The Ventures – Super Psychedelics (1967)

The Ventures are an American instrumental rock band, formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington, by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle. The band, a quartet for most of its existence, helped to popularize the electric guitar in the United States and across the world during the 1960s. While their popularity in the United States waned in the 1970s, the group remains especially revered in Japan, where they tour regularly to this day. The classic lineup of the band consisted of Wilson (rhythm guitar), Bogle (initially lead guitar, switched to bass), Nokie Edwards (initially bass, switched to lead guitar), and Mel Taylor (drums).

Their first wide-release single, “Walk, Don’t Run”, brought international fame to the group, and is often cited as one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar. In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band’s albums charted in the US, ranking them as the 6th best album chart performer during the 1960s, and the band had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100. With over 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time.

The Ventures have had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. The band was among the first to employ and popularize fuzz and flanging guitar effects, concept albums, and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their instrumental virtuosity, innovation, and unique sound influenced a large number of musicians and bands, earning the group the moniker “The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands”. Their recording of “Walk, Don’t Run” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its lasting impact, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (wikipedia)

By the time Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band came out, it seemed no pop act was immune to the paisley ways of the high ’60s. Even Sinatra and the like were looking to stay hip with at least one or two Beatles covers. Informed by their own early surf and psychedelia sound, the Ventures’ Super Psychedelics brings the West Coast instrumental style to bear on the Fab Four’s “Strawberry Fields Forever” and the Turtles’ “Happy Together.” Without much in the way of overtly trippy sonic accents, the band especially impress with a slew of originals like “Endless Dream,” “Vibrations,” “Psychedelic Venture.” Throughout, the Ventures’ classic surf sound gets nicely augmented with the occasional sitar mimicking guitar line, some harpsichord phrases, and extra amounts of reverb and echo. Maybe not an essential Ventures release, Super Psychedelics will no doubt please kitsch-friendly fans of surf music. (by Stephen Cook)

Personnel:
Robert Bogle (bass)
Nokie Edwards (lead guitar)
Mel Taylor (drums)
Don Wilson (guitar)
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unknown organ & harpsichord player

Tracklist:
01. Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon/McCartney) 3.19
02. Psychedelic Venture (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.06
03. Western Union (Durrill/Rabon/Ezell) 2.20
04. Guitar Psychedelics (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.24
05. Kandy Koncoction (Hamilton) 2.26
06. Reflections (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.21
07. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You (Diamond) 2.27
08. Endless Dream (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.11
09. Vibrations (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 3.05
10. Psyched-Out (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.14
11. 1999 A.D. (Wilson/Taylor/Edwards/Bogle) 2.07
12. Happy Together (Gordon/Bonner) 2.39

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Pic of the day: No …

… Fleetwood Mac:

Philip Catherine – September Man (1975)

Philip Catherine (born 27 October 1942) is a Belgian jazz guitarist.

Philip Catherine was born in London to an English mother and Belgian father and was raised in Brussels. His grandfather played violin in the London Symphony Orchestra. Catherine started on guitar in his teens, and by seventeen he was performing professionally at local venues.

He released his debut album, Steam, in 1970. During the next few years, he studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and with Mick Goodrick and George Russell. In 1976, he and guitarist Larry Coryell recorded and toured as an acoustic duo. The following year he recorded with Charles Mingus, who dubbed him “Young Django”. In the early 1980s, he toured briefly with Benny Goodman. He was in trio with Didier Lockwood and Christian Escoudé, then in a trio with Chet Baker. During the 1990s, he recorded three albums with trumpeter Tom Harrell.

Catherine has also worked with Lou Bennett, Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon, Stéphane Grappelli, Karin Krog, Paul Kuhn, Sylvain Luc, Michael Mantler, Charlie Mariano, Palle Mikkelborg, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Enrico Rava, Toots Thielemans, and Miroslav Vitous. (by wikipedia)

And here´s his second solo album:

Phillip Catherine may not be a household word to most prog fusioneers out there, but many may remember his work with Larry Coryell on the critically acclaimed Back Together Again, an album that reunited Coryell with Eleventh House members Alphonse Mouzon & John Lee. The newcomer on that album was none other than Phillip Catherine, and he was complimenting one of fusion’s most significant guitarists, not only as a rhythm player, but sharing leads. This may have put Catherine onthe fusion map, but he never really gained the recognition the ‘other’ players of that day did.

Catherine also was featured with the progressive rock band – Focus, and appeared on many other lesser known recordings on the fusion scene. He also has a series of solo albums, some are more jazz based, and a couple were nice jazz/rock fusion pieces. September Mand is one of those fusion albums, Catherine has the drum and bass tandem of John Lee & Gerry Brown, who also made their way onto many solid fusion offerings, each of them has numerous credits behind them with the very best around, as well as a few quality solo albums under the name Lee and Brown.

Also appearing are keyman – Jasper V’ant Hoff, trumpet master – Palle Mikkelborg and reedsman – Charlie Mariano. With such a line up, the music takes on the very sounds of Coryells’ Eleventh House, they also have a sound similar to Mahavishu Orchestra, particularly when the horns are not playing. It’s one of the handful of electric fusion albums that found a way to fit some solid horn work to fit into the mix, and with very good results. Not sure how easy it would be to find this one, as it reminded me so much of the 100’s or quality fusion albums that came out of the European scene, mostly imports, and none of which ever got a lot of press worldwide. (by MJBrady)

Personnel:
Gerry Brown (drums)
Philip Catherine (guitar)
Jasper Van’t Hoff (keyboards)
Charlie Mariano (saxophone, flute)
Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet, piano on 07.)

Alternate frontcover:

Tracklist:
01. Nairam (Catherine) 4.28
02. Nineteen Seventy Fourths (Lee) 9.44
03. T,P.C. (Mikkelborg) 4,42
04. September Man (Catherine) 0.32

When It Is (Mikkelborg):
05. The Beginning 6.00
06. The Middle 9.53
07. The End 2,26

08. Monday 13 (Catherine) 2.16*
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