"Still Crazy After All These Years" by PAUL SIMON - October 1975 US LP on Columbia Records (2004 & 2011 UK Sony/Legacy 'Extended Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Get On The Bus, Gus..."

In 2015 Paul Simon has had a fourth number one album in an incredible (and at times choppy) career – albeit with a compilation that combines both Simon and Garfunkel with his Solo material for the first time. Which got in mind of the 15CD Box Set peach – "The Complete Albums Collection" and his 70ts output. The box gives you classy presentation, gorgeous remastered Audio and a wad of Previously Unreleased stuff for those who haven’t bought the previous reissues. It’s even turned up on sale of late with a price that will entice.

Which brings us to this 1975 peach. Like 1983's "Hearts And Bones" - I often feel his album "Still Crazy After All These Years" is an overlooked gem in a wildly distinguished career – yet another platter crammed full of classy tunes and complimentary productions. The man’s day job as intelligent generational spokesman seems in tact. Here are the Fifty Ways...

There are two ways to get the CD. The November 2011 UK and European issue on Sony/Legacy 88697819992 (Barcode 886978199928) is essentially a re-run of an American Remaster from 2004 with the two bonus tracks listed below (45:32 minutes). It can be bought on Amazon for around a fiver. But I'd argue that Paul Simon is such a good artist with such a consistent catalogue that you should go the few extra quid and seek out the October 2013 Box Set "The Complete Albums Collection" on Sony/Legacy 88691912922 (Barcode 886919129229). It's a 14-album/15CD Mini Box with 5” Repro Card Sleeves and beautiful VIC ANESNI Mastering. His is a name I seek out - Anesini has handled very prestigious SONY catalogue – Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Nilsson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Santana, Mountain, Lou Reed and The Jayhawks to name but a few. Clean – full of presence and warmth – this thing is a joy to listen too.

1. Still Crazy After All These Years
2. My Little Town [with Art Garfunkel]
3. I Do It For Your Love
4. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
5. Night Game
6. Gone At Last [with Phoebe Snow and the Jessy Dixon Singers] [Side 2]
7. Some Folks’ Lives Roll Easy
8. Have A Good Time
9. You’re Kind
10. Silent Eyes
Tracks 1 to 10 are the 4th studio album "Still Crazy After All These Years" by PAUL SIMON – released October 1975 on Columbia PC 33540 and in the UK on CBS Records S 86001.

BONUS TRACKS:
11. Slip Slidin' Away – Demo
12. Gone At Last – Original Demo with the Jessy Dixon Singers

The 62-page colour booklet of the Box Set is beautifully laid out – full track-by-track annotation (musicians, producers, studios etc) for every album. In-between the pages of info are period black and white photos – guitar on his back for “The Paul Simon Song Book” LP, the straw hat face shot for the “Paul Simon” LP and a live photo of Simon on stage with Ladysmith Black Mambazo before the credits for “Graceland”. As fans will already know many of the early albums were remastered in the 2000s by Ted Jensen and Vic Anesini – two names high on the list of those looking for quality audiophile. Produced by STEVE BERKOWITZ and BILL INGLOT, the whole box is listed as being mastering by VIC ANESINI at Sony Music Studios. There are also a couple of pages at the beginning by journalist ASHLEY KAHN on Simon’s long and prestigious career. Only one of the card sleeves is a gatefold (“There Goes Rhymin’ Simon”) and all have white rims around the front and rear artwork. A nice touch is that each CD is a picture disc (usually using the front cover artwork) and 37 Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks accompany the albums.

"Still Crazy After All These Years" opens with a sweet Barry Beckett keyboard tinkle where Paul informs us that he met his old lover on the street last night – they had a few bevvies and reminisced as to how they'd survived the emotional rollercoaster of life. He says "...I ain't no fool for love songs that whisper in my ears..." - but somehow you can't help but feel that Paul Simon is as big a mushball as the rest of us. And don't you just love that Mike Brecker Saxophone solo as it sails in like a great Steely Dan moment. At the time - stickers on the sleeve of the original vinyl LP made a big deal of "My Little Town" – the long-awaited reunion of Simon & Garfunkel in all but name. But the song always left me unmoved. 

Rehearing it however on this gorgeous remaster – I know warm to it better than I did (sweet harmonies). Sivuca plays Accordion and gives a Vocal Solo in the beautifully dishevelled "I Do It For Your Love" – a song with fabulous lyrics about a warm marriage on a rainy day and the drifting years that follow. A drum rattle introduces the witty "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" – where our Paul accepts a woman's help. She doesn't want to intrude but does want to sleep with him (he agrees her diagnosis is probably a good one). And that roll call of names like Sam, Gus and Roy leaving their lovers in varying ways still raises a smile (you can hear Phoebe Snow, Patti Austen and Valerie Simpson on Backing Vocals with Hugh McCracken playing Guitar). The extremely quite Baseball song "Night Game" plays softly before Toots Thielmans comes sailing in on his Harmonica - classy like Larry Adler.

Side 2 opens with the manic "Gone At Last" where Phoebe Snow and The Jesse Dixon Singers come sailing in to amazing effect (she carries the second verse on her own). It's the kind of Dixieland romp he had on the wonderful "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" album in 1973. Bob James plays sweet Keyboards on the ballad "Some Folks' Live Roll Easy" as Hugh McCracken picks Guitar and David Sanborn provides Saxophone. It's such a simple song but so damn good too. One of the album's hidden gems is “You're Kind” with Joe Beck playing sweet Guitar licks throughout – beautifully clear Production to. It ends on the almost Gospel piano and voice of "Silent Eyes" – Leon Pendarvis on the Piano with The Chicago Community Choir lending their backing vocals as he sings of Jerusalem weeping alone.

When the "Greatest Hits, etc." set turned up in 1977 – it had two fantastic new songs as an enticement for buyers – the sexily languid "Slip Slidin' Away" and the brassy bopper "Stranded In A Limousine". It won't take many fans any time to work out that the finished studio cut of "Slip Slidin' Away" is unfortunately conspicuous by its absence here (the studio version of "Stranded In A Limousine" is a Bonus Track on the "One-Trick Pony" CD). The Demo is fully formed as he starts it with "...just keep playing..." instructions to the players. But as nice as the Demo is – it's no substitute for the finished cut and is frankly a huge boo-boo on the blotter of this otherwise exemplary set. The "Gone At Last" Demo has The Jessie Dixon Singers on it and feels like an African chant as the drums patter and pace. Both are nice additions but with the two 'Greatest Hits' tracks AWOL – this CD would have been six stars and not five. But that core album is just so damn good...

"...Found a rug in an old junk shop...brought it home to you..." - Paul Simon sings on the beautifully crafted "I Do It For Your Love".

Seek out the Box Set version and bring this overlooked beauty into your home...

"The Other Side Of The River" by TERRY REID (2016 Future Days Recordings CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Things To Try..." 

I ripped the shrink-wrap off this sucker with the glee of a piranha that hasn't eaten for three weeks as a baby elephant unwisely decides to take a nice bath in the 'river'. I've loved Terry Reid's third album and Atlantic Records debut with a passion for near 45 years - so the idea that a whole sixty-minute CD's worth of outtakes and unheard songs from these sessions existed was always going to test my pacemaker to the limit.

Details first - Future Days Recordings are part of 'Light In The Attic Records' group (with a Rhino association on this release) - a hugely respected American reissue label that has brought the world fabulous reissues of forgotten meisterworks by people like Michael Chapman, Betty Davis, Big Jim Sullivan, Bobby Whitlock, Karen Dalton, Kris Kristofferson and their big baby - Rodriguez (see my reviews for most of these artists and the Rodriguez film "Searching For Sugar Man"). Produced for release by experts PAT THOMAS and MARK BLOCK (they've also provided the superlative song-by-song liner notes) - the material has been licensed from Rhino and the analogue original tapes Researched by BILL INGLOT and MIKE JOHNSON, Multi-Track Mixing by BRIAN KEHEW with the final Remaster carried out by JOHN BALDWIN at John Baldwin Mastering.

USA and UK released Friday, 20 May 2016 - "The Other Side Of The River" by TERRY REID on Future Days Recordings/Rhino Custom Products FDR 629 (Barcode 826853062923) is a 11-track CD compilation offering six never-before-heard outtakes and five Alternate Versions of songs from the "River" sessions recorded in 1973 in two countries. EDDIE OFFORD (associated with Yes, ELP and Taste) recorded and produced the initial sessions in London (Advision and Olympic Studios) followed by TOM DOWD in Miami and Los Angeles (famously produced huge swathes of the Atlantic Records catalogue including Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin). All are Previously Unreleased and play out as follows (61:03 minutes):

1. Let's Go Down - Previously Unreleased Song
Features Bassist LEE MILES from the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, Drummer ALAN WHITE of YES and Guitarist DAVID LINDLEY (ex Kaleidoscope)
2. Avenue (F Boogie) - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
London recording taken by Tom Dowd in the USA and overdubbed with the Ike & Tina Turner singers THE IKETTES
3. Things To Try – Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
Features Terry on Acoustic and David Lindley on Electric Guitar
4. Country Brazilian Funk - Previously Unreleased Song
Features Lee Miles, Terry Reid on Vocals and Gilberto Gil's 'The Brazilians' play Percussion
5. River - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
Features Lee Miles, Terry Reid on Vocals and Latin Percussionist Willie Bobo
6. Listen With Eyes - Previously Unreleased Song
Features Lee Miles on Bass, Terry Reid on Acoustic and Willie Bobo on Percussion
7. Anyway - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
Features Alan White of Yes on Piano - no Vocals
8. Celtic Melody - Previously Unreleased Song
Acoustic Instrumental recorded in London
9. Funny - Previously Unreleased Alternate Take
Features David Lindley on Pedal Steel Guitar and is one-minute longer than the version that turned up in 2006
10. Late Night Idea - Previously Unreleased Song
Recorded in Hollywood by Tom Dowd - Terry Reid on Steinway piano alone
11. Sabyla - Previously Unreleased Song
Features Lee Miles on Piano and Terry Reid on Lead Guitar

The gatefold card sleeve comes with a fab 16-page booklet featuring PAT THOMAS and MATT BLOCK liner notes. Entitled 'Many Rivers To Cross' – the prelude essay gives a potted history on Terry's career and hassles with Mickey Most's two-album lock down at the beginning of his career. But the details excel in the song by-song breakdowns (I've filled out the entries above from these). There are four photos of Advision and Olympic Sound Studios tape boxes and a snap on the front cover of Terry looking like a vagrant needing a good wash, a haircut and a real job. Odd though that the centre gatefold is blank - no photos guys?

The AUDIO is fantastic – the whole thing feeling like a well-recorded yet ramshackle Rolling Stones session – people feeling for a song – for a vibe – trying things out. It isn't all genius for damn sure but for lovers of the album "The Other Side Of The River" is going to be a thrill ride they will need in their life. And there's also a tangible sense of pride and excitement from the FDR compilers as well as Terry's amazed and bemused involvement with something that happened over 40 years ago (his comments feature a lot in the notes).

"Let's Go Down" was apparently a spontaneous jam and is probably the most exciting Rock track on the CD – a fabulous kicker of a song with amazing Production values and the band making every instrument wail and howl (Violin, Guitar and Brass). At 6:48 minutes – it's a very cool opening. Just as good is the Alternate of "Avenue" which features The Ikettes to stunning effect - making you wonder why they weren't included on the finished album version. But for me the goose bumps race up the arms on "Things To Try" - a more chilled version with amazing Production values as the acoustic guitars and drums assault your speakers (that gutteral vocal clear and powerful). "Country Brazilian Funk" is just odd - a six-hundred mile-an-hour guitar driven piece of drum battering that must have been fun to record but feels out of place with the mellow of the original album. Far better is the spoken count-in 'one-two...you know what to do...' to an Alternate "River" - a gorgeous ambler with beautifully clear Bass and Acoustic and a sexy vocal from Reid (feels like Santana on a chill with a great singer at the mike). The unissued "Listen With Eyes" again has that Jose Feliciano Latin acoustic guitar feel - a laid-back ballad with Willie Bobo guesting - very, very nice.

Some wonderful geezer studio chatter precedes the acoustic strum of "Anyway" and with Alan White's lovely barrelhouse piano complimenting the background - it already feels like a classic Ronnie Lane and Slim Chance beauty that you know you're going to love forever. He hums half way through (instead of lyrics) and it’s a crying shame there isn't a take with finished words (gorgeous stuff and 5:41 minutes long). "Celtic Melody" is only 1:35 minutes and consist mainly of hissy stops and starts on the Acoustic - but it shows his creative process - just playing and as his comments in the liner notes confirm - just 'making s*** up' as he went along. Back to the real deal with a fabulous Alternate "Funny" that runs to a whopping 8:06 minutes - apparently a minute longer than the mix that turned up on the 2006 CD compilation. He lets rip with that amazing voice as the acoustic and soft guitars keep it very mellow in-between. "Late Night Idea" is an accident - a work in progress never completed. Recording at Wally Heider's studio in Hollywood - Terry came upon a Steinway Grand piano and with Dowd letting the tapes roll - he sat down and played this intimate amble. It ends on "Sabyla" – an aimless meandering piano and guitar instrumental that the liner notes contend could have been a 70ts TV show theme (with a lot of a polish boys maybe).

So there you have it – "The Other Side Of The River" by Terry Reid is not all brill by any stretch - but man those good bits have me knobbling at the knees. And at my age I'm glad to be knobbling at anything...

"Crying" by ROY ORBISON (2006 and 2010 Monument/Legacy 'Extended' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Love Hurts...Love Scars..."

Having established his vocal credentials with December 1960's debut LP "Roy Orbison Sings Lonely And Blue" (a legendary Audiophile creation -especially in Stereo) – it was time for sucker-punch number two. Rising to No. 21 on the US Pop charts – the Big 'O' gave us another masterpiece of pleading, needing and general lovelorn weepiness – 1962's "Crying".

Re-listening to it in 2016 on this fab little CD and you’re struck by the awesome Audio, the sheer classiness of the songwriting and his battle weary persona – a strangely warm and accessible thing that seemed to straddle that thin line between young love's emotional highs vs. bottomless heartbreak and still come out smelling of roses.

Like its famous predecessor – Monument 4007 is a wickedly good little album with monster hits like "Crying” and “Running Scared”. And by throwing in clever bonus cuts like the killer B-side "Candy Man" and the non-album 45 of "Dream Baby" - this tasty Sony Legacy CD reissue/remaster does the old doll super proud. No one is running scared from this one. Get ready with that boxes of tissues...here are the details...

UK and Europe released October 2006 – "Crying" by ROY ORBISON on Monument/Legacy/Sony BMG 82876 85574 2 (Barcode 828768557426) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (41:20 minutes):

1. Crying

2. The Great Pretender

3. Love Hurts

4. She Wears My Ring

5. Wedding Day

6. Summer Song

7. Dance [Side 2]

8. Lana

9. Loneliness

10. Let's Make A Memory

11. Nite Life

12. Running Scared

Tracks 1 to 12 are his second album "Crying" - released April 1962 in the USA on Monument M 4007 (Mono) and Monument SM 14007 (Stereo) and May 1962 in the UK on London HA-U 2437 (Mono only). Produced by FRED FOSTER – the STEREO Mix is used for the CD.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Candy Man

Track 13 is the non-album B-side of "Crying" – released August 1961 in the USA on Monument MO 447 and September 1961 in the UK on London 9405. Beverley Ross and Elektra Records Folk singer Fred Neil co-wrote "Candy Man".

14. Let The Good Times Roll

Track 14 is the non-album A-side of a November 1965 USA 7" single on Monument 45-906 (it was recorded at the November 1961 sessions but not used until 1965). It peaked at No. 81 on the US singles charts.

15. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)

Track 15 is the non-album A-side of a February 1962 USA 7" single on Monument 45-456 (written by Cindy Walker). It was issued February 1962 in the UK as "Dream Baby" on London HLU 9511 also with "The Actress" as its B-side.

16. The Actress

Track 16 is the non-album B-side to "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" in both the USA and UK. Roy Orbison and Joe Melson wrote it. 

MUSICIANS:

GUITARS – Harold Bradley, Hank Garland, Grady Martin, Boudleaux Bryant, Scotty Moore, Fred Carter Jr., Ray Edenton and Joe Tanner

TRUMPET – Carl Garvin and Cam Mullins

SAXOPHONE – Harry Johnson and Boots Randolph

HARMONICA – Charlie McCoy

PIANO – Floyd Cramer and Bill Pursell

BASS – Bob Moore

DRUMS – John Greubel and Buddy Harman

VIOLA - Howard Carpenter

CELLO – Bryan Bach

VIOLINS – Brenton banks, George Binkley III, Aileen Fentress, Solie Fott, Lillian Hunt, Jane Norris, Vernal Richardson, Wilda Tinsley and Dorothy Walker

BACKING VOCALS – Joe Melson and The Anita Kerr Singers

Although it has a pair of sepia-tinted Roy photos discussing something on a phone – apart from the repro of Boudleaux Bryant’s liner notes – there is naught else by way of history or discussion (more’s the pity). The booklet is pretty to look at admittedly but such a shame that Sony and compiler GREG GELLER didn’t stretch out a tad with the info (he deserved more). There's also another sepia photo of Roy beneath the see-through CD tray.

But all of that is naught to the truly beautiful CD Audio you get the second you start playing the expertly crafted songs. VIC ANESINI did the Remasters at Sony Studios in New York – and he's a name I've sung the praises of before. Anesini has handled very prestigious SONY catalogue – Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Nilsson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carole King, Janis Joplin, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Santana, Mountain, Paul Simon, Lou Reed and The Jayhawks to name but a few. Clean – full of presence and warmth – this thing is a joy to listen too. And even if the strings and Anita Kerr Singers do tend to over dramatize some of the songs – Orbison's voice is a thing of wonder throughout. It's also one of those reissues that become vastly enhanced by the addition of four smartly chosen and apt bonus tracks - the chipper "Candy Man" B-side and the beautifully arranged pleader "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)". 

Like the "...Only The Lonely" LP – this album opens with a mighty misery tune – our hero telling us that he was alright for a while until she stopped to say hello (women do these sort of cruel things). The audio on this mini masterpiece is (if you'll forgive the pun) – monumental – and all the more impressive to see that like much of the album the song is penned by Roy with his songwriting buddy of choice – Joe Melson. Buck Ram gave The Platters "The Great Pretender" and here Roy lays on the ache again – so too with Boudleaux Bryant's Everly Brothers hit "Love Hurts". Roy also penned the proud marital song "She Wears My Ring" – a staccato drum rumble pacing out her devotion. A wash of strings at the beginning of "Summer Song" threatens to drown the Roy Orbison/Joe Melson tune in a sea of maudlin – but then great voice and rhythm kicks in and it turns out to be one of the album's highlights.

Time to up the pace - so Roy and Joe open Side 2 with a 60ts hipshaker - their wickedly good "Dance" - a sax solo song that could surely have been another top ten hit. "Lana” is cute but somehow too poppy for its own good – better is his string melodrama of "Let's Make A Memory" and the double whammy finishers – a cha-cha "Night Life" and the fantastic teenage angst of "Running Scared" - a song that lets the full 'Big O' persona surface – hitting those great notes as the song climaxes. The four Bonus Tracks turn out to be just that – all killer and no filler. "Candy Man" is a favourite flip for Roy fans while the Harmonica and saxophone driven "Let The Good Time Roll" was probably too similar to other songs so left in the can only to be retrieved as a 45 in own right in 1965. And both "Dream Baby..." and "The Actress" is a superb 45 combo...

A sweetheart of a release then and one that boasts exceptional Audio - classy like the great man himself - and all of it done in conjunction with the Roy Orbison Estate.

"...I could smile for a while..." - Roy sang on "Crying". I agree...

PS: This CD has been reissued May 2010 in the USA using the same Monument/Legacy catalogue number of 82876 85574 2- but with a different barcode of 886977079023 – same tracks and same annotation

"A Woman, A Lover, A Friend/Body And Soul" by JACKIE WILSON (1999 Edsel 2LPs on 1CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Sad And Lonely..."

"...Sure I'm crazy in love with you..." - Jackie Wilson croons on "Crazy She Calls Me" - wrapping his amazing voice around lush strings and ever so sweet as mom's apple pie lyrics. And that's what you get here - two albums filled with crooner tunes all wrapped up with orchestration and quality Brunswick Records production values. Those looking for his bopping R&B 'Mr. Excitement' persona should look elsewhere. Worse – no matter how much you may hold him in affection - that first album is dreadfully dated – weighed down with heavy-handed saccharine arrangements. But the second crooner-album "Body And Soul" is a ballads sweetheart - criminally forgotten across the decades. Here are the Blue Moons and the Rivers of Tears...

UK released March 1999 - "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend/Body And Soul" by JACKIE WILSON (subtitled 'Jackie Wilson In New York') on Edsel DIAB 882 (Barcode 740155488222) offers two 60ts LPs onto 1 CD and plays out as follows (66:50 minutes):

1. A Woman, A Lover, A Friend

2. Your One And Only Love

3. You Cried

4. The River

5. When You Add Religion To Love

6. One Kiss

7. Night [Side 2]

8. (You Were Made for) All My Love

9. Am I The Man

10. Behind the Smile Is A Tear

11. We Kissed

12. (So Many) Cute Little Girls

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 5th album "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" - released November 1960 in the USA on Brunswick BL 54059 (Mono) and BL 754059 (Stereo) - Stereo mix is used.

13. Body And Soul

14. I Don't Know You Anymore

15. I Apologize

16. I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)

17. The Greatest Hurt

18. I'll Always Be In Love With You

19. Crazy She Calls Me

20. The Tear Of The Year

21. Blue Moon

22. I'll Be Around

23. There'll Be No Next Time

24. We'll Be Together Again

Tracks 13 to 24 are his 8th album "Body And Soul" - released April 1962 in the USA on Brunswick BL 54105 (Mono) and BL 754105 (Stereo) - Stereo Mix is used

The 12-page booklet has affectionate liner notes from ALAN ROBINSON (including original LP notes) explaining the 'crooner' nature of both albums - DICK JACOBS arranged and conducted on "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" while BOB MERSEY did the "Body And Soul" album. There are no other mastering notes nor musician credits nor photos - but the Audio is very clean and full.

The first album has some awful slush on it - dramatic strings and a chorus introduce the MOR "Your One And Only Love" and unfortunately that heavy-handed manner continues for almost every song. Whether you love Jackie Wilson or not - its hard to take schlock like "When You Add Religion To Love" where he sounds like Elvis singing MOR for the sake of filling up the grooves. The hits "Night" and "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" are lovely and "One Kiss" shows some of that old dancing R&B magic but again it’s cluttering up with those incessant backing singers.

Far better is the "Body And Soul" LP where Mersey wisely strips back the singers and clutter and leaves just the strings caressing his voice. This allows Jackie to breath and for the listener to actually hear his singing. It's immediately evident on the lovely "Body And Soul" - his voice soaring in echo - actually Soulful as those final notes fade out. Mid-tempo numbers like "I Don't Know You Anymore" and "I Apologize" are a little samey but you can't deny those great vocals as the drum softly shuffles over his swooping voice. He gets deeply Soulful on "The Tear Of The Year" where he cried buckets last night. Robinson's liner notes are right to point out the vocal gymnastics in his cover of the perennial "Blue Moon" - swooping and swooning like a goodun - very impressive stuff. It ends on the deeply sentimental "We'll Be Together Again" where a lone George Shearing-like piano plinks in the background as Jackie waxes lyrical about 'smiles' and 'begging with your heart'...

You could call this Jackie Wilson's Lounge Room Satin Suit period - but I'd still argue that 1962's "Body And Soul" LP is a very warm reminder of his immense vocal skills...

"Ray Charles and Betty Carter/Dedicated To You" by RAY CHARLES and BETTY CARTER (1998 Rhino 2LPs on 1CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Baby, It's Cold Outside..." 

Both of these albums were done 'live-in-the-studio' – no overdubs, no editing, no added on technology. And re-listening to them in 2016 is a jaw-dropping experience. Not only was their timing and vocal phrasing so completely on the money every time they stepped up to the mike – the musicianship of people like Bill Pittman on Guitar, Edgar Willis on Bass and Mel Lewis on Drums is top notch throughout.

The "Ray Charles And Betty Carter" LP has been a fan fave for years – great chemistry with the tune-choices to match. What you get is a Jazz Vocals LP with a little touch of Swing and even Big Band. Two sweet yet deep voices caressing a bunch of standards - making you feel like their singing to only you as you ready to hit that cocktail bar in your finest duds. Rhino has also tagged on another 1961 Ray Charles solo platter “Dedicated To You” - but it feels to me like a burden rather an enhancement after the main dish. Here are the tunesome twosomes...

USA released April 1998 – "Ray Charles And Betty Carter/Dedicated To You" by RAY CHARLES and BETTY CARTER and RAY CHARLES on Rhino R2 75259 (Barcode 081227525927) is part of their 'Ray Charles 50th Anniversary Collectors Series' and offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD that plays out as follows (77:58 minutes):

1. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

3. You And I

4. Intro: Goodbye/We'll Be Together Again

5. People Will Say We're In Love

6. Side By Side

7. Baby, It's Cold Outside [Side 2]

8. Together

9. For All We Know

10. Takes Two To Tango

11. Alone Together

12. Just You, Just Me

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Ray Charles And Betty Carter" - released July 1961 in the USA on ABC-Paramount ABC 341 (Mono) and ABCS 341 (Stereo) - the STEREO Mix is used. Produced by SID FELLER and Arranged by MARTY PAICH - the album peaked at 52 on the US LP charts.

13. Hardhearted Hannah

14. Nancy

15. Margie

16. Ruby

17. Rosetta

18. Stella By Starlight

19. Cherry

20. Josephine

21. Candy

22. Marie

23. Diane

24. Sweet Georgia Brown

Tracks 13 to 24 are the album "Dedicated To You" – released July 1961 in the USA on ABC-Paramount ABC 355 (Mono) and ABCS 355 (Stereo) – STEREO Mix is used. Produced by SID FELLER and Arranged by MARTY PAICH - the album peaked at No. 11 on the US LP charts.

The 12-page booklet combines new notes from ALAN SWYER regarding the recordings – the original LP liner notes for both albums and the usual reissue credits along with other Charles stuff on Rhino. But as pretty as the booklet looks – it’s the Sound that blows you away. Love and care went into the Audio restoration – TERRY HOWARD carried out Transfers, Balancing and re-Calibration at RPM International Studios with DOUG SAX joining him on the Remasters. Using first generation tapes - the sound is gorgeous – full of presence and warmth - the Stereo beautifully balanced.

She might take her time arriving in the opening shuffler "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" – but Carter sings towards the end – it's obvious there is magic in this combo of talents. "...Don't throw bouquets at me...don't please my folks too much...' - Betty teases in the high-hat fun of "People Will Say We're In Love". But I prefer the "Come Rain Or Shine" sexiness of "Cocktails For Two" where Brother Ray plinks on those keys like he's had one too many whiskey shots whilst still having an eye for the ladies. The rapid-paced big band bombast of "Side By Side" is pretty awful – an unwelcome change of pace. Thankfully its quickly forgotten when the magical "Baby, It's Cold Outside" shimmies into your living room wearing a negligee that leaves little to the imagination – the two singers playing off those pleading and coy lines. She purrs not to convincingly that "...father will be pacing the floor..." - but an understanding ray counter-coos with "...listen to that fire roar...baby, it's cold outside" – great fun.

The solo LP "Dedicated To You" has a different girl's name in each song title but unfortunately schlock like "Nancy" is all slush-strings and syrupy sentiment (but in a bad way). The whole LP is packed with this and fans of his Atlantic R&B period would find most insipid and even beneath him. The running order varies the theme from big brassy tune ("Margie") to smoocher ("Ruby") – the strings washing around the mix like it's a Nat King Cole album. The instrumental "Josephine" feels like an old-time Jazz Band in a late night bar before they get too sozzled as Ray plinks along to the shuffling rhythm section (amazing audio). Songs like "Marie" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" are big and loud jazz but despite the awesome transfer – they leave me longing for the intimacy of the Betty Carter duets LP.

A quality CD reissue from Rhino that boasts exceptional Audio, nice presentation and value-for-money playing time – even if all the material doesn't quite live up to the "Ray Charles And Betty Carter" project...