"Street Corner Symphonies Volume 1: 1939-1949" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2012 Bear Family CD – Marcus Heumann Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…If I Didn’t Care...Would I Feel This Way..."

Hot on the heels of their definitive "Blowing The Fuse" and "Sweet Soul Music" CD Series (15 volumes to each genre of R'n'B and Soul) comes Bear Family’s Vocal Group attack - 15 discs spanning 1939 to 1963. Volumes 1 to 10 hit the shops in May and October 2012 and the last five in the spring of 2013. And while critics

will argue that Vocal Group music has already been done to death by Rhino (3 x 4CD Box Sets across the decades) and a mountain of other cheapo labels taking advantage of the 50-year copyright law - this is the first time someone reputable (other than Rhino) have had a go - and typically these German-issued Bear Family CDs are gorgeous in all the right places - presentation and audio. You get 30 tracks and a format-incredible total playing time of 87:09 minutes. Time to 'cover the waterfront'...with 'memories that never die'...

Released May 2012 in Germany - "Street Corner Symphonies Volume 1: 1939-1949" on Bear Family BCD 17279 AR (Barcode 4000127172792) breaks down as follows (I've provided American 78" catalogue numbers on all tracks – those with two or more catalogue numbers are reissues in the same year – 87:09 minutes):

1. If I Didn't Care – THE INK SPOTS (1939, Decca 2286, A)

2. I Miss You So – THE CATS and THE FIDDLE (1940, Bluebird 8429, B-side to “Public Jitterbug No. 1”)

3. Till Then – THE MILLS BROTHERS (1944, Decca 18599, A)

4. I Learn A Lesson, I'll Never Forget (1944, Beacon 7120, A)

5. Sentimental Reasons – DEEK WATSON (1945, Manor 1009, A)

6. Play Jackpot – DUSTY BROOKS and His Four Tones (1945, Memo 1001, A)

7. Atom And Evil – THE GOLDEN GATE QUARTET (1946, Columbia 37236, A)

8. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' – THE DELTA RHYTHM BOYS (1946, Decca 18739, A)

9. I Know – THE JUBALAIRES with Andy Kirk and His Orchestra (1946, Decca 18782, A)

10. I Sold My Heart To The Junk Man – THE BASIN STREET BOYS (1946, Exclusive 225, A)

11. I Cover The Waterfront – THE CATS 'N' JAMMER THREE (1946, Mercury 2003, A)

12. My Baby – THE MELODY MASTERS (1946, Apollo 379, A)

13. I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder – THE FOUR ACES (1946, Trilon 143, A)

14. P. S. I Love You – THE FOUR VAGABONDS (1947, Apollo 1057, A)

15. Ol' Man River – THE RAVENS (1947, National 9035, A)

16. Don't You Think I Oughta Know – BILL JOHNSON and His Musical Notes (1947, Harlem 1011/Queen 4171/King 4171, A)

17. I'm All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart – THE FIVE BARS (1947, Bullet 1009, A)

18. Solitude – THE SCAMPS (1947, Modern Music 550, A)

19. After Awhile – THE BIG THREE TRIO (1947, Columbia 37893/30103, A)

20. It's Too Soon To Know – THE ORIOLES (1948, It’s A Natural 5000/Jubilee 5000, A)

21. Recess In Heaven – THE DEEP RIVER BOYS (1948, RCA Victor 20-3203, A)

22. Loch Lomond – THE ROCKETS (1948, Aladdin 3017, A)

23. Go Long – THE DIXIEAIRES (1948, Gotham 163, A)

24. It Takes A Long Tall Brown Skinned Gal – THE FOUR BLUES (1948, Apollo 398, A)

25. You're Heartless – THE FOUR TUNES (1949, RCA Victor 22-0024/50-0008, A)

26. A Kiss And A Rose – THE CHARIOTEERS (1949, Columbia 38438, A)

27. Wrapped Up In A Dream – THE FOUR KNIGHTS (1949, Coral 60046, A)

28. River Stay Away From My Door – THE SYNCOPATORS (1949, National 9095, A)

29. If It's So Baby – THE ROBINS (1949, Savoy 726, A)

30. I've Been A Fool – THE SHADOWS (1949, Lee 200, A)

The 82-page non-detachable booklet is a feast of indepth liner notes on each release by Grammy-winning writer and lifelong fan BILL DAHL. Let's put it this way - there's a 'Photo Captions' index on Page 81 that tells who's who in the black and white publicity shots that accompany most (not all) of the photos. It actually lists the singer's names  - who else but Bear would do this? The text is peppered with pictures of those old American 78s on long-forgotten labels like National, Gotham, Bullet, Apollo, Memo, Beacon and Bluebird. You get trade adverts and concert posters for The Ink Spots, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Bill Samuels, The Four Vagabonds and The Four Blues. The CD repros the rare "I'm All Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" by The Five Bars on Bullet and the spine makes up a single photograph of the series name when you line up all 15 volumes alongside each other on a shelf. Long-standing and trusted names like Walter DeVenne, Nico Feuerbach, Victor Pearlin, Colin Escott and Billy Vera have been involved in the research - while Audio Engineer MARCUS HEUMANN did the superb mastering (some Disc/Metalpart transfers by Victor Pearlin and Lothar Blank). The sources (as you can imagine) differ wildly but to my ears the sound quality is improved on everything that I've heard before (including some of the Rhino box sets). The audio and presentation are top-class here (a norm for Bear Family)...

With a huge 30 tracks and a format-busting playing time of 87:09 minutes – you certainly can't accuse this CD of scrimping it. Volume 1 in the series of 15 opens with a died-in-the-wool 1938 classic famously used in the opening scene of Frank Darabont's 1994 movie masterpiece "The Shawshank Redemption". The character Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sat drunk in his car at night with a gun in hand. He knows that his wife is inside the house ahead of him with another man as he listens to The Ink Spots on the radio sing their nostalgic love song "If I Didn't Care'. Both it and the following two lullabies precursor Fifties Vocal Groups by a decade – "I Miss You So" by The Cats And The Fiddle and "Till Then" by The Mills Brothers – and the opening three sound utterly astonishing in their clarity. All that goes out the window with "I Learned A Lesson, I'll Never Forget" which has clearly been dubbed from a badly worn disc (shame because it's a sweetheart of a tune).

I've always had a thing for "Sentimental Reasons" which Linda Ronstadt covered so beautifully on her 1986 album "'Round Midnight" (also used in the Julia Roberts/Richard Gere soundtrack to "The Runaway Bride" in 1999) and often wondered who did the original? Well here it is. Fronted by ex Ink Spots Tenor Ivory 'Deek' Watson and written by their Baritone/Guitarist William 'Pat' Best – it's another rough transfer – but a fabulous inclusion – scratchy or no. A welcome lyrical wit kicks in with the slot-machine song "Play Jackpot" where our hero wisely advises his listeners to "...pull down the lever and see what you got..." (it also boasts great audio despite the barely audible crackle in the background). The same brill audio applies to a genuinely astonishing find – an anti nuclear song cut a year after Enola Gay dropped its horrible cargo. It's called "Atom And Evil" wherein The Golden Gate Quarter solemnly warn us that if "...Atom and Evil should ever be wed...then damn near all of us are gonna be dead..." (so true).

Duke Ellington's "Just A-Sittin' And A Rockin'" as sung by The Delta Rhythm Boys features the gorgeous Lead Vocals of Otho 'Lee' Gaines – said to have massively influenced a singer beloved by all Vocal Group collectors – Jimmy Ricks of The Ravens. And you can hear why Ricks was so enamoured – Gaines' deep velvet tone lift every song to another place. Fabulous clarity returns with "I Know" by The Jubalaires where Andy Kirk fronts amazing Brass and Guitar. The gorgeous standard "I Sold My Heart To The Junk Man" is represented here by a clean-as-a-whistle transfer for The Basin Street Boys where Ormond Wilson sadly tells all his lady friends that "...he'll never fall in love again...” (though I've heard they’re not so sure). Two very rough transfers come at you next – "Cover The Waterfront" and "My Baby" and while the lovely melodies impress – there's no escaping the fact that the wall of cackle and clicks make them hard going as a listen.

Better is "P.S. I Love You" sung by Lead Tenor John Jordan of The Four Vagabonds – as lovely and as nostalgic a tune as a filmmaker could wish for. A welcome bopper arrives in sparkling form as the awesome Bass Singer Jimmy Ricks does that Jerome Kern classic "Ol' Man River" for The Ravens – thankfully keeping it upbeat - the suffering explored in the song somehow pushed into the background. Two more beautiful melodies "Don't You Think I Oughta Know" by Bill Johnson and "I'm Dressed Up With A Broken Heart" by The Five Bars are badly wrecked – but they're such gorgeous songs and strong performances – I can fully understand their inclusion is not just about rarity value. Thankfully the clarity on The Scamps version of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" is fabulous – piano and voices like they were in the room. The Big Three Trio liven things up with "...Hey Mo! Tell old Tom...hurry on down...the party is on...were gonna drink a little whiskey...after awhile..."

Things go into the legendary with "It's Too Soon To Know" by The Orioles fronted by the suave and silver-toned Sonny Til - a sex symbol of the day for African-American teenage girls (the equally terrific George Nelson holds the second half of the song sounding not unlike a young Louis Armstrong). Another professing-my-love "my angle, my dear" song comes in the sweet shape of The Deep River Boys singing "Recess In Heaven" while the vocal bopper "Loch Lomond" assures us that The Rockets have all been to Scotland (well maybe not). And on it goes to Preacher Brown who's in both celestial and congregational trouble because a "...long tall brown skinned gal made him lay his bible down..." (oh dear). Saving us all from the flames of desire is the wistful "You're Heartless" by The Four Tunes – another audio winner with stunning clarity. Aside from the R&B jaunt of The Robins on a wonderfully clear "If It's So Baby" - two of the compilation's final four - "A Kiss And A Rose" by The Charioteers and "Wrapped Up In A Dream" by The Four Knights are amazingly evocative – dripping the sob-pillow longings of hopeless romantics the world over...and would we have it any other way.

To sum up – I had honestly felt that Volume 1 in this series would be an Audio Disaster Area because of transfer problems with discs so staggeringly old (and as I’ve highlighted - in some cases it is). But man oh man the clarity on the others is stunning. And like its 1950 follow-up – '1939 to 1949' is dominated by unashamedly smoochy tunes – an out-and-out 'romantic' compilation that positively drips old movies nostalgia – and personally I love that.

Niggles - they're too expensive as singles discs and perhaps they should have been doubles because real collectors will have more than a few titles on offer here. But Bear Family will argue '...not in this sound quality or looking this good...' - and they'd have a point.

Presented to us with love and affection by an independent record company that cares about forgotten voices that shouldn’t be forgotten. What a sweetheart of a compilation and another gold standard from Bear...

"Completely Well" by B.B. KING (2012 Japanese SHM-CD Remaster In 5" Gatefold Card Repro Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Think About You All The Time..."

There's so much B.B. King product out there - it's hard at times to isolate the real goodies. "Completely Well" was his 5th album on the American Bluesway label since he'd moved to them in 1967 with "Blues Is King". Released December 1969 in the USA (June 1970 in the UK) - it’s represented here on one of those natty Japanese SHM-CD reissues in gorgeous 5" card repro artwork. A fab mixture of Blues with Funk and even Boogie (his band was mainly white Rock guys) – "Completely Well" is a great B.B. King album – and on this format – elevated up the Audio ranks even further. Here are "The Thrill Is Gone" details...

Released 19 December 2012 - "Completely Well" by B.B. KING is a Japanese SHM-CD Reissue on Geffen/Universal UICY-94841 (Barcode 4988005743954) and comes in 5” Gatefold Hard Card American Repro Artwork (52:44 minutes)

1. So Excited

2. No Good

3. You’re Losin' Me

4. What Happened

5. Confessin' The Blues

6. Key To My Kingdom [Side 2]

7. Cryin' Won’t Help You Now

8. You're Mean

9. The Thrill Is Gone

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Completely Well" – released December 1969 in the USA on Bluesway BLS-6037 and June 1970 in the UK on Stateside SSL 10299 (both Stereo only).

The album was produced by BILL SZYMCZYK of Eagles and Joe Walsh fame and the band consisted of B.B. King on Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar, Hugh McCracken on Rhythm Guitar, Paul Harris on Piano, Electric Piano and Organ, Gerald ‘Fingers’ Jemmott on Bass and Herbie Lovelle on Drums.

BONUS TRACK:

10. Fools Get Wise – Studio Outtake recorded June 1969 in New York with the same line-up as the album

As any collector will tell you – these Japanese Mini LP Repro Sleeves are truly gorgeous. There's an OBI strip with reissue details on it (in Japanese) around the card sleeve (the SHM-CD symbol is at the top) and it's held in a resealable plastic. When out of the plastic - you see the lovely attention to detail - even mimicking the 'gloss' texture of the Bluesway gatefold sleeve, which was also 'hard card' like LP sleeves of the time. The Inner Gatefold has Ralph J. Gleason's original liner notes with photos of BB on stage and looking cool as he lights a cigarette. The booklet is a plain white affair with the lyrics in English and the remainder in Japanese. A SHM-CD (Super High Materials) doesn't require a special CD player to play it on (compatible on all machines) - nor does it need audiophile kit to hear the benefits. It's a new form of the CD format that picks up the nuances of the transfer better (top quality make). I own about 15 of them and they're uniformly superb.

His "Live And Well" album had turned up March 1970 in the UK on Stateside SSL 10297 – only three months before the release of the studio album "Completely Well" in June 1970 on Stateside SSL10299. The British record label preceded the album with a classic single that should have garnished more chart love than it did – "The Thrill Is Gone" b/w "You're Mean (Edit)" in February 1970 on Stateside SS 2161. But it did precious little business – despite now being a tune entirely associated with B.B. King. Just before the album hit the racks in June – Stateside UK tried the jaunty Side 1 opener "So Excited" as another 45 on Stateside SS 2169 in May 1970 with "Confessin' The Blues" on the B-side – but again no takers.

You have to say that the remaster on this beauty is awesome (it doesn't say who did it). 

B.B. King has all these white Rock guys around him – and McCracken's chunky Rock guitar backs up his licks – while Paul Harris plays those cool keyboard flourishes. With great production values and his voice in top form as he growls his way through "No Good" and "You're Losin' Me" – the remaster hits you again and again – elevating the tunes to another level. The brass arrangements on the wonderfully languid "What Happened" were arranged by Bert "Super Charts" DeCoteaux and what an Audio winner it is. The sweet bass, the guitars, the drums and the piano plinking – the audio on this sucker is fabulous – all the instruments fully accounted for. It then rocks out big time with a wicked cover of Jay McShann's "Confessin' The Blues" where Hugh McCracken’s boogie guitar underlines the song with a chugging Rock sound while Paul Harris plays a big chords melodic blinder.

His cover of Maxwell Davis's "Key To My Kingdom" is good rather than being great – far better is the Funky Blues of "Cryin' Won't Help You Now" – a slinky little number with a gorgeous Bass Line (B.B. puts in some of his most convincing picking on this). But then something unexpected happens – it extends into the next track "You're Mean" which is near 10-minutes long. "You're Mean" is essentially a huge blasting extension of the funky "Cryin' Won't Help You Now" where the band comes on like Led Zeppelin letting rip on the Blues – it’s properly great stuff. B.B. shouts at the boys half way through "...that's alright..." as they improvise and boogie like Canned Heat in the company of a great Blues man. It ends on the beautiful Audio of "The Thrill Is Gone" – a bit of a minor masterpiece frankly. The Bonus Track "Fools Get Wise" turns out to be a Funky Rock tune and at 2:38 minutes – it comes in, does the business and then leaves - a great addition and worthy of the moniker 'bonus'.

These Japanese SHM-CDs are pricey for sure – some over thirty quid – some below twelve – but there's something about the sound on them – like this is how CD should have sounded in the first place when dealing with analogue recordings. I can totally understand why fans feel that their fave artists should be on this format – mastered by the perfectionist Japanese. 

Seek it out – you’ll love what you’re seeing and hearing...and thanks for all the Blues Mister King...

"Going Back To Colorado/Sunset Ride" by ZEPHYR (featuring Tommy Bolin and Candy Givens). 2015 Beat Goes On (of the UK) 2CD Reissue – Andrew Thompson Remasters - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Take My Love..."

Denver's ZEPHYR made three albums – two of which featuring the mercurial talents of guitarist Tommy Bolin (later with The James Gang and Deep Purple) - while all three had the Janis Joplin gutbucket vocals of Candy Givens and the songwriting talent of her Jazz-Rock hubby David Givens.

This superb 2CD reissue from England's Beat Goes On Records brings together their 2nd and 3rd platters for Warner Brothers – both of which are very different beasts. 1971's "Going Back To Colorado" feels like a Boogie Rock LP trying to get out from under too many styles and influences while its 1972 follow up "Sunset Ride" is far funkier affair with Soft Soul Rock and even Jazz Fusion in places (Tommy Bolin is only on "Going Back To Colorado"). Here are the fret-bending chime-tinkering details for each digital platter...

UK released August 2015 (no US release date as yet) – "Going Back To Colorado/Sunset Ride" by ZEPHYR on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1196 (Barcode 5017261211965) features 2LPs on 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (41:19 minutes):

1. Going Back To Colorado

2. Miss Libertine

3. Night Fades Softly

4. The Radio Song

5.  See My People Come Together

6. Showbizzy [Side 2]

7. Keep Me

8. Take My Love

9. I'll Be Right Here

10. At This Very Moment

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd studio album "Going Back To Colorado" – released March 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1897 (no UK release). Tiny-framed powerhouse Lead Singer Candy Givens penned "At This Very Moment" - Tommy Bolin co-wrote "Going Back To Colorado", "Keep Me" and "I'll Be There" with lyricist John Tesar (Cathy Givens also had a hand in "Going Back To Colorado") and Bolin solo penned "See My People Come Together" and "Showbizzy". Keyboardist John Faris wrote "Take My Love" – Bassist David Givens wrote "Night Fades Softly" and "The Radio Song" as well as co-writing "Miss Libertine" with his wife Candy Givens.

Disc 2 (41:57 minutes):

1. I'm Not Surprised

2. Someone To Chew

3. High Flying Bird

4. No Time Lonesome

5. Moving Too Fast

6. Sold My Heart

7. Sierra Cowgirl

8. Chasing Clouds

9. Sunset Ride

10. Winter Always Finds Me

Tracks 10 to 10 are their 3rd and last studio album "Sunset Ride" – released 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2603 (no UK release)

There is the now standard card slipcase on the outside lending the whole package a classy feel - while ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the 2015 remasters at Sound Mastering in London. The 16-page booklet has full album credits (including reproducing the lyric insert that came with US copies of “Sunset Ride”) as well as new liner notes by noted Rock Writer NEIL DANIELS. His excellent and informative paragraphs go into the band’s haphazard history with genres and record companies and how Bolin would go onto guitar-god fame with The James Gang and Deep Purple. Both CDs sound brilliant to me - especially the 2nd CD. Now to the music...

"Going Back To Colorado" was the 2nd and last Zephyr album Tommy Bolin played on – their self-titled debut came out in the USA in December 1969 on Probe CPLP-4510 and May 1970 in the UK on Probe SPB 1006. While it charted at a lowly 48 in the USA – the debut was met with complete indifference in the UK - hence the non-release of the following two albums on Warner Brothers (the original 1970 British Probe Records LP on the Pink Label is a £60+ rarity and is notoriously difficult to find). Although often derided as being a mash-up of too many conflicting styles – for me "Going Back To Colorado" still has many great moments on it – least not of all Bolin's inventive axework and the Janis Joplin-like vocals of Candy Givens (John Faris has his one croaky moment too).

Producer by "Electric Ladyland" Engineer helmsman Eddie Kramer - Side 1 opens with the Bluesy title track and after hearing Bolin's fab slide playing - you begin to think that maybe you've stumbled on a long-lost Boogie and Blues masterpiece. But the neither here-nor-there "Miss Libertine" soon puts a damper on that with its earnest "...all the animals have been killed..." hippy Rock that is seeking a tune but never quite finds it. The unlistenable backwards effects and voices of “Night Fades Softly” only make matters worse – irritating rather than innovating. We get a bit 'shoo-waddy-waddy' Rock 'n' Roll with the "The Radio Song" but things improve with the six-minutes of "See My People Come Together" where Zephyr let Bolin rip on the guitar effects before he goes into a great Rock-Funk groove. Along with Candy Givens' voice and that chugging rhythm section – this track in particular makes me think of the all-girl group FANNY at their best (were on Reprise Records in 1971).

Side 2 opens with a manic drum intro for Bolin's "Showbizzy" – the band sounding like Janis Joplin's Big Brother and The Holding Company having a rock out. "Showbizzy" has some tremendous Bolin axework in the funky/chunky James Gang backing riffs and as he Solos from speaker to speaker. The beautifully structured "Keep Me" feels almost like one of those Charles Stepney arrangements he did with Rotary Connection and Minnie Riperton. The Candy Givens vocal is more laid back and therefore expressive, John Faris giving it some Flute while backing singers Albertine Robinson, Eileen Gilbert and Tasha Thomas make it a more Soulful song. Sounding like lesser Dr. John – John Faris takes his only Lead Vocal on the album for his own composition "Take My Love". This is fabulous stuff – funky accomplished Soul-Rock with the whole band gelling (Faris also plays Saxophone on the song while David Givens plucks sexy Bass lines and Bobby Berge whacks those drums with pleasure). This is the kind of cool Funky Rock track that Soul Boys love - Bolin's Joe Walsh-like guitar flourishes giving the whole sexy swaggering thing aural meat and potatoes. We then get a terrible let down with "I'll Be Right Here" with lyrics about "...crops failing..." and the "...land being blighted..." It’s all very earnest for sure but its melodrama and big backing vocals date the whole song terribly - and somehow it just doesn’t move you - even though its trying its hardest to do so.

You would think with the departure of such a key element to their sound (Bolin's guitar) – that Zephyr would fall apart – yet their 3rd album is better in many ways that the patchy 2nd (Bolin famously replaced Joe Walsh in The James Gang for "Bang" and "Miami" on Atlantic Records in 1973 and 1974 – and then Deep Purple for "Come Taste The Band" in 1975). With Bolin gone – David Givens stepped up to the plate as the principal songwriter giving the album an altogether Funkier Soul-Rock feel (hence the jet and palm-tree Miami look). John Bartley replaced Bolin on Guitars (also sings on "Sold My Heart" and "Winter Always Finds Me") and the Organ and Piano of Dan Smyth replaced Keyboardist John Faris. P. M. Wooten hits the Drums anew while Candy's hubby David Givens remained as Bass.

Both "I Am Not Surprised" and "Someone To Chew" hammer home that Fanny comparison – Candy's vocals deeper in the mix and not so vitriolic while both Smyth and Bartley lay down the funkiest of rhythms – especially on the impressive "Someone To Chew". Opening like an upbeat Van Morrison song - their wistful cover of Billie Ed Wheeler's "High Flying Bird" retains the same Soulful feel Richie Havens gave it when he made the song famous on his "Mixed Bag" LP from 1967. Again Van's shadow is cast over the straight up admiration song "No Time Lonesome" with David and Candy sharing the mike in a husband and wife love-in. Equally lovely is "Sold My Heart" - a very accomplished little ditty that works its happy way into your heart (complete with Little Feat keyboard flourishes).

Neil Daniels is right to get a little overexcited in his liner notes about the brilliant 5:19 minutes of "Moving Too Fast" which features a hair-raisingly great Harmonica solo from Candy - rocking it out with impressive abandon as the slow builder nears its Funky-Rock end. They sound more America than Fanny on "Sierra Cowgirl" where they share vocals as the riding-a-rocking-horse rhythm builds in speed (good lyrics too and a lovely solo on Piano from Candy). "Chasing Clouds" is a co-write between David Givens and Dan Smyth – it sounds nice but steadfastly refuses to take off as a song. “Sunset Ride” is the jazziest piece on the album with crashing Santana cymbals ("Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" on Abraxas) and high backing vocals like an angel’s choir – it's cool in that Rotary Connection way. It ends on the spacey instrumental chimes and treated keyboards of "Winter Always Finds Me" where they sound like a cross between Googie's Air and Weather Report. The vocals arrive after the "Riders On The Storm" pace settles down into its sexy groove – very cool stuff and a bit of a groovy winner frankly...

To sum up - both albums are hugely different – 1971's "Going Back To Colorado" sounding like a Blues Bar Band trying to find its musical feet and occasionally winning – while the Funkier and more Rock-mellow "Sunset Ride" LP from 1972 is musical eons away – and even contains a few undiscovered gems Jazz Funkers the world over will need to own. Either way I'm big-time digging the good bits on both. Sadly both Tommy Bolin and Candy Givens lost their young and talented lives to sloppy drug-related incidents – Bolin aged 26 in 1976 and Candy aged 37 in 1984. What a waste...

At least this rather cool little double-CD set remembers their legacy with style and affection. Well done to Beat Goes On for re-educating us...check this reissue out...

"Dear Companion" by BONNIE DOBSON (2015 Ace/Big Beat CD Reissue - Duncan Cowell Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Dreaming On Some Sweet Repose..."

As simple and as plain a Folk album as you can get – Bonnie Dobson's 2nd album on Prestige Records was part of the American Folk boom in 1961 – and here it sees a beautiful New Remaster in 2015 by Ace Records of the UK. Here is the Maid of Constant Sorrow details...

UK released August 2015 – "Dear Companion" by BONNIE DOBSON on Ace/Big Beat CDWID 325 (Barcode 029667432528) plays out as follows (37:17 minutes):

1. Dear Companion

2. My Mother Chose My Husband

3. Girl Of Constant Sorrow

4. Vranyanka

5. Ben's Lullaby

6. The Bonnie Lass Of Kenmore Town

7. When I Was In My Prime

8. Ah! Si Mon Moine

9. Blues Jumped A Rabbit

10. Dink's Song

11. Vertsa Dievcha

12. The Cruel Mother

Tracks 1 to 12 are her 2nd US Folk LP "Dear Companion" – released 1961 in Stereo in the USA on Prestige International Records PR-INT 13031. The Stereo LP (only "Ben's Lullaby" is in Mono) was Produced by Rudy Van Gelder – Bonnie Dobson plays Guitar and Lead Vocals on all tracks, Hennie Kubik does Duet Vocals on "The Bonnie Lass Of Kenmore Town", Isabel Gardiner plays Flute and Arranged "Vranyanka" and "When I Was In My Prime", Peter Gardner plays Second Guitar on "My Mother Chose My Husband" and "Blues Jumped A Rabbit".

The 12-page booklet reproduces the albums original song-by-song details and adds on new liner notes by KRIS NEEDS which includes interviews Bonnie a paltry 50 years after the event - its informative and fun. Ace’s long-standing Audio Engineer DUNCAN COWELL has transferred the Van Gelder recordings with care and skill. There is a faint level of hiss – but only faint – and it's not been squashed out by Pro Tools to get it cleaner  - hence the recordings breath and sound startlingly clear - in your face for all the right reasons.

Her high-pitched vocals are the very epitome of American Folk in the early Sixties. This is purist stuff – girl, guitar and voice combining American Traditionals with Serbian, French-Canadian and Czech Folk songs while occasionally throwing in her own originals that compliment the bulk. Both “Dear Companion” and “My Mother Chose My Husband” are very sweet but her remaking of “Man Of Constant Sorrow” into a female “Girl Of Constant Sorrow” adds a seamless verse of her own at the end to great effect. The Acapella “Ben’s Lullaby” is her own compilation and was inspired by a friend’s 14-month old baby. The double-guitars greatly help the Bob Coltman ballad “The Bonnie Lass Of Kenmore” – a song about a man worshiping Jeanie as he drinks deep in a tavern. Isabel Gardner’s Flute and Arrangements help the lovely “When I Was In My Prime” and the Yugoslavian love song “Vranyanka”. The lyrics to “The Cruel Mother” tell of a disturbed unwed mum who kills both of her children and is visited by their ghosts who promise her a scorching time in the flames when she gets there (nice)...

Of a time and viewed by many as insufferable wailing – this kind of US Folk and Americana is an acquired taste for sure. But if you’re a fan – you will need this gorgeous-sounding reissue in your collection. And it’s mid-price too...

PS: see also my review for her 1960 debut album "She's Like A Swallow"...