"Into The Music" by VAN MORRISON (2008 Polydor/Exile Expanded CD - Tim Young Remaster) - A Review By Mark Barry…

"…And The Healing Has Begun…"

I played this album to death at the time of its 1979 original vinyl release - and rehearing today in this extraordinary 2008 CD sound quality is a rediscovery well worth making. It's by far the best version of the album to date. 

Here are the Rolling Hills and Stepping Out musical details for Polydor/Exile 5305454 (Barcode 600753054543) - released January 2008 at mid-price on CD as part of  “The Van Morrison Remasters” Series…

1. Bright Side Of The Road [Side 1]

2. Full Force Gale

3. Stepping Out Queen 

4. Troubadours

5. Rolling Hills 

6. You Make Me Feel So Free

7. Angeliou [Side 2]

8. And The Healing Has Begun

9. It’s All In The Game

10. You Know What They’re Writing About

Tracks 1 to 10 are the original vinyl LP “Into The Music” - released August 1979 in the UK on Mercury 9102 852 and in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3390

BONUS TRACKS (Previously Unreleased):

11. Steppin’ Out Queen (Alternate Take)

12. Troubadours (Alternate Take)

At seven minutes "Steppin' Out Queen" is extended over the 5:20 minutes of the final album cut - and it's an absolute peach. The alternate take of "Troubadours" clocks in at 5:32 minutes as opposed to the 4:41 of the album final - and again, a superb version. I'm always wary of outtakes and alternate versions as bonus material on re-issue CDs when they're not any better nor an equal to the original and act as a cheap way of suckering fans to purchase more of the same. But these two choices are inspired - and an absolute must-have for Van lovers.

The upgraded booklet contains all the lyrics in the same script style as the original vinyl album and a detailed list of who sessioned on what, but disappointingly there's no history of where the album fits in, no new liner notes, nor any photographs.  However, a nice touch is the lyrics to the alternate takes - the record company could have lazily reproduced the lyrics twice at the end of the booklet, but closer examination shows they haven't - the lyrics actually reflect the free-forming of the different expanded versions - a nice touch. 

But the best bit is definitely the SOUND. The original analogue master tapes have been 96K/24 Bit digitally remastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering in London for this 28 January 2008 release - and the sound is beautifully clear and warm - making you reassess every song and the superb musicianship on each. 

RY COODER lends his Slide Guitar to "Full Force Gale” - MARK ISHAM his trumpet playing to almost every track - while ROBIN WILLIAMSON of THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND puts a penny whistle into "Troubadours" and "Rolling Hills" (for me one of the weakest tunes on here). KATIE KISSOON adds complimentary backing vocals to "Bright Side Of The Road" and the lovely "You Make Me Feel So Real". TONY MARCUS' violin is also heavily featured on almost every track. The Remaster also brings out the rhythm section of PETER VAN HOOKE on Drums and DAVID HAYES on Bass. 

His lovely cover of the Tommy Edwards 1950s hit "It's All In The Game" runs seamlessly into "You Know What I'm Writing About" and ends the album. Speaking of which, at 2:18 minutes into "It's All In The Game", Mark Isham's trumpet sails in like a soothing dollop of honey - and it's a truly beautiful flourish - puts a tear in my eye - sheer genius - and I realise again why I adored this album so much all those years ago.

All in all - a fantastic remaster and “the healing has begun…” This is one CD reissue I urge fans and the uninitiated to get stuck into soonest… 

PS: VAN MORRISON Remasters - Released and CANCELLED

Like “Tupelo Honey” - 28 other Van Morrison albums were to be re-issued in remastered form throughout 2008 and into early 2009. Each was to contain upgraded booklets, previously unreleased material and all were to be at mid-price. They were to be released in 4 batches as listed below (29 in total) - but famously batch 3 and 4 were cancelled indefinitely. These lists are for info purposes...

January 2008 (7 titles)

Tupelo Honey (1971), It’s Too Late To Stop Now (2 CD Live Set) (1974), 

Wavelenght (1978), Into The Music (1979), A Sense Of Wonder (1985), 

Avalon Sunset (1989) and Back On Top (1999)

June 2008 (8 titles)

Veedon Fleece (1974), Common One (1980), Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart (1983), Live At The Grand Opera House, Belfast (1984), No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986), Enlightenment (1990), A Night In San Francisco (2CD Live Set) (1994) and The Healing Game (1997)

September 2008 (7 titles) - CANCELLED

Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972), A Period Of Transition (1977), Beautiful Vision (1982), Poetic Champions Compose (1987), Hymns To The Silence (2CD Studio Set), How Long Has This Been Going On (Live At Ronnie Scott’s) (1995), Tell Me Something – The Songs Of Mose Allison (1996)

January 2009 (8 titles) - CANCELLED

Hard Nose The Highway (1973), Irish Heartbeat (with The Chieftains) (1988), 

Too Long In Exile (1993), Days Like This (1995), The Story Of Them (2CD Set) (1999), The Skiffle Sessions – Live In Belfast (with Lonnie Donegan & Chris Barber) (2000), Down The Road (2002) and What’s Wrong With This Picture? (2003)

"Wavelength" by VAN MORRISON (2008 Polydor/Exile Expanded CD - Tim Young Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry…

This Review Along With 500 Others Is Available In My

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"…All Inhibitions…Throw Them Away…"

Can it really be nearly 40 years since I played this 1978 record to death in a Dublin bedsit? Van Morrison’s wonderful “Wavelength” has seen three or maybe even four CD variants - but this 2008 upgrade is absolutely the best version to date. Here are the Kingdom Halls and Lifetimes…

UK released 28 January 2008 - "Wavelength" by VAN MORRISON on Polydor 5305447 (Barcode 600753054475) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows:

1. Kingdom Hall

2. Checkin’ It Out

3. Natalia

4. Venice U.S.A.

5. Lifetimes

6. Wavelength [Side 2]

7. Santa Fe/Beautiful Obsession

8. Hungry For Your Love

9. Take It Where You Find It

Tracks 1 to 9 are the vinyl album "Wavelength" - released October 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3212 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56526

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Kingdom Hall

11. Wavelength

Tracks 10 and 11 were recorded on the 26 November 1978 at the Roxy Theatre in L.A. and are Previously Unreleased. Both tracks feature the same band as the album sessions with KATIE KISSOON adding backing vocals to a speeded up “Kingdom Hall”. My heart always sinks when I see live tracks as bonus material on CDs – they’re usually poorly recorded, not any better than the original and act as a cheap way of suckering fans to purchase more of the same. But these live choices are not just apt - they’re actually quite good – especially when the band let’s rip on “Wavelength”.  The recordings aren’t exactly audiophile quality, but they are as spirited as the audience’s response.

The upgraded booklet contains all the lyrics, and the inner sleeve of the original album with all of its detailed session lists, but disappointingly there’s no history of where the album fits in, no new liner notes, nor any photographs.  Really could have done better here boys.

But the best bit is the SOUND. The original analogue master tapes have been 96K/24 Bit digitally remastered by Tim Young at Metropolis Mastering in London for this 28 January 2008 release – and the sound is warm, full and enlivened. Every instrument seems to be leaping out of the speakers and the effect is to make you almost double take on every single track. Stuff appears on each track that you haven’t heard before. Great!

And this is not a misery-guts Van album either. From the jaunty opener “Kingdom Hall”, the whole album is “up”. Speaking of “Kingdom Hall”, it features a wonderful Synth Solo from GARTH HUDSON of THE BAND (he’s also on the LP finisher “Take It Where You Find It”) and every one of the nine tracks features the keyboard work of PETER BARDENS from CAMEL. The punch out of the tender and lovely “Hungry For Your Love” is fantastic, the Remaster bringing out the rhythm section of PETER VAN HOOKE on Drums and MICKEY FEAT on Bass – it’s Steely Dan tight, but without ever swamping the loveliness of the song. And the issue is mid-price too - I picked up my copy for £6 in Central London.

All in all, a great sounding re-issue and one I urge fans and the uninitiated to get stuck into pronto.

PS: VAN MORRISON Remasters - Released and CANCELLED

Like “Tupelo Honey” - 28 other Van Morrison albums were to be re-issued in remastered form throughout 2008 and into early 2009. Each was to contain upgraded booklets, previously unreleased material and all were to be at mid-price. They were to be released in 4 batches as listed below (29 in total) - but famously batch 3 and 4 were cancelled indefinitely. These lists are for info purposes...

January 2008 (7 titles)

Tupelo Honey (1971), It’s Too Late To Stop Now (2 CD Live Set) (1974),

Wavelength (1978), Into The Music (1979), A Sense Of Wonder (1985),

Avalon Sunset (1989) and Back On Top (1999)

June 2008 (8 titles)

Veedon Fleece (1974), Common One (1980), Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart (1983), Live At The Grand Opera House, Belfast (1984), No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986), Enlightenment (1990), A Night In San Francisco (2CD Live Set) (1994) and The Healing Game (1997)

September 2008 (7 titles) - CANCELLED

Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972), A Period Of Transition (1977), Beautiful Vision (1982), Poetic Champions Compose (1987), Hymns To The Silence (2CD Studio Set), How Long Has This Been Going On (Live At Ronnie Scott’s) (1995), Tell Me Something – The Songs Of Mose Allison (1996)

January 2009 (8 titles) - CANCELLED

Hard Nose The Highway (1973), Irish Heartbeat (with The Chieftains) (1988),

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Too Long In Exile (1993), Days Like This (1995), The Story Of Them (2CD Set) (1999), The Skiffle Sessions – Live In Belfast (with Lonnie Donegan & Chris Barber) (2000), Down The Road (2002) and What’s Wrong With This Picture? (2003)

"It’s Too Late To Stop Now" by VAN MORRISON (January 2008 Polydor/Exile 2CD Expanded Remaster Of His 1973 2LP Live Masterpiece) - A Review By Mark Barry...

"…Let Me Tell You About My Baby... Makes Me Feel Alright…"

Taking its title from a lyric at the end of "Into The Mystic" on “Moondance" (1970) - Van Morrison's live set "It's Too Late To Stop Now" was released in February 1974 as a double-album on Warner Brothers K 86007 in he UK and WS 2760 in the USA. It's always been a fan favourite and was equally championed by critics the world over at the time - muted by some as even being one of the best live albums ever made.

Well - on hearing it again after all these years on this superb-sounding January 2008 2CD remaster on Polydor/Exile 530 545-5 (Barcode 600753054550) - it's easy to see why everyone went nuts for it. “It’s Too Late To Stop Now” is a magical body of work and with this latest sonic upgrade (including a Previously Unreleased bonus track) - it’s never sounded better. Here are the jelly-rolls and mystical caravans:

Disc 1:

1. Ain’t Nothin’ You Can Do

2. Warm Love

3. Into The Mystic

4. These Dreams Of You

5. I Believe To My Soul

6. I’ve Been Working

7. Help Me

8. Wild Children

9. Domino

10. I Just Wanna Make Love To You

Disc 2:

1. Bring It On Home To Me

2. Saint Dominic’s Preview

3. Take Your Hand Out Of Your Pocket

4. Listen To The Lion

5. Here Comes The Night

6. Gloria

7. Caravan

8. Cypress Avenue

9. Brown Eyed Girl [BONUS TRACK]

Produced by Van and Warner Brothers resident production genius Ted Templeman – “It’s Too Late To Stop Now” was recorded in the Troubadour in Los Angeles, the Civic in Santa Monica (both in California) and the beloved and much missed Rainbow Theatre in London. His super tight house band "The Caledonia Soul Orchestra" consisted of JEF LABES on Piano & Organ, JOHN PLATANIA on Guitar, DAVID HAYES on Bass, JACK SCHROER and BILL ATWOOD on Sax and Trumpet with DAHAUD SHAAR pounding away on Drums. The String section featured NATHAN RUBIN, TIM KOVATCH TOM HALPIN, NANCY ELLIS and TERRY ADAMS.

Disc One opens the proceedings with a cracking version of Bobby Bland's "Ain't Nothin' You Can Do". There are quite a few covers on the album and they sit perfectly alongside his compositions making it a far more varied listen. There's a slick version of "Help Me" by Sonny Boy Williamson (Willie Dixon writer), "I Just Want To Make Love To You" by Muddy Waters (again Willie Dixon writer), "Bring It On Home To Me" by Sam Cooke and "Take Your Hands Out Of My Pocket" by Sonny Boy Williamson. THEM classics "Here Comes The Night" and "Gloria" are superlative too - especially the barnstorming "Gloria with "it's gonna be alright..." and the crowd bashing their hands together as hard as they can. The album is full of great moments like that - the James Brown funky tightness of "I've Been Working" with the brass, piano and guitar all playing up an absolute storm - the beautiful otherworldly Tim Buckley meandering feel to the soulful nine minutes of "Listen To The Lion" and the infectious joy of the crowd to the opening guitar flicks of "Domino".

The supposedly upgraded booklet is very disappointing. The few colour shots of Van and the band that adorned the original triple gatefold sleeve are here but nothing else - no lyrics, no history of where the album fits in, no new liner notes, no new photographs of the tour, the band, the audiences etc. And speaking of short change - while all the other 6 releases in this reissue batch have had two bonus tracks each - here we get only one bonus cut - a previously unreleased version of "Brown Eyed Girl" (admittedly its excellent though). Could have done better lads...

Some reviewers have said they found the sound ‘thinny' - I don't. To me it's warmer and more revealing than it's ever been and I'm digging this fab set so much more for it. The original master tapes have been 96K/24 Bit digitally remastered by TIM YOUNG at Metropolis Mastering in London and the sound is gorgeous - really amazing. Tracks like “I Believe To My Soul” (a Ray Charles cover) with its delicate piano and strings and stop-start vocals sounds awesome.

To sum up - a bona fide 5-star masterpiece then - given a superb remaster - and I for one am loving every second of it…

PS: Remasters Released and CANCELLED

Including "It's Too Late To Stop Now" - 29 Van Morrison albums were to be re-issued in remastered form throughout 2008 and into early 2009. However the last two batches of the four listed below (September 2008 and January 2009) never appeared. These lists are by way of info…

January 2008 (7 titles)

Tupelo Honey (1971), It's Too Late To Stop Now (2 CD Live Set) (1974),

Wavelenght (1978), Into The Music (1979), A Sense Of Wonder (1985),

Avalon Sunset (1989) and Back On Top (1999)

June 2008 (8 titles)

Veedon Fleece (1974), Common One (1980), Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart (1983), Live At The Grand Opera House, Belfast (1984), No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986), Enlightenment (1990), A Night In San Francisco (2CD Live Set) (1994) and The Healing Game (1997)

September 2008 (7 titles) - CANCELLED

Saint Dominic's Preview (1972), A Period Of Transition (1977), Beautiful Vision (1982), Poetic Champions Compose (1987), Hymns To The Silence (2CD Studio Set) (1991), How Long Has This Been Going On (Live At Ronnie Scott's) (1995), Tell Me Something: The Songs Of Mose Allison (1996)

January 2009 (8 titles) - CANCELLED

Hard Nose The Highway (1973), Irish Heartbeat (with The Chieftains) (1988),

Too Long In Exile (1993), Days Like This (1995), The Story Of Them (2CD Set) (1999), The Skiffle Sessions - Live In Belfast (with Lonnie Donegan & Chris Barber) (2000), Down The Road (2002) and What's Wrong With This Picture? (2003)

"The Captain's Journey/Feel The Night/Rio" by LEE RITENOUR (2015 Beat Goes On 2CD Reissue - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review By Mark Barry...

"...Sure Feels Fine..." 

Beat Goes On of the UK has already whetted the appetites of Lee Ritenour fans in 2014 by reissuing his 1976 debut album "First Course" (on Epic Records) last year on BGOCD 1163 (see separate review). And like that classy start – this follow-through 2015 2CD set gives us three albums on Elektra Records from 1978 and two from 1979. Here are the funky kicks and zippy licks...

UK released June 2015 – "The Captain's Journey/Feel The Night/Rio" by LEE RITENOUR on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1189 (Barcode 5017261211897) puts 3 albums onto 2CDs and pans out as follows:

Disc 1 (38:46 minutes):
1. The Captain's Journey – Part 1: The Calm, Part 2: The Storm
2. Morning Glory
3. Sugarloaf Express
4. Matchmakers [Side 2]
5. What Do You Want?
6. That’s Enough For Me
7. Etude
Tracks 1 to 7 are the studio album "The Captain's Journey" – released August 1978 in the USA on Elektra 6E-136 and in the UK on Elektra K 52094

Disc 2 (75:44 minutes):
1. Feel The Night
2. Market Place
3. Wicked Wine
4. French Roast [Side 2]
5. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
6. Midnight Lady
7. Uh Oh!
Tracks 1 to 7 are the studio album "Feel The Night" – released January 1979 in the USA on Elektra 6E-192 and in the UK on Elektra K 52141

8. Rio Funk
9. San Juan Sunset
10. Rainbow
11. A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That [Side 2]
12. Simplicidad
13. Ipanema Sol
14. It Happens Every Day
Tracks 8 to 14 are the studio album "Rio". It was initially released in Japan entitled "Lee Ritenour In Rio" on JVC Records VIJ-6321 – but was re-sequenced and re-titled "Rio" in 1982 and reissued on Elektra E1-60024 in the USA and on Elektra K 52350 in the UK. This CD uses the 1982 configuration of tracks. To sequence the 1979 Japanese original use tracks 10, 9 and 8 as Side 1 with 14, 13, 12 and 11 being Side 2.

There’s the usual card slipcase, a 20-page booklet with full musician and recording credits and new liner notes from Mojo's resident Jazz columnist CHARLES WARING that include a new interview with Ritenour especially for this release. Co-Produced by Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin - and with maestro Bernie Grundman mastering the records in most cases  – it comes as no surprise that the remastered CDs (done by ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Mastering in London in 2015) sound utterly amazing – stunning musicianship and audio pyrotechnics ahoy. These are warm recordings where all the instruments get heard with Ritenour’s amazing guitar fret-scaling taking centre-stage on the mostly instrumental tracks.

Beloved by fans as a bit of masterpiece when it comes to Soulful Jazz Fusion - "The Captain's Journey" album featured a virtual smorgasbord of world-class session-player celebrities – Steve Gadd on Drums, Paulinho Da Costa and Steve Forman on Percussion, Anthony Jackson and Abraham Laboriel on Bass, Dave Grusin and Patrice Rushen on Keyboards, Dave Valentin on Flute, Ernie Watts on Saxophones, Jay Graydon on Guitars and special guests Patti Austin and Bill Champlin on Lead and Backing Vocals.

"Morning Glory" is probably the most commercially-funky tune on the album – Bill Champlin (of the band Sons Of Champlin) does the honours on Lead Vocals while Steve Gadd plays Drums, Abraham Laboriel slaps the Bass, Jay Graydon plucks Rhythm Guitar and Dave Grusin hits the keys on his Fender Rhodes Electric Piano. It's a wickedly catchy groove and wouldn't be amiss on say George Benson's "Give Me The Night". It was edited down to 3:57 minutes and put on a 45 in the USA (Elektra E-45511) with "Sugarloaf Express" as its flip (amazing they didn't use the full album cut at 5:53 minutes as a Promo 12" – but alas). Another audiophile winner is the slinky "That's Enough For Me" where Patti Austin and Tom Baylor add those crucial backing vocals giving the whole Funk, Guitar and Strings feel a bottom end that is dancefloor friendly (Austin co-wrote the song with Dave Grusin). The album ends on the gorgeous acoustic guitar of Grusin's "Etude" which oozes Spain by the Sea with a breeze in your face and a Marguerita in your hand (Grusin also wrote "What Do You Want?").

Ritenour went hell-for-leather towards the emerging Funk market with the "Feel The Night" album as is evidenced by the opener – a guitar boogie that aims for the dancefloor as well as the lobes. Ace-axeman Steve Lukather and keyboard whizz David Foster join him on the upbeat "Wicked Wine" while Crusader keyboardist Joe Sample puts in an appearance on the Latin-flavoured brass-funk of "French Roast" (wicked sound quality). But no matter how jolly and upbeat it may be - I can't listen to "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" because I think of the hideous Leo Sayer original. Better is "Midnight Lady" - a really pretty acoustic smoocher where Ritenour plays the classical guitar with warmth and lovely feeling. It finishes on the dancefloor bells and whistles funk of "Uh Oh!" - where our Lee has clearly been absorbing The Crusaders before they released "Street Life" and thinking – I'll have me some of that.

Although he goes entirely acoustic for the "Rio" album - slap-bass opens "Rio Funk" where our hero sounds more like The Brothers Johnson than Lee Ritenour. He then hits you with a superb cover of Deodato's "San Juan Sunset". Again he surprises you with the mellow soft-shoe-shuffle of "Rainbow" which he gives a Brazilian groove. He makes the acoustic somehow sound like Jazz electric guitar on "A Little Bit Of This And A Little Bit Of That" (Dave Grusin does a lovely Keyboard solo). But my fave track is a tune I've adored for decades – Joe Sample's ballad "It Happens Every Day" which he debuted on the Crusaders' "Free As The Wind" LP in 1977 on ABC Records. Ritenour simply plays the lovely piano runs on a gut-string acoustic – and with Ernie Watts on Soprano Sax – it's as sweet as mellow Jazz Fusion gets.

Beat Goes On are getting damn good at this quality reissue malarkey. Fans should not hesitate for a moment...and the inquisitive should just dive right in...

"Strikes Twice/Sleepwalk/Friends" by LARRY CARLTON (2015 Beat Goes On 2CD Set – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review By Mark Barry...

“...The Magician...”

A regular sessionman for Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Steely Dan and Billy Joel (and they’ll only take the best) – the sublime Los Angelino guitar-player Larry Carlton began his astonishing career at age 20 by getting a debut album out on Uni Records called "With A Little Help From My Friends" in 1968. After another album on Blue Thumb in 1970 and a decade of sideman work for a huge array of impressive names – he signed with Warner Brothers in 1978 and popped out "Larry Carlton". This British 2CD reissue deals with the three albums that followed in the Eighties and they’re typical fare for that period – funky instrumentals – smooth grooves and some truly dreadful pap best forgotten (he was a terrible vocalist). Thankfully the slick outweighs the slimy and this beautiful sounding 2CD set has much to offer lovers of that West Coast sound. Here are the fretful (and dare we say it) soulful details...

UK released June 2015 (July 2015 in the USA) – "Strikes Twice/Sleepwalk/Friends" by LARRY CARLTON on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1187 (Barcode 5017261211873) is a 2CD Set containing 3 Albums from 1980, 1982 and 1983 and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (59:34 minutes):

1. Strikes Twice

2. Ain’t Nothin’ For A Heartache

3. Midnight Parade

4. The Magician

5. Springville [Side 2]

6. Mulberry Street

7. In My Blood

8. For Love Alone

Tracks 1 to 8 are his 4th studio album "Strikes Twice" – released 1980 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3380 and in Europe on Warner Brothers K 56723

9. Late Nite

10. Blues Bird

11. Song For Katie

12. Frenchman’s Flat

Tracks 9 to 12 are Side 1 of his 5th studio album "Sleepwalk" – released 1982 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3635 and in Europe on Warner Brothers WB K 56974

Disc 2 (62:49 minutes):

1. Sleepwalk

2. Upper Kern

3. 10 P.M.

4. You Gotta Get It While You Can

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of his 5th studio album "Sleepwalk" – released 1982 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3635 and in Europe on Warner Brothers WB K 56974

5. Breaking Ground

6. South Town

7. Tequila

8. Blues For T.J.

9. Song In The 5th Grade [Side 2]

10. Cruisin’

11. L.A, N.Y.

12. Friends

Tracks 5 to 12 are his 6h studio album "Friends" – released 1983 in the USA and Europe on Warner Brothers 9 23834-1

There’s an outer card slipcase, a 20-page booklet with full album credits and new liner notes by noted Jazz Columnist and Writer CHARLES WARING and new 2015 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters. As the production values for these albums was second-to-none in the first place – it should come as no surprise to find that these CDs sound amazing – full of expert playing – mastered by talented people. Time after time - you’re struck by the beauty of these recordings - and despite their origin they’re thankfully free of 80’s studio trickery and excess. Wonderful transfers on all three albums...

It starts out with the zippy instrumental “Strikes Twice” where guitars battle it out with keyboards – his soloing is superb towards the end of the track. But we then enter serious cheese puff territory with “Ain’t Nothin’ For A Heartache” – the kind of terrible tune that would end an 80’s rom-com that didn’t work (his vocal is best forgotten). Things improve with “Midnight Parade” sounding not unlike the Crusaders circa “Street Life” (in fact Pops Popwell guests on Bass). Originally mastered by Bernie Grundman – the production qualities are second to none on “Mulberry Street” where his finger-playing dexterity threatens to run away with itself (endless zippy soloing). We then go into more commercial funk with the second of three ill-advised vocals on the album “The Magician” – at least a little better than track 2. The album ends on the truly lovely instrumental “For Love Alone” – a sort of Jeff Beck “Cause We Ended As Lover” type track (a Stevie Wonder cover he did on his 1975 LP “Blow By Blow”) where Carlton stops being flashy on the frets and actually gets some feel into the five-minute slowy (his guitar work is gorgeous).

Despite it uninspiring artwork - things improved out of all proportion with the fabulous “Sleepwalk” album – the kind of mellow groove record that was all good – a side-to-side player. The mostly instrumental “Sleepwalk” employed the same group of top session players that “Strikes Twice” did – Abraham Laboriel plays fantastically slinky Funk-Bass on “Blues Bird”, “”Song For Katie”, “Upper Kern” and “”You Gotta Get It While You Can” while Pops Popwell of The Crusaders does the slappy honours on “Frenchman’s Flat” and “Sleepwalk”. Steve Gadd and Jeff Porcaro (of Toto) play Drums while Greg Mathieson and Don Freeman provide cool keyboards flourishes throughout. It opens with an impossibly cool double-whammy of cool grooves - “Last Nite” – the kind of Crusaders slink they so effortlessly excelled at – which is followed by a huge fave of mine - the wicked shuffle of “Blues Bird”. Brian Mann backs up the pings and bends with soft keyboard fills – very nice indeed (Carlton’s playing is exceptional on “Blues Bird” and for me is worth the price of admission alone). His Hawaiian take on the Santo & Johnny’s 1959 Number 1 hit  “Sleepwalk” opens Side 2 and became an unlikely hit for Carlton too. Another fave of mine is the slow funk and downright sexy groove of “10:00 P.M.” which sounds like some Blaxsploitation movie backing track as our hero walks around his mirrorball boudoir in a silk kimono eager to show a lady the wonder of his Shaft (oh dear). It ends on the slap-bass dancer “You Gotta Get It While You Can” which actually sounds out of character with the rest of the mainly mellow album (great keys though).

The “Friends” albums continues the good stuff as it brings on board talents like Joe sample of The Crusaders, B.B. King (a co-write with Carlton on “Blues For T.J.”) and Michael Brecker playing Saxophone on the cover of the Champs “Tequila” with Al Jarreau providing vocals. The album opens with a great one-two – a pair of slick instrumentals – the smooth “”Breaking Ground” and the uber-funky and impossibly catchy “South Town” - Joe Sample on Fender Rhodes backed up by a fantastic brass arrangement. Carlton’s guitar playing on “South Town” feels like “Hill Street Blues” lets its hair down and hits the dancefloor – a really great groove (with Joe providing a cool solo). Another Carlton original is “Cruisin’” that tries hard but feels like it’s going nowhere – better is the B. B. King inspired “Blues For T.J.” that sees Carlton duet with the great Bluesman – aping his style of playing (again Sample plays Fender Rhodes while Jeff Porcaro of Toto and Abraham Loboriel bringing up the rhythm section of Drums and Bass). Brecker ends the album on the smooze of “Friends”.

So there you have it – not all genius for sure – but the good stuff is ‘so’ good. And once again Beat Goes On presents the lot in a classy and pleasing way. If you’re partial to your West Coast grooves (like me) – you’re gonna have to have it...