Various Artists – Catch The Rainbow – A Tribute To Rainbow (2001)

This is a awesome project by German heavy metal drummer Ulrich Kusch:

Ulrich Kusch (born 11 March 1967) is a heavy metal drummer and songwriter. He is best known for playing with Helloween, Gamma Ray, Masterplan and Holy Moses, among others. He is also known for his technical style of playing, fast-paced speed metal-like rhythm, and capable songwriting abilities.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, he used to be a studio musician and played for many bands, such as Holy Moses, Mekong Delta among others. In 1990, after first drummer of Gamma Ray Mathias Burchardt quit the band, Kai Hansen recruited Uli to perform for his band. In 1991, this lineup released their second full-length studio album, labeled Sigh No More and went on a world tour.

However, Uli quit Gamma Ray in 1992. He Joined Axe La Chapelle 1993 and played the drums for the album “Grab What You Can” before he joined Helloween, with whom he released Master of the Rings in 1994 and The Time of the Oath in 1996. That same year Helloween released the 2-CD live album High Live, providing a decent demonstration of Uli’s skills for performing live. That time Uli himself formed and produced with Gamma Ray guitarist Henjo Richter the Rainbow tribute band Catch the Rainbow and soon other musicians joined them. Their album A Tribute to Rainbow, with eleven covers of Rainbow songs, was released in 1999. It featured other members of Helloween and Gamma Ray as well as other bands. He also played in Markus Grosskopf’s side-project Shockmachine for their only album in 1998. Helloween recorded Better Than Raw the same year, followed by the band’s album of covers Metal Jukebox in 1999.

Uli stayed with Helloween up to 2000’s The Dark Ride, developing into a key songwriter for the band. Kusch also played on Sinner’s 2000 album The End of Sanctuary. In 2001, Uli and fellow bandmember Roland Grapow were fired from Helloween, following an e-mail from Michael Weikath. The two went on to form Masterplan, something they had originally been planning as a side project.

With Masterplan Kusch recorded two studio albums, one self-titled in 2003 and Aeronautics in 2005. That same year, Uli formed a new band called Beautiful Sin with help from Masterplan bandmate Axel Mackenrott and members of Pagan’s Mind. Uli departed from Masterplan in October 2006 for personal and musical differences. He said at the time that Beautiful Sin became his new main priority.

Uli also co-founded a new progressive power metal project called Ride the Sky, which released its debut album New Protection under Nuclear Blast Records on 24 August 2007, but the band broke up in April 2008 due to poor media attention and minor support from the record company. He has also rejoined the progressive thrash metal outfit Mekong Delta and recorded the album Lurking Fear with the band.

In late 2010, Uli joined Symfonia, a power metal supergroup formed together by André Matos, Timo Tolkki, Jari Kainulainen and Mikko Härkin. They made their debut performance at Finnish Metal Expo 2011. The band entered the studio in November 2010 to begin recording their debut album, In Paradisum and was released on 25 March 2011.

During the preparations for the upcoming tour, Uli suffered from nerve damage in his left hand which led the band to hire Alex Landenburg as his replacement for the debut performance at Finnish Metal Expo, as well as some other dates. Latest news is that Uli has officially left the band to continue recovering from his nerve damage which made it impossible for him to play drums for a year.  Since 2013 Uli is teaching drums at the “Kulturskole Trysil /Norway” and playing as a freelancer. (wikipedia)

And here´s is his excellent “Catch The Rainbow” album:

It’s hard to believe, though easy to comprehend, that a musician could be so dedicated to one of his favourite bands, that he would put together a project for the sole purpose of recording a tribute album dedicated to that band. But that is exactly what Uli Kusch, former Helloween and Gamma Ray drummer, and current Masterplan drummer, did way back in 1999.
Along with some mates, and some special guests, here is a tribute album that is truly worth listening to and owning.

It covers all three eras of Rainbow (before the shortlived comeback in 1995), of Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet and Joe Lynn Turner. It has a selection of their greatest tracks, and each one of them is superbly done. Sure – I may have done some different songs, but I can’t complain about the ones they chose, and they way they covered them. You can feel the love and respect in each track.
My faves are “Kill The King” (with Ralf Scheepers), “Stargazer”, “Spotlight Kid” and “Eyes Of The World” (which Uli himself sings).

Rating : This is yet another example of how to do a Tribute album RIGHT! (by almanack)

Drawbridge down and entering the darken Stratocaster castle, Euro rockers, headed by Uli Kusch of Helloween, combined forces to honor the misunderstood guitarist in black, Ritchie Blackmore, and his post-Deep Purple group, the regal rockin’ Rainbow. The ambitious tribute album, Catch the Rainbow… is an eleven song effort that features one killer cover after another from the mighty Rainbow catalog.

Despite constant line-up changes throughout the years, Rainbow’s music remained consistently great as Blackmore surrounded himself with prolific personnel, which included the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Cozy Powell and Graham Bonnett. The musicians that contributed to the Catch the Rainbow… project are a talented group as well. Featuring Helloween members Andi Deris, Jorn Ellerbrock, Roland Grapow, Markus Grosskopt, Michael Weikath, as well as Kusch, plus Ralf Scheepers (Primal Fear/Gamma Ray), Henjo Richter (Gamma Ray), Henne Basse (Brainstorm), and others, this recording takes hold and never relents. Somewhere from the English countryside, Blackmore nods with approval.

The disc kicks in with a raging version of “Kill the King”, followed by “Sixteenth Century Greensleeves”, “Stargazer”, “Lost in Hollywood”, “Catch the Rainbow”, “I Surrender”, “Spotlight Kid”, “Man on the Silver Mountain”, “Rainbow Eyes”, “Eyes of the World” and “Still I’m Sad”. It’s inspired collection of cuts were laid down with conviction and confidence.

We must be over the rainbow…

KNOCK IT BACK! (by JonFox)

Personnel:
Henne Basse (vocals on 01., 02., 03., 04, 06., 07., 08., 10.)
Jens Becker (bass on 01,)
Guido Bungenstock (guitar on 02., 04., 05., 06., 07., 08., 10. + 11,)
Andi Deris (vocals on 05.)
Ferdy Doernberg (organ on 02. 03., 05., 10.)
Jørn Ellerbrøck (keyboards on 06.)
Markus Glossner (keyboards on 06., 07.)
Roland Grapow (guitar on 03.)
Markus Großkopf (bass on 08.)
Frank Hellmuth (bass on 03.. 04., 05., 11. keyboard programming on 04,)
Uli Kusch (drums, background vocals on 06., bass on 07.)
Axel Mattenrock (organ on 08. + 11.)
Henjo Richter (guitar on 01)
Ralf Scheepers (vocals on 11,)
Michael Weikath (guirtar on 11.)
Uwe Wessel (bass on 02,)

Tracklist:
01. Kill The King (Blackmore/Dio/Powell) 4.40
02. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (Traditional/Blackmore) 4.34
03. Stargazer (Blackmore/Dio) 7.14.
04. Lost In Hollywood (Blackmore/Glover) 4.57
05. Catch The Rainbow (Blackmore/Dio) 5.36
06. I Surrender (Ballard) 4.23
07. Spotlight Kid (Blackmore/Glover) 4.54
08. Man On The Silver Mountain (Blackmore/Dio) 3.55
09. Rainbow Eyes (Blackmore/Dio) 7.04
10. Eyes Of The World (Blackmore/Glover) 6.50
11. Still I’m Sad (Samwell-Smith/McCarty) 6.48

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Angela Gheorghiu – Mysterium – Sacred Arias (1998)

Angela Gheorghiu (born 7 September 1965) is a Romanian soprano in demand the world over for leading roles in French and Italian operas, mostly of the 19th century. Her singing and career are spectacular in their own right, but Gheorghiu gained an added measure of fame and publicity from her partnership with her husband, the tenor Roberto Alagna, which whom she performed frequently; they were the world of opera’s best-known power couple before they decided to divorce in early 2013.

Gheorghiu had success very quickly after her graduation from the Bucharest Academy in 1990, but her international career shifted into gear at England’s Covent Garden, which engaged her as Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni in 1992, and then as Mimi in Puccini’s La bohème the same year. She received enormous critical praise for her singing there, and that house has continued to be a cornerstone of her career. In particular, her 1994 Violetta in La traviata was considered one of the finest performances of that role in many years. She made he debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1993 as Mimi in La bohème, and while she has continued to sing there sporadically, conflicts with General Manager Joseph Volpe and later with others make her performances there irregular.

Gheorgiu quickly obtained a contract with Decca, for whom she has recorded Donizetti’s L’elisir d’Amore, Puccini’s La bohème, and an album called My World; her many recordings with Alagna are mostly on EMI, and include Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s Il trovatore and Puccini’s La rondine. Since 1998 she has recorded exclusively for EMI, and has added Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Massenet’s Werther, and an album of Verdi duets, Verdi per due, with Alagna and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. At the turn of the new century, Gheorghiu was continuing to add new operas to her repertory, including Luisa Miller, Pagliacci, Faust, Lucia di Lammermoor, La sonnambula, Tosca, Lucrezia Borgia, and Simon Boccanegra. In 2000 she made a highly successful movie version of Tosca with Roberto Alagna and Ruggero Raimondi. Her recording of Manon won a Gramophone Award in 2001, and her recordings have received numerous other honors, including Diapason d’Or Awards and a Deutscher Schallplattenpreis. She has also received the highest honors awarded to Romanian citizens by the government for her contributions to Romanian culture. (by Rovi Staff)

Miss Gheorghiu has given her all to this album. Very honest and heartfelt interpretations of a beautiful collection of sacred songs and arias. You can tell that this album meant a great deal to Miss Gheorghiu. The Romanian songs were exquisite and a real treat. The selection of songs and arias were very well chosen for the album. A must have for lovers of Miss Gheorghiu’ magnificent voice. (Caramella)

Very beautiful performance and excellent variety of musical styles
Very beautiful performance and excellent variety of musical styles. Particularly interesting were the Romanian pieces which started the CD, as we had just returned from Romania. The information about the supporting Madrigal Choir from Bucharest in the accompanying booklet enhanced my enjoyment of the music. (J M Wilkinson)

This is one of the most beautiful CD in my collection. It is an after 10 pm CD. Set yourself down in a comfy chair, decent glass of malt and savour them both! Angela Gheorghiv excels throughout the CD. A must for any discerning CD collection. Incredible! (Stephen Harper)

Indeed … incredible. I´m very impressed … such a unique album ! This is a new dimension of art !

Personnel:
Angela Gheorghiu (vocals)
+
The London Philharmonic Orchestra under the dircetion of Ion Marin
+
Romanian National Chamber Choir “Madrigal”*Chorus Master und the direction of Marin Constantin

Tracklist:
01. Tatăl Nostru (Hazell) 4,54
02. Priveghiaţi Si Vă Rugaţi (Popescu) 5.12
03. Stihuri Din Catavasiile Întâmpinării Domnului (Cucu) 5,09
04. Lubi-Te-Voi, Doamne (Humulescu) 2,37
05. O Holy Night (Adam) 3,30
06. Mille Cherubini In Coro (Schubert) 3.45
07. Pie Jesu (From “Requiem”) (Fauré) 3.44
08. Wiegenlied, Op. 49 No. 4 (Brahms) 1.35
09. Auf Flügeln des Gesanges, Op. 34 No. 2 (Mendelssohn-Bartholdy) 2.52
10. Salve Regina (Puccini) 3.04
11. Ave Maria (Mascagni) 3,23
12. Pietà, Signore (Niedermeyer) 7.35
13. Quia Respexit (from “Magnificat”) (Bach) 4.03
14. Ave Maria (Ellens dritter Gesang) (Schubert) 6.12
15. Adeste, Fideles (Wade) 3.44
16. Rinaldo – Lascia Ch’io Pianga (Händel) 4.38

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Chick Corea – Trio Music Live In Europe (1984)

Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea (born June 12, 1941) is an American jazz pianist/electric keyboardist and composer. His compositions “Spain”, “500 Miles High”, “La Fiesta”, “Armando’s Rhumba” and “Windows”, are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis’s band in the late 1960s, he participated in the birth of jazz fusion. In the 1970s he formed the fusion band Return to Forever. With Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans, he has been described as one of the major jazz piano voices to emerge in the post-John Coltrane era.

Corea continued to pursue other collaborations and to explore musical styles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He is also known for promoting and fundraising for a number of social issues.

He received his nickname Chick from one of his aunts, who called him “Cheeky” whenever she pinched his cheek. (wikipedia)

A reference recording in every sense:
This is really one of those albums that have a special quality, a special magic inside. This is just one of those record you really would own. Believe me. One of those specials you search for going from one shop to another hungry for good music. This is it. It is REALLY one of the best records I own and in my case this means a lot because I own several thousands of Jazz records by masters of any era. This record is the document of a magic evening that Chick, Roy and Miroslav spent together playing the best music of their lifes. It is even, take note please, one of the best recorded trio music ever. If you are an AUDIOPHILE like myself you will find a very gratifying recording. Simply sit in front of your loudspeakers and let the music do the talking. No word from these guys is invain here. Everything is absolutly perfect believe me. This live album is one of the albums I take as a reference when people talk to me about Jazz trio. I don’t own he other recording from this trio, the studio date, but I doubt it could be incredible as this one .. but I will buy it ASAP. The guys. Roy is jazz drumming , the contest is over. GAME OVER, Roy’s the man! Miroslav is a very interesting bass player, with a big sound and very precious ideas and lines. And Chick .. consider that ususally, I don’t particularly like Chick Corea’s playing … but in this case I can’t do nothing but adore it. The program is very balanced there are standards and moments of a sort of classical music that is simply splendid. PURE MAGIC. (by Jazzcat)

Excellent, excellent album:
I’d give it four and a half stars if I could. I’ve had this album since the 80’s and it just keeps getting better…not world changing on the order of ‘A Love Supreme’ or ‘Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus’, but a great recording of three talented musicians having a good night.
You get the impression that these guys were on tour for a long time: the ensemble work sounds telepathic. A rich and diverse journey, ‘Live in Europe’ starts out light with ‘The Loop’ and ends dark with a sublime ‘Mirovisions’. Adventurous listening is provided along the way in the form of solo workouts from each member of the band: ‘Prelude No.1/Mock Up’ is about as exciting a piano improvisation as I’ve ever heard Chick Corea do (but I by no means have heard them all), ‘Transformation’ is a moody bowed bass solo, and ‘Hittin’ It’ an atmospheric exploration of what must be a huge collection of exotic cymbals & bells.
Besides the great music, this album is notable (as, I’ve heard, all ECM releases are) for its sparkling production quality. Sound staging is excellent even on my non-audiophile system. It’s hard to imagine how this was recorded live, as the stage must have been littered with microphone stands.
This album rewards close scrutiny as well as working perfectly well as background music when company comes over. A good choice for fans of any of the musicians represented, but more than that a stirring example of the fine art of jazz trio. (C. Robinson)

Personnel:
Chick Corea (piano)
Roy Haynes (drums)
Miroslav Vitous (bass)

Tracklist:
01. The Loop (Corea) 6.28
02. I Hear A Rhapsody (Gasparre/Fragos/Baker) 6.40
03. Summer Night (Dubin/Warren) / Night And Day (Porter) 14.27
04. Prelude No. 2 (Scriabin) / Mock Up (Corea) 12.21
05. Hittin’ It (Haynes) 5.24
06. Mirovisions (Vitous) 11.27

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More from Chick Corea:

Muddy Waters – Live In Paris (1964)

McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 – April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the “father of modern Chicago blues”. His style of playing has been described as “raining down Delta beatitude”

Muddy Waters grew up on Stovall Plantation near Clarksdale, Mississippi, and by age 17 was playing the guitar and the harmonica, emulating the local blues artists Son House and Robert Johnson. He was recorded in Mississippi by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress in 1941. In 1943, he moved to Chicago to become a full-time professional musician. In 1946, he recorded his first records for Columbia Records and then for Aristocrat Records, a newly formed label run by the brothers Leonard and Phil Chess.

In the early 1950s, Muddy Waters and his band—Little Walter Jacobs on harmonica, Jimmy Rogers on guitar, Elga Edmonds (also known as Elgin Evans) on drums and Otis Spann on piano—recorded several blues classics, some with the bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon. These songs included “Hoochie Coochie Man”, “I Just Want to Make Love to You” and “I’m Ready”. In 1958, he traveled to England, laying the foundations of the resurgence of interest in the blues there. His performance at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 was recorded and released as his first live album, At Newport 1960.

Muddy Waters’ music has influenced various American music genres, including rock and roll and rock music.(wikipedia)

Muddy Waters influence is tremendous, over a variety of music genres: blues, rhythm and blues, rock ‘n’ roll, folk, jazz, and country. He also helped Chuck Berry get his first record contract.

His 1958 tour of England marked possibly the first time amplified, modern urban blues was heard there, although on his first tour he was the only one amplified. His backing was provided by Englishman Chris Barber’s trad jazz group. (One critic retreated to the toilets to write his review because he found the band so loud).

The Rolling Stones named themselves after his 1950 song “Rollin’ Stone”, (also known as “Catfish Blues”, which Jimi Hendrix covered as well). Hendrix recalled “the first guitar player I was aware of was Muddy Waters. I first heard him as a little boy and it scared me to death”. Cream covered “Rollin’ and Tumblin'” on their 1966 debut album Fresh Cream, as Eric Clapton was a big fan of Muddy Waters when he was growing up, and his music influenced Clapton’s music career.

The song was also covered by Canned Heat at the legendary Monterey Pop Festival and later adapted by Bob Dylan on the album Modern Times. One of Led Zeppelin’s biggest hits, “Whole Lotta Love”, is lyrically based upon the Muddy Waters hit “You Need Love”, written by Willie Dixon. Dixon wrote some of Muddy Waters’ most famous songs, including “I Just Want to Make Love to You” (a big radio hit for Etta James, as well as the 1970s rock band Foghat), “Hoochie Coochie Man,” which The Allman Brothers Band famously covered, and “I’m Ready”, which was covered by Humble Pie. In 1993, Paul Rodgers released the album Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters, on which he covered a number of Muddy Waters songs, including “Louisiana Blues”, “Rollin’ Stone”, “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “I’m Ready” (among others) in collaboration with a number of famous guitarists such as Brian May and Jeff Beck.

Angus Young of the rock group AC/DC has cited Muddy Waters as one of his influences. The song title “You Shook Me All Night Long” came from lyrics of the Muddy Waters song “You Shook Me”, written by Willie Dixon and J. B. Lenoir. Earl Hooker first recorded it as an instrumental which was then overdubbed with vocals by Muddy Waters in 1962.

This is the Father of Chicago blues Muddy Waters live in concert at L’Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, Paris, France back in 1964.

Muddy’s sound was basically Delta blues electrified, but his use of microtones, in both his vocals and slide playing, made it extremely difficult to duplicate and follow correctly.

“When I plays onstage with my band, I have to get in there with my guitar and try to bring the sound down to me,” he said in Rolling Stone. “But no sooner than I quit playing, it goes back to another, different sound. My blues look so simple, so easy to do, but it’s not. They say my blues is the hardest blues in the world to play.” (beehivecandy.com)

Source: Soundboard

Personnel:
James Cotton (harmonica)
Ransom Knowles (bass)
Otis Spann (piano)
Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith (drums)
Muddy Waters (guitar, slide-guitar, vocals)

Alternate frontcover:

Tracklist:
01. Country Boy (Morganfield) 4.12
02. Baby Please Don’t Go (Traditional/Williams) 2.39
03. Hoochie Coochie Man (Morganfield) 3.17
04. Tiger In Your Tank /Dixon) 4.35
05. She’s 19 Years Old (Morganfield) 4.55
06. County Jail (Fuller) 6.06
07. Long Distance Call (Marshall/Paul) 6.56
08. Rock Me Baby (Josea/King) 4.58
09. Trouble No More (Morganfield) 2.45
10. Rosalie (Morganfield) 5.20
11. Rollin’ And Tumblin’ (Newbern) 4.19

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More from Muddy Waters:

Tom Kennedy – Just For The Record (2011)

Tom Kennedy (born August 21, 1960 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American double-bass and electric bass player.

Tom Kennedy is the son of a professional trumpet player. He began playing acoustic bass at the age of nine on a double-bass brought home by his older brother, jazz pianist Ray Kennedy. Soon he began to perform with many nationally recognized artists passing through the Midwest. By his 18th birthday, he had performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, Stan Kenton, James Moody, Barney Kessel, Eddie Harris, George Russell, Nat Adderley, Peter Erskine, Bill Watrous and Freddie Hubbard.

Kennedy specialized in acoustic jazz until his introduction to the electric bass at the age of 17. Soon he was dividing his time between mainstream jazz and progressive jazz fusion. He moved to New York City in 1984. He has performed and recorded with Dave Weckl, Don Grolnick, Steve Khan, Randy Brecker, Benny Green, Bucky Pizzarelli, Bill Connors, Al Di Meola, Mike Stern, Steve Ferrone, and Junior Cook. (wikipedia)

Or in his own write:

Tom Kennedy is an accomplished touring and studio musician who ranks as one of the top acoustic and electric bass players in the world. His credits include performances and recordings with both mainstream legends and leading contemporary players.

Tom’s musical roots with on the acoustic bass, an instrument he started playing at age 9 and took to so naturally that within a few years he was performing with internationally known players such as Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, Nat Adderly, Sonny Stitt and Stan Kenton.

At age 17, Tom would create a musical alter ego when he began playing the electric bass. Intrigued by the endless possibilities of the instrument, he began developing his now signature style best described as deep, soulful grooves merging seamlessly into acrobatic, horn-like soloing.

Gaining a reputation that soon traveled beyond his native St. Louis, Tom relocated to New York City, where he quickly gained work with multiple groups. Further accolades came through a recording with guitar great Bill Connors and tours with tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker in the world-renowned jazz-fusion group Steps Ahead. Additional tours and recordings with Brazilian pianist Tania Maria and guitarist Al DiMeola followed.

In 1998, Tom became an integral part of Modern Drummer hall of famer Dave Weckl’s band, a group he toured, composed and recorded with for over nine years. Tom and Dave have continued to perform and record together on various projects for other artists, including Mike Stern, Didier Lockwood, Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour.

Tom has also performed and recorded with top contemporary players Simon Phillips, Steve Gadd, Frank Gambale, Steve Lukather, David Sanborn, Jeff Lorber, Ricky Lawson, Joe Sample and fusion band Planet X.

Tom has released five solo CDs: Basses Loaded in 1996, Bassics in 2004 featuring Mundell Lowe and Joe LaBarbera, Just for the Record in 2011, featuring Dave Weckl and Mike Stern, and Just Play! in 2013 featuring Lee Ritenour, Renee Rosnes and George Garzone. His most recent solo project, Points of View, released in 2017.

LA Weekly writes that Tom’s playing is “nothing short of inspiring.” His reputation as a master of his craft is evident among fans worldwide. (taken from his website)

Tom Kennedy shines with the complete mastery he brings to his electric and acoustic basses in Just for the Record, his third solo release.

Many years ago, another musician described Tom Kennedy to me this way: “He’s one of the best bass players on the planet.” This CD is further proof of that considerable talent with the artist blazing on tracks like the lead-off “Breakneck” (along with Hall of Fame drummer Dave Weckl), both making it sound easy. Bass-playing fans of the acrobatic technique Tom is known for will eat it up. Everyone else will listen and just wonder HOW he does it …

But here’s the thing to know about Tom Kennedy: More than incredible mechanics on display, he is a strongly intuitive musician who brings the bass to life in a way that travels beyond providing the underpinnings of a composition. It’s a something extra that moves the bass into the melodic, and it creates amazing moments. Listen to track 6, “Since Then,” and you’ll hear what I mean — this bass is having a conversation, a softer one this time, that we are privy to.

Tom’s artistic gift is, at the core, a deep musicality. That ear is also on display in the production of this CD. The styles, tempos and moods, ranging from fusion to funk to bop and latin, provide a satisfying and interesting mix arranged and produced to be creative and wonderfully listenable. As for the company Tom keeps … world-class and well-lauded musicians, including the aforementioned Dave Weckl (throughout) and internationally known guitarist Mike Stern (of Miles Davis’ group), with whom Tom frequently tours, join him on this project. The title track, written by Tom, is a funky mid-tempo groove that includes solos by Stern, Weckl and talented saxophonist Nathan Childers. Stern plays on “Pumpkinette,” too. I’m also loving pianist Bob Albanese, who has composer credits on “Joyful Noise,” a beautiful tune that moves with compelling energy. Jazz violinist Sarina Suno adds some lightning on “Quase.” Super solid and lovely support on the project also comes throughout from pianists/keyboardists Charles Blenzig and Jay Oliver.

Excellent credits all around …. but in the end, do I love listening to the music? I do! Every song. Hit play on this one — a great recording, thoroughly recommended.(Jean Harris)

Personnel:
Nathan Childers (saxophone)
Tom Kennedy (bass)
Dave Weckl (drums)
+
Bob Albanese (piano on 04.)
Jay Oliver (keyboards on 02. + 06.)
Mike Stern (guitar on 02. + 03.)
Sarina Suno (violin on 05.)

Tracklist:
01. Breakneck (Kennedy) 2.15
02. Just For The Record (Kennedy) 7.25
03. Pumpkinette (Florence) 4.39
04. Joyful Noise (Albanese) 5.46
05. Quase (Adnet/Sandroni) 6.10
06. Since Then (Catney) 4.57
07. Love’s Disguise (Kennedy) 5.52
08. Mountain Flight (Horta/Lellis) 5.14
09. Alone Together (Dietz/Schwartz) 5.36

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Available again: Grateful Dead – Kongressaal Munich/Germany (1972)

By request (clic on the pic):

Let me know, if links are dead, and I will make them available again, please write to:

post-fuer-sammelsurium@gmx.net

Pat Metheny – Watercolor (1977)

Patrick Bruce Metheny (born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer.

He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progressive and contemporary jazz, Latin jazz, and jazz fusion. Metheny has three gold albums and 20 Grammy Awardsand is the only person to win Grammys in 10 categories. He is the brother of jazz flugelhornist Mike Metheny.

Metheny was born in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. His father Dave played trumpet, his mother Lois sang, and his maternal grandfather Delmar was a professional trumpeter.[4][5]Metheny’s first instrument was trumpet, which he was taught by his brother, Mike. His brother, father, and grandfather played trios together at home. His parents were fans of Glenn Miller and swing music. They took Metheny to concerts to hear Clark Terry and Doc Severinsen, but they had little respect for guitar. Metheny’s interest in guitar increased around 1964 when he saw the Beatles perform on TV. For his 12th birthday, his parents allowed him to buy a guitar, which was a Gibson ES-140 3/4.

Metheny’s life changed after hearing the album Four & More by Miles Davis. Soon after, he was captivated by Wes Montgomery’s album Smokin’ at the Half Note which was released in 1965. He cites the Beatles, Miles Davis, and Wes Montgomery as having the biggest impact on his music.

When he was 15, he won a scholarship from Down Beat magazine to a one-week jazz camp where he was mentored by guitarist Attila Zoller, who then invited Metheny to New York City to see guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ron Carter.

While playing at a club in Kansas City, he was approached by Bill Lee, a dean at the University of Miami, and offered a scholarship. After less than a week at college, Metheny realized that playing guitar all day during his teens had left him unprepared for classes. He admitted this to Lee, who offered him a job to teach instead, as the school had recently introduced electric guitar as a course of study.

He moved to Boston to teach at the Berklee College of Music with jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton and established a reputation as a prodigy.

In 1974 he appeared on an album unofficially titled Jaco with pianist Paul Bley, bassist Jaco Pastorius, and drummer Bruce Ditmas for Carol Goss’s Improvising Artists label. But he was unaware that he was being recorded. During the next year, he joined Gary Burton’s band with guitarist Mick Goodrick.

Metheny released his debut album, Bright Size Life (ECM, 1976) with Jaco Pastorius on bass guitar and Bob Moses on drums. His next album, Watercolors (ECM, 1977), was the first time he recorded with pianist Lyle Mays, who became his most frequent collaborator. The album also featured Danny Gottlieb, who became the drummer for the first version of the Pat Metheny Group. (wikipedia)

Watercolors is Pat Metheny’s second album, released in 1977.

Pat Metheny emerges on his second album, Watercolors, as an ECM impressionist, generally conforming to the label’s overall sound while still asserting his own personality. As the title suggests, there are several mood pieces here that are suspended in the air without rhythmic underpinning, a harbinger for the new age invasion still in the future. Metheny’s softly focused, asymmetrical guitar style, with echoes of apparent influences as disparate as Jim Hall, George Benson, Jerry Garcia, and various country guitarists, is quite distinctive even at this early juncture. Metheny’s long-running partnership with keyboardist Lyle Mays also begins here, with Mays mostly on acoustic piano but also providing a few mild synthesizer washes. Danny Gottlieb is on drums, and ECM regular Eberhard Weber handles the bass. This is essentially the first album by the Pat Metheny Group per se, although the band had yet to find its direction in this somewhat diffuse showing. /by Richard S. Ginell)

Personnel:
Danny Gottlieb (drums)
Lyle Mays (piano)
Pat Metheny (guitar, 15 string harp guitar)
Eberhard Weber (bass)

Tracklist:
01. Watercolors 6.30
02. Icefire 6.09
03. Oasis 4.06
04. Lakes 4.47
05. River Quay 4.58
06. Suite: I. Florida Greeting Song 2.33
07. Suite: II. Legend Of The Fountain 2.32
08. Sea Song 10.18

Composed by Pat Metheney

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More from Pat Metheny:

Charles Aznavour – Charles Aznavour (Les deux guitares) (1960)

Charles Aznavour (22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018) was a French and Armenian singer, lyricist, actor and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his distinctive tenor voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes. In a career as a composer, singer and songwriter, spanning over 70 years, he recorded approximately more than 1,200 songs interpreted in 9 languages. Moreover, he wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs for himself and others.

Aznavour was one of France’s most popular and enduring singers. He sold 180 million records during his lifetime and was dubbed France’s Frank Sinatra, while music critic Stephen Holden described Aznavour as a “French pop deity”. He was also arguably the most famous Armenian of his time. In 1998, Aznavour was named Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century’s outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. Jean Cocteau once said: “Before Aznavour despair was unpopular”.

Aznavour sang for presidents, popes and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events. In response to the 1988 Armenian earthquake, he founded the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along with his long-time friend impresario Levon Sayan. In 2009, he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well as Armenia’s permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva.

He started his last world tour in 2014. On 24 August 2017, Aznavour was awarded the 2,618th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Later that year, he and his sister were awarded the Raoul Wallenberg Award for sheltering Jews during World War II. His last concert took place in the NHK Hall in Osaka on 19 September 2018.[20] He died on 1 October 2018. (wikipedia)

Rare EP:

Here´s a very nice album from 1960 …

Charles Aznavour, one of the world’s last and greatest troubadour … Listen and enjoy !

Personnel:
Charles Aznavour (vocals)
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Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra

Tracklist:
01. Les Deux Guitares (Aznavour) 3.54
02. Ce Jour Tant Attendu (Siniavine/Aznavour) 2.11
03. Fraternité (Salmont/Aznavour) 2.15
04. J’ai Des Millions De Rien Du Tout (Aznavour/Gershwin) 2.41
05. J’ai Perdu La Tête (Aznavour) 2.51
06. Tu T’laisses Aller (Aznavour) 3.44
07. Rendez-Vous À Brasilia (Aznavour/Nicolas/Garvarentz) 2.05
08. La Nuit (Aznavour/Patrick) 3.04
09. C’n’est Pas Nécessairement Ça (Aznavour/Gershwin) 2.28
10. Plus Heureux Que Moi (Aznavour) 2.24

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More from Charles Aznavour:

Charles Aznavour (22 May 1924 – 1 October 2018):

Linda Ronstadt – Live In Amsterdam (1976)

Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American retired singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, and Latin. She has earned 10 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award. Many of her albums have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum in the United States and internationally. She has also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award. She was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Latin Recording Academy in 2011 and also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy in 2016. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014. On July 28, 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities. In 2019, she received a star jointly with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their work as the group Trio. Ronstadt was among the five honorees who received the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements at the annual event on December 8, 2019, in Washington, D.C., at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Ronstadt has released 24 studio albums and 15 compilation or greatest hits albums. She charted 38 US Billboard Hot 100 singles. Twenty-one of those singles reached the top 40, ten reached the top 10, and one reached number one (“You’re No Good”). Her success did not translate to the UK, with only the single “Blue Bayou” reaching the UK Top 40. Ronstadt’s duet with Aaron Neville, “Don’t Know Much”, peaked at number 2 in December 1989. She has charted 36 albums, ten top-10 albums, and three number 1 albums on the US Billboard Pop Album Chart.

Ronstadt has collaborated with artists in diverse genres, including Bette Midler, Billy Eckstine,[20] Frank Zappa, Carla Bley (Escalator Over the Hill), Rosemary Clooney, Flaco Jiménez, Philip Glass, Warren Zevon, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Earl Scruggs, Johnny Cash, and Nelson Riddle. She has lent her voice to over 120 albums and has sold more than 100 million records, making her one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. Christopher Loudon, of Jazz Times, wrote in 2004 that Ronstadt is “blessed with arguably the most sterling set of pipes of her generation.”

Ronstadt reduced her activity after 2000 when she felt her singing voice deteriorating,releasing her last full-length album in 2004 and performing her last live concert in 2009. She announced her retirement in 2011 and revealed shortly afterwards that she is no longer able to sing as a result of a degenerative condition later determined to be progressive supranuclear palsy. Since then, Ronstadt has continued to make public appearances, going on a number of public speaking tours in the 2010s. She published an autobiography, Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir, in September 2013. A documentary based on her memoirs, Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice, was released in 2019. (wikipedia)

And here´s a pretty good bootleg from her very sucessful “Hasten Down The Wind” period, recorded live in Amsterdam with a real grat band on her side.

And I forget how good Linda Ronstadt was.

What a voice, what a great collection of songs !

Personnel:
Michael Botts (drums, percussion)
Dan Dugmore (guitar, pedal steel-guitar)
Kenny Edwards (bass, guitar, mandolin, hafrmonica, background vocals)
Andrew Gold (keyboards, guitar, bass, background vocals)
Linda Ronstadt (vocals)
Waddy Wachtel (guitar, background vocals)
Brock Walsh (keyboards)

Tracklist:
01. That’ll Be The Day (Holly/Allison) 2.57
02. Love Has No Pride (Titus/Kaz) 4.35
03. Silver Threads And Golden Needles (Reynolds/Rhodes) 2.44
04. Willin’ (George) 7.47
05. When Will I Be Loved (Everly) 2.34
06. Crazy (Cline) 4.09
07. Announcer 0.43
08. Love Is A Rose (Young) 3.18
09. Hasten Down The Wind (Zevon) 2.45
10. Tracks Of My Tears (Robinson/Moore/Tarplin) 3.18
11. Losing You (a.k.a Down So Low) (Bonoff/Ronstadt) 4.15
12. Someone To Lay Down Beside Me (Bonoff) 4.27
13. Band introduction 1.19
14. You’re No Good (Ballard Jr.) 5.12
15. Heat Wave (Dozier/E.Holland/B.Holland) 3.02
16. The Tattler (Cooder and Russ Titelman) 4.33
17. Lo Siento Mi Vida (L.Ronstadt/Edwards/G.Ronstadt) 3.54
18. Heart Like A Wheel (McGarrigle) 3.04
19. Desperado (Frey/Henley) 3.44
20. Rivers Of Babylon (Dowe/McNaughton) 1.01
21. Save Me (a.k.a Lose Again) (Bonoff) 3.37

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Ana Popovic – Blind For Love (2009)

Blind for Love is Ana Popović’s fourth studio album, released in Europe on July 17, 2009, and in the US on July 21, 2009 on Eclecto Groove Records. The album was co-produced by Mark Dearnley, and featured members of her touring band along with members of the Phantom Blues Band. The album has only one song that is not written or co-written by Popović, “Need Your Love” by Dion Murdock, which comes out more as a rocker than a blues song. The album mixes up genres, mainly blues but branches out to rock, jazz, and funk. Two of the songs on the album focus on her family, “Blues for M” is for her man, and “Part of Me” is for her son.(wikipedia)

Guitarist/vocalist Ana Popovic is at heart a rocker, her leather-tough image draped over an innocent, sweet face. Though she tours regularly on the blues bar or festival circuit, and previous recordings also reflect this edge, it is even more rooted and based in that hardened rock & roll attitude on this CD. The difference in her, apart from other female rockers, is that Popovic’s lyrics are very dense, complex in nature, and move along swiftly from idea to idea, rather than hammering across one specific word or point. She’s also developing into a fine guitarist, especially with a slide bar, as she plays all of the amplified strings — overdubbed or not — during these original tunes of hers.

Her rapid-fire lyrics on “Wrong Woman” are a warning sign to those ladies’ men who dare tempt her, while “Lives That Don’t Exist” is a reality check with a little wah-wah pedal tossed in. On occasion, Popovic prefers an unplugged approach or uses a small horn section here and there and, in only one instance, goes for a purist vibe in the slow “Blues for M,” or in the case of “The Only Reason,” uses a jazz-swing foundation. Veteran keyboardist Mike Finnigan and percussionist Lenny Castro are the heavyweight helpmates, urging Popovic to higher intensity levels, while the shuffle “Putting Out the APB” shows how serious she is. As she is a young artist, the sky’s the limit for Ana Popovic. Blind for Love could easily be an adult contemporary hit.(by Michael G. Nastos)

Personnel:
Tony Braunagel (drums, percussion on 03.,´background vocals on 10.)
Lenny Castro (percussion)
Ronald Jonker (bass)
Darrell Leonard (trumpet)
Ana Popović (vocals, guitar)
Joe Sublet (saxophone)
Andrew Thomas (drums)
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background vocals:
Julie Delgado – Kenna Ramsey – Billy Valentine

Tracklist:
01. Nothing Personal (Popović/van Meurs) 3.37
02. Wrong Woman (Popović) 3.45
03. Steal Me Away (Popović) 3.32
04. Blind For Love (Popović) 3.15
05. More Real (Popović/van Meurs) 3.38
06. Putting Out The APB (Popović/van Meurs) 3.49
07. Get Back Home To You (Popović) 3.34
08. The Only Reason (Popović) 3.54
09. Part Of Me (Lullaby For Luuk) (Popović/Brant) 3.17
10. Lives That Don’t Exist (Popović/van Meurs) 3.56
11. Need Your Love (Murdock) 3.22
12. Blues For M (Popović) 5.24

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