Melvin Sparks Band
The Lion's Den
New York, NY
11/15/1997

Original master recording: Neumann TLM-170 -> Sonosax SX-M1 -> Tascam DAP1 (master @ 16/48)
DAT playback: Sony R-500 -> Sound Devices 722 digital input (@24/48)
Mastered: Soundforge Pro 10.0d - *All file manipulation in Soundforge done at 24 bits*. Volume normalization, Sample rate conversion 48khz to 44.1khz using iZotope 64-Bit SRC set higher than "Highest Quality" setting w/anti-alias filter, dithering to 16 bits using using iZotope MBIT+ with Ultra noise shaping, with high dither settings; minor clap removal. Tracked in CDWav. IDv3 Tags added using AudioShell v1.3.6.

1.  intro
2.  On Broadway
3.  banter - new CD
4.  Boogie Street
5.  banter - next week
6.  Them Changes
7.  Mr. Texan
8.  Standing On Shaky Ground
9.  banter - baby girls
10. Get Down Tonight *
11. thanks

* = w/Melvin Sparks' daughters Ayisha and Idrissa on vocals

CD Release party for his album "I'm A Gittar Player" which IMDB claims was released on 9/30/1997.  Sole Pocket and Gordon Stone Band played afterwards.

I scrubbed some annoying claps from T10(22 claps), T11(15 claps)

Recording, transfer (Nov 2011), mastering, tracking, tagging (3/3-7/2013) by Scott Bernstein 

Taper notes:
For BARN145, I present to you the first of 3 tributes to another beloved but now sadly gone musician -- the wonderful Melvin Sparks who passed away on March 15, 2011).  In my last archival release (Merl Saunders) I mentioned the joy that he brought to the stage -- well, Melvin Sparks brought a similar joy to the stage -- grinning EAR TO EAR every time he was performing.

Who was he?  Well, he was a guitarist who is usually categorized under the "soul jazz" or "acid jazz" category, and I'm not totally sure what either of those mean, but his guitar style involved a heavy sense of funky/groovy/soulful interpretation of (mostly) other peoples' songs.  This is music much more for your body than your mind and will get you up and dancing.  He got his start in the 1950s, and got his big break in The Upsetters (with Little Richard) which backed Jackie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye.  He then spent time in NYC as a session musician for Blue Note Records backing many big name jazz folks at the time (Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, among many others), and started releasing some albums of his own in 1970, with his most famous -- Spark Plug.

I was first introduced to him thanks to a sit-in for an entire set with the Greyboy Allstars (also an "Acid Jazz" band from the 1990s) at the beloved Wetlands Preserve on 4/11/97 (during which he raised the bar, pushing the GBAs to a stellar performance).  I then managed to catch him a few months later (July 18, 1997) on an interesting bill back at Wetlands with Fatbag (some of whose members went on to form the band Lettuce) and Charlie Hunter.

This particular show represents the following time I saw him perform a set of his own after that, at an album release party from the good old Lion's Den (now known as Sullivan Hall), notably before the venue was restructured and the best place to record from (right next to the soundboard, in the middle of the floor) was removed as the Soundboard was pushed to the back of the room.  He was on a bill with Sole Pocket (who I apparently recorded twice, but frankly I can't recall anything about) and the incredible Gordon Stone Trio (banjo-based progressive bluegrass), and it served as Melvin's record release party for his CD "I'm A Gittar Player" (his first studio release in *16* years), a couple of tunes from which are featured in the setlist for this show.  One notable thing is the inclusion of Melvin's 2 daughters on vocals for a Salt 'n Pepa-like (as described by the All Music Guide) take on KC And The Sunshine Band's "Get Down Tonight", as it was presented on the album.

I have 2 more Melvin Sparks shows coming in quick succession, so keep your eyes peeled.

Enjoy!


Here's a rundown of all of my previous BARN archival releases (all can be found on archive.org except as noted):
BARN1 - Col Bruce Hampton and the Code Talkers at Bret & Joyce's wedding 9/17/2005
BARN2 - Col Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit (w/guest Warren Haynes for all of set 2) Wetlands 11/20/1993
BARN3 - moe. Wetlands 7/8/1995
BARN4 - Dan Bern Bottom Line 7/31/1998 (late show)
BARN5 - moe. Birch Hill 10/31/1996
BARN6 - moe. Maxwells 1/20/1996
BARN7 - Dan Bern Central Park Summerstage 9/19/1997
BARN8 - Dan Bern, Bottom Line 8/1/1998
BARN9 - moe. Bayou 4/5/1997
BARN10 - moe. Irving Plaza 4/4/1997
BARN11 - moe. AKA 9/7/1995
BARN12 - Yolk AKA 9/7/1995
BARN13 - Robert Walter/Johnny Vidacovich/James Singleton/Donald Harrison Preservation Hall 4/30/08
BARN14 - Phish Las Vegas, NV 10/31/1998 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN15 - Phish Great Went @ Loring AFB, Limestone, ME 8/16/1997 (on bt.etree.org) - by request
BARN16 - Phish Great Went @ Loring AFB, Limestone, ME 8/17/1997 (on bt.etree.org), includes orchestra set - by request
BARN17 - Phish Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, 8/4/1996 (on bt.etree.org) - by request
BARN18 - Phish Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, 8/6/1996 (on bt.etree.org) - by request
BARN19 - Phish Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, 8/7/1996 (on bt.etree.org) - by request
BARN20 - Phish Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO, 8/5/1996 (on bt.etree.org) - by request
BARN21 - God Street Wine, Irving Plaza, NYC 6/24/1993
BARN22 - Leftover Salmon, Wetlands, NYC 10/1/1994
BARN23 - Anders Osborne, Manny's Carwash, NYC 11/5/1997
BARN24 - Anders Osborne, Manny's Carwash, NYC 11/6/1997
BARN25 - moe. Pool Party, Morganville, NJ 6/2/1996
BARN26 - Widespread Panic, Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ 11/7/1992 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN27 - Stew ["Passing Strange"], The Turning Point, Piermont, NY 4/6/2003 (on bt.etree.org. dimeadozen.org)
BARN28 - Stew ["Passing Strange"], Joe's Pub, New York, NY 5/22/2003 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN29 - Percy Hill, Lion's Den, NYC 3/16/1996
BARN30 - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Irving Plaza, 8/3/1995
BARN31 - Percy Hill, Wetlands, NYC 6/8/1996
BARN32 - Bad Livers, Mercury Lounge, NYC, 11/15/1999 (opening for Leftover Salmon)
BARN33 - Bad Livers, Mercury Lounge, NYC, 11/16/1999 (opening for Leftover Salmon)
BARN34 - G. Love And Special Sauce, Central Park Summerstage, NYC 6/18/1995
BARN35 - The Band, The Great Lawn, Central Park, NYC 5/16/1993 (on dimeadozen.org)
BARN36 - The Band, Mountain Stage Radio broadcast, Charleston, WV, recorded 4/4/1996 (on dimeadozen.org)
*** Start of New Orleans Jazzfest Appreciation mini-series (note that BARN13 technically belongs in this series) ***
BARN37 - Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Tipitina's, New Orleans, LA, 5/5/2008
BARN38 - Steve Kimock Band, Tipitina's, New Orleans, LA, 5/6/2001 (2AM show)
BARN39 - The Funky Meters, Tipitina's, New Orleans, LA, 5/6/2001 (11PM show) (on bt.etree.org)
BARN40 - Anders Osborne, Tower Records instore, New Orleans, LA, 5/7/2001 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN41 - Joe Krown Trio w/Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Russell Batiste + special guest Mike Gordon, Tipitina's, New Orleans, 5/5/2008
BARN42 - Russell Batiste and Friends, The Howlin' Wolf, New Orleans, 5/1/2008 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN43 - Global Noize, The Howlin' Wolf, New Orleans, 5/1/2008 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN44 - Deep Banana Blackout, The Howlin' Wolf, New Orleans, LA 5/6/2000
BARN45 - Bela Fleck And The Flecktones, The Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA 5/5/2000
BARN46 - Medeski Martin And Wood, The Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA 5/6/2000 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN47 - String Cheese Incident, The Saenger Theater, New Orleans, LA 5/5/2000
BARN48 - Soulive, House Of Blues Parish, New Orleans, LA 5/5/2001
BARN49 - String Cheese Incident, Cajun Queen Riverboat, New Orleans, LA 5/3/2000
BARN50 - New Mastersounds, House Of Blues Parish, New Orleans, LA 5/2/2008
BARN51 - Funky Meters, Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN 6/13/2003 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN52 - George Porter And The Runnin' Pardners, Village Underground, NYC, 5/19/2001
BARN53 - Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tramps, NYC 10/29/1993 late show
BARN54 - The Meters, Tramps, NYC 5/15/93 late show (on dimeadozen)
BARN55 - The Meters, Tramps, NYC 10/29/93 late show (on dimeadozen)
BARN56 - Wild Magnolias, Wetlands, NYC 2/10/2000 (on bt.etree.org)
*** end of New Orleans Jazzfest Appreciation mini-series ***
BARN57 - Blues Traveler, Livingston Gym @ Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 4/17/1993
BARN58 - Phish, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 10/29/1998 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN59 - Jazz Is Dead, Bottom Line, NYC 2/7/1998 (late show only) (on bt.etree.org)
BARN60 - Grateful Dead, Cal Expo Amphitheatre, Sacramento, CA 5/27/1993
BARN61 - The Dude Of Life (w/Trey Anastasio and Jon Fishman for entire show, plus Page McConnell for a bunch), Wetlands, NYC 2/5/1994 - on bt.etree.org
BARN62 - ALO, High Sierra Music Festival Main Stage, Quincy, CA 7/3/2005
BARN63 - Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon, High Sierra Music Festival Main Stage, Quincy, CA 7/3/2005 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN64 - Dan Bern, The Bottom Line, NYC 11/11/1998
BARN65 - Galactic, Knitting Factory, NYC 10/18/1997 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN66 - Bruce Hornsby, Paramount Theater, NYC 12/7/1993 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN67 - God Street Wine, Irving Plaza, NYC 8/26/1993
BARN68 - Warren Haynes Midnight Southern Jam - Wetlands, NYC 8/5/1993 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN69 - Dave Matthews And Friends (Trey Anastasio, Tim Reynolds, Tony Hall, Brady Blade, Ray Paczkowski) Bonnaroo 6/11/2004 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN70 - Rana at Bret & Joyce's wedding, Whitehall, NY 9/17/2005
BARN71 - Soulive - Baby Jupiter, NYC 6/11/1999
BARN72 - Chris Barron, Nightingale Bar, NYC 7/14/1997
BARN73 - Chris Barron, Nightingale Bar, NYC 11/17/1997
BARN74 - George Porter's 60th Birthday w/PBS and friends, Blender Theater, NYC 12/29/2007
BARN75 - Jennifer Hartswick Band with special guest Trey Anastasio, Lion's Den, NYC 11/7/2003 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN76 - moe., Gathering Of The Vibes, Seaside Park, Bridgeport, CT 6/20/1999
BARN77 - Project Logic, Gathering Of The Vibes, Seaside Park, Bridgeport, CT 6/20/1999
BARN78 - Phish - Beacon Theater, NYC 4/13/1994 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN79 - Phish - Beacon Theater, NYC 4/14/1994 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN80 - Phish - Beacon Theater, NYC 4/15/1994 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN81 - The Recipe, Wetlands, NYC 11/12/1999
BARN82 - Ominous Seapods, Wetlands, NYC 6/4/1999
BARN83 - Coby Brown Group, Wetlands, NYC 11/12/1999 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN84 - The Big Wu, Wetlands, NYC 11/12/1999
BARN85 - Moon Boot Lover, Wetlands, NYC 6/5/1999
BARN86 - Percy Hill, Wetlands, NYC 6/5/1999
BARN87 - Miracle Orchestra, Wetlands Lounge, NYC 6/5/1999
BARN88 - Jiggle The Handle, Wetlands, NYC 6/5/1999
BARN89 - Jiggle The Handle, Wetlands, NYC 10/2/1998
BARN90 - Lake Trout, Wetlands Lounge, NYC 6/5/1999
BARN91 - Olu Dara, Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, South Street Seaport Atrium, NYC 6/6/1999 (on bt.etree.org / www.dimeadozen.org)
BARN92 - Donna The Buffalo, Wetlands, NYC 11/12/1999
BARN93 - Radiators (w/Merl Saunders sit-in), Irving Plaza 10/8/1998
BARN94 - Tiny Lights, Wetlands, NYC 8/18/1993
BARN95 - Tiny Lights, Wetlands, NYC 1/5/1994
BARN96 - Radiators, Irving Plaza, NYC 11/14/1997
BARN97 - Radiators, Manny's Carwash, NYC 5/30/1998
BARN98 - The Wood Brothers (w/Medeski, Wolleson, and special guest Amos Lee), Bowery Ballroom, NYC 5/17/2008 - on bt.etree.org
BARN99 - Pieta Brown, Bowery Ballroom, NYC 5/17/2008 - on bt.etree.org
BARN100 - Jeff Buckley, CBGB's 313 Gallery, NYC 12/18/1993 - on dimeadozen
BARN101 - Tiny Lights, CBGB's 313 Gallery, NYC 12/18/1993
BARN102 - Tiny Lights, The Lion's Den, NYC 2/18/1994
BARN103 - Tiny Lights, Club Sine', NYC 2/3/1994
BARN104 - Ha Ha The Moose (moe. side project), BB Kings, NYC 11/23/2001
BARN105 - Medeski Martin & Wood, Hilton Hotel Ballroom, NYC, 4/29/2005 - on bt.etree.org
BARN106 - Tiny Lights, The Court Tavern, New Brunswick, NJ 11/24/1993
BARN107 - Tiny Lights, Knitting Factory, NYC 10/26/1994
BARN108 - Tiny Lights, Mercury Lounge, NYC 7/13/1994
BARN109 - All God's Children, The Lion's Den, NYC 2/18/1994
BARN110 - Dan Bern, Bottom Line, NYC 1/2/1999 (w/Moxy Fruvous guesting in the late show)
BARN111 - Moxy Fruvous, Bottom Line, NYC 1/2/1999 (w/Dan Bern guesting in encore)
BARN112 - Peter Rownan's Reggaebilly!, High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA 7/6/2002 (on The Trader's Den)
BARN113 - Conehead Buddha, Wetlands, NYC 10/2/1998
BARN114 - Conehead Buddha, Tramps, NYC, 2/12/1998
BARN115 - Conehead Buddha, The Lion's Den, NYC 7/2/1998
BARN116 - Frogwings (w/special guest Warren Haynes), Wetlands, NYC, 2/9/1999 on bt.etree.org
BARN117 - All God's Children, Jack's House Party, Long Valley, NJ 9/4/1994
BARN118 - God Street Wine, Irving Plaza, NYC 10/9/1993
BARN119 - David Bromberg, Tarrytown Music Hall, 10/15/1999 (on bt.etree.org / www.dimeadozen.org)
BARN120 - The Concept w/George Porter, ?uestlove, Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Bill Summers, Casey Benjamin, BB King's, NYC 9/26/02 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN121 - Percy Hill, The Lion's Den, NYC 7/13/1996
BARN122 - Spin Doctors, The Wetlands, 9/27/1995
BARN123 - Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Wetlands, NYC, 3/4/1994
BARN124 - Allman Brothers Band, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO 8/3/1996 (not publicly posted due to ABB trading policy)
BARN125 - Spin Doctors, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO 8/3/1996
BARN126 - Col. Bruce Hampton and the Fiji mariners, Wetlands, NYC 9/2/1994
BARN127 - Phil Lesh and Friends, Irving Plaza, New York, NY 5/21/2002
BARN128 - Merl Saunders and Friends, The Wetlands, New York, NY 5/10/1990 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN129 - God Street Wine, Wetlands, NYC 12/31/1993
BARN130 - Bernie Worrell And The Woo Warriors, Wetlands, NYC 12/28/2000
BARN131 - Bernie Worrell And The Woo Warriors, Knitting Factory, NYC 2/16/2002
BARN132 - Spin Doctors, Wetlands, NYC 2/2/1991
BARN133 - Bela Fleck And The Flecktones, Wetlands, NYC 11/10/1992
BARN134 - Indigo Girls, Central Park Summerstage, NYC 10/10/2003 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN135 - John Popper & Chan Kinchela acoustic, Irving Plaza, NYC 5/27/2008
BARN136 - Moonalice, Irving Plaza, NYC 5/27/2008
BARN137 - Spin Doctors, Irving Plaza, NYC 5/27/2008
BARN138 - Cowboy Junkies, Supper Club, NYC 3/2/1994 (early show only)
BARN139 - Wayne Horvitz & Zony Mash, High Sierra Music Hall, High Sierra Music Fest, Quincy, CA 7/5/2002
BARN140 - Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, High Sierra Music Festival, Quincy, CA 7/5/2002 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN141 - Rickie Lee Jones, Town Hall, NYC 3/29/1994 (on dimeadozen)
BARN142 - Minor Swing (John Patton / John Zorn / Ed Cherry / Kenny Wollesen), CBGB 313 Gallery, NYC 11/22/1995 - "pure jazz" series
BARN143 - Minor Swing (John Patton / John Zorn / Ed Cherry / Kenny Wollesen), CBGB 313 Gallery, NYC 11/23/1995 - "pure jazz" series
BARN144 - Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band with special guests Buddy Miles, Odetta, Oteil Burbridge, and Larry Hunter, Manny's Carwash, 10/22/1996 (on bt.etree.org)
BARN145 - Melvin Sparks, The Lion's Den, NYC 11/15/1997