Robben Ford Discussion

AndyR · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:13 am Post subject: How to Sing the Blues...

Here's a funny bit from Jimmy Vivino's website:

http://www.jimmyvivino.com/howto.html

Also check out the "Blues Family Tree"

So, any opinions on Jimmy Vivino and/or Al Kooper/Rekooperators?

They'll be in town next month...should i go?

(I've already decided NOT to pay $50 to see Joe Sample this weekend!)

Smile

Andy

AndyR · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:38 am Post subject: OK...I'm going...

Well, turns out Al Kooper is quite the seminal figure in 60s rock music, eh?

(Turns out I missed out on some history when, as a young teen, I eschewed rock in favor of jazz...but my musical education continues.)

While tracing this whole Robben - Butterfield/Bloomfield thing, Kooper keeps popping up; on "In My Own Dream" he gets a credit, "Thanks to Al Kooper for his organ..." And I didn't realize that BBB morphed into Full Moon...

Did you ever notice how the albums look like they say "BUZZERfield???"
Coincidence? I think not.

And the SuperSession stuff, the Dylan connection, BST, Skynard, etc., is very interesting stuff.

Turns out Kooper appeared in my own backyard years ago. Dig this groovy poster for the 1969 Laurel(Md) Pop Festival:

http://www.cornick.org/gallery/LAURE_-POP_FESTIVAL_PROG_JULY_1969/lp08

Ticket prices: 4.75, 5.75, 6.75, and 14.00 for boxes. Pretty cool.

I didn't really know who these guys were back then, but I was running around sneaking beer and cigarettes like any normal 13-year-old boy does.

Elizabeth, you were at this one??? Razz

Andy

elizabeth · Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 8:45 pm Post subject: Super duper Kooper

No, Andy, I wasn't. (But I wish I had been there...looks like it was a great show.) How could you have missed Al Kooper? Check out some of his great stuff like "My Days are Numbered," "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," and "I can't Quit Her." FFFFFFFabulous stuff!

elizabeth

And YES, you should definitely go!
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Daved · Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:19 am Post subject:

And don't forget his days with the incredible Blues Project... great stuff!
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ducharme-jones · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 9:47 am Post subject:

al is the greatest, not only is he one of the who's who in the music world. he also has a keen journalistic insight and can be very amusing. i had an e-mail back and forth w/ him about an instance he had w/ the ford boys last year at the SFBF. he talks about it on his website www.alkooper.com
lots of history in mr. kooper, if he came to my town i'd go for sure and if he has jimmy v. w/ him it's double the fun. Very Happy

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AndyR · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2004 4:35 am Post subject: GREAT STORY!!!

Thanks for the heads-up on Kooper vs Ford...a great story!

This could polarize the board better than a Bush-Kerry diatribe! Laughing

I guess I won't be askin' Al to autograph my Ford Bros/Butterfield Tribute CD!!! Razz

Hey, DJ...do you ever get to the symphony in Austin?

Maestro Peter Bay and I were best buddies in high school...he taught me how to play Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in D Minor" and Brubek's "Blue Rhondo a la Turk," and I showed him how to jam out on Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock." Cool

Bay apparently ruffled feathers in Austin with his very ecclectic choice of repertoire early on...but I think they love him now, he's one of the world's great young conductors.

Thanks again for the story!

Smile

Andy

ducharme-jones · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:02 am Post subject:

andy, haven't been to the symphonybut maybe i should if this guys a rebel of sorts. let us know if you go see kooper. -dave
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AndyR · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 5:50 am Post subject: Well, dang me!

Yep, I got a ticket to see Koop and Krew...

But I just saw in the paper that Pat Martino is playing the same day/time/price at Univ. of Md...

So many shows...so little money... Neutral

Andy

AndyR · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:11 am Post subject: Al and the Rekooperators

Well, first off, yesterday was an absolutely perfect Indian summer day here in Md...I'm talking shirtless/barefoot/wash-the-car kind of day...

I headed down to Annapolis before it got dark, and did the touristy, walk-around thing, drank a couple of Harps, etc...

Annapolis is a very beautiful town, with the country's oldest in-use state house, built 1772-1779, the US Naval Academy, the harbor. etc. Everything is very "colonial" and authentic.

Al and band put on a great show!

Jimmy Vivino did his best Bloomfield impressions, using a maple LP and blackface Twin...he did a lot of the singing, too.

Mike Meritt and a stand-in drummer who's name escapes me provide solid rhythm.

They performed mostly from the Kooper/Bloomfield catalog, along with the Dylan and Stones tunes...there was an audience sing-along on "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Dr Kooper had a plethora of amusing and interesting anecdotes, and injected plenty of rock history into the performance.

With a lengthly encore, the Rekooperators played for nearly 2.5 hours, and seemed to enjoy every minute...the audience sure did!

Smile

Andy

elizabeth · Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2004 6:37 am Post subject: Wow....lucky you!

Andy,

It sounds like a perfect day. Thanks for a great review...I have never been there, but it sounds like a place I need to visit. Kooper is (and always has been) a phenomenal talent.

Elizabeth

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