slide_advantage_redoux Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 I picked up a few low priced sides the other day at Goodwill. Among them is this '72 release by Les McCann "Invitation to Openness" (Atlantic) I'd be the last person here to say I am an expert or even conversant when it comes to McCann. I honestly haven't checked out that much of his music, aside from the oaccasional release with Eddie Harris. But when I sat down and listened to this, I started to get the idea that there is a pretty evident iMiles influence. At times (at least on side A 'the lovers') it reminded me of On the Corner or maybe Bitches Brew. I can't really pin it down specifically, but that was my impression. Feedback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 I kind of like this album occasionaly. It's not vintage McCann, but it's interesting. I wouldn't know about the Miles Davis influence; you may be right, but the man who infuenced McCann a lot in the seventies was Stevie Wonder and I can hear some of those ideas in 'The lovers'. Not so much in the two tracks on side 2, they're more like the regular Les McCann. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Always liked this one, and do hear the Miles influence. Hadn't considered the Wonder flavor as well, but could be, for sure. It's another one of those washy-y Rhodes-y space-y albums that everybody made post-Bitches Brew, like all the rock bands made psychedelic concept albums after Sgt. Pepper. Very atypical Mccann, but I think he does it well. Apparently. Layers is the one that trips everybody out, but...I just don't hear it there. This one, i do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rostasi Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Always liked this one, and do hear the Miles influence. Hadn't considered the Wonder flavor as well, but could be, for sure. It's another one of those washy-y Rhodes-y space-y albums that everybody made post-Bitches Brew, like all the rock bands made psychedelic concept albums after Sgt. Pepper. Very atypical Mccann, but I think he does it well. Apparently. Layers is the one that trips everybody out, but...I just don't hear it there. This one, i do. I agree. I think there's a "spacier" improvised vibe to ITO using a Rhodes than there was using an Arp Odyssey on Layers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 I haven't heard this album in YEARS, but I remember picking it up when it came out because it was so different from what he had released before. I liked it at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 is les mccann retired? hes not still in LA, is he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 I don't know what's happened to him. I saw him at ROnnie's in Londinium a few years ago. He was playing, though he told me he'd lost most of the movement in his right hand/arm. Dunno how he did it. But he was VERY overweight and had some knee or leg problem, to make matters worse. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 Haven't listened to this in a while, but recall that it's a fun album. I remember it being more like In a Silent Way - it doesn't have Bitches Brews's more aggressive tendencies. Basically for people who like IaSW and don't mind something a little more watered down. (I'd say the same thing about Electric Byrd.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 I played this a lot when it was new - McCann's take on large ensemble improvising after Bitches Brew. Still like it. There was a radio moderator over here, a pop guy, who really loved and featured it extensively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 is les mccann retired? hes not still in LA, is he? I just found this pic from 2009 of Les with George Shaw, at the 2009 Long Beach Jazz Festival. Les doesn't look too well. http://www.georgeshaw.com/gallery.html MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Nice article from Jazz Times about Les touring with Javon Jackson in late 2010. http://jazztimes.com/articles/26854-javon-jackson-les-mccann-two-for-the-road I think Les is still around, playing in the groove as ever. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 I really enjoy Invitation To Openness. Other albums I find comparable for some reason are Larry Coryell Barefoot Boy, Pat Martino/Gil Goldstein We'll Be Together Again, Rahsaan Roland Kirk Case Of The Three Sided Dream In Audio Color, and Yusef Lateef Suite 16 and Part Of The Search. Although they don't have similar sounds and have recognizably separate tracks, they're all an "album experience" with a theme imposed over the duration. They're fun to throw on and listen to entire. Layers is fascinating from an electronic music perspective (ei. Raymond Scott). It's a bit like Jan Hammer's The First Seven Days, but with a more hip hop-prescient drum sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 Coming to Yoshi's Sept 7-9 as a "guest" with the Javon Jackson Band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 Coming to Yoshi's Sept 7-9 as a "guest" with the Javon Jackson Band Are you going? MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Coming to Yoshi's Sept 7-9 as a "guest" with the Javon Jackson Band Are you going? MG Don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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