Mizell?

[scottb]

I'll pass.

Edited August 31, 2005 by scottb

[JSngry]

Mizell?

[Eric]

Mizell?

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from another site:

A pretty fair pitcher who came to the 1962 Mets too late; he had little left to offer at that point. Prior to that, he had won in double figures six different years. After his baseball career ended, he became a successful politician, holding a seat with the House of Representatives, and serving important roles in the Ford and Reagan administrations. His nickname was "Vinegar Bend".

[DatDere]

I'm not really a fan of those Mizell productions, but it is kinda interesting that they were actually involved in compiling and producing this compilation. I thought these guys left the music business years ago?

Edited August 31, 2005 by DatDere

[Christiern]

The Mizell guys and their "music" are best forgotten.

[Degiorgio]

The Mizell guys and their "music" are best forgotten.

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I love the Mizells sound... funky wah wah guitars, fender rhodes, arps, moogs, usually Harvey Mason on drums and those gorgeous vocal harmonies...

for me they represent the peak of uplifting 70's soul-jazz-fusion...

Johnny Hammond: Gambler's Life....

[Christiern]

Out of curiosity, I did a search of my text files to see if I had ever mentioned Mizell in a review or article. The following popped up, a review I wrote for Stereo Review in 1976:

GARY BARTZ: The Shadow Do. Gary Bartz (alto and soprano saxophones, synthesizer, vocals); other musicians. Winding Roads; Mother Nature; Love Tones; Sea Gypsy; and four others. PRESTIGE P-10092 $6.98.

• Performance: Commercial chaos
  Recording: Good
  

I was happy to see a new Gary Bartz album because I think he is an extremely talented musician, but then I noticed the producer credit: Larry Mizell. Anticipation turned to apprehension. I placed the disc on my turntable, and, sure enough, Mizell has done it again, turned a good jazz musician into a drowning popularity-seeker. Drowning, that is, in gimmick-ridden arrangements cluttered with synthesizers, sound effects, and meaningless vocals. Unfortunately, this tasteless miasma will probably have sufficient appeal to encourage encores, but Bartz had better enjoy whatever benefits this sort of thing may bring him now, because there is no longevity in it. I suggest some of his early Milestone albums are a sounder investment.

[JSngry]

I like the Mizell brothers' pop work quite a bit. But their methods never worked in a jazz setting for me. Too static. Works fine for singers, imo. but for instrumentalists it's kinda like thinking you're getting on an escalator and discovering that you're actually on a treadmill.

[mikeweil]

 

• Performance: Commercial chaos
     Recording: Good
  
  
  

Edited September 1, 2005 by mikeweil

[mailman]

Bartz has been a favorite of mine since I first heard him over 30 years ago. How he ever came to make this pile of crap is beyond me. He must have needed a payday in the worst kind of way to suspend his artistic judgement so completely.

[Degiorgio]

Bartz has been a favorite of mine since I first heard him over 30 years ago.  How he ever came to make this pile of crap is beyond me.  He must have needed a payday in the worst kind of way to suspend his artistic judgement so completely.

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I think his artistic judgement was fine teaming up with the Mizells. The Shadow Do.. remains a jazz-funk classic and has been sampled to death by TCQ and many other rap artists making it a hugely influential and relevant record today - which is more than can be said of many other 'jazz' albums of that period.

"Bartz had better enjoy whatever benefits this sort of thing may bring him now, because there is no longevity in it" -

way off the mark as I hear bits of this album today a lot more than I hear Bartz excellent early Milestone albums.

The only problem I have with the album is Bartz' singing but you are clearly missing the whole uplifting nature of the Mizell's music if you can't get any enjoyment from 'Mother Nature', 'Gentle Smiles', etc.

Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Johnny Hammond, LTD, A Taste of Honey, Gary Bartz, Roger Glenn, Rance Allen Group - are all artists who made great albums with the Mizells. I love the way they strip down the jazz format and restrict artists to short solo's and work them into a format that for me is less pop but more 'funk' or 'RnB'.

They must be amongst the most heavily sampled producers in music history after James Brown.

Pioneers...

Edited September 2, 2005 by Degiorgio

[catesta]

They must be amongst the most heavily sampled producers in music history after James Brown.

Pioneers...

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I'd like to see that statement backed up.

I doubt they are even close to the top.

Edited September 2, 2005 by catesta

[Ed S]

I've said it elsewhere, so I might as well make a fool of myself in this thread as well.

I like the Mizell stuff I have - Byrd, Bartz, and Humphrey. I enjoy the groove and feel. Essentially, I think they're a fun listen. Great jazz? No. But definitely of the period and I do enjoy stuff from that period. I'll have to check out what's on the disc but if there's a fair amount of things I don't have, I'll pick it up.

Steppin' into tomorrow, baby!

So shoot me.

Edited September 2, 2005 by Ed Swinnich

[Ed S]

Does it help if I have This Is The Place on while I'm posting?

I love the groove on Wealthy Street - that's what's on now.

[CJ Shearn]

story goes I used to like "Flight Time" when I was little, but now, tunes like "Fallin Like Dominoes" make me gag!

[Degiorgio]

I'd like to see that statement backed up.

I doubt they are even close to the top.

"Original LPs of Mizell Brothers-produced albums are coveted among DJs and crate-diggers, and have been sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, De La Soul, Tupac, Pete Rock, and countless others."

(from the Blue Note site...)

infact - you'd be hard pushed to find a single Mizells produced album that hasn't been sampled.

[Aggie87]

Just a question - the people who are the target audience for sampled music - aren't they generally a different population than jazz fans? I realize there may be a bit of overlap, but it seems to be two different groups in general.

[Christiern]

IMO, the Mizells never contributed anything to jazz--quite the opposite. The fact that their crap is often used for sampling would help to support my contention that their work is, at best, borderline.

[Peter Johnson]

Just a question - the people who are the target audience for sampled music - aren't they generally a different population than jazz fans?  I realize there may be a bit of overlap, but it seems to be two different groups in general.

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With all due respect, why assume that? I love the original recordings as much as I love seeing what turntablists have done with them from a sampling perspective. I'll admit it; wouldn't have gotten hip to Bobby Hutch's San Francisco if it weren't for Us3; wouldn't have gotten hip to Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay if it weren't for Tribe Called Quest.

Loads of overlap, my friend!

[JSngry]

I can dig the sampleability of the Mizell's work, just as I can Bob James'. But they both still work better for me in that form than it does the original. It's like it's real good for that moment or two (which is what makes for a good sample, right?), but that doesn't transfer to it staying good for five minutes or more. Just my taste in the matter.

[Guest akanalog]

i love the mizells work.

in a way it is lame that when they produced it sounded like THEIR production and anyone could be the featured artist (donald byrd could have been any number of trumpeters on his albums with them)-i guess i mean they used the artists to enhance their thing rather than working with the artist to sort of mold around the artists talents and abilities and individuality, but their productions are great. very individual sounding and funky and nice layers of keys and nice use of vocals and just a nice feeling. i used to pump "places and spaces" nonstop on the drive home from college. but really, just nice good feeling music.

and they are DEFINITELY among the most sampled producers.

just digable planets themselves ripped a ton of mizell stuff.