Pentangle – Solomon’s Seal (1972)

Pentangle (or The Pentangle) are a British folk-jazz band with an eclectic mix of folk, jazz, blues and folk rock influences. The original band was active in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and a later version has been active since the early 1980s. The original line-up, which was unchanged throughout the band’s first incarnation (1967–1973), was: Jacqui McShee (vocals); John Renbourn (vocals and guitar); Bert Jansch (vocals and guitar); Danny Thompson (double bass); and Terry Cox (drums).

The name Pentangle was chosen to represent the five members of the band, and is also the device on Sir Gawain’s shield in the Middle English poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight which held a fascination for Renbourn.

In 2007, the original members of the band were reunited to receive a Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and to record a short concert that was broadcast on BBC radio. The following June, all five original members embarked on a twelve-date UK tour.

Solomon’s Seal is an album recorded in 1972 by folk-rock band Pentangle. It was the last album recorded by the original line-up, before the band split in 1973. Jacqui McShee has stated that it is her favourite Pentangle album.[2] The album title refers to the Seal of Solomon — a mythical signet ring with magical powers, sometimes associated with the pentagram symbol adopted by Pentangle.

Solomon’s Seal was recorded at Sound Techniques studio, London, between February and March 1972. Pentangle’s contract with Transatlantic had expired and, amid a dispute with Transatlantic over royalties, the band had switched allegiance to Warner/Reprise, who had been their U.S. distributor. The album was released in September 1972, to coincide with the start of Pentangle’s new tour. However, by the start of 1973, the band had split and sales of the album were disappointing, leaving the band members still paying off their debts, against the album’s advance royalties, into the early 1980s.

The album opens with their version of Cyril Tawney’s song of a sailor’s lost love: “Sally Free and Easy”. Unlike its usual rendition as a sea shanty, Pentangle treat this to a slow bluesy rhythm.

Retrospective reviews generally described Solomon’s Seal as a low point for Pentangle. Allmusic commented that “Ultimately, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the record, other than a certain complacency and lack of the fiery inspiration and risk-taking that had fueled their greatest previous heights.” They added that “none of the individual tracks would rate among their best.” Colin Harper wrote “Solomon’s Seal is a record of people’s weariness, but also the product of a unit whose members were still among the best players, writers and musical interpreters of their day.” (wikipedia)

Personnel:
Terry Cox (drums, percussion, finger cymbals, vocals)
Bert Jansch (guitar, dulcimer, harmonica, banjo, vocals)
Jacqui McShee (vocals)
John Renbourn (guitar, sitar, banjo, recorder, vocals)
Danny Thompson (bass)

Tracklist:
01. Sally Free And Easy (Tawney) 3.56
02. The Cherry Tree Carol (Traditional) 3.02
03. The Snows (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 3.45 (*)
04. High Germany (Traditional) 3.14
05. People On The Highway (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 4.42
06. Willy O’ Winsbury (Traditional) 5.53
07. No Love Is Sorrow (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 2.45
08. Jump Baby Jump (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 3.10
09. Lady Of Carlisle (Traditional) 4.44
+
Live at Guildford Civic Hall, November 1972:
10. When I Get Home (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 4.39
11. She Moved Through The Fair (Traditional) 5.14
12. Train Song (Cox/Jansch/McShee/Renbourn/Thompson) 3.52

(*) “The Snows” is listed as a Pentangle composition but is actually a traditional song, previously recorded by both Archie Fisher and Anne Briggs.

*
**

More from Pentangle:

Ginger Baker – Middle Passage (1990)

Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer and a co-founder of the rock band Cream. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of “rock’s first superstar drummer”, for a style that melded jazz and African rhythms and pioneered both jazz fusion and world music.

Baker gained early fame as a member of Blues Incorporated and the Graham Bond Organisation, both times alongside bassist Jack Bruce, with whom Baker would often clash. In 1966, Baker and Bruce joined guitarist Eric Clapton to form Cream, which achieved worldwide success but lasted only until 1968, in part due to Baker’s and Bruce’s volatile relationship. After briefly working with Clapton in Blind Faith and leading Ginger Baker’s Air Force, Baker spent several years in the 1970s living and recording in Africa, often with Fela Kuti, in pursuit of his long-time interest in African music. Among Baker’s other collaborations are his work with Gary Moore, Masters of Reality, Public Image Ltd, Hawkwind, Atomic Rooster, Bill Laswell, jazz bassist Charlie Haden, jazz guitarist Bill Frisell and Ginger Baker’s Energy.

Baker’s drumming is regarded for its style, showmanship, and use of two bass drums instead of the conventional one. In his early days, he performed lengthy drum solos, most notably in the Cream song “Toad”, one of the earliest recorded examples in rock music. Baker was an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Cream in 1993, of the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2008, and of the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2016. Baker was noted for his eccentric, often self-destructive lifestyle, and he struggled with heroin addiction for many years. He was married four times and fathered three children. (wikipedia)

Spicy hot ecectro-acoustic African hash den luncheonette:
Awesome mixture of exotic acoustic and electric elements, rhythms and tonalities. Ginger Baker is a world traveler and this has heavy leanings to African themes but Bill Laswell’s production brings it out of the village into the studio, but just barely.
The drumming and percussion throughout the album goes beyond the boundries of both rock and world music. Bass duties are handled by Laswell and Jah Wobble, often both on the same track. Exotic guitars played by tonemaster Nicky Skopeltis. No vocals, no need for them here.In fact I’ve played this recording since it first came out (circa 1989) but not until writing this review now did the abscence of vocals even dawn on me.
Middle Passage is an album of six masterful arrangements of various intensities from bold to simmering. I like Laswell’s production style but on some recordings he gets to “loop happy” and looses ground, but not here this is a great meeting of real playing with only a slight sense of production.

Ginger Baker is one of the most recognisable names in drumming the world over, despite over a 10 year sabbatical from the music industry (mid 70’s until mid-late 80’s) and also being an artist with integrity, taste and intention.
For those of you who are aware of his sublime Horses and Trees album Middle Passage is like the next progressive step in strength and intensity but with relativly similar exotic acoustic/electric instrumentation.
The overall picture presented by the music? maybe something like having a big bowl of saucy spiced hot stew inside the flame and insense lit brick and clay walls of an African-Asian hashish lunchoenette den. (by ADK)

Personnel:
Ginger Baker (drums)
Aiyb Dieng (percussion)
Magette Fall (percussion)
Mar Gueye (percussion)
Bill Laswell (bass)
Nicky Skopelitis (guitar, sitar, banjo, syntzhesizer)
Omar Faruk Tekbilek (ney, flute)
Jah Wobble (bass)
Bernie Worrell (organ)

Tracklist:
01. Mektoub (Baker/Laswell/Wobble/Skopelitis) 7.07
02. Under Black Skies (Baker/Laswell/Skopelitis) 6.56
03. Time Be Time (Baker/Laswell/Skopelitis) 5.02
04. Alamout (Baker/Laswell/Wobble/Skopelitis) 5.51
05. Basil (Baker) 5.24
06. South To The Dust (Baker/Laswell/Skopelitis) 5.01

*
**

More from Ginger Baker:

Pat Metheny – 80 / 81 (1980)

Patrick Bruce Metheny (/məˈθiːni/ mə-THEE-nee; 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 Awards and is the only person to win Grammys in 10 categories. He is the brother of jazz flugelhornist Mike Metheny.

80/81 is a double album by jazz artists Pat Metheny, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, and Jack DeJohnette, which was released in 1980.

Metheny toured in the U.S. in fall 1980 with a band including Redman, Haden, and Paul Motian. In the summer of 1981, he toured Europe with the full 80/81 lineup.

In a review for AllMusic, Richard S. Ginell wrote that “Metheny’s credibility with the jazz community went way up with the release of this package”, and called the album “a superb two-CD collaboration with a quartet of outstanding jazz musicians that dared to be uncompromising at a time when most artists would have merely continued pursuing their electric commercial successes.”[1] An overview at The Music Aficionado refers to the album as “a double LP album for the ages” resulting from “one of the most productive and inspiring recording sessions in modern jazz”, and notes: “Metheny didn’t just ask four great musicians to come over for a session. He had a clear vision for how they will sound together, and wrote new music with their individual style and personality in mind. Interestingly, he also assembled combinations of musicians who have not played or recorded with each other before.”

Mike Brecker, Pat Metheny, Dewey Redman and Charlie Haden:

Writing for MQS, Marc Zisman wrote: “On this copious one hour and twenty minute double album that’s as electric… as it is acoustic, Pat Metheny shows all his colours, and writes the best part of the songs himself. Most importantly, these famed sidemen are stylistically a long-shot from his usual musical compadres. And the exchanges between this most-harmonious five are incredibly inspiring… Charlie Haden and Dewey Redman seamlessly accommodate our young guitar maestro… DeJohnette expertly weaves in and out of this tight canvas and is a central part of 80/81. The drummer carries a voice here that succeeds in standing out whilst remaining in harmony with others… the saxophonists voices are opposing yet succeed in cementing their own place… A double album which, as the years go by and after multiple listens, will stand strong among the vast discography of its artist.”

The 80/81 band live in 1981:

In an article at ECM Reviews, Tyran Grillo called the album a “still-fresh sonic concoction”, and noted that “With 80/81, Pat Metheny took one step closer to his dream of working with The Prophet of Freedom (a dream he finally achieved with 1985’s Song X)”. He concluded: “Like much of what Metheny produces, 80/81 is wide open in two ways. First in its far-reaching vision, and second it its willingness to embrace the listener. Like a dolly zoom, he enacts an illusion of simultaneous recession and approach, lit like a fuse that leads not to an explosion, but to more fuse.”

JazzTimes included the album in an article titled “10 Best Jazz Albums of the 1980s: Critics’ Picks”, in which Philip Booth stated: “Enlisting four of the musicians he most admired… the 26-year-old guitarist successfully translated the sound in his head to beautifully open, airy, sometimes urgent recordings.” (wikipedia)

Personnel:
Michael Brecker (saxophone)
Charlie Haden (bass)
Jack DeJohnette (drums)
Pat Metheny (guitar)
Dewey Redman (saxophone)

Tracklist:
01. Two Folk Songs 20.56
01.1 1st Folk Song (Metheney) 13.17
01.2. 2nd Folk Song (Haden) 7:31
02. 80/81 (Metheny) 7.35
03. The Bat (Metheny) 6.05
04. Turnaround (Coleman) 7.08
05. Open (Metheny/DeJohnette/Redman/Haden/Brecker) 14.33
06. Pretty Scattered (Metheny) 7.00
07. Every Day (I Thank You) (Metheny) 13.21
08. Goin’ Ahead (Metheny) 3.52

*
**

More from Pat Metheny:

Kenny Burrell & Stanley Gilbert Quartet – Concierto De Aranjuez (1995)

Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on the Blue Note label, as well as numerous other top jazz labels such as Prestige, Argo, Verve, Cadet, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 Billboard Top Twenty hit Verve album Organ Grinder Swing. He has cited jazz guitarists Charlie Christian, Oscar Moore, and Django Reinhardt as influences, along with blues guitarists T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters.

Burrell is a professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. (wikipedia)

And Stanley Gilbert is an American bassist, born in September 1938 in New York City, USA. and he played on many, many Jazz alums druing the last decades.

Together they reorded a pretty collection of Jazz standards … including a wonderful version of “Concierto de Aranjuez”, a classical tune written by Joaquín Rodrigo (original composed for guitar and orchestra).

This album was only released in Japan and it´s a real forgotten treasure in the history of Jazz.

Listen and enjoy !

Personnel:
Kenny Burrell (guitar)
Stanley Gilbert (bass)
Paul Humphrey (drums)
Lew Matthews (piano )

Tracklist:
01. Stolen Moments (Nelson) 5.00
02. Concierto de Aranjuez (Rodrigo) 5.15
03. Body and Soul (Green) 5.25
04. I Love You (Porter) 3.14
05, Django (Lewis) 6.25
06. Quiet Nights (Jobim) 6.18
07. The Curry Kid (Burrell) 6.24
08. All Blues (Davis) 6.57
090 It Never Entered My Mind (Rodgers/Hart) 4.49
10. Black Orpheus ( Bonfá) 9.12

*
**

More from Kenny Burrell:

The Dandy Warhols – Same (Dandys Rule OK) (1995)

Combining psych-rock, shoegaze, power pop, synth pop and more with the cheeky detachment of their pop-art namesake, the Dandy Warhols are equally skilled at heady reveries and satirical pop. Early on, they scored hits with “Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” (from their 1997 major label debut, The Dandy Warhols Come Down) and “Bohemian Like You” (from 2001’s Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia), both of which skewered hipster culture with a wit that suggested they were America’s answer to Brit-pop. Later in the 2000s, they dabbled in synth-pop on 2003’s Welcome to the Monkey House and indulged their excesses on 2005’s sprawling Odditorium or Warlords of Mars. Though more restrained efforts such as 2016’s Distortland suggested the Dandy Warhols might be mellowing out in their third decade, 2019’s freewheeling Why You So Crazy proved they were committed to keeping their listeners guessing.

Vocalist/guitarist Courtney Taylor, keyboardist Zia McCabe, guitarist Peter Holmström, and drummer Eric Hedford formed the Dandy Warhols in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band signed a deal with the local label Tim/Kerr Records after their first show, and their debut album Dandys Rule OK? appeared in 1995. Featuring songs such as as “Lou Weed” and “Ride,” it openly acknowledged the influence of the Velvet Underground and Ride on the band’s music.

Capitol Records signed the group the same year, but after the label rejected their first attempt at a second album, the band reunited with Dandys Rule OK? producer Tony Lash to make 1997’s Dandy Warhols Come Down. A more polished-sounding set than their debut, the album earned the Dandy Warhols more critical acclaim and more substantial commercial success. This was especially true in the U.K., where the album was certified gold and its three singles entered the Top 40. In the U.S., the single “Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” hit number 31 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. In 1998, Hedford left the band, with Taylor’s cousin Brent DeBoer replacing him as drummer.

The Dandy Warhols returned in 2000 with their third album Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, which downplayed their psych leanings in favor of sharp-edged pop such as the single “Bohemian Like You.” One of the band’s definitive songs, it peaked at number 28 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart in the U.S. and reached number five on the U.K. Singles Chart in 2001. In November of that year, the Dandy Warhols opened the Odditorium, a recording studio in northwest Portland that also functions as art and event space. In 2002, Holmström married his longtime girlfriend and took her maiden name of Loew. Taylor also changed his name, opting to go by Courtney Taylor-Taylor after an interviewer misinterpreted the pronunciation.

To make their fourth album Welcome to the Monkey House, the Dandy Warhols worked with with Nile Rodgers, Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes, and Evan Dando. After Capitol turned down the original mix by Grammy-winning soul music engineer Russell Elevado, the final version of the album featured a synth-pop and new wave-influenced mix by Rhodes. Upon its release in 2003, it went to number 118 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and spawned another hit for the band, the synth-disco jam “We Used to Be Friends.” Following live shows that included supporting David Bowie on a leg of his 2003 A Reality tour, the band remained prominent in 2004 thanks to Ondi Timoner’s documentary Dig!, which chronicled the love-hate relationship between the Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre and won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at that year’s Sundance Film Festival. Also in 2004, the band released The Black Album — their name for their rejected Capitol debut — and the compilation Come on Feel the Dandy Warhols as a double-album set via their own label Beat the World Records.

The Dandy Warhols returned with new music in 2005. Odditorium or Warlords of Mars, an expansive return to the band’s psych-rock roots, appeared that September, peaking at number 89 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Soon after, the band contributed a cover of the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do Is Dream” to the soundtrack of the video game Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse (the song also appeared on Stubbs the Zombie: The Soundtrack). A couple of other stand-alone tracks also arrived, including the 2006 single “Have a Kick Ass Summer (Me and My Friends)” and the theme song to the 2007 film Good Luck Chuck. The band’s sixth album, and first for Beat the World, 2008’s Earth to the Dandy Warhols, featured collaborations with Mark Knopfler and the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell; the album reached number 128 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart and spawned two remix EPs.

Over the next few years, the Dandy Warhols’ output included contributions to the Cure tribute album Perfect as Cats and the Love and Rockets tribute album New Tales to Tell: A Tribute to Love and Rockets. They also issued archival releases: Dandy Warhols Are Sound, which presented Russell Elevado’s original mix of Welcome to the Monkey House, arrived in 2009, while the following year’s greatest-hits collection The Capitol Years 1995–2007 included the previously unreleased “This Is the Tide,” the first Dandy Warhols song with DeBoer on vocals. During this time, the band’s members focused on other projects, ranging from Taylor-Taylor’s 2009 graphic novel One Model Nation to DeBoer’s 2010 solo debut, The Farmer. Loew’s other band, Pete International Airport, also issued their self-titled debut in 2010, while McCabe’s country band Brush Prairie released the EP Carry Yourself Back to Me in 2011. That year, the Dandy Warhols recorded an alternate version of the MythBusters theme song that the TV show used until the end of its 2014 season.

In 2012, the Dandy Warhols resurfaced with their eighth album This Machine, a more subdued set of songs that hit number 88 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, a career high for the band. The album, which featured a collaboration with David J, also appeared on the Top Rock Albums and Alternative Albums charts, reaching number 29 and 21 respectively. The following year, they rang in the 13th anniversary of Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia with a deluxe version of the album and a tour that resulted in the band’s first-ever live album, 2014’s Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia Live at the Wonder. A second live recording, Live at the X-Ray Cafe, was released by Voodoo Doughnut for Record Store Day in 2016; the EP captured their eighth gig ever from 1994. That year, the Dandy Warhols released the patient and pastoral album Distortland. Upon its release that April, the album reached number 43 on Billboard’s Rock Albums chart. In 2017, the band issued the single “Thick Girls Knock Me Out (Richard Starkey),” while Pete International Airport released its second album, Safer with the Wolves… The Dandy Warhols’ tenth album, the eclectic Why You So Crazy, arrived in January 2019 and commemorated their 25th anniversary. (by Heather Phares)

Dandys Rule OK is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band The Dandy Warhols, recorded from 1994 to 1995 and released on 6 April 1995 by Tim/Kerr Records.

Three singles were released from the album: “Ride”, “The Dandy Warhols T.V. Theme Song” and “Nothin’ to Do”.

The album is sometimes referred to as The White Album in reference to the album cover which bears similarities to The Beatles’ self-titled album (which is also known as The White Album), in contrast to the band’s The Black Album, recorded the following year in 1996 but not released until 2004.

Three singles were released from the album: “Ride”, “The Dandy Warhols T.V. Theme Song” and “Nothin’ to Do”. “T.V. Theme Song” aired on several radio stations and appeared on MTV. (wikipedia)

The Dandy Warhols seem like they should be a great band — they bring together shoegazing, Brit-pop, lazy grunge, and Velvet Underground-style grittiness, all with a wicked sense of humor. Despite all this — and despite the fact that Dandys Rule OK? is fairly well written — their songs tend to slip by unnoticed, never really leaving an impression. The band seems to be at its best when it parodies other bands: “Lou Weed,” “Ride,” and “The Coffee and Tea Wrecks” are all affectionate pastiches of their namesakes, and “The Dandy Warhol’s T.V. Theme Song” is a fine bit of bouncy pop. Unfortunately, none of the album’s more clever segments stand out, buried as they are in a murky mess of forgettable material. (by Nitsuh Abebe)

Oh, I can´t agree … this is a damn good debut album with a wonderful and exciting Grunge-Sounds music … listen to “It’s A Fast Driving Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes” (what a fantastic psychedelic trip !) or “Nothing” (perfect Power-Pop !)

Make your own decision !

Personnel:
Eric Hedford (drums, vocals, synthesizer)
Peter Holmström (guitar)
Zia McCabe (bass, keyboards, percussion)
Courtney Taylor-Taylor (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Intro By Young Thom 0.26
02. The Dandy Warhols TV Theme Song (Taylor-Taylor) 2.54
03. Ride (Taylor-Taylor) 4.07
04. Best Friend (Taylor-Taylor) 3.27
05. Not Your Bottle (Taylor-Taylor) 4.00
06. (Tony, This Song Is Called) Lou Weed (Taylor-Taylor) 4.17
07. Nothin’ To Do (Taylor-Taylor) 2.23
08. The Coffee And Tea Wrecks (Taylor-Taylor) 4.06
09. Genius (Taylor-Taylor) 6.09
10. Dick (Taylor-Taylor) 8.07
11. Just Try (Taylor-Taylor) 4.41
12. Nothing (Taylor-Taylor) 3.52
13. Grunge Betty (Taylor-Taylor) 3.32
14. Prelude: It’s A Fast Driving Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols (Taylor-Taylor/Holmström/Hedford) 0.51
15. It’s A Fast Driving Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols Sixteen Minutes (Taylor-Taylor/Holmström/Hedford) 16.05
16. Finale: It’s A Fast Driving Rave-Up With The Dandy Warhols (Taylor-Taylor/Holmström/Hedford) 4.57

*
**

The official website:

Alex Puddu – The Golden Age Of Danish Pornography 1970-1974 (2012)

Every movie needs a soundtrack, even porno-movies:

Musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist Alex Puddu (real name: born 1967 in Rome) began his music career as a drummer at age 15. Based in Copenhagen since 1987, he pursues a music totally devoted to the Italian vintage sound of the giallo/poliziottesco and horror movies from the early-1970s: Jazz/percussive, psych-groove, his work inspired by soundtrack maestros such as Piccioni, Umiliani, Morricone, De Masi, etc.

The Music on this record is inspired by and composed for “The Golden Age of Danish Pornography” – a collection of vintage hardcore short films from the early seventies, directed by Danish porn pioneer Freddy Weiss.

Alex Puddu is one of the most direct and creative artists and composers of our day;
a multi-instrumentalist with visions and skills of vintage styled groove. A musician who explored the world of 70s porno on previous records released for Schema Records, the original score of “The Golden Age of Danish Pornography”and the cinematic, jazz-library trilogy “Registrazioni al Buio”, “In The Eye Of The Cat” and “The Mark of The Devil” with the legendary vocalist of maestro Morricone, Edda Dell’ Orso, and who steps out with an even more classic R’n’B groove and soul with the albums “Soul Tiger” featuring New York’s Latin-soul singer Joe Bataan and “From The Beginning” with vocalist Lonnie Jordan from 70s funk band War.

If you like funk music. smooth Jazz with a touch of lounge music … don´t miss this album …

And … oh no, it´s not really necessary to watch a porno during listening this album !

Recorded at Easy Beat Evil Bite Studio

Personnel:
Søren Christiensen (organ)
Jesper Løvdal (saxophone, flute)
Hendrik Jørgensen (trumpet)Alex Puddu (guitar, bass, drums, syntheziser, percussion, sitar on 05., piano on 09., background vocals on 12.)
+
Gavino Congiatta (bass on 09. + 11.)
Trina Echidna (vocals on 11., 12.)
Peter Peter (sitar on 02., guitar on 09. + 11.)
Bienamino Solinas (guitar on 06.)

Alternate front+ backcover:

Tracklist:
01. The Barber Shop 3.32
02.  Kinky Hairdresser 3.53
03. Madam Delight 4.06
04. Miss Butterfly 3.36
05. Massage Salonen 3.40
06. The Dirty Games Of Dr. Love 4.00
07. Naughty Girls At The Wild Party 5.06
08. Black Triangle 3.19
09. Lusty Nurses 4.17
10. Sex Bar 2.25
11. Lady Lovesport 2.02
12. Piano For Lovers 4.02
+
13. XXX Action (bonus track) 4.11
14. Feeling Saxy (bonus track) 7.55

All songs written by Alex Puddu,
except 02., written by Peter Peter

*
**

Caravan – In The Land Of Grey And Pink (1971)

Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings, and Richard Coughlan in 1968. The band have never achieved the great commercial success that was widely predicted for them at the beginning of their career, but are nevertheless considered a key part of the Canterbury scene of progressive rock acts, blending psychedelic rock, jazz, and classical influences to create a distinctive sound.

The band were originally based in Whitstable, Kent, near Canterbury, but moved to London when briefly signed to Verve Records. After being dropped by Verve, the band signed to Decca Records, where they released their most critically acclaimed album, In the Land of Grey and Pink, in 1971. Dave Sinclair left after the album’s release and the group split up the following year. Hastings and Coughlan added new members, notably viola player Geoffrey Richardson, continuing on before splitting in 1978.

The band reformed several times in the following decades, and Caravan still remain active as a live band in the 21st century, despite Coughlan’s death in December, 2013.

In the Land of Grey and Pink is the third album by English progressive rock band Caravan, released in April 1971 on Deram Records. It was produced by David Hitchcock and was the last album to feature the original lineup of Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, Richard Sinclair and Dave Sinclair until 1982’s Back to Front.

The album was written and recorded during late 1970 and early 1971, and featured more material from Richard Sinclair. Hastings, who had been the main songwriter on the previous two releases, contributed only one track. Instrumentally, the music is dominated by David Sinclair’s keyboard solos, and side two is taken up by a 22-minute suite of songs, “Nine Feet Underground”. The cover features a Tolkien-influenced painting.

Labels from Spain:

The album was critically well received but was not a chart success, which led to frustration within the band and David Sinclair’s departure. Nevertheless, it has remained in print and sold steadily, and been recommended by critics as a good introduction to the Canterbury Scene genre. The band look back favourably on the album and several of its tracks have remained fixtures in Caravan’s live repertoire. It has been reissued several times, including a comprehensive 40th anniversary remix package by British musician and producer Steven Wilson in 2011.

Though Caravan had yet to achieve strong commercial success in 1970, they had started to build a live following, including an appearance at the Kralingen Pop Festival in the Netherlands to an audience of 250,000 and the 10th Plumpton Festival. In between touring, the group had written several new pieces that they wanted to record. Having had problems self-producing the previous album, If I Could Do It All Over Again, I’d Do It All Over You, the group decided to collaborate with producer David Hitchcock. Hitchcock had become a fan of the band and had been a key figure in getting them signed to Decca Records. He had progressed from the label’s art department to production and was keen to work on the album. The group had been apprehensive about Hitchcock working on If I Could Do It All Over Again… but after discovering his enthusiasm and creative ideas, decided it would be a good idea to enrol him as producer.

Recording began in September 1970 at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London. Guitarist Pye Hastings had written the bulk of material for earlier albums, which led to a backlog of songs composed by the rest of the group; consequently he only offered a single song, “Love to Love You (And Pigs Might Fly)”. Bassist Richard Sinclair had written “Golf Girl”, a song about his girlfriend and future wife. Both songs were written in a straightforward pop style, in contrast to some longer pieces on the album. Keyboardist David Sinclair had composed a number of different musical segments that he wanted to link together to a suite of songs. The group helped with the arranging and joining of sections, resulting in a 22-minute piece, “Nine Feet Underground”. The song was recorded in five separate sections and edited together by Hitchcock and engineer Dave Grinsted. Most of the work is instrumental, aside from two sections with lyrics. David Sinclair played most of the solos on the track, and indeed the entire album, on either fuzztone organ or piano.

Labels from Germany:

Most of the album aside from “Nine Feet Underground” was recorded in December at Air Studios in Oxford Street. “Glow Girl” had been tried at Decca Studios but was re-recorded with different lyrics as “Golf Girl”, which featured flute and trombone parts. “Winter Wine” had been recorded in September as a rough instrumental with wordless vocals, but was given a second attempt at Air Studios, by which time it had acquired lyrics about dreams and fairy tales. The final version features a folk influenced acoustic guitar introduction and included an improvised organ section in the middle. The last track to be recorded was the title track, which featured the sound of Richard Sinclair blowing bubbles. The album was mixed at Decca in January 1971.

During the sessions at Air Studios, the band recorded a rough version of “Aristocracy”, but it was shelved and re-recorded the following year for the next album, Waterloo Lily. The title was suggested by Richard Sinclair; the “land of grey and pink” refers to the band’s home county of Kent. He came up with the phrase after looking at the sky at sunset during rehearsals at Graveney early in the band’s career. (wikipedia)

In the Land of Grey and Pink is considered by many to be a pinnacle release from Caravan. The album contains an undeniable and decidedly European sense of humor and charm. In addition, this would mark the end of the band’s premiere lineup. Co-founder David Sinclair would leave Caravan to form Matching Mole with Soft Machine drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt in August of 1971. As a group effort, In the Land of Grey and Pink displays all the ethereal brilliance Caravan created on their previous pair of 12″ outings. Their blending of jazz and folk instrumentation and improvisational styles hints at Traffic and Family, as displayed on “Winter Wine,” as well as the organ and sax driven instrumental introduction to “Nine Feet Underground.” These contrast the decidedly aggressive sounds concurrent with albums from King Crimson or Soft Machine. In fact, beginning with the album’s title, there seems to be pastoral qualities and motifs throughout.

Another reason enthusiasts rank this album among their favorites is the group dynamic which has rarely sounded more singular or cohesive. David Sinclair’s lyrics are of particular note, especially the middle-earth imagery used on “Winter Wine” or the enduring whimsy of “Golf Girl.” The remastered version of this album includes previously unissued demos/alternate versions of both tracks under the titles: “It’s Likely to Have a Name Next Week” and “Group Girl,” respectively. The remastered disc also includes “I Don’t Know Its Name (Alias the Word)” and “Aristocracy,” two pieces that were completed, but shelved in deference to the time limitations imposed during the days of wine and vinyl. The latter composition would be reworked and released on Caravan’s next album, Waterloo Lily. The 12-page liner notes booklet includes expanded graphics, memorabilia, and an essay penned specifically for the reissue. (by Lindsay Planer)

Personnel:
Richard Coughlan (drums, percussion)
Pye Hastings (guitar, vocals)
Dave Sinclair (keyboards, mellotron, background vocals)
Richard Sinclair (bass guitar, guitar, vocals)
+
John Beecham (trombone on 01.)
Dave Grinsted (cannon, bell and wind)
Jimmy Hastings (flute, saxophone, piccolo)

Tracklist:
01.Golf Girl  5.01
02. Winter Wine  7.36
03. Love To Love You (And Tonight Pigs Will Fly) 3.04
04. In The Land Of Grey And Pink 5.00
05. Nine Feet Underground (22.44)
05.1. Nigel Blows A Tune 5.42
05.2. Love’s A Friend 3.20
05.3. Make It 76 1.45
05.4. Dance Of The Seven Paper Hankies 1.08
05.5. Hold Grandad By The Nose 2.16
05.6. Honest I Did 2.03
05.6. Disassociation 3.16
05.7. 100% Proof 3.13
+
06. I Don’t Know Its Name (Alias The Word) 6.10
07. Aristocracy 3.43
08. It’s Likely To Have A Name Next Week” (Instrumental version of “Winter Wine”) 7.49
09. Group Girl (First version of “Golf Girl” with different lyrics) 5.03
10. Disassociation/100% Proof (New Mix)” (Closing section of “Nine Feet Underground”) 8.33

All songs written  by Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, Dave Sinclair and Richard Sinclair, except 07., written by Richard Coughlan, Pye Hastings, and Richard Sinclair

*
**

More from Caravan:

Ian Anderson – Thick As A Brick – Live In Iceland (2014)

Ian Scott Anderson MBE (born 10 August 1947) is a Scottish[1] musician, singer and songwriter best known for his work as lead vocalist, flautist and acoustic guitarist of British rock band Jethro Tull.

He is a multi-instrumentalist who, in addition to flute, plays keyboards, acoustic and bass guitar, bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone, harmonica, and a variety of whistles.

His solo work began with the 1983 album Walk into Light; since then he has released another five works, including the sequel to the Jethro Tull album Thick as a Brick (1972) in 2012, entitled Thick as a Brick 2.

Thick as a Brick – Live in Iceland is a live album and Blu-ray/DVD by Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson. The live concert was recorded in Reykjavík, Iceland on 22 June 2012.

It was part of the Thick as Brick Tour by Ian Anderson and his touring band in Europe and the United States throughout 2012 and 2013. (wikipedia)

One of the great concept albums by one of the great prog rock acts, Thick as a Brick found Jethro Tull making a big splash with the monolithic, one-track juggernaut of an album. Revisiting that classic work, frontman Ian Anderson takes to the stage in Iceland, performing the album, as well as its 2011 sequel, Thick as a Brick 2, in front of a live crowd on Thick as a Brick: Live in Iceland. Performing both albums in their entirety, this live performance allows listeners to experience the sprawling tale of Gerald Bostock as one epic piece, making this an essential listen for fans of the legendary English band. (by Gregory Heaney)
In the movie “The Other Guys”, there is a running gag where Mark Wahlburg’s character, a New York detective, shows off all sorts of “unmanly” skills, and explains each having been learned as a child to tease other kids. One incident has him showing off ballet moves to impress his ex-wife. The following dialogue occurs:

Allen Gamble: Hey, I didn’t know you can dance. Terry Hoitz: We used to do those dance moves to make fun of guys when we were kids to show them how queer they were, okay. Allen Gamble: You learned to dance like that sarcastically? Terry Hoitz: Yeah, I guess.

It’s fairly well known and documented that Ian Anderson wrote Thick As A Brick as a deliberate parody of prog rock epics, because he was annoyed by critics calling “Aqualung” a concept album. Lyrically, he takes some obvious shots at said critics, where the title comes into play, and also sends joking barbs at his own band, as well as his fans.

Ironically, Anderson’s joke became one of the most loved prog tracks of all time. The lyrics, as tongue-in-cheek as they are, are fun, and although they change focus more than a little throughout the song, manage to convey an interesting trip through a family’s power struggle. Musically, Anderson created memorable melodies, and a wonderfully complex symphonic piece that used recurring and evolving themes that build to one of the most satisfying climaxes of any musical genre. (excuse me while I have a cigarette)

Four decades later, Anderson decided to honor the piece with a sequel album and a world tour featuring complete performances of both albums. I’m sorry to say that circumstances prevented me from attending any of the shows in my part of the world. But at least this album serves as an historical record of the event.

The performance of Thick As A Brick 1 (as it now must be known) is spectacular. Despite the band not being Jethro Tull, which really means that Martin Barre is not there, the sound is unmistakably Tull. Florian Opahle’s guitar comes close enough to Barre’s performance style and tone to satisfy the nostalgic listener.

The piece itself is stretch out to over fifty minutes, mostly by extending solos, all of which are exceptional, and some rearrangements and expansions of other passages. If anything, the difficult sections are faster, tighter, and more impressive than the original.

My only complaint is a seven minute interlude in the center of the piece, I presume to give Anderson some rest, where the song stops, and Anderson extols the male members of the audience to get prostrate exams, and even coerces one member of the audience to (faked, I hope) examine another behind a screen on the stage. While (very) slightly amusing, it is not something I want to hear frequently, and edited it out of the track for my MP3 player.

The performance of the sequel is strong as well, but since the album is still new, there is little variation, other than solos on the performance. (by Evolver)

Personnel:
Ian Anderson (flute, guitar, vocals)
David Goodier (bass, glockenspiel)
Scott Hammond (drums, percussion)
Ryan O’Donnell (vocals)
John O’Hara (keyboards, accordion)
Florian Opahle (guitar)

Tracklist:

CD 1:
01. Thick As A Brick 51.42

CD 2 (Whatever Happened To Gerald Bostock?):
01. From A Pebble Thrown 2.56
02. Pebbles Instrumental 3.47
03. Might Have Beens 0.54
04. Upper Sixth Loan Shark 1.21
05. Banker Bets, Banker Wins 4.34
06. Swing It Far 3.33
07. Adrift And Dumbfounded 4.25
08. Old School Song 3.25
09. Wootton Bassett Town 3.44
10. Power And Spirit 2.01
11. Give Til It Hurts 1.12
12. Cosy Corner 1.24
13. Shunt And Shuffle 2.13
14. A Change Of Horses 8.03
15. Confessional 3.11
16. Kismet In Surburbia 4.18
17. What-ifs, Maybes And Might-Have-Beens 5.24

*
**

More from Ian Anderson & Jethro Tull:

Trilok Gurtu – Living Magic (1991)

Trilok Gurtu (Kashmiri: ترلوک گرٹو, Marathi: त्रिलोक गुर्टू) (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music.

He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinul, Michel Bisceglia, Bill Laswell, Maria João & Mário Laginha, and Robert Miles.

Gurtu was born to Hindu Brahmin parents in Mumbai, India; he had a Kashmiri Pandit father and a Marathi mother. He attended Don Bosco High School (Matunga) in Mumbai. His mother, the famous Hindustani classical and semi-classical vocalist Shobha Gurtu, encouraged him to learn playing tabla, and he received formal training in percussion from Shah Abdul Karim.

Gurtu began playing a western drum kit in the 1970s, and developed an interest in jazz. In a 1995 television special on Jimi Hendrix, Gurtu mentioned having initially learned Western music without awareness of overdubbing, which, he said, forced him to learn multiple parts which most musicians would have never attempted. In the 1970s, he played with Charlie Mariano, John Tchicai, Terje Rypdal, and Don Cherry.

One of Gurtu’s earliest recordings was on Apo-Calypso, a 1977 album by the German ethnic fusion band Embryo. His mother also sang in that record, and later joined him on his first solo CD, Usfret.

In the 1980s, Gurtu played with Swiss drummer Charly Antolini and with John McLaughlin in McLaughlin’s trio, accompanied variously by bassists Jonas Hellborg, Kai Eckhardt, and Dominique DiPiazza. The line-up with Hellborg performed at least one concert opening for Miles Davis in Berkeley, California in 1988.

Collaboration between Gurtu and McLaughlin included vocal improvisations using the Indian tala talk method of oral drumming notations for teaching drum patterns. Sometimes, Eckhardt would join in with hip-hop beat-box vocals for a three-way vocal percussion jam, while Gurtu and McLaughlin would throw in a few amusing words such as some Japanese brand names mixed with some Indian words.

Some of the unusual aspects of Gurtu’s drum playing include playing without a drum stool, in a half-kneeling position on the floor, and the use of an unconventional kick drum that resembles a large drum head with a kick-pedal, and a mix of tablas and western drums. Gurtu’s unique percussion signature involves dipping cymbals and strings of shells into a bucket of water to create a shimmering effect.

Gurtu joined Oregon after the death of drummer Collin Walcott. He played on three of their records: Ecotopia (1987), 45th Parallel (1989), and Always, Never and Forever (1991).

In the early 1990s, Gurtu resumed his career as a solo artist and a bandleader. Various noted musicians have backed him on a number of his CD releases.

In 1999, Zakir Hussain and Bill Laswell founded a musical group, Tabla Beat Science, which played a mixture of Hindustani music, Asian underground, ambient, Drum and Bass, and Electronica. Gurtu joined this group along with Karsh Kale and Talvin Singh. The group released three albums before going dormant in late 2003.

In 2004, Gurtu created an album, Miles Gurtu, with Robert Miles. His collaboration with the Arkè String Quartet began in 2007 with the release of the album Arkeology.

In 2010, Trilok Gurtu played on the album Piano Car, an opera of minimalist composer Stefano Ianne with Ricky Portera, Nick Beggs (Kajagoogoo), Mario Marzi, Terl Bryant (John Paul Jones/Led Zeppelin), John De Leo.

In 2012, Trilok Gurtu collaborated with electronic folk duo Hari & Sukhmani in their hometown of Chandigarh and produced a song ‘Maati’ on the music documentary-travelogue The Dewarists.

Trilok Gurtu is universally acknowledged as one of the most innovative and ground breaking percussionists around; integrating swords, buckets and other non-conventional elements and into his sound. Zakir Hussain said that if Trilok Gurtu played only the tabla, he would have been the best tabla player in the world.

Deadmau5 (Joel Zimmerman) mentions Trilok Gurtu as his hero and adds “You know who’s a big hero of mine? Trilok Gurtu… Indians should know this. Indian traditional percussive algos (algorhythms) and modes blow my mind. Check him out. Full-on retarded isolation skills. I can’t even chew gum and walk. There’s a whole different language/notation to a tabla.”

“An open-minded musician who embraces Jazz, Indian classical music, abstract improvisational and Asian pop, a dazzling percussion virtuoso, an accessible entertainer” – The Guardian UK.

He is self-confessedly strongly influenced by the rhythms of Africa and African beats and drumming patterns. (wikipedia)

Dancing in the 4th dimension…
Trilok Gurtu is an immensely talented percussionist from India. I’ve got four of his albums, and this is the most imaginative – like jazz in a Martian nightclub. I’m a drummer, and there are many moments on this disc where I have no idea where the downbeat is – but the musicians playing here do not suffer from such confusion.
Actually, I don’t bother trying to count the beats – neither should you. I just lie back and enjoy the killer soundscapes on each track.

This is peculiar semi-technical world jazz, but unlike many other technical albums, there is a sense of space, and of imagination. Transition, in particular, is one of the most hypnotic, awesome pieces of music I’ve ever heard. And best of all, as with most albums I love, each track is different from the last. I HIGHLY recommend this album and The Glimpse (if it’s available). But African Fantasy is pretty lame – it sounds like American record company men were telling him what would sell here – and he was listening. (by Chris Carter)

Personnel:
Nicolas Fiszman (bass, guitar)
Jan Garbarek (saxophone)
Daniel Goyone (keyboards)
Trilok Gurtu (drums, tabla, voice, percussion)
Tunde Jegede (kora, piano)
Shanthi Rao (veena)
Nana Vasconcelos (percussion, repenique, voice)
Tracklist:
01. Baba (Gurtu) 8.32
02. Living Magic (Gurtu/Goyone) 6.29
03. Once I Wished A Tree Upside Down (Garbarek) 7.59
04. Transition (Gurtu) 7.33
05. From Scratch (Gurtu) 2.25
06. Tac, et demi (Gurtu/Goyone) 6.28
07. TMNOK (Goyone) 2.55

*
**

His official website:

Roger Chapman – Mango Crazy (1983)

Roger Maxwell Chapman (born 8 April 1942 in Leicester), also known as Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1966 and also the rock, R&B band Streetwalkers formed in 1974. His idiosyncratic brand of showmanship when performing and vocal vibrato led him to become a cult figure on the British rock scene. Chapman is claimed to have said that he was trying to sing like both Little Richard and his idol Ray Charles. Since the early 1980s he has spent much of his time in Germany and has made occasional appearances there and elsewhere.

In Germany, he was awarded an Artist of the Year award during the 1980s, followed by a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

Chapman was originally the vocalist for Farinas, who released the single “You’d Better Stop” b/w “I Like It Like That” in August 1964. (However, lead vocals on that single were performed by Jim King.) He moved on to join The Roaring Sixties and were later renamed Family in 1966. In 1967 the first single was released, “Scene Through The Eye of a Lens”, something of a psychedelic classic. Chapman wrote most of Family’s songs with Charlie Whitney and their debut album Music in a Doll’s House was released in 1968. Their bluesy, experimental rock music gained them a reputation as a progressive underground band.

The release of Family Entertainment (1969), A Song for Me (1970) and Anyway (1970) established Family as a fast and loud rock band also capable of producing the most intense acoustic music, in the British underground music scene, at that time. Their single The Weaver’s Answer from the Family Entertainment album was a hit in 1969. On 28 August 1970 they appeared at the third Isle of Wight Festival. Although the band was popular in UK and Europe, success in the US eluded them and in 1973 they broke up.

Chapman formed Chapman-Whitney with Whitney, late in 1973. They signed to the Vertigo label and recorded an album Chapman Whitney Streetwalkers (1974), with a line-up including other members of Family and King Crimson, as well as Nicko McBrain, now with Iron Maiden. Chapman and Whitney morphed their band into Streetwalkers, who were a polished album-oriented rock band who used more white soul than Family had. They released Downtown Flyers (1975), moving on to record the groove heavy album Red Card (1976) which was released in the UK in 1976 and remains a much respected album by music fans and the music press. Two more albums followed before the band broke up in 1977, ending eleven years of the Whitney-Chapman musical partnership.

In 1979 Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album Chappo.[6] His backing band became known as The Shortlist at this time and he toured Europe extensively. Mike Oldfield’s song “Shadow on the Wall” from the album Crises (1983) featured Chapman on vocals and became a big hit. He appeared as a guest artist on the second Box of Frogs album Strange Land (1986) singing lead vocals on two songs. Chapman went on to record Walking the Cat (1989) and Hybrid and Low Down (1990).

Since then Chapman has released eleven albums of new and live recordings. His album Hide Go Seek (2009) was produced by former Family bassist Jim Cregan and released during May 2009. His appearance on Saturday 21 August 2010 at the Rhythm Festival was billed as: “The farewell performance from Roger Chapman & The Shortlist”. (wikipedia)

This is his 6th solo-album.

An even more new wave sound is applied to 1983’s Mango Crazy (****), but Chapman’s vocal range works it perfectly, certainly on the opening title track which was a hit at the time. Not so much hard rock but some decent tunes all the same. (byJoe Geesin)

Hearable and solid,but theré is better stuff to grab from Mr.Chapman!!! (by badliver)

But … Roger Chapman´s voie was still in a great form !

I add two bonus tracks.

Personnel:
Boz Burrell (bass)
Roger Chapman (vocals)
Alan Coulter (drums)
Ronnie Leahy (keyboards)
Duncan Mackay (keyboards)
Nick Pentelow (saxophone)
Steve Simpson (slide-guitar, vocals)
Geoff Whitehorn (guitar, vocals, synthesizer)
+
John Cook (synthesizer on 07.)
Poli Palmer (progrtamming on 02.)

Tracklist:
01. Mango Crazy (Chapman/Whitehorn) 4.41
02. Toys: Do You? (Chapman/Palmer/Whitehorn) 4.07
03. I Read Your File (Chapman/Whitehorn) 4:00
04. Los Dos Bailadores (Chapman) 3.45
05. Bluesbreaker (Chapman/Whitehorn) 4.15
06. Turn It Up Loud (Chapman/Whitehorn) 4.05
07. Let Me Down (Chapman) 3.22
08. Hunt The Man (Chapman) 6.07
09. Rivers Run Dry (Chapman) 4.10
10. I Really Can’t Go Straight (Chapman) 4.16
11. Room Service (Chapman) 2.54
12. Hegoshegowegoamigo (Chapman/Whitehorn) 0.58
+
13. Maybe A Shot In The Dark (bonus track) () 2.44
14. Fist To Yer Jaw (flexi disc 1979) (Chapman/Hinkley) 4.03

*
**

More from Roger Chapman: