An Overdose Of Fingal Cocoa

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin

2012-02-26T00:28:00.001+01:00

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - Spin - 1991 - Broken Records/Line Records (Germany)

In contrast to the dense, layered textures of The Big Idea, Spin is a lighter album with more of a pop sensibility. Opening with a mad re-imagining of Rufus Thomas' R & B classic 'Walking The Dog', it also features reworkings of the great '60s singles 'Eight Miles High' and 'Cast Your Fate To The Wind' and a haunting version of Joni Mitchell's 'Amelia'. Dave Stewart originals include the tender ballads 'Star Blind' and 'The Cloths Of Heaven' (based on a poem by W.B.Yeats), and a tribute to the legendary record producer Joe Meek, 'Your Lucky Star', presented here for the first time in its full-length form. © Broken Records, UK http://www.davebarb.demon.co.uk/dsbgcds.html

You would never in your wildest dreams guess that Dave Stewart led progressive rock bands like Egg and National Health from listening to the rubbery 80s synth funk on this album. Not that this is 80s pop. With cover tunes and some originals, the duo mine both an elegant pop and rubbery funk that is complex. This is not art rock, but you can tell by the tricky rhythms and layered arrangements, this is no pop album either. But the ironies go deeper and get better. Art rockers expanded rock in the 1960s and 70s. Stewart and Gaskin are covering tracks here like "Walking The Dog" and "Eight Miles High." Redefining the rock--with radically different treatments-that prog tried to escape from. In doing so, the master has become the apprentice, and by msking parts of classic rock cannon into something completely different, becomes the master, once again. ****/5 Excellent February 25, 2010 By & © Bill Your 'Free Form FM Handi Cyber Print DJ ... (Mahwah, NJ USA) © 1996-2012, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Having spent most of the eighties cooped up in the studio, Dave & Barbara resumed live performance in 1990. After a short tour of the US East Coast and Midwest the duo returned to the UK and recorded Spin, which (as a result of a new, live-based approach and relatively short recording schedule) has a somewhat more direct and pop-based approach than its predecessor The Big Idea. "A Customer" on Amazon.com said that "This is an album not to miss. It's a creative mix of covers with very hip arrangements allowing Dave's technology to be tempered by the warm humanity of Barbara's voice. If I had to knock it, I'd say it didn't have enough rough edges, yet Eight Miles High is a brilliant rethinking of the Byrds' classic. This and others have a way of staying with you, and you'll find yourself humming, if not singing along outright". The instrumental "The Curve of the Earth" is more progressive rock than pop (Prog-Pop!), and was originally composed as an overture to The Byrds' classic "Eight Miles High". This is not your average crap commercial "pop" music, but intelligent and original music which has been dubbed "pop music for adults". Check out Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado" album and also Hatfield and the North's classic "The Rotters' Club" album both featuring Dave and Barbara. For more good "Prog-Pop", listen to Scritti Politti's "Cupid And Psyche" album or Thomas Dolby's "Aliens Ate My Buick" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Pt 1 (Tracks 1-6 80.6 Mb), & Pt 2 (Tracks 7-13 83.9 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Walking The Dog - Rufus Thomas 6:16
2 The Cloths Of Heaven - David L. Stewart 3:39 **
3 8 Miles High - David Crosby, Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn 4:40
4 Amelia - Joni Mitchell 6:05
5 Trash Planet - David L. Stewart 5:55
6 Golden Rain - David L. Stewart 5:36
7 Your Lucky Star - David L. Stewart 5:13
8a Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Vincent Anthony Guaraldi / 8b Louie Louie - Richard Berry [Medley] 5:02
9 The 60s Never Die - David L. Stewart 6:34
10 Star Blind - David L. Stewart 6:28
11 Fear Is The Thief - David L. Stewart 5:47 *
12 McGroggan - David L. Stewart 3:34 *
13 The Curve Of The Earth - David L. Stewart 3:56 *

N.B: * Bonus Tracks (Not on the 1991 US Rykodisc CD issue): ** Lyrics based on a W.B.Yeats poem

MUSICIANS

Dave Stewart - Keyboards, Rhythm Programming
Andy Reynolds - Guitar on Tracks 1,2,3,5,7,8,9
Gavin Harrison - Drums on Track 3: Percussion on Tracks 2,6
Jimmy Hastings - Bass Clarinet on Track 10: Flute on Tracks 6, 10
Barbara Gaskin - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Roger Planer - Voice [Deep Bass ] on Tracks 1,5
Sam Ball - Voice on Track 5: Victor Lewis-Smith - Voice on Track 1
Dexter James - Voice [Shouting] on Track 5

DAVE STEWART BIO (WIKI)

Dave Stewart (born David Lloyd Stewart, 30 December 1950, Waterloo, London) is an English keyboardist and composer who has worked with singer Barbara Gaskin since 1981. He played in the progressive rock bands Uriel, Egg, Khan, Hatfield and the North, National Health and Bruford. Stewart is the author of two books on music theory and wrote a music column for Keyboard magazine (USA) for 13 years. He has also composed music for TV, film and radio, much of it for Victor Lewis-Smith's ARTV production company. Having joined local band The Southsiders while still at school, Stewart's musical career began in earnest at the age of 17 when he played organ in Uriel with Mont Campbell (bass, vocals), Steve Hillage (guitar, vocals) and Clive Brooks (drums). After a summer residency on the Isle of Wight in the summer of 1968, Hillage left the group to go to university. Uriel continued as a trio, later changed their name to Egg and subsequently recorded two albums for Decca. In 1969 Hillage briefly rejoined his former bandmates to record a one-off psychedelic album under the pseudonym Arzachel. In 1972 Stewart guested on Hillage's new band Khan's first album. After the break-up of Egg in 1973, Stewart joined Hatfield and the North, described by author Jonathan Coe as "probably the best-loved of the so-called 'Canterbury' bands". (Coe's novel 'The Rotters' Club' takes its title from the band's second album.) Hatfield broke up in 1975 and after guesting with the Steve Hillage-led Gong on a few French gigs Stewart founded National Health with fellow keyboardist Alan Gowen and ex-Hatfield guitarist Phil Miller. Finding a permanent drummer proved difficult; Bill Bruford played with the group for a few months and was eventually replaced by Pip Pyle, thereby reuniting three of the former Hatfield musicians. Stewart subsequently guested on Bill Bruford's debut solo album Feels Good to Me (1977) before joining his band Bruford. Having recorded three albums and played two successful US tours, the Bruford group was discontinued in 1980. Stewart immediately formed Rapid Eye Movement with his friends Pip Pyle (drums), Rick Biddulph (who had been a roadie and sound engineer for Hatfield and National Health) on bass and Jakko Jakszyk (guitar & vocals). The UK REM (not to be confused with the contemporaneous American band of the same name) was conceived primarily as a live band and never recorded an album, although poor-quality tapes of live concerts in France survive. In 1981 Stewart changed musical direction and began experimenting with pop arrangements and songwriting. His first solo release, a heavy electronic reworking of Jimmy Ruffin's Motown soul classic 'What Becomes of the Brokenhearted' featuring guest vocals by The Zombies founder and vocalist Colin Blunstone, reached #13 in the UK Singles Chart. For a follow-up, Stewart recruited friend and former Hatfield backing vocalist Barbara Gaskin to record a version of the '60s teen lament 'It's My Party'. Released in the autumn of 1981, the single reached #1 in Britain and Germany and topped the UK charts for four weeks. Stewart and Gaskin have worked together ever since and have released five albums. The duo occasionally play live gigs augmented by Andy Reynolds on guitar and in September 2001 performed in Japan as a quartet with Gavin Harrison on drums. The keyboardist's side projects include reforming National Health in 1981 to produce a memorial album for keyboardist Alan Gowen, producing the hit single 'Hole In My Shoe' and 'Neil's Heavy Concept Album' for comedian Nigel Planer (well known for his hippie character in 'The Young Ones' TV series) and producing the first album by Bill Bruford's electro-jazz outfit Earthworks. Stewart has also composed TV music – in the mid-'80s he wrote the new title theme to the revamped BBC Television AOR show 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' and later wrote, produced and performed much of the soundtrack to the TV drama series 'Lost Belongings', set in Northern Ireland. From the 1990s on he has written music for programmes made by British production company Associated Rediffusion. These include the Channel 4 series 'Inside Victor Lewis-Smith' (1995), 'Ads Infinitum' (BBC2, 1999) and the 2003 documentary on the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 'Alchemists of Sound'.

BARBARA GASKIN BIO (WIKI)

Barbara Gaskin is a British singer (born 1950 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire) who, with her musical partner, the keyboardist Dave Stewart, formed a duo in 1981. In September of that year they had a number one single in the UK with a cover version of the song "It's My Party". Subsequent singles "Busy Doing Nothing" (1983), and "The Locomotion" (1986) also entered the UK Singles Chart, without reaching the heights of their debut release. Five albums followed, released on the duo's own Broken Records label. Gaskin and Stewart continue to work together and occasionally play live concerts with Andy Reynolds on guitar. Gaskin was formerly lead vocalist in British folk-prog band Spirogyra (1969–1974). In the 1970s she also sang backing vocals in Stewart's band Hatfield and the North. Gaskin has sung with Egg (The Civil Surface), National Health, Peter Blegvad (The Naked Shakespeare), Phil Miller, Nigel Planer (Neil's Heavy Concept Album), Jane Wiedlin (Tangled), Rick Biddulph and Mont Campbell (Music from a Round Tower). Barbara Gaskin was born and grew up in Hatfield (SE England). She had formal training in piano and cello from the age of 10. In her early teens she taught herself very basic acoustic guitar (Lesson 1: The strings face outwards) and performed in local folk clubs. In 1969 she moved from Hatfield to Canterbury to study for a degree in Philosophy and Literature at Kent University, but immediately became involved in the Canterbury music scene, joining folk rock group Spirogyra as vocalist. Spirogyra quickly procured a recording contract and subsequently made 3 albums, namely:- 'St Radigunds' B & C Records (CAS 1042), 'Old Boot Wine' Pegasus Records (PEG 13), and 'Bells, Boots, & Shambles' Polydor (2310 246), while gigging extensively on the UK college circuit, as well as completing numerous successful tours of Europe. During the same period, Barbara met guitarist Steve Hillage (also a student at Kent University) and via Steve, the members of Canterbury band Caravan, and Steve's old friend and musical colleague Dave Stewart. Barbara guested both live and on record with Dave's band 'Hatfield & The North', and was a member of the 'Ottawa Music Company', brainchild of Dave Stewart and `Henry Cow' drummer Chris Cutler. The intricate, largely instrumental music of bands such as Egg, Hatfield & The North and Henry Cow, and by contrast, the more spontaneous, lyrically driven approach of Spirogyra, were both powerful formative musical influences on Barbara during the six years she lived in Canterbury. When Spirogyra split up, Barbara left England to travel in Asia for nearly three years, following her interest in Eastern philosophy and culture while earning money by teaching English. She continued to sing - in Japan, professionally - and while living in Java and Bali became very interested in gamelan music. She also lived in India for a total of 18 months. On returning to England, Barbara was invited by drummer Germaine Dolan to play keyboards and sing in the all female band Red Roll On. Based in Canterbury, the band played in clubs and art colleges in the London area. But Barbara also renewed her musical association with Dave Stewart by contributing vocals to his compositions on Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado" album. In 1981 Dave & Barbara joined forces and recorded the hit single "It's My Party". The collaboration has continued to this day with a series of singles and albums on their own Broken Records label and Rykodisc Records.

The Russ Tippins Electric Band

2012-02-25T00:39:00.001+01:00

The Russ Tippins Electric Band - Electrickery - 2010 - Arty Music

The Russ Tippins Electric Band is a newly formed Blues-Rock trio from Newcastle, England. The trio play blues drenched guitar rock built around Russ' smoky Strat licks and soaring vocals. In six short months of gigging they have managed to create an enviable following and reputation around the North East's bar/club circuit, and to rapturous reviews

Here’s a rocking release that will appeal to all lovers of the ‘power trio’ . . . The Russ Tippins Electric Band, hailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who, on “Electrickery” deliver ten tracks, all original, bar one Jimi Hendrix cover, of ‘foot to the boards’ blues rock, that has already gained the band a most favourable review in “Classic Rock” magazine . . . no mean feat! Actually make that 11 tracks, with a hidden gem at the end! The band comprises of Russ Tippins himself on guitar and vocals, and the rock steady rhythm section of John Dawson (bass) and Ian Halford (drums), who have played together for five years in two different outfits. This looks like a well-organised outfit, from fine production of the music (recorded on home turf at Cluny Studios in Newcastle), nice cd packaging and press kit . . . the band have yet to strike out from their native North East, finding gigs outside of their area hard to come by despite the album having national distribution. Things get off to a blazing start with the sole cover, Jimi Hendrix’s “Freedom”, admirably very well done here. The rest of the songs are all written by Russ Tippins, starting with the SRV-influenced driving blues rocker “Little Josephine”, fired by his expressive voice, blistering soloing and the top rhythm section. “Comeuppance” has a deceptively gentle intro before this slide-driven rocker kicks into life, with the pace genuinely taken down on the lovely “She’s Gone” with some very tasteful licks from Tippins on this ballad. “Number Thirteen” rocks hard and would sit easily in the British classic rock field; the following “This Building’s On Fire” is a breakneck boogie with some delicious guitar playing, and I would imagine absolutely belting live! “Chuck It” is a mid-tempo rocker, which is followed by the title cut, “Electrickery”, a pure showcase for Russ Tippins guitar work, which rides along on a nice groove, with that sort of fluid Ernie Isley meets Hendrix guitar tone, very nice indeed! The listed closing “Indy Boogie”, with what sounds like a snatch of AC/DC thrown in for good measure, is a fitting rocking closer to a most enjoyable release, with a ‘hidden’ bonus track, a rousing cover of Led Zeppelin’s “The Lemon Song”. Hopefully this band will be enjoyed nationwide and not just in their home area in 2011! © GRAHAME RHODES © 2010 - bluesinthenorthwest.com http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/2011/01/12/review-the-russ-tippins-electric-band-electrickery/

The promotional material that accompanied this release touts guitarist Russ Tippins as a popular performer in the North East section of England, due in large part to his well regarded solo acoustic set. For this release, Tippins favors the blues/rock power trio format that was the rage in England during the 1960s when bands like the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream ruled the airwaves along with the Who and Led Zeppelin, also power trios that featured a singer as the front man. Tippins pays respect to the past on the opening track, a straightforward cover of the Hendrix tune “Freedom” with John Dawson contributing a pounding bass line and drummer Ian Halford matching him with a strong beat. Things pick up on the next song, “Little Josephine”, with a potent vocal from the leader over a guitar line that harks back to the Peter Gunn theme. Tippins delivers another stellar vocal on “Comeuppance” that is matched by his furious slide guitar playing. While the pace slows on the ballad “She’s Gone”, the band maintains the intensity level as Tippins alternates blues licks with power chords and some rapid-fire picking. Tippins injects little twists and variations into each song that hold your interest even when his lyrics fail to match the quality of his arrangements. “Number Thirteen” is one cut where the band’s enthusiasm and soaring voice carry the day. “This Building’s on Fire” is a high octane rockabilly romp that gives Tippins a chance to demonstrate his dexterity with the guitar, firing off notes so fast that at times your ears will struggle to keep up with what he is playing. Even at the frantic pace, Tippins manages to play creative lines that make this track a highlight. The rhythm section lays down a nice shuffle beat on “Chuck It” that the leader uses as a springboard for more tasty guitar work as he belts out his tale of the downward spiral of his life. The guitar intro to the title track reaffirms Tippins debt to the Hendrix legacy before the tune shifts to a hard, funky groove that Tippins rides with clean, fluid lines that also echo the Carlos Santana guitar style. “Lawrence” is a stadium rock anthem with Tippins delivering a masterful vocal performance. At times on this track, the band sounds like a hard rocking version of Journey (a comparison meant only in the most positive sense) with Tippins’ voice soaring over the music. “Indy Boogie” is just that – a hard rockin’ tribute to the band’s experience at a festival in the Indiana city that featured a storm, power outage and plenty of great people. Tippins throws an AC/DC lick into his solo and once again sings with lots of energy. The disc closes with an listed bonus track – a tribute to Led Zeppelin as the band covers “The Lemon Song”. Again, Tippins doesn’t stray to far from the original version but he shows that his impressive vocal range comes close to matching a youthful Robert Plant. This one is not for the blues purists. Tippins is an outstanding singer and songwriter with a style that is definitely more rock than blues. But if you enjoy some variety in your musical playlist – and especially if you are a member of the original Woodstock generation – Russ Tippins offers a look back to the days when rock music really did rock. This disc held up through repeated listens and is worth checking out. © Mark Thompson Blues Blast Magazine 2010 http://www.thebluesblast.com/bluesartists/russtippins.htm

"screamingly good! the ballsiest British blues rock we've heard for a while!" BLUES ALBUM OF THE MONTH December 2010 - CLASSIC ROCK

"a heady cocktail of blues & 70,s rock! will be right up your street" (CD review) - BLUES MATTERS"

"they've got rollicking tunes to burn and burn they do, ignited by some true songwriting talent and the kind of exemplary playing that'll have rock fans positively frothing" (CD review september 2010) - THE CRACK MAGAZINE

"Electrickery" will leave you spellbound and wondering why such a bunch of talented musicians aren't better known. This album will go a long way towards rectifying that." (9 out of 10 review sept 2010) - KOMODO ROCK
[All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 116 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Freedom 3:26
2 Little Jospehine 3:33
3 Comeuppance 5:17
4 She's Gone 6:30
5 Number Thirteen 3:37
6 This Building's On Fire 3:04
7 Chuck It 4:06
8 Electrickery 5:56
9 Lawrence 6:15
10 Indy Boogie 4:08

All songs composed by Russ Tippins except "Freedom" by Jimi Hendrix. Some import issues of this album contain a hidden bonus track "The Lemon Song" (Led Zeppelin)

BAND

Russ Tippins - Guitar, Vocals
John Dawson - Bass
Ian Halford - Drums

Joe Jackson

2012-02-23T16:48:00.001+01:00

Joe Jackson - Colour Collection - 2007 - Spectrum Music

In the late '70s, Joe Jackson was part of England's holy trinity of angry young men, which also included Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. However, Jackson quickly branched out from new wave. Proving to be an incredibly eclectic artist, he's subsequently recorded everything from jump blues (predating the '90s swing revival by a good 15 years) to orchestral compositions. Joe Jackson has had huge success worldwide with his wonderful albums, in which he has incorporated every conceivable musical genre. At heart, Joe is a jazzman, but he has covered classical, rock, pop, new wave, rock, and.......the list goes on ! Some of his great songs include " Steppin' Out", "Fools In Love", "Is She Really Going Out With Him? ", and " It's Different For Girls". Some of his albums are pure classics, and include "Look Sharp!", "I'm The Man", "Jumpin' Jive", "Night and Day", and "Summer in the City: Live in New York". Every single one of these albums are musical diamonds, and incorporate Joe's amazing range of musical styles. The songs are superbly written, and every lyric and note written by Joe Jackson should be heard by all lovers of great modern music. "Colour Collection" is an import only album in the Colour Collection series issued by Universal International. Each of the titles in this series is packaged in a Colour Collection branded die-cut digipak which exposes it's unique color. This collection features many of the British singer/songwriter's finest work from 1979 to 2000, including 'Is She Really Going Out With Him', 'Steppin' Out', "It's Different For Girls", "Jumpin' Jive", "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)", "Sunday Papers", and 12 more. "Fools In Love", and " Be My Number Two" is not here, but then so many other great tracks are also absent. If you're a Joe Jackson fan, you will own all these tracks. Joe has released over 80 official albums, many of them being compilations. Joe is without a doubt one of the greatest eclectic New Wave/Rock stars ever to emerge from England. Buy Joe's classic "Laughter & Lust" album. Joe's "The Ultimate Collection" album is on this blog @ JOJACK/TULTC and includes his soundtrack album to the movie "Mike's Murder" [Tracks @ 224-320 Kbps: File size = 98.8 Mb]

N.B: Compilation albums are not always remastered. The tracks are often taken straight from the original albums, and not the original master tapes. The SQ on "Colour Collection" varies from track to track, and there are arguably better JJ compilation albums issued.

STEELY DAN TRIVIA: Joe recorded "King Of The World" on his 2000 live "Summer in the City" album. He played Walter Becker's great "Junkie Girl" on his 1999 Just-for-the-Hell-of-It Shows. He played "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" on his 1999 Just-for-the-Hell-of-It Shows, and also on his 2000/2001 Night And Day II Tour. He played "Reelin' In The Years" on his 2000/2001 Night And Day II Tour, and "Rose Darling" on his 2006 Joe Jackson Trio Tour.

TRACKS / ALBUMS

1. Is She Really Going Out With Him? ["Look Sharp!" 1979]
2. Breaking Us In Two ["Night and Day" 1982]
3. Steppin' Out ["Night and Day" 1982]
4. It's Different For Girls ["I'm the Man" 1979]
5. Real Men ["Night and Day" 1982]
6. Happy Ending (With Elaine Caswell) ["Body and Soul" 1984]
7. Jumpin' Jive ["Jumpin' Jive" 1981]
8. The Harder They Come ["The Roots of Rock: Rock 'n' Reggae" 1996]
9. You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) ["Body and Soul" 1984]
10. Me And You (Against The World) ["Blaze of Glory" 1989]
11. Don't Ask Me (Single Version) ["Look Sharp! [Bonus Tracks]" 1979]
12. Mad At You ["Beat Crazy" 1980]
13. Sunday Papers ["Look Sharp!" 1979]
14. Tilt ["This Is It! The A&M Years" 1997]
15. Five Guys Named Moe ["Jumpin' Jive" 1981]
16. You Got The Fever (Single Version) ["Look Sharp! [Bonus Tracks]" 1979]
17. Rant And Rave ["Blaze of Glory" 1989]
18. Out Of Style ["Classic Joe Jackson: The Universal Masters Collection" 2000]

All tracks composed by Joe Jackson except "Jumpin' Jive" by Cab Calloway, Frank Froeba, & Joel Palmer, "The Harder They Come" by Jimmy Cliff, and "Five Guys Named Moe" by Jeremy Bresler & Larry Wynn

BIO

In his 1999 memoir, A Cure for Gravity: A Musical Pilgrimage, Joe Jackson writes approvingly of George Gershwin as a musician who kept one foot in the popular and one in the classical realms of music. Like Gershwin, Jackson possesses a restless musical imagination that has found him straddling musical genres unapologetically, disinclined to pick one style and stick to it. The word "chameleon" often crops up in descriptions of him, but Jackson prefers to be thought of as "eclectic." Is he the Joe Jackson he appeared to be upon his popular emergence in 1979, a new wave singer/songwriter with a belligerent attitude derisively asking, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" The reggae-influenced Joe Jackson of 1980's Beat Crazy? The jump blues revivalist of 1981's Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive? The New York salsa-styled singer of 1982's "Steppin' Out"? The R&B/jazz-inflected Jackson of 1984's Body & Soul? Or is he David Ian Jackson, L.R.A.M. (Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music), who composes and conducts instrumental albums of contemporary classical music such as 1987's Will Power and 1999's Grammy-winning Symphony No. 1? He is all of these, Jackson himself no doubt would reply, and a few others besides. The roots of that eclecticism lie in the conflicts of his youth. He was born David Ian Jackson on August 11, 1954 (not 1955, as some references mistakenly state) in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England. His parents had met when his father was in the Navy and his mother was working in her family's pub in Portsmouth on the south coast of England. They initially settled in his father's hometown, Swadlincote, on the border of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, but when Jackson was a year old, they moved back to his mother's hometown, and he was raised in Portsmouth and nearby Gosport. His father, Ronald Jackson, became a plasterer. Growing up in working-class poverty, Jackson was a sickly child, afflicted with asthma, first diagnosed when he was three and producing attacks that lasted into his twenties. Prevented from playing sports, he turned to books and eventually music. At 11, he began taking violin lessons, later studying timpani and oboe at school. His parents got him a secondhand piano when he was in his early teens, and he began taking lessons, soon deciding that he wanted to be a composer when he grew up. He played percussion in a citywide student orchestra. But his social milieu was more accepting of different forms of popular music than it was of the classics, and he developed a taste for that, too. Becoming interested in jazz, he formed a trio and, at the age of 16, began playing piano in a pub, his first professional gig. By the early '70s, Jackson, who had paid little attention to rock before, became a fan of progressive rock, notably such British groups as Soft Machine. Meanwhile, in 1972, he passed an advanced "S" level exam in music that entitled him to a grant to study music, and he was accepted at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Rather than moving to the city, he spent his grant money on equipment and commuted several days a week to attend classes while continuing to live at home and play pop music locally. He switched from writing classical compositions to pop songs. Invited to join an established band called the Misty Set, he sang his first lead vocal on-stage. He moved to another established band called Edward Bear (the name taken from a character in Winnie the Pooh, not to be confused with the Canadian band of the same name that recorded for Capitol Records in the early '70s). Deciding that he resembled the title character on a television puppet show called Joe 90, his bandmates began calling him "Joe," and it stuck. After six months, the two principals in Edward Bear decided to retire from music, and with their permission he took over the name and the group's bookings and brought in a couple of his friends, lead singer/guitarist Mark Andrews (later of Mark Andrews & the Gents) and bassist Graham Maby. Jackson continued to attend the Royal Academy, where he studied composition, orchestration, and piano while majoring in percussion. He also occasionally played piano in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He graduated from the academy after three years in 1975. By then, Edward Bear (forced to change its name to Edwin Bear because of the more successful Canadian band, and then to Arms & Legs) were attracting more attention and acquired management, which in turn signed the band to MAM Records. In April 1976, MAM released the first Arms & Legs single, with Andrews' "Janie" on the A-side and Jackson's "She'll Surprise You" on the B-side. Second and third singles followed in August and February 1977, but the records did not sell. Meanwhile, in October 1976, Jackson quit the band to become pianist and musical director at the Playboy Club in Portsmouth. He was determined to save enough money to record his own album and release it himself. In August 1977, he played his first gigs as the leader of the Joe Jackson Band, singing and playing keyboards, backed by Andrews (sitting in temporarily and soon replaced by Gary Sanford), Maby, and drummer Dave Houghton. At the same time, he quit the Playboy Club job to become pianist/musical director for a cabaret act, Koffee 'n' Kream, that was beginning a national tour in the wake of their triumph on the TV amateur show Opportunity Knocks. Jackson toured with Koffee 'n' Kream from the fall of 1977 to the spring of 1978, and the money he made enabled him to move to London in January 1978 and continue recording his album in a Portsmouth studio. He began shopping demo tapes to record labels in London without success until he was heard by American producer David Kershenbaum. Kershenbaum was scouting for talent on behalf of A&M Records, and he arranged for Jackson to be signed to A&M on August 9, 1978, after which they immediately re-recorded Jackson's album. They completed it quickly, and at the end of the month the Joe Jackson Band embarked on an extensive national tour. Despite his classical education and background playing many types of pop music in pubs and clubs, Jackson had become genuinely enamored of the punk/new wave movement of the late '70s in England, especially attracted by the energy and simplicity of the music and the angry, aggressive tone of the lyrics. He had no trouble incorporating these elements into his own music, and if he was, to an extent, using the new wave label as a flag of convenience, the style nevertheless was a valid vehicle of expression for him. Of course, first impressions can be lasting, and to many people he would, ever after, be an angry new wave singer/songwriter, no matter what else he did. In October 1978, A&M released the first Joe Jackson single, "Is She Really Going Out with Him?," a rhythmic ballad in which the singer ponders why "pretty women" are attracted to "gorillas" and worries about his own inadequacy. The record failed to chart, but Jackson and his band continued to tour around the U.K. and began to attract press attention. Look Sharp!, his debut album, followed in January 1979, again, to no significant sales at first. The LP contained more songs in the vein of "Is She Really Going Out with Him?," many of them uptempo rockers with strong melodies and lyrics full of romantic disappointment and social criticism, bitterly expressed and with more than a touch of self-deprecation. (One, "Got the Time," was sufficiently raucous to be covered by heavy metal band Anthrax in essentially the same arrangement on their Persistence of Time album in 1990.) A&M released "Sunday Papers," an attack on the salaciousness of tabloid newspapers, as a single in February, again without reaction. But in March, Look Sharp! finally broke into the charts, eventually peaking at the bottom of the Top 40. The same month, A&M released the album in the U.S., and it quickly charted, reaching the Top 20 after "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" was released as a single in May (while Jackson toured North America) and became a Top 40 hit; in September, the LP was certified gold in the U.S. In the U.K., "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" was re-released in July and charted in August, making the Top 20. Jackson was nominated for a 1979 Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, for the single. Meanwhile, Jackson toured more or less continually, playing dates in Continental Europe in June and then back in the U.K. through August before returning to North America. But he had found the time and inspiration to craft a quick follow-up to Look Sharp!, and his second LP, I'm the Man, was released on October 5. That was a little too soon for the U.S. market, where Look Sharp! had not yet exhausted its run, and while the album made the Top 40, it was a relative sales disappointment, with the single "It's Different for Girls" failing to enter the Hot 100. The story was different in the U.K., however, where I'm the Man made the Top 20 and "It's Different for Girls" reached the Top Five. Critically, the album was considered a continuation of Look Sharp!, an opinion shared by Jackson himself. The first blush of his emergence fading, Jackson was beginning to be viewed by critics as the third in a line of angry British singer/songwriters starting with Graham Parker and continuing with Elvis Costello, and his commercial success created resentment, especially because he was not as forthcoming with the media as the garrulous Costello. The U.S. tour ran into November, followed by more shows in the U.K. in November and December. Jackson went back on the road in February 1980 with a few U.S. dates, followed by some U.K. shows and a European tour that ran from March to May. Like other punk/new wave acts, he had used reggae rhythms on occasion, notably on "Fools in Love" on Look Sharp! and "Geraldine and John" on I'm the Man. In May, he released an EP in the U.K. including a cover of Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come." In acknowledgment of his group's importance to his sound, the disc was billed to the Joe Jackson Band. After dates in the U.K. in May and June, the Joe Jackson Band returned to North America for a tour that lasted into August; they finally took a break after a few more shows at the end of the month. Beat Crazy, released in October, also was billed to the Joe Jackson Band. The album featured less of the frantic punk sound of its predecessors, instead absorbing the dub-reggae and ska influences that were topping the British charts just then in the music of bands like the Specials and the English Beat. But it was a relative disappointment commercially, peaking in the 40s in both the U.S. and U.K., with its singles failing to chart. One reason for the reduced sales in America may have been that the group did not tour to support it there. The Joe Jackson Band played a monthlong tour from October to November in the U.K., followed by a month in Europe from November to December, after which it split up, according to Jackson because Houghton no longer wanted to tour. Sanford became a session musician, while Maby stuck with Jackson. Jackson, in ill health following more than two years of continual touring, retreated to his family home, where he became increasingly immersed in the jump blues of 1940s star Louis Jordan. He organized a new band in the style of Jordan's Tympany 5 featuring three horn players (Pete Thomas on alto saxophone, Raul Oliveria on trumpet, and David Bitelli on tenor saxophone and clarinet) along with pianist Nick Weldon and drummer Larry Tolfree, plus Maby and Jackson himself, who played vibes and sang. The group, dubbed Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive, played a collection of swing and jump blues standards such as "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid," "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," and "Tuxedo Junction." The resulting Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive LP, released in June 1981, was a hit in Britain, where it reached the Top 20. In the U.S., the album was not so much 35 years behind the times as 15 years ahead of them; had it appeared in the mid-'90s, it would have fit right in with releases by the Brian Setzer Orchestra and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy as part of the neo-swing movement. As it was, America circa 1981 was baffled, but Jackson's core audience was sufficiently curious to push the album into the Top 50 while he toured the country with the band in July in between British dates in June and from August to September. Jackson went through more personal changes over the next year. He and his wife divorced, and he moved to New York City, where, true to form, he began to immerse himself in new musical genres, particularly attracted to salsa and the classic songwriting styles of Gershwin and Cole Porter. The result was Night and Day, released in June 1982, Jackson's first album to put his keyboard playing at the center of his music, with percussionist Sue Hadjopoulas also given prominence. Jackson seemed to have abandoned new wave rock for a catchy pop-jazz-salsa-dance hybrid, and he backed the release with a yearlong world tour as A&M put considerable promotional muscle behind the LP. "Steppin' Out" became a multi-format hit, earning airplay on album-oriented rock (AOR) radio before spreading to the pop and adult contemporary charts, placing in the Top Ten all around and eventually earning Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male. With that stimulus, the album reached the Top Ten and went gold, spawning a second Top 20 single in "Breaking Us in Two." Jackson finished the Night and Day tour in May 1983. He had been asked to contribute a song to Mike's Murder, a film written and directed by James Bridges (The China Syndrome, Urban Cowboy) and starring Debra Winger (Urban Cowboy, An Officer and a Gentleman). He ended up writing both a handful of songs and a few instrumental pieces that were released on a soundtrack album in September. Unfortunately, the film itself was not ready for release then, since it was the subject of a dispute between Bridges and the movie studio that had financed it, the result being reshooting and re-editing, such that the film did not open until March 1984, by which time it had a score by John Barry and only a little of Jackson's music remaining, and then it earned only one million dollars during a few weeks of theatrical showings, making it a disastrous flop. The orphaned soundtrack album, however, managed to get into the Top 100 and even spawned a chart single in the Jackson composition "Memphis," while "Breakdown" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Jackson returned to the studio and emerged in March 1984 with Body & Soul, an album with a cover photograph showing him clutching a saxophone in the style of the 1950s LP covers of Blue Note Records. The disc inside was a follow-up to Night and Day in style, however, with a bit more of an R&B tilt, and it was another commercial success, if a more modest one, reaching the Top 20 and spawning a Top 20 single in "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)." After the four-month Body & Soul world tour concluded in July 1984, Jackson retreated. The tour had been, he later wrote, "the hardest I ever did; it came too soon after the last one, and by the end of it I was so burned out I swore I'd never tour again." He re-emerged after 18 months in January 1986 for a series of live recording sessions at the Roundabout Theatre in New York conducted for his next album. Audiences were invited to attend, but instructed to hold their applause as the performances were cut direct to a two-track tape recorder. The resulting album, Big World, released in March, had a one-hour running time, making it an ideal length for the new CD format, though it had to be pressed on two LPs with the second side of the second LP left blank. Press reaction to these two aspects of the album tended to overshadow consideration of the material, which ranged from politically charged rockers like "Right or Wrong," a direct challenge to the Reagan administration, to heartfelt ballads like "Home Town," a reflection on memory and loss. Jackson undertook another extensive tour lasting from May to December (one he reported enjoying much more than the last one), and the album spent six months in the charts, but only peaked in the Top 40. In the winter of 1985, Jackson had been commissioned to write a 20-minute score for a Japanese film, Shijin No Ie (House of the Poet), and the orchestral piece was recorded with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. He adapted it into "Symphony in One Movement" and added a few other instrumental pieces to create his next album, Will Power, his first disc to reflect his classical background. A&M gave the LP a surprising promotional push that included releasing the title track as a single, and Jackson fans were sufficiently intrigued to push the album into the lower reaches of the pop chart upon its release in April 1987. But his increasing desire to include classical elements in his popular work and to issue outright "serious" compositions tended to put him in a no man's land where reviewers were concerned, since rock critics were for the most part incapable of judging such works and preferred that he stick to rock-based music, while classical critics simply ignored him. Had they been paying attention, however, they might not have approved of what they heard, anyway. An unrepentant Beethoven fan, Jackson had disliked his exposure to serial music and other contemporary trends in classical music when he encountered them in college; his serious compositions tended to reflect his taste for conventional concert music of the romantic and classical periods. While staying off the road, Jackson had two albums in release in 1988. In May, he issued the double-disc set Live 1980/86, chronicling his tours over the years. It reached the Top 100. In August came his swing-styled soundtrack to the Francis Ford Coppola film Tucker: The Man and His Dream, an effort that probably would have attracted more attention if the film had been more successful (it grossed less than $20 million). Nevertheless, the album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Album of Original Instrumental Background Score Written for a Motion Picture or TV. His next LP, released in April 1989, was Blaze of Glory, another modest seller with a peak only in the Top 100 despite radio play for the single "Nineteen Forever." Jackson, who felt the album was one of his best efforts and toured to support it with an 11-piece band in the U.S. and Europe from June to November, was disappointed with both the commercial reaction and his record company's lack of support. He parted ways with A&M, which promptly released the 1990 compilation Steppin' Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson, a Top Ten hit in the U.K. Jackson wrote his third movie score for 1991's Queens Logic; no soundtrack album was issued. Signing to Virgin Records, he released his next album, Laughter & Lust, in April 1991. Here, he expressed some of his frustration with the record business in the appropriately catchy, '60s-styled "Hit Single," while the socially conscious "Obvious Song" and a percussion-filled cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" attracted radio attention. But the album continued his gradual sales decline, failing to reach the Top 100 in the U.S. Another world tour stretched from May to September, after which Jackson was not heard from on record for three years. In the interim, he wrote music for two movies, the interactive film I'm Your Man (1992) and the feature Three of Hearts (1993), neither of which produced soundtrack albums featuring his music. He reappeared in record stores in October 1994 with Night Music, a low-key album that attempted to fuse his pop and classical styles, including instrumentals and guest vocals by Máire Brennan of Clannad. The album, which did not chart, was supported with a world tour that ran from November to May 1995. After it, Jackson left Virgin and signed to Sony Classical, a label more accepting of his musical ambitions. In September 1997, it released Heaven & Hell, a song cycle depicting the seven deadly sins, billed to Joe Jackson & Friends; the friends included such guest vocalists as folk-pop singers Jane Siberry and Suzanne Vega and opera singer Dawn Upshaw. The album reached number three in Billboard's Classical Crossover chart. A tour ran from November to April 1998. Jackson worked on two projects in the late '90s, both of which appeared in October 1999. Sony Classical issued his Symphony No. 1, which was played not by an orchestra, but by a band of jazz and rock musicians including guitarist Steve Vai and trumpeter Terence Blanchard, and it won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album. And publishers PublicAffairs came out with Jackson's book, A Cure for Gravity: A Musical Pilgrimage, in which he wrote about his love of all kinds of music and recounted his life from his birth up to the point of his emergence as a public figure in the late '70s. Bringing his story up to date, he wrote, "So I'm still making music, no longer a pop star -- if I ever really was -- but just a composer, which is what I wanted to be in the first place." Having released only semi-classical works on his last three recordings, Jackson was thought to have abandoned pop/rock music completely, but that proved not to be true. The early years of the 21st century found him in a flurry of activity, much of it returning him to the pop music realm. In June 2000, Sony Classical, through Jackson's imprint, Manticore, issued Summer in the City: Live in New York, an album drawn from an August 1999 concert that featured him playing piano and singing, backed only by Maby and drummer Gary Burke, performing some of his old songs along with covers of tunes by the Lovin' Spoonful, Duke Ellington, and the Beatles, among others. Four months later came Night and Day II, a new set of songs in the spirit of his most popular recording. Touring to promote the album in Europe and North America from November to April 2001, Jackson recorded the concert CD Two Rainy Nights: Live in the Northwest (The Official Bootleg), released in January 2002 on his own Great Big Island label through his website, www.joejackson.com. (The album was reissued to retail by Koch in 2004.) Later in 2002, Jackson surprised longtime fans by reuniting with the original members of the Joe Jackson Band, Graham Maby, Gary Sanford, and Dave Houghton, to record a new studio album, Volume 4 (the first three volumes having been Look Sharp!, I'm the Man, and Beat Crazy), released by Restless/Rykodisc in March 2003, and to embark on a world tour running through September 2003 that resulted in the live album Afterlife, issued in March 2004. As he made television appearances to promote the latter, he insisted that the reunion had been a one-time thing. Meanwhile, his recording of "Steppin' Out" was being used in a television commercial for Lincoln Mercury automobiles, and he was preparing to score his next film, The Greatest Game Ever Played, for a 2005 release. Jackson released a new studio album, Rain, in 2008, followed by 2011's Live Music: Europe 2010, which was recorded live in Europe during his 2010 Joe Jackson Trio tour with Dave Houghton and Graham Maby. © William Ruhlmann © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-jackson-p4574/biography

Steve Gibbons Band

2012-02-22T01:17:00.001+01:00

Steve Gibbons Band - Caught In The Act - 1977 - Polydor

One of the great unsung live albums of the late '70s, cut contrarily by one of the most highly regarded live acts of the age. No matter that the Steve Gibbons Band entered the punk years as a distinct holdover from the pub days beforehand -- alongside fellow semi-veterans Graham Parker & the Rumour, they served up a live set that wed years of on-the-board experience with an enthusiasm and energy that made the day's young blades sound positively anemic by comparison. In other words, you thought the Clash and the Jam were hot? You ain't seen nothin' yet. Bedecked in a sleeve that reprints eight of the band's most memorable live reviews, from clubs and concert halls on both sides of the Atlantic, Caught in the Act blisters with all the fervor that the printed page suggests. Dylan's "Watching the River Flow" might seem a strange opener, all the more so since it was the band's then regular set closer, but it's a relentless barrel-boogie regardless, a duel between Gibbons' half-spoken growl and the sything guitars of Dave Carroll and Bob Wilson. It is also a calm before the storm to come, as the band heats up, the pace picks up...by the time you reach "Speed Kills," you couldn't argue even if you felt like it. With not a single footfall out of place, still Caught in the Act has highlights -- the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" zapped with unquenchable good-time fire, the possibly autobiographical chest-beater "Gave His Life to Rock'n'Roll," and, best of all, a charge through Chuck Berry's "Tulane" that celebrates the band's first (and, shame, only) hit single elsewhere in 1977. A huskily humorous "Clothes Line," meanwhile, pinpoints the sheer showmanship of the band in full flight -- it's easy to remember the Steve Gibbons Band as a balls-on-the-line rock & rolling R&B band, and truly, they were one of the best. But they were also one of the funkiest good times of the late '70s live scene, and Caught in the Act could not have been more accurately titled. © Dave Thompson © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/caught-in-the-act-r38852/review N.B: Was "Paperback Writer" on any issue of this album?

This album is also available as part of the double CD set "On the Loose/Caught in the Act: Double Live" with 5 bonus tracks on "Caught In The Act". The 2xLP vinyl release notes state that "This is the first & only British band to fool the critics into believing they were a Southern Rock band from the USA". Steve was definitely from Birmingham, England but if you didn't know better, he could have been from Birmingham, Alabama! A terrific rockin' album from the great and very underrated Steve Gibbons and his band. Check out "Rollin'" with two amazing guitar solos from Bob Wilson and Dave Carroll. The album is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Steve's "Down in the Bunker" album and listen to real Rock 'n' Roll. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 109 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

SIDE 1

1.Watching the River Flow - Bob Dylan 4:37
2.Light Up Your Face - Steve Gibbons 3:23
3 Shopping For Clothes - Kent Harris,Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller 3:34 *
4.Git It - Bob Kelly 3:10
5.Gave His Life to Rock 'n' Roll - Steve Gibbons 4:10
6.And the Music Plays On - Steve Gibbons 4:19

* Song based on "Clothes Line" by Kent Harris. The US & UK MCA LP lists this track as "Clothes Line (Wrap It Up)"

SIDE 2

1.Day Tripper - John Lennon & Paul McCartney 3:26
2.One of the Boys - Steve Gibbons 4:04
3.You Gotta Pay - Steve Gibbons 2:55
4.Tulane - Chuck Berry 3:34
5.Speed Kills - Steve Gibbons 3:14
6.Rollin' - Steve Gibbons 6:09

BAND

Steve Gibbons - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Dave Carroll - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Bob Wilson - Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Trevor Burton - Bass, Vocals
Bob Lamb - Drums

BIO

A critic once called Steve Gibbons "the English Bob Seger," which, as descriptions go, could have been much worse, but is really based on superficialities. Both guys are basically unpretentious, blue-collar rockers who achieved fame (Seger much more so than Gibbons) as veterans. But Gibbons' solo career -- which is the guise in which he is best known -- wasn't long enough to witness the kind of decline and formulaic emptiness that marked Seger's career after 1980. Still, for a career that lasted for five albums, Gibbons didn't do too badly; three of them are good, and one (Down in the Bunker) is great. Gibbons' career actually dates back to the very end of the '50s. A rock & roller with a special love of Elvis Presley's work, Gibbons was working as a plumber's apprentice in his native Birmingham, England, when he made the leap to a professional career, replacing Colin Smith as lead singer in the Dominettes, a local rock & roll band. He remained with the Dominettes -- who were renamed the Uglys three years later -- for the next eight years, as they went through numerous lineup changes and their sound evolved from rock & roll to R&B to psychedelia. Gibbons himself became heavily influenced by the music and songs of Bob Dylan during the mid-'60s, which manifested itself for years after (and, indeed, into the '90s), starting with the Uglys' single "Wake Up My Mind." The group experienced many false-starts and thwarted efforts at chart success, and by 1968 Gibbons was the only original member of the Uglys still in the lineup. And the band essentially dissolved in a disastrous series of behind-the-scenes machinations of manager Tony Secunda, and Gibbons was among those left to find a new gig. He initially joined former Move bassist Trevor Burton, ex-Moody Blues guitarist/singer Denny Laine, and his former Uglys bandmate Keith Smart in an outfit called Balls. by April of that year they had formed a new group called Balls, which didn't last long but did leave an album behind. Gibbons then joined the Birmingham band the Idle Race, which had lost Jeff Lynne to the Move not too long before. That configuration lasted for a few months, before it renamed itself the Steve Gibbons Band. It was in this guise that Gibbons finally began his rise to stardom, at least in England. Gibbons fancied himself a modern-day rock & roll outlaw: dark features, surly countenance, mean disposition. His songs were essentially Chuck Berry updates (in some cases, simply Chuck Berry covers) about thugs, dealers, and good lovin' gone bad. Tight with Who bassist John Entwistle, Gibbons was able to land a contract with the Who's American label, MCA, and share the same management company. The trouble was that being the English Bob Seger meant little, if anything, to most American rock fans (who preferred their own Seger by a wide margin), and Gibbons' career never amounted to much in the U.S.; he was fairly popular in England, though. Following Down in the Bunker, Gibbons released two early-'80s records for RCA, and On the Loose for Magnum Force in 1986. The 1998 Bob Dylan tribute The Dylan Project, recorded with members of Fairport Convention, marked a comeback of sorts for Gibbons. He has continued to tour with the Steve Gibbons Band into the 21st century and participated in various Birmingham rock & roll showcases with fellow Brummies Trevor Burton, Bev Bevan, and Danny King. © John Dougan & Bruce Eder © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-gibbons-p17852/biography

Tinsley Ellis

2012-02-21T18:14:00.001+01:00

Tinsley Ellis - Hell Or High Water - 2002 - Telarc

Undeterred by the lukewarm response to his last Capricorn album (due to the bad timing of it being released mere weeks before the company folded in 2000), Atlanta-based blues rocker Tinsley Ellis signed with his third label, Telarc, in early 2002 and churned out another signature effort. Bolstered by his roaring guitar shooting fiery licks, gruff singing, and no-frills approach, Ellis adds a hearty R&B edge to his music. Shortening his solos (only the slow burning eight-minute "Feelin' No Pain" stretches out into epic length), the songs never feel like vehicles for Ellis' obvious six-string prowess. Instead, the Steely Dan "Pretzel Logic" riff inspired "All Rumors Are True" and the magnificent "Mystery to Me" with its genuine soul vibe and warm electric piano set up a groove and ride it. Ellis revisits his louder, crunchier past with the wailing intro to "All I Can Do" and the ZZ Top (circa mid-'70s) swirl of "Ten Year Day," a song inspired by the events of September 11, 2001. Atlanta vocalist Donna Hopkins contributes hard-hitting backing vocals worthy of Bonnie Bramlett on three tracks, further pushing these songs into soulful territory. While the "Bell Bottom Blues"-styled ballad of "Stuck in Love" is a little too reminiscent of Clapton's writing and guitar style, as is the wah-wah churning "Strange Brew"-isms of "All I Can Do," Ellis doesn't generally ape other guitarists. Rather, he concocts his own combination of Freddie King, Peter Green, and Memphis influences. The closing James Taylor-ish acoustic ballad seems out of place with the rest of the sturdy performances, such as the strutting title track, but shows a tender side to the tough, heartfelt blues and rock that dominate this engaging album. © Hal Horowitz © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/hell-or-high-water-r571234/review

Tinsley Ellis has earned a reputation for heavy blues-rock guitar since he quit Atlanta's Heartfixers in 1987. But Hell Or High Water, his first album for Telarc, lightens up just enough, so the sweet-and-high six-string intro to "Stuck in Love" enhances the song's guitar melody and the tenderness of his lyrics. He aims for a softer, thinner tone on "Real Bad Way" and turns "Feel No Pain" into a slow, soulful essay in guitar anxiety, full of telling fills, bends and solo breaks. He also plays a few acoustic numbers that really allow the butter-and-black-pepper tones of his Southern-accented voice to emerge. Not that Ellis is playing things too cool--there's still plenty of guitar fire all over this record. It's just that he's learned to control the burning. © Ted Drozdowski © Amazon.co.uk

Not as "hard rockin'" as some of Tinsley's other releases but still a good Memphis influenced album of blues, rock, and Georgia soul, with a hint of bluegrass and country. Buy Tinsley's terrific "Cool on It" album [All tracks @ 256 Kbps: File size = 100 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Hell or High Water 4:59
2 Hooked 3:47
3 Mystery to Me 5:36
4 Love Comes Knockin' 2:21
5 Stuck in Love 6:38
6 Real Bad Way 4:00
7 All Rumors Are True 4:11
8 All I Can Do 4:08
9 Love Me by Phone 5:21
10 Feelin' No Pain 8:03
11 Ten Year Day 4:39
12 Set Love Free 3:00

All songs composed by Tinsley Ellis

MUSICIANS

Tinsley Ellis - Guitar, Vocals
Kenny Gilgore - Guitar
Phillip "Philzone" Skipper - Bass
Kevin McKendree - Piano, Organ
Scott Callison - Drums
Donna Hopkins - Background Vocals

BIO

A hard-rocking, high-voltage blues guitarist most often compared to Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tinsley Ellis is hardly one of the legions of imitators that comparison might imply. Schooled in a variety of Southern musical styles, Ellis draws not only from fiery Vaughan-style blues-rock, but also Texas bluesmen like Freddie King and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the soulful blues of B.B. King, the funky grit of Memphis soul, and numerous other electric bluesmen. Ellis has been praised in many quarters for the relentless, storming intensity of his sound, and criticized in others for his relative lack of pacing and dynamic contrast (he's also been dubbed a much stronger guitarist than vocalist). Yet no matter which side of the fence one falls on, it's generally acknowledged that Ellis remains a formidable instrumentalist and a genuine student of the blues. Tinsley Ellis was born in Atlanta in 1957, and spent most of his childhood in southern Florida. He began playing guitar in elementary school, first discovering the blues through the flagship bands of the British blues boom: John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, the Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac, the Yardbirds, the Rolling Stones, and so on. He soon moved on to a wide variety of original sources, becoming especially fond of B.B. King and Freddie King. After high school, Ellis moved back to Atlanta in 1975 to attend Emory University, and soon found work on the local music scene, joining a bar band called the Alley Cats (which also featured future Fabulous Thunderbird Preston Hubbard). In 1981, Ellis co-founded the Heartfixers with singer/harmonica player Chicago Bob Nelson, and they recorded an eponymous debut album for the tiny Southland imprint. They soon signed with the slightly larger Landslide and issued Live at the Moon Shadow in 1983, by which point they were one of the most popular live blues acts in the South. However, Nelson left the group shortly after the album's release, and Ellis took over lead vocal chores. The Heartfixers' first project in their new incarnation was backing up blues shouter Nappy Brown on his well-received 1984 comeback album Tore Up. Ellis debuted his vocals on record on the Heartfixers' 1986 LP Cool on It, which brought him to the attention of Alligator Records. Ellis left the Heartfixers to sign with Alligator as a solo artist in 1988, and they picked up his solo debut Georgia Blue for distribution. The album helped make Ellis a fixture on the blues circuit, and he toured heavily behind it, establishing a hard-working pattern he would follow for most of his career. The follow-up, Fanning the Flames, appeared in 1989 and explored similar territory. Released in 1992, Trouble Time helped land Ellis on album rock radio thanks to the track "Highwayman," but it was 1994's Storm Warning that really broke Ellis to a wider blues-rock audience, earning more media attention than any of his previous recordings; additionally, guitar prodigy Jonny Lang later covered Ellis' "A Quitter Never Wins" on Lie to Me. For 1997's Fire It Up, Ellis worked with legendary blues-rock producer Tom Dowd (the Allman Brothers, Derek & the Dominos), as well as Booker T. & the MG's bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn. Ellis subsequently left Alligator and signed with Capricorn; unfortunately, shortly after the release of 2000's Kingpin, Capricorn went bankrupt, leaving the album high and dry. Still, Ellis soon caught on with Telarc, releasing his initial disc Hell or High Water on the label in 2002, followed by The Hard Way in 2004. One year later, Ellis was back with Alligator, putting out the live set Live! Highwayman and 2007's Moment of Truth, the first studio album to contain original material since Hell or High Water. Ellis toured relentlessly behind the album, and re-entered the studio in early 2009. Speak No Evil was issued in October of that year. Steve Huey © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tinsley-ellis-p339/biography

Jason Sadites

2012-02-20T14:12:00.001+01:00

Jason Sadites - Weve - 2009 - Jason Sadites

The new CD is titled Weve. It was recorded in many different studios in the U.S, Canada and Europe over a period of about 2 years starting in early 2006. I had the amazing opportunity to work with some of the world’s best musicians and engineers on this project. Among them: Tony Levin, Kenny Aronoff, Marco Minnemann, Brett Garsed, Gregg and Matt Bissonette, Jerry Marotta, Martin Motnik and Jerry Marotta. It was a real honor to hear those incredible musicians perform my compositions. The drums and bass tracks were usually recorded in a studio close to where the respective musician lived, sometimes in there home studio. All the guitars were tracked at my personal studio. As far as how it reflects my overall style and musicianship, the CD is an all instrumental mix of rock, progressive, jazz, blues and pop. I used a lot of odd time signatures throughout the CD, but not in an obvious way. I always tried to make them sound very flowing and musical. I also always tried to have a strong melodic hook through each and every song throwing in the flashy technical playing only where it was needed to serve the song. © Jason Sadites © 2000-2009 MWE3.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Up and coming jazz rock guitarist Jason Sadites is making waves with his new instrumental jazz-rock fusion CD entitled Weve. With a bunch of fusion superstars assisting, Sadites has composed eleven tracks that provide a rugged format for his guitar prowess. Although he states in the liner notes about being humbled at the prospect of working with several musical legends, Sadites clearly isn’t afraid to share the musical sound stage here with top players like Tony Levin (Chapman stick), Brett Garsed (guitars) and the Bissonette brothers, Matt and Gregg, respectively on bass and drums. Sadites maintains a consistent edge throughout by infusing his strong fusion workouts with durable melodic ideas, case in point being the track “Oddly Enough” which features Levin on bass and Marco Minnemann on drums backing up Jason’s electric guitars and various sound effects. Another highlight here, track six “Fluid” is just that, with Jason’s guitars propelled along at breakneck speed by the Bissonettes. Guitar fans with an appetite for the musical virtuosity inherent in fiery fusion, and perhaps those looking to discover a younger Jeff Beck or Al DiMeola will totally dig where Sadites is coming from. www.Sadites.com © 2000-2009 MWE3.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Following up his first release 'Orbit', Jason returns with 11 brand new instrumental fusion tracks! This incredible CD features performances by many of the worlds top musicians, including Kenny Aronoff, Tony Levin, Marco Minnemann, Gregg and Matt Bissonette, Jerry Marotta, Chad Wackerman and Brett Garsed among others! Along with the aformentioned players, Jason displays stunning performances throughout the CD, weaving his strong melodies, tight harmonies and amazing solos over the songs incredible grooves. If you are a fan of great instrumental songwriting combined with truly inspirational performances, this is a CD you won't want to miss! © 2002-2012 AbstractLogix

Great rock/fusion album by Jason Sadites. Buy his "Orbit" album and support real music. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 96.7 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Swart 3:45
2 Self Evolving System 3:43
3 Weave 4:44
4 Oddly Enough 4:32
5 Is It Safe To Go In There 4:30
6 Fluid 3:54
7 Silent Repercussion 1:03
8 That's Gonna Leave A Mark 3:33
9 Afterthought 4:32 10 Reversal 3:56
11 Memetic Hazard 5:01

All songs composed by Jason Sadites

MUSICIANS

Jason Sadites - Guitars, Sound FX, Programming
Brett Garsed - Guitar Solo on Track 5
Tony Levin - Bass on Tracks 1 - 4, 9,11: Chapman Stick on Track 5
Matt Bissonette - Bass on Track 6
Martin Motnik - Bass on Track 8
Carlo De Lorenzi - Organ on Track 4
Kenny Aronoff - Drums on Track 1
Marco Minneman - Drums on Tracks 4,11
Gregg Bissonette - Drums on Track 6
Chad Wackerman - Drums on Track 8
Jerry Marotta - Drums & Percussion on Track 9
Brendon Colameco - Drums on Track 10

ABOUT JASON SADITES

Canadian born guitarist Jason Sadites began playing guitar at the age of ten. After spending many years studying music and the art of recording and production, Jason began writing, producing and recording his own music and the music of other local bands. Utilizing his experience as a guitarist, writer, producer and engineer, Jason entered the studio in 2004 to begin working on what would become his debut CD ‘ORBIT‘, which was released in late 2005. ‘ORBIT‘ received great reviews from many sources, complementing Jason not only his abilities on the guitar, but also on his melodic approach to songwriting. In 20009 Jason released his second CD ‘WEVE‘. On the CD Jason performs with many world class musicians. Among them, world renowned drummers Kenny Aronoff, Marco Minnemann, Jerry Marotta, Gregg Bissonette and Chad Wackerman. Completing the rhythm sections with these drummers are bassists Tony Levin, Matt Bissonette and Martin Motnik. The exciting new CD is out now and can be purchased through various online retailers by clicking here. Jason’s latest project is the new CD “behind the laughter” a collaboration with Marco Minnemann. “laughter” is one of many release in Marco Minnemann’s series of Normalizer 2 CD which includes CD’s from Alex Machacek, Trey Gunn, Mike Keneally, John Czjakowski, Phi Yaan-Zek and Marco himself. More info on this exciting project can be found by clicking http://www.normalizer2.com/ © http://www.sadites.com/?page_id=59

Joe Pass

2012-02-20T14:04:00.001+01:00

Joe Pass - The Stones Jazz - 1966 - World Pacific

An album of songs by the Rolling Stones hardly sounds like promising material for any jazz release, even in the hands of a master guitarist like Joe Pass. Featuring ten of their hits with arrangements by Bob Florence and an unidentified cast of musicians, other than tenor saxophonist Bill Perkins, this LP was clearly one for a paycheck when most jazz players were scratching for work. Unlike the works of Lennon and McCartney of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones' music doesn't lend itself to jazz. Pass doesn't solo with the gusto one came to expect from his many great sessions from the 1970s to the end of his life for Pablo and elsewhere. Even the closing blues "Stones Jazz," credited to Florence and Pass, sounds severely dated and not worth a second hearing to today's jazz listener. A very unlikely candidate for reissue on CD, this record will be sought by Joe Pass fanatics only. © Ken Dryden © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/r145223

A short album recorded at World Pacific Jazz Studios, Los Angeles, CA, in July, 1966. Joe Pass once said that when the Beatles first came to America "his studio work, and everyone else's dried up after February 1964". "The only musicians able to get studio work were those able to play the "new sounds". Joe Pass and other jazz musicians found it necessary to make records like this to go with the musical flow to earn some money. Joe Pass also said that this record was made "for fun", and that he enjoyed recording it. Some music critics deem Jagger & Richard's songs unsuitable for jazz interpretations. Listen to Tim Ries' "Rolling Stones Project", which is a brilliant jazz covers album of Stones' tunes. The late Joe Pass was an exceptionally talented jazz guitarist, and "The Stones Jazz" although it's a very good album should not be taken too seriously by jazz purists, and certainly not as an example of Joe Pass' best work. In fact, Joe's guitar work is only one part of the album. There is also guitar by Dennis Budimir and John Pisano, and the excellent piano, trombone, and sax work is worth focusing on. I wonder has Charlie Watts ever commented on this album? Listen to Joe's great "Songs for Ellen" and "Chops" albums [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 78.6 mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Play With Fire - N. Phelge (Nanker Phelge is a songwriter pseudonym used by the Rolling Stones between 1963 and 1965. It was used for collaborations by the whole band, i.e. Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman.) 2:58
A2 19th Nervous Breakdown - Richard, Jagger 2:58
A3 I Am Waiting - Richard, Jagger 2:53
A4 Lady Jane - Richard, Jagger 2:52
A5 Not Fade Away - Charles Hardin Holley (aka Buddy Holly) & Norman Petty 2:35
A6 Mother's Little Helper - Richard, Jagger 2:54

B1 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Richard, Jagger 3:10
B2 Paint It Black - Richard, Jagger 3:25
B3 What A Shame - Richard, Jagger 2:58
B4 As Tears Go By - Andrew Loog Oldham, Richard, Jagger 3:05
B5 Stone Jazz - Bob Florence & Joe Pass 2:50

MUSICIANS

Joe Pass, Dennis Budimir, John Pisano - Guitar
Chuck Berghofer - Bass
Bob Florence - Piano
John Gain - Drums
Victor Feldman - Percussion
Bill Perkins - Tenor Sax
Milt Bernhardt, Dick Hamilton, Herbie Harper, Gale Martin - Trombone

BIO

Joe Pass did the near-impossible. He was able to play up-tempo versions of bop tunes such as "Cherokee" and "How High the Moon" unaccompanied on the guitar. Unlike Stanley Jordan, Pass used conventional (but superb) technique, and his Virtuoso series on Pablo still sounds remarkable decades later. Joe Pass had a false start in his career. He played in a few swing bands (including Tony Pastor's) before graduating from high school, and was with Charlie Barnet for a time in 1947. But after serving in the military, Pass became a drug addict, serving time in prison and essentially wasting a decade. He emerged in 1962 with a record cut at Synanon, made a bit of a stir with his For Django set, recorded several other albums for Pacific Jazz and World Pacific, and performed with Gerald Wilson, Les McCann, George Shearing, and Benny Goodman (1973). However, in general Pass maintained a low profile in Los Angeles until he was signed by Norman Granz to his Pablo label. 1973's Virtuoso made him a star and he recorded very prolifically for Pablo, unaccompanied, with small groups, on duo albums with Ella Fitzgerald, and with such masters as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie. Pass remained very active up until his death from cancer. © Scott Yanow © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joe-pass-p7292/biography

Ben Blake

2012-02-19T15:50:00.001+01:00

Ben Blake - Blues Deluxe - 2000 - BB Music

Ben Blake came to national attention at age 22 with the "Bosstown Sound" © band Phluph (Verve/M.G.M. Records) making Newsweek magazine in the psychedelic 1960's. He was a persistent figure on the Boston music scene through the mid-1970's, and then in Hollywood, California through he 1980's, returning the East Coast in the 1990's. Ben Blake/Guitarist says it all. Yes, he is a singer, songwriter, keyboardist, and producer - but primarily he is a guitarist. Ben Blake says, 'The guitar is the vessel into which I pour the waters of my soul," be if Blues, Rock, R&B, Soul, Jazz or Fusion. From Classical training in piano to over 40 years playing guitar, Ben Blake's roots are deep and his experience is wide-ranging. He has backed up The Coasters, The Drifters and Bobby Lewis - opened for Bo Didley and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band - and jammed with Lowell George (little Feat), Boz Scaggs, Bonnie Raiff, and Joe Sample, (The Crusaders), and sessioned for Ornette Coleman and Harry Neilsen. Ben Blake has worked clubs, colleges, and concerts for 35 years. A published (BMI) singer/songwriter since 1968, recognized by The American Songwriters Festival in the 1970's, today he administers BB Music with several hundred compositions of varied description in his catalogue. Soundtracked in Austria, on the radio in Germany, and reissued in Italy, BB Music has reached beyond these American shores. © http://benblakemusic.com/index.htm

Phluph were a psychedelic folk/pop rock band from Cambridge, Massachusetts who released one s/t album in 1968 on the jazz based label, Verve. Ben Blake (credited on the album as Benson Blake IV) penned six of the album's tracks and contributed guitar and vocals. 32 years later, Ben Blake released this album which was called ". . . cool . . . and classy" by Blues Revue Magazine 6/2000. "The album is an effort to build on tradition, but move the sound and form forward, and to reflect the breadth and depth of his blues influences". A very enjoyable and laid back album of all original soul blues, and R&B tracks with a jazz/funk influence. An overlooked album, with some great guitar from Ben. Listen to Ben's "In the Beginning" album, and Phluph's 1968 s/t album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 113 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Midnight (Part 2) 3:49
2 Prime Time Love 4:40
3 It Should Have Been Me 4:09
4 Confusion 3:39
5 New York Shuffle 3:49
6 Snow Blind 6:05
7 Tongue Tied 5:13
8 Ms. Strange 3:57
9 Bakersfield Blues 3:31
10 Late Night Lament 4:36
11 Rasta Pasta 3:40

All songs composed by Ben Blake

BAND

Ben Blake - Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals
Eric Winter - Bass
Papa John Molé - Drums

Tommy Castro

2012-02-18T15:57:00.001+01:00

Tommy Castro - Soul Shaker - 2005 - Blind Pig

Tommy Castro's return to Blind Pig Records features some of his strongest songwriting yet, and there's plenty of reasons to celebrate Soul Shaker, a dozen new songs that have a distinctive Memphis or New Orleans feel to them. "What You Gonna Do Now" and "Just Like Me" lean toward the Stax sound, while "The Next Right Thing" and "Big Love" remind me of some pretty funky Crescent City blues. Jim Pugh's Hammond B-3 and piano fill out the band's sound nicely, and Roy Rogers contributes some stinging slide guitar on the funky title cut. The New Dimensons add background vocals courtesy of labelmate (and GRAMMY nominee) Renee Austin, Russell Branch, Curtis Fullard, and Marcus Walker. When was when was the last time you heard a flute on a blues record? Keith Crossnan sets his sax aside and delves into some ethereal jazz flute on "The Crossanova," adding to the musical diversity of Soul Shaker. There may not be enough surprises on Soul Shaker for some blues fans, but I keep coming back to Tommy Castro and his band for no-nonsense bar-band blues of the highest order. On Soul Shaker, Tommy Castro, Keith Crossnan, bassist Randy McDonald and drummer Chris Sandovall, deliver a strong set of what I've come to expect from this band. © 2005 Eric Steiner http://www.cosmik.com/aa-marchapril05/reviews/review_tommy_castro.html

San Francisco's Tommy Castro doesn't play blues so much as a brand of hard, soulful rock with a blues inflection, not unlike the J. Geils Band in the early 1980s, say, or Bob Seger (Castro's voice bears a strong resemblance to Seger's), all with a little bit of the old Stax groove tossed in for good measure. Soul Shaker reunites him with his old label, Blind Pig, and while there is nothing startling or innovative here, Castro and his band churn out a kind of meat-and-potatoes rock that is increasingly becoming an endangered species, probably not seen in these parts since Seger decided to stop making albums. While Castro is perfectly capable taking a Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar turn on the Strat, it is his vocals that give his material its real punch, and here he turns in some very credible singing performances on the Memphis-style ballad "Anytime Soon," "The Holdin' On" (which Wilson Pickett should cover immediately), the funky "Big Love," and the title track, "Soul Shaker," which features a guest spot by slide guitar ace Roy Rogers. One of the most striking tracks is "Let's Give Love a Try," which rocks wonderfully in a no-frills, bar band groove, and it really does sound like a great, lost Bob Seger single. Another highlight is the flute-led and jazzy "The Crossanova," which shows that Castro and his band have more than a couple cards up their sleeves. In the end, Soul Shaker is a solid party album, one that breaks no new ground, but sometimes that's just fine. © Steve Leggett © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-shaker-r726888/review

"Soul Shaker" has received criticism for it's "weak songs" and lack of Tommy's Strat solos. It depends what you are looking for. This is not an album of blazing Telecasters. The album is full of great songs in the Soul/Blues Rock vein, concentrates more on lyrics and vocals, and is one of Tommy's better albums. If you prefer a stronger demonstration of Tommy's brilliant guitar technique, give his "Gratitude" album a listen, and buy "The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue: Live!" album which features Tommy and a host of other world class musicians [Tracks @ 224-320 Kbps: File size = 97.1 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Just Like Me - Bowe, Castro 4:14
2 Let's Give Love a Try - Castro, Gunn, Walker 3:44
3 Anytime Soon - Castro, Silbar 4:27
4 What You Gonna' Do Now? - Castro, McClinton, Nicholson 4:30
5 The Next Right Thing - Bowe, Castro, Pugh 4:52
6 Soul Shaker - Castro, Nicholson 3:54
7 No One Left to Lie To - Bowe, Castro 3:50
8 Wake Up Call - Castro, Silbar 4:16
9 The Holdin' On - Bowe, Castro 4:43
10 Take Me Off the Road - Castro, McDonald 3:53
11 The Crossanova - Castro, Crossan 2:41
12 Big Love - Castro 3:33

MUSICIANS

Tommy Castro - Guitar, Vocals [Tommy Castro Band]
Steve Spirn - Guitar
Kevin Bowe - Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Organ, Bass, Drum Loop, Background Vocals on "Big Love"
Roy Rogers - Slide Guitar on "Soul Shaker"
Randy McDonald - Bass, Background Vocals [Tommy Castro Band]
Jim Pugh - Hammond Organ, Piano, Background Vocal Production
Chris Sandoval - Drums, Percussion [Tommy Castro Band]
Bryan Hanna - Percussion
Armando Morales - Conga
Keith Crossan - Saxophone, Flute, Horn Arrangements [Tommy Castro Band]
Tom Poole - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horn Arrangements on "Just Like Me"
Roy Tyler - Vocal Arranger [The New Directions]
Marcus Walker - 1st Tenor [The New Directions]
Curtis Fullard - 2nd Tenor [The New Directions]
Russell Branch - Baritone [The New Directions]
Reneé Austin - Background Vocals on "Let's Give Love a Try" [The New Directions]

BIO

According to all the press and hype and hoopla for a time during the 1990s, Tommy Castro was pegged as the next big star of the blues. Long a favorite among Bay Area music fans, Castro -- in the space of two album releases -- took his music around the world and back again with a sheaf of praise from critics and old-time blues musicians alike. His music was a combination of soul-inflected rockers with the occasional slow blues or shuffle thrown into the mix to keep it honest. His vocals were laid-back and always a hair behind the beat, while his scorching guitar tone was Stevie Ray Stratocaster-approved. Crossover success did not seem out of the question. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Castro started playing guitar at the tender age of ten. Initially inspired by Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, and Elvin Bishop, he started the inevitable journey into the roots of his heroes and discovered and quickly became enamored of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and Freddie King. His vocal styling came from constant listening to Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Otis Redding. After playing with numerous Bay Area groups honing his chops, he landed a gig playing guitar for the San Francisco band the Dynatones, who were then signed to Warner Bros. The two-year stint augured well for Castro, playing to the biggest crowds he had seen up to that point and backing artists as diverse as Carla Thomas and Albert King. Returning to San Francisco, Castro formed his own group and in 1993 released his first self-produced album, No Foolin', on the dime-sized Saloon label. That same year also saw him winning the Bay Area Music Award for Best Club Band, an honor he duplicated the following year. In 1997, he won Bammies for Outstanding Blues Musician and for Outstanding Blues Album for his debut release on Blind Pig Records, Exception to the Rule. Also in 1997, Castro and his band began a three-year stint working as the house band on NBC's Comedy Showcase, which aired after Saturday Night Live. Live at the Fillmore was released in early 2000, and with everyone from industry insiders to B.B. King singing his praises, Castro appeared to be headed for bigger and better things. It was not to be, however, as in 2001 he left Blind Pig Records and recorded Guilty of Love for the small 33rd Street label. Blind Pig closed the books on their association with Castro in 2002 by releasing the career retrospective The Essential Tommy Castro. Gratitude appeared from Heart and Soul in 2003, followed by Triple Trouble (with Jimmy Hall and Lloyd Jones) later that same year from Telarc. In 2005 Castro returned to the Blind Pig label for the release of Soul Shaker, followed by Painkiller in 2007. The relatively smooth and polished Hard Believer appeared from Alligator Records in 2009, followed in 2011 by The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue: Live!, a collection of highlights from Castro's recent live performances, also on Alligator Records. © Cub Koda © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tommy-castro-p63212/biography

Wayne Krantz

2012-02-18T00:44:00.001+01:00

Wayne Krantz - Signals - 1990 - Enja

“Krantz has versatility, taste and improvisational eloquence. One of the top 5 CDs of the year” - Jazziz

“Fiery passion and stellar technical facility.” - Fanfare

“A remarkable complexity of rhythms and melodic shapes.” - Audio

“Good musical ideas and guts, too…as exciting as something you’d have heard at a Mahavishnu Orchestra concert in the ’70s. 4 and 1/2 stars.” - Downbeat

Guitarist Wayne Krantz's hardness and intensity serve him well on Signals - a respectable fusion date uniting him with drummer Dennis Chambers, keyboardist Jim Beard and bassist Hiram Bullock, among others. When Krantz lets loose and digs into such complex yet accessible jazz-rock as "Faith in the Process," "Don't Tell Me" and "Alliance," the listener can focus on the depth of his playing. Guitarist Leni Stern joins Krantz on the reflective "As Is." © Alex Henderson © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/signals-r142310

A great album of instrumental jazz rock/fusion from five masters of their instruments. Wayne Krantz's guitar skills are awe inspiring. He is one of the most innovative guitarists playing today. In 1996 Wayne played with Steely Dan on their world tour. He will amaze you with his unique signature rhythmic approach and totally distinctive style. The bass work from the late Hiram Bullock and Anthony Jackson is an education in itself, and of course the drumming from the unbelievably talented Dennis Chambers is fabulous. There are some quiet moments on the album, but overall it's very, very impressive. The guys produce some magical grooves. "Signals" is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Wayne Krantz and Leni Stern's "Separate Cages" album. You can also hear some of Wayne's superb guitar work on Donald Fagen's "Morph The Cat" album. For music in a similar vein, listen to the late Emily Remler's "Transitions" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 76.1 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Alliance 3:38
2. Faith In The Process 3:53
3. One Of Two 4:17
4. Don't Tell Me 5:30
5. As Is 3:30
6. Signals 5:35
7. Sossity; You're A Woman 3:33
8. Music Room 4:50
9. Two Of Two 3:17
10. For Susan 3:41

All tracks composed by Wayne Krantz except "As Is" by Leni Stern, and "Sossity, You're a Woman" by Ian Anderson

MUSICIANS

Wayne Krantz, Leni Stern - Guitar
Hiram Bullock RIP, Anthony Jackson - Bass
Jim Beard - Keyboards
Dennis Chambers - Drums
Don Alias RIP - Percussion

BIO (WIKI)

Wayne Krantz (born July 26, 1956 in Corvallis, Oregon) is an innovative American musician, who is widely recognized as a technically advanced jazz fusion guitarist. He has played with top artists such as Steely Dan, John Zorn, Michael Brecker, Billy Cobham, and others, but currently has a solo act. Krantz released his first album, Signals, in 1991, sporting an array of recognized jazz musicians such as Dennis Chambers, Leni Stern, Anthony Jackson, and others. However, in 1992, he formed a trio with bassist Lincoln Goines and drummer Zach Danziger, and recorded two albums with them; Long To Be Loose, in 1993, and a live album, 2 Drink Minimum, in 1995. In doing so, he began to play periodically at the 55 Bar, a diverse and premier jazz club in New York City. In 1996, Krantz released an acoustic album with Leni Stern, dubbed Separate Cages. Wayne formed a new trio in 1997, consisting of his ferocious guitar skills, complemented by Tim Lefebvre on electric bass and Keith Carlock on drums, new sounds that would change his music's style drastically. On June 28, 2007, Krantz played his final regular Thursday night gig at NYC's 55 Bar. In an announcement by Krantz to his mailing list notifying his fans of the change, he stated a desire to move towards a "louder thing" requiring "bigger rooms, with stages and sound systems to pull it off." Krantz's first three solo albums were released on the jazz label, Enja Records, which was at the time also home to frequent collaborator Leni Stern. However, Krantz's last three albums, 1999's Greenwich Mean, 2003's Your Basic Live, and 2007's "Your Basic Live '06" were both released from Wayne's private website. Like 2 Drink Minimum, these two albums both are excerpts of various sets at the 55 Bar. These two albums also include more use of effects pedals, and are more unscripted and improvised than the previous three, implying Wayne's tendency towards nonconformism on and off the stage. He contributed to Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen's newest release, Morph the Cat, and participated in touring with Fagen's band in early 2006. In another rare sideman role, Krantz is featured on tenor saxophonist Chris Potter's 2006 release, "Underground." Additionally, he is to return to the studio in 2006 to record a new solo album, to be followed by touring. It is unknown whether this new album will feature Wayne's existing trio. Even with a lack of a record company, and thus an absence of excessive advertisement and sponsorship, Krantz's music still receives acclaim and a worldwide underground fan base, strongest in the New York metropolitan area and Britain. Wayne Krantz signed with record label Abstract Logix to release his first studio record in over fifteen years.Krantz Carlock Lefebvre (2009) features the core trio of Keith Carlock on drums, Tim Lefebvre on bass, and Wayne on guitar. As a guitarist, Krantz is known for being a relentless individualist, which is evidenced in his improvisational style. In his book "An Improviser's Operating System," Krantz outlines his approach to improvisation, which relies not on licks or memorized fretboard patterns but an awareness of musical "formulas" on the instrument. Krantz's improvisation is known for its spontaneity, and he makes a distinction between this form of improvisation and "composition," the latter of which may include any musical idea that is preconceived on the instrument. While many guitarists rely on other music as a model for their own playing, Krantz is highly committed to realizing his own voice on the instrument and claims not to derive a great deal of inspiration from other music. Though Krantz has studied other players in the past, he does not consider himself a stylist (i.e. someone who models his or her playing on a predefined stylistic template, such as pure bebop, rock, blues or funk.) In addition to its concern for melody and harmony, Krantz's music demonstrates a high rhythmic awareness, often incorporating polyrhythms, odd metric groupings and displaced beats. Krantz is most identified with a Stratocaster-type electric guitar. Recently he has played a model manufactured by Tyler Guitars. Earlier releases such as "Signals" feature a chorus effect commonly associated with fusion guitar. Within several years, however, his sound became more organic, featuring analog effects such as overdrive, wah-wah, and a Moogerfooger ring modulator. For amplification, Krantz has used both Fender Deluxe Reverb and, more recently, Marshall amplifiers for a heavier sound. On May 22, 2004, Krantz married smooth jazz vocalist Gabriela Anders. Together they live in New York City with their daughter Marley.

Peter Lewis (Moby Grape Related)

2012-02-17T00:24:00.001+01:00

Peter Lewis - Peter Lewis - 1995 - Taxim

Possibly one of the more underrated albums of the 1990s, Peter Lewis was the Moby Grape co-founder's first solo effort. According to Lewis, "I stopped giving what I thought were my best songs to Moby Grape at one point. I don't remember when that exactly was, somewhere around 1972, or maybe a little later." What Lewis does here is collect an artful series of cameos that reflect life's ups and downs, as well as a strong feeling for the common touch. There's also the sensitivity of someone who has walked through the fire and lived to tell about it; this is apparent on many of the album's songs. Lewis' fabulous folk baritone/tenor voice is as strong as ever on the album's 12 selections, as is his unique fingerpicking guitar style. This is best illustrated in the album's centerpiece, "If Life Was Just a Game," which has a strong philosophical slant about destiny and mortality. Musically, it welds folk, rock, and even bluegrass with some incredible, interweaving melodic lines and 12-string guitar solos which can only be rivaled by Buffalo Springfield's epic "Bluebird." Produced by Doobie Brothers multi-instrumentalist John McFee, the sound of the record -- while not at all sterile -- is a bit too clean in places and might have the listener yearning for a slightly more raw feel that the songs seem to call for. This, however, is a very minor criticism on an album where the songs are the stars. Lewis' statement of strength of spirit, virtue, and self-awareness is inescapable, making the record a wholly inspiring experience. © Matthew Greenwald © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/peter-lewis-r610367/review

Jeff Tamarkin said of Moby Grope that "The Grape's saga is one of squandered potential, absurdly misguided decisions, bad luck, blunders and excruciating heartbreak, all set to the tune of some of the greatest rock and roll ever to emerge from San Francisco. Moby Grape could have had it all, but they ended up with nothing, and less." Peter Lewis (born July 15, 1945) was a founding member of the great Moby Grape, who sadly never realised their true potential. MG brilliantly combined folk, blues, country and psychedelic rock. Three of Peter's better known songs with MG are "Fall On You" and "Sitting By The Window" from the self-titled first Moby Grape album and "If You Can't Learn From My Mistakes", from Moby Grape '69. In recent years, in addition to performing Peter has played occasionally with Moby Grape. He also played guitar with the reformed Electric Prunes (2000–2003), and played on their Artifact album. In 2010, Peter appeared with Stu Cook at the SXSW festival, performing with The Explosives. As of 2011, he has been writing songs and performing with poet M.L. Lieber. This s/t album was produced by John McFee (Doobie Brothers, Clover, Southern Pacific) and features veteran musicians like drummer Keith Knudsen, legendary bassist Stu Cook, Randy Meisner and John York on backing vocals, and the late, great saxophonist Cornelius Bumpus. Rolling Stone said "In 1967 the great, ill-fated Moby Grape made one of the truly perfect debut albums in rock. 28 years later...Lewis turns up with an equally exquisite solo bow...rich in luminous vocal harmonies and sweet folk-rock lyricism.“ The mag also gave the album a five star rating. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C and features melodic, expertly crafted expressive songs with often complex musical arrangements. Listen to Peter's "Live in Bremen" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 110 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Beyond the Storm
2. I Got the Night
3. Black Moon
4. Little Dreamer
5. Milk and Honey
6. Sittin' by the Window
7. Pictures of the Past
8. Changing
9. Fate Full of Shadows
10. In Between the Lines
11. If Life Was Just a Game
12. Changing (Reprise)

All songs composed by Peter Lewis

MUSICIANS

Peter Lewis - Guitar, Vocals
John McFee - Guitar, Pedal Steel, Mandolin, Violin, Harmonica, Vocals
Shane McFee - Lead Guitar on "If Life Was Just a Game"
Stu Cook - Bass
David West - Mandolin on "In Between the Lines", Banjo on "If Life Was Just a Game"
Guy Allison - Keyboards
Keith Knudsen - Drums
Cornelius Bumpus - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Alan Hughes - Eulogy on "If Life Was Just a Game"
Billy Darnell, Randy Meisner, Robin Lamble, John York - Backing Vocals on "Changing (Reprise)"

BIO

One of the founding members of Moby Grape, Peter Lewis is undoubtedly one of the most underrated musicians and contributors to come out of the '60s rock revolution. Lewis was born into a show business family, and is the son of a renowned actress, the late Loretta Young. While in high school, Lewis played guitar and sang in a pop/rock band called the Cornells, and also rubbed elbows with Ricky Nelson, among others. After attending military school and a brief stint in the Air Force, Lewis was, for a short time, a commercial pilot for Shell Oil. After seeing an early appearance by the Byrds, Lewis was inspired enough to make music his primary focus. "I would have stayed a pilot too if it wasn't for the Byrds. It was at the Long Beach Arena where I went with my girlfriend to see the Rolling Stones that it happened. Being in the pilot's program had completely absorbed me, and I had spent the last two years doing nothing but flying, or studying about flying. Music had been put in the background. It had no pull on me, because in my isolated situation, I still thought the music scene in America was pretty lame. That all changed when the opening band stepped on-stage that night at the Stones concert. Of course, it was the Byrds." It was during this period that Lewis began to develop what was to become his signature fingerpicking guitar style. Although galvanized by Roger McGuinn's playing, Lewis chose to explore the style on the six-string electric, and this set him apart from many other guitarists at the time who were merely imitating McGuinn, utilizing 12-string Rickenbackers. For over a year, Lewis and his new band, Peter & the Wolves, played up and down the West Coast. Sometime in 1966, Lewis began playing with another underestimated musical genius, Joel Scott Hill, and through him, met bassist/vocalist Bob Mosley, and the Moby Grape odyssey began. Lewis' contributions to the band were great and many. Aside from furnishing the band with some of their best and most accessible rockers such as "Fall on You" and "Goin' Down to Texas,", he also had an introspective, psychologically probing and psychedelic ballad style, and this is where his originality and talent truly shine. This is best represented on songs such as "He," "That Lost Horizon," "Horse Out in the Rain," and "Sittin' by the Window" (which be reprised brilliantly on his 1995 self-titled solo album). He also penned the profound "Changes, Circles Spinning," which can be seen as an ode to the end of the '60s, and was part of Joan Baez' late-'60s live repertoire.Between brief Moby Grape reunions in the '70s, Lewis and another Grape co-founder, the late Skip Spence, were instrumental in helping assemble the Doobie Brothers, as well as assisting in getting them signed to Warner Bros. Lewis was rumored to have an offer to join the band early on with Spence, but when his former bandmate decided not to pursue this, Lewis declined as well. In 1995, he released his only solo album to date, Peter Lewis, on the German-based Taxim Records label. Produced by former Doobies guitarist John McFee, the record is a penetrating example of Lewis' unique talent, as well as his musical growth. He has spent the last few years recording tracks for a follow-up album, and still sporadically performs live as a solo artist and occasionally with some of the surviving members of Moby Grape. At his solo shows, as if to bring things full circle, he often performs a brilliant version of Gene Clark's "Set You Free This Time," which was originally on the Byrds' Turn! Turn! Turn! album. © Matthew Greenwald © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-lewis-p189114/biography

Kaleigh Baker

2012-02-15T00:37:00.001+01:00

Kaleigh Baker - The Weight of It All (EP) - 2011 - Kaleigh Baker

Among the many gifts given with both hands to formerly local, currently New York-prowling singer-songwriter Kaleigh Baker – aside from that Swiss Army knife of a voice – is her innate grasp of momentum. On her new EP, The Weight of It All, Baker and producer Justin Beckler play the puppet masters, building suspense without ever seeming coy about it. Baker is capable of communicating volumes with a simple vocal lilt, and on the moments in which her register nose-dives headfirst into the emotional muck (“Sugardaddy”) or propels like a jet into the stratosphere (“Love Letter to a Burning Man”), she never fails to rouse the senses. From its 12-bar intro (the foot-stomping “Train Gone By”) to the titular closer, Weight feels like that disorienting second after an earthquake begins. Long-gestating centerpiece “Peace, Love and All That” is a master class in maintaining an album’s tide. Following the skillfully playful “Train Gone By” and “Sugardaddy,” the track is wholly declarative, with extended phrasing that elegantly rides the beat as Baker waits for an opening to attack. In its last minute, the drums drop out and Baker strikes, supported by a couple of Orlando’s greatest voices: Olivia Wynn of Thomas Wynn & the Believers and Solillaquists of Sound’s Alexandrah Sarton. It’s a thrilling moment that injects every remaining song with possibility, including the Broadway bouncer “Sheister” and the forbidden lust of “Love Letter to a Burning Man.” The Weight of It All is the roar of a soulful lioness and will go a long way toward proving to the world what Orlando’s known for a long time: Kaleigh Baker is a legend in the making. - [from Fire and pain: Blues-soul lady-in-waiting Kaleigh Baker makes a strong claim to the throne: By & © Justin Strout Published: August 11, 2011 © 2012 Orlando Weekly http://orlandoweekly.com/music/fire-and-pain-1.1187019]

Originally from a small valley in Western New York, Kaleigh Baker has now established herself as a dynamic jazzy, soul/blues rock vocalist, and a talented songwriter. "Her chill-inducing growl and ear-shattering range come drenched in Jack Daniel’s swagger: ‘Her vocals dip into a low and resounding molasses-slow croon with as much ease as they ascend to ceiling-skimming heights…’(Creative Loafing). When asked during an interview to describe her sound, she said “blues, soul, rock-n-roll”. If "The Weight of It All" is any indication of things to come from Kaleigh, then another small but important step will have been made in cultivating the seedlings of really good music for the future. This EP is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Kaleigh Baker is a great soul blues artist, and similar to soul/blues singers like Kyla Brox from England, she is maintaining a high quality of musical output in todays barren musical scene. These artists need all the help they can get to try and eliminate the commercial crap out there masquerading as "music". Buy "The Weight of It All", go and see her if she's playing in your area, and watch out for more releases from this talented lady. Support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 41.8 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Train Gone By - Kaleigh Baker 3:51
2. Sugardaddy - Kaleigh Baker & Justin Beckler 3:34
3. Peace Love and All That - Kaleigh Baker 4:06
4. Sheister - Kaleigh Baker & Tim Turner 4:09
5. Love Letter to a Burning Man - Kaleigh Baker 2:58
6. The Weight of It All - Kaleigh Baker 4:34

MUSICIANS

Kaleigh Baker - Acoustic Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Tim Turner - Electric Guitar
Justin Beckler - Electric & Bass Guitar
Matt Lapham, Todd Warsing - Bass Guitar
Abel Avalos - Keyboards
Rion Smith - Percussion
Nathan Anderson - Saxophone
Olivia Wynn, Alexandrah Sarton - Backing Vocals

ABOUT KALEIGH

While Barbados may have Rihanna, Orlando has the right to say we won the heart of Kaleigh Baker, the talented songstress and songwriter with vocals that have been said to rival that of Janis Joplin. Though Kaleigh was not born or raised in Orlando, you could call Orlando her musical home. Growing up in a valley in Western New York, Kaleigh was an athlete and country girl. After striking out on her own to Buffalo, NY and trying her hand in college at Journalism, Kaleigh started playing guitar and found her way into playing gigs. Though she started singing a few years prior to college something clicked and she found her calling. She says at that point she thought “I’ve been playing sports all my life and it’s time for something new.” Having a strong soulful voice, booking gigs was not the issue for this girl, the technical side of music was her weak side. Lucky for Orlando, this brought her here through her enrollment into Full Sail to strengthen her musical knowledge and become a force to reckon with both in Orlando and beyond. “Orlando is really good to me” says Kaleigh while visiting from her current home in New York, NY. “I’ve only been gone three months…” she trails off. While Orlando may not instill the same nostalgia in everyone (though hopefully one day it will earn that place in many hearts), Kaleigh has a great point about the music scene in Orlando. She says “I was here for five years and I’ve always felt like Orlando has the best music scene. Out of all the different genres, the bands here are stellar, the musicianship is top tier.” But Kaleigh isn’t here just to make us Orlando residents get all teary eyed about our fine city. She is also gracing us with her talent and playing at The Social on Friday, August 12, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. “The band for The Social is killer” entices Kaleigh. Not wanting to give away everything, she reveals that you can count on is seeing Nate Anderson on stage playing saxophone, Abel Avalos on keys, and Anthony Manzo on drums. In addition you can prepare yourself for husband and wife, Jeff and Erin Nolan to hit the stage, who will be sure to impress the crowd. With a lineup like this and the attraction of Kaleigh herself, this show will be the place to be on Friday night. Tickets are $10 and you can purchase them ahead of time here (http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/51933?utm_source=fb1&utm_medium=amp) to avoid waiting in line, or worse not getting in at all due to sell out! By & © Jennifer Schaffner Orlando Live Music Examiner http://www.examiner.com/live-music-in-orlando/spotlight-on-kaleigh-baker

Isotope

2012-02-14T12:50:00.001+01:00

Isotope - Deep End - 1975 - Gull

"Deep End" is Isotope's third studio album. The band was formed in 1973 by guitarist Gary Boyle with three other experienced jazz musicians, Nigel Morris, Brian Miller & Jeff Clyne (ex Nucleus). The band released three good albums during the mid 70s, which were well received. Many music critics compared the band's fusion style to John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra. By the time "Deep End" was recorded, the band featured Gary and Nigel Morris with Dan K. Brown on bass and Zoe Kronberger and Frank Roberts on keyboards. "Deep End" is a wonderful album of pure funk fusion from this often overlooked Canterbury influenced progressive jazz rock fusion band, and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. The album has been re-issued numerous times since 1975 with different track sequences, and different bonus tracks. Some editions include the track "Sliding Dogs/Lion Sandwich" (Not included here). The post here is the 2011 expanded edition on the Esoteric/Cherry Red label which features the original eight tracks + 4 bonus tracks (2001 remixes of "Mr.M's Picture", "Crunch Cake", "Black Sand", and "Deep End"). For music in the same vein, search this blog for albums by Ian Carr/Ian Carr's Nucleus. Three other albums worth hearing are Gary Boyle's wonderful "Games" album, Brand X's "Moroccan Roll" album, and Nucleus' "Labyrinth" album. Check out Isotope & Gary Boyle's "Live At The BBC" album on this blog. Also check out the late Hugh Hopper, and Brian Auger on this blog [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 153 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Mr. M's Picture (4:54) Boyle
2. Crunch Cake (3:55) Roberts
3. Another Side (4:00) Kronberger
4. Black Sand (5:45) Morris
5. Pipe Dream (6:27) Scott
6. Attila (4:25) Boyle
7. Fonebone (4:25) Hopper
8. Deep End (8:22) Boyle
9. Mr. M's Picture [Remix 2001] Boyle (4:54) *
10. Crunch Cake [Remix 2001] Roberts (3:55) *
11 .Black Sand [Remix 2001] Morris (5:55) *
12. Deep End [Remix 2001] Boyle (8:18) *

* 2011 Bonus CD Tracks

BAND

Gary Boyle - Acoustic & Electric Guitars
Dan K. Brown - Bass
Neville Whitehead - Acoustic Bass
Hugh Hopper - Bass on "Fonebone"
Zoe Kronberger - Acoustic & Electric Piano, String Synth, Clavinet, Vocals
Frank Roberts - Acoustic & Electric Piano, Synthesizer
Laurence Scott - Additional Synthesizer on "Fonebone"
Nigel Morris - Drums
Morris Pert - Percussion

ISOTOPE (BIO)

The more-jazz-than-rock fusion band Isotope may have not had the longest career, but they played an integral part in the Canterbury Scene with some of its key players spending time in the band. Guitarist Gary Boyle had been playing in Dusty Springfield's band for a couple of years before he caught the prog rock bug. He got it while playing in Brian Auger & the Trinity and afterward decided to go back to school to further his musical studies. After leaving school he played with Keith Tippett and Mike Gibbs, but it was in Stomu Yamash'ta's East West band that he met drummer Nigel Morris. The two formed Isotope in 1973 and soon bassist Jeff Clyne was onboard. The band's self-titled debut appeared in 1974, followed soon after by Clyne's departure. Former East West bassist Hugh Hopper joined the band in March of 1974, the same year Boyle was to place third in the category of "Best British Guitarists" in Melody Maker's reader poll. Keyboardist Laurence Scott was added to the band for 1975's Illusion and the band gathered more fans on a U.K. tour supporting Gong. Hopper and Scott left the band and were replaced by bassist Dan K. Brown and two keyboardists — Frank Roberts and Zoe Kronberger — for 1976's Deep End. Management and record company struggles caused the band to break up in 1977. The See for Miles label reissued the band's albums in the mid-'90s and Hux unearthed two radio sessions for 2004's Live at the BBC. © David Jeffries © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:39ftxqu5ld0e~T1

MORE ABOUT ISOTOPE

This British jazz-rock group was founded in June 1972 by guitarist Gary Boyle, who had previously played with Dusty Springfield, Brian Auger and Eclection, as well as guesting on numerous jazz sessions. The original line-up of the band featured former Nucleus bassist Jeff Clyne, as well as two unknown young players he'd met on the jazz circuit : keyboardist/composer Brian Miller (who wrote almost all the tracks on the band's eponymous debut) and drummer Nigel Morris. The original line-up briefly featured Stan Sulzmann (sax) and Aureo De Souza (percussion°. The band soon signed with Gull Records in England and Motown (!) in the USA, and started touring colleges and clubs around Britain, as well as touring on the continent - France, Germany and Scandinavia. In March 1974, shortly after the release of the first album, a clash of egos led to Miller and Clyne suddenly leaving. They were replaced by Laurence Scott, a semi-pro keyboard player, and Hugh Hopper, whom Boyle had met while working with Stomu Yamash'ta. The new line-up embarked on a UK tour in June and July, followed by dates in Germany and the Netherlands in August. They then entered the studio, with Poli Palmer (ex-Eclection and Family) producing, to record Illusion. The writing was now shared equally between Boyle, Scott and Hopper. Intensive touring in Britain followed, and a US tour was undertaken in March and April 1975. Percussionist Aureo DeSouza was then added to the line-up for a European tour, and drummer Jeff Seopardie also reinforced the band for British dates later that year. In December 1975, Scott left and was replaced by Frank Roberts. At that point, management problems resulted in a very difficult financial situation and Hugh Hopper decided to leave. In March 1976, a third album, Deep End, was recorded (production duties were handled by Brand X's Robin Lumley), with Hopper playing on only his own composition "Fonebone". Bassist Dan K. Brown and second keyboardist Zoe Kronberger were added at that point, but gigs became sparser. There was one last line-up change in 1977, with only Boyle surviving from previous incarnations, alongside Geoff Downes on keyboards (later in Yes and Asia), Steve Shone on bass and Colin Wilkinson on drums, but this new Isotope never went beyond the rehearsal stage, only recording a couple of radio sessions. Gary Boyle subsequently embarked on a solo career. © http://calyx.perso.neuf.fr/bands/related.html

Victor Brox Blues Train (Victor Brox & The Night Train)

2012-02-13T02:01:00.001+01:00

Victor Brox Blues Train (Victor Brox & The Night Train) - Darwen Night Train (Darwin Night Train) - 2000 - Bullfrog

"Darwen Night Train" (That's how it's spelt on the album's front) was recorded live at the Darwin Festival, Australia in September 2000, by ABC Radio during Victor Brox Blues Train's first Australian tour. Some of Victor Brox's album releases include lo-fi documents of live shows with very basic packaging, or even plain CD burns, cheaply produced to sell at gigs. This is a professional recording, and Victor's daughter Kyla sings "Trouble in Mind", "Big Boss Man", "Double Lovin’", "Girlfriend", "The Painter" and "Don’t Fail Me Baby". She also duets with her dad on "Jesus On The Mainline". Victor Brox is already a British blues legend, and his daughter Kyla Brox has to be one of the most authentic UK blues and soul singers of her generation. There's a great interview with Victor @ http://www.earlyblues.com/Interview%20-%20Victor%20Brox.htm. Try and find his "Victor Brox: French Connection" album, and search this blog for Kyla Brox releases [All tracks @ 160 Kbps: File size = 79.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Run You Off The Hill - Brox
2 This Island Earth - Brox
3 Money Talks - Brox
4 Trouble In Mind - Richard M.Jones
5 Big Boss Man - Willie Dixon
6 Double Lovin'- Brox
7 Midnight Hour-No Woman, No Cry - Cropper, Piclett - Marley
8 Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles
9 Winning Streak - Brox
10 Girlfriend - Sarah Young
11 The Painter - Brox
12 Don't Fail Me Baby - Buddy Johnson
13 Jesus On The Mainline - Trad.

RE: MUSICIANS-

Many of Victor Brox's albums and some of Kylas are very vague in specifying musicians' credits. It would be easy to guess most of the performers on this album, but this blog would be extremely grateful for a detailed credits list for the album

VICTOR BROX BIO

Manchester blues legend Victor Brox (born in Droylsden, 1940) is a musical virtuoso and as well as playing keyboards and singing he plays brass and guitar. He is one of Britain’s greatest ever blues vocalists ranking alongside the likes of Chris Youlden, Joe Cocker and Steve Marriot at their best. This has been endorsed by Jimi Hendrix who was a great fan of Victor jamming and playing with him and the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation on many occasions in London and New-York. Victor studied under a variety of blues pioneers such as Big Bill Broonzy, Bo Diddley, Brownie McGhee, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Screaming Jay Hawkins, and played with B.B King, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Big Bill Bronzy, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillian of Deep Purple, Charlie Mingus, Noel Redding of The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Memphis Slim, Dr. John, Keith Moon of The Who, Alexis Korner, Bill Coleman, Lord David Sutch, Tete Montelieu, T.T.Swanston, John Mayall, Graham Bond, Country Joe McDonald, Keith Moon, Marzette Watts, Sun Ra and Nico, Mick Jagger, Pink Floyd, Rory Gallagher, Marc Bolan. In the late 1960s, he was the front man of Aynsley Dunbar’s Retaliation and also appeared as member of many blues outfits or as guest on several blues albums (vocals and sometimes keyboards). They released four albums: ‘Retaliation’, ‘Doctor Dunbar’s Prescription’, ‘To Mum from Aynsley and the Boys’ and ‘Remains to be Heard . He created the Victor Brox Blues Train (originally formed way back in the 60s with Annette his wife), which still exists, re-surfacing regularly. In 1970 Victor performed as Caiaphas on the original recording of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. Victor frequently appeared alongside his highly talented wife Annette Brox (vocals & percussion) and continues the tradition by singing with his daughters Kyla, Buffy and Anna. Kyla now has her own highly rated blues band. Sam Brox, his son sings and plays with his own band in Denmark. This amazing performer has appeared alongside many of the big names of blues as well as in his own right and has a string of recordings across the musical spectrum. This amazing artist, band leader, singer and multi-instrumentalist, is one the best know and longest enduring names in grass roots British blues. His dedication to live music is legendary, and over the years he has been associated with just about every major blues artist to emerge from Europe & the U.S.A. His feel, energy and great enthusiasm for the music is second to none! “Blues music has given me greater pleasure than I could ever have imagined all those years ago. I’ve met and played with hundreds of fine musicians and have made many friends. I love the music and just want to go on playing it…” http://www.myspace.com/victorbrox Edited by WilliamNl on 21 Jun 2010, 23:58 Sources http://www.myspace.com/victorbrox

Greg Koch and Other Bad Men

2012-02-12T13:43:00.001+01:00

Greg Koch and Other Bad Men - Live! On The Radio - 2007 - BHM

This is a great blues rock/soul blues album by a vastly underrated guitarist. Greg recorded this album while broadcasting from WMSE 91.7FM - Milwaukee, WI. to promote local shows. Greg said "Nowadays what often passes for blues is really harder-edged blues rock, which I'm not into that much. "Live! On The Radio" is blues and funk standards interpreted our own way at a high musical level and with a lot of humour. It's fun. You can't go away from one of our shows without having a good time." Greg also said that he liked "Live! On The Radio" for its lack of studio polish. He said, "We listened back to the recordings and said, 'Wait a minute! This sounds good!' We just wanted to capture a performance". Greg is backed by the brilliant vocalist, Malford Milligan together with members of Robben Ford's backup band. Joe Bonamassa has stated that “I believe Greg Koch is pound for pound the best guitar player in the world today. His, tone, feel and style are unrivaled in today’s guitar playing community. He is scary good. It was a true honor to do shows with him.” Buy Greg's "Double the Gristle" album and support a very underrated blues guitarist [Tracks @ 192-320 Kbps: File size = 119 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

01. Manic Depression [Hendrix]
02. Going Down [Nix]
03. Mrs. Buckley [Koch]
04. Stormy Monday [Walker]
05. The Stumble [King, Thompson]
06. Change Is Gonna Come [Cooke]
07. Ain't No Fun for Me [Green]
08. Spanish Castle Magic [Hendrix]
09. Standing on Shakey Ground [McClinton]
10. Cotton [Beck]
11. Don't Change Horses [Watson]

MUSICIANS

Greg Koch - Guitar
Roscoe Beck - Bass Guitar, Background Vocals
Brannen Temple, John Calarco, Tom Brechtlein - Drums
Malford Milligan - Vocals

BIO

An unsung guitar hero from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he grew up just a few miles from the Waukesha birthplace of the late, great guitarist-inventor Les Paul, Greg Koch has established himself within six-string circles as a masterful technician, accomplished clinician (for Fender) and general bad-ass guit-picker. No less than guitar virtuoso Steve Vai noted Koch’s six-string prowess and promptly signed signed him to his Favored Nations label in 2001. Tom Wheeler from Guitar Player magazine hailed him as “fiendishly talented” while other critics have called him everything from “a twisted guitar genius” to “the best kept secret in the guitar firmament.” On From The Attic, his 12th release overall as a leader and third for Germany’s ZYX/Peppercake label, the veteran guitar virtuoso joins bassist Tom Good and drummer Del Bennett for an eclectic, hard-hitting program full of incendiary licks and audacious fretboard tricks. Recorded remarkably quickly (“We did the ten tracks in roughly 11 hours,” Koch explains) in the attic of guitarist-engineer Chris Hanson’s Victorian home on Milwaukee’s East Side, these rockin’, bluesy originals are imbued with Koch’s trademark searing licks and typically clever lyrics. From the blistering, Magic Sam-inspired boogie “Leg Up Foot Out” to the urgent blues inflected “Nova Scotia Cold,” from the elegant fingerstyle instrumental ballad “Sleep Tight” to the wild chicken-picking romp “Picked On,” Koch and his crew wail with uncanny tightness and authority. “Trouble” is a growling funk-blues number written about Koch’s first encounter with his wife-to-be (“Her middle name was trouble, her last name is mine”) while “Agree To Disagree” addresses the guitarist’s ongoing conflict with the staunch point’s of view of loved ones. “Here We Go Again” is a rich, r&b flavored ballad featuring some lyrical, legato guitar work by Koch and the aggressively funky “Happy Versus Right” recalls classic Red Hot Chili Peppers slamming down a thick groove. Koch flaunts some wicked wahwah-inflected slide guitar licks on the mellow “Twice the Man” and they close out the collection with the anthemic, classic rock jam “You’ll Rock and Like It,” which sounds like an encounter between Jeff Beck and AC/DC.” “The whole gist of this record is kind of where I started from in my career,” says Koch of From The Attic. “It’s basically tunes with cool guitar things. And I fi nd that if you can have nice little blasts within the confi nes of a short tune, it’s much more digestible.” And though Koch may be consciously trying to simplify his six-string onslaught on this trio recording, his natural fretboard fusillades ultimately come to the fore. In its 2001 feature story, Guitar Player magazine described Koch’s inherently pyrotechnic approach this way: “An impossible stream of riffs jumps off of Koch’s fretboard like clowns spilling out of a VW bug – and when you’re convinced that there can be no more, out pops another one.” Born in Milwaukee in 1966, Koch got his earliest musical infl uences from his older brother and later became infatuated with Jimi Hendrix, who remains a profound infl uence to this day. After studying jazz guitar for four years at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Koch won 1st Prize in the 1989 Bluesbreaker Guitar Showdown judged by legendary bluesman Buddy Guy. Shortly after, he formed Greg Koch and the Tone Controls, which became one of the more popular acts of the region. The band went on to win fi ve Wisconsin Area Music Awards for Blues Artist of the Year (‘93, ‘95 through ‘98), and Koch personally took in seven WAMA awards as Guitarist of the Year (‘92, ‘94 through ‘99). Koch soon found himself as a clinician for Fender, the world’s largest and most prestigious guitar and amplifier manufacturer. Bringing together world-class chops and a humorous ability to articulate sounds and techniques with a genuine devotion to all things guitar, Koch has developed an exceptionally effective approach to conducting guitar clinics. Greg’s relationship with music publishing giant, the Hal Leonard Corporation, has also resulted in a string of top-selling guitar method books, including “Guitar Clues: Operation Pentatonic,” “Lead Licks,” “Rhythm Riffs” and Koch’s popular Hal Leonard instructional DVDs – two on the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan (approved by Jimmie Vaughan), one on Lynyrd Skynyrd, another celebrating revered blues stylists like Albert King, Albert Collins, Elmore James and Guitar Slim and one on his own twisted take on guitar called “Guitar Gristle” – have revolutionized video guitar instruction with a combination of humor, effective instruction and inspiring musical performances into a package that can only be described as “edu-tainment.” In his self-penned liner notes to his 2001 recording, The Grip, Koch described his guitaristic approach as “Chet Hendrix meeting the Kings (BB, Albert and Freddie) at the first annual Zeppelin-Holdsworth Coffee Guzzlers Hoedown.” He would subsequently showcase his over-the-top chops and wicked sense of humor on 2003’s Radio Free Gristle, 2004’s 13 x 12, 2005’s 4 Days In the South and 2007’s Live on WMSE, which showcases his fiery fretboard work in the company of bassist Roscoe Beck (longtime sideman to guitarists Robben Ford and Eric Johnson), drummer Tom Brechtlein (a former member of Ford’s Blueline band and a frequent collaborator with Chick Corea) and the charismatic Austin-based soul singer Malford Milligan (formerly the frontman for Storyville and Double Trouble). Last year’s Nation Sack had Koch teaming with Milligan and his current rhythm tandem of Good and Bennett for a collection of Koch originals (including some co-penned with Milligan) along with a cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” Koch continues to channel all the right people on his most recent collection of blues, funk and R&B, including Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Albert Collins, Jeff Beck and Roy Buchanan with touches of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Danny Gatton and Richie Blackmore thrown in for good measure. And he fi lters all those killer infl uences through his own slightly bent prism that is tinted with grunge, gristle and good clean fun. © BILL MILKOWSKI http://gregkoch.com/wordpress/?page_id=79: WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: - “Greg Koch has been our go-to guy for a dozen years now. We’ve sent him all around the world as Fender’s top ambassador. His skill as not only a guitarist but also as a world-class musician in general is matched only by his tireless commitment, leadership, professionalism, humor and utter reliability. I’ve worked with Greg for years and all I can say is that the endless depth of his musical skill and the sheer delight of his demeanor, day in and day out, absolutely has no equal. He’s the best in every sense of the word.” BILL CUMMISKEY, Vice President of Artistic Relations for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. “Incredible musician? Check. Funnier than most comics? Check. Filled with great Dad and Husband stories? Check. And, at 6’ 7”, Greg ‘Rhymes with Chalk’ Koch is living proof that great things don’t always come in small packages. I’ve been hosting morning radio shows for 25+ years and there’s literally no one that connects with our audience like Greg.” DAVE LUCZAK – WKLH Morning Show Host. “Greg Koch is one of those players with chops to spare. But he’s also got a wonderful sense of humor and despite his talent, doesn’t take himself too seriously. … – great chops, great imagination, and again, his sense of humor. It doesn’t get much better than this.” VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE – John Heidt, editor. “It seems Greg Koch can do the impossible. Not only can he rotate your head in a full Linda Blair 360 with his fi endishguitar chops, but he can also render spot-on imitations of favorite players while managing to assert a powerful artistic identity all his own.” TOM WHEELER – Former editor-in-chief, Guitar Player Magazine and author. “I believe Greg Koch is pound for pound the best guitar player in the world today. His, tone, feel and style are unrivaled in today’s guitar playing community. He is scary good. It was a true honor to do shows with him.” JOE BONAMASSA © http://gregkoch.com/wordpress/?page_id=79

Laura Marling

2012-02-11T18:52:00.001+01:00

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can - 2010 - Virgin

British folksinger Laura Marling’s 2008 debut, Alas I Cannot Swim, showed more depth and maturity than one would expect from a (then) 18-year-old. Marling’s expressive, smoky voice and penchant for lyrical matter that didn’t reference clubbing landed her a well-earned Mercury Prize nomination, as well as a considerable amount of hype concerning her follow-up. Released in 2010, I Speak Because I Can delivers on nearly every level, upping both the production value (thanks to Ryan Adams and Kings of Leon producer Ethan Johns and fellow indie folk darlings Mumford & Sons) and the songwriting. Love, death, and heartbreak are hardly new subjects when it comes to folk music, but they refresh themselves so often in our lives that their relevance becomes tenfold with each new bite, scrape, or blow to the head, a notion that Marling explores with both guarded wisdom and elegant petulance on standout cuts like "Devil’s Spoke," "Made by Maid," "Rambling Man," and "Goodbye England." At its heart, I Speak Because I Can is a stoic, bare-bones singer/songwriter record, which makes the tastefully peppered bursts of explosive percussion, banjo, mandolin, and backing vocals from the Mumford gentlemen all the more effective and not just window dressing to cover up a cookie-cutter storefront. That said, it’s Marling’s enigmatic voice (think Florence & the Machine and Fiona Apple), clever phrasing (think Joni Mitchell), and adherence to the alternately warm and wintry vibe of late-'60s/early-'70s classic rock and folk (think Led Zeppelin III) that listeners will keep coming back to, regardless of the packaging. © James Christopher Monger © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-speak-because-i-can-r1735514/review

Laura Marling was still studying for her A-levels when she released her debut single at the start of 2007. She had completed her debut album by the end of that year. Raised in a musical household, Marling was playing guitar and writing songs from an early age at the prompting of her folk music loving father. Her own musical favourites included artists such as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Nina Nastasia, and directed her early songwriting attempts away from pop towards the alternative end of the folk scene. After playing a number of local gigs, the 15-year old Marling attracted the attention of Virgin Records who signed her up and have released her first two albums. Her 2008 debut album "Alas, I Cannot Swim" proved to be one of the most endearing critical successes of recent years and earned the young singer-songwriter a Mercury Music Prize nomination, an honour that was also bestowed on this, her second full length offering. "I Speak Because I Can" was crafted with producer Ethan Johns (Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams, Paolo Nutini, Rufus Wainwright), and sets quintessentially English lyrical themes and stories to a backdrop of music that recalls prime Americana and the Laurel Canyon scene. Backed by sublime performances by musicians including Mumford & Sons, the album represents a coming-of-age for Laura; her unique identity - thoroughly English, unapologetically female, and a fully-fledged musician - now freshly defined. Hailing from Hampshire, England, Marling utilises her talent for poetic lyricism and striking melodies to form pop songs of the highest order. Marling's gentle acoustic picking technique compliments the subjects close to her heart - it's easy to feel from her tender British voice that she is singing from experience. "I Speak Because I Can" is a darker record than 2008's debut "Alas, I Cannot Swim", taking further influence from traditional folk, although Marling's modern charm remains. © http://www.audioteam.pt/discos/lp/details/11484.html

This second album from Laura is often dark, moody, and introspective. It may not contain the "catchier" tunes found in some of her other albums, but there is no doubting the lady's talent as a very original songwriter. In their subject mattee, many of the songs are reminiscent of James McMurtry, Leonard Cohen, Roy Harper, Al Stewart, and Joni Mitchell. Marcus Mumford, the lead singer and guitarist of London based folk band Mumford & Sons provides backing vocals on the album which was nominated for The Mercury Music Prize. The album was also listed at number 8 on The Guardian's Albums of 2010. This album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Laura's "A Creature I Don’t Know" album and support real music [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 104 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Devil's Spoke 3:39
2 Made By Maid 2:52
3 Rambling Man 3:16
4 Blackberry Stone 3:29
5 Alpha Shallows 3:42
6 Goodbye England (Covered In Snow) 3:45
7 Hope In The Air 4:32
8 What He Wrote 4:07
9 Darkness Descends 3:40
10 I Speak Because I Can 4:00

All songs composed by Laura Marling

MUSICIANS

Laura Marling (voc, g)
Pete Roe (g, p, voc)
Ted Dwane (b)
Winston Marshall (bjo)
Marcus Mumford (dr, man, perc, bjo, voc)
Ethan Johns (perc, dr, b, p, si, mel, a.o.)
Tom Hobden (v, va)
Ruth De Turberville (vc)

SHORT BIO

Singer/songwriter Laura Marling was only 16 years old when she emerged on the British indie scene in 2007 thanks to a handful of infectious singles made available on her MySpace profile. Endowed with a husky voice, an acoustic guitar, and a gift for building quirky, hooky folk songs (characteristics that find her compared favorably to artists like Lily Allen, Regina Spektor, and Martha Wainwright), Marling quickly made a name for herself throughout England thanks to a heavy touring schedule and a few high-profile gigs, not the least of which included an appearance at the 2006 City Showcase: Spotlight London and as the opening act for Jamie T. Although she was still without a label one year later, her debut EP, My Manic and I, was slated for independent release in the late fall of 2007. This status didn't last for long, however, because in early 2008, signed to Virgin, Marling issued Alas I Cannot Swim, which also came as part of a multimedia Songbox package. In 2010, Marling released her sophomore album, I Speak Because I Can, which debuted at number three on the U.K. albums chart and was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Marling's third studio album, A Creature I Don’t Know, arrived on September 9, 2011. © Margaret Reges © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/laura-marling-p908985/biography

Jonas Hellborg With Shawn Lane and Kofi Baker

2012-02-10T18:28:00.001+01:00

Jonas Hellborg with Shawn Lane and Kofi Baker - Abstract Logic - 1995 - Day Eight Music

The billing implied that Abstract Logic was to be a blowing session, especially given Shawn Lane's performances on the MVP recordings Centrifugal Funk and Truth in Shredding. Surprisingly, this recording tends to be dark, with the players utilizing a fair amount of space. Lane sounds positively demonic on "Serpents and Pigs" and "Throwing Elephant and Wrestling"; however, his intensity is not consistent. He seems to have been going through an Allan Holdsworth stage at this point, which is very disappointing considering he is one of the more original metal/fusion players to have emerged during the '90s. Despite Lane's identity conflict, his playing is demented, original and exciting. From his Cecil Taylor-influenced piano solo "Pluie de Etincelles" to his diverse bass solo "Layla Attar," Lane remains creative and interesting throughout. If he sounds like anybody, it would probably be Michael Manring, although the two seem to have influenced each other. He is obviously comfortable playing a number of different styles and sounds good in all of them. Drummer Kofi Baker (Ginger Baker's son) gets a chance to display his impressive technique on "Put the Shoe on the Other Foot." This is a very good recording, but the Holdsworth sound from Lane is a bit distracting. © Robert Taylor © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/abstract-logic-r216669/review

Depending on who you ask, Shawn Lane was arguably the greatest guitar player who ever lived. I first heard Shawn on the 1991 MVP - Centrifugal Funk album, then through bootleg tapes I acquired while a student at GIT in 1992. He floored me completely. In my opinion, his chops and musicality remain unparalleled to this day (sadly, Lane passed away in 2003). Lane's first solo album, Powers Of Ten, was released in '92 as well. He came to GIT in February of '93 and played an infamous gig which I was lucky enough to attend (my friends and I also got to meet and hang out with Shawn backstage after the show). Powers Of Ten was a very commercial-sounding album. Similar in vein to the instrumental work Eric Johnson was doing at the time. It appeared back then that Lane's future work would follow along the same lines. Then he met bassist Jonas Hellborg. Hellborg met Lane in 1994, and turned him on to the Indian and Pakistani influences he was exploring. Hellborg's 'Abstract Logic' album, recorded in December of 1994 with 17 year old (!) Kofi Baker on drums, marked their first collaboration. Hellborg has re-mixed, re-mastered, and re-released this landmark fusion album with 2 previously unreleased songs included. When you hear the music on this CD, it's hard to believe it was only 2 years earlier that Lane released the Powers Of Ten album. By comparison, the music on Abstract Logic is radically different. The writing and playing here is rich with various non-western influences. This album marked the beginning of a whole new direction for Lane. The new mix sounds crisper than the original. There seems to be more separation between the instruments. It's sounds louder as well, more raw. The album art is new also. The opening track, 'Serpents And Pigs', is a good example of what Hellborg's collaboration with Lane would sound like for years to come. The main parts of the tune are pretty exotic. Lane sings along with the main melody, which he did in many future recordings and live performances (sort of like an Indian-music version of George Benson). Then, for the solo section, Hellborg and Lane trade off for a bit before Lane starts his solo over a grinding 4/4 shuffle groove. If you've never heard this track before, the lick Lane plays about 3 minutes in may cause uncontrollable convulsions in the listener. You've been warned. Some of the songs are longer than they were on the original release. The most interesting example of this is shown in 'Throwing Elephant And Wrestling', one of my favorites from the original. The version here is almost a full minute longer than the originally released version. There's a long bass solo in the middle of the tune. The solo is periodically broken up by a short motif played in unison between the guitar and bass. In the original, the same motif comes around a few times before the groove changes and Lane's solo begins. In the re-released version, that same line is played, but so is a whole new line that did not appear on the original release at all. They go back to that a few times as well before the guitar solo, which ends up extending the length of the tune. Hellborg must have edited the song down for the original, and now he's giving us the whole performance. 'Rice With The Angels' is another great track. This song became a Hellborg/Lane classic that they played live quite a bit. Each player has a solo spot on the album as well. Lane's is a piano piece entitled 'Pluie D'etincelles'. Most people think of Lane as an incredible guitarist, but he was a highly accomplished pianist as well. What a musician. And the solo drum track, 'Put The Shoe On The Other Foot', makes it's hard to believe Kofi Baker was only 17 at the time of this recording. The 2 new songs are 'A Handful Of Earth', and 'Don't Look Back', both written by Hellborg. The band as a whole doesn't sound as tight on these songs as they do on the others. These 2 recordings were probably deemed too raw or unpolished to make the cut 12 years ago. But that's what I like to see in a reissued album; give me something I don't have yet if I already own the original release (which I do). 'A Handful Of Earth' has a decent solo by Lane, in a cool harmonic minor/phrygian-dominant tonality. 'Don't Look Back' is an odd one. One part has Lane playing these exotic lines with a backwards guitar effect. Another part, however, is a very mainstream-sounding doublestop rhythm part. The question you may be asking is, "If I already own the original release, should I buy this one as well". For diehard Shawn Lane or Jonas Hellborg fans, my answer would be yes. It's worth it to have the 2 new tracks, and to hear the re-mixed originals. If you don't have this album yet, you should absolutely pick this up. Not only is the music incredible, but it's a point of historical significance in Shawn Lane's career, which you will want to experience. The re-issued Abstract Logic is available now through Abstractlogix.com (where'd they get that name I wonder?) It will be released through other outlets on 8/15. [ Review by & © Rich from "Jonas Hellborg - Abstract Logic (Remastered)" © 2004 - 2011 Rich Murray. All Rights Reserved http://www.guitar-channel.com/rich_murray/2006/08/review_jonas_he.html]

On this album, the late great guitarist Shawn Lane played on a Jonas Hellborg album for the first time. His collaboration with Jonas lasted 10 years, recording 8 albums and playing hundreds of live shows worldwide. This is Grade A jazz fusion played by three magnificent fusion specialists, and is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Try and listen to Jonas' "The Silent Life" album, the late Shawn Lane's "Fission" album, and Lost City's "Watching You" album which features Kofi Baker, Malcolm Bruce on keyboards, and Ric Fierabracci on bass. It would be very worthwhile buying the bonus track edition of this album which is of superior sound quality. For music in the same vein check out Gongzilla on this blog

TRACKS

1. "Serpents and Pigs" 5:08
2. "Rice with the Angels" 8:07
3. "Pluie de Etincelles" (Lane) 4:05
4. "Layla Attar" (Hellborg) 5:49
5. "Abstract Logic" (Baker) 8:49
6. "Put the Shoe on the Other Foot" 6:15
7. "Throwing Elephant and Wrestling" 8:41

All songs composed by Jonas Hellborg, Shawn Lane and Kofi Baker, unless stated otherwise

MUSICIANS

Shawn Lane – vocals
Jonas Hellborg – bass
Kofi Baker – drums

ABOUT JONAS HELLBORG

A wild improviser, bassist Jonas Hellborg leans more toward rock than jazz. Drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix, Arabic music, and Lifetime, Hellborg began playing professionally in the mid-'80s. After some session work (including Pil's Album, Ginger Baker's Middle Passage, and sessions with John McLaughlin's new Mahavishnu Orchestra), he released The Word on Axiom in 1991. The album features Hellborg's acoustic bass, drums, and a string quartet. He remained highly prolific throughout the decade, recording most prominently for the Day Eight label. © John Bush © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jonas-hellborg-p85737/

ABOUT SHAWN LANE

Shawn Lane was a phenomenally talented guitar player who never quite broke out beyond guitar enthusiasts and critics, but will remain influential to players for many years to come. Originally hailed as a child prodigy, Lane joined Black Oak Arkansas as a teenager, and could have been part of the guitar shredder movement of the late '80s and '90s, but his restless musical inclinations led him down a different path. Lane began his musical education on piano and cello at age four, but had switched to guitar by age eight. At ten, he was holding band rehearsals at the house he shared with his grandmother, and since the other bandmembers left their instruments at his house, Lane was free to try them out, and added bass and drums to his keyboard and guitar abilities. By 15, Lane was becoming known in Memphis circles as a guitarist, which led to an audition with Black Oak Arkansas in 1978, who he toured with for the next four years. Black Oak Arkansas was still popular enough to play at Bill Clinton's inaugural as Governor of Arkansas, but the band's heyday was well behind them. After disbanding briefly, BOA was re-formed with a couple of Shawn's high school friends joining the band, and bringing a heavy fusion edge to this southern boogie band. Then, burnt out from touring, Lane basically dropped out of sight in 1982 for a couple years, practiced piano, studied music theory and composition, and did a lot of reading and watching movies (he claims he barely played guitar at all during this period). The mid-'80s saw Shawn returning to guitar: first playing in some bands around the south, then appearing on an album produced by Mike Varney on the Shrapnel label, with a tune called "Stratosphere II" on the U.S. Metal compilation (his first available recording). Shortly afterwards, he formed a band called the Willys, who were the house band at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Many touring musicians caught Lane's playing while staying there, and word of mouth led to session work, and eventually to his playing on the Highwayman 2 album with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. That high profile work ,and a demo cassette passed to Jim Ed Norman at Warner Brothers led to Lane being signed to Warner Brothers in 1990. Lane spent the next two years at home, creating the Powers of Ten album, on which he played every instrument. Following its release in 1992, Guitar Player Magazine named him "Best New Talent" and he placed second in Keyboard Magazine's "Best Keyboard Player" category. A touring band was assembled to promote the album, and a live recording was made, though it wasn't released until 2001(Powers of Ten Live!). His next project was DDT, a band that also featured Cody and Luther Dickenson, later of the North Mississippi Allstars. The DDT material was supposed to be for Lane's second album for Warner Bros., but the recording never materialized. Also at this time, Lane did production work for other artists, did a couple instructional videos, and developed curricula and taught at several European Conservatories. 1994 would be an important year for Lane, as it marked his first collaboration with Swedish bassist Jonas Hellborg, a relationship that would continue for nearly a decade and produce many releases (mostly on the Bardo label). Lane and Hellborg were perfect collaborators, sharing many of the same musical influences and many other interests as well, and it was playing with Hellborg that Lane really discovered his voice on guitar. They toured with drummer Jeff Sipe over the next several years, developing such a rapport that they were able to play completely improvised sets every night (documented on albums like Temporal Analogues of Paradise and Time Is the Enemy). Concurrently, in 1995, Hellborg and Lane played with Chinese pop singer Wei-Wei, and the Hellborg/Lane/Sipe trio appeared as an opening act at all of Mainland China's largest musical venues. Lane and Hellborg parted ways with Sipe in 1997, allowing Lane to work on the tracks that would become Tri-Tone Fascination, his second solo album in 1999. Also at this time, he and Hellborg began incorporating more Near Eastern and Eastern influences into their playing and improvising (Zenhouse, ). In 1999, Lane and Hellborg began working with V. Selvaganesh, son of percussionist Vikku Vinayakram of Shakti fame, and began pushing the music into more of a South Indian fusion, as evidenced by Good People in Times of Evil. Lane started having health problems in 2001, temporarily breaking off his work with Hellborg. After recovering, Lane started playing with a Memphis bar band called the Time Bandits, but was back with Hellborg and Sipe for a brief tour in 2002. There was also more work with the Vinayakrams, resulting in Icon, a dazzling work of East-West fusion that, unfortunately proved to be among Lane's final recorded works. There was a brief tour of India in February of 2003, but Lane's health problems returned, and on Sept. 26, 2003, Shawn Lane passed away following lung surgery. © Sean Westergaard © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/shawn-lane-p26629/biography

ABOUT KOFI BAKER

As the son of legendary drumming icon Ginger Baker, Kofi Baker has a name that’s synonymous with drumming excellence. And Kofi lives up to his name; with his outstanding skills, drive, and dedication he continues the great Baker legacy. Kofi's first live performance was with his father on the UK television show "The Old Grey Whistle Test" - at just six years of age he proved he had inherited more than just his fathers name. In the early 80's, Kofi and his father played drum duets throughout Europe, amazing audiences with complex African polyrhythms. Later, Kofi toured with John Ethridge (Soft Machine), and gigged in London with Steve Waller (Manfred Mann), and with Randy California (Spirit). He also toured Europe with Steve Marriot's Humble Pie. During the 1990's Kofi toured with Jack Bruce in Budapest; signed with Scotty Brothers Records when he recorded the album Lost City; recorded Abstract Logic with Jonas Hellborg and Shawn Lane; and toured extensivley - including more drum duets with Ginger Baker. Kofi is now living in Orange, CA. Press Rat & Warthog is his latest inspiration - a powerful trio that rivals that of Cream. © http://www.kofibaker.com/bio.htm

Liquid Tension Experiment

2012-02-09T16:17:00.001+01:00

Liquid Tension Experiment - Live in LA - 2009 - Ytsejam/Lazy Tomato

A sort of instrumental prog-rock/prog-metal supergroup, Liquid Tension Experiment features Dream Theater's John Petrucci (guitar) and Mike Portnoy (drums), keyboardist Jordan Rudess (who has worked with the Dixie Dregs and has since joined Dream Theater), and bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, and many others). The group issued its self-titled debut in 1998 on the Magna Carta label and regrouped the following year for Liquid Tension Experiment 2. © Steve Huey © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/liquid-tension-experiment-p293640

An official bootleg and a standalone release. These two discs are also part of a 9 disc (CD, DVD, Blu-Ray) boxed set released in 2009 on the Lazy Tomato Entertainment label. The Box set CD's comprise three shows from LA, NYC, and Chicago. The post here is the band's concert recorded live at The Downey Theatre, Downey CA on June 27th, 2008. These guys are masters of their respective instruments, and if you like sporadic, improvised progressive jazz rock/fusion of the highest calibre, then this album may appeal to you. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: Album is divided into 2 CD/rar files: Pt 1 CD 1(10 Tracks) = 168 Mb, & Pt 2 CD 2 (5 Tracks) = 139 Mb]

CD ONE

1. Acid Rain 10:43
2. Kindred Spirits 07:53
3. Biaxadent 07:34
4. Freedom of Speech 08:54
5. Improv Jam #1 08:21
6. Another Dimension 10:31
7. State of Grace 06:00
8. Universal Mind Pt. 1 03:36
9. Keyboard Solo 05:19
10. Universal Mind Pt. 2 03:46

CD TWO

1. When the Water Breaks 17:52
2. Improv Jam #2 13:03
3. Rhapsody in Blue 13:34
4. Osmosis 05:52
5. Paradigm Shift 09:17

All music composed by Petrucci, Levin, Rudess, & Portnoy except "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin

BAND

John Petrucci - Guitars
Tony Levin - Bass, Bass [Chapman Stick]
Jordan Rudess - Keyboards
Mike Portnoy - Drums

BIO

Liquid Tension Experiment had its genesis still in the year of 1996, when Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy was contected by Peter Morticelli (head of the label Magna Carta) and Mike Varney (vice president of the label Magna Carta) and was asked to, according to Portnoy, try and "put together a couple of Super Groups (for the lack of a better term!)",. In spite of declining the offer at first, he eventually agreed to assemble a super ensemble. Many were the attempts to put the group together through most of 1997, but most of them failed due to one pivotal problem: they were lacking a member. Mike was able to recruit a bass player, who was Tony Levin, of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's band fame, and a keyboard player, who was Jordan Rudess, which was playing with the jazz fusion group Dixie Dregs at the time, but there was still a guitarist missing. Every guitarist that was originally invited to be part of the group refused the offer due to conflicting schedules. Finally, in the spring of 1997, Mike decided to invite John Petrucci, Dream Theater guitarist, to join Liquid Tension Experiment and, with his acceptance, the group was finally complete and ready to record their first album, the self titled Liquid Tension Experiment. The idea, or the concept, of that album was to fully write, rehearse and record the whole thing in a week, and so it was done: from September 20 to September 25 of 1997 the whole process was successfully done and the album was released in the next year, in March of 1998. The members of the band and Magna Carta were so satisfied with the results of the first endeavor that they decided to record yet another album. In late 1998 the band regrouped and in the span of two months wrote, rehearsed and recorded what would be their second album, entitled Liquid Tension Experiment 2. This time, just like with Liquid Tension's first album, it was released on the following year. Nearly ten years after the disbandment of the Liquid Tension Experiment, in late 2007, a third studio album was released with new band material. The release entitled Liquid Trio Experiment had jam tracks from the band without John Petrucci, who was with his wife at the hospital expecting his child to be born at the time. Unlike the two previous studio albums, Liquid Trio Experiment was mostly ill received by critics and fans alike. On the tenth anniversary of the release of their self titled album, Liquid Tension Experiment decided to make a commemoration tour throughout the USA in 2008. Unfortunately, the tour did not went through other countries, but it spammed a considerable sum of live recordings that were released in the following year by Mike Portnoy's own recording label, the Ytsejam Records/Lazy Tomato. Liquid Tension Experiment's music could be described as the meeting of jazz fusion, heavy metal, latin music, funk, progressive rock and enormous doses of improvisation delivered by some of the best musicians the worlds of progressive rock, progressive metal and jazz have to offer. - (Thanks to CCVP for the bio) © Prog Archives, All rights reserved http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=21

Michael Shrieve

2012-02-07T17:54:00.001+01:00

Michael Shrieve - Two Doors - 1995 - CMP Records

Former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve's 1995 release Two Doors is appropriately titled, for it is really two albums in one, with two different trios providing the music. The first half of the record, subtitled "Deep Umbra," features Shrieve with guitarist Shawn Lane and bassist Jonas Hellborg performing eight jazz-rock compositions full of catchy themes and fiery improvisations. Lane is, simply put, one of the most technically gifted guitarists ever to pick up the instrument, and he records far too obscurely and infrequently. It is to his great credit that he never displays his abilities gratuitously, but instead carefully measures them out for maximum impact. He is a consummate musician. The same could be said about Hellborg, who not only holds down the bottom end with his sensitive yet powerful bass, but also shares co-writing credits for seven of the eight songs that he appears on. The second half of the record, subtitled "Flying Polly," features Bill Frisell and Wayne Horvitz. This half of the record is jazzier and more avant-garde than the first half, and frankly doesn't work nearly as well. There are moments where some of the rockabilly jazz elements that Frisell and Horvitz explored in John Zorn's Naked City come to the foreground, but, besides that, most of this portion of the record sounds flat and uninspired. It is a shame that this had to be the case, especially considering how good the Lane-Hellborg trio is. However, Shrieve's drums are very nicely recorded, and he always plays the most appropriate thing for any given song, never showboating or otherwise distracting from the integrity of the composition. There is much merit in this frustratingly inconsistent album, and for fusion fans it is worth searching out. © Daniel Gioffre © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/two-doors-r230890/review

A year after the collaboration with Bill Frisell and Wayne Horvitz on Fascination, Michael Shrieve released his last album to date - Two Doors. This record is in fact a double album, consisting of two different halves (Deep Umbra and Flying Polly), both running nearly 40 minutes. I have heard that it has been issued on two separate CDs, but my copy came as one CD. I'd also like to point out that Two Doors has wonderful artwork by Mati Klarwein. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a scan of it in better quality. Now to the music itself. The first part, entitled Deep Umbra, consists of eight tracks recorded by a power trio including Shrieve, bassist Jonas Hellborg, and guitarist Shawn Lane, while the second part, Flying Polly, includes outtakes from Michael's previous solo outing - Fascination. However, it does not feel like a collection of weaker tracks to me at all. It has some great music as well. Shawn Lane, a multiinstrumentalist grown up in Memphis, was a highly talented guitarist, who, sadly, never became the star he should have been. He joined the boogie band Black Oak Arkansas in 1978 and his influence pushed their direction closer to fusion. He left the band in 1982 to study music theory and composing. He reappeared as a guitarist in the mid-1980s, playing with his band the Willys in Memphis. He was becoming more and more popular and did lots of session work, including recording with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. In 1990 he was finally signed to a label and after two years, he produced the Powers Of Ten album playing all instruments on it. He was considered one of the most talented guitarists of the time and made lots of instructional videos, taught on conservatories, and produced other music. In 1994 Lane teamed up with drummer Jeff Sipe and Swedish bassist Jonas Hellborg, a highly skilled improviser, who established himself as a session player for John McLaughlin and Ginger Baker in the 1980s and became an occasional Michael Shrieve collaborator. Hellborg first played with Shrieve on the 1983 album All Our Steps, recorded with avantgarde pianist Michael Smith, released his first solo album The Word On Axiom in 1991 and played with Shrieve again in 1993, on the Octave Of The Holy Innocents album with guitarist Buckethead. The Lane-Hellborg-Sipe band soon evolved into an oustanding live unit. Sipe left in 1997, but Lane and Hellborg kept on playing and recording together. Lane became influenced by Eastern music and his later albums with Hellborg and Indian percussionist Selvaganesh are reportedly leaning towards fusing jazz, rock and Indian music. Unfortunately health problems haunted Lane in the recent years and he passed away after a lung surgery on September 26, 2003. Sometime in May 1995, Michael Shrieve participated on a session with Hellborg and Lane, results of which surfaced on Two Doors - Deep Umbra. This part is almost completely written by Lane and Hellborg (Michael only gets two credits) and it shows what the music of Lane/Hellborg/Sipe looked like, except that Jeff Sipe is replaced by Michael Shrieve. The music on Deep Umbra is fusion raging from heavy hard rock riffing to ambient waves of sound. Jonas Hellborg proves to be a great bassist, Shawn Lane showcases his technically flawless and very emotional guitar playing. Michael's drumming is great on all tracks and when it comes to forefront, in tracks like "Sorcerer", "Deep Umbra" and most importantly "The Smiling Tarshishm", Shrieve proves his sheer virtuosity in playing the instrument. The first track, "Stellar Rays", opens with a fast unison guitar-bass run backed by some heavy drumming. There are some calmer passages between the solos with some nice chord progressions afterwards, but basically the track keeps its high tempo and is full of technically brilliant fast guitar soloing. "Stellar Rays" is in fact an early version of "Time Is The Enemy", played by Lane/Hellborg/Sipe. With "Deep Umbra", the band gets even heavier, with Shrieve drumming like for a metal band and Lane and Hellborg hitting the strings hard. This heavy section is again followed by a calmer and jazzier chord progression. Then in the middle of the track, we get a dreamy passage with wonderful Shawn Lane solo and some fantastic Michael Shrieve drumming. This is one of my favourite moments of Two Doors: the music flows seamlessly through some McLaughlin-esque fast guitar playing. After a short reprise of the inital theme, Jonas Hellborg gets to play a short solo and the track ends. "Sorcerer" is a very menacing and hypnotic track based on a very loud bass guitar playing and drumming similar to what Michael Shrieve played with Santana in "Jingo". The guitar only fills in most of the time, but there are a few moments when the guitar and drums literally explode only to return to the menacing bass riff again. The end of the track gives lots of space for Michael Shrieve who plays a delightful solo that fits very well with the mood of the song. "Baraji" is again based on a bass theme, but not as menacing as in "Sorcerer". This track is much closer to "Stellar Rays". Shawn Lane plays some inspired solos scatting along them and there are again occasional chord progressions separating the solos. In the middle of the track, Lane plays one more intensive solo, followed by a meditative part with a very nice bass solo by Jonas Hellborg. They are also using either some soft synthesizer or heavily processed guitar in the background on this track. The theme of "Baraji" was later also recorded by Lane and Hellborg. "Caress Of Lillith" (Lillith being a biblical female demon or night creature of Babylonian origin) is a meditative ambient track with waves of sound around Shawn's fingerpicking theme and Michael's wire brush (or at least I think it is) drumming. The ambient mood persits on the next track - "The Smiling Tarshishm" - which is something like a follow up to "Future Primitive" off Santana's Caravanserai. On the background consisting of low sounds (processed guitar I think) similar to those on "Future Primitive" Michael starts playing a solo of his typical style. It is wonderfully recorded, so it really sounds as if he was playing in your room. I like to listen to this in headphones for greater effect. Fantastic track. "Juvalamu" sets the livelier mood again with its funky theme and lots of unison Hellborg/Lane playing. Shawn Lane is again scatting on this one and does some of his best and also most bluesy soloing on the record. His style on this one reminds me of Jimi Hendrix. The middle of the track is some powerhouse drumming by Shrieve, simple but effective bass playing by Hellborg, and furious guitar soloing by Lane. The closing track of Deep Umbra, "Palace Of Dreams", is a more meditative track, based on a nice riff with lots of inspired Shawn Lane playing. This is the most Lane-focussed track. Shawn produces brilliant solos with great sweep of emotions. All in all, "Palace Of Dreams" is a suitable finale for a great modern fusion record Deep Umbra certainly is. Note: In The Palace Of Dreams is also the subtitle of the album. As mentioned above, the second part of Two Doors, Flying Polly, has exactly the same line-up as the Fascination album, so please go to my review of Fascination for some basic info on Bill Frisell and Wayne Horvitz. There are eleven tracks on Flying Polly, six of them being less than two minutes long (probably cut down due to space issues?), mostly based on peculiar drum patterns and distorted guitar - pretty avantgarde stuff. Then there are mid-length pieces that could have easily fit on Fascination, and two long tracks (one of them is divided into two parts) - "Stella" and "Queen Bee". While "Stella" is similar to certain tracks on Fascination, "Queen Bee" is a radically unique track. "Locomotion" opens Flying Polly with a very nice drum rhythm, some guitar chords (and later a spirited guitar solo) and decent Hammond in the background. "Locomotion" is a very lively track with great performances by Frisell and Shrieve. Too bad it's only 1:55 long. "Data Trash" is one minute of free drumming and spine-chilling distorted guitar notes which create a scary atmosphere. "Stella" is a seven-minute downtempo jam. Michael Shrieve uses mostly only cymbals to keep the lazy rhythm, Wayne Horvitz plays some organ chords and Bill Frisell's guitar randomly wails around. This track evokes a sleepy atmosphere in me until it gets to the middle part, when the intensity of drums and Hammond increases a lot and Wayne Horvitz plays a short solo. The intensity then continues to grow until the very end of the track. Next track is the cover of a song by Temple Of The Dog, a band including members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. This instrumental take of "Your Saviour" includes some powerhouse drumming, rock Hammond playing and great rhythm and solo guitar by Bill Frisell. Again, too bad it is so short. "Pipeline" is very similar to "Data Trash": Bill Frisell produces some intriguing and scary noises on his guitar backed by Shrieve's random drumming. "Crocodile" is one of my favourites off Flying Polly. Bill Frisell emits a funky bass sound on baritone guitar, Michael Shrieve supports him to create a relaxed groove for Wayne Horvitz and Bill Frisell's overdubbed lead guitar to play around. The track reaches a climax and then fades out. "Lincoln Logs" is something like an augury of "Queen Bee". It has some fast jazz drumming and a simple theme repeated over and over by Frisell and Horvitz in front of Michael Shrieve's drum pyrotechnics. "First Train" features some imaginative railway-like drumming by Michael Shrieve and very distorted guitar notes that sound like iron being bended. Funny experiment. "Queen Bee" is the best and most important track on Flying Polly in my opinion. It starts with Michael Shrieve setting the rhythm, Wayne Horvitz adding some background Hammond drone and Bill Frisell repeating a simple note progression. The intensity of the track first increases about two minutes into the song. Wayne Horvitz adds some eerie sounds while Frisell is going on and on with his theme. At about three and a half minutes into the track, a sudden guitar chord pauses Michael's drumming for a while, only to make it return at greater intensity. From this moment on, Michael slowly increases the intensity and also the speed of his drumming to limit. Wayne and Bill produce some eerie and freaky sounds. At about six and a half minutes, there is another brief interruption of the drumming, followed by Bill Frisell's bending screaming notes in the background. Wayne Horvitz and some staccato guitar are now boosting the intensity of Shrieve's drum rhythm. At about nine minutes into the song, Shrieve stops playing leaving the Hammond and staccato guitar alone, and Frisell produces some bee-like drone. Shrieve is soon back and the song reaches its climax. The guitar effects get more and more random and then suddenly, two brief Hammond chords stop the track. But the drumming comes back again and Horvitz presents more of the probe-like sounds from the beginning along with the return of Frisell's initial theme. "Queen Bee" slowly fades out. What a marvellous track. As someone wrote in one review of Two Doors I've read, this track is almost an attempt to play electronica on rock instruments. I can agree with this statement having heard some of Michael Shrieve's collaborations with electronica pioneer Klaus Schulze. "Queen Bee" is an amazingly powerful music that will hold your breath from the beginning to the end. "Flying Polly" is a short and fast bluesy track with some outstanding guitar playing by Bill Frisell. Very atypical track. "Stella (Reprise)" is what the title says - another five minutes of free jamming along the slow drum track. This take is calmer than the first one: it never gets to the livelier climax and ends in a fade out. Both parts of the disc have their highlights. While a rock music listenter may find Deep Umbra much better and generally consistent, Flying Polly offers some pretty good experimental stuff and the fantastic "Queen Bee". As the title says, there are two doors and it depends on the listener which one he/she chooses. - REVIEW by & © Jan Grinc, May 2004 http://flamesky.bravehost.com/TwoDoors.html

Although "Two Doors" is attributed to the great drummer, Michael Shrieve, it could just as easily been credited to Shawn Lane, Bill Frisell, Jonas Hellborg, or Wayne Horvitz. The five musicians have been involved in hundreds of recordings, and are recognised as five of the greatest names in the jazz rock/fusion/electronica scene. When Michael Shrieve got four artists of this calibre together to record the two sections of "Two Doors", the results were always going to be something special. The album is comprised of two CD's; "Deep Umbra" recorded in 1995 and "Flying Polly" in 1993. Michael Shrieve plays on all tracks. On "Deep Umbra" he is accompanied by the late guitarist Shawn Lane and bassist Jonas Hellborg. On "Flying Polly" he is joined by guitarist Bill Frisell and keyboardist Wayne Horvitz. This is a great album of jazz rock, progressive rock and fusion and is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Try and listen to Michael's "Stiletto" album. Buy his "The Big Picture" album, and check out his "Fascination" album on this blog. Listen to Bill Frisell's "Blues Dream" album. Wayne Horvitz's "Nine Below Zero" album, Shawn Lane's "Powers of Ten Live!" album, and Jonas Hellborg's brilliant "E" album [ All Tracks @ 320 Kbps: 2 x rar files: Pt 1 (CD 1) = 87.6 Mb, & Pt 2 (CD 2) = 93.7 Mb ]

DEEP UMBRA [CD 1]

1 Stellar Rays - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 3:21
2 Deep Umbra - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 4:39
3 Sorcerer - J. Hellborg, M. Shrieve, S. Lane 3:29
4 Baraji - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 6:04
5 Caress Of Lillith - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 4:18
6 The Smiling Tarshishm - M. Shrieve 3:59
7 Juvalamu - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 5:15
8 Palace Of Dreams - J. Hellborg, S. Lane 5:57

FLYING POLLY [CD 2]

9 Locomotion - M. Shrieve 1:55
10 Data Trash - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell 0:55
11 Stella - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 7:17
12 Your Saviour - C. Cornell 1:48
13 Pipeline - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell 0:46
14 Crocodile - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 4:21
15 Lincoln Logs - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 2:53
16 First Train - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell 0:37
17 Queen Bee - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 12:04
18 Flying Polly - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 1:51
19 Stella (Reprise) - M. Shrieve, B. Frisell, W. Horvitz 5:02

Tracks 1 to 8 recorded and mixed at Ztudio Zerkall, Germany, May 1995: Tracks 9 to 19 recorded at Bob Lang Studios, Seattle, Nov. 1993

MUSICIANS

Shawn Lane - Guitar, Voice on Tracks 1 - 8
Bill Frisell - Guitar on Tracks 9 - 19
Jonas Hellborg - Bass on Tracks 1 - 8
Wayne Horvitz - Organ on Tracks 9 - 19
Michael Shrieve - Drums on Tracks 1 - 19

MICHAEL SHRIEVE BIO

Michael Shrieve (born July 6, 1949, in San Francisco) is a U.S. drummer, percussionist, and later, an electronic music composer. He is best-known as the drummer in Carlos Santana's eponymous band, playing on their first eight albums from 1969 through 1974. His performance at the 1969 Woodstock festival, when he was just 20 years old, made him one of the youngest musicians to perform at the festival. Shrieve's drum solo during an extended version of Soul Sacrifice in the Woodstock film has been described as "electrifying". His name is included on the alumni "Wall of Fame" at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Redwood City, California. He is an alumnus of Junípero Serra High School (San Mateo, California). In 1967/68 he attended the College of San Mateo, California; learned to read sheet music and played in the school's jazz band. Shrieve's first full-time band was called Glass Menagerie, followed by experience in the house band of an R&B club, backing touring musicians including B.B. King and Etta James. At 16, he played in a jam session at the Fillmore Auditorium where he attracted the attention of Santana's manager Stan Marcum. When he was 19, Shrieve jammed with Santana at a recording studio and was invited to join that day. The 2004 two-disc Legacy release of Santana features additional tracks recorded before Shrieve joined the band. On August 16, 1969, Santana played the Woodstock Festival, shortly after Shreive's twentieth birthday, but before the release of their eponymous first album (1969). He would continue with Santana for Abraxas (1970), Santana III (1971), Caravanserai (1972), Welcome (1973), Borboletta (1974) and the live Lotus {1974}. He co-wrote four of the tracks on Caravanserai as well as co-producing the album. Shrieve left the original Santana band to pursue solo projects. He moved to London, England to record the 1976 album Automatic Man with guitarist Pat Thrall, bassist Doni Harvey and keyboardist Todd Cochran (billed as Bayete). While in London Shrieve was part of the fusion supergroup Go with Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola and Klaus Schulze, releasing two studio albums Go (1976) and Go Too (1977) and the live album Go Live from Paris (1976). He played in the band Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve (with Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, and Kenny Aaronson). Later, he played drums on (former Supertramp member) Roger Hodgson's first solo album, In the Eye of the Storm. From 1979 to 1984, he collaborated as a percussionist in Richard Wahnfried, a side project of Klaus Schulze (another drummer turned electronic composer) while recording with Schulze his own first "solo" album of electronic music, Transfer Station Blue, in 1984. In 1997, he joined former Santana musicians Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, José "Chepito" Areas, Alphonso Johnson, and Mike Carabello to record Abraxas Pool. He has also collaborated with David Beal, Andy Summers, Steve Roach, Jonas Hellborg, Buckethead, Douglas September, and others. He has served as a session player on albums by Todd Rundgren and Jill Sobule. In 2004, he appeared on the track The Modern Divide on the Revolution Void album Increase the Dosage. The album was released under a Creative Commons license. As of April, 2010 Shrieve lives in Seattle Washington, where he plays in a fusion jazz group, Spellbinder, at TōST in Fremont, Seattle, with Danny Godinez, Joe Doria, John Fricke, and Farko Dosumov. He recently worked as a producer on his son Sam Shrieve's debut album Bittersweet Lullabies. Shrieve has composed music for several films, most notably Paul Mazursky's Tempest and Apollo 13. In 1998 Shrieve was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Santana. In March 2011 Rolling Stone Readers picked The Best Drummers of All Time: Shrieve ranked #10. - [from Wiki]

ABOUT BILL FRISELL

The defining characteristic of any given jazz musician is frequently his sound. The more control a player has over the nature of that sound, the more likely he is to project a distinctive musical personality. For example, a saxophonist has virtually unlimited physical control of the sound that comes through his horn, and therefore a wide range of tonal expression at his command -- which partially explains the disproportionate number of saxophonists in the pantheon of great jazz musicians. On the other hand, few electric guitarists inhabit that realm, in part because the typical jazz guitar sound differs little from player to player. In general, guitarists do not have the same degree of physical control. Without the use of signal processing -- which jazz purists shun -- they're mostly stuck with the generic sound that comes out of their amp. Hence, guitarists have historically tended to "sound" more or less the same. Bill Frisell is a notable exception. Among jazz guitarists, Frisell is unique in his exploitation of variable timbre. Frisell's sound swells and breathes like a saxophonist's (interestingly, Frisell played clarinet as a child). In many ways his sound is reminiscent of a pedal steel guitar. And although his work is steeped in jazz, Frisell is a man of catholic tastes. His music includes characteristics of rock, country, and bluegrass, among various other styles. Such liberality explains his willingness to expand his tonal palette beyond that of the typical jazz guitarist. Where so many conventional jazz guitarists define themselves by how many notes they can play, Frisell has carved a niche by virtue of his sound. His ability as an original, lyrical player of melody combines with a unique (if much imitated) sound to make him one of the most singular musicians of his generation. Born in Baltimore, Frisell grew up in Denver, CO. He began playing the clarinet in the fourth grade and took up guitar a few years later for his personal amusement. He continued with the clarinet, playing in school concert and marching bands. Frisell briefly considered playing classical clarinet professionally. He played guitar in rock and R&B bands as a teenager (high-school classmates included Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfork, and Larry Dunn, future members of the funk group Earth, Wind & Fire). He discovered jazz in the music of Wes Montgomery and began to study the music. Dale Bruning, a Denver-based guitarist and educator, fed his fascination with jazz. Frisell decided to make guitar his primary instrument. After briefly attending the University of Northern Colorado, he moved to Boston in 1971 to attend the Berklee School of Music. There he studied with Michael Gibbs and John Damian. While at Berklee, Frisell connected with other like-minded players (Pat Metheny was a classmate). He also studied with Jim Hall, who became an important influence, especially in terms of harmony. In the mid-'70s, Frisell began moving away from pure bebop and began fusing jazz with his other musical interests. At about this time he began developing his atmospheric, quasi-microtonal style. He discovered that, by using a guitar with a flexible neck, he could manipulate the instrument's intonation. A combination of experimental techniques and signal processors like delay and reverb gave Frisell a sound unlike any other guitarist. In the late '70s, he traveled to Belgium. There he met Manfred Eicher, the founder of ECM Records. Beginning in the early '80s, Frisell recorded prolifically for the label, as leader and sideman with such musicians as Paul Motian and Jan Garbarek. He continued with the label throughout the decade, earning a reputation as ECM's "house guitarist." Frisell became much acclaimed by critics for his sophisticated yet accessible work. Frisell moved to New York in the '80s, where he worked with many of the most creative musicians active on the city's "downtown" jazz scene. In the '80s and '90s, he would record and perform with a huge variety of artists, not all of them jazz musicians. Collaborators would include rock and pop musicians (drummer Ginger Baker, singers Marianne Faithfull and Elvis Costello), experimental jazz musicians (saxophonist/composers John Zorn and Tim Berne), and at least one classical composer (Gavin Bryars). Frisell composed soundtracks for the silent films of Buster Keaton. His 1996 album Quartet won the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis, the German equivalent of the Grammy. Frisell became an annual winner of various magazine polls for his solo work and recordings. By the end of the '90s, Frisell was one of the most well-known jazz musicians in the world, with an audience and an aesthetic that transcended the boundaries of any given style. It should be mentioned that, while Frisell is best known for his somewhat "ambient" guitar technique, he is a swinging, harmonically fluent jazz player when the occasion warrants. Frisell moved to Seattle, WA, in 1989 and stayed active as the 21st century opened, releasing Ghost Town in 2000, followed by a set with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones in 2001. Blues Dream also appeared that same year, followed by The Willies in 2002. East/West and Richter 858 were both released in 2005, and a set with Ron Carter and Paul Motian in 2006. History, Mystery followed in 2008. In 2010, a trio recording entitled Beautiful Dreamers was released by Savoy Jazz. A collection of covers and originals, it featured Frisell in the company of violinist Eyvind Kang and drummer Roy Royston. Frisell was the featured guitarist on Abigail Washburn's 2011 album City of Refuge, and also released Bill Frisell & Vinicius Cantuaria, a series of duets with the Brazilian guitarist and vocalist, that year. The latter album was produced by Lee Townsend and released on the Entertainment on Disc/eOne imprint. © Chris Kelsey © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-frisell-p76334/biography

ABOUT WAYNE HORVITZ

Wayne Horvitz took piano lessons briefly as a child. At 13, he received a few classical guitar lessons; he found the style unsuitable and quit. A year later, influenced by the records of blues pianist Otis Spann, he took up the piano again. From that point, he was largely self-taught. Horvitz made a name for himself in the '80s by playing with some of the leading lights on the downtown New York-based experimental/improv scene, including Bobby Previte, Butch Morris, Fred Frith, Elliott Sharp, and others. His most famous association was with saxophonist/composer John Zorn as a member of the latter's band, Naked City. Horvitz-led ensembles included the President, the Horvitz/Morris/Previte Trio, and Pigpen. By the mid-'90s, Horvitz had moved from New York to the Pacific Northwest; his primary band became the Seattle-based Zony Mash (Horvitz; Timothy Young, guitar; Keith Lowe, bass; Andy Roth, drums). Their organ-based, groove-oriented music incorporates some "outside" elements, but largely avoids the avant-garde tendencies characteristic of Horvitz's New York work. Besides Zony Mash, Horvitz continues to perform in other contexts, leading the Four Plus One Ensemble (Horvitz; Eyvind Kang, violin; Julian Priester, trombone; Reggie Watts, keyboards; Tucker Martine, electronics and live processing) and Ponga (Horvitz; Bobby Previte, drums; Skerik, saxes; Dave Palmer, keyboards). Horvitz has also recorded for the Songlines, Knitting Factory, Elektra/Nonesuch, Sound Aspects, and Black Saint labels. © Chris Kelsey © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wayne-horvitz-p87921/biography

ABOUT SHAWN LANE

Shawn Lane was a phenomenally talented guitar player who never quite broke out beyond guitar enthusiasts and critics, but will remain influential to players for many years to come. Originally hailed as a child prodigy, Lane joined Black Oak Arkansas as a teenager, and could have been part of the guitar shredder movement of the late '80s and '90s, but his restless musical inclinations led him down a different path. Lane began his musical education on piano and cello at age four, but had switched to guitar by age eight. At ten, he was holding band rehearsals at the house he shared with his grandmother, and since the other bandmembers left their instruments at his house, Lane was free to try them out, and added bass and drums to his keyboard and guitar abilities. By 15, Lane was becoming known in Memphis circles as a guitarist, which led to an audition with Black Oak Arkansas in 1978, who he toured with for the next four years. Black Oak Arkansas was still popular enough to play at Bill Clinton's inaugural as Governor of Arkansas, but the band's heyday was well behind them. After disbanding briefly, BOA was re-formed with a couple of Shawn's high school friends joining the band, and bringing a heavy fusion edge to this southern boogie band. Then, burnt out from touring, Lane basically dropped out of sight in 1982 for a couple years, practiced piano, studied music theory and composition, and did a lot of reading and watching movies (he claims he barely played guitar at all during this period). The mid-'80s saw Shawn returning to guitar: first playing in some bands around the south, then appearing on an album produced by Mike Varney on the Shrapnel label, with a tune called "Stratosphere II" on the U.S. Metal compilation (his first available recording). Shortly afterwards, he formed a band called the Willys, who were the house band at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. Many touring musicians caught Lane's playing while staying there, and word of mouth led to session work, and eventually to his playing on the Highwayman 2 album with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. That high profile work ,and a demo cassette passed to Jim Ed Norman at Warner Brothers led to Lane being signed to Warner Brothers in 1990. Lane spent the next two years at home, creating the Powers of Ten album, on which he played every instrument. Following its release in 1992, Guitar Player Magazine named him "Best New Talent" and he placed second in Keyboard Magazine's "Best Keyboard Player" category. A touring band was assembled to promote the album, and a live recording was made, though it wasn't released until 2001(Powers of Ten Live!). His next project was DDT, a band that also featured Cody and Luther Dickenson, later of the North Mississippi Allstars. The DDT material was supposed to be for Lane's second album for Warner Bros., but the recording never materialized. Also at this time, Lane did production work for other artists, did a couple instructional videos, and developed curricula and taught at several European Conservatories. 1994 would be an important year for Lane, as it marked his first collaboration with Swedish bassist Jonas Hellborg, a relationship that would continue for nearly a decade and produce many releases (mostly on the Bardo label). Lane and Hellborg were perfect collaborators, sharing many of the same musical influences and many other interests as well, and it was playing with Hellborg that Lane really discovered his voice on guitar. They toured with drummer Jeff Sipe over the next several years, developing such a rapport that they were able to play completely improvised sets every night (documented on albums like Temporal Analogues of Paradise and Time Is the Enemy). Concurrently, in 1995, Hellborg and Lane played with Chinese pop singer Wei-Wei, and the Hellborg/Lane/Sipe trio appeared as an opening act at all of Mainland China's largest musical venues. Lane and Hellborg parted ways with Sipe in 1997, allowing Lane to work on the tracks that would become Tri-Tone Fascination, his second solo album in 1999. Also at this time, he and Hellborg began incorporating more Near Eastern and Eastern influences into their playing and improvising (Zenhouse, ). In 1999, Lane and Hellborg began working with V. Selvaganesh, son of percussionist Vikku Vinayakram of Shakti fame, and began pushing the music into more of a South Indian fusion, as evidenced by Good People in Times of Evil. Lane started having health problems in 2001, temporarily breaking off his work with Hellborg. After recovering, Lane started playing with a Memphis bar band called the Time Bandits, but was back with Hellborg and Sipe for a brief tour in 2002. There was also more work with the Vinayakrams, resulting in Icon, a dazzling work of East-West fusion that, unfortunately proved to be among Lane's final recorded works. There was a brief tour of India in February of 2003, but Lane's health problems returned, and on Sept. 26, 2003, Shawn Lane passed away following lung surgery. © Sean Westergaard © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/shawn-lane-p26629/biography

ABOUT JONAS HELLBORG

A wild improviser, bassist Jonas Hellborg leans more toward rock than jazz. Drawing inspiration from Jimi Hendrix, Arabic music, and Lifetime, Hellborg began playing professionally in the mid-'80s. After some session work (including Pil's Album, Ginger Baker's Middle Passage, and sessions with John McLaughlin's new Mahavishnu Orchestra), he released The Word on Axiom in 1991. The album features Hellborg's acoustic bass, drums, and a string quartet. He remained highly prolific throughout the decade, recording most prominently for the Day Eight label. © John Bush © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hellborg-p85737

Dwight Twilley (Beatles Related)

2012-02-06T16:39:00.001+01:00

Dwight Twilley - The Beatles [Deluxe Edition] - 2009 - Gigatone

An obscure 19 track collection of Beatles’ tunes from the underrated "power pop" specialist, Dwight Twilley. Dwight was never a "here today, gone tomorrow" "pop" artist, and certainly not an overnight sensation releasing mundane and commercial "dime-a-dozen" pop records that nobody will remember in 5 years time. He is a very good songwriter and musician, and deserves more exposure. Dwight's sound has been described as a "luscious synthesis of British and American influences". This is not a "power pop" release as you might expect. Dwight has always been strongly influenced by the Beatles music, and he doesn't mess up anything here. Eight tracks are from The White Album. The covers are very close to the Beatles' originals, and Dwight does a really good job on these classic tracks. Listen to Dwight's "Live from Agora" album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 135 Mb]

TRACKS

1. Come Together 2:53
2. Dear Prudence 3:57
3. In My Life 3:43
4. Helter Skelter 4:37
5. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey 4:19
6. I'll Be Back 2:40
7. Blackbird 2:14
8. Hello Goodbye 3:19
9. It's Only Love 1:55
10. Why Don't We Do It in the Road 2:11
11. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill 3:27
12. I Will 1:54
13. Drive My Car 2:35
14. You're Gonna Lose That Girl 3:51
15. Taxman 3:25
16. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away 4:32
17. Run For Your Life 2:38
18. Yer Blues 3:47
19. Tomorrow Never Knows 3:44

All songs by John Lennon & Paul McCartney except "Taxman" by George Harrison

Dwight Twilley - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Instrumentation, Keyboards, Vocals. Information on other artists who played on this album would be welcome

BIO

Though the Dwight Twilley Band only had one hit (Twilley had another on his own), Twilley and partner Phil Seymour created an enduring and highly memorable brand of power pop that blended Beatlesque pop and Sun rockabilly "slapback" echo. Only a fraction of the band's early output was made available at the time, but these records are highly revered by power pop aficionados. According to the legend, Dwight Twilley met Phil Seymour in 1967 at a theater where they had gone to see the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night. After the film they immediately went to Twilley's house to start writing and recording. The two continued the partnership over the next several years, calling themselves Oister and recruiting another part-time member, Bill Pitcock IV, on lead guitar. After developing their sound in their homemade studio, "the Shop," they decided to take a stab at professional recording and headed out to Nashville, though they ended up stopping first at the legendary Sun Studios. Jerry Phillips (Sam's son) was impressed enough to team them up with former Sun artist Ray Harris, who introduced them to "the Sun sound," roughing up their Beatles-obsessed style a bit and creating a unique and endearing sound. The two signed to Shelter Records in 1974. Their first single, "I'm on Fire," became a national hit in 1975, peaking at number 16, with relatively no promotion. During an appearance on American Bandstand, the band previewed what was to be the follow-up single, "Shark," an equally infectious, hit-worthy rocker. The success of the film Jaws caused the label to reject the single, however, to keep them from becoming perceived as a cash-in novelty act. This was just the beginning of bad luck that would plague the group from that point on. Their follow-up single and completed album went unreleased for 18 months due to label problems, and a second album recorded in England was left unreleased altogether, creating a myth around the band in some circles while the general public quickly lost interest. The belated follow-up single, "You Were So Warm," ended up failing due to distribution problems. Predictably, when the album Sincerely was finally released, it failed as well. Seymour and Twilley befriended the like-minded Tom Petty and contributed backing vocals on several tracks. Petty repaid the favor for their second album, Twilley Don't Mind, for Arista in 1977. Despite the once again unquestionably high quality of songs, the album stiffed as well. Seymour left the band the following year, pursuing a brief solo career before lymphoma cut his life short in 1993. Twilley carried on as a solo act, releasing Twilley for Arista in 1979 and Scuba Divers for EMI America in 1982, and found success again with Jungle in 1984, when he scored his second hit with "Girls." Wild Dogs went unnoticed on its 1986 release by CBS Associated Records. In addition, Twilley recorded an album in 1980, Blueprint, that remains unreleased and contributed one track to the 1992 Wayne's World soundtrack, "Why You Want to Break My Heart." In 1993, DCC released The Great Lost Twilley Album, which collected a fraction of the "hundreds" of unreleased songs Twilley and Seymour recorded in the early, ill-fated days. Two newly recorded songs appeared on the best-of collection XXI (The Right Stuff) in 1996, and in 1999, Twilley released both another rarities collection, Between the Cracks, Vol. 1 (Not Lame Archives), and his first new album in 13 years, Tulsa (Copper). In 2001, Twilley released The Luck (Big Oak), an album he had actually completed in 1994. The seasonal EP Have a Twilley Christmas (DMI) appeared in 2004, followed by Twilley's ninth studio album, 47 Moons, in 2005. In 2007 he signed to Gigatone Records and a deluge of Twilley releases followed, including reissues of Tulsa and 47 Moons (with bonus tracks), seven volumes of Rarities discs, and a compilation of tracks recorded after Twilley left CBS, Northridge to Tulsa. In 2009 he released an album of Beatles covers titled simply The Beatles and followed it with an album of originals in 2010 titled Green Blimp. After Twilley moved to the Varèse Sarabande label, his 11th album, Soundtrack, was issued in late 2011. © Chris Woodstra © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/dwight-twilley-p5718/biography

Adam Holzman Band

2012-02-05T23:14:00.001+01:00

Adam Holzman Band - Manifesto - 1995 - Lipstick

Adam is simply one of the most innovative musicians alive. He is a perennial poll-winner in the Fusion category for Pulse! magazine's year-end Top Ten listings. "Keyboard" magazine named him one of the top 10 players in the world, "Down Beat" lauded his "killer groove" and compared him to Jan Hammer - and even the "New York Times" and the "Washington Post" have praised Adam's live shows. "Manifesto" is great funk fusion with the always impressive and amazingly talented Adam Holzman on keys. Other artists playing include guitarist Mitch Stein (from The Steve Kimock Band & The Hermanators), Aaron Heick on sax, Freddy Cash Jr. on bass, Jane Getter on Wah Wah guitar, and Ju Ju House on percussion. Adam's motto is "Optimistic music in the age of fear." "Manifesto " is great music in the age of musical mediocrity, and HR by A.O.O.F.C. A reviewer on Amazon.com stated that "Adam holzman has formed an excellent band in the spirit of the early jazz/rock pioneers. Strong writing, killer grooves and ethereal keyboard soundscapes all combine to make a fairly effective jazz/rock document for the late 90s. Check out the track "Jumpin' Jupiter". Buy Adam Holzman & Brave New World's "Spork" album. Search this blog for more Adam Holzman releases

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Dino - Holzman, Campbell
2 Captain Wax - Holzman, Stein, House
3 Bully 4 U - Holzman
4 Jumpin' Jupiter - Holzman
5 Wake Up Call - Holzman
6 The Fear - Holzman, Cash
7 Come Trip With Me - Holzman, Cash, House
8 Janeway - Holzman, Heick
9 Arrival - Holzman
10 Trench Coat - Holzman, Campbell
11 Airplane Window - Holzman
12 The Grim Reaper - Holzman, House
13 The Age Of Fear - Holzman
14 Brave New World - Holzman

MUSICIANS

Mitch Stein - Guitar, Vocals
Michael "Dino" Campbell - Guitar
Jane Getter - Wah Wah Guitar
Freddie Cash Jr., Scott Ambush - Bass
Adam Holzman - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes, Drum Programming
Aaron Heick - Alto & Soprano Saxophone
Ju Ju House - Percussion, Conga, Drums, Drum Loop, Voices
Miles Davis - Voice (Sample): Peter Gabriel - (Voice "Passion" sample)
The L.D.A. Crew - Background Vocals

ADAM HOLZMAN (SHORT BIO)

Jazz keyboardist Adam Holzman (b. February 15, 1958, in New York, NY) has had an interesting career trajectory. The son of Jac Holzman, the president of Elektra Records during its late-'60s heyday, Holzman learned keyboards at an early age, picking up the instrument when he was in the third grade. Since he was in the inner circle of Elektra, he was not only exposed to many of the era's trailblazers, but he was also able to see how they worked. He hung out at Doors rehearsals, met Love, and saw the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in their prime. Like many musicians of his era, he was also heavily influenced by the Beatles. He found himself attracted to the music of Butterfield and the Fab Four, which led him to explore a number of different artists from Leon Russell to Joe Cocker, eventually leading to keyboard-dominated prog-rockers Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes. Holzman's infatuation with prog-rock turned out to be the doorway to his passion for jazz-fusion and synthesizers. In a matter of time, ELP gave way to Chick Corea's groundbreaking Return to Forever and Herbie Hancock's innovative early-'70s work. By the early '80s, he was working at Goodman's Music, a respected instrument store in Los Angeles. At Goodman's, he became an expert in MIDI technology and synth programming, which led to regular studio gigs. Soon, he had attracted the attention of Miles Davis, who was interested in MIDI. He joined Davis' band in 1985. Holzman stayed with the legendary musician for four years, spending his final year -- from 1988 to 1989 -- as the musical director for the entire band. Following his tenure with Davis, he toured and recorded with a variety of artists, including Chaka Khan, Michel Petrucciani, Wayne Shorter, Kolvynator and Kenny Garrett. In the spring of 1997, he joined Grover Washington Jr.'s band. By the late '90s, he was also playing with FM Tribe and Francis M'Bappe in New York City. In addition to his role as a sideman, Holzman pursued many of his own projects. He led the Los Angeles-based jazz-rock group the Fents with guitarist Ted Hall; they released The Other Side on Passport Jazz in 1987. He also formed the prog-influenced Mona Lisa Overdrive, who released an eponymous album in 1993. In the '90s, he released several solo albums -- In a Loud Way (1991), Overdrive (1994) and Big Picture (1997) -- before forming the New York-based, funk-inflected group Brave New World, who were a recording entity in their own right, releasing Worldwind in the fall of 1998. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/adam-holzman-p45164/biography

Roger Chapman

2012-02-04T16:59:00.001+01:00

Roger Chapman - Kiss My Soul - 1996 - Castle Essential

Roger Chapman is a British rock legend, best known for for his spectacular stage presence and amazing powerful vibrato vocals, who played with the hugely talented and original British band, Family, (who called it a day in the early 70’s). During their seven year lifespan, Family had achieved an almost unequalled standard of musical output and musicianship. Arguably, at least four of their eight albums can be regarded as rock classics.. Family were regarded by critics, and by the public in general, as one of Britain's finest rock bands. John Peel, the late, great BBC Radio 1 DJ, once said that he'd travel any distance to see Chapman perform. Sadly, by the late seventies, Roger had practically disappeared from the music scene.The mechanics of the music business, e.g, glam rock, the dawn of punk, new wave, and romanticism, dictated the demise of many great rock and progressive rock bands, who had dominated the music scene, (especially in Britain), for so long. That is not to say that these new genres did not produce some great bands. However, the musical scene at this time did not suit Roger Chapman's style of music, and never one to bow to commercialism, Chapman went to Germany in the early eighties where he still spends most of his time, and is regarded as a cult figure there. He has also received well deserved Artist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the German people. Buy his brilliant 1979 album, "Chappo." It is also a musical education to listen to Family's "Music in a Doll's House," "Bandstand," and "Fearless " albums

Roger Chapman cares little for what's trendy, popular, or in vogue. The man is a living legend, but his style of singing has always divided folks into pro-Chappo or anti-Chappo camps. Pity the fools in the anti-Chappo camps. Kiss My Soul is one of the stronger releases in Chapman's astonishingly prolific catalog of recordings made under his name. The title track Kiss My Soul and Two Pieces of Silver showcase his smoldering power. On several selections, Chappo takes his time, building up a head of steam like a coal-fired locomotive tackling a steep grade. By the time tracks such as One More Whiskey or Mistreated are nearly three-fourths finished, Chappo and his crack band will have you out of your seats. Steve Simpson, his long-time guitarist in the Shortlist, showcases his skills are many spots. Since the long-lamented passing of two of the greatest bands to come from England, Family and Streetwalker, Chappo has kept the torch burning bright. One flaw on this and some of the other solo works is that the production work is not as crisp and tight as we have become accustomed to these days. Keep in mind that Chapman has never been accorded the recording budget or perks granted to more popular but far inferior vocalists such as Rod Stewart. Postscript: I cannot help but miss the contributions of his long-time writing and performing partner, the great guitarist Charlie Whitney, whose own career has faded away. ****/5 - from "One for the money, two for the road, better get ready". . ., 10 Jun 2002 By & © loce_the_wizard "loce_the_wizard" - Published on Amazon U.S. © 1996-2012, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates © http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-My-Soul-Roger-Chapman/dp/B00005AFL7
Search this blog for more about Chappo [Tracks @ 224-320 Kbps: File size = 85.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Into The Bright - Chapman, Marlette, Wetton 4:01
2 Habits Of A Lifetime - Chapman, Wisefield 4:26
3 A Cat Called Kokomo - Chapman, Simpson 4:05
4 One More Whisky - Chapman, Moody 4:16
5 Kiss My Soul - Chapman, Simpson 4:06
6 Outside Looking In - Chapman 4:39
7 Beautiful Dreamers - Chapman, Cregan 6:06
8 It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Dylan 4:34
9 Mistreated - Ballard 3:51
10 Song Of Desire - Chapman, Simpson 4:31
11 Two Pieces Of Silver - Chapman, Moody 4:27
12 Really Started Something - Chapman 3:54

MUSICIANS

Roger Chapman - Vocals, Harmonica
Jay Stapley, Steve Simpson - Guitar
Joe Chemay - Bass Guitar
Geoff Dugmore - Drums
Carol Thompson, Juliet Roberts - Background Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

Roger Chapman (born Roger Maxwell Chapman on April 8, 1942 in Leicester) is an English rock singer. Roger "Chappo" Chapman is probably best known for his participation in the English progressive band Family in the late 1960s through the early 1970s and subsequently, from 1973 to 1978, in Streetwalkers, a rock/R&B band. Prior to Family he had sung with this band's precursor, the Farinas. His idiosyncratic brand of on-stage showmanship and characteristic vibrato led to him becoming a cult figure on the British rock scene. Chapman once claimed he was trying to sing like both Little Richard and especially his idol Ray Charles.In the late 1970s Roger Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album, Chappo. In 1983, Mike Oldfield recorded the album "Crises" featuring the song "Shadow On The Wall" sung by Roger Chapman. The song turned out to be a huge hit for Mike Oldfield (along with the even more popular "Moonlight Shadow"). As other musical styles, such as Punk Rock became more popular in England, Chapman began to have more success in other European countries, especially Germany, where he has spent much of his time since the early 1980s, winning Artist of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

MORE ABOUT ROGER CHAPMAN

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that has led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising; album-wise, he's been camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus all subsequent work there, where he has become a musical hero, the "Working Class Artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977. He surrounded himself with ace session musicians to cut a debut solo effort, Chappo. It was an album of strong rock which catered to the singer and not the musicians. An appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show and the ensuing hit single, "Let's Spend the Night Together," gave Chapman the shot of success he needed, so he set up operations in Germany. Live in Hamburg was a reassuring second album, demonstrating the live energy of this experienced yet stage-crazed performer. Studio albums over the next few years blended straight power rock with funk, R&B and soul, all topped with Chapman's characteristic vocal style. In the 1981 German music awards, Chapman was voted Best Singer, and his Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun won an award. Chapman and his backing band, the Shortlist, released two alter-ego albums in the early '80s as the Riff Burglars. These releases honored roots and classic rock by artists like Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Leiber & Stoller. A lead vocal on Mike Oldfield's 1983 hit, "Shadow on the Wall," also added to Chapman's diverse repertoire. Chapman's mid-'80s foray into polished studio sounds did not fare well with his audience. When his extended partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran it's course, Chapman returned to pure rock form with 1989's Walking the Cat, which featured Alvin Lee and old friend, Bob Tench. Two compilations filled a silent period in the mid '90s, but 1996's Kiss My Soul was a comeback for the guy who never went away. It even got attention and a pressing in Chapman's British homeland, where he often tours but has no domestic releases. This was followed by 1998's A Turn Unstoned? and the 2-CD Anthology; the next year saw re-releases of Chappo and Mail Order Magic. Moth to a Flame was issued in early 2001. © Patrick Little, allmusic.com

Roger Chapman

2012-02-04T16:52:00.001+01:00

Roger Chapman - Zipper - 1986 - RCA

Roger Chapman is a British rock legend, best known for for his spectacular stage presence and amazing powerful vibrato vocals, who played with the hugely talented and original British band, Family, (who called it a day in the early 70’s). During their seven year lifespan, Family had achieved an almost unequalled standard of musical output and musicianship. Arguably, at least four of their eight albums can be regarded as rock classics.. Family were regarded by critics, and by the public in general, as one of Britain's finest rock bands. John Peel, the late, great BBC Radio 1 DJ, once said that he'd travel any distance to see Chapman perform. Sadly, by the late seventies, Roger had practically disappeared from the music scene.The mechanics of the music business, e.g, glam rock, the dawn of punk, new wave, and romanticism, dictated the demise of many great rock and progressive rock bands, who had dominated the music scene, (especially in Britain), for so long. That is not to say that these new genres did not produce some great bands. However, the musical scene at this time did not suit Roger Chapman's style of music, and never one to bow to commercialism, Chapman went to Germany in the early eighties where he still spends most of his time, and is regarded as a cult figure there. He has also received well deserved Artist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the German people. Buy his brilliant 1979 album, "Chappo." It is also a musical education to listen to Family's "Music in a Doll's House," "Bandstand," and "Fearless " albums. Read the latest about Chappo @ http://www.chappo.com/ Search this blog for more about Chappo. [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 94 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Zipper 6:15
2 Running With The Flame 4:21
3 On Do-Die-Day 6:08
4 Never Love A Rolling Stone 3:58
5 Let The Beat Get Heavy 4:52
6 It's Never Too Late To Do Ron Ron 4:39
7 Woman Of Destiny 6:18
8 Hoodoo Me Up 3:23

All songs composed by Roger Chapman except Tracks 1 & 3 by Roger Chapman & Geoff Whitehorn

MUSICIANS

Roger Chapman - Vocals, Harmonica
Geoff Whitehorn - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Tony Stevens - Bass on "Woman Of Destiny"
Brian Johnstone - Keyboards
Peter Phipps - Drums
John Lingwood - Drums on "It's Never Too Late To Do Ron Ron"
Nick Pentelow - Tenor & Alto Saxophone
Frank Mead - Alto Sax. on "Running With The Flame"
Sam Brown, Vicki Brown, Helen Chappelle - Background Vocals

BIO (WIKI)

Roger Chapman (born Roger Maxwell Chapman on April 8, 1942 in Leicester) is an English rock singer. Roger "Chappo" Chapman is probably best known for his participation in the English progressive band Family in the late 1960s through the early 1970s and subsequently, from 1973 to 1978, in Streetwalkers, a rock/R&B band. Prior to Family he had sung with this band's precursor, the Farinas. His idiosyncratic brand of on-stage showmanship and characteristic vibrato led to him becoming a cult figure on the British rock scene. Chapman once claimed he was trying to sing like both Little Richard and especially his idol Ray Charles.In the late 1970s Roger Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album, Chappo. In 1983, Mike Oldfield recorded the album "Crises" featuring the song "Shadow On The Wall" sung by Roger Chapman. The song turned out to be a huge hit for Mike Oldfield (along with the even more popular "Moonlight Shadow"). As other musical styles, such as Punk Rock became more popular in England, Chapman began to have more success in other European countries, especially Germany, where he has spent much of his time since the early 1980s, winning Artist of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award.

MORE ABOUT ROGER CHAPMAN

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that has led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising; album-wise, he's been camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus all subsequent work there, where he has become a musical hero, the "Working Class Artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977. He surrounded himself with ace session musicians to cut a debut solo effort, Chappo. It was an album of strong rock which catered to the singer and not the musicians. An appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show and the ensuing hit single, "Let's Spend the Night Together," gave Chapman the shot of success he needed, so he set up operations in Germany. Live in Hamburg was a reassuring second album, demonstrating the live energy of this experienced yet stage-crazed performer. Studio albums over the next few years blended straight power rock with funk, R&B and soul, all topped with Chapman's characteristic vocal style. In the 1981 German music awards, Chapman was voted Best Singer, and his Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun won an award. Chapman and his backing band, the Shortlist, released two alter-ego albums in the early '80s as the Riff Burglars. These releases honored roots and classic rock by artists like Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Leiber & Stoller. A lead vocal on Mike Oldfield's 1983 hit, "Shadow on the Wall," also added to Chapman's diverse repertoire. Chapman's mid-'80s foray into polished studio sounds did not fare well with his audience. When his extended partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran it's course, Chapman returned to pure rock form with 1989's Walking the Cat, which featured Alvin Lee and old friend, Bob Tench. Two compilations filled a silent period in the mid '90s, but 1996's Kiss My Soul was a comeback for the guy who never went away. It even got attention and a pressing in Chapman's British homeland, where he often tours but has no domestic releases. This was followed by 1998's A Turn Unstoned? and the 2-CD Anthology; the next year saw re-releases of Chappo and Mail Order Magic. Moth to a Flame was issued in early 2001. © Patrick Little, allmusic.com

Mark Cook

2012-02-03T16:56:00.001+01:00

Mark Cook - Blue Voodoo - 2006 - Wendster Records / Mec Jetlag

"BLUE VOODOO" is the musical comparison to the sky on a very clear and cloudless night....IT'S FULL OF STARS. Never have I listened to a CD and been this impressed with each and every performer. It breaks my heart to know that there are such talented people doing such talented things and the masses will never know about it. On the other hand, I'm thankful that I am one of the those that do. BY & © PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © APRIL, 2006 © http://www.markcookmusic.com/fr_photos.cfm
A really good album of funk, Soul, R&B, roots blues, blues rock, Big Band Blues, Chicago Blues and even a touch of Latin and Jazz. Most of the musicians on this album are based in Atlanta, Georgia, and between them have played with artists that include Pat Travers, Derek Trucks, The Gap Band, The Ohio Players, Wet Willie, Keith Richards, Georgia Satellites, Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, Bobby Womack, Chubby Checker, Donna Hopkins, Francine Reed, Anthony Papamichael, Sean Costello, Taj Mahal, Susan Tedeschi, Deborah Coleman, Forrest MacDonald, E.G. Kight, Howard Tate, James Taylor, Peter Erskine, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Buddy Guy, Walter Trout, Kenny Neal, and Sean Costello. The album won the Just Plain Folks Music Awards for "Best Blues Album of the Year 2006" and "Best Rock Instrumental 2006" for the title track. Mark is an underrated guitarist and composer and deserves a bigger audience. Check out Mark's "An Evening With The Blues" & "The Promise Highway". Details @ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/markcook3 Buy one of his albums and support real music [All tracks @ 316-320 Kbps: File size = 134 Mb]

TRACKS

1 No One Likes A Good Woman (When She's Down)
2 Gonna Fly The Coop
3 Moonlight Blues
4 Doin' What I Do Best
5 At The Brew House
6 Back Home To Tennessee
7 What Was - Will Never Be
8 Blue Voodoo
9 Don't Pull Me Down
10 In A Funk
11 Sunday Afternoon
12 Livin' On The Outside
13 Gonna Live For Today
14 When You're Feelin' The Blues
15 Tomorrow's Come And Gone

All songs composed by Mark Cook

MUSICIANS

Mark Cook - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Steve Mays, Tim Young - Bass
Bob Mobley - Hammond B3, Piano
Joey Huffman - Hammond B3
Sean O'Rourke - Drums
Chuck Bithorn - Percussion
Sam Skelton - Alto, Tenor, & Baritone Sax
Mike Barry - Trumpet
Tom Gibson - Trombone
Steve Rusin - Harmonica
Wendy Cook - Porch Board
Ric Seymour - Vocals
Andrew Black - Vocals on Track 2
Lola Gulley - Vocals on Tracks 1, 3
Larry Griffith - Vocals on Track 6, 15
Heaven Davis - Vocals on Track 15

SHORT BIO

Born into a musical family, multi-talented electric blues guitarist Mark Cook grew up on the road, touring North America with his parents, who billed themselves as the Dale & Vicki Duo. Cook inherited his parents' gift and passion for music, namely the blues, and set out to become a serious musician after settling in Indiana at age 15. Since then, Cook furthered his masterful command of the guitar and also taught himself bass, piano, and production. Over time, he constructed a professional recording studio in his home, where he engineered, produced, and recorded his debut CD, An Evening With the Blues, in 2000. The album won acclaim, particularly from Just Plain Folks, a large music-industry organization, who voted it Best Blues Album of the Year 2001. Cook released his second album, The Promise Highway, in 2002. © Jason Birchmeier © 2012 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mark-cook-p527029/

Roger Chapman

2012-02-02T13:37:00.001+01:00

Roger Chapman - Walking The Cat - 1989 - Maze Records, SPV (Germany)

Roger Chapman is a British rock legend, and one of the great icons of British rock music. He is best known for for his spectacular stage presence and amazing powerful vibrato vocals, and for leading the hugely talented and original British band, Family, (who called it a day in the early 70’s). During their seven year lifespan, Family had achieved an almost unequalled standard of musical output and musicianship. Arguably, at least four of their eight albums can be regarded as rock classics. Family were regarded by critics, and by the public in general, as one of Britain's finest rock bands. John Peel, the late, great BBC Radio 1 DJ, once said that he would travel any distance to see Chappo perform. By the late seventies, Chappo had practically disappeared from the music scene.The mechanics of the music business, e.g, glam rock, the dawn of punk, new wave, and romanticism, dictated the demise of many great rock and progressive rock bands, who had dominated the music scene, (especially in Britain), for so long. That is not to say that these new genres did not produce some talented and original bands. However, the music scene at this time did not suit Roger Chapman's style of music, and never one to bow to commercialism, Chappo went to Germany in the early eighties where he still spends most of his time, and is a cult figure there. He has also received well deserved Artist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the German people. In 1989, when Chappo's partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran its course, he returned to pure rock form with "Walking The Cat" which is one of Chappo's more obscure albums (Aren't they all?), and also one of his best. The album features the great guitarist Alvin Lee and old friend Bob Tench of Streetwalkers on guitar and vocals. This is a great rock album by the legendary vocalist and songwriter. You will find it hard to find a review of this album anywhere. It's no wonder Roger got disenchanted with the music scene. "Walking The Cat" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to Roger's brilliant 1979 album, "Chappo." It is also an education in music to listen to Family's "Music in a Doll's House," "Bandstand," and "Fearless " albums. Search this blog for other Roger Chapman related releases, and support real music [Tracks @ 192 -320 Kbps: File size = 61.4 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Kick It Back - Chapman 4:21
2 Son Of Red Moon- Chapman 3:46
3 Stranger Than Strange - Chapman 4:41
4 Just A Step Away (Let's Go) - Chapman 5:35
5 The Fool - Lee Hazelwood 2:53
6 Toys '89 - Chapman, Palmer, Whitehorn 5:13
7 Walking The Cat - Chapman 5:13
8 J & D - Chapman, Hinkley 3:35
9 Come The Dark Night - A. Bown, Chapman 4:55
10 Hands Off - Chapman, Hinkley 4:03
11 Jivin' - S. Simpson 2:58
12 Saturday Night Kick Back - Chapman 1:51

N.B: The 1989 German Polydor CD release omits Track 6. Other issues include Track 6 but omit Track 8. The album posted here is the original 1989 German CD issue on Maze Records

MUSICIANS

Roger Chapman - Vocals, Harmonica
Alvin Lee, Mick Rogers - Guitar
Micky Moody - Slide Guitar
Bob Tench - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Steve Simpson - Guitar, Fiddle, Backing Vocals
Joe Hubbard - Bass
Tim Hinkley - Keyboards
Geoff Seopardi - Drums
Nick Pentelow - Saxophone
Mark Feltham - Harmonica
Andy Blackwood, Keith Wilder, Linda Wilder, Tracy King - Backing Vocals

SHORT BIO

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that has led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising; album-wise, he's been camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus all subsequent work there, where he has become a musical hero, the "Working Class Artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977. He surrounded himself with ace session musicians to cut a debut solo effort, Chappo. It was an album of strong rock which catered to the singer and not the musicians. An appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show and the ensuing hit single, "Let's Spend the Night Together," gave Chapman the shot of success he needed, so he set up operations in Germany. Live in Hamburg was a reassuring second album, demonstrating the live energy of this experienced yet stage-crazed performer. Studio albums over the next few years blended straight power rock with funk, R&B and soul, all topped with Chapman's characteristic vocal style. In the 1981 German music awards, Chapman was voted Best Singer, and his Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun won an award. Chapman and his backing band, the Shortlist, released two alter-ego albums in the early '80s as the Riff Burglars. These releases honored roots and classic rock by artists like Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Leiber & Stoller. A lead vocal on Mike Oldfield's 1983 hit, "Shadow on the Wall," also added to Chapman's diverse repertoire. Chapman's mid-'80s foray into polished studio sounds did not fare well with his audience. When his extended partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran it's course, Chapman returned to pure rock form with 1989's Walking the Cat, which featured Alvin Lee and old friend, Bob Tench. Two compilations filled a silent period in the mid '90s, but 1996's Kiss My Soul was a comeback for the guy who never went away. It even got attention and a pressing in Chapman's British homeland, where he often tours but has no domestic releases. This was followed by 1998's A Turn Unstoned? and the 2-CD Anthology; the next year saw re-releases of Chappo and Mail Order Magic. Moth to a Flame was issued in early 2001. © Patrick Little, allmusic.com