An interesting commentary from an expert

Everything about the swinging music we love to DJ

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Soma-Guy
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#16 Post by Soma-Guy » Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:55 pm

Lawrence wrote: Never heard of him. But that might be an American thing; I hadn't heard of Ricky Martin, either, despite his world-wide popularity before he breached the American market. :-) I can't wait for his musical turnaround, either: how about, "Ricky does Duke," in stores and movie theaters this fall? :shock: :D
Remember though, he may have played some corny stuff before but Stevie Ray Vaughn did think he was the master of blues guitar. (Which was what most of his music was.) The man was gifted in his former musical career it's just that I didn't like the music he was playing. I mean check out the video clip of Jeff playing on the Mike Bullard show. . ., (It's on the link Dave posted) The man's got tons of frickin' soul!

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funkyfreak
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#17 Post by funkyfreak » Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:27 pm

Zot wrote:BBVD cover band
No matter how long I lived, I never imagined I would hear those words uttered.

-FF

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#18 Post by Nate Dogg » Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:37 pm

Lawrence wrote: Never heard of him. But that might be an American thing;
"Angel Eyes" got a lot of airplay in the late 80s/early 90s. He was nominated for Grammy's had a lot of buzz. I think a lot of people who think they don't know who Jeff Healey is might recognize "Angel Eyes" if they heard it. It got played on Mix stations and the like.

The band was also in the 1988 Patrick Swayze film, Road House.

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#19 Post by djstarr » Tue Aug 17, 2004 1:18 am

Nate Dogg wrote:
Lawrence wrote: Never heard of him. But that might be an American thing;
"Angel Eyes" got a lot of airplay in the late 80s/early 90s. He was nominated for Grammy's had a lot of buzz. I think a lot of people who think they don't know who Jeff Healey is might recognize "Angel Eyes" if they heard it. It got played on Mix stations and the like.

The band was also in the 1988 Patrick Swayze film, Road House.
I was thinking the name sounded a little familiar --- if it's the Angel Eyes I'm hearing in my head (which I'm sure it is ) it was a very very very popular song --- that cracks me up that the guy who did it is now a trad jazz purist. Anyhow, I shouldn't say anything more until I hear his new sound - seems like it's worth it to check out.

It's kind of like trying to change your rep if you are a DJ who is known to play a certain genre, then you want to broaden your horizons --- hard to fight typecasting.

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CafeSavoy
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#20 Post by CafeSavoy » Tue Aug 17, 2004 11:10 am

Lawrence wrote: Never heard of him. But that might be an American thing; I hadn't heard of Ricky Martin, either, despite his world-wide popularity before he breached the American market. :-) I can't wait for his musical turnaround, either: how about, "Ricky does Duke," in stores and movie theaters this fall? :shock: :D
I think it's just you. Even I have heard of him and i'm pretty sure they don't play him on "urban" stations.

Your wish may be answered, isn't he playing Duke in that new J. Lo swing movie?

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#21 Post by Swifty » Tue Aug 17, 2004 11:46 am

Jeff Healy, See the Light

"Angel Eyes" was THE song the movie theater played before every movie when I was a kid. I guess it was on a loop or something and I always picked the right times to go. Ah, the memories...

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Lawrence
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#22 Post by Lawrence » Tue Aug 17, 2004 6:05 pm

I listened to the "Angel Eyes" song off Swifty's link and still don't recognize it. After listening to it and a few other selections off this "impressive debut CD" as well as some other selections from other albums, I can only conclude that my heretofore blissful ignorance has now been irrevocably shattered.

I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your souls. :wink:
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#23 Post by Zot » Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:25 pm

For those, like me, who don't have a browser that works with the new and improved AMG:

Angel Eyes on ITMS.


Can't say I know the song, personally.
"Take the worst of neo-swing and put it together with Glen Miller. The man thinks the Count is someone from a horror flick. Take pity on him and let him play two or three tunes. But be sure you have some errands to run." -- Bill Borgida

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Soma-Guy
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#24 Post by Soma-Guy » Tue Aug 17, 2004 10:55 pm

Just so you all know. . .

Adventures in Jazzland is probably my favorite modern Traditional Jazz album released in the past few years. I've spent lots of time researching, actively seeking out and dancing to Trad Jazz groups and Jeff's is one of the best. Sure bands like the Titan Hot Seven's and the Blackeagles are bad ass but his latest album has got to be tops of my recent buys list.

(As a shamless plug. If you all are looking for a fantastic weekend of dancing to Trad Jazz come check out our Chester Whitmore and Jeni Legone weekend up here in Vancouver. I'm very confident in saying we've got two of the top Trad bands in Canada!)

Joel

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#25 Post by Nate Dogg » Tue Aug 17, 2004 11:26 pm

Angel Eyes.

Maybe certain markets, radio stations were more into it than others. I was aware of it. It hit #5 on the Billboard charts in 1989. A few radio stations in Houston had it on the rotation.

That being said, I have never felt compelled to actually own the album/song. Heck, next time I see it a $2 or $3 used bin, I might pick it up.

We should probably rename the thread, Jeff Healy article or something like that. He is just as much an expert as anybody else that we talk about on this board.

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#26 Post by julius » Tue Aug 24, 2004 12:10 pm

I find it amusing that because Lawrence has never heard of a semi-big name in blues guitar, it MUST be someone obscure. See the Light is actually a really good album except for the one or two pop crap songs. He probably hasn't sold as many albums as Styx or BBVD or SNZ, but he's definitely sold more than most jazz artists these days.

"Nice Problem To Have" on that album is something that blues DJs may enjoy. Healey was known for an unorthodox self-taught guitar style in which he put the guitar in his lap and played the fingerboard from the top. It's interesting that he took up trumpet.

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Lawrence
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#27 Post by Lawrence » Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:08 pm

julius wrote:I find it amusing that because Lawrence has never heard of a semi-big name in blues guitar, it MUST be someone obscure. See the Light is actually a really good album except for the one or two pop crap songs. He probably hasn't sold as many albums as Styx or BBVD or SNZ, but he's definitely sold more than most jazz artists these days.
:? I acknowledged several times that it might just be my own limited knowledge, not that my knowledge is so broad as you seem to claim I claim it is. :? ?

In your eagerness to disagree with me, you also actually agreed with me: he is more obscure (to use your words, not mine) than BBVD, RCR, Styx, etc. So I guess my not having heard of him turned out to be a reliable gauge on how obscure he was compared to BBVD or RCR, which was the only point I made. Please don't hate.

To clarify, he might be a great musician, but I do disagree with the original post that what he said in that article is at all insightful or interesting. He might be a very great musician notwithstanding the pop trash he once put out (the "Angel Eyes" stuff) and notwithstanding the bitterness he vomited in that article. That would not only be consistent with what I wrote and think, it would be GREAT to hear: MUCH better than hearing him vent about Neo Swing party bands that never pretended to be anything more than fun. It wouldn't be the first time a great musician is unfortunately bitter, either.
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Eyeball
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#28 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:03 am

That article is gone! Real gone, man!

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#29 Post by Toon Town Dave » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:38 am

The link moved, I updated it and added the text in case it moves again.

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#30 Post by Eyeball » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:41 am

Thx.

THat's all there was?
Will big bands ever come back?

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