Another road (Loggins & Messina) (LP 4926 - 4930)

Loggins & Messina  On Stage (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1974) ****  

Dave Mason  It's Like You Never Left (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1973) ***  

Dave Mason  Split Coconut (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1975) **** 

Paris  Big Towne, 2061 (Vinyl, Capitol Records, 1976) ***

Mel Parsons  Castle Hill (Vinyl, Cape Road Recordings, 2026) ***

Genre: Country rock, pop rock, glam, NZ music

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus, JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Angry Eyes (On Stage)

Gear costume: Blue Robin (Big Towne, 2061)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: I am a late convert to the joys and delights of Loggins & Messina. Their double live album starts off with some solo Kenny Loggins tunes which are okay but the concert sparks to life when Jim Messina joins him on stage for some down-home country rock picking.

The songs from their first two duo albums make up the set (it was released before their third studio album). I particularly like it when they stretch out. Angry Eyes is a good example of that - ten minutes of prime country rock. The side long version of Vahevala is also a standout. That said, side 4 climaxes the show really well.

Dave Mason, who passed away in April this year, was a key member of Traffic, but he also had a successful solo career. He was also a damn fine songwriter (Feelin' Alright, Hole in My Shoe, We Just Disagree are three). 

It's Like You Never Left was his third solo album with some notable friends joining in on the fun, such as Graham Nash, George Harrison (his very distinctive slide guitar is on one song), Stevie Wonder (on one song) and Jim Keltner.

It's a very buoyant, positive record, even though he always seems to look quite miserable and dour on his album covers. Same thing goes for Split Coconut. If anything, this album is even better, with some great harmonies from Crosby and Nash on most tracks. 

Paris was a band Bob Welch put together when he left Fleetwood Mac. They existed for two albums (Big Towne, 2061 was the second) and then Bob went solo (his albums here). It's a good pop rock sound generated by Bob, Hunt Sales on drums and Glenn Cornick, yes - the former Jethro Tull bassist. Sadly, the songs weren't very memorable, and Bob would move on to better things.

Mel Parsons is a New Zealand singer songwriter who I've mentioned before (here). Castle Hill is her latest album, released this year. It's fresh, so I'm still digesting it but so far so good.

Where do they all belong? Queen to the S's are next.

One moment worth years (The Dave Brubeck Quartet) (LP 4918 - 4925)

The Dave Brubeck  

Quartet  Brubeck on Campus (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1972) ****  

The Dave Brubeck Quartet The Last Time We Saw Paris (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1968) ****

Dave Brubeck Trio & Gerry Mulligan Live at the Berlin Philharmonic (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1973) ****

The Dave Brubeck Quartet  Paper Moon (Vinyl, Concord Jazz Records, 1982) ****

The Dave Brubeck Quartet  A Place In Time (Vinyl, Avon-Guard Records, 1954) ****

Dave Brubeck  Two Generations of Brubeck (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1973) ****

The Rodger Fox Big Band  The New York Tapes (Vinyl, Ode Records, 1981) ***

Grover Washington, Jr. Feels So Good (Vinyl, Kudu Records, 1975) ****

Genre: Jazz

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Three To Get Ready (The Last Time...)

Gear costume: I Hear a Symphony (Paper Moon)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Doing research for this post led to a personal epiphany. Dave Brubeck was a huge favourite of my dad's and Dave's full name, I've just realised, was David Warren Brubeck. I've always wondered about my name's origin, and now the coincidence seems too great. I'm going to take it as a fact from here on.

Brubeck on Campus is a double album compilation of two albums - 1954's Jazz Goes to College and 1957's Jazz Goes to Junior College (which I've reviewed here previously).

Jazz Goes to College was his first album for Columbia, and given it's live, and it's live in 1954 - the sound is amazing! At this point the quartet comprised alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, double bassist Bob Bates, and drummer Joe Dodge. While I prefer the Joe Morello/Eugene Wright classic line-up. these earlier combos are pretty great too.

The Last Time We Saw Paris does feature the classic line-up of Brubeck, Desmond, Morello and Wright. It's from their final tour in 1968 (they'd eventually reunite) and they were on top form during these six extended versions of songs from their past.

The album with Gerry Mulligan is another swingin' affair. Gerry has a very different approach to Paul Desmond (the epitome of cool jazz sax). As in he has a firmer, more robust tone to Paul's. That presents fresh challenges to Dave Brubeck - which is the point I guess.

The band certainly rises to the challenge on this recording. Jack Six (bass) and drummer Alan Dawson, are terrific - pushing Gerry and Dave to new heights. This is an excellent addition to my Brubeck collection - showing him in a slightly different light.

Paper Moon is another exceptional album in his catalogue. His son Chris is by this time part of the Quartet on bass, but the real star of this album is Jerry Bergonzi on tenor sax. He is brilliant throughout!

A Place In Time (originally called Brubeck Time) is a re-release of a studio album from 1954 with an early incarnation of the quartet. Bob Bates is on bass and Joe Dodge is on drums - the same personnel as Jazz Goes To College from that time. It's excellent! Does he ever do less?

Two Generations of Brubeck has Dave joined by his three sons on various instruments: electric piano; trombone; drums; organ; electric bass; clavinet. 

It's a much more jazz fusion approach on this album thanks to this new Brubeck generation, while still retaining aspects of Dave's more acoustic inclination. The new versions of old Quartet 'hits' are interesting and show how the songs stand up to the test of time. Side two has the more challenging songs/sounds, but side one is terrific.

The Rodger Fox Big Band album lets rip nicely with massed horns in a big band. Jacky doesn't like the trumpets, but they provide a top end to the sound that helps blend in all these instruments. I've had this album a few times, but I'll hang on to this copy!

Feels So Good is a 1975 album by Grover with Bob James doing the arrangements.  Both artists are at the top of their game on this album. Grover's deep groove sax work is a thing of beauty and Bob gives him the space and canvas to work his magic. A top effort!

Where do they all belong? Back to the rock albums next.

Leader of the pack (Bette Midler) (LP 4911 - 4917)

Bette Midler  The Divine Miss M (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1972) ****  

Bette Midler  Bette Midler (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1973) ****

Bette Midler  Divine Madness  (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1980) ****

Office Dog  Doggerland (Vinyl, Flying Nun Records, 2024) ****

Osibisa  Woyaya (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1971) ****

Osibisa  Heads (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1972) ***

Osibisa  Osibirock (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1974) ***

Genre: Pop, Alt rock, NZ music, African pop/rock

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Optimistic voices/ Lullaby of Broadway (BM)

Gear costume: In the Mood (BM), Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (The DMM), Survival (Woyaya)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Bette Midler is a force of nature. She can belt out a tune, be seductive, be coy, be hilarious, can act... she can do it all. These three albums show the range of her abilities in the studio and live (Divine Madness).

The Divine Miss M was her debut album. It kicks off with her remarkable version of Do You Want To Dance (clearly, it's not dancing that she has on her mind). I particularly like the pastiche side of Miss M - when she's doing things like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and Leader of the Pack.

In many ways this was an excellent debut album as she showed her many facets and versatility. She followed it with the self-titled Bette Midler in 1973, which is actually the one I prefer overall - especially side 2. 

It feels more confident, better produced with its eclectic mix of blues, R&B, and '40s boogie-woogie. Bette shows she can handle everything thrown at her.

Divine Madness is a live album from 1980. Basically, it's a film soundtrack with the comedy routines removed to concentrate on the music - which is great! All the hits and high spots are represented except for The Rose.

Doggerland is an EP by NZ band Office Dog. You'll no doubt remember me raving over their debut album Spiel, well Doggerland is what came next. 

The EP has seven tracks, so it's good value for money. They have embraced more shoegaze style distortion on a couple of tracks on side one. Side Two kicks off with the lovely And Everything and that vibe keeps going for side 2.

Woyaya was Osibisa's second album (I've already written about their debut album here). I'd described their sound as a unique mix of jazz, prog, pop, and Womad style otherness, and that description applies even more so on Woyaya. The funk and jazz experimentation is dialed up more of this album and it sounds great! Toni Visconti was the producer and he knows what he's doing.

Heads was their third album, released in 1972. There is something magical about the early seventies. So many great bands and albums emerged in that period post sixties. Osibisa probably sailed under the radar during those years, but revisiting them now is ultra rewarding.

Heads has Osibisa continuing their afro-jazz-funk vibe. The band play with a smile and that's infectious. Although there are more vocals on Heads than their first two albums, there are no heavy political agendas at play - just a band of African brothers enjoying playing music together. On balance I prefer the more instrumental first two albums, and especially Woyaya. 

Osibirock (terrible name for an album) indicated some changes were afoot. The record company had changed, and only three band members remained from Heads, but four had been replaced.

The vocals continue to become a feature on this album which changes the vibe of Osibisa. I much prefer it when they return to jazz-funk-fusion like on the lead off song on side 2 - African Jive. When the chants/vocals come in it feels more like the Santana approach, which I like a lot!

Where do they all belong? Back to the jazz collection for the next post.

Bless my soul (Tom Scott) (LP 4905 - 4910)

Larry Coryell  Spaces (Vinyl, Vanguard Records, 1970/ 1974 reissue) ****  

Keith Jarrett  Facing You (Vinyl, ECM Records, 1972) ***** 

Antonio Carlos Jobim  Wave (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1967) ***** 

Tom Scott and The L.A. Express  Tom Scott and The L.A. Express (Vinyl, Ode Records, 1974) **** 

Tom Scott and The L.A. Express  Tom Cat (Vinyl, Ode Records, 1975) **** 

Tom Scott Apple Juice (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1981) *** 

Genre: Jazz fusion, Brazilian jazz, modern jazz

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dahomey Dance (Tom Scott and The L.A. Express)

Gear costume: Nunya (Tom Scott and The L.A. Express), but really any of the tunes on this album fit the bill.

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: My ongoing acquisition of Larry's albums continues with Spaces. What a lineup! Larry Coryell plays alongside John McLaughlin on guitar, Chick Corea on electric piano, Miroslav Vitouš on bass, and Billy Cobham on drums. All are virtuosos on their instruments.

Along with Zappa's Hot Rats, this is one of the first jazz fusion albums (Miles Davis' late sixties albums are also a factor of course). Spaces is way more out there than Zappa though (and that's saying something).

Basically, jazz-fusion is a genre of music that describes when jazz harmony and improvisation is used within a rock music context. Larry and John's electric guitars along with electric bass and drums take off in improvised ways on Spaces - sometimes it sounds like they shoot off in four different directions. The thrill comes from that experimentation when everything jells. Then this music is inspirational. Like on track 1, side 2 -Wrong is Right. Here endeth the lesson.

Keith Jarrett is a fierce improvisation expert as well. Facing You was his first album for ECM in 1971. It's a solo piano album that's become a landmark recording for jazz generally, and for Jarrett specifically. 

But don't take my word for it - here's AllMusic on the album: Facing You is one of the most important recordings in contemporary jazz for several reasons, aside from being beautifully conceived and executed by pianist Keith Jarrett. It is a hallmark recording of solo piano in any discipline, a signature piece in the early ECM label discography, a distinct departure from mainstream jazz, a breakthrough for Jarrett, and a studio prelude for his most famous solo project to follow, The Köln Concert (which I featured a while ago - here).

So there! It's a biggie! Glad to grab a copy from the Little Red Bookshop for $4.

Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim's fifth album, Wave, is another landmark recording - this time in Brazilian music.  Jobim was a famous Brazilian composer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger and singer. Wave was recorded in the US with American jazz musicians and it sounds great. Just the ticket for our parent's dinner parties back in the late sixties, early seventies.

Tom Scott has appeared in the collection before, with and without Joni Mitchell (see here and here). Here are two more of his albums - both $4 each from Little Red Bookshop. Both are worth having.

The first is a cool collection of jazz grooves from the player of many horns and his band, which includes Larry Carlton - guitar, Max Bennett - bass, Joe Sample - keyboards, John Guerin - drums.

Tom Cat continues the jazz-funk sounds but without Sample and Carlton. Robben Ford and Larry Nash sit in for them and do a great job. Tom and his mates (including Joni) get down to it in hot and sweaty fashion. 

Apple Juice is a Tom Scott live album from the start of the eighties. He can certainly gather together a formidible array of musicians. Joining him on this set are Eric Gale and Hugh McCracken (guitars), Richard Tee (Keyboards), Marcus Miller (bass), Ralph MacDonald (percussion) and Steve Gadd (drums). Dr John also makes a guest appearance (the one sus moment of the show).

Sidebar: the cover has credits for the show AND the 're-recording' of it - but it's impossible to tell where the joins are. I'm not a purist and don't really care when bands embellish live versions - if it sounds better - good luck to them.

Where do they all belong? Brilliant additions to the jazz fusion and jazz sections in the collection.

Hot spot (Dinah Lee) (LP 4900 - 4904)

Dinah Lee  The Sound of Dinah Lee (Vinyl, Viking Records, 1965) ****  

Loggins & Messina  Full Sail (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1973) *** 

Loggins & Messina  Mother Lode (Vinyl, Columbia Records, 1974) **** 

John Mayall  Bottom Line (Vinyl, DJM Records, 1979) ** 

Don McLean Homeless Brother (Vinyl, United Artists Records, 1974) ***

Genre: Pop, country rock, blues rock, folk rock, NZ Music

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: You Need a Man/ Coming To You (Full Sail)

Gear costume: La La Love You (Homeless Brother) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Since picking up Dinah Lee's debut album I've been keen to find a copy of her second. The new vinyl shop in Waipukurau (Vinyl Vault Plus) came to the party with a near mint copy for $20! It's as great as the debut, with Dinah in irrepressible form. Highlights are many, right from the first track - What Kind of Love Is This, with Dinah belting out great vocals throughout.

Loggins & Messina is a duo act that I've enjoyed hearing on the radio over the years but I have never bothered to buy any of their albums. A recent chance hearing of You Need A Man/Coming To You on a Spotify playlist made me sit up and pay attention. It's a wonderfully playful joined-up song with some great jazzy breaks, plus that patented Loggins & Messina vocal interplay. A winner! Joy upon joy to find that it's on Full Sail!

The rest of the album has a good mix of ballads, 60's pastiche, jazz, and pop songs - all done with those cool vocals. What's not to like?

Mother Lode is, if anything, even better. It has the pair sounding even more confident and relaxed in their abilities to my ears. That figures given that the personnel was the same as their previous albums (this would be the last time though). The warm tones and mid-tempo songs give the album a cohesiveness missing from Full Sail.  

John Mayall's Bottom Line is a mostly subdued offering (apart from the embarrassing attempt at Prince-like bawdiness on I'm Gonna Do it). His version of the Allman Brothers' Band song Revival is just a poor decision. I only paid $4 for this dud at the Little Red Bookshop so I'm not too bothered. A disappointing way for the great man to end the seventies, though.  

Don McLean's Homeless Brother album was his fifth studio album. I avoided it at the time because I thought it was a dour folk album. Ha! I was wrong. One listen to La La Love You will correct that impression.

Although the hobo theme suggested in the title and cover does creep through the album (the title song for instance), it turns out to be quite a varied album. His version of George Harrison's Sunshine Life For Me (on the Ringo album) is a lovely addition.

Where do they all belong? The Mod World of Dinah Lee is next on my list, as well as other Loggins & Messina albums.

Slow hot wind (Sergio Mendes) (LP 4895 - 4899)

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66  Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1966) **** 

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66  Fool on the Hill (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1968) *** 

Charlie Byrd   Delicately (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1968) *** 

Stan Getz & Luiz Bonfa  Jazz Samba Encore! (Vinyl, Verve Records, 1963) ****

Jim Hall  Concierto (Vinyl, CTI Records, 1975) ****

Genre: Easy listening, jazz

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Mas Que Nada (Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66)

Gear costume: Daytripper (Herb Alpert Presents...)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Sérgio Mendes has appeared in the countdown already with his jazzy solo album, The Great Arrival) and his second album with Brasil '66 called Equinox - these were both from my father's collection. He was a fan, as was my father-in-law (Brian Smith). These two albums come from his collection.

Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 was this configuration's debut album. Brasil '66 on this album (and Equinox) is: Sérgio on piano, keyboards and backing vocals; Lani Hall – lead vocals; Bibi Vogel – backing vocals; Bob Matthews – bass, backing vocals; José Soares – percussion, backing vocals; João Palma – drums. 

The formula he began here was to have two American female voices singing in English and Portuguese over a bossa nova rhythm/vocal section. Along with this he contributed some tasteful jazz-oriented piano.

His poppy arrangements of songs from Brazil, the UK and the US got off to a great start with the lead off track - Mas Que Nada. Their version of Daytripper is also a treat, but the whole album is a lot of fun (in the sun).

BTW #1: The completist in me enjoys the fact that getting hold of this album completes the Mendes sequence from 1965 (The Great Arrival) to 1967 (Equinox). BTW #2: The inimitable Derek Taylor provides the liner notes to Herb Alpert Presents...

The Fool on the Hill came out in 1968 with a change of line-up, although Lani Hall remains a constant, as does the winning 'jazz-Brasil-pop' sound (to quote Derek). The highlight: Fool on the Hill is a perfect song for this approach. 

Charlie Byrd is a jazz guitarist. Delicately sounds beautiful - very restful and meditative. The guitar, flute, bass combo makes for a very baroque sound at times. It reminds me a little of the Claude Bolling jazz albums with flute and piano.

Stan Getz is joined by Luis Bonfa (guitar), Antonio Carlos Jobin (guitar) and others on this jazz samba celebration. Stan is amazing on this album. This is perfect relaxing with a cocktail on the deck on a summer's day music.

Jim Hall is an American guitarist with a long history. I'm generally not a huge fan of jazz guitar but for Charlie Byrd and Jim Hall I'm prepared to make exceptions, particularly when Jim has Paul Desmond onboard along with Steve Gadd and Ron Carter providing the rhythm section. Plus, Chet Baker on trumpet means that this was possibly THE coolest band EVER!

 

Where do they all belong? I think that's enough albums by Mendes and his crew, but you never know.

Gettin' the feelin' (Danny Kirwan) (LP 4890 - 4894)

Fairport Convention  Fairport Live Convention (Vinyl, Island Records, 1974) ***  

Roberta Flack  Quiet Fire (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1971) **** 

Françoise Hardy  One-Nine-Seven-Zero (Vinyl, Interfusion Records, 1969) **** 

Carole King  Rhymes & Reasons (Vinyl, A&M Records, 1972) **** 

Danny Kirwan  Second Chapter (Vinyl, DJM Records, 1975) **** 

Danny Kirwan  Hello There Big Boy! (Vinyl, DJM Records, 1979) **** 

Genre: Folk rock, soul, gospel, French yé-yé music, pop, rock

Places I remember: Brian Smith Collection, The Little Red Bookshop, JB Hi Fi, Vinyl Room, Vinyl Vault Plus

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Suzanne (Hardy)

Gear costume: Peace in the Valley (King) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Fairport Live Convention comes from live dates in Sydney (The Opera House), and London and although that variety of live venues makes it a bit disjointed, and the atmosphere could have been better generally, these are the only recordings of the band live with Sandy Denny - so it is worth the effort.

I'm not a huge fan of the band, I much prefer Steeleye Span's grittier approach and sound, but Sandy Denny is superb within this framework.

Quiet Fire is Roberta Flack's third album, another great album from 1971. Her gospel/soulful vocals are, of course, her great asset, but she's an excellent pianist as well and the other musicians on the album like guitarist Hugh McCracken, organist Richard Tee, bassist Chuck Rainey, and drummer Bernard Purdie aren't too shabby either. 

The highlights are the gospel infused version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, and the versions of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and To Love Somebody. All come via her quiet fire approach.

Françoise Hardy is a French pop singer, although One-Nine-Seven-Zero was her third album done in English. It came as she was transitioning from being a French pop star to a more mature international artist. It's a pretty amazing album in many ways and something of a revelation to me. I love it when I come across something fresh and new to my musical world.

There are plenty of highlights and there is a lot of variety as well. I particularly love her version of Leonard Cohen's Suzanne. She has to keep the lyrics as they are really, and so there's something very cool about her version from a female point of view, which is missing from male versions.

Carole King's third solo album, Rhymes & Reasons, tends to be overshadowed by her dynamic first two albums, but I really like the warm sound and approach she adopts on the album. It may not have the hits, but it is a classy set of mid paced songs.

Danny Kirwan was a member of Fleetwood Mac back in the days when the band also included Peter Green and Jeremy Spenser. Chapter Two was his debut solo album after leaving FM in 1972.

Surprisingly, the album follows a pop approach rather than the blues. Pop as in later FM, Paul McCartney, America kind of quality pop. His third (and final) solo album was the equally great sounding Hello There Big Boy. Pity about the title and cover but the music is top notch. I will need to keep a lookout for his second solo album - Midnight in San Juan (1976).

 

Where do they all belong? Hitting the easy listening and jazz sections next.