MARY COUGHLAN's FIRST ALBUM

Original released on LP Mystery MRLP 001

(UK, December 1985)

CHET BAKER - "It Could Happen To You"

Original released on LP Riverside RLP 12-278 (10 tracks)

(US, October 1958)

The ultra-hip and sophisticated "cool jazz" that Chet Baker (trumpet/vocals) helped define in the early '50s matured rapidly under the tutelage of producer Dick Bock. This can be traced to Baker's earliest sides on Bock's L.A.-based Pacific Jazz label. This album is the result of Baker's first sessions for the independent Riverside label. The Chet Baker Quartet featured on Chet Baker "Sings: It Could Happen to You" includes Kenny Drew (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). (Performances by bassist George Morrow and drummer Dannie Richmond are featured on a few cuts.) This results in the successful combination of Baker's fluid and nonchalant West Coast delivery with the tight swinging accuracy of drummer Jones and pianist Drew. Nowhere is this balance better displayed than the opening and closing sides on the original album, "Do It the Hard Way" and "Old Devil Moon," respectively. One immediate distinction between these vocal sides and those recorded earlier in the decade for Pacific Jazz is the lissome quality of Baker's playing and, most notably, his increased capacity as a vocalist. The brilliant song selection certainly doesn't hurt either. This is an essential title in Chet Baker's 30-plus year canon. [Some reissues contain two bonus tracks, "I'm Old Fashioned" and "While My Lady Sleeps"]. (Lindsay Planer in AllMusic)

TIMES TO REMEMBER 15

MONTENEGRO'S SWEETS

Original released on LP RCA Victor LPM 3332

(US, 1965)

Once available as an LP in the '60s on the RCA label, you can now enjoy it in CD format. The liner notes describe in Hugo's own words how he envisioned all the women named on the disc. Such as "Theme for Irma" being derived from "Irma La Douce". With the exception of "Candy's Theme" all the names relate to women in films, in spite of that,the haunting "Candy's Theme" is my favorite. You must remember that this music was created when recordings needed to be relatively short in play time to accommodate radio airplay. That meant that two minutes and thirty seconds, give or take was the 'sweet spot.' Montenegro makes the most of the short play time and doesn't disappoint, with this foray into musical history. To twist an old quote «'Candy is dandy, but listening won't rot you teeth!» Take a bite and enjoy the orchestra and chorus of the late Hugo Montenegro. And, finally, what you think about the gorgeous cover?

CLASSICS UP TO DATE 3

PETER CINCOTTI - "On The Moon"

Original released on CD Concord 9826136

(2004, September 14)

Vocalist/pianist Peter Cincotti burst onto the jazz scene in 2003 as an 18-year-old wunderkind much in the same way that Harry Connick, Jr. positioned himself as an updated crooner with a debut album of enjoyable if predictable standards from various decades. Interestingly, Cincotti's follow-up, this "On the Moon", finds him exploring funk and soft rock balladry. Similar to his British contemporary Jamie Cullum, Cincotti seems intent here on mixing a radio-friendly melodic pop aesthetic with his jazz chops. In fact, the title track sounds a lot like Cullum's single "All at Sea," which is not to say that Cincotti is ripping anybody off. On the contrary, while there are touches of David Gates, Barry Manilow, and even Coldplay, it is hard to pinpoint any concrete influences for Cincotti's singer/songwriter style. While original songs are the focus this time around, there is also a bevy of inspired standard tunes. To these ends, he opens the album with a funky, hip-hop-influenced take on "St. Louis Blues," gives "Bali Ha'i" a bluesy Sting-influenced vibe, and turns "Up on the Roof" into a cinematic ballad. Adding to the lush atmosphere are full string arrangements and guest spots by such sought-after New York artists as keyboardist Sam Yahel, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, and drummer Kenny Washington. (Matt Collar in AllMusic)

MADELEINE PEYROUX - "Careless Love"

Original released on CD Rounder 11611-3192-2

(US 2004, September 14)

Why it took vocalist Madeleine Peyroux eight years to follow up her acclaimed "Dreamland" album is anybody's guess. The explanation from her website bio claims, «I could have kept running with it, but I took a breather.» Really it hardly matters, since there have been plenty of capable singers to fill that void. Produced by Larry Klein, "Careless Love" is essentially "Dreamland" part deux. She lost Yves Beauvais and Atlantic Records, as well as a stellar cast of edgy jazz and rock session players, but she did gain Larry Klein. There are some fine players on this album, including Larry Goldings, Scott Amendola, David Piltch, and Dean Parks, and it's a much more focused set than "Dreamland". That she's on Rounder is just an "oh well." Since Klein is not reined in by having to be a "jazz" producer, his sense of restrained and subtle adventure is a perfect foil for Peyroux's voice and phrasing, which is still too close to the Billie Holiday model for comfort. The material is a curious collection of modern pop songs, country tunes, and old nuggets. There's an original as well in "Don't Wait Too Long," co-written with Jesse Harris and Klein. Peyroux's reading of Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love" that opens the disc is radical, sung like a German cabaret song, and lacks the drama of the original, which is on purpose but it's questionable as to whether it works.

Her cover of Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" works much better. It keeps the breeziness of the original but focuses on the object of the song still being very present to the protagonist - delighting in the presence of the Beloved. Parks' guitars play sparely and pronouncedly in the mix, as Amendola's brushwork complements the spare cymbal and tom-tom work of Jay Bellerose as well as Goldings' in-the-groove organ and piano. The hinge track on this record is the empathic and moving version of Elliott Smith's "Between the Bars." With tense sound effects whispering in the backdrop and Goldings' celeste setting the atmosphere, once again Amendola's brushes whisper and shimmer, giving the singer an anchor in the depth of the song's melancholy. It's simply awesome. The sparse haunted treatment of Hank Williams' "Weary Blues" is devoid of its country trappings and rooted firmly in the uptown blues tradition of Holiday's 1940s. Likewise, the title track, a classic standard by W.C. Handy, is turned inside out and made a gospel-flavored R&B tune, driven by Goldings on the organ and a Rhodes piano - an instrument that makes a frequent appearance here. Parks' subtle yet dirty guitar gives the singer a platform and she swims inside the lyric, letting it fall from her mouth. The tune's swing quotient is formidable. In all, this is a stronger record than "Dreamland", in part because Klein is obviously sympathetic to singers and because Peyroux is a more confident and commanding singer. It's a welcome addition to the shelf, but if she waits another eight years, that space reserved for her may disappear. (Thom Jurek in AllMusic)

"There's so many dreams I've yet to find..."

Original Released on LP Ode SP 77009 
(US, March 1971)

The most successful female songwriter in the history of the US and UK singles charts wrote and recorded the best-selling album by a woman. It seems justice, yet before "Tapestry" was released it also seemed very unlikely. Carole first registered as a singer in 1962 with "It Might As Well Rain Until September," but this had merely been a demo for Bobby Vee that publisher Don Kirshner thought good enough to release in single form. King did not attempt to become an artist herself until the late sixties. An LP with a trio named The City sold about five thousand copies and her 1970 solo debut "Writer" was undistinguished. Nothing prepared the world for "Tapestry", a recital that has long passed the thirteen million mark in sales. Among the tunes played by pianist King were "It's Too Late," an American number one, "So Far Away," a Top 20 tune, and "I Feel The Earth Move," the flip of "It's Too Late" that enjoyed much airplay in its own right. King revisited her hits for the Shirelles ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow") and Aretha Franklin ("[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman").

She wrote a classic in "You've Got A Friend," which became a US number one for James Taylor. King introduced what became a Grammy winner for Quincy Jones, "Smackwater Jack". She herself won Album of the Year for "Tapestry", Single of the Year for "It's Too Late," Female Vocal Performance of the Year and Song of the Year for "You've Got A Friend." In 1987, "Tapestry" was chosen by a panel of rock critics and music broadcasters as the #30 rock album of all time. Appropriately enough, King's unparalleled achievement was the highest-placed disc by a female soloist in the survey. (Paul Gambaccini, The Top 100 Rock 'n' Roll Albums of All Time, Harmony Books, 1987) The sleeve is unprepossessing: a be-denimed Carole King clutching some fabric, her cat in the foreground. It is also a bold statement about the place of women in rock music. The imagery, the songs themselves and the huge success of "Tapestry" marked out a territory for intelligent, sensitive women who didn't have to exploit their sexuality in an obvious manner. With "Tapestry", King married her gift for the concise pop statement (finely honed as co-author with husband Gerry Goffin of countless pop classics in the 50s and 60s) to a reflective lyricism, to create one of the defining singer-songwriter albums of the 70s. (Collins Gem Classic Albums, 1999)

KRALL's TRIBUTE TO THE NAT KING COLE TRIO

Original released on CD Justin Time ICD 8478

(CANADÁ 1996, March 12)

Pianist/vocalist Diana Krall pays tribute to the Nat King Cole Trio on her Impulse! set. In general, the medium and up-tempo tunes work best, particularly such hot ditties as "I'm an Errand Girl for Rhythm," "Frim Fram Sauce," and "Hit That Jive Jack." Krall does not attempt to directly copy Cole much (either pianistically or vocally), although his influence is obviously felt on some of the songs. The slow ballads are actually as reminiscent of Shirley Horn as Cole, particularly the somber "I'm Through With Love" and "If I Had You." Guitarist Russell Malone gets some solo space on many of the songs and joins in on the group vocal of "Hit That Jive Jack," although it is surprising that he had no other opportunities to interact vocally with Krall; a duet could have been delightful. Bassist Paul Keller is fine in support, pianist Benny Green backs Krall's vocal on "If I Had You," and percussionist Steve Kroon is added on one song. Overall, this is a tasteful effort that succeeds. (Scott Yanow in AllMusic)

WALTER CARLOS: SWITCH-ON BACH 68

Original released on LP Columbia Masterworks MS 7194

(US, 1968)

This late 1968 release seemed innocent enough at the time; and actually, it was a sincere effort to use a then newly-practical interpretive instrument, the Moog synthesizer, in a decidedly traditional musical manner. Indeed, at the time, it was simply extending - in a somewhat more forward-thinking direction - the kind of attention that had been devoted to Johann Sebastian Bach's music as early as 1782, barely over 30 years after the composer's death, when Mozart wrote a set of string trio arrangements of some of Bach's keyboard works. Heard 40 years on, the approach here seems very tame and formal, but in 1968 it offended some Baroque purists (of whom there were relatively few) and a lot of classical music Luddites (of whom there were a lot more); but it still became the first classical music LP ever to be certified for a Platinum Record Award, by selling to hundreds of thousands of mostly younger listeners who didn't normally buy classical recordings. Wendy Carlos had come up with an artistically valid and musically legitimate approach to the most tradition-bound of all classical music that made it not only palatable but exciting to a generation of listeners more inclined toward the Beatles than Beethoven (much less Bach). Carlos' use of the Moog's oscillations, squeaks, drones, chirps, and other sounds was highly musical in ways that ordinary listeners could appreciate, itself a first in the use of this instrument, and was characterized by - for the time - amazing sensitivity and finely wrought nuances, in timbre, tone, and expressiveness. Carlos saw the Moog voice as valid on its own terms, which may be one reason why this album still stands out today, when compared with some of the more flamboyant work that followed from others, such as Isao Tomita - everything here is musical, with no sound effects to speak of until near the finale (and even that is restrained); and the Moog is working in its own "voice," rather than overtly imitating other, non-electronic instruments. On the downside of the ledger in the eyes of many serious listeners, this record and its success were also to "blame" for any number of excesses by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Rick Wakeman (especially "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" which, to be fair, was his best album), Tomita and others, and helped foster the multi-keyboard musical barrages mounted by ELP and Yes, for starters. ["Switched-On Bach" has been reissued several times on CD, including an audiophile version and, in 2001, an edition with one bonus track.] (Bruce Eder in AllMusic)

"MODIGLIANI" OST

Original released on CD Milan Records 301 705-5

(FRANCE 2004, October 4)

Set in Paris in 1919, biopic centers on the life of late Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, focusing on his last days as well as his rivalry with Pablo Picasso. Modigliani, a Jew, has fallen in love with Jeanne, a young and beautiful Catholic girl. The couple has an illegitimate child, and Jeanne's bigoted parents send the baby to a faraway convent to be raised by nuns. Modigliani is distraught and needs money to rescue and raise his child. The answer arrives in the shape of Paris' annual art competition. Prize money and a guaranteed career await the winner. Neither Modigliani, nor his dearest friend and rival Picasso have ever entered the competition, believing that it is beneath true artists like themselves. But push comes to shove with the welfare of his child on the line, and Modigliani signs up for the competition in a drunken and drug-induced tirade. Picasso follows suit and all of Paris is aflutter with excitement at who will win. With the balance of his relationship with Jeanne on the line, Modigliani tackles this work with the hopes of creating a masterpiece, and knows that all the artists of Paris are doing the same.

Music Composed and Conducted by  Guy Farley

Recorded at Air Studios, London

Score Recorded and Mixed by Ben Georgiades

Music Associate Adrian Thomas

Orchestral Contractor Cool Music Ltd.

Orchestra Leader Janice Graham

Orchestrations by  Andy Pearce

Music Preparation Gary Spolding

Music Supervisor Simon White

Assistant Music Supervisor Arnold Hattingh

Ethnic Music Recorded at Sphere Studios, London

Piano  Ian Brown,    Solo Cello Tim Hugh

Solo Violin Janice Graham,    Ethnic Percussion Paul Clarvis

Algerian Voice Ali Slimani,    Female Voice Emer McParland

Vocal Contractor Bob Johnson for R'SVP

Assistant Engineers Stewart McPherson, Jake Jackson & Alex Modiano

Album Mastered by Ben Georgiades at Sphere Studios, London

'Modigliani Suite' Recorded and Mixed by Mike Ross-Trevor

'Ode to Innocence' and 'Angeli' Performed by Sasha Lazard.

Original Production by Frank Fitzpatrick

Remixed by Craigie and Guy Farley

Programmer Dean James

Cello Kendall Reid

Mixed by Nick Friend at Sphere Studios, London

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MATCHMAKERS - "Bubblegum A GoGo" + Bonus

Original released on LP Vogue CDMDINT 9796

(GERMANY, 1970)

An extraordinary collection of late 60’s freakbeat and pop psych produced by a stellar studio cast. The wunderkind producer Mark Wirtz was a driving force behind this project from 1969-1971, along with co-writer and artist Kris Ife. Ife brought in the musicians to bring these studio creations to life, and he drew on his old band The Quiet Five’s Richard Barnes and Roger McKew, plus Roger Favell and Miki Anthony. Many of the songs were concocted by German songwriter and publisher Rudi Lindt for his own company Minerva Music. With International production deals in place for  Vogue, Belter, Penny Farthing, CBS, Chapter One the team had their productions released as singles under an eclectic variety of names. Even as far away as Discos Fermata in Argentina! One LP was released under The Matchmakers name collecting many of these singles together in 1970 in Germany, (even if the single had been under another artist name), and with a slightly different tracklist in 1971 in other territories.

"SOUNDS LIKE..."

Original Released on LP A&M 

124 (mono) / SP 4124 (stereo)

(US 1967, May 1)

«I received a call from Burt Bacharach who was in London recording the music for the movie "Casino Royale". He was unhappy with the lead performance of the title song and asked if I would consider adding the Tijuana Brass sound. When he played the song over the phone and sang the melody to me with the inflections he wanted, I was struck by the unusual composition and was inspired to play it. The multitrack tapes of the recording were quickly sent, minus the lead instrument. We added two trumpets, some percussion, made a stereo mix and rushed the tapes back to London. That all happened within one week. The movie came out in 1967, and to this day people still tell me how much they liked our recording... thanks again to Burt. My choices of songs on this album were all over the map. Here again I was choosing songs that just popped into my head, with suggestions from my partner Jerry Moss (whose ideas I always listened to), along with tunes written by our staff of writers. Another Sol Lake melody that I really liked was "Bo-Bo". The first time I heard it, it felt like travelling music to me. As a result, we played "Bo-Bo" on one of our TV specials while floating down the Mississippi River on the Delta Queen. We performed "In A Little Spanish Town" with the Muppets and the brilliant Jim Hensen for a show we filmed in London, which also marked the public debut of Miss Piggy. It was a delightful experience.» (Herb Alpert)

For one week in June 1967, "Sounds Like" was able to break the Monkees' 31-week hammerlock on the number one slot on the charts - just two weeks before the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper took over and changed the world. This shows, lest you forget - and many have - just how popular Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass were, still spanning the generations during the Summer of Love, still putting out records as fresh and musical and downright joyous as this one. Though not as jazz-flavored as "S.R.O.", "Sounds Like" does preserve the feeling, particularly in the extended vamps on an updated slave song, "Wade in the Water" (a hit single). "Gotta Lotta Livin' to Do" settles you into the record with nothing but a long vamp - a daring production decision. Yet Alpert was on a roll; everything he tried in the TJB's heyday seemed to work. The lesser-known tunes back-loaded on side two are a string of pearls - John Pisano's appropriately titled bossa nova "The Charmer," Roger Nichols' tense "Treasure of San Miguel," Ervan Coleman's catchy "Miss Frenchy Brown." Finally, Alpert takes a flyer and concludes the LP with an extravagant Burt Bacharach orchestration of his theme from the film "Casino Royale" - an artifact of '60s pop culture, to be sure, but still a perfectly structured record. (Richard S. Ginell in AllMusic)

THE BEAT OF THE POPS - VOLUME 15