"Original Album Series" by BILLY COBHAM [ex Mahavishnu Orchestra Drummer] – Including The Albums "Spectrum" (October 1973), "Total Eclipse" (November 1974), "Crosswinds" (March 1974), "A Funky Thide Of Sings" (October 1975) and "Shabazz: Recorded Live In Europe" (May 1975) on Atlantic Records – featuring Tommy Bolin, Jan Hammer, George Duke, Cornell Dupree, John Abercrombie, Jon Tropea, Randy and Mike Brecker, Ron Carter, Ray Barretto and more (November 2012 UK Warner Brothers/Atlantic 5CD Capacity Wallet of Remasters in Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Searching For The Right Door... "

Drummer BILLY COBHAM gets his first four Jazz Fusion studio sets on Atlantic Records (1973 to 1975) reissued here - alongside a long forgotten European Live outing (also 1975) sandwiched inbetween. 

In January 2021 - the ever-popular "Original Album Series" has a huge number of bands and artists in its formidable WEA cannon - capacity wallet 5CD card box sets most of which are Remasters (as they are here) housing five Mini LP Card Repro Sleeves. And with most five-packs hovering around ten to twelve post Brexit sterling pounds, what's not to like... 

But sometimes it's those off the well-beaten musical track clumps that are the most interesting – the ex Mahavishnu Orchestra sticks-man being a good case in point. Let's get on the Funky Thide of Sings...

UK released November 2012 - "Original Album Series" by BILLY COBHAM on UK Warner Brothers/Atlantic 8122-79696-2 (Barcode 081227969219) is a 5CD Capacity Wallet of Remasters in Mini LP Repro Card Sleeves that plays out as follows:

CD1 "Spectrum" (37:18 minutes):
1. Quadrant 4 [Side 1]
2. Medley: (a) Searching For The Right Door / (b) Spectrum 
3. Medley: (a) Anxiety / (b) Taurian Matador 
4. Stratus [Side 2]
5. Medley: (a) To The Women In My Life / (b) Le Lis 
6. Medley: (a) Snoopy's Search / (b) Red Baron 
Tracks 1 to 6 are his debut studio album "Spectrum" – released October 1973 in the USA on Atlantic Records SD 7268 and October 1973 in the UK on Atlantic K 40506. Produced by BILLY COBHAM (with Engineer Ken Scott) – players included Jan Hammer on Keyboards, Tommy Bolin and John Tropea on Guitars, Joe Farrell and Jimmy Owens on Horns, Ron Carter and Lee Sklar on Basses and Ray Barretto on Congas with Billy Cobham on Drums and Percussion (all songs by BC). 

CD2 "Total Eclipse" (44:04 minutes):
1. Solarization [Side 1]
(a) Solarization (b) Second Phase (c) Crescent Sun (d) Voyage (e) Solarization-Recapitulation 
2. Lunarputians 
3. Total Eclipse 
4. Bandits 
5. Moon Germs [Side 2]
6. The Moon Ain't Made Of Green Cheese 
7. Sea Of Tranquility 
8. Last Frontier 
Tracks 1 to 8 are his third album "Total Eclipse" – released November 1974 in the USA on Atlantic SD 18121 and November 1974 in the UK on Atlantic K 50098. Produced by BILLY COBHAM (with Engineer Ken Scott) – players included Cornell Dupree and John Abercrombie on Guitars, Mike and Randy Brecker with Glenn Ferris on Horns, Milcho Leviev on Keyboards, Alex Blake on Bass, David Earle Johnson on Congas with Billy Cobham on Drums and Percussion (all songs by BC). 

CD3 "Crosswinds" (35:11 minutes):
1. Spanish Moss - "A Spanish Portrait" [Side 1]
(a) Spanish Moss (b) Savannah The Serene (c) Storm (d) Flash Flood
2. The Pleasant Pheasant [Side 2]
3. Heather 
4. Crosswind 
Tracks 1 to 4 are his second album "Crosswinds" – released March 1974 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7300 and March 1974 in the UK on Atlantic K 50037. Produced by BILLY COBHAM (with Engineer Ken Scott) – players included John Abercrombie on Guitars, George Duke on Keyboards, Randy Brecker and Garnett Brown on Horns with Mike Brecker on Woodwinds, John Williams on Bass, Lee Pastora on Latin Percussion with Billy Cobham on Drums and Percussion (all songs by BC). 

CD4 "A Funky Thide Of Sings" (45:03 minutes):
1. Panhandler [Side 1]
2. Sorcery
3. A Funky Thide Of Sings 
4. Thinking Of You 
5. Some Skunk Funk 
6. Light At The End Of The Tunnel [Side 2]
7. A Funky Kind Of Thing 
8. Moody Modes 
Tracks 1 to 8 are his fifth album "A Funky Thide Of Sings" – released October 1975 in the USA on Atlantic SD 18149 and October 1975 in the UK on Atlantic K 50189. Produced by BILLY COBHAM and MARY MEYERSON - players included John Scofield on Guitars, Milcho Leviev on Keyboards, Randy and Michael Brecker, Larry Schneider, Walt Fowler and Glenn Ferris on Horns with Tom Malone on Trombone and Flute, Alex Blake on Bass, "Rebop" Kwaku Baah on Congas with Billy Cobham on Drums and Percussion.

CD5 "Shabazz: Recorded Live In Europe" (39:38 minutes):
1. Shabazz [Side 1]
2. Taurian Matador (Revised)
3. Red Baron (Revised) [Side 2]
4. Tenth Pinn 
Tracks 1 to 4 are his fourth album "Shabazz: Recorded Live In Europe" – released May 1975 in the USA on Atlantic SD 18139 and May 1975 in the UK on Atlantic K 50147. Produced by BILLY COBHAM and KEN SCOTT – players included John Abercrombie on Guitar, Randy and Mike Brecker with Glenn Ferris on Saxophone, Trumpet and Trombone (respectively) with Milcho Leviev on Keyboards, Alex Blake on Bass and Billy Cobham on Drums and Percussion. "Taurian Matador (Revised)" recorded 4 July 1974 at the Montreux Music Festival in Switzerland – all other tracks recorded 13 July 1974 at the Rainbow Theatre in London. 

The card sleeves aren't up to the exacting standards of those Japanese paper-sleeve reissues or SHM-CD Mini LP variants - "Spectrum" loses its gatefold while the musician credits on the rear of "Total Eclipse" and "Crosswinds" are suddenly AWOL completely (I've provided them above) – but they do look dinky and pleasing enough to the eye. And the Remastered Audio courtesy of Rhino (circa 2001, 2002 and 2005 and beyond) is uniformly great throughout. The running order of the albums as per their release dates is 'out' (see above), but other than that, it's a winner. To the many colours...

With ex Zephyr guitar whizz-kid Tommy Bolin (later with The James Gang) and super-sessionman axe-picker John Tropea joined by Jan Hammer on Keyboards (soon to do stints with The Jeff Beck Group) – it's hardly surprising that so many BC fans love the 1973 debut "Spectrum". It opens with a giggling call to arms and a count-In - before launching into the rapido fusion of "Quadrant 4" – the Remaster kicking like a mule. His speaker-to-speaker drumming fills the restless "Searching For The Right Door" and the band goes into Jazz-Funk overdrive/solo city with the title track "Spectrum". It's not surprising that he returned to the speed-freak guitar pyrotechnics of "Taurian Matador" for the European live album issued in 1975 – it's a showstopper if not a tad indulgent. Personally I prefer the trippy "Stratus" over on Side 2 and the sexy hip-swivelling funky chug of "Red Baron" – the kind of Jazz-Funk instrumental you wish was on a 12" single and not the compromised grooves of the last track on Side 2. "Spectrum" is a really good album then, but there was better to come...

Probably his most popular LP amongst Soul kids looking for that Seventies funky edge - the 1974 masterwork that is "Crosswinds" is an out-and-out period gem. When you listen to the very Crusaders fast-Funk of "The Pleasant Pheasant" with Randy Brecker letting rip on that Saxophone before George Duke comes in and synth-warbles those notes to the breakneck end – you understand why Cobham's brand of Jazz Fusion was commercial/accessible to so many and not just virtuoso musicians noodling to please themselves. In fact when Atlantic/Warner-UK started their "Right On!" series of CD reissues dealing with Break Beats and Grooves from the WEA label vaults – they chose the sexy Funk of "Crosswinds" to represent their opening salvo. The eight and half minutes of the mellow "Heather" is a slow vibes and keyboards smoocher that feels like a Jazz Funk love song without words. And clocking in at 17:29 minutes - the four-part "Sound Portrait" on Side 1 called "Spanish Moss" is probably the most overtly Jazz piece on the record with my fave piece being the super-chilled vibes of "Savannah The Serene" which feels like The Mahavishnu Orchestra on mood-enhancing mushrooms. 

"Total Eclipse" is probably the most 'out there' and Fusion of his early catalogue, so the wild guitar-in-a-hurry of "Solarization" might not be for the faint of rhythm - but things soon settle into groove-thang territory with the title track "Total Eclipse" - all that keyboard Funk bolstered up with wads of brass and wind. "Moon Germs" is the same only with more guitar backbeat and a wicked Bass passage as the boys solo off of each other. The live set took the "Crosswinds" band on the road and introduced two new lengthy numbers - "Shabazz" and "Tenth Pinn" - both excellent on what is a forgotten and underrated album. BC goes all Orangutan wanna-be-like-you for the cleverly titled "A Funky Thide Of Sings" LP. Highlights include a big Production synth-and-horns Funk whig-out in the shape of the suitably titled "Panhandler" whist over nine-minutes of "A Funky Side Of Things" over on Side 2 will be enough to keep most toe-tappers in drum-solo heaven for weeks on end. 

The Panamanian Drummer and Writer would make other albums for Atlantic in the late 70ts and continues to record to this day - 2019 seeing the legendary "Crosswinds" LP from 1974 returned to on CD in the "Time Lapse Photos" album while his latest from 2020 "Tierra Del Fuego" references Argentinian influences. 

Not all masterpieces for damn sure, but when Billy Cobham got Funky (as is evidenced so many times across these five albums), it was time to us to shabazz. Perhaps time for us to cross those winds once again too...

"Original Album Series" by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND (March 2010 UK Elektra/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Blues With A Feeling…"

Quite possibly one of the best Blues-Rock CD Mini Box Sets I have in my fine household (can’t tell the wife how many there are lest I suffer serious physical injury – after the mental torture that is) – Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band is a very definite jewel in the erratic crown of WEA’s “Original Album Series” reissues. When the 5-disc series began in 2009  – ‘some’ of the first vanguard of 40 or so titles featured remasters (many unfortunately didn’t). This beauty is one that does – and from the second the opening track “Born In Chicago” on their incendiary debut hits your speakers – it rocks like a madman on Blues Boogie acid and doesn’t let up. Here are the harmonica wails, guitar licks and chooglin’ white boys doing the blues details…

Released March 2010 in the UK - "Original Album Series" by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND on Elektra/Rhino 8122 79834 0 (Barcode 081227983406) is a 5CD Mini Box Set and breaks down as follows (all are Stereo mixes):

Disc 1 (38:09 minutes):

1. Born In Chicago

2. Shake Your Money-Maker

3. Blues With A Feeling

4. Thank You Mr. Poobah

5. I Got My Mojo Working

6. Mellow Down Easy

7. Screamin’

8. Our Love Is Drifting

9. Mystery Train

10. Last Night

11. Look Over Yonders Wall

Tracks 1 to 11 are the LP "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band" - their debut album released December 1965 on Elektra EKS 7294 in the USA (May 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 2 (44:47 minutes):

1. Walkin’ Blues

2. Get Out Of My Life, Woman

3. I Got A Mind To Give Up Everything

4. All These Blues

5. Work Song

6. Mary, Mary

7. Two Trains Running

8. Never say No

9. East-West

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "East-West" - released September 1966 on Elektra EKS 7315 in the USA (December 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 3 (45:45 minutes):

1. One More Heartache

2. Driftin’ And Driftin’

3. Pity The Fool

4. Born Under A Bad Sign

5. Run Out Of Time

6. Double Trouble

7. Drivin’ Wheel

8. Droppin’ Out

9. Tollin’ Blues

Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw" - released January 1968 on Elektra EKS 74015 in the USA (February 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 4 (34:30 minutes):

1. Last Hope’s Gone

2. Mine To Love

3. Get Yourself Together

4. Just To Be With You

5. Morning Blues

6. Drunk Again

7. In My Own Dream

Tracks 1 to 7 are the LP "In My Own Dream" - released August 1968 on Elektra EKS 74025 in the USA (September 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 5 (42:11 minutes):

1. Love March

2. No Amount Of Loving

3. Morning Sunrise

4. Losing Hand

5. Walking By Myself

6. Except You

7. Love Disease

8. Where Did My Baby Go

9. All In A Day

10. So Far So Good

11. Buddy’s Advice

12. Keep Moving

Tracks 1 to 12 is the LP "Keep On Moving" - released October 1969 on Elektra EKS 74053 in the USA (November 1969 in the UK same no.)

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:

The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork (the gatefolds are unfortunately not reproduced). Also each front sleeve is now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code - Green for Disc 1, Light Blue for 2, Orange for 3, Dark Blue for 4 and Brown for 5. It would have been more appropriate to have the original label colour configurations - maybe even the Elektra inner bags (like they did on the Doors albums in the Complete Studio Recordings box set), but alas... The track list is to the left on the CD label with band members with recording credits listed on the right (as there's no booklet nor site to download details from - as there is on the Sony issues - this is some compensation to the lack of readable details).

It has to be said that the outer card box is lightweight and therefore disappointingly flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues). Having said that the card sleeves still look cool once out of the box and it's nice to see the original artwork used - which in these cases are very sweet to look at (it really makes such a big difference on the Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Drifters and Clyde McPhatter rear sleeves too - beautiful original album artwork). As you can see from the timings - there are no bonus tracks.

SOUND:

The music is incredibly bluesy and ballsy –truly stunning Paul Rothchild Sixties Production values coming at you on every disc. The instrumental “Thank You Mr. Poobah” for instance will probably have your speakers for breakfast. The opening guitars on “Walkin’ Blues” are the same – back in the mix – but still powerful. Don’t get me wrong – these CDs aren’t amped up for effect – they’re just beautifully handled – and it’s sonically obvious that the original master tapes are in tip-top condition. And throughout the records - you get Butterfield’s deep and muscular harmonica slaying all in its path.

Highlights are many and varied – their Soulful and Brassy cover of Marvin Gaye’s “One More Headache”, the wailing Blues of Otis Rush’s “Double Trouble” and the huge Albert King power of “Born Under A Bad Sign”. I love the slinky “Come Together” (Beatles) bass line that opens the slightly jazzy “Last Hope’s Gone” – a sort of precursor to Blood, Sweat & Tears debut album “Child Is The Father To The Man:”. Elvin Bishop provides the witty “Drunk Again” (“ain’t got a dime and smellin’ like a brewery…”) while “No Amount Of Loving” on “Keep On Moving” is a tremendous chugger.

If you want a slice of Sixties Blues-Rock - then you can't go much wrong with these albums (although for me the quality really tapers off on Disc 5). Fans who already own these treasured LPs on previous CD incarnations may balk at acquiring this box set just to have those dinky little card sleeves – but everyone else should just get with the beat, crank up that stereo and annoy the neighbours right away...



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"Original Album Series" by BONNIE RAITT (2011 Warner Brothers/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Your Good Thing..." 

Although this cool 5CD mini Box Set in WEA's "Original Album Series" misses out on Bonnie Raitt's fabulous first three albums – "Bonnie Raitt" (1971), "Give It Up" (1972) and "Takin My Time" (1973) – what you do get are the five that followed from 1974 to 1982. And what a humdinger it is too – Rock, Ballad, Country, Blues and Soul – Bonnie Raitt does the lot – and well. Here are the 'Lady Sings The Blues' details...

UK released August 2011 – "Original Album Series" by BONNIE RAITT on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122797629 (Barcode 081227976293) is a 5CD Mini Box set and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Streetlights" (37:03 minutes):
1. That Song About The Midway [Joni Mitchell]
2. Rainy Day Man [James Taylor]
3. Angel From Montgomery [John Prine]
4. I Got Plenty [Jim Carroll & Joey Levine]
5. Streetlights [Bill Payne]
6. What Is Success [Allen Toussaint] – Side 2
7. Ain't Nobody Home [Jerry Ragovoy]
8. Everything That Touches You [Michael Kamen]
9. Got You On My Mind [Alley Willis and David Lasley]
10. You Got To Be Ready For Love (If You Wanna Be Mine) [Lou Courtney]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 4th album "Streetlights" – released October 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2818 and November 1974 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56075

Disc 2 "Home Plate" (32:25 minutes):
1. What Do You Want The Boy To Do? [Allen Toussaint]
2. Good Enough [John and Johanna Hall]
3. Run Like A Thief [J.D. Souther]
4. Fool Yourself [Fred Tackett]
5. My First Night Alone Without You [Kin Vassy]
6. Walk Out The Front Door [Mark T. Jordan and Rip Stock] - Side 2
7. Sugar Mama [Glen Clark]
8. Pleasin' Each Other [Bill Payne and Fran Tate]
9. I'm Blowin' Away [Eric Kaz]
10. Sweet And Shiny Eyes [Nan O'Byrne]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 5th album "Home Plate" – released October 1975 on Warner Brothers BS 2864 and December 1975 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56160

Disc 3 "Sweet Forgiveness" (38:12 minutes):
1. About To Make Me Leave Home [Earl Randall]
2. Runaway [Del Shannon]
3. Two Lives [Mark Jordan]
4. Louise [Paul Siebel]
5. Gamblin' Man [Eric Kaz]
6. Sweet Forgiveness [Daniel Moore] – Side 2
7. My Opening Farewell [Jackson Browne]
8. Three Time Loser [Don Covay]
9. Takin' My Time [Bill Payne]
10. Home [Karla Bonoff]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 6th album "Sweet Forgiveness" – released April 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2990 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56323.

Disc 4 "The Glow" (37:39 minutes):
1. I Thank You [Isaac Hayes & David Porter song, Sam & Dave cover]
2. Your Good Thing (Is About To End) [Isaac Hayes and David Porter song, Mable John cover]
3. Standin' By The Same Old Love [Bonnie Raitt]
4. Sleep's Dark And Silent Gate [Jackson Browne]
5. The Glow [Veyler Hildebrand]
6. Bye Bye Baby [Mary Wells] – Side 2
7. The Boy Can't Help It [Bobby Troup song, Little Richard cover]
8. (I Could Have Been Your) Best Old Friend [Tracy Nelson]
9. You're Gonna Get What's Coming [Robert Palmer]
10. (Goin') Wild For You Baby [David Batteau, Tom Snow]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 7th album "The Glow" – released October 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers HS 3369 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56706

Disc 5 "Green Light" (35:06 minutes):
1. Keep This Heart Of Mine In Mind [Fred Marrone, Steve Holsapple]
2. River Of Tears [Eric Kaz]
3. Can't Get Enough [Bonnie Raitt, Walt Richmond]
4. Wilya Wontcha [Johnny Lee Schell]
5. Let's Keep It Between Us [Bob Dylan]
6. Me And The Boys [Terry Adams (of NRBQ), Dave Edmunds cover] – Side 2
7. I Can't Help Myself [Ricky Fataar, Ray O'Hara, Bonnie Raitt & Johnny Lee Schell]
8. Baby Come Back [Eddy Grant song, The Equals cover]
9. Talk To Me [Jerry Lynn Williams]
10. Green Lights [Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato (both of NRBQ)]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 8th album "Green Light" – released March 1982 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3630 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56980

Most will know that these boxes come with single sleeve 5" card repros – back and front artwork of the original American LP with details you can't read even with a magnifying glass. It looks cute for sure but there's no booklet so I've provided track-by-track songwriting credits above. It looks like most are the 2002 and 2003 Gregg Geller Remasters – sounding funky and spunky in all the right places (some of these have become difficult to find as individual titles so this box set represents great value for money).

After three pretty straightforward Blues-Rock LPs – 1974's "Streetlights" saw Bonnie in a very mellow mood. It opens with her gorgeous acoustic take on Joni Mitchell's "That Song About The Midway" singing "...I found you in a trailer in some camping ground..." and you know both Joni & Bonnie have this degenerate gambler down. I've always loved her Funky choices of songs too – the rock-slink of Allen Toussaint's "What Is Success" – a low-down groove with top session players like keyboardist Leon Pendarvis laying down licks throughout that add so much to the overall (he was once with Lonnie Liston Smith's Cosmic Echoes). Again the players add top class to Michael Kamen's "Everything That Touches You" – Jeff Minirov and John Tropea playing so sweet on those guitars. And a forgotten nugget is "Got You On My Mind" – a pretty lilting tune with Jerry Ragovoy arrangements that sound almost Burt Bacharach at times. Ace sessionman Steve Gadd on drums throughout too...

The influences of funky Little Feat ("Sugar Mama" and "Fool Yourself") and Countrified Emmylou Harris ("My First Night Without You") permeates much of "Home Plate" - and like "Streetlights" – is a decidedly commercial affair. Both Allen Toussaint's "What Do You Want The Boy To Do?" and John Hall's plucky "Good Enough" features the swing of Fred Tackett and Bill Payne from Little Feat. John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful plays Autoharp on the truly lovely smoocher "Run Like A Thief" – a quality John David Souther song that layers on the heartbreak with an astonishing quartet of backing singers - Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Rosemary Butler and England’s Terry Reid. And not for the first time does she reach for the songwriting talent of Eric Kaz who offers "I'm Blowin' Away". The almost drunken "Sweet And Shiny Eyes" once again features a properly stellar set of pipes in the background - Emmylou Harris, J.D. Souther, Jackson Browne and Tom Waits...

After two albums of mopey lovelorn – the Paul A. Rothchild produced "Sweet Forgiveness" from 1977 comes as a Funky Rocking relief (and the Audio Remaster is stunning too). Her wickedly good Slide Guitar leads off the nasty "About To Make Me Leave Home" where it sounds like she's literally channelling Lowell George (Bill Payne of Little Feat is in there too on the keys). Her boogied-up cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway" has annoyed and thrilled purists – I can understand why but I still like it. Michael McDonald and Rosemary Butler provide their sweet-as-a-nut backing vocals but its Norton Buffalo's wicked Harmonica warble that saves it. Mark Jordan's emotional and touching love song "Two Lives" is an album highlight – once again McDonald and Butler floating in over the pain. Her cover of Paul Siebel's "Louise" reminds you of what a great song it is and what a criminally forgotten talent he was (sent me rushing back to 1970's "Woodsmoke And Oranges" by Siebel – see my separate review). Love her rocking slide cover of Don Covay's "Three Time Loser" too (Asylum tried it as a 7" single in the UK in April 1977 with the pretty "Louise" on the flipside).  And another emerging female songwriter Karla Bonoff gets her moment with the gorgeous album finisher "Home" (beautiful Audio on this) – Bonoff being a talent Linda Ronstadt would tap too for "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me".

1979's "The Glow" opens with her updated Soul-Rock boogie of "I Thank You" – an Isaac Hayes and David Porter song that Sam & Dave made a hit on Stax in 1968. But there then follows possibly my favourite cover ever by Bonnie Raitt – "You Good Thing (Is About To End)". Again it was written by that Stax dynamic duo of Hayes & Porter - but this time the long forgotten MABLE JOHN had the song on Stax 192 in May 1966. It's a torch ballad and a brilliant choice by Bonnie – backed up by Bill Payne of Little Feat on Keyboards and a wonderful flourish of a Saxophone Solo by David Sanborn. Her own "Standin' By The Same Love" is a slider while Paul Butterfield adds his Harmonica talent to the cover of Mary Wells' "Bye Bye Baby". Smart choice is the choppy guitar Rock of Robert Palmer's "You're Gonna Get What's Comin'"...

Terry Adams and Joey Spampinato (both of NRBQ) gave Bonnie the title song to her final offering here – 1982's "Green Light" album. Terry Adams also stumped up the rocking "Me And The Boys" – a song Dave Edmunds had covered on his excellent "D.E. 7th" album on Arista Records that same year. In fact both Edmunds and Raitt released the 'boys in the band' 7" single of "Me And The Boys" in the same month (April 1982) on both sides of the pond. Bob Dylan's support of the great lady continued with the excellent Bluesy slouch of "Let's Keep It Between Us" – a song that to my knowledge has yet to turn up on a Bobster album. The song-writing team of Ricky Fataar and Johnny Lee Schell gave her "I Can't Help Myself" and "Wilya Wontcha" and were later very much instrumental in songs on her Don Was produced breakthrough album "Nick Of Time" on Capitol Records in 1989.

In truth I'd like to see Rhino do a "Complete Warner Brothers Years" 10-album CD Box Set (including 1986's "Nine Lives") for BONNIE RAITT and newly remaster the whole damn lot with a (10th) disc of rarities thrown in (what'd ya say boys). But in the meantime - at roughly two-quid per record there's a whole lotta bang for your buck here and this dinky little peach will do nicely...

"Original Album Series" by THE DETROIT SPINNERS [aka SPINNERS in the USA] (March 2010 UK Atlantic/Rhino Remastered 5CD Capacity Wallet) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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HIGHER GROUND 
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

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Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

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"...Mighty Love..."

Aping the success of Sony's similarly packaged 5CD box sets "Original Classic Albums" - WEA/Rhino has released a huge swath of these "Original Album Series" Box Sets since 2010 - and this dinky DETROIT SPINNERS 5CD set was amongst the first 40. And a bit of a Soul winner it is too. Here are the Mighty Love details...

UK released, Monday 1 March 2010 - "Original Album Series" by THE DETROIT SPINNERS [aka SPINNERS] on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 8 (Barcode 081227983789) is a Remastered 5CD Capacity Wallet with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (40:54 minutes):

1. Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind

2. Just You And Me Baby

3. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You

4. I Could Never (Repay Your Love)

5. I'll Be Around

6. One Of A Kind (Love Affair)

7. We Belong Together

8. Ghetto Child

9. How Could I Let You Get Away

10. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

Tracks 1 to 10 is the album "Spinners" - released April 1973 on Atlantic SD 7256 in the USA and Atlantic K 40477 in the UK [see Note re Band Name Credits]

Disc 2 (37:33 minutes):

1. Since I Been Gone

2. Ain't No Price On Happiness

3. I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life

4. I'm Coming Home

5. He'll Never Love You Like I Do

6. Love Has Gone Away

7. Love Don't Love Nobody

8. Mighty Love

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Mighty Love" - released March 1974 on Atlantic SD 7296 in the USA and Atlantic K 50030 in the UK

Disc 3 (35:17 mnutes):

1. Sittin' On Top Of The World

2. Smile, We Have Each Other

3. Then Came You

4. There's No One Like You

5. Living A Little, Laughing A Little

6. Sadie

7. Lazy Susan

8. I've Got To Make It On My Own

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "New And Improved" - released December 1974 on Atlantic SD 18118 in the USA and January 1975 on Atlantic K 50102 in the UK

Disc 4 (40:45 minutes):

1. Honest I Do

2. I Don't Want To Lose You

3. Love Or Leave

4. Sweet Love Of Mine

5. All That Glitters Ain't Gold

6. You Made A Promise To Me

7. Games People Play

8. Just As Long As We Have Love

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Pick Of The Litter" - released August 1975 on Atlantic SD 18141 in the USA and Atlantic K 50155 in the UK

Disc 5 (66:21 minutes):

1. Fascinating Rhythm

2. I've Got To Make It On My Own

3. Living A Little, Laughing A Little

4. One Of A Kind (Love Affair)

5. Then Came You

6. Sadie

7. How Could I Let You Get Away

8. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

9. Superstar Medley: It's Not Usual/Don't Mess With Bill/Paper Doll/Stop! In The Name Of Love/If I Didn't Care/Hound Dog/Hello Dolly

10. Love Don't Love Nobody

11. Mighty Love

Tracks 1 to 11 are "Spinners Live!" - a 12-track 2LP set released December 1975 on Atlantic SD 2-910 in the USA and Atlantic K 60110 in the UK

[The CD is 11 tracks, "Love Don't Love Nobody" was spread across two sides of the original vinyl album; here it's segued into one long nine-minute plus track]

Note: on original release ALL of the US albums were credited to SPINNERS - the UK issues however were credited to THE DETROIT SPINNERS - over the years it is this longer name that the soul vocal group have become more commonly known by. None of the discs contain bonus tracks and the legendary THOM BELL was producer for all of the albums.

The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork - the split 'envelope' sleeve of "Pick Of The Litter" and the gatefold of "Spinners Live!" are not reproduced - "New And Improved" had a blue coloured sleeve in the UK and reversed the artwork - live picture on the front, baby photos on the rear - this set uses the red US artwork. Each front sleeve is also now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code (so no original label artwork reproduced). The outer card box is lightweight and therefore a little bit flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues and there's no downloadable track details either), but having said that, the card sleeves themselves still look great once out of the box.

Unlike many other titles in this series (repackaging of crappy Eighties titles that have been in the marketplace for years) these titles ARE the Atlantic/Rhino remasters of old and therefore their sound is just GORGEOUS - really lovely to listen to. Musically this is 'soft' soul and may not be to everyone's tastes, but I love it - smooth and sweet (even if the screaming girls of the live set may test your patience).

The debut album was a monster Stateside- spawning no less than three Number 1 singles on the R&B charts - "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" and "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)". Not to be outdone in chart placing - "Ghetto Child" rightly achieved a Number 4 slot (what a fabulous song). The hits kept coming with album two - "Mighty Love" again hit Number 1 while the infectious "I'm Coming Home" and "Love Don't Love Nobody" kept them in buyers hearts and on A&M radio. Smoochy album nuggets include the lovely "He'll Never Love You Like I Do" and the pull her close "I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life".

Album 3 produced a duet hit "Then Came You" with DIONNE WARWICKE that stormed to Number 2 - while the piano class of "Living A Little, Laughing A Little" and the mid-tempo talker "Sadie" gave them both a Number 7 position.  The Live album is probably the weakest link here with a vaudeville melody in the middle of it being a badly placed item. But they hit paydirt again with "Games People Play" in August 1975 - another R&B Number 1 - and rightly so. Album sleepers include the pretty ballad "I Don't Want To Lose You" (so Spinners) and "You Made A Promise To Me" - a slushy tune ala Stylistics (the shadow of Thom Bell looming over all). 

There's a whole lot of string-laden Seventies Soul here for not a whole lot of your money and some great trips down Soul Train memory lane. "Original Album Series" by The Detroit Spinners is a bit of a sweetie really...