Tag Archives: Plas Johnson

Randy Newman: Same

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In June 1968, “Reprise” label released the debut, self-titled Randy Newman album. It was recorded in 1968, and was produced by Lenny Waronker and Van Dyke Parks.

Personnel:

  • Randy Newman – vocals, piano
  • Herb Ellis- guitar
  • Larry Knechtel- guitar, bass, keyboards
  • Tommy Tedesco- guitar
  • Sal Valentino- guitar, vocals
  • Don Lanier – guitar
  • Louis Morell – guitar
  • Frank DeCaro – guitar
  • Joe Gibbons – guitar
  • Al Casey- guitar
  • Mike Deasy, Ron Elliott- guitar
  • James Burton- guitar
  • Nick DeCaro – piano, accordion
  • Gene Garf – piano, organ
  • James Rowles – piano
  • Michael Lang – piano
  • Gary LeVant – harmonica
  • Tommy Morgan – harmonica
  • Carl Fortina – accordion
  • Don Bagley – bass
  • Carol Kaye- bass
  • Lyle Ritz- bass
  • Jim Gordon- drums
  • Norman Jeffreis – drums
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Hubert Anderson – percussion
  • Ted Nash – saxophone
  • Gene Cipriano – saxophone
  • Wilbur Schwartz – saxophone
  • Thomas Scott – saxophone
  • Gordon Pope – saxophone
  • William Green – saxophone
  • William R. Perkins – saxophone
  • Jim Horn- saxophone
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Jay Migliori – saxophone
  • Sid Miller – saxophone
  • Ollie Mitchell – trumpet
  • Anthony Terran- trumpet
  • Milt Bernhart- trombone
  • Robert Knight – trombone
  • Richard Hyde- trombone
  • Lew McCreary – trombone
  • Richard Perissi – French horn
  • William Hinshaw – French horn
  • James A. Decker – French horn
  • David Duke – French horn
  • James Getzoff – flute
  • Israel Baker- violin
  • Harry Bluestone – violin
  • William Kurash – violin
  • Arnold Belnick – violin
  • Jerome Reisler – violin
  • Ralph Schaeffer – violin
  • Sid Sharp – violin
  • Tibor Zelig – violin
  • William Weiss – violin
  • Leonard Malarsky – violin
  • Joseph DiFiore – viola
  • Louis Kievman – viola
  • Samuel Boghossian – viola
  • Leonard Selic – viola
  • Harold Ayties – viola
  • Jan Hlinka – viola
  • Harold Bemko – cello
  • Ray Kelley – cello
  • Victor Sazer – cello
  • Jesse Emrlich – cello
  • Armand Karpoff – cello
  • David Filerman – cello
  • Joseph Tullio – cello
  • Frederick Seykora – cello
  • Elizabeth Ershoff – harp
  • Tommy LiPuma- engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by Randy Newman.

  1. Love Story (You and Me)
  2. Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad
  3. Living Without You
  4. So Long Dad
  5. I Think He’s Hiding
  6. Linda
  7. Laughing Boy
  8. Cowboy
  9. Beehive State
  10. I Think It’s Going to Rain Today
  11. Davy the Fat Boy

Ry Cooder: Paradise And Lunch

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In May 1974, “Reprise” label released “Paradise and Lunch”, the fourth Ry Cooder album. It was recorded in 1974, at “Warner Brothers Studios” in Hollywood and “The Burbank Studios” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker.

Personnel:

  • Ry Cooder- vocals, guitars, mandolin
  • Ronnie Barron– piano, organ
  • Earl Hines- piano
  • Russ Titelman, Chris Ethridge– electric bass
  • Red Callender, John Duke – bass
  • Milt Holland– drums, percussion
  • Jim Keltner– drums
  • Plas Johnson– alto saxophone
  • Oscar Brashear– cornet
  • Bobby King, Gene Mumford, Bill Johnson, George McCurn, Walter Cook, Richard Jones, Russ Titelman, Karl Russell – voices
  • George Bohanon- horn arrangements
  • Nick DeCaro – string arrangements
  • Susan Titleman– cover paintings, photography

Track listing:

  1. Tattler – Washington Phillips, Ry Cooder, Russ Titelman
  2. Married Man’s a Fool – Blind Willie McTell
  3. Jesus on the Mainline – traditional
  4. It’s All Over Now – Bobby Womack, Shirley Womack
  5. Fool for a Cigarette/Feelin’ Good – Sidney Bailey,  B. Lenoir, Jim Dickinson (medley)
  6. If Walls Could Talk – Bobby Miller
  7. Mexican Divorce – Burt Bacharach, Bob Hilliard
  8. Ditty Wah Ditty – Arthur Blake

Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees

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In March 1976, “Columbia” label released “Silk Degrees” the seventh Boz Scaggs album. It was recorded September 1975, at “Davien Sound Studios”, and “Hollywood Sound” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Joe Wissert. It was certified 5 x Platinum in the US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Boz Scaggs –vocals, guitar
  • Louis Shelton, Fred Tackett – guitars
  • Les Dudek– slide guitar
  • David Paich– keyboards
  • David Hungate– bass
  • Jeff Porcaro– drums, percussion
  • Bud Shank, Plas Johnson – saxophones
  • Vincent DeRosa,Jim Horn, Paul Hubinon, Dick Hyde, Tom Scott – horns
  • Chuck Findley– flugelhorn
  • Tony Terran– trumpet
  • Jim Gilstrap, Maxine Green, Augie Johnson, Marty McCall, Pepper Swenson, Carolyn Willis –backing vocals
  • Joe Porcaro– percussion
  • Sid Sharp –arrangements
  • Tom Perry –engineer
  • Doug Sax– mastering

Track listing:

  1. What Can I Say – Boz Scaggs, David Paich
  2. Georgia – Boz Scaggs
  3. Jump Street – Boz Scaggs, David Paich
  4. What Do You Want the Girl to Do – Allen Toussaint
  5. Harbor Lights – Boz Scaggs
  6. Lowdown – Boz Scaggs, David Paich
  7. It’s Over – Boz Scaggs, David Paich
  8. Love Me Tomorrow – David Paich
  9. Lido Shuffle – Boz Scaggs
  10. We’re All Alone – Boz Scaggs

Mama Cass: Dream A Little Dream

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dream_a_little_dream

On October 19, 1968, “Dunhill Records” released “Dream a Little Dream”, the debut Mama Cass solo album. It was recorded in 1968, and was produced by Lou Adler and John Simon.

Personnel:

  • Cass Elliot – vocals
  • James Burton – guitar, dobro
  • Stephen Stills – vocals, guitar
  • Cyrus Faryar- guitar, ukulele
  • Paul Harris- organ, piano
  • John Sebastian- guitar, harmonica
  • John Simon- piano, arrangements
  • Larry Knechtel- keyboards
  • Harvey Brooks- bass guitar
  • Hal Blaine- drums
  • Jim Gordon- drums
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Renais Faryar – vocals
  • Brenda Holloway- backing vocals
  • Henry Diltz- photography

Track listing:

  1. Dream a Little Dream of Me – Wilbur Schwandt, Fabian Andre, Gus Kahn
  2. California Earthquake – John Hartford
  3. The Room Nobody Lives In – John Sebastian
  4. Talkin’ to Your Toothbrush – John Simon
  5. Blues for Breakfast – Richard Manuel
  6. You Know Who I Am – Leonard Cohen
  7. Rubber Band – Cyrus Faryar
  8. Long Time Loving You – Stuart Scharf
  9. Jane, The Insane Dog Lady – John Simon
  10. What Was I Thinking Of – Leah Cohen
  11. Burn Your Hatred – Graham Nash
  12. Sweet Believer – Cyrus Faryar

The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds

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Pet Sounds

On May 16, 1966, “Capitol” label released “Pet Sounds”, the eleventh Beach Boys studio album. It was recorded July 12, 1965 – April 13, 1966, at “United Western Recorders”, “Gold Star Studios”, “CBS Columbia Square”, and “Sunset Sound Recorders” in Hollywood, and was produced by Brian Wilson. The album is regarded as one of the most important and influential albums in the music history. In 2003, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Pet Sounds” at number two on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

The Beach Boys

  • Al Jardine– lead, harmony and backing vocals, tambourine
  • Bruce Johnston– harmony and backing vocals
  • Mike Love– lead, harmony and backing vocals
  • Brian Wilson– lead, harmony and backing vocals, dog whistles, organ, piano, sound effects
  • Carl Wilson– lead, harmony and backing vocals, guitar, twelve-string guitar
  • Dennis Wilson– harmony and backing vocals, drums
  • Glen Campbell– guitar, twelve-string electric guitar
  • Al Casey– guitar
  • Mike Deasy– guitar
  • Bill Pittman– guitar
  • Tommy Tedesco– acoustic guitar
  • Barney Kessel– guitar, mandolin
  • Billy Strange– electric guitar, guitar, twelve-string electric guitar
  • Jerry Cole– electric guitar, guitar, mandolin
  • Terry Melcher– tambourine
  • Ron Swallow– tambourine
  • Don Randi– piano
  • Al De Lory– harpsichord, organ, piano, tack piano
  • Tony Asher– plucked piano, strings
  • Carl Fortina– accordion
  • Frank Marocco– accordion
  • Tommy Morgan– harmonica
  • Larry Knechtel– organ
  • Ray Pohlman– Danelectro bass, electric bass, mandolin, guitar
  • Carole Kaye– electric bass
  • Lyle Ritz– string bass, ukulele
  • Chuck Berghofer– string bass
  • Hal Blaine– bongos, drums, tympani
  • Ritchie Frost– drums, empty Coca-Cola cans, percussion
  • Nick Martinis– drums
  • Gary Coleman – bongos, tympani
  • Julius Wechter– tympani, latin percussion, percussion, vibraphone
  • Jerry Williams– percussion
  • Frank Capp– bells, glockenspiel, latin percussion, percussion, tympani, vibraphone
  • Jim Gordon– drums, percussion
  • Paul Tanner– theremin
  • Bill Green– flute, percussion, saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • Leonard Hartman– bass clarinet, clarinet, English horn
  • Jim Horn– baritone saxophone, flute, tenor saxophone, saxophone
  • Jay Migliori– baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute, saxophone
  • Steve Douglas– clarinet, flute, percussion, tenor saxophone, saxophone
  • Paul Horn– tenor saxophone
  • Bobby Klein– tenor saxophone
  • Jack Nimitz– baritone saxophone
  • Roy Caton– trumpet
  • Gail Martin– trombone
  • Ernie Tack– bass trombone
  • Alan Robinson – French horn
  • Jules Jacob– flute
  • Plas Johnson– flute, percussion, saxophone, tenor saxophone
  • James Getzoff– violin
  • William Kurasch– violin
  • Leonard Malarsky– violin
  • Arnold Belnick– violin
  • Jerome Reisler– violin
  • Tibor Zelig– violin
  • Ralph Schaeffer– violin
  • Sid Sharp– violin
  • Norman Botnick– viola
  • Harry Hyams– viola
  • Joseph DiFiore– viola
  • Darrel Terwilliger– viola
  • Justin DiTullio– cello
  • Jesse Erlich– cello
  • Joseph Saxon– cello
  • Mike Melvoin– harpsichord
  • “Tony” – sleigh bell

Track listing

All tracks by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher except where noted.

  1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
  2. You Still Believe in Me
  3. That’s Not Me
  4. Don’t Talk
  5. I’m Waiting for the Day – Brian Wilson, Mike Love
  6. Let’s Go Away for Awhile – Brian Wilson
  7. Sloop John B – trad. arr. Brian Wilson
  8. God Only Knows
  9. I Know There’s an Answer – Brian Wilson, Terry Sachen, Mike Love
  10. Here Today
  11. I Just Wasnt Made for These Times
  12. Pet Sounds – Brian Wilson
  13. Caroline, No

Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic

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Pretzel_Logic

On February 20, 1974, “ABC” label released “Pretzel Logic”, the third Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded October 1973 – January 1974 at the “Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz.  The cover photo of the New York pretzel seller was by Raeanne Rubenstein. On September 7, 1993, “Pretzel Logic” was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”. Magazine “NME” named “Pretzel Logic” best album of 1974. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “Pretzel Logic” at number 385 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen- lead vocals, keyboards, saxophone
  • Walter Becker- bass, guitar, backing vocals
  • Jeff “Skunk” Baxter- lead guitar
  • Denny Dias- guitar
  • Ben Benay – guitar
  • Dean Parks- guitar, banjo
  • Michael Omartian- keyboards
  • David Paich- keyboards
  • Timothy B. Schmit- bass, backing vocals
  • Wilton Felder- bass
  • Chuck Rainey- bass
  • Jim Gordon- drums
  • Jeff Porcaro– drums
  • Victor Feldman– percussion
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Jerome Richardson- saxophone
  • Ernie Watts- saxophone
  • Lew McCreary – horn
  • Ollie Mitchell- trumpet
  • Jimmie Haskell – orchestration
  • Jim Hodder- backing vocals
  • David Larkham – design
  • Ed Caraeff – art direction, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, except where noted.

  1. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
  2. Night by Night
  3. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
  4. Barrytown
  5. East St. Louis Toodle – Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley
  6. Parker’s Band
  7. Through with Buzz
  8. Pretzel Logic
  9. With a Gun
  10. Charlie Freak
  11. Monkey in Your Soul

Dr. John: Gris-Gris

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Dr John Night tripper

On January 22, 1968, “Atco” label released “Gris-Gris”, the debut Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) album.  It was recorded in 1967, at the “Gold Star Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Harold Battiste. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked “Gris-Gris” at number 143 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Dr. John- vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion
  • Richard ‘Didimus’ Washington – guitar, mandolin, percussion
  • Steve Mann – guitar, banjo
  • Ernest McLean- guitar, mandolin
  • Bob West – bass
  • Harold Battiste – bass, clarinet, percussion, arrangements
  • John Boudreaux – drums
  • Mo Pedido – congas
  • Plas Johnson- saxophone
  • Lonnie Boulden – flute
  • Dave Dixon, Jessie Hill, Ronnie Barron- backing vocals, percussion
  • Joni Jonz, Prince Ella Johnson, Shirley Goodman, Sonny Ray Durden, Tami Lynn- backing vocals
  • Marvin Israel– design

Track listing:

  1. Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya – Dr. John Creaux
  2. Danse Kalinda Ba Doom – Dr. John Creaux and Harold Battiste
  3. Mama Roux – Dr. John and Jessie Hill
  4. Danse Fambeaux – Dr. John Creaux
  5. Croker Courtbullion – Harold Battiste
  6. Jump Sturdy – Dr. John Creaux
  7. I Walk on Guilded Splinters – Dr. John Creaux

Steely Dan: Aja

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Aja

On September 23, 1977, “ABC” label released “Aja”, the sixth Steely Dan studio album . It was recorded January – July 1977, at the “Village Recorder” in  West Los Angeles, “Producer’s Workshop” and “Sound Labs”  in Hollywood, “Warner Bros” studios in Burbank, “ABC” studios in New York City,  “A&R” studios in Manhattan, and was produced by Gary Katz.  In July 1978, the album won the “Grammy Award for Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording”. In 2003 “Aja” was ranked number 145 on “Rolling Stone” magazine “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list. The album was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen- lead and backing vocals, synthesizer, police whistle
  • Walter Becker- bass, guitar, guitar solos
  • Larry Carlton- guitar, guitar solo
  • Denny Dias- guitar
  • Dean Parks- guitar
  • Steve Khan- guitar
  • Jay Graydon- solo guitar
  • Victor Feldman- electric piano, vibraphone, piano, percussion
  • Joe Sample- electric piano, clavinet
  • Paul Griffin- electric piano, backing vocals
  • Michael Omartian- piano
  • Don Grolnick- clavinet
  • Chuck Rainey- bass
  • Paul Humphrey- drums
  • Steve Gadd- drums
  • Bernard Purdie- drums
  • Rick Marotta- drums
  • Ed Greene – drums
  • Jim Keltner- drums, percussion
  • Gary Coleman – percussion
  • Tom Scott- tenor saxophone, lyricon, horn arrangements
  • Wayne Shorter– tenor saxophone
  • Pete Christlieb- tenor saxophone
  • Jim Horn, Bill Perkins, Plas Johnson, Jackie Kelso – saxophones, flutes
  • Chuck Findley, Lou McCreary, Slyde Hyde – brass
  • Michael McDonald, Timothy B. Schmit, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Venetta Fields, Rebecca Louis – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

  1. Black Cow
  2. Aja
  3. Deacon Blues
  4. Peg
  5. Home At Last
  6. I Got The News
  7. Josie

Marvin Gaye: Let’s Get It On

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Let's_Get_It_On

On August 28, 1973, “Tamla” label released “Let’s Get It On”, the thirteenth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded  June 1970 – July 1973, at the“Golden World Studio” in Detroit and at the “Hitsville West” in Los  Angeles, and was produced by Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend. The album received positive critics worldwide and is regarded as one of the most influential and most significant soul and funk albums of all time.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead and backing vocals, piano
  • David T. Walker, Eddie Willis, Lewis Shelton, Melvin Ragin, Robert White, Don Peake – guitar
  • Joe Sample, Marvin Jerkins – piano
  • James Jamerson, Wilton Felder – bass
  • Bobbye Hall Porter – bongos
  • Eddie “Bongo” Brown – drums, bongos
  • Paul Humphrey, Uriel Jones – drums
  • Emil Richards, Bobbye Hall Porter, Ernie Watts, Plas Johnson – percussion
  • Emil Richards, Victor Feldman – vibraphone
  • David Van DePitte , Gene Page, Rene Hall – arrangements, orchestra conducting
  • The Originals – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Let’s  Get it On – Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
  2. Please Stay – Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
  3. If I Should Die Tonight – Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
  4. Keep Getting’ it On – Marvin Gaye, Ed Townsend
  5. Come Get to This – Marvin Gaye
  6. Distant Lover – Marvin Gaye, Gwen Gordy, Sandra Green
  7. You Sure Love to Ball – Marvin Gaye
  8. Just to Keep You Satisfied – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover