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!

