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Saturday, May 13, 2017

Super Hits Volume 6

Back Off Boogaloo
You Could Have Been A Lady
Super Hits
Volume 6
Played & Sung Like The Original Hits
King's Road
Pickwick International SPC3907
1972

Back Off Boogaloo
The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
Tumbling Dice
Old Man
How Do You Do
A Horse With No Name
Speak Softly Love
Morning Has Broken
You Could Have Been A Lady
Song Sung Blue

Friday, May 12, 2017

Songs Of The Open Range - The Texas Troubaduors

Freight Train Blues
Waltz Of The Winds
Songs Of The Open Range
The Texas Troubadours
Promenade 2078
Manufactured by Synthetic Plastics Co., Newark, N.J.

Union Pacific Color Photo: Rhonda Fleming and Guide Crossing Mountain Stream

This set features a fine collection of country/swing/hillbilly tunes by Leon Rhodes and Buddy Charleston (an assumption on my part because there is no artist credit found on the jacket or label to confirm).

The vocals throughout sound especially fresh and natural.

Freight Train Blues
The Letter Edged In Black
Cattle Call
Old Step
The Little Mohee
Waltz Of The Winds
Precious Jewel
Red River Valley
Jesse James
Yellow Rose Of Texas
When The Work's all Done This Fall
Mary Of The Wild Moor

Shearing Today! - George Shearing

Love Is Blue
Shearing Today!
With The Great New Hits
Arranged by George Shearing
Orchestrations by Julian Lee
Produced by Al De Lory
Cover photo by Capitol Photo Studios/RIck Rankin
1968

Diverse period easy/pop Shearing arrangements backed by Lee's energetic orchestration.

From Billboard - April 20, 1968: Happily, time has not dimmed George Shearing's sparkling talents. On the contrary, those who recall his last appearances here more than seven years ago, at Birdland and Basin Street East, will find, however brief, his unaccelerated style with its exciting understatements very much intact and stronger than ever.

Opening at the Rainbow Grill for the start of an 18-day engagement, the Capitol Records artist led a quintet in a section of wide ranging tunes accented by his broad and witty arranging.

Unhappily, in accordance with the Grill's policy, the jazz pianist geared his material purely to dancing. This smacked of compromise, not in performance but in the type of type of chosen. This is especially so when one also remembers that unswerving "pure" jazz innovator who made simply listening both a pulsating and pleasurable experience.

He did get an opportunity, however, to spotlight in old fashion, "Lullaby of Birdland," "I'll Never Smile Again" and "The Continental," all of which gained applause. Other tunes were from his latest album, "Shearing Today!" and were departures from those on the LP, which featured a Latin Beat, chorus, strings, etc.

Next stop for Shearing should be the concert scene or in a small club, where the jazzman's rhythmic metaphors can be heard, not used. – Robert Sobel


Goin' Out Of My Head
A Time For Love
I Say A Little Prayer
Echoes In The Night
Don't Sleep In The Subway
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Love Is Blue
Theme From "Valley Of The Dolls"
Never My Love
Here Comes The Morning
Morse Mode

Monday, May 8, 2017

Bridge Over Trouble Water - Paul Desmond

Feelin' Groovy
Bridge Over Trouble Water
Paul Desmond
Produced, Arranged and Directed by Don Sebesky
Photography by Kessel / Brehm Photography
A&M Records SP 3032
1970

Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond
Art Direction – Tom Wilkes
Bass (Fender) – Jerry Jemmott
Bass (String) – Ron Carter
Drums – Airto Moreira, Bill Lavorgna, Joao Palma
Electric Piano – Herbie Hancock
Guitar – Gene Bertomcinni, Sam Brown

Fantastic jazz inspired arrangements of Simon's pop classics. Book-fold jacket.

From Billboard - November 7, 1970: Alto saxophonist Paul Desmond here takes a whole set of Paul Simon tunes and aided by a soft rhythm gives them quite a workout. Desmond's alto picks daintily at the title tune, "Mrs. Robinson" and others, weaving around them. This approach plus the familiarity of the material should broaden the album's appeal.

El Condor Pasa
So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright
The 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
Mrs. Robinson
Old Friends
America
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her
Scarborough Fair
Cecilia
Bridge Over Trouble Water