R-0 CD Reviewed in Recent Months Version of America's Average White Band
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Al Jarreau has been steadily gaining recog- [Ray Lawrence, prod.] DOBREDR 1000, and Chuck Ruff, drums. Harlem Shuffle; Soul nition from jazz and soul enthusiasts alike $6.98. Man; You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'; Rock & since Warner Bros. released his first album, Roll Medley; Let the Good Times Roll; Mercy, "We Got By," last year. While that record- Laurindo Almeida is an artist of such mag- Mercy; Baby What You Want Me to Do. ing was a suitable showcase for his vocal nitude that I cannot understand why the [Johnny and Edgar Winter, prod.] BLUE SKY expertise,its relative inaccessibility de- major record companies have ignored him PZ 34033,$6.98. Tape: 4 PZT 34033, prived him of the chart success he de- in recent years. True, Capitol produced sev- $7.98: ilif...PZA34033, $7.98. served. "Glow" is a first-rate attempt at eral exquisite albums with him in the Fif- making his talents palatable to the pop au- ties; but in later years his abilities and his Brothers Johnny and Edgar Winter have not dience at large. Much to the credit of pro- stature were squandered in a series of va- appeared together in concert with any fre- ducers Tony LiPuma and Al Schmitt, it suc- pid flirtations with "pop -tunes and coattail quency. at least not since both developed their ceeds in doing so without compromising bossa nova. own successful careers. This album brings either Jarreau's sense of honesty or his dis- Even this album only begins to tap his them together again. tinctive style. profound artistry. One of its major attrac- Recorded live in concert in San Diego. the Jarreau apparently realizes that a voice- tions is that the entire second side is de- Winters provide a handful of popular rock however good it may be-is just the means voted to the music of Radames Gnattali. Al- and soulclassics.With Johnny on guitar. Ed- to an end; he never lets his vocal gymnas- meida is a guitarist who is at home in gar on saxophone. and half a dozen expert tics get in the way of a good song. For that classical, pop, or jazz styles. but a special rockers to back them up, such tunes as "Har- reason, "Glow" is not the clinical exhibi- aspect of his vast talent is his knowledge lem Shuffle." "Soul Man." and "Baby What tion of the art of singing that it could have and love of the music of his native Brazil. You Want Me to Do" go down extremely well. been in the hands of a less tasteful per- Indigenous Brazilian music-not unlike our There is a long "Rock & Roll Medley" that in- former. Itis rather a collection of finely own-bears European, African. and native cludes snatches of 1950s tunes like "Slippin' crafted interpretations arranged for the influences that have developed in their own and Slidin'." "I'm Ready." "Blue Suede technically proficient voice of a sensitive, unique way. We are somewhat familiar Shoes." and "Good Golly. Miss Molly." But soulful singer. with a smattering of this colorful music by the best momentcomes atthe end, when, dur- Just how soulful Jarreau can be is demon- virtue of the bossa-nova fad of a few years ing a long, slow blues treatment of Jimmy strated on his rendition of Elton John's clas- back and the international recognition of Reed's famous "Baby What You Want Me to sic piece of shlock, "Your Song." He almost Heitor Villa -Lobos, the great classical com- Do." the improvisational talents of both musi- makes one forget the vapidity of Bernie poser. cians are allowed to run free. M.J. Taupin's lyric, and his restrained inter- The "Brazilian Popular Suite," a syn- action with his band makes the John ver- thesis of the many moods, rhythms, and sion sound computerized by comparison. harmonic structures that are the nature of TIGER. Big Jim Sullivan, Nicky Moore, Les The same holds true for Leon Russell's Walker, Ray Flacke, Phil Curtis, Billy Rankin, this music, gives us a broader view of it. and Dave McCrae, vocals and instrumentals. "Rainbow in Your Eyes" and James Tay- is Gnattali aprolific composer and a Lay Me; Ordinary Girl; Prayer; five more. [Big lor's "Fire and Rain." teacher who counts among his pupils such It will probably take another album for Jim Sullivan and Derek Lawrence, prod.] luminaries as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao WARNER BROS.BS 2940, $6.98. the record -buying public to latch on to Al Gilberto, Luis Bonfa, and Baden-Powell. Jarreau-but when that happens, watch out. Almeida's respect for the composer and his If Tiger had a barely competent guitarist, it H.E. understanding of the music is clearly re- could take its place among the legions of flected in his ardent performance of the competent rock bands currently doing the SUPERCHARGE. Albie Donnelly, vocals, suite. Most of the other pieces are com- rounds. Break a single or two, and it could flute, and saxophones; Dave Irving, posed by Almeida himself; the exceptions even achieve top-level stardom a la BTO, drums; lain Bradshaw, keyboards; Les Karski are "Songs From Black Orpheus" and a the Doobie Brothers, and a handful more of and Ozzie Yue, vocals and guitars; Tony Dun- brief "Impromptu." This is an album of that ilk. Not very exciting, but then what more, vocals and bass; Bob Robertson, vo- subtle music played by a master. J.G. merely competent Top 40 band is? cals and saxophones; instrumental accom- All of this is academic, because Tiger's paniment. Give It the Nasty; Only You; Don't JOHNNY & EDGAR WINTER: Together. Johnny guitarist isn't competent-he's brilliant. His Let Go; Gimme Your Love; I Believe in You; Winter, guitar and vocals; Edgar Winter, name is Big Jim Sullivan, a legendary moni- I'll Give Anything; Get Down Boogie; Lonely saxophone and vocals; Rick Derringer and ker in British rockdom. He was the main- and in Love; You've Gotta Get Up and Dance; Floyd Radford, guitars; Randy Jo Hobbs, stay of the Tom Jones band (remember his Celebrate. [John Lange, prod.] VIRGINPZ bass; Dan Hartman, piano; Richard Hughes talking guitar?). and even the supremely 34293, $6.98. Tape: MI PZA 34293, $7.98; alke3PZT 34293, $7.98. Supercharge seeks to prove that white men, even British white men, can play like the Cr CS, The best pop records blacks. It is in that respect a Liverpudlian r-0 CD reviewed in recent months version of America's Average White Band. Like the AWB, Supercharge traces its roots almost directly to the Atlantic-Stax- Volt soul music of the mid -1960s, a glorious AEROSMITH: Rocks.COLUMBIAPC 34165. Sept. time for the genre. It leans heavily on its Horr AXTON: Fearless. ABM SP 4571. Sept. rhythm section, creating a magnificent THE BEATLES: Rock n' Roll Music. CAPITOL SKBO 11537. Oct. dance beat that is spiced nicely by the two BLUE OYSTER CULT: Agents of Fortune. COLUMBIAPC 34164. Sept. saxophonists, Donnelly and Robertson. DAVE BRUBECK: All the Things We Are. ATLANTIC SD 1684. Oct. The largely ensemble singing is of secon- Guy CLARK: Old No. 1. RCA APL 1-1303. Aug. dary importance, as is the case with the DOLENZ, JONES, BOYCE, & HART. CAPITOLST 11513. Oct. AWB, but adept nonetheless. The self -writ- MILLIE JACKSON: Free and in Love. SPRINGSP 16709. Aug. ten tunes are all worthy of being repeated THE MONKEES: The Monkees' Greatest Hits.ARISTAAL 4089. Oct. by other groups. Best is the opener, "Give It J. R. MONTEROSE: Straight Ahead. XANADU 126. Sept. the Nasty." DAVID RAKSIN CONDUCTS HIS GREAT FILM SCORES. RCA RED SEAL ARL 1-1490 Aug SAVOY JAZZ REISSUES: Charlie Parker. SAVOY/ARISTASJL2201. Aug. LAURINDO ALMEIDA:Latin Guitar. CARLY SIMON: Another Passenger. ELEKTRA7E 1064. Oct. Laurindo Almeida, guitar; Mike Lang, IRA SULLIVAN. HORIZON SP 706 Sept. keyboards; Chuck Flores, percussion. Brazil- VERVE JAZZ REISSUES: ....ester Young. VERVE/POLYDOR VE 2-2502. Aug. ian Popular Suite; Mozart in Samba Motion; Songs from "Black Orpheus"; four more. NOVEMBER 1976 143.