I saw the Gold Sounds CD in Virgin Records the other day but I didn't buy it. Thanks for the heads up, I'll put it on my short list. James Carter has always been a favorite of mine since he first burst onto the scene some years back.

Here's a little story about Carter's love of jazz and playing his sax. Back in the mid-90's I was working with this guy who grew up best friends with Denardo Coleman, Ornette Coleman's son. Ornette had just put the finishing touches on Harmodalic Studios in upper Manhattan and was having a Christmas party cum jam session at his new digs. My coworker and friend, who knew I was a big jazz fan, asked me if I wanted to tag along. How could I refuse?

So after our office's holiday party and couple of martini's we head uptown to this wonderful jam session where there are just tons of great musicians blowing like crazy. Ornette and Denardo Coleman, Butch Morris, Frank Lowe, Wynton Marsalis, James Carter and many others whose names escape me due to the amount of alcohol I had consumed that night.

During the course of this on-going jam session most of the musicians would rotate on and off and play for 30 minutes and take a break for 30 minutes, except for James Carter who never once took a break. And more importantly, never once stopped smiling and grinning wildly and just having a blast.

Carter just loves to play.

Hi Wes,

I picked up the Gold Sounds CD on Friday night and I can't thank you enough for your recommendation.

This CD cooks and cooks big time. James Carter's playing is great on every reed instrument he picks up, Cyrus Chestnut does the same with his playing on the keyboards and Veal and Jackson are rock solid on bass and drums. Plus the recording is first rate. The only negative thing about the whole project are the completely lame liner notes but even they're good for a laugh.

Once again - great, great call. Thanks!!!

Glad you liked it. Gosh, can't Cyrus Chestnut play like an angel? I heard him at the Blue Note and beacame a fan for life. I'm in Europe right now (Barcelona), but I brought Gold Sounds along on my iPod Nano (Apple Lossless, thank yew very much) and it is frequently the last thing I listen to at night. What a fabulous album.

Wes,

According the Brown Brothers Recordings web site (www.brownbrothersrecordings.com), Gold Sounds will playing for five nights at Iridium in NYC from 11/30 thru 12/04. I don't know if you're in the NYC area like some of the other Stereophile staff but if so and you'd like get a group of Stereophile forum people together for a show or two, or just catch a show or two, I'm game. Just let me know. Ralph

Quote:
According the Brown Brothers Recordings web site (www.brownbrothersrecordings.com), Gold Sounds will playing for five nights at Iridium in NYC from 11/30 thru 12/04. I don't know if you're in the NYC area like some of the other Stereophile staff but if so and you'd like get a group of Stereophile forum people together for a show or two, or just catch a show or two, I'm game. Just let me know.

Thought I'd posted a response to this, but it's a few hours later and I don't see it. Forgive me if it appears later. Yes! Let's do it. I'm up for a Friday or Saturday night show. Last time I was at Iridium was for Carla Bley's [i[Looking For America band and Billy Drummond and Steve Swallow rewrote Newton's Laws. The sound was great and the sightlines were superb. Hoo boy!

Friday or Saturday should be good for me too. I'll check with the club in the next couple of days and post the info in this thread.

Ralph

Hello All,

I don't know if "The Gold Sounds Project" (as they are now calling themselves) will doing a formal tour or anything resembling one but if they manage to play some more shows by all means make it your first order of business to go and hear them.

I had the great pleasure of catching two of their sets this past Saturday night at the Iridium jazz club in NYC and the band was just smoking. Just like the CD but with longer solos and better group dynamics. Plus the great Wycliff Gordon even joined them for a hair raising rendition of "Cut Your Hair".

The group has an offer to play at this year's Newport Jazz Festival and is currently trying to put together some kind of small touring schedule to help build up the kind of following that their talents so richly deserve.

As Wes and I have been telling you all along, "Gold Sounds" is one of the best jazz releases of 2005 and now after hearing them on Saturday, I can add to that statement, the best jazz group working today.