RONNIE HEREL PRESENTS NEO SOUL SESSIONS VOL. 1.
Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1.
Label: BBE Music.
Format: CD.
Release Date: ‘9th’ November 2020.
DJ and producer Ronnie Herel began DJ-ing in London’s clubs in the eighties, and by the nineties he was already a familiar face as he continued to champion the best in soulful music in Britain. This was just the start though.
Ronnie Herel was nominated for a MOBO and was one of BBC Radio 1Xtra’s first signings. He also became a talent scout for the television show The Voice, and after that, was appointed head of music at Mi Soul. By then, he had spent over three decades working as a club and radio.
This meant he was perfectly placed to compile a new compilation of Neo Soul for BBE Music. The result is Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1 which will be released on the ‘9th’ of November 2020. It features thirteen tracks that showcase artists, singers, songwriters, musicians and producers including Omar, Etta Bond, Children of Zeus, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Foreign Exchange, Terri Walker, Moods, Darren Dean, Phonte and KOF who find themselves in a situation where their music falls somewhere between “underground” and “overground”
The “underground” tracks aren’t mainstream enough to fall into be described as “overground.” Meanwhile, the “overground” tracks are too slick and accomplished to be described as “underground.” It’s a strange situation for the artists on Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1. However, they all have one thing in common, they produce quality music.
Opening Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1 is Gave My Heart/Its So Interlood by Omar which features legendary soul singer Leon Ware. He worked with Marvin Gaye and released a string of successful solo album. However, in 2016, he joined forces with Omar to create Gave My Heart while Its so Interlood featured the Great Windsor’s Big Beat Band. They play one of the highlights of Omar’s Love In Beats album which is soulful and funky and one of the finest of the British soul don’s career.
Etta Bond is one regarded as one of the finest British Neo soul singers. Proof of that is Come Over which she wrote and produced and released in 2011.
Manchester-based Children Of Zeus feature twice on the compilation. They released their debut album Travel Light in 2018, which features Slow Down. The same year, it was also released as a single on First World Records and finds Children Of Zeus seamlessly combining hip hop, R&B and soul. It’s a similar case on Push On which was also released in 2018 and showcases one of UK Neo Soul’s best kept secrets.
DJ Jazzy Jeff also features twice on the compilation. His first contribution is his remix of For Da Love Of Da Game. It featured on the B-Side of Rock Wit U (Yoruba Soul Mix) which was released on BBE Music in 2002. It’s a jazz-tinged and soulful slice of hip hop. Five years later, in 2007, DJ Jazzy Jeff released The Return Of The Magnificent on BBE Music and it featured My Soul Ain’t for Sale which featured Raheem Davaughn. It’s soulful with smoking beats and features one of the best bass lines on the compilation.
In 2004, Foreign Exchange released their debut album Connected, which featured Come Around. It successfully marries hip hop with Neo Soul to create a track that’s truly timeless.
Lose Twice was the fourth single from Terri Walker’s album Entitled which was released in 2015. It features Floacist and they draws inspiration from nineties Neo Soul as they create one of the most melodic and soulful songs on Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1.
In 2018, Rotterdam-based producer Nick Lubbersen released Zoom Out the debut album by Moods. One of the highlights of the album was Slow Down which features vocalist Damon Trueitt. He plays his pity on sound and success of a track where Neo Soul, Nu-Disco and R&B are combined to create a hook-laden dancer.
Darien Dean and Avery Sunshine collaborated on the single Someone is You (Shawn’s Revenge) in 2017. It was released on Be Yourself Recordings and is timeless fusion of Neo Soul and R&B.
When hip hopper Phonte released his third album No News Is Good News in 2018, one of the highlights was Find That Love Again. It featured Eric Robertson who adds a soulful twist to the track which heads in the direction of Neo Soul.
The beautiful Neo Soul ballad Need Somebody by KOF featuring Terri Walker closes Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1. This hidden gem is taken from Koi’s 2012 album and is the perfect way to close the compilation.
Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1 is a lovingly curated compilation from a man who has spent his career championing the best in soulful music in Britain. That’s why it’s no surprise that a number of British Neo Soul singers and groups feature on the album. There’s also Neo Soul from America on Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1. In total, there’s thirteen tracks on the compilation.
On many of the tracks genres melt into one. This includes conscious, funk, hip hop, jazz, R&B and soul to create Neo Soul for a new millennium.
There’s contributions from familiar faces and what will new names to many people. They’ve also been described as “underground” and “overground” track. However, they all have one thing in common the quality of music on this compilation of Neo Soul for a new millennium. There’s dancers, ballads and songs full of social comment on the thirteen tracks on Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1 which hopefully, is the first instalment in what will be long-running series from BBE Music.
Ronnie Herel Presents Neo Soul Sessions Vol. 1.
AMBIANCE-INTO A NEW JOURNEY.
Ambiance-Into A New Journey.
Label: BBE MUSIC.
Format: CD.
Release Date: ‘19th’ September 2020.
During the seven year period between 1979 and 1986, Ambiance led by Nigerian born multi-instrumentalist Daoud Abubakar Balewa released six albums on the LA-based private press label Da Mon Records. It was a self-financed business that released short runs of Ambiance’s albums during a time when many smaller independent labels were unable to gain access to parts of the distribution networks.
In 1982, Da Mon Records released Ambiance’s fourth album Into A New Journey. It was an ambitious album of spiritual jazz that included elements of Afrobeat, Bossa Nova, Latin, modal that also had a soulful quality. Into A New Journey was without doubt the finest of the four albums that Ambiance had released. Sadly, the album failed to find an audience and for Ambiance it was a case of what might have been?
It was only much later that Into A New Journey was rediscovered a by a coterie of discerning DJs and record collectors. By then, the album was already a rarity and copies were changing hands for large sums of money. This meant that the album was beyond the budget of many music fans. Not for much longer, as BBE Music will reissue on the ‘19th’ of September 2020. It’s a reminder of Ambiance’s finest hour.
Ambiance was founded by Nigeria-born Daoud Abubakar Balewa who moved to Los Angeles where his career began. He had studied composition and jazz improvisation and was inspired by Jackie McLean and Frank Mitchell of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Although he was a saxophonist and could play alto, soprano and tenor sax he was equally comfortable playing flute, clarinet, keyboards, and Latin and Brazilian percussion. By the time Daoud Abubakar Balewa founded the jazz collective Ambiance, he was a talented multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer who had worked as a photographer.
In 1979, Ambiance released their debut album Ebun on Da Mon Records. It showcased what was a tight, talented and versatile group. Especially Bob Selvin who played keyboards and synths. He was part of a group that combined funk, fusion, jazz-funk and Latin on Ebun’s eight tracks which was a mixture of original material and covers. Sadly, very few people heard Ambiance’s oft-overlooked debut which was the first of six private presses they released during a seven year period.
They followed this up with Drift Up To Space in 1980. It was another album where Ambiance combined funk and fusion with jazz-funk and Latin. One thing that changed was Ambiance’s lineup. Daoud Abubakar Balewa shuffled the pack and brought onboard new musicians that suited the style of music he was recording and would bring something new to the session. However, just like on Ebun, keyboardist Bob Selvin played an important part in the album’s sound. When Drift Up To Space was released Ambiance remained one of jazz music’s best kept secrets.
The problem with releasing an album via a small label like Da Mon Records was they couldn’t access the distribution networks that the larger indie labels and majors could. And smaller labels lacked the expertise and marketing budget to promote an album. In reality, the best a group like Ambiance could hope for was that their album was heard by a bigger label who either signed the group or licensed the album. Neither happened to Ambiance who would soon return with a third album.
Ambiance returned in 1981 with their third album (Gida-Gida) “Tight and Tidy.” Just like their sophomore album, there were several changes in the lineup and there was no sign of keyboardist Bob Selvin. One of of the news addition to the group was Curtis Robertson Jr, who at the times, was married to Syreeta Wright. She added backing vocals and finger cymbals on one of Daoud Abubakar Balewa’s compositions Gida-Gida, which she co-produced with Curtis Robertson Jr. It was part of another carefully crafted album that combined fusion, jazz-funk and soul. However, just like Ambiance’s two previous albums it slipped under the radar. This was a great shame as Ambiance’s third album deserved to find a wider audience.
Into A New Journey.
For Ambiance’s fourth album Daoud Abubakar Balewa wrote and the title-track Into A New Journey. They were joined by covers of Joe Henderson’s Black Narcissus; Danny Newark and Monife Balewa’s Something Better; Jim Lum’s Eastwind plus Chick Corea’s 500 Miles High and Windows. These tracks became Into A New Journey which was recorded by a new lineup of Ambiance.
Joining multi-instrumentalist Daoud Abubakar Balewa was Japanese drummer Danny Yamamoto, bassist Randy Landis and guitarist Jim Lun. They were joined by Danny Newmark Fender Rhodes, keyboardists Jim Thornburn and Kimo Cornwell, Rick Smith on African Drums, June Kuramoto on Koto and Tyrone Ponder played the Apito. Adding vocals on Into A New Journey were Monife Balewa and Atiji Malomon. Once the album was completed it was released later in 1982.
When Into A New Journey was released in 1983 it was a familiar story when the album passed record buyers by. They had missed out on what was the finest album of Ambiance’s career.
Into A New Journey opens with Arrival, which is a joyous, celebratory and genre-melting track that’s akin to a call to dance. This is followed by Ambiance’s interpretation of Joe Henderson’s modal classic Black Narcissus which is the perfect showcase for Daoud Abubakar Balewa’s saxophone. He leaves room for Kimo Cornwell’s piano and the two play leading roles in the sound and success of this oft-covered classic. Something Better features vocalists Atiji Malomon and Monife Balewa who showcases her three octave vocal while a sultry saxophone adds the finishing touch to this beautiful and hopeful jazz ballad. Quite different is Into A New Journey, which is a percussive jazz-dance workout that draws inspiration from African and Latin music.
Cinematic describes the introduction to Eastwind before Ambiance combine jazz-funk, fusion, Latin percussion and ethereal harmonies. Daoud Abubakar Balewa’s flute and tenor saxophone also play a part in the sound and success of this slice of musical sunshine. Two Chick Corea covers close the album. The first is a remake of 500 Miles High where Ambiance spring a few surprises as they take the track in a new direction. It’s a case of expect the unexpected during this captivating cover. Closing Into A New Journey is Windows where Monife Balewa’s vocal seamlessly combines with the saxophone and creates a cosmic twist to this soulful fusion classic. In doing so, Ambiance closes the album on a high.
Although Ambiance released two more albums, 1985s Come To Tomorrow and 1986s Colours In Space neither surpassed the quality of Into A New Journey. It was their finest moment and it was as if everything had been leading up to it.
Ever since Ambiance released their debut album Ebun, Daoud Abubakar Balewa had continued to shuffle the pack and the lineup continued to change. The new lineup that featured on Into A New Journey was perfectly suited to play the original material and reinvent the cover versions on the album. They take familiar tracks in new direction and breath new life, meaning, energy and emotion into them. There’s another generic or predictable about these tracks on Ambiance’s genre-melting album.
Throughout Into A New Journey Ambiance combine disparate genres and influences. This includes fusion and jazz-funk with elements of African, Brazilian and Japanese and Latin music on Ambiance’s lost spiritual jazz gem. Into A New Journey still sparkles brightly and is undoubtably a captivating album of spiritual jazz that’s full of beauty, energy and warmth that belatedly is starting to find the audience it so richly deserves and is without doubt Ambiance’s finest hour.
Ambiance-Into A New Journey.
CULT CLASSIC: KEITH JARRETT, GARY PEACOCK AND JACK DEJOHNETTE-AFTER THE FALL.
Cult Classic: Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette-After The Fall.
Imagine that one day, you’re struck down by a mystery illness, and go from being healthy to constantly exhausted, with your head, muscles and joints constantly aching. All you want to do is sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Even then, you don’t feel refreshed and getting through daily life is impossible. So much so, that you’re a shadow of your former self. To make matters worse, the doctors have absolutely no idea what is wrong with you.
They draw blood, send you for a brain scan and lumbar puncture, and check for every imaginable illness, including some that you’ve never heard of heard of. Still the so-called medical professionals have no idea what is wrong with you. Meanwhile, you’re living a nightmare and no longer able to make a living, and watch as your life falls apart.
Eventually, after being passed from pillar to post, eventually, a doctor realises exactly what is wrong with you, and diagnoses that you have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This was disease that very nearly destroyed the career of one of the greatest jazz pianists of his generation Keith Jarrett in the late-nineties.
It was around 1996 that fifty-one year old Keith Jarrett became ill, and was diagnosed by doctors as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This was a huge blow for Keith Jarrett who was enjoying a successful career, and was one of the greatest and most versatile jazz musicians of his generation.
Keith Jarrett’s career began in the mid-sixties when he was hired by Art Blakey to play in The Jazz Messengers, and made his recording debut on their 1966 hard bop album Buttercorn Lady. However, Keith Jarrett wasn’t a Messenger for long, and soon, joined Charles Lloyd’s band.
Joining forces with Charles Lloyd who was signed to Atlantic Records was good experience for Keith Jarrett who was a prodigious talent. He played on Charles Lloyd’s 1967 albumForest Flower, and Love-In, Journey Within and En Concierto which were all released by The Charles Lloyd Quartet the same years. All this was good experience for Keith Jarrett who had just been signed by Atlantic Records.
On May the ‘4th’ 1967 Keith Jarrett made his way to Atlantic Recording Studios, in New York, where just four days before he turned twenty-two, he recorded his debut album, Life Between The Exit Signs. It was a trio recording that featured Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. Life Between The Exit Signs an album of post bop was released to critical acclaim on the ‘1st’ of April 1968 and launched Keith Jarrett’s career.
Despite having released his debut album, Keith Jarrett continued to work with Charles Lloyd right up until 1970. Then he joined Miles Davis band, and featured on 1970s Miles Davis At Fillmore and 1971s Live Evil. These were two very different albums with Miles Davis At Fillmore being a much more experimental album where the band veered between and combined elements of free jazz, fusion and experimental music. By comparison, Live Evil was a fusion album, which featured an all-star band. Keith Jarrett who had already shown he was a prodigious talent, belonged in such illustrious company, and by the end of 1971, had already released nine albums as leader or co-leader.
Twenty-five years later, and Keith Jarrett had been a truly prolific recording artist and a highly respected bandleader who was known for recording albums of ambitious and innovative jazz. He had already released fifty-seven albums as leader or co-leader by 1996. Many of these albums were released to widespread critical acclaim and showcase a versatile pianist who was comfortable playing everything from free jazz and fusion to classical music and variety of other sub-genre of jazz. It was a similar case when Keith Jarrett worked as sideman, and had played over 125 albums. Sadly, when Keith Jarrett was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome he had no idea when he would back in a recording studio or on the tour bus that sometimes seemed like a second home.
Little did Keith Jarrett know that it would take the best part of two years before he was able to return to the concert hall. During that period, he suffered from what’s a truly debilitating illness that ravaged his body and left him weak and frustrated. He had no idea how long Chronic Fatigue Syndrome would last, and neither did the doctors. Some people had it for two, three five, ten or more years and watched as their life was destroyed never to be the same.
Fortunately, after nearly two years Keith Jarrett’s body gradually started to heal and with each passing day, he became stronger and more like he had before Chronic Fatigue Syndrome turned his life upside down. Eventually, his thoughts started to making a comeback in 1998.
The Melody At Night, With You.
This was a really low-key comeback which began in December 1997, when Keith Jarrett wanted to test his Hamburg Steinway piano which had just been overhauled, and when he woke up and was having a: “half-decent day, I would turn on the tape recorder and play for a few minutes. I was too fatigued to do more.” The tape that Keith Jarrett made he gave to his then wife Rose Anne as a Christmas present. Little did either of them realise at the time that this was the start of Keith Jarrett’s comeback and the followup to Multitude Of Angels which was recorded just before he became ill.
When Keith Jarrett eventually entered his Cavelight Studio, which is next to his New Jersey home in 1998, he still hadn’t made a complete recovery, but was ready to make some tentative steps. By then, Keith Jarrett decided that he wouldn’t work with a band, and instead, The Melody At Night, With You would be a solo recording.
During the session, he played seven standards, including I Loves You Porgy, I Got It Bad and That Ain’t Good, Don’t Ever Leave Me and Someone To Watch Over Me. These standards were joined by two traditional songs My Wild Irish Rose and Shenandoah, which were arranged by Keith Jarrett. He also composed Meditation which was part of the two-part suite Blame It On My Youth/Meditation. These tracks were produced by Keith Jarrett and Manfred Eicher, the founder of ECM Records which had been home to the pianist for much of his career.
When The Melody At Night, With You was complete, Manfred Eicher scheduled the release for October the ’14th’ 1999. Critics welcomed back Keith Jarrett and The Melody At Night, With You was released to plaudits and praise. By then, Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette had already record the live album After The Fall.
After The Fall.
To record the live album that completed his comeback, Keith Jarrett decided that he would use his standards trio which featured double bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette. They were like the three musical musketeers, who had worked together on many occasions during their long and illustrious careers. The three musicians had an almost telepathic understanding and formed an enviable partnership. Despite that, there was an added edge to recording his comeback concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Centre, on November the ‘14th’ 1998, as Keith Jarrett every note and chord he played would be pored over, as critics and the jazz cognoscenti wondered whether he still had what it took to play at the highest level?
Keith Jarrett was sure he had, but he like anyone who had suffered from the illness knew that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was a debilitating illness that saps not just energy, but can affect concentration. Fortunately, Keith Jarrett’s trio planned to play tracks that they knew intimately. This included Allie Wrubel and Herb Magidson’s The Masquerade Is Over, Charles Parker’s Scrapple From The Apple, Dedette Lee Hill and Willard Robison’s Old Folks, Jacques Prevert, John Mercer and Joseph Kosma’s Autumn Leaves. They would be joined by Bud Powell and Walter Fuller’s Bouncin’ With Bud, Sonny Rollins’ Doxy, Noel Coward’s I’ll See You Again, Paul Desmond’s Late Lament, Pete La Roca’s One For Majid, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, John Coltrane’s Moment’s Notice and Edward Heyman and Victor Young’s When I Fall In Love. However, despite having played the songs countless times, the trio honed them in readiness for Keith Jarrett’s long-awaited and much-anticipated comeback.
Fortunately, the New Jersey Performing Arts Centre was a well equipped venue and there was a DAT player that was used to record Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette’s performance. The trio had a setlist that featured twelve tracks, which would last 100 minutes. Many of Keith Jarrett’s friends, fellow musicians and doctors who were aware of his health problem weren’t sure that the comeback concert was such a good idea, and were scared that it would hamper his recovery. Especially when they heard that Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette were planning to play a bebop set.
Disc One.
Keith Jarrett opens the set with the post-bop of The Masquerade Is Over, where he plays slowly as his fingers caress the keys, before Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette enter and start to open the throttle. However, it’s a slightly restrained but almost flawless performance as the trio play within themselves during a sixteen minute epic before the audience welcome the return of Keith Jarrett. There’s no stopping him as he opens Scrapple From The Apple plays with freedom and fluidity, the rest of the trio matching him every step of the way. By the time he gets to Old Folks he’s riding the crest of a wave, feeding off the audience who will him on. Autumn Leaves is one of the tracks where Keith Jarrett gives a more restrained performance as he stretches this standard to thirteen minute mark and just beyond. Still his fingers dance across the keyboard, and like his rhythm section, gives an impressive and performance. However, in the case of Keith Jarrett, it’s hard to believe he’s been unable to play for the best part of two years after such a breathtaking performance as he reaches the halfway point on After The Fall.
Disc Two.
Keith Jarrett then plays a starring role as he gives a fleet-fingered performance on the lively Bouncin’ With Bud, which gives way to Doxy where Gary Peacock’s walking bass is yin to the piano’s yang. The tempo drops on a beautiful wistful interpretations of I’ll See You Again and Late Lament. However, it’s all change on One For Majid as the tempo rises and Keith Jarrett’s fingers fly across the keyboard, while Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette add some flamboyant flourishes, before the trio get into the festive season early with a rendition of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. It’s followed by John Coltrane’s Moments Notice where Keith Jarrett fingers scamper across the keyboard as the trio become one on this bebop favourite. They then close the set with a melancholy version of When I Fall In Love where beauty is omnipresent, and Keith Jarrett gives one of his finest performance as he completes his comeback.
After Keith Jarrett’s comeback concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Centre, many of his fans and critics thought that ECM Records would released the performance in 1999. However, that wasn’t the case, and the DAT lay unreleased in Keith Jarrett’s vaults for nearly twenty years. Eventually, Keith Jarrett’s comeback concert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Centre was released on November the ‘14th’ 1998.
The recording was entitled After The Fall is a captivating and compelling live album where comeback King Keith Jarrett and his fellow musical musketeers Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette revisit everything from songs from the Great American Songbook to bebop and tracks by ‘Trane and Bird. During what must have been exhausting performance for someone recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Keith Jarrett’s concentration never wavers as regardless of whether he’s playing bebop or wistful ballads during what was a cathartic concert. As a relieved Keith Jarrett left the stage on November the ‘14th’ 1998 and reflected on his performance, he knew that was capable of reaching the same heights that he previously had.
While Keith Jarrett may have lost two years of his career to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, he managed to rebuild his career starting with the concert that became After The Fall, and over the next twenty years, became one of the greatest and most versatile pianists not just of his generation, but in the history of jazz. Keith Jarrett belongs alongside the legendary jazz pianists including Thelonius Monk, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Bud Powell, Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. That is despite losing two years of his career to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and having to rebuild his career. This began with After The Fall which is a captivating cult classic which where bebop rubs shoulders with wistful ballads and is part of an album that celebrates the comeback of Keith Jarrett, with a little help from his friends Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette.
Cult Classic: Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette-After The Fall.
CULT CLASSIC: NKONO TELES-PARTY BEATS.
Cult Classic: Nkono Teles–Party Beats.
During Tabansi Records’ long and illustrious history, few people made the same impact as Nkono Teles, who was born in Cameroun, but grew up in Nigeria. That was where in 1952, Chief Tabansi founded the label he lent his name to, Tabansi Records. Three decades later, groundbreaking composer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Nkono Teles began work at Tabansi Records.
During his time at Tabansi Records, Nkono Teles worked with 100 artists and bands on 150 productions. His speciality was giving a modernist sound to Tabansi Records’ releases. He was part of a backroom team of who worked for the label, and who artists could call upon to give their albums a modernist, Afro-pop sound. This was a sound that Chief Tabansi hoped would appeal to record buyers all across Africa.
To do this, Tabansi Records combined elements of African music with Western music. It wasn’t unusual for a Tabansi Records’ release to fuse Afrobeat or highlife with elements of boogie, disco, electro, funk and soul. This was new and innovative. The man responsible for introducing a modern sound to many of Tabansi Records’ releases was Nkono Teles.
To do this, he incorporated and pioneered drum machines, synths and a myriad of guitar effects on many albums. Nkono Teles was also responsible for programming the computers at Tabansi Records’ studios, which added to the innovative sound of the label’s releases. All of this and his production career meant he was constantly busy at Tabansi Records. Despite this, Nkono Teles managed to combine his work at Tabansi Records with a solo career.
During his solo career, Nkono Teles released a trio of albums on Tabansi Records, including Party Beats, which was his debut and a truly innovative album that was way ahead of its time. It’s also regarded as Nkono Teles’ finest hour.
When he began recording Party Beats, he had no need for Tabansi Records’ legendary studio band. He was a multi-instrumentalist and could play every instrument himself. Nkono Teles was equally comfortable working with traditional instruments as well as the drum machines and synths. Little did he know that the raw electronic sounds he added to Party Beats would become favourites of DJs, plus breaks and hip hop producers. That was still to come.
While Nkono Teles was a hugely talented composer, engineer, musician and producer, he always felt that his vocal wasn’t his strongest point. That was why during the recording of Party Beats at one point, he brought an eleven strong choral section into the studio. However, for most of the Party Beats, Nkono Teles was a one man band who recorded vocals and laid down all the parts on the six tracks on the album.
Once Nkono Teles had finished recording Party Beats, the album was released on Taretone, one of the wholly owned imprints of Tabansi Records. Opening the album was the laid-back Time For Fun, where synths accompany the vocal as electro meets boogie and the part gets underway. Love Vibration was the track that gave Nkono Teles a hit single, and where he makes good use of a bass synth. It plays its part in the song’s success and it’s a similar case on By My Lady. Highlife Makossa is a melodic and rhythmic West African highlife track. Then the tempo drops on the beautiful and soulful paean You’ll Be Already (With My Love), before the irresistible and genre-melting Party Beats closes the album. Elements of Afrobeat, boogie electro, funk and soul combine to ensure that Party Beats closes on a high.
Party Beats was a truly innovative album from Nkono Teles, and one that features elements of Afrobeat, boogie, disco, electro, funk, highlife and soul. These genres feature on Nkono Teles what was his debut album, and the finest album of his career. Sadly, Nkono Teles only released three albums during his career, and up until recently, was better known for his production work
That started to change after breaks and hip hop producers started sampling Party Beats, and DJ began to play tracks from the album in their sets. Soon, the album was in-demand amongst collectors, DJs and producers. The only problem was Party Beats was a rarity, and recently, copies were changing hands for $700 which was way beyond the budget of many record collectors.
Nowadays, Nkono Teles’ groundbreaking and genre-melting debut album Party Beats is regarded as a cult classic that’s much prized by collectors. Party Beats is also a tantalising of taste of the Tabansi Records’ back-catalogue and one of the architects of its sound in the eighties, Nkono Teles.
Cult Classic: Nkono Teles–Party Beats.
CULT CLASSIC: THE NAZGÛL-THE NAZGÛL.
Cult Classic: The Nazgûl-The Nazgûl.
Pyramid Records was founded by forty-year old British expat Robin Page, in 1972. By then , he was one of the leading lights in the Fluxus arts movement . He had moved from London, England to Cologne, in Germany, in 1969, and the city had been his home ever since. However, Robin Page wasn’t the only expat who was living in Cologne during that period.
So was Toby Robinson, a South African, who had travelled from Cape Town, to Germany to work with the legendary Karlheinz Stockhausen, the Godfather of modern German electronic music at the WDR Studio. This was akin to serving an engineering apprenticeship and would serve him well. When he left Karlheinz Stockhausen’s employ, Toby Robinson went to work at Dierks Studio in Cologne. That was where the future Mad Twiddler would meet Robin Page.
By then, Robin Page was a successful and established artist whose work within the Fluxus movement was regarded as groundbreaking, daring and ambitious. One of the trademarks of Robin Page’s work was humour, which he used to challenge what was regarded as good taste within the art establishment. Before long, Robin Page’s painting found an audience, and became particularly sought after. This was what he had dreamt of, and worked towards ever since ‘he had left’ art college in Vancouver. His new-found success and financial security allowed Robin Page to work towards fulfilling another of his dreams, making music.
He was serious about making music and even had a recording studio in the basement to what looked like to anyone passing by, a derelict building. Deep within its bowels, was Robin Page’s recording studio, and where Pyramid Records first album was recorded. It was then pressed by a Turkish entrepreneur, who just happened to keep his cutting lathe within the same building. Although the lathe was often to used to produce bootlegs,it was able to cut what became PYR 001, Pyramid Records’ first release. It came wrapped in a cover designed by a local student. History had just made with the release of Pyramid Records’ first release.
Soon, Robin Page’s nascent label had established a reputation for releasing ambitious and innovative albums. However, Pyramid Records was only in existence until 1976. During that four-year period, Pyramid Records only ever released fifteen albums. These albums were pressed in small quantities. Usually, no more than 50-100 copies of each album was pressed. This included The Nazgûl’s eponymous debut album, which was released in either 1975 or 1976.
Nobody can be sure even when The Nazgûl entered Robin Page’s basement studio to record what became their eponymous debut album. It may have been 1975, or even as late as 1976. This was just one of several mysteries that surrounded The Nazgûl.
One thing that is clear, is where the name The Nazgûl came from. It’s taken from J.R.R. Tolkien’s book Lord Of The Rings. Apart from that, very little is known about The Nazgûl or when they recorded their debut album.
Nobody even knows the true identity of the three members of The Nazgûl, who dawned aliases, naming themselves after characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s book Lord Of The Rings. In The Nazgûl, Frodo was the drummer, percussionist and played gongs, and was joined in the rhythm section by Gandalf, who played bass, Hammond organ, Mini Moog and electric piano. Pippin completed the lineup of The Nazgûl, and played electric guitar, percussion, treated tubular bells and trumpet. Taking charge of production was Toby Robinson, who by then, had dawned the moniker The Mad Twiddler. Joining this colourful cast of characters was Toby Robinson’s brother Mike who it was later claimed had built a piece of equipment that played a part in The Nazgûl’s unique sound.
This was what Mike Robinson called the Ghong which comprised four six feet square oven racks that hung from a wooden cross. The Ghong was essentially an instrument that members of The Nazgûl could hit, beat or slap with their hands or anything from kitchen utensils to hammers. Depending on how hard The Ghong was hit, or what it was hit with changed the tonality. While The Ghong was a new “invention” musicians making avant-garde, industrial and Musique concrète had been making new instruments and transforming everyday items into makeshift instruments. Mike Robinson was following in their footsteps, and The Ghong plays an important part in shaping the music on The Nazgûl.
The three mystery musicians, made their way into the studio where they were greeted by Toby Robinson who would engineer, record and produce The Nazgûl. Who the musicians were nobody is saying or is willing to say? However, it’s often been speculated that some of the musicians were part of some of the top Krautrock groups. This included a drummer and bassist who when they weren’t working with their own groups made their way to the studio to take part in the lengthy jam sessions.
There was a problem though, these musicians were part of bands who were signed to major record companies and the terms and conditions of their contract forbade them playing with another group without the express permission of the label. That permission not have been granted, and often, the chance to play on a session came up at the last-minute. By then, it was too much hassle or impossible for the musicians to get in contact with their record company so they decided to dawn an alias. This appealed to one of the musician’s rebellious and anarchistic streak, and he saw this as a way of beating the system.
For The Nazgûl sessions, the band embarked upon four lengthy jams, The Tower Of Barad-Dûr, The Dead Marshes, Shelob’s Lair and Mount Doom. These tracks were later edited by Toby Robinson, and were named after places in J.R.R. Tolkien’s book Lord Of The Ring. It seemed that the main protagonist behind The Nazgûl was a huge admirer of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. This influenced everything from the name of the band right throughout to the aliases of the musicians and even the names of the tracks on the album.
This included The Tower Of Barad-Dûr a thirteen minute epic which opened The Nazgûl. It’s a dark, menacing cinematic track that is rich in imagery, and could easily by part of the soundtrack to a modern-day remake of Lord Of The Rings. Waves of dramatic music unfold as sounds assail the listener and their imagination runs riot. Metallic sound that come courtesy of The Ghong are joined scraping, whining, grinding sounds as the drama continues to build. Meanwhile, a guitar and bass interject as drums pound and roll as avant-garde, industrial and Musique concrète combines with improv as this dramatic soundscape reaches a dramatic crescendo. After that, a calm descends as sustained notes and chords are played on the Hammond organ and a myriad of sound are deployed. They become part of this dark, dramatic and cinematic soundscape that is full imagery and seems to have been inspired by Karlheinz Stockhausen, the Fluxus movement, Eruption and Kluster’s first two albums.
Just like the opening track, the introduction to Shelob’s Lair is minimalist, but as it gradually unfolds and the drama builds and the soundscape reveals its secrets. A thunderous irregular bass reverberates, whole a Hammond organ wheezes and a mellotron joins an array of sounds punctuate the soundscape. Together, they create another dark, dramatic and almost menacing soundscape. Especially, as a pulsating bass, otherworldly and flailing sounds combine with what could well be a fire-breathing dragon? All the time, the drama and tension continues builds during this eerie, otherworldly and chilling soundtrack. This genre-melting soundscape is akin to a nightmarish and lysergic Homeric Odyssey that isn’t for those of nervous disposition or the faint hearted .
An array of crashing, clanging, ringing and reverberating sound are created by The Ghong while a braying, howling free jazz trumpet plays on The Dead Marshes. Bells ring and join a metal pipe that is transformed into a makeshift instrument. They’re joined by futuristic, sci-fi and bubbling synths that join drums where the tonality and tempo has been changed. Already, elements of abstract, avant-garde, industrial and Musique concrète combine with free jazz even a hint of space rock on an a track where nothing can be taken for granted. An array of disparate and otherworldly, bubbling, watery and flanging sounds are interjected as this innovative and imaginative soundscape takes shape. It’s as if The Nazgûl have decided to: “open the doors of perception” and see what happens? The result was their most ambitious track.
Mount Doom closes The Nazgûl and is another cinematic track that is rich in imagery. That is the case from the opening bars to the closing notes as a “fire-breathing” dragon returns as water drips within a deep, dangerous and cavernous space. Metallic and digging sounds provide a backdrop to this snarling beast. Adding to the cinematic sound is a futuristic, vocoded vocal that adds an eerie sci-fi sound to a track that is already rich in imagery. It ensures that The Nazgûl closes on high.
After 50-100 copies of The Nazgûl were released in 1975 or 1976, nothing was heard of the album until when Toby Robinson approached Virgin Records with some of Pyramid Records’ master tapes. This resulted in the release of Unknown Deutschland-The Krautrock Archive Volume 1 in 1996. Later that year, two further volumes were released. This further fuelled the mythology and speculation that built up around Pyramid Records.
Since then, the Pyramid Records’ story has been debated ad infinitum. Sadly, far too many people have become obsessed with the controversy and speculation that surrounds the Pyramid Records’ story. It’s as if they’re determined to disprove that the music was recorded between 1972 and 1976. In doing so, all they’re doing is adding fuel to the fire, and fuelling the debate and speculation. That is a great shame, because for too long, people have become caught up in the Pyramid Records’ mythology. In doing so, they lose sight of the important thing, the music.
This includes the fifteen albums Pyramid Records released between 1972 and 1976, and a number of albums that have still to be released some forty years after Pyramid Records closed its doors for the final time.
The Nazgûl is an ambitious and innovative genre-melting album that is variously cinematic, dark, dramatic, eerie, futuristic, hypnotic and mesmeric. Other times, an array of sci-fi and otherworldly sounds are added as The Nazgûl take the listener on a captivating and genre-melting journey during this carefully sculpted album.
During this journey, The Nazgûl fuse elements of avant-garde, Berlin School, electronica, experimental and Musique concrète with a much purer Kominische avant-garde sound which is similar to the Galactic Explorers’ album Epitaph For Venus. These were the only two albums that Pyramid Records released that much purer Kominische avant-garde sound. This is a move away from the Krautrock that can be heard on the majority of albums Pyramid Records recorded and released.
Just like the Galactic Explorers’ album Epitaph For Venus, The Nazgûl is another of the hidden gems within the Pyramid Records back-catalogue. Sadly, very few people have heard any of the fifteen albums that Pyramid Records released between 1972 and 1976 and albums like The Nazgûl never received the recognition it deserved. That is despite The Nazgûl being an album of groundbreaking, genre-melting music that is imaginative, innovative and cinematic and is also rich in Tolkienesque imagery
Cult Classic: The Nazgûl-The Nazgûl.
BRUTON, BRUTOFF: THE AMBIENT AND PASTORAL SIDE OF THE BRUTON LIBRARY CATALOGUE.
Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library.
Label: Trunk.
Format: LP.
Compared to KPM, DeWolfe, Amphonic, Conroy and Sonoton, Bruton Music Library was a relative latecomer to the world of library music. The company was formed in 1977 by Robin Phillips who previously, had run KPM Music and transformed the company and its fortunes. He had left KPM and was working for ATV Music which was run by Lou Grade.
Having entered the world of library music, ATV needed a name for their new venture. They called the company Bruton Music Library as it was based at 12 Bruton Street, in London and initially, it was a subsidiary of ATV Music.
When Robin Phillips was at KPM the company released the KPM 1000 series with a cover which nowadays, is regarded as a design classic. Realising the importance of an album cover that would soon be recognised by the recipients of the releases a new design was commissioned. It featured variations of the same grid design and the company’s isometric logo. This new design worked, and soon, people working in radio, television and advertising recognised the Bruton Music Library’s released by their album cover.
Eventually, the Bruton Music Library released over 330 LPs, and they featured a design that nowadays, is regarded as a design classic. It’s also a design that is instantly recognisable. So much so, collectors and connoisseurs of library music can spot fifty feet away.
It used to be that many of the Bruton LP’s were inexpensive and a newcomer to library music could put together a collection without spending much money. Then library music became fashionable.
There were a number of articles written about what was a relatively unknown genre of music. That was no surprise as people couldn’t walk into their record shop and buy a Bruton LP. They were for people working in radio, television and advertising. However, some found their way into the hands of collectors and eventually, library music became fashionable.
Now that beard-stroking, Guardian-reading hipsters had discovered library music, suddenly, the price of many LP’s including some of the 330 released by Bruton shot up. Hipsters were willing to pay large sums of money for rare library music albums to play on their Crossley’s.
Among the Bruton albums that have shot up in price are the experimental and esoteric releases. This includes the BRD and BRI series which are particularly collectable. So are some of the BRH, BRJ, BRM, BRR and BR series. Eleven tracks from these seven series feature on Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library which was released by Trunk. The compilation was compiled by collector and connoisseur of library music Jonny Trunk who also wrote The Music Library.
The thirteen tracks on Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library were composed by some of the giants of library music. Robin Phillips knew them from his time at KPM. This included Alan Hawkshaw, Brian Bennett, John Cameron and Francis Monkman. They wrote and recorded seven of the eleven tracks. Other cues come courtesy of Les Hurdle, Steve Gray, Frank Ricotti, Johnny Scott, Frank Reidy and Eric Allen plus Orlando Kimber and John Kelieor. These oft-overlooked cues show another side to the Bruton Music Library and make a pleasant change from beat and action driven releases.
Side One.
Brian Bennett’s The Swan from 1982 has a serene sound and is reminiscent of the continuity music regional television stations sometimes played when something had gone amiss. Usually, after someone said: “don’t worry we’ll be right back shortly.”
Francis Monkman’s Stargazing is from 1978 and has a slightly futuristic but dreamy sound as it floats along.
Steve Gray’s cinematic sounding Billowing Sails from 1982 conjures up images of a yacht sailing across a lake on a blustery autumn day. Maybe there’s a frustrated sailor with his captain’s hat on, who suffers from a bad case of nautical Tourettes? He’s shouting at his fed-up and frozen family: “wind the winch, splice the mainbrace and drop the anchor, not on my bloody foot you muppet.”
Frank Ricotti’s Vibes from 1981 is a quite beautiful, laidback and jazz-tinged track that meanders melodically along.
Ruminative describes Frank Reidy and Eric Allen’s pastoral sounding Reflections. It’s the type of music that one might hear as part of the soundtrack to a costume drama.
John Cameron’s Tropic 2 was released in 1981 but as it meander along revealing its futuristic, lysergic and dreamy sound.
Side Two.
There’s an urgency to Orlando Kimber and John Keliehor’s One Language which was released in 1984 and combines elements of ambient and world music.
Rueful describes Johnny Scott’s genre-melting Utopia Revisited from 1980. Elements of jazz and funk combine with strings on this memorable mid-tempo cue.
Les Hurdle and Frank Ricotti’s Dissolves was released in 1978, during the early days of the Bruton Music Library. Although it’s slow, moody and ponderous beauty is omnipresent.
The next three tracks are by John Cameron. This includes the ambient sounding Floatation from 1980 and the wistful, sometimes dubby and pastoral Drifting from 1978. Trek from 1981 is dramatic and futuristic and sets one’s imagination racing.
Alan Hawkshaw’s cinematic sounding Saturn Rings was released in 1979, and this futuristic soundscape glides along conjuring up images of a journey to another planet.
Jonny Trunk has impeccable musical taste and his journey through the experimental and esoteric parts of the Bruton Musical Library was thoroughly enjoyable. It’s one of the few compilations where there’s it’s all killer and no filler. That’s not surprising given that many of the giants of library music feature on Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library. Their inclusion results in what’s without doubt, one of the best library music compilations of 2020.
For either newcomers to library music or veterans of the genre, Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library is well worth adding to their collection. However, it’s a limited edition of 500 from Trunk and it’s a case of get a copy while you can.
Newcomers to library music should consider buying a copy of Jonny Trunk’s The Music Library. It’s one of the best books about the genre and his passion for the subject shines through. Jonny Trunk is a collector and connoisseur of library music and his lovingly curated compilation features cues from some of the rarest Bruton releases. To buy the albums the cues are taken from would cost the average person a month’s salary. This makes Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library one of the bargains of 2020.
Bruton, Brutoff: The Ambient and Pastoral Side Of The Bruton Library.
SOHO SCENE ’66 ‘67-JAZZ GOES MOD.
Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod.
Label: Rhythm & Blues Records.
During 1966, the mods with their carefully cultivated image were still a familiar sight and sound in towns and cities the length and breadth of Britain as they rode around on their Lambretta or Vespa scooters. They still sported tailor-made suits, button-down collar shirts, thin ties, wool and cashmere jumpers which were protected by fishtail parkas and continued to wear desert boots, Chelsea boots and bowling shoes. However, by 1966 the mods had also started to wear Beatle boots, Fred Perry polo shirts and were growing their hair longer while some even experimented with makeup, as their image started to change. It seemed nothing stayed the same, not even the music that the mods listened to.
Musically, mods had eclectic taste in music by 1966, and had embraced American R&B and soul music in the early sixties, and especially singles that were released on Stax, Atlantic Records and Tamla Motown. Soon, mods were investigating some of the smaller American soul labels looking for oft-overlooked hidden gems during their regular trips to local record shops where they ordered imports and discovered new musical genres.
This included ska and reggae, which the mods had discovered whilst looking through the racks of new arrivals and imports. While the mods enjoyed soul, R&B, reggae and ska, they didn’t turn their back on British music and enjoyed pop and rock music and especially the Rolling Stones, The Who, Small Faces and The Kinks, who were perceived as “mod” groups. These future giants of British music were part of the new and eclectic soundtrack that the mods were listened to during 1966.
1966 was also an important year year for Britain. The Labour government had been reelected on the ‘31st’ March and increased its majority to 96 seats. This led to a renewed sense of hope, and on the ‘15th’ of April, Time magazine used the phrase “Swinging London” for the first time. It was the perfect description of what was then one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world. For mods living in the Britain’s cultural capital this was an exciting time and they frequented the new clubs that had opened and embraced the changes in fashion and music.
By 1966, Manchester’s music scene was thriving, and many mods made their way to the Twisted Wheel nightclub where they were able to listen to soul music and from 1965, were enjoying what were initially billed as an “All-Niter.” Many mods made their way to the various venues to watch the local groups whose star was in the ascendance and the major names who played in the city. Some may have been at the Manchester Free Trade Hall on the ‘17th’ of May when Bob Dylan made history when he plugged-in. This prompted a cry of “Judas” from a member of the audience. They couldn’t understand that Bob Dylan’s music and the times they were a changing.
On the ‘30th’ of July Swinging London and the rest of England came to a standstill as England played West Germany in the World Cup Final. After extra-time, England won 4-2 and history was made. That night Londoners, including many sharp dressed mods celebrated this historic victory.
Six days later The Beatles released their classic album Revolver on the ‘5th’ of August. It was a landmark album as it marked the start of the group’s psychedelic period. This cerebral and thought-provoking album reflected their interest in LSD, the avant-garde and Eastern philosophy and dealt with subjects like death and transcendence from material concerns. Revolver was also a much more ambitious and experimental album because The Beatles had decided to stop playing live. They knew they wouldn’t need to replicate Revolver live and played their last concert at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, on the ‘29th’ of August. It was the end of era for The Beatles and their fans. However, their music and music in general continued to evolve and the psychedelic revolution was underway.
1966 was an the year of the Mini Cooper, miniskirts, a World Cup Win and saw homegrown British groups provide the soundtrack to Swinging London which was about to embrace fully the psychedelic revolution.
As 1966 game way to 1967, the mods were still interested in soul, ska, R&B, reggae, rock and pop and passionate about modern jazz. However, the psychedelic revolution was well underway and it wasn’t long until the Summer of Love in Britain and America. By then, the mods had already embraced a number of aspects of the new culture. Some mods even grew their hair and embraced the avant-garde while others experimented with psychedelic drugs including LSD. The other change was the music they were listening to.
This included jazz, which had been , and was still such an important part in their lives. Especially British jazz which spoke to the sharp dressed mods and helped define them. By 1967, many top British jazz musicians and bandleaders decided it was time for their music to change and they needed to loosen their collective collars. They realised that if their music didn’t evolve it risked becoming irrelevant and decided to incorporate different genres into their music. This included everything from R&B, Latin and avant-garde to psychedelia. The majority of top British jazz musicians embraced the changes in jazz and enjoyed the next chapter in their musical career. Those that didn’t watched as their career stalled. However, for the majority of British jazzers 1967 was another important year for them.
Meanwhile, happenings grew in popularity across Swinging London where there was an increase in interest in the avant-garde, Eastern culture and LSD. Free love was the order of the day and hippies shunned materialism and their slogan was peace and love. Two of the most important albums of 1967 The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and The Beatles’ psychedelic masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. Music was changing fast.
And this included jazz. Proof of this is Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod which is a new four disc box set that has just been released by Rhythm & Blues Records. It looks back at what was an important time for British jazz.
By 1966, many of the original modernists had just turned forty and perfectly placed to enjoy what was a golden year for British modern jazz. Venues were packed and some of the top British jazz musicians returned with new albums that found their music evolving. These familiar faces feature on disc one of Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod and are joined by what will be new names to those who aren’t so well versed in British jazz.
Disc One-British Jazz 1966.
There’s eighteen tracks on disc one of Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod which opens with Humphrey Lyttelton’s The Men From Auntie which made its debut on Soho Scene ’66 Vol 2. Welcome additions include the Mike Carr Trio’s Cox’s Pippin, the Tubby Hayes Quartet’s Change of Setting and The Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet’s Tootin’ And Flutin’. These tracks will be new to many jazz fans. So will the Stan Tracey Quartet’s Pig and Pepper, Michael Garrick’s Shiva and John Surman Quartet’s Blues Da Camera which show the changing face of British jazz in 1966. It’s a similar case with Alex Welsh’s Bluesology and Neil Ardley’s Big P. These tracks show how British jazz music was changing and some of its leading lights were combining other genres of music to their usual sound and had been inspired by the changes in wider culture. It was a similar case in America.
Disc Two-American Jazz 1966.
The twenty-two tracks on disc two are eclectic selection and opens with the soul-jazz of Freddie MCoy’s Lonely Avenue. There’s more soul-jazz from the Charles Earland Trio’s The Dozens, Richard “Groove” Holmes’ Boo-D-Doo, The Three Sounds’ Mohair Sam, Freddie Roach’s One Track Mind and Jimmy McGriff’s Hallelujah. Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo contributes Mizrab and is joined by South African reed player Hugh Masekela whose Unhlanhla featured on his The Americanization Of Ooga Booga album in 1966. Disc two features a couple of hidden gems including Eric Kloss’ Just For Fun-K from his album Love and All That Jazz and the Milt Sealey Trio’s Black Diamond. They’re a reminder of some of the jazz that was being released in America during 1966 and was part of the soundtrack to British modernist’s lives.
Disc Three-British Jazz 1967.
By 1967, British jazz continued to evolve and some of its biggest names returned to the studio. This included English jazz pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Harry South went on to record library music. However, in 1967 the Harry South Big Band recorded Limited Freedom which is a reminder of one the giants of jazz at the peak of his powers. He’s not alone.
Other notable contributions on disc three from some British jazz’s leading lights including from The Mike Carr Quartet’s Nico’s Dream, the Tubby Hayes Quartet’s Finky Minky, the Joe Harriott Quintet’s Strollin’ South and Everywhere Derriere by the Stan Tracey Quartet. They’re a reminder of how healthy British jazz was in 1967 and how its leadings lights were continuing to make ambitious and innovate music which the modernists embraced and enjoyed.
Disc Four-American Jazz 1967.
Across the Atlantic, American jazz was changing and changing fast. Fusion was the new kid on the block and rode to the rescue of jazz whose popularity had been declining. That was despite many American jazz musicians continuing to release exciting and ambitious releases. Many of these albums drew inspiration from other genres and other combined disparate genres.
That was the case with Curtis Amy’s album Mustang which featured bop and modal jazz. One of the highlights was the cover of Mustang which was a perfect showcase for the Houston-born saxophonist’s skills.
When Jerome Richardson covered Sunny for his Groove Merchant album in 1967 he combined funk, fusion and even easy listening to create a truly memorable track. Then Chico O’Farrill and His Orchestra’s Hip Hug Her heads in the direction of Latin jazz while Byrdie Green’s In The Dark from her The Golden Thrush Strikes At Midnight combos R&B and soul-jazz. Both are underrated tracks and welcome additions to Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod. The can be said of Johnny “Hammond” Smith’s hidden soul-jazz gem Dirty Apple which was the B-Side to his single N.Y.P.D.
Other welcome additions included Johnny Lytle Quintet’s Gonna Get That Boat and the Harold Johnson’s single Sorry ‘Bout That where jazz, Latin, funk and soul melt seamlessly into one to provide a dancefloor filler. Closing this seventy-eight track box set is the Soul Society’s cover of the Lee Morgan classic The Sidewinder. It’s the perfect way to close this look back at two important years in not just the history of jazz, but music, culture and modernism which was still going strong.
By 1966, it was no longer just modern jazz that provided the soundtrack to the modernists daily lives. They had also discovered and embraced soul, ska, R&B, reggae, rock and pop. Still, though, the mods were still passionate about modern jazz during 1966 which in Britain was a golden age for the genre.
Meanwhile, music was changing and it was official trad jazz was yesterday’s sound, with modern jazz surpassing its one time rival in the popularity stakes. Some trad jazz musicians had turned their back on trad jazz and embraced modern jazz. They had watched as music changed and knew that they couldn’t rest on their laurels.
In Britain’s cultural capital Swinging London the psychedelic revolution was underway and 1967 was the Summer of Love in America and Britain. By then, jazz music just like the mods would have changed.
Everything from the clothes that the mods wore, to they way they wore their hair and even the drugs that they took started to change. So did the music that they listened to, but still their passion for modern jazz remained. That was the case during 1966 and 1967 the period that Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod box set covers when the sharp dressed modernists embraced the cultural revolution in Britain.
Modernism was popular until the late-sixties and there was a mod revival in the late-seventies in Britain, and the early eighties in America. The mods with their carefully cultivated image and their discerning taste in music including the seventy-eight tracks on the Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod box set are without doubt one the one of the most enduring and influential youth cults in British cultural history, and their influence continues to make its presence felt even today.
Soho Scene ’66 ’67-Jazz Goes Mod.
MOTORPSYCHO-THE ALL IS ONE.
Motorpsycho-The All Is One.
Label: Rune Grammofon.
Format: 2CD.
Motorpsycho was formed in Trondheim, in October 1989 and released their debut album Lobotomizer in 1991. Since then, they’ve been one of hardest working and prolific bands in Norway.
Last year, the Norwegian rockers released two albums and toured Norway and Europe twice. That would’ve been more than enough for most bands. However, Motorpsycho aren’t most bands and somehow, they managed to find time to record three more albums. This includes The All Is One, which was recently released by Rune Grammofon and is the third and final instalment in what Motorpsycho lightheartedly and affectionately call their Gullvåg Trilogy.
The first instalment in the critically acclaimed Gullvåg Trilogy was The Tower, which was released in 2017. On the album cover was a painting by Trondhein-born artist Håkon Gullvåg. So powerful was the imagery that it inspired and affected Motorpsycho’s music on The Tower. So would the paintings that adorn the next two instalments in the Gullvåg Trilogy.
In 2019, Motorpsycho celebrated their thirtieth anniversary and released The Crucible. This was the much-anticipated second instalment in the Gullvåg Trilogy. It was released to plaudits and praise and later in 2019 work began on the followup and final instalment in the Gullvåg Trilogy The All Is One.
The first session took place in Studio Black Box, in France during September 2019. For the recording Reine Fiske joined forces with Motorpsycho. The tracks that were recorded were relatively concise and there was a traditional structure to the music. There songs didn’t have a theme that ran through them, but have the same type of concepts that feature on Motorpsycho’s last few albums.
This includes living in a much more polarised society than previously, and how many people throughout the world have lost faith in democracy and in civic institutions. Motorpsycho believes that some of the world’s “strong leaders” are reminiscent of those who led previous totalitarian regimes. They also believe that the album is their soapbox and allows them to voice their opinion on the state of the world. It’s a privilege that very few people have, and Motorpsycho realise this, and use their albums to provide a voice for those who sadly have none. They look at the bigger picture and important issues that are affecting society and realise the importance of contrast. This is no different to their music and the scales music and lyrics they use when they record an album like The All Is One.
The second main recording session for Motorpsycho’s third instalment in their Gullvåg Trilogy took place at Ocean Sound Recording in Norway. This was where they recorded a forty-two minute five piece suite entitled N.O.X. It’s a piece of that Motorpsycho were commissioned to write and performed at the St. Olav Festival in Trondheim during the summer of 2019. They were joined onstage with two of their favorite Norwegian musicians, Lars Horntveth of Jaga Jazzist and Amgala Temple and Ola Kvernberg of Steamdome.
N.O.X. is an impressive suite that was inspired after a discussion with artist Håkon Gullvåg and celebrates the themes in his work. Motorpsycho can relate to his art and they also realise it’s not often a group finds the kind of affinity they’ve have found with his art. That’s why it’s no surprise that the size, scope and lyrical contents of N.O.X. have been inspired by Håkon Gullvåg’s work.
Motorpsycho decided not give a clear and concise explanation of the meaning of what of N.O.X. is about. However, they’ve left clues throughout this epic piece and believe that they should allow the listener to solve this musical mystery.
The remainder of the tracks on The All Is One were recorded by Motorpsycho at home at Kommun’ in Trondheim. What these lack in subtlety and intricacy they more than make up for in the mood they create. They offer a contrast to the large and luxurious sound. In a way, it’s quite sobering which is fitting.
With recording of The All Is One completed, all that was left was for the album to be mixed and mastered. This meant that the album release was pencilled in for the spring of 2020. However, the “global pandemic” put paid to this. While the mix process and mastering wasn’t affected, it was decided to push back the album release until late August 2020.
Meanwhile, Håkon Gullvåg had offered to paint the album cover to The All Is One. This was an honour for Motorpsycho given how his artwork has inspired their music. That includes Motorpsycho’s latest album The All Is One.
The best way to describe the genre-melting music on this epic album is intense, dense and cerebral. Some listeners might find the music challenging, but if they’re patient and stick with the album they will be richly rewarded. It’s like many albums the more one listens to The All Is One the more one understands the music on this ambitious album of innovative and intriguing music. Seamlessly Motorpsycho switch between and fuse disparate musical genres on an album that gradually reveals a myriad of subtleties and nuances on this cerebral and thought-provoking album. It deals with various environmental, moral, political and social issues facing the world today.
The All Is One shows two different sides to Motorpsycho. One of them is them is the N.O.X. suite, a forty-two minute opus that is the centrepiece of the album. It’s quite different to what Motorpsycho have done in the past.
N.O.X. suite opens with Circles Around the Sun, Part 1 and Motorpsycho’s decision to add strings is a masterstroke and the arrangement becomes lavish and luxurious. It’s also beautiful, intricate, intriguing, jazz-tinged and melodic. Later, the track becomes dissonant during a voila solo and briefly chaotic before the listener is rewarded when the instrumental jam Ouroboros (Strange Loop) is ushered in. It veers between beguiling and dreamy to creepy and unsetting and at times has a cinematic sound. Then there’s the sun-kissed psychedelia of Ascension which is one of the highlights of the suite and the album. Very different is Night Of Pan where Motorpsycho paint pictures with music and toy with the listener’s emotions. Soon, though, the darkness descends and the nightmare begins as the music becomes unsettling and at times otherworldly and filmic. The nightmare continues on Circles Around the Sun, Part 2 despite the inclusion of choral vocals and strings. However, the nightmare is nearly over as the acoustic track A Little Light offers a contrast as it closes the suite which has been an epic adventure.
Motorpsycho use their trademark sound as the building block for the N.O.X. suite. This includes classic rock, folk, jazz, psychedelia and progressive rock. Listen carefully and the influence of Genesis’ early albums, Pink Floyd, Yes in their pomp and Magma during their heyday can be heard. There’s even a free jazz influence during this stunning suite which is one of the most ambitious pieces of music that Motorpsycho have recorded since the group were formed in 1989. However, there’s more to The All Is One than the N.O.X. suite.
There’s the shorter tracks that were recorded during separate sessions. Motorpsycho were joined by their friend Reine Fiske of Dungen who they’ve collaborated with on a number of albums. Together, they recorded tracks that range from alt-rock to folk-tinged, hard rocking and progressive rock. This allows the band to showcase their considerable skills and versatility.
Among the highlights are the meandering title-track with its jangling chords and blistering lead guitar and a powerhouse of a vocal. Quite simply, it epitomises everything that is good about Motorpsycho. Then there’s Dreams of Fancy with its undulating groove where a mellotron plays a starring tole and the track benefits from occasional acoustic interludes. The tempo rises on The Same Old Rock (One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy) and The Magpie which are much more straightforward rocky tracks. Like Chrome which closes The All Is One is one of the most melodic tracks on the album. It ebbs and flows, builds and rebuilds and takes a number of twists and turns. Resistance is impossible as Motorpsycho have kept one of the best until last on the track that brings to a close their Gullvåg Trilogy.
It began three years ago with the release of The Tower in 2017. The second instalment in the critically acclaimed Gullvåg Trilogy was The Crucible which was released in 2019 as Motorpsycho celebrated their thirtieth anniversary. A year later, they make a welcome return with The All Is One which is the last instalment in the Gullvåg Trilogy. It’s also the most ambitious of the three albums. That’s no surprise as the centrepiece of the album is the N.O.X. suite, a forty-two minute progressive opus.
Just like the rest of this genre-melting album the music was insprired by Håkon Gullvåg’s artwork. His artwork like Motorpsycho’s music during the Gullvåg Trilogy is powerful and poignant. Especially on The All Is One where they fuse disparate musical genres with searing social comment.
Motorpsycho admits that their albums are there soapbox, and also provides a voice for those who have none. That is the case with The All Is One where they deal with various environmental, moral, political and social issues that affect the world today. It’ll certainly be interesting to hear Motorpsycho’s post-pandemic album. Hopefully, it’ll help expose the charlatans, cheats and power-hungry politicians with secrets to hide and blood on their hands that currently rule and have ruined once proud nations.
Meanwhile, The All Is One brings to an end Motorpsycho’s critically acclaimed Gullvåg Trilogy and they’ve saved the best until last. It’s an ambitious, cerebral, innovative and thought-provoking musical odyssey from Motorpsycho with the epic N.O.X. suite as The All Is One’s centrepiece.
Motorpsycho-The All Is One.
CULT CLASSIC: TERRY REID-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER.
Cult Classic: Terry Reid-The Other Side Of The River.
For many people, Terry Reid is music’s nearly man. He could’ve been the lead vocalist of two of the biggest rock bands in musical history. Sadly, that wasn’t to be, and instead,Terry Reid decided to concentrate on his solo career.
He went on to release six studio albums between 1968s Bang, Bang You’re Terry Reid and 1991s The Driver. Each of these albums were well received by critics but despite this, didn’t enjoy the commercial success that his considerable talents deserve. So in 1981, Terry Reid called time on his solo career. By then, he was only thirty-seven and had released just five solo albums.
Without doubt, one of Terry Reid’s finest albums is River, which was released on Atlantic Records in 1973. River had been recorded by Terry and his band during lengthy sessions in London and Los Angeles. Seven tracks found their way on to River. That was only part of the story.
Ever since the release of River in 1973, rumours began to do the rounds about other tracks that had been recorded during the River sessions. Since then, these rumours have grown legs.
Some people however, weren’t convinced. Surely, if Terry Reid had recorded more songs during the River sessions they would’ve been released? In 2016, the sceptics were proved wrong, when The Other Side Of The River was released and is a reminder of one of British music’s most underrated singer, songwriter and musicians, Terry Reid, whose affectionately known as superlungs. His career began in 1965.
By then, Terry Reid was just sixteen. He had been born in Huntingdon, on 13th November 1949. Growing up, Terry attended St. Ivo School, St.Ives, Cambridgeshire. That was where he joined a local band, The Redbeats.
It was when platting with The Redbeats, that Peter Jay, the drummer from a rival group, Peter and The Jaywalkers first spotted Terry Reid in action. Straight away, he realised he would be the perfect addition to Peter and The Jaywalkers. Peter Jay convinced Terry Reid to join his band, and soon, Terry was a Jaywalker.
Soon, Peter and The Jaywalkers’ star was in the ascendancy, when they were named as the support act for the Rolling Stones, when they played at the Royal Albert Hall. This was where Graham Nash of The Hollies first met Terry Reid.
The two musicians soon became firm friends, and Graham Nash suggested that Peter and The Jaywalkers should sign to the UK division of Columbia Records. Peter and The Jaywalkers didn’t have to think twice, and soon, were signing on the dotted line.
At Columbia Records, Peter and The Jaywalkers worked with producer John Burgess on their debut single, The Hand Don’t Fit the Glove. It was released by Columbia in 1967, and gave the band a minor hit. Unfortunately, by then, Peter and The Jaywalkers had split-up. After this, Terry Reid decided to pursue a solo career.
Fortunately, he come to the attention of producer and music impresario, Mickie Most. He produced Terry Reid’s debut single Better By Far. On its release in 1968, it found favour amongst DJs, who soon, began to play the single on their radio shows.
That was when Mickie Most decided to take Terry Reid into the studio to record his debut album, Bang Bang, You’re Terry Reid. When it was released later in 1968, it was to widespread critical acclaim. However, unfortunately the album passed record buyer by. Soon, so did the opportunity of a lifetime.
Terry Reid had come to the attention of Jimmy Page, who had just disbanded The Yarbirds. He was in the process of putting together a new band, The New Yarbirds, and was looking for a vocalist. Jimmy Page had set his sights on Terry Reid, and decided to recruit him for his new band. There was a problem though.
It turned out that Terry Reid had agreed to tour America with Cream. Terry was the opening act, and as part of the tour, would play the prestigious Miami Pop Festival. Everything was agreed, and Terry was a man of his word. There was no way he could back out at the this late moment. So Terry recommended Robert Plant, a Birmingham based vocalist, as The New Yarbirds to Jimmy Page. Terry’s recommendation, changed musical history. He could’ve been part of one of the most successful rock bands ever, Led Zeppelin. Incredibly, lightning struck twice for Terry Reid.
1969 found Terry Reid’s star in the ascendancy. The American tour and his appearance at the Miami Pop Festival resulted in him becoming popular in America. Terry was also a familiar face in Britain during 1969. He opened for Fleetwood Mac and Jethro Tull, and released his sophomore eponymous album Terry Reid. Although it received positive reviews from critics, the album failed to find an audience. So later in 1969, Terry headed stateside where he opened for the Rolling Stones on their American tour.
By then, Terry Reid a familiar face in America, and already built up a loyal fan-base. So touring America with the Rolling Stones allowed Terry Reid’s music to be heard by a much wider audience. Night after night, Terry opened for the Rolling Stones as they played sold-out shows coast to coast. The only Rolling Stones Terry Reid didn’t play at, was their biggest and most controversial, Altamont Music Festival.
Fortunately, Terry Reid wasn’t booked to appear on the bill of the hastily organised Altamont Music Festival. This meant he avoided the bloodshed, chaos and violence. Terry Reid had a lucky escape. However, he might not have been on the Rolling Stones’ tour if things had turned out differently with Deep Purple.
During their 1969 American tour, Deep Purple decided to change direction, and move towards a heavier, rockier sound. Vocalist Rod Evans the other members of Deep Purple though, wasn’t suited to this style. It was decided that Rod Evans would be replaced. He was already contemplating an alternative career as an actor. So Deep Purple went looking for a replacement. The man Richie Blackmore set his sights on was Terry Reid.
Unfortunately, Terry Reid was still contracted to Mickie Most and had signed an “exclusive recording contract.” Mickie Most had two options. He could let him join Deep Purple, or hold him to his contract. Rather than letting him join Deep Purple, Mickie Most held him to his contract. After all, Mickie Most had plans for Terry Reid.
Musical impresario Mickie Most decided to reinvent Terry Reid, the man who would be known as superlungs as a balladeer. This didn’t go down well with Terry Reid who fell out with Mickie Most in December 1969. Again, Mickie Most reached for the “exclusive recording contract.”
The “exclusive recording contract” that Terry Reid had signed with Mickie Most didn’t expire until 1973. Things had deteriorated to such an extent, that Terry Reid was unwilling to record with Mickie Most and headed to California to take some time out.
Over the next few years, Terry Reid only played a few live shows. This included the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 and later that year, the second Atlanta Pop Festival. Then in 1971, Terry returned to play at the Glastonbury Fayre. Apart from that performance, Terry Reid kept a low profile as he ran down Mickie Most’s “exclusive recording contract.” By 1973, Terry Reid was free at last.
River.
This left Terry Reid free to sign to Atlantic Records. Soon, he began work on what became River.
For River, Terry had penned Dean, Things To Try, River and Dream. He cowrote Avenue with John Abercrombie; Live Life with Ray Davies and put lyrics to Miles Davis’ Milestones. These tracks Terry Reid recorded with his own band.
Recording began at Advision Studios, in London, with Eddy Offord producing the River sessions. Eddy Offord who went on to produce Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, was regarded as a perfect fit for Terry Reid. He was no stranger to electric blues, and had produced two albums for Taste, a trio which featured Rory Gallagher. The two albums 1969s Taste and On The Boards had turned out well. So given his track record, surely, the partnership of Eddy Offord and Terry Reid would work out well?
That should’ve been the case. So, with Eddy Offord booked to produce the River sessions, Terry Reid and his band arrived at Advision Studios. He added vocals and guitar during what were long, drawn-out and frustrating sessions at Advision Studios.
For whatever reason, Terry Reid and his band didn’t hit the ground running. Usually, recording sessions ran smoothly, and weren’t long, drawn-out affairs. The River sessions was a frustrating time, with recording of what was meant to be the River a time-consuming and ultimately fruitless. There was a problem, but nobody seemed to know what? Maybe Eddy Offord was the wrong producer? That’s never became clear. What became clear, is that Terry Reid wasn’t happy with River. He decided to scrap the album, and head to Los Angeles to rerecord River.
Terry Reid and his band arrived at Wally Helders, in Los Angeles. This time around, the band featured drummer Conrad Isidore, bassist Leo Miles and David Lindley on electric guitar, slide guitar and steel guitar. Willie Bobo added percussion on just the one track, River. Engineer Ed Barton acted as a de facto producer. Despite that, Tom Dowd was credited as producing five tracks that made it onto River. Once the sessions were completed at Wally Helders in L.A, Terry headed over to Miami, clutching the master tapes.
At Criteria Studios, the final master tapes were assembled. Only two songs produced by Eddy Offord, Dream and Milestones made it onto River. Five Tom Dowd productions made it onto the River, including Dean, Avenue, Things To Try, Live Life and River. These seven tracks became River.
Once River was complete, Terry Reid delivered the completed album to his new label Atlantic Records. They scheduled the release of River for later in 1973. Maybe after two false starts during the Mickie Most years, it would third time lucky for Terry Reid?
That looked like the case when critics heard River. They were hugely impressed by Terry Reid’s comeback album. After four long years, Superlungs was back, with album that married elements of blues rock, folk rock, Latin and rock. It was impressive fusion of styles, with Terry picking up where he left off on Terry.
Just like previous albums, Terry Reid eschewed the tightness many musicians preferred. Instead, his style was looser, and prone to improvisation on what was essentially an album of jams. They found him thinking on his feet musically, as he switched between and combined musical genres. Four of the songs found Terry Reid and his band lock into languid, laid back, blues rock grooves. Then it’s all change, as River takes on a Latin sound. Dream and Milestone the find Terry Reid trades his electric guitar for an acoustic, as he dawns the role of troubadour on two beautiful, but wistful songs.
Critics were won over by what was, without doubt, Terry Reid’s finest hour. As a result, critical acclaim accompanied the release of River. This bode well for River.
Alas, commercial success eluded River, and Terry Reid continued to be one of music’s best kept secrets. Following the commercial failure of River, Atlantic Records cut their losses, and Terry Reid left the label.
Terry Reid continued to search for a winning formula which would bring him both commercial success and critical acclaim. While he often enjoyed critical acclaim, commercial success seemed to elude him. That was the case with the Graham Nash produced Seed Of Memory. It found Terry backed by an all-star band. Seed Of Memory was released by ABC Records in 1976. Although critics were won over by Seed Of Memory, commercial success eluded Terry Reid. This became a familiar story.
Two years later, and Terry Reid returned with Rogue Waves. It was released on Capitol Records. Terry combined hard rocking numbers with soulful songs. Maybe this would be that elusive winning formula that Terry had been seeking for a decade? Sadly, that wasn’t the case. While the album was well received by critics, Rogue Waves passed record buyers by. For Terry, this was almost the end of the road.
Three years later, in 1981, Terry Reid called time on his solo career. He retired aged just thirty-seven. By then, he had released just five solo albums. Terry decided to concentrate on working as a session musician.
For the next ten years, Terry Reid made a living as a session musician, accompanying some of the biggest names in music. Then in 1991, Terry, like many retired musicians, decided to make a comeback. He signed to Warner Bros. and released The Driver in 1991. Many critics welcomed the return of Superlungs. Other critics felt The Driver wasn’t Terry’s best album. With no consensus, record buyers had the casting vote.
It was a familiar story, with The Driver failing to find an audience. For Terry Reid, this was a huge blow. Never again would Terry return to the studio.
Instead, the only album Terry Reid released was Alive! in 2004. It featured a concert recorded a decade earlier in live in California in 1994. Alive! was a reminder that Terry Red was a truly talented singer, songwriter and musician. So was another live album released during 2004.
Later in 2004, another live album was released, Silver White Light-Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970. This was recorded during the three year standoff between Terry Reid and Mickie Most. It’s a tantalising taste of what should’ve been the formative years of Terry Reid’s career. He was only twenty-six and could’ve and should’ve been enjoying successful albums and playing sellout shows. Instead, he was running his contract with Mickie Most down. These were three wasted years for Terry, which must have been hugely frustrating for him. The three years out of the musical spotlight most likely, damaged Terry’s career. When he returned in 1973, it was almost like starting over.
By 31st August 2010, Terry Reid was back in London, where his career began forty-five years earlier. He was due to play at Ronnie Scott’s. That concert was recorded, and two years later, was released as a double album, Live In London. It showed that although Terry Reid was sixty-six, he still was a hugely talented singer and musician. That night, Terry’s set featured fourteen songs. This included eleven songs penned by Terry, and covers of John David Souther’s Leaving and Gone; Brian Wilson’s Don’t Worry Baby and Bob Hillard and David Mann’s Wee Small Hours. They were part of a captivating show from Terry Reid, and were a welcome addition to his back-catalogue. So is The Other Side Of The River.
The Other Side Of The River.
After forty-three years of rumour and speculation, an album consisting of songs recorded during the River sessions were released. These eleven songs were billed as The Other Side Of The River.
At last, here was confirmation that the rumour and speculation was true. Eleven songs recorded during the River sessions feature, and show The Other Side Of The River. This includes Let’s Go Down, a jam which opens the album. Terry Reid and his band play with a looseness and spontaneity. That’s the case on an alternative version of Avenue (F# Boogie), where Terry and his band head in the direction of blues rock. Avenue isn’t the only alternate take on The Other Side Of The River.
Things To Try and River are both alternate tacks. Terry remembers Things To Try as a song the band couldn’t quite nail. It took several takes, and this is one of them. Just like the alternate take of River, it shows another side to the song, and it’s interesting to compare and contrast. Both songs would be worthy of featuring on any album.
Country Brazilian Funk shows another side to Terry Reid. They play with speed, accuracy and passion, combining country, Latin, funk and even a hint of blues. It’s all change on Listen With Eyes, a beautiful, tender and understated sounding ballad. Anyway is another alternate track, is a piano lead track where Terry’s scats softly on a dreamy and beautiful track. There’s a hesitancy as the guitar opens Celtic Melody, as if the band are looking for an in. Eventually, Terry Reid scats his vocal growing in power and passion. Alas, after just two minutes, the song is but a memory. Soon, though, Terry changes direction.
Funny which is another of the alternate takes, is a eight minute meandering jam, that gradually reveals its secrets, subtleties and beauty. After six minutes, Terry Reid unleashes one of his most soulful, impassioned vocals. Late Night Idea was recorded late one night, at Wally Helder’s Studio and features Terry playing piano and scatting. With neither an audience in the gallery, nor studio, Terry plays with freedom. It’s a poignant moment. Closing The Other Side Of The River, is Sabyla another instrumental. After a hesitant start, Terry Reid and his band hit their stride. The rhythm section and piano provide the backdrop as he unleashes a blistering guitar solo on this instrumental. It’s one of the finest moments on The Other Side Of The River.
After forty-three years of rumour and speculation, now further songs recorded during the River session are available. This includes new songs and alternate takes. Among the new songs, are instrumentals, including Sabyla. Listen With Eyes and Anyway are beautiful, understated ballads. A couple of songs are work in progress, and it would’ve been interesting to see what they might have become if Terry Reid had developed them further. They’ve bags of potential. Then on other tracks, including Let’s Go Down and Avenue (F# Boogie), Terry Red plays with his trademark looseness and spontaneity. When Terry plays like this, it’s as if at any given time, he could lead the band on a musical detour where they improvise, switching between and combining disparate musical genres. That’s what Terry does on Country Brazilian Funk, where he and his band showcase their considerable talents. They continue to do this throughout The Other Side Of The River.
This much anticipated album is the perfect companion to Terry Reid’s 1973 album. The Other Side Of The River shows what Terry and his band were doing throughout other parts of the sessions. Doubtless, there’s still much still to be released. Who knows though, maybe the music on The Other Side Of The River is the best of the River sessions?
What I do know, is that for anyone who enjoyed Terry Reid’s finest hour, River then The Other Side Of The River will be a welcome addition to their music collection. For newcomers to Terry Reid, then I would suggest buying both River and The Other Side Of The River. First familiarise with the delights of River, and then let Terry Reid take you to The Other Side Of The River and enjoy this mixture of new songs, familiar faces and hidden gems.
Cult Classic: Terry Reid-The Other Side Of The River.
LOST CLASSIC FOUND: THELONIOUS MONK-MONK.
Lost Classic Found: Thelonious Monk-Monk.
Over the last few years, the fashion has been for a minimalism within the hipper home, and it has been fashionable to declutter and adopt a less is more look. Some people have been so keen to declutter that they don’t seem to care about what they thrown away. However, it’s not just the hipper home where scant regard is paid to what’s being discarded.
The same thing happened twenty years ago when someone was on a decluttering mission at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation in Copenhagen, and threw away a Scotch Broadcast Tape that featured recording of Thelonious Monk from 1963. Fortunately, when the master tape was lying in a skip it was spotted by a producer who realising the importance of the tape, rescued it. Twenty years later, that tape of Thelonious Monk’s classic quartet was reissued as Monk and features the pianist at the peak of his powers.
Although Thelonious Monk is now regarded as one of the great jazz pianists, he wasn’t without his critics with poet and jazz critic Phillip Larkin dismissing him as: “the elephant on the keyboard.” Sadly, it seemed not everyone appreciated Thelonious Monk’s innovative approach to jazz music.
That is despite Thelonious Monk as now being the second-most covered jazz composer of all time. That is pretty good going as Thelonious Monk composed only seventy pieces. These compositions and improvisations featured dissonances and what are best described as angular melodic twists, which are an accurate representation of his unique approach to the piano. Initially, it was described as hard swinging, but evolved over the next twenty years.
Those that had followed Thelonious Monk career watched his style evolve, and his extremely percussive attack which featured abrupt and dramatic use of switched key releases, silences, pauses and hesitations, which divided the opinion of jazz critics and fans. What they forgot, was that Thelonious Monk was a relative latecomer to jazz, and had started his career accompanying a touring evangelist on an old church organ. In some ways, Thelonious Monk was making up for lost time, as he was already twenty-four before he first started playing jazz.
Despite arriving to the party late, Thelonious Monk was soon making up for lost time, and from the early fifties, was working as bandleader, sideman and collaborating with other future giants of jazz. He had started off at Blue Note Records between 1948 and 1952, before moving to Prestige Records where he spent two years between 1952 and 1954. After that, Thelonious Monk moved to Riverside Records which was his home between 1955 and 1961, and by then, his star was in the ascendancy.
This was quite remarkable given everything that Thelonious Monk had been through since the early fifties. He had his New York cabaret card revoked in 1951, when he became the latest victim of a trumped up narcotics charge. This meant that Thelonious Monk was unable to play in New York’s club’s for six long years. During that time, Thelonious Monk signed to Riverside Records in 1955, which was his home until 1961.
Although Thelonious Monk was held in high regard by critics and commentators, sadly, for someone so talented, his records weren’t selling well. In 1955, he agreed to release an albums of jazz standards, Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington in the hope that this would increase his profile and record sales. However, later in 1955 tragedy struck for Thelonious Monk.
Towards the end of 1955, Thelonious Monk’s mother passed away, and the following year, 1956, a fire destroyed the pianist’s apartment in West ‘63rd’ Street, New York. Thelonious Monk and family were left destitute, and his family of five had no option but to stay with friends for several months, with fifteen people shoehorned into a three room apartment. Meanwhile, Thelonious Monk continued to live with an undiagnosed bipolar disorder which nobody was aware of at the time. Despite this, he released Brilliant Corners an album of hard bop in late 1956, which was one of the finest albums he released for Riverside Records.
In 1957, Thelonious Monk’s run of bad luck continued when he was involved in a car accident, and when the police discovered him unresponsive, took him to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, where he spent three weeks. By then, Thelonious Monk was unaware that his father had been living in a psychiatric hospital for the past fifteen years
Things got worse for Thelonious Monk in May 1957, when his wife Nellie became ill, and required a thyroidectomy. After the operation, she became frail and depressed, which affected Thelonious Monk’s wellbeing. The last two years had been hard on the couple, but at least Thelonious Monk was about to get his New York cabaret card back, and could start playing live in the Big Apple.
By then, Thelonious Monk had a manager, and started a six-month residency at the Five Spot Café, and had formed a friendship with John Coltrane. This was a coincidence as many of John Coltrane’s band had served their music apprenticeship Five Spot.
During Thelonious Monk’s residency at the Five Spot Café during 1957 and 1958, the sharp dressed and sartorially elegant pianist took to the stage with his carefully cultivated look. Thelonious Monk wore suits, hats and had taken to wearing sunglasses which hid the window to his troubled and weary soul. Still, he dazzled patrons with his unique playing style as he switched between standards and his own compositions. Thelonious Monk was back in the Big Apple, after a six-year absence.
With Thelonious Monk’s albums still not selling well by 1958, he was asked to release a second album of jazz standards. It was hoped that The Unique Thelonious Monk would increase his profile and record sales. Ironically, later, in 1958, Thelonious Monk’s face was all over American newspapers, after his latest brush with the law.
Thelonious Monk had been hired to play for a week at the Comedy Club, in Maryland, and on his way to the gig, he and Nica De Koenigswarter were stopped by the police in Wilmington, Delaware. When Thelonious Monk refused to answer or cooperate with the police officer, who beat him with a blackjack. During an authorised search the car drugs were found, and suddenly Thelonious Monk was looking at some serious jail time. Fortunately, Judge Christie of the Delaware Superior Court ruled that the pair had been unlawfully detained, and that the beating of Thelonious Monk meant that the consent to the search void as given under duress. Forty-one year old Thelonious Monk survived to fight another day.
As the fifties gave way to the sixties, Thelonious Monk’s relationship with Riverside Records had gone south, after a disagreement over royalty payments. While Riverside Records released two live albums recorded in Europe, Thelonious Monk hadn’t recorded a studio album since 5 By Monk By 5 in June 1959. Fortunately, Columbia Records one of the four major labels were keen to sign Thelonious Monk.
The negations between Thelonious Monk and Columbia Records, were protracted, and it wasn’t until 1962 that a contract was signed. At last, Thelonious Monk could get back into the studio and do what he did best…make music
In 1963, Thelonious Monk released Monk’s Dream, which was his Columbia Records debut. Critical acclaim greeted the release of Monk’s Dream, and it was a similar case with the classic Criss-Cross. By then, Thelonious Monk was on a roll, and recorded Monk In Tokyo which was released in 1973. Miles and Monk At Newport, Big Band. Quartet In Concert and the critically acclaimed Monk’s Time were all released in 1964. However, another recording from 1963 wasn’t released for fifty-five years.
Monk.
This is Monk, which features a live recording of Thelonious Monk’s classic quartet that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark,on March the ‘5th 1963 during a European tour. That night in Copenhagen. pianist Thelonious Monk was joined by tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, drummer Frank Dunlop and bassist John Ore as they took the stage.
Opening the set is Thelonious Monk’s composition Bye Ya, where drummer Frank Dunlop plays an energetic solo, before the classic quartet play with enthusiasm as they innovate and unleash a myriad of musical ideas. Nutty is another Monk composition, and at one point the bandleader having built-up the momentum descends the piano keyboard leaving the stage set for Charlie Rouse’s baying tenor saxophone to soar and take centre-stage. Very different is beautiful is the tender reading of I’m Getting Sentimental Over You. It gives way to a heart-achingly beautiful and moving version of Body and Soul where the loneliness seems very real. Closing the set is the swinging Monk’s Dream which careers along, and closes Monk on a high,
Thelonious Monk recorded the music that features on Monk Danish Broadcasting Corporation in Copenhagen on the ‘5th’ of March 1963 and four days later, the concert was broadcast on the ‘9th’ of March 1963. Fifty-five years later, Monk was belatedly released. It’s a hidden gem that features Thelonious Monk’s classic quartet at the peak of their considerable powers.
Crucial to the success of the classic quartet was the interaction between Thelonious Monk and Charlie Rouse, with the two men constantly on the same wavelength, and anticipating their every move. That was the case throughout Monk, which is welcome and almost flawless reminder of Thelonious Monk’s classic quartet live in concert.
Lost Classic Found: Thelonious Monk-Monk.
CULT CLASSIC: MARIANNE FAITHFUL- LOVE IN A MIST.
Cult Classic: Marianne Faithful-Love In A Mist.
By March 1964, it was apparent that pop music wasn’t just a passing fad. By then, The Beatles were a global phenomenon and the British Invasion of the American charts had just begun. Britain was a now musical powerhouse that the world envied. Despite this, many labels weren’t resting on their laurels.
Record companies in Britain were constantly on the search for ‘the next big thing.’ Surely they reasoned, there was another Fab Four somewhere in Britain? It was all a matter of finding them. Some labels put more effort into this than others.
Decca Records had an enviable network of A&R executives and talent scouts across Britain. Their finger was on the pulse of the local music scene. Night after night, talent scouts headed out to local pubs and clubs, where they listened to new bands and singers. Promising artists were signed to contracts before other labels even had a chance to hear them. Helping Decca Records add to their already enviable roster were various producers and music ‘impresarios.’
They were the trusted ears of some record companies. This included the Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. He was by 1964, was managing the second biggest band in the world. The Rolling Stones only rivals were The Beatles. So when Andrew Loog Oldham recommended a new, unknown artist to Decca Records they took notice.
The artist Andrew Loog Oldham was unlike any he had come across. Even her background was unlike that of any artist he had encountered. Sh was an eighteen year old former convent girl who the daughter of an Austrian aristocrat and a former British Army officer, who was now a professor of psychology and Italian literature at Bedford College of London University. They had met in Vienna, and were living in Hampstead when Marianne Faithful was born on 29th December 1946. However, this would soon change.
The Faithful family had to move to Ormskirk in Lancashire, while her father finished his doctorate at Liverpool University. Later, the Faithful family lived at the commune and institution for social research in Braziers Park, a Grade II listed building at Ipsden, Oxfordshire. This must have seemed an idyllic place to grow up. However, when Marianne Faithful was six her parents divorced.
For Marianne Faithful the Reading years weren’t exactly happy ones. She lived with her mother in Milman Road which she refers to as the “Reading Gaol.” No wonder. It was a far cry from the early years of her life.
Now, money was tight, and Marianne Faithful and her mother were reduced to living in suburbia. To make matters worse, she suffered from tuberculosis and was a subsidised pupil at St Joseph’s Convent School where she was a weekly boarder. It was at school, that Marianne Faithful first took to the stage.
It wasn’t as a singer though. Instead, she was part of the school’s Progress Theatre group. Little did anyone realise, that when Marianne Faithful left St Joseph’s Convent School, she spend much of her life on the stage. Before that, she escaped the drudgery and boredom of suburban Reading.
Very different was London’s social scene, which Marianne Faithful threw herself into. It was as if she was making up for the Reading years. London was different from small-town Reading. Marianne enjoyed the constant round of parties, record launches and gallery openings. She even travelled to Cambridge to attend a University ball, where she met her future husband John Dunbar. By then, she was regular in London’s folk circuit.
For some time, Marianne Faithful had been playing coffee shops, including Cafe Au Lait and Shades. Her career was in its infancy, but through John Dunbar, Marianne Faithful met Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon. They were enjoying a successful career. Not as successful as the two men Peter Asher introduced Marianne Faithful to at a party in March 1964.
Marianne Faithful went along to a party with John Dunbar in March 1964. That was where she was introduced to the leaders of the two biggest groups in the world. First Marianne met Paul McCartney, and then she was introduced to Mick Jagger. Little did she realise the effect this meeting would have on her career.
Through Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful was introduced to Andrew Loog Oldham. Straight away, he signed Marianne Faithful to Decca Records. Soon, work began on Marianne’s debut single.
For Marianne Faithful’s debut single, As Tears Go By, which was penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was chosen. It was produced by Mike Leander, and released in the summer of 1964. As Tears Go By reached number nine in Britain; twenty-two in the US Billboard 100 and thirty-five in Australia. The eighteen year old had enjoyed a hit single on three continents. However, the followup single wasn’t as successful.
Having chosen to cover a Jagger-Richards song for her debut single, Marianne Faithful decided to cover Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind for her sophomore single. When it was released later in 1965, it failed to chart on both sides of the Atlantic. Surely Marianne Faithful wasn’t a one hit wonder?
Decca Records didn’t think so, and decided that Marianne Faithful should begin work on not just one album, but two albums.
Come My Way.
It was a case of striking while the iron was hot. Many artists weren’t didn’t enjoy a long shelf life. So as soon as they had a single under their belt, they were sent into the studio to record an album. Decca Records decided that Marianne Faithful should record two quite different albums, Come My Way and Marianne Faithful. Of the two albums, Come My Way would only be released in Britain.
For Come My Way, Marianne Faithful chose fourteen tracks. Many of the tracks were traditional songs. This included Come My Way, Jaberwoc and Spanish Is The Loving Tongue, Fare Thee Well, Down In The Salley Garden, Full Fathom Five and Bells Of Freedom. Other tracks included Lee Hayes’ Lonesome Traveller and Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds. These songs were recorded at IBC Studio, London with producer Tony Calder.
On Come My Way, Marianne Faithful concentrated purely on folk music. This was what Marianne had been singing up until then. She sang and played her acoustic guitar against John Mark’s spartan arrangements. This would prove successful when Come My Way was released.
It wasn’t until 15th April 1965 that Marianne Faithful released Come My Way. The album was well received by critics, and reached number twelve in Britain. However, Come My Way wasn’t released in America. Instead, Marianne Faithful’s eponymous sophomore was released on both sides of the Atlantic the same day as Come My Way.
Marianne Faithful.
Marianne Faithful was recorded at the same time as Come My Way, and would be released in America and Britain. However, Marianne Faithful was a very different album to Come My Way. Gone was the folk sound of her debut album which was replaced by pop, chanson and ye-ye. Already, she was showing that she was a versatile singer.
For Marianne Faithful, fourteen pop covers had been chosen. This included Jackie DeShannon’s Come and Stay With Me; Bacharach and David’s If I Never Get to Love You; Tony Hatch’s Downtown; Jagger and Richards’ As Tears Go By; Jackie DeShannon and Jimmy Page’s In My Time of Sorrow; and Lennon and MCartney’s I’m A Loser. Marianne Faithful also made her songwriting debut, cowriting Time Takes Time with Barry Fantoni. These songs were recorded in two London studios.
At Lansdowne Studios and Decca No. 2 Studio, London, Marianne Faithful recorded another fourteen songs with producer Tony Calder. This time, a band accompanied Marianne, as she flitted between musical genres. Then Plaisir D’Amour became one of the first songs that Marianne would record in French. The London born chanteuse was about to become one of the ye-ye girls, while enjoying commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic.
Just like Come My Way, Marianne Faithful was released on 15th April 1965. Reviews of the album were positive, with critics remarking that some of the song’s were perfectly suited to Marianne Faithful. She brought life and meaning to the songs. So it wasn’t a surprise that Marianne Faithful reached fifteen in Britain, and twelve in the US Billboard 200. This wasn’t the end to the success.
Come And Stay With Me was released as a single from Marianne Faithful. It reached number four in Britain, and twenty-six in the US Billboard 100. Then This Little Bird was released later in 1965, and reached number six in Britain, and thirty-two in the US Billboard 100. For Marianne, this was a fairytale. A year after signing to Decca Records, she was a star on both sides of the Atlantic.
Less than a month after the release of Come My Way and Marianne Faithful married John Dunbar on the 6th of May 1965, in Cambridge. After the wedding, the pair lived in a flat in Belgravia, in London. What looked like a fairytale continued.
Go Away From My World.
Although newly married, and expecting her first child, Marianne Faithful had to record a new American album. It featured twelve tracks, which were a mixture of traditional songs and cover versions.
Among the traditional songs were Come My Way, Mary Ann, Scarborough Fair and North Country Maid. Cover versions included Lennon and McCartney’s Yesterday and Tom Paxton’s The Last Thing On My Mind. Marianne also decided to cover Francis McPeake’s Wild Mountain Thyme and Cyril Tawney’s Sally Free and Easy. These songs were produced by Mike Leader, and scheduled for release in November 1965.
Reviews of Go Away From My World were mainly positive. However, looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it’s an album that’s appealing to everyone. There’s songs for people who like folk and pop music; while Marianne Faithful had been a much more pop oriented album. Maybe Go Away From My World fell between two stools?
After the success of Marianne Faithful in America, Go Away From My World reached a disappointing eighty-one on the US Billboard 200. The only crumb of comfort was that when Summer Nights was released as a single, it reached number ten in Britain and number twenty-four in the US Billboard 100. Then Marianne’s cover of Yesterday reached number thirty-six in Britain. Her last single from Go Away From My World was the title-track, which reached a lowly eighty-nine in the US Billboard 100. Little did Marianne know, that Go Away From My World would be her last American hit. That would’ve been the least of her worries.
In December 1965, Marianne Faithful left her husband of seventh months, and went to live with the Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger. Little did she realise this decision would change her life, and people’s perception of her forever more. That was still to come. Before that, Marianne Faithful began work on her next album North Country Maid.
North Country Maid.
As 1966 got underway, Marianne Faithful and Mick Jagger through themselves headfirst into swinging London’s social scene. They epitomised swinging London, and were seen at the smartest parties. Soon, it was time for Marianne Faithful to return to the studio.
North Country Maid would become her third British album. However, six of the songs had featured on the now ironically titled American album Go Away From My World. This included traditional songs like Scarborough Fair; How Should I Your True Love and North Country Maid. The other tracks included Cyril Tawney’s Sally Free and Easy; Jon Mark’s Lullabye and Francis McPeake’s Wild Mountain Thyme. This left Marianne to record six new songs.
They were a mixture of traditional song and cover versions. The traditional songs included Cockleshells; She Moved Through The Fair and How Should I Your True Love Know. Other tracks included covers of Tom Paxton’s Last Thing On My Mind; Ewan McColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Donavon’s Sunny Goodge Street. These tracks were recorded with producer Mike Leander.
When the recording the six songs began, Marianne Faithful was joined by guitarists Big Jim Sullivan and Jon Marks. He had worked on all of Marianne’s albums, arranging the tracks. Joining them in the studio was an up-and-coming engineer, Gus Dudgeon. Soon, the six songs took shape, and the release of North Country Maid was scheduled for spring 1966.
Before the release of North Country Maid on 1st of April 1966, critics had their say on Marianne Faithful’s third album. The consensus was, that North Country Maid was the finest album of her nascent career. That however, was no surprise.
Great care had gone into choosing the twelve songs that became North Country Maid. These songs seem tailor made for Marianne, as she flits seamlessly between musical genres. Although primarily an album of folk music, blues, country, acid folk and even pop can be heard on North Country Maid. It’s the perfect showcase forMarianne Faithful’s versatility as a singer.
Playing an important part in the success of North Country Maid, were Mick Taylor and Jon Mark’s arrangements. Jon Mark and Big Jim Sullivan accompany Marianne Faithful on arrangements that although they’re mostly understated and spartan, allow her vocals to take centre-stage. She’s equally comfortable singing traditional songs and cover versions.
Despite the undoubted quality of the album and the positive reviews North Country Maid failed to chart when it was released on 1st April 1966. For Marianne Faithful this was a huge blow. Her two previous albums had sold well in Britain, and she had enjoyed several hit singles. However, the warning signs were there when Go Away From My World failed to chart. This made her next album a crucial one.
Love In A Mist.
For her fourth British studio album, Love In A Mist Marianne Faithful decided to change tack. It was a case of needs must. Not only had her career stalled, but acoustic folk music was no longer as popular. Even Bob Dylan had plugged in, and gone electric in 1966. So Marianne Faithful decided to reinvent herself on Love In A Mist.
She had started to reinvent herself on her American album, Faithful Forever. It was released in September 1966, but failed to chart. Despite this, half of the tracks that featured on Faithful Forever, found their way onto Love In A Mist. Along with the other seven songs, a total of fourteen tracks found their way onto Love In The Mist.
Among the tracks on Love In The Mist were a trio of tracks from Donovan, In the Night Time, Young Girl Blues and Good Guy. Marianne Faithful covered Jackie DeShannon’s You Can’t Go Where the Roses Go and With You In Mind. She also covered Tim Hardin’s Don’t Make Promises and Reason To Believe. Other tracks included Lennon and McCartney’s Yesterday; John D. Loudermilk’s; This Little Bird; Bob Lind’s Counting and Bernstein and Sondheim’s I Have A Love. Ne Me Quitte Pas and Coquillages allowed Marianne Faithful to show her versatility on a couple chanson songs. Love In The Mist was shaping up to be her most eclectic album.
With seven tracks to record, Marianne Faithful entered the studio with a band. This was a first. They played on Love In The Mist but took care not to overpower her vocals. They veer between elegiac and ethereal to melancholy and wistful. Sometimes they sound hopeful, but often sound worldweary. Marianne it seemed, had lived some of the lyrics. On several tracks, there’s a return to the understated sound of previous albums. However, Mike Leander decided to orchestrate parts of Love In The Mist. He even added subtle horns on several tracks. They work well, and should’ve played an important part in the reinvention of Marianne Faithful.
Melancholy describes Marianne Faithful’s rendition of Yesterday. She’s accompanied by elegiac harmonies and doesn’t so much deliver the lyrics but lives them. It’s followed by the wistful sounding You Can’t Go Where The Roses Go that heads in the direction of baroque pop. Then Our Love Has Gone is a tale of a love lost with a beautiful orchestrated arrangement that’s punctuated by a French horn. In The Night Time head in the direction of baroque pop before Marianne Faithful’s transformation to baroque chanteuse is complete on This Little Bird. Then on Ne Me Quitte Pas and Coquilages Marianne Faithful turns her attention to chanson pop.
Counting is one of the highlights of Love In A Mist, and features a vocal that’s deliberate and a mixture of theatre and drama. Delivered against a dramatic, orchestrated backdrop it’s a potent mix. Marianne Faithful combines folk and pop on Reason To Believe which features a lush orchestrated arrangement. The lyrics are poignant and take on a new meaning as if she can’t find a Reason To Believe. With You In Mind is a quite beautiful but wistful mixture of theatre and baroque pop. Equally beautiful, thanks to the orchestrated arrangement and a vocal that wistful, thoughtful and sometimes almost despairing is Young Girl Blues. Then on Good Guy, Marianne Faithful breathes life and meaning into the lyric while the arrangement where blues, country, folk and pop melt into one. It’s without doubt one of her finest hours. She closes Love In A Mist with I Have a Love, which becomes a lush, heartfelt ballad and shows yet another side to Marianne Faithful.
Sadly, by the time Love In The Mist was released Marianne Faithful was embroiled in a scandal that made front page news across the world. Her decision to befriend the Rolling Stones had backfired on her badly. This could be traced back to 1965, when she left husband John Dunbar in December, and moved in with Mick Jagger not long after this. By 1965, she had befriended another member of the Rolling Stones’ inner circle…Anita Pallenberg.
They became friends in 1965 and soon they were smoking marijuana together. Then in 1966, Marianne Faithful decided to take her son to stay with Anita Pallenberg and Brian Jones. By then, she was a familiar face with Mick Jagger at swinging London’s smartest and wildest parties. The time they spent with with Anita Pallenberg and Brian Jones passed off without incident. If only the same could be said of the events of 12th February 1967.
By then, it was less than a month before Marianne Faithful would release her fourth album. On Sunday 12th February 1967, she was relaxing with members of the Rolling Stones’ inner circle at Redlands, Keith Richards country estate. That night, the Sussex police raided Redlands looking for drugs. The claimed to have been tipped off that a drug were being consumed on the premises When they entered Redlands, they discovered Marianne Faithful covered by just a fur rug. This would come back to haunt her.
After a search of Redlands, various tablets and substances, including amphetamine and cannabis were discovered. This lead to the arrest of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. They were charged, and were facing imprisonment. However, as the story became front page news, so did the details of how the police discovered Marianne Faithful . This shocked many little Englanders, who viewed not just Mick Jagger and Keith Richards with distaste, but Marianne Faithful too.
Suddenly, the press were raking over her private life, serving up every salacious piece of petty gossip for the titillation of the little people in their two up, two downs. They stood in judgment of Marianne Faithful who was about to release a new album.
Love In A Mist was a genre hopping album where Marianne Faithful flitted between folk, chanson and pop to country, acid folk, baroque pop and blues. It was captivating emotional roller coaster where the music was melancholy, rueful and poignant. Other times, the music was full of hurt and sadness as Marianne Faithful lays bare her soul. Under normal circumstances it would’ve transformed her career.
Just over three weeks later, Marianne Faithful released her fourth album, Love In A Mist on the 2nd of March 1967. Despite the quality of the music on Love In A Mist, the album never came close to troubling the charts. Sadly, very few people heard the album when it was released in 1967. Whether the unwanted publicity affected sales of Love In A Mist is a matter of speculation?
Following the release of Love In A Mist in 1967, Decca Records and Marianne Faithful parted company. By then was just twenty-one and had already released four albums in the UK for Decca. The genre-hopping North Country Maid is the finest album of her Decca Records and a reminder of the early part of Marianne Faithful’s career. North Country Maid is the finest album of her Decca years. It’s an underrated hidden gem that’s one of the most accomplished and eclectic albums of Marianne Faithful’s career and nowadays is a cult classic that is gradually starting to find the audience it so richly deserves.
Cult Classic: Marianne Faithful-Love In A Mist.
CULT CLASSIC: EJI OYEWOLE-CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.
Cult Classic: Eji Oyewole-Charity Begins At Home.
During the sixties and seventies, the Nigerian music scene was thriving and new bands were being formed on a daily basis. Similarly, many new artists were making an impression on Nigerian music during this period. This included flautist, saxophonist and future bandleader Eji Oyewole.
He was born in Ibadan, the city on edge of the savannah. Ibadan was capital of Oyo State, which was the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria. In the city, Eji Oyewole’s family were held in high regard because they were descended from royalty. This meant that Eji Oyewole was really Prince Eji Oyewole. Despite this, he was determined to forge a career as a musician.
He succeeded in doing so, but only ever released one solo album, Me and You which was released on the Nigerian label Top Records in 1985. However, Me and You should’ve been Eji Oyewole’s sophomore album.
Towards the end of the seventies, Eji Oyewole had recorded Charity Begins At Home for EMI Nigeria. However, Charity Begins At Home lay unreleased until October 2015 when this long-lost highlife classic was belatedly released. By then, Eji Oyewole was still occasionally playing live. This was no surprises as music has been a constant in his life.
Prince Eji Oyewole was born in Ibadan, and growing up, discovered music. At last, the young Prince knew what he wanted to do with his life. When he told his parents they were horrified. Eji explains “My family rejected it initially. They wanted me to study professional courses such medicine or law. They even asked if I had started smoking Indian hemp already?” He was able to reassure them that wasn’t the case and that he was determined to make a living as a musician.
The defiant young prince got his breakthrough at the Paradise Club in Ibadan when he became a member of Eddy Okonta’s highlife band. Initially, Prince Eji Oyewole played the flute before deciding he wanted to play the saxophone.
Most people would’ve taken lessons from a music teacher. Not Prince Eji Oyewole. Instead, he bought some text books and with his basic knowledge of music taught himself to play the saxophone. That wasn’t the end of Prince Eji Oyewole’s musical education. Not by a long chalk.
Just before Prince Eji Oyewole decided to move to Lagos he met Chris Ajilo, and the legendary tenor saxophonist taught him the basics of music. As they spoke and played, little did Prince Eji Oyewole realise he was receiving a musical masterclass. When he left for Lagos he was already a much better musician.
Having moved to Lagos, the Nigerian capital, Prince Eji Oyewole found himself playing at the Lido Club and Empire Hotel. Soon, he was a familiar face at both venues. Not long after this he got the chance to join another band.
This was Bobby Benson’s Band which had a residency at the Caban Bamboo Club. Joining Bobby Benson’s Band had lifted Prince Eji Oyewole’s profile. People heard about the young Prince playing in the band and came to hear him play. So did a friend of Prince Eji Oyewole’s who came with his employer.
This was Isaac Olashugba, the alto saxophonist in Fela Ransome-Kuti’s first band, Koola Lobitos. They were an innovative group who fused jazz and highlife and were a popular draw. However, when they weren’t playing, Isaac Olashugba came to see his friend the Prince play. On a number of occasions he brought Felt Kuti along and he liked what heard. So much so, that on numerous occasions Fela Kuti and Isaac Olashugba tried to get him to join Koola Lobitos. However, Prince Eji Oyewole was loyal and decided to stay with Bobby Benson’s Band.
Despite staying with Bobby Benson’s Band, Prince Eji Oyewole often got on stage with Koola Lobitos and even joined them when they played on radio. However, by the mid-sixties he must have regretted not joining Koola Lobitos.
Following a military coup d’etat in 1966, Nigeria was a dangerous place to live. Especially for someone with royal blood. Things got worse for Prince Eji Oyewole when the Premier of the Western Region, Chief Akintola was assassinated. Now was the time for him to leave Nigeria behind.
The early days of his life in exile was tough for Prince Eji Oyewole because much of West Africa spoke French. His life in Cotonou and Lome wasn’t easy and it wasn’t long until he was on the move again.
Next stop was Accra and in the Ghanian capital Prince Eji Oyewole hooked up with one of the city’s top highlife bands, Black Santiago. For a while, he was happy but after a while his wanderlust kicked in.
From Accra, Prince Eji Oyewole made his way to the Ivory Cost and this wasn’t his finest hour as he ended up playing on the cabaret circuit. For a Nigerian Prince, this was quite a comedown. Ironically, he was rescued from obscurity by President Houphouet Boigny.
The Ghanian President asked Prince Eji Oyewole to joined his Presidential Band. By then, he was tiring of the cabaret circuit and job offers were in short supply. Prince Eji Oyewole joined the Presidential Band which resulted in him being offered to join another prestigious band.
It was whilst playing with the Presidential Band that Prince Eji Oyewole came across Franco, who was the leader and guitarist of OK Jazz Of Congo. They were looking for a saxophonist and Prince Eji Oyewole who also played the flute fitted the bill. He joined OK Jazz Of Congo’s tour of West Africa. However, after the tour, Prince Eji Oyewole and OK Jazz Of Congo went their separate ways. The nomadic Prince was on the move again.
His nomadic lifestyle took him to France and and he headed to the capital, Paris. It was there he first encountered Johnny Halliday and soon they were sharing the same stage. This led to Prince Eji Oyewole being booked at Trois Mallez, which in the late-sixties, was a prestigious cabaret and jazz club. However, as was the norm, Prince Eji Oyewole didn’t stay around long.
Next stop on what was like the modern day equivalent of a Grand Tour was Geneva, in Switzerland. Prince Eji Oyewole had been booked to play at the city’s Club 7. For the next month, this was home to the wandering Prince. After this, he decided to further his education.
Prince Eji Oyewole couldn’t have chose a better place than Germany. The country’s music scene was thriving, and featured some of the most innovative musicians in the world. Many had studied the Musik Hochschule, under the tutelage of the great Professor Roland. While he studied by day, Prince Eji Oyewole played at venues around the city. One of the venues Prince Eji Oyewole played was The Star Club, where The Beatles had honed their sound. However, before long the Prince, was on the move again.
No wonder as West Berlin was home to some of the greatest creative minds. Writers, poets, philosophers and musicians called the city their home. This included innovative groups like Can, Kluster, Tangerine Dream, Ashra and Neu! who all congregated at The Zodiak Free Arts Lab. This was the city’s creative hub and where the best musical minds met. Prince Eji Oyewole however, was in West Berlin for saxophone lessons with Professor Lampart at the West Berlin Musik Hochschule. It was during this period of his life that Prince Eji Oyewole caught a break.
During his time West Berlin, he was asked to join Billy Brooks, who at that time, was a European ambassador of jazz. Soon, Prince Eji Oyewole, who had come to city for saxophone lessons, was playing at Berlin’s Jazz Galerie and a the Berlin Jazz Festival. Not long after becoming the first Nigerian artist to play at the Berlin Jazz Festival, the nomadic Prince had been talked into moving to London.
This happened when Fred Schwartz met Prince Eji Oyewole at Berlin’s Jazz Galerie. Keyboardist Fred Schwartz was a member of The Gasoline Band and they were heading to London to record their eponymous debut album. The keyboardist convinced the Prince to join The Gasoline Band just before they headed to London.
When The Gasoline Band arrived in London, the fusion band made their way to Morgan Studios. That was where The Gasoline Band recorded what was their only album. Prince Eji Oyewole was meant to have played on the album but here’s no sign of his name on the credits, unless he played under an alias? After the album was recorded, The Gasoline Band headed off on a Europeand tour with Prince part of the band’s horn section. Once the tour was complete the Prince returned to the world of academia.
He returned to London, where he decided to complete his musical studies at the prestigious Trinity College. Once his education was complete Prince Eji Oyewole decided to become a session player.
Prince Eji Oyewole found himself working as the musical equivalent of a hired gun. As a session musician he played on everything from rock and pop to funk and soul. However, he was a versatile musician who was able to switch seamlessly between disparate genres.
In January 1976, Prince Eji Oyewole found himself in Nova Studios and was using the alias Joe Oye. That’s the name that’s on the session sheets when he was part of the horn section that accompanied The Real Thing. Their star was in the ascendancy but they weren’t as popular as the next artist he worked with later that month.
Later in January 1976, Vangelis were due to play at the Festival Hall. The previous year, 1975, Vangelis had released the soundtrack to Do You Hear the Dogs Barking? and his fifth solo album Heaven and Hell. Then in December 1975, Vangelis had recorded one of the most ambitious and innovative albums of his career, Albedo 0.39 which was released later in 1976. It was a concept album based around space and space physics. This was the calibre of musician that Prince Eji Oyewole was about to share a stage with. Vangelis was the real thing. So was another artist Prince Eji Oyewole would later share a stage with.
This was Bob Marley. The three years that Prince Eji Oyewole spent in Bob Marley’s employ was still to come. Before that, Prince Eji Oyewole decided to record his debut album, Charity Begins At Home.
For Charity Begins At Home, Prince Eji Oyewole penned four tracks. Charity Begins At Home, Gele Odun (Oil Boom), Lagos Complex-Lagos Highways and Unity in Africa (Kasowopo Kasekan) were full of social comment. These tracks were recorded by Prince Eji Oyewole and a group of African musicians.
Joining Prince Eji Oyewole for the recording of Charity Begins At Home, were a group of Nigerian musicians. The rhythm section featured just drummer Sunny Adefadugba and guitarist John Medua. They were augmented by Abu Ismail on congas, Kayode Dosunmo on bongos and Ayan on talking drum. Tende Mugbadu played second tenor saxophone. Prince Eji Oyewole played tenor and soprano saxophone, piano, flute, percussion and added vocals. He also co-produced Charity Begins At Home with Emmanuel Odenusi. Once the album was completed, Charity Begins At Home was meant to be released by EMI Nigeria.
When EMI Nigeria heard Charity Begins At Home they decided not to release the album. Why remains a mystery? One school of thought was that Eji Oyewole had taken the highlife ball and run with it, but run too far.
While most highlife bands had guitars at the heart of their sound, Eji Oyewole decided to replace the guitars with horns. Their big, brash, harsh sound took centre-stage, while one lone guitar features on Charity It Begins At Home. With horns to the fore, Eji Oyewole seemed to have drawn inspiration from funk, especially American funk. This shines through throughout Charity It Begins At Home’s four tracks. They’re different to the music found on most highlife albums towards the end of the seventies.
Gone were short, three or four minute, radio friendly songs. Replacing them on Charity It Begins At Home were four lengthy tracks. They lasted between six and nine minutes. This wasn’t what executives at EMI Nigerian had been expecting. However, it was a case of being unable to see the wood from the trees.
Eji Oyewole had decided that highlife had to evolve. If it didn’t, it could risk becoming stale, and eventually, irrelevant. So, he set about reinventing highlife. To do this, he combines a generous supply of funk with jazz, highlife, Afrobeat and even rock. Seamlessly, these musical genres combine over the four tracks. The other ingredient is searing social comment. The man who was born a Prince wasn’t shy about sharing his opinion on not just what was wrong with not just with Nigeria, but the continent of Africa. This was another reason why executives at EMI Nigeria must have been reluctant to release Charity It Begins At Home.
The title-track Charity It Begins At Home opens the album. Understated soon becomes dramatic. Soon, the man who was born Prince Eji Oyewole is suggesting that Nigerians should unite, and look after each other. Behind him stabs of brash, blazing horns, a funky rhythm section and chiming guitars combine with percussion. They propel the arrangement along. Unity is Eji’s theme. He sings about “understanding” and ask Nigerians to “come together.” His sincerity can’t be faulted and neither can the quality of his band. Over six minutes, Eji and his tight talented band showcase their considerable skills. Whether playing together or when the solos come round they create an irresistible and funky track that starts off the reinvention of highlife.
Prince Eji Oyewole flute opens Gele Odun (Oil Boom) and otherworldy percussion joins a crystalline, chiming guitar and a rhythm section that errs on the side of funk rather than highlife. This the co-producers must have thought would give song a much more contemporary sound. There’s a still more than a nod to the old, as he sings of the recent oil boom that transformed Nigeria. Dramatic bursts os braying horns joins the chiming guitar and a myriad of percussion. Together they create a churning, swampy and funky arrangement. It’s a glorious fusion of funk, highlife and courtesy of the impassioned vocal, soul.
With the oil boom, Lagos in the late-seventies was expanding. Prince Eji Oyewole and the band sing about this on Lagos Complex-Lagos Highways. The growling horns unite with the rhythm section and a mass of percussion and this is what one expects on a highlife album. Chiming guitars are panned right and left. They seem to surround the listener and that’s no bad thing. By then, the band are in the groove. Later, they almost chant the lyrics giving it a mesmeric, hypnotic quality. This is a contrast to the arrangement which flows freely and joyously. Playing a starring role is the Prince’s vocal and saxophone. He unleashes a blistering solo before the hypnotic harmonies return. Later, another of grandstanding saxophone solo steals the show on another track full of social comment.
Unity in Africa (Kasowopo Kasekan) closes Charity Begins At Home. A scorching saxophone solo and rolls of dramatic drums combine before the rhythm section join the horns as the band kick loose. They play as one and never miss a beat. Then when horns drop out the rhythm section briefly showcase their skills. Then Prince Eji Oyewole delivers an urgent and impassioned vocal. His message is clear: “Unity in Africa.” Later, the rhythm section and guitar sound as if they’ve walked off the set for Blaxploitation movie while percussion and dramatic, blazing horns remind you that this is actually a highlife album. However, it’s highlife, but not as we know it. Instead, it’s Eji Oyewole as he set about reinventing highlife. It was a gamechanger of an album.
Despite this, EMI Nigeria chose not to release the album. Maybe Eji Oyewole’s lyrics were seen as too controversial? The Nigerian economy was booming, and inward investment was at an all-time high and many people were getting rich. However, this didn’t include many ordinary, working class Nigerians. They were living in abject poverty and if they had heard Prince Eji Oyewole’s message of unity and togetherness they could’ve rebelled. That couldn’t be allowed to happen and maybe that’s why Charity Begins At Home was pulled? If that is the case, then Nigerian musical history changed.
Highlife could’ve evolved, and gone in a new direction. It would’ve taken on a funk fuelled sound. That wasn’t to be. Instead, the status quo remained. However, nothing stays the same not even highlife. Eventually, highlife began to evolve and musically become more relevant. By then, Prince Eji Oyewolewas part of a band that had a record released.
Eji Oyewole was part of the short-lived band Piliso, who released their one and only album, Thumela, in 1983. Although the Prince was just part of the horn section he made his presence felt. By then, he was rubbing shoulders with a true musical great, Bob Marley.
For three years Prince Eji Oyewole worked with Bob Marley and The Wailers. He can be heard on Buffalo Soldier which was released in 1983. Later, he went on to work with one of then giants of jazz Miles Davis. Sadly, Prince Eji Oyewole’s time with Bob Marley and The Wailers and Miles Davis is often overlooked. This is testament to how highly regarded a musician the wandering Prince was.
Despite that, he decided to return home to where the story started, Ibadan, the city on edge of the savannah. That’s where Prince Eji Oyewole was born and it’s where he has called home for the last twenty years. Still, the man who was born a Prince continues to make music and he has recorded an album of new material with his new band, The Afrobars. He’s also part of Faaji Agba, a Nigerian supergroup who have been compared to Buena-Vista Social Club. Still, there’s no sign of Prince Eji Oyewolee losing his insatiable appetite for music.
Far from it. He’s at the heart of Ibadan’s thriving music scene and continues to collaborate with and encourage the latest generation of musicians. And somewhat belatedly, Prince Eji Oyewole can show Ibadan’s latest generation of musicians his long lost album, Charity Begins At Home which he recorded five decades ago and is one of the most important chapters in his action packed fifty year career.
Cult Classic: Eji Oyewole-Charity Begins At Home.
DIRTY WORK GOING ON-KENT AND MODERN RECORDS BLUES INTO THE 60s VOL 1.
Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1.
Label: Ace.
Format: CD.
As the fifties gave way to the sixties, musical tastes were changing and soul music’s popularity started to grow. By then, new labels were being launched across America and labels like Stax, Atlantic and Motown were among the most successful soul labels. They were hit-making machines and also released countless classic albums during what was a golden era for soul.
By the end of the sixties, soul was more popular than blues music. This had been unthinkable a decade earlier as it had been part of the soundtrack to the fifties and many blues records were big sellers. That was no longer the case and soul had overtaken blues in the popularity stakes. The times they were a changing and so was music.
Despite this, there was a still an audience for the blues during the sixties and labels like ABC-Paramount and their imprint Bluesway plus Chess, Kent and Modern were home to some of the giants of the blues. However, the singles and albums they released sold in smaller amounts or passed many record buyer’s by. Some critics thought that the blues music was no longer relevant and it was destined to become a footnote in musical history.
That never happened and fifty years the blues is alive and kicking. New blues albums are being released each and every week. Some labels are reissuing blues albums from the sixties and early seventies which may have passed record buyers first time round. Other record companies are releasing blues compilations and this includes Ace. Their latest compilation Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1 which has been released to mark an important anniversary.
In 1999, the Japanese label P-Vine released the first instalment in its Modern/Kent Blues Treasures CD series. This was the first of four volumes which were limited editions of 300. Each of the compilations featured West Coast blues obscurities from the vaults of the Bihari Brothers’ labels. For some people this was the first time they had heard these tracks and was the start of a voyage of discovery.
Twenty-one years later and Ace have just released another compilation of blues that was recorded or released by the Bihari Brothers’ labels. This is Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1. It looks back at the West Coast blues between 1958 and 1970 and features twenty-six tracks. This include seven previously unissued tracks and eight that featured on the P-Vine compilations in 1999. There’s contributions from B.B. King, Big Jay McNeely, Billy Ray aka Fillmore Slim, Flash Terry, King Solomon, Larry Davis, Little Joe Blue, B.B. King and T-Bone Walker. They provide a reminder of the blues music being recorded by the Bihari Brothers’ labels during this period.
It’s best described as largely a mixture of B.B. King, funk, R&B and the social comment in the lyrics. By the time the music was being recorded the civil rights movement was trying to bring about change during what was one of the most turbulent times in American history Some of the blues being recorded for the Bihari Brothers’ labels reflects this. This includes some of the music on Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1.
Texan bluesman Billy Ray aka Fillmore Slim opens the compilation with the first of the unreleased track. This is a soul-baring version of Go Ahead (Take 3) which was recorded in 1962. So was his horn driven and swaggering cover of Fast Gun Annie which featured on the P-Vine compilation West Coast Modern Blues 1960’s in 1999.
King Solomon had been on serval smaller labels before signing to Kent. During 1966 he released New Figure as a single Dear Mr President which deals with the subject of conscription. On the B-Side was Mr. Bad Luck where he lives the lyrics.
Little Joe Blue recorded Understanding for Kent in 1967. However, this rueful look at the human condition wasn’t released until 1999 when it featured on the P-Vine compilation West Coast Modern Blues 1960’s. So was Jimmy’s Special an uplifting dance track that was recorded in 1967.
T-Bone Walker was one of the most important and innovative blues guitarists. He pioneered the electric guitar and was a flamboyant showman who inspired Jimi Hendrix. He wrote and released Hey Hey Baby on Modern in 1965 which features an impassioned vocal and showcases his skills as a guitarist. On the B-Side was another of his compositions, Should I Let Her Go? It’s slow and moody and his vocal is a mixture of doubt, sadness and hurt. Then there’s Jealous Woman which was recorded in 1964 and features a hurt-filled vocal. Despite its quality it wasn’t released until 1992 on the Cascade Records’ box set 60 Great Blues Recording. Another recording from 1964 was Love Will Lead You Right which was s only released on the Ace compilation Blues Around Midnight in 1988. Belatedly this underrated blues returns for a well deserved encore.
Larry Davis like many blues guitarists had been heavily influenced by B.B. King. However, unlike many blues guitarists he used a lot of effects. He contributes It Can Only Hurt For So Long which was recorded in 2020 and has never been released before. It’s a similar case with the beautiful paean Something About You Baby (Take 7). Both were recorded at the same session and are a reminder of a talented bluesman whose music is often overlooked.
Flash Terry’s first contribution is a slower alternate take of On My Way Back Home. It’s never been released before and is a welcome addition to the compilation. So is One Thing We Know which was written by Flash Terry and released as a single on Kent in 1958.
Stacy Johnson recorded an extended version of Duke Coleman’s Consider Yourself for Kent. However, it was another track that lay unreleased until 1999 when it made a belated debut on the P-Vine compilation West Coast Modern Blues 1960’s.
Saxophonist Big Jay McNeely wrote Blues In G Minor (Blues Guitar) which was on the B-Side of Deacon’s Hop when it was released by Modern in 1969. He plays a starring role as he unleashes a blazing solo on this glittering hidden gem.
B.B. King is the other bluesman on Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1. He contributes Down Now (Take 3) another of the unreleased tracks on the compilation and a reminder of one of the most popular bluesmen.
For anyone with even a passing interest in blues music Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1 is a compilation that’s well worth buying. The twenty-six tracks were recorded between 1958 and 1970 and there’s seven previously unissued tracks and eight that featured on the P-Vine compilations in 1999. Most of these tracks were recorded during a time when blues music’s popularity was on the decline. However, one thing that wasn’t declining and that’s the quality.
Proof of that is the music on Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1 and especially the tracks by Billy Ray aka Fillmore Slim, King Solomon, T-Bone Walker, Larry Davis, Big Jay McNeely and B.B. King. They’re part of what’s one of the best blues compilations of 2020 and later this year Ace will release the second volume If I Have To Wreck LA which features Texan blues. It’s got a lot to live up to given the quality of music on Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1, which is also the perfect primer to West Coast blues.
Dirty Work Going On-Kent and Modern Records Blues Into The 60s Vol 1.
NEW BREED R&B-SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL.
New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special.
Label: Kent Dance.
Format: CD.
In 2001, Ady Croasdell coined the phrase New Breed R&B when he was compiling a new compilation for Kent Dance. This was New Breed R&B: Soulful 60’s Blues For Today’s Dancers, which featured a selection of songs from the original Kent and Modern labels. When it was released in the summer of 2001, little did compiler Ady Croasdell realise that this was the first instalment in another long-running and successful series.
Nineteen years later Kent Dance have just released New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special, which is the seventh instalment in the series. It was compiled by Ady Croasdell and features another twenty-four dance floor fillers. Seven of the tracks have never been released before, while another six were made their debut on previous Ace Records’ compilations. They return for a well deserved encore on New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special.
Just like previous instalments in the series there’s contributions from familiar artists and groups. They’re joined by some new names. There’s also some rarities and hidden gems on New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special. It features contributions from Aaron Collins and The Teen Queens, The Corvairs, Prince Conley, Freddie Williams, Margaret Lewis, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, King Solomon, Pee Wee Foster, Jarvis Jackson, Tony Clarke and Curly Mays. They recorded tracks for labels like Arock, Carnival, Chant, Cleveland, Fascination, Galaxy, Graham, Modern, Stax and Sylvia. For fans of the New Breed R&B series it’s a welcome release.
Opening New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special is Every Saturday Night by Aaron Collins and The Teen Queens. It’s one of the unreleased tracks and was recorded in 1966 for Modern. By then, Aaron Collins had been a member of the LA group The Flares and had established himself as a songwriter. This was his last session with The Teen Queens, which featured his sisters Rosie and Betty. Tragically they both died just a few years later. They add punchy harmonies that play a part in the sound and success of this hidden gem of a dancer, that was covered by Ray Charles in 1972.
In 1961, Memphis born bluesman Prince Conley had a session booked at Stax. Taking charge of production that day was Chips Moman and it was guitarist Steve Cropper’s first session for the label. Four tracks were recorded but they were all shelved. This included Ain’t That Good which made its debut on 4,000 Volts Of Stax in 1995. Twenty-five years later and this underrated bluesy dancer from Prince Conley returns for a well deserved encore.
Henry “Hank” Graham already owned and ran a successful restaurant and club in LA when he decided to launch his own record label. His first signing to the Hangra Records was Esko Williams who released Sneaking and Cheating in 1962. It was the only single the label released and the Graham label was launched in 1963. Tucked away on the B-Side to I Don’t Think (There Could Be Another You) was another underrated R&B dancer Triple Zero. It’s a great find and a welcome addition to the compilation.
Margaret Lewis was just eighteen when she released her debut single No No Never on Myra Smith’s LA-based RAM Records. Two years later she travelled to Nashville and backed by some top session players cut a cover of Melvin Underwood’s Something’s Wrong Baby. They play their part in a tough, swinging slice of R&B that features a vocal powerhouse from Margaret Lewis. Despite its quality it failed to find an audience when it was released in 1961.
Paso Records was founded in the Windy City of Chicago by musical entrepreneur Richard Stamz. One of his signing was a local singer Flora D who recorded You Gonna Cry as a single in 1961. Hidden away on the B-Side was Way Out Baby where Flora D is transformed into a blues shouter on a mid-tempo track that features guitarist Freddy Robinson.
Big Charley and The Romans recorded You’re Gonna Need Me for the Hilltop label in 1961. It was produced by Shelley Haims at Audio Recording, in Cleveland, but the song lay unreleased until 2016. That was when Hilltop Records released Can’t Even Enjoy My Home as a single. On the B-Side was You’re Gonna Need Me which makes a welcome return on New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special.
Johnny “Guitar” Watson is remembered as one of the great R&B and electric blues guitarists. His career began in the fifties and in 1964 he wrote and recorded Wait A Minute. It was released later that year on the Highland label but wasn’t a commercial success. Despite that, it’s a reminder of a legendary guitarist and showcases his vocal prowess which is often underrated.
By November 1966, King Solomon was signed to Kent and entered the studio and recorded several takes of Almost Midnight. After the session the track was shelved and King Solomon left the label. In 1999, Almost Midnight featured on the P-Vine compilation West Coast Modern Blues 1960’s Volume 3. However, this time around, it was Take 3 of this moody and bluesy hidden gem that was chosen and features on New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special.
Pat Garvis recorded the Zelda Saunders composition Turn The Lamps Down Low for the Freida label in 1963. It features an impassioned vocal and an arrangement that epitomises everything that’s good about early sixties R&B. It’s also one of the rarest singles on the compilation.
When Jarvis Jackson released his debut single Head Doctor on Chant, in 1963, he was known as Gay Meadows. His manager Bill Haney felt he needed a more soulful sounding name and Gay Meadows became Jarvis Jackson. In 1966 he was meant to release The Long John on the Sims Records but it was mistakenly pressed as The Long Dog. This was eventually corrected and much later, The Long John resulted in a new dance craze that filled dancefloors across Europe.
Way before Tony Clarke signed to Chess Records, he was signed to Fascination, and recorded Cry which was released as a single in 1961. On the B-Side was the slick and soulful dancer Love Must Be Taboo.
Curly Mays is often described as Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown’s nephew. However, just like his uncle he was a talented guitarist. He also unleashed an array of impressive tricks when he played live. This included playing his guitar with his toes as he read a newspaper. In 1964 he sent five tracks to the Carnival label, including three instrumentals. The label decided to release one of the vocal sides as a single. This was I’m Walking On, a soulful slice of R&B that also showcases Curly Mays’ guitar playing. However, one can only wonder what would’ve happened if one of the flamboyant showman’s instrumentals had been released as a single?
It’s never easy for the compiler of a long-running and successful compilation series to keep finding tracks that are as good as the ones on the previous volumes. Often, the first few volumes have used up the best tracks and it’s downhill after that. That isn’t the case with the New Breed R&B series.
Compiler Ady Croasdell knows where to look for the best in New Breed R&B. However, he has to dig deep to find singles, B-Sides, alternate takes and unreleased tracks that were released between 1961 and 1966. There’s contributions from some old friends, familiar faces and new names. Just like previous instalments in the series Ady Croasdell has unearthed some hidden gems and rarities. When all this is combined the result is New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special, which is another veritable musical feast and the latest instalment in a compilation series that looks likes it’s going to run and run.
New Breed R&B-Saturday Night Special.
GIRLS WITH GUITARS KNOW WHY!
Girls With Guitars Know Why!
Label: Ace Records.
Format: LP.
There are very few compilation series that are still going strong after thirty-one years. Often, the compiler has run out of material or musical tastes have changed. However, Ace Records’ Girls With Guitars compilation series is still going strong after thirty-one years and six volumes. The most recent instalment in this long-running and successful series Girls With Guitars Know Why! It has just been released on transparent violet vinyl and features fourteen tracks from the golden age of girl groups and she pop.
This golden age began around 1964 and continued right through to the dawn of the seventies. The fourteen tracks on Girls With Guitars Know Why! were recorded between 1965 and 1970 in Britain, America and New Zealand by guitar-wielding groups like Goldie and The Gingerbreads, The Belles, The Chymes, The Chicks, The Bea’s, The Debutante, She and Girls Take Over. They’re joined by Glenda Collins, Sandy Edmonds and Denise on a compilation that includes everything from frat rock and she pop to garage rock. On each track that compiler Mick Patrick has chosen guitars are to the fore on Girls With Guitars Know Why!
Opening the compilation is Look For Me Baby by Goldie and The Gingerbreads. They were formed in New York in 1962, and released their debut single Skinny Vinnie in 1964. When they travelled to the UK they signed to Decca and in January 1965 had a hit with Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat. After this, Shel Talmy became their producer and the group recorded a number of songs that were never released. This included their cover of the Ray Davies composition Look For Me Baby. It was belatedly released on the Kinked! (Kinks Songs and Sessions 1964-1971) compilation in 2016 and this oft-overlooked dancer makes a welcome return on Girls With Guitars Know Why!
Side One.
The Belles were formed in South Florida by fourteen year old guitarist Debbie Teaver. She was joined by drummer Pat Hunt and sisters May and Marina Perez who also played guitar. Soon, the nascent group was playing at the local air force base and at dances for teenagers. When the group recorded a demo, it was heard by Mana Productions who asked the group to record a single. They recorded a Melvin which is a feminised cover of Van Morrison’s Gloria. It’s without doubt the rarest record on the compilation and nowadays, changes hands for upwards of $500.
Glenda Collins recorded her cover of John D. Loudermilk’s Thou Shalt Not Steal with Joe Mme who arranged and accompanied her. Part of his band was a young guitarist called Richie Blackmore. His guitar plays an important part in this driving, stomping anthem that was released on HMV in 1965. It’s one of the highlights of the compilation.
The Chymes were a short-lived girl group from Santa Barbara that featured three sisters. In 1966 they released their one and only released single on Ruth Conte’s Chattahoochee Records. This was the double-A side He’s Not There Anymore and Quite A Reputation which has been included on the compilation. It’s a welcome addition with jangling guitars, a swirling Hammond organ and the cascading harmonies accompanying Candice’s lead arrangement.
Closing side one is Come See Me by Sandy Edmonds who was born in Ormskirk, Lancashire, England and emigrated to Takapuna, New Zealand when she was fifteen. Just a few months later she was discovered by Eldred Stebbing the owner the Zodiac label singing in a youth club. He signed her to his label and she opened for The Beatles at Auckland Town Hall in 1964. Two years later, in 1966, Sandy Edmonds reinvents The Pretty Things’ Come See Me and swaggers her way through this fuzzy makeover of a familiar song.
Side Two.
Many people will know Denise Kaufman as Mary Microgram, who was one of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. She studied at Berkeley College and was originally a folk singer. Her career was transformed when she met jazz musician Lonnie Hewitt. That was when she wrote a song about her ex-boyfriend Jann Wenner, who went on to cofound Rolling Stone magazine. Denise as she was billed snarls her way through Boy, What’ll You Do which was released as a single on the Wee label in 1966. A year later, she cofounded Ace Of Cups which nowadays is regarded as one of the first all-female rock bands.
Between 1965 and 1970 The Chicks enjoyed a number of hit singles in their native New Zealand. They released a defiant cover of Lee Hazelwood’s The Rebel Kind on Impact Records in 1966. It was the only single they released for the label. Despite that, it’s one of the hidden gems in the group’s back-catalogue.
Ruth Conte signed a number of girl groups to her label Chattahoochee Records. Some of them were more successful than others. Great things were forecast for The Bea’s 1966 single Nothing Can Go Wrong. Sadly, success eluded what’s one of the finest examples of she pop on the compilation, and it was the only single they released on the label.
The Debutantes were formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1964 by fourteen year old singer Jan McClellan. She was a student at Detroit High School, which was where she met Ted Nugent. His opening words were: “girls can’t play.” Two years later, in 1966, The Debutantes had released their debut single Shake A Tail Feather. By the time they recorded a cover of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil’s We Gotta Get Out Of This Place in 1968 there had been a number of changes in the group’s lineup. Sadly, the song was never released until 2018 when it featured on a compilation released by BeatRocket entitled The Debutantes. It’s proof that girls can play and Ted Nugent was wrong, very wrong.
Closing Girls With Guitars Know Why! is Stardust Come Back by Girls Take Over. Initially, the group featured Rinie, Wendy and Cindy Wilhemis from Wisconsin. Later, they were joined by bassist Geri Gibson. This was the lineup of the group that recorded and released Stardust Come Back on Pentagon Records in 1969. It’s a quite magical and beautiful way to close the album and a fitting tribute to Cindy Wilhemis who passed in 2017 just before the release of Girls With Guitars Take Over!
Thirty-one years after the released of the first instalment in the Girls With Guitar series Ace Records recently released the sixth volume in this long-running and successful series. This was Girls With Guitars Know Why! which has been released on transparent violet vinyl. It’s definitely an album that stands out from the crowd. Especially given the quality of music. There’s a reason for this.
Rather than making the Girls With Guitar series an annual occurrence, Ace Records have decided to concentrate on quality rather than quantity. It’s nearly three years since the previous volume Girls With Guitars Take Over! was released. Just like its predecessor the latest instalment in the series doesn’t disappoint. No wonder, as Girls With Guitars Know Why! features fourteen songs from the golden age of the girl group and she pop. They feature familiar faces, new and a sprinkling of hidden gems in what’s another welcome addition to the Girls With Guitars’ series.
Girls With Guitars Know Why!
SAINT ETIENNE PRESENT SONGS FOR THE FOUNTAIN COFFEE ROOM.
Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room.
Label: Ace Records.
Format: CD.
Recently, Ace Records released the much-anticipated third instalment in the “Saint Etienne Present” series which are best described as soundtracks for places which are either real and imaginary. This time around, Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have compiled Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room which is their soundtrack to an imaginary bar in mid-seventies LA. However, it’s no ordinary bar and is one that is frequented by the great and good and the glitterati in mid-seventies LA.
The Fountain Coffee Room is the perfect place for LA’s beautiful people to meet away from the public eye. Each day, the staff watch as stars of the small and silver screen scurry in hoping not to be seen by Tinseltown’s gossip writers. They hide away amid the impressive array of potted drinking cocktails and for the first time in a long time hope not to be seen. Sometimes it was actors and actresses meeting while they enjoy a break from filming a new television show or film. Other times, it was singers-songwriters from Laurel Canyon who have been recording a new album and were meeting a writer or poet. It was more a case of who hasn’t spent time in The Fountain Coffee Room. There’s a reason for that. They can be themselves away from the public eye and enjoy the music that plays in the background.
Nobody knows where the music comes from and they don’t like to ask? Some believe it’s a little-known FM radio station high above LA that plays a mix of mid-tempo blue eyed soul, Laurel Canyon singers-songwriters, top-down soul, vanilla funk and yacht rock. Others believe that the barman spends his spare time making mix-tapes which provide the soundtrack to countless rendezvous’ in The Fountain Coffee Room. Nobody knew and everybody was too cool to ask.
Now over forty years later the music on Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room recreates that magical mid-tempo soundtrack that will transport the listener back in LA in the mid-seventies. No wonder with tracks from Bill Quateman, Marvin Gaye, Seals and Crofts, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Utopia, Delegation, Millie Jackson, Bobbie Gentry, Stephen Bishop, Boz Scaggs. Tamiko Jones and Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band.
Opening Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room is Only Love which was a hit for Bill Quateman in 1972. It featured on his 1973 eponymous debut album, which sold over 100,000 copies when it was released by Columbia. That’s no surprise given the quality of songs like Only Love. It’s melodic with a strong hook and slick arrangement with dancing strings and was one of the highlights of the album.
When Seals and Crofts released their eighth studio album Get Closer on Warner Bros in 1976 it reached thirty-seven in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. By then, the title-track had been released as a single and reached number six on the US Billboard 100. It features the vocals of Carolyn Willis formerly of Honey Core. She plays her part in this laid-back and soulful song which was sampled by Busta Rhymes in his 1997 hit Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.
When Daryl Hall and John Oates released their debut album Whole Oats on Atlantic in 1972 it featured Lilly (Are You Happy). This was a tantalising taste of the blue-eyed soul the Philly-based duo would go on to release over the next few years.
Delegation were formed in Birmingham in 1976 and signed to State Records. Two years later released one of their finest singles Oh Honey which was produced by Ken Gold. It’s a slow, smooth and romantic jam that gave the group a top ten hit in the UK.
For her 1976 album Free and In Love Millie Jackson covered Homer Banks and Carl Hampton’s House For Sale. It’s given a dancefloor friendly makeover and comes complete with handclaps. It was released as a single in 1976 but just in the UK and is an oft-overlooked track from Millie Jackson’s discography.
By the mid-seventies Bobbie Gentry was signed to Warner Bros. That’s when she recorded Thunder In The Afternoon which features a coquettish and sensuous vocal. Sadly, the song never found its way onto an album and made its debut on a Best Of compilation. This hidden gem returns for a well deserved encore on Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room.
When Stephen Bishop recorded Save It For A Rainy Day Eric Clapton played lead and rhythm guitar while Chaka Khan added backing vocals. It was released by ABC Records as a single and reached twenty-two in the US Billboard 100 in 1976. This was the first of two hit singles from Stephen Bishop’s debut album Careless which was certified gold. The highlights of the album were the blue-eyed soul of Save It For A Rainy Day and the followup On and On.
In 1977, Boz Scaggs released his eighth album Down Two Then Left on Columbia. It reached number eleven in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. The second and final single from the album was Hollywood which stalled at forty-nine in the US Billboard 100. Despite this, it was the biggest single from the album, and is a carefully crafted and memorable moment from Boz Scaggs’ million-seller.
Sultry and sensuous describes Tamiko Jones’ 1975 hit single Touch Me Baby (Reaching Out For Your Love). It was produced by Tamiko Jones and released on Arista reaching sixty on the US Billboard 100 and twelve on the US R&B charts. This was the biggest hit of a career that spanned three decades.
Closing Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room is Sunshower by Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band. It’s taken from their 1976 eponymous debut album released on RCA Victor. This atmospheric and mellow slice of musical sunshine is the perfect way to close the compilation.
For the much-anticipated third instalment in the “Saint Etienne Present” series, Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs have dug deep into their respective record collection and come up with twenty tracks from familiar faces, old friends and new names. These artists, duos and groups from America and Britain contribute the hits, misses, album cuts, hidden gems and oft-overlooked tracks that became Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room. This lovingly curated compilation was recently released by Ace Records and is one of the best compilations of the summer of 2020. The reason for that is simple, the music.
Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room features a magical mix of mid-tempo blue eyed soul, Laurel Canyon singers-songwriters, top-down soul, vanilla funk and yacht rock that is sure to bring back memories, and is akin to a journey back in time to LA in the mid-seventies.
Saint Etienne Present Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room.
CULT CLASIC: SUPER ELCADOS-TOGETHER IS ALWAYS A GOOD VENTURE-TAMBOURINE PARTY VOLUME 2.
Cult Classic: Super Elcados–Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2.
During the early sixties, a musical revolution took place in Ghana, when musicians started combining elements of West African musical genres including highlife and fuji music which they fused with American funk and jazz. Playing an important part important part in this new genre which later, became known as Afrobeat, were chanted vocals, percussion and complicated converging rhythms. The result was an irresistible, potent and heady musical brew that later, would spread across West Africa.
By the early seventies, Fela Kuti and his band had just returned to Nigeria after a brief stay in America, where they had hurriedly recorded what later became The ’69 Los Angeles Sessions. The album had been recorded quickly, as a promoter had informed the Immigration and Naturalization Service that Fela Kuti and his band had no work permit. Fela Kuti was tipped off that the Immigration and Naturalization Service was about to swoop and decided to head home to Nigeria.
When Fela Kuti and his band arrived back in Lagos, Nigeria, he decided to rename his group The Afrika ’70. Fela Kuti’s next move was to found the Kalakuta Republic, which was a commune which soon, became home to the many people connected to The Afrika ’70. It also meant that Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 were always ready to practise and record music.
Within the Kalakuta Republic was a recording studio where Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 could work. By then, Fela Kuti was writing song were the lyrical themes ranged from love right through to the various social issues affecting Nigeria. Despite his concern for his fellow Nigerians, Fela Kuti, who was the leader of Kalakuta Republic, declared independent from the Nigerian State. That was still to come.
Having established the Kalakuta Republic, Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 began experimenting musically. They regularly incorporated disparate musical genres into their This new sound was innovative, and also proved to be influential, when Fela Kuti established a new club that he called Afrika Shine.
That was where Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 first introduced Afrobeat to Nigeria in 1970. Between 1970 and 1975, Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 had a residency at Afrika Shine, in Lagos, and people from all over Nigeria flocked to the club. This included many Nigerian musicians who were inspired by Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70.
During Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 five year residency at Afrika Shine, Afrobeat grew in popularity as bands were formed all across Nigeria. This included Super Elcados, who a year after Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 residency at Afrika Shine ended, released their debut album Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 on EMI Nigeria.
Just like many groups that were formed during the first half of the seventies, Super Elcados had been inspired by Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 and the first wave of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneers. However, Super Elcados weren’t content to blindly follow other bands, and were determined to take Afrobeat in a new direction.
This Super Elcados did as they started to play live and hone their unique and inimitable sound. While the basis for their music was Afrobeat, it also funky, percussion, feel-good music. Super Elcados were soon a popular live band capable of making music that would get any party started.
With Super Elcados proving popular wherever they played live, it wasn’t long before their irresistible, potent and heady musical brew caught the attention of record companies. This included EMI Nigeria, who managed to secure the signature of Super Elcados.
Having secured the signature of Super Elcados, executives at EMI Nigeria were keen that the band began work on their debut album. This became Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2.
The eight tracks that Super Elcados decided to include on Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 were a mixture of songs full of social comment, feel-good music, paeans and the poignant Tribute To Murtala Mohammed. These eight tracks were recorded by the nine members of Super Elcados.
When Super Elcados began recording the album, their rhythm section featured drummer and percussionist Baba Mustapha, bassist Tony Nosika and guitarist and organist Geoffrey Johnson. They were joined by lead guitarist Frank Martins, Dave Crown Olugbade who played electric piano and tenor saxophone and percussionist conga player Joe Edem Bassey Edet. Super Elcados’ horns came courtesy of trumpeter Bola Adex and valve trombonist Effiong Jarrett. Meanwhile, lead vocalist Christe Black was accompanied by the other members of Super Elcados. Gradually, Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 started to take shape, and was ready for release in 1976.
When Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 was released, the album sold steadily, but wasn’t the huge success that EMI Nigeria had hoped. Record buyers had missed out on what was a funky and sometimes soulful album of Afrobeat. For the members of Super Elcados this was a disappointment.
Especially given the quality of music that features on Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2. The album opener Tambourine Party finds Super Elcados at their funkiest and melodic, as the track takes on a party atmosphere. Afro Funk finds Super Elcados locking into a groove during this glorious and memorable fusion of Afrobeat and funk, that sometimes, becomes jazz-tinged and rocky. Straight away, Xray Gun sound as if it’s been inspired by James Brown as a funky, soulful dancefloor filler takes shape. Super Elcados drop the tempo on the beautiful, soulful paean How Much I Love You. Horns and harmonies accompany a heartachingly beautiful vocal.
It’s all change on Ejole, which starts hesitantly before a funky, and later soulful, joyous and rocky slice of Afrobeat starts to take shape. Tribute to Murtala Mohammed is a poignant and soulful track that sounds as if it has been inspired in part by Gil Scott-Heron. Super Elcados change things around on Get up and Do It Good where their rhythm and horn section playing leading roles on a funky, soulful song that is one of the album’s highlights. The tempo drops on Price Of Fame, a thoughtful but funky Afrobeat instrumental that closes Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2.
When Super Elcados released Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 in 1976, their carefully crafted and accomplished genre-melting album failed to find the wider audience it so richly deserved. That was a great shame as it was an album without a weak track.
Super Elcados took Afrobeat and funk as their starting point, and combined elements of jazz, rock and soul on Super Elcados released Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2. In doing so, they created eight tracks that veered between feel-good that was joyous, uplifting and irresistible to beautiful, poignant and soulful. The members of Super Elcados had combined Afrobeat with the best of American music and in doing so, created an album that was funky, soulful, melodic, memorable and guaranteed to get any party started. If only record buyers had given the album a chance.
Three years later, and Super Elcados returned in 1979 with This World Is Full Of Injustice on EMI. It was another quality album which failed to find the audience it deserved. The album proved to be Super Elcados’ swansong.
Later in 1979, a new group Elcados released their debut album What Ever You Need. Sadly, that was the only album this short-lived group released.
Forty-four years after the release of Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 has a cult following among some DJs, record collectors and connoisseurs of Afrobeat. Especially, anyone who likes their Afrobeat funky, soulful, melodic and memorable. If they do, then Super Elcados’ album Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2 won’t disappoint and is guaranteed to get any party started.
Cult Classic: Super Elcados–Togetherness Is Always A Good Venture-Tambourine Party Volume 2.
EL POLEN-CHOLO (MUSICA ORIGINAL DE LE BANDA DE SONIDO).
El Polen-Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido).
When El Polen was formed by brothers Juan Luis and Raul Pereira in 1969, little did anyone realise that their new band would become one of the most important and influential in the history of Peruvian music. That was until El Polen released their genre-melting debut album Cholo in 1972 where they fuse Andean music, folk and psychedelia. This new genre-melting was ambitious and groundbreaking and would influence a new generation of bands in the future. By then, El Polen had come a long way in just three short years.
The El Polen story began three years earlier in 1969 when brothers Juan Luis and Raul Pereira decided to form a new band. They had decided that their new band would head in a new direction and make music that was different to their previous band. By then, the Pereira brothers realised that Peruvian music was about to change.
By 1969, the first wave of new Peruvian bands were combing beat music and surf sounds, which they played at Matinales, where concerts that took place on a Sunday morning. These concerts were always popular, and so were the bands that took to the stage. However, the music was starting to sound tired and like yesterday’s sound. What Peruvian music needed was a revolution.
Juan Luis Pereira was part of the burgeoning hippy movement and realised this, he and his brother Raul formed El Polen, and set about reinventing music in the new Peru. It was a very different country since 1968, and it was an exciting time for the Pereira brothers as they started their new band.
Peru was transformed in 1968, when a nationalist government was established by Juan Velasco Alvarado. This brought to an end the oligarchic state, which had previously ruled Peru. Suddenly, many people started to migrate from the country to the city, seeking a new life in the new Peru.
This coincided with new Andean singers and bands playing concerts in a coliseum located on the outskirts of a city. Many within the audience were those who had migrated from the country to the city, and they enjoyed the concerts that they attended.
Meanwhile, their was an upsurge of interest in Andean music, and sales of new recordings increased. The Andean sound which had first been recorded and promoted by Jose Maria Arguedas by the late-forties was growing in popularity. Soon, new bands were being formed and Andean sound became more popular than ever and the Peruvian musical industry expanded. However, Juan Luis and Raul Pereira had their own plans for Peruvian music.
As the sixties, gave way to the seventies, Juan Luis and Raul Pereira realised that the fusion of beat music and surf sounds many bands had been playing was yesterday’s sound and no longer as popular as it had once been. It was time for Peruvian music to change. The Pereira decided to fuse the sound of today with some of the music that they had heard growing up.
This included classical music, Peruvian waltzes and huaynos which had influenced and moulded the Pereira brothers in their formative years. So did Andean folklore music which would become part of El Polen’s sound. They were about to combine Andean music, folk psychedelia and rock, and this new genre-melting was groundbreaking. Nobody had ever tried this before and the members of El Polen were about to become musical pioneers.
By then, the members of El Polen had been on a journey which would help them improve as musicians and spiritually. El Polen had traveled to Cusco, where they learned more about Andean instruments and musical traditions. This was they saw as part of their continuing musical education, and having gathered new knowledge, El Polen began the next part of this two-part journey.
It took El Polen to Santa Eulalia high in the mountains above Lima, where they examined their burgeoning spirituality. After this, the members of El Polen were ready to change Peruvian music forevermore.
By then, the hippy movement had exploded in popularity as Peruvian music fans embraced psychedelia and sought altered states of consciousness. With the new hippy generation enjoying and embracing the new, alternative lifestyle and psychedelic music El Polen had a captive audience.
The members of El Polen had much in common with the people who they hoped would embrace their music. They had lived in a community, and shared many of the same values and beliefs. El Polen also hoped that the new hippy generation would embrace their music.
When El Polen took to the stage, they sought to eliminate the boundaries between rock and huayno. To do this, they deployed acoustic guitars, a cello, mandolin, percussion and quenas, as they combined Andean music, folk rock and psychedelia. This proved popular, and soon, El Polen was at the forefront of a new musical movement that was blossoming in Peru.
Given their popularity, it was only a matter of time before El Polen came to the attention of one of the Peruvian record companies. Virrey won the signature of El Polen who soon, began work on their debut album.
Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido).
For their debut album, El Polen was asked to write the soundtrack to the film Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido), which was based on the life of the famous Peruvian Soccer Player Hugo Sotil.
For Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido), El Polen wrote six new tracks, and covered Cholito Pantalion Bianco which was written by singer and songwriter Luis Abanto Morales. These seven tracks were recorded by the six members of El Polen.
As recording of Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) began, El Polen’s lineup featured guitarist Juan Luis Pereira and his brother Raul who played guitar and took charge of the vocals. They were joined by cellist Juan Sebastián Montesinos, violinist Fernando Silva, percussionist Ernesto Pinto and Carlos Martínez who played mandolin. As Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) took shape the six members of El Polen had no idea that they were about to make musical history.
Prior to the release of Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) critics had their say on El Polen’s debut album. While El Polen’s debut album was well received and hailed as an ambitious and exciting release, it was only later that critics realised the importance of Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido).
It was a game-changer of an album, and Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) proved not just to be innovative, but also influential. El Polen paved the way for other bands to fuse Andean music and rock and would influence several generations of bands and musicians.
Nowadays, Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) is regarded as a landmark album in the history of Peruvian music. That is no surprise as El Polen was the first band to fuse traditional Andean music with folk and psychedelia and rock. They were also the first group to combine traditional Andean instruments with Western instruments.
This they do effectively from the opening bars of the near twelve-minute epic La Flora (tema De Cholo). It showcases El Polen’s considerable musical skills as they seamlessly combine disparate musical genres on what’s a tantalising taste of a truly talented group. So too does upbeat and joyous Cholito Pantalion Bianco.
Quite different is the dramatic, cinematic and emotive Paisajes De Quenas which features traditional Peruvian instruments. They combine with the swirling strings as the cello and violin combine during the evocative and irresistible Valicha.
Sitting Dreaming is genre-melting lysergic track that has obviously been influenced by Western psychedelia. There’s even a nod to The Beatles midway through the track, which is one of the highlights of Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido). Tondero is another carefully crafted, genre-melting track where elements of classical music, folk, psychedelia and rock combine as Raúl Pereira delivers soul-baring vocal. Closing El Polen’s debut album is Secuencias De Organillo Y Poliphon, which is a short track where plink plonk sounds are part of track that is both cinematic and psychedelic and close the album on a high.
Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) was a groundbreaking album that featured genre-melting music from musical pioneers El Polen. They had spent the best part of three years honing their sound and were more than ready to record an album.
Led by the Pereira brothers they recorded what was a landmark album where they fuse traditional Andean music with classical music, folk, psychedelia and rock. This had never been done before, and the members of El Polen were pioneers who were breaking new ground.
Soon, many bands would follow in their footsteps, during the next few years. However, nowadays, El Polen and their debut album Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) is regarded as a turning point for Peruvian music. They had changed music forevermore and revolutionised Peruvian music in the process.
Sadly, El Polen only released one more album during the seventies, Fuera De La Ciudad in 1973, which was another innovative, landmark album. Just two years later, El Polen split-up in 1975, and that was the last that was heard of the band for twenty-one years.
In 1996, El Polen made a comeback, and three years later, self-released their third album Signos E Instrumentos. Sadly, not long after releasing their first album in twenty-six years El Polen split-up once again.
Fifteen years later, in 2014, there was an El Polen reunion, as they rolled back the years. Sadly, that was the last that was heard from one of the most important groups in the history of modern Peruvian music.
El Polen certainly made their mark on Peruvian music during the six-year period between 1969 and 1975. This began when they released their genre-melting landmark debut album Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) in 1972, and followed this up with another classic album Fuera De La Ciudad which are El Polen’s finest releases.
El Polen-Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido).
CULT CLASSIC: BARIS MANCO AND KURTALAN EXPRES-ESTAFURULLAH…NE HADDIMIZE!
Cult Classic: Barış Manço-Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!
Even some twenty-one years after his sudden and tragic death, Barış Manço is still remembered as one of the pioneers of modern Turkish music. His career began in 1958, and continued right up until his death in 1999. During his long and illustrious career, Barış Manço was one of the founding fathers of Anatolian rock and helped popularise this hybrid of Turkish folk and rock. Soon, other artists were following in the footsteps of Barış Manço and Anatolian rock’s popularity was growing.
It helped that at the vanguard of this new musical movement was a musician that was a pioneer and was capable of creating ambitious and innovative music. That was the case throughout Barış Manço’s thirty-seven year recording career.
Throughout his career, Barış Manço was a truly prolific artist. That was the case since the early days when he recorded and collaborated with wide variety of groups and artists. This included Harmoniler, Jacques Denjean Orchestra, Les Mistigris, Kaygısızlar, Barış Manço Ve, Moğollar and Kurtalan Ekspres, who he first collaborated with in 1972.
Eleven years later, and Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres recorded the album Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! which was released later in 1983. By then, Barış Manço was one of most successful Turkish musicians. His rise to the top had taken quarter of a century and it was changed days from the early days of Barış Manço’s career.
Barış Manço was born in Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey on the ‘ nd’ of January 1943 into a musical family. His mother Rikkat Uyanık has been a successful singer. Little did she realise that her son would later follow in her footsteps.
By the time Barış Manço was a pupil at Galatasaray High School he had already founded his first band, Kafadarlar. They mainly played to the students at nearby schools but this was enough to give him a taste of life as a musician.
Harmoniler.
When Barış Manço was nineteen, he formed a new band, Harmoniler and they accompanied him when he recorded his debut single, Twistin USA. It was released in 1962 with Do The Twist following later that year. The third and final single Barış Manço released with Harmoniler was Cit Cit Twist in 1963. These three singles were among the first Anatolian rock releases. Nowadays, Barış Manço is regarded as one the genre’s founding fathers.
After Barış Manço graduated from high school he decided to spend some time travelling across Europe.Initially, Barış Manço headed to France and spent some time in Paris. This was where he recorded a single with the Jacques Denjean Orchestra, Baby Sitter. It was released in 1964, but soon, Barış Manço was on the move again.
He then moved to Liege in Belgium where he enrolled and studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Liège, Belgium. This was where Barış Manço encountered the other members of Les Mistigris.
Les Mistigris.
Before long, Barış Manço had joined the band and they released three singles while he was a member. The first was Il Arrivera in 1966 with Bien Fait Pour Toi followed later that year. A third single Bizim Gibi was released in 1967 and by then, Les Mistigris’ popularity was growing and the band were playing much further afield. Les Mistigris were playing not just in Belgium but in France, Germany and Turkey. However, Barış Manço time with Les Mistigris came to an end in 1967.
Later in 1967, Barış Manço was badly hurt in a car crash. That was then that he decided to grow a moustache to hide a scar and this would eventually become one of Barış Manço’s trademarks and a familiar sight to music fans when commercial success and critical acclaim came his way. Before that, he formed a new a new band later in 1967, Kaygısızlar.
Kaygısızlar.
Unlike the last couple of bands Barış Manço had been a member of Kaygısızlar featured just Turkish musicians. During his travels, Barış Manço had worked with musicians from different countries and this hadn’t been easy, given the language barrier. This time, Barış Manço was joined in Kaygısızlar by Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner and they would spend the next two years together.
Kaygısızlar’s debut single Kol Düğmeleri was released in later 1967 and was followed in 1968 by Kızılcıklar, Bebek, Karanlıklar İçinde and Bogaziçi. By the end of the 1968, Kaygısızlar’s popularity had grown and they had graduated from playing in venues in Turkey to touring internationally. Barış Manço’s new band had come a long way in a short space of time.
As 1969 danwed, Kaygısızlar released Runaway and followed this with Aglama Değmez Hayat and Kağızma. This proved to be Kaygısızlar’s swan-song. The band split-up in 1969 when Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner told Barış Manço that they didn’t want to move and live abroad. After eight singles, Kaygısızlar were no more. However, as the sixties gave way to the seventies, Barış Manço founded a new band, Barış Manço Ve.
Barış Manço Ve.
The newly founded Barış Manço Ve headed into the studio to record their debut single during early 1970. This multinational group’s debut single was Dağlar Dağlar (Mountains, Mountains)! When it was released later in 1970, the single sold in excess of 700,000 copies.
Buoyed by the success of their debut single, Barış Manço Ve released their debut album Dünden Bugüne…in 1971. Alas, it was the only album Barış Manço Ve would release. Despite being a successful band its founder was ready to move on.
Moğollar.
Next stop for Barış Manço was Moğollar who were one of the pioneers of Anatolian rock. They were formed in 1967 and were still growing strong when Barış Manço joined in 1971 and he featured on their 1971 single İşte Hendek İşte Deve. However, after this, Barış Manço decided to rejoin Kaygısızlar.
Kaygısızlar.
After reforming, Kaygısızlar only released one more single, Fil ile Kurbağa. It was released in 1972. However, after this, the members of Kaygısızlar moved on to new projects. Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner went on to form MFÖ. Meanwhile, Barış Manço formed another new band. This was Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres.
Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres-The Seventies.
Barış Manço’s latest band wasted no time beginning work on their debut single and Ölüm Allah’ın Emri was released in 1972. Little did anyone know that this fusion of Anatolian rock and psychedelia marked the debut single by one of the most innovative and influential Turkish bands of the seventies. They pioneered Anatolian rock and took the genre in new directions.
Initially, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres combined Anatolian rock and psychedelia. By 1973, Anatolian rock was evolving as Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres moved the genre towards progressive rock. This became apparent when they released their first single of 1973, Lambaya Püf De. It was followed by Gönül Dağı later that year. Sadly, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ singles failed to find the audience they deserved. However, their music continued to be innovative and influence other bands.
This continued as Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres released two new singles released during 1974. The first was Nazar Eyle which showcased a folk-tinged sound. Then Bir Bahar Akşamı took on a psychedelic sound. Each single was different from its predecessor. Despite this, commercial success continued to elude Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres as 1974 gave way to 1975,
As a new year dawned, Barış Manço turned forty-two in 1975 and was hoping commercial success was just around the corner. Alas, when Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres released Ben Bilirim as a single in 1975 the single failed commercially. However, Barış Manço had a plan and was ready for one last throw of the dice.
Later in 1975, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres were about to release their debut album, 2023. It was a genre-melting concept album where songs rubbed shoulders with instrumentals. 2023 was an album of groundbreaking music and when it was released in 1975 it was hoped that it would transform the fortunes of Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres. Alas, the only countries where 2023 sold well were Romania and Morocco. The album topped the charts in both countries. Elsewhere, 2023 failed to find the audience it so richly deserved and for everyone involved it was a frustrating time. Sadly, things didn’t get any better for Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres.
When Kurtalan Ekspres’ released Çay Elinden Öteye Rezil Dede as a single in 1976, it too failed commercially. By then, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ career was at a crossroads.
As a result, Barış Manço took stock of his and Kurtalan Ekspres’ career during 1977. The band had been together for nearly five years, but still hadn’t made a breakthrough. To buy themselves time, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres released a career retrospective Sakla Samanı Gelir Zamanı in 1977. They hoped that this would introduce a new audience to the band’s music while they completed their next album.
Two years later and Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres returned with Yeni Bir Gün. It was released in 1979, and sonically and stylistically, followed in the footsteps of 2023. Sadly, it was an all too familiar story. Despite featuring ambitious and innovative music the album passed record buyers by. It was a similar story when Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres released their first album of the eighties.
Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres-The Eighties,
As the new decade dawned, Kurtalan Ekspres’ thoughts turned to their first album of the eighties. This was 20, another album that sonically and stylistically followed in the footsteps of 2023. The music was ambitious, crossing and combining disparate musical genres and influences. Despite that, the album failed commercially. However, commercial success was just around the corner for Kurtalan Ekspres.
After the disappointment of 20, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres began work on their second album of the eighties, Sözüm Meclisten Dışarı. It was the album which transformed the group’s fortunes.
When Sözüm Meclisten Dışarı was released in 1981 it was to widespread critical acclaim and it became Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ most successful album. That was no surprise as it featured five hit singles, Alla Beni Pulla Beni, Arkadaşım Eşek, Gülpembe, Halhal and Dönence. After nine long years, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres were belatedly enjoying the commercial success that their music deserved.
The success of Sözüm Meclisten Dışarı and its singles resulted in music fans reevaluating Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ earlier music. Before long, their popularity was soaring and they were one of the biggest names in Turkish music. However, Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres couldn’t rest on their laurels and had to start work on their next album. This would become Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!.
Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!.
For the followup to Sözüm Meclisten Dışarı, Barış Manço began writing what eventually became Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! He wrote seven of the album’s eight tracks including Halil İbrahim Sofrası, Geçti Dost Kervanı Kazma, Balsultan, Aman Yavaş Aheste, Kol Düğmeleri and Eski Bir Fincan. Barış Manço also wrote the music to Selahaddin Eyyübinin Yeğeni Aslan Yürekli Rişarın Kızkardeşine Karşı. These songs were recorded in Istanbul during the summer of 1983.
Recording of Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! took place during July 1983. Barış Manço took charge of production, and played piano, organ, clarinet and synths. Among his array of synths, were an Omni 2, Minimoog and Prophet 5. Meanwhile, the members of Kurtalan Ekspres played a mixture of traditional and modern instruments. This included flautist Serdar Ertürk, and Caner Bora who played the davul, a type of bass drum. Bassist Ahmet Güvenç also played piccolo and added backing vocals. So did guitarist Bahadır Akkuzu and percussionist Celal Güven. Together, they recorded the eight songs during July 1983 that would become Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!.
Later in 1983, Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! was released and just like Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ previous album sold well enough to reach the upper reaches of the charts. Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! also featured two hit singles, Halil İbrahim Sofrası and Kol Düğmeleri. The latter was a new version of Barış Manço’s first single Halil İbrahim Sofrası and was another song with an important moral message. This was a feature of many of Barış Manço’s songs by 1983, which was another successful year for Barış Manço.
Barış Manço had written another successful album Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!. Commercially and stylistically, it picked up where Sözüm Meclisten Dışarı left off, and ensured that Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ success continued. Given the quality of music on Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! that was no surprise.
Halil İbrahim Sofrası opens Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!, and bursts into life. Guitars join the rhythm section as the arrangement flows smoothly and almost joyously along. Already it’s hard to resist the song’s charms. All of sudden it’s all change as an element of drama is injected when the organ and vocal enters. Soon, Barış Manço’s impassioned vocal delivers his moral message and harmonies accompany him. They prove the perfect foil and add to the drama. As they drop out, the arrangement continues to flow and glides along. Synth strings sweep joining with washes of Hammond organ as the piano plays and the rhythm section provide the heartbeat. Together they create music with a moral message where beauty and drama are omnipresent as folk and progressive pop are combined seamlessly.
The tempo drops on Geçti Dost Kervanı, drums are joined by a flute and soon, keyboards and percussion. They create the backdrop for Barış Manço’s heartfelt, emotive vocal. Meanwhile, the rhythm section play slowly and deliberately while a melancholy flute drifts in and out. It helps frame the vocal which oozes emotion in what’s a beautiful song.
Kazma is mixture of disparate and unlikely genres where everything from traditional folk to funk and even a hint of disco are combined with rocky guitars. It’s a potent and heady brew from the opening bars. That’s when folk gives way to funk which comes courtesy of the rhythm section and later, a clavinet. Meanwhilem synths strings sweep and provide part of the backdrop for a swaggering, powerful folk-inspired vocal. The next ingredient are blistering rocky and later funky guitars. They enjoy their moment in the sun as this irresistible genre-melting song takes shape and makes perfect musical sense. It’s a truly timeless dance track.
Balsultan finds the tempo dropping as a melancholy song begins to share its secrets. Keyboards and elegiac synths combines with the rhythm section and guitar. They play slowly as synths shimmer and glisten as the bass and guitar resonate. Barış Manço’s vocal is deliberate and has a tenderness. Even when the tempo increases and guitars, synths and the rhythm section combine. The arrangement briefly becomes funky before meandering along. From there, the arrangement ebbs and flows and continues captivating as it shows its different sides. Then at 4.50 the bass takes the track in the direction of funk. Synth strings sweep as the meandering arrangement becomes smooth and funky.
Chic inspired chiming guitars open Aman Yavaş Aheste before the rhythm section increase the funk factor. Soon, they’re joined by backing vocalists and then synths. By then the rhythm section and guitars have locked into the tightest of grooves. Handclaps synth horns are added, and augment the backing vocals. Meanwhile, everything falls into the place on this glorious and irresistible fusion of boogie, disco and funk. For anyone interested in either genre, this makes Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! a must have album.
Wistful flutes floats combine with keyboards and piano on Kol Düğmeleri. They’re joined by the rhythm section, as the arrangement slowly and deliberately meanders melodically along. Then when Barış Manço’s vocal enters, it’s tender, heartfelt and full of emotion. Behind him, the tempo quickens and the drama builds as he lays bare his soul on this beautiful ballad.
From the opening bars of Eski Bir Fincan, it’s obvious something special is about to unfold. It does, another beautiful ballad. The rhythm section and scrabbled guitar combine create the heartbeat, while percussion, keyboards and synths prove a beautiful backdrop. Again Barış Manço delivers the lyrics with feeling and then when his vocal drops out an effects laden guitar takes centre-stage. When the vocal returns, the arrangement flows, glides and glistens along, as elements of pop, funk and rock combine to create a beautiful, melodic and memorable ballad.
As Selahaddin Eyyübinin Yeğeni Aslan Yürekli Rişarın Kızkardeşine Karşı closes Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! it’s a case of all change. Percussion is to the fore before a shimmering flute is panned. Soon, it’s joined by a Hammond organ, synths and the rhythm section join the fray. They become part of a meandering, mesmeric genre-melting groove. The ebbs and flows, as instruments appear, disappear and later reappear. So do elements of folk, funk, progressive pop and rock. Later, electronica combines with the sound of a traditional marching band. Contrasts abound in this multilayered musical potpourri, which results in a captivating Oriental groove-jam. What better way to showcase the considerable talents of Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres?
For anyone yet to discover the delights of Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres, then Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! is the perfect starting place. It’s the perfect showcase for the combined and considerable talents of Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres. They combine beautiful, heart-wrenching ballads with dance tracks. This includes the irresistible fusion of boogie, disco and funk that’s Aman Yavas! Aheste. Then there’s the album closer Selahaddin Eyyübi’nin, which is an Oriental groove-jam par excellence. Once it draws to a close, one can’t help but pressing play once again, and revelling in Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!’s delights all over again. No wonder.
It’s without doubt, one of Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ finest albums. It finds Barış Manço deploying his dazzling array of analog synths which play an important part in the sound and success of Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! So does Kurtalan Ekspres’ mixture of traditional and modern instruments. They contribute to another groundbreaking album of genre-melting music.
Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres take as a starting point Anatolian rock, which is a hybrid of Turkish folk and rock. To this they add elements of boogie, disco, electronica, folk, funk, Oriental and progressive pop. To this they add elements of jazz, progressive rock, psychedelia and rock. This groundbreaking musical potpourri became Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! which when it was released in 1983 became Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres’ most successful album. However, the album failed to find an audience outside of Turkey and nowadays is regarded as a cult classic.
The success of Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! ensured that Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres remained at the top of Turkish music. That was where he remained for the rest of his career until his sudden and tragic death in 1999. Since then, Barış Manço’s music has continued to influence and inspire a new generation of musicians. That’s no surprise.
Especially given the quality of music on Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! Not once do Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres put a foot wrong musically on what’s without doubt, one of their finest albums, Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize! It’s a truly irresistible and heady musical brew that features Barış Manço and Kurtalan Ekspres at their best on what was their Magnus Opus, Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!
Cult Classic: Barış Manço-Estağfurullah…Ne Haddimize!
DAWAN MUHAMMAD-DEEP STREAM.
Dawan Muhammad-Deep Stream.
Label: High Jazz.
Format: LP.
By 1979, jazz wasn’t as popular as it was during the fifties and early sixties. That was the golden age for jazz, and saw countless classic albums released on labels like Blue Note, Verve and Impulse! These albums sold in large quantities and were profitable for the record companies that released them. However, by the mid-sixties, jazz was no longer as popular as it had been. Musical tastes were changing and jazz like the blues had to evolve or risk becoming irrelevant.
By the time of John Coltrane’s death in 1967 rock was by far the most popular musical genre in America. A headline in Downbeat magazine warned that: “Jazz as We Know It Is Dead.” The future for jazz looked bleak.
Fortunately, fusion rode to the rescue of jazz in the late-sixties, and suddenly, there was a resurgence of interest the genre which began to grow in popularity. Some of the most important, influential and innovative fusion albums were released between 1968 to 1974. That was a golden period for fusion which was still popular right up to 1979. However, it wasn’t as popular as it once had been. Jazz was changing and so was the way albums were being released.
By 1979, many American jazz musicians had realised that they didn’t need to sign to a major labels to realise an album. There was another way. All across America small local labels had sprung up and were releasing private presses. Some of these labels were formed by an artist to release an album. That was the case with Evidence Artistic Records which was founded by Dawan Muhammad in 1979 to release his debut album Deep Stream.
Composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist Dawan Muhammad was thirty-three when he began work Deep Stream.
He composed five of the tracks on the album, and wrote the music to Deep Stream and Is That You which featured lyrics by Delores Pierce. She was part of the band that recorded Deep Stream.
Fifteen musicians and vocalist Delores Pierce joined bandleader Dawan Muhammad who played bass clarinet, flute, saxophone, Fender Rhodes, piano, chequere, congas, drums, dumbek and pandeiro on Deep Stream. He was joined by a rhythm section included drummer and percussionists Daniel Sabanovich and Prince H. Lawsha; Christopher Amberger and Stan Poplin on acoustic and electric bass plus guitarist Chris Cooper who also played violin. They were joined by Paul Nagle on Fender Rhodes and piano; Luis Raul Rivera on congas; flautist Jimmy Johnson while Oscar Williams switched between trumpet and flugelhorn. The strings came courtesy of cellists Deborah Ciremeli and Kenneth Johnson; violists Gordon Thrupp and Judith Hobbs plus violinists Philipp Kashap and Ron Paul. This was the band that accompanied Dawan Muhammad as he recorded the seven tracks that eventually became Deep Stream.
With his debut album complete, Dawan Muhammad decided to release the album as a private press via Evidence Artistic Records. He had enjoyed complete artistic freedom when he recorded Deep Stream and could oversee and micromanage every aspect of the release if he wanted. That was the upside of releasing a private press.
The downside was that a small label like Evidence Artistic Records neither had the financial muscle nor marketing expertise required that the bigger labels had. Many of the small labels releasing private presses didn’t even have a distributor. This meant that the label owner or even the artist had to drive around town with boxes of albums trying to convince owners of record shops to stock the album. Often the best they could hope was on a sale or return basis. It was a long way from Blue Note, Verve or Impulse!
When Dawan Muhammad released Deep Stream in 1979 sadly, it passed the majority of jazz fans by. Only a few lucky record buyers heard what was a stunning and timeless album of spiritual jazz. It finds the multitalented bandleader and his extended ensemble showcasing their considerable skills and versatility. They switch between and incorporate elements of funk, fusion, hard bop, Ethio-jazz and even free jazz during this seven track set.
Deep Stream opens with Anxiety a driving, dramatic and genre-melting jam that ebbs and flows veering between urgent and understated. Contrasts are everywhere from stabs of piano, drumrolls and bursts of shrill flugelhorn to a fluttering funky bass and shimmering Fender Rhodes. Later, the piano takes centrestage and plays a leading role before joining forces with the horns and Fender Rhodes for the remainder this captivating roller coaster journey.
As Deep Stream meanders and breezes along a deliberate piano and rhythm section accompanies Delores Pierce’s tender, heartfelt and emotive vocal. When it drops out, the piano and rhythm section stretch their legs and create a slinky arrangement that’s a reminder of jazz’s past. Later, a flute flutters high above arrangement but it’s still the vocal that plays a starring role in the sound and success of one of the album’s highlights. It’s a similar case on the beautiful slow, string-drenched ballad Is That You where Delores Pierce make a welcome return.
Sun, Moon, Stars is an eight-minute epic that allows Dawan Muhammad and his band to stretch their legs and showcase their considerable talent. Christopher Amberger adds a walking bass while braying, sultry and scorching horns accompany pianist Paul Nagle who plays some of his finest solos during this joyous and uplifting opus that will have you reaching for the sky.
Cataclysmic Decision is quite different from what’s gone before. Thunderous drum rolls add a degree of urgency. So does the the flugelhorn which like the strings are almost dissonant. It’s as if the track is heading in the direction of free jazz. It’s a much more avant-garde and experimental sounding track that shows another side to Dawan Muhammad.
East Wind is a much more understated and melodic track. It sashays along as braying horns, Fender Rhodes and percussion combine while the rhythm section provide the heartbeat. Dawan Muhammad and his band paint pictures on this cinematic track that’s akin to a seven minutes of musical sunshine.
Closing Deep Stream is the uber percussive Ethio-jazz of Tambu. It may be short and sweet but it ensures the album closes on a high.
It’s forty-one years since multi-instrumentalist Dawan Muhammad put together a band of talented and versatile jazz musicians to record his debut album Deep Stream. It was released as a private press later in 1979 and is stunning and timeless album of spiritual jazz. Dawan Muhammad also takes detours via fusion, vocal jazz, funk, free jazz and Ethio-jazz during this seven track set.
Sadly, like so many private presses Deep Stream never found an audience. It was only much later that jazz fans discovered Deep Stream which nowadays, is a much-prized album amongst collectors. By then, original copies of the album were extremely rare and changing hands for ever-increasing amounts of money. This meant that Dawan Muhammad’s debut album Deep Stream was beyond the budget of many jazz fans.
Thankfully, that’s no longer the case because the Swiss label High Jazz recently reissued Deep Jazz, and Dawan Muhammad’s spiritual jazz much-prized cult classic is available once again and a new generation of record buyers can discover its delights.
Dawan Muhammad-Deep Stream.
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