Sundog

I would have second, third, or whatever the recommendation for Barry Galbraith. A player that hasn't been mentioned yet, which I'm guilty of ignoring as well, is Joe Diorio. Everything I've ever heard by the man has made a positive impression on me. Recommendations would be welcome.

Chalk me up as a new convert. These guys rocked the house on Letterman.

It's certainly a time honored approach that many guitarists undertake. Ultimately I really think it's more about having a more human voice like quality. Horn players tend to be emulated because they share a lot of the same characteristics as a human voice. On the other side of the coin guitar players can do some pretty unique things on their instrument. Just the other day I heard Barney Kessel on the radio playing "On A Clear Day". He was playing the tune in the key of E (definitely a guitar key) and during the intro he was droning the low E in a funky syncopated manner creating this amazing forward motion as he alternated between Emaj7 amd Emaj6 chords. The whole thing was so cool and unique to the guitar.

That's cool. I definitely understand where your coming from and don't disagree. I guess it's just the pureness of Wes' tone that tends to remind me of horn players. Especially when he plays octaves and allows the notes to sustain over a number of bars. The way they decay sounds incredible to me. Almost horn-like. A lot of people characterize Wes' guitar playing as pianistic in nature. I tend to believe that he heard a whole band in his head as he played a tune. Bass, piano, drums, and horns. It all seemed to be floating around up there and he used his guitar as a vehicle to get all those sounds out. One thing is for sure, both Grant and Wes were originals.

For a lot of years I preferred Grant's playing to most players including Wes for a lot of the same reasons you noted below. The economical lines, the repetition, the genuine blues, R&B, and soul influences. The funny thing is that as I started to explore more jazz that wasn't guitar based, I really began to develop an appreciation/affinity for horn players. Mainly because of their superior ability to play long, uncluttered, simple, beautiful phrases. Given all that you would think that I would tend to become even more inclined to prefer Grant. Well just the opposite happened, I began to hear Wes as more of a horn player. Maybe because of his mellow tone, maybe because of his phrasing, or maybe because of his use of octaves which tend to sustain longer. More likely it's a combination of all these things and more which tend to give me that impression. Anyway since then I've tended to hear Wes' music differently. Phrases that may seem cluttered to some, to me now sound like Wes playing multiple horn parts at once. I'm not really sure I can explain it any better than that. I suspect over time I will come to appreciate new and different things about Grant's playing. It's not like I've stopped listening to his music. However Melvin Sparks has kind of supplanted Grant as of late when I need a "groove fix". He's my "go to" guy for the time being. Two more cents.

I would respectively have to disagree with this statement. As technically advanced as Wes was, I never for one minute, ever get the feeling that he was showing off, or playing a lick just to get it on the record, or just going through some musical exercise. To my ears everything he ever did was in service of the music. If that ain't soul I don't know what is. I don't have the same impression when I listen to Grant. At his best he was one hell of a swinging, bopper, who could put a nice "soulful" bluesy turn on anything at anytime. Grant played patterns, licks, he cut and pasted, and recycled/rearranged melodies into quite interesting pieces. Wes interpreted melodies wholly with his unique physical gifts. My two cents.

Oh yeah, what to avoid.... 1) Buy the Charlie Christian Box (The Genius of the Electric Guitar). 2) Insert CDs in plain vanilla jewel cases thereby avoiding any consternation brought on by the absolutely horrible original packaging. 3) Throw away the original packaging. No really! 4) Do not feel guilty! 5) Play the heck out of this music!!

Lots of great suggestions. Let me just add the you really ought to consider the Complete "Wes" on Riverside Box. The masterings presented in the current box configuration are getting a little long in the tooth, however the quality is quite good to excellent throughout. Good booklet too with among other things a number of nice remembrances from his contemporaries as well as his musical offspring. I smile from ear to ear everytime I listen to this set. I can't begin the count the number of hours I've spent enjoying this collection. It seems like everytime I get a little burnout or disenchanted with jazz all I need to do is put on some Riverside era Wes and it all the bad vibes melt away. There is not one calculated note played on this entire set. This is some serious "soul music" done Wes style if you know what I mean?

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

George plays very well on this date His solo on Love Power is among my all time favorites. Make it funky now! A few of my personnel favorites that haven't been mentioned yet... - Cannonball Adderley: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Rodney Jones: Soul Manifesto Live - Cornell Dupree: Uncle Funky - Les McCann & Eddie Harris: Swiss Movement - Mingus: Blues & Roots (hardcore grease)

Anybody else enjoying this fine album? Deep Blue Organ Trio Site

Nevermind, answered my own question. Review courtesy of CD Universe THE DANA OWENS ALBUM is Queen Latifah's first non-rap vocal album. Personnel include: Queen Latifah (vocals); David "Fathead" Newman, Al Green (vocals); John Goux (guitar); Dan Higgins, Joel Peskin, Pete Christlieb, Brandon Fields (saxophone); James Moody (alto saxophone); Gary Grant, Larry Lunetta, Charles Davis (trumpet); Dick Nash, Bryant Breyers, Bruce Otto (trombone); Herbie Hancock, Jim Cox (piano); Peter Erskine, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Luis Conte (percussion); Mervyn Warren. Producers: Arif Mardin; Ron Fair; Mervyn Warren. Throughout a career that started in the early days of hip-hop, Queen Latifah has consistently proven herself a woman of kaleidoscopic talents. The ultimate evidence of her versatility came in 2002, when she took on the role of "Mama" Morton in the film version of the musical CHICAGO, displaying acting chops polished enough to earn her an Academy Award nomination. In that movie, Queen Latifah also revealed an exquisite and powerful singing voice. The latter is put to good use on her 2004 record THE DANA OWENS ALBUM, a collection of (mostly) standards given full orchestral treatment. To Latifah's credit, THE DANA OWENS ALBUM is an immense success, boasting her tremendous voice and an intelligent, provocative song selection. To put things in perspective, on "Simply Beautiful," she duets with the song's writer, the incomparable Al Green, and not only holds her own, but plays off him in the most natural of styles. On the most precarious cover on the record, she re-arranges the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" into a breathy torch song, while retaining just a touch of the folk-imbued original. Queen Latifah closes the set with a masterful performance of the classic "Lush Life," a fitting ending to an entirely anachronistic record

I saw her on Saturday Night Live when the album first came out. She did a couple of songs, I thought both were very good. I noticed Rodney Jones was in her backing band for that performance. Does he play on the album?

I found this while doing a search for Charlie Haden recommendations. Thought I would bump it back up for further suggestions or general interest in case your like me and missed it the first time around.

Doctor Lonnie Smith: Too Damn Hot! I'm sure this one didn't pass under the radar however I'm too lazy to go back through 20 pages of posts. Just picked this one up today. Peter Bernstein and Rodney Jones on the same album. Now that's what I call a front line of guitars! Fine strong grooves abound....

I was a little put off by this when I first heard the commercial. Upon further reflection, I seem to remember that Coltrane's version of MFT was originally conceived as a vehicle to cross over to a larger audience. I guess he's really done that now. Ultimately, if the Coltrane estate is happy with the end product that's all that really matters.

Based on the titles you mentioned in your original post I suspect that you might like Mingus In Wonderland. This is a high quality album from start to finish which includes some very thoughful interplay by the entire group, and some seriously good blowing on the cut No Private Income Blues . Also check out Mingus At Antibes. It contains a killer version of I'll Remember April with Bud Powell sitting in. Bud seems to be enjoying himself so much he doesn't want to stop (literally ). Changes One and Changes Two are also worth checking out and are routinely mentioned as good places to start with when exploring his catalog. The songs seem to be a bit more arranged and polished to my ears, but in no way would I consider them boring or unimaginative. Nice stuff.

Sundog-- if you want what YOU expect... you should be making the one making the records. now i will say as a great admirer of Joe Maneri's art that i would not offer up "Angels of Repose" as a first recommendation (note the title) but it is still a superb record in a unique jazz style & as such, it requires (& rewards) close listening just as the best Cecil Taylor, Bill Dixon, Braxton, Leo Smith Roscoe Mitchell records do. likewise, if you do classical, think Webern, Scelsi, Feldman, Ligeti & Kurtag. keep trying, por favor. three full french presses of coffee a day clem athens, georgia clem, I will certainly keep trying on this one. I gave it a serious listen again yesterday, actually early this morning. I have to say that I was struck by the truely voice-like quality of JM's playing. The group interplay is very interesting and nothing like what I would normally listen to. The overall sound of the record is very natural and lively. This is due in no small part to the recording location I'm sure. Maybe I crazy, but I can't help but think that the room/location is the fourth musician on this album. Warming up a bit.....

The jury's not totally in but it's not looking good for Joe Maneri/Barre Phillips/Mat Maneri Angels of Repose (ECM). Not what I expected. I need to get past that and give it a couple of more spins before passing final judgement.

One of my bandmates has a buddy who's a big time tape trader and recording hobbist. He specializes in the ABB and is very well know in the ABB community. Every so often my buddy brings me 3-4 cdr's of ABB shows to listen to. I've been very lucky lately since he has been able to hook me up with some very recent shows from the tour. Of course the quality varies since they were all recorded from somewhere on the floor. Surprisingly, the quality has ranged from fairly good to excellent amateur recordings. Not as good as Instant Live but then again they are more or less free. Additionally, I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Chicago show at the Rosemont Theatre. This is a very bluesy take no prisoners show. I have the Instant Live Recording from this show and it's very good. If you like that aspect of the ABB I would pick this one up. I'll probably pick up somewhere around 10. What a great concept these Instant Live "chaps" have. I believe 11/28 is the cut off for preorders, so if your on the fence, and you want to be sure of getting certain shows, now's the time. I may just get a wild hair this weekend and order the whole damn bunch.

The 9/1 show in Chicago, at the Rosemont Theatre, included Derek and Oteil jamming on a nice interlude during Instrumental Illness which featured the bass line to Footprints. I've heard tapes from about 15 shows from this tour and there isn't a bad one in the bunch. I will be buying a number of these at Instant Live. If your not sure where to start, buy the Altanta shows at the Fox Theatre. The descriptions of the shows at "Hittin The Note" are pretty representative of the content. Enjoy!

Some of my more recent albums in heavy rotation include: James Brown: The CD of JB Maybe the best JB compilation (at least as far a single disc compilations are concerned). I've been playing this one to death lately. Pun intended. Santana: First Album (Legacy Edition) I really love this album. This edition includes the album in it's original format as well as the 1st mix down of the album which was never released because it was considered to "jammy", plus the complete Woodstock performance. This band was so far ahead of its time it's amazing they were as popular as they were. John Coltrane: My Favorite Things I believe I heard this song in a commercial the other day. Couldn't tell you what it was for, since I never pay much attention to commercials. What a shame.... but I digress. The way that Coltrane navigates his way through all those key centers on "But Not For Me" is still mind blowing to me! Bob Wills: Tiffany Transcriptions Volume 2 I need to buy more of these.

Agreed. Elvis is back in rare form!

A buddy of mine's brother was a marginally successful session player in Nashville during the 90's. He played on a few big name records including one for Dolly Parton, and on hundreds of others for lesser known acts. As a sideline to generate extra cash he became a guitar broker. Since he was essentially in the music scene already, as a somewhat known player, he had a decided advantage over other brokers. What started out as a way to generate a little cash now and then quickly became a six-figure a year source of income. But wait, it actually gets better... So after about three years of "slinging" guitars to country "stars" my buddy's brother had built up a substantial amount of cash. Although he had made a small fortune as a broker, he felt that the market for this sort of thing couldn't be sustained forever, so he decided to take his money and get into real estate. He bought about a half dozen 50 acre plots at various locations on the outskirts of Nashville figuring it was a good hedge against a major economic down turn. Well, a couple years pass, and country music really begins to take off and find a younger, larger, audience than ever before. And what do all these young successful musicians want the minute they make it big? Why a little "hobby" farm in the country of course! Needless to say my buddy's brother made out quite well selling off all but one of his plots. He kept one for himself and built his dream house on it. His very large fenced in backyard sports fence posts that are made from Telecaster neck/headstocks. A little gawdy for my tastes, but I like the sentiment! On a related tangent to the original story..... So every once in a while my buddy would get a guitar sent to him from his brother for purposes of selling it to someone in the Chicagoland market. One time he received this beautifully tattered 52-Tele. I was lucky enough to play it a number of times. I seriously considered buying it but ultimately decided against it. The market for Tele's was through the roof at this point in time and my "friend of the family" discount was just under $7000. Anyway, after about six weeks, my buddy gets a call from his brother saying that some big rock star is in town looking for a 52-Tele. So back the Tele goes to Nashville for an audition with this "big" rock star. It turns out some guy named Joe Satriani bought "my" Tele. The bastard!

This looks like a quality archtop for the money. Wouldn't mind giving this one an audition. Nice