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Posts tagged #OneAlbumADay

Ell is very tired
Ell is very tired
@ellstar.bsky.social
3 months ago
Preview
Album Of The Day Surfer Rosa by Pixies

Finally starting #OneAlbumADay
Album of the day: 1001albumsgenerator.com/albums/2l7RP...

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
Pitchfork's Aaron Leitko (in 2014) writes: The composer, improviser, and trumpet player Jon Hassell, now 77, created 'Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics' in 1980 in collaboration with producer Brian Eno. Melding minimalism, jazz, and ambient sounds, it is eerie, dreamlike, and otherworldly music. The title 'Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics' has a brainy and academic ring to it, but according to Jon Hassell, the record is at least 50% body music. "The basic metaphor is that of the north and south of a person is a projection of the north and south of the globe," the composer, improviser, and trumpet player, now 77, explained in an interview earlier this year. "A mind formatted by language and located in the head, compared with the area of wildness and sensuality below the waist where dance and music and procreation reigns." However, the first time through, Possible Musics—which Hassell created in 1980 in collaboration with producer Brian Eno—you might find that "wildness" and "sensuality" are not the first adjectives that come to mind. It is eerie, dreamlike, and otherworldly music. Throughout the record, Hassell’s trumpet is processed using a harmonizer effect, producing alien tonalities that seem to slide between the notes of a traditional Western scale. Often, his melody lines sound more like a human voice than a brass instrument. The rhythm tracks—made up of hand percussion and electric bass—are highly repetitive, but also wobbly and destabilized. The result is a sound that melds minimalism, jazz, and ambient sounds, but doesn’t fit comfortably into any of those genres. More: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19984-brian-eno-jon-hassel-fourth-world-vol-1-possible-musics/

Pitchfork's Aaron Leitko (in 2014) writes: The composer, improviser, and trumpet player Jon Hassell, now 77, created 'Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics' in 1980 in collaboration with producer Brian Eno. Melding minimalism, jazz, and ambient sounds, it is eerie, dreamlike, and otherworldly music. The title 'Fourth World, Vol. 1: Possible Musics' has a brainy and academic ring to it, but according to Jon Hassell, the record is at least 50% body music. "The basic metaphor is that of the north and south of a person is a projection of the north and south of the globe," the composer, improviser, and trumpet player, now 77, explained in an interview earlier this year. "A mind formatted by language and located in the head, compared with the area of wildness and sensuality below the waist where dance and music and procreation reigns." However, the first time through, Possible Musics—which Hassell created in 1980 in collaboration with producer Brian Eno—you might find that "wildness" and "sensuality" are not the first adjectives that come to mind. It is eerie, dreamlike, and otherworldly music. Throughout the record, Hassell’s trumpet is processed using a harmonizer effect, producing alien tonalities that seem to slide between the notes of a traditional Western scale. Often, his melody lines sound more like a human voice than a brass instrument. The rhythm tracks—made up of hand percussion and electric bass—are highly repetitive, but also wobbly and destabilized. The result is a sound that melds minimalism, jazz, and ambient sounds, but doesn’t fit comfortably into any of those genres. More: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19984-brian-eno-jon-hassel-fourth-world-vol-1-possible-musics/

#OneAlbumADay; This album blends avant-garde composition, jazz soloing, and African & Middle Eastern rhythmic forms, w/ producer Brian Eno adding reversed echo and otherworldly, ghostly production touches. Thanks to @aquariumdrunkard.com for reminding me of this influential LP today. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
'Madman' is now seen as a transitional work. It marks the last appearance of Elton John's band's lead guitarist Caleb Quaye and drummer Roger Pope (who would return in 1975), while it introduces his live touring band -- guitarist Davey Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olssen, and bassist Dee Murray -- who had not been playing on his albums, due to producer Gus Dudgeon's lack of faith in the group for studio recordings. Instead, most of the tracks were backed by studio players and string arrangements put together by Paul Buckmaster. Johnstone's band Magna Carta had previously worked with Dudgeon. The album's title song was initially going to be released on John's previous album 'Tumbleweed Connection,' featuring guitarist Mick Ronson on lead guitar; however, it was set aside and was re-recorded for this album with Johnstone playing the guitar parts. One of the highlights was the opening track, “Tiny Dancer,” with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, whose first wife, Maxine Feibelmann, was indeed a “seamstress for the band.” Taupin, in interviews, has said he was trying to capture the vibe of what he saw when he and his wife came to Southern California in the fall of 1970. "It seemed like sunshine just radiated from the populace,” Taupin told Rolling Stone. “I guess I was trying to capture the spirit of that time, encapsulated by the women we met, especially at the clothes stores and restaurants and bars all up and down the Sunset Strip. They were these free spirits, sexy, all hip-huggers and lacy blouses, very ethereal the way they moved.” “They were just so different from what I’d been used to in England,” Taupin continued. “They had this thing about embroidering your clothes. They wanted to sew patches on your jeans. They mothered you and slept with you. It was the perfect Oedipal complex.” (more at Wikipedia)

'Madman' is now seen as a transitional work. It marks the last appearance of Elton John's band's lead guitarist Caleb Quaye and drummer Roger Pope (who would return in 1975), while it introduces his live touring band -- guitarist Davey Johnstone, drummer Nigel Olssen, and bassist Dee Murray -- who had not been playing on his albums, due to producer Gus Dudgeon's lack of faith in the group for studio recordings. Instead, most of the tracks were backed by studio players and string arrangements put together by Paul Buckmaster. Johnstone's band Magna Carta had previously worked with Dudgeon. The album's title song was initially going to be released on John's previous album 'Tumbleweed Connection,' featuring guitarist Mick Ronson on lead guitar; however, it was set aside and was re-recorded for this album with Johnstone playing the guitar parts. One of the highlights was the opening track, “Tiny Dancer,” with lyrics by Bernie Taupin, whose first wife, Maxine Feibelmann, was indeed a “seamstress for the band.” Taupin, in interviews, has said he was trying to capture the vibe of what he saw when he and his wife came to Southern California in the fall of 1970. "It seemed like sunshine just radiated from the populace,” Taupin told Rolling Stone. “I guess I was trying to capture the spirit of that time, encapsulated by the women we met, especially at the clothes stores and restaurants and bars all up and down the Sunset Strip. They were these free spirits, sexy, all hip-huggers and lacy blouses, very ethereal the way they moved.” “They were just so different from what I’d been used to in England,” Taupin continued. “They had this thing about embroidering your clothes. They wanted to sew patches on your jeans. They mothered you and slept with you. It was the perfect Oedipal complex.” (more at Wikipedia)

#OneAlbumADay; Elton John's 4th studio LP, 'Madman Across the Water,' was released on November 5, 1971. While 'Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player' (1973) was my first EJ LP, this one is my favorite, especially the title track and "Razor Face" (Rick Wakeman plays on both tracks) More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
'Loveless' was given to me first on a cassette by a girl I was madly in love with, although she didn't know it at the time. She was a co-worker at a bookstore where I worked, and we saw each other only occasionally (she worked part-time). After a particularly inspiring conversation in the back of the store about our favorite music, she taped me two of her favorite albums "as a kind of test" (I passed!). On one side was the Smashing Pumpkins' 'Gish' album, which I liked, at least back then, but on the other side was MBV's 'Loveless,' which I played as loud as our stereo (the one I shared with a couple of housemates in '89-'93) could handle, usually when no one else was home. I played it so loud that I eventually had to go to a doctor due to my temporary hearing loss (true story). I wouldn't be surprised if this was the album that kickstarted my tinnitus problems and hearing loss that I deal with every day. On tracks like "Only Shallow," Shields turns his guitar's tremolo bar into an art form, calling the strumming technique "glide guitar." Released as a single, it is the first MBV song to break through on the U.S. charts, landing at #27 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. 'Loveless' pretty much defined the shoegazing genre and simultaneously drove guitarist Kevin Shields to the brink of insanity, or so I've read. Even the cover photograph by Angus Cameron is beautiful if you stare at it while you're listening to the album, that pink and red guitar will burn right into your retinas. 'Loveless' failed to find a mainstream audience in the U.S., peaking at #7 in the UK. MBV would not release another album for almost 12 years. If you wanna read about this album, I recommend Mike McGonigal's book Loveless, published in 2007 by The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc as part of their celebrated 33 1/3 series.

'Loveless' was given to me first on a cassette by a girl I was madly in love with, although she didn't know it at the time. She was a co-worker at a bookstore where I worked, and we saw each other only occasionally (she worked part-time). After a particularly inspiring conversation in the back of the store about our favorite music, she taped me two of her favorite albums "as a kind of test" (I passed!). On one side was the Smashing Pumpkins' 'Gish' album, which I liked, at least back then, but on the other side was MBV's 'Loveless,' which I played as loud as our stereo (the one I shared with a couple of housemates in '89-'93) could handle, usually when no one else was home. I played it so loud that I eventually had to go to a doctor due to my temporary hearing loss (true story). I wouldn't be surprised if this was the album that kickstarted my tinnitus problems and hearing loss that I deal with every day. On tracks like "Only Shallow," Shields turns his guitar's tremolo bar into an art form, calling the strumming technique "glide guitar." Released as a single, it is the first MBV song to break through on the U.S. charts, landing at #27 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks. 'Loveless' pretty much defined the shoegazing genre and simultaneously drove guitarist Kevin Shields to the brink of insanity, or so I've read. Even the cover photograph by Angus Cameron is beautiful if you stare at it while you're listening to the album, that pink and red guitar will burn right into your retinas. 'Loveless' failed to find a mainstream audience in the U.S., peaking at #7 in the UK. MBV would not release another album for almost 12 years. If you wanna read about this album, I recommend Mike McGonigal's book Loveless, published in 2007 by The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc as part of their celebrated 33 1/3 series.

#OneAlbumADay; My Bloody Valentine’s second studio LP, 'Loveless,' was released on November 4, 1991 (Creation in the UK, Sire in the U.S.). The cost of recording the album, which took place at 19 recording studios with multiple audio engineers over 4 years, nearly bankrupted Creation.
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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
I must confess that, at the time, I didn't know "all mod cons" was something used in home adverts, particularly in England, short for "all modern conveniences," an abbreviated way to say that the home features the best and most desirable modern kitchen features (maybe bathroom fixtures too, who the hell knows). I simply thought it was a name that signified the band's association with the Mod music revival. We played the hell out of this album at Licorice Pizza, in Anaheim, CA, where I'd been an employee for about a year. I believe by the time of its release I was the Singles Buyer at the store, and making regular trips (along with co-worker Danny McGough and other friends) to Zed Records in Long Beach, where I likely bought all the UK import singles and then ordered them for our store. At the time of its release, Paul Weller was just twenty years old. His band were actually discovered playing at a street market in London's Soho, and soon thereafter were asked to open for the Sex Pistols. The Jam were signed to Polydor records in 1977. I loved this entire album, start to finish, and could probably write scads of useless ephemera about all of the tracks, but it’s the last track on the album which represents one of Weller's best representations as a songwriter. "Down At The Tube Station at Midnight" -- the second single from All Mod Cons, released a month earlier, on October 13, 1978 -- is, as Wikipedia tells us, " the true-crime inspired story of an unnamed narrator travelling on his own who enters a London Underground tube station at midnight to get the last train home," where he becomes the victim of a brutal mugging by jackbooted right-wing thugs. These men, Weller's lyrics tell us, "smelt of pubs, and Wormwood Scrubs and too many right-wing meetings.” The track begins and ends with a field recording from a London Underground tube station, recorded at St John's Wood Station. Find a copy and buy it!

I must confess that, at the time, I didn't know "all mod cons" was something used in home adverts, particularly in England, short for "all modern conveniences," an abbreviated way to say that the home features the best and most desirable modern kitchen features (maybe bathroom fixtures too, who the hell knows). I simply thought it was a name that signified the band's association with the Mod music revival. We played the hell out of this album at Licorice Pizza, in Anaheim, CA, where I'd been an employee for about a year. I believe by the time of its release I was the Singles Buyer at the store, and making regular trips (along with co-worker Danny McGough and other friends) to Zed Records in Long Beach, where I likely bought all the UK import singles and then ordered them for our store. At the time of its release, Paul Weller was just twenty years old. His band were actually discovered playing at a street market in London's Soho, and soon thereafter were asked to open for the Sex Pistols. The Jam were signed to Polydor records in 1977. I loved this entire album, start to finish, and could probably write scads of useless ephemera about all of the tracks, but it’s the last track on the album which represents one of Weller's best representations as a songwriter. "Down At The Tube Station at Midnight" -- the second single from All Mod Cons, released a month earlier, on October 13, 1978 -- is, as Wikipedia tells us, " the true-crime inspired story of an unnamed narrator travelling on his own who enters a London Underground tube station at midnight to get the last train home," where he becomes the victim of a brutal mugging by jackbooted right-wing thugs. These men, Weller's lyrics tell us, "smelt of pubs, and Wormwood Scrubs and too many right-wing meetings.” The track begins and ends with a field recording from a London Underground tube station, recorded at St John's Wood Station. Find a copy and buy it!

#OneAlbumADay; the Jam's third studio album, 'All Mod Cons,' was released by Polydor Records on November 3, 1978, which was about a year into my favorite job, working at Licorice Pizza record store. Fave tracks: "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight," "In The Crowd," "David Watts.(more: alt text)

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
The Lou Donaldson album most consistently regarded by critics and fans as his best and definitive musical statement is 'Blues Walk' (Blue Note, 1958), his undisputed masterpiece. The album is considered a landmark session that helped kick-start the soul-jazz movement of the early 1960s, a style for which Donaldson became famous. The album successfully blends hard bop with the blues, featuring the cool, strutting title track as one of his most memorable compositions. It features a stellar band including Herman Foster on piano, Peck Morrison on bass, Dave Bailey on drums, and the notable addition of Ray Barretto on congas, which adds to its distinctive groove. While his later soul-jazz hit album, 'Alligator Bogaloo' (1967), also has a strong following and was a popular success, many agree that he was never able to make another album as perfect or as significant as 'Blues Walk.'

The Lou Donaldson album most consistently regarded by critics and fans as his best and definitive musical statement is 'Blues Walk' (Blue Note, 1958), his undisputed masterpiece. The album is considered a landmark session that helped kick-start the soul-jazz movement of the early 1960s, a style for which Donaldson became famous. The album successfully blends hard bop with the blues, featuring the cool, strutting title track as one of his most memorable compositions. It features a stellar band including Herman Foster on piano, Peck Morrison on bass, Dave Bailey on drums, and the notable addition of Ray Barretto on congas, which adds to its distinctive groove. While his later soul-jazz hit album, 'Alligator Bogaloo' (1967), also has a strong following and was a popular success, many agree that he was never able to make another album as perfect or as significant as 'Blues Walk.'

#OneAlbumADay; 'Blues Walk' by Louis "Lou" Donaldson Jr., born November 1, 1926, Badin, North Carolina (d. November 9, 2024) is considered his masterwork, a bebop album of hard bop and blues that precedes his soul-jazz period. It belongs in anyone's list of late '50s jazz classics. (more: alt text)

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London, in March 1970, and released in October 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. It is a concept album based on country and western and Americana themes. All songs are written by John and Bernie Taupin, with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan. Fave songs include "Burn Down the Mission," "Amoreena" and "Country Comfort." Co-writer Bernie Taupin said of the album, "Everybody thinks that I was influenced by Americana and by seeing America first hand, but we wrote and recorded the album before we'd even been to the States. It was totally influenced by The Band's album Music From Big Pink and Robbie Robertson's songs. I've always loved Americana, and I loved American Westerns. I've always said that "El Paso" was the song that made me want to write songs, it was the perfect meshing of melody and storyline, and I thought that here was something that married rhythms and the written word completely." John has remarked, "Lyrically and melodically, that's probably one of our most perfect albums. I don't think there's any song on there that doesn't melodically fit the lyric." The wraparound cover photo for the album was taken at Sheffield Park railway station in Sussex, approximately 30 miles (50 km) south of London on the Bluebell Railway. Reviewing for Rolling Stone, David Fricke wrote: "1971’s 'Tumbleweed Connection' needs no improvement; it is one of the best country-rock albums ever written by London cowboys." Reviewing later for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Half of the songs don't follow conventional pop song structures; instead, they flow between verses and vague choruses. These experiments are remarkably successful, primarily because Taupin's lyrics are evocative and John's melodic sense is at its best."

Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Elton John. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London, in March 1970, and released in October 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. It is a concept album based on country and western and Americana themes. All songs are written by John and Bernie Taupin, with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan. Fave songs include "Burn Down the Mission," "Amoreena" and "Country Comfort." Co-writer Bernie Taupin said of the album, "Everybody thinks that I was influenced by Americana and by seeing America first hand, but we wrote and recorded the album before we'd even been to the States. It was totally influenced by The Band's album Music From Big Pink and Robbie Robertson's songs. I've always loved Americana, and I loved American Westerns. I've always said that "El Paso" was the song that made me want to write songs, it was the perfect meshing of melody and storyline, and I thought that here was something that married rhythms and the written word completely." John has remarked, "Lyrically and melodically, that's probably one of our most perfect albums. I don't think there's any song on there that doesn't melodically fit the lyric." The wraparound cover photo for the album was taken at Sheffield Park railway station in Sussex, approximately 30 miles (50 km) south of London on the Bluebell Railway. Reviewing for Rolling Stone, David Fricke wrote: "1971’s 'Tumbleweed Connection' needs no improvement; it is one of the best country-rock albums ever written by London cowboys." Reviewing later for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "Half of the songs don't follow conventional pop song structures; instead, they flow between verses and vague choruses. These experiments are remarkably successful, primarily because Taupin's lyrics are evocative and John's melodic sense is at its best."

#OneAlbumADay; haven't posted a OAAD in awhile (not that anyone cares), but I just read one of the very first albums I owned, Elton John's 'Tumbleweed Connection,' was released 54 yrs ago, on October 30, 1971. EJ said that the songs were influenced by the Band's 'Music From Big Pink'.
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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
'Mellow Madness' (A&M 1975) is top tier '70s soul jazz, while transcending its time, and continued the polished, percolating soul direction of his previous LP, 'Body Heat.' Here's a review from Dusty Groove: A really great, oft-overlooked album from the best period of Quincy Jones! This album is quite possibly Quincy's most farthest-reaching – as he works in an array of styles that really shows his growing genius in the studio – not just jazz and soundtrack modes, but more soul-based ones, handled with work from a great array of guest stars who really expand the sound. There's loads of nice bits – like a version of "My Cherie Amour," done with vocals by Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton; a new take on "Bluesette", redone with Toots Thielemans; and the original "Beautiful Black Girl", which features rapping by The Watts Prophets! Other tracks include "Paranoid", "Cry Baby", "Tryin To Find Out About You", and "Listen (What It Is)."

'Mellow Madness' (A&M 1975) is top tier '70s soul jazz, while transcending its time, and continued the polished, percolating soul direction of his previous LP, 'Body Heat.' Here's a review from Dusty Groove: A really great, oft-overlooked album from the best period of Quincy Jones! This album is quite possibly Quincy's most farthest-reaching – as he works in an array of styles that really shows his growing genius in the studio – not just jazz and soundtrack modes, but more soul-based ones, handled with work from a great array of guest stars who really expand the sound. There's loads of nice bits – like a version of "My Cherie Amour," done with vocals by Leon Ware and Minnie Riperton; a new take on "Bluesette", redone with Toots Thielemans; and the original "Beautiful Black Girl", which features rapping by The Watts Prophets! Other tracks include "Paranoid", "Cry Baby", "Tryin To Find Out About You", and "Listen (What It Is)."

#OneAlbumADay; Q recorded this mid-'70s treasure right after being treated for brain aneurysms, and you can tell from the LP title he wanted the mood to be mellow (fits my mood today). George Johnson (guitar, vocals) & Louis Johnson (bass), the Brothers Johnson, co-wrote four songs. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
I still like a lot of Doobie Brothers songs, pre-Michael McDonald. Mostly deep albums tracks, particularly the finger-picked songs of Pat Simmons, celebrating his birthday today. One of my first exposures to the band was on "New Year's Rockin' Eve" when I was twelve or thirteen, something like that (if not the Dick Clark show, it might have been "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" or "Midnight Special," not sure). A friend at church (!) had given me one of their albums ('Toulouse Street') because he'd bought it for this song, "Jesus Is Just Alright," because he was a Jesus freak but he realized he didn't like any of their other songs. I did. I didn't know the Byrds had done this tune years earlier, I thought it was a Doobie original. Anyway, loved their long hair and the fact they had two drummers. That first time I saw them on TV, they were playing on a stage immersed in fog machine clouds, and I thought they looked pretty cool. I soon learned they were this Northern California-grown mustache rock band who had a lot of different types of songs, some with a lot of Confederate soldier imagery & western-themes, some that were R&B-tinged tunes (pre-Northern Soul),right before they mudslid into mid-‘70s mediocrity. This album of tunes (released on Pickwick Records in 1980, recorded ten years earlier) collects rockin' early demos they'd recorded in a San Mateo studio shortly after they formed in 1970, back when they were still playing for the Hells Angels San Jose chapter at the the Chateau Liberté in the Santa Cruz mountains. They mailed (!!) this package of studio recordings to Warner Bros.(!), feeling that it showed what highs they were capable of, leading to record execs signing them shortly afterwards and put them back in the studio for their proper debut LP with Ted Templeman and Lenny Waronker. By the way, according to sources, Simmons is guano vegan and promotes a strict diet based on feces and dejections of small birds, in particular parrots and frugivores.

I still like a lot of Doobie Brothers songs, pre-Michael McDonald. Mostly deep albums tracks, particularly the finger-picked songs of Pat Simmons, celebrating his birthday today. One of my first exposures to the band was on "New Year's Rockin' Eve" when I was twelve or thirteen, something like that (if not the Dick Clark show, it might have been "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" or "Midnight Special," not sure). A friend at church (!) had given me one of their albums ('Toulouse Street') because he'd bought it for this song, "Jesus Is Just Alright," because he was a Jesus freak but he realized he didn't like any of their other songs. I did. I didn't know the Byrds had done this tune years earlier, I thought it was a Doobie original. Anyway, loved their long hair and the fact they had two drummers. That first time I saw them on TV, they were playing on a stage immersed in fog machine clouds, and I thought they looked pretty cool. I soon learned they were this Northern California-grown mustache rock band who had a lot of different types of songs, some with a lot of Confederate soldier imagery & western-themes, some that were R&B-tinged tunes (pre-Northern Soul),right before they mudslid into mid-‘70s mediocrity. This album of tunes (released on Pickwick Records in 1980, recorded ten years earlier) collects rockin' early demos they'd recorded in a San Mateo studio shortly after they formed in 1970, back when they were still playing for the Hells Angels San Jose chapter at the the Chateau Liberté in the Santa Cruz mountains. They mailed (!!) this package of studio recordings to Warner Bros.(!), feeling that it showed what highs they were capable of, leading to record execs signing them shortly afterwards and put them back in the studio for their proper debut LP with Ted Templeman and Lenny Waronker. By the way, according to sources, Simmons is guano vegan and promotes a strict diet based on feces and dejections of small birds, in particular parrots and frugivores.

#OneAlbumADay; Years before Yacht Rock, Patrick Simmons (b. October 19, 1948, Aberdeen, WA) wrote & sang some of my fave Doobie Bros. balancing Tom Johnston's harder-edge rock tunes, and this was a collection of studio recordings they *mailed* to Warner Bros. to nab themselves a deal. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
4 months ago
Federale 'Devil In A Boot' (Revolver Records 2009) Federale's second album focuses on a specific narrative, following a protagonist seeking vengeance against a railroad baron who destroyed his home and murdered his family. The album's themes include solitude, pain, and revenge, delivered in a stylistic sound that pays tribute to composer Ennio Morricone. The album's unique sound was achieved by recording in two distinct locations: Hegna's Revolver Studios for some tracks and a vacant Masonic temple for its natural reverb on others. Faves: "The Hanging": This track is a standout on the album, known for its dramatic and tense atmosphere. It features the signature elements of Federale's sound, including layered instrumentation, haunting melodies, and a sense of impending doom. "Hero": An evocative and heroic-sounding track that captures the spirit of the Western genre. It likely serves as a theme for the album's vengeful main character, building on the sense of purpose and mission. "Train Song": This track reflects the central narrative of the railroad baron and his destructive expansion. The music likely incorporates sounds and rhythms reminiscent of a locomotive, portraying the antagonist's relentless and powerful force. "Cathedral": As the longest track on the album, "Cathedral" is an expansive and cinematic piece. It uses the atmospheric sounds captured in the Masonic temple recordings to create a grand, epic feel, possibly scoring the album's climax.

Federale 'Devil In A Boot' (Revolver Records 2009) Federale's second album focuses on a specific narrative, following a protagonist seeking vengeance against a railroad baron who destroyed his home and murdered his family. The album's themes include solitude, pain, and revenge, delivered in a stylistic sound that pays tribute to composer Ennio Morricone. The album's unique sound was achieved by recording in two distinct locations: Hegna's Revolver Studios for some tracks and a vacant Masonic temple for its natural reverb on others. Faves: "The Hanging": This track is a standout on the album, known for its dramatic and tense atmosphere. It features the signature elements of Federale's sound, including layered instrumentation, haunting melodies, and a sense of impending doom. "Hero": An evocative and heroic-sounding track that captures the spirit of the Western genre. It likely serves as a theme for the album's vengeful main character, building on the sense of purpose and mission. "Train Song": This track reflects the central narrative of the railroad baron and his destructive expansion. The music likely incorporates sounds and rhythms reminiscent of a locomotive, portraying the antagonist's relentless and powerful force. "Cathedral": As the longest track on the album, "Cathedral" is an expansive and cinematic piece. It uses the atmospheric sounds captured in the Masonic temple recordings to create a grand, epic feel, possibly scoring the album's climax.

#OneAlbumADay; This 7-piece Portland, OR ensemble are led by longtime Brian Jonestown bassist Collin Hegna, and their second LP was an atmospheric soundtrack for an imagined film, inspired by '60s and '70s spaghetti western & giallo scores. You can almost hear a hot wind blowin' thru. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
The title of Brand X's second album, 'Moroccan Roll' (Passport 1977), is a pun. Some LP covers also show the word "Morrocan" instead of "Moroccan." Someone probably screwed that up somewhere. The name is not a geographical reference to Morocco, but rather a play on words suggesting "more rock and roll." Despite the cheeky title, the music is less rock-oriented than their debut, with the band instead exploring Eastern influences and softer, more subdued textures. The band's playful and witty side comes through not just in the album title but also in the music itself and the liner notes. Reviewers have noted this as a key element of the album's charm. Phil Collins sings in Sanskrit. The Genesis drummer and vocalist, who was also a member of Brand X, performs lead vocals on the track "Sun in the Night." He sings in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language, on the band's first album to feature vocals. It was a quintet album. For 'Moroccan Roll,' the group expanded from a quartet to a quintet with the addition of percussionist Morris Pert. This expanded lineup balanced the arrangements and added exotic, Eastern flavors to the music. Standout tracks: "Malaga Virgen" is one of Brand X's most renowned tracks, with a standout performance from Jones that switches between fast, loud, slow, and quiet passages. "Orbits" is a brief, bass-heavy track written by Jones, which is essentially a showcase for his fretless mastery.

The title of Brand X's second album, 'Moroccan Roll' (Passport 1977), is a pun. Some LP covers also show the word "Morrocan" instead of "Moroccan." Someone probably screwed that up somewhere. The name is not a geographical reference to Morocco, but rather a play on words suggesting "more rock and roll." Despite the cheeky title, the music is less rock-oriented than their debut, with the band instead exploring Eastern influences and softer, more subdued textures. The band's playful and witty side comes through not just in the album title but also in the music itself and the liner notes. Reviewers have noted this as a key element of the album's charm. Phil Collins sings in Sanskrit. The Genesis drummer and vocalist, who was also a member of Brand X, performs lead vocals on the track "Sun in the Night." He sings in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language, on the band's first album to feature vocals. It was a quintet album. For 'Moroccan Roll,' the group expanded from a quartet to a quintet with the addition of percussionist Morris Pert. This expanded lineup balanced the arrangements and added exotic, Eastern flavors to the music. Standout tracks: "Malaga Virgen" is one of Brand X's most renowned tracks, with a standout performance from Jones that switches between fast, loud, slow, and quiet passages. "Orbits" is a brief, bass-heavy track written by Jones, which is essentially a showcase for his fretless mastery.

#OneAlbumADay; Percy Jones is on two '70s Eno LPs ('Another Green World' & 'Before & After Science') but he's all over Brand X's second, 'Moroccan Roll,' w/ a title displaying a wry British sense of humour, suggesting this one is "more rock and roll" (than fusion). It's not. (More: alt text)

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Julian Priester's 1974 album 'Love, Love' is a fusion landmark known for its cosmic, ahead-of-its-time sound. It's an extension of the pioneering Mwandishi band. Before recording 'Love, Love,' Priester was a member of Herbie Hancock's sextet, Mwandishi, a group celebrated for its experimental, synthesizer-heavy jazz-fusion. 'Love, Love' continues in this vein, with Priester and fellow Mwandishi associate Pat Gleeson expanding on the electronic and Afro-funk elements pioneered during their time with Hancock. Much of the music was created spontaneously. The group wasn't working from a preconceived concept when they entered the studio. Instead, the music came together through on-the-spot improvisation and arrangement. Priester later recalled that the band "implemented [ideas] pretty much as jazz is created," allowing for a fresh and innovative sound. The title track features a unique time signature and funk groove. The epic 19-minute track "Love, Love" is built on a hypnotic, repetitive bass line that creates a relentless groove. This funky foundation is made more complex by its 15/8 time signature, which gives the song a subtle, graceful lilt. For this recording, Julian Priester was credited under his Swahili name Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto, which he adopted while with the Mwandishi band. "Pepo Mtoto" means "Spirit Child," and its use on the album signals his exploration of "cosmic music" themes.

Julian Priester's 1974 album 'Love, Love' is a fusion landmark known for its cosmic, ahead-of-its-time sound. It's an extension of the pioneering Mwandishi band. Before recording 'Love, Love,' Priester was a member of Herbie Hancock's sextet, Mwandishi, a group celebrated for its experimental, synthesizer-heavy jazz-fusion. 'Love, Love' continues in this vein, with Priester and fellow Mwandishi associate Pat Gleeson expanding on the electronic and Afro-funk elements pioneered during their time with Hancock. Much of the music was created spontaneously. The group wasn't working from a preconceived concept when they entered the studio. Instead, the music came together through on-the-spot improvisation and arrangement. Priester later recalled that the band "implemented [ideas] pretty much as jazz is created," allowing for a fresh and innovative sound. The title track features a unique time signature and funk groove. The epic 19-minute track "Love, Love" is built on a hypnotic, repetitive bass line that creates a relentless groove. This funky foundation is made more complex by its 15/8 time signature, which gives the song a subtle, graceful lilt. For this recording, Julian Priester was credited under his Swahili name Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto, which he adopted while with the Mwandishi band. "Pepo Mtoto" means "Spirit Child," and its use on the album signals his exploration of "cosmic music" themes.

#OneAlbumADay; in honor of the Mariners today (I'm from L.A. so I say "Go Los Marineros!"), here's an LP by Seattle-based trombonist Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto, which is his full name from when he had significant role in Herbie Hancock's experimental Mwandishi band in the early '70s. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Recorded after Henderson's time with Herbie Hancock's experimental Mwandishi band, 'Sunburst' (Blue Note 1975) shows Henderson pursuing a more structured, harder-edged, and funky sound. Reviewers note that the album has a great balance of technical skill and funkiness. While a shift from his more psychedelic early work, the album maintains some of Henderson's "spacier instincts," particularly on tracks like the title cut and "Galaxy." Some critics suggest this turn toward more accessible funky rhythms meant a slight loss of the "magic" found in his earlier work, though they still consider it a very good album. Some reviews regard Sunburst as a peak in Henderson's career and a "minor masterpiece of funked up jazz". One review calls it a "brilliant album" and "one of the greatest jazz recordings of the 70s," noting its enduring, futuristic sound.

Recorded after Henderson's time with Herbie Hancock's experimental Mwandishi band, 'Sunburst' (Blue Note 1975) shows Henderson pursuing a more structured, harder-edged, and funky sound. Reviewers note that the album has a great balance of technical skill and funkiness. While a shift from his more psychedelic early work, the album maintains some of Henderson's "spacier instincts," particularly on tracks like the title cut and "Galaxy." Some critics suggest this turn toward more accessible funky rhythms meant a slight loss of the "magic" found in his earlier work, though they still consider it a very good album. Some reviews regard Sunburst as a peak in Henderson's career and a "minor masterpiece of funked up jazz". One review calls it a "brilliant album" and "one of the greatest jazz recordings of the 70s," noting its enduring, futuristic sound.

#OneAlbumADay; trumpet prince Eddie Henderson's funky, psychedelic-y fusion jazz second solo LP finds him backed by keyboardist George Duke, drummer Harvey Mason, bassist Alphonso Johnson, reedman Bennie Maupin, and trombonist Julian Priester. Fave trax: the title cut and "Galaxy." (More: alt text)

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Released in 1961, 'Motion' is considered one of Konitz's finest and most accessible albums. It consists of five standards, reinterpreted in a "cool" and exploratory way, with a particular focus on melodic improvisation. Unlike many improvisers who focus on the underlying chord changes, Konitz builds his solos by exploring and expanding on the original melody. He uses the tune's notes as building blocks for new melodic phrases, treating the standards not just as a harmonic structure but as an organic source for invention. This means listeners can often hear traces of the original tune woven into his creative variations. The album is a "blowing date," meaning it was recorded with minimal planning or arrangement. Konitz famously prepared by not being prepared, allowing him to be fully in the moment and react to his trio partners. This live-wire spontaneity creates solos that are fresh and unpredictable, with an integrity that comes from making musical choices on the spot rather than relying on rehearsed patterns. The trio's informal and free approach allowed Konitz to stretch out and move beyond his more tightly arranged style from the 1950s. Lee Konitz: Alto saxophone Sonny Dallas: Bass Elvin Jones: Drums Konitz had a seven-decade-long career. In addition to his contributions to the groundbreaking Miles Davis 'Birth of the Cool' album, he recorded over a hundred albums as a leader or collaborator with jazz greats like Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Elvin Jones.

Released in 1961, 'Motion' is considered one of Konitz's finest and most accessible albums. It consists of five standards, reinterpreted in a "cool" and exploratory way, with a particular focus on melodic improvisation. Unlike many improvisers who focus on the underlying chord changes, Konitz builds his solos by exploring and expanding on the original melody. He uses the tune's notes as building blocks for new melodic phrases, treating the standards not just as a harmonic structure but as an organic source for invention. This means listeners can often hear traces of the original tune woven into his creative variations. The album is a "blowing date," meaning it was recorded with minimal planning or arrangement. Konitz famously prepared by not being prepared, allowing him to be fully in the moment and react to his trio partners. This live-wire spontaneity creates solos that are fresh and unpredictable, with an integrity that comes from making musical choices on the spot rather than relying on rehearsed patterns. The trio's informal and free approach allowed Konitz to stretch out and move beyond his more tightly arranged style from the 1950s. Lee Konitz: Alto saxophone Sonny Dallas: Bass Elvin Jones: Drums Konitz had a seven-decade-long career. In addition to his contributions to the groundbreaking Miles Davis 'Birth of the Cool' album, he recorded over a hundred albums as a leader or collaborator with jazz greats like Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Elvin Jones.

#OneAlbumADay; Lee Konitz (b. October 13, 1927, in Chicago, IL - d. April 15, 2020) stretches out on five familiar standards on this very spontaneous LP. The alto sax great hadn't played with trio Sonny Dallas (bass) & Elvin Jones (drums) before. This LP has a cool beatnik club vibe. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Kenyon Hopkins' LP soundtrack for The Hustler is praised for its "smoky, gritty, rotten-to-the-core jazz" that perfectly captures the moody and desperate atmosphere of the 1961 film. It is considered a classic of mid-century jazz film scoring, with reviewers noting its emotional depth and brilliant musical construction. Hopkins' music uses jazz themes, rhythms, and orchestrations to mirror the gritty, down-and-out settings and characters of the film. The orchestration is unique and memorable, featuring muted brass instruments alongside a symphonic palette of English horn, oboe, French horn, and flute. An electric guitar also contributes to the distinctive sound. The score features top studio jazz musicians of the era, including a particularly stellar alto sax solo by Phil Woods that perfectly symbolizes the protagonist's struggle. Reviewers have noted the music's ability to evoke the intense emotions of the film's characters, reflecting both the protagonist's drive and his sadness. While the original LP is now rare and expensive, its reputation has led to reissues on both CD and vinyl, which are highly sought after by collectors and soundtrack fans.

Kenyon Hopkins' LP soundtrack for The Hustler is praised for its "smoky, gritty, rotten-to-the-core jazz" that perfectly captures the moody and desperate atmosphere of the 1961 film. It is considered a classic of mid-century jazz film scoring, with reviewers noting its emotional depth and brilliant musical construction. Hopkins' music uses jazz themes, rhythms, and orchestrations to mirror the gritty, down-and-out settings and characters of the film. The orchestration is unique and memorable, featuring muted brass instruments alongside a symphonic palette of English horn, oboe, French horn, and flute. An electric guitar also contributes to the distinctive sound. The score features top studio jazz musicians of the era, including a particularly stellar alto sax solo by Phil Woods that perfectly symbolizes the protagonist's struggle. Reviewers have noted the music's ability to evoke the intense emotions of the film's characters, reflecting both the protagonist's drive and his sadness. While the original LP is now rare and expensive, its reputation has led to reissues on both CD and vinyl, which are highly sought after by collectors and soundtrack fans.

#OneAlbumADay; Bsky conversation today about Kenyon Hopkins led me to listening to this soundtrack today for Paul Newman film The Hustler (Kapp 1961); Hopkins' score portrays a vivid sonic portrait of seediness & decay with its languorous saxes, wailing muted trumpets & glowing vibes. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
'Fabrication Defect' ('Com Defeito de Fabricação') is a concept album about the idea that humans might become androids due to economic manipulation, with "genetic defects" like the desire to dance being the only thing preventing this transformation. The album's overall theme is that creativity, art, love, and music are "defects" that those in charge (in Zé's case, the often-oppressive Brazilian government) would love to suppress. It was originally released in 1998 on David Byrne's Luaka Bop. The cover illustration by Chris Capuozzo. The album's "aesthetics of plagiarism," or arrasto, is Zé's form of "wilding" to denounce commercialism while glorifying supposed imperfections. This sophisticated cultural critique is delivered with a "caustic humor" and the whimsical, eccentric perspective of a "prankster, part eccentric visionary, part musical historian." Many reviewers characterize 'Fabrication Defect' as a triumphant and inspired return to form following decades of obscurity. The album demonstrates that Zé is one of the rare musicians who, even in his 60s, remained "sharply cutting and irreverent."

'Fabrication Defect' ('Com Defeito de Fabricação') is a concept album about the idea that humans might become androids due to economic manipulation, with "genetic defects" like the desire to dance being the only thing preventing this transformation. The album's overall theme is that creativity, art, love, and music are "defects" that those in charge (in Zé's case, the often-oppressive Brazilian government) would love to suppress. It was originally released in 1998 on David Byrne's Luaka Bop. The cover illustration by Chris Capuozzo. The album's "aesthetics of plagiarism," or arrasto, is Zé's form of "wilding" to denounce commercialism while glorifying supposed imperfections. This sophisticated cultural critique is delivered with a "caustic humor" and the whimsical, eccentric perspective of a "prankster, part eccentric visionary, part musical historian." Many reviewers characterize 'Fabrication Defect' as a triumphant and inspired return to form following decades of obscurity. The album demonstrates that Zé is one of the rare musicians who, even in his 60s, remained "sharply cutting and irreverent."

#OneAlbumADay; Happy Birthday to Tom Zé, the "Brazilian Frank Zappa," born Antônio José Santana Martins on October 11, 1936, in Irará, Bahia, Brazil! 'Fabrication Defect' ('Com Defeito de Fabricação') is a concept LP about how humans might become androids due to economic manipulation. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Released in the U.S. on October 10, 1969, by Bizarre and Reprise Records, Frank Zappa's album 'Hot Rats' has a number of interesting factoids related to it. Here are a few: This was one of the first albums to use 16-track recording technology. This allowed Zappa much more flexibility with multi-tracking and overdubs, enabling him to create a rich and complex instrumental sound, despite using a small number of musicians. Most of the album is instrumental, which marked a significant departure from Zappa's previous work with the Mothers (of Invention, which is the full name the record company made him use instead of just "the Mothers"). The exception is the track "Willie the Pimp," which features a guest vocal from Zappa's childhood friend and collaborator, Captain Beefheart. The album was dedicated to his newborn son, Dweezil Zappa. Many years later, Dweezil would win a Grammy Award in 2009 for his tribute band Zappa Plays Zappa's rendition of the album's opening track, "Peaches en Regalia." A 15-year-old Shuggie Otis played bass on that opening track, "Peaches en Regalia." While he was a young talent at the time, Otis would later become a multi-instrumentalist in his own right, widely known for his 1974 album 'Inspiration Information.' The album sold poorly in the U.A. on its initial release, peaking at #173 (it did better in the UK, peaking at #9). The woman on the cover is Christine Frka, alias "Miss Christine" of The GTOs. Photos front and back were by Andee Nathanson.

Released in the U.S. on October 10, 1969, by Bizarre and Reprise Records, Frank Zappa's album 'Hot Rats' has a number of interesting factoids related to it. Here are a few: This was one of the first albums to use 16-track recording technology. This allowed Zappa much more flexibility with multi-tracking and overdubs, enabling him to create a rich and complex instrumental sound, despite using a small number of musicians. Most of the album is instrumental, which marked a significant departure from Zappa's previous work with the Mothers (of Invention, which is the full name the record company made him use instead of just "the Mothers"). The exception is the track "Willie the Pimp," which features a guest vocal from Zappa's childhood friend and collaborator, Captain Beefheart. The album was dedicated to his newborn son, Dweezil Zappa. Many years later, Dweezil would win a Grammy Award in 2009 for his tribute band Zappa Plays Zappa's rendition of the album's opening track, "Peaches en Regalia." A 15-year-old Shuggie Otis played bass on that opening track, "Peaches en Regalia." While he was a young talent at the time, Otis would later become a multi-instrumentalist in his own right, widely known for his 1974 album 'Inspiration Information.' The album sold poorly in the U.A. on its initial release, peaking at #173 (it did better in the UK, peaking at #9). The woman on the cover is Christine Frka, alias "Miss Christine" of The GTOs. Photos front and back were by Andee Nathanson.

#OneAlbumADay; 'Hot Rats,' Zappa's first LP after the break-up of the Mothers, arrived in record stores on October 10, 1969. Five of its six tracks are instrumental. "Willie the Pimp" features guest vocals from Zappa's childhood friend & collaborator, the inestimable Capt. Beefheart. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Lateef was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer and prominent member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community following his conversion to Islam in 1950. Although Lateef's main instruments were the tenor saxophone and flute, he also played oboe and bassoon, both rare in jazz, and also used a number of non-western instruments such as the bamboo flute, shanai, shofar, xun, arghul and koto. He is known for having been an innovator in the blending of jazz with "Eastern" music. Peter Keepnews, in his New York Times obituary of Lateef, wrote that the musician "played world music before world music had a name." The 1961 album 'Eastern Sounds' is widely considered Yusef Lateef's best and most definitive by jazz critics and fans alike. The album is celebrated for its successful fusion of jazz improvisation with Middle Eastern musical traditions. In addition to his masterful work on the tenor saxophone, Lateef's creative use of the oboe and bamboo flute contributes to the album's exotic and meditative sound. The album features two highly-regarded arrangements of movie themes: "Love Theme from Spartacus" and "Love Theme from The Robe." Both are praised for their haunting melodies and Lateef's lyrical playing. Other great Lateef LPs include 'The Sounds of Yusef' (1958), 'Live at Pep's' (1964), 'A Flat, G Flat and C' (1966, released on the Impulse! label) and 'The Blue Yusef Lateef' (1968).

Lateef was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer and prominent member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community following his conversion to Islam in 1950. Although Lateef's main instruments were the tenor saxophone and flute, he also played oboe and bassoon, both rare in jazz, and also used a number of non-western instruments such as the bamboo flute, shanai, shofar, xun, arghul and koto. He is known for having been an innovator in the blending of jazz with "Eastern" music. Peter Keepnews, in his New York Times obituary of Lateef, wrote that the musician "played world music before world music had a name." The 1961 album 'Eastern Sounds' is widely considered Yusef Lateef's best and most definitive by jazz critics and fans alike. The album is celebrated for its successful fusion of jazz improvisation with Middle Eastern musical traditions. In addition to his masterful work on the tenor saxophone, Lateef's creative use of the oboe and bamboo flute contributes to the album's exotic and meditative sound. The album features two highly-regarded arrangements of movie themes: "Love Theme from Spartacus" and "Love Theme from The Robe." Both are praised for their haunting melodies and Lateef's lyrical playing. Other great Lateef LPs include 'The Sounds of Yusef' (1958), 'Live at Pep's' (1964), 'A Flat, G Flat and C' (1966, released on the Impulse! label) and 'The Blue Yusef Lateef' (1968).

#OneAlbumADay; 'Eastern Sounds' (Prestige 1961) is probably my favorite LP by Yusef Abdul Lateef, born William Emanuel Huddleston on October 9, 1920, in Chattanooga, TN (d. December 23, 2013), with both the oboe and bamboo flute contributing to the album's exotic and meditative sound. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Gabriel Yared's soundtrack music for Betty Blue (Virgin, 1986) is notable for its fusion of jazz and pop, its intuitive "work of love" creation, and a significant Brazilian influence. The score cost around $20,000 to produce. This music helped launch Yared's international career and earned him a César Award nomination. Here are three interesting things I read about the score: 1. The soundtrack fuses diverse influences into an intuitive sound. The soundtrack blends a variety of musical styles, including jazz, pop, and classical, with Yared himself playing the electric piano. The score features an eclectic mix of instruments, such as saxophones, harmonica, synthesizers, and even a calliope. This diverse instrumentation creates a sound that is both complex and cohesive. Yared's Lebanese and French background, combined with a formative two-year stint playing in Rio de Janeiro, brought a distinct Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic flavor to the music. 2. The music became a collaborative "work of love." Yared had a close working relationship with director Jean-Jacques Beineix and the cast, which fostered an intimate creative process. Working on a small budget with only three other musicians, Yared recalled making demos that he shared with the cast and crew. They enjoyed the music so much that they would hum along with it during filming. This creative synergy made the score a "work of love" that was truly integrated into the film's production. 3. It contrasts the film's intense and manic romance The score plays a crucial role in capturing the turbulent yet beautiful relationship between the protagonists, "Zorg" and "Betty." In contrast to the film's escalating passions and madness, the music often has a melancholic and nostalgic undertone. Pieces like "Betty et Zorg" and "Des Orages Pour La Nuit" evoke both the freedom and the sadness of their bond, complementing the movie's mix of poetic atmosphere and unsettling chaos.

Gabriel Yared's soundtrack music for Betty Blue (Virgin, 1986) is notable for its fusion of jazz and pop, its intuitive "work of love" creation, and a significant Brazilian influence. The score cost around $20,000 to produce. This music helped launch Yared's international career and earned him a César Award nomination. Here are three interesting things I read about the score: 1. The soundtrack fuses diverse influences into an intuitive sound. The soundtrack blends a variety of musical styles, including jazz, pop, and classical, with Yared himself playing the electric piano. The score features an eclectic mix of instruments, such as saxophones, harmonica, synthesizers, and even a calliope. This diverse instrumentation creates a sound that is both complex and cohesive. Yared's Lebanese and French background, combined with a formative two-year stint playing in Rio de Janeiro, brought a distinct Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic flavor to the music. 2. The music became a collaborative "work of love." Yared had a close working relationship with director Jean-Jacques Beineix and the cast, which fostered an intimate creative process. Working on a small budget with only three other musicians, Yared recalled making demos that he shared with the cast and crew. They enjoyed the music so much that they would hum along with it during filming. This creative synergy made the score a "work of love" that was truly integrated into the film's production. 3. It contrasts the film's intense and manic romance The score plays a crucial role in capturing the turbulent yet beautiful relationship between the protagonists, "Zorg" and "Betty." In contrast to the film's escalating passions and madness, the music often has a melancholic and nostalgic undertone. Pieces like "Betty et Zorg" and "Des Orages Pour La Nuit" evoke both the freedom and the sadness of their bond, complementing the movie's mix of poetic atmosphere and unsettling chaos.

#OneAlbumADay; Lebanese-French composer Gabriel Yared’s breakthrough came in 1986 with his soundtrack & score music for French director Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Betty Blue. It's notable for fusing jazz & pop, an intuitive "work of love" creation, w/ a significant Brazilian influence. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Here's the full AMG review. Dino Valente Review by Richie Unterberger: Dino Valente's sole album recalls the one issued by another San Francisco artist signed to CBS in the late '60s, Skip Spence: quirky, lyrically vague, folky yet psychedelic, and nearly devoid of commercial potential in spite of its largely pleasant (if moody) melodies and textures. Valente, however, was not as intriguing a lyricist as Spence, nor as intensely soulful a vocalist, and overall much sunnier in tone. Valente had a rather whiny voice, so it was wise to put so much echo on both his 12-string guitar (which accounts for most of the instrumentation on the record) and vocals, which both covered up some of his vocal deficiencies and added a sheath of mystery. Listening to his songs is like listening to some hippie trying to talk a vulnerable, confused, attractive girl, on the rebound from a failed romance, into taking up with him as a panacea to her problems: phrases are uttered and rejoinders offered, but one can't be sure exactly what the situation is or where it's leading. It's not the insufferable experience this description might lead you to expect, mostly because of the enticing (if similar-sounding) melancholy of the tunes. [The CD reissue added two previously unreleased tracks that are similar to the rest of the album in both mood and quality.]

Here's the full AMG review. Dino Valente Review by Richie Unterberger: Dino Valente's sole album recalls the one issued by another San Francisco artist signed to CBS in the late '60s, Skip Spence: quirky, lyrically vague, folky yet psychedelic, and nearly devoid of commercial potential in spite of its largely pleasant (if moody) melodies and textures. Valente, however, was not as intriguing a lyricist as Spence, nor as intensely soulful a vocalist, and overall much sunnier in tone. Valente had a rather whiny voice, so it was wise to put so much echo on both his 12-string guitar (which accounts for most of the instrumentation on the record) and vocals, which both covered up some of his vocal deficiencies and added a sheath of mystery. Listening to his songs is like listening to some hippie trying to talk a vulnerable, confused, attractive girl, on the rebound from a failed romance, into taking up with him as a panacea to her problems: phrases are uttered and rejoinders offered, but one can't be sure exactly what the situation is or where it's leading. It's not the insufferable experience this description might lead you to expect, mostly because of the enticing (if similar-sounding) melancholy of the tunes. [The CD reissue added two previously unreleased tracks that are similar to the rest of the album in both mood and quality.]

#OneAlbumADay; "Dino Valente's sole LP [Epic, 1968] recalls the one issued by another San Francisco artist signed to CBS in the late '60s, Skip Spence: quirky, lyrically vague, folky yet psychedelic, and nearly devoid of commercial potential." All Music Guide's Richie Unterberger. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Arthur Adams 'Home Brew' (Fantasy 1975) Here's a review from Dusty Groove: An overlooked album of funky guitar! Arthur Adams was one of the many excellent west coast session players of the early 70s -- and if you check the notes on some of your favorite California soul albums, you'll find that you've probably heard his guitar an awful lot over the years! As with some of the other Fantasy albums of the mid 70s, this one gives a more obscure player a chance to step out in the light -- as Adams does wonderfully with smooth jazz funk production by Wayne Henderson, which brings out some great tonal colors in Adams' guitar playing. There's a bit of a New Orleans sound in the record, but the real feel is Fantasy Records jazz funk -- as you'll hear on the cuts "Chicago Sidewalk", "Bumpin' Around", and "That's the Way It's Gonna Be"

Arthur Adams 'Home Brew' (Fantasy 1975) Here's a review from Dusty Groove: An overlooked album of funky guitar! Arthur Adams was one of the many excellent west coast session players of the early 70s -- and if you check the notes on some of your favorite California soul albums, you'll find that you've probably heard his guitar an awful lot over the years! As with some of the other Fantasy albums of the mid 70s, this one gives a more obscure player a chance to step out in the light -- as Adams does wonderfully with smooth jazz funk production by Wayne Henderson, which brings out some great tonal colors in Adams' guitar playing. There's a bit of a New Orleans sound in the record, but the real feel is Fantasy Records jazz funk -- as you'll hear on the cuts "Chicago Sidewalk", "Bumpin' Around", and "That's the Way It's Gonna Be"

#OneAlbumADay; Time to listen to music. This slick-as-shit second solo LP by Adams is a great funk-soul platter that really flew below the radar. Dennis Coffee plays great guitar, but this album also features Joe Sample, Ronnie Laws, Wayne Henderson and more great studio session men. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Meic Stevens is a prominent Welsh singer-songwriter, often called the "Welsh Bob Dylan," who has made significant contributions to the Welsh music scene. He is a national treasure in Wales but is largely unknown elsewhere. While Stevens is a highly respected figure and pioneer of popular music within Wales, his work is not widely recognized internationally. His folk and psychedelic-infused songs are mostly sung in his native Welsh language, making his music particularly resonant and culturally significant within Wales. He abandoned a major record deal to sing in Welsh. After performing in London and mixing with well-known musicians, he was signed to Warner Bros., for whom he recorded the English-language album 'Outlander' in 1970. However, he made a conscious decision to return to Wales and focus on recording in the Welsh language to help establish a distinctive national pop music scene. In 2011, Stevens almost moved to Canada after reconnecting with an old girlfriend. Stevens had prepared to move to Vancouver to pursue his other passion, painting, after reconnecting with a girlfriend he had known in the 1960s. He played several farewell gigs, but ultimately returned to Cardiff by 2019, where he continues to live. He has influenced modern Welsh music. Stevens' unique psych-folk style has made a lasting impact on Welsh music. Contemporary bands such as Super Furry Animals and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci have cited his work as an influence. A testament to his importance, Super Furry Animals later made his song "Y Brawd Houdini" a regular part of their live sets.

Meic Stevens is a prominent Welsh singer-songwriter, often called the "Welsh Bob Dylan," who has made significant contributions to the Welsh music scene. He is a national treasure in Wales but is largely unknown elsewhere. While Stevens is a highly respected figure and pioneer of popular music within Wales, his work is not widely recognized internationally. His folk and psychedelic-infused songs are mostly sung in his native Welsh language, making his music particularly resonant and culturally significant within Wales. He abandoned a major record deal to sing in Welsh. After performing in London and mixing with well-known musicians, he was signed to Warner Bros., for whom he recorded the English-language album 'Outlander' in 1970. However, he made a conscious decision to return to Wales and focus on recording in the Welsh language to help establish a distinctive national pop music scene. In 2011, Stevens almost moved to Canada after reconnecting with an old girlfriend. Stevens had prepared to move to Vancouver to pursue his other passion, painting, after reconnecting with a girlfriend he had known in the 1960s. He played several farewell gigs, but ultimately returned to Cardiff by 2019, where he continues to live. He has influenced modern Welsh music. Stevens' unique psych-folk style has made a lasting impact on Welsh music. Contemporary bands such as Super Furry Animals and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci have cited his work as an influence. A testament to his importance, Super Furry Animals later made his song "Y Brawd Houdini" a regular part of their live sets.

#OneAlbumADay; A few years after I worked at Rhino Handmade, they put out this CD compilation by Welsh singer-songwriter Meic Stevens featuring his debut recordings for Warner Bros. circa 1970. He's often called "The Welsh Bob Dylan" (or Van Morrison, or compared to solo Syd Barrett). More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
'You Must Believe In Spring' (Warner Bros., 1981) was the last album Eddie Gomez recorded with Evans, signaling the end of their 11-year collaboration. Recorded in August of 1977, it was released posthumously, following Evans death in September 1980. The Evans-Gomez pairing is considered one of the greatest in jazz history, and this album serves as a powerful testament to their synergy. Evans himself spoke highly of Gomez's performance on the album, singling out solos as "absolutely classic, beautiful solos." Gomez's double bass playing is considered a highlight, showcasing his technical mastery, unique "electroacoustic" tone with a mix of woody acoustic and nasal amplified sound, and masterful conversational interplay with Evans's piano and drummer Elliot Zigmund. On the title track, "You Must Believe in Spring," Gomez delivers a complex solo that begins by referencing the melody, then expands into improvisational phrases, incorporating elements like fourths in thumb position and using the B natural minor scale. Producer Tommy LiPuma has noted that he'd "caught that trio at the right time," capturing them in a moment of "perfection" after years of working together.

'You Must Believe In Spring' (Warner Bros., 1981) was the last album Eddie Gomez recorded with Evans, signaling the end of their 11-year collaboration. Recorded in August of 1977, it was released posthumously, following Evans death in September 1980. The Evans-Gomez pairing is considered one of the greatest in jazz history, and this album serves as a powerful testament to their synergy. Evans himself spoke highly of Gomez's performance on the album, singling out solos as "absolutely classic, beautiful solos." Gomez's double bass playing is considered a highlight, showcasing his technical mastery, unique "electroacoustic" tone with a mix of woody acoustic and nasal amplified sound, and masterful conversational interplay with Evans's piano and drummer Elliot Zigmund. On the title track, "You Must Believe in Spring," Gomez delivers a complex solo that begins by referencing the melody, then expands into improvisational phrases, incorporating elements like fourths in thumb position and using the B natural minor scale. Producer Tommy LiPuma has noted that he'd "caught that trio at the right time," capturing them in a moment of "perfection" after years of working together.

#OneAlbumADay; Double bassist Eddie Gómez was born on October 4, 1944, in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, so I'm sharing this elegantly complex 1981 Bill Evans LP (recorded August 23–25, 1977). It's the final collaboration between Evans & Gomez, who'd enjoyed an 11-year partnership. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Jazz critics had a mixed reaction to 'A Portrait of Thelonious' by Bud Powell (Columbia 1965, recorded in 1961), with many praising the high-energy tracks but criticizing what they saw as an uncharacteristic and lackluster ballad performance. The most notable critique came from Don Nelson in a DownBeat review. Nelson found Powell's version of "Ruby, My Dear" to be "unrepresentative of a giant." This track had also been criticized in an earlier DownBeat review when it was released on a compilation, with the reviewer at that time discouraging the release of the full album. Despite the criticism, Nelson and other reviewers praised the album's faster, more energetic tracks, such as "Foolin'," "Thelonious," and "There Will Never Be Another You." Over time, the album has been viewed with greater appreciation, with later critics and listeners often distinguishing it from the live recordings Powell made around the same period. Some listeners have praised the album's production quality, especially the clarity of Kenny Clarke's drums, speculating that producer Cannonball Adderley may have influenced the sound. Powell -- whose career was well into its second decade as a leader -- was supported by an excellent rhythm section with Pierre Michelot and Kenny Clarke. Later assessments of the album, along with the 1962 album 'Blue Note Cafe, Paris,' suggest that Powell was still capable of exceptional playing late in his career, challenging the narrative that his later work was in decline.

Jazz critics had a mixed reaction to 'A Portrait of Thelonious' by Bud Powell (Columbia 1965, recorded in 1961), with many praising the high-energy tracks but criticizing what they saw as an uncharacteristic and lackluster ballad performance. The most notable critique came from Don Nelson in a DownBeat review. Nelson found Powell's version of "Ruby, My Dear" to be "unrepresentative of a giant." This track had also been criticized in an earlier DownBeat review when it was released on a compilation, with the reviewer at that time discouraging the release of the full album. Despite the criticism, Nelson and other reviewers praised the album's faster, more energetic tracks, such as "Foolin'," "Thelonious," and "There Will Never Be Another You." Over time, the album has been viewed with greater appreciation, with later critics and listeners often distinguishing it from the live recordings Powell made around the same period. Some listeners have praised the album's production quality, especially the clarity of Kenny Clarke's drums, speculating that producer Cannonball Adderley may have influenced the sound. Powell -- whose career was well into its second decade as a leader -- was supported by an excellent rhythm section with Pierre Michelot and Kenny Clarke. Later assessments of the album, along with the 1962 album 'Blue Note Cafe, Paris,' suggest that Powell was still capable of exceptional playing late in his career, challenging the narrative that his later work was in decline.

#OneAlbumADay; The faster Monk-composed tunes -- "Foolin'," "Thelonious," & "There Will Never Be Another You" -- on this under-appreciated LP by jazz pianist Bud Powell (born September 27, 1924, in Harlem, NYC - d. July 31, 1966) feel like they fit better w/ Powell's playing style. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Gal Costa's 1969 'Gal Costa' album (Philips) featuring the song "Baby," was released at the height of the Tropicália movement. It is a landmark of Brazilian psychedelic pop that showcases Costa's transformation from a bossa nova singer into a bold, experimental artist. The album is considered one of the most representative records of the countercultural Tropicália movement, which incorporated electric guitars and fused Brazilian musical traditions with rock and avant-garde influences. The album marks a significant departure from her earlier, more traditional recordings. While it contains psychedelic and experimental elements, it still retains some of the more subtle qualities of bossa nova. The album was released during a tense political period in Brazil. The movement's leaders, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, were exiled to London shortly after the 1968 manifesto album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis, which Costa had also been a part of. "Baby" is a definitive Tropicália standard, a pensive and melodic ballad written by Caetano Veloso. It features lush string arrangements and psychedelic effects. Costa's soft, velvety vocals create a mesmerizing, dreamlike atmosphere. "Divino, Maravilhoso," written by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, this song is another major track from the album. The production on the album is a distinctive feature. Arrangements by Rogério Duprat incorporate effects like studio static and fuzzy, overdriven guitars that were new to Brazilian music. The record features songwriting from other key Tropicália figures, including Tom Zé, Jorge Ben, and Roberto and Erasmo Carlos. The album's original release featured a gatefold cover.

Gal Costa's 1969 'Gal Costa' album (Philips) featuring the song "Baby," was released at the height of the Tropicália movement. It is a landmark of Brazilian psychedelic pop that showcases Costa's transformation from a bossa nova singer into a bold, experimental artist. The album is considered one of the most representative records of the countercultural Tropicália movement, which incorporated electric guitars and fused Brazilian musical traditions with rock and avant-garde influences. The album marks a significant departure from her earlier, more traditional recordings. While it contains psychedelic and experimental elements, it still retains some of the more subtle qualities of bossa nova. The album was released during a tense political period in Brazil. The movement's leaders, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, were exiled to London shortly after the 1968 manifesto album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis, which Costa had also been a part of. "Baby" is a definitive Tropicália standard, a pensive and melodic ballad written by Caetano Veloso. It features lush string arrangements and psychedelic effects. Costa's soft, velvety vocals create a mesmerizing, dreamlike atmosphere. "Divino, Maravilhoso," written by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, this song is another major track from the album. The production on the album is a distinctive feature. Arrangements by Rogério Duprat incorporate effects like studio static and fuzzy, overdriven guitars that were new to Brazilian music. The record features songwriting from other key Tropicália figures, including Tom Zé, Jorge Ben, and Roberto and Erasmo Carlos. The album's original release featured a gatefold cover.

#OneAlbumADay; Gal Costa (b. September 26, 1945, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil - d. November 9, 2022) was featured on the influential 'Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis' compilation LP '68, and she followed that up w/ this s/t album from '69. Her song "Baby" is her loveliest song. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Recorded for the Impulse! label in 1974, this album features Rivers working with a large-scale ensemble. The music was performed by a 64-piece orchestra, marking a major departure from his previous small-group formats. 'Crystals' balances improvisation with highly conceptual writing, moving from free-form explosions to structured passages with mellow funk grooves. It was composed based on ideas Rivers had developed between 1959 and 1972.

Recorded for the Impulse! label in 1974, this album features Rivers working with a large-scale ensemble. The music was performed by a 64-piece orchestra, marking a major departure from his previous small-group formats. 'Crystals' balances improvisation with highly conceptual writing, moving from free-form explosions to structured passages with mellow funk grooves. It was composed based on ideas Rivers had developed between 1959 and 1972.

#OneAlbumADay; 'Crystals' (Impulse! 1974) is an underrated free jazz masterpiece by Sam Rivers (b. September 25, 1923 - d. 2011), a rewarding & adventurous listening experience; the compositions (written between 1959 and 1972) were performed by a total of 64 musicians, but no pianist! More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Richard Thompson + Danny Thompson, 'Industry' (Hannibal/Rykodisc, 1997) Here's a review by the Dean, Robert Christgau: The second Thompson is bassist Danny, the instrumental interludes of whose North of England jazz-march unit Whatever set off Richard's six songs in the manner of Charlie Haden or Kurt Weill--with music that intensifies meaning as well as sustaining mood. The songs themselves, all of which attend closely to the title concept, were researched in dying coal mines and the Karl Marx library, among other places, and let's hope they convince Richard that art is 90 per cent perspiration. It does him a world of good to get out of himself. A-

Richard Thompson + Danny Thompson, 'Industry' (Hannibal/Rykodisc, 1997) Here's a review by the Dean, Robert Christgau: The second Thompson is bassist Danny, the instrumental interludes of whose North of England jazz-march unit Whatever set off Richard's six songs in the manner of Charlie Haden or Kurt Weill--with music that intensifies meaning as well as sustaining mood. The songs themselves, all of which attend closely to the title concept, were researched in dying coal mines and the Karl Marx library, among other places, and let's hope they convince Richard that art is 90 per cent perspiration. It does him a world of good to get out of himself. A-

#OneAlbumADay; Richard Thompson (w/ 6 songs) + the late Danny Thompson (six instros) combined talents on this 1997 LP, themed around the history of Britain's industrial revolution, both offering a heavier & more experimental sound than most of their other more folk-based recordings. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Bruce Springsteen 'The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle' (Columbia 1973): Reviews for Bruce Springsteen's second album, pre-E Street Band recordings, which began with 'Born To Run,' often highlight what I think is the album's best track, "Kitty's Back," a showcase for his then-current band's instrumental virtuosity and a different, more jazz-influenced side of Springsteen. Some find the track and the album experimental and a bit messy compared to his later, more focused work, but that's why I love it... because it's messy. Critics note "Kitty's Back" as an example of the album's unconventional creativity, with its complex, jazzy arrangement and "playful metaphorical lyrics," standing out as a fan and band favorite that truly allows the musicians to shine. The album was praised at the time for its eclectic sound, character-driven storytelling, and intricate arrangements, particularly the brilliant jazz-influenced keyboard work of David Sancious and the expressive parts from drummer Vini Lopez. Sancious's adventurous and versatile contributions to both 'The Wild, the Innocent...' and Springsteen's debut, 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,' were crucial in establishing the band's distinctive sound before his departure, which marked a shift from a more heterogeneous, jazz-tinged rock to a tighter, more consistent sound on subsequent albums.

Bruce Springsteen 'The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle' (Columbia 1973): Reviews for Bruce Springsteen's second album, pre-E Street Band recordings, which began with 'Born To Run,' often highlight what I think is the album's best track, "Kitty's Back," a showcase for his then-current band's instrumental virtuosity and a different, more jazz-influenced side of Springsteen. Some find the track and the album experimental and a bit messy compared to his later, more focused work, but that's why I love it... because it's messy. Critics note "Kitty's Back" as an example of the album's unconventional creativity, with its complex, jazzy arrangement and "playful metaphorical lyrics," standing out as a fan and band favorite that truly allows the musicians to shine. The album was praised at the time for its eclectic sound, character-driven storytelling, and intricate arrangements, particularly the brilliant jazz-influenced keyboard work of David Sancious and the expressive parts from drummer Vini Lopez. Sancious's adventurous and versatile contributions to both 'The Wild, the Innocent...' and Springsteen's debut, 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,' were crucial in establishing the band's distinctive sound before his departure, which marked a shift from a more heterogeneous, jazz-tinged rock to a tighter, more consistent sound on subsequent albums.

#OneAlbumADay; Today's Bruce Springsteen's birthday (b. September 23, 1949, Long Branch, NJ), so I'm shining a little light on his second studio LP, a fave, his last w/ musician David Sancious, who played piano (electric too), clarinet, soprano sax, Mellotron, string arrangements. More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
'Dream Weaver' (Atlantic 1966) by the Charles Lloyd Quartet, featuring Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette, is a standout jazz recording from a fully realized band, praised for its blending of post-bop, free jazz, and soul jazz with a vibrant, "chunky groove" and innovative individual and collective improvisations. Critics highlighted the intense interplay, Lloyd's strong and fiery flute and sax work, Jarrett's inventive piano solos, and DeJohnette's impeccable brushwork, with specific tracks like the boogaloo-inflected "Sombrero Sam" and the melodic "Autumn Leaves" receiving particular praise.

'Dream Weaver' (Atlantic 1966) by the Charles Lloyd Quartet, featuring Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette, is a standout jazz recording from a fully realized band, praised for its blending of post-bop, free jazz, and soul jazz with a vibrant, "chunky groove" and innovative individual and collective improvisations. Critics highlighted the intense interplay, Lloyd's strong and fiery flute and sax work, Jarrett's inventive piano solos, and DeJohnette's impeccable brushwork, with specific tracks like the boogaloo-inflected "Sombrero Sam" and the melodic "Autumn Leaves" receiving particular praise.

#OneAlbumADay; it's the first day of Autumn, so I'm sharing
the lovely "Autumn Sequence" & the rest of this gorgeous LP by the Charles Lloyd Quartet, their first fully-realized project w/ each member (Lloyd, Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee & Jack DeJohnette) playing their own unique part.
More: alt text

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Bryan Thomas
Bryan Thomas
@munkiman.bsky.social
5 months ago
Linda Perhacs made just one album, 1970’s 'Parallelograms.' It sold sparingly, despite FM airplay in sophisticated rural markets where its dreamy evocation of nature and sexuality resonated most strongly. Linda recorded the album over a long period while working days as a dental hygienist. When MCA didn’t ask for a follow up, she put all her energy back into her work. Years went by. Michael Piper, a dealer and reissue producer, decided to put out a CD of the record, a favorite of his since soon after its release. The project generated a nice little buzz among the international psychedelic collectors scene, and Michael sent a stack of copies and a letter to an address he found for one “Linda Perhacs.” (from Scram fanzine, a New Year's Day interview with Linda by my friends Kim Cooper and Ron Garmon, 2004 -- I'll post a link in Replies).

Linda Perhacs made just one album, 1970’s 'Parallelograms.' It sold sparingly, despite FM airplay in sophisticated rural markets where its dreamy evocation of nature and sexuality resonated most strongly. Linda recorded the album over a long period while working days as a dental hygienist. When MCA didn’t ask for a follow up, she put all her energy back into her work. Years went by. Michael Piper, a dealer and reissue producer, decided to put out a CD of the record, a favorite of his since soon after its release. The project generated a nice little buzz among the international psychedelic collectors scene, and Michael sent a stack of copies and a letter to an address he found for one “Linda Perhacs.” (from Scram fanzine, a New Year's Day interview with Linda by my friends Kim Cooper and Ron Garmon, 2004 -- I'll post a link in Replies).

#OneAlbumADay; In 1970, too many ignored this beautifully dreamy debut LP by Linda Perhacs -- born Linda Jeanne Arnold on September 21, 1943, Santa Monica, CA -- so she kept working as a dental hygienist until it was rediscovered, circa 2003. I first read about her in Scram fanzine. More: alt text

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