"The Singles Volume 6: 1969-1970" by JAMES BROWN (December 2008 USA and June 2009 UK Hip-O Select 2CD Anthology – No. 6 of 11 Volumes – Alan Leeds Annotation and Seth Foster Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Lowdown Popcorn...and...Funky Drummer…"

The 39-Tracks of "The Singles Volume 6..." in this stunning 11 Volume Series picks up where Volume 5 left off  (five having covered November 1967 through to March 1969).

Featuring all his King 45 sides as well as one on Federal and another on Bethlehem – we get pairings of every A&B-side released betwixt late March 1969 and June 1970 along with many withdrawn issues, promo-only DJ mixes, 45s available only through magazine advert promotion coupons etc. Volume Six has the same spectacular Audio and beautifully presented 28-page fact-filled booklet on Soul Brother No. 1 that all these volumes have - with a feast of fan-pleasing details and memorabilia provided by a team of experts on all things JB Productions (printed on a sort of sepia feel paper).

Make no mistake - all eleven volumes of "The Singles" Series are superlative 2CD Reissues and along with the 'Motown' and 'Chess' Book Set Reissues has gone a long way to emblazoning 'Hip-O Select' as a reissue label dear to collector's hearts. Here are the Top Of The Stack details...

USA released 5 December 2008 (22 June 2009 in the UK) - "The Singles Volume 6: 1969-1970" by JAMES BROWN on Hip-O Select/Polydor B0012204-02 (Barcode 602517873599) offers 39-tracks Remastered on 2CDs. All catalogue numbers are US 7" singles unless otherwise noted and beneath the discography info are the US R&B and Pop Chart placing (no entry means it didn't chart). It breaks down as follows...

Disc 1, 20 Tracks, 66:06 minutes:

1. You've Got To Have A Mother For Me - Pt. 1 (King 6223, unreleased)

2. The Little Groove Maker Me (King 6223 and King 6235, both unreleased

3. You Got To Have A Mother For Me (Long Version) (King 6223DJ, unreleased)

4. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) (Part 1)

5. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself) (Part 2)

Tracks 4 and 5 are the A&B-sides of King 6224, released March 1969 - Charted No. 3 R&B, No. 20 Pop

6. I Love You

7. Maybe I'll Understand

Tracks 6 and 7 are a King 45 (no catalogue no.) from April 1969 - available only through "Jet" magazine with a coupon

8. Any Day Now

9. I'm Shook (King 6235, unreleased)

10. The Popcorn

11. The Chicken (Tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B-sides of King 6240, May 1969 - charted No. 11 R&B and 30 Pop)

12. Mother Popcorn (You've Got To Have A Mother For Me) Part 1

13. Mother Popcorn (You've Got To Have A Mother For Me) Part 2

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of King 6245, May 1969 - charted No. 1 R&B and No. 11 Pop

14. Lowdown Popcorn

15. Top Of The Stack (Tracks 14 & 15 are the A&B-sides of King 6250, July 1969 - charted No. 16 R&B, 41 Pop)

16. World (Part 1)

17. World (Part 2) (Tracks 16 & 17 are the A&B-sides of King 6250, July 1969 - charted No. 16 R&B, No. 41 Pop)

18. Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn - Part One

19. Sometime (Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of King 6255, September 1969 - charted No. 2 R&B, No. 21 Pop)

20. I'm Not Demanding (Pt. 1) - King 6273 and 6322 unreleased - (Pt. 2) King 6273 unreleased

Disc 2, 19 Tracks, 66:40 minutes:

1. It's Christmas (Part 1)

2. It's Christmas (Part 2) - Tracks 1 & 2 are the A&B-sides of King 6277, October 1969 - both cuts non-album

3. Ain't It Funky Now (Part 1)

4. Ain't It Funky Now (Part 2)

Tracks 3 & 4 are the A&B-sides of King 6280, October 1969 - charted No. 3 R&B, No. 24 Pop

5. Popcorn With A Feeling

Track 5 is the B-side of Federal 12551 ("Soul President" is the A), October 1069 as by STEVE SOUL

6. Part Two (Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn)

7. Gittin' A Little Hipper (Part 2)

Tracks 6 and 7 are the A&B-sides of King 6275, November 1969 - first song to introduce the trumpet of Fred Wesley - later synonymous with the JB's and Brown's backing band

8. The Brother Got To Rap (Part 1)

9. The Brother Got To Rap (Part 2) - King 6285, unreleased

10. It's A New Day (Part 1) & (Part 2)

11. Georgia On My Mind

Tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B-sides of King 6292, January 1970 - charted No. 3 R&B, No. 32 Pop

12. Funky Drummer (Part 1)

13. Funky Drummer (Part 2)

Tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B-sides of King 6290, February 1970 - charted No. 20 R&B, No. 51 Pop

14. Let It Be Me - King 6293, April 1970 as VICKI ANDERSON and JAMES BROWN

15. Talkin' Loud And Saying Nothin' Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 - King 6300, King P6359 - unreleased

16. Bewildered - King 6300 unreleased, King 6310 released April 1970 as by JAMES BROWN

17. Brother Rapp (Part 1) & (Part 2)

Track 17 is the 2-Part A-side of King 6310, released April 1970 with Track 16 "Bewildered" as the B-side

Charted No. 2 R&B, No. 32 Pop

18. A Man Has To Go Back To The Crossroads

19. The Drunk

Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of Bethlehem 3098, June 1970 - B-side featured in the Falstaff Beer commercial and was written by DAVID MATTHEWS

Like all 11 Volumes in this Hip-O Select 2CD series, the 28-page booklet by noted JB expert and former tour manager ALAN LEEDS and is a joy to look at — a hugely informative read that's packed to the gills with track histories, concert posters, trade adverts, magazine covers and a thoroughly detailed recording Sessionography. Produced with affection and firsthand knowledge by HARRY WEINGER and ALAN LEEDS - the inlay beneath the see-through CD tray has an Apollo Theatre Advert for SOUL BROTHER No. 1 and his Show beginning Wednesday 10 December 1969. Photos include a King acetate for Brother Rapp, an Official Tour Program, the sign outside the International Hotel in Las Vegas advertising Brown as the headline act in January 1970, photos of him in his offices on the phone, snaps of him with key people like Promoter Bob Patton and nods to songwriters like Dave Matthews. There is even the King 45 (without catalogue number) for I Love You available only with coupons for a laundry detergent advertised in the top African American mag of the day. Cool and smart attention to detail that shows that both compilers know what fans want - for instance the song by song Sessionography in the last few pages provides master numbers, band personnel, 45 and LPs with catalogue numbers noted, Disc and Track location etc. For instance Notes will tell you that "Ain't It Funky Now" was mechanically sped up for the King 1092 LP version therefore differentiating the mixes for die-hard collectors. Its thorough and then some...

And again, as in previous issues, SETH FOSTER has transferred the first-generation master tapes for the single mixes and he's done a truly superlative job — warm, clear and fabulously alive. The Mono and Stereo music jumps out of the speakers at you — gorgeous sound. The only cut mastered from mint vinyl is "Let It Be Me" probably due to tape loss. The word "Limited Edition" is embossed in gold lettering on the rear inlay – numbers are not stated but presumably it's a worldwide limited edition of 5000 copies like its predecessor. Now to the music - a mixture of killer vs. filler, withdrawn tracks not usually heard and Fred Wesley making his mark...

Apart from some very famous late 60ts miniskirt jiggling Popcorn grooves and one legendary drum-break sample, is the number of unreleased and withdrawn 45s – and to my surprise – the properly great quality of them. There are eleven and this twofer opens with a cracking threesome – two mixes of "You Got To Have A Mother For Me..." with the Long Version clocking in at a pleasing 5:22 minutes while the cool "Groove Maker" would re reassigned to "Any Day Now" on King 6235 - itself cancelled though 35,000 RCA pressed copies made their way into the marketplace when King was liquidated in 1972. "Give me communication! Give me better books!", the great man shouts on his message song "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing..." - a wickedly good groove that deserved its No. 3 R&B chart placing (check out that Maceo Parker Sax Solo in Part 2). A King Records single with no catalogue number nor the usual JB face logo gives us the surprisingly good pairing of "I Love You" and "Maybe I'll Understand" - available only through a magazine mail-order promotion for Cold Power detergent - Jimmy Nolen's guitar flicks so damn good. A Bob Hilliard and Burt Bacharach song first covered by the classy Soul Man Chuck Jackson, "Any Day Now" is however the first clunker - it’s just awful and JB seemed to know it. Though it brought him into contact with arranger and songwriter David Matthews (features on Disc 2) - at least the flipside "I'm Shook" rescues the pairing.

But all of that is floored by the stunning twofer instrumental "The Popcorn" b/w "The Chicken" - both sides showcasing a lethal line-up of horn players tighter than a Vatican Tax Evasion form - Saxophonists Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, Fred Wesley on Trumpet with Guitarist Jimmy Nolen and Bassist Alfonzo Kellum (the B-side was written by Pee Wee Ellis). Yet even that masterclass is trumped by May 1969's No. 1 on King 6245 - "Mother Popcorn..." - a near two million selling belter bearing more than an uncanny resemblance to "Cold Sweat". Hell it even contains JB's officially longest scream. And New Breed Mods would surely shake a talcum-powdered tail-feather to the fab combo of "Lowdown Popcorn" b/w "Top Of The Stack" - a genuinely great A&B-side 45 presented here with fantastic audio. Guitarist Arthur Adams guest on JB's message song "World" that didn't take with the public as much as he hoped it would - perhaps his "...please give a damn..." lyrics coming over as too preachy. Quickly back to Funk business with the fabulous groove of "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn Part One" b/w "Sometime" - a brand new mini dress hip-wiggler that thoroughly deserved its No. 2 R&B chart placing.

Disc 2 only accentuates the realization that JB was relentless. The Funk just kept on coming. At times it appears he was actually released a 45 every single month - from the slow churchy organ of "It's Christmas Time" to the give-it-some rhythm section for "Ain't It Funky" complete with its 'hit me' break - Maceo slinking it that Horn Solo while drummer "Jabo" Sparks rap-scats with JB at the mike. Brown threw Flute into the superb groove of "Popcorn With A Feeling" (St. Clair Pickney is the player) - a single edit from the 13-minute jam for "Mother Popcorn" actually credited on the 45 label to Alabama DJ STEVE SOUL although he doesn't actually play on it at all.  With Part One still tearing up the charts, JB decided to issue Part Two of "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn" as an A-side with "Gittin' A Little Hipper (Part 2)" on the flipside but not surprisingly, it was overkill and got lost. In the final stretch I'd have to admit that the vocal duet with Vikki Anderson is another non-no for me but that's more than compensated by stunners like "Talkin' Loud...", "Brother Rapp" and the failure that wasn't a failure - "Funky Drummer" - a song with a legend and history akin to War and Peace. Although it made the relatively lowly spot of No. 20 on the R&B charts and No. 51 on Pop - when hippity-hoppity kids in the 80s and 90s went looking for 'breaks' - they found da biz-e-ness in Part 2 - when at 2:42 minutes (after JB's instructions) - Clyde

Stubblefield gives it some - 10-seconds of Funky Nirvana. Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Sinead O'Connor and George Michael are just some of the Dr. Dre types to have used the sample. And it ends on the forgotten but equally brilliant "A Man Has Got To Go Back To The Crossroads", a smoocher ballad similar to "It’s A Mans World..." of old. Fab...

By the end of the Seventies, James Brown wasn’t troubling the national charts too much - but at its outset and towards the tail-end of The Sixties (as evidenced here) - he still had tigers in his tanks and a new band/tight sound that would inspire and influence generations to come.

I've diligently collected this entire series of 11 x 2CD 'Singles' sets for JAMES BROWN - first released Stateside in September 2006 by Universal's highly collectable mail-order wing - Hip-O Select. Stunning is a word often overused - but on these wickedly good Remasters, it hardly does these twofer peaches justice. Volume 6 may have a few misses but the good stuff is absolutely corking (five stars) and for those wanting to know why Funk happened - its an absolute must own...

"The Woodstock Experience/I Got Dem 'Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" by JANIS JOPLIN (July 2009 Columbia/Legacy 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Dem 'Ol Kozmic Blues, Again..."

With two albums under belt fronting Big Brother & The Holding Company - it was time for the Texas Twister to unleash her debut - and like that State's tornado strewn landscape - it was an absolute smasher.

Released only three weeks after her Sunday 17 August 1969 appearance at Woodstock - "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" offered up eight tracks of Rock-Soul dynamite - a dark album fro sure but also wildly romantic in its ragged way. A mixture of four originals and four deftly chosen covers - it even sported Robert Crumb lettering on its rear artwork and a Janis mid-passion blurry shot for the front. 1969 was a huge year for her - a genuine star and force of nature - something she hammered on to the multitude at Yasger's Farm that famous weekend. Hardly surprising then that the album slots into this 5-title reissue series - "The Woodstock Experience" (see list below). And the live disc here sports three Previously Unreleased cuts. Let's get Kozmic...

UK released July 2009 - "The Woodstock Experience" by JANIS JOPLIN on Columbia/Legacy 88697 48243 2 (Barcode 886974824329) is a 2CD set celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the legendary Sixties festival (see list of other releases below) which couples Joplin’s "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" Columbia Records debut LP with a new CD of live recordings from the Sunday of that August weekend in 1969. It pans out as follows...

Disc 1 (37:24 minutes):

1. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder) [Side 1]

2. Maybe

3. One Good Man

4. As Good As You've Been To This World

5. To Love Somebody [Side 2]

6. Kozmic Blues

7. Little Girl Blue

8. Work Me, Lord

Tracks 1 to 8 are her Debut LP "I Got Dem 'Ol Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" - released September 1969 in the USA on Columbia KCS 9913 and October 1969 in the UK on CBS Records S 63546 in Stereo. Produced by GABRIEL MEKLER - it peaked at No. 15 on the US Rock LP charts, didn't chart UK.

Track 1 is a Chip Taylor and Jerry Ragovoy song first issued as a US 45 by Lorraine Ellison in April 1968 on Loma 2094

Track 2 is by Richard Barrett of The Valentines

Track 3 is by Janis Joplin

Tracks 4 and 8 are by Nick Gravenites of Big Brother & The Holding Company

Track 5 is by Robin and Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees

Track 6 is by Janis Joplin and album Producer Gabriel Mekler

Track 7 is a Rodgers and Hart cover

Disc 2 (58:16 minutes):

1. Raise Your Hand [Previously Unissued]

2. As Good As You've Been To This World [Previously Unissued]

3. To Love Somebody

4. Summertime

5. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)

6. Kozmic Blues

7. Can't Turn You Loose [Previously Unissued - Vocals by Cornelius "Snooky" Flowers]

8. Work Me, Lord

9. Piece Of My Heart

10. Ball And Chain

All songs recorded Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair, Sunday, 17 August 1969 (8-Track recordings)

Track 1 is an Eddie Floyd cover written Eddie Floyd-Steve Cropper-Al Bell

Tracks 2 and 8 by Nick Gravenites of Big Brother & The Holding Company, later with The Electric Flag

Track 3 is a Bee Gees cover written Barry and Robin Gibb; Track 4 is a George Gershwin cover

Track 5 is by Chip Taylor and Jerry Ragovoy song first issued as a 45 by Lorraine Ellison in April 1968 on Loma 2094

Track 6 is a Janis Joplin and Gabriel Makler song

Track 7 is an Otis Redding cover; Track 10 is a Big Mama Thornton cover

Track 9 is a Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns song first issued as a 45 by Irma Franklin in October 1967 on Shout S-221

Inside a textured-feel outer card slipcase are two oversized 5" hard card replica sleeves with sepia-feel inner bags (each with separate liner notes too -see photos provided). Both card repro sleeves are gorgeous to look at and the recording details/liner notes are impressively comprehensive. As with the other 4 releases in this series - the large foldout poster has a colour shot of the Woodstock crowd on one side (with the festival logo at the top) and for this Joplin one, a live shot of Janis on the flip (similar blur red photo to the LP cover). The album card sleeve even goes to the lengths of depicting the jigsaw-of-photos effect the original rear cover had - nice...

The packaging on all five of these "Woodstock Experience" issues is to my mind properly lovely. It feels and sounds classy. The Remaster of the album and the live stuff has been done by a vastly experience Audio Engineer – VIC ANESINI who has handled hugely prestigious catalogues like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Simon & Garfunkel, Santana, Mott The Hoople, The Jayhawks, Spirit and many more. The album is gorgeous and way more romantically inclined than I remember it. Her clever choice of covers too, that somehow now feel like, Janis songs. Some have complained about the audio on the live set and certainly on the three unreleased cuts, I can hear why they were left alone – the audio isn’t great and on their take on the Blues Brothers drive of Otis Redding’s "Can’t Turn You Loose" Snooky Flowers takes vocals and while he’s good – he’s not Janis. But don’t let any of that put you off. The other seven are fabulous. "To Love Somebody" is a great live recording – her vocals centred and clear. The opener of Eddie Floyd's "Raise Your Hand" has Janis is absolutely blistering form (she's waited 10 hours to hit the stage) – for sure the recorded vocal isn't great but what a performance. And the band's Funky Soul-Rock nature comes screaming through on the Blood, Sweat & Tears fire of "As Good As You’ve Been To This World".

Re-listening to the album and the lethal double-whammy of intense ballads like "Maybe" and her "One Good Man" and at times, the confessional style is even a mite hard to take. And that cover of Rodger and Hart's "Little Girl Blue" reeks of Blues and Whiskey – the backing group sounding like a STAX/VOLT Revue – swaying and swooning and funking their way through every song. Raw and emotional and in only October 1971 (after the equally cool and heartfelt "Pearl" LP of early 1971) - she’d be gone.

When you think of every Female Rock and R&B Singer whose ever had a set of lungs from Maggie Bell of Stone The Crows, Elkie Brooks of Vinegar Joe, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders right up to Macy Gray and Joss Stone – they would surely all nod a thank to Janis for smashing down the doors – 50 years ago.

A rather brill little reissue for me and in fact, the other four are the same. "...Treat me right..." - she pleaded as she sang, and I think Columbia/Legacy have...

The 5 titles "The Woodstock Experience" Series from July 2009 are:

1. Jefferson Airplane - uses the "Volunteers" album and has an 8-track live album recorded 17 Aug 1969 Catalogue No: RCA/Legacy 88697 48240 2 (Barcode 886974824022)

2. Janis Joplin - uses the "I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama!" debut album and has a 10-track live album recorded 17 Aug 1969. Catalogue No: Columbia/Legacy 88697 48243 2 (Barcode 886974824329)

3. Santana - uses the "Santana" debut album and has an 8-track live album recorded Saturday 16 Aug 1969. Catalogue No: Columbia/Legacy 88697 48242 2 (Barcode 886974824220)

4. Sly & The Family Stone - uses the "Stand!" album and has a 9-track live disc recorded 17 Aug 1969. Catalogue No: Epic/Legacy 88697 48241 2 (Barcode 886974824121)

5. Johnny Winter - uses the "Johnny Winter" album and has an 8-track live disc recorded 17 Aug 1969. Catalogue No: Columbia/Legacy 88697 48244 2 (Barcode 886974824428)

"Nashville Skyline" by BOB DYLAN - April 1969 US Album on Columbia Records (September 2003 UK Columbia Hybrid SACD In A Card Digipak and March 2004 Jewel Case Reissue – Greg Calbi Remaster) - A Review of his 1969 LP by Mark Barry...

"...I Reach For You..."

Recorded in haste in February and released April 1969 (he’d only 4 tunes when he started sessions apparently), Dylan's ninth studio album "Nashville Skyline" sort of stumbled out of the artistic blocks like a drunk in the early hours of the morning.

Ten short tunes (the CD runs to a paltry 27:13 minutes) one of which is a throwaway picker instrumental on Side 1 that could have been done by any Country fool to fill up shellac space - and you could be forgiven for thinking that in 2019 - this is yet another lightweight amble from the Bobster - here you go punters and screw you if you don't like it. But "Nashville Skyline" (photo of the same on the rear sleeve) is far from that – in fact I’d argue that the very brevity of NS is what makes it such a great listen – that and some of his most heartfelt and loveliest of tunes.

Following on from the Country-fied "John Wesley Harding" (issued December 1967) - 1969's "Nashville Skyline" seemed to be that album's more relaxed baby brother. Rock was everywhere, Blues Rock, Psych, early Prog and more – not that BD was listening. Indeed its known that Dylan contemplated calling it just that for a while - "John Wesley Harding II" - but sense prevailed. And with Johnny Cash's "At San Quentin" released just a few months later on 4 June 1969 and itself going to the unlikely No. 1 slot on both the Country and Rock charts – it seemed that Bob had been on the Musical Genre money all along.

But why do I love it so. Up alongside the monumental brilliance of "Bringing It All Back Home", the Nashville recorded double game-changer "Blonde On Blonde" and 1975's falling apart at the seems meisterwerk "Blood On The Tracks" - its the records easiness on the brain that makes me come back to it so much. And despite the gatefold slip of paper masquerading as an inlay (some nice colour period photos though) and zero discussion of the LP’s importance or even Johnny Cash’s involvement and poem on the rear sleeve dedicated to Dylan – this CD's upgraded audio made me fall in love with the album all over again.

"Nashville Skyline" is, and never has been, the audiophile recording of the century (many tracks are obviously done live in the studio and have intruding hiss) - but Greg Calbi's masterful transfer to SACD and CD is breathtaking - a genuine case of decades lifted and the beauty underneath allowed to shine. As I say – there is hiss – but the tunes are breathing – a fantastic warmth emanating off of each. These renditions are suddenly even more gorgeous and not weighed down by six to nine minutes of Dylan's Poet-God legend – their soothing nature is even more amplified. Our Bob is happy here, smiling on the cover, clutching George Harrison's guitar and sparring with the mighty Johnny Cash in the studio on their new cover of his "Freewheelin'..." classic "Girl From The North Country". He'd stopped smoking too and his voice was warmer and sexier for it. But it’s the plain and unadorned approach that thrills - songs sung with openness - devoid of endless showy rhyming couplets and slick production. Here Dylan is relaxed and damn it - happy. His crew too - beautifully following in from behind, filling in gaps with guitar licks, pedal steel, organ additions and other classily complimentary moments. Let's get to the Zim done good...

In the UK and Europe - there are two variants of the GREG CALBI REMASTER – the first is Columbia 512346 6 (Barcode 5099751234661) issued 15 September 2003 that is an SACD Hybrid Reissue in a card digipak. For those who don’t have SACD playback features on their machine – these Hybrid versions are playable on all players - standard CD players simply engaging the CD layer with the new Remaster. The second is the more common and still available standard Jewel Case reissue of 29 March 2004 on Columbia 512346 2 (Barcode 5099751234623). It has a gatefold slip of paper as an inlay (both have 27:13 minutes total playing time). The standard version can be purchased for under a fiver and is the one used in The Complete Albums Box Set too.

1. Girl From The North Country [Duet Vocals with Johnny Cash] - Side 1
2. Nashville Skyline Rag
3. To Be Alone With You
4. I Threw It All Away
5. Peggy Day
6. Lay Lady Lay - Side 2
7. One More Night
8. Tell Me That It Isn't True
9. Country Pie
10. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Tracks 1 to 10 are his 9th studio album "Nashville Skyline" - released April 1969 in the USA on Columbia CS 9825 (Stereo Only) and May 1969 in the UK on CBS Records M BGP 63601 (Mono) and S BGP 63601 (Stereo) – only the STEREO MIX is used. The album peaked at No. 3 on the US LP charts, but hit No. 1 in the UK. It was also his last album issued in Mono in the UK but is NOT featured in "The Original Mono Recordings" Box Set of October 2010 probably because it was a false fold-down master – that Box Set ends with the Mono Mix of "John Wesley Harding" from 27 December 1967 (USA).

To the sound – the much-praised and sought-after Audio Engineer GREG CALBI has handled mastering old and new for the catalogues of Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Supertramp, The Allman Brothers, KD Lang, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, James Taylor, Ryan Adams and his first band Whiskytown, Patti Smith, Jim White, Robert Gordon and many more – so he knows his way around a decent tape of two. A beautiful job done...

The album produced three 45s - April 1969 saw "I Threw It All Away" b/w "Drifter's Escape" (from "John Wesley Harding") on Columbia 4-44826 reach No. 85 in the USA (No. 30 in the UK) - July 1969 launched "Lay Lady Lay" b/w Peggy Day" on Columbia 4-44926 that smashed its way up to No. 7 and No. 5 on the US and UK charts respectively - and finally October 1969 produced "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" b/w "Country Pie" on Columbia 4-45004  - its equally sensual feel giving it a No. 50 placing in the States. In fact the album's most famous song "Lay Lady Lay" nearly never made it as a 45; a song that was commissioned for John Schlesinger’s film Midnight Cowboy but didn’t make it because of deadlines (Nilsson nailed it anyway with his cover of Fred Neil’s "Everybody’s Talkin’") - Dylan famously felt "Lay Lady Lay" was not that good - nor representative of his sound. But Columbia’s resident talent-spotting genius Clive Davis begged to disagree and his commercial instinct of course turned out to be spot on - to a point where in 2019 - a Bob Dylan Anthology or Best Of without that song would seem bare and lesser for it and probably elicit howls of derision from fans worldwide.

"To Be Alone With You" has beautiful audio and one of the album's quiet masterpieces surely has to be "I Threw It All Away" - a low-key heartbreak all the way to the chair squeak as it quickly fades out at the end. "Peggy Day" too - revealing audio - while over on Side 2 Bob is as lonesome as he can be on "One More Night", a tune whose stroll had more than a musical nod melody-wise to his Country heroes Hank Williams and Johnny Cash (Charlie Daniels picking some fab guitar). Our hero is left spurned in "Tell Me That It Isn't True" when his girly holds the hand of some handsome no-good - offset by the jovial "Country Pie" with an organ sound that's straight out a Trojan Reggae session over in England. The album ends on a high - "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" - a typical Dylan love song that has his heart in her hand while his free musician's foot is holding open the bedroom door.

Simple, touching, musical manna for the mangled soul - "Nashville Skyline" is a keeper and especially with audio like this for less than a packet of non-carcinogenic cigarettes (pleasurable but killer nonetheless)...

"Blood, Sweat And Tears" by BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS (December 2004 Repertoire Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue of Their 2nd Album – EROC Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Variations On A Theme..."

In 2019 the musical term 'Fusion' can have a myriad of overtones and even be overused. But 50 years back (yes the album is over half a century old) - fusion was the new buzzword and in the form of Blood, Sweat & tears – the dancing Rock-Jazz-Soul-Blues hybrid that took listeners everywhere by the musical ticklers.

BST's uber-cool debut "Child Is Father To The Man" from February 1968 on Columbia Records (USA) and July 1968 on CBS Records (UK) was a fabulous starter album with Al Kooper at the helm and hipster tunes galore (see separate review for the superb Legacy Edition CD Remaster). But when AK left to go solo (1969's "I Stand Alone" opened his long career account with aplomb) - BST needed a vocalist and maybe even a new direction – a bigger tapestry – and man did they hit pay dirt.

Al Kooper is a good singer (a little similar in tone to ex Zombies writer Colin Blunstone as one reviewer has already quite rightly noted) - but ragamuffin and reform school dropout David Clayton-Thomas was and is another kettle of angry trout. His is a great voice – not good – but great – and there is a real difference. British born but raised in Canada since the age of 3, DCT had left home at 14 (family fall-outs), troubled a few institutions in his teens and by the time he was approaching his twenties, had been hustling microphones at bars and dives where ever they’d let him. Not surprisingly, David gravitated not to the sun and sand of California, but the grit and sweat of the Big Apple.

Apparently tipped off by Elektra Records folky Judy Collins, one of BST's founder members Bobby Colomby went to see Clayton-Thomas in Greenwich Village and was duly floored. His growl, his passion, his full-throated delivery seemed to actually mimic the scream of the bombs that actually dropped on his London Air Raid shelter when he was being born! With Blues and Soul Music oozing out of his Rock swagger, coupled with like minded Jazz players in the band - it turned out the Canadian lad could also pen a neck-jerking tune – the mighty "Spinning Wheel". With him on board, the huge nine-piece band had the stage set.

Blood Sweat & Tears self-titled second LP "Blood, Sweat & Tears" issued in January 1969 on Columbia Records took the American charts by storm - hitting the number one spot soon after release and stayed there for seven weeks. When issued April 1969 in Blighty, it too managed a healthy No. 15 spot and has as of this year (2019) reputedly sold over 38 million copies worldwide. Spinning Wheel - turned around indeed. Here be the Variations On A Theme...

UK and German released December 2004 - "Blood, Sweat & Tears" by BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS on Repertoire Records RES 2324 (Barcode 4009910232422) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Two Bonus Live Tracks (recorded 1968 in NYC) in a card digipak packaging that plays out as follows (69:13 minutes):

Side 1:

1. Variations Of A Theme by Erik Satie 

(1st and 2nd Movements, Adapted from "Trois Gymnopedies")

2. Smiling Phases (Traffic cover - written by Chris Wood, Jim Capaldi and Stevie Winwood)

3. Sometimes In Winter (Steve Katz song)

4. More And More (Little Milton cover – written by Don Juan Mancha and Pee Vee)

5. And When I Die (Laura Nyro cover)

6. God Bless The Child (Billie Holiday cover)

Side 2:

7. Spinning Wheel (David Clayton-Thomas song)

8. You've Made Me So Very Happy (Brenda Holloway cover)

9. Blues - Part II (Blood, Sweat & Tears song)

10. Variations On A Theme by Erik Satie (1st Movement, Adapted from "Trois Gymnopedies")

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Blood, Sweat & Tears" - released January 1969 in the USA on Columbia CS 9720 (Stereo) and April 1969 in the UK on CBS Records M 63504 (Mono) and S 63504 (Stereo). The STEREO Mix is used for this CD. 

BONUS TRACKS:

11. More And More (Live)

12. Smiling Phases (Live)

Recorded live in 1968 at The Café Au Go Go in New York – first appeared on the Legacy Expanded Edition CD Reissue in 2000 as Bonuses

The album produced three monster singles all making the No. 2 slot in 1969 on the US Billboard charts - first out of the gate in February 1969 was "You've Made Me So Very Happy" b/w "Blues - Part 2" on Columbia 4-44776. The A and B-sides were both single edits - 3:26 and 5:26 minutes respectively where their album compatriots clocked in at 4:20 and a whopping 11:45 minutes for the expansive Blues jam. "You've Made Me So Very happy" had in fact been a 45 for Soul Siren Brenda Holloway on Tamla T-54155 in August 1967 but I'd argue that our boys improved it - the BST arrangement retaining its Soulful upbeat vibe while stamping their distinctive Brass-Rock sound on it (that final piano 'wanna thank you girl' portion gets me every time). Not surprisingly, US 45 number two was the huge "Spinning Wheel" b/w "More And More" in May 1969 on Columbia 4-44871 - and again both sides were single edits at 2:39 and 2:38 minutes respectively. The David Clayton-Thomas classic made No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts for two weeks. Last was their cover of Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" b/w "Sometimes In Winter" on Columbia 4-45008 with only the A being an edit at 3:26 minutes. I'd argue that it would have been better to have all five of the Single Edits as Bonus Tracks and not the two live cuts lazily taken off the Columbia 2000 reissue CD - but alas.

The card digipak mimics the original vinyl gatefold sleeve but the 12-page booklet expands the LP's story with new liner notes from noted writer CHRIS WELCH (of Melody Maker fame). There are photos, a potted history of the band and detailed recorded credits on the last few pages. The Audio Restoration and Remaster is by EROC at The Ranch and it sounds incredible. For sure the music is terribly dated in places (that Nyro cover has never been a fave of mine) but Audio lovers have always sought this platter out on MOFI and Japanese SHM-CD reissues - well Repertoire are up there with the best of them. The stunning "Blues - Part 2" track that dominates Side 2 only to segue into another clever instrumental take of Erik Satie's "Variations On A Theme" (1st Movement) is an example. When the band goes into "Spoonful" half way through, the sonic punch is a wow. Hell - you can almost forgive Steve Katz and his weak-kneed lead vocal on "Sometimes In Winter".

For sure after 50 years - certain elements of this 1969 platter are showing their 60ts hipster age - but it is also a milestone that deserved its Grammy for Best Album of the Year and warrants your spondulicks in 2019. "Blood, Sweat & Tears" would be followed by "3" in 1970 (another No. 1) and "4" in 1971 (No. 10) - but when Clayton-Thomas departed thereafter for the first of two cracking solo albums, the downward slide began. Remember them this way...