"With A Little Help From My Friends" and "Singing/Playing" by LARRY CARLTON – 1968 US Debut Album on Uni Records and 1973 US Second Studio Album on Blue Thumb Records – featuring Three Members of The Crusaders on the 1973 LP (6 March 2020 UK Beat Goes On Reissue – 2LPs onto 1CD – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...One More Chance..."

Very much a tale of two musical cities, the debut from 1968 talks of 'Larry's Bag...' in the cheesy liner notes that unfortunately sets up a functional two-to-three star starter LP from one of the most gifted of guitar players (and future Crusader). But his 1973 effort "Singing/Playing" is a world away from that underwhelming first LP – a wee bit of a forgotten and overlooked gem - fabulous production values and some really clever song choices.

And typically BGO whomp you with top quality audio from their long-time resident Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON. A snazzy card slipcase on the outside, a 16-page fact-filled booklet with new liner notes from Mojo magazine's main Jazz writer CHARLES WARING and you get the quality reissue picture here. Let's get to those slick-licks...

UK released 6 March 2020 - "With A Little Help From My Friends - and - Singing/Playing" by LARRY CARLTON on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1405 (Barcode 5017261214058) offers his first two studio albums from 1968 and 1973 newly Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (68:56 minutes):

1. With A Little Help From My Friends - Beatles cover [Side 1]
2. MacArthur Park - Jimmy Webb song, Richard Harris cover
3. Don't You Care? - Buckinghams cover
4. When Sunny Gets Blue - Johnny Mathis cover (amongst others)
5. Honey - Bobby Goldsboro cover
6. Monday Monday - The Mamas and The Papas cover [Side 2]
7. Eleanor Rigby - Beatles cover
8. The Odd Couple - Neil Hefti song, cover of the movie theme
9. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Jimmy Webb song, Glen Campbell cover
10. People Get Ready - Curtis Mayfield song, Impressions cover
Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album "With A Little Help From My Friends" - release 1968 in the USA on Uni Records 73036 (no UK issue)

11. Easy Evil [Side 1]
12. I Cry Mercy
13. One More Chance
14. With Respect To Coltrane
15. American Family [Side 2]
16. Wavin' And Smilin'
17. Captain, Captain
18. Free Way
Tracks 11 to 18 are his second studio album "Singing/Playing" - released 1973 in the US on Blue Thumb Records BTS 46 (no UK issue)

With beautiful audio on both platters (especially the second) - the debut is all instrumental covers and you can see from the detailed track list provided above uses contemporary hits of the 1968-day alongside some deeper cuts. His band featured Trumpeters Graham Young, Virgil Evans and jack Caan with Organist Terry Trotter, Bassist David Carre and Drummer Michael F. Mills. But even on crowd-pleaser melodies like "Eleanor Rigby" where he admittedly tries to do his version of the "Revolver" classic – it all feels like George Benson whacking out a 99 cents LP for Saturday shoppers who should know better. The uptempo Jazz-happy beat given to "People Get Ready" is awful pap ruining a gorgeous song. Let's cut to the altogether more rewarding Box Number Two…

Featuring Keyboardists Joe Sample and Michael Omartian with Bassists Wilton Felder, Reinie Press, Max Bennett and Joe Osborn and Drummers Ron Tutt, John Guerin, Jim Gordon and Norbert "Stix" Hooper – Carlton turns out to have quite a cool Ned Doheny type voice. Two tracks on his second platter – a cover of Tom Scott's "With Respect To Coltrane" and Carlton's own "Free Way" - feature three key members of his future musical compatriots The Crusaders – Keyboardist Joe Sample, Bassist Wilton Felder and Drummer Norbert 'Stix' Hooper (Carlton would become their fourth band member for the best years of their Blue Thumb and ABC Records output right up to "Street Life" in 1979). Another huge session player Michael Omartian who has credits with Michael McDonald, Steely Dan, Rickie Lee Jones (and so many more) turns up giving it some Electric Piano on two Alan O'Day songs - "Easy Evil" and "American Family". I first touched on the fantastic "Easy Evil" on John Kay's cool second solo LP outside Steppenwolf - "My Sportin' Life" from 1973. I think as many as fifteen covers of this sideway-referencing drug-addiction song exist including variants by Merl Saunders, Travis Wammack and even actor John Travolta. Carlton gives his "Easy Evil" a very effective Classics IV "Spooky" groove and a sensuous laid-back vocal – very cool and with gorgeous clean-as-a-whistle audio too.

The obscure but delightful cover of "I Cry Mercy" was written by Tim and Steve Smith and first showed on the one and only Smith Perkins Smith album called (unoriginally) "Smith Perkins Smith" on Island Records in 1972 (featuring Wayne Perkins). I’ve always adored this album and in April 2020, it still remains stubbornly sans digital. What a blast to hear it here – anchored by ace sessionmen Jim Gordon on Drums and Joe Osborn on Bass and maybe too many syrupy strings. Speaking of uber obscure variants – Carlton also tackles a song called "Wavin' And Smilin'" penned by Bob Siller of the Reprise Records Psych act Mephistopheles (1969). He also had a sank-like-a-trace solo album called "This Is Siller's Picture" on RCA Victor Records in 1968. But his "Wavin’ And Smilin’" isn't on either, so is an exclusive here.

Things even get a tad Little Feat with the slinky Rock-Funk of "One More Chance" - the ladies echoing the title-chorus being Oma Drake, Julia Tillman and Maxine Willard - Carlton doing his best subtle B.B. King licks as the groove chugs along. A huge guitar sound jumps out at you for Tom Scott's "With Respect To Coltrane" - and if one track was to show how far Carlton had come from doing competent Woolworth's type covers - it's this one. His playing here is doubled-up and I'm reminded of Gary Moore in his "Grinding Stone" days when he'd make you sit up and perspire in awe.

A clever reissue from England’s Beat Goes On – fans will have to own it for that great audio upgrade – while the Jazz-Funk curious will find much to savour in the "Singing/Playing" album. Respect to Larry C...