Bill Nelson

'Soft Samba Strings' is a thorough cock-up. The piano pitch indeed leans sharp and the strings (recorded in England at 50 cycles, versus the U.S. standard 60 cycles) run a touch slower, off-pitch, and after the beat. (Jack Parnell conducted strings and voices.) Conceptually, 'SSS' was to be McFarland's easy listening, semi-classical album of Light Music'. Instead, it's a botched project which Creed Taylor sub-contracted to its detriment. Yet, one might call it a 'beautiful mess'.

Pete Rodriguez did a 'Christmas Boogaloo' LP

A guy who learned a handshake deal with Jerry Wexler 'weren't worth shit'.

Teo Macero's 'Time Plus Seven' reflects his writing for large jazz and classical ensembles recorded in 1956 and 1963. The 16-minute ballet suite, 'Time Plus Seven', (1963) makes its first appearance here, along with tracks previously issued on Columbia.* It's adventurous and arresting with sounds which shouldn't clear your house -- heck, even my wife was curious and hung around. *one side from LP 'What's New', 1956 and one track from Orchestra USA, 'Sonorities', 1963.

Yet one more of life's pleasures denied by authorities.

About the above, my cab driver from Lagos would say, "That is the REEL SHEET!"

As currently listed for 2023: "Joey DeFrancesco is Ready to Sail on the Jazz Cruise '23." I believe that ship has sailed.

Also dig this Eddie 'Hendo' Harris' bossa album on VeeJay w/ Lalo on keys and arranging, plus Jimmy Raney!

After Hurricane Ian, nearly EVERYONE below Tampa was having a yard sale.

Dig on Cuba Gooding Jr. gettin' down with the Main Ingredient on this Willie Hutch tune: Err, uhh, let me identify the above singer as Cuba Gooding, SENIOR.

Already learnt -- having got the two J's with Jamie on ABC Paramount and the two more on Columbia. To me, Jamie's voice doesn't have the honey-dripping, buttery quality of Anita or Bonnie. YMMV.

In 1965, the newly divorced Anita Kerr moved from Nashville to L.A. and recorded an LP with Marty Paich arranging. Here, Kerr's lead vocal suggests Bonnie Herman and the Singers Unlimited, who followed in 1972.

In '86, I was given front row tix for a comic "you just gotta see". When I realized Tenuta's act included frequent 'razzing' nearby audience members, I bailed out before showtime.

Similar reaction here. Found a $3 copy at an antique market booth and expected so much more given the supporting cast. The music is standard organ fare you'd expect on early 70's Prestige. (Flipped it for $35 at the next record show.)

Kaper's theme to 'Butterfield 8' gets me every time.

Albhy Galuten majored in composition and arranging, Berklee '68 https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-today/summer-2002/On-the-Watchtower

Berklee arranging grad Albhy Galuten made up the groove for three (above) Bee Gees tracks. "In 1977, RSO needed four Bee Gees songs for the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack, so I took a drum loop from 'Night Fever' (a single bar that felt really good) and ended up using it on 'Staying Alive' and 'More Than a Woman'." from http://www.berklee.edu/bt/141/coverstory.htm/

Which I translate to 'BFD'.

Elvin Jones - 'Puttin' it Together', bought in the fall of '68 while a sophomore in high school with money from lawn mowing. My biology teacher, Bill MacEneaney, had started a jazz club' in South Kingstown, RI and played it at one of the meetings.

"Some assembly required", for the above.

I'm not buying into the current millennials who employ mannered croaks and coarse vocal affects to disguise their lack of actual dues-paying 'road time'. Such creds don't just 'arrive' a year or two out from the parental nest.

Those dry-cracked, throat-scratched vocals usually indicate years of road-weary existence. Young millennial, please tell us how hard life has been.

My kvetch with recent Tone Poets extends beyond Kevin Gray's cutting -- to the triple-shift pressing activity at RTI. In the last two years, my returns-to-keepers ratio has been 3-to-1, which I attribute to oversight in quality control at RTI due to the overwhelming demand for limited-edition colored vinyl for every Record Store Day and the flurry from new indie labels. My returned TPs merely join the pool of many which are absorbed by parent Universal without apology, concern, or corrective measures.

The above jacket artwork could've been used for Ayn Rand's 'The Fountainhead'.

The above 'Kenton Presents' is my nomination for Worst Mosaic Cover. It begs for the return of covers with black-and-white photos. Of course, I bought it anyway.