Tower of Power: Urban Renewal

urban_renewal

In January 1975, “Warner Bros” label released “Urban Renewal”, the fifth Tower of Power album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Record Plant” in Sausalito in California, and was produced by Emilio Castillo.

Personnel:

  • Lenny Williams: lead vocals
  • Bruce Conte: guitars, backing vocals
  • Chester Thompson: keyboards, organ, acoustic piano, clavinet, backing vocals, bass pedals
  • Francis “Rocco” Prestia: bass guitar
  • David Bartlett: drums
  • David Garibaldi: drums
  • Carter Collins: congas, percussion
  • Greg Adams: trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Emilio Castillo: tenor saxophone, backing vocals
  • Mic Gillette: trumpet, trombone, backing vocals
  • Stephen Kupka: baritone saxophone
  • Lenny Pickett: clarinet, bass clarinet, alto flute, baritone, tenor & soprano saxophones
  • Bootche Anderson: vocals
  • Marilyn Scott: vocals
  • Pepper Watkins: vocals
  • Greg Adams, Chester Thompson – arrangements
  • Alan Chinowsky, Tom Flye – engineer
  • Lee Herschberg – mastering

Track listing:

  1. Only So Much Oil in the Ground – Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo
  2. Come Back, Baby – Bruce Conte, Lenny Williams
  3. It’s Not the Crime – Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo
  4. I Won’t Leave Unless You Want Me To – Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo, Greg Adams
  5. Maybe It’ll Rub Off – Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo, Chester Thompson
  6. (To Say the Least) You’re the Most – Johnny “Guitar” Watson
  7. Willing to Learn – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka
  8. Give Me the Proof – David Bartlett
  9. It Can Never Be the Same – Bruce Conte, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Emilio Castillo
  10. I Believe in Myself – Emilio Castillo, Stephen “Doc” Kupka
  11. Walkin’ Up Hip Street – Chester Thompson

 

Klaus Schulze: Picture Music

picture_music

In January 1975, “Brain” label released “Picture Music”, the fourth Klaus Schulze album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Klaus Schulze.

Personnel:

  • Klaus Schulze – EMS VCS3 synthesizer, ARP Odyssey synthesizer, ARP 2600 synthesizer, Farfisa Professional Duo organ, drums, percussion
  • Jacques Wyrs – covert art

Track listing:

All tracks by Klaus Schulze.

  1. Totem
  2. Mental Door

Al Stewart: Modern Times

moderntimes

In January 1975, “CBS” label released “Modern Times”, the sixth Al Stewart album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Al Stewart.

Personnel:

  • Al Stewart – vocals, guitar, keyboard
  • Brian Bennett – background vocals
  • David Ellis – acoustic guitar
  • Isaac Guillory- guitar
  • Simon Nicol- guitar
  • Tim Renwick- guitar
  • Stuart Cowell – dobro, guitar
  • Pete Wingfield- keyboards
  • Peter Wood- keyboards, accordion
  • Graham Smith – harmonica
  • George Ford – bass
  • Peter Moss – fuzz bass
  • Gerry Conway- drums
  • Barry DeSouza – drums
  • Tony Carr – percussion
  • Neil Lancaster – backing vocals
  • Charles Mills – backing vocals
  • Alan Parsons- string arrangements, engineer
  • Andrew Powell- arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Al Stewart except where noted.

  1. Carol
  2. Sirens of Titan
  3. What’s Going On?
  4. Not the One
  5. Next Time
  6. Apple Cider Re-Constitution
  7. The Dark and the Rolling Sea
  8. Modern Times – Dave Mudge, Al Stewart

Gordon Lightfoot: Sundown

sundown

In January 1974, “Reprise” label released “Sundown”, the tenth Gordon Lightfoot album. It was recorded in November 1973, at “Eastern Sound Studios” in Toronto, and was produced by Lenny Waronker.

Personnel:

  • Gordon Lightfoot– lead and backing vocals, six and twelve string acoustic guitars, chimes, bells, high string guitar
  • Red Shea – dobro, electric, acoustic and classical guitars, slide dobro
  • Terry Clements – acoustic guitar
  • Gene Martynec– Moog synthesizer
  • Nick De Caro – accordion, horns, orchestration, piano, strings
  • Rick Haynes– bass guitar
  • John Stockfish – bass guitar
  • Jim Gordon– percussion, drum
  • Milt Holland– percussion, congas
  • Jack Zaza – English horn, recorder
  • Catherine Smith– harmony vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Gordon Lightfoot.

  1. Somewhere U.S.A.
  2. High and Dry
  3. Seven Island Suite
  4. Circle of Steel
  5. Is There Anyone Home
  6. The Watchman’s Gone
  7. Sundown
  8. Carefree Highway
  9. The List
  10. Too Late for Prayin’

Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel

gp

In January 1974, “Reprise” label released “Grievous Angel”, the second Gram Parsons solo album. It was compiled from summer 1973 sessions recorded at “Wally Heider Studio 4” in Hollywood, produced by Gram Parsons, and was released four months after his death in September 1973. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 425  on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Gram Parsons – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Emmylou Harris – vocals
  • Herb Pedersen – acoustic rhythm guitar, electric rhythm guitar
  • Al Perkins – pedal steel
  • Bernie Leadon – acoustic guitar, electric lead guitar, dobro
  • James Burton – electric lead guitar
  • Byron Berline – fiddle, mandolin
  • Glen D. Hardin – piano, electric piano
  • Emory Gordy, Jr. – bass
  • Ronnie Tutt – drums
  • D. Smart: drums
  • Steve Snyder: vibes
  • Linda Ronstadt: harmony vocal
  • Kim Fowley,Phil Kaufman, Ed Tickner, Jane & Jon Doe: “Background blah-blah”

Track listing:

  1. Return of the Grievous Angel – Gram Parsons, Tom Brown
  2. Hearts on Fire – Walter Egan, Tom Guidera
  3. I Can’t Dance – Tom T. Hall
  4. Brass Buttons – Gram Parsons
  5. $1000 Wedding – Gram Parsons
  6. Medley Live from Northern Quebec:
  • Cash on the Barrelhead – Charlie Louvin,Ira Louvin
  • Hickory Wind – Gram Parsons, Bob Buchanan
  1. Love Hurts – Boudleaux Bryant
  2. Ooh Las Vegas – Gram Parsons,Ric Grech
  3. In My Hour of Darkness – Gram Parsons,Emmylou Harris

Gil Scott Heron: The First Minute of a New Day

the-first-minute

In January 1975, “Arista” label released “The First Minute of a New Day”, the fifth Gil Scott-Heron album, and the first one with Brian Jackson.It was recorded June- July 1974, at “D&B Sound” in Silver Spring, Maryland, and was produced by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson.

Personnel:

  • Gil Scott-Heron– vocals, piano, electric piano, guitar
  • Brian Jackson– synthesizer, keyboards, flute, vocals
  • Bilal Sunni Ali – flute, harmonica, saxophone
  • Danny Bowens – bass
  • Eddie Knowles – percussion, conga
  • Barnett Williams – percussion
  • Victor Brown – percussion, vocals
  • Charlie Saunders – congas, drums
  • Bob Adams – drums
  • Victor Bowens – tambourine, vocals, bells
  • Jose Williams – engineer, production assistance
  • David Lau – artwork

Track listing:

All tracks by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, except where noted.

  1. Offering
  2. The Liberation Song (Red, Black and Green)
  3. Must Be Something – Brian Jackson, Danny Bowens, Gill Scott-Heron, Bob Adams
  4. Ain’t No Such Thing As Superman – Gill Scott-Heron
  5. Pardon Our Analysis (We Beg Your Pardon)
  6. Guerilla – Gill Scott-Heron
  7. Winter in America – Gill Scott-Heron
  8. Western Sunrise – Bilal Sunny Ali
  9. Alluswe

Harmonia: Musik von Harmonia

musik-von-harmonia

In January 1974, “Brain” label released “Musik von Harmonia”, the debut Harmonia album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Michael Rother and Dieter Moebius.

Personnel:

  • Hans-Joachim Roedelius– organ, piano, guitar, electric percussion
  • Michael Rother– guitar, piano, organ, electric percussion
  • Dieter Moebius– synthesizer, guitar, electric percussion

Track listing:

All tracks by Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Michael Rother.

  1. Watussi
  2. Sehr Kosmisch
  3. Sonnenschein
  4. Dino
  5. Ohrwurm
  6. Ahoi!
  7. Veterano
  8. Hausmusik

Brian Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets

here-comes-the-warm-jets

In January 1974, “Island” label released “Here Come the Warm Jets”, the debut Brian Eno solo album. It was recorded in September 1973, at “Majestic Studios” in London, and was produced by Brian Eno.

Personnel:

  • Eno– vocals, synthesizer, guitar, keyboards, treatments, instrumentation, mixing
  • Chris “Ace” Spedding– guitar
  • Phil Manzanera– guitar
  • Lloyd Watson– slide guitar
  • Robert Fripp– guitar
  • Paul Rudolph– guitar, bass guitar
  • Nick Judd – keyboards
  • Andy Mackay– keyboards, saxophone septet
  • Busta Jones – bass guitar
  • Bill MacCormick– bass guitar
  • John Wetton– bass guitar
  • Chris Thomas– bass guitar, mixing
  • Simon King– percussion
  • Marty Simon – percussion
  • Paul Thompson– percussion
  • Sweetfeed – backing vocals
  • Derek Chandler – recording
  • Denny Bridges – mixing
  • Phil Chapman – mixing
  • Paul Hardiman– mixing
  • Arun Chakraverty – mastering

Track listing:

All tracks by Brian Eno, except where noted.

  1. Needles in the Camel’s Eye – Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera
  2. The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch
  3. Baby’s on Fire
  4. Cindy Tells Me – Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera
  5. Driving Me Backwards
  6. On Some Faraway Beach
  7. Blank Frank – Brian Eno, Robert Fripp
  8. Dead Finks Don’t Talk – Paul Thompson, Busta Jones, Nick Judd, Brian Eno
  9. Some of Them Are Old
  10. Here Come the Warm Jets

Al Kooper: Naked Songs

naked_songs

In January 1973, “Columbia” label released “Naked Songs”, the sixth and final Al Kooper album. It was recorded in 1972, at “New York City’s Record Plant” in New York City and at “Studio One” in Doraville, Georgia, and was produced by Al Kooper.

Personnel:

  • Al Kooper – piano,  organ,  guitars,  ARP synthesizer,  harpsichord,  electric bass
  • Charlie Brown – guitar
  • R. Cobb – guitar
  • Stuart Scharf – guitar
  • Barry Bailey – guitar
  • Dean Daughtry – piano
  • Paul Goddard – bass
  • John Paul Fetta – electric bass
  • Junior Hanley – drums
  • Robert Nix – drums
  • Maruga Booker – percussion
  • Richard Greene – fiddle
  • Linda November, Maeretha Stewart, Tasha Thomas, Eileen Gilbert, Patti Austin, Albertine Robinson, Michael Gately, Robert John – backing vocals
  • Jimmy Wisner: string arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Al Kooper, except where noted.

  1. (Be Yourself) Be Real
  2. As the Years Go Passing By – Don Robey
  3. Jolie
  4. Blind Baby
  5. Been and Gone – Annette Peacock
  6. Sam Stone – John Prine
  7. Peacock Lady
  8. Touch the Hem of His Garment – Sam Cooke
  9. Where Were You When I Needed You – Irwin Levine, Al Kooper
  10. Unrequited

Jackson Browne: Same

jackson-browne-debut-album

In January 1972, “Asylum” label released the self-titled, debut Jackson Browne  album. It was recorded in 1971, at “Crystal Sound Recorders” and was produced by Richard Sanford Orshoff.

Personnel:

  • Jackson Browne – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
  • Clarence White– acoustic guitar
  • Jesse Ed Davis– electric guitar
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow– pedal steel
  • Albert Lee– electric guitar
  • Jim Gordon– organ
  • David Jackson – piano
  • Craig Doerge– piano
  • Jimmie Fadden – harmonica
  • Leland Sklar– bass
  • Russ Kunkel– drums
  • David Campbell– viola
  • David Crosby– harmony vocals
  • Leah Kunkel– composed vocal counter-melody
  • Graham Nash- harmony vocals
  • Richard Sanford Orshoff – engineer
  • Greg Ladanyi– mastering
  • Gary Burden – art direction
  • Henry Diltz– photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Jackson Browne.

  1. Jamaica Say You Will
  2. A Child in These Hills
  3. Song for Adam
  4. Doctor My Eyes
  5. From Silver Lake
  6. Something Fine
  7. Under the Falling Sky
  8. Looking into You
  9. Rock Me on the Water
  10. My Opening Farewell