BFT 150 Discussion and apologies for the delay

The Magnificent Goldberg · September 5, 2016

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Taking no personal credit for this, but I got some homies...we have two Gene Mc Daniels performances on this BFT, correct?

So I guess RosettaTharpe, then? Honestly, a little of her goes a long way for me, unlike my first two guesses.

Gotta get that Gene McDaniels/Marty Paitch record, I had noooooo idea.

Yes, you're right about Gene McDaniels.

I saw him in Harrow in 1961, with my mates Rose and Sue. He was on a rock package tour with Johnny Burnette (over whom Rose used to lust rather a lot) and Gary US Bonds, whom we all liked. We also liked Gene, particularly because of the B side of his third single, 'Chip chip', not as compelling a hit as '100 lbs of clay' and 'Tower of strength' but not bad. But the B side, 'Another tear falls' was quite a different matter. So we went and I put up with Burnette who, after all, wasn't entirely awful, despite looking like the typical teen idol. Gene came on after the interval, did his singles to mucho applause, though people probably didn't know he'd written those hits that UK artists had covered very successfully. Then he sang 'Spring is here' and stopped the goddamn show! After he'd finished it, there was about half a minute's silence, then WILD applause. (How different audiences were then!)

So I never heard much about him until 'Compared to what' by Les McCann & Eddie Harris, then, a couple of years later, his own 'Headless heroes of the apocalypse', which I don't think I appreciated - didn't like it anyway. But I always knew, somewhere, there'd be a Gene McDaniels album that would be IT! And I found it on a blog a few months ago.

So, no personal credit to you, Jim? Don't tell me one of your kids recognised him. No, The good Mrs Sangrey? Not impossible, but how old was she in '61, so unlikely. So who fingered him for you, Jim?

And, by the way, it ain't Sister Rosetta Tharpe, of whom a little also goes a LOOOOONG way with me.

Fer Crissakes, Jim, listen to the room!

MG

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Oh yeah, you could hide Fatback Band, but there is no hiding George Adams!!!!

Well, I guess not from you

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

OK. 14, if not Brook Benton...The feel of the strings is very Nelson Riddle-ish, theway they ease into the sound rather than attack it head on. So I wwould think Capitol records and...Ed Townsend just as a guess, but that does not return any results. More work to do on this one.

Not Ed Townsend. Nice idea, though. Oh, not even west coast.

MG

JSngry · September 5, 2016

I have local and cyber friends with big ears and deep tastes, and I knew I knew that voice from somewhete. So I sent them the files and asked who the he'll was this. I got an answer back in less than ten minutes. So no credit to me for anything other than having friends who know more than I do!

Ok, Google the lyrics, find the song, then go from there. Koko Taylor, Blue Prelude. OK then.

I mean, we all loved Koko Taylor, but she never scared me like Bigs Mamathornton & Maybelle often did. But this was powerful enough to point that way, thus the guesses.

The Magnificent Goldberg · September 5, 2016

I remembered that the backing band for that show was Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers.

They weren't a bunch of good session musicians, just a bunch of guys from Norfolk, which his kind of like being from the Appalachians. But they backed up all three acts well. The baritone player doubled on piano. Two bass guitars, plus lead and rhythm. Even people from out the back could be good back then.

MG

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I have local and cyber friends with big ears and deep tastes, and I knew I knew that voice from somewhete. So I sent them the files and asked who the he'll was this. I got an answer back in less than ten minutes. So no credit to me for anything other than having friends who know more than I do!

Ok, Google the lyrics, find the song, then go from there. Koko Taylor, Blue Prelude. OK then.

I mean, we all loved Koko Taylor, but she never scared me like Bigs Mamathornton & Maybelle often did. But this was powerful enough to point that way, thus the guesses.

OK, the man with friends...

Yes, and another BOINGGG! It's Koko.

Well, gotta say, she damn well scared me with 'Insane asylum' back in the day. I don't know her detailed discography but it wouldn't surprise me to find that 'Blue prelude' was recorded at the same session as 'Insane asylum'. That's why I said you should listen to the room.

MG

Jim R · September 5, 2016

Damn, I had Koko in mind from the beginning, but not being a fan, I know too little about her to have thought she went back (in years) far enough to fit with your previous comment, MG.

Jim's comments about 14 have me listening to that more closely now. I'm not confident that I will recognize the voice, but it's always intriguing when it comes to analyzing vocalists. To my ears, the soulfulness sounds a bit deliberate/contrived (as compared to some other singers, that is) at certain points in the song. Hope that isn't too harsh, but... subjectivity and all, you know. MFH is a wonderful vehicle, though, and that certainly helps.

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

I have local and cyber friends with big ears and deep tastes, and I knew I knew that voice from somewhete. So I sent them the files and asked who the hell was this. I got an answer back in less than ten minutes. So no credit to me for anything other than having friends who know more than I do!

The truth finally comes out!! So, this whole thing has been a charade since 2003? Dude, you're a notch below Cosby now.

The Magnificent Goldberg · September 5, 2016

1 hour ago, Jim R said:

Damn, I had Koko in mind from the beginning, but not being a fan, I know too little about her to have thought she went back (in years) far enough to fit with your previous comment, MG.

Jim's comments about 14 have me listening to that more closely now. I'm not confident that I will recognize the voice, but it's always intriguing when it comes to analyzing vocalists. To my ears, the soulfulness sounds a bit deliberate/contrived (as compared to some other singers, that is) at certain points in the song. Hope that isn't too harsh, but... subjectivity and all, you know. MFH is a wonderful vehicle, though, and that certainly helps.

The truth finally comes out!! So, this whole thing has been a charade since 2003? Dude, you're a notch below Cosby now.

Yeah, a charade!

Re 14 - you're kind of on the right track, though you may well disagree.

Re Koko - I guess you mean Isham Jones...

MG

Jim R · September 5, 2016

Yeah, I threw myself off after your "This song is a good bit older than that" comment. I was thinking in terms of the recording date rather than the age of the composition. Either way, I was too chicken to mention Koko, so no points for me.

JSngry · September 5, 2016

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=MFH

A wonderful vehicle? Seriously?

TMI!!!!

Is My Foolish Heart going to be by somebody I've probably heard of, or somebody I'd have to be a cloud in the dark to find? Because too much past Brook Benson with that sound, I got nowhere to go.

JSngry · September 5, 2016

Ok, found it with the help of my friends YouTube & patience. Ben. E. King again, songs for soulful lovers on atco. I really had NO idea, wow, might want to find that one too.

Claus Ogerman possible arranger, ok, definitely post-Riddle, making sense now.

That CD is dirt cheap on Amazon...does it come with any person ell details, like is that Joe Newman on trumpet?

randyhersom · September 5, 2016

Boy this BFT is hoppin' - I kept getting notifications but couldn't read until I listened, and rushed though so I could see the action. There, excuses prepared!

I like how this one finds common threads between great pop and great jazz.

1. True Stride was not usually played with piano bass and drums, so I think this is jazz homage rather than pure boogie. Mary Lou Williams?
2. Burner with organ and band. Maybe Illinois Jacquet?
3. Vocal version of Monk's Straight No Chaser. I'll give Jon Hendricks the nod over Murphy amd Elling.
4. Swamp rock tinged jazz version (or vice versa) of In The Midnight Hour, medleying over to Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay. I'm guessing vocalist is better known for pop than jazz.
5. Stevie Ray Vaughn has nudged out Derek Trucks for my guess here. Loving this as pure music, labels not needed.
6. Azure Te by a silky male voice.
7. Could be Sarah Vaughn. Parody/answer song to Happiness is a Thing Called Joe.
8. Did Gene Ammons record with both piano and organ? Works well!
9. Sounds like Bobby Blue Bland.
10. Big gritty female voice. I'm not getting close with my knowledge of singers of the likely period, I don't think it's Etta James.
11. Production hints at 50's or 60's. Nat King Cole?
12. Getting rich quick, or not. Jimmy Rushing?
13. Electric bass underpins a perky, piano dominated mix.
14. Pop take on My Foolish Heart, maybe Jackie Wilson?
15. Souvenirs
16. If you don't want to get in trouble don't mess with this deep voiced lady.
17. Don't mess with Billy Eckstine. (from the intro I expected the Marvelettes to come in) Close Your Eyes sounds like the title.
18. Shirley Scott recorded with bass players more than most organists, and this fits the style. I suspect, but am not sure the organist is switching to piano, which Shirley can do.
19. Can't rule out Carmen McRae.
20. Hank Crawford seems like a possibility
21. Another Gene Ammons guess.
22. Two pianos with conga - I know Red Garland recorded with conga, perhaps he did some overdubbing?
23. This sounds a lot more like Mary Lou Williams than track 1 - but wait the band comes in, sounding a little too modern for the Asch recordings. The piano sounds chopsier than I would think for Basie. Early Jones-Lewis with Roland Hanna maybe?

Jim R · September 5, 2016

#5 is certainly listenable, and no vocal is okay by me, but nothing particularly surprising happens, and it doesn't ever really seem to arrive anywhere. Strong "Thrill Is Gone" influence it seems, but without the drama. Kind of like a band intro before the star walks on stage. Pretty strong feel and tone, though. I will give it some points for that. Anyway, it reminds me of one of those 60's Chicago vets... Jimmy Dawkins? Luther Allison? Don't think it's Son Seals or Lonnie Brooks (Guitar Junior) or Mighty Joe Young. Hmm...

The Magnificent Goldberg · September 6, 2016

10 hours ago, JSngry said:

Ok, found it with the help of my friends YouTube & patience. Ben. E. King again, songs for soulful lovers on atco. I really had NO idea, wow, might want to find that one too.

Claus Ogerman possible arranger, ok, definitely post-Riddle, making sense now.

That CD is dirt cheap on Amazon...does it come with any person ell details, like is that Joe Newman on trumpet?

Yep, you got it.

I think Mr King's a hard singer to pin down; not truly, honestly a soul singer, though he nonetheless made important classics in soul's development period. And a few later. But, after I heard 'Songs for soulful lovers', I realised he was really a pop singer, who sang in many different styles, not many of them necessarily black styles.

I think I've seen somewhere that the trumpet player is Sweets Edison. The sleeve notes are no help at all, however.

MG

10 hours ago, randyhersom said:

Boy this BFT is hoppin' - I kept getting notifications but couldn't read until I listened, and rushed though so I could see the action. There, excuses prepared!

I like how this one finds common threads between great pop and great jazz.

1. True Stride was not usually played with piano bass and drums, so I think this is jazz homage rather than pure boogie. Mary Lou Williams?
2. Burner with organ and band. Maybe Illinois Jacquet?
3. Vocal version of Monk's Straight No Chaser. I'll give Jon Hendricks the nod over Murphy amd Elling.
4. Swamp rock tinged jazz version (or vice versa) of In The Midnight Hour, medleying over to Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay. I'm guessing vocalist is better known for pop than jazz.
5. Stevie Ray Vaughn has nudged out Derek Trucks for my guess here. Loving this as pure music, labels not needed.
6. Azure Te by a silky male voice.
7. Could be Sarah Vaughn. Parody/answer song to Happiness is a Thing Called Joe.
8. Did Gene Ammons record with both piano and organ? Works well!
9. Sounds like Bobby Blue Bland.
10. Big gritty female voice. I'm not getting close with my knowledge of singers of the likely period, I don't think it's Etta James.
11. Production hints at 50's or 60's. Nat King Cole?
12. Getting rich quick, or not. Jimmy Rushing?
13. Electric bass underpins a perky, piano dominated mix.
14. Pop take on My Foolish Heart, maybe Jackie Wilson?
15. Souvenirs
16. If you don't want to get in trouble don't mess with this deep voiced lady.
17. Don't mess with Billy Eckstine. (from the intro I expected the Marvelettes to come in) Close Your Eyes sounds like the title.
18. Shirley Scott recorded with bass players more than most organists, and this fits the style. I suspect, but am not sure the organist is switching to piano, which Shirley can do.
19. Can't rule out Carmen McRae.
20. Hank Crawford seems like a possibility
21. Another Gene Ammons guess.
22. Two pianos with conga - I know Red Garland recorded with conga, perhaps he did some overdubbing?
23. This sounds a lot more like Mary Lou Williams than track 1 - but wait the band comes in, sounding a little too modern for the Asch recordings. The piano sounds chopsier than I would think for Basie. Early Jones-Lewis with Roland Hanna maybe?

Sorry, no correct guesses, Randy. Some interesting misses and observations - you're right about #4 - Jim just got a friend to tell him last night

As I expect you've seen, Jim Sangrey & co got pretty well everything.

MG

8 hours ago, Jim R said:

#5 is certainly listenable, and no vocal is okay by me, but nothing particularly surprising happens, and it doesn't ever really seem to arrive anywhere. Strong "Thrill Is Gone" influence it seems, but without the drama. Kind of like a band intro before the star walks on stage. Pretty strong feel and tone, though. I will give it some points for that. Anyway, it reminds me of one of those 60's Chicago vets... Jimmy Dawkins? Luther Allison? Don't think it's Son Seals or Lonnie Brooks (Guitar Junior) or Mighty Joe Young. Hmm...