Casisbox Album Reviews

CaSIsBOx Album Reviews

Wri// wtrp Pop Picks t.S1'.' i..;. BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS-Columbia FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE-Stevie Wonder- CS 9720 Tamla TS291 A slight change in personnel and an im- Three top hits, including the title tune (a proved sound marks the second LP from recent #1 deck), "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da- BS&T, and sales should quickly top their Day," and "You Met Your Match," should "Child Is Father To The Man" debut, an early make this set the biggest Stevie Wonder 1968 chart success. Top airplay selection for package yet. Stevie has attained a new musi- FM'ers is "Smiling Phases," (a Traffic tune), cal maturity as a vocalist, and it is more with "Blues -Part II" a close second. AM out- than amply demonstrated on such tunes as lets can liven their fare with "Spinning "Sunny," "I'm More Than Happy (I'm Satis- Wheel," "More And dore," "You've Made Me fied)," "God Bless The Child," "The House On So Very Happy." and "God Bless The Child." The Hill," and "I'd Be A Fool Right Now." Group's blend of rock, blues and jazz is highly Plenty of programming here. effective the first big excitement of 1969.

WONDERWALL MUSIC BY GEORGE HAR- HELP YOURSELF - Tom Jones - London RISON-Apple 3350 PAS 71025 First major solo effort from Beatle George Titled after and including his recent single Harrison is the soundtrack music for "Won- hit, Tom Jones' latest LP is a powerhouse derwall," a soon -to -be -released film. Recorded effort that's bound to pull in heaps of spins in India and utilizing musicians from both and sales. The chanter is really at the top of East and West, the album provides a varied his form on this set, and his fans should turn assortment of familiar and unfamiliar sounds. out in force for him. In addition to "Help The set is already on the charts and looks as Yourself," the set includes "Laura," "Elusive though it's going to develop into a really big Dreams," "The House Song" and 9 others. item. Watch it. Stock heavily.

Pop Best Bets JOANNA-Original Soundtrack-20th Cen- tury S 4202 GALLERIES - Young Tradition - Van- Best-selling poet Rod McKuen has written guard VSD 79295 the words and music for "Joanna," a film The Young Tradition is comprised of three about a girl's adventures in swinging London. Britishers-Heather Wood, Royster Wood, McKuen's music is rich in variety; he has and Pete Bellamy-who sing traditional Eng- employed jazz, bossa nova, and waltz rhy- lish folk songs. A number of the songs are thms, as well as a number of ballads and done without instrumental accompaniment, blues. He also sings on this soundtrack LP, and the a cappella harmonizing of the tradi- rendering a lovely ballad entitled "I'll Catch tion is extremely interesting. "The Barley The Sun." Admirers of McKuen's work will Straw," "The Husbandman And The Serving want to own this album. Arthur Greenslade, Man," "Upon The Bow," and "The Agincourt who conducted the music, also wrote excellent Carol" are among the selections. arrangements. Jazz Picks THE SCAVENGER - Nat Adderley - Mile- CARAMBA!-Lee Morgan-Blue Note BST stone MSP 9016 84289 Cornetist Nat Adderley once more steps to Lee Morgan is both an excellent trumpeter flic the front to lead his own ensemble thru a and an excellent composer, as this album sean cn;;cr highly professional and pleasing set. Joe proves. The artist and Bennie Maupin (tenor Sawinul (piano), Victor Gaskin (bass), & sax), Cedar Walton (piano), Reginald Work- Roy McCurdy (drums) make up the rhythm man (bass), and Billy Higgins (drums), play- 4I)D1t1 FX section on all the cuts, while horn men Mel ing with a sensitivity rarely found in jazz Lastie & Joe Henderson and flutist Jeremy these days, offer five of Morgan's composi- Steig make appearances when needed. The tions. This is really good music, groovy with- eight -minute title tune is a standout, but all out being far-out, eminently listenable with- the tunes fare well in Adderley's hands. out being "music to eat your dinner by." Should do well. Listen.

NASTY !-Johnny "Hammond" Smith-Pres- SOUNDS FROM THE MARR-KET PLACE tige PRST 7588 -Hank Marr-King KS 1025 Organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith serves The "Sounds From The Marr-ket Place" up a scintillating brew of six jazz sessions. are the soulful jazz sounds of organist Hank The title tune and "Four Bowls Of Soul" Marr. Marr penned all ten tunes on the set, were written by Smith; the other selections and, among the melodies he renders in fine are "If I Were A Bell," "Song For My style are "The Marr-ket Place," "Soup Father," "Speak Low," and "Unchained Spoon," "Down In The Bottom," "Come And Melody." Smith's rhythmic, wailing perform- Get It," and "Get On Down." This LP could ance is ably abetted by Houston Person, tenor see heavy action in both jazz and R&B sax; John Abercrombie, guitar; and Grady markets. Tate, drums. Jazzophiles should snap this one up. Classical Picks nQe SCHOENBERG: PIANO CONCERTO, OP. NORMAN TREIGLE OPERATIC HEROES AND VILLAINS- 42/PIANO PIECES, OP. 23/FANTASY FOR Operatic Iíera-s and Villain, Norman Treigle/Vienna Volksopern Orches- VIOLIN AND PIANO, OP. 47 -Peter Serkin/- tra/Vienna Akademie Chorus/Jussi Jalas- Ozawa/Chicago Symphony/Arnold Stein- Westminster WST 17145 hardt-RCA LSC 3050 On this album, famed American bass -bari- Young pianist Peter Serkin (son of the tone Norman Treigle is showcased in bril- famed pianist Rudolph Serkin) here offers liant characterizations of a number of opera- excellent interpretations of three works by tic heroes and villains. The selections are Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). Serkin taken from operas by Offenbach, Massenet, proves himself a fine soloist under three Charpentier, Rossini, Verdi, and Boito. Two different sets of conditions: playing with an of the highlights on an album filled with high- orchestra-the Chicago Symphony, directed lights are Treigle's Don Quixote (in Masse - by Sejii Ozawa-on the Piano Concerto; play- net's "Don Quichotte") and his Mephisto ing alone-on the Five Piano Pieces; and (in Boito's "Mefistofele"). Should be very playing a duet-with violinist Arnold Stein- well received by opera fans. hardt-on the Violin Fantasy.

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