What are you listening to? September 2023

L.T.D. - Love, Tenderness & Devotion (A&M SP 3047, 1974)

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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.

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Wynonie Harris - Playful Baby (rec. 1945-54, Route 66 comp. 1986)

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Vinyl Spin Of The Day.

"Mr. R&B" was a Swedish record label specializing in Black American music of the Forties and Fifties. Through a series of sublabels, they homed in on particular styles. with Route 66 devoted to urban blues. Each album came in a beautiful gatefold, loaded with rare photos and a lengthy essay. Back in the day, I think I caught them all but will start digging through the vault to be sure.

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L.T.D. - Love, Tenderness & Devotion (A&M SP 3047, 1974)

OC04ODUyLmpwZWc.jpeg


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.

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L.T.D. came along at a crucial time in my music life, just as I was crossing 10 years old. That first album of there's didn't get much play on the radio, but the next few after that were huge. And they launched lead singer Jeffrey Osborne into a successful solo career, just like the Commodores and Lionel Richie. Fun fact is that Jeffrey played at NC A&T's homecoming last year. NCA&T is the country's largest HBCU and is a huge presence in the state/region among Blacks.

The L.T.D. sound always sounded a bit more polished to me than ostensibly similar bands. That was probably due to the Mizelle brothers. LTD reminded me of Barry White, with the orchestra and tight (but not fiery) horns. Since we have Yacht Rock and SophistaPop, I think we need to add SophistiSoul. That would definitely include L.T.D. and Barry White. I'm not sure if the Mizzell brothers participated in this album, but they were definitely on board with the following L.T.D. album, Love To The World.

A little known fact about the Mizzell brothers is that one earned his engineering degree before turning to music full time. I wonder if that led to his precision and clarity of vision as a producer? The other brother graduated with a music degree. Both had backgrounds in Jazz, even performing in a Jazz vocal group at Howard University. The brothers were tight with Donald Byrd, and helped him during his Blackbyrds era in the 70s.
 
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Allison Russell - The Returner (2023)
flisten

GlideMagazine said:
The album was recorded in December 2002 in the old A&M studios (now Henson) in L.A. where Joni Mitchell recorded Blue and Court & Spark and Carole King recorded Tapestry, the group taking sustenance from those hallowed walls.
...
As we listen to the first track, “Springtime,” given the rhythms and chanting, it reminds listeners that of a besieged tribal village, emerging victorious with the joyous, unbridled celebrations that ensue for multiple days and nights. The Montreal-born Russell sings in both English and French, sometimes blending the two in the same verse, taking a brief clarinet solo in between the first two verses.
...
Russell reverts somewhat to her Our Native Daughters (w/Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, and Layla McCalla) persona, playing the banjo and giving a primitive sheen to “Eve Was Black,” sounding every bit as proud and indomitable as Nina Simone did in her classic “Young, Gifted, and Black.” In the string-infused “Stay Right Here” she sings about contrasting her dark memories as a child with the joy of hearing her young daughter sing. In realizing that she’s put her past behind her while it remains an integral part of who she is,

The closer features Brandi Carlile, Wendy & Lisa, and over a dozen vocalists in a tremendous performance. But the song below is not the closer.
 
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Le Sserafim - Unforgiven (2023)

My middle child has been bitten by the K-Pop bug. She's as hopelessly enthralled as I've been by anything, and it's refreshing to see her in the throes of teen music addiction. It's not refreshing to see these studios release album packages that include booklets, trading-card like photos, little extras, and charge $28-$50 per release. Even 4-song EPs can run $25-$30. Never one to turn down music, I rip them to my computer and listen ocassionally. This one has Niles Rodgers assisting.

It's catchy and you can dance to it. :thumbsup:
 
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