Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, and Danny Davis- Chet, Floyd, & Danny

This was a dollar.  Not sure what drew me to this.  Probably did not think about it much when I got it.  Just saw the talent on the front.

Keeping with the vacation theme, I actually did a lot of things in Amsterdam on my last trip.  One such thing was the Waterlooplein Swap Meet (aka Flea Market).  Right outside of the Mozes en Aaronkerk Church (with the plaque honoring a visit by Franz Liszt), there is an embankment of stalls selling everything from various articles of clothing, records, cds, bicycles, bicycle parts, jackets, etc.. etc..  I like looking at the jackets and the army surplus clothes while I am there. I believe the square was a formerly a Jewish marketplace until the Nazis invaded.

I was also 50-50 about looking at records as I knew if I looked I would buy and a) I did not have a good luggae option to take home records and b) I have too many records right now as it is.  However, I broke down and looked at one stall. I got ten records for 10 Euros.  Look for some of these records next month.  Anyway, next time I go back, I am defiantly bringing the proper luggage.

This record consists of mostly pre-recorded material with the exception of the two songs performed by all three artists; guitarist Chet Atkins, pianist Floyd Cramer, and trumpeter Danny Davis.  All three were legends in the Nashville scene at the time.  The rest of the album features songs by each of these artists indiviually.  Decent album.  Released in 1977, it was nominated for a Grammy for best Western Instrumental but lost.

For a sample, I wanted to use one of the two songs with all three stars on it.  After some listens, I decided to go with “La Chicana”.  I also decided to go with one of Chet’s tunes, “When You Wish Upon A Star”.  When I lived in Corpus Christi, there was some old drunk dude who used to ask bands to play it all the time and thought it was the funny thing ever.  It was not funny the first time or all the other times he did it.

Anyway, here this is.  Really meh.  They are great musicians and all but there is not enough interesting points on this record.

Vikki Carr- Nashville by Carr

DSCN4828 (800x797)This was $1.00.  I like Vikki Carr.  I like country.  Should be pretty straight forward.vikki-carr-king-of-cool

This was Vikki Carr’s country album, recorded in Nashville as the title.  On the back, there are pictures of Carr doing Nashville things; sitting in a field, standing in front of a wagon wheel, hanging with a horse, sitting in church, talking to producers, and having a beer. DSCN4829 (800x767)

This album came out in 1970, just qualifying for 70’s country, which I am generally ambivalent about.  It features such Nashville session players such as Pete Drake, Charlie McCoy, Buddy Harmon, Larry Butler, and Pig Robbins.  It also features songs written by Billy Sherrill, Burt Bacharach, Buck Owens, Mac David, Merle Haggard, and Kris Kristofferson.  The songs are ok.  I could have used a better selection. Perhaps because this record was a leading indicator where country was headed in that decade, perhaps, this is why I am less than ecstatic about it.  Carr’s vocals are good as usual but perhaps mismatched for this genre. 26422818134_b1752c3b1b_h

For a sample, I went with Kristofferson’s classic “Sunday Morning Coming Down”.  Comedy Central’s Drunk History did an excellent story about this song.

I like a lot of Carr’s stuff, but this has to go into meh territory for me as I feel Carr’s talent was limited by the material on this album. Perhaps I expected more out of this album.  Perhaps I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.