Recapitulating some recent spins...
Gloria Jones - Come Go With Me [Uptown mono LP, 1965] Pop-soul singer best known for the original version of "Tainted Love" (an international smash for synth-wave duo Soft Cell in the early 80's), here in her album debut, produced and written-for by the versatile Ed Cobb, who's known more for his work with garage rockers The Standells and The Chocolate Watch Band (and had once been a member of the easy listening vocal group The Four Preps!). Jones later married glam-rocker Marc Bolan of T. Rex.
The Isley Brothers - Soul On The Rocks [Tamla stereo LP, 1967] They were only associated with Motown for several singles and two LPs, the other being the hit-single-entitled "This Old Heart Of Mine". This one features "Got To Have You Back", covered in the early 80's by Ireland's The Undertones.
Esther Phillips - Set Me Free [Atlantic 2LP compilation, 1986] Collection spanning 1964-1970, presented in original mono and stereo with unreleased bonus tracks.
Tyrone Davis - Can I Change My Mind [Dakar stereo LP, 1969] His debut preceded big hit "Turn Back The Hands Of Time".
The Manhattans - Dedicated To You [Carnival mono LP, 1965] Long-running soul stalwarts' debut. Any record featuring "The Boston Monkey", "Manhattan Stomp", and "Teach Me (The Philly Dog)" is A-OK by me.
Little Junior Parker - Driving Wheel [MCA reissue LP, orig. Duke label LP 1962] Outstanding rhythm & blues from the "Mystery Train" man, with fantastic sound to boot, was re-ished more than once, snag on sight.
Andre Benichou - Jazz Guitar Bach [Nonesuch mono LP, mid-60's] More like 'Surf Guitar Bach' with all that reverb and twang, plus groovy supporting group The Well-Tempered Three. Hey, if it was good enough for Edward Tatnall Canby to write the liners, who can turn up a snooty nose? Love the transcriptions and this record.
Memphis Slim - Rockin' The Blues [Charly import CD, 1992] Collected late 50's Vee-Jay sides of the pianist/singer featuring the smokin' guitar of Matt Murphy, who you might recall from the Blues Brothers movie.
Wayne Shorter - The All Seeing Eye [Blue Note reissue CD 1994, orig. 1965] With Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, and Ron Carter among others. Nat Hentoff's liners state that the title refers to God looking over the universe before His act of Creation (but isn't that a logical contradiction?). By turns thematic and free-form, more cacophonous and less obviously song-oriented and swinging than most of Shorter's contemporaneous work, can be challenging or even irrating but has its rewards for the patient and adventuresome.
Milt Jackson - Statements [Impulse! expanded reissue CD 1993, orig. 1962] With Hank Jones, Paul Chambers, and Connie Kay from one session; Jimmy Heath, Tommy Flanagan, and Richard Davis plus Kay from another. This is certainly a nice record, but overall I think I prefer his Atlantic sides.
Dinah Washington - What A Diff'rence A Day Makes [Mercury CD reissue 1984, orig. 1959] Those who hold that CDs made so early in the game will invariably sound unlistenable should avoid this one, which although it doesn't sound like an LP, does sound like it probably offers a pretty good view of the mastertape.
Get With The Beat - The Mar-Vel' Masters/A Lost Decade Of American Rock And Roll [Rykodisc CD, 1989] Amazing collection of hillbilly obscurities from the 50's and 60's recorded by producer/honcho Harry Glenn for his Indiana-based Mar-Vel' ("Hits Of Tomorrow, Recorded Today") and associated labels, and originally compiled on the Cowboy Carl label in the mid-70's. Highly recommended for all fans of raw'n'rural rockabilly and honky tonk, with great, honest small-studio high fidelity sound in the manner of Buddy Holly's New Mexico sides.
Wynder K. Frog - Out Of The Frying Pan [Edsel/Island reissue CD, 1995, orig. 1968] Brit session organist Mick Weaver's public alter ego - funky, jazzy instro covers and originals, produced by Gus Dudgeon and Jimmy Miller. Good fun.
The Rolling Stones - Metamorphosis [Abkco reissue CD, 2002] The first of the DSD remasters that I've tried, so of course I decided to start with the oddest duck in the catalog. I don't have an SACD player, and I haven't yet had a chance to compare this to the LP.
Jason Falkner - Author Unknown [Elektra CD, 1996] I was never a big Jellyfish fan, but I do dig about a good half of what's here (mostly the first half). One-man-band post-everthing power-pop of some considerable musical ingenuity and accomplishment, if not necessarily emotional impact.
Outkast - Stankonia [LaFace/Arista CD, 2000] This is about as 'down' as I get with rap today.
Ralph Vaugh Williams - Film Music/RTE Concert Orchestra (Dublin)/Andrew Penny [Marco Polo CD, 1995] Themes and cues from the presumably British movies "49th Parallel", "Story Of A Flemish Farm", "Coastal Command", and "Three Portraits From The England Of Elizabeth". Never seen any of 'em, though apparently the composer scored music for 11 films in all, and I haven't seen or heard any of the others either. Hey, if it's not on Turner Classic Movies...but I have a feeling that this is the better way to enjoy the music.
