I live one day at a time (Willie Nelson) (LP 814)

Joan Baez   One Day At A Time  (Vinyl, Vanguard Records, 1969) *****  

Genre: Folk 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Sweet Sir Galahad

Gear costume: No Expectations, A Song For David

Active compensatory factors: Recently I picked up her First Ten Years compilation from Spellbound Wax Company in Gisborne and my ears pricked up when I got to a couple of tracks in a more country mode.

I knew Sweet Sir Galahad from her Woodstock performance - it's a real highlight of the Volume 2 set, and I really enjoyed the studio recording on the compilation. Her version of The Rolling Stones' No Expectations was also stunning so I needed to track down a copy of the album those songs came from - One Day At A Time.

Real Groovy came to my rescue with a beautiful American copy in excellent condition, and cheap! Joan is not a marquee player these days I guess; lucky for me.

She recorded the album in Nashville, so the band on the album features many amazing players like Pete Drake, Ken Buttrey, Charlie McCoy, Jerry Reed, Norbert Puttnam, David Briggs, and Grady Tate. Cream of the sessioner crop names that are familiar to readers of album credits.

It all works. Joan sounds amazing naturally and the sympathetic arrangements with judicious use of steel guitar, and fiddle are perfect for her. She even sounds great when she goes full bore country on songs like Carry It On.

The two Baez written songs - Sweet Sir Galahad and Song For David are stand outs showing clearly that she is a quality songwriter as well as a gifted musician and singer.

What a talent!

Where do they all belong? I've added it to Joan's folk albums but it could easily cross over into folk rock or country rock.

This here (Ekseption) (LP 813)

Ekseption  Ekseption (Vinyl, Phillips Records, 1969) **  

Genre: Progressive 

Places I remember: The Little Red Bookshop (Hastings)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dharma For One (yes - the Jethro Tull song)

Gear costume: Rhapsody In Blue 

Active compensatory factors: Sometimes you spend 10 dollars on a punt and it works out. Sometimes you buy a prog album by Ekseption and it doesn't quite.

Things it had going for it apart from the price: 1969; the lineup includes a horn section; it is in mint condition.

Things it didn't have going for it: the Phillips record label; the cover.

Ekseption were a prog outfit from Holland doing what Nice did, but unfortunately there was no Keith Emerson in Ekseption. So, it's all a bit crazy but not inspired crazy if you get my drift.

On balance, I'd probably keep my 10 dollars for something else but it's a relic from 1969 so there is that.

Where do they all belong? Definitely prog. Won't be tracking down the rest of the Ekseption catalogue though.

Dawn to dusk (Ravi Shankar) (LP 812)

Ravi Shankar  Raga (Vinyl, Apple Records, 1971) ***

Genre: Apple Records 

Places I remember: Noel Forth sent this to me about 40 years ago for screen printing shirts for him (thanks Noel). Those shirts are long gone I guess (though they live on in photos of Noel drumming for Tortis and Vertical Hold) but I still have Raga.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dawn to Dusk

Gear costume: Ravi teaches George (not from the soundtrack but cool to watch)

Active compensatory factors: It's a soundtrack to a documentary film about Ravi Shankar, produced by George Harrison. Apple Films provided financial support and then the soundtrack came out on Apple Records.

The whole project led to George and Ravi putting the concert for Bangla Desh together (see my previous post down below).

The film is one thing, the soundtrack is another. In this case, it reminds me of Wonderwall (George's first album - not Oasis) in that it is made up of short pieces, of excerpts rather than complete side long songs. In that way it's a nice set to have as the range is broad.

Where do they all belong? Apple Records, man. The magic endures!!

Awaiting on you all (George Harrison) (LP 811)

George Harrison and Friends  The Concert For Bangla Desh (Vinyl, Apple Records - NZ pressing, 1971) *****  

Genre: Beatle pop/rock

Places I remember: DJ Records (Otahuhu)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: It Don't Come Easy (Ringo et al)

Gear costume: Here Comes The Sun (George and Pete Ham)

Active compensatory factors: Along with the triple All Things Must Pass, this was easily the most lavish purchase I made as a young teenager back in 1971.

It came in a box for one thing! Wowsers. A triple record set! And it had a big colour 63-page booklet. Ecstasy. And it was on Apple Records! Oh boy! 

It seemed impossible that I could actually own it but yet here it was playing on my Garrard SP 25 Mk 3 turntable in my bedroom at 18 Korma Ave., Auckland, New Zealand.

It's an expansive set that shows George's generosity of spirit - not only for the people of Bangla Desh (that almost goes without saying) but he allows Bob Dylan and Ravi Shankar a third of the triple album, plus Ringo, Leon Russell, and Billy Preston also feature. No hogging the limelight for George - the supposed quiet Beatle who put out two triple albums in the early seventies.

The set itself weaves a certain type of magic over its six sides. It seemed vast to me in 1971 and I was staggered when the film of the concert came out on DVD and they were shown all playing close together on a small stage.

Where do they all belong? It's a landmark benefit concert and although I seldom play it these days, it is a lavish bedrock of my collection.

It's over (Roy Orbison) (LP 810)

Roy Orbison  The Last Concert December 4, 1988 (CD, Eagle Records, 2009) ****  

Genre: Rock'n'Roll

Places I remember: The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Oh, Pretty Woman

Gear costume: Mean Woman Blues (not from the Last Concert but close enough for jazz)

Active compensatory factors: This really was his final live performance on planet Earth as he passed away two days later on December 6, 1988 from a heart attack. He was only 52.

Given he was in good health on December 4, the show is top notch with Roy in full flow with that gorgeous big voice.

Highlights of the 14 song set are the slow build up of tension in Dream Baby and Crying - masterful vocal displays (although I could live without the synth sounds); Mean Woman Blues contains echoes of Jerry Lee; Blue Bayou is smooooth; and the final final song? What else but Oh, Pretty Woman. 

Where do they all belong? Back to the vinyl for the next round.

Ramble tamble (Creedence Clearwater Revival) (LP 805 - 809)

Creedence Clearwater Revival  Creedence Clearwater Revival (CD, Fantasy, 1968) ****  

Creedence Clearwater Revival  Green River (CD, Fantasy, 1969) ****  

Creedence Clearwater Revival  Cosmo's Factory (CD, Fantasy, 1970) ****  

Creedence Clearwater Revival  The Concert (CD, Fantasy, 1980) ****  

Creedence Clearwater Revival  Live at Woodstock (CD, Fantasy, 2019) ****  

Genre: San Franciscan music

Places I remember: Various Warehouses + JB Hi Fi for the Woodstock CD.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ramble Tamble (Cosmo's Factory)

Gear costume: Call It Pretending (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

Active compensatory factors: There are hot streaks and then there is John Fogerty's output between 1968 and 1972. Phew. Everything he touched was golden during that five year period. 

Going back to that debut album is a revelation - every track sparkles. Add to that - there is absolutely no filler on any of these albums listed above.

The thing with these albums is that they contain great songs like the ones I've featured above - they are relatively obscure but are as brilliant as the hits.

The Concert is from a 1970 ripper show in Oakland - 14 ace tracks delivered by a band locked in good and tight. It took a while to see the light of day - 10 years later, but it is great to hear the band in their prime.

Live At Woodstock has also taken a while to emerge but, again, it's well worth the wait. They were remarkably consistent as a live band. This set is intense and it's a mystery why John Fogerty asked not to be included in the first few Woodstock compilations.

Where do they all belong? All done for Creedence Clearwater Revival. I still have a few gaps in my collection: Bayou Country; Pendulum and their weakest one Mardi Gras.