Jody Grind - Far Canal (Japan Ed.) (1970)

Year: 1970 (CD December 20, 2006)
Label: Universal Music (Japan), POCE 1084
Style: Psychedelia, Hard Rock, Rock
Country: London, U.K. (1966-1970)
Time: 44:12
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 272 Mb

Early UK prog group lead by keyboardist Tim Hinkley, that released two albums on the folk specialist label Transatlantic Records. The first being a sort of psychedelic brass-rock called One Step On, the second (recorded with a completely different line-uo bar Hinkley) being a bit proggier, the unfocused Far Canal.

In 1965 he formed the Hammond Organ trio Jody Grind, with lead guitarist Ivan Zagni and drummer Barry Wilson. The trio recorded two albums One Step On (1969) and Far Canal which featured Bernie Holland on all guitars and Pete Gavin on drums (1970) (album cover details), for the British record label Transatlantic Records. Hinkley also recorded the album Bloodletting (1979), with Boxer.

01. We've Had It (05:07)

02. Bath Sister (03:29)

03. Jump Bead Jed (07:15)

04. O Paradiso (07:36)

05. Plastic Shit (07:20)

06. Vegetable Oblivion (02:10)

07. Red Worms & Lice (07:25)

08. Ballad For Bidget (03:47)

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Bee Gees - Odessa [Japan Ed. 2LP on 1CD] (1969)

Year: 30 March 1969 (CD Sep 25, 2013)
Label: Reprise Records (Japan), WPCR-15264
Style: Pop
Country: England
Time: 74:05
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 409 Mb

Charts: AUS #13, CAN #7, GER #4, NED #9, UK #10, US #20.

Less than two years after leaving Australia and scoring their first Anglo-American hit, "New York Mining Disaster 1941", the Bee Gees had matured to the point where they they had the confidence to write neo-classical instrumentals with titles like "Seven Seas Symphony" and "With All Nations (International Anthem)". In 1969, while others were paring back and amping up, the Gibb brothers were building a wall of sound that owed more to Edward Elgar than Phil Spector, let alone Muddy Waters.

Odessa was the sprawling result, a 2xLP in a luxuriant red velour sleeve-- there was no doubt this was an Important Statement from a group considered, up to this point, to be purveyors of sweet, harmless orch-pop. Barry Gibb was a pin-up and, as far as the serious press was concerned that slotted these guys alongside the Monkees. It meant little that "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (a UK No.1 from the previous year) was about a convicted killer's dying request, or that their first three albums had featured thrilling psychedelic pop that trumped since-fetishized British acts like July or Blossom Toes.

The only hit single on Odessa was "First of May", a ballad that goes for world-weary significance ("Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by/ Someone else moved in from far away") without making much sense-- this is a recurring Bee Gees lyrical trait, and an endearing one. "First" also boasted a melancholy music box arrangement and one of Barry Gibb's more sonorous croons. It is extremely pretty. It also caused a rupture in the group that would lead them to split up for the better part of two years. When Barry's "First of May" consigned Robin's "Lamplight" to the B-side, the festering jealousy between the brothers was made very public. Robin quit, made one odd solo album (Robin's Reign), and an even odder unreleased one (Sing Slowly Sisters) before the three were reconciled at the end of 1970.

"Lamplight" doesn't sound like a hit, truthfully. No matter. From its heavily thrummed acoustic intro and unintelligible echo-ridden opening verse to the massed harps and a storyline that alludes to lost love and candlelit Victoriana, it seems Robin is unsure of what he wants to say, yet knows exactly how to say it: loudly and tearfully. You get the feeling he wished he'd been born 50 years earlier. Both songs are ambitious, then, but you can understand the younger brother's pique.

Full version: (pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12655-odessa/) Review by Bob Stanley. February 11, 2009

01. Odessa (City On The Black Sea) (07:34)

02. You'll Never See My Face Again (04:18)

03. Black Diamond (03:28)

04. Marley Purt Drive (04:27)

05. Edison (03:06)

06. Melody Fair (03:50)

07. Suddenly (02:27)

08. Whisper Whisper (03:25)

09. Lamplight (04:46)

10. Sound Of Love (03:27)

11. Give Your Best (03:27)

12. Seven Seas Symphony (04:13)

13. With All Nations (International Anthem) (01:47)

14. I Laugh In Your Face (04:10)

15. Never Say Never Again (03:26)

16. First Of May (02:49)

17. The British Opera (03:16)

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Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra - 1933-1937 (1991)

Year: 1991 (CD 1991)
Label: Classics Records (Europe), 582
Style: Jazz, Swing
Country: Philadelphia, U.S. (April 7, 1915 - July 17, 1959)
Time: 77:22
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 186 Mb

Billie Holiday (born April 7, 1915, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.—died July 17, 1959, New York City, New York) American jazz singer, one of the greatest from the 1930s to the ’50s.

Eleanora (her preferred spelling) Harris was the daughter of Clarence Holiday, a professional musician who for a time played guitar with the Fletcher Henderson band. She and her mother used her maternal grandfather’s surname, Fagan, for a time; then in 1920 her mother married a man surnamed Gough, and both she and Eleanora adopted his name. It is probable that in neither case did her mother have Eleanora’s name legally changed. The singer later adopted her natural father’s last name and took the name Billie from a favourite movie actress, Billie Dove. In 1928 she moved with her mother from Baltimore, Maryland (where she had spent her childhood), to New York City, and after three years of subsisting by various means, she found a job singing in a Harlem nightclub. She had had no formal musical training, but, with an instinctive sense of musical structure and with a wealth of experience gathered at the root level of jazz and blues, she developed a singing style that was deeply moving and individual.

In 1933 Holiday made her first recordings, with Benny Goodman and others. Two years later a series of recordings with Teddy Wilson and members of Count Basie’s band brought her wider recognition and launched her career as the leading jazz singer of her time. She toured with Basie and with Artie Shaw in 1937 and 1938 and in the latter year opened at the plush Cafe Society in New York City. About 1940 she began to perform exclusively in cabarets and in concert. Her recordings between 1936 and 1942 marked her peak years. During that period she was often associated with saxophonist Lester Young, who gave her the nickname "Lady Day."

In 1947 Holiday was arrested for a narcotics violation and spent a year in a rehabilitation centre. No longer able to obtain a cabaret license to work in New York City, Holiday nonetheless packed New York’s Carnegie Hall 10 days after her release. She continued to perform in concert and in clubs outside of New York City, and she made several tours during her later years. Her constant struggle with heroin addiction ravaged her voice, although not her technique.

Holiday’s dramatic intensity rendered the most banal lyric profound. Among the songs identified with her were "Strange Fruit," "Fine and Mellow," "The Man I Love," "Billie’s Blues," "God Bless the Child," and "I Wished on the Moon." The vintage years of Holiday’s professional and private liaison with Young were marked by some of the best recordings of the interplay between a vocal line and an instrumental obbligato. In 1956 she wrote an autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues (with William Dufty), that was made into a motion picture starring Diana Ross in 1972. Holiday’s health began to fail because of drug and alcohol abuse, and she died in 1959.

(britannica.com/biography/Billie-Holiday)

01. Your Mother's Son-In-Law (02:46)

02. Riffin' The Scotch (02:35)

03. Did I Remember? (02:51)

04. No Regrets (02:36)

05. Summertime (02:54)

06. Billie's Blues (02:39)

07. A Fine Romance (02:50)

08. I Can't Pretend (03:05)

09. One, Two, Button Your Shoe (02:49)

10. Let's Call A Heart A Heart (03:02)

11. One Never Knows, Does One? (03:03)

12. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (02:55)

13. If My Heart Could Only Talk (03:03)

14. Please Keep Me In Your Dreams (02:16)

15. Where Is The Sun? (02:46)

16. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off (02:38)

17. They Can't Take That Away From Me (03:03)

18. Don't Know If I'm Comin' Or Goin' (02:46)

19. Me, Myself And I (02:36)

20. A Sailboat In The Moonlight (02:50)

21. Born To Love (02:39)

22. Without Your Love (02:53)

23. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life (03:02)

24. Who Wants Love? (02:33)

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Dave Berry – One Dozen Berrys [Vinyl Rip] (1966)

Year: 1966 (LP 1966)
Label: Ace Of Clubs Records (UK), SCL 1218
Style: Rhythm and Blues, Pop, Rock'n'Roll
Country: Woodhouse, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England (6 February, 1941)
Time: 30:26
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 199 Mb

Born in Sheffield, Dave was brought up on the music of big bands and bluesmen like Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Big Joe Williams and T-Bone Walker. Developing taste for R&B he began his music career as a drummer-vocalist and after an ‘apprenticeship’ in back rooms of pubs, was soon as well known as his contemporaries - John Mayall, Eric Clapton and Alexis Corner. Dave was featured along with Zoot Money, John Mayall and Jack Bruce on one of the first R&B albums released by Decca. He was signed by Decca as a solo artist and scored a hit with Memphis Tennessee, then followed by minor successes with My Baby Left me and Burt Bacharach’s Baby It’s You.

The big breakthrough came with The Cryinggame, reaching No. 5 in the UK chart and resulting in frequent appearances on TV’s Top of the Pops, Ready Steady Go and Thank You Lucky Stars. Dave’s act featured quite a strong image for the Period...The singer dressed in black, erotically contorting his body and playing with the microphone as if it were a writhing snake. Dave also took part in the Grand Gala du Disque in Amsterdam and a similar event at The Olympia in Paris. He also represented Great Britain in song festivals at Knokke, Split and Malta.

Little Things and Ray Davis’s This Strange Effect-Holland’s biggest selling record ever-provided further chart success which concluded with Mama in 1966. In the late 70’s he became something of a punk idol with The Sex Pistols version of Don’t Gimme No Lip Child a 1964 B side of The Crying Game.

Dave continues to tour Britain and Europe with The Cruisers who’s line up on stage and in the studio included Jimmy Page, Big Jim Sullivan,John Paul Jones, Tony Iommi and Rick Wakeman.

(cryinggame.co.uk/)

01. A1 Hey Little Girl (01:54)

02. A2 Round And Round (02:19)

03. A3 Casting My Spell (02:07)

04. A4 The Girl From The Fair Isle (02:07)

05. A5 Fanny Mae (02:30)

06. A6 If You Wait For Love (03:15)

07. B1 Sweet And Lovely (03:00)

08. B2 I'Ve Got My Tears To Remind Me (02:41)

09. B3 Baby It's You (02:35)

10. B4 Run My Heart (01:59)

11. B5 I Love You Baby (03:42)

12. B6 Hearbeat (02:11)

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Moody Blues - On The Threshold Of A Dream [9 bonus tracks] (1969)

Year: 25 April 1969 (CD 2008)
Label: Deram Records (Europe), 530 662-5
Style: Symphonic Rock
Country: Birmingham, England
Time: 68:17
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 379 Mb

Their last album, In Search of the Lost Chord, was a trippy affair: “Legend of a Mind,” The House of Four Doors,” “Om.” On the Threshold of Dream goes even deeper in its search of the ultimate headphone experience, featuring one of the earliest uses of the EMS VCS 3 synthesizer along with cellos, mellotrons, flutes and what was some very sophisticated engineering for its time. Patterned after The Beatles’ recent albums (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Magical Mystery Tour), Dream wasn’t a concept album, but a collection of songs conceived as an album experience. The album did remarkably well on the charts, reaching #1 in the UK and going gold in the US on the same day as Days of Future Passed. Truly, we had reached the golden age of The Moody Blues.

On closer inspection, not every song on Dream works. Send Me No Wine, Lazy Day and So Deep Within You are hardly the best ideas to come from the respective minds of John Lodge, Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder. But Graeme Edge sounds positively brilliant on this record, Never Comes The Day and Are You Sitting Comfortably are two of the prettiest songs they’ve ever recorded and the combination of The Dream, Have You Heard and The Voyage may be the most sublime nine minutes of Moodies music on record. If I were going to pick a favorite album by The Moody Blues, it would come down to this and Days of Future Passed.

While Justin Hayward, Thomas and Edge had each established their own songwriting style, Lodge and Pinder were still unpredictable. Lodge was more likely to write a rocker (case in point: To Share Our Love), but Pinder was hard to pin down. “So Deep Within You” is an ill-advised attempt at Moodies soul. “Have You Heard,” on the other hand, is an inspired attempt to beat The Beatles at their own game with a better version of “A Day in the Life.” That’s write, I wrote better. No one says you have to agree with me (since I know how thin-skinned Beatles fans can be).

(progrography.com/moody-blues/review-the-moody-blues-on-the-threshold-of-a-dream-1969/)

01. In the Beginning (02:08)

02. Lovely to See You (02:34)

03. Dear Diary (03:56)

04. Send Me No Wine (02:20)

05. To Share Our Love (02:54)

06. So Deep Within You (03:07)

07. Never Comes the Day (04:43)

08. Lazy Day (02:43)

09. Are You Sitting Comfortably (03:29)

10. The Dream (00:58)

11. Have You Heard, Part 1 (01:28)

12. The Voyage (04:11)

13. Have You Heard, Part 2 (02:31)

14. In the Beginning (full version) (03:28)

15. So Deep Within You (extended version) (03:29)

16. Dear Diary (alternate vocal mix) (04:05)

17. Have You Heard (original take) (03:52)

18. The Voyage (original take) (04:19)

19. Lovely to See You (live) (02:26)

20. Send Me No Wine (live) (02:40)

21. So Deep Within You (live) (03:08)

22. Are You Sitting Comfortably (live) (03:38)

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Alan Broadbent - Round Midnight (2004)

Year: 2004 (CD 2004)
Label: Artistry Music (US), ART 7005
Style: Jazz, Post Bop
Country: Auckland, New Zealand (23 April, 1947)
Time: 55:59
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 334 Mb

Trio, with Brian Bromberg (bass), Joe LaBarbera (drums); Grammy Nomination for Best Improvised Solo "Round Midnight".

Alan Leonard Broadbent MNZM (born 23 April 1947) is a New Zealand jazz pianist, arranger, and composer known for his work with artists such as Sue Raney, Charlie Haden, Woody Herman, Chet Baker, Irene Kral, Sheila Jordan, Natalie Cole, Warne Marsh, Bud Shank, and many others.

During the 1990s, Broadbent recorded on Natalie Cole's album Unforgettable... with Love, then became her pianist and conductor for the tour. His arrangement for her video "When I Fall in Love" won the Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal. During the 1980s and 1990s, he recorded with Charlie Haden's Quartet West. Around this time he won a Grammy Award for his arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's "Lonely Town" that was recorded by Shirley Horn. He wrote arrangements for Glenn Frey's album After Hours and for Paul McCartney's album Kisses on the Bottom. He has worked as conductor for Diana Krall.

In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Broadbent was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to jazz.

In the November 2013 issue of Down Beat magazine, his solo piano album Heart to Heart received a five-star rating.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Broadbent)

01. Groovin' High (06:27)

02. Serenata (07:25)

03. Lament (07:29)

04. Die Vereinbarung (06:29)

05. Journey Home (07:17)

06. I'm Old Fashioned (06:46)

07. 'Round Midnight (08:10)

08. Man I Love (05:52)

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Various Artists - Evil Lives - A True Metal Tribute To Black Sabbath (2004)

Year: June 1, 2004 (CD 2004)
Label: Magick Records (US), clp 1392-2
Style: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Country: U.S., Germany
Time: 62:10
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 437 Mb

Being a long time fan of Black Sabbath (especially the '80s stuff), I was thrilled to find record that wasn't just rehashed versions of all the Ozzy "hits" or trying to push some nu-metal or rap versions. This record is a blessing, in that the bands are of a power metal position (ie. Iced Earth, Primal Fear, Steel Prophet, etc.). It was great to hear covers of the Dio era & beyond.

The best cut is by a band I'd never heard called Icarus Witch, who capture that spirit of the evil '80s metal but are apparantly a new band (judging by their web site) bringing back that cool style!

Order Of Nine & Jag Panzer were also exceptional. The best part is the packaging. Unlike other tributes I wasted money on, this one actually has high quality pictures, a huge pull out with good writing & in depth info on the history of Sabbath. It's like getting a book AND a killer heavy metal CD...and it was CHEAP!

(amazon.com/Evil-Lives-Metal-Black-Sabbath/dp/B000255KBW) Review by Chad Thompkins. June 25, 2004

This Sabbath Tribute is awesome. Finally a tribute that doesn't just cover the same Sabbath tunes we have all heard done 100 times over. This tribute splices things up and gives a good mix of the bands music. Good production and cool pics/info of the bands covering the songs.

Overall, the whole cd was refreshing to listen to. The best tracks on the cd were N.I.B. by Dofka and Falling Off the Edge of The World by Icarus Witch.

Highly Reccomended!!!!

(amazon.com/Evil-Lives-Metal-Black-Sabbath/dp/B000255KBW) Review by Dave Watson. July 2, 2004

01. Iced Earth - Black Sabbath (05:30)

02. Primal Fear - Die Young (04:04)

03. Jag Panzer - Children Of The Sea (05:15)

04. Racer X - Children Of The Grave (05:11)

05. Vince Neil & George Lynch - Paranoid (03:35)

06. Icarus Witch - Falling Off The Edge Of The World (05:26)

07. Forever Say Die ! - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (05:48)

08. Order Of Nine - Disturbing The Priest (05:04)

09. Steel Prophet - Neon Knights (03:54)

10. Agent Steel - Hole In The Sky (03:54)

11. Dofka - N.I.B. (05:00)

12. Twisted Tower Dire - Glory Ride (04:54)

13. October 31 - Danger Zone (04:30)

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Arnett Cobb And His Orchestra - 1946-1947 (1999)

Year: 1946-1947 (CD 1999)
Label: Classics Records (France), 1071
Style: Jazz, Swing
Country: Houston, Texas, U.S. (August 10, 1918 - March 24, 1989)
Time: 58:17
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 136 Mb

Arnett Cleophus Cobb (August 10, 1918 – March 24, 1989) was an American tenor saxophonist, sometimes known as the "Wild Man of the Tenor Sax" because of his uninhibited stomping style. Cobb wrote the words and music for the jazz standard "Smooth Sailing" (1951), which Ella Fitzgerald recorded for Decca on her album Lullabies of Birdland.

Born in Houston, Texas, he was taught to play piano by his grandmother, and he went on to study violin before taking up tenor saxophone in the high school band. At the age of 15 he joined Louisiana bandleader Frank Davis's band, doing shows in Houston and throughout Louisiana during the summer.

Cobb continued his musical career with the local bands of trumpeter Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin, from 1936 to 1942 (which included a period on the West Coast with Floyd Ray). Among his bandmates in the Larkin band were Illinois Jacquet, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Tom Archia, Cedric Haywood, and Wild Bill Davis. Having turned down an offer from Count Basie in 1939, Cobb replaced Jacquet in Lionel Hampton's band in 1942, staying with Hampton until 1947. Cobb's featured solo on Hampton's theme song "Flying Home No. 2" generated much excitement, his blasting style earning him the label "Wild Man of the Tenor Sax".

Cobb then started his own seven-piece band, but suffered a serious illness in 1950, which necessitated spinal surgery. Although he re-formed the band on his recovery, in 1956 its success was again interrupted, this time by a car crash. This had long-term effects on his health, involving periods in the hospital, and making him permanently reliant on crutches. Nevertheless, Cobb worked as a soloist through the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S. and abroad. As late as 1988 he played with Jimmy Heath and Joe Henderson in Europe.

He died in his native Houston, aged 70, in 1989.

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnett_Cobb)

01. Down Home (03:12)

02. Jenny (02:48)

03. Gate Serene Blues (02:47)

04. Shebna (02:56)

05. Walkin' With Sid (03:04)

06. Stiff Flyin' (02:37)

07. Cobb's Idea (03:08)

08. Top Flight (02:55)

09. When I Grow Too Old to Dream, Part 1 (03:06)

10. When I Grow Too Old to Dream, Part 2 (03:05)

11. Cobb's Boogie (02:47)

12. Cobb's Corner (02:41)

13. Dutch Kitchen Bounce (03:12)

14. Go Red Go (02:39)

15. Pay It No Mind (02:59)

16. Chick She Ain't Nowhere (03:00)

17. Arnett Blows for 1300 (02:48)

18. Running With Ray (02:51)

19. Flower Garden Blues (02:58)

20. Big League Blues (02:34)

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Cosmic Dealer - Crystallization [2CD] (1972)

Year: 1970-1973 (CD 2013)
Label: Pseudonym Records (Netherlands), CDP-1106
Style: Art Rock, Symphonic Rock
Country: Netherlands
Time: 76:28, 75:09
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 420, 411 Mb

A nice attempt at being progressive but slipping into the psychedelic. Cosmic Dealer doesn't really bring the pain, but instead remains pretentious, not really knowing what they want to be. It feels like the group is attempting to give you just a little bit of everything they know.

There is some tasty guitar work and feel on "Find Your Way" but this album is just a big ball of confusion. Too many clashing ideas.

Review by breakwind. Jan 29 2023

Not the kosmische Timothy Leary-inspired "deal for real" counter-cultural trip I was expecting, but still quite nice. Cosmic Dealer play high-quality psych of the late-60s variety, with an emphasis on writing catchy "songs" instead of staging transcendent "freak outs." I like it for what it is, though it does seem out of date for 1971!

Review by Phallus_Dei. Nov 16 2015

Crystallization is a real good hard rock heavy psych album with nice guitar work. There is some so-so flute and the singer doesn't do much for me at all. There is a second compact disc full of out-takes, demos, and different arrangements that, although not up to the sound quality of the original, is a good listen as well. All in all this is a nice package of hard rock heavy psych from 1971, the best year for music ever.

Review by rod45. Feb 20 2014

(rateyourmusic.com/release/album/cosmic-dealer/crystallization/)

01. Daybreak (02:08)

02. If There Is Nothing Behind The Hills (01:18)

03. Child Of The Golden Sun (03:47)

04. Swingin' Joe Brown (03:42)

05. I Had A Friend (03:59)

06. Crystallization (05:54)

07. The Scene (02:46)

08. The Fly (02:59)

09. One Night (00:44)

10. Find Your Way (02:24)

11. Flying In The Winter (03:37)

12. Head In The Clouds (03:34)

13. Illusions (02:00)

14. The Scene (Single mix) (02:47)

15. Child Of The Golden Sun (Single mix) (03:49)

16. Head In The Clouds (Single mix) (02:45)

17. Find Your Way (Single mix) (02:26)

18. Winterwind (We'll Be Walking) (Demo) (04:08)

19. Child Of Tomorrow (Demo) (03:40)

20. You're So Good (Demo) (03:01)

21. Sinner's Confession (Demo) (04:50)

01. Daybreak (Demo) (02:11)

02. If There Is Nothing Behind The Hills (Demo mono) (01:21)

03. If There Is Nothing Behind The Hills (Mix 1) (01:29)

04. Swingin' Joe Brown (Demo) (03:47)

05. I Had A Friend (Demo) (04:06)

06. Crystallization (Demo) (05:28)

07. Crystallization (Mix 1) (05:33)

08. The Fly (Demo) (02:51)

09. One Night (Demo) (00:45)

10. One Night (Mix 1) (00:42)

11. Find Your Way (Demo) (02:29)

12. Flying In The Winter (Demo) (03:34)

13. Head In The Clouds (Demo) (03:41)

14. Illusions (Demo take 1 mono) (01:11)

15. Illusions (Demo take 2 mono) (02:06)

16. Illusions (Demo take 3 stereo) (02:07)

17. Fast (Live 1) (06:41)

18. Child Of The Golden Sun (Live 1) (03:31)

19. Fast (Live 2) (04:57)

20. Swingin' Joe Brown (Live) (02:43)

21. Child Of The Golden Sun (Live 2) (03:48)

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Al Di Meola - All Your Life - A Tribute To The Beatles (2013)

Year: 10 September 2013 (CD 2019)
Label: Valian Music And Media
Style: Jazz, Jazz Rock
Country: Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. (July 22, 1954)
Time: 54:52
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 309 Mb

This is a solo guitar work. Some tunes also feature his co-producer Hernan Romero on hand claps and chaca rhythm. The selection of 14 Lennon/McCartney songs (no George Harrison compositions included) is in my opinion fairly nice if not truly ideal. The early catchy hits are mostly absent. Sadly there aren't much from the two final Beatles albums either, only 'Because' from Abbey Road. The selection is emphasized on the c. 1965-67 era; for example four pieces from Sgt. Pepper. The originals such as 'A Day in the Life' and 'Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite' are are so rich and perfect sonically that a solo guitar interpretation may feel rather inferior in comparison.

That's simply the price to pay in a project like this, especially when dealing with such well-known classic stuff that many a listener has a very close relationship with. Without a doubt there are more cover recordings of The Beatles compositions than of any other band, both sung and instrumental, in every imaginable style/genre I suppose, from Baroque to smooth jazz. And it's safe to say that most of them fail to impress deeply. I think this album is easily among the most succesful artistically of those -- not so many -- I've listened to. Al Di Meola's skills on the acoustic guitar are awesome, and his arrangements are inspired and as rich as pieces for a solo instrument can possibly be. If I felt somewhat disappointed by the opening track 'In My Life' featuring the hand clapping, during the near 55-minute album I began to enjoy it more and more. A special mention for 'Eleanor Rigby'. I don't know how its arrangement was done but it sounds like there was a string section. Elsewhere it's often the ripped-down approach that brings up the song's melodic essence in a fresh way, for example the closing piece 'She's Leaving Home'.

And despite the above mentioned risk of feeling inferior to the original songs, it's a certainty that knowing the compositions helps me to enjoy this album. I mean, a regular solo guitar album of unfamiliar compositions would probably tire me on the long run.

This is a sincere labour of love by an extraordinary musician. The ideal setting for listening to this album would be with a sweetheart sharing your interest in both The Beatles and peaceful acoustic instrumental music, more or less as a background music for your cozy time together.

(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=41667) Review by Matti. June 9, 2022

01. In My Life (03:52)

02. And I Love Her (04:31)

03. Because (04:08)

04. Michelle (05:13)

05. I Will (02:53)

06. Eleanor Rigby (02:51)

07. Penny Lane (05:42)

08. Blackbird (04:39)

09. I Am the Walrus (04:05)

10. A Day in the Life (03:02)

11. Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite (03:10)

12. With a Little Help from My Friends (04:16)

13. If I Fell (03:00)

14. Shes Leaving Home (03:22)

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