Tag: vinyl
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Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, 1955 on Pacific Jazz
This was a compilation of tracks previously issued on three different 10″ records issued by Pacific Jazz in 1952 and 1953: PJ LP-1, PJ LP-2, and PJ LP-5. Besides Mulligan and Baker, the musicians include Larry Bunker or Chico Hamilton (drums) and Carson Smith or Bob Whitlock (bass). The cover painting is by Keith Finch,…
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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Weathervanes, 2023 on Southeastern Records
Ninth studio full-length from Isbell and sixth with the 400 Unit – won the 2024 Grammy for Best Americana Album 2024, and “Cast Iron Skillet” won Best American Roots Song. Isbell produced, with assistance from Matt Pence. Recorded at Blackbird in Nashville. The subtitle (on the hype sticker) is “Life And Death Songs Played For…
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David Bowie, The Next Day, 2013 on ISO Records / Columbia
Bowie’s penultimate release, coming three years before Blackstar and a decade after Reality. Produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti, and recorded at The Magic Shop in New York City in 2011-2012. Musicians include Earl Slick, Gerry Leonard, Sterling Campbell, Zack Alford, and Gail Ann Dorsey. I love the cover, which starts with the cover of…
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Eels, Hombre Lobo (12 Songs of Desire), 2009 on E Works Records
Seventh full length from Mark Oliver Everett (aka “E”) and Eels. Hombre Lobo as you might guess is Spanish for Werewolf. The MySpace Transmissions EP of live tracks was released to promote this release. Everything they do is just interesting and cool. There’s also a documentary called Tremendous Dynamite: Making Hombre Loco if you buy…
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Willie Dixon, Mighty Earthquake And Hurricane, 1984 on PA USA
Though one doesn’t normally think of Dixon as an eighties artist (he started putting out recordings in the late 50s) he was still making great music into the 80s before passing in 1992. He also toured behind his album well into his 60s. The band here includes Freddie Dixon (bass), Jimmy Tillman (drums), John Watkins…
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David Porter, . . . Into A Real Thing, 1971 on Enterprise
Porter was the staff songwriter for Stax – this was his second full length LP issued under his name, following up Gritty, Groovy, & Gettin’ It. Enterprise was a sub-label of Stax, which also released the early Isaac Hayes solo albums. (Apparently label president Al Bell was a Star Trek fan). Wonderful early 70s Stax/Volt…
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Chet Baker, Albert’s House, 1969 on Beverly Hills
One of Baker’s releases following getting his teeth (allegedly) knocked out (see Born to Be Blue) – eleven songs composed by Steve Allen. Gets some pretty negative reviews – I’d agree it isn’t Baker at his prime, but I’m closer to the Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide which gives is three out of five stars…
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Teo Macero with the Prestige Jazz Quartet, Teo, 1957 on Prestige
Macero is likely best known as the producer of both Bitches Brew and Time Out but he was also a great saxophone player and composer. He made multiple albums with Mingus and cofounded the Jazz Composers Workshop. Here he is joined by Addison Farmer (bass), Jerry Segal (drums), Mal Waldron (piano), and Teddy Charles (vibes).…
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Lucinda Williams, Bob’s Back Pages: A Night of Bob Dylan Songs, 2021 on Highway 20 Records
Hard to imagine how you could go wrong with Lucinda Williams covering Dylan, and this collection delivers exactly as expected. Volume three of the Lu’s Jukebox In Studio Concert Series (I’ve got the first three volumes of the seven). Side D is a etching of Williams, from the photo that was used for Runnin’ Down…
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The Time, The Time (Self-Titled), 1981 on Warner Bros.
This was the debut LP from Morris Day and co, though they started playing together in the early seventies under different names. The band here still includes Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to become a well-known producing duo, and guitarist Jesse Johnson who made some solo releases. While most folks know The…
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Rufus & Chaka, Masterjam, 1979 on MCA
This was the eighth album by Rufus and their fifth with Chaka Khan. (They were Rufus, Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, and Rufus & Chaka Khan in various releases). Produced by Quincy Jones, it’s great late seventies funk/soul and went platinum, led by the single “Do You Love What You Feel.” Rufus released their seventh album…
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Traffic, Traffic (Self-Titled), 1968 on United Artists / Island Records
Released in 1968 on Island in the UK and United Artists in the US, this was actually their sophomore album, following after Mr. Fantasy. Dave Mason had left the band after the debut album but returned for this record. Wonderful version of “Feelin’ Alright?” here if you only know the Joe Cocker version. My copy…
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Lou Donaldson, Blues Walk, 1958 on Blue Note
Great late 50s Blue Note album, with Donaldson joined by Peck Morrison on bass, Ray Barretto on congas, Dave Bailey on drums, and Herman Foster on piano. Sleeve notes by Ira Gitler. (Donaldson died last month – November 2024). I wasn’t as familiar with Donaldson as some of his better known contemporaries, but he started…
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Wilco, Cousin, 2023 on dBpm
Wilco’s 13th full length studio album, produced by Cate Le Bon, and recorded at the Loft in Chicago. The cover artwork is by Azuma Makoto – see Frozen Flowers 2023. Truly a fantastic Wilco album – if you’ve fallen off the Wilco train time to get back aboard. My copy via Waterloo Records in Austin…
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Rush, Exit . . . Stage Left, 1981 on Mercury
Like many, I found Rush as teen (or maybe pre-teen?) and was immediately hooked by the aggressive musicality and complexity and the allusive nature of Peart’s lyrics. Even the album title here is a reference to Snagglepuss (as well as a reference back to All The World’s a Stage?). Still holds up as an amazing…
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McCoy Tyner, Trident, 1975 on Milestone
Tyner (who plays harpsichord and celeste as well as piano) is joined here by Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums), and the album was produced by Orrin Keepnews. It was his eighth LP for Milestone after recording on Blue Note and Impulse! throughought the 60s. (Elvin Jones worked with Tyner in the John Coltrane…
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Aaron Neville, Like It Is (reissued as Humdinger), 1967 on Minit
Although this was released in 1967 on Minit (and Liberty in the UK) as Like It Is, my copy is a 1986 reissue titled as Humdinger, on Stateside (a UK label designed to reissue things from smaller American labels). As John Broven’s sleeve notes (from 1986) put it: This album harks back to Aaron’s first…
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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…