In Memoriam: Dr. Lonnie Smith

 

We fondly remember one of the great jazz organists, Dr. Lonnie Smith, who passed away on Tuesday, September 28th, at the age of 79 from pulmonary fibrosis. 

 

https://www.stereogum.com/2162362/legendary-jazz-hammond-organist-dr-lonnie-smith-dead-at-79/news/

To honor his memory in this post, two songs from the same performance, taken from his show at the 2013 Iowa City Jazz Festival.  Smith and his trio open with a gospel influenced, uptempo number, and the centerpiece of the performance is trombonist Slide Hampton's "Frame For The Blues".  Dr. Smith on Hammond organ is joined in a trio by guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Joe Dyson.  Rest In Peace, Dr. Smith.  You will be missed.  But your musical gift you've given to this world, shall live forever.  

Earl Hines and Jaki Byard

 

From the Berlin Piano Jazz Festival in 1965, via Jazz Video Guy (Bret Primack), here are two of the best in the business playing a duet, who have been featured on the blog before.  Earl "Fatha" Hines, and Jaki Byard.  Dig it.  

Eric Burdon & War "Spill The Wine"

 

Live on Beat Club on September 26th, 1970, here is Eric Burdon (formerly from The Animals), and funk rock band War, with "Spill The Wine".  The band lineup for War on this, one of their best known songs is:

Eric Burdon: vocals

Lee Oskar: harmonica

Charles Mille: saxophone

Howard Scott: guitar

Bee Bee Dickerson: bass

Lonnie Jordan: Hammond organ

Harold Brown: drums

"Papa" Dee Allen: congas

Watch the video on YouTube.  

Widespread Panic Medley: "Cotton Was King", "Protein Drink", Drums, "Sewing Machine"

 

Another Widespread Panic medley.  Here is one from their June 24th, 2016 concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, starting with "Cotton Was King" morphing into "Protein Drink", the drum solo, and "Sewing Machine".  

Sonny Rollins on what jazz is

Back on September 7th, we celebrated the 91st birthday of the legendary jazz tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins.  Here is an interview with him, about his ideas of what jazz and art are.  

Sonny Rollins will go down in history as not only the single most enduring tenor saxophonist of the bebop and hard bop era, but also as one of the greatest contemporary jazz saxophonists of them all. His fluid and harmonically innovative ideas, effortless manner, and easily identifiable and accessible sound have influenced generations of performers, but have also fueled the notion that mainstream jazz music can be widely enjoyed, recognized, and proliferated. Saxophone Colossus https://amzn.to/2R53uAl Way Out West https://amzn.to/2CVzMe2 The Bridge https://amzn.to/2S0MYCB A Night at the Village Vanguard https://amzn.to/2CVk3vx Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins https://amzn.to/2PJMdfw Tenor Madness https://amzn.to/2R54hkN Freedom Suite https://amzn.to/2CVkaHt Don’t Stop the Carnival https://amzn.to/2NQFRt6 The Sound of Sonny https://amzn.to/2CVkZ31 Sonny Rollins Omnibook https://amzn.to/2CVKWzu Sonny Rolins Transcriptions https://amzn.to/2CVzbZW

Stan Getz "At Large"

 For Full Album Friday this week, the master, Stan Getz, is featured, with his "At Large" record, which was cut in Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 14th and 15th, 1960.  The track listing is:

1. Night And Day

2. Pammie's Tune

3. Amour

4. I Like To Recognize That Tune

5. When The Sun Comes Out

6. Just A Child

7. Folks Who Live On The Hill

8. Cafe Montmartre Blues

9. He Was Too Good For Me

10. Younger Than Springtime

11. Goodbye

12. Land's End

13. In Your Own Sweet Way

14. In The Night

The quartet band lineup includes Stan Getz on tenor saxophone, Jan Johansson on piano, Dan Jordan on bass, and William Schiopfe on drums.

Alice & Ravi Coltrane "Impressions"

 

Continuing to celebrate the legacy of John Coltrane, here is his wife Alice Coltrane on piano, and son Ravi Coltrane on tenor saxophone, playing John's composition "Impressions" along with a rhythm section that includes Reggie Workman on upright bass, and Roy Haynes on drums.  This is another video that can be credited to Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack, for posting.  Dig it.  

John Coltrane Tribute "A Love Supreme"

 

The first of the bonus posts today for John Coltrane's birthday, is a tribute rendition of his masterpiece, "A Love Supreme".  From Jazz Video Guy, (Bret Primack), here is that tribute video.  This performance is from a concert in Berlin, West Germany, circa 1987.  The band lineup includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on tenor saxophone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Reggie Workman on double bass, and Elvin Jones on drums.  A quintet of legends, paying tribute to the one and the only, " 'Trane".  A lot of the people in this quintet, were a part of Coltrane's bands.  For sure, I believe McCoy Tyner, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones were all involved with 'Trane's music at one time or another.

Happy Birthday, John Coltrane (Bonus Posts for Today)

Today marks the birthday of a giant of jazz, the one and the only, John Coltrane.  Normally, yours truly does not indulge in extra posts, letting my readers absorb what I have come up with for one whole day.  There are exceptions, and today is one of them.  Following, after re-posting the Bill Withers song, "Use Me", today, there are some notable pieces of music, compositions by John Coltrane that are noteworthy for you to peruse, and you will find them coming up in the next couple of posts.  Enjoy!

Bill Withers "Use Me"

 

Re-posting a favorite song.  Here is the one and the only, Bill Withers, in a solo acoustic performance of his song "Use Me".  

Herbie Hancock & The Headhunters "Palm Grease"

 

From Herbie Hancock's 1974 record "Thrust", here is the track "Palm Grease".  The band lineup is:

Herbie Hancock: keyboards & synthesizers (Rhodes piano, Clavinet, ARP Odyssey, 2600, & String Ensemble (Solina) synthesizers)

Bennie Maupin: tenor & soprano saxophones, flute 

Paul Jackson: bass

Mike Clark: drums

Bill Summers: percussion

Jimmy Reed & Eddie Taylor "Big Boss Man"

 

A special Tuesday blues post.  This is the only known footage to exist of blues greats Jimmy Reed and Eddie Taylor playing together.  From a performance in Cologne, Germany, here they are, with "Big Boss Man".  

Rahsaan Roland Kirk "Make Me A Palette On The Floor"

 

From Maison de la Radio in Paris, France, on February 22nd, 1970 (via Jazz Video Guy, Bret Primack), here is Rahsaan Roland Kirk with the composition "Make Me A Palette On The Floor".  The band lineup is:

Rahsaan Roland Kirk: clarinet

Dick Griffin: trombone

Ron Burton: piano

Vernon Martin: bass

Jerome Cooper: drums

Joe Texidor: percussion

In Memoriam: George Mraz

 

We remember jazz bass legend George Mraz who has just passed away, a week following his 77th birthday.  Here he is, as part of trio with Tommy Flanagan on piano and Lewis Nash on drums.  They are playing Dizzy Gillespie's composition "Tin Tin Deo".  Video credit, attributed to Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack.  

George Mraz (born Jiří Mráz on 9 September 1944 in Písek, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, now Czech Republic, died on 16 September 2021 in Prague) was a jazz bassist and alto saxophonist. He was a member of Oscar Peterson's group, and worked with Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Michel Petrucciani, Stephane Grappelli, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker, Joe Henderson, John Abercrombie, John Scofield, Richie Beirach and many other important jazz musicians.

During the 1970s he was a member of the New York Jazz Quartet and The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, and in the 1980s a member of Quest.[2] He also appeared with Joe Lovano, Hank Jones and Paul Motian on Lovano's records I'm All For You and Joyous Encounter. Mraz was also known for performing solos with a bow in arco style, similar to that of Paul Chambers..

Steve Marcus, Miroslav Vitous, Sonny Sharrock, & Daniel Humair "Green Line"

Another Full Album Friday this week featuring the Free Jazz/Jazz Rock album "Green Line" recorded by the quartet of the late, great Steve Marcus on saxophones, Miroslav Vitous on upright bass, the late, great Sonny Sharrock on guitar, and Daniel Humair on drums.  Rest In Peace, Steve Marcus and Sonny Sharrock.  You will always be remembered and in our hearts.  The track listing is:

1. Melvin

2. Mr. Sheets At Night

3. Green Line

4. The Echos

  

Cream "Sunshine of Your Love"

 

Another favorite song of yours truly.  Cream (Eric Clapton on guitar and vocals, the late, great Jack Bruce on bass and vocals, and the late, great Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker, on drums), with one of their trademark songs, "Sunshine of Your Love", performed around 1967.  Cannot remember which specific concert this version came from.  Of course, Cream reunited briefly in 1993 for their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and again, in 2005, for a series of farewell gigs at both the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, and Madison Square Garden in New York City.  They will always be one of my favorite bands for as long as I live.  

Joe Bonamassa "Steal Your Heart Away"

 

From a performance at The Beacon Theater in New York City, here is Joe Bonamassa with his song "Steal Your Heart Away".  

Sonny Rollins "There Will Never Be Another You"

From a performance live in Denmark in 1965 here is Sonny Rollins with his trio, performing the standard "There Will Never Be Another You".  The trio is Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Nels Henning Orsted-Pedersen on upright bass, and Alan Dawson on drums.  

Widespread Panic "Blight"

 

Widespread Panic performs their song "Blight" on night two of their 25th anniversary celebration run of shows at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, in 2011.  

Brent Mason & Guthrie Trapp "Caught In The Act"

 

On May 13th, 2014 at the Nashville Guitar Center, two session guitar greats of the Nashville scene finally jammed together.  Here's Brent Mason and Guthrie Trapp jamming on a jazzy tune called "Caught In The Act".  Mason and Trapp are backed by the rhythm section of Michael Rhodes on bass and Pete Abbott on drums.  

Johnny Winter Live at Rockpalast, 2007

 

A truly special Full Concert Friday this week featuring the late, great Johnny Winter in 2007 at Rockpalast in Germany, where he had also played with a trio, in 1979 or so.  Yours truly saw Johnny Winter at The Cabooze bar in Minneapolis that same year, on the same tour, in August of 2007 completely on a whim after hearing of the concert on the radio, on the local Twin Cities classic rock station, KQRS.  Well, I attended that night, and was blown away by what I saw and heard.  The band lineup is:

Johnny Winter: guitar, vocals

Paul Nelson: guitar

Scott Spray: bass

Wayne June: drums, vocals

Featuring special guests:

Edgar Winter: saxophone

Rick Derringer: guitar

The set list:

1. Intro (feat. Paul Nelson)

2. Hideaway (Freddie King cover)

3. Sugar Coated Love

4. Boogie Real Low

5. Miss Ann

6. Blackjack

7. I'm Tore Down (Freddie King cover)

8. Lone Wolf

9. It's All Over Now (Rolling Stones cover)

10. Mojo Boogie

11. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob Dylan cover)

Paul Nelson, Edgar Winter, and Rick Derringer feature on three songs including "Johnny Guitar", "It's All Over Now", and "Highway 61 Revisited".

Enjoy the show.

The set list.

1. 

The Horace Silver Sextet "Nica's Dream"

Last Thursday, (September 2nd), we celebrated the birthday of jazz great, Horace Silver, composer and pianist.  Here is his composition "Nica's Dream" as performed by Silver and his Sextet at Jazz Fest Bern, in Bern, Switzerland, in 1987.  This is yet another video from Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack.  The band lineup is:

Dave Douglas: trumpet

Vincent Herring: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, & flute

Horace Silver: piano

Brian Bromberg: acoustic double bass

Carl Burnett: drums

Andy Bey: vocals

Phish "Camel Walk"

 

A spacy jam from Phish's August 27th, 2021 show at The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington, here is "Camel Walk".  Phish, once again, includes Trey Anastasio on guitar and vocals, Page McConnell on keyboards and vocals, Mike Gordon on bass and vocals, and John Fishman on drums and vocals.  

Phish "Tweezer" (Revisited, Again)

 

Revisiting Phish's "Tweezer" once again.  Here is a particularly psychedelic and jam heavy version of the song from their very recent, September 1st, 2021 performance at Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.  Dig it.  

Joe Bonamassa "Shake For Me"

From his 2014 concert DVD "Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks", here is Joe Bonamassa playing the Willie Dixon penned blues chestnut, performed by Chester "The Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, "Shake For Me".  The band lineup is:

Joe Bonamassa: guitar & vocals

Kirk Fletcher: guitar

Reese Wynans: Hammond organ & piano

Michael Rhodes: bass

Anton Fig: drums

Mike Henderson: harmonica

Ron Dziubla: saxophones

Lee Thornburg: trumpet

Nick Lane: trombone 

Tony Joe White "Polk Salad Annie"

 

From an episode of Austin City Limits filmed in 1980, here is the late, great swamp rocker himself, Tony Joe White, with "Polk Salad Annie".  

Miles Davis Quintet, Teatro dell'Arte, Milan, Italy, October 11th, 1964

 

Full Concert Friday this week features the Miles Davis Quintet performing at the Teatro dell'Arte (Theater of Arts), in Milan, Italy, on October 11th, 1964.  This is the middle period I suppose between the great quintets he had depending on what style of jazz Miles was feeling at the time, which started with hard bop in the '50s and extended to the early years of jazz fusion in the late 1960s and early '70s.  I suppose you could say that this was the middle period of that length of time, with a quintet of fabulous players.

The band lineup for this performance includes Miles Davis on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums.  The set list is:

1. Autumn Leaves

2. My Funny Valentine

3. All Blues

4. All of You

5. Joshua 

Count Basie & His Orchestra (feat. Rufus Jones) "Whirlybird"

From Jazz Video Guy (Bret Primack) on YouTube, it is Count Basie & His Orchestra featuring Rufus Jones on drums, playing the composition "Whirlybird" live at BBC Studios in London on September 18th, 1965.  The band lineup is:

Trumpets: 

Wallace Davenport

Sonny Cohn

Al Aarons

Phil Guilbeau

Trombones:

Grover Mitchell

Henderson Chambers

Al Grey

Bill Hughes (bass trombone)

Woodwinds:

Marshall Royal: alto saxophone & clarinet

Bobby Plater: alto saxophone, flute, & horn arrangements

Eric Dixon: tenor saxophone, flute, & horn arrangements

Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis: tenor saxophone

Charlie Fowlkes: baritone saxophone

Rhythm Section:

Count Basie: piano

Freddie Green: guitar

Norman Keenan: bass

Rufus Jones: drums

Jimi Hendrix "Freedom"

 

From a live performance, Jimi Hendrix and the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the L.A. Forum here is "Freedom".  The audio quality on this is just OK.  It appears to be a bootleg audio recording or something.  It could have officially been recorded as well.  The date of this show at the L.A. Forum is April 25th, 1970, and "Freedom" was the tenth song on the set list.