Hello everyone…On the Galactic mailing list, we have been running a thread where we post our top five plays, with an optional description of the album.  Here is my humble attempt to archive the most played lists posted on the galactic mailing list.  This is just for refrence, so people new to the list can check out previous play lists.  Feel free to email me with any questions or comments at  jstraw79@pacbell.net    To join the list go to the galactic web site at www.galacticfunk.com

(and of course my playlists ALWAYS go first, hehehehe)

Peter Hoey <jstraw79@pacbell.net>

1. (Cannonball Adderly Quintet : Country Preacher)  I used to do a "jam band" radio show on a college station for a spell, and I wanted to play this album everynight...Jessie Jackson is on the album, doin his preacher thing, with a great intro into the first track, Walk Tall.  Then, the song Hummin....gawd so smooth....this album is one of my All time Favs.

2. (Mahavishnu Orchestra : Birds of Fire)  Its been awhile since Ive listened to this album, and I got it out few days ago, and have been listening to it daily since. Hot fusion, with the super groove track Miles Beyond....ahhhh

3. (Garage a Trois : Mysteryfunk) Just got this one, man this album was a score...for those who dont know, this was the late night recording sessions from Stanton's All Kooked Out album.  The guys are Stanton, Hunter, and Sherik....gotta tellya, Charlie on the talk box is a damn cool thing.  Its like super deep space funk...

4. (Vinyl : Live at Sweetwater)  I really love these guys, super groove oriented.  There isnt a car trip where this album isnt in the car with me.

5. (David Grissman Quintet : DGQ20)  This is a twenty year retrospective on the DGQ, all live stuff...three discs worth, so this one kept me busy for awhile when I first bought it. I really dig these guys, and Dave's new-grass kinda style...nothing is off limits for these guys...they cover the Dead to Miles Davis, and then will do some traditional blue grass to cap it off...the song 16/16 is one of my favs from these guys right now...

1. Herbie Hancock - Gershwin's World
Preface: I dont even really like Gershwin, yet herbie makes it come alive.  My buddy lent me the album, actually insisted that I take it, after I sneered at its release date, 1998 (I am WAY into the eary 70s
Herbie/Headhunter years).  There are too many greats playing on the album...Chic Corea, Wayne Shorter, Toni Mitchel, and Stevie Wonder (which brings me to my next pick)

2. Stevie Wonder - Hotter than July
What can I say, it's Stevie....if you dont have this album, check it out...It is an essential addition to any collection.  This man has more soul than he knows what to do with. 1980, does have a bit of 80's flavor to it...as much as I love it, I still cant listen without images of the SNL Stevie Wonder/Frank Sinatra Duet..."You are black, I am white...."

3. Santana - Live at the Fillmore West 1969
Carlos is in my all time favorite performers top five, the guy has such a tribal raw energy, and plain ol' RIPS...The track that caught my attention the first time that I listened to this album was Chunk a Funk....Prior to hearing this album, all I heard from Santana was the Classic Rock Raido crap...Chunk a funk enlightend me to the real santana...it was effortlesly smooth, funky, and just makes me smile EVERY time I listen to it...

4. Grissman/Garcia - So What
If you havnt guessed by my email address, I am a dead head by trade, however I do enjoy all kinds of well played music.  Now that I have prefaced this album, I gotta say, I am very happy with this purchase. It was released in 1998, I believe, a buddy of mine turned me on to it. Garcia and Grissman lend their own folk/Newgrass style to some standards, and the disc includes a couple of different takes of the songs...done true to style, there were no overdubs on this album.

5. The Jazz Mandolin Project - Tour De Flux
One of the hottest acts in 1998 and beyond, IMHO...these guys are so HOT live, and the album is wonderful.  Jamie Masfield (Mandolin) absolutly rips...I mean the heads of some of the songs are enough to get me up and out of my chair, and then the boys take you spiriling down into some deep jam sessions.  Chris Dahlgreen plays bass on the album, but I belive that they have a new bass player right now (at least they did the last time I saw them)  Also, John Fishman (From PHISH, yeah I said the Pword...) is the drummer.  Just a note to clear the air on the list, this band sounds nothing like Phish, and Jon is an amazing drummer, who can hold his own with all the greats.
 

Douglas Whyte <Dougwhyte@aol.com>

Donald Byrd's "Ethiopian Knights"  -- OH MAN! I just picked this one up from my friendly local library and it's phenomenal! The song "The Little Rasti" is some of the funkiest 17 minutes I've ever heard!
 

Adam  <levan77@mindspring.com>

fIREHOSE: "if'n" Great album from 1987 on SST records. This is a classic fIREHOSE album. If you are unfamiliar wit their work, they were basically a punk rock band out of LA but their albums are so mellow for the most part. And they feature one of the best rock bassists ever, Mike Watt. And this particular album has two of my favorite songs ever, "In Memory of Elizabeth Cotton," and "Sometimes." Panic kids will know Sometimes since Panic just started covering it which was a great surprise to me at the 9/25/99 Oak Mtn. show

Southern Culture on the Skids "For Lovers Only": Major hillbilly garage surf rock kind of stuff. Super fun show if they ever hit your town. You won't be disappointed. Just watch out for food being hurled from the stage. I got nailed w/ some of the finest Banana Puddin' I have ever tasted once. And their bassist Mary Huff is the sexiest woman in showbiz.

Follow For Now: "Selftitled" Only CD they ever put out and it rocks. Funk, punk, soul and hardcore. Fine group of brothers out of Atlanta i think. They are way broken up. And they delivered the scariest concert I have ever been to. 200 skinheads showed up at the show and Follow For Now was made up of entirely African-Americans. Not a good vibe and many people went to the hospital. Myself included after getting stomped by 3 skinheads.

The BlueRags: "Rag-N-Roll" Great ragtime band out of Asheville. Put on a stellar live show to boot. Recordings available on Sub Pop.

The Dirty Dozen: Any of them. Love these guys.

Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper: "Root Hog or Die" now this is hillbilly cowpunk. Features the two funniest songs ever recorded, "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant w/ My Two-Headed Love Child" and "She's Vibrator Dependent." Classic stuff.

Leftover Salmon: 'The Nashville Sessions" This is a wonderful little album. Everyone that is important in Americana, bluegrass world is on it. A dream come true for a wonderful band. And an extra plus I got to go to the record release party and meet almost all of the people on the album including Earl Scruggs!!!

And tons of boots: the one getting the most play right now is Col. Bruce and
ARU 8/16/91 from Chattaboogie.
 

Tom McMenaman <tmcmenaman@monmouth.com>

Maceo Parker "Southern Exposure" and "Mo' Roots" -> These are long time favorites.  Will Boulware and Larry Goldings on Hammond organ create some of the coolest bass lines ever.

Greyboy Allstars "West Coast Boogaloo" -> I just finished listening to "Let The Music Take Your Mind".  Another strong rhythm section.

Soulive "Get Down!" -> Recent talk on this list sparked my interest.  I downloaded all the MP3's and I like what I here so far.
 

GeminiBros@aol.com

Miles Davis "Complete Concert 1964 -- My Funny Valentine + 4 And More"
Edgard Varese "Music Of Edgard Varese" (One Way Records)
GZA "Liquid Swords"
Idris Muhammed "Legends Of Acid Jazz"
Liquid Tension Experiment "Liquid Tension Experiment"
Charles Kynard "Reelin' With The Feelin'/Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui"
Traffic "On The Road"
Sepultura "Roots"
Alphonse Mouzon "Mind Transplant"
Mike Marshall (w/ Darol Anger) "Gator Strut"
 

Herbie Hancock -- "Thrust"
The funkiest funk to ever funk the funk (welcome to Marklar! -- quote anyone?).  In case any of you were wondering where the Herbie tune "Actual Proof" came from, this is the place.  This is the follow-up album to "Headhunters" and man oh man oh man does this shit smoke.  The first Track (you CANNOT go wrong with a track called "Palm Grease") kicks things off in a major way, and it just doesn't quit until you realize that you CD player has been on repeat playing this 38-minute masterpiece over and over again for the last two hours (I've done it -- under specific circumstances, of course heheheh).  Get this as soon as you can if you like to get down.  It is one of those great Columbia remasters (same packaging as Headhunters) that fully restores the full bottom to the previously hollow Columbia Masterworks series.

Herbie Hancock -- The Prisoner
This next one is a little harder to find (and my last Herbie for the week). You may have to dig on eBay or an importer's site to track it down. This was Herbie's last session with Blue Note and I really just can't figure out why they took it out-of-print.  There's a very large line-up, including the likes of Joe Henderson, Albert "Tootie" Heath, and Hubert Laws.  Some very fine acoustic jazz, a little bit further into outer space than any of Herbie's other Blue Note recordings (Empyrean Isles, Maiden Voyage, etc. etc.). A good disc all around, produced by none other than Duke Pearson and engineered by the master himself, (need I say it) Rudy Van Gelder.

Wayne Horvitz & Zony Mash -- Cold Spell
Take some funk, some fusion, some straight up rock & roll, put it all in a big pot and when you pour it out you get Zony Mash.  Okay, that was pretty cliched, but seriously folks... many of you west-coasters have probably heard or heard of these cats, but anyone who hasn't... it's good stuff. Horvitz plays a fantastic organ, and he's backed by a GREAT band made up of Tim Young (guitar), Fred Chalenor (bass), and Andy Roth (drums).  Very similar to the music of the Will Bernard 4tet (who are actually contemporaries to these
guys).

Ornette Coleman -- Virgin Beauty
There's something about the last name Coleman and funk that go very well together.  For the first in my Coleman Funk series, I'm gonna let you all on this little gem which I never would have found if it weren't for the All Music Guide.  I don't know how many of you are familiar with Ornette, but when he wasn't playing garbage (which he did do a fair amount of in his career) he played an interesting musical hybrid known as "free-funk". Kind of in the vein of Miles Davis' rhythmic vamps from "On The Corner", "Big Fun", and others from this period, it can be some very good stuff when done properly.  "Virgin Beauty" boasts some heavy heavy funk with a line-up most of us have probably never heard of.  There's this one guy who appears on three tracks... plays a REALLY sick guitar.  Goes by the name Jerry Garcia. I've never heard of him, but oh man can he wail.  =)  I almost shit a brick when I saw Jerry's name in the AMG, and then proceeded to my nearest record store (the one I work at didn't have it) and shell out the $17.99 it costs
nowadays to buy a CD from your typical music store chain.  This is a great jazz record (if you're into this style of jazz) and of particular interest to anyone who HAS heard this Jerry Garcia.

Miles Davis -- Circle In The Round

What would the week be without me pushing more Miles on y'all.  This can be a hard double CD set to come by.  A good alternative is the fairly recent "Complete Quintet" box set, which highlight Miles' work with the famous 2nd quintet (Miles, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams).  This set doesn't actually give you all 2nd quintet material, however.  You get pretty much the whole gamut, from the first quintet (the one with Coltrane on the Prestige label) all the way up through the later incarnations of Miles' bands, which were far less set in terms of how long they were together.  These are all studio outtakes and similar type stuff, with some truly great material.  Of particular interest is the version of CSN&Y's "Guinnevere" (clocking in at just over 18 minutes) which features some of the earlier electric stuff that eventually led into "On The Corner". Definitely pick this record up if you see it... great music and rather hard to find, taboot.
 

Justin DiFebbo <Justin_D_Difebbo@sbphrd.com>

1) Keith Jarrett - The Sun Bear Concerts
2) Jimmy Smith - The Cat
3) The James Taylor Quartet - Mission Impossible
4) Viperhouse - Shed
5) Deep Banana Blackout - Rowdy Duty
 

 Mike Carmody <mcarmody@FRAGOMEN.COM>

1) "Man-Child"---Herbie Hancock
---The 1st track, "Hang Up Your Hangups" gets me groovin' like no other with Wah-Wah Watson kickin' off the tune!!

2) "A Tribute To Jack Johnson"---Miles Davis---John McLaughlin at his finest.

3) "It's A Jungle In Here"---MMW
---Since their name has been popping up, easily my fav of all their discs; Moti Mo....absolutely beautiful!!!

4) "Best Of...."---Booker T and the MG's
---Nice intro to an amazing band!!!

5) "Exile On Main St."---Rolling Stones
---Had to include one of the greatest albums of all-time, the horn sections are fabulous!!!
 

donna <dmjonathan@yahoo.com>

The Slip "From the Gecko"
Shleigho "Farewell to the Sun"
Sassagrass (self-titled bluegrass band that features a
very talented Billy Constable on banjo and fiddle)
Redheaded Stepchild (local ~
bluegrass/folk/blues/killer vocals in a spirited woman
named Kathryn)
Mecca Bodega "Subway Stories"
and of course
Galactic "Boston '99"
 

Rick Duro <rd420@hotmail.com>

1. Gov't Mule's "Live With  Little Help From Our Friends" 4cd Box set  This may be the greatest live release ever!!!

2. John Scofield w/ MM&W-"A Go-Go"

3. Miles Davis Live from the Fillmore-double cd

4. WSP-"Everyday"....they are, and always will be a GREAT LIVE band, but this is the one studio cd that does them justice....

5. Jimi Hendrix/Band of Gypsies-Double Live cd, from the NYE 1969 gigs @ the Fillmore East. Sick, Crazy jams!!! The "Band of Gypsies" were one of the greatest power Trios ever, too bad the weren't around very long....
 

Jason <Varnsen007@aol.com>

1) Herbie Mann "At the Village Gate"  -an excellent live show from one of the premier jazz flautists.
2) Grant Green "Live at the Lighthouse"  - if you liked "Alive", you will love this.
3) John Coltrane "Giant Steps"  -need I say more?
4) Pulp Fushion "Return of the Ghetto Grooves"  - compilation of old school funk.  It doesn't get any better than this.
5) Slide Five "Rhode Trip"  -an excellent "acid jazz" album courtesy of the Ubiquity labe.
6) The Big Lebowski "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" - just an excellent mix of different music.  Very ecclectic.
7) The Articles "Flip F'real"  - Very laid back ska-jazz.
8) Rusty Bryant  "Legends of Acid Jazz"  -Good stuff.  A prime example of this bar-walking tenor man.
9) Greyboy "Freestylin'" or "Land of the Lost"  - If you don't own these albums, stop reading now and buy them immediately.
10) Pink Flamingos "Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"  - Classic rock n'
roll.  Little Richard, Link Wray, the Nite Hawks...good stuff.
 

Powers SF <psusp@yahoo.com>

5. Jimi Hendrix, Radio One, - I love this album. Pure energy, some neat cover tunes. Day Tripper is sick!!! (John Lennon sings back up but it's uncredited)

4. Galactic, Telluride, CO 1/9/99- Sick ass show!!! Ranks up there as one of my favorites.

3. Van Halen, Women & Children First- Yeh, I love my funk & I love my psychedalia..but I also love the talent that these guy possessed. They were powerful but VH also played many different styles. Bring back Diamond Dave, no matter how crazy he is..

2. String Cheese Incident, Telluride, CO 6/19/98- Telluride must have some mystical, musical quality because so many great shows come through there. Many special guests (Darol Anger, Tony Furtado etc) I'm still new to these guys but what I really like is how ALL musicians seem to add to their music. It's not just a guest for the sake of a guest.

1. Duke Ellington, Afro-Eurasian Eclipse- I can't really compare it to any other Ellington because I don't own any other.  A friend of mine turned me onto it and it just puts me in a good mood everytime. Duke's piano work is just outstounding. Funny how before I related "Chinoiserie" to MMW. Now, Their versions do not even do this song justice.
 

al young <sugarcrafty@juno.com>

Bill Frisell w/Brian Blade-d / Victor Krauss-b / Greg Leisz-slide/pedal
10.22.99 This is material off of his new Good Dog Happy Man album.  INCREDIBLE compositions and four master musicians at the pinnacle of their craft. I've been listenin' to this for the last two weeks solid and can't get enough.  Brain Blade does not play on the studio album but anyone who has ever seen this guy knows what an extra treat it is to see this guy play.

Glossololia
I think this album may be available only through mailorder.  I can't remember all the artists on this but Neal Fountain is on bass and the inimitable John Medeski on keyboards.  Great album and I guess if you had
to classify it, it'd be categorized in the Fusion realm.

John Scofield w/Larry Goldings-k / James Genus-b / Bill Stewart-d 4.29.98
Italy This was an old favorite that I recently pulled out again.  Listenin' to Brian Blade play the drums prompted me to pull this out and listen to another one of my favorite drummers Bill Stewart.  This boy has flavor and Scofield, Goldings and Genus are no slouches.

Skerik / Keith Lowe / Reggie Watts / Michael Shrieve 10-5-99
Best show (imho) of three night run every tuesday in October.   The other two nights also included Wayne Horvitz which changed the dynamics of the band.  This first night Keith went bonkers and allowed Reggie Watts to really show his stuff.  If you get a chance to check out Reggie Watts, DO!!! He is definitely a talent that you'll soon hear about if you haven't already.

Critters Buggin' 11-12-99
Just saw this show and the second night (saw 11-11 too) was much more musically oriented whereas the first night was full of theatrics and crazy antics.  Critters has a new album out called Amoeba - pick it up, do not walk, run (actually it's more ambient than their previous albums but still very good -- check them live if you can, that's definitely where it's at).  And in the infamous words of Skerik "One day you will be gone, but the music will live on"

MMW w/ Skerik (for only one cut unfortunately) 6.26.99 Warsaw Jazzfest
My play list would never be complete without MMW... (obvious bias noted)
 

 stuart phillips <stuart@phillipscontracting.com>

kudzu kings
gran torino
Hugh Masakela
Will Bernard quartet
Stanton Moore
 

Ben Silver <brsilver@students.wisc.edu>

1) THE DISCO BISCUITS!!!!
Jammin-Techno-Jazzy-Funk-Fusion-Space-Rockin-Zappa-Beware....  These guys are incredible.

2)  The Egg "Travelator"   A London band that is like techno with all live instruments.  Crazy funky electronic bliss.

3)  Melvin Sparks Live from Madison 11-21-98:    One of the best shows I have ever witnessed.  (I even booked it)

4)  Down To The Bone "Urban Grooves"   One of the best funky jazz albums to come out in years.

5)  The Slip   I love these guys!

Of course:
Anything featuring Mr. Green, Mr. B.J. Jones, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Smith, Mr. Coltrane.  You know who I'm talking about.
 

Brian Ferdman <BFerdman@arlserver.fhi.org>

1) The Doors - "The Doors"...Who hasn't heard this one?

2) Stanton Moore - "All Kooked Out"...No need to preach to the choir here!

3) Muddy Waters - "Electric Mud"...Go get this blues master's psychedelic gem!

4) The Grateful Dead - "Two From The Vault" (Disc 2)...Both discs are phenomenal, but Disc 2 is a textbook example of tension and release.  This is the album that turned me on to the awesome power of live dead.

5) Duke Ellington - "Live At Newport"...I will never forget the moment when I was driving home from seeing Jesus Christ Superstar on New Year's Eve, despondent that my friends were watching Phish make history, and "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" came on the radio.  I arrived home before it ended and raced inside my parents' house to crank up the volume on the stereo!  I challenge you to find a more exciting piece of live jazz than this beauty. You cannot sit still while listening to it!
 

 mike toda <miketoda@yahoo.com>

--neil young and crazy horse: everybody knows this is nowhere    -this is a great album, full of meaty jams like "down by the river" and "cowgirl in the sand"
--herbie hancock: "sextant"    --amazing album that is three songs deep of free range electro funk.  came out
in the 70's, full of innovative music that never ceases to amaze with each listen. i never get tired of
it. i do like the first two songs better than the last song, tho.
--cecil taylor quartet:  "looking ahead"  great piano player in the so called "avant garde" or "free" jazz
players.  the vibraphone player has a prominent place on this album as well.
--beck "golden feelings" good low fi shit to drink rum to.  or not.  some songs blow, but it still kicks my dad's ass around the block.
-- black sabbath "live at last" a friend made me borrow it a month ago, finally listened to it this week. great stuff. well produced, and of course it rocks.
 

 Bryan Shipman <funkifyit@yahoo.com>

1. moe.-- Headseed
2. Various -- Ain't No Funk Like N.O. Funk = one of my favorite cd's...awesome comp album if you can find it, i was lucky to find it in Cali.
3. Jimmy Smith -- Talkin Verve Root's of Acid Jazz
4. Phish -- Story of the Ghost = nice n' funky phish
5. Boogaloo Jones -- Legends of Acid Jazz Vol 1 = another fav
6. The Meters -- Meters Jam = just some killer shit

1. Charlie Hunter -- Natty Dread
2. Richard "Groove" Holmes -- Spicy == sweet ass 60's acid jazz album featuring Boogaloo
3. Critter's Buggin -- Amoeba == their newest release.  haven't gotten passed the first 2 tracks yet though
4. Beastie Boys -- The In Sound From Way Out == awesome funky instrumental beasties...i suggest it if you don't have their other albums.
5. moe. -- Fatboy == my opinion their best album. sure it's early stuff, but i like the song selection and the small jams in it.
6. Chemical Brothers -- Surrender == sure it's techno/rave whatever you want to call it, but it kick's ass.
 

 John Barksdale <jbcs@gte.net>

1)KVHH 5-13-99  Thank you Alan Dorchak!!  This show rips.  I haven't even gotten to discs two and three yet because I am having so much fun just with the first one.  Steve Kimock is simply the most exciting musical performer alive today.  IMHO of course ;-)!  Interested parties check out the Zero web site at http://bands.hive.net/zero/ and pick up the KVHW disc or Steve Kimock & Friends.  SK&F is one of my top five favorite recordings in my collection.
2) Luna, "Penthouse" and "Pup Tent"  Definitely not funk or "jamband," more psychedelic pop, but the songs are beautiful and hypnotic and these guys do stretch it out.  Saw them this week at the Troubadour and they tore it up before a packed house, and Dean Wareham can certainly handle his axe.  (Anybody remember Galaxie 500?)
3) Hum, "You'd Prefer An Astronaut"  More dark pop, this one is all fuzz guitar and tripped out lyrics.  Works whether you're in a headbanging mood, or just want to simply kick back and enjoy the adrenaline rush.
4) Lou Donaldson, "Everything I Play is Funky"  Title says it all.  Lou is the man.  Sooo smooth.  Here with Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammed and Charles Earland. Includes a great version of Hamp's Hump.  A Blue Note "Rare Groove" re-issue recorded by the great Rudy Van Gelder.  I've never been disappointed with anything coming from the Van Gelder studio.
5) Cal Tjader, "Soul Sauce"  the late, great vibe master.  I played this at a party recently and a friend remarked it sounded like elevator music at first.  Until you realize the elevator is on fire!  Burns with subtle intensity.  A must for any deep listener of funk/jazz.
 

Douglas Whyte <Dougwhyte@aol.com>

1. John Fahey: "Fare Forward Voyagers" --  Leo Kottke's hero and a mad scientist of the acoustic guitar... includes a couple twenty minute tunes...

2. Tony Joe White -- anything by the "Swamp Fox" is smooth as butter -- a bluesier/groovier Elvis from the Bayou. He plays what he calls the "whomper stomper" -- a wah-wah that will blow your socks off! And a great songwriter who has had his songs performed by Elvis and Tina Turner. One of the most underappreciated American Artists (in my humble opinion.) Unfortunately there is only one CD -- a best of -- but if you're into vinyl check out "Tony Joe" (bluesy and groovy with lots of whomper stomper, with versions of Hard To Handle and Boom Boom), "Homemade Ice Cream" (folkier with some great songwriting) and "The Train I'm On" (almost like gospel)

3. Sixteen Horsepower: "Sackcloth 'n' Ashes" -- amazing backwoods bluegrass rock (for lack of a better term) from a preacher's son. Lots of slide guitar, banjo madness and some of the most wicked accordian playing I've ever heard.

4. Dead Can Dance: "Toward The Within" -- Lisa Gerard has the most spiritually beautiful voice on the planet. Great percussion, fascinatingmusic.

5. Herbie Mann -- any of his early 70's stuff -- Memphis Underground, Mississippi Gambler, Push Push (with Duane Allman), Muscle Schoals Nitty Gritty. "The funky one with the flute" -- Great funky flute playing and backup bands that remind me a smooth running engine. He does some of the coolest covers I've ever heard by any artist (including slow groovy versions of the Beatles "Come On" and the Stone's "Satisfaction")
 

Rob DeGrado <m0e_r0n@yahoo.com>

Frank Zappa - Hots Rats:
Haven't seen a single mention of this underrated, overacheiving master mind - what's up with that? Rats was my introduction to Zappa many years ago and still ranks as his best work with me. Sugar Cain Harris' fiddle performance on "Willie the Pimp" is so hot it will win you over even if you hate the violin! And Ian Underwood's combination of innovative keyboard and (especially) sax on "Gumbo Variations" make we ponder why this guy is not better appreciated?

Tony Williams' - Emergency!:
A very influential album in late-'60s fusion/rock. This trio of Williams, John McLuaghlin and organist Larry Young push some very dense, unperedictable and adventurous sounds well beyond the "funky chops" level and into another world. You can now get the whole two albums on one CD. Highly recommended although I suppose any fan of Miles' Bitches Brew is already familiar with it.

Niacin - Niacin:
Jon Novello - Hammond (niacin=B3 - get it?), Billy
(yes, that metal wanker) Sheehan - bass and one the funkiest and absolute best all-around drummers in the world - Dennis Chambers complete the lineup. All of them (including Sheehan) give high octane perfomances but Novello is the star here. His free wheelin' two hand attack sets him apart from most. This is more of a rock album but the all instrumental format will probably confuse most to file in jazz bins.

Jimmy Smith - Rootdown Live!:
I'd like to thank Dan for turning me on to this hard rockin', soul groovin' date. Also thanks to whoever it was here that informed the list of cdnow selling it (import) in the long awaited CD format. Sound, performance and vibe are all very high. Only complaint is it's 40 plus minutes is not enough! I wonder if this was all that exists from that "'72" Los Angeles date?

Barbara Dennerlein - Junkandoo:
Closing out my B3 list is a German import with a special talent for her own voice on the intstrument, avoiding the "Jimmy Smith soundalike" syndrome that seems to plague most jazz/soul B3 swingers these days. This one contains some very satasfying and snappy originals with some great bass pedal work that you'll probably mistake for a bass guitar - not to mention, she's not bad on the eyes, either but i digress 8^)
 

 Patrick Robey <probey@fulbright.com>

1) Courney Pine - Modern Day Jazz Stories
Excellent tenor and soprano sax, and terrific use of dj pogo as scratcher. Everything recorded live in the studio, with no overduds. A friend of mine at the time this was released ('95) likened this as A Love Supreme for the 90's. That comparison may still hold some water.

2) Various - New York Stories
Terrific advanced hard bop, including the utterly amazing Danny Gatton on guitar in what I know to be the only instance of him playing in a truly jazz setting. This is an all-star cast of young lions (damned if I can't remember who else is here, tho!). Check it out.

3) Harold Vick - Steppin Out
One of Blue Note's Connessieur (sp?) edition releases. I can't believe this has not surfaced on this list before. With John Patton on organ, Grant Green on guitar, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Ben Dixon on drums (Vick plays tenor), need I say more?? Desert island soul jazz.

4) Lee Morgan - Search for the New Land
One of Lee's underappreciated albums. Contrast this Grant Green with some of his later stuff, and you might see why some of the jazz snobs thumb their nose at the one chord vamp stuff (I'm not among them. Would I be on this list if I was?).

5) Terumiso Hino/Masubuchi Kikuchi Quartet - Acoustic Boogie     This was released in '95 I think on Blue Note, but I think it may be out of circulation now. It is mostly acoustic, though the bass is electric. However, if you can track this one down, the rhythm section is so in the pocket......this is one for both the jazz snobs and the funksters. One of these two Japanese cats plays piano, the other trumpet. Great stuff.
 

Alan Dorchak <adorchak@bellsouth.net>

Dirty Dozen - Jelly : an excellent release featuring the music of Jelly Roll Morton done up brass band style.

McCoy Tyner Trio - Infinity - strong showing by one of the great piano Players of our time, featuring Michael Brecker doing some excellent tenor work.

Pharoah Sanders - Karma - another great, but totally different tenor man, This 1969 release is very coltranesque (as is much of Pharoah's work) and has some great keyboard work by Lonnie Smith.

Ali Akbar Khan - Then & Now - this 2 CD release features the first ever North indian classical music recording made in the US circa 1955 (by Khan) and then a 1994 performance by Khan.  I *LOVE* indian classical music, and Khan is an absolute master of the sarod.  This type of music is among my favorite post-psychedelic re-entrant fare.

Eric Dolphy - Out There - a 1960 recording, this is some far-out stuff, Dolphy is one of my favorite players of the 60s, can't get enough of the bass clarinet stuff.
 

Jeremy Kashnow <jkashnow@ftpoint.com

1. Bob Dylan - Desire
What a great album!  It's the latest in a series of Bobby D albums I've picked up and absolutely fell in love with.  Other recent discoveries have been "Nashville Skyline" and "New Morning."

2. Leftover Salmon - "Way Up On Gold Hill, Where They Do The Boogie"
This is one that I recorded myself outside of Boulder on 12/10/94.  I think it's one of the best Salmon shows I ever attended.  It's a mono recording onto an old portable Sony DAT, and then recorded analog-in into my computer before I had a digital I/O card.  Even given all that, it sounds FANTASTIC. This is one that I must tree soon, or at least make the DAT available.

3. Jerry Garcia Band - "How Sweet It Is"
This is the sequel to that great two-disc set released in 1991.  It’s a collection of tunes from the '90-'91 run of Warfield shows.  Not quite as good as the first release but has some gems like "Gammorah," and "Like a Road."

4. CSNY - "Looking Forward"
This is the new CSNY album.  It has three tracks I became familiar with during last spring's solo acoustic Neil tour.  I actually prefer them without the rest of the band, but they still sound good.  There's one Stills tune that sounds just a little bit too much like "Subterranean Homesick Blues."  Overall, it's a decent album and has me psyched up for this Winter's tour!

5. Grateful Dead - "The Last Ones"
This is a mix from the last two shows in Chicago.  It came from an audience DAT I had and I chose the best mix of tunes I could find from the two-day run.  The "Visions of Johanna" is absolutely wonderful.  It's a great marriage of Bobby D's lyrics and Jerry's vocals.  The "So Many Roads" has this extended ending that can make you cry.  This show really captures the Boys' energy at the end of the line.

6. Steve Kimock Band (KVHW) - 4th St Tavern - April ? '98 This was back when we were calling these SKB or SkaB, back before they named themselves KVHW.  Great stuff, particularly the third set.  I think this was the first "Spring Water," which has become a staple when they've got Ray White with them.
 

Chris Bertolet <bertolet@earthlink.net>

Spiritualized, Royal Albert Hall.  I'm late to the party on these guys, I know, but they blow my mind.  They've totally redefined the way I look at music.  I cannot *wait* to see them live.

MMW, 1991-1996 Best Of.  This is an insane compilation.  A lot of these cuts are different from their album versions (and there are a few that aren't on any album).  A lot of piano stuff from Medeski on here, which I actually prefer to his organ (love both, of course).

Bjork, Post.  What a phenomenal, magnetic voice this lady has.  She makes me horny, happy and scared all at once.

Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti.  My college roommate absconded with this disc after our junior year, and ever since, I always forget to pick it up when I go to the record store (anyone else do this?).  This is my fave Zeppelin album from start to finish.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps.  Don't know how I ever lived without it.
 

Rob Winkler <rwinkler@instrument.com>

1.  Frank Zappa - Best Band You've Never Heard - all live from 1988, this album is Frank onstage at his best, with a super-tight turn-on-a-dime band and ridiculous covers of "Purple Haze", "Sunshine of Your Love", "Stairway to Heaven", and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", and 3 consecutive songs flaming Jimmy Swaggart to a pile of ashes.

2.  Herbie Hancock - Thrust - from the Headhunters era, this disc is space-funk at its finest!

3.  Jimi Hendrix - First Rays of the New Rising Sun - still one of my all-time favorite guitar slingers, this posthumous release features a number of smooth recordings of what would have been his next studio release.  What people often overlook is what a great songwriter Jimi was, and this recording represents this aspect of Hendrix very well, I believe.

4.  Miles Davis - On the Corner - one of the funkiest Miles Davis albums I've ever heard!  Much less jazzy/spacey, and seriously rhythmic. My favorite of his studio works.

5. Wild Magnolias - Life is a Carnival - picked up this Mardi Gras Indians disc when in NOLA for JazzFest, after witnessing their incredible set on the House of Blues stage to close out the day one Saturday.  What a funk-down!  This is some partyin' music that seems to capture a lot of the essence of New Orleans. Their first major label release, I believe.  Features some tunes with the Great Dr. John, as well as contributions from Art Neville, Bruce Hornsby, Robbie Robertson.  I'd love to get some of their non-major label releases for some Even rawer, dirtier funk, but shit, nobody else has ever even heard of these guys here in Tucson!
 

Tavia A. Kowalchuk <bellatavia@erols.com>

1. Cassandra Wilson - New Moon Daughter.  Vocal stylist with highly respectable band behind her, she records on Blue Note and on this album originally covers U2, Hank Williams, Neil Young and 'Last Train to Clarksville' (Boyce&Hart).

2. Joan Osbourne - Early Recordings.  Bought this out of desperation as I wait for her next studio release... her voice is so sensual and so commanding, and these live performances show you what she can do when she lets it loose.  She is also NYC East Village through and through (pre-gentrification) and for this I love her forever.

3. Poi Dog Pondering - Pomegranate.  People from Chicago on the list should know this local band that have made it and now come to New York every late Spring and compell me to dance until I can't take it.  Their music is thoughtful and groovy, it moves (successfully) between techno and folk-silly, and when the ump-teen band members decide to lay on the funk I suggest you watch out.

4. Elvis Costello - My Aim Is ture.  Collection of his oldies but goodies, you can do no harm to keep both your optimism and seriousness in check by listening to his cynical and goofy lyrics.

5. Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend.  For those days when it's all about POP music, Matthew Sweet was once alternative enough to make him legitimate.
 

C. Sean Bisch  <csean@sirius.com>

The Brooklyn Funk Essentials - Cool and Easy and Steady - Hip-Hop/Funk/Jazz fusion

BFE shows their old school roots with songs like Blow Your Brains Outs playing tribute to Maceo Parker and with songs like Big Apple Boogaloo they hit on funky Latin rhythms. I could go on at length about how hot this CD is, but I won't. Their second release "In The Buzz Bag" combines their talents with the sounds, colors and textures of an Istanbul band, Laco Tayfa. It touches upon the realms of dub, funk-jazz, ska gypsy, and beyond. One of the most innovative musical sounds I've heard. Not for everyone, but if you dare to go there, you won't regret it.

I've never heard of any live BFE performances, but I have hopes that they do occur. Lemme know if you've heard them live.

Now for some local East Bay talent...Junk. Of their three CDs, my favorite is "Kiss My Acid Jazz". They are composed of Baritone Sax, Bass, Guitar, and Drums. They're all instrumental, moody as Morphine and funky as you wanna be. Currently, they are playing around the Bay as the David Robbins Trio. You can check them out on their website http://www.electronspin.com/faffco/

As for compilation CDs, "The Rebirth of Cool Vol II" has some rather worthy jazz-funk listening.

Another band of note is Ozomatli. No Jazz-Funk connection here, but hot Latin percussion fuels their groove.
 

Andrew D McNeil <Mcneilad@aol.com>

Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra - Live in Swing City
Now I now the whole Marsalis clan takes a lot of heat with their neo-traditionalist route, but present jazzers staking a claim for themselves should not mean disregarding the past masters, for Jazz is built on the past and standards are such because of what they are.  This time the Lincoln Center O tackles a set of jumpin' Duke Ellington cuts as they did all of Last year during the Duke's 100 anniversary.  The disc was recorded for a same titled PBS special where they invited plenty of swing dancers in to shake their hinies (which makes for more intersting tv than the spit valve shot) and the energy coarsing through the aud eggs on the performers as they stomp through super-bad-ass tight versions of Black and Tan Fantasy, Happy Go Lucky Local and Chinoiserie among others.  An album you can't sit to, trust me On this one.

The Sermon - Jimmy Smith
Thanks to those stearing me towards this J Smith gem.  Fantastic Be-Bop Organ workouts with that laid back late night jam session feel to them. Rounded out with the unearthly talents of Art Blakely on drums.  The prime cut is of course the twenty minute title track, but all of them rest just slightly between patience and abandon.  The up tempo numbers grab me initially, so we'll see about the rest in weeks to come.

Lounge Lizards - Queen of All Ears
very downtown - avante - cum - whatever noirish music from John Lurie and collection.  Music is usually structured around Lurie's opening circlular alto sax lines much like Ornette, however the instrumentation on this album and the freedom to experiment veers from free-for-all to soundscape Raymond Chandler-esque ditties that are all good.  There are two other horns, piano, electric bass, drums, electric guitar, percussion and cello.  They are so well rounded that a song can shift from near classical to Latin-rock-shuffle in the space of a few chords. It's a shame more people don't listen to these guys, check out their sessions gig if it comes around and in the words of Lurie himself in the tune Yak: "moral of the story is, feed a fever, starve the yak".

DJ Logic - Project Logic
Don't know how many of you out there are into MMW, but if you have been In the last two years you've been witness to the incredible prowess of DJ Logic on the turntables.  Let me start off by saying that I do not own any hip hop/ dj oriented albums mostly because they tend to sound like brain candy-throwaways to me (my opinion only, see) but Logic combines the post-edit shuffle of a producer, with stop on a dime samples and scratches and stews in live instrumentation for an album so infexious it hasn't left my cd player in weeks.  This is the face of the new musical frontier.  Plenty of guests from Fuzz (DBB) to all of MMW to Mile's producer Teo Macero.  Get this album, Go to his website and listen to the tracks, you gotta hear it.  It's not a stretch to say (as I've said before) that this might be what Miles would have been doing if he were still alive.  Logic is a musician first and foremost.

JImmy McGriff - Electric Funk
Solid 69 set with the organ -chunk-a-funking along to the beats of solid blues and funk horn charts, Just started listening to this one last night so the verdict is still out.  Plenty fun though
 

Scott Kenney <WINEROADIE@aol.com>

The Recipe - Love Marble Hoe-down
a must have!  Fun, jammin bluegrass, newgrass style that puts that certain smile across your face that you can't get rid of no matter what! has some great funk and jam mixed in as well!

The Recipe - Night of the Porch People
see above.
 

Gina <beanfig@earthlink.net>

Garage A Trois - Mysteryfunk... http://www.fogworld.com/gat/
All I have to say is, if my mom caught me listening to this, I think I'd be grounded.  This is some of the sexiest music I have ever heard in my life. Bring it to that late night party and everyone will want to be your Friend (not like that!  getcher mind outta the gutter).  Thank God for record players!

Frank Zappa - The Mothers, Fillmore East June 1971
Okay, what the hell took me so long?  My friend Drew played "Andy" for me a ways back, and then I heard Day By The River's cover of "Cosmic Debris", plus I love Ween, so I finally settled down with some FZ and lo and behold, I AM ADDICTED.  This album is number one... with a bullet.  Plus that Cover of "Happy Together" is just inspired.

Sector 9 - Interplanetary Escape Vehicle http://www.sts9.com
I first saw these guys at High Sierra and I remember them being great, But then I saw them again a few weeks ago and they were soooo much better than I remember them being!   Their drummers are like machines, anchoring grooves I thought I'd only hear in my head.  Really hard to categorize, really easy to love.

Gomez - Bring It On/Liquid Skin
http://www.virginrecords.com/gomez/  This shit is just lush.  I bought both albums on the same day and tend To play 'em on shuffle, so I don't really know what songs are on what CDs - I just know I love 'em all.
 

Larry Lemm <llemm@videomaker.com>

If you're into Ethiopian Knights, check out Donald Byrd's Kofi. Kofi is a Blue Note "Rare Groove" series disc (and I've found that almost anything re-released under the Blue Note "Rare Groove" series to be pretty damn funky). It is a combination of the funk that is present on Knights, with African beats that keep you groovin' in the pocket. This disc is perfect for those late nights\early mornings on the highway.
 

Jeff Davis Slipfrank@aol.com

5. Grateful Dead "So Many Roads" Box Set, Disc 4:  Massive Scarlet > Fire (from 3/22/90) , keyboard insanity and Bobby flips out a bit as well.  Plus, Garcia in all his MIDI-fueled glory.  Classic polyrhythmic grooves.

4. Les Hombres Calientes "Volume 2":  Picked this up last week in New Orleans, didnt know squat about them, great new/old jazz... lots of latin/afro/funk/standards/jam music... really hard to explain - a bit of everything.  Jason Marsalis on percussion.

3. Karl Denson's Tiny Universe 8.8.98.  Nuff said.

2. Muddy Water's "Folk Singer":  Water's 1963 acoustic LP rematstered with bonus material - includes Good Morning Little School Girl, The Same Thing, Big Leg Women, etc... OLD SCHOOL.

1. Allman Brothers Band 12.31.73 Disc 3: entire disc (plus Mountain Jam) with Garcia, Kreutzman, and Boz Scaggs.  WOW.