Debra

Jim, That sounds like fun, having some drinks and letting you play Rambling DJ. What do you mean that you stray freely, gladly and wildly? I am probably picturing it not the way that you mean.

I have it. It is rather minimal as to the amount of sound being produced. It is not a rousing, rollicking good timey album, to be sure.

I have listened to a fair amount of both group's recordings, and saw both of them live. I don't see the connection. I wonder if it is wishful thinking.

I agree with Thom about your post, Mr. Sangry. I also wanted to say that since I first started on Organissimo, I have read as many of your posts as possible. I did not know that there was such a well-informed, insightful writer on jazz active today.

Has the Grammys show ever been worth watching? Even once, ever?

There are three sellers on ebay selling it for under $20.

It's good.

Cold cover artwork Some albums very boring Leads to mixed rep now

Another cliche which I find tiresome is to include a list of the band leaders with whom the musician has played in the past, instead of any information about the music actually played by the musician. Here is a made up example: "Joe Doakes, one of today's most exciting jazz ocarina players, delighted a crowd of nearly 20 delirious listeners at the Poplar Room Saturday night. Joe, who has played with Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Ahmad Jamal, Sonny Stitt, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Archie Shepp, Stan Getz, Gary Burton, Al DiMeola, Mel Torme, Jane Monheit and Wynton Marsalis, was joined on piano by the legendary Art Plutkin. Art, who has played with Art Pepper, Hubert Laws, Maynard Ferguson, Max Roach, Betty Carter, Frank Zappa and Stanley Clarke, was featured on acoustic piano and slide whistle. Following the set, Joe credited his tasty, swinging, accessible, Mobleyesque ocarina stylings to the training he received in his high school jazz band, led by the legendary Colonel Walter Frimpett (whose bands over the years at North South High have included Earl Hines, Coleman Hawkins, Gene Ammons, Wilbur Ware, Tommy Turrentine and George Duke). 'Colonel Frimpett, he told us to never lose sight of the melody, never take your eye off of the tune. I have kept his words in my heart all these years,' said Doakes with a beaming smile."

I had mentioned in an earlier post that we are fortunate to have B.B. King's earlier albums reissued by Ace. If you had to pick one to start, this is the one I would recommend: If you have not heard B.B. King as a young man, I suspect that this CD will be something of a revelation.

I thought of a more recent album: "Blues Come Home To Roost", by Super Chikan (James Johnson). I find the material to be very strong and engaging. Also, Son Seals' "Midnight Son" is one I should have originally mentioned.

I have an excellent compilation on CD of Reed's Vee Jay recordings, released on the Charly label, but it is out of print. You are right, Jimmy Reed should be mentioned. I don't know what is in print and a good starting point.

I intend to get familiar with it as soon as possible, after reading the artists and songs on the cover!

If you can't dance, and everyone is going to be looking at you dance, any extremely slow romantic song will do. You want to be able to just stand there, shuffle your feet a tiny bit, and gaze into your partner's eyes with rapture. That will be acceptable to everyone. The slower the song, the better. Wikipedia under "Dirges" might be a source.

Great list. Buddy Guy's "D.J. Play My Blues" is an inspired choice. Earl Hooker is someone who I just forgot when I made my list. I enjoyed a recent magazine interview with Charlie Musselwhite in which he explained that when he was a young, up and coming blues musician in Chicago, he was very impressed with a great guitar player known to the other Chicago blues greats as Zeb. Years passed before he learned that Zeb was Earl Hooker. In a similar way, he thought that a guy known to the other musicians as Shakey was a great harmonica player. At some point he learned that Shakey was Big Walter Horton, who became his good friend and mentor.