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  1. #1

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    Lot of influential musicians came out of Tulsa, Oklahoma in the '60s and '70s: Leon Russell, JJ Cale, The Gap Band, David Gates (Bread), bassist Carl Radle (Derek & The Dominos et al).

    But there's more to the story...


    Oklahoma Today | Oklahomatoday.com - Mad Songs & Oklahomans: The Tulsa Sound Part One

    Oklahoma Today | Oklahomatoday.com - Take Us Back to Tulsa: The Tulsa Sound Part Two

    Leon Russell's Shelter Records studio was called The Church. Historic Recording Studio of Leon Russell - The Church Studio

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  3. #2

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    ...and Chandler also was there...

  4. #3

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    I respect all those guys, but JJ Cale is just one guy I haven’t gotten into. Great songwriter of course, but when he performs it sounds like he mumbles, and I’ve never gotten into his guitar playing.

    He plays and sings at a level 2 and needs to be turned up to a level 6 or 7 (which is pretty much what Clapton did for his songs).

    That said, I really like his version of Magnolia. What a great song, and one of my favorites from the ‘70’s.

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    I respect all those guys, but JJ Cale is just one guy I haven’t gotten into. Great songwriter of course, but when he performs it sounds like he mumbles, and I’ve never gotten into his guitar playing.
    This was the first JJ Cale song I ever heard, back in '72, and I've been a fan ever since.



    I lived in Nashville at the time (9th grade?) and the weekend section of the paper (-called various names by various papers) always included the lyrics to a popular song and the chords for it. I saw "Crazy Mama" in there and the only chord listed was E. (All the vocals ARE on one chord in that song; the turnaround isn't a vocal part.) I thought, "Gee, that's not a lot of help!" Of course, one should not need much help to play that song!

    But the laid-back feel of "The Tulsa Sound"---blues, rock, gospel, country, the whole shmear but in the pocket---appeals to me. When I was a kid, I didn't know who was from where and didn't know from "The Tulsa Sound" but I liked Leon Russell and JJ Cale and that side of Clapton that goes to town on JJ Cale songs, that whole feel.

    And hell, "Tulsa Time" by Don Williams (who was not from Tulsa but from Texas, though he had a laid-back quality to his voice and music)... One of the great two-chord songs of all time!




  6. #5

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    Well I do admire the feel. Those guys were very influential. Don't forget Jim Keltner.

    Slight digression...

    Back when I lived in Minnesota the (now ex) wife and I would drive down to Kansas to stay with her family for holidays. Often we would drive through Tulsa. I remember the transition from a flat prairie to a big plateau., and crossing the Arkansas River. I thought it was a pretty area.

    I did go to a wedding in Oklahoma City, which was nicer than I expected. But I hate tornadoes, so never thought once about moving there, and got out of Kansas as soon as I could. (Should've gotten out of the marriage as soon as I could, but that's another story.)

  7. #6

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    The original Tulsa sound was Bob Wills. He was there for many years.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    The original Tulsa sound was Bob Wills. He was there for many years.
    My maternal grandmother used to go and dance or as she would say, jitterbug, at Cain’s Ballroom to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. Cain’s is still there and open. My dad told me a lot of stories about Leon Russell and the other guys that played with Clapton. Both of those eras of Tulsa sound are in my genes.

    Can’t find a trace of MMMbop in there though.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by sgosnell
    The original Tulsa sound was Bob Wills. He was there for many years.
    One of my all-time favorites!


  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    This was the first JJ Cale song I ever heard, back in '72, and I've been a fan ever since.



    I lived in Nashville at the time (9th grade?) and the weekend section of the paper (-called various names by various papers) always included the lyrics to a popular song and the chords for it. I saw "Crazy Mama" in there and the only chord listed was E. (All the vocals ARE on one chord in that song; the turnaround isn't a vocal part.) I thought, "Gee, that's not a lot of help!" Of course, one should not need much help to play that song!

    But the laid-back feel of "The Tulsa Sound"---blues, rock, gospel, country, the whole shmear but in the pocket---appeals to me. When I was a kid, I didn't know who was from where and didn't know from "The Tulsa Sound" but I liked Leon Russell and JJ Cale and that side of Clapton that goes to town on JJ Cale songs, that whole feel.

    And hell, "Tulsa Time" by Don Williams (who was not from Tulsa but from Texas, though he had a laid-back quality to his voice and music)... One of the great two-chord songs of all time!



    Back when we were packing dance floors with our lady-singer dance floor hits, Don Williams "I Believe in You" was one of my vocal change-ups, along with "Tulsa Time," "Folsom Prison Blues," sundry bop-a-billies, and the blues number I got to open the third set with. People don't mind the high and maybe outside a little, as long as you once in awhile put one right down the middle of their particular plate. Of course few things could top our lovely lady lead singer doing Willie nelson's "Crazy." Heart melter, for sure. Never underestimate the power of a change of pace.

    Oh yeah "Magnolia" is recurrent in my personal rep since '76. Love those Maj7ths!

  11. #10

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    A news story about The Church, the studio Leon Russell built.


  12. #11

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    JJ Cale with Leon Russell doing "After Midnight."


  13. #12

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    Leon Russell from 1964----first time I ever saw him without a beard!


  14. #13

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    Another bit of "Shindig," with Glenn Campbell on banjo for "Jambalaya."


  15. #14

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    Leon Russell and the Gap Band from 1974.


  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    JJ Cale with Leon Russell doing "After Midnight."

    I like that. I don’t recall ever seeing him back in the day on TV. The Atlanta prog rock/eclectic station would play Magnolia from time to time, but that was about my exposure to Mr. Cale (JJ not John), other than so many people talking about how influential he was.

    That is a very laid back way of playing. It seems to suit the mid/late 70’s well, which was when Steely Dan put out Gaucho and most groups were moving away from a hard rock, 180 bpm style.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkRhodes
    JJ Cale with Leon Russell doing "After Midnight."

    This whole performance — live in the studio without an audience, bunch of songs — is available on Youtube, and it’s great.

    JJ Cale is probably the guitarist I’ve spent the most time transcribing, especially his live solo work, without a band, where he plays a lot of what we now call “fingerstyle.”

    Great band here.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk Garrett

    JJ Cale is probably the guitarist I’ve spent the most time transcribing, especially his live solo work, without a band, where he plays a lot of what we now call “fingerstyle.”

    Great band here.
    Where do you find his solo work? The closest I've found is some live recordings of him with bass & drums.

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by supersoul
    Where do you find his solo work? The closest I've found is some live recordings of him with bass & drums.
    You can find him on Youtube. Look for live shows, and for interviews where he picks up a guitar and performs a few tunes.

    Ex:


  20. #19

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    Another:


  21. #20

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    Also this (and more…but enough for now.)

    Really great.