Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack - Let It Be Roberta - 2012 - 429 Records

The Beatles' song catalog is one of the best-known and revered bodies of work in the whole of modern music, and the depth, variety, and timelessness of the songs this once-in-a-lifetime band produced make that catalog both a marvel and a treasure. Everyone knows these songs, and everyone knows them in the original Beatles versions. Those versions are there, shining in stone, and even when they show up in remixes like in the recent LOVE mashup, the original recordings echo unshakably in the mind. Roberta Flack knows this. On Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles, she tackles 12 of the group's songs -- 11 written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one written by George Harrison -- and she knows full well that she's dealing with the ghosts of the original versions. She knows, and she addresses it by reconfiguring the 12 songs she's chosen to sing into fascinating new shapes and arrangements, not exactly escaping the original versions, but giving them a fresh new direction by jazzy shifts in the melodies, and pinning them to inventive and very contemporary rhythms and recording techniques. Flack doesn't treat songs like "In My Life," "We Can Work It Out," and "I Should Have Known Better" like they're made of museum glass, and because of it, she stretches them into interesting new corners. Not everything works -- Flack singing "Come Together" could never have been a good idea -- but what does work, and that's most of what's here, brings these Beatles songs delightfully into the 21st century. Even though the ghosts of the original versions still echo here, they support rather than derail what Flack does with them. © Steve Leggett © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved

The Black Mountain, N.C.- born Roberta Flack, is probably best known for her soul jazz 1970's hits like “Feel Like Makin’ Love”, “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” She remembers being blown away by the Beatles when she began her career playing piano and singing in clubs in Washington, D.C. Roberta has said “I love the romanticism of the music of the Beatles. When I started to record, the Beatles were hot, hot, hot. You couldn’t turn on radio or the TV even without hearing something from them. It never left my brain, stuck in my heart, I love it. I love the stories the songs tell. I love the simplicity, the fact that they’re so accessible. The thing that just overwhelms me is how these young musicians were able to write so deeply and so intensely and to be so correct that here we are talking about it all these years later. People all over the world know these songs.” On "Let It Be Roberta", her first solo album in thirteen years, she interprets eleven Lennon & McCartney songs and George Harrison’s “Isn't It A Pity”. Her beautiful and elegant alto voice is complemented by urbane, jazz, blues, gospel, neo-soul, electronica, and hip-hop elements. There are many talking points regarding this album. Many Beatles purists may wonder what hip-hop has to do with the Beatles. Also, at the end of “Hey Jude”, Roberta omits the famous “la-la-la-la's”. "I Should Have Known Better” hardly sounds like the original Lennon & McCartney tune, but beautifully presented just the same. There are thousands of Beatles covers, and it is really hard to mess up their tunes. Beatles songs have been covered in every conceivable music genre, and even if you are not into jazz, hip-hop, or neo-soul you will hear something different on this album from a legendary soul singer. Musical classifications, and genres shouldn’t be of great importance if the music sounds good. Remember, “good music is in the ear of the beholder”. It’s just a shame that there are so many tone deaf people out there who think that people like Simon Scowell and “Spritney Beers” are leading authorities on what constitutes good music. They certainly know what makes good money. Check out Roberta discussing this album @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjUGsgvcjlM and there’s a playlist available @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRx99FfVMDQ Listen to Roberta’s often overlooked “Blue Lights in the Basement” album [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 139 Mb]

TRACKS

1. In My Life 4:09
2. Hey Jude 3:11
3. We Can Work It Out 4:02
4. Let It Be 4:15
5. Oh Darling 4:39
6. I Should Have Known Better 3:14
7. The Long & Winding Road 4:08
8. Come Together 4:39
9. Isn't It A Pity 3:41
10. If I Fell 3:24
11. And I Love Him 3:50
12. Here, There, And Everywhere 6:16

All songs composed by John Lennon & Paul McCartney except Track 9 by George Harrison

MUSICIANS

Roberta Flack – Keyboards, Vocals, Background Vocals
Sherrod Barnes - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drums, Strings, Background Vocals
Jerry Barnes - Guitar, Bass, Background Vocals
Dean Brown, Nathan Page - Guitar
Nichlas Branker, David Williams - Bass
Selan Lerner, Barry Miles, Shedrick Mitchell, Morris Pleasure, Bernard Wright - Keyboards
Charlie Drayton, Ricardo Jordan, Kuhari Parker, Chris Parks, Bernard Sweetney, Buddy Williams - Drums
Paul Lassiter - Strings
Katreece Barnes, Tameeka Simone, Vivian Sessoms - Background Vocals

BIO

Classy, urbane, reserved, smooth, and sophisticated -- all of these terms have been used to describe the music of Roberta Flack, particularly her string of romantic, light jazz ballad hits in the 1970s, which continue to enjoy popularity on MOR-oriented adult contemporary stations. Flack was the daughter of a church organist and started playing piano early enough to get a music scholarship and eventually, a degree from Howard University. After a period of student teaching, Flack was discovered singing at a club by jazz musician Les McCann and signed to Atlantic. Her first two albums -- 1969's First Take and 1970's Chapter Two -- were well received but produced no hit singles; however, that all changed when a version of Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," from her first LP, was included in the soundtrack of the 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The single zoomed to number one in 1972 and remained there for six weeks, becoming that year's biggest hit. Flack followed it with the first of several duets with Howard classmate Donny Hathaway, "Where Is the Love." "Killing Me Softly with His Song" became Flack's second number one hit (five weeks) in 1973, and after topping the charts again in 1974 with "Feel Like Makin' Love," Flack took a break from performing to concentrate on recording and charitable causes. She charted several more times over the next few years, as she did with the Top Ten 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement -- featuring "The Closer I Get to You," a number two ballad with Hathaway. A major blow was struck in 1979 when her duet partner, one of the most creative voices in soul music, committed suicide. Devastated, Flack eventually found another creative partner in Peabo Bryson, with whom she toured in 1980. The two recorded together in 1983, scoring a hit duet with "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love." Flack spent the remainder of the '80s touring and performing, often with orchestras, and also several times with Miles Davis. She returned to the Top Ten once more in 1991 with "Set the Night to Music," a duet with Maxi Priest that appeared that year on the album of the same name. Her Roberta full-length, featuring interpretations of jazz and popular standards, followed in 1994. As she continued into the 21st century, Flack recorded infrequently but released albums like 2012's Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings the Beatles, which showed that her poise and balanced singing had aged well. Varese Sarabande released a lovingly remixed version of Flack's fine 1997 holiday album Christmas Songs (it had originally appeared from Capitol Records under the title The Christmas Album) that same year, adding in an additional track, "Cherry Tree Carol." © Steve Huey © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/roberta-flack-mn0000290072

Various Artists (Beatles Related)

Various Artists - Fried Glass Onions: Memphis Meets The Beatles, Vol.1 - 2005 - Inside Sounds

Soul and blues versions of Beatles songs have always been favourites in this field, and this collection of newly recorded interpretations by contemporary Memphis artists, is no exception to that. There’s a preference for Beatles songs from their Soul and blues versions of Beatles songs have always been favourites in this field, and this collection of newly recorded interpretations by contemporary Memphis artists, is no exception to that. There’s a preference for Beatles songs from their later period, such as Happiness Is A Warm Gun and Two Of Us, but there’s also Old Brown Shoe, which hasn’t been covered that much. The styles range from a ‘Soul Man’-like version of Two Of Us, swamp blues with harmonica (Get Back), swinging soul (with female singer and lots of brass) Day Tripper, a musically varied Happiness Us A Warm Gun, a laid-back, intense and acoustic Blackbird, blue-eyed soul (You’re Gonna Loose That Girl), an instrumental surf-punk version of A Hard Day’s Night and the tear-jerking version of The Long And Winding Road. Besides obvious soul / blues inspirations from Stax and Atlantic stables, you may imagine one or another popular artist performs a song: Lenny Kravitz, Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Palmer and Robbie Williams, which isn’t the case, of course. But then again, this also shows the professional approach of the Memphis artists to interpret ‘the Beatles the way they might have sounded once upon a time’, as said on the CD booklet. (B.U. 183) Internet: © www.insidesounds.com © 1996-1999 by Namo Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved http://members.home.nl/tomtom/BU%20Reviews%20Various%20Artists%20Compilations.html

Fried Glass Onions is a great title, and one with a good idea attached to it—retool old Beatles classics with the soulful sound of Memphis R&B. The liner notes try to justify the existence of these fourteen new tracks by explaining that the Fab Four almost recorded in the city during the mid-Sixties, but it’s unnecessary, mainly because the group almost did a ton of things and because Beatlemusic and Memphis soul are two of the more durable musical styles in history. Still, you’d have an easier time validating the existence of a Memphisized version of U2’s “Rattle And Hum.” (Let me write that one down.) This is not to suggest that FGO is an all-star collection; in fact, most of the artists featured here have a tenuous collection to popularity at best. Like Austin (and New Orleans, for that matter), Memphis is a town filled with unsung talents, and the project heads here made sure to strike a good balance between obviously bluesy Fab cuts like “Get Back,” “Yer Blues,” and “Old Brown Shoe” and popular but decidedly non-bluesy milestones like “Two Of Us,” “Blackbird,” and “The Long and Winding Road.” From that perspective, the only real revelation is Z-Da’s ”Day Tripper,” which unearths an earthiness barely hinted at in the original. Several soul miracles are performed, however, most notably Bertram Brown’s Hi-styled interpretation of “You’re Gonna Lose That Girl” and a Sam and Dave-style take on “Two Of Us” by Bob Simon and Eddie Harrison. As usual with these sorts of experiments, some of the songs prove bad fits (a jazz reconstruction of “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” and a funked-up “One After 909”) and some are virtually pointless, like an instrumental but otherwise copycat version of ”A Hard Day’s Night” and a seemingly straight-up remake of “Across The Universe” that has nothing to do with the sound of the city in question. Then again, there’s not much Memphis in Jackie Johnson’s lovely, lyrical “Blackbird,” but it’s beautiful just the same. Besides, it’s not as if the band in question didn’t musically contradict itself, either. - by & © Robert Fontenot 01 July 2005 © 2012 Offbeat Magazine http://www.offbeat.com/2005/07/01/various-artists-fried-glass-onions-memphis-meets-the-beatles-inside-sounds/

Fried Glass Onions-Memphis Meets the Beatles is a celebration of The Beatles and of the city that greatly inspired and influenced them. Most of these interpretations have a definitive, identifiable Memphis twist. Daddy Mack Orr’s "Get Back" is a stripped-down, blues rendition. Bob Simon & Eddie Harrison’s "Two Of Us" sounds like vintage Sam & Dave from the Stax Records era. Most of these versions are either R&B or soul infused, although funk treatments of "The One After 909" and "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" take the groove a little deeper. The Memphis All-Stars version of "Drive My Car" is absolutely unstoppable and demonstrates the undeniable potency of a four-piece soul band. These 14 tracks represent a diverse pool of contemporary Memphis talent offering fresh versions of Beatles songs that will not disappoint even the most discerning Beatles fan. At the same time, proponents of classic Memphis music will hear Beatles songs like never before and will delight in knowing that Memphis music is alive and well. All of this material was recorded and mixed between June 24 and November 24, 2004, specifically for this unique tribute CD © 2005 Site Maintained by: Sandra Sallings/S&G Entertainment http://www.memphisallstars.com/gpage1.html

Good Memphis soul covers album of 14 Beatle's tracks. This album is not all strictly soul, but who cares? It's hard to mess up a Lennon & McCartney tune. There is also a Volume 2 & 3 of this compilation available [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 96.3 Mb]

DISC ONE [TRACKS]

1. Two Of Us - Bob Simon & Eddie Harrison
2. Get Back - Daddy Mack Orr
3. Day Tripper - Z-Da
4. Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Charlie Wood
5. Blackbird - Jackie Johnson
6. You're Gonna Lose That Girl - Bertram Brown
7. She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - Matt Tutor
8. Drive My Car - Memphis All-Stars
9. Yer Blues - The Beat Generation
10. Across The Universe - John Kilzer
11. The One After 909 - Gusto (featuring Dexter Haygood)
12. Old Brown Shoe - Dani
13. A Hard Day's Night - Lamar Sorrento & The Mod Saints
14. The Long And Winding Road - Kevin Paige

All songs composed by John & Paul except "Old Brown Shoe" by George

MUSICIANS

Charlie Wood - guitar, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, drums, vocals, background vocals
Matt Isbell, Richard Hage, Malcolm Cullen, Matt Tutor, Lamar Sorrento - guitar
Greg Reding - guitar, background vocals
Zack Mack - slide guitar
Dave Smith - baritone guitar, background vocals
Adam Levin, Joe Boogie, Kurt Clayton - keyboards
Robert Claybourne - keyboards, vocals
Mark Ross - piano
Michael Sinc, John Adams , Walter White, Kurt Ruleman, Richard Rosebrough, Terry Stafford, Kim Trammel - drums
Eddie Dattel, Kevin Houston - percussion
Tom Link, Kirk Smothers - saxophone
Dedrick Davis, Tom Clary - trumpet
Billy Gibson - harmonica
Daniel McCulloch, Eddie Harrison, Dexter Haygood, Daddy Mack Orr, Bertram Brown, John Kilzer, Kevin Paige, Bob Simon - vocals
Rick Nethery, Jackie Johnson, Z-Da - vocals, background vocals
Lucy Hathcote, Freddie Kirskey, Tommy Cathey, Charles Ponder, Rene Simon - background vocals

Bowes & Morley

Bowes & Morley - Mo's Barbeque - 2003 - STC

Luke Morley (born 19 June 1960, Camberwell, London, England) is the lead guitarist and co-songwriter for the rock band The Union. From 1989 to 2009 (with a break from 1999-2002) he was the guitarist, chief songwriter and producer for the hard rock band Thunder. Previous to that he was a member of 1980s group, Terraplane who subsequently became Thunder. Danny Bowes (born 14 April 1960, West Ham, London, England and educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College) was the lead singer with Thunder. Previously, he was a member of Nuthin' Fancy, 1980s group Terraplane, as well as occasionally playing the odd gig or two with his group Danny and the Doowops. Danny will be performing with another bandmate Ben Matthews (as "Danny & Ben") for several concerts in early 2012 and has contributed vocals to an album by Dean Howard who was previously with T'Pau.

Danny Bowes & Luke Morley's (both from the band Thunder) second album is an 11 song collection of sublime, soulful hooks, pure-pop melodies & the occasional outburst of classic 70s retro rock, including covers of Stevie Wonder's 'Living For The City' & Ann Peeble's 'I Can't Stand The Rain'. 'Mo's Barbecue' could only have been created by a singer & guitarist that intuitively understand each other's artistic strengths & appreciate all that's good about popular music. © 1996 - 2011 CD Universe

[***** my view on South London's finest, 26 Mar 2008] Fantastic collection of new songs and great covers.Luke and Danny have made an album which is a confident departure from the day job with Thunder and a step further from 'Moving on Swiftly'.The version of the Stretch's 1975 hit 'Why did you do it' is a solid speaker breaking funk classic. The brass and the McDonald sisters backing vocals add depth.The production is fantastic for the hi fi focused.We eagerly await the next! By & © D. S. Reed "skinny northern bloke" (Bermondsey) © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

BOWES & MORLEY are Daniel Bowes and Luke Morley, in regular life singer and guitarist of British Rockers THUNDER. For the second time they are coming around “solo” now and if you ask yourself now, why, they have THUNDER, here they approach the whole thing a lot more relaxed and also break out of Rock with bluesy, at times almost Latino-like songs and rhythms. And this could cause some THUNDER fans to look at “Mo’s Barbeque” a little askance as you almost automatically would expect something similar, which you do not really get. The influences on this album very obviously come from the Seventies, from the rhythms to the melodies and the influences from Blues and Funk, at times some passages almost sound a bit like Soul and take the listener by surprise. The guitar at times only plays a secondary role, while the song with its many different shadings (besides piano and Hammond organ you also find trumpet, saxophone and trombone on this album) is in the foreground. Purist might be a good attribute that I could use here, because if you do not get one thing on “Mo’s Barbeque”, then big frills or even bombast. Besides more relaxed own compositions such as “Desire” or the quiet "Since I Left Her" the Brits also have taken on four classics, "Living For The City" by Stevie Wonder, "Why Did You Do It" by STRETCH, a great version of FREE’s "Come Together In The Morning" and Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand The Rain" that most of you will know from Tina Turner’s version, which all almost seamlessly blend in with Morley’s compositions and also show the versatility of his song writing. Luke Morley herewith also proves that he is a composer that has more than “just” the first class Rock of THUNDER and is able to unite many different influences into compact compositions. And to lose many words about the class of a Danny Bowes would be a waste of them, because he has an almost perfect Rock voice, rough, but emotional, melodic, but powerful, with some true memorability. As said before, if you expect THUNDER-like Hard Rock, you might be disappointed by the outcome as we get a lot less Rock and even less Hard here. Still that should not hold you off from checking out “Mo’s Barbeque”, if you like the Rock of the Seventies. (Online March 3, 2004) © 2000-2011 The Metal Observer. All rights reserved http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=5694

If you prefer the hard/blues rock sound of bands like The Union and Thunder you may not get into this album easily. However, by itself, "Mo's Barbeque" is a good retro sounding soul pop album from guitarist Luke Morley and the great vocalist Danny Bowes, both members of the British hard rock group Thunder. This album has some great blues and funky passages and is reminiscent of mid seventies Motown soul blues. The album includes great covers of Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City", Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain", and Paul Rodgers' "Come Together in the Morning". Danny and Luke also recorded an album called "Moving Swiftly Along", which is worth a listen but not as strong as "Mo's Barbeque" [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 127.44 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Desire - Luke Morley
2. Living for the City - Stevie Wonder
3. On a Day Like Today - Luke Morley
4. Why Did You Do It - Greg Kirby
5. Since I Left Her - Luke Morley
6. Come Together in the Morning - Paul Rodgers
7. Waiting for the Sky to Fall - Luke Morley
8. Illogical - Luke Morley
9. How Could You? - Luke Morley
10. That's Not Love - Luke Morley
11. I Can't Stand the Rain - Ann Peebles

MUSICIANS

Luke Morley - Guitar, Percussion
Chris Childs - Bass
Mark Taylor - Keyboards, Piano, Organ
Mario Goossens - Drums
Martine Robertson - Saxophone
Ben Gant -Trumpet
Ian Moffat - Trombone
Danny Bowes - Vocals
Tara McDonald - Addtional Vocals on "How Could You"
Angela Murrell, TJ Davies - Backing Vocals

Paul Carrack

Paul Carrack - It Ain't Over - 2003 - Carrack-UK

'It Ain't Over' is the stunning 2003 studio LP from ex-Mike + The Mechanics frontman Paul Carrack. Released on his own Carrack-UK label, the album features eleven previously unreleased tracks, including three collaborations with his former Squeeze band mate Chris Difford - including the first single to be released from the album, the wistful 'She Lived Down The Street'. With the exception of some string & horn arrangements, Paul produced & performed the entire album himself, playing everything from drums & bass to guitar & organ at his Hertfordshire home studio. © Carrack-UK.
If ever a guy deserved more it's Paul Carrack. Carrack has fronted some of the most symbolic pop/rock bands in the last 30 years, from Ace to Squeeze to Mike + the Mechanics. He's written brilliant songs -- "Tempted," "How Long" -- and issued brilliant solo records -- Suburban Voodoo -- but is still regarded as a journeyman, rather than as a star in his own right. That's just wrong. It Ain't Over is a case in point for Carrack's consistency and brilliance. This set of 11 new songs were all penned and played by Carrack himself, with the exception of horns and strings. From the gorgeous soul groove of "Nothing to Lose," to the laid-back, sultry hook in the title cut, to heartbreaking Stax-styled R&B of "Empty Space," to the dirty funk of "Never Too Late," Carrack showcases his amazing versatility and his taut, in-the-pocket style of writing. As a singer, he's one of the most disciplined around, and still he manages to get across the deeper, subtler emotions in a song. If there some kind of "Pop Justice," Carrack's It Ain't Over would be on every adult contemporary station in the States. But alas, Clear Channel's not exactly known for its vision, and other programmers seemingly have no place on their playlists for smart, sophisticated, sassy, classy pop music. © Thom Jurek, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/it-ain-t-over-rock-album

Baz "Vinyl man", said on amazon.co.uk, "Paul Carrack is undoubtedly one of the greatest underrated talents this country has ever produced. His list of credits is almost endless yet most people haven't a clue who he is. Best seen live - don't hesitate. He only plays in small venues and is constantly touring so you dont have to wait too long before he will be somewhere near. I must have seen him a dozen times in the last 6 ears or so and he never disapppoints. Fabulous voice, pianist, guitarist and song writer and all accompanied by some very decent musicians. If you like quality soul, pop and soft rock all mixed up Paul is your man". http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:72Qr_NAe7YcJ:www.amazon.co.uk/Old-Borrowed-Blue-Paul-Carrack/dp/B000WTNCVI+paul+carrack+groovin+credits&cd=12&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie

That article says a lot about Paul Carrack. Not a household name, but one of the greatest British vocalists, songwriters, and musicians ever born. The guy is a legend. His name may be unfamiliar to many, but his great soulful voice is one of the most recognizable voices in the rock business. He has been a member of several bands including Warm Dust, Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well. His distinctive voice shows up on some of his affiliated bands' best-known hits, two of the most memorable being "How Long" with Ace, and "Tempted" with Squeeze. Will Paul ever be forgotten for writing Ace's "How Long"? As a result of this song much of Paul's later work has been largely overlooked. Even on some of Paul's "eightyish" AOR style albums, his great voice made some average songs listenable. On his later albums he abstained from the trendy, '80s style dance orientated pop sound, he was becoming accustomed to, and reverted to a more soulful, adult contemporary, pop soul sound, which is the real sound of Paul Carrack. The great vocalist has always been heavily influenced by '60s and '70s soul and pop music. "It Ain't Over" is another brilliant blue-eyed soul album from this great musician, and extraordinary vocalist. The 11 tracks here speak for themselves - wonderful, sophisticated soul pop, and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Paul's "Suburban Voodoo" album can be found @ PAUCAR/SUBVOO Listen to his brilliant "I Know That Name" album. Search this blog for other releases

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. She Lived Down The Street - Chris Difford, Paul Carrack
2. Nothin' to Lose - Paul Carrack
3. It Ain't Over - Paul Carrack
4. Happy To See You Again - Paul Carrack
5. Where Did I Go Wrong ? - Paul Carrack
6. Empty Space - Chris Difford, Paul Carrack
7. One Small Step - B.A. Robertson, Paul Carrack
8. Forever - Paul Carrack
9. Never Too Late - Paul Carrack
10. Just A Little Lie - Charlie Dore, Paul Carrack
11. Ain't No Love - Paul Carrack

MUSICIANS

Paul Carrack (vocals, drums, guitar, bass, organ)
Steve Beighton (saxophone)
Edmund Collins (trumpet, flugelhorn)

BIO

Paul Carrack was pop music's ultimate journeyman. A vocalist and keyboardist who enjoyed considerable success over the course of his lengthy career while in the service of bands ranging from Ace to Squeeze to Mike + the Mechanics, his finest work often came at the expense of his own identity as a performer; indeed, of the many big hits on which the unassuming singer was prominently featured, only one, 1987's "Don't Shed a Tear," bore his own name. Carrack was born April 22, 1951, in Sheffield, England; he joined the pub rock group Ace in 1972, eventually writing and singing their debut single, "How Long." After reaching the Top 20 in the group's native Britain, the record hit the number-three position in the U.S.; however, after subsequent material failed to match the success of "How Long," Ace disbanded in 1977, and Carrack signed on with country artist Frankie Miller. He soon resurfaced in Roxy Music, appearing on the LPs Manifesto and Flesh and Blood before releasing his solo debut, Nightbird, in 1980. Carrack next joined Squeeze, replacing keyboardist Jools Holland; in addition to contributing to the group's 1981 creative pinnacle East Side Story, he also assumed lead vocal duties on the single "Tempted," their best-remembered hit. However, Carrack's stay in Squeeze was brief, and after working with Nick Lowe he again attempted to forge a solo career with the 1982 LP Suburban Voodoo, cracking the U.S. Top 40 with the single "I Need You." A tenure as a sideman with Eric Clapton followed, and in 1985 he joined Genesis' Mike Rutherford in his side project Mike + the Mechanics. Their hits include "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" and "All I Need Is a Miracle." While remaining a rather anonymous figure at home, Carrack achieved a higher level of visibility in America as a result of Mike + the Mechanics' success; subsequently, his third solo album, One Good Reason, proved to be by far his most popular effort to date, with the single "Don't Shed a Tear" reaching the Top Ten. Another tenure with the Mechanics followed, and with the title track of 1988's The Living Years, the group scored their first number-one hit. After the 1989 Carrack solo LP Groove Approved, Mike + the Mechanics issued 1991's Word of Mouth, which failed to repeat the chart performance of its predecessors; by 1993, Carrack was again a member of Squeeze, appearing on the album Some Fantastic Place and also resuming lead chores for a re-recording of "Tempted." However, he was once again back in the Mechanics' fold for 1995's Beggar on a Beach of Gold; the solo Blue Views was issued the next year, followed in 1997 by Beautiful World. Satisfy My Soul was issued in 2000, his first album for Compass Records. © Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide © 2010 Answers Corporation http://www.answers.com/topic/paul-carrack

Boz Scaggs

Boz Scaggs - Greatest Hits Live - 2004 - Mailboat Records

In 2004 Boz Scaggs released his first, and what is likely to be only, officially sanctioned live disc in an extensive career. With 35 years of experience and 13 albums of material to choose from, it also substitutes as a reasonable best-of, although Sony/Legacy's 1997 double set My Time did an excellent job of recapping his studio hits. Even if it's a byproduct of the associated DVD recorded at the same August, 2004 San Francisco gig, this is a lively and professionally performed show that makes up in soul what it lacks in spontaneity. Live hits' discs coming in the twilight of the artist's career are typically dicey affairs, often used as a backdoor way for a new label to release some of the act's best material, the originals of which they do not have rights to. While that may be the case here, this is far from a fast way to make a few bucks off Scaggs' catalog. The seven-piece band (plus two backing vocalists) offer perfect, occasionally inspired renditions of a relatively unsurprising set list. The show is a terrific mix of the lovely, but sometimes sappy Scaggs ballads such as "Heart of Mine," "We're All Alone," "Slow Dancer" and "Look What You've Done to Me" with the blue-eyed funk-pop of "Lowdown," "Jojo," "Georgia," and "Lido Shuffle." The songs that ultimately work the best and are the loosest are the blues-based tracks, in particular a sumptuous version of Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Ask Me 'Bout Nuthin' but the Blues," and nearly a half-hour on disc two dedicated to the jazzy jump blues of "Runnin' Blue" and a fiery "Loan Me a Dime." Scaggs is in terrific voice throughout, the band adapts remarkably well to a varied set list and the live sound is crisp but not sterile. Many of the arrangements, especially of the pop songs, don't differ substantially from the originals, but the effect is lively and with slightly more drive due to the live setting. The rather forced between-song patter very present in the DVD is edited out for the audio version, which provides a better musical flow. Some of these songs never charted, and were not even particularly popular. Many tracks from My Time and even three from the slimmer Hits! collection are missing. But these are minor complaints for an extremely well produced, immaculately played, stylishly presented and dynamic look at Scaggs' diverse catalog. © Hal Horowitz © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kifpxq8sld6e

This album has been described as "Ultra-smooth white soul with a hint of cool funk". Many people only associate Boz Scaggs with his famous mid '70's disco soul funk classic album, "Silk Degrees" and his hits "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle", and "What Can I Say", but the man has been around since the mid sixties, and recorded many great albums which always seem to be overshadowed by "Silk Degrees". The album here was recorded live in San Francisco at the Great American Music Hall on 26th and 27th August 2003. There are sixteen great tracks covering most of Boz's best work, from the jazzy "Harbor Lights" to the blue "Loan Me A Dime". The album has a great bluesy, jazzy, soul pop sound, with some great hard rock included. There is also a DVD version of this album available. Check out Boz's "Middle man" album @ BOZSC/MM Info on his "Some Change" album can be found @ BOZSC/SOCH Although Boz Scaggs is probably best known for his classic "Silk Degrees" album, his 1974 "Slow Dancer" album is often overlooked, and is well worth listening to

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1.Lowdown - David Paich/Boz Scaggs
2.Slow Dancer - George Daly/Boz Scaggs
3.Heart Of Mine - Bobby Caldwell/Dennis Matkosky/Jason Scheff
4.It All Went Down The Drain - Earl King
5.Harbor Lights - Boz Scaggs
6.Jojo - David Foster/David Lasley/Boz Scaggs
7.Ask Me 'Bout Nothin' But The Blues - Henry Boozier/Deadric Malone
8.Breakdown Dead Ahead - David Foster/Boz Scaggs
9.Look What You've Done To Me - David Foster/Boz Scaggs
10.I Just Go - Boz Scaggs
11.Georgia - Boz Scaggs
12.Miss Sun - David Paich
13.Lido Shuffle - David Paich/Boz Scaggs
14.Runnin' Blue - Boz Scaggs
15.Loan Me A Dime - Jesse Anderson/Mike Middlebrook/Fenton Robinson
16.We're All Alone - Boz Scaggs

Tracks 1 - 8 comprise CD 1, and tracks 9 - 16, CD 2

MUSICIANS

Boz Scaggs (vocals, guitar)
Drew Zingg (guitar)
Matt Bissonette (bass instrument)
Jim Cox, Michael Bluestein (keyboards)
John Ferraro (drums)
Charles McNeal (saxophone)
Richard Armstrong (trumpet)
Ms. Mone't, Barbara Wilson (background vocals)

BIO (Wikipedia)

Boz Scaggs (born William Royce Scaggs, 8 June 1944, Canton, Ohio) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 Hits in the United States along with the #2 album Silk Degrees. Scaggs continued to release and record in the 1980s and 1990s, and still tours into the 2000s. Scaggs was born William Royce Scaggs in Canton, Ohio, the son of a traveling salesman. The family moved to Oklahoma, then to Plano, at that time a Texas farm town just north of Dallas. He attended a Dallas private school, St. Mark's, where a schoolmate gave him the nickname "Bosley". Soon, he was just plain Boz. After learning guitar at the age of 12, he met Steve Miller at St. Mark's. In 1959, he became the vocalist for Miller's band, The Marksmen. The pair later attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison together, playing in blues bands like The Ardells and The Fabulous Knight Trains. Leaving school, Scaggs briefly joined the burgeoning rhythm and blues scene in London. After singing in bands such as The Wigs and Mother Earth, he traveled to Sweden as a solo performer, and in 1965 recorded his solo debut album, Boz, which was not a commercial success. Scaggs also had a brief stint with the band The Other Side with fellow American Jack Downing and Brit Mac MacLeod. Returning to the U.S., Scaggs promptly headed for the booming psychedelic music center of San Francisco in 1967. Linking up with Steve Miller again, he appeared on the Steve Miller Band's first two albums, Children of the Future and Sailor, which received good reviews from music critics. After being spotted by Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, Scaggs secured a solo contract with Atlantic Records in 1968. Despite good reviews, his sole Atlantic album, featuring the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and slide guitarist Duane Allman, achieved lukewarm sales, as did follow-up albums on Columbia Records. (His Atlantic album was deleted and replaced with the exact same cover and tracks, but it was given a new catalog number and it was completely remixed in Los Angeles in 1977. This new remix brought Duane Allman's guitar up to the front, but it greatly altered the original feeling. On the track "Finding Her", the volume fades down real low for the last minute, an obvious mixing error by engineer Craymore Stevens. The original has never been available on CD.) In 1976, he linked up with session musicians who would later form Toto and recorded his smash album Silk Degrees. The album reached number 2 on the U.S. charts and number 1 in a number of countries across the world, spawning three hit singles: "Lowdown", "Lido Shuffle", and "What Can I Say", as well as the MOR standard "We're All Alone", later covered by Rita Coolidge and Frankie Valli. A sellout world tour followed, but his follow-up album, the 1977 Down Two Then Left, did not fare as well commercially as Silk Degrees. The 1980 album Middle Man spawned two top 20 hits, "Breakdown Dead Ahead" and "Jojo," and Scaggs enjoyed two more hits in 1980-81 ("Look What You've Done to Me" from the Urban Cowboy soundtrack, and "Miss Sun" from a greatest hits set, both U.S. #14 hits). But Scaggs' lengthy hiatus from the music industry (his next LP, Other Roads, wouldn't appear until 1988) slowed his chart career down dramatically. "Heart of Mine" in 1988, from Other Roads, was Scaggs' final top 40 hit but was a major adult contemporary success. Scaggs continued to record and tour sporadically throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and for a time was semi-retired from the music industry. He opened the San Francisco nightclub, Slim's, in 1988, and remains a co-owner as of 2008. After Other Roads, Scaggs took another hiatus and then came back with Some Change in 1994. He released Come On Home, an album of blues, and My Time, an anthology in the late 1990s. He garnered good reviews with Dig although the CD, which was released on September 11, 2001, was lost in the post-9/11 melée. In May 2003, Scaggs released But Beautiful, a collection of jazz standards that debuted at number 1 on the jazz charts. He tours each summer, has a loyal cadre of fans, remains hugely popular in Japan, and released a DVD and a live CD in 2004. Other releases followed. In 2008, Scaggs began an expanded tour, and is scheduled to appear across the country from spring through fall. Scaggs and his wife grow grapes in California's Napa County and have produced their own wine.

Paul Carrack

Paul Carrack - Groovin - 2002 - Universal Special Products

Baz "Vinyl man", said on amazon.co.uk, "Paul Carrack is undoubtedly one of the greatest underrated talents this country has ever produced. His list of credits is almost endless yet most people haven't a clue who he is. Best seen live - don't hesitate. he only plays in small venues and is constantly touring so you dont have to wait too long before he will be somewhere near. I must have seen him a dozen times in the last 6 ears or so and he never disapppoints. Fabulous voice, pianist, guitarist and song writer and all accompanied by some very decent musicians. If you like quality soul, pop and soft rock all mixed up Paul is your man". http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:72Qr_NAe7YcJ:www.amazon.co.uk/Old-Borrowed-Blue-Paul-Carrack/dp/B000WTNCVI+paul+carrack+groovin+credits&cd=12&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie This article says a lot about Paul Carrack. Not a household name, but one of the greatest British vocalists, songwriters, and musicians ever born. The guy is a legend. His name may be unfamiliar to many, but his great soulful voice is one of the most recognizable voices in the rock business. He has been a member of several bands including Warm Dust, Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well. His distinctive voice shows up on some of his affiliated bands' best-known hits, two of the most memorable being "How Long" with Ace, and "Tempted" with Squeeze. Paul has released some average "eightyish" AOR style albums, where the songs were pretty mediocre. Only his great voice made some of these albums listenable. Two of his best albums are "Blue Views", (found on this blog), and the one here, "Groovin'". The album is a great take on some old classics a la Carrack! The great vocalist has always been heavily influenced by '60s and '70s soul and pop music. Here, Paul offers a collection of songs that have strongly influenced him, from Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", The Young Rascals' "Groovin", Isley & Jasper's "Harvest For The World", and Bacharach & David's "Walk On By" to Carole King's "You've Got A Friend" and Bobby Hebb's "Sunny". Paul's covers work very well. Few male vocalists can cover these classic songs as well as Paul. His beautiful soulful voice keeps the traditional flavour of these fourteen classics, while still allowing enough space in the musical spectrum for his own unique vocal talents to shine through. If Paul Rodgers is "The Voice", then Paul Carrack is the "other voice". Even though "You've Got A Friend" is abridged, leaving out a verse, the album is a knockout, and VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Search this blog for more Paul Carrack releases. N.B: There are a few editions of this album. The album was initially released under the name Groovin with 13-tracks. It was also released with the bonus track, "Into The Mystic" on the Universal Special Products label in 2002, (The version posted here). Later, it was re-released as "Still Groovin", with five bonus tracks ("Into The Mystic", "People Get Ready", "Warm and Tender Love", "It's Growing", and "I Wish It would Rain". Some editions featured a bonus DVD EP featuring four live selections and two promo videos from his Paul Carrack: In Concert DVD recorded on his Satisfy My Soul Tour. For music in the same vein, check out early albums by Michael McDonald, and Hall & Oates.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1.Harvest For The World - Ronald Isley/Chris Jasper
2.Sunny - Bobby Hebb
3.Too Bust Thinkin Bout My Baby - Bradford/Strong/Whitfield
4.Crazy Love - Van Morrison
5.Baby I Need Your Lovin - Lamont Dozier/Brian Holland
6.Walk On By - Burt Bacharach/Hal David
7.What Does It Take - Bristol/Bullock/Fuqua
8.Anyday Now - Burt Bacharach/Bob Hilliard
9.Cover Me - Marlin Greene/Eddie Hinton
10.With You In Mind - Allen Toussaint
11.Aint No Sunshine - Bill Withers
12.Groovin - Eddie Brigati/Cavalier
13.You've Got A Friend - Carole King
14.Into The Mystic [Bonus Track] - Van Morrison

MUSICIANS

Paul Carrack - Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards
Steve Beighton - Saxophone

ABOUT PAUL CARRACK

Paul Carrack was pop music's ultimate journeyman. A vocalist and keyboardist who enjoyed considerable success over the course of his lengthy career while in the service of bands ranging from Ace to Squeeze to Mike + the Mechanics, his finest work often came at the expense of his own identity as a performer; indeed, of the many big hits on which the unassuming singer was prominently featured, only one, 1987's "Don't Shed a Tear," bore his own name. Carrack was born April 22, 1951, in Sheffield, England; he joined the pub rock group Ace in 1972, eventually writing and singing their debut single, "How Long." After reaching the Top 20 in the group's native Britain, the record hit the number-three position in the U.S.; however, after subsequent material failed to match the success of "How Long," Ace disbanded in 1977, and Carrack signed on with country artist Frankie Miller. He soon resurfaced in Roxy Music, appearing on the LPs Manifesto and Flesh and Blood before releasing his solo debut, Nightbird, in 1980. Carrack next joined Squeeze, replacing keyboardist Jools Holland; in addition to contributing to the group's 1981 creative pinnacle East Side Story, he also assumed lead vocal duties on the single "Tempted," their best-remembered hit. However, Carrack's stay in Squeeze was brief, and after working with Nick Lowe he again attempted to forge a solo career with the 1982 LP Suburban Voodoo, cracking the U.S. Top 40 with the single "I Need You." A tenure as a sideman with Eric Clapton followed, and in 1985 he joined Genesis' Mike Rutherford in his side project Mike + the Mechanics. Their hits include "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" and "All I Need Is a Miracle." While remaining a rather anonymous figure at home, Carrack achieved a higher level of visibility in America as a result of Mike + the Mechanics' success; subsequently, his third solo album, One Good Reason, proved to be by far his most popular effort to date, with the single "Don't Shed a Tear" reaching the Top Ten. Another tenure with the Mechanics followed, and with the title track of 1988's The Living Years, the group scored their first number-one hit. After the 1989 Carrack solo LP Groove Approved, Mike + the Mechanics issued 1991's Word of Mouth, which failed to repeat the chart performance of its predecessors; by 1993, Carrack was again a member of Squeeze, appearing on the album Some Fantastic Place and also resuming lead chores for a re-recording of "Tempted." However, he was once again back in the Mechanics' fold for 1995's Beggar on a Beach of Gold; the solo Blue Views was issued the next year, followed in 1997 by Beautiful World. Satisfy My Soul was issued in 2000, his first album for Compass Records. © Jason Ankeny, allmusic.com

MORE ABOUT PAUL CARRACK

After years spent bringing a little soul to artists as diverse as Mike & The Mechanics, Nick Lowe, and Squeeze, singer's singer Paul Carrack makes his most persuasive play so far with the release of his stunning new album Satisfy My Soul. Recorded with minimal outside assistance at his Hertfordshire home studio, the album represents a quantum leap beyond Paul's previous work, showcasing his songwriting abilities and allowing his natural soul qualities to shine through with a new clarity and power. In the past, he's often tended to let others mould and direct his considerable talents, but Satisfy My Soul serves to re-establish Paul Carrack as a major solo artist, with both the vision and the capabilities to take control of his own career, and the musical instinct to know which direction it should take. A lot of people are going to be pleasantly surprised by this latest chapter in the life of one of pop music's most distinctive voices. Paul was first bitten by the music bug as a small child back in his native Sheffield, where he would bash away at a home-made drumkit up in his parents' attic, playing along with an old wind-up gramophone. By the time he reached his teens, the Mersey Boom was in full swing, and the young Carrack proceeded to swindle his way into a series of local bands, learning to play the organ and following the gig circuit to Germany, where he underwent the obligatory Hamburg nightclub baptism, as pioneered by such as The Beatles. In the early '70s, his progressive rock outfit Warm Dust released a few albums, but it was only when his pub-rock band Ace had a huge global hit with his song How Long that Paul's career really started to take off. Immediately, the band was catapulted from the British college circuit into huge American arenas, as How Long soared into the US singles chart, eventually reaching #1. When Ace broke up toward the end of the '70s, Paul found himself wrong-footed by the punk-rock boom, but secured some session work, playing on albums by Frankie Miller and Roxy Music, and touring with Roxy, an experience which gave him a taste for the big time. Paul's 1980 solo debut, Nightbird, failed to establish him as an artist in his own right, so he continued playing sessions, biding his time, and honing his talents as a musician and songwriter. As the '80s proceeded, Paul reached a rapprochement with the new-wave scene, playing on albums by The Undertones, The Smiths, and The Pretenders, and joining Squeeze for their masterwork East Side Story, helping redefine the group's profile with his soulful vocal on the hit single Tempted. After leaving Squeeze, obstensibly to pursue a solo career, he hooked up with Nick Lowe, an association which, though resolutely out of step with public taste and radio formats, would nevertheless generate five albums for Lowe and another for Paul, 1982's Suburban Voodoo. Though largely ignored in the UK, the album was a critical success in the US, where it was cited as one of Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 20 Albums of the Year. I Need You, a Carrack composition lifted from the album, provided him with another US Top 40 hit, and was subsequently covered by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville. The biggest break in Carrack's career came in 1985 when he was invited to contribute vocals to a solo album being recorded by Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford. Despite the apparent differences in their musical styles, the very first track Paul sang on, Silent Running, became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Encouraged by such instant success, Mike & The Mechanics developed into more of a group, touring America extensively and securing a string of hit albums and singles over the next decade. Before they could produce a follow-up album, however, Paul found time to sing and play on Roger Waters' Radio KAOS album and record another solo album of his own, 1987's One Good Reason, scoring another couple of hits through the title track and Don't Shed a Tear, which again broke into the US Top Ten, staying on Billboard's Hot 100 for nearly half a year. Even better was to come when Mike & The Mechanics resumed recording. Sung by Paul, the title-track of their second LP The Living Years was a huge worldwide hit, peaking at number one in America, and hoisting the band to megastar status. Further touring was followed by another Carrack solo album, 1989's Groove Approved, whose standout track - the Motown-flavoured Carrack / Lowe composition Battlefield - was later covered by Diana Ross. The following year, Paul was co-opted to perform at Roger Waters' grandiose presentation of The Wall in Berlin, where he sang Hey You in front of over 250,000 people. A third Mike & The Mechanics album, 1991's Word of Mouth, saw Carrack's creative input increasing, with four songwriting credits; and also donated a performance of Ain't That Peculiar recorded with Paul Shaffer's house band on Late Night with David Letterman to Nobody's Child, a charity album for Romanian orphans. Between tours again, in 1993 Paul busied himself with Spin 1ne 2wo, a classic rock covers collaboration with Rupert Hine, Tony Levin, and Steve Ferrone, and rejoined Squeeze for their Some Fantastic Place album. The next year was spent touring the world with Squeeze, working on an ultimately abortive band project with Don Felder, Timothy Schmidt, and Joe Walsh of The Eagles (which nevertheless garnered Paul an award for the most played song in America that year, when the reformed Eagles covered Love Will Keep us Alive, a song he co-wrote with Peter Vale and Jim Capaldi), and recording another Mike & The Mechanics album, Beggar on A Beach of Gold. This contained another couple of Carrack co-compositions, including his collaboration with Mike Rutherford, the hit single Over my Shoulder, which revived the band's flagging fortunes in the UK and Europe, paving the way for a subsequent Greatest Hits compilation. Paul's fifth solo album, Blue Views, appeared in 1995, and despite problems occasioned by the collapse of the record label, it was still highly successful in Europe, earning him a gold disc in Spain. When it was finally released a couple of years later in America on another label, the single For Once in Our Lives became a Top Five hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, cementing Carrack's growing reputation as a singer-songwriter of class and distinction. He was also developing a parallel reputation as an able and accomplished sideman to the stars, playing keyboards on albums by Eric Clapton, BB King, Simply Red, Mark Knopfler and Elton John, and being invited by Elton to play on Something About the Way You Look Tonight, which, as the B-side of "Candle in the Wind '97," is officially the biggest-selling single ever. Unfortunately, a management change at EMI resulted in his next album, Beautiful World failing to get the promotional push it deserved, and a bitterly dissillusioned Paul elected to take matters more into his own hands. After years spent biding his time, contributing to other musicians' projects and allowing outside producers to impose their designs on his material, it was a long overdue move, and one which reflected Paul's growing belief in himself as a singer-songwriter. Accordingly, he recorded his new album, "Satisfy My Soul" at his home studio, relying on his own musical instincts and playing everything himself, with the exception of the sax parts (which are by Steve Beighton), some backing vocals (by Lindsay Dracass) and some of the drum parts (by Ian Thomas or Paul's old chum Andy Newmark, the former Sly & The Family Stone sticksman.) Steeped in the classic and funk sounds of the '60s and '70s, but with an ear firmly trained on the future, Satisfy My Soul is clearly a labour of love, and features some of Carrack's most accomplished songwriting, with three tracks being co-written by Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford. Carrack's journey to make a record that truly does satisfy his soul has come full circle. "I've been doing this a long time, and I've often made it quite difficult for myself, one way or another, but I'm at the point now where I just want to enjoy my musicality, and I have the technical resources and the stability to be able to follow my instincts more confidently. Alot of the time, I've gone against my own instincts, but I'm not fighting them any more, I'm doing what comes naturally now. I'll be happy just to reach the people who already like what I do, but who knows, by making a more personal record, I might reach more people anyway." Satisfy My Soul brings Carrack to Compass Records, also the American home to other British popsters Robbie McIntosh, Hamish Stuart, Eddi Reader, Boo Hewerdine and Clive Gregson. © 2003-2008 Compass Records. All Rights Reserved