Don Was on Blue Note

[Jazzdude]

Hi, Valerie. I would suggest folks check out another great singer who is new (to me, anyway). Her name is Catherine Russell. A short woman with a powerhouse of a voice that she knows how to use, i.e. no hollering and oversinging, ala Mariah Carey. Perfect diction. Like Ms. Washington, in that regard. I heard her last year on WBGO and picked up her latest album, "Strictly Romancin'. " Her version of "Romancin' In The Dark" sent chills down my spine. She is that good. A jazz/blues singer. Kind of like Mary Stallings. I strongly endorse her. Check her out by going to You Tube and see her sing " Romancin' In The Dark" before a small, (reserved) audience at a venue in Massachusetts, I believe. Sounds just like the record.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Jazzdude

[Jazzdude]

Also, for more Gregory Porter go to YouTube and check out his performance in England during Xmas 2011 at a tribute to Carole King, with her in the audience. He sings "Be Good" and "Up On The Roof." The Brits eat it all up. So does Carole King. I've watched it over and over. He is big in the UK and throughout parts of Europe.

Also, he sings "Be Good" and "Real Good Man" at the Pizza Express club in London on You Tube. Some of the women look like they were ready to throw their panties to him. In another YouTube clip from the Jools Holland show he does "Illusion." Bootsy Collins was a guest on the show and you can see him in the background. Great songwriter, Porter is.

Lastly, read the blindfold test in the latest "JazzTimes" magazine where DeeDee Bridgewater gives what is the best blindfold test I think I've ever seen. She talks about the effect Porter's voice has on women. Like Barry White, she says. Pretty graphic, imo! And funny. That is one smart, outspoken woman!

Edited May 22, 2013 by Jazzdude

[ValerieB]

Also, for more Gregory Porter go to YouTube and check out his performance in England during Xmas 2011 at a tribute to Carole King, with her in the audience. He sings "Be Good" and "Up On The Roof." The Brits eat it all up. So does Carole King. I've watched it over and over. He is big in the UK and throughout parts of Europe.

Also, he sings "Be Good" and "Real Good Man" at the Pizza Express club in London on You Tube. Some of the women look like they were ready to throw their panties to him. In another YouTube clip from the Jools Holland show he does "Illusion." Bootsy Collins was a guest on the show and you can see him in the background. Great songwriter, Porter is.

Lastly, read the blindfold test in the latest "JazzTimes" magazine where DeeDee Bridgewater gives what is the best blindfold test I think I've ever seen. She talks about the effect Porter's voice has on women. Like Barry White, she says. Pretty graphic, imo! And funny. That is one smart, outspoken woman!

yes, Catherine Russell is quite wonderful. I was introduced to her singing last year.

I doubt that many videos exist on Gregory Porter that I haven't seen. I also really enjoy his interviews very much. Dee Dee was sitting on the floor near my feet at Monterey last year when Gregory performed. she was actually crying during his set. he really took us to church that night. not all his shows have that emphasis, but it was fabulous. he'll be at Monterey again this year and featured on the Main Stage/Arena, as well as on one of the Grounds venues. I plan to see him in a few weeks at the Playboy Jazz Festival. and he'll be on The Jazz Cruise next Jan. sounds like my fantasy come true, hearing him during an entire week!!!

[JSngry]

I thought the ladies all liked Kem?

[king ubu]

Great songwriter, Porter is.

Need proof?

There:

Some of the women look like they were ready to throw their panties to him.

[robertoart]

Great songwriter, Porter is.

Need proof?

There:

Some of the women look like they were ready to throw their panties to him.

ahrrr........crossover artists

[Jazzdude]

The Sermons tune elicited a big yawn on this end. Another out of tune, melodically challenged singer. This is EXACTLY what Bridgewater was talking about with a lot of younger singers: it's about the groove and not creating a quality song. She was referencing a certain popular singer on...Blue Note!
Again, check out that blindfold test.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Jazzdude

[ValerieB]

Gregory does not sing/write "sexy" songs. and he's always a gentlemen on and off the stage. he's really a serious, humble cat but with a good sense of humor as well. his songs have a spiritual quality more than anything else.

[Jazzdude]

I'm in full agreement.

Dee Dee Bridgewater said it was the voice that fascinates a lot of women, first and foremost, coupled with the high quality of the original songs. "Be Good" is an instant standard, in my opinion. Probably ditto for "Illusion," "Real Good Man," and "Water." Instant standards are rare these days.

Edited May 24, 2013 by Jazzdude

[Blue Train]

Are we talking about Gregory Porter, or Tom Jones?

[Blue Train]

Don Was is involved with Blue Note? That explains the next to nothing I have bought in years. I just thought it was the whole EMiI thing. I lost track. Does EMI still own Blue Note? Has EMI dropped that deep off the deep end that Don Was was put in charge of anything?

Edited May 22, 2013 by Blue Train

[Jazzdude]

Are we talking about Gregory Porter, or Tom Jones?

Just check out the videos I mentioned and then decide if what I said was accurate or not.

[Jazzdude]

Don Was is involved with Blue Note? That explains the next to nothing I have bought in years. I just thought it was the whole EMiI thing. I lost track. Does EMI still own Blue Note? Has EMI dropped that deep off the deep end that Don Was was put in charge of anything?

Verve, headed by David Foster, is the label that has "dropped off the deep end." The jury is still out on BN, in my opinion. Time will soon tell, I believe.

[JSngry]

I don't mind Kem myself.

[JSngry]

Kem should be on Blue Note too. More women would buy Blue Note records than at any time in the history of the world, even more than from when there were no records to buy!

[Brad]

Maybe it's time to change the name of the label. Any resemblance between what BN was (no pun intended) and the present time is purely coincidental.

[Jazzdude]

True that

Kem-Heaven song. Pop/r&b, NOT jazz. Generic, dime a dozen, flavor of the month pop/r&b at that, too.

[JSngry]

Well, yeah. And what's Gregory Porter? I swear, to me, he sounds like the Archie Whitewater album only with digital production.

Rhetorical question, that. Y'all hear him, I don't. Saul Goode, go for it.

But for my taste, better Kem than him, genre "considerations" aside. I think Kem means it more, but that's all subjective.

You know, as long as we're talking good pitch, good diction, and chick-appeal, is Johnny Mathis still alive? Get him to do an album with Gil Goldstein arranging in recognition of his recordings with Gil Evans. I'd definitely buy that.

[ValerieB]

Don Was is involved with Blue Note? That explains the next to nothing I have bought in years. I just thought it was the whole EMiI thing. I lost track. Does EMI still own Blue Note? Has EMI dropped that deep off the deep end that Don Was was put in charge of anything?

Don Was has just been running Blue Note for a relatively short time. he's the one that got Wayne Shorter back. I think he's producing Aaron Neville as well as many other good talents.

[robertoart]

Have they done a Dr. John - Van Morrison - Bonnie Raitt album yet.

[JSngry]

Have they done a Dr. John - Van Morrison - Bonnie Raitt album yet.

That's funny, but seriously, I found myself enjoying Dr. John's Ellington album a lot more that I anticipated.

Not sure what that means about anything, but I went into it expecting to come out cynical and pissed off and....didn't happen.

Mileages, vary, etc.

[king ubu]

well, let's see these many good talents ...

but I do give them points for Ambrose Akinmusire, at least - more of that, please!

[danasgoodstuff]

I could swear I'd posted this already, but none of the music posted in this thread does anything at all for me, for whatever that's worth...

[etherbored]

good to know.

[AllenLowe]

I don't think there's enough Wayne Shorter or Aaron Neville product available. Valerie's right.

Edited May 23, 2013 by AllenLowe