New Steve Cropper album, "Fire It Up"

[citizenk74]

I must say, before I was humbled and influenced by all the jazz artists--like Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Jim Hall, Herb Ellis, and Joe Pass--I was floored as a kid by Steve Cropper and the Memphis sound. Green Onions, Hip Hug Her, Tic Tac Toe, etc., just pushed me into taking up the guitar--more so than did The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.

FWIW, the "beat" that folks associate with the Stax/Volt records that feature Al Jackson/Duck Dunn/Steve Cropper/Booker T. Jones contains an elongated third beat in the 4/4 time signature. The musicians would hold off on the "4" until it got just a bit tense--then FOUR! [I read this in an article with Cropper, once.]

The other thing, of course, is massive under-playing, with a slavish devotion to the groove. Jackson was a jazz drummer. Jones, Dunn, and Cropper had chops to burn. Yet, each musician would hold off and underplay parts. Nobody would "blow." Let the end-of-measure fill be expression enough of what's what. Solos were typically efficient and served the song. If it could be expressed in an ensemble theme, rather than a showy solo, so much the better.

Check out "Time is Tight," the full song on the soundtrack of the film "Up Tight." (not the single, which is abbreviated):

This is what Jones, Cropper, Dunn, and Jackson were all about.

Right on! "Massive under-playing" is the key! Compulsive Virtuosity Display Syndrome (CVDS) is one of the major pitfalls of our craft. We must always bear in mind just who it is that pays for our services, and what it is that they want to pay for. Is it the club/bar/restaurant owners? No. They are selling other goods and services.

It's the audience. The folks who just want to relax, unwind, forget their quotidian woes for a little while - listen to some nice music, have a nosh, dance - and we really need to keep in mind that they have limited time and limited patience and limited tolerance for those who rudely ignore their paramount position on the food chain and go off on some widdly-widdley ego indulgence.

I say, give 'em a little of what they want, and they'll come back for more.

/rant off

[neatomic]

not to stray too far from steve and the boys....but it is fat tuesday...mardi gras!...and much of the above praise fits this fabulous group as well-

the funky meters!!!

little old money maker

zigaboo is one of my fave drummers ever

laissez les bon temps rouler

cheers

[neatomic]

another 2:50 of understatement

the meters- this is my last affair

cheers

ps- incidentally, josie was a nyc label that also put out lots of fine jazz records


Josie Jazz Series

JOZ-3500 - Gigi Gryce and Donald Byrd - Gigi Gryce & Donald Byrd - 1962
JOZ-3501 - Cu-Bop - Art Blakey and Sabu Martinez - 1962 - Reissue of Jubilee JGM- 1049
JOZ-3502 - Alto Saxophone - Herb Geller - 1962
JOZ-3503 - Jackie McLean Quintet - Jackie McLean -1963 - with Donald Byrd, Doug Watkins, Ronald Tucker, Mal Waldron
JOZ-3504 - Ray Draper Tuba Jazz - Ray Draper - 1963
JOZ-3505 - Teddy Charles Trio Plays Duke Ellington - Teddy Charles - 1963
JOZ-3506 - Med Flory Big Band - Med Flory - 1963
JOZ-3507 - Jackie McLean Sextet - Jackie McLean - 1963
JOZ-3508 - Mingus Three - Charles Mingus - 1963
JOZ-3509 - Eddie Costa with the Burke Trio - Eddie Costa - 1963

[Greentone]

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Love The Meters. Seen them a bunch.

The Meters and Booker T carries on in the Michigan/Texas/Minnesota funk of the Fearless Flyers and Vulfpeck:

[wintermoon]

man, I sure miss playing this one in the clubs. maybe again one day....

[neatomic]

for newer bands into that bag...i liked delvon lamarr organ trio out of seattle..w jimmy james on guitar

plus i dig jimmys harmony silvertone (sears) guitar!


cheers

[MarkRhodes]

My favorite Meters tune, "Just Kissed My Baby." So funky.

[Litterick]

Here is Johnny Smith recalling dinner with Django:

[citizenk74]

for newer bands into that bag...i liked delvon lamarr organ trio out of seattle..w jimmy james on guitar

plus i dig jimmys harmony silvertone (sears) guitar!


cheers

That guitar is one of my favorite Harmonys. Not to mention that wide panel Deluxe (?). I've got one just like it, if it is a Deluxe. Octal and field-coil Heaven!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

for newer bands into that bag...i liked delvon lamarr organ trio out of seattle..w jimmy james on guitar

plus i dig jimmys harmony silvertone (sears) guitar!


cheers

I wish I could like something twice!

[Greentone]

Wow! The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio has it going on!

[jontiven]

personnel on "Far Away" by Steve Cropper is Steve Cropper on all guitars, Roger C. Reale on lead vocals, Anton Fig on drums, Beth Hooker singing harmonies and Jon Tiven on the rest (bass guitar, tenor saxophones, Hammond organ, piano). The song was written by Steve Cropper, Roger C. Reale and Jon Tiven.

[citizenk74]

personnel on "Far Away" by Steve Cropper is Steve Cropper on all guitars, Roger C. Reale on lead vocals, Anton Fig on drums, Beth Hooker singing harmonies and Jon Tiven on the rest (bass guitar, tenor saxophones, Hammond organ, piano). The song was written by Steve Cropper, Roger C. Reale and Jon Tiven.

I dig the tune! Well done!

[MarkRhodes]

personnel on "Far Away" by Steve Cropper is Steve Cropper on all guitars, Roger C. Reale on lead vocals, Anton Fig on drums, Beth Hooker singing harmonies and Jon Tiven on the rest (bass guitar, tenor saxophones, Hammond organ, piano). The song was written by Steve Cropper, Roger C. Reale and Jon Tiven.

Hey, Jon! Good to see you here.
I've been a big fan of Steve's for a long, long time. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album. I follow him on Facebook (-which is where I first heard about the new record and decided to start this thread.)

[neatomic]

hey cool to see tiven here...remember him from the chilton days...never thought i'd see him here!..hah..small world..with time

best of luck


cheers