New Rare Grooves

[Soul Stream]

I've already forgotten what's coming and when. since Blue Note fails to announce anything about any of it on their site.

a reminder?....thanks...

[Ed S]

When in doubt, check Jazzmatazz:

Jazzmatazz

......"since Blue Note fails to announce anything about any of it on their site"

Hey, at least we all know when the new Madlib disc is coming out.

I ordered the new Rare Grooves:

Music Is My Sanctuary - Gary Bartz

Caricatures - Donald Byrd

Beautiful - Candido -

Got A Good Thing Going - John Patton

Edited April 16, 2003 by Ed Swinnich

[Noj]

I have the title track from the Gary Bartz and it is OK. I'm wondering, is the rest of the album better (less singing maybe)?

[David Ayers]

Uh... so like I asked in the other thread, are any of these Rare Grooves? ( I deleted the titles Ed listed. These remaining titles are listed for UK release this month...)

NAT ADDERLEY - GEORGE DUKE / WALTER BOOKER / ROY McCURDY / AIRTO MOREIRA / MAYUTO OCTAVIO / KING ERRISON : SOUL OF THE BIBLE - (1972 - Ex CAPITOL)

RONNIE FOSTER - ERNEST HAYES / DAVID SPINOZZA / JOHN TROPEA : SWEET REVIVAL - (1972)

EDDIE GALE feat. JIMMY LYONS / ROLAND ALEXANDER / RUSSELL LYLE / JUDAH SAMUEL / HENRY PEARSON / ELVIN JONES / JOHN ROBINSON / JOANN GALE STEVENS... : BLACK RHYTHM HAPPENING - (1969)

GRANT GREEN feat. MARVIN STAMM / IRVING 'MARKY' MARKOWITZ / HAROLD VICK / PHIL BODNER / RICHARD TEE / CORNELL DUPREE / GORDON EDWARDS / GRADY TATE... : THE FINAL COME-DOWN - (1971)

GENE HARRIS feat. AL AARONS / GEORGE BOHANNON / MIKE ALTSCHUL / FRED JACKSON / LEE RITENOUR / JOHN ROWIN / CHUCK RAINEY / KENNETH RICE... : NEXUS - (1975)

STANLEY JORDAN - WAYNE BRATHWAITE / PETER ERSKINE / SAMMY FIGUEROA / ONAJE ALLAN GUMBS / OMAR HAKIM / CHARNETT MOFFETT / BUGSY MOORE / AL Di MEOLA : MAGIC TOUCH - (1984)

ALPHONSE MOUZON - TOMMY BOLIN / JAY GRAYDON / LEE RITENOUR / JERRY PETERS / HENRY DAVIS : MIND TRANSPLANT - (1974)

Edited April 16, 2003 by David Ayers

[Soul Stream]

Is that THE Fred Jackson on Gene harris' "Nexus?" Didn't know he was still alive in 75 (from what I understand, nobody knows what became of him)

[jazzbo]

NOJ: The Bartz is pretty much the same all the way through. . . .

I like it, I bought it new when it appeared. Sentimental favorite. . . .

[Noj]

Thanks Lon. I'm more partial to songs I have heard on Harlem Bush Music than the song "Music Is My Sanctuary." :rsmile:

[Soul Stream]

i actually like some of those type things quite a bit. the more i hear about the bartz, the more i'm beginning to get excited about it....

[Ed S]

David

I think that the Rare Groove series is a US thing. It looks like you've got a list of some of the recent releases from the groove experience site at Blue Note France (except for the Stanley Jordan) Thus, I do not believe that the titles you have listed are "technically" part of the Rare Groove series.

I just picked up all of those you listed except for Soul of the Bible (someone would really have to convince me to get that one) and the Stanley Jordan. I would definitely classify all those that I picked up as Rare Groove type material. I really like the Ronnie Foster and Eddie Gale. The Harris is growing on me, though there is a lot of synthesizer that can be pretty annoying at times. The Mouzon is extremely guitar heavy, but not bad if you're in the mood. I've commented on the Final Comedown in another thread. Overall I like it but you really have to pick it up with the fact that it is a movie soundtrack featuring Grant Green in mind. It's not a Grant Green record per se.

Hope this helps.

Anybody hear Soul of the Bible? The samples on the groove experience site are kind of short.

[David Ayers]

Ah HAH!

Thanks Ed.

A man of my years and experince and I had no idea the French had their own Groove series. The ones we see in the UK are called Rare Groove and are the same as the US releases.

I'll have to check these out further.

[Kari S]

I had no idea the French had their own Groove series.

Yep. You can find more info from the "Black Rhythm Happening" thread here at this forum. Or you could point your browser at the GroovExperience website. Click "Les rééditions GrooveMasters" for a complete listing and sound samples.

[Brad]

How much vocals are we talking about on the Bartz. I don't know much about him but I try to avoid vocals.

Also, any views on Candido's Beautiful. Looks like a good lineup. Interestingly, AMG lists this originally as an RCA release. How did BN's parent get the rights to that.

[king ubu]

A man of my years and experince and I had no idea the French had their own Groove series.

David these are the Freedom Groove Series

[brownie]

King Ubu wrote:

                      David these are the Freedom Groove Series

Loved that one!

[jazzbo]

Brad, as far as I can tell, AMG is simply WRONG (once again) regarding the Candido. That is a very good session!

There are lots of vocals on the Bartz. It is an lp I like, but if you don't like the Mizelli Brothers production on the Donald Byrd sessions, you won't dig this one. (It IS different than the Byrd's to my ears, BUT it has a lot of vocals.) It's quite funky; fits in that way with the Rare Groove idea.

[Brad]

Lon,

I have to confess that I don't know the Mizelli Bros. Are you referring to the upcoming Caricature. I plead total ignorance here. If the Bartz has that many vocals, I'll probably pass anyway.

Thanks for your input on Candido. I want to pick that one up.

[Kari S]

I have to confess that I don't know the Mizelli Bros.

Ah, the infamous Mizell Bros... They are the cats who are responsible for Donald Byrd's "crossover" BN stuff in the early 70's. They produced and played on albums like Black Byrd, Street Lady, Stepping Into Tomorrow, Places And Spaces and yes, Caricatures. I guess you could call them jazz-funk. Each features one of the Mizell's lame vocals.

[jazzbo]

Yes, Brad, I'm referring to "Music is my Sanctuary." I think these are the best vocals yet on any of these albums produced by the Bros., but you may be wise to steer clear. (Some darned good dance music on this record though, and some great Bartz!)

[Ed S]

The Mizell Brothers stuff clearly is not for everyone. Over the years, I've come to peace with the Byrd/Mizell albums of that period by taking them as much for what they are - as I do for what they are not.

They're not jazz, so my expectations are different. If I had to put a label on them I'd say they're jazzed up funky/soul/dance music. In my opinion - in that genre - they are very good.

I listen to them differently and at different times and when I'm in different moods than when I listen to jazz. I've said it before in other threads, but this is great music for social gatherings. People dig it and tell me so. My wife enjoys this material too and it is nice to have some common ground when it comes to jazz and "jazzy" music of this type. I listen to this material in the car too - had Places and Spaces on yesterday as a matter of fact. I guess part of the reason I listen to this stuff and to other artists like Ronny Jordan, Rodney Jones, St Germain is I felt the need to "lighten up" a little in my listening. If nothing else, this stuff is funky, it grooves, it's danceable and I find it a fun listen.

I'm looking forward to both the Bartz and Byrd's Caricatures.

Edited April 19, 2003 by Ed Swinnich

[Brad]

Thank you for the input. Sounds like something I'd rather avoid. May be for others but not for me. These days, after having just installed a new septic system, I have to spend wisely.

[CJ Shearn]

I never enjoyed the Mizell Bros. production style, the vocals are just too cheeesy, I wonder what became of them? I think they used to work with the Jackson Five and other Motown artists before the massive quantities of Byrd shit

[bertrand]

Brad,

Good decision. The last thing you want to do is clog up your new septic system by flushing a Mizell Brothers production down the toilet

[jazzbo]

Unlike Bertrand, I enjoy some of the Mizelli Bros. as Ed does. They aren't jazz with a big intellectual angular angst-ridden "J" like Shorter Blue Notes, but they're fun and as Ed mentions good dance music that I find accessible to a lot of listeners in ways that other Blue Notes aren't.

[Soul Stream]

After seeing the Blue Note site with the new Rare Grooves, I have to admit a little disappointment. I'm a big Rare Grooves supporter but,....the Byrd and Bartz are very, very, very late Blue Note's with the Mizell touch. Not really what I consider prime Blue Note stuff for the Rare Groove Series. I guess they think this stuff has a better chance of selling to the kids.

Too bad. Of course the Patton is right on the money (no surprise from me!) Anyway, so much good stuff in the vaults. I'm glad Rare Grooves are back...but the last two batches aren't the greatest. Remember the original batches? They were GREAT!

[Kari S]

  I'm a big Rare Grooves supporter but,....the Byrd and Bartz are very, very, very late Blue Note's with the Mizell touch.  Not really what I consider prime Blue Note stuff for the Rare Groove Series. 

I totally agree. The Bartz and the Byrd might've been selected because they feature vocals, even. Maybe it will sell more, I don't know. But as you said, there's tons of great instrumental jazz-funk stuff just begging to be reissued. Where are Eddie Henderson's Heritage or Mahal, for example? I've got both on LP, and at least Heritage is a killer!

Edited April 22, 2003 by Kari S