Dr. Lonnie Smith - Boogaloo to Beck

[Man with the Golden Arm]

Don't know if anyone is "waiting" (due May 20) for this boogaloo but sounds interesting. Whilste I don't spin much Beck I do find his tunes worthy of an occasional boogie.

1. Paper Tiger

2. Tropicalia

3. Mixed Buziness

4. New Pollution, The

5. Devils Haircut

6. Sexx Laws

7. Loser

8. Jack Ass

9. Where It's At

10. He's A Mighty Good Leader

11. Nobody's Fault

[Noj]

I'm a fan of Beck's music and I have some great 70s Lonnie Smith, so I'm definitely interested. I'm actually a little disappointed in the choice of tracks, but still intrigued. :rsmile:

Edited May 5, 2003 by Noj

[chris olivarez]

Dr Lonnie and Fathead Newman taking on the music of Beck.That could be very interesting.

[Soul Stream]

Lonnie doesn't put out a solo album for an eternity. And when he does, it's a tribute to Beck!

Now I am convinced. That Mother Fucker is CRAZY!

When I first read the posts, I thought the Beck references were a joke. I thought "Boogaloo To Beck" was just a title, not a concept album! Wow. This is the freakiest thing I've seen in a while. Can't wait to get it. What's next....Lonnie Smith plays 'N Sync?

[Jim Alfredson]

The Turbanator truly is taking the term "nutty organ" (as Bill Heid likes to say) to new and uncharted places.

I'll definately be picking this up. I like his two tributes to Hendrix and I bet he does some really interesting stuff with this music.

Can't wait! What label is it on?

[Noj]

Lonnie doesn't put out a solo album for an eternity. And when he does, it's a tribute to Beck!

Now I am convinced. That Mother Fucker is CRAZY!

When I first read the posts, I thought the Beck references were a joke. I thought "Boogaloo To Beck" was just a title, not a concept album! Wow. This is the freakiest thing I've seen in a while. Can't wait to get it. What's next....Lonnie Smith plays 'N Sync?

Beck has FAR more musical ability than the vomitous N'Sync, just to be a stickler.

It could have been, "what's next, Lonnie plays Portishead?" That would have been closer to the mark.

"Loser," his biggest song, is one of few Beck songs I hate. "Sexx Laws" was also a stinker. Lonnie should have done more songs from Mellow Gold.

Beck always has great graphic design on his covers! :rsmile: :rsmile:

[Rooster_Ties]

I went to a Beck show a couple years ago, on a whim. I knew what I knew of his music from the radio and MTV/VH1, but didn't own any of his albums.

To this day, that concert was one of the best rock concerts I've ever been to in my whole life. More fun than I could possibly describe. I didn't know but a half-a-dozen of his tunes, but really had a great time, and the band was tight, tight, tight!!!!

Beck's the real deal, from what I can tell.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

I found this on the ever great Jazzamatazz site.

This disc is on the "Scufflin'" label.

[.:.impossible]

I went to a Beck show a couple years ago...

To this day, that concert was one of the best rock concerts I've ever been to in my whole life. More fun than I could possibly describe.

Same here rooster. My wife and I saw him play during his Midnight Vultures tour. Phenomenal. The showmanship, the music, electric and acoustic was great! We had so much fun. The show ended with an encore followed by about ten minutes of noise, robots bending each other over, bandmembers destroying the set, comedic chaos.

We loved it! If anyone buys this Lonnie Smith, please post a review. I'm curious!

[Soul Stream]

Lonnie doesn't put out a solo album for an eternity. And when he does, it's a tribute to Beck!

Now I am convinced. That Mother Fucker is CRAZY!

Beck has FAR more musical ability than the vomitous N'Sync, just to be a stickler.

It could have been, "what's next, Lonnie plays Portishead?" That would have been closer to the mark.

"Loser," his biggest song, is one of few Beck songs I hate. "Sexx Laws" was also a stinker. Lonnie should have done more songs from Mellow Gold.

Beck always has great graphic design on his covers! :rsmile: :rsmile:

Beck is considered by many one of the greatest rock musicans of our time. However, Lonnie's tribute to Hendrix was far from successful IMHO.

The problem is even the greatest rock musicians' songbooks don't have the harmonic structures that facilitate great jazz improvisation beyond a song or two. Unless Lonnie approaches most of these songs modally and sticks to pure melodies, or totally reharmonizes most of it... I can't imagine the chord changes to 10 or so Beck songs to be substantial enough. The idea of Brad M. doing a Bjork song or J. Redman covering a Radiohead song is fine enough. But a whole album of it would be a real feat. Rock songs sound best when done by Rock musicians. It's hard to carry that feel over into jazzland. If Lonnie pulls it off, I'd be surprised. But I still admire what he's doing. Stretching for something new.

Edited May 6, 2003 by Soul Stream

[Rooster_Ties]

I went to a Beck show a couple years ago...

To this day, that concert was one of the best rock concerts I've ever been to in my whole life.  More fun than I could possibly describe.

Same here rooster. My wife and I saw him play during his Midnight Vultures tour. Phenomenal. The showmanship, the music, electric and acoustic was great! We had so much fun. The show ended with an encore followed by about ten minutes of noise, robots bending each other over, bandmembers destroying the set, comedic chaos.

We loved it! If anyone buys this Lonnie Smith, please post a review. I'm curious!

Yup, it was the same tour we saw, the Midnight Vultures tour. Your description matches our experience.

Most fun I've ever had at a rock concert, and the band was incredible.

[Noj]

...Lonnie's tribute to Hendrix was far from successful IMHO.

The problem is even the greatest rock musicians' songbooks don't have the harmonic structures that facilitate great jazz improvisation beyond a song or two...

Would you mind explaining this further Soul Stream, with an example or two? What rock songs were good for jazz improvisation?

[Soul Stream]

I understand a blanket statement such as mine is full of holes to be sure. Something like "Yesterday" by McCartney is as good example of a Pop/Rock song that has stood the test of time in the jazz community. Burt Bacharach is a pop composer whose songs have often been covered very successfully by jazz artists and for good musical reasons.

I think on the other hand, covering the music of Bruce Springsteen would be quite cumbersome for a jazz improviser. No doubt as to the greatness of the artist and songs he writes, but I doubt they would work very well as imrovisational vehicles.

Some, such as Sonny Rollins, could play a phone book and make my whole arguement mute. However, I don't think that takes away from my arguement.

I guess in the end, I'm a little dissappointed about Lonnie's direction for a new album. It seems a bit gimmicky and geared towards getting some younger people involved in the music. A noble cause for sure, but sometimes that doesn't make for good album-making. I can't really comment on it knowledgabley without hearing it of course. These are just general thoughts about the concept.

[Jim Alfredson]

I'm willing to bet that Lonnie does some nice things with the material. One of his original tunes which I don't think he's recorded anywhere as yet, but that I've heard him play twice now in concert consists of basically four chords. And it's very very slow. And yet his soloing and use of dynamics keeps it interesting for the entire length of the tune (which when I saw him last was close to 10 minutes if not longer).

I understand your concern Soulstream, but I honestly think if anyone can handle a task such as this it would be the Dr.

[Soul Stream]

I won't argue with that b3-er. Lonnie's another guy that could play the phone book and make it sound good. But I would like to hear an album of original material from the Dr. that's for sure. Gimmicks aside, he needs to have a full representation of himself on the market. I don't think anything he's done really shows the full range and magnitude of talents he posesses. What a monster.

But considering what record labels will record these days. This might have been the only way for him to get something out.

Edited May 7, 2003 by Soul Stream

[Jim Alfredson]

Well, they recorded the entire concert I saw so maybe we'll see something on Schoolkids Records. His version of "Caravan" that night was very cool!

[Alexander Hawkins]

b3-er, would I love it if they did release a Lonnie Smith live album! I've always got slightly frustrated with him in studio sessions.

However, that Lou Donaldson 'Relaxin' at Sea' on Chiaroscuro...Lonnie plays the hell out of Confirmation!

[chris olivarez]

Well, they recorded the entire concert I saw so maybe we'll see something on Schoolkids Records. His version of "Caravan" that night was very cool!

Was that the concert that scared the hell out of all those people?

[Jim Alfredson]

Yes indeed it was.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

please expound, will ya.

[.:.impossible]

I'm still wondering about this "scary concert!"

[chris olivarez]

b3-er is the man with the proper insight to the "scary concert". b3-er where are you?

[Soul Stream]

Got "Boogaloo to Beck" the other day. There's no way I can believe that this was Lonnie's idea for an album. His playing seems totally uninspired. The material isn't strong enough to do anything with. Even Lonnie, who could hang on a "I" chord all day long and have fun with it, just can't get much going on any of the cuts.

Lonnie's ALWAYS fun to listen to. He's such a master. Why can't someone just let Lonnie do his thing on an album of material of his own choosing? Unless Lonnie's just trying to connect to younger "groove" audience, I don't see any motivation for this outside of the fact that someone came up with the idea, paid him nicely to do it, and then proceeded.

Having bashed the concept, I have to admit I DO like the album...why...? BECAUSE LONNIE SMITH IS PLAYING AN ORGAN ON IT!!!!! 'nuff said.

p.s...fathead's barely on this thing, and when he is, it's like he's about to take a nap with lonnie while they dream of playing a charlie parker song. B)

[Joe G]

b3-er is the man with the proper insight to the "scary concert". b3-er where are you?

He's in West Virginia at the moment. We probably won't be hearing from him until next week, unless he gets a spare moment.

[Joe G]

  Why can't someone just let Lonnie do his thing on an album of material of his own choosing?  Unless Lonnie's just trying to connect to younger "groove" audience, I don't see any motivation for this outside of the fact that someone came up with the idea, paid him nicely to do it, and then proceeded.

Nothing new there. Just check out all those Beatles covers from jazz musicians during the 60's!

It's frustrating when talent goes under-utilized, for sure. George Benson is another example, albeit in a different way. I'd like to hear a straight up funky organ date from George, too. How about a Benson/Smith reunion? Fuck the smooth crap... Look at me, ragging on Benson like I'm some sort of big shot. Well, you know what I'm getting at. It takes a lot of effort to strike that balance between art and commerce, and few are able to avoid the perception of pandering. Scofield comes to mind...