Greg Mathieson Project

Greg Mathieson Project - Baked Potato Super Live! - 1982 - CBS Sony, Japan

The "Project" was an ongoing Sunday Night gig at the small North Hollywood jazz club called the Baked Potato. For years, this gig had been a well known secret for music fans. This was where you catch studio giants like Larry Carlton, Abe Laboriel, Jimmy Johnson, Carlos Vega, Lenny Castro, and Jeff Porcaro (or their substitutes) every week. Released from the confines of their studio gigs you could find them "blowing" and letting it all hang out. For a music fan you couldn't hear this type of playing anywhere else. You had to get there early to get a seat. Los Angelinos would eagerly look in the back of the Sunday Calendar section to see who was playing that Sunday night. In 1981 Carlton had left and handed over the guitar duties to then 24-year-old guitarist Steve Lukather. Quite a set a coattails to ride in. It made Luke nervous. It wasn't a huge problem because he was on fire at the time. His solos were everywhere. Take a look at his session list, it is staggering. Artists as diverse as Olivia Newton John and the Tubes were topping the charts with his trademark solo guitar breaks that blended power and melody. When Super Live was recorded he was also at work with the soon-to-be Grammy winner Toto IV. In many ways his career while well under way, was just also just getting started. Worldwide hits, Rosanna and Africa were yet to come. His lead vocals and songwriting, which produced the number 10 song, I Won't Hold You Back, were still in the future. For Luke this was the perfect crossroads of high expectations being met with confidence (and a ton of talent). If you are looking for a disc that captures the energy and enthusiasm of players who can't believe they are doing what they doing, this disc is where to go. Fun just pours off the disc. Jeff Porcaro never sounded looser or better. Luke's tone, a single 12 Dumble through a tube screamer and space echo is amazing. All you need to do is listen to the opening track, Bomp Me, to hear what a special disc this is. Porcaro's endless bass-drum triplets, Luke's chorus infused rhythm followed by a whammy bar solo that just makes your jaw drop. You can hear the delight pouring through the strings with Luke being able to play more than the twelve bars he'd be allotted on a session. Oh, that's just the first track. While not all the tracks capture the energy of Bomp me, they do show a band grooving hard. The interplay, nuance and dynamics are always at play. These are players who not only can play, but know how to compliment each other. Pops Popswell (from the Crusaders) was a regular for many of these gigs is captured here on bass, and Mathieson provides great grounding for the band with his compositions and keyboard work (Hammond work in particular). The show is high-school-friends Porcaro and Lukather's however. If you are fan of either of them, this disc is must have. Luke's solos are clinics for anyone wanting to play melodic, soulful, and fast lead guitar. For someone like me who would play the fade out of I Keep Forgetting over and over to hear Porcaro's triplet (check it out, it's amazing), this is Jeff I can't do without. Grooves deeper than the San Andreas Fault. If you listen carefully you can hear his smiling face. For me this is a desert island disc. In 25 years I have never grown tiring of listening to Luke solo on Home, or Jeff and Pops interplay on I Don't Know. It's a rare snapshot in tie, from a era that's gone. It's just a rare combination of super talented musicians, at a great time for music, having fun playing together. Wasn't that the whole point of playing anyway? Long live the groove master! © Jim Stalker (musicandvideoreview.com), November 19th 2009 © 1999 - 2011 slagman.com http://www.stevelukather.net/Review.aspx?id=80

"August 5th, 1992 was one of the saddest days of my life. Not only did I lose a friend and hero, the world lost one of the sweetest human beings and most gifted of musicians. With this tribute, my intention is to enlighten those of you who might not be as familiar with Jeff as I am —along with those of you who are — by turning you on to what I feel is one of his greatest performances, Greg Mathieson Project - Baked Potato Super Live. For those of you not familiar with this particular disc, I urge you to get it. Jeff’s playing is absolutely stellar, and he’s surrounded by Greg Mathieson (keys), Steve Lukather (guitar) and Pops Popwell (bass), all at the top of their game, as usual. Though all of Jeff’s performances are great in their own way, this one in particular stands out to me, not only for the spectacular drumming, but for the fact that it is live and in living color. Full of flawless grooves, articulate fills and spur of the moment creativity. No additives. Just lots of sweeteners and fortunately preserved forever. Words by & © Mover © http://www.drumheadmag.com/web/feature.php?id=10

"WOW!!! Cool!!! I need a CD of that myself! A LOT of people in my travels ask about this record. It was GREAT and they were awesome times. My memories of that time are amongst my fondest. I learned SO much from Greg and all the guys. I took over for Larry Carlton!!!!!! That was heavy for me. I can't tell you how much I looked forward to playing every week... the growth I felt as a musi- cian was HUGE and the fun and the parties and the guys who came to sit in and watch etc... Shelly, Don, the OLD "spud" gang... It brings tears to my eyes. I miss Jeff and his awaiting smile with a G+T (Gin & Tonic) in hand, always early talking to his fans and I would come in and he's give me a smile and a kiss and I knew the groove would be wicked. Greg... the fearless bandleader and impovisation master... and Pops... groovin and smiling like he got his first piece of ass... Hahaha GREAT times... and you can hear it in the music." - Steve Lukather

"I was just hanging around and they all asked me. How could I say no?? Hahaha. NO rehearsal, just one soundcheck where we wrote 3 tunes, so it became more rock than jazz. A true "fusion" moment. Hahaha. I used a small deluxe reverband, a small Dumble 1/12 with a few stomp boxes, the FIRST tube screamer from Ibanez. I had 3 and they all got stolen. Wish I still had them! And a "Space echo" tape delay and a Boss Chorus pedal for stereo... the original one. Wish I still had THAT too." - Steve Lukather, May 2003

"The event that took place on December 13, 14 and 15 1981 when Greg Mathieson, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Lukather and 'Pops' Popwell recorded this live album at the Baked Potato in Los Angeles can only be described as "a moment in music". The recording required no studio overdubs or "fixing" whatsoever. This was a work of love and a gift to all fans of music. Enjoy! As noted in liner notes, this "live" album was originally recorded over three nights in December 1981. The music still sounds fresh! Exactly what you would expect from these great players! Kick back and enjoy!" - Jay Graydon

Greg Mathieson, Steve Lukather, Pops Popwell, and the late Jeff Porcaro, live at the famed Baked potato in North Hollywood, Los Angeles on December 13th, 14th, & 15th, 1981 performing burning instrumentals. If you are a fan of either Steve Lukather or Jeff Porcaro, or just like tremendous intense fusion, this album may be one of your desert island discs! It is one of the best live shows ever recorded and VHR by A.O.O.F.C [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 87.2 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Bomp Me - Mathieson, Lukather
2 Thank You - Mathieson
3 First Time Around - Popwell, Lukather
4 Goe - Mathieson
5 I Don't Know - Mathieson
6 I'm Home - Mathieson
7 The Spud Shuffle - Mathieson, Lukather, Popwell, Porcaro

MUSICIANS

Steve Lukather - Guitars
Robert "Pops" Popwell - Bass
Greg Mathieson - Keyboards
Jeff Porcaro - Drums