[mjosef]

Another amongst the living altoists...


Sonny Simmons
The man is filled with great stories...

..All About Jazz: So you were born in Louisiana, right?

Sonny Simmons: Yeah, that's right. Let me tell you the story from the beginning. My parents and all my other relatives lived on this little backwoods island called Sicily Island, Louisiana. Most of them were musicians; I grew up in the church with my papa, and he was a drummer and a vocalist. My mother was a vocalist in the women's choir. I was born August 4, 1933 and when I was a little boy in church with my papa, he bought me an old squeeze-box accordion, and I used to play that in church - it was as old as the hills. It was a squeeze-box so you just had to pull it back and forth like a loony-tune thing. No keys, nothin'. I had to feel the pressure on a certain distance of pulling and pushing. I learned how to play it in church with different religious hymns at that time; I think I was about six. I was born with music, and I had a natural born talent, so to speak. We lived on this island; my parents built a big farm and we were wealthy, but it was really the white man's farm. We had everything on that farm, and at that time everything was organic - no pesticides, so I grew up in a natural, organic environment with everything on the island and we didn't have to go to any stores to buy anything....http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2178

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qg5qJsU7kY

He was hanging at the Vision Festival last night, but not playing until Saturday night. He looks great man.

[jimdgoulding]

I remember Sonny with Prince Lasha but I no longer have the album.  Enjoy the concert, you dog.

[richidoo]

<snip>Time Out album is always a favorite.

I love "Three to get ready" on that.

[jjc1]

I love "Three to get ready" on that.

  The whole album is great. Brubeck's piano work on Strange Meadow Lark is magnificent. It really comes across great on good equipment.

[neobop]

Jim: Thanks for welcome.

Dear Neobop,
In the 80 years I had the LP ''Life Style''(which seems a very surupy, romantic, sweetie aldum) where Klemmer plays alto sax.
According AllMusic Klemmer plays tenor, alto, soprano, flute, keyboards, kalimba, vocals.
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-klemmer-p6901

Dear Fullrangeman,
Right you are. It also said on that link that Trane was his greatest influence. I hadn't thought of that before. It makes sense. I used to have one with a white cover on LP called Blowing Gold. He played electric tenor.
http://www.amazon.com/Blowing-Gold-John-Klemmer/dp/B00007DXJL/ref=sr_1_15?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1307650650&sr=1-15
neo

[FullRangeMan]

Dear Fullrangeman,
Right you are. It also said on that link that Trane was his greatest influence. I hadn't thought of that before. It makes sense. I used to have one with a white cover on LP called Blowing Gold. He played electric tenor.
http://www.amazon.com/Blowing-Gold-John-Klemmer/dp/B00007DXJL/ref=sr_1_15?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1307650650&sr=1-15
neo

Neobop,
A pity you no longer have this LP, the CD version are priced in excess of 474 dollars(Gulp!) in this Amazon link you supplied, the vinyl version could cost even more.

[neobop]

Neobop,
A pity you no longer have this LP, the CD version are priced in excess of 474 dollars(Gulp!) in this Amazon link you supplied, the vinyl version could cost even more.

That was a private seller with a rare Japanese CD. I doubt if the seller will get anywhere near his price. I think the album can be found at a normal price. I had an American vinyl pressing from the '80s. Now that I have a DA converter, CDs are more viable for me. Sometimes old albums are remastered. I'm not sure if results are always better. An old pressing of an analogue master is usually hard to beat. It seems that this album was re-recorded by Klemmer. I'm not sure of the details.

Many people dismiss Klemmer for playing smooth jazz/bubblegum music. Like Jackie Gleason's productions, I think there's a time for excitement and a time for calm or romantic.
neo

[jimdgoulding]

Neo- I've got one by the Vandermark 5 in the cart.  Same instrumentation you provided in your link.  Guess I really liked it, huh.  Gonna look for something by James Spaulding, also.   

[neobop]

Jim,
If you're shopping on Amazon, one of the problems is it's often hard to find the personnel. When I look for albums, that one of the key things I look at. That and the tunes will often tell you much about the album. Some albums will have reviews or more complete info.

If you go to Spaulding's web site I linked to on the last page, click on discography up top. Under the lists of albums (including as sideman) you'll see it's divided by decades. You can keep this in one window while you shop in another. Spaulding appeared on about 3 million albums. He has the competence of a seasoned studio musician. His sound always seems to fit right into the context, whatever that might be. I've only heard a couple with his name on the cover. I'd guess that the newer ones are straight up. That Brilliant Corners one is bumpin. Good luck, though you might not need it with Spaulding.

[jimdgoulding]

I intend to spend some time there soon.  Thanks