JSngry Posted June 6, 2004 Report Posted June 6, 2004 http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...ic&frm=lk_jzmtz Link through http://jazzmatazz.home.att.net/upcomingjazzreleases.html The Godfather w/Louis Bellson's orchestra, arrangements by Oliver Nelson, late 1960s. This album has long been a favorite of mine, and some of you might remember a cut off of it from my Blindfold Test. Not 100% perfect, but pretty damn fine nevertheless. The program's surpringly weighted towards swinging blues and standards. and Nelson's charts are far above the often-usual "rote" work that he turned out for singer's dates. In fact, this might well rank as some of the best writing he ever did for somebody else's date. The band is kick-ass, Maceo gets room to blow, and Ray Brown on "For Once In My Life" will swing you into bad health, as the old folks used to say. A date that will delight fans of the finger-poppin' , and surprise many who think of Brown as only a Funk Monster. He proves here that if a groove is a groove no matter what groove it is that he can get in it as deep as he wants to be. One or two cuts fall short of the mark, but the rest is pure fun. Preorder priced to sell @ $13.15, so if it sounds good to you, carpe diem! Quote
king ubu Posted June 7, 2004 Report Posted June 7, 2004 "YOWSAH, YOWSAH, YOWSAH", "MY FEET KEEP DANCING" Thanks for announcing this, Jim! ubu Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted June 7, 2004 Report Posted June 7, 2004 (edited) I do remember this one as a BFT stumper that all kind of knew but thought too obvious. Just tagging on a VERVE link and a bit of commentary: “When people talk about soul music, they only talk about gospel and r&b coming together. That’s accurate about a lot of soul, but if you are going to talk about mine, you have to remember the jazz in it. That’s what made my music so different and allowed it to change and grow.” — James Brown Edited June 7, 2004 by Man with the Golden Arm Quote
JSngry Posted June 7, 2004 Author Report Posted June 7, 2004 The cool thing about this album is that nobody's changing their game one bit. JB is still sings entirely on instinct, the big band still plays like it's a 100% jazz gig, and Oliver writes his ass off (can't stress that enough). A few cuts are less successful than the rest, but by and large, this record is a blast. And did I mention that Oliver writes his ass off? Quote
chris olivarez Posted June 9, 2004 Report Posted June 9, 2004 I checked this out at jazzmatazz and wasn't sure if it was actually JB's date.Thanks for clarifying JSngry. Quote
Sundog Posted June 21, 2004 Report Posted June 21, 2004 Anybody buy this yet? It's not a deal breaker for me, but I'm curious about the sound quality. Quote
JSngry Posted June 22, 2004 Author Report Posted June 22, 2004 Had it on preorder, but cancelled when the original link turned out to be a horrible mistake - the picture was of SOUL ON TOP, but the actual album was some Miles thing that looked really nebulous. but it's back, and only 14 cents more than the first link (which now is still misphoted, but the price for the Miles side is absurdly high!). Here's the good link: http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...&cart=193704964 I suspect that the sound quality will be pretty good - the original album was well recorded. Quote
Sundog Posted June 23, 2004 Report Posted June 23, 2004 Thanks for the proper link. I'm going to give this one a shot. Quote
brownie Posted July 17, 2004 Report Posted July 17, 2004 The reissue will be out next week. From Billboard: Godfather of Soul Does Jazz By Dan Ouellette NEW YORK (Billboard) - On July 20, Verve Records will issue for the first time on CD James Brown's 35-year-old jazz album, "Soul on Top." Recorded in 1969 with the Louie Bellson Orchestra and originally released on King Records, the 12-tune collection features Oliver Nelson's arrangements and Brown's bandmate Maceo Parker Jr.'s tenor sax. Led by longtime Duke Ellington Orchestra drummer Bellson, the support group includes such noteworthies as bassist Ray Brown and alto saxophonist Ernie Watts. In the LP's original liner notes, penned by jazz scribe Leonard Feather, Brown commented, "At heart I've always been a jazz man. When I was just a kid in Macon, Ga., during amateur shows, I went up onstage with some of those name bands that passed through town. I've never forgotten the impression those big-band sounds made on me." Brown's performance on the album includes vocal improvisations teeming with his trademark squeals, "uh-huhs" and "good Gods." Among the tracks are such low-lights romantic standards as "That's My Desire" and "It's Magic." Brown puts a jazz spin on Hank Williams' "Your Cheating Heart" and stretches out on two of his big hits, "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" and "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," given the big-band jazz treatment by Nelson. The CD also contains a previously unissued version of Brown's 1968 hit, "There Was a Time," co-written by Brown and Bud Hobgood. Brown told Feather that jazz was an integral ingredient in his music. "When people talk about soul music, they only talk about gospel and R&B coming together. That's accurate about a lot of soul, but if you are going to talk about mine, you have to remember the jazz in it. That's what made my music so different and allowed it to change and grow." Quote
JSngry Posted July 17, 2004 Author Report Posted July 17, 2004 The reissue is out NOW! At least, my preorder arrived yesterday. It's darn good, same as the original album. But a tale of industry skillduggerty exists. For a few years now, this item http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/cmcbride2.htm has left me wondering. Now, this item http://christianmcbride.com/mythang3.html?id=39 comes along and explains it all. Yet more reason to distrust the corporate music world (and dig the "leak" that Verve doesn't remix their reissues!). I'm gonna have to add a wing on to my house to hold all my bad feelings about shit like this (although what I'd really like to do is build wings on my ass to get the hell away from it!) Still - a darn fine album. I'd call it "great" but that would be my personal feeleings. Objectively, it's pretty darn good, and recommended to general jazz audiences. Quote
Big Al Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 Would you believe I heard "That's My Desire" on the radio while driving from Detroit to Grand Rapids Saturday afternoon? I think the radio station was called "The Rhythm." What a treat!!! (Kind of a groovy felling actually: I was thinking I'd plopped BFT #4 in the CD player by accident!) Quote
wolff Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 But a tale of industry skillduggerty exists. For a few years now, this item http://www.allaboutjazz.com/iviews/cmcbride2.htm has left me wondering. Now, this item http://christianmcbride.com/mythang3.html?id=39 comes along and explains it all. Interesting, thanks. I wonder if Harry Weinger is resposible for the Brown Polydor catalog being available on vinyl(30 titles). If so, I thank him. Quote
Joe Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 Jim -- what do you make of the "extended" tracks on this one? Got this yesterday, played it for a friend of mine, and we decided it must be among the most INSANE records ever made. (I mean that in a good way...) Quote
JSngry Posted July 20, 2004 Author Report Posted July 20, 2004 Jim -- what do you make of the "extended" tracks on this one? Got this yesterday, played it for a friend of mine, and we decided it must be among the most INSANE records ever made. (I mean that in a good way...) The "extensions" are not really that dramatic in lenght, and don't hurt anything at all, AFAIC. If anything, the lack of a an audible slice enhances the listening. INSANE it is - I hear "Your Cheatin' Heart" on the way home this morning on KNTU, and that record just LEAPED out my cheapo Honda speakers and got all up in my face and other personal areas. Love it when that happens! Quote
JSngry Posted July 20, 2004 Author Report Posted July 20, 2004 I do gotta say, though, that Francis Davis' liner notes are REALLY stupid, and embarassingly so. Too bad - I've very much liked the guy in the past, but he seems to be forgetting some pretty basic things as he grows older and, apparently, "whiter". Geez, Leonard Feather's origianl notes are more germane to the proceedings than Davis', and it both pains and shocks me to say that. For example, Feather draws the line from 30s balladry to Frankie Laine to JB. The best Davis can muster is to draw a line from Elvis' hair to some trashy automated singing JB toy that apparently has a place of pride in his house and to say that the time is "all over the place" on the album, when it's anything but. Surely this ain't the same Francis Davis who wrote Outcats! CAN THIS OFAY BE SAVED???? STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT EPISODE OF...... AS THE CRITIC AGES. Quote
Joe Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 Have been sorely disappointed in Davis since he took the VV gig, I must say. Did not even bother to read his notes to this... Sigh. Quote
JSngry Posted July 20, 2004 Author Report Posted July 20, 2004 The "extensions" are not really that dramatic in lenght, and don't hurt anything at all, AFAIC. If anything, the lack of a an audible slice enhances the listening. Oh yeah - the unedited "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" IS significantly longer and significantly mo'better. Quote
wolff Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 Christian said he had never heard of Bob Irwin. If it's the same Bob Irwin I've heard of, they could have done worse. I love the work he's done on the Dylan and Redding catalogs. Sundazed Quote
king ubu Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 Yo Mr. Pop! HUGE thanks again for bringing this to attention! I just bought this sucker in a sale, and indeed! YOWSAH! What a whack album, love it! Quote
AllenLowe Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 well, sooner or later this had to turn into a let's-attack-Francis Davis thread - now I HAVE to get this CD so I can defend him - Quote
RDK Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 Christian said he had never heard of Bob Irwin. If it's the same Bob Irwin I've heard of, they could have done worse. I love the work he's done on the Dylan and Redding catalogs. Sundazed ← Agreed. Irwin is one of the top guys in the biz. Though he's mostly known as a "mastering engineer" rather than a guy who does remixes. I wonder if CMB is confusing the two terms. For what it's worth, unless absolutely necessary, I'd prefer hearing the original mixes rather than a new remix. None of that, of course, excuses the fuck up at Verve that Christian rants about - though (as CMB himself suggests) it's a pretty minor f.u. in the overall schene of things. The music, after all, did come out... Quote
Dr. Rat Posted August 10, 2005 Report Posted August 10, 2005 JSngry- What's wrong with the notes? Don't worry, I'm not trying to start another Fran-a-thon. --eric Quote
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