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.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html
For selections #51 to 100, please click here:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-500-supersonic-list-50.html
For selections #101 to 150, please click here: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/08/top-500-supersonic-list-100.html
BATTLE OF THE BIG BANDS!
The late-1930s to mid-1940s–it was the height of the big band era, as well as the second world war. Call me foolishly nostalgic perhaps but at least during that arduous period, we could lovingly hug and comfort each other, as opposed to now having to keep our distance for our safety and the people around us. The five selections below try to bring back that lost warmth through the music, arrangements, and sonic textures they transmit.
151- Tuxedo Junction – Tuxedo Junction. Butterfly Records – FLY 007 (1977), 33 1/3 rpm, black or gold-yellow clear colored vinyl. Genre: disco, big band swing, sweet band, latin.
"Boooard!..."
Taking its name from Glenn Miller's popular repertoire, Tuxedo Junction was a short-lived studio project produced by W. Michael Lewis & Laurin Rinder–the duo behind such disco formations as El Coco and Le Pamplemousse to mention but two. This is their self-titled debut released in January 1978. After a short intro spent at the train station, the "Chattanooga Choo Choo" departs with a thrusting pulse led by the punchy four-on-the-floor pounding away at just over 130 BPM of force. The piano is the powerful engine driving the main rhythm riff, with the brass blaring and building to a crescendo up until the vocal quartet of Jamie Edlin, Marilyn Jackson, Marti McCall, and Sue Allen chime in unison the well known lyrics. Near the end of the journey the train seems to jump over the tracks or segues rather clumsily onto "Rainy Night in Rio", and ditto into Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" which ends the first side. The flip side maintains the same high level of musicality, sophistication, and sound quality right up to the final slow track–Duke Ellington's excellent composition, "I Didn't Know About You". Recorded at Producers Workshop in Hollywood, California, engineer Joe Bellamy did a superb job capturing and remixing the band. The tonal balance is nearly spot on with a strong articulate kick drum accompanied by rich-sounding horns, and just the right amount of top end detail to keep things sharp; the only minor quibble being the upper mids feeling a fraction forward in the mix that on some systems could bother some listeners. Allen Zentz cut the lacquer at his mastering suite in California. I based my sonic impressions on my first press gold-yellow clear vinyl but did not compare it with the regular black pressing which could slightly alter in sound.
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152- Tuxedo Junction – "Moonlight Serenade"/"Rainy Night in Rio". Century Records – CRDD-1140 (1978), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: big band swing, sweet band, latin, disco. (Direct Disc Phase II) D2D lacquer cutting.
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153- The Glenn Miller Orchestra – The Direct Disc Sound of The Glenn Miller Orchestra. The Great American Gramophone Company – GADD-1020 (1977), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band swing, sweet band. Direct-to-disc lacquer cutting.
When the name Glenn Miller comes up, there is a good chance that the word big band soon follows rather than jazz. Whether you consider big band music a genre in and of itself or simply one of several steps or links along the rich vast path of jazz history, certainly swing is the common denominator. Basie had it in spades and Benny was crowned the King, but Miller's orchestra occupied that middle ground between "In the Mood"'s repetitive swing style precursing jump blues and early rock and roll, and "Moonlight Serenade's sweet band's smooth arrangements. Tragically, his life was cut short at age forty as his airplane disappeared in bad weather during the war. Fortunately for fans of his, from 1956 onwards the Glenn Miller Orchestra continued the late Trombonist' tradition of recording and playing for audiences. In August 1977, its eighteen musicians entered Capitol Record's legendary studio A in Hollywood California to cut a direct-to-disc master for The Great American Gramophone Company label. Ten tracks including five of their biggest hits are featured in absolutely stunning sound like the band has never been captured before. Directed by trombonist Jimmy Henderson and produced by Glen Glancy, engineers Hugh Davies and Wally Heider nailed it from start to finish. As expected from this purist recording approach harking back to the days of cutting to wax–like was the norm during the original Miller band–the dynamics and purity of tone and timbre are through the roof and to die for. No matter how great magnetic tape can be for recording–and it can be astoundingly good given the numerous fantastic-sounding albums out there–it remains there is always a certain amount of alteration to the real thing especially in transient speed and focus that D2D cutting seems to not suffer as much. But what really sets it apart from the similar and better known Harry James D2D recordings done for Sheffield Lab circa the same period, is the grainless sweetness of the brass and cymbals, making for a fatigue-free nostalgic ride of highest demo caliber, rivalled only by the 1978 M&K D2D Duke Ellington's tribute by Bill Berry and His Ellington All-Stars [RT-101] described in selection #106.
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154- Les Brown and His Band of Renown – Goes Direct to Disc. The Great American Gramophone Company – GADD-1010 (1977), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band swing, sweet band, disco. Direct-to-disc lacquer cutting.
Barely two weeks after discovering the Glenn Miller selection above, I fell upon this other D2D release sharing the same label and year date in the same record store, also in mint condition for under ten bucks. Once again produced by Century Record Co.'s president Glen Glancy, and engineered by Hugh Davies and Wally Heider, it was cut by Bill Lightner, Bill Smith, Bill Tennis, Dave Ellsworth, Eugene Thompson, and Ken Perry. Brown's Band of Renown, which reaches back to 1938–coinciding with Miller's first single release–regroups twenty-five musicians for this date, interpreting a mixture of jazz standards plus a couple of mid-1970s pop covers such as Stevie Wonder's "Sir Duke" and Bill Conti's Theme from Rocky, "Gonna Fly Now". The sound is on par with the previous entry while the music is somewhat less captivating due to the high reliance on covers, it nevertheless is pleasant enough to have in a collection at such a low price on the second hand market.
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155- Count Basie... – Chairman of the Board. Roulette – SR 52032 Birdland Series (1959), Classic Records – SR 52032 (1998?) 33 1/3 rpm, 180g Quiex SV. Genre: jazz, big band swing, Kansas City style.
Don't be confused by the title, this is not a Sinatra album nor is the Chairman joining the Count on this occasion–though both gentlemen wonderfully worked together at the Sands on the Vegas Strip, and paired for a few recordings. This is pure Basie accompanied by his orchestra of sixteen musicians including trumpeter Thad Jones, trombonist Benny Powell, and guitarist Freddie Green. Produced by Terry Reig, the ten tracks were superbly recorded at Universal Studios, Chicago in March, and Capital Studios, New York in April and December 1958. Unfortunately the recording engineer is left uncredited. Typical of Roulette of that era, and similar to Riverside recordings, the soundstage's spread and dept is spectacular and cinemascope in presentation with the brass exchanging voices forwardly between left and right extremes, and the drums, bass, and Basie anchoring centrally far back, throwing a triangular-like soundfield. Being Basie, the piano playing is sparse and never dominates, preferring to share rather than steal the spotlight with his fellow musicians. It goes without saying that these sessions swing, and true to form, blues is never far behind, characteristic of Kansas City jazz with not a dull moment to spare. I don't have an original Roulette release but Bernie Grundman's remastering and cutting for Classic Records is impressive in scale and pretty spot on in tonal balance, very wide bandwidth, crisp brass and trombone blat, clean distinct measured piano timbre, agile bass presence with natural weight, and tight percussive drums, making it one of his top big band jazz remasterings. There is more room reverberation than on a Roy DuNann-engineered Contemporary but it is not over the top like some recordings of that same era, so we still can enjoy the great instrument precision. My version is the first very quiet background 180g Quiex SV pressed by RTI that Classic released and not the later 200g Quiex SV-P which may slightly differ in sound.
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156- Jackie McLean – It's Time!. Blue Note – BST 84179 (1965), Tone Poet Series – B0031655-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop, post bop, free jazz leanings.
Previously I had suggested that Tone Poet's remastering of Wayne Shorter's excellent Etcetera [Blue Note LT-1056, B0029357-01] pretty much put it at the top of my favorite Blue Note releases at least regarding sonic matters (see #146 HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/08/top-500-supersonic-list-100.html). I am happy to report that it has now been surpassed sonically, and musically by Jackie McLean's It's Time!. This appears to be his 14th LP for Blue Note out of a total of 21, and that is aside from his prior 9 LPs for Prestige, and at leasts 20 or so releases on either SteepleChase or other various labels. Produced by Alfred Lion and recorded in August 1964 at Van Gelder's Studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, the fiery session features Jackie on alto on the left counterbalanced by Charles Tolliver on trumpet on the right, racing in unison from the starting line with the track "Cancellation". From the get-go the former takes charge and sprints ahead up to the halfway point where the trumpet takes up the torch, both backed by Herbie Hancock improvising on the ivories, dissonantly dialoguing with great dexterity, paired up with the unrelenting rhythm section comprised of drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Cecil McBee. The level of musicianship, precision, and drive is out of this world. As is often the case with RVG, the bass lacks some palpability and precision–the only quibble to a perfect recording. Though not reaching down low, the piano does blend well within the quintet. The drums display fine midrange snap in the snare with agile dynamics to boot, but it is really the two horns that steal the show with such an exquisite tone, combining a burnish forceful cutting presence that transcends the speakers and the listening room. On that front alone Rudy and Kevin Gray outdid themselves on this one. If all Blue Notes sounded this great, jazz-loving audiophiles worldwide would be in heaven. The remaining five tracks of the album are nearly as good on all levels. As usual, Tone Poet's deluxe artwork and RTI's dead silent pressing are second to none in the industry. Friends, it doesn't get any better than this–classic mid-1960s Blue Note hard bop, flirting with free jazz blowing in stunning sound!
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157- The Horace Silver Quintet – Further Explorations. Blue Note – BLP 1589 (mono) (1958), BST 81589 (1967), Tone Poet Series – B0031884-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop.
This is another fantastic Blue Note reissue from Tone Poet that I find slightly surpasses this mainly excellent-sounding series. Recorded January 1958 by RVG at his previous place in Hackensack, NJ before moving to Englewood in mid-July 1959. Louis Hayes' drums are well captured. Teddy Kotick's bass typically suffers a bit being a Blue Note recording. Horace's piano fortunately is much better rendered than the average Van Gelder gig, being beautifully natural, articulated, and transparent in timbre. Finally Cliff Jordan and Art Farmer on tenor and trumpet respectively, are both terrific in tone color–the only frustrating caveat is that they share the same left channel and often play in unison instead of occupying opposite channels as is often the case with RVG's winning setup. On top of that, the piano is mostly situated on the left also, creating an unbalanced acoustic vacuum on the right where only the drums and weakish bass resonate–a very similar problem found on Lee Morgan's The Cooker [Tone Poet B0031577-01]–perhaps related to this earlier stereo period where Rudy was still experimenting with the new format. There are six tracks which five are signed Silver. Upon first listen, it reminded me of his previous LP, The Stylings of Silver [Blue Note 81562 or Music Matters Ltd MMBLP-1562], which is well worth seeking out also. Kevin Gray's remastering and cutting really got the tone balance spot on. Again Tone Poet's glossy cover art, Francis Wolf's photography, and RTI's perfect pressing makes this another no-brainer.
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158- Sacred Reich – The American Way. Roadracer Records, Metal Blade Records, Enigma – RO 9392 1 (Hol.) (1990), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: thrash metal, speed metal, funk metal.
Formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1985, Sacred Reich carved out a niche among the trash metal bands of the era, building a bridge between Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax from the first wave of the 1980s, and Death Angel and Pantera through the second wave of the 1990s. The American Way follows their incredibly-strong debut–1987's Ignorance [Metal Blade, Enigma Records ST-73306]–and in tandem with the cover art and title, reflects the band's socio-political side of speed metal. Whereas the latter bore striking resemblance with Slayer's brutal Reign in Blood [Def Jam Recordings GHS 24131] released a year earlier; on this album, the riffs and more moderate tempos align more towards Anthrax's Among the Living [Island, Megaforce Worlwide 90584-1] and Metallica's sound circa 1988-1991. Produced and engineered by Bill Metoyer and assisted by Scott Cambell, the eight-track album was recorded and mixed at Cornerstone Studios in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, CA and Track Record in Hollywood, CA. The mix is magnifically executed, giving each of the four members perfect power, precision, and aggression for this metal genre. Greg's drums definitely stand out as superbly and skilfully miked along with Jason and Wiley's guitars combining a combo of crunch and warmth, with Phil's bass and vocals driving an energetic pace. The tonal balance is spot on; combined with the appropriate punch and dynamics, makes it one of the top sounding speed metal releases. Strangely the very last song–"31 Flavors"–features the funky sounds of The Unity Horns; with sax, trombone, and trumpet twisting the vibe completely to a groovier metal flavor. Released in May 1990 towards the nadir of vinyl's popularity, it was never pressed in the United States, so I acquired it upon its first release as a thin 120 gram or so European import, pressed by CBS, Haarlem in the Netherlands.
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159- Patsy Gallant – "Sugar Daddy"/"Back to the City". Attic – ATT.1201 (Can.) (1976), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: disco, funky jazzy pop.
Canadian singer Patsy Gallant's long musical career stems back to the 1950s at a very young age in both French and English, landing her first single in 1967. Nearly a decade later, she like many, embraced the disco craze, where in the province of Québec–more so in Montreal–disco fever was running high in temperature in the discothèques, radio stations, and local charts. Paired with producer and manager Ian Robertson, they released her first disco-flavored album Are You Ready for Love [Attic LAT 1017] in 1976–her French counterpart being Besoin d'Amour [Attic LATF 5000] out just mere months later. The twelve-inch version of "Sugar Daddy" selected here is sung in English only–a slightly shorter French version came out as a seven-inch single at the time also [Attic ATF 501]. Following the trend started by Donna Summer with her cover version of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic" as well as Diana Ross with "Love Hangover" both in early-1976, and later that year with Thelma Houston's cover of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' "Don't Leave Me This Way", Patsy begins the track with a short soft acapella intro before the mid-tempo beat comes in. Close to the midpoint, there is a superb percussive break based heavily on drums, congas, and alternating-channel hi-hat, nicely panned, and slightly spiced up with moderate reverb that resembles the percussion intro and breaks to Gloria Gaynor's cover of The Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There"–as such making a nice mix possibility. The vocals start to add on during the break's build up. The last minute mutes the vocals, and we are simply left with the instrumental, slowly fading finale, which has great warm arrangements by Yves Lapierre, somewhat similar to The Black Light Orchestra's style of that same era. Recorded and mixed by engineer Paul Pagé, and assisted by Billy Slawlowski at Studio Tempo, Montreal. Bill Kipper at Disques SNB Ltée in Montreal mastered and lacquer cut it. The sound is impressively balanced from top to bottom, good clean punch, dynamic for the genre, with wide and tall soundstage. Side B's "Back to the City" is another genre completely–rather than disco it is more a funky jazzy pop song, more akin to a simplified Steely Dan leftover track. That said, being very short in duration, and cut on a twelve-inch single by the same team as side A, it is very dymamic, with a fast punchy articulated kick and poppy snare; so worth at least a listen for sonics alone.
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160- Melba Moore – "Standing Right Here"/"This Is It". Buddah Records – DSC 128 (1977), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: soulful disco.
This is by far my favorite Melba Moore record for it contains two of her biggest hits reunited on one twelve-inch single plus outstanding sound for the main track on side A. "Standing Right Here" is a classy mid-tempo smooth soulful disco song penned and produced by Philly trio Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, and Victor Carstarphen, part of the Mighty Three Music publishing company instigated by Gamble & Huff, and Tom Bell. From the opening hi-hat and bass line structure, every subsequent 8-bar phrase adds layers of cowbell, conga, keyboard plus rhythm guitar, vocals, harp, and brass to the very refined uncluttered mix done by Richie Rivera. The bass has just the right combo of crunch, cushion, and warmth while the harp is utterly lithe, nimble, and transparent. Melba's voice is sweet, soulful, melodic, agile, yet powerful when called upon, and coming through the mix at just the right level. Towards the halfway mark, it turns instrumental for a few minutes before some back vocals come in later on, right until the final thirty seconds where only the lone conga remains present, making it perfect for mixing into the next song. Truly, one of the finest sounding disco track ever released. Side B features her previous hit from the year before, this one composed by disco producer Van McCoy, and mixed by Tom Moulton which was originally released as an early promo twelve-inch single [Buddah Records DISCO 103] and sounds quite good but not up to the same level of the newer song just described. The lacquer was cut at Sterling Sound in New York and pressed at Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman in New Jersey. Melba had two following 12-inch singles worth getting–the Bee Gees composed "You Stepped Into My Life" [Epic 28-50601] in September 1978, and "Pick Me Up, I'll Dance" [Epic 28-50665] the same year, which also sound excellent.
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161- Diahann Carroll and The André Previn Trio – Porgy and Bess. United Artists Records – UAS 5021, United Artists Records – UAS 4021 (mono) (Can.) (1959), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, musical.
I loves you Porgy... let me count the ways. There are several interpretations of Gershwin's work–originally considered by the composer as a "folk opera" in 1935, while later adapted as a musical for broadway, and finally for film in 1959. Of course "Summertime" is the best known song of the work, being covered by so many great artists such as Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, and Janis Joplin just to name a few. On this particular LP released the same year as the film, singer, actress, and model Diahann Carroll joins German-American pianist, composer, and conductor André Previn with bassists Joe Mondragon and Keith Mitchell, and drummers Larry Bunker and Frank Capp forming his trio. The latter keep a low profile, preferring to let her shine through the ten tracks. I don't have the original US pressing so I cannot comment on that release but I do have two Canadian first pressings, both mono and stereo. The mono version is very pleasant sounding with incredibly delicate and refined treble. This lends the vocals an uncanny intimate presence as does a harpsichord-like instrument–or piano perhaps–on one track tingling the top end. The dynamic expressiveness is fantastic. The bass is just a tad shy in a near-perfect tonal balance. As can be expected the stereo version is quite wider with Previn's piano panned to the left side, and Diahann steered towards the right, making that type of soundstage situation somewhat unorthodox vs the common convention of centering the singer while the accompanying band spread out to the sides. The bass and lower notes of the piano are more plump and present with the stereo. Though each presentation is interesting, in the end I preferred the mono for the intimacy and imaging, with the singer directly in the middle instead of to my right. Produced by Jack Lewis, there are no engineering and studio credits listed unfortunately.
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Another very different and interesting interpretation of Porgy was the 1976 orchestral jazz adaptation, arranged and conducted by Frank De Vol. The double album encompasses the most memorable songs from Gershwin's original score but refreshed with rich orchestrations offering new textures to discover. Cleo and Ray are superbly paired, their voices complementing each other so well, displaying passionate intensity and interplay throughout the tracks. He also lends himself to the ivories on some songs. They are accompanied by Joe Sample on organ, Harry Edison on trumpet, while Joe Pass and Lee Ritenour share guitar licks. Drums, bass, vibraphone, strings, and brass build up a very dynamic presentation. The remaining swinging musicians manning the band are not credited. Prolific producer Norman Granz granted name recognition to the project. Engineer Grover Helsley recorded them at RCA Studios in Hollywood on all analog large format multitrack giving it that mid-1970s sound vibe. I don't have the original RCA pressing but rather Classic Records' reissue, remastered by Bernie Grundman first in 1998 on 180g–though not the 200g released in 2005. This is one of the truly terrific remasterings by Bernie. Be it tonal balance, brass bite, treble texture and extension, cymbal definition, agile close-mic'd drum toms, transparency, vocal realism, and finally warm intimacy without falling into any overfat sludge sound.
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File it under nostalgia perhaps but winter 1976-77 seemed like La Belle Époque at leasts to me for getting my first sound system as well as Montreal's nightlife entering disco's most intense and interesting period. Formed in Paris, France, the female trio had two minor hits with "Miss Broadway" along with their discofied version of Los Bravos' "Black Is Black" hit single [Columbia CP 9.003], originally from 1966. Coincidentally French compatriot Cerrone also covered the latter on his debut album [Alligator J 1611], released just about the same time. Strangely the Italian EMI first pressing differs from the original French and North American releases in cover art, album title, and side order, i.e. A/B are reversed. Arranged and conducted by Albert Weyman, and produced by Roberto Conrado, the sound of my Italian pressing is fantastic with generous hefty lows, sufficient sweet highs, and perfect warm tonal balance, especially so on "Miss Broadway", which combines the main funky synth bass line riff, a traditional-like fiddle melody, and some quirky, scratchy vocals. The "Black Is Black" track is incorporated into a 14 minute medley occupying a whole side joined by the tracks "Disco Sound" and "Why Don't You Lay". This side is a bit less sweet in the treble but it slams pretty hard in the unrelenting momentous drive with its faster tempo, panned percussion, and processed-vocals. It is evident by the song structure and sonorities that they drew heavy inspiration from Donna Summer's "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It" [Durium D. AI. 30248] released earlier in March. I didn't have the original French Carrere pressing to compare with but can confirm that the Canadian copy–and even its twelve-inch single counterpart [Carrere CA-001]–is not as impressive as this Italian pressing. This is a killer pressing!
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164- Nature Zone – "Porcupine"/"Nobody Can Love Me (Like You Do)". London Disco – 5N - Disco 3000 (1976), 45 rpm. Genre: disco.
There is very little information on this group. I had never heard this twelve-inch single scheduled for release around June 1976 on the radio nor in clubs, and just newly discovered them finding a reasonably-priced near mint copy from a nearby record store. Composed, arranged, and produced by Steve Feldman, Tom Dawes, and John Lissauer. Both songs are kept close to the four minute mark ensuring plenty of groove space even at 45 rpm for superb sound quality. The music is nothing to go wild over, being mostly melodic-driven disco featuring a rhythm section, strings, strong piano participation, and very minimal vocals on side A, while side B is faster-paced, and has male and female vocals sharing duties. The sonic aspects are close to "one-step territory" or "direct-to-disc" in sonic immediacy especially so on side A where a rhythm guitar on the right is so clearly defined. The bass, mid, and treble reproduction are stunningly clean and powerful. The dynamics and 3D soundstage in all directions are close to mind-boggling. Mastered by Sterling Sound in New York, and pressed by Bestway Products Inc. in Mountainside New Jersey. Even if it's not a dancefloor stomper, definitely demo-worthy sonic-wise!
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With the exception of a few hit singles in the late-1950s such as "La Bamba" and "Tequila", latin elements infusing popular music mainly manifested itself a full decade later in rock, soul, and funk formations such as Santana, War, and Barrabás. Spanish Harlem musician and singer Joe Bataan–who first came out with the term "salsoul", and soon rebranded it for disco's most important independant label–also had a string of hits blending boogaloo, salsa, and soul. Unlike Salsoul Records, where sound quality was consistently high across the board–employing mostly the same high caliber personnel every time–the giant RCA conglomerate understandably did not produce such a uniform sound. As such, there are some awesome, as well as awfull sounding records in their vast catalogue covering the whole gamut between both extremes. Samba Soul from Brazil fall into the former fortunately. Coordinated and directed by Osmar Navarro, and created by director Osmar Zan. Arranged and conducted by French trumpeter Jean-Pierre Soarez Here they reprise and fuse together two classic latin hits orginally sung by Brazilian singer-musician Jorge Ben, and found on his 1963 debut album Samba Esquema Novo [Philips P 632.161 L]–"Chove Chuva" and "Mas Que Nada", the latter a huge hit for Sérgio Mendes in 1966 [A&M Records SP-4116]. Side B reprises the Cuban classic "Mambo No.5" originally by Pérez Prado in 1950. Recorded at RCA Studios in Brazil and mixed by Warren Schatz at RCA Studios in New York in 1977, the tonal balance is spot on, with firm clean bouncy bass, panned clear guitars, string sweeps and/or string-sounding synth, and crisp brass alternating between trombone, trumpet, and sax. The multiple percussive chunky breaks of drums and conga encourage many mix possibilities with other disco tracks such as Larry Page Ork.'s "Erotic Soul" from 1976 [Penny Farthing PD 100].
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166- The Doors – Strange Days. Elektra – EKS-74014 (1967), DCC Compact Classics – LPZ-2045 (1992), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: acid rock, psychedelia, psychedelic rock, blues rock, musique concrète (in small doses).
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167- The Doors – L.A. Woman. Elektra – EKS-75011 (1971), Elektra, DCC Compact Classics – LPZ-2050 (1998), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: funk rock, blues rock, psychedelic solos, jazzy overtones.
Released in April 1971, nearly three months prior to Morrison's death, L.A. Woman is considered by most fans, the last true Doors album, despite the fact the remaining trio released two subsequent albums exploring other musical directions. It is the third essential album to accompany the aforementioned two in the preceding selection; as well as probably being the best sounding of the lot. As to be expected, given the rapidly moving musical landscapes of that era–the late-1960s switching into the early-1970s– the compositions, and song structures rely less on psychedelia, and more on blues rock than the previous LPs, with even a funky riff flavor thrown in, courtesy of James Brown's rising influence. Such is the case with the opening track, "The Changeling"–which by the way makes a magnificent mix with Lipps Inc.'s "Funkytown" [Casablanca NBD 20207 DJ] from December 1979–and one can only speculate, were it not for the Lizard King's demise, did the band consider pursuing in that vein on future releases, as Jimi Hendrix with Band of Gypsys was heading towards before his premature passing. "Love Her Madly" goes in another direction, fitting more towards an old Western saloon scene playing jangling ragtime on an upright piano. In fact Manzarek used a tack piano to that effect. "Being Down So Long" is pure stomping hard blues rock with crunchy guitar licks. The title track travels yet another route and shifts gears and tempo several times on the freeway–starting with the rhodes at a fast and furious 170 bpm–incorporating rhythm and blues elements, some "questions and answers" soul lines a la "What'd I Say"–Ray borrowing from "Brother Ray"–hard rock, and saloon-esque southern rock, thanks to the honky-tonk piano playing. The ten track LP ends with their masterpiece "Riders on the Storm", a dreamy, jazzy seven-minute psychedelic piece partly about a 'killer on the road', interspersed with thunder and rainfall trickling down Manzarek's keyboard. It is inspired by the country westen classic "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" written in 1948, and popularized by Vaughn Monroe a year later. It turned out to be not only the last song of the album but the last ever recorded by all four. In addition to the latter, bassist Jerry Scheff and rhythm guitar Marc Benno lended a hand on some tracks. Unlike the previous releases, Rothchild did not produce it because of a falling-out with the group. Instead Bruce Botnick was kept on as engineer and co-producer with the band. Beautifully recorded with minimum overdubs on 8-track at The Doors Workshop in West Hollywood, CA, that served double duty as a rehearsal space and head office. Perfectly mixed and balanced. It is intimate and the guitars are so well rendered. Originally mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders in Southern California. I don't have the original Elektra pressing to compare with but my DCC remastered and cut by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray is incredible-sounding, appropriately dynamic, quite warm, with toneful mids, and full-bodied. Like the preceding Doors selection, I have not heard the 2012 Analogue Productions double-45 rpm [APP 75011-45], remastered and cut by Doug Sax and Sangwook "Sunny" Nam, and pressed at QRP on 200g so cannot comment but I do have their debut done by the same team from the same series [APP 74007-45] and despite the superior glossy gatefold artwork, I much prefer the 1992 single 33 1/3 rpm DCC [LPZ-2046] because of the groovier Gray-Hoffman EQ choices and organic sound. That cutting duo really rocked the (Hyacinth) House!
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168- T. Rex – Electric Warrior. Fly Records – HIFLY 6 (UK) (1971), 33 1/3 rpm, MoFi – MFSL 2-490 (2020), (2x45 rpm). Genre: glam rock, art rock, art folk overtones.
In reaction to the burgeoning British progressive music scene nascent in the early-1970s, Marc (Feld) Bolan–a contraction of Bob Dylan some surmise, as the poet, singer, and songwriter, sourced inspiration from the original troubadour–brought forth a breath of fresh air by harnessing harder rock sounds with psychedelic folk art rock, along shorter, simpler song structures. Transforming Tyrannosaurus Rex into simply T. Rex reinvigorated Bolan and the band. Through daring fashion choices and songs like "Ride a White Swan", he ushered in the new decade, creating glam rock in the process. David Bowie would soon sway to the decadence, glitter, and androgyny of the times. Tony Visconti produced this album, and was also the thin white duke's producer on many of his key albums. In fact, exploring Electric Warrior–their second or sixth release, depending if you divide both group iterations–you can clearly hear Major Tom and Ziggy spidering down from Mars. Meshed into this theropod beast, is the classic "Get It On", sometimes retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)", by far the band's best known track. Not too far behind, and eventually appearing on The Slider [T. REX BLN 5001] would be "Telegram Sam" released the following year, and later covered by Bauhaus in 1980. Warrior is rich in song craftmanship, canvassing varied musical terrain, teetering between acoustic and electric. Saxophonist Ian McDonald, who worked on King Crimson's debut album two years prior, played baritone and alto. Engineers Malcolm Cicel, Martin Rushent, Rik Pekkonen, and Roy T. Baker recorded it from March to June 1971 at Mediasound in Manhattan, New York, Wally Heider Recording Studio in Los Angeles, Trident Studios and Advision Studios in London, England. George 'Pecko' Peckham mastered and lacquer cut the original UK pressing on independent Fly Records released that September, which I have not heard to comment on. Krieg Wunderlich remastered and lacquer cut it on double-45 rpm at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, and pressed it at RTI in Camarillo, both in California. The sound from MoFi is excellent, tending towards the thicker and warmer side of neutral with moderate analog compression which is what to expect given the period and 16-track recorder. Drums and bass are solid; acoustic and electric guitars, clean and dirty respectively. Vocals are adequately present but sadly marred with strong sibilance in several songs. Multiple comments on sound forums seem to suggest that the original UK is equally affected by this, and leads one to conclude that it is present on the original master tape. The soundstage is wide, and instruments instill nice density over RTI's dead silent background.
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169- Witch Queen – Witch Queen. Unison – UN-7903 (1979), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, hints of rock and electro.
Equally banging Bolan's gong were Witch Queen, a Canadian one-off project stemming from Montréal, Québec, produced and created by keyboard wizard Gino Soccio and Peter Alves. First dabbling into disco in spring 1977 behind Kebekelektrik's single "Journey Into Love" [Les Disques Direction Records DD-8004]–in reality a cover of Space's "Magic Fly" [Vogue 45. V-G 01] from France–Soccio later released under his own name the twelve-inch singles "The Visitors"/"Les Visiteurs" [Celebration CEL 5] and "Dancer" [Celebration CEL 11 or Warner Bros., RFC RCSD 8788] in February 1979. Jumping to June 1979, Witch Queen opens with the title-track, a cover and rebranding of Redbone's 1971 hit "The Witch Queen of New Orleans" [Epic KE 30815]. It is paired up with another British early hard rock number–a cover of Free's 1970 hit "All Right Now" [Island Reocrds ILPS 9120]. Side B features the aforementioned T. Rex track, though rebranded as "Bang a Gong" instead of the initial UK title, followed by "Got the Time", the only original composition by both producers. All three discofied versions are really excellent reinterpretations, as worthy as the originals. Engineers David Yates, Gabriel Boucher, Gregg Hamm, Mick Walsh, Philippe Espantoso, and Steve Melton recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, Alabama, Phase One Studios in Toronto, Ontario, and mixed at Studio Six in Montréal, Québec, both in Canada. The lacquer was cut at Sterling Sound in New York. Toulouse singer Heather Gauthier lends her voice as does future Lime member Denis Lepage is credited for keyboards. The sound is superbly good, punchy in the bass with just the right ratio of overall mids and detailed highs to keep it interesting.
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170- Gloria Gaynor – I've Got You. Polydor – PD-1-6063, – 2391 218 (1976), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco.
Second only to disco diva Donna Summer, Gloria Fowles better known as Glorious Gloria Gaynor was once hailed as the rival Queen of Disco to the dancefloor throne. The New Jersey singer accumulated a string of hits from the mid to late-1970s. Beginning briefly in 1973 with the Norman Harris-arranged single "Honeybee" [Columbia 4-45909], things really took off in October 1974 with her energetic discofied version of The Jackson 5's soul ballad "Never Can Say Goodbye", greatly improved and extended upon by Tom (maestro) Moulton with the release of her debut album [MGM M3G 4982] in January 1975. Released that September and following in the same mould, Moulton mixed her second album Experience Gloria Gaynor [MGM M3G 4997], containing "Cassanova Brown" and the 1940s jazz standard "How High the Moon". All of the above are musically rich disco classics worth having. Sadly, though the sonics are fairly good, they do suffer from some form of compression tilting the tonal balance towards the high mids and treble; thus my reluctance to include them officially in this List. Fortunately such is not the case with her third album I've Got You selected here and released in July 1976. This was the last album to feature Moulton as mixer along with Meco Monardo–of later "Star Wars" fame–as producer who had presided over the previous two LP's under the DCA–Disco Corporation of America–production banner comprising Tony Bongiovi, and Jay Ellis. It is also the final release to repeat the winning formula of joining together three tracks in a non-stop fashion occupying all of side A. Starting with "Let's Make a Deal", then blending with the Cole Porter-penned "I've Got You Under My Skin" from the 1936 movie Born to Dance with arrangements by Charlie Callelo, culminating with "Be Mine", a lesser known track arranded by Harold Wheeler. Side B are separate tracks, and not much worth mentioning. Engineers Bob Hasell, Bob Valicenti, and Tony Bongiovi recorded it at Mediasound in Manhattan New York, Dimensional Sound Studios, N.Y., and Track Recorders in Silver Spring, Maryland. Mastered by Jose Rodriguez as well as lacquer cut by him and Moulton. Pressed by All Disc Records, Inc. in Roselle, New Jersey. This is without doubt the best sounding Gaynor album and tracks to get, featuring a perfect Moulton mix with punchy kick drum, moderate compression, and overall warm tonal balance with just a hint of crispy congas, brass, and guitar.
171- Pink Floyd – Meddle. Harvest – SHVL 795, IE 064 o 04917 (UK) (1971), MoFi – MFSL 1-190 (1984), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: psychedelic, progressive, experimental rock, heavy rock, art rock, folk rock, acoustic rock, roots rock, space rock, ambient.
Meddle may be considered the bridge between the band's prior psychedelic period inititated in 1967, and their most successful middle period progressing from 1973's DSOTM up to The Wall in 1979–the final LP featuring four of the five originals. The opening track stirs up a storm with "One of These Days". Mixing double-tracked basses, dissonant keyboards, distorted guitars, psychedelic sounds, with proto-prog metal vibes, it remains one of the heaviest compositions from the quartet save for "The Nile Song" found on their 1969 soundtrack More. Repetitive, and nearly-instrumental, be it not for Nick Mason's brief modulated vocal line inserted at the 3.40 mark, foreshadowing a glimpse of death metal's vocal style delivery. The following four songs of side A stand apart from the rest of the album being deeply rooted in soft, acoustic, folk, and roots music. Side B carries the 23 minute, ambient, spacey "Echoes". Fittingly it starts with Floyd's famous 'ping' note played by Richard Wright's piano sent through a Leslie speaker and–no surprise–an echo machine made by Binson in Italy. David Guilmour's slide guitar soon adds its voice while the organ and softly-played bass, slowly fills the background, bringing a relaxing, meditative mood. Then both men sing in harmony creating that unique Pink Floyd signature sound that will echo through timeless pieces such as "Breathe" or "Us and Them" found on their following masterpiece album (see #82 HERE: https://positive-feedback.com/music-supersonic-recordings/top-500-supersonic-list-part-11/). That mood drastically shifts seven-minutes into the piece where it veers into a funky fusion-like improvised instrumental locked-groove. At the exact midpoint it metaphorses once more into a haunting, horror-like atmosphere, featuring seagull-screeching guitar wails that would sit well in a UFO moonbase episode. Around 16 minutes in, the organ serves as a soundbed while a rhythmic pulse provided by bass and muted guitar gradually fades-in, similar to Tangerine Dream's music around that same period. Self-produced; engineers John Leckie and Peter Brown recorded at Air Studios and EMI Abbey Road Studios while engineers Rob Black and Roger Quested recorded at Morgan Studios–all three located in London, between January and August 1971. The original UK LP was pressed by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. in Hayes Middlesex, England. I don't have the latter but do have a 1974 EMI second pressing. The sound is generally excellent. I once heard the 1984 MoFi reissue pressed in Japan by JVC many years ago, and based on vague memory, it was excellent as well, but can't recall any comparative details.
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172- Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here. Harvest – SHVL 814 (UK) (1975), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: art rock, blues rock, progressive, electronic, experimental rock, funk rock, fusion.
Pulling off a musical masterpiece can be a double-edge sword for any artist or band. On the one hand, you are praised by the press and can rejoice in fulfilling your dream, but what do you do for an encore without letting down your fans, yourself, and the menacing music critics. That was the conundrum facing the Beatles with Sgt. Pepper, Marvin Gaye with What's Going On, and yes, Pink Floyd with DSOTM. Wish You Were Here, released two and a half years later, tries to answer that question. We should give the quartet credit for not trying to repeat the same winning formula with this release which would have been tempting for some groups. Does it live up to its predecessor? Probably not, but I believe it is still up there in the top-tier or top three Floyd albums in musical creativity, and sound quality. Side A certainly delivers on both fronts, opening with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I to V)"–an homage to former member Syd Barrett. It starts off with a long fade in of a minor chord played on a synth sounding exceedingly pure–thanks in part to a DI unit–later augmented by bluesy electric guitar, leading to the signature 'four-note' riff, soon followed by drums and bass providing a typical 6/8 blues rock rhythm. Saxophonist Dick Parry–who previously played on "Money" and "Us and Them"–lends a hand, first on baritone, and then tenor. After 13-minutes it segues into "Welcome to the Machine". Its intro is quite original, comprising industrial and electronic sound effects–provided by a EMS VCS 3 analog synth–transporting us to what could pass as a futuristic manufacturing plant or some sort of sci-fi doomsday machine living and breathing steam, pulsating to the meter left and right. Then the acoustic guitar strums three times with a fourth strum accompanied by Gilmour's double-tracked vocals. The latter were "tape-speed-manipulated" lending them an eerie distressing effect. An instrumental ascending scale climaxes to C major seventh representing an exultant high-pitched synth. It ends with an air raid siren, closely followed by crowd noises recalling the intro to Sgt. Pepper–and would make a seamless mix by the way. Side B starts with the weaker track of the album in my opinion, "Have a Cigar", which fits a bit in the mold of "Money", being a strange mixture of funk and rock–it would be turned into a funky disco single by Rosebud in 1977 [Atlantic ATL 20 155 or Warner Bros. WB8784] which I find superior to the original. Strangely it is not sung either Gilmour nor Waters but rather Roy Harper. It continues with the title-track, and ends with the mostly-instrumental "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI to IX)" that alternates between blues rock and fusion. The combination of art rock, electronic instruments, and experimentation would leave its mark on groups such as Radiohead in the 1990s. Self-produced; engineer Brian Humphries assisted by Peter James recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London between January and July 1975, and was released in September. I don't have the original UK but do have a first or second German pressing [Harvest, EMI Electrola 1 C 062-96 918]. The sound is excellent and refined, tending towards pure and detailed, typical of mid-1970s German pressings. Regardless of the pressing country, a must for Pink Floyd fans.
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173- Quincy Jones – Smackwater Jack. A&M Records – SP-3037 (promo), A&M Records – SP-3037 (Can.) (promo) (1971), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cinematic soul, soul-jazz, jazz-funk, big band, swing, Kansas City jazz, R&B, soul blues, country blues, jazz rock fusion, free form.
Quincy Jones is one of the rare artist to master such many branches of the music industry; this going back to the 1950s. Musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, film and television scoring, and of course producer–best known for his work on Michael Jackson's 1979 solo breakthrough Off the Wall and most importantly the mega-selling Thriller in 1982. Smackwater Jack released in October 1971 may not ring a bell with many listeners but it does feature the opening theme music of one of television's iconic crime dramas–Ironside, starring Raymond Burr from 1967 to 1975–as well as "Theme from The Anderson Tapes" in relation with the 1971 movie starring Sean Connery. A third original composition co-written with comedian Bill Cosby is the brassy jazz-funk single "Hikky Burr" which served as the theme song for The Bill Cosby Show that aired for two seasons starting in 1969. The final Jones composition and closing track–"Guitar Blues Odyssey: From Roots to Fruits"–is an odd disjointed instrumental track that switches from country blues to Kansas City Jazz to swing to ballad to R&B to jazz rock fusion to free form as if one is skipping between FM radio stations. The title track is a Carole King original taken from her breakthrough album Tapestry released only 9 months prior to Jones' own. He gives it a totally different twist, presented in a cinematic soul style that would fit perfectly in a blaxploitation movie, and for which I prefer to King's original. He reprises also Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" released the same month as the latter with a very interesting interpretation, as well as Vince Guaraldi's 1962 hit single "Cast Your Fate to the Wind". Comprising over forty musicians, it is arranged by Marty Paich and Quincy. He is joined by Ray Brown and Phil Ramone for production credits. The latter with engineering assistants George Clabin, John Curcio, and Tommy Vicari recorded them at A&R Studios, and Sound Ideas Studios both in New York City. I do not have the original US promo pressed by Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute in Indiana but have instead the Canadian first press promo, lacquer cut by Alain Lalancette aka Alain DeRoque probably in Montreal, Québec, Canada. The sound is incredibly good, tonally well balanced with impressive bottom end weight, incredibly dynamic for the genre, and I wonder whether the US could really surpass it given its many strengths.
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174- John Davis & The Monster Orchestra – "Kojak Theme"/"Whatever Happened to (Me and You)". Sam Records – S 12456-1 (1978), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: disco, Philly Sound, funky disco.
Continuing in the vain of funkified television theme music, John Davis & The Monster Orchestra came out in 1978 with their disco version based on the action crime drama tv series Kojak, which aired for five years premiering in 1973. There were in fact two different title theme tracks depending on which season of the show. The first was scored by Billy Goldenberg while the second was by John Cacavas–the one used here. Davis was part of Gamble and Huff's MFSB, the house band forming the Philadelphia Sound, and also arranged and conducted a few Carol Douglas hits. His first release in 1976, accompanied by The Monster Orchestra, was Night & Day [Sam Records LP 700]–paying tribute to Cole Porter. The following year turned up the heat with "Up Jumped the Devil"/"You Got to Give It Up" [Sam Records S-12452]. This is his seventh single release. As is often the case underlying his many productions, the funky Philly arrangements give this instrumental track on twelve-inch single format an energetic drive. Side B features "Whatever Happened to (Me and You)" which is as good as the main track but drops the funky element for straight melodic disco with smooth harmonious female vocals; just unfortunate that it's a bit short in duration lasting just under four minutes. Sam Weiss was the executive-producer for the label bearing his name. Both tracks are produced, arranged, and conducted by Davis. Engineer Ken Present assisted by Jeff Stewart and "My Rock" Schnarz recorded it. Nimitr Sarikananda mastered it at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs in Philadelphia, PA. The sound is excellent with tight bass, fine brass crunch, and treble detail typical of most of his releases.
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175- John Davis & The Monster Orchestra – "Ain't That Enough For You"/"A Bite of the Apple". Sam Records – S 12457 (1978), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, Philly soul.
Released in September 1978 right after "Kojak", "Ain't That Enough For You" remains Davis' biggest hit receiving its fare share of airplay on the radio and in discothèques. At 131 bpm it was considered quite fast for the times along side tracks by Patrick Adams' group Musique, and Sylvester's Hi-NRG hits late that summer. This is a great uptempo disco classic with a touch of Philly soul in the smooth strings and lush arrangements, but less funky for the formation than previous releases. What is particularly fun for deejays is the generous use of long conga and percussive parts throughout the song–intro, break, buildup, breakdown, and outro–faciliating mixes with other disco tracks, such as a seamless mix with Montana's "You Know How Good It Is" [Atlantic DSKO 149 promo]. Jimmy Walker and Larry "B" Washington's percussion, Vince Fay's bass, Craig Snyder's guitar, Don Renaldo's strings and horns, and of course, Davis' keyboard-piano main riff propel the tune forward. Side B's "A Bite of the Apple" did not get as much attention at the time; it is less memorable but still quite good and is as fast if not more so. It includes a few Spanish-guitar licks and trumpet in the intro and later on respectively. Once again, Sam Weiss was the executive-producer. Both tracks are produced, arranged, and conducted by Davis. Engineer Ken Present assisted by Jeff Stewart and "My Rock" Schnarz recorded it. Nimitr Sarikananda mastered it at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs in New York. The sound is truly great, even above-average for the genre, with perfect tonal balance, punchy kick drum with solid bass and piano, crisp conga and guitar, defined and warm strings, superb soundstage, appropriate dynamics, and just the correct level of top end detail.
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176- Blood, Sweat & Tears – Blood, Sweat & Tears. Columbia – CS 9720 (1968), MoFi – UD1S 2-016 Box (2021), (2x45 rpm), #004348 of 6000. Genre: rock- jazz, jazz passages, jazz rock fusion, groovy soul rock, art rock, psychedelic flirtings, blues, ballad, fanfare, classical.
Quick. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions Blood, Sweat & Tears? For me, it is Chicago Transit Authority; better known as simply Chicago–probably to prevent possible legal threat from the actual CTA, the mass transit operator for the city of Chicago. Which is not surprising, for both bands were signed to Columbia, had their debuts released only a year apart in spring 1968 and 1969 respectively, were managed and produced at times by James William Guercio, and were one of the rare rock-jazz hybrids to successfully pull it off. Notice that I wrote 'rock-jazz' and not 'jazz-rock', for these two groups were rock bands that boasted serious brass chops, and strong rhytmic drive–at least in their early years–as opposed to Miles Davis or other jazz fusion formations from the 1970s which integrated rock elements within the less commercial jazz framework. Mobile Fidelity focused their UD1S treatment on their second self-titled album instead of the band's debut Child Is Father to the Man [Columbia CS 9619] which was the right choice in my opinion. After all, this is the album that spawned "Spinning Wheels", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and a beautiful cover of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child". The nonet comprises drums, percussion, bass, guitar, piano, organ, harmonica, flute, alto sax, trombone, recorder, trumpet, flugelhorn, and of course chorus and main vocals. Engineers Fred Cataro and Roy Halee did an incredible job recording and mixing the group at CBS Studios in NYC in October 1968 on the latest technology available at the time, the 16-track Ampex MM-1000 Master Maker 2-inch tape recorder. I do not have the original "2-Eye 360 Sound" Columbia mastered at Customatrix and pressed by Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria in California. This MoFi double-45rpm version was mastered and lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich, assisted by Shawn R. Britton. Let me cut to the chase, among my eight MoFi 'one-step boxes', this along with the Monk release takes the top spot–especially so for a rock record, even surpassing Santana sonically in my opinion. Every instrument is perfectly recorded, mixed, and transferred to the cutting lathe with outstanding texture, presence, emotional intensity, density, and solidity. Bobby Colomby's drums and percussion sound absolutely phenomenal in power, articulation, with startling speed and dynamics. David Clayton-Thomas' lead vocals as well as Steve Katz come out clean, the brass section has tremendous bite; bass and piano has the requesite weight. Wide soundstage, spot on tonal balance. RTI's pressing was nicely silent. It is the rare record that I cannot find any fault–such is the case with B.S.&T. Dare I say it? This is perhaps my best sounding rock record in my whole vinyl collection. Bravo MoFi!
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177- Curtis Amy & Dupree Bolton – Katanga!. Pacific Jazz – PJ-70, ST-70 (1963), Tone Poet Series – B0032877-01 (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard bop, bebop, post bop, modal, West Coast jazz.
I had previously chosen Chet Baker Sings (#148) as Tone Poet's best sounding LP. Musically smooth, suave, and cool; it was also a very intimate mono release. In contrast, Katanga! is killer hot, hard bopping, and presented in wide stereo. Hailing from Houston, Texas, tenor and soprano saxophonist Curtis Amy accompanied by trumpeter Dupree Bolton are terrific throughout this six song session. Among them are two Curtis compositions while the opening title track is signed Dupree. And what a ferocious track to unleashed an album! Bolton bolts out of the gate full speed ahead while Vic Gaskin on bass is riding double time right beside him, joined by Amy aggressively around the midway mark. Jack Wilson's fingers are speed skating on the ivories backed by the two protagonists punching in unison 'til drummer Doug Sides strikes skins and snare full snap near the finish line. "Lonely Woman" turns the tide 180, with Ray Crawford's intimate guitar playing and Curtis' soaring soprano vamping in harmony, both introducing a film noire-esque bluesy ballad, the other musicians soon comping in, supported by weighty bass and drums. "Native Land" leans more towards the exploratory modal post bop free form. Side B opens with the cool swinging "Amyable" featuring great guitar going hand in hand with comping piano and walking bass behing him, the drum in syncopation the whole time. This is followed by a great jazz standard, the smooth, soft ballad "You Don't Know What Love Is" starring sax for the first half, with Bolton's mesmerizing solo taking over in the second half. Finally, "A Shade of Brown" closes the album–a superb archetype hard bop tune that would fit like a glove on an early-1960s Blue Note LP with tenor and trumpet singing in unison, panned left and right respectively, giving guitar the first solo, trumpet the second, tenor the third, and piano the last before the band comes full circle to repeat the main opening riff. Richard Bock did an outstanding production and recording job at Pacific Jazz Studios in Hollywood, California. The sound–and this seems a signature trait of the Pacific Jazz recordings–is warm, intimate, dynamic, and on this present reissue, tonally balance to perfection. As usual with Tone Poet, Kevin Gray mastered and cut the lacquer at Cohearent Audio in North Hills, California, supervised by Joe Harley. RTI's pressing is flawlessly silent. I don't have an original Pacific Jazz copy to compare with but I am completely confident that though excellent as it could be, it would not surpass nor equal this latest release. Not a weak track. Do not let this one get away!
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178- Sonny Clark – My Conception. Blue Note – BST22674, Tone Poet Series – B0033006-01 (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard bop, bebop, post bop.
This is another Tone Poet-released Blue Note batting above average. Of course when your all-star team features Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd on trumpet, and Sonny Clark on piano, you are bound to hit a home run. In poker parlance you would say you have been dealt a winning hand, perhaps even a Royal Flush–which actually is side B's opening track as well as the title of a Donald Byrd Blue Note album [BST 84101] from 1961. Clark's My Conception concurs with my conception of a great Blue Note hard bop record. The six track LP starts off with "Junka", a hard swinging song with Clark and Byrd singing in unison, each in their respective corners of the soundstage following RVG's tried and true recipe. The tenor takes the first solo while the trumpet takes the hand shake past the two minute mark. Clark comes in at half way while the bass and Blakey simply keep time on the hi-hat, then Chambers switches from fingers to bow during his solo, ending with Mobley, Blakey, and Byrd chasing each other. "Blues Blue" as the name implies brings more a blues feel to this midtempo hard bop track. It follows the exact same pattern as the preceding track making it just a tad less interesting. Consider it a brief respite before the storm suddenly erupts with the exciting "Minor Meeting". Both brass players enter in unison, Byrd takes the lead solo, followed by Mobley, and later Sonny, all the time Blakey drives the pulse with metronomic pedal precision plus tasty drum fills and punchy cymbal work. The quintet regroup in unison for the finale. Side B opens with "Royal Flush" but didn't make me blush much. It gets strikingly more interesting with "Some Clark Bars" with Mobley really getting in to it reaching some raucous dissonance at times before Byrd takes over cleverly hitting high notes galore–both horns borrowing bebop chops from maestros "Bird" and Dizzy in their prime. Sonny skillfully navigates the keyboard. The chase between blowers and Blakey is exciting as the latter startles us with staccato speed, force and drive, while the former dazzle us with dexterity and spontaneous fun. The coda brings them in unison coming full circle with the intro. The title track closes the album. The smoothest song of the set, Mobley's sax is warm, intimate, and sultry, while Sonny's solo is simply lovely, and Byrd's playing combines romance, finesse, and beautiful modulation. Recorded in March 1959 at Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Rudy had it pretty spot on for this one with a fine presence and balance between all the players, and very little distortion or saturation which often occurs when Blakey is present. Incredibly it was not released at the time, only to have it pressed in Japan for the very first time in 1979 [Blue Note GXF 3056]. As usual Kevin Gray gets the most out of the old tapes with great tone, bite, and warmth. Again RTI shows their superiority over the German-pressed Blue Note 80 and Classic series.
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179- Caroline Bernier – "Love (I Don't Want to Hear About It)". Unidisc – UNI-1021 (Can.) (1979), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, electro-disco.
Québec singer Caroline Bernier had a few minor hit 12-inch singles starting in 1977 with "Hold Me, Touch me" [Deram LL.301], followed by the bilingual "Dance With Me / Danse Avec Moi" [London Records LLT.309], and "Secret Agent Love" [London Records LLT 310 or Private Stock PS 5110] both in 1978. All three are good and worth finding, but her best sounding single and musically mature work is without doubt "Love (I Don't Want to Hear About It)" released in 1979. Produced by Montreal-based Joe La Greca and Joe Marandola, this close to nine minute track–the label duration incorrectly states seven minutes or so–combines melodic late-1970s disco with some sections clearly adopting the electro-disco vibe spearheaded by Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer two years prior. In fact the latter's "I Feel Love" [Casablanca NBD 20104] was a strong influence on Bernier's choice of synth and sequencer sounds as well as tempo, making it a perfect mix pairing with it. The intro has some interesting tribalesque deep percussive beats. The tonal balance is truly excellent with superb solidity in the bass registers, kick, and snare drum. Vocals have good presence. Nice wide stereo synth textures and delay effects. One of the top sounding Unidisc records. Both sides are identical, providing protection if ever a bad luck happens, which I prefer anytime over a boring ballad.
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180- Geraldine Hunt – "Can't Fake the Feeling"/"No Way". Uniwave – W-12010 (Can.) (1980), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, dance music.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Québec, Canada, the Montreal singer had a few soul singles in the early to mid-1970s on Roulette that did not climb high in the charts–that is until her big breakthrough hit "Can't Fake the Feeling" in July 1980. Produced by Mike Pabon Austin and recorded by engineers André Perreault, Denis Drake, Gene Leone, assisted by Clark Milioti, Gary Milioti, and Mike Bonghi at Alpha International Studios in Philadelphia, the sound and mix are perfectly balanced. Lasting just over five minutes, there is plenty of groove area to spread the lowest frequencies, while all the same, maintaining adequate club cutting levels. Grooving at a mid-tempo 116 bpm, the Canadian track co-written by Hunt, represents quite well the transitional period from the late-1970s disco era to the early-1980s dance music era, prevalent in the Montreal scene at that time following disco's decline in popularity. The latter due in part–though there were other important contributing factors–to the explosion of new wave bands and singles on the airwaves and on television. The song structure is somewhat similar to Chic's slick style of disco. The 16-beat intro features boogie bass, solid kick drum, and the nearly-ubiquitous clap track present around those years; after which clean funky rhythm guitar ala Nile Rodgers–especially towards the midpoint–initiates the main riff plus Chic-esque strings mark the measures. Geraldine's vocals seem subtly double-tracked, widening the singer's image in the soundstage, and providing an edge over other songs. Both verse and chorus are rhythmically quite catchy. The nice long break arrives aroung the three minute mark consisting of the boogie bass and short staccato strings resembling Chic's "Good Times" [Atlantic DK 4801] break. This is most probably the best sounding Uniwave record to get. Side B has "No Way", which is a fairly good fast tempo track that did not receive any airplay at the time.
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A ray of Sunshine!
181- Jimmy "Bo" Horne – "Get Happy"/"It's Your Sweet Love". T.K. Disco – 33 (1977), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco, Sunshine Sound.
Jimmie Horace Horne, Jr.–better known as Jimmy "Bo" Horne–honed his singing style and success to Steve Alaimo and Henry Stone's Alston and T.K. Records company. Based in Miami, Florida, the independent sunny label became a cornerstone of the early days of disco skilfully blending soul with upbeat funky rhythms. Along with singer George McCrae, and house band KC and the Sunshine Band, Horne remained a key figure from the beginning to the label's demise in 1981. He had a string of minor hits starting in 1969 with "I Can't Speak" [Dade Records (2025)], as well as "Clean Up Man" [Dade Records 2031] in 1972–the perfect companion to Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" [Alston Records A-4601] released a year prior. His big break came with "Gimme Some" [RCA Victor ESP-552 (Span. 12-inch promo)] in August 1975–which I don't own in that format to truly assess its sound. What I can confirm merits its place in this List is the 12-inch single "Get Happy" from April 1977. Written, arranged, and produced by Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey–hence the 'KC' band reference–it is a perfect example of the signature happy funky feel this writing production duo imbued onto the Floridian "Sunshine Sound". Not surprisingly, one can detect strong musical ties to three of KC's biggest hits "That's the Way (I Like It)" [T.K. Records TK-603 or MFSL MOFI 1-012], "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty", and "I'm Your Boogie Man" [T.K. Records TK-605] all candidates for great mix pairings with this selection. Mastered at Kendun Recorders in Burbank, California, the main track last barely over four minutes long, while side B's "It's Your Sweet Love" clocks even shorter at roughly a minute less, ensuring plenty of groove cutting area for clean dynamic sound throughout both songs. The latter track is excellent as well, in the vein a bit of George McCrae's "Kiss Me the Way I like It" [T.K. Disco - 62] from the same period. Like most of the T.K. catalogue, the sound displays a quick tight dynamic upper bass accompanied by a clean extended treble, the only caveat being a fast fall off in the bottom octave.
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182- Jimmy "Bo" Horne – "Dance Across the Floor"/"It's Your Sweet Love". T.K. Records – S TKR 12 6028 (U.K.) (1978), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco, Sunshine Sound.
"Dance Across the Floor" is an incredibly good funky disco track that strangely never got a domestic U.S. twelve-inch pressing–a bad marketing decision when you know that this type of music benefits from frequent club exposure and that deejays strongly prefer spinning the latter format over seven-inch singles or regular LPs. Fortunately it did get cut as a 45 rpm maxi-single for the U.K. market and can be had as an import. To be frank, I have not had the chance to hear the latter but am fairly condident that it be included in this List based on the music content, the excellent sound of my original U.S. album of the same name [Sunshine Sound 7801], and the general quality of U.K. maxi-singles of that era. This one also was written, arranged, and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, who engineered the recording, and lacquer cut the album. Unfortunately no other credits are given for this particular U.K. 12-inch single. Note that the A-side printed duration of 2.50 is incorrect; the correct duration stated by the info on Discogs' site is 5.35.
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183- Jimmy "Bo" Horne – "Spank (Special Disco-Remix)"/"I Want to Go Home with You". Sunshine Sound Disco – 206, 12", 45 rpm, T.K. Records 12K4 2008 (Can.), (1979), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: funky disco, Sunshine Sound.
The original version of "Spank" was released initially as a twelve-inch single in 1978 [Sunshine Sound Disco SSD 205] and while enjoyable would not be included in this List as it lacked distinguishing itself from the pack. On the other hand the special disco remix released in April the following year includes many features that do not appear on the original version making its inclusion well founded. The song's structure now comprises a long "catchy" synth-driven riff intro, followed by four on the floor kick, hints of hi-hat, 16th note accented hi-hat, engaging bass run, and finally chorus. Further down the road, main vocals and verse come in. Then we get the first percussive-clap track break, harmonica-sounding horns, a full breakdown starting with only 8 beats of kick as opposed to the expected 16 beats, the bass run returns with rhythmic drive added onto it. Follows a full-fledge muting, save for solo synth riff plus hi-hat, a brief crisp snare roll, and rhythm guitar. Finally a third and last break of reverbed-horns joined by kick and conga gives the deejay a last mix opportunity. I don't have the original U.S. pressing–which I expect would sound excellent given past related productions–but I do have the first press Canadian on TK and the sound is superbly big, warm, and sweet as most Canadian Columbia TK pressings sound. Side B's "I Want to Go Home with You" is quite good musically and sonically as well.
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184- Jimmy "Bo" Horne – "Is It In"/"I Want to Go Home with You". Sunshine Sound Disco – SSD-4218 (1980), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Sunshine Sound, funky disco, dance music.
Released in November 1980 when New Wave and dance music had by now superseded disco as the main playlist on the radio and club circuit, Horne's "Is It In" was his last big hit. It is on par with any of his previous material musically and sonically for sure. Written by Ronald Kalstein and produced by Casey and Finch, this latecomer track cruising in at a mid-tempo 116 bpm, boasts a wonderful bassy groove. The intro starts with the solo bass guitar, reverbed claps come in, add kick drum, clean funky rhythm guitar, keyboards, and vocals. After the bridge, the breakdown steals the show with a near-repeat of the intro sequence and buildup–perfect for looping back to the start with a second copy for lengthening the track and energizing the crowd. The sound is incredibly good, with full range even tone balance, great dynamics for the genre, and impressive sized soundstage in all three dimensions. Clearly one of the top T.K. releases sonic wise, demo-worthy.
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185- Peter Brown – "Dance with Me". T.K. Disco – 75 (1978), 12", 45 rpm, promo. Genre: disco, funky disco.
Hooking up with record producer, publisher and composer Cory Wade–known for his work with label stalwarts T-Connection and Foxy–Chicagoan singer-songwriter and producer Peter Brown signed to T.K. Records in 1977 and had his first huge hit single in September with "Do You Wanna Get Funky with Me" [T.K. Disco - 35] a slow tempo funk track, surprisingly selling over a million records. Extracted from the album A Fantasy Love Affair [Drive DR-104] from December that year, and released in February 1978, "Dance with Me" watered down the funk feel of the previous track, and veered much more towards a light uptempo yet relaxed disco style, with a few funky flourishes added on as in the clean riff rhythm guitar. Backed by Betty Wright, Patricia Hurley, and Wildflower on vocals, it turned out to be his biggest hit, and certainly my favorite song from him. Strangely it was only issued in twelve-inch format in the U.S. as a white label promo, another failed marketing strategy in my view. In addition to lead vocals and synthesizer, Brown played drums, piano, and electric piano, while the piano solo was played by writer Robert Rans. Tom Dziallo played bass and guitar. Gene Orloff was the concertmaster, with string and horn arrangements by conductor Burt Dovo. Gary Vandy and Marcos Tobal, assisted by Pat Powers engineered the track and album. It was produced and mixed at Studio Center Sound Recordings, Inc. in Miami, Florida. Strings were recorded at Sound Mixers Studios, Inc. in New York. Ted Jensen mastered it at Sterling Sound in New York. The sound is superbly rendered with even tomal balance, fine soundstage, great dynamics, tight kick, bouncy bass, clean present mids and highs, be it the guitar, piano run, strings, and all vocals. Excellent short toe-tapping demo track. Side B is identical to side A, providing a safety copy if ever a bad luck would emerge.
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186- Duke Ellington and his Orchestra – Masterpieces by Ellington. Columbia Masterworks – ML 4418 (mono) (1951), Analogue Productions – APJ 4418-45, 200g (2017), 180g (2021), (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, swing, orchestral big band.
The title says it all, these are masterpieces by a master of music. I mention the latter rather than a "master of jazz", for these four pieces–and one can certainly include most of the maestro's repertoire–go well beyond the scope of what we normally associate with jazz composition, arrangements, and performances. Yes, you'll hear jazz, swing, and blues intertwine as idyllic balllet dancers performing on stage, but also that of classical music in the form of tone poems and concertos. Merely separated by seven months, there is no doubt that George Gershwin made an impact on the Duke–if only by the use of the title of Gershwin's famous 1924 work, Rhapsody in Blue whereas Ellington composed "Creole Rhapsody" in 1931 as well as A Rhapsody of Negro Life featured in the 1935 film Symphony in Black. The reverse could also be said, that in turn Ellington inspired Gershwin; as well as bandleader, pianist, composer, and arranger Stan Kenton. Hence, both men integrated European-influence manuscripts into American mainstream music. Nor should we underestimate the enormeous contribution from his decades-long collaboration with arranger and classical admirer Billy Strayhorn, who on this album revitalizes three of Duke's earlier works from the 1930s: "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Solitude"–all considered jazz standards–plus a fourth composition called "The Tattooed Bride". Originally confined by the three-minute or so time limits dictated by the 78 rpm format, here on this four-side 45 rpm album they are given free rein to evolve, explore, and express to their full potential in outstanding sophisticated sound. The changes in tempo, dynamics, and melodic phrasings are phenominal. Singer Eve Duke aka Yvonne Lanauze lends her voice on the first two tracks while Duke's son Mercer, contributes on flugelhorn. Notable band players are Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonsalves on saxes, Harry Carney on baritone sax and bass clarinet, and Sonny Greer on drums. Recorded in beautiful mono on an Ampex 200 at 15 ips in December 1950 by Columbia Records–who only two years prior had released the very first 33 1/3 rpm LP. I have not heard an original pressing but this remastering and 45 rpm cutting by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound in New York, and pressed by QRP in Salina, Kansas is one of the best mono recordings and vinyl transfers I have ever heard. The wide dynamic swings, crisp brassy sound, transparent mids and highs, and stunningly well-defined double-bass notes are aided by the extremely silent vinyl noise floor, and surprising low tape hiss. Probably my favorite RKS and QRP combination to date. Bravo!
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187- Duke Ellington and his Orchestra – Ellington Uptown. Columbia Masterworks – ML 4639 (mono) (1952), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band swing, cool jazz.
Hot on the heels of Masterpieces, the Duke dusts off his top hat and tuxedo proudly heading for a night Uptown. Plunging full speed ahead with drummer-extraordinaire Louis Bellson belting all out on "Skin Deep". With its swinging cool cat vibe that could serve backdrop as an old spy thriller soundtrack, it kicks into overdrive with a frantic dash unleashed by Bellson's double-bass pounding, predating Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" by nearly two decades. The brass bites with full force, while midway Bellson flies solo for a full 3 1/2 minutes nearly 'til the finale. The Ellington sound is on full display through Irving Mills' "The Mooche" which slows things down quite a bit, and showcases the jungle style prevalent at The Cotton Club during the late-1920s featuring dissonant clarinets, plus plunger-muted trumpet and trombone growls. Ellington-Strayhorn's signature song and biggest hit "Take the 'A' Train, departs the station under delicate piano precipitation over a light stomping pulse; then the famous brass riff kicks in, followed by Betty Roche singing and scatting away. Midway through the tracks the tempo shifts down many gears with the sultry sax and muted trombones flirting in the foggy background, giving it a languid blues feel until in the final two minute stretch, the train propels fast forward into Harlem. At nearly fourteen-minutes long, the progressive symphonic jazz piece "A Tone Parallel to Harlem (Harlem Suite)" stands out from the pack for that era, and is one of the most ambitious compositions from the master's pen. Initially a commission by Arturo Toscanini for which the famous Italian conductor did not persue to the end, the myriad contortions in meters, tempo, texture, scales, soloing, and complex arrangements that simply exceeds simple analysis. Again we can observe heavy influence on people like Kenton and television composer-arranger Neal Hefti. The album ends things swinging on lighter material with the Juan Tizol jazz standard "Perdido" in reference to the landmark street in New Orleans. Like the preceding album, no engineering credits are listed, but once again Columbia really knew what they were doing as the sound is mind-bogging impressive regardless of any era. The mono sound is big, bold, bassy, very dynamic, distortion-free, and so powerful! I do not have the original US but I'm confident that my Canadian first pressing is representive of the best sonic presentation. Note that Ryan K. Smith remastered and cut it at Sterling Sound for Barnes and Noble in 2016 [Analog Spark ML 4639] but I have not heard it to comment on.
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188- Charles Mingus – The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. Impulse! – AS-35 (1963), Impulse! UME B0033602-01, Acoustic Sound Series (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: avant-garde jazz, third stream, experimental big band.
It is always a challenge when choosing who is the greatest saxophonist in jazz history–several names readily come to mind. But when it comes to greatest bassist and composer, one name nearly always pops up on top–Charles Mingus. Born in 1922, his life was cut short by ALS at age 56, but he somehow defied this predicament by being highly prolific starting in the mid-1940s up to the mid-1970s, typically releasing three albums per year, and an astonishing eight in 1964 alone. The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is his first release for ABC-Paramounts' subsidiary, Impulse! Records. Headed at the time by record producer Bob Thiele, the label freed musicians from the usual confines of the music business, and allowed explorations into free jazz and avant-garde circles. Side A is divided into three track movements for easier radio airplay, while side B boasts also three movements but played in one continuous cycle like the composer intended. Accompanied by nearly a dozen musicians, from the onset this jazz ballet is deeply imbued by Ellington sophisticastion and complexity, Kenton-esque third stream grandeur and crushing cacophony, and in some instances, flamenco flavor sonorities–thanks in part to guitarist Jay Berliner. In fact, among them, trombonist Quentin Jackson had worked with Ellington, and alto sax Charlie Mariano included stints with Kenton's big band, while Jacki Byard shared piano with Mingus. Engineer Bob Simpson–who worked extensively for RCA in New York–did an outstanding job recording them in January 1963 in a rather unorthodox manner, with substantial editing, and even some use of overdubbing; rare for the era and jazz. Mingus' double bass is superbly captured with a perfect combination of body and articulation; easily surpassing what we'd expect from a typical Van Gelder recording. Dannie Richmond's drums don't disappoint, nor do any of the brass and reeds. The latter have that uncanny realism of cutting through the air. I don't have the RVG-mastered original, nor the 2011 remastered double-45 rpm cut by Kevin Gray [Analogue Productions AIPJ 35] but this 2021 remastered and cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed at QRP is phemomenal even more so considering it is only a single 33 1/3 rpm. Sonic textures are full, warm, and crisply detailed right up to the treble–a rare combination–with impressive soundstaging in both dimensions. The glossy gatefold jackets and close original label reproductions of this Acoustic Sounds' 60th anniversary Impulse series are a delight to behold. Kudos!
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189- Charles Mingus – Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus. Impulse! – AS-54 (1963), Impulse! UME B0033601-01, Acoustic Sound Series (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: avant-garde jazz, third stream, experimental big band, hard bop.
Released six months after The Black Saint, and maintaining those musicians with the addition of Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin, this LP is another must have on every music and sonic level. Opening with a revamped shorter and faster version of his famed "Haitian Fight Song"–here renamed "II B.S."–despite the title, this is definitely no bull sh__ swinging jazz, with fiery bass and brass riffs charging ahead. Quite a musical contrast with the next track, the slower pace "I X Love", where we are greeted by the gamut of tuba, trombone, baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones in a sumptuous sweeping film noiresque, cavernous ambiance of incredibly and harmonically rich arrangements. "Celia" seems to extend this languid mood for a few moments, only to have the pace pick up with Bondesque barking brass, then two minutes in, reverting to the slow mysterious mood ala Ellington for the middle part, onto a short swinging Kenton sound, and finally film noir style to the coda. The side closes with a very mellow "Mood Indigo" where Mingus goes into an articulate sensitive and sentimental solo–his walking perfectly captured once again–subtly accompanied by Byard's piano and Richmond's hi-hat and brush-strokes marking the time. "Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul" hits us with a mix bag of hard bop riffs approaching forceful free jazz at times, blaring on all fours, briefly switching to soul-gospel clapping, and back to bopping before borrowing from New Orleans partying–perhaps a tad too many mood changes for a memorable song. Originally titled "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and released on his 1959 album Mingus Ah Um [MoFi UD1S 2-010], "Theme for Lester Young" yields just the opposite, a smooth measured composition honoring the great "Prez" after his death that same year. The last track, the exciting "Hora Decubitus", definitely inspired the 1967 animated TV series Spiderman theme. Recorded in New York, engineer Bob Simpson does it again. I don't have the RVG-mastered original, nor the 2009 remastered double-45 rpm cut by Kevin Gray [Analogue Productions AIPJ 54] but this 2021 remastered and cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound and pressed at QRP is impressive even more so considering it is only a single 33 1/3 rpm. Similar in sound to the preceding entry. Once more the glossy gatefold jackets and close original label reproductions of this Acoustic Sounds' 60th anniversary Impulse series are noteworthy.
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190- Wild Fantasy – "Jungle Drums". Midsong International – MD 500 (1978), 12", 33 1/3 rpm, promo. Genre: disco, Eurodisco.
Produced by British songwriter Tony Hiller–better known for his 1970 hit "United We Stand" by Brother of Man–Wild Fantasy's 1978 maxi-single "Jungle Dreams" is a typical uptempo 126 bpm disco track with strong emphasis on percussive beats in the intro and break, making it a good mix pairing with Star City's "I'm a Man" [Skyline Records SKY D 101] released the same year. Eddie O'Loughlin assisted by Tony Gioe did this remix. Colin Frechter is the music director. No engineering credits are given. The sound is perfectly balanced from top to bottom with very solid tight drums, cow bell and conga, nice simple strings, low compression, and sufficient top end for the hi-hat. My copy is the promo version which is identical on both sides but there is another release [Midsong International MD 507] which has the same version on side A with a different song, "Africa", on side B, which is somewhat similar in style, and may be preferable for those that don't feel the need for a second "safety" copy.
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191- Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love. Warner Records – 093624874720 – 093624880653 (2022), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: alternative rock, funk rock.
First things first, even though this is the band's twelfth studio album, this is only the third 'Chili Peppers LP in my collection–the other two being 1989's Mother's Milk [EMI USA E1-92152] and their following groundbreaking album, 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik [Warner Bros. Records 7599-26681-1, WX 441]–so I cannot fairly assess where this latest release ranks within the whole. What I can confirm is that guitarist John Frusciante and producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin return to the fold; two key figures in the history of the group's sound. Almost anything Rubin touches turns to gold, he has a knack of knowing exactly how to get the best out of a band or artist even when they seem passed their prime or on the verge of making a comeback. He did it with Johnny Cash, Metallica, and Black Sabbath to name a few major acts. I don't believe we can consider the band's previous release The Getaway [Warner Bros. Records 555239-1] to be waning in quality nor in chart success, but I do think that many older fans will welcome these familiar faces back on the scene. Like the vinyl version of BSSM, Unlimited Love is spread out on four sides cut at 33 1/3 rpm. It opens with the very melodic "Black Summer" where we recognize the band's signature style through chord choices and progressions, the energy slowly building up towards the coda. "Here Ever After" follows with a style reminiscent of early-1980s alternative fare with emphasis on the drums. The super-syncopated "Aquatic Mouth Dance" and "She's a Lover" sound soulfully slick. "These Are the Ways" rocks hard and heavy, recalling Soundgarden and The Who at times. The relaxed atmosphere of "Not the One" hints at Pink Floyd circa DSOTM. I'll let you discover the remainder. Ryan Hewitt recorded at Shangri-La in Malibu, CA, and mixed the tracks at Eastwest Studios in Hollywood, CA; all analog from the API console to the ATR-102 tape deck, doing an amazing job of keeping the compression and limiting very low, and getting all the instruments at the right level with nice warm textures–the guitars in particular are quite exquisite, with the rounder bass and elastic drum kit complementing it to a T. Bernie Grundman also contributed to the wonderful warm organic tonal balance and almost soft treble–I kept thinking this sounds exactly like a typical Kevin Gray rock remastering–in contrast to certain past rock reissues which sometimes suffered for lack of a better term, Bernie byte. There are multiple vinyl versions. My copy was the black vinyl pressed at Precision Record Pressing in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Musically, Unlimited Love may not be up to the level of BSSM, but sonically it solidly surpasses it where the latter is more compressed and edgy, typical of early-1990s DMM cutting.
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192- Eric Dolphy – Out to Lunch!. Blue Note – BST-84163 (1964), Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series UMe – 3587502 (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: avant-garde jazz, free jazz, third stream.
If you have a healthy appetite for great diverse music, you need look no further. Recorded February 1964 and released in August–two months after his untimely death at age 36 from undiagnosed diabetic complications–Out to Lunch! is not only Dolphy's masterpiece but one of the most accomplished albums in the avant-garde circle, coalescing free jazz with third stream sonorities. The latter, a beautiful blend of controlled dissonance, odd measures, and tight musical precision provided by a quintet par excellence: Dolphy alternates between alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet, Freddie Hubbard is on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone, Richard Davis on bass, and Anthony–future Tony–Williams is on drums. All five tracks are Dolphy compositions starting with the spy-moviesque "Hat and Beard", with its 9/4 time signature. Riding a scale staccato rhythm pattern and riff of bass plus ride cymbal, then bass clarinet follows, vibraphone, and finally trumpet. Then at 1:30 in the track, things veer into total freedom until the 3 minute mark, where a new groove locks in with Hubbard having fun exploring the terrain. Pass the 5 minute mark, mallets take over and Davis' bass goes from plucking to bowing, snare brushes add percussive strokes, the finale reverting to the intro riff, resulting in a full circle. Technically this is probably RVG's best recording. Every instrument is convincingly captured and the images within the soundstage are impressively pinpoint. The timbres of the vibraphone and drums are incredible. Kevin Gray outdid himself on this remastering and cutting. The tonal balance is spot on and transparent throughout the entire album. It is so killer good that I could have been fooled for thinking this was a Tone Poet RTI-pressed release whereas it is simply a "Classic Series" pressed in Europe, which I almost always find a bit inferior-sounding, especially in the treble refinement vs the American RTI pressings. Of course the visual aspects are not in the same league which is normal for the lower retail price.
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193- Shelly Manne & His Friends – modern jazz performances of songs from My Fair Lady. Contemporary Records – S 7527, Stereo Records – S7002 (1958), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz, West Coast jazz.
Originally recorded in August 1956, and first released in mono only in October, it took two years or so before this LP could be cut in stereo and released to the public both on the beautiful black and gold Contemporary and Stereo Records' labels. Based on the 1956 musical Broadway production My Fair Lady, West Coast jazz' preeminent drummer Shelly Manne is indeed surrounded by fine friends with Leroy Vinnegar on bass and André Previn on piano–one of the rare musical artist equally adept in jazz, classical, and film scores. The jazz adaptations of Broadway tunes were a novel idea for the period, and its strong sales success prompted record labels to repeat the winning formula many times in the following years. The eight-track album includes such well known hits as "Get Me to the Church on Time", "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face", "Wouldn't it Be Loverly", and of course "I Could Have Danced All Night". What at first thought may have seemed like a strange proposal by producer Lester Koenig, actually turned out to be an excellent jazz album featuring great trio interplay in the hands of such masters. This is one of the very first jazz sessions to be recorded in stereo, and as always is the case, engineer Roy DuNann nailed the sonic recipe in their Los Angeles-based locale with great wide separation–musicians are hard-panned–full solid bass tone, realistic piano weight and force, and intimate drum strokes.
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194- Shelly Manne & His Men – Play Peter Gunn. Stereo Records – S7025 (1959), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz, West Coast jazz, hard bop.
With at least four albums as leader separating this release from the previous selection, 'Peter Gunn' showcases Shelly surrounded by some new friends–with Russ Freeman replacing Previn and Monty Budwig in lieu of Vinnegar, in addition to Herb Geller on alto sax, Conti Candoli on trumpet, and Victor Feldman on vibraphone and marimba. All the tracks were composed and arranged by Henri Mancini who had recorded and released for RCA Victor pretty much the same tracks just a few months earlier as part of the soundtrack to the popular TV series. Naturally the opening track is the popular "Peter Gunn" theme, wich The B-52's recycled the riff on their huge hit "Planet Claire" from their debut LP in July 1979, and that prog giants ELP reprised live later that November. Every track is interesting, many following the cool cat vibe, while a few definitely lean more towards a hotter hard bop stance, the likes you'd find on a typical Blue Note LP. The pairing of piano and vibraphone or marimba on some tracks lends an original touch. Trumpetist Candoli did not ring a bell with me, but a quick web search shows that apart from leading on several albums starting in the mid-1950s, he has an impressive resume as a sideman just as well. Engineer Roy DuNann delivers the goods as usual on these stereo sessions dating from January 1959 at Contemporary Records Studio in Los Angeles, California.
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195- Dennis Edwards – "Don't Look Any Further". Gordy – TMGT 1334 (UK) (1984), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: downtempo soul, funky groove.
Lead singer for The Temptations from 1968 to 1976, Edwards had a short-lived "career comeback" in April 1984 with the downtempo soul single "Don't Look Any Further" featuring the famous infectious funky bass line by Nathan East that was sampled three years later for Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid in Full" and catapulted thanks to the incredible Coldcut remix [4th & Broadway 12 BRW 78]. His vocals are very soulful and are accompanied by singer Siedah Garrett. Dennis Lambert and Paul M. Jackson Jr. kept the production quite pure, putting the groovy bass line up front and center in the mix, supported by John Robinson's steady looped drum beat. Jeremy Smith recorded at Soundcastle in Santa Monica, CA, as well as The Music Grinder Studios in Hollywood, CA, and mixed at Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios. This UK maxi-single mastered at The Penthouse–part of the Abbey Road studio complex in London–displays an impressively vast, wide, and deep soundstage with clean crisp articulate bass and top end openness, plus vibrant vocals in the middle. All in all, a breath of fresh air considering the period, which was quicky headed towards a sonic decline by 1984 due largely to higher compression levels throughout the industry.
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FIVE SHADES OF GRAY
196- Gerald Wilson Big Band – Moment of Truth. Pacific Jazz – ST-61-LA549-G (1962), Blue Note Tone Poet Series – B0033487-01 (2022), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: latin jazz, big band swing, blues, ballads, soul-jazz.
Until recently Mississippi-born Gerald Wilson had totally passed under my radar. Were it not for Tone Poet making the effort to reissue his second album–even more surprising given that he had two dozen or so LPs as a leader and as many as a sideman–I would have remained in the dark about this talented trumpist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. Lucky for us he was signed to the wonderful-sounding Pacific Jazz label, under which he released eleven LPs in total. Wilson's big band comprises twenty-two musicians including non other than Joe Pass on guitar, Bud Shank on reeds, Al Porcino on trumpet, and Mel Lewis on drums. Some of them over the years participated in Stan Kenton's big band, and interestingly we can sense that transpire through certain of the ballad and latin tracks. Legendary record producer Albert Marx and West Coast producer and engineer Richard Bock recorded this outstanding album at Pacific Jazz Studios in Hollywood, California in August and September 1962. Eight out of the nine tracks are originals–the exception being Davis' classic "Milestones"–and incredible both musically and sonically. Similar to Contemporary Records, Pacific Jazz were and remain above the rest in terms of capturing the intimacy and timbral realism of all the instruments–piano included as opposed to typical RVG engineering–and this one is no exception, if not even surpassing previous Pacific productions. Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio really knocks it out of the park on this one. The sound is perfect on all fronts with a full even tonal balance, generous plump bass, warm, close present mids yet not overly-front, crisp brass, solid drums, and exquisite top end detail. If ever there was a record fit for this TOP 500 list, it is this one. Killer Demo Material.
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197- Brother Jack McDuff – Moon Rappin'. Blue Note – BST 84334 (1970), Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series UMe – 4535205 (Ger.) (2022), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: soul-jazz, jazz-funk, swinging sixties vibe, psychedelic soul.
Along with Jimmy Smith, Brother McDuff was one of the leading jazz organist of the 1960s and continued as a leader and sideman through the 1970s up until his death in 2001. I had a few intereting albums from him on Prestige and Atlantic in my collection but this second release for the Blue Note label in May 1970 is more my cup of tea in style and sound. On this occasion he is accompanied by Bill Phillips on tenor sax and flute, Jerry Bird on guitar, Richard Davis on electric bass, and Joe Dukes on drums, in addition to two unknowns on trumpet, baritone and tenor sax. The drums are truly something. In fact, the drums are some of the best sounding ever recorded and mixed on record. Solid dynamic kick, crisp snappy snare, and cymbals to die for–the ride in particular has jaw dropping finesse and realism. The remaining musicians are also well served under the engineering of Bob Gallo at Soundview Recording Studios in New York in December 1969, and McDuff's own groovy arrangements and self-production. The electric bass is present and well rounded in the mix, sax has the right shimmering bite, and naturally the organ is shall we say, organic in texture and depth. This is one of the rare non-RVG Blue Notes from the era and it sonically shows for the better–at least with this type of groove-based jazz vs plain hard bop playing. All five tracks are McDuff originals of which the second–"Oblighetto"–has singer Jean DuShon contributing. I do not have the original "Liberty Records" pressing mastered by Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria in California and cut by Mel Keiser but this "Classic Vinyl Series UMe" remastered and cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed at Optimal Media GmbH in Germany is outstanding and as good to my ears to the RTI-pressed Tone Poet releases which is impressive–artwork aside of course. Therefore I am confident that it surpasses an original Blue Note given past experience comparisons.
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198- Ronnie Foster – Two Headed Freap. Blue Note – BST-84382 (1972), Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series UMe – 4535203 (Ger.) (2022), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: proto-disco, cinematic soul, progressive, jazz rock fusion, soul-jazz, jazz-funk, psychedelic soul.
Unless you are one of the lucky ones to own an original pressing or you don't mind spending several hundred dollars to get your hands on one through the pre-owned market, this Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series reissue listed for about one-tenth the price is very welcome news and an attractive option. Produced by George Butler and arranged by Wade Marcus, Two Headed Freap is organist Ronnie Foster's debut album–he just released his ninth album in July with six out of those on the Blue Note label. In addition to organ, there are drums, bass, Fender bass, guitar, congas, percussion, vibraphone, and harp; all contributing to this eight track LP. The album launches with "Chunky", and that is pretty much how it sounds like with a rare mix of high octane funky proto-disco vibe with Keith Emerson prog-like sonorities. "Drowning in the Sea of Love" starts out rather smooth, loungy-like, with the vibes in the vein of Bobby Hebb's 1966 hit single "Sunny" [Philips PHS 600-212]. Then halfway on, grooving at a higher tempo borrowing from a Booker T. & the M.G.'s style vibe. The title-track is definitely heavily-inspired by ELP's prog in the first half but then takes on more of a jazzy-jam feel. Side B opens with a beautiful cover of Al Green's classic soul hit "Let's Stay Together" [Hi Records SHL 32070] at first quite faithful to the original but progressing towards the second half into a souful-funky organ vamp. Lastly Foster's secret recipe for their version of "Kentucky Fried Chicken" again uses strong ELP ingredients mixed with a liberal sprinkling of intense frenetic organ vamping. RVG recorded them in January 1972 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey with the closing track remixed by Don Hahn at A&R Studios in New York City. I never heard the original pressing but this remastering and cutting by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio is very well balanced with nice deep lows from the organ and electric bass plus crisp drums. Only minor quibbles are the organ sometimes sounding near distortion and just a tad high in level in the treble in relation to the overall mix; plus the music being very groove-oriented does feel a bit repetitive depending how one approaches the genre. Pressed at Optimal Media GmbH in Germany.
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199- Donald Byrd – Places and Spaces. Blue Note – BN-LA549-G (1975), Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series UMe – 3596800 (Ger.) (2021), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: soul-jazz, jazz-funk, funky disco, soulful disco, cinematic soul.
Trumpeter Donald Byrd was no stranger to Blue Note when he released this album recorded in August/September 1975. In fact it turned out to be his penultimate for the label after nearly two dozen as either leader or co-leader. That, in addition to thirteen prior releases, and seven afterwards on other labels–making Byrd a cat strutting the jazz catwalk. Not one to be confined to a particular style, he flew from hard bop to jazz fusion to funk, and even disco down the road. Along those lines a group of his students formed The Blackbyrds in 1973 and had a huge hit with "Walking in Rhythm" [Fantasy F-9472] in November 1974. All seven songs are wonderful starting with the opening track "Change (Makes You Wanna Hustle)" combining funk with disco such as B.T. Express, and Kool & the Gang practiced during that period. "Wind Parade" slows things down to a soulful disco laden with sultry strings, female back vocals, piano, and trumpet, that would fit like a glove on a Barry White-Love Unlimited production. Side B opens with the title-track rich in strings and stirring trumpet, alternating in moods between a soulful disco to a harder funk feel. "Night Whistler"'s intro has that psychedelic soul style. "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" turns disco with the signature hi-hat pattern around the song's middle point. Produced by Larry Mizell & Fonce Mizell. Over at the Sound Factory, recording engineers Jim Nipar, Steve Maslow, Val Garay, and remixing engineers David Hassinger assisted by Jeff Hawks did an amazing job getting all the instruments at the right level. The original was mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders in California–which I don't have. Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio got it "spot on" with this remastering and cutting reissue for the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series UMe. The tonal balance is perfectly warm and extended, respecting the mid-1970s feel but with further refinement in the top end which I presume surpasses an original pressing. Even though it was pressed at Optimal Media GmbH in Germany that I often find inferior to RTI-pressed Tone Poet releases, this reissue is to my ears totally on par.
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200- Bill Evans – You Must Believe in Spring. Warner Bros. Records – HS 3504 (1981), Craft Recordings – CR00455 (2022), (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz.
Naturally when audiophiles think of Bill Evans, the label Riverside springs to mind. And for good reason–the latter's reputation gravitates towards the upper echelons of premium jazz recordings from the mid-1950s to the early-1960s–Sunday at the Village Vanguard [MFSL UD1S 2-002] and Waltz for Debby [Analogue Productions AJAZ 9399] being prime examples. But one would be a fool to skip this later period recording by Warner Brothers, newly-reissued by Craft Recordings, and now pressed by RTI on double-45rpm for the very first time. Produced by Helen Keane–his longtime manager–and Tommy LiPuma–well known for his work with Nathalie Cole and Diana Krall–here, Evans is accompanied by Eddie Gómez on bass and Eliot Zigmund on drums. This was Gómez's last pairing with the pianist, a collaboration going back eleven years together. There are seven tracks spread over four sides including two by the maestro, and the title track penned by Michel Legrand. The last track is "Suicide is Painless" better known as the instrumental "Theme from M*A*S*H", originally composed by Johnny Mandel. Engineer extraordinaire Al Schmitt recorded the trio at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, California in August 1977, but strangely the label delayed its release until 1981, only a few months after his death. Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood originally mastered and cut it. I never heard the original pressing of 1981 but the sonic comments on the net suggest it sounded really good. What I can confirm is the sound of this latest edition remastered and cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio is absolutely out of this universe, and as good as or even superior to any previous Bill Evans I ever heard. Every texture and detail is perfect. The piano floats within the boundless soundstage. Again, the finesse of the drums' skins, brushes, and cymbal are in the very best captured and transferred on any format. The bass has an uncanny realism and every nuance is so natural and easy to follow, this recording and remastering represents a true blue print for all to follow in how to do things. Judging by my ears, this seems to support the latest and near-constant upgrades claimed by Kevin Gray in recent web interviews regarding his mastering chain. Kudos Kevin and Craft, you've hit a home run with this one!
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