FULL CONCERT with Joey DeFrancesco live at the Old Mill Inn [Listen 1 hr 52 min] S02 Ep07 (3 of 3) Channeling Miles with Joey DeFrancesco

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S02 Ep07 (3 of 3) Channeling Miles with Joey DeFrancesco

Interview Date: March 25, 2012 @7pm EDT

Special Podcast: Joey DeFrancesco Live at The Old Mill Inn

Special Guest: Joey DeFrancesco (Part 3 of 3) Nicknamed “the finest jazz organist on the planet,” Joey DeFranceso and GTV present you with an exclusive and in-depth interview, plus his full concert performance in Toronto.

Coming from a long line of established organ players, DeFrancesco started his career off as a child prodigy (starting at age 4) playing with all the greatest organists in the world. He has developed his skill to the point where he dominates the Hammond B3. When DeFrancesco was 17, Miles Davis called him up to ask him to tour with him and play on his 1989 album, “Amandla.” Since that time he has gone on to play with many other "who’s who" in the jazz world, and often being paired with some of the greatest guitarists in jazz, such as; Pat Martino, Paul Bollenback, Jimmy Bruno, Dave Stryker, and John McLaughlin. In this podcast, listen to his full concert performance at The Old Mill Inn in Toronto. It's only available here at GoingThruVinyl.

Check out Joey DeFrancesco's page http://www.joeydefrancesco.com/

Joey DeFrancesco's band for the performance:

Vito Rezza (Drums) -

He is known as the drummer and founding member for the Toronto based band "5 after 4" and is an absolute monster in this show. In between sets (about halfway through) you can hear Rezza say to Joey something about "getting all emotional" about Joey's ablity to channel Miles Davis with his horn. Although I couldn't agree with Rezza more, I think Rezza is channeling other famous jazz players himself (notably, Art Blakey).  I also thought I might comment on the band: the night of the taping, I happened to be pretty nervous and was overly worried about placing the recorder in the right spot to record the show (I only had one shot at it). Vito Rezza and the rest of the band were really kind and helpful (Rezza was as cool as they come). Thanks for your help; the recording came our great!

http://www.vitorezza.com/

Ted Quinlan (Guitar) -

Quinlan is one of  Canada's best jazz guitarists and teacher. In this set, his playing is as absolutely cool, smooth, and refined (cool as a cucumber salad in a Canadian winter). He is both a session player and the head of the Guitar Department at Humber Collage in Toronto. He has played with Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Smith,  Michael Brecker, Dave Holland, Maria Schneider and Dave Liebman. Needless to say, this guy can really play.

http://www.facebook.com/ted.quinlan

http://www.myspace.com/tedquinlan

Lastly, I'd like to thank the Old Mill Inn for allowing me to record there. If you are in the Toronto area you might want to check the schedule of the Inn to see who is playing; they have some of the best jazz acts in the city. The rooms are nice, the food is great, the decor is what you'd expect of a classy jazz club. http://www.oldmilltoronto.com/

The Soul Jazz Chayot Ha Kodesh and debate primer

It seems that a heated debate occurs whenever a genre of music gets a label attached to it. It gets fuelled by whichever adherent or so-called expert who chooses to pick up the sword and dive into what defines the genre, what constitutes it, and what nuance necessarily makes someone or some composition excluded from the genre. Such is the case with soul jazz and hard bop. Whether soul jazz is actually hard bop and the reasons why or why not is not going to be debated here. What I want to focus on here, is some of the history and highlights. Despite which side of the battle lines you fall, the legends and landmarks introduced here have left an impact regardless where you wish to pigeon-hole them. For those who know them already, take it as a tribute and a reminder to pull them out again for a spin on the turntable, for those who don't know everyone on the list, take it as an introduction into the highlights of what jazz was producing from the glory days. For those who are discovering (or rediscovering) the Beastie Boys, you may want to pay attention; the impact some of these artists have had on the Beastie Boys' music is pretty distinct. From “Groove Holmes” from Check Your Head to Jimmy Smith's “Root Down” and a smattering of samples throughout, the degree of separation is a small one from the soul jazz greats to the Beastie Boys

And speaking of Richard “Groove” Holmes, there's a good place to start off the list. Maybe the funkiest of them all, he really lived up to his name. He also had a tendency to bring out the best in those he played with. The speed and ease with which he played, plus the inspired changes he made really keeps the interest alive when he's on. He died at 60, but he had a pretty prolific career, maybe best known for his recording of “Misty” from 1965, but he's got many great albums to choose from. A few recommended albums are; That Healin' Feelin', Good Vibrations, Groovin' with Jug, Blue Groove, and Soul Message.

Jimmy Smith we've touched upon in the last couple of weeks. He is referred to by many as the father of acid jazz. He really is a legend. He was mentor to Joey DeFrancesco, and his influence continues in several others. Enough can't be said about him, he truly revolutionized the organ in jazz. Really, he had such a deep and indelible impact into jazz music itself. In the GoingThruVinyl interview, DeFrancesco remarked that his playing style had an influence in John Coltrane's style after being part of Smith's trio. As a testament to his legacy, Smith was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest honour awarded to jazz musicians in the United States. Selected recordings include; The Champ, Back at the Chicken Shack, Prayer Meetin', and Root Down.

Horace Silver, known as one of the first pioneers in hard bop, and for consistently writing and recording his own material. Several of his pieces are jazz standards today. He also was an innovator in the way that he compiled the jazz quintet. His impact still resounds in contemporary jazz. Notable works include; Blowin' the Blues Away, Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers, The Jody Grind, and Song for My Father.

Cannonball Adderly happened to make a large and lasting impact in his short life. Having been part of Miles Davis' sextet with John Coltrane et al, and in the recording of “Kind of Blue,” fans of that album should take interest to pick up Adderly's release of “Somethin' Else.” Pick up “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” if you're looking for his most popular album. Other recommended albums, if you can find them, are; The Lush Side of Cannonball, and Cannonball and Coltrane.

Grant Green was and still is seriously overlooked and unrecognized despite being a prolific bandleader and sideman in the early to mid 60's. Rooted in Blues and R&B, he developed his own style and stuck to it. He focused more on horn players for inspiration and tended not to listen to other guitarists. You could say that he had a single-minded and direct approach to playing. If you want a funky and original guitarist, look for him. His talent and appeal will strike you instantly. He's a good bet to be a crowd pleaser. If you're looking for a particularly distinctive sound, pick up his organ trio material. Some standout albums are; Grant's First Stand (his first release as bandleader), Gooden's Corner, Idle Moments, The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark, Born to be Blue, and The Matador.

This is, of course, an incomplete list. Really, I'm sure a list of any length would never be seen as exhaustive due to the quality of players and passionate fans out there, but I don't want to end it without mentioning Lee Morgan's “Sidewinder” which, for me was a gem of a pick based on the blind advice of a friend I followed blindly (yes, as it reads); ironically, I remember the moment vividly. Also, I have to mention “The In Crowd” by Ramsey Lewis, which is listed by some sources as possibly the best known soul jazz recording.

And, as I stated above, I want to shy away from the debate of what necessarily falls within the specific genre or not, but if you're looking for some excellent jazz with a funkier, groovier baseline to it, the albums listed above are an excellent place to start. Any one of the albums would be a fantastic addition to your collection, plus, the artwork is a thing of beauty.

Good hunting.

-Guthrie Alan Corwin

Parting thoughts:

I would be remiss if I didn't comment on some of the musicians who have passed lately.

German baritone singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died this week; I was a big fan of his and even tried to get him on the show. I know that he, for whatever reason, isn't as "popular" as he once was but I can easily say he was one of the most talented and culturally important singers of the 20th Century. If you have never heard him, I would strongly recommend you pick up an LP or two of his. In my opinion, it could be one of the best investments you make all year.

Also, the disco world took two major blows this week with both Robin Gibb and Donna Summer's passing. Regardless of your opinion of their work, or disco in general, they were both great entertainers and made a lot of people happy (which is never a bad thing).

Of course, most of you have heard of Adam Yauch's (aka MCA) passing by now, but I wanted to include his name; some of us will feel his loss for quite a while.