I just went to Tom Grant's website today to see where he was playing next, to send him an e-mail etc. because the last few times he's been somewhere I could of easily gone and seen him in this town, my schedule and his did not jive and I was seriously BUMMED But good news, Tom Grant fans! He has a new C.D. due out on August 28th
( isn't that around the time of Jeff K's new one, too-and that is Jeff K's, birthday, too).
It's actually some of his older tunes, and a couple of new one's ( It's called Reprise) but he totally re-does the old tunes, so they are, in a sense, new, too. I am going to go see him at a local community college tomorrow with my daugther, Cassandra and talk with him afterwards and take a few pictures. Why don't you all go on over, take at a look at this and drop him a line. Tom LOVES to hear from his fans, and hey, the guy writes back, such a rarity for some nowdays.... http://www.tomgrant.com/newcd.html Go on and support and jazz artist who's been around (at least here in the Pacific Northwest) since 1976 and has not sold out to keep himself played on the airwaves. The man has talent and integrity.

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Anita Bonita

youngun, do you own this?

Hands: The Tom Grant Collection - 4 star AMG pick....I better look for that one.

wattabout " Tune It In" and "Lip Service"?

[This message has been edited by Joel (edited May 05, 2002).]

Thank you Anita for the heads up, I have really loved Tom's music from way back when. It was Michael Franks, Spyro Gyra and Tom Grant who got me so interested in Jazz way back when I was about 12 years old and I've always loved his sound. He is so unique and a real innovator. I can really hear his influence when I listen to Jeff Lorber and I think that's one reason why I love Jeff's music too. Can't wait for the new CD.

Reprise came out in late 2001 and is still available. I ordered it as a pre-release before I knew what it was, a kind of best of cd. I know - I know, the title should have been an indication of what was going to be on the cd but I missed it. I already had Tom's Hands cd so I returned it. It is a great cd for those who want to learn about Tom and his music. The songs are not as overly produced as the regular recordings.
Happy listening,
L.

Anita, thanks a bunch. It's nice to have another TG fan who keeps us up-to-date on the music. Tom is very close to the top off my list of anticipated new releases. A sell-out he's not and I also appreciate that. He is diametrically opposed to Koz and the like and you gotta respect him for that.

txjzlady, I also remember listening to Michael Franks at a young age and lovin' that voice. My Dad has all the old LPs with Larry Carlton and Joe Sample, etc on them. That was/is some great music. Brings to mind being on a beach at sunset with a comfortable buzz goin' on and nothing to do the next day but repeat the process. I really love that music!

Justin

Joel, I have LOTS of Tom Grant, so I didn't get Hands because I already had ALL of the songs on it ( and do on this newer one, except the two new one's he added) but will probably get this new one because he has reworked them, they are not the same as what I already have, which are the following ( keep in mind, the guy has 18 releases out):
Heart of the City
Night Charade
(both of those, I have on vinyl-had them a LONG TIME)
Edge of the World
( I have on tape, and signed by Tom)
Mango Tango
In My Wildest Dreams
The View From Here
Instinct
Tune It In
and
Have Yourself A Merry Little....which is a Christmas C.D. all of those above are also on C.D. And I recommend ALL above HIGHLY, if you can find them all, that is!

As for Michael Franks, yeah, in the mid 70's, I heard Popsicle Toes from The Art of Tea and was hooked. I used to have that on vinly, but for the life of me, I can't find it! Very bummed about that one, but have:
Sleeping Gypsy
Tiger In The Rain
The Camera Never Lies
Skin Dive
and
Passion Fruit all on vinyl

I have
Blue Pacific
and
Barefoot on the Beach on C.D.
So, yeah, I'm really into Michael, too. He's so SMOOTH, without being BORING! Something some of these "snooze jazzers" could learn a thing or two about...to be smooth, one does NOT have to be BORING, too! Just HAD to say that!

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Anita Bonita

Okay since we're counting Michael Franks items, here's what I have:

1)The Art of Tea-Vinyl
2)Sleeping Gypsy-Vinyl, CD, Cassette
3)Burchfield Nines-(2)Vinyl
4)Tiger in the Rain-(2)Vinyl, CD
5)One Bad Habit-(3)Vinyl,CD
6)Previously Unavailable-Vinyl
7)Objects of Desire-(2)Vinyl
8)Passionfruit-(2)Vinyl,CD
9)Skin Dive-(2)Vinyl,(2)CD-1 autographed, 1 cassette
10)The Camera Never Lies-Vinyl,CD
11)Michael Franks and Crossfire-Live in Australia-CD and cassette
12)Indispensible-CD (Japanese Import)
13)Blue Pacific-CD
14)Dragonfly Summer-CD autographed
15)Abandoned Garden-CD
16)Best of Michael Franks-CD autographed
17)Barefoot on the Beach-CD

Okay, so I am a little obsessive-compulsive when it comes to Michael but I have so many repeats on the vinyl because I was afraid to wear an album out.

I promise I am not insane, just crazy about this man's music. And let's not even get started on Jeff Lorber, I have more of his stuff than Arista, Verve and Zebra put together.

[This message has been edited by txjzlady (edited May 07, 2002).]

txjzlady,

do you have the Yellowjacket's song called "The Dream"?...you could mistake it as Michael Frank's own..its probably a theme song for environmentalist but I like that song a lot.

Hey Joel,

Seems like I'm talking only to you tonight, I have heard Michael with the Yellowjackets on "the Dream" and it is great, but that is one that I do not own, shame on me.

I do have Joe Sample's "Spellbound" where Michael is doing the vocals on "Leading Me Back to You" the lyrics are so Michael and the music is excellent.

The Dream is available on Yellowjacket's Collection..now youre getting 2 for the price of 1 - your search for a compilation and The Dream.

youngun, my apolologies if I had to veer away from the topic.

[This message has been edited by Joel (edited May 08, 2002).]

No problem, Joel, not like we all always stick to topics on here all the time, anyhow! LOL! And I didn't mean this to be a "who has the most Tom or Michael C.D.'s" contest, either. Just listing all I had of both of those men to show I have been into both for a long time and have a lot of music of BOTH of theirs from all over their musical histories, not trying to make it a "who has more than I do" thing, not at all!

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Anita Bonita

Anita-
Well, today was payday, so since I was near my favorite used CD store, I stepped in to see what was new, haven't been in a couple weeks......found a Tom Grant, The View From Here, which is quite good. I recognized a couple tunes (like Hang Time)from the good ol' days when we had a radio station that would play this kind of stuff; they usually wouldn't say who it was, so I never connected the tunes with his name. Thanks for bringing his name up, I would not have known to even pick it up if you hadn't. So far it's a great CD, haven't had a chance to listen all the way through yet. Really like the bassist, Alec Milstein, and Paul Jackson is great also.
Gotta go work for a while, think I'll pop on the headphones and groove.....not bad for 2 for 7 bucks!!
Later, and thanks again-
TonyY

I never took this as a competition, I just thought it was just a chance to show my collection of Michael's music and show what a huge fan of his I really am. If the truth be known, I am the LEAST competetive human on the face of the earth, unless I am competing with myself then, then I'm relentless.