Chosen by Claude Lemaire
"This is a journey into sound. A journey which along the way will bring to you new colour, new dimension, new value..."
For selections #1 to 50, please click here: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.ca/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html
After nearly 45 years–wherein the world holds its breath under the genuine threat of eroding freedoms, and escalating nuclear war–MFSB's message still rings true and maybe more than ever, resonates all over the globe. Bart Forbes' cover illustration under the art direction of Ed Lee perfectly paints the sombre scenery of the cold war colliding with the 1960s civil rights movements, with KKK hoods, and Nazi propaganda intertwined; strangely a scenario not unlike more recent, and present times. With the Paris Peace Accords of 1973 announcing the return of US troops from Vietnam, it seems at first glance somewhat odd that producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff should stick with such a dire LP cover–exposing the worst of the past instead of promoting a more positive portrait of the burgeoning (me)decade–perhaps reminding us that the mistakes of the past may resurface at any giving time. After a so-so self-titled debut earlier that same year, comprising mostly instrumental covers, this was MFSB's–Mother Father Sister Brother–second, and best album, both musically and sonically, with Universal Love [Philadelphia International KZ 33158], their third LP from 1975, coming in a close second. Although the Gamble-Huff duo had previously scored soulful success with such songs as "Expressway to Your Heart", "Only the Strong Survive", "Love Train"; "I'll Always Love My Mama", and "The Love I Lost"; it took MFSB's Love Is the Message to solidify "The Sound of Philadelphia' through its title track and especially its show-stopper hit "T.S.O.P.", serving weekly as Don Cornelius' Soul Train theme. With Earl Young's pioneering hi-hat shuffling, accompanied by Ron Baker on bass, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Don Renaldo and his Strings and Horns, and Bobby Martin's magnificent arrangements–just to name a few of the key players–this latter track really epitomized the confluence of Philly soul with the emerging disco beat, while the title track became a 'classic anthem' for the gay community, and one of the most defining tracks spinning at David Mancuso's legendary 'Loft' in NYC–the original architect of "Love Saves the Day" and precursor to the 'love message' Philly philosophy. Superbly recorded and mixed by Sigma Sound Studios' owner Joe Tarsia, and mastered and cut at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs–both anchored in Philadelphia, PA–it is one of the most balanced and well executed of the Philly releases. The 23 second intro "Zack's Fanfare", serves as a short show demo-worthy instrumental track with crisp and punchy big band sound–a perfect tune to get ones attention.
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52- MFSB – Universal Love. Philadelphia International Records – KZ 33158 promo copy (1975), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Philly soul, disco, smooth jazz
As mentioned above, this is the group's third and last LP worth owning, their subsequent albums not living up to the standards of this List nor to their best efforts. Contrary to the previous release that comprised two superb tracks plus a short interesting intro, Universal Love counts five great tracks–including the album opener "Sexy", a fine cover of The Nite Liters' 1971 hit "K-Jee" which grew in popularity two years later when included in the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack; and my favorite of the LP: "T.L.C (Tender Lovin' Care)" with its big band stylistic influences, and stunning sax solo intro by Zach Zachary and Tony Williams; "Love Has No Time or Place" though not a hit, is also one of the interesting pieces. Predominantly instrumental like the preceding one, it veers slightly more towards the disco vibe as compared to Love Is the Message, yet still retains the famous Philly soul 'house band' sound. The personnel and production team, pretty much remains unchanged. Once again, engineers Joe Tarsia recorded the sessions at Sigma Sound Studios, and Nimitr Sarikananda at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs mastered and cut the lacquers in Philadelphia, PA. The sound quality does not quite reach the high level of the previous release: with a bit of compression creeping in, a touch less crispness in the brass, a slight lack of weight in the bottom end, and less upfront or defined in the overall drumset–thus placing this MFSB LP second in sonics. I compared my normal US original pressing–also cut by NS–to my white-label promo, preferring the latter by a small degree, especially in the upper bass 'punch' region. As for Ed Lee's gatefold cover design, and photography; it is the exact opposite of the previous illustration, resembling more a pastel painting printed on a soothing 'get well card'–a sign of the times that people were past dwelling on the problems of the world, hungry for happier times.
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As mentioned above, this is the group's third and last LP worth owning, their subsequent albums not living up to the standards of this List nor to their best efforts. Contrary to the previous release that comprised two superb tracks plus a short interesting intro, Universal Love counts five great tracks–including the album opener "Sexy", a fine cover of The Nite Liters' 1971 hit "K-Jee" which grew in popularity two years later when included in the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack; and my favorite of the LP: "T.L.C (Tender Lovin' Care)" with its big band stylistic influences, and stunning sax solo intro by Zach Zachary and Tony Williams; "Love Has No Time or Place" though not a hit, is also one of the interesting pieces. Predominantly instrumental like the preceding one, it veers slightly more towards the disco vibe as compared to Love Is the Message, yet still retains the famous Philly soul 'house band' sound. The personnel and production team, pretty much remains unchanged. Once again, engineers Joe Tarsia recorded the sessions at Sigma Sound Studios, and Nimitr Sarikananda at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs mastered and cut the lacquers in Philadelphia, PA. The sound quality does not quite reach the high level of the previous release: with a bit of compression creeping in, a touch less crispness in the brass, a slight lack of weight in the bottom end, and less upfront or defined in the overall drumset–thus placing this MFSB LP second in sonics. I compared my normal US original pressing–also cut by NS–to my white-label promo, preferring the latter by a small degree, especially in the upper bass 'punch' region. As for Ed Lee's gatefold cover design, and photography; it is the exact opposite of the previous illustration, resembling more a pastel painting printed on a soothing 'get well card'–a sign of the times that people were past dwelling on the problems of the world, hungry for happier times.
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Discovered at Woodstock, stealing Saturday's spotlight show with their stunning "Soul Sacrifice" spectacle, the San Francisco's sextet conquered the stage 'with a little help' from LSD's 'mind-expanding' friends, consequently catapulting them to fame, just a few days prior to the release of their first LP. Santana's self-titled debut is a magnificent melting pot of musical styles, second only in sonics to their 1970 follow up Abraxas. Song compositions as well as arrangements, and performances are up there with the best, easily competing with the aforementioned album. Produced by Brent Dangerfield, and the band, there are no dull moments along the journey, with one track reprising, while actually improving upon, Willie Bobo's boogaloo jazz hit "Evil Ways"–a precursor to early discothèque's latin soul-funk-flavored favorites such as War's "Spill the Wine", hitting the charts the following year. Their 'heavier' version of Babatunde Olatunji's "Jingo" would soon leave its mark on Titanic's 1970 single "Sultana" as well as Cerrone's first French group Kongas from the early-1970s, and Black Soul's mid-1970s afrobeat-disco musical hybrid. Also noteworthy is the delicate piano playing found in the intro, and finale of "Treat" that seems to have inspired Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" from DSOTM. Likewise it is obvious how "Soul Sacrifice" had a profound influence on The Disco Sound of André Gagnon's first single "Wow", six years later. Recorded and mixed at Pacific Recording Studios in San Mateo, CA, by engineers Bob "Deputy Dog" Breault, and Eric "Gentle Ben" Prestidge; according to the credits, it was originally mastered and I guess cut at Customatrix–a division of Columbia in charge of the metal parts right up to the stampers. I did not have an original 1969 US pressing to compare with but do own a Canadian '360 Sound' first press that always sounded poor, with no bass, nor highs, but mostly mids–and quite inferior to my old Canadian '360 Sound' Abraxas pressing–that I would rate no more than a 5. Mofi came out with a first half-speed remastering in 2007 that I found disappointingly soft and veiled in the treble, leading to a lack of articulation, and definition, but nevertheless was a bit better than my Can. copy, leading me to give it around a 6.5. By contrast this 2015 double 45 version mastered by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Shawn R. Britton is way ahead of any pressing I have heard in sound quality, and I'd rate it a strong 9.5. Although there is still some slight dryness and lack of extension in the very top octave, apparent mostly as 'sandy' cymbal textures, the rest of the spectrum is spectacularly good, with solid powerful lows and mids, providing forceful driving drumstrokes akin to real live music. The organ feels organically raw, rich, and colorfully 'crunchy'. Percussive instruments such as timbales and congas conquer the deep, and wide panoramic stage. Palpable, and timbrally realistic for sure, they do not attain the top transparency detail found on Abraxas [MoFi UD1S 2-001], though the latter's 'one-step' procedure provides it with a small unfair advantage over this conventional 'three-step' double 45 MoFi edition. Overall, the sound is big and thick but less airy and 'hyper-detailed' than their one-step release–which is to be expected given the difference in price, and procedure, yet still remains tonally right on my system.
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If ever there was such a thing as a symbiotic cool jazz trio up for election, The Poll Winners would win my vote hands down. Composed of Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums, these West Coast Contemporary 'cats' sound as if they had been playing together for decades on end, when in reality Kessel had sidelined with Manne on a few previous albums, and once shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with Brown–at one of Norman Granz' Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts–but this LP represents their first recording gig as a trio. As a unit they are tightly locked together, yet remain relaxed, supple and sweet. Consisting mainly of traditional jazz, and popular standards, both sides can work wonders spinning as background music, but the agile performances between players commands complete attention from us for true serious music appreciation. Contrary to today's misguided desire to dominate the other by sheer loudness level, these musicians mastered the art of listening amongst themselves, at times showing great restraint, along with subtlety, speed, and delicate dexterity on demand. Needless to say, when combined with Contemporary's 'genious-in-residence' Roy DuNann manning the mics, and minimal controls in Los Angeles back in March 1957, how could it not turn out 'deliciously' great. Mainly dry sounding, and intimate, all three instruments–guitar in one channel with the two others sharing the opposite–are so easy to follow, with timbrally realistic portrayals: Brown's bass has the perfect equilibrium of pitch articulation, and resonant roundness, spectrally complementing Manne's trebly rhytmic brushstrokes circling the snare skin, while Kessel's Gibson guitar sweetly shines with just the right mixture of warm tone with subtle sustain. Unfortunately, I do not have an original 1958 Stereo Records in my collection but based on my 1984 OJC copy–which are typically fine sounding (thin) pressings but not the equal of more expensive remasterings–I can absolutely attest to the incredible session sound that DuNann captures on tape, and can confidently guesstimate–based on past close comparisons–the uptick one would get with a NM original or perhaps greater still with Analogue Productions' double-45 rpm, remastered, and cut by Hoffman and Gray at AcousTech Mastering–which I will report on in the near future when it arrives.
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55- The Poll Winners – Ride Again!. Stereo Records S7020 (1958), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: West Coast jazz
Recorded 17 months later by Roy DuNann, and produced by Lester Koenig in August 1958, this is the trio's follow up to their debut. Again, mostly filled with traditional standards, there are a few more originals by Kessel, and Brown on this one. It would be pointless to waste time, and space repeating the exact same comments as described above, for it is on par in music, and sound quality, making it interchangeable on all aspects. So if you love one, you'll no doubt love the other equally. In this case, I was lucky enough to find a NM original Stereo Records, and can confirm that it is of true reference calibre, almost to the point of wondering if a double-45 rpm remastering could really surpass it.
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Recorded 17 months later by Roy DuNann, and produced by Lester Koenig in August 1958, this is the trio's follow up to their debut. Again, mostly filled with traditional standards, there are a few more originals by Kessel, and Brown on this one. It would be pointless to waste time, and space repeating the exact same comments as described above, for it is on par in music, and sound quality, making it interchangeable on all aspects. So if you love one, you'll no doubt love the other equally. In this case, I was lucky enough to find a NM original Stereo Records, and can confirm that it is of true reference calibre, almost to the point of wondering if a double-45 rpm remastering could really surpass it.
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Tightly led and influenced by Mily Balakirev, Alexander Borodin–the eldest of 'The Five'–along with Cesar Cui, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov were also identified as The Mighty Handful; a small group of young self-trained amateurs-composers from 1856 to 1870–highly responsible for influencing the course of Russian music. Borodin's best known large-scale work–his four part symphony–sets the stage with ambitious aplomb, alternating between major and minor thirds throughout the score. Monumental, 'military-esque', and majestic in grandeur, the piece was written between 1869 and 1876, with a final orchestral revision in 1879, the latter premiered by Russian counterpart Rimsky-Korsakov that same year. Originally released in 1959 on the Red Seal label, the captured sound of Kingsway Hall, recorded by Decca engineer Alan Reeve, and later remastered, and cut by Bernie Grundman is immensely impressive: bold, brawny, brassy, and solid are all adjectives that come to mind upon my many listening impressions. Tonal balance is spot on with realistic string, and woodwind timbres–in particular the brass fortes cut through with fiery force, no doubt due in part to Martinon's exciting direction of The London Symphony Orchestra. The dynamic as well as the frequency range are both huge, making this particular pressing quite challenging, all the way from source to speakers. Soundstage scale–width, height, and depth–is also up there with the very best on record, confirming once more that with certain Living Stereo's, Grundman and Classic Records really got it right. Side two opens with Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnole which is equally captivating musically, and sonically.
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Progressive's peak period of creativity, and popularity–if ever one could conjure up such a scenario–is arguably around the years 1971 to 1973, producing many masterful gems such as: Genesis' Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound; Yes' The Yes Album and Fragile; King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic; ELP's Tarkus; Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells; and the all-time biggest selling–if one stretches a bit the genre's definition–Pink Floyd's DSOTM. Inspired by Monty Python satire, Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick is just another jewel in the crown of the mighty British Empire that ruled the artistically-inclined airwaves, roughly covering the decade from 1967 with Sgt. Pepper' right up to the uprising of the anti-establishment punk movement circa 1976–wherein the original pioneering progressives were starting to sound stale. Following the thunderous success of Aqualung, the band led by Ian Anderson, which by now had carved out a subgenre niche for itself–melding a triad of art, hard, and folk rock–were preparing to push further the more progressive elements from their musical recipe into a full-fledged concept album comprising only one composition divided in two lengthy parts. Combining medieval and renaissance folk, jazz, rock, and odd time signatures within classical musical structures, the complex composition confirmed the proficiency of the band through tight rapid dynamic shifts. The resulting release in March of 1972 was not only a musical high point of their career but fortunately for us audiophiles, a solid sonic success as well, making it their best sounding album by far–a situation not unlike Rush with 2112, whereby a gifted rock band with progressive inclinations broadly suffers from badly mixed, and mastered productions. Superbly recorded by engineer Robin Black at Morgan Studios in London England–home to such sonic wonders as Led Zep II, Tea for the Tillerman, Meddle, America, etc.–on a 24-track Ampex, my original UK 'Pecko Porky' pressing cut by George Peckham has everything going for it: great tonal balance, wide frequency range, warm yet precise in rhythmic precision when called upon. I don't have the 1985 MoFi, but I had compared it some years ago from a friend's collection with both my UK original, and my first press Can. [Reprise MS 2072]–which is also quite good and pleasant–and the MoFi sounded equally excellent with a hint more warmth than the UK, the latter having a bit more mid presence, making them both equal winners, and worthy, while the first press Can. copy came out close behind the two others.
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Another giant step that would constitute a worthy addition to the previous prog citations above is Gentle Giant's fifth album In a Glass House, also released during the aforementioned apex, in September 1973. Created by three brothers–Phil, Derek, and Ray Schulman–in 1970, and accompanied by a few other talented musicians along the way, the band cultivated a small but serious following, reaching their peak period between 1972's Octopus and The Power and the Glory two years later. At the time, conservative Columbia corporate chiefs considered the album–In a Glass House–too 'uncommercial' for the North American market, thus dropping the band from their roster, resulting in the necessity for retailers, and fans alike to import the LP from Mother England–insuring us audiophiles to end up with a better chance of finding an original UK pressing with superior sound most probably. Admittedly a tad more experimental than their British counterparts; rather than following the 1970s prog prototype 'formula', the five multi-instrumentalists challenge us–as well as themselves–by combining complex musical structures utilising an array of unorthodox instruments within the realm of rock as well as vocal polyphony, and polymeters more in line with medieval classical forms. Self-produced, it was engineered by Gary Martin in July 1973 at Advision Studios, while mastered and cut–at Trident I suppose–by Ray Staff, both situated in London, England. The instrument mixdown is finely executed with the rapidly sharp 'snappy' kick, and remaining drumkit, particularly standing out, well defined dynamically, and rhythmically. Multi-layered vocals plus myriad percussive timbres are also well served. Tonal balance is excellent, leaning more towards a quick, clean, neutral, 'solid state' signature, than the typical tube warmth we tend to associate with the early-1970s, and not unlike a good direct-to-disc sonic footprint featuring stellar dynamics for the genre. The sole caveat is a slight lack or lightness in the bottom end lows, in order to give it more weight, majesty, and authority. Pretty much on the same level playing field as Octopus at least for my acquired taste.
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59- Voivod – Nothingface. MCA, Mechanic Records – MCA-6326 (Can.) (1989), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: prog metal
It is well known–at least to those working in the music milieu–that the Canadian province of Québec is distinctively, and historically recognized as having a deep appreciation for two musically-challenging genres–progressive, and heavy metal–as well as Montréal serving as a metropolis for the disco scene during the 1970s, followed closely by the underground punk-hardcore-alternative crowd found in such places as the famous Foufounes Electriques. Having set foot a few times in 'Foufs' in the mid-1980s to early 1990s, I can attest to its importance in supporting the scene, as well as discovering burgeoning various-metal bands playing exciting live sets such as Groovy Aardvark, Dead Brain Cells (DBC), and most importantly Voivod. After debuting in 1984, followed by a couple of subsequent albums, in the noisier thrash metal subgenre, the Jonquière-based quartet conquered the territoire with its 1989 metal masterpiece Nothingface, producing a perfect blend of prog and metal–with subtle elements reflecting Rush's precision, King Crimson's dissonant chords of triads, and tritones along with a captivating cover version of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine" taken from their 1967 psychedelic debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn [Columbia SCX 6157]–adding of course their own original 'trash touch'. There is no weak track on this LP; every one is a stunner from start to finish in creative compositions, dissonant arrangements, and powerful performances. Furthermore, producer Glen Robinson, assisted by engineers Benoit Lavallée, and Rob Sutton did a fantastic job with the sound which was recorded digitally at Victor Studio in Montréal, and mixed digitally at Powerplay Studio in Long Island City, NY. Contrary to the subgenre's norm, and music period, the tonal balance is spot on, linear, and lowly compressed with non-fatiguing sound, and surprisingly–for digital–clean extended cymbals. In fact the whole drumkit–kick, snare, toms–is articulate, with timbrally realistic, struck 'snappy' skins, under the batons of "Away" aka Michel Langevin's impressive playing. Guitarist "Piggy" aka Denis D'Amour along with vocalist "Snake" aka Denis Bélanger, bring forth their unique dissonant stylistic signature to the foray. Bernie Grundman did a fine cutting, minimizing inner-groove distortion. Probably one of my top 5 to top 10 metal albums, and surely my all-time favorite prog metal LP.
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We all have a record that we remember fondly, the first time we heard hifi highly surpass our expectations–RLJ for me falls firmly into that category. Spinning on an Oracle Delphi with Koetsu cart, C-J tube electronics, and B&W 801 speakers at my local shop–i.e. your typical mid-80s high end gear way back in the day–I listened attentively as our young bohemian artist "flipped a dime", its sparkling decay floating over Red Callender's cool double bass walking... My gear taste may have evolved a little over time, but my appreciation for Jones' cozy poetic vocals remains sunk in to this day. In similar fashion to two iconic singer-songwriters–Joni Mitchell, and Carole King–Jones penned all of the eleven songs on her self-titled debut album, plus sharing two co-writes. Joined by a bevy of first-rate musicians such as Dr. John, Michael McDonald, Randy Newman, Steve Gadd, and Jeff Porcaro, it was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman, with assistance by Penny Ringwood. Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Lee Herschberg with additional engineering by Lloyd Clifft, Roger Nichols, and Tom Knox; the original 1979 release shared some 'audiophile angles' without being overtly created as such, nor succumbing to any emotional blandness as we have often encountered in situations where sonics presided over creative content. Returning to my original US 'Jacksonville' pressing on my present custom system, it is evident that though the general sound is quite good, with decent dynamics, and tonal balance for pop-oriented material, the single 33 1/3 rpm 2013 MoFi reissue, remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich, is clearly superior in every manner, with better high frequency extension, detail, and airiness–most apparent in the delicate triangle, cymbals, and numerous percs in general, showing the former's slight veil. Vocals, finger snaps, mandolin, guitars, and bass strings have better articulation, and harmonics. The dynamics are much improved over the original; the kick drum in particular is quite tighter, sharper, and steadfast, solidifying the pace from the get-go with "Chuck E.'s in Love" all through to the end. Finally the soundstage slightly gains proportions, though this recording remains rather intimate than 'extra-large-scale'. I do not have the first MoFi half-speed remastering back in 1983 [MFSL 1-089], nor the UK Nimbus Supercut by Gerald Reynolds, nor the 2013 double-45 rpm edition by MoFi [MFSL 2-45010], but suspect the latter should better this present one a notch or two further when given the typical meticulous MoFi care but cannot confirm without a true listening.
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62- Pixies – Doolittle. 4AD – 905 (UK France) (1989), MoFi – MFSL 1-296 (2009), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: alternative, garage rock, noise pop
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63- Art Pepper – Art Pepper + Eleven. – Modern Jazz Classics Contemporary Records S 7568 (1959), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7568 (2003) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, big band, bop, west coast, cool jazz
Pepper's Plus Eleven is the second of five LP's released–between 1957, and 1960–on Lester Koenig's Contemporary jazz label, smack in the middle of the 'golden age' of jazz, and sound. Contrary to what the title might suggest, there are not eleven musicians accompanying him but rather fifteen listed in the credits, so I'm guessing +11 simply signified an 'over the top' performance a la Spinal Tap! At any rate, this small 'big band' conducted by Marty Paich, and recorded expertly by Roy DuNann, and Howard Holzer in March, and May 1959 remains my favorite of the five releases for many reasons: because of the chosen 'classic' compositions–many from Dizzy, and Charlie–Pepper's performance, and Paich's exquisite arrangements, perfectly showcasing, as well as blending, the brass' blattiness with a lightning fast rhythm section. The dynamic expressiveness of the many musicians is outstanding on both the faster boppish material, and the slower sweeping cooler ballads, beautifully breathing air down their reeds. I did not have an original 1959 Contemporary pressing to compare with but do have the first Analogue Prod. version remastered, and cut by Doug Sax in 1995 [APJ 017] which was quite excellent sounding, and leaning on the warm side with bloomy low mids, but also a micro-veil towards the top treble. The 2003 double-45 rpm cut by AcousTech's mastering team of Hoffman and Gray, not surprisingly addresses the latter point, providing an airier top end, better bite and crunch to the trumpets and saxes, serving a livelier, subjectively faster, more energetic, dynamic snap with refined realism, at a tiny expense of losing a tad in 'tubey' 'romance', well worth the trade-off.
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64- The Roots – Do You Want More?!!!??!. Geffen Records – GEF 24708 (EU) (1994), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Geffen Records UMe – B00229918-01 (2015) (2x33 1/3 rpm), clear blue vinyl. Genre: hip hop, conscious, jazz rap, neo jazz
Most of mainstream America only discovered the group in 2009 and have been enjoying them ever since in their living rooms on a nightly basis, but Fallon's famous 'house band' has its Roots reaching back to 1993 with the 17 track independent release Organix. As its interrogative title suggest, Do You Want More?!!!??! is their–major label debut–follow up album, which explains why the track sequencing starts out at number '18' instead of the usual numerical '1'. Originally released in 1994 as a double-LP Euro import, and as a shorter-duration US promo [DGC PRO-A2-4693] for radio and deejays–with fewer tracks, and clean edits–it was not until 2015 that Geffen through Universal Music Enterprises decided to give it a proper 180g 'noise-free' reissue. In concert with disco, funk, and metal; hip hop has not garnered much attention or praise in the audiophile press, perhaps due in part to some 'bad apples', ripe with extreme EQ or compression, contaminating the minds or leaving a 'bad taste' within many heads of sound departments. Admittedly a lack of quality remasterings in those musical genres as opposed to the steady diet of jazz, classical, and common rock we normally get fed, equally enters the equation. What sets apart The Roots from many of their peers is that they are a full-fledge funky acoustic band–rather than a few guys rapping over some pre-recorded material–capable of jazzing things up as well as rocking it up live when called upon. Saxophonist Steve Coleman lends his lips on six tracks. Produced by Grand Negaz, it was recorded by David Ivory, Vince Kershner and Gordon Rice at Sigma Sound Studios plus Otto Capobianco at Nebula Sounds, both situated in Philadelphia, PA. Drummer and co-founder Ahmir-Kalib Thomson aka Questlove mixed the band, along with Bob Power, Tim Latham, Richard Nichols, A.J. Shine and Jim "Jiff" Hinger at either Sigma Sound or Studio 4 in Philly PA, as well as Battery Studios in NYC. Tom Coyne at The Hit Factory in New York did a great mastering job. The in room drumkit predominates throughout, sounding mostly natural if a little fatter yet fun, including fine snare textures. The total mix features plenty of punch in the lows, with nice bounce to the bass–acoustic and electric–plus clean non-agressive highs. Tarik "Black Thought" Trotter's panned rapping-vocal arrangements, add originality to the table. Despite its cohesion, there is just enough of mild sonic variety explored amongst songs to keep it refreshing, and counterbalance the somewhat minimalist repetitive tempos, and percussive patterns within the grooves. Lastly, the very low compression, contributes to a totally non-fatiguing listening pleasure.
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65- Cypress Hill – III (Temples of Boom). Columbia, Ruffhouse Records – C2 66991 (1995), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: hip hop, gangsta, latin hip hop
Released within a year of the above Roots selection, Cypress Hill's third LP celebrates the darker side of hip hop, hence the gangsta subgenre qualifier. Though the themes, and lyrics may seem harder, bleaker, and even exploitative, the overall musical tracks do not differ that much from other contemporary rap genres, with the exception of skipping over any jazzy arrangements, and horn-based instrumentation. What makes this double-LP particularly interesting is the infusion of Indian influences in certain tracks with subtle psychedelic sounds, sending the listener into a dreamy state over hyp-hop-notic grooves, graced sometimes with syncopated sarcastic rapping. The tonal balance is mostly spot on with just the right amount of 'snap, crackle, and hop' to enhance the experience, including tight punchy kick, appropriately detailed highs, a few sustained sub-territory explorations, and generally low compression.
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66- Babe Ruth – First Base. Harvest, EMI – SHSP 4022 (UK) (1972), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy prog artistic rock, funky-based grooves, Spanish overtones
Named after America's most famous baseball player, British band Babe Ruth reaped its biggest success in Canada–particularly in Québec–with "The Mexican", melding Spanish chords to hard rock, even interpolating Italian composer Ennio Morricone's movie theme from For a Few Dollars More; talk about crossing the cultural divide decades before its time. In fact, not only did the track do the latter, it helped bridge the dancefloor divisions among the 'freaks', 'rockers', and 'mods'–as we used to sub-categorize ourselves unfairly or not back in the day. Legend has it that famed deejay Robert Ouimet was the first to break it to his patrons when it came out while he spinned at a club called Love in Montreal just prior to making his mark at the legendary Lime Light on Stanley Street starting in September 1973. Steve D'Acquisto who deejay-alternated with Ouimet got in on it, and soon played it to David Mancuso at The Loft, which then quickly spread to New York's burgeoning club scene. It also got a renewed life in 1984 when deejay-producer John Benitez aka Jellybean recorded a cover version, and excited a new generation of fans fixated on breakdance, and electro-hip hop beats who saw a connection with the original's fat bouncy back beat–note that The Bombers had their own interesting disco cover back in 1978 but did not draw much attention beyond the discothèque milieu. It is that rare track that you cannot find a direct or even indirect song source influence, nor a subsequent style offspring; not to mention having a flamenco-flavoured intro followed by a fast fade-in of the main backtrack, hence complicating song segue selections. Despite this, it remains a favorite among deejays and my personal all-timer top track for feeling, uniqueness, great 'grooveability', and superb sound, and will be all the more rewarding on a big club-style system, think Klipschorns or JBL 4520 'double scoops'! Four of the five remaining tracks are also excellent musically and sonically thanks to Tony Clark, and Kete Go's great engineering at EMI's Abbey Road studio along with band member lead guitarist Alan Schacklock who arranged, and co-produced the album with Nick Mobbs. The tonal balance is slightly warm, dry, and intimate–typical of the early-1970s–with excellent frequency extension in both directions, and appropriate dynamics. Dick Powell's drums-percussion along with Dave Hewitt's bass are locked in symbiosis while Dave Punshon's keyboards in unison with the lead guitar, come out energetically crisp. 'Wild child' singer Jenny Haan brings a certain Joplinesque attitude to the mix with impressive vocal power, delivery, and modulation. Recorded between June and September 1972, First Base, the band's debut, remains their best work, and a must for any rock or early-disco enthusiast.
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67- Gerry Mulligan - Paul Desmond Quartet – Blues in Time. Verve Records – MGV-8246 (mono) (1957), MoFi – MFSL 1-241, ANADISQ 200 (1995), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz
Produced by Norman Granz for his own Verve label, and recorded in August 1957 at Capitol Studios in L.A. with the exception of one track at Fine Sound Studio in New York, Blues in Time–as it was re-titled in 1962, and has been known ever since–is one of the better sounding selections from MoFi's prior Anadisq 200 series along with the Mulligan-Webster entry below. Each album released two years apart represents the epitome in cool refined jazz with Mulligan of course on baritone, and for this date, Desmond on alto, sounding clean, lean, and almost 'baroque' in delivery, while at certain times giving us a 'preview' of his soon-to-be timeless performance on Brubeck's Time Out [Classic Records CS8192-45QPC]. Bass, and drums are well balanced to support the two perfectly-blending protagonist without drawing too much attention onto themselves. I did not have an original Verve pressing to compare with but MoFi's Stan Ricker did a fine half-speed remastering and cutting with just enough treble detail to prevent things not to get too soft or veiled as is sometimes the case with original Verve records. Keep in mind MoFi kept it in mono like the original 1957 release.
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68- Gerry Mulligan, Ben Webster – Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster. Verve Records – MG VS-68343 (1959), MoFi – MFSL 1-234, ANADISQ 200 (1995), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz
Just about everything I wrote above applies to this sax pairing with the exception of this release being in stereo instead of mono as well as Gerry's guest on this gig is now on tenor instead of alto. Both players are fully panned against each other, and closely captured by the mics providing a very intimate, and warm sound that I appreciate a lot. Recorded in November, and December 1959 at Radio Recorders in L.A., it opens with Billy Strayhorn's sultry standard, the classic "Chelsea Bridge"–interestingly first interpreted by Webster with the Duke Ellington orchestra back in December 1941. Right from the first notes we can easily hear their respective vibrating reeds making it feel all the more real; once again a beautiful blend of both of their tones together. For these sessions, Leroy Vinnegar is on bass with Mel Lewis on drums delivering smooth support throughout the tracks. Tonal balance seems just right thanks in part to Stan Ricker's remastering and half-speed cutting. Not having an original 1959 Verve to compare with but based on experience with original Verve pressings, I doubt the latter would better or even reach this refinement level we have here. Neither did I have the 2010 double-45 rpm on ORG [013] remastered, and cut by Bernie Grundman which should offer some theoretical advantages over a single 33 rpm but there are many other factors in play such as sonic tastes, EQ choices, equipment, etc., before presuming any clear outcome.
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69- T-Connection – "Do What You Wanna Do"/"Got to See My Lady". T.K. Disco – 24 (1977), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco
Hailing from Nassau, Bahamas, the sextet soon signed to Henry Stone's funky disco Miami-based T.K. Records, one of the three most important independent disco labels along with Salsoul, and Casablanca. The instrumental "Disco Magic"–their first release, and the second to appear on T.K.'s 12-inch single format–mostly fell under the radar of regular radio playlists. It was not until "Do What You Wanna Do" a few months later, which caught the attention of most deejays mainly due to the song's extensive, exciting conga percussive break that placed them high in the charts. It was one of the first disco tracks to incorporate such a lengthy break, though Vicki Sue Robinson's pioneering "Turn the Beat Around" [RCA Victor PC 1029, PD 11029] a year earlier, had started the trend through more of a latin salsa stylistic flavor. T-Connection's Kirkwood Coakley's funky eighth-note bass riff really defines this track, borrowing from a speedier version of Silver Convention's "Fly Robin Fly" intro played on 'steroids', and can be reflected in echoes in Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch's "Superman" [T.K. Disco 37] as well as in Giorgio's original sequencer pattern for Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" [Casablanca NBD 20104]. Produced by Alex Sadkin and Cory Wade, the general sound is punchy, and displays drive, groove, grunt, and tremendous energetic force with the only criticism of gradually losing treble detail, and compressing towards the end as engineer Al Brown at Frankford Wayne in New York chose to cut the groove area quite close to the label where the record's radius diminishes a lot. The B-side–given its much shorter duration–does not suffer the same fate, and sounds a bit warmer, less forward, and more extended in the bottom and top.
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70- T-Connection – "At Midnight"/"Playin' Games". T.K. Disco – 121 (1978), 12", 45 rpm, promo, T.K. Records – 12K4 2003 (Can.), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco/funky rock
Their 1978 hit "At Midnight" [T.K. Disco 121] is also worth seeking, especially if you like long 'loop-based' conga intros and breaks of metronomic, and hypnotic effect, making it the most disco-ish of the three T-Connection selections chosen here. Panned percussive elements in the mix keep it exciting though there is some repetitive pattern to the instrumental 'break' that shows some lack of compositional creativity, and nearing ten minutes long, could have benefited from some form of editing to keep the momentum more exciting. Engineered by Gary Vandy, while mixed, and produced by Cory Wade, the US original's A-side sounds fine from the mids up through the highs, but with a mild lack of bass power causing it to sound slightly light weight without a small dose of EQ to even things out–which a good deejay will normally do before blending it in with the 'dancefloor track'. The Canadian Columbia-distributed TK is better balanced from bottom bass to top treble with a small loss of dynamic attack in the kick and snare strikes, producing a warmer tonal presentation plus an added benefit of a wider soundstage, making it in the end my preferred pressing. On the other hand, the lesser known B-side clocking in just under four minutes is quite tidy, and a touch of lead electric guitar brings in strong funky rock influences more so than traditional disco. For this second side, the sound is superb, sporting solid serious punch in the 'meaty' mid to upper bass range, plus some 'crunchy' synth presence–the Canadian copy comes in a very close second or on par.
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71- T-Connection – "Saturday Night". T.K. Disco – 134 (1979), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco
This is the group's final big hit single worth getting. The musical style fits well within the typical T.K. 'Sunshine Sound', and veers more towards the clean funky disco side of the spectrum than the 'dirtier' "Do What You Wanna Do" disco-funk hybrid cited higher up. The sound per say is also different where in this instance it is quite a bit more detailed in the upper mids and treble, right up to the top octave with rapid 'dynamic burst' making it come alive as well as having a fun club-style upper bass that 'kicks butt', but with less grunt and bottom foundation than the aforementioned track. Panned percussive elements in the mix keep it exciting though here also there is some repetitive pattern to the "ooh-ooh" 'break' that gets boring after a while, and would have benefited from some editing or added arrangements. Cory Wade reprises his role with the production once again, and mastering was done at Sterling Sound in New York with no apparent top end 'dulling' on this cut as opposed to #69. The B-side is the identical same track which may disappoint some buyers but can be a bonus if ever one side gets damaged over time.
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72- Franz Löffler, Pierre Favre – Swingin' Bach Guitar. Polydor – 237 642 (Ger.) (1964), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: classical, baroque, jazz
I had long forgotten about this baroque jazz hybrid that I had picked up for a few bucks way back when my vinyl vault was quite smaller, and somehow must have misplaced or perhaps sold it–both rare occurences I might add–for I still have not found it. Fortunately last month, while digging through a vinyl shop's weekend sale, I stumbled upon a second hand copy of the same record in VG+ condition for a mere 33 cents!–at Aux 33 Tours in Montreal. The title is pretty much self-explanatory: this is a collection of Bach's famous works arranged by Klaus Netzle, and Sam Spence, and reinterpreted through a swingin' sixties jazz lens that still sounds fresh today. Accompanied by Swiss drummer Pierre Favre, this was German guitarist Franz Löffler's first foray into a long list of either 'jazzed-up' classical or easy listening releases. On this debut, he plays between three to five different guitars–electric, bass, mandolin, etc.–overdubbed on each musical track, creating a mini pseudo-string ensemble. My original German Polydor pressing is sufficiently quiet to appreciate the extremely well recorded (studio-augmented) duo displaying near-perfect tonal balance, precise pinching, with impressive intimacy from the strings, and sweeping snare brushstrokes spread through the soundstage. There is mild compression but still remaining a fatigue-free delight for the ears, mind, and spirit.
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73- The Stooges – The Stooges. Elektra – EKS-74051 (1969), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: garage rock, psychedelic-tinged hard rock, proto-punk, avant-rock
Clearly there must be something lurking in those waters but thankfully this has nothing to do with the tragedy that hit Flint in 2014. Michigan's music scene gave birth not only to the early years of techno, but reaching further into the past, to Detroit blues, Motown, the MC5, Alice Cooper, and The Stooges. Move over Larry, Moe, and Curly, and make way for Dave, Ron, Scott, and Iggy. And while the leader's stage name may be Pop, no one would dare ascribe that qualifier to the iconic quartet's self-titled debut. Recorded in April 1969, and released in August that same year, the landmark album was way ahead of its time for preceding the punk movement by roughly six-seven years yet it also clearly clings to its late 1960s surroundings, stirring psychedelic fuzzed solo leads with raw garage-hard rock–reminiscent no doubt of their Psychedelic Stooges forebears. Produced by John Cale–ex-member for Andy Warhol's venturous Velvet Underground–one can clearly hear through his electric viola playing on the long, and repetitive "We Will Fall", the VU's dark decadent ambiance particularly permeating this track. In fact, I would have favored shortening the latter in order to unleash the premature lead guitar fade-out on "I Wanna Be Your Dog"–where Cale pounds the piano riff all through its too brief three minute duration. On "Ann", one could be fooled that Jim Morrison entered the studio, and took over–not that far-fetched given both groups shared the same Elektra facilities. The recording quality is outstanding, and among the best in my book regarding this genre, and similar 'bare-bones' music styles. What sets it apart from the era–and much of rock in general–is how deep in the lows, and complementarily, how high in the top end that the tape captured so well, and Lee Hulko's mastering and cutting at Sterling Sound does a fantastic job letting it all through. The very dry studio sound lends itself perfectly for the band's raw power, giving the guitar a 'small basement' directness with edgy realism, as well as imparting Iggy's vocals with a crisp forcefulness delivery that sharpens lyrics' intelligibility. Drums and bass lend ample support to the other end of the scale. Unfortunately no recording nor mixing engineer is credited but it kinda resembles a mixture of two of my favorite rock engineers: Eddie Kramer, and Steve Albini–for which the latter recorded the reunited band in 2006 for their fourth album. That said, it shares more in common with Kramer's Led Zep II sound than any of Albini's Shellac releases which favor greater room sound contribution to the mix. My Columbia Pitman pressing is the second 'red Big E' copy with "The Stooges" stylized logo printed in the center whereas the original 1969 pressing completely omits the band's name from the label. Both share the same matrix/runout number so I'm guessing they should be extremely close in sound if not identical.
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74- Ran Blake – Film Noir. Arista Novus – AN 3019 (1980), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Third Stream, contemporay jazz, free-form jazz, big band, film noir
Even prior to 1957 when Gunther Schuller coined the term Third Stream to define the merging of 20th century classical music with improvised jazz, composers and band leaders–such as Duke Ellington, and Stan Kenton with his progressive jazz innovations–were exploring similar musical hybrid forms without enjoying significant sales success–nor huge critical acclaim for that matter–yet most of the public, perhaps unknowingly, appreciated it through what many would simply consider 'movie music'. As to why this musical marriage seemed so short lived? Some speculate on the close arrival on the scene of free jazz stealing the show, with a few favoring this fresher, harsher direction while most icons such as Miles, Dizzy, Sonny, et al preferred persuing alternative avenues altogether. American composer, and pianist Ran Blake met Schuller in 1959 and both have since collaborated through teaching at the New England Conservarory of Music. With a string of albums dating as far back as 1962, Film Noir represents his fourteenth album. Produced by Michael Cuscuna, and Greg Silberman, it was recorded in January 1980 at Dimension Sound in Jamaica Plain, mixed at The Mixing Lab in Newton, Mass., and mastered at Masterdisk in New York. Engineer John Nagy did an incredible job capturing every minute nuance from close to a dozen musicians, comprising drums, electric bass and guitar, oboe, flute, tenor, alto, soprano saxes, trombone, trumpet, percussion, and Blake on piano of course–all with uncanny realism, truthful timbres, and wide dynamic, full range sound. Travelling through Third stream, contemporary, big band, and free-form jazz, it is a sheer delight for the senses for those seeking non-traditional musical structures, still working within traditional acoustic, and/or electrified instrumentation.
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75- Oliver Lake Quintet – Prophet. Black Saint – AN 3019 (Italy) (1981), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: contemporary jazz, free improvisation
If you are feeling even a bit more adventurous than the previous selection, and have a tolerance or better yet, an attraction to some dissonance in your musical diet, Prophet dishes out some serious sonorities. Co-produced by Marty Khan, and accompanied by a bevy of impressively tight musicianship of the highest caliber on drums, electric bass, piano, trumpet, and fugelhorn; American alto saxophonist Oliver Lake leads his quintet on an open-ended journey embracing free improvisation over six tracks, comprising half of his own with those of 1960's jazz avant-gardist Eric Dolphy. Engineer Vince Traina outdoes himself recording the quintet in August 1980 at Sound Heights Studios, in Brooklyn, NY for executive-producer Giovanni Bonandrini's Black Saint label–who took over from founder Giacomo Pellicciotti. Every instrument imparts a realism rarely heard on record. The piano in particular is to die for, easily competing in vividness, force, and resonance with Ran Blake's recording above. Electric bass hits the right mark between elasticity, palpability, and precision, whereas all manner of drums, and percussive details, display solid 'skin' impact with finesse when called for, not to mention metallic cymbal textures. The trumpet's timbre is also realistic but it is its dynamic, and powerful prowess that surprises–make that startles–us upon first listening of the odd, softer-level 'metronomic march' preceding the tempestuous unravelling 'free fall'. He blows it to the point of 'near-saturation' of the mic's diaphragm as well the cutter head's dynamic range. Indeed not only will Prophet challenge your musical, and auditory taste, but put to the test your precious hifi rig.
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If you are feeling even a bit more adventurous than the previous selection, and have a tolerance or better yet, an attraction to some dissonance in your musical diet, Prophet dishes out some serious sonorities. Co-produced by Marty Khan, and accompanied by a bevy of impressively tight musicianship of the highest caliber on drums, electric bass, piano, trumpet, and fugelhorn; American alto saxophonist Oliver Lake leads his quintet on an open-ended journey embracing free improvisation over six tracks, comprising half of his own with those of 1960's jazz avant-gardist Eric Dolphy. Engineer Vince Traina outdoes himself recording the quintet in August 1980 at Sound Heights Studios, in Brooklyn, NY for executive-producer Giovanni Bonandrini's Black Saint label–who took over from founder Giacomo Pellicciotti. Every instrument imparts a realism rarely heard on record. The piano in particular is to die for, easily competing in vividness, force, and resonance with Ran Blake's recording above. Electric bass hits the right mark between elasticity, palpability, and precision, whereas all manner of drums, and percussive details, display solid 'skin' impact with finesse when called for, not to mention metallic cymbal textures. The trumpet's timbre is also realistic but it is its dynamic, and powerful prowess that surprises–make that startles–us upon first listening of the odd, softer-level 'metronomic march' preceding the tempestuous unravelling 'free fall'. He blows it to the point of 'near-saturation' of the mic's diaphragm as well the cutter head's dynamic range. Indeed not only will Prophet challenge your musical, and auditory taste, but put to the test your precious hifi rig.
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76- Sonny Rollins and Coleman Hawkins – Sonny Meets Hawk!. RCA Victor – LSP-2712 (1963), Classic Records – LSP-2712 (1995?), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, bop, free jazz overtones
When you think about it, it is incredible that two of the greatest saxophone players of all time appeared only once together on record when "Hawk" was 58 while Sonny was a mere 33. The date was July 1963 in New York City at RCA Victor's Studio "B". Roy McCurdy is on drums while Bob Cranshaw and Henry Grimes share bass duties, with Paul Bley playing piano. Five of the six songs are well known jazz standards with the final track credited to Rollins. Mostly interpreted from slow to mid-tempo, it affords us the luxury of deeply getting swept away by these two tenor giants. Engineers Mickey Crofford, and Paul Goodman present us perfection on a platter. By juxtaposing both protagonist panned up-front in their respective left-right corners, while the drums, and bass solidify the central rear of the intimate stage, we are privy to our own private jazz club delivered directly to our dwellings. Each instrument sounds so real it rivals Rollins' own Way Out West–see selection #5–if not surpasses it in sonic realism; no mean feat considering that LP, as well as Roy DuNann's high esteem among audiophiles. While Hawkins was already ahead of the pack since his 'game-changer' rendition of "Body and Soul" back in 1939, I believe both sax masters on this date were near the pinnacle of their creative period. Every tiny squeal to intense bark, literally blows you over in soulfulness, dexterity, dynamics, ferocious 'rage', and plain pure power. We can even envision them standing right in front of us, so visceral is the imaging! Grimes' solo on "Summertime" is the most natural bass recording I've ever encountered on record, displaying the correct 'dryness', string tension, and wood resonance; he shows palpable presence but is never overblown in proportion with his fellow musicians. The drums sound scarily real also. I did not have an original RCA to compare with but my 180g Classic Records cut by Bernie Grundman is flawless, and I have trouble imagining where the original 1963 Dynagroove pressing might surpass it. In fact, I consider this mid-1990s reissue the best Classic Records release ever put out, as well as the best Bernie cut he is ever executed.
When you think about it, it is incredible that two of the greatest saxophone players of all time appeared only once together on record when "Hawk" was 58 while Sonny was a mere 33. The date was July 1963 in New York City at RCA Victor's Studio "B". Roy McCurdy is on drums while Bob Cranshaw and Henry Grimes share bass duties, with Paul Bley playing piano. Five of the six songs are well known jazz standards with the final track credited to Rollins. Mostly interpreted from slow to mid-tempo, it affords us the luxury of deeply getting swept away by these two tenor giants. Engineers Mickey Crofford, and Paul Goodman present us perfection on a platter. By juxtaposing both protagonist panned up-front in their respective left-right corners, while the drums, and bass solidify the central rear of the intimate stage, we are privy to our own private jazz club delivered directly to our dwellings. Each instrument sounds so real it rivals Rollins' own Way Out West–see selection #5–if not surpasses it in sonic realism; no mean feat considering that LP, as well as Roy DuNann's high esteem among audiophiles. While Hawkins was already ahead of the pack since his 'game-changer' rendition of "Body and Soul" back in 1939, I believe both sax masters on this date were near the pinnacle of their creative period. Every tiny squeal to intense bark, literally blows you over in soulfulness, dexterity, dynamics, ferocious 'rage', and plain pure power. We can even envision them standing right in front of us, so visceral is the imaging! Grimes' solo on "Summertime" is the most natural bass recording I've ever encountered on record, displaying the correct 'dryness', string tension, and wood resonance; he shows palpable presence but is never overblown in proportion with his fellow musicians. The drums sound scarily real also. I did not have an original RCA to compare with but my 180g Classic Records cut by Bernie Grundman is flawless, and I have trouble imagining where the original 1963 Dynagroove pressing might surpass it. In fact, I consider this mid-1990s reissue the best Classic Records release ever put out, as well as the best Bernie cut he is ever executed.
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77- Rockets – "Atomic Control"/"Future Woman". Decca – 78.001 (France) (1977), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: space disco, electro disco, new wave, space rock
Formed in France in the mid-1970s, (Les) Rockets were a pioneering glam-outfitted quintet that featured many different musicians throughout their lengthy lifespan. Combining a rare mixture of diverse musical subgenres slightly ahead of their time–such as synth-dominated disco, and rock, while 'knocking' on new wave's doorstep four years prior to the movement's tsunami's watershed–the band's first single, "Future Woman", made a small splash in Montreal's discotheques, and adventurous FM radio. It even preceded another similar French formation, that of Space's "Magic Fly", as well as Giorgio, and Donna Summer's landmark "I Feel Love" by nearly two years. In fact their only competing contemporaries were Germany's Kraftwerk who were the leading electronic innovators of the period minus though the disco, and rock-guitar influences found ici. The aforementioned Rockets track presented here on 12-inch format came out in early 1977, and is an extended, and better mix than the original 7-inch as well as the album version. The long instrumental intro is a delight not only for electro fans but for deejays who wish to overlap songs for many music measures. The original French Decca pressing is exquisitely punchy in the bass accompanied by just the right amount of treble detail, low compression, and overall great tonal balance. "Atomic Control" on side A, is another terriffic track that did not get as much airplay, but is equally interesting, and the sound is ever so slightly even more impressive than the B side, with stupendous dynamics for the genre, and what must be the most massive, solid pounding kick drum–and snare also–in my record collection; almost 'frightening' how a simple spiral groove can startle the senses! Produced by Claude Lemoine, the band would go on to release three other worthy club hits such as 1978's cover of Canned Heat's "On the Road Again", 1979's "Electric Delight", and 1980's "Galactica".
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78- Bing Crosby, Buddy Bregman – Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings. Verve Records – MGV-2020 (mono) (1956), MoFi – MFSL 1-260, ANADISQ 200 (1996), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional pop standards, swing, vocal jazz
Just for a moment, forget all those radio programs, movies, TV shows, variety specials, and keep in mind that it was Bing Crosby who exerted his strong influence at the time on the mighty broadcast networks, and got involved financially early on with the newly-formed Ampex company to manufacture their new reel-to-reel tape recorders first introduced to the market in 1948. This technical achievement–originally developed by the German's in the mid-1930s to the onset of the allied invasion ten years later–not only far surpassed pre-existing recording methods but opened up numerous posterior possibilities such as 'sound-on-sound', multitracking, editing, etc. Accompanied by a seventeen-piece big band, this present 1956 mono LP was Bing's first, and only release for Verve, the crooner being primarily represented up until then by Decca–and to a lesser degree by Brunswick–while later shuffling between labels a bit more. Faithful readers know by now that my two favorite male singers, situated on equal footing, are Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra, but Bing comes in a close second to the pair. No doubt inspired by the latter's Swing Easy! [Capitol H528] out two years earlier, and Songs for Swingin' Lovers! [Capitol W653] just a few months prior, Bing Sings... teeters towards the same swinging crowd. My original US red/yellow label pressing is generally excellent until you put on MoFi's 1996 remastered version where every aspect sounds quite superior–be that the brass, bass, drums, dynamics, and of course the smooth tone of Bing's voice, featuring nuances, and richness not heard on the original. Probably one of the best remasters among the Anadisq series.
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79- Ted Heath and His Music – Shall We Dance. Decca – SKL 4046 (U.K.) (1959), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band, swing
Unlike America, where Basie, Benny, Harry, Dorsey, and Duke, were duking it out for the title 'King of Swing'; bandleader, and trombonist Ted Heath was Great Britain's answer to Glenn Miller, leading the most successful big band on British turf. Shall We Dance is his 28th album under the banner 'Ted Heath and His Music', all of which were released either on London or Decca dating back to 1951 on ten-inch. The Glenn influence is undeniable, as is those of trumpeter, and band leader Ray Anthony–who was part of Miller's orchestra–as well as the sweet sounds of The Dorsey Brothers. While Heath's big band 'swings', his style stirs more towards 'ballroom' dance than Basie blues. Within that context, this LP is best served when the mood calls for 'easy listening' over harder-edge material. My original UK Decca FFSS pressing presents the band in glorious full frequency dynamic sound, with an impressive sens of relief between the front intimate dryer soloist, and the accompanying musicians, with the rhythm section solidly centered within the large, and deep soundstage. The warm tonal balance is sweetly spot on, nicely defined yet never aggressive because of the very low compression, but it definitely sounds more 'magnetic tape' than typical 'direct-to-disc'.
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80- Pantera – Coyboys from Hell. ATCO Records – 7567-91372-1 (Ger.) (1990), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: groove metal, thrash metal, power metal
Time really does fly! Hard to believe it's been roughly 28 years since I first spun this record deejaying in a small downtown club. Hailing from Arlington, Texas, Pantera pretty much took over the metal scene by storm at the turn of the decade, stealing the thunder from then heavyweights, Slayer and Metallica. Though the latter two had spearheaded the speed-thrash metal movement since the early-1980s, and advancing the genre's evolution at an alarming rate, one can also make the case that both players had probably 'topped their game' by 1990, and were headed more towards redundancy than fresh creativity–at a juncture when grunge was about to shift rock-metal into many directions. Meanwhile the cats from Texas had already four albums under their paws–the first dating back to 1983–but none of them had registered with an audience until the release of their 1990 breakthrough Coyboys from Hell. Among the twelve tracks we can detect traces of Anthrax, and early Metallica roaming within the faster songs but most importantly is the quartet introducing groove-based rhythms, riffs, and shuffling hi-hat to the thrash subgenre, making it more engaging for the dancefloor. Produced, and engineered by Terry Date, the recording took place at Pantego Sound Studio, in Pantego, Texas, whereas the mixing–accompanied by the band–was done at Carriage House, Stamford, Conneticut. Vinnie Paul's drums are really nice, and punchy, providing perfectly defined double-kick along with just the right amount of cymbals, and snare. Rex Brown's bass resonates with a cold metallic sound, making good contrast with Diamond Darrell's warmly distorted guitar work. Howie Weinberg did his part with an excellent well balanced 'non-fatiguing' mastering at Masterdisk in New York. My original Euro pressing was representative of that period when CD's had taken over the vinyl landscape, and most of the music industry had abandoned US pressing altogether, relying instead on Europe to 'keep the presses hot'. The rather-thin vinyl–typical for the era–was pressed at Record Sevice GmbH in Alsdorf, Germany. I have not heard the 2010 180g double-vinyl reissue, cut at The Mastering Lab by (most probably) Doug Sax, which all things being equal would give it a 'groove-spread' advantage over a single LP. Note that they mention: "pressed from the Original High Definition Masters"–the latter term hints at HD digital files rather than saying "cut directly from the Original Analog Tape" if such was the case in 1990, so it is hard to speculate on the sound even if Doug Sax has a 'good track record'.
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81- Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power. ATCO Records – 7567-91758-1 (Ger.) (1992), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: groove metal, thrash metal, heavy metal
Released two years apart, Vulgar Display of Power is the follow up to the band's preceding LP, slightly surpassing it in sound, and musical mastery. Though minute thrash traces of Metallica keep resurfacing here, and there; this time hints of Slayer with soupçons of Voïvod add to what is in the end a more original, heavy and definitive statement from one of the most important metal bands of the first half of the 1990s. With this release produced by Terry Date, and drummer Vinnie Paul, the band somewhat reduces the tempo, and predominance of 'death-defying' lead guitar solos, relying more on simple 'catchy' riffs, odd-time signature rhythms, slight de-tuning (lower), and back-vocal 'call and response' patterns similar in style to New York's Agnostic Front. All of the above are well implemented in their 'signature song' "Walk". Philip Anselmo's singing displays a deeper, more aggressive 'guttural' vocal style, perfectly suited for the slower, heavier riffs. And while 'Coyboys' had many great songs, there were a few tracks that seemed to not fit so well with the core of their new style, 'breaking the mood' of the moment, whereas this album presents more a unified front, and 'wall of sound'–similar to Metallica's ...And Justice for All [Elektra 60812-1]. Once again the recording quality is up there among the very best metal LPs–a genre often overly-compressed unfortunately–and superiorly mixed, and tonally balanced than most Metallica, and Maiden releases just to name two of the 'biggest' sellers of the genre. Like the previous entry, it also was initially not pressed domestically, so my copy is the original Euro pressing done at WMME Alsdorf in Germany. If you limit yourself to only one Pantera LP, this is the one to get. Like the previous entry, I have not heard the 2010 180g double-vinyl reissue, cut at The Mastering Lab by Doug Sax, which all things being equal would give it a 'groove-spread' advantage over a single LP. Note that they mention: "pressed from the Original High Definition Masters"–the latter term hints at HD digital files rather than saying "cut directly from the Original Analog Tape" if such was the case in 1992, so it is hard to speculate on the sound even if Doug Sax has a 'good track record', and did excellent work on the Slayer box set compilation.
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82- Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon. Harvest – SHVL 804, 1E 064 o 05249 (UK) (1973), 582 1361 (UK) (2003) (30th anniversary edition), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: space rock, art rock, progressive rock, electronic, jazz fusion, and funk touches
Ahh, at last, there it is. Of course it just had to be included in any Top Sonic or Top Rock Album List worthy of the name. Recorded between June 1972 and January 1973 at Abbey Road Studios, London by a masterful twenty-three year old engineer named Alan Parsons, with assistance from engineers Peter James, and Chris Thomas supervising the mix on then state of the art 16 track analog; by all acounts DSOTM represents Pink Floyd's musical masterpiece. Parsons had previously cut his teeth as an assistant engineer on The Beatles last two albums–Abbey Road and Let it Be–as well as the band's 1970 release Atom Heart Mother [Harvest SHVL 781], and later forming his own pet Project–prioritizing that direction over Floyd's follow-up to DSOTM, 1975's Wish You Were Here [Harvest SHVL 814]. Along with Sgt. Pepper, this must be Rock's most analyzed album of all time, certainly one of the biggest sellers also–well over 25 million certified units worldwide–and consequently one of the most reissued LP from countless countries and pressing plants. As such, you will find an abundance of detailed info in books and online that dives deeper than I dare go inside the usual space of this List. And similar to 'Pepper', the album also combines many musical styles other than rock. Interspersed between the harder-heavier riffs, are floating atmospheric material; add to that a pinch or two of jazz, fusion, and funk in the odd-metered "Money" before the break, and progressing onto "Us and Them" through Dick Parry's sax solos; there's even some pioneering–Synthi AKS–sequencer synth on the electronic "On the Run". Given the scarcity of finding an original UK first press in NM condition at an affordable price–the lowest on Discogs as of writing approaching the $1K mark–my favored choice is the 2003 UK, 30th anniversary edition remastered by Doug Sax and Kevin Gray, and lacquer cut by Gray at AcousTech Mastering. This winning duo did a fantastic job providing a well balanced analog warm tone, respecting the tape and the era's dynamics. The soundstage is well exploited to convince us that we are part of another universe while the central image locks down the rockier elements of the main quartet. My previous preferred pressing was the JVC MoFi [MFSL 1-017] half-speed cut by Stan Ricker in 1979, which all in all, is good–though the EQ seems a tad heavier-handed–but in comparison I find this Sax/Gray pairing more open and transparent, delivering delicate details especially appreciated in the ride cymbal's top end, myriad vocal and reverb/delay effects, and the spectacular clock chimes sequence in "Time". Lastly, I also have a friend's 1978 Italian repress [Harvest 3C 064-05249] that sounds sweet, nicely balanced, and not that far apart from the 30th anniversary edition described above. As a consequence of being pressed so many times since its inception, you will find many different opinions on which is the best version to own, but the general concensus on serious sound forums seems to gravitate towards the 2nd or 3rd UK pressing which I haven't heard unfortunately.
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83- Triumvirat – Spartacus. Harvest, EMI Electrola – 1C 062-29 567 (Ger.) (1975), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: progressive
Germany's response to Britain's ELP–which makes perfect sense given that both groups counted three virtuoso musicians conquering keyboards, bass/guitars, and drums, closely spanning the same pertinent period–1972-1980. Throw in a dash of early-seventies Yes and you get a good idea of what to expect from this trio stemming from Cologne. This was the band's third and best known release, and as the title suggests, it is a concept album inspired by the Thracian gladiator Spartacus, sequenced in a suite of nine tracks–some of which subdivided into four parts–reinforcing the progressive path put forth. Engineer Wolfgang Thierbach finely recorded the band at EMI Electrola Studio 1 in Cologne in February/March 1973 while famed-Beatles British engineer Geoff Emerick superbly mixed the tracks at A.I.R. Studios in London that same March, pushing the drum parts quite in prominence relative to the rest of the instruments–an engineering style which I welcome greatly and seldom encountered on record regrettably. Helmuth Rüssman was the tape operator. The sound is truly excellent with a powerful bottom end provided by the drums, bass, and lower-note keyboard reach, accompanied by greater than usual dynamics for this symphony-esque musical genre. The latter allows us to turn up the volume quite higher than usual without any listener fatigue–always a good sign and oh, how I wish many artists, producers, and engineers would follow this route. Counting a total of seven albums and many member changes, like the majority of progressive groups, they called it quits at the turn of the decade as the musical landscape considerably changed towards other directions.
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84- Voyage – Voyage. Sirocco or Polydor – 2933 803 (France) (1977), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Along with Crystall Grass, Cerrone, and Costandinos' numerous productions, French-based Voyage transports us to the epicenter of Euro disco. Headed by Marc Chantereau on keyboards, Pierre Alain Dahan on drums, and Slim Pezin on guitar–with all three tagging percussion and vocals to their résumé–the nine-member musical ensemble explored the globe through four albums until their final landing in 1982. Their self-titled debut comprising seven segued songs, quietly launched at the very end of 1977 but really took flight the following spring, supported by two discothèque hits–"From East to West" and the energetic, piano-driven "Lady America" closing the album. Both unaltered extracts found their way on this side of the Atlantic on the 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-085] which can serve as a worthwhile alternative if one does not care for the remaining five, fairly good, mostly instrumental tracks. Recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Peter Kelsey and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris, by engineer Paul Scemama; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout the trip. Only a sliver more of bottom weight would make it picture perfect. As typical for the period the compression is kept appropriately low for this progressive subgenre.
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85- Voyage – Fly Away. Sirocco – 2473 302 (France) (1978), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Fly Away is the follow-up to Voyage's debut LP, pretty much repeating the same successful recipe; so if you tripped on the former, you shouldn't be disoriented on this voyage. It too comprised two discothèque and radio hits: "Souvenirs", sounding a lot like–and also a great mix pairing with–"From East to West", and "Let's Fly Away" that did not gather as much airplay as their other singles but is melodically pleasant nonetheless. By the same recommendation as above, if you would rather concentrate on the main hit of the album and benefit a bit from a technical sonic standpoint, then go with the US pressed, 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-117]. Originally recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Paul Scemama and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris; and pressed at C.I.D.I.S. Louviers; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout. As typical for the period, the compression is kept appropriately low. The TK maxi-single in particular has a very satisfying punch in the upper bass and slightly shelved mids that encourages pumping up the volume! The Canadian LP [RCA Victor KKL1-0299] mastered at RCA Canada, lacquer cut at RCA Studios in Toronto, and pressed by RCA Records Pressing Plant in Smith Falls, Ontario is quite good also and easily found at a low price if you have trouble finding the original French Sirocco pressing. The group would encounter 2 more minor hits, first with "I Love You Dancer" [Sirocco 2441 236] in 1980, and finally with "Let's Get Started" [Sirocco 2441 500] in 1982, though not surprisingly, changing styles and sonic esthetics with the times.
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86- Art Pepper Quintet – Smack Up. Contemporary Records S7602 (1962), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7602 (2009) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, bop, West Coast, cool jazz
Altoist Art Pepper's Smack Up fits in as the fourth of five LP's released between 1957 and 1963 on Lester Koenig's Contemporary jazz label. Recorded by Roy DuNann in Los Angeles in late October 1960, it is one of my favorites right after his + Eleven–Modern Jazz Classics LP out the year before (see entry #63). Accompanied by Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums, the quintet navigates alternating waters between hotter-harder bop numbers borrowing from "Bird" and Blue Note, and cooler Coast sounds à la Brubeck and Miles circa 1959–both of whom were enjoying immense influence and success at that time on the jazz scene–through six saxophonist compositions. I did not have an original 1962 Contemporary pressing to compare with which I'm sure should be excellent given their usual high caliber, nor do I have the first Analogue Productions version remastered and cut by Doug Sax in 1992 [APJ 012]. This 2009 double-45 rpm cut by AcousTech's remastering team of Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman is incredibly good, combining the traditional duo's strengths of warmth, relaxing non-fatigued sound, great dynamics and definition, and top end extension; i.e. a sure bet for audiophiles, jazz aficionados, and just plain music lovers.
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87- Art Pepper Quintet – Intensity. Contemporary Records S7607 (1963), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7607 (2003) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, bop, West Coast, cool jazz
Recorded in late November 1960–exactly one month after the Smack Up sessions–Intensity reunites the core rhythm section of Bond on bass plus Butler on drums, with the exception of Jolly replaced by Dolo Coker on piano, and dropping Sheldon on trumpet; sticking with the quartet formula this time around. As the title suggests, the opening number is intense, with '007' in the right channel solidly marking the high pace tempo–each bass string note perfectly captured and cut onto the 45rpm groove–with Pepper dead center, lithe, and lit from within, leading the pack. There is no real need to reiterate the sonic details, for it equals the previous entry on all fronts; which makes plenty of sense knowing that it employed basically the same personnel and (most probably) equipment at the same place during the recording, remastering, cutting, and pressing stages. I did not have an original 1963 Contemporary pressing for reference. Great as that can be, I would be very surprised that it surpasses this double-45rpm edition. Either way get one or the other.
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88- Bauhaus – "Bela Lugosi's Dead"/"Boys"+"Dark Entries (Demo)". Small Wonder Records – TEENY 2 (UK) (1979), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: goth, dub, experimental, psychedelic, noise rock, gothic rock
Bauhaus' debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead" represents the epitome of the goth genre. Recorded January 26, 1979 at Beck Studios in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, this 12-inch single on Small Wonder–a UK independent label mostly associated with the post-punk movement–was first released the following August, barely two months after Joy Division's debut album Unknown Pleasures [Factory FACT 10] appeared; both considered seminal works in the emerging alternative, gothic, and post-punk scene such as pursued by Public Image Limited aka PiL, and The Sisters of Mercy. The influence of dub–an offshoot of reggae–with its delay effects on the song structure is undeniable and brings an experimental edge and originality to the whole presentation. What makes the two main tracks sonically special is that they were recorded live in the studio in one take within a six-hour session; i.e. a true direct-to-analog tape recording–a rare thing in most non-classical-jazz settings, sounding similar to direct-to-disc in physical presence and palpability with just a slight sweetening and rounded dynamics. David J's bass takes pride of place in the overall well-balanced mix supplying the extensive main riff, with plenty of sustained decay and bouncy roundness to resonate–bookshelf speakers and sloppy subs need not apply. He is supported by Kevin Haskins' foot-tapping energetic rhythm that predates Radiohead's Philip Selway's metronomic drumming by more than a decade. Daniel Ash's electric guitar alternates between a recurring droning sound–which lends a psychedelic-tinged ambiance–and a staccato-reverbed percussive plucked sound, more in line with surf and ska. Though not printed on the label nor sleeve, the other side sports not one but two songs: "Boys" and a shortened demo of "Dark Entries". While the latter sounds thin and compressed, the former sounds really great, very direct, neutral, raw noise rock–a precursor to Steve Albini's Shellac sessions comes readily to mind. Peter Murphy's vocals veer from ghostly ethereal on "Bela" to Bowie-like on "Boys'. While not identified but by closely examining the dead wax, my copy appears to be the SNA French pressing circa 1984 based on the inner sleeve print.
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89- Ray Anthony – Dream Dancing Medley. Capitol Records – ST-1608 (1961), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: easy listening, smooth orchestral dance band
A trumpet player with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra back in 1941–shortly before its leader's disbandment the following year–Ray Anthony took center stage on screen as an actor, and on record as a renowned bandleader starting in the early 1950s and throughout the 1960s mainly for Capitol Records. In 1956 he released Dream Dancing originally in mono [Capitol T-723] but re-released it a bit later in 'Full Dimensional Stereo' [Capitol ST-723] by re-recording the album with most of the same musicians–instead of simply settling for an electronic re-channeling such as Capitol's 'Duophonic' process. That particular album, made up of 12 individual songs, is quite good but I prefer–perhaps out of nostalgia being among the very first records I ever played on my parent's old Viking stereo cabinet–his 1961 follow up Dream Dancing Medley that counter-intuively does not reappropriate the same song selection simply by playing them in a medley form but rather selects 30 other songs segued in the most seamless manner. All this due in part to wonderful harmonious arrangements as well as Capitol's glorious sweet 'Full Dimensional Stereo' rainbow label known for its high sound quality. My copy is the Canadian first pressing with the oval Capitol symbol situated on the left at 9 o'clock–1961 being the last year before the design department moved it at the top or 12 o'clock position afterwards. I have not had the chance of comparing mine with the original US pressing, but based on similar Sinatra comparisons in the past between both country pressings, I did not find that they differed that much in general and would confidently recommend either one.
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90- Isaac Hayes – Shaft. Enterprise – ENS-2-5002, Stax – 2628 001 (Ger.) (1971), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: memphis soul, funk, protodisco, soul-jazz, cinematic soul, blaxploitation soundtrack style
The iconic Isaac Hayes had four albums prior to the release of this big blaxploitation soundtrack, setting the score for several seventies action-crime cop films to follow. With the 1960s now over, Shaft signaled the shift towards a new decade of decadence, dancefloors, and discomania. Hayes and Johnny Allen's original orchestration and arrangements beautifully built up the track layer by layer; distinguishing it from previous soul or funk compositions with its lengthy instrumental intro, 16th note hi-hat groove and distinctive wah-wah guitar; that, in addition to keyboards, flute, brass, and strings. As such, this song structure would be exploited in subsequent soul and disco tracks throughout the 1970s; most notably on Cerrone's 1976 Euro disco debut "Love in C Minor" [Alligator J 1611] (see entry #46). Released in August 1971, the double-album is superbly recorded at Stax Recording Studios by engineers Bobby Manuel, Dave Purple, Henry Bush, and William Brown, with Purple and Ron Capone in charge of re-mixing–earning two awards at the 1972 Grammys. My copy is the earliest Stax first pressing, lacquer cut and pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in Germany. The tonal balance is spot on with just the right amount of warmth, definition, and dynamics, tending to be a tad sharper in the top end than the typical early-1970s fat and sometimes softer sound. I did not have an original U.S. Enterprise pressing to compare with but based on many comments found on forums, there seems to be strong concensus that the German pressing is indeed quite superior to the U.S. pressing. Take note that the other tracks do not share the same Shaft style, and run the gamut from lighter soul-jazz to the heaviest hard funk of the final track–the nearly twenty minute "Do Your Thing". You can find three songs from the soundtrack on the 2003 audiophile 12-inch single Hits From Shaft [Analogue Productions APP 88002-45], remastered and cut at 45 rpm by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, which is warmly well balanced. When comparing with my German LP pressing, the latter surprisingly surpasses the newer 45rpm 12-inch single in top end transparency and directness, making it my favored choice to own and listen to. For a more in-depth evaluation, you can go HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/11/isaac-hayes-shaft_2.html
Ahh, at last, there it is. Of course it just had to be included in any Top Sonic or Top Rock Album List worthy of the name. Recorded between June 1972 and January 1973 at Abbey Road Studios, London by a masterful twenty-three year old engineer named Alan Parsons, with assistance from engineers Peter James, and Chris Thomas supervising the mix on then state of the art 16 track analog; by all acounts DSOTM represents Pink Floyd's musical masterpiece. Parsons had previously cut his teeth as an assistant engineer on The Beatles last two albums–Abbey Road and Let it Be–as well as the band's 1970 release Atom Heart Mother [Harvest SHVL 781], and later forming his own pet Project–prioritizing that direction over Floyd's follow-up to DSOTM, 1975's Wish You Were Here [Harvest SHVL 814]. Along with Sgt. Pepper, this must be Rock's most analyzed album of all time, certainly one of the biggest sellers also–well over 25 million certified units worldwide–and consequently one of the most reissued LP from countless countries and pressing plants. As such, you will find an abundance of detailed info in books and online that dives deeper than I dare go inside the usual space of this List. And similar to 'Pepper', the album also combines many musical styles other than rock. Interspersed between the harder-heavier riffs, are floating atmospheric material; add to that a pinch or two of jazz, fusion, and funk in the odd-metered "Money" before the break, and progressing onto "Us and Them" through Dick Parry's sax solos; there's even some pioneering–Synthi AKS–sequencer synth on the electronic "On the Run". Given the scarcity of finding an original UK first press in NM condition at an affordable price–the lowest on Discogs as of writing approaching the $1K mark–my favored choice is the 2003 UK, 30th anniversary edition remastered by Doug Sax and Kevin Gray, and lacquer cut by Gray at AcousTech Mastering. This winning duo did a fantastic job providing a well balanced analog warm tone, respecting the tape and the era's dynamics. The soundstage is well exploited to convince us that we are part of another universe while the central image locks down the rockier elements of the main quartet. My previous preferred pressing was the JVC MoFi [MFSL 1-017] half-speed cut by Stan Ricker in 1979, which all in all, is good–though the EQ seems a tad heavier-handed–but in comparison I find this Sax/Gray pairing more open and transparent, delivering delicate details especially appreciated in the ride cymbal's top end, myriad vocal and reverb/delay effects, and the spectacular clock chimes sequence in "Time". Lastly, I also have a friend's 1978 Italian repress [Harvest 3C 064-05249] that sounds sweet, nicely balanced, and not that far apart from the 30th anniversary edition described above. As a consequence of being pressed so many times since its inception, you will find many different opinions on which is the best version to own, but the general concensus on serious sound forums seems to gravitate towards the 2nd or 3rd UK pressing which I haven't heard unfortunately.
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84- Voyage – Voyage. Sirocco or Polydor – 2933 803 (France) (1977), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Along with Crystall Grass, Cerrone, and Costandinos' numerous productions, French-based Voyage transports us to the epicenter of Euro disco. Headed by Marc Chantereau on keyboards, Pierre Alain Dahan on drums, and Slim Pezin on guitar–with all three tagging percussion and vocals to their résumé–the nine-member musical ensemble explored the globe through four albums until their final landing in 1982. Their self-titled debut comprising seven segued songs, quietly launched at the very end of 1977 but really took flight the following spring, supported by two discothèque hits–"From East to West" and the energetic, piano-driven "Lady America" closing the album. Both unaltered extracts found their way on this side of the Atlantic on the 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-085] which can serve as a worthwhile alternative if one does not care for the remaining five, fairly good, mostly instrumental tracks. Recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Peter Kelsey and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris, by engineer Paul Scemama; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout the trip. Only a sliver more of bottom weight would make it picture perfect. As typical for the period the compression is kept appropriately low for this progressive subgenre.
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85- Voyage – Fly Away. Sirocco – 2473 302 (France) (1978), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Fly Away is the follow-up to Voyage's debut LP, pretty much repeating the same successful recipe; so if you tripped on the former, you shouldn't be disoriented on this voyage. It too comprised two discothèque and radio hits: "Souvenirs", sounding a lot like–and also a great mix pairing with–"From East to West", and "Let's Fly Away" that did not gather as much airplay as their other singles but is melodically pleasant nonetheless. By the same recommendation as above, if you would rather concentrate on the main hit of the album and benefit a bit from a technical sonic standpoint, then go with the US pressed, 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-117]. Originally recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Paul Scemama and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris; and pressed at C.I.D.I.S. Louviers; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout. As typical for the period, the compression is kept appropriately low. The TK maxi-single in particular has a very satisfying punch in the upper bass and slightly shelved mids that encourages pumping up the volume! The Canadian LP [RCA Victor KKL1-0299] mastered at RCA Canada, lacquer cut at RCA Studios in Toronto, and pressed by RCA Records Pressing Plant in Smith Falls, Ontario is quite good also and easily found at a low price if you have trouble finding the original French Sirocco pressing. The group would encounter 2 more minor hits, first with "I Love You Dancer" [Sirocco 2441 236] in 1980, and finally with "Let's Get Started" [Sirocco 2441 500] in 1982, though not surprisingly, changing styles and sonic esthetics with the times.
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86- Art Pepper Quintet – Smack Up. Contemporary Records S7602 (1962), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7602 (2009) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, bop, West Coast, cool jazz
Altoist Art Pepper's Smack Up fits in as the fourth of five LP's released between 1957 and 1963 on Lester Koenig's Contemporary jazz label. Recorded by Roy DuNann in Los Angeles in late October 1960, it is one of my favorites right after his + Eleven–Modern Jazz Classics LP out the year before (see entry #63). Accompanied by Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums, the quintet navigates alternating waters between hotter-harder bop numbers borrowing from "Bird" and Blue Note, and cooler Coast sounds à la Brubeck and Miles circa 1959–both of whom were enjoying immense influence and success at that time on the jazz scene–through six saxophonist compositions. I did not have an original 1962 Contemporary pressing to compare with which I'm sure should be excellent given their usual high caliber, nor do I have the first Analogue Productions version remastered and cut by Doug Sax in 1992 [APJ 012]. This 2009 double-45 rpm cut by AcousTech's remastering team of Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman is incredibly good, combining the traditional duo's strengths of warmth, relaxing non-fatigued sound, great dynamics and definition, and top end extension; i.e. a sure bet for audiophiles, jazz aficionados, and just plain music lovers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recorded in late November 1960–exactly one month after the Smack Up sessions–Intensity reunites the core rhythm section of Bond on bass plus Butler on drums, with the exception of Jolly replaced by Dolo Coker on piano, and dropping Sheldon on trumpet; sticking with the quartet formula this time around. As the title suggests, the opening number is intense, with '007' in the right channel solidly marking the high pace tempo–each bass string note perfectly captured and cut onto the 45rpm groove–with Pepper dead center, lithe, and lit from within, leading the pack. There is no real need to reiterate the sonic details, for it equals the previous entry on all fronts; which makes plenty of sense knowing that it employed basically the same personnel and (most probably) equipment at the same place during the recording, remastering, cutting, and pressing stages. I did not have an original 1963 Contemporary pressing for reference. Great as that can be, I would be very surprised that it surpasses this double-45rpm edition. Either way get one or the other.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bauhaus' debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead" represents the epitome of the goth genre. Recorded January 26, 1979 at Beck Studios in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, this 12-inch single on Small Wonder–a UK independent label mostly associated with the post-punk movement–was first released the following August, barely two months after Joy Division's debut album Unknown Pleasures [Factory FACT 10] appeared; both considered seminal works in the emerging alternative, gothic, and post-punk scene such as pursued by Public Image Limited aka PiL, and The Sisters of Mercy. The influence of dub–an offshoot of reggae–with its delay effects on the song structure is undeniable and brings an experimental edge and originality to the whole presentation. What makes the two main tracks sonically special is that they were recorded live in the studio in one take within a six-hour session; i.e. a true direct-to-analog tape recording–a rare thing in most non-classical-jazz settings, sounding similar to direct-to-disc in physical presence and palpability with just a slight sweetening and rounded dynamics. David J's bass takes pride of place in the overall well-balanced mix supplying the extensive main riff, with plenty of sustained decay and bouncy roundness to resonate–bookshelf speakers and sloppy subs need not apply. He is supported by Kevin Haskins' foot-tapping energetic rhythm that predates Radiohead's Philip Selway's metronomic drumming by more than a decade. Daniel Ash's electric guitar alternates between a recurring droning sound–which lends a psychedelic-tinged ambiance–and a staccato-reverbed percussive plucked sound, more in line with surf and ska. Though not printed on the label nor sleeve, the other side sports not one but two songs: "Boys" and a shortened demo of "Dark Entries". While the latter sounds thin and compressed, the former sounds really great, very direct, neutral, raw noise rock–a precursor to Steve Albini's Shellac sessions comes readily to mind. Peter Murphy's vocals veer from ghostly ethereal on "Bela" to Bowie-like on "Boys'. While not identified but by closely examining the dead wax, my copy appears to be the SNA French pressing circa 1984 based on the inner sleeve print.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A trumpet player with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra back in 1941–shortly before its leader's disbandment the following year–Ray Anthony took center stage on screen as an actor, and on record as a renowned bandleader starting in the early 1950s and throughout the 1960s mainly for Capitol Records. In 1956 he released Dream Dancing originally in mono [Capitol T-723] but re-released it a bit later in 'Full Dimensional Stereo' [Capitol ST-723] by re-recording the album with most of the same musicians–instead of simply settling for an electronic re-channeling such as Capitol's 'Duophonic' process. That particular album, made up of 12 individual songs, is quite good but I prefer–perhaps out of nostalgia being among the very first records I ever played on my parent's old Viking stereo cabinet–his 1961 follow up Dream Dancing Medley that counter-intuively does not reappropriate the same song selection simply by playing them in a medley form but rather selects 30 other songs segued in the most seamless manner. All this due in part to wonderful harmonious arrangements as well as Capitol's glorious sweet 'Full Dimensional Stereo' rainbow label known for its high sound quality. My copy is the Canadian first pressing with the oval Capitol symbol situated on the left at 9 o'clock–1961 being the last year before the design department moved it at the top or 12 o'clock position afterwards. I have not had the chance of comparing mine with the original US pressing, but based on similar Sinatra comparisons in the past between both country pressings, I did not find that they differed that much in general and would confidently recommend either one.
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91- Deep Purple – Machine Head. Purple Records – TPSA 7504 IE 064 (UK) (1972), Warner Bros. Records, Rhino Vinyl – R1 75622 (2006), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy metal, proto-speed metal, blues rock.
"We all came out to Montreux..." Surely one of the most recognizable rock riffs in history, "Smoke on the Water", firing the second side, solidified the English quintet's second and best line-up consisting of: Ian Gillan on vocals and harmonica; Ritchie Blackmore on guitar; Jon Lord on keyboards; Roger Glover on bass; and Ian Paice on drums and percussion. Indeed as a kid growing up in the 1970s, who hasn't been tempted at some point to pick up a guitar to try and find those seven sacred staccato notes? Around its March 1972 release date, Machine Head and the band were displaying their deepest shade of Purple in studio and in concerts around the globe. Assisted by Jeremy (Bear) Gee, British engineer Martin Birch–who ended up working on close to a dozen Deep Purple LPs as well as many Mac, Maiden, and Rainbow records–recorded the band in December 1971 while in Switzerland. After the inspirational infamous fire following Frank Zappa's fiery concert–where they were registered to record the following day–the group relocated to the Pavilion theater for a few basic tracks which soon proved problematic due to neighborly noise complaints. Consequently the remainder of the album was completed at the Grand Hotel with endless cables crawling the floors hooked up to the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio truck operated by technician Nick Watterton, equipped with a 16-track 3M M56 2-inch tape recorder and mixed on a Helios console–famously used by The Beatles, The Who, and Steve Miller. While "Smoke on the Water" remains their quintessential anthem–and the best sounding song of the album followed closely by the bluesy, and quite dynamic "Lazy"–on equal musical footing, though to a slightly lower sonic prowess is the proto-speed king "Highway Star". Starting side one, and spearheading intricate Hammond organ and guitar solos backed with Bach-inspired arpeggios descending the minor harmonic scale–it presents several key elements predating power and speed metal song structures roughly by a decade. Lastly there is the psychedelic-tinged "Space Truckin'" that shows signs of slight compression converging fast towards the label's smaller radius, building a strong case for the need of a high quality double-45rpm reissue–MoFi are you listening? Unfortunately I do not have an original UK Purple pressing to compare with but Kevin Gray's Rhino remastering and cutting beats my first press Canadian olive green Warner Bros. in every aspect, with nice warm analog non-fatiguing textures and tonal balance. The high hat, snare, kick, and toms are meaty, with superb springiness, snap, dryness, and dynamics especially on the intro of "Smoke.." where the six cascading 4/4 bars build up before the vocals first enter, as well as "Lazy" toying with us through a lengthy roller coaster instrumental intro, the latter containing crunchy overdriven Hammond organ swirling in dynamic shadings, contrasts, and strong soundfield panning. Note that there is nearly no dead wax which is evident in the dulling top end towards both side's endings and unfortunately "Highway Star" lacks a bit of bite, dynamic contrast, and frequency extremes to match the rest of the album.
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92- Deep Purple – Made in Japan. Purple Records – TPSP 351, IE 192 o 93915-6 (UK) (1972), DCC Compact Classics – LPZ-2052 (1998), 2x33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy metal, proto-speed metal, blues rock.
Made in Japan is one of my five favorite live rock albums, and most probably my top choice for sonics alone, along with ELP's Pictures at an Exhibition [MoFi MFSL 1-031] (see selection #19 of my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html). Recorded in August 1972 at the Festival Hall in Osaka and Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, this double LP captures the band brimming at the top of their game, hot on the heels of Machine Head's success selected above. Purple-produced, and engineered once again by maestro Martin Birch–with mixing credited to Paice and Glover–it is astounding how great the performances, and sonics coalesce into one gigantic fireball. The show opener fearlessly features a high-octane "Highway Star" delivering drive, force, and solid showmanship, pushing pedal to the metal under maximum horsepower. The temporary calm after the storm comes in the form of "Child in Time" taken from their fourth studio album Deep Purple in Rock [Harvest SHVL 777, 1E 062 o 91442] from 1970–the first for this mk2 line-up. The smooth mysterious intro showcases the beautiful delicate interplay between the bass, keyboards, and drums, later augmented by Gillan's incredible haunting vocals, slowly building towards a combined crescendo and accelerando. This leads to a brief Ravel-Holst-esque staccato march before unleashing the full fury and power of Paice, Lord, Glover, and Blackmore. The thunderous track appears inspired by Led Zep's cover of "Dazed and Confused" from their 1969 debut album–released a year before Purple's studio version–which follows a very similar song structure. The sound quality on this particular piece resonates with a rare realism thanks to Birch's impressive engineering, along with Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray's right on the money remastering and all vacuum tube cutting for the now-defunct DCC label. As I've often mentioned this dynamic duo knew how to rock! The sound is very punchy, meaty, and the tone is spot on to turn it way up! The drumkit in general, and cymbals in particular on "Child on Time" are to die for. "Smoke on the Water" follows on the B-side sporting a live-only alteration amid its famous intro riff, and easily living up to the original studio version with a small added adrenaline boost, resulting in record 1 being the best of the two. Side C's lengthier "Lazy" is a bit disappointing when compared with the other tracks of the concert and its superior studio version, while "Space Truckin'" occupies the whole last side, nearing 20 minutes–nearly five times the original–and presents an interesting alternative to its studio counterpart. I did not have an original UK Purple pressing to compare with but strongly doubt it could beat or equal this unfortunately–presently expensive–discontinued DCC copy.
93- Yello – "Lost Again"+"Base for Alec"/"No More Words"+"Pumping Velvet". Stiff Records – BUY IT 191 (UK) (1983), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: electropop, synth-pop, electronica, experimental flirtings, hints of Central European folk.
The Swiss electronic formation created by Carlos Perón, Boris Blank, and Deiter Meier, first emerged on the scene with an obscure single in 1979, then truly rose to prominence in June 1983 with the release of their third album You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess. Extracted from it are three tracks in addition to "Base for Alec" which originally didn't appear on the LP. Though the latter is worth getting at some point in time, my first recommendation is this 12-inch 45 rpm U.K. EP–as it features not only better extended versions but also way superior sound; with solid four on the floor punch pounding the Wagnerian soundstage by experimenting with creatively fierce phase manipulations. The confrontation going on between the clean swirling synths and the harsher, dead center, dirty-chunky riffs is very tactile to the body and senses. Deiter's distinct haunting voice invades our inner space, drumming up drama and foreshadowing Leonard Cohen's flirting with electronica and Central European folk by barely a few years. Tonal balance and dynamics are superb and above average for this music period. Of course the big hit here was "Lost Again" but the three remaining tracks are as captivating in composition and sound design. All songs were composed, arranged, and produced by Blank, while engineered by Swiss mastering engineer Ursli Weber. Denis Blackham aka BilBo cut the lacquer at Tape One in London, England, and the records were manufactured by the CBS Pressing Plant in the historic village of Aston Clinton situated in Buckinghamshire, England.
94- Yello – "Call It Love"/"L'Hotel"+"Call It Love" (Trego snare version). Vertigo – 888 311-1 (Ger.) (1987), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: electropop, synth-pop, electronica.
Taken from their fifth album released four years later, "Call It Love" is another well recorded 12-inch single that merits its place in the List. I have a slight preference for the previous entry both for the musical content which I find a bit more diversified–you do get only two distinct songs here whereas the previous presented four–and darker to my tastes but some may prefer this entry for its more angelic or atmospheric ambiance. Sonically, it is full range reaching down low and equally extended in the top end with ample low mids in between; the sole unusual trait for this music genre would be the emaciated electro kick lost a bit in the mix–though the overall sound envelope remains tonally balanced at all times. The soundscape is typically enveloping and rich in artistic effects blending jungle-type sounds with metallic-slap sounding riffs contrasting with Chico Hablas' clean rhythm guitar. Ian Tregoning mixed the tracks–the last one specifically credited to his name in its song title–while the master disc was cut at The Town House in London, England, and pressed at PDO in Germany. The dead wax indicates it is a DMM cut which I usually dislike but in this instance didn't display an overly-emphasized hot treble.
95- Booker T. – "Don't Stop Your Love" (Special Extended Version). A&M Records – SP-17188 (1981), 12", 33 1/3 rpm, promo. Genre: soulful disco.
Best known as the better part of Booker T. & the M.G.'s–the soul-funky stalwarts from Stax behind major instrumental tracks such as "Green Onions" and "Melting Pot"–Jones had a club/radio hit in 1981 with the disco-ish "Don't Stop Your Love". Sporting soothing soulful vocals reminiscent of an Isaac Hayes or Barry White record, the then thirty-six year old reemerged on the scene, dusting off the dancefloor as the glory days were long gone for disco nights as well as the multi-talented Mr.T. Both sides of this 12-inch single showcases the same song but differs in durations. Side B features the "special extended version" favored to fully benefit from the added breakdowns and buildups not present on side A's edited version. Produced by Michael Stokes–well known for his work with Creative Force in the mid-1970s–and recorded by engineers Don Hahn and Jim Cassell at A&M Recording Studio "B" in Hollywood, CA, this particular promo issue comes from the Columbia Records Pressing Plant in Terre Haute, IN whereas the standard 12-inch A&M single [SP-12046] was pressed by the Monarch Record Mfg. Co. in Los Angeles, CA and puts the extended version on its side A with a different song on side B. After comparison, both sound impressive but my white label promo slightly surpasses the standard issue having incredible punch in the 60 to 80 Hz region–what I designate as the club belly punch–with sharp attack and deep sustain pumping the woofer throughout the track but especially appreciated during the intro and two breaks. The mix and wide tonal balance is absolutely perfect while the VUs swing on the modulated dynamics. One of my favorite early-1980s track.
"We all came out to Montreux..." Surely one of the most recognizable rock riffs in history, "Smoke on the Water", firing the second side, solidified the English quintet's second and best line-up consisting of: Ian Gillan on vocals and harmonica; Ritchie Blackmore on guitar; Jon Lord on keyboards; Roger Glover on bass; and Ian Paice on drums and percussion. Indeed as a kid growing up in the 1970s, who hasn't been tempted at some point to pick up a guitar to try and find those seven sacred staccato notes? Around its March 1972 release date, Machine Head and the band were displaying their deepest shade of Purple in studio and in concerts around the globe. Assisted by Jeremy (Bear) Gee, British engineer Martin Birch–who ended up working on close to a dozen Deep Purple LPs as well as many Mac, Maiden, and Rainbow records–recorded the band in December 1971 while in Switzerland. After the inspirational infamous fire following Frank Zappa's fiery concert–where they were registered to record the following day–the group relocated to the Pavilion theater for a few basic tracks which soon proved problematic due to neighborly noise complaints. Consequently the remainder of the album was completed at the Grand Hotel with endless cables crawling the floors hooked up to the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio truck operated by technician Nick Watterton, equipped with a 16-track 3M M56 2-inch tape recorder and mixed on a Helios console–famously used by The Beatles, The Who, and Steve Miller. While "Smoke on the Water" remains their quintessential anthem–and the best sounding song of the album followed closely by the bluesy, and quite dynamic "Lazy"–on equal musical footing, though to a slightly lower sonic prowess is the proto-speed king "Highway Star". Starting side one, and spearheading intricate Hammond organ and guitar solos backed with Bach-inspired arpeggios descending the minor harmonic scale–it presents several key elements predating power and speed metal song structures roughly by a decade. Lastly there is the psychedelic-tinged "Space Truckin'" that shows signs of slight compression converging fast towards the label's smaller radius, building a strong case for the need of a high quality double-45rpm reissue–MoFi are you listening? Unfortunately I do not have an original UK Purple pressing to compare with but Kevin Gray's Rhino remastering and cutting beats my first press Canadian olive green Warner Bros. in every aspect, with nice warm analog non-fatiguing textures and tonal balance. The high hat, snare, kick, and toms are meaty, with superb springiness, snap, dryness, and dynamics especially on the intro of "Smoke.." where the six cascading 4/4 bars build up before the vocals first enter, as well as "Lazy" toying with us through a lengthy roller coaster instrumental intro, the latter containing crunchy overdriven Hammond organ swirling in dynamic shadings, contrasts, and strong soundfield panning. Note that there is nearly no dead wax which is evident in the dulling top end towards both side's endings and unfortunately "Highway Star" lacks a bit of bite, dynamic contrast, and frequency extremes to match the rest of the album.
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96- The Curtis Counce Group – You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce!. Contemporary Records C7539 (1957), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7539 (2006) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, West Coast, cool jazz, hard bop flirtings.
Often appending "Vol.2" to the LPs title on it's back cover, YGMBWCC is the follow up to the quintet's self-titled debut [Contemporary C3526] which comprises the leader on bass, Frank Butler on drums, Carl Perkins on piano, Harold Land on tenor, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet. Staying firmly anchored in West Coast cool territory, there are few surprises; the album presents seven songs performed with finely attuned musicianship. Produced by Lester Koenig, this is one of the first beautifully captured in stereo by–my hero–engineer Roy DuNann between October 1956 and September 1957 at Contemporary's studio in Los Angeles. I don't have the original Contemporary pressing but this Analogue Productions' double 45 rpm edition dating from 2006 is outstandingly great. Remastered and cut by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, the sound is a bit more intimate, warmer, and tamer at the very top than usual, yet retains its explosive dynamics with pleasant tonal balance. The trumpet and tenor timbres are to die for; Counce's bass is–not surprisingly–well captured leaning more towards a full roundish wooden tone rather than hyper-articulated; the soft swirling brush rattling of the snare's skin as well as a few startling staccato strikes of its metal rim is refreshing in today's sad world of over and overt compression, and a hard reminder of how perfected the art of recording was already attained back in 1956!
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Often appending "Vol.2" to the LPs title on it's back cover, YGMBWCC is the follow up to the quintet's self-titled debut [Contemporary C3526] which comprises the leader on bass, Frank Butler on drums, Carl Perkins on piano, Harold Land on tenor, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet. Staying firmly anchored in West Coast cool territory, there are few surprises; the album presents seven songs performed with finely attuned musicianship. Produced by Lester Koenig, this is one of the first beautifully captured in stereo by–my hero–engineer Roy DuNann between October 1956 and September 1957 at Contemporary's studio in Los Angeles. I don't have the original Contemporary pressing but this Analogue Productions' double 45 rpm edition dating from 2006 is outstandingly great. Remastered and cut by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, the sound is a bit more intimate, warmer, and tamer at the very top than usual, yet retains its explosive dynamics with pleasant tonal balance. The trumpet and tenor timbres are to die for; Counce's bass is–not surprisingly–well captured leaning more towards a full roundish wooden tone rather than hyper-articulated; the soft swirling brush rattling of the snare's skin as well as a few startling staccato strikes of its metal rim is refreshing in today's sad world of over and overt compression, and a hard reminder of how perfected the art of recording was already attained back in 1956!
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97- Lita Roza – Lita Roza. London Records – LL 1450 (mono) (1956), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional pop standards, easy listening, vocal jazz.
English singer Lita Roza conjures up fond memories for me, being my lowest price ever paid for a sealed NOS LP which I found in a local record shop for 29 cents back in the mid-1980s. Odysçon opened around 1979, and closed by the end of the following decade–as CD's were slowly taking over vinyl sales and shelf space. The charming spot was owned by Guy Bertrand who previously worked as an A&R executive for Polydor, and CBS in the early to mid-1970s, and prior to that at London Records starting in the mid-1950s. His deep knowledge of the record industry, and associated anecdotes fostered my music-related curiosity, and I owe him much for where I am today. All this to say that there were many NOS "leftover" London, Savoy, and Polydor pressings sitting in the backstore bins for under five bucks. These thick London FFRR releases have "Made in England"–indicating the recording origin only–printed on the label, whereas the back cover states "Printed in U.S.A.", and were in fact perfectly pressed in the States to the highest standards, still standing the test of time. Lita's intimate vocal delivery and delicacy is delicious to the ears as well as the sultry sax solos, both highly dynamic and transparent with natural textures throughout. There are some tracks leaning more towards traditional pop-jazz, while others rather fitting under the easy-listening nomenclature. One of my all time female vocal sonic reference.
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98- Keely Smith with Billy May and His Orchestra – Politely!. Capitol Records – ST 1073 (1958), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional pop standards, vocal jazz, swing.
Politely! presents American pop and jazz singer Keely Smith backed by Billy May and His Orchestra mixing mid-tempo standards and ballads for Capitol's Full Spectrum of Sound. Married at one time to musician-entertainer-band leader Louis Prima–both part of the 1950s Las Vegas lounge scene cicuit–her singing is more poised than sultry with a style, spirit, and sound synergizing Sinatra's swingin' sessions to a tee. My mono Canadian first press [Capitol T-1093] is great, and sounds sweeter especially in her vocals than the original US stereo version but the latter shows significantly deeper bass, bringing more majesty along with a wide soundstage, beautiful floating string tone, and exciting dynamic brass burst. In addition, there are tiny musical sounds that appear in the stereo soundfield that seem camouflaged in the mono mix. So it is a bit of a toss-up between both versions but forced to pick only one, I would stick with the stereo for the fuller tonal balance and the noted benefits while accepting a slight vocal thinning–which is why in the end I am glad to have one of each depending on my mood. This is Smith's second solo release following her debut I Wish You Love [Capitol T-914 or ST-914] and preceding Swingin' Pretty [Capitol ST-1145], both of which are also excellent LP's, and worth getting at some point.
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99- Ike Quebec – Bossa Nova Soul Samba. Blue Note – BST 84114 (1962), Classic Records – ST 84114 (1997) 33 1/3 rpm or Analogue Productions – AP-84114 (2009) (2x45 rpm). Genre: bossa nova, latin jazz, soul jazz.
You would think that being from Québec, I would have heard of Ike Quebec long before 1997 came along, and yet it took Classic Records' reissue to further enrich my musical heritage. This title, closely followed by Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue [see below], were the two last Blue Note releases–numerically speaking–that I acquired from Classic back in the day. I tend to tie them together; no doubt due to Burrell's dual performance. Aside from the latter–as with the vast majority of Blue Note records of that era–Rudy Van Gelder engineered both releases. But contrary to usual, BNSS does not share the typical RVG signature sound wherein the upper mids and treble are prominently placed front and center while the bass is rather flatly compressed. In fact this recording represents what is probably the warmest, most intimate, tonally balanced RVG-Blue Note-Grundman remastered release I know of. Quebec's tenor sax is closely captured combining warmth with the requisite bite to insure sufficiant definition despite a faint fuzz or smudge to the textures–the very opposite of a clinically clean, cool, and contrived sound. Burrell's gifted guitar performance perfectly complements this latin-flavored jazz by infusing subtle soulful touches to the delicate mix. Wendell Marshall's bass, Willie Bobo's drums, and Garvin Masseaux's Shekere secure a charming recording session, perfect for those special occasions. I do not own an original Blue Note pressing for this title to compare with but based on many past comparisons between original deep groove RVG cuttings and BG-cut Classic Records reissues, I generally preferred the latter, be they mono or stereo versions, finding them a bit cleaner, and more extended in both frequency directions. I did though had the chance to compare the Classic 33 1/3 rpm with the 2009 double-45 rpm Analogue Productions remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman a few years ago, and if my memory is still intact, found the latter slightly airier in the top end–especially in the shekere's shaking, and a whisker cleaner in the sax. That said the usual disparities between Grundman vs Gray-Hoffman tonal presentations were much less apparent than expected.
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100- Kenny Burrell – Midnight Blue. Blue Note – BST 84123 (1963), Classic Records CRBST 84123 (2005) 33 1/3 rpm, 200g or Analogue Productions – AP-84123 (2008) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, hard bop.
As mentioned just above, Midnight Blue brings Burrell back into the spotlight; this time as leader of a quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, backed by drummer Bill English, bassist Major Holley Jr., and Ray Barretto on congas in more traditional jazz territory. As with the previous entry, Kenny's guitar tone, texture, and playing is simply exquisite for the senses, filled with delicate dexterity, and colorful nuances, showing the mark of a true genius. The conga in the opening track is very transparent and tangible. The album's tempo shifts between smooth and swingin', embracing a 1960s spy-swagger which wouldn't feel out of place in a Pink Panther/Matt Helm motion picture. Like the Bossa Nova Soul Samba LP [see above], the tonal balance is warmer, intimate, and less compressed than typical RVG Blue Notes, as well as Grundman remasterings. I did not have an original Blue Note pressing to compare with nor the 2008 Analogue Productions double-45rpm remastered by Gray and Hoffman but based on experience I doubt an original RVG would surpass or equal the BG-cut Classic edition. On the other hand, the AP cut at 45 rpm stands a real fighting chance–plus most online forum comments seem very positive, which is why I can cautiously recommend it. Neither have I heard the 2014 Music Matters 33 1/3 rpm cut at Cohearent Audio by Gray and Ron Rambach.
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A final note:
English singer Lita Roza conjures up fond memories for me, being my lowest price ever paid for a sealed NOS LP which I found in a local record shop for 29 cents back in the mid-1980s. Odysçon opened around 1979, and closed by the end of the following decade–as CD's were slowly taking over vinyl sales and shelf space. The charming spot was owned by Guy Bertrand who previously worked as an A&R executive for Polydor, and CBS in the early to mid-1970s, and prior to that at London Records starting in the mid-1950s. His deep knowledge of the record industry, and associated anecdotes fostered my music-related curiosity, and I owe him much for where I am today. All this to say that there were many NOS "leftover" London, Savoy, and Polydor pressings sitting in the backstore bins for under five bucks. These thick London FFRR releases have "Made in England"–indicating the recording origin only–printed on the label, whereas the back cover states "Printed in U.S.A.", and were in fact perfectly pressed in the States to the highest standards, still standing the test of time. Lita's intimate vocal delivery and delicacy is delicious to the ears as well as the sultry sax solos, both highly dynamic and transparent with natural textures throughout. There are some tracks leaning more towards traditional pop-jazz, while others rather fitting under the easy-listening nomenclature. One of my all time female vocal sonic reference.
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Politely! presents American pop and jazz singer Keely Smith backed by Billy May and His Orchestra mixing mid-tempo standards and ballads for Capitol's Full Spectrum of Sound. Married at one time to musician-entertainer-band leader Louis Prima–both part of the 1950s Las Vegas lounge scene cicuit–her singing is more poised than sultry with a style, spirit, and sound synergizing Sinatra's swingin' sessions to a tee. My mono Canadian first press [Capitol T-1093] is great, and sounds sweeter especially in her vocals than the original US stereo version but the latter shows significantly deeper bass, bringing more majesty along with a wide soundstage, beautiful floating string tone, and exciting dynamic brass burst. In addition, there are tiny musical sounds that appear in the stereo soundfield that seem camouflaged in the mono mix. So it is a bit of a toss-up between both versions but forced to pick only one, I would stick with the stereo for the fuller tonal balance and the noted benefits while accepting a slight vocal thinning–which is why in the end I am glad to have one of each depending on my mood. This is Smith's second solo release following her debut I Wish You Love [Capitol T-914 or ST-914] and preceding Swingin' Pretty [Capitol ST-1145], both of which are also excellent LP's, and worth getting at some point.
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You would think that being from Québec, I would have heard of Ike Quebec long before 1997 came along, and yet it took Classic Records' reissue to further enrich my musical heritage. This title, closely followed by Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue [see below], were the two last Blue Note releases–numerically speaking–that I acquired from Classic back in the day. I tend to tie them together; no doubt due to Burrell's dual performance. Aside from the latter–as with the vast majority of Blue Note records of that era–Rudy Van Gelder engineered both releases. But contrary to usual, BNSS does not share the typical RVG signature sound wherein the upper mids and treble are prominently placed front and center while the bass is rather flatly compressed. In fact this recording represents what is probably the warmest, most intimate, tonally balanced RVG-Blue Note-Grundman remastered release I know of. Quebec's tenor sax is closely captured combining warmth with the requisite bite to insure sufficiant definition despite a faint fuzz or smudge to the textures–the very opposite of a clinically clean, cool, and contrived sound. Burrell's gifted guitar performance perfectly complements this latin-flavored jazz by infusing subtle soulful touches to the delicate mix. Wendell Marshall's bass, Willie Bobo's drums, and Garvin Masseaux's Shekere secure a charming recording session, perfect for those special occasions. I do not own an original Blue Note pressing for this title to compare with but based on many past comparisons between original deep groove RVG cuttings and BG-cut Classic Records reissues, I generally preferred the latter, be they mono or stereo versions, finding them a bit cleaner, and more extended in both frequency directions. I did though had the chance to compare the Classic 33 1/3 rpm with the 2009 double-45 rpm Analogue Productions remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman a few years ago, and if my memory is still intact, found the latter slightly airier in the top end–especially in the shekere's shaking, and a whisker cleaner in the sax. That said the usual disparities between Grundman vs Gray-Hoffman tonal presentations were much less apparent than expected.
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A final note:
Now don't go 'bonkers' if you have not found your favorite recording included in this List, just remember: we are still in the first fifth of a long long journey...into sound.
While Thick as a Brick and In a Glass House I know well, for some reason I overlooked Nothingface. I will give it a listen. As usual, thanks for the insights, Claude. - Rob Schryer
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