Ojai Sam
Staff member
L.T.D. - Love, Tenderness & Devotion (A&M SP 3047, 1974)
Vinyl Rip Of The Day.
This was the 47th and final release in A&M's SP 3000 jazz series. Originally started for CTI, the indispensable "On A&M Records" website gives the backstory for this series:
Herb Alpert wanted A&M Records to have a jazz record label, specifically Creed Taylor's label. At the time, Taylor's manager was Clarence Avant. The deal was negotiated by Avant and Jerry Moss. In 1967, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss offered Creed Taylor $1 million over five years to bring his CTI Records to A&M. Taylor joined A&M on June 1, 1967. The manufacturing and distribution deal began in November 1967 and lasted until January 1970 when Taylor took his label independent. CTI was A&M's first affiliate and its original foray into jazz. While affiliated with A&M Records, CTI produced 28 albums and released 27 of them. The self-titled Hubert Laws album was never released on A&M, however, one of his singles was the first release by CTI records when Taylor took the label independent in 1970. The rarest CTI recording is the third album from Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson, Stonebone, released in limited quantity only in Japan.
Tom Stoppard was right: every exit is an entry somewhere else. This is the debut album from L.T.D. which went on to a long run of successful releases, eight of which appeared on A&M in its 3600 pop series. In fact "Love. Tenderness & Devotion" was re-released as SP-3602, sandwiched between The Carpenters and Fairport Convention.
@JazzyRandy is far better qualified than I am to review this record. I'll just say that to me, it sounds fresh and innovative, the harbinger of a whole new style that was evolving. No wonder A&M Records gained a reputation as the major independent incubator of new artists overlooked by the majors.
It took me six years or so, but now I have completed my CTI/A&M Jazz Listening Project. I'm having so much fun with A&M that I'm going to go all the way back to the beginning with the LP 100/SP 4100 series.

Vinyl Rip Of The Day.
This was the 47th and final release in A&M's SP 3000 jazz series. Originally started for CTI, the indispensable "On A&M Records" website gives the backstory for this series:
Herb Alpert wanted A&M Records to have a jazz record label, specifically Creed Taylor's label. At the time, Taylor's manager was Clarence Avant. The deal was negotiated by Avant and Jerry Moss. In 1967, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss offered Creed Taylor $1 million over five years to bring his CTI Records to A&M. Taylor joined A&M on June 1, 1967. The manufacturing and distribution deal began in November 1967 and lasted until January 1970 when Taylor took his label independent. CTI was A&M's first affiliate and its original foray into jazz. While affiliated with A&M Records, CTI produced 28 albums and released 27 of them. The self-titled Hubert Laws album was never released on A&M, however, one of his singles was the first release by CTI records when Taylor took the label independent in 1970. The rarest CTI recording is the third album from Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson, Stonebone, released in limited quantity only in Japan.
Tom Stoppard was right: every exit is an entry somewhere else. This is the debut album from L.T.D. which went on to a long run of successful releases, eight of which appeared on A&M in its 3600 pop series. In fact "Love. Tenderness & Devotion" was re-released as SP-3602, sandwiched between The Carpenters and Fairport Convention.
@JazzyRandy is far better qualified than I am to review this record. I'll just say that to me, it sounds fresh and innovative, the harbinger of a whole new style that was evolving. No wonder A&M Records gained a reputation as the major independent incubator of new artists overlooked by the majors.
It took me six years or so, but now I have completed my CTI/A&M Jazz Listening Project. I'm having so much fun with A&M that I'm going to go all the way back to the beginning with the LP 100/SP 4100 series.

Last edited:

