The Kinks – The Kink Kontroversy (1965)

The Kink Kontroversy is the third studio album by English rock band The Kinks, released on 26 November 1965. It is a transitional work, with elements of both the earlier Kinks’ styles (heavily blues-influenced songs such as “Milk Cow Blues”, and variations on the band’s hits from 1964-65 such as “Till the End of the Day”) and early indications of the future direction of Ray Davies’ songwriting styles (“The World Keeps Going Round” and “I’m On an Island”).The Kink Kontroversy is the third studio album by English rock band The Kinks, released on 26 November 1965. It is a transitional work, with elements of both the earlier Kinks’ styles (heavily blues-influenced songs such as “Milk Cow Blues”, and variations on the band’s hits from 1964-65 such as “Till the End of the Day”) and early indications of the future direction of Ray Davies’ songwriting styles (“The World Keeps Going Round” and “I’m On an Island”).

The album’s title is a mocking reference to the notorious reputation the band had developed over the previous year, including onstage fights and concert riots in Europe, which led to a ban on the group’s concerts in the US.

American singer Bobby Rydell covered “When I See That Girl of Mine”, which was released as a single in the US a full month before the Kinks’ version was made public.

The single “Till the End of the Day” was a major hit, reaching #8 in the UK and #50 in the US, spending eight weeks or more in each chart. (by wikipedia)

The Kinks came into their own as album artists — and Ray Davies fully matured as a songwriter — with The Kink Kontroversy, which bridged their raw early British Invasion sound with more sophisticated lyrics and thoughtful production. There are still powerful ravers like the hit “Til the End of the Day” (utilizing yet another “You Really Got Me”-type riff) and the abrasive, Dave Davies-sung cover of “Milk Cow Blues,” but tracks like the calypso pastiche “I’m on an Island,” where Ray sings of isolation with a forlorn yet merry bite, were far more indicative of their future direction. Other great songs on this underrated album include the uneasy nostalgia of “Where Have All the Good Times Gone?,” the plaintive, almost fatalistic ballads “Ring the Bells” and “The World Keeps Going Round,” and the Dave Davies-sung declaration of independence “I Am Free.” (by Richie Unterberger)

In other words: Won´t you tell me … where have all the good times gone …

The Kinks … one of the finest groups from the classic beat period in the Sixites !

Personnel:
Mick Avory (drums on 01., 02. + 09., percussion)
Dave Davies (guitar, vocals on 01., 05., 11., 12.)
Ray Davies (vocals, guitar, harmonica)
Pete Quaife (bass, background vocals)
+
Clem Cattini (drums, 03. + 08., 10. – 12.)
Rasa Davies (background vocals)
Nicky Hopkins (keyboards)
Shel Talmy (guitar on 10.)

Tracklist:
01. Milk Cow Blues (Estes) 3.45
02. Ring The Bells (R.Davies) 2.22
03. Gotta Get the First Plane Home (R.Davies) 1.50
04. When I See That Girl Of Mine (R.Davies) 2.13
05. I Am Free (D.Davies) 2.32
06. Till The End Of The Day (R.Davies) 2.22
07. The World Keeps Going Round (R.Davies) 2.37
08. I’m On An Island (R.Davies) 2.19
09. Where Have All The Good Times Gone (R.Davies) 2.54
10. It’s Too Late (R.Davies) 2.37
11. What’s In Store For Me (R.Davies) 2.07
12. You Can’t Win (R.Davies) 2.43
+
13. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (R.Davies) 3.05
14. Sittin’ On My Sofa (R.Davies) 3.08
15. When I See That Girl Of Mine (demo version) (R.Davies) 2.02
16. Dedicated Follower Of Fashion (alternate stereo take) 3.01 (R.Davies) 3:01

*
**

 

Geri Allen Trio – Twenty One (1994)

Twenty One is an album by pianist Geri Allen with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams recorded in 1994 and released on the Blue Note label.

Pianist Geri Allen has thus far been a very consistent performer, and all of her recordings are easily recommended. This particular set finds her in a trio with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams performing six of her originals along with six jazz standards. Allen’s style is fairly original, with hints of Herbie Nichols, and her chancetaking but logical solos are generally quite stimulating. (by Scott Yanow)

This female Jazz pianist can play from traditional jazz to free form,classic music,bebop style.That is this pianist has a wide range of musical capacity.In this album GERI plays her original songs with a distinct power and prowess.The sound she makes is so challenging and beautiful.Indeed,there is a crystalized beauty in her touch.In a sense well-controled touch of madness is to be seen.This album is a overlooked and underestimated album.This is a MUST ITEM for jazz piano trio fans. (by Sound Profiler)

Geri Allen, a musically adventurous jazz pianist and bandleader who performed with the leading musicians of her time, from Ornette Coleman to Wayne Shorter, and who furthered the careers of other women in jazz, died June 27 at a hospital in Philadelphia. She was 60.

The cause was cancer. Her death was announced by the University of Pittsburgh, where she directed the jazz studies program.

In a career spanning more than 35 years, Ms. Allen was known for her eclectic approach to music, exploring the traditions of jazz and reaching into some of its more arcane byways. She portrayed pianist Mary Lou Williams in the 1996 Robert Altman film “Kansas City,” set in the 1930s, but she also dipped into a variety of other styles, from the Motown music of her childhood home town Detroit to electronic music and classical works.

“I like to look at the piano as a drum,” she said in a 1992 interview with the Contemporary Musicians reference guide, “as 88 drums with pitch. Rhythm is the core of my music.”

Ms. Allen was considered one of the leading pianists of her generation and, as Los Angeles Times critic Don Heckman wrote in 2006, “long overdue for the sort of recognition that accrues for the top level of jazz ­performers.”

In the 1980s, Ms. Allen toured with Mary Wilson, a onetime member of the Supremes from whom she said she borrowed fashion ideas. A decade later, Ms. Allen accompanied another singer from Detroit, jazz vocalist Betty Carter, and performed on Carter’s Grammy Award-winning album ­“Droppin’ Things.”

Ms. Allen released more than 20 albums as a bandleader, many of which featured her own compositions, and she collaborated on recordings with rock guitarist Vernon Reid of Living Colour and jazz masters including bassists Ron Carter, Charlie Haden and Dave Holland, and drummers Paul Motian and Jimmy Cobb.

In 1996 she became the first acoustic pianist in almost 40 years to record with Coleman, the innovative saxophonist. Their work was documented on two albums, “Sound Museum: Hidden Man” and “Sound Museum: Three Women.”

“Why can’t I explore the whole universe of music that’s available to me?” Ms. Allen told the Los Angeles Times in 1992. “There’s a point of view that suggests that you can do something much better if you focus on one thing, but it’s my nature to be curious, and to go back and forth between different contexts, such as playing solo, trio and large groups, or using electronic stuff.”

Ms. Allen also found time to write symphonic works, develop theatrical projects and to become a prominent jazz educator, first at her alma mater, Howard University, and later at the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh.

Throughout her career, Ms. Allen helped rediscover the historical role of women in jazz. Ms. Allen recorded Williams’s “Zodiac Suite” and often appeared at what is now the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center. She also performed the music of Lil Hardin Armstrong, who was the pianist on the early recordings of her husband, trumpeter Louis Armstrong.

“There is a really strong legacy of great female piano players, and women have played really important parts in the history of the music,” Ms. Allen told the British newspaper the Independent in 1998. “The issue of Lil Hardin in Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five is an important one. She was the first piano player in the first major group in jazz, and that’s a big hole left undiscovered.”

Among other ensembles Ms. Allen led in recent years, she often performed with the ACS Trio, an all-female group, with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and Grammy-winning bassist ­Esperanza Spalding.

“If you want to be true to tradition, you must find your own voice,” Ms. Allen told Newsday in 1992. “It isn’t just in playing on what’s already there. If you come to this music on its own terms, then you have to come to it on your own terms.”

Geri Antoinette Allen was born June 12, 1957, in Pontiac, Mich., and grew up in Detroit. Her father was a school principal, and her mother worked as a contracts administrator with the federal government.

Her parents often played jazz and classical records at home, and Ms. Allen began studying the piano at age 7. She went to Cass Tech, a Detroit high school that produced many other talented musicians, and studied under trumpeter Marcus Belgrave.

In 1979, Ms. Allen became one of the first graduates of Howard’s jazz studies program, and she received a master’s degree in ethno­musicology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1982.

Among other projects, she collaborated on musical plays with actress and director S. Epatha Merkerson and writer Farah Jasmine Griffin. She also wrote musical tributes honoring civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Her marriage to trumpeter Wallace Roney ended in divorce. Survivors include three children; her father; and a brother. (by Matt Schudel)

Personnel:
Geri Allen (piano)
Ron Carter (bass)
Tony Williams (drums)

Tracklist:
01. RTG” (Allen) 2.47
02. If I Should Lose You (Rainger/Robin) 4.35
03. Drummer’s Song (Allen) 3.52
04. Introspection/Thelonious (Monk) 4.36
05. A Beautiful Friendship (Kahn/Styne) 3.23
06. In The Morning (Allen) 6.09
07. Tea For Two (Caesar/Youmans) 3.19
08. Lullaby Of The Leaves (Petkere/Young) 5.14
09. Feed The Fire (Allen) 6.16
10. Old Folks (Hill/Robison) 6.14
11. A Place Of Power (Allen) 3.14
12. In The Middle (Allen) 4.25

*
**

Rest In Peace:
Geri Allen (June 12, 1957 – June 27, 2017)

Lady Pank – Teraz (2004)

Lady Pank is a popular Polish rock band. It was started in 1982 in Warsaw by Jan Borysewicz and Andrzej Mogielnicki. Its first famous song was “Mała Lady Punk” (Little Lady Punk). Lady Pank garnered some attention in the United States in 1986 when MTV placed the video for the band’s single “Less Than Zero” on heavy rotation.

Lady Pank is quite a curiosity on the Polish musical market. They got popular before they were actually… formed! The group, which was originally planning to call itself “Żużel”, received a lot of media coverage as a result of a skilfully conducted promotional campaign combined with group’s unquestionnable talent.
Lady Pank’s lineup has changed many times over the years. The most frequent changes concerned the drummers and guitar-players, but the group has always remained a quintet with an easily-recognizable guitar sound. The core of the group are Jan Borysewicz and Janusz Panasewicz, who have been constituting the image of the group from the very beginning.

Lady Pank is a quintet, although there have been times when more musicians were involved. Despite all changes in the lineup, the basic shape of the group remains the same: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass and drums. The role of the frontman is played by Janusz Panasewicz, with occasional help from Jan Borysewicz who sings a couple of songs too.

The band’s most popular songs are: “Tańcz głupia, tańcz”, “Mniej niż zero”, “Wciąż bardziej obcy”, “Kryzysowa narzeczona”, “Zamki na piasku, “Tacy sami”, “Zostawcie Titanica”, “Mała wojna”, “Zawsze tam gdzie ty”, “Znowu pada deszcz”, “Na granicy”, “Stacja Warszawa”.

The recording history of Lady Pank is impressive. Their discography consists of about 20 albums and over 200 tracks, many of which exist in a few versions (eg. studio, live, English-language, acoustic, techno). Juni 28, 2004 saw the issue of the latest Lady Pank’s album so far – “Teraz” (“Now”). (by wikipedia)

And here´s their last album … I understand no word … but the music … wow ! A real strong rock album … with many sweet memories into the history of rock …

Personnel:
Jan Borysewicz (guitar, vocals, piano)
Kuba Jabłoński (drums, percussion)
Krzysztof Kieliszkiewicz (bass)
Janusz Panasewicz (vocals)
Michał Sitarski (guitar)
+
Wojtek Olszak (keyboards)
Mariusz “Georgia” Pieczara (vocals)

Tracklist:
01 Sexy-Plexi 3.03
02. http://www.god.com 3.42
03 Krzycz Mały, Krzycz 3.57
04. Stacja Warszawa 4.22
05 Mój Dom Wariatów 3.52
06 Bóg I Boogie Woogie 3.34
07. Walker 4.30
08. Pani Moich Snów 4.06
09. Lachy Na Strachy 3.52
10. Ciepły Śnieg 6.20

Music: Jan Borysewicz
Lyrics: Andrzej Mogielnicki

*
**

Acker Bilk & The Paramount Jazz Band – Acker Pie (1972)

Bernard Stanley “Acker” Bilk MBE (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was an English clarinettist and vocalist known for his trademark goatee, bowler hat, striped waistcoat and breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register clarinet style.

Bilk’s 1962 instrumental tune “Stranger on the Shore” became the UK’s biggest selling single of 1962 where it remained in the UK charts for more than 50 weeks, peaking at number two, and was the first No. 1 single in the United States by a British artist in the era of the modern Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

But … Mr. Acker Bilk was much more than only a traditional jazz player …

On this Album we hear some traditional jazz … a great version of “Nobody Knows You (When You´re Down And Out) .. .I know this Ida Cox song from an early album by The Spencer Davis Group …

And you´ll hear some unexpectedly sounds, like “Nairobi Knees Up ” and … “Burgundy Street” listen … and enjoy!

In other words: A real great Album by the one and only Mr.  Acker Bilk …

Personnel:
Acker Bilk (clarinet, vocals)
Tucker Finlayson (bass)
Rod Mason (trumpet)
John Mortimer (trombone)
Tony Pitt (guitar, banjo)
Johnny Richardson (drums)
+
Barney Bates (piano, harmonium on 10.)

Tracklist:
01. Wolverine Blues (J. Spikes/B. Spikes/Morton) 3.40
02. Spider And The Fly (Waller/Razaf/Johnson) 4.33
03. Burgundy Street (Traditional) 2.37
04. Rose Of The Rio Grande (Leslie/Warren/Gammon) 4.34
05. Nobody Knows You (When You´re Down And Out) (Cox) 3.20
06. Nairobi Knees Up (Mortimer) 3.24
07. I’m An Old Cow Hand /Mercer) 2.41
08. South Rampart Street Parade (Haggart/Bauduc) 4.07
09. Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie/Casey/Pinkard) 4.14
10. Gloomy Sunday (Seress) 3.08
11. Free For All (Mortimer) 3.34
12. Travellin’ On (Bilk/Green/Manzi) 2.46

*
**

More from Mr. Acker Bilk:

Status Quo – Live (1977)

Live! is the first live album by English Rock band Status Quo. It contains 2 discs. It is an amalgam of performances at Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre between 27 and 29 October 1976, recorded using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.

Recorded, with perfect timing, just as Status Quo hit their live peak, 1977’s double Live! album is, contrarily, a timeless reminder of just how much power and excitement was bound up in the band through the mid-’70s — and on, in fact, into the early ’80s. It would be several years before Status Quo turned into the faintly embarrassing cabaret singalong that scarred the latter years of their career, a fact that Live! broadcasts via a picture-perfect snapshot of the last calm before that particular storm. Touring to support 1976’s Blue for You (U.S. title Status Quo) album, the band is still reaching back to the dawn of the decade for material. “Junior’s Wailing” and “In My Chair” both date back to the tentative days of 1970, as the band prepared to slide from psych to boogie without knowing whether there was even an audience for such a shock.

The fact that there was, of course, would be celebrated with some of the most visceral singles of the decade. “Roll Over Lay Down,” “Rain,” “Don’t Waste My Time,” and, most impressively, “Caroline” all slough off well-loved 45s, to be transformed into veritable showstoppers, while the LP epics “Forty-Five Hundred Times” and “Roadhouse Blues” receive marathon workouts that all but defy gravity.

The mid-’70s were a golden age for double live albums, and from Frampton Comes Alive! to Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous, the era is littered with what now rank as classics. Live! effortlessly takes its place alongside those most hallowed of halcyon howlers, and no matter what else Status Quo might have become in later years, this is what they sounded like before that happened. Priceless. (by Dave Thompson)

In other words. A classic live album including a brilliant version of “Roadhouse Blues” original recorded by The Doors !

And it´s fun and fun only !

Personnel:
John Coghlan (drums)
Alan Lancaster (bass, vocals)
Rick Parfitt (guitar, vocals)
Francis Rossi (guitar, vocals)
+
Andy Bown -(keyboards)
Bob Young (harmonica)

Tracklist:

CD 1:
01. Junior’s Wailing (White/Pugh) 5.21
02. Backwater/Just Take Me (Parfitt/Lancaster) 8.28
03. Is There A Better Way” (Rossi/Lancaster) 4.17
04. In My Chair (Rossi/Young) 3.36
05. Little Lady/Most of the Time (Parfitt/Rossi/Young) 7.19
06. Rain (Parfitt) 4.53
07. Forty-Five Hundred Times (Rossi/Parfitt) 16.42

CD 2:
08. Roll Over Lay Down (Rossi/Parfitt/Lancaster/Coghlan/Young) 6.04
09. Big Fat Mama (Rossi/Parfitt) 5.22
10. Don’t Waste My Time (Rossi/Young) 4.05
11. Roadhouse Blues (Morrison/Densmore/Krieger/Manzarek) 14.21
12. Caroline (Rossi/Young) 6.43
13. Bye Bye Johnny (Berry) 6.22

*
**

This entry is dedicated to one of the boys in the band:
Rick Parfitt (12 October 1948 – 24 December 2016)

Guido Toffoletti´s Blues Society – Ways Back (1987)

Unfortunatly I can´t speak or read the Italian language, and because I found only information about in Italian Website … I can´t give you many informations about Guido Toffoletti.
He was born in 1951 Venice and 15 years later he “run away from his Venice home in search of a tumultuous myth: The music world.

In Milan, he got to know Kim Brown from England and his group “The Renegades”. managed to get taken on as their Roadie ans was thus able to pass hours and hours admiring guitarist Mick Webley´s playing.

After various musically formative experiences, determined to make his career take a decisive turn, in 1975 he went to London where he worked as a dishwasher to make Ends meet and played in his free time.

In London het met his spiritual “father”, Alexis Korner, and thanks to him managed to find his feet in what was at the time Europe´s top blues circuit.

Toffoletti came back toItaly in 1976 with the precise aim of forming the “Blues Society”, an “open” Group of some of Italy´s top blues-men.

As well as bearing testimony to a period from 1979 to the present day with unreleased songs, covers and alternative tracks, “Ways Back” ideally gathers round Guido all his English and Italian friends; those who helped him, loved him and in some cases let him down.” (taken from the liner notes by Guiseppe Barbieri)

And you´ll hear finest Britsh blues, recorded with musicians like Paul Jones, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Zoot Money, Mel Collins, Ian Stewart and Mick Taylor.

A forgotten jewel of the British blues music, recorded by a great guy from Italy !

I was too lazy, to type all these informations down …

*
**

Italian bluesman Guido Toffoletti
Born 1951 – † 22 August 1999 (Car accident injuries)

Various Artists – Boys On The Side (OST) (1995)

Boys on the Side is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross (in his final film as a director). It stars Whoopi Goldberg, Drew Barrymore and Mary-Louise Parker as three friends on a cross-country road trip. The screenplay was written by Don Roos.

Three unique women embark on a cross-country road trip: Jane (Whoopi Goldberg), a lesbian lounge singer in search of a new life after breaking up with her girlfriend and getting fired; Holly (Drew Barrymore), a pregnant girl who just wants to escape her brutal boyfriend; and Robin (Mary-Louise Parker), an uptight real estate agent who has her own secrets (namely being infected with HIV).

Robin puts an ad in the newspaper that she is looking for a traveling companion to accompany her on a cross country trip to California. Jane answers the ad and agrees to join Robin after her car gets towed during their meeting. Jane and Robin leave New York City and travel through Pittsburgh to take Jane’s friend Holly to lunch. They stumble across a knock out-fight between Holly and her abusive boyfriend, Nick, over some missing drugs.

They leave him there bound to a chair with tape after Holly hits him in the head with a bat to stop him from attacking Jane. Later, he frees himself from the chair, stumbles across the floor, falls and hits his head on the bat and dies. The three unlikely travelers then form a special friendship on their journey which sees them through ultimately tragic times.

After discovering that Nick is dead and that Holly is pregnant, the three women decide to continue across country and end up in Tucson, Arizona when Robin has to be hospitalized. They decide to stay in Tucson, hoping to start a new life. However, Jane has a secret crush on Robin, Holly falls in love with and eventually confesses to a local police officer named Abe Lincoln (Matthew McConaughey), and Robin finds the courage to face her impending death.

Shortly after Jane and Robin have a falling out over Jane telling a friendly bartender (James Remar) who was interested in Robin that she has HIV, Holly is arrested by Abe. She is taken back to Pittsburgh to face the consequences of her actions. The return to Pittsburgh involves Robin and Jane making peace with each other on the courthouse’s “Bridge of Sighs” while the Pittsburgh Police process Holly.

A few months pass, in Tucson, Holly is free and with Abe and her daughter, which is celebration to all family and friends. Robin is now farther along with AIDS and is not expected to live much longer. The party asks Robin to sing the Roy Orbison song “You Got It” as she performed that song in a Star Search contest; though weak, she manages to sing with Jane backing her singing. In the final scene, Robin has died from AIDS as her wheelchair is now empty, Holly and Abe plan to stay in Arizona and become a family, while Jane hits the road to finally seek a life of her own.

The film’s soundtrack album is made up entirely of contributions from female pop/rock artists, including lesbian icons Melissa Etheridge (“I Take You With Me”), Joan Armatrading (“Willow”) and the Indigo Girls (“Power of Two”). Previous hit singles by Annie Lennox (“Why”) and The Cranberries (“Dreams”) are also included, as are new recordings by Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks and The Pretenders among others. The hit single from the movie soundtrack was Bonnie Raitt’s cover of the Roy Orbison hit “You Got It”, which peaked at #34 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. (by wikipedia)

Boys on the Side is a collection of mainstream ’90s rock dominated by female artists, which is appropriate for the feminist nature of the film. Not all of the music is first-rate, but much of it is, particularly Bonnie Raitt’s cover of Roy Orbison’s “You Got It.” Fans of the film will find much to enjoy here, but the record doesn’t quite hold together as an individual entity. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

This is just such an amazingly wonderful collection of beautiful songs, from the movie of the same title. This CD is like a warm, happy, occasionally sad, emotional journey through the eyes & hearts of some really talented women! I’m going to stockpile some more copies of this CD, as I never want to be without it! (by Mary Jo Ashleyon)

This has always been one of my favorite CDs, given the assortment of some of the best tracks of a series of female artists. Recently on a trip out west I inadvertently left the CD playing when my daughter (4th grade) got in the car–it is now her favorite album as well, and I don’t have to listen to the teeny bop music she usually pleads for–what a relief!!
I had never heard many of these artists before, given that I stopped hearing new artists about when my daughter was born and Raffi took over our lives, and it was such a delight to discover so much talent–it really sent me out to get acquainted with more of their music on their own individual albums. (by an Amazon customer)

This is a strong album for strong women … And I love strong women …

Tracklist:
01. Bonnie Raitt: You Got It (Lynne/Orbison/Petty) 3.25
02. Melissa Etheridge: I Take You With Me (Etheridge) 4.48
03. Sheryl Crow: Keep On Growing (Clapton/Whitlock) 5.24
04. Indigo Girls: Power Of Two (Saliers) 5.22
05. Stevie Nicks:  Somebody Stand By Me (Crow/Wolfe) 5.05
06. The Pretenders: Everyday Is Like Sunday (Morrissey/Street) 3.41
07. The Cranberries; Dreams (Hogan/O’Riordan) 4.30
08. Annie Lennox: Why (Lennox) 4.53
09. Sarah McLachlan: Ol’ 55 (Waits) 4.11
10. Joan Armatrading: Willow (Armatrading) 4.01
11. Jonell Mosser: Crossroads (Johnson) 2.49
12. Whoopi Goldberg: You Got It (Lynne/Orbison/Petty) 3.08
13. Bonnie Raitt: You Got It (Lynne/Orbison/Petty) 3.25

*
**

Promotion pic

Glenn Frey – Soul Searchin’ (1988)

Soul Searchin’ is the third solo studio album by Glenn Frey, the guitarist and co-lead vocalist for the Eagles. The album was released in mid 1988 on MCA in the United States and the United Kingdom, four years after Frey’s successful album, The Allnighter and eight years after the demise of the Eagles. The album features eight original songs co-written by Frey with Jack Tempchin and the song “Two Hearts” contributed by Frey’s friend, Hawk Wolinski. The album also features contributions from fellow Eagles member Timothy B. Schmit, Max Carl, Robbie Buchanan, Michael Landau, and Bruce Gaitsch.

The album was received negatively by the majority of music critics, while other reviewers noted good points to the album. It was also not as successful as Frey’s previous albums (although one of his favorites), peaking at #36 on the Billboard 200, which marked the beginning of a downturn in Frey’s fortunes on the album charts. The album’s first and leading single, “True Love”, unlike the album, was a commercial success, peaking at #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and so was the second single, the title track (“Soul Searchin'”), which peaked at #5 also on the Adult Contemporary.

Frey began work on the album in the midst of a string of hits in the 1980s, as well as animosity between him and other members of the Eagles. The album’s title refers to his efforts to find his own identity

When Frey was asked about his musical direction, he said “In a sense I’m working my way back home, Though I left Detroit and went to California to cut my teeth on country-rock, I’ve remained obsessed with the music of my adolescence, the great soul hits of the 60’s and early 70’s. It’s a style that most black musicians have abandoned for dance music and rap. There are a whole lot of people who miss the sound of Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett. It’s left a gap that is being filled by people like Steve Winwood.”

Reviewing for AllMusic, critic William Ruhlmann wrote of the album “the songs here were so interchangeable with those on his first two albums he apologized for it in his note about “True Love,” which became the album’s sole Top 40 hit. The music was pleasant, but inconsequential, and suggested that Frey, living off his Eagles royalties, had come to think of his solo career as a hobby.” In a review for The Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992), Mark Coleman gave the album one and a half out of five stars and wrote that “Frey sounded like he wasn’t even trying anymore; his pump-your-body TV gym commercials at the time displayed more sweat and effort”.

Personnel:
Barry Beckett (synthesizer, piano, keyboards)
Bill Bergman (saxophone)
Robbie Buchanan (Keyboards)
Duncan Cameron (guitar, background vocals)
Dave Chamberlain (bass)
Steve Forman (Percussion)
Glenn Frey (vocals, synthesizer, bass, guitar, percussion, piano, drums, keyboards)
Bruce Gaitsch (guitar)
Al Garth (saxophone)
Roger Hawkins (drums)
Heart Attack Horns (horns)
David Hood (bass)
Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar)
Russ Kunkel (drums)
Michael Landau (guitar)
Ralph MacDonald (percussion)
Chris Mostert (saxophone)
Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Prairie Prince (drums)
John “J.R.” Robinson (drums)
Ron Skies (keyboards)
Neil Stubenhaus (bass)
Steve Thomas (keyboards)
David “Hawk” Wolinski (synthesizer, keyboards)
+
background vocals:
Max Carl – Roy Galloway – Institutional Radio Choir – Timothy B. Schmit – Julia Waters – Maxine Waters – Oren Waters

Tracklist:
01. Livin’ Right (Frey/Tempchin) 5.07
02. Some Kind Of Blue (Frey/Tempchin) 4.40
03. True Love (Frey/Tempchin) 4.40
04. Can’t Put Out This Fire (Frey/Tempchin) 5.04
05. I Did It for Your Love (Frey/Tempchin) 4.00
06. Let’s Pretend We’re Still in Love (Frey/Tempchin) 4.51
07. Working Man (Frey/Tempchin) 3.25
08. Soul Searchin’ (Frey/Tempchin/Cameron) 5.38
09. Two Hearts (Wolinski/Newton-Howard) 4.01
10. It’s Your Life (Frey/Thoma) 4.58
11. It’s Cold In Here (Frey/Cameron) 3.48

*
**

 

Glenn Lewis Frey (November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016)

Bonnie Raitt – Nick Of Time (1989)

Nick of Time is the 10th album by the American singer Bonnie Raitt, released on March 21, 1989.

Nick of Time topped the Billboard 200 chart, selling five million copies, and won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, which was presented to Raitt & producer Don Was. In 2003, the album was ranked number 230 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Pior to Nick of Time, Bonnie Raitt had been a reliable cult artist, delivering a string of solid records that were moderate successes and usually musically satisfying. From her 1971 debut through 1982’s Green Light, she had a solid streak, but 1986’s Nine Lives snapped it, falling far short of her usual potential. Therefore, it shouldn’t have been a surprise when Raitt decided to craft its follow-up as a major comeback, collaborating with producer Don Was on Nick of Time. At the time, the pairing seemed a little odd, since he was primarily known for the weird hipster funk of Was (Not Was), but the match turned out to be inspired. Was used Raitt’s classic early-’70s records as a blueprint, choosing to update the sound with a smooth, professional production and a batch of excellent contemporary songs.

In this context, Raitt flourishes; she never rocks too hard, but there is grit to her singing and playing, even when the surfaces are clean and inviting. And while she only has two original songs here, Nick of Time plays like autobiography, which is a testament to the power of the songs, performances, and productions. It was a great comeback album that made for a great story, but the record never would have been a blockbuster success if it wasn’t for the music, which is among the finest Raitt ever made. She must have realized this, since Nick of Time served as the blueprint for the majority of her ’90s albums. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Personnel:
Arthur Adams (guitar on o3.)
Sweet Pea Atkinson (background vocals on 03., 08., 09. + 11.)
Bill Bergman (Saxophone on 03.)
John Berry, Jr. (trumpet on 03. + 09.)
Sir Harry Bowens (background vocals on 01., 03., 08., 09. + 11.)
Tony Braunagel (percussion on 02., + 05., drums on 04.)
Fran Christina (drums on 11.)
David Crosby (background vocals on 04.)
Paulinho Da Costa (Percussion on 01., 04. + 07.)
Chuck Domanico (bass on 4. + 06.)
Dennis Farias (trumpet on 03. + 09.)
Ricky Fataar (drums on 01. – 03., 05. + 07. – 09, Percussion on 01.)
Marty Grebb (Saxophone on 03. + 09.)’
Herbie Hancock (piano on 10.)
Heart Attack Horns (Horns on 03. + 09.)
Preston Hubbard (bass on 11.)
James “Hutch” Hutchinson (bass on 01. – 03., 05., 07. – 09.)
John Jorgenson (guitar on 08.)
Michael Landau (guitar on 01. + 03.)
David Lasley background vocals on 07.)
Jay Dee Maness (pedal steel guitar on 08.)
Arnold McCuller (background vocals on 01., 07., 08. + 11.)
Larry John McNally (background vocals on 05.)
Graham Nash (Background vocals on 04.)
Bonnie Raitt (vocals, piano on 01. + 09., slide-guitar on 02. – 04., guitar, on 05., 06. +11.)
Michael Ruff (Keyboards on 04.)
Johnny Lee Schell (guitar on 02., 03. + 09, vocals on 02.)
Greg Smith (Saxophone on 03. + 09.)
Swamp Dogg (piano on 05.)
Scott Thurston (keyboards on 03. + 07.)
Don Was (keyboards on 08.)
Kim Wilson (harmonica on 05. + 11.)

Tracklist:
01. Nick Of Time (Raitt) 3.52
02. Thing Called Love (Hiatt) 3.52
03. Love Letter (Hayes) 4.04
04. Cry On My Shoulder (Ruff) 3.44
05. Real Man (Williams) 4.27
06. Nobody’s Girl (McNally) 3.15
. Have A Heart (Hayes) 4.50
08. Too Soon To Tell (Bourke/Reid) 3.45
09. I Will Not Be Denied (Williams) 4.55
10. I Ain’t Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again (D.Lasley/J.Lasley) 2.238
11. The Road’s My Middle Name (Raitt) 3.31*
**

Alternate front + back cover:

Gheorghe Zamfir – Pan-Pipe – Flute de Pan (1966)

Gheorghe Zamfir (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈɡe̯orɡe zamˈfir] (About this sound listen); born April 6, 1941) is a Romanian pan flute musician.

Zamfir is known for playing an expanded version of the traditional Romanian-style pan flute (nai) of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as eight overtones (additionally to the fundamental tone) from each pipe by changing the embouchure.

He is known as “The Master of the Pan Flute”.

Zamfir came to the public eye when he was approached by Swiss ethnomusicologist Marcel Cellier, who extensively researched Romanian folk music in the 1960s. The composer Vladimir Cosma brought Zamfir with his pan flute to Western European countries for the first time in 1972 as the soloist in Cosma’s original music for the movie Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire. This was very successful,[citation needed] and since then, he has been used as soloist in movie soundtracks by composers Francis Lai, Ennio Morricone and many others. Largely through television commercials where he was billed as “Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute”, he introduced the folk instrument to a modern audience and revived it from obscurity.

In 1966, Zamfir was appointed conductor of the “Ciocîrlia Orchestra”, one of the most prestigious state ensembles of Romania, destined for concert tours abroad. This created the opportunity for composition and arranging. In 1969, he left Ciocîrlia and started his own taraf (small band) and in 1970 he had his first longer term contract in Paris.

Zamfir discovered the much greater freedom for artistic adventure. His taraf consisted of: Ion Drăgoi (violin), Ion Lăceanu (flutes), Dumitru Fărcaș (tarogato), Petre Vidrean (double bass) and Tony Iordache (cymbalum) all number 1 soloists in their country. This taraf made some excellent recordings (CD Zamfir a Paris).[citation needed] He changed the composition of the band soon after: Efta Botoca (violin), Marin Chisar (flutes), Dorin Ciobaru and Pavel Cebzan (clarinet and tarogato), Petre Vidrean (bass) and Pantelimon Stînga (cymbalum). It is said that this change was made to increase the command of Zamfir and have more artistic freedom.[citation needed] A turning point was the recording of Zamfir’s composition “Messe pour la Paix” (Philips).[citation needed] His taraf joined a choir and a symphonic orchestra. This was evidence of the growing ambition.[citation needed] While the Philips recordings of that time were rather conservative, Zamfir preached revolution in the concert halls with daring performances.[citation needed] Some[who?] say that this short period was the highlight of his career. In 1977, he recorded “The Lonely Shepherd” with James Last. Zamfir put himself on the world map and since then his career became highly varied, hovering over classical repertoire, easy listening and pop music.

 

Zamfir’s big break in the English-speaking world came when the BBC religious television programme “The Light of Experience” adopted his recording of “Doina De Jale”, a traditional Romanian funeral song, as its theme.[citation needed] Popular demand forced Epic Records to release the tune as a single in 1976, and it climbed to number four on the UK charts.[citation needed] It would prove to be his only UK hit single, but it helped pave the way for a consistent stream of album sales in Britain. His song “Summer Love” reached number 9 in South Africa in November 1976.[3] In 1983, he scored a No. 3 hit on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart with “Blue Navajo,” and several of his albums (including 1982’s Romance and 1983’s Childhood Dreams) have charted in Canada as well.

After nearly a decade-long absence, Zamfir returned to Canada in January 2006 for a seven-city tour with the Traffic Strings quintet. The program included a world premiere of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for PanFlute and string quintet arranged by Lucian Moraru, jazz standards, and well-known favourites.

In 2009, Zamfir was sampled by Animal Collective in the song “Graze” on their EP Fall Be Kind.

In 2012, Zamfir performed at the opening ceremony of the 11th Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Convention at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania (by wikipedia)

And this is his first album … recorded as a totally unknown young musician And we hear this beautiful, unadulterated Sound of the pan flute …

Enjoy this Music, too

Personnel:
Gheorghe Zamfire (pan flute)
+
Orchestra Florian Economu

Tracklist:
01. Doină De Jale 5.17
02. Frunzuliţă Lemn Adus 1.33
03. Cîntec De Nuntă 2.47
04. Păscui Calul Pe Răzoare 1.33
05. Doină De La Vişina 5.15
06. Mîndra Mea Din Băduleşti 2.46
07. Mîndrele 1.49
08. Sîrba Bătrînească 2.62

*
**