Monthly Archives: May 2023

Jean-Lyc Ponty: King Kong: Jean-Lyc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa

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On May 25, 1970, “World Pacific” and “Liberty” labels released “King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa”, the sixth Jean-Luc Ponty album. It was recorded in October 1969, at “Whitney Studios” in Glendale, California, and was produced by Richard Bock. 

Personnel:

  • Jean-Luc Ponty – electric violin, baritone violectra
  • Frank Zappa – electric guitar, arrangements, conductor
  • George Duke – acoustic and electric piano
  • Buell Neidlinger – double bass 
  • Wilton Felder – Fender Precision electric bass 
  • John Guerin – drums 
  • Arthur Dyer Tripp III – drums 
  • Gene Estes – vibraphone, percussion
  • Ernie Watts – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Ian Underwood – tenor saxophone, orchestra conductor
  • Gene Cipriano – oboe, English horn
  • Arthur Maebe – French horn, tuba 
  • Vincent DeRosa – descant recorder, French horn, descant 
  • Jonathan Meyer – flute
  • Donald Christlieb – bassoon
  • Milton Thomas – viola
  • Harold Bemko – cello
  • Gerald Wilson – conductor
  • Ian Underwood – conductor
  • Dick Kunc – engineer
  • Ron Wolin – art direction, design
  • Leonard Feather – liner notes

Track listing:

All tracks by Frank Zappa, except where noted.

  1. King Kong
  2. Idiot Bastard Son
  3. Twenty Small Cigars
  4. How Would You Like to Have a Head Like That – Jean-Luc Ponty
  5. Music for Electric Violin and Low-Budget Orchestra
  6. America Drinks and Goes Home

Stray Cats: 40

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On May 24, 2019, “Surfdog Records” label released “40”, the ninth Stray Cats studio album. It was recorded in 2018, at “Blackbird Studios” in Nashville, Tennessee, and was produced by Peter Collins.

Personnel:

  • Brian Setzer – lead vocals, guitars
  • Lee Rocker – vocals, bass guitar
  • Slim Jim Phantom – vocals, drums
  • Vance Powell – engineer, mixing
  • Mike Fahey – engineer assistant
  • Sean Badum – engineer assistant
  • Pete Lyman – mastering
  • Daniel Bacigalupi – mastering assistant
  • Scrojo Designs – art direction, layout, design
  • Russ Harrington – photography
  • Suzie Kaplan – photography

Track listing:

  1. Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me) – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein
  2. Rock It Off – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein
  3. I’ve Got Love If You Want It
  4. Cry Danger – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein, Mike Campbell
  5. I Attract Trouble – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein
  6. Three Time’s a Charm – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein
  7. That’s Messed Up – Brian Setzer, Mike Himelstein
  8. When Nothing’s Going Right – Lee Rocker as Leon Drucker
  9. Desperado – Brian Setzer
  10. Mean Pickin’ Mama – Brian Setzer
  11. I’ll Be Looking Out for You – Brian Setzer
  12. Devil Train – Brian Setzer

Sebadoh: Act Surprised

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On May 24, 2019, “Dangerbird” label released “Act Surprised”, the ninth Sebadoh studio album. It was recorded in 2019, at “Sonelab” in Easthampton, Massachusetts, and was produced by Justin Pizzoferrato.

Personnel:

  • Lou Barlow – vocals, guitar, bass
  • Jason Loewenstein – vocals, bass, guitar
  • Bob D’Amico – drums, percussion
  • Justin Pizzoferrato – recording, mixing, photography
  • Howie Weinberg – mastering
  • Joby J. Ford – layout

Track listing:

  1. Phantom – Jason Loewenstein
  2. Celebrate the Void – Lou Barlow
  3. Follow the Breath – Jason Loewenstein
  4. Medicate – Lou Barlow
  5. See-Saw – Lou Barlow
  6. Vacation – Jason Loewenstein
  7. Stunned – Jason Loewenstein
  8. Fool – Lou Barlow
  9. Raging River – Jason Loewenstein
  10. Sunshine – Lou Barlow
  11. Act Surprised – Jason Loewenstein
  12. Battery – Loewenstein
  13. Belief – Lou Barlow
  14. Leap Year – Bob D’Amico
  15. Reykjavic – Lou Barlow

Maddy Prior: Woman in the Wings

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In May 1978, “Chrysalis” label released “Woman in the Wings”, the debut Maddy Prior studio album. It was recorded in 1978, and was produced by Ian Anderson, Dee Palmer and Robin Black.

Personnel:

  • Maddy Prior – vocals
  • Andy Roberts – guitar
  • Martin Barre – guitar
  • Bob Gill – guitar
  • Barry Booth – piano
  • Dee Palmer – keyboards
  • John Glascock – bass
  • David Olney – bass
  • Barriemore Barlow – drums
  • John Halsey – drums
  • Ian Anderson – flute
  • Shona Anderson – backing vocals
  • Cherry Gillespie – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Woman in the Wings
  2. Cold Flame
  3. Mother and Child
  4. Gutter Geese
  5. Rollercoaster
  6. Deep Water
  7. Long Shadows
  8. I Told You So
  9. Rosettes
  10. Catseyes
  11. Baggy Pants

Larry Graham & the Graham Central Station: My Radio Sure Sounds Good to Me

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In May 1978, “Warner Bros” label released “My Radio Sure Sounds Good to Me”, the sixth Larry Graham & Graham Central Station (the first by the name Larry Graham & Graham Central Station as opposed to Graham Central Station). It was recorded in 1978, and was produced by Benny Golson and Larry Graham.

Personnel:

  • Larry Graham – lead and backing vocals, bass, clavinet, guitar
  • Gemi Taylor – guitar
  • Nate Ginsberg – keyboards
  • Gaylord “Flash” Birch – drums
  • Robert “Butch” Sam – keyboards, organ, piano, backing vocals
  • Tina Graham – backing vocals

Track listing:

 All tracks by Larry Graham.

  1. Pow
  2. My Radio Sure Sounds Good to Me
  3. Is It Love?
  4. Boogie Witcha, Baby
  5. It’s The Engine in Me
  6. Turn It Out
  7. Mr. Friend
  8. Are You Happy?

The O’Jays: Travelin’ at the Speed of Thought

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In May 1977, “Philadelphia International Records” label released “Travelin’ at the Speed of Thought”, the eleventh O’Jays (The) album. It was recorded 1976 – 1977, at “Sigma Sound Studios” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was produced by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen and Dennis Williams.

Personnel:

  • Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, Sammy Strain – vocals
  • Roland Chambers, Dennis Harris, T.J. Tindall – guitar
  • Dennis Williams – piano
  • Carlton Kent – organ
  • Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman – bass guitar
  • Charles Collins – drums
  • Larry Washington – congas, bongos
  • MFSB – horns, strings

Track listing:

All tracks by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, except where noted.

  1. Travelin’ at the Speed of Thought
  2. We’re All in This Thing Together
  3. So Glad I Got You, Girl
  4. Stand Up
  5. Those Lies (Done Caught Up with You This Time) – John Whitehead, Gene McFadden, Victor Carstarphen
  6. Feelings – Morris Albert
  7. Work on Me
  8. Let’s Spend Some Time Together

The Proclaimers: Persevere

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On May 22, 2001, “Persevere Records” label released “Persevere”, the fourth Proclaimers (The) studio album. It was recorded 2000 – 2001, at “Mastermix Studios” in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was produced by Chris Kimsey.

Personnel:

  • Charlie Reid – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Craig Reed – vocals, harmonica
  • Stuart Nisbel – acoustic and electric guitar, baritone guitar, mandoilin
  • Andy Dee – twelve string guitar, lap steel and slide guitar, baritone guitar, sitar, dobro
  • Greg Leisz – pedal steel and slide guitar
  • Dirk Freymouth – acoustic guitar
  • Daithi Sproule – acoustic guitar
  • Jerry Donahue – electric guitar
  • Rick Sampson – banjo
  • Peter Ostroushko – mandolin, fiddle
  • Chuck Leavell – piano, grand piano, electric piano, organ, sampler
  • Dan Newton – accordion
  • Hutch Hutchinson – bass
  • Pete Thomas – drums, tambourine, bell tree, shaker, handclaps
  • Andy Green – musical assistance
  • Mall Field – musical assistance
  • Chris Kimsey – arrangements, recording, mixing, mastering
  • Tom Tucker – recording
  • Colin Usher – design, photography
  • Daniel Corrigan – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Craig Reid and Charlie Reid.

  1. There’s a Touch
  2. Sweet Little Girls
  3. A Land Fit for Zeros
  4. How Many Times
  5. One Too Many
  6. That’s When He Told Her
  7. Scotland’s Story
  8. When You’re in Love
  9. She Arouses Me So
  10. Everybody’s a Victim
  11. Don’t Give It to Me
  12. Heaven Right Now
  13. Slowburner
  14. Act of Remembrance

Quintessence: Self

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In May 1972, “RCA” label released “Self”, the fourth Quintessence studio album. Tracks 8 and 9 were recorded live in December 1971 at Exeter University, and the other tracks were recorded in 1972, at “Olympic Studios” in London. The album was produced by Sambhu Babaji, Maha Dev, Shiva Shankar Jones, Jake Milton, Allan Mostert and Raja Ram.

Personnel:

  • Allan Mostert – lead guitar
  • Maha Dev – rhythm guitar
  • Shiva Shankar Jones – vocals, keyboards
  • Sambhu Babaji – bass guitar
  • Jake Milton – drums
  • Raja Ram – flute, percussion

Track listing:

  1. Cosmic Surfer
  2. Wonders of the Universe
  3. Hari Om
  4. Vishnu Narain
  5. Hallelujad
  6. Celestial Procession
  7. Self
  8. Freedom
  9. Water Goddess (includes Ganga Mai)