The Move

The Move - California Man- 1974 - Harvest

The brilliant The Move, from Birmingham, England, were a hugely important band in the late sixties to mid seventies period. Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne were brilliant songwriters, and singles like "Flowers in the Rain," "I Can Hear the Grass Grow," "Fire Brigade," and "Brontosaurus" were beautifully constructed pop rock songs. Roy Wood was dubbed "an English rock legend" by Billboard Magazine's Jim Bessman in 2002 and his monumental career as one of the UK's most outstanding performers spans almost forty years and thirty hit singles. The Move never made it big time Stateside, but in Europe they were renowned for their wonderful eclectic pop rock sound. Their songs had wonderful hooks, and like the later 10 CC, they had the knack of producing the perfect single. This was the first 'Harvest' Compilation LP complete with Bonus Tracks, released in 1974. .Buy their superb "Message from the Country" album, and check out their comprehensive 1997 album, "The Best Of The Move" released on Repertoire. If you can find it, listen to the 1973 album, "The London Bo Diddley Sessions," on which Roy Wood plays bass. As a matter of musical interest, many of The Move's songs were covered by other artists. "California Man" was covered by Cheap Trick on their 1978 album Heaven Tonight. Nancy Sinatra also covered California Man. "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" was covered by The Fall in 2005, on their album Fall Heads Roll. It was also recorded by Status Quo and by New York psychedelic band, The Blues Magoos on their 1968 "Basic Blues Magoos" album. The Move's "Fire Brigade" track was released as a single, Stateside by The Fortunes in 1968. "Do Ya" has been recorded by Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Ace Frehley and Forest. "Flowers In The Rain" has been covered by Nancy Sinatra and The Kaiser Chiefs. "Ella James" has been recorded by The Nashville Teens. "California Man" is HR by A.O.O.F.C.



TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. California Man - (Roy Wood)
2. Ella James - (Roy Wood)
3. No Time - (Jeff Lynne)
4. Tonight - (Roy Wood)
5. Down On The Bay - (Jeff Lynne)
6. The Minister - (Jeff Lynne)
7. Do Ya - (Jeff Lynne)
8. The Words Of Aaron - (Jeff Lynne)
9. Until Your Moma's Gone - (Roy Wood)
10. Chinatown - (Roy Wood)
11. Message From The Country - (Jeff Lynne)



BAND

Roy Wood - vocals, oboe, guitars, steel guitar, bass, clarinet, bassoon & all saxes
Jeff Lynne - vocals, piano, guitars, electric piano & percussion
Bev Bevan - drums, percussion & vocals



BIO

The Move were the best and most important British group of the late '60s that never made a significant dent in the American market. Through the band's several phases (which were sometimes dictated more by image than musical direction), their chief asset was guitarist and songwriter Roy Wood, who combined a knack for Beatlesque pop with a peculiarly British, and occasionally morbid, sense of humor. On their final albums (with considerable input from Jeff Lynne), the band became artier and more ambitious, hinting at the orchestral rock that Wood and Lynne would devise for the Electric Light Orchestra. The Move, however, always placed more emphasis on the pop than the art, and never lost sight of their hardcore rock & roll roots. Formed in the mid-'60s, the Move were so named because the five musicians from the original lineups were moving from established Birmingham groups into a new band. Most of the Move, in fact, had previously recorded flop singles in average, unremarkable British Invasion styles as members of other outfits. Taken under the wing of manager Tony Secunda, the group moved to London and crafted an explosive act, heavily influenced by the Who, which found them destroying televisions on stage. The Move's early singles were also heavily influenced by mod pop in their chunky chords and oddball character sketches, although Roy Wood's songs were much poppier and bouncier than those of Pete Townshend.With Wood handling all of the writing, the group's first four singles ("Night of Fear," "I Can Hear the Grass Grow," "Flowers in the Rain," and "Fire Brigade") all made the British Top Ten in 1967-1968. Despite the strength of the music (and a solid debut album in 1968), management and press gave more attention to their flamboyant stage antics, clothes, and outrageous publicity stunts. The most famous of these -- a publicity mailing for "Flowers in the Rain" picturing British Prime Minister Harold Wilson in an embarrassing state of undress -- backfired badly when the band lost royalties from the single in a subsequent libel suit.Bassist Ace Kefford (never an essential part of the band except for image purposes) left the Move in 1968. After a couple of less successful singles, they topped the British charts for the only time in 1969 with one of their best songs, "Blackberry Way," a kind of black-humored flipside to "Penny Lane." Guitarist Trevor Burton, who had moved to bass after Kefford left, split himself just after "Blackberry Way." Rick Price was brought in to replace Burton, and the group's second album, Shazam (1970), was one of their best, allowing them to stretch out in more progressive and experimental directions than they could within the format of hit singles. After a misguided venture into the cabaret circuit, singer Carl Wayne left, leaving the lead vocal chores primarily in the hands of Roy Wood.The rapid succession of personnel changes would have stopped most bands in their tracks, but the Move, if anything, became a more interesting group in the early '70s. This was due primarily to the replacement of Wayne by Jeff Lynne, previously with the cutesy but interesting pop/rock group the Idle Race. Lynne would be the only member of the Move other than Wood to contribute notable songs and help shape the band's vision. On Looking On (1971) and Message From the Country (1972), Lynne's cheerier pop inclinations would effectively counterpoint Wood's darker and more ironic compositions, in the manner of great rock collaborations like Lennon-McCartney and Stills-Young. Their best work from this period, though, is actually contained on their singles, several of which ("Brontosaurus," "California Man," and "Tonight") were British hits.The Move remained unknown in the U.S. (where they had barely toured), and concentrated primarily on studio work after Lynne joined. Their arrangements became denser and more ambitious, particularly as Wood developed proficiency on a number of common and exotic instruments. As a result of their increasing fascination with orchestral rock, Wood, Lynne, and drummer Bev Bevan discontinued the Move in the early '70s to form the Electric Light Orchestra. ELO's remake of one of the Move's final singles, "Do Ya" (which had scraped the bottom of the U.S. charts in 1972), would become a hit in 1977. By that time, though, Wood was long gone from ELO -- he had left in 1972 to pursue a career as a leader of Wizzard and as a solo artist. And for all ELO's massive worldwide success, they never matched the intriguing blend of pop and experimentation that characterized the best work of the Move. © Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Focus

Focus - Focus 8 - 2002 - Musea

Great album from a revamped Focus. On this recording, Thijs Van Leer is the only original Focus member, but he somehow manages to recreate the great seventies Focus sound on many of the tracks. This album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Listen to the majestic Focus "Live at the Rainbow" album, and there is info on Jan Akkerman's 1977 self titled album @ JAKKERERMAN

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Rock & Rio 3:27 (Van Leer)
2. Tamara's Move 5:17 (Dumee)
3. Fretless Love 4:15 (Van Leer)
4. Hurkey Turkey 4:15 (Van Leer)
5. De Ti O De Mi 6:30 (Jacobs)
6. Focus 8 6:19 (Van Leer)
7. Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota 5:26 (Dumee)
8. Neurotika 3:47 (Van Leer)
9. Brother 5:39 (Van Leer)
10. Blizu Tebe 6:38 (Dumee)
11. Flower Shower (Thijs Van Leer, Bert Smaak, Bobby Jacobs) - bonus track 5:41

MUSICIANS

Thijs Van Leer -organ; flute; vocals & vocalizes
Jan Dumee - electric & acoustic guitars; vocalizes
Bobby Jacobs - basses; synthesizers
Bert Smaak - drums
Ruben Van Roon - drums (on track 8)

REVIEWS

PREAMBLE - Certainly, like all of you, I salute Thijs Van Leer (welcome back to the Prog scene!), the founder and permanent leader of Focus, and thank him for reviving this legendary name by joining one of Focus's cover bands. Now however, let's see what the music of Focus MK-VIII is about. THE ALBUM - I don't know why the titles of a few tracks of this album are written in one of the East European Slavonic languages (and not even in Dutch!), but I can try to translate them into English. The meaning of De Ti O De Mi (5) should be the same as that of "I'm there where you are". Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota (7) sounds most likely equal to "Do everything to survive your life". Finally, Blizu Tebe (10) is nothing else but "Closer to you". And now, I can start to describe the new Focus album and, in addition, put into words my thoughts upon it. Stylistically, the music that is presented here brings to the listener not only the familiar, distinctively original, and immediately recognizable spirit of this Legend, but also a decent dose of something new, which wasn't typical for a 'classic' Focus. Above all, this concerns the sound of today's Focus, which, overall, is heavier than ever before, even though there is only one track on the album, the stylistics of which represents a real fusion of Classic Symphonic Art-Rock and Prog-Metal. This is the album's opener, Rock & Rio, which, at the same time, is much in the vein of Hocus Pocus from "Moving Waves" and, of course, includes inimitable joking vocalizes by maestro Van Leer and highly virtuosi (just brilliant!) arrangements that, moreover, are full of magic. Honest! By the way, all the eleven tracks on the new Focus album are either excellent compositions or masterpieces. No merely good tracks here, not to mention mediocre ones! While created in Focus's best traditions, most of the compositions on the album are, however, richer in the elements of Prog-Metal than in those of Jazz-Fusion. (Whereas before, the elements of Jazz-Fusion were much more typical for Focus than those of Prog-Metal.) In short, "Focus 8" sounds by no means like being the mould of Focus's classic style, but is a really fresh album by the band that is still capable to amaze. Here are the tracks, the contents of which completely conform to the predominant stylistics of the album, which is certainly Classic Art-Rock with elements of Prog-Metal and bits of Jazz-Fusion: Tamara's Move, Fretless Love, Hurkey Turkey, Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota, Neurotika, and Brother (2, 3, 4, 7, & 9). Two of them, Hurkey Turkey and Neurotica (4 & 7), are, on the whole, much in the vein of the aforementioned Rock & Rio (1) and Hocus Pocus and feature joking vocalizes as well. Structurally though, these two, and especially the second one, are closer to the band's most popular song than the album's opening track. Tamara's Move (2) is the only real song on "Focus 8". However, it features only a few vocal parts, all of which are of a quiet character and are in many ways similar to those on the title track of "Moving Waves". The album's bonus track, Flower Shower (11), is about a pure Classic Art-Rock where, however, everything sounds like being an excellent musical joke, even though the vocals, performed here by the two unknown, male and female, guest singers (lyrics are in German), are clearly operatic. Finally, all three of the following compositions: De Ti O De Mi, Focus 8, and Blizu Tebe (5, 6, & 10), sound like the classic Focus ballads (and these are the Classic Art-Rock ballads), though the second half of the album's title track is both slow and heavy. Also, these three are the only compositions on the album that don't contain any solos of flute. Here, the main soloing 'battles' develop between solos of guitar (that, by the way, are often not unlike those of Jan Akkerman) and those of Hammond organ. It must be said that varied interplay between solos of organ and those of electric guitar (most of which are harsh), along with solos of flute and, rather often, of bass as well, play a prominent role on most of the album's tracks. Unlike those of organ, there is the only bright solo of synthesizer on "Focus 8" - on the album's opening track, while the passages of electric piano are present only on the title track of the album. The solos and passages of acoustic guitar play a very significant role in the arrangements on Fretless. SUMMARY - What a wonderful return! The renovated Focus won't remind you of some of one decrepit Prog-Dinosaur decided to get back and make money on the wave of a revived interest to Progressive Rock. So, unlike PFM, Greenslade, and many others, Focus bravely stepped into the 'afterlife' and immediately took the bull by the horns with their truly hard-edged and highly progressive album "Focus 8". I heartily recommend this masterpiece and undoubtedly one of the best Symphonic Art-Rock albums released in the new millennium to all of the true Progressive Rock lovers. © VM: November 27, 2002, www.progressor.net/review/focus_2002.html

Focus 8 is a fantastic record by Thijs van Leer, Jan Dumée, Bobby Jacobs, and Bert Smaak, the new-millennium version of the band Focus. The instrumentals show real spirit and creativity without the bombast of the 1973 opus "Hocus Pocus," which branded the group forever as "progressive rock." Yes, it is still arty King Crimson meets Jethro Tull stuff, the flute taking even more of the space than an Ian Anderson might grant it, but there is something about this album that takes hold and makes for a surprising listening experience. The quartet somehow keeps the ostentatious aspect of the genre down to a minimum and puts the emphasis on serious explorations of what it does best. For an hour's worth of mostly instrumental prowess, it is quite an achievement. Where Tull's A Passion Play was a tedious listen, every title here rings out with its own personality, "Hurkey Turkey" speaking in tongues as the keyboards/guitar/drums converge with the bass and some strange vocal improvisations. "Blizu Tebe" also has great merit, the album displaying a cohesion one expects from Phish and other jam bands, a format one doesn't consider when thinking of Focus. The result is a dreamy blend of majestic instrumental melodies, a really stunning achievement for an entity that has gone through so many evolutions. It may be just another day at the office for this group, but it is quite a day, and with sufficient exposure, Focus 8 could bring in an entirely new audience in for this veteran act. A really special release. © Joe Viglione, All Music Guide

Who would have thought that an album credited to Focus would see the light of day in 2002? Not too many people, though one has to admit that the name is carried by one man alone, Thijs Van Leer. Originally there was talk of a Focus tribute band playing and recording material, though it seems that Van Leer opted to join in and subsequently also lent the name of Focus to the finished material. Technically this is a great album with proficient musicians, though one also has to admit that such a move also exposes all band members and their material to comparisons with any of the material that Focus had recorded in the past. A limited edition of 500 copies was hurriedly released prior to the band's Whitchurch festival with the same eleven tracks (including the bonus track!) featured on it finding their place on the finalised version. Apart from Thijs Van Leer the new Focus lineup thus features guitarist Jan Dumée, bassist Bobby Jacobs and drummer Bert Smaak. The only member of the band who remotely has some form of connection with the "old" Focus is Bobby Jacobs whose father was bass player and producer on Van Leer's Introspection solo albums. Admittedly I was slightly hesitant and apprehensive as to what I would find on this album, having heard much of the band's legendary works and being somewhat prejudiced by the name Focus. From the opening number, however, I was pleasantly surprised that even though most of the cogs in the wheel had been changed, the wheel was still turning in the right direction! The introductory Rock & Rio immediately sets the pace with remnants of Hocus Pocus feeding their way through with that characteristic yodel. However what really stands out is the way the band manage to conjure up that ear-friendly backdrop, enriched with strong blues roots in true Focus fashion. Tamara's Move is the right type of piece that allows Van Leer to step forward with his flute playing. The track itself has a number of folk references and is played out in an acoustic vein with the occasional pause via which the warm sound of the Hammond breaks forth. The same happens on Fretless Love which has classic Focus (Focus II to be precise!) written all over it as Van Leers' flute and organ playing combine beautifully with Dumée's guitar work which has a definite presence and feel. In fact one has to admit that the band on the album have stuck to a formula which seems to work well, though it does at times become slightly repetitive as happens on pieces such as Hurkey Turkey. As I said the presence of Jan Akkerman inevitably hangs over the band, and with pieces such as De To O De Mi and Focus 8, Jan Dumée shows all that he is actually more than capable of playing these intricate parts. Furthermore his contribution within the songwriting department does not go unnoticed. The titles are seemingly Croatian (Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota? and Blizu Tébe) and of course have the guitar as the main featured instrument. The mood is somewhat more jazzier and placid with a pleasant acoustic backdrop. The rehearsal take of Neurotika has much in common with Rock & Rio, as well as classic Focus and seems to have been included as a tribute to Ruben Van Roon who was the original drummer and it seems was the mastermind behind the original tribute band. Brother, on the other hand, is not new to the Focus faithful having appeared on the Focus Con Proby and is carried off admirably while Tamara's Move has 1974's Hamburger Concerto written all over it. The light-hearted nature of the recordings as well as the mood within the band is apparent when one listens to the bonus track Flower Shower, an undescribable piece of humorous banter that could have almost been attributed to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band! Though not a masterpiece, this album is an impressive return to form for the name Focus. The band are touring and might be one of the last chances to hear classical progressive rock music being played by one of the classical greats. Regarding the album, it is a definite worthy addition to anyone's progressive rock collection. Conclusion: 8 out of 10 © Nigel Camilleri www.dprp.net/reviews/200302.html#focus

Based on an idea to form a Focus tribute band as a surprise for Thijs Van Leer, the soon to be launched Hocus Pocus tribute band suddenly got another dimension when Thijs, amazed at what he heard, decided to join the band and, why not, call the band Focus, because that's exactly what it was. And because a new album would be the 8th official Focus album, why not make it easy and call the shiny silver disc 8? Prior to the official release of the album, a limited run of 500 numbered copies were pressed in time for the band's performance at the Whitchurch Festival. So will the same eleven tracks finally make it onto the official album? God only knows! We can only hope so because every single track on this album (except maybe the bonus track), breathes, lives and sounds like only Focus can. Whether the song is a Thijs Van Leer original or written by newcomer guitarist Jan Dumée, these guys deliver a sound quality only one band can produce and that's Focus! Van Leer still plays the flute, wrestles with the organ, hums and whistles as if we'd find ourselves merely a week after the band's memorable concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London. But that was ... 5th May 1973! Almost thirty years ago! So what about the new music? The yodelling is right in place for the opening track "Rock & Rio" which illustrates the band's enthusiasm regarding their South-American tour. And boy does that new guitarist smoke! Who needs Akkerman? Over the years, Van Leer has developped a way of playing the flute which is his very own, as if he's the Hendrix of the flute. It's exactly that distinctive sound which could make "Tamara's Move," the new "Hocus Pocus;" in other words a true classic in the making. As it's a song written by Jan Dumée, it illustrates how well the "new" Jan is acquainted with the Focus legacy. In fact, sometimes he's been listening so good that certain new songs get damn close to some "older" Focus material. Take the intro for "Fretless Love,"which sounds very much like "Focus II" from the Making Waves album. Based on a rhythmic backbone courtesy of Bobby Jacobs, Thijs' stepson, "De Ti O De Mi" once again evolves into pure vintage Focus material once organ and guitar step in, almost sounding like a "Hamburger Concerto" outtake. In a similar way we can approach what is the core of the album, the title track "Focus 8." Soft jazzy and acoustic guitar touches govern another Dumée composition: "Sto Ces Raditi Zivota" where Van Leer adds both organ and flute in order to give it that distinct Focus flavour. As kind of a tribute to drummer Ruben Van Roon who started the whole re-union idea, a rehearsal take of "Neurotika" is added, which is exactly the kind of song which fuses all of the highlights of the entire Focus career into one ball of renewed Focus energy. During live gigs Thijs Van Leer introduces the track "Brother" as one of his all-time favourite Focus tracks. Originally sung by P.J. Proby on the Focus Con Proby album, the band has decided to give the song a second chance this time with the flute replacing the vocal passages (although live it is Thijs who sings the by now immortal lines!). In his own "Blizu Tébe" (where does he get those names from?), Jan Dumée illustrates what a great asset to the band he really is. The album closes with a humorous operetta written and conceived in the shower. "Flower Shower" is indeed a funny thing to listen to, maybe hence the wording 'bonus track' as indeed it has very little to do with the rest of the album. It nevertheless illustrates the enthusiasm which can be found in this younger version of Focus. Maybe not all the material on Focus 8 is strong enough to be transferred onto disc straight away but that same enthusiasm simply drove these four people into the studio. Growing even closer together after the numerous concerts they have planned no doubt the new Focus is ready for a next chapter in its already well documented life. For sure Focus 9 is already cooking in their little minds, yet for the time being "it feels good to have you back guys!" © John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, September 2002 © Copyright 2002 ProgressiveWorld.net

SHORT BIO

Best remembered for their bizarre chart smash "Hocus Pocus," Dutch progressive rock band Focus was formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by vocalist/keyboardist/flutist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martin Dresden, and drummer Hans Cleuver. With the subsequent addition of guitarist Jan Akkerman, the group issued its debut LP, In and Out of Focus, in 1970, earning a European cult following thanks to the single "House of the King." Dresden and Cleuver were replaced by bassist Cyril Havermanns and drummer Pierre Van der Linden for the English-language follow-up, Moving Waves; the record generated the hit "Hocus Pocus," a hallucinatory epic distinguished by Akkerman's guitar pyrotechnics and van Leer's demented yodeling. Easily one of the flat-out strangest songs ever to crack the American pop charts, the single peaked at number nine in the spring of 1973, by which time Focus had already exchanged Havermanns for bassist Bert Ruiter and issued their third album, Focus III, which yielded the minor hit "Sylvia." In the wake of 1974's Hamburger Concert, the band streamlined the classical aspirations of earlier efforts to pursue a more pop-oriented approach on records like Ship of Memories and Mother Focus; though roster changes regularly plagued Focus throughout the period, none was more pivotal than the 1976 exit of Akkerman, who was replaced by guitarist Philip Catherine for 1978's Focus con Proby, cut with British pop singer P.J. Proby. Focus then disbanded, with the original lineup reuniting in 1990 for a Dutch television special. © Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

BBM (Baker, Bruce, & Moore)

BBM (Baker, Bruce, & Moore) - Around The Next Dream - 1994 - Capitol/Virgin Records (USA)

Bassist Jack Bruce, amd drummer Ginger Baker, former Cream members, joined guitarist Gary Moore in 1994 for this album, which has great prog rock and hard-rocking blues elements. "Waiting in the Wings," is slightly reminiscent of "White Room," but this is no bad thing, and the album has some great tracks played by three modern day blues rock masters. Bruce's voice is good, and his and Baker's blues instrumental work, while not in the Cream class, is competent, and Clapton's stand in, Gary Moore is Grade A. A very good album that should be listened to on it's own merits, and not compared to Cream.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

"Waiting in the Wings" (Gary Moore/Jack Bruce) -3:42
"City of Gold" (Gary Moore/Jack Bruce/Kip Hanrahan) -3:57
"Where in the World" (Gary Moore/Jack Bruce) -5:23
"Can't Fool the Blues" (Gary Moore/Jack Bruce/Kip Hanrahan) -5:15
"High Cost of Loving" (Alan Jones/Sherwin Hamlett) -5:14
"Glory Days" (Gary Moore/Ginger Baker/Jack Bruce) -4:23
"Why Does Love (Have to Go Wrong)" (Gary Moore/Ginger Baker/Jack Bruce) -8:47
"Naked Flame" (Gary Moore) -6:06
"I Wonder Why (Are You Mean to Me)" (Albert King) -5:00
"Wrong Side of Town" (Gary Moore) -4:00

MUSICIANS

Jack Bruce - vocals, cello, keyboards, bass
Ginger Baker - drums, percussion
Gary Moore - vocals, guitar
Morris Murphy - trumpet
Tommy Eyre - keyboards
Arran Ahmun - drums (played drums in place of Baker on "Where In The World". )
Morris Murphy - (trumpet on "Glory Days" )

Leon Russell

Leon Russell - Guitar Blues - 1995 - Leon Russell Records

A good album from the extremely talented Leon Russell. The guy has incredible credentials in the blues/rock/gospel sphere. He has played with, and produced some of the giants of rock music. He is also a great songwriter, and musician. This album is in no way pure or roots blues, but it has a great bluesy feel to it, and demonstrates Leon Russell's great musicianship and songwriting talents. Check out his brilliant self titled "Leon Russell" album. His album , "Carney" is another good early seventies album of roots/psychedelic rock.

TRACKS

1. Ways of a Woman
2. House of Blues
3. Rip Van Winkle
4. This Love I Have for You
5. Lost Inside the Blues
6. Dark Carousel
7. It's Impossible
8. My Hard Times
9. Strange Power of Love
10. Make Everything Alright
11. The Same Old Song
12. End of the Road

MUSICIANS

Leon Russell: Piano, Guitar, Bass Vocals
Teddy Jack, Buster Phillips: Drums

ABOUT LEON RUSSELL

The ultimate rock & roll session man, Leon Russell's long and storied career includes collaborations with a virtual who's who of music icons spanning from Jerry Lee Lewis to Phil Spector to the Rolling Stones. A similar eclecticism and scope also surfaced in his solo work, which couched his charmingly gravelly voice in a rustic yet rich swamp pop fusion of country, blues and gospel. Born Claude Russell Bridges on April 2, 1942, in Lawton, OK, he began studying classical piano at age three, a decade later adopting the trumpet and forming his first band. At 14, Russell lied about his age to land a gig at a Tulsa nightclub, playing behind Ronnie Hawkins & the Hawks before touring in support of Jerry Lee Lewis. Two years later, he settled in Los Angeles, studying guitar under the legendary James Burton and appearing on sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell. As a member of Spector's renowned studio group, Russell played on many of the finest pop singles of the 1960s, also arranging classics like Ike & Tina Turner's monumental "River Deep, Mountain High"; other hits bearing his input include the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," Gary Lewis & the Playboys' "This Diamond Ring," and Herb Alpert's "A Taste of Honey." In 1967, Russell built his own recording studio, teaming with guitarist Marc Benno to record the acclaimed Look Inside the Asylum Choir LP. While touring with Delaney & Bonnie, he scored his first songwriting hit with Joe Cocker's reading of "Delta Lady," and in 1970, upon founding his own Shelter Records imprint, he also organized Cocker's legendary Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. After the subsequent tour film earned Russell his first real mainstream notoriety, he issued a self-titled solo LP, and in 1971 appeared at George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh following sessions for B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. After touring with the Rolling Stones, Russell increasingly focused on his solo career, reaching the number two spot with 1972's Carny and scoring his first pop hit with the single "Tight Rope." While the success of 1973's three-LP set Leon Live further established his reputation as a top concert draw, response to the country inspired studio effort Hank Wilson's Back was considerably more lukewarm, as was the reception afforded to 1974's Stop All That Jazz. 1975's Will O' the Wisp, however, restored his commercial luster, thanks in large part to the lovely single "Lady Blue." In June of 1975, Russell married singer Mary McCreary; the following year the couple collaborated on The Wedding Album, issued through his newly formed Paradise Records label. Also in 1976, the Russell-penned "This Masquerade" earned a Grammy Award for singer George Benson. He and McCreary reunited for 1977's Make Love to the Music, and upon completing the solo Americana, Russell teamed with Willie Nelson for 1979's Willie & Leon. He then spent the next two years touring with his bluegrass band, the New Grass Revival, issuing a live LP in 1981; although Paradise shut down later that year, the label was reactivated for 1984's Hank Wilson, Vol. II and Solid State. Russell spent the remainder of the decade largely outside of music and did not resurface until issuing the Bruce Hornsby produced Anything Can Happen in 1992. The album appeared to little fanfare, however, and another long period of relative inactivity followed prior to the 1998 release of Hank Wilson, Vol. 3: Legend in My Time. Face in the Crowd appeared a year later. © Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

BIO (Wikipedia)

Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges on April 2 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma, United States) is a singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist. Russell attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is occasionally referred to as "The Master of Space and Time," a title he acquired around the time of his collaborations with Joe Cocker. First known mostly as a session musician, Russell has played with artists as varied as Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Spector and The Rolling Stones. With a solo career spanning the genres of rock, blues, and gospel, Russell began his musical career at 14 in Tulsa nightclubs. Two years later, after settling in Los Angeles, he studied guitar with James Burton, and worked sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell. After becoming a part of Phil Spector's studio group, Russell played backup on many of the most popular hits of the 1960s, including The Byrds, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Herb Alpert. He also served as Snuff Garrett's assistant on numerous productions. Russell built his own recording studio in 1967, and recorded his first LP, Look Inside the Asylum Choir, in a collaboration with Marc Benno. His first songwriting hit was Joe Cocker's 1969 version of "Delta Lady", and Russell went on to organise Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. The Russell-written "Superstar", sung by Rita Coolidge on that tour, would go on to be a big hit by The Carpenters, Luther Vandross, and others. Shortly thereafter, Russell released a solo album, Leon Russell, which included the original version of the popular "A Song for You". Also in 1970, Russell played piano on Dave Mason's album, Alone Together (notably, on the song "Sad and Deep as You"). During the 1960s and 1970s, Russell owned the Church Recording Studio on 3rd Street in Tulsa, which is now owned by Glen Mitchell and one-time Russell studio engineer Steve Ripley of the country band The Tractors. Russell still records there frequently, while his former home on Grand Lake, in northeast Oklahoma, still contains the famous dining room table and chairs made from church pews from his Church Studio. On the property stands a private recording studio that has seen many famous names, including members of The Beatles. In the summer of 1971 Russell was asked by George Harrison to play piano on Badfinger's third album, Straight Up. The piano which complements George Harrison's slide guitar on Badfinger's radio hit "Day After Day" is played by Leon from those Apple sessions. The sessions were interrupted because many of the musicians on Straight Up left for New York City to participate in the Concert For Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, at which Russell performed a memorable medley of the songs "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "Young Blood". Also in 1971 Russell played on recording sessions with B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. He also released two studio albums under his own name that year, Leon Russell And The Shelter People and Asylum Choir II. Further, Russell helped Freddie King to revive his career by collaborating with him on three of his albums for Shelter in early 1970s. In 1972, his album Carney reached #2 on the charts, fueled by the hit single "Tightrope". In addition, the LP contained a tune called "This Masquerade" that the Carpenters also recorded, and years later, would win a Grammy for George Benson. During the '70s, Russell continued to pop in occasionally and perform at the Paradise Club and other noted music spots around Tulsa. He surprised his fans one night by performing with Flash Eddy and the Eclectics at the Paradise. His 1975 album Will O' the Wisp was fairly commercially successful, as was its single "Lady Blue". Gailard Sartain, fondly remembered by Tulsans as Mezeppa Pompazoidi (a Saturday night movie host, joined many times by Gary Busey), did the cover artwork for the LP. Later that year, Russell married Mary McCreary, a former member of Sly & the Family Stone's background vocal group Little Sister. The two collaborated on The Wedding Album in 1976. In 1977, Russell and McCreary reunited for another album, and in 1979 Russell worked on a collaboration with Willie Nelson. He spent the next two years touring with the New Grass Revival, and released two more albums with Paradise before the label folded. For several years, Russell stayed largely out of the music spotlight, releasing Anything Can Happen in 1992, then two more albums in 1998 and 1999. He continues to tour at the age of 65. His bassist, Jack Wessel, has been with Russell close to 25 years. His son with McCreary, Teddy Jack (named after Gary Busey's character on Sartain's show), has also toured with his father, as have his sisters Tina Rose and Sugaree Noel.

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers - Spinning Coin - 1995 - Silvertone

A great album from one of the elder British bluesmen (b.1933). The guy, despite his long career has never achieved the fame he deserves. He never sold out to commercialism, and remains devoted to the pure blues form. Check out his 1966 "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" album and buy his 1972 "Jazz Blues Fusion" album.

TRACKS / MUSICIANS

1.When The Devil Starts Crying (4:12)
Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [Lead] - Buddy Whittington
Harmonica - John Mayall
Saxophone [Baritone] - Joe Sublett
2.Spinning Coin (4:39)
Acoustic Guitar - Buddy Whittington
Guitar [12 Strings], Harmonica - John Mayall
Percussion - Joe Yuele
3 Ain't No Brakeman (4:03)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Organ [Hammond], Electric Piano, Harmonica - John Mayall
Percussion - Dave McNair , R. S. Field
4. Double Life Feelings (5:05)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Synthesizer, Piano - John Mayall
5.Run (4:12)
Guitar - Buddy Whittington
Performer [Tribal Drum Track] - Joe Yuele
Saxophone - Joe Sublett
Synthesizer, Piano, Organ [Hammond] - John Mayall
6.What Passes For Love (5:06)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Organ [Hammond] - John Mayall
7.Fan The Flames (3:17)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Harmonica [Electric] - Juke Logan*
Piano - John Mayall
Saxophone - Joe Sublett
8.Voodoo Music (3:31)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - John Mayall
Guitar [Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Harmonica [Electric] - Juke Logan*
Saxophone - Joe Sublett
9.Long Story Short (4:17)
Guitar [Rhythm], Percussion - R. S. Field
Harmonica - John Mayall
Saxophone - Joe Sublett
10.No Big Hurry (3:10)
Acoustic Guitar [Lead] - Buddy Whittington
Performer [Washboard] - Joe Yuele
Piano - John Mayall
11.Remember This (6:58)
Guitar [Lead & Rhythm] - Buddy Whittington
Piano, Organ [Church] - John Mayall
Saxophone - Joe Sublett

Composers - David Grissom (tracks: 6) , Fontaine Brown (tracks: 3) , J.B. Lenoir (tracks: 8) , Jim Lauderdale (tracks: 1) , John "Juke" Logan* (tracks: 7) , John Mayall (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 10, 11) , Michael Henderson (tracks: 9) , R. S. Field (tracks: 9) , Willie Dixon (tracks: 8)

Principally recorded at The Clubhouse, Burbank, California in May, 1994.
MUSICIANS

John Mayall-vocals, organ, piano, guitar, harmonica, synthesizer
Rick Cortes-bass
R.S. Field-guitar,percussion
Juke Logan-harmonica
Dave McNair-percussion
Joe Sublett-saxophone
Buddy Whittington-guitar
Joe Yuele-drums, washboard, percussion

BIO (Wikipedia)

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE. Mayall used the band name between 1963 and '67 then dropped it for some fifteen years, but in 1982 a 'Return of the Bluesbreakers' was announced and it has been kept since then. The name has become generic without a clear distinction which recordings are to be credited just to the leader or to leader and his band. The Bluesbreakers have included luminaries such as Eric Clapton (April–August 1965, November 1965–July 1966) and Jack Bruce, who both left to form Cream, Peter Green, who had replaced Clapton, played until August 1967, when he departed with Mick Fleetwood and then also enticed Bluesbreaker John McVie a few weeks later to form Fleetwood Mac, Mick Taylor (August 1967–July 1969) when he joined The Rolling Stones, and reunion tours in 1982–83 and 2004. Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout, Larry Taylor (later in Canned Heat), Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Randy Resnick, Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser (Free), Chris Mercer, Henry Lowther, Johnny Almond and Jon Mark (later of Mark-Almond). The Bluesbreakers were formed in January 1963 and became an ever-evolving lineup of more than 100 different combinations of musicians performing under that name. Eric Clapton joined in 1965 just a few months after the release of their first album. Clapton brought the blues influences to the forefront of the group, as he had left The Yardbirds in order to play the blues. The group lost their record contract with Decca that year, which also saw the release of a single called "I'm Your Witchdoctor" (produced by Jimmy Page), followed by a return to Decca in 1966. The album Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (also known as The Beano Album because Clapton is shown on the cover photo reading a copy of the comic) was released later that year; it reached the Top Ten in the UK. Clapton and Jack Bruce left the group that year to form Cream. Clapton was replaced by Peter Green for A Hard Road, after which he left to form Fleetwood Mac. Finally, in 1969, the third Bluesbreaker-guitarist departed when Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones. By the time the 1960s were over, the Bluesbreakers had finally achieved some success in the United States. With some interruptions, the Bluesbreakers have continued to tour and release albums (over 50 to date), though they never achieved the critical or popular acclaim of their earlier material. In 2003, Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Chris Barber reunited with the band for John Mayall's 70th Birthday Concert in Liverpool — the concert was later released on CD and DVD. In 2004, their line up included Buddy Whittington, Joe Yuele, Hank Van Sickle and Tom Canning, and the band toured the UK with Mick Taylor as a guest musician.

ABOUT JOHN MAYALL

John Mayall was born 29th of November 1933 in Macclesfield, a small English village near the industrial hub of Manchester--a far cry at that time from the black American blues culture we are familiar with today. The eldest of three from humble working class origins, and in the shadow of WWII, this skinny English lad grew up listening to his guitarist father’s extensive jazz record collection and felt drawn to the blues. Strongly influenced by such greats as Leadbelly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith, and Eddie Lang, from the age of 13 he taught himself to play and develop his own style with the aid of a neighbor's piano, borrowed guitars, and secondhand harmonicas. John Mayall's first brush with fame, however, was not for his music. As a teenager, he decided to move out of the house, and, showing the signature eccentricities and artistic qualities that have added to his legendary status, he moved into his backyard treehouse. This gained him notoriety enough to receive newspaper attention. Even more so, since, upon returning from a stint in Korea, he brought his first wife Pamela to live with him there. From an art college training, to three years with the British Army in Korea, to a successful career in graphic design, his blues singing and playing took a back seat until he reached the age of 30. From 1956 until 1962, John was performing publicly on a part-time basis fronting The Powerhouse Four and, later on, The Blues Syndicate. It was then that Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated pioneered what was to become known as The British Blues Boom of the Late 60's. Alexis was quick to encourage and help John make his move to London where he soon secured enough club work to be able to turn professional under the name John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. After a couple of years and a constant turnover of musicians, he met his soulmate in Eric Clapton, who had quit the Yardbirds in favor of playing the blues. This historic union culminated in the first hit album for the Bluesbreakers and resulted in worldwide legendary status. After Clapton and Jack Bruce left the band to form Cream, a succession of great musicians defined their artistic roots under John's leadership, and he became as well known for discovering new talent as for his hard-hitting interpretations of the fierce Chicago-style blues he'd grown up listening to. As sidemen left to form their own groups, others took their places. Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood became Fleetwood Mac. Andy Fraser formed Free, and Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones. As Eric Clapton has stated, "John mayall has actually run an incredibly great school for musicians." In 1969, with his popularity blossoming in the USA, John caused somewhat of a stir with the release of a drummerless acoustic live album entitled "The Turning Point", from which his song "Room To Move" was destined to become a rock classic. He received a gold record for this album. Attracted by the West Coast climate and culture, John then made his permanent move from England to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles and began forming bands with American musicians. Throughout the 70's, John became further revered for his many jazz/rock/blues innovations featuring such notable performers as Blue Mitchell , Red Holloway, Larry Taylor, and Harvey Mandel. He also backed blues greats John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, and Sonny Boy Williamson on their first English club tours. The year 1979 proved to be a pivotal, transitional, and climactic year for John Mayall, both personally and professionally. With the public climate being at an all-time low for blues music, Mayall struggled to keep his live and recording career afloat. Personally, however, he began the 20+year relationship with his current wife Maggie (Parker, née Mulacek), a singer/songwriter from Chicago who had been hired with Harvey Mandel’s band as Mayall’s backup. And extreme misfortune came his way when a brush fire destroyed his hand-crafted and legendary Laurel Canyon home, taking with it his scrupulously-kept diaries, his father's diaries, master recordings, extensive book & magazine collections, Mayall artwork, and much much more. Determined to rise from the ashes, Mayall persevered. Motivated by nostalgia and fond memories, in 1982, John (together with Mick Taylor and John McVie) decided to re-form the original Bluesbreakers for a couple of tours and a video concert film entitled Blues Alive, which featured Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Etta James, and Sippie Wallace and others. A whole new generation of followers could get a taste of how it all sounded live two decades before at the birth of the British Blues explosion. By the time Mick and John had returned to their respective careers, public reaction had convinced Mayall that he should return to his driving blues roots. As John McVie returned to Fleetwood Mac and Mick resumed his solo career, mayall returned to Los Angeles to select his choices for a new incarnation of the Bluesbreakers. Officially launched in 1984, it included future stars in their own right, guitarists Coco Montoya and Walter Trout, as well as drummer Joe Yuele, who is still john's rhythmic mainstay. With onstage popularity gaining each year, the 90's kicked in with the release of several John Mayall albums that have set new standards in rock blues: "Behind The Iron Curtain", "Chicago Line", "A Sense of Place", and the Grammy-nominated "Wake Up Call" that featured guest artists Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Albert Collins, Mick Taylor. In 1993, Texas guitarist Buddy Whittington joined the Bluesbreakers and during the last seven+ years he has energized the band with his unique and fiery ideas. Making his recording debut on Mayall's "Spinning Coin" album , he has proven to be more than equal to following in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors. Since then, John released another two modern classics: "Blues For the Lost Days" and "Padlock On The Blues", (the latter co-produced by John and his wife Maggie, featuring a rare collaboration with the great blues legend John Lee Hooker,who has been Mayall's close friend since the early 60's). These albums have all garnered great reviews, critical and popular acclaim and represent Mayall's ongoing mastery of the blues and his continuing importance in contemporary music. In addition, he has released three CD's available on his new Web site. They are "Time Capsule" (containing historic 1957-62 live tapes-no longer available), "UK Tour 2K" (live recordings from the Bluesbreakers 2000 British tour), and a selection of solo performances from John entitled "Boogie Woogie Man". Mayall continues to strive to remain true to the timeless music that first inspired this skinny young British lad, living in the shadow of WWII, to teach himself the guitar, harmonica and piano so many years ago. On his 2001 release (under the banner "John Mayall and Friends"), "Along For The Ride", Mayall re-teamed with a number of his former mates, including Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, as well as ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Jonny Lang, Steve Miller, Billy Preston, Steve Cropper, Otis Rush, Gary Moore, Jeff Healey, Reese Wynans of Steve Ray Vaughan's band and Shannon Curfman for an amazing display of blues power at its finest. Produced by David Z, this album featured Mayall duets with soul great Billy Preston, blues legend Otis Rush and young blues/rock teen sensation Shannon Curfman. "Along For The Ride" also features the first appearance together in over 30 years by Bluesbreakers alumni Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, who last appeared together as members of the original Fleetwood Mac. Following the recording of this album, Mayall expanded the Bluesbreakers to 5 to include keyboardist Tom Canning, while Hank Van Sickle firmly anchors the band on bass guitar, with fellow veterans Joe Yuele and Buddy Whittington completing the powerful lineup. Barely back from touring in support of that album, Mayall returned to the studio in February 2002 with the Bluesbreakers. This time they recorded a BLUESBREAKERS album, without a string of guest artists, again produced by David Z. The outcome is the August 27, 2002 release "STORIES", which debuted the Billboard blues charts at #1. John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers continue yet another full year of touring in support of this incredible album and are making plans for exciting projects in 2003. As for the man himself, the father of six and grandfather of six, at 69 years young, John Mayall shows no signs of slowing down and plans to keep the blues alive for many years to come © www.johnmayall.com/history.html

Golden Earring

Golden Earring - 2nd Live - 1981 - Polydor

Good live album from the seemingly immortal Golden Earring who originally formed in 1961 in The Netherlands, and are still hard rockin' around the world. This album was recorded on their "Prisoner Of The Night" tour in Roosendaal, Holland in 1981. Sound quality could be better, but if you are an Earring fan, this won't spoil your enjoyment. Arguably, not as strong as their 1977 "Live" album, and "Radar Love" is not on the album, but it still has the great vibrancy of one of the world's greatest live bands. There are terrific versions of "Save Your Skin," "Sleepwalkin'", and "Slow Down." Buy their brilliant "Bloody Buccaneers" album, and there is info on their "Continuing Story Of Radar Love" album @ GE/CSORL

TRACKS

"Don't Stop the Show"
"My Town"
"No For an Answer"
"Heartbeat"
"Save Your Skin"
"I Don't Wanna Be Nobody Else"
"Long Blond Animal"
"Prisoner of the Night"
"Weekend Love"
"Sleepwalkin'"
"I Do Rock N Roll"
"Slow Down"
"Buddy Joe"
"Back Home"

Composers listed on CD back cover jpeg

BAND

Rinus Gerritsen - bass, keyboard
Barry Hay - flute, vocals
George Kooymans - guitar, vocals
Cesar Zuiderwijk - drums

ABOUT THE BAND

Best known in the U.S. for its hard rock material, Golden Earring has been the most popular homegrown band in the Netherlands since the mid-'60s, when they were primarily a pop group. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist George Kooymans and bassist/vocalist Rinus Gerritsen, then schoolboys, in 1961; several years and personnel shifts later, they had their first Dutch hit, "Please Go," and in 1968 hit the top of the Dutch charts for the first of many times with "Dong-Dong-Di-Ki-Di-Gi-Dong," a song that broadened their European appeal. By 1969, the rest of the lineup had stabilized, with lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Barry Hay and drummer Cesar Zuiderwijk. They experimented with their style for several years before settling on straightforward hard rock initially much like that of the Who, who invited them to open their 1972 European tour. Golden Earring signed to the Who's Track label, which released a compilation of Dutch singles, Hearing Earring, helping the group break through in England. 1974's Moontan LP spawned the single "Radar Love," a Dutch number one, U.K. Top Ten, and U.S. number thirteen hit. The group toured America opening for the Doobie Brothers and Santana, but the lack of a follow-up ensured that their popularity remained short-lived in America, even though they remained a top draw in Europe over the rest of the 1970s. 1982 saw a brief American comeback with the album Cut and the Top Ten single "Twilight Zone," but as before, Golden Earring could not sustain its momentum and faded away in the U.S. marketplace. All of Golden Earring's basic lineup has recorded as solo artists in Europe. "Radar Love" enjoyed a second round of popularity when pop-metal band White Lion covered the song in 1989. © Steve Huey, All Music Guide

BIO (Wikipedia)

Golden Earring is a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings (the 's' was dropped in 1969). They had international chart success with the songs Eight Miles High in 1969, Radar Love in 1973, Twilight Zone in 1982, and When The Lady Smiles in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and platinum albums. Current members of Golden Earring are Barry Hay (vocals, guitar, flute and saxophone, member since 1968), George Kooymans (vocals and guitar, founder of band), Rinus Gerritsen (bass and keyboard, founding member), and Cesar Zuiderwijk (drums and percussion, member since 1970). Golden Earring have sold millions of albums worldwide, and are perhaps the oldest rock band in the world that is still performing. March 13th and 14th 2009 Golden Earring celebrates its comeback in the UK with concerts in London and Ipswich after the upcoming release of their latest studio-album. Golden Earrings was formed in 1961 in The Hague by 13-year-old George Kooymans and his 15-year-old neighbour, Rinus Gerritsen. Originally called The Tornados, the name was changed to Golden Earrings when they discovered that The Tornados was already in use by another group. The name Golden Earrings was taken from a song, originally sung by Marlene Dietrich in 1947 and a hit for Peggy Lee in 1948, with which they opened their concerts. Initially a pop rock band with Frans Krassenburg as lead singer, Golden Earrings had their first chart success with their debut single Please Go, recorded in 1965. It reached number 9 on the music charts in The Netherlands. Unsatisfied with Dutch recording studios, the band's manager and co-discoverer Fred Haayen arranged for the next single to be recorded at the Pye Records studios in London. The record cut at Pye, That Day, reached number two on the Dutch charts, prevented from reaching number one by The Beatles' Michelle. In 1968, the band earned their first number one hit in the Netherlands with the pop song Dong Dong Diki Diki Dong. This was followed by a successful psychedelic album Eight Miles High, which featured an eighteen-minute version of the title track, itself a cover of the 1966 hit song by The Byrds. The live version, which could last 45 minutes, was considered by some to be a highlight in their first and second American tours, in the middle of the hippie and flower power era in the same year Woodstock was organised:1969. Golden Earring embarked on their first major US tour in 1969 - 1970, and were among the first European bands to do so. Due to American influences, their music evolved towards hard rock, and they performed along with Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Between 1969 and 1984, Golden Earring completed thirteen US tours. During this period, they performed as the opening act for Santana, The Doobie Brothers, Rush and .38 Special. In the early seventies, when Radar Love was a hit, they had KISS and Aerosmith as their opening act. They enjoyed a brief period of US stardom but were unable to secure further chart success until 1982's Twilight Zone. After a disappointing reaction in the US to When the Lady Smiles in 1984, Golden Earring turned their focus towards Europe where they continue to attract standing-room-only crowds. Golden Earring have recorded over 30 gold and platinum albums and singles. A number of artists like U2, White Lion, R.E.M. and Bryan Adams have covered their international hit and rock classic Radar Love. In total, over 200 covers exist of this song. In 1991, Golden Earring scored another hit in the Netherlands with "Going To The Run", a rock-ballad about a Hell's Angels motorclub member who was a friend of the band and died in a crash. The 'run' is how the Angels call their meetings, when they go driving their bikes together somewhere. The Russian rock band Aria made a successful cover of "Going To The Run". From 1992 to 2004, the band released three acoustic live unplugged albums, which became an instant success. Since 1992, they have performed acoustic unplugged theater-shows which continue to this date and usually sell out. The acoustic albums feature unplugged versions of famous hits of the band. Known for their powerful live performances, Golden Earring perform over 200 concerts a year, mainly in their home country of the Netherlands and occasionally in Belgium, Germany and the UK. These energetic live performances have been recorded on several live albums - Live, recorded at London's Rainbow Theater in 1977; 2nd Live, 1981; Something Heavy Going Down, 1984 (also released on DVD as Live from the Twilight Zone); and Last Blast of the Century, a live recording of their last concert of the 20th century (available on both CD and DVD). Furthermore, there are the acoustic live albums The Naked Truth (1992), Naked II (1997) and Naked III (2005). Their latest live album, Live from Ahoy 2006, is a DVD with bonus CD. Golden Earring have not toured in North America and other continents since 1984, however they still maintain a core group of loyal fans. They have never toured Asia, South America or Australia, although their music has always been released worldwide. It is still played on US, Canadian, British, Australian and other radio stations, and receives many awards. Their songs continue to top-rank in music polls, and are covered by many colleagues who are inspired by them. A new American and European tour is rumoured for 2009, although nothing has been announced officially yet. Currently, the band is working on their latest studio release, their first studio album since the 2003 album Millbrook USA. This album was recorded in Millbrook, New York state, at the studio of fellow musician Frank Carillo, indicating that the band has not lost touch with the US over the years. The new album is due for release at the end of 2008-early 2009. To promote the release of the album, Golden Earring will do two gigs in the UK fot the first ime in thirty years. One concert on the 14th of March 2009 at The Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and one show at Ipswich Regent theatre on March 13th 2009. Later in 2009, the band will possibly cross the Atlantic again and do a short promotional tour in the USA. Golden Earring celebrated their 47th anniversary in 2008 and have been performing almost continuously since their foundation in 1961. They have had the same unchanged line-up of the same four musicians and friends since 1970, augmented time to time with a fifth member. Along with the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, and Germany's The Lords, Golden Earring are one of the oldest rock bands that are still performing, and Golden Earring has arguably the most stable lineup of these veteran bands. For now, Golden Earring's gigs are scheduled on a "one month on - one month off" basis. The reason for this is mainly due to lead singer Barry Hay's relocation to the Dutch Antilles island of Curacao in the Caribbean, where he put up his new residence and lives during the band's time off. Golden Earring was one of the first major European rock bands to tour the United States, in 1969. They were at first inspired by The Beatles and other typical sixties pop groups like The Kinks. In 1966, Golden Earring performed together with The Kinks (famous for 'Lola') during a legendary concert in The Hague, Holland. On their first USA tour bands like Led Zeppelin and The Doors inspired Golden Earring's music and professionality. They saw that the Americans had very good soundsystems and electrical equipment. Later they were influenced by Pink Floyd, Santana, The Who when they performed together during their many American tours. In total, the band has been in over 40 US states, including Hawaii. Golden Earring has utilized many styles of rock and pop music; and in many of the over 400 songs they have recorded, you can hear influences of hard rock, rap, disco, folk, country, gospel and even Latin. In the past, their music was more psychedelic and progressive; this you can hear on albums like 'Moontan', 'Wall of Dolls' and 'Eight Miles High'. Golden Earring always seek ways to experiment with new styles and variations in the music they make. The band has always used the newest fashion in gear and equipment and were also experimenting with several PA systems, like quadrophonia, which would make Barry's flute sing trough the whole venue from all four directions where the speakers were positioned. Usually they are their own producers, backed up by other professionals. The band has developed a strong influence in the studio, because it is very important to 'catch' the typical Earring-sound in the recording-studio. This is why the band often plays together 'live' in the studio, so the original live sound is approached in the best way possible, instead of recording every vocal and instrument separately and putting them together in the final mix. Interestingly though, some of the best albums were not produced by the band themselves alone, but in association with 'fresh' producers with a cutting edge who have not been familiar with the typical Earring style and thus have been able to deliver groundbreaking performances.

Procol Harum

Procol Harum - Live In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra - 1972 - Chrysalis UK/ A&M US [ Re-Released in 2003 on Repertoire, with bonus track].

Great album from Procol Harum, which became a Top 5, million-selling album in the USA. The album contained strong versions of "Conquistador" and "A Salty Dog." Gary brooker was delighted with the album, and the big orchestral back up, and is quoted as saying,"We should have taken an orchestra with us around America. We would have had an 'Edmonton' every night. And that's why today we are Procol Harum and not Pink Floyd!" He underestimated his band with this comment, as PH released some classic albums, after this concert. Pink Floyd's and Procul Harum are both two of the most talented progressive rock groups of all time. Check out Procol Harum's brilliant "A Salty Dog" album. You should also listen to Robin Trower's great "Bridge of Sighs " album. There is info on Procol Harum's "Home" album @
PH/HOME
and on Gary Brooker's fine "Echoes In The Night" album @
GB/EITN

TRACKS / COMPOSERS [ Repertoire Issue]

1.Conquistador
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

2.Whaling Stories
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

3.A Salty Dog
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

4.All This and More
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

5.In Held 'Twas in I
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

6.Luskus Delph
Composed by Gary Brooker, Keith Reid
Performed by Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
with Da Camera Vocal Ensemble, Procul Harum

Recorded live at the Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on the 18th November 1971

MUSICIANS

Gary Brooker / lead vocals, piano, orchestration
Dave Ball / guitars
Alan Cartwright / bass
Chris Copping / organ
Keith Reid / words
Barrie James Wilson / drums
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
The Da Camera Singers

The album has had many different releases. Some LP copies of the album also have "Look To Your Soul" credited as "I Know If I'd been wiser". It was released on several labels, including Festival Records, Chrysalis UK, A&M US, Mobile Fidelity, and Repertoire, the Repertoire edition being the one posted here.

REVIEW

This whole album was an afterthought -- Procol Harum had been invited to play a concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the DaCamera Singers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in August of 1971, at the tail-end of their last tour with Robin Trower in the lineup. Amid all of the preparation -- including the writing of new orchestral arrangements by Gary Brooker and with a new lead guitarist, Dave Ball, just joining the lineup -- Brooker decided that it might be a good idea to preserve a professionally made tape of the show and suggested that A&M Records, to which they were signed, might want to record the performance; the label agreed with just a week to go until the concert. Even "Conquistador," the song on which the resulting album's commercial success was built, was added at the last minute, with no time for the orchestra to rehearse the arrangement that Brooker wrote on the flight from England. They did it cold, opening the concert, and the eventual album featured a performance -- highlighted by the orchestra's brass in a Spanish mode, running scales on the strings, and B.J. Wilson's powerful drumming -- helped loft the single to number 16 in America. The group's second-biggest hit record (after "A Whiter Shade of Pale"), in turn, helped lift the album into the American Top Five. Ironically, the success of the LP also left Procol Harum's image slightly askew, with the presence of the orchestra and choir and the selection of songs, from the most ambitious part of the band's repertory, all combining to present the group as more of a progressive rock act than they actually were. "Conquistador" was the most accessible song on the album, and nothing else here matches it for sheer, bracing excitement, but the rest -- especially "Whaling Stories" and "A Salty Dog" and the multi-part "In Held 'Twas I" -- were all opened up by the vast canvas provided by the orchestra, and the group didn't wimp out in their own performance; Wilson, Ball, Brooker, and company all played hard and heavy where the songs required it. [Note: Long out of print on CD, Procol Harum Live: In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra & the Da Camera Singers was finally reissued in August of 2002 by Repertoire Records in a newly annotated edition with one bonus track, "Luskus Delph," which was recorded at the same show and only ever issued on vinyl as a U.K. single B-side.] © Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

The Mobile Fidelity release has 10 tracks. Any info on this release would be appreciated by A.O.O.F.C. Details as follows -

1 Conquistador Brooker, Gary/Reid, Keith
2 Whaling Stories Brooker, Gary/Reid, Keith
3 A Salty Dog Brooker, Gary/Reid, Keith
4 All This and More Brooker, Gary/Reid, Keith
5 In Held Twas in I: Glimpses of Nirvana/'Twas Teatime at the Circus Brooker, Gary/Fisher, Matthew/Reid, Keith
6 In Held 'Twas in I: Glimpses of Nirvana/'Twas Teatime at the Circus/In Brooker, Gary/Fisher, Matthew/Reid, Keith
7 'Twas Teatime at the Circus Arlen, Harold/Brooker, Gary/Fisher, Matthew/Harburg, E.Y./Reid, Keith
8 In the Autumn of My Madness Arlen, Harold/Brooker, Gary/Fisher, Matthew/Harburg, E.Y./Reid, Keith
9 Grand Finale Brooker, Gary/Fisher, Matthew/Reid, Keith
10 Grand Finale Arlen, Harold/Brooker, Gary/Harburg, E.Y./Reid, Keith

ABOUT PROCOL HARUM [ Taken from Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Copyright Muze UK Ltd. 1989 - 2004]

Best known for the timeless "Whiter Shade of Pale," Procol Harum is generally regarded as a progenitor of the '70s prog-rock boom. In the late '60s, the group (led by singer/keyboardist Gary Brooker) combined British pop with classical-influenced motifs and intellectual lyrics (courtesy of non-performing lyricist/band member Keith Reid). By the '70s, the Procol Harum sound became more complex and sophisticated, closer to that of the prog-rockers they'd initially inspired. This soulful progressive rock band was originally formed in Essex, England following the demise of the R&B pop unit, the Paramounts. Gary Brooker (b. 29 May 1945, Hackney, London, England; piano/vocals), Matthew Fisher (b. 7 March 1946, Addiscombe, Croydon, Surrey, England; organ), Bobby Harrison (b. 22 June 1939, East Ham, London, England; drums), Ray Royer (b. 8 October 1945, the Pinewoods, Essex, England; guitar) and Dave Knights (b. David John Knights, 28 June 1945, Islington, London, England; bass) made their debut with the ethereal "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", one of the biggest successes of 1967. The single has now achieved classic status with continuing sales which now run to many millions. The long haunting Bach-influenced introduction takes the listener through a sequence of completely surreal lyrics, which epitomized the "Summer Of Love". "We skipped the light fandango, turned cart-wheels across the floor, I was feeling kind of seasick, the crowd called out for more". It was followed by the impressive Top 10 hit "Homburg". By the time of the hastily thrown together album (only recorded in mono), the band were falling apart. Harrison and Royer departed to be replaced with Brooker's former colleagues B.J. Wilson (b. Barrie James Wilson, 18 March 1947, Edmonton, London, England, d. 8 October 1990, Oregon, USA) and Robin Trower (b. 9 March 1945, Catford, London, England), respectively. The other unofficial member of the band was lyricist Keith Reid (b. 10 October 1946, England), whose penchant for imaginary tales of seafaring appeared on numerous albums. The particularly strong A Salty Dog, with its classic John Player cigarette pack cover, was released to critical acclaim. The title track and "The Devil Came From Kansas" were two of their finest songs. Fisher and Knights departed and the circle was completed when Chris Copping (b. 29 August 1945, Middleton, Lancashire, England; organ/bass) became the last remaining former member of the Paramounts to join. On Broken Barricades, in particular, Trower's Jimi Hendrix-influenced guitar patterns began to give the band a heavier image which was not compatible with Reid's introspective fantasy sagas. This was resolved by Trower's departure, to join Frankie Miller in Jude, and following the recruitment of Dave Ball (b. 30 March 1950, Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands, England) and the addition of Alan Cartwright (b. 10 October 1945, England; bass), the band pursued a more symphonic direction. The success of Live In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was unexpected. It marked a surge in popularity, not seen since the early days. The album contained strong versions of "Conquistador" and "A Salty Dog", and was a Top 5, million-selling album in the USA. Further line-up changes ensued with Ball departing and Mick Grabham (b. 22 January 1948, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England; ex-Cochise) joining in 1972. This line-up became their most stable and they enjoyed a successful and busy four years during which time they released three albums. Grand Hotel was the most rewarding, although both the following had strong moments. "Nothing But The Truth" and "The Idol" were high points of Exotic Birds And Fruit, while "Pandora's Box" was the jewel in Procol's Ninth, giving them another surprise hit single. By the time Something Magic was released in 1977 the musical climate had dramatically changed and Procol Harum were one of the first casualties of the punk and new wave movement. Having had a successful innings Gary Brooker initiated a farewell tour and Procol Harum quietly disappeared. In August 1991, Brooker, Trower, Fisher and Reid got back together, with Mark Brzezicki (b. 21 June 1957, Slough, Buckinghamshire, England; ex-Big Country) replacing the recently deceased Wilson. Unlike many re-formed "dinosaurs" the result was a well-received album The Prodigal Stranger, which achieved minimal sales. The revamped Procol Harum continued to perform throughout the decade, and in 2002 Brooker, Reid and Fisher returned to the studio to record a new album. Together with Brzezicki, Geoff Whitehorn (guitar) and Matt Pegg (bass), they released the excellent The Well's On Fire.

Catherine Russell

Catherine Russell - Sentimental Streak - 2008 - World Village

Vocalist Catherine Russell has what it takes -- and then some -- to draw the right kind of attention: worthy pipes, plenty of sass and class, and tasteful song selection alongside the ability to pen good original numbers. Her sophomore release, Sentimental Streak, blends jazz, blues and R&B into a knockout concoction that is sure to prick up the ears of those who listen. The songs featured here draw on the influence and catalog of sultry torch singers, blues divas, and Old Blue Eyes himself, all dished up like treasures unearthed from the deep. But it’s Russell’s spot-on delivery and confident grasp of the songs that packs the true punch. Closer study reveals that Ms. Russell’s talents should come as no surprise. Her father, Luis Russell, played piano in the 1920s alongside legends such as Hoagy Carmichael and Louis Armstrong (and songs from all three men are included on Sentimental Streak); her mother, Carline Ray, was a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and Julliard graduate. From her take on "Kitchen Man" to "My Old Daddy’s Got a Brand New Way to Love," many of the songs on Sentimental Streak are playful, flirtatious and bawdy -- so much so that the disc should really be subtitled "With a Hint of Humor." Take the hint and take a listen to this fabulously funny, jazzy disc. © Shannon Holliday, http://www.soundstage.com/

Brilliant jazz blues album, sung in the old time swing style. Catherine Russell has backed some of rocks greats, including Paul Simon, David Bowie, Al Green, and Isaac Hayes. She sang in the NY Rock ’N’ Soul Revue with Donald Fagen and was a backup singer with Steely Dan. She also contributed background vocals on Donald Fagen's classic "Kamakiriad" album, and as every Dan fan knows, the ultra perfectionist, Donald Fagen only uses the creme da la creme of musicians. Buy her superb 2006 debut album, "Cat." You should check out the great "Love Wants To Dance" album by Maria Muldaur @ MMULDAUR/LWTD for jazz blues music in the same vein.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. So Little Time (So Much To Do), (William J. Hill, Peter De Rose), Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra, arranged by Luis Russell
2. I’m Lazy, That’s All (Mackle), Pearl Bailey
3. Kitchen Man (Edna B. Pinkard, Andy Razaf), Bessie Smith
4. Oh Yes, Take Another Guess (Mencher, Sherman, Newman), Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb Orchestra
5. New Orleans (Hoagy Carmichael)
6. My Old Daddy’s Got A Brand New Way To Love (Mike Jackson), Alberta Hunter
7. South To A Warmer Place (Alec Wilder, L.R. McGlohon), Frank Sinatra
8. Thrill Me (E.Y. Harburg, Lewis Gensler), Lena Horne
9. You Better Watch Yourself, Bub (Nellie Lutcher)
10. I’ve Got That Thing (Luis Russell, Paul Barbarin, Walter Pichon), Luis Russell
11. I Don’t Care Who Knows (Willie Dixon), Harold Burrage
12. Broken Nose (Rachelle Garniez)
13. Luci (Catherine Russell)
14. You For Me, Me For You (Cecil Mack, James P. Johnson) Alberta Hunter

MUSICIANS

Catherine Russell - Vocals
Howard Johnson - Tuba
Larry Campbell - Guitar, Mandolin, Pedal Steel Guitar, Violin, Guitar (Resonator)
Rachelle Garniez - Accordion
Larry Ham - Piano
James Wormworth - Drums
Lee Hudson - Acoustic Bass
Steven Bernstein - Trumpet, Cornet, Slide Trumpet
Matt Munisteri - Banjo, Guitar
Brian John Mitchell - Piano
Byron Isaacs - Acoustic Bass
Steven Bernstein Horn Arrangements

REVIEWS

"Sentimental Steak," Catherine Russell’s follow up to her 2006 debut, “Cat,” is set to grab the attention of jazz fans everywhere. Coming from a musical family -- Russell’s father, Luis, was the long time musical director of jazz legend Louis Armstrong, and her mother Carline Ray, bassist and vocalist with an advanced degree from Juliard -- Catherine was always surrounded by music. It comes as no surprise, then, that "Sentimental Streak" is a very impressive collection of songs that showcase Russell’s vocal range. The fourteen track album is comprised of jazz, blues and torch songs that Russell handles with class, spunk and originality -– setting her apart from other vocalists in the same genre. A particularly impressive song, "I’m Lazy – That’s all" is a great example of her ability to bring her personal style to her singing, a quality that falls somewhere between the notes and is completely attributed to her graceful delivery. Listen to this album while you’re running errands on Sunday afternoon and you’ll get it. Stand out tracks: "I’m Lazy – That’s All" and "My Old Daddy’s Got a Brand New Way To Love." © Mindy Munizaga , © 1995-2008 by TheCelebrityCafe.com

Catherine Russell is blessed with a powerful voice, and unlike many rising stars, she knows how to use it. She doesn’t try to cram an onslaught of notes into a space that is too small, and she sings from her heart and soul rather than from her mind. It helps, of course, that she has been floating around the industry for years, supporting the likes of David Bowie, Paul Simon, and Jackson Browne. Throughout her sophomore set Sentimental Streak, she retreats from some of the more contemporary tunes — such as Sam Cooke’s You Were Made for Me and the Grateful Dead’s New Speedway Boogie — that had dotted the landscape of her debut Cat. In the process, she freed herself to focus upon the old-time jazz and blues songs that she undoubtedly has heard since her youth. To her credit, the resulting affair is decidedly more focused. If Sentimental Streak sounds, at times, as if it is steeped in the eclecticism of New Orleans tradition, it’s because Russell’s father Luis, for a few years at least, led the band that backed Louis Armstrong, one of the Crescent City’s greatest legends. Using an arrangement that was conceived by her dad, the album appropriately opens with the brassy swing of So Little Time (So Much to Do). Elsewhere, Russell delivers a wonderful rendition of Hoagy Carmichael’s New Orleans, and although it long ago became a timeless standard, she wastes no time in claiming it as her own. Even so, there’s more to Sentimental Streak than initially meets the eye. Curiously, Russell tapped Larry Campbell, an alumnus of Bob Dylan’s band, to produce the affair, and he, in turn, assembled a stellar cast of characters — Ollabelle’s Byron Isaacs and trumpeter Steven Bernstein, among them — to support her vocals. At times, though, they subtly steal some of her thunder. The biggest problem with Sentimental Streak, however, is that the sounds of a distant era are executed with such extraordinary precision that it begins to feel as if the endeavor’s sole purpose is simply to pay tribute to the past through replication rather than reinterpretation. As impeccable as the music happens to be, there is, to put it bluntly, too much reverence contained in the approach that Russell and Campbell took, so much so that even the pair of new tunes that she tackles — her own Luci and accordion player Rachelle Garniez’s Broken Nose — blend in a little too neatly with the rest of the set. For all of the subtle twists and turns that are given to the material, no true risks are taken anywhere on Sentimental Streak. Its arrangements are lovely, and Russell’s vocals effortlessly conjure moods that exhibit crushing heartache (South to a Warmer Place), feisty determination (Oh Yes, Take Another Guess), and playful sexuality (My Daddy’s Got a Brand New Way to Love). Yet, it also doesn’t add anything to or distinguish itself from the long line of recordings and performances by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, and Pearl Bailey from which it was constructed. © John Metzger [ First Appeared in The Music Box, February 2008, Volume 15, #2] www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2008/russell-sentimental-02052008.html

A swinging success in the style of lusty, big-hearted blues and jazz women such as Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey and Ella. In her second big-time CD, vocalist Russell scores a swinging success in the style of lusty, big-hearted blues and jazz women such as Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey and Ella. Her dozen-piece backing band should be credited for half of the success - it includes Steve Bernstein on cornet and trumpet and two pianists: Mark Shane and Larry Ham. Among the unexpected instruments that give the arrangements some great personality are pedal steel guitar, accordion, banjo and tuba. Catherine’s father played in some of the top New Orleans bands, and the note booklet has stills from a home movie made when Louis Armstrong visited their home when she was age 4 and picked her up (she doesn’t seem to appreciate the honor). This singer not only has the gutsy delivery but also sings totally on-key and with delicious phrasing and attention to the lyrics. Look over those song titles below for a preview of how attractively different this is from most vocalists’ programs. With so many so-so female jazz vocalist CDs coming across my desk, releases such as Catherine’s are a huge treat! © John Henry, 2003-2008, © Audiophile Audition

Ignoring both the smooth school of jazz vocals and the soft croon of Norah Jones, Catherine Russell digs deep into jazz and blues traditions on Sentimental Streak. One might call her approach old-fashioned, and it is, but the mostly acoustic arrangements and her resonate lower range sound fresh on Sentimental Streak. One might be reminded of the recent Erin McKeown album, Sing You Sinners, another fresh take on classic jazz. One pitfall that Russell--like McKeown--avoids is treating both the old and new songs she covers as serious and sacred. In other words, she offers treatments of "Kitchen Man" and "My Old Daddy's Got a Brand New Way to Love" that are fun. These two songs, pulled from the repertoires of Bessie Smith and Alberta Hunter, also remind one how easily classic blues melds with classic jazz. Russell's vocals are underpinned by lively, mostly spare, arrangements that vary from song to song, keeping Sentimental Streak from ever settling into a predictable groove. Likewise, she mixes ballads like "South to a Warmer Place" with groovier fare like "Thrill Me." Acoustically speaking, the pianos, acoustic and electric guitars, basses, accordions, and violins have also been recorded well. With Sentimental Streak, Russell has delivered an album that is easy to like and easy to recommend. © Ronnie D. Lankford Jr., All Music Guide

BIO
Recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY and produced by multi-instrumentalist/producer Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Willie Nelson, Ollabelle, Marie Knight), Catherine Russell and her swinging band have distilled the robust, good-time essence of Southern juke joints and lindy-hopping Northern dance halls, where confessing the blues was as good for the soul as getting frisky in the first place. The material, heard in arrangements inspired by Chick Webb, Hoagy Carmichael, Louis Armstrong, Willie Dixon, Frank Sinatra, and Ms. Russell’s own father, Luis Russell, and much of it originally associated with legends like Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, Nellie Lutcher, Pearl Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald, and Lena Horne, harks back to tales of lusty, big-hearted women who knew what was what and spoke out accordingly. Universal vignettes speak of how little time there is for what really matters, a sensuously unrepentant lady of leisure, a woman lamenting the loss of the culinary (and other!) talents of a departing lover and, memorably, of being caught in the clutches of ruinous vamp named Luci. Guided by the keen touch of Larry Campbell, Ms. Russell’s glorious voice once again reigns supreme, making every note count as she lovingly animates fourteen indelible songs with timeless appeal. The critical raves that greeted Cat (2006 -- WV 468063), Russell’s debut album on World Village, have understandably raised the bar for this, her sophomore CD. But from track one, it’s obvious that this impassioned and versatile vocalist is more than equal to the challenge! Ms. Russell’s late father, Luis Russell, was born in Panama and moved to New Orleans, and then New York where he became a famed orchestra leader and Louis Armstrong’s longtime musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, vocalist, bassist, and a graduate of Juliard, has performed with Mary Lou Williams and Wynton Marsalis. Born in New York City, Catherine attended Music And Art High School and graduated with honors from the American Academy Of Dramatic Arts. She has performed and/or recorded with Paul Simon, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Osborne, Madonna, Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, and David Bowie, among others, and participated in several gold-and-platinum selling recordings. Since the release of Cat, Catherine has taken her show-stopping intensity to major events like Tanglewood Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Chicago Blues Festival, while appearing on the nationally syndicated Tavis Smiley Show on PBS-TV, Mountain Stage Radio Show, and JazzSet on NPR. Cat spent weeks on JazzWeeks national airplay chart while one of its tracks, Back O Town Blues, reached the top Ten on I-Tunes Jazz Chart. Catherine Russell is that rarest of entities – a genuine jazz and blues singer – who can sing virtually anything. Her voice is full blown feminity incarnate; a dusky, stalwart and soulful instrument that radiates interpretive power yet remains touchingly vulnerable. She launches fearlessly into each tune, getting inside the melody and capturing every emotion. Whether she's shimmying through a barrel-house stomper, channeling fifties R&B, dragging her weary heart through a torchy juke joint number, or kicking up her heels honky tonk style, Ms. Russell can stand comparison to her greatest forebearers. © 2008 Concerted Efforts, www.concertedefforts.com/artists_russ.html

Don Nix

Don Nix - I Don't Want No Trouble - 2006 - Section Eight Prod

A terrific blues rock boogie album with the Memphis touch from the little known songwriter, musician, vocalist, and producer, Don Nix. He has worked with some of the greats of rock, including Albert King, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Isaac Hayes. Check out his great "Skyrider" album on which he contributes vocals, guitar and sax.

TRACKS

1 Hole in the Sky (3:06)
2 One Step Ahead of the Blues (3:09)
3 Hurt Somebody (3:58)
4 Memphis Man (3:02)
5 Smack Dab in the Middle (2:43)
6 Let the Wind Blwo (3:33)
7 Just About Had It (2:41)
8 Subject to Change (2:42)
9 Crazy from the Heat (2:56)
10 Hungry (3:01)
11 Addicted to You (3:44)
12 Getting on Board (3:57)

All songs composed by Don Nix

MUSICIANS

Larry Raspberry Bass, Keyboards
Russell Wheeler Keyboards
Greg Redding Keyboards
Jay Spell Fiddle, Keyboards
Jim Spake Saxophone
Ryan Cobb Harmonica
Greg "Fingers" Taylor Harmonica
Joel Williams Drums
Dave Cochran Bass
Dave Smith Bass
Marc Franklin Trumpet
Susan Marshall Vocals (Background)
Stacie Plunk Vocals (Background)
Jackie Johnson Vocals (Background)
Don Nix Vocals

REVIEW

Straight ahead Southern Fried Rockin' Roll Blues by the man who helped create it. Don Nix, is widely regarded as one of the founders of the Memphis Sound. Growing up in Memphis, he acquired a broad taste in music. The Mar-keys, "a Messick high school band" formed by Messick high school students, Steve Cropper, Don Nix, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Packey Axton. They made a record intended for local radio--Last Night. It became an internaional hit in 1961, establishing the foundation of STAX RECORDS. The group had follow-up hits (The Morning After and Popeye Stroll). After years of touring with the Mar-keys, Nix found his nitch creating and directing music production behind the scenes. Some of his productions include, Freddie King, Albert King, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Delaney & Bonnie, Bruce Channell, Joe Cocker and Leon Russell. In 1971, George Harrison asked Don Nix to put together a background soul choir for,"The Concert For Bangladesh." After that, Nix started his own recording career with Shelter Records. Since then, he has released 10 albums which continue to receive world-wide acclaim. This latest release is considered by all to be his best yet. cdbaby.com

ALBUM INFO / BIO

Songwriter Don Nix's latest CD, I Don't Want No Trouble, should attract a wide audience of music fans. Nix, an obscure music hero, helped create 'The Memphis Sound' by playing with Booker T & The MGs and other STAX musicians like Carla Thomas and William Bell. In one way or another, Nix has worked with The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Band, The Staple Singers, Albert King, Furry Lewis, Lonnie Mack, George Harrison, Charlie Musselwhite, Little Milton, Leon Russell, Freddy King, Eric Clapton, Isaac Hayes and Delaney & Bonnie. Nix wrote all the songs on I Don't Want No Trouble, his first studio release in 12 years. These 12 tunes concoct a low-to-the-ground tone. Nix augments a solid beat, bar-room piano, thick bass, gritty slide guitar and Memphis Horns into one strong brew. Nix wastes no notes on this collection. Nix knows the face of decadence, but now he plays the role of the ornery storyteller. Most of these songs could pass for STAX b-sides, and shames most contemporary rock bands who pretend they're authentic. Nix, like most great songwriters, operated as a student of American music; he learned all the styles before he began to play his own songs. On "Memphis Man" Nix sings: "Soaked in rock and roll/Dipped in country music/Divided by the blues" indicating he fishes where all the musical streams converge. Nix's mean slide guitar echoes through every song. "Subject To Change" sounds like some lost Allman Brothers song from 1971, while "Getting On Board" tells a tale of a wandering spirit whose ship finally came in. Solid albums like this by an old veteren should inspire music fans to go back and study the moves which got Nix to this point. You didn't get to hang around STAX sessions unless you really had something to say, or play...and those musicians left Nix a key to the office. I Don't Want No Trouble proves why Don Nix played with so many influential musicians. James Calemine, swampland.com

BIO (Wikiprdia)

Don Nix (born September 27, 1941, Memphis, TN) is a songwriter, composer, arranger, musician, and author. Although cited as being "obscure", he is a key figure in several genres of Southern Rock and Soul, R&B, and the Blues. He was instrumental in the creation of the trademark "Memphis soul" and Stax Records. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Nix began his career playing saxophone for The Mar-Keys, which also featured Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn and others. The hit instrumental single Last Night (composed by the band as a whole) was the first of many successful hits to Nix's credit. Without Nix, The Mar-Keys later evolved into Booker T & The MG's. As a producer, Nix worked with other artists and producers such as Leon Russell of Shelter Records, Gary Lewis and the Playboys in Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars, The Beatles' George Harrison and John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. One notable achievement was the collaboration with Harrison, Russell and many others in the production of The Concert for Bangladesh - a star-studded benefit concert at Madison Square Garden in 1971. Throughout his career, Nix worked behind the scenes as producer, arranger, musician and many other roles for artists such as Lonnie Mack, Furry Lewis, Freddy King, Albert King, Delaney, Bonnie & Friends, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Eric Clapton and many others. He wrote and produced many solo albums and with groups Don Nix and the Alabama State Troopers, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Band and Larry Rasberry and the Highsteppers. The song "Goin' Down" became a blues standard and was covered by Deep Purple, Marc Ford, Pearl Jam, Gov't Mule and many others.

Eric Bibb

Eric Bibb - An Evening With Eric Bibb - 2007 - M.C. Records

"Bibb's music is a fluid combination of acoustic, blues, folk, and gospel. His vocal delivery is at once smooth and gritty, and conveys his message with richness and warmth. © " Dirty Linen (p.47), www.fishpond.co.nz/Music/Folk/General/product_info/11611766/
A great album from Eric Bibb. This album is full of old fashioned blues, with a Gospel edge. Eric was inspired and influenced by Odetta, Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, Earl Robinson, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and many others. One critic has written that , “Eric’s singing and versatile guitar playing fuses a variety of genes to become a New World Blues.” Listen to the "Sisters & Brothers" album, a marvellous gospel-flavored blues collaboration that also features musical soulmates Rory Block and Maria Muldaur, and check out his brilliant "Diamond Days" album @ EBIBB/DDAYS

TRACKS

01. Good Stuff
02. Shingle by Shingle
03. Needed Time
04. Lonesome Valley
05. Don't Ever Let Your Spirit Down
06. Sebastian's Tune
07. Got to Do Better
08. Panama Hat
09. To Know You Is to Love You
10. No More on the Brazos
11. Right on Time
12. For You
13. In My Father's House
14. I Heard the Angels Singing

Recorded in 2002 at the renowned Basement Club, in Sydney, Australia.

MUSICIANS

Eric Bibb (guitar)
Dave Bronze (bass guitar)

REVIEWS

Eric Bibb’s “Evening with Eric Bibb” is a live album from a performer that comes from a talented musical clan. His father was a trained singer and his uncle was a famous jazz pianist, so Bibb was born to be an entertainer and he does so masterfully. The vigor Bibb brings to the album is exhibited through the appreciation shown by the audience’s applause. On “Needed Time” Bibb opens the song by telling the crowd how the song originated and who brought it to his attention. He then breaks right into sweet and unhurried guitar strumming as he emotes soulful lines such as, “Right now is a needed time. Is a needed time. Now is the needed time…I’m down on my bended knees.” This song could be taken as a declaration of love by some listeners or a pronouncement for immediate changes. “Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down” has a groovy rhythm to it combined with Bibb’s bluesy vocals for a track that informs listeners to never allow anyone to make them feel like the are not worthy. “You might slip. You might slide. You might stumble and fall by the roadside. But don’t you ever let nobody drag your spirit down.” This song seems to be an anthem by Bibb to his listeners to stand up and fight against anyone who threatens their self worth. With “Got To Do Better” Bibb introduces the song as one he came up with while watching the state of the world unraveling. The track talks about the upheaval that Bibb has seen documented on many newscasts. “Generation after generation raised in bitter tears. Confrontation after confrontation for too many years. Politicians gettin’ nowhere. Peace talks breakin’ down…We got to do better when it comes to the golden rule.” “Evening with Eric Bibb,” from Eric Bibb, is a breath of fresh air for lovers of good old fashioned blues with that bubbly live ingredient. Bibb’s affective timbre will touch listeners and make them get down into the thick of things right along with Bibb. © Sari N. Kent, © 1995-2008 by TheCelebrityCafe.com

Given his widespread club and festival performance reputation, it's surprising that folk/bluesman Eric Bibb has not released a live CD until now. On this 14-track set, recorded five years ago at Sydney, Australia's, renowned Basement Club, with only the lightly amplified bass work of his longtime associate Dave Bronze for accompaniment, Bibb offers animated versions of ten originals, a trio of reworked traditional songs (including the gospel-rooted "Needed Time" and the wrenching prison blues "No More Cane On The Brazos," which he learned from Odetta) and closes with a driving, handclapping rendition of one of Rev. Gary Davis' sanctified classics, "I Heard The Angels Singing." Bibb also casually personalizes affairs with brief but insightful introductions to most of the songs. Obvious Bibb-authored fan favorites that March evening comprise a forthright "Don't Ever Let Your Spirit Down" (dedicated to the memory of his famed godfather Paul Robeson), the encouraging social commentary "Got To Do Better," a breezy number about his trademark Panama hat and the Piedmont-styled "Right On Time" that pays tribute to another of his folk-blues heroes, John Cephas. A soulful love ballad "To Know You Is To Love You" and the brief, bouncy in strumental "Sebastian's Tune" (written for his then ten year-old son) along with a spirited, resolutely percussive version of the profoundly poetic love cry "In My Father's House," that remains a part of Bibbs' repertoire to this day, further reveal his versatility and roots-grounded sensibilities. As the house full of Aussies in attendance would say, "this one's a pearler!" © 2008 Sing Out Corporation, © 2008 Gale Group

ABOUT ERIC BIBB



Eric Bibb's music is a rich blend of the blues with elements of folk, country, gospel, and soul, thanks in part to his being the son of New York folksinger Leon Bibb, which afforded young Eric exposure to a wide variety of music and opportunities to meet performers like Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan. Bibb launched his career in Europe, performing at blues and folk festivals in London, Cambridge, and Dublin, sometimes with a full band and sometimes with slide guitarist Göran Wennerbrandt; he eventually settled permanently in Sweden, where he works as a music and voice teacher when not performing. Bibb's debut album, Good Stuff, was released in Europe in 1997 and the U.S. a year later; it was followed by Shakin' a Tailfeather in 1998, which featured producer Linda Tillery and a guest appearance by Taj Mahal. Home to Me arrived in 2000 and the enchanting Painting Signs followed the next summer. Natural Light appeared in 2003. This album was merely a prep for Friends, a star-studded cavalcade of performers and engineers that included Taj Mahal, Odetta, Charlie Musselwhite, Malian session aces Mamadou Diabate and Djelimady Tounkara, Martin Simpson, Kristina Olsen, Jerry Yester, and others. This record, far from being an overblown affair loaded with guests to cover a lack of imagination in song selection, is instead a virtual blueprint in how these outings should be done in the future. Its intimacy, warmth, and stellar execution make it one of Bibb's best. A Ship Called Love, dedicated to Curtis Mayfield, was released in 2005, and later that same year a single-disc retrospective, Livin', Lovin' and Doin', appeared from Hatman Records. The elegant Diamond Days arrived from Telarc Records in 2007. © Steve Huey & Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

BIO (Wikipedia)

Eric Bibb was born in New York, NY August 16, 1951 is an American acoustic blues singer/songwriter who is based in London, and launched his career in Europe. Eric's father, Leon Bibb, is a singer in musical theatre who made a name for himself as part of the 1960's New York folk scene. His uncle was the world famous Jazz pianist and composer John Lewis, of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Family friends included Pete Seeger, Odetta and actor/singer/activist Paul Robeson, Eric's godfather. Eric was given his first steel-string acoustic guitar aged seven. Growing up surrounded by talent, Eric recalls a childhood conversation with Bob Dylan, who, on the subject of guitar playing advised the 11-year-old Eric to "Keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff". Eric Bibb remembers from his early teen years; "I would cut school and claim I was sick. When everyone would leave the house I would whip out all the records and do my own personal DJ thing all day long, playing Odetta, Joan Baez, the New Lost City Ramblers, Josh White." At 16 years old, Eric's father invited him to play guitar in the house band for his TV talent show "Someone New". Bill Lee, who played bass in this band, was later to appear on Eric's albums "Me To You" and "Friends". In 1969, Bibb played guitar for the Negro Ensemble Company at St. Mark's place in New York. He went on to study Psychology and Russian at Columbia University, but did not finish these studies. Aged 19, Eric left for Paris, where he met guitarist Mickey Baker who focused his interest in blues guitar. He moved to Sweden and lived in Stockholm, where he immersed himself in pre-war blues and the newly discovered World Music scene, while he continued to write and perform. The album "Good Stuff" was released in 1997 on Opus 3 and American label Earthbeat. Eric signed to the British based Code Blue label, but only released one album: "Me to You", featuring appearances from some of Bibb's personal heroes: Pops and Mavis Staples, and Taj Mahal. This was followed by tours of the UK, USA, Canada, France, Sweden and Germany. In the late 90's Eric joined forces with his then manager Alan Robinson, to form Manhaton Records, in Britain. The albums "Home to Me" (1999), "Roadworks" (2000) and "Painting Signs" (2001) followed, as did another Opus 3 release, "Just Like Love". After that, "A Family Affair" (2002) - the first ever album recorded together by father and son - Leon & Eric Bibb. "Natural Light" then "Friends" - 15 tracks featuring Eric duetting with friends and musicians he has met on his travels such as Taj Mahal, Odetta, Charlie Musselwhite, Guy Davis, Mamadou Diabate and Djelimady Toukara. Eric has appeared on major TV and radio shows including Later with Jools Holland and The Late Late Show. Eric and his band have played at most of the world's major festivals including Glastonbury (twice) and the Cambridge Folk Festival in the UK. He joined Robert Cray on two U.S. tours in 2001 and 2002 and opened for Bonnie Raitt on a recent UK tour, and Ray Charles in the summer of 2002. In 2005 "A Ship Called Love" (Telarc CD-83629) was released and Eric went on another successful world tour, including a major 30-date US tour with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Robben Ford . "A Ship Called Love" was nominated for Acoustic Album of the Year in the 2006 Blues Music Awards. In 2006 "Praising Peace" the Leon Bibb/Eric Bibb tribute to Paul Robeson, was released on Stony Plain Records. While in September "Diamond Days" was also released (Telarc CD-83660). It was produced by Glen Scott and recorded in UK, Sweden and Canada. It includes a live recording of 'In My Father's House' featuring Eric's long-time recording and touring partner Dave Bronze (Eric Clapton Band). As usual, there is a world tour resulting from this release. Eric's talent for both performing and songwriting has been recognised with a Grammy Nomination (for "Shakin' a Tailfeather") and 4 W. C. Handy Award nominations (for the albums "Spirit and the Blues" and "Home To Me"; for 'Kokomo' as Best Acoustic Blues Song of the Year, and for Best Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year). His songs have featured on TV shows such as BBC TV's Eastenders and Casualty, and The District in the USA. Eric's version of I Heard the Angels Singin was included in the feature film 'The Burial Society' and Eric appears on Jools Holland's double platinum-selling album "Small World, Big Band", singing his own composition 'All That You Are'. In Australia, Eric has appeared several times on ABC national television on the 'Live At The Basement' series. Eric has an ability to meld traditional blues styles with more contemporary sounds. As one critic put it "Eric's singing and versatile guitar playing fuses a variety of genres to become a New World Blues". "Eric is one of the new, young singers that has appeared on the scene that, much to my delight, has a great voice, is an excellent performer and has a great knowledge about the roots of this music" - Taj Mahal