What's Playing Now

[SpeakerLabFan]

John Kay - Lone Steppenwolf
(1972-3, MCA) 1987 re-issue/compilation; Promo/NFS; Artisan symbol in the deadwax; mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan



late 80s compilation of the two John Kay solo LPs: Forgotten Songs and Unsung Heroes (1972), and My Sportin' Life (1973). With Danny Kortchmar, Lee Sklar, Russ Kunkel.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Asylum Choir - Look Inside The Asylum Choir
(1968, Smash/Mercury)




Inspired by voice of theatr. Leon Russell in a seriously weird psychedelic outing with Marc Benno. I have the original 1968 issue with the toilet roll on the cover and the 70s reissue also on the Smash label with Russell and Benno on the cover, both are unipak-style gatefold covers. I also have their 1971 follow-up, Asylum Choir II.

ASYLUM CHOIR Leon Russel and Marc Benno 1968 Psychedelic Rock--phenomenal album if you like 60's psychedelia!

[voice of theatr]

Every once in a while I get in the mood to listen to something besides music on my Model 19's. For those of you who remember the 60's, these guys were pioneers/greats IMHO, you could even say (although not sure how accurate you'd be) they were the Seinfelds of the 60's. My older brother had pretty much all of the 60's Smothers Brothers and Cosby LP's among other cool comedy stuff from that era which I have inherited (he's still very much alive, but doesn't use his turntable anymore--poor guy!). I have the best memories of being a little kid listening to Bill Cosby talking about smearing jello on the floor, etc! There's something about the 60's (maybe just because that's when I was born) that seems so innocent and uncomplicated......

[voice of theatr]

The Who - Odds & Sods
(1974, Track/MCA)
The Who/Townshend are so good that this even this collection of oddities and leftovers is a blast. Little Billy is awesome.

Great pick! The Who are one of my all time favorites--I consider albums like Quadrophenia, Who's Next, By Numbers, Live at Leeds, etc. to be masterpieces. I couldn't agree more about "Odds and Sods". The Who's "leftovers" on this LP are better than most bands' main courses! They had some great solo outings as well. Pete Townshend had so many great LP's--I sometimes feel that many people over look John Entwistle's solo stuff---much of which was excellent IMHO. These are my two personal favorites by The Ox (RIP)




If you like John's contributions to the Who's albums ("My Wife", "Postcard", "905", etc.)I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the songs and playing on these two LPs.....

[voice of theatr]

Speaking of solo albums I dug this one out today--hadn't heard it in a while. I've been a fan of Edgar and Johnny Winter since the 70's. I've seen them live on multiple occasions. Albums like White Trash, They Only Come Out At Night, Second Winter, Saints and Sinners, to name just a very few are permanently etched into my memory. Ronnie was a great contributor to some fine albums by Edgar and Johnny, but at the risk of stirring up controversy, I'll admit I'm not a big fan of many of the Montrose albums (admittedly, I haven't heard them all). However, this album (a solo album, not a Montrose album) was like a breath of fresh air to me compared to some of his other stuff. I know people worship some of those Montrose albums, so I stress this is only my opinion--I know there are some worthwhile songs on those albums, but I was never knocked out by the albums as a whole. This album, while still not the most consistent album in the world, had some real gems--and some of his best songs in my opinion. Ironically, many fans of the band Montrose, don't like this solo album as it is a departure for him--an equally valid opinion of course.
If you've never heard the album, there are several nice cuts, but I'd suggest checking out these two cuts first if you want to hear a couple of my personal favorites (but not necessarily the best two cuts on the LP). If you click on the yahoo link below, on the bottom half of the web-page that it directs you to, you can click the "PLAY" button for "No Beginning, No End" and "My Little Mystery" if you want to hear something different by Ronnie Montrose (the songs play in their entirety on the website)......

http://new.music.yahoo.com/ronnie-mo...3JJwQcBkAOxCUv

[SpeakerLabFan]

Frank Sinatra - Songs For Young Lovers
(1954, Capitol) W 1432 Mono



This was Frank's first record for Capitol. 1960 mono issue; an HPB clearance bin find in Feb.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Frank Sinatra - Where Are You?
(1957, Capitol) W 855 Mono; first pressing with gray label



More Frank, very big sound backing him up from Gordon Jenkins and Orchestra.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers - Mirage
(1957, Savoy) VAN GELDER in the deadwax; 1977 reissue



recorded in March 1957; hard bop with Jackie McLean on alto. a thrift store find from last year.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River
(1969, Fantasy)



it's a sunny spring saturday here with temps expected near 70'. good day to get outside, and some Creedence seems about right.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Various artists - The New Spirit Of Capitol
(1970, Capitol)



Capitol records sampler album with a lot of variety:
Steve Miller Band -- Little Girl.
Hedge and Donna -- Jamie.
Joe South -- Games People Play.
Linda Ronstadt -- Silver Threads and Golden Needles.
John Stewart -- July, You're a Woman.
David Axelrod -- A Little Girl Lost.
Edgar Broughton Band -- Toy Soldier.
Grand Funk Railroad -- Please Don't Worry.
The Sons -- It's Time.
Pink Floyd -- Astronomy Domine.
Guitar, Jr. -- Broke and Hungry.
Bob Seger System --Innervenus Eyes.
Mississippi Fred McDowell -- The Red Cross Store

[SpeakerLabFan]

Gary Lewis And The Playboys - Greatest Hits!
(1985, Rhino) PRECISION SM in the deadwax; mastered by Stephen Marcussen at Precision Mastering



compilation of hits from 1965 - 1968. One of the songs "The Loser" from 1967 was produced by Leon Russell. a thrift store find last week.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Charles Mingus - Reevaluations: The Impulse Years
(1973, ABC Impulse)



yesterday was Mingus' birthday. recordings from 1963, with Jackie Byard, Eric Dolphy, Booker Ervin, Jerome Richardson.

[SpeakerLabFan]

John McLaughlin - Devotion
(1970, Douglas 4)



with Larry Young (who appears on Hendrix - WCSB tracks), organ/electric piano; Buddy Miles, drums; Billy Rich, bass. The gatefold cover's labeled spine is on the right side, which has the cover photo oriented upside down. the inner gatefold is an even more abstract photo with no orientation clues, so I don't know how to look at the damn thing. "Don't Let The Dragon Eat Your Mother"

[SpeakerLabFan]

Laurindo Almeida, Ray Brown - Bach Ground Blues & Greens
(1970, Century City)



wow, Ray Brown can play bass. Brown and Almeida together here, later they played together in the L.A. Four.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Bola Sete - Jungle Suite
(1985, Dancing Cat Records) mastered by Bernie Grundman