POPOL VUH-MESSA DI ORFEO RECORD STORE DAY 2018.
Popol Vuh-Messa Di Orfeo-Record Store Day 2018.
Label: One Way Static.
Popol Vuh were one of a number of groundbreaking bands who were formed in West Germany in the early seventies, and over the next three decades established a reputation for releasing innovative music that influenced the next generation of musicians. This was the case from the release of Popol Vuh’s 1970 debut album Affenstunde, right through to their twentieth album Messa Di Orfeo, which was released in 1999 and was their swan-song.
Nineteen years later, and Popol Vuh’s swan-song Messa Di Orfeo was released on vinyl for the first time for Record Store Day 2018. Only 1,000 copies of Messa Di Orfeo were pressed One Way Static, and a reminder of one of the legenary German bands. Popol Vuh should be held in the same regard as Can, Cluster, Harmonia, Kraftwerk, Neu and Tangerine Dream, who Florian Fricke later joined. Just like each of these bands, Popol Vuh’s music has played an integral and important part in German musical history. Part of Popol Vuh’s success, was keyboardist Florian Fricke.
Florian Fricke was born in Lindau Am Bodensee, West Germany on the ‘23rd’ of February 1944. Growing up, Florian Fricke learnt to play the piano, and quickly, had mastered the instrument. When he left high school, Florian Fricke studied piano, composition and directing at the Conservatories in Freiburg and Munich. By then, Florian had two new passions.
The first was music, which was one of Florian Fricke’s passions in life. Especially new music, and this included free jazz, which Florian Fricke embraced. He through himself into this new musical genre, and quickly, realised its potential and possibilities. However, there was more to Florian’s life than making music.
In his spare time, Florian Fricke had started to make short films. Although it was just a hobby, he would later become a film critic for the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung. By then, he had already some experience as a critic.
When he was a student, Florian Fricke was the music critic for Der Spiegel, a German magazine. Music and art seemed to dominate Florian Fricke’s life.
That was the case when Florian graduated. In 1967, Florian Fricke met film director Werner Herzog, and the two became friends, Just a year later in 1968, Florian Fricke landed a part in Werner Herzog’s film, Lebenszeichen. This was just the start of their relationship. They would reunite in 1972, but before that, Florian Fricke formed Popul Vuh in 1970.
Joining Florian Fricke in Popol Vuh, were percussionist Holger Truelzsch and fellow synth player Frank Fiedler. All the nascent group took its name from an ancient, sacred, Mayan manuscript. With a name in place, Popol Vuh began work on Affenstunde, the first of twenty albums they released.
From the earliest days of Popol Vuh, Florian Fricke established himself as the group’s leader. He had been one of the first musicians to own a Moog II synth which wasn’t an easy instrument to “tame.” Florian Fricke, a talented keyboardist soon got to grips with what was cutting edge technology. However, it was the Moog II would be used extensively on Popol Vuh’s debut album Affenstunde.
Recording of Affenstunde took place at Bavaria Music Studio, in Munich, where Popol Vuh were joined by Bettina Fricke. She produced Affenstunde with Gerhard Augustin and the producers guided the nascent group through their debut album. It featured just four tracks that were innovative and influential tracks. Especially Affenstunde, a near nineteen minute epic, which took up all of side two.
When Affenstunde was released later in 1970, the album was described variously as space rock and cosmic music. It was very different to much of the music being released. While there were other like-minded groups releasing similarly innovative and influential music very few would enjoy the longevity of Popol Vuh.
Just a year later, in 1971, Popol Vuh returned with In den Gärten Pharaos, which was a precursor of ambient music. Popul Vuh deployed Florian’s Moog II and add a myriad of experimental electronic sounds on In den Gärten Pharaos which was perceived variously as groundbreaking, experimental and thanks to the African percussion, exotic. Vuh, which took up side two of In den Gärten Pharaos was perceived as Kosmische musik at its most spiritual. In den Gärten Pharaos was the first classic album of Popol Vuh’s long and illustrious career.
Popol Vuh’s third album, Hosianna Mantra was released in 1972, but passed many critics and record buyers by. By them, Popol Vuh’s lineup changed for the first time, and . Florian Fricke was the only remaining original member of the band left. Over the next three decades there were many more changes in the lineup, which is is best described as fluid.
That didn’t seem to matter as Hosianna Mantra featured music that was timeless, spiritual and innovative. Sadly, it went almost unheard of outside Germany. It was only later, that Hosianna Mantra found the audience it so richly deserved. However, Hosianna Mantra wasn’t the only album Popol Vuh released during 1972 after Florian Fricke renewed his friendship with Werner Herzog.
By 1972, Werner Herzog was producing the conquistador movie Aguirre, The Wrath Of God and needed someone to provide the soundtrack. That’s where Popol Vuh came in. Not only did Popol Vuh provide the soundtrack to He needed someone to provide the soundtrack to A Aguirre, The Wrath Of God, but Heart Of Glass in 1976 and 1979s Nosferatu The Vampyre. The combination of Popol Vuh and Werner Herzog proved a successful one. Popol Vuh were already experienced and accomplished when it came to composing soundtracks. This would stand Popol Vun in good stead later in their career.
Before that, the German music scene was thriving during the seventies, and Popol Vuh released an album every year of the seventies. Very rarely, did they disappoint. The nearest they came was with 1973s Seligpreisung which received mixed reviews from critics.
Popol Vuh more than made up for this with 1974s Einsjäger und Siebenjäger which is now recognised as one of their best albums of the seventies. The followup Das Hohelied Salomos was released in 1975, and featured Popol Vuh showcasing New Age music. Constantly, it seemed Popol Vuh reinvented their music. However, later in 1975, Popul Vuh returned to the world of soundtracks and penned the soundtrack to Werner Herzog’s latest film, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God. The soundtrack, Aguirre became Popol Vuh’s seventh album since 1970.
In 1976, Popol Vuh returned with their eighth album, Letzte Tage–Letzte Nächte was released to critical acclaim, and ensured that Popol Vuh were seen as purveyors of ambitious, exciting and groundbreaking music. Partly, that was down to Popol Vuh’s determination to push musical boundaries to their limits.
Popol Vuh’s reputation was further enhanced when they recorded the soundtrack to Werner Herzog’s movie Herz aus Glas in 1978.
Later in 1978, Popol Vuh released Brüder des Schatten–Söhne des Lichts which they had recorded in August of 1978. When it was released on Brian Records, critics embraced the Gerhard Augustin produced album. Despite the critical acclaim lavished on their albums, still many people were unaware of Popol Vuh.
Fortunately, Popol Vuh were about to write and record the soundtrack to another film directed by Werner Herzog, Nosferatu. This exposed Popol Vuh’s music to a wider audience, and Nosferatu was hailed as one of their finest soundtrack albums, and Popol Vuh’s penultimate album of the seventies.
Die Nacht der Seele, which was subtitled tantric songs, was released to critical acclaim in 1979, and was a fitting way for Popol Vuh to close the seventies. Incredibly, Die Nacht der Seele was Popol Vuh’s twelfth album since they formed in 1970.
During the eighties, Popol Vuh were no longer as prolific as they were during the seventies, and only released four albums. The first was Sei Still, Wisse Ich Bin, which was released in 1981, two years after Die Nacht der Seele. It was well worth the wait as Die Nacht der Seele saw Popol Vuh reinvent themselves once again on another ambitious and innovative album which was released to widespread critical acclaim. However, after Die Nacht der Seel, it was another two years before Popol Vuh returned.
When they did, it was with Agape-Agape. The album was released on the Norwegian label Uniton. Agape-Agape found Popol Vuh creating music that was variously, beautiful, captivating, dramatic and as one would expect from Popol Vuh, groundbreaking. It won the approval of critics, but didn’t find a wide audience. Sadly, neither did Florian’s debut solo album.
After thirteen years as a professional musician, Florian Fricke somewhat belatedly, released his much-anticipated debut album Die Erde Und Ich Sind Eins in 1983. Despite his status as one of the most innovative German musicians of his generation, Florian Fricke found himself releasing Erde Und Ich Sind Eins as a private pressing. Just like Popol Vuh, he wasn’t getting the credit he deserved. Meanwhile, Can, Kraftwerk and Neu! were receiving all the plaudits. Despite that, Popol Vuh and Florian Fricke continued to make music.
1985 saw Popol Vuh release the fifteenth album of their career, Spirit Of Peace which was released on the French label, Spalax. Despite its quality, and how highly regarded their music was by some critics, Popol Vuh albums weren’t selling in vast quantities. So when Warner Herzog used We Know About The Need The as part of the soundtrack to Dark Glow Of The Mountains, this was welcomed by Popol Vuh.
Two years later, and Popol Vuh Walter Herzog were reunited.Walter Herzog was directing Cobra Verde. He needed someone to compose and record the soundtrack to Cobra Verde. By then, Popol Vuh were had plenty of experienced writing and recording soundtracks. They had also worked extensively with Walter Herzog so it made sense that they provide the soundtrack. However, the Cobra Verde soundtrack was released to mixed reviews. This was disappointing for Popol Vuh who didn’t release another album during the eighties.
It wasn’t until 1991 that Popol Vuh released another album. Again, it was a soundtrack album. This time, the soundtrack was for the film For You and Me and was described as: “a celebration of world music.” For You and Me showcased Popol Vuh’s versatility and ability to switch between genres. However, some critics didn’t seem to “get” the music, and again, reviews were mixed., and it was another four years before Popol Vuh returned.
Before that, Florian Fricke released another solo album. This time, it was an album of classical music. Florian Fricke Plays Mozart was released in 1992, and showcased another side to the Popol Vuh leader. Unknown to some people, Florian was a keen student of classical music and had studied music at the Conservatories in Freiburg and Munich, and just as comfortable playing classical music than working with Popol Vuh. So in his down time from Popol Vuh, Florian often composed piano pieces, However, in 1995 Popol Vuh returned with their eighteenth album.
City Raga had been recorded at the New African Studios, in Munich by Florian Fricke, Guido Hieronymus, and Maya Rose who had composed the seven tracks. This latest lineup of Popol Vuh were joined by Daniel Fichelscher and the Kathmandu Children’s Choir. The result was a captivating album from Popol Vuh.
Another two years passed before Popol Vuh returned with their nineteenth Shepherd’s Symphony-Hirtensymphonie. Again, Popol Vuh’s lineup had changed. They were still a trio featuring Florian, Guido Hieronymus and Frank Fielder, who would later collaborate with Florian Fricke. Before that, the latest lineup of Popol Vuh headed off into the studio.
The three members of Popol Vuh made their way to Afro Sounds Studio, in Munich and between September 1995 and March 1996 recorded Shepherd’s Symphony-Hirtensymphonie. It was released in 1997 and wowed critics.
Messa Di Orfeo
Popol Vuh’s swan-sonn was Messa Di Orfeo which was recorded at an audio-video light installation in the Labyrinth of Molfetta, Bari, Apulia on the ‘20th’ of September 1998. The nine tracks were written, directed and produced by keyboardist Florian Fricke with Maya Rose taking charge of vocals and featured a recitation from Guillermina De Gennaro. Taking charge of production were Popol Vuh and Time Zones.
The following year Spallax Muisc released Messa Di Orfeo which was mixture of cinematic music and drama. Meanwhile, Popol Vuh combined elements of ambient, avant-garde , Berlin School, and electronic music. There’s even elements of New Age and world music that provided the soundtrack to audio-video-light installation that was a one-off.
Popol Vuh rarely performed live because Florian Fricke felt it was impossible to sustain the level of intensity required during a concert. Instead. he preferred to spend his time writing and recording. However, Messa Di Orfeo was a magical and mesmeric fusion of mysticism and music that has special properties.
Popol Vuh deploy healing energy via sound on Messa Di Orfeo. and this similar to the ambient pieces on their albums Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde. The music on Messa Di Orfeo was breathtakingly beautiful and when it was released in 1999 a fitting finale for musical pioneers Popol Vuh .
Little did anyone realise that Messa Di Orfeo was the end of an era for Popol Vuh, and German music. In 2001 Florian Fricke passed away ahed just fifty-seven . That day music last one of its pioneers Florian Fricke,
Throughout a career that spanned three decades Florian Fricke led Popol Vuh as they
released music that was innovative and influential. Constantly, Popol Vuh pushed musical boundaries, and constantly reinvented their own music and their back catalogue is best described as eclectic. Maybe, that’s because Popol Vuh’s lineupwas constantly evolving?
With a lineup that can only be described as fluid, Popol Vuh release some of the most groundbreaking music of the seventies and eighties. That period, was what many regard as the golden era of German music.
Sadly, Popol Vuh often didn’t get the credit they deserve, and instead, Ash Ra, Can, Cluster, Kraftwerk and Harmonia received the plaudits. To some extent, Popol Vuh, who were much more prolific than most of their contemporaries, are the forgotten group of the golden era of German music. However, that is starting to change with recent reissues of Popol Vuh’s music. This included One Way Static’s reissue of Messa Di Orfeo for Record Store Day 2018. Messa Di Orfeo was Popol Vuh’s swan-song and brought the curtain down on glittering career where they released innovative and influential music.
Popol Vuh-Messa Di Orfeo-Record Store Day 2018.
BARIS MANCO-NICK THE CHOPPER
Barış Manço-Nick The Chopper.
Label: Pharaway Sounds.
Some nineteen 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 career, Barış Manço was one of the founding fathers of Anatolian rock. He helped popularise this hybrid of Turkish folk and rock. Soon, other artists were following in his footsteps 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 long and illustrious 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 including Harmoniler, Jacques Denjean Orchestra, Les Mistigris and Kaygısızlar, Moğollar and Kurtalan Ekspres. However, this was just part of the Barış Manço story.
Barış Manço was also a solo artist, and by 1977 was still to make a commercial breakthrough. When he came to record his sophomore album Nick The Chopper, he thought that this was the last roll of dice for him and the most important album of the thirty-four year old’s career.
Barış Manço was born in Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey on the ‘2nd’ of January 1943, into a musical family. His mother Rikkat Uyanık has been a successful singer, and as she watched her son grow-up, 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 founded his first band, Kafadarlar. They mainly played to the students at nearby schools,but this was enough to give Barış Manço a taste of life as a professional music.
When Barış Manço was nineteen, he formed a new band Harmoniler. They accompanied Barış Manço when he recorded his debut single, Twistin USA, which 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. Barış Manço was part of a new musical movement. Despite this, after graduating 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 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 joined the band, and they released three singles while Barış Manço was a member. The first was Il Arrivera in 1966, with Bien Fait Pour Toi following later that year. A third single Bizim Gibi was released in 1967, and by then, Les Mistigris’ popularity was spreading, and the band were playing much further afield.
Les Mistigris were playing not just in Belgium, but 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. It was then that he decided to grow a moustache to hide a scar. This would eventually become one of his trademarks, and a familiar sight to music fans when commercial success and critical acclaim came his way. Before that, Barış Manço would form a new a new band, Kaygısızlar later in 1967.
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. 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 spent the next two years together.
Kaygısızlar’s debut single Kol Düğmeleri was released later in 1967, and was followed in 1968 by Kızılcıklar, Bebek, Karanlıklar İçinde and Bogaziçi. By the end of the 1968, Kaygısızlar’s popularity had grown. 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 dawned, Kaygısızlar released Runaway, and followed this with Aglama Değmez Hayat and Kağızma, which proved to be Kaygısızlar’s swan-song. The story came to an end later 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!), and 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 in 1971 Dünden Bugüne…Alas, which was the only album the band released. Despite the success of Barış Manço Ve, 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 had been formed in 1967, and were still growing strong when Barış Manço joined in 1971. He features on their 1971 single Bin Boğanın Kızı, but after this, Barış Manço decided to reform Kaygısızlar.
Kaygısızlar.
After reforming, Kaygısızlar only released one more single, Fil ile Kurbağa. It was released in 1972 and 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, Kurtalan Ekspres.
Kurtalan Ekspres.
Barış Manço’s latest band wasted no time beginning work on their debut single Ölüm Allah’ın Emri, which was 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 early seventies. They pioneered Anatolian rock, and took the genre in new directions.
Initially, had Kurtalan Ekspres combined Anatolian rock and psychedelia. By 1973, Anatolian rock was evolving as 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. Kurtalan Ekspres were musical chameleons, whose music continued to be innovative and influential.
This continued as Kurtalan Ekspres released two new singles released during 1974. The first was Nazar Eyle, which showcased a folk-tinged sound,wiyh the followup Bir Bahar Akşamı showcasing a psychedelic sound. Each single was different from its predecessor as Kurtalan Ekspres’ music evoked and they ensured that their music stayed relevant. Despite this, commercial success continued to elude Kurtalan Ekspres as 1974 gave way to 1975.
The last two years had been frustrating for Barış Manço, who had just spent two years in the Turkish military. There was no getting round this as national service was mandatory.
At least Barış Manço’s college education meant that he entered as an officer, which made the two years that bit more bearable. During that period, he was regularly pictured in the Turkish teen magazines in his uniform with his head shorn of his long hair. However, eventually the two years were over and Barış Manço returned home, to continue his musical career.
By then, Barış Manço was thinking about where his career was going? He had experienced commercial success with Barış Manço Ve, and knew that Kurtalan Ekspres was a talented group, but time was beginning to run out for them. Barış Manço was forty-two in 1975. So he was hoping commercial success was just around the corner.
Alas, when Kurtalan Ekspres released Ben Bilirim as a single in 1975, the single failed to find an audience. Barış Manço however, had a plan and was ready for one last throw of the dice.
Later in 1975, Kurtalan Ekspres were about to release their debut album. It was a genre-melting concept album where songs rubbed shoulders with instrumentals. This became 2023, which was released in 1975. 2023 with its groundbreaking and futuristic music that was meant to transform the fortunes of Kurtalan Ekspres. Sadly, the only countries where 2023 sold well, were Romania and Morocco with album topping the charts in both countries. Elsewhere, 2023 failed to find the audience it deserved, and for everyone involved it was a frustrating time.
Especially when Kurtalan Ekspres’ 1976 single Çay Elinden Öteye Rezil Dede failed commercially.By then, Barış Manço’s career was officially at a crossroads.
Barış Manço’s career received a boost when he starred in the movie Baba Bizi Eversene. Buoyed by the success of the movie, he decided to travel to Belgium where he hoped to find a label that would transform his fortunes.
By then, Barış Manço knew that CBS in Belgium had a successful track record and had recently released a string of singles and albums. The man behind the success of CBS in Belgium was Jean Huysmans, who had been involved in music for two decades. He had joined Les Cousins in 1961 and played an important part in the band’s success. That was Jean Huysmans’ past, and by 1976 he was running CBS in Belgium when he met Barış Manço.
Jean Huysmans already knew Barış Manço who was a member of Moğollar when they were signed to CBS in the early seventies. The head of CBS in Belgium also knew that Barış Manço was a hugely talented, versatile and innovative musician. Soon, Jean Huysmans had drawn up a three-year contract which Barış Manço was more than happy to sign. After that, work began on Barış Manço’s sophomore album Nick The Chopper.
Nick The Chopper.
Barış Manço and Jean Huysmans wasted no time, and soon had hired twenty-nine musicians to record Nick The Chopper. This included three drummers, two bassists, two guitarists, two string quartets, two pianos, a nine piece horn section, backing singers Heart Of Soul and Turkish musicians Ohannes Kener and former roadie turned percussionist Cetal Guven. The band recorded the ten songs that became Nick The Chopper in two Brussels’ studios.
This included Studio Katy and Morgan Studios, Brussels where Jean Huysmans took charge of production on Barış Manço’s sophomore album Nick The Chopper.Barış Manço wrote Little Darlin’ (We’ll Be Kissing), Nick The Chopper and Ride On Miranda. He penned six other songs with various songwriting partners including Jonathan Glemser, who wrote album closer Old Paulin’.
When Barış Manço’s sophomore album was released by CBS in 1976, the title was Barış Manço.It was released as part of series that included Kansas, Phoebe Snow and even Johnny Mathis.Sadly,Barış Manço was the album that failed to find an audience in Belgium.
Record buyers who didn’t speak Turkish found the lyrics unwieldy. At least exiled Turks were familiar with the melodies. The only problem was that the exiled Turks either wanted heavier sounding songs or folk-tinged songs. Barış Manço had taken as a starting point Anatolian rock, which is a hybrid of Turkish folk and rock and added elements of blues, electronica, folk, funk, progressive rock and psychedelia. The result was a genre-melting album that oozes quality,
From the opening bars of Little Darlin’ (We’ll Be Kissing), through Lonely Man and Old Paulin’ the versatile, charismatic and talented Barış Manço leads his twenty-nine piece band on Lucky Road, Emerald Garden and Nick The Chopper, which tells the story of a homeless woodcutter. On each of these songs Barış Manço puts three decades of experience to good use. That is the case on Tell Me Old Man, which gives way to Blue Morning Angel and Lady Of The Seventh Sky which are highlights of the album. It closes with the memorable Ride On Miranda.
Sadly, Nick The Chopper was released commercial success eluded Barış Manço’s sophomore album. It was a huge disappointment for everyone involved in the project.
Undeterred, Barış Manço headed home to Turkey where he embarked upon a forty-five date to promote his sophomore album which was retitled Nick The Chopper. The tour was a success until they played in Balikesir, where Kurtalan Ekspres were attacked by right-wing protesters and two band members were hospitalised. Despite this, the tour continued.
In December 1977, Barış Manço played a concert in London, and afterwards was hospitalised. He was diagnosed with a liver infection and had to have a tumour removed. It was a worrying end to a year that had promised much.
Especially after the release of his genre-melting sophomore album Nick The Chopper which should’ve transformed his career. Sadly, that wasn’t to be and it was case of what might have been. However, forty-four years later and the cult classic Nick The Chopper is a a truly irresistible and heady musical brew, and one of the hidden gems in Barış Manço’s back-catalogue.
Barış Manço-Nick The Chopper.
HOUSTON PERSON AND RON CARTER-REMEMBER LOVE.
Houston Person and Ron Carter-Remember Love,
Label: HighNote Records.
Seventy-three your old saxophonist Houston Person recording career began in 1966,when he recorded Underground Soul for Prestige. This was the first of over seventy-five albums that Houston Person released as bandleader for Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, CTi Records and Muse Records over the past six decades. During that period, Houston Person collaborated with a number of musicians, including double bassist Ron Carter.
Houston Person and Ron Carter recorded five studio albums between 1990 and 2016.Just under two years later and the two friends made their way to Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on the ‘27th’ of March 2018. That day the two jazz veterans worked their way through the ten tracks on Remember Love, which has just been released on HighNote Records. It’s the latest chapter in the Houston Person and Ron Carter partnership.
Their story began in 1990, when bandleader, bassist and cellist Ron Carter was fifty-three and one of the most recorded bassists in history. He had already worked with the great and good of jazz, released solo albums and collaborated with many different musicians. Ron Carter’s next collaboration was with saxophonist Houston Person.
The pair was familiar faces on the jazz scene, and had played more recording sessions than most. For many musicians, Ron Carter was the go-to-guy for anyone looking for a bassist, while saxophonist Houston Person divided his time between his solo career and session work. However in 1990 Houston Person embarked upon a new project with his friend Ron Carter,
The two friends had decided to collaborate on album, and combined some of their favourite jazz tracks with songs from the Great American Songbook. These seven tracks became Houston Person and Ron Carter’s debut album Something In Common which was released to plaudits and praise in 1990.
Three years later and Houston Person and Ron Carter returned in 1993 with Now’s The Time. This was he their sophomore album and the second instalment in the followup to Something In Common. It was an album where familiar and new songs rubbed shoulders on Now’s The Time which found favour with jazz critics,
Despite that, nine years passed before Houston Person and Ron Carter returned in 2002 with Dialogues. The pair combined new original songs with a couple of songs from the Great American Songbook. This resulted in Dialogues being hailed as Houston Person and Ron Carter’s strongest since their debut album Something In Common.
With Houston Person and Ron Carter busy working on different projects, it was another six years before this occasional duet returned with their fourth album Just Between Friends in n 2008. Again new original compositions and familiar songs became part of another highly regarded album.
Although Houston Person and Ron Carter’s four albums had proved popular, the versatile and occasional duo weren’t reunited until 2016,when they released Chemistry. It featured classic songs, jazz standards and new compositions on what was Houston Person and Ron Carter’s strongest sets.
Remember Love.
Less than two years later, and Houston Person and Ron Carter were preparing to record their sixth album Remember Love. To record the album, they made their way to Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on the ‘27th’ of March 2018. That day the two jazz veterans planned to record the ten tracks on Remember Love.
This included the helpful reason of George Gershwin’s, which gives way to a beautiful rendition of Guy Wood’s My One and Only Love and the Houston Person compassion Why Not, It made its debut on his 1991 debut album but makes a welcome return on Remember Love. Houston Person’s saxophone takes centre-stage, while Ron Carter’s bass adds the finishing touches. Sometimes it’s as if finishes Houston Person’s sentences before moving on to a languid cover of Duke Ellington’s Day Dream and Luis Bonda’s Bossa Nova classic Gentle Rain,
One of the highlights of Remember Love Jerome Kern’s The Way You Look Tonight from the Great American Songbook, which gives way to folk-tinged version of You Are My Sunshine. It’s followed by the poignant tribute to songwriter Duke Pearson Blues For DP. After that it’s another visit to the Great American Songbook for Richard Rodgers’ classic Easy To Remember, before Without A Song closes Remember Love on a memorable and melodic high.
Houston Person and Ron Carter’s sixth album Remember Love, which has just been released by HighNote Records is, without doubt their finest hour. It features yen carefully selected songs Among them are jazz and Bossa Nova classics and songs from the Great American Songbook, where Houston Person takes an interesting approach to certain songs,
On Day Dream, It’s Easy To Remember and Our Love Is Here To Stay the original verse is played. This is unusual amongst jazz instrumentalists nowadays, but this is Houston Person’s approach to these three songs.
They’re part of Houston Person and Ron Carter’s finest hour Remember Love, which features beautiful, intimate and subtle music from two jazz veterans that is also melodic and memorable.
Houston Person and Ron Carter-Remember Love,
APHEX TWIN-SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS 85-92(VINYL).
Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92 Vinyl).
Label: Apollo Records.
Richard D. James was just twenty-one, when he dawned the Aphex Twin moniker, and released his debut album Selected Ambient Works 85-92 on Apollo Records in late November 1992. Initially, Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was only available as an import as Apollo Records, which was an imprint of R&S Records, which was based in Belgium. This meant that many record buyers were struggling to find copy of Aphex Twin’s debut which soon, had a cult following.
Especially after February 1993 when it became easier to find copies of Selected Ambient Works 85-92, which although it Aphex Twin’s debut album, was the third release by Richard D. James. He was already an experienced producer by the time he released Selected Ambient Works 85-92.
Although Richard D. James was born in Limerick, Ireland, on the ’18th’ of August 1971, he grew up in Lanner, Cornwall, which was where he first discovered music. Richard D. James was a product of a laissez-faire approach to parenting, and was allowed to do pretty much as he grew up.
This included experimenting with the family piano, and rather than try to play it in a traditional way, Richard D. James experimented with the strings. Unbeknown to him this was similar to John Cage’s prepared piano experiments. This was got Richard D. James interested in experimenting with music.
By the age of nine, Richard D. James started purchasing tape recorders and tapes, which allowed him to do rudimentary experiments. Two years later, eleven year old Richard D. James won a ZX81 and started experimenting with machine. After that things happened quickly for Richard D. James.
He bought his first synth aged twelve which allowed him to make his first piece of music. By then, Richard D. James had already started modifying analogue synths and anything else he could make music with. Within a few years, Richard D. James was DJ-ing locally in St Ives, and with future DJ and remixer Tom Middleton were DJ-ing in Crantock. This was all part of Richard D. James’ musical education.
In 1988, Richard D. James enrolled at Cornwall College, and spent the next two years studying HND in engineering. This made sense to Richard D. James as electronics played a big part in the music he was making. However, having completed the HND, Richard D. James left Cornwall College, and a new chapter in his career began.
By then, Richard D. James was DJ-ing in Newquay every other week. The other DJ was Grant Wilson-Claridge and the pair soon became friends. It was then that Grant Wilson-Claridge suggested that they make music together. However, by then, Richard D. James was already making music on his own, including some of the music that eventually featured on Selected Ambient Works 85-92.
Grant Wilson-Claridge’s suggestion that they made music together made sense, as living in a rural area they were isolated and didn’t have access to the music available in cities. That was unless they recorded their own music.
The first release was the EP Analogue Bubblebath Volume I, which was released in 1991, and initially, was credited to Aphex Twin. Later, though, this was changed to AFX. Aphex Twin’s debut EP made it onto the Kiss FM playlist, and was a successful release.
Buoyed by the success of their first EP, Richard D. James and Grant Wilson-Claridge founded Rephlex Records and the new label released two Analogue Bubblebath EPs and the Bradley’s Beat EP by 1993. By then, Richard D. James had moved to London to continue his electronics studies, and was living in a former bank. However, when he discovered techno Richard D. James’ studies fell by the wayside.
Much of his time was spent DJ-ing in local clubs, and in between his DJ sets, Richard D. James spent much of his time making music. Some of this music featured on the first full-length Aphex Twin album Selected Ambient Works 85-92 had been released in 1992.
While Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was primarily an instrumental album, many of the tracks on Aphex Twin featured samples. This included samples of female vocalists and samples of people talking. We Are the Music Makers features Gene Wilder’s reciting: “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams” which excerpts from Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s poem Ode. It featured in the original 1971 version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Green Calx features samples from RoboCop, a sample of PIL’s Fodderstompf and an excerpt from the opening titles of John Carpenter’s The Things. It’s distorted in what seems like an attempt to hides the identity of the sample. Although sampling wasn’t new, the way Aphex Twin used the samples was regarded as innovative.
Over a seven-year period, Aphex Twin had woven thirteen musical tapestries by combining samples with the sounds produced by his computer, trusty synths, drum machines and a myriad of percussive sounds. The music Aphex Twin made with his musical arsenal was beat driven, and although it had a simplicity, was atmospheric, spartan and sometimes eerie. Partly, this was down to the synths that Aphex Twin used during the recording of Selected Ambient Works 85-92. Some of the recordings are best described as lo-fi and primitive. However, the sound quality of some recordings weren’t of the best quality. There was a reason for this, a cat had damaged the cassette that contained the recordings. This could’ve had disastrous consequences.
Despite this, critics were won over by Aphex Twin’s debut album, and critical acclaim accompanied the release of Selected Ambient Works 85-92. Some critics went as far as to compare the Selected Ambient Works 85-92 to some of Brian Eno’s early solo albums. Aphex Twin’s debut album was hailed as landmark ambient album, and one the best albums recorded with a computer and keyboards. This was high praise. However, some critics went further, stating that Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was a truly groundbreaking album. It would play in important part in the history of ambient, intelligent dance music (IDM) and modern electronic music. There were no dissenting voices and Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was genre classic that would influence future generations of musicians.
Little did Aphex Twin realise that Selected Ambient Works 85-92 would go on to influence a new generation of electronic musicians. Many of them went on to cite Selected Ambient Works 85-92 and Aphex Twin major influences on their careers.
By 2018, Richard D. James was forty-seven and was recording albums using a number of monikers, including AFX, Bradley’s Beat, Polygon Window, The Tuss and Caustic Window. There’s also the small matter of the six albums Richard D. James has recorded as Aphex Twin. Despite the quality of albums like Selected Ambient Works Volume II, …I Care Because You Do and the Richard D. James Album, every Aphex Twin is compared to the album that llaunched his career in 1992…Selected Ambient Works 85-92. It’s regarded as Aphex Twin’s finest hour, which means that it’s fitting that Selected Ambient Works 85-92 has just been reissued by Apollo Records.
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 which is much more than an ambient album. It features elements of ambient techno, avant-garde, electronica, IDM and musique concrète. These genres were woven together by Aphex Twin over seven years as he recorded his debut album which made musical history. That album was Selected Ambient Works 85-92, which is an innovative, timeless, genre classic that was a landmark ambient album that went on to influence a new generation of electronic musicians.
Aphex Twin-Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (Vinyl).
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS-KAYA.
Bob Marley and The Wailers-Kaya.
Label: UMC.
Nine month after Bob Marley and The Wailers released their critically acclaimed classic album Exodus in June 1977, they returned on the ‘23rd’ of March 1978 with their much-anticipated tenth album Kaya. It was a very different album to Exodus, and was one of Bob Marley and The Wailers’ most controversial releases.
Kaya had a much more relaxed, laid-back and optimistic sound. Many of the songs were about love, while others were about marijuana. This resulted in the cries of sell-out from critics and fans who accused Bob Marley and The Wailers of going soft and being more concerned with commercial success than political problems.
These accusations stung and hurt Bob Marley who was regarded as Jamaica’s social conscience and as someone who spoke on behalf of the oppressed and downtrodden. Bob Marley was known for albums of politically charged music full of social comment until he recorded and release Kaya,
Bob Marley’s decision to eschew militant and outspoken music filled with social comment, and include a much more relaxed, laid-back and optimistic sound was a huge risk, but one that paid off. Nowadays, Kaya is regarded as one of Bob Marley and The Wailers finest hours, and UMC have released Kaya as a two CD set. It was the fifth album Bob Marley and The Wailers had released for Island Records.
Catch A Fire.
Ever since Bob Marley and The Wailers had signed to Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, their career had been transformed. Their first release for Island Records was their fifth album Catch A Fire.
Released in April 1973, Catch A Fire proved more popular in Britain than America. It reached number 171 in the US Billboard 200 and number fifty-one in the US R&B Charts. Critically acclaimed upon its release, Catch A Fire was certified silver in the UK and is featured in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 500 best albums of all times. Six months after the release of Catch A Fire, came the album that broke Bob Marley and The Wailers in the US.
Burnin’.
Burnin’ wasn’t just the album that broke Bob Marley and The Wailers in America, but was also the last album to feature Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. After the release of Burnin’ in October 1973, they embarked upon solo careers.
And they did so, with a gold disc. On its release, Burnin’ reached number 151 in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-one in the US R&B Charts. This resulted in a gold disc in America, while it was certified silver in the UK. Featuring classics like Get Up, Stand Up and I Shot The Sheriff, Burnin’ marks the debut of the militant, confrontational Bob Marley. However, If Burnin’ marked the birth of a reggae revolutionary, Bob Marley picked up the baton on Natty Dread.
Natty Dread.
Natty Dread was released a year after Burnin,’ in October 1974. The wait was worthwhile though. Here was an album which featured Bob Marley at his militant and confrontational best.
He was like a reggae revolutionary, protesting against injustice, on an album that’s politically charged and full of social comment. Featuring No Woman, No Cry and Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) Bob Marley rails against poverty, while Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Roadblock) and Revolution are akin to a call to arms).
On it release, Natty Dread was more popular in the UK than US. It was certified gold in the UK, but only reached number ninety-two in the US Billboard 200 and number forty-four in the US R&B Charts.
Following three commercially successful and critically acclaimed albums, it would be another two years before Bob Marley and The Wailers released another studio album.
Live
While Bob Marley and The Wailers didn’t release another studio album until 1976, they released their first live album. Released in December 1975, and simply entitled Live, this gave fans an opportunity to hear what Bob Marley and The Wailers live sounded like.
Recorded on td 18th and 19th July 1975, Live was a tantalising taste of one of the best live groups of the seventies.
Fans and critics agreed, with Live reaching number ninety in the US Billboard 200. This resulted in Live being certified gold in the US and silver in the UK. Although Live and their three previous studio albums had been successful, their next album would surpass everything they’d previously released.
Rastaman Vibration.
When Rastaman Vibration was released in April 1976, it became Bob Marley and The Wailers’ only album to enter the top ten in the US Billboard 200. It also featured their most successful American single the Vincent Ford penned Roots, Rock, Reggae, which reached number fifty-one in the US Billboard 100. Rastaman Vibration reached number eight in the US Billboard 200 and number eleven in the US R&B Charts.
Unlike previous albums, Rastaman Vibration featured synths alongside the Wailers famed rhythm section. This added a contrast to the power of rhythm section, and are part of Rastaman Vibration’s success. Good as Rastaman Vibration was, Bob Marley and The Wailers next album was a stonewall classic…Exodus.
Exodus,
After an attempted assassination on 3rd December 1976 in Jamaica, Bob Marley took up residence in London. Although he’d been shot in the chest, he’d been luck, things could’ve been much worse. So rather than record the remainder of Exodus in Jamaica, parts of it were recorded in London.
When Exodus was released in June 1977, it was the album that transformed Bob Marley into a worldwide star. Exodus was crammed full of quality music including Jamming, Waiting In Vain, Turn Your Lights Down Low, Three Little Birds and One Love/People Get Ready were lined by Natural Mystic, Heathen and Exodus. Critics referred to Exodus as a classic album and it features in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 500 best albums of all times. Fans loved Exodus. It reached number twenty in the US Billboard 200 and fifteen in the US R&B Charts. This resulted in Exodus being certified gold in the US and UK.
Having released a timeless classic album, Exodus, Bob Marley and The Wailers tried to repeat this feat with Kaya.
Kaya.
Much of Kaya had been recorded at the same time as Exodus. Two of the tracks, Kaya and The Sun Is Shining had featured on Bob Marley and The Wailers 1973 compilation African Herbsman, which was released on Trojan Records.
When Kaya was released in March 1978, it reached number fifty in the US Billboard 200 and US R&B Charts, resulting in Kaya being certified gold in the US. Across the Atlantic, Kaya reached number four in the UK, and was certified gold. Despite the success of Kaya, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ tenth album faced a backlash from critics and fans.
Rather that revolution, Kaya was an album that saw Bob Marley and The Wailers’ music evolve. Bob Marley wrote the ten tracks on Kaya which saw Jamaican and Western music combine. Kaya was a fusion of two musical cultures that Bob Marley embraced. This was similar to previous albums, going back to Burnin.’ Where things differed were with Kaya’s lyrics.
Whereas previous albums were politically charged and filled with searing social comment, Kaya focused on a variety of themes, including love and marijuana. Indeed, the word “Kaya” is synonymous with marijuana in Jamaican culture. When critics heard the songs on Kaya, they accused Bob Marley and The Wailers of selling out. The music on Kaya was much more laid-back and relaxing. Soon, fans joined critics in accusing Bob Marley and The Mailers of selling out. Was that the case though?
Not only did critics accuse Bob Marley and The Wailers of selling out on Kaya, but they accused him of penning a ten track love letter to marijuana. That was unfair, though. While much of Kaya was about love, and there were tracks about marijuana, there was much more to Kaya than that.
Other subjects included unity, togetherness, commonality and spirituality. While the music lacked the militancy of previous albums, it had a much more laid-back, understated sound. Proof of this is the rhythmic delights of Satisfy My Soul. This showed another side to Bob Marley and The Wailers’ music, one that was captivating and appealed to a wide range of music fans.
Like most Bob Marley and The Wailers’ albums, Kaya contained a couple of classics. This included the timeless, hopeful and optimistic hopeful Easy Skanking and Is This Love.
Showing another side to Kaya, was the broody, moody and thoughtful Running Away. Despite the lack of politically charged songs, there was still a spiritual side to Kaya. Similar to other albums, Bob Marley continues to seek help and guidance from Jah.
This makes Kaya was much more than a ten-track love letter to marijuana. Instead, there was much more to Kaya. It touched on several themes, and in the process, demonstrated another side to Bob Marley and The Wailers’ music.
Critics and fans accused Bob Marley and The Wailers of selling out when Kaya was released were wrong. This wasn’t the case, and instead, Kaya saw Bob Marley and The Wailers music evolving. Kaya was a much more subtle album, both in its content and style of music. With themes ranging from love, marijuana, unity, togetherness and spirituality, Kaya was a much more complex album than people realised.
Originally, Kaya’s accusers had said it was no more than a love letter to marijuana. How wrong they were. The ten tracks on Kaya contained intelligent, thoughtful, introspective and beautiful music. These tracks demonstrated that Bob Marley and The Wailers were a versatile band, determined not to continue releasing albums of similar music. Instead, they wanted their music to be constantly evolving. This meant their music neither risked becoming stale nor predictable.
While not as overtly militant as previous albums, Kaya’s ten tracks were all written by Bob Marley. Unlike Exodus, which featured numerous songwriters, Kaya was all Bob Marley’s own work. It offered an insight to an intelligent, complex and spiritual man who had gained a reputation as Jamaica’s social conscience. However, Kaya demonstrated another side to Bob Marley’s songwriting skills as love songs sat side-by-side with pleas to unity, paeans to marijuana and songs about spirituality. While Kaya wasn’t immediately hailed a classic, in the intervening forty years, critics have performed a volte face.
Recently, Kaya was released by UMC as a two CD set, featuring the original album on disc one and Kaya 40 on disc two. It shows another side to Kaya, the album where Bob Marley and The Wailers were accused of selling out on an album that forty years later is regarded as a classic,
While many albums are referred to as classics, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Kaya truly is a classic. Kaya deserves to be spoken about in the same breath as Burnin,’ Natty Dread and Exodus. Quite simply, Kaya is hugely important and powerful album which feature some intelligent, thoughtful, introspective and beautiful music from Bob Marley and The Wailers.
Bob Marley and The Wailers-Kaya.
DAVID BOWIE-BOWIE NOW RECORD STORD DAY 2018.
David Bowie-Bowie Now Record Store Day 2018.
Label: Parlophone.
For Record Store Day 2018, a triptych of David Bowie albums was released including Bowie Now, which was reissued by Parlophone on heavyweight white vinyl. Bowie Now was regarded as the pick of the bunch by The Thin White Duke’s fans, and a reminder of an important period in David Bowie’s career The Berlin Trilogy.
The roots to The Berlin Trilogy can be traced to his previous album 1976s’ Station To Station and the music that David Bowie and had recorded for the soundtrack to The Man Who Fell to Earth. This was ironic given the circumstances surrounding the music.
When David Bowie let director Nicolas Roeg hear the music he had written and recorded for The Man Who Fell to Earth it was promptly dismissed as unsuitable. The Man Who Fell to Earth, preferring a folkier sound. This many that David Bowie had some songs he cold use for his next solo studio album.
These songs David Bowie became part of Low, the first instalment in The Berlin Trilogy. During the period between 1976 to 1978, David Bowie and Iggy Pop shared a flat on Hauptstraße 155 in Berlin.
After David Bowie’s Thin White Duke period and the success of his 1976 singles Fame and Golden Years, was musical chameleon was battling a crippling cocaine habit, and was keen to escape Los Angeles’ drug scene. That wasn’t all.
To make matters worse, David Bowie had made some ill thought out comments that made it look as if he had supported fascism. Later David Bowie admitted that drug addiction and fragile mental health problems meant that this was a tough time for the Thin White Duke.
He had moved to Switzerland in the second half of 1976, and then relocated to Berlin with his friend Iggy Pop. There David Bowie hoped to keep a lower profile and kick his spiralling drug habit.
The flat was cheap, which was perfect for David Bowie whose finances were in a perilous state. Berlin offer an anonymity and David Bowie could live his life far from press who watched and reported on his private life.
As David Bowie enjoyed leading a quieter life, he began exploring the burgeoning and innovative music scene, David Bowie was drawn to Neu! and Kraftwerk which would later inspire him. Before that, David Bowie discovered Brian Eno’s 1975 minimalist album Discreet Music, and a year later, the two giants of British music met for the first time in 1976.
By the David Bowie was recording Low with Tony Visconti, and the two men co-produced the album during September and October 1976. Brian Eno made valuable contributions at the session Hansa Studio by The Wall in West Berlin.
When Low was completed, it was initially rejected by RCA, who asked David Bowie to make the album more like Young Americans. David Bowie’s response was to frame the letter, and leave Low it was.
The released date for Low was scheduled for January 1977. Critics on hearing Low, which was recorded in Europe’s heroin capital, found David Bowie suffering as he tried to beat his cocaine habit. Despite being in such pain, he created a groundbreaking album inspired two of the leading lights of German music.
This was Neu! and Kraftwerk, who had influenced David Bowie on album where he combined with ambient, avant-garde and electronica. David Bowie used treated drum sounds as he continued to push musical boundaries.
Despite being such an ambitious album, critical opinion was divided, with some critics taking an almost irrational dislike to Low.
David Bowie had the last laugh when Low reached number eleven in the US Billboard 200 and two in Britain. This led to Low being certified gold in Britain and Australia. This vindicated David Bowie’s decision not to change Low. However, the big question was how to follow Low?
Heroes.
By July 1977, David Bowie was back in the Hansa Studio by The Wall in West Berlin, with Tony Visconti. The two men co-produced Heroes which featured Brian Eno and was meant to feature Michael Rother of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Harmonia. Sadly, internal politics, petty squabbling and a rather large ego meant that Michael Rother was sidelined.
His replacement was Robert Fripp who hadn’t played the guitar professionally for three years. He received a phone call from Brian Eno and was soon flying first class to Berlin.
Michael Rother, one of Europe’s most innovative guitarists, had been replaced and David Bowie and Heroes were the losers. The addition of Michael Rother would’ve transformed what was a thought-provoking album.
The concept behind Heroes was the Cold War, and Berlin, a city divided. David Bowie could look out of the Hansa Studio by The Wall and see the Red Guards in their control-room.
In the Hansa Studio by The Wall, co-producer Tony Visconti watched as David Bowie combined ambient, art pop, art rock, avant-garde, electronic and experimental rock. By August 1977, David Bowie’s genre-melting album Heroes, was complete.
Just over a month later, on the ’23rd’ of September 1977 Heroes was released as a single and reached number twelve in Britain. This resulted in Heroes being certified gold in Britain and Italy. Elsewhere Heroes wasn’t the huge success that executives at RCA had hoped.
Two months later, on ‘14th’ October 1977, Heroes was released to widespread critical acclaim and was an eclectic album. Three of the highlights were Heroes, and two moody atmospheric instrumentals Sense Of Doubt and Neuköln. They were part of what was a classic album, Heroes.
When Heroes was released, it was a success across Australasia, Europe, North America and Britain where it reached number three. In America, Heroes reached thirty-five in the US Billboard 200.By then, Heroes was well on its way to being certified in Britain and Canada. The David Bowie success story continued apace.
Bowie Now.
By then, many of David Bowie’s fans had heard about an American LP which was released on white vinyl and featured tracks from Low and Heroes.
From Low, Speed Of Life, Breaking Glass, Always Crashing In The Same Car, What In The World and Weeping Wall. These songs were joined by Joe the Lion, Sons of the Silent Age, Blackout, V-2 Schneider, Neuköln and The Secret Life Of Arabia. These twelve tracks became Bowie Now.
Copies of Bowie Now were sent out to lucky American music journalists in 1978, and featured a tantalising taste of David Bowie’s Low and Heroes. Both were groundbreaking albums of ambitious and innovative music from musical chameleon and pioneer David Bowie.
Forty years after the original promotional release of Bowie Now, Parlophone announced they planned to release the album for Record Store Day 2018 on white vinyl. Bowie Now features eleven tracks from Low and Heroes, which were the first two instalments in David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy. It found David Bowie reinvent himself musically once again and this is celebrated on Bowie Now, which is a reminder of one of the great musicians of his generation.
David Bowie-Bowie Now Record Store Day 2018.
MATHIAS EICK-RAVENSNURG.
Mathias Eick-Ravensburg.
Label: ECM Records.
Thirty-nine year old Norwegian composer and multi-instrumentalist Mathias Eick is prodigious talent who has released four critically acclaimed solo albums, including Ravensburg which was recently released by ECM Record. It’s the latest chapter in the Mathias Eick story,
Mathias Eick was born in the village of Furnes, in Norway, on the ’16th’ of June 1979, and grew up in a musical household, His brother Johannes Eick and sister Trude Eick were both talented musicians who later, became professional jazz musicians. So would trumpeter Mathias Eick, but that was still to come.
Having finished high school, Mathias Eick enrolled on the Music program at the Toneheim Folkehøyskole in nearby by Hamar. After this, Mathias Eick enrolled on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonsevatorium, where he completed his musical education.
By then, Mathias Eick, whose main instrument was the trumpet, was a talented multi-instrumentalist who could play double bass, guitar, piano and vibes. Given his versatility and talent, Mathias Eick was going to be kept busy working with various Norwegian bands and as a sideman in the future.
This included Mathias Eick playing alongside Jaga Jazzist, Jacob Young, Iro Haarla and Manu Katché between 2001 and 2007. However, in 2007, Mathias Eick’s carer received a huge boost.
After 2007, Mathias Eick was able to prefix the award-winning to his name. This came about after Mathias Eick won the International Jazz Talent award in 2007. It was awarded to Mathias Eick by the International Jazz Festivals Organisation. The timing was perfect.
The Door,
Mathias Eick had recorded his debut album The Door for ECM Records during September 2007. The Door was produced by Mathias Eick and ECM Records’ founder Manfred Eicher. When The Door was released to critical acclaim in 2008, it was a beatific, atmospheric album tinged with mystery that offered a tantalising taste of prodigiously talented musicians.
For the next three years, Mathias Eick spent time recording with Lars Danielsson and Motorpsycho. However, in 2009, Mathias Eick won the Statoil Scholarship which is Norway’s largest and most prestigious scholarship, and not long after this, began working on his sophomore album Skala.
Skala.
Three years after the release of The Door,Skala was released to plaudits and praise in 2011. Mathias Eick’s career continued apace.
Over the next four years Mathias Eick continued to work as sideman and played alongside Jaga Jazzist, Lars Danielsson, lvira Nikolaisen and Epic Trio. By then, Mathias Eick had collaborated with Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Norwegian singer-songwriter Thomas Dybdahl. Still Mathias Eick found time to record his third album in May 2014.
Midwest.
Ten months later, Midwest which was inspired by a tour of the North America, and is homage to the way that people and the music move around the world. However, Mathias Eick decided to focus on the Midwest because that was the choice of destination for many who emigrated from Norway and settled in America.
This struck a here with critics when Midwest was released on March the ’20th’ 2015, who hailed the album Mathias Eick’s finest hour. Midwest was a landmark album for Midwest Mathias Eick and introduced his music to a new audience.
Buoyed by the success and critical response to Midwest, Mathias Eick continued to lead his five piece band that featured some of Norway ’s top musicians. They showcased their considerable skills as recording began on Mathias Eick’s fourth album Ravensburg.
Ravensburg.
Mathias Eick had written eight new tracks for Ravensburg, including the title-track which is his grandmother’s small home town in southwestern German. These tracks were nonce again recorded at Rainbow Studios, in Oslo.
Joining trumpeter and vocalist Mathias Eick was a rhythm section of drummer and percussionist Helge Norbakken, electric bassist Audun Erlien and pianist Andreas Ulvo. They were joined by new addition violinist Håkon Aase as recording began in June 2017. The sessions weren’t long, drawn out affairs and before long, the eight tracks on Ravensburg were recorded.
When Ravensburg was recently released critics called Mathias Eick it was to widespread critical acclaim. Ravensburg which opens with the suite like Family is a carefully constructed album where Mathias Eick and his talented band create mid tempo rhythmic music like Children before the understated and fluid Friends meanders dreamily along. In doing so, it allows the listener to ruminate as the rueful rasping horns, piano and rhythm section combine and eventually reveal their secrets.
Mathias Eick and pianist Andreas Ulvo then play leading roles on the beautiful wistful Parents and Girlfriend. It’s followed by the ruminative Ravensburg which completes a triumvirate of peerless tracks. This would be the perfect way to close the album, if Mathias Eick hadn’t composed and led his band on For My Grandmothers, which is very personal homage to someone who has influenced him.
For the followup to Midwest, Mathias Eick returns to Ravensburg, the town in southwestern Germany, which was the home to his grandmother, Mathias Eick uses the eight cinematic tracks to point pictures of a time and place. To do this, he combines occasional elements of Americana with avant-garde, jazz and Nordic Wave The result is a powerful and truth memorable album .
Mathias Eick e creates beautiful, haunting, atmospheric and sometimes ethereal sounding tracks on Ravensburg. Other tines, the music on Ravensburg is breathy, elegiac, poignant, ruminative and wistful as Mathias Eick reaches new heights on what is a career-defining fourth album.
Mathias Eick-Ravensburg.
BURNIER AND CARTIER-BURNIER AND CARTIER.
Burnier and Cartier-Burnier and Cartier.
Label: Mr Bongo.
During the fifteen and sixtes, the Bossa Nova provided the soundtrack to life in Brazil and was the music that was played everywhere from houses and hotels to beachside cafes. However, by late 1968 the Bossa Nova no longer seemed the perfect soundtrack to life in Brazil.
Not after Artur da Costa e Silva became the second President of the Brazilian military government, which came to power after the 1964 coup d’état. Just four years later and Artur da Costa e Silva signed the Fifth Institutional Act on December ’13th’ 1968 which gave him wide-ranging and worrying legislative powers
The Fifth Institutional Act essentially gave President dictatorial powers, that allowed him dissolve Congress and state legislatures, suspend the constitution and imposed censorship. This was a worrying time for the people of Brazil.
On August ’31st’ 1969 Artur da Costa e Silva suffered a stroke, and usually the Vice-President would assume control. That didn’t happen and all-state power was assumed by the military joint,command, who later chose General Emílio Garrastazu Médici as the new President.
He was responsible for overseeing a regime that sponsored the greatest human rights abuses of that period. His government persecuted and tortured dissidents, harassed local and censored the free press. Emílio Garrastazu Médici’s government ruled with an iron fist and were responsible for some of worst human right’s abuses anywhere in the world.
To make the plight of the Brazilian people worse, the official minimum wage of the Brazilian workforce was slashed to just a meagre US$40/month. Nearly one-third of the entire Brazilian workforce watched as they lost nearly 50% of its purchasing power and was down the to level of 1960 under the presidency of Juscelino Kubitschek.
In October 1969, a new constitution was in place, and many were torn between staying and beginning a new life overseas. However, within a year Brazil was changing.
Brazil won the soccer World Cup in 1970, and federal, state, and municipal elections were held. Most of the seats were won by the Arena candidates, during what was a new start for the Brazilian people.
By 1973, electoral college was created and in January 1974 General Ernesto Geisel was elected to be the next President.
Meanwhile, Burnier and Cartier released their eponymous debut album in January 1974. That album was Burnier and Cartier and has just been reissued by Mr Bongo
Burnier and Cartier.
Having signed to RCA Victor,Burnier and Cartier began writing their debut album. Claudio Cartier and Octavio Burnier penned Só Tem Lugar Pra Você, Parte Capital and Marcante.Cláudio Cartier wrote Aldeia Global and Octavio Burnier contributed Lembrando Ed Kleiger, Deixa Mudar, Mirandolina and Europanema. Octavio Burnier penned Octavio Burnier with Luiz Bonfá, Ai É Que Tá with van Wrigg and Barranco with Gustavo Strunck. These twelve tracks became Burnier and Cartier.
Recording of Burnier and Cartier took place at studios RCA, Rio De Janeiro. Joining Burnier were some of the city’s top season players who recorded an ambitious and innovative album Burnier and Cartier
Burnier and Cartier was a released to critical acclaim and hailed as a genre-melting album which switched between, and fused boogie, disco funk, jazz, Latin and MFB. This new sound represented the new Brazil that was taking shape as 1974 dawned.
Tracks of the quality as a Só Tem Lugar Pra Você, Deixa MudarM Ai E Que Ta, Europanema and Marcante. These carefully crafted and orchestrated songs which featured horns, lush string and vocals Burnier and Cartier which was released in January 1974,
While Burnier and Cartier sold well, it never sold in the quantities that executives had hoped. Despite that, Burnier and Cartier released their sophomore in 1976, which was also their swan-song
Over the next forty-two years, a new generation of musicians have discovered Burnier and Cartier which gradually grew in popularity
Nowadays, Burnier and Cartier, is regarded as their finest hour, and a cult classic from what was an important new musical beginning in Brazil.
Burnier and Cartier-Burnier and Cartier.
SHINA WILLIAMS AND HIS AFRICAN PERCUSSIONISTS-AFRICAN DANCES.
Shina Willians and His African Percussionists-African Dances.
Label: Mr Bongo.
By 1979, Afrobeat had grown in popularity in Nigeria, and was influencing and inspiring a number of Western musicians including the legendary vibes player Roy Ayers . He was just one of many musicians who had started to incorporate elements Afrobeat into his unique and inimitable sound. No longer as it just Western musicians who were influencing their African counterparts like Shina Willians,
It was a two-way street, with African and Western musicians listening to the latest music and using it to inspire their music. One of these albums in 1979 was Shina Willians and His African Percussionists’ album African Dances, which has just been reissued by Mr Bongo.
This a welcome reissue, as original copies of African Dances are now rarities. A clean copy of African Dances will cost upwards of £500, which is beyond many collectors of Afrobeat .Now the reissue of African Dances means that Shina Willians and His African Percussionists is available for everyone to hear. It’s part of a story that began in the early sixties.
That was when a musical revolution took place in Ghana, when musicians started combining elements of West African musical genres including highlife and fuji music 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.
Even after Fela Kuti and The Afrika ’70 completed their five-year residency at Afrika Shine, their music was inspirational. So was the music of the Afrobeat pioneers in Nigeria. It would influence and inspire the next generation of musician including
By 1979, bandleader, percussionist and vocalist Shina Willians was already an experienced and talented musician when he began work on the album that eventually became African Dances. To record his debut album Shina Willians brought onboard the creme de la creme of Nigerian musicians.
This included Biddy Wright, Fred Fisher, Prince Bolam, Saliu Alabi and Tutu Shoronmu, Tunde Willimas who were joined by some of Nigeria session player and musicians. The members of this all-stat had backed and played alongside everyone from Fela Kuti, SJOB Movement, Sonny Okoson and King Bucknor. These musicians were christened as Shina Willians and His African Percussionists as they entered Phonodisk Studio, a twenty-four track studio in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun, Nigeria.
That was where Cunny Jam Wayo, Agboju Logun and Gboro Mi Ro, which were recorded by Shina Willians and His African Percussionists and became African Dances. It featured three timeless genre-melting songs where Shina Willians and His African Percussionists fuse elements of Afrobeat, boogie, disco, electronica and even a hint of psychedelia and soul on what was an ambitious album of groundbreaking and genre-melting music.
This includes the album opener Cunny Jam Wayo which features a rueful, emotive vocal as harmonies, hypnotic and jazz-tinged horns play. Meanwhile, the rhythm section and percussion lock down a groove where Afrobeat and funk combine, on a track that sometimes sounds as if it’s from a lost Blaxploitation film.
The centrepiece to African Dances was the eleven minute disco classic Agboju Logun. It’s best described as call to dance as where dancers give thanks to the disco gods. As they do, the psychedelic sound of taking drums, a mesmeric bass combine with searing guitars, chanted vocals and the fattest of horns. Adding finishing touches is a peerless synth part of Shina Willians and His African Percussionist’s Magnus Opus.
This leaves Gboro Mi Ro which closes African Dances. It gradually unfolds with elements of Afrobeat and funk combining with soulful harmonies and Shina Willians’ impassioned vocal. Blazing drums, pounding drums and crashing cymbals are added to this mesmeric and irresistible musical stew which closes African Dances on a high.
Despite the quality of music on African Dances, Shina Willians and His African Percussionist’s debut album wasn’t a hugely successful album when it was released in 1979 by Phonodisk. African Dances sold steadily but wasn’t the success they had hoped.
That was a great shame as African Dances veered between feel-good that was joyous, uplifting and irresistible to beautiful, soulful and dancefloor friendly. The members of Shina Willians and His African Percussionist’s had combined the best of American and American music, and in doing so, created an album that was funk, melodic, memorable and guaranteed to get any party started. Sadly, it was a case of what might have been for Shina Willians and His African Percussionist
If only record buyers had given Shina Willians and His African Percussionist’s cult classic a chance, they would’ve discovered an irresistible call to dance full of floor fillers.
Shina Willians and His African Percussionists-African Dances.
THE BLUE NILE-PERFECTION PERSONIFIED.
The Blue Nile-Perfection Personified.
Enigmatic, reluctant and contrarian are words that best of describe The Blue Nile. They’re the complete opposite of most bands. The Blue Nile have been described as publicity shy. That’ is an understatement. Ever since Paul Buchanan, Robert Bell and Paul Joseph Moore formed the Blue Nile, they’ve been one of the most low-profile bands in musical history. It seems that when they were formed thirty-five years ago, The Blue Nile ticked the “no publicity” box. This has proved a double-edged sword, and resulted in The Blue Nile becoming one of the most enigmatic groups ever. Their story began thirty-five years ago.
The Blue Nile were formed in 1981, when two friends Paul Buchanan and Robert Bell, met Paul Joseph Moore, all of whom met at Glasgow University. Before forming The Blue Nile, Buchanan and Bell were previously members of a band called Night By Night. Try as they may, a recording contract eluded them. Night By Night’s music wasn’t deemed commercial enough. So Paul, Robert and P.J. decided to form a new band, The Blue Nile.
Once The Blue Nile were formed, they set up their own record label Peppermint Records. It was on Peppermint Records that The Blue Nile released their debut single, I Love This Life. This single was then picked up and rereleased on the RSO label. Unfortunately for the Blue Nile, RSO became part of the Polygram label and I Love This Life disappeared without trace. Despite this setback, Blue Nile persisted.
Still, The Blue Nile kept writing and recording material after the merger of RSO with Polygram. Some of that material would later be found on A Walk Across the Rooftops. That was in the future.
Recording of The Blue Nile’s demos took place at Castlesound studio near Edinburgh. That’s home to the man whose often referred to as the fourth member of The Blue Nile, recording engineer Calum Malcolm. He was listening to recently recorded demos through the studio’s Linn Electronics system. It had recently had a new set of speakers fitted. So the company founder, Ivor Tiefenbrun, decided to visit Calum Malcolm to hear his thoughts on the speakers. That’s when Ivor Tiefenbrun first heard The Blue Nile.
Calum Malcolm played Ivor Tiefenbrun a demo of Tinseltown In The Rain. Straight away, the founder of Linn was hooked. He decided to offer The Blue Nile a record contract to the label he was in the process of founding. Most bands would’ve jumped at the opportunity. Not The Blue Nile.
It took The Blue Nile nine months before they replied to Ivor Tiefenbrun’s offer. When they did, the answer was yes. The Blue Nile’s debut album A Walk Across The Rooftops would be released on Ivor Tiefenbrun’s new label Linn Reords.
A Walk Across the Rooftops.
Linn Records and The Blue Nile seemed a marriage made in musical heaven. Linn Records weren’t like a major label, pressurising The Blue Nile into making a decision and delivering an album within a certain timeframe. Instead, Linn Records allowed The Blue Nile to do what they did best, make music. From the outside, this looked as if it was working, and working well.
Years later, Paul Buchanan commented that during Linn Records didn’t operate like a record label. Mind you, he conceded that, during this period, The Blue Nile didn’t operate as a band. However, eventually, in May 1984 The Blue Nile’s debut album was released on Linn Records.
On the release of A Walk Across the Rooftops, it was released to critical acclaim. Critics described the album as a minor classic. A Walk Across the Rooftops was described as atmospheric, ethereal, evocative, soulful and soul-baring. It also featured the vocals of troubled troubadour Paul Buchanan. Despite the critical acclaim A Walk Across the Rooftops enjoyed, it wasn’t a huge commercial success, reaching just number eighty in the UK. However, since the A Walk Across the Rooftops has been recognised as a classic album. So has the followup Hats.
Hats.
Unlike most bands, The Blue Nile weren’t in any rush to release their sophomore album Hats. There was a five year gap between A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats. It was worth the wait. The Blue Nile had done it again. Hats was a classic.
Featuring seven tracks, written by Paul Buchanan, Glasgow’s answer to Frank Sinatra He’s a tortured troubadour, whose voice sounds as if he’s lived a thousand lives. Producing Hats was a group effort, with Paul, Robert and P.J. taking charge of production duties. Guiding them, was Callum Malcolm. On the release of Hats, British and American audiences proved more discerning and appreciative of the Blue Nile’s sophomore album Hats.
On the release of Hats in the UK in 1989, it was critically acclaimed and commercial success, reaching number twelve in the UK. Then when it was released in America in 1990, audiences seemed to “get” Hats. Not only did it reach number 108 in the US Billboard 200 Charts, but The Downtown Lights reached number ten in the US Modern Rock Tracks charts. It seemed that The Blue Nile were more popular in America, than in Britain. Gradually, The Blue Nile’s music was beginning to find a wider and more appreciative album. Especially when The Blue Nile decided to embark upon their debut tour later in 1989.
Although The Blue Nile were formed in 1981, and Hats was The Blue Nile’s sophomore album, the band had never toured. Partly, The Blue Nile seemed worried about replicating the sound of their first two albums. They needn’t have worried, with The Blue Nile seamlessly replicating the sonic perfection of A Walk Across The Rooftops and Hats on the sold out tour. The Blue Nile’s star was in the ascendancy.
Their first ever tour had been a huge success. The Blue Nile had conquered Britain. However, The Blue Nile had also made a breakthrough in America. Hats had sold well, and their American tour had been successful. Most bands would’ve been keen to build on this and released another album before long. Not The Blue Nile.
Seven long years passed, where Blue Nile fans wondered what had become of Glasgow’s most enigmatic trio. However, they’d been busy. After Hats found its way onto American radio stations, The Blue Nile, who previously, had been one of music’s best kept secrets, were heard by a number of prestigious musicians. Among them were Robbie Robertson and Annie Lennox, Michael McDonald. After a decade struggling to get their music heard, The Blue Nile were big news. During this period, America would become like a second home to The Blue Nile, especially Paul.
Paul took to life in America, and in 1991, decided to make it his home. This just so happened to coincide with Paul’s relationship with actress Rosanna Arquette between 1991 and 1993. Hollywood starlets and Sunset Boulevard was a long way from Glasgow’s West End. In the midst of Paul’s relationship, disaster struck for The Blue Nile, they were dropped by their label.
Linn Records and Virgin decided to drop The Blue Nile. For some groups this would’ve been a disaster. Not for The Blue Nile.
They signed a million Dollar deal with Warner Bros. While this sounded like the ideal solution for The Blue Nile, Paul made the deal without telling P.J and Robert. He later explained that “none of the others were in town at the time.” With a new contract signed, The Blue Nile began thinking about their third album, Peace At Last.
Peace At Last.
So the band started looking for the perfect location to record their third album. They travelled across Europe looking for the right location. This location had to be private and suit their portable recording studio. Cities were suggested, considered and rejected. Among them, were Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Venice. Being The Blue Nile, things were never simple. Eventually, after much contemplation The Blue Nile ended up recording what became Peace At Last in three locations, Paris, Dublin and Los Angeles. For the first time, The Blue Nile recorded an album outside of their native Scotland.
For their first album for a major label, things began to change for The Blue Nile. They brought onboard drummer Nigel Thomas, a string section and a gospel choir. Peace At Last was going to be a quite different album to A Walk Across The Rooftops and Hats. However, one things stayed the same, The Blue Nile continued to work with Calum Malcolm. With his help, Peace At Last was ready for release in June 1996. Before that, critics had their say.
Critics remarked upon the change of sound on Peace At Last. It had a much more understated, restrained sound. Acoustic guitars and piano play important parts. Still, The Blue Nile’s beloved synths remain. Occasionally, The Blue Nile add strings. There’s even a gospel choir on Happiness. Gone was the sound of A Walk Across the Rooftops and Hats. Peace At Last showed a different side to The Blue Nile and their music, one that divided the opinion of critics and fans. Paul, Robert and P.J. were back, but it was a different sound. One constant was Paul’s worldweary vocal. Glasgow’s very own Frank Sinatra, Paul Buchanan plays the role of the troubled troubadour, to a tee on songs about love, love lost, betrayal, heartbreak, growing up and growling old. Paul was still the tortured soul, who wore his heart on his sleeve on Peace At Last.
On the release of Peace At Last, in June 1996, it reached just number thirteen and sold poorly. For The Blue Nile this was disappointing, given it was their major label debut. Worse was to come when the lead single Happiness failed to chart. The Blue Nile’s major label debut hadn’t gone to plan. Alas, Peace At Last was the only album The Blue Nile released on a major label.
High.
Following Peace At Last, it was eight years before The Blue Nile released another album. High was released in 2004. During the last eight years, the three members of The Blue Nile had been leading separate lives. While P.J. and Robert were content with their lives in the West End of Glasgow, while Paul had been spending his time between Glasgow and Hollywood. Now they were back and ready to record their fourth album, High.
Once High was recorded, all that was left was for The Blue Nile to find a label to release the album. The Blue Nile had been dropped by Warner Bros. So with the completed album, The Blue Nile shopped High to various labels. Eventually, they settled on Sanctuary, which would release High in August 2004. However, before that, critics welcomed back The Blue Nille.
Eight years after the release of Peace At Last, critics remarked that High was a much more grownup album. Songs of family life and heartbreak sat side-by-side. Paul who had been suffering with illness and fatigue, seemed to have found a new lease of life. His lyrics are emotional, observational, cinematic and rich in imagery. They’re also poignant, and full hope, hurt and anguish. Meanwhile, Paul’s vocals were worldweary and knowing, while the music is emotive, ethereal and evocative. Critics love High. So did music lovers.
When High in August 2004, the album reached number ten in the UK. High proved to be The Blue Nile most successful album. This proved to be fitting.
High was The Blue Nile’s swan-song. Nobody realised this when the album was released. It was only as years passed without a followup to High, that the reality sunk. There would be no more music from The Blue Nile. One of the greatest bands of their generation were now part of musical history.
Following High, critics thought that The Blue Nile would return, possibly after another lengthy break. Sadly, that wasn’t to be. The Blue Nile were no more. At least they did things their way. Right up until the release of High, The Blue Nile were enigmatic, almost reclusive and publicity shy. Mind you, The Blue Nile weren’t exactly your normal band.
The rock ’n’ roll lifestyle favoured by other bands wasn’t for The Blue Nile. Their music was much more cerebral, and had a substance that much of the music recorded between 1984 and 2004 lacked. During that twenty year period, The Blue Nile only recorded four albums. These albums are unique. Musical fashions and fads didn’t affect The Blue Nile. Their attitude was almost contrarian. Albums were recorded slowly and methodically as the Blue Nile strived for musical perfection.
Many have tried to achieve perfection. However, very few have come as close as The Blue Nile. Their debut album A Walk Across The Rooftops and the followup Hats, are nowadays both regarded as classic albums. Peace At Last and High show another side to The Blue Nile. There’s a much more grownup sound, to the albums. However, just like A Walk Across The Rooftops and Hats, both albums showcase one of the most talented bands in Scottish musical history, The Blue Nile.
While The Blue Nile never enjoyed the commercial success their music deserved, they stayed true to themselves. They never jumped onto a musical bandwagon in pursuit of fame, fortune or starlets. Quite the opposite. For The Blue Nile it was their way or no way. If an album took years to record, so be it. It was always worth the wait. After all, not many bands pursue perfection, and achieve that perfection four times. The Blue Nile did, and ended their career on a High.
The Blue Nile-Perfection Personified.
BERT JANSCH-SANTA BARBARA HONEYMOON
Bert Jansch-Santa Barbara Honeymoon.
Label: Earth UK.
Buoyed by the commercial success and critical acclaim that his previous album L.A. Turnaround, which was released in September 1974, Bert Jansch began work on the followup Santa Barbara Honeymoon Stylistically both albums featured the same type of music, but unlike L.A. Turnaround, Santa Barbara Honeymoon wasn’t produced by former Monkey Michael Nesmith and didn’t feature pedal steel player Red Rhodes who had played such an important part in the sound and success of the album.
Instead, Danny Lane took charge of production on Santa Barbara Honeymoon, and deployed the latest technology, technique and innovations. This meant that Santa Barbara Honeymoon, which was recently reissued by Earth UK. Santa Barbara Honeymoon was released on October 1975, and became Bert Jansch’s tenth album since releasing his debut in 1965.
By then, folk singer Bert Jansch was signed to the Transatlantic label, and had released his eponymous debut album to critical acclaim on the ‘16th’ of April 1965. Eight months later, he released the followup It Don’t Bother Me to plaudits and praise. It looked as if the twenty-two year singer was about to enjoy a successful solo career.
With things looking good for Bert Jansch, he returned to the studio in early summer 1966, and was once again, joined by his friend John Renbourn as he recorded Jack Orion. When this third album of traditional folk was released in September 1966, the reviews were mixed. While some critics were won over by the album, and continued to fly the flag for the folk singer, others felt it was a weaker album than its predecessors. Despite that, Bert Jansch’s star was still in the ascendancy.
As 1967, dawned little did Bert Jansch realise that this would one of the most important year of his career. He entered the studio to record his fourth album Nicola in April 1967, which was Bert Jansch’s first folk rock album. When it was released in July 1967, many reviews were positive, but some weren’t sure about the new direction Bert Jansch’s music was heading. Bert Jansch had realised that his music had to evolve to stay relevant, and increase his fan-base. However, this wasn’t the only change made during 1967.
In 1967, Bert Jansch was one of the cofounders of Pentangle, which joined included his friend John Renbourn, Danny Thompson, Danny Cox and Jacqui McShee. They would combine disparate musical genres including blues, folk, folk rock and jazz over the next few years.
Having joined Pentangle, Bert Jansch’s solo career was put on hold as the new band began honing their sound and playing live. Then in 1968, Pentangle released their critically acclaimed debut album The Pentangle on the ’17th’ May 1968. It was followed by another album of folk rock Sweet Child, which was released on the ‘1st’ of November 1968 to plaudits and praise. After this, Bert Jansch’s thoughts turned to completing his sixth solo album.
Bert Jansch had started recording his sixth album in October 1968, and completed the album in November, just after Pentangle released Sweet Child. Two months later, Birthday Blues, which was produced by Shel Talmy, was released in January 1969 and was hailed as one of Bert Jansch’s finest albums. However, it would two years before Bert Jansch returned with the followup to Birthday Blues.
Buoyed by the response to Birthday Blues, Bert Jansch joined the rest of Pentangle and recorded the album Basket Of Light with producer Shel Talmy. When it was released on the ‘28th’ October 1969, it was to critical acclaim as the album reached number forty-three in Britain. Nowadays, Basket Of Light which finds Pentangle fusing folk jazz and fusion is now regarded as a minor classic, and one the Pentangle’s finest hours.
Meanwhile, Bert Jansch was working on his seventh album Rosemary Lane, between June 1970 and January 1971. Despite working on the album on and off for the best part of seventh months, Rosemary Lane, which was produced by Bill Leader received mixed reviews. This was a blow for Bert Jansch who had invested so much of his time into recording Rosemary Lane.
Two months later, and Bert Jansch was back in the studio, and spent three weeks during March 1971, recording Reflection, which was a genre-melting album. Reflection found Pentangle combining Celtic music, country, folk, folk rock, gospel and even funk on what was an ambitious and eclectic album, but one that didn’t find favour with all the critics. Some were unsure of Reflection, and their reviews were far from positive. It was the case of deja vu for Bert Jansch after the response to Rosemary Lane.
Despite the reviews of Rosemary Lane, Pentangle eventually returned to the studio and began work on their sixth album Solomon’s Seal. By then, Pentangle’s contract with Transatlantic had expired amidst arguments and wrangling over royalties. This resulted in Pentangle signing to Warner-Reprise, who had distributed their albums in America. Pentangle released Rosemary Lane on Reprise in September 1972, but the reviews were poor.and so were the sales. Things weren’t looking good for Pentangle.
They got even worse when Bert Jansch announced his intention to leave Pentangle on On New Year’s Day, 1973. Melody Maker ran the story Pentangle to split in the first edition of 1973. It was the end of an era, that had ended with a disappointing swan-song that sold badly.
By then, the members of Pentangle had all spent the advances that they had received from Reprise, and owed the company significant sums of money. It would take the band until the early eighties before the advance was paid off. That was still to come, and in 1973, Bert Jansch was looking for a new record label.
He was no longer signed to Transatlantic, and had signed to Pentangle’s old label Reprise. Bert Jansch’s debut for his new label was Moonshine, which was released on Reprise in February 1973. It was produced by Danny Thompson, and saw Bert Jansch combine baroque folk and folk rock which found favour with the critics. However, after just one album, Bert Jansch left Reprise and signed for Charisma.
By then, Bert Jansch had written Chambertin which was one of two songs he recorded with Danny Thompson in early 1973 The other was John Renbourn’s Lady Nothing, which later, became part of Bert Jansch’s nine album L.A. Turnaround.
Having signed to Charisma, Bert Jansch began writing the rest of L.A. Turnaround , which has recorded at between April ad June 1974, at Sound City, Sepulveda, California. Bert Jansch was joined by an all-star band that included pedal steel player Red Rhodes who played an important part of L.A. Turnaround’s sound and success. So did former Monkee, Michael Nesmith took charge of production,
Critics on hearing Bert Jansch’s ninth album, realised that stylistically, L.A. Turnaround was very different to his previous albums. There were elements of country rock and traditional English folk rock on L.A. Turnaround which become of Bert Jansch’s most successful albums.
Santa Barbara Honeymoon.
Following the success of Santa Barbara Honeymoon, Bert Jansch decided to record a similar album to L.A. Turnaround and began writing what was his tenth album
Eventually, Bert Jansch had writhed ten of the twelve tracks on Santa Barbara Honeymoon. They were joined by covers of Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell You Are My Sunshine and Jackson C. Frank’s Blues Run The Game. These tracks and the rest of Santa Barbara Honeymoon were recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, California.
When the sessions began in April 1975, two men were missing, L.A. Turnaround producer Michael Nesmith and didn’t feature pedal steel player Red Rhodes. Replacing Michael Nesmith as producer was drummer Danny Lane who played on L.A. Turnaround and had very different ideas on production. This didn’t include a pedal steel.
Joining drummer Danny Lane in the rhythm section was fellow sticks-man Tris Imboden, bassists Don Whaley, Ernie McDaniel and David Hungate and guitarist Jim Lacy. They were joined by acoustic guitarist Jim Baker, keyboardists David Barry and Bill Smith and George Seymour on synths. Danny Lane was keen to use synths on Santa Barbara Honeymoon and steel drums played by Robert Greenidge. The final piece of the jigsaw was a brass section and backing vocals from Beth Fitchet Wood, Ron McGuire and Steve Wood. Over two months, twelve tracks were recorded and Santa Barbara Honeymoon was completed by June 1975.
Before the release of Santa Barbara Honeymoon critics had their say on the album, The loss of producer Michael Nesmith was a huge blow, and meant that the laid back, airy sound of L.A. Turnaround was gone. Pedal steel player Red Rhode’s was another loss, as producer Danny Lane deployed synths, steel drums, a Dixieland style jazz band and a myriad of effects. Sadly, they weren’t always used properly and the production on the album is poor. That was a great shame given it was a good collection of songs.
Santa Barbara Honeymoon opens with Love Anew. Danny Lane uses a phase shifter on the electric guitar before Bert Jansch’s guitar and vocal enter. He sings some of the best lyrics on the album but the pitch is off during the album. This takes the edge of what’s one of the better songs on the album.
Mary and Joseph is essentially a traditional English drinking song given a futuristic makeover. For some reason, synths were chosen to accompany the Wurlitzer piano during the verses. It’s a poor choice of instruments. Later,when the entire band enters, the arrangement becomes crowded and shambolic .
Things improve on the hopeful Be My Friend and the hook-laden Baby Blue, while Baby Blue features an impassioned vocal. Another highlight is the strolling Dance Lady Dance features a Dixieland jazz band which features one of Bert Jansch’s best vocals. You Are My Sunshine is reinvented and heads in the direction of traditional English folk. Lost and Gone features a soul-baring vocal from Bert Jansch. He then revisits Blues Run The Game which featured on debut album in 1965, but it’s drenched in reverb which spoils he song,
Build Another Band is another track when the choice of instrumentation is questionable to say the least. The addiction of steel drums detracts from what could’ve been one of Santa Barbara Honeymoon’s highlights. When The Teardrop Falls is quite beautiful and wistful song, which gives way to Dynamite and Buckrabbit, which are good, but not great songs. With a different producer, Santa Barbara Honeymoon could’ve been a fitting followup to L.A. Turnaround.
Santa Barbara Honeymoon was a case of what might have been. When Santa Barbara Honeymoon was released in October 1975. it failed to replicate the commercial success and crucial of L.A. Turnaround.
Things might have been very different if Michael Nesmith produced he Santa Barbara Honeymoon, as he could’ve continued with the sound of L.A. Turnaround. Instead, Danny Lane took charge of production but he doesn’t bring out the best in what’s a strong selection of songs. Sadly, that potential isn’t realised given the poor production on some songs, strange choice of instruments and failure to use effects properly. For Bert Jansch it was a case of what might have been as Santa Barbara Honeymoon failed to build on L.A. Turnaround.
Bert Jansch-Santa Barbara Honeymoon.
TEENAGE FANCLUB-BANDWAGONESQUE-VINYL
Teenage Fanclub-Bandwagonesque-Vinyl.
Label: Sony Music.
Having signed to Creation Records in 1991, Teenage Fanclub proceeded to pull a musical rabbit out if the hat when they released their third album Bandwagonesque on the “19th” of November 1991. Bandwagonesque was an award-winning, game-changer of album by Kings of Jangle Pop,Teenage Fanclub who came of age musically.
It was a time to celebrate for the boys from Bellshill, who had managed to extract themselves from their contract from Matador by presenting them with the hastily recorded The King. This could’ve backfired if Matador believed that Teenage Fanclub had deliberately produced uncommercial and unrepresentative work. They didn’t, The King was a commercial success and this allowed Teenage Fanclub to release Bandwagonesque which has just been reissued by Song music. Bandwagonesque was the start of a new chapter for Teenage Fanclub, the Creation Records’ years.
For those unfamiliar with the geography of Scotland, Bellshill, is a small town twelve miles from Glasgow, where Teenage Fanclub were born in 1989. The nascent band emerged out of Glasgow’s C86 scene, and had been inspired by West Coast bands like The Beach Boys and The Byrds. Another major influence on Teenage Fanclub were Big Star, who Teenage Fanclub would be later be compared to.
Unlike Big Star, Teenage Fanclub was a quartet, whose original lineup featured guitarist Norman Blake, lead guitarist Raymond McGinley, bassist Gerard Love and drummer Francis MacDonald. From the early days of the band, Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley and Gerard Love who were Teenage Fanclub’s three principal songwriters shared lead vocal duties. That was the case when they came to record their debut album A Catholic Education for Creation Records.
A Catholic Education.
Just a year after the band was founded, Teenage Fanclub released their debut album in 1990. A Catholic Education would later be described as a quite un-Teenage Fanclub album. The music was dark, harsh and peppered with cynicism and controversy.
Most of the controversy stemmed from Teenage Fanclub’s decision to turn their sights on Catholic church. For a band from a city divided by religion, that was a controversial move, and one that could alienate people. What made the decision to “attack” the Catholic church, was that Teenage Fanclub prided themselves on being apolitical band. The other surprise for a band who admired The Byrds, The Beach Boys and Big Star was the sound of A Catholic Education.
For much of A Catholic Education, Teenage Fanclub unleashed a mixture of grunge and heavy metal. The only hint of what was to come from Teenage Fanclub was the Norman Blake penned Everything Flows. It was a glorious slice of power pop. This was something that Teenage Fanclub would return to later. Before that, A Catholic Education was released on June 11th 1991.
Before that, critics reviewed A Catholic Education. Reviews of the album were mixed, and very few critics forecast the critical acclaim and commercial success that came Teenage Fanclub’s way. When A Catholic Education was released by Matador, the album failed to even trouble the British or American charts and was an inauspicious debut from Teenage Fanclub.
The King.
Just two months after the released of A Catholic Education, Teenage Fanclub returned with what was meant to be their sophomore album, The King. However, in reality, The King was a quickly assembled collection of tracks.
The tracks that became The King had been recorded once Teenage Fanclub had completed what would be their third album, Bandwagonesque. Quickly, Teenage Fanclub recorded nine tracks, including covers of Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive. Once The King was recorded, Teenage Fanclub were hoping this would allow them to discharge heir contractual obligations to Matador. This plan could have backfired.
Teenage Fanclub owed Matador an album, and as long as Matador accepted The King, then they had fulfilled their contractual obligations. Th only problem was there was a possibility that the album could be rejected, if Matador didn’t believe the album was of a certain commercial standard.
Fortunately, they didn’t. That was despite covers of Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive. The King wasn’t exactly Teenage Fanclub’s finest hour, but despite this, Matador released in August 1991.
Reviews of The King weren’t favourable, but despite this, Teenage Fanclub’s sophomore album reached fifty-three in the UK charts. This was ironic as very few critics thought that The King would even trouble the charts. Teenage Fanclub had the last laugh, and free from all encumbrances, they signed to Creation Records.
Bandwagonesque.
Now signed to Alan McGhee’s Creation Records, Teenage Fanclub like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, delivered the completed version of Bandwagonesque. It had been recorded at Amazon Studios, Liverpool, between the ‘9th’ April to the ‘12th’ of May 1991. Bandwagonesque featured twelve songs which saw Teenage Fanclub come of age musically.
Just like previous albums, songwriting duties were split between the band members. Raymond McGinley wrote I Don’t Know and Norman Blake penned The Concept, What You Do to Me, Metal Baby and Alcoholiday. Meanwhile, Gerard Love had written December, Star Sign, Pet Rock Guiding Star and Is This Music? Gerald Love then joined forces to write Sidewinder, while the only track credited to Teenage Fanclub was Satan. These twelve tracks would find Teenage Fanclub maturing as songwriters and musicians.
When it came to choosing a producer for Bandwagonesque, the partnership of Paul Chisholm, Don Fleming and Teenage Fanclub returned. They were responsible for an album that stood head and shoulders above Teenage Fanclub’s two previous albums, Bandwagonesque.
On Bandwagonesque Teenage Fanclub’s trademark ‘sound’ began to take shape. It had been influenced by The Byrds and Big Star. Byrdsian, jangling guitars were joined by close, cooing, harmonies and a melodic fusion of indie rock and hook-laden power pop. Seamlessly, though, Teenage Fanclub could switch between laid back and melodic to a much more powerful, rocky sound. This would find favour with critics and record buyers.
Before Bandwagonesque was released, critics had their say on the album. For once, critics were in agreement, and there were no dissenting voices. Bandwagonesque, critics agreed, was one of the finest albums of 1991. No wonder, with songs of the quality of The Concept, What You Do To Me, Star Sign, Alcoholiday and Is This Music? For Teenage Fanclub, Bandwagonesque was a career defining album. Spin Magazine went further, and named Bandwagonesque its best album of 1991. Things were looking good for Teenage Fanclub.
Especially when Star Sign was released in August 1991, and reached number four on the US Modern Rock charts. Meanwhile, Star Sign stalled at just forty-four in the UK. The followup The Concept, a rocky anthem, reached a disappointing fifty-one in the UK, but reached number twelve on the US Modern Rock charts. Teenage Fanclub’s music was finding an audience in America for the first time. Maybe Teenage Fanclub’s third album would find them cracking America for the first time?
That was the case. When Bandwagonesque was released on 19 November 1991, it reached number twenty-two in the UK, and 137 on the US Billboard 200. This meant that Bandwagonesque was Teenage Fanclub’s most successful album of their nascent career.
As 1991 drew to close, Teenage Fanclub were going places and enjoying their newfound fame as the Creation Records’ Years continued.
The Creation Records was when Kings of Jangle Pop, Teenage Fanclub, released the best music of their career. This began with Bandwagoneque, when musical magicians Teenage Fanclub pulled an indie classic from their hat. The was a game-changer for Teenage Fanclub.
This was just the start for Teenage Fanclub whose carer was about be transformed over the space of three albums. When the Big star inspired Thirteen was released in November 1993, it failed to win over critics but became their most successful album when it reached fourteen in Britain.
That was until eighteen months later, in May 1995, when Teenage Fanclub released another minor classic Grand Prix, which reached number seven win Britain and became their most successful album.
Just over two years later, and Teenage Fanclub released Tales From Northern Britain, and watched as this carefully crafted cult classic reached number three in Britain. This allowed Teenage Fanclub to leave Creation Records on a high.
Twenty-one years later, and with the benefit of hindsight, Teenage Fanclub released the finest music of their four decade at career at Creation Records. This includes Bandwagoneque, Grand Prix and Tales From Northern Britain which are the perfect introduction to Scotland’s very own Kings of Jangle Pop, Teenage Fanclub.
They came of age on Bandwagoneque which was inspired by The Byrds and Big Star. Teenage Fanclub’s award-winning combination of Byrdsian, jangling guitars close, cooing, harmonies and a melodic fusion of indie rock and hook-laden power pop was a potent and heady brew. Especially as they sseamlessly, switched between laid back and melodic to a much more powerful, rocky sound on Bandwagoneque which is Teenage Fanclub’s first minor classic and of the greatest indie albums of the nineties.
Teenage Fanclub-Bandwagonesque-Vinyl.
SUN RA AND HIS ARKESTRA-THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
Sun Ra and His Arkestra-The Other Side Of The Street.
Label: Sweet Earth
Nowadays, music journalists are guilty of using the words innovator and pioneer for too freely, but that is the perfect description of the inimitable Sun Ra. He’s now regarded as one of the true pioneers of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician who pushed musical boundaries to their limit, and sometimes, way beyond.
Sun Ra was also a prolific artists who released around 125 albums during a career that spanned six decades. This includes The Other Side Of The Sun which was released in 1979 and has been reissued on vinyl by the American label Sweet Earth. The Other Side Of The Sun was recorded in New York during 1978 and 1979, and is part of Sun Ra’s fascinating life story.
Before dawning the moniker Sun Ra, Herman Poole Blount was born on the ‘22nd’ of May 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama, but very little is known about his early life. So much so, that for many years, nobody knew what age he was. However, at an early age Herman immersed himself in music.
He learnt to play the piano at an early age and soon, was a talented pianist. By the age of eleven, Herman was to able read and write music. However, it wasn’t just playing music that Herman enjoyed. When the leading musicians of the day swung through Birmingham, Herman want to see them play and saw everyone from Duke Ellington to Fats Waller live. Seeing the great and good of music play live only made Herman all the more determined to one day become a professional musician.
By his mid teens, Herman was a high school student, but even by then, music was his first love. His music teacher John T. “Fess” Whatley realised this, and helped Herman Poole Blount’s nascent musical career.
John T. “Fess” Whatley was a strict disciplinarian, and this rubbed off on Herman who would layer acquire a reputation as a relentless taskmaster when he formed his Arkestra. The future Sun Ra was determined that the musicians in his Arkestra to reach his high and exacting standards and fulfil the potential that he saw in them. At rehearsals, musicians were pushed to their limits, but this paid off when they took to the stage. Led by Sun Ra, the Arkestra in full flow were peerless. However, that was way in the future. Before that, Herman’s career began to take shape.
In his spare time, Herman was playing semi-professionally in various jazz and R&B groups, and other times, he worked as a solo artist. Before long, Herman was a popular draw. This was helped by his ability to memorise popular songs and play them on demand. Strangely, away from music, the young Herman was very different.
He’s remembered as studious, kindly and something of a loner and a deeply religious young man despite not being a member of a particular church. One organisation that Herman joined was the Black Masonic Lodge which allowed him access to one of the largest collection of books in Birmingham. For a studious young man like Herman this allowed him to broaden his knowledge of various subjects. However, still music was Herman Poole Blount,’s first love.
In 1934, twenty-year-old Herman was asked to join a band that was led by Ethel Harper. She was no stranger to Herman Poole Blount, and just a few years earlier, had been his high school biology teacher. Just a few years later, and he was accepting Ethel Harper’s invitation to join her band.
Before he could head out on tour with Ethel Harper’s band, Herman joined the local Musicians’s Union. After that, he embarked on a tour of the Southeast and Mid-West and this was the start of Herman’s life as a professional musician. However, when Ethel Harper left her band to join The Ginger Snaps, Herman took over the band.
With Ethel Harper gone, the band was renamed The Sonny Blount Orchestra, and it headed out on the road and toured for several months. Sadly, The Sonny Blount Orchestra wasn’t making money, and eventually, the band split up. However, other musicians and music lovers were impressed by The Sonny Blount Orchestra.
This resulted in Herman always being in demand as a session musician. He was highly regarded within the Birmingham musical community, so much so, that he was awarded a music scholarship to Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University in 1937. Sadly, he dropped out after a year when his life changed forever.
In 1937, Herman experienced what was a life-changing experience, and it was a story that he told many times throughout his life. He describes a bright light appearing around him and his body changing. “I could see through myself. And I went up … I wasn’t in human form … I landed on a planet that I identified as Saturn. They teleported me. I was down on a stage with them. They wanted to talk with me. They had one little antenna on each ear. A little antenna over each eye. They talked to me. They told me to stop attending college because there was going to be great trouble in schools … the world was going into complete chaos … I would speak through music, and the world would listen. That’s what they told me.” For a deeply religious young man, this was disturbing and exciting. It certainly inspired the young Herman Poole Blount.
After his: “trip to Saturn,” Herman Poole Blount decided to devote all his time and energy to music. So much so, that he hardly found time to sleep. Day in, day out, Herman spent his time practising and composing new songs in his first floor home which he had transformed into a musical workshop. That was where also where he rehearsed with the musicians in his band. Away from music, Herman took to discussing religious matters. However, mostly, though, music dominated his life.
It was no surprise to when Herman announced that he had decided to form a new band. However, his new band was essentially a new lineup of The Sonny Blount Orchestra. It showcased the new Herman Poole Blount, who was a dedicated bandleader, and like his mentor John T. “Fess” Whatley, a strict disciplinarian. Herman was determined his band would be the best in Birmingham. This proved to be the case as seamlessly, The Sonny Blount Orchestra were able to change direction, as they played an eclectic selection of music. Before long, The Sonny Blount Orchestra were one of most in-demand bands in Birmingham, and things were looking good for Herman. Then in 1942, The Sonny Blount Orchestra were no more when Herman was drafted.
On receiving his draft papers, Herman declared himself a conscientious objector. He cited not just religious objections to war and killing, but that he had to financially support his great-aunt Ida. Herman even cited the chronic hernia that had blighted his life as a reason he shouldn’t be drafted. Despite his objections the draft board rejected his appeal, and things got worse for Herman.
His family was embarrassed by his refusal to fight and some turned their back on him. Eventually, Herman was offered the opportunity to do Civilian Public Service but failed to appear at the camp in Pennsylvania on the December ‘8th’ 1942.
This resulted in Herman being arrested, and when he was brought before the court, Herman Poole Blount debated points of law and the meaning of excerpts from the Bible. When this didn’t convince the judge Herman Poole Blount said he would use a military weapon to kill the first high-ranking military officer possible. This resulted in Herman being jailed and led to one of the most disturbing periods in his life.
Herman’s experience in military prison were so terrifying and disturbing that he felt he no option but to write to the US Marshals Service in January 1943. By then, Herman felt he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He was suffering from stress and feeling suicidal. There was also the constant fear that he would be attacked by others within the military prison. Fortunately, the US Marshals Service looked favourably on his letter.
By February 1943, Herman was allowed out during the day to work in the forests around Pennsylvania, and at nights, he was able to play the piano. A month later, Herman was reclassified and released from military prison which brought to an end what had been a harrowing period of his life.
Having left prison, Herman formed a new band that played around the Birmingham area for the next two years. Then in 1945, when his Aunt Ida died, Herman left Birmingham, and headed to the Windy City of Chicago.
Phase One-Chicago.
Now based in Chicago, Herman quickly found work within the city’s vibrant music scene. This included working with Wynonie Harris and playing on his two 1946 singles, Dig This Boogie and My Baby’s Barrelhouse. After that, Herman Poole Blount worked with Lil Green in some of Chicago’s strip clubs. Then in August 1946, Herman Poole Blount started working with Fletcher Henderson but by then, the bandleader’s fortunes were fading.
By then, Fletcher Henderson’s band was full of mediocre musicians, and to make matters worse, the bandleader was often missed gigs. This couldn’t be helped as Fletcher Henderson, was still recovering after a car accident. What Fletcher Henderson needed was someone to transform his band’s failing fortunes and this was where Herman came in. His role was arranger and pianist, but realising the band needed to change direction, he decided to infuse Fletcher Henderson’s trademark sound with bebop. However, the band were resistant to change and in 1948, Herman left Fletcher Henderson’s employ.
Following his departure from Fletcher Henderson’s band, Herman formed a trio with saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and violinist Stuff Smith. Alas, the trio was somewhat short-lived and didn’t release any recordings.
Not long after this, Herman made his final appearance as a sideman on violinist’s Billy Bang’s Tribute to Stuff Smith. After this, Herman Poole Blount became Sun Ra.
By then, Chicago was changing, and was home to a number of African-American political activists. Soon, a number of fringe movements sprung up who were seeking political and religious change. When Herman became involved he was already immersing himself in history, especially, Egyptology. He was also fascinated with Chicago’s many ancient Egyptian-styled buildings and monuments. This resulted in Herman Poole Blount discovering George GM James’ book The Stolen Legacy which turned out to be a life-changing experience.
In The Stolen Legacy, George GM James argues that classical Greek philosophy actually has its roots in Ancient Egypt. This resulted in Herman concluding that the history and accomplishments of Africans had been deliberately denied and suppressed by various European cultures. It was as if Herman’s eyes had been opened and was just the start of a number of changes in his life.
As 1952 dawned, Herman had formed a new band, The Space Trio. It featured saxophonist Pat Patrick and Tommy Hunter. At the time, they were two of the most talented musicians Herman knew. This allowed him to write even more complicated and complex compositions. However, in October 1952 the author of these tracks was no longer Herman Poole Blount was Sun Ra had just been born.
Just like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, adopting the name Sun Ra was perceived by some as Herman choosing to dispense with his slave name. This was a kind of spiritual rebirth for Sun Ra, and was certainly was a musical rebirth.
After Pat Patrick got married, and moved to Florida, this left The Space Trio with a vacancy for a saxophonist. Tenor saxophonist, John Gilmore was hired and filled the void. He would become an important part of Sun Ra’s band in the future.
So would the next new recruit alto saxophonist Marshall Allen. They were then joined by saxophonist James Spaulding, trombonist Julian Priester and briefly, tenor saxophonist Von Freeman. Another newcomer was Alton Abraham, who would become Sun Ra’s manager. He made up for Sun Ra’s shortcomings when it came to business matters.
While he was a hugely talented bandleader, who demanded the highest standards, Sun Ra, like many other musicians, was no businessman. With Alton Abraham onboard, Sun Ra could concentrate on music while his new manager took care of business. This included setting up El Saturn Records, an independent record label, which would release many of Sun Ra’s records. However, El Saturn Records didn’t released Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s debut album, Jazz By Sun Ra.
Instead, Jazz By Sun Ra was released in 1956, on the short-lived Transition Records. However, Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s sophomore album Super Sonic Jazz was released in March 1956, on El Saturn Records. Sound Of Joy was released on Delmark in November 1956. However, it was El Saturn Records that would release the majority of Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s albums.
In 1961, Sun Ra deeded to leave Chicago and move to New York where he would begin a new chapter in his career. Much had happened to Sun Ra since he first arrived in Chicago 1945 as the World War II drew to a close. Back then, he was still called Herman Poole Blount and was trying to forge a career as a musician. By the time he left Chicago he was a pioneer of free jazz
Phase Two-New York.
Sun Ra and His Arkestra journeyed to New York in the autumn of 1961, where they lived communally. This allowed Sun Ra to call rehearsals at short notice, and during the rehearsals, he was a relentless taskmaster who was seeking perfection. However, this paid off and Sun Ra and His Arkestra recorded a string of groundbreaking albums. This included Secrets of the Sun in 1962 which was the most accessible recording from their solar period. However, Sun Ra and his music continued to evolve in the Big Apple
The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra Volume 1 was released by Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra in 1965. Sun Ra had dispensed was the idea of harmony and melody, and also decided there should be no continuous beat. Instead, the music revolved around improvisation and incorporated programmatic effects. This was the case The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra Volume 2 which was released later in 1965.
As Sun Ra and His Arkestra came to the end of their time in New York, their music was often described as “avant-garde jazz” or “free jazz.” However, Sun Ra started to reject the free jazz label that was attached to his music. He pointed out that his music had been influenced by different types of ethnic music and he often used percussion, synths and in one case strings.
A case in point was Strange Strings which was released in 1967 and found Sun Ra and His Arkestra playing an array of stringed instruments while he adds vast quantities of reverb. Strange Strings was just the latest innovative album Sun Ra released during his New York period, which came to an end in 1968. By then, the cost of living was proving prohibitive and Sun Ra decided to move his band again.
Phase Three-Philadelphia.
Sun Ra wasn’t moving his Arkestra far, just to Philadelphia where it was much cheaper to live. Again, Sun Ra and His Arkestra lived communally in Philadelphia which was their “third period.”
During this period, Sun Ra’s music became much more conventional and often incorporated swing standards when they played live. However, still Sun Ra’s concerts featured performances where his sets were eclectic and the music full of energy as they veered between standards and always at least, one lengthy, semi-improvised percussive jam.
In the studio, Sun Ra and His Arkestra continued to innovate, releasing albums of the quality of 1970s My Brother The Wind Volume 1, The Night Of The Purple Moon and 1972s Astro Place. However, Sun Ra in 1973 released two classic albums like Space Is The Place and Discipline 27-II. Sun Ra was at the peak of his powers and seemed to have been reinvigorated creatively after moving to Philly.
The Next Phase.
Buoyed by the critical acclaim and commercial success of Space Is The Place and Discipline 27-II had enjoyed during 1973, Sun Ra knew that 1974 was going to be yet another busy year. He was used to this, as Sun Ra and His Arkestra had been working non stop since 1972. They embarked upon lengthy tours and recorded several albums in Chicago, California and Philly. It was more of the same in 1974, with Sun Ra and His Arkestra embarking upon yet another lengthy and gruelling tour of America. Still, Sun Ra found time to prepare a couple of live albums for his label El Saturn Records including 1975s Pathways To Unknown Worlds; 1976s What’s New and Live At Montreux, and 1977s Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Taking A Chance On Chances and Some Blues But Not The Kind That’s Blue However, in 1978 Sun Ra and His Arkestra began work on another new album,
The Other Side Of The Sun.
This was The Other Side Of The Sun which Sun Ra and His Arkestra began recording on the ‘1st’ of November 1978 at Blue Rock Studios, 29 Greene Street, New York. The session lasted just one day, and continued two months later,
Another session began at Blue Rock Studios on the ‘4th’ of January 1979. That day, Sun Ra and His Arkestra recorded the remainder of the five tracks that later became The Other Side Of The Sun.
These five tracks including Space Fling, a rework of the Sun Ra classic Space Is The Place and Manhattan Cocktail. They were joined by Edmund Anderson and Theodor Grouya’s Flamingo and Jimmy McHugh’s The Sunny Side Of The Street. In true Sun Ra style, the Man From Mars set about reinventing the familiar tracks as he took them in new and unexpected directions. It was a similar case on Space Fling and Manhattan Cocktail as Sun Ra deployed and directed four percussionists, French horns trombones and backing vocalists.
With Sun Ra at the helm, his Arkestra unleashed music that as ambitious, sometimes challenging and always innovative during five avant-jazz soundscapes. They found Sun Ra and His Arkestra flitting between and combining elements of avant-garde, avant-jazz, free jazz and even jazz funk on what was a captivating album.
Later in 1979, Sweet Earth Records released The Other Side Of The Sun, and although the album found favour with jazz critics, the album wasn’t a commercial success. Since then, The Other Side Of The Sun has been an oft-overlooked and vastly underrated album.
For anyone with even a passing interest in Sun Ra’s music, The Other Side Of The Sun is another reminder of this musical pioneer at the peak of his powers, and is a welcome reminder of a pioneer of free jazz and a truly innovative and influential musician
For nearly forty years, Sun Ra pushed musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes, way beyond. He was a pioneer and innovator, but also a perfectionist and relentless taskmaster. With some of most talented, inventive and adventurous musicians of their generation, Sun Ra set about honing his Arkestra’s sound. This paid off with music of the standard of The Other Side Of The Sun
It’s another reminder that Sun Ra was never content to stand still musically, throughout his career was always trying to reinvent his music. Similarly, he was always looking to reinvent familiar tracks and the original version was merely the starting point. What it became, was anyone’s guess? Sun Ra was forever determined to innovate, and when he reinvented a track.
That was the case on The Other Side Of The Sun where Sun Ra and His Arkestra continue to combine Egyptian history and space-age cosmic philosophy with free jazz, avant-garde, avant-jazz, free jazz, improv and even jazz funk on The Other Side Of The Sun which features the inimitable cosmic traveller, who sadly, left this planet nearly twenty-five years ago, but left behind a rich musical legacy including one of Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s best kept secrets, The Other Side Of The Sun.
Sun Ra and His Arkestra-The Other Side Of The Street.
VICTOR ASSIS BRASIL-ESPERANTO AND TOCA ANTONIA CARLOS JOBIM.
Victor Assis Brasil-Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Label: Far Out Recordings.
Victor Assis Brasil was born into a middle class family in Rio de Janeiro, on the ‘28th’ of August 1945, and from an early age, expressed an interest in music. Seeing their son’s interest in music, Victor Assis Brasil’s parents decided to foster an environment that was conducive to his musical education. There was always the finest music playing in the house, as Victor Assis Brasil and his twin João Carlos Assis Brazil were growing up,
They were exposed to an eclectic selection of music. Sometimes, classical music was played, while other days, the young Victor Assis Brasil listened intently as jazz played. All the music that Victor Assis Brasil heard would influence and inspire him later, when he embarked upon a career as a professional musician, and released his two cult classics Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim, which were recently reissued on CD by Far Out Recordings. That was still to come.
Having heard such a wide range of music in his formative years, it was jazz that Victor Assis Brasil was drawn to and which he preferred to listen to. However, already Victor Assis Brasil wanted to go from listening to music to playing music.
This began when he was given a harmonica, and Victor Assis Brasil started playing along to the songs that he heard. While he played all sorts of music, Victor Assis Brasil always returned to jazz which was his already his favourite genre. The only problem was a harmonica wasn’t best suited to playing jazz. Fortunately, fate intervened when Victor Assis Brasil was fourteen.
That was when Victor Assis Brasil’s aunt arrived at the family home with an alto saxophone that she had won. This she presented to Victor Assis Brasil, and this opened up a new world for the young musician.
Victor Assis Brasil was a natural when it came to playing the alto saxophone, but still he practised for hours on end, day after day. Within just four years, Victor Assis Brasil was a truly talented saxophonist who was already playing in public. Whether it was nightclubs, parties or in schools Victor Assis Brasil took to the stage and showcased his considerable skills.
By then, people were starting to take notice of Victor Assis Brasil, and in 1963 made his first recording at a friend’s house. Little did anyone know that history had just been made.
A year later in 1964, nineteen year old Victor Assis Brasil had graduated to sitting in on jam sessions that took place in nightclubs in the South zone. Most of the musicians were older, and much more experienced, but Victor Assis Brasil didn’t look out-of-place, and sometimes upstaged the veterans he shared the stage this. This didn’t bother them, as they knew that Victor Assis Brasil was a special talent.
They were right, and in 1966 Victor Assis Brasil entered the studio to record his debut album Desenhos. During the sessions, torrential rain fell and it was so bad that the studio ceiling started leaking. Despite that, the sessions continued, and Victor Assis Brasil and his band were reluctant to leave the studio and ended up recording far more songs than was needed for an album. Many of these songs documented a prodigious talent in the early stages of his recording career and would’ve featured on Drawings.
Sadly, the leak in the studio damaged the tapes, and some of the songs were lost for good. Despite that, when Desenhos was released in 1966 it showcased a truly talented twenty-one year old saxophonist and was hailed as the first major jazz album recorded in Brazil. Many critics though Victor Assis Brasil had a long and illustrious career in front of him.
After the release of Desenhos, Victor Assis Brasil studied with saxophonist and conductor Paulo Moura in an attempt to improve his knowledge of music theory and improve his technique. Later that year, Victor Assis Brasil started touring further afield, and played in Europe. This included Austria where he took part in the International Jazz Contest in Vienna, and was third place in the saxophonists section. The same year, won the award for the best soloist at the Berlin Jazz Festival. By then, Victor Assis Brasil was one of jazz’s rising stars.
Victor Assis Brasil returned home to Brazil, and continued to play live, leading quartets and quintets. Soon, the time came for Victor Assis Brasil to record his sophomore album Trajeto where he combined Bossa Nova and Latin jazz. When Trajeto was released in 1967, it was to widespread critical acclaim. However, it was the last album Victor Assis Brasil would release in Brazil for three years.
In 1969, Victor Assis Brasil applied and was granted a place to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he played alongside of Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Ron Carter and Clark Terry. This was all part of Victor Assis Brasil’s musical education, and was good experience when resumed his recording career.
Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim.
During the summer of 1970, Victor Assis Brasil where he planed to record his third album Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim, which featured four tracks that the legendary Brazilian composer, arranger, singer, pianist, and guitarist made famous. This included Tinha De Ser Com Você, Wave, Bonita and Dindi which were recorded by Victor Assis Brasil and became his homage to Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Joining Victor Assis Brasil in the studio was a band that featured drummer Edison Machado, bassist Edison Lôbo guitarist Hélio Delmiro and pianist Salvador. Meanwhile Victor Assis Brasil played alto saxophone and Roberto Quartin took charge of production. Just like during the recording of his debut album, Victor Assis Brasil ended up recording more music than they needed.
Victor Assis Brasil and his band also recorded Jimmy Heath’s ‘Ginger Bread Boy and three of his own compositions Marilia, Quarenta Graus À Sombra and Ao Amigo Quartin. These four tracks would later become Esperanto and by the end of the session Victor Assis Brasil had recorded two albums that were released during 1970 including Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Critics on hearing Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim realised that it was game-changer of an album. Gone was the smooth, easy on the ear sound of the Bossa Nova, which was the sound of Brazil’s past.Certainly now that Brazil was no longer a democracy, and after a military coup, was being ruled by an iron fist by a military dictatorship.
Brazil was country under attack from the enemy within, Many within the country lived in fear, and daren’t speak out in case they were dragged kicked and screaming away by army. Despite the fear that pervaded the country, jazz was still important in the lives of many.
When Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim was released on Quartin in 1970, jazz fans were won over by Victor Assis Brasil’s groundbreaking new album. Antonio Carlos Jobim’s relaxing, soothing originals were transformed into the rawest of deep jazz cuts where Latin jazz and post bop melt into one. Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim was a powerful, potent and popular album that showed the way Brazilian jazz was heading.
Many critics believed that Victor Assis Brasil was well on his way to becoming one of the biggest names in Brazilian jazz. Especially ager the release of Esperanto later in 1970, which was another landmark album.
Esperanto.
Victor Assis Brasil opened Esperanto with what can only be described as a heavy swinging version of Ginger Bread Boy. It sets the scene before the rueful and spellbinding Marilia, the frenzied Quarenta Graus À Sombra and the wistful, ruminative and breathtaking Ao Amigo Quartin. This brought to an end landmark album where Victor Assis Brasil and his band seamlessly fused Latin jazz, Música Oopular Brasileira and post bop.
After Victor Assis Brasil released Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim, which were recently reissued on one CD by Far Out Recordings. Critics believed that these two groundbreaking and genre-melting landmark albums were just another chapter in the story of twenty-nine year old Victor Assis Brasil.
In 1979 the Victor Assis Brazil Quintet released their eponymous album. However, in 1980 Victor Assis Brasil released his new album, Pedrinho which was also his swan-song.
Just a year later, on the ‘14th’ of April 1981, Victor Assis Brasil passed away aged just thirty-five. Brazilian music was in mourning at the loss of one of its most talented and innovate musicals who is just a fifteen year period had released six albums. These albums featured music that was ambitious, innovative and inspirational including Victor Assis Brasil’s much loved cult classics Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Victor Assis Brasil-Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim.
CHESS NORTHERN SOUL-KEEP ON DANCING.
Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing.
Label: Kent.
Nowadays, hardly a week goes by without a new Northern Soul compilation being released into what an increasingly competitive marketplace. Some weeks, there are several Northern Soul compilations released and the competitions suddenly becomes even more fierce.
That comes as no surprise, as record labels big and small suddenly realised just how popular Northern Soul was. This resulted on many labels jumping on the Northern Soul bandwagon. These record labels realised that given the appetite for Northern Soul compilations, that these compilation were profitable.
They are if done properly, and that was the case with Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing, which was originally released by Kent in 1996, and has just been reissued. It’s one of the best Northern Soul compilations that money can buy. Sadly, for every Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing there’s countless hastily cobbled together cash-ins and others whose legality is questionable.
Sadly, it seems, not all Northern Soul complications are created equal, and there’s huge differences in quality. Sometimes, it depends on the compiler, what the source of the music is or the label releasing it. That is why Northern Soul complications can be described as the good, the bad and the ugly.
In the case of Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing, it’s a beautiful siren whose smouldering brown eyes are capable of melting your heart. It’s also one of the best ever Northern Soul compilations ever released.
That comes as no surprise given the quality of music on Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing. There’s contributions from Terry Callier, Gene Chandler, Doug Banks, Billy Stewart, The Valentinos, Tony Clarke, Eve Barnum, The Radiants, Greg Perry, The Natural Four, Etta James and The Dells. Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing is a veritable musical feast.
Opening Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing is Terry Callier’s Look At Me Now, which was released as a single on Cadet in October 1968. Charles Stepney arranged Look At Me Now which was produced by Esmond Edward. It’s a joyous call to dance that even the most reluctant dancer will find hard to resist,
So is Gene Chandler’s After The Laughter (Here Come The Tears) which was recorded while he was signed to Checker. It’s a hook-laden emotional roller-coaster.
The tempo drops on Herb Ward ’s Strange Change which was released on Argo in September 1965. Stabs of horns, sweeping strings and soulful harmonies accompany a lovestruck Herb Ward.
In March 1964, Billy Stewart released Count Me Out as a single on Chess, and tucked away on the B-Side was a cover of Maurice McAlister’s A Fat Boy Can Cry. It’s a soulful earworm tinged with humour which sadly, would fall foul of the PC brigade.
From the opening bars of The Gospel Classics’ More Love, That’s What We Need it’s obvious something special is unfolding. It was released on Chess in August 1966 and features a soulful vocal powerhouse during this irresistible stroller.
Soul survivor Bobby Womack began his career with The Valentinos, who released Sweeter Than The Day Before on Chess in October 1966. It’s a memorable soul stomper, that bursts into life, and is still guaranteed to fill a dancefloor.
If someone has never heard of Northern Soul, Tony Clarke’s Landslide is the perfect musical explanation. It was released by Chess in Britain in March 1974, and has been a favourite of DJs and dancers ever since.
The Kittens’ uptempo soulful dancer Ain’t No More Room was released on Chess in October 1967. Sadly, the single but never made any impression on the American charts. A few years later, this hidden gem was discovered by Northern Soul DJs and Ain’t No More Room was soon filling dancefloors across Britain.
Greg Perry released Love Control on Chess in November 1967. It was arranged by Charles Stepney and produced by Greg Perry, whose vocal is heartfelt and soulful as horns and harmonies accompany him. They play their part in another hidden gem from the Chess Records’ vaults.
The Natural Four released Give A Little Love as a single on Chess in August 1971, it passed record buyers by. However, in Britain Northern Soul DJs flipped over to the B-Side and started playing The Devil Made Me Do It. It’s an intense, uptempo floor filler arranged by Art Freeman and produced by Ron Carson.
Etta James released some of the best music of her long and illustrious career on the Chess’ brothers’ labels. In October 1961, Etta James released It’s Too Soon To Know as a single, but the Billy Davis composition Seven Day Fool is the stronger of the two songs. It’s an uptempo dancer where Etta James’ combines raw power, sass and emotion.
Joe Cato only ever released the one single Save Our Love. It was released on Chess in October 1967 and featured I’m So Glad on the B-Side. It’s a much stronger track that was arranged by Charles Stepney and produced by Billy Davis and Leonard Caston. With its impassioned vocal and a carefully crafted mid tempo arrangement it’s the one that got away for Joe Cato.
The Dells released Thinkin’ About You as a single on Cadet in June 1966. It features as impassioned, emotive and powerful lead vocal as the rest of The Dells add sweeping, soaring harmonies. It’s a powerful combination and a reminder of The Dells at their best.
Closing Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing is Billy Stewart’s Ol’ Man River which may soul fans won’t have heard. It featured on the B-Side of Every Day I Have The Blues which was released on Chess in June 1967. Ol’ Man River features Billy Stewart at his most soulful as on this beautiful ballad, which closes the compilation on a high.
Many newcomers to Northern Soul are unsure where to start when they see the huge amount of compilations available and suddenly, it’s a lottery. Choose the wrong compilation and their love affair with Northern Soul can be short-lived. Not if they choose Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing which is one of the best compilations of the past three decades.
Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing was originally released by Kent in 1996, and was the latest in a long line of quality Northern Soul compilations. Twenty-two years later, and Kent still release Northern Soul compilations. One of the best is Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing, which is a veritable musical feast. perfect for newcomers or veterans to this very British musical genre.
Chess Northern Soul-Just Keep On Dancing.
EL POLEN-FUERA DE LA CIUDAD-VINYL.
El Polen-Fuera De La Ciudad (Vinyl).
Labe: Buh Records.
Sadly, not every influential and innovative band enjoys a long and illustrious career, and instead, their career is short-lived. That was the case with the groundbreaking Peruvian rock band El Polen who released just two albums between 1972 and 1973. This includes their debut album Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) and their sophomore album Fuera De La Ciudad which was recently released on Buh Records on vinyl. This is a welcome reissue of a groundbreaking album from one of the most important Peruvian rock bands of the late-sixties and early seventies,
The El Polen story began 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, 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 which were 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 yesterday’s sound. What Peruvian music needed was a revolution.
Juan Luis Pereira who was part of the burgeoning hippy movement, realised this, and with 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 Coliseums located on the outskirts of cities. 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 rock and psychedelia, 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.
Fuera De La Ciudad.
Buoyed by the commercial success and critical response to their debut album, El Polen began writing their sophomore album. Eventually, El Polen had written five new songs that would eventually become Fuera De La Ciudad.
When El Polen entered the studio, they were no longer a six piece band any more, and their lineup had changed. It featured lead guitarist, harpist and vocalist Juan Luis Pereira and his brother Raul who played rhythm guitar, Quena and took charge of the vocals. They were joined by violinist Fernando Silva and percussionists Ernesto Pinto and Cuto Vásquez who also played mandolin. Gradually, Fuera De La Ciudad started to shape, and it wasn’t long before the album was completed. El Polen were about to make history once more.
Critics on hearing Fuera De La Ciudad in 1973 recognised the quality of what was another which innovative genre-melting album. However, they didn’t realise that Fuera De La Ciudad was a game-changer of album and that would inspire and influence two generations.
Side A
Ironically, this was apparent from the uptempo album opener Concordancia, where El Polen combine blues, folk rock and traditional Peruvian instruments. Sweeping, swirling strings , a bluesy harmonica and mandolin accompany a beautiful soul-baring vocal. By comparison Mi Cueva has a much more tradition Andean sound.This is because of the choice of instruments during what’s a haunting sounding fusion of folk and traditional Andean music. Strings sweep as the joyous sounding A Las Orillas Del Vilcanota unfolds and reveals its secrets. What follows is an irresistible mixture of the traditional Andean music and folk.
Side B.
From the get-go, there’s a degree of drama during the fourteen minute epic El Hijo Del Sol. It’s cinematic and rich in imagery, even before the choir, harpsichord and pizzicato strings are added. Later, folk, folk rock and traditional Andean music combine as the tempo and drama increase on this ambitious, innovative and genre-melting Magnus Opus, which is El Polen’s finest moment on Fuera De La Ciudad. It closes with La Puna a slow and ruminative sounding track where traditional Andean instruments take centre-stage as Fuera De La Ciudad closes on a high.
Fuera De La Ciudad which found El Polen switching between and combining blues, folk, folk rock, psychedelia, rock and traditional Andean music saw the Lima-based band pickup where they left off on Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido). The followup Fuera De La Ciudad was another landmark album, full of ambitious and innovative music from musical pioneers El Polen.
They began their mission to revolutionise Peruvian music on Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) in 1972. El Polen’s musical revolution continued in 1973 with the release of Fuera De La Ciudad. Ironically, many critics didn’t realise just how important and influential Fuera De La Ciudad.
Despite that, two generations of Peruvian musicians were influenced and inspired by El Polen’s sophomore album Fuera De La Ciudad which has just been reissued on vinyl by Buh Records.
El Polen managed to revolutionised Peruvian music in the space of just two albums. This included Fuera De La Ciudad a groundbreaking and genre-melting album from El Polen, who looked as if they were about to enjoy a long and illustrious career.
Sadly, two years after the release of Fuera De La Ciudad a El Polen split-up in 1975. By then, many bands would follow in El Polen’s footsteps, after being influenced by Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido). These albums were regarded as turning point for Peruvian music, and revolutionise Peruvian music forevermore and in the process.
Nothing more was heard of El Polen for twenty-one years, until they made a comeback in 1996. 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. During this period, they released two ambitious and innovative albums Cholo (Música Original De La Banda De Sonido) in 1972, and followed this up with Fuera De La Ciudad in 1973 which was El Polen’s second classic album
El Polen-Fuera De La Ciudad (Vinyl).
MOUNTAIN-FLOWERS OF EVIL AND MOUNTAIN LIVE: THE ROAD GOES EVER ON.
Mountain-Flowers Of Evil and Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On.
Label: BGO Records.
By the time Long Island based hard rockers Mountain began recording their third album Flowers Of Evil, their first two albums had just been certified gold. This success began with their 1970 debut album Climbing!, and continued with the followup Nantucket Sleighride, which was released in 1971. Mountain had sold over a million albums in the space of just two years, and great things were forecast for them.
Sadly, after the release of Flowers Of Evil and Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On in 1972, which have just been remastered and reissued by BGO Records as a two CD set, Mountain split-up for the first time.
Mountain who could’ve become one of the biggest hard rock band of the seventies left the field clear for the unholy trinity of hard rock. Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple who continued to write their way into history. Meanwhile Mountain would only play a walk-on part in the history of hard rock. However, things might have been very different.
The Mountain story began in Long Island in 1969, when former Vagrants guitarist Leslie West, decided to form a new band, which would allow him to further hone his sound. Initially, the new band was called Leslie West Mountain, and featured drummer Ken Janick, keyboardist Norman Landsberg and guitarist Leslie West. Initially, the band played which played blues and R&B around Long Island, and quickly became a popular draw on the local live scene. However, Leslie West who was heavily influenced by Cream, soon, became disillusioned with blues and R&B, and preferred the sound of their classic album Disraeli Gears.
When Leslie West looked at Disraeli Gears, he realised there was a familiar face in the credits, Felix Pappalardi. He had produced Leslie West’s first band The Vagrants, and was now producing Cream. This inspired the members of Leslie West Mountain to go and see Cream in concert at the Filmore East.
When the members Leslie West Mountain arrived at the Filmore East, they took all dropped LSD before the curtain rose. Even in their altered state, the members of Leslie West Mountain realised that compared to Cream, they weren’t in the same ballpark as the legendary British power trio. That night, the members of Leslie West Mountain realised that they needed to practise.
That was what they spent the next weeks and months doing. Meanwhile, the British blues bands like Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall Bluesbreakers plus Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton continued to influence American music. So did the British Invasion bands, including The Kinks, Rolling Stones and The Who. They inspired and influenced Leslie West Mountain, and so did the British blues explosion.
Leslie West Mountain wanted to move away from blues and R&B, towards a much heavier, hard rocking sound. This took time and practise, but the band were getting there. Especially when bassist Felix Pappalardi joined the band and became its vocalist. The lineup was almost complete.
Before that, Mountain was asked to play at The Woodstock Music and Art Fair on Saturday, August the ’16th’ 1969. This was only Mountain’s third gig, but when they took to the stage 9:00 pm and played for hour nobody had any idea that the group was in its infancy. Especially as Mountain left the stage at 10:00 pm, having written their name into music history.
The only thing that let Mountain down was their drummer, who was the weak link. Many within the music industry who had run the rule over the band realised this, and eventually, Corky Laing replaced Ken Janick. Mountain’s classic lineup was complete.
With a lineup of drummer Corky Laing, bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi, guitarist Leslie West and keyboardist Steve Knight who had replaced Norman Landsberg, Mountain hit the road. The new lineup of Mountain began honing their sound, and Felix Pappalardi was already looking like an inspired choice for frontman.
It was no surprise when blues Mountain signed their first recording contract in late-1969. What was a surprise was it was a small label like Windfall Records. The would release Mountain’s debut album in 1970.
Climbing!
Mountain spent late 1969 and early 1970 recording nine compositions at the Record Plant Studios. The four members of Mountain combined elements of blues rock, hard rock and psychedelic rock on what later became Climbing! It was produced by Felix Pappalardi and released in March the ‘7th’ 1970.
Before that, Mississippi Queen was released as a single in February 1970, and reached twenty-one on the US Billboard 100. Mississippi Queen is now regarded as a classic rock single, and has been covered by many bands. However, Mountain’s original is regarded as the best, and was just the start. However, this wasn’t the end of the commercial success for Mountain.
Meanwhile, Mountain released Climbing!, to widespread critical acclaim and critics praised songs of the quality of Mississippi Queen and Theme For An Imaginary Western. They were part of what was a hugely successful album.
Climbing! charted on the US Billboard 200, and continued to climb until it reached seventeen on the US Billboard 200 in 1970. This was enough for Climbing! to be certified gold. Little did Mountain realise that they had released a rock classic, Climbing!
Nantucket Sleighride.
Buoyed by the success of their debut album, Mountain began work on their debut album Nantucket Sleighride. Eventually, the members of Mountain had written nine new songs including the title-track dedicated Nantucket Sleighride.
It refers to the experience of being towed along in a boat by a harpooned whale, and the song Nantucket Sleighride is was dedicated to Owen Coffin. He was a teenage sailor who was on the whaler Essex when it was rammed by a sperm whale and sank in 1820. After the sinking, Owen Coffin was shot and eaten by his shipmates.
Nantucket Sleighride was joined eight other songs, including Tired Angels a homage to Jimi Hendrix and Travellin’ In The Dark (To EMP), which was written for Felix Pappalardi’s mother Ella. Felix Pappalardi even wrote Taunta (Sammy’s Tune) for his pet poodle. These songs and the rest of the album were recorded at The Record Plant, New York, and were produced by Felix Pappalardi in late 1970.
In January 1971, Nantucket Sleighride was released to plaudits and praise and hailed a classic as Mountain fused blues rock and hard rock with psychedelic rock. Given the critical response to Nantucket Sleighride, things were looking good for Mountain.
The Animal Trainer and The Toad was chosen as the lead single, but stalled at seventy-six in the US Billboard 100 in early 1971. However, Nantucket Sleighride reached sixteen in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. Mountain had just enjoyed their most successful album, and after just two albums had sold over a million units. Now they had to build on this.
Flowers Of Evil.
Having just enjoyed two successful studio albums, many groups would’ve stuck to what looked a winning formula and written a third album. However, Mountain decided that the first side of their third album Flowers Of Evil would be recorded in the studio and the second side feature the band live.
Bassist and vocalist Felix Pappalardi played a huge part in the writing of the first side of Flowers Of Evil. He wrote King’s Chorale and cowrote Flowers Of Evil with David Rea. The other three songs, One Last Cold Kiss, Crossroader and the epic Pride and Passion were penned by Felix Pappalardi and his wife Gail Collins. These songs were recorded at The Record Plant, New York, and produced by Mountain during September 1971. They were joined on side two by two tracks that featured Mountain live.
Mountain had played the Filmore East, on September 1971, where the recorded the twenty-five minute suite ream Sequence. It sounds as it it’s been inspired by Cream, as Mountain improvise their way through what was their live Magnus Opus. A guitar solo from Leslie West gives way to a cover of Roll Over Beethoven, Dreams Of Milk and Honey, Variation and Swan Theme. During the four-part suite, Leslie West unleashes blistering guitar licks and vocalist Felix Pappalardi channels the spirit of Robert Plant. It’s a potent and heady brew, and gets even better as Mountain’s theme tune Mississippi Queen closes the set on a high,
Flowers Of Evil was released in November 1971, and found favour with critics. They were won over by an album where Mountain successfully combined blues rock and hard rock with psychedelic rock in the studio and on the stage. Buoyed by the critical response to Flowers Of Evil, Mountain watched with interest as the album.
When Flowers Of Evil was released the album reached just thirty-one in the US Billboard 200. While this was ordinarily a respectable chart placing, it was a disappointment for Mountain whose first two albums had been certified gold. However, there was always the next time for Mountain.
Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On.
After the release of Flowers Of Evil, Mountain headed out on tour, and the latest stop in their schedule was Britain. It was another successful tour for Mountain, who on their return home, were about to spring a surprise.
In February 1972, Mountain was no more after the band announced their intention to split-up. They had been together just three years and released three albums which sold in excess of one million copies in America alone. Mountain, it seemed, were bowing out while they were at the top.
Although Mountain wanted to call time on their career, Windfall Records had other ideas. They scheduled the release of another live album for April 1972.
This was Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On, which takes its title from JRR Tolkien’s 1937 novel The Hobbit. Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On featured four tracks that were recorded between 1969 and 1972.
Long Red and Waiting To Take You Away which Mountain recorded at The Woodstock Music and Art Fair on Saturday, August the ’16th’ 1969. Although this was only Mountain’s third gig, they sound a much experienced band. These two songs hinted at what was to come from Mountain.
This included Crossroader which featured on their 1971 sophomore album Nantucket Sleighride. Mountain recorded this live version in January 1972. Crossroader features a much tighter and more versatile group than the one that took to the stage at The Woodstock Music and Art Fair.
Mountain kept the best until last on Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On, and close the album with an eighteen minute version of Nantucket Sleighride that was recorded at The Academy Of Music, New York, on December the ’14th’ 1971. It’s a genre-melting epic where Mountain improvise and transform what started life as a six-minute song into an eighteen minute epic as Mountain bowed out on a high.
Just like their three previous albums, Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On was well received by critics. It was a hard rocking album where Mountain switch between and combine blues rock, hard rock and psychedelic. It was another potent and heady brew from Mountain.
Sadly, when Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On was released in April 1972, it reached just sixty-three in the US Billboard 200. This meant that Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On was Mountain’s least successful album.
Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On is also Mountain’s most underrated album and is a hidden gem in their discography. BGO Records’ recent remastered reissue of Flowers Of Evil and Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On as a two CD set, is a welcome one, previously, record companies have focused on Mountain’s first two albums. However, there’s more to Mountain than just two albums.
While Climbing! and Nantucket Sleighride are regarded as classic albums, all too often the other two albums released by the classic lineup of Mountain are overlooked.Flowers Of Evil showcases a tight, versatile and hard rocking band in the studio and on the stage. Their swan-song Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On, documents Mountains’s three year career in just four songs. Mountain came a long way in just three years since they took to the stage at The Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Sadly, Flowers Of Evil brought the curtain down on Mountain’s career and by February 1972, when they announced that they had split-up.
Just like many groups, Mountain’s couldn’t resist a comeback, and reformed in 1973 band returned with their fifth album Avalanche in November 1974. It featured the debut of guitarist David Perry, who replaced keyboardist Steve Knight. However, Avalanche stalled at a lowly 102 in the US Billboard 200, and bassist and vocal Felix Pappalardi left Mountain for good. After this, this Mountain split for the second time.
There were three more comebacks from Mountain, but they had released the best music of their career between 1970 and 1972. This includes the classics Climbing! and Nantucket Sleighride, plus which are both underrated albums and a reminder of Mountain’s glory days.
Mountain-Flowers Of Evil and Mountain Live: The Road Goes Ever On.
FREDDIE HUBBARD-GLEAM.
Freddie Hubbard-Gleam.
Label: BGO Records.
By the time thirty-six year old Freddie Hubbard arrived in Japan, in March 1975, he was already regarded as one of the most influential trumpeters of his generation. That had been the case since the early sixties when, Freddie Hubbard’s career began, and he brought what was a new perspective to bebop and later, modern jazz. That had been the case when he was signed to Blue Note, Impulse, Atlantic, CTi and now Columbia.
Freddie Hubbard had signed to Columbia in 1974, after leaving Creed Taylor’s CTi label, which had been his home since 1971, and where he had released five albums. Soon, five would become six when CTi released Polar AC on April the ’18th’ 1975. It featured five tracks recorded during different sessions, which were packaged to make Polar AC. While the release of a new album usually excited Freddie Hubbard, he had moved on from CTi.
He was now signed to Columbia, and had released High Energy in the summer of 1974. However, the critics didn’t like High Energy, which didn’t compare well to some of the albums Freddie Hubbard had released at CTi. Especially, his CTi debut, Red Clay an album of hard bop which was released in May 1970 and Straight Life which was released later that year, and was soulful and funky. However, the followup First Light which was released on October the ’12th’ 1971 was Freddie Hubbard’s finest hour at CTi, and even better than Sky Dive that was released in early 1973. High Energy was compared to these albums, but there Freddie Hubbard’s Columbia debut wasn’t in the same ballpark.
Freddie Hubbard wasn’t used to failure, and took the critical response and commercial failure of High Energy to heart. He was keen to returned to the studio and record his second album for Columbia. That was the plan, a Japanese tour was scheduled and Freddie Hubbard was booked to play in venues across the land of the rising sun.
Joining bandleader and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard who also played the flugelhorn was the rest of his sextet. This including a rhythm section of drummer Carl Burnett, bassist Henry Franklin and George Cables on electric piano. They were joined by tenor saxophonist and flautist Carl Randall and percussionist and conga player Buck Clarke. They boarded the plane in America, and travelled halfway around the world, where they planned to record an album.
Columbia knew that Freddie Hubbard needed to record an album, and needed to record an album now. High Energy wasn’t a good start to his career at Columbia, who wanted their latest signing to make amends to his fans by recording a live album. Columbia began negotiating with their Japanese counterparts, to record a live album during the tour. Eventually, a deal was struck that a live album would be recorded at the Yubin Chokin Hall, on March the ’17th 1975, but released in Japan only. This was similar to a deal that Herbie Hancock had negotiated, and seemed to work well for him.
The idea of Freddie Hubbard releasing a live album in Japan was appealing, as the country had many jazz fans. However, Freddie Hubbard had also a large fan-base back home in America, and they wouldn’t be able to buy the album unless it was imported into the country. This Freddie Hubbard realised would be expensive for his loyal fans, who had followed his career for the best part of two decades. Many wouldn’t be able to afford or find his new album Gleam, which has just been remastered and reissued by BGO Records. This is a welcome reissue a reminder of Freddie Hubbard’s 1975 Japanese tour.
When Freddie Hubbard and his band arrived in Japan, they knew had a few shows to tighten their sound, and hopefully, would bring their A-game to the Yubin Chokin Hall, on March the ’17th 1975.
This they spent the first few shows doing and working on the setlist for the recording of Gleam. Eventually, Freddie Hubbard arrived at a set that featured a mixture of the old and the new.
The old included George Cables’ Ebony Moonbeams and Steve Wonder’s Too High from High Energy. They were joined by Freddie Hubbard’s Spirit Of Trane from Keep Your Soul Together plus Thom Bell and Linda Creed’s Betcha By Golly Wow from Polar AC. New songs included David Nichtern’s Midnight At The Oasis, Carl Randall and Freddie Hubbard’s Put It In The Pocket and Kuntu which would feature Freddie Hubbard’s next studio album Liquid Love. Recording of Liquid Love was scheduled to start the day after Freddie Hubbard’s Japanese tour concluded. Before that, Freddie Hubbard had a live album to records.
When Freddie Hubbard took to the stage with his sextet, he planned to work his way through seven tracks, and once the respectful applause died down, he and his band launched into the grooving jazz funk of Put It In The Pocket. It gives way to Ebony Moonbeams where Freddie Hubbard unleashes one of his best performances. His playing is inventive, flamboyant and melodic as the arrangement meanders along ebbing and flowing allowing Freddie Hubbard before the tempo briefly rises as his crack band launch into a Latin groove. In doing so,they showcase their skills as jazz, funk, fusion and Latin melt into one.
Freddie Hubbard switches to flugelhorn on Betcha By Golly Wow, which gets a jazz-tinged makeover. However, it loses none of its beauty nor soulfulness during this dreamy and impassioned remake. Spirits Of Trane explodes out of the starting blocks, and this hard bop homage is the equivalent of a musical express train.
Kuntu is a near twenty-three minute epic African inspired modal jazz track, which took up the entire third side of the original double album.
On the laid-back remake of Midnight At The Oasis Henry Franklin’s bass sets the scene for Freddie Hubbard’s tenor saxophone. Soon, the tempo is rising and this beautiful track is revealing its secrets. It’s one of the highlights of Gleam as funk and jazz combine. Closing Gleam is a cover of Too High from Stevie Wonder’s Innervisons album. Initially, it stays true to the original, but Freddie Hubbard forever the innovator heads in the direction of modal jazz. Later, when the solos come round, Freddie Hubbard and his band raise their game and close the concert and album on a resounding high.
Freddie Hubbard and his band brought their A-game to the Yubin Chokin Hall, on March the ’17th 1975, when he recorded what was his third live solo album. It found Freddie Hubbard and his talented band at the peak of their powers as they worked their way through familiar and new songs. They won over the audience as Freddie Hubbard switched between and combined disparate musical genres on Gleam which was produced by Keiichi Nakamura.
While jazz was the starting point, Freddie Hubbard incorporated elements of African and Latin music with funk, fusion, jazz, jazz-funk and modal jazz during what was an accomplished, innovative and inspired performance. It was as if Freddie Hubbard was keen to atone for the critical and commercial failure of High Energy. This he did on Gleam, where he rolled back the years and showed the audience what he was capable of.
Just a few months later, and Freddie Hubbard had completed Liquid Love, and was just about to release Gleam in Japan. It was released to widespread crucial acclaim was popular amongst Japanese jazz fans. Sadly, Freddie Hubbard ’s fans in America and elsewhere were unable to discover the delights of Gleam unless they could find or afford an imported copy. For many of Freddie Hubbard’s fans, Gleam was the album that got away.
Not any more as BGO Records have recently remastered and reissued Freddie Hubbard’s third live album Gleam. It’s akin to the musical equivalent of time travel, and is like being in the Yubin Chokin Hall, on March the ’17th 1975, when Freddie Hubbard recorded Gleam which is his finest live album of his long and illustrious career.
Freddie Hubbard-Gleam.
BERT JANSCH-L.A. TURNAROUND.
Bert Jansch-L.A. Turnaround.
Label: Earth UK.
On New Year’s Day, 1973, Glasgow-born Bert Jansch announced his intention to leave folk-jazz band Pentangle, and concentrate on his burgeoning solo career. This resulted in the headline: “Pentangle Split” featuring on the first edition of Melody Maker released in 1973. For some of Pentangle’s fans, this came as a surprise, while others thought that the writing had been on the wall for a while. Especially now that Bert Jansch was a successful solo artist who had already released seven albums since 1965.
By then, folk singer Bert Jansch was signed to the Transatlantic label, and had released his eponymous debut album to critical acclaim on the ‘16th’ of April 1965. Eight months later, he released the followup It Don’t Bother Me to plaudits and praise. It looked as if the twenty-two year singer was about to enjoy a successful solo career.
With things looking good for Bert Jansch, he returned to the studio in early summer 1966, and was once again, joined by his friend John Renbourn as he recorded Jack Orion. When this third album of traditional folk was released in September 1966, the reviews were mixed. While some critics were won over by the album, and continued to fly the flag for the folk singer, others felt it was a weaker album than its predecessors. Despite that, Bert Jansch’s star was still in the ascendancy.
As 1967, dawned little did Bert Jansch realise that this would one of the most important year of his career. He entered the studio to record his fourth album Nicola in April 1967, which was Bert Jansch’s first folk rock album. When it was released in July 1967, many reviews were positive, but some weren’t sure about the new direction Bert Jansch’s music was heading. Bert Jansch had realised that his music had to evolve to stay relevant, and increase his fan-base. However, this wasn’t the only change made during 1967.
In 1967, Bert Jansch was one of the cofounders of Pentangle, which joined included his friend John Renbourn, Danny Thompson, Danny Cox and Jacqui McShee. They would combine disparate musical genres including blues, folk, folk rock and jazz over the next few years.
Having joined Pentangle, Bert Jansch’s solo career was put on hold as the new band began honing their sound and playing live. Then in 1968, Pentangle released their critically acclaimed debut album The Pentangle on the ’17th’ May 1968. It was followed by another album of folk rock Sweet Child, which was released on the ‘1st’ of November 1968 to plaudits and praise. After this, Bert Jansch’s thoughts turned to completing his sixth solo album.
Bert Jansch had started recording his sixth album in October 1968, and completed the album in November, just after Pentangle released Sweet Child. Two months later, Birthday Blues, which was produced by Shel Talmy, was released in January 1969 and was hailed as one of Bert Jansch’s finest albums. However, it would two years before Bert Jansch returned with the followup to Birthday Blues.
Buoyed by the response to Birthday Blues, Bert Jansch joined the rest of Pentangle and recorded the album Basket Of Light with producer Shel Talmy. When it was released on the ‘28th’ October 1969, it was to critical acclaim as the album reached number forty-three in Britain. Nowadays, Basket Of Light which finds Pentangle fusing folk jazz and fusion is now regarded as a minor classic, and one the Pentangle’s finest hours.
Meanwhile, Bert Jansch was working on his seventh album Rosemary Lane, between June 1970 and January 1971. Despite working on the album on and off for the best part of seventh months, Rosemary Lane, which was produced by Bill Leader received mixed reviews. This was a blow for Bert Jansch who had invested so much of his time into recording Rosemary Lane.
Two months later, and Bert Jansch was back in the studio, and spent three weeks during March 1971, recording Reflection, which was a genre-melting album. Reflection found Pentangle combining Celtic music, country, folk, folk rock, gospel and even funk on what was an ambitious and eclectic album, but one that didn’t find favour with all the critics. Some were unsure of Reflection, and their reviews were far from positive. It was a case of deja vu for Bert Jansch after the response to Rosemary Lane.
Despite the reviews of Rosemary Lane, Pentangle eventually returned to the studio and began work on their sixth album Solomon’s Seal. By then, Pentangle’s contract with Transatlantic had expired amidst arguments and wrangling over royalties. This resulted in Pentangle signing to Warner-Reprise, who had distributed their albums in America. Pentangle released Rosemary Lane on Reprise in September 1972, but the reviews were poor and so were the sales. Things weren’t looking good for Pentangle.
They got even worse when Bert Jansch announced his intention to leave Pentangle on On New Year’s Day, 1973. Melody Maker ran the story Pentangle to split in the first edition of 1973. It was the end of an era, that had ended with a disappointing swan-song that sold badly.
By then, the members of Pentangle had all spent the advances that they had received from Reprise, and owed the company significant sums of money. It would take the band until the early eighties before the advance was paid off. That was still to come, and in 1973, Bert Jansch was looking for a new record label.
He was no longer signed to Transatlantic, and had signed to Pentangle’s old label Reprise. Bert Jansch’s debut for his new label was Moonshine, which was released on Reprise in February 1973. It was produced by Danny Thompson, and saw Bert Jansch combine baroque folk and folk rock which found favour with the critics. However, after just one album, Bert Jansch left Reprise and signed for Charisma Records.
By then, Bert Jansch had written Chambertin which was one of two songs he recorded with Danny Thompson in early 1973 The other was John Renbourn’s Lady Nothing, which later, became part of Bert Jansch’s nine album L.A. Turnaround.
Having signed to Charisma, Bert Jansch began writing the rest of L.A. Turnaround, which has just been reissued by Earth UK. Eventually, Bert Jansch had written eight new songs including Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning, One For Jo, Travelling Man, Open Up The Watergate (Let the Sunshine In, Stone Monkey, Of Love and Lullaby, Needle Of Death and There Comes A Time. Bert Jansch also penned the lyrics to The Blacksmith and Doc Smith wrote the music. These songs were joined by John Renbourn’s Lady Nothing and the traditional song Chuck Old Hen which was arranged by Bert Jansch, and became L.A. Turnaround , and was recorded at between April ad June 1974, at Sound City, Sepulveda, California.
Taking charge of production was former Monkee, Michael Nesmith, while some top musicians became Bert Jansch’s band. This included a rhythm section of drummer Danny Lane, bassist Klaus Voormann and guitarists Michael Nesmith; Jay Lacy who played on Of Love and Lullaby and Jesse Ed Davis who featured on Open Up For Watergate. They were joined by Red Rhodes on steel guitarist, Michael Cohen who played electric piano on The Blacksmith, while Byron Berline played fiddle and mandolin on Cluck Old Hen. Meanwhile, Bert Jansch played guitar, piano and added vocals on L.A. Turnaround , which took two months to record and was released in September 1974.
Critics on hearing Bert Jansch’s ninth album, realised that stylistically, L.A. Turnaround was very different to his previous albums. There were elements of country rock, and traditional English folk rock on L.A. Turnaround , which was hailed as a minor masterpiece from Bert Jansch.
As Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning opens L.A. Turnaround , straight away it’s reminiscent of Pentangle at the peak of their considerable powers. The same can be said of Of Love and Lullaby later in the album. However, elsewhere on L.A. Turnaround , Bert Jansch and his inimitable and idiosyncratic guitar style as he moved from acoustic to rhythm guitar. His guitar takes centre-stage on the Danny Thompson produced instrumental Chambertin, and on Lady Nothing a quintessentially English folk song rich in imagery, that brings to mind a late-evening walk in a garden in the home of Wadsworth and Blake.
Travellin’ Man is one of the country rock tracks, before the bluesy Open Up The Watergate (Let The Sunshine In) breezes joyously along. The cinematic sounding Stone Monkey features some of the best lyrics on L.A. Turnaround , as troubadour Bert Jansch returned to the country rock sound that suits him. Bert Jansch then returns to English folk rock on Of Love and Lullaby, and country rock on Needle of Death where a weeping pedal steel accompanies Bert Jansch, on this poignant and ruminative sounding song. It’s one of the highlights of L.A. Turnaround and showcases one of the great British singer-songwriters of his generation at the peak of his powers. The country rock continues on There Comes A Time as a weeping pedal steel accompanies Bert Jansch’s mid-Atlantic accent as he’s accompanied by one the finest and fullest arrangements on L.A. Turnaround.
Bert Jansch combines blues and traditional folk on Cluck Old Hen, which is quite unlike the rest of the album. However, it’s undeniably Bert Jansch and is reminiscent of his previous albums. Closing L.A. Turnaround The Blacksmith, which bursts into life and is a mixture of the old, the new and traditional folk. Again, it’s reminiscent of earlier albums, but still ensures the album ends on a high.
L.A. Turnaround with its mixture of blues, country rock and traditional English folk was Bert Jansch’s ninth album, and first for Charisma. Pentangle’s influence could also be heard on As Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning and Of Love and Lullaby. This made L.A. Turnaround an album that looked to Bert Jansch’s past, present and into the future.
Bert Jansch was hoping that L.A. Turnaround would appeal to his fans that had followed his solo career since 1965, the fans that embraced his folk rock sound and those that had followed Pentangle’s career. However, Bert Jansch’s decisions to head in the direction of country rock, showed that he was thinking about the future and hoping to broaden his commercial appeal on L.A. Turnaround.
That should’ve been the case as L.A. Turnaround was a carefully crafted album that was released to critical acclaim, and immediately hailed as one of Bert Jansch’s finest hours. That was no surprise as L.A. Turnaround was Bert Jansch’s finest hour, and by was the most accomplished and cohesive album of his career by 1974. By then, Bert Jansch had released nine solo albums, but L.A. Turnaround which is now regarded as a minor classic was his finest hour and a tantalising taste of a singer-songwriter at the peak of his considerable powers.
Bert Jansch-L.A. Turnaround.
DAVID AXELROD-SONGS OF EXPERIENCE.
David Axelrod-Songs Of Experience.
Label: Now Again Records.
By 1968, composer, musicians and producer David Axelrod was just about to embark upon a solo career after nine years working in the music industry. Buoyed by the experimental climate of popular music, David Axelrod wrote and recorded what was akin to a suite-like tone poem that was based on Songs Of Innocence an illustrated collection of poems written in 1789 by William Blake. The poet had inspired many composers and musicians during the twentieth century.
Many composers had set his poems to music, and William Blake’s music had been used in theatre and inspired everyone from folk musicians to David Axelrod who was a self-confessed “Blake freak.”
In 1968, David Axelrod released his William Blake inspired debut album Songs Of Innocence, which sold just 75,000 copies. This was disappointing given that Songs Of Innocence was groundbreaking album.
Despite the disappointing sales of Songs Of Innocence, David Axelrod began to write the material for his sophomore album Songs of Experience which has just been reissued by Now Again Records. Songs of Experience was also inspired by William Blake’s poetry, but explored the darker side of humanity drew inspiration from composer Gunther Schuller’s Third Stream concept. David Axelrod’s sophomore album Songs of Experience was an ambitious and innovative album. He had come a long way from his days as a boxer.
Before embarking upon a career in music, David Axelrod had enjoyed what can only be described as a chequered career. He had started off as a boxer, before changing direction and finding work in film and television. However, in 1959 David Axelrod embarked upon a musical career when he produced Harold Land’s album The Fox. This launched David Axelrod’s nascent musical career.
Four years later, David Axelrod was hired by Capitol Records as a producer and A&R man. Initially, he worked with R&B artists, including Lou Rawls who was signed to Capitol Records. David Axelrod produced a string of hit singles for Lou Rawls, his Live album and several albums that were certified gold. David Axelrod was the man with the Midas Touch.
Soon, David Axelrod was working with jazz saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, and produced his 1966 Grammy Award winning album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! Live at “The Club.” The album also featured the hot single Mercy, Mercy, Mercy which reached number eleven in the US Billboard 100. By then, David Axelrod’s star was in the ascendancy at Capitol Records.
It was around this time, David Axelrod began working with some top session musicians including drummer Earl Palmer, bassist Carol Kaye and guitarist Howard Roberts. This band would play an important part in David Axelrod’s future.
David Axelrod wrote and arranged Mass in F Minor and Release of an Oath for the psychedelic rock band The Electric Prunes. The only problem was that both songs were complex pieces of music. Mass in F Minor consists of a mass sung in Latin and Greek and performed in a psychedelic style. However, there was a problem, it was too complex a piece for The Electric Prunes to record and it was recorded by David Axelrod’s band. This lead to The Electric Prunes disbanding and David Axelrod’s band completed the albums. Executives at Capitol Records were grateful that David Axelrod had rescued what was a particularly tricky situation, and wanted to reward him for his recent success. This resulted in David Axelrod being allowed to record his debut solo album Songs Of Innocence.
By them David Axelrod was watching trends in popular music and realised that there was a new breed of record buyer with much more sophisticated taste than the three chord pop of the early Beatles’ record. They were willing to embrace and buy much more experimental sounding albums, including two of the best known, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and The Beatles’ Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Both of these experimental had been hugely successful, and was proof to David Axelrod that there was a demand for this type of music.
Buoyed by the experimental climate of popular music David Axelrod decided to write and record his what was akin to a suite-like tone poem, which was based on Songs Of Innocence which was an illustrated collection of poems written in 1789 by William Blake. The poet had inspired many composers and musicians during the twentieth century. Many composers had set his poems to music, and William Blake’s music had been used in theatre and inspired everyone from folk musicians to David Axelrod who was a self-confessed “Blake freak.”
Over the space of a week, David Axelrod wrote seven compositions and borrowed titles from William Blake’s poems. The compositions death with a variety of themes, ranging from visions, religious iniquity, rite of passage and life experience after a person’s birth and innocence. After just a week, David Axelrod had completed Songs Of Innocence, which was his homage to William Blake. David Axelrod had been captivated by William Blake’s poetry since he was a teenager and seemed to relate to the poet. Neither William Blake nor David Axelrod were regarded as sociable men, and this could’ve hindered the producer’s career. However, he had a successful track record as he began recording Songs Of Innocence in 1968.
Songs Of Innocence.
Having written Songs Of Innocence in just one week, David Axelrod arranged the seven tracks which he intended to produce and add the vocals to. Now he was ready to record his debut album, and work was scheduled to start in mid-1968 at Capitol Studios, in Los Angeles.
David Axelrod decided to use many of the musicians that he worked with on a regular basis. This included drummer Earl Palmer, bassist Carol Kaye and guitarist Al Casey. They were joined by percussionist Gene Estes and organist and pianist Don Randi who would conduct the string and horn section that David Axelrod planned to use on Songs Of Innocence. They would allow David Axelrod to create his musical vision.
Songs Of Innocence was essentially an instrumental album of jazz-fusion, but incorporated elements of baroque pop, blues, classical music, funk, jazz, liturgical music, pop, psychedelia, R&B, rock and theatre music. During Songs Of Innocence, David Axelrod used contrast extensively during the orchestral compositions which was peppered with euphoric psychedelic soul and dramatic, sometimes, distressing arrangements to reflect the supernatural themes that are found within William Blake’s poems. So does the music’s almost reverential psychedelic undercurrent which brings to mind the themes of innocence and spirituality that is a feature William Blake’s poems which inspired David Axelrod to write such an ambitious album as Songs Of Innocence.
His arrangements on Songs Of Innocence accentuated the pounding drums played in 4/4 time, complex baselines, searing and gritty guitars, sweeping melodramatic and progressive strings, organ parts designed to disorientate and blazing, dramatic horns. David Axelrod who had written Songs Of Innocence in the rock idiom, but used a mixture of jazz, rock and classical musicians to record his debut album.
They were all comfortable when David Axelrod asked them to improvise during this psycheliturgical opus. David Axelrod had been influenced by György Ligeti’s 1961 piece Atmosphères, and Lukas Foss’ concept of starting a piece with a sustained chord and improvising for over 100 bars, and ending on a different chord. However, it wasn’t joust improvisation that David Axelrod embraced.
David Axelrod encouraged musicians to use various sound effects, including reverb and echo during the recording sessions. This included adding echo to breakbeats to reflect the spiritual nature of William Blake’s poetry. For much of the album, David Axelrod’s rock orchestra painted pictures with music which veered between spartan, dramatic and harrowing to liturgical, ruminative and celebratory. As the music changed, so did the rock orchestra.
Seamlessly David Axelrod’s rock orchestra changed direction and were transformed into a vampish big band. Other times, they played bluesy bop or locked into a jazzy groove and on occasions started to swing.
Meanwhile, producer David Axelrod was constantly encouraging his band to experiment, and not be afraid to improvise. Towards the end of recording sessions, David Axelrod’s rock orchestra had fully
embraced psychedelia deploying organ licks that seemed to be designed to disorientate and gritty guitars. Then as The Mental Traveler was recorded, David Axelrod was keen to embrace and experiment with atonality. However, he felt that music that lacks a tonal centre of key was a step too far even on such an ambitions and innovative album as Songs Of Innocence.
When David Axelrod completed recording his suite-like tone poem, everyone who had worked on the concept album realised that it was an impressive, innovative and immersive album, that was ambitious, cerebral. However, the big question was what would the critics who make of Songs Of Innocence?
Not only was Songs Of Innocence David Axelrod’s debut album, but it was ambitious concept album inspired by William Blake’s poetry. This was too much for many critics, and the album regarded as something of a curio when it was released in October 1968 by Capitol Records. Many critics failed to understand what was essentially a mixture of genre-melting music, mysticism and philosophy that was cerebral, creative and showed just how much music had changed over the last few years. David Axelrod’s suite-like tone poem Songs Of Innocence, was a long way from Love Me Do in 1962. Music was changing, and record buyers were embracing much more experimental and sophisticated music. This augured well for the release of Songs Of Innocence.
Sadly, when Songs Of Innocence was released in October 1968, the album wasn’t the commercial success that David Axelrod or executives at Capitol Records had hoped. By October 1969, Songs Of Innocence had only sold 75,000 copies in America.
Despite the disappointing sales of Songs Of Innocence, David Axelrod began working on his sophomore album Songs of Experience.
Songs Of Experience.
For his sophomore album David Axelrod returned to the work of poet William Blake for inspiration, and especially his collection Songs Of Experience which was published in 1794. David Axelrod the self-confessed “Blake freak” chose eight poems from Songs of Experience which lent it name to his sophomore album.
William Blake was David Axelrod’s major influence, as explored the darker side of humanity on Songs Of Experience. The composer had been captivated by William Blake’s concept of birth and innocence, as he explored the theme of life experience, rite of passage and the changes of perspective in life during the writing and recording Songs Of Innocence. However, when David Axelrod wrote Songs Of Experience, he focused on William Blake’s concept: “of awareness after birth.” This wasn’t David Axelrod’s only source of inspiration for Songs Of Experience.
Another source of inspiration for David Axelrod during the writing ad recording of Songs Of Experience was composer Gunther Schuller’s Third Stream concept. This was part of what was another ambitious album that David Axelrod planned to record.
To record Songs Of Experience, David Axelrod brought onboard many of the musicians that recorded Songs Of Innocence. However, it took over thirty musicians to record what David Axelrod knew was a groundbreaking, genre-melting album.
David Axelrod’s sophomore album Songs Of Experience, was essentially a fusion album, but incorporated elements of European classical music, British and Irish folk music, percussive sounds and baroque arrangements. Meanwhile, the melodies and rhythms on Songs Of Experience ranged from pop, R&B and rock. However, this time, this time, the suite on Songs Of Experience which relied less on rock influences, and was much more symphonic. While this was a stylistic departure, for David Axelrod, Songs Of Experience was another major work that had the potential to enhance his reputation.
That was no surprise given Songs Of Experience’s the compositions to the eight genre-melting track were so different, and featured lush arrangements that were dramatic and rich in imagery. David Axelrod was bringing William Blake’s music to life by using his entire musical palette to paint pictures and allow him to explore much darker and ruminative sounds on Songs Of Experience. It was an album that should’ve captured the imagination of critics.
Sadly, when Songs Of Experience was released by Capitol in 1969, very few critics realised the importance of what was a truly groundbreaking and innovative album. To rub salt into the wound, Songs Of Experience sold less that the 75,000 copies that Songs Of Innocence sold. David Axelrod decision to create ambitious and innovative music wasn’t rewarded.
It wasn’t until much later that critics realised the significance of Songs Of Experience, which was hailed as an important, innovative and inspirational album. By then, Songs Of Experience was a favourite source of samples for hip hop producers. However, it was just a coterie of appreciative record buyers who had embraced and flew the flag for what was David Axelrod’s William Blake inspired cult classic Songs Of Experience which broke new ground and somewhat belatedly, became part of musical history.
David Axelrod-Songs Of Experience.
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