Benny Bailey was born on August 13, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio. His
father was an amateur saxophonist and his mother played the piano. After
some experience on piano and flute early in his career, he switched to
the trumpet and studied at the Cleveland Conservatory of Music. He
started his career in the Jay McShann orchestra. In the forties and
fifties he played with some of the best-known jazz musicians, like
Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones, who
wrote the song "Meet Benny Bailey,” admired Bailey for his marvelous
breath control and remarkable range. According to Jones, Bailey had the
most perfect technique.
Benny Bailey spent over half of his life
in Europe which maybe accounts why he has recorded relatively few albums
under his own name, but recorded with Dexter Gordon, Les McCann,
Charlie Rouse, and the Kenny Clarke - Francy Boland Big Band, with whom
he toured and recorded with until 1973.
He first went to Europe
with Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1948 and soon after returned there with
Lionel Hampton to stay in Sweden until 1959. After a short stateside
sojourn in 1960 during which he recorded an album for Candid, "Big
Brass,” the Quincy Jones band brought him back to Europe where he stayed
more or less permanently - working as a soloist with different
orchestras or leading his own groups in various countries.
This is his first album for Saba Records, Germany, which became later the famous MPS Records from the Blackwood Forest. On this album Bailey did jazz version of traditonal songs from all over the world.
Personnel: Benny Bailey (trumpet) + a bunch of unknown studio musicians
Tracklist: 01. Havah Nagila (Traditional) 2.51
02. Ak Värmeland du sköna (Traditional) 2.35
03. Schwarze Augen (Traditional) 2.52
04. Santa Lucia (Traditional) 2.34
05. Stenka Rasin (Traditional) 2.28
06. Cielito Lindo (Traditional) 2.11
07. My Bonny (Traditional) 2.14
08. Kosakenpatrouille (Traditional) 2.48
09. Die Loreley (Traditional) 2.16
10. Wolgaschlepper (Traditional) 2.13
11. Sur le Pont d’Avignon (Traditional)2.35
12. Akácos Út(Traditional)2.45
Some of us have been waiting 20-plus years for PARIS to re-emerge from
the mists, with good reason. This is a phenomenal album!
A brief recap:
Bob Welch leaves Fleetwood Mac and forms a Zep-like hard rock band with
Tull's Glenn Cornick & drummer Thom Mooney. The stated intention is
"to rock, but with depth", and that they do - in spades. Rumored to have
been produced by Page himself under a pseudonym (bear in mind there are
MANY untrue rumors regarding Page and this might be one). The rumor
probably got started after somebody heard the album, which has the Zep
production sound down to a T. Too bad Bob Welch didn't go further with
this, because he turns out to be an outstanding heavy-rock songwriter
(his lyrics are far better than Plant's); the tracks on PARIS are short
but skillfully crafted, and powered by ear-grabbing heavy riffs and
stick-to-your-frontal-lobe melodies. "Nazarene", "Black Book", "Red
Rain" and "Beautiful Youth" - great songs all - are just four random
reasons to buy this. Plus that ever-present streak of erudite cheekiness
that Welch has always brought to his music is of course present as
well. A stone classic too long neglected...
They
are an American band, resident in Britain since late 1969. Daddy
Longlegs were brought together two years earlier, however, by a wealthy
backer from Chicago looking for the best rock talent in the Sates. He
found Kurt Palmaki, the bass player, working in New York's Electric Circus
who was asked to play as many rhythms as he could using only two
notes. Kurt got the job when he passed the 20 mark. Clif Carson,
the drummer was discovered on the West Coast, selling the Berkeley Barb in
the streets. His previous work with Chicago Slim's Blues Band got him
the gig with Daddy Longlegs. Steve Hayton, the group's original lead
guitarist was found picking Indian ragas for his dinner in a San Francisco
curry house. Like many urban Americans, the band reacted agsanst the
neurotic state of city life by moving to a farm in update New York,
gradually fitting their music together and developing the feel of American
country life. Later in their career they wainly tried to make the band
work in New York before moving out to New Mexico. Then came their
move to England. Moe Armstrong joined the band towards the summer of
last year. A strange mixture of hillbilly and freak, Moe gave the band
a feeling of humour and warmth, a feeling which has persisted even after
Moe's departure back to the States with his wife Joanie. Today he runs
a puppet show in New Mexico. Steve Hayton left the band toward the end
of last year, to be repalced with another American, Gary Holderman, at one
time the guitarist for Roy Orbison and Bobby Vee. He was on the verge
of accepting a job with Pacific Gas and Electric when he got the call to
join Longlegs. A fourth member, Pete Arnesen on piano was added late
last year."
Personnel: Peter Arnensen (keyboards, vocals) Clif Carrison (drums, percussion) Steve Hayton (guitar) Gary Holderman (vocals, guitar) Kurt Palomaki (bass, vocals)
Tracklist: 01. Rubber Tyre (Arnesen) 2.44 02. Double Decker (Palmomaki) 1.53 03. Please Believe Me (Arnesen/Dean) 3.30 04. Lonely Way (Arnesen/Dean) 3.52 05. Sweet Louise (Arnesen/Dean) 2.52 06. Wheeling And Dealing (Holderman) 5.04 07. Rusty Door (Holderman/Palomaki/Carrison) 3.56 08. Gambling Man (Palomaki) 2.42 09. Clara Bell (Holderman) 3.36 10. Night Shift (Clarrison) 2.49 11. Moog (Arnesen) 3.40 12. Boogie (Traditional) 5.02
Skip James made
his original reputation with 17 recordings that he cut during February
1931, when he was 28. Although fluent on both the guitar and (to a
lesser extent) the piano, James
was most notable for his storytelling lyrics, his haunting high-pitched
voice, and his distinctive interpretations of the Delta blues.
James
was rediscovered 33 years after his early recordings, in time to appear
at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. He was quite active during
1964-1966, making the music on this solo CD (his last record) three
years before his death in 1969.
One can easily hear the influence that Skip James' music had on the then flourishing folk music movement, and he still sang his country blues with great intensity.
Personnel: Skip James (guitar, vocals, piano)
Tracklist: 01. Good Road Camp Blues (James) 3.47 02. Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die Blues (James) 3.20 03. Devil Got My Woman (James) 5.10 04. Look At The People Standing At The Judgement (James) 2.58 05. Worried Blues (James) 5.55 06. 22-20 Blues (James/Johnson) 3.50 07. Mistreating Child Blues (James) 3.54 08. Sickbed Blues (James) 4.05 09. Catfish Blues (James) 4.35 10. Lorenzo Blues (James) 4.17 11. Careless Love (Handy/Koenig/Williams) 3.59 12. Illnois Blues (James) 3.15
Raffaele Celeste "Nini" Rosso (19 September 1926 – 5 October 1994) was an Italian jazz trumpeter and composer.
Born in Turin, Rosso's parents had attempted to send him to university, but at 19 he chose the trumpet over academia, and left home. After his employment in a nightclub
was terminated by the police, he returned home, but soon after departed
again to relaunch his career. He soon became one of the best-known jazz
trumpeters in Italy, reaching the crest of his popularity in the 1960s.
He became known in the UK in 1962 when his recording of "Concerto Disperato" was covered by Ken Thorne and his Orchestra and became a hit under the title "The Theme from 'The Legion's Last Patrol'". Rosso's original was quickly released on the little-known Durium label and also made the charts, but was less successful than the cover. His 1965 worldwide hit "Il Silenzio" went to #1 in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and sold over five million copies by the end of 1967. It was awarded a gold disc. He also acted in the 1960s.
Rosso died of a tumor in 1994, at the age of 68.
This is his easy listening version of Russian folk songs ... enjoy the way he played the trumpet !
Personnel: Nini Rosso (trumpet) + a bunch of unknown studio musicians
Tracklist: 01. The Red Sarafan (Traditional) 3.01 02. Katyusha (Traditional) 3.20 03. Moscow Evening (Traditional) 2.37 04. Lullabye Of Cossack (Traditional) 2.52 05. Karpbschka (Traditional)2.45 06. Sulico (Traditional) 2.40 07. Polyushka-Polye (Traditional) 2.32 08. Aganyok (Traditional)3.00 09. Sunrise Of Siberia(Traditional) 2.35 10. Through Wild Transbaikal Steppes (Traditional) 2.44 11. A Dashing Troika (Traditional) 3.41 12. Black-Eyed Lady (Traditional) 3.20 ARMU 0024
This debut album of the third incarnation of Curved Air is one of the
most unusual approaches to music-making; it focuses its mood on
humbleness rather than blaring flashiness and on soft passion rather
than obvious passion. This is undoubtably Curved Air's best mood
album,and as far as essential creativity goes,this is tremendously
high-ranking in the hierarchy of the world's music. All this and more
from a group that was supposedly on the verge of total disintegration
and disillusionment. The group at this point consisted of Darryl
Way(Violin,piano),Stewart Copeland(Drums),Mick Jacques(Guitars),and
Sonja Kristina(Vocals). Sonja's vocals are so intense,passionate,and
full of emotion that many,I have observed,are overwhelmed and are
unable to appreciate their beauty. Darryl plays incredible violin,both
as lovely as harp and as upbeat as guitar; he is a true master of the
instrument. Jacques has a knack for playing a very grooving guitar,but
also
plays some very powerful stuff. Stewart's drums are varied-at
times jazzy,at others shocking,but always good. Curved Air is also
supported by excellent sessionists. Although both the keyboardist and
John Perry,the bassist,are noteworthy,it is lyricist Norma Tager who
earns the most attention. Norma Tager's lyrics are wonderful, epic
portrayals of what we think of as dull and typical lives. Darryl
dominates the group's songwriting in terms of both quality and quantity.
His
compositions include "Day Breaks My Heart", outwardly sad
and mourning,yet inwardly a testament to the fact that there is a reason
that a heart can be broken;"Orange Street Blues",an amazingly fun yet
phenomenally sophisticated rocker;and "Midnight Wire",a 7 minute epic
of intense emotion. Dark,powerful,tragic,intense, soft-a true
masterpiece. "The Fool",a co-write between Darryl and Mick,is a
crafty take into the world of folk music while remaining true to the
style of the group and album. "Dance of Love",by the same composers,is
a bit pop-ish but has incredible vocals by Sonja- terrifically
passionate and trembling-and a beautiful violin solo from Darryl.
Mick Jacques's own composition is a rather trippy and fascinating
instrumental called "Pipe of Dreams". Sonja also manages to get one of
her compositions on the album,an intensely passionate song called
"Woman on a One Night Stand". This song is not only one of Sonja's
most elaborate creations,but also one of her most breathtaking with its
unpredictable vocals,haunting guitar,and devil-may-care violin. This
album keeps Curved Air's usual genius-conceived mix of hard rock,soft
rock, progressive,and classical,yet also steps outside the boundaries
of anything that has ever been done before. Using a relatively small
and untried band,they nonetheless succeed in creating a masterful
album. An essential for Curved Air lovers,and an album which anyone
with taste should at least brifly consider. (by Robert)
Personnel: Stewart Copeland (drums) Mick Jacques (guitar) Sonja Kristina (vocals) Darryl Way (violin, keyboards,vocals) + Derek Damain (backing vocals) John Perry (bass) Norma Tager (lyrics) Peter Wood (keyboards)
Tracklist: 01. Woman On a One Night Stand (Kristina/Tager) 5.06 02. Day Breaks My Heart (Way/Tager) 4.38 03. The Fool (Way/Tager/Jacques) 4.27 04. Pipe Of Dreams (Jacques) 3.58 05. Orange Street Blues (Way/Tagger) 5.01 06. Dance Of Love (Jacques/Way) 4.36 07. Midnight Wire (Way/Tager) 7.32
This is the third solo effort from rock & roll wunderkind Al Kooper. Originally issued as a two-LP set, Easy Does It
(1970) is a diverse album that reveals the layer upon layer of
musicality that has become synonymous with the artist. He draws deeply
upon his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and equally
engaging arranger. The extended run-time of the double album format
likewise allows Kooper
to thoroughly exhibit his wide-ranging and virtually mythical
adaptability as an artist whose sheer talent defies the boundaries of
genre or style. The set kicks off with the youthfully optimistic rocker
"Brand New Day." This is the first of two tracks Kooper used in his score for Hal Ashby's
directorial cinematic debut, The Landlord, a highly affable
counterculture classic starring Beau Bridges. The haunting "The Landlord
Love Theme" is also included, and is poignantly dovetailed with one of
the disc's profoundly affective epics. "Buckskin Boy" is an uptempo
rocker that lyrically offers a brutally honest assessment of the Native
American situation, which was quickly becoming a national plague upon
the social conscience of the country in the early '70s. The song is
replete with Kooper's
dynamic chord changes and trademark phrasing. The "morning after"
fallout from a particularly potent experience with LSD is credited as
the inspiration behind "Sad, Sad Sunshine." The cut features some
heavily Eastern-influenced lead sitar work reminiscent of the sounds of Donovan circa Hurdy Gurdy Man
(1968) and the burgeoning Canterbury-based progressive folk movement of
the late '60s and early '70s. There is a decidedly Yankee contrast on
the country-rocker "I Bought You the Shoes (You're Walking Away In)" as
well as the cover of John Loudermilk's "A Rose and a Baby Ruth." Other well-placed cover tunes include a classy, soulfully subdued reading of Ray Charles
"I Got a Woman'" as well as the spacy and well-jammed-out version of
"Baby Please Don't Go." Throughout the 12-plus minute side there are
definite recollections of the extended instrumental interaction that
defined Kooper's former band, the Blues Project, as well as some of the inspirational improvisation heard on the original Super Session (1968). This performance alone is more than worth the time and effort of seeking out Easy Does It. (by Lindsay Planer)
Personnel: Al Kooper (keyboards, guitar, ondioline, sitar, vibraphone, vocals) Rick Marotta (drums) Stu Woods (bass, background vocals) + Keith Allison (guitar on 09.) Joe Beck (guitar on 08.) The Blossoms (background vocals on 10.) David Bromberg (pedal steel-guitar on 04., 07. + 12.) Ken Buttrey (drums on 10.) Bobby Colomby (percussion on 13.) Joe Corero, Jr. – drums on 09.) Tom Crosgrove (guitar on 07. + 12.) Charlie Daniels (guitar on 10.) George Devens (percussion on 08.) Pete Drake (pedal steel-guitar on 10.) Milt Holland (tabla on 09.)
Peter Ivers (harmonica on 04.)
Larry Knechtel (piano on 01. + 14.)
Fred Lipisus (saxophone on 03.) Jackson Marlie (vocals) Charlie McCoy (bass on 10.)
John Miller (bass on 08.) Wayne Moss (guitar on 10.) Joe Osborn (bass on 09.)
Earl Palmer (drums on 11. + 14.)
Lyle Ritz (bass on 11. + 14.)
Al Rogers (drums on 08.)
Stu Scharf (guitar on 08.)
Louie Shelton (guitar on 11. + 15.)
Tommy Tedesco (guitar on 11. + 14.) Freddie Weller (guitar on 09.)
Tracklist: 01. Brand New Day (Kooper) 5.10 02. Piano Solo Introiduction/I Got A Woman (Kooper/Charles/Richard) 6.30 03. Country Road (Taylor) 4.22 04. I Bought You The Shoes (You're Walking Away In) (Brass/Levine/Kooper) 1.57 05. Sad Sad Sunshine (Kopper) 5.04 06. Let The Duchess No (Gregory/Roberts) 3.17 07. She Gets Me Where I Live (Kooper/Calello) 3.34 08. A Rose And A Baby Ruth (Loudermilk) 3.29 09. Baby Please Don´t Go (Williams) 12.26 10. God Shreds His Grace On Thee (Kooper/Calello) 3.27
Granted, their success was nominal in the States and they fared significantly better throughout Europe, but Dave "Dee" Harman (guitar/vocals), Trevor "Dozy" Davies (bass), John "Beaky" Diamond (rhythm guitar), Michael "Mick" Wilson (drums), and Ian "Tich" Amey
(lead guitar) were a highly underrated instrumentally self-contained
unit with a penchant for aggressive pop leanings that remained buoyant
and catchy, while simultaneously flirting with the subterranean
freakbeat and mod scenes as well. That distinction can be heard between
the pulsating rhythms of "Hold Tight," "No More Love," and "We Got a
Good Thing Goin'" -- recalling the unmistakable backbeat of the Dave Clark Five.
This is especially true of the opener, the self-parodying "DDD-BMT,"
which is not a synthetic drug reference, but rather the group's initials
and is instantly comparable to the Monkees'
"(Theme From) The Monkees," which commenced their pre-fab debut LP.
"Frustration," "Hard to Love You," and "All I Want to Do" are among the
standout rockers with a notably edgier sting and sonic punch. This is
stylistically augmented by the equally moving balladry of "Here's a
Heart" and the emotive midtempo "Something I Gotta Tell You." [Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich's
legacy is only partially represented by their albums, however.
Enthusiasts of the band should take note of the fact that this album was
reissued in 2003 as First Album, which supplements the original tune
stack with no less than a dozen bonus tracks -- consisting mostly of
45-only sides, edits, and alternate mixes. Many of these bonus tracks
likewise paved the way for the combo's next record, If Music Be the Food of Love...Then Prepare for Indigestion (1967).]
Personnel: Ian Fredericj Stephen "Tich" Amey (guitar) Dave Dee (vocals) John "Beaky" Dymond (guitar) Trevor Leonard "Dozy" Ward-Davies (bass) Michael "Mick" Wilson (drums) Tracklist: 01. DD-BMT (Howard/Blakley) 1.27 02. We´ve Got A Good Thing Goin´ (Martin/Coher) 2.23 03. Here´s A Heart (Tubbs/Sogol) 3.14 04. Something I Gotta Tell You (Howard/Blakley) 2.35 05. All I Want To Do (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond)2.38 06. Frustration (Howard/Blakley) 2.33 07. Hold Tight (Howard/Blakley)2.47 08. Hard To Love You (Howard/Blakley) 2.30 09.Nose For Trouble(Howard/Blakley) 4.03 10.No More Love(Howard/Blakley) 2.17 11. After Tonight (Howard/Blakley/Russo/Chelotti)2.57 12.No Time(Howard/Blakley) 2.08 13. Double Agent (Roland) 3.02 + 14. Is It Love (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond) 2.37 15. All I Want (single version) (Howard/Blakley) 2.35 16. It Seems A Pitty (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond) 2.25 17. You Make It Move (single version) (Howard/Blakley) 2.44 18. I Can´t Stop (Howard/Blakley) 2.10 19. You Know What I Want (Howard/Blakley) 2.35 20. Hideaway (single version) (Howard/Blakley) 2.23 21. Bend It (single version) (Howard/Blakley) 2.31 22. She´s So Good (single version) (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond) 2.24 23. Loos Of England (EP version) (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond) 3.26 24. Over And Over Again(Howard/Blakley) 2.21 25. Bend It (US version) (Howard/Blakley) 2.31 26. She´s So Good (alternate version) (Harman/Wilson/Davies/Amey/Dymond) 2.21
Joe South's
debut LP was deleted almost too quickly for most listeners to find it,
much less hear it.
Now regarded as a country-soul classic (and, perhaps,
the first country-soul album), Introspect anticipated the sound that Elvis Presley and Tony Joe White would both bring to the fore in the following year, except that it was even more ambitious than Presley or White,
mixing and bending genres in new and exciting ways. Country, Eastern
raga, gutbucket soul, and pop all brush up against each other within the
same songs, some of which sound like Elvis singing with a backing band that included James Burton and Ravi Shankar.
And thanks to South's
use of various electronic devices in association with the considerable
virtuosity in the playing, and his exceptional singing, this is still a
bracing album four decades later. "Games People Play" was the hit off
the record, and literally overwhelmed the album (which was pulled,
reshuffled, and reissued as Games People Play the following year). But also worth hearing are "Birds of a Feather," "Rose Garden" (which would become a huge hit for Lynn Anderson three years later), "All My Hard Times," and "Mirror of Your Mind," along with most of what's here.
Personnel: James Burton (guitar) Joe South (guitar, vocals) Ravi Shankar (sitar) + a bunch of unknown studio musicians
Tracklist: 01. All My Hard Times (South) 2.52 02. Rosen Garden (South) 2.46 03. Mirror Of Your Mind (South) 4.32 04. Redneck (South) 3.12 05. Don´t Throw Your Love To The Wind (South) 2.46 06. The Greatest Love (South) 2.28 07. Games People Play (South) 3.30 08. These Are Not My People (South) 2.28 09. Don´t YouBe Ashamed (South) 3.09 10. Birds Of A Feather (South) 4.14 11. Gabriel (South) 7.11
For die hard ufo fans, this is
the begining of the band, and the start of a hard rock story that
endures to this day.
This album is a product of the times in which it
was created, the echoes of the sixties were fading, and the violence and
upheaval of the seventies were on the horizon, and ufo was there to
create some sounds that were different than the peace and love era, and a
preview of things to come. With the first incarnation of this band,
they delivered some solid tunes, timothy is a great tribute to the
orginal guru of the acid days, boogie for george is a solid rockin tune
as well, all the songs are cool, and this is a must have album for the
collector, and a good intro to the band before they became the icons of
the area shows of the seventies during the michael era.
Give it a
listen, and turn on, tune in , and drop back to a time when the winds of
change were a coming (by Jet Books).
Personnel: Mick Bolton (guitar) Phil Mogg (vocals) Andy Parker (drums) Pete Way (bass)
Tracklist: 01. Unidentified Flying Object (U.F.O.) 2.19 02. Boogie (U.F.O.) 4.19 03. C´mon Everybody (Cochran/Capehear) 3.13 04. Shake It (U.F.O.) 3.48 05. (Come Away) Melinda (Hellerman/Minkoff) 5.05 06. Timothy (U.F.O.) 3.29 07. Follow You Home (Way) 2.14 08. Treacle People (Bolton) 3.25 09. Who Do You Love (McDanie) 7.50 10. Evil (Way) 3.27
Some of us have been waiting 20-plus years for PARIS to re-emerge from
the mists, with good reason. This is a phenomenal album! 
