SUN RA-SEVEN OF THE BEST REISSUES OF 2017.
Sun Ra-Seven of The Best Reissues Of 2017.
Labels: Grey Scale, Cosmic Myth Records, Strut and ORG Music.
One of the most prolific artist of the twentieth century was the inimitable Sun Ra, who released around 125 albums during a career that spanned six decades. Over the last few years, dozens of these albums have been reissued by various reissue labels in Britain, Europe and America. For fans of Sun Ra this is the perfect opportunity to discover albums that have never been reissued before.
Many of these albums were originally released in the fifties, sixties or seventies, and nowadays, original copies are either impossible to find, or beyond the budget of most Sun Ra fans. The reissue of these albums is a welcome opportunity to add these albums to their collection. However, many newcomers to Sun Ra are confused by the dozens of albums that have been released over the last few years.
While many of the albums are reissues of some 125 albums that Sun Ra released, some record companies seem to be repacking existing or unreleased music to make new albums. This isn’t just confusing newcomers to Sun Ra, but many longterm fans and even some people within the music industry. It takes some research to separate reissues of original Sun Ra albums from those that contain repackaged material. While some are of interest to fans of Sun Ra, others are of dubious quality. There lies the problem.
If a newcomer to Sun Ra chooses the wrong album, it could put them off his music for life. That would be a great shame as Sun Ra was one of jazz’s pioneer and innovators who released many albums of groundbreaking music during his long and illustrious career. Many of Sun Ra albums were reissued during 2017 on vinyl and CD, including the selection in this article. They’ll appeal to both newcomers to Sun Ra and those who followed the great man’s career over six decades.
Before dawning the moniker Sun Ra, Herman Poole Blount was born on the ‘22nd’ of May 1914, in Birmingham, Alabama. Very little is known about Herman Poole Blount’s early life. So much so, that for many years, nobody knew what age he was. What we do know, is that growing up, Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount was to able read and write music. However, it wasn’t just playing music that Herman Poole Blount enjoyed. When musicians swung through Birmingham, Herman Poole Blount was there to see everyone from Duke Ellington to Fats Waller play. Seeing the great and good of music play live inspired Herman Poole Blount to become a professional musician.
By his mid teens, Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount. Later, he would acquire a reputation as a relentless taskmaster when he formed his Arkestra. He 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 Poole Blount’s career began to take shape.
In his spare time, Herman Poole Blount 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 memorize popular songs and play them on demand. Strangely, away from music, the young Herman Poole Blount was very different.
He’s remembered as studious, kindly and something of a loner. Herman Poole Blount was also a deeply religious young man despite not being a member of a particular church. One organisation that Herman Poole Blount joined was the Black Masonic Lodge. This allowed him access to one of the largest collection of books in Birmingham. For a studious young man like Herman Poole Blount, this allowed him to broaden his knowledge of various subjects. Whether this included the poetry and Egyptology that would later influence his musical career.
In 1934, twenty-year-old Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount joined the local Musicians’s Union. After that, he embarked on a tour of the Southeast and Midwest. This was the start of Herman Poole Blount’s life as a professional musician. However, when Ethel Harper left her band to join The Ginger Snaps, Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount being always 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 Poole Blount experienced what was a life-changing experience. It’s a story 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 himself to music. So much so, that he hardly found time to sleep. Day in, day out, Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount took to discussing religious matters. Mostly, though, music dominated his life.
It was no surprise to when Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount 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. Then there was the chronic hernia that blighted Herman Poole Blount’s life. Despite his objections the draft board rejected his appeal, and things got worse for Herman Poole Blount.
Herman Poole Blount’s family was embarrassed by his refusal to fight, and some turned their back on him. Eventually, though, Herman Poole Blount was offered the opportunity to do Civilian Public Service. However, he failed to appear at the camp in Pennsylvania on the December ‘8th’ 1942.
This resulted in Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount being jailed. For Herman, this led to one of the most disturbing periods in his life.
Herman Poole Blount’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 Poole Blount was allowed out during the day to work in the forests around Pennsylvania. At nights, he was able to play the piano. A month later, Herman Poole Blount was reclassified and released from military prison. This brought to an end what had been a harrowing period of his life.
Having left prison, Herman formed a new band. They played around the Birmingham area for the next two years. Then in 1945, when his Aunt Ida died, Herman Poole Blount left Birmingham, and headed to the Windy City of Chicago.
After moving to Chicago, Herman Poole Blount quickly found work. He worked with Wynonie Harris and played 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. However, by then, Fletcher’s fortunes were fading.
By then, Fletcher Henderson’s band was full of mediocre musicians. The main man, Fletcher Henderson, was often missing, as he was still recovering after a car accident. What Fletcher Henderson needed was someone to transform his band’s failing fortunes. This was where Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount left Fletcher Henderson’s employ.
Following his departure from Fletcher Henderson’s band, Herman Poole Blount 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 Poole Blount would make 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 Poole Blount became involved, he was already immersing himself in history, especially, Egyptology. He was fascinated with the Chicago’s many ancient Egyptian-styled buildings and monuments. This resulted in Herman Poole Blount discovering George G.M. James’ The Stolen Legacy. Discovering this book was a life-changing experience.
In The Stolen Legacy, George G.M. James argues that classical Greek philosophy actually has its roots in Ancient Egypt. This resulted in Herman Poole Blount concluding that the history and accomplishments of Africans had been deliberately denied and suppressed by various European cultures. It was as if his eyes had been opened. For Herman Poole Blount, this was just the start of a number of changes in his life.
As 1952 dawned, Herman Poole Blount 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 compacted and complex songs. However, by October 1952, he wasn’t writing these songs as Herman Poole Blount. No. Sun Ra was born in October 1952.
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 some felt, was a kind of rebirth for Sun Ra. It certainly was a musical rebirth.
After Pat Patrick got married, he moved to Florida, which 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. 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.
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. For the next few years, El Saturn Records released most of Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s albums. By his death in 1993, Sun Ra had released over 125 albums. The man they once called Mr. Mystery was by then, one of the most prolific recording artists. Sun R was also regarded as one of the pioneers of free jazz. Since then, Sun Ra’s popularity has grown, and every year, his music is discovered by a wider audience.
That was the case during 2017, when record labels in Britain, Europe and America released countless reissues of albums from the veritable feast that is Sun Ra’s back-catalogue. For newcomers to Sun Ra’s music here’s a few of the albums to investigate and enjoy.
Fate In A Pleasant Mood.
Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra recorded the seven tracks that became Fate In A Pleasant Mood during a marathon recording session that took place in mid-1960 in Chicago. Tracks from this session featured on five albums, including Fate In A Pleasant Mood which was recently reissued by Grey Scale.
Five years after Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra recorded the music on Fate In A Pleasant Mood, it was eventually released in 1965 on Saturn Research, which was an imprint of Sun Ra’s El Saturn label. Unlike previous albums, the tracks were shorter, with Fate In A Pleasant Mood lasting just twenty-five minutes.
Despite its relative brevity and Fate In A Pleasant Mood being a recording from five years earlier in 1960, the music still sounded ahead of its time and innovative. Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra were among the finest purveyors of free jazz, and tracks like The Others In Their World, Space Mates and Lights On A Satellite were proof of this. They’re part of Fate In A Pleasant Mood, which is an album that somehow, not only manages to be accessible and innovative, but has stood the test of time.
Secrets Of The Sun.
Secrets Of The Sun originally released by Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra 1965, on El Saturn Records which was founded in 1957 by Sun Ra and his manager Alton Abraham. Eight years later, in 1965, and Sun Ra was in the midst of what’s now referred to as Sun Ra’s “Solar” period. One of the most accessible albums that Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra released during their “Solar” period was Secrets Of The Sun, which was released during 2017 by Grey Scale.
When Secrets Of The Sun was recorded, Sun Ra had already moved away from the advanced swing of the early recordings that took place in Chicago. However, Sun Ra was still to move towards the increasingly experimental free form music recorded during his stay in New York. Essentially, Sun Ra was in a transitionary when Secrets Of The Sun was recorded. Despite that, Secrets Of The Sun featured two future Sun Ra standards, Friendly Galaxy and Love in Outer Space. Sadly, one of the best tracks recorded during the Secrets Of The Sun sessions, Flight To Mars, didn’t make it onto an album were Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra fused free jazz, space-age jazz and post bop.
Given the limitations of vinyl, there was no room for Flight To Mars, a seventeen minute epic, which features some outstanding solos. Flight To Mars is included Grey Scale’s reissue of Secrets Of The Sun, which is one of the most accessible albums of Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra “solar” period.
When Angels Speak Of Love.
A year after releasing Secrets Of The Sun, Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra released When Angels Speak Of Love in 1966. It was also reissued by Grey Scale and showed a very different side of Sun Ra.
When Angels Speak Of Love was released on Sun Ra’s El Saturn label, and was only available by mail order or at concerts. Those that bought When Angels Speak Of Love discovered what some critics at the time called “a bizarre record” However, these critics failed to discover what was a truly groundbreaking album where Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra continued to move free jazz in a new direction.
To do this, they used increasingly shrill notes, layered rhythms and effects including echo reverb. During Next Stop Mars, which is the centrepiece and highlight of the album, a space chant sets the scene for Marshall Allen and John Gilmore braying, growling and shrill horns as they push them to the limits. Meanwhile, Sun Ra’s keyboards underpin the arrangement, during Next Stop Mars, which was part of genre-melting album of groundbreaking album.
It finds Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra fusing avant-garde and free jazz with their unique brand of space age jazz on When Angels Speak Of Love. For fans of Sun Ra’s music this was album where not for the first time, he was way ahead of the curve musically.
My Brother The Wind Vol. 1
By 1970, Sun Ra had drilled his Arkestra into one of the top free jazz bands. Proof of this was My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 which was recorded by Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra at Gershan Kingsley’s Studio, New York, on the ‘12th’ of November 1969. As a new decade dawned, My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 was released by Sun Ra’s Saturn Research in 1970.
When My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 was released in 1970, it was one of most free performances by Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra as they showcase their considerable skills. That was the case on the title-track where Sun Ra plays two Mini Moogs which unleash a myriad of otherworldly sounds and is accompanied by drummer John Gilmore. However, it sounds as if Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra drop acid during the lysergic freakout that is Intergalaxtic II. Closing the album was The Code Of Interdependence where Sun Ra shows what’s possible with just two Mini Moogs. When other musicians heard this they must have been left shaking their heads, and wondering how they could come close to replicating this synth masterclass?
Little did they know that an even better track Space Probe, hadn’t made the album. Space Probe was an eighteen minute Moog freakout had been recorded in New York or Philadelphia in 1970, and featured pioneering maverick musician Sun Ra at his most inventive and innovative. It’s just a shame that My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 wasn’t released as a double album that included Space Probe?
Forty-seven years later, and Cosmic Myth Records recently reissued My Brother The Wind Vol. 1. Space Probe is one of seven bonus tracks on this remastered reissue of My Brother The Wind Vol. 1 which features one of freer performances by Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra as they push musical boundaries to their limits and beyond.
Pictures Of Infinity.
By 1971, Sun Ra and His Arkestra had signed to Black Lion Records and had just released Pictures Of Infinity, which was reissued by Grey Scale. Pictures Of Infinity wasn’t a new recording, and it’s thought it was recorded around 1967. However, four years passed before the increasingly prolific Sun Ra got round to releasing the album.
This meant that critics and record buyers weren’t aware of Sun Ra and His Arkestra’s current sound. Pictures Of Infinity represented their sound four years previously. Despite the time lag between recording and releasing Pictures Of Infinity, critics hailed the album another groundbreaking release that featured a mixture of old favourites and new compositions.
Even the old favourites on Pictures Of Infinity were reinvented during a spellbinding performance where Sun Ra and His Arkestra play with speed, power, and in the case of tenor saxophonist John Gilmore, a flawless fluidity during the melodic Saturn. Always though, the Arkestra display their usual inventiveness as they improvise and take tracks in new and unexpected directions. On Song Of The Sparer the Arkestra’s playing is intricate, before becoming sombre and ruminative during Spontaneous Simplicity. The album closer Spontaneous Simplicity features the Arkestra at the peak of their powers as Sun Ra allows them free rein. Again, their playing is inventive, intricate with the interplay between the flute and Sun Ra’s piano almost flawless, and ensures that this innovative and memorable album of space-age free jazz ends on a high.
Discipline 27-II.
On Record Store Day 2017, Strut released a lovingly curated reissue of Sun Ra And His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra’s 1973 album Discipline 27-II. Strut’s reissue of Discipline 27-II was the first official reissue of this classic album from 1973. However, only 1,000 copies of the album were pressed and anyone who wants a copy of Discipline 27-II should buy one sooner, rather than later.
Discipline 27-II was a mixture of music and drama, where Sun Ra And His Astro Intergalactic Infinity Arkestra married elements of avant-garde and free jazz. To do this, Sun Ra’s array of synths and keyboards were augmented by the horns and rhythm sections and a quartet of “space ethnic voices”. They were joined by Sun Ra, who added “vocal dramatizing.” All this was part of an album that was variously melodic, ambitious, innovative and which also swung. Other times, there’s hints of another classic Sun Ra album Space In The Place, which was recorded during a session that lasted one-and-a-half days. During that session, Sun Ra recorded enough music for four albums, including two classic albums Discipline 27-II and Space Is The Place.
Janus.
Sadly, Sun Ra died on May the ’30th’ 1993, aged just seventy-nine. That day, music lost an innovative musician who had played his part in rewriting the history of jazz. Sun Ra is remembered as one of the pioneers of free jazz, and helped shape the genre on over 125 albums. However, even after his death, new albums baring Sun Ra’s music was being released.
This included Janus in 1999, which was reissued by ORG Music on yellow vinyl with a black swirl for Record Store Day 2017. Unlike many of the previous albums, Janus doesn’t feature tracks recorded during one session, and instead, features in the studio and live between 1963 and 1970. Island In The Sun, The Invisible Shield and Janus first featured on an album released on Saturn, while the live tracks Velvet and Joy had never been released prior to the release of Janus in 1999.
While Janus was released in 1999, it’s thought that Sun Ra had planned to release an album entitled Janus release around 1970 or 1971. However, that never happened, and nothing was heard of the project until six years after Sun Ra’s death. By then, Sun Ra’s popularity was growing, and a new generation of record buyers wanted to hear more of his music.
They couldn’t afford an original copies of the albums that Sun Ra released on El Saturn or Saturn Research. This included The Invisible Shield, which was released in 1974 and featured Island In The Sun, The Invisible Shield and Janus. By 1999, copies of The Invisible Shield were incredibly rare and when they changed hands, it was for large sums of money. The only way many fans of Sun Ra’s would hear the trio of tracks on The Invisible Shield was on a reissue like Janus.
Eighteen years later, ORG Music reissued Janus, which is on of many albums that have been released after Sun Ra’s death. Some feature tracks that previously featured on existing albums, while others concentrate on live material. Janus features a mixture of both, and in 1999 and 2017 will be of interest to many fans of Sun Ra, especially completists who want to own everything the great man released during his long and illustrious career.
These are just a few of the Sun Ra reissues released during 2017, and are the perfect introduction to newcomers to one of the most innovative free jazz musicians. Sun Ra was also one of the pioneers of free jazz, and took the nascent genre in a new direction. This was the just for Sun Ra, who was a musical chameleon who constantly was striving to reinvent his music.
For nearly forty years, Sun Ra pushed musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes, way beyond. He was a pioneer and innovator, and 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. He was demanding and exacting standards. Second best was no use to Sun Ra. What he was after was an Arkestra who were innovators and musical adventurers.
Sun Ra was never content to stand still musically, and was always looking to reinvent familiar tracks. The original version of a song 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, he took the music in the most unexpected direction. He combined Egyptian history and space-age cosmic philosophy with free jazz, avant-garde, improv. Another component of Sun Ra’s music was his unique and inimitable brand of futuristic, space-age jazz which was part of an innovative fusion that totally transformed the career of the man born Herman Poole Blount.
Very little is know about the early years of Herman Poole Blount. However, over a long and illustrious career that spanned six decades, Sun Ra fulfilled his potential and became a giant and legend of jazz. This took time, patience and dedication and by his death in 1993, Sun Ra had come a long way since his early days as musician in Birmingham, Alabama.
The early days of Sun Ra’s career as a musician in Birmingham, Alabama, helped shape him, and make him the man and musician that he later became. So did his mentor John T. “Fess” Whatley, his religion and the time Herman Poole Blount spent studying at the Black Masonic Lodge, in Birmingham. That was where his love of poetry and interest in Egyptology blossomed. This helped shape the future Sun Ra’s philosophy and music. However, it was his ‘trip’ to Saturn that changed his life forevermore and influenced the music he made as Sun Ra.
By his death in 1993, Sun Ra had released over 125 albums with a variety of different bands. Many of these albums were reissued during 2017, including six of the seven albums that are featured in this article. They’re a reminder of Mr. Mystery, Sun Ra a musical pioneer who spent six decades creating groundbreaking, innovative and inventive music which in 2017, is more popular than ever.
Sun Ra-Seven of The Best Reissues Of 2017.
BIOSPHERE-SHENZHOU.
Biosphere-Shenzhou,
Label: Biophon Norway.
Until relatively recently, December was a month when many smaller, independent labels didn’t release any new albums or reissues. Instead, they waited until January before releasing their next batch of new releases. This was a pragmatic approach, and made sense economically.
Previously, December tended to be a month when the major labels released many countless compilations, greatest hits, best of and box sets for the Christmas market. Usually, these releases were a mixed bunch, and could be described as the good, the bad and the ugly. Many of these releases were of dubious quality, especially the compilations and budget box sets that the major labels release each year. They’re targeted at the occasional CD buyer, or someone looking for a present for the music lover in their life, and can usually be found in the bargain bin by Boxing Day. However, this year, there was a much better selection of music on offer during December.
This year, though, many of the smaller, independent labels decided to release new albums and reissues during December. Rather than hold albums back to January of 2018, they released new albums, compilations and reissues during the first couple of weeks of December. Label managers hoped that many of these albums would be given as Christmas presents, and in the process, boost their company’s balance sheet.
Some record companies continued to release albums right up until a few days before Christmas, with Biophon Norway reissuing Biosphere’s 2002 album Shenzhou as a double album. On the first disc is Geir Jenssen’s ambient concept album, where ten of the twelve tracks were based on the work of classical composer Claude Debussy. The second is CD is entitled The Samphire Tower, and features nine ambient soundscapes, which Geir Jenssen composed for the 2005 opening of the Samphire Tower in Kent, England. This was just the latest piece of music that Geir Jenssen had written during a career that began in the early eighties.
Geir Jenssen was born on the ‘30h’ of May 1962, in Tromsø, a city within the Arctic Circle in the most northerly part of Norway. Growing up, Geir Jenssen discovered electronic music, including Brian Eno, New Order and Depeche Mode who would later inspire him.
Discovering electronic music was a life-changing experience, and opened up new world for Geir Jenssen. Initially, Geir Jenssen was content to discover the different types of electronic music, and embarked upon a voyage of musical discovery. Eventually Geir Jenssen realised that he wanted to go from listening to, to making electronic music.
In 1983, Geir Jenssen purchased his first synth, and before long, had composed his first piece of music. It was influenced by his archaeological studies, and specifically his studies of the Ice Age and Stone Age. This would continue to influence Geir Jenssen’s music throughout his career.
Just a year after buying his first synth, Geir Jenssen was preparing to release his debut album. By then, he had dawned the E-man moniker and was preparing to release his album Likvider on cassette. Little did Geir Jenssen realise that this was the start of a recording career that would span thirty-five years.
By 1985, Geir Jenssen was a member of Norwegian synth trio Bel Canto, which featured Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen. Bel Canto was signed by the Belgian label Crammed Discs, the group relocated to Brussels. However, before long, Geir Jenssen returned home, where he divided his time between his solo career and his work with Bel Canto.
With the members of Bel Canto based in two different locations, this could’ve spelt disaster for the band. It wasn’t. Instead, this was the start of a long distance collaboration between Geir Jenssen and the rest of Bel Canto. In those pre-internet days, the collaboration took place via post, with Geir Jenssen and the rest of Bel Canto exchanging ideas for songs via letter.
This long-distance collaboration proved fruitful, and in 1987 Bel Canto released their debut album. White-Out Conditions. It was followed in 1989 by Birds of Passage which is regarded by many as Bel Canto’s finest album. However, a year later in 1990 Geir Jenssen left Bel Canto and changed direction musically, using a sampler for the first time.
During the late-eighties, Geir Jenssen had adopted the alias Bleep, when he released several 12” singles of ambient techno. However, it wasn’t until 1990 that Bleep released his debut album The North Pole by Submarine. It was the only album that Bleep released.
By then, Geir Jenssen had decided to change direction, and move towards ambient music. To do this, Geir Jenssen adopted a new moniker, Biosphere and initially, some of his early compositions were released by compilations released by Norwegian labels.
It wasn’t until 1991 that Biosphere’s debut album Microgravity was released by Origo Sound. Microgravity was an album of ambient house and proved popular within clubs. This was ironic, as SSR an imprint of Nettwerk who had previously released Geir Jenssen’s music, had rejected Microgravity calling it “unmarketable.” Geir Jenssen had the last laugh as his career soon blossomed.
In 1993, Biosphere returned with the first soundtrack of his career, Eternal Stars. This was the first of several soundtracks that Biosphere would compose over the next three decades.
Four years after the release of Microgravity, Biosphere returned with his sophomore album Patashnik in 1994. It found Biosphere continue to explore the ambient house sound that featured on Microgravity. One of the highlights of Patashnik was the uptempo track Novelty Waves which was spotted by marketing executives at Levi Strauss & Co. in 1995. They used Novelty Waves as part of their marketing campaign, which introduced Biosphere’s music to a new audience. This resulted in Novelty Waves being released as a single and giving Biosphere a hit single in several countries. For Biosphere this was the break that he had been waiting for.
When Biosphere returned in 1997 with Substrata, which was released on All Saints Records, it showcased a very different sound. Substrata was Biosphere’s first ever ambient album, and nowadays is regarded as a genre classic. It’s a cinematic and sometimes chilling album that paints pictures of an Arctic landscape that is punctuated by mountains and glaciers. Biosphere then adds the sound of running water and the howling winds as he portrays life in the Arctic Circle during the winter months on Substrata. It marked the coming of age of Biosphere as a musician.
Later in 1997, the Norwegian film Insomnia was released, and came complete with an ambient soundtrack by Biosphere. This was his second venture into the world of soundtracks and showcased his new ambient sound. However, although the much of the music was ambient, sometimes, a darkness descended which complemented the film. Biosphere’s soundtrack to Insomnia found favour amongst critics.
Three years passed before Biosphere returned with his fourth studio album Cirque, in 2000. It veered between the ambient sound on Substrata, and the ambient house that featured on Microgravity and Patashnik. Cirque was released to critical acclaim and was regarded as a fitting followup to Substrata.
In 2001, Biosphere released his ambient soundtrack to Dziga Vertov’s 1929 film Man With A Movie Camera. It had been commissioned by the Tromsø International Film Festival in 1996, and recorded later that year. However, five years passed before Biosphere’s ambient soundtrack to Man With A Movie Camera was released. By then, Biosphere’s popularity was at all-time high and he had matured as a musician.
It was as if everything was leading up to Biosphere’s ambient concept album Shenzhou. When Shenzhou was released on the ‘3rd’ of June 2002, it was hailed as Biosphere’s Magnus Opus, and an album that managed to surpass the quality of Substrata. Shenzhou was also something of a stylistic departure for Biosphere.
Ever since he released his debut album as E-man, Geir Jenssen had been inspired by a variety of subjects, including his archaeological studies, and especially his studies of the Ice Age and Stone Age. Since he dawned his Biosphere moniker Geir Jenssen had been inspired by the place he grew-up, and still called home, Tromsø, which was situated within the Arctic Circle. It had inspired his genre classic Substrata, which was released in 1997. However, Biosphere’s inspiration for much of the music on Shenzhou was the composer Claude Debussy.
Ten of the twelve tracks on Shenzhou were based on the work of classical composer Claude Debussy. His music provided the inspiration for Biosphere as he began recording his fifth studio album, Shenzhou. It featured a much more minimalist sound than any of Biosphere’s previous albums or soundtracks. Although he had decided to adopt a less is more approach, Biosphere used many of the same instruments and sounds that featured on previous albums and soundtracks.
The combination of sampled Debussy strings and Biosphere’s carefully sculpted glacial, ethereal synths proved a potent combination on this cinematic concept album Shenzhou. When it was released on the ‘3rd’ of June 2002, Shenzhou was hailed as Biosphere’s finest hour. Shenzhou set the bar high for Biosphere’s future albums, and was the album that future albums were compared to.
When Biosphere released Shenzhou in 2002, it was his first concept album, and featured what was a much more minimalist sound. Just like on previous albums, Biosphere used an array of synths which were part of his trusted sonic palette. They were combined a new addition to his sonic palette, sampled Debussy strings. They were combined to create what’s essentially a fusion of ambient and classical music.
As the title-track to Shenzhou unfolds and opens the album, waves of beautiful, ethereal music ebb and flow hypnotically, washing over the listener as this fusion of ambient, classical and drone music makes the world seem a better place. This is the start of an enchanting musical journey where listeners discover the minimalist delights of the twelve cinematic soundscapes on Shenzhou.
This includes the dreamy, enchanting and mesmeric Spindrift, which gives way to Heat Leak, where washes of glistening synths combine effectively with a jittering drone. Field recordings are used during the cinematic sounding Ancient Campfire. House On The Hill finds Biosphere deploying dreamy glacial synths on a carefully crafted hypnotic sounding soundscape.
By comparison, Two Ocean Plateau has a dark, dramatic, and almost gothic sound. It’s a reminder that much of Biosphere’s work at that time was soundtracks, which seems to have influenced Two Ocean Plateau. The same came can be said of Thermal Motion which also has a dramatic cinematic sound where Biosphere combines washes of synths and field recordings.
On Path Leading To The High Grass, Biosphere combines strings and synths to create one of Shenzhou’s highlights. Biosphere paints pictures as he combines elements of ambient and classical music to create a captivating, cinematic and spacious soundscape that is also haunting, ethereal and beautiful. Equally cinematic is Fast Atom Escape where waves of genre-melting music assail the listener. The main influences are ambient and classical music, although there’s also a liturgical sound to this mesmeric, thought-provoking track. Green Reflections is the final track inspired by Claude Debussy’s music. Ambient, classical and drone music combine on this hopeful and ruminative sounding track.
While neither Bose Einstein Condensation nor Gravity Assist were inspired by Claude Debussy’s music, they certainly don’t sound out-of-place. Especially, Gravity Assist which sounds as if it belongs on the soundtrack to a sci-fi short film. That comes as no surprise, as Biosphere had already written three soundtracks by the time Shenzhou was released.
Fifteen years after the release of Shenzhou, Biosphere’s fifth studio album was reissued in late December 2017 by Biophon Norway as a double album. On the second CD is The Samphire Tower, which features another nine ambient soundscapes penned and produced by Geir Jenssen. These soundscapes were used for the 2005 opening of the Samphire Tower in Kent, England. These nine soundscapes, which feature titles like Griz Nez Windy (The Samphire Tower), Dover Ferryport, Kent Country Train, Sea Cat and The White Cliffs Of Dover, are part of another music journey. This time it’s around the county of Kent, which is the Garden of England. Just like on Shenzhou, The Samphire Tower is cinematic and rich in imagery and is a welcome addition to this reissue.
For anyone yet to discover Geir Jenssen’s music, and specifically the music he has made using his Biosphere moniker, then Shenzhou is the perfect starting place. With its fusion of ambient, avant-garde, classical, drone music and musique concrete Shenzhou was regarded by many critics in 2002 as Geir Jenssen’s finest album. That is still the case today, some fifteen years after the release of Shenzhou.
When Shenzhou was released in 2002, it followed in the footsteps of Substrata which was released in 1997, and quickly, became a genre classic. That came as no surprise to those who had been following Biosphere’s career.
By 2o02, Biosphere was talented and innovative composer and producer who sought inspiration from a variety of sources. This included the classical composer Claude Debussy on Shenzhou was an almost flawless fusion of glacial synths, lush subtle strings, samples and field recordings. They were combined by Biosphere to create Shenzhou, a captivating and cinematic album which was variously beautiful, dreamy and ethereal, but also dark, dramatic and eerie. Other times, the music on Shenzhou was futuristic, haunting, lysergic, minimalist and otherworldly. That is still the case fifteen years after the release of Shenzhou, which was the second genre classic of Biosphere’s career.
Biosphere-Shenzhou.
JAMES CARR-THE GREATEST SOUTHERN SOUL SINGER
James Carr-The Greatest Southern Soul Singer.
By 1964, Memphis was a musical hotbed, and home to many up-and-coming soul singers and songwriters looking to make a breakthrough. Roosevelt Jamieson was a friend of many of these songwriters and soul singers, including OV Wright and James Carr, who were both looking for a label. It was a frustrating period for the two future soul greats, and Roosevelt Jamieson was determined to help the singers on the road to success.
Roosevelt Jamieson arranged for OV Wright and James Carr to audition at Stax, in the hope that his two friends would be signed to what was one of soul’s top labels. When the three men arrived at Stax, they were greeted by Steve Cropper who was going to audition OV Wright and James Carr. Given both singer’s voice’s and talent surely, Steve Cropper would be keen to secure the signature of OV Wright and twenty-two year old James Carr?
After OV Wright and James Carr had auditioned, Steve Cropper showed very little interest in signing either singer. His rational was that they already had two male vocalists on their roster, Otis Redding and William Bell on their roster. Stax didn’t want to add any more male vocalists to their roster. This was a decision that Stax would come to regret.
In late-1964, Roosevelt Jamieson arrived at the home of Quinton Claunch the owner of Goldwax Records on a cold wet winter’s night with OV Wright and James Carr. After some small talk, the two singers sung unaccompanied in front of Quinton Claunch. That was all he needed to hear, and that night, Quinton Claunch signed both OV Wright and James Carr. Stax’s loss was Goldwax Records’ gain. During his time with Goldwax Records, James Carr matured into one of the greatest soul singers of the past six decades, and his single Dark End Of The Street which redefined the future of Southern Soul.
The Goldwax Records’ Years.
With OV Wright and James Carr now signed to Goldwax Records, Quinton Claunch set about finding the right song for his latest signings. He chose That’s How Strong My Love Is for OV Wright, which when it was released on Goldwax Records, charted and gave the twenty-five year old a hit single. There was only one problem though.
After the success of That’s How Strong My Love Is, Don Tobey who owned and ran Duke-Peacock Records claimed to have OV Wright under contract, dating back to when he was a member of The Sunset Travellers. Quinton Claunch, who knew of Don Robey’s alleged business practises, wasn’t going to argue with the ‘music impresario’ who had a reputation for allegedly using intimidation and violence to get what he wanted. OV Wright’s contract at Goldwax Records was canceled, leaving Quinton Claunch with just James Carr.
With OV Wright out of the picture, Quinton Claunch decided to give his other new signing his full attention. Quinton Claunch started looking for the right song for James Carr’s debut single for Goldwax Records. Eventually, the pair settled on Only Fools Run Away, which was released in late-1964 and distributed through Vee-Jay Records.
By then, Vee-Jay was starting to experience financial problems, and no longer had the budget to promote singles, including James Carr’s Only Fools Run Away. Sadly, James Carr’s debut single failed to trouble the charts, which was a disappointing way to start his career at Goldwax Records.
Things didn’t improve for James Carr when I Can’t Make when I Can’t Make It was released in February 1965, and also failed commercially. By then, Vee-Jay’s finances were worsening, and it no longer had the financial muscle it once had.
History repeated itself in September 1965, when James Carr released his third single She’s Better Than You. With Vee-Jay’s financial situation worsening all the time, James Carr watched as another single failed to find the audience it deserved. This was a frustrating time for James Carr and Goldwax Records’ owner Quinton Claunch.
Fortunately, by late-1965 Quinton Claunch had managed to negotiate a new long-term distribution deal with the New York-based Amy, Maia and Bell group of labels. Quinton Claunch was pleased because this meant that Goldwax Records’ releases would be distributed and promoted properly. This was perfect timing, as James Carr’s career was about to be transformed.
For James Carr’s fourth single for Goldwax Records, and his first under the new distribution deal was You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up was chosen. It was a song with a complicated past.The roots of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up could be traced back to That’s How Strong My Love Is, which OV Wright sung at his Stax audition. Steve Cropper liked the song, and after putting the words to a different melody, gave it to Otis Redding. This didn’t please its Roosevelt Jamieson and Quinton Claunch, who asked one of the Goldwax Records’ staff writers OB McLinton, if he could change the melody. The last thing that Quinton Claunch wanted was to release a hit single, and be accused of plagiarism. After OB McLinton made the necessary changes, James Carr could record You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up.
Quinton Claunch sent James Carr to Chips Moman’s American Studio in late-1965, where he was scheduled to record You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up. Accompanying James Carr was a band that featured some of the top session players. They Quinton Claunch hoped would play their part in James Carr’s breakthrough single.
Goldwax Records scheduled the release of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up for February 1966, and when the single was released, the powerful, soul-baring ballad entered the charts and reached sixty-three on the US Billboard 100 and seven on the US R&B charts. After four attempts, James Carr had a hit single to his name.
Four months later, James Carr returned with his fifth single for Goldwax Records, a cover of Quinton Claunch’s Love Attack. It featured an impassioned, hurt-filled vocal, and was released in June 1966. Love Attack reached ninety-nine on the US Billboard 100 and twenty-one on the US R&B charts. While Love Attack hadn’t replicated the success of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up, it gave James Carr his second hit single. James Carr was no one hit wonder.
In September 1966, James Carr returned with his sixth single, Pouring Water On A Drowning Man. Just like James Carr’s two previous singles, it sounded as if he had lived the lyrics to Pouring Water On A Drowning Man. It reached eighty-five on the US Billboard 100 and twenty-three on the US R&B charts giving James Carr his third consecutive hit single. However, James Carr would one more single during 1966.
For his fourth single of 1966, James Carr covered the Chips Moman and Dan Penn composition Dark End Of The Street. It was recorded at Hi Studios in Memphis, as Chips Moman’s American Studio was being upgraded. With some top session players accompanying James Carr, he recorded one of the greatest songs in the history of soul music. Its lyrics hinted at an extramarital or interracial relationship, and James Carr sounded as if he had experienced the hopelessness and torment that comes with this pursuit of forbidden fruit. When Dark End Of The Street was released by Goldwax Records in December 1966, and reached seventy-seven on the US Billboard 100 and ten on the US R&B charts, and redefined the future of Southern Soul.
As 1966 gave way to 1967, James Carr had four hit singles to his name, and was seen by many within the Memphis music industry as one of soul’s rising stars. Steve Cropper at Stax must have been ruing his decision not to sign James Carr, as he was outperforming William Bell. He had just two minor hit singles, and hadn’t enjoyed the crossover appeal that James Carr had. It looked like Steve Cropper had backed the wrong horse.
After enjoying the biggest hit of his career with The Dark End Of The Street, James Carr and Goldwax Records’ owner Quinton Claunch were keen to build on that success. The beautiful ballad Let It Happen was chosen for his next single. However, when Let It Happen was released in May 1967, it just missed out on the US Billboard 100, but reached thirty in the US R&B charts. This gave James Carr his fifth consecutive hit single.
James Carr’s hot streak continued when he released I’m A Fool For You in August 1967. He was joined by Betty Harris, who wasn’t credited on the single, and their duet reached ninety-seven on the US Billboard 100 and forty-two on the US R&B charts. James Carr had now enjoyed six consecutive singles.
During 1967, James Carr released his debut album You Got My Mind Messed Up on Goldwax Records. It featured the Dan Greer composition I Don’t Want To Be Hurt Anymore and other tracks including You Got My Mind Messed Up were Pouring Water On A Drowning Man, Love Attack, The Dark End Of The Street and You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up. When You Got My Mind Messed Up was released in 1967, the album reached twenty-five in the US R&B charts. The James Carr success story continued.
For James Carr’s final single of 1967, he released a cover of Quinton Claunch and OB McLinton’s A Man Needs A Woman. It’s a Southern Soul ballad whose roots are in the church, and features a tender, heartfelt vocal from James Carr. When A Man Needs A Woman was released in December 1978, it reached thirty-three on the US Billboard 100 and sixteen on the US R&B charts. Just like 1966, 1967 had been a good year for James Carr who had enjoyed seven consecutive hit singles.
James Carr was, by then, one of Quinton Claunch’s most successful signings for Goldwax Records. What must have made James Carr’s success even sweeter was that Stax had rejected the chance to sign him. However, tragedy had struck during 1967, and Stax’s most successful male vocalist Otis Redding, had died in a plane crash. Within Memphis’ close knit musical community the death of Otis Redding was mourned.
By 1976, Stax which was enjoying one of the most fruitful periods its history and had a strong roster. This included several male vocalists, including William Bell, who had a handful of minor hit singles to his name, and Johnny Taylor who had signed to Stax in 1966. Neither were regarded as being of the standard of James Carr though.
During the first half of 1968, James Carr had released his sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman on both sides of the Atlantic. However, when Goldwax Records released A Man Needs A Woman disaster struck, and the album failed to trouble the charts. This was a disappointment for James Carr and Quinton Claunch. Especially after seven consecutive hit singles. Quinton Claunch was hoping that this was a just blip.
It wasn’t until June 1968 that James Carr returned with a new single Life Turned Her That Way. It was a poignant ballad from James Carr’s sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman. Sadly, Life Turned Her That Way failed to chart, and James Carr didn’t enjoy his eighth consecutive hit single.
With his sophomore album A Man Needs A Woman and the single Life Turned Her That Way falling to chart, it was a worrying time for James Carr, and Quinton Claunch the owner of Goldwax Records. However, he still believed in James Carr, and in October 1968 Freedom Train was released as a single, and it reached thirty-nine in the US R&B charts. James Carr was back with his eighth hit single.
Five months later, and James Carr returned with a new single To Love Somebody which was written by the Gibb brothers, who were better known as the Bee Gees. When To Love Somebody was released in March 1969, it reached forty-four in the US R&B charts. This was James Carr’s ninth, and sadly, final hit single.
By then, music was changing, and soul music was no longer as popular as it had been. The exceptions were some of the music being released by the Motown soul factory, and artists like Aretha Franklin. However, other genres had overtaken soul in the popularity stakes and artists like James Carr was no longer as popular as they had once been.
Nothing more was heard of James Carr until he released Everybody Needs Somebody in December 1969. Sadly, the single failed to chart, and proved an inauspicious end to James Carr’s time at Goldwax Records.
Life After Goldwax Records.
Little did James Carr realise that he had enjoyed the most successful period of his recording career, and never again would he scale the same heights. That was despite James Carr signing to Atlantic Records after his departure from Goldwax Records. However, when Hold On was released in July 1971, it failed to chart and James Carr left Atlantic Records having just released one single.
Two years later, reissues of two of James Carr’s singes were released on the Flashback label. Neither The Dark End Of The Street which was released in 1973, nor A Man Needs A Woman troubled the charts. It looked as if James Carr was yesterday’s man.
Nearly four years passed before James Carr released Let Me Be Right (Don’t Want To Be Wrong) on the Memphis based River City label in 1977. By then, disco was flavour of the month and neither Southern Soul, nor soul in general, were no longer as popular.
Despite that, James Carr released a new album Freedom Train in 1977. It bore the Goldwax Records name and was released in conjunction with Vivid Sound. However, the album was only released in Japan and available as an import. Soul fans in America and Britain missed out on Freedom Train, where James Carr rolled back the years on several tracks.
A year after the release of Freedom Train, James Carr returned in 1978 with Oriental Live And Living. It was James Carr’s first live album, and again, was only released in Japan where he was still popular.
Nothing more was heard of James Carr, until Ace Records released Take Me To The Limit in 1991. By then, James Carr wasn’t in good health, but showed more than a few glimpses of his old magic. It was a similar case when Ace Records released the aptly titled Soul Survivor in 1993. The Soul Survivor showed further glimpses of why he was regarded as a true soul great on what was his swan-song.
Sadly, James Carr died of lung cancer in a nursing home in Memphis, Tennessee, on January the ‘7th’ 2001, aged just fifty-eight. Life had been tough for James Carr after freezing on stage during a tour of Japan in 1979. In his later years, he lived with his sister, and bravely battled the bipolar disorder that he had suffered from for much of his life. Sometimes, he required hospitalization, but for much of the final years of his life, soul great James Carr lived quietly with his sister. Music was his past, and was the legacy that he left after his death in 2001.
James Carr left behind a rich musical legacy after his death in 2001, including the ten singles and two albums that he released for Quinton Claunch’s Goldwax Records. That was where James Carr released the best music of his career including singles of the quality of You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up, Pouring Water On A Drowning Man and Dark Side Of The Street. On each song, James Carr breathes life, meaning and emotion into the lyrics. Sometimes, it sounds as if James Carr had lived and survived the lyrics so realistic is his impassioned, emotive and deeply soulful vocals. They’re a reminder and feature the late, great James Carr in his musical prime.
The Goldwax Records’ years were also the most successful period of James Carr’s career. Sadly, James Carr’s Goldwax Records’ years lasted just five years between 1964 and 1969, and saw him enjoy nine hit singles. His most successful single was the timeless Southern Soul classic Dark Side Of The Street, which redefined Southern Soul and is part of James Carr’s rich musical legacy. Dark Side Of The Street is also one reason why James Carr is regarded by many critics and soul aficionados as the greatest Southern Soul singer
James Carr-The Greatest Southern Soul Singer.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ANE BRUN.
The Life and Times of Ane Brun.
In her native Norway, forty-one year old Ane Brun is one of the most successful singer-songwriters of her generation. Her career began in May 2003, when she released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan. This was the start of a glittering career for Ane Brun, who recently released her eighth studio album Leave Me Breathless. This is the latest chapter in the Ane Brun’s career.
The future Ane Brun was born Ane Brunvoll on the ’10th’ of March 1976, in Molde, Norway, and grew up in a musical household. Ane’s mother was jazz singer, and as her two daughters grew up, they followed in their mother’s footsteps.
Both Ane and her younger sister Marie Kvien Brunvoll caught the music bug, and growing up, immersed themselves in music. It was almost inevitable that the Brunvoll sisters would embark upon musical careers.
Before that, nineteen year old Ane left Molde left in 1995, and spent her time moving between Bergen, Oslo and Barcelona. It was whilst living and studying in Bergen that Ane began writing her own songs. This she continued to do whilst studying and working part-time in record shops and bars. Ane continued to juggle her studies, work and songwriting for the next few years.
By 1999, Ane had played a few small shows and was ready to make the next step in her career, by recording her first demo in Bergen. After this, she moved to Sweden, living first in Uppsala and then the Swedish capital Stockholm in 2001.
When Ane arrived in Stockholm in 2001, she started to take her career seriously, as she now knew that she wanted to make a career out of music. By 2002, she was recording her debut album Spending Time With Morgan, whose title paid homage to Ane’s guitar. With the album completed Ane cofounded DetErMine Records with Canadian singer Wendy Mc Neil and Ellekari Larsson of The Tiny. The new label would release Ane Brun’s debut album Spending Time With Morgan in 2003.
In May 2003, Spending Time With Morgan was released DetErMine Records, and found favour with Norwegian critics. Spending Time With Morgan also caught the imagination of record buyers and the album reached number nineteen in the Norwegian charts.
Ane Brun was determined to build on the success of Spending Time With Morgan, and embarked upon a gruelling European tour. Before long, Ane Brun returned home exhausted and suffering from burn out. She had been working not stop for two years, and needed a break.
After a six month break, Ane Brun was ready to return to touring, and when she returned home, entered the studio to record her sophomore album A Temporary Dive. It was released to critical acclaim on the ‘7th’ of February 2005, and reached number twelve in the Swedish charts, and topped the Norwegian charts. This resulted in Ane Brin receiving her first platinum disc. The twenty-nine year old singer-songwriter had come a long way, and was regarded by many critics as one of the rising stars of Norwegian music.
Just nine months after the release of A Temporary Dive, Ane Brun returned on the ‘21st’ of November with her third album Duets. She was joined on Duets by ten guest artists and bands, including Madrugada, Syd Matters, Teitur, Lars Bygdén, Wendy McNeill and Ron Sexsmith. The result was another critically acclaimed album, which reached forty in the Swedish charts and number two on the Norwegian charts. This resulted in Duets being certified double platinum. Ane Brun’s career had been transformed during 2005.
To add icing to the cake, Ane Brun was nominated for a number of musical awards, including Norwegian music’s most prestigious award, a Spellemannprisen, which is the equivalent of a Grammy Award. At the glittering award ceremony, Ane Brun won a Spellemannprisen for the best female singer, and in the process, beaten off fierce competition. It was the perfect way to end 2005.
After the success of A Temporary Dive and Duets, Ane Brun spent much of the next couple of years touring the world. Sometimes, she was accompanied by her core band, and other times a string section. Some nights, Ane Brun was accompanied by with just a lone cello and backing vocalist, as she gave a spellbinding performance. That was the case night after night, regardless of the band that accompanied Ane Brun. She was winning friends and influencing people wherever she played live.
In 2007, Ane Brun released her first live album Live In Scandinavia. It showcased her unique brand of folk and folk rock which she had none over the last few years. Live In Scandinavia reached number eleven in Norway, and twelve in Sweden. This kept Ane Brun’s fans happy until she returned with a new album.
On the ‘12th’ of March 2008, Ane Brun released Changing Of The Seasons, which was her first solo album on three. The album would be released the first to be released in Britain and America. That would come later. Before that, Changing Of The Seasons found favour with the majority of Scandinavian critics and reached number one in Norway and two in Sweden. This resulted in Ane Brun’s first gold disc.
Elsewhere, Changing Of The Seasons was released in America on the ‘14th’ of October 2008, and in Britain on the ‘2nd’ of February 2009. The album showcased Ane Brun’s unique brand of contemporary folk, which was starting to find an audience outside of Scandinavia, including in the Netherlands, where the album reached forty-eight. Changing Of The Seasons had introduced Ane Brun’s music to a whole new audience.
Later in 2008, Ane Brun returned with her fifth studio album Sketches, which was a much more low-key release. Still it reached fifteen in the Norwegian charts, and Ane Brun’s popularity continued to grow.
A year later, in 2009, Ane Brun released her second live album Live At Stockholm Concert Hall. It reached number seven in Norway, and five in Sweden. Ane Brun remained one of Scandinavian music’s most successful artists, and this was set to continue.
Despite her increasing popularity, Ane Brun didn’t return with her sixth album It All Starts With One which was released in Scandinavia on the ‘9th’ of September 2011. The album was released in other parts of Europe later in September 2011, and in America on the ‘1st’ of November 2011. Most critics hailed It All Starts With One as one of Ane Brun’s finest albums, and it was no surprise when it topped the charts in Norway in Sweden. Elsewhere, It All Starts With One charted in Belgium, Denmark, France and the Netherlands. Ane Brun’s popularity was growing, and proof of this was the platinum disc she received for album sales in Norway. It All Starts With One had outsold her lats two albums, Changing Of The Seasons and Sketches.
In October 2011, Ane Brun featured on Peter Gabriel’s ninth studio album New Blood. The ex-Genesis frontman invited Ane Brun to join him when he rerecorded Don’t Give Up. So good was Ane Brun and Peter Gabriel’s version of Don’t Give Up that many critics and musical fans preferred their beautiful version new version to the original. Featuring on such a high-profile album as New Blood was another boost to Ane Brun’s career and introduced her to a new and wider audience. However, there was more good news at the end of 2011.
When the nominations for the 2011 Spellemannprisen awards were announced, Ane Brun was nominated for the Best Female Singer. When she arrived at another glittering award ceremony, Ane Brun was one of favourites to win her second Spellemannprisen. That night, she won her second Spellemannprisen in the best female singer category, and in the process, cemented her reputation as one of Norwegian music’s top singer-songwriters.
Two years later, on the ’29th of May 2013, Ane Brun returned with the first of two compilations she would release during 2013. Songs 2003-2013 celebrated the first ten years of Ane Brun’s career, and twenty-eight old songs, including her only number one single Lift Me which had been released in 2005. As an added bonus, four new songs featured on Songs 2003-2013 which reached number two in Norway and six in Sweden.
Ane Brun’s second compilation of 2013, Rarities was released on the ‘4th’ of October 2013 and featured twenty cover versions and outtakes. Rarities was released without any promotion, but still proved popular with Ane Brun’s loyal fans, and reached twenty-one on the Norwegian charts.
It was another two years before Ane Brun returned with When I’m Free on the ‘4th’ of September 2015. Just like her previous album, When I’m Free found favour with critics and reached number four in Norway and three in Sweden. When I’m Free also charted on Belgium and the Netherlands, and the Ane Brun success story continued apace.
After another two-year gap, Ane Brun recently returned with her much-anticipated eighth album Leave Me Breathless. It was an album of fourteen cover versions, where Ane Brun reinvented familiar songs and old favourites. These were combined with some hidden gems that Ane Brun had decided to rework and introduce to her fans.
When Leave Me Breathless was released to critical acclaim it climbed the Norwegian charts and reached number three. Meanwhile, it reached five in the Swedish charts, and charted in Belgium and the Netherlands, where Ane Brun is a popular draw. However, there’s every chance that an album of the quality of Leave Me Breathless will climb higher up the charts, as it’s one the best albums Ane Brun has released in recent years.
This is what that critics and record buyers have come to expect from one of Norway’s finest singer-songwriters, Ane Brun Ever since she released her debut album Spending Time With Morgan 2003. Since then, Ane Brun has been breathing life, meaning and emotion into the lyrics. Sometimes, her vocals are rueful, hopeful needy and full of regret. Other times, Ane Brun’s vocals are ethereal, beautiful and sometimes, soul-baring. This is what critics and record buyers have come to expect from one of Norway’s finest singer-songwriters, Ane Brun who is not only one of Norway’s most talented singer-songwriters but the best in Europe.
The Life and Times of Ane Brun.
PHIL SEYMOUR-THE PRINCE OF POWER POP.
Phil Seymour-The Prince Of Power Pop.
Sadly, not every artist goes on to enjoy a long and successful musical career, and their star shines only briefly. That was the case with Nick Drake and Gram Parsons, whose tragic and untimely deaths cut short what could’ve and should’ve been a long and successful career. Neither of these talented singer songwriters got the chance to fulfil their potential, and it was only later that their music found the wider audience that it so richly deserved.
It was a similar case with Phil Seymour, the Prince Of Power Pop, who had the potential and talent to become one of the biggest artists of the eighties. Sadly, Phil Seymour’s star shawn briefly, and he released just two albums and half-a-dozen carefully crafted singles between 1980 and 1982. Eleven years later, on August the ’17th’ 1993, forty-one year old Phil Seymour succumbed to lymphoma, a disease he had bravely battled for eight years. The Prince Of Power Pop’s death left his friends, family and fans distraught at the loss of one so young, and indeed talented. There was no doubt about that, as Phil Seymour was a hugely talented singer, songwriter and musician.
Phillip Warren Seymour was born in Oklahoma City, on May the ‘15th’ 1952, and growing up, discovered music. Soon, his life revolved around listening to and playing music. By then, Phil Seymour could play the drums, bass and guitar. He was a one man rhythm section, who live and breathed music.
By the age of fifteen, it was apparent that Phil Seymour would eventually embark upon a musical career. However, his career began sooner rather than later, when Phil Seymour met Dwight Twilley met by chance in 1967.
This chance meeting took place at the Bowman Twin Cinema, in Tulsa, which was showing The Beatles’ 1965 film A Hard Day’s Night. Despite being two years old, Phil Seymour decided to take in the film. So did Dwight Twilley, another local musician, who lived just a couple of blocks from Phil Seymour, and who also a pupil at Charles Edison High School, in Tulsa. The two young musicians shared much in common, and realised this when they met at the Bowman Twin Cinema.By the time they parted that night, the two young musicians had already decided to write and record together.
Having decided to write and record together, Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley using the name Oister. For the next few years, they spent much of their free time honing their skills as musicians, playing piano, drums, bass and guitar, and also learning to harmonise.
This took time, practise, patience and persistence. Eventually, their two voices became one, as they seamlessly harmonised. This had taken time and many hours of practise, but they realised was worth it. The next thing that Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley started to do, was write songs.
After a couple of years, two became three, when Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley were joined by guitarist Bill Pitcock IV, who had started life as a drummer. He had been taught the drums by his father, who had his own band. However, the drums wasn’t for Bill Pitcock IV and he switched to guitar. This worked out well for Bill Pitcock IV, and soon, he was playing with his father’s band. The young guitarist was a talented player, and soon was ready to spread his wings.
Bill Pitcock IV started to join Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley as they practised and played, in an attempt to hone their skills. He joined them during these practise sessions, and as they started to write songs. The next step was to form a band together, Oister.
Oister.
The nascent Oister started to practise in a room above Pitcock Electrical, which was run by Bill Pitcock IV’s grandfather. He spent his days installing recording equipment and running his own recording studio he called The Shop. It was where Oister spent much of their time, recording their new songs. Later, Oister recorded a session at B.J. Recordings in Arkansas. What they didn’t do much of, was playing live.
On the occasions that played live, they proved a popular draw on the local live scene. Instead, Oister concentrated on recording demos, in the hope that they would be signed by a record company.
While The Shop was a good place for Oister to record demos in the early days of the band, by the late-sixties they had started to outgrow the small studio. However, they didn’t have the funds to hire a studio in L.A., New York or Nashville. Despite that, the three members of Oister found themselves in Tupelo, Mississippi where they met Ray Harris.
He had been sent a tape by Judd Phillips, who was Sam Phillips’ brother, and was running Sun Records. Judd Phillips had been impressed by Oister and decided to send the band Ray Harris’ way. Maybe his old friend could help Oister, and in doing so, help himself. While Oister never recorded with Ray Harris, he introduce the band to rockabilly, but encourage Oister to toughen up their vocals.
These two pieces of advice proved invaluable for Oister, who when they returned home to Tulsa, changed their musical approach slightly. Soon, it had taken on a roots sound that added a much-needed character and depth to Oister’s music. They were on the right track now.
Back home in Tulsa, Oister continued to hone and refine their sound. Sometimes, at sessions the three members of Oister were joined by bassist Johnny Johnston and pianist Jim Barth, who augmented the core trio’s sound. When they played live this proved popular. However, before long, the members of Oister had decided to leave town.
By 1974 Oister decided that the time had come to try to make the breakthrough that they had been working towards. This they realised wasn’t going to happen if they stayed in Tulsa, so Oister decided to head to Los Angeles, which was one of America’s musical capitals.
Dwight Twilley Band.
Within just two weeks of arriving in Los Angeles, Oister was signed by Shelter Records, which was owned and run by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell. Oister decided to change their name, and it was the Dwight Twilley Band that signed to Shelter Records. The newly named band was told by executives at Shelter Records that they had to get used to working in a sixteen track studio.
That was how the members of the Dwight Twilley Band found themselves in Church Studio, Tulsa, in November 1974. With a sixteen track desk, it was very different to anything they had studio they had worked in. Despite that, Phil Seymour took charge of the situation, and told Dwight Twilley: “let’s make a hit record right now.”
Incredibly, the song that the Dwight Twilley Band recorded, I’m On Fire, gave the band their first hit single. When I’m On Fire was released in 1975, the single with very little promotion, peaked at number sixteen in the US Billboard 100. This was just the start for the Dwight Twilley Band.
The initial lineup of the Dwight Twilley Band saw bassist and drummer sharing lead vocal and harmonising with guitarist Dwight Twilley, while Bill Pitcock IV played guitar. This was the lineup that featured on the Dwight Twilley Band’s 1976 debut album Sincerely. It saw the band fused power pop with classic pop and rock influences on a carefully crafted and effervescent album that found favour with critics. On its release, Sincerely reached 138 in the US Billboard 200, and built on the success of the single I’m On Fire.
Before long, the Dwight Twilley Band’s started thinking about a sophomore single, and chose Shark (In The Dark). However, it was pulled by Shelter Records who feared that the single would be seen as a cash-in on the film Jaws, and that the Dwight Twilley Band would be regarded as a novelty act. While this made sense, it was a disappointing for the band. However, there was worse to come.
At the end of 1976, Shelter Records was in the process if changing distributors, from ABC to Arista. This the two owners hoped would steer the label into calmer waters. However, after an argument between Leon Russell and Denny Cordell, Leon Russell quit Shelter Records. This was a disaster for the Dwight Twilley Band, who were caught in the crossfire, and had no idea where they stood contractually.
It wasn’t until 1977 that the Dwight Twilley Band returned with Twilley Don’t Mind, which was released on Arista. Just like their debut album Sincerely, critical acclaim accompanied the release of Twilley Don’t Mind. Although it featured power pop at its best, some songs, including Rock And Roll 47 showcased a tougher, R&B sound. This combination of power pop and R&B proved popular and Twilley Don’t Mind reached seventy on the US Billboard 200. The Dwight Twilley Band’s popularity was growing, and it looked as if the band had a bright future.
After touring Twilley Don’t Mind during 1977 and 1978, Phil Seymour decided to call time on his career with the Dwight Twilley Band. A solo career beckoned for twenty-six year old Phil Seymour, who was managed by Denny Cordell.
The Solo Years.
With Denny Cordell’s help and guidance, Phil Seymour embarked upon a solo career. By then, Denny Cordell who was born in England, and was a successful producer who had worked with The Moody Blues, Joe Cocker and Leon Russell, had decided not to produce Phil Seymour. He knew someone who he believed would bring out the best in Phil Seymour, Chris Spedding.
Once again, Phil Seymour journeyed to London, and Olympic Studios, where he worked with guitarist Chris Spedding and some top session musicians. Phil Seymour was no stranger to London, as the Dwight Twilley Band had regularly recorded in the city. While it wasn’t exactly a second home for Phil Seymour, he enjoyed his time in London, which he hoped had been fruitful. Sadly, the tracks recorded in London weren’t released until 2016.
Following the London sessions, Phil Seymour continued to work as a session musician, and added backing vocals on Darlin’ a track from Dwight Twilley’s debut solo album. After that, Phil Seymour then met another Tulsa musician, Scott Musick of the L.A. based band Airtight, which also featured songwriter and bassists Michael Been and keyboardist Dale Ockerman. This looked like the perfect fit for Phil Seymour, until However, Scott Musick and Michael Been went onto form Call. For Phil Seymour it was a case of what might have been?
It was a similar case when producer Phil Spector spotted Phil Seymour’s potential, and wrote to Denny Cordell. The two men tried to work out a deal, but couldn’t come to an agreement. It was another case of what might have been for Phil Seymour.
Later in 1980, producer Richard Podolor and engineer Bill Cooper heard a cassette that featured Phil Seymour’s music, and within thirty-seconds had spotted his potential. They asked the other passenger in the car Mark Levy, a talent agent, what he knew about Phil Seymour? He hadn’t heard of Phil Seymour, but soon would be hearing more about him.
Richard Podolor and Bill Cooper were the most successful team at American Recording Company, and had already enjoyed success with Three Dog Night, Iron Butterfly and Steppenwolf, decided to see Phil Seymour live. They went to a show at the Starwood, where Phil Seymour was opening for 707. That night, after Phil Seymour had blown the headliners away, he headed backstage which was where he met Richard Podolor and Bill Cooper. Their message was simple, that they wanted to record him.
Phil Seymour.
It didn’t take Phil Seymour long to agree to work with producer Richard Podolor and engineer Bill Cooper, who had an enviable track record of success. This Phil Seymour helped would transform his fortunes when he joined them at the American Recording Company, where they would soon, begin work on his long-awaited eponymous debut solo album.
Of the ten tracks on his eponymous debut solo album, only Precious To Me, baby It’s You and I Really Love You were penned by Phil Seymour. They were joined by three songs from two of old friends and bandmates. This included Dwight Twilley’s Love You So Much and Then We Go Up, and Bill Pitcock IV’s Won’t Finish Here. These were tracks that Phil Seymour had been playing for years, and were part of his live shows. Phil Seymour also decided to include four cover versions on his eponymous debut album.
Phil Seymour was recorded at Recording Company with band that featured some top session players. Adding lead and rhythm guitar was Phil Seymour’s old friend and former bandmate Bill Pitcock IV. He played his part on Phil Seymour, which was produced by Richard Podolor and engineered by Bill Cooper.
Before the release of Phil Seymour, it found favour amongst critics, who were won over by this near flawless album of slick, polished power pop which showcased a talented singer, songwriter and musician. It was no surprise that when Neil Bogart’s new label The Boardwalk Entertainment Co released Phil Seymour later in 1980 the album reached sixty-four on the US Billboard 200. This was no surprise.
By 1980, Phil Seymour was able to craft melodic songs with poppy hooks that also packed a punch. These songs were also slick, polished and featured Phil Seymour’s trademark harmonies that had been honed over many years. They featured on songs like It’s You, Precious To Me, I Really Love You, Then We Go Up, Don’t Blow Your Life Away and Love You So Much. With their slick, melodic, memorable and often radio friendly sound, they played their part in the sound and success of Phil Seymour, which showed what Phil Seymour was capable of.
When it came to choose a single from Phil Seymour, Precious To Me was chosen and released later in 1980. Tucked away on the B-Side of later version of the single was the melodic ballad Suzie Glider. The single Precious To Me went on to reach twenty-two in the US Billboard, and built on the success of Phil Seymour. Meanwhile, Precious To Me was so successful when it was released as a single, that it gave Phil Seymour his first gold disc. For Phil Seymour this was the icing on what was a delicious cake.
Phil Seymour 2.
Despite the success of Phil Seymour, the Prince Of Power Pop continued to work as a session musician and backing vocalist. By then, he had made many friends within the L.A. scene, and was a familiar and popular draw when he played at the city’s top clubs. Before long, it was time for Prince Of Power Pop to record his sophomore album Phil Seymour 2.
This time around, Phil Seymour had only written Better To Me Than You, and cowrote Suffering with Jimmie Podlor. Just like his eponymous debut album, Phil Seymour featured a Dwight Twilley composition, Looking For The Magic. These and the rest of the ten tracks were recorded by a tight, talented band at Recording Company by producer by Richard Podolor and engineer Bill Cooper.
Critics on hearing Phil Seymour 2, were impressed by the Prince Of Power Pop’s sophomore album. Just like its predecessor, the songs on Phil Seymour 2 were slick, polished and packed a power pop punch.
This was quite remarkable, as Phil Seymour seemed to be struggling to cope with his newfound fame. On several occasions Phil Seymour failed to turn up to shows, and other times seemed confused as he took to the stage. Some music industry insiders feared that Phil Seymour couldn’t cope with the fame, and worried about his future.
When Phil Seymour 2 was released in 1982, but didn’t stand a chance of making an impression on the charts. The Boardwalk Entertainment Co which was struggling financially, failed to promote the album, and many record buyers never even knew the album was out. This was a huge disappointment given the success of Phil Seymour.
With Phil Seymour 2 failed to even trouble the lower reaches of the US Billboard 200, record buyers missed out on hearing songs of the quality of Dancing A Dream and Better To Me Than You. Little did anyone know that Phil Seymour 2 was the last album the thirty year old would release.
After the commercial failure of Phil Seymour 2, Phil Seymour found himself at a crossroads. The death of Neil Bogart spelt the end for his record company The Boardwalk Entertainment Co, and Phil Seymour found himself without a recording contract.
Even though he had no recording contract, Phil Seymour continued to record songs for his next album. Many within the recording industry thought it was only a matter of time before Phil Seymour was snapped up by a record company.However, when no recording contract was forthcoming and Phil Seymour continued to work as a session musician.
The Textones.
In 1984, Phil Seymour became the drummer in Carla Olson’s band The Textones. They were a familiar face on the LA live scene, and Phil Seymour transformed The Textones’ sound and played on their debut album Midnight Mission. However, Carla Olson knew that Phil Seymour was too good to be playing drums in her band, and made it her mission to help her drummer secure a new recording contract.
That was admirable, as The Textones had been booked to tour America, Britain and Europe, and Phil Seymour played an important part in the band’s sound. Replacing Phil Seymour wasn’t going to be easy. However, the solo deal wasn’t forthcoming, and Phil Seymour played on The Textones’ albums Through The Canyon and Back In Time. Three songs by The Textones that featured Phil Seymour would also feature on the 1985 movie Sylvester. By then, Phil Seymour’s life had been turned upside down.
During a tour in 1985, Phil Seymour discovered a lump on the back of his neck, which later, was diagnosed as a lymphoma. Phil Seymour left The Textones and returned to Tulsa for chemotherapy treatment. Suddenly, music wasn’t as important as it had once been.
Just a year later, and Phil Seymour was back in the studio in 1986, and covered Michael Anderson’s Maybe It Was Memphis and Bill Pitcock IV’s fist pumping anthem-in-waiting How About You. Sadly, both lay unreleased until 2011, when it was released alongside Teaching Me. By then, it tragedy had struck.
Despite making a comeback in 1986, Phil Seymour never again released another album. Eight years after he was diagnosed with lymphoma, forty-one year old Phil Seymour passed away on August the ’17th’ 1993. Forty-one year old Phil Seymour succumbed to lymphoma, a disease he had bravely battled for eight years. The Prince Of Power Pop’s death left his friends, family and fans distraught at the loss of one so young and talented.
Phil Seymour, the The Prince Of Power Pop, was a truly talented singer, songwriter, musician and producer, who had the potential and talent to become one of the biggest artists of the eighties. Sadly, Phil Seymour’s the Prince Of Power Pop’s star shawn briefly, when he released just two albums and half-a-dozen carefully crafted singles between 1980 and 1982. During that period, it looked like Phil Seymour was going to become one of the biggest stars of the eighties. That may well have been the case, if Phil Seymour hadn’t been diagnosed with lymphoma in 1985, which was the illness that robbed music of one of its most talented sons in 1993, and the man many still refer to as the Prince Of Power Pop.
Phil Seymour-The Prince Of Power Pop.
SHA NA NA-FROM THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, HOT SOX AND SHA NA NOW.
Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now.
Label: BGO Records.
By 1973, Sha Na Na had been together fourteen years, released four albums and played at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair on Sunday, August the ‘17th’ 1969. That night, Sha Na Na played a barnstorming thirty-minute set in front of 400,000 people. This was the biggest concert of Sha Na Na’s career, who billed themselves as a group: “from the streets of New York.” They were also the antithesis of many of the groups on the bill at he Woodstock Music and Arts Fair. Despite that they had won over the crowd with their music which was a mixture of fifties rock ’n’ roll and doo woo. However, for many in the crowd, Sha Na Na were merely the warmup for Jimi Hendrix, who topped the bill.
When Jimi Hendrix took to the stage that night, he made musical history with what was a musical masterclass from one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. Suddenly, Jimi Hendrix had overshadowed everything that had gone before at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair.
Despite that, Sha Na Na’s appearance at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair lifted their profile and over the next couple of years, they continued to play some of the biggest music venues in America. They played at the Fillmore East and Fillmore West, where they opened for the Grateful Dead, the Mothers of Invention, and The Kinks. Then in 1972, Sha Na Na were one of just four groups to be invited by John Lennon and Yoko Ono at their One-To-One Benefit Concert in Madison Square Garden. This showed just highly regarded Sha Na Na were by their contemporaries and peers.
Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York.
Four years after their appearance at the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, Sha Na Na were preparing to take to the stage at Central Park, in New York on the ‘29th’ August 1973. At the side of the stage was a mobile recording studio which was about to record the concert, which was released later in 1973 as Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York. It’s one of three tracks on a two CD set released by BGO Records. Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York is joined by Hot Sox and Sha Na Now and these three albums are a reminder of a unique group: “from the streets of New York.”
It made sense for Sha Na Na to record Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, which was the second live album of their career. Their debut album Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay was a live album, and found favour with critics and reached the lower reaches of the US Billboard 200. Sha Na Na hoped that they could replicate a similar performance at Central Park.
When Sha Na Na took to the stage at Central Park the tapes were running, and they worked their way through twelve songs, that are best described as a memorable album of good time rock ’n’ roll. Among the highlights were The Wanderer, Ring Around Your Neck, Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream), Summertime Summertime and Goodnight Sweetheart which closed the set. For some in the audience, the dance contest medley of Yogi, Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White and Long Tall Sally was another of the highlights of the show which became Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York.
Although the concert was held on the ‘29th’ August 1973, the Kama Sutra label still managed to have Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York released before the end of 1973. While critics were won over by Sha Na Na’s unique brand of good time rock ’n’ roll, Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York failed to find an audience and never troubled the US Billboard 200. This was a disappointment for Sha Na Na who were hoping that Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York would introduce their music to a new audience.
Hot Sox.
Despite the commercial failure of Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, Sha Na Na began working on their next album Hot Sox. Sha Na Na hoped that this would be their breakthrough album. They were a popular live band, but their first five albums hadn’t sold particularly successful. Maybe Hot Sox would be a game-changers?
Sha Na Na’s drummer John Marcellino wrote Stroll All Night and Too Chubby To Boogie, which joined nine cover versions on the albums. This included Alan Gordon’s Maybe I’m Old Fashioned, Bob Hamilton and Freddie Gorman’s (Just Like) Romeo And Juliet, Larry Huff and William Linton’s Easier Said Than Done, Joe Jones and Reginald Hall’s You Talk Too Much, Lil Hardin-Armstrong’s Bad Boy and Huey “Piano” Smith’s Don’t You Just Know It which was joined by Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream). These were some of the tracks that Sha Na Na recorded at three studios.
Recording of Hot Sox was split between the Record Plant and A&R Studios in New York and Soundstage, in Toronto. That was where Sha Na Na recorded the eleven tracks with producer Jack Douglas that became their sixth album.
Just like their previous albums, Sha Na Na combined fifties rock ’n’ roll and doo wop on Hot Sox which was released by the Kama Sutra label in 1974. By then, many people regarded Sha Na Na as live group, which was when the group came alive. Proof of that were their two live albums they had already released Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay and From The Streets Of New York. However, many bands who shawn in a live environment, struggled to replicate their performances in the studio.
Some bands saw recording an album as the pursuit of perfection, which wasn’t what they were about. Their adrenaline fuelled performances were a mixture of energy and enthusiasm, and sometimes, were warts and all. That was the way that Sha Na Na worked, and when they entered the studio felt that they lost the spontaneity and energy of their live shows. Especially, when there were multiple takes of songs. This could be soul-destroying, as this wasn’t the way Sha Na Na worked. They were the polar opposite of groups like Steely Dan.
Despite not being as comfortable in the studio, Sha Na Na’s new album Hot Sox, was another enjoyable and memorable album Full of catchy and familiar songs including Maybe I’m Old Fashioned, Just Like) Romeo And Juliet, Easier Said Than Done, Sh-Boom (Life Could Be A Dream), You Talk Too Much and Don’t You Just Know transporting the listener back to another musical age. It was like being transported back to the fifties, when music was very different. However, that was the problem.
Sha Na Na’s music was the polar opposite of everything that was being released in 1974. By then, progressive rock, psychedelia, Philly Soul and the hard rocking sound of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin was filling the charts. There was no room at the inn for Sha Na Na’s new album Hot Sox, which failed to trouble the charts. Still Sha Na Na were looking for their breakthrough album.
Sha Na Now.
Following the release of Hot Sox, returned to playing live, but knew that they would soon be back in the studio to record their next album. Somehow, Sha Na Na had to replicate their live show in the studio and get their musical message across on what became Sha Na Now.
Maybe the problem was that Sha Na Na had been working with the wrong producers, and needed someone who could relate to the band and their music? Jack Douglas who produced Hot Sax was a well-respected and successful producer, but maybe he wasn’t the right person to bring out the best in the band. He didn’t return to produce Sha Na Now.
Replacing Jack Douglas was songwriter, arranger, orchestrator and producer Tony Camillo who had worked at Motown and then with the Holland-Dozier-Holland production team on their Invictus and Hot Wax labels. He had produced soul and funk and worked on B-Movies and Blaxploitation films. Tony Camillo would produce Sha Na Now and penned Circles Of Love and cowrote Sha Bumpin’ with Pam Sawyer.
With producer Tony Camillo onboard, Sha Na Na began on work on Sha Na Now. This time around, drummer John Marcellino contributed just the one track, Chills In My Spine. It joined the two contributed by Tony Camillo and covers of Runaway, Laughter In The Rain, Basement Party and (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet. They were joined by Claudine Clark’s Party Lights., Al Lawrence and Bruce Foster’s Shot Down In Denver, Geoff Stephens and Tony Macaulay’s You’re The Only Light On My Horizon Now. These tracks found their way onto Sha Na Now.
Previously, Sha Na Na had worked at some of the top studios in New York and Toronto, but for Sha Na Now the group made their way to Tony Camillo and Tony Bongiovi’s Venture Sound Studios, in New Jersey. Away from the spotlight that was shawn on bands at top studios, Sha Na Na suddenly found their voice and began to replicate their live sound. They became a new band during the recording Sha Na Now which was the studio album they knew they were capable of recording.
Once Sha Na Now was complete, the Kama Sutra label scheduled the release of the album for 1975. Critics on hearing the album, hailed it their finest studio album. That was no surprise as the production was better and the songs were much slicker, melodic and irresistibly catchy as Sha Na Na showcased their trademark harmonies. From the opening bars of Shot Down In Denver to the closing notes of Circles Of Love it was quality all the way. Especially during the covers of Runaway, Basement Party, (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet and Don’t Want To say Goodbye. Producer Tony Camillo’s contributions Sha Bumpin’ and Circles Of Love were tailor-made for Sha Na Na. So was John Marcellino’s Chills In My Spine. However, it was the cover of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do that was the highlight of Sha Na Now, which was the best albumin Sha Na Na’s career so far.
Despite the quality of Sha Na Now, the album failed to chart upon its release in 1975. History had a habit of repeating itself when it came to Sha Na Na’s albums. This was just the latest disappointment for the group: “from the streets of New York.”
Sadly, had record buyers missed out on what was Sha Na Na’s finest studio album, Sha Na Now when it was released in 1975. This was nothing new, and between 1973 and 1975, From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now passed record by. These three albums were recently remastered and rereleased by BGO Records, and the perfect introduction to Sha Na Na’s music.
From The Streets Of New York is Sha Na Na’s second live album, and is an irresistible reminder of doing what they do best, playing live. Hot Sox which was produced by Jack Douglas was an enjoyable and memorable album of cover versions and a couple of new songs, where Sha Na Na continue to hone their studio sound. They come of age on Sha Na Now which was slick, melodic and featured irresistible catchy music. Sadly, record buyers continued to overlook Sha Na Na’s albums music. However, that was about to change.
Between 1977 and 1982 Sha Na Na had their own television show in America, and became household names singing songs from the fifties and sixties. This nostalgia was hugely popular amongst the baby boomers, who remembered the music from the first time around. It also found a new audience amongst a younger generation, who had never heard the music before, and hearing Sha Na Na was part of their musical education. However, in 1978, millions of music fans heard Sha Na Na.
When the film Grease was released in 1978, members of Sha Na Na sang seventeen of the twenty-four songs that featured on the soundtrack. The Grease soundtrack sold twenty-eight million copies, and prompted a rock ’n’ roll revival. Meanwhile, Sha Na Na’s star was in the ascendancy partly because of their appearance on the Grease soundtrack, and because of their television show. At last, Sha Na Na, the group: “from the streets of New York”, were receiving the recognition they deserved, after albums like From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now failed to find the audience they deserved.
Sha Na Na-From The Streets Of New York, Hot Sox and Sha Na Now.
MAYNARD FERGUSON-M.F HORN 4 AND 5: LIVE AT JIMMY’S.
Maynard Ferguson-M.F. Horn 4 and 5:Live At Jimmy’s.
BGO Records.
The first time many jazz fans heard Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, was when he joined the when the twenty-four year old joined Stan Kenton’s new Innovations Orchestra in 1949. This was home for Maynard Ferguson for the next four years and was where he first came to prominence. Suddenly, Maynard Ferguson’s star was in the ascendancy and this resulted in him winning the prestigious Down Beat reader’s poll for best trumpeter in 1950, 1951 and 1952. This was quite a feat as Maynard Ferguson was up against many top trumpeters, including Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong. However, a year after winning his third Down Beat award, Maynard Ferguson left Stan Kenton’s employ and became a session musician at Paramount Pictures.
At Paramount Pictures, Maynard Ferguson soon became their first choice trumpeter and featured on forty-six soundtracks, including The Ten Commandments in 1956. However, his work at Paramount Pictures didn’t take up all of Maynard Ferguson’s time and he was still able to record with other artists. This offered another lucrative source of income for Maynard Ferguson. However, his contract with Paramount Pictures stated that he wasn’t allowed to play in jazz clubs.
Some nights, Maynard Ferguson circumvented this band by using an alias, and playing in clubs under the moniker Tiger Brown or Foxy Corby. However, by then, Maynard Ferguson was becoming increasingly unhappy about his lack of live performances and gradually became disillusioned with life at Paramount Pictures. As a result, he left Paramount Pictures in 1956.
Having spent February and March of 1956 recording Havana 3 A.M. with the Pérez Prado Orchestra, Maynard Ferguson was installed by Morris Levy as the bandleader of the Birdland Dream Band. This was a fourteen-piece all-star band that played at Morris Levy’s Birdland jazz club in New York. Alas, the Birdland Dream Band was a short-lived venture and only recorded two albums over the next year. After recording the two albums, Morris Levy’s dream of an all-star jazz band came to an end. However, many members of the Birdland Dream Band joined the new band that Maynard Ferguson formed in 1957.
Having spent much of last few years working at Paramount Pictures, and a sideman, and then with the Pérez Prado Orchestra and the Birdland Dream Band, Maynard Ferguson decided that from now on, he was going to concentrate on his own band. While he made the occasional guest appearances as a sideman, Maynard Ferguson concentrated his efforts on his new band
Over the next three decades, Maynard Ferguson’s band featured some of the top jazz musicians of the day, and also, some the best up-and-coming musicians. When Maynard Ferguson came across one of jazz’s rising stars, he was more than willing to give them an opportunity to showcase their skills. They had plenty of opportunity to do so, and between 1957 and 1973 Maynard Ferguson’s band had released over twenty albums and once again, the bandleader’s star was in the ascendancy.
By Tuesday the ‘10th’ of July 1973, forty-five year old Canadian bandleader Maynard Ferguson was regarded as one of the top jazz trumpeters, and was able to hold his own with the best in the business. That was despite fierce competition from Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Don Cherry, Donald Byrd, Jack Johnson, Woody Shaw and Art Farmer. However, Maynard Ferguson had been around since the late-forties and had a wealth of experience and planned to put to good use at a very special lunchtime gig on Tuesday the ’10th’ of July 1973.
The concert was part of the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival, which had relocated to New York a year earlier, in 1972. Maynard Ferguson had been booked to play a series of gigs at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on West ‘52nd’ Street during the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival. Although Maynard Ferguson was always busy recording and playing live, he was able to find time to play at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival. However, what Maynard Ferguson hadn’t planned on doing was recording a live album at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on the ’10th’ of July 1973. That wouldn’t have happened if some very special visitors hadn’t come to see him play live.
One of the hottest tickets of the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival was Ella Fitzgerald concert at the Carnegie Hall. Many jazz fans struggled to find a ticket and the scalpers were doing a roaring trade that night. However, many within the music industry were fortunate enough to have a ticket. However, saxophonist, composer and producer Teo Macero was on business, and was at the Carnegie Hall to record the concert. He was joined by music critic Mort Goode and they witnessed a peerless performance from the Queen of Jazz that was one of the highlights of the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival. After the concert, Teo Macero and Mort Goode decided to head to Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on West ‘52nd’ Street where they wanted to see Maynard Ferguson live.
Maynard Ferguson was now signed to Columbia, and had already recorded and released five albums for the label. That number would soon rise to six. When Teo Macero and Mort Goode arrived at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club they met a handful of Columbia executives, and got talking before Maynard Ferguson and his band took to the stage. They were spellbound during what was a barnstorming performance.
That night, everything just fell into place during an almost flawless performance. Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club had brought out the best in Maynard Ferguson and his band.
After the performance, Teo Macero, Mort Goode and the Columbia executives and went backstage to see Maynard Ferguson, and congratulate him on his performance. Soon, the talk turned to Maynard Ferguson recording a live album at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club during the 1973 Newport Jazz Festival. While that was a good idea, the logistics made this impossible.
Maynard Ferguson explained that he was only playing two more nights at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club, and then, had to move on. He had a busy schedule and couldn’t even stay for an extra day to record a live album. This was a huge disappointment for everyone in the room. When Maynard Ferguson checked his diary, he realised that he could return a couple of days later on Tuesday the ’10th’ of July 1973. Was this any use to Columbia Maynard Ferguson wondered?
Eventually, it was decided to grab the bull by the horns and record a live album at lunchtime at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on Tuesday the ’10th’ of July 1973. It was the perfect venue for Maynard Ferguson to record a live album. That album became M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s which was released in 1974 and recently, was remastered and rereleased by BGO Records.
Having made the decision to record the live album that became M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s, the Columbia executives had to work out the logistic of recording the album. They needed the personnel with the knowledge and skills to record a live album. Teo Macero was given the job of producing the concert, and the necessary equipment would be in place for the recording of M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s at lunchtime at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on Tuesday the ’10th’ of July 1973. There was one more thing that was needed for a live album, an audience.
Selling tickets at short notice was impossible for the executives at Columbia. Ideally, they wanted the same type of audience that had been at Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club the first night they saw Maynard Ferguson. They were enthusiastic and excited but respectful of Maynard Ferguson and his band. That would’ve been the perfect backdrop for Maynard Ferguson’s live album M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s. However, after some thought Columbia executives came up with a ready-made alternative audience. The press and record company executives were invited to hear Maynard Ferguson and his band play a special two-hour concert that started at midday.
On Tuesday the ’10th’ of July 1973, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson was joined by the twelve members of his band on the stage of Jimmy Ryan’s jazz club on West ‘52nd’ Street. It was a multitalented band that featured a mixture of top musicians and also a number of up-and-coming players that was drawn from three continents of the world.
Maynard Ferguson’s band featured three British musicians, including drummer Randy Jones, Pete Jackson who played electric piano and saxophonist and flautist Andy MacIntosh. They were joined by flautist and baritone saxophonist Bruce Johnstone from New Zealand, while Ferdinand Povel from the Netherlands was a flautist and tenor saxophonist. The remainder of the twelve strong band were American.
This included Rick Petrone who switched between acoustic and electric bass. In the horn section were Lin Biviano, Danny Cahn, John de Flon and Bob Summers who played trumpet and flugelhorn. They were joined by trombonists Randy Purcell and Graham Ellis, while Andy MacIntosh played alto and soprano saxophone and flute. This all-star band would accompany Maynard Ferguson during his two-hour session which was being recorded by Teo Macero.
As Maynard Ferguson and his big band took to the stage, they opened the show with a six-minute version of Pete Jackson’s Teonova which he had dedicated to Teo Macero who was sitting just off the stage recording the concert. As he watched on, Maynard Ferguson and his big band were soon showcasing their considerable skills during solos, vamps and when they played as one. Already, there’s an energy and intensity, especially when Maynard Ferguson plays with power as he unleashes a blazing and dazzling solos. Other times, his playing is slightly more restrained, but still full of emotion, as he and his big band set the bar high for the rest of the album.
Maynard Ferguson and his big band then cover Jimmy Webb’s MacArthur Park. Initially they stay true to the original, before Maynard Ferguson’s trumpet adds a rueful, emotive sound. However, when the tempo increases, the track is transformed as it heads in the direction of jazz-funk, fusion, funk, Latin and rock. Bandleader Maynard Ferguson allows his band to shine as the track takes a series of twists and turns and enthusiastic audience enjoy this masterful reinvention of a classic track.
Pete Jackson’s genre-melting Left Bank Express bursts into life, and is six minutes of majestic rock-swing that is partly built around a pulsating Bossa Nova vamp. Whether it’s during the solos or when they play as a big band, the all-star ensemble reach new heights. After that, there’s no stopping Maynard Ferguson’s big band. Especially during a cover of the standard I’m Getting Sentimental Over You. It takes on a beautiful, rueful, late-night sound, before giving way to a fast and furious swinging bebop inspired version of Don Menza’s Two for Otis. Following hard on its heels is the Maynard Ferguson composition Stay Loose For Bruce. It’s memorable bluesy, mid-tempo track that certainly swings. So does Nice ‘n Juicy which heads in the direction of jazz-funk and fusion as Maynard Ferguson takes the big band sound in a new direction.
Mike Abene’s The Fox Hun is a breathtaking example of bebop where Maynard Ferguson and his big band play at breakneck speed. It’s followed by the bluesy Got The Spirit, a near ten minute track where Bruce Johnstone on baritone saxophone plays a leading role. There’s also a hint of fusion before the tempo rises and the big band stretch their legs. When they’re in full flight it’s a joy to behold and it’s no surprise that the enthusiastic audience make their appreciation felt. Closing the show was Blue Birdland where the horns swing, and Maynard Ferguson introduces the band before bidding the audience farewell.
The following year, 1974, Maynard Ferguson released his sixth album for Columbia, M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s to critical acclaim. It was a double album that featured ten tracks that lasted sixty-three minutes. M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s was an irresistible reminder of Maynard Ferguson and his all-star big band at the peak of their powers.
The big band was led by composer, trumpeter and bandleader Maynard Ferguson, who in 1973 was one of the top jazz trumpeters. He led a multinational big band that featured familiar faces and new names who were talented and versatile musicians. This is apparent throughout M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s which was recently remastered and rereleased by BGO Records, and finds the big band switching seamlessly between and combing musical genres. This included bebop, blues, funk, fusion, jazz, jazz-funk, Latin and rock. However, always, though, Maynard Ferguson returns to the big band sound which he reinvents throughout M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s.
Nowadays, M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s is regarded as one of the finest albums that Maynard Ferguson released during his Columbia years, and is the perfect introduction to that period of the jazz superstar’s long and illustrious career
Maynard Ferguson-M.F. Horn 4 and 5: Live At Jimmy’s.
HAVENAIRE-RABOT.
Havenaire-Rabot.
Label: Glacial Movements.
For many artists, recording their debut album is a labour of love, that can take not just months, but years of their lives. This time is spent in a recording studio, and sometimes, in their home, where they continue to work on their debut album in their spare time. Initially, artists are full of enthusiasm, and believe that the album that they’re recording will not only transform their career. Especially for many unsigned artists, who hope that the album they’re recording will see them signed to a record company and a new chapter in their career unfolding.
Sometimes, though, the project consumes them, and takes over their life, leaving little time for family and friends. By then, an artist can have spent a year or two, working on their debut album, and feel that they’ve invested too much of their life and sometimes, finances on the project to walk away from it.
While walking from a project may not be an option, taking time out can allow an artist to rethink what they’re doing and return refreshed and reinvigorated. Nowadays, many artists will spend several years on an album, and will regularly take time out, before returning to the project at a later. Especially artists who are working on several projects at the same time.
They’re often unable to dedicate a year of their life to writing and recording an album, and it’s been known for an artist to take four years to record their debut album. That was the case with Swedish musician, singer, songwriter and producer John Roger Olsson, who spent four years on and off, recording Havenaire’s debut album Tremolo.
Tremelo.
In 2011, Stockholm based John Roger Olsson began working on Tremelo which was the debut album from his latest musical vehicle, Havenaire. By then, John Roger Olsson was a familiar face on the Swedish music scene since 2001. During that ten-year period, he had worked as musician, singer, songwriter and producer. With his skills in demand, he would need to work on Tremelo when time permitted.
John Roger Olsson knew he couldn’t dedicate a year of his life to writing and recording Havenaire’s debut album Tremolo. It wouldn’t have made financial sense, and even if he had been able to spend a year recording Tremelo, by the time he was finished would he still be in demand as a musician, singer, songwriter and producer? There were plenty of up-and-coming musicians in Sweden, and elsewhere in Scandinavia.
With that in mind, John Roger Olsson continued to work career as a musician, songwriter and producer over the next four years, when time permitted, he recorded the eight tracks at Möre Studio and at his Stockholm home between 2011 and 2015. After four long years eventually, Havenaire’s debut album Tremolo was completed. It was a proud moment for John Roger Olsson, and now he had to find a record company willing to release Tremelo.
Eventually, Constellation Tatsu, an American label based in Oakland, agreed to release Havenaire’s debut album Tremolo. Constellation Tatsu were won over by Tremolo’s minimalist sound where Havenaire fuse elements of ambient, drone and electronica and agreed to release Tremelo.
The release of Havenaire’s debut album Tremolo was scheduled by Constellation Tatsu for release on cassette on February the ’23rd’ 2016, some five years after work began on the project. Seeing Tremolo released was another proud moment for John Roger Olsson. Now there was a small matter of Havenaire’s sophomore album.
Rabot.
Many people who knew John Roger Olsson were well aware that he had taken five to complete Tremelo, and doubtless, when the subject of the followup came up, joked that they would see him in 2021. They probably thought that it would another five years before Havenaire’s sophomore album was ready for release. This took the pressure off John Roger Olsson, who completed returned in December 2017 with his eagerly awaited sophomore album Rabot which was released by the Glacial Movements label. This is the perfect label for Havenaire.
The Glacial Movements label is an Italian label founded and curated by Alessandro Tedeschi. Glacial Movements specialised in ambient and electronic arctic soundscapes, which is the perfect description of Havenaire’s sophomore album Rabot. It was sculpted by John Roger Olsson’s beloved analog synths which are now his musical palette.
This is changed days indeed, as John Roger Olsson was previously a guitarist and drummer. He’s best remembered as a member of The Grand Opening, whose speciality was wistful indie pop. That is in the past, and now that John Roger Olsson has dawned the Havenaire moniker he spends his time sculpting ethereal and glacial arctic soundscapes like those on Rabot.
There’s a total of six soundscapes on Rabot, which John Roger Olsson sculpted over a number of months. His inspiration for the music was a series of old photos taken by Swedish geographer Fredrik Enquist in 1910. These photographs inspired Havenaire’s six soundscapes that feature on Rabot.
The carefully sculpted ambient soundscapes on Rabot are best described as ethereal, glacial and cinematic as they conjure up pictures of a frozen wasteland that is both bleak and beautiful. Especially on Rabot, before Enquist Photo 1910 introduces a degree of darkness and drama. Maybe this is Havenaire’s way of warning that this beautiful landscape can sometimes be a perilous place? That drama returns Sylarna which has an elegiac and melancholy sound as washes of cinematic synths paint pictures that transport the listener back in time to 1910 and the bleak and beautiful landscape that Fredrik Enquist photographed over a hundred years ago.
Again, there’s a degree of drama on Calving where shimmering, glistening synths combine with a jittering drone before a much more hopeful, and beautiful sound emerges. Maybe it’s because the seasons are changing, and spring has arrived, which is the time for Calving? The photograph on Rabot’s album cover to Rabot suggests that, and Havenaire paints a picture of a different landscape emerging as it sheds its winter coat. Closing Rabot is Sarek Pt. 1 and 2, an eleven minute opus, where ethereal, dreamy synths are responsible for a slow, minimalist soundscape that floats along. The music is graceful, but sometimes becomes dark and elegiac as if reminding the listener that the terrain is treacherous. Fredrik Enquist photograph on Rabot’s album cover is reminder of that. However, later, there’s hope and ethereal beauty on what’s one of Havenaire’s finest moments on Rabot. It closes Rabot on a high.
For all those people yet to discover the delights of Havenaire’s ambient arctic soundscapes then Rabot is the perfect introduction to his music. Rabot was released on the Glacial Movements label, which specialises in releasing albums of electronic arctic soundscapes. That is without doubt, the perfect description of the music Havenaire’s recently released sophomore album Rabot.
John Roger Olsson a.k.a. Havenaire composed, recorded and produced the six soundscapes on Rabot, which are a fusion of ambient, avant-garde, drone and electronica. While it took Havenaire five years on and off to record his debut album Tremelo, this time around, Havenaire was able to complete his sophomore album Rabot much quicker. The result is an album where Havenaire manages to surpass the quality of music on Tremelo. Using an array of analog synths, which are the equivalent to his musical palette, he sculpted and honed the music on Rabot. The result is one of the finest albums of ambient music released during 2017.
That is no surprise as Rabot’s cinematic sound is rich in imagery, as Havenaire’s music transports the listener to the terrain that Swedish geographer Fredrik Enquist photographed in 1910. One of his photographs featured on Rabot’s album cover, while another on back of the album. Both photos are proof that a picture can say more than a thousand words. So can Rabot, which is the musical equivalent to time travel, with Havenaire taking the listener back to 1910 and the land where Fredrik Enquist visited and photographed. Suddenly the listener is standing alongside Fredrik Enquist and seeing the terrain as he sees it. This is only possible because of the music on Rabot, which is Havenaire’s stunning sophomore album, and an ambient arctic opus which showcases his cinematic sound that is rich in ethereal beauty and imagery.
Havenaire-Rabot.
CARBON BASED LIFEFORMS-DERELICTS.
Carbon Based Lifeforms-Derelicts.
Label: Blood Music.
During the sixties and seventies, most artists and bands released an album annually, with some even releasing two, and very occasionally three albums each year. Many artists thought nothing of this, as this was how the music industry operated. Artists and bands were contractually obliged to release one or even two albums each calendar year. Usually, artists and bands were happy to oblige, as often careers were short, and they wanted to earn as much as possible before the bubble burst and the hits dried up.
The savvy artists and bands within certain genres knew that they had a very limited shelf life and that it was unlike that they would enjoy any degree of longevity. This meant that it was important that they made hay while the sun was shining. Especially, sixties and seventies pop, soul glam rock and disco which could make stars of artists and bands, who within a few years, could be back where they started and penniless. To make matters worse, they had to face the indignity of being asked: “aren’t you that guy that sung…?”This happened to many artists who were chewed up and spat out by the music industry.
Other artists and bands who realised that their career would be short-lived career, ensured that they made as much as possible and invested it wisely. They were realists and knew that the bubble would burst sooner, rather than later. This was the musical equivalent of Bitcoin, way before the words crypto currency were even invented.
While many musicians enjoyed short-lived careers, some went on to enjoy long and sometimes, successful careers. Other artists and bands continue to make a living out of music and were happy to make a steady living each years. These bands continue to play live and are happy to release albums every few years. That is far from the case.
Nowadays, very few bands releases an album each year, and sometimes, two or three years passes before an album is released. Partly, that is because bands are taking longer to record an album, and can spent two or three years recording their latest opus. The other reason for the lengthy gap between albums is that they’re no longer the cash cow they once were. This means that bands are reluctant to invest time and money recording a new album if they’re going to lose money. That isn’t always the case though.
Other bands are so busy on various projects that they struggle to find the time to record a new album. The two members of Carbon Based Lifeforms have certainly been busy over the last few years, and recently, released Derelicts on Blood Music, which is their first new album in six long years. It’s a veritable musical feast for fans of Swedish ambient duo, who met when they were fifteen.
Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad (née Ringström), were both born in Göteborg, south-west Sweden in 1976, and met when they were fifteen. This was the start of a friendship and a musical partnership that is still going strong quarter of a century later.
Initially, Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad were members of Notch which they formed in 1996 with their friend Mikael Lindqvist. Later in 1996, Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad decided to form Carbon Based Lifeforms as a side-project. Little did they know that this would be the start of a project that would still be going strong twenty-one years later.
Although it was two years before Carbon Based Lifeforms released their debut album, their demo The Path is a tantalising taste of what was to come from the group.
Two years later, Notch self-released their debut album The Path in 1998. That album was repackaged and rereleased later in 1998 by Carbon Based Lifeforms with a new track-listing as The Phat #000001/The Phat #000002. Intro, Rain and Hold were omitted with a new track Into The Canyon added on The Path which more than hinted at and showcased Carbon Based Lifeforms’ unique and inimitable sound.
Four years later, and Carbon Based Lifeforms signed to the Lyon-based Ultimae Records in 2002. Later that year, many music fans were introduced to Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music was when their track Metrosat 4 featured on the Ultimae Records’ compilation Fahrenheit Project part 3. These music fans would be hearing much more of the Swedish ambient duo in the years to come.
A year later, in 2003, Carbon Based Lifeforms returned with what they regard as their official debut album Hydroponic Garden. It showcased the Swedish ambient duo’s unique and carefully crafted sound which found favour with critics and music fans.
Following the release of Hydroponic Garden, Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music featured on a number of compilations released by Ultimae Records. Soon, their popularity would spread and other labels would be licensing tracks by Carbon Based Lifeforms.
Before that, Carbon Based Lifeforms returned with their much-anticipated sophomore album World Of Sleepers’ in 2006. It literally picked up where Hydroponic Garden left off as Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad continued to hone their trademark ambient sound. World Of Sleepers was well received by critics, and Carbon Based Lifeforms were well on their way to becoming one of the finest purveyors of ‘21st’ Century ambient music.
After the released of World Of Sleepers in 2006, Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music became the music de jour amongst compilers of ambient, chill out and psy-trance. Tracks by Carbon Based Lifeforms found their way on to compilations by DadA Music, Yellow Sunshine Explosion, Killing Music, Interchill Records, Spiral Trax and RMG Records between 2006 and 2009. This introduced Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music to a much wider audience which was perfect timing.
In 2009, Carbon Based Lifeforms returned with their first album in three years, Interloper. Just like previous albums, Carbon Based Lifeforms had taken their time recording Interloper, and were happy to spend days, weeks and months perfecting tracks. That had been the case on Interloper, with Carbon Based Lifeforms creating building blocks of sounds which they honed and tweaked as they sought sonic perfection. Many critics and music fans thought that Interloper was Carbon Based Lifeforms’ finest hour.
By then, Carbon Based Lifeforms had been together thirteen years, and were like a musical yin and yang who together, sculpted and honed ethereal, dreamy, lysergic and otherworldly soundscapes. Carbon Based Lifeforms also collaborated with other artists, and were familiar faces on the festival scene. They had come a long way since releasing Notch as twenty year olds.
A reminder of how far Carbon Based Lifeforms had come was when they performed at Cosmonova, the IMAX cinema within Stockholm’s Museum of Natural History in 2009. That night, Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music provided the soundtrack to nature-inspired imagery from across the world. There was also a tour of the solar system that was filmed from the International Space Station. Carbon Based Lifeforms’ music was the perfect backdrop what was one of the hottest tickets in town during 2009.
Two years later, Carbon Based Lifeforms followed in the footsteps of Cluster, by releasing an hour-long track, VLA. This was first of a number of projects that they were involved in over the next few years.
The following year, 2012, was an important year for Carbon Based Lifeforms, who released a new studio album, Twentythree. It was another album of Carbon Based Lifeforms’ unique and carefully sculpted ambient soundscapes. Just like previous albums, critics and music fans were won over by what was their last studio album for five years.
After the release of Twentythree, Carbon Based Lifeforms were commissioned to o write the soundtrack to the independently produced film, The Mansion. A year later, in 2013, the resulting Refuge-Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released and found favour amongst critics. Carbon Based Lifeforms venture into the world of soundtracks had been a successful one, and one they were keen to repeat.
Carbon Based Lifeforms continued to play live and record new music. This was cerebral music with a social conscience. In their studio, Carbon Based Lifeforms continued to combine earth and space in their music. To do this, they combine nature and technology as the inspiration for their music. The music they make highlights both the positive and negative impact that technology can have on society and the environment
In 2015, Carbon Based Lifeforms changed record labels, and signed with Blood Music. This was the start of a new chapter in Carbon Based Lifeforms’ career, and two years later they recently returned with their new album Derelicts on Blood Music. It’s another carefully crafted album from Swedish ambient duo.
Derelicts however, isn’t just another ambient album from Carbon Based Lifeforms. Far from it; it’s an album of lovingly honed ambient psychedelia recorded by Carbon Based Lifeforms in their well equipped studio.
Amongst the many instruments in Carbon Based Lifeforms’ studio is an array of classic and modern synths which Carbon Based Lifeforms put to good use on the twelve tracks on Derelicts. This is only part of their musical arsenal, and just like previous albums, Carbon Based Lifeforms use field recordings on 780 days and Everwave.
Carbon Based Lifeforms in true pioneering spirit also transform everyday items. Suddenly, a water pump, dishwasher and even a baby’s teething toy become makeshift instruments and play their part in Carbon Based Lifeforms’ unique and inimitable sound on Derelicts. The final piece of the jigsaw are Ester Nannmark’s lyrics and vocals on Derelicts, ~42°, Rayleigh Scatterers and Loss Aversion. Ester Nannmar more than plays her part in the sound and success of Derelicts.
Quite simply, Derelicts in a captivating and enchanting album and is a career defining album from Carbon Based Lifeforms where they create innovative genre-melting music. During the twelve tracks, Carbon Based Lifeforms combine elements of ambient with avant-garde, Berlin School, electronica, experimental and musique concrète. The result is carefully crafted music that the two members that has been honed by Carbon Based Lifeforms as they go in search of sonic perfection.
That is the case throughout Derelicts. On the album opener Accede, the minimalist and mesmeric arrangement gradually unfolds as crystalline and shimmering synths combine with a pulsating beat. This set the bar high for the rest of Derelicts, as Carbon Based Lifeforms continue their pursuit of sonic perfection.
Ester Nannmar makes her debut on Derelicts, where her futuristic vocal combines with ethereal and elegiac synths on this futuristic and otherworldly cinematic soundscape.
Quite different is Clouds, where the dreamy, lysergic arrangement floats along and is akin to aural Prozac as suddenly, the world seems a better place. Lysergic describes Nattväsen, where the tempo drops, and soon, the ethereal and minimalist soundscape seems to be drawing inspiration from Alice In Wonderland as Carbon Based Lifeforms combine dialogue with glistening synths to create their unique brand of ambient psychedelia. That is a perfect description of the dreamy, hypnotic Equilibrium, where ethereal synths are combined with dialogue to create a futuristic and trippy soundscape. Cinematic and sometimes dramatic and urgent describes Path Of Least Resistance which sounds as if it’s been inspired by a bad acid trip.
Washes of the glistening synths and field recordings are combined on 780 Days which meanders along for nearly three minutes before the tempo rises, and Carbon Based Lifeforms deploy an array of synths and drum machine as a cinematic sound takes shape. Later, the calm descends and the ethereal beauty returns on track that shows that Carbon Based Lifeforms are perfectly suited to writing soundtracks. ~42˚ glides along, with sci-fi sound part of this futuristic sounding soundscape. It sounds as if it belongs on the soundtrack to a sci-fi movie.
One of the most beautiful and relaxing tracks on Derelicts is Rayleigh Scatterers. It has a meditative quality and encourages the listener to reflect and ruminate as suddenly, the world seems a better place.
Futuristic and otherworldly describes the cinematic sounding Dodecahedron. It’s another track that wouldn’t sound out-of-place on a sci-fi soundtrack. So does Loss Aversion which picks up where Dodecahedron as Carbon Based Lifeforms continue to paint pictures with their music. Closing Derelicts is Everwave that veers between ethereal and elegiac to otherworldly and lysergic. Just like many tracks on Derelicts, Everwave has a cinematic sound that is sure to set the listener’s imagination racing.
Derelicts is Carbon Based Lifeforms first studio album for five years, and is without doubt, a career-defining album of ambitious and innovative genre-melting music from the Göteborg-based ambient psychedelia pioneers.
Much of the music on Derelicts, which is a carefully crafted album of ambient psychedelia, is cinematic, and while some tracks are cerebral, ruminative and thoughtful while others are futuristic and otherworldly. Other tracks are variously dreamy, elegiac and ethereal, while others are dramatic and urgent. Some of the other tracks on Derelicts are edgy and trippy, but like the rest of the album are also innovative and captivating. Sometimes, Carbon Based Lifeforms throw a curveball, and the soundscapes head in unexpected directions, before normality is restored on what’s their finest hour.
Carbon Based Lifeforms’ recently released album of ambient psychedelia Derelicts, is a career-defining album from Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad who take the listener on a lysergic magical mystery tour which features surprises aplenty in-store for the unsuspecting listener.
Carbon Based Lifeforms-Derelicts.
MICHAEL COSMIC-PEACE IN THE WORLD AND PHILL MUSRA GROUP-CREATOR SPACES.
Michael Cosmic-Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group-Creator Spaces.
Label: Now Again Records.
In the fifties, there was a growing dissatisfaction at the limitations and constraints of bebop, hard bop and modal jazz and a group of pioneering musicians decided that the time had come to alter, extend, or break down jazz conventions. This included Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor, who were soon joined by Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy, Albert Ayler, Archie Shepp, Joe Maneri and the inimitable Sun Ra who pioneered free jazz. They discarded fixed chord changes or tempos, and placed the emphasis on collective improvisation during what was an avant-garde approach to jazz and an attempt to take jazz back to its sometimes primitive and religious roots.
Some things didn’t change, and still the music continued to swing despite free jazz pioneers discarding regular meters and replacing them with frequent accelerandi and ritardandi. Soon, the free jazz pioneers were looking to the jazz’s past to create the music that they believed was the future of jazz. They drew inspiration from Dixieland and African music, and even began to incorporate disparate instruments that hadn’t been used in jazz before. Still, many critics were sceptical of free jazz and believed that it was a passing fad, and wouldn’t enjoy any degree of longevity.
How wrong these critics were. By the early sixties, many leading jazz musicians were part of the free jazz movement and new techniques had been adopted by the pioneers. This included the harsh overblowing that became a feature Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane’s music. Meanwhile, other musicians reinvented the way they used traditional instruments so that it elicited a variety of unconventional sounds. They played their part in this musical revolution was about to be embraced by jazz’s establishing.
By the mid-sixties, jazz’s premier labels, including Blue Note, Impulse and Prestige, had signed many of the leading lights of the free jazz movement and it was a start of a golden age of the genre. During this period, many classic free jazz albums were recorded which would influence several generations of musicians around the world.
Two of the musicians influenced by the free jazz pioneers were brothers Thomas Michael Cooper and Phillip Anthony Alfred Cooper, who were born in Chicago on April the ‘25th’ 1950 and were raised in South Side of the Windy City. Later, the Cooper family moved to Alabama and Ohio, where the twins grew up as part of middle class family.
An important part of family life for the Cooper family was the church. Both the twins sang in the choir at the St. Paul The Redeemer Episcopal Church, where, their mother was a volunteer choir director. While this was the first time they had participated in any type of organised music, the Cooper twins had already embraced music.
From an early age, the twins spent time listening to soul, jazz and R&B with father Thomas. This was the start of a lifelong love affair with music, and within a few years, the twins were playing music as well as listening to it.
As the Cooper twins became teenagers, they started taking music lessons. While many teenagers in Chicago were learning to play guitar in the hope of following in the footsteps of folk singers like Bob Dylan, the Cooper twins were learning to play reed instruments. They were quick learners, and within a couple of years, weren’t just proficient, but talented players.
Around 1966, the Cooper twins were sitting in a park in Chicago’s South Side when Roscoe Mitchell a tutor at South Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, passed by and noticed Phillip’s clarinet. Roscoe Mitchell started talking to the Cooper twins, and invited them to the South Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, which had been formed in 1965. Although it was still a relatively new organisation, it had talented musicians who could tutor the Cooper twins.
They agreed to attend the South Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, and were taught by a number of musicians, including Roscoe Mitchell, reedist Anthony Braxton and theory from Muhal Richard Abrahams. The tutors encouraged their pupils to be self-reliant and to actualise and realise their true potential as composers, musicians and theorists.
To help their pupils do this, the tutors introduced them to small instruments, which ranged from wooden flutes and cymbals to harmonicas and even tin cans. These instruments allowed musicians to expand their musical palette, by introducing a whole new range of sonic possibilities. This would something the Cooper twins would remember in the future.
Before that, saxophonist Jameel Moondoc the Cooper twins headed to the University of Wisconsin, where they were meant to further their musical education. However, when they arrived, the three students discovered that the living conditions were intolerable. There weren’t even any beds available, and they had to resort to sleeping on the floor. This was wholly unacceptable, and before long, Jameel Moondoc the Cooper twins had left the University of Wisconsin.
The Cooper twins decided to move to Boston, which had a vibrant arts and music scene. Boston had also a burgeoning free jazz scene, with many of the musicians students at the city’s various universities and colleges. These musicians became part of Boston’s underground music scene, which the Cooper twins were soon part of.
They discovered that there was a similar ethos to the South Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians within the Boston underground music scene. This made Boston a home-from-home for the Cooper twins, who had dawned the monikers Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra.
Home for Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra was a house that was literally full of musical instruments, which soon, was a place where many lengthy jam sessions took place. Over the next few weeks and months, many Boston-based musicians, made their way to Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s house, including radio presenter and percussionist Brian Jackson.
When the musicians arrived at the house, they were impressed by the variety of instruments that Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra owned. They were even more impressed to discover that Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra could play each and every one of them.There were saxophones, clarinets and even a vibraphone and Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra could seamlessly switch between instruments during the regular jam sessions and soon, rehearsals that took place.
Before long, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra had formed a band, which featured percussionist and sometimes vocalist Brian Jackson. Rehearsals took place at Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s house, with the nascent band spending hours and even days honing a song until it took shape. While the songs took shape, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra realised that something was missing from the lineup of their band.
Eventually, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra decided to recruit poet Niozake Shange to their band, in an attempt to complete the lineup. This worked, and the band’s fusion of music and poetry proved to be a groundbreaking and revolutionary concept.
Initially, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s band played anywhere that had an audience who had embrace and enjoy what they were trying to accomplish. Before long, the band had progressed to playing various coffee shops and jazz clubs, but a favourite venue was the new Black Avant-garde Coffeehouse in Boston. It was very different to the traditional jazz clubs, as it only served coffee, muffins and organic food. However, the patrons ‘got’ what Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s band was trying to achieve.
Within a couple of years, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s band was a popular draw not just in Boston, but across the North East. They played almost non-stop travelling far and wide playing and spreading their musical message. By then, the group’s lineup was starting to take shape, and the band that featured on Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group’s Creator Spaces which are part of a three disc box set that was recently released by Now Again Records, was nearly complete.
By the early seventies, the lineup of Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s band featured some of the leading lights of Boston’s free jazz scene. However, what the band needed was a drummer who could anchor the band and provide the heartbeat to the groundbreaking music. Fortunately, the final piece of the jigsaw fell into place around 1971 or 1972, when Turkish-born drummer Hüseyin Ertunç was introduced to Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra.
Twenty-two year old Hüseyin Ertunç had arrived in Boston in 1969, to study painting and music, and a couple of years layer, met Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra. Hüseyin Ertunç was a talented artist, who specialised in surrealist drawings, and they would later adorn the covers of Peace In The World and Creator Spaces. However, Hüseyin Ertunç was a talented and versatile drummer who when he met Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra came across as intelligent and intense. The Cooper brothers had a feeling that Hüseyin Ertunç was the man that they had been looking for.
With Hüseyin Ertunç installed as the band’s drummer, this was the start of a new chapter in their career, and one that featured a stellar lineup of gifted and versatile musicians. Among them, were guitarist and bassist Wes Riley, bassists Michael Whitaker and Miles Cosworth, pianist Michael Cochrane, saxophonist Mudon Slaughter and guitarist Rene Arlain. They player their part in what was a golden era for Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s band.
Despite his commitment and passion for music and his spirituality, Phill Musra had to work a couple of days jobs to pay the bills. Fortunately, one job working as a delivery driver allowed him time for his creative musings and Phill Musra found time to write The Creator Spaces, The Creator Is So Far Out and More Beautiful Vibrations From The Creator. These reflect Phill Musra’s spirituality and were partly inspired by his meditation as the music flowed through Phill Musra and onto the page. This music was very different to the music Phill Musra’s brother Michael Cosmic was making.
While Phill Musra meditated and focused on spiritual matters, Michael Cosmic had become interested in his cultural and racial heritage. He had also become politically active, and was a supporter of the Boston housing plan which resulted in desegregation of schooling within the city. Michael Cosmic’s new interests and beliefs clearly influenced his music as he wrote Arabia, We Love You Malcolm X and Peace In The World.
Although the Cooper brother were twins their different interests and beliefs, which were influencing the music that they were writing. This included the music that later, would feature on Michael Cosmic’s album Cosmic Paradise and Phill Musra’s Peace In The World. Before these albums were recorded, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra continued to play their part in Boston’s thriving underground music scene.
That had been the case ever since Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra had arrived in Boston in the late-sixties. By the summer of 1974, they were familiar faces within Boston’s underground scene where Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra were regarded as innovative and pioneering musicians who weren’t afraid to push musical boundaries to their limits. Everyone who had seen the band live over the last couple of years realised this. However, despite playing almost non-stop over the last few years, neither Michael Cosmic nor Phill Musra had recorded an album. That was about to change.
Phill Musra Group-Creator Spaces.
The first of the Cooper twins to enter the studio was the Phill Musra Group’s debut album Creator Spaces. Phill Musra, Michael Cosmic and Hüseyin Ertunç had decided to finance the recording of the album at Egg Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was engineered by Larrymar Richards, who recorded forty minutes of music.
This included Egypt and Arabia which were penned by Michael Cosmic, plus The Creator Is So Far Out and the Phill Musra composition Creator Spaces. Anchoring the Phill Musra Group was drummer and percussionist Hüseyin Ertunç, while Phill Musra played reeds, percussion and chimes. Completing the lineup was Michael Cosmic who played reeds, organ, percussion, saxophones, flutes and zurna. Creator Spaces which featured a mixture of traditional instruments that the Cooper twins were introduced to at South Chicago’s Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, in Chicago. They played their part in the sound of Creator Spaces.
Having recorded the privately pressed album, and had a small run of albums pressed, Hüseyin Ertunç’s drawings adorned the original copies of Creator Spaces. On the back of the album was the liner notes, setting in stone the personnel that played on the Phill Musra Group’s debut album Creator Spaces.
Later in 1974, Creator Spaces was the first release by the newly founded Intex Sound. Creator Spaces was an ambitious and innovative album that showcased the considerable talents of the Phill Musra Group. It featured the four tracks that had been recorded at Egg Studios.
Waves of captivating, genre-melting and innovative music unfold and enchant on Egypt, as the Phill Musra Group’s playing veers between impassioned and powerful to understated, ruminative and dramatic during this eleven minute musical journey. There’s then an urgency on Arabia as saxophones unite while Hüseyin Ertunç unleashes thunderous drums that are part of a vast musical arsenal that is deployed as the arrangement ebbs and flows. Waves of cosmic music that has been influenced by Sun Ra cascade as the arrangement takes a series of twists and turns as instruments are introduced, only to disappear and sometimes, reappear. Always, the Phill Musra Group play with energy, enthusiasm and freedom that epitomises everything that is good about a small group playing free jazz.
From the moment that The Creator Is So Far Out bursts into life, the influence of Pharoah Sanders and Albert Ayler is apparent. There’s an urgency as the arrangements swirls, screeches and howls that borders on chaotic before becoming melodic and impassioned during what’s akin to a cathartic outpouring of emotion that cleanses the soul. Closing The Creator Spaces is the title-track, which is the most accessible and melodic track on Phill Musra Group’s debut album.
After the release of the Phill Musra Group’s ambitious and innovative fusion of avant-garde, contemporary jazz and free jazz in 1974, The Creator Space proved popular within Boston’s underground music community. Especially amongst those who had the Phill Musra Group live during the past few years. They were one of the top bands on the Boston free jazz scene, but were never going to get rich releasing a private press.
The three members of the Phill Musra Group had financed the recording and release of Creator Space and even designed the album cover. They had also founded Intex Sound to release the album. However, like many groups who had decided to release a private press, the Phill Musra Group had a limited budget, and decided to have only a small number of copies of The Creator Space were pressed. While it proved a popular album within the Boston underground music scene, the Phill Musra Group’s debut album had no chance of finding a wider audience as Intex Sound didn’t have the budget or expertise to promote the album properly. This was a fact of life for bands releasing private presses, and they could only hope that a bigger record company would come across the album and want to reissue Creator Space. Sadly, that wasn’t to be, and it would be forty-three years before Creator Space found the wider audience it deserved.
Michael Cosmic-Peace In The World.
As 1974 drew to a close, Michael Cosmic entered Music Designers, in Boston on the ‘6th’ of December to record his debut album Peace In The World. He had written four tracks, Arabia, We Love You Malcolm X, Space On Space and Peace In The World which would be recorded by a septet.
Augmenting Hüseyin Ertunç, Phill Musra and Michael Cosmic were acoustic bassist John Jamyll Jones, percussionist Eric Jackson and Leonard Brown who switched between tenor and soprano saxophone. Joe Chiccarelli took charge of engineering duties and later, mixed the album.
Just like Creator Spaces, Peace In The World was a self-financed private press. Some copies of Peace In The World had a hand-made sleeve with a hand-coloured drawings copied and stuck on the album cover. Rather confusingly, some copies featured Cosmic Paradise as the artist, rather than Michael Cosmic. This small number of albums had the same album covers as the rest of the run. Despite this mix up, Cosmic Paradise was released by Michael Cosmic on his new label Cosmic Records.
Arabia a twenty-one minute epic opens Cosmic Paradise, and is best described as mesmeric, urgent and melodic before becoming dramatic, thoughtful and introspective. Throughout the track, the septet make good use of their expanded musical palette as Arabia takes on new life and meaning. The tempo drops on We Love You Malcolm X where woodwinds float and cascade as drums punctuate the arrangement, a bass scampers and chines glisten. Still there’s space within the arrangement, allowing the listener to reflect and ruminate during this homage to Malcolm X.
Space On Space is another twenty-one minute opus that has obviously been influenced by Albert Ayler. Here, a quintet play with power, passion, energy and urgency as the arrangement takes a series of twists and turns the music becoming jaunty, intense, hypnotic spacious and sometimes, wonderfully otherworldly. Closing the album is the hopeful, piano-led title-track Peace In The World. It’s the most melodic and accessible track but still features Michael Cosmic and his combo pushing musical boundaries to their limits and creating groundbreaking music.
Just like Phill Musra Group’s debut album The Creator Spaces, Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World found an audience within Boston’s underground musical community. They embraced another exciting, ambitious and innovative album where Michael Cosmic and his band combined free jazz with avant-garde, contemporary jazz and experimental music. However, with Peace In The World being a private press, the album passed many free jazz fans by.
Across America, free jazz was still a popular genre, and a new generation of musicians were releasing albums of new and innovative music. Many were on major labels, while others like Michael Cosmic were releasing private presses like Peace In The World. This put them at a huge disadvantage, and meant that there was little chance free jazz fans in other parts of America would ever hearing the album, never mind buying it. Michael Cosmic certainly wasn’t going to get rich releasing private presses, and for a man with new and added responsibilities, this forced him to rethink his priorities.
By 1975, the Cooper brothers were no longer single men. They had recently married and were starting families which meant added responsibilities and indeed, expenses. This was a crunch time for Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra, who knew that they had to think about the future.
Boston still had a vibrant music scene, and Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra knew that they could stay in the city and make a living playing live. However, there weren’t the same opportunities to work as a session musician in Boston, which could provide Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra with another valuable source of income. Deep down, both Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra knew that it was time to move on, and try their luck in one of America’s music capitals.
When Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra thought about it, their favoured destination was Los Angeles which had a thriving jazz scene and much more favourable climate. Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra knew they could form a new band and establish themselves on the city’s live scene. There was also plenty of session work and musicians looking for talented musician to accompany them when they play live. After long discussions with their wives, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra began preparing to move to LA, which was the start of a new chapter in their careers.
Before making the move to LA, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra were invited by John Jamyll Jones to join his World’s Experience Orchestra for a very special recording session. This was the recording of the World’s Experience Orchestra’s debut album The Beginning Of A New Birth at the Oasis, in Boston, on August the ‘3rd’ 1975. That day, two lengthy tracks were recorded including The Beginning Of A New Birth and The Prayer. On the third disc of the Box Set,which was recently released by Now Again Records is a twenty-minute version of The Prayer. It’s a beautiful, meditative and spiritual opus, that was recorded during Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra’s musical swan-song in Boston,
After the best part of seven years, Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra departed Boston and headed for a new life in LA August 1975. A lot had happened during that time. Both Michael Cosmic and Phill Musra had established themselves as professional musicians during the Boston years, and embarked upon recording careers.
The Phill Musra Group had released Creator Spaces in 1974, with Michael Cosmic releasing Peace In The World in 1975. Both albums showcase talented and innovative musicians who weren’t afraid to push musical boundaries to their limits, and sometimes, beyond. To do that, they combined traditional instruments with small instruments on their genre-melting albums. They find Michael Cosmic and the Phill Musra Group fusing free jazz with elements of avant-garde, contemporary jazz , experimental music and spiritual jazz on their respective albums Cosmic Paradise and Peace In The World. Sadly, neither album reached the wider audience that it deserved.
That was always the risk when releasing an album as a private press during the seventies. It could be a classic album, but without the budget and expertise to promote the album, could pass record buyers by.
Sadly, Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group’s Creator Spaces both passed record buyers by and for over forty years, very few people heard either album. That changed recently, when Now Again Records released Michael Cosmic Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group Creator Spaces as part of a lovingly curated three disco box set. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover two of the best privately pressed free jazz albums that were released in Boston during the first half of the seventies.
During that period, Boston had a vibrant and thriving free jazz scene, but Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group’s Creator Spaces were almost peerless albums. They’re also among the best free jazz private presses released on the East Coast during the first half of the seventies. That is how good Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group’s Creator Spaces were. If Michael Cosmic’s Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group’s Creator Spaces had been picked up by a bigger label, maybe this would’ve transformed their careers and they would’ve gone on to enjoy long and illustrious careers?
Michael Cosmic-Peace In The World and Phill Musra Group-Creator Spaces.
JEANETTE JONES-WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN?
Jeanette Jones-What Might Have Been?
The history of soul music is littered with artists who could’ve and should’ve gone on to greater things, but for whatever reason, commercial success and critical acclaim passed them by. That, sadly, was the case with Jeanette Jones.
She had talent in abundance, and a voice that was a mixture of power, passion, emotion and sheer soulfulness. Sadly, Jeanette Jones’ recording career was all too brief, and amounts to just one single, Darling, I’m Standing By You which was released on the Golden Soul label in 1969, and the two years later, was reissued by Kent Records in 1971. Sadly, nothing came of the single.
Jeanette Jones’ last recording session was in 1974, when she recorded a publishing demo for Barry Goldberg. Sadly, that was the last time she entered a recording studio. It was also the end of Jeanette Jones’ musical career. For Jeanette Jones, the dream was over.
Since then, Jeanette Jones has remained an enigmatic and mysterious figure. Very little is known of her life pre and post music. Nowadays, it is thought that Jeanette Jones lives quietly in San Francisco,
Details of Jeanette Jones’ early life are somewhat sketchy. It’s thought that she was born and brought up in San Francisco. That was certainly where Jeanette Jones first discovered music.
Just like many future soul singers, Jeanette Jones first started singing in church. That proved to be Jeanette Jones’ gateway into music. However, it was with the Voices Of Victory gospel choir that Jeanette Jones’ first came to prominence.
Cora Wilson had formed The Voices Of Victory gospel choir in 1962. Hers was no ordinary choir though. The Voices of Victory gospel choir featured sixty singers, who travelled the West Coast in their own bus. They sang in churches and at gospel conventions and The Voices of Victory in full flight was an impressive sight and sound. Especially when the soloists enjoyed their moment in the spotlight. By 1965, one of the soloists was Jeanette Jones.
She was the owner of an impressive and powerful voice. When Jeanette Jones stepped into the spotlight, she combined, power, passion and emotion. Given the her vocal prowess, it was no surprise that Jeanette Jones was one of the stars of The Voices Of Victory gospel choir. Everyone who heard them realised this, including Leo Kulka at Golden State Recorders.
Leo Kulka first encountered Jeanette Jones in November 1965. Cara Wilson had booked Golden State Recorders to record an album by The Voices Of Victory gospel choir. Given the size of the choir, Leo Kulka decided to use Golden State Recorders’ larger studio in Harrison Street. After the recording session, Cara Wilson planned to have a limited number of albums pressed which would be sold after concerts. In a way, Cara Wilson was just testing the water, to see if there was a market for albums featuring her choir. Soon, Leo Kulka realised that Cara Wilson was underselling her choir.
As the recording session got underway, Leo Kulka immediately realised just how good The Voices Of Victory gospel choir were. Cara Wilson’s choir wasn’t just one of the best in San Francisco or even California, but one of the best on the West Coast. Leo Kulka realised this as the session progressed, and Jeanette Jones prepared to record the lead vocal on Why.
When Leo Kulka heard Jeanette Jones’ lead vocal on Why, her voice stopped Leo Kulka in his tracks. It was a cut above the rest of the soloists as Jeanette Jones was capable of singing with power, but was always in control as she delivered the lyrics with emotion and sincerity. From the moment Leo Kulka heard Jeanette Jones sing, he promised himself he was going to sign her. As soon as the recording session was over, Leo Kulka approached Jeanette Jones, with a view to signing her.
Jeanette Jones wasn’t interested in signing a recording contract. She had no intention in crossing over, and instead, wanted to continue to do what she saw as the “Lord’s work” with The Voices Of Victory gospel choir. This must have come as a surprise to Leo Kulka.
Back in 1965, the majority of singers, including gospel singers, dreamt of signing a recording contract. Even if this meant crossing over from gospel to secular music. Jeanette Jones it appeared was the exception. That was until late 1967.
It wasn’t until late 1967 that Leo Kulka next encountered Jeanette Jones. By then, things had changed for Jeanette Jones. Not only had she crossed over, and was singing secular music, but she also had acquired a manager, Jay Barrett.
Jay Barrett explained to Leo Kulka that he wasn’t from a musical background, and instead, was a banker who was based in Palo Alto. He was a relative newcomer to the music industry, and hope that as well as managing artists, that he could forge a career as a songwriter.Jeanette Jones he hoped, would go on to record some of the songs he had written in the future. With that, Jay Barrett went away to work on a proposal for Jeanette Jones and Leo Kulka.
By then, Jeanette Jones had signed to Leo Kulka’s Golden Soul label. This was a smart move by Jeanette Jones, as Leo Kulka had a lifetime of experience within the music industry, and the knowledge and skill-set to guide the talented singer through the early stages of her recording career.
Soon, Jay Barrett came up with a proposal which stated that if Jeanette Jones was willing to record his songs, then he was willing to part-finance the recording of a demo. This would be recorded Leo Kulka’s Golden State Recorders. Leo Kulka agreed to this, and began preparing for his first session with Jeanette Jones.
The recording session was scheduled to take place in the February of 1968. No expense was spared, and Leo Kulka began to put together an extensive backing band. There was a problem though. The songs that Jay Barrett had written were totally unsuited to Jeanette Jones in their present form.
They were poppy and sounded like a remnant from earlier in the sixties. This was the wrong type of songs for Jeanette Jones and Leo Kulka was faced with a problem. Jay Barrett had agreed to part-finance the demo on the condition that Jeanette Jones recorded some of his songs. It was time for Leo Kulka to put his years of experience to good use and come up with a solution. After some thought, Leo Kulka had worked out a solution,..backing vocalist and put in a call to Ramona King and her brother Cleo.
Ramona King’s career began in 1962, when she signed to Eden Records. Since then, she had spent time at Warner Bros. Records, Amy and most recently, Action Records. Leo Kulka explained that he needed backing vocalists to accompany Jeanette Jones and help her add some much-needed soulfulness to Jay Barrett’s songs. The Kings agreed and when they arrived at Golden State Recorders the recording sessions began.
At that first recording session, Jeanette Jones recorded a couple of Jay Barrett songs, Jealous Moon and Quittin’ The Blues. With the large ensemble accompanying her, the two songs were soon recorded with Leo Kulka taking charge of production, Despite that, Jay Barrett received a co-production credit. The next step, was to try to interest another label in the songs.
Leo Kulka began shopping Jealous Moon and Quittin’ The Blues to various labels where he had a contact in the hope that they would release them as a single. However, none of the labels expressed an interest in releasing the songs. For Leo Kulka, this was a huge disappointment. He believed that Jeanette Jones had the potential to forge a career as a singer, and decided to dig deep into his contact book.
The man he decided to consult was Larry Goldberg, an independent producer who was based in Los Angeles. Although Larry Goldberg was a producer, he was also a talent scout, and spent much of his time finding and developing artists. Sometimes, after discovering and developing these artists, Larry Goldberg shopped them to major labels, where they embarked upon the next stage of their career. Larry Goldberg had set a number of artists on the road to stardom and just like Leo Kulka, Larry Goldberg had a wealth of experience. He also thought he might have the answer to Leo Kulka’s problem.
The answer Larry Goldberg thought were three backing tracks that he wanted to play Leo Kulka.This included the Ben Raleigh composition Break Someone Else’s Heart. Another possibility was Andy Badale and Albert Elias’ I Want Action, which had recently given Ruby Winters a hit. The third and final song was Sam Russell’s Cut Loose, which had been arranged by H.B. Barnum. Having listened to the three pop soul cuts, Leo Kulka agreed that they had the potential to solve his problem and gave Jeanette Jones a call. She agreed to make her way to Golden State Recorders.
Although Jeanette Jones was signed to Leo Kulka’s Golden Soul label, she had continued to sing with the Voices Of Victory gospel choir. Maybe she was keeping her options open, given the life of a professional singer could sometimes, be perilous? The ccareers of soul singers were often short, and could be unpredictable and unprofitable. Jeanette Jones must have realised this after her first recording session. Despite that, she was prepared to return to the studio to record the triumvirate of tracks with Leo Kulka.
Having listened to the trio of backing tracks, Jeanette Jones set about laying down vocals. She combined power and emotion, delivering an almost defiant vocal on Break Someone Else’s Heart. Then on Cut Loose, Jeanette Jones delivers a vocal tour de force, as horns and harmonies accompany her vocal. On the final song, I Want Action Jeanette Jones again combines power and emotion as she delivers a needy, hopeful vocal. With the vocals recorded, Jeanette Jones had done her part and now it was over to Leo Kulka.
His job was to shop the songs to various labels. Given the quality of the songs, Leo Kulka must have been confident of securing a deal for Jeanette Jones. Despite his best efforts, none of the labels he approached were interested in releasing the songs, and llightning had struck twice for Jeanette Jones.This must have been a huge disappointment for Jeanette Jones who returned to the Voices Of Victory gospel choir.
By the spring of 1969, Jeanette Jones was now fronting the Voices Of Victory gospel choir who were still one of the biggest and most successful gospel choirs on the West Coast. Despite this, Jeanette Jones returned to Golden State Recorder for an another recording session.
Still Jeanette Jones hadn’t given up on her dream of making a career out soul music and again, made the journey to Golden State Recorders. That was where she first encountered singer-songwriter Wally Cox. Leo Kulka had asked him to write a song that would showcase Jeanette Jones’ conferable vocal talents. He delivered a trio of songs, including Darling, I’m Standing By You which was tailor-made for Jeanette Jones.
At Golden State Recorders, Jeanette Jones prepared to record Darling, I’m Standing By You. With Leo Kulka producing, Jeanette Jones delivered a spine-tingling, soul-baring, testifying vocal. Backing vocalists accompany her every step of the way, as Jeanette Jones combines gospel and soul, on what was a career defining moment.
Meanwhile, Wally Cox went away and wrote two new songs including the beautiful mid-tempo ballad The Thought Of You which. Just like Darling, I’m Standing By You it seemed tailor-made for Jeanette Jones. She was in a reflective mood on The Thought Of You, as she gives thanks for the love she’s found. Unlike some of the soul being released in 1969, it had a much more modern, contemporary sound. It was a similar case with the recording of Wally Cox’s other composition was I’m Glad I Got Over You, which features a defiant Jeanette Jones as she delivers another vocal powerhouse against an urgent, driving arrangement. It’s another song that could’ve and should’ve transformed Jeanette Jones’ career. Leo Kulka realised this and decided to back Jeanette Jones with his own money.
Realising the potential of Darling, I’m Standing By You and The Thought Of You Leo Kulka decided to release the single on his own Golden Soul record label. Leo Kulka hoped that the local R&B and gospel and radio stations would pickup on the single. This Leo Kulka hoped, would result in him being able to cut a distribution deal with a major label. That was the plan.
Leo Kulka had 1,000 copies of Darling, I’m Standing By You and The Thought Of You pressed. These copies he hoped would sell out, and the single would be picked up radio stations in the San Francisco area. However, the 1,000 copies of Darling, I’m Standing By You failed to sell, and Leo Kulka was back to square one.
While many people would’ve called it a day, Leo Kulka decided to use the single to shop Darling, I’m Standing By You to major labels. He took the single to Atlantic, but they turned the song down. When Motown then passed on Darling, I’m Standing By You, things weren’t looking good for Darling, I’m Standing By You, and Jeanette Jones’ career.
She had been trying to make a breakthrough since 1967, and was no nearer to doing so. Things however changed in 1971, when the Bihari brother agreed to release some of Leo Kulka’s releases on their Kent Records and Modern Records’ labels. One of the singles they chose to release was Jeanette Jones’ Darling, I’m Standing By You. Maybe, Jeanette Jones’ luck was changing?
Alas it wasn’t to be and when Darling, I’m Standing By You was released in 1971, the single failed to find an audience, and soon it had disappeared without trace. For Leo Kulka and Jeanette Jones this was hugely frustrating and disappointing. Leo Kulka felt the single hadn’t received sufficient promotion by Modern Records. It was no surprise when it failed for commercially and Leo Kulka and Jeanette Jones were left to rue the Bihari brothers’ short-sightedness. However, by then, Jeanette Jones was beginning to rethink her future.
Following the commercial failure of Darling, I’m Standing By You, Jeanette Jones started to work as a session singer. She also began working with Mike Bloomfield on his Mill Valley Bunch project. Jeanette Jones sung the lead vocal What Would I Do Without My Baby and Ooh Ooh Ooh, La, La, La which featured on the Mill Valley Bunch’s one and only album, Casting Pearls, which was released by Verve Records in 1972. Soon, though, Jeanette Jones began to look beyond music.
Jeanette Jones began to do some voiceover work, and was chosen as the voice of the Swiss Colony Wine radio campaign. It was also around this time, that Jeanette Jones began to do some modelling. This kept her busy, and gradually, Jeanette Jones seemed to lose interest in music. Indeed, she only returned to Golden State Recorders one more time.
This was in 1974, when Jeanette Jones headed to Golden State Recorders to record a publishing demo for Barry Goldberg, who was a friend of both Mike Bloomfield and Leo Kulka. During that last session, Jeanette Jones cut two tracks penned by Gerry Goffin and Barry Goldberg. The first was You’d Be Good For Me, which was followed by the beautiful, heart wrenching ballad What Have You Got To Gain By Losing Me? Sadly, after recording the publishing demo for Barry Goldberg, Jeanette Jones turned her back on music.
Since then, nothing has been heard of Jeanette Jones, and her story is a case of what might have been? That is a great shame as Jeanette Jones’ could’ve and should’ve enjoyed commercial success and critical acclaim. Jeanette Jones was a hugely talented singer, who had the ability to breath life, meaning and emotion into lyrics. She could combine power and passion, and seamlessly switch between ballads and uptempo tracks. Despite her undoubted talent, sadly, Jeanette Jones never made a breakthrough.
That was despite Leo Kulka championing Jeanette Jones throughout her short career. He produced her, and then shopped the songs to bigger labels. Sadly, only once did a single get picked up by a bigger record, Darling, I’m Standing By You. Even when that happened in 1971, Modern Records didn’t promote the single sufficiently. Maybe this led to Jones considering her future?
After four years struggling to make a breakthrough, maybe reality kicked in and Jeanette Jones realised that not all dreams come true? It was certainly around this time that Jeanette Jones began to work as a session singer which. Sadly, after this, the only time Jeanette Jones returned to a recording studio was to record a publishing demo for Barry Goldberg, Ironically, during that session, Jeanette Jones recorded one of her finest songs What Have You Got To Gain By Losing Me? It’s a poignant reminder of Jeanette Jones, whose career is a case of what ifs?
What if Jeanette Jones has signed to Leo Kulka’s Golden State in 1965, when he recorded The Voices Of Victory gospel choir? Maybe she would’ve gone on to enjoy a successful career as a soul singer? However, Jeanette Jones wanted to continue doing the “Lord’s work.”
Maybe by the time she changed her mind in 1967, it was too late? Music was changing, and changing fast. Suddenly the musical landscape was totally different. By 1967, pop and rock dominated the musical landscape, and the psychedelic revolution was well underway. While soul was still popular, it was nowhere near as popular as pop or rock which dominated the charts and the radio airwaves. Some soul labels, including Stax and Motown were still releasing hit singles by 1967 and would continue to do so over the next four years. Meanwhile, Atlantic Records’ soul years had finished in 1967, but the label had just released Aretha Franklin’s Atlantic Records’ debut I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You in 1967. This was the start of Aretha Franklin’s Atlantic Records years, which was the most successful period of her career. Sadly, many other talented soul singers struggled to make a breakthrough during this period. This included Jeanette Jones.
Despite her undeniable talent, and her ability to breath life and meaning into a song, commercial success eluded Jeanette Jones.The question is why? Maybe if Leo Kulka had managed to interest a major label in Jeanette Jones, things would’ve been very different? However, there is also the possibility that Jeanette Jones was neither driven nor determined enough to make a career out of music. It could be that Jeanette Jones wasn’t comfortable singing secular music, given her background in gospel music? There’s any number of reasons why commercial success eluded Jeanette Jones.
Deep down, maybe Jeanette Jones knew that enjoying a successful career as a soul singer was a long shot, and very few succeeded? That is doubtful, and if it that was the case, it would be ironic, as Jeanette Jones had what the talent and voice to enjoy a long and successful career in music. The music she recorded with Leo Kulka at Golden State Records is proof of that. Sadly, commercial success and critical acclaim passed Jeanette Jones by who is proof that not All Dreams All Come True.
Over forty years later, and Jeanette Jones still remains an enigmatic and mysterious figure. Very little is known about her life before she embarked upon a musical career, and similarly, very little known about Jeanette Jones career after music. It’s thought that she lives quietly in San Francisco, where her career began over fifty years ago.
Since then, Jeanette Jones has never been tempted to make a comeback, despite her music somewhat belatedly finding the audience it deserves. Both Ace Records and Playback Records have released compilations of Jeanette Jones’ music which showcases a truly talented soul singer who should’ve enjoyed a long and illustrious career. Sadly, Jeanette Jones’ amounts to just one single and is a case of what might have been.
Jeanette Jones-What Might Have Been.
SUSANA ESTRADA-SPAIN’S FIRST LADY OF MUSIC.
Susana Estrada-Spain’s First Lady Of Music.
Ever since 1939, the brutal Francoist regime had ruled Spain with an iron fist. This came to an end with the death of dictator Francisco Franco on ’20th’ November 1975. After Franco’s death, control of Spain passed to King Juan Carlos. By then, Spain was in a state of paralysis, and had been, during the last few months of Franco’s reign. The Spanish people hoped that things were about to change.
They hoped that after the death of Franco, that Spain’s transition to a liberal democratic state could begin. The transition began on ’20th’ November 1975 with the passing of Franco, and took nearly seven years until the electoral victory of the socialist PSOE party on the ‘28th’ October 1982. That seven-year period is nowadays remembered in Spain as the ‘transition’, and marked a new beginning for the Spanish people.
The transition to democracy saw a liberalisation of values and social mores. Suddenly, the Spanish people were enjoying their newfound freedom. This was something that hadn’t previously existed under the Francoist regime. Life, the Spanish people were realising, was for living and this coincided with a sexual revolution that began during the transition.
During the transition and sexual revolution, singer, model and actress and Susana Estrada represented the new Spain. She was independent and modern women, who lived her life on her terms. Susana Estrada wanted to bring about change, and was an advocate for women’s rights, sexual liberation and freedom. One of the ways she sought to bring about change was through her music, and Susana Estrada was at the vanguard of change that took place during the transition in Spain.
Susana Estrada was born in the city of Gijón, in 1949. By then, Franco had ruled Spain since 1936. Growing up, Susana Estrada she watched as the Francoist regime crushed their opponents mercilessly. Many of Franco’s opponents were imprisoned, others disappeared in mysterious circumstances and some were murdered. For anyone who grew up in Spain the forties and fifties, life was tough. It certainly was for Susana Estrada.
By the time she was twenty-one, Susana Estrada had been married, had two children and was now divorced. She was left to bring up two children on her own. This she managed to do on the salary she received working as a librarian. However, Susana Estrada had dreams beyond working in a library. What she really wanted to do, was work as a fashion model.
Eventually, Susana Estrada left her job as a librarian, to embark upon a career as a fashion model. Initially, she worked for small, local companies, but within a year had been accepted into Madrid’s official model school. It looked like Susana Estrada’s dream was about to come true. However, it turned out that Susana Estrada wasn’t tall enough. Even when she took to wearing fifteen centimetre heels, she wasn’t tall enough. For Susana Estrada, it looked as if her career as a model was over before it began.
It looked unlikely that Susana Estrada would ever model for magazines like Vogue or luxury clothing brands, she found her own niche within the fashion world. Susana Estrada modelled the ready-made, pret-à-porter fashion lines. Sometimes, though, she was recruited by overseas model agencies, and occasionally found herself featuring on album cover. By 1971, Susana Estrada had gone up in the world.
She made her acting debut in El Zorro de Monterrey in 1971, which was the start of Susana Estrada’s acting career. During the second half of the seventies, Susana Estrada began to feature in a new genre of film, Destape which were erotic comedies. However, before long, Susana Estrada realised that to make a career in the movie industry: “you had to pay a high price and do some things I didn’t want to do.” However, by then, Susana Estrada had embarked on a new chapter in her career.
This began in 1976, when she started acting in erotic musicals. Her debut came in 1976, in Historias del Strip-Tease which was roundly panned by critics. Despite the terrible reviews, it was a huge commercial success and turned Susana Estrada into a star. However, this came at a cost: “in the beginning, women hated me. They thought that I was lacking decorum, that I was shameless, lecherous, rude…Not all of them but the vast majority. People were not ready for this.”
After featuring in several erotic musicals, Susana Estrada became a sex counsellor in the magazine Play-Lady. At one point, she was receiving 7,000 letters a week. By then, Susana Estrada’s new role was attracting the attention of Franco’s regime. She was accused of public scandal, fined, had her passport cancelled and banned from voting for ten years. This was just the latest controversy for Susana Estrada, who was skating on thin ice. Any further controversy could see her receive further sanctions from the Franco regime. Most people would’ve kept a low profile.
Susana Estrada wasn’t most people, and was about to embark on a career as a singer. Her debut single Ya Me Voy De Tu Vida was released on Odeon in 1978. It was written by Alejandro Jaén, who co-produced the single with Marion Bronley. They were responsible for a single that had been heavily influenced by both classic disco, and the Munich Sound, which was pioneered by Giorgio Moroder. The release of Ya Me Voy De Tu Vida marked the start of a new chapter in Susana Estrada’s career. Despite this, she continued her career in musicals.
Between 1978 and 1980, the musicals that Susana Estrada appeared in grew in popularity. However, they became increasingly explicit. By then, Spain was undergoing a period of transition, and Susana Estrada was campaigning for women’s rights, sexual liberation and freedom. Still, though, some women didn’t approve of what she was doing, and felt it was demeaning. However, Susana Estrada remembers: “I fought very hard for women’s rights. I knew that through sexual liberation you obtain total freedom. This was something which men knew at first and women discovered it late.” Susana Estrada was determined to bring about change, and didn’t seem to care if she caused controversy. Her sophomore single would certainly prove controversial.
Two years after releasing her debut single, Susana Estrada returned in 1980 with her sophomore single Acaríciame, which was released on the Barcelona based Belter label. Acaríciame was written by Carlos Moncada, Félix Lapardi and Óscar Rubio, with Josep Llobell Oliver taking charge of the production. They played their part in the success of Acaríciame, which resulted in Susana Estrada recording and releasing her debut album, Machos.
Susana Estrada entered the studio in 1980, and recorded eight tracks which featured in Machos, which was the musical that she was appearing in. This included the robotic funk of Espacial and the space cosmic disco of Hagamos El Amor which were both written by the songwriting partnership of C. De Las Eras and Manuel Gas. When the album was recorded, Belter scheduled the release for later in 1980. However, Susana Estrada and her legion of fans were in for a surprise when Machos was released by Belter as a cassette album in 1980. Nowadays, Susana Estrada’s Machos is a much coveted collector’s item that changes hands for upwards of £100. That is despite Amor Y Libertad, rather than Machos as being regarded as Susana Estrada’s official debut album.
When Susana Estrada came to record Amor Y Libertad, it featured ten songs penned by Carlos De Las Heras. They were recorded at the Belter Studio, in Barcelona, with producer by Josep Llobell Oliver. To accompany Susana Estrada, he had brought onboard Atlanta a talented and experienced funk group who were familiar faces on the local music scene. The combination of Susana Estrada, Atlanta and Josep Llobell Oliver resulted in what would eventually be regarded as a Euro Disco and cosmic disc classic, Amor Y Libertad.
Initially, Amor Y Libertad was underrated and didn’t receive the recognition many thought it deserved. Critics didn’t seem to ‘get’ Amor Y Libertad, despite its innovative fusion of boogie, cosmic disco, funk, Italo Disco, modern soul and the Munich Sound. Maybe critics were shocked by what many regarded as provocative lyrics, sensual vocals and moans and groans? If that was the case, then songs about sexual liberation and freedom were definitely going to get critics hot under the collar. The reception that Amor Y Libertad received was hugely disappointing for everyone involved in the project.
It was only later that Amor Y Libertad began to receive the recognition it deserved. Nowadays, though, Amor Y Libertad is regarded as a Euro Disco and cosmic disco classic, That comes as no surprise, given the quality of music on the album, and somewhat belatedly, Amor Y Libertad received the recognition it deserved.
After the release of Amor Y Libertad, Susana Estrada released Mi Chico Favorito as a single later in 1981. This was Susana Estrada’s penultimate release during the eighties.
Susana Estrada’s eighties swan-song was the cassette mini album Historias Inconfesables. It was released by Star Grabaciones Originals later in 1981 and was billed by those within conservative Spain as a: “porno-cassette.” Nowadays, Historias Inconfesables is a real rarity which is almost impossible to find.
It’s a similar case with Susana Estrada’s most recent album Tócame, which was recorded in 2007, and is best described as Hi-Energy meets Euro Disco. It was a low-key, self-released album by one of the most controversial figures in Spanish music, Susana Estrada.
She was the one time model who went on to enjoy a career as an actress, agony aunt and singer. Susana Estrada also fought for women’s rights, sexual liberation and freedom. Sadly, her campaigning is often overshadowed by parts of her career that caused controversy. This may not have been the case in America, Britain or other parts of Europe. However, Spain which was a conservative catholic country, which was in a period of transition from a dictatorship to democracy.
Many people were unprepared for Susana Estrada, who was regarded and perceived as an outspoken, and sometimes, outrageous and controversial figure even in the eighties. By then, her campaigning and much of her music meant that the establishment and press in Spain portrayed Susana Estrada as a controversial figure. That was somewhat ironic.
What Susana Estrada was campaigning for was women’s rights, sexual liberation and freedom, which were things that women in other parts of Europe, Britain and America took for granted. Alas, in the newly democratic Spain, Susana Estrada’s campaigns caused controversy in the corridors of power. Maybe Spain’s patriarchy were scared or intimated by a strong and independent woman who was willing to make a stand for what she believed in?
Despite being fined, having her passport cancelled and losing her vote for ten years, Susana Estrada wasn’t going to be silenced. She continued to speak for all the Spanish women who had no way of making their views heard. They had been treated as second class citizens during the Francoist regime, and early in Susana Estrada’s career she became the voice of all Spanish women. In doing so, she risked the wrath of the brutal Francoist regime and could’ve lost her liberty. However, Susana Estrada was willing to stand up for what she believed and continued to do so, throughout a career that lasted four decades.
Throughout her musical career, Susana Estrada became the voice of all Spanish women, and the Spanish Euro Disco diva used her music to reach a wider audience. Susana Estrada who was and is a confinement and modern woman spoke for and to Spanish women, and advised, counselled and campaigned for women’s rights, sexual liberation and the freedom that women in other parts of Europe took for granted. Spain’s first lady of music was determined to make a difference and the grey men in the corridors of power called in favours from their friends in the press and media to blacken Susana Estrada’s name and portray her as a controversial and outrageous figure. However, while nobody remembers the mendacious politicians who were part of a patriarchal political system, they remember Susana Estrada, Spain’s first lady of music not just for the music she made, but for her campaigning and counselling which is part of her legacy.
Susana Estrada- Spain’s First Lady Of Music.
THE ORIGINAL SOUND OF BURKINA FASO.
The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso.
Label: Mr. Bongo Records.
After the success of Mr. Bongo’s The Original Sound Of Mali compilation, the Brighton-based label recently released a new compilation, The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso which was compiled by David ‘Mr Bongo’ Buttle and Florent Mazzoleni. The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso transports the listener back to the seventies which was a golden age for music in the country that until 1984 was called the Republic of Upper Volta.
That had been the case since 1958, when the former French Upper Volta became a self-governing colony and part of the French Union became the Republic of Upper Volta. Less than two years later, and the Republic of Upper Volta gained independence from France in August 1960 and Maurice Yaméogo became the West African country’s first President. This was meant to be a new start for the people of the Republic of Upper Volta.
Sadly, like many former colonies and commonwealth countries, the Republic of Upper Volta has had a chequered past. The start of the country’s problems was the 1966 Upper Voltan coup d’état. This resulted in the Republic of Upper Volta’s constitution being suspended and the National Assembly dissolved. Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana headed up a government that comprised senior army officers. Just six years after gaining independence from France, the Republic of Upper Volta was in turmoil.
This was the start of a four-year period where the army with ‘governed’ with Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana as its President governed the Republic of Upper Volta. He remained the country’s president throughout the seventies, which was a golden age for music in the Republic of Upper Volta. That was remarkable considering the problems in the Republic of Upper Volta during the period.
The country suffered from famine and a drought that ravaged neighbouring countries. Corruption was also rife within the Republic of Upper Volta, even when a new constitution was ratified on the ’14th’ of June 1976, and this signalled the start of a four-year transition period toward complete civilian rule.
Throughout this period, Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana was President of the Republic of Upper Volta, and he was reelected during open elections in 1978. By then, the Republic of Upper Volta was in the throes of the historic five-year Sahel drought, which began in 1975 and lasted until 1980. To make matters worse, there was a famine in the Republic of Upper Volta, and people were dying while corruption was rife. Still, though, the music scene in the Republic of Upper Volta continued to thrive.
So much so, the seventies are now regarded as a golden age for the music scene in the Republic of Upper Volta. Musicians and bands including Abdoulaye Cisse, Amadou Balaké, Bozambo, John Oumar Nabollé, Mangue Kondé Et Les 5 Consuls, Pierre Sandwidi, Tidiani Coulibaly, Dafra Star and Youssouf Diarra were part of a thriving and vibrant music scene. The music these talented and often flamboyant musicians recorded and released was eclectic, and included blues, disco, folk, funk, highlight, Latin psychedelia, rock and soul. Sometimes, the lyrics were full of social and political comment, which was risky when the Republic of Upper Volta was ruled by a military government which was led by Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana.
As the seventies gave way to the eighties, Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana clung on to power in the Republic of Upper Volta. Many thought that one of West Africa’s political survivors was invincible, but they were in for a shock.
During the last three decades, the Republic of Upper Volta’s trade union movement was a powerful force, even under Maurice Yaméogo’s rule. The trade unions had been a thorn in the side of Maurice Yaméogo’s government when he banned all political parties except for the Voltaic Democratic Union. This resulted in protests and demonstrations, where the trade union movement joined forces with students and civil servants. However, Maurice Yaméogo’s answer was to send in the army, who intervened and broke up the demonstrations. Fourteen years later, and the trade unions were determined that history wouldn’t repeat itself.
Behind the scenes, leaders within the trade union movement started to oppose Lt. Col. Sangoulé Lamizana and soon, became a thorn in his the president’s side. However, the trade unions leaders knew that had to tread a fine line, as the man who had presided over their country during the most disastrous decade in its short history could unleash the forces of the army. If this happened, he trade unions leaders realised that this could lead to bloodshed and brutal battles in the streets of the Republic of Upper Volta. This was something they didn’t want
Nor were the trade unions leaders willing to support Col. Saye Zerbo, who overthrew President Lamizana in a bloodless coup on the ’25th’ November 1980. After the coup d’état, Colonel Zerbo established the Military Committee of Recovery for National Progress which would govern the Republic of Upper Volta. This was another disaster for the country, as it eradicated the 1977 constitution. It was a case of one step further, and two steps back.
By the time the Col. Saye Zerbo came to power, the country’s musical golden period, which is documented on The Original Sound of Burkina Faso was over. There was still some amazing music being made in the Republic of Upper Volta but not as much as there had been. That was no surprise, as the next few years would be tumultuous for the people of the Republic of Upper Volta.
Col. Saye Zerbo rule was relatively short-lived, and he was overthrown by the little-known Maj. Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo and a number of junior army officers who were part of the Council of Popular Salvation. The new President promptly banned all political parties and organisations, but contradicted himself by promising a new constitution and transition to civilian rule.
Given the mixed messages, it was no wonder that a year later Maj. Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo was the latest President of the Republic of Upper Volta to be overthrown. He had been unable to control the right and left-wing factions within the Council of Popular Salvation, and it was no surprise that less than a year later, in January 1983, Maj. Dr. Jean-Baptiste Ouédraogo exited stage left, the victim of a coup d’état.
The man behind the coup d’état was a member of the left-wing faction within the Council of Popular Salvation, Capt. Thomas Sankara. He entered through the revolving door that lead to the Prime Minister’s office and he was arrested later in 1983.
When Capt. Blaise Compaoré set about trying to free the former Prime Minister Capt. Thomas Sankara this lead to yet another coup d’état on the ‘4th’ of August 1983. This lead to the return of Capt. Thomas Sankara to power, and he began what was heralded as a radical program.
Suddenly, programs mass-vaccinations and infrastructure improvements were announced by Capt. Thomas Sankara. He also set about encouraging domestic agricultural consumption and proposed anti-desertification projects. There was also an expansion of women’s rights under Capt. Thomas Sankara. However, he had also dreamt up a cunning plan.
This he put into place on the ‘4th’ of August 1984 when the Republic of Upper Volta and became Burkina Faso. Despite all his radical policies, and his determination to improve the life of the people of Burkina Faso, some things didn’t change
Just over three years later, there was yet another coup d’état in Burkina Faso on the ‘15th’ of October 1987, organised by Blaise Compaoré, who was a former colleague of Capt. Thomas Sankara. Despite this, Capt. Thomas Sankara and twelve of his colleagues were killed, and Blaise Compaoré went on to rule Burkina Faso until October 2014.
Sadly, by then, forty years had passed since Burkina Faso’s golden age. This was part of the country’s cultural heritage and was something the people of Burkina Faso are deeply proud of. Sadly, very few people outside of Burkina Faso, apart from some musical connoisseurs are aware of this golden musical age. It’s documented on The Original Sound of Burkina Faso, which features some of the leading lights of the country’s vibrant musical scene during this golden age.
Some of the artists that feature on The Original Sound of Burkina Faso feature several times. That is no surprise, as they played an important part in the country’s music scene during the golden era that was the seventies. This includes Abdoulaye Cisse.
He features three times, and has the honour of opening The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso. However, Abdoulaye Cisse released his stunning psychedelic soul single A Son Magni in 1975 on the Club Voltaïque Du Disque label. Two years later, in 1977, Abdoulaye Cisse et L’Orchestre Le Super Volta De La Capitale collaborated on what’s an enchanting and almost mesmeric example of Afro-Latin swerve. It was released on the Club Voltaïque Du Disque label around 1977. The following year, Abdoulaye Cisse released his album Les Vautours on the Christiana Satel label in 1978. Its closing track was Aw Yé Douba Ké, which is a fusion of Afrobeat, funk and soul, and a tantalising taste of an incredibly rare album.
Amadou Balaké features four times on the compilation, which allows him to showcase a sound that often, features elements of Afro-Fusion and funk. One of his contributions is the irresistible calypso dancer Whisky Et Coca-Cola, which is a true hidden gem. By 1978, Amadou Balaké had signed to the Ivory Coast label Sacodis, and would release a quartet of albums between 1978 and 1979. This includes his 1978 album Taximen, which features Wayisjelequeyele, an urgent, hypnotic, funky and soulful song. The same year, 1978, Amadou Balaké released his Bar Konon Mousso Bar album which features Super Bar Konon Mousso and Aminata Du Thé. Both tracks are über funky and dancefloor friendly as Amadou Balaké draws inspiration from disco and funk as d Western and African music unite and become one.
When Bozambo released their Africa album on the Disc’ Africana label, it featured the Georges Ouedraogo composition Kombissé. It’s an almost peerless example of highlife hustle and features musical masterclass from virtuoso drummer Georges Ouedraogo. The result is a welcome addition to The Original Sound of Burkina Faso.
During the seventies, Pierre Sandwidi released a dozen singles, and two albums, including Koury, which was released on the Ivory Coast label Disc-Orient. Koury features Boy Cuisinier where Pierre Sandwidi utilises synths during this genre-melting track. It finds the bush troubadour fusing elements of Afrobeat with R&B and even elements of Western pop to create his unique brand of music with a social conscience. The bush troubadour Pierre Sandwidi and Super Volta collaborated on the single Mam Ti Fou which was released on Club Voltaïque Du Disque in 1977. Hidden away on the B-Side was the genre-melting hidden gem Yamb Ne Y Capitale, which features an impassioned and emotive vocal from Pierre Sandwidi.
In 1977, Tidiani Coulibaly and Dafra Star collaborated on the single De Nwolo, which was released on the Music Hall label. It has an almost hypnotic and otherworldly sound that is truly captivating. Tucked away on the B-Side as Sie Koumgolo which has an intensity and urgency as Tidiani Coulibaly delivers his lead vocal.
There’s two collaborations from Mangue Konde on The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso. The first is between Mangue Konde et Le Super Mandé on their Ikélé Tatê album, which was released on the Éditions Omogidi Music in 1978. One of the album’s highlights was Touba which showcases two of the leading lights of the Burkina Faso during the seventies. Pop Kondé was the B-Side of Woulouni which was released as a single by Mangue Kondé Et Les 5 Consuls on the Volta Discobel label. Funky, soulful and irresistible Pop Kondé is proof that it’s always worth checking the B-Side of a single.
During the second half of the seventies, disco’s popularity was at an all-time high, and its tentacles were reaching far and wide. Even parts of Africa, including the Republic of Upper Volta had succumbed to disco. One of the artists who embraced disco was John Oumar Nabollé who contributes M’ba Lalé which he released on the Club Voltaïque Du Disque label. It’s a fine example of African disco that probably filled a few dancefloors.
The other track on The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso is Youssouf Diarra Dit El Grand Ballaké’s DJanfa Magni which is a track from their Rock Star album. It was released on Editions Shakara Music in 1978 and one of the album’s highlights was DJanfa Magni. With a vocal that oozes emotion and mesmeric arrangement that draws the listener in and holds their attention, it’s a welcome addition to The Original Sound of Burkina Faso. Hopefully, if there’s a followup compilation, another track from Rock Star will feature.
For anyone looking for an introduction to golden age of Burkina Faso’s music, the seventies, there’s no better starting place than the lovingly compiled The Original Sound of Burkina Faso which as recently released by Mr. Bongo Records. It features what was the great and good of the Burkina Faso music scene during its golden age in the seventies.
This includes contributions from musicians and bands including Abdoulaye Cisse, Amadou Balaké, Bozambo, John Oumar Nabollé, Mangue Kondé Et Les 5 Consuls, Pierre Sandwidi, Tidiani Coulibaly, Dafra Star and Youssouf Diarra. They were part of Burkina Faso’s thriving and vibrant music scene during the seventies, and records an eclectic selection of music including Afrobeat blues, disco, folk, funk, highlife, Latin psychedelia, rock and soul. All these influences can be heard on the sixteen tracks on The Original Sound of Burkina Faso, which offers a fascinating insight into this troubled country’s music scene during the seventies which nowadays, is regarded as the golden age of Burkina Faso music.
The Original Sound Of Burkina Faso.
HABIBI FUNK: AN ECLECTIC SELECTION OF MUSIC FROM THE ARAB WORLD.
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World.
Label: Habibi Funk Germany.
Nowadays, hundreds of compilations are released by record companies all around the world, and with one click of a button music fans have access to an eclectic selection of music that forty years ago, wasn’t available to record buyers. Back then, very few compilations were released, with the record industry tending to concentrate on artists albums. The exception was the ubiquitous greatest hits album which was a contractual obligation of an artist or band’s career. That was despite many of the progressive rock bands being more album oriented. Still a best of was compiled and released by the record companies who hadn’t quite realised the value of all the material in their vaults.
For too long, the major labels didn’t realise that there was a huge audience who were willing to buy a variety of different compilations. Somehow, record company executives had managed to overlook what was a huge untapped market for everything from genre specific compilations, to compilations focusing on a specific label. Some of the more adventurous record buyers were also wanting to hear music from different parts of the world, but were denied this opportunity.
The irony was that the major labels had huge amounts of music in their vaults. This ranged from the music released on both sides of the Atlantic, and by the label and their various imprints around the world. With untold musical riches waiting to mined, and the major labels had the personnel with the expertise to compile compilations aplenty some record labels were sitting on a goldmine. It was the equivalent to finding one of Charlie Wonka’s Golden Tickets. However, the major labels didn’t seem to have a sweet tooth, and seemed reluctant to embrace the compilation market.
While some compilations were released, others were of dubious quality, and released on budget labels. Especially those dreadful Top Of The Pops compilations where session singers murdered the hits of the day. There were also compilations that were marketed on television, and promised “twenty hits of the day”. What they omitted to mention that shortened versions of the songs were often used so the promised “twenty hits of the day” would fit on one LP. To rub salt into the record buyers wound, usually, the vinyl was poor quality, and the listening experience wasn’t the best. This was what the compilation market was like in the seventies, which certainly wasn’t a vintage time for compilations.
Thankfully, the compilation market is very different nowadays, and literally hundreds of compilations are released by recorded companies worldwide every week of the year. While there are still a few compilations of dubious quality being released, the majority are lovingly curated by knowledgable music lovers who are experts in a particular musical genres. This can range from Afrobeat, avant-garde, country, Latin, Northern Soul, progressive rock, psychedelia and zydeco. Quite simply, nowadays, there’s something for everyone in the burgeoning and vibrant compilation market.
A recent release is Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World which was recently released by Germany Habibi Funk. It features sixteen tracks from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. Four of these tracks have never been released before and make their debut on Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World. This compilation offers a fascinating insight into what will be hitherto unknown world for many music fans, that of Habibi Funk.
Many people, including a number of ardent music fans may not have heard of Habibi Funk, and be wondering about the history and roots of the genre? Habibi Funk is essentially a term given to a sound that became popular throughout much of the Arab world, including Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. Across this vast, sprawling continent, music lovers embraced and shared a love of Habibi Funk. It’s a genre which has been inspired by a variety of disparate genres.
Some of the Habibi Funk music shares much in common with Arabic zouk music, whose roots can be traced to the Caribbean Islands, including Martinique and Guadeloupe. However, Habibi Funk has been inspired by Coladera, which is popular musical genre from the Cape Verdean Islands. It seems that Lebanese Bossa has also played its part in the evolution of Habibi Funk. So too, has a variety of a Western genres, including funk, soul and rock music. All these genres have influenced the development and evolution of Habibi Funk.
Essentially, Habibi Funk is a fusion of musical influences from four continents, which have all played their part in the irresistible music on Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World. Obviously, the music is funky, but it’s also soulful, raw, raucous and sometimes rocky and sassy. Especially when flamboyant frontmen strut their way through songs delivering vampish vocals that are far removed from the lazy, predictable cliches that James Brown used to spout during parts of his career. This is very different, and a refreshing alternative that will introduce the newcomers to fifteen heroes of Habibi Funk on Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World.
These heroes of Habibi Funk come from six Arabian countries, including, ranging from Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia, and including Fadoul, Bob Destiny, Attarazat Addahabia, Sharhabeel Ahmed, Belbao, Mallek Mohamed, Freh Kodja, Ahmed Malek, Al Massrieen and Dalton. They’re just a few of the names on Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World.
Moroccan funkateer Fadoul who opens the compilation with Bsslama Hbibti, is regarded by many as the founding father of Habibi Funk. This is a track from his Al Zman Saib album which was released on the Atlassiphone label. Bsslama Hbibti finds the flamboyant vocalist Fadoul fusing funk, soul and rock during this irresistible track that sets the bar high for the rest of Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World.
Although Bob Destiny was born in New Orleans, the singer, theatre director and choreographer spent time working in Algeria where he released a handful of singles. This includes Pan-African Festival for the Freedom Musique label. Tucked away on the B-Side was an explosive, energetic and later vampish cover of Wang Dang, that seems to have been inspired by the early rock ’n’ rollers and R&B singers. The result is a timeless tack that even today would fill a dancefloor.
Attarazat Addahabia’s contribution is something of a mystery, as the title is unknown. Despite that, the Arabian, Western and even a hint of classical music to create a funky, urgent and soulful song that features an impassioned vocal from Attarazat Addahabia. It shows another side to Habibi Funk.
While Jalil Bennis Et Les Golden Hands were from Morocco they released Mirza as a single on the French label Barclay, in 1967. It’s a genre-melting track with elements of garage rock, R&B rock ’n’ roll and surf music. They’re combined to create a lively and dynamic cover of this Serge Gainsborough composition.
In Sudan, Sharhabeel Ahmed is still regarded as a legendary figure within the country’s art scene. He’s remembered by many as the founding father of Sudanese jazz. However, Sharhabeel Ahmed was a versatile and talented musician, who could play several instruments. This included the guitar, and he’s a versatile player who deserves to be called a virtuoso. That is apparent on Argos Farfish, where his playing hints at Jimi Hendrix, before a genre-melting arrangement unfolds and Sharhabeel Ahmed, forever the flamboyant frontman, swaggers his way through the lyrics to a song that epitomises everything that is good about Habibi Funk.
Every self-respecting record buyer knows the Harlem Shuffle, which is considered to a soul classic. However, very few people will have heard of the Casablanca Shuffle. It was recorded by Belbao from Morocco, who pay homage to the Harlem Shuffle, by changing the lyrics slightly and the Casablanca Shuffle is born. Mostly, Belbao stay true to the original song, but sometimes, takes the Casablanca Shuffle in a new direction, breathing new life into a familiar song.
Mallek Mohamed was born in Algeria, but travelled to Paris, France where a new chapter in his career was born. This musical pioneer set out to break down musical barriers, by fusing disparate musical genres. In doing so, Mallek Mohamed hoped his the music he wrote and recorded would find favour with a wide range of people. Sadly, much of the expressive and poetic music that he wrote, including Rouhi Ya Hafida, was never released by a record label. That is a great shame as his vocal is full of expressive, emotive and full of longing as he delivers the poetic lyrics against a disco beat. This shows yet another side to the Habibi Funk sound.
While Freh Kodja was born in Algeria, his career took him all over the world, including Europe and America where he worked as a solo artist and with the band La Flamme. Freh Kodja contribution to the compilation La Coladera, where he sings call and response with backing vocalists. They play their part in a soulful, funky, urgent and irresistible track.
Nowadays, Kamal Keila is regarded as one of the legends of the Sudanese music scene in the seventies. Sadly, he only released one album which is extremely rare. However, he also recorded several sessions for Sudanese radio. During one of these recording sessions he recorded Al Asafir, which is a captivating fusion of soul, funk and jazz, plus Sudanese and Ethiopian music. There’s also a nod to Fela Kuti during this funky, soulful and heartfelt song.
Algerian vocalist Ahmed Malek is the only artist to feature twice on the compilation. His first contribution is the dramatic, cinematic and stirring Tape 19.11 which incorporates elements of Algerian music, funk, jazz. Very different is Bossa, which shuffles along showcasing a much more laid-back and melodic sounding track where jazzy horns add the finishing touch.
Hamid El Shaeri who was born and brought up in Egypt, was one of the biggest stars of Arabian pop between the eighties and noughties. He was a versatile artist who released everything from boogie, disco and soul. A reminder of this is the feelgood sound of Ayonha a gorgeous fusion of boogie, modern soul and pop.
During the eighties, Samir and Abboud entered By Pass Studio with a band the featured the cream of Lebanese music. During the session, the pair recorded a number of tracks including Games, which is reminiscent of the Yacht Rock and Vanilla Funk sound. It’s a real hidden gem and welcome addition to this truly eclectic compilation.
When Al Massrieen set out to modernise Egyptian music in the late-seventies, nobody had any idea of what was about to unfold over the next few months and years. Using the latest in musical technology, including synths, drum machine and even early computer programs, Al Massrieen came up with tracks like Sah. It’s essentiality a fusion of boogie, disco, jazz and soul that was the result of Al Massrieen rewriting the musical rulebook.
As Lala Tibki unfolds, straight away, Gharbi Sadok and Georges Garzia sound like a Tunisian equivalent of Steely Dan as they combine jazz, funk and rock. The result is a slick, soulful and memorable song that isn’t short of a hook.
Closing Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World is the smooth and soulful ballad Soul Brother from the Tunisian band Dalton. They were based in the Tunisian capital, where they were regulars on the local music scene. That was where they heard the soul and funk that went on to influence their sound. One of their finest recordings was Soul Brother, which was the B-Side of their 1975 single Aleck. It closes this lovingly curated compilation on a high.
For music fans who have yet to discover either modern Arabian music or Habibi Funk, then Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World is the perfect introduction to this genre. It was recently released by Habibi Funk Germany, and features sixteen examines of Habibi Funk, which is a broad musical church.
There’s much more to Habibi Funk than funk. There’s also Arabic zouk music, Coladera from the Cape Verdean Islands and Lebanese Bossa, plus everything from boogie, disco, funk, jazz, R&B, rock ’n’ roll, rock and soul. All of this can be heard on Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World which features sixteen tracks that are a tantalising taste of the music that unites much of the Arab World, Habibi Funk.
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World.
ASARAN EARTH TRIO-WHY SHOULD YOUR HEART NOT DANCE.
Asaran Earth Trio-Why Should Your Heart Not Dance.
Nowadays, 8.2 million people call New York City home, including many musicians and vocalists who have arrived in the Big Apple from the seven continents of the world. They know that New York is still one of the musical capitals of the world, and home to some of the most talented and innovative musicians and vocalists in America. Many have already made their mark and the music industry, while others have still to make a breakthrough. However, they’re unwilling to give up on their dream of enjoying a successful musical career and following in the footsteps of the legends who took to the stage at Max’s Kansas City, Fillmore East, Electric Circus, Coney Island High, The Bottom Line and The Palladium. To do so is to live the American Dream, and become part of New York’s rich musical history.
Every new group realises this, including the groups that are founded in New York each and every year. Some of these groups feature musicians who have travelled from far and wide, and eventually settled in the Big Apple where they embark on the next step of their career. That was the case with Asaran Earth Trio which features Brazilian-born singer and percussionist Anne Boccato, Croatian vocalist Astrid Kuljanic and Artemisz Polonyi a vocalist from Budapest, in Hungary. They had all travelled to New York, where they first met and formed a vocal group which eventually became the Asaran Earth Trio who have recently Why Should Your Heart Not Dance. It’s a captivating and enchanting album that showcase the considerable talents of the Asaran Earth Trio, and is the next chapter in what has been a remarkable musical journey.
Each member of the Asaran Earth Trio comes from a very different background, but share one thing in common, a love and passion for music. Their love of music resulted in them embarking upon a journey, with their eventual destination being New York. Some took a direct route, while others embarked upon a circuitous route from their homeland, that was akin to a Homeric Odyssey.
Anne Boccato.
In the case of pianist and vocalist Anne Boccato, she was born and brought up in the city of São Paulo, in Brazil. However, around ten years ago, Anne Boccato travelled to America, and eventually, settled in New York.
This was the perfect place for Anne Boccato to call home, as she had always loved jazz music and immersed herself in the Big Apple’s vibrant jazz scene. Meanwhile, Anne Boccato taught the piano, and in her spare time starting playing her own music. Before long, she was a familiar face on the live, and soon, Anne Boccato began collaborating with other musicians.
Some ten years later, and Anne Boccato is busier than ever. She’s now a mother of four-year old Anne, and continues to teach music, and write and perform her own music. This she hopes will connect with a wide audience from different parts of the world. That is no surprise as Anne Boccato is also a talented linguist, who can seamlessly switch between English, Portuguese and Spanish, and similarly, is just as happy playing instrumentals as songs. Anne Boccato puts her skills as composer and vocalist to good use in the latest project she founded, the Asaran Earth Trio. She invited two of her friend to join the nascent Asaran Earth Trio, including Astrid Kuljanic.
Astrid Kuljanic.
Astrid Kuljanic was born in the Republic of Croatia, which is situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, on the Adriatic Sea. That was where Astrid Kuljanic’s was born and brought up, and where her love of music began. Before long, she had immersed herself in music and had a wide range of musical genres. Initially, this ranged from Eastern European and Balkan music, but as time passed, Astrid Kuljanic embraced a wider range of musical influences.
By then, Astrid Kuljanic has enrolled at the Conservatorio di musica Guiseppe Tartini, in Trieste, Italy, and later graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree. This was only the first part of Astrid Kuljanic’s formal musical education and later, she would graduate with a Masters of Music degree in Jazz Performance from Manhattan School of Music. That was still to come.
In 2007, Astrid Kuljanic founded the quintet the Mildreds who released their debut album Brisači Prašine on Aquarius Records. They would go on to tour Europe, and two years later, the Mildreds returned with their sophomore album Život U Ušima in 2009. By then, Astrid Kuljanic had embarked upon a new venture.
Astrid Kuljanic founded the Crescendo Music Festival on the island Cres, in Croatia in cooperation with Croatian Music Union. Astrid Kuljanic wanted the local audiences to see a wide range of artists and connect with the different types of music that they were making. This was all part of Astrid Kuljanic’s continued mission to engage audiences across cultural boundaries, and is something she continues to today in New York.
Just like her future colleague Anne Boccato, Astrid Kuljanic also decided to travel to New York to embark upon a new chapter in her career. By then, she had already founded the Mildreds and the Crescendo Music Festival. However, Astrid Kuljanic was keen to broaden her musical horizons, and made the journey to the Big Apple.
Now living in New York, Astrid Kuljanic absorbed and embraced a wide range of musical genres, ranging from jazz, Brazilian and Indian music. This was quite different to the Eastern Europe and Balkan music she had grown to love back home in Croatia. However, it helped shape Astrid Kuljanic as she experimented with new things.
One of them was performing with electronics using the digital audio workstation Ableton Live. This was very different to the much of the music Astrid Kuljanic had discovered earlier in her life and recently embraced. However, Astrid Kuljanic wasn’t just making music with Ableton Live. Soon, Artemisz Polonyi was invited to join Anne Boccato’s latest protect the Asaran Earth Trio, and became the third member of this truly talented triumvirate
Artemisz Polonyi.
Just like Astrid Kuljanic, Artemisz Polonyi’s roots are in Eastern Europe, where she grew up in the beautiful city of Budapest, which is the capital of Hungary. That was where Artemisz Polonyi first discovered the Kodály tradition of singing folk songs and choral music. This was the start of Artemisz Polonyi’s lifelong love affair with singing harmonies.
Initially, Artemisz Polonyi’s loved singing the moving middle note when she harmonising back home in Budapest. However, as an adult Artemisz Polonyi also made the journey to New York, where the next part of her musical career began.
Once she had settled in New York, Artemisz Polonyi began singing mostly with a cappella groups, and sometimes with choirs. This was the music she loved, and most of the time she’s required to hit the highest notes. Only the best and most talented singers can do this consistently. This includes Artemisz Polonyi, who is also a versatile singer, capable of switching between musical genres, and occasionally sings with jazz groups.
This includes her own jazz trio which plays in venues in New York City. The multitalented Artemisz Polonyi also teaches, conducts her own chorus and spends some of her time experimenting with world music and improvisation. Then there’s the latest vocal group that Artemisz Polonyi is part of…Asaran Earth Trio.
Asaran Earth Trio.
When the three members of Asaran Earth Trio first met in New York, Anne Boccato, Astrid Kuljanic and Artemisz Polonyi realised that they had much in common with each other. That was despite growing up in different countries, and in the case of Anne Boccato a different continent. However, they all shared a love of music which was thing that brought them together, and which they bonded over.
Soon, Anne Boccato, Astrid Kuljanic and Artemisz Polonyi had made a pact that they should dedicate themselves to singing beautiful music from different parts of the world and take different musical traditions in new directions. To do this, they fused elements of folk music, group improvisation, percussion, beats and the various genres of music that had inspired each vocalist.
Before long, the trio were drawing inspiration from each other’s musical heritage, as the came together to sing and play various percussive instruments. Little did they realise that things were about to snowball, and what started out as three friends singing together, would eventually see them booked to play everywhere from bars, theatres and festivals to living rooms churches and on the city streets. By then, the three friends had adopted the name Asaran Earth Trio and a new musical adventure had begun.
It was an adventure that would eventually cross cultural and language barriers, and saw the Asaran Earth Trio bring their unique brand of genre-melting music to audiences across New York. Many were captivated by both the starkness and beauty of the music which features just vocals and percussion. This was very different to much of the music the audiences had heard before.
While the audience had heard groups harmonising before, usually, they had a full band behind them. That wasn’t the case with Asaran Earth Trio, who were reliant on their innate or God-given talents. The audience watched as their harmonies became one, and soared high into the night air above the spartan percussion and beats. These harmonies had been honed and perfected over days, weeks and months, and now the Asaran Earth Trio were reaping their rewards as they showcased their skill and versatility.
While some of the songs that the Asaran Earth Trio sang were familiar folks songs, jazz standards or heartbreaking laments, they wanted to introduce the audience to the music of their home countries. Gradually, the Asaran Earth Trio introduced songs from Brazil, Croatia and Hungary into their increasingly eclectic sets. Their sets reflected the members of the Asaran Earth Trio’s background, and paid homage to their homelands and those that they left behind.
Many members of the audience who also came from the four corners of the globe could relate to Asaran Earth Trio’s music. However, just like other members of the audience, they embraced and enjoyed Asaran Earth Trio’s cerebral, joyous and uplifting music. Meanwhile, the Asaran Earth Trio were playing in a variety of venues, big and small, with their music proving increasingly popular.
Some nights, the Asaran Earth Trio gave audience members handmade instruments to play, and asked that they sang along with them. This added to what was already a joyous atmosphere. So much so, that when some members of the audience heard the Asaran Earth Trio in full flight, thought that this irresistible sound was akin to a call to dance. That would prove ironic, as the Asaran Earth Trio named their debut album Why Should Your Heart Not Dance.
Why Should Your Heart Not Dance is the latest chapter in the Asaran Earth Trio story, and features fourteen songs from this talented trio. They showcase their talent and versatility on this album of carefully crafted, genre-melting music. It opens with the Asaran Earth Trio reinventing Ray Henderson’s standard Bye Bye Blackbird. They sing a cappella and improvise and sometimes, become human beat boxes. In doing so, they give the listener a taste of what’s to come, as the song heads in new and sometimes unexpected directions, all the times, taking twists and turns along the way
That is the case throughout Why Should Your Heart Not Dance, which features traditional songs from America, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Portugal and Spain. The Asaran Earth Trio rework, and sometimes, totally transform songs as they given them a musical makeover.
This includes the traditional Macedonian ballad Jovano Jovanke, which deals with love and loss. Here the Asaran Earth Trio’s tight, heartfelt peerless harmonies are augmented by a spartan arrangement which features the unmistakable sound of a frame drum
Kis Kece Lányom is Hungarian lament sung at weddings, where the mother bids farewell to her daughter. The Asaran Earth Trio sing a cappella allowing their beautiful crystalline harmonies to take centre-stage, on a song were Artemisz Polonyi’s love of choral music shines through.
Anne Boccato’s inspiration for the title-track came Why Should Your Heart Not Dance came from CS Lewis. It features a heartfelt vocal and droning, cascading, soaring and soulful harmonies. They prove the perfect accompaniment an impassioned vocal.
Milho Verde is a traditional Portuguese song with lyrics that are rich in imagery. As a result, just drumbeats and percussion provide a subtle backdrop for the Asaran Earth Trio’s joyous harmonies. Later, they leave room for the percussion to improvise as this traditional song, heads in a new and unexpected directions.
One of the most beautiful songs on Why Should Your Heart Not Dance is Ket Dal, which is another Hungarian traditional song. This is the perfect showcase for Artemisz Polonyi’s lone ethereal vocal, which is later augmented by subtle vocals. They take care not to overpower the ethereal beauty of Artemisz Polonyi’s vocal on this love song.
Very different is the Croatian traditional song Divojčice Rožice, which features a conversation between a handsome man and beautiful woman. Astrid Kuljanic plays both characters during this impassioned exchange, and in doing so, breathes new life into the song. It’s a similar case with the traditional American folk song song Foreign Lander, where the lead vocal and harmonies become a musical yin and yang during this beautiful and moving lament. It’s reminiscent of many traditional Celtic songs, even some that are being written today.
The Asaran Earth Trio’s reinvent the legendary Hermeto Pascoal’s Viva o Jackson do Pandeiro, which swings as beats, percussion and a zambumba accompany their peerless jazz-tinged harmonies. Although very different from the original, it’s an irresistible, imaginative and swinging rework of a song that was written and recorded by a true musical pioneer.
L’Amante Confessore is a Shakespearian love story from Trento region of Northern Italy. In the song, a young woman who is dying is visited by her lover, who has disguised himself as a member of a religious order. The Asaran Earth Trio’ sing a cappella and again, their tight harmonies breath meaning and emotion into the lyrics. It’s a similar case on the impassioned rendition of the traditional Bulgarian song Dilmano Dilbero. It gives way to the heartfelt Hungarian ballad Széki Lassú, where Artemisz Polonyi delivers a needy ethereal vocal full of longing. It’s without doubt one of Why Should Your Heart Not Dance’s highlights.
The Asaran Earth Trio throw a curveball on Patacoada which is a musical tongue twister which Anne Boccato cowrote with Jose Paulo Paes. It’s delivered in a Maracuta rap style, which shows another side to the Asaran Earth Trio. Closing Why Should Your Heart Not Dance is the traditional Spanish song Las Panaderas, which is a homage to the women who make the bread in the mornings. It’s a joyous song that is sung in 6/8 time, against a spartan but effective arrangement. This is a memorable way to close the Asaran Earth Trio’s much-anticipated debut album Why Should Your Heart Not Dance.
It’s a captivating and carefully crafted album of enchanting and eclectic music from the Asaran Earth Trio who are led by the talented Brazilian-born singer, songwriter and percussionist Anne Boccato. She recruited two other talented singers, composers and musicians, including Astrid Kuljanic from Croatia and Artemisz Polonyi from Hungary. They all traveled to New York separately, and met in the Big Apple where they bonded over their shared love of music.
Since then, the Asaran Earth Trio have become familiar faces and favourites on the New York live scene, where they play venues big and small. The next step was releasing their debut album, which features the considerable talents of this versatile and multitalented Asaran Earth Trio releasing their much much-anticipated and long-awaited debut album Why Should Your Heart Not Dance.
It’s the equivalent to a magical musical mystery tour, where the Asaran Earth Trio cover and reinvent traditional songs from America, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Portugal and Spain. They’re augmented by the standard Bye Bye Blackbird and Hermeto Pascoal’s Viva o Jackson do Pandeiro. These songs then head in new and sometimes unexpected directions, taking twists and turns along the way as the Asaran Earth Trio leave room to improvise. In reinventing these songs, they take on new life and meaning. Suddenly, songs that are part of these countries rich musical heritage have been reworked for a ‘21st’ Century audience.
Asaran Earth Trio reinvention of these traditional songs wasn’t without risk. Sometimes, it’s seen as sacrilege reworking part of a country’s musical heritage. That isn’t the case here, and the Asaran Earth Trio imaginative and inventive reworks of traditional and familiar songs has resulted in a captivating, enchanting and much-anticipated debut album Why Should Your Heart Not Dance. It showcases the Asaran Earth Trio’s considerable talents and their unique and inimitable genre-melting music that is variously beautiful, ethereal, joyous and sometimes full of sadness longing. Why Should Your Heart Not Dance is a musical and emotional roller coaster that showcase the considerable talents and versatility of the Asaran Earth Trio.
Asaran Earth Trio-Why Should Your Heart Not Dance.
BOZ SCAGGS-MIDDLE MAN AND OTHER ROADS.
Boz Scaggs-Middle Man and Other Roads.
Label: BGO Records.
As the seventies gave to the eighties, American singer, songwriter and guitarist Boz Scaggs had released eight solo albums, and was enjoying the most successful period of his career. His last three albums had sold in excess of 6.5 million copies, transforming Boz Scaggs’ career.
Until the release of his sixth album Slow Dancer in March 1974, Boz Scaggs’ previous albums had failed to reach the top hundred in the US Billboard 200. That all changed with Slow Dancer, which reached eighty-one in the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold. This was just a taste of what was to come for Boz Scaggs.
Two years later, he returned in March 1976 with Silk Degrees, where future members of Toto accompanied Boz Scaggs, on what was essentially an album of white soul tinged with humour. When Silk Degrees was released, it was to widespread critical acclaim, with critics hailing the album as Boz Scaggs finest hour. Silk Degrees reached number two in the US Billboard 200 and six in the US R&B charts, and was certified platinum five tine over. Things got even better for Boz Scaggs when Lowdown, one of four singles released from Silk Degrees, won a Grammy Award for the best R&B Song at the 1977 Grammy Awards.
By then, Boz Scaggs had embarked upon a sellout world tour, where he toured his career-defining opus Silk Degrees. When the tour ended, Boz Scaggs began work on the followup to Silk Degrees. He knew that the pressure was on him to replicate the success of Silk Degrees.
That wasn’t going to be easy, and even Boz Scaggs must have known that it was going to be virtually impossible to replicate the success Silk Degrees, which was a career-defining album. However, Boz Scaggs went in to the studio with many of the same musicians that featured on Silk Degrees, and recorded Down Two Then Left.
When Down Two Then Left was released in November 1977, Boz Scaggs’ unique brand of white soul found favour with critics on both sides of the Atlantic. Down Two Then Left peaked at eleven in the US Billboard 200, and was certified platinum. Although Down Two Then Left hadn’t come close to replicating the success of Silk Degrees, it had sold in excess of a million copies. This Boz Scaggs knew was pretty good for an artist whose albums five years ago struggling in the lower reaches of charts.
For Boz Scaggs these were changed days. He had spent nine years struggling to make a breakthrough, released five albums before making a commercial breakthrough. By the time Boz Scaggs released Down Two Then Left in 1977 it seemed he could do no wrong, and many critics expected him to return with a new album in a year or eighteen months.
Instead, it was nearly three years before Boz Scaggs returned with his ninth solo album Middle Man in April 1980. Middle Man is joined by Two Roads on BGO Records’ recently reissued and remastered two CD set. They tell the next chapter in the Boz Scaggs story.
Middle Man.
Nearly two years passed before Boz Scaggs thoughts turned to his ninth solo album, Middle Man. The last five years had seen Boz Scaggs career and indeed life transformed. He had gone from musical contender to undisputed champion in the space of a few short years. Sometimes, it was hard to believe for Boz Scaggs to believe that by 1979 he was one of the biggest names in seventies rock. However, that was the case, and by 1979 his legion of fans eagerly awaited the followup to Down Two Then Left.
In 1979, Boz Scaggs began work on Middle Man, which was the followup to his million selling album Down Two Then Left. One of the first things that Boz Scaggs did was rehire the members of Toto who had played on 1976s Silk Degrees and 1977s Down Two Then Left as session musicians. This was a role they were happy to resume.
With members of Toto booked to play on Middle Man, Boz Scaggs also hired producer Bill Schnee, who brought onboard keyboardist David Foster. This proved to a masterstroke as Boz Scaggs and his new keyboardist David Foster formed a formidable songwriting partnership.
By the time David Foster came onboard, Boz Scaggs had already penned Do Like You Do In New York and Isn’t It Time. Soon, the Boz Scaggs and David Foster songwriting partnership had written Breakdown Dead Ahead, Simone, You Can Have Me Anytime, Middle Man and Angel You. Boz Scaggs and David Foster also wrote Jojo with David Lasley, and before long, the Ohio born troubadour’s ninth album Middle Man was taking shape. The other song on Middle Man the album closer You Got Some Imagination which Boz Scaggs wrote with Toto’s guitarist Steve Lukather and new producer Bill Schnee.
With the album written, and the personnel hired work began on Middle Man, which was recorded at three separate studios. Some sessions took place at Studio 55 in Los Angeles, with other seasons taking place at Sunset Sound and Cherokee Studios in Hollywood. Joining Boz Scaggs were the members of Toto who were augmented by backing vocalists, a string section and Larry Fast and Michael Boddicker who joined Toto’s Steve Porcaro in programming the synths that featured on Middle Man. In total, twenty-eight musicians and backing vocalists accompanied Boz Scaggs as he recorded Middle Man, which was the long-awaited band much-anticipated followup to Down Two Then Left.
When Middle Man was completed, the Columbia scheduled the release of Boz Scaggs’ ninth album for April 1980. Just like its predecessor Down Two Then Left, critics on both sides of the Atlantic were won over by Middle Man.
That came as no surprise as Middle which was a slick, sophisticated and accomplished album that featured nine carefully crafted songs. They saw Boz Scaggs draw inspiration from the sound of his biggest selling album Silk Degrees, but also embrace new technology and production values. It was an album that looked to and referenced the triumvirate of albums that Boz Scaggs released between 1974 and 1977, but also hinted at the direction music would take during the eighties. Middle Man was also an album that showed different sides of Boz Scaggs and was full of highlights aplenty.
Middle Man opens with the funky sounding Jojo, where strings sweep and swirl and harmonies coo and play their part in this slick cinematic sounding track. It sets the bar high for the rest of the album. Breakdown Dead Ahead features an urgent and rocky sound on this cinematic slice of white soul where Boz Scaggs tells the story of a former lover who rides to the rescue of the one he once loved. Quite different is Simone, which has a smooth, soulful and jazz-tinged sound as Boz Scaggs paints pictures of the woman he’s fallen for. Sadly, it’s a case of un requited love as she can’t express or her reciprocate her feelings. You Can Have Me Anytime is a beautiful, hopeful piano lead ballad, which features lush strings and later, a guitar solo from Carlos Santana. It’s one of the highlights of the album.
As the tension builds on Middle Man, one of the rockiest songs on the album unfolds. Accompanying Boz Scaggs’ urgent vocal are backing vocalists, before searing guitars drums, and piano play their part in this rocky epic. The tempo drops on Do Like You Do In New York, but there’s still a rocky sound as Boz Scaggs sings about trying to keep up appearances when things are going wrong. It’s followed by the upbeat pop rock of Angel You, which gives way to another beautiful ballad Isn’t It Time? Closing Middle Man is the pulsating You Got Some Imagination where Boz Scaggs swaggers his way through the lyrics delivering a vocal powerhouse. This ensures Middle Man ends on high.
When Middle Man was released in April 1980, the album reached eight on the US Billboard 200 and thirty-six on the US R&B charts. This resulted in Boz Scaggs second platinum album. Two singles were released from Middle Man, with Breakdown Dead Ahead reaching fifteen in the US Billboard 100, with Jojo then reaching seventeen in the US Billboard 100. Little did anyone realise that this was the last single Boz Scaggs would release for another eight years.
Later in 1980, Boz Scaggs released Hits! which focused on material he had released between 1976 and 1980. Hits! reached twenty-four and was certified platinum. This meant that Boz Scaggs last five albums had released 8.5 million copies. It was no surprise that Boz Scaggs decided to take some time out.
Other Roads.
Nobody, especially executives at Columbia expected Boz Scaggs to spend eight years away from the recording studio. This was almost unheard of, given Boz Scaggs had been enjoying the most successful period of his career. Between 1974 and 1980 Boz Scaggs was one the finest purveyors of white soul, and a titan of rock who looked as if he was going enjoy the same success during the rest of the eighties. Sadly, it wasn’t to be and Boz Scaggs didn’t return with his tenth album Other Roads until 1988.
By then, music had changed and so had the way that music was made. Technology was playing a bigger part in the music-making process, and this was something that Boz Scaggs had to deal with on Other Roads. Having been away so long, many of the musicians and songwriting partners that Boz Scaggs had worked with had moved on, and in many ways, he was forced to start over again.
When Boz Scaggs began work on Other Roads, he had already decided to target the lucrative adult contemporary market. This meant he had to surround himself with songwriters and musicians with experience in this genre.
For Other Roads, Boz Scaggs collaborated with a number of songwriting partners, including Marcus Miller. They penned Funny, and wrote What’s Number One with J.C. Carroll, who penned Right Out of My Head and Crimes Of Passion with D. Tyler Huff. He wrote Right Out of My Head with Boz Scaggs, who teamed up with Larry Williams to write Claudia. No longer was Boz Scaggs writing with just one or two songwriting partners.
The nascent Boz Scaggs and David Williams songwriting partnership wrote Mental Shakedown with Guy Allison Stein, and Cool Running with Patrick Leonard. Boz Scaggs then wrote The Night Of Van Gogh with Peter Wolf Bobby Caldwell, who in turn wrote Heart Of Mine with Dennis Matkosky and Jason Scheff. These were the ten songs that Boz Scaggs recorded for his long-awaited tenth album Other Roads.
Recording of Other Roads took place at two studios in Los Angeles, Schnee Studio & Ocean Way Recording. Just like his last three albums, Boz Scaggs was joined by several members of Toto who had now sold twenty-million albums and won six Grammy Awards. The members of Toto were augmented by a vast cast of musicians and backing vocalists, including guitarist David Williams, keyboardist Marcus Williams, bassist Freddie Washington, percussionist Paulinho da Costa and vocalist James Ingram. Columbia were willing to back to Boz Scaggs on his comeback album Other Roads. It was the first that Boz Scaggs co-produced.
Having been away from the recording studio for so long, wisely, Boz Scaggs surrounded himself with experienced co-producers. He was joined by Bill Schnee, Stewart Levine and David Williams, who helped Boz Scaggs walk what was very fine line between old school and new school recording and production techniques.
On Other Roads, technology was used sparingly, allowing the traditional instruments to take centre-stage in the arrangements. Things had changed since Boz Scaggs released Old Roads, and now technology dominated many albums. However, Boz Scaggs wanted to strike a happy medium where traditional drums, bass and guitars were combined with synths, sequencers, samplers and drum machines. This was a road many producers had been down before, and many had taken a wrong turning. The team of producers that worked with Boz Scaggs on Other Roads were determined not to make the same mistake.
Proof of that was the punchy, mid-tempo album opener What’s Number One? Music’s past and present are combined to create a late-eighties adult contemporary ballad that marks the welcome return on Boz Scaggs. While there was a brashness to What’s Number One?’s arrangement, Claudia has a much smoother, slicker AOR sound. It’s a similar case on the ballad Heart Of Mine, which features one of Boz Scaggs’ best and most heartfelt vocals. Right Out Of My Head features a chugging arrangement and a big, bold, late-eighties arrangement. However, unlike many tracks released during this period, it’s stood the test of time. So has I Don’t Hear You, where Boz Scaggs deploys eighties technology and uses production values on this defiant, mid-tempo track.
The tempo rises on Mental Shakedown where a bass synth and a drum machine combine, and are joined by drummer John Robinson. They provide the backdrop for Boz Scaggs’ urgent vocals. Crimes Of Passion is marriage between rock and technology that sounds as if it belongs on the soundtrack to an eighties film or television show. It’s very different to the white soul Boz Scaggs was releasing a decade earlier. Technology is to the fore on Funny, which fuses elements of funk, jazz and eighties rock. Bright and breezy, but melodic and memorable describes Cool Running, which Boz Scaggs must have hoped would find its way onto radio station playlists. So should the album closer The Night Of Van Gogh, a dreamy, sensual and romantic mid-tempo ballad that floats along, and is without doubt Boz Scaggs finest moment on Other Roads.
When Boz Scaggs’ comeback album Other Roads was released on August the ‘30th’ 1988, the album stalled at just forty-seven in the US Billboard 200. This time there was no gold or platinum disc for Boz Scaggs. However, Other Roads found favour within the adult contemporary and AOR community which was the audience that Boz Scaggs had hoped to attract. They were won over by the lead single Heart Of Mine,which reached thirty-five on the US Billboard 100. This completed Boz Scaggs comeback after eight years away.
It wasn’t until Boz Scaggs released Memphis in 2013, that the Ohio born singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer surpassed the success of Other Roads. Memphis reached seventeen in the US Billboard 200 in 2013. By then, artists no longer needed to sell 500,000 or one million albums to enjoy such a high chart placing. It was changed days indeed for Boz Scaggs, who had released his debut album Boz in 1965.
In 2015, Boz Scaggs released his nineteen studio album A Fool to Care, some fifty year after releasing his debut. The veteran singer-songwriter had enjoyed an unrivalled longevity, and continued to reinvent his music to attract a new audience. This was something that Boz Scaggs had done throughout his career.
That was the case on his ninth album Middle Man which was remastered and rereleased alongside his tenth album Other Roads as a two CD set by BGO Records. Middle Man was the start of a new era for Boz Scaggs, and saw him incorporate technology into his trademark slick, sophisticated and carefully crafted white soul sound. Middle Man marked the end of an era, and was the last album of white soul that Boz Scaggs released.
That was a great shame as Boz Scaggs was regarded as one of the finest purveyors of white soul. Some critics went further, and regarded Boz Scaggs as the finest exponent of white soul, and cite the music he released between Slow Dancer in 1974 and Middle Man is proof. It was certainly the most successful period of his career, and saw his sell in excess of 7.5 million albums in America alone.
In his post white soul years, Boz Scaggs never reached the same heights. He came closest with Other Roads, when Boz Scaggs incorporated elements of white soul past with eighties technology. Stylistically Other Roads was the start of a new era for Boz Scaggs, but it was also the end of an era.
Other Roads was the last album Boz Scaggs released for Columbia, and he released his next album Some Change on Virgin in 1994. Boz Scaggs released seven studio albums during the seventeen years he was signed to Columbia. The Columbia years began with Moments in 1971, and ended with Other Roads in 1988. During that period, Boz Scaggs recorded and released the best, and most successful music of his six decade career. This included his last million selling album Middle Man, which brought to an end a seven-year period when Boz Scaggs could do wrong.
Boz Scaggs-Middle Man and Other Roads.
HIROSHIMA-THIRD GENERATION, ANOTHER PLACE AND GO.
Hiroshima-Third Generation, Another Place and Go.
Label: BGO Records.
Dan Kuramoto’s interest in music began when he became the inaugural chairman of the Asian-American studies program at California State University in Long Beach in the sixties. This was an honour for Dan Kuramoto who had just graduated from California State University with a degree in Fine Arts. The chance to return to his old alma mater and, shape the new course, was too good an opportunity to turn down for the young Los Angelino.
While Dan Kuramoto who was born and raised in LA, his family were originally from Japan. Dan Kuramoto was proud of his roots, and passionate about his new role at California State University. Dan Kuramoto threw himself into his new role, and was determined to make a success of the Asian-American studies program.
Although Dan Kuramoto was determined to make a success of his new role, in his spare time he began to learn to play the flute. This helped Dan Kuramoto relax as the sixties was proving to a turbulent and tumultuous decade. Parts of America were divided by race, and the country in the midst of racial, political and social change.
America wasn’t the only thing that was changing. When Dan Kuramoto decided to attend a fund-raising community picnic in LA, he had no idea that this would transform his life. That day, he met his future wife and musical partner June, who was born in Tokyo, but had been brought up in the Crenshaw district of LA.
June had much in common with Dan Kuramoto, including a love of music. She had started to play the koto, which is an ancient Japanese stringed instrument, at the age of six, and by the time she met Dan Kuramoto was a virtuoso musician.
Soon June and Dan Kuramoto, realised that they had much in common, and before long, had embarked upon a relationship. This was the start of a love affair, and by 1974, the pair were married. By then, Dan Kuramoto had started thinking about putting together a band that reflected both American and Japanese cultures.
When the band became reality, it was an Asian Pacific American garage band, which Dan Kuramoto decided to call Hiroshima. This was his way of paying tribute to the people of Hiroshima, and also reclaiming the name so that it came to mean hope, peace, rebirth and renewal.
Joining Dan and June Kuramoto in the initial lineup of Hiroshima were guitarist Peter Hata, keyboardist Dave Iwatak, taiko drummer Johnny Mori and multi-instrumentalist Danny Yamamoto. The first lineup of Hiroshima began playing locally, and soon, their innovative genre-melting sound was a popular draw within LA’s Asian-American community. This however, was just the start of the rise and rise of Hiroshima.
In 1976, Hiroshima received the big break that they had been looking for, when they featured in Duane Kubo’s Star Trek documentary Cruisin’ J-Town. This introduced Hiroshima’s music to a much wider audience, but a year later, the band’s lineup changed.
Keyboardist Dave Iwatak left Hiroshima in 1977, and was replaced by John Shipley. Two other new additions were vocalists Teri Kusumoto and Jess Acuna. However, none of Hiroshima’s new additions would last longer than five years, and the band’s lineup was fluid during that time.
The first of the new additions to leave was keyboardist John Shipley, who left Hiroshima in 1978. Another year passed before the new keyboardist and composer Richard Matthews Hiroshima in 1979. This was perfect timing as Hiroshima had just been signed to Arista by Larkin Arnold, who was one of the company’s rising stars. He decided to take a chance on Hiroshima, and paired them with Wayne Henderson of The Crusaders, who would produce the band’s eponymous debut album.
Hiroshima.
After five years and three changes in lineup, Dan Kuramoto’s dream was about to become reality when the band that he had founded recorded their debut album Hiroshima with producer Wayne Henderson.
At Ocean Way Recording Studios, Hollywood, Hiroshima were augmented by some session musician and backing vocalists when they recorded the eight tracks that became their eponymous debut album. The majority of the album were written by Dan Kuramoto who contributed Lion Dance, Roomful Of Mirrors and Taiko Song, and wrote Long Time Love, Da-Da and Never, Ever with Peter Hata. Dan Kuramoto also wrote Holidays with Jesse Acuna. It was joined by Dave Iwataki’s Kokoro on Hiroshima. When the album was complete, it was scheduled for release later in 1979.
The resulting album Hiroshima, was an ambitious genre-melting album where two cultures musical cultures melted into one. Pentatonic koto line were fused with elements of disco and funk on Hiroshima. This found favour with critics who were won over by Hiroshima.
When Hiroshima was released in 1979, it sold over 100,000 copies in the first three months, and eventually peaked at fifty-one on the US Billboard 200. Buoyed by the success of Hiroshima, the irresistible Room Full Of Mirrors was released as a single and reached eighty in the US R&B charts. However, by then, Room Full Of Mirrors was a favourite within the easy listening community and introduced Hiroshima’s music to a new and wider audience.
Odori.
Following the success of their eponymous debut album, Hiroshima returned to Ocean Way Recording Studios, in Hollywood to record their sophomore album Odori. Executives at Arista were keen to build on the success of Hiroshima.
For Odori, Dan Kuramoto played his part in each of the eight tracks on the album, writing Shinto, All I Want and Fortune Teller, and penning Echoes with Peter Hata. The pair also wrote Warriors with keyboardist Richard Mathews. He and Dan Kuramoto also wrote Winds Of Change with bassist Dane Matsumura. Cruisin’ J-Town was penned by Dan and June Kuramoto with Peter Hata and Teri Kusumoto. They also wrote Odori with Jesse Acuna, Johnny Mori and Tsukamoto. These tracks became Odori, which was produced by Wayne Henderson.
Just like Hiroshima, the band were augmented by session playing and backing vocalists at Ocean Way Recording Studios. Odori was a different album from Hiroshima, combined their elements of Japanese music and soul with jazz-funk. Although this was different to their eponymous debut album, it proved popular
Critics were impressed by Hiroshima’s sophomore album Odori, and the album sold well upon its release in 1980. Odori reached seventy-eight on the US Billboard 200 during an eighteen week stay on the charts. The lead single from Odori was Warriors, which gave Hiroshima a minor hit single when it charted at seventy-nine in the US R&B charts. This was the last hit single Hiroshima enjoyed at Arista.
After the release of Odori, Larkin Arnold who had signed Hiroshima moved to Columbia’s imprint Epic. This was a huge blow for the band, as Hiroshima was Larkin Arnold’s signing, and his replacement might not place the same importance on the band? Hiroshima found themselves in limbo.
Fortunately, Larkin Arnold hadn’t forgotten about Hiroshima, and by 1983, they were about to release their debut album on Epic. This was Third Generation which is joined by Another Place and Go, on a two disc set that was recently released by BGO Records.
Third Generation.
Three years had passed since Hiroshima released Odori, and much had changed within the music industry. This included how music was made, and many artists and bands were making greater use of technology, including drum machines and synths. Hiroshima were the latest convert to technology when they began recording their Epic debut, Third Generation.
Just like their two previous albums, Dan Kuramoto wrote the majority of the ten trackless on Third Generation. He penned Heavenly Angel, We Are, Ren, Do What You Can, Long Walks and Fifths. Dan Kuramoto teamed up with Dean Cortez to write San Say. Meanwhile, June Kuramoto contributed Distant Thoughts, Peter Hata wrote From The Heart and Johnny Mori composed Sukoshi Bit. These tracks were recorded at five different studios.
Some of the recording of Third Generation took place at Ocean Way Recording Studios, while other sessions took place at Monterey Sound Studios, Conway Studios, Sunset Sound Factory and Fiddler Studio. This time, there was no sign of Wayne Henderson, with Dan Kuramoto taking charge of production.
This wasn’t the only change. In the three years since the release of Hiroshima’s sophomore album Odori, there had been several changes to the lineup. Bassist Dane Matsumura, keyboardist Richard Matthews and vocalists Teri Kusumoto and Jess Acuna had all left Hiroshima. The addition of session players and backing vocalists augmented the slimed down lineup of Hiroshima as recorded their long-awaited third album Third Generation.
When critics heard Third Generation they struggled to describe Hiroshima’s new genre-melting sound. It was also the first Hiroshima album to feature technology. However, Dan Kuramoto making his production debut, decided to use the technology sparingly, taking a less is more approach on Hiroshima’s most eclectic album
Opening Third Generation was the soulful, funky Heavenly Angel which incorporated traditional Japanese instruments. It was joined by the techno-funk of We Are, the understated Ren and the Japanese reggae of Do What You Can. A variety of disparate genres are then combined by Hiroshima on the complex, genre-melting instrumental San Say. It’s followed by Distant Thoughts, a laid-back and ruminative mid-tempo ballad where American and Japanese music combines. From The Heart is an über funky and soulful track, which is followed by the beautiful AOR ballad Long Walks. Fifths is a fusion of rock and Japanese influences where bolstering fusion-inspired guitar licks play a starring role. Closing the album was Sukoshi Bit, which is a showcase for Johnny Mori’s especially his taiko drums.
When Hiroshima’s first album for three years was released in 1983, Third Generation only reached 142 in the US Billboard 200 and fifty in the US R&B charts. This was a disappointment for Hiroshima and executives at Epic. However, when San Say was released as the lead single, it reached sixty-eight in the US R&B charts and became Hiroshima’s biggest hit single. For Hiroshima this was a small crumb of comfort, as their thoughts turned to their fourth album Another Place.
Another Place.
Much would happened to Hiroshima before they released their fourth album Another Place in 1985. Indeed, much had happened to Hiroshima before they even got round to recording Another Place. This included a number of changes in the band’s lineup.
Departures included keyboardist Dave Iwataki who was replaced by Kimo Cormwell. The most surprising change was the departure of guitarist Peter Hata, who was replaced by session players David Taylor and TJ Parker. They were among the session players who joined Hiroshima when recording began.
This time around, Sunset Sound, Sunset Sound Factory and Sound City Studios were used to record the nine tracks that became Another Place. Dan Kuramoto only wrote four tracks, One Wish, Save Yourself For Me, I Do Remember and Stay Away. He wrote Another Place with Joe Wolfe; Touch And Go with Michael Sasaki and Undercover with June Kuramoto and Danny Yamamot. Keithen Carter and Pat Leonard wrote The Game and What’s It To Ya. These tracks were produced by Dan Kuramoto and became Another Place.
Critics on receiving their copies of Another Place discovered a very different album to Hiroshima’s three previous outings. Hiroshima had reinvented their sound on Another Place. This was a huge gamble, but Hiroshima decided to roll the dice on Another Place.
It opened with the Oriental smooth jazz of One Wish, which gave way to the beautiful ballad Save Yourself For Me and the instrumental Another Place. Its got a much tougher sound that is very different from the album opener. I Do Remember could only have been recorded during the eighties, and finds Hiroshima marrying technology with saxophones. In doing so, they create a track that epitomises the sound of the eighties.
Hiroshima fuse pop and R&B on The Game, before they combine pop and funk whilst paying homage to Prince on Undercover. After that, it’s all change on Stay Away, which is sensual and soulful. Then the defiant What’s It To Ya heads in the direction pop and funk, as Hiroshima incorporate eighties technology. Closing the album was the slick synth pop of Touch And Go, which is one of the most commercial tracks on the album.
Hiroshima’s decision to reinvent their sound on Another Place proved a gamble worth taking, when the album was released in 1985 and reached seventy-nine on the US R&B charts, where it spent forty-five weeks. The only disappointment was that Another Place failed to chart in the US R&B charts. However, Hiroshima soon got over this, when Another Place was certified gold having sold over 500,000 copies. This was what Hiroshima had been working towards since Dan Kuramoto founded the group in 1974.
Go.
Having enjoyed the most successful album of their career, Hiroshima set about to replicate the success of Another Place. This wasn’t going to be easy, but Dan Kuramoto and the rest Hiroshima were determined to build on Another Place.
Just like previous albums, Dan Kuramoto wrote the majority of the eight tracks on Go. He wrote Go, Obon, Even Then and Why Can’t I Love You, and cowrote the other four tracks. This included Hawaiian Electric with June; No. 9 with Chick Corea; I’ve Been Here Before with keyboardist Derek Nakamoto wrote I’ve Been Here Before and 311 with Dianne Quander. These eight songs became Go.
Hiroshima would use three studios to record Go, including Ocean Way Recording Studios, Sunset Sound Factory and Sunset Sound Recording. The same core lineup of Hiroshima were augmented by session players and backing vocalists. Dan Kuramoto produced five of the eight tracks on Go, while George Duke took charge of production on No. 9, Even Then and Why Can’t I Love You?
By 1987, when Go was recorded, George Duke was a hugely successful composer, musician and producer. However, Hiroshima had just enjoyed the most successful album of their career, and to some industry insiders, the decision to bring George Duke onboard seemed strange? These industry insiders wondered had Epic, Hiroshima or Dan Kuramoto brought George Duke onboard? If it was Epic, would the addition of George Duke undermine Dan Kuramoto’s role as producer?
Go opened the title-track where Hiroshima combined technology, samples and traditional instruments to create an idiosyncratic and irresistible sounding track. It’s followed by I’ve Been Here Before which is a tender, ruminative and melodic track that been carefully crafted. 311, an uptempo and soulful dance track where Michael Landau unleashes a blistering guitar solo. Genre-melting describes No. 9, an Asiatic, pop-funk instrumental.
Obon epitomises Dan Kuramoto’s original idea for Hiroshima as he combines jazz-funk with Japanese influences. It gives way to the pulsating ballad Even Then, where Barbara Long delivers one of her finest vocals. However, Hawaiian Electric which was released as a single, and was later used in commercials, is without doubt, one of the highlights of the album. Closing Go is Why Can’t I Love You where Barbara Long delivers a soul-searching and emotive vocal, that closes the album on a high.
The decision to bring George Duke was vindicated when critics hailed the album as one of Hiroshima’s finest albums, and a fitting followup to Another Place. Go which means five in Japanese, was released in autumn 1987, and was the fifth album Hiroshima released. It was also their most successful, when Go reached seventy-five in the US Billboard 200 and fifty-four in the US R&B charts. This was enough for the second gold disc of Hiroshima’s career.
After the success of Go, Epic’s decision to take a chance on Hiroshima was vindicated, and executives at Arista must have been regretting the day they let Dan Kuramoto’s band leave the label.
Having been reunited with Larkin Arnold, Hiroshima released Third Generation, Another Place and Go between 1983 and 1987. These albums have been remastered and rereleased by BGO Records as a two CD set. They’re a reminder of musical chameleons Hiroshima at the peak of their powers, as they constantly reinvented their music.
To do this, Hiroshima combined traditional Western and Asian instruments with the latest in musical technology. The result was Hiroshima’s pioneering, genre-melting sound that incorporated everything from funk, fusion, jazz-funk, pop, R&B and rock to electronic and tech-funk through to elements of Asian and Japanese music. There’s also everything from tender ballad to uptempo dance tracks on Third Generation, Another Place and Go, which showcase the considerable talents and versatility of Hiroshima, who were led by teacher turned bandleader, composer and producer Dan Kuramoto.
Hiroshima-Third Generation, Another Place and Go.
MOGOLLAR-A CAREER OF TWO PARTS
Moğollar-A Career Of Two Parts.
By 1976, Anatolian rockers Moğollar had been together for the best part of a decade, and were now one of Turkey’s most successful bands. Everything seemed to have been going well for Moğollar until they lost their latest vocalist. This was nothing new, and was a problem that had haunted the group over the years.
Vocalists had been Moğollar’s achilles heel, and throughout the band’s career, they struggled to keep hold of a vocalist.They seemed to come and go, never staying long. However, changes to Moğollar’s lineup was nothing new as the band’s lineup had always been somewhat ‘fluid’. Still, Moğollar had carried on as normal. Something changed with the loss of their latest vocalist, and Moğollar found themselves at a crossroads.
The members of Moğollar had to decide what to do next? Many onlookers expected Moğollar to recruit a new vocalist, and then begin work on their much-anticipated third album. What these onlookers didn’t expect was for Moğollar to call time on their career. However, before Moğollar bowed out, they decided to release one more album.
Without a vocalist, this restricted the type of album that could record. Eventually, the members of Moğollar came up with a plan to record an album of instrumental progressive rock which would bring the curtain down on their career. This was Moğollar’s swan-song and ensured that one of Turkey’s greatest groups bowed out in style. Their career began in Turkey’s capital twelve years earlier.
Silüetler.
Moğollar’s story began in Istanbul, in 1964, when twenty year old guitarist, Mesut Aytunca and Erol Bilem formed Silüetler. In the early days of Silüetler, they were inspired by one of the popular British group, The Shadows. Soon, Silüetler were popular draw within the local music scene. This gave them the confidence to enter various Turkish music competition.
By 1965, Silüetler were faring well in the competitions they entered. Although they hadn’t won, they were always challenging for the top spot. One of the most prestigious competitions was the Altin Mikrofon. Entrants were encouraged to combine Turkish lyrics with Western instrumentation. When Silüetler entered the Altin Mikrofon competition in 1965, they were third. It was a case of so near, yet so far.
A year later, and Silüetler were better prepared for the Altin Mikrofon competition. They had spent much of 1966 recording and touring. The extensive touring allowed Silüetler to hone the Anatolian rock sound that they had pioneered. This fusion of Turkish folk and rock music proved popular wherever Silüetler played. It also proved popular when Silüetler took to the stage at the 1966 Altin Mikrofon. When the winner was announced, it was no surprise when Silüetler won the first prize. Their star was in the ascendancy.
The only problem was that Mesut Aytunca had a tendency to change Silüetler’s lineup to ensure the music stayed relevant. Musicians seemed to come and go. In 1967, two new arrivals were rhythm guitarist and vocalist Aziz Azmet and organist Murat Ses who were both talented musicians, and were welcome additions to Silüetler.
Within a matter of months, the two new arrivals were plotting the musical equivalent of a coup d’état. Aziz Azmet and organist Murat Ses had been planning to form a new band, Moğollar. Before the end of 1967, Aziz Azmet and Murat Ses had recruited nearly ever member of Silüetler. The only man who remainder was one of the two, founder members Mesut Aytunca. His constant changing of Silüetler’s lineup had backfired spectacularly.
Moğollar.
This was something that the members of Moğollar in 1967 should’ve have learnt from. However, that wasn’t the case, and within a matter of months, the lineup started to change. It wasn’t the occasional change in lineup. Instead, the lineup of Moğollar seemed to be constantly changing. So much so, that fourteen different musicians were members of Moğollar between 1967-1974.
Complicating matters further, was that some of the members of Moğollar were also successful solo artists. They would often head off on tour or into the studio to record an album. These were interesting times for Moğollar.
By 1968, Moğollar were already a popular live draw in Izmir, where they played in clubs and even at fairs. This the members of Moğollar knew, was all good experience for the nascent band. Moğollar wanted to hone their sound, especially with the Altin Mikrofon competition fast approaching. They had set their sights on wining it. However, Moğollar had to settle for third prize. Considering Moğollar were still a relatively new band, their Dutch manager Anton Oskamp told the band that this was a good result.
Following the Altin Mikrofon competition, Moğollar embarked on a lengthy and gruelling tour of Eastern Turkey. During the tour, Moğollar would play in towns where no rock bands had previously played. In some of the towns, the inhabitants had never heard rock music before. Moğollar were about to become musical pioneers, as they introduced their music to a new and wider audience.
As the tour of Eastern Turkey progressed, so did Moğollar’s interest in Turkish folk music. Soon, Moğollar began to expand the array of instruments they took to the stage with. This began when guitarist Cahit Berkay started buying a variety of traditional Turkish instruments including a baglama, kemence, tambura and three string violin. They would augment the instruments that Moğollar usually took to the stage with.
Gradually, Moğollar’s sound was evolving. Suddenly, the way Moğollar approached music began to change. They began using Western instruments to play parts in song that normally, a traditional instrument would play. This new sound was born during the tour of Eastern Turkey, but took shape over the next couple of years. In 1970, Taner Öngür christened, the new sound Anadolu Pop in an article in Hey magazine.
Despite Taner Öngür’s coining of the term Anadolu Pop, he isn’t regarded as the architect of Anadolu Pop. Instead, Moğollar’s organist and songwriter-in-chief, Murat Ses’ credits his wife Nihal Ses as the true architect of Anadolu Pop. It was pioneered by Moğollar, who became the most successful purveyor of the genre.
By 1970, Moğollar were a hugely successful band in Turkey and wanted to taste commercial success and critical acclaim further afield. Even if this meant leaving Turkey, and living in Europe. Members of Moğollar were sent to various European cities to try to find a new base for the band. After considering several cities, Moğollar settled on Paris.
This was purely because Barış Mango lived in Paris, and offered Taner Öngür somewhere to stay. Suddenly, Paris looked very appealing for Moğollar’s new European base. When the rest of Moğollar found accommodation elsewhere in Paris, the band began looking for a recording contract.
Not long after Moğollar arrived in Paris, they looked through the telephone book and made a list of all the record companies based in the city. They started phoning each one, in the hope that one of the record companies would offer them a contract. Eventually, CBS offered Moğollar a three-year contract, and this was the start of a new chapter for Moğollar.
Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui.
Now signed to CBS, Moğollar went into the studio to heir first single for CBS, Hitchin’. Unlike the previous singles Moğollar had recorded in Turkey, it was decided that Hitchin’ should be recorded in English. This CBS and Moğollar hoped would attract a wider audience.
Hitchin’ was released in 1971, but wasn’t the success that CBS and Moğollar had hoped. Despite this, Moğollar returned to the studio and recorded d their debut album Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui in France and Turkey. It featured new songs Moğollar, who got the chance to showcase their considerable skills as songwriters musicians.
Moğollar released Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui later in 1971, and the album found favour with critics. Later in 1971, the nominations for the Grand Prix du Disque award were announced and one of the nominees was Moğollar’s debut album. When Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui won the Grand Prix du Disque award this was further proof that Moğollar’s star was in the ascendancy.
Following the release of Grand Prix du Disque, Moğollar started planning a tour. Before the tour could begin, Moğollar began looking for a new lead vocalist. After a couple of singers turned them down, Barış Mango agreed to tour with Moğollar.
It was tantalising prospect, that two of the leading lights of Turkish music were about to head out on tour. Everyone involved was similarly excited and Moğollar decided to changed the band name to Manchomongol for the tour. It got underway later in 1971.
One member of Moğollar was missing from the tour, Engin Yörükoğlu. He had returned home to Istanbul to get married, but didn’t rejoin Moğollar. Instead, he remained in Istanbul until 1972, when he joined Barış Mango and Kurtalan Ekspres. That would prove ironic.
When the tour began the two titans of Turkish music thought that it was going to be the experience of a lifetime. After four long months, that was far from the case. The tour hadn’t been as enjoyable as Moğollar and Barış Mango had hoped. A turning point came in Kütahya, when someone took offence to Barış Mango’s long hair and the tour van was blown up. Everyone was shaken by this. Not long after this, Barış Mango caught mumps and had to leave the tour. This was a huge blow and Moğollar struggled to find a replacement for at such short notice.
After the tour, Moğollar recorded with Selda and Ersen and then began touring with Cem Karaca. That tour would last two years, and sadly, one of the members of Moğollar would’ve left the band before the tour ended.
This was organist and songwriter-in-chief Murat Ses. He was looking through Hey magazine in 1972, when he noticed an article about Moğollar. As Murat Ses read the article he was in for a surprise. Guitarist Cahit Berkay had announced that Murat Ses had left Moğollar. The reason given, was he no longer wanted to play concerts in small villages in Eastern Turkey. This was all news to Murat Ses. That day, he was unceremoniously ousted from the band he cofounded.
What those who plotted Murat Ses’ removal had overlooked, was his importance within Moğollar. Not only did he write the majority of the songs, but his organ played an important part in Moğollar’s music. The loss of Murat Ses could be a turning point for Moğollar. However, some saw this as just the latest change in Moğollar’s lineup.
After Murat Ses’ departure from Moğollar, Cahit Berkay became Moğollar’s de facto leader. Before long, most of the band were working on a variety of side projects. That was apart from Cahit Berkay. As time passed by, he decided the time was right for Moğollar to try to make a breakthrough in the European market. If that was going to happen, Cahit Berkay had to convince one former member of Moğollar to return to the fold.
That was Engin Yörükoğlu, who was still living in France. Cahit Berkay journeyed from Istanbul to see his old bandmate. This was something of a mercy mission, as Moğollar seemed to be teetering on the brink. Maybe if Engin Yörükoğlu rejoined Moğollar, then it would have a future?
At the meeting in France, Engin Yörükoğlu agreed to rejoin Moğollar. Three years after the release of their debut album, Moğollar were about to begin work on their sophomore album. Before that, Cahit Berkay returned home to Istanbul with the news that Engin Yörükoğlu was rejoining Moğollar.
When the rest of Moğollar heard the news, they began packing their instruments onto a pickup truck. This included Romain Didier, who would play Fender Rhodes and Minimoog. They would then be joined by Engin Yörükoğlu in the studio.
Hittit Sun.
Before that, Cahit Berkay assumed the role of songwriter-in-chief. He penned nine of the eleven songs. Romain Didier contributed Rue De L’orient, while Moğollar covered the traditional song White Dear. These eleven songs would eventually become Moğollar’s sophomore album Hittit Sun.
As work began on Hittit Sun, Moğollar’s music moved towards progressive rock and jazz. This was very different to their usual Anadolu Pop sound. It was no surprise. Music had changed since Moğollar released their debut album in 1971. Moğollar knew they had to reinvent their music to stay relevant. However, how would their fans respond?
When Moğollar’s sophomore album was released in Turkey in 1975, it was entitled Düm-Tek. By then, four years had passed since they had released their debut album. Düm-Tek wasn’t a commercial success in Turkey. Elsewhere, the album was released as Hittit Sun. Despite what was an ambitious and accomplished album, Hittit Sun failed to find an audience. It was a disaster for Moğollar.
Moğollar.
Despite the commercial failure of Hittit Sun, Moğollar weren’t willing to give up on their dream of making a commercial breakthrough in Europe. It was looking increasingly unlikely, but Moğollar were determined to give it one more go.
When began on Moğollar’s third album in 1976, it was the most eclectic album of their career. It featured Turkish and Azerbaijani folks songs, classical pieces and B-Sides. The album opener Kâtip Arzuhalim Yaz Yare Böyle was from the days of Manchomongol in 1971. These tracks would eventually become Moğollar’s eponymous third album.
For Moğollar, the sound had been stripped back to just the rhythm section and keyboards. By then, drummer and percussionist Engin Yörükoğlu and rhythm guitarist Cahit Berkay were the longest-serving members of Moğollar. The remainder of the band featured relative newcomers, so Cahit Berkay and Engin Yörükoğlu took charge of arranging the eleven tracks that later in 1976, became Moğollar.
It’s a captivating fusion of ancient Anatolian melodies and instruments which is combined with elements of classical music, progressive rock and psychedelia. Add to that, Eastern sounds and bursts of fuzzy guitar. The result is a heady brew that comprises Turkish folk songs; Azerbaijani folk song, classical pieces and B-Sides. Sadly, Moğollar wasn’t a commercial success.
When Moğollar was released on the Diskotür label in 1976, it followed in the footsteps of Hittit Sun and failed commercially. For Moğollar the dream was over and the band decided to call it a day. Moğollar was their swan-song.
Sadly, for Moğollar their eponymous third album was the end of what had been a long, successful and sometimes eventful musical journey. However, Moğollar left behind a rich musical legacy which included was around twenty singles and three albums. The last of this trio of albums was Moğollar.
After eight years together, Moğollar the remaining members of the band went their separate ways. The Moğollar was a case of what might have been? They never really built on the commercial success and critical acclaim that their 1971 debut album Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui.
The problem was, that Moğollar waited too long to release their sophomore album Hittit Sun. By 1975, music had changed. Moğollar knew they had to change direction to stay relevant. Moving away from their original sound seemed to alienate their fan-base. To make matters worse, Hittit Sun passed the wider record buying public by. They missed out on ambitious and accomplished album, that has since become a cult album.
Sadly, history was to repeat itself a year later when Moğollar was released in 1976. Like many albums that passed record buyers by first time round, it only started to find an audience long after its release. Moğollar is a reminder of one Turkey’s greatest groups, as the first chapter in their career came to an end.
When Moğollar split-up in 1976 this looked like the end of the line for one of the most successful Turkish rock groups. However, time was a indeed a great healer, and eighteen years later and Moğollar reformed and returned in 1994 with their fourth album ’94. This was the start of the most prolific period of Moğollar’s long and illustrious career. They released Dört Renk in 1996, and 30. Yıl in 1998. By then, Moğollar were as popular as ever. Not only had the released three new albums since their comeback in 1994, but Moğollar was a popular live band. Moğollar comeback was complete and set to continue.
Although six years passed before Moğollar released their seventh album Yürüdük Durmada in 2004, they were still a hugely popular band. Yürüdük Durmada was an accomplished album of folk rock from a group from musical chameleons Moğollar. They were still going strong and more popular than ever. It was a remarkable transformation in fortunes.
Five years later, and Moğollar released what looks like being their final studio album Umut Yolunu Bulur in 2009. By then, the founding fathers of Anadolu Pop had spent four decades making music, and were more popular that ever. The second chapter of the Moğollar story was the most successful and saw the group reaching new heights of popularly. This was somewhat ironic.
Of the eight albums that the Anadolu Pop pioneers released during a career that has spanned four decades, Moğollar’s first three albums are their finest. The triumvirate of Danses Et Rythmes De La Turquie D’Hier À Aujourd’hui, Hittit Sun and Moğollar are the best albums that Moğollar recorded during their long, illustrious and successful carer. This triumvirate of groundbreaking albums features a myriad of disparate music influences and instruments that were combined to create a heady, mesmeric and delicious musical brew by Anadolu Pop pioneers Moğollar.
Moğollar-A Career Of Two Parts.
TRIGAL’S FIVE YEAR MUSICAL ADVENTURE.
Trigal’s Five Year Musical Adventure.
When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, this was the start of a musical adventure that would last five years and see the band release two albums and four singles. They featured Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of gypsy rumba-funk and flamenco pop, which found favour with audiences the length and breadth of Spain. Especially between 1976 and 1977, which was Trigal’s “classic period.” Sadly, though, nothing lasts forever, and by 1980,Trigal decided to call time on their career, as their popularity was declining. The Trigal story was over but the trio had made their mark on Spanish music.
Although Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, the bands roots can be traced to 1961. That was when seventeen year old Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez started work as a technician for Radio de Nacional Espana, in Malaga. When he wasn’t working at the radio station, Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez became involved with various local bands. For the teenager, he was doing what he loved.
Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez had learnt to play the guitar when he was eight, and since then, had been passionate about music. Even then, there was an inevitability that Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez would embark upon a career as a musician.
When he did, it was with Los Tres Del Sur, a trio that featured Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera and Rafael Romero. Los Tres Del Sur were influenced by Los Guacamayos, Los Panhcos and Los 3 Sudamericanos, and their set list usually featured a variety of Latin classics. This proved popular when Los Tres Del Sur took to the stage at venues on the Costa Del Sol during the summer holidays. This was where Los Tres Del Sur spent the first few years of their career, gaining experience and honing their sound. By the late-sixties, Los Tres Del Sur decided to leave the Costa Del Sol behind.
They were one of a number of acts who were hired to play on US military airbases. For the next three years, Los Tres Del Sur travelled the length and breadth of America, and played wherever American troops were stationed. This resulted in Los Tres Del Sur performing in Cuba and Jamaica. For Los Tres Del Sur this was valuable experience and they became a better band.
In 1972, Los Tres Del Sur returned home having completed their three-year contact. When they returned to Malaga, Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez and Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera who were by then a couple, decided to marry. Not long after this, Rafael Romero left Los Tres Del Sur.
This could’ve been a potential disaster for Los Tres Del Sur, who were by then an experienced band. Fortunately, Los Tres Del Sur found a more than suitable and experienced replacement for Rafael Romero. Guitarist Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter was only twenty-four, but had a wealth of musical experience in the Spanish music scene. He was also regarded as a virtuoso guitarist and would add a new dimension to Los Tres Del Sur.
Los Tres Del Sur’s new lineup now featured Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez, Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera and Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter. They spent the next three years playing live and building their fan-base. This paid off, and in 1975 Juan Barcons ‘Jaobim’ the founder of Belter Records offered the trio a recording contract. There was one caveat though, and that was that the group change their name. The three members of Los Tres Del Sur agreed, and Trigal was born in 1975.
Having signed to Belter Records, Trigal were now rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in Spanish music. This included Rhumba Tres, and would later, cover some of their songs. That was still to come.
Before long, Trigal was introduced to the man who would play an important part in their sound and success, Ramon Farran. He was thirty-six and vastly experienced, having spent twenty years working in the Spanish music industry.
Ramon Farran’s career began at an early age when he played drums in his father’s big band. Since then, Ramon Farran had worked as a session musician, arranger, producer and was a successful and experienced composer. That was why Belter Records’ Juan Barcons ‘Jaobim’ entrusted Ramon Farran to modernise Trigal’s music.
To do this, Ramon Farran would introduce fashionable, moderne arrangements, and braying, blazing, jazzy horns that more than hinted at his love of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. Ramon Farran also incorporated elements of hook-laden rumba pop. This was something that Ramon Farran was familiar with, as he had previously written and produced a number of rumba pop singles. He knew that the secret of a hit single was a catchy chorus. However, there was also an experimental side to Trigal’s music, which would emerge over the next five years.
Trigal.
Having signed to Belter Records and been introduced to their new producer Ramon Farran, Trigal began work on their eponymous debut album. Eventually, Trigal settled on ten tracks which featured on Trigal’s eponymous debut album. This included a number of songs that were written by the three members of Trigal.
The album opener Gol was penned by C.A. Diaz and Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez, who wrote Tamara with J.L. Carretero. Meanwhile, Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez had formed a successful songwriting partnership with Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter, who had been a member of Trigal for three years. They wroteToma Que Dale, Recuerdos and Por Culpita De Mi Mal Peens. These songs would become part of Trigal which was recorded with Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera in Barcelona, which was home to Belter Records.
Later, in 1976,Trigal released their eponymous debut album. Trigal was released on Belter Records and was an ambitious genre-melting album. Trigal married a variety of different musical genres and influences including flamenco pop and gypsy rumba-funk which were combined with jazz, rock and soul. There’s even a nod towards the Blaxploitation movies that had a cult following during the first half of the seventies.
Trigal unleashed thunderous drums which joined forces with the bass in the rhythm section. They were joined by searing guitars, a myriad of percussion and dancing strings. Meanwhile, stabs and bursts of blazing, braying horns which flit between jazz and funk and are and sometimes joined by wah wah guitars. The final piece of the jigsaw were the gypsy female vocal which veered between heartfelt and hopeful, to sassy and soulful. From the opening bars of Gol to the closing notes of Si Te Quiero, Trigal’s debut album was an irresistible combination of musical genres and influences.
Soon, Belter Records’ Juan Barcons ‘Jaobim’ decision to sign Trigal was vindicated as they became a popular band. Trigal’s debut single Gol was released in 1976, and featured Por Culpita De Mi Mal Pensá on the B-Side. The followup was Toma Que Dale was incredibly catchy and had a radio friendly sound. Tucked away on the B-Side was the hidden gem Recuerdos which fused funk, pop and stabs of brassy horns. Recuerdos was too good to languish on the B-Side of a single. Toma Que Dale was released by Belter Records later in 1976 and saw the Trigal success story continue.
Baila La Rumba.
After the success of their debut album, Trigal began work on what became their sophomore album Baila La Rumba. It featured another ten new songs, including Baila La Rumba, El Gitano Andrés,Temporal, Déjame, Sacromonte, Vente Conmigo and Si Te Quiero. They were all penned by the songwriting team of Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez and Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter.
The ten tracks that became Baila La Rumba were recorded in Barcelona with the third member of Trigal, Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera. When Baila La Rumba was completed, it was scheduled for release in 1977.
Just like Trigal, Baila La Rumba was released to praise and plaudits. Baila La Rumba was another musical potpourri, where musical genres and influences are combined by Trigal. This included flamenco pop, funk, and gypsy rumba-funk, jazz, rock and soul. There were elements of Blaxploitation and disco on Baila La Rumba which was Trigal’s most eclectic album.
Baila La Rumba was also another album of irresistible music where the hooks hadn’t been spared. The majority of the tracks were uptempo and dance-floor friendly. Some featured disco strings, while others featured a funkier sound. Occasionally, a rocky sound emerged from the carefully crafted arrangements. Other times, including on Vente Conmigo, Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera delivers an impassioned, soulful vocal. The role she played in Trigal’s can’t be underestimated.
After the release of Baila La Rumba, Trigal’s popularity continued to grow. They released Baila La Rumba as a single later in 1977, with Vente Conmigo on the B-Side. However, Baila La Rumba was the last single that Trigal released during what was their classic period.
Between 1976 and 1977, Trigal enjoyed the most successful period of their five-year career. By 1978, Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera was expecting her first child. Little Tony was born later in 1978.
In 1979, Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter announced that he was leaving Trigal. His replacement was Enrique García González who had been a member of Fresa y Nata and Group 69. This was the third and final lineup of Trigal. They entered the studio with arranger and producer Joan Barcons ‘Jobim,’ and recorded
Trigal’s fourth single A Los Mundiales, which featured Toca Las Palmas on the B-Side. Alas, the single failed to replicate the success Trigal’s previous releases. Little did the three members of Trigal know that this would their final single.
With Trigal’s popularity declining, it was no surprise that in 1980 the band decided to call time on their career. Making the announcement was Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez. He and his wife had been with Trigal since the sixties, when they were still called Los Tres Del Sur. They had been about to enter their third decade as a group.
Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez had another announcement to make that day in 1980. He had decided to retire, and would never again take to stage.
Instead, he spent the next nine years selling sound equipment. However, in 1989 Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez decided to open his own recording studio ACM Records in Malaga. This was the start of Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez’s long career as a producer.Later he began to write songs with his old songwriting partner Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter. They picked up where they left off in 1979.
Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez and Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter played their part in the sound and success of Trigal’s two albums. They also collaborated on another project Los Percheleros, who released a trio of albums. This began with 1974s Las Mejores Rumbas Del Año, 1976s Nuevos Aires De Rumba and the band’s swan-song Los Percheleros in 1977.
Many people will remember Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez, Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter and Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera for the two albums they released as Trigal between 1976 and 1977. These two albums, Trigal and Baila Mi Rumba feature Trigal’s unique and inimitable fusion of flamenco pop, funk, and gypsy rumba-funk, jazz, rock and soul, which sometimes incorporates Blaxploitation and disco. This musical potpourri found favour with audiences the length and breadth of Spain, and transformed the career of Antonio ‘Tony’ Carmona Martínez and Maria Victoria ‘Vicky’ Cabrera.
By the time they signed to Belter Records, they had spent the best part of a decade playing in holiday resorts and army camps as part of Los Tres Del Sur. The addition of Manuel Gallego Carretero Carter in 1972 was the final piece of the jigsaw. When Trigal signed to Belter Records in 1975, they were ready to make the next step, and between 1976 and 1977, their music was part of the soundtrack to daily life in Spain
Trigal-Baila Mi Rumba.
LISTEN PEOPLE: THE GRAHAM GOULDMAN SONGBOOK 1964-2005.
Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005.
Label: Ace Records.
Graham Gouldman was only seventeen when he took to the stage with High Spots, The Crevattes and The Planets, and soon, he was a familiar face in Manchester’s thriving music scene. By late-1964, Graham Gouldman had been a member of several short-lived bands, and decided to form his own band The Whirlwinds.
By 1965, record companies were sending their A&R men to Liverpool and Manchester, in search of up-and-coming bands. One of the bands that caught the attention of HMV was The Whirlwinds who were promptly signed by the London-based label.
When The Whirlwinds recorded their first single, they covered the old Buddy Holly song, Look At Me. For the B-Side, The Mockingbirds decided to cover Baby Not Like You, which was penned by Lol Creme, a childhood friend of Graham Gouldman and aspiring songwriter and musician.
The Whirlwinds released Look At Me later in 1965, and the song failed to make any impact on the charts. It was the only single the group released, as The Whirlwinds changed their lineup and name, and became The Mockingbirds.
One of the new members of The Mockingbirds was drummer Lol Creme, who would later form a successful partnership with Graham Gouldman in art rock group 10cc. That was a long way away, and much would happen before that.
The Mockingbirds released five singles over the next two years on Columbia, Immediate and Decca. However, commercial success eluded the singles five singles The Mockingbirds released between 1965 and 1966, and none of them troubled the charts. By late 1966, the group had been together nearly two years, and had served their musical apprenticeship. Although they were a popular live draw locally, The Mockingbirds called time on their career.
After the breakup of The Mockingbirds, Graham Gouldman decided to embark upon a career as a professional songwriter, and would go on to enjoy a long and successful career. It’s celebrated on Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005, which was recently released by Ace Records.
For Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005 features twenty-four tracks from The Hollies, Toni Basil, The Yardbirds, Wayne Fontana, Jeff Beck, Dave Berry, Herman’s Hermits, The Mindbenders, Dee Dee Sharp, 10cc, Rush and Kirsty MacColl. All of these songs were penned by Graham Gouldman, and shows that there’s more to his career than 10cc.
In 1972, the two former members of The Mockingbirds formed art rock band 10cc, who would enjoy critical acclaim and commercial success between 1973 and 1980. During that period, 10CC enjoyed a glittering career, releasing six albums, one of which was certified silver in the UK, while another were certified gold. Elsewhere, 10cc received a gold disc in Canada, and platinum discs in Canada and New Zealand. While many people remember Graham Gouldman as a member of 10cc, Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005 shows there’s much more to his career than that.
Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005 opens with The Mockingbirds’ That’s How (It’s Gonna Stay). It was released by Decca in February 1965 as The Mockingbirds’ debut single. By then, Graham Gouldman was just twenty-one, but was already a talented songwriter. Proof of that is That’s How (It’s Gonna Stay), which is an irresistibly catchy pop single, which sadly, failed to make any impression on the charts.
When The Hollies released Bus Stop on Parlophone in 1966, they were already one of Britain’s top bands. Bus Stop was tailor-made for The Hollies and reached number five on the UK and US Billboard 100 charts. With its cinematic lyrics that were rich in imagery, and a poppy hook, it was no wonder Bus Stop was such a successful single, and is still popular fifty-one years later.
Many people remember Toni Basil for her 1982 hit single Mickey, which transformed her career. It was the biggest single of the American choreographer, singer and actress’ career. However, in February 1966, Toni Basil released Breakaway as a single on A&M. Tucked away on the B-Side was the Graham Gouldman composition I’m 28, which is a mixture of theatre, drama and emotion and sass. It shows another side of Toni Basil, and is something of a hidden gem.
By the time The Yardbirds released Evil Hearted Woman, they had already enjoyed two top three hits with Graham Gouldman compositions. Two became three when Evil Hearted You gave The Yardbirds another hit single. Despite this success, The Yardbirds decided to record more of their material, and eschewed further Graham Gouldman compositions, of the quality that dark and rocky Evil Hearted Woman.
Wayne Fontana’s career began when he was the frontman of The Mindbenders. By 1966, he had embarked upon a solo career and released the dreamy, nostalgic Pamela, Pamela as a single on Fontana. It’s a reminder of the truly talented Wayne Fontana, who had one of the best voices in British pop during the mid-sixties.
Nowadays, Jeff Beck is regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. He had showcased his considerable talents whilst a member of The Yardbirds, by 1967 as a solo artist. He released Tallyman as a single on Epic in 1967. This melodic fusion of pop and psychedelic rock showed another side to Jeff Beck, and is very different to the lightweight, throwaway pop of Hi-Ho Sliver Lining.
In 1965, Sheffield born singer Dave Berry recorded Graham Gouldman’s I’m Gonna Take You There for his new single on Decca. Great things were expected of the single, but it failed to trouble the charts. However, in the Netherlands I’m Gonna Take You There sold well and gave Dave Berry another hit single.
By 1968, Herman’s Hermits were no longer enjoying the same commercial success that that they once had. Gone were the days when Herman’s Hermits enjoyed top ten hits and two of their singles topped the charts. Despite Herman’s Hermits no longer enjoying the same success they once had, Yardley Cosmetics commissioned Herman’s Hermits to record The London Look EP. It featured the Graham Gouldman composition The London Look. It epitomises a quintessentially British late-sixties pop sound. However, The London Look EP wasn’t released commercially by Columbia and Yardley Cosmetics and instead, was given away free at special events hosted by the company. Nowadays, it’s something of a rarity, and prized amongst fans of Herman’s Hermits.
When Dee Dee Sharp covered the Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart’s I’m Not In Love in 1976, 10cc were one of the most successful British art rock groups. By then, 10cc had already recorded the definitive version of their classic I’m Not In Love. However, Dee Dee Sharp’s slick, soulful and impassioned Philly Soul takes the song in a new direction and is one of the best covers of this classic.
Another of 10cc’s best known singles was The Things We Do For Love. It was released as a single in 1976, reaching number five in the UK and three in the US Billboard 100. The following year, The Things We Do For Love featured on 10cc’s album Deceptive Bends. Its two highlights were Good Morning Judge and The Things We Do For Love, which is a seventies pop classic.
Canadian rock trio Rush have enjoyed an almost unrivalled longevity, that is the envy of many other bands. They covered Heart Full of Soul which was originally recorded by The Yardbirds for their album Feedback, which was released on Atlantic Records in 2004. Rush stay true to the original, as one great band pay homage to another.
McFly’s pop-rock cover of I’ve Got You closes Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005. It’s a track from their sophomore album Wonderland, which was released on Island Records in 2005, that introduced Graham Gouldman’s music to a new generation of record buyers.
These are just a few of the artists and bands that feature on I’ve Got You closes Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005, which was recently released by Ace Records. There’s also contributions from Gary Lewis and The Playboys, The Outsiders, High Society, The Mindbenders, Cher and objectionable, contrarian, motormouth Morrissey. These are just some of the artists and bands that have covered songs penned by Graham Gouldman.
He’s a truly talented songwriter, who in 2018, will celebrate fifty-five years as a professional musician. Many people know Graham Gouldman from 10cc, and while they were a hugely successful band, that is just part of his story. Graham Gouldman’s songs have been covered by a many artists and bands over the past six decades.
This ranges from the great and good of music to relatively unknown and up-and-coming artists and bands. They recognise the quality of Graham Gouldman’s carefully crafted songs. That has been the case throughout what has been a long and illustrious career, that is documented on Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005, which is the latest instalment in Ace Records’ songwriter series which pays tribute to some of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music.
Listen People: The Graham Gouldman Songbook 1964-2005.
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