"Let Me Be Your Angel" by STACY LATTISAW (October 2015 Big Break Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue – Nick Robbins and Wayne A. Dickson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Jump To The Beat...."

Containing the huge Soul/Funk/Disco hit "Jump To The Beat" - Stacy Lattisaw's "Let Be Your Angel" album originally came out June 1980 on Cotillion Records SD-5219 in the States and amongst its heavy-hitter contributors were the combined talents of Narada Michael Walden and the Chic boys - Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.

The British 12" single of "Jump To The Beat" on Warner Brothers K 11496 (T) pictured on Page 10 of the 16-page booklet (resplendent in its distinctive die-cut sleeve) was a massive UK club hit and the same pretty much everywhere else. Produced by Soul/Funk wonder-boy Narada Michael Walden and featuring a hand-picked band of quality sessionmen (the distinctive Funk-Bass runs of T.M. Stevens in particular) - the album hit R&B No. 9 Stateside and even impacted on the rock charts at No. 44. Here are the jumpy details...

UK released 16 October 2015 - "Let Me Be Your Angel" by STACY LATTISAW on Big Break Records WCDBBRX 0317 (Barcode 5013929061736) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD reissue and remaster with Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows: 

1. Jump To The Beat [Side 1]

2. Dynamite

3. You Don't Love Me Any More

4. Dreaming

5. Let Me Be Your Angel [Side 2]

6. Don't You Want To Feel It (For Yourself)

7. You Know I Like It

8. My Love

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Jump To The Beat (Single Version, 3:33 minutes)

10. Dynamite! (Single Version, 4:25 minutes) 

Remastered by Audio experts NICK ROBBINS (of Ace Records fame) and BBR's own WAYNE A. DICKSON - this CD has fabulous sound and reflects the top quality original production values laid down by NMW.  The substantial booklet has in-depth liners by noted Soul, Disco and Funk genre expert CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE and also features new input from Stacy. There's photos and all the usual period memorabilia.

Typical of so many albums of the day - there are gems and ordinary tracks aplenty. The other hit was "Dynamite!" - a Disco No.1 and No. 8 on the national R&B charts written by NMW and Bunny Hall - a lady who's recorded and written for Peabo Bryson and D.C. LaRue. Another dancefloor winner comes in the shape of "You Don't Love Me Anymore" where NMW practically plays every instrument while that meaty Slap-Bass of Stevens dominates the excellent "You Know I Like It"  – very similar in feel to "Jump To The Beat". Edwards and Rodgers contribute to "Dreaming". It's not all CHIC-funky genius for sure - but the good stuff is excellent and that "Jump To The Beat" full album version at 5:22 minutes is joyous dancefloor stuff to this day.

Superb audio – great liner notes and classy presentation - another winner from BBR of the UK. Fans should dig in right away...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. Let Me Be Your Angel – STACY LATTISAW (1980)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Madhouse – SILVER CONVENTION (1976)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Martyrs & Cowboys: The Atlantic Recordings 1974-1975" by WALLY (27 September 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 2CD Reissue Including the albums "Wally" (1974) and "Valley Gardens" (1975) and Two Non-Album B-sides – Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...The Mood I'm In..."

England's WALLY was a strange one. After being discovered and plugged by Rick Wakeman of Yes and Whispering Bob Harris of The Old Grey Whistle Test (that duo had a hand in the Production of both their LPs) - the Harrogate, Yorkshire six-piece signed to the mighty Atlantic Records (UK) and promptly pumped out two platters - "Wally" in August 1974 and their final studio set "Valley Gardens" in October 1975.

Taking their name from East End Cockney slang for pickled gherkins (Wallies were a fave of their first guitarist Jim Slade) – Wally were dogged by bad luck. A US tour with YES as a supporting act and a further UK venue haul with The EAGLES both failed to materialise (huge opportunities lost for a melodic band like Wally who were more comfortable live than in the studio). And despite Prog Rock being king in those halcyon years (1973, 1974 and 1975) and favourable press for the LP releases – the public simply didn’t get it – or perhaps more accurately – never got to hear their music. Combining poor album sales, lack of label support and two singles that missed their audience (one even had a Radio Caroline pick-of-the-week chance but Atlantic pressed the 45 up too many months after that buzz) – they were dropped and gone by 1976.

But what of the music you ask? With a sound that straddles Americana and Seventies Prog on each record (the second is definitely more Relayer than the first) - the albums are a strange hybrid of band-member influences clashing with each other. One minute its all America meets Eagles meets The Byrds meets Smith Perkins Smith for lead singer, frontman and principal songwriter Roy Webber - whilst keyboardist Paul Gerrett wants you to dig ye oldie clavinet Gryphon, violin based The Flock and Pedal Steel Area Code 615 – all of it washed down with liberal dollops of Greenslade Proggy keyboard flourishes on the other tracks. America vs. Colosseum...

Wally therefore made their own kind of mishmash sound, but I suspect the wildly conflicting musical directions must have made them a nightmare to sell and pitch. And deep down there is a niggling wish as you listen to the strums and chords, that the material was more memorable and not just pretty in places. Don’t get me wrong, there is beauty and accomplishment in some of the songs, especially the three contributions from Webber on the debut and a Side-2 magnum opus on the second LP in the form of a 19:20 minute 3-Part monster called "The Reason Why" will please density-is-good fans. But a lot of it feels plodding and never rises above each band member's desperate need to be David Crosby or Roger McGuinn on the one hand vs. Steve Howe and Jon Hiseman on the other.

Having said all of that, there is a lot to like here and if you're a fan, you need to own this superb reissue. For sure its 3 to 4 star material, but its presented here by Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red) in their typically exemplary 5-star way. Let's get to those sonically pickled gherkins...

UK released 27 September 2019 - "Martyrs And Cowboys: The Atlantic Recordings 1974-1975" by WALLY on Esoteric Recordings QECLEC 22691 (Barcode 5013929479142) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster offering both of their 1974 and 1975 LPs with Two Non-Album B-sides of 45s that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Wally" (46:24 minutes):

1. The Martyr [Side 1]

2. I Just Wanna Be A Cowboy

3. What To Do

4. Sunday Waiting Lady [Side 2]

5. To The Urban Man

6. Your Own Way

Tracks 1 to 6 are their debut album "Wally" - released August 1974 in the UK on Atlantic Records K 50051 and November 1974 in the USA on Atlantic SD 18115. Produced by RICK WAKEMAN of YES and BOB HARRIS - it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACK:

7. The Life You're Living (Non-Album B-side to "I Just Wanna Be A Cowboy", a UK 7" single released 24 August 1974 on Atlantic K 10497)

Disc 2 "Valley Gardens" (45:30 minutes):

1. Valley Gardens [Side 1]

2. Nez Percé

3. The Mood I'm In

4. The Reason Why [Side 2]

(i) Nolan (ii) The Charge (iii) Disillusion

Tracks 1 to 4 are their second and last studio album "Valley Gardens" - released October 1975 in the UK on Atlantic Records K 50180 (not issued in the USA). Produced by BOB HARRIS - it didn't chart.

BONUS TRACK:

5. Right By Me (Non-Album B-side to "Nez Percé" - a UK 7" single released 13 June 1975 on Atlantic K 10616)

The 20-page booklet covers the artwork for both LPs front and rear (Jim Slade's distinctive sleeve designs, including the inner sleeve cartoons and lyrics for the second platter "Valley Gardens"), new and highly informative interviews with principal band members Roy Webber and Paul Middleton and a detailed history of the band from noted writer MALCOM DOME. We get everything from the Melody Maker unsigned bands contest in 1974 that brought them into the orbit of compere 'Whispering' Bob Harris of The Old Grey Whistle Test, keyboardist Nick Glennie-Smith joining the band after Yes dropped him for Patrick Moraz (fresh out of Refugee) to poaching ace session singer MADELINE BELL (doing a Blue Mink session in the studio next door) to get her to lay into a Clare Torry Pink Floyd's "Great Gig In The Sky" soaring vocal wail at the end of "Nez Percé" (she did it in one take). Very entertaining and illuminating...

The PASCHAL BYRNE Remaster makes the debut shine but I think Bob Harris' production values on the follow up "Valley Gardens" (an area in their home town Harrogate) let the side down considerably because there's slight but audible hiss and muddiness to CD2 despite Byrne's best transfer efforts. It sounds good - just not great. The two non-album B-sides also make their digital debut here and are welcome additions - decent tunes in both cases.

The self-titled August 1974 debut LP opens with "The Martyr" - a clavinet keyboard based Proggy moment where you feel you've stumbled on Gryphon mating with The Flock as Pete Sage plays his violin over the melody - whilst Roy Webber has his Lead Vocals backed by some fluid Pete Cosker guitar. Then we get three-in-a-row Americana tunes from Roy Webber - the first of which was an obvious Eagles/America 45 outing. "I Just Wanna Be A Cowboy" was chosen as the only 7" single from the album with a fine non-LP flip-side in the shape of "The Life You're Living" (here as a Bonus Track on Disc 1). Both it, "What To Do" and "Sunday Walking Lady" sound very Poco in places - sweet melodies that feel genuinely accomplished as three members of the band layer on the harmony vocals above the well-recorded Acoustic strums, Violin and Pedal Steel. It ends well on the lovely strummed vibe of "Your Own Way" that features a so-Yes wild guitar moment in its final minute.

The second album "Valley Gardens" (named after an area in their beloved Harrogate) is way more Prog than the debut - the three-part Side 2 beast "The Reason Why" being based on The Charge Of The Light Brigade and stretching to over 19-minutes. Platter No. 2 opens with "Valley gardens" and immediately the America and Eagles strums of old are completely gone - replaced with very Yes and Greenslade keyboard battles - the title track in fact feeling like some kind of outtake from the Yes masterpiece "Relayer" of 1974 with Patrick Moraz newly implanted in the band to replace Rick Wakeman then embarked on a fully-fledged solo career.  The anguished singer-songwriter sway of "Nez Percé" (pronounced Nay Parsay) made it an obvious candidate for 45 number one off the album but in August 1975 it did no business. And while "The Mood I'm In" is back to that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young influence of old (with keyboards and delicious harmony vocals) - the Side 2 three-parter is just too much like hard work for me.

Wally are a footnote in musical history now, but back in the day they made a sound that many loved. I suspect this lovingly put together twofer CD reissue from Esoteric will remind many of that...

"Give Me The Night" by GEORGE BENSON (24 June 2009 Japan-Only Warner Brothers SHM-CD Reissue with 24-Bit Remaster in Jewel Case) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Remember The Days When We Never Had A Dime…"

  

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE SHM-CD June 2009 REMASTER 

- Also References 2012 and 2015 Japanese CD Issues ***

Originally released on LP in July 1980 on Warner Brothers K 56823 in the UK and BSK 3453 in the USA - George Benson's "Give Me The Night" was a huge record at the time (it peaked at No. 3 in both countries). And like Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" from 1978 before it - its fusion of soul, funk and jazz was popular everywhere - crossing over every rock barrier like never before (it was Grammy nominated and won too).

Yet except for a few remastered tracks on the excellent George Benson 2CD "Anthology" set from 2000 on Rhino - the entire album has been languishing around for over three decades now on one of those awful Eighties CDs with dullard murky sound. Until now...

Released 24 June 2009 in Japan-only on Warner Bros WPCR-13453 (Barcode 4943674090396) - this 24-bit remastered version is an audiophile CD on their SUPER HIGH MATERIALS format (42:51 minutes). An SHM-CD is playable on all machines and is simply a better form of the compact disc. And coming from an era that is probably the most derided in history by music lovers - especially when it comes to bombastic sound and ham-fisted production excesses - this SHM-CD version is a beautifully realized remaster - it really is.

1. Love X Love

2. Off Broadway

3. Moody’s Mood

4. Give Me The Night

5. What’s On Your Mind [Side 2]

6. Dinorah, Dinorah

7. Love Dance

8. Star Of A Story (X)

9. Midnight Love Affair

10. Turn Out The Lamplight

It doesn't say who did the 24-bit transfer - but whoever did has produced the most awesome result because the sound quality is just glorious. Of course the album always had the immaculate production values of QUINCY JONES and the stunning array of top session men to thank for its polish anyway - but this newly upgraded version is just wonderful. It's neither falsely loud nor brash nor clinically clean - there's air around the instruments - it's just warm and there. You hear all the instrumentation - especially the bass and rhythm sections. The wildly underrated funky-as-James-Brown instrumental "Off Broadway" is just stunning now - as is David Wolinski's brilliantly soulful and sleek "Midnight Love Affair".

The jewel case is standard and there's the black and gold obi strip inside; the SHM CD itself feels slightly heavier to ordinary CDs - more substantial - it seems to hold better as it plays in the tray somehow - steady. The 8-page booklet is disappointingly the same as US/Euro issues (has session details though) and the extra foldout page of info about the album that you get in these Japanese issues is - well in Japanese - so its kinda useless.

With 6 of it's 10 killer songs written by Britain's ROD TEMPERTON 9Of Heatwave fame) and the immaculate production values of veteran sound man QUINCY JONES - "Give Me The Night" practically set up the template for the album that would literally take over the world three years later - Michael Jackson's "Thriller" (Quincy produced and Temperton wrote 3 of its 9 songs including the title track). As well as Temperton and Quincy charting the arrangements, the legendary David Foster is in there too. Guest Musicians included such luminaries as Guitarist Lee Ritenour, keyboard whiz-kids Greg Phillanganes, George Duke and Herbie Hancock, Larry Williams is on Flute, Patti Austin on Lead and Backing Vocals, Richard Tee on Synth, Jerry Hey on Trumpet, Abraham Laboriel on Bass, Paulinho Da Costa on Percussion and many more.

Gripes - no Euro/USA issue so it costs as an import - and it wouldn't have taken much to include the edited single mixes of "Give Me The Night" and "Love X Love" as bonus tracks. But this reissue is not about ramming the disc chock-full of extras - it's about the best sound - and on that front they've achieved their goal with absolute knobs on. A fantastic album that in 2020 is 40 years old – and for an LP from a much-derided decade to still sound so kicking and exciting is a testament to the sheer quality thrown at the original all those decades ago. But how do you get your hands on it now...

In October 2019, this 2009 Audiophile version is now unfortunately super expensive and awkward to locate (use Barcode 4943674090396 to locate the correct issue on Amazon or other sites). Subsequently, there has been two further reissues to date and again only in Japan – 13 June 2012 on Warner Brothers WPCR-14501 (Barcode 4943674118281) saw a new 2012 Remaster based on the US tapes put on a SHM-CD in Mini LP Packaging (now deleted and also expensive). That variant however was reissued 29 July 2015 on Warner Brothers WPCR-28201 (Barcode 4943674213399) in a jewel case with liner notes as part of their low-priced 'Fusion Best 1000 Series' (offering quality CDs for 1000 yen). That 2012 Remaster is the only one currently available in 2019 to purchase – often clocking in on Amazon and elsewhere at about £12.00 or so. A reasonable sum for such a great sounding reissue - enjoy...

Japan's Warner Bros. Jazz & Fusion SHM-CD Collection Series (2009)

"Give Me The Night" by George Benson is part of the Japanese-Only "Warner Bros. Jazz & Fusion SHM-CD Collection" Series - Audiophile 24-Bit Remastered SHM-CDs in a Jewel Case with Booklet and Obi.

SHM-CDs are fully compatible with all CD players – Super High Materials CDs are a better form of compact disc brought into play in 2006 (mostly exclusive to Japan) featuring advanced music retrieval over the standard CD that hasn't upgraded its format since introduction in 1983. In artist alphabetical order (all released 24 June 2009), the 20 titles in this Series are:

1. Breezin' (1976) - GEORGE BENSON

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13452 – Barcode 4943674090372)

2. Give Me The Night (1980) – GEORGE BENSON

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13453 (Barcode 4943674090396)

3. Larry Carlton (1978) - LARRY CARLTON

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13446 – Barcode 4943674090297)

4. Sleepwalk (1982) - LARRY CARLTON

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13448 – Barcode 4943674090334)

5. Strikes Twice (1980) - LARRY CARLTON

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13447 – Barcode 4943674090303)

6. Amandla (1989) - MILES DAVIS

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13443 – Barcode 4943674090266)

7. Doo-Bop (1991) - MILES DAVIS

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13444 – Barcode 4943674090273)

8. Live Around The World (1996) - MILES DAVIS

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13445 – Barcode 4943674090280)

9. Siesta (1982) - MILES DAVIS and MARCUS MILLER

(Warner Bros WPCR-13442 – Barcode 4943674090259)

10. Tutu (1986) - MILES DAVIS

(Warner Bros WPCR-13441 – Barcode 4943674090242)

11. Teasin' (1974) - CORNELL DUPREE

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13457 – Barcode 4943674090440)

12. Between The Sheets (1993) - FOURPLAY (1993)

[Featuring Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason]

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13460 – Barcode 4943674090471)

13. Fourplay (1991) - FOURPLAY

[Featuring Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason]

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13459 – Barcode 4943674090464)

14. Word Of Mouth (1981) - JACO PASTORIUS

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13454 – Barcode 4943674090402)

15. Rit (1981) - LEE RITENOUR (see also FOURPLAY)

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13456 – Barcode 4943674090433)

16. The Captain's Journey (1978) - LEE RITENOUR

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13455 – Barcode 4943674090419)

17. Magnetic (1986) - STEPS AHEAD [feat Michael Brecker]

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13458 – Barcode 494367409040457)

18. More Stuff (1977) - STUFF

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13450 – Barcode 494367409040358)

19. Stuff (1976) - STUFF

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13449 – Barcode 494367409040341)

20. Winelight (1980) - GROVER WASHINGTON, Jr.

(Warner Bros. WPCR-13451 – Barcode 494367409040365)




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