Tag: 1970s
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Bobby Hutcherson, Montara, 1975 on Blue Note
Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s ~13th album on Blue Note – west coast Latin jazz. Recorded in LA (Record Plant) in August 1975 and produced by Dale Oehler. Hutcherson passed in 2016. My copy is part of the Vinyl Me Please Anthology The Story of Blue Note Records (2024 edition) which reproduces the mid-70s Blue Note labels.
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Bob Marley and the Wailers, Shakedown, 1979 on ALA
This was originally released in August 1971 with the title The Best of the Wailers on Beverley’s Records – but it is not a greatest hits album. It was recorded in 1970 with Leslie Kong and has been reissued many times with many different labels. Here it is called Shakedown on the cover and Shake…
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Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True, 1977 on Columbia
Costello’s debut album, coming roaring out of the gate with a new mix of punk, rockabilly, new wave, and British pub rock. Produced by Nick Lowe and recorded in Islington, London. Out on Stiff Records originally in the UK, then Columbia in the US. The original US version added “Watching the Detectives” but this version…
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The Wailers, Burnin’, 1973 on Island
Sixth LP from Marley and the Wailers, recorded at the same time as Catch a Fire. The front cover credits The Wailers, but this modern reissue credits Bob Marley & The Wailers on the labels. This was the last album before Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer all pursued solo careers. What a fantastic album,…
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Bob Marley and The Wailers, Live!, 1975 on Island / Tuff Gong
Recorded at the Lyceum Theatre in London, July 1975, and released by Island Records. Fantastic live album. The only thing wrong with this album is that isn’t a 2xLP or longer. My copy—not sure where I picked this up—is a post 2015 reissue by UMe on Tuff Gong labels, including a fold-out poster.
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The Cars, The Cars (Self-Titled), 1978 on Elektra
Debut album from Boston’s own The Cars, out in 1978 on Elektra, and produced by Thomas Baker. Killer debut, with “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Good Times Roll,” and “Moving In Stereo.” Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr, Elliot Easton, David Robinson, and Greg Hawkes in the original lineup. My copy, via a private…
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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Live at the Forum, 1970 on Lid
Widely bootlegged live album recorded at the LA Forum June 26th, 1970. Some performances from this night (and many from this tour) were on Four Way Street. My copy—via a private sale—is on purple “LID” labels, and has “Find the Cost of Freedom” at the end of side A rather than side D as on…
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Oscar Peterson, Oscar Peterson in Russia, 1976 on Pablo
Peterson recorded November 17, 1974 in Tallinn, Estonia (listed as Tallinn Russia) with Niels Pederson and Jake Hanna. I love finding these 70s era Pablo recordings. My copy—via Crossroads Records in Portland OR—is a 1976 RCA Indianapolis pressing 2xLP gatefold.
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Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks, 1975 on Columbia
One of the must-haves for any Dylan collector, Blood was Dylan’s return to Columbia after a couple albums on Asylum. “Tangled Up in Blue,” “Simple Twist of Fate,” and “Shelter From The Storm” are my favorites but there’s no shortage of great songs here. Dylan’s autobiography claims the songs are inspired by Checkov, but Jakob…
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Mose Allison, Western Man, 1971 on Atlantic
Mose Allison from 1971 with Chuck Rainey and Billy Cobham, recorded at Atlantic Studios and Regent, and produced by Joel Dorn. Great versions of “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” and “If You’ve Got The Money (I’ve Got The Time)” plus nine originals by Allison. My copy, via Crossroads Records in Portland OR, is…
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Paul Desmond, Pure Desmond, 1975 on CTI Records
Desmond (who composed Take Five and was a critical part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet) playing here with Ron Carter, Ed Bickert, and Connie Kay – recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in 1974 and produced by Creed Taylor. One of five albums Desmond put out on CTI in the late 60s and 70s. including…
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Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Rust Never Sleeps, 1979 on Reprise
Tenth Neil Young LP and third with Crazy Horse. Mixture of live performances with overdubs and recordings done live in studio. There was a tour also called “Rust Never Sleeps.” Great collection of songs, bookended by “My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)” and “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” – with “Powderfinger,”…
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The Who, Quadrophenia, 1973 on MCA
Not to be confused with the Quadrophenia soundtrack, which followed the 1979 film, this is the sixth studio album from The Who, a 2xLP release from 1973 on Track Records in the UK. It followed Tommy and Who’s Next. Like Tommy, it’s a rock opera telling the story of a mod named Jimmy, who says…
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Bill Evans, Return Engagement, 1974 on Verve
Title sometimes listed as Verve Return Engagement – part of a series of basically compilations of Jazz greats published in the 1970s by Verve. (I have the Oscar Peterson one as well). Nice way to get a bunch of Bill Evans tracks from across 8 albums in a new package. My copy—via Down in the…
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Bruce Springsteen, Greetings From Asbury Park N.J., 1973 on Columbia
This was Springsteen’s debut album, out in January 1973, produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos. Redportedly “Blinded By The Light” and “Spirit in the Night” were cut after Clive Davis rejected the original album tracklist. Personnel include Clarence Clemons, Vincent Lopez, David Sancious and Garry Tallent – aka the E-Street Band. My copy—via Electric…
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The Runaways, The Runaways, 1976 on Mercury
Debut album from Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherie Currie, Jackie Fox, and Sandy West, aka The Runaways – though apparently Nigel Harrison actually plays the bass on the album. Currie published a memoir (Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway) on which the 2010 biopic The Runaways was based, with Kristen Stewart playing Joan Jett,…
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Junior Wells, Southside Blues Jam, 1970 on Delmark Records
Junior Wells with Otis Spann, Buddy Guy (on sixe tracks), and Louis Myers (on 2 tracks), recorded Dec 30th, 1969 and Jan 8th, 1970. This was Spann’s last session before he died in 1970. We have tried to capture on this album what a listener would hear any Monday night at Theresa’s blues bar at…

