Eberhard Weber – Once Upon A Time (Live in Avignon) (2021)

Eberhard Weber (born 22 January 1940, in Stuttgart, Germany) is a German double bassist and composer. As a bass player, he is known for his highly distinctive tone and phrasing. Weber’s compositions blend chamber jazz, European classical music, minimalism and ambient music, and are regarded as characteristic examples of the ECM Records sound.

Weber began recording in the early 1960s, and released The Colours of Chloë (ECM 1042), his first record under his own name, in 1973. In addition to his career as a musician, he also worked for many years as a television and theater director. He has designed an electric-acoustic bass with an additional string tuned to C.

Weber’s music, often in a melancholic tone, frequently utilizes ostinatos, yet is highly organized in its colouring and attention to detail. He was an early proponent of the solid-body electric double bass, which he has played regularly since the early 1970s.

From the early 1960s to the early 1970s, Weber’s closest musical association was with pianist Wolfgang Dauner. Their many mutual projects were diverse, from mainstream jazz to jazz-rock fusion to avant-garde sound experiments. During this period, Weber also played and recorded with pianists Hampton Hawes and Mal Waldron, guitarists Baden Powell de Aquino and Joe Pass, The Mike Gibbs Orchestra, violinist Stephane Grappelli, and many others.

Starting with The Colours of Chloë, Weber has released 13 more records under his own name, all on ECM. The ECM association also led to collaborations with other ECM recording artists such as Gary Burton (Ring, 1974; Passengers, 1976), Ralph Towner (Solstice, 1975; Solstice/Sound and Shadows, 1977), Pat Metheny (Watercolors, 1977), and Jan Garbarek (10 recordings between 1978 and 1998).

In the mid-1970s Weber formed his own group, Colours, with Charlie Mariano (soprano saxophone, flutes), Rainer Brüninghaus (piano, synthesizer) and Jon Christensen (drums). After their first recording, Yellow Fields (1975), Christensen left and was replaced by John Marshall. The group toured extensively and recorded two further records, Silent Feet (1977) and Little Movements (1980), before disbanding.

Since the early 1980s, Weber has regularly collaborated with the British singer-songwriter Kate Bush, playing on four of her last six studio albums (The Dreaming, 1982; Hounds of Love, 1985; The Sensual World, 1989; Aerial, 2005).

During the 1980s, Weber toured with Barbara Thompson’s jazz ensemble Paraphernalia.

Since 1990, Weber’s touring has been limited, and he has had only two new recordings under his own name: The 2001 release Endless Days is an elemental fusion of jazz and classical music flavors, fitting well the moniker chamber jazz. His main touring activity during that period was as a regular member of the Jan Garbarek Group. On the occasion of his 65th birthday, in March, 2005 he recorded Stages of a Long Journey, a live concert with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra and featuring Gary Burton, Wolfgang Dauner and Jan Garbarek. In 2009 ECM also re-released his albums Yellow Fields, Silent Feet and Little Movements as a 3-CD collection titled “Colours”.

In 2007, Weber suffered a stroke and was subsequently unable to perform. In a January 2010 interview with Die Welt, he spoke about his medical condition and future projects.

Weber was awarded the prestigious Albert Mangelsdorff-Preis in November 2009. A box set of his 1970s works was released by ECM Records the same month.

Weber’s latest albums, Résumé (2012) and Encore (2015) comprise solos from his performances worldwide with The Jan Garbarek Group, overdubbed with keyboards/treatments by Weber, sax by Garbarek, and flügelhorn by Ack Van Rooyen.

His autobiography, Résumé, was published in 2015. An English translation by Heidi Kirk – Eberhard Weber: A German Jazz Story – is due to be published in October 2021.

This is his last album (recored live in 1994)

“I played jazz for over fifty years, but I’m incapable of describing what is so fascinating about this music.”

Since a stroke has sadly stopped Weber from playing the double bass, this album is a concert from 1994. Of the seven tracks six are by Weber, the seventh is the jazz standard “My Favorite Things”. This set once again shows Weber’s dexterity on the double bass along with his skills as a composer. Recorded and mixed to high standards, the clarity and warmth of Weber’s bass is solidly to the fore.

The compositions range from an earlier great solo bass album, “Pendulum”, plus a fairly recent album, “Orchestra”. The first track, “Pendulum”, sets the tone for the album. Weber alone with his bass is simply stunning–the intensity, the dexterity–come together for a fine version of this tune. The lengthiest composition here (12 + minutes), “Trio For Bassoon And Bass” , is played on such a high plane of musicality, it’s hard to find words to describe what Weber has created here. If the word “Bassoon” worries you about what you’ll hear–forget that–it’s Weber out front on bass from beginning to end with subtle accompaniment on tape.

“Ready Out There” has Weber playing up tempo which frankly is another showstopper of a performance. The clarity of each plucked note at a rapid pace and the musicality is astounding. “Silent For A While” is closest to that “ECM sound”–atmospheric, and open sounding–showing another side of his playing. “Delirium” is a very musical composition which Weber handles with consummate ability–the double bass has seldom (except for Weber) sounded so musical and complete in a solo performance.

“My Favorite Things” is arranged a bit differently to what most people are familiar with. Using the very catchy melody Weber infuses it with his own interpretation, again with the aid of subtle tape accompaniment. But once again, it’s Weber out front plucking his bass, even bowing a bit to good effect. The last tune, “Air”, is the shortest thing here (3:47) , but it’s impact is as great as anything here. It was a great way to end this beautiful album of introspective, yet searching music on an instrument many people dismiss as a solo instrument.

As with most ECM releases, there’s no liner notes in the booklet except for a track list and recording information, along with a small photo of Weber. The jewel case slips into a cardboard slipcase which has a painting by Weber’s wife, Maja. And if by some chance you’re a Weber fan, look for the book “Eberhard Weber A German Jazz Story”, which is an autobiography which includes occasional b&w photos. (Stuart Jefferson)

Recorded live at the Théâtre Des Halles, Avignon/France, August 1994

Personnel:
Eberhard Weber (bass)

Tracklist:
01. Pendulum 6.13
02. Trio For Bassoon And Bass 12.24
03. Ready Out There 5.10
04. Silent For A While 6.05
05. Delirium 7.10
06. My Favorite Things 5.12
07. Air 3.16

Music by Eberhard Weber,
except on 06. by Richard Rodgers

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More from Eberhard Weber:

The Kinks – Guten Abend Deutschland (live Stuttgart, Germany) (1994)

The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s.

The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965.

Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned “You Really Got Me”, became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States.

The Kinks’ music drew from a wide range of influences, including American R&B and rock and roll initially, and later adopting British music hall, folk, and country. The band gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies’ wittily observational writing style, and made apparent in albums such as Face to Face (1966), Something Else (1967), The Village Green Preservation Society (1968), Arthur (1969), Lola Versus Powerman (1970), and Muswell Hillbillies (1971), along with their accompanying singles including the transatlantic hit “Lola” (1970). After a fallow period in the mid-1970s, the band experienced a revival during the late 1970s and early 1980s with their albums Sleepwalker (1977), Misfits (1978), Low Budget (1979), Give the People What They Want (1981) and State of Confusion (1983), the last of which produced one of the band’s most successful US hits, “Come Dancing”. In addition, groups such as Van Halen, the Jam, the Knack, the Pretenders and the Romantics covered their songs, helping to boost the Kinks’ record sales. In the 1990s, Britpop acts such as Blur and Oasis cited the band as a major influence.

The original line-up comprised Ray Davies (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dave Davies (lead guitar, vocals), Mick Avory (drums, percussion) and Pete Quaife (bass). The Davies brothers remained with the band throughout its history. Quaife was replaced by John Dalton in 1969, with keyboardist John Gosling being added in 1970 (prior to this, session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins played on many of their recordings). After Dalton’s 1976 departure, Andy Pyle briefly served as the band’s bassist before being replaced by Argent bassist Jim Rodford in 1978. Gosling quit in 1978 and was first replaced by ex-Pretty Things member Gordon Edwards, then more permanently by Ian Gibbons in 1979. Avory left the group in 1984 and was replaced by another Argent member Bob Henrit. The band gave its last public performance in 1996 and broke up in 1997 as a result of creative tension between the Davies brothers.

The Kinks have had five Top 10 singles on the US Billboard chart. Nine of their albums charted in the Top 40.[9] In the UK, they have had seventeen Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums. Four Kinks albums have been certified gold by the RIAA and the band have sold 50 million records worldwide. Among numerous honours, they received the Ivor Novello Award for “Outstanding Service to British Music”. In 1990, the original four members of the Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as the UK Music Hall of Fame in November 2005. In 2018, after years of ruling out a reunion due to the brothers’ animosity[ and the difficult relationship between longtime drummer Mick Avory and Dave, Ray and Dave Davies finally announced they were working to reform the Kinks, with Avory also on board. However, comments made by each of the Davies brothers in 2020 and 2021 would indicate that in the years since the initial announcement, little (if any) progress has been made towards an actual Kinks reunion for a new studio band album. (wikipedia)

Two well respected men: Ray & Dave Davies in 2020:

And here´s a wondeful bootleg from their last period … what a perfomance …

.. Ladies & Gentlemen: The one and only Kinks ! What more can I say ?

Recorded live at the Hans Martin Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart/Germany, December 21, 1994
very good broadcast recording

Personnel:
Dave Davies (guitar, vocals on 11.)
Ray Davies (vocals, guitar)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards)
Bob Henritt (drums)
Jim Rodford (bass)

Tracklist:
01. A Well Respected Man (D.Davies) 1.12
02. Sunny Afternoon (R.Davies) 2.26
03. Do It Again (tease) (R.Davies) 1.02
04. Intro / Countdown (R.Davies) 2.13
05. Till The End Of The Day (R.Davies) 2.17
06. All Day And All Of The Night (R.Davies) 4.03
07. Low Budget (R.Davies) 6.14
08. Celluloid Heroes (R.Davies) 5.44
09. Apeman (R.Davies) 3.49
10. Scattered (R.Davies) 3.55
11. Death Of A Clown (D.Davies) 2.35
12. Phobia (R.Davies) 6.08
13 Dead End Street (R.Davies) 3.29
14. Come Dancing (R.Davies) 4.29
15. Father Christmas (tease) (R.Davies) 0.11
16. Aggravation / New World (R.Davies) 10.56
17. You Really Got (R.Davies) 4.53
18. A Gallon Of Gas (R.Davies) 2.00
19. Welcome To Sleazy Town (R.Davies) 5.06
20. Deutschland (R.Davies) 0.32
21. Lola (R.Davies) 6.29
22. Days (R.Davies) 4.32
23. Twist And Shout (Medley/Berns) 3.18

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More from The Kinks.

The official website:

The Kinks – To The Bone (1994)

The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned “You Really Got Me”, became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States.

The Kinks’ music drew from a wide range of influences, including American R&B and rock and roll initially, and later adopting British music hall, folk, and country. The band gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies’ wittily observational writing style, and made apparent in albums such as Face to Face (1966), Something Else (1967), The Village Green Preservation Society (1968), Arthur (1969), Lola Versus Powerman (1970), and Muswell Hillbillies (1971), along with their accompanying singles including the transatlantic hit “Lola” (1970). After a fallow period in the mid-1970s, the band experienced a revival during the late 1970s and early 1980s with their albums Sleepwalker (1977), Misfits (1978), Low Budget (1979), Give the People What They Want (1981) and State of Confusion (1983), the last of which produced one of the band’s most successful US hits, “Come Dancing”. In addition, groups such as Van Halen, the Jam, the Knack, the Pretenders and the Romantics covered their songs, helping to boost the Kinks’ record sales. In the 1990s, Britpop acts such as Blur and Oasis cited the band as a major influence.

Ray Davies (rhythm guitar, lead vocals, keyboards) and Dave Davies (lead guitar, vocals) remained members throughout the band’s 33-year run. The next longest-serving member, Mick Avory (drums and percussion), was replaced by Bob Henrit, formerly of Argent, in 1984. Original bass guitarist Pete Quaife was replaced by John Dalton in 1969. After Dalton’s 1976 departure, Andy Pyle briefly served as the band’s bassist before being replaced by Argent bassist Jim Rodford in 1978. Session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins accompanied the band in the studio for many of their recordings in the mid-to-late 1960s. The band became an official five-piece in 1970, when keyboardist John Gosling joined them. Gosling quit in 1978; he was first replaced by ex-Pretty Things member Gordon Edwards, then more permanently by Ian Gibbons in 1979. The band gave its last public performance in 1996 and broke up in 1997 as a result of creative tension between the Davies brothers.

The Kinks have had five Top 10 singles on the US Billboard chart. Nine of their albums charted in the Top 40. In the UK, they have had seventeen Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums.[10] Four Kinks albums have been certified gold by the RIAA and the band have sold 50 million records worldwide. Among numerous honours, they received the Ivor Novello Award for “Outstanding Service to British Music”. In 1990, the original four members of the Kinks were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as well as the UK Music Hall of Fame in November 2005. In 2018, after years of ruling out a reunion due to the brothers’ animosity[12] and the difficult relationship between longtime drummer Mick Avory and Dave, Ray and Dave Davies finally announced they were working to reform the Kinks, with Avory also on board. However, comments made by each of the Davies brothers in 2020 and 2021 would indicate that in the years since the initial announcement, little (if any) progress has been made towards an actual Kinks reunion for a new studio band album. (wikipedia)

Two well respected men: Ray & Dave Davies in 2020:

To the Bone is a 1994 live album by the Kinks. Recorded partly at Konk Studios with a small audience, and partly during their 1993 American tour and the 1994 UK tour, it was the band’s final release before their breakup in 1996.

Some tracks were recorded at Konk Studios during April 1994 with a small audience in an Unplugged style, other tracks were recorded live in Portsmouth in March 1994, and “You Really Got Me” was recorded live in Philadelphia in August 1993.[2] All the songs had been previously released as studio recordings.

Released 3 October 1994 in the U.K. on the band’s own Konk label.[1] An EP-single was released off the album to promote its release, “Waterloo Sunset ’94”, which in addition to a live take of “You Really Got Me” featured the unreleased demos “Elevator Man” and “On the Outside”, both recorded in 1976.

In 1996, an expanded double CD-version with 29 tracks was released in the U.S. on Guardian/Konk. Two new studio tracks – “To The Bone” and “Animal” – were included on the double-disc U.S. version, while two tracks on the shorter U.K. issue – “Waterloo Sunset” and “Autumn Almanac” – were omitted. (wikipedia)

Since the mid-’70s, the Kinks have not been able to stop themselves from attempting their own variations on pop music trends, taking stabs at everything from bombastic heavy metal to sleek disco-flavored pop. On To the Bone, the group became another one of the scores of veteran rock acts to record an acoustic, “unplugged” album. However, the group’s American popularity was at an all-time low in the mid-’90s and the band wasn’t able to score a major-label record deal, let alone land a spot on MTV’s prime-time ratings bonanza, Unplugged.

So, the bandmembers financed their acoustic greatest-hits record To the Bone themselves, releasing it on the U.K. independent label Grapevine. Naturally, Ray Davies’ songs work well in such a stripped-back setting, but the album is nothing more than a pleasant diversion, featuring a lovely version of “Waterloo Sunset,” possibly the most beautiful song of the rock & roll era. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Personnel:
Dave Davies (guitar, vocals)
Ray Davies (vocals, guitar, keyboards)
Ian Gibbons (keyboards, background vocals)
Bob Henrit (drums, percussion)
Jim Rodford (bass, background vocals)

Tracklist:

CD 1:
01. All Day And All Of The Night 4.27
02. Apeman 4.06
03. Tired Of Waiting 1.49
04. See My Friends 3.25
05. Death Of A Clown 2.35
06. Muswell Hillbillies 3.20
07. Better Things 3.06
08. Don’t Forget To Dance 4.50
09. Sunny Afternoon 2.39
10.Dedicated Follower Of Fashion 1.55
11. Do It Again (acoustic version) 1.47
12, Do It Again  3.54

CD 2:
01 Celluloid Heroes 5.3
02. Picture Book 2.35
03. Village Green Preservation Society 2.26
04. Do You Remember Walter 3.44
05. Set Me Free 2.34
06. Lola 4.29
07. Come Dancing 3.39
08. I’m Not Like Everybody Else 5.42
09. Till The End Of The Day 2.37
10. Give The People What They Want 3.57
11. State Of Confusion 3.25
12. Dead End Street 2.30
13. A Gallon Of Gas 5,21
14. Days 3.18
15. You Really Got Me 3,41
16. Animal 3.38
17. To The Bone 4,30

All songs written by Ray Davies
except CD 1, 05, written by Dave Davies

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More from The Kinks.

James Walter Rodford (7 July 1941 – 20 January 2018):

The official website:

Glenn Hughes – Burning Japan Live (1994)

A skilled, well-traveled, and prolific English guitarist and bassist best known for stints with Trapeze, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple, Glenn Hughes is often referred to as “The Voice of Rock.” Starting out as the bassist and lead vocalist for English funk rockers Trapeze (which evolved from British soulsters the News) in 1969, Hughes earned his reputation as the bass player for Deep Purple from 1974 until that iteration of the group split in 1976. He went on to forge a successful and long-running solo career, releasing over a dozen albums, and in 2010 he began fronting the hard rock supergroup Black Country Communion, and later the like-minded California Breed. In 2016 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside his Deep Purple bandmates, and in 2019 he joined Aussie-American hard rock supergroup the Dead Daisies.

After the breakup of Deep Purple, Hughes subsequently reconvened Trapeze (with no records resulting) and issued his solo debut, Play Me Out, in 1978. His next effort, recorded with guitarist Pat Thrall under the name Hughes/Thrall, appeared in 1983, and he worked in the supergroup Phenomena in 1985. Hughes then joined Black Sabbath as lead singer for 1986’s The Seventh Star, departing after that album and eventually surfacing with — of all artists — the techno/house group the KLF, performing on their 1991 single “America — What Time Is Love?”

In 1993, Mike Varney’s Shrapnel label issued the new Hughes solo album, Blues, on which he played bass and sang with an array of guest guitarists. A string of solo releases followed through the ’90s, including 1995’s Burning Japan Live, 1997’s Addiction (which addressed some of the personal problems that had kept Hughes out of recording for most of the latter half of the ’80s), and 1999’s The Way It Is. Return to Crystal Karma (2000) and Building the Machine (2001) saw Hughes delivering a pair of tight, funk-tinged pop/rock outings, while Songs in the Key of Rock (2003) drew inspiration from ’70s hard rock; during this time Hughes collaborated with Joe Lynn Turner on a pair of albums under the HTP (Hughes-Turner Project) moniker. Soul Mover, his tenth solo album, was released in 2005, with Music for the Divine, his best-selling solo outing to date, arriving a year later.

Hughes moved to Frontiers Records for the release of 2008’s First Underground Nuclear Kitchen, and in 2010 he joined English-American supergroup Black Country Communion, with whom he would go on to record three studio albums. In 2014 Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Andrew Watt released an eponymous LP under the moniker California Breed, and in 2016 he issued his 14th solo long-player, Resonate, which coincided with his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple.

Burning Japan Live is a live album by former Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Trapeze vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes. It was recorded at the Club Citta in Kawasaki, Japan on Tuesday 24 May and Wednesday 25 May 1994 in support of the studio album From Now On….

This was the first official live solo album to be released by Hughes. It features a set-list of fifteen songs, four from his 1994 solo album From Now On…, three songs from the Hughes/Thrall album and seven Deep Purple numbers. It also features a never before heard song titled Still In Love With You, on which Hughes plays keyboards.

Hughes’ band for the concerts was the same as the band that played on From Now On…, including Europe members Mic Michaeli, John Levén and Ian Haugland (who only performed on the bonus tracks from From Now On…).

It is of note that a live version of the track Kiss Of Fire (from the first Phenomena album) was recorded during the same performance and included on the Talk About It EP.

There is an error in the sleeve notes for the album; they mistakenly credit the tracks This Time Around and Owed To G to Bolin/Hughes/Paice, when they should read Hughes/Lord and Bolin, respectively.

The mere mention of the name Glenn Hughes brings to mind one of the all-time greatest set of pipes in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. The man in command wasn’t given the name “The Voice of Rock” simply for his stellar studio work. The ambitious English singer and bassist, carries his killer vocals over to the stage as well. The tracks etched into _Burning Japan Live_ are a testament to the incredible vocal power of the former member of Trapeze and Deep Purple.

Hughes is a legend in Japan… and this concert recording is further justification for his high held status in the land of the rising sun. The inspired live songs were pulled from two dates at Citta’ Kawasaki, on May 24th and 25th, 1994.

Kicking off the live set with an aggressive version of the smokin’ Deep Purple number, “Burn”, Hughes and his competent backing band, which includes John Leven, Ian Haugland, Mic Michaeli, Eric Bojfeld and Thomas Larsson, pound their way through a hot eleven song performance. Highlights from this powerful disc include “Lay My Body Down”, “Coast to Coast”, “Owed To G”, “Gettin’ Tighter”, “Lady Double Dealer” and a raging take of “Stormbringer”, which closes out this album.

All hail “The Voice of Rock”…(Jon Fox)

Personnel:
Eric Bojfeldt (guitar, background vocals)
Ian Haugland (drums)
Glenn Hughes (vocals, keyboards on 07.)
Thomas Larsson (guitar, background vocals)
John Levén (bass)
Mic Michaeli (keyboards, background vocals)

Tracklist:
01. Burn (Blackmore/Coverdale/Lord/Paice) 6.44
02. The Liar (Beauvoir/Hughes) 4.24
03. Muscle And Blood (Hughes/Thrall) 5.32
04. Lay My Body Down (Hughes/Larsson) 5.09
05. From Now On… (Hughes) 6.00
06. Into The Void (Bojfeldt/Hughes/Michaeli) 7.03
07. Still In Love With You (Hughes) 2.11
08. Coast To Coast Hughes) 6.08
09. This Time Around (Hughes, Lord) 3.33
10. Owed To G (Bolin) 2.49
11. Gettin’ Tighter (Bolin/Hughes) 4.00
12. You Keep On Moving – 7:25 (Coverdale, Hughes) 7.12
13. Lady Double Dealer – 3:45 (Blackmore, Coverdale) 3.25
14. I Got Your Number (Hughes/Thrall) 4.17
15, Stormbringer (Blackmore/Coverdale) 5.10

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The official website:

Etta James – Mystery Lady – Songs Of Billie Holiday (1994)

Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as “The Wallflower”, “At Last”, “Tell Mama”, “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, and “I’d Rather Go Blind”. She faced a number of personal problems, including heroin addiction, severe physical abuse, and incarceration, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album Seven Year Itch.

James’s deep and earthy voice bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. She won six Grammy Awards and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001.[3] She also received a Grammy lifetime achievement award in 2003.[4] Rolling Stone magazine ranked James number 22 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; she was also ranked number 62 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[5][6] Billboard’s 2015 list of “The 35 Greatest R&B Artists Of All Time” also included James, whose “gutsy, take-no-prisoner vocals colorfully interpreted everything from blues and R&B/soul to rock n’roll, jazz and gospel.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called hers “one of the greatest voices of her century” and says she is “forever the matriarch of blues.”

James was hospitalized in January 2010 to treat an infection caused by MRSA, a bacterium resistant to many antibiotics. During her hospitalization, her son Donto revealed to the public that she had been previously diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008.

James was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2011. The illness became terminal, and her husband Artis Mills was appointed sole conservator of the James estate and to oversee her medical care. She died on January 20, 2012, five days before her 74th birthday, at Riverside Community Hospital in Riverside, California. Her death came three days after that of Johnny Otis, the man who had discovered her in the 1950s. Thirty-six days after her death, her sideman Red Holloway also died.

Her funeral was presided over by the Reverend Al Sharpton and took place in Gardena, California eight days after her death. Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera gave musical tributes. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County, California. (wikipedia)

Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday is the eighteenth studio album by Etta James, released in 1994. The album reached a peak position of number two on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums chart and won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

The popular Etta James usually performs raunchy single-entendre blues, so this surprisingly subtle outing is a real change of pace. She sounds quite laid-back on a set of ballads associated with Billie Holiday and utilizes a jazz rhythm section led by pianist Cedar Walton plus three horn players, including the great Red Holloway on tenor and alto. James makes no attempts at exploring uptempo material or scatting, sticking to soulful interpretations of the classic ballads. Despite the lack of variety in tempos, the music is quite satisfying. (by Scott Yanow)

I would say it’s very, very good. Ms James is in great voice, the band is first class, and the production is impeccable. The concentration on slow ballads is a positive for me. It gives the album a consistent feel, and it’s a record I often play end-to-end. (Steve Ford)

Personnel:
Ronnie Buttacavoli (flugelhorn, trumpet)
Tony Dumas (bass)
Red Holloway (saxophone)
Etta James (vocals)
Kraig Kilby (trombone)
Ralph Penland (drums, percussion)
Josh Sklair (guitar)
Cedar Walton (piano)

Tracklist:
01. Don’t Explain (Herzog, Jr./Holiday) 5.19
02. You’ve Changed (Carey/Fischer) 4.37
03. The Man I Love (G.Gershwin/I.Gershwin) 4.30
04. I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance (With You) (Young/Washington/Crosby) 4.19
05. Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) (Davis/Sherman/Ramirez) 5.26
06. Embraceable You (G.Gershwin/I.Gershwin) 3.58
07. How Deep Is The Ocean (Berlin) 4.20
08. (I’m Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over (Magidson/Wrubel) 5.48
09. Body And Soul (Green/Heyman/Sour/Eyton) 4.19
10. The Very Thought Of You (Noble) 4.34
11. I’ll Be Seeing You (Kahal/Fain) 4-42

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More from Etta James:

Martin Barre – A Trick Of Memory (1994)

Martin Lancelot Barre (born 17 November 1946) is an English guitarist best known for his longtime role as lead guitarist of British rock band Jethro Tull, with whom he recorded and toured from 1968 until the band’s initial dissolution in 2011. Barre played on all of Jethro Tull’s studio discography except for their 1968 debut album This Was and their 2022 album The Zealot Gene. In the early 1990s he began a solo career, and has recorded several albums as well as touring with his own live band.

He has also played the flute and other instruments such as the mandolin, both on stage for Jethro Tull and in his own solo work.

Martin Barre was born in Kings Heath, Birmingham, England, on 17 November 1946. His father was an engineer who had wanted to play clarinet professionally. Barre played flute at his grammar school. When Barre bought his first guitar, his father gave him albums by Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith and Wes Montgomery to broaden his musical perspectives.

In college he studied architecture at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) for three years, but did not complete his studies after failing Spanish and Atomic Science, subjects that he found to have little to do with designing buildings. After designing a road junction in Birmingham, England, he decided that a career in architecture was too boring, and switched to music.

In 1966 he moved to London with his friend, Chris Rodger, who had played saxophone in their previous band, the Moonrakers. In London, Barre and Rodger got an audition for a band called the Noblemen, who were looking for two saxophonists. Barre bought a tenor saxophone, and after two days of practice was able to bluff his way through the audition.[2] The band subsequently changed its name to the Motivation, and backed visiting soul artists such as the Coasters, the Drifters and Lee Dorsey. The band evolved through several musical styles, from soul to R&B to pop, and in 1967 changed its name to the Penny Peeps. By this time Barre was playing lead guitar. As the Penny Peeps the band released two singles in 1968, “Little Man With a Stick” backed by “Model Village”, and “I See the Morning” backed with “Curly, Knight of the Road”. Finally in mid-1968 they became a blues band named Gethsemane, and played in pubs all over England, with Barre playing guitar and flute.

When Gethsemane and the band Jethro Tull played at a blues club called the Van Dyke in Plymouth, the members of the two bands got acquainted. Then, four months later, while Gethsemane was playing in London and about to break up because of lack of money, Jethro Tull’s manager, Terry Ellis, sent his card up from the audience asking Barre to audition for Jethro Tull. The audition did not go well. Barre was so nervous that he barely played; but he arranged a second audition. This time he was offered the job. He spent the Christmas holidays of 1968 learning material that was to become the album Stand Up.

On the first album that Barre recorded with Jethro Tull, Stand Up, he said that he was: “terrified because I had just joined the band. It really showed a change in direction for the band and when it was accepted and became a successful album, we gained a lot of confidence. We extended that confidence into the making of Benefit, in which we were a lot more at ease.” On the next album, the world success Aqualung, Barre was more confident, stating that in the recording: “Everybody [the band] had input into the making of the album.”

Martin Barre in 1972:

In the following period, his solos blended virtuosity with classical music, such as on Minstrel in the Gallery, where the opening track has a four-minute solo, or his piece (shared with Barrie Barlow) “Conundrum” and “Quatrain” on Bursting Out. Barre declared that much of the material from Jethro Tull catalogue was written by himself and Ian Anderson, with Anderson getting the credit for writing the lyrics and having the initial idea for the music: “then I, or someone else in the band, contribute parts to it.” Two albums on which Barre is credited with having contributed “additional material”, Songs from the Wood and Heavy Horses, are two of those which, he has stated, show his best About the end of his involvement in Tull, Barre stated in 2015 that “It’s important that people realize there will never be a Jethro Tull again. There will be two solo bands: the Ian Anderson Band and the Martin Barre Band, and long may they exist, and long may they enjoy playing music. I’m not being pedantic. I always hate to hear, ‘Oh, you’ve left Jethro Tull.’ I haven’t really. Ian wanted to finish Jethro Tull, wanted to stop the band completely.”

When Anderson reunited Jethro Tull in 2017 for their 50th anniversary tour, Barre was not asked to return.

On one track of 1994’s A Trick of Memory, Barre plays a guitar given to him by friend Mark Mancina. On the album, King Crimson alumnus Mel Collins plays the saxophone, and Fairport Convention’s Maartin Allcock and Ric Sanders appear on a couple of tracks, and Andy Giddings plays Hammond organ. According to the AllMusic review: “the dominant sound is Barre’s guitars, soaring, crunching, grinding, or noodling gently, either blues or English folk tunes”; to the reviewer, the album is “a decent debut album”.[10] A Summer Band was released only in limited edition.

In 2003, on his album Stage Left, Barre used an unusual electric guitar style shaped by folk/acoustic and hard rock elements. It was his first album to be released in the United States. In the album, Barre shows his style of playing with “tricky and complicated” melodies, being always “elegant, even when he’s rocking hard”.

In 2012, with the end of Jethro Tull touring, Martin assembled a band to tour and record the compilation/live titled Martin Barre. The line up included former Tull members Jonathan Noyce and Doane Perry (who split duties with drummer Fred Moreau), John Mitchell, and guitarist Pat O’May.

In 2014, Barre announced that he would tour as an acoustic quartet (including Dan Crisp and Alan Bray) to promote Away With Words, which was well received by the Prog Magazine, saying that in the album, “Barre has taken an imaginative approach to his own past by readdressing many of his favourite, often more obscure, nuggets from lull’s [sic] vast cache, chiefly on acoustic guitar.” Later in 2014 a new album was announced to be released that September, called Order of Play, which was a louder electric record.

Barre announced his sixth solo album in 2015. Called Back to Steel, Barre says the album is a blues rock recording. It was followed by Roads Less Travelled in 2018.

Martin Barre commenced a tour of the U.S. in the spring of 2019 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his joining Jethro Tull and the release of Stand Up. On the tour he was supported by his band consisting Alan Thomson (bass), Dan Crisp (guitar and vocals) and Darby Todd (drums), along with special guests (former Tull members) Dee Palmer on keyboards and Clive Bunker on drums. The band were completed with Ali Humphries and Becca Langsford on backing vocals. The show was presented with a full multimedia backing show provided by fans from The Jethro Tull Group. A new double CD album release was available at the shows. MLB is a celebration of 50 years of Jethro Tull as arranged and performed by Martin, his band and guests.

In August 2019, Barre appeared again at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention.

For 2020, Barre had planned to celebrate 50 years of Jethro Tull music with a world tour. However, most shows were cancelled or rescheduled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Adam Wakeman, Clive Bunker and Dee Palmer were scheduled to be guest musicians in several presentations. (wikipedia)

And here´s his first solo studio album.

Another view of an underrated guitar hero:
When people talk about blues guitar heroes they talk about Jimmy Page, Mark Knopfler, Paul Kossoff. But inexplicably they never seem to mention the hugely talented Martin Barre.

For many years he has provided, along with Ian Anderson, the musical backbone of Jethro Tull, showing off his ability in a range of styles to provide an essential part of the band’s sound. But he has always been a little hidden behind Anderson’s light. So it was with great pleasure I listened to this, his first (I think) solo album in which he gets to express himself.

A set of largely instrumental numbers, based around electric blues but with many twists and other influences thrown in, this is an album that shows him doing what he does best, making the guitar sing. Filled with awry humour, and some outstanding fret work, this feels a personal album at times but one that really entertains and gives a good insight into the man behind the guitar.

An excellent album, highly recommended. (Victor)

Personnel:
Martin Barre (guitar, vocals, flute)
Andy Giddings (keyboards, bass on 12.)
Marc Parnell (drums, percussion)
Matt Pegg (bass)
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Martin Allcock (bass on 04.)
Mel Collins (saxophone on 01., 03., 05., 07., 09., 11.)
Rob Darnell (percussion on 01., 02, 05. – 09., 12., 13.  vocals on 02., 08., 10, harmonica on 10.)
Wilf Gibson (violion on 14.)
Tom Glendinning (drums on 02., 09.)
Garfield Jackson (viola on 14.)
Marc Johnstone (keyboards on 01.)
Malinda Maxwell (oboe on 14.)
Nick Pentelow (saxophone on 07., 11.)
Tony Pleeth (cello on 14.)
Maggie Reeday (vocals on 07.)
Ric Sanders (violin on 04.)
Richard Sidwell (trumpet on 05., 07., 11.)
Steve Sidwell (trumpet on 05., 11.)
Mark Tucker (guitar, background vocals on 10.)
Graham Ward (drums on 04.)
Gavyn Wright (violin on 14.)
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background vocals:
Katie Kirssoon* – Linda Taylor – Weston Forster – Ian Frances – Joy Russell

Alternate vinyl edition:

Tracklist:
01. Bug 4.07
02. Way Before Your Time 4.36
03. Bug Bee 0.48
04. Empty Cafe 2.05
05. Suspicion 4.23
06. I Be Thank You 2.16
07. A Blues For All Reasons 7.14
08. A Trick Of Memory 4.09
09. Steal 4.48
10. Another View 1.43
11. Cold Heart 5.21
12. Bug C 0.50
13. Morris Minus 3.03
14. In The Shade Of The Shadow 4.06

All songs written by Martin Barre

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More from Martin Barre:

The official website:

Various Artists – If I Were A Carpenter (1994)

The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters)[a] were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen’s contralto vocals with Richard’s harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with numerous singles and several television specials.

The siblings were born in New Haven, Connecticut, and moved to Downey, California, in 1963. Richard took piano lessons as a child, progressing to California State University, Long Beach, while Karen learned the drums. They first performed together as a duo in 1965 and formed the jazz-oriented Richard Carpenter Trio followed by the middle-of-the-road group Spectrum.

Signing as Carpenters to A&M Records in 1969, they achieved major success the following year with the hit singles “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and “We’ve Only Just Begun”. The duo’s brand of melodic pop produced a record-breaking run of hit recordings on the American Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts, and they became leading sellers in the soft rock, easy listening and adult contemporary music genres. They had three number-one singles and five number-two singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and 15 number-one hits on the Adult Contemporary chart, in addition to 12 top-10 singles.

The duo toured continually during the 1970s, which put them under increased strain; Richard took a year off in 1979 after he had become addicted to Quaalude, while Karen suffered from anorexia nervosa. Their joint career ended in 1983 when Karen died from heart failure brought on by complications of anorexia. Extensive news coverage surrounding these circumstances increased public awareness of eating disorders. Their music continues to attract critical acclaim and commercial success. They have sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

If I Were a Carpenter is a 1994 tribute album to The Carpenters. It features alternative rock bands covering the songs of Richard and Karen Carpenter.

The cover is a cartoon-like drawing of Richard and Karen Carpenter listening to an LP album against an orange background. Richard Carpenter has said that he doesn’t “care for” the version of “Superstar” by Sonic Youth.

The album was the brainchild of Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Replacements, Faith No More) and David Konjoyan.

The album, and specifically the Sonic Youth cover of “Superstar,” featured prominently in the 2007 film Juno; “Superstar” was included on the Juno soundtrack. (wikipedia)

Released among a bevy of tribute albums toasting the likes of Charles Mingus and Neil Young, If I Were a Carpenter registers as one of the best of the lot, with spot-on performances of Carpenters classics from the ’70s. Unlike many tribute collections, this CD gets it right most of the time, thanks to a lineup of artists suited to the duo’s wide-screen pop mix. Matthew Sweet, the Cranberries, Sheryl Crow, Grant Lee Buffalo, and Cracker deliver the most straightforward interpretations here, informing the likes of “Solitaire” and “We’ve Only Just Begun” with the same amount of moody tenderness that made the originals so effective. On the other end of the spectrum, Sonic Youth gives “Superstar” a nicely claustrophobic and feedback-addled turn, while Bettie Severt brings its Neil Young-inspired guitar attack to bear on “For All We Know.”

On other fronts, Shonen Knife and Babes in Toyland contribute giddy lo-fi readings and Dishwalla and 4 Non Blondes go in for brooding swagger. Finally, American Music Club and Redd Kross get special mention for their tailored-made and respective helpings of despair and dreamy ’70s sensibility on “Goodbye to Love” and “Yesterday Once More.” And, while being impressed by the sheer range and originality of these interpretations, listeners will also discover the overlooked songwriting talents of Paul Williams, Roger Nichols, Leon Russell, Neil Sedaka, and Richard Carpenter. A must for the post-punk-savvy Carpenters fan. (by Stephen Cook)

Tracklist:
01. American Music Club: Goodbye To Love (Bettis/R.Carpenter) 3.12
02. Shonen Knife: Top of the World (Bettis/Busby) 3.56
03. Sonic Youth: Superstar (Bramlett/Russell) 4.08
04. The Cranberries: (They Long to Be) Close To You (Bacharach/David) 2.41
05. Bettie Serveert: For All We Know (Griffin/Karlin/Wilson) 3.28
06. Dishwalla:  It’s Going To Take Some Time (King/Stern) 4.18
07. Sheryl Crow: Solitaire (Cody/Sedaka) 4.45
08. Marc Moreland & Johnette Napolitano: Hurting Each Other (Geld/Udell) 4.12
09. Redd Kross: Yesterday Once More (Bettis/R.Carpenter) 3.59
10. Babes In Toyland: Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (Klaatu) 4.09
11. Cracker: Rainy Days And Mondays (Nichols/Williams) 3.46
12. Matthew Sweet: Let Me Be The One (Nichols/Williams) 3.27
13. 4 Non Blondes: Bless The Beasts And Children (Botkin, Jr./De Vorzon) 4.19
14. Grant Lee Buffalo: We’ve Only Just Begun (Nichols/Williams) 3.51

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The official website:

Annie Lennox – Medusa + Live In Central Park (1995)

Ann Lennox OBE (born 25 December 1954) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the new wave band the Tourists, she and fellow musician Dave Stewart went on to achieve international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics. Appearing in the 1983 music video for “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” with orange cropped hair and wearing a man’s business suit, the BBC states, “all eyes were on Annie Lennox, the singer whose powerful androgynous look defied the male gaze”. Subsequent hits with Eurythmics include “There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)” and “Here Comes the Rain Again”.

Lennox embarked on a solo career in 1992 with her debut album, Diva, which produced several hit singles including “Why” and “Walking on Broken Glass”. The same year, she performed “Love Song for a Vampire” for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Her 1995 studio album, Medusa, includes cover versions of songs such as “No More ‘I Love You’s'” and “A Whiter Shade of Pale”. To date, she has released six solo studio albums and a compilation album, The Annie Lennox Collection (2009). With eight Brit Awards, which includes being named Best British Female Artist a record six times, Lennox has been named the “Brits Champion of Champions”. She has also collected four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award; the highest accolade from Billboard. In 2004, she received the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Into the West”, written for the soundtrack to the feature film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Lennox’s vocal range is contralto. She has been named “The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive” by VH1 and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2012, she was rated No. 22 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Music. In June 2013 the Official Charts Company called her “the most successful female British artist in UK music history”. As of June 2008, including her work with Eurythmics, Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide. As part of a one-hour symphony of British Music, Lennox performed “Little Bird” during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London. At the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards, Lennox was made a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, the first woman to receive the honour. Lennox (and Eurythmics partner Dave Stewart) was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020 and the duo were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, raising money and awareness for HIV/AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa. She founded the SING Campaign in 2007 and founded a women’s empowerment charity called The Circle in 2008. In 2011, Lennox was appointed an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her “tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes”. On 4 June 2012, she performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. In 2017, Lennox was appointed Glasgow Caledonian University’s first female chancellor

Medusa is the second solo studio album by Scottish singer Annie Lennox, released on 6 March 1995 by RCA Records. It consists entirely of cover songs. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1 and peaked in the United States at number 11, spending 60 weeks on the Billboard 200. It has since achieved double platinum status in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

The album yielded four singles in the United Kingdom: “No More I Love You’s” (which entered the UK Singles Chart at number 2, becoming Lennox’s highest-peaking solo single), “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, “Waiting in Vain” and “Something So Right”.

Lennox explains the origins of the album in the liner notes:

This album contains a selection of songs I have been drawn to for all kinds of reasons. There were not chosen with any particular theme or concept in mind—the method was more by instinct than by design. The work undertaken was truly a labour of love for me and I feel privileged to have been given this opportunity.

The album was nominated for Best Pop Album at the Grammy Awards of 1996, losing to Turbulent Indigo by Joni Mitchell. Lennox took home the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance award for her work on the first single “No More I Love You’s”. This album was re-released in late 1995 in a double jewel case containing the album Medusa and a nine-track bonus CD featuring the studio version of Paul Simon’s “Something So Right” (with Simon guesting on vocals and guitar) and eight tracks recorded live from the concert in Central Park: “Money Can’t Buy It”, “Legend in My Living Room”, the Eurythmics singles “Who’s That Girl?”, “You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart” and “Here Comes the Rain Again”, along with “Why”, “Little Bird” and “Walking on Broken Glass”.

Professional reviews for Medusa were mixed, ranging from favourable to outright hostile. AllMusic notes that critics “savaged” the album upon release: Trouser Press was probably the most severe in its criticism, characterising Lennox’s interpretations of classic material as “obvious”, “milquetoast” and “willfully wrongheaded”. Reviewer Ira Robbins did single out the track “No More I Love You’s” for genuine, if backhanded, praise: “The only song here that benefits from her ministrations is ‘No More ‘I Love You’s,’ a minor 1986 hit for Britain’s otherwise forgotten The Lover Speaks, and that’s only by dint of the original’s obscurity.” (wikipedia)

Meanwhile, Rolling Stone gave the album a more favourable, though still mixed review:

Annie Lennox called her justifiably popular solo debut Diva, but it’s actually on the follow-up effort Medusa that she really starts acting like one. This wildly uneven album of cover versions starts with perhaps its highest point—a truly wonderful interpretation of “No More I Love You’s”, a relatively obscure British hit by The Lover Speaks. Unfortunately, Lennox doesn’t work the same magic with more familiar material like Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” and Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.

The critics savaged Annie Lennox’s sophomore effort when it first came out, and it’s easy to see why: it’s not that an all-covers album was a bad idea, but she did pick some rather large shoes to fill and she did kind of run roughshod over the songs themselves, taking gritty material by the likes of Neil Young and the Clash and turning it into super-slick electro-pop ear candy. But on the other hand, candy sometimes really hits the spot, and Lennox’s rendition of “No More I Love You’s” by the ultra-obscure British pop band the Lover Speaks is ravishingly, heartbreakingly lovely. Those who have never heard the Clash’s original version of “Train in Vain” might not find her version as objectionable as the critics did, either. But there’s no arguing with the critics when it comes to her anemic take on the Al Green classic “Take Me to the River” or her equally numb rendition of Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down.” Those who have given up on looking cool, however, might find themselves able to enjoy her gentle arrangement of “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” Don’t pay full price for this, but snap it up if you find it in a bargain bin somewhere. (by Rick Anderson)

Personnel:
Annie Lennox (vocals, keyboards, flute)
Stephen Lipson (programming, guitar, keyboards, bass)
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Neil Conti (drums)
Matthew Cooper (keyboards)
Dann Gillen (drums)
Danny D (programming)
Pandit Dinesh (tabla)
Mark Feltham (harmonica)
Luís Jardim (percussion, bass)
Judd Lander (harmonica)
James McNally (accordion)
Tony Pastor (guitar)
Andy Richards (keyboards)
Steve Sidelnyk (programming)
Kirampal Singh (santoor)
Peter-John Vettese (keyboards)
Marius de Vries (keyboards, programming)
Doug Wimbish (bass)

Tracklist:
01. No More ‘I Love You’s (Freeman/Hughes) 4.52
02. Take Me To The River (Green/Hodges) 3.33
03. A Whiter Shade Of Pale (Brooker/Reid) 5.16
04. Don’t Let It Bring You Down (Young) 3.38
05. Train In Vain (Strummer/Jones) 4.44
06. I Can’t Get Next To You (Whitfield/Srong) 3.08
07. Downtown Lights (Buchanan) 6.44
08. Thin Line Between Love And Hate (Richard Poindexter/Robert Poindexter/Members) 4.54
09. Waiting In Vain (Marley) 5.40
10. Something So Right (Simon) 3,56
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Live In Central Park 1995:
11. Money Can’t Buy It (Lennox) 4.41
12. Legend In My Living Room (Lennox/Vettese) 3.48
13. Who’s That Girl? (Lennox/Stewart) 4.25
14. You Have Placed A Chill in My Heart (Lennox/Stewart) 5.20
15. Little Bird (Lennox) 5.23
16. Walking On Broken Glass (Lennox) 3.56
17. Here Comes The Rain Again (Lennox/Stewart) 5.52
18. Why (Lennox) 5.04
19. Something So Right (studio version) (featuring Paul Simon) (Simon) 3.48
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20. Live In Central Park, New York City, September 9th, 1975 (uncut edition)  43.17
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321. Heaven (single B-side) (R.Butler/T.Butler) 4.58

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The official website:

Seal – Same (1994)

Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel (born 19 February 1963), known professionally as Seal, is a British singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He has sold over 20 million records worldwide. These include hit songs “Crazy” and “Killer”, the latter of which went to number one in the UK, and his most celebrated song, “Kiss from a Rose”, which was released in 1994. Seal is renowned for his distinctive soulful singing voice.

Seal has won multiple awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards; he won Best British Male in 1992. He has also won four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. As a songwriter, Seal received two Ivor Novello Awards for Best Song Musically and Lyrically from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for “Killer” (1990) and “Crazy” (1991).

He was a coach on The Voice Australia in 2012 and 2013,[10] and returned to Australia to work as a coach in 2017.

Seal (sometimes referred to as Seal II to avoid confusion with the 1991 album of the same name) is the second eponymous studio album by British singer Seal. The album was released in 1994 on ZTT and Sire Records and features the worldwide smash hit single “Kiss from a Rose”.

The image on the cover has since become nearly synonymous with Seal, in that it has appeared on several singles covers and was reused for his greatest hits album. (wikipedia)

Fresh from his 1991 self-titled debut, Seal followed with another self-titled release. And true to form, it’s another stunning work, although it becomes clear that a musical maturation has taken place. Produced by ex-Buggles frontman Trevor Horn (Pet Shop Boys, ABC, Yes, Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Seal is far more enchanting than his debut. True, Seal is a bit too relaxed at times, but aside from that criticism, the record is lush with harmonies and over-the-top melodies. “Don’t Cry” flows with the luxuriant vibes of a hushed vocal and a bellowing string arrangement. Seal showcases his collaborative talent with “If I Could,” a duet featuring Canadian folkie Joni Mitchell. “Kiss from a Rose” and “Prayer for the Dying” established Seal as a household name after both became radio and television mainstays. The soul is there, hauntingly similar to singer Terence Trent D’Arby. But what’s so unique about Seal is his gift of transforming free-flowing songs into quick dancefloor tracks with a transcendent step into musical magic. His voice has a spell like that, and his second album reflects such skills. (by MacKenzie Wilson)

Personnel:
Seal (vocals)
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Gus Isidore, Jamie Muhoberac, Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin – principal musicians
Joseph “Amp” Fiddler, Andy Duncan, Andy Newmark, Anne Dudley, Anthony Pleeth, Barry Wilde, Ben Cruft, Betsy Cook, Bill Benham, Bob Smissen, Boguslaw Kostecki, Carmen Rizzo, Charley Drayton, Chris Bruce, Chris Laurence, D’Influence, David Oladunni, David Theodore, Derek Watkins, Dick Morgan, Eddie Roberts, Garfield Jackson, Gavyn Wright, George Robertson, Gota Yashiki, Harvey Mason, Helen Liebmann, Ian Thomas, Jackie Shave, Jeff Beck, Jim McLeod, John Pigneguy, Jonathan Evans-Jones, Judd Proctor, Katie Wilkinson, Laurence Cottle, Luís Jardim, Maciej Rakowski, Mark Berrow, Mark Mann, Martin Loveday, Mike Brittain, Mike De Saulles, Nick Busch, Pandit Dinesh, Patrick Kiernan, Paul Kegg, Perry Montague-Mason, Peter Oxer, Phil Spalding, Pino Palladino, Richard Cottle, Rita Manning, Roger Garland, Roger Smith, Sam Maitland, Sarah Webb, Seal, Tim Weidner, Tony Stanton, Trevor Horn, Wilfred Gibson, William Orbit

Tracklist:
01. Bring It On (Bruce/Coleman/Melvoin/Rizzo/Isidore/Seal) 3.57
02. Prayer For The Dying (Isidore/Seal) 5.29
03. Dreaming In Metaphors (Isidore/Seal) 5.51
04. Don’t Cry (Seal) 6.17
05. Fast Changes (Isidore/Seal) 5.40
06. Kiss From A Rose (Seal) 4.47
07. People Asking Why (Seal) 4.45
08. Newborn Friend (Seal) 4.04
09. If I Could (duet with Joni Mitchell) (Seal) 4.16
10. I’m Alive (Coleman/Melvoin/Rizzo/Isidore/Seal) 4.01
11. Bring It On (Reprise) (Bruce/Coleman/Melvoin/Rizzo/Isidore/Seal) 1.15*
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The official website:

Dick Heckstall-Smith, Jack Bruce & John Stevens – This That (1994)

Richard Malden Heckstall-Smith (26 September 1934 – 17 December 2004) was an English jazz and blues saxophonist. He played with some of the most influential English blues rock and jazz fusion bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

Dick Heckstall-Smith was born in the Royal Free Hospital, in Ludlow, Shropshire, England, and was raised in Knighton, Radnorshire, learning to play piano, clarinet and alto saxophone in childhood. He attended a York boarding school but refused a second term there, instead enrolling in Gordonstoun, where his father had accepted a job as headmaster of the local grammar school.

Heckstall-Smith completed his education at Dartington Hall School, before reading agriculture – and co-leading the university jazz band – at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1953. Aged 15, he had taken up the soprano sax while at Dartington, captivated by the sound of Sidney Bechet. Then Lester Young and tenor saxophonist bebop jazzman Wardell Gray proved to be major influences for him.

Heckstall-Smith was an active member of the London jazz scene from the late 1950s (including a six-month stint from December 1957 with the band led by clarinettist Sandy Brown). He joined Blues Incorporated, Alexis Korner’s groundbreaking blues group, in 1962, recording the album R&B from the Marquee. The following year, he was a founding member of that band’s breakaway unit, The Graham Bond Organisation. (The lineup also included two future members of the blues-rock supergroup Cream: bassist Jack Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker.)

In 1967, Heckstall-Smith became a member of guitarist-vocalist John Mayall’s blues rock band, Bluesbreakers. That jazz-skewed edition of the band also included drummer Jon Hiseman, bassist Tony Reeves, and future Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor. They released the album Bare Wires in 1968.

From 1968 to 1971, Heckstall-Smith, Hiseman, and Reeves were members of the pioneering UK jazz-rock band Colosseum. The band afforded Heckstall-Smith an opportunity to showcase his writing and instrumental virtuosity, playing two saxophones simultaneously.

When Colosseum broke up in October 1971, Heckstall-Smith recorded solo albums and fronted and played in several other fusion units, including Manchild, Sweet Pain, Big Chief, Tough Tenors, The Famous Bluesblasters, Mainsqueeze, and DHSS. Collaborating musicians common to many of these outfits included Victor Brox, Keith Tillman and harp player John O’Leary, a founder member of Savoy Brown. In the 1980s in his Electric Dream ensemble Heckstall-Smith also worked with the South African percussionist Julian Bahula. From 1983 to 1986 Heckstall-Smith was a member of 3-Space with John James (guitar), fellow Mainsqueeze member Dave Moore (keys), and Chris Billings (bass), with Paul Harris on keys for one tour. Apart from tenor and soprano sax, Heckstall-Smith also played baritone sax in 3-Space.

Heckstall-Smith participated in a 1990s reunion of the original Colosseum lineup and played in the hard-working Hamburg Blues Band. In 2001 he recorded the all-star project Blues and Beyond, which reunited him with Mayall, Bruce, Taylor, ex-Mayall and Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green.

Heckstall-Smith published his witty memoirs, The Safest Place in the World, in 1984; an expanded version, retitled Blowing the Blues, was published in 2004. He died aged 70 in 2004, as a result of acute liver failure. (wikipedia)

And here is one of his great solo-albums … with a trio line up featuring Jack Bruce and John Stevens.

This is of course a jam album, recorded n one day … and we hear the conversations between saxophone and bass .. what a wonderful idea …

… and if you love or like the sound of Dick Heckstall-Smith or Jack Bruce … then this rare album is a must !

Listen and enjoy !

Recorded Sunday, 13th June 1993

Personnel:
Jack Bruce (bass, vocals)
Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone)
John Stevens (drums, trumpet)
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Glen Nightingale (guitar on 01.)

Tracklist:
01. Within 9.06
02. This Piece 9.52
03. That Piece 11.09
04. Next Piece 5.42
05. Other Piece 13.38
06. Another Piece 5.39
07. Following Piece 7.41
08. Our Peace 7.32

Music composed by: Dick Heckstall-Smith – Jack Bruce – John Stevens
except 01.: composed by John Stevens

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