Tag Archives: California

David Sylvian: Dead Bees On A Cake

Leave a comment

On March 29, 1999, “Virgin” label released “Dead Bees on a Cake”, the fifth David Sylvian studio album. It was recorded in 1998, at “Right Track Studios” in New York, “Real World Studios” in Box, Wiltshire, “Sound House Studio” in  Seattle, “Atma Sound” in Minneapolis, “Seedy Underbelly” in Minneapolis, “Synergy Studio” in Napa, California, and was produced by David Sylvian.

Personnel:

  • David Sylvian – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, drum programming, samples, string arrangements, art director, additional engineering, mixing
  • Ryuichi Sakamoto – Fender Rhodes, orchestrations and string arrangements, brass arrangements, sampled guitar and bansuri, insects
  • Tommy Barbarella – Fender Rhodes
  • Marc Ribot – acoustic and electric guitar, slide guitar
  • Bill Frisell – dobro, acoustic guitar
  • Kenny Wheeler – flugelhorn
  • Lawrence Feldman – flute
  • Deepak Ram – bansuri
  • John Giblin – bass
  • Chris Minh Doky – double bass
  • Steve Jansen – percussion, loops, cymbals
  • Ged Lynch – original drum track, drums
  • Skoota Warner – original drum track, drums
  • Talvin Singh – tabla and percussion
  • Steve Tibbetts – gong
  • Ingrid Chavez – vocals
  • Shree Maa – vocals
  • Dave Kent – engineer, mixing, studio maintenance
  • Jacquie Turner – engineer assistant
  • Matt Curry – engineer assistant
  • Scott Crane – engineer assistant
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Yuka Fujii – art director, artwork co-ordinator
  • Shinya Fujiwara – drawings
  • Anton Corbijn – photography
  • Ingrid Chavez – inlay portrait
  • Russell Mills – design (shed)
  • Michael Webster – design assistance (storm)

Track listing:

All tracks by David Sylvian, except as noted.

  1. I Surrender
  2. Dobro #1 – David Sylvian, Bill Frisell
  3. Midnight Sun – David Sylvian, Johnny Moore, Charles Brown, Eddie Williams
  4. Thalheim
  5. God Man
  6. Alphabet Angel
  7. Krishna Blue
  8. The Shining of Things
  9. Café Europa
  10. Pollen Path
  11. All of My Mother’s Names (Summers with Amma)
  12. Wanderlust
  13. Praise (Pratah Smarami) – Shree Maa, David Sylvian
  14. Darkest Dreaming – David Sylvian, Djivan Gasparyan

Van Halen: 5150

Leave a comment

On March 24, 1986, “Warner Bros” label released “5150”, the seventh Van Halen studio album. It was recorded November 1985 – February 1986, at “5150 Studios” in Studio City, California, and was produced by Micki Johns, Donn Landee, Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen.

Personnel:

  • Sammy Hagar – lead and backing vocals, guitar, art direction
  • Eddie Van Halen – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, art direction
  • Michael Anthony – bass guitar, backing vocals, art direction
  • Alex Van Halen – drums, art direction
  • Donn Landee – engineer
  • Ken Deane – engineer
  • Bobby Hata – mastering
  • Dan Chapman – illustration
  • Jeri McManus – art direction
  • Aaron Rapoport – photography

Track listing:

All tracks are written by Eddie Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Alex Van Halen.

  1. Good Enough
  2. Why Can’t This Be Love
  3. Get Up
  4. Dreams
  5. Summer Nights
  6. Best of Both Worlds
  7. Love Walks In
  8. 5150
  9. Inside

Wand: Golem

Leave a comment

On March 17, 2015, “In the Red Records” label released “Golem”, the second Wand studio album. It was recorded in 2014, at “The Dock” in Sacramento, California, and was produced by Chris Woodhouse, Daniel Martens, Evan Burrows, Cory Hanson and Lee Landey.

Personnel:

  • Cory Hanson – vocals, guitar
  • Daniel Martens – guitar
  • Lee Landey – bass guitar
  • Evan Burrows – drums
  • Chris Woodhouse – recording, mixing
  • Bob Marshall – engineer assistant
  • Rueben Sawyer – artwork
  • Meghan Tryon – artwork
  • Denee Petracek – layout

Track listing:

All tracks by Evan Burrows, Cory Hanson, Lee Landey and Daniel Martens.

  1. The Unexplored Map
  2. Self Hypnosis in 3 Days
  3. Reaper Invert
  4. Melted Rope
  5. Cave In
  6. Flesh Tour
  7. Floating Head
  8. Planet Golem
  9. The Drift

Blue Mitchell: African Violet

Leave a comment

On March 13, 1978, “Impulse!” label released “African Violet”, the 27th Blue Mitchell album. It was recorded in 1977, at “The Burbank Studios” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Esmond Edwards.

Personnel:

  • Blue Mitchell – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Herman Riley, Harold Land – tenor saxophone
  • Sonny Burke – electric piano, piano
  • McKinley Jackson, Michael Boddicker – synthesizer
  • Lee Ritenour – electric guitar, guitar
  • Scott Edwards – bass, electric bass
  • Chuck Domanico – electric bass, bass
  • James Gadson, Harold Mason – drums
  • Paulinho Da Costa – congas
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – congas, percussion
  • Bob Zimmitti – marimba, percussion
  • Julia Tillman, Luther Waters, Maxine Waters Willard, Oren Waters – vocals
  • The Sid Sharp Strings

Track listing:

  1. Mississippi Jump – Larry Nash
  2. Ojos de Rojo – Cedar Walton
  3. Sand Castles – Dana Kaproff
  4. African Violet – Steve Hulse
  5. As – Stevie Wonder
  6. Square Business – Cedar Walton
  7. Forget – Don Sebesky

Duke Ellington: Uptown Ellington

Leave a comment

In March 1953, “Columbia” label released “Ellington Uptown”, the fifth Duke Ellington album. It was recorded in December 1951 in New York City, February – June – July 1952 in Fresno, California.

Personnel:

  • Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn – piano
  • Betty Roché, Al Hibbler – vocal
  • Willie Smith, Johnny Hodges, Hilton Jefferson – alto saxophone
  • Russell Procope – alto saxophone, clarinet
  • Paul Gonsalves, Al Sears – tenor saxophone
  • Harry Carney – baritone saxophone
  • Cat Anderson, Shorty Baker, Willie Cook, Shelton Hemphill, Al Killian, Clark Terry, Francis Williams – trumpet
  • Ray Nance – trumpet, violin
  • Lawrence Brown, Quentin Jackson, Britt Woodman – trombone
  • Tyree Glenn – trombone, vibraphone
  • Claude Jones, Juan Tizol – valve trombone
  • Jimmy Hamilton – clarinet, tenor saxophone
  • Fred Guy – guitar
  • Wendell Marshall, Oscar Pettiford, Junior Raglin – bass
  • Louis Bellson, Sonny Greer – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Ellington, except where noted.

  1. Skin Deep – Louis Bellson
  2. The Mooche – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
  3. Take the “A” Train – Billy Strayhorn
  4. A Tone Parallel to Harlem (Harlem Suite)
  5. Perdido – Juan Tizol
  6. Controversial Suite Part 1: Before My Time
  7. Controversial Suite Part 2: Later

Three Dog Night: Hard Labor

Leave a comment

On March 6, 1974, “Dunhill” label released “Hard Labor”, the eleventh Three Dog Night album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Record Plant” in Sausalito, California, and was produced by Jimmy Lenner.

Personnel:

  • Danny Hutton – lead and backing vocals, arrangements
  • Chuck Negron – lead and backing vocals, arrangements
  • Cory Wells – lead and backing vocals, arrangements
  • Mike Allsup – banjo, guitars, arrangements
  • Jimmy Greenspoon – keyboard, arrangements
  • Skip Konte – keyboard, ARP, chamberlin, arrangements
  • Jack Ryland – bass, arrangements
  • Joe Schermie – bass, arrangements
  • Floyd Sneed – percussion, drums, arrangements
  • Greg Calbi, Dennis Ferrante, Jimmy Lenner, Jay Messina, Tom Rabstenek, John Stronach – engineer
  • Corky Stasiak – engineer assistant
  • Roy Cicala – engineer, remix
  • Jim Messina – engineer, remix
  • Ed Caraeff – art direction, photography
  • David Larkham – design

Track listing:

  1. Prelude – public domain
  2. Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here – John Hiatt
  3. Anytime Baby – Larry Weiss
  4. Put Out the Light – Daniel Moore
  5. Sitting in Limbo – Gully Bright, Jimmy Cliff
  6. I’d Be So Happy – Skip Prokop
  7. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) – Allen Toussaint
  8. On the Way Back Home – Daniel Moore
  9. The Show Must Go On – David Courtney, Leo Sayer

Taj Mahal: Phantom Blues

Leave a comment

On February 27, 1996, “Private Music” label released “Phantom Blues”, the 20th Taj Mahal album. It was recorded in May 1995, at “Sound City Studios” in Van Nuys, California, and was produced by John Porter.

Personnel:

  • Taj Mahal – lead vocals, dobro, harmonica
  • Bonnie Raitt – additional vocal
  • Dean Parks – lead guitar
  • Eric Clapton – lead guitar
  • Joe McGrath, John Parks, Johnny Lee Schell – guitar
  • Mike Campbell – 12-string guitar
  • John Porter – lead, acoustic and slide guitar
  • Jon Cleary – guitar, piano, Wurlitzer, clarinet
  • Jon Brion – guitar, chamberlin
  • Mick Weaver – organ
  • David Hidalgo – accordion
  • James “Hutch” Hutchinson – bass guitar
  • Larry Fulcher – bass guitar
  • Tony Braunagel – drums, percussion
  • Myric “Freeze” Guillory – rubboard
  • Bernard “Dr. B.” Anderson, Joe Sublett – tenor saxophone
  • Darrell Leonard – trumpet, trombone
  • Alfie Silas Durio, Billie Barnum, Sir Harry Bowens, Regina Taylor, Sweat Pea Atkinson, Terrence Forsythe – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes – Taj Mahal
  2. Cheatin’ On You – Jon Cleary
  3. The Hustle Is On – H.E. Owens
  4. Here in the Dark – Bernard Anders
  5. Fanning the Flames – Jon Cleary
  6. I Need Your Loving – Clarence Lewis, Don Gardner, James McDougal, Morris Levy
  7. Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Jessie Hill
  8. Lonely Avenue – Doc Pomus
  9. Don’t Tell Me – Pat McLaughlin
  10. What Am I Living For? – Art Harris, Fred Jay
  11. We’re Gonna Make It – Billy Davis, Carl William Smith, Gene Barge, Raynard Miner
  12. Let the Four Winds Blow – Dave Bartholomew, Antoine “Fats” Domino
  13. (You’ve Got to) Love Her with a Feeling – Freddie King, Sonny Thompson

John Mayall: The Sun Is Shining Down

Leave a comment

On January 28, 2022, “Forty Below Records” label released “The Sun Is Shining Down”, the final John Mayall studio album. It was recorded in 2021, at “Horse Latitudes” in Glendale, California, “Strawhorse Studios” and “Forty Bellow Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by John Mayall and Eric Corne.

Personnel:

  • John Mayall – vocals, guitar, Hammond B3, piano, electric piano, harmonica
  • Buddy Miller – vocal
  • Carolyn Wonderland – lead and rhythm guitar
  • Melvin Taylor – guitar
  • Mike Campbell – guitar
  • Billy Watts – rhythm guitar
  • Eric Corne – rhythm guitar, engineer, mixing
  • Jake Shimabukuro – ukulele
  • Greg Rzab – electric bass
  • Jay Davenport – drums
  • Ron Dziubla – saxophone
  • Mark Pender – trumpet
  • Richard A. Rosenberg – trombone
  • Scarlet Rivera (Donna Shea) – violin
  • Michael Dumas – engineer
  • Thomas Ross Johansen – engineer
  • Mark Chalecki – mastering
  • Anthony Wolch – artwork, creative director
  • Inaiah Lujan – design, layout
  • Shye Ronen – digital art
  • Cristina Arrigoni – back cover photography
  • Brad Silverberg – fine art photography
  • David Gomez – inside cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by John Mayall, except where noted.

  1. Hungry and Ready
  2. Can’t Take No More
  3. I’m as Good as Gone – Bobby Rush
  4. Got to Find a Better Way
  5. Chills and Thrills – Bernard Allison
  6. One Special Lady
  7. A Quitter Never Wins – Tinsley Ellis, Margaret Sampson
  8. Deep Blue Sea
  9. Driving Wheel
  10. The Sun Is Shining Down

Graham Central Station: Same

Leave a comment

In January 1974, “Warner Bros” label released the self-titled, debut Graham Central Station studio album. It was recorded 1973 – 1974, at “Wally Heider Studio” in San Francisco, “Record Plant” in Sausalito in California, “Warner Bros Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Russ Titelman and Larry Graham.

Personnel:

  • Larry Graham – lead and backing vocals, bass, fuzz bass, guitar, piano, clavinet, organ, drums, percussion, horn arrangements
  • Patryce “Chocolate” Banks – lead and backing vocals, electric funk box
  • David “Dynamite” Vega – vocals, guitar
  • Robert “Butch” Sam – vocals and backing vocals, piano, organ
  • Hershall “Happiness” Kennedy – vocals and backing clavinet, trumpet, organ
  • Willie “Wild” Sparks – vocals, drums
  • Freddie Stone – guitar
  • Pascal Caboose – tenor saxophone
  • Milt Holland – percussion
  • Lenny Williams – vocals
  • Clarence McDonald – string arrangements
  • Steve Barncard – engineer
  • Donn Landee – engineer
  • Mallory Earl – engineer
  • Tom Flye – engineer, mixing
  • Lee Herschberg – mixing
  • Tom Anderson – engineer assistant
  • Steve Jarvis – engineer assistant
  • Mike Salisbury – design
  • Herb Greene – photography
  • Trudy Portch – production coordination

Track listing:

All tracks by Larry Graham, except where noted.

  1. We’ve Been Waiting
  2. It Ain’t No Fun To Me – Al Green
  3. Hair
  4. We Be’s Getting\ Down
  5. Tell Me What It Is
  6. Can You Handle It?
  7. People – Larry Graham, Freddie Stone
  8. Why
  9. Ghetto