SKYDOG: THE DUANE ALLMAN RETROSPECTIVE CHRONICLES GROUNDBREAKING GUITARIST’S CAREER, FROM GARAGE BANDS AND R&B SESSION WORK TO THE ALLMAN BROTHERS

Seven CD set, due out March 5 on Rounder Records, includes rare recordings by Allman’s early bands: the Escorts, Allman Joys, the 31st of February, and the Bleus. Extensive liner notes are accompanied by a tribute from Allman’s daughter.

Even if he’d never formed the Allman Brothers Band, Duane Allman would be a major figure in American popular music. Long before his name became known to mainstream audiences, he had already established his credentials as a once-in-a-lifetime guitar visionary, leaving his unmistakable stamp on a broad array of recordings. On March 5, 2013, Rounder Records, a division of Concord Music Group, will release the most ambitious retrospective of Allman’s short but influential career titled Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective.

The deluxe seven-disc collection, carrying a list price of $139.98, contains the guitarist’s best-known and most commercially successful recordings with the Allman Brothers Band and Derek & the Dominos, as well as session work with Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Boz Scaggs, Clarence Carter, King Curtis, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Ronnie Hawkins, Otis Rush, Laura Nyro, Lulu, the Sweet Inspirations, Laura Lee, Spencer Wiggins, Arthur Conley, Willie Walker, the Lovelles, the Soul Survivors, Johnny Jenkins, John Hammond, Doris Duke, Eric Quincy Tate, Herbie Mann and more.

The set was produced by Galadrielle Allman (Duane’s daughter) and two-time Grammy® winning producer Bill Levenson. Rounder Records’ Scott Billington served as executive producer. Scott Schinder contributed comprehensive historical liner notes, complemented by additional notes by Galadrielle Allman.

In her recollection of her father, who died when she was a young child, Galadrielle writes, “I am very lucky that my father is Duane Allman, an artist who left behind a wealth of incredible music . . . Working on this retrospective, I have gotten closer than I ever have been to understanding my father’s development as a musician and a man.”

Duane Allman, known to his bandmates as Skydog, was born in Nashville in 1946. With Gregg, his only sibling, Duane had his first moment of musical revelation upon witnessing a late ’50s R&B bill that featured B.B. King and Jackie Wilson. By 1960, both Duane and Gregg owned guitars and played in a series of neighborhood garage bands in Tennessee and Florida. Continuing their interest in blues and R&B in the shadow of blues radio station WLAC-AM’s continent-spanning signal, as well as absorbing the influence of the British Invasion, the brothers launched the Escorts in 1965 and the Allman Joys, who recorded a handful of sides in Bradley’s Barn in Nashville in 1966. By 1967, Duane and Gregg signed to Liberty as the Hour Glass and recorded two albums in Nashville and Los Angeles. When the band sought to defy the label and spread its musical wings, they were dropped. The brothers returned to Florida, hooked up with drummer Butch Trucks, and recorded two sides as the 31st of February, and later at Ardent Studio in Memphis as the Bleus.

By this time Duane had developed a reputation as a leading session guitarist. He was on Fame Studio’s A list, his guitar licks coloring hits by Wilson Pickett. Atlantic Records producer and executive Jerry Wexler took note and hired him to perform on Atlantic sessions by King Curtis, Otis Rush, Arthur Conley, the Soul Survivors and Sweet Inspirations. Wexler signed him to a solo Atlantic deal, resulting in a session that contained the raucous original “Happily Married Man” and more. The session, contained on the Skydog set, was abandoned mid-stream. But by then Capricorn Records’ Phil Walden had noticed the rumblings from Muscle Shoals. Duane gathered up brother Gregg, Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson and others and the Allman Brothers Band was born.

According to reissue annotator Schinder, “The [Allman Brothers Band’s] music was complex and adventurous, yet unfailingly accessible. The subtle and harmonic interplay between Duane and Dickey’s dual lead guitars was matched by the three-man rhythm section’s surging, swinging cross-rhythms, with Gregg’s massively expressive singing and organ playing keeping the music firmly grounded in human emotion.” The band’s profile grew with each release — the self-titled debut, Idlewild South and eventually the band’s breakthrough, At Fillmore East.

Testament to his energy and ambition, Duane still found time for side projects. When bandmates would hole up at home after tours, Duane joined fellow world-class guitarist Eric Clapton on Derek & the Dominos’ Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. While not an official member, he quickly emerged as a major contributor to the classic album, his twin guitar interplay with Clapton shaping the hits “Layla” and “Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad.” He also worked with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends and Laura Nyro between Allman Brothers Band projects.

By then acknowledged as one of rock’s premier guitarists, Duane and the Allman Brothers Band began recording their follow-up to At Fillmore East — Eat a Peach. Tom Dowd, another legendary Atlantic house producer, oversaw sessions at Criteria Studios. Then on October 29, 1971, four days after Fillmore had been certified gold, Duane was riding his motorcycle and swerved to avoid hitting a truck. He crashed and died of internal injuries. He was 24 years old.

 The band forged ahead as a quintet on Eat a Peach, which became one of their best selling albums. The Allman Brothers, led by Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks, continue to perform to this day.

Schinder notes, “More than four decades after his death, Duane Allman remains a towering figure whose stature has only increased in his absence. His influence lives on, not only in the multiple generations of guitarists who have been motivated by his input, but also in the legions of listeners who have continued to find inspiration in his vibrant vision of American music, which remains as fresh and truthful today as when it was created.”

“When a musician of my father’s caliber dies, every note he ever recorded becomes even more precious,” writes Galadrielle. “Each song is pressed into the service of telling his story. The longer Duane is gone, the clearer it becomes that there will never be another like him.”

Over seven discs, Skydog tells the Duane Allman story with rare and never-before-heard gems alongside smash hits.

“I hope the celebration of Duane’s life inspires you to live fearlessly and enjoy life,” Galadrielle concludes. “I know that would have made him proud.”

Disc One
1 THE ESCORTS Turn On Your Love Light 2:33
2 THE ESCORTS No Name Instrumental 3:13
3 THE ESCORTS What’d I Say 4:04
4 THE ALLMAN JOYS Spoonful 2:27
5 THE ALLMAN JOYS Gotta Get Away 2:38
6 THE ALLMAN JOYS Shapes Of Things 2:47
7 THE ALLMAN JOYS Crossroads 3:32
8 THE ALLMAN JOYS Mister, You’re A Better Man Than I 4:45
9 THE ALLMAN JOYS Lost Woman 5:23
10 HOUR GLASS Cast Off All My Fears 3:31
11 HOUR GLASS I’ve Been Trying 2:39
12 HOUR GLASS Nothing But Tears 2:29
13 HOUR GLASS Power Of Love 2:51
14 HOUR GLASS Down In Texas 3:08
15 HOUR GLASS Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) 3:01
16 HOUR GLASS B.B. King Medley 7:07
17 HOUR GLASS Been Gone Too Long 3:03
18 HOUR GLASS Ain’t No Good To Cry 3:08
19 31ST OF FEBRUARY Morning Dew 3:46
20 31ST OF FEBRUARY Melissa 3:12
21 THE BLEUS Milk And Honey 2:34
22 THE BLEUS Leavin’ Lisa 2:43
23 THE BLEUS Julianna’s Gone 2:59

Disc Two
1 CLARENCE CARTER The Road Of Love 2:54
2 CLARENCE CARTER Light My Fire 2:49
3 WILSON PICKETT Hey Jude 4:06
4 WILSON PICKETT Toe Hold 2:49
5 WILSON PICKETT My Own Style Of Loving 2:41
6 WILSON PICKETT Born to Be Wild 2:45
7 LAURA LEE It’s How You Make It Good 2:32
8 LAURA LEE It Ain’t What You Do (But How You Do It) 2:05
9 SPENCER WIGGINS I Never Loved A Woman (The Way I Love You) 3:01
10 ARTHUR CONLEY Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da 3:00
11 ARTHUR CONLEY Stuff You Gotta Watch 2:15
12 ARTHUR CONLEY Speak Her Name 2:39
13 ARTHUR CONLEY That Can't Be My Baby 2:22
14 WILLIE WALKER A Lucky Loser 2:20
15 THE LOVELLES I'm Coming Today 2:59
16 THE LOVELLES Pretending Dear 2:38
17 ARETHA FRANKLIN The Weight 2:53
18 ARETHA FRANKLIN It Ain't Fair 3:22
19 SOUL SURVIVORS Darkness 2:56
20 SOUL SURVIVORS Tell Daddy 2:30
21 SOUL SURVIVORS Got Down On Saturday 3:10
22 KING CURTIS Hey Joe 2:56
23 KING CURTIS Foot Pattin' 4:49
24 KING CURTIS Games People Play 2:46
25 KING CURTIS The Weight 2:47
26 THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS Get A Little Order 2:06

Disc Three
1 THE BARRY GOLDBERG BLUES BAND Twice A Man 4:26
2 DUANE ALLMAN Goin' Down Slow 8:44
3 DUANE ALLMAN No Money Down 3:25
4 DUANE ALLMAN Happily Married Man 2:40
5 OTIS RUSH Me 2:55
6 OTIS RUSH Reap What You Sow 4:53
7 OTIS RUSH It Takes Time 3:25
8 THE DUCK & THE BEAR Going Up The Country 2:34
9 THE DUCK & THE BEAR Hand Jive 2:41
10 BOZ SCAGGS Finding Her 4:10
11 BOZ SCAGGS Look What I Got 4:13
12 BOZ SCAGGS Waiting For A Train 2:41
13 BOZ SCAGGS Loan Me A Dime 13:01
14 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Don't Want You No More 2:26
15 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND It's Not My Cross To Bear 5:01
16 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Black Hearted Woman 5:07
17 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Trouble No More 3:45

Disc Four
1 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Every Hungry Woman 4:13
2 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Dreams 7:16
3 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Whipping Post 5:16
4 RONNIE HAWKINS One More Night 2:22
5 RONNIE HAWKINS Will The Circle Be Unbroken 2:50
6 RONNIE HAWKINS Matchbox 3:05
7 RONNIE HAWKINS Down In The Alley 5:08
8 RONNIE HAWKINS Who Do You Love 2:13
9 LULU Marley Purt Drive 3:21
10 LULU Dirty Old Man 2:20
11 LULU Mr. Bojangles 3:08
12 LULU Sweep Around Your Own Back Door 2:40
13 JOHNNY JENKINS I Walk On Gilded Splinters 5:16
14 JOHNNY JENKINS Rollin’ Stone 4:56
15 JOHNNY JENKINS Down Along The Cove 3:02
16 JOHNNY JENKINS Voodoo In You 4:50
17 JOHN HAMMOND Shake For Me 2:42
18 JOHN HAMMOND Cryin’ For My Baby 2:39
19 JOHN HAMMOND I’m Leavin’ You 3:20
20 JOHN HAMMOND You’ll Be Mine 2:42
21 DORIS DUKE Ghost Of Myself 3:06

Disc Five
1 ERIC QUINCY TATE Comin’ Down (demo version) 2:52
2 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Hoochie Coochie Man (live) 5:00
3 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Midnight Rider 2:58
4 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Dimples (live) 4:59
5 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (live) 9:21
6 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Soul Shake 3:06
7 LAURA NYRO Beads Of Sweat 4:47
8 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ 3:28
9 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Living On The Open Road 3:03
10 ELLA BROWN A Woman Left Lonely 3:23
11 ELLA BROWN Touch Me 2:59
12 BOBBY LANCE More Than Enough Rain 5:51
13 DEREK & THE DOMINOS I Am Yours 3:34
14 DEREK & THE DOMINOS Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad? 4:41
15 DEREK & THE DOMINOS Have You Ever Loved A Woman 6:52
16 DEREK & THE DOMINOS Layla 7:03
17 ERIC CLAPTON & DUANE ALLMAN Mean Old World 3:48

Disc Six
1 SAM SAMUDIO Me And Bobby McGee 3:31
2 SAM SAMUDIO Relativity 3:14
3 SAM SAMUDIO Goin' Upstairs 5:06
4 RONNIE HAWKINS Don't Tell Me Your Troubles 2:13
5 RONNIE HAWKINS Sick And Tired 2:45
6 RONNIE HAWKINS Odessa 3:19
7 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Gift Of Love 2:09
8 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Sing My Way Home 4:02
9 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Statesboro Blues (live) 4:17
10 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed (live) 13:04
11 GRATEFUL DEAD Sugar Magnolia (live) 7:20
12 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND One Way Out (live) 4:57
13 HERBIE MANN Push Push 10:03
14 HERBIE MANN Spirit In The Dark 7:59
15 HERBIE MANN What’d I Say 4:57

Disc Seven
1 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Come On In My Kitchen (live) 3:42
2 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Going Down The Road Feeling Bad (live) 4:03
3 DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS Poor Elijah / Tribute To Johnson (Medley) (live) 4:54
4 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND You Don't Love Me / Soul Serenade (live) 19:25
5 COWBOY Please Be With Me 3:41
6 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Stand Back 3:24
7 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Blue Sky 5:09
8 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Blue Sky (live) 11:24
9 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Dreams (live) 17:56
10 THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Little Martha 2:07

THE GRAHAM BOND ORGANIZATION - WADE IN THE WATER: CLASSICS, ORIGINS & ODDITIES (4-CD SET)

An amazing collection of work from the legendary Graham Bond – a 60s Hammond player who was incredibly important to the London scene during the best mod years of the decade! Bond was way more than just a jazz musician – and like George Fame, Zoot Money, and a few of his other contemporaries – he had a way of mixing together jazz and soul with a strong touch of blues – almost a new British version of soul jazz, similar to the way that some of the bigger English rock groups were drawing from American R&B! Graham sings on most tracks – with these raspy vocals that are incredibly charming, and downright soulful – and in addition to his own work on organ, instrumentation features lots of pre-Cream work from Ginger Baker on drums and Jack Bruce on bass – plus plenty of tenor from Dick Heckstall-Smith too. If you dig the mod work of Georgie Fame, you'll find plenty to love here too – but Bond also really helps point the way towards more progressive jazz-rock experiments of the future – although this set features mostly tracks from 1966 and before, without any of Graham's later trippier music. The 4CD package is the best collection we've ever seen of Bond's music from these years – and includes rare singles, unreleased cuts, and even some side projects with Ernest Ranglin and Duffy Power too. 98 tracks in all, with a great booklet as well – and titles that include "Cabbage Greens", "Harmonica", "Tammy", "Early In The Morning", "Honey Bee", "Long Tall Shorty", "Soul Tango", "Down In The Valley", "Waltz For A Pig", "Like A Baby", "Please Don't Say", "Walking In The Park", "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf", "Dick's Instrumental", and lots lots more. ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - CHARLIE WILSON, MARY WELLS, AL GREEN

CHARLIE WILSON - LOVE, CHARLIE

Charlie Wilson's fourth album in eight years -- his fourth consecutive release to feature his first name in the title -- is his most modest and low-key set. Some listeners might bemoan the increasingly reserved nature of Wilson's releases since the singer's unexpected 2000s resurgence, but the direction is natural. It would make little sense for him to continue teaming with songwriters and producers accustomed to working with pop-oriented R&B artists less than half his age. Besides, these love songs -- all of which were co-written beside wife Mahin Wilson and an assortment of others -- are not lacking in energy and spirit. For someone who has been through as much as Wilson, who beat prostate cancer, seemingly basic sentiments expressed in "If I Believe" and "I Still Have You" ring clearly and loudly with conviction and vigor. ... Full Description While it does not feature as many standouts as the three previous "Charlie" albums, Love, Charlie is another enjoyable and genuine addition to the catalog of a funk heavyweight. ~ Andy Kellman.

MARY WELLS - ONE WHO REALLY LOVES YOU

Mary Wells place as the First Lady of Motown was well and truly confirmed in 1962, thanks in large part to the runaway success of the singles The One Who Really Loves You and You Beat Me To The Punch, b oth of which hit the Top Ten of the pop chart. Both were written by Smokey Robinson, the second in conjunction with fellow Miracle Ronnie White, and feature The Love-Tones, a male group who briefly offered the same kind of vocal accompaniment that The Andantes would later provide. Although there is no producer credit on the resulting album, it has the stamp of Smokey running all the way through like a stick of rock. Together, Mary and Smokey were a winning combination, one which would reach its peak with My Guy, but much of this album is of the same kind of calibre. ~ CD Universe

AL GREEN - THE LOVE SONGS COLLECTION

Recorded between 1972 & 2002. Includes liner notes by Colin Escott. If there's ever been a soul singer who deserves to be called on to provide mood music for romantic interludes, it's Al Green. With his ringing falsetto, impassioned phrasing, and killer arrangements by famed Hi Records producer Willie Mitchell, Green's Love Songs Collection merits a special place on your shelf. All the great songs are here: the simmering "Call Me (Come Back Home)," cool and loose "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," yearning "Let's Stay Together," and sassy "Love And Happiness." Although most of these songs were either written or co-written by Green, there's also a number of notable covers including a restrained interpretation of Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" and a version of the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" that aches with hurt. Personnel includes: Al Green, Ann Nesby (vocals). Compilation producers: Bryan Kelley, Shannon Ward. Rolling Stone (2/6/03, p.65) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Green has plenty of greatest-hits collections, but this is as fine a place as any to start..."  ~ CD Universe

MILES DAVIS QUINTET - LIVE IN EUROPE 1969: THE BOOTLEG SERIES VOLUME 2

The perfect sequel to 2011's critical and commercial blockbuster, Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Volume 1, this second edition in the label's widely-heralded Miles Davis Bootleg Series moves ahead two years and presents the 'third great quintet,' a lineup of the world's most highly-regarded jazz musicians, then and now, in some of the only existing recordings of the group, and the first legitimately released recordings by this stellar lineup.

Deluxe 3-CD +DVD package presents previously only bootlegged 1969 live recordings from Antibes Jazz Festival (France) and Stockholm; plus rare color concert filmed in Berlin. Superior audio quality using masters sourced directly from the European broadcast outlets that originally recorded and aired this material.18 diffenrent songs spanning the widest range of selections Miles ever played, all in re-imagined new versions or first time professional recordings, including live versions of several songs previously heard only in their studio versions. Superbly shot, multi-camera color concder DVD of the band at its hottest in Berlin, November 1969.  

Extremely rare, mostly acoustic set from Stockholm, with a bonus track version of Chick Corea's "This" in its only professional recording by Miles. Expansive 3,000-word essay written by noted LA Times journalist Josef Woodard (winner, ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for jazz writing, 1998), featuring quotes from a 1989 Miles interview, and interviews with all of the surviving members of the band. Full discographical data, as well as rare or uncirculated photographs from these shows. Co-produced by Grammy-winning producers Richard Seidel and Michael Cuscuna. The perfect follow-up to Bootleg Volume 1 - this is the next chapter in the evolution of Miles' music! The second volume in Columbia/Legacy's Miles Davis Bootleg Series, this four-disc set (three CDs and a DVD) collects rare live performances by Miles Davis' so-called "third great quintet" (this 1969-1970 quintet, consisting of Davis, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette, has also been dubbed "the Lost Band," since they never recorded in a studio together) at the Antibes Jazz Festival, and at stops in Stockholm and Berlin during a 1969 tour of Europe. Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Wayne Shorter (saxophone); Chick Corea (keyboards); Jack DeJohnette (drums).  ~ CD Universe

ERIC BURDON - 'TIL YOUR RIVER RUNS DRY

Eric Burdon never stopped working but he did effectively disappear, falling away from the spotlight sometime before the Animals were inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He kept touring, kept recording, but was decidedly underneath the radar until Bruce Springsteen made him a centerpiece of his 2012 South by Southwest keynote address, inviting the veteran rocker to share the stage with him later that night. Suddenly, Burdon was pushed into the spotlight and he capitalized upon his raised profile, cutting a quick and dirty indie EP with Cincinnati rockers the Greenhornes and then re-upping with Abkco (home of the Animals catalog) for 2013's Til Your River Runs Dry, his first high-profile record in eons and his first album of largely original material since 2004.

At this late stage, Burdon isn't seeking reinvention -- he sticks to his basics, including two salutes to his hero Bo Diddley (one a cover; one a tribute) -- but he doesn't sound stale, either. He's engaging in the present by relying on his tradition, reviving the menacing minor-key rock of the Animals, touching upon a bit of War's multi-cultural funk, indulging his love of the blues, all while reflecting on mortality, waging a bit of social protest, recognizing that "Old Habits Die Hard," resisting the temptation to go gently into that good night. Burdon doesn't sound like a young man but he does sound invigorated, sometimes singing so passionately he teeters on the edge of self-parody, but that's the appeal of 'Til Your River Runs Dry: Burdon pours everything into this album, as if he realizes this is his last best shot to get the credit he's due. And, against all odds, he succeeds with this tough, flinty, proudly old-fashioned rock & roll album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

NEW RELEASES - ROBERT MAGRIS SPACE TREK, DOROTHY DORING / PHIL MATTSON, HARRY NILSSON

ROBERT MAGRIS SPACE TREK - ALIENS IN A BEBOP PLANET

Aliens In A Bebop Planet is a beautiful jazz portrait in which Roberto Magris plays a musical alien that has landed on a musical planet and excitedly stumbles across a past jazz era full of rich bebop classics. He meticulously gathers some of the best jazz compositions from this space trek and brings them home to investigate, study, then, uses them to become a better jazz musician. So, like an alien that has landed on a bebop planet, Roberto has since been studying in real earnest to recover lost musical treasures then extract the essence of a people and legends in an era gone by but not forgotten. That is not without making his musical contributions from this exciting space trek."The result is a jazz masterpiece!  ~ CD Universe

DOROTHY DORING / PHIL MATTSON - COMPOSITIONS

Vocalist Dorothy Doring and pianist and arranger Phil Mattson are seasoned performers and music educators who are always working and improving their craft while continuing to perform with great passion and technique. Their beautiful duo CD project gives tribute to the great Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Their arrangements and musical interpretations are creative, original and command attention for the serious listener of jazz and cabaret. Their artistic collaboration is one of respect and trust. Their joy for the art of performance is evident on all eleven tracks on this stunning recording. ~ CD Universe

HARRY NILSSON - PLAYLIST: THE VERY BEST OF HARRY NILSSON

2013's budget-line compilation Playlist isn't a bad sampler of Harry Nilsson's peak, as it's helped considerably by the inclusion of his '60s and '70s staples "One," "Everybody's Talkin'," "Me and My Arrow," "Without You," "Coconut," "Jump Into the Fire," and "You're Breakin' My Heart." Apart from these, the collection favors his softer material and crooned classics, which is good enough for a budget-line collection but can't quite be considered a definitive Nilsson retrospective. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

JOHNNY WINTER AND - LIVE AT THE FILLMORE EAST 10/3/19

For decades now, we've thought of Live Johnny Winter And as the seminal live JW document from the early part of his career. That record, taken from performances at the Fillmore East and from a gig in Florida, was comprised mainly of rock & roll covers and a couple of originals. As a single LP it clocked in at just under 40 minutes. It smokes, but not as hard as this set, recorded a week or two before at the Fillmore East in 1970. Sony let Collectors' Choice take some prime stuff from the vaults for this one.

This is the Johnny Winter And group simply tearing it up on a selection of originals and covers. The sound quality is phenomenal and the energy on this gig not only rivals that of the previous record, it leaves it in the dust. For listeners who are casting a wary eye at this review, one need only compare the two versions of "Good Morning Little School Girl," which are only a second different in length.

That said, the symbiotic interplay between Winter and second lead guitarist Rick Derringer (who went by his real name of Zehringer then) on this version sounds like a switchblade duel. The other two cuts that are duplicated, "It's My Own Fault" and "Mean Town Blues," are both much longer on this gig. The former clocks in at 22 minutes and the latter at 18. The improvisation and guitar challenges are voluminous, wildly energetic, and creative. "Highway 61 Revisited" here contains the slide guitar workout from Winter we hoped for on the Second Winter album and never got. The furious abandon he plays with is unchallenged on any of his live records; it's Elmore James by way of Mike Bloomfield with Winter's gnarly single-string fills, full of distortion and barely controlled volume.

The version of "Mean Town Blues" on this set becomes the definitive one -- in large part because of Derringer's complementary counterpoint lead work -- as does "It's My Own Fault," which transcends its slow tempo and becomes something wholly other. The closing read of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' and Tumblin'" is only 4:33, but makes one wish it were three times that long. Its fiery, steel-melting intensity features some of the most vicious slide guitar on record to come out of the '70s. The only track that really doesn't impress here is "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo," but not because its performance is substandard. It's simply that in comparison to all the brilliant spontaneity and furious energy on the rest of the set, it feels too controlled. But that's hardly a complaint. Even though Derringer wrote it, this one blows away the JWA studio version or Derringer's own hit single take. This set blows the stuff in Winter's own officially released bootleg series away, and becomes his definitive live recording, hands down. ~ Thom Jurek

NEW RELEASES - ETTA JAMES, RONNIE LAWS, LEE FIELDS

ETTA JAMES - ETTA IS BETTER THAN
EVVAH!

One of the few late Chess albums for Etta James – recorded during the period when the company was owned by the All Platinum family of labels in New Jersey – and it's a pretty funky one, with incredible vocals by Etta! Most of the record was cut in NJ, and features Etta's bluesy style meeting some nice funky arrangements by Mike Terry – plus a couple of tracks cut in Hollywood that fit right in stylistically. One of those is the strong opener "Woman (Shake Your Booty)" – with production credited to Etta – and other tracks include "Groove Me", "A Love Vibration","Only A Fool", "Jump Into Love", "Ain't No Pity In the Naked City", a great version of Randy Newman's "Leave Your Hat On". This first ever CD version from Kent UK has 10 bonus tracks – featuring even more overlooked Chess recordings from the early-to-mid 70s – including a cover of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", "Down So Low", "Feeling Uneasy", Power Play", "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield", "Lovin' Arms" and more. ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE LAWS - FRIEND AND STRANGERS

A stone classic from reedman Ronnie Laws - and an album that really helped set a whole new standard for funky fusion in the 70s! Laws works here with great Wayne Henderson production – which gives the album an even sharper sound than other Blue Note sets of this vintage – and that kind of tight blend of funk and jazz you'd find in the Crusaders, with a similar no-nonsense approach in the grooves! Henderson's got a great way of never being too smooth – and Laws responds with some wicked solos on tenor, soprano sax, and flute – soaring out over the course of the whole wonderful album. Titles include "Goodtime Ride", "Just Love", "Saturday Evening", "Friends & Strangers", "Nuthin Bout Nuthin", "New Day", and "Same Old Story". ~ Dusty Groove

LEE FIELDS - LET'S TALK IT OVER

Early early work from Lee Fields – a set originally issued at the end of the 70s, but with a raw funky power that's much more like music from a decade before! The set was a real anomaly at the time, and was passed over for years – but through the decades, it's earned Lee legendary status as one of the few cats who were keeping things hard and funky when the rest of the country was going disco – a reputation that's definitely held up strongly by the gritty tracks in the set! There's a strong echo of southern soul in the music – again the feel of something from years before – and the raw production only seems to make the whole thing sound even better – with an edge that's even different than Fields' better-known work of recent years. The album was done for the tiny Angle 3 label – a company so small that it opted for one of the "stock" images that was given the album by the pressing plant, which gave the album a very unspectacular cover – corrected on this deluxe reissue by the great cover image here. This reissue also features loads of bonus tracks too – other rare Lee Fields singles from over the years – making the package a true testament to his pre-revival genius! Album tracks include "Everybody Gonna Give Their Thing Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Flim Flam", "Wanna Dance", "She's A Lovemaker", "Mighty Mighty Love", and "Let's Talk It Over". Bonus tracks include "Fought For Survival", "Funky Screw", "The Bull Is Coming", "Take Me Back", "You Been Cutting Out On Me", and "Bewildered". (Includes download.). ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES - JAN GARBAREK / EGBERTO GISMONTI / CHARLIE HADEN, PATRICA KAAS, DEZRON DOUGLAS

JAN GARBAREK / EGBERTO GISMONTI / CHARLIE HADEN - MAGICO: CARTA DE AMOR

A fascinating set from three strong and contrasting musical personalities: Norwegian saxophonist, Brazilian guitarist-pianist, and US bassist making purposeful and creative music together on this previously unreleased live recording. Carta de Amor documents music captured at Munichs Amerika Haus in April, 1981. Two years on from the much-loved albums Magico and Folk Songs, the trios improvisational empathy and sensibilities were further honed by experiences as a touring group. Repertoire includes five pieces from Gismontis pen, with the title track heard in two variations, opening and closing this enthralling double album. Also heard here are Garbareks folk song arrangements and an extended, freewheeling version of his composition Spor. Charlie Haden brings in La Pasionaria, from the repertoire of the Liberation Music Orchestra and All That Is Beautiful, not previously documented on disc. Recorded by Manfred Eicher and Martin Wieland in 1981, mixed from original analog tapes by Eicher and Jan Erik Kongshaug in 24 bit/96 kHz in 2012. ~ amazon.com

PATRICIA KAAS - KAAS CHANTE PIAF

Revisiting the greatest hits of French chanteuse Edith Piaf, this album is central to Patricia Kaas tribute to the legendary singer! The sensual and smoky voice of Kaas is extraordinary here as Kaas is a absolutely fantastic in her interpretations of Piaf's songs. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Edith Piaf s passing, this release features some of Piaf s most evocative titles, remixed by young French electronic artists under the direction of Fabrice Brovelli and Christophe Caurret, who produced Woodkid, The Shoes, and Yuksek. Tracks include Mon dieu, Padam, padam, Avec ce soleil, Milord, and The 9th Hour (Prélude).

DEZRON DOUGLAS - LIVE AT SMALLS

Bass prodigy Dezron Douglas hails from Hartford, Connecticut. A product of the Jackie McLean Institute, Douglas quickly established himself as a dominant voice on the jazz scene of New York City. He began to work with such giants as Louis Hayes, Pharaoh Sanders, Louis Nash, Kevin Mahagony and a slew of others. As a leader, Douglas is presented here with a band of his peers: the highly original Stacy Dillard, the fiery (and also McLean alum) Josh Evans, pianist David Bryant and the veteran drummer Willie Jones III. This memorable live date at the legendary Smalls Jazz Club is exciting, full of fire and drama and wonderful swinging moments. ~ amazon.com

PAT METHENY - THE ORCHESTRION PROJECT

In 2010, 19-time Grammy Award winner Pat Metheny took his musical exploration to a new territory with his Orchestrion, a computer controlled mini-orchestra capable of responding to his touch on guitar. After releasing the Orchestrion record, Metheny and his "band" hit the road, playing over 100 concerts around the world, culminating with the recording of The Orchestrion Project in Brooklyn, NY. This recording showcases the full evolution of the Orchestrion as documented at the tail end of a sprawling world tour. The double-disc set features all five sections of Orchestrion "a soaring five-movement suite featuring some of the most intricate music he's ever created" (Boston Globe) plus eight additional Metheny compositions reimagined with the Orchestrion.


The Orchestrion itself is an assemblage of computer-operated acoustic instruments, all controlled by Metheny's guitar. The full instrumental array includes several pianos, drum kits, marimbas, "guitar-bots, " dozens of percussion instruments and even cabinets of carefully tuned bottles. Through Metheny's guitar, the instruments are struck, plucked, and otherwise played via the technology of solenoid switches and pneumatics. Metheny worked for months with a brilliant team of scientists and engineers to develop and assemble the Orchestrion.

The Orchestrion album and tour received critical praise, with Jazz Times saying, "Mallets, bells, bottles, piano, cymbals and incidental percussion held forth in a spectacle of dissonance and extraordinary color, sounding like Metheny meets Boulez. " And NPR Music said, "No matter who or what he has on stage with him, Pat Metheny plays music as if at the end of the show he would be prevented from doing so for the rest of his life. He makes every note matter, and infuses each with so much emotion that it's very hard not to get swept up in the moment...he always looks like he's having as much fun playing as we are listening. His tour with the Orchestrion will likely be talked about for quite a while. "

Release: Feb., 13, 2013
~ amazon.com

NEW RELEASES - MARTHA WASH, HARRY CONNICK, JR., PETRA HADEN

MARTHA WASH - SOMETHING GOOD

Martha Wash is a 30-year veteran of the music industry, from her work with the late visionary Sylvester as one of the ‘Two Tons O’ Fun’ (then later dubbed ‘The Weather Girls’ with the release of “It’s Raining Men”) to her work with another late visionary, Luther Vandross, plus C&C Music Factory, Black Box, and many more. However, if your only experience with her energizing vocal power is with upbeat dance tracks, then prepare for an acoustic musical shift on this CD. Something Good is stretching out and serving mid-tempo and adult contemporary pop aimed at providing a shot of hope for the disconnected and jaded. While the entire disc is a very solid effort, standout tracks here are “It’s My Time” written by Swedish singer/songwriter, Helena Johansson, “Destiny”, co-written by Wash, and “I’ve Got You”, written by Rony Goffer and Zach Adam. She even takes on and ably handles the Aerosmith classic track, “Dream On”. This is music that should lift you up from any rut that you feel stuck in. Immerse yourself in Something Good. ~ marthawash.com

HARRY CONNICK, JR. - SMOKEY MARY

Out on February 5, 2013 is Harry Connick, Jr's.,  new album titled Smokey Mary. This limited release album is a celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Krewe of Orpheus, the Mardi Gras parade that Harry co-founded in 1993. The album, which consists of nine brand new songs and two previously released tracks from Harry’s Star Turtle album, is a celebration of the city, people, and culture of New Orleans and specifically, the biggest and most eagerly anticipated parade in all of Mardi Gras, Orpheus. The parade will roll for the twentieth time on Monday, February 11 at 6 PM starting at Tchoupitoulas and Napolean and ending at the New Orleans Convention Center.

PETRA HADEN - PETRA GOES TO THE MOVIES   Petra Haden’s new album entitled Petra Goes To The Movies offers a one of a kind opportunity to experience some cinematic soundtracks in an extraordinary new way. Epic and evocative scores have been ingeniously recreated utilizing layers of remarkably inventive vocals. Far from a mere novelty, these interpretations retain every bit of emotional resonance and inspirational might as the originals. Out this January 22 via Anti-, the album features Petra Haden, a highly regarded session musician and former member of That Dog, delivering a cappella versions of songs from films such as Rebel Without A Cause, Taxi Driver, Superman and more.

DEXTER STORY - SEASONS

Multi-hyphenate Dexter Story is a composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, sound designer and freelance go-to guy. Named after the jazz saxophonist Dexter Gordon by his audiophile father, Story grew up studying music theory, guitar and piano which led to him fronting and touring in local bands by age 14. While earning his undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley and Bordeaux National Conservatory in France, Story performed with a diverse array of masters including Wynton Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, Eric Reed, Jeff Narell, Lord Crazy, Ernie Watts, John Stubblefield and Slide Hampton. Alongside a successful on-stage music career, Story worked in every facet of the music industry business (from Marketing Director at Priority, Def Jam and Bad Boy Records to Talent Buyer at the legendary Temple Bar) enjoying 15 years at the epicenter of popular music culture. His latest and most notable endeavors however are focused on music producer and his first love and passion for composing music-to-picture having recently scored writer/producer Anthony Bertram short film “Brother’s Prayer,” provided original music for the award-winning documentary “City Lax” and music supervised the feature film “Hurricane Season” starring Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker. Story also recently music-directed the highly-acclaimed Peace Go With You, Gil tribute concert at Grand Performances in the Summer of 2012. Story collaborates regularly with producer/DJ Carlos Niño as co-founder of the breakthrough experimental group The Life Force Trio as well as with acclaimed jazz/soul vocalist Dwight Trible and Todd Simon’s Ethio Cali Jazz Ensemble. He is currently readying the November 2012 release of his Kindred Spirits debut album Seasons featuring a who’s who of underground talent. Story currently lives in Los Angeles.

Tracklisting:
01. Underway (Love Is)
02. Suijin (Interlude)
03. Into The Hour
04. Blood Drip
05. God Son
06. As In
07. Gyre Song
08. Paddle Boat (Interlude)
09. Water Bearer
10. Underneath It All
11. Love Force Trio Pt. 1
12. Seasons (Make The Most)
13. Spring
14. Underway Reprise feat. Jimetta Rose

The album Dexter Story “Seasons” (Kindred Spirits) is going to be released on Jan. 25, 2013.

www.dexterstory.com
~ grooveattack.com

NEW RELEASES - MARIO BIONDI, LUCAS SANTTANA, GILLES PETERSON

MARIO BIONDI AND THE UNEXPECTED GLIMPSES- DUE

A double-length set from Mario Biondi – and a record that really shows him growing a lot as a singer! Biondi's still got all the raspy charm we loved in his work for Schema Records, but he also seems to have a deeper sense of soul here too – especially on the ballads and mellower cuts, which really help expand the palette past the snapping jazzy grooves we've always loved in Mario's music – and which could honestly have him hitting the heights of some of the best American singers from years back. The blend of soul and jazz in the vocals is wonderful – and instrumentation is mostly jazzy, with that sense of groove that works perfectly with Biondi's approach. The "due" in the title refers to the fact that Mario's got a key partner on every track – either a special Italian jazz musician, or guest singer – and titles include "Won't You Come Back", "Under That Sky", "Mother Earth", "Where Are You", "Every Time I Think Of You", "Dreaming", "Free", "What's Happening Brother", and "In The Sun". ~ Dusty Groove

LUCAS SANTTANA - GOD WHO DEVASTATES ALSO CURES

Maybe the greatest album we've ever heard from Lucas Santtana – and that's saying a lot, given that we've been loving his music for years! There's a depth, a richness here that we haven't heard from Lucas in a long time – a quality that has him moving past just the kind of bright new energy he brought to MPB over a decade ago – into a realm that rivals the most mature work of older giants like Caetano Veloso or Gilberto Gil! Instrumentation is often fresh and complicated, yet never in a way that's ever too obtuse – and the songwriting has a punch that goes even beyond the boundaries of language – an inherent universality that's a real surprise. Titles include "Musico", "Jogos Madrugais", "E Sempre Bom Se Lembrar", "Tanto Faz", "Se Pa Ska SP", and "Dia De Furar Onda No Mar". ~ Dusty Groove

BROWNSWOOD BUBBLERS VOL. 9 COMPILES BY GILLES PETERSON (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

Gilles Peterson's hand-picked Brownswood Bubblers series – which is nine volumes strong with the release of this one – and it's getting better and better! While soulful strains are a common thread in the series to date, diversity has always been the name of the game – and that while that continues to hold true, Vol 9 is anchored pretty strongly with funky soul – with tracks by Truth & Soul signees Lady, modern spacey soul singer/producer Slakah The Beat Child, Belleruche and a few more recognizable names – but it's also a got a bevy of artists ripe for discovery! Includes "Money" by Lady, "Nakamarra" by Hiatus Kaiyote, "Wanna Do" by Slakah The Beatchild, "Forgotten Notes" by Hackman, "Wasted Time (Ross PTH Remix)" by Belleruche, "Make It Good" by The White Lamp, "Private Life Of A Puppet" by Bev Lee Harling, Down Illusion" by Memotone and more. ~ Dusty Groove

FABIANA PASSONI - DIM THE LIGHTS

Using samba and bossa nova rhythms with her distinct velvety voice, internationally renowned Fabiana Passoni injects the Brazilian pulse into remakes of seven (7) Billboard Hot 100 1970s/80s hits. The charted success of the first track Lovin' You (released as a single) has been heard on jazz and adult contemporary radio stations in the U.S. and across the globe. Dim The Lights (released by Wilbur Music) begins a new year for Fabiana and presents a softer, more impassioned side of her music.


Fabiana's strong desire to add more songs in English to her performances, coupled with multiple requests by her American fans led Kleber Jorge, her legendary guitarist, and Mike Shapiro, her legendary drummer, to arrange and produce seven sensational tracks for her first English-language EP. Working closely with the band members, Magic, You'll Never Find, Lovely Day, Rock With You, Ain't Nobody and Close to You joined Lovin' You on the EP all with Brazilian beats infused with percussion, Fabiana's trademark musical style. Her interpretations are soft and delicate and leave you paying close attention to each lyric. The Dim The Lights EP is available at iTunes, CDBaby, and Amazon.

"The acceptance of Loving You and Rock With You at my shows confirms that my fans like to hear music in their native language," says Fabiana. "With Dim The Lights I can connect even more with my English-speaking fans and still deliver the musical style that is definitely my own -- Brazilian!"

Traditionally a Latin Jazz artist, Fabiana Passoni's passionate voice and gambit of Brazilian rhythms transcend genres with Dim The Lights. Her live performances are a celebration of Brazilian soul and culture -- rich in percussion and expression with a relentless zeal for life. These "remakes" in bossa nova, baião, and samba complement the rest of her playlist of original songs in Portuguese. Local performances in southern California are planned as well as a late spring/summer tour throughout the United States. Cities and dates will be announced soon.

www.fabianapassoni.com.

MEMPHIS BLACK - SOUL CLUB

The Stax label, Carla Thomas or Booker T. & the M.G.`s, all out of Memphis, were personally dedicated to making soul music the popular music of the US and Europe. They established their musical style on an international scale and paved the way for the songs of Arthur Conley, Sam and Dave, Otis Redding or Aretha Franklin, that dominated the popular soul scene of the 60s. Then famous German producer Siegfried E. Loch came up with the idea to record a true hammond soul album with a studio group in Germany, presenting authentic "Black" music from "Memphis".

And that´s what Ingfried Hoffmann & Band were trying to achieve. Their menu is strictly soul food: blues, gospel, soul and all the musical connotations that magnify the musical ability of black artists are apparent in a twelve-course meal, turning the listeners "on" with unique renditions of classic tunes and adding own compositions to the total colour of the instrumental album. "Why Don`t You Play The Organ, Man" and "Hang `Em high" were immediately pulled off the original Lp for DJs and consequently released on 7 inches in the UK, having a great impact in the Northern Soul scene until today. The corresponsing original Lp was released on the German Sunset label only and is changing hands for hundreds today.

Composer and arranger Ingfried Hoffmann is a true creative genius and musical talent, always learning and growing in order to remain relevant to the complex and rapidly changing musical scene. Born in Stettin in 1935 and first of all playing Piano, he was already performing to audiences at the age of ten. Ingfried soon interrupted his studies of classical music and philosophy for playing jazz in various formations. After redording his first hammond jazz Lp with René Thomas, Helmut Kandlberger and Klaus Weiss in 1963, he soon became the organist of the internationally famous Klaus Doldinger Quartet and worked with jazz stars like Attila Zoller or Lucky Thompson on numerous outstanding productions. The man was also chosen for "best jazz pianist and organ player" in Germany and even toured with his own band "steel organ", a name that he often used for his beloved Hammond B3.

Later on, Ingfried Hoffmann resigned from the organ scene in purpose of composing and arranging for the mass media, expressing his ability for the merging of different musical worlds within countless soundtrack productions, still working very successfully in Cologne until today. Is there an explanation for the musical versatility of Ingfried Hoffmann? "it`s the curiosity for experiencing the world and myself, staying interested in new tasks and realizing the necessity to leave secure paths in order to grow and search for the musical unusualness." This man`s really got soul...  (Sonorama 12/05 / Thanks to Ingfried Hoffmann)

www.sonorama.de

FEATURED RELEASES - BASIC SOUL UNIT, MARLENA SHAW, DIONNE WARWICK, ISAO SUZUKI / TSUYOSHI YAMAMOTO

BASIC SOUL UNIT - MOTIONAL RESPONSE

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds". ~ Dusty Groove

MARLENA SHAW - FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE / / DIONNE WARWICK - LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY

Here's a pair of unreleased tracks, available only for hundreds on the ultra hard to find library promo LP ”Gut Gestimmt”, exclusive and limited Sonorama 45 vinyl only, remastered in 2007! Both recordings got rave reviews among the Jazz & Funk DJs when being discovered on the promotional only sound library LP entitled “Gut Gestimmmt” featuring various artists from the fields of Jazz and Chanson, that was only sent out to the friends of tv station employees in scarce amounts as a thanksgiving for their musical interest.  And didn`t we hear the beginning of “Love To Love You Baby” already as a sample on some recently pressed white labels? Here come the previously unreleased originals for the soulful dancefloor. Thanks to Ute Kuhn, Paul Kuhn and Dieter Finnern! ~ sonorama.de

ISAO SUZUKI / TSUYOSHI YAMAMOTO - SAMBA CLUB

A wicked wicked set of tracks from Japan – one that blends together jazzy riffing and Brazilian rhythms, all played with a surprisingly soulful bent! Suzuki's on bass and piccolo bass, and Yamamoto plays not only electric piano but also a bit of electric harpsichord – which adds a cool feel to the album, and one that's almost like some lost European soundtrack. Rhythms are mostly in a breezy sort of style that mixes samba with bossa jazz – and Donald Bailey is in the group on drums, providing some very nice bottom to the set. The whole thing's great, with a really unique style – one that's so great it even transforms older numbers like "Night & Day", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Greensleeves", and "La Vie En Rose". Also features an especially great take on Michel Colombier's "Overture"! ~ Dusty Groove

INTERCITY SOUND ASSOCIATION - PHILLY SOUND

Since the early 1970s the whole disco world has been feeling excited about the "Sound of Philadelphia" ("Phillysound"). From the aesthetics of Motown and the "wall of sound" by Phil Spector, a new funk and soul sound developed in the United States, that was softer but still extremely danceable. The most important musicians and producers of the new style hailed from Philadelphia. Unique characteristics of the music were the opulent string and brass arrangements, the use of modern electronic production facilities and the trademark of an open and closed hi-hat playing. Electronic instruments like synthesizer and clavinet were also gradually incorporated into the sound.

Soul Music was suddenly no longer "rough" and "hand made", but "sexy" and the result of modern studio technology. The title "TSOP" ("The Sound of Philadelphia") of the MFSB Orchestra, recorded in 1974 by the best studio musicians of star producers Gamble and Huff, became the anthem of the new disco sound. The city of Philadelphia was celebrated as its birthplace. Soon the sound became popular in German clubs too and German or Germany-based artists immediately started to work on their own recordings.

Composers for publishing houses and jazz musicians suddenly began excursions into the world of "Phillysound," because the blooming German scene hungered for good productions. Publishing rights or studio jobs served as a promise to earn good money. In the wake of internationally successful productions for Donna Summer and Amanda Lear, from Munich Machine and Giorgio Moroder, a completely independent and widely ramified German disco scene established itself during the late 1970s with hundreds of releases: "The most perfect disco sound made ​​in Germany ". "I Feel Love" is still considered a world-known example of the unique "Phillysound from Germany".

The "Phillysound" album of the project "Intercity Sound Association" was the brainchild of producer and guitarist Klaus R. Nagel, a founding member of the internationally famous Krautrock and funk band "Joy Unlimited" from Mannheim. As early as 1972, Nagel left his band to pursue other productions, work on an own label and start his music publishing activities. Produced in 1975, this sole LP of the group was especially made for intensive advertising towards the state owned German service broadcasters ARD and ZDF, with the goal of getting airplay in various televison and radio programmes.

The promotion of the "Phillysound" LP was well received and some of the titles have been included into various programmes. Back in those days, it was easier and cheaper for German TV and radio stations to include perfect local productions into their broadcasts rather than the "real" Phillysounds from some well known U.S. stars. The first track on the album ("City Train") might still be recognized by many Germans from the youth sports program "Pfiff", in which it was played as the title theme for many years. All other pieces are also original compositions of the participating musicians, who, for contractual reasons, appear on the album sleeve under American pseudonyms such as "Denis Faylon" or "Pete Panthrow".

Nagel produced the entirely instrumental recordings in different studios and with different musicians. The string section of the SDR (South German Broadcasting) was arranged by jazz legend Fritz Muenzer, who also played saxophone at the recording sessions and successfully integrated the "Sound of Philadelphia" in other works for music publishers and the advertising industry. Around that time, some excellent but widely unknown Phillysound LPs were also produced by Dieter Reith ("Tender Aggression" or "Mellow Disco") and Peter Herbolzheimer ("Galactic Sound Orchestra") but these rare recordings were played almost exclusively by a few broadcasters.

With the "Phillysound" LP, Nagel, Muenzer & Co. created a true phantom of a record, produced at the highest level and therefore hunted throughout the world today. Its unique and powerful style with a touch of jazz-funk, extensive lines of solo saxophone, trumpet, flute, and "cosmic" sounding synthesizers, framed by the brilliant string section of the SDR, makes this album a sought after collector's item. Original copies are impossible to find, with only one album traded on ebay during the last eight years.

Original copies of the vinyl record rarely showed up even in the stores of the 1970s. Only a few of the LPs originally released on the Intercord label - which only provided the tracklisting with no further details on the album sleeve - found their way into the regular shops. With this release on Sonorama Records, the rare album is presented to a wider audience for the first time on LP and CD. Many thanks to Klaus R. Nagel for providing the original recordings, that have been remastered in Berlin during June 2012. ~  Ekkehart Fleischhammer, Sonorama 2012

www.sonorama.de

RONNIE LAWS - TWO ORIGINAL CLASSIC ALBUMS RELEASED - MR. NICE GUY / CLASSIC MASTERS

A pair of classics from Ronnie Laws – back to back on a single CD! On Mr Nice Guy, Laws really makes a big move into the soul field – quite a big record for him back in the day, and a set that helped him reach an even wider audience at the time! Ronnie sings as much as playing sax on the set – and he also handles a fair bit of keyboards too – often laid down alongside the beats with a snapping 80s groove sort of feel – a sound that's just right for the jazzy flourishes you'd expect from Laws, but much more soul-styled than before! Laws' vocals have a lightness that really works well with the instrumentation – a catchy charm we wouldn't have expected a few years before. Tracks include "In The Groove", "Mr Nice Guy", "Big Stars", "Can't Save Tomorrow", "What Does It Take", "Off & On Again", and "Rolling". Classic Masters features the best of Ronnie Laws' 70s material, plus a few new tracks as well – an album that definitely lives up to its title! The music is awash in both jazz and soul modes – jazz, thanks to Ronnie's well-played solos, which soar out in an amazing blend of new ideas and on-the-money groove – and soul, with production that really helped Laws cross over to big audiences at the time – a blend that's like the best Blue Note jazz funk of the mid 70s! The new cuts include "City Girl" and "(You Are) Paradise" – and some of the classics include Wayne Henderson-produced gems, like "Friends and Strangers", "Saturday Evening", and the big big hit "Always There". ~ Dusty Groove

BERNARD PURDIE - SOUL DRUMS (PRETTY PURDIE) EXPANDED EDITION WITH BONUS MATERIAL

Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funk – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor.  ~ Dusty Groove

THREE TIMMY THOMAS '70s ALBUMS REISSUED

TIMMY THOMAS - TOUCH TO TOUCH

A massive groover from Timmy Thomas – really hitting here on all burners, and moving with a groove that's much fuller than the drum machine fills of his early years! The sound is Miami club at its best – wickedly uptempo rhythms that are played with razor-sharp intensity – still mostly funk at the core, with lots of live instrumentation that moves at a precision that's hard to beat! Timmy still adds in some great sweet moments from time to time – reminding us of his skill with a ballad – but the groovers also push him into Bohannon territory – which is quite a compliment from us! King Sporty handled the arrangements and production – and definitely deserves credit for the grooves – and Betty Wright adds in a bit of sweet guest vocals too. Titles include "Touch To Touch", "When A House Got Music", "Game Of Life", "Africano", "Torrid Zone", "Love For The People", and "Sweet Music". ~ Dusty Groove

TIMMY THOMAS - TIMMY THOMAS LIVE

Timmy Thomas live, in front of a massive crowd in Johannesburg – really grooving with enthusiasm that's captured beautifully in the recording! The set's a great reminder that Timmy had lots of power away from the studio – that he wasn't just drum machine bits and disco riffs, and could more than hold his own like some of the bigger soul singers of his day. Thomas has a great presence on the stage, introducing the tunes – and his vocals are quite possibly even more powerful here than on any of his studio work too! Titles include a great version of "Why Can't We Live Together" – plus "Touch To Touch", "Rainbow Power", "Drown In My Own Tears", "Sweet Brown Sugar", and "Sipho Mazibuko (La La La)". ~ Dusty Groove

TIMMY THOMAS - YOU'RE THE SONG I ALWAYS WANTED TO SING

A Miami soul masterpiece from start to finish – and a lesser-known record from drum machine hit maestro Timmy Thomas! The album's got the feel of Timmy's classic Why Can't We Live Together album – but the overall sound is a bit fuller and richer, with a soulfulness that grabs us right away – and holds on through the entire set! Most of the tracks have that warm percolating early drum machine undercurrent that Timmy virtually pioneered at the time – followed by some great guitar work from Willie "Little Beaver" Hale, and some vocals from Timmy that sometimes have a nice deep soul feel. The album's worth it alone for the title track "You're The Song I've Always Wanted To Sing" – but the whole thing's great, and tracks include "Deep In You", "Let Me Be Your Eyes", "I've Got To See You Tonight", "One Brief Moment", "Ebony Affair", and "Deep In You". ~ Dusty Groove

SOUL SPECTRUM RECORDS VOL 1. (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

• Soul Spectrum Records is a sub-label of Jazzman Records focussing on soulful dancefloor re-issues
• 21-track compilation curated by DJ Euan Fryer
• Deluxe double vinyl pressing with thick, glossy sleeve
• Dancefloor soul, rare boogie and soulful disco
• Loud-cut heavyweight vinyl pressing
• LP includes bonus 7-inch re-issue track: $8000 rated hyper-rarity; Fluorescent Smogg!
• Exclusive edits from Ashley Beedle and Tom Noble

Soul Spectrum Records is a sub-label of Jazzman Records and is curated by Euan Fryer.  They specialize in releasing hard to find soulful dancefloor re-issues on 7-inch vinyl, and now they are releasing their first compilation - Soul Spectrum Records Volume One.  This compilation includes some rarities, including the ultra rar $8000 7" from Fluorescent Smogg, as well as a couple of fresh edits of old tunes, and a new cut from Kings Go Forth to complete the package.

DJ Fryer has been researching this album of dancefloor soul from the late '70s and early '80s for the last four years, and is now finally able to present a double LP's worth of rare, obscure and GOOD dancefloor soul, rare boogie and soulful disco. To top it off, Ashley Beedle and Tom Noble offered up their remixing skills on a couple of tracks that just needed the extra tweak that linear editing prevented back in the day.

"The endless quest to discover lost interesting music from the past is something of a calling to many. Record collectors and DJs will go without food and spend all their wages to own a single piece of vinyl. Many will travel around the world to towns and cities you would never choose to visit. Happy spending nights in cheap hotels and days in musty old shops looking for that one lucky find, and it does happen, eventually, to all that make the effort. I make no claim to the discovery of any of these records contained here, but I nod my hat to those that did and will again in the future.

I have let good as well as rare music be the narrative on this LP. There are some records here that are relatively affordable and I encourage you to go out and find them on original 45s, and play them. Records should be heard, not archived - keep the wonderful culture of playing 45s and 12s alive." - DJ Fryer, December 2012

Tracklisting:

01. Heem the Music Monsters – Wake Up
02. Barbara St.Claire – Teacherman
03. Billy Byrd – Lost in the Crowd
04. Willie Wright – Right On for the Darkness
05. Tobert – I've Got It
06. Barbara King – What I Did in the Street
07. Ellipsis – People
08. George Smallwood – Rollercoaster
09. Freak – Life Goes On
10. Gold – What About the Child (Mix for Sami)
11. Barbara Lynn – Mellow Feeling
12. Big Apple Band – Party & Get On Down
13. Phillip Wright – Keep Her Happy (Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco Edit)
14. Nate Calhoun – Funktown
15. Little Beaver – Listen to My Heartbeat
16. Target – Give Me One More Chance
17. LaRom Baker – You're the Best (Tom Noble Disco Edit)
18. Raw Soul Express – The Way We Live
19. Zebra – Simple Song
20. Fluorescent Smogg – All My Life
21. Kings Go Forth – You're the One

WORLDWIDE RELEASE OF "LOVING THE SILENT TEARS: THE MUSICAL" ALBUM FEATURING BRAZILIAN SINGER FABIANA PASSONI, BLACK UHURU, JON SECADA, JODY WATLEY & INTERNATIONAL STARS

Loving the Silent Tears: The Musical album recreates the magic of the new musical that explores humanity’s universal search for inner peace.

Vocalists representing 16 of the world’s glorious cultures include:

• Grammy-winners: Jon Secada (Just Another Day), Jody Watley (Real Love), Jamaican reggae group Black Uhuru (Anthem)

• Broadway stars: Patti Cohenour (Phantom of the Opera), Liz Callaway (Miss Saigon), Kiril Kulish (Billy Elliot the Musical), Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins' Broadway)

• International stars: Kay Tse (Hong Kong), Brian Joo (Korea), Siavash Shams (Iran), Hồ Quỳnh Hương (Vietnam)

Loving the Silent Tears: The Musical was a unique celebration combining a talented team who collectively hold over two dozen Academy, Grammy, Tony and Emmy Awards. Oscar-winning composer Al Kasha (The Poseidon Adventure) was inspired to create and write music for the musical after reading the poetry anthology Silent Tears written by Supreme Master Ching Hai during her own spiritual quest. Mr. Kasha stated “Silent Tears…has touched my heart so greatly, that I saw the potential it had to affect people’s lives by being turned into a musical.”

As MTV noted, the composers are “titans in their musical fields” who include Jorge Calandrelli (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), Doug Katsaros (Footloose), Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls), Don Pippin (La Cage aux Folles), Nan Schwartz (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) and David Shire (Saturday Night Fever).

Directed by Tony nominee Vincent Paterson (Michael Jackson’s and Madonna’s world tours) and choreographed by Emmy-winner Bonnie Story (High School Musical 1, 2, 3), Loving the Silent Tears transformed Supreme Master Ching Hai’s profound and engaging poems into a musical sensation that takes listeners across six continents. The one-time only benefit show was held on October 27, 2012 at the 6,300-seat Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.

In keeping with the international theme of the show, the music features a wide range of styles and genres, such as “Your Eyes, Your Ears, Your Heart,” performed by Fabiana Passoni in English and Portuguese and accompanied by samba dancing, Jody Watley’s song, the African-inspired “A Real Fool” with its rich, rhythmic melodies and distinct percussion, and the tender ballad “Singing Praise,” sung by Korean pop star Brian Joo and Korean-American singer Heather Park, incorporated elements of traditional Korean music. Singers representing other cultures include Camellia Abou-Odah (Arab), Mark Janicello (Italian), Liel Kolet (Israeli), and Katie McMahon (Irish).

The song representing Brazil was written by the esteemed Jorge Calandrelli, who said of the poetry he set to music, “Beautiful! Very inspiring! That's why when I wrote the music, mainly I responded to what the lyrics were. And lyrics are all about enlightenment, love, all positive things and that kind of message is so beautiful. Nowadays, it's what we all need. We all need spiritual, profound, deep thoughts and emotions. So that's what I really tried to portray in the music.”

Fabiana also expressed, “It changed my life in so many ways. I think everybody [in the cast] somehow, someway was touched in our hearts with the message. Everybody was very good, very professional and everybody put their love and soul into it. And I think that’s why it was a great success.”

The legendary Jon Secada also set Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poem “All Love, All Forgive,” to music in a salsa piece inspired by his native Cuba. He said, “I love the fact that it’s a simple message but with a lot of depth: love, forgiveness, understanding, and caring. Those messages we need today more than ever.”

After viewing the musical, singer/songwriter Sunny Hilden, who has written songs for Ray Charles, Sting, Patti LaBelle, Herbie Hancock, expressed, “If we keep reminding each other we’re supposed to be kind and loving to each other, then we get back to that place where I think that’s our natural state. And I think this musical really spoke to that beautifully.”

The CD includes a special bonus of Supreme Master Ching Hai singing “Talking to a Stone Buddha,” which was composed by the poet herself.

Distributed by Ocean of Love Entertainment, this original cast album comes in a 2-disc CD set and includes a full color booklet with the English lyrics, along with artist and composer biographies and color photos. The album is also available in MP3 format for download, with PDF e-booklet included. Both are available for purchase along with other souvenir items at www.SilentTearsMusical.com/store

NORMAN JOHNSON - GET IT WHILE YOU CAN

Get It While You Can is a fantastic collection of three great songs from the 70's, and original compositions penned by Norman Johnson, Grayson Hugh, and Don Wallace. This collection of songs gives guitarist Norman Johnson the perfect background for his warm and melodic style of playing. Classics like "That's The Way Of The World", "Got To Get You Into My Life", and "Until You Come Back To Me", take on a new life with Johnson's contemporary jazz treatment, all the time keeping true to the essence of the songs. You'll recognize them, but they will feel fresh. The title cut "Get It While You Can" is a perfect example of groove and fun. With a popping horn section, it is the statement feel for the cd. Danza Dance is a latin infused gem enhanced by Ali Ryerson on flute. Grayson Hugh's mysterious "Saudade" is a soundscape that wraps his superb vocals with Johnson's guitar. Killer Jane is a humorous takeoff on Benny Golson's Killer Joe. It features a swinging funky feel and Steve Davis on trombone. Johnson uses electric, nylon and steel string acoustic guitars, to create a wide variety of sound on this recording.

The list of musicians include, Grayson Hugh - piano and vocals, Ali Ryerson - flute, Steve Davis - trombone, Arti Dixson and Anthony Cusano - drums, Ken Fischer, Alex Nakhimovsky and Matt DeChamplain - piano, Don Wallace and Dave Stoltz - bass, Kwaku Kwaakye Obeng, Eric Galm, and Ed Fast - percussion, Chris Herbert - sax and flute, Ricky Alfonso - trumpet. This is instrumental music that will make you sing. Smooth, warm sounds, infectious beats, and great compositions. The title, Get It While You Can, says it all. Release date is February 19.