“The Simmer Dim” by JOHN MARTYN. A Review of the June 2008 One World Records CD.

"…Thanks For Coming Up…"

This is not a new studio album, but yet another live set from the UK’s "One World Records” Label who are dedicated wholly to JM reissues and new releases. It’s a wonderful performance for sure, but the awful news for fans and newcomers alike is that it’s only ‘passable’ sound-wise.

It was recorded at the Garrison Theatre in Lerwick in Shetland in furthermost Scotland (the most Northerly town in Britain). The date was 12 August 1980 and Martyn was still riding high on his Island Records "One World" masterpiece from 1977. His audience was now split between the folk output of 1968 to 1975 (“London Conversation” and “Sunday’s Child”) and the new fans gained through the ethereally, electrified "One World" album. Personally I dug both – and his gigs of the time included music from each camp – making his concerts a superbly rounded experience.

To the bad news first…

The rear sleeve rather vaguely states "A Restored Recording" but of course offers no further explanation as to where it was 'restored' or from ‘what’. It isn’t unlistenable by any means, but the best approximation is that it’s an audience tape – it’s therefore loaded down with all the inherent crap that accompanies such things - chatter, rumble, noise, the music in the distance, interruptions between songs by people moving about and shuffling things… The 8-page John Hilarby liner notes rather conveniently don't mention anything about this…

But the real shame is that the performance is fantastic – exceptionally good. Some songs like the wonderful opener “Over The Hill” and the obvious but sweet finisher “May You Never” are just him on a lone acoustic guitar, while “Big Muff” and “Dealer” feature his famous electrified echoplex-guitar effect. The crowd shout at him and he responds wittily and warmly - including one lady who literally stops the whole gig to thank him for making his way to such an out of the way place in the fog (her words are the title above). In fact the banter between him and the audience adds extraordinary warmth to the proceedings. None of the drunken arrogance that often marred his concerts of the time is evident here - Martyn’s in superb form – witty, sharp, and enjoying himself. Vocally he’s right up there too – easily imbibing each tune with really sweet vocal work. You would imagine that the punters left that tiny gig that wonderful night feeling they’d just witnessed a little bit of Scottish magic for a pittance (£3 a ticket!).

Two rarities turn up – “Anna” was recorded for the 1978 road movie “In Search Of Anna” and receives a rare airing here. It’s a lyric/vocal version of “Small Hours”, the 8-minute echoplex instrumental masterpiece that finishes the “One World” album. It’s really lovely and has poignant lyrics about a kid in a “…dirty town, where they like to put you down…” The second rarity is “Seven Black Roses”, a mid-60’s folk instrumental he wrote to impress club owners and Davey Graham fans – it’s fast and complicated and receives genuinely impressed reaction from the crowd when it ends on clever harmonic pings. Another highlight is a truly lovely version of “Couldn’t Love You More”, but towards the end it’s unfortunately counter-pointed by a lengthy echoplex version of “Outside In” from the 1975 “Live At Leeds” privately pressed UK-only album. It goes from rocking out to lovely mellow across its near 19-minute course – and as good as it is in places - it seriously overstays its welcome and is self-indulgent.

As I say – the real shame is not that the sound is only passable – the real kicker is that you’d kill to hear this great gig in decent fidelity; then we’d be raving about one of his best live works and not using words like ‘shoddy’ or ‘bootleg’…

Released in July 2008 (‘before’ he so sadly died in January 2009) - there are two ways of looking at this release – it’s exploitive and deliberately deceptive – or it’s magic that deserves to be in the marketplace – it’s both really.

The title of the set takes itself from a weather anomaly; that far North there are as little as 6 hours of daylight during Midwinter, which produces a sort of surreal twilight the local Scots like to call “The Simmer Dim”…

It’s a damn shame that this CD’s sound doesn’t match such a lovely thought…

In a two-to-three star kind-of-a way – and at a very, very tight pinch – it’s recommended.

“North By Northwest”. A Review of the November 2009 BLU-RAY 50th Anniversary Reissue of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 Film Masterpiece.

"…We’re In The Business Of Expedient Exaggeration…”

As you watch the title credits of Hitch’s 1959 masterpiece “North By Northwest” roll up on your screen in all their resplendent VistaVision Technicolor glory - the shiny, cold and aloof glass panelling of a New York skyscraper acts as their backdrop.

It’s a brilliant touch, because combined with Bernard Herrmann’s staccato score; it ratchets up the tension and also subliminally suggests to the viewer that some poor John Doe is about to get rightly and royally screwed by big business and big Government – or both. And of course, mistaken for a UN diplomat called George Caplin - our hapless hero George Thornhill (played by Cary Grant) – does just that.

Then when the credits end and Cary exits the lift with his secretary (Doreen Lang), all suited-n-booted and looking dapper enough to lick - another element kicks in – the picture quality…

State-of-the art frame-by-frame restoration has taken place here, because the print is just BEAUTIFUL. I raved in an Amazon UK Listmania list some 3 years ago about how good the DVD looked – well this BLU RAY is better – and at times just jaw dropping to look at.

Icing on the cake is that this 50th Anniversary BLU RAY reissue (Nov 2009) also adds on some superlative new features which are just as good as the film itself.

Here’s the full list:

1. Commentary by Ernest Lehman (Original Script-Writer)
2. New 2009 Documentary "The Master's Touch: Hitchcock's Signature Style" (over 50 minutes - featuring comments from directors Martin Scorsese, Curtis Hanson, Frances Lawrence, Guillermo del Toro and many more)
3. Previously seen but superlative feature-length profile "Cary Grant: A Class Apart" (over 1 hour)
4. New 2009 feature called "North By Northwest: One For The Ages" examining the movies innovations and influences
5. Feature called “The Making Of North By Northwest” from 2000
6. Music Only Audio Track
7. Stills Gallery
8. Theatrical Trailers & TV Spots
9. Internet link to Warner Brothers

A whole bunch of things combine to make NBN work - a great story by Ernest Lehman, superb night and day locations, immaculate period clothes, the bulbous gas-guzzling cars, the art-deco buildings, the interiors of wealthy homes and the deeply luxurious dining cars of long-distance 1950’s trains. And to top all of that, you get genuine old-school Hollywood star power in the form of James Mason, Martin Landau, Leo Carroll and the luminous love interest Eva Marie Saint. And of course the effortlessly suave and charming Cary Grant – arguably the best leading man Tinseltown ever produced. Throw in the tension, wit and camera angles of Hitchcock at the helm - and you’re on a winner.

But your eyes keep coming back to how this BLU RAY shines. There are so many little scenes that now look sumptuous – Alfred missing the bus just at the end of the opening credits in his famous cameo scene – the garish colours of Fifties New York taxis, the marble of the Plaza hotel lobby Cary walks through to meet clients. Then there’s the Townsend home and gardens as the villains motor up the gravel driveway to the front door, the three dapper suits of the boys as they parry in the library room inside (Mason, Landau and Grant) and the clarity of the night scene where they put a drunk Cary in a stolen car and try to drive him off a cliff. Further on there’s the colour of the fields in the legendary crop-duster scene, hanging off the Mount Rushmore monument by your fingernails - even Eva Saint Marie’s beautiful red dress in the hotel room as she stands by the door while Cary showers in the bathroom… I could go on!

If I was to point out one genuine downside, it’s the focus. Some scenes quite deliberately have Grant and Saint with an almost halo-like shine around them (soft focus to make them look better) and can at times make the print look just a teeny bit soft, but other than that the whole shebang is a joy to behold… Also the US version is in a dapper looking book-pack, while ours is a plain Blue pack with no booklet?

Up there with “The Italian Job”, “Zulu”, “Goldfinger”, “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning”, “2001” A Space Odyssey” and “The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner” in terms of top quality restoration (see my reviews for each) – “North By Northwest” is a triumph on BLU RAY. And the superb additional extras only make you feel that Warners are to be praised for a job well done…

Roll on “To Catch A Thief” on Blu Ray - another beautiful Hitchcock restoration presently wowing fans in the USA on a March 2009 2DVD "Centennial Collection" set...

I can’t help but think that this will make an ideal Christmas present for family members of a certain age and hair colour.

Recommended - big time.

PS: When the Government types scan the Nov 25, 1958 newspaper THE EVENING STAR at their desks, it has a headline "DIPLOMAT SLAIN AT U.N." But if you scan to the left of that, you can just see another article entitled “Nixon Promises West Will Remain In Poland”.

'Possibly' not the last promise he’ll make to the American people which may or may not be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but…

"The 8th Day…Plus… + I Gotta Get Home…Plus" by THE 8TH DAY (September 2009 Edsel 2CD Retrospective Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I've Got A Story To Tell You..."

After the song-writing partnership of Holland-Dozier-Holland (Edward-Lamont-Brian) left Motown in the late Sixties, they set up the INVICTUS and HOT WAX labels in the States featuring hot new soul acts like Chairman Of The Board, Freda Payne, Parliament, The Honey Cone, Ruth Copeland, Laura Lee etc.

Part of a slew of UK releases covering all those acts and both of those labels (see list below) - "The 8th Day...Plus + I Gotta Get Home...Plus" by THE 8TH DAY on Edsel ESCD 2068 (Barcode 740155206635) is a superbly presented 2CD Anthology of the H-D-H band fronted by the fantastically expressive vocals of MELVIN DAVIS.

This UK September 2009 remastered 2CD set gathers up both of their rare early Seventies albums, non-album single sides and other related tracks and play out as follows...

Disc 1 (48:26 minutes)

1. She's Not Just Another Woman

2. You've Got To Crawl (Before You Walk)

3. Too Many Cooks (Spoil The Soup)

4. La-De-Dah

5. Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Mo (Three's A Crowd)

6. Just As Long

7. I Can't Fool Myself

8. I'm Worried

9. I've Come To Save You

Tracks 1 to 9 is their debut US album "The 8th Day", April 1971 on Invictus ST 7306

Tracks 10 is "She's Not Just Another Woman", April 1971 USA 7" single mix on Invictus IS 9087 (it's B-side is the album track "I Can't Fool Myself" - Track 7)

Track 11 is "Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Mo (Instrumental)" - it turns up re-titled as "Get Your House In Order" which was issued in 1974 as the instrumental B-side to "Sittin' On A Time Bomb (Waitin' For The Hurt To Come)" by LEE CHARLES on Invictus ZS7 1260 (both tracks were non-album)

Tracks 12 and 13 are "If I Could See The Light In The Window" and "(If I Could See The Light In The Window (Instrumental)", Non-Album A&B of their 3rd US 7" single released December 1971 on Invictus IS 9107

Disc 2 (50:36 minutes):

1. I Gotta Get Home (I Can't Let My Baby Get Lonely)

2. Cheba

3. Good Book

4. Anything

5. Rocks In My Head

6. Faith

7. Get Your Mind Straight

8. Heaven Is There To Guide Us

Tracks 1 to 8 is their 2nd US album "I Gotta Get Home (I Can't Let My Baby Get Lonely)", April 1972 on Invictus ST 9809

Track 9 is "You Made Me Over", a 1973 USA 7" solo single by MELVIN DAVIS on Invictus ZS7 1259

Tracks 10 and 11 are "I'm Worried (Single Edit)" and "Just As Long (Single Edit)", non-album shortened versions of tracks from "The 8th Day" LP issued in 1972 as a MELVIN DAVIS solo single on Invictus IS 9115

Track 12 is "It's Instrumental To Be Free", a non-album B-side to "You've Got To Crawl (Before You Walk)" issued September 1971 on US 7" single Invictus IS 9098

Track 13 is "Free Your Mind" - it's a remix of "It's Instrumental To Be Free" (Track 12) and it appeared as the B-side of the UK 7" single "Love Machine" by THE POLITICIANS on Hot Wax HWX 114

The 16-page booklet has affectionate and informative liner notes by noted British soul lover and expert TONY ROUNCE while the remastered sound by ALCHEMY is warm, clear and gorgeous to the ear (surprisingly free of hiss).

Their debut album opens with a lethal one-two sucker punch - "She Not Just Another Woman" and "You Gotta Crawl (Before You Walk)" - 20 seconds into either and you're hooked. It's easy to see why both reached number 3 on the US R'n'B charts in 1971. This is truly fabulous Seventies soul with one foot still in the Sixties vibe; it's The Temptations - it's Stevie - it's Jackie Wilson on Brunswick with a little RCA Sam Cooke thrown in. It sounds like a reinvigorated Motown hit-making machine with a point to prove - the arrangements, the tight band, the wonderful brass fills that make your feet tap - all topped by the killer vocals of Northern Soul favourite MELVIN DAVIS (who toured as recently as Summer 2009 to rapturous applause by soul lovers hungry for the real deal). Then just as you're about to pigeonhole The 8th Day as a H-D-H singles-machine, you get the stunning seven and a half minutes of "Just As Long" - as lovely a soul ballad as you're ever likely to hear - that starts out almost as an instrumental and then builds - so sweet.

Niggles - the liner notes for Disc 2 have IS 9098 as 9090 and IS 9115 as 9117 - both miscredited in the booklet - and collectors will know that there's a 7" single edit of "You Gotta Crawl" which lops off 15 seconds from the album version that could have been put on here, but it's a minor exclusion.  Besides - prior to the availability of the Net - and as someone who's worked in second-hand records shops for nearly 20 years - I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually seen copies of these rare US LPs and singles.  What a treat to have them all finally presented to us - and in such a cool way too.

Great stuff Edsel - love it, love it, love it - recommended big time.

PS: other titles in this series are:

1. CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD - Give Me Just A Little More Time Plus... (Featuring bonus albums by GENERAL JOHNSON and HARRISON KENNEDY) (Edsel EDSD 2053, 2CDs)

2. CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD - Bittersweet + Skin I'm In + Bonus Album by DANNY WOODS Aries  (Edsel EDSD 2055, 2CDs)

3. RUTH COPELAND - Self Portrait + I Am What I Am albums Plus... (Edsel EDSD 2067, 2CDs)

4. HOLLAND-DOZIER-HOLLAND - Love & Beauty - The Complete Invictus Masters (Edsel EDSD 2056, 2CDs)

5. PARLIAMENT - Osmium Plus... (Edsel EDSS 1031, 1CD)

6. FREDA PAYNE - Band Of Gold + Contact  + The Best Of + Reaching Out (Edsel EDSD 2054, 2CDs)

PPS: for those who want to go deeper into the Invictus and Hot Wax labels, Sequel Records of the UK released a huge number of related CDs in 1999 featuring artists not covered in this 2009 reissue series - some of those names are 100 Proof Aged In Soul, Flaming Ember, The Politicians, The Glass House, Barrino Brothers, Eloise Laws and several cool Various Artist compilations like "Invictus Chartbusters"

“Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology" by THE JAYHAWKS (2009 America 'DELUXE EDITION' Version with 2CDs and 1DVD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Never Thought That I’d Miss You… That I’d Miss You So Much…"

American 88697 47043 2 is in tri-gatefold card sleeve with an extensive booklet and song choices overseen by key band member GARY LOURIS.

This is the 2CD + 1DVD 'Deluxe Edition' of "Music From The North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology" by THE JAYHAWKS. The DE is green in colour - the standard 1CD version is red.

Disc 1 has 20 remastered tracks from their 6 studio albums (the standard single CD version); a bonus Disc 2 which contains 20 rarities (14 of which are previously unreleased) and a bonus DVD that gives you 7 Music Videos Plus 2 EPKs (Electronic Press Kits).

Here’s a detailed track-by-track breakdown…

Disc 1 (76:29 minutes):
1. Two Angels
2. Ain’t No End
(1 and 2 from “Blue Earth”, 1989)
3. Waiting For The Sun
4. Martin’s Song
5. Clouds
6. Settled Down Like Rain
(3 to 6 from “Hollywood Town Hall”, 1992)
7. Blue
8. I’d Run Away
9. Over My Shoulder
10. Miss Williams’ Guitar
(7 to 10 from “Tomorrow The Green Grass”, 1995)
11. Trouble
12. Big Star
13. The Man Who Loved Life
(11 to 13 from “Sound Of Lies”, 1997)
14. Smile
15. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me
16. What Led Me To This Town
(14 to 16 from “Smile”, 2000)
17. Tailspin
18. All The Right Reasons
19. Save It For A Rainy Day
20. Angelyne
(17 to 20 from “Rainy Day Music”, 2003)

Disc 2 (76:10 minutes):
1. Falling Star (from “The Jayhawks”, privately pressed US-only debut LP limited to 2000 copies, never officially on CD before)
2. Old Woman From Red Clay (Alternate Take of “Two Angels” from “Blue Earth”)
3. That’s The Bag I’m In (A Fred Neil cover Recorded Live for KFAL Radio in Minneapolis in October 1989)
4. Won’t Be Coming Home (1991 Demo, Later Made Famous by GOLDEN SMOG)
5. Stone Cold Mess (Outtake from “Hollywood Town Hall” Sessions, 1992)
6. Mission On 2nd (Outtake from “Hollywood Town Hall” Sessions, 1992)
7. Lights (Victoria Williams cover specially recorded for the Various Artists compilation “Sweet Relief: A Benefit For Victoria Williams”, 1993)
8. Darling Today (Non-Album B-side of USA CD single of “Blue”, 1995)
9. Break My Mind (Non-Album B-side of USA CD single of “Bad Time”, 1995)
10. Get The Load Out (Non-Album B-side of a European CD single of “Bad Time”, 1995)
11. Poor Little Fish (Early Version, An Outtake from the “Sound Of Lies” Sessions, 1996)
12. Someone Will (1998 Demo for “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” from “Smile”, first aired on “Live From The Women’s Club Official Bootleg” CD in 2003)
13. Cure For This (1999 Previously Unreleased Track, has emerged as “Goodbye Kiss” by Janey Winterbauer and Marc Perlman on their “25:32:47” EP in early 2009)
14. I Can Make It On My Own (1998/1999 Demo from the “Smile” Sessions)
15. Rotterdam (1999 Demo of “All The Right Reasons”)
16. Follow Me (2001 Demo by Tom O’Reagan)
17. In The Canyon (2001 Demo, Outtake from the “Rainy Day Music” Sessions)
18. Tailspin (2001 “Early Version” Demo from the “Rainy Day Music” Sessions)
19. I Think I’ve Had Enough (2001 Demo from the “Rainy Day Music” Sessions)
20. Help Me Forget (2001 Demo from the “Rainy Day Music” Sessions)

Tracks 2 to 6 and 11 to 20 are previously unreleased

“…Anthology…” is produced by JOHN JACKSON and PD LARSON (who also does the liner notes) with superb mastering by GREG CALBI at Sterling Sound in New York. The sound quality is really clean and musically upped a notch (“Blue” in particular is gorgeous - lyrics for this review above). The 26-page booklet gives detailed backgrounds to each song (especially the unreleased stuff) and even if the print is tiny, it makes for a really entertaining and informative read.

I’d expected the quality to dip on Disc 2, but for the most part it’s actually a strong rival for the sheer melody of the songs on Disc 1. It’s really impressive stuff. Fans will adore “Rotterdam” the demo version of “All The Right Reasons” (surely one of their strongest songs) while the “Poor Little Fish” alternate is them stretching out into soundscapes they normally wouldn’t go anywhere near – and winning – I love it. Their cover of the Victoria Williams song “Lights” for her cancer relief CD project is both fantastically musical and poignant. The quirky videos for “Big Star” (bevies of babes petting the boys) and “Save It For A Rainy Day” (ballerina outfits and swimming pools) are just icing on an already rather cool little cupcake.

“Music From The North Country” is a superb overview of a great American band in the tradition of Big Star and R.E.M. – and classily done too. It truly is a shame that they’re gone. Recommended - big time.

“The Best Of” by ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON and ALICIA MYERS. A Review of the 1996 USA-Only CD Compilation on MCA Records.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…There’s Nothing To It…Get Up And Do Your Thang…”

One Way’s most famous hit 1979’s “You Can Do It” is the kind of infectious funky little Soul/R’n’B number that I loved then and still do now – and it’s still a guaranteed floor filler.

Released in the USA-only in April 1996, MCAD-11432 breaks down as follows (69:32 minutes)

1. Cutie Pie (1982 USA LP “Who’s Foolin’ Who” on MCA 5279)
2. Lady You Are (1984 USA LP “Lady” on MCA 5470)
3. You Can Do It (1979 USA LP “Happy Feet” on ABC 1136)
4. I Want To Thank You (1981 USA LP “Alicia” on MCA 5181)
5. Mr. Groove (as per 2)
6. Something In The Past (1980 USA LP “One Way featuring Al Hudson” on MCA 5127)
7. Pop It [Single Edit] (1980 USA 7” single on MCA 41298 [A]
(The full album version is on “One Way featuring Al Hudson” (as per 6))
8. Don’t Think About It (1986 USA LP “One Way IX” on MCA 5823)
9. Appreciation (1984 USA LP “I Appreciate” on MCA 5485)
10. Push [Single Edit] (1981 USA 7” single on MCA 51110 [A]
(The full album version is on “Love Is…One Way” 1981 USA LP on MCA 5163)
11. If You Play Your Cards Right (as per 4)
12. Pull Fancy Dancer/Pull, Part 1 (1981 USA 7” single on MCA 51165 [A]
(The full album version is on “Fancy Dancer” 1981 USA LP on MCA 5247)
13. You Better Quit (as per 8)
14. You Get The Best From Me (Say, Say, Say) (as per 9)

1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 13 are credited to ONE WAY
6 and 7 are credited to ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON
3 is credited to AL HUDSON and THE PARTNERS
4, 9, 11 and 14 are credited to ALICIA MYERS

The sound quality is fabulous throughout because all tracks have been remastered by one of Universal’s top audio engineers ERICK LABSON (has over 800 mastering credits to his name) while the 12-page inlay features affectionate and informative liner notes by one of Britain’s most famous soul aficionados DAVID NATHAN.

Personally I find some of the early solo Alicia Myers tracks difficult to take in all their over-the-top Eighties production and cheesy lyrics (her "Say, Say, Say" is however a genuine highlight here). What is smart though is to finally see the three rare 7" single edits of “Pop It”, “Push” and “Pull Fancy Dancer…” make their way onto a good CD. In fact the superb remastered sound lifts them and all the other tracks out of their squashed vinyl muddiness into real clarity. The whack out of the funky and soulful “You Better Quit” (their last R&B hit) will make your feet tap and shake your booty (as they say in all the best commentaries)…

It’s not all genius of course, but this well-endowed “Best Of” compilation is still a cracking good soul listen – and it’s bolstered up with really great sound too.

One Way, Al Hudson and Alicia Myers are remembered with affection and on the strength of this – it’s easy to see why.

Recommended.

“Pass The Plate” by THE CRUSADERS (2008 Universal 'Originals' CD Reissue - Kevin Reeves Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

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"…Felt Good…Nice And Good All The Way…" 

Ten years after their formation in 1961 - THE CRUSADERS finally dropped the word "Jazz" from their name and continued with a funkier direction for their debut LP on Chisa Records in 1970  - “Old Socks, New Shoes...New Socks, Old Shoes" (Chisa CS 804). Both “Old Socks…” and this - their rare 2nd album “Pass The Plate” on Chisa Records CS 807 - are available as part of Universal’s ‘Originals” CD Reissue Series.

UK released October 2008 - "Pass The Plate" by THE CRUSADERS on Universal/Verve/Chisa B0011961-02 (Barcode 602517833333) is a straightforward 7-track transfer of their rare 2nd album and is part of their Universal’s ‘Originals’ CD Reissue Series - Soul, Funk, Fusion and Jazz albums in card digipaks at mid price (42:16 minutes). Here are the platefuls…

1. Pass The Plate

(a) Tap N' Shuffle (b) Sing For Your Keep (c) Beggin' (d) Haggin' Stomp! (e) Pennies, Nickels & Dimes

2. Young Rabbits ’71-’72

3. Listen And You’ll See

4 Greasy Spoon

5. Treat Me Like Ya Treat Yaself

6. Goin’ Down South

7. Love Can’t Grow Where The Rain Won’t Fall

Tracks 1 and 2 written by Wayne Henderson, Track 4 by Nesbert Hooper and Tracks 3, 5, 6 and 7 by Joe Sample

The line up was still a four-piece (with Arthur Adams supplementing on guitar):

JOE SAMPLE - Keyboards

WILTON FELDER - Saxophones

WAYNE HENDERSON - Trombones

NESBERT "STIX" HOOPER - Drums & Percussion

ARTHUR ADAMS - Guitar

"Pass The Plate" was originally released May 1971 in the USA on Chisa Records CS-807 as a single album in a fetching gatefold sleeve (NO UK equivalent). Originally produced by STEWART LEVINE to great effect - this 2008 CD reissue is a straightforward copy of that album. Experienced and long-standing Engineer KEVIN REEVES has carried out the Remaster at Universal Mastering Studios and the sound quality is fabulous - funky, clear and muscular - just what's needed. The tri-gatefold card digipak reproduces the original fold-out artwork and informative liner notes by LES CARTER of KPPC FM Radio Station (there is no booklet.

Side 1 opens with the near 16-minute title track "Pass The Plate" by Wayne Henderson which is broken into 5 parts (a) Tap N' Shuffle (b) Sing For Your Keep (c) Beggin' (d) Haggin' Stomp! (e) Pennies, Nickels & Dimes. "Pass The Plate" was actually edited down to 2:42 minutes and issued in May 1971 as a 7" single on Chisa C 8013 with the slinky "Greasy Spoon" from Side 2 of the LP as its brilliant B-side (title of this review is spoken by the drummer at the end of the song). This lone 45 was issued and distributed solely by Motown, hence both sides of it (along with an unreleased version) have turned up on Disc 4 of the "The Motown Singles Collection Volume 11A: 1971" from February of 2009.

Side 2 contains two of my favourites - a lethal double whammy opening of Joe Sample's sweet and soulful "Listen And You'll See" followed by the already mentioned funky chestnut "Greasy Spoon". Sample's "Goin' Down South" is a wicked groover too. The only track that I find hard to take is the uncomfortably fast "Young Rabbits-'71-'72" which ends Side 1 - a little too fusion for my old foggy ears.

"Pass The Plate" is typical of so many of The Crusaders Seventies LPs - funky Jazz-Soul with a wee bit of fusion thrown in - and to this day it's still cool, wonderfully slick and just so listenable. This cracking but long-forgotten Jazz-Funk Meisterwork is now less than mid-price on CD and it's one I urge you to check out.

The Crusaders - I never tire of them...

PS: See also my review for another superlative Crusaders set - the 2CD Anthology “Gold” with amazing Gavin Lurssen Remasters…and "Old Socks, New Shoes", "Images" and "Free As The Wind" - and Joe Sample's "Rainbow Seeker" solo LP...

“Roebuck Man“ by ARTHUR 'BIG BOY' CRUDUP (1992 Sequel Records CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I'm Going Down That Sunny Road…" 

Already 64 years old when he recorded this obscure and forgotten Blues album in early 1970 - Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup had cruelly seen 3 of his compositions covered by Elvis Presley (most famously “That’s All Right”) - but because of strange royalty arrangements – never saw any cash for them. But like Curtis Jones, Otis Spann, Muddy Waters and so many other black blues man of the time (who all complained of being ‘done’ by industry types) - they moved to Britain and Europe where their music was being listened to and appreciated by ecstatic white musicians and mixed audiences hungry for the real deal.

Working a small UK tour at the time (financed by The National Blues Federation of the USA) - Crudup stopped into a London studio to record this album. Produced by CHRIS TRIMMING and RON WATTS and engineered by MICK TAUBER, the whole LP was recorded in one day, 26 February 1970 and released in July 1970 on the Stereo LP United Artists UAS 29092 in the UK. Sporting a fetching laminate front sleeve, the album title came from a pub in Putney (featured behind him on the sleeve) where he received a none-to-enlightened reception and famously included an acidic reaction to it in the album’s title track. The LP also included ex members of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann and the newly formed McGuinness Flint - who were all big fans.

The line up was:

ARTHUR “BIG BOY” CRUDUP – Guitar & Vocals

HUGHIE FLINT – Drums (John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, McGuinness Flint)

BENNY GALLAGHER – Guitar, Bass & Vocals (McGuinness Flint, Gallagher & Lyle)

DAVE GELLY – Tenor Sax

JOHN LEWIS – Piano

TOM McGUINNESS – Guitar (Manfred Mann, McGuinness Flint)

This September 1992 UK CD on Sequel NEX CD 210 (Barcode 5023224121028) is a straightforward transfer of the 13-track album "Roebuck Man" by ARTHUR CRUDUP (digitally remastered at Abbey Road and subtitled "The 1970 London Sessions"). 

All tracks are Arthur Crudup originals and the sound is lovely throughout – warm and full (48:42 minutes). 

1. I Don’t Worry 

2. Needle Time

3. Room And Board 

4. Blind Man Sees 

5. Long Curly Mane 

6. Roebuck Man

7. Old And Grey [Side 2]

8. Before You Go

9. Korrina Korrina

10. Boogie In The Morning

11. Get You In My Arms

12. What Are You Trying To Do?

13. Burying Ground

It’s immediately obvious that the band complimented his voice and songs – most are combo numbers, but “Blind Man Sees” is just him and guitar ala John Lee Hooker. The harsh “Roebuck Man” opens with “If you should have to come to England, please don’t go to the Roebuck man…” but things get more Chicken Shack with the stunning “Room And Board” – thrilling guitar work and the band digging it (lyrics above).

“Corrina Corrina” (not the famous Joe Turner track Corrine, Corrina) is just Crudup and John Lewis on Piano and is wonderful blues – simple and sweet. It then ups a notch when the band joins them on the Jerry Lee Lewis sounding “Boogie In The Morning” – with piano rolls and great sax work from Dave Gelly, if you heard it in a pub, your foot would be pounding the floorboards in glee. He tells “Katy Mae” he loves her in “What Are You Trying To Do?” and the band just chugs along behind him to such sweet effect until he shouts “Take it!” and they start into blues rocking. “Burying Ground” is a dark closer about death and women dressed in red! So - a great little album then and rare on original vinyl. 

Arthur Crudup died in early 1974, aged 68. Blues historians often say that he gave a lot to the blues and an incalculable donation to world history via Elvis Presley and his 1st Sun 7” single in 1955 “That’s All Right” – it’s just such a shame the music business didn’t return the compliment.Still - there is this superb little CD to treasure and rave about. Seek it out…