Booker T. Jones Talks "Green Onions," Memphis Soul

[Ndugu]

Over at Songfacts, we just posted an interview with Booker T. Jones, who is still going strong. Asked him some questions he's uniquely qualified to answer, and he delivered:


Why have "Green Onions" and other MG's hits stood the test of time? [["apparent simplicity")


What made for the Stax sound? [["lack of sophisticated equipment")


What is it about the sound of the Hammond organ that no other instrument can do? [["you can make it sing like a human voice")


If there's ever a case for music education in schools, it's Booker. He talks about how fortunate he was growing up in Memphis, where he had the opportunity to pick up an oboe and learn from passionate teachers. Then he went on to develop that Memphis soul sound, which he says started with nightclub blues.

Here's the full interview with Booker.

[Jerry Oz]

To me, the Sax sound was cleaner than any other sound of the day. You literally can make out every instrument in most records. Basslines were perfect as bottom on every record; guitars were EQed to perfection; horns, were crisp. There was no ego that I could hear, just a group who had no right to be as professional as they were with the experience they brought at the beginning. As much as any rhythm section that I can recall, the Sax sound was a group of musicians who figured out what they did well together and just did it.

I guess you know that I'm a fan of what they did down there.

Thanks for the link, BTW. Great interview.

[TomatoTom123]

Interesting! Will have to read the full interview later. Thanks ndugu