OBIE CLAYTON - Obie Clayton (DJM Records, 1975)

Si os gustó "Searching for Sugar Man" no dejéis de leer "Who does Obie Clayton think he is?" de Claes Johansen.

BARBARA MAURITZ - Music Box (Columbia, 1972)

"Say That You Love Me"

Una petición de Liliána Nagny que quiere escuchar este disco y además nos informa de la muerte de la cantante. El siguiente texto está extraído de la hoja de promo que acompañaba al Lp.

Barbara Mauritz is all too familiar with the dangers of stereotyping. Like Janis Joplin, she migrated from Texas to San Francisco at the height of the Bay area rock boom; as a result, she has been inaccurately cast in a Joplinesque bag by a number of cliche-bound observers. In her original San Francisco band, Lamb, she was constdntly experimenting with voried musical styles, but a sizeable portion of the Bay area musical audience always thought of Lamb in its original incarnation as a classicaIly-oriented folk group. 

With the release of this, her first Columbia album, which was recorded in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles,Barbara has proved that she is not one to be confined to a particular musical category. Or as she explains, "The important thmg is to record the best possible music, regardless of style."

The accompanying musicians are well equipped to handle this diversity of musical styles. Her producer, Tommy Kaye, has produced artists as disparate as Loudon Wainwright and The Shirelles, and has several gold records to his credit. Her arranger, musical leader, and keyboard man, Tom Salisbury, has played in country-westetrn, swing, and jazz bands, and has often worked with Van Morrison. 

"The "Music Box" theme is more than just a title, because this album has something for everyone. In the opening song, "Sit Yourself Down", Barbara's vocal control is immediately noticeable, as she brings new life to a great song. Also worth attention is Chris Michie's soaring guitar riff. "Drop Down Daddy" comes out as it implies-dropped down and funky. Dr. John's "He Knows What To Do For Me" is presented with a big band/bar type aura. The thing to listen for here, other than Barbara's soothing vocal, is Richard Davis' sliding, standup bass. "All The Love Of My Life is a Lnk Wray tune that highlights Barbara's country background. The interesting thing about "I'm Bound To Be", other than the fact that Barbara co-wrote it is that it was done live in the studio with virtually no overdubbing. 

Side two opens with Van Morrison's "I Will Be There", which is another big band number. Curiously enough, Tom Salisbury arranged both Barbara's and Van's versions. "Around And Around" is handled every bit as tough as a Chuck Berry classic should be. "Winter In The Valley" was written by Barbara in the winter of 71-72 and it features a very intricate 5-part string arrangement, that  was done by just two players. Next, upon the advice of Tommy Kaye, Barbara does one of the first and finest lnterpretations of Loudon Wainwright's "Say That You Love Me". The most lavishly produced track is "The Whale", which features approximately 30 people recorded live in our San Francisco studio. This wlll probably remain an unheard of feat for quite some time. "Music Box", the last tune on the album, is another Mauritz original. It's a beautifully simplistic tune that not only changes the musical mood, but also ties the entire concept of the package together.

While you're getting into the album, Barbara is taking care of a few otber projects. For instance, she and Earl Scruggs are doing the soundtrack for the Robert Radnitz/Mattel (the people who did "Sounder") production of "Where The' Lilies Bloom". She and her band are also preparing to tour; hopefully, at which point, you'll get to see her work-out in person. By the way, Barbara is a full-time mother, which should give you a clue as to how Joshua got his picture on the insert.  

DAVID COPPERFIELD - Summer Days / Me And My Leslie (EMI 1973)

Gran instrumental compuesto por el arreglista francés Bernard Liami. Del protagonista del disco, David Copperfield, no sé absolutamente nada. Lo compré por el título de la cara B "Yo y mi Leslie", esperando que tuviera algo que ver con el famoso amplificador giratorio Leslie. Un acierto

JUNIOR - Perdóname / The Snake (RCA 1973)

Outro que se foi estes días foi Junior Morales. A súa carreira en solitario non pasa do discreto pero malia iso sempre aparece algo, como esta fantástica cara B que imos adicar ao noso querido Bernardo e a seu blog Mi Tocadiscos Dual, todos tivemos un.

ALFONSO SAINZ - Quédate / I Got A Feeling (Philips, 1977)

Onte morría Alfonso Sáinz así que aquí vai esta pequena lembraza cun  tema que ten pouco que ver coa súa faceta máis coñecida como membro dos Pekenikes.

JAKE Y THE FAMILY JEWELS - Jake Y The Family Jewels (Polydor, 1971)

"It Came Without Warning"

Allan “Jake” Jacobs foi membro dos Magicians, grupo neoiorquino que gravou aquela peza titulada “Invitation To Cry” compilada por Lenny Kaye en "Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era" no ano 1972. Despois dos Magicians, Jacobs xuntouse con Andrea “Bunky” Skinner ao que coñecía do circuito folk dos primeiros sesentas no Greenwich Village e chegaron a ser Bunky & Jake, deixando dous discos gravados no 1967-68: "Bunky & Jake" e "L.A.M.F.". No ano 70 Jacobs con Mike Rosa e Jerry Burnham formaron Jake And The Family Jewels. Este é o primeiro e tamén o máis interesante dos dous discos que gravaron, movéndose dentro do que se deu en chamar "good-time music". Hai opinions que din que teñen un toque a NRBQ, quizáis nalgún tema como "It Came Without Warning" pero a min me lembran a aquelas producións de Erik Jacobsen para Lovin´ Spoonful ou Sopwith Camel e por momentos ao que facía Dan Hicks cos seus Hot Licks en temas como "I Remember Cissy's Baby". Moi entretido.

WHITE CHOCOLATE - Getting Ready To Rock & Roll - Let´s Get Funked (RCA, 1974)

WHITE CHOCOLATE está compuesto por tres jóvenes, cuyas raíces musicales nacen del rock de los años 60. En 1967, cuando aún eran unos adolescentes, comenzaron a tocar juntos. Conforme fueron creciendo, tomaron diversos caminos, para reunirse de nuevo, hace dos años, con su actual nombre musical. Integran el trío, Charlie Karp (primera guitarra y cantante), David Hull (bajo) y Jimmy Maher (batería). Todos ellos tienen, pese a su juventud una larga experiencia, e incluso han llegado a tocar junto al gigante Buddy Miles. Componen sus canciones y crean su propio sonido, con el que se han ganado sitio preferente en las listas norteamericanas. Los dos temas que este single recoge, dan la medida de su calidad y su valía.

LYN TODD - Lyn Todd (Vanguard 1980)

"This Time I'm Doin' It For Love"

Lyn Todd, unha habitual da escena punk neoiorquina de finais dos setenta, púxose en mans de futuro magnate discográfico Bobby Orlando para a gravación do seu primeiro e único disco, de feito Bobby O produce, toca e compón a maioría dos temas. Algún sesudo atopará un parecido máis que razoable entre a canción que soa no reprodutor e o "Can You Fix Me Up With Her" de The Now e a razón é máis que obvia, detrás daquel proxecto tamén estaba el, ademais algún membro de The Now colabora no disco. O resto das cancións, incluídas as versións frikis de "Pinball Wizzard" e "Rebel, Rebel", son menos power e máis disco. A moza morreu hai uns anos dun aneurisma cerebral.

LOWRY HAMNER & THE CRYERS - Midnight Run (Mercury, 1979)

"Who You Tryin' To Fool"

Aquí vai o segundo disco dos Cryers que en liñas xerais e bastante inferior ao primeiro pero aínda así ten os seus momentos. Da formación orixinal só quedan o propio Lowry, o baixista Tom Ethridge e o guitarrista Clay Barnes. Dentro das colaboracións, e como figuras máis coñecidas, aparecen Garth Hudson (The Band) ou Timothy B. Schmit (Poco, Eagles).

THE CRYERS - (It's Gonna Be A) Heartbreaker / Just a Little Rain (Mercury, 1978)

"(It's Gonna Be A) Heartbreaker"

As dúas pezas ían incluídas no Lp.