Tag: Montreal QC
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Nicolet, Hochelaga, 2017 on Chivi Chivi
Nicolet is the project of Etienne Hamel, a Quebecois multi-instrumentalist – Hochelaga is the debut full length under that moniker. The name refers to a neighborhood in Montreal, on the St. Lawrence river near Mount Royal. Great francophone indie rock. Unfortunately it’s also the name of a stoner metal album by Dopethrone. I ended up…
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Bruce Cockburn, The Trouble With Normal, 1983 on True North
Cockburn’s 13th (I think) studio album, as he transitioned from old school folkie into new wave / alternative with more electric guitar and synthesizers but carrying forward the same politics and attitude. (“The trouble with normal is that it always gets worse”). True North was an independent Canadian label founded by Bernie Finkelstein (who gets…
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Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington: Song Book One, 1980 on Pablo Today
First of two records of Sarah Vaughan doing Duke Ellington songs recorded in 1979 and released in 1980 (there is a Song Book Two, also released in 1980). Produced by Norman Granz, and engineered by Val Valentin and Bob Simpson. Supporting artists include Waymon Reed (trumpet), J. J. Johnson (trombone), Frank Foster (tenor sax), Frank…
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Lou Rawls, The Best From Lou Rawls, 1976 on Capitol
2xLP collection of previously released Lou Rawls tracks I picked up during a trip to Montreal last year. What a fantastic set of songs – I think Lou Rawls is underestimated as a singer and vocal stylist across the 60s and 70s. My copy, via Beatnick Records (Disques Beatnick) in Montréal Québec, is a Canadian…
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Weird Al Yankovic, Dare To Be Stupid, 1985 on Scotti Bros.
This was the third studio LP from Weird Al, produced by Rick Derringer. Mixture of paradoes and “style parodies” which don’t copy specific songs but a generalized look and feel – like “Dare to be Stupid” which is in the style of Devo. Apparently he approached Prince about doing a parody of “When Doves Cry”…
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Peterson 6, The Oscar Peterson Big 6 at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1975, 1975 on Pablo
Titled as The Oscar Peterson Big 6, this is Peterson with Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Toots Thielemans, Louis Bellson, and Niels Pederson – produced by Norman Granz, and recorded at the Montreux Jazz festival on July 16th, 1975. My copy—via Fin Du Vinyle in Montréal Québec—is a Canadian pressing (Made in Canada by RCA Limited…
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Mose Allison, Middle Class White Boy, 1982 on Elektra Musician
First of two Mose Allison LPs out on Elektra Musician (the other was Lessons in Living) and (per the jacket notes) the 19th Mose Allison album. Allison plays Yamaha electric piano as well as traditional acoustic piano. Allison is supported by Joe Farrell (tenor sax, flute), Phil Upchurch (guitar), Putter Smith (bass), John Dentz (drums),…
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Mose Allison, Lessons in Living, 1983 on Elektra Musician
Recorded live at the Montreux Jazz Festival July 21st, 1982 with Jack Bruce (bass), Billy Cobham (drums), Lou Donaldson (alto sax), and Eric Gale (guitar) joining Allison. Elektra Musician was a jazz oriented subsidiary of Elektra/Asylum, and started in 1982 – it was absorbed into Nonesuch in 1994. My copy—via Aux 33 Tours in Montréal…
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SVT, Extended Play, 1980 on 415 Records
San Francisco / Bay Area new wave / rock band including Jack Casady and (my former colleague) Nick Buck (from Hot Tuna) with Brian Marnell and Paul Zahl (who replaced founding drummer Bill Gibson, who went on to be in Huey Lewis and the News). This was out of print for a long time but…
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Edith Piaf, Pleins Feux Sur Edith Piaf, 1973(?) on Philips
Not entirely sure on the year of release here, but “Pleins Feux Sur” (which translates as “spotlight on”) is a series of early 70s Canada releases on Philips. You can see some of the other releases in the series (“egalement disponible dans la même série”) in the gatefold. My copy via Cheap Thrills in Montréal,…
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M. Ward, Migration Stories, 2020 on Anti-.
Tenth studio LP from Portland OR’s M. Ward, released on 2020 as his first on Anti-. (Think of Spring came out at the end of 2020; Migration Stories in April). Produced by Craig Silvey in Montreal with contributions by Richard Reed Parry and Tim Kingsbury of Arcade Fire (and others). There is a “migration story”…
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Buck Clayton, Swingin’ and Dancing, 1964 on Mode Disques
I do a fair amount of record shopping while traveling, and picked up this Buck Clayton (et sa trompette) at La Fin Du Vinyle in Montreal, on Mode Disques, which was a sub-label of Disques Vogue, a French label. The liner notes are presented in French, English, and German. Personnel here include Jean-Claude Pelletier, Jean…
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Chet Baker, Chet Baker in New York, 1958 on Riverside
In something of the same vein as the West Coast / East Coast rap rivalry of 90s hip hop, the jazz scene in the 50s had a bit of a California vs New York thing happening. As the sleeve notes by Orrin Keepnews puts it: . . . during much of the 1950s considerable conversation…
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Chet Baker, Chet, 1959 on Riverside
The labels carry a subtitle of “Ballads by Chet Baker,” and the rear cover suggests “The lyrical trumpet of Chet Baker” but most people just call it Chet. Riverside RLP 12-299 (mono) and RLP 1135 (stereo). He’s joined here by Pepper Adams, Paul Chambers, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, and Philly Joe Jones / Connie Kay…
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Nat King Cole, You’re My Everything, 1967 on Pickwick/33
Somehow this week has turned into posthumous collection week – this compilation was put out by Pickwick/33 in 1967 (Cole died in 1965), drawn from various Capitol Records releases. My copy is a Canadian pressing (see the “Made in Canada” on rim text on the label) via Beatnick Records in Montréal QC
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Big Joe Turner, Rhythm & Blues Years, 1986 on Atlantic
Although this compilation was put out by Atlantic in 1986 (Turner died in late 1985), the recordings come from the 1950s. Turner met the Erteguns at the Apollo Theater in 1951 and made five albums plus many singles and EPs on Atlantic during those years. Great 2xLP with a gatefold and liner notes including contributions…
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Joe Turner, Singing the Blues, 1967 on BluesWay / ABC
“Big” Joe Turner here with Buddy Lucas, Patti Bown, Wally Richardson, Thornel Schwartz, Bob Bushnell, Panama Francis, and Herbie Lovelle. This was his debut album on BluesWay though he was already ~30 years into his career. This then is Joe Turner with a voice a little more mellow than of yore, but still uniquely alive…
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Gerry Mulligan, Concert Days, 1966 on Sunset Records
Although this compilation came out in the mid-sixties, the recordings are all from 1954-1957. Thanks to the Gerry Mulligan Discography compiled by Antoine Perier, Gérard Dugely, and Kenneth Hallqvist, they would seem to be: My copy is a Canadian pressing via Aux 33 Tours in Montreal, QC
