Category Archives: Reissue

Doris Troy: Sings Just One Look & Other Memorable Selections

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DorisTroy_JustOneLookThe album behind Doris Troy’s 1963 title hit

Doris Troy is locked into the Groundhog’s Day repetition of oldies radio with her 1963 Top 10 hit “Just One Look.” But there was more to her career than is encapsulated in that (albeit, superb) two-minute and thirty-one seconds. The daughter of a Pentecostal minister, she sang in her father’s church choir before being discovered by James Brown at the church of R&B, the Apollo Theater. Her signature “Just One Look” was released by Atlantic and led to this 1963 album, combining well-selected covers (including a gospel-powered take on “Stormy Weather”) with eight originals from Troy and her co-writer Gregory Carol. Troy smolders with anticipation on “Lazy Days (When Are You Coming Home),” grooves to the Latin-inflected “Bossa Nova Blues,” bends blue notes for “Draw Me Closer,” reads her mistreating mate the riot act on “Someone Ain’t Right,” and closes the album with the dramatic Ben E. King-styled “Time.” Troy went on to back the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, sign to Apple for an album in 1969, and mount a musical theatrical production of her life story (which was subsequently turned into the film Mama, I Want to Sing!), but she never again found the commercial success of her very first single. Luckily, the Atlantic archives testify to the breadth of singing and songwriting talent that took root in 1963. [©2014 Hyperbolium]

Doris Troy Tribute Page

The Coasters: Coast Along with the Coasters

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Coasters_CoastAlongWithThe Coasters return to what they do best in 1962

Much like their self-titled 1958 debut, this 1962 long-player collects a number of A- and B-sides and adds a few album-only tracks. After their diversion into standards with 1960’s One by One, the group returned to Leiber & Stoller’s songbook and a driving R&B production style for the sides collected here. The hits are “What About Us” and “Little Egypt,” but there’s a lot more to recommend this album. The nursery rhyme “(Ain’t That) Just Like Me” opens the album with a luscious stereo production that spreads out the quartet’s vocals, and their early version of “Girls Girls Girls” is more laid-back than Elvis’ take, with a limbo bass line and vocal punctuations that mimic a train whistle. The album-only tracks include the mismatched lovers of Pomus & Shuman’s “The Snake and the Bookworm” and a swinging cover of Willie Dixon’s “My Babe.” Most imaginative of all is the retribution of Leiber & Stoller’s beer-drinking, poker-playing monkey in “Run Red Run.” Everything here is in true stereo except for “Wait a Minute,” which is mono. The jokiness of the earlier Coasters records is lessened, but the interplay of their vocals will always make you smile. To get a broader look at their hits, try The Very Best of the Coasters; to go deep check out Rhino Handmade’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On: The Coasters on Atco. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

The Coasters: The Coasters

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Coasters_CoastersThe Coasters’ 1958 debut LP

The Coasters first full-length LP is more an anthology than a purpose-built album, collecting half its fourteen songs from the pre-Coasters lineup of the Robins, and adding seven more by the first lineup to record under the Coasters name. Though the group changed more than half its members between the Robins and Coasters, the songs and production of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller provide a through line that gives the album an impressive consistency. The song list includes the group’s first four hit singles, “Down in Mexico,” “One Kiss Led to Another,” “Young Blood,” and “Searchin’,” alongside favorites “Smokey Joe’s Café” and “Framed,” and terrific, lesser-known sides “Wrap it Up” and the energetic “I Must Be Dreamin’.” The Coasters deftly combined deep R&B roots with a comedic approach that made their songs fun without turning them into novelties. You’ll smile every time you hear the Coasters, but you’ll never think of them as anything less than a consummate vocal group. To get a broader look at their hits, try The Very Best of the Coasters; to go deep check out Rhino Handmade’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On: The Coasters on Atco. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Chet Baker: Plays the Best of Lerner & Loewe

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ChetBaker_PlaysTheBestOfLernerAndLoeweChet Baker chills out on Broadway

This 1959 recording, the last of trumpeter Chet Baker’s albums for Riverside, was also on the leading edge of jazz artists exploring material from Broadway musicals. Shelly Manne’s My Fair Lady had made a tremendous splash in 1956, and Baker’s own Chet included tunes from Rogers & Hart and Kurt Weill. Backed here by Herbie Mann, Zoot Sims, Pepper Adams, Bill Evans and a rhythm section of Earl May and Clifford Jarvis, the interpretations are lyrical, and as you’d expect from Baker, cool. Half of the eight tracks are from My Fair Lady, and the contrasts with Manne’s interpretations are many. “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” is more forlorn than delicate with its loss. “I Could Have Danced All Night” is turned from a Latin rhythm and Andre Previn’s quick fingers to the lighter mood of Mann’s woodwinds and Baker’s trumpet. “On the Street Where You Live” features the interplay of Baker’s trumpet and Adams’ baritone, and “Show Me” finds the band heating things up a bit, with Mann and Sims offering compelling solos.

The album’s four remaining titles were drawn from Brigadoon, Gigi and Paint Your Wagon. “Heather on the Hill” is more reserved than the Broadway score, losing the expectation of the original’s lyric to a drowsy backing with contemplative trumpet and flute leads. A breezy reading of “Almost Like Being in Love” reflects the lyric’s unbridled joy, and Baker’s lead on “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” is more introspective than Maurice Chevaliar’s trademark performance. There’s nothing particularly revelatory about these interpretations – neither about the musicians or the music. But in a sense, that’s the album’s proposition: Frederick Loewe’s melodies are fetching, Alan Jay Lerner’s lyrics give story to the instrumental leads, and the musicians play true to their usual excellent form. The 2013 reissue of this title features a 24-bit Joe Tarantino remaster of the original eight tracks, Orin Keepnews’ original liners and new notes by James Rozzi. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Wes Montgomery: SO Much Guitar!

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WesMontgomery_SoMuchGuitarExpanded reissue of classic 1961 Montgomery LP

Montgomery’s fourth album for the Riverside label, recorded in 1961, finds the inimitable guitarist leading a quintet of Hank Jones, Ron Carter, Lex Humphries and Ray Barretto on a set that mixes originals (“Twisted Blues” and “Something Like Bags”) with well-selected standards. The group comes out charging hard with Montgomery picking firm and fast as the rhythm section swings with all due speed. Carter’s bass provides both rhythm and a melodic foil for the guitar, and Jones’ fleet fingers prove a good match for Montgomery’s thumb. The ballads show another fully-formed side of Montgomery’s playing, with the highly-charged percussive picking giving way to more fluid and introspective lines, such as on the unaccompanied “While We’re Young.” The mid-tempo “I’m a Lucky So and So” allows the band to swing as Montgomery explores the song’s melodic theme in his lead, finally giving way to Jones for a bluesy 32-bars. The album closes with a truly sublime reading of “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” whose drowsy tempo takes the place of Johnny Mercer’s late-night lyrics.

The album’s original eight studio tracks are augmented on the 2013 reissue by eight live recordings made with the Montgomery Brothers (Wes, Buddy and Monk) and drummer Paul Humphrey. Recorded in a Vancouver club in 1961, the sound is actually crisper than the studio tracks, and the leads are shared between Wes’ guitar and Monk’s vibraphone. These live tracks have been previously released on the compilation Groove Brothers, but they make a nice complement to this album, filling out the disc to 79 minutes. The new 10-page booklet includes Orrin Keepnews’ original liners, new notes by Marc Myers and original front- and back-cover art. As with other recent Concord reissues of the Riverside catalog, this disc features a new 24-bit remaster by Joe Tarantino. The new CD is substantially louder than the 1987 reissue, which may be why the high end sounds better articulated (which, thankfully, doesn’t make the loudest piano notes any more of a problem than on the previous CD). Whether or not the sonic changes provide an upgrade, the added live tracks are a worthwhile get. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

The Waitresses: Just Desserts – The Complete Waitresses

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Waitresses_JustDessertsYour order for a Waitresses catalog reissue has finally arrived

For those only acquainted with the Waitresses through media play, their career likely consists of “I Know What Boys Like,” “Christmas Wrapping” and “Square Pegs.” The first was their lone U.S. chart success, bubbling up to #62, gaining video airplay on MTV and becoming the band’s icon. The second charted in the UK, and its inclusion on the compilation A Christmas Record gained it additional turntable action in the states. The third was the title theme for a short-lived television show that’s now become an ’80s nostalgia favorite, Their debut album, Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful?, almost cracked the Top 40, a follow-up EP, I Could Rule the World if I Could Only Get the Parts, and LP, Bruisology, bubbled under the Top 100. Commercially, that was just about it, a small catalog over a few years, which makes the band’s longevity in listener’s memories all the more impressive.

The Waitresses grew out of an Akron, Ohio music scene that was spotlighted in 1978 by Stiff Records release of Devo’s “Be Stiff” and the multi-artist Akron Compilation. The latter featured three tracks by the Waitresses (“The Comb,” “Slide” and “Clones,” not included here) alongside several acts (Rachel Sweet, Tin Huey and Jane Aire) that would also get label deals. Songwriter Chris Butler was the engine behind both Tin Huey and the Waitresses, but vocalist Patty Donahue’s deadpan delivery gave the latter their signature sound. The Waitresses appeared on several more compilations (Bowling Balls from Hell, A Christmas Record and Bowling Balls from Hell II) and released “I Know What Boys Like” as an unsuccessful single in 1980 before stepping up to their 1982 debut LP. The LP showed Butler’s knack for writing in a 20-something female’s voice and Donahue’s convincing enactments to be a potent combination.

Butler wrote songs of women coming into their own; women gaining confidence, independence, introspection, wisdom, control and self-improvement, rather than girls wallowing in broken hearts, dependence or defeat. The group followed their first album with an EP that gathered together “Christmas Wrapping,” “Square Pegs” and its B-side “The Smartest Person I Know,” and added “Bread and Butter” and “I Could Rule the World if I Could Only Get the Parts.” The latter was a tight, ska-influenced live version of a song Butler had previously recorded with Tin Huey in a more Zappa-influenced style. Disc one closes with the funky, experimental instrumental “Hangover,” which had been released as the B-side of the 1983 UK reissue of “Christmas Wrapping.”

The set’s second disc opens with the group’s second and final album, continuing the self-empowered themes of their earlier releases, but with a darker, less naively buoyant tone. The group’s punchy mix of rock, ska, funk and jazz continued to read a line between almost-commercial pop and no-wave experimentalism. What becomes really clear is that the Waitresses were a lot deeper, musically and lyrically, than their novel hits suggested. Donahue left the band the following year and was briefly replaced by Holly Beth Vincent (late of Holly and the Italians), and though the former quickly returned, the band was essentially over by the end of 1984. Disc two adds remixed versions of “Bread and Butter” that were originally released as a DJ 12″. The two-disc set gathers together the band’s key releases, omitting only their pre-LP single, contributions to a few compilations, and a live set available separately from the King Biscuit Flower Hour. For those who’ve made do with original vinyl that’s long since shown its age, this is the replacement you’ve been waiting for. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Chris Butler’s Blog

Paul Simon: Over the Bridge of Time

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PaulSimon_OverTheBridgeOfTimeA too-small helping of singer-songwriter brilliance

Given the wealth of Paul Simon’s catalog, both in concert with Art Garfunkel and solo, and given the many reconfigurations and reiterations of this material issued on vinyl, 8-track, cassette, CD and digital download, it’s difficult to place the specific utility of this new 20-track collection. Six essential tracks from Simon & Garfunkel and fourteen stretching across Simon’s solo catalog provide an enjoyable sprint through forty-five years of Simon’s masterful songwriting, singing and guitar playing. But there are so many highlights and pivotal moments missing that the end result is the Cliff’s Notes of a multivolume career. Nearly every track leaves you longing to hear its album-mates, which may just be the point: this is audio catnip for luring an unsuspecting listener into Simon’s musical lair where they can mainline The Columbia Studio Recordings 1964-1970 and The Complete Album Collection. Buy this for someone who would appreciate Simon’s craft, but for some reason (youth, most likely), hasn’t yet acquainted themselves with his work. They’ll enjoy full-panel photos, song lyrics and Jesse Kornbluth’s career overview in a twenty-eight page booklet, and with any luck, ask for more. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Paul Simon’s Home Page

Cannonball Adderley with Milt Jackson: Things Are Getting Better

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CannonballAdderley_ThingsAreGettingBetterTwo jazz masters meet with a dynamite rhythm section

This 1958 session finds alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley in session with Modern Jazz Quartet vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and a three-piece rhythm section of Wynton Kelly (piano), Percy Heath (bass) and Jazz Messengers leader, Art Blakey (drums). Jackson’s playing makes both a brilliantly smooth tonal partner for Adderley’s sax, and a rhythmic complement to Heath and Blakey’s beats. The opening “Blues Oriental” provides a blue mix of piano, vibes and sax, backed by Blakey’s moody tom-toms and Heath’s superb bass line. Kelly and Jackson tip off a lighter, more optimistic mood for Adderley’s title cut, with the saxophonist swinging happily as he trades solos with Jackson and Kelly. The quintet simmers on “Serves Me Right,” with the rhythm section providing drowsy, late-night backing to Adderley and Jackson. And so the set runs, moving between Dizzy Gillespie’s mid-tempo “Groovin’ High” and Eubie Blake’s “The Sidewalks of New York,” Adderley’s relaxed “Sounds for Sid” and an upbeat reading of Cole Porter’s “Just One Those Things.” The rhythm section proves both solid and flexible, adding a kick to the mid-tempo numbers and providing laid back atmosphere for the ballads. The 2013 reissue of this title was remastered in 24-bits by Joe Tarantino, and includes three bonus tracks. The first of the three is a little less than a minute of studio chatter, while the latter two provide alternate takes of “Serves Me Right” and “The Sidewalks of New York.” This is a terrific showcase for Adderley and Jackson, and a good example of how alto and vibraphone play together. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Bill Evans Trio: How My Heart Sings!

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BillEvans_HowMyHeartSingsBill Evans re-emerges after the death of Scott LaFaro

Following the untimely 1961 death of his musical foil, Scott La Faro, pianist Bill Evans disappeared for several months. He re-emerged in early 1962 with a new trio that brought bassist Chuck Israels into the fold. The trio recorded two albums in mid-year sessions, a collection of ballads entitled Moon Beams, and this set of mid- and up-tempo numbers. Israels occupied a more traditional spot in the trio, fluidly marking time and taking a few introspective solos, and the change in balance pushed Evans piano forward as a lead “singing” voice. Drummer Paul Motian also falls back slightly, drumming with crisp, light strokes that add delicate accents to Evans solos. Both percussionists stoke the rhythm for hotter numbers like “Walking Up,” but it’s the trio’s more delicate moments that find the most cohesion here. The song list is stocked with well-selected standards that, while not particularly revelatory, fit the trio well. OJC’s 2013 reissue includes three bonus tracks: “In Your Own Sweet Way [Take 2],” which was included on earlier reissues, and “34 Skidoo [Take 9]” and “Ev’rything I Love [Take 2],” which are being released for the first time. Joe Tarantino remastered the disc in 24-bits, and the original liners (by Bill Evans and Orrin Keepnews) are extended with new notes by Doug Ramsey. This is a nice upgrade from earlier reissues. [©2013 Hyperbolium]

Lightnin’ Slim: High & Low Down

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LightninSlim_HighLowDownEarly ’70s return produced by Swamp Dogg at Quinvy

Lightnin’ Slim made his mark as a bluesman in the mid-50s and early 60s with a series of highly regarded releases on Excello. By the time he recorded this 1971 album with Jerry Williams, Jr. (a.k.aSwamp Dogg) at the Quinvy studio in Alabama, he’d been rediscovered after several years away from the music industry. Apparently his foundry work in the late ’60s impacted his hands, as the lead playing and solos are given to Muscle Shoals legend Jesse Carr; but Slim’s voice is still strong, and the rhythm battery, including Muscle Shoals regulars Clayton Ivey (piano) and Bob Wray (bass), is tight. The four-piece horn section plays charts that are often more soul than blues, adding a then-contemporary sound that’s not as timeless as the album’s more stripped-down tracks. The material revisits Slim’s Excello titles “Bad Luck Blues” and “Rooster Blues,” and includes well-selected tunes from Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and others. Those new to Lightnin’ Slim might want to start with his Excello sides, but those who are already fans (or following Swamp Dogg’s career as a producer and witty liner note writer) should check this out. [©2013 Hyperbolium]