Category Archives: Lost Classics

Lost Classic — Ira Stein & Russel Walder: Elements

For a brief while in the 1980s, I was sampling some of the Windham Hill recordings.  I admit that some of what I’d heard wasn’t all that exciting to me (some of it could be too “new-agey” or precious), but a few artists and groups stood out.  I liked the freshened-up fusion approach of Shadowfax, and was amazed at how Michael Hedges could manipulate his way around a guitar.

One that flew under the radar of most folks was the duo of Ira Stein and Russel Walder.  I had first purchased their second album, Transit, thanks to one of the tracks being on a Windham Hill sampler I owned.  (A feature will be forthcoming on this album.)  That album featured the duo, but with a little extra instrumentation (and some vocals) for sweetening.  A few months later, I picked up a copy of their first album, Elements, which is strictly the duo of oboe and piano…a 1932 Baldwin, no less.  Just a few weeks ago, I found a mint copy via Discogs and have been rediscovering this album again.

This evening while filing away albums and inspecting others, I remembered that this album was pressed on premium vinyl.  KC-600, if I recall.  This one has the dark purple translucent glow to it.  This in itself is a good sign.  It was while looking at the dead wax that I noticed a familiar inscription:  “JH/2”.  Turns out this album was half-speed mastered at JVC in Japan, where all of those early-era Mobile Fidelity LPs were mastered.  The mastering engineer was none other than Jack Hunt.  In addition, the album was pressed back here in the U.S. at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI).  Other than a bit of flotsam and jetsam (the record still needs a good cleaning), it plays back nicely.

The oboe and piano were both recorded with Crown PZM microphones, and the whole chain was “audiophile” with no compression or limiting, so this is a very nice sounding album.  The tones of the oboe and piano are indeed very natural.  As an LP, this is nearly demo material, provided you can find one that is in excellent condition.

Musically, I will be the first to admit that it is not everyone’s cup of tea.  The album consists of only four lengthy songs, plus a very brief fifth.  And yes, it is strictly oboe and piano.  Yet it is not sappy or precious like much of the new age genre was.  What I notice are elements of both classical and jazz here.  Classically, some of the works remind me of a theme and variations.  Yet once the theme is established, either Stein (piano) or Walder (oboe) is improvising, building upon the original theme.  Stein, especially, reminds me a bit of the style of Lyle Mays, where he can just take off and soar, building the original song into something completely different.  Very spontaneous and free-form at times, yet they never fail to bring a song back to earth by its end.

Definitely recommended if you can find a nice clean copy on vinyl, or seek out the CD.  It’s enjoyable if you prefer something quieter and out of the ordinary.

Lost Classic — Basia: Time and Tide

Have you ever put on an LP or CD you haven’t heard in several years, and it was like rediscovering that album?  I’m sure you have, but if the gap is long enough, it is almost like rewinding to that first moment when you began playing an unknown album, not knowing what to expect and being pleasantly surprised.

File:Basia - Time And Tide album cover.jpgI had that feeling today listening to Basia’s debut album, Time and Tide.  I bought it originally when it came out.  When I spooled up the first track and began playing it, I had that same feeling I did the first time I played the CD and “Promises” led off.  I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into, but once that samba beat started up, I knew I was onto something.  Her style is reminiscent of late 80s pop, jazz, and Bossa Nova, even going so far as to sing an ode to the Brazilian vocalist Astrud Gilberto with “Astrud.”  Like her albums to follow, much of the accompaniment was provided by Danny White on synths.  Peter White (yes, the same Peter White who rose to infamy with Al Stewart, and has since forged a highly successful $mooth jazz career) provided many of the guitar licks on the album.  I must say that after these years, songs like “Freeze Thaw,” “From Now On”, “New Day For You” and “How Dare You” hold up frightfully well.

Through my current system, I must say that the Oppo tends to help smooth out some of that harsh digital CD sound that was so prevalent back in the mid to late 80s.  I am currently looking for a clean vinyl copy of this album, hoping it will add some needed warmth.

 

Lost Classics — Carpenters: A Song For You

There has been a lot of good and bad said about the brother/sister duo Carpenters, but if there were any one album I would recommend that anyone get as their most representative work, I would choose A Song For You.  This album catches them at the peak of their creativity.  You not only had the duo of Richard Carpenter and John Bettis turning out tunes such as the hit singles “Top Of The World” and “Goodbye To Love” for the album, the duo of Roger Nichols and Paul Williams also contributes “I Won’t Last A Day Without You,” keeping stellar company with the rest of the tracks on the album. The album is also themed in that the title song bookends the rest of the tracks.

File:A Song For You (Carpenters album).jpgThe importance of the record should be put into historical context.  At the time this was recorded, Carpenters were riding high on the smash success of “(They Long To Be) Close To You”, touring for dozens of weeks around the year, and fitting in recording during their touring downtime.  As a result, a few things happened.  They had spent time on the road honing their craft, so the band was performing as tightly as ever.  And, the endless touring also made them road weary, which is reflected in the tune “Road Ode.”  The frenetic pace also seemingly energized the production of this set, as it showcases Richard Carpenter’s full mastery of the studio as another creative “instrument.”  Their popularity had swelled by this point, and this album celebrates it with some of their finest work.

I have not yet had any luck finding a clean tan label first pressing of this album (most are trashed, thrashed and bashed), but the best CD version to get is part of the Remastered Classics series.  In that series, the original versions of the albums are reissued–no remixing, no re-recording, nothing but the original mix on CD.  The Mobile Fidelity version, as well as the first A&M CD reissue, start featuring remixes among the tracks.  Most notable is “Top Of The World” which kicks up the redneck meter with additional pedal steel guitar.  Fine for the single mix but for many of us who owned the original, it’s just wrong on the album proper.

 

Lost Classics, Rediscovered

As part of my media server project, I’m securely ripping a good portion of my CD collection all over again, and combining it with the previously ripped and downloaded files.  In the process, I’m going through my entire collection, one disc at a time.  And I find that I am rediscovering quite a few parts of my collection.

As I uncover these, I will be posting about some of the notable items I come across.  Good, or bad.

Bobby Troup and His Stars of Jazz: a swinging romp through the past!

Bobby Troup And His Stars Of JazzI took a chance on this one. About 15 or so years ago, I had to pad out an order for some BMG Spain import titles. Along with some assorted other west coast jazz CDs, I grabbed this one. I was not let down at all: this album features the cream of the crop of west coast jazz musicians! The Candoli brothers, Plas Johnson, Bud Shank, Frank Rosolino, Jimmy Rowles, Shelly Manne, Monty Budwig, Mel Lewis, Red Norvo…and plenty of other familiar names. The album was recorded in Hollywood on three dates in late 1958, and features the arrangements of Jimmy Rowles on eight of the tracks, with Shorty Rogers contributing the remaining four.

What this album is NOT: a soundtrack album. If the name “Stars Of Jazz” sounds familiar, Bobby Troup hosted a television series called “The Stars of Jazz” back in the late 50s. While there were a great many performances from that series (some of which are now available on DVD), this album is a related but different project: a showcase for Bobby Troup’s dusky vocals set against a swinging west coast big band. The song selection is varied: it ranges between popular standard songs such as “Sent For You Yesterday”, “Oh! You Crazy Moon” and “I’m Through With Love” and lesser known tunes. Shorty’s contributions include clever swinging arrangements for “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” and, believe it or not, “Tiptoe Thru The Tulips With Me” (before it was even a glimmer in Tiny Tim’s eye).

The band’s performance is top notch. I also have a feeling that given the number of musicians, the recordings may have involved either a rotating lineup of musicians in each band, or two different (but still “all-star”) big bands. The Shorty Rogers tracks sound like something right off of one of his Giants albums. It is all so cohesive, though, that it serves to showcase the great ensemble work these musicians were all capable of. As for Troup’s performance: he is no vocalist that is going to turn heads with dazzling technique. But what he lacks in ultimate polish and technique, he makes up for with an easygoing attitude and enough jazz chops to demonstrate that he “speaks the language” of jazz. And surprisingly, all piano duties are handled by Jimmmy Rowles–Troup sits out the piano in favor of vocals on this project.

Quite enjoyable, and quite recommended! Especially if you are a fan of west coast jazz or any of the fine musicians who were a part of that 50s/60s scene.