Prince of the sea (Lenny White) (LP 2267)

Lenny White  Venusian Summer (Vinyl, Nemperor Records, 1975) *****  

Genre: Jazz fusion 

Places I remember: Amoeba Records (LA)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Venusian Summer Suite

Gear costume: Prince Of The Sea 

Active compensatory factors: Lenny White is an outrageously gifted drummer who plays in the jazz fusion world, mainly with the fusion band Return To Forever. 

He has played with Jackie Mclean and Miles Davis as well, so he knows what he's doing!

He also has a solo career and Venusian Summer was his debut album in 1975. Some of the other musicians joining him on the album - David Sancious and guitarists Larry Coryell/ Al Di Meola on Prince Of The Sea.

I really like this funk fusion groove Lenny gets going on the album. Doug Rauch on bass is a big part of that as he and Lenny lay down the rhythms.

Where do they all belong? I don't have any other solo albums aside from a best of compilation on CD. Elsewhere though he pops up in various places - most notably in Return To Forever.

In the past, I have flirted with the idea of collecting the Nemperor jazz label (the 1974 to 1977 version before they were absorbed into CBS/Epic). Mainly because I like what they released and as with Grunt, Apple, Ring 'O' and Dark Horse records - I really like the label design (the stylised 'N' and the colour really appeals). Plus, there is a Brian Epstein connection.

One of the problems is that Nemperor was distributed by Atlantic Records from 1974 to 77, so some of the catalogue is listed on the cover as being Nemperor, but the actual label is Atlantic. Little Children by Hammer/Goodman is a case in point.

The other slight issue is the eclectic nature of the catalogue (jazz fusion, pop, rock) but that didn't stop me with Apple or Dark Horse.

So far I've resisted the temptation but I remain on the lookout.

Don't let the dragon eat your mother (John McLaughlin) (LP 2262 - 2266)

John McLaughlin  Devotion (Vinyl, Douglas Records, 1970) ****  

John McLaughlin My Goals Beyond (Vinyl, Elektra Musician Records, 1971, my copy a reissue 1982) ****  

Mahavishnu Orchestra Apocalypse (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1974) ****  

John McLaughlin with The One Truth Band  Electric Dreams (Vinyl, CBS Records, 1979) *****  

John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu   Adventures In Radioland (Vinyl, Relativity Records, 1987) ***   

Genre: Jazz fusion, progressive rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records; Slow Boat Records.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Dragon Song (Devotion)

Gear costume: Hymn To Him (Apocalypse); The Dark Prince (Electric Dreams) 

Active compensatory factors: Heavy stuff! John's work is not for the faint hearted and I tend to shie away from his most extreme creations with Mahavishnu Orchestra. They are scarey maan!

So, my John McLaughlin collection is from the accessible side of the divide.

Devotion came out before he formed Mahavishnu Orchestra so it is more prog rock than fusion to my way of thinking. Plus, it has Buddy Miles on drums so it's got a meaty pulse!

John is intense on guitar - searching, full of spit and polish. It appears he was unhappy with the results but I have no idea why that would be the case. It sounds inventive as he's pushing the limits of rock in 1970.

My Goals Beyond is John on acoustic guitar, no less intense for that, this isn't easy listening by any means. My copy is the reissued version on Elektra, with a different cover. I much prefer the original cover, but the music is the same, so...

Side one is a series of short instrumental pieces, just John on acoustic guitar.

Side two (which I much prefer) has two more expansive pieces with a larger pool of musicians. Peace One and Peace Two (get it?) feature John with a large ensemble including Jerry Goodman, Charlie Haden and Billy Cobham. Tambura and tabla instruments also add to the exotic fusion.

Apocalypse is under the Mahavishnu Orchestra brand but this is the mark II version with Jean-Luc Ponty, The London Symphony Orchestra joining Mahavishnu (John). Thrillingly, George Martin is the producer so this was a no-brainer when I saw it in Real Groovy's ten dollar bin.

In parts, it's a very lush sound, thanks to the LSO and George. But John's expressive and instantly recognisable acoustic and electric guitar sounds meld effortlessly with the orchestra.

I used to have a cassette copy of Electric Dreams that I played often in the car on journeys, so this music is the most familiar of these five albums. That also makes it the most appealing as well. It is a true jazz fusion record.

Fernando Saunders on bass is also a star of this record, along with Shakti member L Shankar and jazz saxophonist - David Sanborn, is on one track.

John McLaughlin is at his jaw dropping best on this album. Try The Dark Prince - sounds impossible to do with human hands!

The final album in my John McLaughlin collection is a weird one from 1987, credited to JM and Mahavishnu. Thanks to the use of eighties synths it's not one of my favourites but his fearless approach to music (and the guitar) remains extant.

Where do they all belong? Next up, and final entry in the jazz fusion genre is Lenny White.

Déjà Vu (CSN&Y) (LP 2252 - 2261)

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   Déjà Vu (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1970) *****  

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   Déjà Vu Alternates (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 2021) * 

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   4 Way Street  (Vinyl and CD, Atlantic Records, 2021) **** 

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   CSN&Y 1974 (CD + DVD, Rhino Records, 2014) *****

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   Roosevelt Raceway, Sept 1974 (CD, MCPS Records, 2014) ***

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   American Dream (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1988) ***

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   In Sync (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1988) *

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   The Bill Graham Tribute Concert (San Francisco 1991) (CD, All Access Records, 2016) ***

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young   Looking Forward (CD, Reprise Records, 1999) ***

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young  Déjà Vu Live (CD, Atlantic Records, 2008) ****

Genre: pop rock 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records or JB Hi-Fi for a lot of these; My Music (Taupo) - Déjà Vu Alternates (part of Record Store Day releases). Déjà Vu Live is from the Virgin Megastore in Dubai.

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Carry On (first song on Déjà Vu - as soon as those harmonies start you know all will be well).

Gear costume: On The Beach (CSN&Y 1974). Good to hear all of the new songs introduced on this set. I do wonder what was going through the others' minds as Neil sang his solo songs, and he doesn't mince words: 

Think I'll get out of town
I head for the sticks with my bus and friends
I follow the road though I don't know where it ends 

Active compensatory factors: Was there ever a better corporate brand name than Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young? The first three were already a thing and Neil Young is definitely his own man, marching to his own beat. 

From time to time Young decided he needed the boost of the brand and so he joined in, on his own terms, of course.

Once the three agreed to Neil's presence (not a gimmie), then Déjà Vu gets CSN&Y off to a ripper of a start. Still, Neil's contributions are very much solo pieces given to the brand.

The Alternate version album is interesting but I'm so used to the proper versions I find it a bit awkward to listen to now.

The live albums came before the next studio effort. 4 Way Street was expanded for the CD age and it's one of those rare ones where it's better than the 4 sided vinyl original. I've deducted a star mainly because of Stephen Still's tiresome solo slot. The rest though is top notch guitar duels between Stills and Young and a judicious couple of solo songs each creates much needed variety.

Graham Nash was instrumental in organising the '74 tour tapes for release in 2012. It's a 3 CD, 1 DVD essential purchase. So many great versions of solo, duo, trio and the 4-some songs.

If you want more, and who doesn't? then try the radio broadcast from Roosvelt Raceway Sept 8, 1974. It's a beauty and is compiled from one concert (albeit truncated) rather than the cherry picked CSN&Y 1974 set.

By 1988 David Crosby was out of prison and he'd cleaned up, so CSN called in a promise made by Neil and the 4-some reconvened for a studio album (which turned out to be a big seller so Neil did okay out of the deal).

American Dream was the result of their reunion. Sadly 1988 wasn't a vintage year for the four and so the songs were a little lacklustre compared to Déjà Vu.

Highlights are Neil's Feel Your Love and Got It Made (Stills). 

Unfortunately there are some cringe moments as well with some weak Neil Young material, notably This Old House.

The In Sync record is a collection of individual interviews released to tie in with the release of American Dream.

It's made for radioland and so it's one for collectors only really. I picked it up for $10 from Real Groovy Records.

The Bill Graham Tribute Concert is a peak performance during this time. To their credit, they sure don't phone anything in during their performances.

It's a roughly democratic song selection - although Nash gets one, Crosby two, Stills two, Young three.

Highlights aplenty with this one, including an interesting, long version of that old chestnut in their concerts - Wooden Ships.

Their third studio record was Looking Forward, and like American Dream, is pretty even handed with the song selections. 

Again, like American Dream, it's a little underwhelming and Neil trots out another couple of average songs (for him). Stills has the best moment, for me, with Seen Enough. Maybe he gets inspired by Neil's presence but he seems to come out well ahead on these studio albums.

 

And so to their last effort together - the Neil Young led anti-war tour that is documented on Déjà Vu Live. For the most part it's freakin' awesome! This is one CSN&Y album that rewards being played REALLY LOUD!!!

The only mis-step being Let's Impeach The President. Free speech, Neil? Sure, but it doesn't make for a very good song.

Much better are brilliant versions of Military Madness, Déjà Vu, Shock And Awe, Wooden Ships. All featuring great guitaring by all concerned (and Neil's fiery approach is welcome).

It's notable that Stills is pretty anonymous on the album - just the one spotlight for him during the old Buffalo Springfield song For What It's Worth. Oh, and Find The Cost Of Freedom, but that was always a vehicle for all of CSN&Y.

Where do they all belong? That's it for Crosby, but there are still all the Nash, Stills, and Young solo albums to come when those letters come around.

Smile (Jack Traylor) (LP 2251)

Jack Traylor and Steelwind  Child Of Nature (Vinyl, Grunt Records, 1973) ****  

Genre: pop rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Child Of Nature

Gear costume: Fifteen Years After 

Active compensatory factors: I have managed to track down quite a few Grunt records from Real Groovy. A great shop and great service over all of these years!

Jack was in the Jefferson Starship orbit in the early seventies and he was to supply his Steelwind guitarist, Craig Chaquico, to Starship.

Steelwind and Jack sound a cross between very early Jefferson Airplane (with Signe Anderson) and an eighties Americana band. That's to say - there is a lovely laid-back approach at times with a hippy twist (Jack's vocals go well with Diana Harris').

Craig only gets a few opportunities to bring out some freak out stunt guitar - otherwise he's on mandolin and acoustic duties.

Where do they all belong? That concludes the Grunt Records chapter in fine eclectic style.

It's only music (Grace Slick) (LP 2247 - 2250)

Grace Slick  Manhole (Vinyl, Grunt Records, 1973) ****  

Grace Slick  Dreams (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1980) ***  

Grace Slick  Welcome To The Wrecking Ball (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1981) ***  

Grace Slick  Software (Vinyl, RCA Records, 1984) ****  

Genre: pop rock; Grunt Records 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records 

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:  Better Lying Down (Manhole)

Gear costume: El Diablo (Dreams); Me and Me (Software)

Active compensatory factors: I love Grace's attitude (Manhole? Really?) and her abilities/skills. She is a force!! Take a listen to Better Lying Down if in doubt.

All four of these albums present a different Slick face and she has many more potentially, but this is it for her solo career (she's now retired so zero chance of anything new these days).

Manhole is her only album on Grunt, made with help from the usual suspects: Freiberg; Kantner; Kaukonen; Crosby; Casady; Barbata, plus new boy - Craig Chaquico who would figure in the reconstituted Jefferson Starship.

Her second solo album came out seven years later. Dreams was more of a mainstream effort, and without the usual suspects! It even had a couple of singles on it: Seasons and Dreams.

Scott Zito makes his first appearance instead, amid the lush new arrangements. Grace carries it all off well with her strong vocals front and centre, but it's not her strongest work. Side two songs all sound too similar to me and not her usual inspired effort.

Scott Zito is allowed to take Grace into arena rock-ville for Welcome To The Wrecking Ball, some of which hasn't aged all that well (unlike Manhole). But in typical Grace style she's in boots and all (check out that cover) and I like a lot of the album.

Grace clearly felt in the mood to rock out and she's always convincing in that mode - she rejoined Jefferson Starship after this album.

Her final solo album came out three years later. Software has Grace modelling a chic new look (great cover to Software too) and aiming to get with the hip new sounds of 1984, such as synths and drum machines. Not an ideal situation in my world you'd think - but this is Grace being brave and she deserves credit for trying something new wave-ish here and, indeed, a new look for each album.

Where do they all belong? One more Grunt record to go - Jack Traylor (who actually co-writes a song on Manhole).

Edge of glory (Joan Baez) (LP 2246)

Joan Baez  Play Me Backwards (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1992) ***  

Genre: Folk rock 

Places I remember: Electric City Music (Napier)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Stones In The Road (a live version, as this album isn't on Spotify)

Gear costume: Strange Rivers (an earlier live version)

Active compensatory factors: This is a reissued version of the album, complete with a second record of demos. I'll start there because it's as good, if not better than the actual album because it's just pure Joan with acoustic guitar. It's recorded brilliantly and really acts as its own distinct thing.

The liner notes call this a gateway album to Joan's third act - which leads to Gone From Danger and others. I think that's right - there are hints of an Americana approach here, while a few tracks hark back to her Nashville albums of the late sixties/early seventies or even further back to the folkie days.

Her voice is making that transition. Strange Rivers is a good example of that. 

Although my two featured songs are covers, the other aspect of note here is how many tracks are her co-writes. They sound good, and are not weak in any way compared to the other songwriters featured like Janis Ian or Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Where do they all belong? I dare say I haven't finished collecting Joan Baez albums. She's got her hooks in me.

Hip strut (Jackie Mclean) (LP 2237 - 2245)

Jackie Mclean New Soil (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1959) ***  

Jackie Mclean Swing, Swang, Swingin' (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1960) **** 

Jackie Mclean Capuchin Swing (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1960) ***  

Jackie Mclean Jackie's Bag (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1960) ****  

Jackie Mclean Bluesnik (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1961) **** 

Jackie Mclean Inta Somethin' (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1961) **   

Jackie Mclean A fickle Sonance (CD, Real Gone Jazz Records, 1961) ****  

Jackie Mclean It's Time! (CD, Blue Note Records, 1964) ****  

Jackie Mclean Right Now! (CD, Blue Note Records, 1965) *****  

Genre: Jazz 

Places I remember: JB Hi-Fi for the multi-pack, last two CDs from Kings Recording (Abu Dhabi)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I'll Take Romance (Swing, Swang, Swingin')

Gear costume: Fidel (Jackie's Bag); Das' Dat (It's Time!)

Active compensatory factors: I like the hard bop sound of Jackie Mclean's alto sax. The first 7 of these albums are presented on an eight album multi-pack (the first one of the 8 is Jackie's Scene which I've already written about).

New Soil was the first of Jackie's albums initially released on Blue Note. Donald Byrd appears alongside Jackie on trumpet - a sound that I struggle with. I much prefer Jackie on his own with a piano, bass, drum combo - which is what Swing, Swang, Swingin' is from 1960.

A great combo on that one - Jimmy Garrison on bass, Art Taylor on drums.

It was a hot year 1960 - three Jackie Mclean albums on Blue Note that year.

Capuchin Swing has Jackie back with a trumpet foil, this time it's Blue Mitchell.

I don't think Jackie ever made a bad album with Blue Note (or elsewhere for all I know - his catalogue is vast). It just comes down to personal preference.

Donald Byrd on some tracks, and Blue Mitchell on others, were back on trumpet, and an expanded band for the third album of 1960 - Jackie's Bag.

It's another hard-bop outing and good, but I still prefer the smaller combos and trumpet-less Jackie albums.

Side 2 of the album has Tina Brooks also playing tenor sax.

Bluesnik is one of his finest albums. This time Freddie Hubbard is the trumpet player. A review in Allmusic says: 'Many critics-as well as jazz fans hold to the opinion that Bluesnik may be McLean's most accessible session for the label... this is a monster session effortlessly performed by a soloist at an early peak and a supporting cast of blazing sidemen'

Inta Somethin' is a live album from 1961 which features Jackie playing with trumpeter Kenny Dorham.

As stated above, I'm not the biggest fan of the trumpet, Miles Davis excepted obvs.

I tend to shie away from albums that include a trumpeter, it's a hard sell for my wife, who hates the strident trumpet sound in a lot of jazz.

This album is really a Kenny Dorham date with Jackie along for the ride, so it features a lot of trumpet!

The final album in the multipack is A Fickle Sonance, also from 1961 with Tommy Turrentine the trumpeter featured.

The album sees Jackie on the cusp of developing a new style away from hard bop. I really like the questing spirit of this album. I can certainly hear the influence of John Coltrane on Jackie in some of these tunes.

The last two CDs in the list were bought when I lived in Al Ain. A few trips with my wife to Abu Dhabi always resulted in visits to Kings Recording - a CD shop that carried a large number of jazz CDs - and a lot of them on Blue Note.

I miss those trips!

It's Time! and Right Now! come from the mid sixties (he was fond of the exclamation mark!), where we are in modal post-bop territory.

Personnel on It's Time! include Herbie Hancock (he was everywhere) and Charles Tolliver on trumpet with Roy Haynes on drums.

Herbie is perfect for this sort of thrusting/demanding playing, he's continuously exploring new sonic territories and I'm sure that inspired Jackie et al.

I've left the best till last. Right Now! is my go-to Jackie Mclean album. 

Ever since I saw the cover in an album cover art book when I was a teenager, I've loved this record. So, my expectation was high when I finally found a copy in Kings Recording.

It met my expectation, and then some. Jackie doesn't need a trumpeter to create flurries of sound - he's best in this setting - with a pianist, bassist and drummer.

Don't just take my word for it though... Allmusic says: "Altoist McLean was at the peak of his powers during this period and, inspired by the versatile rhythm section... a particularly strong example of Jackie McLean's unique inside/outside music of the 1960s."

 

Where do they all belong? Next up in the jazz collection: Jay McShann