Gene Ammons

[JSngry]

I've met three African-American men from Chicago in my life who were regular attendees at Ammons' club dates. All three of them eventually teared up when I asked them what it was like hearing Jug live. Apparently, as noted, there was a lot of reciprocal/reciprocated warmth in both the room and in the community there.

"Community", that's the key word, I think. Lose/change that, and everything else changes as well...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thank you, Chuck, Larry & Jim.

MG

[John L]

Hands down my favorite is "Jug," and if I had to pick the greatest Gene Ammons solo I've ever heard, it would be "Exactly Like You," which leads off side 2. The phrasing and pacing of that solo are amazing -- nobody could tell a story quite like Jug, but the narrative quality of the way that solo is structured is as nuanced as a novel. Plus, the expressive use of timbre, dynamics, sly double time, witty asides and turns of phrases, ideas that rhyme, winks at the blues

Yes, "Jug" is a great album, one of my favorites too. On that album, Ammons also plays some gorgeous blues on "Seed Shack" and "Miss Lucy."

[Mark Stryker]

Thank you, Chuck, Larry & Jim.

MG

I second that, and would note that Jim's reference to "community" in many ways takes us back to where this thread started and the notion of a particular kind of "spirituality" in Jug's music.

[blind-blake]

House Warmin' is a pretty underrated set. It's not up to the same standards as Boss Tenor (my personal favorite), but it's damn nice. Howard McGhee burns it up, as well.

Yes, it's my mate's personal favourite Ammons. A very, very rewarding album with a rhythm section of people I've never heard of. I think it was issued on CD in Japan earlier this year (maybe last year), with a different title.

MG

As always, MG, you have impecable taste.

[blind-blake]

And don't forget the "Gentle Side" CDs. Gene Ammons was a GREAT ballad player -- one of the very best.

[AllenLowe]

funny Bob Neloms story - one of his first gigs was with Ammons, who called the tune "Crazy Rhythm." Bob, who was very young, thought he wanted "rhythm changes." After they played the song, Ammons said to him, "you play some wrong chords, but you sure play funky."

[clifford_thornton]

Dig it!

Just nabbed this in the used CD bins yesterday. Fine, fine disc and my first prolonged exposure to Ammons' work. Do I hear a bit of him in Mobley, or is that just me?