JERRY JEMMOTT & SOULER ENERGY: Make It Happen!

Jerry Jemmott & Souler Energy

Make It Happen!

© 2005 Reel Souler Energy (634479086281)

CD permanently out of stock. Sorry!

(About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)

The Cool Groove Is Here. - Blues, Rhythm 'n Blues & Jazz - As B.B. King say's: "He (Gerald) never does anything just because it's right to do; he likes to do it because it feels good doing it".

notes

As I am a disciple of the great Jazz Bassist's/Composers Paul Chambers & Charles Mingus, you will never be bored!
If you like to listen to, dance to, work to, drive to, romance to or just groove to music with a Cool Groove, there's something here for you. If I were to describe this voyage that transverses several decades into one word I would call it Exuberance.
From the Same Leon entrances "In the name of the King (King Curtis)" to the Gary Primm infusion of that Pentecostal Feeling', and the James Allen Smith's "Jubilee" Sweetnin', you will find some of the world's greatest musicians and singers demonstrating their brilliance as we tell our stories within the "Born In The Blues" music that makes up these Cool Groove recordings.
As I write these notes it brings to mind that many of them have joined The Ancestors but their music is here today, and forever, in our hearts & souls. This collection of songs and instrumentals was inspired by Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, Charles Mingus, B.B. King, Bobby McFerrin, Roberta Flack, Ray Charles and always The Ancestors.
We set the tone with "Make It Happen" in the Southern Soul/Jubilee Special tradition with some words of inspiration from Beverly Hanshaw Smith and the soulful lead and ensemble singing of Frankie Paris, Catherine Russell and Herb Rawlins not to be out done by the improvisational wizardry of Cornelius Bumpus, George Naha, Wally "Gator" Watson and James "Jubilee" Allen Smith that pushed them to new heights.
The humor that only the blues can deliver takes the spotlight when Connie Frederick's Malone delivers a "heads up" with "In The Moonlight". She struts her stuff & lays down the law on "Hey Jerry He Treats Me Right" while Steve Blum & Stan Wright shout out a few "Amens", before Connie seduces us into "The Love Light", straight back to the Filmore West with Aretha & Ray.
The trademark soulful playing of Paul Griffin and Roger Rosenberg tells it like it is while Bernard Purdie & Arlen Roth lay down some solid support all throughout the snap shots of
"It's All Good" & "Fool 4 YA" from the Brent Owens film,
"A Cry For Help" shot between 1973 through1987 that
documents the methodology of the government and private industries ongoing attempts to maintain the population's status quo as "Human Livestock" , while subjugating them and the environment, in order to depopulate and industrialize my home town, The Bronx, New York City.
The performances with Pablo and the soulful musicians from Surinam via Amsterdam laying down the groove for the horn section of Danny Hayes, Rick Wald, Manny Boyd and Clarence Banks are truly remarkable. We recorded the Orchestral Funk of "City Blues" and the Afro/Cuban Jazz of "Hot Southern Soul" (where Manny Boyd makes an appearance in the name of John Coltrane) live, in one or two takes!
All through out the 69 minutes of this CD you will experience "Souler Energy", that special something that we all posses that gets our groove going like in the Bass Ensemble piece "Somethin' U've Got".
The solo performance by Bill "Junior" Linton on "Life Goes On" is a modern extension of that blues humor in a Funky Pop bag. Since my favorite drummer (now actor), Herb Lovelle wasn't available for Bill's funky "Rat Race" I took a turn at drum programming while Maeretha Stewart & Jossi Armstead turn up the heat and Eric Gale laid down some guitar as only he can.
Since King Curtis & Pigmeat Markham were not available when we recorded "The Music In You" we had to tap into the many memorable moments they've given us, and their inspiration flowed like my mama's eggnog! When you have this kind of inspiration it affects every one, from Connie And Vickie's sassy background vocals, the solid drumming of Tom Kaelin, up through the Jimi Hendrix guitar & lead vocals of Stan Wright, Marc Narcise & Billy Gaines "Spit Fire" section work right down through Dave Ostertag's funky keyboards and John Check's engineering . Speaking of the King we offer a mini tribute to him as we recreate his magic with our up tempo version (the way he liked to do it!) of his classic, that we call "Cookin' Memphis Soul Stew With King Curtis".
Things get "to real" when Catherine, Frankie, Angel, George, and Tony "Thunder" Smith testify as they lead the group through the Loraine Ellison classic "You Don't Know Nothing About Love" followed by a "Thank You" to Brother Ray in a solo bass arrangement of "Georgia", dedicated to my sister, Dr. .Janet C. Moses, "The Greatest Sister In The World"!
Jerry Jemmott, February 14, 2005, 2005



Jerry Jemmott Biography

Excerpts reprinted from Bass Player "New York Soul Stew - The Legendary Jerry Jemmott", by Chris Jisi (Oct.99) updated November 2004.

"I make musical sense out of anything I hear", proclaims Jerry Jemmott. "If you knock over this table, I'll continue the phrase it creates in my head. That is basically what I do on bass". As a seminal 60's and early 70's session bassist in his early twenties, Jemmott had the music of Aretha Franklin, King Curtis, B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Roberta Flack, and the Rascals to inspire him. He is acknowledged as, "One of the most influential bass players of the past 100 years who have changed the way we play".
Bronx, New York native, Gerald Joseph Stenhouse Jemmott, a.k.a. 'The Groovemaster', was one of the architects of the Atlantic Records and Muscle Shoals Soul sound. He was a key member among the luminaries of the versatile jazz musicians who dominated the studio bands, with their roots dating back to the Roaring 20's days of Thomas "Fats" Waller that made up the New York City recording scene of the Sixties and early Seventies.

This was an era when some of the greatest music was ever made. On any given record or jingle session you could find members and alumni of New York's symphonic orchestras sitting side by side with those of the NBC, CBS, and Duke Ellington orchestras, as well as the bands of Ray Charles, King Curtis, Lionel Hampton, , Woodie Herman, Stan Kenton and Count Basie.

He was the backbone of a consortium of the world's greatest rhythm sections Rhythm Sections that included Eric Gale, Billy Butler, Vinnie Bell, Cornell Dupree, Carl Lynch, Wally Richardson, Hugh McCraken, Herb Lovelle, Paul Griffin, Frank Owens, James Booker, Herbie Hancock, Bob James, Jimmy Johnson, Gary Chester, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Ray Barretto, Montego Joe, & Johnny Pacheco in New York and Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Beckett, Duane Allman & Bobby Womack In Muscle Shoals.

Raised in a musical household Jemmott caught the bass bug at an early age, and is living proof of the undeniably awesome and imperceptible power of music.
"I was shy, withdrawn, and "lost" during my early childhood. Fortunately I was "found" at the age of 10 by the great bassist, Mr. Paul Chambers (April 22nd,1935 - January 4th,1969) when my sister Janet played the Miles Davis Quintet recording of 'If I Were a Bell'. And I declared "That's what I want to do!" The persistently passionate, articulate and funky bass lines that Paul laid down lit a fire in me, as they still do today. I was subsequently captured and spellbound by the artistry and music of Charles Mingus, Horace Silver, Carmen Macrae, John Coltrane, Betty Carter, Thelonious Monk, Ray Charles, Ben Webster, Cannonball Adderly, Count Basis, and their contemporaries".

Jemmott's encounter with the genius of Paul Chambers was followed by his mother's response to begin classical string bass lessons at the age of 11. He began his career as a professional musician at the age of 12 when he was "drafted" into the Smilin' Henry and The Rhythm Makers band after they heard him playing in a band at the Freeman Street Boys Club. By the time he turned 16 Jerry was playing in Mercer Ellington's big band and other Jazz, Latin, and Society bands in the bars, nightclubs, ballrooms, and other institutions in, and around, New York City.
In 1967 Jemmott was discovered, baptized, and launched by one of the most innovative and prolific musicians of all time, saxophone great, King Curtis.
In 1984 one of Jerry's illustrious bass disciples told Guitar Player magazine, "He was my idol. Making sounds I wanted to make. That stuttering kind of bass line, bouncing all around the beat, but keeping right in the groove - well they don't call Jerry the Groovemaster for nothing. He's the best". That same year he told Guitar World, "I am just a poor imitation of Gerald Jemmott". The disciples name? Jaco Pastorius.

A recipient of the 2001 Bass Player Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award Jerry's career now spans 6 decades in which he has arranged and conducted music for films, Broadway musicals and Off-Broadway shows. But most of all he cherishes the honor and continuing good fortune to perform and/or record with the most innovative Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, Blues, and Contemporary artists of our time. Some of his most memorable and historic "encounters with greatness" involved; King Curtis, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Freddie King, Nina Simone, John Williams, Charles Earland, The Boston Pops, Roberta Flack, Lionel Hampton, Bette Midler, Tucker Smallwood, Irene Reid, Erroll Garner, Freddie Hubbard, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, George Benson, Archie Shepp, Gil Scott Heron, Chuck Berry, Arlen Roth, Wilson Pickett, The Rascals, his fellow side-men, protégés, disciples, and of course, the members of Jerry Jemmott & Souler Energy. His work and life have been chronicled in several International Music Magazines.

Among the highlights of the Groovemaster's extensive catalog of compositions and songs are "So Excited" and "You're Mean", recorded by B.B. King. His solo recordings consist of two CDs for P-Vine Records. The first, "Caught in the Low Beam". The second, "The New York View", with Bill "Junior" Linton. His latest recording is a 69 minute tour de force of Cool Groove Jazz, Blues & Rhythm and Blues, "Make It Happen!" for Whatcha Gonna Do Records. He makes a rare cameo appearance in the film, "Mitchellville".

In his continuing efforts to pass the torch and make a difference, he has written two International Magazine Articles and four books, as well as "Modern Electric Bass" with Jaco Pastorius. He is also the author of "There's Music In Everyone!", "Jerry Jemmott's Blues and Rhythm & Blues Bass Techniques". In pre production are JAMBOREEâ„¢ an interactive entertaining & educational video game version of "There's Music In Everyone!" On audio and videocassette you can find "The Complete Bassist", and "Jerry Jemmott's Bass Master Class" (transcribed and engraved by his multi-talented friend and disciple, Fred Paterno).
Frequently in tandem with performances of Jerry Jemmott & Souler Energy there are the Personal Expression Through Musicianship Workshops/Clinics based upon Synchronization of the Five Elements and the Five Components, of "Souler Energy" that make up P.E.T.M. as outlined in his book "There's Music In Everyone!"

"As I look at the world today I realize that ever since man deviated from the fact that all life is equal and declared that his species was superior to all other life on this planet the quality of life on and for Mother Earth has been on a downward spiral. There is a need to foster the understanding and the practice of the law of causality to change this fundamental misconception. There is no coincidence that I was selected to participate in recording hit songs that have illuminated the times during my on going career. "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "People Gotta Be Free", "The Universal Prisoner" "Think"; "Eleanor Rigby", "Attica Blues", "Why I Sing The Blues" and "The Thrill Is Gone" tell the truth, take a stand, refute the lies, undo the brainwashing and tell the story of what's goin' on. They have helped to foster an awakened awareness of all those around the world to put an end to the poisonous injustices that arise from the conflicts of man vs. man vs. Mother Earth, and a need, to stand together in this cause or continue being "HUMAN LIVESTOCK".

If we focus on the law of cause and effect to use as a tool to enlighten and illuminate the issue of our egocentric values and harmonize them in accordance with our interdependence with all living existence and spirits that reside in the universe we will all live a better life. I have learned that inherent within my practice of Nichiren Shoshu True Buddhism http://www.nstny.org/that is based upon this law of causality, is a self sustaining delivery system that produces an environment to attain freedom from fear, enlightenment and excellence, in everyday life for all that exists. In addition these benefits are extended to our ancestors and our unborn relatives who thirst for our help".

"In light of all of my success I am most fortunate to have the love and support of my family, friends and associates, and proud to be the son of Jessie & Joseph Jemmott social activist during their time, the father of Jeanine, Tishiro, and Isis and the brother of Drs. Janet & Bob Moses, founders of the Algebra Project, http://www.algebra.org an integral part of their continuing efforts to attain civil and human rights for African Americans, that grew out of their voter registration work in Mississippi during the 1960's."

Jerry's 4 String Kids? There is a custom Jazz-type bass from Fender on the way, to join the family led by the '64 Jazz Bass that "Changed the world!" the ESP Horizon that he designed, and the custom Abe Rivera (featured in Modern Electric Bass with Jaco). All supported by various Fender strings and Double Treble custom straps. Most of the time they all sing through a Samson UHF Series One wireless unit into a Yorkville Bass Master and the Fender B-300 mated to the KYBO speaker system get the heavy work done.

reviews

Please log in to review this album.

  • "...a must- have snapshot of Jemmott's bubly hard grooving bass style"
    author: Bass Player Magazine - May 2005

    Jerry Jemmott's solo debut Make It Happen (Reel Souler Energy) compiles previously unreleased tracks spanning Jemmott's long recording career as well as brand new solo material. If not for the boot-leg like production, the disc would be a must-have snapshot of Jemmott's bubly hard grooving bass style. The tracks "City Blues" and "Hot Southern Soul" starkly reveal Jemmott's influence over Jaco's trademark 16th note funk, while "Georgia 4 Janet" gives a rare taste of Jemmott's solo side. But despite the killer grooves, the lo-fi sound makes it a must only for true Jemmott completist.

email

Please log in to email this artist.