Real Gone Music artist: Larry Coryell - At The Village Gate - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the Larry Coryell's At The Village Gate, a essential fusion release from a live concert performed in 1971. Opening with The Opening, an original composition Larry Coryell on guitars and vocal is joined by Mervin Bronson on bass and Harry Wilkinson on drums. Starting with a simple guitar line, The Opening is reinforced by the same line on bass and anchored by the drum part allowing Coryell wide open space to improvise. This is classic Coryell and a great tune. After Later has a lighter feel and fleeter tempo and an almost pop melody wanting to emerge fro this jagged tempo. Coryell really opens up on this track blistering the strings and giving you a mental workout. Very cool! Chick Corea's Entardecendo En Saudade is up next with a driving drum rhythm and Coryell experimenting with phase shifting and working chords against wammy bar and feedback as he literally torches the audience with riffs. Excellent! Jack Bruce's Can You Follow? is up next with it haunting melody and daunting rhythm. Coryell's work is always on top but I am really obsessed with Wilkinsons drumming on this track. Terrific. Wrapping the release is Beyond The Chilling Winds featuring Julie Coryell in duet with Larry on vocal. Akin to a Jimi Hendrix track, BTCW has  complex inter-workings with a simple melody working itself into a monster jam where Coryell really unleashes. This is a great opportunity to hear Coryell at his prime.

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Real Gone Music artist: Larry Coryell - Coryell - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Coryell, from Larry Coryell. This of course is a new release of a 1969 Vanguard release of the same name. The name Larry Coryell has always been synonymous with jazz rock and this release shows exactly why. Being released just before Coryell's unexpected and untimely passing in late February while on tour, this release shows just how long Coryell has been making crate sized impacts on the music scene. With Coryell, an absolute maestro on guitar and with first class associates Bernard Purdie on drums, Albert Stinson, Chuck Rainey and Ron Carter on bass, Mike Mandel on keys and Jim Pepper on flute, this release is heavily weighted by heavy weights!  Opening with Sex, Coryell shows raw adventurous fusion rock and takes the lead on vocal as well as guitar. With his phaser flaring, Coryell blasts off. Sensitive vocals and a quite melody on Beautiful Woman opens wide for Ron carter to lay out some really nice bass lead and Coryell's own raw guitar work, framed by Purdie on drums. One of my favorite tracks on the release, The Jam With Albert, is a very cool and structured guitar melody over Stinson's solid bass riff and Purdie's incredible drum line. Elementary Guitar Solo #5 is a particularly interesting track with Coryell starting the track with highly sensitive chord playing and them progressively adding instrumentation and grit. Bouncing off of Chuck Rainey's bass lines, Coryell continues to dig deeper with some of the rockiest jazz rock fusion riffs to hit the stratosphere. I never picked up on this before but there is a musical theme in this track that follows or crosses a Steve Marriott melody that really adds a certain additional interest. On No One Really Knows, Purdie really kicks up the beat and Stinson's thumping bass line gives Coryell the freedom to fly on guitar. Very nice. On funky, Morning Sickness, Rainey digs in, fattening up the bottom and Coryell shows his wild fusion side almost broaching John McLaughlin territory. Wrapping the release is Ah Wuv Ooh, a fluid, euro style jazz rock track with lead guitar melody. Purdie's strong command of the skins and Coryell are in perfect balance and Jim Jim Pepper's flute work adds just the right melodic touch. Very nice conclusion to an important release. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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MUST BE GROUNDHOG DAY…REAL GONE IS BACK WITH ANOTHER SET OF ECLECTIC ‘N’ ESSENTIAL RELEASES TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR

     

     

February 3 Releases Include Deluxe Reissues of Albums from Delaney & Bonnie, Lesley Gore, and Thom Bell, Plus Long-Lost Albums from Larry Coryell, Jim Kweskin, and Duke Ellington, Capped with Rare Live Soft Machine on Vinyl and a 2-CD Lynn Anderson Collection

Year after year, Real Gone Music starts the calendar with a bang by putting out a huge slate of releases, and this year’s crop is no exception—the label is putting out a total of ten releases the day after Groundhog Day! Leading off the line-up is a deluxe reissue of the roots-rock classic LP Motel Shot by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, featuring eight unreleased bonus tracks on a domestic CD debut. The label is also filling in the last big gap in Lesley Gore’s catalog by reissuing her A&M album Love Me by Name, again garnished with bonus tracks. And fabled R&B producer Thom Bell’s classic soundtrack to The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh featuring The Spinners, The Four Tops, The Sylvers, and more receives an expanded reissue with three bonus tracks.

Then, the label delves into the Vanguard vaults for a pair of long-lost classics: guitar god Larry Coryell’s second solo album, and Jug Band leader Jim Kweskin’s first solo album. The liner notes to both feature quotes from their respective artists. The only Duke Ellington album yet to be reissued, 1963’s Serenade to Sweden with Swedish singer Alice Babs, finally sees the light of day on CD. A rare live show from the proto-prog rock band Soft Machine comes out on limited edition “soft” purple vinyl. And a long-overdue, comprehensive collection of the great Lynn Anderson’s hit recordings for the Chart and Columbia labels caps off the schedule with a flourish.

Though they never achieved the popular success enjoyed by some of their peers, Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett spearheaded the roots-rock revolution of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s along with The Allman Brothers and The Band, turning away from the exoticism of psychedelia towards music “rooted” in blues, country, and soul. Witness the fact that the “And Friends” that played with the pair included Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Dave Mason and Bobby Whitlock….out of Delaney and Bonnie’s various aggregations arose Derek and the Dominoes and Joe Cocker’s band for the legendary Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. And for Delaney & Bonnie and Friends’ Motel Shot, the duo’s fourth studio album and their third for Atco/Atlantic, the circle of “friends” included Cocker, Whitlock, and Mason, plus appearances by Duane Allman, Gram Parsons, and John Hartford among others! But for the most part, this is a largely acoustic, charmingly informal affair dipped in gospel and dominated by the Bramletts and Whitlock; the Motel Shot title refers to informal, after hours jam sessions on the road. But there’s a whole lot more to the story (and to this release!). The project began not in a hotel room but in the living room of engineer Bruce Botnick, with November 1970 sessions as a prospective release for Elektra Records. But, after Delaney had a falling out with label head Jac Holzman, the project moved to Atco, who put the “band” into a proper studio to re-record much of the material. Those later sessions comprise the original album, which has heretofore only appeared briefly on CD in Japan; but, after hours of tape research, co-producers Bill Inglot and Pat Thomas uncovered the original “living room” sessions that yielded the eight unreleased tracks on this Expanded Edition CD release – and notably is the first American CD release of the original Motel Shot album as well. Remastered by Inglot, with an essay by Thomas that includes exclusive (and extremely candid) quotes from Bonnie Bramlett, Bobby Whitlock, Bruce Botnick, and Jac Holzman, Motel Shot finally is presented here the way it was originally conceived, and takes its rightful place as one of the great albums of the classic era of the roots rock movement.

Having filled a major gap in the late, great Lesley Gore’s discography with its release of her Motown album Someplace Else Now, Real Gone Music now turns its attention to the other major missing piece of her catalog, the 1976 album she recorded for A&M Records. Love Me by Name not only reunited Lesley with producer Quincy Jones from her hit-making ‘60s days, but brought her into together with a truly staggering array of talent, including Herbie Hancock, Toots Thielemans, Harvey Mason, Jim Keltner, Dave Grusin and just about every other studio superstar you could name, even the Partridge Family! Love Me by Name features compositions written by Gore and her songwriting partner Ellen Weston, most notably the title track, which was later covered by Dusty Springfield, Patti Austin, and Jennifer Holiday among others. The album also gave a nod to the disco and funk trends that were so prominent in pop music at the time, particularly on the lead-off track, “Sometimes,” which paired her unmistakable pipes with the Brothers Johnson. Our Real Gone reissue marks the worldwide debut of this album on CD, and adds two rare single versions as well as liner notes by Joe Marchese that explore the life and times of this remarkable lady. Remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision and featuring rare photos, this Expanded Edition of Love Me by Name is the one release that Lesley Gore fans worldwide have been waiting for.

Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are tipping off 2017 with a slam dunk release!  The 1979 cult favorite film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh featured an all-star team from the worlds of basketball and Hollywood - Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Meadowlark Lemon, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry Tarkanian, Stockard Channing, Jonathan Winters, Flip Wilson, Debbie Allen, Harry Shearer, and more – for its fantastical tale of a struggling Pittsburgh basketball team that beats the odds with a little help from the heavens.  The movie’s soundtrack was equally illustrious.  Pop-soul maestro Thom Bell, renowned for his work with The Spinners, The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and Johnny Mathis, wrote, produced, arranged, and conducted his very first motion picture score, and the result was a soul symphony incorporating funk, disco, and jazz rhythms, and of course, Bell’s trademark luscious balladry.  An A-team of R&B’s finest artists was enlisted to perform Bell’s all-new songs, including The Four Tops, The Spinners, Bell and James, Phyllis Hyman, The Delfonics’ William “Poogie” Hart, and The Sylvers, plus country superstar Loretta Lynn, ragtime legend Eubie Blake, and the one and only Doc Severinsen.  Yet, when the movie came and went from theatres, so did the soundtrack album…until now! The Fish gained a cult following on television and VHS, and now, it’s time for its sizzling soundtrack to have its chance on the court, too.  Hip-hop’s most tuned-in artists have already sampled these lost grooves; now you can hear the originals! The first-ever CD release of The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh boasts a sparkling new remastering from the original Lorimar Records tapes by Sean Brennan at Sony’s Battery Studios, detailed liner notes by The Second Disc’s Joe Marchese featuring fresh quotes from Thom Bell, and three rare bonus tracks: two distinctive 12-inch mixes of Bell and James’ infectious title track, and the lush, dramatic “Pisces Theme.”  This deluxe Expanded Edition is nothing but net, and a must-have for classic soul fans from Philly to Motown…and of course, Pittsburgh.  The Doctor is in!

Larry Coryell is one of the greatest guitarists ever to walk the face of the earth, but he remains somewhat underappreciated—witness the fact that this, his second solo album, has never been released on CD until this Real Gone reissue! 1969’s Coryell offers an intriguing blend of improvised and arranged pieces, with an all-star cast that includes Ron Carter, Bernard Purdie, Albert Stinson (“The Jam with Albert” is perhaps the highlight of the entire album), Chuck Rainey, and Free Spirits bandmate Jim Pepper. Jimi Hendrix is definitely an influence on this jazz-rock gem, but Coryell takes his axe in directions only known to him; at this time, only John McLaughlin (with whom Coryell would shortly cut the one-off Spaces) could rival him in the fusion field. Bill Kopp’s notes include copious quotes from Larry Coryell himself; Mike Milchner’s remastering lets this overlooked album shine.

After a couple of albums on Vanguard Records established Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band as a major force in the folk scene, their leader had something different in mind for his first LP without the group. Billed to Jim Kweskin, 1965’s Relax Your Mind gave him the opportunity to, as he puts it in Richie Unterberger’s liner notes, record “music that was a little more meaningful to me personally.” With accompaniment by the Jug Band members Fritz Richmond on washtub bass and Mel Lyman on harmonica, Kweskin delivered a set just as diverse as his records with the full Jug Band, encompassing traditional folk standards, blues, gospel, African music, and more. Mel Lyman’s original, stream-of-consciousness liner notes (also included here) describe an uproarious, impromptu jam session in the Vanguard studios from which much of this record was taken; the rest comes from a live date recorded at Cambridge’s Club 47 a year or two earlier. Remastering by Mike Milchner at SonicVision and copious Kweskin quotes in the notes present this fine folk album—which sees its first domestic release to retail—in its best light.

Real Gone Music is proud to present what is probably the rarest album in the voluminous Duke Ellington discography, his 1963 date with Swedish singer Alice Babs, Serenade to Sweden. That year, Ellington was hired by the Reprise label as an A&R man, free to sign any artist he wanted and to record them. His first choice was Babs, who, in Ellington’s words, was “the most unique artist I know…She sings opera, she sings lieder, she sings what we call jazz and blues, she sings like an instrument, she even yodels, and she can read any and all of it!” For her part, Babs (born Hildur Alice Nilson) had a hit in Sweden when was only 15 (“Swing It Teacher”), and was an iconic figure in her homeland, appearing in 14 Swedish films from 1938 to 1959. The result of this meeting of legendary musical minds was a sublime cool jazz masterpiece that, sadly, never received a proper release in the U.S. and appears to be the only Ellington album never to be reissued on CD or even digitally, having eluded even the most comprehensive compilers. Needless to say, original copies go for big Swedish krona online, and not just because it’s rare; Babs’ wordless vocals and scat singing on “The Boy in My Dreams,” “Strange Visitor,” and “Babsie” are positively Ella-worthy, and Ellington’s masterful arrangements—at times filigreed with a French horn section—provide the perfect accompaniment. We’ve added liner notes by Scott Yanow, while the album boasts remastering by Aaron Kannowski. Fascinating for any jazz fan—essential for Ellington enthusiasts!

Soft Machine was one of the first prog-rock bands, but if your vision of prog-rock consists of musicians wreathed in pot smoke airily singing of fairies and wizards, it will be summarily dispelled by this fantastic “authorized bootleg,” which captures the band in March 1969 at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, playing material that was to be released six months later on Soft Machine: Volume Two. The trio of Robert Wyatt on drums and vocals, Mike Ratledge on organ, and Hugh Hopper on bass launch what can only be called a high-decibel, jazz-rock sonic assault; “Like vindaloo for the ears” is how Hopper puts it on the accompanying notes on the inner sleeve, adding, “I do remember playing incredibly loud, Mike on fuzz organ and me on fuzz bass, both through hundred-watt Marshall stacks.” Some of the frenzied instrumental passages on Live at the Paradiso might recall Miles Davis’ Agharta-era band, but remember, this is a trio making all this racket (in 1969, no less); Soft Machine at this point in time were on a journey all their own. This is the first-ever vinyl release of this notorious concert, and it comes on “soft” purple vinyl limited to 1000 copies. Anybody interested in just how far out rock got in the late ‘60s will want to give this repeated listens.

She is one of the Top Ten charting female country singers of all time, the first to win an American Music Award, the first to headline and sell out Madison Square Garden, and was a regular on TV including everything from The Lawrence Welk Show to The Tonight Show to Starsky & Hutch.  Now, Real Gone Music is proud to present a collection that finally does justice to the superstar career of Lynn Anderson: 40 tracks, 38 hits, all of her classic Chart and Columbia sides, lovingly remastered by Vic Anesini at Battery Studios and annotated by Joe Marchese. The Definitive Collection starts with her first hit, “Ride, Ride, Ride,” and continues with every other notable song, including “Rose Garden,” “You’re My Man,” “How Can I Unlove You,” “What a Man, My Man Is,” “Keep Me in Mind,” “Mother, May I” (with her mother, Liz Anderson), “That’s a No No,” “Cry,” “Listen to a Country Song,” “Fool Me,” and many more hits both major and minor. Great, great ‘70s country from an oft-overlooked artist (why isn’t Lynn in the Country Music Hall of Fame?)!

Real Gone Music - The Mamas and the Papas - The Complete Singles 50th Anniversary Collection - New release review

I just had the opportunities to review one of the best pop collections ever assembled and it's terrific. That's right...I'm talking about the Mamas and the Papas and The Complete Singles 50th Anniversary Collection. Sure, this collection has all of the radio tracks, Go Where You Wanna Go, California Dreamin', Monday Monday, I Saw Her Again, Words of Love (a terrific sleeper featuring Mama Cass), Dancing in the Street, the huge... Dedicated To The One I Love, Twelve Thirty, the dynamic Dream A Little Dream of Me, but also Mama Cass solo tracks including Make Your Own Kind Of Music! All this and 22 pages of liner notes by Ed Osborne, some great photos and 53 tracks should keep you happy for a long while. Made during a time when the hippie movement was just beginning and the drug culture was an experimentation, a masterful compilation of singles by great writers and singers, John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Denny Doherty and Mama Cass Elliot.



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Real Gone Music presents: Grateful Dead Dick's Picks Vol Seven September 1974 - New release review

I just received the latest release from Grateful Dead's Dick's Picks, Vol Seven and it's a strong set. Opening with Scarlet Begonias the Dead wastes no time whatsoever getting the groove going. Western flavored Mexicali Blues has a great feel and Weir's vocals are strong and clear. Row Jimmy is a nice change up and Garcia plays some shimmery guitar riffs that are actually chilling. Very cool! On Black-ThroatedWind the Dead's blues influences are particularly strong. Lesh's contribution on bass are vital on this track. A cool little (extended) ditty, Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo has a real nice swagger and clean guitar solos. Garcia's vocals are spot on and fine! Beat It On Down The Line is of course one of the band's rockers and has great drive. Keith Godchaux lays down some nice piano work on this track and Donna Jean adds nice vocal harmonies. Tennessee Jed has just the right groove and Garcia leads it perfectly. Keith, Jerry, Bob and Phil really get a solid footing on this track held tight by Bill Kreutzmann for my favorite track on disc one. Band hit, Playing In The Band wraps side one in classic style with a 23 plus minute jam.

 Opening disc two is Weather Report Suite, opening with it's classical nature but evolving into a rowdy Dead western rocker with Weir and Donna Jean taking the vocal lead. Stella Blue is a classic Dead blues ballad and finds Garcia in some of his best vocals for my own personal preference in a long time. Jack Straw has a particularly cohesive feel with tight overlayed guitar and bass work. Brown-Eyed Women is as straight up crowd pleaser with no extraneous jams as I've heard the band perform. It is well received and clear. Big River has a hard driving feel and Weir coupled with Keith really gets it going on this one. Of course there is plenty of guitar to go around but the boys keep it reeled in and tight. Classic Dead track, Truckin' is a very short 10 plus minute version of one of their mist popular tracks ever. Nice! Blending straight into Wood Green Jam the band get creatively loose and although cohesive, more expressive. Wrapping disc 2 is Wharf Rat. Compelling vocals by Garcia as well as bass work by Lesh, piano by Keith and tight rhythms by Bill give this track real texture.

Western flavored Me and My Uncle is a great opener for disc 3 featuring Weir on vocal and fast paced soloing. This is a great toe tapper and gives Garcia a real opening to play some of his best riffs on the release. Just the opening of Not Fade Away elicits a crowd roar. Weir and Garcia sing in tandem as Lesh and Bill drive the rhythm train. Melodic soloing by Jerry and Lesh gets this track flying and it doesn't land for over 16 minutes. Clocking in at over 24 minutes, Dark Star pushes the envelope for free form jamming, with a solid melody falling out of the mist a times but only briefly. A continuation of the jam, Spam Jam, is much more wide open and experimental although a really cool jazz formation does appear. Interesting. Morning Dew is wound way down from Spam Jam with cohesive bass lines from Lesh driving Jerry vocally. Nice tight piano work from Keith leads to some frenzied guitar work and nicely woven solo lines between Weir and Garcia. Wrapping the release is U.S. Blues, an all time favorite with ideal framing and strong closing capabilities. Tight and powerful, the Dead crushes it.

   

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Real Gone Music: Apollo Saturday Night/Saturday Night At The Uptown - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Apollo Saturday Night/Saturday Night At The Uptown, from Real Gone Records and it's a real R&B party. Originally released on Atlantic in 1964, these two original LP's are combined onto a single Cd. Opening Apollo Saturday Night with I Found A Love and Alabama Bound by the Falcons, this is scorching hot and real. Otis Redding takes the stage with Pain In My Heart and These Arms Of Mine and in classic style. His voice is unmistakable and his dynamics with the horns impeccable. Doris Troy swings with Misty and gets a hot groove on Say Yeah. Great sax (King Curtis) backing really pushes this track. Rufus Thomas is down with Rockin' Chair and Walking The Dog gets that funky groove going with trumpets, trombones and sax with a Watusi kick. The Coasters deliver T'Ain't Nothin' To Me with their typically classic humor and Speedo's Back In Town with that hot R&B feel. Ben E King's set includes Groovin', Don't Play That Song, and Stand By Me... a hard set to follow! Finale featuring various artists hits hard. Spectacular set!

 Starting the second LP, Saturday Night At The Uptown and an introduction by Jimmy Bishop. The Drifters open with Under The Boardwalk, On Broadway and There Goes My Baby. These guys have the crowd firmly in their hands. The recording quality isn't perfect but the performance is top notch. Patty & the Emblems does Mixed Up, Shook Up, Girl and the recording is very clear and well balanced with classic 60's style. The Vibrations perform My Girl Sloopy and The Watusi, both with a much more pop feel and a lot of spunk. Next up is Wilson Pickett with strong soul ballad, If You Need Me and the hip shaking I'm Gonna Cry. Patti LaBelle & Her Bluebelles lays down an angelic soul ballad, Down The Aisle.... very powerful! The Carltons offer up Can't You Hear The Beat with an Isley's enthusiasm and bright horns. Wrapping the release is Barbara Lynn with (O Baby) We Got A Good Thing Going, a cool R&B track with a great feel. Lynn sings with all of the confidence of a closer and this makes for a great track to sum up a super release.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Real Gone Music: Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks 13 - Nassau Coliseum 5/6/81 - New release Review

I just received the newest release, Volume 13 of Dick's Picks from the Grateful Dead and the concert is quite entertaining. Opening with Alabama Getaway Garcia wastes no time getting the crowd on its feet and hopping. A wide open guitar solo in this one sets the pace. Continuing with the high energy rock of Greatest Story Ever Told, Weir leads the way. Settling down into a groove with They Love Each Other Lesh has his bass popping and Brent Mydland opens the door with some cool piano. Garcia uses the funky beat of the track to play some otherwise uncharacteristic riffs. Cool! On Cassidy, the easy country rock feel that the Dead developed so well gives Garcia and Weir the opportunity to get a little more progressive in their approach. Jack-A-Roe has a strong country flavor and is one of my favorites on the release. lead by Garcia on guitar and vocal it has that pure feel. Excellent finger work by Garcia on this track is icing on the cake. The Dead's take on Burnetts' Little Red Rooster maintains much of the original blues feel with some over driven guitar tones. Mydland takes a nice organ interlude nicely complimenting Garcia's guitar work and Wier's vocals. Classic Dead track, Dire Wolf is always a favorite with Garcia back on lead vocal. Although not prolonged, Garcia's guitar work on this track is spot on. One of Weir's extended ballads, Looks Like Rain follows with quiet emotion and Weir on lead vocals. On hopped up Big Railroad Blues, Garcia rocks out in a near Chuck Berry style for a refreshing rocker. Weir's Let It Grow has a nice quick moving pace and a twist of Mexico with nice drive by Hart and Kreutzmann on drums and crisp riffs from Garcia. Wrapping disc one is another all time favorite of the Dead, Deal. Garcia leads this track as fresh as the first time. Mydland and Lesh carry the bulk of the load with Garcia on vocal and light guitar riffs. Cutting in at over 7 minutes a good closer. Opening disc two is New Minglewood Blues, a traditional blues track similar to Rolling and Tumblin, with underlying blues riffs but with modern attributes. Mydland takes a nice organ solo on this track and Garcia lays down some pretty hot slide riffs of his own. A nice quiet bluesy ballad, High Time, is up next with Garcia showing some really lush guitar work. Another Weir track, Lost Sailor, has that unique blend of jazz, progression and ballad. Excellent writing. A 42 minute version of Saint of Circumstance is the first really extended jam by the gang on this recording and as a somewhat mid point of the release... very nice. Opening disc three is He's Gone with a Dead style boogie. Weir and Garcia harmonize nicely with sufficient cool guitar work to keep your ears on alert. On Caution/ Spanish Jam the Dead wanders through many different themes from driving rock to jazz. Hart and Kreutzmann take an extended (7 plus minute) drum excursion satisfying that drum itch and leading back into a loose guitar jam. With it's unusual rhythm pattern, The Other One seems a perfect sleigh to ride for yet another instrumental jam. Well constructed and moving, it's over in a moment. Back to the blues roots with Going Down The Road Feeling Bad, Garcia leads the way with a Delaney and Bonnie style. Pulling out all of the blues riffs, this track hits the note. A heavy shot of Wharf Rat is up next with Garcia leading on vocal and guitar. As has become customary, Weir takes the mic for a rocking version of Good Lovin'. On encore is another Dead favorite, Don't Ease Me In. This is a great terrific track to wrap up this mostly rockin' concert.

If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Real Gone Music artist: X - Under The Big Black Sun - New release review

I just received the newest release, Under The Big Black Sun from X. Of course if you're a fan of punk or alt. rock music you know that this excellent release came out originally in 1982. Bassist and vocalist John Doe and co conspirator Exene Cervenka led the way in the LA punk scene with guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer DJ Bonebreak. Opening with the Hungry Wolf, X establishes it trademark sound. Duet vocals, grinding rhythm guitar and firm drums. Motel Room In My Bed follows with Exene taking the lions share of the vocals and you can really see where even bands such as The Donna's got their influence. Riding With Mary is a solid rock track with confident drumming and solid guitar riffs. Come Back To Me is a mellow bluesy ballad with smooth vocals from Exene and sax work by Zoom. Title track, Under The Big Black Sun, is a really top notch pop rocker with edge. Because I Do cuts loose at warp speed, but keeping it simple is where it's at. Doe and Exene trade off on lead vocals and quick bursts of guitar occasionally break the rhythmic pace. Blue Spark has a contagious rhythm and trademark vocals. Very cool. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, a traditional folk blues track gets a Latin/island treatment and shows the band experimenting with different sounds. Excellent even by today's standards. Real Child Of Hell is a punk rock track with a solid rock base. Showing real musicianship in construction the band rips and you just hold on and enjoy. How I (Learned My Lesson) is probably one of the songs most closely associated with X's sound with Exene and John Doe trading vocals. Zoom keeps the solid rhythm on guitar but occasionally throws in a Ventures run and even takes a cool solo on this one. Excellent! Wrapping the original release is The Have Nots, a smooth paced heavy footed rocker. There are 6 bonus tracks on the release, starting with the "single" version of Riding With Mary. Pared down and tight it's an essential track. Having a little fun with Marty Robbins' El Paso, Exene does a lead in to a real ripper of a track followed by an instrumental version of Because I Do. These instrumental interludes really show the musical power of this band.  Universal Corner is a live cut recorded at the Country Club in Rosedale, Ca. in 1982. A rowdy rocker with loose slung guitar solos this track is cool. A single mix of Breathless led by Excene is a fast paced rocker with very simple construction and rockabilly guitar riffs.  Nice! Wrapping the release is a live recording of How I (Learned My Lesson) recorded in Detroit in 1982. This track is a great conclusion with electric flare. Zoom lays it out there more live than on studio cuts and it really is a fitting conclusion to a super release.


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Real Gone Music - Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - Riding Your Way

I just received the newest release from Real Gone Records, Riding Your Way - The Lost Transcriptions For Tiffany Music 1946 - 1947 by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and it's a real authentic cowboy/big band/Mexican/Hawaiian/bluegrass/swing/jazz fusion collection and a joy to explore. Included are all of the background hoots and hollars, hawaiian steel guitar tuning, big band horn arrangements, yodeling and authentic American music that you could imagine. This 11 or so piece band brought it all and didn't leave any of it when they were done. They went all after it. For two years Wills and the Playboys recorded tracks for about 30 radio stations airings including written dialog for the DJ's to string together the tracks. Originally 220 tracks were compiled for release between 1947 and 49.With the resurgence of interest in Wills music in the 90's and again in 2009 a large set of these recordings were released as a box set. This set, the recordings which are premium quality includes 50 tracks from the original recordings including 20 tracks that have never before been released. I have been sitting listening to this 2 disc set for a number of hours and it draws you in even more as you listen to it. This is genuine good time music and expertly executed. Going through and exploring each track individually in writing would be an enormous track but I will say that there is a variety of music here, all which is extremely enjoyable. Disc 1 opens with Put Another Chair At The Table a classic country styled ballad with big band twists. Brushy Fork is a really cool bluegrass (Irish reel) track with a lot of snap. The instrumental, Paradise Isle has a lot of Hawaiian influence with lap tuned Hawaiian style. Very cool. Brown Skin Gal, another instrumental is pure Texas swing with a capital T. Travelin Blues hits right on target with a country blues track. Excellent! On The Alamo again touches on Hawaiian tuning on the steel but with a touch of big band/jazz arrangement. Another particularly cool track. El Rancho Grande is one of my favorites from disc one with it's TexMex flavor. Ragtime Annie is a springy bluegrass style instrumental and a great track to conclude the 25 track 1st disc.

 Disc 2 opens with Sally Johnson which I think would be a jig or a reel. A very cool instrumental and then into Silver Dew on the Blue Grass Tonight, a traditional country swing track with traditional country steel tuning. Love Letters In The Sand gets a real country swing feel. And My Wild Irish Rose is taken as seriously as when written. Very nice. Another favorites on disc 2 is She's Killing Me, a bluegrass influenced track with a lot of vocal call and response. Bubbles In My Beer should definitely be in the jukebox of my neighborhood tavern. It would get a lot of quarters. I really enjoyed this review of classic Bob Wills music and recommend the release for anyone who likes a little touch of something fun. Included with these special 50 tracks is a large tri fold dvd sized package with photos and track listings as well as a 23 page booklet chocked full of info, poster photos, notes, bios and photos to look at while you listen to this great release.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Real Gone Music artists: The Lords Of The New Church - Reissue Release Review

I just received the new reissue of The Lords Of The New Church and it's as fresh as the day it was cut! Opening with New Church ex Dead Boys singer Stiv Bators leads the way for mainstream punk rock. This is a classic track and one that will stick with you. Russian Roulette is up next with a more classic rock format and melodic temperament. Damned guitarist Brian James takes a short solo on this track which shows signs of David Bowie and U2. Question Of Temperature is really a pop punk track with a contagious hook and solid bass by Sham 69 bassist Dave Tregunna and drummer Nicky Turner from the Barracudas. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Eat Your Heart Out with a real punk /rock flair. This track had a great driving rhythm and how can you beat that hook (Rich Bitch...Eat Your Heart Out)! Classic! James plays some really cool riffs on this track. Portobello opens with hot drumming and a more classic punk sound. With melodic weaving contrasting against the raw edge of the music, this track is a slick track with frenzied guitars. Open Your Eyes has a lot of the dark undertow of early Alice Cooper and his rock swagger. Another great track. Livin' On Livin' with it's saturated guitar chord sounds feels like surf music meets the Clash. Great track. Li'L Boys Play With Dolls is a real rocker with flames. Stripped down with mostly vocal bass and drums, this track captures all of the rawness necessary to make a track move and then tattoos it with hot guitar riffs. Smokin! Apocalypso is a hard grinder with a great melody. It reminds of my later favorite post punk bands, The Distillers and a bit of the Ramones and maybe the Decendents. Very cool! Holy War is a great track to wrap the release with it's tight rock beat and cocky swagger. If you remember "The Lords" from earlier or have never heard them before, this release is a real treat and deserves a spin.... I love it.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Dick's Picks Vol. 21 - Grateful Dead - New Release Review

I just received the latest release of Grateful Dead music from the vault, Dick's Picks Vol. 21. This 3 disc set is a bit different from the others that I have reviewed in that it showcases many tracks by other artists and covered by the Dead. The first disc, recorded at the Richmond Coliseum (1985), opens with Dancing In The Streets popularized mostly by Martha and the Vandellas and Mick Jagger with David Bowie. On this extended track, Garcia opens the door early to a cool jam. Cold Rain and Snow follows being one of my favorite originals on this disc. Lesh plays some of the coolest riffs and the vocal harmonies are right on. A cover of Willie Dixon's Little Red Rooster showcases Brent Mydland on keys some excellent slide work by Garcia making it an absolute standout for the entire set. Western style track Me And My Uncle is really done nicely with not only pace and rhythm but also smart guitar riffs. A little more country in Big River, and again Mydland steps up on keys drawing Garcia out with one of his more inspired solos. One of my personal Dead favorites, Jack Straw, is up next followed by Don't Ease Me In, which is short, peppy and crisp. Disc 2 opens with the Dead's arrangement of the traditional Sampson and Delilah.Always an enjoyable track from the Dead and with musical certainty it is a great opener for the disc. Heartfelt High Time is up next and a great showcase again for Garcia. Another Willie Dixon tune, Spoonful gets a strong cover with super guitar leads and arrangement. Another sweet melody, Comes a Time provides a vessel for bluesy guitar riffs and a nice jam... possibly my favorite track on disc 2. Lost Sailor featuring vocals by Weir leads into a mega long jam lasting 20 minutes into disc 3. Saint Of Circumstance emerges from the myst . The rockier side of the Dead is emerging here and more complex instrumentation from Garcia freed from lead vocal duties. Spencer Davis Group track Gimme Some Lovin' became almost as much a part of the Dead's repertoire as some of their own tracks. It's tracks like this that really give Garcia the opportunity to pursue alternate melodies on guitar with a solid primary melody acknowledged and recognized. Garcia brings on Dylan's She Belongs To Me, One of my favorite tracks on this disc. Soloing is of course a primary goal but on this track focused and concise. Van Morrison's Gloria is always a fan favorite and the Dead keep a lot of the edge of the original track. Garcia's Keep Your Day Job is a is a great country rocker showing the vitality of the band in this stage of their careers. The final 4 tracks are excerpts from an earlier concert (1980) in Rochester. Opening with the progressive track, Space, the band is captured in one of it's modestly long experimental tracks. Followed by "Dedulated" version of standard New Orleans track Iko Iko the crew presents a much more laid back version of the track. An 11 minute version of Morning Dew is next and really a super addition to this particular set. Garcia is really on this evening and was lucky to have it captured, Finishing up with Sugar Magnolia and despite listening to about 3 hours of non stop music, you find yourself smiling and wanting more.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Real Gone Music - Grateful Dead - Dick's Picks Volume 24 - New Release Review

I just received the newest in the line of Dick's Picks Grateful Dead releases by Real Gone Music and there are some real gems here. This 2 cd set was recorded on March 23, 1974 at the Cow Palace in California. Hot tracks on disc one are U.S. Blues, Scarlet Begonias, Deal and a great cut of Weather Report Suite. This particular cut is terrific and a special gem. Disc two opens with crowd favorite Playing In The Band and continues into Uncle John's Band. Garcia is really on tonight and his extended soloing on this track is particularly tasty. I am also particularly fond of this particular cut of Morning Dew and the handling of the vocals in particular. Second runs, or a refrain if you wish, on Playing In The Band and Uncle John's Band give the band ample opportunity to jam. Another sparkling guitar solo appears on Bertha. A slower than usual tempo is presented on Sugar Magnolia, the closer on this recording. One more chance for a tight and cohesive isn't missed and vocal harmonies are particularly good. This release won't of course appeal to everyone, but it is a great addition to Dead fans collections and is also a great addition for someone not having a lot of live Dead music!  

If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Real Gone Music - Chet Atkins and Les Paul - Guitar Monsters - New Release Review

I've just received a copy of the newly released, Guitar Monsters by Chet Atkins and Les Paul. This recording, originally released on vinyl back in 1978 is seeing cd for the first time. Sure, some of these tracks are tongue in cheek but the guitar work is masterful. With 5 pages of liner notes written by Chris Morris this is one that open minded guitar enthusiasts need to check out. Opening with Limehouse Blues, the guitar aces play a "Nashville Jazz" version of a classic tune. The riffs are both Spanish and gypsy influenced and the track is really quite cool. A very intimate rendition of Over The Rainbow is played by showing a lot of emotion and the pristine style that both players are known for. Meditation, has a distinctive era style but again allowing both players the room to show their own independent styles from country jazz to gypsy jazz. The arrangement on this track is really super. Lazy River, another classic track, is given juxtaposed styling for each player showing just how different each guitarist is but how well they meld together. On It Don't Mean A Thing, Atkins starts the track off with the standard 6/4 rhythm and unmistakable Chet style. Les comes in and plays city riffs over the rhythm. I can't say I ever realized how much these guys sounded like older gypsy jazz until now. Stephane Grappelli would have been a nice featured guest. Les does some outrageous riffs on this track. On blues based I Surrender Dear, Atkins takes the lead and plays it straight. Paul plays really clean riffs as filler. Of course they trade throughout. This is a great track. It is likely my favorite on the release. Brazil, although a bit too "jazzy" for me is an absolutely outrageous guitar demonstration. On Give My Love To Neil, the guys do some "campy" singing but when it comes time, they have no problem creating a really hot swinging guitar duel. Finishing the release is Hot Toddy, a light swing track. The guys are both absolute masters and it's hard not to just sit back in awe of the incredible work that they have laid out here.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 

Real Gone Music artist: Freddie King - The Complete King Federal Singles - New Release Review

I just received The Complete King Federal Singles, the first-ever compilation devoted to Freddie King's King-Federal singles, released by Real Gone Music. This is an incredibly comprehensive package including 55 tracks of Freddie's best work. I have been a fan of Freddie King's for such a long time and it's great to have all of this great music on 2 CD's. King had his own signature style that was uniquely his own. Passing at an early age Freddie didn't have the advantage of time like the other two renown kings of the blues, Albert and BB. Freddie's catalog includes a wide variety of musical takes on the blues like swing on See See Baby with the honking sax and Come On; It's Easy, Child with a R&B but Tex Mex styling; Bossa Nova styling shown on The Bossa Nova Watusi Twist (cool instrumental); deep blues on Look, Ma. I'm Crying (Incredible); Elmore James style like Takin' Care of Business; Tbone Walker style of I'm On My Way To Atlanta or (The Welfare) Turns It's Back On You (most of you haven't heard this cut..you should); surf music? yup ... Surf Monkey (cool 60's instrumental), Texas Oil and Heads Up; R&B Louisiana style like Meet Me At The Station, Sittin' On The Boat Dock and If You Believe; jump blues like Driving Sideways; fast shuffle like High Rise (instrumental of course); classic R&B like If You Have It; holiday blues with Christmas Tears and I Hear Jingle Bells; pop tracks like the President Twist; You Can't Hide and instrumental Just Pickin' but also great vocal tracks that demonstrate that Freddie isn't just a guitar player like the spectacular duet with Lulu reed on Let Your Love Watch Over Me. Of course this package includes all of Freddie's best known classics like You've Got To Love Her With A Feeling; Have You Ever Loved A Woman; Hideway; It's Too Bad Things Are Going So Tough; San Ho Zay; The Stumble; Side Tracked; I'm Tore Down; Sen-Sa-Shun; Someday, After A While; She Put The Whammy On Me; Full Time Love; Use What You've Got and You've Got Me Licked which are all amazing. And don't get me wrong, this is no padded cd with the greatest hits and a bunch of fluff. This is packed full of great music wall to wall!  The package includes 8 pages of great liner notes by Bill Dahl and a number of cool photos. This is a package that was begging to be done and a terrific tribute to a terrific performer! This is a must have.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Real Gone Music's February: Short Month, Big Release Schedule

REAL GONE MUSIC'S FEBRUARY: SHORT MONTH, BIG RELEASE SCHEDULE

              

February 26 Releases Include Titles from Fanny, Freddie King, Rod McKuen, Cat Mother & the All Night Newsboys, the Hello People and Grateful Dead

Los Angeles, California-Real Gone Music's February releases, due out on the 26th of the month, continue to cut a wide swath through the various genres of popular music, with entries ranging from to folk cabaret to electric blues to chick rock to even mime rock! At the front of the line is the first-ever standalone CD release of the debut album from Fanny, the first-ever all-female group signed to a major label, and a thundering, 54-track double-CD set from blues guitar legend Freddie King featuring all of his King and Federal label singles, both A and B-sides. And Real Gone is, by exclusive arrangement with the artist himself, releasing what are arguably the two signature albums of poet-singer-songwriter-actor Rod McKuen's career with copious bonus tracks.

The focus shifts firmly to rock for the label's other February releases, featuring the debut album by Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, which was co-produced by none other than Jimi Hendrix. The unique "mime-rock" of The Hello People, who later collaborated with Todd Rundgren, sees its first-ever reissue of any kind with the release of their album Fusion. And Real Gone continues its dance through the Grateful Dead's Dick's Picks catalog of rare live recordings with another first-time-ever retail release of Dick's Picks Vol. 25.

It's hard to overstate the importance of Fanny's self-titled 1970 debut album. For the first time, a group of women (sisters June and Jean Millington, Alice De Buhr and Nickey Barclay) wrote and sang their own songs, played their own instruments and, perhaps most importantly, rocked just as hard as any male band out there. And, as the first all female band signed to a major label (Reprise) and with superstar producer Richard Perry at the board, these four women seemed poised for stardom.  But, without a reference point with which to review them, the rock press was less than kind, often dismissing them as a novelty act. Fanny would have to become that reference point, and so they did for the generations of female rockers to come after them, from Joan Jett to Girlschool to Courtney Love and beyond. They were truly the Godmothers of Chick Rock. Now, Real Gone Music is proud to reissue, for the first time on a stand-alone CD, the self-titled debut release from Fanny, complete with the original gatefold album art and sporting new liner notes from none other than June Millington with contributions from Alice De Buhr and Jean Millington, whose tales will take you inside the studio and out to the front lines of rock's feminist makeover. Grrl power starts here!

Rolling Stone ranked him the #15 greatest guitarist of all time. His sharp treble tone, hooky melodic licks and innovative fingerpicking style-using metal banjo picks on electric guitar-were a profound influence on such British guitar gods as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. And his live performances were so incendiary, so unstoppable-and his build so imposing-that he was nicknamed "The Texas Cannonball." Yet to date, no collection has focused on the original single sides Freddie King cut for the King and Federal labels in the '60s, the blistering tracks that made his reputation and continue to be the centerpiece of his recorded legacy. The Complete King Federal Singles rounds up all 54 of those original single sides and carefully packed them on to two CDs for about 155 minutes of pure blues guitar heat, featuring such hits as "Hideaway," "Lonesome Whistle Blues," "San-Ho-Zay!" and "I'm Tore Down." Notes by Freddie King expert Bill Dahl, photos and pristine mastering complete as concentrated a dose of blues guitar greatness as you will ever find.

Poet, writer, performer, songwriter, singer, producer, actor-Rod McKuen was the true Renaissance man of the '60s generation. However, despite having notched a number of charting albums, almost all of McKuen's recorded work remains out of print. Now, by special arrangement with the artist himself, Real Gone Music is releasing two signature albums from Rod McKuen's career, complete with a bounty of bonus tracks from his private archive, personally annotated and remastered under his supervision. Recorded on his 36th birthday on April 29, 1969, the double live album Sold Out At Carnegie Hall was the highest-charting (double platinum) release of Rod McKuen's career, and exposed a whole new audience to the man's multifaceted talent. This Real Gone reissue of this landmark live recording adds an unreleased track, marking the most complete version of this legendary concert that has ever been released, and also offers 13 tracks from his triumphant, platinum-selling Back to Carnegie Hall album, recorded on his 40th birthday in 1973. And McKuen's 1967 release Listen to the Warm, which was based on his poetry book of the same name-then the bestselling poetry book of all time-was his first charting album. Our Real Gone reissue presents over a dozen bonus tracks-all never before available in the U.S.-that in effect create an unreleased Listen To The Warm Volume Two.

Though the 1969 debut release from Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys was co-produced by none other than Jimi Hendrix (they were long-time friends, the band opened for the Experience on tour, and had the misfortune of sharing the same manager, Mike Jeffrey), Cat Mother was far more than a footnote to a superstar's career. Not only did The Street Giveth...and the Street Taketh Away score a Top 40 hit with "Good Old Rock 'N Roll," but it's also a marvelously eclectic affair beloved by record collectors of every stripe-just do a quick Google search-with elements of folk, country and late '60s riff rock alongside the hit's tongue-in-cheek revivalism. This album's been briefly reissued on CD twice before and commands huge sums online; it's not JUST for Hendrix completists (though they will want it, too).

There was a lot more to The Hello People than just whiteface. Their roots actually trace back to the father of French mime, Etienne Decroux. During the '60s, Decroux taught painting to a group of musicians, who learned to paint so quickly that Decroux reasoned that musicians could also learn mime and apply it in some new way to create a new form. Thus inspired, the manager of the musicians Decroux had taught, Lou Futterman, then put together The Hello People, who went on to appear on The Tonight Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, tour with Todd Rundgren during the '70s, and release four albums for Philips and ABC-Dunhill during the late '60s and early '70s. Fusion, their second (1968) album for Philips, is easily their best; it features "Anthem," whose stark, antiwar lyrics ("So I'm going to prison for what I believe/I'm going to prison so I can be free") penned by band songwriter W.S. "Sonny" Tongue (who had been incarcerated for resisting the draft) led to its being banned in a number of radio markets. Our Real Gone reissue includes the original gatefold art and adds new liner notes; it's the first album from this one-of-a-kind group ever released on CD.

The latest august addition to Real Gone's reissues of Grateful Dead live shows, Dick's Picks 25-May 10, 1978 New Haven, CT May 11, 1978 Springfield, MA hails from an extended East Coast run in the Spring of 1978, offering a pair of Dead shows that, with the loving touch of Bear and Betty Cantor-Jackson at the controls, rank as one of the most beautifully recorded entries in the Dick's Picks series. Both concerts-which appear here minus just two and three songs, respectively-find the group in exceptionally lyrical form on ballads like "Loser," "Stella Blue," "Looks Like Rain" and "They Love Each Other." Also not to be missed is a superlative, slowed-down version of "Friend of the Devil" and the rare performance of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" as an encore (the band only played it about a dozen times live). Full of diamonds for Deadheads.

February 26 Releases from Real Gone Music

Fanny: Fanny

Freddie King: The Complete King Federal Singles (2-CD Set)

Rod McKuen: Sold Out at Carnegie Hall (2-CD Deluxe Edition)

Rod McKuen: Listen to the Warm (Deluxe Edition)

Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys: The Street Giveth...and the Street Taketh Away

The Hello People: Fusion

Grateful Dead: Dick's Picks 25-May 10, 1978 New Haven, CT May 11, 1978 Springfield, MA (4-CD Set)

Rescheduled from January:

Patty Duke: Don't Just Stand There/Patty

Patty Duke: Sings Songs from Valley of the Dolls/Sings Folk Songs