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STAX INFOS
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DON COVAY'S SEE SAW LP REISSUE
(october 28th, 2000)

The twoffer Koch Int. CD with Don Covay's Mercy Mercy and See Saw LPs is due out for the second half of november. It can be pre-ordered on Amazon or CDnow, among others. The See Saw LP contains 4 great Stax recorded tracks, one of them being not available on CD until now (Iron Out The Rough Spots).

A NEW STAX 4 CD BOX SET
(october 27th, 2000)

This new Fantasy 4 CDs box set is a good starter for a complete Story of Stax Records for those who can't afford the complete 3 CD box sets (28 CDs in all!) It contains all the original greatest hits, including the "pre-68" Atlantic distributed ones, plus a "live recordings" CD with excerpts from various previously issued CDs.

It includes a richly illustrated booklet featuring the commentaries of Rob Bowman, preeminent Stax historian and author of the award-winning Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records; Greil Marcus, author of Mystery Train, Lipstick Traces, and other critically acclaimed books; Charlie Gillett, pioneering English R&B historian and BBC producer; and Deanie Parker, who went from working as a clerk at the company’s record shop to writing hit songs and serving as Stax publicist from 1963 to 1975.

No unissued or rare tracks for avid collectors, but a good way to promote even more the Stax legacy for many listeners and a nice and competent touch to have licensed the Atlantic owned tracks.

4SCD-4429-2 ~$65.00 from www.fantasyjazz.com

WAYNE JACKSON'S "SWEET MEDICINE MUSIC" CD REVIEW
(october 10th, 2000)

I have just received his great first solo CD from Wayne Jackson. See the titles and musicians details on NEWS page 8 . This is a very jazzy album and this was not a surprise to me as several early Mar-Keys tracks were very much in a jazz vein. Let's imagine that the Mar-Keys or Wayne Jackson alone could have made a jazz career it they had not met Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton back in 1961. Several titles are jazz or blues classics, such as W.C. Handy's "St Louis Blues", "St. James Infirmary", reminiscent of Louis Armstrong, Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" or Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk". The rendition of Booker T. & The MG's "Green Onions" is very exciting and shows the many talents of Wayne Jackson as it is hardly recognizable, becoming quite another tune with a different mood from the so well known original. One can dream of a future interpretation of "Last Night" in such a way. Overall, the record is a really cool one, the backing musicians being very good and Wayne's trumpet sounds so pure and subtle." The man sure knows how to play!

Wayne Jackson's told me a few days ago: "I didn't mean for it to be jazzy, just what ever came out, like it used to be... but  if it sounds that way to you, good! I'm glad you liked it and I hope it made you smile... if so... mission accomplished!!"

You can order this CD at www.sweetmedicinemusic.com . Keep on blowing, Wayne!

Patrick Montier

BACK TO STAX: THE FIRST STAX DVD!
(august 31st, 2000)

This fantastic DVD Video is available at www.dvdsource.co.uk/products/12001107.HTM. It has a whole 150 mn memorial concert filmed in Cannes, France in 1990 (30 songs in all) with Booker T. & the MG's, The Mar-Keys, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd, Carla Thomas in glorious DVD quality plus backstage interviews, biographies, discographies, an history of Stax Records and a Lyrics quiz. Each track can be individually selected. Here is the complete review by Jacques Assael:

Originally released as three videotapes, now discontinued, this performance has been remastered as a 150 minutes DVD. The concert has been held during the Midem in the "Palais des Festivals" in Cannes (France) in 1990. The disc is divided into four menu items: "Play Title", from which you can watch the concert and interview part, "Song Menus" for accessing directly 22 of the same songs, "Memphis Soul", a selection of some of the concert songs (different from the first part) and a "Lyrics Quiz", off-topic in my
opinion.
Surprisingly, the concert has been split in two arbitrary different selections you can get from the "Play Title/Song" menus and the "Memphis Soul" menus. Moreover, in the first part, there are very short interviews of the singers and musicians.
It features Booker T. and the MG.'s (with Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Danny Gottlieb on drums, replacing Al Jackson Jr.), Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, The Memphis Horns (Andrew Love and Wayne Jackson, ex-Mar Keys) and Sam Moore, plus two bonus musicians: Marvell Thomas (well known by the Stax fans) and Phil Upchurch. Phil is the "You can't sit down" man, he is the only non-Stax artist of the show.
The sound and picture quality is perfect. The performance is great and it really brings you back in a Stax atmosphere. For those who were lucky enough to attend this concert, it should have been a unique and exciting experience. I wish I had seen it! The artists were all in a very good shape and they sound just as you like them. Even the photographers were dancing and singing. I only regret "Hip Hug Her" having been overridden by Booker's interview. From the whole performance, Sam Moore's voice is the most impressive one, he is still one of the greatest. Particularly moving is his duo with Carla (When something is wrong with my baby). If you are a soul man (or a soul woman) you must buy this disc. It really worth it.

Concert part: Green Onions, Summertime, You can't sit down, Lovey Dovey, Baby let me be good to you, Tramp, Gee Whizz, B.A.B.Y., Raise Your Hand, Knock On Wood, Last Night, Hip Hug Her, Love And Peace, Hold On I'm Comin', I Can't Stand Up, You Got Me Hummin', When Something Is Wrong With My Baby, I Take What I Want, I Thank You, Soul Man, END - Dock Of The Bay.

Memphis Soul part: Melting Pot, Hang'em High, Time Is Tight, MCLemore Avenue Medley, Bootleg, Philly Dog, 6345789, Stand By Me, Chain Gang, Big Bird, Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody, You Don't Know Like I Know.

Jacques Assael

NEW ACE/STAX CDs
(july-august 2000)

The Dramatics / If You Come Back To Me (Volt VCD 3414) - Johnnie Taylor / Who's Making Love + bonus tracks (CDSXE 130) - Various Artists / Stax UK Singles (CDSXD 131) - Various Artists / Boy Meets Girl (CDSXD 129).

The best reissue label today has re-issued no less than 4 great Stax related CDs for july-august 2000, some with bonus tracks. You can order them directly from www.acerecords.co.uk. Thanks again, Ace Records.  

JACK'S BLUES SHACK
(august 14th, 2000)

A fine review of Booker T. and the MG's show last month at the San Diego Blues Festival with some photos. You will find it at the following URL: www.jacksbluesshack.com/html/sdbluesfest.html . On the Jack's Blues Shack Site, you will find also many things about Blues and Soul artists, including more Stax ones at www.jacksbluesshack.com/_the_shack_.html. Note that Jack and his friends are not abandoning Blues for Soul, but just adding Soul to their existing catalog.  

STACKED BAND
(july 26th, 2000)

Stacked is a band of seven musicians, featuring a live horn section. They are based in Los Angeles, CA and perform very true to life renditions of classic R&B songs including a lot of hits from the Stax catalogue. They sent me a demo Cd and I was even fooled by some introductions thinking at first that it was the original recording. The drum and lead guitar are particularly close to our masters, Al and Steve. If you want to know more or hire them, send an e-mail to Will Johns on my behalf at stacked.info@home.com
 

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