Lonnie Smith
Think!
Original release 1969 Blue Note
This 2019 reissue, Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series
This week the world of music lost one of the greats of the jazz organ, “Dr.” Lonnie Smith. I regret never having caught him live during his return to the spotlight, as he had quite the career. He was part of a second (or third?) wave of soul-jazz organists that hit the scene in the latter half of the 1960s. Continue reading
Chester Thompson – Powerhouse
2021 Real Gone Music RGM-1202 / Original Release 1971 Black Jazz
This is a short (seriously short, only 27 minutes) but sweet LP from future Tower of Power and Santana organist, Chester Thompson. Not to be confused with the drummer Chester Thompson, who toured with Genesis in the post-Peter Gabriel years and also played in Santana’s 1980’s lineup at the same time as this Chester, which caused this Chester to start using his middle initial to help people keep them straight. There is also a song called Mr. T that predates the A-Team by a decade. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the music:
Gene Russell
New Direction
Real Gone Music RGM1018
Released: 29 Aug 2020
Limited Edition, RSD exclusive, Clear with Black Swirl
US Original release on BLACK JAZZ RECORDS as BJ/1 in 1971
Well, it has been nearly two months since my last post here. I had planned to share this record at the beginning of the year, hoping that 2021 would symbolize a “new direction” for the world. But those hopes got dashed just a few days in.
I haven’t been sitting around in the bad kind of funk and stewing in my own juices, however. The Doctor has just been busy putting food on the table. And watching more films than last year, so far. That was one of my New Year’s Resolutions. Continue reading
Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival
Original release 1972 Polydor (Japan)
1996 CD reissue Verve Records 314531641-2
Dipping back into the Roy Ayers Ubiquity catalog, this live performance hails from pretty early in their trajectory, and this version was expanded from the original LP to include 4 extra tracks for what is probably a pretty complete representation of their set. (more below the break) Continue reading
Various Artists – Freedom Rhythm & Sound: Revolutionary Jazz & The Civil Rights Movement 1963-82
2009 Soul Jazz Records
I apologize for my absence during these challenging times of turmoil. The truth is I am exhausted by everything happening in the world, but not anywhere near as exhausted as my black friends, especially those in the United States. I feel like those who know me, know where I stand. Continue reading
Herbie Mann – Live at the Whisky A Go Go
Vinyl rip in 24 bit 192 khz | Art at 300 dpi
1.22 GB 24-192 khz| 24 bit 96 khz – 611 MB | 211 MB 16-bit 44.1 khz
Atlantic SD 1536 | Released 1969 | Soul-jazz / jazz-funk / fusion
Dr. Vibes’ Twelve Days of Christmas – Day 2:
I am not sure that anyone feels as passionately one way or another about Herbie Mann as they do about, say, marmite or The Grateful Dead, but he certainly seems to divide people. Adjectives like “lightweight” and “phony” have been thrown around when I’ve posted his work here. His recording output was prolific and many titles are very common, lining the cut-out bins of many a trusty record shop. But one thing is hard to deny – he sure could put together a solid lineup when he wanted to. I mean just look at the list of musicians on this. Miroslav Vitous and Roy Ayers? Sonny Sharrock? Since I mentioned him in yesterday’s 12 Days of Christmas post, I figured this album would provide some continuity. But in truth Sharrock is pretty under-utilized – he plays chunky rhythm guitar through all but the last few minutes of the album, where he takes an abrupt free jazz solo on Rufus Thomas’ “Philly Dog”. Makes me laugh a little every time I hear it. The first side of the album is a stretched out jam of a song written by Chris Hills (of the group Everything Is Everything) which appeared on a Vanguard Apostolic album in the same year of 1969. So I guess it is no coincidence that group’s second (and final) studio album was produced by Herbie Mann and issued on his vanity label, Embryo Records.
