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Has anyone seen Alphonse Mouzon play live?

ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
edited May 2009 in Strut Central
This Sunday, I'm going to an in-house show, courtesy of this lady who hosts these "jazz salons" at her place, to see Charles Owens. Alphonse Mouzon is backing him on drums. Since he has become one of the Strut's earliest inside jokes and chances are I'll get to meet him, I was wondering what your opinions of him are. Should I rock the Filas, let him know about all of his braeks I plan to steal unto my sampler and ask him to sign a Leo Sayer record?

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  • HairyBelafonteHairyBelafonte 1,202 Posts
    This Sunday, I'm going to an in-house show, courtesy of this lady who hosts these "jazz salons" at her place, to see Charles Owens. Alphonse Mouzon is backing him on drums. Since he has become one of the Strut's earliest inside jokes and chances are I'll get to meet him, I was wondering what your opinions of him are. Should I rock the Filas, let him know about all of his braeks I plan to steal unto my sampler and ask him to sign a Leo Sayer record?

    Yes, Yes, and Yes.

    My friends father toured Europe with him back in the 70s and had stories for days about that cat. Seems his ego was about as big as his beaded tassels.
  • Danno3000Danno3000 2,851 Posts
    So? What went down? I'm really curious!
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
    The quartet was playing in a living room with 30 some odd people, all middle-aged. I was sitting right next to his kit. He played well...REALLY LOUD, which I liked, but not so much for the more elderly folks who were visibly in discomfort during his solos. After the first song, he got a little pissed at a camera man (although he half-jokingly restrained himself from going off on dude because "he was in a good mood today") for filming the group at an angle, obscuring his face behind a giant cymbal which he staged vertically. During the break, he stopped to chat with me since he noticed me paying attention to his bass pedal technique. He's comes off as nice guy, but seems to have a tendency to talk alot about himself, cut people off in conversation only to trail off about his stint with Weather Report and his son, an aspiring rapper. I can't say anything negative - he's one of my favorites, but I can understand why some might not dig his personality on a professional level. Regardless, seeing the two perform in a house in the Encino hills overlooking the Valley was something else. The bassist, who I thought was related to Leon Ware at first, is an incredibly talented young musician.
  • leisurebanditleisurebandit 1,006 Posts
    that sounds awesome. who were the other musicians?
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
    Charles Owens (sax/flute), Brian Swartz (trumpet) and Kevin Toney (piano)
  • Danno3000Danno3000 2,851 Posts
    Sounds like a great night! Did you asl Alphonse about the Strut? You could at least have given him a sticker...
  • LokoOneLokoOne 1,823 Posts
    I just scored a Patrick Moranz album with him playing the drums on side A.
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    During the break, he stopped to chat with me since he noticed me paying attention to his bass pedal technique.


    AKA THE FUNKY SNAKEFOOT

  • m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
    He played well...REALLY LOUD

    To me, he's always been in the Billy Cobham bag of loud-ass pyrotechnics. Not mad at that, sometimes that's what you want, but it's not exactly subtle.

    I prefer Mouzon when he's just a sideman under supervision. Like on Eugene McDaniels' "Headless Heroes". His solo stuff (except maybe the first LP) tends to get out of hand. Too much flash.

    I was listening to "The Lovers" from the Les McCann "Invitation To Openess" LP on headphones the other day and the difference between the playing styles of Mouzon and Purdie (playing in the left and right channels) was striking. Mouzon constantly banging away on every part of his kit with copious amounts of cymbal work and Purdie just keeping the rocksteady groove throughout. But it does work well together.

    His "wildman" style also seems to fit on those mid 70s McCoy Tyner LPs.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    Kevin Toney (piano)

    From the Blackbyrds!
  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
    Kevin Toney (piano)

    From the Blackbyrds!

    yeah, he tours around town doing the contemporary smooth jazz thing usually. I convinced him to play some of "Rock Creek Park" on the lady's piano during the intermission. He did a slinky jazzy version of the opening synth line and chorus. He was busy talking to his wife for the most part. If I remembered that he was playing before leaving the house to do errands in the morning before going straight there, I would have brought the Cornbread, Earl & Me soundtrack or something. Oh well, next time.
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