Houston Person corner

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Glad you enjoyed it, Guy, but what's funny about him playing 'The way we were'?

MG

[Guy Berger]

Glad you enjoyed it, Guy, but what's funny about him playing 'The way we were'?

MG

The original is a very schmaltzy tune.

[JSngry]

And then Gladys Knight did it.

[mjzee]

Gladys Knight could sing the phone book and make it sound great.

[JSngry]

I would love to see a "We are The World" type thing with, like, literally everybody in the literally whole world singing literally all the phone books literally from everywhere, ever. Maybe have an international on-line game about who is singing their own number, who isn't, and who doesn't even really have a number, much less a phone, ok, hey, first world problems, writ large and though small, onward through the ether, and all that.. And then, oh wait, there are no more phone books, oops, hoax after all, and then everybody, and I do mean everybody, gets emo about it in some form or fashion for one reason or another, hey, you're powning my Global Oneness Hope Vibe vs. Oh Fuck Off Old Sentimental Self Indulgent Hippie Pot Farts, and then everybody kills everybody, and then we could have world peace, right? The internet does bring the world together, through phone books and singing. Perfect world, right? Three generations of mass-communication, together again for the first time, all under one roof. Only in America, grace shed, etc.

See it, though, not hear it, because, you know....some people just can't carry a tune. Not won't, can't.

Main point, though - the song was a big hit among the demographic that Houston Person would be playing for (the very first professional (ok, "professional", we tried) R&B band i was in covered it as a Gladys Knight, not Barbara Streisand, song), so not at all odd that he would record it lo these many years later.

[Hardbopjazz]

I've been in a Houston Person Houston listening mood for the past two weeks. Person's last two releases are excellent. I highly recommend them both. 

[fasstrack]

4 hours ago, Hardbopjazz said:

I've been in a Houston Person Houston listening mood for the past two weeks. Person's last two releases are excellent. I highly recommend them both. 

I just left James Chirillo a few hours ago. He did a nice job on Something Personal. 

I like Houston's work. Very direct and honest. I used to see him with Etta Jones. Hell of a team...

[danasgoodstuff]

On 11/8/2014 at 1:43 PM, Guy Berger said:

 

The original is a very schmaltzy tune.

And what was Bye Bye Blackbird before Miles did it, My Favorite Things before Trane, Just Friends before Bird?; how do People Who Listen to Jazz not get this?

 

[Justin V]

I saw Houston Person for the first time last year.  Before the show started, he was eating dinner with the house band and you could hear his great laugh coming from the corner of the club.  I was mighty impressed with how he treated the melodies and how he developed his solos and infused them with such warmth and feeling.  For as long of a career as he has had and as often as he has recorded, I think that he doesn't get the recognition that he deserves.

[Dan Gould]

It just dawned on me - and I believe a quick search provides verification - that Houston Person has no new CD out this fall?  It seems he's had a new Highnote release every Fall, which I often have asked others for as X-mas suggestions. 

I hope he's not experiencing any health issues but it seems strange not to see something new from the big tenorist.

[jcam_44]

21 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

It just dawned on me - and I believe a quick search provides verification - that Houston Person has no new CD out this fall?  It seems he's had a new Highnote release every Fall, which I often have asked others for as X-mas suggestions. 

I hope he's not experiencing any health issues but it seems strange not to see something new from the big tenorist.

I know his high notes are usually recorded at Van Gelder Studios. I don’t know if it’s been open during the pandemic. Also not sure how much the older musicians are getting together during these times. 

[danasgoodstuff]

4 hours ago, jcam_44 said:

I know his high notes are usually recorded at Van Gelder Studios. I don’t know if it’s been open during the pandemic. Also not sure how much the older musicians are getting together during these times. 

Where are his low notes recorded?

[jlhoots]

I've heard him do some stuff on the internet with Emmet Cohen fairly recently.

[sgcim]

He wasn't walking so well the last time I saw him live a few years back, but he was sounding beautiful. After hearing Grace Kelly, Randy Brecker, Brian Lynch and Vincent Herring all over their horns, Houston stumbled out on the stage, and made them all sound like techs with no soul. Like Prez said, "Yeah, but can you sing me a song?"

[mjzee]

High Note might be slowing down too.  Wikipedia lists only 2 HN and 3 Savant releases in 2020.

[Guy Berger]

21 hours ago, mjzee said:

High Note might be slowing down too.  Wikipedia lists only 2 HN and 3 Savant releases in 2020.

Do these labels typically have a backlog of recorded sessions?  It might simply be that they don’t have much to release.

[Rabshakeh]

Following a passing reference in the 3 Sounds thread, are there any Houston Highnotes that anyone thinks really stand out?

[Rabshakeh]

Maybe "stand out" is the wrong term...

[jlhoots]

Try the recent Live In Paris.

[Rabshakeh]

Thanks

[Ken Dryden]

I haven’t heard a Houston Person CD on HighNote that I wouldn’t recommend.

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, jlhoots said:

Try the recent Live In Paris.

seconded

[Dan Gould]

18 minutes ago, JSngry said:

seconded

Got Live in Paris for Christmas and while I enjoy all of his HighNote recordings, this one gets an extra star or three, and I think its definitely due to being a live concert.  (And when I say extra star or three, none of his HighNotes get less than 4 stars, so the additional stars are breaking the grading system.

 

[Rabshakeh]

Thank you. Looks like this is the rare instance in life where there's a clear winner.

[mjzee]

Release date January 16:

Blue Vision, is Eric Person's eleventh CD release under his leadership. Here he leads an organ trio and is heard in collaboration with tenor-saxophone legend Houston Person. Blue Vision combines the blues with classic jazz, soul, gospel, and modern swing." Featured in the rhythm section are Adam Klipple on organ, Pete McCann on guitar, and Tony Jefferson on drums. During the initial conversation about the album’s concept, Houston emphatically stated his mantra, “don’t forget the blues.” Blue Vision has the blues, and so much more. The album features seven songs, five of which are Eric Person’s original compositions. There are updated versions of “Dear Old Stockholm” and Billie Holiday’s classic “Lover Man” as well as a couple of blues numbers: “Blue Vision” and “Old Hat Feathers.” “Geri,” featuring Eric on soprano saxophone, is a wonderful dedication to the late pianist Geri Allen. “Soul Saturation” is pure soul, gospel grit, with gutsy sophistication. The final track, “No Doubt True Dat” is a fast, modern swing number that teeters on the edge and will take you with it.

About the Artist

Born in St.Louis, Mo. Eric Person has been a fixture on the jazz scene since the early 80s. His diverse experiences have carried him across a wide spectrum of the jazz landscape. He has performed with such luminaries as McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, Chico Hamilton, John Hicks, Wallace Roney, the World Saxophone Quartet, and many others. In rock and Funk, he's performed with Vernon Reid, Ben Harper, and Bootsy Collins. Person's eleven CDs emphasize his compositional talent, adventurous spirit, and versatility. Person is a multi-instrumentalist who plays alto, soprano, tenor saxophones, and flute. Houston Person, an award-winning artist and major figure on the jazz scene since the early 60s, is definitely not foreign to collaborations. His work alongside the late vocalist Etta Jones is legendary. He has also performed and recorded with some of the best in the business such as Lena Horn, Horace Silver, Ron Carter, Johnny Hammond, and Joey DeFrancesco to name only a few. Houston is also featured on 130 recordings as a leader.