Blue Mitchell Funk Albums

[Eric]

I am thinking of his records on Mainstream and Impulse, as well as his last two on Blue Note (i.e. the ones not included in the Mosaic set).

Thanks

Edited May 8, 2007 by Eric

[Rooster_Ties]

I have Graffiti Blues on CD (which I think is actually some weird hybrid of most of the actual Graffiti Blues LP issue, with a couple extra tracks from one or two other Mainstream sessions by Blue, and maybe not even the complete Graffiti Blues LP for that matter).

In any case, although the music is really lame (tune-wise), Blue's playing is REALLY much stronger than I was expecting. MUCH stronger. His tone is WAY great, and the ideas in his solos are more substantive than I was ever expecting too. If you ever see a copy somewhere cheap, grab it.

I only got it purely out of curiosity (found it used for like $6, and didn't even expect to want to keep it after I'd listened to it), but I find myself enjoying most of it far more than the lameness of the tunes would ever dictate.

Edit: Listening to it now, and relatively speaking, Blue really plays his ass off.

Edit2: But, dear god, two or three of these tunes are REALLY lame.

Edited July 5, 2008 by Rooster_Ties

[Rooster_Ties]

Does anybody know if Blue's last two BN dates would fit (together) on one CD??

I've always wanted to hear these. Seems like a perfect Rare Groove release, if that series was still going on. Hello Water??

[Chas]

I have Graffiti Blues on CD (which I think is actually some weird hybrid of most of the actual Graffiti Blues LP issue, with a couple extra tracks from one or two other Mainstream sessions by Blue, and maybe not even the complete Graffiti Blues LP for that matter).

That CD does in fact contain all five original tracks from Graffiti Blues plus an unissued track , plus three tracks from the Many Shades of Blue date .

Does anybody know if Blue's last two BN dates would fit (together) on one CD??

I've always wanted to hear these. Seems like a perfect Rare Groove release, if that series was still going on. Hello Water??

Yes , both Collision in Black and Bantu Village would easily fit on one CD , a natural pairing given all the Monk Higgins tunes and arrangements on both albums . Pretty generic funk in my opinion ; I would rather see an individual CD reissue of Heads Up! , which I find a lot more satisfying musically .

[K1969]

I have Graffiti Blues on CD (which I think is actually some weird hybrid of most of the actual Graffiti Blues LP issue, with a couple extra tracks from one or two other Mainstream sessions by Blue, and maybe not even the complete Graffiti Blues LP for that matter).

That CD does in fact contain all five original tracks from Graffiti Blues plus an unissued track , plus three tracks from the Many Shades of Blue date .

Does anybody know if Blue's last two BN dates would fit (together) on one CD??

I've always wanted to hear these. Seems like a perfect Rare Groove release, if that series was still going on. Hello Water??

Yes , both Collision in Black and Bantu Village would easily fit on one CD , a natural pairing given all the Monk Higgins tunes and arrangements on both albums . Pretty generic funk in my opinion ; I would rather see an individual CD reissue of Heads Up! , which I find a lot more satisfying musically .

Very true. Quite disappointing stuff. I tend to steer clear of Monk Higgin's hokey sound. Much prefer head up that came just before. IMO his best mainstream LP was Blue's Blues with just 4 long and solid tracks. I don't think that any of them are featured on the Graffiti blues CD but i might be wrong. Tracks like "Granite and concrete", "I didn't ask to be here" etc

[JSngry]

The Impulse! side is something you'd have to be in the mood for, and so far I haven't been.

Some day, perhaps.

Or not.

[Guest donald petersen]

i dont think bantu village is bad. it's not FUNKY. it's sort of groovy jazz.

if you were DJing a club you could throw on a cut or two and people would dig it.

it's catchy acoustic groove jazz.

i don't think i would call it hokey-it maybe sounds a little soundtrackey-like cop show intro funky-not like pimp walking down the avenue funky.

[Eric]

Thanks for all the input. Sounds like there are better places to explore, unless it is garage sale cheap.

[pasta]

errrrrrrr, i love all the mainstream stuff.............trick is to not measure it versus the blue notes i guess.............graffiti blues is good stuff, imho.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

The Mainstream album to GET is "Blue Mitchell" (or is it called "Soul village"?) MRL315 - but I want one first!!!!!

That one has Walter Bishop, Jimmy Forrest, Larry Gales and Doug Sides and it's all beautiful. Wattaband! Wattaneffinband! I reckon it the second best album Blue ever made! Very short - only half an hour - but we're talking quality here, folks.

MG

[Guest donald petersen]

isn't soul village a walter bishop date on muse?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

isn't soul village a walter bishop date on muse?

Yes, also. But that's something of a slight fusion album. One I like a lot.

I've seen Blue's Mainstream LP referred to as "Soul village" and "Blue Mitchell". It may be European or British issues had a different title.

MG

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i just got Funcktion junction from 1976 (RCA) for .99 cents, now although you guys would say the tunes are lame, and i somewhat can agree, HAROLD LAND FUNKS HIS ASS OFF ON IT. his solos are full of the soul he always put into his work through the years. i was listening to his solo on the 1st track last night, and i was just all: oh my god. yes, the overall funk isn't as fusion-ey as most of you guys like, but harold land rules on it

PS: chewy REALLY REALLY REALLY wants copies of the last to Blue Mitchell Blue Notes-- I mean really really bad. please contact chewy i will pay or mail blank cds or whatever you want

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

okay you guys, i guess ill fight fire with fire over here: if someone just CALLS me this weekend and plays me 3 min clips of just the blue mitchell solos, from his last to BNs over the phone, if someone steps up, to bring balence to the sun-equation, then all you aging middle aged men can revel in the awesomeness that is this myspace pic i found of my hottest friend, standing next to, oh? who now? who is she standing next to, at her waistlength there, who's that now? Does anyone know who that is chillin' with her right there? Is that someone we should know about? and BTW i have NO idea where this pic is from that is certainly not my copies of those covers, but whoever it is its prob. someone i preached the word of bjp to initially anyways

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

okay you guys, i guess ill fight fire with fire over here: if someone just CALLS me this weekend and plays me 3 min clips of just the blue mitchell solos, from his last to BNs over the phone, if someone steps up, to bring balence to the sun-equation, then all you aging middle aged men can revel in the awesomeness that is this myspace pic i found of my hottest friend, standing next to, oh? who now? who is she standing next to, at her waistlength there, who's that now? Does anyone know who that is chillin' with her right there? Is that someone we should know about? and BTW i have NO idea where this pic is from that is certainly not my copies of those covers, but whoever it is its prob. someone i preached the word of bjp to initially anyways

AND Lou Donaldson (and Sam Rivers and Sabu).

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

i just got Funcktion junction from 1976 (RCA) for .99 cents, now although you guys would say the tunes are lame, and i somewhat can agree, HAROLD LAND FUNKS HIS ASS OFF ON IT. his solos are full of the soul he always put into his work through the years. i was listening to his solo on the 1st track last night, and i was just all: oh my god. yes, the overall funk isn't as fusion-ey as most of you guys like, but harold land rules on it

PS: chewy REALLY REALLY REALLY wants copies of the last to Blue Mitchell Blue Notes-- I mean really really bad. please contact chewy i will pay or mail blank cds or whatever you want

All that stuff has been monolithically put down because of the arrangements. But if you ignore them, those guys were often still playing from the heart. (Course, Lou usually DIDN'T, but there you is.)

MG

[JSngry]

okay you guys, i guess ill fight fire with fire over here: if someone just CALLS me this weekend and plays me 3 min clips of just the blue mitchell solos, from his last to BNs over the phone, if someone steps up, to bring balence to the sun-equation, then all you aging middle aged men can revel in the awesomeness that is this myspace pic i found of my hottest friend, standing next to, oh? who now? who is she standing next to, at her waistlength there, who's that now? Does anyone know who that is chillin' with her right there? Is that someone we should know about? and BTW i have NO idea where this pic is from that is certainly not my copies of those covers, but whoever it is its prob. someone i preached the word of bjp to initially anyways

Does she always dress that well?

[ejp626]

I guess this could go here rather than a vinyl thread. Anyway, despite there not being much love for Bantu Village, when DG came up with a bunch of new copies on LP I picked one up last Nov. Well, I've finally had a chance to start listening (and transferring to CDR). Side B, which is supposed to have 4 tracks, has only 3! WTF!?! Has anyone else bought this recently and found the same thing? When I've finished the conversion process I may be able to tell which one is missing. Kind of disappointing I have to say.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I guess this could go here rather than a vinyl thread. Anyway, despite there not being much love for Bantu Village, when DG came up with a bunch of new copies on LP I picked one up last Nov. Well, I've finally had a chance to start listening (and transferring to CDR). Side B, which is supposed to have 4 tracks, has only 3! WTF!?! Has anyone else bought this recently and found the same thing? When I've finished the conversion process I may be able to tell which one is missing. Kind of disappointing I have to say.

It's a pretty short LP; even when all the tracks are there, it's only half an hour long. I'm not sure, but I think some must have been pressed without "Bush girl". Don't know how this can happen, but there are complete versions out there. Maybe it was deliberate - in my view that's the best track and NOT funky like the others.

MG

[ejp626]

I guess this could go here rather than a vinyl thread. Anyway, despite there not being much love for Bantu Village, when DG came up with a bunch of new copies on LP I picked one up last Nov. Well, I've finally had a chance to start listening (and transferring to CDR). Side B, which is supposed to have 4 tracks, has only 3! WTF!?! Has anyone else bought this recently and found the same thing? When I've finished the conversion process I may be able to tell which one is missing. Kind of disappointing I have to say.

It's a pretty short LP; even when all the tracks are there, it's only half an hour long. I'm not sure, but I think some must have been pressed without "Bush girl". Don't know how this can happen, but there are complete versions out there. Maybe it was deliberate - in my view that's the best track and NOT funky like the others.

MG

Thanks for the info. Yes, now that I know what to look for, some others in blogland have reported that Bush Girl is missing -- and have supplied the missing track (while obviously a grey area in this case I bought the LP and the item was not complete so I have no compunction against dl'ing it). I have no idea how it happened. There is plenty of room left on Side B.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

still searchin for COLLISSION IN BLACK!