Sonny West – Sweet Rockin' Rock-Ola Ruby

 Joseph "Sonny" West (born July 30, 1937 near Lubbock, Texas) is an American songwriter and musician, best known as the co-writer of two of Buddy Holly's biggest hits: "Oh, Boy!" and "Rave On".

In 1956 West formed a band with Jimmy Metz (string bass), Doc McKay (drums) and Buddy Smith (guitar). They recorded "Rock-Ola Ruby" and "Sweet Rockin' Baby" at the local radio station KLVT in Levelland. Bob Kaliff, a disc jockey at KLVT, then arranged for West to re-record the two songs at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Only 700 copies of the songs were released on Petty's Nor-Va-Jak label.

In February 1957 West recorded a song, "All My Love", with McKay (drums), Metz (trumpet), and Glen Dee Hardin (piano). Only a few copies of this recording were made, which were sent to record companies to attract their interest in releasing the record commercially. One of the copies was heard by Buddy Holly, who with The Crickets recorded a version of the song at Petty's studios in Lubbock, as "Oh, Boy!" in July 1957. It was subsequently released in October and went on to reach number 10 on the US charts and number 3 on the UK charts in early 1958. The song was attributed to West, Petty, and Bill Tilghman, although according to West it was written by him alone, with Petty requiring his name to be added as part of the commercial contract with Holly. It was not until 2002 that West's version of "All My Love" was commercially released, when it was included on this debut solo album, Sweet Rockin' Rock-Ola Ruby.

At the end of 1957 Petty took over as West's manager and arranged a two-year recording contract with Atlantic Records, with a minimum of four releases. In December that year West recorded "Rave On", which was released on February 17, 1958, with the B-side, "Call on Cupid", on Atlantic Records, but achieved little commercial success. The song was inspired by a line from Carl Perkins' 1956 song "Dixie Fried".

On January 25, 1958 Holly recorded a version of "Rave On" at Bell Sound Studios in New York as a track for his debut solo album, Buddy Holly, with Coral Records releasing it as a solo single in April 1958. Although it barely made the top 40, peaking at No. 37 in the United States, it reached No. 5 in England.

In the spring of 1958 West recorded "Baby Bessie Lee", "Doll Britches" and "Linda Loves a Hula Hoop", backed by Sonny Curtis (guitar), Vi Petty (piano), George Atwood (bass) and McKay/Bo Clarke (drums) at Petty's Clovis Studios. In early 1959 Sonny flew to Phoenix, Arizona, where he recorded two songs, "Love Denied" and "Pretty Little Girl", with Al Casey on guitar. While neither song was released, "Love Denied" was later covered by Waylon Jennings, who also covered "Rave On". In 1961 West and Casey also recorded a version of Freddy Fender's "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights". 

1 Sweet Rockin' Baby

2 Rock-Ola Ruby

3 All My love

4 Rave On

5 Call On Cupid

6 Dreamboat

7 Baby Bessie Lee

8 Doll Britches

9 Linda Loves A Hula Hoop

10 Love Denied

11 Pretty Little Girl

12 Wasted Days And Wasted Nights

13 Maybe You're The One

14 Evening Star

15 Sugar Hill

16 Ride

17 Oh Boy

18 Dire Need

19 The Rave Is Gone

20 Cast Iron Arm

21 A Bad Case

22 Big City Woman

23 Sweet Dreams

24 I've Had It

Sonny West

Dale Hawkins...OH! Suzie-Q....30 track compilation

 

Delmar Allen "Dale" Hawkins (August 22, 1936 – February 13, 2010) was a pioneer American rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist who was often called the architect of swamp rock boogie. Ronnie Hawkins was his cousin.

He began recording in 1956. In 1957, Hawkins was playing at Shreveport, Louisiana clubs, and although his music was influenced by the new rock and roll style of Elvis Presley and the guitar sounds of Scotty Moore, Hawkins blended that with the uniquely heavy blues sound of black Louisiana artists for his recording of his swamp-rock classic, "Susie Q." Fellow Louisiana guitarist and future Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Burton provided the signature riff and solo.

The song was chosen as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. An accompanying album, Oh! Suzy Q, was released in 1958. Creedence Clearwater Revival's version of the song on their 1968 debut album helped launch their career and today it is probably the best-known version.

In 1958 Hawkins recorded a single of Willie Dixon's "My Babe" at the Chess Records studio in Chicago, featuring Telecaster guitarist Roy Buchanan. He went on to a long and successful career. He recorded more songs for Chess into the early 1960's. However, his career was not limited to recording or performing. He hosted a teen dance party, The Dale Hawkins Show, on WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. He then became a record producer, and found success with The Uniques' "Not Too Long Ago," the Five Americans' "Western Union," and Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby". In 1998, Ace Records issued a compilation album, Dale Hawkins, Rock 'n' Roll Tornado, which contained a collection of his early works and previously unreleased material. Other recordings included his 1969 country rock album, L.A., Memphis & Tyler, Texas; and a 1999 release, Wildcat Tamer, of all-new recordings that garnered Hawkins a 4-star review in Rolling Stone.

He was executive vice president of Abnak Records; Vice President, Southwest Division, Bell Records (here he produced Bruce Channel, Ronnie Self, James Bell, the Festivals, the Dolls, and the Gentrys); and A&R director, RCA West Coast Rock Division, working with Michael Nesmith and Harry Nilsson. In the 1990's, he produced "Goin Back to Mississippi" by R. L. Burnside's slide guitarist, Kenny Brown.

Hawkins' pioneering contributions have been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. 

Dale Hawkins 

 

Hellooobaby! The Best of The Big Bopper 1954-1959

 

Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), known as The Big Bopper, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and disc jockey. His best known compositions include "Chantilly Lace" and "White Lightning", the latter of which became George Jones' first number-one hit in 1959. Richardson was killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa in 1959, along with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, and the pilot Roger Peterson.

Richardson, who played guitar, began his musical career as a songwriter. George Jones later recorded Richardson's "White Lightning", which became Jones' first No. 1 country hit in 1959. Richardson also wrote "Running Bear" for Johnny Preston, his friend from Port Arthur, Texas. The inspiration for the song came from Richardson's childhood memory of the Sabine River, where he heard stories about Indian tribes. Richardson sang background on "Running Bear", but the recording was not released until August 1959, six months after his death. The song became a No. 1 hit for three weeks in January 1960.

The man who launched Richardson as a recording artist was Harold "Pappy" Daily from Houston. Daily was promotion director for Mercury and Starday Records and signed Richardson to Mercury. Richardson's first single, "Beggar to a King", had a country flavor, but failed to gain any chart action. He soon cut "Chantilly Lace" as "The Big Bopper" for Pappy Daily's D label. Mercury bought the recording and released it at the end of June, 1958. It slowly began picking up airplay through July and August, and reached No. 6 on the pop charts spending 22 weeks in the national Top 40. In "Chantilly Lace", Richardson pretends to have a flirting phone conversation with his girlfriend; the record was comical in nature, with The Big Bopper presenting an exaggerated, but good-natured caricature of a ladies' man.

In November 1958 he scored a second hit, a raucous novelty tune entitled "The Big Bopper's Wedding", in which Richardson pretends to be getting cold feet at the altar. Both "Chantilly Lace" and "Big Bopper's Wedding" were receiving top 40 radio airplay through January 1959. 

                                    The Best of the Big Bopper 

 

Chuck Berry...1926-2017...R.I.P...Tribute Post

Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive. Writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism, and developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music.

Born into a middle-class African-American family in St. Louis, Missouri, Berry had an interest in music from an early age and gave his first public performance at Sumner High School. While still a high school student he was convicted of armed robbery and was sent to a reformatory, where he was held from 1944 to 1947. After his release, Berry settled into married life and worked at an automobile assembly plant. By early 1953, influenced by the guitar riffs and showmanship techniques of the blues musician T-Bone Walker, Berry began performing with the Johnnie Johnson Trio. His break came when he traveled to Chicago in May 1955 and met Muddy Waters, who suggested he contact Leonard Chess, of Chess Records. With Chess, he recorded "Maybellene"—Berry's adaptation of the country song "Ida Red"—which sold over a million copies, reaching number one on Billboard magazine's rhythm and blues chart. By the end of the 1950's, Berry was an established star, with several hit records and film appearances and a lucrative touring career. He had also established his own St. Louis nightclub, Berry's Club Bandstand. But in January 1962, he was sentenced to three years in prison for offenses under the Mann Act—he had transported a 14-year-old girl across state lines. After his release in 1963, Berry had several more hits, including "No Particular Place to Go", "You Never Can Tell", and "Nadine". But these did not achieve the same success, or lasting impact, of his 1950's songs, and by the 1970's he was more in demand as a nostalgic performer, playing his past hits with local backup bands of variable quality. His insistence on being paid in cash led in 1979 to a four-month jail sentence and community service, for tax evasion.

                                          


Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986; he was cited for having "laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance." Berry is included in several of Rolling Stone magazine's "greatest of all time" lists; he was ranked fifth on its 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll includes three of Berry's: "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", and "Rock and Roll Music". Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" is the only rock-and-roll song included on the Voyager Golden Record.

A few choice album selections....

1957 - After School Session (expanded)

1958 - One Dozen Berrys

1970 - Back Home

See also other posts on this blog:

The Chess Box
America's Hottest Wax, Rare and Unreleased

Visit my other blogs and pages here:

Blues Jam Session Blog

The Aussie Music Blog

The Blues and Roots Music Blog

The Jazz Music Blog

This Jukebox Rocks

Soundtrack Heaven

The Vintage Music Blog

Music from Our World

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Fats Domino...Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino...1956

Antoine "Fats" Domino, Jr. (born February 26, 1928) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. Domino released five gold (million-copy-selling) records before 1955. He also had 35 Top 40 American hits and has a music style based on traditional rhythm and blues ensembles of bass, piano, electric guitar, drums, and saxophone.

click here for more information

Fats Domino at Wikipedia

                                            

Visit my other music blogs here:

Soundtrack Heaven

The Aussie Music Blog

The Vintage Music Blog

The Jazz Music Blog

This Jukebox Rocks

The Blues and Roots Music Blog

Martin's Music Machine

Harry Nilsson...Nilsson Schmilsson 1971..popular album from late singer-songwriter

In 1971, singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson released the album entitled "Nilsson Schmilsson", and what many consider to be his best work. The smash hit "Without You" (written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger) was the album's first hit and it went straight to number one on the pop and adult contemperary charts. But the album also spawned several other hits as well with the reggaeish tune "Coconut" and the frantic rocker "Jump Into The Fire". The musicians on "Nilsson Schmilsson" are first rate with artists such as Jim Gordon (drummer for Derek & The Dominos), Klaus Voorman (played bass guitar on John Lennon's "Imagine" album), Chris Spedding (an accomplished guitarist) and Gary Wright (keyboardist for Spooky Tooth) all adding their two bits on this excellent album. The songs are full of pop tunes such as "Gotta Get Up", "Driving Along", "Coconut" and the seven minute rock classic "Jump Into The Fire". You've got ballads here such as the above mentioned "Without You" and "I'll Never Leave You". 

Amazon review:
The late Harry Nilsson's creative and commercial peak, this LP showcases the singer-songwriter's lighthearted worldview to best advantage. It remains one of the best, most consistent, and least dated albums from an early-'70s era not known for underplayed, unpretentious subtlety. In keeping with the domesticated figure on the cover--complete with housecoat, cigarette, and waiting refrigerator--the mood is laid back and homey, and there's a palpable feeling of comfort in both the production and the material. Nilsson's multi-octave voice was never so full of life....

Ranked in the Top 100 albums of all time, "Nilsson Schmilsson" certainly has earned it's rightful place and is an album all lovers of seventies music should have in their collection.

track list:
Gotta Get Up    
Driving Along   
Early In The Morning   
The Moonbeam Song    
Down    
Without You    
Coconut    
Let The Good Times Roll   
Jump Into The Fire   
I'll Never Leave You

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Pharrell Williams...HAPPY...infectious song and videos from different parts of the world

This song and video are so infectious I just had to post and share. Are you HAPPY..??

Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973), also known simply as Pharrell, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, musician, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing soul, hip hop and R&B music. He is also the lead vocalist and drummer of rock, funk, and hip hop band N.E.R.D, which he formed with Hugo and childhood friend Shay Haley. He released his first single "Frontin'" in 2003 and followed up with his debut solo album In My Mind in 2006.[1] His second album, G I R L was released on March 3, 2014.

As part of The Neptunes, Williams has produced numerous hit singles for various recording artists.Williams has earned seven Grammy Awards including two with The Neptunes. He currently owns a media venture that encompasses entertainment, music, fashion, and art called i am OTHER. He is also the co-founder of the clothing brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream.

Here are a few other video versions of HAPPY:

Bermuda

Croatia

Kuwait

How many more can you find..??

Mobtown Moon - Baltimore’s Journey to the Dark Side. A thrilling interpretation of Pink Floyd’s classic LP

**Mobtown Moon: The 2013 recipient of "Best Tribute Album" by Baltimore Magazine**

The groundbreaking 1970s music of progressive rock band Pink Floyd still galvanizes listeners and inspires fellow artists. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the band’s worldwide hit record, Dark Side of the Moon, MOBTOWN MOON has brought together many of Baltimore’s most creative musicians, from across many styles and genres of music, to record and perform a unique, compelling, and unapologetically beautiful interpretation of this classic work. Forty-one individual musicians were involved in the recording. Even more are expected to perform the work at a premiere event in fall 2013.

This is no mere cover project recreating the original album note-for-note. That’s been done many times before. Instead, MOBTOWN MOON features fresh grooves and eclectic sounds derived from jazz, classical music, choral music, bluegrass, hip-hop and of course, rock. These immortal rock-and-roll hits will be heard anew.

Created and produced by the respected writer and musician Sandy Asirvatham in collaboration with award-winning singer/songwriter Ellen Cherry, MOBTOWN MOON is a dramatic, singer-focused reinterpretation of Dark Side, highlighting the album’s profound messages and hard-won wisdom.

The songs from Dark Side take up serious themes of mortality, scarcity, conflict, and madness. MOBTOWN MOON’s version of these songs interprets these ideas while never losing sight of the sheer cathartic beauty of the music.

Over the years, greater Baltimore has exported many resonant cultural products, including films by John Waters and Barry Levinson, the groundbreaking television of David Simon’s The Wire, and the music of important twentieth-century artists as diverse as Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Frank Zappa, and David Byrne. In more recent years, the city has fostered great new artists like Dan Deacon, Animal Collective, and Beach House. MOBTOWN MOON will serve as yet another unique window onto this fascinating and endlessly fertile city.

**From Mobtown Music Guide**

“Mobtown Moon” is the vision of co-producers Sandy Asirvatham and Ellen Cherry, who managed to take a piece of classic Americana, and strip it down to the basic melodies and rebuild it in a completely original fashion.

Like the original, the album works as a through-composed art piece, where one song leads directly into the next, but that is pretty much where the comparisons end. “Mobtown Moon,” managed to rework these classic songs in such a manner that you forget you are listening to re-imagined versions and enjoy them on their own merit. Aside from the basic melody, everything else is altered: instrumentation, chord substitutions/structure, arrangement, tempo, etc.

The overall vibe of the album is somewhere between jazz-fusion and classic progressive rock, and manages the perfect balance between live performance and digital loops, and sound effects. The arrangements in general are very intricate, and cover a lot of musical ground from jazz standards, to country, progressive rock, chant, blues, roots, and on and on. However, through the performance and production of “Mobtown Moon,” the entire CD has an easy feel about it, with an even flow. Every transition was made at just the right time, with just the right amount of arrangement. Complex 7/8 time signatures and syncopated bass lines are performed with an air of intrigue as opposed to a demonstration of “chops.” The entire album functions as an ensemble, with the feel of a symphony performing multiple movements.

see more here:
http://mobtownmoon.com/
https://www.facebook.com/mobtownmoon

                                             

"Experience This" new album release by Tayo Irvine Hendrix..soul funk meets world sounds

Tayo Irvine Hendrix has music running through her veins. Since being given a drum at three years old, Tayo has developed a love of music and a sound of her own that is perfectly encapsulated by her forthcoming album ‘EXPERIENCE this’.

 ‘EXPERIENCE this’ is a collection of songs that takes each listener on a journey. The album showcases Tayo’s stunning and powerful voice as well as a wide range of musical influences. Alongside the blues and soul elements, Tayo’s work as a healer has also helped to shape the sound, bringing mantras to the mainstream and creating an accessible sound.

Throughout her thirty years in the music industry, Tayo has had the honour of working with some incredible musicians and this album once again saw Tayo bring together a stellar team.  As well as the first class musicians with whom Tayo collaborated for the record, the album is mixed by Blake Eiseman, the man responsible for Pink’s debut album and known for his work with the likes of Usher, Janet Jackson and Aretha Franklin.

Tayo Irvine Hendrix is a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, songwriter and composer, a true creative who was undoubtedly destined for the musical world. Her famous name aside, Tayo’s music is, as suggested by the album’s title, an experience.

The first single released from the album was the blues infused ‘Crazy Dayze’; released on September 9^th, it is available for download now.

                                             

Praise for Tayo Irvine Hendrix:

“Her music is, indeed, an experience and quite a special one” – Music News

“Tayo Irvine Hendrix has a sound of her own” – AAA Music

Marty's review: Tayo Irvine Hendrix' new album has an apt title.."Experience This". And it is a must listen to experience at that. Tayo's many talents shine on this debut release as she confronts love, life and all that goes with it on an 11 track collection of finely produced tracks that will keep you hitting the replay button more than once. A mostly upbeat recording that combines soul, funk, jazz, African rhythms, blues, pop, dance and even a few Indian beats make this album a unique experience that will not disappoint. Tayo's clear, sultry and sometimes sexy vocals are supported by a tight rhythm section with a touch a brass, acoustic guitar and flute. Whilst the general feel of the album is in the funky/jazz/soul vein, there is also the spiritual ballad "Calling All Angels" and the new age sound of "Om Namah Shivaya" with Indian rhythms and beautiful chanting. The song lyrics show Tayo's confident and positive outlook on life and are written from the heart. My favourite tracks are "I Am Rama", "Calling All Angels" and "History". Tayo Irvine Hendrix defies musical genres and is an experience you won't forget.

For more information and to keep up with Tayo’s journey please visit:

Website:  www.tayoirvinehendrix.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TayoIrvineHendrix

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TayoHendrix

Experience the album at iTunes here:

                                              

Lou Reed (1942 - 2013) NYC Man ... A Special Tribute to a Genius, Master and Legend

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed (March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013) was an American rock musician and songwriter. After being guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, his solo career spanned several decades. The Velvet Underground were a commercial failure in the late 1960s, but the group has gained a considerable cult following in the years since its demise and has gone on to become one of the most widely cited and influential bands of the era – hence Brian Eno's famous quote that while the Velvet Underground's debut album only sold 30,000 copies, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."

After his departure from the group, Reed began a solo career in 1972. He had a hit the following year with "Walk on the Wild Side", but subsequently lacked the mainstream commercial success its chart status seemed to indicate. In 1975, Reed released a double album of feedback loops, Metal Machine Music, upon which he later commented, "No one is supposed to be able to do a thing like that and survive." Reed was known for his distinctive deadpan voice, poetic lyrics and for pioneering and coining the term ostrich guitar tuning.........for more, see the full Lou Reed story at Wikipedia here

His death and tributes

In May 2013, Reed underwent a liver transplant in Cleveland. Afterwards he claimed on his website to be "bigger and stronger" than ever. On October 27, 2013, Reed died at the age of 71 from liver disease at his home in Southampton, New York, on Long Island. His physician Charles Miller noted that Reed "was fighting right up to the very end. He was doing his Tai Chi exercises within an hour of his death, trying to keep strong and keep fighting."

Tributes were paid to Reed on Twitter, including Iggy Pop, Miley Cyrus, Samuel L. Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Ricky Gervais, Ryan Adams, Elijah Wood, and many others. David Bowie posted a comment on his Facebook page saying that Reed "was a master". Rock band Pearl Jam dedicated their song "Man of the Hour" to Reed at their show in Baltimore and then covered the Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting for the Man".

John Cale, his Velvet Underground bandmate, posted on his Facebook: "The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet…I've lost my 'school-yard buddy'". Later, Universal Music revealed Cale's full statement on Reed's death:
"The news I feared the most, pales in comparison to the lump in my throat and the hollow in my stomach. Two kids have a chance meeting and 47 years later we fight and love the same way - losing either one is incomprehensible. No replacement value, no digital or virtual fill ... broken now, for all time. Unlike so many with similar stories - we have the best of our fury laid out on vinyl, for the world to catch a glimpse. The laughs we shared just a few weeks ago, will forever remind me of all that was good between us."

Former Velvet Underground drummer Mo Tucker responded by saying that Reed was "generous, encouraging and thoughtful. Working with him sometimes could be trying to some people, but never to me. I guess we learned from each other. We all learned from each other. Reed became an important influence to numerous singers and songwriters, including British musician Morrissey: He had been there all of my life. He will always be pressed to my heart. Thank God for those, like Lou, who move within their own laws, otherwise imagine how dull the world would be.

Others from outside the music industry also paid their respects, including the Vatican and Salman Rushdie, who wrote, "My friend Lou Reed came to the end of his song. So very sad. But hey, Lou, you'll always take a walk on the wild side. Always a perfect day."

The ultimate tribute is listening to his music and this 31 track collection covers almost his entire career.

NYC Man 001

NYC Man 002

                             

Nelson Freitas..new single release "Something Good"....World Music meets Hip Hop and House

Nelson Freitas is a singer, writer and producer who, from his roots in Cape Verde via the Netherlands, has enjoyed commercial success across Europe with 3 albums, a host of singles and several years touring.  His YouTube currently stands at 24,444 subscribers & 5,830,905 views which highlights his commercial appeal.

A journey which started as a break-dancer, then became the front man of the infamous group Quatro. With a passion for Hip-Hop, R&B and House music, Nelson took the challenge to go it alone and concentrate on his solo work by blending all these influences into one. After touring for 2 years he released “My life” album in 2010. With hits such as Rebound Chick, Saia Branka, Nha Primere Amor and selling over 90.000 copies, the critics now realized that Nelson in his own right was here to stay.

His 3^rd album “Elevate” was released earlier this year with collaborations with artists and producers of different ethnics like Angola, Cape Verde, Congo, Holland and Morocco which has helped forge a fresh and new worldly sound. The journey continues..

Elevate on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/elevate/id601763017

find out more here:

http://www.nelsonfreitasonline.com/
https://twitter.com/Nelsondefreitas
https://www.facebook.com/nelsonfreitasonline
http://www.youtube.com/user/magicfreitas

Van Morrison...His Band and the Street Choir..classic album from 1970

Van's 1970 album that exudes the rhythm and blues sound of his inspiration, His Band and the Street Choir appeared at a time when Van Morrison was building on the great critical successes of Astral Weeks and Moondance. His third Warner Bros. album contains a number of radio-friendly tracks clearly aimed at the singles market and few clues of the serious, brooding melancholy of Astral Weeks.

Kicking off with the jaunty "Domino," the album is generally dominated by up tempo swingers such as "Call Me Up in Dreamland," "Give Me a Kiss," and "Blue Money." The cover photography and liner notes by then wife Janet Planet reveal a smiling Morrison and hint at a new found personal contentment. This mood did not last long after Van left the artists' community of Woodstock. But even here, in "I'll Be Your Lover Too" and "Crazy Face," there are moments that are essential listening for fans of his sullen splendour and mysticism. --Rob Stewart (Amazon review)

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John Lennon...Peace Love & Truth

John Lennon's life and music has been written about and analysed many times over. Movies and documentaries have been made along with tribute albums and concerts. I'm not going to add to that here except to say that his music, not only with The Beatles but his solo work, is timeless and endearing. There have been many compilations released over the years since his death, most of them good, and any serious collector will have at least one Lennon album in their collection.

This compilation is unique as it presents John's finest song writing moments in a showcase that highlights his important ideals regarding, as the title suggests, peace, love and truth. Several of the tracks have been remixed to give them a fresh and new sound and perspective. An essential addition to your collection.

1. Give Peace A Chance (Remix 2005) (Ft The Voices Of Asia)
2. Gimme Some Truth
3. Love
4. Hold On
5. Give Peace A Chance (Y2k+)
6. Imagine
7. Bring On The Lucie (Freeda People)
8. Mind Games
9. I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier (Remix)
10. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)
11. Power To The People
12. Real Love (Short Version) (Speech Removed)
13. Help Me To Help Myself
14. I Don't Wanna Face It
15. Bless You
16. Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
17. Listen The Snow Is Falling
18. Give Peace A Chance

ChangesBowie...David Bowie

Known as "The Chameleon" of Rock music, David Bowie's career has seen many "changes". Starting in the early 1960's, he has created some of the most varied and always interesting music of his time and never fails to attract attention. This hits compilation contains 18 of the Thin White Duke's finest from 1969-1990. Includes 'Space Oddity', 'Changes', 'Suffragette City', 'Rebel Rebel', 'Young Americans', 'Golden Years', 'Ashes To Ashes', 'Let's Dance' and 'Blue Jean'.

ChangesBowie

River Rescue: The Very Best of Ry Cooder

Ry Cooder has many influences - from the early days as part of Taj Mahal's backing group (Ryland P Cooder, Rhythm Guitar) to the global success of Buena Vista Social Club. This collection pre-dates the latter and post-dates the former. It features 19 of his best tracks from his recordings on Warner from, 1972-1994. Includes 'Paris, Texas', 'Little Sister', 'The Pearls/ Tia Juana' and more!

Whether serving as a session musician, solo artist, or soundtrack composer, Ry Cooder's chameleon-like fretted instrument virtuosity, songwriting, and choices of material encompass an incredibly eclectic range of North American musical styles, including rock and roll, blues, reggae, Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, Dixieland jazz, country, folk, Rand B, gospel, and vaudeville. The 16-year-old Cooder began his career in 1963 in a blues band with Jackie DeShannon and then formed the short-lived Rising Sons in 1965 with Taj Mahal and Spirit drummer Ed Cassidy. Cooder met producer Terry Melcher through the Rising Sons and was invited to perform at several sessions with Paul Revere and the Raiders. During his subsequent career as a session musician, Cooder's trademark slide guitar work graced the recordings of such artists as Captain Beefheart (Safe as Milk), Randy Newman, Little Feat, Van Dyke Parks, the Rolling Stones (Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers), Taj Mahal, and Gordon Lightfoot. He also appeared on the soundtracks of Candy and Performance.

Cooder made his debut as a solo artist in 1970 with a self-titled album featuring songs by Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, and Woody Guthrie. The follow-up, "Into the Purple Valley", introduced long time cohorts Jim Keltner on drums and Jim Dickinson on bass, and it and Boomer's Story largely repeated and refined the syncopated style and mood of the first. In 1974, Cooder produced what is generally regarded as his best album, Paradise and Lunch, and its follow-up, Chicken Skin Music, showcased a potent blend of Tex-Mex, Hawaiian, gospel, and soul music, and featured contributions from Flaco Jimenez and Gabby Pahinui. In 1979, Bop Till You Drop was the first major-label album to be recorded digitally. In the early '80s, Cooder began to augment his solo output with soundtrack work on such films as Blue Collar, The Long Riders, and The Border; he has gone on to compose music for Southern Comfort, Goin' South, Paris, Texas, Streets of Fire, Alamo Bay, Blue City, Crossroads, Cocktail, Johnny Handsome, Steel Magnolias, and Geronimo. Music by Ry Cooder (1995) compiled two discs' worth of highlights from Cooder's film work. (This biography was provided by the artist or their representative.)


1. River Come Down (PKA Bamboo)
2. UFO Has Landed In The Ghetto
3. Low-Commotion
4. Smack Dab In The Middle
5. Tattler
6. Dark End Of The Street
7. The Very Thing That Makes You Rich (Makes Me Poor)
8. Going Back To Okinawa
9. Money Honey
10. Why Don't You Try Me
11. Paris, Texas
12. Chloe
13. The Pearls/Tia Juana
14. I Think It's Going To Work Out Fine
15. Down In Hollywood
16. Which Came First
17. Crazy 'Bout An Automobile (Every Woman I Know)
18. Get Rhythm
19. Little Sister

Ry Cooder

Carole King...Tapestry [Original Recording Remastered, Extra Tracks]

Carole King was one of the original Brill Building songwriters and with husband, and co-collaborator, Gerry Goffin, wrote some of the most memorable hits of the '60s. In 1971, she became more famous. That's the year Tapestry became one of the biggest-selling LPs of all time. It's easy to hear why--the music is loose, earthy, L.A. session-pop. King is casual, intimate, and tough; she covers all the emotional ground of the post-liberated woman with ease. She brings adult nuance to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" and comes up with hits ("It's Too Late," "I Feel the Earth Move") whose white-soul realism and maturity put pop hits to shame. --Steve Tignor..(Amazon.com)

1. I Feel The Earth Move  

2. So Far Away  

3. It's Too Late  

4. Home Again  

5. Beautiful  

6. Way Over Yonder  

7. You've Got A Friend  

8. Where You Lead  

9. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? 

10. Smackwater Jack  

11.Tapestry  

12. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman  

13. Out In The Cold (Previously Unreleased)  

14. Smackwater Jack (Live)

Tapestry

                                 

Creedence Clearwater Revival..Chronicle Vols. 1 & 2

Creedence Clearwater Revival (often known as just CCR) were a Californian band who were said to play a form of southern rock called 'swamp rock'. Led by John Fogerty, they had an incredible run of hits at their peak, scoring nine Top 10 hits between 1969 and 1971. Creedence had begun life in 1959 as The Blue Velvets and then The Golliwogs, without much success. 

In 1967 they changed their name, and the following year released an eponymous album Creedence Clearwater Revival, which featured a No.11 hit in “Suzie Q”. Follow-up Bayou Country went Top 10 and included the No.2 smash hit “Proud Mary”. Their third album Green River (1969) was widely praised and spun two hit singles, “Bad Moon Rising” and “Green River”, both of which matched “Proud Mary” in reaching No.2. Willy and the Poor Boys was another hit with critics and fans, spawning two more No.5 singles. Their fifth album, Cosmo’s Factory (1970) topped the album charts and produced an incredible five Top.5 singles. There is much debate among fans and critics about which of these three albums is their best, with Cosmo’s Factory perhaps slightly edging it with most listeners. After two more albums, the adventurous Pendulum (1970) and Mardi Gras (1972), CCR broke up. (This biography was provided by community contributors and accessed from Amazon)

Chronicle Vol.1

Chronicle Vol.2