Mr. Green Goes to the Lighthouse

Critics Michael Erlewine and Ron Wynn from allmusic.com write, “A severely underrated player during his lifetime, Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar … Green’s playing is immediately recognizable — perhaps more than any other guitarist.”

“…alright now, sit back, relax, let your mind unwind. Let the cobwebs-and-fog slip on outta your ears, and slide on down your shoulders …let Grant Green share his love…” -Hank Stewart

Recorded live at the Lighthouse (really, who knew), Hermosa Beach, CA on April 1972, Live at the Lighthouse, is an album that is often met with mixed reviews. His album, Alive!, is by far the most notable and on most must-have lists, but I think Live at the Lighthouse is hidden gem that is well worth the listen, if only for a couple tracks.

Hank Stewart announced at the open of the show that the band is there to “create love through the medium of music” and in my opinion they accomplished every bit of that statement on this album. This is a ultra-fiery, live concert and one that accurately displays the legendary guitar player’s abilities. In my opinion, this would be one of the last great albums that Green was a part of creating. This is a quality album from top to bottom. Give it a listen, I am certain that you will find that it was time well spent.

A few of the highlights are Windjammer, Fancy Free, Flood in Franklin Park and the scorching Jan Jan.

If you would like to hear the album in its entirety please click the following: Live at the Lighthouse.

Andy Crowder, www.listenthinkreact.com

Sussudio-Not

While this may not be the best Jazz-Fusion album ever it is definitely a very good and one worth a listen.  There are some snippets here that are true gems. You might have scroll through part of the song (if you are impatient) to get to the highlights of each song, but I think you will be rewarded handsomely if you put in the effort. Rhapsody makes it so easy anyway, so there shouldn’t be any excuse.

While I admit the keyboards can be a bit overpowering at times I choose to listen to the songs in their entirety as that what creates the build from transition to transition. You will hear what I am talking about, just listen.

Anyway, I digress. Brand X is the progressive jazz/rock fusion side project of Phil Collins. Yes, that is right, Phil Collins and his drum work is not to be missed. Plus, Percy Jones is phenomenal on the bass. Both drive the band mercilessly throughout the entire album. Free-form at its best. Who knew Phil was this good.

As Phil himself put it, “Genesis was the wife, and Brand X was the mistress, and I just wanted to take my clothes off and live a bit!”

Some segments in the tracks below might remind you of a band from my home state that decided to go on an extended hiatus.  Funky indeed!

As I stated above, if you to choose not to listen to the tracks in their entirety at least check out the highlights in the following tracks:

Running on Three - 2:20 and on

Nuclear Burn - 4:50 an on

Euthanasia Waltz - 2:30 and on

Born Ugly - 4:00 and on

Smacks of Euphoric Hysteria -  0-2:00

If you prefer to listen to the album in its entirety please click the following: Unorthodox Behaviour

Andy Crowder, www.listenthinkreact.com

A Timeless Classic - Les and Eddie

Okay, now we are finally in my wheelhouse. If I was stranded on a desert island and could only choose one form of music it would be jazz, in all of its forms.

With that being said, I have decided to start a category titled, Audiophile Essentials, for albums that, in my opinion, are a necessary listen for the avid music lover regardless of musical taste.

Les McCann and Eddie Harris’s, Swiss Movement, is one such album. A timeless classic that in the Rhapsody world, should be immediately added to the ‘My Library” section of your Rhapsody player. If you do not have the privilege of being a Rhapsody subscriber then find this album and add it to your collection. You will not be disappointed, especially if you are an avid listener of Jazz.

Swiss Movement is a result of the collaborative efforts of Less McCann (Piano, Vocals on “Compared to What”, Eddie Harris (Tenor Sax), Benny Bailey (Trumpet), Leroy Vinnegar. (Bass), and Donald Dean (Drums).

A live album recorded on June 21, 1969 at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Swiss Movement is a solid listen from top to bottom.

Typically I pick a highlights from each album that I mention on the site, but albums that make it to the Audiophile Essentials should be listened to in their entirety, at least in my humble opinion.

Click the following link to listen to the album in its entirety: Swiss Movement (listen)

Watch them perform Kaftan (previously unreleased) live at Montreux concert. As Les says “get with the groove, let your feet stamp, feel it”. Definitely check it out!

Gilles Digs America

 

Oliver Wang’s outstanding audio blog, Soul Sides, was the source that led me to create the following post. If you are not familiar with his site you should check it out. He posts some rarities that make the daily trip over to his site well worth it.

Hailing from London Gilles Peterson has become one of the most influential DJs on the acid-jazz, hip-hop, jazz, and soul scene. Calling him an audiophile is an understatement. His vinyl collection is legendary. According to wikipedia, “he recently started a new record label called Brownswood - named after the house he had to move out of after his record collection became too big, and which now acts as a warehouse for his enormous collection of vinyl.”

He recently released the second volume in his Digs America collection which can be found on Rhapsody, but I would like to discuss his first his first release in the collection.

Digs America is a compilation of some soul-based rarities. The album starts out with one of my favorite tracks and one that I talked about last week, Darondo’s “Didn’t I” (listen). I have no problem posting the song again. It is a gem.

A few of the other highlights on the album are Bobby Cole’s piano driven “A Perfect Day” (listen), and Forty Seven Times Its Own Weight’s funk-laden “March of the Goober Woobers” (listen).

Click the following of you would like to listen to the album in its entirety: Gilles Peterson/Digs America

Horns a Plenty

Youngblood Brass Band is a nine-member brass ensemble that began in 1995 in the unlikely state of Wisconsin. Brass bands from the Midwest are typically not taken seriously among lovers of jazz big band and New Orleans style marching bands, but this group of talented musicians should not be overlooked. As a brass band their musical foundation is based on early New Orleans style, but they often delve into the realm of avant hip-hop.

A few of my favorite tracks are Brooklyn (listen and a powerful version of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature” - Human Nature Pt. 2 (listen). Yes, I said it, a powerful version of The Gloved One’s Human Nature. Both tracks are definitely worth a listen.

If you would like to listen to the album in its entirety please click the following: center: level: roar (listen).

Andy Crowder

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