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A GOOD GIT-TOGETHER |
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JON HENDRICKS Voc
PONY POINDEXTER As
GUILDO MAHONES Piano
WES MONTGOMERY Guitar
MONK MONTGOMERY Fender electric bass
IKE ISSAC Bass
WALTER BOLDEN Drums
JIMMY WORMSWORTH Drums
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Blockbuster and His Brother ( Nat & Julian)
Side ONE
1. Everything Started on the House of Lord
0:59
(John Hendricks)
2. Music in the Air 3:54 (Gigi Gryce)
3. Feed Me 3:47 (Jon Hendricks)
4.I'll Be Happy 2:19 (Jon Hendricks)
5. Pretty Strange 2:51 (Randy Weston)
6. The Shouter 5:01 (Guildo Mahones)
Side TWO
1. Minor Catastrophe 5:14 (Jon
Hendricks)
2. Social Call 2:19( Gigi Gryce)
3. Out Of the Past 4:49 (Benny Golson)
4. A Good Get-together & Everything
Started on the House of Lord 6:02 (John Hendrick
When you get as many soul brother in one room as we have on this date , it couldn't be nothin' but a good git-together. Wes Montgomery is here, and that's an event in itself, 'cause Wes plays that good ol' finger-bustin' kind o' guitar , that ol' time kind o' guitar, like Josh White heard while he was leadin' a blind man around the streets of Richemond, Virginia in his youth, only Wes heard Charlie Christian too, an' is as modern as tomorrow.
And Norwood Poindexter is here too, don't cha know, only we all call him by his OTHER real name , the one celebrated in song and story, "Little pony" . Pony plays his alto and sings so beautifully he made me 'shamed of myself. If you don't feel the spirit movin' in your heart when pony shouts the spiritual, "Everything Started on the House of Lord " , then you ain't got that ol' time religion, but you you'll still feel it anyway, 'cause Pony comes from New Orleans, the cradle of all of it, an he knows about marchin' solemnly to the funerals and swingin' like crazy on the way back
And we got Monk Montgomery ridin' on the Fender an' Buddy Montgomery on vibes; half of the Mastersounds, Wes and everybody else's brothers.
And we got two more brothers who toil in other vineyards and who cannot be accurately mentioned, but they are "Blockbuster" and his brother and your ears will tell you who they are. They sure did warm up the studio with their alto and cornet. (You don't know yet?)
And Ike Isaac spells Monk Montgomery on bass, while Jimmy Wormsworth gives Walter Bolden a rest on drums. Gildo Mahones did write out some intro passages and some endings, but this was done right on the spot. (Remember, I've been singin' much such "head" arrangements as Buck Clayton's "Avenue C" with Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, an' I like that idea.)
The songs we do on side one are:
"Everything Started on the House of Lord" , my philosophy of life wich Lambert, Hendricks & Ross expounded in our introductions to the acts on the recent Monterey Jazz Festival, and which Pony leads with all his heart and soul, of which there is great abundance. I call this my modern spiritual.
"Music in the Air" , music by Gigi Gryce, original tune "Wilwood" which Stan Getz did for Gigi and in wich I express, lyrically, my philosophy of music.
"Feed Me" , which I wrote 8 years ago for Louis Jordan (Lyric & music) and on which I try to get as much of Loui's inimitable style as I possibly can.
"I'll Die Happy" , which I also wrote for Louis Jordan and which he recorded (best rhythm'n blues recording of 1956-Cashbox) and which I dearly love.
"Pretty Strange" music by the incomparable Randy Weston. Very pretty, very strange, pretty strange.
"The Shouter" written by good friend Gildo Mahones, our pianist with the Lambert, Hendricks & Ross group. this is a spontaneous versio (no arrangement) where I chimed in vocally adding the fourth horn part.
The songs we do on side two one are:
"Minor Catastrophe" an instrumental I wrote just to see if i could and which Pepper Adams recorded with Jimmy Knepper and on which Pony Poindexter scats in a way that gives us ALL music lessons.
"Social Call" music by Gigi Gryce, which I have always loved since Ernestine Anderson sang if five years ago, before going to Sweden and which she recently recorded again.
"Out Of the Pass" music by Benny Golson, and what more do you want me to say 'bout that?
"A Good Git-Together" which I got together at the last minute, because I love everybody on the date and what they had done and celebrated the feeling the only way I know how-by writing a song.
"I'm Gonna Shout" a reprise of " Everything Started on the House of Lord" , with Pony leading the World Pacific Church Choir, brother Bill Perkins on tambourine.
I did all lyrics, plus music to "Minor Catastrophe" ,"Feed Me", "Everything Started on the House of Lord", "A Good Git-Together" and "I'll Die Happy" . I enjoyed it immensely and hope you will too. It sure was a good "git-together".
JOHN HENDRICKS