Tag Archives: 1974

Ray Thomas: From Mighty Oaks

On July 11, 1975, “Threshold” and “Decca” labels released “From Mighty Oaks” the debut Ray Thomas album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, and was produced by Ray Thomas and Derek Varnals.

Personnel:

  •  Ray Thomas – lead and backing vocals, flute, bass flute, harmonica
  • Mike Silver– acoustic guitar, backing vocal
  • John Jones – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, backing vocals
  • J. Cole– pedal steel guitar
  • Mike Moran– keyboards
  • Trevor Jones – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Potts – drums, percussion
  • Nicky James – percussion, backing vocals
  • Richard Hewson– orchestral arranger, conductor
  • Derek Varnals – recording
  • Dave Baker – 2nd engineer
  • Phil Travers – illustration, design
  • Graham Hughes – photography
  • Mike Pulland – photography

Track listing:

  1. From Mighty Oaks – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  2. Hey Mama Life – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  3. Play It Again – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  4. Rock-A-Bye Baby Blues – Nicky James
  5. High Above My Head – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  6. Love Is the Key – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  7. You Make Me Feel Alright – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  8. Adam and I – Ray Thomas, Nicky James
  9. I Wish We Could Fly – Ray Thomas

Mike Pinder: The Promise

On April 11, 1976, “Treshold” label released “The Promise”, the debut Mike Pinder album. It was recorded 1974 – 1976, at Pinder’s studio at Malibu, Indigo Ranch, and was produced by Mike Pinder and Bob Margouleff.

Personnel:

  • Mike Pinder– vocals, synthesizer, acoustic guitar and 12 string guitar, piano, mellotron
  • Jim Dillon – vocals, acoustic, electric and slide guitar, sitar
  • Steve Beckmeier – acoustic and electric guitar
  • William D. “Smitty” Smith – organ
  • Fred Beckmeier – bass guitar
  • Joel DiBartolo – bass guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson– bass guitar
  • Bill Berg– drums, percussion
  • Jeanne King – vocals
  • Julia Tillman Waters – vocals
  • Maxine Willard Waters – vocals
  • Bobby Keys– tenor saxophone
  • Steve Madalo – trumpet
  • Susan McDonald – harp
  • Dean Olch – flute, shakuhachi
  • Tom Peterson – flute, tenor saxophone

Track listing:

All tracks by Mike Pinder except where noted.

  1. Free As A Dove
  2. You’ll Make It Through – Mike Pinder, Jim Dillon
  3. I Only Want To Love You
  4. Someone To Believe In
  5. Carry On
  6. Air
  7. Message
  8. The Seed
  9. The Promise

Parliament: Chocolate City

On April 8, 1975, “Casablanca” label released “Chocolate City”, the third Parliament studio album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, and was produced by George Clinton.

Personnel:

  • George Clinton– vocals, arrangements
  • Eddie Hazel– vocals, guitar
  • Lucius Tawl Ross – rhythm guitar
  • Gary Shider– vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Bernie Worrell– synthesizer, arrangements, keyboards
  • Bootsy Collins– bass, guitar, drums, arrangements
  • Prakash John– bass
  • Cordell Mosson– bass, guitar
  • Billy “Bass” Nelson– bass
  • Ramon “Tiki” Fulwood– drums
  • Tyrone Lampkin – drums
  • Man In The Box – drums
  • Raymond Davis– vocals
  • Calvin Simon– vocals
  • Grady Thomas– vocals
  • Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins– vocals
  • Mallia Franklin- vocals
  • Gary “Mudbone” Cooper– vocals
  • Jim Callon – engineer
  • Jim Vitti – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Chocolate City – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
  2. Ride On – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
  3. Together – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
  4. Side Effects – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Ahneua Hilson
  5. What Comes Funky – George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell
  6. Let Me Be – George Clinton, Vivian Lewis
  7. If It Don’t Fit (Don’t Force It) – George Clinton, Gary Shider, Bernie Worrell
  8. I Misjudged You – George Clinton, Ernie Harris, Fuzzy Haskins
  9. Big Footin’ – George Clinton, Fuzzy Haskins, Gary Shider

Ray Manzarek: The Golden Scarab

On March 28, 1974, “Mercury” label released “The Golden Scarab”, the debut Ray Manzarek solo album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Sunset Sound” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Bruce Botnick and Bob Brown.

Personnel:

  • Ray Manzarek – lead vocals, keyboards, piano, organ, synthesizer, kalimba
  • Patti Smith – vocals
  • Larry Carlton- guitar
  • Jerry Scheff- bass
  • Tony Williams– drums
  • Mayuto Correa- wood block, bongos, congas
  • Milt Holland- pandeiro, cabasa, quica, African cowbell
  • Steve Forman – tuned cowbells, whistles, guiro, tuned wood blocks
  • Ernie Watts- tenor saxophone
  • Oscar Brashear- trumpet
  • George Bohanon- trombone

Track listing:

All tracks by Ray Manzarek except where noted.

  1. He Can’t Come Today
  2. Solar Boat
  3. Downbound Train – Chuck Berry
  4. The Golden Scarab
  5. The Purpose of Existence Is?
  6. The Moorish Idol
  7. Choose Up and Choose Off
  8. Oh Thou Precious Nectar Filled Form (or) A Little Fart

Soft Machine: Bundles

On March 22, 1975, “Harvest” label released “Bundles”, the eighth Soft Machine  album. It was recorded in July 1974 at “CBS Whitfield St Studios” in London, and was produced by Roy Babbington, Allan Holdsworth, Karl Jenkins, John Marshall and Mike Ratledge.

Personnel:

  • Allan Holdsworth– acoustic, 12-string and electric guitars
  • Roy Babbington– bass guitar
  • Karl Jenkins– oboe, piano, electric piano, soprano saxophone
  • John Marshall– drums, percussion
  • Mike Ratledge– Lowrey Holiday Deluxe organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano, AKS synthesizer
  • Ray Warleigh– alto and bass flute

Track listing

All tracks by Karl Jenkins except where noted.

  1. Hazard Profile Part One
  2. Hazard Profile Part Two (Toccatina)
  3. Hazard Profile Part Three
  4. Hazard Profile Part Four
  5. Hazard Profile Part Five
  6. Gone Sailing – Allan Holdsworth
  7. Bundles
  8. Land of the Bag Snake – Allan Holdsworth
  9. The Man Who Waved at Trains – Mike Ratledge
  10. Peff – Mike Ratledge
  11. Four Gongs Two Drums – John Marshall
  12. The Floating World

Don Pullen: Jazz a Confronto 21

On March 21, 1975, “Horo” label released “Jazz a Confronto 21”, the fourth Don Pullen album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Titania Studios” in Rome, Italy, and was produced by Aldo Sinesio.

Personnel:

  • Don Pullen— piano
  • George Adams— tenor saxophone, flute, percussion
  • David Williams — bass, percussion
  • Dannie Richmond— drums, vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Don Pullen except where noted.

  1. Calypso in Roma
  2. Sploogie Doo – Dannie Richmond
  3. Dee Arr
  4. Traceys Of Daniel

Bobby Womack: Looking for a Love Again

On January 11, 1974, “United Artists” label released “Lookin’ for a Love Again”, the sixth Bobby Womack studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Muscle Shoals Sound Studios” in  Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and was produced by Bobby Womack.

Personnel:

  • Bobby Womack – vocals, guitar, string arrangements
  • Pete Carr, Rhino Rheinardt, Tippy Armstrong – guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson- rhythm guitar
  • David Hood– bass
  • Barry Beckett, Clayton Ivey, Truman Thomas – keyboards
  • Roger Hawkins– drums
  • Friendly Womack, Jr., Curtis Womack, Cecil Womack, Harry Womack- background vocals
  • René Hall- string arrangements
  • Gregg Hamm, Jerry Masters, Karat Faye – engineer
  • John Kehe, Ria Lewerke – design

Track listing

All tracks by Bobby Womack; except where noted.

  1. Lookin’ for a Love – James Alexander, Zelda Samuels
  2. I Don’t Wanna Be Hurt by Ya Love Again
  3. Doing it My Way
  4. Let it Hang Out
  5. Point of No Return – Jim Ford
  6. You’re Welcome, Stop on By – Bobby Womack, Truman Thomas
  7. You’re Messing Up a Good Thing – Clayton Ivey, Frank Johnson, Terry Woodford
  8. Don’t Let me Down – Truman Thomas
  9. Copper Kettle – Albert Frank Beddoe
  10. There’s One Thing That Beats Failing – Bobby Womack, Truman Thomas

Baker Gurvitz Army: Elysian Encounter

On January 4, 1975, “Atco” and “Vertigo” labels released “Elysian Encounter”, the second Baker Gurvitz Army studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Ramport Studios” in London, and was produced by Eddy Offord.

Personnel:

  • Adrian Gurvitz– lead and backing vocals, guitar
  • Peter Lemer – keyboards
  • Paul Gurvitz – bass, backing vocals
  • Ginger Baker- drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Snips- lead vocals

Track listing:

  1. People – Ginger Baker, Adrian Gurvitz
  2. The Key – Ginger Baker, Adrian Gurvitz
  3. Time – Adrian Gurvitz
  4. The Gambler – Adrian Gurvitz
  5. The Dreamer – Adrian Gurvitz
  6. Remember – Ginger Baker, Adrian Gurvitz
  7. The Artist – Adrian Gurvitz
  8. The Hustler – Ginger Baker, Adrian Gurvitz, Paul Gurvitz

Stanley Clarke: Same

In December 1974, “Nemperor” and “Atlantic” labels released the self-titled, second Stanley Clarke studio album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Electric Lady Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Stanley Clarke.

Personnel:

  • Stanley Clarke – vocals, bass guitar, double bass, guitar, piano
  • Jan Hammer– keyboards
  • Bill Connors– guitar
  • Tony Williams– drums
  • Airto Moreira– percussion
  • David Taylor – trombone, brasses
  • Jon Faddis, James Buffington, Lew Soloff, Garnett Brown, Peter Gordon – brasses
  • David Nadien, Charles McCracken, Jesse Levy, Carol Buck, Beverly Lauridsen, Harry Cykman, Harold Kohon, Paul Gershman, Harry Lookofsky, Emanuel Green – string section
  • Michael Gibbs– string and brass arrangement
  • Ken Scott– engineer
  • Dave Whitman – engineer assistant
  • Brian Gardner– mastering engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Stanley Clarke; except where noted.

  1. Vulcan Princess
  2. Yesterday Princess – Stanley Clarke, Carolyn Clarke
  3. Lopsy Lu
  4. Power
  5. Spanish Phases for Strings & Bass – Michael Gibbs
  6. Life Suite
  • Part I
  • Part II
  • Part III
  • Part IV

Jim Capaldi: Short Cut Draw Blood

In December 1975, “Island” label released “Short Cut Draw Blood”, the third Jim Capaldi studio album. It was recorded 1974 – 1975, at “Muscle Shoals Sound Studio” in Sheffield, “Island Studios” in London, and was produced by Steve Smith, Jim Capaldi and Chris Blackwell.

Personnel:

  • Jim Capaldi- vocals, drums, percussion, drum machine
  • Steve Winwood- guitar, organ, piano, bass, Mellotron, harpsichord
  • Barry Beckett- piano, organ
  • Jean Roussel – piano
  • John “Rabbit” Bundrick- piano, clavinet
  • Jimmy Johnson- guitar, horn arrangements
  • Peter Yarrow- acoustic guitar
  • Jess Roden – guitar
  • Paul Kossoff – guitar
  • Chris Spedding – guitar
  • Pete Carr – guitar
  • Phil Chen– bass
  • Rosko Gee – bass
  • David Hood– bass
  • Ray Allen – saxophone, percussion
  • Remi Kabaka– drums, percussion
  • Rebop Kwaku Baah– percussion
  • Gerry Conway – drums
  • Roger Hawkins- drums, spoons
  • Chris Wood- flute
  • Rico Rodriguez – trombone
  • Muscle Shoals Horns- horns
  • Harry Robinson – string arrangements

Track listing:

All tracks by Jim Capaldi, except where noted.

  1. Goodbye Love
  2. It’s All Up to You
  3. Love Hurts – Boudleaux Bryant
  4. Johnny Too Bad – The Slickers
  5. Short Cut Draw Blood
  6. Living on a Marble
  7. Boy With A Problem
  8. Keep On Trying
  9. Seagull