"Celestial Blues: Cosmic, Political & Spiritual Jazz 1970-74" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (July 2016 UK Beat Goes Public CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Let It Take Your Mind..."

In a crowded marketplace - the 'Various Artists' compilation is something of an endangered beast - especially if it's even slightly 'jazzy', 'progressive' or 'experimental' - and 2016's utterly brilliant "Celestial Blues" from Ace's 'BGP' label imprint is all three and more.

I review a lot and I'll admit that I have a 'thing' for Ace Records of the UK in all their varying reissue magnificence - Kent-Soul, Beat Goes Public (BGP), the 'Hip Pocket' Series, their amazing Rock 'n' Roll and Blues LP and CD reissues that stretch back 40 years and more. So it's not something new that I say Ace is really good at 'this sort of thing' - but holy crap - they really are. I love my Soul, Funk and Jazz Fusion (check out my 'Sounds Good: Exceptional CD Remasters for SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION' e-Book available on Amazon with over 1000 pages and a reasonable price tag) - but even with a real knowledge and love for the fields - I'll admit I don't know 90% of what's on here - and yet I'm digging most of it and wondering how I missed so much of this. And isn't that the best after all these years in the musical trenches. Let's get to the cosmic details...

UK released Friday 29 July 2016 (5 August 2016 in the USA) - "Celestial Blues: Cosmic, Political And Spiritual Jazz 1970 to 1974" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace/Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 300 (Barcode 029667530026) is a single-CD 10-track compilation of mainly Milestone and Prestige labels Jazz and Fusion tracks that play out as follows (79:10 minutes):

1. Celestial Blues - GARY BARTZ NTU TROOP (from the 1970 US LP "Harlem Bush Music - Uhuru" on Milestone MSP 9032)

2. Fire  - JOE HENDERSON and ALICE COLTRANE (from the 1974 US LP "The Elements" on Milestone M 9053)

3. Warriors Of peace – AZAR LAWRENCE (from the 1974 US LP "Bridge Into The New Age" on Prestige P-10086)

4. Brown Eyes – CHARLES EARLAND, FREDDIE HUBBARD and JOE HENDERSON (from the 1974 US LP "Leaving This Planet" on Prestige P-66002)

5. The Free Slave – ROY BROOKS (from the 1972 US LP "The Free Slave" on Muse MR 5003)

6. The Almoravid – JOE CHAMBERS (from the 1974 US LP "The Almoravid" on Muse MR 5035)

7. Let Us Go (To Higher Heights) – CARLOS GARNETT (from the 1974 US LP "Journey To Enlightenment" on Muse MR 5057)

8. Let It Take Your Mind – BAYETE UMBRA ZINDIKO (from the 1973 US LP "Seeking Other Beauty" on Prestige PRST 10062)

9. Josie Black – HAMPTON HAWES (from the 1972 US LP "Universe" on Prestige P-10046)

10. Aftermath – OLIVER NELSON (Previously Unreleased 'Edited Version' from the 1970 LP "Black, Brown And Beautiful" on Flying Dutchman FDS 116)

As you can see from the track list and generous near 80-minute playing time - "Celestial Blues..." gives you 10 lengthy Jazz and Fusion tracks from 1970 to 1974 (one of which is a Previously Unreleased edit) mostly culled from the Milestone and Prestige sets of labels with some Fling Dutchman and Muse thrown in. The 16-page booklet has superbly detailed and informative liner notes from DEAN RUDLAND - a name known to every lover of Soul, Funk and Fusion compilations. He's written for Ace, Edsel and many more and smartly accompanies the paragraphs with repros of the LP artwork so you can get a visual lay of the land too. Above all the text is musician credits and discography info for each entry and Ace's long-time Audio Engineer NICK ROBBINS has carried out the stunning remasters. Beautifully recorded and produced in the first place - this is an amazing-sounding CD reissue - huge presence as all that expert playing fills your room. Test drive the busy Joe Chambers track "The Alomoravid" to see what I mean - wonderful stuff...

It opens with the Gil Scott-Heron moaning of Andy Bey on Vocals while Gary Bartz gives it some backing Saxophone on "Celestial Blues" – an 'expand your mind' track I do recognise from other Jazz-Funk compilations on vinyl - very cool stuff. Tenor Saxophonist Joe Henderson penned the instrumental "Fire" - 11:07 minutes of instrument sparring between him and Alice Coltrane (Piano, Harp, Tamboura and Harmonium) and Michael White on Violin. A funky groove is set up right from the start - Charles Haden on Bass, Ngudu on Drums with Kenneth Nash on varying Percussion - that allows Joe to counter with the other soloists. But the big draw is his partnership with the amazing Alice Coltrane – a musical journey that started on the 1970 Milestone LP ""Ptah, The El Daoud" - an album that graced the Reckless Records CD shuffle play on many an occasion. The title track to the album "Bridge Into The New Age" by Tenor and Soprano Saxophonist Azar Lawrence has provided the title for another CD compilation in this series of reissues - Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 203 from late August 2009. Ex McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones' bands - Azar Lawrence is described as a 'spiritual Jazz musician' and his frantic but disciplined soloing with Pianist Joe Bonner will test many people's faith for the eight minute duration of "Warriors Of Peace" (too manic for my delicate palette). Far better is the very hip organ sound that Charles Earland eases out on "Brown Eyes" – a cut from the "Leaving This Planet" LP he did with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson in 1974. You get the three great soloists giving it slices of their magic for 11:45 minutes of mellow and mid-tempo Jazz Funk – slinky Moogs meshing Henderson's Trumpet, Dave Hubbard's Alto Flute and Harvey Mason's expert drumming.

Things liven up with the Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe" feel to "The Free Slave" where Detroit Drummer Roy Brooks (toured with Yusef Lateef and was part of Horace Silver's 1950 group) lets Woody Shaw and George Coleman take the Trumpet and Tenor Saxophone leads while Hugh Lawson plinkers on the old Joanna. "The Free Slave" is a fabulous groove that doesn't seem to overstay its considerable 12:14 minute duration and is a shoe-in for a 'cool' CD-R compilation as fast as I can make one. The sexy and rather trippy sleeve art to the rare Carlos Garnett album "Journey To Enlightenment" is given the whole of Page 12 in the booklet. Coming over like the sophisticated but musical mid-section of Steely Dan's "Aja" track from 1977 - "The Alomoravid" by Drummer Joe Chambers is stunning stuff. Ray Mantilla is on Congas while David Friedman gives it some sublime Marimbas as Cedar Walton plays Piano and Richard Davis anchors it with tasteful Bass lines.

A part of the Miles Davis ensemble - reed player Carlos Garnett clearly had his eye on the dancefloors of the USA in 1974 because he took Stevie Wonder's clavinet sound and gave his "Let Us Go (To Higher Heights)" track a seriously funky edge. It's that wonderful mixture of great music meets (dare we say it) commercial appeal - all 'peace brother' shouts, football game whistles, clavinet Funk, driving Saxophone and a backbeat that just won't quit for its six-minutes plus (a 12" of this sucker would go for such money). The 2:44 minutes of the decidedly Graham Central Station/Sly Stone fuzzed-up Funk of "Let It Take Your Mind" by Bayete Umbra Zindiko (Todd Cochran to you and I) is completely new to me - a furious little thing that half works (he played on Peter Gabriel's 2nd LP and is associated with Santana's drummer Michael Shrieve). The two finishers elevate things - "Josie Black" - an eight-minute slinky Funk Out by Keyboardist Hampton Hawes where wah-wah guitars do battle with his Fender Rhodes - and finally "Aftermath" by Saxophonist Oliver Nelson - a beautifully orchestrated filmic piece that's been edited down to 3:09 minutes - its melodramatic strings against an aching Saxophone (written about MLK's assassination) is both beautiful, difficult and exciting - all at the same time (great compiling choice).

Looking at its rather nondescript quarter-moon artwork and its hipster 'space' title - I hadn't expected much from "Celestial Blues". But as Joan Armatrading said two years after most of these 1974 tracks were recorded - 'I'm open to persuasion'. A brilliant CD compilation and well done to all involved...

Other CD compilations like this on Beat Goes Public include:

1. Bridge Into The New Age: Funky Afro-Centric Spiritual Sounds From Jazz’s Forgotten Decade

July 2009 CD on Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 203

2. A Loud Minority: Deep Spiritual Jazz From Mainstream Records 1970-1973 May 2010 on Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 215

3. Liberation Music: Spiritual Jazz And The Art Of Protest On Flying Dutchman Records 1969-1974

March 2013 CD on Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 259

"Walk In The Night: The Motown 70s Studio Albums" by JR. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - Including The Albums "A Gasssss" (1970 USA and UK), "Rainbow Funk" (1971 USA, 1972 UK), "Moody Jr." (1972 USA and UK), "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" (1973 USA and UK), "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" (1975 UK) and "Hot Shot" (1976 USA and UK) – Featuring Johnny Bristol and Gladys Knight (24 May 2019 UK SoulMusic Records Clamshell Box Set – 6LPs onto 3CDs - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Featuring the 1970 US LP "A Gasssss" on Soul Records (USA)
And Tamla Motown Records (UK)

"...Groove Thang..."

The big sell here for Saxophone and Soul Instrumental fans is the official reissue (for the first time) of six Motown albums covering Jr. Walker's primo period at the Home of Young America – 1970 to 1976 - issued on Gordy's Soul Records label imprint Stateside and on Tamla Motown in the UK (one of them from 1974 only available in Blighty).

And it has to be said that SoulMusic Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red) has done a very sweet job with this 2019 reissue (and at an affordable price too). There's a walk-in wardrobe-full of detail to wade through, so let's have ourselves an all-star gas and groove thang (if you catch my drift)…

UK released Friday, 24 May 2019 - "Walk In The Night: The Motown 0s Studio Albums" by Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS on SoulMusic Records SMCR5183BX (Barcode 5013929088337) is a Clamshell Box Set featuring Six Albums Remastered onto 3CDs (with booklet) that plays out as follows:

Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SIX ALBUMS:

Disc 1 (74:43 minutes):

1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Side 1]

2. And When I Die

3. I Was Made To Love Her

4. Carry Your Own Load

5. Shut Up, Don't Interrupt Me

6. Groove And Move

7. Holly Holy [Side 2]

8. Honey Come Back

9. Riding High On Love

10. Hey Jude

11. At A Saturday Matinee

Tracks 1 to 11 are his ninth album "A Gasssss" - released October 1970 in the USA on Soul Records SS 726 and November 1970 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11167. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 28 on the US R&B LP charts (none of Walker's albums charted in the UK top 50)

12. Way Back Home - Instrumental [Side 1]

13. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready

14. Feeling Alright

15. Right On Brothers And Sisters

16. Teach Them To Pray

17. Something [Side 2]

18. Psychedelic Shack

19. Pieces Of A Man

20. These Things Will Keep Me Loving You

Tracks 12 to 20 are his tenth album "Rainbow Funk" - released July 1971 in the USA on Soul Records SS 732L and February 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11198. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 12 on the US R&B LP charts

Disc 2 (72:16 minutes):

1. Way Back Home - Vocal [Side 1]

2. I Don't Want To Do Wrong

3. Bristol's Way

4. Don't Blame The Children

5. Me And My Family

6. Groove Thang

7. Still Water Medley

8. Never Can Say Goodbye

9. Walk In The Night

10. Moody Junior

Tracks 1 to 10 are his eleventh album "Moody Jr." - released January 1972 in the USA on Soul Records SS 733L and August 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11211. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 22 on the US R&B LP charts

11. I Ain't Going Nowhere [Side 1]

12. I Don't Need No Reason

13. It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do

14. It's Too Late

15. Soul Clappin'

16. I Can See Clearly Now [Side 2]

17. Gimme That Beat (Part 1)

18. Gimme That Beat (Part 2)

19. Country Boy

20. Peace And Understanding (Is Hard To Find)

Tracks 11 to 20 are his twelfth album "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" - released May 1973 in the USA on Soul Records S S38L and July 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11234 (it peaked at No. 47 on the US R&B LP charts)

Disc 3 (78:35 minutes):

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life [Side 1]

2. All In Love Is Fair

3. Killing Me Softly With This Song

4. My Love

5. Boogie Down [Side 2]

6. I Ain't That Easy To Lose

7. Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train

8. Break Down And Sing

9. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I Gonna Do)

Tracks 1 to 9 are his thirteenth album "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" - recorded in 1974, it was released July 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11274 (no US issue)

10. I'm So Glad [Side 1]

11. Why Can't We Be Lovers

12. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman

13. Just Can't Get Enough

14. Love (Keep Us Together) [Side 2]

15. I Need You Right Now

16. Probe Your Mind

17. Don't Lose What You Got (Trying To Get Back What You Had)

18. Hot Shot

Tracks 10 to 18 are his fourteenth album "Hot Shot" - released February 1976 in the USA on Soul Records S6-745S1 and March 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12018 (it peaked at No. 45 on the US R&B LP charts)

Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SINGLES:

1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Edit] b/w Groove And Move

17 June 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35073

25 September 1970 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 750

2. Holly Holy b/w Carry Your Own Load

24 November 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35081 [A-side is a Neil Diamond cover]

21 September 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 872

(UK single used the 1973 song "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" as its B-side with the 1970 song on the A)

3. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready b/w Right On Brothers And Sisters

8 July 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35084F

12 January 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 840 with "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong" on the B-side

4. Way Back Home (Vocal) b/w Way Back Home (Instrumental)

4 November 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35090F

1 June 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 857 (some UK copies have "Country Boy" as an extra track on the B)

5. Walk In The Night b/w I Don't Want To Do No Wrong

29 February 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35095F

21 July 1972 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 824

(UK issues have "Right On Brothers And Sisters" and "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" as its B-sides

6. Groove Thang b/w Me And My Family

June 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35097F

7. Gimme That Beat (Part 1) b/w Gimme That Beat (Part 2)

11 January 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35104F

8. I Don't Need No Reason b/w Country Boy

1 May 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35106F

9. Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find b/w Soul Clappin'

3 July 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35108F

(for UK issue of "Peace And Understanding..." see "Holly Holy" entry from 1970)

10. Don't Blame The Children b/w Soul Clappin'

1 February 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 889

11. Gotta Hold On To This Feeling b/w I Ain't Going Nowhere

19 April 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 894

12. Dancing Like They Do On Soul Train b/w I Ain't That Easy To Lose

9 May 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35110F

13. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life b/w Until You Come Back (That's What I Gonna Do) - UNRELEASED

July 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35114S - UNRELEASED

14. What Does It Take To Win Your Love b/w Country Boy

May 1975 US 7" single on Motown M 1352F

24 October 1980 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 962

(UK B-side is Take Me Girl, I'm Ready)

15. I'm So Glad b/w Soul Clappin'

5 January 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35116F

23 April 1976 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1027

(UK B-side was "Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train"

16. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman b/w Hot Shot

27 May 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35118F

17. I Ain't Going Nowhere b/w B1. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)? B2. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready

6 May 1977 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1070

18. Walk In The Night b/w I Need You Right Now

1 September 1978 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1118

(B-side is Jr. Walker with Thelma Houston)

The card-sleeves cleverly double-up the albums so the CD cover features the front sleeves and A-sides of both LPs – the rear CD card sleeve has Side 2 of each and their rear album artwork. The 24-page booklet boasts seriously in-depth liner notes from SHARON DAVIS as well as page after page of 45 labels and foreign picture sleeves peppering the text. There are track-by-track credits that mention American 45 issues where relevant and other reissue credits. NICK ROBBINS of Ace Records fame handled the remasters and they sound great – very punchy – the rhythm sections kicking your speaker cones with bad intent. As this is a Studio Albums set, his first LP of the Seventies from May 1970 "…Live" is not included and although the single "What Does It Take To Win Your Love" is not in this box, I’ve included it because the B-side is. Let’s get to the music…

The multiple-times 's' Gas LP opens with a total winner "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" penned by the mighty dancing duo of Johnny Bristol and Jacky Beavers - Juniors well-underrated lead vocal sending its joyous dancer groove to No. 3 on the US R&B charts (what you get here is the Stereo LP cut - the mono single version is only on "The Complete Motown Singles Volume 10: 1970" book pack from 2008). Not so sure about Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" or The Beatles "Hey Jude" but his take on Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" shows a smart head. But my poison is the instrumental sax-strutter "Groove And Move" followed quickly by the old-time Motown do-do Northern Soul vibe of "Riding High On Love"  (a co-write with Edwin Starr).  

Penned by Wilton Felder of The Crusaders - the second LP's irrepressibly catchy "Way Back Home" turns in both Instrumental and Vocal form on this set - the first being closest to that Jazz-Funk sound we're used to - the ladies cleverly harmonizing all the way to the close with "...way back home..." refrains. Gladys Knight would have a hand in the lyrics to the vocal take of "Way Back Home" on the third LP in this set "Moody Jr.". You can so here why Tamla UK used "Take Me Girl, I'm Ready" on so many single-sides - its lovely shuffling rhythms and Walker vocal being like honey to Northern Soul bees. And once again the fabulous Dave Mason classic he did for Traffic "Feeling Alright" gets another cover though I'd personally reach for the wah-wah geetars of The Temps' "Psychedelic Shack" where Junior manics up the Funk pace to clever effect before his 'do your thang' vocal comes in.

Highlights for "Moody Jr." album include the 'I just can't help myself' girly smooch of "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong", the hard Funk pump behind "Groove Thang" and the almost Blaxploitation feel to "Walk In The Night" as it Barry White's its groovy posterior across your mind's movie screen. Walker once again upbeats his Soul to chart-winning effect with "I Ain't Going Nowhere" - a dancer with gravel vocals and his trademark saxophone dancing over the top. Carole King's magisterial "Tapestry" took 1971 by storm and its hardly surprising that many Soul and Rock acts leaped on the inherent Soulfulness inside one of its Grammy winners "It's Too Late" - Walker giving it a dirty shame vocal before he assures us there'll be good times once again for me and you. We get a wee bit JB with the two-part Funk of "Gimme That Beat" where he asks y’all to have a ball (ok junior) - but for my money the Willie Hutch tune "It's Alright, Do What you Gotta Do" is far better than the promise of musical greatness in the title song "Peace And Understanding…" The last two records simply deliver more of the same…

Not everything on here is Aretha or Marvin or Donny H magical – and Walker could be accused of hacking the same sound over and over again – but within these six long forgotten platters are nuggets I’ve so enjoyed rediscovering and that’s a tip-top recommendation in my patch…

"Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present ENGLISH WEATHER" by VARIOUS (2017 Ace Records CD Compilation - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT 1970... - Exceptional CD Remasters  

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Featuring T2, John Cale, Aardvark and many more from 1970 releases

"...Edge Of The Sea..." 

In a sort of bleary-eyed screw-you Age of Aquarius mission statement - it says on the back inlay of the brilliantly exploratory CD compilation "English Weather" from those brave blokes over at Ace Records - "...with The Beatles gone and the pound sinking, a new and distinctive sound emerges, led by flutes and Mellotrons..."

I think what decent British chappies BOB STANLEY and PETE WIGGS (of Saint Etienne) are having us believe is that at the beginning of the Seventies over here in Blighty - something seriously Folk-Acid this way comes. Much of this compilation is incredibly mellow with only sporadic hints at Jazz Rock and complicated Prog stretching from early 1969 to mid 1976. But I hear you say (as you choke on your real ale that tastes like a Lindisfarne wetty on the wall) - I need another Prog-type CD compilation in my home like I need the phone number of Donald Trump's hairdresser. But actually there's much to love here and the dynamic duo have come up with an extraordinary set of tracks (generous too at nearly 79 minutes).

Many tracks and artists are obscure for reasons – pretty or know – but finds like the Prelude track "Edge Of The Sea", the pre-Pilot B-side "Pamela" and a pairing of obscure library track instrumentals will thrill lovers of melodic Rock like Mellow Candle, Keith Cross and Peter Ross, Trader Horne, Tudor Lodge and Spring. The Nick Robbins mastering is absolutely superb too - bringing out those acoustic flourishes and lovely melodies. And even as a fan of Prog and a long-time reviewer and collector - I can safely say that I've not heard at least 75% of this stuff before. Nice and I don't mean pre ELP. Here are the floatation tank details...

UK released 27 January 2017 (10 February 2017 in the USA) – "Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present ENGLISH WEATHER" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace CDCHD 1484 (Barcode 029667077125) is a CD compilation of 18 Tracks and plays out as follows (78:35 minutes):

1. Love Song With Flute - CARAVAN (on their debut LP "Caravan" released February 1969 in the UK on Verve SVLP 6011 in Stereo)

2. Moon Bird - THE ROGER WEBB SOUND (instrumental on the Music Library LP "Vocal Patterns" released 1971 on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3182)

3. Early Morning Eyes - THE PARLOUR BAND (on the studio album "Is A Friend?" released June 1972 on Deram SDL 10)

4. Pamela - SCOTCH MIST (non-album track, the 7" single B-side to "Ra-Ta-Ta" released July 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMI 2208)

(Scotch Mist is Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh before they formed Pilot)

5. Last Cloud Home - THE ORANGE BICYCLE (A-side to a June 1969 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5789)

6. JLT - T2 (on the LP "It'll All Work Out In Boomland" released July 1970 in the UK on Decca SKL 5050)

7. 'Til The Christ Come Back - BILL FAY (on the LP "Time Of The Last Persecution" released January 1971 in the UK on Deram SML 1079)

8. Refugees - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR (A-side to a UK 7" single released April 1970 on Charisma CB 122)

9. Very Nice Of You To Call - AARDVARK (on their debut LP "Aardvark" released March 1970 in the UK on Deram Nova SDN 17)

10. Big White Cloud - JOHN CALE (on his debut solo LP "Vintage Violence" released June 1970 in the USA on Columbia CS 1037)

11. Bottles - BELLE GONZALEZ (A-side of a UK 7" single released February 1972 on Columbia Records DB 8852)

12. Watching White Stars - THE WAY WE LIVE (1971 Tractor Recording - first appeared on the 1998 CD compilation "Before, During And After The Dandelion Years, Through To Deeply Vale" on Ozit/Morpheus OZITCD 0024)

13. Windfall - OFFSPRING (Non-Album A-side to a UK 7" single released April 1972 on RCA Records RCA 2198)

14. Never Let Go - CAMEL (A-side to a UK 7" single released January 1973 on MCA Records MUS 1177)

15. Wise Man In Your Heart - DAEVID ALLEN and EUTERPE (on the LP "Good Morning" released May 1976 in the UK on Virgin V 2054)

16. O Caroline - MATCHING MOLE (on their debut LP "Matching Mole" released April 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S 64850 - Robert Wyatt vocalist)

17. Edge Of The Sea - PRELUDE (A-side to a UK 7" single released March 1972 on Decca F 13292)

18. Evening Shade - ALAN PARKER and ALAN HAWKSHAW (instrumental on the Music Library LP "Alternatives" released 1971 on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3219)

The 14-page booklet has the usual plethora of rare 7”-single label-repro's (45s on Decca, MCA and CBS) alongside trade adverts for such obscuros as Billy Fay, The Parlour Band and T2. There's even a review of Caravan's Verve Records debut, A Roundhouse Benefit gig poster for Matching Mole with Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt and best of all - hugely informative and witty liner notes from compiler BOB STANLEY. I thought I knew my stuff (I've reviewed Aardvark and the Decca/Deram 3CD Box sets containing T2 and Camel and the like) - but Bob clearly goes deeper than most - offering up his knowledge with real affection for the subject matter (not just a blizzard of dry facts). But the best news is yet another stunning mastering job by NICK ROBBINS on a wide range of sound sources - his mastering of T2's superbly musical "JLT" is spot on. And as much of these songs are Acoustic based - the Audio rises to that challenge with aplomb. A top job done...

Despite the range of dates (February 1969 to May 1976) - the overall listen holds together very well. But as one other reviewer put it (and well) - there's good stuff on here but only a few genuinely stand out. The seven-minute "Watching White Stars" by Tractor saps your patience while I defy people who call the weedy Matching Mole ballad "O Caroline" gorgeous (Robert Wyatt or no) and I think there are better tracks on Bill Fay's album like the piano-beautiful  "I Hear You Calling". But I hadn't expected to be so impressed by the Van Der Graaf Generator single - which is a world away from their fearsome Moog anthems - five and half minutes of Peter Hammill pining for the sunshine of pretty London suburbs to the backdrop of violas, choral voices and unnervingly pretty melodies on strings.

Smart choices include running the Aardvark track immediately before the Velvet's John Cale song "Big White Cloud" – its huge Spector-esque production full of strings and longing and images of skies and trees – Cale's ragged druggy voice moaning his fate like Tim Rose on steroids. The Belle Gonzalez and Camel UK singles are rare as hen's teeth and again smart inclusions. Both display musical beauty and are bolstered up here by superb Nick Robbins mastering – especially on the Acoustic/Mellotron/Flute 'man must survive' eco-message song that is Andy Latimer's "Never Let Go". A clever slot-in is the African rhythms meets Kraut Rock feel of "Wise Man In Your Heart" by Gong's Daevid Allen and his band of the time Euterpe – a lengthy exercise in vibe with sonic rhythms predating those found on "Peter Gabriel 4" in September 1982.

But best of all for me is six and half minutes of Prelude's "Edge Of The Sea" - the only band on the compilation to brush the charts when they placed their beautiful Acapella cover version of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" in January 1974 on Dawn Records at the lofty heights of No. 21. Who thought this hippy-tastic acoustic folk tune with singing and spoken passages about mermaids and shaking the foam was a commercial 45 in 1972 was quietly off their rocker - but that doesn't stop "Edge Of The Sea" from being a fabulous slice of Mellow Candle Folk Rock with Acid tinges. And again - Robbins has mastered it so well. And there's no denying the musical brilliance also of Caravan's "Love Song With Flute" nor the truly lovely find in "Pamela" - an obscure B-side by Scotch Mist (Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh) who would later become Pilot and have a UK No. 1 with "January" in January 1975 (again on EMI).

The Peter Mitchell photos on the front and rear of the booklet show a Britain in pain and even decay – crippling strikes - war overseas impacting here - the hippy dream of everyone loving each other fading fast in a cloud of three-day weeks and unemployment. Yet despite this backdrop of cold-chips and tepid teabags - English musicians produced extraordinary music in the early years of that decade - the Seventies – much of it hopeful. And some of it is here (man).

Not quite genius but brilliant in places (and changeable like its title) - "Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs Present ENGLISH WEATHER" is a rather cool little CD to start off 2017 with. Deserving of your moody post-Brexit spondulicks - well done to all involved...

“Ebony Woman” by BILLY PAUL (June 2012 Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remaster of his 1970 Neptune Records Album Reissued By Philadelphia International In 1973 With A Different Sleeve) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Traces Of Love Long Ago..." 

As a long-time contributor to Amazon - I've raved about Britain's BIG BREAK RECORDS before and have reviewed many of their in-depth Reissues and Remasters (see list below). 

Each BBR issue has been uniformly superb - especially for those of us looking for great sound quality rather than the half-hearted efforts thrown at us by the majors these days (when they can be bothered). And once again - BBR has delivered on the sound front - even if the material isn't nearly as stellar as you'd hope for. Here are the ebony traces...

UK released 4 June 2012 (5 June 2012 in the USA) - "Ebony Woman by BILLY PAUL on Big Break Records CDBBR 0142 (Barcode 5013929044234) is a straightforward CD Remaster of the rare US Neptune Records LP from 1970 (later reissued by Philadelphia International in 1973) that breaks down as follows (35:41 minutes):

1. Ebony Woman

2. Mrs. Robinson 

3. The Windmills Of Your Mind

4. Everyday People 

5. Let's Fall In Love All Over 

6. Windy 

7. Psychedelic Sally

8. Traces 

9. Proud Mary

Tracks 1 to 9 are Billy Paul's 2nd album "Ebony Woman" - released July 1970 in the USA on Neptune Records NLPS-201. Neptune was the record label started by the Soul songwriting and producing duo of Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff. The LP received no UK release at this time. However - it was re-issued April 1973 on Philadelphia International Records KZ 32118 in the USA and on Philadelphia International PIR 65931 in the UK - but this time sporting a different front sleeve. This BBR CD Reissue uses the original 1970 artwork on the front - with the back sleeve featuring the 1973 photo of a woman's face (Grace Jones). It is this image that British Soul fans will recognise as the 1973 sleeve (reproduced in full on Page 6 of the booklet). There are no bonus tracks.

This CD reissue comes in one of those rounded-corner jewel cases and has a detailed 12-page booklet with liner notes by ANDY KELLMAN (writer for the "All Music Guide"). The A&B-sides of the lone 7" single initially issued off the album is pictured on Pages 4 and 8 - "Let's Fall In Love Again" b/w "Mrs. Robinson" on Neptune N-30 - while photos of Paul in his trademark hat pepper the text. There are also full album-credits on the last pages. But the real news for fans is the SUPERB SOUND QUALITY...

Remastered from the 1st generation tapes by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London - the clarity is fantastic - warm bass and clean vocals.

Just out of the Sixties - the album is full of contemporary hits of the time - Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", Sly & The Family Stone's "Everyday People" and Noel Harrison's "Windmills Of Your Mind" (theme from "The Thomas Crown Affair"). The single "Let's Fall In Love Again" was written by Bobby Martin (a friend of Gamble & Huff) and the title track "Ebony Woman" harks way back to 1959 when Billy Paul first sang it jazz-style.

Unfortunately most of these tracks are terribly dated and I'll admit to only having time for three songs on here - a Swingin' 60t's cover of Horace Silver's "Psychedelic Sally" (you can see some hippy chick dancing on a podium in a TV studio on this one), a piano-funky take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic "Proud Mary" and a truly lovely turn on The Classic IV's "Traces" (lyrics from it title this review).

To sum up - if you're a fan of the album - then you need to own this BBR reissue of it because of the fabulous sound and tasty presentation. If you're new to it and are expecting Billy Paul's "Let The Dollar Circulate" type of Philly Sound - then I'd suggest a listen 'before' you buy...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed to 2015:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

11.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

12. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

13. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

14. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

15. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

16. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

17. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

18. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

29. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

30. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

31. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

32. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

33. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

34 Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

35. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

36. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983) 

"The Garden Of Jane Delawney" by TREES (2008 Sony/BMG 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...The Great Silkie..."

Music historians have postulated that CBS had seen the huge commercial and critical success that Island Records was having with Sandy Denny at the vocal helm of FAIRPORT CONVENTION (turning English Folk on its head and making Folk-Rock) and wanted the same on their label.

Although her high voice was more in line with Apple's Mary Hopkins than Sandy Denny - Celia Humphris looked damn good (in a sexy Sonja Christina kind of way) and the four hirsute men of TREES played complicated Folk in a new Rock fashion - slightly Psych – bit Acid – but all very British and eccentric. CBS's Prog-Folk needs sorted! 

Original Acoustic Guitar player with the band DAVID COSTA has written the affectionate, illuminating and brutally honest liner notes to this elegant Sony/BMG CD reissue - enlightening us on the mysteries of their two highly revered Psych-Folk albums - April 1970's "The Garden Of Jane Delawney" and "On The Shore" which followed only 10-months later in February 1971. Both CBS LPs have been darlings of the Prog-Folk collecting scene for years (sold little at the time, deleted quickly) and listed at £300 and £350 respectively - but can sell for twice that and more in genuine Mint condition (they had flimsy sleeves and are notoriously difficult to find in good condition). Here is the garden of delights...

UK released September 2008 - "The Garden Of Jane Delawney" by TREES on Sony/BMG 88697356712 (Barcode 886973567128) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (62:39 minutes):

1. Nothing Special

2. The Great Silkie

3. The Garden Of Jane Delawney

4. Lady Margaret

5. Glasgerion [Side 2]

6. She Moved Thro' The Fair

7. Road

8. Epitaph

9. Snail's Lament

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "The Garden Of Jane Delawney" - vinyl LP released 24 April 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63837 (no USA release). Produced by DAVID HOWELLS and TONY COX - Track 1 by Trees - Tracks 3, 7, 8 and 9 written by Bias Boshell - all others are covers of Traditional English, Irish and Scottish airs. 

BONUS TRACKS:

10. She Moved Thro' The Fair (Demo Version) - recorded August/September 1969 with additional pipe organ - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

11. Pretty Polly (Demo Version) - recorded August/September 1969 with banjo - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

12. Black Widow (Recorded July 2008) - song from the album period newly recorded for the reissue with drummer Mark Roberts

13. Little Black Cloud Suite - a BBC version can be found on the CD reissue of "On The Shore" - this old Bias Boshell song is newly recorded June 2008 as a short Instrumental for this reissue

TREES was:

CELIA HUMPHRIS – Lead Vocals

BARRY CLARKE – Lead and Acoustic Guitars

DAVID COSTA – Acoustic and 12-String Guitar

TOBIAS 'BIAS' BOSHELL - Bass, Acoustic Guitar and Vocals

(STEPHEN) UNWIN BROWN – Drums

The 16-page booklet is beautifully put together (real effort) and is filled with great period photos of the band larking about in a park – live at Plimpton Festival in May 1970 – most photos featuring the clearly gorgeous Celia Humphris making the Prog boys look good. A team of three have handled the Remaster – NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering created the 24-Bit/96 Hz digital copy from original master tapes and that was further mastered by BIAS BOSHELL (original band member) and ADRIAN HARDY at Unit 2 in London (July 2008). Amidst the bonus tracks is "Black Widow" - a song written at the time of 'Delawney' but never properly recorded. The band reconvened in July 2008 and using drummer Mark Roberts to take the place of the sadly passed Unwin Brown (to whom the reissue is dedicated) - they recreated a new version of it. The audio is excellent especially on the longer more Prog pieces like the brilliant "Lady Margaret" and the very Fairports cover of the beautiful traditional "She Moved Through The Fair" - but the guitars on the diddly-idle dance-round-the-maypole "Glasgerion" are a bit grungy sounding in places. 

Costa’s liner notes come from the trenches and aren’t the least bit bossy or overreaching but funny and touching – Celia sat in a truck with throat lozenges because they’d been pushing her too much vocally (“Glasgerion”) while they contemplate buying a bigger PA to go even louder – CBS’s printed sticker campaign called “Trees March” that couldn’t be used because the album arrived on the market in late April and didn’t get reviewed in most cases until May or even June. Not even putting the impossibly pretty title track “The Garden Of Jane Delawney” on Side 3 of the popular CBS Records label-sampler “Fill Your Head With Rock” 2LP set seemed to shift more copies. As Costa admits – the album received ‘...mild reviews and even milder sales’. Which is a damn shame because there’s so much to love here.

It opens on the lovely guitar jangle of "Nothing Special" and the following electric leads immediately remind of the musicality Genesis got on "Nursery Cryme" tracks like "The Music Box" and "Harlequin". Mythical creatures abound in the Traditional cover of "The Great Silkie" that starts out all strummed English Folk but then goes seriously Prog half way through - guitarist Barry Clarke reaching for his inner Robert Fripp. The lovely harpsichord title track is probably the best-known song from the LP because of its exposure on compilations of the time and subsequently (it turned up on the superb "Dust On The Nettles" 3CD Box Set put out by Grapefruit in 2015 - see my review). It's a bit hissy for sure but that's on the tapes and it doesn't take away from the delicacy of Celia's vocals and the gorgeous playing. I suspect "Lady Margaret" is precisely the kind of track that gives this LP such value - a superb mixture of Acoustic Lead Guitar backed by Electric Lead that's pushed into the background like a tamed Richard Thompson. It's 7:11 minutes are brilliant - Celia giving the 'fair maid' story a wonderful wistful feel.  

Side 2 opens with the dodgy cod English "Glasgerion" which is followed by "She Moves Thro' The Fair" - a track some have derided as an obvious reach for Fairport Convention's fusion of Folk and Rock. But I've always loved its slow eight-minutes and seven seconds of melody – building Acoustic Guitar flourishes and that melody at it's drum-rumbling heart always slays me. We then get three-in-a-row from Guitarist Bias Boshell - the first called "Road" he handles as a duet vocal with Celia - and it works. Musically it's so interesting and still sounds fresh to me - even echoing the largely acoustic feel to Led Zeppelin III in places. "Epitaph" is only 3:23 minutes long and features a warm Celia vocal (little hissy in places) while one of the best is left to last - "Snail's Lament" - a sort of Byrds jangle that crosses swords with Fairport Convention (Bias and Celia sharing doubled vocals). Superb stuff...

I had thought the Bonus Tracks would be throwaway (as they can be on these reissues) – but they’re not. The two Previously Unreleased demos are hissy for sure – but musically they’re very good – especially the new “Pretty Polly” with a stunning vocal from Celia and Banjo playing adding a strange cowboy feel to a Folk song. The two new songs are excellent and show Celia's voice is still in fine fettle on "Black Widow" while the short but gorgeous instrumental "Little Black Cloud" is beautifully orchestrated with strings (more please Mister Boshell, much more).

Sure TREES were of their time and all that hippy-dippy ambling can grate – but I think it’s a beautiful 'overlooked' album and worth the dosh.

"...It will not be long now until my wedding day..." - Celia sings on the melodious "She Moved Thro' The Fair". 

You don't have to marry to get this 1970's British magic in your life or even commune with a great Silkie - "The Garden Of Jane Delawney" is online for less than a fiver in most places and worth every Folk Roots penny of it. Dig in and enjoy...