Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:32 — 45.0MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
Category: Pop Music
Popular music, wide acceptance.
Stephen Stills Singer Songwriter VV_027
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:14 — 55.0MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
TODAY’S PROGRAM……
M1 For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills), Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield, Released ATCO, LP 1969 (3:00)…
M2 Bluebird (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)…
M3 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Stephen Stills), Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (6:33)….
M4 Wooden Ships (Stills, Kantner, Crosby) Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (2:26)…
M5 Carry On (Stephen Stills) Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (4:25)…
M6 4+20 (Stephen Stills), Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (1:55)…
M7 Sugar Babe (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (4:04).
M8 Change Partners, (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (3:14)…
Stephen Stills is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with
- Buffalo Springfield
- Crosby, Stills & Nash
- Manassas …
- and as a SOLO ARTIST.
He was born in 1945 in DALLAS TEXAS. He is 78 at the time of this podcast’s production. He is still active. He plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboards… he’s not only a singer and songwriter… also an arranger and producer.
Stills has had a long and prosperous career. Starting out in 1963, he has given us some 60 years of songwriting and musical performance.
Today I FEATURE original compositions by singer songwriter Stephen Stills. From my collection we will hear 5 albums:
- Buffalo Springfield album and For What It’s Worth,
- Buffalo Springfield Again album with Bluebird
- Stephen Stills’ demo tape album JUST ROLL TAPE with Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, and Wooden Ships
- Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s DÉJÀ VU album with 4+20 and Carry On
- And finally, the STEPHEN STILLS 2 solo album with Sugar Babe and Change Partners.
We are now listening to ROCK AND ROLL WOMAN from BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD AGAIN.
These selections were each recorded between 1966 and 1971. Just a small time slice of this singer/songwriter’s career.
Stills was between the ages of 21 and 26. These works are important because these songs are each hand crafted by Stills. I also wanted to showcase his array of talents like multi-instrumental musician, arranger, and producer. In addition to being a successful singer/songwriter, who work has had a large musical impact.
Much more for future podcasts.
M1 For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills), Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield, Released ATCO, LP 1969 (3:00)
Stephen Stills’ first HIT recording was FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH (or “Stop, Hey, What’s That Sound”). It was 1966. Stills was just 21 years old. This was his first big break. He had written several songs, by now.. Not only did he have an inventory of original songs, he had helped to form a new band. Along with two other singer-songwriters, Richie Furay and Neil Young… they formed Buffalo Springfield out in Los Angeles. Neil Young came from Winnipeg Alberta, and Furay and Stills left a New York City gig with the Au Go-Go Singers, a 9-member group performing at the Café Au Go-Go. Two other Canadians — bassist Bruce Palmer and rock drummer Dewey Martin were added — 5 band members in all. 2 Americans, 3 Canadians.
“For What It’s Worth” became one of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s. It was first released as a 45 RPM single in late 1966. In t1967, For What It’s Worth featured on the first Buffalo Springfield LP.
The lyrics in FOR WHAT ITS WORTH are all about a confrontation Stills had with LAPD Riot Police in Los Angeles’ earlier that year. There had been many summer nights of rowdy crowds of kids causing late-night traffic issues in the Sunset Strip neighborhood. LA responded by announcing a curfew of 10PM. As a result, there were reported to have been over 1,000 persons out on the Strip protesting and trouble broke out. There were clashes between police and young people. Peter Fonda was handcuffed by police. Jack Nicholson was also on the scene. Whisky a Go-Go was a nightclub on the Sunset Strip, where many great bands have performed. At that time, in 1966, their house band was Buffalo Springfield. Because of continuing issues of unrest, some clubs on the Sunset Strip were forced to close their doors for weeks. It was because of these civil disturbances on Sunset Strip that Stills recorded “For What It’s Worth”.
And now, For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills)
Play M1
Don’t Touch That Dial
That was M1 FOR WHAT ITS WORTH – STOP HEY WHATS THAT SOUND
Credits
- Stephen Stills – Guitar and Vocals and songwriter
- Richie Furay – Guitar and vocals
- Dewey Martin – Drums
- Bruce Palmer – Bass
- Record Company ATCO, a division of Atlantic Records
“For What It’s Worth” became a top ten hit, reaching No. 7 on the US Billboard 100 in Spring of 1967.
BIT BUCKET
I was a very impressionable age 14 at the time of this song’s release… the song chorus lyrics were very impactful on me…
I think it’s time we stop.
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look, what’s going down?
M2 Bluebird (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)
The Buffalo Springfield band was really about their two biggest egos, those of STEPHEN STILLS and NEIL YOUNG. Buffalo Springfield was still a young band, only 9 months old at this point in late 1966. After their hit “For What It’s Worth”, they were eager to have a repeat success. For a SINGLE, two songs, “Bluebird” Mr. Soul were available for a single. Stills writing Bluebird, Young writing Mr. Soul. These were recorded and released by ATCO Records as a single. The version I will play today is from the LP, titled Buffalo Springfield Again, released later that year 1967. This LP version is much improved with lots more guitar work by Stills and Young. BLUEBIRD features the trading off of guitar solos between Neil Young and Stephen Stills. Stills plays the acoustic guitars, some is finger-picking. Young the rocker plays the distorted lead guitar part, on Les Paul guitar. In this song, Stills is ALL ACOUSTIC, Young is ALL ELECTRIC.
PAUSE EXAMPLE GUITARS
About that acoustic guitar we hear – Stills had just purchased a fine old guitar, a 29-year old acoustic Martin D-28. It was first used in the recording of Bluebird. On this song, Stills uses D-modal tuning … he tuned his guitar DOWN a full note to DADGAD, tuning DOWN 3 of the guitar’s 6 strings.
EXAMPLE: Record yourself d-tuning an acoustic guitar to DADGAD.
It’s a full rich sound used in Celtic music, Folk and Rock. The acoustic guitar work and this recording is sharp and clear because of some early recording expertise in SOUND PROCESSING, the use of compression and equalizers to highlight the picking and full dynamic range of that acoustic guitar. This is an ultra clear recording of Stills on that Martin D-28. AND there is also a BANJO PART.
PLAY BANJO BACKGROUND The banjo part is played by Charlie Chin, bluegrass style, from Greenwich Village – Stills’ worked earlier there. This LP VERSION with the added guitar and banjo parts, lengthens this 2-minute single to 4:28.
And now here is Bluebird … complete with dueling guitars and banjo.
PLAY M2
Don’t Touch That Dial
that was M2 BLUEBIRD (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)
Song credits M2 go to
- Neil Young electric lead guitar
- Bobby West Bass
- Rich Furay vocal
- Dewey Martin drums
- Charlie Chin – Banjo
- Stephen Stills – singer, songwriter, producer along with Atlantic Records, acoustic rhythm and lead guitars
The single reached number 58 on the Billboard chart, some critics see the song as their most accomplished piece. It spent 7 weeks on the HOT 100 chart. Buffalo Springfield did not last / could not last, with 3 egos as large as a house, all of this talent had dismantled by 1968 and each artist went on to their own individual successes…Neil Young departed to form Crazy Horse, Richie Furay departed to form Poco, and Stephen Stills went on to form Crosby Stills Nash and Young. BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD is a foundation of ROCK AND ROLL.
BIT BUCKET On the lyrical side, lyrics are usually lost on me. I am identifying much more with the guitar, drum, and bass parts on these songs. Some say the lyrics in this song Bluebird have to do with Stills’ musings about Judy Collins. He would soon be writing a tong he titled Suite Judy Blue Eyes. More on that later. The closing verse in the SINGLE is:
DO YOU THINK SHE LOVES YOU?
DO YOU THINK AT ALL?
M3 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Stephen Stills), Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (6:33)
The next piece is titled Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and is written by Stephen Stills and performed by Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN). It appeared on the group’s self-titled debut album in 1969 and was released as a single.
The song is indeed a SUITE…. it imitates a classical music suite with a set of THREE musical pieces, in this case.
The inspiration for this Crosby, Stills & Nash classic “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” is Stills’ romantic relationship with Judy Collins They were both singer songwriters and had a romantic relationship that lasted only two years, but numerous songs written by Stills down the road, would muse about Judy Collins.
The recording features a UNIQUE version of the Suite. This recording is from a DEMO tape made in April of 1968. It was done at a recording studio where Judy Collins had just finished a recording session and there was remaining studio time. Stills evidently paid the recording engineer privately to help him record the demos. He asked the engineer to “JUST ROLL TAPE” and Stills proceeded to perform 13 of his originals – – solo. The tape is available in LP form (very expensive) and on CD.
PAUSE AND PLAY EXAMPLE OF THE EEEEBE tuning at beginning of song.
The guitar is tuned to modal tuning EEEEBE and was used on later songs from the Déjà vu album— Carry On and 4+20. We will hear each of those later in this podcast
The Suite has 3 pieces on the demo tape:
- Segment one – You Make It Hard
- Segment two – What Have You Got To Lose
- Segment three – Be My Lady
And now
… here is Suite: Judy Blue Eyes played solo by STEPHEN STILLS in 1968
Play M3
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL
That Was M3 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Stephen Stills), Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968
Credits M3
Credits
- Stephen Stills solo Guitar and Vocals
Listening to this demo ROLLL THE TAPE I can understand the high street value. There are in all 13 songs recorded solo, on one tape, and one take, and there are few gaffs, if any. CLEARLY, Stills not only had inventory but he had great command of the song ideas. Great vocals and use of innovative guitar tunings. These demo songs are solid prototypes!
In 1970, this song appeared on the group’s self-titled debut album – “Crosby Stills & Nash”
- Suite: Judy Blue Eyes reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart.
- In Canada, “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” peaked at number 11.
M4 Wooden Ships (Stills, Kantner, Crosby) Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (2:26)
Next, we go to Fort Lauderdale Florida. It is 1968, and there is a large sailboat named MAYAN. The ship MAYAN was owned and operated by David Crosby for 45 years. The WOODEN SHIPS story goes like this. Crosby composed the music to WOODEN SHIPS and the lyrics were written by Stephen Stills and Paul Kantner, founder of JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. Crosby said that he composed numerous songs aboard MAYAN, which he considered to be his sanctuary. MAYAN is a 59-foot Alden centerboard schooner-rig, built in1947. It’s actually 66-feet overall, including the bowsprit, and with the centerboard up, can sail in water as shallow as 5 feet.
WOODEN SHIPS is thought to be a look at the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. The 60’s was the cold war and a time of nuclear threat between the USA and USSR. For example the CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS in 1962 was perhaps the closest the US has come to a nuclear disaster.
PAUSE
WOODEN SHIPS was inspired by nuclear holocaust and also real life – as David Crosby said about sailing aboard the MAYAN:
“The world has gone to hell … The idea was that we were sort of sailing away from that madness.”.
This rendition of WOODEN SHIPS is from Stephen Stills demo tape, the album is JUST ROLL TAPE.
plays a de-tuned guitar and delivers the vocals.. This demo is a shorter version of Wooden Ships, 2:26. Later the song will evolve out to 5:29.
And now M4 Wooden Ships recorded in 1968
Play M4
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL
That was M4 WOODEN SHIPS from JUST ROLL TAPE recorded in 1968 and released in 2007 as an LP and CD with compelling lyrics…..
PAUSE insert lyrics.
Wooden Ships on the water
Very free and easy peasy. You know,
The way it’s supposed to be.
So how is it this demo tape remained unreleased for so long –2007 was 25 years after the original recording. Somehow, Stills left the demo session without taking his demo tape. Years later, the studio closed down, and many tapes, including this one, were given to another musician ….who finally succeeded in returning the demo tape to Stills, who then produced and released this album (CD and LP versions) in 2007. A great find.
Credits
- Stephen Stills solo Guitar and Vocals
- Stephen Stills and Paul Kantner lyrics
- David Crosby song composer
PROPER VERSIONS of these last two DEMO tracks, Suite Judy Blue Eyes and Wooden Ships, appeared on the debut album of Crosby Stills and Nash a year later — 1969. That debut CSN album sold over four million copies and CSN went on to win a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
BIT BUCKET
The theme of WOODEN SHIPS reminds me of Canadian folk singer BONNIE DOBSON’s song released that same year, (WALK ME OUT IN THE) MORNING DEW, a dialogue between the last man and woman left alive after some apocalyptic catastrophe.
The version recorded and released on the 1969 CSN album is 5:29.
M5 Carry On (Stephen Stills) Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (4:25)
In 1968, following the breakup of Buffalo Springfield, Stills worked with American singer-songwriter David Crosby from The Byrds, and with English singer songwriter Graham Nash from The Hollies. They worked as a TRIO called Crosby, Stills & Nash or CSN. Some months later they added a familiar name from up north, Canadian singer-songwriter, Neil Young, and became Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Imagine that, Four singer songwriters in one band. With all of that ego and creativity, will CSNY have a chance of a long future ? We go to the second studio album titled DEJA VU, which was the first time Neil Young was included in recordings. Released in early 1970 by Atlantic. On SIDE ONE / TRACK ONE – – the song is CARRY ON. A title that seems to continue on Stephen Still’s persistent theme . “that romantic breakup with Judy Collins”.
SHORT PAUSE
Interesting fact about Carry On is that there is a familiar tune BUNDLED within, making Carry On a musical Suite. That bundled song is QUESTIONS. According to Stills, “Carry On” was completed in about eight hours from conception to finished master.
And Now:
….Carry On (by Stephen Stills) from Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, released in 1970
PLAY M5 Carry On (Stephen Stills) Déjà Vu,
Don’t Touch That Dial
that was M5
Carry On (Stephen Stills) Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, released in 1970
Credits:
Song credits go to
- David Crosby – vocals
- Stephen Stills – vocals, guitars, bass, organ, and percussion and song composer
- Graham Nash – vocals,percussion
- Neil Young – does not appear on this song….
- Dallas Taylor – drums
BIT BUCKET
Not only was Stills songwriter on many of CSN’s songs, Stills really showcased his versatility and talent by playing bass, guitar, and keyboards on their DEBUT, self-titled album released in 1969.
The album sold over four million copies and at that point had outsold anything from the three members’ prior bands: the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and the Hollies.
The album won the trio a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
M6 4+20 (Stephen Stills), Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (1:55)
Next we go to Side 2, Track 3,,,,,,,, the song is 4 + 20
4 and 20 years ago I come into this life ….
the son of a woman and a man who lived in strife
he was tired of being poor
and he wasn’t into selling door to door…
It’s a sad song, depressing actually. Stills sings solo and plays a D-tuned guitar, a common tuning of his.
So let’s listen to a very heavy, a troubled side, of Stephen Stills.
… and now….
.
Play M6 FOUR AND TWENTY by Stephen Stills, the Déjà Vu album,
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL
That was M6 4+20 (Stephen Stills), Déjà Vu, Atlantic Records 1970, clocking in at a short …..1:55.
Credits:
- Stephen Stills solo vocal and guitar, and the song composer.
- NOTE:
- Graham Nash, David Crosby, Neil Young do not appear on this track.
Some Stats about the Déjà vu album
- In March 1970, Déjà vu was certified Gold in the US, JUST 14 days after release!
- The album spent 88 weeks in the Billboard 200 charts
- Certified 7× platinum by RIAA, the album’s sales currently sit at over 8 million copies.
- Deja Vu remains the highest-selling album of each member’s career ,,,,to-date.
BIT BUCKET
RIAA Recording Industry Association of America
M7 Sugar Babe (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (4:04)
After the breakup of CSNY in 1970, Stills went through another prolific songwriting stage, composing over 20 songs for his 2nd SOLO album – – Stephen Stills 2. That was fast work because the album was released by Atlantic in 1971…….just a year after Déjà vu was released. Fast and Prolific indeed.
Our next song from Stephen Stills 2 is SUGAR BABE. I believe this song is about Stills relationship with Rita Coolidge – with the lyrics……..
Come on sweet Rita
You’re my sugar baby
And now, another Stills creation, SUGAR BABE
PLAY M7
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL
That was M7 Sugar Babe (Stephen Stills), from the Stephen Stills 2 SOLO album,
Credits M7
I love that gnarly Hammond organ grinding away on the right hand track.
On the Stephen Stills 2 album there are only general credits, not song-specific.
Even upon further research I have:
- Stephen Stills – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, composer, arranger, conductor and producer
- Calvin Samuels – bass
- Conrad Isidore, Dallas Taylor – drums
- Unknown keyboards
- Unknown harmony vocals
BIT BUCKET
In this song, one of the best things is the muffled organ on the right side and Still’s distorted guitar on the left side. I’ve seen him perform this song solo on a big grand piano. It’s pretty cool, Stills is a self-taught basic piano player, but what a talented composer arranger and songwriter. Great sound.
M8 Change Partners, (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (3:14)
Last on today’s Stephen Stills Singer Songwriter podcast is CHANGE PARTNERS, also from that 2nd SOLO album.
Stills said “it was about growing up in Texas. Going to debutante balls, dancing and changing partners.”
You will hear a lovely pedal steel guitar. That is none other than Jerry Garcia on pedal steel guitar played throughout this song. This version released on Stephen Stills 2 was recorded in early ‘ 71 in Miami.
PLAY M8
And now, CHANGE PARTNERS
Don’t Touch That Dial
Change Partners, (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971
Song credits M8
As far as song credits, again there are only general album credits,
Upon further research, here is what I found on CHANGE PARTNERS::
- Stephen Stills – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, composer, arranger, conductor and producer•
- Calvin Samuels – bass
- Dallas Taylor – drums
- Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar on “Change Partners”
- Graham Nash, David Crosby, Henry Diltz, and Fred Neil on backing vocals.
STATS
- Stephen Stills 2 album peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200 and was certified as a gold record.
- Two singles were released from the album,
- “Change Partners” peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart:
CONCLUSION
This podcast on Stephen Stills EARLY YEARS -1966-1971 included 8 of his original compositions from 5 albums and singles.
OF COURSE this ONLY SCRATCHES the surface of his great talent. There will be a subsequent podcast on STEPHEN STILLS.
Stills has combined record sales of over 35 million albums. He is a Hall of Fame inductee, in fact he was the first person to be inducted twice on the same night into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – that was 1997.
Stephen Stills is 78 at the time of this podcast’s production. Neil Young is 77. Graham Nash is 81.
Sadly, we lost David Crosby earlier this year, at the age of 81.
On a lighter note, Judy Collins is 84. And Rita Coolidge is 78.
That’s it for today’s show “STEPHEN STILLS SINGER SONGWRITER”, on VINYL VIBRATIONS.
Please SUBSCRIBE to hear new episodes of this FREE PODCAST.
closing plug:
THAT’S TODAY’S SHOW ” STEPHEN STILLS SINGER SONGWRITER ”
boom
ON VINYL VIBRATIONS !!
boom
I’M YOUR HOST, BRIAN FREDERICK !!
boom
STAY SUBSCRIBED
boom
VINYL VIBRATIONS
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass-VV023
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:43 — 46.4MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
Today’s Vinyl Vibrations podcast features the great trumpeter, arranger and producer, Herb Alpert.
M1 The Lonely Bull, (Sol Lake), Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, The Lonely Bull, A&M Records, 1962 (2:29).
M2 South of the Border (Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr), Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, South of the Border, A&M Records, 1964 (2:06)
M3 I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe), Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass, South of the Border, A&M Records, 1964 (2:25)
M4 A Taste of Honey, (Bobby Scott), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Whipped Cream & Other Delights, 1965, (2:43).
M5 More and More Amor (Sol Lake), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Going Places, A&M Records, 1965 (2:44).
M6 Mae (Riz Ortolani), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Going Places, A&M Records, 1965 (2:27).
M7 Shades of Blue (Julias Wechter), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Sounds Like, A&M Records, 1967 (2:44 ).
M8 Wade in the Water” (Traditional) – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Sounds Like, A&M Records, 1967 (3:03).
M9 “Treasure of San Miguel” (Roger Nichols), Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Sounds Like, A&M Records, 1967 (2:14)
Herb Alpert was born in 1935, and is an American trumpeter who led the band “Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass” in the 1960s. He was born and raised in the Eastside Los Angeles. His parents were Tillie and Louis Alpert —they were Jewish immigrants to the U.S., coming here from the Ukraine and from Romania.
Alpert was born into a family of musicians. His father was a mandolin player and his mother taught violin. Herb’s older brother was a drummer. Herb began to play trumpet at the age of eight. While attending the University of Southern California in the 1950s, he was a member of the USC Trojan Marching Band for two years.
In the 1960s Alpert co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss, A for Alpert and M for Moss.
There are many, many measures of success in the area of popular music by which to measure the success of Herb Alpert – – ….here are just a few:
- He sold some 72 million records worldwide.
- And 28 of his albums landed on the Billboard 200 chart
- 5 of his albums became No. 1 albums
- He achieved #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 as instrumentalist
- He has had 14 platinum albums (sold 1 million) and 15 gold albums (sold 500,000).
- He has received a Tony Award, eight Grammy Awards, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006….
- and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Barack Obama in 2013.
One of the recording techniques Herb Alpert used in these early records was the overdubbing of the trumpet part, Starting with his first album, THE LONELY BULL, and the title track 1 on side 1. According to Herb Alpert, he said that he had been trying to find the right trumpet voice. He tried emulating the trumpet styles of Harry James, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Clifford Brown. Oddly enough, he got inspiration NOT from these famous trumpeters, but from a guitarist named …Les Paul. Les Paul had been using multitracking his guitar recordings. So Alpert tried multitracking his trumpet … and that multitracking became one of the signature sounds we will hear. Here is an example of the overdubbed trumpet from the song A QUIET TEAR…….
(Play an example of Herb’s overdubbed trumpet on the song A QUIET TEAR song side 2 track 6)
In this overdub Herb Alpert is recording each part with the same phrasing and time … but playing the second part in harmony.
Additionally Alpert does a fair amount of overdubbing and playing both parts in unison. This double-recording of one part gives Herb’s trumpet an even more rich and full sound, added resonance of the instrument and added reverb or echo of the room. So overdubbing while playing the trumpet part in unison or in harmony was a signature sound of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Here is an example from THE LONELY BULL intro….
(Play an example of Herb’s overdubbed trumpet on the song THE LONELY BULL song side 1 track 1)
That’s overdubbing and playing the dub in unison with the first part. It creates a richer and deeper sound of the trumpet.
Wes Montgomery Guitarist Part 2 VV-017
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:32 — 47.1MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
In today’s VINYL VIBRATIONS podcast, I continue to tour early vinyl records that showcase JAZZ GUITARIST GREAT WES MONTGOMERY. The recording presented in this podcast are a compilation from my own LP collection – – from the golden age of vinyl. I heard these Montgomery Brothers LPs during my childhood. These records were a frequent play on my parent’s Hi-Fi record player – you could stack up to 10 records, and Wes Montgomery was a regular in that record stack.Today, I will pick more of Wes Montgomerys best recordings, made between 1961 and 1968, In those years Wes would have been between the ages of 38 and 45.
- Love For Sale (Cole Porter 1930 ) Rec Oct 9, 1961, Buddy Montgomery vibes, George Shearing piano, Monk Montgomery electric bass, Walter Perkins drums, WES and FRIENDS, Milestone 1973 remaster 3:32 from the musical The New Yorkers The song is written from the viewpoint of a prostitute advertising various kinds of “love for sale”: “Old love, new love, every love but true love“.
- No Hard Feelings (Buddy Montgomery) Rec Oct 9, 1961, Buddy Montgomery vibes, George Shearing piano, Monk Montgomery electric bass, Walter Perkins drums, WES and FRIENDS, Milestone 1973 remaster 3:45
- Born To Be Blue (Mel Torme) Rec Apr 22 1963 Wes Montgomery guitar, Mel Rhyne organ Jimmy Cobb drums The Alternative Wes Montgomery Milestone Records 1963 Produced Orrin Keepnews 7:23 I can hear contemporary Pat Martino through this Wes Montgomery guitar part.
- Fried Pies (Wes Montgomery) Rec Apr 22 1963 Wes Montgomery guitar, Mel Rhyne organ Jimmy Cobb drums The Alternative Wes Montgomery Milestone Records 1963 Produced Orrin Keepnews 6:34 awesome thumb pluck technique half way into song
- Besame Mucho take 2 (Consuelo Velazquez 1940) Rec Apr 22 1963 Mel Rhyne organ Jimmy Cobb drums The Alternative Wes Montgomery Milestone Records 1963 Produced Orrin Keepnews 6:24 An exceptional improviser the likes of Joe Pass guitar and Oscar Peterson piano improvisation. The content is massive, each listen draws out another impressive sound. The story goes that WM was often not satisfied with his recordings. That;s\\’s nothing unusual for a god musician. Sure there are musicians that sit once and nail the take. Peter Keepnews was WM’s producer during the Riverside Records years. These tracks are WM’s rejects, and they sound so very good. This song used in the 1987 Brazilian film Besame Mucho.
- I’ll Be Back, (Lennon-McCartney) Recorded May 7, 1968, “Road Song”, A&M Records, 2:30 Herbie Hancock piano, Richard Davis Bass, Grady Tate drums, and a cast of many in the orchestra.goes back and forth from major to minor.
- Road Song (Wes Montgomery) rec May 8,1968 “Road Song”, A&M Records, 3:50 Herbie Hancock Piano , Richard Davis Bass, Ed Shaughnessy drumsalso flute oboe recorder bassoon trumpet clarinet trombone french horn violin viola cello harpsicord and percussion parts..,. final recording before his death on June 15, 1968. A lot of Octave playing in this song.
First let’s recap what we learned about Wes in Part 1
- He was born in 1923 in Indianapolis INDIANA,
- Wes has two musician brothers – Monk Montgomery on bass and Buddy Montgomery on piano and vibes
- They recorded as the Montgomery Brothers in the 1950s
- Wes recorded with Pacific Jazz in the 1950s and then Riverside Records 1959-1963, and also VERVE and A&M records from 1964 to 1968
- The music style, it is jazz guitar, bebop
- An Original technique: Wes ‘plucks’ the guitar string with his thumb – not a guitar pick
- Guitar solos used three-tier approach: 1 single notes 2 octave notes 3 block chord melodies
- That octave string sound became known as “THE NAPTOWN SOUND” , naptown being Indianapolis
- Wes was a self-taught musician !!
- He learned Charlie Christian songs note-for-note by listening to records,
- Lionel Hampton hired Wes for that reason, Wes then toured for 1-1/2 years with Lionel
- He preferred to play in a jazz trio, quartet or quintet format, with his brothers
So today let’s continue with his recording in 1961 and two songs, in particular, M1 LOVE FOR SALE and M2 NO HARD FEELINGS On VINYL VIBRATIONS !
M1 Our first song is Love For Sale by Cole Porter, written in 1930, and this is Wes’s excellent interpretation. The song Love For Sale is from the musical The New Yorkers. The song is written from the perspective of a sex worker. The lyrics say it all: “Old love, new love, every love but true love“. The song was considered in bad taste, and was banned from radio airplay. Two versions went to top 20 in 1931 and other versions of the song were played as instrumentals. What we have NOW is a Wes Montgomery rendition, recorded some 30 years later, Oct of 1961. The tune shifts between a major and minor feeling that’s a signature attribute for Porter. There is an ultra clean upbeat sound to this song. With George Shearing on piano, what a great assembly of artists.
The song features:
- Buddy Montgomery vibes,
- George Shearing piano,
- Monk Montgomery electric bass,
- Walter Perkins drums,
From the album WES and FRIENDS,
M2 No Hard Feelings written by Buddy Montgomery, and recorded in October of 1961. What an interesting song line, with the theme as a base and piano playing opposite each other. The up-tempo antics of Shearing and Montgomery is impressive almost 55 years after it was recorded. That’s George Shearing on piano, George Shearing is 42, 4 years older than Wes
- On electric bass, Monk Montgomery
- Buddy Montgomery is on vibes and the song composer,
- Wes on guitar and Walter Perkins drums,
- From the two-LP set titled WES and FRIENDS,
Born To Be Blue a Mel Torme composition, Recorded in 1963, with
- Wes Montgomery guitar,
- Mel Rhyne organ
- Jimmy Cobb drums
The Alternative Wes Montgomery Milestone Records 1963. 7:23
I can hear contemporary guitarist Pat Martino through the Wes Montgomery guitar part on Born To Be Blue.
Even today, Wes’s techniques like octaves, block chord melody solo, are the kind of things jazz guitar students strive to accomplish, even partially. Contemporary guitarists trace their guitar influences back to Wes Montgomery, many consider Montgomery the greatest influence among modern jazz guitarists. Names like Pat Metheny, George Benson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, Jimi Hendrix, Lee Ritenour, Larry Coryell, and Pat Martino have pointed to him numerous times as a great influence.
M4 Fried Pies by Wes Montgomery, recorded in 1963 with
- Wes Montgomery guitar,
- Mel Rhyne organ
- Jimmy Cobb drums
From the double LP The Alternative Wes Montgomery . 6:34
In just one year ,1964, Montgomery will move to VERVE RECORDS where he will release ten albums in 4 years. With Verve, Wes will be taken in a different direction, and crossover into pop/jazz style, where he did well and gained recognition in the mid 1960s. In 1966 he won a Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Jazz Performance”.
M5 Besame Mucho take 2 (BAY SAW MAY MOO CHO) composed by Consuelo Velazquez 1940 and Wes recorded this rendition in 1963.
- Wes Montgomery on guitar
- Mel Rhyne on organ with bass pedals
- Jimmy Cobb drums
From the 2-LP set The Alternative Wes Montgomery, 1963, Milestone Records. On this song, Wes is an exceptional improviser I compare his wizardry to that of Joe Pass-guitar and Oscar Peterson-piano improvisations that go on for minutes. The song is rich with ideas, and each listen draws out another impressive sound. The story goes that Wes Montgomery was often not satisfied with his recordings, and would himself reject takes…well…that’s not unusual for any self-respecting musician, but word is that he was a bit of a perfectionist…. So these tracks, Wes’s rejects, do SOUND VERY GOOD. The song Besame Mucho was used in the 1987 Brazilian film by the same name.
M6 I’ll Be Back, a Lennon-McCartney song, recorded in May of 1968, on the “Road Song” LP, A&M Records. A shorter pop tune at 2 minutes 30 seconds. The move to A&M Records firmly places Wes Montgomery in the POP/JAZZ world, taking the pop hits of the day and adding Wes as a lead guitar part.
On I’ll Be Back the artists were:
- Herbie Hancock piano,
- Wes Montgomery guitar
- Richard Davis Bass,
- Grady Tate drums,
…and a cast of many in the orchestra.
Like many Lennon McCartney songs, ILL BE BACK goes back and forth from major to minor. But with the orchestra – – did Wes Montgomery really enjoy what he was doing? There is such a difference as compared to his favorite format—a jazz trio.
M7 Road Song was composed by Wes Montgomery and recorded May 8,1968 and released on the album “Road Song”, on A&M Records
The song showcases what Wes is known for in JAZZ circles, now going to a much broader POP base. So in this song there is extensive Octave playing (level 2 of the 3-level, solo technique)
ROAD SONG features :
- Herbie Hancock Piano ,
- Richard Davis Bass,
- Ed Shaughnessy drums
- and small orchestra
This song is very probably the final recording before Montgomery’s death. Montgomery had just returned from a tour with his quintet
On the morning of June 15, 1968, while at home in Indianapolis, Indiana, Montgomery died of a heart attack —he was only 45 years old at the time of his death….and was at the top of his fame. Montgomery earned a high level of popular acceptance and set the bar so much higher for young and aspiring jazz guitarists. A year following his death, in 1969, he won a second Grammy, again for “Best Instrumental Jazz Performance”
- Love For Sale (Cole Porter 1930 ) Rec Oct 9, 1961, “WES and FRIENDS“,Milestone 1973 remaster 3:32
- No Hard Feelings (Buddy Montgomery) Rec Oct 9, 1961, “WES and FRIENDS”, Milestone 1973 remaster 3:45
- Born To Be Blue (Mel Torme) Rec Apr 22 1963 “The Alternative Wes Montgomery” Milestone Records 1963 7:23
- Fried Pies (Wes Montgomery) Rec Apr 22 1963 “The Alternative Wes Montgomery” Milestone Records 1963 6:34
- Besame Mucho take 2 (Consuelo Velazquez 1940) Rec Apr 22 1963 “The Alternative Wes Montgomery” Milestone Records 1963
- I’ll Be Back, (Lennon-McCartney) Recorded May 7, 1968, “Road Song”, A&M Records, 2:30
- Road Song (Wes Montgomery) rec May 8,1968 “Road Song”, A&M Records 1968, 3:50
Wes Montgomery Guitarist VV-016
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:17 — 44.1MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
In today’s VINYL VIBRATIONS podcast, I tour some early vinyl records that showcase JAZZ GUITARIST GREAT WES MONTGOMERY. The recording presented in this podcast are a compilation from my LP collection from the golden age of vinyl. From my father’s LP record collection, I heard these LPs during my childhood. These LPs were a frequent play on the house Hi-Fi — it had a stackable record player. Wes Montgomery was a regular in that record stack..Jazz renditions by Wes Montgomery have had a big influence on my musical development and my music interest since that time – – some 55 years ago !
Wes Montgomery Part 1 (1959-1961)
PART 1
- ‘Round Midnight (music by Thelonious Monk 1944) Recorded Oct 5-6, 1959, Wes Montgomery guitar, Melvin Rhyne organ, Paul Parker drums. 4:49 Remaster 1968 Riverside Records. …bebop. Original LP: “THE WES MONTGOMERY TRIO, A Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums”
- Yesterdays (music by Jerome Kern 1933-from Roberta) Recorded Oct 5-6, 1959 Wes Montgomery guitar, Melvin Rhyne organ, Paul Parker drums. 3:13 Remaster 1968 Riverside Records …‘brightswing 200’ much faster pace than the Roberts play song. Original LP: “THE WES MONTGOMERY TRIO, A Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums”
- Love Walked In (music by George Gershwin 1930) recorded October 9, 1961 Wes Montgomery guitar, George Shearing Piano, Buddy Montgomery Vibes, Monk Montgomery Bass, Walter Perkins Drums. Riverside Records remaster, 1968. What a dynamite jazz rendition of this George Gershwin music classic, by Wes Montgomery and George Shearing. What do we know about the musical family “Montgomery”. 2:10
- Airegin (Sonny Rollins) Wes Montgomery guitar, Tommy Flanagn piano, Percy Heath bass, Albert Heath druma. Recorded January 1960. Riverside Records 4:26 Note the tight synch between drummer and wes , wes is weaved into the rhythm section.
- Four on Six (Wes Montgomery) Wes Montgomery guitar, Tommy Flanagn piano, Percy Heath bass, Albert Heath druma. Recorded January 1960. Riverside Records 6:10 long one there is plenty of time to develop the theme and have a more ideas play out
- Tune Up-Take 9 (Miles Davis) Recorded Oct 12, 1960 Wes Montgomery guitar, James Clay, Flute, Victor Feldman, Piano, Sam Jones Bass, Bobby Thomas drums, Produced by Orrin Keepnews, released in 1963, consists of alternate unissued takes (1960-1963) from previously issued albums on the Riverside label 4:39
- Bock to Bock-take 1 (Buddy Montgomery) Recorded Jan 3, 1961 for “The Montgomery Brothers-Groove Yard” in 1961 , Wes Montgomery guitar, Buddy Montgomery piano, Monk Montgomery bass, Bobby Thomas drums. Orinially produced by Orrin Keepnews, released in 1963, consists of alternate unissued takes (1960-1963) from previously issued albums on the Riverside label 5:35
Today in Part 1, I will pick some of Wes Montgomery best recordings, made between 1959 and 1961, – – – he was between the young ages of 36 and 38. Wes Montgomery had just signed with Riverside Records. There would be several LP and LP Sets released with Riverside over the next seven years…a prolific period for Wes!
What do we know about Wes Montgomery ?
John Leslie Montgomery was born March 6, 1923 in Indianapolis. He was called Wes, the baby pronunciation of his name, Leslie.
Amazing Technique fact 1
Wes Montgomery is a SELF TAUGHT musician, learning by ear, starting at age12 on a tenor guitar, then at age 20, he began playing a 6-string guitar. He had listened and learned from the recordings of his guitar idol,
CHARLIE CHRISTIAN. Wes Montgomery learned these melodies and riffs … by ear. That is an amazing fact.
Wes grew up with two musician brothers – – Monk Montgomery plays bass, and Buddy Montgomery plays piano and vibes. Montgomery did most of his early performance work in the 1950’s in Indanapolis, with his brothers, and together with with Indianapolis organist Melvin Rhyne – – they recorded from 1957-1959 for the PACIFIC JAZZ label.
The story goes that Wes learned how to play Charlie Christian songs by memory, note-for-note, and that Lionel Hampton hired Wes for this reason. His early professional history began by briefly TOURING with Lionell Hampton’s orchestra, from 1948-1950. This would have been when Wes was from the ages of 25 to 27.
Then, in 1959, at the age of 36, Wes got his big break, and signed with RIVERSIDE RECORDS.
First album was “THE WES MONTGOMERY TRIO, A Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums”, recorded October 1959. There were several wonderful recordings released, featuring small-group jazz bee-bop format of jazz guitar. You will hear FIVE of those Riverside RECORDS LP recordings today – – On VINYL VIBRATIONS !!
M1 Round Midnight. This first song from the 1959 recording is ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT, a Thelonious Monk composition.This features Wes Montgomery on guitar, Melvin Rhyne on organ, and Paul Parker on drums and now….’ROUND MIDNIGHT. An interpretation of Thelonious Monk’s 1944 song, recorded in 1959, and released on Riverside Records, distributed by ABC Records.
M2 Yesterdays Music by Jerome Kern 1933-from the play “Roberta”. Recorded Oct 5-6, 1959 ….with Wes Montgomery guitar, Melvin Rhyne organ, Paul Parker drums. The sheet music calls for a tempo named ‘brightswing 200’ a much faster pace than the song in Roberts. The Original LP was titled : “THE WES MONTGOMERY TRIO, A Dynamic New Sound for Guitar/Organ/Drums”
Another amazing fact about guitar technique
WES developed an unusual playing technique, using his right THUMB to pluck the strings, instead of a guitar pick. That may not sound significant, but when you consider the speed of some of his guitar lines, as a guitarist, it is mind-boggling to hear his performance – rapid succession of a line of notes, with just the thumb.
Like for example this line from Jingles:.
Today some great guitarists use this thumb style –Jeff Beck, George Benson, John Abercrombie, and the late Emily Remner…
M3 Love Walked In Our next jazz tune is titled Love Walked In (music by George Gershwin 1930) and was recorded in 1961 in LA the track was included in a release titled George Shearing and the Montgomery Brothers
This is a jazz quintet — Wes Montgomery guitar, George Shearing Piano, Buddy Montgomery Vibes, Monk Montgomery Bass, Walter Perkins Drums. What a dynamite jazz rendition of this Gershwin classic, performed by Wes Montgomery and George Shearing. A very short piece at 2 minutes 10 seconds. Found on a Riverside Records 1968 remaster . THE BEST OF WES MONTGOMERY and featuring george shearing, Wes, Buddy and Monk Montgomery and Walter Perkins Drums.
M4 Airegin (a Sonny Rollins composition) from the 1960 album The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery a QUARTET with Wes Montgomery on guitar, Tommy Flanagan piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath drums. Riverside Records
The title of the song AIREGIN …is NIGERIA spelled backwards. Note the tight synch between drummer, and guitarist Wes is weaved into the rhythm section.
M5 Four on Six Our next song is a Wes Montgomery composition – – with Wes on guitar, Tommy Flanagan piano, Percy Heath bass, Albert Heath drums. Recorded January 1960. Riverside Records. At 6:10 this is a longer piece — plenty of time to fully develop the theme and have the ideas played out . The sheet music shows the song is in 4/4 … so where does that title FOUR ON SIX come from? One interpretation is 4th track sixth album. Another is four fingers six strings…or is it the four theme notes G-D-C-G ,repeated six times… Maybe you know the truth.
And now, Four on Six
M6 Tune Up-Take 9 (Miles Davis) Recorded Oct 12, 1960 …Wes Montgomery guitar, James Clay, Flute, Victor Feldman, Piano, Sam Jones Bass, Bobby Thomas drums, produced by Orrin Keepnews, released in 1963. This album consists of alternate unissued takes from previously issued albums on the Riverside label This track has a different sound, instead of the full-bodied guitar sound, this track sound as if the only bridge pickup is used, a hollow sound without the bottom-end we hear on other Montgomery tracks. A Miles Davis compositrion played by Wes Montgomery guitar, James Clay, Flute, Victor Feldman, Piano, Sam Jones Bass, Bobby Thomas drums, recorded in 1960.
A bit about Wes Montgomery’s signature solo technigue. It’s three tiered !!
- He begins with a single notes solo.
- Next he solos in OCTAVE notes
- And third he moves to chord melodies or so-called “block chords” .
And that is the tree tiered solo technique of Wes Montgomery.
M7 Bock to Bock-take 1 (Buddy Montgomery) Recorded in1961 for “The Montgomery Brothers-Groove Yard”. It features a quartet including the brothers !
- Wes Montgomery guitar,
- Buddy Montgomery piano,
- Monk Montgomery bass,
- With Bobby Thomas drums.
This track was found on an LP released in 1963, containing unissued takes from previously issued albums of the Riverside label. The song title BOCK to BOCK is a reference to PACIFIC JAZZ RECORDS producer and founder Richard Bock, whom the Montgomery Brothers recorded with from 1957 to 1959. When the track starts, it sounds a bit like Peggy Lee and her hit song “FEVER”, which came out in 1958. Recorded in 1961 with the Montgomery Brothers WES BUDDY and MONK and Bobby Thomas on drums.
- ‘Round Midnight (T. Monk 1944) Recorded 1959, Riverside 4:49
- Yesterdays (J. Kern 1933) Recorded 1959 3:13
- Love Walked In (G. Gershwin 1930) Recorded 1961 Riverside 2:10
- Airegin (S. Rollins) Recorded January 1960. Riverside 4:26
- Four on Six (W. Montgomery) Recorded January 1960. Riverside 6:10
- Tune Up-Take 9 (M. Davis) Recorded Oct 12, 1960, Producer Orrin Keepnews 4:39
- Bock to Bock-Take 1 (B. Montgomery) Recorded Jan 3, 1961 Producer Orrin Keepnews, 5:35
Parts Harmonious VV-008
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:02 — 44.8MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
PARTS HARMONIOUS PROGRAM NOTES
In today’s VINYL VIBRATIONS podcast, I tour LP records from the 1960s and 1970s in ROCK and POP that featured singing in multi-part harmonies. Today’s show, is called PARTS HARMONIOUS. There have been many TWO PART harmony songs recorded… so today, for further interest and in seeking out those more difficult or complex, we will focus on multi-part harmonious singing—songs having at least THREE vocal parts!
INTRO to PARTS HARMONIOUS (narrate only the names of the groups)
Today we hear multi-part harmonies from songs of these groups:
- M1 The Byrds, All I Really Want To Do, 1965
- M2 The Beach Boys, Good Vibrations (1973 performance), 1966
- M3 The Hollies, On A Carousel, 1967
- M4 Three Dog Night, One, 1969
- M5 The Guess Who, No Time, 1970
- M6 Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Teach Your Children, 1970
- M7 Poco, Kind Woman, 1971
- M8 The Doobie Brothers, Livin’ On The Fault Line, 1977
In today’s podcast we will hear eight examples of THREE (or more) PART HARMONIES, produced between 1965 and 1977. Starting with…The Byrds
M1 Song All I Really Want To Do, Album (Single), Album Artist The Byrds, Composer Bob Dylan 1964, Year 1965 , Released By Columbia
Bob Dylan wrote the song in 1964 and recorded it in one take. In 1965 Cher did a cover of this song, and it was the feature of her debut SOLO album “All I Want To Do”. The Byrds single was rush-released by the band’s record label, Columbia Records, when it became known that Cher was about to issue a rival cover version of the song on the Imperial label. The Byrds’ version “All I Really Want to Do” was the second single by Byrds and was released in 1965 by Columbia Records The song was also included on the band’s debut album, Mr. Tambourine Man, which was also released in 1965… the single, which we will hear next, begins with Jim McGuinn‘s jangling guitar introduction (played on a 12-string Rickenbacker guitar), ascending melody progression in the chorus, the Byrds high-register harmonies – are clearly influenced by the West Coast surf sound…
M2 A live version of the song, GOOD VIBRATIONS taped in 1972-1973 and found on the album “The Beach Boys in Concert” …the second official live album by The Beach Boys, Song Good Vibrations, Album (Single) (backed with the instrumental “Let’s Go Away For Awhile“), Album Artist Beach Boys, Composers Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Year 1966, Released By Capitol Records.
The Beach Boys was formed in 1961, initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. The Beach Boys were managed by the Wilsons’ father Murry, and signed to Capitol Records in 1962. The band’s early music gained popularity across the United States for its close vocal harmonies . Brian Wilson and Mike Love composed “Good Vibrations” a single released in 1966. The song featured a complex, multi-layered sound. Brian Wilson described “Good Vibrations” as a “pocket symphony”. The song became the Beach Boys’ biggest hit to date and a US and UK number-one single in 1966; Good Vibrations was reputed to have been the most expensive American single ever recorded at that time. The production of the song is reported to have spanned seventeen recording sessions at four different recording studios, and used over 90 hours of magnetic recording tape, with an eventual budget of $50,000. The group members recall the “Good Vibrations” vocal sessions as among the most demanding of their career, and featured elaborate layers of vocal harmonies.
M3 Song On A Carousel, Album (single), Album Artist The Hollies, Composers Alan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks, Year 1967, recorded Abbey Road Studios, Released Parlophone and Imperial
On a Carousel was written by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks. It was released by The Hollies as a single in 1967 on the Parlophone label in the UK and the Imperial label in the US. You can hear Graham Nash sing the first few lines. From 1966 until Nash’s departure in 1967, the single release A-sides were all Clarke-Hicks-Nash collaborations; Stop Stop Stop, Carrie Ann, and Carousel. The Hollies, along with The Rolling Stones and The Searchers, are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that have never officially broken up and that continue to record and perform. The Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame …43 years after this hit, in 2010.
Featuring
- Allan Clarke as lead vocalist,
- Graham Nash as guitarist and vocalist,
- Tony Hicks, guitar,
- Bobby Elliott, drums
- Bernie Calvert, bass
M4 The song One , as covered by Three Dog Night. Three Dog Night, is best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. As of 2011, they are still recording and making live appearances. The band started in 1968 with three lead vocalists, Danny Hutton , Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells. They had made some early recordings in 1967 with Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) and initially went by the name of Redwood. Shortly after abandoning the Redwood name, the vocalists hired a group of backing musicians, and recorded their debut Three Dog Night album. On that debut album, “One” is a song composed by Harry Nilsson, and famous for its opening line “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal. The busy signal became the opening notes of the song. In 1968, Al Kooper (of early Blood Sweat and Tears fame) released the song on his debut album I Stand Alone. In 1969, Three Dog Night covered the song on this, their debut album Three Dog Night, with Chuck Negron on lead vocal. On vocals we have Chuck Negron – lead vocals, Danny Hutton and Cory Wells.
Song One, Album Three Dog Night (debut album), Album Artist Three Dog Night, Composer Harry Nilsson, Year 1969
M5 Song No Time, Album American Woman, Album Artist The Guess Who, Composer guitarist Randy Bachman and lead singer Burton Cummings, Year 1970 (re-recording), Released By TMK/RCA Corp
The Guess Who is a rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. The song is No Time, composed by guitarist Randy Bachman and lead singer Burton Cummings, The lyrics begin with “No time left for you, On my way to better things, No time left for you, I’ll find myself some wings.” On vocals we have four singers: Randy Bachman the guitarist, Jim Kale the bassist, and Gary Peterson, the drummer, and lead singer is the multi-talented, Burton Cummings, who also plays guitar, piano, organ, flute, keyboards, harmonica on this album. The version we will hear is the 1970 re-recording (as featured on the American Woman album) that is better-known than the single version, also released 1970. The single was the third in a string of #1, million selling singles, in Canada, for The Guess Who. On the American Woman LP, the song is side one, track two after the title song.
M6 Song Teach Your Children, Album Deja vu, Album Artist Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Composer Graham Nash, Year 1970, Released By Atlantic Recording Corp
Teach Your Children” was composed by Graham Nash. Although it was written by Nash when he was a member of The Hollies (prox 1966-1967) it was never recorded by the Hollies. “Teach Your Children” first appeared on the Déjà Vu album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, released in 1970. Check out the pedal steel guitar on this song – – that is none other than… Jerry Garcia . Composer Graham Nash, who is also a photographer and photograph collector, has stated that his inspiration for the song came from afamous photograph by Diane Arbus, “Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park.” The image depicts a child with an angry expression holding the toy weapon, and prompted Nash to write Teach Your Children, about the implications of war on society. Fourteen years later, in 1984, Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale used the song “Teach Your Children” in a campaign commercial on arms control.
Featuring
- David Crosby, Steven Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young…
Teach Your Children, from the Déjà vu album.
M7 …Kind Woman, is written by Richie Furay (pronounced “foo-RAY”) and is perhaps his best known song. Composer Richie Furay is also known for forming the Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills and Neil Young, in fact Kind Woman was written during his tenure in Buffalo Springfield. In the late 1960s he formed the band Poco with Jim Messina and Rusty Young. This live version of “Kind Woman”, is found on POCO’s Deliverin’ album, their first live album and third album in all. A wonderful steel guitar part, played by Rusty Young. Soaring harmonies on this album. POCO vocals are supplied by all five members: Jim Messina and Richie Furay on guitars, Rusty Young on steel guitar, Timothy B. Schmit on bass, George Grantham on drums
Song Kind Woman, Album Deliverin’, Album Artist POCO, Composer Richie Furay, Year recorded 1970, released 1971 , Released Epic
M8 The Doobie Brothers and the Title song from their seventh studio album LIVIN ON THE FAULT LINE, released in 1977. “Livin’ on the Fault Line” was composed by Patrick Simmons, guitar. The Doobie Brothers vocals are supplied by Michael McDonald on keyboard, Tiran Porter on bass, Keith Knudsen on drums, and Patrick Simmons, the composer, on guitar. :
Song Livin’On The Fault Line, Album Livin’On The Fault Line, Album Artist Doobie Brothers, Composer Patrick Simmons, Year 1977, Released Warner Bros.
Solo Albums VV-003
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:52 — 30.7MB)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | RSS
Today we look at four Solo Album Artists… These are solo albums in the sense that the music was composed, arranged, performed, often recorded /mixed and produced by the solo artist. These albums are all from the time period of 1970-1972.
1. Pete Townshend and his 1972 solo album, “Who Came First”, on MCA
2. Stevie Wonder and his 1972 solo album, “Music Of My Mind” on Tamla records
3. Paul McCartney and his 1970 solo album titled “McCartney”, on Apple.
4. Todd Rundgren and his 1972 solo album, “Something-Anything”, produced on Warner Bros
M1 We know Pete Townshend as an english rock guitarist vocalist and songwriter — perhaps most famous for his rock opera “Tommy” — and for his over 100 songs composed and the dozen or so studio-produced albums of The Who. But Townshend is also an accomplished singer, keyboardist, synth, bass and accordion player as well as drummer. Amazing fact — he never had formal lessons on the instruments he plays! Here we are in 1972, and Pete Townshend comes out with this solo album ‘Who Came First’. We listen first to his song “Sheraton Gibson” from that solo album “Wh o Came First”, produced in 1972 by MCA –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M2 Stevie Wonder’s Music of My Mind album, on Tamla, came out in 1972, and is a gem in his series of classic albums full of pop hits in the 1970s. Music of My Mind was produced by Stevie Wonder and written by Wonder, the album is described as ‘virtually the work of one man’. Every single instrument is performed by Stevie Wonder. Compositions, arrangements, performances, production – all Stevie. in 1972 –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M3 Paul McCartney is one of the most influential songwriters of modern time. With Lennon Harrison and Starr, the Beatles changed the face of pop music forever. McCartney’s first solo album was an amazing work – released on Apple in 1970 – just two weeks before the last Beatles album “Let It Be” was released. On his solo album, McCartney plays the bass, and sings, of course, but he also plays the guitars, piano, drums and organ. The album credits indicate that all instruments and vocals are by Paul, and harmonies are by Linda McCartney. The album was written and produced by Paul. We listen now to “Maybe I’m Amazed” with a beautifully composed and skilled playing of his guitar solo, from the “McCartney” solo album LP in 1970 on Apple –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M4 Todd Rundgren and “I Saw The Light” from his solo album “Something/Anything” on Warner in 1972. A double album, Something/Anything was an amazing work – all instruments, all voices, all songs, arranged and produced by Todd Rundgren in 1972 on Warner. Rundgren provides all instruments and vocals on three of four sides of these 2-LP set. Instruments include: vocals, keyboard, drums, lead and bass guitars, and percussion. Rundgren is a solid rock lead guitarist, and to have the added talent to play all parts, – it’s amazing. –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M5 We listen now to On Breathless, Rundgren does overdubs on the keyboard parts, adds drums and percussion and sequencer /sample sounds, plays piano and guitar. In this instrumental composition we have a very colorful melody moving along with lots of musical harmonies –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M6 Paul McCartney and “Sing Along Junk” from the “McCartney” solo album LP in 1970 on Apple. Paul is on rhythm and lead guitars, piano, drum set and synth. There is a full song version with vocals on that same album, a song titled “Junk”. The song you just heard is the “Junk” version WITHOUT vocals, the “karaoke” version, or “music plus one” version, if you will, and it is titled “Singalong Junk”. What a beautiful composition and instrumental on its own from solo artist Paul McCartney –here on Vinyl Vibrations.
M7 We close out today’s show with Stevie Wonder’s hit song “Superwoman”, from his solo album ‘Music of My Mind’. Here Stevie plays the keyboards, drums and bass, composes the song and produces the album. NOTE that there is a lead guitar solo provided by stand-in Buzzy Feiton. I do remember seeing Stevie Wonder in about 1968, at the Rubber Bowl in Akron Ohio, where Stevie was opening for the Rolling Stones. I remember Stevie’s show, he moved from keyboard to drums back to keyboard and to bass, moving all around that stage. It was a sight to see, knowing Steve is himself blind. Again, the song is Superwoman”, from Stevie Wonder’s solo album ‘Music of My Mind’, in 1972, –here on Vinyl Vibrations.