New Jazz CD.

Jim Loessberg · Post by **Jim Loessberg** » 4 Mar 2010 10:00 pm

Hello everybody,

While I have never claimed to be a jazz musician, I have always wanted to record a bebop album so I finally did. I used legitimate jazz guys (local legends all) from the area, including Dr. James Polk on piano, Ephraim Owens on trumpet, Kevin Hall on drums and Spencer Starnes on upright. My good friend and fellow steel player Dave Biller was very kind to play guitar.

There is no way I can keep up with these monsters but I did my best. If anybody is interested, there are a few short clips at www.startexrecords.com.

I will have a few in Dallas if anyone should want to have one.

Thanks a million,

Jim

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 4 Mar 2010 10:31 pm

Sounds great Jim.

But I knew it would even before listening. Great job as always........bb

Steve Alcott · Post by **Steve Alcott** » 5 Mar 2010 12:34 am

Please set one aside for me.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 5 Mar 2010 1:09 am

Hi Jim
Thanx for the heads up
i just ordered a copy
be well & peep on kickin'

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 5 Mar 2010 4:41 am

So glad you finally did this, Jim! I look forward to hearing it!!
Jim

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 5 Mar 2010 4:48 am

Great stuff Jim !
Hook

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 5 Mar 2010 5:05 am

Reserve a copy for me, Jim. I'll pick it up at the Jamboree and look forward to seeing you there. Will your lovely wife be there, as well?

Roy Rosetta · Post by **Roy Rosetta** » 5 Mar 2010 9:42 am

Fantastic Jim !!! Now all the rest will know what many of us have known for so long.
See you in Dallas,
...Roy

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 5 Mar 2010 12:00 pm

Really nice Jim!

Chad Karnitz · Post by **Chad Karnitz** » 5 Mar 2010 7:33 pm

Excellent! Nice to see you tackled Sippin' at Bells (one of my favorite bebop numbers).

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 5 Mar 2010 8:35 pm

Uh Oh, it has "Shadow" on it, I got to have a copy.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 5 Mar 2010 8:56 pm

I love it! Save me a copy. See you Friday, Jim.

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 6 Mar 2010 9:08 am

Jim, great selection. Sounds super, I'll be gettin one in Dallas. Looking forward to seeing and hearing you.
Take care.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 6 Mar 2010 11:13 am

Jimmy,
Your songs sound wonderful. Nice project you have there.
BTW, is that your '65 Emmons wrapround you were playing on RFD's Tru-Country?

Nick

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 6 Mar 2010 12:37 pm

Ordered my copy last night......along with some other selections.

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 6 Mar 2010 5:52 pm

Dang Jim, I was hoping to resist! You went and put one of my top ten songs of all time--A Night in Tunisia on it---so I just had to order it! Tone sounds great on those clips---no surprise really! Looking forward to it.

Doug Childress · Post by **Doug Childress** » 6 Mar 2010 6:10 pm

Jim, save one for me when you come to Dallas. Well Done!!!

Jim Stahlhut · Post by **Jim Stahlhut** » 6 Mar 2010 6:45 pm

Just keep that JAZZ going!!!!

Jim

Danny Sneed · Post by **Danny Sneed** » 7 Mar 2010 4:04 pm

I ain't no jazz musician but it sound great to me.

Jim Loessberg · Post by **Jim Loessberg** » 7 Mar 2010 10:10 pm

Thank you all for the nice words. It's really easy to get too close to these projects, what with all the recording and then mixing and listening on different sound systems and then re-mixing over and over and then mastering and then not being happy with the mix and re-mixing for the ?th time.

This was my first time to mix a jazz record and I was not really sure how to. Most of the instruments got panned to the center and the instruments that were recorded stereo (piano and drum overheads) got panned hard to their respective sides.

The EQs and levels are another story -- there are so many ways to go -- but I hope I got everything in the ballpark.

There are many points of reference but since I did mostly tunes from Charlie Parker and Miles Davis (or their versions of other tunes) I was sort of wanting to stay along those lines and most of those recordings were mono and dry. I did get adventureous and add a little reverb!

The dang thing sounds different on every system I listen on but I hope I got close.

I will welcome all suggestions, comments and critique.

Nick, that is the '65 Emmons on Tru Country.

Thanks again, everybody!

Best,

Jim

Al Vescovo · Post by **Al Vescovo** » 8 Mar 2010 11:45 am

Jim, congratulations!! I listened to the clips and you sound beautiful. The articulation is right on and it's a refreshing clear but not pierceing sound.
I shall buy your CD. I'm glad you're promoting the Steel Guitar in the Jazz idiom. Keep up the good work. Al

Dave Biller · Post by **Dave Biller** » 8 Mar 2010 12:28 pm

Fellas, don't be deceived by Jim's modesty, this is REAL legitimate jazz played on pedal steel guitar and Jim is burning by any standards. I fully expect that this CD will be very highly regarded. Dr. Polk on piano is a bona-fide jazz legend. The rhythm section is killer and the trumpet player is one of Austin's top jazz musicians, Ephraim Owens. Ephraim once commented to me, "MAN you country boys are SO good at bebop!"

Jim is a world class player as far as I'm concerned, but ofcourse you guys all knew that...

Howard Kalish · Post by **Howard Kalish** » 8 Mar 2010 1:04 pm

Jim, those clips sound great.Fantastic little ensemble you put together. I have to miss your set on Friday, but I'll get a copy on Saturday when I'm there.

Frank Harris · Post by **Frank Harris** » 8 Mar 2010 4:21 pm

great job done very impressive see ya in az conv.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 8 Mar 2010 6:48 pm

I am digging the album as I write, listening to Thrivin' On a Riff. I've written here before that Jim is in my personal top five steel players, but this album is simply totally awesome music from everybody concerned.

This album ranks amongst the best of the steel guitar jazz albums of all time, IMHO.

My favorite cut is Cherokee. An absolutely incredible performance, especially Jim and David B.

By the way, Al Vescovo... you left Phoenix before I could snag a copy of your new one, with Song Of India, Comin' Home Baby, and the others. I must remedy that.

The Steel Guitar Forum

New Jazz CD.

New Jazz CD.

jazz cd.....

jim l