Long hard ride (The Marshall Tucker Band) (LP 940 - 944)

The Marshall Tucker Band  Long Hard Ride (Vinyl and CD, Capricorn Records, 1976) *****  

The Marshall Tucker Band  Carolina Dreams (Vinyl, Capricorn Records, 1977) *****  

The Marshall Tucker Band  Together Forever (Vinyl, Capricorn Records, 1978) ***  

The Marshall Tucker Band  Running Like The Wind (Vinyl, Warner Brothers Records, 1979) ***  

The Marshall Tucker Band  Tenth (Vinyl, Warner Brothers Records, 1980) ****   

Genre: Southern Rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, Amoeba Records (SF), Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Heard It in A Love Song (Carolina Dreams)

Gear costume: Desert Skies (Carolina Dreams)

Active compensatory factors: Just check out the release dates - they did an album every year without fail! Not only that, the consistency remains high! Incredible.

For me, these albums are the peak achievement years. Long Hard Ride (with that terrific cover) and Carolina Dreams are perfect Marshall Tucker Band records - production is great, the songs are all terrific, the musicianship is at a high standard and the togetherness vibe intact.

If I had to pick one album to represent the band, Carolina Dreams would be it. Hence why both of my featured selections come from it. All of the bands' country/rock strengths are on display. It's just a beautiful collection of sounds.

Together Forever isn't just a nifty album title - you really get the sense that this is a band of brothers who are in it for each other for the long hard ride. Only Tommy Caldwell's untimely accidental death after Tenth in 1980 would make things otherwise.

Together Forever has a tougher sounding, more rock than country rock sound for the most part (last track is an acoustic one) and while there is a uniformity of sound, this last album on Capricorn Records doesn't really rise to the peaks of the previous two.

Running Like The Wind was the band's first album for Warner Brothers and has that distinctive Marshall Tucker band sound again, without great songs though, apart from Unto These Hills which includes some wonderful playing by Doug Eubanks.  

Tenth, their second on Warner Brothers, is a storming album. There is a vitality to the album and a new energy as It Takes Time kicks off the album sounding a little like The Doobie Brothers. The production is FM radio slicker but still recognizably Marshall Tucker Band, as their comfortable easy brilliance continues throughout the album. 

Where do they all belong? A final entry is to come from The Marshall Tucker Band on the next go around with their albums from 1981 onwards (the post Tommy Caldwell era).

End of the line (The Allman Brothers Band) (LP 939)

The Allman Brothers Band  Shades Of two Worlds (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1991) ****  

Genre: Southern rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records (one of the clutch of albums Roger gave me when it looked like vinyl's future was toast).

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Desert Blues

Gear costume: Kind Of Bird, Nobody Knows

Active compensatory factors: It had been a long road of recriminations and band break-ups between the late seventies and late eighties but the band got there eventually. 

Surprisingly, by 1991 The Allman Brothers Band was again home to four original members - Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Dicky Betts and Greg Allman. By now, Warren Haynes was filling Duane's guitar spot, plus there were two new members on bass and congas/percussion.

Most importantly, this sounds like the original band in terms of spirit and musicianship thanks to the interplay and chemistry between these musicians. Helps a lot having those four originals and Greg's vocals.

Generally, the songs return to a kind of lengthy jazzy improvisation that was the calling card from 20 years before. 

I think it's a forgotten gem in their catalogue. It was forgotten a bit by me too as I launched a tad prematurely into The Marshall Tucker Band before concluding the Allmans' saga with this album.

Where do they all belong? That's it for The Allman Brothers - a staunch pillar of southern rock.

Knockin' on your door (Old And In The Way) (LP 932 - 938)

Various Old & In The Way (Vinyl, Grateful Dead Records, 1975) ****  

Genre: San Francisco, country rock 

John Mayall The World Of John Mayall Vol. 2 (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1968) ****  

Genre: Blues rock 

Claude Bolling, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Alexandre Lagoya Picnic Suite (Vinyl, CBS, 1980) ****  

Genre: Piano jazz

Sonny Terry Whoopin' (Vinyl, Alligator Records, 1984) ****  

Genre: Blues

Deep Purple/ Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto For Group and Orchestra (Vinyl, Harvest Records, 1970) ** 

Genre: Pop/rock

Keith Jarrett Solo - Concerts (Vinyl, ECM Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: Piano jazz

Canned Heat Historical Figures And Ancient Heads (Vinyl, United Artists Records, 1971) ***  

Genre: Blues rock 

Places I remember: Record fair in Waipukarau (Oct 15, 2022)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: She's Too Young (John Mayall)

Gear costume: Sonny's Whoopin' the Doop (Sonny Terry)

Active compensatory factors: An eclectic bunch, right, but that's me - wide ranging taste has been a feature of my music collecting from the very beginning.

All of these albums are bunched together because it kind of made sense. For this very recent record fair, I allowed myself a budget of $150.  I did pretty well. All of those albums came to $152.

Most expensive was the Keith Jarrett triple album boxed set at $40 and the cheapest was the Claude Bolling at $12. Both of them, and the rest actually, I consider bargains. All are in excellent condition, too.

I've been after Old And In The Way (the Jerry Garcia led bunch of friends) since I admired it in Marbecks nearly 40 years ago. It's a fantastic country/bluegrass album played by musicians who love the genre.

I lost the Claude Bolling along my collecting journey so it was great to be reunited with that one, especially at that price.

I didn't realise the World of John Mayall even had a Vol. 2 sequel until I saw it at the fair. I needed to complete the set and this is an original Decca NZ pressing, just like my copy of The World of John Mayall, so a no-brainer at $15. Nor had I a clue that Sonny Terry did this album with Johnny Winter and Willie Dixon. It's as good as that combination sounds.

The Canned Heat album is an oddity in their catalogue with even Little Richard singing/playing on one track. Overall I love the familiar Canned Heat boogie tracks (bonus fab and gear track - Cherokee Dance).

That leaves a Deep Purple album which I've shied away from in the past - a rock band and a philharmonic orchestra seem too many poles apart. And you know what? I was right to avoid it for all these years - it has its moments but it's a Jon Lord album more than it is a Deep Purple one. Just sayin'.

And finally, the triple Keith Jarrett. I was hoping for something as great as The Koln Concert. Solo - Concerts takes in two dates in 1973 - Bremen and Lausanne. It's not quite as epic as the Koln Concert double peak, but over six sides Jarrett extemporizes superbly. I get a gospelly R'n'B vibe from time to time during these two shows which is intriguing and rewarding.

Where do they all belong? Until the next Record Fair comes to town, it's back to the regular run of posts for the next one.

The last poet (Eric Burden) (LP 930 - 931)

Eric Burden  Survivor (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1977) ***

Eric Burden's Fire Dept.  Last Drive (Vinyl, Ariola Records, 1980) ****  

Genre: Pop/Rock 

Places I remember: Spellbound Wax Company (Gisborne); Real Groovy Records' $10 bin

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Last Drive

Gear costume: Highway Dealer (Survivor)

Active compensatory factors: The man is prolific! He seems to be forever forming bands, reforming bands, playing in a myriad of lineups. Throughout it all, his vocals for The Animals and with War loom large. They eclipse Eric's solo adventures but whatever the context, there is that spectacular voice. He's a giant of the rock world.

Survivor is from the late seventies and features a few guests like Maggie Bell, P. P. Arnold, Zoot Money and Alexis Korner. It's a spirited effort without rising above average. The most off putting thing about the album for me is the cover pose which makes him look too much like David Cassidy for my liking.

Last Drive is the only album by Eric Burden's Fire Dept. Recorded in West Germany and made up of mostly European musicians it rocks harder and more consistently than Survivor. In short, Burdon sounds more committed in this setting. The band toured and broke up pretty quickly, leaving this album as its legacy. The cover on this one is great too - drawn by Eric.

Where do they all belong? More to come from Eric with War when we get back into the CDs. 

Morning dance (Spyro Gyra) (LP 929)

Spyro Gyra  Morning Dance (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1979) *** 

Genre: Modern jazz 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records and then Graham Purdy's record collection.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Morning Dance

Gear costume: Song For Lorraine 

Active compensatory factors: I bought this one for my mum when I was working at Marbecks Records. My memory is hazy on the circumstances: maybe it was her birthday, maybe she'd heard the title track somehow - it was hugely popular at the time, maybe something else. Whatever the case, I bought it for her as it seemed like the sort of stuff she'd appreciate - light and jazzy, quite cruisey and un-demanding.

Jay Beckenstein, the Brecker brothers and Tom Malone are the featured horn players in the band. John Tropea on guitar, Steve Jordan on drums also make appearances. So the expertise is there.

It sounds fine and the tunes are catchy but for some reason, maybe the synths, maybe the strings, maybe the un-demanding bit, it doesn't grab me particularly. Still - I've hung on to it because my dad did and it has a link back to my mum.

Where do they all belong? Another one of those records I'll never part with as it instantly makes me think back to 1979, when she was healthy and fun and alive.

Swan song (Brand X) (LP 928)

Brand X  Is There Anything About?  (Vinyl, Passport Records, 1982) **  

Genre: Jazz fusion 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Is There Anything About?

Gear costume: Ipanaemia 

Active compensatory factors: Definitely a swan song - Phil Collins and Robin Lumley (keyboards) both jumped ship after this album.

There's not a lot to get excited about on this one. The title track is far and away the best one. The rest is either cobbled together from old sessions or, in the case of the very last track, a 'song' taken from a cassette that captured the band rehearsing/ improvising. It's as bad as that sounds.

Unfortunately, given the eighties, it has rather too much synth noodling on it for my liking. Instead, go back to that title track and hear what was possible when they got their act together and inspired each other.

Where do they all belong? I love this genre and I'm always looking to add to it, hence a bit of a catch up over the last few Goo Goo posts. Next up when I return to this genre, unless I buy something before it alphabetically, it's back to Jan Hammer.

A word about colour (Driscoll/Auger) (LP 924 - 927)

Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity  Streetnoise (Vinyl, Polydor Records, 1969) *****  

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express  Brian Auger's Oblivion Express (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1971) *****  

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express  Live Oblivion Vol.1 (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1974) ****  

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express  Happiness Heartaches (Vinyl, Warner Bros Records, 1977) **  

Genre: Jazz fusion

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Truth (Live Vol.1)

Gear costume: Bumpin On Sunset (Live Vol.1), Tropic Of Capricorn (Streetnoise)

Active compensatory factors: I am a late comer to Brian Auger. A recent article in Mojo reminded me that I needed to check out some of his albums. So I went to the Real Groovy Records website, did a search and put them all in my cart (all of the above plus a compilation of Brian Auger and The Trinity). They were all reasonably priced too - clearly he's not considered highly in demand by RG staff.

Streetnoise comes from 1969 and is pretty extraordinary. It's like nothing I've ever heard before. Julie Driscoll is a force of nature and the proggy jazz rock fusion from Auger and The Trinity is mighty.

Although there are a lot of cover songs spread over the four sides they sound like alien landings - untethered from the source material. Try, for example, Driscoll's take on The Doors' Light My fire. Wow! This album is a revelation and I've been playing it a lot.

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express took the band deep into jazz fusion territory with thrilling results. There is a real intensity to the playing (just short of Mahavishnu Orchestra style intensity) and again, I've been playing that and Live Oblivion Vol. 1 a lot as I've worked around the house doing some painting. It's been a brilliant soundtrack for that - especially the second side of the live album.

By 1977 Brian was addressing more mainstream rock sounds and Happiness Heartache is a poor album in comparison to the visceral stuff that had come before. 

Where do they all belong? He has certainly been a very prolific artist - his discography is extensive. I'll certainly be buying more whenever I come across it, whether it's first band Steampacket, his albums with Julie Driscoll, Trinity, or his  Oblivion Express.

Maiden voyage (Herbie Hancock) (LP 923)

Herbie Hancock  Maiden Voyage (Vinyl, Blue Note Records, 1965, repress 2021) ****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: Taupo's My Music

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The Eye Of The Hurricane

Gear costume: Maiden Voyage 

Active compensatory factors: This is cerebral jazz, as opposed to the last two entries in the countdown (Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and Pete Fountain). Instead of unmitigated fun, I can tell that Herbie carefully constructs his music to replicate sounds he hears. Apparently this is a concept album, in which he aims to create music that centres on the features and movements of an ocean.

Deep, rewarding music is what this is all about.

Musicians helping Herbie out are Ron Carter on bass, Anthony Williams on drums, Freddie Hubbard - trumpet and George Coleman - tenor sax.

Apart from Herbie, the other star here is George Coleman. I don't know too much about him but he is amazing on this album. After Hubbard's (pretty impressive) solo on Survival Of The Fittest, George takes a turn and takes the song in another direction while following the drums and having a dialogue with the piano. It's pretty impressive!

Where do they all belong? The catch up of recent jazz purchases continues - next up is a Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond. 

Tin roof blues (Pete Fountain) (LP 922)

Pete Fountain  Pete Fountain's New Orleans (Vinyl, Coral Records, 1974) ****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: $5 from Record Fair in Palmerston North

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Way Down Yonder In New Orleans

Gear costume: Lazy River

Active compensatory factors: I was browsing through bins at a record fair in Palmerston North a few months ago when I saw this in the $5 bin. The guy beside me going through his bin stopped and said - that's a brilliant album. I said - I've never heard of him but it looks interesting. He said - it's only $5 - worth the punt.

Damn right and it turns out he was right! It's great fun, a bright and breezy album of New Orleans jazz. Pete Fountain, or more properly, his full name - Pierre Dewey LaFontaine Jr., is a clarinetist who knows what he's about.

The record is not in the greatest of conditions but the crackles don't detract and there are no unfortunate jumps. 

Where do they all belong? A great album for a summer's day at Maple Grove that evolves the spirit of New Orleans.

The breeze and I (LP 921)

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis 4  Montreux '77 (Vinyl, Pablo Records, 1977) *****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: Tom Shaw (Facebook friend)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: This Can't Be Love (whole album available on YouTube but not on Spotify)

Gear costume: Blue Lou

Active compensatory factors: There is alchemy happening here as these titans of jazz continue into the 1970s. Ray Brown and Oscar Peterson are on a whole other wavelength. Add in Eddie 'Lockjaw' Harris blowing over the top, underneath and all around them on tenor sax and whoa! Magic ensues.

'Lockjaw' (no one is definitive on how he came by that nickname) is a tenor man that I'm not very familiar with, but one listen to The Breeze And I and I'm a convert.

Being the late seventies and Montreux, it probably goes without saying that the recording is terrific. It's like they are playing in front of me!

Where do they all belong? I'm not sure why Tom was wanting to part with this, it's an excellent addition to my jazz collection.

Country life (Delaney and Bonnie) (LP 914 - 920)

Delaney & Bonnie  Genesis (Vinyl, Crescendo Records, 1971) **  

Delaney & Bonnie  Home (Vinyl, Stax Records, 1969) ***  

Delaney & Bonnie  The Original Delaney and Bonnie: Accept No Substitute (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1969) ***

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends  On Tour With Eric Clapton (CD, ATCO Records, 1970) ***  

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends  To Delaney From Bonnie (Vinyl, ATCO Records, 1970) ***  

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends  Motel Shop (Vinyl, ATCO Records, 1971) ***  

Delaney & Bonnie and Friends  D&B Together (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1972) ****  

Genre: Blues rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records; Slow Boat Records; Vinyl Countdown; Spellbound Wax Co.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Never Ending Song Of Love (Motel Shot)

Gear costume: Country Life, Only You Know And I Know (D and B Together), Coming Home (On Tour), Piece Of My Heart (Home)

Active compensatory factors: Prolific for a short period, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett were the antidote to organized and commercial big rock. Instead they gave off a family, good time, down home vibe that was catnip to the friends that came onboard from 1969 to 1972.

Genesis is an album made up of stuff from 1964 - 65 and 1967, before they became an item. Instead it's a Delaney album with Bonnie on three tracks. Delaney's talent is right there though - no wonder he and Leon Russell were musical mates.

First album proper with the two of them is Home, on the Stax label, another false start in some ways. More in the soul frame of mind (Stax remember), it features the Stax regulars (Booker T, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Al Jackson as well as Leon Russell and Isaac Hayes) as the backing band. So it sounds good - these guys can't not sound good, but the material doesn't yet feel like Delaney and Bonnie. Bonnie's soulful version of Piece Of My Heart and Delaney's Hard To Say Goodbye are stand outs.

The big early one is Accept No Substitute, as it wooed stars like George Harrison (he tried in vain to put it out on Apple Records but the Elektra contract was already signed) and Eric Clapton. The sound becomes more of a gospel/soul/rock/blues amalgam on this one.

Notable friends along for the good times were Leon, Bobby Whitlock, Carl Radle, Bobby Keys, Jim Price, Jim Keltner, and Rita Coolidge. Yes, Eric was paying attention! He recruited the band for his first solo album and later for Derek and The Dominos.

The playing is great again and more in tune with the Delaney and Bonnie vibe. She is the star show of this album, that and the live in the studio feel.

Most of the friends joined the tour with Eric Clapton that year, except Leon. Eric takes a back seat, happy to be just another band member. 

To Delaney From Bonnie has more of the same gospel/rhythm and blues/rock stuff going on, While Motel Shot is a more acoustic run through some trad folk and gospel edged songs.

My favourite album of theirs is probably the least heralded because they were splitting up as a couple - ironically called D and B Together. Somehow, they sound very much at ease on these songs and Bonnie's vocals are superb. If you were looking for an entry point I'd go there before heading back to Home and Accept No Substitute.

Where do they all belong? I've put it with the blues rock albums as it fits with Clapton/ Derek & The Dominoes more than it does in the soul section in my fevered brain.

Tale of the trial (Matthews' Southern Comfort) (LP 912 - 913)

Matthews' Southern Comfort  Second Spring (Vinyl, Decca Records, 1970) ****  

Matthews Southern Comfort  Later That Same Year (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1970) ****  

Genre: Country rock 

Places I remember: M

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Woodstock (From Later...)

Gear costume: Even As (From Second Spring)

Active compensatory factors: This is one of those rare things - British country rock and, let me declare from the off, it's brilliant! Given it sprang from Ian Matthews' post folky days in Fairport Convention, it also has tinges of that genre along the way (Blood Red Roses is just one example).

Second Spring is really the first MSC band effort (see below) and it sounds great, as in - it could have been recorded yesterday. It's that fresh! There are so many positive moments - Ian's gorgeous vocals, the harmony work, the guitar and banjo of Carl Barnwell (who also provides a couple of songs) and the laidback vibe is beguiling. B.T.W. my pressing of this album is American and they included the band's apostrophe throughout the album.

Clearly, Ian had an ear for classic songs - James Taylor's Something In The Way She Moves (from his first album on Apple Records that I featured recently - scroll down) gets a great full band treatment. The gentleness is still there and the pedal steel by Gordon Huntley is superb.

Cover material increases on their second album of 1970. There's a Goffin/King and Neil Young song but the big one was by Joni Mitchell.

Yes,  Later That Same Year includes their great version of her song - Woodstock. That was my entry point to the band. All those years ago, I listened intently every time it came onto my radio in 1970. B.T.W. my  pressing is a New Zealand one and they dispensed with the apostrophe. Weird.

Where do they all belong? I'm still trying to track down Ian Matthews' first solo effort when he left Fairport Convention - confusingly called 'Matthews' Southern Comfort' (with apostrophe). Much more Southern Comfort (without Iain Matthews - yes he changed his first name along the way) to come in the countdown.

Forbidden fruit (Roy Harper) (LP The one after 909 - 911)

Roy Harper  Valentine (Vinyl, Harvest Records, 1974) **

Roy Harper  Bullinamingvase (Vinyl, Harvest Records, 1977) *** 

Genre: Folk rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records (Valentine); Chaldon Books and Records (Caterham on the hill) for Bullinamingvase.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I'll See You Again (Valentine)

Gear costume: One Of Those Days In England (Parts 2 to 10)  

Active compensatory factors: Two of his more uneven works for me. 

Valentine sounds a bit drunk and disorderly - maybe because these are songs left over from other earlier sessions, with only a couple of standout tracks. I'll See You Again is a great song - the kind of thing Roy excels at. I'm not sure why he covers Dylan's North Country and a few songs sound like Donovan (not that there's anything wrong with Donovan, but this is Roy Harper!) 

Bullinamingvase is more consistent and features some excellent guitar work throughout. Thanks to better track sequencing, the more electric moments are better integrated into the album's first side, with Breakfast With You successfully ending side one. Unfortunately my vinyl copy has a few moments where it jumps (although it looks blemish free) and rather spoils the flow of my listening pleasure, so I'll need to look for a better copy.

One Of These Days In England fills most of the album with Part 1 leading off side 1 and then parts 2 to 10 filling all of side 2. It's an excellent song suite that rewards repeat listens.

Where do they all belong? That's it for Roy in my collection. Richie Havens is next up when I return to this section of the catalogue.

The flight of a hawk (Keith Emerson) (LP 909)

Keith Emerson  Nighthawks (Soundtrack) (Vinyl, Backstreet Records, 1981)  ***

Genre: Prog rock/ Soundtracks 

Places I remember: Record Fair in Palmerston North 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Nighthawking

Gear costume: Nighthawks main title theme, The Chase

Active compensatory factors: Unfortunately the cover is one of those cut out jobs (like George Harrison's Extra Texture or Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti) so the Nighthawk letters on my copy have been mangled a bit through use (the K and S) which is disappointing. Somebody didn't care about preserving this album's cover but the vinyl itself is excellent.

When I spied it at a record fair a few years ago, I had to make a quick decision. On the negative side - the cover, the fact it's from 1981 (I know what that means), and the fact that Keith was writing music for a film (in this case a Sylvester Stallone neo-noirish action crime thriller). Oh oh.

On the plus case - the price reflected all of those things, the vinyl was in mint condition and, well, it's Keith Emerson innit. So, on balance it was worth a punt.

Alrighty then - what's the music like? Well - for the most part, surprisingly good! Side one is consistently terrific (four stars) and side two gets 3 stars - how much film music from Nighthawks do you really need?

First track, the Nighthawks title theme, gets things off to a great start with some punchy brass, then it's down to atmospheric stuff that is firmly in the Isaac Hayes school of soundtrack design but with Keith's progtastic approach present as well.

All the extra things you need for a soundtrack help Keith too. He does a lot of the heavy lifting in ELP, but here he's mainly a composer so there is room for Jerome Richardson's great sax, Greg Bowen's trumpet, and Frank Scully's percussion (a crucial ingredient of noir actioners in this era), as well as the bass/ drums combo.

Keith, it goes without saying, is Keith - all virtuoso keyboard hero throughout.

Don't let this one pass you by if you're a prog/ soundtrack/ ELP/ music fan. 

Where do they all belong? Next up when we return to the prog vinyl it's time to launch into all (yes - all) of Emerson Lake and Palmer's vast catalogue. Deep breath!

I am missing you (Ravi Shankar) (LP 907 - 908)

Shankar Family Friends   Shankar Family Friends (Vinyl, Dark Horse Records, 1974) ****  

Ravi Shankar  Ravi Shankar's Music Festival From India (Vinyl, Dark Horse Records, 1976) ***  

Genre: Dark Horse Records, world music

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I Am Missing You (featuring Lakshmi Shankar on vocals)

Gear costume: Tarana/Chaturang 

Active compensatory factors: As a collector of Dark Horse Records I sometimes find myself going into musical areas that I otherwise would never find.

These Ravi Shankar albums join those on Apple Records in my collection as a consequence. They are fascinating glimpses into Indian culture and music in general. George was no mug.

My western ears like these albums as they use both traditional Indian instruments but in a song format, rather than a long form raga, alongside western musicians.

Shankar Family & Friends even had a song (I Am Missing You) released as a single and includes a number of western friends: Ringo Starr; Billy Preston; Tom Scott; and Jim Keltner were some to appear alongside the Shankar family. It all works in spectacular fashion. I especially like the music for a ballet which takes up all of side 2.

Music Festival From India is also produced by George, but this time it's just Indian musicians who appear. Ravi is joined by Lakshmi Shankar on vocals again and fellow legend - Alarakha (a.k.a. Alla Rakha) on tabla, for another collection of magical sounds.

Where do they all belong? And that's it for Ravi. Next up when I return to Dark Horse Records are three albums by Splinter.