"Faces In Reflection" by GEORGE DUKE (2008 Universal 'Originals' CD Reissue and Remaster in a Card Digipak) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Shadows You Can't Conceal…"

As a fan of Seventies Jazz-Funk and Jazz-Fusion - I must admit to lack of knowledge on this one and it's a gem I’ve been missing out on.

This July 2008 CD remaster of "Faces In Reflection" by GEORGE DUKE on Verve Originals B0011514-02 (Barcode 600753095591) is a straightforward reissue of a rare Jazz-Fusion album originally released 1974 in Europe on BASF and June 1974 in the USA on MPS Records/BASF MC 22018 (it had no British release).

It's also part of Universal's 'Originals' CD series. All of these discs are remastered, housed in card digipaks with original artwork reproduced on the outer and inner flap (usually no booklet) and are pitched at mid-price. The series is extensive - over 120 titles covering Jazz, Funk, Soul, Latin, Big Bands and Fusion albums across the multinational’s vast array of labels. But the big news for fans here is the superlative new sound…

KEVIN REEVES has handled the mastering and it’s a fabulous job done - the sound quality is 'so' good. Being Fusion and filled with keyboard flourishes and jazzy drum patterns – the remastering needed to enhance the playing – and it has. "Piano Solo No. 1+2" for instance has slight hiss – but it’s not dampened out nor compressed – it’s allowed to breath – and lovely for it. You really hear the musicianship. JOHN HEARD is the Bass player and NDUGU the Drummer – all other instruments are by GEORGE DUKE.

1. The Opening

2. Capricorn

3. Piano Solo No. 1+2

4. Psychosomatic Dung

5. Faces In Reflection No.1 (Instrumental)

6. Maria Tres Filhos

7. North Beach

8. Da Somba

9. Faces In Reflection No.2 (Vocal)

Reeves has an impressive track record – he’s remastered the beautiful "What Color Is Love" album by Terry Callier (also in the "Originals" series), the Hip-O Select reissue of Barry White's "I've Got So Much To Give" from 1974, Volume 2 of the Smokey Robinson series, the "United Artists Collection" double for Gordon Lightfoot and two fantastic Crusaders albums "Pass The Plate" (1971) and "Images" (1978) – I've reviewed the lot and his work is exceptional on all of them.

Musically "Faces In Reflection" is a little Todd Rundgren's Utopia (the 1974 debut), a little Frank Zappa, some Mahavishnu Orchestra and a whole lot of keyboard fusion. It's fast and some would say excessively so in places, but it’s better than that. "North Beach" sounds very Brian Auger with its echoed-keyboards and funky feel. The beautifully mellow "Capricorn" has brought customers to our counter enquiring after it on more than one occasion - while the slightly Latin feel of Milton Nacscimento's "Maria Tres Filhos" is an album highlight for me.

Most of the cuts are instrumentals and thankfully there are no self-indulgent 18-minute workouts on here (the longest track is 6:25) and better for it. "Faces In Reflection No.1" is very musical and sounds like something out of a movie soundtrack. One or two tracks have vocal rapping alongside the soloing, but only one has words - the album finisher "Faces In Reflection No.2" (lyrics above).

A bit of an unknown then that deserves better frankly – and I urge to check it out. Recommended…

A List Of Some Of The Titles In Universal's ORIGINALS CD Series

Record Labels covered include

Verve, Mercury, Fontana, A&M, Chisa, Blue Thumb, Kudu, ABC, Philips, Impulse etc…

1. New Orleans Nights - LOUIS ARMSTRONG and the ALL STARS (1950)

2. Satchmo At Pasadena - LOUIS ARMSTRONG and the ALL STARS (1951)

3. A Tear To A Smile - ROY AYERS UBIQUITY (1975)

4. Change Up The Groove - ROY AYERS UBIQUITY (1974)

5. He's Coming - ROY AYERS UBIQUITY (1971)

6. Lifeline - ROY AYERS (1977)

7. Ubiquity - ROY AYERS (1971)

8. Vibrations - ROY AYERS (1977)

9. Virgo Red - ROY AYERS (1973)

10. You Send Me - ROY AYERS (1978)

11. Chapter One: Latin America - GATO BARBIERI (1973)

12. Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano Zapata - GATO BARBIERI (1974)

13. Chapter Two: Hasta Siempre - GATO BARBIERI (1973)

14. Ruby. Ruby - GATO BARBIERI (1977)

15. Tropico - GATO BARBIERI (1978)

16. Basie Land - COUNT BASIE (1963)

17. On My Way & Shoutin' Again - COUNT BASIE (1963)

18. Intimacy - WALTER BEASLEY (21 October 2008)

19. Just Kickin' It - WALTER BEASLEY (1989)

20. Walter Beasley - WALTER BEASLEY (1987)

21. I Got A Woman And Some Blues - GEORGE BENSON (1970’s material, 1984)

22. Shape Of Things To Come - GEORGE BENSON (1969)

23. Soul Finger - ART BLAKEY and the JAZZ MESSENGERS (1965)

24. Bobo Motion - WILLIE BOBO (1967)

25. The Brazilian Scene - LUIZ BONFA (1965)

26. Braziliana - LUIZ BONFA and MARIA TOLEDO (1965)

27. Return Of The Brecker Brothers - THE BRECKER BROTHERS [Randy and Michael] (1992)

28. Just Between us - NORMAN BROWN (1992)

29. Jazz Samba – CHARLIE BYRD (1962)

30. Occasional Rain - TERRY CALLIER (1972)

31. What Color Is Love - TERRY CALLIER (1973)

32. Children Of Forever - STANLEY CLARKE (1973)

33. A Love Supreme - JOHN COLTRANE (1964)

34. Ascension - JOHN COLTRANE (1965)

35. Crescent - JOHN COLTRANE (1964)

36. Impressions - JOHN COLTRANE (1961)

37. John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman - JOHN COLTRANE and JOHNNY HARTMAN (1963)

38. The John Coltrane Quartet Plays... - JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET (1965)

39. Kulu Se Mama - JOHN COLTRANE (1965)

40. Live At Birdland - JOHN COLTRANE (1963)

41. Meditations – JOHN COLTRANE (1965)

42. New Thing At Newport - JOHN COLTRANE and ARCHIE SHEPP (1965)

43. Images - THE CRUSADERS (1978)

44. Old Socks, New Shoes...New Socks, Old Shoes - THE CRUSADERS (1970)

45. Pass The Plate - THE CRUSADERS (1971)

46. Ascenseur Pour L'echafaud - MILES DAVIS (1957)

47. A Dream Fulfilled – WILL DOWNING (1991)

48. Come Together As One – WILL DOWNING (1989)

49. Faces In Reflection – GEORGE DUKE (1974)

50. I Love The Blues, She Heard My Cry - GEORGE DUKE (1975)

51. Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins - DUKE ELLINGTON and COLEMAN HAWKINS (1962)

52. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - DUKE ELLINGTON and JOHN COLTRANE (1963)

53. Plays The Theme From V.I.P. & Others – BILL EVANS (1963)

54. Out Of The Cool - GIL EVANS ORCHESTRA (1961)

55. Octet - MAYNARD FERGUSON (1955)

56. Ella In Hamburg (Live) - ELLA FITZGERALD (1961)

57. Ella In Hollywood - ELLA FITZGERALD (1961)

58. Porgy & Bess - ELLA FITZGERALD and LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1957)

59. At The Shrine – STAN GETZ (1954)

60. Big Band Bossa Nova - STAN GETZ and GARY McFARLAND (1962)

61. Dynasty – STAN GETZ (1971)

62. Getz/Gilberto – STAN GETZ and JOAO GILBERTO (also features Astrud Gilberto) (1963)

63. Getz/Gilberto No.2 – STAN GETZ and JOAO GILBERTO (1964)

64. In Stockholm (Live) - STAN GETZ (1956)

65. Jazz Samba Encore! – STAN GETZ (1963)

66. Sweet Rain - STAN GETZ (1967)

67. Stan Getz With Guest Artist Laurindo Almeida – STAN GETZ and LAURINDO ALMEIDA (1963)

68. Jazz Giants '58 - STAN GETZ, GERRY MULLIGAN, HARRY EDISON, LOUIS BELSON and The OSCAR PETERSON TRIO (1958)

69. Swing Is Here - TERRY GIBBS (1960)

70. A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness - ASTRUD GILBERTO and WALTER WANDERLEY (1966)

71. The Astrud Gilberto Album - ASTRUD GILBERTO (1965)

72. Look To The Rainbow - ASTRUD GILBERTO and GIL EVANS (1966)

73. The Cool World - DIZZY GILLESPIE (1964)

74. Dizzy Gillespie Goes Hollywood – DIZZY GILLESPIE (1963)

75. Dizzy On The French Riviera - DIZZY GILLESPIE with CHRIS WHITE, RUDY COLLINS, LALO SCHIFRIN and LEO WRIGHT (1962)

76. I Just Dropped By To Say Hello - JOHNNY HARTMAN (1963)

77. Used To Be Duke - JOHNNY HODGES and his ORCHESTRA (1954)

78. Lady Sings The Blues - BILLIE HOLIDAY (1956)

79. The Artistry Of Freddie Hubbard – FREDDIE HUBBARD (1962)

80. At The Museum Of Modern Art – MILT JACKSON (1970s)

81. Treasure Island - KEITH JARRETT (1974)

82. Rio Revisited - ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM and GAL COSTA (1989)

83. Quincy Jones Explores The Music Of Henry Mancini - QUINCY JONES (1964)

84. The Quintessence - QUINCY JONES ORCHESTRA (1962)

85. You've Got It Bad Girl - QUINCY JONES (1973)

86. Live At The Apollo – B.B. KING (1990)

87. Arabesque - JOHN KLEMMER (1977)

88. Barefoot Ballet - JOHN KLEMMER (1976)

89. Goin' Latin - RAMSEY LEWIS (1966)

90. The In Crowd - RAMSEY LEWIS TRIO (1965)

91. Live At The Bohemian Caverns - RAMSEY LEWIS TRIO (1962)

92. Home Is Where The Music Is - HUGH MASEKELA (2LP set on 1CD) (1972)

Gary McFarland – see STAN GETZ

93. Down Here On The Ground - WES MONTGOMERY (1967)

94. Goin' Out Of My Head - WES MONTGOMERY (1965)

95. Blues In Time - GERRY MULLIGAN and PAUL DESMOND QUARTET (1957)

96. Lonesome Boulevard – GERRY MULLIGAN (1990)

97. The Blues And The Obscure Truth - OLIVER NELSON [featuring PAUL CHAMBERS, ERIC DOLPHY, BILL EVANS, ROY HAYNES and FREDDIE HUBBARD] (1961)

98. In A Romantic Mood - OSCAR PETERSON (1955)

99. Oscar Peterson Plays The Jerome Kern Songbook - OSCAR PETERSON (1952)

100. Oscar Peterson and Nelson Riddle - OSCAR PETERSON and NELSON RIDDLE (1963)

101. Oscar Peterson Trio + One - OSCAR PETERSON TRIO and CLARK TERRY (1964)

102. Blues In the Closet – BUD POWELL TRIO (1956)

103. Come Into Knowledge - RAMP (1977)

104. Elis & Tom - ELIS REGINA and ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM (1974)

105. Quiet As It's Kept - MAX ROACH (1960)

106. On Impulse! - SONNY ROLLINS (1965)

107. Swing Street Café - JOE SAMPLE and DAVID T. WALKER (1981) [Keyboardist and Guitarist with The Crusaders]

108. Piano, Strings And Bossa Nova - LALO SCHIFRIN (1962)

109. Everybody's Somebody's Fool - LITTLE JIMMY SCOTT (1950s Material)

110. Let It Be Me (Live) - NINA SIMONE (1987)

111. Hobo Flats - JIMMY SMITH (1963)

112. Live At The Village Gate - JIMMY SMITH TRIO (1963)

113. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? - JIMMY SMITH (1964)

114. Sonny Stitt Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio - SONNY STITT and OSCAR PETERSON (1957)

115. ...Plays The Contemporary Music Of Mexico And Brazil - CAL TJADER (1962)

116. At Mister Kelly’s – SARAH VAUGHAN and HER TRIO (1957)

117. All The King's Horses - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1972)

118. A Secret Place - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1976)

119. Feels So Good - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1975)

120. Inner City Blues - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1971)

121. Reed Seed - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1978)

122. Soul Box - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr. (1973)

"Conan The Barbarian". A Review Of The 2011 Remake Now On BLU RAY.

"…Behold…And Despair!"

You can't really accuse Marcus Nispel’s swords and sorcery fantasy of being namby-pamby – there’s cracked skulls and slashed limbs a plenty – and enough ketchup to worry Burger King. We’re not exactly talking Conan The "Librarian" here. And yet somehow – and despite Herculean effort (if you’ll forgive the terrible pun) - it just doesn’t click.

It should though. All the right ingredients for an update of this comic-book hero are there - bad guys with bad teeth – a minion with a severed nose and a tasty set of thumb-screws – an evil witch sporting razors for nail extensions – exotic wenches sporting very little else… And all the while a longhaired body-builder does his best to act while wielding a sword of destiny, riding a horse through haunted forests, causing landslides in slave mines, sneaking through secret passages into a turreted castle of ultimate doom (you know the sort) – and even finding time to shag a monastic nubile in a mud hut with very fetching candlelight. Not to mention all manner of burly warriors with more facial battle scars than members of the Scunthorpe Debate Society after a particularly rough game of Cribbage.

To be fair to the lead actor on which pretty much everything rests - it’s hard to follow in the triceps of Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Jason Momoa as Conan The Barbarian is likeable and a very credible presence on screen (he clearly bought a Bullworker in the few months as well). Stephan Lang (of "Avatar" fame) is the main villain - a power-obsessed overlord trying to get an ancient mask back that will make him a God (I felt the same way last week when I was queuing in Tescos). He thoroughly enjoys a psychotic frown as he pokes your eyes out and regularly rabbits on about "…rivers of blood..." and other such delightful bedside chatter (dialogue above). There are loads of battle sequences to keep the action ante up and the BLU RAY picture quality is immaculate throughout (it comes as a 'Double Play' set and there's a '3D' version too). There's even a believable 'attraction' between Jason Momoa and the gorgeous Rachel Nichols as Tamara the 'pure blood'. There’s also the ever-watchable Ron Perlman as Corin (Conan’s father) and Nonso Anozie plays Conan’s loyal sidekick Artus – a man with Byzantine dreadlocks and personal hygiene issues.

And yet this new remake grows tiresome very quickly – rather like "The Prince Of Persia" did. I think the main culprit is the incredibly derivative storyline - we've seen and heard all of this epic warrior and his journey nonsense before - and way too many times too. A boy witnesses his father and entire village be slaughtered – grows up to be a fierce warrior – systematically avenges all involved – meets fab-looking dolly bird en-route – saves the world from the forces of darkness – returns to a nicer mud hut at the end – has a shower (wash the blood and entrails off) – and settles in with a nice cup of cocoa and the Downton Abbey Christmas special. It sounds like great fun – it sounds rip-roaring – and at times it is. But it also feels a little empty-headed somehow. It's hard to get excited about this - and I’d admit to fast forwarding on more than one occasion. I also doubt I’d want to watch it again – so it’s a rental rather than a purchase.

Still – if you’re up for a bit of a He-Man actioner – you could do worse - you could try Poker night at the Scunthorpe Debate Society…

"Infamous". A Review Of The 2006 Movie On DVD.

"…Infamy! Infamy! They've All Got It In For Me!"

Surely an Oscar was due to TOBY JONES for his central performance in "Infamous"? And Daniel Craig too - menacing, sexy, intoxicating - you can see why this guy will pull off the lethal double-whammy - Bond for the boys – but films like "Defiance", "The Mother" and "Flashbacks Of A Fool" for challenging roles and acting chops.

The story begins with much of the cast narrating their thoughts on Truman Capote via interview to the camera. They discuss with dispassion this odd little American writer who was also a world-class raconteur and smoozer. Particularly good are Juliet Stevenson as the socialite and Sandra Bullock as Piper Laurie (author of "To Kill A Mockingbird").

The story begins with Truman seeing a story in a newspaper about a family wiped out in small town America. He is drawn to it without really knowing why. He and Bullock travel to the town, but are stumped by paperwork. The town sheriff (downplayed subtly and beautifully by Jeff Daniels) won't play ball and allow either access to anything to do with the case. So Truman does what he does best - he wheedles his way into the sheriff's family and their affections with his charm and tales of famous folks (a trick he uses in the interviews in jail). Then the real murderers get caught and Truman gets stuck in on both of them knowing that these scumbags want their sordid stories told. And on it goes...

The support cast is uniformly superb too – Sigourney Weaver, Hope Davis, Isabella Rossellini and Gwyneth Paltrow – all actresses of real talent and power.

"Infamous" made me like a man who some would say was superfluous to Humanity's requirements - a person who tested your patience - who was outside the norm - but used his wit, intelligence and verbal cunning to rise above the ridicule he so often evoked.

"Infamous" is a thought-provoking story about a complex, clever, irritating, pretentious and ultimately fascinating person - a tale added to by the central performance - and not dominated by it (as Phillip Seymour Hoffman did in the more lauded "Capote" movie).

I thought it was a fantastic film – and with a great cast delivering on all fronts.

Highly recommended (and roll on the BLU RAY reissue).

"United 93". A Review Of The 2006 Movie Now On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…I'm Thinking Of You…"

I can remember the first time I saw "United 93" - I was stunned. Released less than five years after the events of September 11, 2001 - the wounds were still raw. Yet as a film it didn't just 'work' - it was brutal, stark and painfully honest - and all the more admirable for it.

Written and Directed by PAUL GREENGRASS - it had the most difficult material in the world to deal with - fraught with all sorts of depiction dangers and accusations of a crass cash-in. And yet it succeeded on every level. Come the last 15 minutes - your hurt is pretty much uncontrollable and the tears are flowing for real. I was truly moved.

And now on the 10th Anniversary of the event (Sept 2011) - it arrives on BLU RAY. And I'm glad to say it boasts a proper upgrade in picture quality and 'bonus material' which is not just respectful - but equal in power to the movie itself...

It opens with four men in an apartment block. Dressed like a Middle Eastern businessman, the leader of the group squints underneath his immaculately clean reading glasses. But Ziad Jarrah is nervous - and as he breathily chants prayers over his Koran - even seems troubled. But a face that has no such qualms interrupts Ziad. It's Ahmed Al Haznawi - who will later hold the flight at bay with a knife he's smuggled into his belt. The al-Qaeda radical fixes Ziad with a steely gaze and says - "It's time."

And so begins their infamous journey - driving to the airport - parking their cars - checking-in with minimal luggage - getting through the security monitors - and eventually boarding "United 93" - an early-morning non-stop flight from Newark International to San Francisco. Hours later - 33 passengers and 7 flight crew are fighting back - desperately trying to retake the cockpit from Ziad and Ahmed. But despite their valiant efforts - the Boeing 757 nosedives into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania at 10:03 am. And of the four aircraft hijacked and sacrificed that horrible day, it was the only one 'not' to reach Osama Bin Laden's presumed target (The White House, Washington DC).

Why does "United 93" work? First up - Greengrass begins with the everyday - the 'ordinary'. In the waiting area - Thomas Burnett makes a business call as he eyes his polished shoes - while a dehydrated Nicole Miller applies lip-gloss once on board. Equally beautiful and seated for take-off, hostess Cee Cee Lyles regrets having not brought enough magazines for her to read on a 5-hour long haul flight - while passengers Patrick Driscoll and his friend William Cashman (70 and 60) plan a hiking holiday to Yosemite National Park from a colour brochure. Hilda Marcin asks politely for a glass of water so she can swallow her medication with her breakfast - while a man opens his laptop on the seat rest in front of him with a relaxed air. A 20-year old Deora Bodley is trying to do just that - she fixes a makeshift pillow on the headrest of her seat - and leaving her headphones in - tries to get some shut-eye. And up in the cockpit while on autopilot - First Officer LeRoy Homer talks to Captain Jason Dahl as they eat their meals from plastic trays about a London holiday he's planning for his wife and their new 11-month old baby. Every scene is humdrum - and of course real - and therefore incredibly unsettling...

Second is the cast. There are no big names in the lead roles (some of the actors are vaguely familiar like Christian Clemenson from "Boston Legal" but most are not). Greengrass then combines their largely unknown faces with real people who were actually there on the day - Ben Sliney of Herndon Air-Traffic Control, Thomas Roberts of Boston ATC, Curt Applejack of New York ATC and Major John Fox heads up the military. Along with other staff members, the effect is like watching the events unfold in front of you - but in real-time.

The music by JOHN POWELL is also used sparingly - but when it's applied - it packs either an incredibly sinister punch or ups your pulse-rate big time.

Then there's the astonishing editing. The camera moves behind people's heads as they run down corridors - we get momentary glimpses of worried faces through gaps in clothing - there's close-ups on sweating foreheads which then in turn pull back onto disbelieving faces. There's side profiles of personnel constantly making and answering phonecalls - desperately trying to get a grip on the escalating panic. Speech quickens as the chaos escalates - and it all ratchets up the tension to the nines. So when the horror finally comes - it's devastating.

The first sign of trouble is American Airlines Flight 11, which stops responding to hails from Air-Traffic Control and then disappears off radar over New York (it's gone into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre). Then an officer examines a tape of what was transmitted from the cockpit - he works out that the word 'planes' is used and not 'plane' - as in plural. With 4000 aircraft in the sky - their terror is palpable. Then it gets really ugly. The second of the hijacked aircraft (United 175) finally appears on the New York skyline outside their observation tower. But instead of making an emergency landing - and as they watch - it flies at escalated speed and smashes directly into the South Tower - bursting into flames. Now both buildings are on fire. The moment of silent disbelief that follows in the Control Room is heart-stopping.

The script is fast and punchy too. Wisely Greengrass avoided conspiracy theories in his construction but did include factual details. The American military's Airforce NORAD was conducting a drill on that morning (of all mornings) and was informed by the FAA of the hijackings. At 08:46 a.m. they scrambled four F-15 fighter planes from Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts to enter New York airspace, but politicians denied them 'engage' orders. Controversy has raged ever since. But again, Greengrass doesn't discuss this. He just shows the pandemonium at every level of authority while at the same time concentrating on what matters - the 'people' - and especially their eventual bravery - when they realized they weren't going to be any negotiations and they had to stop fanatics killing even more innocents.

Some words now on the bonus material - the 2006 UK single DVD had 3 'Extras' - "United 93: The Families And The Film" (60-minutes), a feature-length commentary by Paul Greengrass and "Memorial Pages" - passengers and crew remembered with 40 written biographies. However, an American 2 DVD set put out in 2007 provided more. Added on were - "Flight 93 National Memorial", "Chasing Planes - Witnesses To 9/11" and "Twin Towers". This BLU RAY has all 6 features. The "Families" documentary in particular is extraordinary - where the actors meet the families with often beautiful results. Those who've lost someone are permanently hurting people - and acknowledgement/discussion of this by anyone other than the authorities (who have to appear to care) is hugely cathartic. In between the interviews are a lot of family photos and home movies - so be prepared for sadness as well as celebration.

To sum up - given the ultra-sensitivity of the material - "United 93" is a fantastic film and a major achievement for all involved. It's also a worthy reissue on BLU RAY with well thought-out and fitting extras that both enhance and inform.

I just wish it hadn't taken so many lost lives to produce something of worth and beauty. May they rest in peace...

BLU RAY Specifications:
ASPECT: 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French, Canadian French, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Italian, Japanese DTS 5.1
SUBTITLES: English SDH, French, Canadian French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin Amer4ican Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese, Greek, Traditional Mandarin

PS: as an aside – but related to 9/11…
If the link below doesn't work, I urge to check out a video on YouTube called "Regret" by THE BLUE NILE. Apparently collated and posted by a fan that wanted to say something about the atrocity on its 10th Anniversary - the video uses one of this superlative Scottish band’s lesser-known tunes - "Regret". The song originally turned up as a UK non-album B-side to the 12" single of the "Tinseltown In The Rain" from 1984 on Linn Records. It's only LP/CD appearance to my knowledge is a 1991 compilation called "The Tree And The Bird And The Fish And The Bell – Glasgow Songs By Glasgow Artists". It's hard to find but worth hunting down.

"Regret" is played against a backdrop of black and white images from that tragic event. Recorded years before in a country some 6000 miles away (and of course about something entirely different) it somehow fits perfectly - both musically and lyrically. Words from it title this review.

More to the point (and I'll openly admit to this) – it moved me to tears.

"Original Album Classics" by SHUGGIE OTIS (2012 Sony/Epic 3CD Mini Box Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Hundreds of Others Is Available In My

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CLASSIC 1970s ROCK and POP
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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"…Pretty Music I Hear…"

Like most people I came across this superlative American guitarist in a roundabout way - via The Brothers Johnson and their huge Funk/Soul hit of 1977 "Strawberry Letter No. 23" (which Shuggie Otis wrote). That Otis original came off his lesser-seen "Freedom Flight" album from 1971.

This new 2012 mini box set from Sony is the first time that three of his fabulous (and rare) Seventies LPs have been brought together in one place - and at a more than reasonable price too.

It breaks down as follows - released Monday 9 January 2012 in the UK and Europe (17 January 2012 in the USA) - "Original Album Classics" by SHUGGIE OTIS is a 3CD mini box set on Sony/Epic 88691901782 (Barcode 886919017823) and contains the following three albums in single 5" card repro sleeves:

"Here Comes Shuggie Otis" - released February 1970 on Epic Records BN 26511 in the USA and April 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63996 (36:21 minutes)

1. Oxford Gray

2. Jennie Lee

3. Bootie Cooler

4. Knowing (That You Want Him)

5. Funky Thithee

6. Shuggie's Boogie

7. Hurricane

8. Gospel Groove

9. Baby, I Needed You

"Freedom Flight" - released September 1971 in the USA on Epic Records E 30752 [produced by Johnny Otis - it had no UK release] (38:30 minutes)

1. Ice Cold Daydream

2. Strawberry Letter 23

3. Sweet Thang

4. Me And My Woman

5. Someone Always Singing

6. Purple

7. Freedom Flight

"Inspiration Information" - released March 1975 in the USA on Epic Records KE 33059 [it had no UK release] (32:27 minutes)

1. Inspiration / Information

2. Island Letter

3. Sparkle City

4. Aht Uh Mi Hed

5. Happy House

6. Rainy Day

7. XL-30

8. Pling!

9. Not Available

It doesn't say who remastered these albums or where, but the sound quality is wonderful (probably the 2001 versions). The debut is a little hissy in places as are the beat boxes used as percussion on the 3rd LP "Inspiration Information" (sounds like the back beat used on the Timmy Thomas classic "Why Can't We Live Together"), but other than that it all sounds so much better than other releases I have of the same material. The bass in particular is so sweet and by the time you get to the improved production qualities of the second and third LPs - the audio quality is great. And as with all of these "Original Classic Albums" 3/5 CD mini box sets, the lyrics and recording details are downloadable from Sony's website [...]

The music - releasing his US debut album in late 1969 at only 17 years of age - "Kooper Session - Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis" made everyone sit up and take notice (see separate review). His follow up debut 'solo' album "Here Comes Shuggie Otis" (which is the first disc to be featured here) is the stuff of legend - the very definition of 'lost classic' and 'cool album you must hear before you die'. It opens with two different types of instrumental - "Oxford Gray" is very Sixties Fleetwood Mac with a clavinet thrown in while the fantastic soulful organ shuffle of "Bootie Cooler" regularly brings customers to our counter asking after the 'cool' tune that's playing. Then it changes again into Mamas & Papas sixties pop with "Knowing (That You Want Him)". Then another fantastically cool and funky instrumental - the not-so-subtly titled "Funky Thithee" which shows his great guitar chops against the backdrop of a chugging beat. He name-checks his blues heroes at the beginning of "Shuggie's Blues" as he just plays around - it then goes into an organ-shuffle and boogie - great stuff. The slow blues of "Gospel Groove" is another that brings the punters up to ask - who the Hell is this! It ends with Albert King type tracks "Baby, I Needed You" and "The Hawks". Listed at £35 for an original copy of the British vinyl (if you can find one) - you can hear why this gem is so sought after. The LP actually troubled the US album charts for 2 weeks in March 1970 at a lowly placing of 199.

His 2nd solo LP "Freedom Flight" is the one that will interest Soul Boys who like their Blues and Rock with a slightly trippy even spacey feel. It has only 7 tracks because its title song is a 13-minute instrumental that sounds like Jazz meets Blues meets Mellow meets Santana - it's 'so' good. "Purple" is a very B.B. King number, while it gets a little Stax funky with the superb "Sweet Thang" which opens the album. "Me And My Woman" is a Gene Barge song once covered by Albert King - and of course there's the brilliant "Strawberry Letter 23" (lyrics above) that still sounds effortlessly cool to this day. In fact "Freedom Flight" was a huge leap forward from the first album and featured high-profile guests included Jazz fusionist George Duke, the drummer Aynsley Dunbar, his dad Johnny Otis and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders.

His 3rd solo LP "Inspiration Information" saw him take a leap into a Jazz/Soul unknown - and is beloved by rare groove aficionados everywhere (it's name-checked by Prince as a fave). It opens with the jaunty title track that sounds so catchy. "Sparkle City" uses a simple guitar flick as its basis for about half of its duration - it's a little Boz Scaggs meets the Average White Band - while "Happy House" is Todd Rundgren circa "Something/Anything?" with its spacey feel and layered vocals. The beautiful instrumental "Rainy Day" features a slow drum shuffle and strings - it sounds like some cool film outtake. It ends on "Not Available" - another superb guitar instrumental. Bluntly it's easy to hear why this album was reissued in 2001 on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label and why it still turns up on reissue vinyl all the time in the West End of London - its just so bloody good and chockers with usable funky acid-jazz tunes.

Niggles - as I mentioned above - his first LP was "Kooper Session..." on Epic and combining that with the rare "Cuttin' Up" album by The Johnny Otis Show (which featured Shuggie) - this could have been a gobsmacking 5CD mini box set, but that would probably have been cost prohibitive. Other than that - like the dinky 3CD Fleetwood Mac box in this series - this is a peach of a release and finally makes music available to the masses that should be heard by the same.

To sum up - part Blues, part Soul, Rock, Acid House and Soulful - Shuggie Otis' music has always been hard to pigeonhole and all the better for it. It's even rumoured he has a long-awaited new album due this year (2012).  So - if you haven't heard his catalogue before, I urge you to take on a chance on this. It's a genuine voyage of discovery - especially if you like your Blues, R'n'B and Soul poison with a slightly spacey tint.

Fabarooney people. And even though it's only early January 2012 - this is already a 'reissue of the year' for me.

PS: see also separate reviews for two other CDs worth checking out - "Kooper Session: Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis" and "Shuggie's Boogie: Shuggie Otis Plays The Blues"...

"Elvis Country - Legacy Edition" by ELVIS PRESLEY. A Review Of The January 2012 2CD Reissue.

"…How's Your New Love?

Big glasses, big hair, big cape, big ego, big productions - 1970 and 1971 are years that divide Presley fans. Some see it as a renewal period that followed on from the '68 comeback special - while others see these dates as the beginning of the end - a slide into the horrible decline of the Vegas years. This new 'Legacy' issue of two albums from that time frame is of course both good and bad. But here are the issue details first...

Released Monday 2 January 2012 in the UK (3 Jan 2012 in the USA) - "Elvis Country" is on RCA/Legacy 88691 90439 2 and contains 2 whole albums with 6 bonus sides. Its 29 STEREO tracks break down as follows:

Disc 1 (46:17 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 12 are the US LP "I'm 10,000 Years Old - Elvis Country" - released 2 January 1971 on RCA Victor LSP-4460
Track 13 is "I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago" which first appeared on the "Elvis Now" LP in February 1972 (see paragraphs below)
Track 14 is "A Hundred Years From Now (Studio Jam)" is an outtake which first appeared on the 5LP/5CD Box Set "Walk A Mile In My Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters" in October 1995
Track 15 is "Where Did They Go, Lord" which first appeared on the LP "He Walks Beside Me" in February 1976

Disc 2 (41:49 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 11 are the US LP "Love Letters From Elvis" - released June 1971 on RCA Victor LSP-4530
Track 12 is "The Sound Of Your Cry" - a US 7" single released 21 September 1971
Track 13 is "Sylvia" which first appeared on the "Elvis Now" LP in February 1972
Track 14 is "Rags To Riches" - a US 7" single released 23 February 1971

Both albums came out of sessions recorded at RCA's Studio B in Nashville during June and September 1970. But the really big news in 2012 is a new VIC ANESINI remaster with truly BEAUTIFUL sound quality. Anesini is not new to Elvis reissues; he mastered the 2CD 'Legacy Editions' of "Elvis Presley", "Elvis Is Back", "From Elvis In Memphis" as well as the 4CD set "The Complete '68 Comeback Special" - with unanimous praise heaped on all four.

The packaging is now standard for these Legacy sets. A 3-way card digipak features the famous Elvis aged 2 photo artwork on the front with the "Love Letters From Elvis" LP artwork on the inside flap. The CDs are yellow to reflect the original LP colours while the 24-page booklet has new colour photos, pictures of the US 7" singles for "Life", I'm Leavin'" and "Where Did They Go, Lord" and liner notes by STUART COLMAN. There are full discography details of the sessions and vinyl releases on the last few pages. It's well laid out and lovely to look at.

First up is the layout of the main album "Elvis Country" - as each track ends (and even as some begin) 'segments' of a song called "I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago" segue in and out - whether you like it or not. This happens on 'every' tune and while it probably seemed cool at the time, it's irritating and gimmicky now (the full version of the song is Track 13, one of the bonus cuts). Colman's liner notes rather craftily don't mention the 'segments' at all - or that they ruin good songs both at the beginning and end of play. In fact you can't cue up any song on this album because of it. But for me the worst part of this 'Legacy' issue is that RCA didn't go the full hog and finally offer fans just the 'music' - the songs stripped away of this intrusive crap and allowed to be heard on their own. Now that would have been something truly special - but alas - not to be...

To the music - despite its 'Country' title, the main album is in fact top heavy with ballads. Freed of Colonel Parker's cruddy and ill-advised choices, Elvis picked tunes that both suited and highlighted his deepened voice - Hank Cochran's string-filled "Make The World Go Away" is a typically good choice and there's a truly lovely version of Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away" filled with Dobro licks and churchy organ - really nice (lyrics above). The Southern Funk vibe of "The Fool" is a highlight too with James Burton on choppy guitar and Charlie McCoy on Organ and Harmonica. It rocks out a bit on Bob Willis' "Faded Love", but I find the pseudo version of Jerry Lee's "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" less convincing.

The second LP "Love Letters From Elvis" continues on the slow songs tip opening with a deep-throated version of Ketty Lester's "Love Letters". "Life" was released as a single on 27 April 1971 in advance of the album with "Only Believe" as its B-side (RCA 47-9985). But while the sound quality is GORGEOUS - material like "Heart Of Rome" and "This Is Our Dance" feel like second-rate lounge music - and provide a very real reason as to why Presley was ridiculed as well as revered at this time. The syrupy nature of the material simply lets the side down - and it very much feels like RCA milking it again - put out anything by the man - who cares...

To sum up - with the best will in the world, you could not describe these LPs as 'classic' Elvis. "Elvis Country" is the best of the two offerings undoubtedly and is an album that deserves rediscovery - yet it's presentation here is lazy and the follow up LP only highlights how cheesy both he and his music had become. On the upside - for those prepared to give this much-maligned period a chance - there are rewards, especially in the ballads. It also boasts a fabulous new remaster, nice packaging and at mid-price isn't going to break your bank balance.

Finally - I wish I could say that I enjoyed this Legacy issue as much as I have all the others I've bought and reviewed, but I can't. I want to remember the King in a better light than this. I know it's a matter of personal taste, but I just wish RCA had given us the "Elvis Country" songs 'unadorned' so we could actually listen to them for the first time and properly hear the great man's 'legacy'.

For me this release is only good then - when it could have been great - even groundbreaking...

PS: Elvis Presley titles in this 'Legacy' Series so far are:
1. "Elvis Presley" (his "Elvis Presley" debut and follow up album "Elvis" both from 1956 with extra single sides)
2. "Elvis Is Back" (the "Elvis Is Back" LP from 1960 with the "Something For Everybody" follow-up album from 1961 and extra single sides)
3. "Elvis Country" - as above
4. "From Elvis In Memphis" (the "From Elvis In Memphis" 1969 LP with the "Back In Memphis" follow-up album from 1970 with extra single singles and other recordings from the 1969 sessions)
5. "On Stage" - (the 1970 live album with its "Elvis In Person" follow up and 8 extra sides)
6. " The Complete '68 Comeback Special" - 4CD Mini Box Set

PPS: for other Vic Anesini Remasters - see my reviews for "Be What You Want..." the 4CD Box Set by HALL & OATES, the Legacy Edition of "Couldn't Stand The Weather" by STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN and the Legacy Edition of "Tomorrow The Green Grass" by THE JAYHAWKS. He has also done the much-praised Columbia issues of Simon And Garfunkel's back catalogue and the stunning Roy Orbison album "Lonely And Blue"

"Four Lions". A Review Of The 2010 UK Film Now On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…You Can't Do A Jihadi Video With A Box On Your Head!"

Five twenty-something lads from Sheffield wanting to be Afghan terrorists on British soil is not exactly an easy sell for a film - even for the most liberal minded of viewers. This is the kind of material that walks a thin line between black humour and the need to tell the truth - no matter how offensive or uncomfortable it may be.
But "Four Lions" 'so' works. Written and Directed by CHRIS MORRIS - his debut is an edgy risk-taking movie - and absolutely chockers full of laugh-out loud moments - and for all the right reasons...

It goes like this - the constantly babbling, but worldly naïve Waj is easily influenced by the disillusioned but far more radical Omar (Kayvan Novak and Riz Ahmed). Both 'brothers' want to do 'God's will' - which they believe is to become Mujahideen soldiers and start their own Islamic Jihad somewhere in affluent materialistic England. They essentially want to blow something up. Helping them away from Chicken McNuggets to a place of religious nirvana is Barry (a fantastically funny turn by a scene-stealing Nigel Lindsay). Barry rabbits on about ‘surveillance protocols’, eats SIM cards and once planted a ‘twin towers’ cake in a local mosque to incite the faithful. Rolling under garage doors like an SAS commando and sidling up to people's porches likes he's Jason Bourne - Barry is convinced that a passing mother and child is a cop and the American Feds are watching him on satellites in space. Barry is the worst and most boorish of the five. A converted white man and bearded radical, he is full of nice things to say about open-mindedness like "...we've got women talking back bruv! We've got people playing stringed instruments!"
Barry orders silver nitrate from Amazon and wants to "Boom! Fast track to final days! Proper war!"

Thrown into this pool of misguided idiots is the slow and permanently bewildered Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) - a hapless bomb-maker who stashes thousands of bottles of hair peroxide in his lock-up. Fassal wants to attach detonator devices to crows and fly them into Government buildings (hence the poster). Last but not least is Hassan (Arsher Ali) - an on-the-fence believer who wants to go 'proper' Afghan. Hassan talks the lingo about 'a new purpose in life' but Omar suspects that maybe he doesn't have the balls to actually do the dirty deed. None of them do. It's all a big game to the other four and Omar will need to make it 'real' this time. Plots are hatched in the bedsit above the men's shop Bolby Tailoring, rocket launchers go off backwards and Omar's microwave oven gets sacrificed in the name of the ‘cause'. And on the mayhem goes to the London Marathon of 2010 where they're dressed as chickens with something more than lean cuisine beneath their feathers. But of course it stops being funny very, very fast when the consequences and repercussions of what they're doing becomes all too real...and they get more than hurt...

How do you deal with extremism - humour is one weapon - Chaplin knew this. But part of this script's genius is to go deeper into the monster's psyche - to show us how 'religion' seriously screws with a person's moral compass - especially if that belief system has an 'our way is the only way' core mentality. There is also the lure of power - the power of a gun - how it gets you noticed - even respected. And of course that's amplified if you're prepared to have a bomb strapped to you and seek martyrdom.

The danger in all this is that despite the film's best intentions Muslims are tarred with a terrorist brush - but the writing is smart enough to address this - and even deal with racism among their own ranks by slagging both off with real skill. Subtle touches include Omar receiving an e-mail at work (he's a security guard) telling that his trip to the Pakistan is in 2 days time (spy talk for a training camp). He tells his boss he's attending a 'shotgun wedding' and if you look real close you'll see that the e-mail address is hilaryclinton055.

Housed in a fetching book package, the BLU RAY picture quality varies from very good on the indoor sequences (bedrooms, cafes and sheds) to crystal clear and superlative on the outdoors shots (Afghanistan hills, London streets). As the dialogue is all Sheffield in Northern England and comes at you fast and furious, the lone ENGLISH SUBTITLE will probably be more than handy for overseas viewers.
The extras include DELETED SCENES and 2 featurettes. The deleted scenes are short, but wickedly funny, while the 2 featurettes are unrelated to the film itself, but act as background to the project. First is a real-life documentary called "Lost Boys" which follows 4 Pakistani lads in a car as they drive around their hometown of Nelson in Lancashire. They talk of fights, racism and persecution - nothing to do every night. You can just see how they're ripe for recruitment. The 2nd is even stranger - an interview with Ahmad who is a white lad accused of Muslim extremism and arrested under the Terrorist Act. He shows paintings that express what he feels about Islam (deeply loves it). Neither feature makes judgements - but they do give you insights into why stuff happens...

To sum up - with our media and politicians locked into a sort of sickening and stifling political-correctness of late - material like "Four Lions" is refreshing to say the least - and even a bit brave.
And the fact that you're laughing so much for three quarters of the movie, but hurting with sadness at the end - is testament to its heart. It elevates "Four Lions" above clever froth into the realm of something that stays with you - and makes you think - and reassess...

I loved this film. And Film 4, Wild Bunch and Optimum Releasing - and all associated with "Four Lions" - are to be praised to the nines for it.

Bright Star on BLU RAY. A Review Of The Jane Campion Movie Now Issued On A European BLU RAY.

"…A Thing Of Beauty…"

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE DVD and BLU RAY VERSIONS ***

"Bright Star" opens with a close-up of a thread being needled, but the pull and placing of the wool is not methodical nor part of some daily Nineteenth Century drudgery, it's being done carefully - almost as if there's tenderness being sown into each cross-stitch. We then see that the seamstress is a 20-year old lady sat by a window in the early hours of the morning in her bonnet and ribbons - she is Fanny Brawne (played by Abbie Cornish). Her younger sister Toots (Edie Martin) then wakes up in the bed nearby and sighs at Fanny - Toots may only be 6, but she knows exactly who all the 'just so' work is for...

Jane Campion's 2009 re-telling of the mercurial love affair between the struggling English romantic poet John Keats and Fanny Browne has been accused by historians and purists as being historically inaccurate and frankly hogwash. But I feel this is to miss the point. This is a movie - and some artistic allowance is to be expected. But more importantly, Campion absolutely makes it work - and for the whole journey too. You care about these idealistic people - you are enthralled by their short but oh so sweet shot at happiness - and Fanny's destruction at her soulmate's loss is one of the most powerful scenes committed to celluloid in decades.

The setting is Hampstead Village, London in 1818 - and Greig Fraser's Cinematography puts huge amounts of detail on screen. This is a world of Inky Quills, Scullery Maids and Pantaloons - where men smoke cigars, gulp brandy and sing chummy Acapella songs for the gathered Ladies and Gentlemen at society parties. A triple-pleated mushroom collar is a clothing advance and a man who is dying of consumption (Keats' brother) is described as 'diminished'.

Words are all in this society and Campion's script revels in it. Keats' poems "Endymion", "Bright Star" and "When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be" are all quoted - and the dialogue inbetween is just as elegant and insightful. But of course the movie lives and dies on the dance of love between Cornish and Whishaw - and that courtship and deepening of feeling features so many great moments... a look she gives Keats in the woods as they walk and exchange ideas, her reaction to Tom's death - create something of beauty to remember him by - an embroidered pillow case that she sat up all night making - her feet curling on a bed as she devours one of Keats love letters - her tender kisses on the paper as she posts her reply... It could all have been so terribly corny, but both the actors and the script give it life and a genuine beating heart. Mark Bradshaw's music is also used sparingly and with great effect - and when it isn't there - the silence engenders a terrible feeling of foreboding (sickness, death).

Special mention should also go to Paul Schneider who is exceptional as the arrogant and obsessive Mr. Brown - supposed friend and fellow accomplice in poetry with Keats. Brown does everything to thwart the burgeoning romance between Keats and Brawne - feeling her a distraction from their lofty writing and a danger to his talent - even coveting her as his own. His vehemence forces Keats to step up to the plate and Fanny is well able for him. The core 3 actors here are fabulous together. Special mention should also go to Kerry Fox as Fanny's practical mother and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Liam Neeson's son in "Love Actually") as her younger brother Samuel - also quietly superb.

The extras include (a) Working With Jane Campion Documentary (b) Behind The Scenes Featurette (c) Deleted Scenes (d) Photo Gallery and (e) Trailer
The lone subtitle is 'English For The Hearing Impaired'. My only real gripe is that it's not on BLU RAY - a format that would surely make this beauty shine like a diamond (due in 2011 apparently).

Campion and her exceptionally talented cast are to be congratulated - "Bright Star" is a literate, sensual, beautifully staged and gushingly romantic tale - and proud of it.

They did a great job and I for one was deeply moved...

PS: the BLU RAY Issue…

As you can see from the photo provided by Amazon – this appears to be a GERMAN issue on BLU RAY – but the copy I received this morning (Dec 2011) is in fact a FRENCH Pathe issue with that language used for all cover artwork.

There are 2 audio tracks – ‘both’ FRENCH and ENGLISH DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It is obviously defaulted to play in French when you start the disc, but a simple flick of the audio button brings in the English version. The extras on the DVD (including the “Working With…” making of) are all intact - but there are also some totally unrelated Australian Black & White shorts tagged on (God knows why).

But the big news is the picture improvement - which at times is simply breathtaking. The outdoor Hampstead scenes, Fanny sowing her garments in her home, Keats lying on top of a tree with its flowering buds beneath him, Fanny walking through a field of bluebells, the child Toots and the cat Topper in her room full of butterflies, the intricate costumes – so many things and scenes are improved - and beautifully so.

A gorgeous film made better by BLU RAY. Seek it out in this form.