Thursday, July 06, 2017

NEW MUSIC: COOL HEAT – THE BEST OF CTI RECORDS; KETTY LESTER – LOVE IS FOR EVERYONE; JAY RAYNER QUARTER - A NIGHT OF FOOD AND AGONY

COOL HEAT – THE BEST OF CTI RECORDS (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

CTI Records is one of the coolest Jazz labels ever. Robinsongs brings you perhaps the definitive round up of cool tracks to be released by CTI Records and affiliated label Kudu on a Double CD.  "Cool Heat - The Best Of CTI Records" includes all the full length album versions of the hits by the likes of Deodato 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' better known as 2001 A Space Odyssey, 'Could Heaven Ever Be Like This' by Idris Muhammad, 'What A Difference A Day Makes' by Esther Phillips and 'Jaws' by Lalo Schifrin. Plus, the much sought after George "Bad" Benson single 'Supership'. Plus, great Jazz Funk classics by Bob James' 'Westchester Lady' and Johnny Hammond's 'Breakout'. You will also find some great album cuts by the likes of Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Farrell & Stanley Turrentine. Nina Simone's 'Baltimore' the Randy Newman penned Reggae influenced protest song is also included in this fantastic package. . Check out Lonnie Smith's 'Mama Wailer' from his only CTI album of the same name, you won't be disappointed. Also, you get the added bonus of Deodato's disco infused 'Super Strut' and the haunting 'Home Is Where The Hatred Is' by Esther Phillips. This package also includes liner notes from MOJO & Record Collector journalist Charles Waring.

KETTY LESTER – LOVE IS FOR EVERYONE

Ketty Lester's 1962 version of "Love Letters", a song originally composed by Victor Young and Edward Heyman for the motion picture of the same name which starred Jennifer Jones, forever linked her to that exclusive club, "the one-hit wonder". Here Jasmine have put together a charming collection which opens of course with the album "Love Letters" which appears in its entirety along with a selection of bonus singles which include "But Not For Me", "You Can't Fool A Fool" and "This Land is Your Land" which were all minor hits for her. These lovingly remastered tracks prove that along with being a successful actress she was also a superb song stylist and hopefully this collection of 20 tracks goes someway to lift the "one hit-wonder" tag. Includes fully detailed liner notes.


THE JAY RAYNER QUARTER - A NIGHT OF FOOD AND AGONY

Jay, voted the most influential food and drink journalist in Britain by his peers, is notorious for his acerbic wit as a critic both in print and on television. He is the author of ten books, fiction and non-fiction, appears regularly on TV 8722; including on the soon-to-launch Tried and Tasted for Channel 4 8722; and presents The Kitchen Cabinet for BBC Radio 4. Alongside all this he has a career as a jazz pianist, performing with his quartet everywhere from the Bath International Festival and Pizza Express Live in Soho to the world-famous Ronnie Scott's. A Night Of Food And Agony captures the atmosphere of the quartet's live shows as Jay examines the relationship between jazz and two key themes in his life: food and drink; and growing up with mother Claire Rayner, the renowned agony aunt and sex advice columnist. Jay is accompanied on bass by Robert Rickenberg, a formidably inventive player who rose to prominence with the Sheena Davis group and who has accompanied jazz greats such as Will Gaines and Mark Murphy, as well as pop diva Kylie Minogue. On sax is the highly-regarded Dave Lewis whose lyrical breaks power the groove in his own band, 1Up, and have seen him accompany the likes of Lamont Dozier, Bryan Ferry and Eric Clapton. But what completes the show is the compelling vocal performance from the extraordinary Pat Gordon-Smith, who gets right inside every lyric. There's a special chemistry between Pat and Jay too 8722; which isn't surprising given they're married to each other. This isn't mere nepotism; it's good fortune. Pat has been singing longer than Jay has been playing, and has spent time training with the legendary jazz singer Liane Carroll.


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