East Of Eden – Same (1971)

Long ago and far away, there was a time when musicians ruled the pop world. Those strange beings gifted at playing musical instruments were allowed to make records and even stranger ~ their work was so popular It actually got into the charts! Although this now seems like a far fetched alien concept in an age ruled by computers and *boy bands’, there are wise men who can recall those ancient times and swear it is true.

Once such example was the UK musical ensemble known as East Of Eden whose experimental work resulted in them being hailed by critics as pioneers of progressive rock. Yet, such was the open minded and receptive attitude prevailing in the late Sixties, the band’s music was eagerly accepted by a wide audience. Teenage girls were seen entering record stores and asking ‘May I have the latest waxing by East Of Eden please? I hear they are really fab’. Pipe smoking intellectuals discussed their latest albums and offered profound insights into their lyrics.

Even housewives turned up their wireless sets a notch louder when the band’s hit record “Jig A Jag” came on the air. This lively instrumental number, featuring the violin playing of Dave Arbus, got to Number 7 in the UK charts in April 1971. Dave Arbus (violin, saxes, flute) was a founder member of the West Countrygroup, which got together in 1968. The first line up included Ron Gaines (alto sax), Geoff Nicholson (lead guitar), Andy Sneddon (bass) and London born drummer Geoff Britton. A one-off single called ‘King Of SianV appeared on the Atlantic label before they were signed to Deram in 1969.

Their first album ‘Mercator Projected’ was released in 1969 and showcased a mixture of styles, from rock to jazz and Eastern style music. Arbus also played trumpet and flute and was much inspired by the work of jazz composer and bassist Charles Mingus. Their next album ‘Snafu’ was released in 1970. It was a time when exciting new bands like ELP and Deep Purple were developing the progressive rock style and there were scores of clubs and venues where bands could work and earn a living. All this provided a healthy environment for a group that wasn’t afraid to blend raga, jazz and folk, all within the space of a few bars.

East Of Eden took a quantum leap forward in terms when “Jig A Jag” was a hit. It stayed on the charts for 12 ‘weeks and seemed destined to transform their financial fortunes. That same year the band switched from Decca’s Deram to EMI’s Harvest label and the ‘East Of Eden’ album featuring Dave Arbus with David Jack Cvocals, bass, acoustic guitar} Jim Roche (guitars) and Jeff Allen (drums & percussion) – was released in 1971, at the height of the band’s commercial popularity Progressive Rock fans suddenly found themselves supporting an act that was apperaring on TV alongside the likes of T.Rex and there was some confusion about the band’s identity and musical direction.(Chris Welch)

Listen to the exciting sounds of East Of Eden ! And it sounds so fucking good till today !

Cover art by hipgnosis

Personnel:
Jeff Allen (drums, percussion)
Dave Arbus (violin, saxophone, flute)
David Jack (vocals, bass, guitar)
Jim Roche (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Wonderful Feeling 6.11
02. Goodbye 5.48
03. Crazy Daisy 6.54
04. Here Comes The Day 4.33
05. Take What You Need 5.03
06. No Time 6.03
07. To Mrs. V 5.18

All songs composed by David Jack

* (coming soon)
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Various Artists – Live in Hamburg `80 – (Rock n Roll Is Still Alive …) (1980)

The Star-Club was a music club in Hamburg, Germany that opened Friday 13 April 1962 and was initially operated by Manfred Weissleder and Horst Fascher. In the 1960s, many of the giants of rock music played at the club. The club closed on 31 December 1969 and the building it occupied was destroyed by a fire in 1987. The address in Hamburg area St. Pauli was: Große Freiheit 39; Große Freiheit is a side street of the Reeperbahn.

The club achieved worldwide renown through the performances of The Beatles, who played there 13 April – 31 May, 1–14 November, and 18–31 December 1962. A performance or parts of several performances from the end of the latter stay was or were recorded on a home tape machine, and a remixed version was released in 1977 as Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962.

The Beatles’ first Hamburg Club performance was at the Indra Club (also in Große Freiheit) on 17 August 1960.

Musicians who played here:

English musicians (alphabetical): The Beatles, Chicken Shack (featuring Christine McVie (Perfect)), Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Cream, Lee Curtis and the All-Stars, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, Earth (pre-Black Sabbath), The Graduates, The Jimi Hendrix Experience (US/UK, March 1967), The Jaybirds (featuring Alvin Lee of Ten Years After), Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas (band), The Liverbirds, The Overlanders, The Pretty Things, The Remo Four, The Searchers, Kingsize Taylor and The Dominoes; Richard Thompson, Soft Machine, and Tony Vincent and The Giants, Jane Cane (jazz singer). The Roadrunners – Liverpool’s original R & B band of the 60’s. Katch 22

Chubby Checker (live at the Starclub, Hamburg, 1964

American musicians: Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Bill Haley, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny and the Hurricanes, Brenda Lee, Jerry Lee Lewis (who released a highly praised live album recorded at the club in 1964) and Little Richard, who at that point had Billy Preston in his band. The Monks, with Gary Burger, Eddie Shaw, Dave Day, Roger Johnston and Larry Clark played at the Top Ten Club a number of time 1965, 1966, and 1967.

German musicians: The Rattles (Hamburg) and many more

Italian musicians: Mino Reitano
Star-Club Records

In the early 1960s the Clubowners also started a record label, Star-Club Records, subsidiary of Philips Records (by wikipedia)

And many years later, Herbert Hildebrandt organised many Rock n Roll Parties in another Star-Club in Hamburg. And he invited many stars from the early days of the legendary Star Club … and this is a very rare live recording from these parties … listen, close your eyes … and enjoy the magic of these days of the early sixties, when all beginns.

The stars were accomponied by a group called “Rock Circus” – a German band featuring Herbert Hildebrandt, Dicky Tarrach (ex-Rattles) and Peter Hesslein (ex- Lucifers Friends) … what a line up … and the crowd went crazy ! It was a night, the legends went out to play !

Personnel:

Rock Circus:
Sigi Bensinger (saxophone)
Bartold Dunker (piano)
Peter Hesslein (guitar)
Herbert Hildebrandt (bass, vocals)
Lee Patterson (percussion, vocals)
Dicky Tarrach (drums)

Tracklist:
01. Cliff Bennett: Money (Bradford/Gordy) 3.32
02. Tony Sheridan: Lucille (Penniman/Collins) 2.33
03. Beryl Marsden: Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (Thompson) 2.36
04. Chris Andrews: Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (Williams/David) 2.53
05. Johnny & The Hurricanes: Red River Rock (King/Mack/Mendelson) 2.32
06. Wee Willy Harris: Bony Moronie (Williams) 2.36
07. P.J. Proby: Niki Hoeky (Vegas/Ford) 5.28
08. Rock Circus: I Still Keep On Rocking (Hildebrandt/Wienhauer) 2.25
09. Lee Curtis: It’s Only Make Believe (Twitty/Nance) 3.19
10. Rock Island Line: Baby Says (Wooltorten) 1.54
11. Screaming Lord Sutch: Son Of Jack The Ripper (Lord Sutch) 3.39
12. Deryl Wilkie: I’m Going Home (Traditional)*) 1.37

*) in fact this is Alvin Lee´s “I´m Going Home”

* (coming soon)
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Martin Barre – A Summer Band (1992)

Martin Lancelot Barre (born 17 November 1946, Kings Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands, England) is an English rock musician.

Barre was the guitarist for rock band Jethro Tull, starting with the band’s second album in 1969. Barre once said that he tried not to listen to other guitarists so that he would not be influenced by them. He said he never took guitar lessons so that he would not sound like other players. He has also played the flute, both on-stage for Jethro Tull and in his own solo work.

Martin studied architecture for three years, not finishing his studies due to failing in Spanish and Atomic Science, two subjects Martin thought “had little to do with designing buildings”. After doing one job in the area, Martin found being an architect was a “boring career”, opting for music instead.

On the first album that Barre recorded with Jethro Tull, Stand Up, he said that he was: “terrified because I had just joined the band. It really showed a change in direction for the band and when it was accepted and became a successful album, we gained a lot of confidence. We extended that confidence into the making of Benefit, in which we were a lot more at ease”. On the next album, the world success Aqualung, Martin was more confident, stating that in the recording: “Everybody [the band] had input into the making of the album”.

Martin Barre in 1972

In the following period, his solos blended virtuosity with classical music, like on Minstrel in the Gallery, where the opening track has a four-minute solo, or his piece (shared with Barrie Barlow) “Conundrum” and “Quatrain” in Bursting Out. Martin declared that much of the material from Jethro Tull catalogue was written by himself and Ian Anderson, with Ian getting the credit for writing the lyrics and having the initial idea for the music, which: “then I, or someone else in the band, contribute parts to it”. One album he is credited for having put “aditional material” is the classic Songs From The Wood. Curiously, his favourite album in Jethro Tull is the most controversial of the band’s career, Under Wraps, which contains two tracks co-authored by him. On his work with Jethro Tull, Martin also stated: “I’m quite pleased with my playing on Crest of a Knave, which was basically me, Ian and [bassist] Dave Pegg working in the studio for two months, so I had ample time to put a lot of myself into that album”. He is credited in only another two tracks of Jethro Tull albums: “Hot Mango Flush”, from J-Tull Dot Com and “Winter Snowscape” from The Jethro Tull Christmas Album.

On one track of 1994’s A Trick of Memory, Barre plays a guitar given to him by friend Mark Mancina. In the album, King Crimson alumnus Mel Collins blows the sax, and Fairport Convention’s Martin Allcock and Ric Sanders appear on a couple of tracks, and Andy Giddings completes it with Hammond organs. According to the AllMusic review: “the dominant sound is Barre’s guitars, soaring, crunching, grinding, or noodling gently, either blues or English folk tunes”, to the reviewer, the album is “a decent debut album”. “A Summer Band” was released only in limited edition.

In 2003 on his album Stage Left, Barre used an unusual electric guitar style shaped by folk/acoustic and hard rock elements. It was his first album to be released in the United States. In the album, Martin shows his style of playing with “tricky and complicated” melodies, being always “elegant, even when he’s rocking hard”.

In 2014, Martin announced that he is going to tour as an acoustic quartet (including Dan Crisp and Alan Bray) to promote Away With Words, which already was well received by the Prog Magazine, saying that in the album: “Barre has taken an imaginative approach to his own past by readdressing many of his favourite, often more obscure, nuggets from lull’s [sic] vast cache, chiefly on acoustic guitar”. Still in 2014, a new album was announced to be released in September, called Order of Play.

His best-known guitar work includes “Aqualung”, “Cross-Eyed Mary”, and “Locomotive Breath”. Barre’s signature solo on the 1971 Jethro Tull standard “Aqualung” was voted by the readers of Guitar Player magazine as one of the top rock guitar solos of all time. Also, in 2007, this solo was rated one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos by Guitar World magazine. Still on Aqualung, Martin earned the 25th best solo ever in the USA and 20th best solo ever in the UK.

Dire Straits’ leader Mark Knopfler, in a 2005 interview, called Barre’s work with Ian Anderson “magical”.

Joe Bonamassa includes Martin Barre as a direct influence, especially in the blues playing of the early albums. Other guitarists like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson also include Martin Barre as their influence. (by wikipedia)

Martin Barre about The Summer Band in 1992

This is the first official recording from Martin Barre, famous guitarist from Jethro Tull.
A compilation of live recordings from 1992, with a selection of classic blues, in great performances.
This was a limited edition, of just 1000 CDs and Cassettes, released by A New Day fanzine, through the Presshouse label, and was sold only for the subscribers of the fanzine.

I include the official _Souvenir Program from the “Jethro Tull Convention Festival” in 1992 … Listen and enjoy the other side of Martin Barre !

Recording location/date:
11 July 1992 at “The Summer Party” somewhere in Devon,
15 July 1992 at Verbeer Manor, Collumpton,
16 July 1992 at the Exeter Arts Centre,
18 July 1992 at the “Jethro Tull Convention” Milton Keynes.

Personnel:
Martin Barre (guitar)
Rob Darnell (percussion, harmonica, vocals)
Tom Glendinning (drums)
Craig Milverton (keyboards)
Matt Pegg (bass)
Maggie Reeday (vocals)
Joy Russell (lead vocals)
Mark Tucker (electric guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Ain’t That Peculiar (Holland/Whitfield) 3.49
02. Too Tired (Watson/Davis/Bihari) 3.09
03. Born Under A Bad Sign (Jones/Bell) 3.05
04. One Love (Bett/Carpenter) 5.45
05. Georgia On My Mind (Carmichael/Gorrell) 4.56
06. Cold Feet (King) 2.22
07. Better Lying Down (Slick) 3.59
08. I Shot The Sheriff (Marley) 3.29
09. Barefootin’ (Parker) 3.21
10. Mustang Sally (Pickett) 4.30
11. Nutbush City Limits (Turner) 2.52
12. Faith Healer (Harvey/McKenna) 5.52

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Andy Robinson – Patterns of Reality (1968)

Originally from Philadelphia, he began singing and composing songs while still a student at the University of Colorado in Boulder. It was small clubs in and around Boulder that he first started singing professionally appearing with people like Judy Collins, Odetta and others. Their encourage ment led Andy to New York City where he met Janis Ian, who was impressed enough to introduce him to her manager. He was signed to a contract, and Janis Ian produced his forst album “Patterns of Reality” on the Philadelphia label. (by psychspaniolos.blogspot)

Sweet memories from the sixties:
“From 1966-1970, I was one of the show hosts (I think they still call them “dj’s” there today) at college radio station WONY in Oneonta, NY. While the station was essentially a Top 40 formatted station, those of us on the air occasionally had a variety of album tracks and/or single releases (45’s) from those albums sent to us by record companies. (Yes, we actually played vinyl records, because no one had even dreamed of mp3 tracks back then.)

In 1968, we featured almost every track on the album Patterns of Reality by Andy Robinson. According to a comment in Rate Your Music, “Andy Robinson was originally from Philadelphia. Patterns Of Reality was recorded in L.A. in 1968 and is full of well-crafted songs that hang together well.” The songs weren’t just a clear-voiced guy and his guitar; some were fully produced with piano and orchestra strings.

His songs became extremely popular with men and women listeners alike on WONY. The lyrics of his songs were compelling in the sense that they made you think about yourself and your relationships with other people without ever being preachy. And, as strange as it may sound, Andy’s songs had an unusual way of making you forget all about time while you were listening. THAT takes real talent. Andy recorded a second album entitled Break Out Of The City in 1970 which I’ve never seen or heard. This lost song was the single we played that was very popular with WONY listeners. It still sounds good today.” (by George Woods)

This a really rare and exciting psych-folk-rock album !

Alternate UK frontcover

Personnel:
Sam Boghossian (viola)
Dennis Budimir (guitar)
Artie Butler (keyboards)
Al Casey (guitar)
David Cohen (guitar)
Gary Coleman (percussion)
Jesse Ehrlich (cello)
Gene Estes (percussion)
Victor Feldman (percussion)
Jim Gordon (drums)
Carol Kaye (bass)
Lincoln Mayorga (harpsichord, piano)
Bill Nuttycombe (violin)
Earl Palmer (drums)
Andy Robinson -(vocals)
Sid Sharp (violin)
Ken Watson (percussion)

Tracklist:
01. Absolutely The End 3.38
02. Ballad Of A Summer Girl 3.30
03. The Exhibition 2.37
04. Time For Decision 3.41
05.  Provider 3.25
06. Tell You The Truth 2.51
07.  Are You Sleeping? 4.20
08.  Nothing Could Be Better 2.18
09.  Maiden Voyage 4.11
10.  Patterns Of Reality 5.12

All songs written by Andy Robinson

* (coming soon)
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John Kay & Steppenwolf – Rise & Shine (1990)

Rise & Shine is the thirteenth studio album by John Kay and Steppenwolf, released in 1990 (see 1990 in music) under the label Capitol. It features “The Wall”, John Kay’s song celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall, and “Rock ‘N Roll War”, Kay’s homage to veterans of the Vietnam War.

And now John Kay in his own words:

This is my favorite Wolf album since Steppenwolf 7. Recorded at my new studio in Tennessee, it contains some of the best material written by the team of Michael Wilk, keyboards, Rocket Ritchotte, guitar, and myself. For me two standouts are “Rock and Roll War” which was to become a favorite of many Vietnam vets, and “The Wall” a song near and dear to me because of my early years behind the iron curtain. Both benefited from Rocket’s soaring guitar lines and Michaels’ imaginative keyboard work. Others include the title cut as well as “Do or Die”, “Sign on The Line” and “The Daily Blues”, although there isn’t a single dud on the on the whole album as far as I’m concerned. Overall the record conveyed the optimism and enthusiasm that we felt about our partnership with our new label IRS. Unfortunately IRS decided to switch distributors in the midst of “Rise & Shine’s” release and shortly thereafter sold the label altogether. Naturally we were disappointed under the circumstances, but that does not change the fact that it is one of our better records and that many fans who have discovered it agree.

Personnel:
Ron Hurst (drums, vocals)
John Kay (bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals)
Rocket Ritchotte (guitar)
Michael Wilk (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Let’s Do It All (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 3.58
02. Time Out (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 3.46
03. Do Or Die (Kay/Wilk) 4.06
04. Rise And Shine (Kay/Wilk) 4.05
05. The Wall (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 6.21
06. The Daily Blues” (Kay, Ritchotte, Wilk) – 3:36
07. Keep Rockin’  (Kay/Wilk) 4.03
08. Rock ‘N Roll War (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 7.06
09. Sign On The Line (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 3.45
10. We Like It, We Love It (We Want More Of It) (Kay/Ritchotte/Wilk) 4.06

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Joe Satriani – Not Of This Earth (1986)

Not Of This Earth is the first studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released in 1986 through Relativity Records.

In the liner notes, Satriani provides a brief introduction to himself and the background behind Not of This Earth. He states that his goal was “to make a ‘guitar-record’ that would be enjoyed by all; not just a ‘guitar-chops-record’ but one with real music on it.” He also mentions the recording of a follow-up album which he promises “will turn heads, drop jaws and create world peace in our lifetime!”; this would become his 1987 breakthrough smash hit Surfing with the Alien.

The album uses electronic drums rather than acoustic drums. The title track utilizes a unique compositional technique described by Satriani as pitch axis theory, which consists of shifting modes underneath a pedal tone (in this case, E). “The Enigmatic” uses the enigmatic scale. “Rubina” is one of two tracks named after his wife, the other being “Rubina’s Blue Sky Happiness” on The Extremist (1992). “The Headless Horseman” is performed entirely using a two-handed tapping technique, and was revisited in the form of “Headless” on Flying in a Blue Dream (1989).

The original cover art used for the first vinyl edition of the album was lost early on, having since been replaced with an alternative cover; the latter has been used for all CD releases since 1987. Also of note is the guitar, an Ibanez 540P, with which Satriani is pictured on this second edition cover: it was never actually used by him, and was instead “a promo shot that got too much press”. (by wikipedia)

Alternate frontcover

Not Of This Earth was the first studio release from guitar wizard Joe Satriani (not counting the hard-to-find Joe Satriani EP). This all-instrumental album was making ripples in the guitar-playing community not long after it was released, and it’s easy to see why: superior compositions, a signature style, a unique tone, and playing that’s out of this world. Satriani shifts musical gears deftly, often layering multiple tracks together to make a complex soundscape. The fiery sound of “Not of This Earth” and “Hordes of Locusts” is tempered by the cool, dark tone of “Driving at Night,” the far-out Eastern approach of “The Snake,” and the quiet, thoughtful “Rubina.” Satriani’s fluid playing and wicked licks are enough to drop jaws and widen eyes. There isn’t a weak track on this disc, even though the guitarist was still maturing when he released it. (by Phil Carter)

Personnel:
Jeff Campitelli (drums, percussion, DX, whistle)
John Cuniberti (vocals on 10., , percussion)
Joe Satriani (guitar, keyboards, percussion, bass)

Tracklist:
01. Not Of This Earth 4.04
02. The Snake 4.43
03. Rubina 5.56
04. Memories 4.06
05. Brother John 2.10
06. The Enigmatic 3.26
07. Driving At Night 3.33
08. Hordes Of Locusts 4.59
09. New Day 3.52
10. The Headless Horseman 1.53

All compositions by Joe Satriani

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The Stooges – Fun House (1970)

Fun House is the second studio album by American rock band The Stooges. It was released on 7 July 1970 through Elektra Records. Though initially commercially unsuccessful, Fun House developed a strong cult following and, like its successor (1973’s Raw Power), is generally considered integral in the development of punk rock.

Even though Elektra Records’ Jac Holzman believed that the MC5 had more potential than The Stooges, he made the crucial intervention to ask former Kingsmen keyboardist Don Galluci to produce the album. Having seen the group live, Galluci told Holzman that The Stooges were an “interesting group, but I don’t think you can get this feeling on tape”. Holzman said it didn’t matter because he had already reserved recording time in L.A. The album was recorded at Elektra Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California from 11 May to 25 May 1970. Galluci’s plan as a producer was to use each day to record about a dozen takes of a particular song and then pick the one that would appear on the album. The first day consisted of sound checking and run-throughs of all songs. The entire band used headphones with the bass and drums isolated by baffles while Iggy Pop sang his vocals through a condenser microphone on a boom.

The result was terrible in the band’s opinion. They took exception to the atmosphere inside the studio with sound-proof paddings and isolators. To achieve their vision, The Stooges and Galluci stripped the entire studio of its usual gear to emulate their live performances as closely as possible. According to Galluci, they set up the band in the way they normally play at a concert. For example, Iggy was singing through a hand-held microphone, and the guitar and bass amps were placed side by side. The results were very raw when compared to many contemporary records; for example, without the normal isolation baffles the vibrations from the bass amplifier cause audible rattling of the snare drum on several songs.

Iggy Pop indicated that iconic blues singer Howlin’ Wolf “was really pertinent for me on Fun House. That stuff is Wolfy, at least as I could do it.”

The Stooges intended for “Loose” to be the album’s first track; Elektra, however, felt that “Down on the Street” would be the stronger opener.

An alternate version of “Down on the Street”, featuring a Doors-style organ overdubbed by Gallucci, was pulled from the album and released as a single. It was released the same month as Fun House, and fared slightly better on the charts.

The Stooges’ first album was produced by a classically trained composer; their second was supervised by the former keyboard player with the Kingsmen, and if that didn’t make all the difference, it at least indicates why Fun House was a step in the right direction. Producer Don Gallucci took the approach that The Stooges were a powerhouse live band, and their best bet was to recreate the band’s live set with as little fuss as possible. As a result, the production on Fun House bears some resemblance to the Kingsmen’s version of “Louie Louie” — the sound is smeary and bleeds all over the place, but it packs the low-tech wallop of a concert pumped through a big PA, bursting with energy and immediacy. The Stooges were also a much stronger band this time out; Ron Asheton’s blazing minimalist guitar gained little in the way of technique since The Stooges, but his confidence had grown by a quantum leap as he summoned forth the sounds that would make him the hero of proto-punk guitarists everywhere, and the brutal pound of drummer Scott Asheton and bassist Dave Alexander had grown to heavyweight champion status. And Fun House is where Iggy Pop’s mad genius first reached its full flower; what was a sneer on the band’s debut had grown into the roar of a caged animal desperate for release, and his rants were far more passionate and compelling than what he had served up before. The Stooges may have had more “hits,” but Fun House has stronger songs, including the garage raver to end all garage ravers in “Loose,” the primal scream of “1970,” and the apocalyptic anarchy of “L.A. Blues.” Fun House is the ideal document of The Stooges at their raw, sweaty, howling peak. (by Mark Deming)

Personnel:
Dave Alexander (bass)
Ron Asheton (guitar)
Scott Asheton (drums)
Steven Mackay (saxophone)
Iggy Pop (vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Down On The Street 3.42
02. Loose 3.33
03. T.V. Eye 4.17
04. Dirt 7.00
05. 1970 5.15
06. Fun House 7.46
07. L.A. Blues 4.55

All songs written by: Dave Alexander – Ron Asheton – Scott Asheton – Steven Mackay – Iggy Pop

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Jack Bruce – Things We Like (1970)

Things We Like was recorded a few months ahead of Cream’s demise in August 1968, though not released till 1970, when Jack Bruce’s solo career was well underway. Since then it’s become rare as hen’s teeth, yet hasn’t been accorded the kind of mythic status that other Britjazz albums of the era seemed to have had bestowed on them. It would be trite to suggest that jazz snobbery might be in effect here…or would it? Maybe the fact that Jack wasn’t tempted to enjoy the poverty and critical hostility that was the lot of the British jazzer on a permanent basis caught the attention of the Jazz Police. Who knows..?

Bruce wrote these tunes when he was 12; he must have spent a huge amount of his childhood devouring industrial sized quantities of post bop jazz. These are vivacious, maybe even brash compositions, but they don’t sound like the work of a 12 year old (particularly the stalking, episodic “HCKHH Blues” or the hectic, tumbling “Over the Cliff”). To play them, Bruce returned to the double bass and enlisted former Graham Bond colleagues Dick Heckstall-Smith and John McLaughlin, plus drummer Jon Hiseman of Colosseum. Like Bruce, all these musicians had grown up on a diet of R’n’B and rock as well as jazz, and were casually breaking down the doors between them.

Heckstall-Smith’s raspy tenor (and occasional soprano)is the dominant voice, stuffed with equal amounts of blues honk and post bop technique. Occasional Roland Kirk inspired dual saxophone action livens things up too. Mclaughlin is on fiery form, with his scrabbly, distorted Hendrix-plays-bebop runs at an early but satisfying stage.

Meanwhile Bruce and Hiseman power things along at a fair old lick. What they sometimes lack in sophistication they make up for in drive and splashy energy. Bruce’s love of Mingus makes itself felt in his solo spots, while his tangy melodies recall the warped Texas blues of Ornette Coleman. A year or so later Mclaughlin had honed the first stirrings of electric jazz heard here into the sweet blast of Extrapolation, rightly regarded as a classic. While Things We Like isn’t maybe on that level, it’s definitely a forgotten gem, and full marks to Universal for digging it out of the vaults. (by Peter Marsh)

Personnel:
Jack Bruce (bass, vocals, keyboards)
Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone)
Jon Hiseman (drums)
John McLaughlin (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Over The Cliff (Bruce) 2.57
02. Statues (Bruce) 7.35
03. Sam Enchanted Dick Medley: Sam´s Sack/Rick´s Thrills (Bruce) 7.28
04. Born To Be Blue (Bruce) 4.26
05. HCKHH Blues (Bruce) 8.58
06. Ballad For Arthur (Bruce) 7.42
07. Things We Like (Bruce) 3.38
+
08. Ageing (Bruce) 5.21

*
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Goodbye Jack Bruce !
I have to thank !
R.I.P.

Kenny Burrell – Jim Hall – Attila Zoller – Guitar Genius In Japan (1971)

I found a very interesting review of this great and very rare album in the net:

Everybody may have his/her special album(s) of his/her own – for example, an album which closely link to his/her personal events and memories, an album which gave him/her a huge impact to let him/her get involved into music. And there are some more – such as “an album which was recorded on the same day in the same year when I was born”.

Well talented but sober members – Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, Attila Zoller, Larry Ridley and Lennny McBrowne – came to Japan and played at the “Guitar Festival” concert on June 4, 1970 at the Tokyo Kousei Nenkin Hall in Shinjuku. Then four days later on June 8, 1970 (when I was born), they recorded this album at the Teichiku Studio, Tokyo, Japan.

Kenny Burrell trio plays three tracks, Attila Zoller plays three, another three by Jim Hall, and the last track is a jam session of three talented guitarists (like they would perform at the “Guitar Festival” concert). Improvisation phrases and guitar tones of these three players sounds so distinctive each other, which make this album very interesting. Surprisingly, this album was released in 1970 (or 1971) by Overseas label of Teichiku Records Japan, then no LP/CD reissue was made as far as I know. I believe that many fans would gladly welcome if this scarce album was reissued…

Burrell strokes full of tensional phrases, while Zoller spreads solid and progressive improvisations and Hall presents his warm, soft and beautiful guitar – actually it’s a very nice album.(by Kohji ‘Shaolin’ Matsubayashi)

Alternate frontcover

Personnel:
Kenny Burrell (guitar)
Lenny Mc Browne (drums)
Jim Hall (guitar)
Larry Ridley (bass)
Attila Zoller (guitar)

Tracklist:

Kenny Burrell:
01. Scarbrough (Traditional) 3.23
02. People (unknown) 1.47
03. Gingerbread Boy (Heath) 2.36

Atilla Zoller:
04. Green Dolphin Street (Kaper/Washington) 4.06
05. When Sunny Gets Blue (Fisher/Segal) 3,16
06. Watch What Happen (Legrand/Gimbel/Demy) 3.27

Jim Hall:
07. Secret Love (Fain/Webster) 3.01
08. When Would I Love (unknown) 3.04
09. All The Things You Are (Kern/Hammerstein) 2.19

Allstar Jam:
10.Just Friends (Klenner/Lewis) 3.43

*
**

Muddy Waters – ”Unk” In Funk (1974)

The nine sides on Unk in Funk (1974) are among the last newly recorded material that Muddy Waters (vocals/guitar) would issue during his nearly 30 year association with Chess Records. Backing up the Chicago blues icon is a band he’d carry with him for the remainder of his performing career, including Pinetop Perkins (piano), Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson (guitar), Bob Margolin (guitar), Calvin “Fuzz” Jones (bass), and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith (drums). They run through a better than average selection of Waters’ classics with newer compositions more or less tossed in, presumably to keep the track list fresh. Although Waters certainly has nothing to prove, he attacks his old catalog with the drive and command of a man putting it all on the line. That same spirit of quality and authenticity shapes his umpteenth overhaul of “Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” as Waters’ guitar — the only time he plays on the whole platter — rekindles his singular sounding fretwork. Demonstrating why they were suitable rhythmic foils for Waters, Jones and Smith’s gritty timekeeping perfectly holds down the slinky methodical groove churning beneath the update of “Just Had to Be with You.” This allows the artist a chance to let loose with some inspired vocal improvisations. The bouncy frolic of “Trouble No More” and the vintage Chicago R&B vibe of “Drive My Blues Away” offer the most authentic presentation of Waters then and now. While the newer songs, “Katie” and “Waterboy, Waterboy,” reveal that the ol’ mule still has a bit of kick in him yet. “Electric Man” is one of two cuts by Amelia Cooper (Waters’ granddaughter) and Terry Abrahamson, typifying the style of self-aggrandizing lyrical plodding over generic blues changes that had marred several of the blues legends’ later efforts. All is not lost, however, thanks to some playful interaction between Waters and harp blower Carey Bell Harrington. Cooper and Abrahamson’s other contribution — “Unk in Funk” — shares its credit along with talent agent Ted Kurland. Again, while the sentiment is well-intended, the playing is marginalized with little to no substantive territory gained. (by Lindsay Planer)

Muddy Waters, 1974

Personnel:
Carey Bell Harrington (harmonica)
Calvin Jones (bass)
Luther Johnson (guitar)
Bob Margolin (guitar)
“Pine Top” Perkins (piano)
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith (drums)
Muddy Waters (guitar, vocals)
+
George Buford (harmonica on 04. + 09)
Paul Oscher (harmonica on 05.)

Tracklist:
01. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (Morganfield) 7.30
02. Just To Be With You (Berney/Roth) 3.56
03. Electric Man (Cooper/Abrahmson) 3.10
04. Trouble No More (Morganfield) 2.40
05. Unk In Funk (Cooper/Abrahmson/Kerland) 3.23
06. Drive My Blues Away (Morganfield) 2.49
07. Katie (Morganfield) 3.06
08. Waterboy Waterboy (Morganfield) 4.00
09. Everything Gonna Be Alright (Jacobs) 3.35

* (coming soon)
**