Cliff Richard- It’s All In The Game

DSCN5071 (1024x1012)This was $3.00.  I got it because I have been fascinated with Cliff Richard for some time.  Moreover, I am curious why a radical like the People’s Poet would be fascinated in Cliff Richard.

I asked someone abroad to explain Cliff Richard to me.  They said he was the British Elvis.  I call bunk on this since Richard is still alive and not dead on a toilet.  But this is an apt description I guess.  Before the Beatles, he was the UK’s biggest pop singer.  With his backing band, The Shadows, Richard burst on the scene in 1958.portrait with guitar about the young musicans

Over a 50 plus year career, with subsequent ups and downs, Richard scored 14 UK #1 singles, numerous top 20 albums, singles, and eps, and pretty much every British award a singer can earn.  They even made a musical about him with four performers playing the title role.  It was not very successful, however.

Cliff’s Webpage

This was Cliff’s second album to be released in the US.  It came out long after he was established in the UK, in 1964. It consists of previous released UK singles, some cuts from eps, and a few songs from unreleased sessions. It is alright but it is relatively romantic album and not the wild Presley/Little Richard style rock and roll Richard was supposedly known for at the time.  The title track, “Secret Love”  and “I Only Have Eyes For You” stand out as well as the song which I am using for a sample.DSCN5072 (1024x1007)

That song is “Where The Four Winds Blow’ which is pretty good.  cliff_richards

But as far as repacked foreign compilations go, this one is pretty meh compared to what Richard’s UK output was at the time.

Pete Fountain- At The Bateau Lounge

DSCN5159 (1020x1024)Pete Fountain is dead.  He died Saturday of heart failure.  He was 86 years old.

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Obit link from CNN

Obit Link from New York Times

Obit Link from NBC

Fountain’s health had been in decline as of late.  His last public performance was in 2013.  From there, he had been in retirement.  New Orleans knows how to do funerals and I expect the city to pull out all the stops for their native son of jazz. If you want a further bio of Fountain, check out this post I did of him earlier.

Link to earlier post.

This album was recorded live at Dan’s Bateau Lounge on Bourbon and Toulouse (that is in New Orleans if you can’t figure it out).  It features Merle Koch on piano, Don Bagley on bass, and Jack Sperling on drums.  It was released by Coral Records in 1960 and I believe it was recorded in 1959, when he returned home to New Orleans after his stint on the Lawrence Welk Show.DSCN5161 (1024x988)

Although all the musicians have their bright spots on this record, Fountain’s clarinet is the king here.  This album showcases Fountain’s true talents.  The songs are all pretty good .  The late 50’s and early 60’s were really the high point of Fountain’s output and this is one piece of a good string of records from a five month span.  It should be noted that Fountain was also recording with different groups during this period from the quintet on this album to big bands to all in between.

For samples, I went with  “Creole Gumbo” (written by Fountain) and “Londonderry Air”.  I wanted to use “Mack the Knife” but it skipped.pete-fountain-french-quarter-festival-600x355

RIP Pete Fountain.  You and Al Hirt can go back to stealing musicians from each other in the afterlife.

 

 

Lou Rawls- The Best Of Lou Rawls

DSCN5070 (1024x1008)This was 80 cents.  When I bought it, i was reminded of the nonsensical internet cartoon from the Simpsons, “Lou Rawls- Secret Agent”.

However, when I wrote this post, I had received a prostate exam the same day.  Although not as intrusive as a colonoscopy, it still was not great.  I found this clip, however that made me laugh about it.  My doctor was not as smooth as Lou.

This is an early greatest hits record from Louis Allen Rawls (1933-2016).  It came out in 1974 I believe and contains about eight of his biggest hits to date including two monologues. Pretty decent stuff but then again, it is a greatest hits record.  If it was not Saturday (or probably more importantly, if not had been violated earlier today), I might have written more about Lou Rawls, this record, Chicago (where Rawls is from), or something interesting, but unfortunately for you, these two events have conspired to give you what you see here today.DSCN5069 (1022x1024)

For a sample, I went with two; “It Was A very Good Year” and “Dead End Street”.tumblr_nfwuvgTuZp1tuy8zto2_1280

Top Rated Record.

Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen- Tales From The Ozone

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This was a dollar.  Had decent songs on it and  I knew I think or two but not much more about the Commander before buying this.Commander-Cody-1972-3

Commander Cody, (also known as George Frayne) is a singer/ pianist, who formed his band, The Lost Planet Airmen, in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They had a country rock sound that was more influenced by Ray Price and Ernst Tubb rather than folk and bluegrass. After playing a few years in local bars, the band emigrated to San Francisco  where they were signed by Paramount. Known for their eclectic mix of rock, country, jazz, blues, boogie, and what ever else you can name, they released their first album in 1971 and had decent success with the single “Hot Rod Lincoln”.

Known for their epic live shows, the group recorded a several albums in to the late seventies including perhaps, their pinnacle, Live From Deep In The Heart Of Texas, recorded live in Austin at the Armadillo World Headquarters in 1973.

lwsm_b334-16_codyc_4798 The band would break up around 1977 with Frayne keeping the name of Commander Cody and releasing output sporadically over the years. I am sure there is some nuances I am overlooking so check out the Commander’s webpage for more in depth details.lwsm_b339-24_codyc_2070

Commander Cody’s Web Page

This album was released two years after Live From Deep In The Heart of Texas and was their second (and last studio) release for Warner Brothers.  According the sources, Warner Brothers wanted to market the band as a soft country rock group like the Eagles.  The band, however, was unwilling to loose its raw sound.  Another problem was the limitations of studio albums as far as bring able to capture the crew’s live energy.  I am sure both issues were a factor in the group’s demise as well as their disastrous experience with Warner Brothers.DSCN5068 (1024x1000)

This record, produced by Hoyt Axton, luckily does not disappoint.  It is filled with straight ahead hard rolling western swing with rock edges.  It starts with Cab Calloway’s classic “Minnie the Moocher”.  It contains a good mix of western swing classics as well as originals.  Highlights include their single of the record, “It’s Gonna Be One Of Those Nights”, “I’ve Been To Georgia On A Fast Train”, “Lightin-Bar Blues”, “Tina Louise”, and Hank Williams’ “Cajun Baby”.  But really this is a good album all the way. It should also be noted that Tower of Power provided the horns for this.100_5589

For a sample, I went with a song written by Mel McDaniel and covered by Axton, “Roll Your Own”.960

This is a quite excellent album, especially for $1.  Top Rated.

Stan Fisher- Hi-Fi Harmonica Over Broadway

DSCN5065 (1005x1024)This was a 25 cent record augmented by an additional 20% off, bringing the final cost to 20 cents.  I should have posted this last month when I was pushing out the show tunes.  Well, better late than never.s-l225

Not much is known about Stan Fisher other than what I learned on the back cover.  I am not sure where in the US he is from but as a child he found a rusty harmonica which the liner notes states he soon mastered. His parents in turn bought him a new one and young Stan worked from amatuer contests up to paying gigs.  He was discovered by Garry Moore, who was working on Broadway with Jimmy Durante,  Moore got Fisher a gig on radio in Baltimore.  From there, Fisher eventually played across the US and Canada. s-l1600

WWII put the brakes on Fisher’s career as with many people.  Funny how that does not happen anymore. Then again, playing harmonica ain’t the same as crooning.  Anyway, Fisher joined the Aviation Cadets , earned his wings, and was commissioned First Lieutenant.  He flew 35 combat missions over Germany, crashing four times.  He also was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the E.T.O ribbon with two battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation.

Other than that, I have no idea.  He has several albums floating around the Ebay ranks. He performed with David Rose, writer and performer of “The Stripper”.  He was an accomplished tennis player, winning the Florida Racquet Club doubles championship even though I am sure his partner Bobby Riggs had something to do with it.  Finally, according to TV host Jack Carter, he may have worn a toupee.  DSCN5066 (1021x1024)

As far the album, it is straight harp playing Broadway tunes.  This album was released on Design Records, a subsidiary of Pickwick.  I am guessing this came out in 1958.  Shows tunes used on this album come from Flower Drum Song, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, and Oklahoma.   It is an okay album.  Very R & H heavy and you know I like that.  Harpfinder_engl_1_Blues_aktiv

For a sample, I went with “Oklahoma” which takes advantage of the harmonica’s sound. 20141001MWHharmonicaMag06-5

I hate saying this as the album is what it says it is, but this is really meh.  I mean it delivers what the cover promised but it just does not have enough bite for my tastes. However, it was only 20 cents.  Well, I already wrote meh so meh it is.

Michael Wycoff- On The Line

DSCN5063 (1024x1024)I got this because the singer bears the same name (at least phonetically) as a friend of mine who’s birthday is today. I got this for $3 at a record show about six months waiting for this day to post this.  Kind of dumb when you think about it. Writing a post directed to one person.  Lousy marketing on my part but here we are and here is this post, dedicated to one person who happens to share a similar moniker with today’s subject.MWYCOFF-NICE1

The Michael Wycoff from this album was a RnB singer from California.  He sung back up vocals on Stevie Wonder’s acclaimed Songs In The Key Of Life.  From there, he recorded a handful of singles before recording three albums for RCA.bhd

As the DOC said, there is a misconception when you think that after you made it, you are going one direction.  This was the case with Wycoff.  A severe drug and alcohol addiction take away both his career, his family, and his home.  After some time of struggles, Wycoff was able to clean himself up and get his act together.  Last thing of note that I could find was that he has served as a Minister of Music in several Los Angeles area churches.DSCN5064 (1024x1003)

This was Wycoff’s third album, released in 1983.  It went to # 54 on the US R&B charts.  It’s singles were “Tell Me Love” and “There’s No Easy Way”. It is 80’s style RnB.  It is okay but it sounds like the period of time in which it was released.  Also, the songs are longer than I normally like to post.  Incidentally, Dorothy Ashby, who also played on Wonder’s album, contributed harp to this album.  Ashby also released a great album in 1968, Afro Harping.  I have it but it was not under $5.

For a sample, I went with a song that was popularized by the Stylistics, “You Are Everything”.  It is a pretty decent version and is one of the good songs under 5 minutes.MWYCOFF-NICE2

This record is meh for me.  That 80’s smooth RnB is just not me cup of tea, but man was it popular 35 years ago. Anyway, Happy Birthday to the other Wycoff.  If you secretly really wanted smooth 80’s RnB  for your birthday, then I guess you got your wish.

 

Ray Price – Touch My Heart

DSCN5061 (1024x1020)This was 40 cents.  If they still had payphones, I imagine inflation would make them cost this much.  I had posted what I think was Ray Price’s best album earlier.  I am not going to pass up any of his earlier work.price8x10-1960s

This was Price’s 11th album, released in 1967.  On this record, he took a step away from the heavy string sound from his previous records ( and got him briefly blacklisted in certain country circles according to some). Instead, Price would return to an organic sound much closer to Bakersfield than Nashville.DSCN5062 (1019x1024)

This record would go to #1 on the US country chart.  It also spawned two Top Ten Country singles; “A Way To Survive” and the title track.  “There Goes My Everything” and Marty Robbin’s “The Same Two Lips” are good tracks as well.  There are a lot of Hank Cochran written tunes on this record.  The title track is written by Donald Young, better known as Johnny Paycheck.  Overall, it is a pretty good old school honky tonk record.  Not as good as Night Life, but that is an unfair comparison as I think that was Price’s high moment.Ray+Price+cherokeecowboypromo

For a sample, I went with Merle Haggard’s “Swinging Doors”, which highlights that honky tonk sound. The only strings on this are the fiddle (and perhaps the lap steel if you want to classify them as strings).  It sounds like a track left off of Night Life.ray-price-performing-on-stage-01

Satisfactory record.

Henry Mancini- Music From Mr Lucky

DSCN5059 (1024x1008)Welcome to another month of the Show.  I felt really positive about picking this month’s records when I first did it but lately when I listen to them, I feel that I might have gone flat this month a bit.  Oh well.  Got to get the junk out sometime.  Anyway, this was a buck.  If memory recalls, I found this first before I got the Latin version, which is better known. gRfez-1445970227-418-list_items-cats_mrlucky

Mr Lucky Goes Latin Link

Mr Lucky, the TV show was developed my frequent Mancini hirer, Blake Edwards.  It ran one season in 1959-1960.  John Vivyan played the title role.  cast

This record was released in 1960.  The title track  was the lead single and went to # 21 in the charts.  It was successful enough but not as much as the Peter Gunn soundtrack before it or the Mr Lucky Goes Latin after.  But the songs are decent enough, filled to the brim with the Mancini touch. I do agree with the critical assessment, however.  There is nothing on these as driving or interesting as the other albums mentioned in this paragraph.DSCN5060 (1020x1024)

For a sample, I was stuck between “Tipsy”, “Floating Pad”, and “One Eyed Cat”.  After much thought and listening, I was still pretty stuck.  All three songs were okay and had good parts but there was nothing conclusive that made any one stand out against the others.  At the end of the day, I went with “Tipsy”.  I think the organ part is what finally won me over.TV series

As far as this album, meh.  Check out the Latin version.  It is much better.