Soul Stream Posted June 9, 2003 Report Posted June 9, 2003 (edited) Hey everyone. I wanted to let you know that I just finished writing the liner notes for George Braith's new CD "BOPTRONICS". George basically produces these as CDRs himself on his own Excellence Records label. Recorded and mixed on his home computer, George is the most underground of the underground as usual. It will be completed soon and imho is a real monster. Those who are fans of George's work should really try and pick this up. To me, George is an absolute genius, and while the rest of the plastic world turns---George is in his secret harmonic laboratory cooking up the real stuff. George plays all the keyboards, horns and sings. He's aided by guitar and drums as well as his own Braith Family Singers. The vocal harmonies are absolutely amazing, like a jazz George Clinton almost. And his basslines kill. It's truely an amazing record. Like nothing you'll ever hear again. Braith's unique harmonic sense is at times completely overwhelming to me. Also, in a world full of cookie cutter jazz albums, this couldn't be further from the norm. I'll let you know how to get it when George has it ready. The e-mail address on his website doesn't work, so I'll keep everyone posted. ----this is my second set of liners I've written for George. The first was for a CD of his last performance with John Patton, live in Austin Texas just before John passed away. It's also available through George. While not the greatest recording quality or even a very good Patton performance(the pick up drummer was absolutely horrible), it does have it's moments. Some may enjoy it, I certainly do (of course I'm a real Patton and Braith completist ) . Edited June 9, 2003 by Soul Stream Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted June 9, 2003 Report Posted June 9, 2003 That sounds very hip! Let me know when it comes out! Quote
Soul Stream Posted June 9, 2003 Author Report Posted June 9, 2003 Will do B3-er. Honestly, George may have them ready to go now. He was just going to re-mix one last song, and that was as of last week. I'll call today. Quote
JSngry Posted June 9, 2003 Report Posted June 9, 2003 I picked up the last thing by Braith w/the Family Singers. It's definitely "homemade", definitely "eccentric", and definitely Braithily WACK. If that sounds like I didn't dig it, well, that's wrong - I dig the SHIT out of it! But it ain't gonna be everybody's cup of tea, which no doubt explains the omnipresence of Lipton. What's up w/the website anyway? Last I looked (last year...), it was down. Is it back up? Long live the independent (TRULY independent) freaks like George Braith! Quote
Soul Stream Posted June 9, 2003 Author Report Posted June 9, 2003 Yes, I agree 100%. George represents a musician who's independent in every way. Jsngry...if you liked the Braith Family Singers CD, YOU'LL LOVE BOPTRONICS!!!!! It's a masterwork. A year in the making for George and it shows (his computer went down about 6 months ago and he lost some of it and had to redo what was lost). His arranging of vocal harmony is downright scary. The last track is his composition "Alpines" done totally acapella by himself and the Braith Family Singers....it's AMAZING! Not to mention every track on this thing...I LOVE. His horn playing is...well...at it's peak. I can't imagine what George would be able to do with the likes of "genius" grant the likes Vandermark got this year. Hell, I can't imagine what he would produce with a $10,000 budget for a CD! The fact that he created this virtually on his own is absolutely astounding. The imagination and intent is priceless and more than makes up for the defeciency in sound quality imho. The website is up as of now, but the e-mail can't be accessed by George right now. Dig those pics! The one with Sonny Stitt is priceless (as they all are really). Quote
Bright Moments Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 what is the status of this? Quote
Soul Stream Posted February 4, 2006 Author Report Posted February 4, 2006 what is the status of this? Sadly, it's a Braith project that never came to completion due to George's ongoing reconstruction of it! I heard the project in many stages, all very, very, very interesting. However, George likes to get the music "right" and with a perfectionist like him I don't think that day will ever come. I told George this myself and we had a good laugh. Hopefully, it will see the light of day at some point. I think George is onto about 6 other projects by now! Anyway, I'll let you know....to be continued... Quote
JSngry Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 So, is this the jazz equivalent of Smile? Quote
Soul Stream Posted February 5, 2006 Author Report Posted February 5, 2006 So, is this the jazz equivalent of Smile? Let me put it this way.... George played me something over the phone that was one of the most amazing musical sequences I've ever heard. Harmonies on harmonies, chord sequences revolving around minor thirds that spiraled into outer space. You get the idea. When I asked George what it was, he said it was a "jingle" he was writing for his brother-in-law's sub sandwich shop. Quote
Bright Moments Posted December 26, 2007 Report Posted December 26, 2007 well i just spun it and can say i liked it - but a caveat here - it is NOT for everybody. it is "outside" in parts and gospal like in others. recording quality is listenable but not great. mixed bag here. Quote
Christiern Posted December 26, 2007 Report Posted December 26, 2007 I think I have mentioned this here before (a long time ago), but you may have the answer, SS. In October, 1970, I took over John Hammond's office for several weeks while he was vacationing in the Far East. He left me a note to tell George Braith that Columbia could not issue his new. George was obviously (and understandably) surprised and upset when I gave him the bad news--it turned out to be an album he had worked on for about a year, one on which he played all the instruments. I went to Clive Davis and suggested that it was unfair to have artists put so much work into recordings that would collect dust in the company's vault. It seemed to me that John could have made that determination at a much earlier stage and I suggested to Clive that George (and other artists) be allowed to purchase unissued (unwanted) masters at actual session/studio cost. I still think this kind of arrangement ought to be law. Clive said it sounded fair and that he would think about it, but I never heard nor looked for a follow-up. My questions are: Was this album ever released? Was George given an opportunity to purchase and take his masters elsewhere? Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted December 27, 2007 Report Posted December 27, 2007 Christern: thats a tragic story Quote
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted December 27, 2007 Report Posted December 27, 2007 WHatr waht waht! hOW can i BUY A COPY OF THE BIG JOHN AND GEORGE BRAITH LIVE CD?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?! SOUL STREAM HOW! SOUL STREAM HOW! Quote
Soul Stream Posted December 27, 2007 Author Report Posted December 27, 2007 WHatr waht waht! hOW can i BUY A COPY OF THE BIG JOHN AND GEORGE BRAITH LIVE CD?!??!?!??!?!?!??!?! SOUL STREAM HOW! SOUL STREAM HOW! I think George has these for sale on his website....www.georgebraith.com....if not, just email him through the site and I'm sure he'll sell you one. Dig it! Quote
Christiern Posted December 27, 2007 Report Posted December 27, 2007 Just read his bio on that website. Carniegie Hall and the Prestigue label are new to me Seriously, I will contact him directly to find out what happened to his Columbia album. Quote
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