GregN Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 Tony Monaco has to be the best organist to come since Jimmy Smith. He's got it covered! He plays like a mutha! Anyone get the new album? Hmmm. Strong praise. Tony is bad for sure, but he is kind of doing that same realm as Joey, and well... I don't know. JOEY.... I can't turn this into sports. I should check out the new album though, before I give you too much of a hard time. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 Well, considering Jimmy Smith came on the scene in what, 1956? You're saying Tony Monaco is the best jazz organist in the last 50 years? I mean, he's good, but c'mon! Quote
Soul Stream Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 I've learned long ago there is no "best" (o.k., we all really know that)....I mean...I want to hear all the new guys...Tony, Joey, Goldings, Jim Alfredson, Adam Scone, Mike LeDonne, and the list continues...along with the established legends McDuff, Young, Patton, Patterson, McGriff, Groove, Scott, Lonnie, ect... It's ALL good. I love hearing what everyone has to say, because the Hammond Organ itself has so much to say itself and I look at all these players as helping it say it! Quote
ghost of miles Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 I'm definitely driving up if you guys get booked into the Kitchen... we need to turn the heat up on that place! I'm also sure that our own Joe (Joe Bourne, our weekday afternoon jazz DJ) would talk up the show and play your guys' CDs on his program. And you'd probably get a lot of support from WICR in Indy, too, considering how much they played THIS IS THE PLACE. Quote
Jazz Kat Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 Okay, I don't know about him being the best, but he smokes. He's not really that original, but he's damn good. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 Okay, I don't know about him being the best, but he smokes. He's not really that original, but he's damn good. He definitely kicks ass on the instrument, that's for sure! Quote
Soul Stream Posted May 9, 2006 Report Posted May 9, 2006 (edited) There's certain guys that have obviously devoted a huge chunk of their lives to learning this instrument, Tony's one of those guys for sure. If you get a chance....there's a good interview with Tony in this online magazine called B3 Player (the only drag it's 10 bucks to download, thought I'd give it a shot...definately NOT worth 10 bucks). But anyway, this interview Tony doesn't sugarcoat anything. Tells about his coming up the business and how he was totally out of it until he started a jam band thing when organs came back and how it evolved from that. Pretty cool to hear the real story and not just "I met Jimmy Smith when I was 2 years old and now I can play my ass off." The stuff you usually get in the magazines. Edited May 9, 2006 by Soul Stream Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted May 10, 2006 Report Posted May 10, 2006 Okay, I don't know about him being the best, but he smokes. He's not really that original, but he's damn good. He definitely kicks ass on the instrument, that's for sure! I think Tony Monaco is great! Tough to choose between Jim and Tony. I'd prefer not to! Tony is loaded to the gills with great chops. He seems to have absorbed most of the great organ chops over the last 50 years from all the greats. I must agree with Jazz Kat, however, in that his sound doesn't strike me as the most original. He does play a mean organ-accordian! I think he has contributed some orginality in that form. Other than that, he just lays all the old licks down in a very contemporary way. Great player. Tony just emailed me to say that he is scheduled at the Firefly in Ann Arbor on June 10th. Anyone want to join me there? Quote
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