felser Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 I was very happy a couple of years ago when most of the Leon Thomas Flying Dutchman titles came out on CD (nice job on those reissues), especially 'Live in Berlin' with Oliver Nelson. It seemed strange to me at the time that 'The Leon Thomas Album' was not reissued then, and to my knowledge it still hasn't been. Anyone know what the problem is there? Have they lost the master tape or something? Related question(s). There is a Leon Thomas album on the Mega label, 'Gold Sunrise on Magic Mountain', which I believe was live at Montreux, 1971. I've never heard it - is it any good? Any ideas why it isn't on CD? The only other item I'm aware of on the Mega label is Larry Coryell's 'Fairyland', which I believe was also live at Montreux 1971, and which I believe also has never been out on CD. Any knowledge on it? I assume Mega was a subsidiary of Flying Dutchman? Interestingly, while the Thomas and Coryell recordings from Montreux '71 were on Mega, Gato Barbieri's 'El Pampero' (a GREAT album, to me his masterpiece), I believe from the same festival, was on Flying Dutchman proper, and has been reissued on CD (thankfully!), also a real nice job. Any thoughts on 'The Leon Thomas Album' and the Mega stuff? thx. Quote
marcello Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) I remember that "Fairyland" had a trio with Chuck Rainey and Bernard Purdie. I liked it a lot when it came out but do not own it now. Havn't heard it in many a moon. I still own the Nelson "Live in Berlin". Edited October 13, 2005 by marcello Quote
JSngry Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 The Leon Thomas Album has been reissued on vinyl. Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 Interesting! I own "Fairyland" on the Zodiac label (ZLP-5003, not listed in Bruyninck or Lord). I guess I had it in my mind that it was the original issue, but yep, there on the cover it says it contains previously released material. Here's what I know of the Mega 5000 series: 5000 - Coryell, Larry: Fairyland 5001 - Purdie, Bernard: Stand By Me 5002 - Goodman, Benny: Let's Dance Again 5003 - Thomas, Leon: Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain 5004 - Ward, Jerry Glenn: Focus 5005 - Apollo 100: Master Pieces 5006 - Harris, Phil: Southern Comfort - The Best Of Phil Harris 5007 - Spooner, Russ: You've Just Been Spoonerized 5008 - Black, Bill: Rock 'n Roll Forever There's other stuff in 600 and 1000 series, by Sammi Smith, Cleanhead Vinson, Bill Black, etc. Mike Quote
Guest Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 The Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain album is his least essential, IMO. It has been reissued on vinyl. Primarily a blues/african drums orgy, if my memory serves me correctly. But any Leon Thomas is good, and there's so little of it... I too am puzzled why The Leon Thomas Album wasn't reissued. It's a great one, fortunately it was indeed reissued on vinyl. Those French RCA/Victor Gold reissues were most excellent...love those Barbieri and Lonnie Liston Smith albums. Any other recommendations on the Flying Dutchman label? Quote
DMP Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 (edited) Harold Alexander! And Larry Coryell's "Barefoot Boy." Edited October 13, 2005 by DMP Quote
brownie Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 One Flying Dutchman I wish was reissued is the Horace Tapscott 'The Giant Is Awakened'... Quote
Guest Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 Harold Alexander! And Larry Coryell's "Barefoot Boy." ← Oh yeah, forgot about Barefoot Boy, that one is quite excellent. I don't know about the Harold Alexander stuff though. What can you tell me? Neither do I know Horace Tapscott. Quote
mikeweil Posted October 13, 2005 Report Posted October 13, 2005 One Flying Dutchman I wish was reissued is the Horace Tapscott 'The Giant Is Awakened'... ← That was on a RCA Novus CD c/w a John Carter/Bobby Bradford album - one of them had a track missing on that CD, however. West Coast Hot was the CD title. Quote
felser Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Posted October 13, 2005 One Flying Dutchman I wish was reissued is the Horace Tapscott 'The Giant Is Awakened'... ← That was on a RCA Novus CD c/w a John Carter/Bobby Bradford album - one of them had a track missing on that CD, however. West Coast Hot was the CD title. ← My picks on Flying Dutchman, in addition to the Leon Thomas's. Gato Barbieri's 'El Pampero','The Third World','Bolivia',and 'Under Fire' are his best albums, with 'El Pampero' belonging on my desert island list. The Horace Tapscott is pretty fabulous, Arthur Blythe's recording debut. 'The Giant is Awakened' was the name of it. If I could only own one Tapscott album or one Blythe album, that would be the one. 'Swiss Suite' by Oliver Nelson contains an amazing solo by Gato Barbieri on the 27 minute title track. I agree with the previous post about 'Barefoot Boy', maybe my favorite Coryell (I also like 'Offering' a lot). And Gil Scott-Heron's 'Pieces of a Man' is incredible, if not exactly jazz. Quote
brownie Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 One Flying Dutchman I wish was reissued is the Horace Tapscott 'The Giant Is Awakened'... ← That was on a RCA Novus CD c/w a John Carter/Bobby Bradford album - one of them had a track missing on that CD, however. West Coast Hot was the CD title. ← Thanks Mike. Found this 'West Coast Hot' a while ago. I did not make the connection with the Flying Dutchman origin! Quote
EKE BBB Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 Here´s the cover of "West Coast Hot": Quote
sidewinder Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 (edited) What about those couple of tracks featuring Thomas on the Oliver Nelson 'Black, Brown and Beautiful' collection put out on RCA and reissued in the late 1980s? That one is fantastic and also has some very fine Johnny Hodges (one of his very last sessions I think). Edited October 14, 2005 by sidewinder Quote
JSngry Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 (edited) That is not the real Black, Brown and Beautiful though. It's a partial reissue of 3 Shades Of Blue, an FD album released under Hodges' name, filled out w/some other Nelson material. Nelson's original Black, Brown and Beautiful LP has yet to be reissued, and that is a crime. Edited October 14, 2005 by JSngry Quote
sidewinder Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 (edited) Yes, I think this reissue was on RCA Novus. Occasionally I come across the Hodges LP that you mention. Don't think I've seen the Oliver Nelson original. Edited October 14, 2005 by sidewinder Quote
JSngry Posted October 14, 2005 Report Posted October 14, 2005 Few have, it seems. I doubt that it got wide release. The use of a nude (frontal) cover model might have limited distribution. Quote
DMP Posted October 15, 2005 Report Posted October 15, 2005 The Harold Alexander I've owned (on LP and now on CD) - "Sunshine Man" - is hard to classify - there's electric piano on it, but it's not exactly a funk/fusion record. Sort of a period piece. My only other exposure to him was on that John Patton session. He's a strong player, and the "Flying Dutchman" has always seemed to me to be an attempt to find a wider audience without really compromising his own style. I'm sort of at a loss for words on this one, but I've always liked it. Quote
chris olivarez Posted October 16, 2005 Report Posted October 16, 2005 Interesting! I own "Fairyland" on the Zodiac label (ZLP-5003, not listed in Bruyninck or Lord). I guess I had it in my mind that it was the original issue, but yep, there on the cover it says it contains previously released material. Here's what I know of the Mega 5000 series: 5000 - Coryell, Larry: Fairyland 5001 - Purdie, Bernard: Stand By Me 5002 - Goodman, Benny: Let's Dance Again 5003 - Thomas, Leon: Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain 5004 - Ward, Jerry Glenn: Focus 5005 - Apollo 100: Master Pieces 5006 - Harris, Phil: Southern Comfort - The Best Of Phil Harris 5007 - Spooner, Russ: You've Just Been Spoonerized 5008 - Black, Bill: Rock 'n Roll Forever There's other stuff in 600 and 1000 series, by Sammi Smith, Cleanhead Vinson, Bill Black, etc. Mike ← I would dearly love to have a copy of the Cleanhead Vinson album. Quote
chris olivarez Posted October 16, 2005 Report Posted October 16, 2005 The Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain album is his least essential, IMO. It has been reissued on vinyl. Primarily a blues/african drums orgy, if my memory serves me correctly. But any Leon Thomas is good, and there's so little of it... I too am puzzled why The Leon Thomas Album wasn't reissued. It's a great one, fortunately it was indeed reissued on vinyl. Those French RCA/Victor Gold reissues were most excellent...love those Barbieri and Lonnie Liston Smith albums. Any other recommendations on the Flying Dutchman label? ← I got "Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain: used for two dollars. Leon's version of "Chains Of Love" makes that an absolute steal!!! Quote
JSngry Posted October 16, 2005 Report Posted October 16, 2005 Interesting! I own "Fairyland" on the Zodiac label (ZLP-5003, not listed in Bruyninck or Lord). I guess I had it in my mind that it was the original issue, but yep, there on the cover it says it contains previously released material. Here's what I know of the Mega 5000 series: 5000 - Coryell, Larry: Fairyland 5001 - Purdie, Bernard: Stand By Me 5002 - Goodman, Benny: Let's Dance Again 5003 - Thomas, Leon: Gold Sunrise On Magic Mountain 5004 - Ward, Jerry Glenn: Focus 5005 - Apollo 100: Master Pieces 5006 - Harris, Phil: Southern Comfort - The Best Of Phil Harris 5007 - Spooner, Russ: You've Just Been Spoonerized 5008 - Black, Bill: Rock 'n Roll Forever There's other stuff in 600 and 1000 series, by Sammi Smith, Cleanhead Vinson, Bill Black, etc. Mike ← I would dearly love to have a copy of the Cleanhead Vinson album. ← It's live @ Montreaux w/Larry Coryell, iirc. HAd a buddy in high school what had it. Quote
chris olivarez Posted November 5, 2005 Report Posted November 5, 2005 Another one I love by Leon is "Blues and The Soulful Truth". Quote
ghost of miles Posted December 28, 2005 Report Posted December 28, 2005 We have a 2-LP Nelson set here at the station called A DREAM DEFERRED, which collects some of Nelson's Flying Dutchman work (including most of BLACK, BROWN & BEAUTIFUL--the MLK tribute which Jim so rightfully praises), and I gotta say that Leon Thomas' yodeling just destroys the end of "Duke's Place" for me. I enjoy Thomas elsewhere, but sometimes--in certain contexts--he just gets on my nerves. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted December 29, 2005 Report Posted December 29, 2005 There are 3 Groove Holmes LPs on Flyin Dutchman, all of which are missing from my Holmes collection Onsaya Joy $6 million man I'm in the mood for love I'd also like "Soul is Pretty Purdie" to be reissued There's also a great LP on a FD subsidiary, Contact Charlie Brown - "Why is everybody always picking on me?" MG Quote
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