Tag Archives: Al Ciner

The American Breed: Band Me, Shape Me

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In February 1968, “Acta” label released “Bend Me, Shape Me”, the second American Breed (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1967, at “Universal Recording Corporation” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Bill Traut.

Personnel:

  • Gary Loizzo – lead vocals, lead guitar
  • Al Ciner – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Charles Colbert – bass, backing vocals
  • Lee Graziano – drums, trumpet, backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Green Light – Annette Tucker, Nancy Mantz
  2. Don’t It Make You Cry – Al Ciner
  3. Mindrocker – Keith Colley, Linda Colley
  4. Bird – Al Ciner, Gary Loizzo
  5. Something You’ve Got – Chris Kenner
  6. Don’t Make Me Leave You – Martin Siegel, Scott English
  7. Bend Me, Shape Me – Larry Weiss, Scott English
  8. Before and After – Van McCoy
  9. Sometime in the Morning – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  10. I’ve Been Tryin’ – Curtis Mayfield
  11. No Easy Way Down – Gerry Goffin, Carole King

Quincy Jones: Mellow Madness

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In August 1975, “A&M” label released “Mellow Madness”, the twenty – fifth Quincy Jones album. It was recorded in 1975, at “Record Plant” and “Westlake Audio” and was produced by Quincy Jones.

Personnel:

  • Quincy Jones – lead and backing vocals, arranger, keyboards, trumpet
  • Toots Thielemans- guitar, harmonica
  • Minnie Riperton, Leon Ware, Jesse Kirkland, Myrna Matthews, Paulette McWilliams, Joseph Greene, Jim Gilstrap, Paulette Williams, Carolyn Willis, Watts Prophets, George Johnson – vocals
  • Wah Wah Watson, George Johnson, Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Dave Grusin, Don Grusin, Mike Melvoin, Jerry Peters– keyboards
  • Ian Underwood– synthesizer
  • Louis Johnson, Max Bennett, Chuck Rainey– bass
  • Grady Tate, Harvey Mason– drums
  • Ralph MacDonald- conga, drums, percussion
  • Tommy Morgan – harmonica
  • Ernie Krivda, Sahib Shihab– saxophone
  • Bill Lamb, Chuck Findley, Tom Bahler – trumpet
  • Frank Rosolino- trombone, trumpet
  • George Bohanon– trombone
  • Hubert Laws– flute
  • Jerome Richardson– wind

Track listing:

All tracks by Quincy Jones, except where noted.

  1. Is It Love That We’re Missing? – George Johnson, Debbie Smith
  2. Paranoid
  3. Mellow Madness – Tom Bahler, Al Ciner, Quincy Jones, Paulette McWilliams
  4. Beautiful Black Girl – Quincy Jones, Otis Smith
  5. Listen (What It Is)
  6. Just a Little Taste of Me
  7. My Cherie Amour – Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder
  8. Tryin’ to Find Out About You
  9. Cry Baby
  10. Bluesette – Norman Gimbel, Toots Thielemans

Rufus: Rags To Rufus

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In May 1974, “ABC Records” label released “Rags To Rufus”, the second Rufus studio album. It was recorded 1973-1974, at “Quantum Studios” in Torrance, California, and was produced by Chaka Khan, Dennis Beifield, André Fischer, Kevin Murphy, Al Ciner, Ron Stockert and Bob Monaco. The album was certified Platinum in the US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Chaka Khan– lead and backing vocals
  • Al Ciner – acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals
  • Tony Maiden – vocals, guitar, talk box
  • Nate Morgan – keyboards
  • Kevin Murphy– organ, clavinet, backing vocals
  • Ron Stockert – lead and backing vocals, keyboards
  • Dennis Belfield – bass, backing vocals
  • André Fischer – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Ron Stockert, Dennis Belfield, Al Ciner – string and horn arrangements
  • Clare Fischer– orchestration
  • Don Sciarrotta – chief recording, re-mix engineer
  • Tony Sciarrotta – engineer assistant
  • Vic Zaslow – mastering

Track listing:

  1. You Got the Love – Chaka Khan, Ray Parker, Jr.
  2. I Got the Right Street (But the Wrong Direction) – Ron Stockert
  3. Walkin’ in the Sun – Jeff Barry
  4. Rags to Rufus – Kevin Murphy, André Fischer, Chaka Khan, Ron Stockert, Dennis Belfield, Al Ciner
  5. Swing Down Chariot – Kevin Murphy, André Fischer, Chaka Khan, Ron Stockert, Dennis Belfield, Al Ciner
  6. Sideways – Kevin Murphy, André Fischer, Chaka Khan, Ron Stockert, Dennis Belfield, Al Ciner
  7. Ain’t Nothin’ But a Maybe – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  8. Tell Me Something Good – Stevie Wonder
  9. Look Through My Eyes – Dennis Belfield
  10. “In Love We Grow – Dennis Belfield
  11. Smokin’ Room – Dennis Belfield

Three Dog Night: American Pastime

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In March 1976, “ABC” label released “American Pastime” the fourteenth Three Dog Night album. It was recorded in 1976, and was produced by Bob Monaco.

Personnel:

  • Danny Hutton- vocals, arrangements
  • Chuck Negron- vocals, arrangements
  • Cory Wells- vocals, arrangements
  • Jay Gruska – vocals, arrangements
  • Jimmy Greenspoon- keyboard
  • Skip Konte- keyboard, clavinet
  • Ron Stockert – keyboards, synthesizer bass
  • Al Ciner- guitar
  • Dan Ferguson – electric guitar
  • Dennis Belfield – bass
  • Ed Greene- drums
  • Mickey McMeel – drums
  • Jeff Porcaro- drums
  • Gavin Christopher – conga
  • Tony Sciarrotta, Scot Spain – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Everybody Is a Masterpiece – George Clinton, Richard Ira Reicheg
  2. Easy Evil – Alan O’Day
  3. Billy the Kid – Billy Lawrie, Marie Lawrie
  4. Mellow Down – Andy Fairweather-Low
  5. Yellow Beach Umbrella – Craig Doerge, Judy Henske
  6. Hang On – Jay Gruska, Jeffrey Spirit
  7. Southbound – Hoyt Axton, Mark M. Dawson
  8. Drive on, Ride On – Dobie Gray, Troy Harold Seals
  9. Dance the Night Away – Bob Carpenter, David James Holster