Tag Archives: Don Randi

The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys Today!

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On March 8, 1965, “Capitol” label released “The Beach Boys Today!” the eighth Beach Boys (The) studio album. It was recorded in June 1964 – January 1965, at “RCA Victor” in Hollywood, and was produced by Brian Wilson.

Personnel:

  • Al Jardine – lead, harmony and backing vocals, electric rhythm guitar, bass guitar
  • Mike Love – lead, harmony and backing vocals, spoken word
  • Brian Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals, spoken word, four and six-string bass guitar, grand, upright and tack piano, Baldwin harpsichord, Farfisa and Hammond organ, conductor, mixing
  • Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, spoken word, lead, rhythm and 12-string guitar, six-string bass guitar
  • Dennis Wilson – lead, harmony, backing, and double-tracked vocals (11), spoken word, drums, percussion, hi-hat, tambourine, tom-tom
  • Glen Campbell – 12-string acoustic guitar
  • Barney Kessel – classical guitar, 12-string guitar
  • Bill Pitman – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Ray Pohlman – baritone guitar, bass guitar
  • Billy Strange – acoustic and electric guitar, electric mandolin, ukulele
  • Ron Swallow – tambourine, woodblock
  • John Gray – grand piano
  • Don Randi – grand and tack upright piano, organ
  • Leon Russell – grand piano, organ, vibraphone 
  • Carl Fortina – accordion
  • Carrol Lewis – double-reed harmonica
  •  Billy Lee Riley – double-reed harmonica
  • Tommy Tedesco – autoharp, baritone and electric guitar, mandolin 
  • Carol Kaye – bass guitar
  • Larry Knechtel – bass guitar
  • Hal Blaine – drums, woodblocks, sleigh bells, triangle, tambourine, castanets, temple block, claves, timbales
  • Earl Palmer – drums, timbales
  • Russ Titelman – percussion
  • Plas Johnson – tenor saxophone 
  • Steve Douglas – tenor saxophone
  • Jack Nimitz – baritone saxophone
  • Jay Migliori – baritone saxophone
  • Earl Leaf – spoken word
  • “Louie” (last name unknown) – castanets
  • Marilyn Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, spoken word
  • Peter Christ – cor Anglais
  • David Duke – French horn
  • Julius Wechter – vibraphone, bell tree, timpani, tambourine, congas, claves
  • Jerry Williams – vibraphone, timpani
  • Craig Slowinski – vocal
  • Chuck Britz – engineer 
  • Larry Levine – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Do You Wanna Dance? – Bobby Freeman
  2. Good to My Baby – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  3. Don’t Hurt My Little Sister – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  4. When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  5. Help Me, Ronda – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  6. Dance, Dance, Dance – Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Mike Love
  7. Please Let Me Wonder – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  8. I’m So Young – William H. “Prez” Tyus
  9. Kiss Me Baby – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  10. She Knows Me Too Well – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  11. In The Back of My Mind – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  12. Bull Session with the Big Daddy – Brian Wilson, Mike Love

The Monkees: More Of The Monkees

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On January 9, 1967, “Colgems” label released “More of the Monkees”, the second Monkees (The) studio album. It was recorded June – November 1966, at “RCA Victor A, B” in Hollywood, “RCA Victor A, B” in New York, “Western Recorders No. 2” in Hollywood, and was produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka, Michael Nesmith, Jeff Barry, Jack Keller, Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The album was certified quintuple platinum in the US by the “RIAA”,

Personnel:

  • Micky Dolenz – lead vocals and backing vocals
  • Davy Jones – lead and backing vocals
  • Peter Tork – lead and backing vocals, guitar
  • Michael Nesmith – lead and backing vocals, steel guitar
  • Wayne Erwin – guitar, backing vocals
  • Gerry McGee – guitar
  • Louie Shelton – guitar
  • Al Gafa – guitar
  • Willard Suyker – guitar
  • Don Thomas – guitar
  • James Burton – guitar
  • Glen Campbell – guitar
  • Al Casey – guitar
  • Mike Deasy – guitar
  • Neil Diamond – guitar
  • Sal DiTroia – guitar
  • Al Gorgoni – guitar
  • Carol Kaye – guitar
  • Norm Jeffries – tambourine
  • Michael Cohen – keyboards
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards
  • Neil Sedaka – keyboards
  • Michael Cohen – keyboards
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards
  • Don Randi – keyboards
  • Michel Rubini – keyboards
  • George Butcher – keyboards
  • Stan Free – keyboards
  • Bobby Hart – organ, backing vocals
  • Larry Taylor – bass guitar
  • Russ Savakus – bass guitar
  • Bob West – bass guitar
  • Ray Pohlman – bass guitar
  • Billy Lewis – drums
  • Herbie Lovelle – drums
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Buddy Saltzman – drums
  • George Devens – percussion
  • Frank Capp – percussion
  • Julius Wechter – percussion
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Jim Gordon – percussion
  • Louis Haber – violin
  • Irving Spice – violin
  • Louis Stone – violin
  • David Sackson – viola
  • Murray Sandry – viola
  • Seymour Barab – cello
  • Jeff Barry – backing vocals
  • Tommy Boyce – backing vocals
  • Ron Hicklin – backing vocals
  • Don Peake – conductor
  • Artie Butler – string arrangements
  • Don Kirshner – music supervisor
  • Lester Sill – music coordinator
  • Emil LaViola – music coordinator
  • Ernie Oelrich – engineer
  • Henry Lewy – engineer
  • Hank Cicalo – engineer
  • Richie Schmitt – engineer
  • Richard Podolor – engineer
  • Dave Hassinger – engineer
  • Ray Hall – engineer

Track listing:

  1. She – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  2. When Love Comes Knockin’ (At Your Door) – Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka
  3. Mary, Mary – Michael Nesmith
  4. Hold on Girl – Billy Carr, Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh
  5. Your Auntie Grizelda – Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller
  6. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
  7. Look Out (here Comes Tomorrow) – Neil Diamond
  8. The Kind of Girl I Could Love – Michael Nesmith, Roger Atkins
  9. The Day We Fall in Love – Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell
  10. Sometime in the Morning –Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  11. Laugh – Phil Margo, Mitch Margo, Hank Medress, Jay Siegel
  12. I’m a Believer – Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond: Tap Root Manuscript

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On October 15, 1970, “Uni” label released “Tap Root Manuscript”, the sixth Neil Diamond studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Tom Catalano and Neil Diamond.

Personnel:

  • Neil Diamond – vocals, keyboards, guitar, steel guitar, ukulele
  • Al Casey, David Bennett Cohen, Neil LeVang, Don Peake, Louis Shelton – guitar
  • Red Rhodes – steel guitar
  • Artie Butler, Larry Knechtel, Larry Muhoberac, Marty Paich, Don Randi – keyboards
  • Randy Cierley, Joe Osborn, Ray Pohlman – bass
  • Hal Blaine, Larry Bunker, Sandra Crouch, Earl Palmer – drums
  • Gary Coleman, Gene Estes, Emil Richards, Lee Shamburger – percussion
  • Joe Estren, Andrea Kostelas, Ronnie Lang, Don Menza, Jay Migliori, Tom Scott – saxophone
  • Shirley Marcus, George Poole, Henry Sigismonti – woodwinds
  • Harry Betts, Roger Bobo, Bud Brisbois, Roy Caton, Paul Hubinon, Dick Hyde, Oliver Mitchell, George Roberts, Tony Terran – horns
  • Jim Arkatov, Israel Baker, Benjamin Barrett, Paul Bergstrom, Harry Bluestone, David Burk, Assa Drori, Jesse Ehrlich, James Getzoff, Lee Holdridge, Armand Kaproff, Jan R. Kelley, Ray Kelley, Lou Klaes, Erno Neufeld, Harvey Newmark, Gareth Nuttycombe, Nathaniel Rosen, Nathan Ross, Henry Roth, Myron Sandler, Joseph Saxon, Sidney Sharp, Jack Shulman, Paul Shure – strings
  • Nancy Adams, Sherrill Atwood, Billie Barnum, H.B. Barnum Jr., Mabel Bishop, George Bledsoe, Fred Burton, Merry Clayton, Marjorie Cranford, Oma Drake, Sean Engerman, Joe Greene, Alexander Hale, Christopher Hale, Graynston Hale, Molly Halloran, Gwen Johnson, Lou Johnson, Stacey Johnson, Clydie King, Jessie Kirkland, Bill Lee, Sherlie Matthews, Evelyn Meyer, Dwayne Moody, Matthews Muhoberac, Ekundayo Paris, Kevin Parker, Aubrey Porter, Dean Porter, Ricky Porter, Douglas Schwartz, Jean Sewell, Ed Wallace, Phillip Whigham, John Woodson, Donald Wyatt – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Diamond, except where noted.

  1. Cracklin’ Rosie
  2. Free Life
  3. Coldwater Morning
  4. Done Too Soon
  5. He Ain’t Heavy, He Is My Brother – Bob Russell, Bobby Scott
  6. Childsong
  7. I Am the Lion
  8. Madrigal
  9. Soolaimon
  10. Missa
  11. African Suite
  12. Childsong (reprise)

David Axelrod: Earth Rot

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On April 22, 1970, “Capitol” label released “Earth Rot”, the third David Axelrod studio album. It was recorded in 1969, and was produced by David Axelrod.

Personnel:

  • Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Louis Morell – guitar
  • Don Randi – piano
  • Robert West – bass
  • Arthur Wright – bass
  • Earl Palmer – drums
  • Sonny Anderson – vibraphone
  • Gary Coleman – vibraphone
  • William E. Green – tenor and baritone saxophone, flute
  • Jackie Kelso – tenor and baritone saxophone, flute
  • Ernie Watts – tenor saxophone, flute
  • Allen De Rienzo – trumpet
  • Frederick Hill – trumpet
  • Dick Hyde – trombone
  • Richard Leith – trombone
  • Clark Eran Gassman, Diana Lee, Gerri Engemann, Jacqueline Mae Ellen, Janice Gassman, Jerry Whitman, Jon Joyce, Lewis E. Moreford, Tom Bahler – choir

Track listing:

All music by David Axelrod, lyrics adapted by Michael T. Axelrod from “The Book of Isaiah, The Old Testament” and adapted from “Song of the Earth Spirit”, a Navajo origin legend.

  1. The Warnings Part 1
  2. The Warnings Part 2
  3. The Warnings Part 3
  4. The Warnings Part 4
  5. The Signs Part 1
  6. The Signs Part 2
  7. The Signs Part 3
  8. The Signs Part 4

Emitt Rhodes: The American Dream

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In November 1970, “A&M” label released “The American Dream”, the debut Emitt Rhodes album. It was recorded 1967 – 1969, and was produced by Larry Marks and Peter Pilafian.

Personnel:

  • Emitt Rhodes – vocals, multi-instruments
  • Donald Peake – guitar
  • David Bennett Cohen – guitar
  • Drake Levin – guitar
  • Larry Knechtel – keyboards
  • Don Randi – keyboards
  • Lyle Ritz – bass
  • Chuck Berghofer – bass, drums
  • Pete Jolly – drums
  • Jim Gordon – drums
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • John Guerin – drums
  • Gary Kato – drums
  • Joel Larson – drums
  • Joe Porcaro – percussion
  • Emil Radocchia – vibraphone
  • Bill Rheinhart – clarinet
  • Tom Reynolds – clarinet
  • Perry Botkin, Jr. – arrangements
  • Ian Freebairn-Smith – arranger
  • Jim McCrary – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Emitt Rhodes.

  1. Mother Earth
  2. Pardon Me
  3. Textile Factory
  4. Someone Died
  5. Come Ride, Come Ride
  6. Let’s All Sing
  7. Holly Park
  8. You’re a Very Lovely Woman
  9. Mary Will You Take My Hand
  10. The Man He Was
  11. In the Days of the Old
  12. ‘Til the Day After

Cass Elliot: The Road Is No Place For A Lady

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In October 1972, “RCA” label released “The Road Is No Place for a Lady”, the fifth and final Cass Elliot studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Trident Studios” in London, and was produced by Lewis Merenstein.

Personnel:

  • Cass Elliot – vocals
  • Chris Spedding – guitar
  • Les Thacher – acoustic guitar
  • Dave McRae – piano
  • Don Randi – keyboard
  • Les Hurdle – bass
  • Barry Morgan – drums
  • Ray Cooper – percussion
  • Kay Garner, Margo Quantrell, Vicki West – backing vocals
  • Larry Fallon – arrangements, conductor 
  • Del Newman – arrangement, conductor
  • David Hentschel – engineer

Track listing:

  1. (If You’re Gonna) Break Another Heart – Albert Hammond, Michael Hazlewood
  2. Saturday Suit – Jimmy Webb
  3. Does Anybody Love You – Renée Armand, Kerry Chater
  4. Walk Beside Me – Mike Leslie, Billy Day
  5. All My Life – Diane Hildebrand, Leah Kunkel
  6. Say Hello – Paul Williams
  7. Who in the World – Chris Arnold, David Martin, Geoff Morrow
  8. Love Was Not a Word – Al Gorgoni, Trade Martin, Chip Taylor
  9. Oh, Babe, What Would You Say? – Eileen Sylvia Smith
  10. The Road Is No Place for a Lady – Leah Kunkel

The Stone Poneys: Evergreen, Vol. 2

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On June 12, 1967, “Capitol” label released “Evergreen, Vol. 2”, the second Stone Poneys (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1967, at “Capitol” in Hollywood, and was produced by Nick Venet.

Personnel:

  • Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, finger cymbals
  • Bobby Kimmel – guitar
  • Kenny Edwards – guitar, sitar
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Pete Childs – guitar
  • John T. Forsha – guitar
  • Bernie Leadon – guitar
  • Cyrus Faryar – acoustic guitar, bouzouki
  • Steve Gillette – guitar, harmony vocals
  • Joe Osborn – electric bass
  • Jim Gordon – drums
  • Billy Mundi – drums
  • Don Randi – harpsichord
  • Jesse Ehrlich – strings, violin, viola, cello
  • Harry Hyams – strings, violin, viola, cello
  • William Kurasch – violin, viola, cello
  • Stanley Plummer – strings, violin, viola, cello
  • Robert Sushel – strings, violin, viola, cello
  • Sidney Sharp – violin, concertmaster
  • Norman Botnick – strings
  • William Durasch – strings
  • Leonard Malarsky – strings
  • Warren Barnett – mastering
  • Richie Unterberger – liner notes
  • Ian McFarlane – release preparation
  • Kevin Mueller – release preparation

Track listing:

  1. December Dream – John Braheny
  2. Song About the Rain – Steve Gillete
  3. Autumn Afternoon – Ken Edwards, Bobby Kimmel
  4. I’ve Got to Know – Pamela Polland
  5. Evergreen (Part One) – Ken Edwards, Bobby Kimmel
  6. Evergreen (Part Two) – Ken Edwards, Bobby Kimmel
  7. Different Drum – Mike Nesmith
  8. Driftin – Ken Edwards, Bobby Kimmel
  9. One for One – Al Silverman, Austin DeLone
  10. Back on the Street Again – Steve Gillette
  11. Toys in Time – Ken Edwards, Bobby Kimmel
  12. New Hard Times – Mayne Smith, Bobby Kimmel

Townes Van Zandt: High, Low And In Between

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In December 1971, “Poppy” label released “High, Low and In Between”, the fifth Townes Van Zandt album. It was recorded in April 1971, at “Larrabee Sound Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Kevin Eggers.

Personnel:

  • Townes Van Zandt – vocals, guitar
  • Larry Carlton – pedal steel guitar
  • Donnie Owens – guitar
  • David Cohen – guitar
  • Don Randi – piano, organ, cymbals, handclaps, arrangements
  • Harvey Newmark – bass
  • John Summer – drums
  • Ann Whitsett – handclaps
  • Jerry Barnes – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Two Hands
  2. You Are Not Needed Now
  3. Greensboro Woman
  4. Highway Kind
  5. Standin’
  6. No Deal
  7. To Live Is to Fly
  8. When He Offers His Hand
  9. Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold
  10. Blue Ridge Mountains
  11. High, Low and In Between

Gerald Wilson Orchestra: Feelin’ Kinda Blues

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In December 1965, “Pacific Jazz” label released “Feelin’ Kinda Blues”, album by Gerald Wilson Orchestra (the sixth Gerald Wilson album overall). It was recorded November – December 1965, at “United Recorders” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Bock.

Personnel:

  • Gerald Wilson – conductor, arrangements
  • Anthony Ortega – alto saxophone, flute, piccolo
  • Curtis Amy – soprano saxophone
  • Teddy Edwards, Harold Land – tenor saxophone
  • Jack Nimitz – baritone saxophone
  • Bobby Bryant, Jules Chaikin, Freddie Hill, Nat Meeks, Melvin Moore, Al Porcino – trumpet
  • Bob Edmondson, John Ewing, Lester Robertson – trombone
  • Fred Murell – bass trombone
  • Dennis Budimir – guitar
  • Phil Moore III – piano
  • Don Randi – organ
  • Victor Feldman – vibraphone
  • Buddy Woodson – bass
  • Mel Lee – drums
  • Modesto Duran,  Adolfo Valdes – percussion
  • Bones Howe (Daytron Burr Howe) – percussion, engineer
  • Woody Woodward – art direction
  • Jon Nimmo – photography

Track listing:

  1. When I’m Feeling Kinda Blue – Gerald Wilson
  2. Freddie Freeloader – Miles Davis
  3. Do Anything You Wanna – Harold Betters, Carl Ramsey
  4. Yesterday – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  5. Watermelon Man – Herbie Hancock
  6. Yeh Yeh – Rodgers Grant, Pat Patrick, Jon Hendricks
  7. One On the House – Harry James, Ernie Wilkins
  8. I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown
  9. I Concentrate on You – Cole Porter
  10. Well Son Shuffle – Mike Barone

V.A.: A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records

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On November 22, 1963, “Philles” label released “A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records”, an album of Christmas songs. It was recorded September – October 1963, at “Gold Star” in Hollywood, and was produced by Phil Spector. In 2003, the album was ranked at no. 142 on “Rolling Stone” magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”, and in 2019, it was ranked the greatest “Christmas Album of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Darlen Love – performer (White Christmas, Marshmallow World, Winter Wonderland, Christmas, Baby Please Come Home)
  • The Ronettes – performer (Frosty the Snowman, Sleigh Ride, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus)
  • Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans – performer (The Bells of St. Mary’s, Here Comes Santa Claus)  
  • The Crystals – performer (Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers)
  • Phil Spector – performer (Silent Night)
  • Barney Kessel – guitar
  • Bill Pitman – guitar
  • Tommy Tedesco – guitar
  • Nino Tempo – guitar
  • Irv Rubins – guitar
  • Leon Russell – piano
  • Al De Lory – piano
  • Don Randi – piano
  • Ray Pohlman – bass
  • Jimmy Bond – bass
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Sonny Bono – percussion
  • Frank Capp – percussion
  • Jack Nitzsche – percussion, arrangements
  • Jay Migliori – saxophone
  • Steve Douglas – baritone saxophone
  • Roy Caton – trumpet
  • Lou Blackburn – horns
  • Johnny Vidor – strings
  • Larry Levine – engineer

Track listing:

  1. White Christmas – Irving Berlin
  2. Frosty the Snowman – Steve Nelson, Walter Rollins
  3. The bells of St. Mary’s – A. Emmet Adams, Douglas Furber
  4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
  5. Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
  6. Marshmallow World – Carl Sigman, Peter DeRose
  7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Tommie Connor
  8. Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer – Johnny Marks
  9. Winter Wonderland – Felix Bernard, Dick Smith
  10. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers – Leon Jessel
  11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home – Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector
  12. Here Comes Santa Claus – Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
  13. Silent Night – Josef Mohr, Franz X. Gruber