Monthly Archives: April 2023

Wes Montgomery: The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery

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In April 1960, “Riverside” label released “The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery”, the second Wes Montgomery album. It was recorded in January 1960, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Wes Montgomery – electric guitar
  • Tommy Flanagan – piano
  • Percy Heath – bass
  • Albert Heath – drums
  • Jack Higgins – engineer
  • Paul Bacon, Ken Braren, Harris Lewine – design
  • Lawrence N. Shustak – photography
  • Orrin Keepnews – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Airegin – Sonny Rollins
  2. D-Natural Blues – Wes Montgomery
  3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
  4. Four on Six – Wes Montgomery
  5. West Coast Blues – Wes Montgomery, Granville Sascha Burland
  6. In Your Own Sweet Way – Dave Brubeck
  7. Mr. Walker (Renie) – Wes Montgomery
  8. Gone With the Wind – Allie Wrubel, Herb Magidson

The Motels: All Four One

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On April 5, 1982, “Capitol” label released “All Four One”, the third The Motels studio album. It was recorded 1981 – 1982, at “Record One” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Val Garay.

Personnel:

  • Martha Davis – vocals, guitar
  • Guy Perry – guitar
  • Marty Jourard – keyboards, saxophone
  • Michael Goodroe – bass
  • Brian Glascock – drums, percussion
  • Craig Hull, Waddy Wachtel – guitars
  • Bryan Garofalo, Bob Getter – bass
  • Craig Krampf – drums, percussion
  • Kobla Ladzekpo – percussion
  • Val Garay – engineer
  • Niko Bolas – engineer assistant
  • Mike Reese, Doug Sax – mastering

Track listing:

 All tracks by Martha Davis, except where noted.

  1. Mission of Mercy – Martha Davis, Marty Jourard
  2. Take the L – Carter, Martha Davis, Marty Jourard
  3. Only the Lonely
  4. Art Fails – Martha Davis, Tim McGovern
  5. Change My Mind – Martha Davis, Steve Goldstein
  6. So L.A.
  7. Tragic Surf – Martha Davis, Tim McGovern
  8. Apocalypso
  9. He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss) – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  10. Forever Min

Flower Travellin’ Band: Satori

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On April 5, 1971, “Atlantic” label released “Satori”, the second Flower Travellin’ Band studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Yuya Uchida and Ikuzo Prita. In 2007, “Rolling Stone Japan” magazine rated Satori #71 on their list of the “100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Joe Yamanaka – vocals, arrangements
  • Hideki Ishima – guitar, arrangements
  • Jun Kozuki – bass, arrangements
  • George Wada – drums, arrangements
  • Norio Yoshizawa – mixing
  • Shinobu Ishimaru – cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Joe Yamanaka, Hideki Ishima, Jun Kozuki and George Wada.

  1. Satori part I
  2. Satori Part II
  3. Satori Part III
  4. Satori Part IV
  5. Satori Part V

John Prine: Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings

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On April 4, 1995, “Oh Boy” label released “Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings”, the 12th John Prine studio album. It was recorded in 1994, at “Huh Sound Theater” in Los Angeles, “Pacifique Recording Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Howie Epstein.

Personnel:

  • John Prine – vocals, guitar
  • Howie Epstein – vocals, guitar, slide guitar, bass, banjo, piano, harmonica, percussion, marxophone
  • John Jorgenson – vocals, guitar, slide guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo
  • Waddy Wachtel – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Jay Dee Maness – pedal steel
  • Gary Nicholson – guitar, piano
  • Phil Parlapiano – mandolin, accordion, harmonium, keyboards
  • Benmont Tench – piano, organ
  • John Hobbs – piano
  • Bob Glaub – bass
  • Joe Romersa – drums, percussion
  • Rock Deadrick – drums, percussion
  • Vince Santoro – percussion
  • Juliette Prayter – percussion
  • Gary Riley – hurdy-gurdy, percussion
  • Carlene Carter – autoharp, percussion
  • Vicky Levy – vocals
  • Marianne Faithfull – backing vocals
  • Johnnie Fiori – backing vocals
  • Sass Jordan – backing vocals
  • Doug Hamblin – backing vocals
  • Patti Brooks – backing vocals
  • Sarah Taylor – backing vocals
  • Carol Leffler – backing vocals
  • John Callahan – cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by John Prine, except where noted.

  1. New Train
  2. Ain’t Hurtin’ Nobody
  3. All the Way with You – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  4. We Are the Lonely – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  5. Lake Marie
  6. Humidity Built the Snowman
  7. Day Is Done – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  8. Quit Hollerin’ at Me – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  9. Big Fat Love – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  10. Same Thing Happened to Me – John Prine, Gary Nicholson
  11. This Love Is Real – John Prine, Lee Clayton
  12. Leave the Lights On – John Prine, Howie Epstein, Phil Parlapiano, Joe Romersa
  13. He Forgot That It Was Sunday
  14. I Love You So Much It Hurts – Floyd Tillman

Alphaville: The Breathtaking Blue

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On April 4, 1989, “Warner Music” label released “The Breathtaking Blue”, the third Alphaville studio album. It was recorded 1987 – 1988, at “Lunapark Studios” in Berlin, Germany, and was produced by Klaus Schulze, Marian Gold, Frank Martens, Bernhard Lloyd and Ricky Echolette. 

Personnel:

  • Marian Gold – vocal
  • Frank Martens – vocal
  • Bernhard Lloyd – vocal, keyboards, guitar
  • Ricky Echolette – keyboards, guitar
  • Blacky Schwarz Ruszczynski, Micael Ryan, Eff Jott Krueger, Manuel Goettsching – guitar
  • Kenneth Ward – crescendo guitar
  • Ernst Deuker – double bass
  • Hansi Behrendt – drums, percussion
  • Thomas Keller, Friedemann Graef – saxophones
  • Michael Junker – trumpet
  • Julie Ocean – vocoder
  • Miriam Stockley, Mae McKenna, Patti Calore, The Lunapark Office Choir, Gabi Becker – backing vocals
  • Rainer Bloss – string and brass arrangements 
  • Klaus Schulze – string arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd and Ricky Echolette except where noted.

  • Summer Rain
  • Romeos
  • She Fade Away
  • The Mysteries of Love
  • Ariana
  • Heaven or Hell
  • For a Million – lyrics by Marian Gold, Janey Diamond, Bernhard Lloyd, Ricky Echolette
  • Middle of the Riddle
  • Patricia’s Park
  • Anyway

The Brothers Johnson: Light Up the Night

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On April 4, 1980, “A&M” label released “Light Up the Night”, the fourth Brothers Johnson (The) album. It was recorded 1978 – 1980, at “Allen Zentz Recording” and “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, “Kendun Recorders” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Quincy Jones.

Personnel:

  • George Johnson – lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, rhythm arrangements
  • Louis Johnson – acoustic piano, Prophet-5, guitars, lead guitar, bass, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements
  • Greg Phillinganes – acoustic and electric piano, synthesizer
  • Rod Temperton – electric piano, synthesizer and BGV arrangements
  • Steve Porcaro – synthesizers, synthesizer programming
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion, vocal percussion
  • Richard Heath – lead and backing vocals, percussion
  • Kim Hutchcroft – soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, flute
  • Larry Williams – alto and tenor saxophone, flute, synthesizers
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – euphonium, trombone, slide trumpet
  • Gary Grant – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, horn and string arrangements
  • Alex Weir – lead and backing vocals
  • Michael Jackson – backing vocals fills, BGV arrangements
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
  • Susaye Greene-Brown – backing vocals
  • Josie James – backing vocals
  • Valerie Johnson – backing vocals
  • Scherrie Payne – backing vocals
  • Quincy Jones – rhythm, synthesizer and BGV arrangements, backing vocals
  • Johnny Mandel – synthesizer arrangements
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – string conductor
  • Bruce Swedien – recording, mixing
  • Tim Gerrity – engineer assistant
  • Ralph Osborn – engineer assistant
  • Randy Pipes – engineer assistant
  • John Van Nest – engineer assistant
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Chuck Beeson – art direction
  • Glen Wexler – art direction, cover concept, photography
  • Ed Eckstien – cover concept
  • Kurt Triffet – illustration
  • The Fitzgerald/Hartley Co. – direction

Track listing:

  1. Stomp! – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson, Valerie Johnson
  2. Light Up the Night – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  3. You Make Me Wanna Wiggle – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson, Valerie Johnson
  4. Treasure – Rod Temperton
  5. This Had to Be – Michael Jackson, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  6. All About the Heaven – Rod Temperton
  7. Smilin’ on Ya – George Johnson, Greg Phillinganes, Louis Johnson, Jerry Hey
  8. Closer to the One That You Love – Rod Templeton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  9. Celebration – Rod Templeton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson

Ray Shulman

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On March 30, 2023, Raymond Shulman died aged 73. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums, percussion, trumpet, violin), singer, song-writer and record producer, member of the band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound, but was best known as founding member of Gentle Giant. As producer he worked with The Sundays, Trash Can Sinatras, Ian McCulloch and the Defects, and The Sugarcubes.

All Time Low: Wake Up, Sunshine

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On April 3, 2020, “Fueled by Ramen” label released “Wake Up, Sunshine”, the eighth All Time Low studio album. It was recorded 2019 – 2020, and was produced by Zakk Cervini, Andrew Goldstein, Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, Zack Merrick and Rian Dawson.

Personnel:

  • Alex Gaskarth – lead vocals, guitars
  • Jack Barakat – guitars, backing vocals
  • Zack Merrick – bass, backing vocals, engineer. mixing
  • Rian Dawson – drums, percussion
  • Dan Swank – guitars, keyboards, programming, percussion
  • Blackbear – vocal
  • The Band Camino – vocals
  • Phil Gornell – co-producer, engineer
  • Dan Swank – co-producer, engineer
  • Neal Avron – mixing
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Nik Trekov – editing
  • Andrew Cook – artwork
  • Ashley Osborn – photography

Track listing:

  1. Some Kind of Disaster – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini
  2. Sleeping In – Alex Gaskarth, Bonnie McKee, Lukasz Gottwald, Mathieu Jomphe, Max Martin, Zakk Cervini
  3. Getaway Green – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini
  4. Melancholy Kaleidoscope – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini
  5. Trouble Is – Alex Gaskarth, Zakk Cervini
  6. Wake Up, Sunshine – Alex Gaskarth, Colin Brittain
  7. Monsters – Alex Gaskarth, Andrew Goldstein, Jack Barakat, Kevin Fisher, Matthew Musto
  8. Pretty venom (Interlude) – Alex Gaskarth, Kevin Fisher, Zakk Cervini
  9. Favorite Place – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini
  10. Safe – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zack Cervini
  11. January Gloom (Seasons Pt. 1) – Alex Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini
  12. Clumsy – Alex Gaskarth, Andreas Carlsson, Max Martin, Phil Gornell, Rami Yacoub, Zakk Cervini
  13. Glitter & Crimson – Alex Gaskarth, Andrew Goldstein, Jack Barakat, Zakk Cervini
  14. Summer Daze (Seasons Pt. 2) – Alex Gaskarth, Andrew Goldstein, Jack Barkat, Zakk Cervini
  15. Basemant Noise – Alex Gaskarth, Chris Greatti, Jack Barakat, Zakk Cervini

Horace Silver: Finger Poppin’ with the Horace Silver Quintet

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In April 1959, “Blue Note” label released “Finger Poppin’ with the Horace Silver Quintet”, the eight Horace Silver album. It was recorded in January 1959, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Horace Silver – piano
  • Junior Cook – tenor saxophone
  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet
  • Gene Taylor – bass
  • Louis Hayes – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – engineer
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Horace Silver.

  1. Finger Poppin’
  2. Juicy Lucy
  3. Swingin’ the Samba
  4. Sweet Stuff
  5. Cookin’ at the Continental
  6. Come on Home
  7. You Happened My Way
  8. Mellow D

Ryuichi Sakamoto

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On March 28, 2023, Ryuichi Sakamoto died aged 71. He was musician (piano, keyboards, synthesizers), singer, composer, record producer and artist, who first came to prominence as member of Yellow Magic Orchestra, but was best known for his eclectic solo career, straddled experimentalism, electronic, pop and movie music. His work influenced a number of various electronic music genres. He collaborated with big number of musicians, including David Sylvian, David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Thomas Dolby, Adrian Belew, Robin Scott, Kiyoshiro Imawano, Arto Lindsay, Youssou N’Dor, Jill Jones, Robert Wyatt, Brian Wilson and Robbie Robertson. Sakamoto was an “Oscar” winner for “Best Original Score”, for the soundtrack of Bernardo Bertolucci’s movie “The Last Emperor”. As leader, he released 23 albums.