The Singers Unlimited Went to Hell in the Late 70s

[Teasing the Korean]

I ADORE the Singers Unlimited and have more of their albums than anyone on this list. But while their albums up through, say, the mid-70s had a cool, modern detached sound - something you would play at a Bavarian fondue party - the ones from the late 70s are AWFUL, they sound like disco arrangements made for the Donny and Marie show. What happened?

[JSngry]

Specifically what albums, and who are the instrumental arrangers? I'm guessing Pat Williams? In which case, hey, asked and answered.

Worth noting, though, that Gene Peurling had one foot in genius, one foot in silly, and by the time SU took shape, one foot in the sound of state-of-the-art jingles (of which he is a fountainhead of sorts). so that's three feet, which makes a yard, and I'm glad I didn't have to mow it, not in this heat.

But the albums with Robert Farnon, especially Eventide (1978), are about as "still" as any pop-first music of this lineage since Claude Thornhill's most trance-y states. Never mind the fondue, pass the opium, please!

[Bill Nelson]

The first Singers' LP clinker was 'Just in Time' recorded in April '77 with L.A. big band charts arranged by Roger Kellaway.

The prior two albums arranged by Pat Williams in '75 and '76 have enough redeeming moments I'm satisfied with.

By the mid- 70s, Gene Puerling, having already created six stunning albums, seems to have eased his artistic control or interest.

However, An exception to this malaise is the stunning 'SU With Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass' of June, 78 with the band recorded in Toronto. It's one of the best vocal ensemble with big band albums I've ever heard.

[Teasing the Korean]

Unfortunately, I do not have "Eventide."

Yes, the albums in question are by Pat Williams, who did some cool stuff in the late 60s and early 70s. But not here. Gone is that sense of snowy spaciousness and Placidyl-induced calm that marked the Singers Unlimited's best work, and there are no groovy Now Sound numbers like "Dindi" or "We've Only Just Begun." The set list instead consists of all moldy fig uptempo jazz standards, done with fast walking bass on an electric bass, close-miked drums, Carpenters-esque unison vocals, and then, to show how hip they are, sudden mod vocal pyramids in fourths, and abrupt shifts to disco rhythms. Seriously, the version of "I've Got Rhythm" could have been on a Donny and Marie show. Or the Muppets. I keep waiting for Paul Williams to show up.

What's confusing, though, is some of my SU albums are jiveass reissues of MPS albums on some label that starts with the letter P. They are earlier albums, but the copyright dates are from the 80s, when they were presumably reissued.

Oh well, just about everyone went to hell by the late 70s or 1980s, so I can't really fault these guys (and gal).

Edited November 24, 2012 by Teasing the Korean

[JSngry]

Pausa

[sidewinder]

something you would play at a Bavarian fondue party

The only ones I've been to have had ECM playing in the background. Or something from Wolfgang Dauner's 'Mood' label.

Edited November 24, 2012 by sidewinder

[fasstrack]

I ADORE the Singers Unlimited and have more of their albums than anyone on this list. But while their albums up through, say, the mid-70s had a cool, modern detached sound - something you would play at a Bavarian fondue party - the ones from the late 70s are AWFUL, they sound like disco arrangements made for the Donny and Marie show. What happened?

I'd go with the two earlier a capella recordings. There were, I believe, also two Christmas a capella dates. Puerling's arrangements are already so lush (though brilliant) and there's so much vocal tracking already that an overbaked big band on top is like-to quote Sondheim on recitative-chocolate sauce poured over everything. I also really like In Tune w/the Oscar Peterson Trio. (on MPS) Raposo's Sesame Street Theme may be definitive. It Never Entered my Mind is a standout, too. Bonnie Herman is so understated. The main thing: singers and trio stay out of each other's way.

[Teasing the Korean]

The only ones I've been to have had ECM playing in the background. Or something from Wolfgang Dauner's 'Mood' label.

I'll invite you to my next fondue party, if it ever gets cold enough to have one.

The top picture features typical Singers Unlimited fans:

http://vintageskisty...-fun-to-fondue/

However, these young swingers would not have endured the later stuff.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Teasing the Korean

[Big Beat Steve]

The only ones I've been to have had ECM playing in the background. Or something from Wolfgang Dauner's 'Mood' label.

I'll invite you to my next fondue party, if it ever gets cold enough to have one.

I suppose you realize fondue isn't really something linked to Bavaria but rather to SWITZERLAND.

OK, OK, small difference if you use the U.S. distances as a yardstick but STILL it is a difference - and a not negligible one ..

Of course, if you insist on serving steins of Bavarian beer (ask Weizy for a taster ) to go with the fondue then it might pass for something at least remotely resembling "Bavarian" tradition ...

Edited November 24, 2012 by Big Beat Steve

[JSngry]

[Teasing the Korean]

I suppose you realize fondue isn't really something linked to Bavaria but rather to SWITZERLAND.

Fondue is linked to cold weather, Burt Bacharach, MPS records, and key parties in my universe, and that's the universe I'm interested in.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Teasing the Korean

[Ted O'Reilly]

I pulled the 7-CD "Magic Voices" set by TSU off the shelf as a result of this topic. I've heard it all before, of course, but it's been a while since I've played it.

Spot-checking through it leads me to conclude that (other than the sublime a capella treats) TSU's best efforts are with Oscar Peterson, Robert Farnon and Rob McConnell. Canadians all. How about that!?

[Teasing the Korean]

... Canadians all. How about that!?

Of course, because of the snow!

[sgcim]

I treasure all their acapella recordings, but other than McConnell's LP, never liked them with bands as much.

I recently read an interview with Puerling, done towards the end of his life, and he sounded completely fed up with the business.

He voiced the opinion that the concept of beauty in music, was extinct.

[etherbored]

I ADORE the Singers Unlimited and have more of their albums than anyone on this list. But while their albums up through, say, the mid-70s had a cool, modern detached sound - something you would play at a Bavarian fondue party - the ones from the late 70s are AWFUL, they sound like disco arrangements made for the Donny and Marie show. What happened?

uh - not so quick there, ace. this is one i'd be willing to wager on.

[Teasing the Korean]

uh - not so quick there, ace. this is one i'd be willing to wager on.

Which SU titles from the late 70s do you think are solid throughout, like the ones from the early- to mid-70s?

[JSngry]

Find Eventide. Just...find it.

[Teasing the Korean]

It's the only album they made that goes for more than a dollar.

Did they do any live gigging? I realize they would have had to bring in additional singers or use 4-voice arrangements, as the albums seem to be arranged for as many as 8 parts.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Did they do any live gigging? I realize they would have had to bring in additional singers or use 4-voice arrangements, as the albums seem to be arranged for as many as 8 parts.

I got to know Gene a little bit, from the time he worked with McConnell -- Rob and Gene and their families all became very close. He told me that the TSU was created as a studio project, that it was never, ever, intended as a performance unit. As a producer, he liked the way multi-tracking (starting with just 8 tracks) could be used by his superb singers to create a pure choir sound.

These days, the jazz choir movement in high schools and colleges all have his TSU charts. There was never a strict TSU formula for assigning parts -- as in alto/tenor/baritone/bass, since his singers were so flexible -- nor for number of parts.

When he got the performing bug again, pretty much after working with McConnell, Peurling re-formed the Hi-Lo's to do some things, including recording with a McConnell orchestra. It was not the actual Boss Brass, but later the Hi-Lo's and the BB did a concert at the Monterey Jazz Festival...

[etherbored]

I can only echo "Eventide"... Also, to say they "went to hell" is tantamount to heresy in my book. Indeed they were conceived as a studio creation who politely turned away vast sums to tour.

[Teasing the Korean]

... Also, to say they "went to hell" is tantamount to heresy in my book...

Fair enough. But imagine my disappointment when I picked up two of their albums that I didn't have only to find both of them for the most part terribly annoying, except for one or two tracks each. I will stay on the lookout for Eventide, though.

[JSngry]

The cool thing about Eventide is that Farnon doesn't write full orchestral backgrounds for every tune, he just writes orchestra "accents" as needed for each song, which can range anywhere from full-frontal strings to just a harp here and there. It's a lot more diverse palate than on Sentimental Journey (which is also gorgeous, just by using different means).

[etherbored]

It is interesting to note how less a capella and choral they became as they progressed. They evolved and experimented with different groupings and arrangements. Some worked while others less so. I can surely understand your frustration if you picked up a later recording expecting, or simply hoping, it to be consistent with earlier work. It just ain't.

[Ted O'Reilly]

....Farnon doesn't write full orchestral backgrounds for every tune, he just writes orchestra "accents" as needed for each song...

Again, from my Peurling/McConnell experiences, Gene wrote all the vocal arrangements, and with Rob, worked out what the orchestra(s) would be doing. I know there were long phone calls for weeks and weeks as they worked it out long distance.

Peurling had pretty much carte blanche from Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer at MPS, who was also very deep into studio production techniques. Gene wanted to do something with the Boss Brass, and made it happen. HGB-S went along with it, and also did the Hi-Lo's with McConnell and later a couple of albums with the Boss Brass alone.

[etherbored]

Make no mistake about it, these are the recordings TTK refers to when he writes they "went to hell in the late 70's". The thing is, I recall feeling similar the first time I heard these records. Does this mean they were lesser works? Not at all. They just weren't what the group built their rep on. However, I fully concede that they differ greatly from the initial, say, four projects.