Teasing the Korean

Milton Nascimento - Courage - CTI/A&M

Strings have been very abused in pop music, usually doing little more than adding "sweetening." However, the strings are the most versatile section of the orchestra and are capable of a HUGE range of sounds and emotions. Too bad it's out of print, but an example of strings used to tremendous effect in an "orchestral pop" record is Les Baxter's "Caribbean Moonlight" album on Capitol. It's an album of latin-tinged standards arranged for percussion, winds, and strings (no brass), and the strings on this album are fantastic. With the right arranger/orchestrator, orchestral instruments and sections CAN be integrated into jazz setting, IMHO.

I like quite a bit of what could be termed "mid century orchestral pop." Yes, some of it can be dreary, but the top orchestral arrangers are right up there with any of the great jazz arrangers in my book. I agree that Paul Weston could be schmaltzy - I've never heard an instrumental record of his that I liked - but I do like his arrangements with certain singers, such as Jo Stafford.

MONO promo!!!

I guess I don't know much about Johnny Mercer, other than his lyrics, some of his records, his involvement with the founding of Capitol, and now this track that is causing such controversy. Can anyone tell me (briefly) why he is a "problematic" figure, or lead me to a link?

In an era like ours in which we're inundated with information - with inexpensive LPs and CDs everywhere - there is something kind of poignant about records like the one you describe.

I especially like the bonus tracks on this CD, which are from another (jazzier) session.

Both "Paris Concert" albums by Bill Evans on Elektra/Musician.

But some of those US albums were good, such as "The Beatles Second Album," "Yesterday and Today," the "Help" with the spy instrumentals.

He did a nice bossa session in the mid 60s, which has been reissued as a budget CD on Laserlight. He also wrote lyrics to several George Duning film themes, including "Bell Book and Candle."

TTK, Soft Machine Volume 2 is one of my favorites from the era! How's the Desmond? I think you'd like it. He does all Edu Lobo and Milton Nascimento tunes, and they both play on the album. Most of the Edu Lobo tunes are the famous ones, such as "Crystal Illusion" and "To Say Goodbye." Available on CD, and the vinyl regularly pops up for short dough.

July 14 was the 40 year anniversary of the release of "Bee Gees First."

Didn't Lalo Schifrin include "Rite" on one of his Jazz Meets the Symphony albums?

It's hard for me to imagine that anyone who has it together enough to buy a Mosaic jazz box set - let alone even know or care enough to want one in the first place - wouldn't already be knowledgeable and sensitive about racial issues already. How can someone knowledgeable about jazz not know about the history of African Americans in the US? That said, I can certainly understand that examples such as these still have the power to offend - as evidenced by the whole "Huck Finn" controversy a few years back. I respect someone's right to want a refund for such material, but I also respect the right of a record company to reissue it - especially if it has historical or artistic significance.

I have it. It is/was available on CD, with the artist listed as 101 Strings instead of Skip Martin.

Soft Machine 2 - Probe Urszula Dudziak - Newborn Light - Columbia Paul Desmond - From the Hot Afternoon (w/Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo and Wanda De Sah) - CTI/A&M

Well, at least someone met a benchmark...

Apparent to a parent?

In retrospect, it's hard to believe there was a time when Phil Collins could have been involved in such a cool record.

I felt that the ending went beyond heavy-handed into the realm of unbelievable. Survival instinct kicks in at a certain point and trumps whatever biases a person has. Still, it was good up until that point.

Not familiar with this film. But, on a related note, I was surprised to find out that there was an actual soundtrack release of "Odds Against Tomorrow" in a addition to the MJQ album. The actual soundtrack came out on CD on Sony in the early 90s and has much more music and a larger group. Overall, I like it better than the MJQ album, although I like MJQ's "Skating in Central Park" more than the film version. They are both worth hearing. "Odds Against Tomorrow" had the potential of being a decent B noir film, but unfortunately the film COMPLETELY unravels in the final few minutes. The audience was laughing out loud at the end. Too bad.

I believe the red vinyl was used for mono and the blue for stereo. So, you may have an original stereo pressing.

Pizzaria Regina in Beantown.

Herbie Mann - Do the Bossa Nova (w/Jobim) - Atlantic mono Dick Marx/Johnny Frigo - Delicate Savagery - Coral mono MJQ plays Ellington - forget the label

BTW, I AM THE MAN I JUST DESCRIBED - THE MAN WHO READS PLAYBOY - except that I lack the muttonchop sideburns and one of those CTI lithographs. If I find a litho, I promise to grow the sideburns.