Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond – At Wilshire Ebell (1953)

Dave Brubeck was a pioneer in the presentation of intimate concerts in colleges and universities and in the better small concert halls. The show at the Wilshire Ebell theatre, in Los Angeles, was one of the later, and probably one of Brubecks biggest personal triumphs to date.

It set high artistic standards mainly thanks to the college students (UCLA) who were aiming to bring good jazz groups to the creative atmosphere of the concert stage.

The event was recorded by Dick Bock. That year 1953, the Brubeck Quartet won both the Down Beat popularity poll, and the Down Beat critics poll. After this, he would soon become the most popular jazz artist since Benny Goodman. (promotion text)

The tune selection is rewarding, and Paul Desmond’s beautifully conceived and played solos are such a treat. Dave’s resoundiing playing and inspiration are wonderful and bass & drums are swingin’!

It’s great to hear this great group ‘live’ especially at this period – a great evening of memorable jazz by such marvelous artists. (by Bill Petersonon)

The red vinyl edition

One of the rarest of all early Dave Brubeck recordings, this Fantasy LP features pianist Brubeck, altoist Paul Desmond, bassist Ron Crotty and drummer Lloyd Davis in top form on six standards.

Although Brubeck would record most of this material again (including “Let’s Fall in Love,” “Stardust” and “All the Things You Are”), these versions are often quite a bit different than the more familiar recordings.

There was plenty of magical interplay to be heard during that era between Brubeck and Desmond, making this set worth an extensive search. (by Scott Yanow)

CD Front+Back Cover

Personnel:
Dave Brubeck (piano)
Ron Crotty (bass)
Lloyd Davis (drums)
Paul Desmond (saxophone)

Tracklist:
01. I’ll Never Smile Again (Lowe) 7.55
02. Let’s Fall In Love (Arlen) 4.37
03. Stardust (Carmichael/Parrish) 6.33
04. All The Things You Are (Kern/Hammerstein) 6.54
05. Why Do I Love You (Kern) 2.44
06. Too Marvelous For Words (Whiting) 8.06
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07. Blue Moon (Rodgers/Hart) 8.10
08. Let’s Fall In Love (Arlen) 7.13
09. Tea For Two (Youmans) 6.59
10. Jeepers Creepers (Warren) 7.26
11. My Heart Stood Still (Rodgers/Hart) 3.24

Tracks 1 to 6: Wilshire Ebell, Los Angeles, July 20, 1953
Tracks 7 to 10: Surf Club, Los Angeles, February 1953
Track 10: Black Hawk, San Francisco, September 1953
Track 11: Bill Bate’s home studio, Los Angeles, circa December 1953

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Paul Desmond & Dave Brubeck

Teeny Tucker – Voodoo To Do You (2013)

Upon checking out the title, along with the track list, which includes song titles such as “Voodoo Woman”, “Voodoo Voodoo”, “It’s Your Voodoo Working” , and “Love Spell”, one might be able to identify the recurring theme of Teeny Tucker’s latest album, if hard-pressed. That being said, Teeny Tucker doesn’t need voodoo to get anyone to love this recording, Voodoo To Do You! She’s got it covered with powerful vocals, down-home blues, choice song selections and a great band which includes guitarist Robert Hughes, bassist Robert Blackburn, drummer Darrell Jumper, David Gastel on harmonica and keyboards.

Tucker kicks this thirteen track album off with a fantastic cover of Koko Taylor’s “Voodoo Woman”. It’s fast paced Blues, buttered on one side with her cool raspy vocals, and on the other side, with Hughes’ killer electric riffs. Linda Dachtyl, sitting in on this one with her B3, adds a cohesive bonding that nicely pulls the song together. Then without skipping a beat, the intro to Howlin’ Wolf’s “Commit a Crime” gently rolls in. Hughes scores big points on this one as he nicely sets the song in motion. Introducing new lyrics, Tucker tackles this one from a woman’s point of view. “Tough Lover” is another cover, with a little modification. This one isn’t your Etta James’ version. Tucker takes the original and slows it down a bit, which I think is a great decision. Interestingly, as the tempo increases, Hughes briefly steers the song from Blues to Rockabilly before bringing it back home again.

One of my favorite tracks on the album is Tucker’s rendition of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”, originally by Gary Davis, and covered later by the Grateful Dead. I love the guitar licks Hughes lays down on this dark and sullen song. I can feel the emotion pouring off his guitar strings as he plays. This is probably the coolest song on the album.

Tucker must have had her mojo working double time when she got the idea for the closer song, “Sun Room”. This upbeat original, about the history and spirit of the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, coincidentally was recorded at the Sun Studios. When this song plays, I feel momentarily transported to the studio itself. Tucker makes it easy to envision the iconic building at 706 Union Avenue, with her crafted lyrics. (by Phillip Smith)

Teeny Tucker comes honestly to the blues. Her father Tommy Tucker was the first to have a hit with “Hi-Heel Sneakers”. Her earliest musical experiences were in church in Dayton, Ohio but in her teens, Teeny discovered her true calling: deep, down-home blues. Since then she has paid her dues and gained national recognition as an independent recording artist, singer and songwriter. “Voodoo To Do You” is her fourth disc on TeBo Records. The fourth time may be the “charm” to catapult Ms. Tucker to worldwide fame. She tells great stories, struts her tough stuff, rocks with her band, delivers fresh covers of classics such as “I’m A Woman”, laughs at herself and croons tender blues ballads such as “Death Don’t Have No Mercy”. Many of the songs revolve around the mystique of “voodoo” from working it on a miscreant lover to the spells cast by a new love interest. Many CDs today are not worthy of listening from start to finish, but “Voodoo To Do You” by Teeny Tucker is one terrific tune after another. (by Linda Yohn)

Personnel:
Robert Blackburn (bass)
David Gastel (harmonica, keyboards)
Robert Hughes (guitar)
Darrell Juper (drums)
Teeny Tucker (vocals)
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background vocals:
Mary Lusco-Ashley – Paula Brown . Teeny Tucker
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Linda Dachtyl (organ, piano on 01., 03., 06. + 09.)

Tracklist:
01. Voodoo Woman (Taylor/Eyebell) 3.27
02. Commit a Crime (Burnett) 3.26
03. Love Spell (Hughes/Tucker) 3.59
04. Voodoo Voodoo (Coleman/Avril) 2.26
05. Tuff Lover (James) 2.22
06. Can Do All That (Hughes/Tucker) 3.18
07. Shoes (Tucker) 2.48
08. It’s Your Voodoo Workin’ (Sheffield) 2.28
09. Muddier Things Get (Hughes/Tucker) 2.47
10. I’m a Woman (Leiber/Stoller) 2.57
11. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues (Curtis) 2.51
12. Death Don’t Have No Mercy (Davis) 3.12
13. Sun Room (Hughes/Tucker) 3.12

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Taste (feat. Rory Gallagher) – In Concert (1978)

In 1968 Taste moved to London, with Kennedy as the band’s manager. The band rapidly made an impression on the UK music scene. One highlight was a short July 7th performance at the Woburn Abbey Festival. Taste also recorded tracks for the ‘Top Gear’ music show, which can be found on a bootleg called ‘London Invasion’.

Damery and Kitteringham were replaced at the manager’s behest, with Richard McCracken (bass) and John Wilson (drums). Like Taste’s prior members, the technically proficient McCracken and Wilson also met on the showband scene, and in 1967 formed a short-lived four-piece blues-rock band called ‘Cheese’, that was also generating attention in the UK, but promptly decided to throw their lot in with Gallagher circa August 1968. (New) Taste would continue to build on the reputation inherited, and a contract with the Polydor label would soon follow.

In Concert (attributed to ‘Taste featuring Rory Gallagher’) (1978) – is an early Marquee Club, London concert, of good quality, recorded on the 25th of October 1968, two months after the transition to the MKII line-up. (by hifipig.com)

Taste was one of the best blues-rock trios ever … you can call it high energy blues-rock …

Listen to this album (“Blister On The Moon”) and you´ll know why Taste was a real highlight in the history of rock music and of course the start for Rory Gallagher as a solo artist.

Personnel:
Rory Gallagher (guitar, vocals)
Richard McCracken (bass)
John Wilson (drums)

Tracklist:
01. Medley: (16.06)
01.1. Movin’ On (Gallagher)
01.2. Pontiac Blues (Gallagher)
01.3. Baby, Please Don’t Go (Traditional)
02. Blister On The Moon (Gallagher) 3.51
03. Sugar Mama  (Traditional) 7.29
04. First Time I Met The Blues (Traditional)
05. Catfish (Traditional) 9.27

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Les Brown And His Band Of Renown – Revolution In Sound (1962)

 This is one of the “gimmick” records from the early days of stereo, when “ping-pong” percussion and other effects were exaggerated to show off the new technology of 2 channels. This one is perhaps the only one of its kind, though, featuring the entire big band recorded while on a huge revolving bandstand. (bilrux)

This was an interesting (if not wholly successful) concept album in its time — utilizing stereo and some studio trickery, Les Brown and his band essentially emulate the kind of dance band showcase that one would have experienced in the 1930s, with a revolving bandstand. The result is that a piece fades as the platform “revolves” and the next outfit comes up, with its selection. It’s hokey and silly, but it was something different in the use of stereo circa 1962, when such details mattered to a lot of potential record buyers. And the juxtaposing of pieces such as “The Man with the Golden Arm,” “Unchained Melody,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” and “One O’Clock Jump” allows Brown and company to show off their range (and that of the arrangers) to great effect, and the hi-fi sound is still mighty impressive. (by Bruce Eder)

Personnel:
Abe Aaron (saxophone)
Leobardo O. Acosta (timbales)
John Audino (trumpet)
Don Bagley (bass)
Stumpy Brown (tuba, trombone)
Bobby Clark (trumpet)
Dick Collins (trumpet)
Herb Ellis (guitar)
Gene Estes (percussion)
Fred Haller (saxophone, flute)
J. Hill (trombone)
Roy Main (trombone)
Bill Mattison (trumpet)
Mickey McMahon (trumpet)
Ollie Mitchell (trumpet)
Bob Neel (drums)
Johnny Newsome (saxophone)
Frank Perry (saxophone)
Uan Rasey (trumpet)
Tony Rizzi (guitar)
Butch Stone (saxophone)
Terry Trotter (piano, celesta)
John Wanner (trombone)
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cello:
Eleanor Slatkin – Jesse Ehrlich
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viola:
Alexander Neiman – Stan Harris
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violin:
Amerigo R. Marino – Darrel Terwilliger – Felix Slatkin – Gerald Vinci – Jacques Gasselin – James Getzoff – John P. De Voogdt – Lou Klass – Mischa Russell

Tracklist:
01 This Could Be The Start Of Something (Allen) 1.23
02. Patricia (Prado) 2.27
03. The Man With The Golden Arm (Cahn/v.Heusen) 1.59
04. Unchained Melody (North/Zaret) 2.40
05. Stompin’ At The Savoy (Razaf/Goodman/Webb/Sampson) 2.32
06. Lisbon Antigua (Vale/Galhardo/Portela) 2.32
07. Peter Gunn (Mancini) 2.35
08. One O’Clock Jump (Basie) 2.27
09. Man With A Horn (Lake/Delange/Jenney) 2.58
10. Calcutta (Gaze) 2.25
11. Music Makers (Raye/James) 2.48
12. The Song From Moulin Rouge (Auric/Engvick) 2.11
13. Tea For Two Cha Cha (Caesar/Youmans) 2.15
14. Little Brown Jug (Miller) 2.28

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The Pretty Things – Balboa Island (2007)

Balboa Island, released in 2007, is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band The Pretty Things.

A problem with bands that have been on the scene for over 40 years (count ’em) is that they can sometimes still write songs with titles like “The Beat Goes On” and “Buried Alive,” as if those tropes hadn’t lost their edge several decades ago. On the other hand, when a band has played together for four decades its members have often learned one of rock & roll’s great lessons: how to create maximum groove with minimal ingredients. So when the Pretty Things lay down a song as thunderous as “Livin’ in My Skin,” they do so with the ponderous grace and inexorable momentum of an elephant walking to water. They’ve also been around long enough to have heard some of their source material at the source, which means that they can deliver an ancient Delta blues like “Feel Like Going Home” with a certain arch authority.

(And if you want more cowbell, these guys can deliver that with authority as well — check out the raunchy period piece “Mimi.”) On the downside, they sometimes abuse their elder-statesmen status to impose eight minutes of two-chord vamp on their hapless listeners (“[Blues For] Robert Johnson”), and the title track, which closes the album, does so with much more of a whimper than a bang. Not bad at all, but unless you’re a die-hard fan you’ll want to be a little selective. (by Rick Anderson)

Personnel:
Skip Alan (drums, percussion)
Frank Holland (guitar, vocals)
Phil May (vocals)
Jon Povey (keyboards, vocals)
Dick Taylor (guitar)
Wally Waller (bass, guitar, vocals)
+
James Cheetham (keyboards)
Rupert Cobb (trumpet)
Mark St. John (drums, vocals)
Duncan Taylor-Jones (vocals on 11.)
Scarlett Wrench (vocals)

Tracklist:
01. The Beat Goes On (May/St. John) 4.14
02. Livin’ In My Skin (May/Holland) 3.57
03. Buried Alive (May/Holland) 3.36
04. (Blues For) Robert Johnson (May/Holland) 8.00
05. Mimi (Taylor) 2.35
06. Pretty Beat (May/Taylor/St. John) 2.52
07. The Ballad Of Hollis Brown (Dylan) 6.30
08. In The Beginning (May/Holland) 4.42
09. Feel Like Goin’ Home (Morgenfield) 2.39
10. Freedom Song (Traditional) 4.46
11. Dearly Beloved (May/Povey) 4.59
12. All Light Up (May/Holland/St. John) 4.30
13. Balboa Island (Holland) 4.42

 

 

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Various Artists – FM (OST) (1978)

FM is the original AOR soundtrack to the 1978 film FM. In the United States, the album reached the Top Five of Billboard’s album chart and quickly earned a Platinum-certified disc. It reached 37 in the UK charts. The soundtrack also won the 1979 Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

QSKY radio station manager/program director Jeff Dugan (Michael Brandon) builds a large fan base by assembling a group of charismatic DJ personalities playing popular rock and roll. He soon finds that corporate management expects Jeff to use the station’s position atop the ratings to sell more advertising time. (Jeff Dugan is based loosely on Mike Herrington, the program director of Los Angeles radio station KMET while writer Sacks was working there.)

The conflict grows until sales manager Regis Lamar (Tom Tarpey) presents him with the chance to advertise for the U.S. Army using a series of cheesy radio ads. When Jeff refuses to endorse the contract, Regis takes the issue to upper management. Jeff is then ordered to run the ads as provided by the Army and on the schedule specified in the advertising contract. Rather than comply, Jeff quits his job.

All of the remaining DJs decide to take control of the station in a sort of lock-in/sit-in/protest. They get listeners to gather in the street outside the station as a sort of protest while the DJs play music without any commercials.

Jeff Dugan wakes up to hear the DJs take control of the station. The crowd is already present when he arrives at the station. The DJs lift him up to the second story with a fire hose as they have already barricaded the front doors.

The lock-in lasts only until the police get an injunction to remove the staff. A tow truck rips off the front doors and the police enter the building. The DJs battle back using a fire hose and throwing tapes and other office objects at the police.

The battle is resolved when Jeff Dugan finds himself fighting a policeman outside on an overhang. Jeff saves the policeman from falling off and decides that fighting is the wrong thing to do. He calms the crowd and announces that the DJs are coming out.

Unknown to him, the company owner, Carl Billings (Norman Lloyd), has watched from the crowd as the events unfolded. He insists that the DJs stay in the station, fires his management staff responsible for the advertising conflict, and then joins the DJs inside the station.

The story unfolds across a background of concerts, broadcast music, appearances by various rock stars, and public appearances by the station DJs. A minor subtheme to the film is the competition between QSKY and another area radio station. The major event of that subtheme occurs when Jeff arranges to broadcast a live concert by Linda Ronstadt that is being sponsored by the competitor’s radio station.

Another minor subtheme is the ongoing task of massaging egos of the various DJs to keep them happy and on the air.

Martin Mull appears in his feature film debut as a zoned-out record spinner. He plays Eric Swan, a libidinous disc jockey with eyes for everyone female. The character is self-centered, smarmy, quick tempered, and overbearingly insincere. During the course of the film, Swan beds a supposed girlfriend, encounters a female fan with a peculiar physical “gift”, and barricades himself in owing to a severe emotional breakdown due to his agent’s dropping him and his girlfriend’s leaving him, all within the confines of QSKY’s studio.

Also rounding out the cast are Cleavon Little, who plays the Prince of Darkness, QSKY’s overnight host (Little had previously played a disc jockey in the 1971 film, Vanishing Point); Eileen Brennan as ” Mother”, the 40-something nighttime DJ; Alex Karras as “Doc Holiday”, the midday DJ with the lowest ratings on the station who is eventually let go from the station; and Tom Tarpey as new sales manager Regis Lamar, the bane of the disk jockeys’ existence.

In addition, the film includes live appearances by Tom Petty & REO Speedwagon and live performances by Linda Ronstadt & Jimmy Buffett. Steely Dan performed the title theme, which became a sizable hit. The Eagles, James Taylor, Bob Seger, Dan Fogelberg, Billy Joel, and Queen were featured on the Platinum-plus soundtrack album.

Rolling Stone magazine considered the music heavily biased towards musicians who had been managed by Irving Azoff, who was head of MCA Records at the time. Some reference books claim that the TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati was based on FM. The physical resemblance between Michael Brandon and WKRP lead actor Gary Sandy and the fact that their respective characters were both based upon KMET programming director Mikel Hunter may have contributed to this speculation. However, WKRP series creator Hugh Wilson asserts that the sitcom was already in development when the film came out. He also states that he was “scared to death” when the film came out, afraid that it would eclipse the CBS show, which made its debut in September 1978. Wilson was relieved when FM came and went from theaters quickly. (by wikipedia)

Appropriately, the soundtrack for the 1978 movie FM feels like a radio play list of the era, collecting songs from Joe Walsh, Randy Meisner, Boz Scaggs, and other ’70s radio staples. Steely Dan’s title track, Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band’s “Night Moves,” Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are,” and Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” are some of the highlights from this double-disc set, which also includes tracks from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Foreigner, and Linda Ronstadt, all of whom also appeared in the film. Though FM itself wasn’t exactly a box-office smash, its soundtrack is a surprisingly durable and entertaining collection of classic rock that is arguably better than many of the ’70s rock compilations available today. (by Heather Phares)

In other words: If you like to celebrate a Seventies party … use this soundtrack and you can´t do wrong !

Tracklist:
01. Steely Dan: FM (Becker/Fagen)  4:52
02.  Bob Seger: Night Moves (Seger) 3:27
03. Steve Miller Band: Fly Like an Eagle (Miller) 3:04
04. Foreigner:  Cold As Ice (Gramm/Jones) 3:20
05. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Breakdown (Petty)  2:44
06. Randy Meisner: Bad Man (Frey /Souther)  2:38
07. Eagles: Life in the Fast Lane (Frey/Henley/Walsh) 4:46
08. Steely Dan: Do It Again (Becker/Fagen) 5:54
09. Boz Scaggs: Lido Shuffle (Paich/Scaggs) 3:42
10. Boston: More Than a Feeling (Scholz) 4:45
11. Linda Ronstadt: Tumbling Dice (Jagger/Richards  4:51
12. Linda Ronstadt: Poor, Poor Pitiful Me (Zevon/Ronstadt) 4:15
13. Jimmy Buffett: Livingston Saturday Night (Buffett)  3:10
14. Dan Fogelberg: There’s A Place In The World For A Gambler (Fogelberg) 5:41
15. Billy Joel: Just the Way You Are (Joel) 4:49
16. The Doobie Brothers: It Keeps You Runnin’ (McDonald)  4:13
17- James Taylor:  Your Smiling Face (Taylor) 2:43
18. Joe Walsh: Life’s Been Good (Walsh) 8:05
19. Queen: We Will Rock You (May) 2:04
20. Steely Dan: FM (Reprise) (Becker/Fagen) 2:54

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This is another item from the great greygoose collection !
Thanks a lot !

Twelve Bar Blues Band – Key To Your Heart (2010)

From the moment the TBBB started in 2005, they have been considered the surprise of the Dutch blues scene. In fact, they won many “Blues CD of The Month” and “Blues CD of The Year” awards with their first two CDs.

This CD consists of eight originals and two covers, which starts by getting the heart of this blues fan pounding. There’s plenty of “edge” here with quieter moments too. The vocals of J.J. Scherpenzeel are very soulful and rich, while the guitar of Kees Dusink is tasteful beyond question, demonstrating a clear understanding of blues stylings and a rare ability to pull the listener into the song.

Add a cool harp and you’ve got a strong blues CD. (by dwmmusic.com)

I love this blues since the late Sixities … and it´s such a great feeling … that this kind of music is still live and well …

The Blues will never die …

Lisen and enjoy !

Personnel:
Marcel Bakker (drums)
Kees Dusink (leadguitar)
Patrick Obrist (bass)
Randy Pears (guitar)
Jan J. Scherpenzeel (vocals, harmonica)

Tracklist:
01. Can You Hear Me Howlin’ (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 5.11
02. Love That Burns (Green) 7.01
03. Let’s Talk About It (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 6.11
04 I’m Losing You (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 6.26
05. Talk Of The Town (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 5.15
06. Key To You Heart (Scherpenzeel) 6.55
07. Saturday Night (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 4.32
08. Marian (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 5.51
09. I Ain’t Born In Chicago (Scherpenzeel/Dusink) 8.44
10. Big Legged Woman (Tolbert) 4.44

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Rush – Same (1974)

Rush is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on March 1, 1974 by the band’s own label Moon Records in Canada and by Mercury Records in the United States and internationally. Their first release shows much of the hard rock sound typical of many of the popular rock bands emerging earlier in the decade. Rush were fans of such bands as Led Zeppelin and Cream, and these influences can be heard in most of the songs on this album.Rush is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on March 1, 1974 by the band’s own label Moon Records in Canada and by Mercury Records in the United States and internationally. Their first release shows much of the hard rock sound typical of many of the popular rock bands emerging earlier in the decade. Rush were fans of such bands as Led Zeppelin and Cream, and these influences can be heard in most of the songs on this album.
Original drummer John Rutsey performed all drum parts on the album, but was unable to go on extended tours because of complications with his diabetes and so he retired from the band after the album was released. Rutsey contributed to the album’s lyrics, but never submitted the work to the other members of the band. The lyrics were instead entirely composed by Lee and Lifeson. Rutsey was soon replaced by Neil Peart, who has remained the band’s drummer as well as their primary lyricist.

Originally the recording sessions were produced by Dave Stock at Eastern Sound Studios in Toronto. They were scheduled late at night during the ‘dead’ time in studios because of the band’s low budget and the rates during this period were the cheapest. Stock had also worked on the band’s debut single (a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away”, with an original composition, “You Can’t Fight It”, on the B-side). “You Can’t Fight It” was to be included on the album but was scrapped. Two of the Eastern Sound recordings, “In the Mood” and “Take a Friend” were included on the final album.

However, Rush were unhappy with the quality of the first sessions. They moved to Toronto Sound Studios and produced the next sessions themselves while achieving a significant improvement in recording quality. They added new overdubs to existing backing tracks of “What You’re Doing”, “Before and After” and “Working Man”. The tracks with the most advanced production were recorded entirely at Toronto Sound: “Finding My Way”, “Need Some Love” and “Here Again”. These new songs took the place of recordings from the earlier sessions. Both studios used 8-channel multitrack recorders, which was quite primitive for 1973, but the group quickly learned to make the best use of the technology that was available.

The band and its management formed their own company, Moon Records, and released the album in Canada. Only 3,500 copies of the original Moon Records LP (catalogue number MN-100) were pressed. The first version of the LP has a cream-coloured label with a blue Moon Records logo and black type.
The album was soon picked up by WMMS, a radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Donna Halper, a DJ working at the station, selected “Working Man” for her regular play list. Every time the song was played the station received phone calls asking where to buy the record. Copies of the Moon Records album were imported to the Cleveland area and quickly sold out.

In the 2010 documentary film Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, Halper says that “Working Man” was the perfect song for the Cleveland rock audience, as it was still mostly a factory town in 1974. WMMS later sponsored one of Rush’s first performances in the United States, on August 26, 1974 in Cleveland.
The record’s popularity in Cleveland quickly led to the re-release of the album by Mercury Records. The first Canadian Mercury release on the standard red Mercury label is nearly as rare as the Moon version. It also had the Moon number MN-100 between the run-out grooves, indicating that it was pressed from the same metal stampers as the Moon disc. “A special thank you to Donna Halper” was added to the album credits of this and all later versions.
At this point manager Ray Danniels scraped together an additional $9,000 for producer Terry Brown to professionally re-mix all of the recordings for better sound quality. This remix version was used for later releases most of which used the Mercury “skyline” record label instead of the red label. A later Moon Records version of undetermined origin has a pink label with grey moon craters.
The original album logo was red, but a printing error made it appear more pink in colour. This is one of two Rush albums where the cover artwork had printing errors (the other album is Caress of Steel). (by wikipedia)

Rush’s self-titled debut is about as uncharacteristic of their renowned heavy progressive rock (perfected on such future releases as Hemispheres, Moving Pictures, etc.) as you can get. Instead of complex arrangements and thoughtful lyrics, Rush sounds almost identical to Led Zeppelin throughout — bluesy riffs merged with “baby, baby” lyrics. The main reason for the album’s different sound and direction is that their lyricist/drummer, Neil Peart, was not in the band yet, skinsman John Rutsey rounds out the original line-up, also consisting of Geddy Lee (bass/vocals) and Alex Lifeson (guitar). It’s nearly impossible to hear the anthemic “Finding My Way” and not picture Robert Plant shrieking away, or Jimmy Page riffing on the jamfest “Working Man,” but Rush was still in their formative stages. There’s no denying that Lee and Lifeson were already strong instrumentalists, but such predictable compositions as “In the Mood” and “What You’re Doing” prove that Peart was undoubtedly the missing piece to the puzzle. While longtime Rush fans can appreciate their debut because they never returned to this style, newcomers should stick with their classics from later years. (by Greg Prato)

Personnel:
Geddy Lee (vocals, bass)
Alex Lifeson (guitar, background vocals)
John Rutsey (drums, percussion, background vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Finding My Way (Lee/Lifeson) 5.07
02. Need Some Love (Lee/Lifeson)  2:16
03. Take A Friend (Lee/Lifeson) 4:27
04. Here Again (Lee/Lifeson) 7:30
05. What You’re Doing (Lee/Lifeson) 4:19
06. In The Mood (Lee) 3:36
07. Before And After (Lee/Lifeson) 5:33
08. Working Man (Lee/Lifeson)  7:07

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Gordon Lightfoot – Summertime Dream (1976)

Summertime Dream is Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot’s twelfth original album, released on the Reprise Records label in 1976. It peaked at #1 on the Canadian RPM national album chart, and #12 on the US Billboard pop chart.[1]Summertime Dream is Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot’s twelfth original album, released on the Reprise Records label in 1976. It peaked at #1 on the Canadian RPM national album chart, and #12 on the US Billboard pop chart.

The album marked Lightfoot’s commercial zenith in a remarkable period of popularity which began with the 1970 hit, “If You Could Read My Mind”. He would never again achieve the same level of commercial success.

The album shot to popularity on the back of the haunting ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, which told the story of the final hours of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald which had sunk on Lake Superior in November 1975. The song remains popular to this day and has been credited with making the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald the most famous maritime incident in the history of the Great Lakes.
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” reached #1 in Canada on November 20, 1976. In the US, it peaked at #2 on the pop chart and #50 on the country chart while “Race Among the Ruins” peaked at #65 on the pop chart. (by wikipedia)

With Summertime Dream, Gordon Lightfoot produced one of his finest albums, and wrapped up a six-year period of popularity that he would not recapture. Propelled by his second biggest hit, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” Summertime Dream summed up the sound that had served Lightfoot so well in his post-“If You Could Read My Mind” days. This distinctive sound featured Lightfoot’s strummed six- or 12-string guitar complemented by Terry Clements’ electric guitar lines and Pee Wee Charles’ pedal steel guitar accents. The material here is excellent, and the singer’s voice is at its strongest. Mixing upbeat songs like “Race Among the Ruins,” “I’d Do It Again,” and the title track with beautiful ballads such as “I’m Not Supposed to Care” and “Spanish Moss,” Lightfoot and his band deliver a tasty smorgasbord of intelligent, grown-up music. As for “Edmund Fitzgerald,” its continued popularity more than 20 years after its release attests to the power of a well-told tale and a tasty guitar lick. (by Jim Newsome)

In other words: What a great singer/songwriter !

Personnel:
Pee Wee Charles (pedal steel guitar)
Terry Clements (guitar)
Rick Haynes (bass)
Barry Keane (drums, percussion)
Gordon Lightfoot – vocals, guitar, piano)
Gene Martynec (synthesizer)
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Jim Gordon (drums on “The House You Live In”

Tracklist:
01. Race Among The Ruins 3.18
02. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald 6.29
03. I’m Not Supposed To Care 3.29
04. I’d Do It Again 3.12
05. Never Too Close 3.02
06. Protocol 4.01
07. The House You Live In 2.52
08. Summertime Dream 2.28
09. Spanish Moss 3.49
10. Too Many Clues In This Room 4.49

All songs written by Gordon Lightfoot

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Ryan Paris – Dolce Vita (Special Maxi Version) (1983)

Ryan Paris (born Fabio Roscioli, March 12, 1953[2]) is an Italian musician and actor who gained international popularity in 1983 for the worldwide hit single “Dolce Vita”, written and produced by Pierluigi Giombini.

“Dolce Vita” was released in the United Kingdom on the Carrere Records label, distributed by RCA and spent ten weeks in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5.

Paris continued to release records in the mid-1980s and 1990s, but was not able to emulate the success of his first hit. In 2010, he made a comeback with a new song, “I Wanna Love You Once Again”, which he wrote and composed. The song became popular with 1980s music fans.[citation needed] At the end of that year, Paris co-produced a remix of “Dolce Vita” which peaked at number 54 in the official French club chart.

In 2013, the new song “Sensation of Love”, again composed and produced by Paris, but with a Bulgarian singer, peaked at number 15 in the official Bulgarian CD chart. In March 2014, the 1980s version of the song, co-produced by Paris and sung by Paris in duet with Valerie Flor, was ranked number one on more than 60 Italo disco radio stations around the world (by wikipedia)

Okay … this is DISCO MUSIC … Attention please … Really not my kind of music … but as you maybe know … “Many Fantastic Colors” means, that I will present very different styles of music … and so … here´s my first entry with this kind of music … The Eighties … you know …

Personnel:
Ryan Paris (vocals)
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a bunch of unknown studio musicians

Please find the difference between the front and back cover !

Tracklist:
01. Dolce Vita (vocal version) (Giombini/Mazzolini) 7.30
02. Dolce Vita (instrumental version) (Giombini/Mazzolini) 8.50

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Thanks a lot to greygoose for this funny gag !