Jump to content

Freddie Roach


Soul Stream

Recommended Posts

Overall, Roach's BN dates are a mixed bag for me. I find "Down to Earth" and "Mo' Greens" to be excellent, "Good Move" average to above-average, and "Brown Sugar" to be below-average. I clearly do not prefer Joe Henderson in an organ setting.

You've got to listen to "Brown Sugar" again, Al. I felt the same way you did initially, seeing it as an average date. Roach is so subtle that it starts to hit you with repeated listenings.

Listen to how well Joe and Freddie work together on "All Night Long."

"The Midnight Sun will never Set" is ethereally beautiful. Freddie's organ is like gossamer. Beautiful stuff!

I haven't heard "Down to Earth," but I agree that "Mo Greens Please" is the best on Blue Note. That cd is good from start to finish. I would rate "Brown Sugar" as an easy four stars (out of 5).

Didn't care for "Good Move" when I had it. I obviously need to listen to it again. I no longer have the cd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 75
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • 2 years later...

Here's something I put up originally on AAJ (lead balloon).

Freddie was one of the many great organists based in Newark, though he was born in the Bronx on 11 May 1931. After work on the road with Lou Donaldson, Cootie Williams and Chris Columbus, Freddie settled in Newark and had his own group there. In the early 1960s, he joined Ike Quebec’s band. Early recordings with Ike Quebec and Willis Jackson were followed by his own series of albums; six for Blue Note and three for Prestige.

Freddie is a musician you just have to love. No other jazz musician wore his heart so evidently on his sleeve in his music. And that heart was located deeply in black culture. Calvin Newborn describes him as “almost as Afro-centric as Mingus”. His album titles tell you where he’s coming from all right. And if you don’t get it from the titles, he wrote most of his own sleeve notes, so there’s no excuse.

Freddie was definitely his own man on organ. I can’t tell where he got his style from; certainly not Jimmy Smith or any of the great organists around Newark/Philadelphia. Rhoda Scott reckons he was ahead of his time. He didn’t make many records. Here’s his discography.

IKE QUEBEC - HEAVY SOUL - BN 84093 (26/11/1961)

IKE QUEBEC - IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING - BN 84105 (9/12/1961)

WILLIS JACKSON - THUNDERBIRD - PR 7232 (31/3/1962)

TWO UNISSUED IKE QUEBEC SESSIONS FOR BN (25/5/1962 & 1/6/1962)

FREDDIE ROACH - DOWN TO EARTH - BN 84113 (23/8/1962)

FREDDIE ROACH - MO' GREENS PLEASE - BN 84128 (21/1&11/3/1963)

FREDDIE ROACH - GOOD MOVE - BN 84158 (29/11 & 9/12/1963)

FREDDIE ROACH - BROWN SUGAR - BN 84168 (19/3/1964) (duff session from day before)

FREDDIE ROACH - ALL THAT'S GOOD - BN 84190 (16/10/1964)

DONALD BYRD - I'M TRYIN' TO GET HOME - BN 84188 (17&18/12/1964)

UNISSUED FREDDIE ROACH BN SESSION (16/9/1965)

FREDDIE ROACH - THE SOUL BOOK - PR 7490 (13&28/6/1966) (enough unissued for another LP)

FREDDIE ROACH - MOCHA MOTION - PR 7507 (5/1/1967)

FREDDIE ROACH - MY PEOPLE (SOUL PEOPLE) - PR 7521 (22&29/6/1967)

Rhoda Scott also remembers that Freddie was a playwright, writing pseudonymously. He is said to have incorporated a good deal of theatre into his music. He moved to California towards the end of his life, in 1980, it’s thought for reasons connected with the theatre.

It's a pity that Pete Fallico has taken down his interesting articles; there was a good one on Freddie.

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what excuse did michael cus-cuna give about this one?

Freddie Roach Quartet

Kahlil Rahman (vib) Freddie Roach (org) Eddie Wright (g) Clarence Johnston (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 16, 1965

tk.4 Bread And Butter Blue Note rejected

1647 tk.5 Hi Heel Sneakers -

1648 tk.6 Avatar Blues -

tk.10 Spring Is Here -

tk.14 St. Thomas -

1649 tk.18 King Of The Road

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what excuse did michael cus-cuna give about this one?

Freddie Roach Quartet

Kahlil Rahman (vib) Freddie Roach (org) Eddie Wright (g) Clarence Johnston (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 16, 1965

tk.4 Bread And Butter Blue Note rejected

1647 tk.5 Hi Heel Sneakers -

1648 tk.6 Avatar Blues -

tk.10 Spring Is Here -

tk.14 St. Thomas -

1649 tk.18 King Of The Road

Oh Hell....! THAT HAS GOT TO COME OUT! I've never heard of this session....Wow... :o God, I'd love to hear that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Count me amongst the Roach disciples, I can't get enough of this cat! I first heard him on the Ike Quebec dates and at the time my initial reaction was "too roller rink". I had assumed that he played in that style all the time. (Don't get me wrong, I love his playing on those records now). Then I heard Mo Greens Please and realized I was quite wrong.

I don't bother comparing one artist to another anymore, so I won't try to rate Roach amidst all the other organ players of the time. He just delivers this "oh so easy" soulful, bluesy quality that just CANNOT be faked, you're either born with it (Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, John Patton) or you ain't. No pretentions, no bullshit...just groove.

I like all of his recordings (I even dig My People, Soul People). I'm not sure about being able to pick favorites, but I guess I'd lean towards either Mo Greens Please or All That's Good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Count me amongst the Roach disciples, I can't get enough of this cat! I first heard him on the Ike Quebec dates and at the time my initial reaction was "too roller rink". I had assumed that he played in that style all the time. (Don't get me wrong, I love his playing on those records now). Then I heard Mo Greens Please and realized I was quite wrong.

I don't bother comparing one artist to another anymore, so I won't try to rate Roach amidst all the other organ players of the time. He just delivers this "oh so easy" soulful, bluesy quality that just CANNOT be faked, you're either born with it (Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, John Patton) or you ain't. No pretentions, no bullshit...just groove.

I like all of his recordings (I even dig My People, Soul People). I'm not sure about being able to pick favorites, but I guess I'd lean towards either Mo Greens Please or All That's Good.

With you on all of this (as you know).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which brings us all back to this...

Freddie Roach Quartet

Kahlil Rahman (vib) Freddie Roach (org) Eddie Wright (g) Clarence Johnston (d)

Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, September 16, 1965

tk.4 Bread And Butter Blue Note rejected

1647 tk.5 Hi Heel Sneakers -

1648 tk.6 Avatar Blues -

tk.10 Spring Is Here -

tk.14 St. Thomas -

1649 tk.18 King Of The Road

Where in the heck is Kevin B. when you need a direct line to Michael Cuscuna....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how the fuck can ya'll (any of ya'll) not dig My People (Soul People)??!!?! i just wish it was longer & even weirder. album for album, Freddie might be the most interesting of all the '60s dudes bc he pushed it in individual ways (JOS made a lot of records in different settings but they seem forced even if the parts are OK; Freddie always seems orga(s)n(m)ic-- can you feel me* people?

* edc, last of ozona, fla

er... YES!

(Though my favourite Freddie is "All that's good".)

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

bump for all the Roach fans!

pulled out 'All that's good'' last night and it hit me hard in a way it never did before, it's some nice shit! Also have a copy of 'Down to earth' on it's way to me via amazon marketplace.

The only Freddie i don't have is 'Mo Greens Please' (damn i want it!) and 'Brown Sugar'

"Brown sugar" was released a couple of years ago on Water. Must still be around.

MG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bump for all the Roach fans!

pulled out 'All that's good'' last night and it hit me hard in a way it never did before, it's some nice shit! Also have a copy of 'Down to earth' on it's way to me via amazon marketplace.

The only Freddie i don't have is 'Mo Greens Please' (damn i want it!) and 'Brown Sugar'

"Brown sugar" was released a couple of years ago on Water. Must still be around.

MG

It's only 12.85 over at newbury comics, but it's on backorder. I also see it's available at cduniverse for 14.99. Seems to be really backordered on amazon (ships in 4-6 weeks)

How does Joe Henderson play on it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does Joe Henderson play on it?

Personally, I like the album but don't believe Henderson (who I adore by the way) is as good of a fit as many other players would have been. Nothing wrong with how he plays on it, he just doesn't sound especially inspired by the surroundings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...