Django Reinhardt

Music For Pleasure once again ! and we have a world class guitarist and Boy ! can he play it !

recordings are from 1939-1940-& 1945 and they sound like they were recorded yesterday....so you would be guitarists of the future have a listen and see what can be achieved by Practice Practice and more Practice !!......Great Info on back cover !

Here's some great guitar playing in fact I believe that this L/P when it was first released was a "Must Buy" for all the "Jazz aficionado's" or enthusiasts !!...and it "Swings" as well with a great band!!!...as it says on the back all the tracks were recorded in "France" between 1939 and 1945..... which makes me the age of 2+ years when this was recorded aint' that cool !!!

          3. Limehouse Blues

Eydie Gorme.

 I think that this L/P is a great one...Okay so you can't understand what she is singing about unless of course you are Spanish!!...but I'm sure that you will recognise some of the songs...and it reminds me of holiday's.....so put your feet up shut your eyes and let your imagination run riot !!

1. Piel Canela
2. Y..
3. Nosotros
4. Cuando Vuelva A Tu Lado
5. Di Que No Es Verdad
6. Historia De Un Amor

1. Sabor A Mi
2. Amor
3. Noche De Ronda
4. Caminito
5. Media Vuelta
6. La Ultima Noche

          8. Amor 

Lena Horne

This is some early recordings of Lena's and there are some great tracks on it...some of the tracks are just with a piano bass and drums so it gives the feeling of a jazzier Lena  I'm sure that there are more L/P's around that has her singing with a small combo's but this is the only one I have....Most of the L/P's and CD's I have heard of Lena feature big Songs and full orchestra's...I would like to hear more of her earlier work !!...best track for me is definitely the last one "Deed I Do"...

1. A Foggy Day
2. He Makes Believe He's Mine 
3. Pass Me By
4. Something To Live For
5. The Man I Love

1. I've Got The World On A String
2. Sometimes I'm Happy
3. It's Mad Mad Mad
4. Love Of My Life
5. Deed I Do

          10. Deed I Do

Shirley Bassey.

 I think that this L/P must be the first one that Shirley Bassey released it was recorded in 1958...and not bad seeing that it is 67 years old !!...it's a 10 inch hence only 8 tracks

1. Born To Sing The Blues
2. Beale Street Blues
3. Wabash Blues
4. Basin Street Blues

1. Birth Of The Blues
2. Careless Love Blues 
3. Blues In The Night
4. The St Louis Blues

          6. Careless Love Blues

Johnny Mathis.

 Johnny sings "Pop" "Classics" "Country & Western " with a touch of "Bossa Nova" on this L/P...Its a Gud Un !!!!

1. They Long To Be Close To You
2. Evil Ways
3. Come Saturday Morning
4. Yellow Days
5. Pieces Of Dreams
6. Song Of Joy

1. Everything Is Beautiful
2. The Long And Winding Road
3. Why Can't I Touch You
4. Wave
5. Until It's Time For You To Go

          2. Evil Ways

Ted Heath & His Music.

We have to thank "Peter" for this one !! what a great "Cover"....and it takes me back to my teenage years going to see "The Ted Heath band and Singers..."Lita Roza" who is now no longer with us !...."Dickie Valentine" who tragically died in a car crash  & "Dennis Lotis" who I believe is still going strong at 91 !!......Ah! Ah!...sweet memories !!!

          9. Honky Tonk Woman

Vanity Fare

Vanity Fare (due to the similarity of the novel and magazine title often misspelled Vanity Fair) are an English pop/rock group formed in 1966. They had the million-selling song, "Hitchin' a Ride", which became a worldwide hit in 1970.

School friends Trevor Brice (born 12 February 1945, Rochester, Kent, England) (vocals), Tony Goulden (born Anthony Goulden, 21 November 1942, Rochester) (guitar), Dick Allix (born Richard Allix, 3 May 1945, Gravesend, Kent) (drums) and Tony Jarrett (born Anthony Jarrett, 4 September 1943, in Rochester, Kent) (bass) formed the band in Kent in 1966, originally calling themselves The Avengers. As The Avengers, they recorded a number of demos with record producer Joe Meek, including "Marianne", though none were ever released. After this they changed their name to The Sages, and had one 45 single release on the RCA Victor label (47–8760) called "In The Beginning" on the "A" side and "I'm Not Going To Cry" on the "B" side. They played local clubs and were spotted by entrepreneur Roger Easterby who became their manager and producer. Having changed the name of the band to Vanity Fare after the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray, they signed to Larry Page's Page One Records.

Vanity Fare achieved a UK hit single with their first release, a cover of "I Live for the Sun" (originally recorded by The Sunrays in 1965) in the summer of 1968.

Following two more singles, "Summer Morning" and "Highway of Dreams," both of which failed to make the UK Singles Chart, they released their biggest UK hit, "Early in the Morning". Written by Mike Leander and Eddie Seago, it reached number 8 in that country in August 1969, number 12 in the US, and number 10 in Canada in early 1970. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc....( Info Edited From Wikipedia )

          3. Music Music Music

The Left Banke

The Left Banke is an American baroque pop band, formed in New York City in 1965. They are best remembered for their two US hit singles, "Walk Away Renée" and "Pretty Ballerina". The band often used what the music press referred to as "baroque" string arrangements, which led to their music being variously termed as "Bach-rock" or "baroque rock". The band's vocal harmonies borrowed from contemporaries such as The Beatles, The Zombies, and other British Invasion groups.

          6. Evening Gown

The Johnny Pearson Orchestra

We are now going all Instrumental for a couple of L/P's from Bob in Belgium both different but good in the music that they represent...Thanks Bob !!

          4. Vincent

The Dutch Swing College Band

Still in the Instrumental frame of mind here comes 28 tracks  of swing... the Dutch way !!

          17. Tennessee Waltz Rock

The Fortunes

The Fortunes are an English harmony beat group. Formed in Birmingham, the Fortunes first came to prominence and international acclaim in 1965, when "You've Got Your Troubles" broke into the US and UK Top 10s. Afterwards, they had a succession of hits including "Here It Comes Again" and "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again"; continuing into the 1970s with more globally successful releases such as "Storm in a Teacup" and "Freedom Come, Freedom Go".

The Fortunes (Rod Allen, Glen Dale, Barry Pritchard as vocalists, Chris Capaldi as piano player, Gary Fletcher as drummer and Tony Britnell as saxophone player) were formed in 1961 and were resident at Cliffdon Hall in Rugby where many 60s rockstars formed their career. The three vocalists had been the Merrie Men backing Robbie Hood (A.K.A Mike West, previously co-singer with Fred Heath in Johnny Kidd & The Pirates). ( Info Edited From Wikipedia )

1. You've Got Your Troubles

2. Looking Through The Eyes of Love

3. Wont You Give Him One More Chance

4. This Empty Place

5. I'm Still Alone

6. If We Lived On The Top Of A Mountain

7. You Can Have Her

1. Maria

2. Laughing Fit To Cry

3. Coloured Lights

4. All Cried Out

5. Voice Your Choice

6. Here It Comes Again

          3. Won't You Give Him One More Chance

          8. Maria

The Singers Unlimited

If you like The Swingle singers, The Hi lo's, and any other Doo Wop vocal groups then I am sure you will like this one....This group is more Jazz  than pop !!

The Singers Unlimited was a four-part jazz vocal group formed by Gene Puerling in 1971. The group included Len Dresslar (better known as the Jolly Green Giant in General Mills commercials), Bonnie Herman, and Don Shelton.

Artist Biography by Rovi Staff

This vocal quartet originally started life as an extension of jazz band the Hi-Lo’s. From that prominent '50s band came Don Shelton, who decided to form Singers Unlimited after the Hi-Lo’s broke up in 1964. After retreating to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked on a series of television commercials, he enlisted fellow Hi-Lo’s veteran Gene Puerling of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to join him in the city in 1967. The group was formed along with Len Dresslar and Bonnie Herman, with the express intention of recording commercials in the doo wop/vocal group idiom. Shelton’s connections in the industry ensured the group was able to exploit the market successfully, and lucrative work rolled in. However, the 30-second snatches of songs hardly satisfied their artistic ambitions, and when they found themselves with studio time left over after one session, they recorded a take on the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill." Through visiting jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, the demo of the a cappella recording was passed to MPS Records in Germany. As a consequence, the Singers Unlimited, as the group had named themselves, found themselves with their own recording contract. An album of standards followed in 1972, with more John Lennon/Paul McCartney compositions, plus material plucked from Joni Mitchell's back catalog, all performed in a technically precise but spirited doo wop/a cappella idiom. While it hardly set the pop charts alight, the collection did receive one notable accolade, the German Record Grand Prix of 1973.

1. Bye Bye Blues

2. Round Midnight

3. Cry Me A River

4. Born To Be Blue

5. I Left My Heart In San Francisco

1. Mood Indigo

2. Gotcha

3. Why Don't You Do Right

4. When I Fall In love

          8. Why Don't You Do Right

Petula Clark.

This L/P is also known as "The Pink Album" to the fans of Petula Clark and is known as one of the best ones she has recorded....Most of the songs on it are written by "Tony Hatch & Jackie Trent" so it does have a good pedigree it is also arranged and produced by "Tony Hatch"

          7. Kiss Me Goodbye

Robert Goulet.

 I'm getting used to RG's voice but he still lacks that knockout track that I am waiting to hear....To me he still has that "Musical Show" type of voice and seems to sing every track in that style....I do have a few more L/P's by him maybe soon he might deliver that track with a "Wow" factor....I wonder if these are realy his "Greatest Hits" or are CBS just gathering random tracks.....

 1. If Ever I Would Leave You
2. Begin To Love
3. This Is All I Ask
4. Summer Sounds
5. Real Live Girl
6. What Kind Of Fool Am I

1. My Love Forgive Me
2. Autumn Leaves
3. Ciao Compare
4. Fortissimo
5. The Impossible Dream

           1. If Ever I Would Leave You

Liza Minnelli.

 Liza sings mostly standards on this L/P but the arrangements and style are typically 70's style...this was recorded in 1970 just before she got the part of "Sally Bowles" in the Musical Film"Cabaret"....the songs are by "Kern" "Berlin" "Porter" "Arlen" "Mercer" "Gershwin" so you can see that its the American Songbook Theme.....They are definitely sung different....She does go a bit "frantic"at times but its definitely one of her better recordings !!
P.S. I love it when you get a selection of well known songs and they are arranged and performed entirely different from the originals and like nobody else's versions, and Liza and her arranger has just done that !!...Greaaaaaaaat !!!

1. Love For Sale
2. Stormy Weather
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. Lazy Bones
5. Can't Help Loving That Man

1. I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone 
2. The Man I Love
3. How Long Has This Been Going On
4. God Bless The Child
5. Maybe This Time

          1. Love For Sale

Annie Haslam.

  Here's one from the late 70's "Annie Haslam" was the lead singer in the group "Renaissance". It's a great L/P, it is produced and arranged by "Roy Wood"....Two tracks stand out

"If I Loved You" note the Russian Music style arrangement and "Rockalise"....Love the cover done by "Roy Wood" seems he had quite an input still I suppose if you produce something then it's your baby !!.........last track is cool as well I'll just say "Hovis"...I wonder how many people will get the connection.........

Annie Haslam (born 8 June 1947) is an English vocalist, songwriter and painter. She is best known as the lead singer of progressive rock band Renaissance since 1971, and for her long and diverse solo singing career. She has a three-octave vocal range.

In 1977, Haslam began her solo career with her album Annie in Wonderland, produced by Roy Wood, who played most of the musical instruments and duetted with her on one track. 

P.S. This is definitely one of my favourite L/P's loved it when I bought it and still play it regular I also bought it on CD when at that time it was the thing to do in 1978 !!..as I have said many times before "Don't Time Fly "!!!!!!....If anybody wants a surprise.... download it and listen to Track One Side Two...for pure Magic !!!...and you won't hear anything of "Nat King Cole" on "Nature Boy" !!!!!!

1. Introlise / If I Were Made Of Music

2.  I Never Believed In Love

3. If I Loved You

4. Hunioco

1. Rockalise

2. Nature Boy

3. Inside my life

4. Going Home

    3. If I Loved You

Barbara Dickson

Here's A Songbird from the 70's !

Barbara Ruth Dickson OBE (born Dunfermline, Fife, 27 September 1947) is a Scottish singer whose hits include "I Know Him So Well", "Answer Me" and "January February". Dickson has placed fifteen albums in the UK Albums Chart from 1977 to date, and had a number of hit singles, including four which reached the Top 20 in the UK Singles Chart. The Scotsman newspaper has described her as Scotland's best-selling female singer in terms of the numbers of hit chart singles and albums she has achieved in the UK since 1976.

She became a well-known face on the British folk circuit of the late 1960s and early 1970s, but changed her career course after meeting Willy Russell. He was at that time a young student running a folk club in Liverpool. He showed Dickson the first draft of what later became the award-winning musical John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert and asked her to perform the music. The combination of fine writing, a superb cast of young unknowns (including Antony Sher, Bernard Hill and Trevor Eve) and Dickson's idiosyncratic interpretation of Beatles songs made the show hugely successful.

Robert Stigwood, signed Dickson to his record label, RSO Records, where she recorded the album Answer Me, arranged and produced by Junior Campbell, the title track becoming a Top 10 hit in 1976. John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert also led to her guest residency on The Two Ronnies, which brought Dickson's singing to the attention of more than ten million BBC Television viewers every week.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice also spotted Dickson in John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert, and invited her to record "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" from their new musical Evita, which became her second hit in 1977.

Later in 1984, Tim Rice approached Dickson to take part in the recording of the concept album for the musical Chess in the role of Svetlana. Dickson's songs on the album included "I Know Him So Well", a duet sung with Elaine Paige. The song was a worldwide hit, and remained at number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks. It is still cited in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling female duet of all-time...( Info Edited From Wikipedia )

1. People Get Ready

2. Boys From Men

3. My Man

4. Lean On Me

5. Goodbye Dreamer

6. End Of The World

1. Answer Me

2. Goodbye To The Cries

3. From The Heart

4. Let It Go

5. Judgement Day

6. Driftaway

         11. Driftaway