Live [LIVE]

Greyboy Allstars

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 1999)
• Original Release Date: March 23, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Relaxed / Ada
• ASIN: B00000I9AQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #20,809 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Music > Indie Music > Rock > Funk Rock
  #3 in	Music > R&B > Funk > Funk Jam Bands
  #3 in	Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Acid Jazz

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

In the 1990s the junction of jazz and funk has become quite a popular destination. Of course, soul-jazz was prominent among serious jazz cats throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but in the 1990s, the bug has spread to rock audiences who want extended jams and some space to dance. When it comes to blending danceable grooves with well-executed and thoughtful improvisation, San Diego's Greyboy Allstars are state-of-the-art, and as with most jam bands, the live stage is the true proving ground. Tenor sax player Karl Denson is the one with the serious "jazz cred" and he proves it here in abundance, but the remaining four are as tight as your old bar-mitzvah suit. As a whole, the quintet tends toward a smoother, more melodic brand of funk, one with dollops of real "soul music," making this live record a treat for both your brain and your behind. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Put your hands in the air and wave them 'round..., August 2, 2000

By A Customer

Two words: FEEL GOOD. This album is my first experience in the realm of the Greyboy Allstars. Tunes like "Happy Friends" and "Toys R Us" are great throw-backs to the old school funk/soul we used to hear from Maceo Parker and James Brown. But there's no comparing these guys to anyone. The jams are incredibly tight, led by Karl Denson (sax). And don't be afraid of the Curtis Mayfield cover, "Check Your Mind." They do it a great deal of justice. Curtis is smiling somewhere, and you will be too if you buy this album.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I want more!, July 20, 2000

By	M. R. Jakobsen (Copenhagen, Denmark) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is by far one of my all time favorite albums. I bought it several months ago and I enjoy it still more each time I listen to it. Certainly it grows on you. Every track on the cd is captivating. It's so funky you cannot keep still while the improvisational exhibition stimulates your mind.

Live was the first Greyboy Allstars album I bought. Their live performance captured here shines. I bought A Town Called Earth afterwards and was a tad disappointed to hear their studio makes of the outstanding "Happy Friends" and "Tenor Man". They pale in comparison to the live counterparts that boasts an enormous energy, especially the rich solos of Karl Denson. The Allstars is a talented bunch indeed.

Living in Denmark, I may sadly never experience Greyboy Allstars live. I guess this brilliant album somewhat makes up for that.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for Karl Denson fans-, November 8, 2002

By	charlie Nelson "chuck_182" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews

I recently went to a Karl Denson's Tiny Universe show at the Alabama Theatre, which in my opinion is one the most elegant venues in the South East. It was the best concert I have ever been to. Even if the Derek Trucks Band, one of my favorites, hadn't played at all, it still would have been at the top of my list. For those of you who do not know, Karl played the saxaphone and flute in Greyboy Allstars. I did not expect the concert to be half as good as it was, mostly because Karls Studio albums, which i have, aren't half as good as the show. Don't get me wrong, the studio albums are amazing, but seeing Karl Denson live is like having a religious experience. After the show I had a hard time listening to his studio work. Although his recent release The Bridge hints at what the show is like, it doesn't quite cut it. That's when my friend turned me on to the Greyboy Allstars. This is as close as it gets to a Karl Denson show (since he hasn't produced a live album). This CD is still a small step down from seeing them live, but it is as good as a CD could possibly get.