Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Primitive Sound System - Maxwell's - Tuesday Feb 15th!

Hello Y'all,
This week I'll be paying tribute to Jimmy Smith and Tyrone Davis. Both these soulful greats recently passed away. Jimmy Smith was my entrée into the world of Organ Jazz. Organ based Jazz was not very prominent before Smith but the sound of Jazz was soon changed forever by him. He also set the standards and practically wrote the book on the sound of Jazz organ. Over a 3 day period in February of 1957 Smith recorded hours of music which proved the validity of the organ as a true Jazz instrument. Mosaic Records compiled the entire session on "The Complete February 1957 Jimmy Smith Blue Note Sessions" and is as inspiring as it is entertaining. Smith continued to record and perform practically to his last day. Tyrone Davis had an immediately recognizable voice and style. The majority of his career was spent on Dakar/Brunswick Records one of Americas true Independent label gems and bona fide success story. The sharp dressed Mr. Davis seemed most at home with mid-tempo grooves wrapped in warm, smart productions and stories about chasing women. Both of these greats will be missed but we are all lucky that they once walked among us.

- pat.

Primitive Sound System and the continuing food stylings of el Diablo Every Tuesday! (9PM - 2AM)

Maxwell's
1039 Washington Street
Hoboken New Jersey
(201) 653-1703

More gigs and dates...
Thursday February 24th - DC's Tavern Thursday Night Music and Alcohol Appreciation Series. This Thursday features Matt "Mr. Fine Wine" Weingarden, Greg "Solid Soul" Tormo and Pat. "Primitive Sound System" Longo for a night of all things Soul.

DC's Tavern
505 8th Street Hoboken, New Jersey
PH: 201-792-5550
URL: http://www.dcstavern.com

AND DON"T FORGET...

DC's Tavern Saturday Record Swap Winter Wing Ding - Saturday February 26th from 1PM - 7-8PM - DC's Tavern 505 8th Street Hoboken, New Jersey - PH: 201-792-5550 URL: http://www.dcstavern.com

THE MUSIC:

Jimmy Smith:
Jimmy Smith At The Organ - Volume 2 (Blue Note cat. BST 81552)
"The Duel" starts off with very churchlike organ but played double time. Blakey's machine like drumming is tiring to listen to even after few minutes. These gentleman are setting an inhuman pace. Smith is the first to break form and hints at the otherworldly sounds to soon follow. Smith's left and right hands are seemingly governed by separate brains. Sounds bounce, ricochet and at times do not sound like they are produced by a B3. Blakey solos but never lets up the machine driven hats. Rolls and strokes are produced by what sounds like a second drummer. Smith returns to add more sounds that could be mistaken for manipulated tape loops. Blakey finishes is solo among Smith's free jamming and then ends the trip with a very traditional run and roll. Amazing, I am not sure if the patrons of Maxwell's would even tolerate it. We'll see how the night goes.

House Party (Blue Note BST 84002)

The Sermon! (Blue Note cat. BST 84011)
"The Sermon Part 1 and 2" (Blue Note cat. 45-1879)

Home Cookin' (Blue Note cat. BST 84050)

Back At The Chicken Shack (Blue Note cat. ST-84117)
"Back At The Chicken Shack Part 1 and 2" (Blue Note cat. 45-1877)

"Prayer Meetin' Part 1 and 2" (Blue Note cat. 451909)
We are definitely in for some religion here. this is the kind of preaching I am always up for, wailing sax over a stroll groove. Stanley Turrentine tells it like it as and the band is steady as can be. Preach Brother Preach!


"Bucket" - Stereo Littlle LP (Blue Note cat. L4235)
"Bucket" and "Sassy Mae"

"Got My Mojo Working Part 1 and 2" (Verve - Sounds Of Fame cat. VK-147 (65-VK-630)

"The Cat" Arranged and Conducted by Lalo Schifrin (Verve cat.VK-10330 (64-VK-343))

Monster - The Incredible Jimmy Smith Arranged and Conducted By Oliver Nelson (Verve cat. V-8618)

"Groove Drops" (Verve cat. VK-10652 (106,623)
Nothing improved the sound of late 60's early 70's Organ Jazz more than the drumming innovations that came out of New Orleans and the drummers of The James Brown bands. "Groove Drops" foreshadows what was to come on the AMAZING "Root Down" LP with the drums having equal billing as Smith's stylish funky organ. Jimmy gives space and lets the beat be heard throughout "Groove Drops." This was not exactly a common recording quality in Jazz as late as the mid 60's. Even when drummers were the leader on the date the drums took a backseat as not to overwhelm the other players. Here the Orchestral backing and heavy drums give the track a very soundtrack.

Root Down - Jimmy Smith Live! (Verve cat. V6-8806)
"Root Down" is what funky Soul Jazz is all about. Congas, guitar, pounding drums and screaming organ. This is one of the top 10 Organ grooves of ALL TIME! I once read that Smith sold these from the back of his car at gigs because Verve wasn't being very helpful promoting or distributing it. If that is true it is just another example of the shortsightedness of the half wits working at labels. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing but add a little success and you have Kid Rock, Limp Dickless (Bisquick or whatever the hell they are called). How Jimmy Smith and other Jazz greats aren't living a life like Sean Combs, KISS, Brittany Spears and the rest of mediocrity is beyond me. No accounting for taste I guess. (I am actually a huge KISS fan but the fact remains America as a whole is not about quality. It's all a popularity contest and the winners are just doing the minimum to get by. Mediocrity.) A big thank you to those who strive for greatness and not fame.

Tyrone Davis:
Without You In My Life (Dakar Records cat. DK 76904)
The playact "I had It All the Time" is so incredible. It begins with a reprise of "Something That You Got" and then out of no where the voice of a stewardess obviously places on on an airplane. Tyrone missing his lady calls her pleading lets her know he is a changed man and he is crawling back to her... Then bang, right in the middle of his begging he throws in, "Aw yeah, I had a date or two but they couldn't take the place of you." Damn!

The Tyrone Davis Story (Kent cat. KENT 037)

"Is It Something You've Got" (Dakar Records cat. 45-605 (DAK-16174-PL))
Songs don't get much better than this for me. Aggressive drumming, guitar and bright horns announce Davis' arrival. "Something" is sung with a smile in his voice regardless of the fact that he can't win the young ladies affections. he seems content to love her from afar but you can tell is isn't going to give up on her too easy.

"Need Your Lovin' Everyday" (Dakar Records cat. 45-609 (DAK-ST-17285-SP))
The formula is similar on "Need." Sounds like ole' Tyrone was busy with few of the ladies.

"Turn Back The Hands Of Time" (Dakar Records cat. 45-616 (DAK-18441-SP))
Classic. This is 100% a perfect soul track. I carried an AM radio around with me as a kid (only rivaled by my portable tape recorder) and I can distinctly remember this magnificent track squeezing its way out that little inadequate speaker and still I loved it.