May 13, 1974, The Retriever, Page II Seven records reviewed Get 'wind' of newly released alhums

"Whirlwinds" Deodato (MCA over the course of his career, and an easy top ten single, but failed Definit-ely a step in the right direction almost all of them are included here. despite its excellence. at a key point in Deodato's career. Marvin's come a long way from "Can are probably more talented now than i, 'Whirlwinds" demonstrates this I Get A Witness" to "What's Going a t any other point in their career, they young performer's willingness to On". He is a vocalist whose just don't seem to put themselves mature. He has gotten away from the evolvement can be traced quite across. The blame for this goes to highly commercial sound found in distinctly throughout the course of their life-long producer, Jack "Theme from 2001: A Space this three-record set. Also included Richardson. Although he has Odyssey." Now, Deodato has taken are most of the Marvin Gaye - Tammi produced the group from the begin­ his fine keyboard ability and applied Terell blockbusters. (the only one ning, he'd better bow out-before they -it to new direction. His sound is fresh, missing is "The Onion Song") An do. "Road Food" is not really a bad jazzy, and relaxing. Side 1 is about the - such as this only reinforces album. It has some good moments -most commercial on the album, Mr. Gayes' rank as one of the best from singer-pianist Burton Cum­ featuring reworked arrangements of vocalists recording today. _ mings and guitarist . This "Do It Again" and Glenn Millers "Bridge of Sighs" Robin Trower album, like their two previous efforts "Moonlight Serenade'; . Side 2 i~ (Chrysalis) This is the absolute demonstrates their desire to be more delightful free-form jazz which brings closest you'll get to Hendrix. In the than just a top forty band. "#10" the album together solidly. His next three years since Hendrix' death, I covered some nice areas of rock. release should be one to watch for. haven't heard anyone as close to him They're really trying. They just can't .. Anthology" Marvin Gaye in style, ability, and perfor-mance as put themselves across. Hopefully (Motown) You know, it was really Robin Trower. Up until two years ago, RCA won't let their talents go to nice to ha ve Motown around in the late Robin played lead guitar for Procol waste. They need an overhaul. sixties. Otherwise we'd probably still Harum. His sizzling guitar work on "ST t1261" Brewer and Shipley be singing about pictures of mat­ "Whiskey Train" was a clue that he (Capitol> Don't let the title fool you, chstick men or how inna-gadda-da­ had outgrown the confines of The these guys haven't turned to elec­ DEODATO vida means I love you. Marvin Gaye Harum. Now that he has formed his tronic music. It's only the serial ... his sound is fresh has put out some _d~mn fine song~ own band, The real Trower shines number of the album. (remember through. Out of all the I've Peter, Paul & Mary's" Album 1700"'?) listened to in recent months, Trower After listening to this release it is is the only guy I can think of who is apparent that Brewer and Shipley Video show'Groove -Tube' playing electric guitar. He explores ha ve been the victims of the power and capabilities of his in­ mismanagement and poor producing draws largeaudiences strument to the fullest. (as Hendrix for too long. "11261" producer John did) Although I missed his first album Boylan has done a fine job of Back in 1972, in a St.. Paul's St. If vid'eo theatre was so-good, then (' 'Twice Removed From Yester­ displaying the duo's talents in their rowhouse, a group of people went why did it fail (miserably, in terms of day") "Bridge of Sighs" makes my best light. Boylan did a fine job with broke trying to introduce video box office draw, locally)? First, hunger for a copy of it. This is an Linda Ronstadt recently, and he theatre to Baltimore. Shapiro sold complete distribution album of guitar mastery which cuts seems to have sav~d Brewer and Video theatre or "Channel 1" was rights to a cutthroat company whose deep into the core of blues and its Shipley's floundering career. The the brainchild of New Yorkers Ken iron- clad policies assured to "Groove ' inherent pain. Trower's vocals album displays some fine vocal Shapiro. It consisted of a TV set in a Tube's" demise in marginal markets provide added drive and dimension to blending, good musicianship, and casual living room environment, such as Baltimore and to a lesser his music. soothing soft rock. Guest performers where for two hours, an audience was extent, Washington. Al Kooper, Jessee Ed Davis and treated to rapid-fire, hilarious satire A video show also lands itself very "Crosswinds" Billy Cobham Sneeky Pete help round the lp out of broadcast TV programming, from well to road engagements. A TV set (Atlantic) Though not radically nicely. commercials to Kiddie Show, to Sport and video recorder can be set up in a different from "Spectrum", "Second Helping" Lynyrd Skynard show. "The Groove Tube" has few minutes, anywhere, and can even Cobham's newest is a much more (Sounds of the South/MCA) A fine returned as a movie, to Washington at be run on ba tteries. The Baltimore confident effort. Billy seems to realize second effort from a group who is least, and hopefully, soon to group's inability to go on the now that he can make it without The starting to move. Their debut album, Baltimore. road eventually bankrupt them. M a'h a vis h n u 0 r c h est r a _ "Lynard Skynard", was a fine The original "Groove Tube" was Video '_'Groove Tube" did fare very "Crosswinds" presents new ideas, mixture of rock, boogie, and southern created in New York by Shapiro and well in large cities such as New York, whereas "Spectrum" carried a roots. "Second helping", as the title friends using inexpensive 1/2" video Boston, and Chicago. It made money shadow of John McLaughlin's in­ implies, is more of the same. Like equipment. Most of the skits had the during distributor sponsored college fluence. On his latest effort Cobham their first album, this one was also style of typical low-budget local TV tours, still, it couldn't have done much makes no effort to hog the show, he produced by super producer Al programming. When seen on a TV set, more than make the distributor rich. fits his drumming into the rest of the Kooper, who knows his way around. in a homey environment, the show's As far as I know, video "G:-oove,Tube': _ music modestly. It is because of this Skynard's talents were so impressive impact was tremendous. is now out-of-business everywhere. that Cobham's latest works ef­ that they were asked to accompany Of course, not to be left out as a fectively. The music is a unified in­ The Who on their recent US tour. This Consider turning on your TV one prime cause of video theatre's teraction of musicians. Cobham'!! evening and finding such things as the latest effort displays the fine guitar collapse was the reluctance of people talent as a drummer cannot be work of Ed King and Gary "Sexual Olympic Finals at Acapulco", to pay $2.00 for \uhat seemed to questioned, nor can be songwriting a pornographic kiddie show, a Rossington, as well as the piano flash or amount to an evening of TV in a ability. Billy seems to be headed in of Billy Powell. Though they have series a la "Streets of San Francisco" stranger's house. Probably weirdo the right direction. entitled "The Dope Dealers", brought been compared to the Allman strangers too! " "Road Food" The Guess Who Brothers in style and sound, they to you by a slick chemical Anyway, :Ken Shapiro, recognizing (RCA) Unfortunately, this band is conglomerate called the "Uranus seem to have themselves more the reluctance of the world to accept having troubles. They're not selling together than the Allmans do right Corporation" (a company on the pay-TV, re-invested his meagre anymore and there is no major reason move whose prime product looks now. Why not give yourself a good profits from video "Groove Tube" in why. "" should have been dose of Southern Rock n' Roll'? curiously like fecal material). a 35 mm film which kept the TV Chances are that you'd watch. Right? programming format, the best of the Unfortunately, at present, the only original show, and some very good place you can see this king of new material. programming is in a Washington The theatre was jammed going in movie theatre at $3.10 a head. and coming out, the audience roared, The "Groove Tube" movie lasts publicity is good. This film will only an hour, and looses some of its definitely make it. People will go to a satiric effect by being presented in a movie house, but not to a video house. large screen movie theatre en­ "The Groove Tube" is neat, slick, vironment. But it can afford this loss, , unique, full of jolly, sexy, intelligent because it is so rich in humor. satire. I just wish that it could play in Some new portions of the movie are a cozy video theatre, at a fair price, cinematic enough to warrant the where it belongs. It is playing at 35mm film format, but others are Janus II Movie theatre, Connecticut such pure video (one camera, one Ave., Washington, D.C., unfortunately. angle), that they do not come across P.S. IF YOU EVER HEAR OF THE as well as they could on a TV screen. RETURN OF THE VIDEO Seeing this zaney material on a TV "GROOVE TUBE", GO SEE IT. IF L screen was half the kick. Therefore, YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, GO BREWER AND SHIPLEY although the movie is great, its video SEE THE MOVIE. RIGHT NOW. ancestor was measurably superior. - R. Coleman Younger ...f1oundering careers saved