The Dave Kennedy Group - Joanie / Accidentally. 1960 Soma (SP). From RT (Dec). Weird one here. 'Joanie' is a typical pop ballad of the era with vibes - and all in reverb! It's trippy in its own way. Flip side is more typical lounge with female vocals. They were from Milwaukee apparently.
Paul Winter Sextet - Jazz Meets the Bossa Nova. 197? Columbia Special Products (LP) (1962). From RT (Dec). This is the second Paul Winter Sextet album, and represents an early example of Bossa Nova for American audiences. This is the style that Winter embraced to start in the music biz. This one falls to the instrumental jazz side of the genre, and lacks the melodies and pop sensibilities that made the style so popular only a couple of years later. Average on the whole.
*Jeff Beck - Blow by Blow. 1979 Epic (LP) (1975). From RT (Nov). This was another oddity in RT's collection. Funny enough I bought this album in high school (1982?) as a "Nice Price". Then I bought the CD as a "Nice Price". RT's copy? In shrink with the "Nice Price" sticker. Somebody is trying to tell me something... I go back and forth on this album, but I'm back in the positive camp. For a fusion album, there are a lot of well written melodies. Though my favorite track remains the more aggressive 'Scatterbrain'. I've also always been fond of the FM radio airplay song of 'Freeway Jam'. And 'Thelonius' has a deep heavy funk groove.
*Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Equinox. 1967 A&M (Germany) (LP). From the RT collection (Nov). You may recall my notes on the Brasil 65 album from last summer, and my own primordial background with Bossa Nova. This isn't really that much different, more stylized and slick perhaps, but still very enjoyable on the whole. I found this better than the more popular in-between Herb Alpert Presents album. Also, for the first time, I'm picking up some Stereolab here. Wouldn't be surprised to read that Mendes was an influence for the Groop.
Phillip Upchurch - Darkness, Darkness. 1972 Blue Thumb (2xLP). From a record store in the Denver area (Nov). Definitely a good score to find this double album in the buck bin. I had forgotten that I did possess this on CD-R from years ago. My opinion, though, hasn't changed. Solid in the "good" category, though for me it's mostly a static and dull listen. Upchuch plays lightly amplified jazz guitar over a set of mostly cover tunes. It's not that far removed from what Gabor Szabo was doing, though the base selection of music is less interesting to me. Not something I need to keep.
*Pat Metheny Group - First Circle. 1984 ECM (Germany) (LP). This was with the second Metheny found in the same batch with the below (Nov). Didn't have high hopes for this one considering I haven't been too keen on any of the other Metheny works prior to this. And on top of that, the production is soooo 1984. Slick as a butter dish and I would expect each album to come with a coupon for a Macintosh and a football card of Dan Marino. But this is a weird album really. Forgetting the opener which is kind of silly, the rest has a melancholic vibe one usually associates chill out music with. It's highly melodic, rhythmically complex, and the compositions are unusual. Keeper for now. Yea, surprised me too.
Steve Smith - Vital Information. 1983 Columbia (LP). This was in the 99 cent bin next to Pat Metheny (Nov). Steve Smith, of course, is most famous for being the drummer of Journey. So to release an all-instrumental fusion album during the height of his popularity was certainly an unusual move back then. It's a good fusion work and the guitars are surprisingly fiery at times, belying its early 80s date. All the same, it's an all too familiar sound, and I already have a couple of shelf fulls of similar. No need for another.
Pat Metheny Group. 1978 ECM (Germany) (LP). Pulled out of a 99 cent bin of a record store in Pueblo (Nov). More adult contemporary jazz... fusion. I'll never mature enough for this style of music it seems, but have to admit it provided a pleasant mid-evening listen. Calms the nerves, while not offending anyone.
Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love. 1967 Philips (LP). Thrift shop find (Nov). I'm a huge fan of the Bacharach song, and in particular Springfield's version of it. Unfortunately this is not the same version as the Casino Royale soundtrack. I was certain I would enjoy this album. Alas, something is not right with it - it may be the orchestration. The production is tinny and somehow Dusty Springfield actually sounds annoying, which I didn't think would be possible. Bummer.
*Artie Butler / Dionne Warwick - The Love Machine. 1971 Scepter (LP). Thrift shop find (Oct). This album fits perfectly into the world of Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick. It's got the right 60s vibe and sound. Great songwriting of course. It's a soundtrack to the movie rendition of Jacqueline Susann's trashy novel. Everyone presumed a Valley of the Dolls repeat, but it was a flop. But the soundtrack is great.
* - Keeping for the collection
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