A Very Merry Cosmic Chicken...

I chased this album on eBay for some time, one of those recordings I remembered that a friend of mine had back in the good old days, I just wanted it. I have always admired Jack DeJohnette, pretty much everything he has done appeals to me. I find his work generally to be creative, wide ranging, and I particularly like the way he has been involved in the fusion of jazz and rock among many other efforts. Although this album, "Cosmic Chicken", is not particularly scarce, it was surprisingly difficult to capture, but once I got it I was not disappointed with the reacquaintance. Of course, having John Abercrombie and Al Foster added to the mix doesn't hurt. I had remembered this one as having some unabashed rock inspired workouts but it really is not so base. As usual, Jack & company make the most of the forum and create some adventurous energy and I think you will enjoy it if you don't already have this in your collection. Another album that seems a shame to be OOP but leave a comment and let me know what you think...unless you're chicken...

Chicken

Jack DeJohnette - "Cosmic Chicken" - 1975
Prestige P-10094

Cosmic Chicken
One For Devadip and the Professor
Memories (unaccompanied piano solo by JD)
Stratocruiser

Shades of the Phantom
Eiderdown
Sweet and Pungent
Last Chance Stomp (an abridged history of jazz in five movements)

Jack DeJohnette - drums, keyboards
Alex Foster - alto & tenor sax
John Abercrombie - electric guitar
Peter Warren - bass

Not so uptown country music...

After my last post of Ray Edenton country guitar music, I had to follow up with this Kelso Herston album, with none other than his "Guitar Kings", which include the two guitar monsters, Mister Guitar "A" and Mr. Guitar "B". With all that suspense you can imagine that, similar to the Edenton country guitar album, this is no barn burner. You won't hear too much that resembles a scorchin' Junior Brown solo, but again, this is laid back solid pop country played by some real pros, and they get the simple point across in good old country style. Kelso was an outstanding studio / session player but also accomplished great things as a producer, among other things musical. There's not too much else to say. I can't nail down the date on this one but maybe someone out there can help me out on that. There's apparently a few recordings in this "series" of Guitar Kings sessions but details on them are pretty scarce as I searched the internet. I'm posting it just to satisfy folks out there that might share my passion for anything guitar and wonder what this somewhat obscure album sounds like. Listen for the moments, they are there, but don't hate me if you miss 'em! (share some comments!!)


Moments

Kelso Herston & The Guitar Kings - "Guitars Country Style" - 196?
Time Records #S/2084


Nobody's Darlin'
No Letter Today
(Don't Your Conscience Ever Bother You) Hang Your Head In Shame
Kentucky Waltz
Night Train To Memphis
Slippin' Around


Mockin' Bird Hill
It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)
If You've Got The Money
You Are My Sunshine
I Love You So Much It Hurts
(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I


Kelso Herston - guitar
Jerry Kennedy, Fred Carter, Moss Wayne, Mr. Guitar "A" & Mr. Guitar "B" - guitars
Hargus Robbins - piano
Henry Strzelecki & Buddy Killen - bass
Murrey Harmon - drums
Charles McCoy - "utility instruments"(?)

How to meet those uptown girls...

So I'm a frustrated guitar player, strictly amature, and I love listening to guitar music of almost any variety. But I think I often most enjoy the purest forms of sound that the instrument is capable of producing. It doesn't necessarily have to be anything fancy (like those uptown girls, for instance) but just pure (like some of them country girls that had coal miners for daddies). I recall my first listening to some of George Benson's early CTI stuff and then soon after that discovering Johnny Smith, not that they are all so simple, of course, but the purity of their notes really struck home. From there I went on to embrace the likes of Gabor Szabo (admittedly not for everybody), Buddy Fite, Chet Atkins, Joe Pass and Barney Kessel, and on and on, so many talented players and such sweet sounds. Eventually I went so far as to obsess over pop/easy listening greats like Al Caiola and Tony Mottola. So I came to investigate most anyone I came across known for guitar playing skills and that eventually led me to Ray Edenton, a studio/session man for many years with only a few credits as a leader. This next album is one of them, nothing really showcasing his true talents but it has its moments if you appreciate the basics. So if you have an interest in some relatively light country guitar music, check this one out, preserved at 128 I'm afraid, but I think it sounds fine for this sort of thing. The cast of musicians here does read, as the album back states, "like a Country Music " 'Who's Who' ", but you have to be a little suspect when you see Boots Randolph in any line up, as far as I'm concerned. It generally disappoints but it does have a nice feel that hits the spot at times so...close your eyes and just picture them wild uptown girls rippin' it up on a Saturday night, guit it?

Uptown

Ray Edenton - "Play Uptown Country Music" - 1962
Columbia CS 9265 (CL 2465)

I Don't Love Nobody
Mississippi Sawyer
Eighth of January
Lil' Liza Jane
Sally Goodwin
Sally Ann

Cincinnati
Bad Times
Joe Clark
Liberty
Turkey in the Straw
Fire on the Mountain

Ray Edenton - guitar
Grady Martin & Harold Bradley - guitars
Boots Randolph - saxophone
Charlie McCoy - harmonica
Floys Cramer - piano
Buddy Harmon - drums
Bob Moore & Joe Zinkan - bass

When Christmas comes to our house, Chubby and Rydell join in the fun...

Here's a few more Christmas tunes from well worn 45's I have saved from my 1960's memory. The main one here that I recall most is "When Christmas Comes To Our House" , sung by Dottie Evans with the Brigadiers Quartet and written by Light/Kurzhene. It's nothing earth shaking but I don't think you'll find too many versions of this tune out there (I could be wrong) and it is a pleasant rendition. It was one of four songs on a 45 rpm EP including work by an Artie Malvin as well as a couple of classics from the Waldorf Music Hall Orchestra. But those other three cuts are pretty forgetable, especially in such poor condition as this, so I offer just the Dottie tune and hope you like it too. I did throw in another single here, one from the duo of Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell from 1960. Neither tune was holiday magic for me, I prefer the more straight forward "Jingle Bell Rock" to the attempted comedy of the odd "Jingle Bells Imitations", but they are curiosities from some big names. I expect both of these holiday tunes are well traveled in the Christmas compilation archives over the past 48 years but this single was in decent shape and might be new to you for a little fun. Enjoy and keep the Christmas spirit each and every day, at your house, our house, the out house and everywhere! And there are a few others I included on the re-up including Tinkertown Santa Claus by the Cricketones...

Tinkertown Santa Claus

Dottie Evans with the Brigadiers Quartet -
"When Christmas Comes To Our House" - 45 rpm EP
Waldorf / Music-Hall #MH 45-165A (track #2)

Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker - "Jingle Bell Rock"
1960 - 45 rpm - Cameo #C-205-A

Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker - "Jingle Bells Imitations"
1960 - 45 rpm - Cameo #C-205-B

And to all a goodnight, Gracie...

While I'm on this roll through my scratchy old 45's I had to include this next single from Charlie Gracie back in 1956. I wasn't really aware that this guy was apparently a fairly influential 50's rocker that is held in high esteem by the likes of Elvis and the Beatles, etc. He had a couple of hit records early on and his second hit was on the single I offer here, "Fabulous". Now, while Fabulous is a pretty likeable recording, the reason this record is included in my "childhood record hall of fame" is for the flip side, a bit more rowdy piece of work called "Just Lookin'". Actually, with all the scratches noted here from my old copy, and the kitchen sink sound fidelity, I think my MP3 is all the more infectious for this tune. Listen to the tone on his guitar break. I read that Charlie was pretty well known as a guitar player as well as a vocal star. So while this may not be a rare recording (although I had always thought it was something obscure), and while the quality is typical of the rest of my 45's posted here, I just wanted to share and maybe turn a few bloggers on to this rockabilly type crooner/guit-box player. I definitely plan on buying a proper collection of Gracie material as soon as I can. I included the #1 side here but the real focus should be "Just Lookin'"...just listen...

Goodnight

Charlie Gracie - "Just Lookin'" - 1956 - 45 rpm (side B)

Cameo #107-B (H8-OW-4720)

Charlie Gracie - "Fabulous" - 1956 - 45 rpm (side A)

Cameo #107-A (H8-OW-4719)

Something Happened..........

I hate to digress from the holiday theme here, but while going through these old scratchy 45's of mine, some just bring back too many good memories to put off. So this next 45 is from a band I never heard of (before or since I received the record when I was a little kid), "The Sparks". Of course I am familiar with "Sparks" from the 70's/80's and I like them a lot too, but this group from the 50's may not have recorded much more than this single I am offering next. The song I loved from the start is side 1, "Something Happened" (written by William Collins). It's a fairly classic 50's style pop rock tune with Sedaka like harmonies and lots of reverb on the guitar. It's kind of an infectious song that has always stayed with me so now I release it onto the rest of the world. The flip side is included, "Robin Red Breast" (written by Bill Comstock), but it is that folk rock psuedo Mitch Miller/Brothers Four sort of ditty that never hit me for much, but it's here for you to check out. Hope you enjoy side 1 like I first did, one listen and.....something happened....

Something

The Sparks - "Something Happened" - 1958 - 45 rpm
Arwin #MM-114-45 (21533)

The Sparks - "Robin Red Breast" - 1958 - 45 rpm
Arwin #MM-114-45 (21534)

Christmas vacation, will you ever come Backus?

Here's a little something that was also part of my childhood collection of 45's. It comes from the talented voice of Jim Backus who was the best known voice for Mr. Magoo, a character that is indelible in my TV heritage, product of the 50's/60's that I am. Here again, the quality is poor as I never handled these little records thinking I might one day care about recording them into digital format to share on a blog out in "inter-space". But the primary purpose for posting this now is because of the connection kids typically have between the Christmas season and a break from school...a vacation. So here I present "I Need A Vacation" by Mr. Backus, also known as Thurston Howell III from Gilligan's Island among many other memorable and well loved characters (Jim died in 1989). I remember bringing this 45 to college one year so we could play it over the cafeteria PA system. It got a good laugh that time and has always been fun to give a listen. I have included the better known flip side of the single, "Delicious!" which is included on the 1974 CD called "Jim Backus The Comedy Classics" (ITP Records). So if you like this stuff, buy the CD, but "I Need A Vacation" is not on that CD or available anywhere else that I know of. The quality of my recording of "Delicious" is really poor, especially over the first half for some reason, but you've got to admit, you just can't listen to it without laughing out loud at some point, even with all the scratchy background. I just listened to it twice and was crying both times (as in laughing). The female part in "Delicious!" is not identified on the record label and from what I have read it sounds like it was rumored to be Phyllis Diller, and it does sound quite a bit like her. However, the sources I've read now declare the sexy lush to be none other than the great Hermione Gingold (not so great to you if your not at least my age). She and Jim are something special on this outrageous recording. But the vacation song is a lot of fun too and this may be one of the only places you'll find a recording of it, so enjoy it, send it to college with your kid and enjoy the short vacation this Christmas. This music reminds us all that you've got to have fun, be a little crazy, remember to laugh and smile...

McGoo

Jim Backus (with Mort Garson and his Group) -
"I Need A Vacation" -
1958 - 45 rpm - Jubilee #45-5330 (45-JB-11322)

Jim Backus and Friend (Hermione Gingold)
with Appleknocker and his Group - "Delicious!"
1958 - 45 rpm - Jubilee #45-5330 (45-JB-11321)

Set at 45 and add some seasoning.....

So how can I resist adding some Christmas cheer to the blog that is obviously partially inspired by this special time of the year? "Do You Hear What I Hear" just has to include some token Christmas music to ensure balance and ultimate purpose, or something like that. With only ten days to go I wanted to be sure to add the following mini collection of some very rough recordings from my battered collection of my childhood 45's. To this day I think of "Tinker Town Santa Claus" by the Cricketones as a holiday classic, a standard. But I have yet to meet anyone else that has ever heard of it. I think it is an excellent tune with some laughably enjoyable lyrics. The flip side of the single was a version of Rudolph that was just too roughed up to bother with here, but I did throw in both sides of another single by an artist simply referenced as Santa Claus & his Helpers. Santa and the gang do a memorable job on side 2's "Santa's Laughing Song" which I recall best, and on the flip side the same North Pole crew deliver the carefree, "Santa, The Happy Wanderer". These are pretty rough, never handled with much care, but I wouldn't post them if they weren't pretty special to me in my old age. Hope they prove worthwhile for your holiday listening pleasure. And if anyone knows any history on the artists, please fill me in! I should have a few more to add before Christmas arrives....but on with the music, I don't want to "sound like I'm singing in a hole..." (There's a few other holiday tunes included also linked on a later Christmas post)

Tinker Town

The Cricketones - "Tinker Town Santa Claus" - 45 rpm
Cricket #CX-6B (Pickwick) Side 2
Cast and Orchestra directed by Warren Vincent and produced by Roy Freeman
Written by Freeman & Thigpen

Santa Claus & his Helpers -
"Santa the Happy Wanderer" - 45 rpm
Columbia #4-40577 (ZSP36552) Side 1
Written by Stillman & Moller

Santa Claus & his Helpers -
"Santa's Laughing Song" - 45 rpm
Columbia #4-40577 (ZSP36553) Side 2
Written by Zaret & Kay

The Chick that almost got away......

I recently rediscovered my box of old 45's and was happy to find a few from back when I was just a grade schooler, probably about 45 years ago, in fact. The first one I had to relive was this one by an otherwise unknown to me duo of "Lee and Paul". I vividly recall both sides of this beauty, the bizarre and fun Easter novelty song, "The Chick" and the pseudo polka pop rock hip-swinging "Valentina, My Valentina". It's not too obvious from the record itself but oddly enough it appears that the novelty tune is the "A" side, if you go in order of the reference numbers on the label. This well worn mini-vinyl was a part of some stack of dated 45's my mother bought for me one birthday or Christmas and I certainly got her money's worth out of them. Wish I still had them all but there's a few that didn't get away over the years like this one that I think you will get a kick out of. I tried to do a little research on Lee and Paul who, as noted on the song credits, are primarily song writers, Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. They cowrote a number of successful songs including another novelty tune, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, and Tracy (Cuff Links) among quite a few others that seem to add up to a credible career. Don't think this record here was much of a hit. But if I ever make a movie I will definitely find some way to work Valentina into one of the happy-go-lucky scenes where I walk along the Riviera with some bikini babes in the bright sunshine followed by a carefree parade of vacationers and lazy fishermen as we wind our way between beach blankets and colorful umbrellas. As you can see, the song is simply inspirational, see for yourself...

Chick

Lee and Paul - The Chick - 1959 -
Columbia #4-41337 (ZSP 45738) Side A

Lee and Paul - Valentina, My Valentina - 1959 -
Columbia #4-41337 (ZSP 45739) Side B

Show Me Da Do, Bro...

Shopping for vinyl can be such a crap shoot. You find something you may have heard of, or at least your familiar with the artist, and you check out the grooves, blow a few specs off the surface and decide to let go of your "dough", and off you go home to set needle to vinyl and hope for the best. Usually, when you part with your hard earned cash, you have high expectations, despite some natural skepticism. And so it was with Tut Taylor, the venerable dobro master. And here is the album burned at 128 so you can judge for yourself, but I couldn't help feel a little let down that he didn't go to town a bit more. It actually is a respectable bit of music, a little bluegrass, a little country, and at times just a touch of muzak to boot, there lying the disappointment. But overall it is very well played by Tut and his fellow hay-chewing chums. There's no doubt that this is a masterful group of musicians. I just wish they would have cut loose once in a while here, but instead it's fairly tame. I think it's worthwhile none the less, it has it's moments and is nicely executed for what it is, hopefully you will enjoy this work which seems to be otherwise unavailable from what I can tell. So sit back and listen to Tut, along with Roland & Clarence White and friends. Let 'em ease you through some smooth licks and keep your dough for those Christmas cookies!

DaDo

Tut Taylor - Dobro Country
(with Roland & Clarence White) - 1964

Tut Taylor: dobro
Roland White: mandolin
Clarence White: guitar
Billy Rae: banjo
Victor Gaskin: bass

Monkey business beats no business in this economy...

Having to work for a living is becoming a real drag these days. Guess the financial mess we're in now helps illuninate just how spoiled most of us have been here in the United States. But thankfully, there are some fallbacks to help us through tough times, things like listening to two great guitarists laying down some smooth musings like this next album. Another OOP LP that I found in a record store a couple of years ago. Frankly I was a tad disappointed, it's not exactly challenging, but it is leisurely good listening if you enjoy the expert touch of electric guitarists... like Billy & Johnny on "Makin' It". Not sure what is with the monkey cover here, who was he makin' it with? Especially odd for this mainstream, generally pretty album. But this is good jazz that should be of particular interest to guitar nuts like me. Listen carefully and you will hear some nice stuff, and it should definitely help lower your blood pressure after a day of aggravation at the job...lowering your cholesterol will require turning it up a notch or two, Art Ensemble or Marion Brown perhaps?

MonkeysMakinIt

Johnny Pisano and Billy Bean - Makin' It (Guitar Duets) - 1958

Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good)
Cirrus
Indian Summer
Little Old Lady
When I Fall In Love
Our Waltz
While The Music Plays On
Flute Cocktail
Symphony
The Song Is You
I See Your Face Before Me
Crazy Head

Partial listing of personnel;
Billy Bean: guitar
Johnny Pisano: guitar
Paul Horn: flute
Gene Estes: vibes, drums
Calvin Jackson: piano
Hal Gaylor: bass
Larry Bunker: drums
Fred Katz: piano
Red Callender: tuba
William Green: clarinet

Thanks......

Every day of the year warrants a grateful expression of wonder at what the world has to offer. While it's so easy to get caught up in all the ridiculous wasted energy and egotistical ambitions of so many people, it's not so difficult to simply relax into the many things that have hit the heart since the beginning of memory. So on this Thanksgiving day, 2008, I make this dedication to the spirit of good people and good music. This is yet another inexplicably OOP record by the talented Toshiko Akiyoshi. Since I discovered her big band with former hubby Lew Tabakin, I have been a great fan and was happy to land the following trio album which apparently has never been put to CD. Her playing is so fluid, and although this album features all "cover" tunes by some of the jazz greats like Miles, Powell, Gillespie and Brubeck, I think she is a tremendous composer/arranger as well. I recommend any of her work and I think you will enjoy this one despite the low bit rate here...feel free to give thanks...

Giving

Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio - Dedications - 1979

Side One:
Toshiko Akiyoshi: piano
Bob Daugherty: bass
Jimmy Smith: drums

Solar
Swinging Till The Girls Come Home
Israel

Side Two:
Toshiko Akiyoshi: piano
Andrew Simpkins: bass
Peter Donald: drums

Two Bass Hit
Enigma
In Your Own Sweet Way
Tempus Fujit

Post Roy Syndrome...

Well, by now, anybody bothering to read my posts may be fairly frustrated with my run-on sentences that have little or nothing to do with the respective musical offering. So I'll try to spare you here a bit and simply say, this album is one of those calls where it may have been best to leave it to posterity and free of the internet. But I found it in a record store in Florida and was more than a little intrigued to see "Little" Roy (I'm a complete sucker for great steel guitar) along with the well respected studio guitarist, Kelso Herston, and the next thing I know I had parted with ten bucks and was anxious to give a listen. Well, it's a disappointment overall I'm afraid. I had high hopes, ten dollars worth, but Roy does very "little" here to impress. While there are some moments for him and some of his cast, the playing is largely elevator fare with a generally regrettable vocal chorus that repeats the featured lines from many of these tunes. But I love the pedal steel / steel guitar so much, and this understandably being OOP and uncommitted to CD, I figured, what the heck, here you go. For once I won't apologize for the 128kb rip from this dated LP. Proceed with caution but maybe a few of these tunes will hit the spot. Roy sure can play, he just makes it hard to be sure on this one....

18

"Little" Roy Wiggins - 18 All-Time Hits - 1966 - Starday (SLP 392)

Medley: Candy Kisses/A Prison Without Walls/Show Me The Way Back To Your Heart
Alabam
Seasons of the Heart
Medley: Goodnight Irene/On Top of Old Smokey
Satisfied Mind
Y'All Come

Medley: Faded Love/Maiden's Prayer
You Are The One
Medley: Beautiful Brown Eyes/I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes
The Window Up Above
Medley: Chained To A Memory/I'm Throwing Rice (At The Girl I Love)/You Don't Know Me

"Little" Roy Wiggins: steel guitar
Kelson Herston: guitar
(other musicians unidentified by instrument: Fred Carter, Pete Wade, Billy Linneman, Harold Weakley, Vic Willis, Tommy Hill, and The Ray King Singers)

Moses was a good dog...

Music so often blends with moments in our lives. Maybe as obvious as seeing a band perform the music live, or maybe what was playing on the radio when you heard that Elvis died, or what you had on your stereo when you broke up with what's her name back in your teens. Certain songs and sounds recapture events and people as vividly as any photograph. I remember shortly after my father passed away that it struck me one evening that music just didn't have the same impact, it didn't conjure the same childlike happiness as it used to, and maybe I was right. But generally speaking, with time, music, like all feelings, rekindles and must remain a defining force, and I think I managed to get over it, though not as easily as I got over what's her name. So this leads me somehow to an album that I only listened to for the first time when I burned it not all that long ago. So go figure. It's a good one that features my favorite instrument, the guitar, played by someone who can really play it. Jerry Hahn is another under-recorded master and only a few recordings are available. This album, Moses, was never on CD to my knowledge is really enjoyable. It includes a lot of different techniques and some different feels on the electric guitar. Another 128kb offering from the LP, but it will give you a taste of some special music. Hopefully it will eventually equate to some special person or event in your life......BTW, Moses was the name of an English Mastiff that belonged to a good college friend of mine from New Jersey. He was a big lug, and a good dog, so was my friend...enjoy;

Woof

Jerry Hahn - Moses - 1973 - Fantasy 9426

Moses

Prime Time

Slick & Sharp

Blues Suite

Full Moon and Empty Arms

Sunshine Superman

Joy Spring

All Blues

Honey Suite

Jerry Hahn: guitar

Mel Graves: bass

George Marsh: drums

Merl Saunders: organ, synthesizer

From Sun Up To Hoe Down...

Like everything, variety is also the spice of music. Even when you think you just can't get excited about a certain style or genre, all of a sudden, given the opportunity, you find yourself listening to something that just breaks through. Then you are energized to find out what else there is like it which leads to more stuff that isn't exactly like it which leads to more stuff that isn't anything like it and whammo, back you are to another total surprise discovery. Most of my childhood experience with music was guided by the radio and television and an occasional school play or other musical production. I evolved to the early 70's well entrenched in the popular rock and folk of the day, probably most admiring the likes of James Taylor and Steve Miller, some of which remain old reliables in the CD collection. But my musical epiphany really started with a good friend, one with an already broader range of musical exposure. He played Herbie Hancock's Headhunter album. I knew he was into jazz and I occasionally listened but found much of it difficult to relate to, a difficult segue from The Rolling Stones. I'm not sure which song sealed the deal, Chameleon I think, but with that Hancock album I was soon finding it hard to keep still to that funky good stuff and the fun improvisations that framed it. My first response was to question that this could be considered jazz, in the same realm as Ella & Coltrane where I had failed to truly relate. But more listens to a few more items carefully selected from my buddy's budding collection and you just don't turn back, do you? So Jazz was my first real breakthrough and probably remains my first obsession, but pretty much everything followed in the years to come, in pretty quick succession; Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Classical, Honky Tonk, Reggae, and all the subfiles there of. So while I will say that Sun Ra remains one of the most highly revered among my favorite musicians, there is plenty of other good stuff to talk about and share. In trying to keep with only material that seems totally out of print and unavailable, I am suggesting this second post of Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys as a great example of the heart of Bluegrass and music in general. Joe sings such free flying lead and harmony parts with great sincerity. I always enjoy a certain carefree feel in his mandolin playing as well. "Sparkling Brown Eyes" may not be his best album, but it's hard to pick from the few he has out there, and this one is not available on CD. Not sure why he's been avoided so. Sorry this is another 128kb as one of my early recordings but Joe doesn't need too much hi-fi treatment, just a mandolin and some bluegrass boys!! Enjoy;

Joe

Joe Val and The New England Bluegrass Boys - Sparkling Brown Eyes -

1982 - Rounder Records 0152

Lonesome Road Blues

Silver Haired Daddy of Mine

Out in the Cold World

Going Home

Ribbon of Darkness

Yellow Rose of Texas

Sparkling Brown Eyes

God Loves His Children

T for Texas

The Angels Rejoiced

Fair and Tender Ladies

Vision of Mother

Joe Val: mandolin; lead & tenor vocals

Dave Dillon: rythm guitar; lead guitar on "T for Texas"; lead vocals

Paul Silvius: banjo; baritone vocals; finger style guitar on "God..."; bass vocals on "Going Home".

Eric Levenson: bass

Dave Haney: rythm guitar on "Silver..." & "The Angles..."; tenor vocals on "Silver..."; lead vocals on "The Angels...".

Sonny Miller: fiddle

Jazz...for the record...Freddy Robinson

Music finds its way into the lives of most everybody one way or another. As a business person in sales I often find music the quickest common denominator in breaking the ice and getting to know people. It's particularly helpful to be open minded to all kinds of music and to enjoy most anything in terms of styles or genres. And so the journey forward and back in music. How did the treasure evolve and where will it lead next? Each experience another adventure like a day in the life. Who can ever recall just where it started in their life, but somewhere there is an audio experience that translates into wonder, emotion. And then there's another, and another and eventually it's like walking and we all develop our own styles and preferences. For me, I can recall moments of impersonating the popular performers of the time, a singing 4 year old trying to recreate the gravelly tones of Louis Armstrong and later pretending I was the powerhouse Tom Jones singing "What's New Pussycat" (if only I knew). Then there were the teenage years of discovering 45's and some LP's, experimenting with my own acoustic guitar to try my hand at Donovan and Simon & Garfunkel, etc. Eventually there came the bands and playing in some local bars and clubs, The Beatles to Allman Brothers, along with original endeavors, eventually playing out the string into a pass time that keeps a low profile. But the steady influence of the rest of the world's music has lived on through it all. The never ending collection of 8-tracks, cassettes, records, CD's and MP3's, etc., is a source of personal expression and pride. And now, with this new blog, I want to document some of my thoughts along with offering some occasional treasures for fellow listeners to enjoy and share in my excitement about the world of music I call home. Of all the great albums I might consider to initiate my postings here, I offer an elusive work by the funkified Freddy Robinson. I saw Freddy perform with John Mayall & His Bluesbreakers back in the 70's and I have tried to find all of his recordings since. This one has been particularly tough to track down and it's now re-ripped at 320 (6/21/09 update) so have a listen....

Freddy Robinson - Hot Fun In The Summertime - 1970

Liberty LST-11007= Pacific Jazz PJ 20176

Caprice's Green Grass

Moonglow

I Want To Hold Your Hand

I'm In Love

Hot Fun In The Summertime

Someday We'll Be Together

Becky's Rainbow

The Creeper

Link to re-post

Recorded 1970 in Los Angeles;

Freddy Robinson: guitar

unknown: piano

Henry Franklin: acoustic bass

Wilton Felder: electric bass

Paul Humphrey: drums

Al Vescovo: guitar

Bobby Bryant & Freddy Hill: trumpets

Tom Scott: alto sax

Bill Green: sax, poss.

Clydie King, Darlene Love & Edna Wright: vocals

Sid Garp's string section

Welcome Fellow Listeners...

With the holiday season already descending upon America, what better way to initiate this blog than under the name of a personal favorite Christmas song. In fact, the composer of the tune was a friend of my family, Noel Regney. He actually co wrote the song, Do You Hear What I Hear, with his wife and lived in Connecticut during his later life when my parents befriended him. He played piano and sang at the Ridgefield Inn as I recall. I remember him as a very nice gentleman. And so, there is the inspiration for the blog name. My own ID is inspired from quite a different source, none other than the great Herman "Sonny" Blount. I was fortunate enough to have seen Sun Ra with his Arkestra a couple of times and only wish I had made the effort to see him more often. But what I did experience certainly was special as are all his recordings from my experience. So from traditional Christmas tunes to the supremely bizarre and wonderful jazz from timeless space, I christen this blog in the name of peace and the joy of the listeners everywhere. Thanks for stopping in. I will be documenting some of my music collection, mostly LP's and hope to post some of the interesting OOP's.