June release.

Jimmy Smith was a genuis, plain and simple. Listen to the shit he was doing in the late 50s... and then listen to Coltrane and you'll understand where 'Trane got some of his stuff. All the giants of organ are as unique as Bud, Monk, Wynton (Kelly), Evans, Tyner, Hancock, etc. McDuff is different from McGriff. Holmes is different from Scott. Etc, etc. To listen to something by Don Patterson and get bored is scary to me, but to each his own. In a related note, Soul Stream, I think you're really gonna dig the new Organissimo record but I also think some people on here might not, just by some of the comments I've been reading lately. It'll be interesting to read the reviews, that's for sure.

I take it they are not playing together on this record... anyone know anything about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WD1V

James Hatfield will kick your ass if you don't watch it.

You? B-)

Something tells me that if you contact those people, someone with a van labeled "Flowers By Irene" will park conspicously in front of your house.

That's cool. I like women who are not afraid to eat. That's one of the things I liked about my wife on our first date: We went to dinner and she ordered a meal with a salad and actually ate what she ordered instead of trying to look like she doesn't need sustenance. That's what I call REAL.

Well, she came to the wrong place... I thought that was better than the standard "big organ" joke. Maybe she was lookin' for me. Why, you owe her money?

Well, she came to the wrong place... I thought that was better than the standard "big organ" joke.

If I eat it, will I have visions of gorgeous men, too? If so, no thanks.

Welcome to the Organissimo Forums!!!

Cool!!! I'll try to make it down!

I made some tilapia just the other night. Very simple... some flour, some lemon, some capers, and salt and peppa! Make mine lemon.

I have a gig, so I'll be quick. This morning we got started at around 10am. We began by tracking an original called "Play Nice" which is mainly in 7/8 (for the most part) and is really funky! We did a few takes of that and then moved on. Up next was our sequel to "Clap Your Hands" from our first record, called "Stomp Your Feet". We'll track this one again tomorrow with Johnny Gist on tenor and see which version we like the most. The alternate could end up as an mp3 download. The groove is very Meters-esque, like "Clap Your Hands" and this one has been a real crowd pleaser live. We then decided to torture ourselves and record another original, "Smokin' Section". It's a fast (very fast) jazz waltz... actually, more of a 6/8 or even 3/8 feel. Did I mention it's fast?!? It kicks our ass almost everytime we play it. But we did only three takes of it today and pretty nailed it. What was really funny is that Glenn's studio is next door to a hair salon. He has never, in his 10+ years of being in that location, had any complaints from the folks next door. After our third take of "Smokin' Section", however, a nice looking young lady (hair stylist, I assume) popped in and asked us to please turn it down! Glenn was flabergasted!!! You see, he's got my Leslie and PR-40 cabinet mic'd up in the hallway (with only one wall separating them and the salon) and "Smokin' Section" is very high-energy and high-volume. But here's the weird thing... he's had full-blown Marshall stacks cranking away in the hallway before and never had a complaint. Our theory? Women don't like that tune. I swear to God. My wife doesn't like it at all. Every time we practice it here at the house she tells me how much it bugs her after rehearsal. BUT... every guy I've played it for loves it, including Glenn, Greg, my dad, and I think even Chuck Nessa commented on it when we were at the Firefly last month. So it must be a "guy tune". But as Joe pointed out, that's why we also recorded "Tenderly". "One for the ladies!" Joe had to leave at 3pm, so Randy overdubbed some rippin' harmonica on "Brother Ray". I am now just relaxing before my gig tonight with my r&b band in Grand Rapids. We're back in the studio tomorrow morning with Johnny Gist to finish up the tracking!!

UPDATE from Thursday's session: We got started today at 4pm because Randy had a hit up in Interlochen Wednesday night. Our good friend Bill Vits, who is a percussionist with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, came in to play percussion on some tracks. We also had our friends Mr. Mike Scott from WYCE and Kurt Enger stop out. We started the session doing an old tune that we actually recorded for the last album, but it did not make the cut. It was originally a tribute of sorts to John Patton, that we called "Patton Pending", but it has gone through several groove-ectomies in the last few years. We finally came up with a whole different way of playing it a few weeks ago... a sort of New Orleans second-line feel, but with a twist that obscures the "one". If you don't know what that means, don't worry about it! Just know that it be funky! We also changed it's name. It is now called "Greaze Monkey". Bill laid down some nice latinesque percussion on this one and Randy played the funky second-line feel like a native New Orleanean. Next up, we tracked a fan favorite that we've been doing for awhile, and probably the only "standard" that will be on this CD, "Tenderly". Joe came up with a beautiful solo guitar intro and we added some stuff to the arrangement (for those who have seen us play it live). Bill did some really tasty percussion work on this one as well. The groove is DEEP! Finally, we tracked an original tune of Joe's called "Cross Country", which Bill played congas on. This tune reminds me of something Metheny might do and is fun to blow on. All in all it was an enjoyable afternoon/evening and we're heading back into the studio tomorrow morning to cut some more trio stuff. Here are some pictures from today's festivities: Wide shot of the control room. In the foreground, with his back towards the camera, is Bill Vits. Glenn Brown sits at the controls (notice the beautiful Neve 8068 console!!) Joe and Randy (obscured by Bill's head) are on the couch. "Oooooo, did you just hear that awesome organ solo?!?!?! Joe's babies, for the guitar nuts on the board. Our friend, Bill Vits. Great job today, Bill! The tracks sound FANTASTIC!!! :tup

No they didn't, I blacked it out in Photoshop! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. What is it with bars, and nowadays even restaurants, with TVs on constantly? I was playing at The Green Door with my r&b band this weekend and while I was setting up, one of the TVs had some plastic surgery show on where they were actually showing the surgery (it was a tummy tuck) and then showed the big pieces of fat they took out. Totally disgusting. Do we really need to watch that at the bar? I walked over and turned off the TV. Within five minutes, the waitress had turned it back on.

If we go alphabetically by last name, it will be!!!

More like I'm afraid you'd be too expensive!!!! I was excited about the prospect of you coming up to Baker's!! That would be awesome. If you want to come all the way up to Lansing, we'd be honored. Maybe we can work something out. We'll be in the studio tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday.

Just cleaned it. Sorry! Try again please!