Flim & the BB's
Encyclopedia
"Flim & The BB's" was a contemporary jazz band that became popular not only to jazz fans but also "tech-heads" (people who are fond of technology) because of the methods and type of equipment and technology that went into their recordings. Some of the equipment used included the Mitsubishi X-80 digital audio recorder, the Cello Audio Palette, and other esoteric gear.
(bass), Bill Berg
(percussion), & Billy Barber
(piano, keyboard, synthesizer). Dick Oatts
(woodwinds) didn't join until after their first album was released. The name of the group came from Jimmy Johnson's nickname "Flim" and the initials of the other two original members. The band was a "side project" of sorts for all of them as they were each freelance studio musicians who played live with various groups.
Their early days in the late 1970s included individual studio work in Minneapolis, Minnesota and occasionally playing as a band at the Longhorn Bar
. It was around this time that 3M
began experimenting with digital sound recording and this group was hired to provide music to test this new equipment. Their self-titled first album was released by Sound 80 studios in 1978. It was recorded as a direct-to-disc project with the 3M digital recorder running as a backup. When the acetate was deemed unusable the record was remaster from that digital backup, possibly a first use of that source. Since the machine used was an early prototype built before any digital recording standards were established, and then was subsequently dismantled, there is currently no way to re-issue that first album.
Through their work as studio musicians they became friends with Tom Jung, then chief engineer at Sound 80
studios. He engineered their first album and also produced their five following albums for DMP Records, an independent "audiophile" record label he formed after relocating to Connecticut. Their second album "Tricycle" was the first non-classical recording to be released on the then new compact disc format. The cover art for "Tricycle" was drawn by Bill Berg's son Jacob. It was also one of the first jazz albums to be recorded, mastered and delivered completely in the digital domain. The entire recording chain after the first few feet of microphone cable from the musicians' instruments remained in the digital domain until it was decoded by the consumer's CD player. DMP's releases were for the most part recorded directly to two-tracks as opposed to the more common multi-track method. This means that there was very minimal use of overdubs and the majority of the music was performed, recorded and mixed "live" to the recorder.
They went on to release four more albums for DMP Digital Music Products
all to critical acclaim - each winning Digital Audio's "Jazz CD of the Year" award. After the release of their album "The Further Adventures of Flim & The BB's" they parted ways with DMP Records and signed to Warner Bros. Records
. They released their album "New Pants" in 1990 and followed with "This Is A Recording" in 1992. After that they were unceremoniously dropped from the label at which point the group broke up.
DMP Records released two of their albums "Tricycle" and "Big Notes" on a limited edition gold plated disc. These copies are 20-bit remasters and were generally considered to be of a higher fidelity than the original releases, already considered "audiophile" material. Also released by DMP was a compilation album "Vintage BB's". The recognizable elements of this band include Billy Barber's compositions and synthesizer sounds, Jimmy Johnson's Alembic
5-string bass guitar, Dick Oatts' sax and flute playing, and Bill Berg's drum and percussion work. Billy Barber composed the original theme for "All My Children
" (a version of the song appears on their album "This Is A Recording") and continues to do original music for radio, tv and commercials. Jimmy "Flim" Johnson is a freelance studio musician based in Los Angeles. Dick Oatts is currently Artistic Director of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra) as well as playing with several other groups. Bill Berg has retired from Disney Animation and plays drums in various jazz groups around the Los Angeles area.
History
The group consisted of Jimmy "Flim" JohnsonJimmy Johnson (bassist)
Jimmy Johnson is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with James Taylor, Allan Holdsworth, Lee Ritenour and Flim & the BB's...
(bass), Bill Berg
Bill Berg (musician)
Bill Berg is a noted drummer in jazz and fusion music, best known for his work with the group Flim & the BB's, as well as guitarist Wayne Johnson. He also served as the drummer for fellow Hibbing, Minnesota native Bob Dylan's notable record Blood on the Tracks.Berg has also recorded and worked...
(percussion), & Billy Barber
Billy Barber (musician)
Billy Barber is a keyboardist and composer. He is the son of pianist and William C. Barber, also known as Bill Barber Sr.He is most noted for the theme song for All My Children in the 1990s as well as keyboardist for the jazz group Flim & the BB's with Jimmy Johnson and Bill Berg...
(piano, keyboard, synthesizer). Dick Oatts
Dick Oatts
Richard "Dick" Oatts is a jazz saxophonist from Jefferson, Iowa. He became interested in saxophone due to his father Jack Oatts. To this day he still plays on the same Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone his father gave to him. He began his professional career in Minneapolis in 1972 and in 1977 he joined...
(woodwinds) didn't join until after their first album was released. The name of the group came from Jimmy Johnson's nickname "Flim" and the initials of the other two original members. The band was a "side project" of sorts for all of them as they were each freelance studio musicians who played live with various groups.
Their early days in the late 1970s included individual studio work in Minneapolis, Minnesota and occasionally playing as a band at the Longhorn Bar
Jay's Longhorn Bar
Jay's Longhorn Bar, most frequently referred to by patrons as The Longhorn has arguably been considered what constituted the nexus of the...
. It was around this time that 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
began experimenting with digital sound recording and this group was hired to provide music to test this new equipment. Their self-titled first album was released by Sound 80 studios in 1978. It was recorded as a direct-to-disc project with the 3M digital recorder running as a backup. When the acetate was deemed unusable the record was remaster from that digital backup, possibly a first use of that source. Since the machine used was an early prototype built before any digital recording standards were established, and then was subsequently dismantled, there is currently no way to re-issue that first album.
Through their work as studio musicians they became friends with Tom Jung, then chief engineer at Sound 80
Sound 80
Sound80 was a recording studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States founded by Tom Jung and Herb Pilhofer in 1969. Largely involved with local artists, the studio is best known for recording portions of Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks in 1974, but also made what is believed to be the first...
studios. He engineered their first album and also produced their five following albums for DMP Records, an independent "audiophile" record label he formed after relocating to Connecticut. Their second album "Tricycle" was the first non-classical recording to be released on the then new compact disc format. The cover art for "Tricycle" was drawn by Bill Berg's son Jacob. It was also one of the first jazz albums to be recorded, mastered and delivered completely in the digital domain. The entire recording chain after the first few feet of microphone cable from the musicians' instruments remained in the digital domain until it was decoded by the consumer's CD player. DMP's releases were for the most part recorded directly to two-tracks as opposed to the more common multi-track method. This means that there was very minimal use of overdubs and the majority of the music was performed, recorded and mixed "live" to the recorder.
They went on to release four more albums for DMP Digital Music Products
DMP Digital Music Products
DMP Digital Music Products was one of the first fully digital recording labels, generally specializing in jazz artists. Founded by engineer and digital recording pioneer Tom Jung after leaving Sound 80 recording studios in Minneapolis, its first releases in 1983 featured pianist Warren Bernhardt,...
all to critical acclaim - each winning Digital Audio's "Jazz CD of the Year" award. After the release of their album "The Further Adventures of Flim & The BB's" they parted ways with DMP Records and signed to Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. They released their album "New Pants" in 1990 and followed with "This Is A Recording" in 1992. After that they were unceremoniously dropped from the label at which point the group broke up.
DMP Records released two of their albums "Tricycle" and "Big Notes" on a limited edition gold plated disc. These copies are 20-bit remasters and were generally considered to be of a higher fidelity than the original releases, already considered "audiophile" material. Also released by DMP was a compilation album "Vintage BB's". The recognizable elements of this band include Billy Barber's compositions and synthesizer sounds, Jimmy Johnson's Alembic
Alembic Inc
Alembic was founded in 1969 and is a manufacturer of high-end electric basses, guitars and preamps.-History:Ron and Susan Wickersham founded Alembic, Inc. in 1969...
5-string bass guitar, Dick Oatts' sax and flute playing, and Bill Berg's drum and percussion work. Billy Barber composed the original theme for "All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
" (a version of the song appears on their album "This Is A Recording") and continues to do original music for radio, tv and commercials. Jimmy "Flim" Johnson is a freelance studio musician based in Los Angeles. Dick Oatts is currently Artistic Director of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (formerly the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra) as well as playing with several other groups. Bill Berg has retired from Disney Animation and plays drums in various jazz groups around the Los Angeles area.
Discography
- Flim & the BB's (1978)
- Tricycle (1983)
- Tunnel (1984)
- Big Notes (1985)
- Neon (1987)
- The Further Adventures of Flim & the BB's (1988)
- New Pants (1990)
- Vintage BB's (best of) (1992)
- This Is A Recording (1992)
- Tricycle (Super Audio CDSuper Audio CDSuper Audio CD is a high-resolution, read-only optical disc for audio storage. Sony and Philips Electronics jointly developed the technology, and publicized it in 1999. It is designated as the Scarlet Book standard. Sony and Philips previously collaborated to define the Compact Disc standard...
reissue) (1999)