Thursday 21 May 2020

Flute Loop


Being neither young nor hip, I don't generally do shout-outs. If I mention you on my blog there's every chance you either sent me a telegram or maybe there was an urgent SOS on Radio 4 appealing for my whereabouts.

That said, this brace of tunes is dedicated to George. George, I know, enjoys flutes and, indeed, flautistry. I can get on board with that - 
I too have a penchant for flute players/flautists/flutists/fluters and even flutenists. One of my favouritist flutenists is Herbie Mann. If I had to condense Herbie Mann into a five word sentence I think I'd say: "He wrote Comin' Home Baby." Anyway, he's Flautist 2/2. Flautist 1/2 is unknown; that is to say he/she is nothing but a borrowed sample; from where I know not. But it's a four second loop* that runs through one of my Saturday night kitchen floor fillers like a stick of rock.


Rinôçérôse - It's Time to Go Now (2002)


And here is the artist formerly known as Herbert J Solomon (1930-2003). I have many albums by this fella and never tire of listening to him. Mann straddled so many genres of music I'm almost tempted to use the word groundbreaking when I talk about him; almost, but not quite - what kind of blog do you think this is for heaven's sake? Suffice it to say that he out-Stoned the Stones with his 1974 version of Bitch and even got a real life Rolling Stone* to play guitar on it.

Herbie Mann - Memphis Underground (1968)



* A flute loop, if you will.
** Recorded in '73, Mick Taylor was still with the firm at the time.

7 comments:

  1. Herbie was a very prolific cat (he's a jazz flautist, I'm allowed to call him a cat) who made an lot of good records, though he's also responsible for one of the all-time bad (as in not good) jazz LP sleeves with his 1971 effort Push Push.

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  2. Apart from James Galway and Herbie Mann, the only other flautist I know is Harold McNair who played on albums by John Martyn and Donovan to name but two.

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    1. Most people say the fella who plays standing on one leg.

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    2. Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull! I was never a fan. but I did like "A Song for Jeffrey".

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  3. Just as there are not enough records featuring flutes (and that version of Bitch is damned good), the same can be said for kazoos (the only instrument I can play)

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    1. Sorry George, I can't help you; you're on your own now.

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