J. J. Johnson, The Trombone and Me…

From the beginning, I decided I wanted to play trombone in Lester Young's linear manner. Many trombonists were using tricks and gimmicks, glissandi and wah-wahs which I wanted to avoid. Then I heard Dizzy and Bird and was floored like everyone else by this new music. It was difficult at first, Dizzy gave me the most encouragement... he extended himself. He knows a lot about the trombone. He taught me positioning and how to deal with the so called bebop situation.

                          J.J. Johnson

I had the encouragement from people like Dizzy when I was struggling with lines of bebop tunes. I recall Dizzy planting seeds, saying "J.J. try it this way." I was amazed when it worked out because Dizzy is not a trombone player and nobody realized that he knew anything about trombone technique, but he did. He'd show me little tricks with the slide, and sure enough, it would be easier. It wasn't only Dizzy, though, people planted little seed here and there that paid off dividends in a big way.

                         J. J. Johnson

Jay & Kai (1955) signed by J. J., Hank Jones

Johnson is to his horn what Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were to theirs. When he came to full power, his work had the dreamy smoothness heard in Lester Young, the crackle of Roy Eldridge's fourth gear lyricism, the rhythmically intricate contempt espoused by Charlie Parker for the limitations of articulation, and the gnarled wit of Dizzy Gillespie.

                         critic Stanley Crouch

It started with the very first time I ever heard Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring. Then, I became hooked on classical music. The person who introduced me to Stravinsky was (trumpeter-composer) Johnny Carisi. I don't know how it happened that we, meaning a bunch of musicians, were at his place at one time, just talking about things and he said, "Hey I want you to hear something," and he played Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring. And this had nothing to do with jazz. But it blew my mind, it blew everyone's mind who was there.

                        J.J. Johnson

Pinnacles (1979) signed by J. J., Ron Carter, Tommy Flanagan

J. J. Johnson is one of the most important musicians of the bebop jazz era (or any era!), and his contributions and compositions on the trombone were truly revolutionary. His towering influence continues to this day, as the noted trombonist (and long time SNL band member) Steve Turre stated, "J.J. did for the trombone what Charlie Parker did for the saxophone. And all of us that are playing today wouldn't be playing the way we're playing if it wasn't for what he did. And not only, of course, is he the master of the trombone - the definitive master of this century - but, as a composer and arranger, he is in the top shelf as well."

Born in Indianapolis, J.J. initially played piano when he was nine, before switching to the trombone several years later. As J.J. revealed, "I really cannot imagine what attracted me to it. It's the most ungainly, awkward, beastly hard instrument you can imagine." He proved to be a quick study and his talents were developed and enhanced when he turned eighteen and joined Benny Carter's orchestra for three years, Count Basie for one year, and then he played with the great honking tenor man Illinois Jacquet. He remembered his time with Illinois fondly, "One who really helped me was Illinois Jacquet. 'C'mon J.J. let's play this line in unison,' he'd say, and then he'd tell me that I could do it. He was always a source of encouragement, and after awhile, I began to believe him. I was lucky to be exposed to such people... Jacquet was a wonderful bebopper, but he would do it offstage, over in the corner somewhere when he practiced. He played marvelous bebop, but then he went on stage and played the show he was famous for, honking and screaming." 

Sonny Rollins Vol. 2 (1957) signed by J. J., Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver

More and more, J.J. was attracted to the small groups that were playing bebop in and around New York City, a nascent music championed by the brilliant Dizzy Gillespie and the transcendent Charlie Parker. One memorable session occurred in December 1947 for Dial Records with Charlie Parker who was fresh off a stint at the Camarillo State Mental Hospital. Though J.J. couldn't recall much about the studio gig, the effect of being with Bird, "made your knees shake a lot, bump up against each other." No doubt, it was pretty heady stuff for the twenty-three year old Johnson who had been playing the trombone in earnest for less than a decade to jam with prodigiously talented Charlie Parker. And I'm sure J.J. wasn't the only one with knees knocking in the presence of the indomitable Bird.

From 1949 to 1966, J.J. was quite prolific, releasing more than twenty-four records as a leader, while also appearing on countless sessions with Cannonball Adderley, Donald Byrd, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and other jazz royalty. However, J.J. grew a bit disenchanted with the New York recording and club scene, and in 1970, at the behest of his friend Quincy Jones, moved to California to become a film composer. As he explained, "After living in New York for so many years, my wife, Vivian, and I felt the need for a drastic change in our lifestyle. As destiny would have it, at the same time, I felt the urge to explore movie composition."

The Great Kai & J. J. (1960) signed by J. J.

The experience was not as rewarding as he had hoped, as he encountered skepticism as a jazz musician, and racism as an African American. In a 1999 interview, J.J. did not mince words, "The film community is a whole 'other world, and I can say without reservation... you're in a very racist element here. There are no black film composers doing the likes of Star Wars, E.T...Jurassic Park. There are none, nor will there ever be one..." Thus his talents were relegated to blaxploitation films - Man And Boy (1971) with Bill Withers, Top Of The Heap (1972), Across 110th Street (1972) with Bobby Womack, Cleopatra Jones (1973) with Millie Jackson, and Willie Dynamite (1974) with Martha Reeves - and, far worse, TV crap like Starsky & Hutch, Mike Hammer, and The Six Million Dollar Man. It had to be a soul crushing experience for a gifted arranger and composer but J.J. soldiered on, keeping his jazz skills fresh by playng in the Carol Burnett orchestra, "So that my chops wouldn't go completely down the tubes, I took many little odd jobs playing studio situations. For a little better than two years I played third trombone under Peter Matz's conducting for the Carol Burnett Show. Not much money, but it was a good way to keep my chops in shape with a predictable activity. We rehearsed every Thursday, we did the show every Friday, so it kept my chops in pretty good shape while I was doing film scoring in the main." It is unfathomable to me that J.J. was relegated to the third trombone chair. Who were the first and second trombone players?! I'm quite sure neither had ever played with Bird, Dizzy or Sonny or composed jazz standards like "Wee Dot", "Lament", and "Enigma", or Poem For Brass which premiered at the Monterey Jazz Festival in the late 1950s.

Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company (1983) signed by J. J., Milt Jackson, Ray Brown

For seventeen years, J.J. and his wife stayed in Los Angeles, suffering the slings, arrows and indignities of the film industry. Occasionally, J.J. would enter a studio to record, but he released only five or six albums during this time. When J.J. and Vivian left Los Angeles in 1987, they returned to Indianapolis, back to their roots where they had both been born and had family ties. J.J. resumed his recording and touring career with a vengeance until health issues forced him to retire in 1996.

I was fortunate to see J.J. at Blues Alley in Washington, DC in the late 1980s. The small club was packed with jazz fans who were eager to see such a formidable legend in an intimate setting. He did not disappoint. His trombone skills had not eroded, and he played brilliantly as his slide glided effortlessly while blowing intricate bebop jazz lines.

Mad Bebop (1978 release, 1946-1954 recordings) signed by J. J.

After the show, I went back stage with some vinyl for a visit. J.J. was warm and engaging as he signed the vinyl. When I handed him Mad Bebop, he seemed surprised, "What's this? What a crazy cover! I’ve never seen this." I said it was a compilation of Savoy recordings from 1946-1954 that were cobbled together and rereleased in 1978.  "That's definitely not me behind the (trombone) bell," he added. He loved the Jay & Kai album from 1955, as J.J and fellow trombone ace Kai Winding had a long and fruitful partnership releasing fourteen albums between 1953-1969. "He was a great player and we had a lot of fun together." Sonny Rollins Vol. 2 elicited this response, "What a great session this was, especially with (Thelonious) Monk and Horace (Silver). Great players all." I thanked J.J. for his time and his music, hoping to see him perform again which sadly didn’t happen.

J. J. Johnson spent his entire life innovating, composing, arranging, and breaking down barriers wherever he went. Perhaps he summed it up best: "As we all know, Dizzy Gillespie coined that term, bebop. But in my opinion, the towering Dizzy Gillespie and his immense genius and his immense talents far transcended that little box that's labelled "bebop." Dizzy Gillespie was much more than bebop. And so the problem I have with bebop is that it tends to categorize you, and place you in a small box that is very confining and very uncomfortable. I can only hope that I, too, am bigger than the the box that's labeled "bebop." I try to be bigger than bebop, even though I am labelled, always have been and probably will always be labelled "the pioneer of bebop trombone." So be it. I inherited that and I lived with that and that's OK."

BeBop (1988) signed by J. J., Milt Jackson, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton, Mickey Roker

J.J., thanks for all your music. A lifetime and legacy creating such beauty out of a "most ungainly , awkward, beastly hard instrument,’ far bigger than any box labelled bebop…

Things Are Getting Better All The Time (1984) signed by Al Grey

Choice J.J. Johnson cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzXrUKLhTA4
“Willie’s Escape” 1973

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvgf0yPAqGI

“Blue Trombone “ 1957

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6uT4WPbTz0

”Buzzy” J.J. Johnson and friends live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2-nVMoN_BA

”Blue Monk” 1960

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__jCTs9c9iY

”My Favorite Things” Broadway 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoYlZ7IFkqM
“Tune Up” live 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMlNxauBWZE
“Satin Doll” A Touch Of Satin 1961

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKAd2sogy9w
“Blue Bossa” live at Umbria Jazz Festival 1993

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFMfcE5NAL0
“Misty” 1988

Abdullah Ibrahim, South Africa and Me…

Wherever we are as musicians, jazz musicians or contemporary musicians, there's no way you can escape Ellington, or the influence of Ellington. So in South Africa, we grew up with Ellington, and for me, as a pianist and composer, Ellington was, and still is, one of the primary forces in music. He gave us guidelines and guidance, and for us, Ellington was not just an American, he was just a wise old man in the village.                     

                   Abdullah Ibrahim

Duke Ellington Presents The Dollar Brand Trio (1963) signed by Abdullah

Composition means you have to be composed so the message can flow through you - it's like a state of Zen. It serves as a purification, and it's a high. The only way down is to let yourself become the vessel of the almighty.

                         Abdullah Ibrahim

If what I grew up with in South Africa is world  music, I don't know what it means. Perhaps it's to identify it as folklore, but what makes it separate? Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) said, 'All music is folk music. I never heard a horse sing.' The only criterion I have is whether it moves you.

                           Abdullah Ibrahim

Soweto (1978) signed by Abdullah

if you want to be a jazz musician, you go back to Jelly Roll Morton, Ellington, Monk. With us, we were the first; there were no improvisers before us. We had to devise our own vocabulary. With any improvisation, you're going into uncharted waters, putting your life on the line. But Jazz music helps you do that without fear.

Abdullah Ibrahim

Ode To Duke Ellington (1973) signed by Abdullah

Born Adolph Johannes Brand in Cape Town, South Africa in 1934, Abdullah Ibrahim is one of the great jazz pianists and composers. He was surrounded by music as a child, a swirl of African Khoi-san music mixed in with spirituals and gospel which he learned from his grandmother who was the pianist for a local African Methodist Episcopalian Church, and his mother who steered the choir. He started taking piano lessons at seven, and performed professionally by age fifteen. He was a quick and voracious study.

Though he wanted to study medicine, Ibrahim was denied because of his race, nor was he allowed to attend the music conservatory. As he later confided, "So I decided to study on my own - I'm still studying. The quest for knowledge was insatiable in the ghetto. We were reading Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, Shakespeare, the Bhagavad Gita, Confucius. We realized that though we were in bondage, our minds were not."

Ibrahim was lucky to survive the strife that surrounded the rough neighborhood where he grew up, as he later recounted, "We grew up drinking alcohol and smoking pot, and I lost a lot of close friends to gangs and prison. They died of addiction or were murdered. The thing that saved me was the music. In all that horror, it was at least clean, you were dealing with something beautiful."

By the late 1950s, he formed the Dollar Brand Trio (he converted to Islam in 1968 and took his current name) and in 1959 formed the Jazz Epistles with Hugh Masekela on trumpet, Kippie Moeketsi on saxophone, Jonas Gwanga on trombone, Johnny Gertze on bass, and Makaya Ntshoko on drums. This extremely talented band would go on to release the first jazz album in South Africa, an historic and important occasion. The epicenter of jazz and creativity in Cape Town was District Six, as Ibrahim recalled, "A fantastic city within a city. Where you felt the fist of apartheid, it was the valve to release some of that pressure. In the late 50s and 60s, when the regime clamped down, it was still a place where people could mix freely. It attracted musicians, writers, politicians at the forefront of the struggle. We played and everybody would be there."

The Journey (1977) signed by Abdullah

The bonhomie and good times didn't last long, however, as the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela, and the banning of the African National Congress (ANC) stymied artistic, human and musical development on all levels, and artists like Ibrahim, Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and others lit out for new territories. In 1962, Ibrahim and his girlfriend (later his wife), singer Sathima Bea Benjamin, settled in Zurich, Switzerland and undertook a three year contract playing at the Club Africana. There, in 1963, after attending a Duke Ellington concert, Sathima cajoled and persuaded the great Duke Ellington to see her husband perform at the Club Africana after Duke's concert. Her persistence paid off, as Duke attended a late night gig at the club, and was very impressed by what he heard. He signed Dollar Brand (as he was then known), and produced and recorded an album in Paris, Duke Ellington Presents The Dollar Brand Trio. It was Ibrahim's first solo album in a career that would span sixty-plus years and more than ninety albums, including his most recent release Balance in 2019. There was a beautiful symmetry to the serendipitous meeting between Duke, Ibrahim and his wife which he related, "She was a young vocalist and somebody asked me if I could accompany her for a concert in Cape Town, which I agreed. You know, pianists don't like to play for vocalists. When I arrived at the rehearsal studio, there was this very beautiful lady, and I asked her, 'What are you going to sing?' She said, 'I Got It Bad, (And That Ain't Good.)' It was amazing because I was working on the song, the Ellington song myself. So that created that bond even before we met Ellington." The album sold well and led to other opportunities with Ibrahim playing clubs, concert halls, and theaters all over the world, which continues to this day. 

If Duke Ellington was Ibrahim's primary influence, Thelonious Monk was clearly second, especially with regard to composition. Ibrahim explained, "At a very early age, I was compared to Monk and Debussy. But for us, what Monk did was so natural; the rhythmic approach people found weird was totally in the African tradition. When I met him, I said, 'Thank you for all the inspiration.' He was so surprised. He said, You're the first piano player to tell me that.' "

Buddy Tate Meets Dollar Brand (1977) signed by Abdullah, Cecil McBee

After some riotous and reckless living, Ibrahim converted to Islam in 1968 and credits the religion with saving his life, "Music was part of the reason, because in Islam the music is naturally integrated. You don't just feel the Koran, you sing it, in remembrance of Allah. I had gone through a bad period, partly in New York. I stopped smoking, I stopped drinking, found an inner peace. There is nothing really I want or need for myself now, because Allah has blessed me. My main concern is for others, for the liberation of my people, the establishment of justice. Music is just a means toward the end." The writer Mandla Langa concurs, "But for religion, Abdullah would have been dead. He's very disciplined, single-minded. Martial arts and music became self-reinforcing themes in his life."

Eventually, Ibrahim and his wife moved to New York City (even living in the Chelsea Hotel for a long time), as did many of his fellow South African jazz artists, a diaspora of exiles and expats in search of a more welcoming and creative environment. Ibrahim would remain in exile until the early 1990s when Nelson Mandela was released, although his intermittent visits, concerts and recordings provided excitement and relief to a beleaguered nation, especially during the scourge of the Apartheid years. Of his song "Mannenberg" (renamed "Cape Town Fringe" on its 1975 US release) which became an anthem for the struggle against Apartheid, Ibrahim recalled its unusual origin and success. While he was in the studio recording other songs, he saw an upright piano, similar to the ones he had played at home and in small clubs.  "I thought, 'Great, an old upright piano,' I touched this piano, and I thought, 'What?' I sat at this piano, and it goes first time (the opening notes of Mannenberg). Wow! This thing sounds so nice, it's grooving. I tell my musicians that I work with, that a lot of music is written right there. So they bring pens and pencils and paper. I'm a composer, you don't know when it's going to happen. So this is how "Mannenberg" was written." The muse had struck. Ibrahim and his colleagues, especially saxophonist Basil Coetzee, completed the thirteen minute song in one take, an intoxicating groove which belies its intense subject matter - the annexation in District Six and the removal and bulldozing of ancestral homes that was so abhorrent and, unfortunately, so common in 1970s South Africa.

Cape Town Fringe (1974) signed by Abdullah

While they knew they had a great song, now they had to sell it. Among the record companies in South Africa, they found no takers, “So now we're in Johannesburg, nobody wants it. (Recording engineer) Rashid Vally has this little record shop, so I say to Rashid, 'Why don't we just make demos and put loudspeakers outside and play them?' We sold over 10,000 in two weeks over the counter without covers... it was incredible." Remarkable, even more remarkable when you consider a hit in South Africa in those days sold 20,000 copies in total.

The song and its significance became part of the cultural fabric of South Africa, as Ibrahim allowed, "And the public and the people picked up the song, and it was played and sung everywhere. And, in some regards, it has become almost like an unofficial national anthem of South Africa." A hit in 1975, it was revived at anti-apartheid protests and rallies in the 1980s and 1990s. Writer Mandla Langa explained, "The tune became a popular metaphor for all the townships where trouble brewed." The song was also smuggled into Robben Island and played for the still incarcerated Nelson Mandela, the first music Nelson had heard in decades. Ibrahim also played at the 1994 inauguration of Nelson Mandela, an event which I'm sure he never thought would occur. As Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel so eloquently eulogized Ibrahim colleague and saxophonist Basil Coetzee in March 1998, "It seems like just yesterday that I first heard that riff... that special sound that helped build that wider family during a time of deep repression, when speech was not enough. That sound which is something we can feel but not explain, which gave voice to the speechlessness of those times." An amazing song by equally amazing musicians.

Black Lightning (1976) signed by Abdullah

I saw Ibrahim recently at the Jazz Standard in New York City. He performed with his band Ekaya, consisting of baritone and tenor saxophone, trombone, bass and drums. The show started with Ibrahim on stage alone playing the ruminative ballad "Dreamtime." Blessed with an exquisite touch, he spaced his notes with deliberate care. It was elegantly beautiful. Then the bassist joined him with a bow, along with a flautist. More like chamber jazz on this track, each song flowed seamlessly into the next, a sprawling suite of uncompromising beauty and elegance. Ibrahim would play solo and then a knowing glance to his fellow musicians off stage would beckon them to join him as they did in mid-song. Languid blues would be followed by free jazz, a cascading cacophony of notes supplied by the formidable front line of trombone, baritone and tenor saxophone. Even "Mannenberg" made an appearance, its jaunty and rollicking groove punctuated by several fine saxophone solos. Near the end of the performance, he worked in "Skippy" from the pen of Thelonious Monk, a cut from his recent release Balance. It was disjointed and dissonant, perfectly imperfect in the Monk tradition. Overall, a beautiful night of music rendered by expert musicians.

Now it was time for a visit to get some vinyl signed.  When I met him back stage, Ibrahim was peaceful and humble like the Zen master he is. I thanked him for his wonderful performance and handed him some of my favorite records. When he signed his first album Duke Ellington Presents Dollar Brand, he grew pensive, "Duke was a great man. We all stand in his shadow." He smiled warmly as he signed Cape Town Fringe, a seminal album in the struggles of the South Africa, "That was a lot of fun to record." I thanked him again for his time, and especially his music. I was reminded of one of his recent statements, "Some do it because they have to do it. We do it because we want to... so we do not require much sleep, so we have to do it." 

Thanks Abdullah Ibrahim for the inspiration and hope. Sleep is definitely overrated!

Buddy Tate Meets Dollar Brand (1977) signed by Abdullah

Choice Abdullah Ibrahim Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Get3oF_ibuo

“Manenberg” (1974)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq9OqWdJ7x4&t=225s

“Dreamtime” and “Nisa”   Solo Piano  live at Paste Studios, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3B2LYP65ow

“The Pilgrim”  Mannenburg- Is Where It’s Happening  (1974) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4kO98avbDg

“Black Lightning” (1976)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YvSKhMiVnA

“Skippy”   The Balance   (2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhACPRwzIOo

“Soweto”  (1976)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL_k5Q5WEBs

“African Herbs”  (1976)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBf7yGbxtHw

“Water From An Ancient Well”  (1985)

African Marketplace (1980) signed by Cecil McBee

Lou Donaldson and Me…

I started on the clarinet when I was 9 or 10 years old. There was an Alcoa Aluminum plant in my hometown and the company had a band, which, of course, was all white. My mother went over to the bandleader and spoke to him. I have no idea what my mother said but he gave her a clarinet to give to me...From time to time the Alcoa band would have some tough music to play. They’d call my mother, who could play anything on the piano. She was a music teacher in town. When her students missed notes, she’d have a switch to encourage them to make the notes the next time. That’s why I was the only one in my family who didn’t play piano. I didn’t want to get whacked with that switch. 

                         Lou Donaldson 

Blues Walk (1958) signed by Lou

I was walking by the band room one day, and I hear this squeaking and squeaking and squeaking. I'm like, 'What's all that?' I stuck my head in the door, 'Who the f*ck is making all that noise?' And the band director said "Whatchu talkin' 'bout?" And I said, 'Man, that's the worst clarinet I ever heard. Give me that thing.' He said "Okay", so he put some music up, you know, a Barnum and Bailey march or something. I knew every thing because I played this in college. So I played. He said, "What's your name? You're the best clarinet player I've heard. You play saxophone too?" I said, 'Yeah.' I lied, I had never touched a saxophone, but he didn't know. He gave me a saxophone and a clarinet and said, "Take this back to the barracks and just start practicing. I'll call you when I can get you into the band." He called me about two weeks later, and by that time, I had the saxophone under my belt. And that's how I got in the band.

               Lou Donaldson joining the US Navy band and becoming an alto saxophonist

Good Gracious! (1963) signed by Lou, John Patton, Ben Dixon

My first encounter with Bird was unbelievable. I went to a place in Chicago where Gene Ammons played. Ammons had a great band, of course, everyone in there was using 'vitamins'...and this guy was laying over in the corner sleeping. He looked like a bum. Finally, somebody came in there and said, "Can you get him to play one?" I'm looking around, I didn't know who they were talking about. So finally, I went over there and woke him up. Somebody gave him a saxophone...he didn't have a saxophone, his saxophone was in the pawn shop. And man, you talk about playing a horn. I had never heard anything like that in my life. That made me almost go crazy, because the tone seems like it would cut right through your chest...that cat was playing some stuff! And I had never heard nothing like that before. I said, 'Who the hell is that?' Guy says, "That's Charlie Parker"...I knew that was something nobody else could do, and I was going to be one of the first ones to get on board with it.

               Lou Donaldson meeting Charlie Parker for the first time, circa 1944

Gravy Train (1961) signed by Lou

Then I heard Charlie Parker and my whole approach to the saxophone changed. I got what he was doing instantly. I had seen him a few years earlier in Chicago... when he was with Billy Eckstein’s band. Parker was so messed up he could hardly play anything. The suit he wore looked like he had been wearing it for six months. At first, I thought he was a bum. Then someone told me he was the guy I liked so much on the Jay McShann records... I still it, “The Jumping Blues” with Jay McShann in 1942, which had “Sepian Stomp” on the other side. I played that record until you could see the aluminum in the disc. Parker was the only one playing that way even then, and all of us were trying to figure out what he was doing.

                         Lou Donaldson 

The Sermon! (1958) signed by Lou, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell

Blues is jazz. If it wasn't blues, it sounds like other music. A note is a note, but when you play a note with a blues feeling, it sounds different from other notes. I've heard a million guitar players play the shit out of a guitar, but non of them sounds like B.B. King. You know why? Because of the way he bends his notes on the guitar. The blues, if you never had 'em, you can't play 'em. You can't play the blues when you're at home, and Mama and Papa are paying the rent. You can't play the blues. Now, when you get married, and you have two or three kids, and the first of the moth is coming up, you start feelin' 'em! You watch musicians, you listen to 'em in their 20s and 30s, and listen to 'em when they get be 50 and 60. There's a different sound in that music.   

               Lou Donaldson

Signifyin’ (1963) signed by Lou, John Patton, Ben Dixon

We made about 10 or 15 hit records. The biggest one we made, “Alligator Boogaloo,” we made the date and we were three minutes short. I said, 'We don’t have no more material.' And the guy said just play anything for three minutes so we can fill out the time. So I just made the riff and naturally, the guys could follow it. That’s the only damn thing that sold on the record. All that other stuff we had been rehearsing, our relatives wouldn’t even buy it. Music is a funny thing. Sometimes it’s what you don’t do that works. That’s what happens today. Too many cats are playing past the money, you know what I mean? They want to play like Trane, and Trane played past the money. See, if he played the joints where I played, they’d throw him out after one song.

               Lou Donaldson on his biggest hit, "Alligator Boogaloo"

Alligator Boogaloo (1967) signed by Lou, Dr. Lonnie Smith

Ninety years young, Lou Donaldson was still blowing a formidable alto saxophone when I saw him perform recently at the Blue Note in New York City. Though diminutive in stature, he was a commanding presence when he ascended the small stage accompanied by his fine musicians, Mike LeDonne on Hammond B3 organ, Eric Johnson on guitar, and a "young lion", the ferocious McClenty Hunter on drums. Lou introduced his accomplished band mates, then he said, "Tonight, we're going to play straight ahead jazz. There will be no fusion, no confusion. No Kenny G, no Spyro Gyra, no Heavy D, no Snoop Doggy Dogg, and no Fifty Cent, 'cause he ain't worth a quarter." The first song was "Blues Walk", perhaps Lou's best known composition, a breezy, bluesy romp that set the mood. Lou was not kidding when he admonished the Blue Note audience, he (blues) walked the talk!

Hot Dog (1969) signed by Lou, Dr. Lonnie Smith

Born in Badin, North Carolina, Lou attended the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro in the early 1940s. He was an honor roll student and his parents wanted him to study law. Lou had other ideas and interests, "My father was a AME Zion minister and he listened to church music, spiritual music for many, many years. And that's related to the blues. After I started playing, I heard nothing but the blues in the South, that's all we heard down there. When I was in the U.S. Navy, I heard Charlie Parker and he was one of the greatest blues players of all time. I tried to develop my style like he did, and that's where it came from." 

Mr. Shing-A-Ling (1967) signed by Lou, Dr. Lonnie Smith

While stationed in Chicago during World War II, Lou saw Charlie Parker perform and he was never the same. He knew he wanted to be a professional musician despite his family's protestations. His family was very concerned about Lou's debilitating asthma, "My parents wanted me to do something else because I was asthmatic, and they figured that playing a horn is the last thing they'd want you to do. But they were wrong, because playing the horn actually made me survive. The diaphragm, breathing, and stuff like that, it made my lungs much stronger than weaker." Of Charlie Parker, Lou remembered, "He was just different. The sound was different. The way he played was different, the way he would drive when he played, the power behind his phrases, just different. And everything was swinging, just different from anybody else. You actually would have to live back during that era to understand it. Nobody else was playing that way, but him."

Everything I Play Is Funky (1970) signed by Lou, Dr. Lonnie Smith

Lou Donaldson has gone on to release more than fifty albums as a leader in his nearly seventy year professional and performing career, and he shows no signs of slowing if his recent Blue Note gig is any indication. After opening his set with "Blues Walk", he commented, "That's our theme song, it is available at your local record shop. Please go out and buy it, we need the money." He tore into a fast and frenetic version of Charlie Parker's "Wee" followed by Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World", a drawn out, heart wrenching ballad. "An homage to the greatest musician who ever lived, and if you don't know who that is, I'm not telling," Lou added with a chuckle. By way of introduction to his next selection, Lou said, "Now we're going to play the blues. Back in North Carolina, where I'm from, we call this 'sufferin' music. If you haven't suffered, you can't play this music.' Lou began "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman" with a filthy alto sax intro and then sang several humorous verses, extolling the habits of his paramour who put whiskey in her whiskey, even a dab behind her ear. The crowd roared along with Lou as each verse led to her increasingly outlandish behavior.

I Won’t Cry Anymore (1957 recordings, 1969 release) signed by Lou

Then the band played Lou's biggest hit, "Alligator Boogaloo", a swampy, greasy funk. In an interview, Lou explained the origin of the title. "I'm a golfer and had been playing down in Florida. One day, I hit my ball and it went in a ditch. I started to go in to get it, and my caddy stopped me and said, 'Don't do that.' Then he told me why. When I stuck my club down in the ditch with all the foliage, an alligator lifted up his head. I like the way the word "alligator' sounded with "boogaloo", which was a new hot dance then." It more than lived up to expectations as the band burned the boogaloo with a percolating boil.

Lush Life (1967) signed by Lou

Before the show, I visited with Lou in his dressing room with several of his band members. Lou was in great spirits and he was happy to look at the vinyl which I had brought. "Look at this great album, man, no one plays this anymore. Hey Eric, check this out," Lou said as he handed Funky Christmas to his guitarist, Eric Johnson. "This is before Luther (Vandross) or anyone on here was famous. This is a great album. Why don't they play my music?" Before I could answer, Lou answered for me, "I'll tell you why, they're motherf*#kers and they won't play my sh*t. They're just motherf*#kers, that's all." There was an equal mix of hurt and disappointment. I tried to console Lou, 'You know, the hip hop guys still listen to your music (Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and A Tribe Called Quest are among the three hundred-plus who have sampled his discography!). I hope you're making some money off all the samples they've done.' "Yeah, I'm making a little bit there, but I still wish they played my records. It just ain't right," he shrugged. Shifting gears, I asked, 'What about all the pretty girls on your album covers. Any stories you want to tell me?' Lou smiled and laughed, "Nah, I don't know any of these girls. I had nothing to do with those covers. There was just one girl," he said wistfully, alluding to Maker, his wife and business partner for fifty-six years until her death in 2006. I thanked Lou for his kindness, and especially his music and left him with his band mates. It was a prelude to a great night of music.

Funky Christmas (1976) signed by Lou, Luther Vandross at the piano!

Lou once explained the success of his music: "Well, I started making a lot of groove records. The groove records depend on the groove. You don't have to worry about anything else really, but the groove. Because if you've got the right tempo, and everything is hitting where it's supposed to hit, you're in business. You can play variations on it, do anything on it, but if the groove is there, you're in business....There was no real mystery to those records. We made them the way we wanted to make them - which was to sell them!"

Down Home (1957 recordings, 1969 release) signed by Lou

"Sweet Poppa Lou" Donaldson, soulful, swinging bebop, steeped in the blues, profane and profound.

The groove is always with him.

The Scorpion: Live At The Cadillac Club (1970) signed by Lou

Sophisticated Lou (1972) signed by Lou

Choice Lou Donaldson cuts (per BKs request)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNR7822K_40 

"Blues Walk"   with Ray Barretto on congas   1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85Uv0pCvvSI

"Alligator Boogaloo"  Lou with Dr. Lonnie Smith  1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rs9mp8FyNg&list=PLF131281BA6CCB037

"Ode To Billie Joe"  Mr. Shing-A-Ling  Lou swings Bobbie Gentry  1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXnT-S8E87s

"Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud"  Lou swings James Brown  1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vVdfXxj8jg

"Midnight Creeper"   with George Benson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Blue Mitchell  1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbKHl07pxl4

"Caracas"  Good Gracious!  1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZd3Ez69too

"I Want A Little Girl"   Alligator Boogaloo  1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUui_YgnlyM 

"Whiskey Drinkin' Woman"  Live with Dr. Lonnie Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRRIVwuKeYY

"Alligator Boogaloo"  Live with Dr. Lonnie Smith

Bonus track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNkgS2gXQ8 

"Jumpin' The Blues"  Jay McShann with Charlie Parker 1944

"Yeah, that changed everything. Not me, everybody."  Lou Donaldson

Sweet Lou (1974) signed by Lou

Sweet Poppa Lou (1981) signed by Lou

Back Street (1982) signed by Lou

Lush Life (1967 recordings, 1986 reissue) signed by Lou

Gil Scott-Heron and Me...

My grandmother was dead serious. Her sense of humor was a secret. She started me playing the piano. There was a funeral parlor next door to our house, and they had this old piano that they used for wakes and funerals, and they were getting ready to take it to the junk yard. She wanted me to play hymns for the ladies’ sewing circle that met every Thursday, and she bought the piano for six dollars, and she paid a lady up the street five or ten cents a lesson to teach me to play four hymns, ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus,’ ‘Rock of Ages,’ ‘The Old Rugged Cross,’ and I can’t think of the other one. I was eight years old, and I had started to listen to WDIA in Memphis, and they would play the blues. When I was practicing, I would have to mix them, because my grandmother was not big on the blues. When she was out in the yard, I can play what I want, but if she’s in the house I got to mix John Lee Hooker with ‘Rock of Ages.’

               Gil Scott-Heron

It’s really between me and the marketing people, because they have a history of being wrong about my music, they never anticipated any of my songs being hits. In America, the mentality is that if you have a hit like ‘B-Movie’ (off 1981’s Reflections) they expect you to do the same thing again, repeating the formula. But my style has been to explore the different aspects of black music, to continually explore and develop. When Leonardo da Vinci did the Mona Lisa, did he go right back and do the Mona Lucy, just ‘cause he had a hit?

               Gil Scott-Heron 1986

The Best Of Gil Scott-Heron (1984) signed by Gil, 7/87

He wasn't a great singer, but, with that voice, if he had whispered it would have been dynamic. It was a voice like you would have for Shakespeare.

               Ron Carter

Not only important; they’re necessary, because they are the roots of rap—taking a word and juxtaposing it into some sort of music. You can go into Ginsberg and the Beat poets and Dylan, but Gil Scott-Heron is the manifestation of the modern word. He and the Last Poets set the stage for everyone else. In what way necessary? Well, if you try to make pancakes, and you ain’t got the water or the milk or the eggs, you’re trying to do something you can’t. In combining music with the word, from the voice on down, you follow the template he laid out. His rapping is rhythmic, some of it’s songs, it’s punchy, and all those qualities are still used today.

               Chuck D of Public Enemy

Well, you have to accept that Gil does not operate on any clock known to man. He may turn up late, he may not turn up at all some days, but when he does, it tends to be incredible. He's a genuine artist in a way that most performers aren't anymore. He has no conception of time, no regard for money. He seems utterly free from the normal everyday burdens people carry. In that way, too, it was an extraordinary and unique experience.

               Richard Russell on producing Gil's last album I'm New Here (2010)

No Nukes Rally 9.23.79 Battery Park City (Next To World Trade Center)

I saw Gil Scott-Heron for the first time in a Battery Park City landfill at the tip of Manhattan in the shadows of the Twin Towers on September 23, 1979. The site had yet to be developed into the massive mixed-use of housing and business that it is today. The event was a "No Nukes" rally sponsored by MUSE - Musicians United for Safe Energy. I wasn't much of an activist then (probably less so now) but it sounded like a great party with music. A bunch of my college friends made a (brief) pledge of fealty to Mass PIRG and we took a yellow school bus under their sponsorship to the site from our Boston campus. We did some aggressive pre-game activities along the way, so we were well equipped and informed to (ostensibly) protest the risks of nuclear energy. The near disaster of Three Mile Island was fresh in our addled minds and The China Syndrome, a Hollywood thriller cum pastiche, starring Jane Fonda as an overly earnest reporter and Michael Douglas as her hip, bearded cameraman, had raised the awareness of nuclear risks in those quaint, pre-social media days. As Bonnie Raitt later explained, it was "as if we planned it that way." The scene was ripe and festive for the 200,000 revelers who attended. 

Twin Towers overlook No Nukes Rally 9.23.79 200,000 folks on the beach!

There was lots of politicizing and pontificating in the blazing, noon day sun. Jane Fonda reprised her role (which was still in theaters!) and she gave an impassioned homily on the menace of nuclear energy as did her then husband, noted anti-war activist Tom Hayden. Representative Bella Abzug, Ralph Nader and other doyennes of the liberal cognoscenti gave speech after speech after speech. I believe even one of the Berrigan brothers spoke to make sure there was a blur of church and state. After all, it is hard, but not impossible, to disagree when God is on your side! In between the political jawboning and invective, there was music. Sweet glorious 1970s music. Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Hall from Orleans, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Jesse Colin Young and Gil Scott-Heron all performed short sets.

No Nukes Rally view from the stage - 200,000 of my closest friends and me…

There was a concert that night at Madison Square Garden (which was filmed and later released as an album and video) but I didn't have a ticket. Somehow, a miracle ticket appeared. Rather than slow down the momentum of our party, it accelerated. We skipped the school bus which was to return to Boston after the rally, and we made our way uptown to MSG. There were several stops for libations along the way and by the time I got to the venue, the luster of seeing the same performers had worn off. My friend Pam and I decided to sell our (highly sought after) tickets and use our ill gotten gains to continue on our ill advised ways. Thus began a descent from a long night's journey into day. We scalped the tickets, nicked a nice profit, and by daybreak, it was "Sunday Morning Comin' Down" but I was not Johnny Cash nor was Pam, Kris Kristofferson. We ended up hitch-hiking back to Boston, freezing in the early morning autumn chill, hoping, wishing, and waiting for a ride. The lights of a semi tractor trailer pulled over. It was not Big Joe and Phantom 309, but a driver who said he was going near Boston and he'd get us a close as he could, so we hopped in his cab. It worked. And the memories of those great musicians remain, especially Gil Scott-Heron.

Gil Scott-Heron was born in Chicago, spent ten years in Jackson, Tennessee with his grandmother and then moved as a twelve year old to the Bronx, New York City. He was smart, had a flair for writing and received a scholarship to the prestigious Fieldston School. After graduating, he attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, the alma mater of his hero, Langston Hughes. Gil dropped out in 1970 to write his first novel, The Vulture. As he said, "I was concentrating on the book when I should have been studying and studying when I should have been writing the book. I had to quit in order to find out if I could actually finish something." 

Midnight Band: The First Minute Of A New Day (1975)

Gil's first album in 1970, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, had the first version of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", perhaps his most famous and enduring song. A spoken word poem with biting political satire, stripped accompaniment of congas and drums, some musicologists think it is the birth of rap or hip hop. It is not altogether a call to arms. As Gil explained, " 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' – that was satire. People would try and argue that it was this militant message, but just how militant can you really be when you’re saying, 'The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner’?' My songs were always about the tone of voice rather than the words. A good comic will deliver a line deadpan. They let the audience laugh.” And the humorous references to The Beverly Hillbillies, Bullwinkle, Coca Cola and Petticoat Junction, are a long way from the vitriol of N.W.A.!

From South Africa To South Carolina (1976)

Pieces Of A Man, Gil's major label debut in 1971, was produced by Bob Thiele, a jazz producer who had helmed sessions for Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and others. Thiele enlisted the great jazz bassist Ron Carter and the equally influential drummer, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie. Both artists are among the most prolific session musicians in music history with Carter appearing on over 1,100 recordings and Purdie, according to his website, "the world's most recorded drummer." It also marked the first time Gil recorded with his college friend, frequent music collaborator and co-composer Brian Jackson. The re-recorded version of "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is more fully fleshed out with Hubert Laws adding a lilting flute to the heavy bottom supplied by the rhythm of Ron Carter and Pretty Purdie.

Between 1970 and 1982, Gil Scott-Heron produced thirteen albums. Clive Davis thought so highly that Gil was the first artist signed to Arista Records when Davis founded the label in 1975. Clive acknowledged Gil's vast talents in 2011: "I always felt tremendous regard for him. You see the success of a Jay-Z or a Kanye West, and I always felt that Gil was as charismatic as either of them. Seeing him in his prime, the ability to dominate a stage, Gil at his best was an all-timer." Unfortunately, the ravages of Gil's alcoholism and drug addiction were relentlessly punishing. In the ensuing twenty-nine years, Gil produced only two records, and his performances became erratic and frustrating. When he showed.

Real Eyes (1980)

Late in his career, Gil was called "The Godfather of Rap", a name which he disdained, "I don't know if I can take the blame for it." He preferred "Bluesologist....a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues" as he defined his work, and he was generally critical of hip hop: 

"They need to study music. I played in several bands before I began my career as a poet. There's a big difference between putting words over some music, and blending those same words into the music. There's not a lot of humor. They use a lot of slang and colloquialisms, and you don't really see inside the person. Instead, you get a lot of posturing."

Moving Target (1982)

Despite his protestations, Gil Scott-Heron's influence is undeniable and ubiquitous. Common, Drake, Dr. Dre, Grand Puba, Kanye West, Mos Def and so many artists have directly sampled his grooves. He said near the end of his life that he didn't listen to hip hop, "It's something that's aimed at the kids. I have kids, so I listen to it, but I would not say it's aimed at me. I listen to the jazz station."

I saw Gil again in 1987 at Blues Alley, a small jazz club in Washington, DC. It was a Sunday night and I went alone and sat at the bar. I was debating going upstairs to get a record signed but I decided to have a few drinks instead. I was chasing my own demons in those days. The bar area was quiet, just a few patrons and most of the tables were full near the stage. Just then, Gil sidled up next to me to order a drink: "Courvoisier and coke" he said to the bartender. "Hey Gil, I'll buy you a drink", I said hopefully. "Nah, that's alright. It's part of my deal." I grabbbed an album and asked him to sign it. "Okay" he said warily. "Hey could you sign it to Erin...." Gil quickly signed the album and handed it back to me. "Nah, you're gonna have to do that. You can write whatever you want. I'm busy." He turned, grabbed his drinks and walked away. I was disappointed but the show and his music was riveting. Sadly,I never saw him again.

Gil Scott-Heron, activist, author, composer, humorist, musician, poet, performer, satirist, singer, songwriter....a genre unto himself.

Perhaps, he was wrong The revolution seems to be televised…

Choice Gil Scott-Heron Cuts (per BK's request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dpxb4GWSYi8

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"  125th and Lenox

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvHFuJX2Ock

"Johannesburg"  Old Grey Whistle Test Live 1976

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01WRqq-ubsU

"We Almost Lost Detroit"  No Nukes Live 1979 MSG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV_astp3BjM

"I'm New Here"  Gil Sings Bill Callahan   2010

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnOVbMFiGVg

"The Bottle"   Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zWFvLCEI8

"Ain't No Such Thing As Superman"  Midnight Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odf1WWhAF6I&index=12&list=RD01WRqq-ubsU

"Get Together"  Jesse Colin Young, Jackson Browne, CSN et al.....1979 Battery Park City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odf1WWhAF6I&index=12&list=RD01WRqq-ubsU

"Power" John Hall, Carly Simon, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt  Battery Park City 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYh9OdAAaCE

"Big Joe and Phantom 309"  Tom Waits  any way I can weave Waits into a story, I'm taking it...

Willy DeVille and Me…

DeVille knows the truth of a city street and the courage in a ghetto love song. And the harsh reality in his voice and phrasing is yesterday, today, and tomorrow - timeless in the same way that loneliness, no money, and troubles find each other and never quit for a minute. But fighters always have a shot of turning the corner, and if you holler loud enough, sometimes somebody hears you. And truth and love always separates the greats from the neverwases and the neverwillbes.

               Doc Pomus

I still remember listening to bands like the Drifters…It was like magic, there was drama and it would hypnotize me. Listening to the radio and the songs I would get, you know, like images of the story in my head, like reading a book and you imagine what’s going on. I would see the music like that too, in my head while listening…

               Willy DeVille

Cabretta (1977) signed by Willy

I still have the voice; it's better than ever, and I look great. I still have the clothes and the moves. For me, rock & roll has always been about the theatrical show as well as the music. They dig that in Europe. They dig mystique; they dig sincerity; they dig that the music, the words, are still about simple street poetry; they still dig soul music, too... It's simple. We offer simple songs about common and complicated experiences. That's what good rock & roll music does. It's real on that stage; it's a good show, the songs are, they make me proud. They come from the places I live and they scare even me sometimes.

               Willy DeVille - 2006

I've been an admirer of Willy's since hearing his stunning voice on the radio for the first time. He has an enormous range, with influences from all corners of the country, from Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker and New Orleans music to Latin, folk-rock, doo-wop, Ben E. King style soul and R&B – all part of the New York mix. The songs he writes are original, often romantic and always straight from the heart. He can paint a character in a few words. When we worked on his Miracle album I enjoyed the occasional opportunity to offer a chord or two to go with his great lyrics.

Mark Knopfler

Savoir Faire (1981) signed by Willy

Willy DeVille, the pride of Avenue A and the Lower East Side, is one of my favorite musicians. Born William Paul Borsey Jr. in Stamford, Connecticut, Willy dropped out of high school when he was 16 and started playing in local bands and hanging out on the Lower East Side and the West Village. In 1971, he traveled to London in search of a sound. He found none. When he returned to the United States two years later, Willy bought a van and drove to San Francisco, and the remnants of the psychedelic guitars and music he found there left him wanting. He finally found some like minded musicians in 1974 and formed Mink DeVille. Willy described the name's origin: "Well, we were sitting around talking of names, and some of them were really rude, and I was saying, guys we can’t do that. Then one of the guys said how about Mink DeVille? There can’t be anything cooler than a fur lined Cadillac, can there?"  

One day, while looking at a week old copy of the Village Voice in the City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, Willy saw an advertisement for a house band audition at a fledgling New York City club, CBGB. Willy jumped at the opportunity, "So I had convinced the guys that I could get them work, and we climbed in the van and drove back the other way. We got here and auditioned, along with hundreds of others, but they liked us and took us on. That was like '74-'75, and we played there for three years. You know, during that time we didn’t get paid more than $50 bucks a night." And the $50 was for the entire band! No wonder, when CBGB was closing in 2006 after its historic thirty three year run, Willy wanted no part in the celebrations. He felt no love for owner Hilly Kristal, three years of low wages had left a permanent singe in his psyche. And wallet! 

CBGB, in the Bowery in New York City, quickly became ground zero for the American New Wave/Punk Rock scene. Blondie, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Television and Patti Smith performed regularly at this groundbreaking club. The Bowery, in those days, was hardly gentrified. It was rough and tumble, and Willy and his burgeoning heroin addiction were most welcome. In truth, Willy had little in common with his CBGB counterparts. Willy was a classic romanticist and a powerful, emotive singer and songwriter. Willy wrote ballads which fused blues, Latin, soul, even French cabaret with classic rock and roll rhythms. His heroes were The Drifters, Darlene Love, The Ronettes, Tito Puente, and the songwriters of the Brill Building - Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Doc Pomus, and so many others. In fact, Willy collaborated with Doc Pomus (who wrote "A Teenager In Love", "Little Sister", "This Magic Moment" and "Save The Last Dance For Me") on several songs including the heartbreaking, barroom closing ballad "Just To Walk That Little Girl Home."  The opening stanza sets forth the forlorn yearning:

It's closing time in this nowhere café
There's no way in the world I'm gonna let that girl
Let her slip away
No I can't explain just what's happening to me
I can tell that guy who's sticking close by her side
Knows her more than just casually

I mean, Debbie Harry of Blondie was beautiful and sang some catchy songs, but she didn't have the chops to write with Doc Pomus! Not many did.

Where Angels Fear To Tread (1983) signed by Willy

Willy recorded his first album, Cabretta, in 1977 and he enlisted Jack Nitzschke to helm the production. Nitzschke was Phil Spector's right hand man and was responsible for the orchestration on Ike & Tina Turner's transcendent "River Deep, Mountain High", the choral arrangements on The Rolling Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want", and the production on "A Man Needs A Maid" and "There's A World" off Neil Young's Harvest, to name a few credits in his illustrious career. Willy and Jack (Willy's "mentor and tormentor") would collaborate on two more albums, Return To Magenta (1978) and Coup de Grace (1981), and months before he died in 2000, Jack said that Willy DeVille was the best singer he ever worked with. High praise from a studio magician who also worked countless sessions with The Wrecking Crew, a Los Angeles based group of first call musicians like Hal Blaine, Leon Russell, Glen Campbell, Carol Kaye, and Steve Douglas. Cabretta featured the songs, "Venus Of Avenue D", "Spanish Stroll", a cover of The Crystal's "Little Boy" (rechristened "Little Girl") and "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl", which Willy described directly: "It's about a woman I know who was a drug addict. She was mixed up and she was shook up. That's what it's about." Admittedly gritty subject matter, but Willy wrote what he lived. 

if Willy was mistakenly miscast as a New Wave artist, he was decidedly Old Wave in his songwriting. Inspired by the recordings of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel, Willy went to Paris in 1979 to record his third album, Le Chat Bleu. For the rest of his career, Willy tried to recreate the magic he heard on the vinyl of Piaf and Brel. These songs were drenched in the pathos of cabaret and chanson, the sounds of accordions, flamenco guitar flourishes, and lavish string arrangements by Jean-Claude Petit and Charles Dumont, the writer of Piaf's signature, "Je Ne Regrette Rien." Capitol Records was none too pleased when Willy returned to New York with the master tapes. 

As Willy explained, "On Le Chat Blue we had all these great people involved, you know, and we thought we had something great. I came back to America, and my label at that time said, 'Well, we think we should put it on the shelf for a while.' This was right before Christmas for God's sake when you know people are going to be buying stuff, so I asked them what the problem was. They said they had never heard anything like it before and didn't know what to do with it. We had Charles Dumont, Elvis's goddamned rhythm section, and they say they've never heard anything like it. I was heartbroken and angry. Finally Maxime Schmidt from my distributor in France (EMI Paris) phones and he says, 'Willy what's going on?' So I told him. He said, 'Don't worry, we'll release it over here.' We did, and then it became a matter of not what are we going to do with Willy Deville, but who the hell let him get away. As an import it was racking up great sales here. Capitol finally went and released a copy of it..."

Le Chat Bleu (1980) signed by Willy, panther tattoo on Toots, Willy’s first wife

I saw Willy DeVille (he dropped the band name Mink DeVille after ten years because he was tired of people calling him Mink!) at Tramps, 51 West 21st Street, in New York City in 1998. Tramps was a good size venue with great sight lines and seats for 800-1,000. As an intro, Willy's band did an instrumental version of "Slow Drain" which sounded like some "funkafide filth" dragged from a muddy New Orleans bayou. A Hammond B3 added to the grease, and a bumpin' three piece horn section with congas helped syncopate the grooves. Awaiting his arrival, Willy's mic stand was entwined with a dozen or more red roses. In mid-song, Willy entered, smoking a cigarette to great applause. A cigarette would remain lit for the entire show, smoking bans be damned! Willy and his band went through his catalog, including an anthemic "This Must Be The Night", the salsa exuberance of "Demasiado Corazon" and "Spanish Stroll" (with shout outs to Tito Puente and Ray Barretto), a flamenco infected "Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl" and a mariachi horn fueled cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe." It was a remarkable performance that highlighted Willy's range and depth.

Willy also performed "Storybook Love" - his Academy Award nominated song from The Princess Bride. He mentioned how difficult the session was with former Dire Strait Mark Knopfler who served as producer and guitarist. They got a memorable song but it was contentious. As Willy admitted, "Nothing good is going to be easy." In a later interview, Willy revealed, "I was half asleep when the phone rang. It was the Academy of Arts and Scienceswith the whole spiel. I hung up on them! They called back and Lisa (his wife) answered the phone. She came in to tell me that I was nominated for "Storybook Love." It's pretty wild. It's not the Grammys — it's the Academy Awards, which is different for a musician. Before I knew it, I was performing on the awards show with Little Richard. It was the year of Dirty Dancing, and they won."

After the show, I went in search of the Tramps' dressing room. I saw some security in the basement so I decided a frontal assault might not work. So I worked a flank approach which meant going through a labyrinthine maze through a back basement entrance which ultimately led to Willy's dressing room. It was nothing formal, no door to knock on, just a curtained off portion of the basement. Willy stood to greet me and he was very warm and welcoming. He was tall, at least 6' 3", rail thin, black hair swept back in his trademark pompadour, pencil-thin mustache with soul patch, and a ruffled shirt modestly unbuttoned. His eyes were clear. I told him how much I enjoyed his show, he thanked me, lit up a cigarette, grabbed a pen and started signing the vinyl. I asked him about New Orleans. He said, "I really enjoy living there, there's always lots of great music."  I told him how much I loved Victory Mixture, a CD he recorded in New Orleans with local legends Dr. John, Eddie Bo, and Allen Toussaint. "Maybe, I'll record another...." and his voice trailed off. I thanked him again for his great music and split with my loot.

Pistola (2008) signed by Willy

Sadly, Willy passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009. I guess, his hard living, incessant smoking, and drug abuse caught up with him. But what an amazing discography he left. His songs are like three minute cinematic treasures, and his music holds up very well thirty-five years later unlike some of his CBGB brethren. No less a figure than the American Bard, Bob Dylan said In 2015 that Willy should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: "(DeVille) stood out, his voice and presentation ought to have gotten him in there by now."

I agree with Dylan. Here's hoping Willy DeVille gets the recognition he richly deserves. As Willy once said, "... I have to wonder about the music business. It's just like everybody wants to be a star, but doesn't really care what they put out as long as it makes money. Nobody wants to be the poet anymore, because there ain't any money in it."

Thanks for all the poetry, Willy, and the tunes!

Choice Willy DeVille Cuts (per BK's request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoP2R_yEPtg

"Amazing Grace"  Solo - Willy on slide, yes he was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqUud79kPaE

"Just To Walk That Little Girl Home" Live 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XIMx6ULepI

"Hey Joe"  Willy takes Jimi South of the Border

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDBfH3TOSug

"Demasiado Corazon" - Bring on the dancing girls!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uipDEjfLsg

"Mixed up Shook Up Girl"  Live at The Olympia - 1993

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyLLEJif-Hk

"Spanish Stroll"  Live at The Olympia - 1993

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYQ4B1nuj8Y

"Storybook Love"   Academy Award nominated for The Princess Bride with Mark Knopfler 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7cORmr8JZ8

"Harlem Nocturne > Slow Drain"  Live - 1981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZj9hhwGxPI

"Stand By Me"  Live - Willy DeVille 1995

Carlos Barbosa-Lima and Me...

The guitar is like a second body, always next to me. I have always loved its intimacy. You hold it close to your body; there's always contact. I can feel it vibrate through my body when I play. I caress it and it responds. Well, usually... 

                    Carlos Barbosa-Lima

The young Brazilian artist, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, is gifted by the Goddess Of Music with warm sentiment for playing serious and beautiful compositions on his guitar. He learned quickly my technical advises and extends his right interpretations to classic and contemporary authors. I wish him the success he deserves.

                           Andres Segovia, Washington, D.C. 1969

A Scarlatti Guitar Recital (1970) signed by Carlos

I had approached a few companies, but some are very old fashioned, and it's difficult to do something new. But then I was in Washington D.C. and played with my good friend Charlie Byrd in his club, and it was very successful. Charlie heard some of my arrangements, things that were not yet published... then Charlie suggested that I should record for Concord, which is a very successful jazz label, because they had just started a classical branch. He introduced me to Carl Jefferson, the President, and he was very excited by what I was doing. Right away we made a nice agreement, and he actually asked me what I wanted to record. So I did the Jobim/Gershwin record, and it was so successful. As soon as it came out, it started being played on all kinds of radio stations, classical as well as jazz. You know, it's not a jazz record, I'm using jazz elements but I'm really elaborating on top of that. Although I'm very fond of jazz, what I'm doing is crossing those barriers.

                         Carlos Barbosa-Lima

Plays The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim & George Gershwin (1982) signed by Carlos

In the hands of Carlos Barbosa-Lima, the guitar becomes an orchestra. As if by enchantment, there burst forth all dimensions of musica - the bass, the medium register chords, the melody, the rhythm, the harmony, the counterpoint. Everything sounds right and clear. Everything falls in the right place, at the right level of importance. Gracefulness, daintiness, lightness, strength, thrust, power, independence, equilibrium. Everything is there, as if by wizardry, in the fingertips of this truly brujo of the guitar. And on top of all this, we are before an outstanding artist. At times, one hears as many as four lines, each with its own distinctive touch.

                           composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, liner notes, Carlos Barbosa-Lima Plays The Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim & George Gershwin, 1983

Born in 1944 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Carlos Barbosa-Lima was a child prodigy guitarist who made his classical concert debut in Sao Paulo in November, 1957. To be sure, he was a precocious and talented child. Carlos remembered his humble beginnings: "But my start on the guitar was more or less accidental... my father wanted to take a few lessons, just to entertain himself in his spare time, and he got a teacher near our house. He didn't really make much progress for six or eight months. (I was about six years old at that time.) Now, during those months, I became very fascinated by the guitar, and from what my parents said, I was picking up the lessons by watching my father's lessons. Then my father spotted me one day actually playing, doing what he was supposed to learn and couldn't really manage. So anyway, he gave up, but he said to the teacher, we are continuing with him because he is very much interested. So that was my start..."

Plays The Entertainer And The Music Of Scott Joplin (1983) signed by Carlos

Another pivotal moment in Carlos' development happened by chance three years later when Carlos was nine: "Then I was in a music store with my father in Sao Paulo and the Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfa was there. The owner of the store asked me to play for Bonfa, who was interested in hearing me. I was nervous and did all sorts of wrong things, but Bonfa was impressed and predicted that I could succeed in the world of music eventually, and he recommended that I go right away to study with Isaias Savio, who eventually became my principal teacher. That was a very, very important turning point in my life, because not only did I get some much needed advice from Bonfa (like letting my nails grow a bit and certain technical things) but right away my father took me to study with Savio. Savio was a very encouraging person, because he asked me "Do you really want to be a professional guitarist? Because you can be!" And I said 'Yes, I want it very much.' I remember that moment very clearly." Carlos has released more than thirty albums in his storied career, examining the classical music of Bach, Ginastera and Scarlatti, as well as the popular music of Gershwin, Jobim and Joplin. It is always delivered with impeccable taste and his flawless skill.

Scarlatti From The Gifted Guitar Of Barbosa-Lima (1973) signed by Carlos

Erin and I saw Carlos recently at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, New York, a wonderfully intimate club helmed by Mark Morganelli and his lovely wife Ellen. It is a beautifully run club with fabulous acoustics, befitting Mark's extensive experience as an accomplished trumpeter and band leader in his own right. Indeed, we have seen many shows there and it is akin to seeing an incredible artist in your living room, replete with Mark's vinyl collection, pool table gracing the sitting room, and a wall of framed albums autographed by Jazz stars. It is truly a jazz club unlike any other! 

Carlos Barbosa-Lima at the Jazz Forum, Tarrytown NY 3.01.20

Carlos appeared on stage and performed solo for about thirty minutes, his repertoire included some classical pieces as well as some from the Jobim canon. Then Carlos was joined by his colleague Larry Del Casale on guitar and a percussionist. They were showcasing songs from their newest release Delicado. Jobim's "A Felicidade" and from Luiz Bonfa's masterwork Black Orpheus, "Samba de Orfeu" and "Manha de Carnaval." were exquisitely executed and the interplay between Carlos and Larry was compelling.

Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Jazz Forum, Tarrytown NY 3.01.20

After the show, Carlos received accolades from his many fans and headed to the bar to order a libation. Erin and I were waiting for him with some vinyl. He ordered a Heineken and sat with us at the bar and sifted through the album covers. He said that the Jobim & Gershwin album was very important to him, "That was my first record for Carl Jefferson, President of Concord Records. Fortunately, that album sold very well and I was able to record many more records for Concord. That was some really great music!" I mentioned that I knew he was very close with Charlie Byrd, whom Erin and I had seen many times when we lived in Washington, DC. "Yes, Charlie was a great friend. When I first came to the US in 1967, I used to see him at The Showboat, and of course, later at his club (Charlie's) in Georgetown. That was a great club and I played with him there several times. He also introduced me to Carl Jefferson who really helped my career." 

Guitar From Ipanema (1964) signed by Carlos

When I handed Carlos a couple of Laurindo Almeida records, he smiled warmly. "Yes, I was also very close with Laurindo. He had quite an eye for the ladies," Carlos confided. "Yes, he was very - how shall I say - gallant!" Yes, Laurindo surely was. The Guitar From Ipanema featured a comely, bikini-clad maiden photographed by George Jerman not on the fabled beaches of Ipanema, but at the less acclaimed Bahia Motor Hotel in Mission Beach, California. The visual effect was nonetheless stunning. Jerman was the staff photographer for Capitol Records, probably best known for his work with the Beach Boys, including the cover for Pet Sounds, shot at the San Diego Zoo. The 1964 Grammys nominated (in their infinite good taste) The Guitar From Ipanema for best album cover, however Barbra Streisand's People took home the prize.

Happy Cha Cha Cha (1959) signed by Carlos

The Segovia album prompted this observation from Carlos: "While his recordings from the 1920s and '30s are spectacular, I actually prefer his later recordings. They are more mature, well rounded and robust. They benefit immensely from his years of experience." What about your two years of study with him in Madrid? "Well, I did go to visit with him in Madrid, but not really a formal study, This was 1968 and I had already released many records. Segovia was a great man and we played together, mostly we talked about techniques and guitars (quel surprise!). He had some master craftsman who supplied him with these wonderful custom guitars."  

Segovia: Bach: Chaconne (1969) signed by Carlos

We thanked Maestro Carlos Barbosa-Lima for his generosity and his music. As he said so presciently in 1983, " Good music reaching people has its service. We are in a very interesting, very turbulent, noisy world now. The guitar is a magical vehicle - it can bring that joy, that positive human feeling. It can be a great instrument for hope." Certainly, Carlos and his music is an embodiment of joy and hope!

Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Jazz Forum Tarrytown NY 3.01.20

Choice Carlos Barbosa-Lima Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk7OQf1BDTw

“Gymnopedie No. 1” Impressions (1991)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jv68mYWNQI

“Perfidia” Live 2013 Maestro Carlos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdUuEOfY5lw

“Batuque” Live 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6aS9QTFs1g

“Delicado” Carlos with Larry Del Casale, Duduka Da Fonseca

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjLOsZ22keg

“La Bikina” Live 2012

The Maestro - Carlos Barbosa-Lima

Dr. Lonnie Smith and Me...

Playing with the Doctor is an improvisational experience in its truest sense, so you have to be ready at all times. The spontaneity is unbelievable. He's such an intuitive player. There's never an agenda with Lonnie. He's always looking to see what he can find on the bandstand. You have to be so in the moment, because with him things will go from solid to liquid and back to solid again. It's always evolving, so it's just thrilling to play with him, and terrifying at the same time.

               guitarist Peter Bernstein

Move Your Hand (1969) signed by Dr. Lonnie

It's like I'm hearing it for the first time, like how the audience hears it. Music is not something that you practice and you get up on the bandstand and run through on automatic pilot. That's not for me. I enjoy playing too much to memorize stuff. So it's never gonna be the same when I play. I can't do it if I wanted to.

               Dr. Lonnie Smith 

Alligator Boogaloo (1967) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Lou Donaldson

A lot of people who come and hear me, they don't realize where the music comes from. It doesn't come from notes on the paper or anything like that. What happens is, the music comes from my toe and travels all the way up like electricity. And that's why I'm surprised when I'm playing. That's because by playing by ear, I really let my body play what's in my heart, right there on the bandstand. I play life instead of notes. I play what I lived. You should always play how you feel. If you're hurt, play that. If you're sad, play that. That's what I tell my students.

               Dr. Lonnie Smith

Mr. Shing-A-Ling (1967) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Lou Donaldson

It's an extension of my being. It's a part of my lens. It breathes for me, it speaks for me. I feel every bit of the organ. It's like electricity, a fire that goes through my body. You can feel it vibrate, there's nothing like it. It lifts me up, it crawls through the pores of the room.

               Dr. Lonnie Smith

Say It Loud! (1969) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Lou Donaldson

The way they do things now is a little different than what I used to do at Blue Note years ago. We used to just go in and hit it. Three hours later, you’d be done with maybe a couple of albums. You just went on and played, there wasn’t all of this fixing up like Frankenstein.

Dr. Lonnie Smith

Hot Dog (1969) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Lou Donaldson

The key to any really good composition is the melody. If you have a great melody, you can do a lot of stuff with it from an improvisational standpoint. Lots of music today is all surface - there’s a beat and a sound, but there’s no substance to it. Beck’s music definitely has a vibe and a genre, but if you strip everything away, there’s always a strong melody and good harmony. That gave me a foundation to build the arrangements upon.

Doug Munro, producer/arranger/guitarist on Boogaloo To Beck

Boogaloo To Beck (2003) signed by Dr. Lonnie

I loved that sound, It has all the elements of the universe to me. It’s sunshine, rainbows, the rain, the wind, the storm, the flowers. When I’m at the organ, it’s like sitting in a spaceship and you don’t know where you’re going.

Dr. Lonnie Smith

Everything I Play Is Funky (1970) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Lou Donaldson

Born in 1942 in Buffalo, Dr. Lonnie Smith grew up with classical music, gospel, and jazz. Music was a commanding influence. His first instrument was his voice. As he recalled, "My parents sang, my mother, her mother, her sisters, her brothers, my cousins." In high school, Lonnie played several instruments, including trumpet, cornet and trombone, and he started a singing group with his brother in the late 1950s, The Teen Kings. A future saxophone star, Grover Washington Jr., played saxophone in his band and Lonnie remembered, "I used to go over to his house and his mom had an organ. But you know, I didn't know how to mess with it. just a little bit, you know just pickin' with the instrument. But anyway, my brother and I used to sing and they played."

The band with Grover Washington Jr. and his brother was fun, but Lonnie's thirst for music was not satiated by his singing, he hungered for more. He began stalking a music store: "I used to go there all the time, I stayed in there everyday until closing time. And Art Kubera owned the music store and he said, 'Can I ask you a question, son?' And I said, 'Yes, sir.' He said, 'Why do you come in everyday until closing time?' I looked him straight in the eye and said, 'Sir, if I had an instrument, I could work. If I could work, I could make a living.' And everyday I would go in there, and one day I went in and he closed the store up and he told me to come with him. And I went with him to his house in the back of the store, and there was an organ! And my eyes lit up, and he said, 'If you can get this out of here, it's yours!' I got it, and i haven't looked back since!"

Afro-Desia (1975) signed by Dr. Lonnie

Indeed, Dr. Lonnie Smith has never looked back. As a leader and featured sideman on more than seventy albums, Dr. Lonnie has gigged with notable jazz artists like David "Fathead" Newman, Lee Morgan, Ron Carter, Lou Donaldson, and George Benson. His first vinyl appearance was on George Benson's debut, It's Uptown, and George and Lonnie recorded several more albums together, including Lonnie's 1967 debut, Finger Lickin' Good. A hallmark of jazz organ trios, Dr. Lonnie has always been supported by jazz guitarists, legends like George Benson, Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, and newer players like Dave Stryker and Peter Bernstein.

State Of The Art (1985) signed by Dr. Lonnie, Jimmy McGriff

Dr. Lonnie is neither a doctor in medicine nor is he the recipient of an honorary degree. He became "Dr. Lonnie" as a result of his formidable skills 'doctoring music', a fitting sobriquet bestowed upon him by his fellow musicians. And these skills have been applied to a wide palette of songs and sounds, everything from Aretha Franklin to The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix to Thelonious Monk, and even, 1990s enfant terrible, Beck. Boogaloo To Beck, released in 2003, is a soul jazz tour de force of songs from the Beck canon; "Loser", "Devil's Haircut", and "Paper Tiger" never sounded so funky and greasy.

Purple Haze (1995) signed by Dr. Lonnie

I saw Dr. Lonnie Smith recently at the Jazz Standard in New York City. Dr. Lonnie was leading an octet, a four piece horn section with trumpet, trombone, baritone and tenor saxophone, conga, drums and guitarist extraordinaire Dave Stryker. They played an invigorating set, including "Too Damn Hot", a soul groover meant to melt the frigid New York City weather. It did. Dr. Lonnie introduced the next song, "I wrote a song, "I Think I Am In Love",  it ended up on a George Benson album. It was not on my record. They titled it 'Bright Eyes'...but, you know, that's how record companies are. Here's 'Bright Eyes', he said with a shrug and a smile. The last tune was "Mama Wailer" which started with conga, drums, and Dr. Lonnie playing bass on foot pedals laying down a filthy bottom. It was an hypnotic groove, especially when the guitar and horn section kicked in.

The George Benson Cookbook (1967) signed by Dr. Lonnie

After the show, I visited with Dr. Lonnie, a deeply soulful and peaceful man. He laughed when he saw, The George Benson Cookbook, "Look at (baritone saxophonist) Ronnie Cuber, he looks like he's trying to sell us some stoves. And we weren't buying." His eyes lit up when he signed his first recording with George Benson, It's Uptown, "That picture was taken in front of Minton's. We played some great shows there!"  Minton's Playhouse was a famed Harlem jazz boite, opened in 1938 on the first floor of the Cecil Hotel on West 118th Street. It was the site of many historic jam sessions with bebop innovators, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and many others. I mentioned how much I loved his transformations of Beck's hip, slacker songs into soul jazz burners. "You know, I had never heard of him, but we had a lot of fun playing the music." In the liner notes, he explained the vibe in the studio during the recording, "This felt like an old Blue Note record, when we used to record a whole album in three hours. It's about looking for a feeling. You can make it technically, great, but is it just about that? I don't think so. This felt like family. Everybody was enjoying themselves, nobody was on an ego trip., nobody was uptight. It was a lot of fun, and I think it came out that way." I thanked Dr. Lonnie for his kindness and music, gathered up my vinyl and left.

It’s Uptown (1966) signed by Dr. Lonnie

Dr. Lonnie Smith, an innovative and creative wizard on the Hammond B3. Not many artists can cover Aretha, Jimi, Thelonious and Beck and remain true to their funky soul!

The Doctor is always in...

That’s What You Say! (2012) signed by Dr. Lonnie

Choice Dr. Lonnie Smith Cuts (per BK's request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyhoCBXa4kQ

"Paper Tiger"   Boogaloo To Beck  2003

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrRnZECLr1Y

"Ode To Billie Joe"   Mr. Shing-A-Ling  with Lou Donaldson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRRIVwuKeYY

"Alligator Boogaloo"   Live with Lou Donaldson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocPIzuE5-rU

"Eleanor Rigby"  Turning Point  1969  Dr. Lonnie grooves The Beatles!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ8a6yNXV9g

"Voodoo Chile"  Purple Haze  1994  Dr. Lonnie grooves Jimi!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oca2-uumYyI

"Spinning Wheel"   Drives  1970  Dr. Lonnie swings Blood Sweat & Tears!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wib18QjR63o

"Where It's At"   Boogaloo To Beck  2003

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnTE8Lgjt18

"It's Changed"   Afro-Desia  1975  with George Benson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QOOe5GRbaw

"Bright Eyes"  aka "I Think I Am In Love"   George Benson  1976

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WkQXlVJ5cc

"Mama Wailer"   Mama Wailer  1971

Dr. Lonnie Smith Big Band, Live at the Jazz Standard 2013

David Amram, Erin and Me...

I remember we were up late that night talking and drinking and having a great time. The next morning I had to be up early to teach gym at school. Dizzy (Gillespie) got up when I did and said that before I took off, he and I should play something—Dizzy on the piano and me on the French horn. I said, 'Great.' Dizzy sat down at my piano and asked “What should we play?” I said, 'I don’t know—the blues?' He said “What key?" I realized then that Dizzy was making me feel as comfortable as possible. He did this with everyone who played with him, and that was a valuable lesson I learned and used throughout my life.

So we played the blues in F, but the chords Dizzy used that morning were astounding. He was playing accompanying harmonies of 12-bar blues using chord changes that were so different and voiced in such an amazing way. His playing put me in a place where I had to listen carefully, in amazement, and find my way. So there I was, playing the blues in F on French horn with Dizzy on piano. I think about that moment every day. I don’t think it was a memorable experience for Dizzy, but he always remembered it when we got together in later years.

Dizzy opened a musical door for me that morning, and he taught me how to treat musicians in your band. Make them feel comfortable, secure and appreciated, and they'll play at their highest level. As I got to know Dizzy more and more over time, I realized he was as generous a person as he was a magnificent innovator, and that being both was not only possible but essential.

                    David Amram

The Manchurian Candidate (1962 recordings, 2019 reissue) signed by David

It was just happenstance. In 1956, I was attending a 'bring your own bottle' party at a loft in what is now called Soho. The painters always had the most space for the least money and they were able, in effect, not to have to go to an art gallery to show their work by having a great big, anybody-could-come party, and everyone would bring their own bottle... anybody and everybody could come to those. And on Friday and Saturday nights, since most people had day jobs, they could stay up all night cause they didn’t have to go to work the next day.

Those were always our low budget, or no budget, social events. I was there one night with my little bag of penny whistles and my French horn. There was no piano that night, and this man in a black and red checkered lumber jacket, looking like a French Canadian logger came up, handed me a piece of paper and said, “Play for me,” and took the paper back before I could read what was on it, and he began to read something. I don’t know what it was. I didn’t recognize it then, but in the process of trying to make up some music on the spot that would be appropriate to enhance the music already in the words he was speaking, and the way he spoke them, I just felt this terrific connection the way I have with great musicians and actors I’d worked with already at that point in my life. And we became friends, and we kept bumping into each other and doing that over and over again. I found out he’d spoken French as a child and I had. He’d been a football player, I’d been a gym teacher. He’d been in the maritime service, I’d been in the Army. He loved traveling, he loved people, he was interested in all kinds of music and literature, and painting and sports, and was a wonderful, warm, brilliant, fun, down to earth person.

                  David Amram meeting Jack Kerouac in New York City

He died with $83 and almost all of his books out of print. A lot of his friends had abandoned him and he always knew he was a writer when I stayed in touch with him. Even to the end, he was still writing and dreaming of being appreciated, and still dreaming of a more compassionate, beautiful America...

                    David Amram on the demise of his friend Jack Kerouac

Subway Nights (1972) signed by David

If you’re around all kinds of beautiful music, it will nitrify and enrich your DNA. Sonny Rollins, who’s two months younger than I am, told me recently, “David, I can’t walk around so well anymore, I can’t play the saxophone, I can’t do many things that I love to do, but I’ve never been happier, because I’m just spending all my time understanding and following the golden rule.” Sonny is someone who’s really arrived spiritually, and he did not get to that level by buying a course, or subscribing to an installment plan in order to be spiritual.

                    David Amram

Triple Concerto (1978) signed by David

My piano sonata from 1960 is starting to be played again and I listen to that now and think, Wow, this young cat has some nice stuff here! But I try not to rest on my laurels. One of the things I always liked about New York was, you could finish the most colossal project and people would just say, What are you doing next? I understood that workaholic ethos when I was composer-in-residence with Leonard Bernstein at the Philharmonic. The morning after the glorious opening night of their 1966–67 season, Bernstein and the whole orchestra were back at work, sawing away, preparing a whole new hard program for the following week’s schedule. They didn’t even have the chance to take a day off. They had to get up and grind on and then go back every night to repeat their concert from the night before and make it even better. I thought, Man, they’re doing this all year long! And I vowed that I would never complain about being overworked or dare to say, I’m not in the mood to work today. 

                  David Amram

Havana/New York (1977) signed by David, Candido, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera

David Amram, confidant of Jack Kerouac, first Composer-In-Residence at the New York Philharmonic in 1966 under Leonard Bernstein, noted film composer who scored the acclaimed films Splendor In The Grass, The Arrangement and The Manchurian Candidate, jazz accomplice of Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, and collaborator with Bob Dylan, Jimmy LaFave, Willie Nelson and Patti Smith...is there anything he can't do? Or hasn't done? By comparison, Zelig seems a dilettante and rank amateur. 

A Renaissance Man in every sense, David was born in Philadelphia and then moved when he was seven to a farm in rural Feasterville, Pennsylvania. His father had given him a bugle and he started playing the piano. The bucolic lifestyle suited David and his music appreciation was enhanced by an unlikely source: “The old hog callers, who excelled in this special style of performing art. Whether or not they impressed any hogs, these farmers made me see that you can find music and beauty anywhere if you pay attention. They also made me see that you can transform anything into a form of expression all your own.” David studied French Horn and Orchestral Composition for a year at the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory Of Music before transferring to George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he completed his studies in 1952 and earned a degree in European History. David even found time to play French Horn with the National Symphony Orchestra as a substitute, before enlisting in the U.S. Army and spending two years in Germany. That led to a sojourn in postwar Paris playing jazz, enjoying the esprit de coeur which prevailed in the sundry cafes and jazz clubs along the Left Bank, and hanging out with George Plimpton and Peter Matthiessen as they co-founded The Paris Review.

Autobiography (1982) signed by David, “Deep in the heart of Texas and the Hudson Valley! Photo taken in Austin, Texas

When David returned to New York City, he joined Charles Mingus' band and jammed with the denizens in 52nd Street jazz clubs which led to joining Oscar Pettiford's big band. David reminisced on his time with Oscar, "When I was playing with Oscar Pettiford’s big band in 1957, at the New York nightclub Birdland, I got talking with Jimmy Cleveland, a great trombone player. After rehearsal I started whining about my landlord, and my then-girlfriend leaving me and my lack of work—whine, whine, whine—and Jimmy just sat there going, Mm-hmm. Finally he said, 'Let me pull your coat to something, he said, 'Don’t put your business in the street.' Bam! Jimmy made me understand that no one wants to hear David singing the blues—unless it’s a psychiatrist, and they now get three hundred dollars an hour for that."

After unexpectedly meeting Jack Kerouac at a loft party and accompanying him on a Spoken Word Jazz performance (probably the first ever!), David forged a lasting friendship with the brilliant and mercurial Kerouac. They also collaborated on the influential 1959 movie "Pull My Daisy" a Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie production. David remembered, "When Jack Kerouac did the narration for the silent movie “Pull My Daisy,” he had me do the score for it and also appear in it as Mezz MacGillicuddy, the deranged French horn player. Allen Ginsberg was in it, Gregory Corso. None of us could act, which we proved by our nine performances, but it was a fun kind of wonderful home movie. And Jack Kerouac’s brilliant narration over 29 ½ minutes of chaos and clowning around actually made it look like that was supposed to be what happened, even though we massacred the whole idea of what we were supposed to have done. It was a lot of fun."

This led to additional work with fellow iconoclast and film director Elia Kazan who hired David to score Splendor In The Grass (1961) against the wishes of Warner Brothers Studio who preferred a more established film composer.  A very successful film - an Oscar winner to William Inge for Best Screenplay -  David contributed to Kazan's film The Arrangement (1969) as well as the haunting music to John Frankenheimer's brooding The Manchurian Candidate in 1962, starring Frank Sinatra. No less than The Chairman Of The Board, a jazz fan himself, gave his blessings: "David Amram has done a magnificent job; the score is exactly what I wanted for this film. The music is almost sane sometimes, as the story is almost sane sometimes. And at other times, the music is in the trees, just like the movie is. It is a great score." What Sinatra wants, Sinatra gets!

At Home/Around The World (1980) signed by David

In the ensuing years, David's achievements and collaborations are too numerous to chronicle and he remains a music omnivore. Erin and I had the chance to see him recently at the Jazz Forum in Tarrytown, New York, an intimate jazz club. The show was sold out and the only seats left were at the end of the bar, so Erin and I grabbed two stools and settled in. Just then, David appeared and asked the bartender for some tea. I grabbed some vinyl and got to work, 'Tell me about Jack Kerouac?' "Oh, he was a wonderful man, obviously a great and talented writer. He was also a devout Catholic who went to Mass everyday and tried to live the St. Francis prayer. When he became a big literary star after On The Road was published, his agents and publicists wanted him to attend swanky society affairs. He hated that, he just wanted to hang with his friends -  poets, actors, musicians and painters. You know, It’s just a continuum, he’s like he’s still here even though he’s not," David said with a hint of a mystical gleam in his eyes. 'Tell me about your beads,' I asked, which grace the 1980 album cover of At Home/Around The World. "I have always had these, they were gifts from friends I have met along the way," he said, as he grasped a handful. When he signed the Woody Guthrie tribute album - he had been selected by the Guthrie Family Foundation to score a symphony for Woody in 2007 - he paused, "You know, I knew Woody and Pete Seeger very well." 'And Jimmy LaFave,' i interjected, 'That's his signature right there.' "Oh Jimmy was a beautiful man, how I miss him," David responded while signing "Also a fan."  I apologized for having so many records and taking up so much of his time. David would have none of it, "No it’s my pleasure. You know, a composer has a solitary life, I’m hidden away choosing notes and constructing a piece. You never know if someone is ever going to hear it, much less enjoy it. So I’m very happy to sign these albums, it brings back some great memories." 'Ok, just one more,' I said as I handed him the recently re-released vinyl soundtrack to The Manchurian Candidate. "Oh, Harold Land is on this one, and Carmel Jones, Jimmy Bond, so many other great players. I'm glad this has been reissued, it's been a long, long time," he said as he inscribed, "At last! 1962-2019".

Hard Travelin’ (1988) signed by David, Jimmy LaFave, Pete Seeger

Now it was time for David to get to work on the band stand. David's band included Erik Lawrence on tenor sax, Rene Hart on bass, Elliott Pepper on conga, and his son Adam Amram on conga and percussion. David played piano, flute, percussion, penny whistle, and whatever else he could get his hands on. They opened with Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas" which David counted off with a cowbell, before the band swept in a percussive Latin flow. David added some nice flute accents, then did a solo a la Rahsaan Roland Kirk playing two penny whistles at once. Dexterously. Other highlights were Gershwin's "Summertime", a dawdling piano intro by David, then Erik joined with a languid, slow as molasses tenor saxophone accompaniment. After extensive tenor blowing, there were deep grooves with deft call and response between the piano and bass. After the applause died down, David volunteered, "You know, I get asked all the time, What's the secret to being a composer? Well, I say, all it takes is purity of intent and exquisite note choices." Well, that sounds easy enough, especially if you're as prodigiously talented on as many instruments as David is. Oh that it were so! David introduced his last selection, "I'm going to play a song from Pull My Daisy by the late Robert Frank which was written by my unlikely cohorts, Jack Kerouac. Neal Casady and Allen Ginsburg. You know everyone knows Seinfeld, the TV show, well Larry David wrote Seinfeld about nothing and he based it on seeing Pull My Daisy a long. long time ago." There were cackles and guffaws from the unsuspecting audience, but David remained deadpanned. 

Of his upcoming November birthday, David recently confided in an interview, "Anyway, I don’t have time for old age to catch up with me. The title of Charlie Parker’s great 1945 anthem “Now’s The Time” remains my mantra. People are already planning celebrations for my ninetieth birthday in different cities around the world. So I am eating extra vitamins and trying to get at least one good night of sleep a week to be ready." David Amram is a musical treasure, a brilliant raconteur and an endless font of kindness and enthusiasm. Would that we all shared his indomitable spirit!

Latin-Jazz Celebration (1983) signed by David, Candido, Arturo Sandoval, , Paquito D’Rivera

Choice David Amram Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j69jBSwi-f4

Live Tribute to Monk: David Amram, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Haynes, Walter Davis Jr., Percy Heath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSQ9mHZRHGA

"What A Wonderful" Live at eTown  2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XME9RnC1RU

"Pastures Of Plenty" David swings Woody at eTown 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eIrwHFNj3U"

This Land Is Your Land"  David swings Woody with Jimmy LaFave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqrJYcj2wrg

The Eastern Scene  (1957)  David Amram with George Burrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtrOtygTyvI"

Take The 'A' Train"  David Amram and friends live at Jazz Forum, Tarrytown, NY 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wolfHMCWpS0&list=RDEMrCUCBkhf7gLtmeNYbz1oMQ&start_radio=1"

Splendor In The Grass"  live in Montreal with Vic Juris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO-K3vZHBPE"

Pescau"  At Home/Around The World (1996) with Patti Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwQr8wGIM14"

My Old Kentucky Home"  Tribute to Hunter S. Thompson, 1996 with Warren Zevon, Johnny Depp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSOv-La5lk4

"Triple Concerto"  David conducts Chicago Symphont Orchestra

Charlie Parker, Roy Haynes and Me...

Well, ever since I can remember, I was banging. I was playing on things. Rhythm. Listening to a lot of music. On the radio… they had good radio stations in Boston.           

               Roy Haynes

Bird At St. Nick’s (1950 recordings) signed by Roy

Charlie Parker never really told me what or how to play. That’s one of the things you sometimes find with that type of genius—more so than today: Everyone now is ready to tell you what to play. Everyone wants to tell drummers what to do. Fortunately, that doesn’t concern me much, because I prefer to do my own projects. The only thing I remember Charlie Parker telling me, if we were playing a big hall, was, ‘Keep it down at first until you get the feeling of the room.’ Other than that, we just played. I would listen—just grasp. You have to be on the stand and play drums, especially when you play with a lot of different people.

Roy Haynes

Bird Lives - Monk, Mingus, Parker and Haynes at the Open Door, NYC photo by Bob Parent, signed by Roy

The room was a basement that had good live sound, especially for a room with a low ceiling. Because it was named Birdland, after Charlie Parker, they had live birds in cages when it first opened up. All the birds died from so much smoke and no sun. I had a lot of great nights there: opening up with Bird, of course, playing there in the ’60s with Coltrane, and also performing with my own groups. One of my highlights was playing there with my trio featuring Phineas Newborn. He was all over that piano. Phineas had that rhythm thing—very percussive. The notes were sharp—hittin’. It gave me something to play with. We played well together; we had a nice rapport. But the years I remember about Birdland with the most fondness were the ’40s and ’50s. During that time, there was a lot of love. Playing in New York then was like a dream.

Roy Haynes

We Three (1958) signed by Roy

I happened to be at 126th Street and Eighth Avenue. That’s where all the greatest musicians in the world would be. I used to go there to see buddies. A lot of bands used to leave from there at the Hotel Braddock—big bands. Armstrong’s bus was there ready to leave, and I happened to have time off from Luis Russell’s band. I left with Armstrong, and went down South to play in tobacco warehouses and places like that. All you had to do was swing, man, and play with some feeling—back up the solos and shade. Playing loud and soft was called shading. Most of it came naturally to me. I had ears. I could hear anything.

Roy Haynes

The Sound Of Sonny (1957) signed by Roy, Sonny Rollins, Percy Heath

Younger drummers who never got to see Papa Jo play missed the treat of their lives… Jo Jones had a feeling—a looseness. He had a happy sound. He was something to watch, especially with a big band like Basie’s. That was it! When I was about 16 years old, I would go to the RKO theater in Boston to see him. When he started his solo, it was something special—different. It wasn’t about playing fast. It was that warm sound. He ‘ invented ‘ the sock cymbal. The way he played it was beautiful to listen to and watch. He didn’t have to play a solo; just a two-bar break was beautiful.

Roy Haynes

Portrait Of Art Farmer (1958) signed by Art, Roy, Hank Jones

 Roy Haynes is one of the best drummers I’ve worked with. I always tried to get him when Elvin Jones wasn’t able to make it. There’s a difference between them. Elvin’s feeling was a driving force. Roy’s was more of a spreading, a permeating. Well, they both have a way of spreading the rhythm, but they’re different. They’re both very accomplished. You can feel what they’re doing and can get with it.

John Coltrane

Tales Of Manhattan (1958) signed by Roy

I deal with sounds. I’m full of rhythm, man. I feel it. I’m thinking summer, winter, fall, spring, hot, cold, fast and solo, and colors. But I don’t analyze it....and I just keep it moving, and spread the rhythm, as Coltrane said. Keep it moving, keep it crisp.

                        Roy Haynes

Live At The Five Spot (1959) signed by Roy, Randy Weston

A jazz drummer virtuoso, Roy Haynes was born in Boston in 1925. He started with Lester Young in the 1940s, joined Charlie Parker in the early 1950s, and played with nearly every significant jazz artist, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk and Art Pepper. Slight of build, but incredibly propulsive behind his drum kit, Roy earned the nickname "Snap Crackle." And he still does.

Man At Work (1959) signed by Kenny Burrell, Richard Davis, Roy

I saw Roy many times over the years at jazz clubs in New York City like the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, and Birdland, and he was always generous in signing albums. Once, I brought him a poster to sign which has probably the best jazz quartet ever, a photograph by Bob Parent at the Open Door Cafe in New York City in September, 1953. Charlie Parker is blowing alto saxophone, Charles Mingus is playing bass, with Thelonious Monk on piano, and Roy on drums. When Roy saw the picture, he was taken aback. "Where did you get this? This brings back some great memories." Sheepishly, I told him I bought it from a New York City sidewalk street vendor. "I'd love to get a copy. Let me give you my address if you ever find another copy. You can mail it to me." Roy scrawled out his address which I happily received. I told him I would do my best to track down the poster, but I would need some help. Tracking down an itinerant street vendor would take considerable sleuthing and skill. Or luck.

Roy’s address, late 1990s

Moodsville (1960) signed by Roy, Tommy Flanagan

I got lucky several months later when I saw the poster displayed with a different vendor in Greenwich Village and bought a copy. When Roy played Birdland six months later, I went to see him and gave him the poster. Roy was so grateful to have a picture with Charlie Parker with whom he had played for three amazing years - The Greatest Jazz Quartet ever with Monk, Mingus, Parker and Haynes, all titans in jazz.

Destination…Out! (1963) signed by Roy, Jackie McLean

We spent some time looking at records of other artists Roy played with like Art Farmer, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Burrell, Randy Weston, et al. It is an impressive roster of seminal jazz artists and recordings. And versatile, from swing to bebop to fusion to avant garde. During his nearly seventy-five year professional career, Roy has played on hundreds of sessions and recordings, and he has been the leader on over thirty albums. Well into his 90th year, Roy continues to play and evolve. One of his latest recordings as a leader is with his aptly named Fountain Of Youth (2004) band. As Roy said recently, "When you're a serious artist, you don't think about how old you are. We all become the same age on the bandstand."

Roy Haynes, a drummer's drummer who keeps it moving and crisp. The snap crackle never sounded better.

All The Things We Are (1974) signed by Roy, Dave Brubeck, Lee Konitz

Times Square (1978) signed by Roy, Gary Burton, Steve Swallow

Trio Music (1982) signed by Roy, Chick Corea, Miroslav Vitous

Choice Roy Haynes Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGILJx8n9ug

“Repetition” live with Charlie Parker 1952

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LrF-Lcyh5Y

“After Hours” We Three 1959

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTAMZS-kaMU

“Fly Me To The Moon” Out Of The Afternoon 1962

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kXWHd0K9OA

“Blue n Boogie” Charlie Parker tribute 1973

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07HBRUwPj7I

“Jive Hoot” live with Stan Getz 1966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCzRXyZL_hc

“Groovin’ High” live at White House with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHGqP3GBhXQ

“Quiet Fire” Thank You Thank You 1977

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuXBMFrpWDc

“Round Midnight” Summit Meeting At Birdland 1951

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaJiMfcoYao

“Go n Git It!” Cymbalism 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDZ34WUF4PE

“Like Someone In Love” All The Things We Are 1974

Thank You Thank You (1977) signed by Roy, George Cables

Blues For Coltrane (1988) signed by Roy, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Cecil McBee

Question & Answer (1990) signed by Roy

Pharoah Sanders, John Coltrane and Me...

Pharoah is a man of large spiritual reservoir. He's always reaching out to truth. He's trying to allow his spiritual self to be his guide. He's dealing, among other things, in energy, in integrity, in essences. I so much like the strength of his playing. Furthermore, he is one of the innovators, and it's been my pleasure and privilege that he's been willing to help me, that he is part of the group.

               John Coltrane, liner notes, Live At The Village Vanguard Again! (1966)

Live At The Village Vanguard Again! (1966) signed by Pharoah

John always loved to play ballads. He played some ballads when I was working with him, when he kind of opened up more freely. On some jobs I did with him, he played a ballad every now and then. Then he got back in his spaceship and took off again. That's where he was. You never knew what he was going to do next until he did it. He just started playing himself, and we all just started coming in. Whatever time we felt like we were needed, we came in.
                 Pharoah Sanders 

Tauhid (1966) signed by Pharoah

A lot of time I don't know what I want to play. So I just started playing, and try to make it right, and make it join to some other kind of feeling in the music. Like I play one note, maybe that one note might mean love, and another note might mean something else. Keep on going like that until it develops into, maybe, something beautiful.
                Pharoah Sanders

Karma (1969) signed by Pharoah, Billy Hart, Reggie Workman

I play very free. Other saxophone players, they know I don't even worry about chord progressions or anything like that. I use my ear and I just play what I want to play, even now. 
               Pharoah Sanders

Jewels Of Thought (1969) signed by Pharoah

He always had some kind of a way of looking to the future, like a kaleidoscope. He saw himself playing something different. And it seemed like he wanted to get to that level of playing. I don't know if it was a dream that came to him, but that's what he wanted to do. I couldn't figure out why he wanted to play with him, because I didn't feel like, at the time, that I was ready to play with John Coltrane. Being around him was almost like 'Well, what do you want me to do? I don't know what I'm supposed to do.' He always told me, "Play." That's what I did.
                Pharoah Sanders

Deaf Dumb Blind (1970) signed by Pharoah, Cecil McBee

Ferrell “Pharoah” Sanders, an acclaimed tenor saxophonist, was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1940. Steeped in the tradition of church and gospel music, Pharoah started on drums, then switched to alto saxophone before settling on tenor. It was a rough experience for Pharoah (and others) growing up in Arkansas in the 1940s and 1950s. He recalled leaving Little Rock in 1959, “Arkansas was so racist, I had to get out of there. It wasn’t too good for people like me...In Arkansas, you had to play behind a curtain, they didn’t want to see black people. They fed us, we had our little place where we ate, but they didn’t allow white people in there. Most of the jobs I played, a lot of parties and weddings, that’s how it was.”

So Pharoah left Little Rock to move in with his aunts and uncles in Oakland who enjoyed living in the more welcoming Bay Area. Pharoah stayed there for two years but became disenchanted with the local music scene, “In Oakland, there’s a good time, but all they wanted to do was drink and smoke. I wasn’t really into it. A friend of mine, Smiley Winters, a left handed drummer, had to work tarring parking lots. He told me, ‘Yeah, man, with your sound, you don’t need to be here, you need to go to New York City.’ And I listened to him.”

Thembi (1971) signed by Pharoah, Cecil McBee

Virtually penniless, Pharoah hitchhiked from Oakland to New York City where he slept on park benches, clutching his saxophone tightly to make sure it wasn’t stolen. It was a meager existence which he barely survived, scavenging and selling his blood for ten or fifteen dollars, all the while searching for places to play in and around Greenwich Village which was littered with jazz clubs. Finally, he found the Five Spot, which was showcasing the inimitable Thelonious Monk. By his own account, Pharoah looked pretty rough and he wasn’t ready to enter any clubs because his appearance was so disheveled. However, hearing Monk’s transcendent music from his perch on the sidewalk gave him hope. Soon, he was able to enlist other musicians, including the great drummer Billy Higgins who was also similarly housing challenged, bassist Wilbur Ware and John Hicks on piano, to form his initial quartet.

Black Unity (1971) signed by Pharoah, Billy Hart, Stanley Clarke

With these stalwart players, Pharoah began to attract attention, and, in a scant four years, found himself recruited to play with John Coltrane, one of the most influential jazz artists of the day, or any day! Pharoah would go on to record ten albums with Coltrane - many were released posthumously - and it is some of Coltrane’s finest and most challenging work. With characteristic modesty, Pharoah said that Coltrane didn’t really need him to play what he wanted to play, but the depth and quality of their recordings suggest otherwise. When Trane died rather suddenly of liver cancer in 1967, Pharoah began his solo career which continues uninterrupted to this day. Releasing more than thirty albums, Pharoah has become as influential as a solo act as he was complementing the redoubtable John Coltrane. As the noted saxophonist Albert Ayler once said, "Trane is the Father, Pharoah is the Son, and I am the Holy Ghost."

Love Will Find A Way (1977) signed by Pharoah, Lenny White

I have been blessed to see Pharoah a bunch of times through the years, including shows at Birdland, the old Iridium when it was located near Lincoln Center, and an extraordinary show at the Knitting Factory in the late 1990s when Pharoah was joined by the renowned Bangladeshi tabla master and percussionist Badal Roy and the incredible bassist Alex Blake. It was a wall of sound and rhythm that was as enveloping as it was infectious.

Africa (1987) signed by Pharoah

Recently, I saw Pharoah at an intimate show at the Iridium near Times Square in New York City in December 2019. The show started with an unaccompanied piano intro by Benito Gonzalez, a ten minute excursion that was melodic and ruminative. As Benito deftly wove in various themes, the other members of the band joined him on stage and began in full flight. The gorgeous, plaintive wail of Pharoah's tenor saxophone was buttressed by the sturdy bass of Nathaniel Reeves and the impeccable time of Johnathan Blake on drums. For the next hour, the audience was spellbound as Pharoah took us on a space ship hurtling through time, exploring galaxies previously unknown. At times his playing was frenetic and dissonant, other times gentle and soothing, as he and his band touched all our emotions. For the last song, Pharoah led the band in his epic “The Creator Has A Master Plan”, not the thirty-three minute version that appears on his 1968 masterpiece Karma, but a more subdued, though no less moving, fifteen minute version, which included some call and response with the audience as he intoned, “The creator has a master plan, peace and happiness for all throughout the land.” A noble mantra, if only it were true!

Pharoah blowing at Iridium 28 December 2019 photo by me

Now it was time to meet Pharoah. On my way back stage, I met the pianist Benito Gonzalez and thanked him for his virtuoso performance. I mentioned that I recognized “The Creator Has A Master Plan”, ‘What were the three other tunes?’ “Yeah, thanks that was a lot of fun. Well, we started with a jazz standard, and the other two pieces were completely improvised.” I was shocked, ‘Really? You sounded so tight.’ “Yes, that’s the way he likes to play, always free and searching.” I thanked Benito for his amazing artistry and went in search of Pharoah.

Pharoah in deep bliss, Iridium 28 December 2019, photo by me

When I met Pharoah I thanked him for his stunning music, the torrents and sheets of sound were remarkable. He was bemused and taciturn, happy to sign, but probably happier when I left. I was reminded of a recent New Yorker interview in which he explained his simpatico with John Coltrane: ”I liked being around him because I didn’t talk that much either. It was just good vibes between us both. We were just very quiet... He would never start some sort of conversation, he would say something, but it wouldn’t last that long. He would never elaborate or go deep into it. He said a few words and that was it.” They could sit in silence and not suffer, pretty cool and pretty zen. I need to get a whole lot better at that!

Pharoah Sanders has an impressive Jazz legacy for sure, and, thankfully,  he is still adding to it. Long may he roar!

Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong (1987) signed by Pharoah

Choice Pharoah Sanders Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ6lB7FKxi8&t=47s

“The Creator Has A Master Plan “ Karma 1969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhDcb9YaliM

“The Creator Has A Master Plan “ live in Germany 1999

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii63fKLTSuU&t=82s

”Harvest Time”  Pharoah (1977)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8rX54ZhweU

“A Love Supreme” live in 1968

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTmdp0KYUpY

Upper Egypt”  Jewels Of Thought  1969; sampled by J. Dilla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzLDOaS1Otw

Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong” (1987)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk_laphkAXY

After The Rain” live with John Hicks  1986https

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNW-xNWCvB0

The Christmas Song “ Mel Torme wrote it, Nat King Cole sang it, but no one sounds like Pharoah!

Reunited (1987) signed by Pharoah, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, Richard Davis

Blues For Coltrane (1986) signed by Pharoah, McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes, Cecil McBee

The Blues, Charlie Musselwhite and Me...

When I was living in Chicago. I'd been hanging out in blues clubs all over the South and West sides and all the musicians thought of me as this crazy, white kid that was a blues fan. I'd request tunes, but I never ever asked to sit in or even told anybody that I played. I was happy enough to be hanging out with my heroes and socializing. Having come from Memphis, I already knew how to drink liquor like the men in these clubs. The blues clubs were strictly adults and I was still a teenager, but being big for my age I passed for 21 and got in all the clubs. Anyhow, I'd gotten to know this waitress really well and I'd played for her in her apartment and didn't think anything of it, but one night I heard her tell Muddy (Waters), "You oughta hear Charlie play harmonica!" That changed everything. Muddy insisted I sit in and from then on, as long as I knew Muddy, if I came to a club he was playing, he always called me up to sit in. This was good because a lot of musicians heard me sitting in with Muddy and started offering me gigs around Chicago. So, that night when I first sat in with Muddy changed my life and I owe it to that waitress, Mary, because I don't think I ever would've asserted myself in that way. That was the beginning of my career in music.

                    Charlie Musselwhite

Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite’s South Side Band (1966) signed by Charlie

When I was growin’ up, I would go around to any kind of junk stores, lookin’ for old blues 78s, but anything that looked interesting, I’d buy that, too. They were only a nickel or a dime apiece. So I had stacks and stacks of these 78s. Out of curiosity, I’d pick up stuff that just had weird titles or somethin’, and I discovered other kinds of music that had a feeling to it that reminded me of blues, like rebetiko from Greece, flamenco and more.

Charlie Musselwhite, early crate digger and music omnivore

Stone Blues (1968) signed by Charlie

It occurred to me that probably every culture has its music of lament, lost love, hard times. Everywhere you go, somebody's singing about 'My baby left me!'

                      Charlie Musselwhite

Tennessee Woman (1969) signed by Charlie

I feel real fortunate to have been so close to Big Joe (Williams). We roomed together and he'd take me all over Chicago with him, and introduced me to lots of people, not just musicians either... we'd sit up late nights and he'd tell me all kinds of stories about his life, and I was aware that he'd known Charley Patton and Robert Johnson and just about everybody. When we'd go into Pepper's Lounge, Muddy (Waters) would make a big fuss over Joe, because Joe was like a blues hero to Muddy. Muddy would tell the crowd about the man that wrote "Baby Please Don't Go", and he'd get Joe and I a booth and a set up and a bottle. Muddy called me "Good Time Charlie"... Muddy was always fun to be around.

                         Charlie Musselwhite

Memphis, Tennessee (1970), original Paramount Records release signed by Charlie

I think Muddy was in his forties when we met. He’d put on a show back then. He’d be running around onstage—I mean it was wild. I’ve seen him do shows for white audiences and they were really different from his usual show...Muddy would do things like, he’d been playing “I’m A Man” and Muddy would step back—James Cotton would come to the front of the stage taking a solo while Muddy would shake up a beer bottle, put it in his pants, then he’d come back singing “I’m A Man”—un-zip his pants, pull out the beer bottle—pop the cap off of it and foam would go all over the audience. Women would be swinging their purses sayin’ ‘Sing it Muddy1 Sing it!’ This isn’t the show you’d see at a folk festival.

                       Charlie Musselwhite

Memphis; Tennessee (1970) 1984 reissue on CrossCut Records signed by Charlie

Born in Mississippi in 1944 and raised in Memphis, Charlie Musselwhite Is one of the last real harmonica bluesman. A three time Grammy winner with thirteen nominations, Charlie has released more than thirty-five albums in his storied career. More importantly, Charlie hung out and sat in with blues royalty like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Big Joe Williams while honing his craft, and he had a life long friendship with John Lee Hooker, with John Lee even serving as best man in 1981 at his third marriage to his current wife Henrietta.

Charlie grew up in a musical family, his father played guitar and harmonica, and his mother played piano, and he was surrounded by the rich, fertile music in his teen years that was being made in Memphis at Sun Studios - the music of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and others - an intoxicating stew of rockabilly, country and blues. This had a profound effect on his development, as Charlie later recalled, "Playing in Memphis was for my own gratification... there was something in me that needed to be satisfied. Those folks were tuned in and sensitive to things that mattered...about how you treat people and the quality of life on the ethereal level."

Leave The Blues To Us (1975) signed by Charlie

However, economics soon played an important factor as well. The "Hillbilly Highway" (Highway 51N) was beckoning with the promise of riches and ample work to the North. Charlie remembered, "“In the South, when you’re diggin’ dirt, it’s wet and all heavy, and you have to put it in a wheelbarrow and run it up a ramp, and the heat and the humidity…and you were only makin’ a dollar an hour. It’s gives you an attitude. Factory work sounded pretty good after that. I’d seen various friends of mine leave and come back to visit. They’d be drivin’ a brand new car – a red Oldsmobile or somethin’ – talkin’ about how great the jobs were. The pay would be good, the benefits. After a while, it seemed like I had to take that highway up North to take one of those big Yankee jobs. It was really a different world. There was so much work in Chicago, you could walk into a factory and go to work right then." 

So Charlie left Memphis in 1962 for the promise of a better life and a factory job in Chicago. Charlie had just turned eighteen, and he brought along his harmonica. His first job was as a driver for an exterminator. Charlie explained, "It was perfect for me, because I learned how to get around the city right away. That’s when I saw posters and signs and things advertising Muddy Waters. I even remember seeing Elmore James’ name up on a place. I wanted to go see him, but he died before I got there.” Charlie immersed himself in the extensive blues scene that Chicago offered when giants - Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Wiiliamson, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker - walked the earth amongst the mere mortals. 

After the success of Paul Butterfield (another white harmonica virtuoso) on Elektra Records, Charlie was given an opportunity to record in 1966 for Vanguard Records. Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's South Side Band proved to be an unlikely hit among nascent FM radio stations, especially on the West Coast. It didn't hurt that Charlie's band included the searing guitar of Harvey Mandel and tasteful keyboard shadings of Barry Goldberg.  "Cristo Redentor" (written by jazz pianist Duke Pearson) became an anthem of sorts for Charlie (even though it was mistitled "Christo Redemptor" on Charlie's album), and the song remains a Musselwhite concert staple nearly fifty-five years later.

The Harmonica According To Charlie Musselwhite (1979) signed by Charlie

After five years jamming in Chicago, it was time to move west to San Francisco. Charlie expounded: "In August or September of '67, I was out in California doing my first gig, which was at the Fillmore and it was me, Butterfield and Cream. It was Cream’s first U.S. gig. That was my introduction to the West Coast. I thought I was gonna go out to California and do a few gigs and then come back to Chicago. When I got out to California, I found out all up and down the West coast were tons of great gigs that paid good money. I’d been working in these little blues bars for not much money and in California it was easy to see that you could make a living. Out here on the West Coast blues music was something exotic. They didn’t really know about the blues—it was something new to them. It was the underground radio that really did it because they weren’t playing me on the radio in Chicago. So that underground radio on the West Coast, and that first album gave me a career. That was my ticket out of the factory…I was twenty-two or twenty-three."

Charlie never looked back and he has continued to live in Northern California ever since. He has collaborated over the years with artists as diverse as the Blind Boys Of Alabama, Bonnie Raitt, Cyndi Lauper, INXS and the otherworldly talents of Tom Waits. In fact, Waits and Charlie live near each other in undisclosed Northern Cal locations, and get together for an occasional lunch. Charlie graced Waits' masterpiece Mule Variations (1998) on several tracks, and Waits said Charlie's intro on "Chocolate Jesus" was his favorite part of the song. Another unlikely inspiration was Dan Ackroyd's "Elwood Blues", half of the infamous Blues Brothers with faux sibling John Belushi. Ackroyd credits Charlie's stage demeanor - dressed in all black, hair slicked back, harmonica wailing - as the source for Elwood's character. While Charlie didn't appear in the original Blues Brothers (1980) movie, he does grace the sequel Blues Brothers 2000 with a riveting and raucous performance as part of the Louisiana Gator Boys, which includes BB King, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Isaac Hayes et al.

Curtain Call (1982) sgned by Charlie

I saw Charlie perform February 26, 2020 at The Iridium in New York City. He had his usual trio with him - Matthew Stubbs on guitar, Randy Bermudes on bass and June Core on drums - all crack musicians who have been touring with Charlie for the past decade or more. They opened with "Wild, Wild Woman", a taut, upbeat blues track highlighting Charlie's expressive, flowing harmonica and Matthew Stubbs crunchy electric guitar. The backbeat was bolstered by Randy Bermudes sturdy bass lines and June Core's rock solid drums. Other show highlights were "West Helena Blues" written by James Cotton, which Charlie introduced, "This was written by my great friend James Cotton and there's a whole lotta stories we shared that I can never tell. This song was one of the first songs James ever recorded in Sun Studios in Memphis." It was a slow, smoldering blues which left ample time for each musician to showcase their talents with extended solos. Next came "Good Blues Tonight", a recent song that Charlie wrote with the lyric "I ain't no doctor, ain't no doctor's son, but I'll ease your pain until the doctor comes." Amen, brother Charlie, who knew you were also a gifted lyricist?! June Core provided a funky, latin rococo beat while Matthew Stubbs tossed off tasty guitar licks. "Help Me", written by Sonny Boy Williamson, which appears on Charlie's first album prompted this anecdote: "Sonny Boy was playing Curly's Twist (a fabled blues club in Chicago) and Otis Rush was on stage playing. He walked up to the mic, took it away and started playing. Now you know they used to call Sonny "The Hatchet Man" because he used to carry one under his coat. Finally, Willie Dixon (whose songs Led Zeppelin ripped off!) said,'You can't do nothin' with it,' and Willie went outside and put up a $5 bill on a pole. Believe it not, that was a lot of money back then. Anyhow, Sonny hit it perfect and took the $5. Yeah, no one wanted to mess with Sonny. After the show, I went over to say hello. He had all these drinks in front of him and he caught me staring at them. 'Don't worry,' he said, 'I'm going to drink all of them!' " Charlie lit into "Help Me" with all his power and vitality, and the rest of the band followed their leader. For the finale, Charlie played "Cristo Redentor", saying, "This is from my first album recorded in 1966. It never gets old." It doesn't, it will never will get old, and it was exquisitely played.

After the show, I visited with Charlie and he was gracious as he signed the albums, "Hey thanks, I can see you have great taste," he chortled. "This is the record that started it all," as he held Stand Back!, "I'm still playing these songs." 'And they sound great.' I added. He laughed when he saw Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough, "You know, this picture was taken in front of the Hell's Angels headquarters in Oakland. Heh, I'm not sure why." I guess that was befitting the album title which comes from a muscular Jimmy Witherspoon song. I couldn't resist asking him about Tom Waits, "Oh, he's a great musician, I really enjoy recording with him. We don't live that far apart, and we see each other from time to time." 'You are a very lucky man,' I said and I thanked him for his music and generosity.

Time’s Gettin’ Toughet Than Tough (1978) signed by Charlie

Charlie Musselwhite, a brilliant musician, performer, songwriter and engaging raconteur. He once said, "The harp is very voice like, and bending the notes is very human sounding. To me, it feels like singing without words." He sings those notes beautifully, long may he bend!

Choice Charlie Musselwhite Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UDJSy2zyz0

"Christo Redemptor" Stand Back! Here Comes... (1966)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBWYydS9nQU

"Bag Gloom Brews"  Stone Blues (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Maduhxyluj4

"Good Blues Tonight"  I Ain't Lyin'  (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5kHx1itU8c

"Chocolate Jesus" Charlie wailing with Tom Waits Mule Variations (1998)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7yuTR8r6QM

"Get Behind The Mule" More Charlie wailing with Waits  Mule Variations (1998)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma4TOv2f_WY

"Suicide Blondes"  INXS  Charlie playing harmonica, not the tosser in the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rLDOgemyjU

"Try A Little Tenderness" Cyndi Lauper and Charlie live at the White House (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ra7_Pt5DTI

"Cristo Rendentor"  live 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntFaqWIdtZ0

"West Helena Blues" Charlie Musselwhite live 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUCUEBFcJ7Y

"West Helena Blues" James Cotton with Otis Spann on piano, 1965 from Sun Studio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPeP3M-NqFo

"Help Me"  Sonny Boy Wiiliamson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMLVjN-pG0

"Help Me"  Stand Back! Here Comes Charlie...  (1966)

Bonus tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6xWfqY7Ez8

"Cristo Redentor"  How Insensitive  Duke Pearson (released 1969, written 1961)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg3CBBkSss4

"Cristo Redentor"   A New Perspective  Donald Byrd  (1964)

Willie Nelson and Me...

Ninety-nine per cent of the world's lovers are not with their first choice. That's what makes the jukebox play.

Willie Nelson

Hello Walls (1966) signed by Willie

There's really nothing wrong with the fact that the same people who sing "Whiskey River" at the show tonight also sing "Amazing Grace." When I was back teaching Sunday school, I used to teach the same people on Sunday mornings that I sang to on Saturday nights. Nothing wrong with that, either.

Willie Nelson

Good Times (1968) signed by Willie

Well, yeah I was, you know, throwing it away with both hands. The faster I would make it, the faster I would spend it. Everybody else would travel on the bus, and I was still playing bass for Ray Price when “Hello Walls” made a hit and I got my first royalty check. So I started flying first class to all the dates - Ray’s bass player, right? I’m making $25 a day and I’d get a suite at the hotel. Ray’s got a regular room at the Holiday Inn… and I got the penthouse. So the checks came and went, but I had a lot of fun.

Willie Nelson on his early profligate ways

San Antonio Rose (1979) signed by Willie, Ray Price

He was an incredible writer, sang with so much feeling. He was a sick man from the time he was born till he died. He had a bad back and was always on some kind of pain medications or alcohol or whatever it took to get him up to the show. And he had a hard life, died at twenty-nine. But nobody wrote better songs than Hank. It was the simplicity, melody and a line anybody could understand.

Willie Nelson on Hank Williams

Pancho & Lefty (1983) signed by Willie, Merle Haggard

He was doing things that really weren’t considered mainstream. Like to me, Red Headed Stranger (1975) is a punk record, in the context of what country music was supposed to be back then: very overproduced and shiny and rhinestones and strings. And he came out with Red Headed Stranger. The label thought it was a demo. He was just breaking down those barriers and fearlessly doing his thing.

Micah Nelson, son and fellow musician

Red Headed Stranger (1975) signed by Willie

Born in Abbott, TX in 1933, Willie Nelson was raised by his grandparents who exposed him to music as a young child. His grandfather gave him a guitar when he was six. Willie wrote his first song when he was seven and he sang gospel in the church with his older sister Bobbie (who later joined his band as his long time pianist).

Early in his career, Willie had incredible success as a songwriter. In fact in one week, (probably the best week in songwriting history!) Willie wrote “Crazy”, “Funny How Time Slips Away” and “Night Life” - songs which have become standards and hits for others: "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Billy Walker, and “Night Life" by Ray Price. "Crazy" became one of the best selling and most popular jukebox tunes of all time, and a staple for country and popular music. Although Patsy Cline recorded the definitive version in 1961, other artists have sung it, everyone from Shirley Bassey to Linda Ronstadt, Norah Jones to Neil Young.

One For The Road (1979) signed by Willie, Leon Russell

Despite Willie's enormous success as a songwriter, his own career stalled for decades. Willie's voice and unusual phrasing (seemingly one beat behind the music) was considered uncommercial by Nashville. Tommy Allsup, producer of early 1960s Willie Nelson records explained: “He sang behind the beat. That’s the way jazz singers sing. If you recorded with Willie, I don’t care if you knew the song backwards, you better write out a chord chart and read that sumbitch. He’s going to be away from the lead line… if you start listening to him while he’s playing, you’re going to break time.” For his part, Willie was nonplussed by the criticism, “Growing up in Texas and working the clubs there, all the folks would come out and see me, and they seemed to like my singing well enough. Whether my singing could sell records or not, that was another story. Record companies weren’t that turned on by my phrasing, and it wasn’t exactly what was going on in Nashville at the time.”

So Willie moved to Austin, Texas in the early 1970s and helped start the nascent Outlaw Country movement with Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker and others. The Outlaw movement was an attempt to get away from the rigid confines and structure of the Nashville music establishment as these artists wanted to take more creative and artistic control. Willie released a string of great records -  Shotgun Willie (1973), Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Wanted! The Outlaws (1976) - which helped define the genre and considerably raised his profile.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow (1981) signed by Willie

Another stroke of Willie’s genius was his decision and insistence to record American pop standards “Georgia On My Mind”, “All Of Me”, “Moonlight In Vermont”, and “Blue Skies” among others on Stardust (1978). Willie remembered his record company’s reluctance, “There’s always been people who say, ‘That’s not country, why you doing that?’ Or, ‘This would be a better song for you.’ Record company executives are the worst at it, they think they know everything. And, you know, sometimes they know a lot, and sometimes they don’t know anything… they didn’t see it, they didn’t understand it, and automatically they said it wasn’t a good idea. I went ahead and did it anyway, because I had it in my contract that I had creative control. I could record anything I wanted to. They had to back off and take it, and when it wound up a Number One record, they all said, ‘Well, look what we did!’ “ Of course, it didn’t hurt that Stardust sold more than five million records and was produced by the incomparably talented Booker T. Jones, his Malibu neighbor! Remarkably, it took only ten days to record, mix and produce.

The Highwaymen (1985) signed by Willie

I saw Willie dozens of times over the years, and he is the consummate performer with a fabulous band. Twice, I saw him appear with The Highwaymen - Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Willie - the Mount Rushmore of Country Music. Those were amazing shows as each artist took turns singing their hits and harmonizing with each other on stage. And what songs and singing!

Another time, I saw Willie perform at Tower Records in New York City at a record release event in late fall 1998. Willie was highlighting his new album, Teatro (1998) which was produced by sonic landscape master Daniel Lanois. There was no stage. Willie and his band set up on the floor to the right of the check out counter.  Sister Bobbie had an electric keyboard, Paul English, his drummer and cohort since 1967, had one conga drum as his entire kit. Bee Spears played bass and long time harmonica player Mickey Raphael was blowing soulfully. At most in-store visits, an artist plays two or three songs (if any) from a new album, signs some records, and leaves within an hour. Not Willie. He opened with “Whiskey River”, then took requests (which he said he never does), played for ninety minutes, and signed records for more than an hour. The show started around 1pm, and Willie and his band didn't leave until after 4pm. And he had a show that night in New Jersey! There were maybe eighty of us in the store watching this incredible, intimate performance.

Me & Paul (1985) signed by Willie, Mickey Raphael

As Willie was signing some albums after the Tower show, I told him one of my favorite albums was Texas Swings (1992), an instrumental tribute to the music of Bob Wills, the father of Texas swing, which featured Willie and Herb Ellis (Oscar Peterson's longtime guitarist). It was a potent mix of jazz, country, blues and swing. Willie said he loved playing jazz instrumentals with Herb, they were both Texans and the music of Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys was very influential to both artists. "It was jazzy,” Willie confirmed with a big smile.

Two Men With The Blues: Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis, Jazz at Lincoln Center February 2009

In February 2009, I saw Willie perform with Wynton Marsalis at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. It was unlike any Willie Nelson show I have ever seen. As we entered Rose Hall, we were given a program which listed the songs the band was to perform. It was a tribute to Ray Charles and featured all Ray Charles standards like "Cryin' Time", "Busted", and  "Come Rain Or Come Shine."  Wynton and his band came on stage dressed impeccably in Armani suits. Then Willie joined. All black. Black hat, black boots, black shirt, black tie, black jacket and slacks. Hair neatly braided, there was nary a red bandanna to be found (or thrown from the stage). On a couple songs, Willie was joined by the preternaturally talented and beautiful Norah Jones. He more than held his own playing with Wynton's skilled players, as Willie has some bona fide jazz chops and cites Django Reinhardt, the incomparable Gypsy jazz guitarist, as an early influence. The encore was a swinging, percolating "What'd I Say" with Wynton's band taking turns with crisp solos. Brother Ray would have certainly approved. 

After the show, Willie stood at the edge of the stage and signed every album, ticket, program, etc. He didn't leave until everyone who wanted to speak with him or shake his hand did so. As he signed some albums, I teased Willie and asked him why he didn't open with "Whiskey River" (the song he usually opens and closes every show, and definitely not from the Ray Charles catalog!). He said, "I'll have to open with that tomorrow night." I told him how much I enjoyed the Ray Charles songs and how tight the band sounded. He thanked me and said how much fun it was to perform these songs with Wynton and his band.  Indeed it was a commanding performance with some of the finest jazz musicians in the world on one of its' biggest stages. Thankfully, they were taping this show and Here We Go Again: Celebrating The Genius Of Ray Charles (released in 2011) is a brilliant recording of a fabulous night.

Willie Nelson. American music legend, icon and a really nice, generous guy.

Willie Sings Kristofferson (1979) signed by Willie, Kris Kristofferson

Choice Willie Nelson Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWloaxXWv0g&t=16s

Willie sings “Hello Walls” in Nashville in 1962

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoKvUYbGu7A

”Pancho & Lefty” Willie and Merle sing Townes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8A9Y1Dq_cQ

”Seven Spanish Angels” Willie and Ray Charles sing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA644rSZX1A&t=16s
“Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K-CFjzGpqo
“Hands On The Wheel” live 2020, Willie with sons Micah and Lukas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7CTMAa4m6M

“Whiskey River “ live, Austin City Limits, 1974

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9arEte9nVlE

“Hallelujah I Love Her So” Willie and Wynton at Lincoln Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E1Jv8L7jQ4
“You Are My Sunshine” Willie, Norah Jones and Wynton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7IFYd6UOe4

”Heartland “ Willie sings with Bob Dylan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ6UjZBlqJQ

the Highwaymen - Johnny, Kris, Waylon and Willie

Isaac Hayes, Erin and Me...

That was out of necessity, to communicate. It started in a predominately black club called The Tiki Club. I was ranting and raving about this tune I heard, "By The Time I Get To Phoenix." Nobody showed too much interest, so I told James Alexander, bandleader of The Bar-Keys, "Hey, I'm coming down to the club tonight, y'all learn 'Phoenix' man." So I showed that night. Club was packed, everybody talking. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Isaac Hayes!" Nobody applauded. They were still talking. Shit. So I tell James to hang up on those chords on the intro. Just recycle to the top of the song. And I started talking about the situation I imagined would've happened if this guy's woman were taken through these changes. I started talking and I went, and I went, and the conversations started to subside. It got quiet. I thought, I got ya! I went, "By the tiiiiime..." and they went, "Oh wow!" They sat and listened to the whole thing. I went through the vamp, dragging it out, repeating it, and when I finished, not a dry eye in the house. I got 'em, that was it. And then I did the same thing at a predominantly white club. Same reaction. A local pop DJ named Scott Shannon, who's in New York now, said, "Ike, you ought to record that." So I did.

              Isaac Hayes

Hot Buttered Soul (1969) signed by Isaac

I was a pop freak. I love music. Of course, I knew soul because I grew up in it. Writing it and everything, I love soul. But I love a tune that has some meat in it. Something I could hang my hat on. Because music is universal. Therefore, I felt no boundaries.

              Isaac Hayes

…To Be Continued (1970) signed by Isaac

Who's the black private dick
That's a sex machine to all the chicks?
Shaft, ya, damn right

Who is the man that would risk his neck
For his brother man?
Shaft, can you dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out
When there's danger all about?
Shaft, right on

They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother
Shut your mouth
But I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft
Then we can dig it

He's a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
John Shaft

"Theme From Shaft" written by Isaac Hayes 

The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970) unsigned

The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970) gatefold drug gloriousness

Isaac Hayes won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Original Song for the "Theme From Shaft" in the classic blaxploitation movie. It was the first win for an African American in that category, and only the third win overall, behind Hattie McDaniel (Best Supporting Actress, 1939) and Sidney Poitier (Best Actor, 1964).  A shaved head with a ripped, menacing shirtless torso enslaved with thick gold chains, Isaac Hayes was the original G. Ike's bling had bling. It is not surprising that Isaac has been sampled in the ensuing years by Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Notorious B.I.G., and Snoop Dogg, among countless others. Not only did Wu-Tang Clan sample Ike's version of "Walk On By" in "I Can't Go To Sleep", Isaac also appears in the video in a resplendent purple robe and sings with the Wu. It doesn't get any more G than that. I saw Isaac Hayes twice, and he was anything but a bad motherf@#$*r, he was humble, courteous, and kind.

Born in Covington, Tennessee, Isaac moved to Memphis when he was a child and joined Stax Records, a fledgling record label as a session keyboardist in 1964. He met David Porter and they became a dynamic songwriting duo with over two hundred song credits.  Hits like "If Something Is Wrong With My Baby", "Soul Man", "Hold On, I'm Comin' ", "B-A-B-Y", "I've Got To Love Somebody's Baby", by artists like Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Johnnie Taylor... all from the pen and soul genius of Isaac Hayes and David Porter.

Isaac's first solo effort, Presenting Isaac Hayes, was released in 1968. It was mostly a soul-jazz instrumental excursion which featured Booker T. and The MG's without Booker T. Isaac stretched out on keyboards while Duck Dunn played bass, Al Jackson played drums, and guitar great Steve Cropper mixed the recording. As Isaac recalled, "All the time I was writing hit songs with my partner David Porter, I always had the yen to perform. Sure did, and when the opportunity came, I took it. The first album, Presenting Isaac Hayes, didn't do so hot, but it was like a prelude for what was to come. When I was given an opportunity to do things the way I wanted to, without any restrictions and no holds barred, that's when I did Hot Buttered Soul. Which changed a lot of things."

Yes, Hot Buttered Soul (1969) changed everything. There were only four songs on the record and only one was written by Isaac ("Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic"), a surprising turn given how prolific a songwriter Ike was. The rest were pop covers - "Walk On By", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "One Woman." Isaac's genius was to transform three minute pop gloss into twelve and eighteen minute soul explorations with extensive spoken word introductions and monologues. In many ways, Isaac and this release paved the way for artists like Barry White and Marvin Gaye to use symphonic effects and to explore their unbridled creativity. And Isaac wasn't done. On his fourth album, ...To Be Continued (1970), side one opens with "Monologue - Ike's Rap 1" which segues into "Our Day Will Come", another pop song turned into a soul burner. I believe it is the first time "rap" had ever been explicitly cited on vinyl. Side two opens with "Ike's Mood", which leads into "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' ", a fifteen minute soul orchestral tour de force. The Righteous Brothers never sounded this funky or greasy!

The Best Of Isaac Hayes (1974) unsigned

The first time I saw Isaac I was not expecting him. I was at the bar of the Blue Note in New York City on a Monday night in the late 90s for the celebration of the club anniversary. Each year, the Blue Note would have a host, like Jimmy Heath or Milt Jackson, and the festive show would have guest artists. The performances were loose, unstructured, mostly jam sessions with the incredible talent that showed up. Halfway through the show, there was a bit of commotion as Isaac Hayes made his way from the front door through the bar toward the stage. As he passed by, he was slighter than I imagined, shaved head gleaming, dark sunglasses, gold chains bursting through a black satin leather coat that seemed a size too small. I nodded my approval and said innocuously, "It's great to see you Ike." He smiled, nodded in return and continued his journey uninterrupted toward the stage. The MC announced that we had a special guest who would be performing. The jazz and gospel pianist Cyrus Chestnut had just finished a song with his trio and Isaac joined them on stage. After a brief conversation between Cyrus and Isaac, Cyrus began to play "The Shadow Of Your Smile", a beautiful pop ballad enhanced by Isaac's dripping, dulcet baritone. The crowd went nuts and as quickly as it began, it was over. Shazam!  Ike disappeared from the stage and club. I found myself asking, did that really happen?!

BB King’s 1.27.07 regal and resplendent

The next time, Erin and I saw Isaac at B.B.Kings Club in New York City on January 27, 2007. He appeared on stage in a beautiful gold and purple tunic, and he seemed a bit tentative as he was led to his keyboard by an attractive young lady. Later, it was revealed that he had suffered a stroke in 2006 and he was still recovering. Isaac had a tight band with him and he played some of his hits, including a funky "Soulsville", a beautifully drawn out "I Stand Accused", and of course, a pulsating "Shaft." He played keyboards and sang beautifully, but he didn't have a horn section to punch the grooves which was disappointing.

Juicy Fruit (Discon Freak) (1976) signed by Isaac

After the show, Erin and I headed backstage with a couple of albums. I guessed (correctly!) that Isaac would want to greet Erin first, a consistent pattern through the years with other soul men like James Brown, Solomon Burke, and Barry White. The door to Isaac's dressing room opened, and Erin was greeted warmly and she had him sign his opus, Hot Buttered Soul, and ...To Be Continued. She gave him a big hug and returned to me, waiting just outside his dressing room. She showed me her spoils and said, "He's right there, why don't you get another one signed?" So I did. I slid inside the slightly ajar door and I handed him Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak). I told Isaac it was one of my favorite album covers. The front cover shows Isaac surrounded in a pool by six lovely ladies dressed like Carmen Miranda with assorted fruits and bananas as head pieces, and not much else. The back cover shows Isaac bursting through the water, arms raised triumphantly while his lovelies look on. Jim McCrary, the house photographer for A&M Records, shot the photos. McCrary was responsible for some iconic photos over the years, including Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen, the Nudie western wear of Gram Parsons on The Flying Burrito Brothers, Carole King's Tapestry ...and his real masterpiece, Ike's Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak). Unfortunately, the music is more like disco dreck, a pastiche of drum machines and syncopated beats to nowhere with eminently forgettable lyrics. But the album cover remains transcendent. Isaac asked me my name to personalize the signature. I told him I was a big fan and it looked like he had a bunch of fans with him in the pool. He smiled, a Cheshire cat smile, and he signed the album and handed it back to me. The inscription read "To a Fan, Isaac Hayes."

Juicy Fruit (Disco Freak) (1976) back cover

Isaac Hayes: Oscar and Grammy winner, singer, songwriter, fashion style setter, innovator, cultural icon. And no one rocked a crushed velour purple tuxedo harder at the Academy Awards. Ever! 

I am a big fan.

Isaac Hayes accepting Oscar - 44th Academy Awards, 1972

Isaac Hayes ticket 1.27.07

Choice Isaac Hayes Cuts (per BK's request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M380X-AeBpM

"Theme From Shaft" - Live at Academy Awards 1972

Sammy Davis Jr. gets his groove on!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DEZy5ZEQTU

Isaac Hayes Wins The Oscar - No one pimps a tux harder!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5tqAbrZeX0

"Walk On By" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR6SKLE8nZM

"Don't Let Go"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2S0zu3M0rY

"I Can't Get To Sleep"  - Ike Meets Wu-Tang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKdUQQ8vI1Y

"I Stand Accused" - Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDOH3ViMmCM

"Theme From Shaft" - Live at Glastonbury  2002

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bbdJSW3pvM

"By The Time I Get To Phoenix" - 18 minutes of bliss

All signed/unsigned albums from my collection

Most photos by Jim McCrary

copyright 2016

Royal Rappin’s (1979) with Millie Jackson, unsigned

Royal Rappin’s (1979) back cover

Some Great Photography by Jim McCray:

Gram Parsons (1969) photo by Jim McCray, suit by Nudie

The Carpenters: Ticket To Ride (1969) photo by Jim McCray

Joe Cocker; Mad Dogs & Englishmen (1970) photo by Jim McCray

Carole King: Tapestry (1971) photo by Jim McCray

Herbie Hancock On The Beach (1976) photo by Jim McCray

Jack McDuff and Me...

Jack McDuff gave me the most important foundation for communicating my music to others. He pointed out the elements that are universally common to us all. I owe a great deal of my success to the man we know as Brother Jack McDuff.

                George Benson

Tough ‘Duff (1960) signed by Jack

it is obvious, upon listening to him, that he has deep gospel roots but, aside from that, he has absorbed some of the beauties of life, and through appreciation and understanding, evinces it esthetically in his music. He is a ferocious charging beast; he is a graceful swan on a simmering lake. He is what he wants to be.

Benny Golson, liner notes, Silk And Soul (1965)

The Honeydripper (1961) signed by Jack

Jack McDuff is one of those rare musicians who can segue from a contemporary jazz classic to a raucous rock and roll tune without being unfaithful to the style of either one.

               pianist Billy Taylor

Silk And Soul (1965) signed by Jack

I spent a lot of my Navy time hanging around band rooms at various camps and the music came naturally. I was never much with the lessons, but I had a good ear. I picked up tunes easy and remembered them.

Jack McDuff liner notes Tough’Duff (1960)

Brother Jack Meets The Boss (1962) signed by Jack

I guess people who are jazz fans just dig the blues because that's all we perform. We play bluesy but we always break it up. We don't have any message with our music, except pat your foot and go along with what you're doing.

Jack McDuff

The New Boss Guitar Of George Benson (1964) signed by Jack, Red Holloway

In the early 1960s, McDuff was near the top of the list of heavy cats playing the organ, right alongside Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff...he cut a series of records for the Prestige label that were among the best organ-trio sets of the time....Jack was both a true entertainer and a true musician. He put on a show, but it was always substantial; it wasn’t just a cat hitting an endless trill with his right hand and waving to the audience with his left.

                George Benson

Screamin’ (1962) signed by Jack

Born in 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, Jack McDuff became one of the most accomplished jazz and soul organist. A master of the Hammond B3, Jack was a leader on over fifty albums, and he played with other jazz masters like Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Forrest and Benny Golson. McDuff started his career playing the acoustic bass and almost joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers as a bassist, but he switched to piano. As Jack explained, "It was the difference between some kind of paycheck and none at all." Jack then switched to the organ because he got a more lucrative gig at the Chicago nightclub, McKie's Lounge, and joined Willis Jackson's band. McDuff toured for a year or so with Jackson, developing his impressive chops, and recording Please Mr. Jackson (1959) and Cool Gator (1959) with Willis as the leader.

The Dynamic Jack McDuff (1964) signed by Jack, Benny Golson, Red Holloway

Jack started his solo career in 1960 and he was a peerless talent scout, attracting skilled sidemen and collaborators like guitar virtuosos Grant Green and Pat Martino. In 1963, a nineteen year old guitar phenom, George Benson, got his professional start as a member of Jack's classic quartet with Red Holloway on tenor sax, and Joe Dukes on drums. They would record and tour together for several years. Benson was heavily influenced by Wes Montgomery in those days and played straight ahead jazz, a far cry from the pop pablum of Leon Russell's  "This Masquerade", a top 10 hit for George in 1976 and a staple of 1970s FM radio. This track was a bit of a fluke, as the rest of Breezin' is instrumental, including the title cut, penned by soul great Bobby Womack. Nevertheless, it won Benson a Grammy and was a multi-platinum record, the first jazz release to receive platinum status.

Cookin’ Together (1964) signed by Jack, Red Holloway

Jack had a bluesy, soulful sound and he named his band The Heatin' System, and they certainly turned the heat up with their swirling soul and blues. In the 1990s as a new generation discovered McDuff's masterly beats and funk. His albums became fertile ground for sampling and remixes from hip hop artists and DJs like Deee-Lite, Fat Boy Slim, Flava, Pete Rock, A Tribe Called Quest, and beat master extraordinaire, J. Dilla.

Tobacco Road (1967) “Merry Christmas Jack McDuff”

I saw Jack many times at small clubs and he always put on an entertaining show. At the old Iridium Jazz Club, when it was located near Lincoln Center in New York City, Jack was performing with a quartet, including Mark Whitfield, a young guitar gunslinger in a long line that graced McDuff's bandstand over the years. As I entered the club, I saw Jack sitting alone at the small service bar with only three or four seats. I slid over and sat down next to him. He was cordial as he signed the albums. When he saw Walk On By (1966) he smiled. 'Who's the babe?' I asked him. He laughed, "That's my wife. We didn't have an album cover, and the photographer showed up at my apartment on 116th street (in New York City). We just went outside, I sat on the rail and she walked on by." A timeless song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it is an even more timeless album cover.

Walk On By (1966) signed by Jack, Benny Golson, Red Holloway, Pat Martino

Brother Jack McDuff always kept the grooves groovin', and he left a legacy of beats and recordings that still resonate with musicians and music lovers across many generations.

The Blues Is Now (1967) signed by Jack

Me N’ Jack (1995) signed by Jack, Al Grey

Choice Jack McDuff Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivYFzlapYTA 

Live in France 1964 - Jack McDuff with George Benson, Red Holloway and Joe Dukes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-C33Tv6a1w

"I Want A Little Girl"  The Honeydripper with Grant Green, Jimmy Forrest, Ben Dixon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDpxa_sAFz8

"The Shadow Of Your Smile"  Tobacco Road (1967)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Un0hV9_qU

"Theme From Electric Surfboard" Gin And Orange

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSR8AKdFdII

"Oblighetto"  Moon Rappin'  (1970)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB95fiyaPyw

"Oblighetto" (J. Dilla Remix)  1991

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaShcggbkuw

"Ain't No Sunshine" Jack McDuff grooves Bill Withers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yItJ3dm2ECs

"A Change Is Gonna Come"  McDuff grooves Sam Cooke! (1967)

Kisses (1980) signed by Jack

Lift Every Voice And Sing (1983) signed by Jack

Harold Mabern, George Coleman and Me...

Workin’ & Wailin’ (1969) signed by Harold, George Coleman, Buster Williams

I moved to New York City November 21st, 1959. I had $5,000 in my shoes, because I didn’t want to take a chance on leaving it in the hotel. I had it wrapped up, $2,500 in each shoe. To show you how long ago that was, there were no ziplock bags, they weren’t on the market, they were being tested. So I had to wrap the money in a paper towel. I wanted to make this money last because you had to stay in New York City 6 months before you could join the musicians union. First thing, when I got to New York City, Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, who I have tremendous respect for, was standing in front of Birdland. Cannonball knew me from Chicago, saw me and said “Hey Big Hands, you want a gig?” and I said “Sure!" He took me down to Birdland. It’s Tuesday night and the place is packed. Quincy Jones is there, Bill Lee (Spike Lee’s father) is there. Cannonball introduced me to Harry “Sweets” Edison, Tommy Flanagan, who is one of my heroes, is playing with Sweets. During that time, if you half way played and hung out you could get a record date. Sweets looked at me and said “You wanna play?” He didn’t ask me what I wanted to play. The old timers would test you. If you’re a musician, you’re supposed to know everything. That’s just the way it was then, it’s not like that now. He hired me on the spot and Tommy Flanagan went to go play (piano) with J.J. Johnson.

                         Harold Mabern

Rakin’ and Scrapin’ (1968) signed by Harold, George Coleman

Rakin and Scrapin (1969) signed by Harold, George Coleman

Harold was a scholar of our history, insightful, hilarious, sincere, deep, with intense, boundless energy and inclusive with his warmth. Before they called him "Leading Man," his nickname was "Big Hands." With the broad reach of those hands, he caressed many beautiful chords. He was a storyteller and every note he played had a message.

                 Charles Lloyd, Manassas High School classmate, Memphis, Tennessee

MJT + 3 (1960) signed by Harold, Bob Cranshaw

MJT +3 (1960) signed by Harold, Bob Cranshaw

When George Coleman and his brother were 14 years old, they didn’t study music but they took an alto saxophone apart and put it back together. So then we knew that George was a true musical genius so we all learned from him. When I say “we all” I’m referring to Frank Strozier, myself, Booker Erwin, and Charles Lloyd. Frank and I were playing what we call “West Coast music counterpoint." It was good music but conceptually speaking, the East Coast was a harder concept. George introduced us to Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and stuff like that because all we knew was Dave Brubeck, Warne Marsh, and Lenny Tristano, which was all good music, but a different concept.

                    Harold Mabern

Smokin’ (1977) signed by George Coleman

Smokin (1969) signed by George Coleman

I'm a blues player with chops. I’m never going to stop being a blues pianist. As a piano player, the first thing you need to learn how to do is be an accompanist. Cedar Walton said, “I’d rather comp than eat.” A lot of piano players don’t have the patience because when you're comping you’re supporting somebody else and you’re playing a subordinate role. I say the best way to learn how to comp is to play for singers.

                    Harold Mabern

Another Git Together (1963) signed by Harold, Benny Golson, Art Farmer

Another Git Together (1962) signed by Harold, Art Farmer, Benny Golson

Harold Mabern was a profoundly great human being, a musical giant, and a giver in every way, His humility and passion simply poured out of his soul. All who were in his presence were blessed to experience his grace, and his legacy will live forever in our hearts.

                      pianist Bill Charlap

Manhattan Panorama (1985) signed by Harold, George Coleman

Manhattan Panorama (1985) signed by Harold, George Coleman

Playing the blues was a blessing. Because you can teach some of these other styles, but you can't teach the blues.

                      Harold Mabern

At Yoshi’s (1989) signed by Harold, George Coleman

At Yoshi’s (1989) signed by Harold, George Coleman

Harold "Big Hands" Mabern, a piano genius, passed away in September 2019. He was eighty-three and had been playing jazz with his high school classmate George Coleman, a renowned saxophonist, for nearly seventy years. Over the years, I was lucky to see Harold and George perform many times together, and I was always struck by how beautifully they complimented each other. Two genial master craftsmen bestowing us with their beautiful sounds and innate chemistry.

Three Or Four Shades Of Blues (1977) signed by George Coleman

Three Or Four Shades Of Blues (1977) signed by George Coleman

Harold grew up with George in Memphis, Tennessee and they were surrounded by other incredibly gifted musicians - Frank Strozier, Hank Crawford, Booker Little, and Charles Lloyd among others. Five years his senior, Harold was deeply influenced by the virtuoso piano stylings of Phineas Newborn, Jr., also a fellow Memphian: "When Phineas played, everything was at his command. He could put his right hand in one pocket and play complete compositions with his left. I knew the first time I saw him I wanted to play like that. I also knew I had my work cut out for me." So Harold went to work and was largely self-taught.

Joy Spring (1985) signed by Harold

Joy Spring (1985) signed by Harold

After graduating from high school, Harold moved to Chicago to attend the American Conservatory of Music. Unfortunately, Harold was unable to enroll when his parents finances deteriorated, and he began his real studies, hanging around the Chicago clubs listening to Ahmad Jamal, and, as he later confided, "I got mine from the university of the streets... playing and practicing twelve hours a day." Of his next five years woodshedding on his instrument, Harold was particularly influenced by Ahmad. "I was as impressed with him as with Phineas (Newborn). I'd never heard anyone play with such command or conceptualize sound like that. 'Music, Music, Music' was a corny song. Ahmad said, 'Not the way I play it.' Ahmad reintroduced it to us in a stylized, modern way."

Throughout his lengthy recording career and celebrated discography, Harold released more than twenty-five albums as a leader and hundreds more as a sideman. Harold's first appearance on vinyl was with saxophonist Jimmy Forrest's All The Gin Is Gone, released in 1959. Harold recalled the recording, "I did a date with Jimmy Forrest called All the Gin is Gone. All of those guys at that time were drinking what we call “hard liquor.” Elvin Jones said “Where’s the gin?” and the producer said “All the gin is gone.” Elvin said “You can’t do the date without no gin!” And that’s how they came up with the title." Some of the other artists who showcased the formidable piano talents of "Big Hands" were Art Framer, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Freddie Hubbard, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, J.J. Johnson, Jackie McLean, Wes Montgomery, and Lee Morgan - a veritable who's who of modern jazz.

Lee Morgan Memorial Album (1974) signed by Harold, Barry Harris, Billy Harper

The last time I saw Harold Mabern, he was playing at the Jazz Standard in New York City in July 2019. He was joined by his beloved jazz brethren on stage: George Coleman on saxophone, Peter Bernstein on guitar, John Weber on bass, and George Coleman Jr. on drums- all accomplished leaders and composers on their own. They opened with the Thelonious Monk standard "Well You Needn't". Sitting side saddle slouched on a stool, George blew a torrent of notes. Though his body was worn, his eyes watery, his spirit was indomitable. The elder Coleman's sound was a bit muted but remained ferocious, his stamina compelling for his eighty-four years young.  Meanwhile his high school classmate, Harold, was tossing off florid runs in a breakneck, catch me if you can speed, at times airy and delicate, then explosive and percussive. It was a bravura performance by all. At the end of the gig, Harold grabbed the mic to give a shoutout to his music teacher and Memphis. "You know, I just want to thank you for coming and thank Matthew Garrett, our music teacher in Memphis those many years ago. You probably don't know his name, you probably know his daughter Dee Dee Bridgewater. Well, her father taught me, George, Frank Strozier, Booker Little, Charles Lloyd and Isaac Hayes. So you can see that we have a little talent in Memphis! And how 'bout Aretha Franklin? You heard of her? Forget about Detriot, she was born in Memphis!" Yes sir, Harold was proselytizing Memphis, Memphis Strong indeed.

Greasy Kid Stuff! (1970) signed by Harold

Greasy Kid Stuff ( 1970) signed by Harold

After the show, I visited with Harold who was sitting at the bar, enjoying a well deserved beverage with his dinner. I brought along some Sammy Davis Jr. vinyl because I loved Harold's tribute to Sammy, Mr. Lucky, which he released in 2012. Harold smiled and said, "Sammy was a great artist and very underrated. I had a lot of fun recording his songs." I nudged him, "What about Greasy Kid Stuff ? That needs to be re-released on vinyl. Your version of Michael Jackson's "I Want You Back" smokes and it's very hard to find." Harold laughed, "Thank you, but I don't have anything to do with that. I really like that song, you know, when I cover something like that, I want you to recognize it and enjoy my take on it. I don't want to deconstruct it until it's unrecognizable." I expressed my condolences on the passing of Rudy Van Gelder, the ninety-one year old master engineer who ran a studio out of his home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey and was responsible for nearly all of the Blue Note sessions from 1953 to 1967, including the works of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins. 'It's a terrible loss, that studio should become a museum,' I offered. Harold agreed, "Yes it is a terrible loss. No one really knows what will happen. I don't know if there's a will, no one really knows. I was at a recording session less than a year ago and Rudy was there. He had moved a bed into the studio so he could continue to work." When I handed him Mundell Lowe's Satan In High Heels, he laughed, "I love Mundell. Am I on this one?" 'No but it's a great cover," I confessed. "Yes it is!" he said, and he happily scribbled away. Erin and I left the show astonished with the vitality of these two jazz lions, still roaring in their eighties. Their music must be their secret elixir, I know it's mine.

Satan In High Heels (1962) signed by Harold

Satan In High Heels (19) signed by Harold

Mr. Lucky: Tribute To Sammy Davis Jr. (2012) signed by Harold

Mr Lucky (2012) signed by Harold

Sadly, Harold passed away a scant six weeks later, shocking to me, especially given how vital he sounded on stage that night at the Jazz Standard. Fortunately, he left a legacy of recordings and performances of the finest jazz with his friend George Coleman and others. "Big Hands" yes, but an equally big heart.

Mr. Wonderful (1956) signed by Harold, Sammy Davis Jr

Mr. Wonderful (1956) signed by Harold, Sammy Davis Jr.

The Shelter Of Your Arms (1964) signed by Harold

The Shelter Of Your Arms (1964) signed by Harold

Choice George Coleman and Harold Mabern cuts (per BK's request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amLdS7KFEFo

“Woke Up This Morning"   George sax solo, B.B. King on guitar/vocals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc3CXMjeV-8

"My Funny Valentine"  Miles, George, Herbie, Ron, Tony   Live At Philharmonic NYC  1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HncvF1rTEMg

"Maiden Voyage"  George with Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard  1965

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5X-JHEFj18&list=PLB6A8217C2D99FF1A

"Lean On Me"  Shirley Scott on organ, George wails Bill Withers!   1972

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QUYO69aclU 

"On A Misty Night" George with Chet Baker   Boppin' With The Chet Baker Quintet  1965

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdoRmh8XYE 

"I Want You Back"   Harold swings Michael Jackson!  Greasy Kid Stuff  1970

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_FEIlEY7es

"Blues for B.B."   A Master Speaks   George Coleman   2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CkPB5GcvGw

"Rakin' And Scrapin' "  Harold Mabern   live   Smalls, NYC   2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsiI37-b2uI

"Hey There"  Mr. Lucky: Tribute To Sammy Davis Jr.  Harold Mabern  2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6pHGxs6hPE

"Fools Rush In"  with Norah Jones   Afro Blue  Harold Mabern  2015

The Leading Man (1995) signed by Harold

The Leading Man (1993) signed by Harold

Variety Is The Spice (1979) signed by Harold, Louis Hayes, Portinho

Dr. Doolittle (1967) signed by Harold

Dr. Doolittle (1967) signed by Harold

Steve Earle and Me...

Guy Clark told me when I was 19, 'Songs aren't finished until you play them for the people.' As songwriters, we're all into getting our songs cut, but all of us wanted to play for audiences. What I was part of was essentially a salon. We played songs for our publishers, but we didn't really give a fuck about what they thought. I cared about what happened when me, Guy Clark, Dave Loggins, Mickey Newbury, Steve Young, sometimes maybe even Neil Young, were sitting in a circle passing a guitar. That's what I cared about. When I impressed that audience, I felt like I had something.

                                                    Steve Earle

Old No. 1 (1975) signed by Steve, Guy Clark, Emmylou Harris

Guy (2018) signed by Steve

But you also have to get busy living. I never believed that being miserable or being fucked up was conducive to art. I never bought it. I think I write a lot better songs now than I did when I was fucked up. I still haven't made a record that sold as well in the United States as Copperhead Road. But I think I've made better records than Copperhead Road. I know I'm a better singer than I was back then. And I know I'm a better writer for one reason: I lived.

                                                    Steve Earle

Copperhead Road (1988) signed by Steve

Steve Earle not only writes great country songs, he lives them. Drinkin', druggin', marryin', cheatin', divorcin'. Rinse and repeat. Married seven times, twice to the same woman, Steve once quipped at a show, "The divorce wasn't working out, so I married her again." Until that didn't work out. And let's not forget prison and redemption. Songwriter, raconteur, riveting performer, and three time Grammy winner, Steve dropped out of high school when he was 16 and fled to Houston (from San Antonio) in pursuit of his idol, Townes Van Zandt, who Steve later admitted "was a good teacher and a bad role model."

Flyin’ Shoes (1978) signed by Steve, Emmylou Harris, Townes Van Zandt

Townes (2009) signed by Steve

Steve's first album, Guitar Town was released in 1986 and it became a breakthrough Number One country hit. Steve was heralded as the "New Nashville" along with Dwight Yoakam and Randy Travis. Yes, he was new alright, he had only been hanging around Nashville for twelve or thirteen years, once serving as a staff songwriter for music publisher Sunbury Dunbar. Steve was thirty-one years old, a grizzled veteran and a gifted songwriter (Carl Perkins recorded "Mustang Wine" in 1977 after a botched Elvis Presley session when the King didn't show up!) surfeited with a voracious drug and alcohol problem.

Exit o (1987) signed by Steve

I Ain’t Ever Satisfied (1987 12” single) signed by Steve

Steve released four studio albums from 1986-1991 until the drugs and alcohol nearly took him out. At the height of the throes and woes of his addictions, Townes Van Zandt - no paragon of sobriety - was sent as an emissary. Steve told Townes, “I must be in trouble if they’re sending you,” Later, Steve ended up in jail for heroin possession, served two months, went to rehab, got clean, and, more importantly, stayed clean. Since September 13, 1994, he has released thirteen studio albums, five live albums, toured incessantly, acted in the television series The Wire and Treme, published a novel and a collection of short stories, wrote and directed an Off-Broadway play, started a record company, produced albums by Joan Baez and Allison Moorer, and contributed songs to numerous film soundtracks. Steve has been creative, productive, and prolific, and he lays waste to the notion that the tortured artist creates his best art under the influence. It just ain't necessarily so.

Train a Comin’ (1995) signed by Steve

Train a Comin' (1995) was released after Steve's short prison stint. Steve said of the recording," I was goin' for a sound where it sounded like old Opry stuff, where everybody stepped around the mike, which is real close to what we actually did. It ended up being even more of an organic record than I thought it was gonna be." Steve did a short tour accompanied by his stringed virtuosos: Peter Rowan on mandolin, guitars, Roy Huskey Jr. on upright bass, and Norman Blake on everything. I saw them at the old Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on August 27, 1995 and it was an amazing show. Steve led the band through most of his (then) new album, including a beautiful, heart breaking "Goodbye" which he said was the first song he wrote sober, and great covers of The Beatles' "I'm Looking Through You", Townes Van Zandt's "Tecumseh Valley" and The Melodians "Rivers Of Babylon." Yes, reggae goes hillbilly!

Diane, Emmylou and Me: Landmine Free World Benefit, Washington DC 1998

Another great show was a benefit in 1998 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC for "A Landmine Free World" sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Association Foundation. The National Building Museum, completed in 1887, is an architectural wonder with spectacular Corinthian columns 8 feet wide, soaring some 75 feet in the air. My friend Diane called Erin and told her about the show. Our daughter Kendall was only 10 weeks old, so Erin was out. Diane said she could get me in but I had to wear black tie. My tux was pressed and ready and so was I. Diane told me to meet her near the caterer's entrance (she was the lead caterer!) and she would hustle me in. Safely in, she said, "Don't worry, someone always no-shows at these events, we'll find you a seat in the back. Now, let's go meet the artists." In the guise of checking on the food, I followed Diane into the dressing room as Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle were finishing a song. Emmylou said, "That's so beautiful." Damn, I missed it.

Flyin’ Shoes back cover: Steve’s cabin, somewhere outside of Nashville

Diane went to check on the food and I looked around the room. There was Buddy and Julie Miller, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow and me. Pretty cool, thanks Diane! I approached Steve first, and I gave him Guy Clark's Old No. 1 (1975). Steve nearly tore it out of my hands, "Look, here's the first album I ever played on!" he shouted as he showed it to Sheryl and Emmylou. "What else have you got?" Next, I gave him Townes Van Zandt's Flying Shoes (1978) and he turned the cover over. "This is the cabin I lived in before I split to Mexico. Townes had no place to live, so he moved in. He kinda squatted there." It is a ramshackle, falling down cabin with no bathroom. Though it looked deep back woods, Steve told me it was just outside of Nashville. "It had running water but it got really cold" he explained.  I told Steve how much I loved "Me And The Eagle", a song that appears on the soundtrack for The Horse Whisperer (1998). I mentioned that a friend of mine had recently purchased a Weissenborn guitar which he returned because it was so difficult to play. Steve laughed, "Yeah, It is hard to play. Jerry (Douglas) does a great job on that song. Ry (Cooder) calls it a Weisenheimer!" Now it was time for the show.

Politicians politicked, socialites socialized and Bobby Mueller, the head of the VVAF, gave thanks to everyone for supporting such a worthy cause. Before Steve started singing, he looked out at the black tie crowd, bejeweled and bedazzled, and said, "You know, when I wrote this song I always dreamed of playing it to a crowd like this." Then he started finger picking the opening chords to ""Christmas In Washington" with the opening lyrics:

"It's Christmastime in Washington
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The Republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
There'll be no more FDRs."

It was a surreal moment as Steve's leftist, populist views were in direct collision with Washington society, and Washington society seemed blithely unaware and oblivious. Steve played a few more tracks from his (then) latest album El Corazon (1997) and finished with a transcendent version of "Goodbye" with Emmylou Harris supplying exquisite harmony vocals. It was a fabulous show.

Washington Square Serenade (2007) signed by Steve

The last time I saw Steve he was touring in support of Terraplane (2015), a  blues album named after Robert Johnson's first single. I was struck by how broad and versatile Steve is in concert. From honky tonk country ("The Devil's Right Hand" and "Guitar Town") to blues ("My Old Friend The Blues" and "Better off Alone")  to celtic ("The Galway Girl" and "Copperhead Road") to weepers ("Remember Me" and "Goodbye") to classic rock covers (Donovan's "There Is A Mountain" and Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe"), there is no genre Steve leaves untouched or unmastered. Well, maybe jazz, and that might be next for the mercurial genius that is Steve Earle.

The Odeon, Cleveland 10.21.04 signed by Steve, Allison Moorer

Hey, I'll be pimping my stuff at the merch table after the show. I gotta sell some records, I have child support in New York City and I support half the women in Tennessee. Please come see me.

Steve Earle  July 16, 2015 Ridgefield Theater, Ridgefield CT

The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA signed by Steve, Allison Moorer

Choice Steve Earle Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AINUPFbFpqg

“Guitar Town” 1986 video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk

“Copperhead Road” 1988 video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr2IY8q687I

“Goodbye” live with Emmylou Harrisi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7-PM_4aeE4

“Galway Girl” Live At Kennedy Center 1995

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw8RviUkywk

“Me And The Eagle” Sidetracks 1998

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag_lnCcfr7E

“Colorado Girl” live on Letterman 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FhjevjNLRQ

“Rex’s Blues > Ft. Worth Blues” Factory Theater, Sydney 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sKGDyla9kY

“Feel Alright” I Feel Alright 1996

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGkHnMtp_MU

“My Old Friend The Blues” live in Austin 2000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kQ6mpqq_a5XA

“The Mountain” live at Montreux 2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7PlS_MtYa8

“Dixieland” The Mountain 1999

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfEKVnF6QBI

“You’re Still Standing There ( with Lucinda Williams)” I Feel Alright 1996

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyCCHkj7XL0

“There Is A Mountain (with David Amram)” eTown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOPmKIJhhDY

“Old Friends” Guy 2019

Someday/State Trooper (1986 12” single) signed by Steve

Early Tracks (1987) signed by Steve

Jonah Jones and Me...

The conductor’s name was Lockwood Lewis and he always referred to us by our last name. Well, when he got excited he would stammer.... the band tried the song for the third time and this time he caught my hand on the wrong note. He was so excited that when he went to say my last name, he stammered and said, ‘Ja-ja-ja-ja...Jonah, don’t you see that’s the wrong note?’ Well, all the fellows in the band started laughing and called me Jonah ever since!

                                                    Jonah Jones

I Dig Chicks! (1960) signed by Jonah, photo by Lee Friedlander

You never can say which way things are going in this business. Like myself, I had no idea it was going to happen for me. With bebop on the scene and people turning to rock-and-roll I couldn't have made it no way, wouldn't have bet ten cents on it. But here it come.

                               Jonah Jones

Jumpin’ With Jonah (1958) signed by Jonah

Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1908, Jonah Jones started playing trumpet professionally on riverboats before joining several big bands, including Fletcher Henderson, Stuff Smith, and Benny Carter. Jonah had serious jazz chops as a trumpet player, and like so many, he was devoted to Louis Armstrong. He once said "Louis could do no wrong" and Jonah was nicknamed "King Louis II" in deference to the jazz master.

In 1941, Cab Calloway recruited Jonah to join his orchestra and they recorded "Jonah Joins The Cab" to commemorate the occasion. Jonah's eleven year association with Cab Calloway was marked by a famous spitball incident with Dizzy Gillespie. A spitball was hurled in the direction of the drummer. Dizzy was wrongly accused. a fight escalated between Cab and Diz, a knife was drawn, Cab was cut, and Dizzy was bounced from the Cab Calloway orchestra. Jonah took over the lead trumpet chair, even though he was the (undisclosed) spitball instigator and source of the acrimony.

At The Embers (1959) signed by Jonah

When big bands became too expensive and not commercially viable in the early 1950s, Jonah formed his own small group. A short engagement at The Embers in New York City, became a five year contract, and then a decade long association. The Embers' maitre d' did not want to disturb his patrons with a loud, brassy sound, so Jonah was required to play with a mute on his trumpet. Jonah's muted versions of show tunes on his first album Muted Jazz (1956) became unlikely bestsellers., and a subsequent album, Live At The Embers (1958), and Jonah's versions of "On The Street Where You Live" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" sold over one-million copies. Despite the phenomenal commercial success, some dismissed Jonah's songs as lightweight and, worse, easy listening.

As a marketing ploy, Capitol Records enlisted some very talented photographers to promote Jonah's albums. Joe Cavello, later the photographer on Judy Garland's Judy At Carnegie Hall (1961) and The Beatles' Second Album (1964), took the photo on Swingin' On Broadway (1957). Two swingin' chicks for sure, sashaying in 1950s Times Square. Lee Friedlander (his later work was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum Of Modern Art) took the photo on Jumpin' With Jonah (1958) with a jubilant Jonah clapping his hands. I Dig Chicks! (1960) has the best cover. Four lovelies in various poses and reclines suspended in the air in the bucket of an excavator. Yeah Jonah, I dig this album cover! This record won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz which is interesting because it features Jonah's vocals on six of the twelve tracks. Shoskatovich's Symphony No. 5 By The National Symphony Orchestra (1960) won the Grammy for Best Album Cover. Yes, that was a Grammy category in 1960!  Apparently, Grammy voting then was as misguided, inconsistent, and controversial as now.

Swingin’ On Broadway (1957) signed by Jonah

I met Jonah in 1998 at the Blue Note in New York City. For their club anniversary, the Blue Note would host a slew of artists on Monday (an off night for musicians), and there would be a jam session. I got to the club early but all seats were reserved, so I took a seat at the bar. An older gentlemen was already seated nearby, nursing a drink. I ordered a club soda, my drink of choice. Genial and well dressed, the older gentleman and I struck up a polite conversation. After some innocuous banter, I introduced myself. "Jonah Jones" came the reply with an outstretched hand..

Of course, I had some Jonah Jones albums with me. I had read that he was going to be at the event and he was happy to sign. Jonah wasn't performing, he had retired five or six years earlier, so we hung out at the bar the rest of the night watching Milt Jackson, Jimmy Heath and others perform. It was a fabulous show and we had some great conversations. He told me that he lived nearby and  he would love to have me visit him. He wrote out his address and said to come by anytime. Unfortunately, I never did, and he died a year later at 90 years old. I regret not visiting with Jonah Jones, but we had a great time at the Blue Note and he left a wonderful legacy of recordings., and, especially,  album covers!

Jonah’s NYC address written by Jonah

Choice Jonah Jones Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2VynrlmPeQ

“On The Street Where You Live” Muted Jazz 1956

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNtvUvaDHc

“Baubles, Bangles and Beads” Swingin’ On Broadway 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrAQZJiNxnw

“Mack The Knife” Muted Jazz 1956

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ccbXyzO4iA

“I Dig Chicks” I Dig Chicks! 1959

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8GcWQV3kx0

“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” with Cab Calloway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwDYkTTaWv8

“Three Coins In The Fountain” Swingin’ In The Cinema 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlazRtI0XLM

“No Moon At All” Jumpin’ With Jonah 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVNWUPOGLhg

“Slowly But Surely” Jonah Jumps Again 1959

Milt Jackson and Me...

Jackson’s=Ville (1956) signed by Milt “Best Of Soul”

Milt Jackson (1955) signed by Milt “Right On”

Milt never wanted to play the hard John Lewis pieces, but John would insist, like when we were in New York, saying that people wanted to hear this music. Milt was pissed, but John got his way. At the rehearsal, John gives me this book. Wow! I can’t even look up: I need to watch this motherf@&*er close. I get through the rehearsal OK, since in addition to the written parts, there was a lot of space and keeping time, thank goodness. Milt’s part, though, was ongoing the whole time. I didn’t see a single rest in that score! There was page after page after page of the sh#t.  Milt looked at it once and put it away.  We came back and played it that night.  Milt was pissed at having to play this piece, but he didn’t miss a thing or play any wrong notes.  This guy had the capacity to look at written music once and know it cold.  Milt Jackson had a photographic memory and perfect pitch.  He was a freak!

               drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath

Soul Brothers (1957) signed by Milt

Soul Meeting (1961) signed by Milt

Bean Bags (1958) signed by Milt, Kenny Burrell, Tommy Flanagan

He is a naturally developed musician. He has perfect pitch, perfect time and perfect technique on vibes...On recording sessions, I never have to discuss or plan the swing and the feeling with Milt. I can feel him all the way, no matter what he's playing... His feeling takes him everywhere. In Paris, he went from club to club, playing vibes, piano, guitar, or if he couldn't sit in, just singing to himself. All because he breathes through music. He can't do without music. In Paris too, he played piano behind Sister Rosetta Tharpe and that was one of the listening balls of my life. Again, it was feeling that connected them.

               Quincy Jones on Milt Jackson

The Ballad Artistry Of Milt Jackson (1959) signed by Milt

Bags & Trane (1959) signed by Milt, Hank Jones

Big Bags (1962) signed by Milt, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Hank Jones, James Moody, Jerome Richardson, Willie Ruff, Doc Severinsen, Clark Terry

He came closer than anyone else on the instrument to making it sound like the human voice. It's a collection of metal and iron, and we don't have the ability to bend notes and make vocal inflections like a saxophone. But Milt played the instrument in the most organic way possible -- with a warm, rich sound. He set a precedent that this instrument can speak beautiful things, and that it's not just percussive.

               vibraphonist Stefon Harris

Very Tall (1962) signed by Milt, Oscar Peterson

Live At The Village Gate (1963) signed by Milt, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Jimmy Heath, Hank Jones, Bob Cranshaw

Jazz ‘N’ Samba (1964) signed by Milt, Richard Davis, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Heath

Milt Jackson is simply the finest vibraphonist in jazz history, appearing on over forty albums with The Modern Jazz Quartet, more than sixty albums as a leader, and countless studio sessions. He is also a noted composer who wrote the jazz standards, "Bags' Groove", The Late Late Blues", "Bluesology", and he recorded with some of the greatest musicians: Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, and Oscar Peterson to name a few. 

Much In Common (1964) signed by Milt, Ray Brown, Kenny Burrell, Hank Jones, Albert “Tootie” Heath

Memphis Jackson (1969) signed by Milt, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Harold Land, Ernie Watts

That’s The Way It Is (1969) signed by Milt, Monty Alexander,, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards

He is a virtuoso. Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo may have introduced the vibraphone to Jazz in the 1920s and 1930s, but Milt Jackson became the most acclaimed and influential practitioner from the 1940s onward. Milt began on piano and drums in his hometown, Detroit, Michigan, and by the time he was a teenager in high school, he could play piano, drums, guitar, violin, tympani, and vibraphone. Oh, and he even sang tenor in a professional gospel quartet, The Evangelist Singers. Apparently, Milt was a musical underachiever in every sense! Like so many musicians, Milt was deeply influenced by the church, as he once remarked, "Everyone wants to know where I got that funky style. Well, it came from church. The music I heard was open, relaxed, impromptu soul music."

Just The Way It Had To Be (1973) signed by Milt, Monty Alexander, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards

Opus De Funk (1948 recordings, 1975 release) signed by Milt, Ron Carter, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Heath, Percy Heath

Montreux ‘77 (1977) signed by Milt, Monty Alexander, Ray Brown, Clark Terry

In 1945, Dizzy Gillespie recruited Milt to join his big band and Milt contributed to the classic bebop recordings, "A Night In Tunisia", "Anthropology", and "Two Bass Hit."  The Modern Jazz Quartet, which had an incredible forty-three run, had its origins with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band. The rhythm section - Milt Jackson, John Lewis, Ray Brown and Kenny Clark - would play an interlude between the big band sets. As Ray Brown explained, ''Dizzy had a lot of high parts for the brass in that group, so he said, 'I have to give these guys' lips a little rest during concerts, and while they're resting, you should play something.' '' The audiences loved it so much that they left to start the Milt Jackson Quartet in 1950, and then, the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952 as Percy Heath replaced Ray Brown. When Connie Kay replaced Kenny Clarke in 1955, the MJQ personnel would remain intact until Connie's unfortunate stroke in 1992.

Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company (1983) signed by Milt, Ray Brown, J. J. Johnson

Soul Route (1984) signed by Milt, Ray Brown, Gene Harris, Mickey Roker

All Too Soon (1980) signed by Milt, Ray Brown, Mickey Roker

Milt's genius was to transform the vibraphone into a bebop weapon for his brilliant improvisations. He set the oscillator to 3.3 revolutions per second, (fully three times slower than Lionel Hampton's 10 revolutions per second), and this gave his vibrato a subtle tone, all the better to showcase the blues which "Bags" loved so dearly. There was no one more swinging and bluesy than "Bags." He was nicknamed "Bags", it was said, after he showed up for a gig after a late night of revelry with his eyes bleary and swollen. I heard a different story. I asked Sonny, his tour manager who was also his brother-in-law, how Milt got his nickname. Sonny and I had become good friends through the years because I had seen Milt dozens of times in different incarnations - The Modern Jazz Quartet, The Very Tall Band with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, the Milt Jackson Quartet, et al. "It's not just the bags under his eyes," Sonny confided, "it's also for all the bags of dope he was holdin'. And he was always holdin'." That seemed infinitely more plausible to me.

Be-Bop (1988) signed by Milt, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, J.J. Johnson, Mickey Roker, Cedar Walton

Brother Jim (1986) signed by Milt, Bob Cranshaw, Jimmy Heath, Mickey Roker, Cedar Walton

Feelings (1976) signed by Milt, Tommy Flanagan, Hubert Laws, Jerome Richardson

Each time I met Milt, he was kind and generous. His florid style on the vibraphone, voluble and effusive, effortlessly gliding his mallets over the keys with rapid and precise strikes, was in sharp contrast to his off stage demeanor. He was humble, self-effacing and shy. And he signed each album with a simple admonition: "Right On" or "Best of Soul."

Montreux (1975) signed by Milt

The Big 3 (1976) signed by Milt, Ray Brown

The last time I saw him at the Blue Note in November, 1998, Milt was playing a gig with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown. The reconstituted Very Tall band was recording a live album, a follow up to their 1964 studio release. It was a terrific show and Milt, Ray and Oscar were in fine form. When Sonny brought me backstage, Milt laughed when he saw me. "Oh man, you again. You sure have a lot of albums", he said wearily. "It's not my fault you made all these great albums," I replied. He smiled and he signed and signed, finally, he got so tired, he signed a few without the requisite "Right On" or "Best of Soul." I thanked him for his kindness and said I would be back with another stack of vinyl soon. Unfortunately Milt passed away some ten months later, but what an impressive catalog he left, a jazz discography of peerless taste, style and sophistication.

Milt Jackson, the consummate jazz musician and soloist extraordinaire. Right on. Best of Soul.

In The Beginning (1948 recordings, 1991 release) signed by Milt

The Big Band Vol. 1 (1978) signed by Milt

Choice Milt Jackson Cuts (per BK's request)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8sBHp4o-FI

"Bag's Groove" - Modern Jazz Quartet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KDCe7X1l04

"Bag's Groove" - with Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCXnH2JhpEk

"I Remember Clifford" - with Benny Golson, Art Farmer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt8QrqdtRt0

"Hallelujah I Love Her So" - with Ray Charles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDYGgicuwFQ

"The Late Late Blues" - with John Coltrane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5u7TZhL22U

"Round Midnight" - Live Japan 1990

The Complete Milt Jackson (1969) front cover

Back cover signed by Milt

Calexico and The Kirk Five...

Growing up playing jazz when I was in high school, I was really into playing jazz so much...that I got the Louis Armstrong award. It really meant a lot to me. Our high school jazz band won some competition among the other high schools, and we got to play at the Playboy Jazz Festival, where I got to meet Charlie Haden, Jaco Pastorius, Ray Charles’ bass player, and Diana Reeves. It was really cool. It really kind of shaped me growing up, being part of a huge festival with all these heavy jazz musicians. And in jazz, there’s that southern element, that Latin influence, Bossa Nova, Afro-Cuban influence.

               Joey Burns

Spoke (1997) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela, Paul Niehaus

For me, especially, I have this ghost orchestra sitting on my shoulders, which is always in the background. So if I’m laying down something with... John Convertino – and the majority of the songs written are dependent on the two of us in a room, making something up – and those basic tracks are really crucial to the sound and feel and mood. It’s got to have that vibe, it’s got to have some kind of vibe that we can build things on to. Or choose not to build arrangements and instruments on top of. So it kind of varies. It’s a treatment of songs and phrases with the approach of giving things, whether they be lyrics or melodies, space. That’s my approach, and I think it’s John’s too. John comes from a very jazz-oriented background as well... That’s one of the things where I’ve really benefited from working with John... He’s got great aesthetics, he’s really not dialed into listening to latest new indie rock stuff at all. He tends to kind of skirt between some world music, blues, jazz – especially a lot of jazz... since he is a fan of that era of drums as well. And players like Elvin Jones, Max Roach.

               Joey Burns

Hot Rail (2000) Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela,

Making a record is like going to a storage locker every now and then, and either dumping off things or picking up something that you've been missing for a while. Then, several months or songs down the road, you have a collection of ideas and you make sense [of them] afterwards.

               Joey Burns

Descamino (2000) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

I think we float on the periphery and we do these different projects, and our music means different things to different people at different times. I love that. I love the fact that we're not just a one-sided band or style of music. It's got this complexity to it, and we're able to blend where and when needed. It comes from having played a lot of music over the years in different projects and in different situations.

               Joey Burns

Feast Of Wire (2003) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

Ennio Morricone is a whole other category. His music is really quite exceptional and has been for a really long time. Personally, the music was more attractive than the actual films. I don't know a whole lot of westerns. I know some, but I'm more a fan of the maestro's work. They call him the maestro over there in Italy. He just reminds me to appreciate all those beautiful mistakes, whether it's live or in the studio. That's the approach we take when we go into the studio: Let's just see what we can create without much planning and thought. Let's just throw some shit against the tape machine and see what sticks, rather than try to replicate some demo that we made. As soon as you have demos, it's over. Everybody gets that demo stuck in their minds-- and I'm guilty of it, too-- you get it stuck in your mind and you can't let it go. Our demos are our albums. That's how we've been doing it for a while now.

               Joey Burns

Toolbox (2007) signed by Joey Burns,John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

Formed by Joey Burns and John Convertino in 1997, Calexico is one of my favorite bands in any genre. Fortunately, they inhabit and transcend almost all genres. Named after the California town that borders Mexico, Calexico's wide, musical palettes are desert washed, sepia tones flecked with country, folk, jazz, mariachi, punk, and even spaghetti western, a seamlessly stirred sonic stew. The two principals, Joey Burns, classically trained on double bass at University of California-Irvine, and drummer John Convertino, met in 1990 and John suggested they join forces to complete the rhythm section in Howe Gelb's Giant Sand. Joey left school, relocated to Tucson and toured extensively with Giant Sand over the next several years. Next came a brief stint fronting the aptly named Friends Of Dean Martinez, a Southwestern spin on electronica with lounge instrumentals of original songs and pop kitsch covers of "I Will Wait For You", "Misty" and "The Shadow Of Your Smile."

Garden Ruin (2006) signed by Joey Burns; John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela, Paul Niehaus

During this time, Joey and John became a sought after rhythm section and they did studio work for indie rock mavens Richard Buckner, Neko Case, and Barbara Manning. Recently, they have done studio work with artists as diverse as Arcade Fire, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Iron & Wine, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, Willie Nelson and Nancy Sinatra. Yes, even Ol' Blue Eyes' daughter has recorded under their rapturous spell! The duo released Spoke in 1997, and subsequently, they have issued more than twenty-five studio albums, EPs, tour CDs and soundtracks in their burgeoning discography which reflect their insatiable appetites as music omnivores. Whether covering the 1960s psychedelia of Love's "Alone Again, Or", the Los Angeles speed metal of The Minutemen's "Corona", the traditional folk of "All The Pretty Horses", the industrial doom of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart", or the English chamber folk genius of Nick Drake's "Clothes Of Sand", Calexico puts their irrepressible stamp and transforms these songs with their musicality and irresistible South West swagger.

Carried To Dust (2008) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Volker Zander

The original songs and instrumentals of Calexico have an evocative and cinematic feel, so it's not surprising that the band and their music have appeared in the film Collateral in 2004 with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, the ruminative Bob Dylan centered film treatment I'm Not There, starring Kate Blanchet, Richard Gere, and Heath Ledger, and scored the documentary Circo in 2010 and The Guard in 2011, a film starring Don Cheadle. In a recent interview, Joey delineated between the different mediums: "The music business has its one dimension: It's about putting out records. It can be sleazy at times, it can be exhausting, but the film business is just plain crazy. You really have to be demented and just crazy, overly passionate, and drink lots of caffeine or something. It's a lot of hours and hoops to jump through, but I love it. I love movies, and I love music in films." Calexico's music has also appeared on the (not so) small screen in the television series Breaking Bad ("Banderilla") and The Sopranos ("Minas de Cobra"). As Joey Burns wryly observed, "It's interesting to hear a song that you've written pop up as background, while Tony Soprano does psychedelics with some young girl in the desert." So far, Calexico has amassed thirty-eight credits according to their IMDb filmography, an impressive oeuvre, which reflects their curiosity, industriousness and indefatigable work ethic. Joey noted, "We don't really count on any one thing as the be-all-end-all, not so much for the monetary aspect but more for the creative fuel it gives you. The satisfaction of working on different things with different people. I do a lot of jobs...I guess you could call it work, but I don't charge people. I just like getting involved." Oh, they get involved, especially on stage and in concert.

He Lays In The Reins (2005) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino,, Jacob Valenzuela, Sam Beam, Paul Niehaus, Martin Wenk

They are a riveting live act. "Some of the guys who have been playing with us for ten years, it drives them crazy when they hear 'the part-time members' or 'the added musicians.' These guys-- Martin Wenk, Volker Zander, Jacob Valenzuela, and all-- are a huge part of what we do," Joey admitted, "They make it that much easier to get these ideas on record, take them out on the road, and transform them live. That's my favorite part-- taking that studio version and asking, 'What can we do to make it work in a live setting?' For me, it's night and day. We're playing a studio and it's very quiet and studious. It's like a library, with all these instruments lined up against the wall and they're staring at you saying, 'Play me! Over here! Don't forget the banjolin!' 'Next record, I promise.' " No, there are no library cards needed or accepted at a Calexico concert. Seven (sometimes more) gifted musicians perform their unique sound led by the virtuoso multi-instrumentalists Joey Burns - skilled on guitar, bass, double bass, accordion, cello, organ, mandolin, banjo, vibraphone, melodica - and John Convertino - equally dexterous on drums, percussion, accordion, piano and vibraphone. In fact, I'm not sure that either musician is not adept at any instrument, their talents are so vast. Band member and bassist Volker Zander once told me after a show, "Joey can play anything. He is always showing me new and interesting instruments to play. In the studio, he plays everything so well that he doesn't really need me, or anyone."

Years To Burn (2019) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela, Sam Beam

Erin and I have seen some memorable Calexico shows over the past fifteen years: the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center with its floor to ceiling windows and the gorgeous back drop of Columbus Circle amid the swirling bustle of New York City below, the Webster Ballroom in New York City, an historic venue where Sinatra recorded bobby soxer bliss in the 1950s, and the fabled Fillmore West in San Francisco. Probably the most memorable Calexico concert we saw was at the Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, New York on November 15, 2008. The Tarrytown Music Hall, opened in 1886 with maybe nine-hundred seats, is one of the oldest theaters in the United States. Renowned for its acoustics, artists as myriad (and old) as Antonin Dvorak, B.B. King, Sonny Rollins, Mae West and even Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt have graced its hallowed stage.

Travelall (2000) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

Erin and I decided to take our kids, Kendall (eleven), Brendan (nine), and Camryn (seven), to expose and extend their musical education. We had dinner at a local Tarrytown restaurant and then enjoyed a short, brisk walk to the theater. Along the way, we noticed a bus parked near the back of the theater. We went over for a closer inspection, and I handed Kendall a Calexico album and told her to knock on the bus door. Usually, we don't pimp our kids to get autographs (although it did work beautifully with reggae icon Frederick "Toots" Hibbert of Toots & The Maytals fame a year or two earlier) but Kendall was more than equal to the task. She knocked resolutely on the door, and Volker Zander answered. "Can you sign my album?" came her firm request. "Why yes, I would be happy to," said Volker as he signed a couple of records. After introductions were made to Brendan and Camryn, Volker asked, "Would you like to meet the rest of the band?" 'Yes, if it's not too much trouble. We don't want to be disruptive,' I offered. "No, it's no problem at all, follow me," was Volker's generous reply. So we went with Volker to the back stage door, he opened it, and he introduced us to Joey, John, Jacob and the entire band as they were milling about. There was no Guns 'n' Roses bacchanalia in evidence, just thoughtful musicians in preparation for a creative musical experience. We exchanged pleasantries and they could not have been more gracious as they signed the vinyl.

The Edge Of The Sun (2015) Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

I told Joey that Erin and I had seen them perform with Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens at the Webster Ballroom in 2005, and I loved their version of the Velvet Underground's "All Tomorrow's Parties", 'Milt Jackson meets Lou Reed in the desert!' I exclaimed, 'You need to record that.' Joey laughed, "Yes, that's a great song. We had a lot of fun touring with Sam (Beam). He is a great songwriter, a great musician and a good friend." I talked with John Convertino about their remarkable performance at the Allen Room, part of Jazz At Lincoln Center's acclaimed American Songbook series. John and Joey appeared on stage and played "Convict Pool" as a duo with Joey on nylon string classical guitar and John only using his mallets on drums. It was a stunning performance as they played songs throughout their impressive discography, which culminated with over fifteen musicians on the stage for the encores, including the horn section from indie wunderkind band Beirut. I told John that I heard a lot of jazz in his percussion, his use of brushes, cymbals and mallets were unusual for a rock drummer. "Thank you. I listen to a lot of jazz. My heroes are Elvin Jones and Max Roach. I will never forget when I saw Elvin, he was amazing," John confided. 'Yes, I saw Elvin a bunch over the years. Was the band wearing Elvin Jones Drum Machine t-shirts?' I asked. "Yes, they were," he laughed.  'That always cracked me up, grown-ass men, phenomenal musicians wearing matching t-shirts on stage, like they were in an elementary school band. I never quite understood that,' I said. I also mentioned that I heard jazz drummer Billy Higgins in John’s cymbal work. "Oh, that's high praise, thank you. I don't know if I can accept that. Billy is another of my heroes." We thanked them for their time and generosity, and as we were leaving, I told Volker that Brendan was studying bass and was taking lessons. "Oh, that's great, after the show, you'll have to join us on stage. I'll let you play mine." 'Well, we're sitting in the third row, so it will be easy to find you,' was my casual and offhand rejoinder.

The Tthread That Keeps Us (2018) signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

We found our seats and the show did not disappoint. Calexico never does. Their performance was mesmerizing as the skilled musicians were able to traverse all the music food groups, from folk to punk to jazz to country to mariachi to rock and roll, and back again, all within two hours. It was quite the musical journey, and my kids really enjoyed the show. As the show ended, Erin said, "What do you think? Should we go on stage to see Volker?" 'I don't know, they were so kind to us before the show, maybe we should just leave them alone. Besides, the kids have to go the the bathroom.' So I took Brendan to the men's room (no line!) and Erin took the girls to the women's room (big line!). As Brendan and I left the bathroom near the theater entrance, Volker came bounding up the aisle towards us. "Hey, did you like the show? Do you want to go onstage before they break down everything?" I looked for Erin and the girls but I didn't see them, 'Yes, we would love to,' so Brendan and I followed Volker to the stage where he gave Brendan his bass and plugged it in. Just then, Brendan hit a massive chord which resonated throughout the theater. You could feel the power and electricity surge. The few remaining patrons turned around to see if there was going to be a stealth encore. Brendan flashed a huge smile and Volker sensibly turned the amp volume down from eleven to two. Fortunately, Erin heard the bass throbbing deep in the back of the theater. She looked to the stage, saw a small boy in a Red Sox jacket cradling the bass, and now, Erin, Camryn and Kendall quickly joined us on stage. It was time to play the vibraphone with John Convertino. The roadies were none too pleased, the breakdown of the equipment would have to wait, as The Kirk Five were now exploring sounds with Calexico. John gave instructions to Kendall and Camryn, handed them the mallets and soon they were playing the vibraphone and making a joyful noise. It was an extraordinary night of music with an extraordinary group of musicians, and if we didn't have pictures, I don't think I would have believed that it had happened. I still don't quite believe it... perhaps it was just a dream?!

Fillmore June 16&17, 2006 signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino, Jacob Valenzuela

Thank you Calexico for your music and kindness, especially Volker Zander and John Convertino for their incredible generosity and grace.

Brendan playing Volker’s bass

Tarrytown Music Hall, November 15, 2008

Volker Zander and Brendan…bass buddies for life!

John Convertino turns on the vibes, Kendall and Camryn ready to play!

Vibing with Volker Zander, Kendall, Camryn, Brendan on Tarrytown Music Hall stage

Choice Calexico Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22lWrq1-XEE"Alone Again, Or"  Calexico covers Arthur Lee's Love,  Austin City Limits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFvTYwY9xBE"Minas de Cobre"  with Radio Symphonieorchester Wien, Vienna 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN1ilMsJc3Y"Crystal Frontier"  with Mariachi Luz de Luna  Barbican  2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ZAOEpqt7Q"All Tomorrow's Parties"  with Iron & Wine Triple Door, Seattle 2005Milt Jackson meets Velvet Underground and Lou Reed in the desert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iytkbMbahvY"All The Pretty Horses"  Aerocalexico  2001

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jd2cdU4fA4"Dead Man's Will"  In The Reins  with Iron & Wine  2005

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEhFUm5qy1w&list=RDSEhFUm5qy1w"Love Will Tear Us Apart"  Joy Division cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4qRv65sGq8"Burnin' Down The Spark"  Nancy Sinatra sings, Calexico swings!  2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpvchnmUdIQ"Guero Canelo" from Collateral  2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHheS6jQ9Mk"Guero Canelo"  Newport Folk Festival  2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPeRVfbsHbQ

"Convict Pool"  Convict Pool  2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIcBSKMToIU

"Across The Wire"  with Mariachi Luz de Luna  Barbican  2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiZT1IU4rrU

"Stray"  with Takim   Lizard Sound Sessions   2014

American Songbook Program February 1, 2007 Allen Room, Jazz At Lincoln Center, New York City

Calexico 2022 Fall Tour Poster signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino

Calexico and Los Lobos, The Fillmore, San Francisco 2006, signed by Joey Burns, John Convertino

McCoy Tyner and Me...

I don’t want to sound overly poetic, but you do feel cleansed when you’re done playing. I pay homage to the Creator for what he has given me and all of us. But I’m not preaching. If people hear things in my music and identify with them, that’s good! The music speaks for itself.

               McCoy Tyner

The Real McCoy (1967) signed by McCoy, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones

Nights Of Ballads & Blues (1963) signed by McCoy

He also gets a very personal sound from his instrument, and because of the clusters he uses and the way he voices them, that sound is brighter than what would normally be expected from most of the chord patterns he plays...... McCoy doesn't fall into conventional grooves, and he has taste. He can take anything, no matter how weird, and make it beautiful.

               John Coltrane

My Favorite Things (1961) signed by McCoy, Elvin Jones

Coltrane Jazz (1962) signed by McCoy, Elvin Jones

Well, John (Coltrane) used to come over my house. We had mutual friends. I remember when he was working on different chordal progressions, like “Giant Steps,” he would come over to my house and show me what he was doing. I was really young at the time, but I think he knew even then that he wanted me to be in his band eventually. I would try to internalize the concepts he was working on, and by the time he hired me for his band, I was ready.

               McCoy Tyner

Meet The Jazztet (1959) signed by McCoy, Art Farmer, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson

One of McCoy Tyner's first album appearances is on Meet The Jazztet, a 1959 super group which features the formidable front line of Art Farmer on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone and Benny Golson on tenor saxophone. Meet The Jazztet is a seminal jazz recording with classics like "I Remember Clifford", "Easy Living" and "Killer Joe", a bluesy funk with a rare Benny Golson spoken word intro. It is an auspicious debut for the twenty year old McCoy Tyner who displays his already impressive piano chops.

Blues For Coltrane (1987) signed by McCoy, Roy Haynes, Pharaoh Sanders, Cecil McBee

After recording and touring with The Jazztet for nine months, McCoy left to join the John Coltrane Quartet. From 1960-1965, they would release some of the most important albums in the jazz canon, including My Favorite Things (1961),  Coltrane Jazz (1961), Coltrane (1962), John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (1963), and A Love Supreme (1965). McCoy and John were compatible, as Trane's sheets of notes flooded his saxophone and matched McCoy's percussive and thunderous piano runs. Meanwhile, Jimmy Garrison or Steve Davis dropped sturdy bass lines and Elvin Jones pounded ferocious time. As McCoy once said with characteristic modesty, "I think we all inspired each other. John was the leader of the group, but he was a very humble person. Being in that band was an incredible experience."

McCoy then launched a solo career which continues to this day. He has released more than eighty albums as a leader, and appeared on hundreds more as a sideman in sessions with other jazz icons like Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson, and Wayne Shorter. McCoy has led trios, quartets, quintets and even big bands during his lengthy and adventurous career. One of his most recent collaborations, Guitars (2008), features performances with an eclectic mix of stringed masters: Marc Ribot, Bela Fleck, Bill Frisell, and Derek Trucks, anchored by the bass of Ron Carter and drums of Jack DeJohnette.

Major Changes (1985) signed by McCoy, Frank Morgan, Avery Sharpe, Louis Hayes

Easy Walker (1966) signed by McCoy, Stanley Turrentine

I saw McCoy perform dozens of times through the years, mostly at intimate clubs like The Blue Note and The Iridium in New York City, and Blues Alley in Washington, DC. McCoy was always accessible, a simple knock on the dressing room door was answered and I was afforded a quick entrance. I was careful not to overwhelm McCoy with his entire discography, so I would select a couple of my favorites for his signature each time I saw him. After all, even an insatiable autograph hound must exercise some discipline and discretion. As captivating and spell binding as McCoy was on stage, he was equally humble and self-effacing off stage. When he saw his first album cover, Meet The Jazztet, he laughed. "Look at me, I have my short pants on. Benny (Golson) and Art (Farmer) used to tease me. They said I was so young, I was still wearing short pants!" He was reflective when he signed the Coltrane albums. "We had some great times playing and we recorded some wonderful music."  Yes they did.

Today And Tomorrow (1963) signed by McCoy, Elvin Jones

McCoy was once asked about his early influences. He said, "My mother gave me a choice. She said, 'Would you like to take singing lessons or piano?' I'm glad I chose piano." Thank you Mrs. Tyner, the jazz and music world are so much richer for your guidance and instruction.

McCoy Tyner Plays Duke Ellington (1964) signed by McCoy

Great Moments (1981 Release, 1962-64 recordings) signed by McCoy

Song Of The World (1973) signed by McCoy

Expansions (1968) signed by McCoy, Gary Bartz

The Greeting (1978) signed by McCoy

Choice McCoy Tyner Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3JpqhpkXg

“My Favorite Things” live with John Coltrane, Reggie Workman, Elvin Jones 1961

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKib8EXXbD4

“My Favorite Things” Echoes Of A Friend 1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73VczRfu9Kg

“Passion Dance” The Real McCoy 1967

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoSj2UBeJGo

“Afro Blue” live Jazz Casual 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frYLvC0mM50

“When Sunny Gets Blue” Today and Tomorrow 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9N4Vjrb0e8

“Goodbye” Reaching Fourth 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AFtnJv5Tac

“Asante” Asante 1970

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5yOk9A7K6s

“Sahara” Sahara 1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmesZCr_IcQ

“Autumn Leaves” Today and Tomorrow 1963

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hpxmtnt4k

“Round Midnight” Night Of Ballads And Blues 1963

Inception (1962) front cover, silver pen didn’t work!

Inception (1962) back cover signed by McCoy

It’s About Time (1985) signed by McCoy, Jackie McLean, Al Foster

Just Feelin’ (1985) signed by McCoy

Uptown/Downtown (1988) signed by McCoy