quinta-feira, 29 de janeiro de 2015

BEYOND MUSICOLOGY AND FURTHER ... again

Another time down ... another time ON! Enjoy.

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Eric Burdon & War - Blackman's Burdon 1971

Eric Burdon's second and final album with WarBlack-Man's Burdon was a double set that could have benefited from quite a bit of judicious editing. Composed mostly of sprawling psychedelic funk jams, it does find War mapping out much of the jazz/Latin/soul grooves that, cut down to much more economical song structures, would shortly bring them success on their own. Highlights include the soulful vamps "Pretty Colors" and "They Can't Take Away Our Music"; the 13-minute "Paint It Black" medley reflects the height of their eccentricity, and not one, but two covers of "Nights in White Satin" are absurd low points. AMG.

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Cockney Rebel - The Human Menagerie 1974

Indulging for the first time in Cockney Rebel's debut album -- and one uses the word "indulging" deliberately, for like so much else that's this delicious, you cannot help but feel faintly sinful when it's over -- is like waking up from a really weird dream, and discovering that reality is weirder still. A handful of Human Menagerie's songs are slight, even forced, and certainly indicative of the group's inexperience. But others -- the labyrinthine "Sebastian," the loquacious "Death Trip" in particular -- possess confidence, arrogance, and a doomed, decadent madness which astounds. Subject to ruthless dissection, Steve Harley's lyrics were essentially nonsense, a stream of disconnected images whose most gallant achievement is that they usually rhyme. But what could have been perceived as a weakness -- or, more generously, an emotionally overwrought attempt to blend Byronwith Burroughs -- is actually their strength. Few of the songs are about anything in particular. But withRoy Thomas Baker's sub-orchestral production driving strings and things to unimaginable heights, and Cockney Rebel's own unique instrumentation -- no lead guitar, but a killer violin -- pursuing its own twisted journey, those images gel more solidly than the best constructed story. The Human Menagerie is a dark cabaret -- the darkest. Though Harley has furiously decried the band's historical inclusion in the glam rock pack, there's no separating the nocturnal theatrics of "Muriel the Actor," "Mirror Freak," or "What Ruthy Said" from at least the fringes of the movement. The difference is, other artists simply sung about absinthe and Sweet Ipomoea. Harley actually knew what they were. Unquestionably, he drew from many of the same literary, artistic, and celluloid sources as both David Bowie and Bryan Ferry, the only performers who could reasonably claim to have preempted his vision. But he went far beyond them, through the Berlin of Isherwood to the reality of the Weimar; past the Fritz Lang movies which everyone's seen, to the unpublished screenplays which no one has read. And though Harley might not have been the first cultural genius of his age, he was the first who wasn't content to simply zap the prevailing zeitgeist. He wanted to suck out its soul. And he very nearly succeeded. AMG.

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City Boy - Young Men Gone West 1977

At a time when punk rock and new wave were sweeping the music charts, Birmingham, England-based quintet, City Boy, produced melodic, hook-laden, progressive rock tunes. Despite placing two songs, "5--7--0--5," and "The Day the Earth Caught Fire," the title track of their 1979 album, in the British Top Ten, the band failed to capitalize on their commercial success and disbanded in 1981. According to The Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock, City Boy is remembered for their "strong identification with progressive rock and funk-oriented tracks." The inspiration for City Boy was sparked in the early '60s when lead vocalists Steve Broughton and Lol Mason met in prep school. In 1964,Mason befriended 12-string guitarist and bongo player Max Thomas. Two years later, Broughton,Mason, and Thomas recorded an acoustic album. left school and began writing songs together. WhenThomas left to attend Suffolk University shortly afterwards, he lost touch with Broughton and Mason. By the time they reestablished their relationship, in 1969, Thomas had suffered several nervous breakdowns and was confined to the psychiatric ward of a hospital. BroughtonMason, and acoustic guitarist Chris would pick him up each evening to spend the night jamming together. As an acoustic group, "Back-in-the-Band," the musicians began playing semi-regularly in a folk club, The Cherry Trees. In 1973, the group, renamed City Boy, was signed by the Vertigo label with the stipulation that they add an electric guitarist (Mike Slamer) and a drummer (Roger Kent). Their debut album, Mark I, was released three years later. Their first single, "Hap-Ki-Do," reached number 32 on the British charts. Kent was replaced by Roy Ward in 1978, shortly before the band embarked on a four-month tour of the United States as opening act for Hall And Oates. Although they signed with Atlantic for U.S. and Canada distribution, the days of City Boy were practically over. Despite moving to New York State, the band began to splinter with the departure of Broughton and Chris. Shortly after releasing a single on their own City Boy label in 1982, the group disbanded. 
On this album, the band focuses on the glam rock sound of the mid- to late-'70s (swirling guitars, high-pitched harmonies) on tracks like "Dear Jean (I'm Nervous)" and "The Man Who Ate His Car," butCity Boy maintains its soft rock sound with light keyboard touches and soft vocals on songs such as "One After Two" and the title track. Young Men Gone West has an interesting, albeit uneven, mix of songs that doesn't have the same quirky, eclectic feel of the first two albums -- but it is a worthy effort nonetheless. AMG.

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Eddie Boyd & His Blues Band - Eddie Boyd & His Blues Band 1967

b. Edward Riley Boyd, 25 November 1914, Stovall, Mississippi, USA, d. 13 July 1994, Helsinki, Finland. Boyd was a half-brother of Memphis Slim and a cousin of Muddy Waters. He spent his early years on Stovall’s Plantation but ran away after a dispute with an overseer. Self-taught on guitar and piano, he worked around the south during the 30s, as both ‘Little Eddie’ and ‘Ernie’ Boyd, from a base in Memphis, before settling in Chicago where he worked in a steel-mill. He was active in music, performing with Waters, Johnny Shines and John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson before he had his first big hit under his own name with ‘Five Long Years’, on the Job label in 1952. He recorded extensively for Chess Records, having successes with ‘24 Hours’ and ‘3rd Degree’. He journeyed to Europe during the ‘Blues Boom’ of the 60s and, considering himself too assertive to live comfortably in the USA, took up residence first in Paris and later in Finland. During this period he appeared with artists as diverse as Buddy Guy and John Mayall and recorded in England, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, France and Finland. His 1967 album on Decca Records, produced by Mike Vernon, features some of the cream of the British blues movement; Mayall, Peter Green, John McVie, Tony McPhee and Aynsley Dunbar. His piano-playing was steadily functional rather than spectacular and his main strength was his ability to put together lyrics that were pithy and acidic. ‘Five Long Years’ has become a blues standard and features in the repertoires of many singers including Waters and B.B. King. AMG.

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Emil Richards - New Sound Element, Stones 1966

A well-respected studio musician long based in Los Angeles, Emil Richards has been on a countless number of sessions, contributing his vibes mostly anonymously to recordings in all genres of music. He started playing xylophone when he was six and, while still in tenth grade, Richards played with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from the Hartt School of Music and Hilliard College (1949-52), he played in an Army band in Japan (working with Toshiko Akiyoshi). Richards later worked with Charles MingusWillie RuffEd ShaughnessyEd Thigpen, George Shearing's Quintet (1956-58), Paul Horn (1960-64), Jimmy WitherspoonShorty Rogers and many others. In the early-to-mid 1960's, Richards co-led the Hindustani Jazz Sextet with Don Ellis, mixing together Indian music with jazz. He was also a member of Stan Kenton's Neophonic Orchestra, the Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet and toured with both Frank Sinatra and Frank Zappa in the 1970's. Emil Richards, who recorded as a leader for Impulse (1965-66) and Interworld (two CDs in 1994-95), owns over 350 percussion instruments and has long been interested in ethnic folk music although he considers his main influence to be Lionel Hampton. AMG.

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Chris Harwood - Nice to meet Miss Christine 1970

Nowadays Chris Harwood is being touted as Britain's great lost female folksinger. That's understandable -- her sole record, Nice to Meet Miss Christine, launched the tiny indie Birth label in 1970. The album disappeared soon after, probably because most listeners were unable to get beyond the first track, the exceedingly self-righteous, anti-racist "Mama," whose justified anger doesn't exonerate the song's lack of melody. Or maybe it was due to the fact that Nice wasn't really a folk album at all, as the guest musician roster makes clear. Guitarist Peter Banks was a founding member of Yes, pianist/organist Tommy Eyre would soon be joining Rainbow, brass and woodwind player Ian McDonald hailed from King Crimson, drummer Pete York came from the Spencer Davis Group, and guitarist Mike Maran would eventually become Britain's top musical arranger. Not a folkie in sight, but one hell of a lineup, expanding the sound of what one assumes was Harwood's own group -- guitarist Dave Lambert, bassist Roger Sutton, and drummer J. Kay Boots. Thus the songs sound phenomenal (even if the transfer to CD creates a hollowness at the center), the musicianship is flawless, and the set is as eclectic as one would imagine with these players on board. Jazzy fusion, jammy prog rock, pomp rock, revved-up R&B, and combinations of all of the above swirl across the set. The musicians are so busy showboating that melodies are mostly ignored, most spectacularly on the covers of Dave Mason's "Crying to Be Heard" and Crosby, Stills & Nash's "Wooden Ships," a situationHarwood does little to resolve. She's best showcased on the sultry blues of "Flies Like a Bird," but elsewhere too often slides into waspishness or worse -- harangues. A musical Margaret Thatcher is no good thing, but that's how Harwood comes across, all hectoring tones and wagging finger, even on the love songs. It's no surprise, then, that the iron chanteuse never made another record, but if you can ignore her, the backing is sensational. AMG.

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Clancy - Seriously Speaking 1975

Formed in London, England in 1975, Clancy was comprised of Dave Skinner (keyboards, vocals), Ernie Graham (guitar, vocals), Dave Vasco (guitar, vocals), Jim Cuomo (saxophone), Sam Mitchell (dobro), Colin Bass (bass, vocals), Barry Ford (drums, vocals) and Gaspar Lawal (percussion). Skinner was already renowned as a session musician, working with, among others, Bryan Ferry, and had previously been a member of Uncle Dog. Ernie Graham had been a member of Eire Apparent and Help Yourself and had completed a solo album in 1971. Gaspar Lawal’s credits included work with Graham Bond, Joan Armatrading, Stephen Stills and Viv Stanshall. Clancy quickly became a popular live attraction, blending skilled musicianship with the relaxed, goodtime atmosphere of contemporaries Kokomo and ‘pub rock’ favourites Bees Make Honey. They secured a major record contract with Warner Brothers Records, but sadly their two albums for the company failed to recreate the atmosphere of live performances. They split up in 1976, after which Skinner and Lawal resumed their careers as session musicians while Graham worked with Nick Lowe. AMG.

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Day of Phoenix - Wide Open n' Way 1970

The Danish group was founded in 1968 by Cy Nicklin (later in Culpeper's Orchard) with Karsten Lyng Nielsen, Jess Staehr Nielsen, Ole Prehn and Henrik Friis Nielsen. They released the first single (1969) and participated in different events but in 1969 Cy Nicklin left the group and was replaced by Hans Lauridsen (and Stوhr by Erik Stedt Rasmussen).

In 1970 the band released the LP Wide Open N-Way. The music is psychedelic rock with clear feeling flowing from American bands. The lyrics are all sung in English. I met very different opinions about this album but it is definitely interesting and original work. Its producer (and of the following one) was Tony Reeves, ex-Colosseum bassist. Wide Open N-Way was warmly received and got some interest worldwide. Two years later the group reformed (besides Karsten Lyng and Ole Prehn there were three BRI members: Ole Fick, Jess Stوhr, Bo Thrige Andersen) and recorded the second album. Unfortunately, it presents mediocre rock compositions far behind its predecessor.

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Crack The Sky - Safety in Numbers 1978

It's generally a bad sign when the lead singer quits a band in the middle of an album, especially when that singer wrote every song on the band's previous two albums. It is therefore somewhat surprising that Safety in Numbers was not merely a good album, but one which rivals Crack the Sky's award-wining first release. Though departing leader John Palumbo contributed a few vocals before quitting the band, new singer Gary Lee Chappell and other bandmembers filled in nicely on a mix ofPalumbo's songs and new tunes written by guitarist Rick Witkowski and various partners. The two songs written by Palumbo aren't even the best -- that distinction would have to go to "A Night on the Town (With Snow White)," a delightful piece that mixes styles from the 1920s and progressive rock in a way that is probably unique. There are other lyrical gems here too, including the grim title cut and the sarcastic concert favorite "Lighten Up McGraw." Palumbo's "Nuclear Apathy" is five minutes of good song stretched to eight minutes, though the splendid guitar work and inspired arrangement does much to redeem the error. Taken as a whole, Safety in Numbers showed that there was more toCrack the Sky than John Palumbo, and that the band was ready to carry on in high style. AMG.

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Embryo - Steig Aus 1973

Steig Aus marks a turning point for Embryo. Recorded in 1971-1972, during three separate sessions that also gave birth to Rocksession, the album captures the group actively looking for the ethnic fusion that will soon become its main m.o. for the better part of the decade. It also signals the beginning of the group's distancing from the record industry -- both albums were rejected by their major label, which led to a transaction with the forward-looking small label Brain. Steig Aus features extremely inspired jazz-rock jams, which makes it a lot less friendly than their 1974 hit record, a lot jazzier too, but still a breathtaking journey into Krautrock-meets-American free jazz-meets-North African percussion. The first session yielded the side-long "Call," a loosely structured suite, and "Dreaming Girls," a Miles Davis-like ballad. Both tracks feature drummer Christian Burchard, bassist Jörg Evers, violinist Edgar Hoffmann, U.S. organist Jimmy Jackson, and American jazz keyboardist Mal Waldron. The latter, who had previously played with Eric Dolphy and Max Roach, among other luminaries, was called in as a guest. "Radio Marrakesch/Orient Express," which ended up opening the album, was recorded a while later, when the group reconvened in the studio, minus Hoffmann and Evers (the latter being replaced by Dave King). The track is already opening a window on Middle Eastern influences, with extra ethnic touches (particularly in the percussion department) added a few months later, when the group came back from a trip to North Africa. Steig Aus is a pretty unique cross between German psychedelic rock and American electric jazz. It is probably not the best place to start exploring Embryo's discography, but it deserves special attention nonetheless. AMG.

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quarta-feira, 21 de janeiro de 2015

Biff Rose - The Thorn in Mrs.Rose's Side 1968

The charm and appeal of Rose's debut album have dated. His straining voice can be hard to take, and the lyrics that might have sounded sly and subversive (like the cop in "Buzz the Fuzz" who falls in love with "Alice D" after starting to bust her for drugs) at the time can sound overly cutesy now. His words are often clever, though, and the arrangements, matching his Broadway-style piano to light Hollywood orchestras, have a greater attraction than those that simply let Rose play the keys alone. This is theRose album that will interest Bowie fans and rock historians the most, as it includes the original versions of "Fill Your Heart" (covered by Bowie on Hunky Dory) and "Buzz the Fuzz" (covered by Bowielive in the early 1970s), and the approach and arrangements were a clear influence on Hunky Dory. AMG. Thanks to B.!

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Horace Tapscott - The Giant Is Awakened 1969

While Los Angeles is the power center of the popular music industry, it's always been a backwater as far as jazz is concerned. That's not because L.A. hasn't produced more than it's share of great players: a roll call of major players who made L.A. their home at some point would include Art PepperDexter GordonOrnette ColemanGerry MulliganChet Baker, and Charles Mingus, among many others. L.A.'s second-class status in the jazz world probably has more to do with the fact that it's about as geographically distant from the music's capitol -- New York City -- as is possible while still remaining on the same continent. Given the fact that, over the last several decades, New York critics have become probably the most provincial in jazzdom, it's little wonder that so many great California-based musicians are less critically vaunted than they might justifiably be. Simply put, being famous is not something a jazz musician from Los Angeles can count on. Horace Tapscott was the quintessence of the neglected Californian. Tapscott was a powerful, highly individual, bop-tinged pianist with avant-garde leanings; a legend and something of a father figure to latter generations of L.A.-based free jazz players, Tapscott labored mostly on the fringes of the critical mainstream, recording prolifically, but mostly for the small, poorly distributed Nimbus label. The quality of the music on those releases, however, was almost invariably high. His pianistic technique was hard and percussive, likened by some to that of Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols and every bit as distinctive. In contexts ranging from freely improvised duos to highly arranged big bands, Tapscott exhibited a solo and compositional voice that was his own.
Tapscott was born in Houston, TX, to a musical family. His mother, Mary Malone Tapscott, was a professional singer and pianist. At the age of nine, Tapscott moved with his family to Los Angeles. Tapscott reached maturity at a critical time in the history of L.A. jazz. The late '40s saw musicians the caliber of Dexter GordonArt Tatum, and Coleman Hawkins play the city's Central Avenue clubs with regularity;Charlie Parker also made the city home for a brief -- and infamous -- period. Saxophonist Buddy Collette and drummer Gerald Wilson were friends of the family. In his teens, Tapscott studied music with Dr. Samuel Brown andLloyd Reese (students of the latter also included saxophonists Frank Morgan and Eric Dolphy).Tapscott studied trombone and piano. He graduated from Jefferson High School in 1952. He enlisted in the Air Force and played in a service band while stationed in Wyoming. After his discharge, Tapscottreturned to Los Angeles, where he worked freelance. A stint as a trombonist with Lionel Hampton's big band took Tapscott to New York in 1959, where he was introduced by Eric Dolphy to John Coltrane. After a brief period in the city, Tapscott moved back to L.A. Around this time, Tapscott began concentrating on the piano. In the '60s, Tapscott became involved with the jazz avant-garde and community activism. In 1961, he helped found the Union of God's Musicians and Artists Ascension, which eventually spawned his Pan-African People's Arkestra. Both groups were designed to further the interests of creative young black jazz musicians. In 1968, Tapscott composed and arranged music for an acclaimed LP by the saxophonist Sonny Criss entitled The Birth of the New Cool. He had also begun leading a small group that included the soon-to-be-famous alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe
This band produced Tapscott's first album as a leader, The Giant Is Awakened, in 1969. Tapscottspent the next decade playing his own music and working in the community. His activism got him labeled as a troublemaker by many in the musical establishment. Paying gigs were scarce in the '70s, although Tapscott continued to create, performing at Parks and Recreation events and in churches around Watts. During this period, his only regular gig was at the Troubador on L.A.'s Restaurant Row. In 1977, Tapscott revived the dormant Pan-Afrikan People's Arkestra. The band became a multidisciplinary troupe, combining music with dance and poetry. The group came to the attention of producer Tom Albach, who began recording Tapscott for the Nimbus label. The long succession of albums to follow would become the basis of the pianist/composer's small but growing reputation. Albach also booked European tours for Tapscott, thus exposing his music worldwide. In 1979,Tapscott recorded with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Art Taylor. In the '80s, Tapscott continued to flourish creatively as he continued to record for Nimbus (and in 1989, Hat Art) and perform both at home and abroad. In 1994, Tapscott took the entire Arkestra on a tour of Europe, with Blythe as a featured soloist. In the '90s, Tapscott had the opportunity -- long denied -- of recording for a well-distributed domestic label. Arabesque issued aiee! the Phantom, a quintet date that featured bassist Reggie Workman, drummer Andrew Cyrille, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, and alto saxophonistAbraham Burton. Arabesque followed that with Thoughts of Dar-Es Salaam (1997), a trio set that included bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Billy Hart. At the time of his death in 1999 of lung cancer, it seemed that Tapscott's work was finally beginning to receive the attention it deserved. AMG.

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