Soul Stream Posted June 25, 2003 Report Posted June 25, 2003 Just picked up "This is Billy Mitchell" a Verve Digipak (9.99 at local Tower). I can't recommend this one more. It's absolutely mesmerizing. Mitchell is somewhat along the lines of Gene Ammons. Billy's version of "Sophisticated Lady" is worth 10 bucks alone. The whole album is beautiful. For those wary of organ, don't be. Organ on only 3 cuts and it's very low and tasteful...just background. Bruce Swedien is the original engineer on this one, and as usual, the sound he gets is impeccable. Get it if you can.... Quote
Brad Posted June 26, 2003 Report Posted June 26, 2003 For those of you who are on the fence about this cd, jump off that fence right now and run (don't walk!) to your nearest store and grab it. It's very good. I think the organ work here is great. Everybody is top rate on this but Dave Burns on trumpet deserves some praise here. Bobby Hutcherson and Mitchell work very well together. Quote
P.D. Posted June 26, 2003 Report Posted June 26, 2003 I am interested in this from the Dave Burns aspect.. Would it fit alonside his Vanguards???? Quote
DrJ Posted June 27, 2003 Report Posted June 27, 2003 I picked this one up today, and it's definitely a keeper. The tracks with organ remind me a lot of some of Ike Quebec's later BN's with organ, given Mitchell's full tone and the stops Sleepy Anderson uses on the Hammond (a sound reminiscent of someone like Freddie Roach). Burns is fine, maybe not showcased as much as on his Vanguards but he sounds good. The real star is Mitchell though, he plays beautifully. Quote
Soul Stream Posted June 27, 2003 Author Report Posted June 27, 2003 I can't get enough of this cd since buying it. 5 stars. Quote
White Lightning Posted June 27, 2003 Report Posted June 27, 2003 I can't get enough of this cd since buying it. 5 stars. Same here. The first track "J&B" worth the price of admission alone. Quote
Joe Posted June 27, 2003 Report Posted June 27, 2003 Does Mitchell sound a little like Joe Henderson on this date to any of you? I find that Mitchell's playing on "J & B" in particular features some almost uncanny tonal resemblances to Henderson's... Quote
montg Posted July 12, 2003 Report Posted July 12, 2003 Picked this up based on the recommendations on this board...everybody's right! This is a tremendous session, one I would have totally overlooked. It's a shame Billy Mitchell wasn't recorded more as a leader. Quote
Kevin Bresnahan Posted July 13, 2003 Report Posted July 13, 2003 I got this at the Borders 20% off sale. It is a very good session. Not enough Billy Mitchell in print. BTW, anyone reading this who wants to get another great Mitchell session, go straight to Dusty Groove and order that Japanese Xanadu CD of "De Lawd's Blues" pronto. Probably even better than "This is Billy Mitchell" in my book. Two things of note about "This Is Billy Mitchell": 1) It is a bitch to get the CD off this stupid tray without bending the hell out of the disc and 2) Does anyone else wonder where the extra track, "Charlie's Gone" (mentioned twice in the liners) went to? Later, Kevin Quote
Big Al Posted July 13, 2003 Report Posted July 13, 2003 Does Mitchell sound a little like Joe Henderson on this date to any of you? I find that Mitchell's playing on "J & B" in particular features some almost uncanny tonal resemblances to Henderson's... I noticed that, too! Maybe it's a Detroit thing. A great album indeed! I bought it at Borders after reading you guys raving about. I thank you, and my wallet hates you, as usual. Quote
brownie Posted July 14, 2003 Report Posted July 14, 2003 This was a rare album. Glad that it has been reissued. It's great. Enjoyed what Billy Mitchell played on the early Thad Jones Blue Note albums. Hope that the sales warrants the reissue of the second Billy Mitchell date for Smash 'A Little Juicy' (with Thad Jones on trumpet). Quote
mikeweil Posted July 14, 2003 Report Posted July 14, 2003 Hope that the sales warrants the reissue of the second Billy Mitchell date for Smash 'A Little Juicy' (with Thad Jones on trumpet). I'd buy anything by this friends team! Quote
JohnS Posted July 14, 2003 Report Posted July 14, 2003 (edited) This was a rare album. Glad that it has been reissued. It's great. Enjoyed what Billy Mitchell played on the early Thad Jones Blue Note albums. Hope that the sales warrants the reissue of the second Billy Mitchell date for Smash 'A Little Juicy' (with Thad Jones on trumpet). Just played "A LIttle Juicy". MY vinyl's a bit crunchy but it's a fine album with some very good Thad, but then he always sounds good to me. Enjoyed "This Is.." A fine reissue choice. Edited July 14, 2003 by JohnS Quote
catesta Posted July 14, 2003 Report Posted July 14, 2003 Glad to see so many positive reviews. It looks like I need to grab this one. Quote
mgraham333 Posted July 15, 2003 Report Posted July 15, 2003 I was on the fence about this one. The 20% Borders coupon and board comments helped. Overall a pretty good disc. Some good music I otherwise would have missed. Quote
Jim R Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 Well, I'm a little late, but I too finally snagged this, and I wanted to bring this back up in case anybody might have overlooked it. What a fantastic album this was. Like Kevin, I'm not sure what happened to that other track, but the 8 tracks they included are definitely a great addition to anybody's collection. I had heard some Billy Mitchell with Al Grey on Argo, Thad on BN, and a few others, but this was a terrific showcase for the man to step out front. Quote
Dmitry Posted July 29, 2003 Report Posted July 29, 2003 Picked it up last Friday, it's been getting regular car play for the last 4 days. Lovely disc. It was more traditional than I expected, which was a relief, actually. Mitchell definitely learned from the best of the soulful players like Quebec [and Ben Webster too]. He has that fat velvety sound. I like the quality of the packaging as well. Much better than those goofy Verve lp-sleeves. A clear winner. Thanks for recommending it. The only minor problem I noticed was the recording itself. I haven't played it on my home stereo yet, but there's a squeeking sound that appears in several spots. I thought it was Mitchell's sax, but even when he lays out, I can hear it. It must be either the drum set or someone's chair. Has anyone else noticed it? Quote
ghost of miles Posted September 18, 2006 Report Posted September 18, 2006 Popped this in the car radio last night while I was out, because I want to play a track from it for Afterglow... and I may just end up featuring the whole album. I remember REALLY liking this when it was reissued, and it sounded even better three years later. Wanted to up this thread, in case the CD's nearing its expiration date (though the whole Verve "available till" thing... how true has that been? I imagine that even after these reach that date that many continue to float around online). Quote
Big Al Posted September 18, 2006 Report Posted September 18, 2006 Don't know why I didn't mention this before, but another good one to get in the LPR series alongside this one is Al Grey's Snap Your Fingers, which prominently features Mitchell. Apparently, these guys made a number of albums together, and these two are perfect listening back-to-back! Quote
ghost of miles Posted September 18, 2006 Report Posted September 18, 2006 Oh yeah! Hey, that might be the second part of my feature! (Can I give an on-air tip o' the hat to "Big Al from Organissimo?") Quote
Big Al Posted September 19, 2006 Report Posted September 19, 2006 Oh yeah! Hey, that might be the second part of my feature! (Can I give an on-air tip o' the hat to "Big Al from Organissimo?") Heck yeah! It's the only way I'll ever be on the radio! Quote
Joe Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 Spun this again last night, after letting it sit dormant (again, unaccountably) for several years, and it's still a glorious session. I hear less Joe Henderson in Mitchell's work here than before, but he still sounds like the missing link between Lima, OH's finest (phrasing, rhythm) and Lucky Thompson (tone, sub-tone, ballad attitude): a link I did not suspect was waiting to be uncovered. But they were all, at one time or another, Detroit cats. And, damn, but has Herman Wright ever sound better than he does here? His motor is really running hot here. Quote
Shawn Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I was trying to figure out what to listen to first thing this morning, problem solved...now to find the box it's packed in. Quote
michel1969 Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I have the twoBilly Mitchell on Smash. haven't listen to them for years.. good suggestion, from 2003 !! Quote
Free For All Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 Anyone else unable to view new posts on the other Billy Mitchell thread? Quote
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