"River" by TERRY REID (September 2014 Beat Goes On CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…I've Had A Thousand Dreams About You…"

Joe Walsh's "Barnstorm", Roy Harper's "Stormcock", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Stephen Stills' "Manassas", Donny Hathaway's "Extension Of A Man", Joni Mitchell's "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns", The Jam's "All Mod Cons", Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness On The Edge Of Town", Tom Waits' "Blue Valentine"…

There are some records you simply can’t be rational about. You love them to distraction – year after year - decade after decade. In fact your affection for them only grows with their passing seasons and your receding hairline. Terry Reid’s wonderfully ethereal “River” (from 1973) is one of those albums. Any excuse to buy it again is fine by me. Well BGO of the UK have made that smart move and reissued it in 2014 – and this time with real style…

1. Dean [Side 1]

2. Avenue

3. Things To Try

4. Live Life

5. River [Side 2]

6. Dream

7. Milestones

UK released September 2014 – Beat Goes On BGOCD 1165 (Barcode 5017261211651) is a straightforward transfer of his 3rd vinyl LP "River" originally released March 1973 in the USA on Atlantic SD-7259 and April 1973 on Atlantic Records K 40340 in the UK. The last CD incarnation I had of this was the excellent ‘Water’ label issue from America released 2002 that had a chunky booklet and a good remaster. But I’d have to say that this is even better – especially sonically.

ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the remaster with tapes licensed from WEA – and it’s gorgeous. The seven tracks (36:35 minutes) are soft, almost acoustic vocal rambles in places and need a deftness of touch in the transfer. Others are funky even soulful Rock and need a bit of muscle – he’s achieved both. I love the way this CD remaster sounds.  The outer card wrap slipcase gives the release a feeling of class and event and the 12-page booklet features liner notes from noted writer JOHN O'REGAN (could have done with more photos though).

Reid famously turned down the Led Zeppelin gig – suggesting Robert Plant to Jimmy Page and Ian Gillan as Rod Evans replacement in Deep Purple – so in those terms you could say he did British Rock and our world a bit of a favour. His own career’s blistering success however has been erratic if not at all. His debut album "Bang Bang You're Terry Reid" was released October 1968 on Epic in the States only – his 2nd self-titled LP "Terry Reid" came out in November 1969 and was his first in the UK on Columbia Records. Both were critically acclaimed in certain circles but neither did chart business despite quality singles off of each. So a new signing with the spiritual home of Led Zeppelin on Atlantic Records must have seen like a break at the time. But "River" peeled back the raspy guttural rawk songs of the first two records and went for a more 'down by the river contemplating life' vibe – and again it received praise but despite touring with a stellar band both Stateside and here in Blighty - precious little record sales. And in some respects the album has remained a bit of an underground classic ever since.

EDDIE OFFORD (long-time associated with Yes) produced "Dream" and "Milestones" in England while Atlantic's resident producing genius TOM DOWD did the other five in America. REID played guitar and sang, DAVID LINDLEY played Steel, Slide and Electric guitar on all selections with LEE MILES on Bass and CONRAD ISADORE drumming on 4 tracks. WILLIE BOBO supplies Percussion on "River". Having relocated to California in 1972 while legal wrangles were being sorted out – the laid-back groove of that lifestyle permeates every song. The opener "Dean" is a little trippy, a little bluesy and yes even Soulful and Funky. His voice is just amazing. "Avenue" features Lindley's distinctive playing to the fore and has some strange choppy rhythms while acoustic Rock-Funk follows in "Things To Try" – a cool little tune and surprising Atlantic didn’t consider it as a single.

Side 2 opens with "Live Life" settling into a sort of Tony Joe White groove – sexy and infectious – letting his fantastic voice rip in the second half. It gets all jazzy and smoking-room with the languid title track "River" where Willie Bobo shuffles on Percussion in the background. In fact I'm reminded of Dire Straits' debut album "Water Of Love" (also produced by Dowd). "Dream" has always been my favourite (lyrics from it title this review). Acoustic sloppy – it just sort of lingers like a old melody – maybe I'll stay – maybe I'll go – playful and sweet. It ends on the Nick Drake gentleness and peace of "Milestones" – as delicate and as a lovely a tune as you've ever heard - with superb layered Reid vocal flourishes throughout.

In August 2011 I did a Listmania List on Amazon UK and USA called "Obscure Albums That Shouldn't Be…" and Terry Reid's "River" is on both. Get this gorgeous record in your life and well done to all at BGO for doing it justice one more time…

"Play The Blues" by BUDDY GUY and JUNIOR WELLS - September 1972 Album On Atlantic Records with Guests Eric Clapton, Dr. John and The J. Geils Band (May 1992 US Rhino CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Come On Mama...Let Me Turn You On…"

1972's "Plays The Blues" by BUDDY GUY and JUNIOR WELLS is the kind of Blues-Rock album that should be more famous - yet even with heavy-hitters like ERIC CLAPTON, Dr. JOHN and The J. GEILS BAND guesting - it has somehow slipped into an unfair obscurity. Time to rectify that…

1. A Man Of Many Words [Side 1]

2. My Baby She Left Me (She Left Me A Mule To Ride)

3. (a) Come On In The House (b) Have Mercy Baby

4. T-Bone Shuffle

5. A Poor Man's Plea

6. Messin' With The Kid [Side 2]

7. This Old Fool

8. I Don't Know

9. Bad Bad Whiskey

10. Honeydripper

"Play The Blues" by BUDDY GUY and JUNIOR WELLS was US CD-reissued in May 1992 on Rhino R2 70299 (Barcode 081227029920) - a straightforward transfer of the 10-track vinyl album first released September 1972 on both sides of the pond - Atlantic SD 33-364 (USA) and Atlantic K 40240 (UK) respectively.

Excepting "This Old Fool" and "Honeydripper" which were put down in April 1972 in Boston - the other 8 tracks were recorded in October 1970 in the Criteria Studios in Florida (left in the can for two whole years). Co-produced by ERIC CLAPTON, AHMET ERTEGUN, TOM DOWD and MICHAEL CUSCUNA - the sessions also featured J. Geils on Guitar, Magic Dick on Harmonica and Seth Justman on Keyboards - all fellow Atlantic label mates in THE J. GEILS BAND.

DR. JOHN contributes Piano with ERIC CLAPTON playing Rhythm and Bottleneck Guitar on 7 of the 10 tracks - "A Man Of Many Words" (a Buddy Guy original), "My Baby She Left Me (She Left Me A Mule To Rise)" (a Sonny Boy Williamson cover), "Come On In This House/Have Mercy Baby" (both Junior Wells originals), "T-Bone Shuffle" (a T-Bone Walker cover), "A Poor Man's Plea" (a Junior Wells original), "Messin' With The Kid" (a Mel London cover), "I Don't Know" (a Willie Mabon cover) and "Bad Bad Whiskey" (a Thomas Davis cover).

It opens strongly with "A Man Of Many Words" (lyrics from it title this review) and continues just so. Rory Gallagher (an axeman remembered with huge affection) opened his blistering "Live! In Europe" LP on Polydor from 1972 with "Messin' With The Kid" and much of "Plays The Blues" has that same raucous having-us-a-good-time feel to each track (despite its two year tortured recording history). The great combo of two diverse guitar players and the alternating of lead vocals on each track give the whole thing a freshness that screams off the tracks even now. Add in complimentary session players and you’re on a winner.

"Plays The Blues" is a hugely enjoyable album - I wore out my UK pressing to the point of too-many-scratches - and it’s a blast to hear it sound so chipper on this lively JOE GASTWIRT remaster.

Spend a skydiver on this one - worth every red penny and blue cent...

“The Genius Of Ray Charles” by RAY CHARLES. A Review of the 2005 Atlantic Masters CD Reissue of his 1960 album on Atlantic Records.

"…High As A Mountain…Deep As A River…"

At the age of 27, Ray Charles had already put out a half-dozen albums of superlative Fifties R ’n’ B - but it was time to make a change and the February 1960 release of “The Genius Of…” was the result.

An LP full of covers, the 6 tracks on Side 1 made up the blasters and dancers from Louis Jordan’s “Let The Good Times Roll” through to “Deed I Do”, while the 6 tracks of Side 2 were the romantic ballads and standards. The famed BILL SHWARTAU and TOM DOWD filled in as engineers, while the strings were beautifully arranged by RALPH BURNS - QUINCY JONES doing much of the brass parts.

Personally I find some of the brass on Side 1 a bit too harsh to listen to now – but the lush music of Side 2 is a whole different ballgame. Side 2 contains three genuine masterpieces “Just For A Thrill”, “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’” and the stunning album finisher “Come Rain Or Come Shine” (lyrics above). The remaster brings out all the instruments involved and is just ‘so’ sweet – a really great job done.

The CD comes in a card digipak with a foldout 10-page inlay, which contains a new essay on the album by noted soul writer CHARLES WARING followed by the album’s original liner notes by NAT HENTOFF. Detailed production credits are on the rear of the digipak and this 2005 remaster is part of the massively extensive “Atlantic Masters” series – there are other Charles titles in that series (see comprehensive list below).

“The Genius Of Ray Charles” was recognized as a gem then and still is now.

“Daddy’s Done Turned Salty…And Baby’s Made Him So Sore…” Ray sang in “Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’”. Yeah baby is all I can say!

Recommended – big time.

PS: For info purposes, other remastered CDs in the ATLANTIC MASTERS Series are:
1. Your Mind Is On Vacation – MOSE ALLISON (1976)
2. Daddy Bug (& Friends) – ROY AYERS (1967)
3. Stoned Soul Picnic – ROY AYERS (1968)
4. Virgo Vibes – ROY AYERS (1967)
5. Experience And Judgment – ANDY BEY (1970)
6. Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk – ART BLAKEY and THELONIOUS MONK (1958)
7. Bad For Me – DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER (1979)
8. Just Family – DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER (1977)
9. Fresh – OSCAR BROWN, JR. (1975)
10. Movin’ On – OSCAR BROWN, JR. (1972)
11. Thank You For F.U.M.L (Funking Up My Life) – DONALD BYRD (1978)
12. Fire On Ice – TERRY CALLIER (1978)
13. Turn You To Love – TERRY CALLIER (1979)
14. The Great American Songbook – CARMEN McRAE (1972 Live Set)
15. Hallelujah I Love Her So – RAY CHARLES (1962)
16. The Genius After Hours – RAY CHARLES (1961)
17. The Genius Of Ray Charles – RAY CHARLES (1960)
18. The Genius Sings The Blues – RAY CHARLES (1961)
19. Crosswinds – BILLY COBHAM (1974)
20. Spectrum – BILLY COBHAM (1973)
21. Total Eclipse – BILLY COBHAM (1974)
22. Change Of The Century – ORNETTE COLEMAN (1959)
23. The Shape Of Jazz To Come – ORNETTE COLEMAN (1959)
24. This Is Our Music – THE ORNETTE COLEMAN QUARTET (1960)
25. Twins – ORNETTE COLEMAN (1959)
26. Free Jazz – A Collective Improvisation - ORNETTE COLEMAN DOUBLE QUARTET (1960)
27. Eternity – ALICE COLTRANE (1975)
28. Radha Krsna Nama Sankirtana – ALICE COLTRANE (1976)
29. Transcendence – ALICE COLTRANE (1977)
30. Transfiguration – ALICE COLTRANE (1978 Live Set)
31. Giant Steps – JOHN COLTRANE (1959)
32. Olé Coltrane – JOHN COLTRANE (1961)
33. Chris Craft – CHRIS CONNOR (1958)
34. Amandla – MILES DAVIS (1989)
35. Doo Bop – MILES DAVIS (1991)
36. Live Around The World – MILES DAVIS (1988 Live Set)
37. Tutu – MILES DAVIS (1986)
38. The Sounds Of ’66 – SAMMY DAVIS JR., and BUDDY RICH (1966)
39. Love Island – EUMIR DEODATO (1978)
40. New Orleans Suite – DUKE ELLINGTON (1970)
41. The Paris Concert, Edition 1 – BILL EVANS (1979 Live Set)
42. The Paris Concert, Edition 2 – BILL EVANS (1979 Live Set)
43. You Must Believe In Spring – BILL EVANS (1981)
44. People Get Ready – THE FREEDOM SOUNDS [featuring Wayne Henderson of The Crusaders] (1967)
45. Nightingale – GILBERTO GIL (1979)
46. Nomad – CHICO HAMILTON (1979)
47. Crossings – HERBIE HANCOCK (1972)
48. Fat Albert Rotunda – HERBIE HANCOCK (1970)
49. Mwandishi – HERBIE HANCOCK (1971)
50. Instant Death – EDDIE HARRIS (1971)
51. !Salud! Joao Gilberto – JON HENDRICKS (1963)
52. A Soul Experiment – FREDDIE HUBBARD (1969)
53. Backlash – FREDDIE HUBBARD (1966)
54. Sing Me A Song Of Songmy – FREDDIE HUBBARD (1971)
55. Bags & Trane – MILT JACKSON and JOHN COLTRANE (1959)
56. Birth – KEITH JARRETT (1971)
57. A Certain Mr. Jobim – ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1967)
58. Love Strings & Jobim - ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1966)
59. Terra Brasilis - ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1980)
60. The Wonderful World Of - ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1965)
61. Urubu - ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1976)
62. A Meeting Of The Times – RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK/AL HIBBLER (1972)
63. The Case Of The 3-Sided Dream In Audio Colour – RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK (1975)
64. The Inflated Tear – RAHSAAN ROLAND KIRK (1967)
65. Inside Hi-Fi – LEE KONITZ (1956)
66. The Blue Yusef Lateef – YUSEF LATEEF (1968)
67. The Diverse Yusef Lateef – YUSEF LATEEF (1970)
68. At The Village Gate – HERBIE MANN (1961 Live Set)
69. Memphis Underground – HERBIE MANN (1969)
70. The Common Ground – HERBIE MANN (1960)
71. Daktari – SHELLY MANNE (1967)
72. Hustle To Survive – LES McCANN (1975)
73. A Change Is Gonna Come – BROTHER JACK McDUFF (1966)
74. Tobacco Road – BROTHER JACK McDUFF (1966)
75. Double-Barrelled Soul – BROTHER JACK McDUFF /DAVID NEWMAN (1967)
76. Suddenly – MARCUS MILLER (1983)
77. Blues And Roots – CHARLES MINGUS (1959)
78. Me Myself An Eye – CHARLES MINGUS (1978)
79. Pithecanthropus Erectus – CHARLES MINGUS (1956)
80. Tonight At Noon – CHARLES MINGUS (1957)
81. Blues On Bach – THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET (1973)
82. Fontessa – THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET (1956)
83. Pyramid – THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET (1959)
84. The Sheriff – THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET (1963)
85. I’m Fine, How Are You? – AIRTO MOREIRA (1977)
86. Latin Bugalu – CHARLIE PALMIERI (1968)
87. Invitation – JACO PASTORIOUS (1983)
88. The Birthday Concert – JACO PASTORIOUS (1981)
89. Word Of Mouth – JACO PASTORIOUS (1981)
90. Jazz For The Jet Set – DAVE PIKE (1965)
91. Carry On – FLORA PURIM (1979)
92. Members, Don’t Git Weary – MAX ROACH (1968)
93. Mongo ’70 – MONGO SANTAMARIA (1970)
94. The Source – JIMMY SCOTT (1970)
95. Flight Path – SPHERE (1983)
96. Four In One – SPHERE (1982)
97. Come Morning – GROVER WASHINGTON, JR. (1981)
98. Paradise – GROVER WASHINGTON, JR. (1979)
99. Winelight – GROVER WASHINGTON, JR. (1980)