Heroes & Villains Concert 1982

An LP on the Dakota label from 1982. A concert recorded on 21st September the same year at the Hammersmith Odeon to celebrate 15 years of BBC Radio One. Profits from the concert went to the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Centre charity.

Mostly stars of the 60's here who have come out in force and by and large sound pretty good - playing their big hits to an enthusiastic audience.

Tracks are as follows -

Side One.

1. Flowers In The Rain - Carl Wayne & Magnum

2. One Way Love - Cliff Bennett

3. Little Things - Dave Berry

4. He's In Town - Rockin' Berries

5. There's Always Something There To Remind Me - Sandie Shaw

6. Sorrow - The Merseybeats

7. Hallelujah Freedom - Junior Campbell

8. Tobacco Road - Nashville Teens

Side Two.

1. Out Of Time - Chris Farlowe

2. Hippy Hippy Shake - Swinging Blue Jeans

3. Yesterday Man - Chris Andrews

4. Game Of Love - Wayne Fontana

5. Wild Thing - The Troggs

6. Wondrous Place - Billy Fury

7. Legend Of Xanadu - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

8. What'd I Say - Ensemble

Various - Side One

Various - Side Two

Perspectives In Percussion

Another LP from the Hospice Shop today. This time some rather ordinary exotica/ stereo testing music - big band with added percussion . It's on the Somerest label and made in Canada in the 60's I would guess. It says on the sleeve " The world's greatest percussionists, solists and section men (?) recorded in Hollywood without attenuated dynamics ( whatever that is?)"

Orchestra lead by Skip Martin.

Space Age Musicmaker says of Skip Martin -

"Raised in Indianapolis, Skip Martin studied clarinet and played with local orchestras through high school and while attending Indiana University. After graduation, he took a job at radio station WLW in Cincinnati. Around 1936, he began playing alto and baritone sax for a series of big bands, including Charlie Barnett, Jan Savitt, Glenn Miller, and Benny Goodman. He also wrote an occasional arrangements. Count Basie recorded a number of Martin's compositions in the 1940s, including a minor hit, "Tuesday at Ten." After a stint with NBC and CBS radio in New York, Martin was enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained as a pilot.

He settled in Los Angeles and went into studio work. He worked mainly as a fill-in, contributing individual arrangements, such as Les Brown's hit, "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," but rarely handled a whole album. He assisted Leo Arnaud on the score for the Red Skelton movie, "Excuse My Dust," and conducted the orchestra on the soundtrack for Fred Astaire's movie, "Royal Wedding." He also worked with the Pied Pipers and Tony Martin in the early 1950s. After a short spell as a staff arranger for NBC television, he moved back to Hollywood and went freelance. In the late 1950s, he produced several albums for Somerset that rank among the best of the "percussion" craze. The list of players includes some of the best West coast jazz players of the time: Jimmy Rowles, Pete Candoli, Frank Rosolino, Larry Bunker, Irv Cottler, and Don Fagerquist. Martin also arranged a selection of composer Dave Kuhn's theme and incidental music for the 1958-59 TV series, "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer," that RCA released to ride on the coattails of the success of Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" LPs."

Tracks are as follows -

1. I'll See You In My Dreams

2. And Then There's Bells

3. Red River Cha Cha

4. Night train To New Orleans

5. C'est Magnifique

6. Tampico

Perspectives In Percussion - Side One

Mike Terry

Initially attracted to the smiling face of Mr. Terry and his Clackers I was sadly disappointed when I played this LP on the Joy label from 1972. It's a kind of poor man's Russ Conway/ Mrs. Mills record and hardly worth a second listen. I upload one side so you can see what I mean.

The sleeve notes say -

"Mike terry has built himself quite a reputation around the Northern Clubs as a honky tonk pianist, reputation which is spreading South with each record and each appearance. And when you count amongst these appearances one with Dorothy Squires at her second epic making Palladium concert you can imagine the strength of the invasion. Dorothy, in fact, has a lot to do with Mike's success; she taught him stagecraft - and who better to instruct in the art of holding an audience. The story starts some 28 years ago when Mike was born in Leeds. At thirteen he was taking piano lessons from a local teacher and at fiteen had won a local honky tonk contest. The prize was Winifred Atwell's "other piano". A prize that Mike treasures to this day."

Tracks are -

1. In Apple Blossom Time/ The Honeysuckle & The Bee/ Moonlight & Roses

2. Scotalnd The Brave/I Love A Lassie/ Roaming In The Gloaming

3. I Cant Give You Anything But Love Baby/ Side By Side/ Happy Days & Lonely Nights

4. Always/ My Wonderful One/I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles

5. Conkers

Mike Terry - Side One

Flanagan & Allen

An LP on the EMI label from the Hospice Shop today. Songs and patter from the 30's up until the 50's on this compilation obviously taken straight from old 78's due to the background hiss and crackle on most tracks.

Wikipedia says -

"As music hall comedians, they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act; this led to a successful recording career as a duo and roles in film and television. Just prior to and throughout the Second World War they appeared in several films helmed by Marcel Varnel and John Baxter. Flanagan and Allen were both also members of The Crazy Gang and worked with that team for many years concurrently with their double-act career.

Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle, humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the Second World War they reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like 'We're Gonna Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line' mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like 'Miss You' sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs, such as their most famous, 'Underneath the Arches' (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly), had universal themes such as friendship. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse, verse chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the accompaniment. The vocals were distinctive because while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.

The recordings of Flanagan and Allen remain popular, and the duo are frequently impersonated by professionals and amateurs. Royal Variety Performances often feature people 'doing a Flanagan and Allen', notably Roy Hudd and Christopher Timothy, Bernie Winters and Leslie Crowther. In 1980 the latter two featured in a one-off musical drama about the duo produced by ATV for the ITV network.

The later comedy team Morecambe and Wise, who often expressed their admiration for Flanagan and Allen, recorded a tribute album, Morecambe and Wise Sing Flanagan and Allen (Phillips 6382 095), in which they performed some of the earlier team's more popular songs in their own style, without attempting to imitate the originals. Fans of either comedy team may be slightly disappointed by this album, since all of the selections are performed absolutely straight, with no comedy except for a brief amount of banter after one of the songs. Run Rabbit Run was one of their best hits in World War Two."

Songs are -

1. "Oi!" Intro: A Million years

2. Life Begins Again

3. |Memories Medley: Part 1 - Wanderer, Dreaming, Where The Arches Used To Be.

4. Memories Medley: Part 2 - Can't We Meet Again, A Million Tears, Underneath The Arches.

5. Down And Out Blues

6. I'm Sending Out An S.O.S.

Flanagan & Allen - Side One

Bill Tapia RIP

Bill Tapia playing in Japan a couple of years ago. He died the other day aged 103.

Learn more about Bill = http://www.billtapia.com/

Joe Turner

An LP on the BluesTime label from 1969. In the wake of the British beat invasion of the USA and interest in the blues and R&B that followed a few of the old bluesmen that were still active re-made some of their old hits of the 40's and 50's. Arranged and conducted by Gene Page this is a similar update with lush big band playing with Joe but it's not all bad though not a patch on the originals.

"Born in Baltimore, Turner was first taught piano by his mother when he was five. He moved to New York around 1925 and enjoyed much popularity among musicians in Harlem, working with June Clark (1927-1928), Benny Carter (1929), and Louis Armstrong (1930). He accompanied the singer Adelaide Hall in a piano duo with Alex Hill and then with Francis Carter; he and Carter toured Europe with Hall in 1931. Turner performed as a soloist throughout Europe until 1939, and then in the USA. After working as a member of an army band led by Sy Oliver (1944-1945) and with Rex Stewart (1946) he returned to Europe and played in Hungary (1948) and Switzerland (1949-1962). He then settled in Paris, where from 1962 he held a residency at La Calvados; he also performed in Great Britain, Switzerland, and the USA. Turner was influenced mainly by James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, and Erroll Garner."

Tracks are as follows =

1. Shake Rattle and Roll

2. Lonesome Train

3. Corrina, Corrina

4. How Long, How Long Blues

5. Careless Love

6. Two Loves Have I

Joe Turner - Side One

Tudo E!...Bossa Nova

An LP on the Helium label from Brazil I found in a charity shop today. I was attracted to the odd cover which seems to depict a Latin orchestra made of pipe cleaners. Gentle MOR jazz with a latin beat.

"Parallel to the rise of bossa, climbed the charts to sambalanço that without coming to constitute a movement, has injected more tele-teco (as it was then) the old pace conceived in the Bahian Aunts house in downtown Rio at the beginning of century.Some suppliers and representatives of the sector: Elza Soares, Milton (graduate of the vocal group The Lovers), Ed Lincoln (who played in the Plaza nightclub, another stronghold of the inaugural bossa), Djalma Ferreira, Orlan Divo, Silvio Cesar Luis Flag (author of "samba whistle"), Peter Rodrigues, Luis Reis, Haroldo Barbosa, Luis Antonio, Jadir Roberto Castro and John Kelly.

But bossa was above all a movement of emergency in the country's urban developmental stage Kubitschek's presidency (1955-60) and concentrated in Rio in the apartments south of the future as the singer Nara Leão She headquartered in Copacabana gatherings of young writers and musicians such as Carlos Lyra, Roberto Menescal, Boscoli Ronaldo, Sergio Ricardo and Chico Feitosa, among others. The concerts of the group began in the university (it was the first Brazilian musical movement out of college) and added numerous other innovators. In Durval Ferreira (Sambop, different beat) the precursor Silvia Telles (whom some attribute another milestone inaugural was the Night, by Jobim and Newton Mendonça, 1957), Leny Andrade and the first of the new trend of instrumental led by people as Oscar Castro Neves (musicians and their brethren), Sergio Mendes, Luis Carlos Vines, JT Meirelles, beyond the instrumental / vocal Tamba Trio (Luis Eca, Bebeto, Hélcio Milito) that next to Bossa 3 (Vines, Tiao Netto, Edison Machado) would usher in a fever of sets of piano, bass and drums. It was a moment of excitement instrumental in the development of young musicians like Paulo Moura, Tenorio Junior, Dom Um Romao, Milton Banana, Edson Maciel, Raul de Souza and the rise of conductor and arranger Eumir Deodato and Moacyr Santos."

De Castro - Side One

An Evening Without ...

An evening of comedy songs and sketches performed by Clive Anderson, Martin Bergman, Rory McGrath, Jimmy Mulville and Griff Rhys Jones at Christchurch College, Canterbury, Kent in 1981. Released on ORA records the same year. Most of these artistes started out in the Cambridge Footlights.

Find out more about Footlights = http://footlights.org/

An Evening Without - Side One

Sophie Tucker

An LP on the Coral label from 1966 but suspect these songs were recorded in the 30's or 40's. Some are almost spoken rather than sung and remind me of Jimmy Durante and others who employed this style.

IMDb says -

What becomes a legend most? For the beloved Russian-born entertainer Sophie Tucker, it was most definitely the live stage. The stage was her home. She fed off a live audience and it's what made her the sensation she was. Seeing her up close and personal was to get the very best of her. Movies and TV were too restrictive to capture the true essence of Sophie Tucker. For well over five decades, she performed everywhere -- Broadway, vaudeville, cabaret, clubs and burlesque.

This gutsy, irrepressible "Jazz Age Hot Mamma" was born Sophie Kalish in Russia in 1884 just as her family was about to emigrate to the United States. They left when she was a mere three months old, settling in Hartford, Connecticut. She started performing as a youngster in her parent's small restaurant, occasionally singing and playing the piano for tips. Marrying in her teens to a ne'er-do-well, she was forced to continue at the restaurant to support a family of three (including baby boy Bert). Within a short time, however, she divorced, left her child with her parents, and headed to nearby New York with visions of stardom. Changing her name to the more suitable marquee moniker of "Sophie Tucker" (her ex-husband's name was Louis Tuck), she proceeded to take the town by storm.

Sophie started out in amateur shows. Not a beauty by any stretch, she was grossly overweight and quickly found that self parody and racy comedy, punctuated by her jazzy musical style, would become the backbone of her popularity. Playing at various dives, she earned a minor break in 1906 after earning a singing/piano-playing gig on the vaudeville circuit. Disguised in blackface, she played ragtime music. Her humor, of course, came at the expense of her weight but, with such ditties as "Nobody Loves a Fat Girl, But Oh How a Fat Girl Can Love," she had audiences eating out of the palm of her hand."

1. Some Of These Days

2. You've Got To Be Loved To Be Healthy

3. The Older They Get The Younger They Want 'em

4. Who Wants Them Tall Dark and Handsome

5. You Can't Sew A Button On A Heart

6. Why Go To Havana

Sophie Tucker - Side One

The Everley Brothers

An LP form the market today. A rather battered sleeve but suprisingly few scratches. Released in 1960 and containing a nice mix of ballads and up tempo numbers from one of the best duos of that time.

Country Music Classics website says -

"The Everly Brothers have often been called "an overnight success," and although the duo became one of the most successful music acts between 1957 and 1962, that success did not happen overnight.

Their father, Ike Everly, moved to Chicago in an effort to sustain a career in country music, but wound up in the Midwest. In 1955, he brought his family to Nashville, Tenn., hoping his singing sons might find the success that had eluded him.

Don Everly did make some marks as a writer, penning "Thou Shalt Not Steal" by Kitty Wells, two songs recorded by Justin Tubb and one for Anita Carter.

Don and Phil signed a recording contract with Columbia Records, but after four songs the record label terminated their contract and released them. Then, the man who later became The Everly Brothers' record proÐducer turned them down the first time he heard them because he didn't like their sound.

Archie Bleyer, who initially turned them down, was searching for a country music act for his Cadence Records. But after a second listen, he gave them a recording contract.

Wesley Rose, of Acuff Rose Music, took the song "Wake Up Little Susie" to Bleyer, who immediately disliked the song because of the lyrics. The song was written by husband and wife team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. Bleyer said it sounded like Susie and her boy friend had slept together at the drive-in movie. But the Everly Brothers recorded the tune despite Bleyer's objection.

Although the record was banned by some radio staÐtions because of its "suggesÐtive lyrics," it entered the country music charts Sept. 30,1957, and quickly made it to the No. 1 spot, where it stayed for 22 weeks. The record was also No. 1 in pop music the week of Oct. 14, 1957.

The Everly Brothers were unique to the music business not only for their commerÐcially crafted recordings, but because they were one of the first consistently successful rock n' roll acts to come out of Nashville, Tenn. Their songs came from Nashville songwriters, were recorded in Nashville with Nashville musicians, yet left their mark on both the pop and country music charts."

Tracks are as follows -

1. So Sad ( To Watch Good Love Go Bad)

2. Just In Case

3. Memories Are Made Of This

4. That's What You Do To Me

5. Sleepless Nights

6. What Kind Of Girl Are You

The Everley Brothers - Side One

Charlie Gillett - Doctor Doctor

Another taped radio show with DJ Charlie Gillett from the 80's. This time a themed show with songs about Doctors and other related subjects. Please excuse poor quality of recording which has deteriorated over the years.

Part of the obituary in the Guardian by Richard Williams -

"Attempting to find a niche in journalism, he wrote for New Society, Anarchy and the soul music magazine Shout before securing a column in Record Mirror, in which he could express his enthusiasm for rhythm and blues and early rock'n'roll. But it was when The Sound of the City was published in the US in 1970, to great acclaim, that his reputation was established. The book looked beneath the surface of the first 15 years of rock'n'roll, tracing its antecedents and making thoughtful, typically unpretentious assessments, not just of the musicians but of the fledgling industry and its visionary hustlers. Its avoidance of received wisdom inspired countless authors to pursue its themes in the subsequent decades.

Four years later Charlie produced Making Tracks, a serviceable history of Atlantic Records. But writing books, it turned out, was not his true vocation. Honky Tonk was heard for the first time in 1972, and over the next six years it became compulsory Sunday listening for the kind of music lover to whom the intimate music of JJ Cale or Bobby Charles spoke louder than the pumped-up sounds of Led Zeppelin or Yes, and who were thrilled when Charlie played demos by Elvis Costello or Graham Parker.

Wisely, he turned down an offer to present BBC2's The Old Grey Whistle Test, realising that he would have little to say to musicians for whose work he cared nothing. The intimacy of radio suited him better, and he became a series consultant to Radio 1's well-received The Story of Pop. In 1972 he was also part of the writers' collective that founded Let It Rock, a monthly magazine.

It was in the mid-1970s that he and his dentist, Gordon Nelki, formed a partnership which led them to manage Kilburn and the High Roads (whose lead singer was Ian Dury) and to start a label and publishing company, Oval Music. Their successes included Lene Lovich's Lucky Number, Paul Hardcastle's 19 and Touch and Go's Would You...? Later he acted as a music consultant to film companies and advertising agencies.

In 1979 he moved from BBC Radio London to Capital, the city's commercial station, and began to feature music from around the world. Sacked in 1983, he was brought back by public demand and stayed until 1990. In May 1995 he returned with a show on GLR, Radio London's successor, and began his World Service series in 1999. He was also a regular presenter of Radio 3's World on 3.

In recent years he contracted a disease of the autoimmune system that forced him off the air and finally ended his Sunday-morning kickabouts on Clapham Common with players from an assortment of African and South American countries. It was followed by a stroke and, last week, a heart attack outside his home. He is survived by Buffy, their daughters Suzy and Jody, their son Ivan, and two grandchildren.

• Charles Thomas Gillett, radio presenter, author and music publisher, born 20 February 1942; died 17 March 2010"

Charlie Gillett - Doctor Doctor Side One

Charlie Gillett - Doctor Doctor Side Two

Empire State Observatories Souvenir (Re-Up)

I've been wanting to uplaod this for a while as i havent heard it myself. A very scratchy souvenir from a record making kiosk at the top of the Empire State Building. I imagine it to be at the top anyway. It was back in the 50's 40's when this was made.
A little girl talks to her Granma or Granpa with whispered encouragement from Mom. She talks about going back to England and then she misses Toronto so not sure where she is from. She misses her friends, school and her Dad. It's very touching and sad. The other side is completely flat but has the same label. I think I found it many years ago at Brick Lane market in the East End of London like so many of these old records it caught my eye.

Discover more about the Empire State Building HERE.

Empire State Observatories Souvenir - Side One

Shirley & Lee

Great double LP from 1983 on the United Artists "Legendary Masters " series, A compilation of great New Orleans r&b from the 50's and early 60's.

"Shirley & Lee are best remembered as a rock-and-roll duo from the 50's who came up with one great song that helps to define the era in pop music. One of them came back years later to usher in a different era in pop music history.

Sources vary as to their birthdates, but Shirley Mae Goodman and Leonard Lee were both born sometime from 1935 to 1937. In the early 50's they formed a rhythm-and-blues duo in New Orleans. They began to record for the Aladdin label in 1952 and became known as "The Sweethearts Of The Blues."

Shirley had a high voice and Lee's was big and booming, and the contrast between the two gave their act its appeal. They began to record songs that made the top ten on the rhythm-and-blues charts, such as their first big one I'm Gone in 1952, a song that was written by Leonard Lee and Dave Bartholomew. In their early songs they pretended as if they were sweethearts. Other hits followed, including Feel So Good in 1955 and I Feel Good two years later.

In late summer of 1956 the song with which Shirley & Lee are most often associated entered the charts. Let The Good Times Roll was a big hit at teenage parties everywhere. Some DJ's refused to play it, claiming that it had suggestive lyrics. The song crossed over to the pop charts, where it reached as high as number twenty.

Shirley & Lee continued to record together up until 1963, when Lee began to record songs for Imperial. Shirley developed an act with Jesse Hill which they called Shirley & Jesse, and they worked in New Orleans with Mac Rebennack and others.

In 1975 Shirley recorded a song called Shame, Shame, Shame with a group of studio musicians, and it was released on the Vibration label as by Shirley And Company. The song had links to rock-and-roll's glorious past -- in addition to Shirley's lead female vocal, one of the musicians included in the recording was Kenny Jeremiah, who had been a founding member of the Soul Survivors [Expressway To Your Heart] in the 60's. In addition, Shame, Shame, Shame was written and produced by Sylvia Vanderpool Robinson of Mickey & Sylvia [Love Is Strange]. The song reached number twelve and was regarded as one of the first disco hits of the 70's.

Leonard Lee died in 1976. Shirley married and changed her name to Shirley Mae Goodman Pixley. She passed away on July 5, 2005. The best songs recorded by the duo were compiled on Ace as The Best Of Shirley & Lee."

Tracks are as follows -

1. Come On & Have Your Fun

2. I'll Thrill You

3. Don't Leave Me Here To Cry

4. Before I Go

5. The Reason Why

6. I Didn't Want You

7. I'll Do It

8. Everybody's Rockin'

Shirley & Lee - Side Three

Bembeya Jazz National

On the Syliphone label from the 80's I imagine. A delightful example of the music of Guinea in West Africa .

The Leopard Man says -

"Bembeya Jazz National is Guinea's most famous band and a giant in West African music.The band was active right up until 1991 and the modern bandleader
Bambino Diabate began here.
Like Rail Band, Bembeya Jazz National received economic government support.It was started in 1961 as Bembeya Jazz and won first prize in two national band competitions in 1962 and 1964, and in 1966 awarded the distinction of "National Orchestra". There was at this time a strong bond between Guinea's President Sekou Toure and Fidel Castro, and in 1965 Bembeya Jazz embarked on a famous tour to Cuba. The acclaimed Cuban singer Abelardo Barroso was moved to tears by Bembeya Jazz's vocalist, Aboubacar Camara. Camara was killed in a car accident in 1973, on route to a concert in Dakar, an event that provoked national mourning in Guinea. Camara's death, combined with political and economic problems in the country, meant that Bembeya Jazz never managed to regain their status of the 1960s, even though they were active and released several disks in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bembeya Jazz National plays strongly Cuban-influenced music.This Cuban-influence in West African music came about because the slaves sent to Cuba came, in all likelihood, from the Manding area of Guinea and Mali. The rhythmic patterns of the music lie close to each other and Cuban music is hugely popular in West Africa to this day. As Salif Keita once said: "I used to sing in Spanish - or at least something I thought was Spanish, for I didn't speak it. I love Cuban music and, more than that, I see it as a duty of all Mali’s people to love Cuban music, for it was through it that we were introduced to modern instruments."
To hear Bembeya Jazz National is an inspiring journey through an exciting musical landscape. Many rate Bembeya Jazz National as one of Africa's best ever bands.
At the beginning of the new millenium the band is up and going again, with most of the old members revitalised."

Bembaya Jazz National - Side Two

George Formby

A 4 LP boxed set of George's finest work released on the World Record label in 1977.

Wikipedia says -

"Formby was born at 3 Westminster Street, Wigan, Lancashire, as George Hoy Booth, the eldest of seven surviving children (four girls and three boys). Formby was born blind due to an obstructive caul; his sight was restored during a violent coughing fit or sneeze when he was a few months old. His father James Booth used the stage name George Formby, adopted from the town of Formby, Lancashire, and was one of the great music hall comedians of his day, fully the equal of his son's later success. His father, not wishing him to watch his performances, moved the family to Atherton Road in Hindley, near Wigan, and it was from there that Formby was apprenticed as a jockey when he was seven and rode his first professional race aged ten when he weighed under 4 stone (56 lb; 25 kg).

The family then moved to Stockton Heath, Warrington on a property on London Road. It was from there that George Formby Jr. embarked on his career in entertainment.

On the death of his father in 1921, Formby abandoned his career as a jockey and started his own music hall career using his father's material. He originally called himself George Hoy (the name of his maternal grandfather, who originally came from Newmarket, Suffolk, a famous horseracing town, where the family were involved in racehorse training). In 1924 he married dancer Beryl Ingham, who managed his career (and it is said his personal life to an intolerable degree—see biographies below) until her death in 1960. He allegedly took up the ukulele, for which he was later famous, as a hobby; he first played it on stage for a bet."

Tracks are as follows -

1. She Can't say No

2. The Joo Jah Tree

3. In My Little Snapshot Album

4. Hitting The Highspots Now

5. It's A Grand Healthy Life

6. Dan The Dairy Man

7. Bell Bottom George

8. George Formby Medley - Sitting On The Ice.../Do-de-o-do/ Chinese Laundry Blues

George Formby - Record One Side Two

Hawalatt

Hindi film soundtrack on one side of an album on the Super label from 1987. The other side features the film Dancing City.

IMDb says of the film -

"Geeta works for a newspaper as a reporter and exposes the drug-running crimes of Dharamdas and others involved with him, and as a result she is abducted, imprisoned, and raped repeatedly both by the criminals and a police inspector. Who will save her and others from the clutches of the criminals?"

Tracks are as follows -

1. Tere Pyar Pe Bharosa Kar To Lun - Lata Mangeshkar & D. Tahil

2. Step By Step - Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle & Chorus

3. Shayad Tu Mujhse Pyar Karti Hai - Shailendra Singh

Hawalatt - Side B

Gerard Hoffnung

An LP on the Columbia label from 1961 - a celebration of the works of Gerard Hoffnung who died two years earlier. Sounds like a fun evening but you probably had to be there to appreciate the humour which seems rather lost here.

Wikipedia says -

"Gerard Hoffnung (22 March 1925 – 25 September 1959) was an artist and musician, best known for his humorous works.

Born in Berlin, and named Gerhard, he was the only child of a well-to-do Jewish couple, Hildegard and Ludwig Hoffnung. In 1939, his parents left Germany, initially for Florence and then for London, where he attended Highgate School, while his father went to what was then the British Mandate of Palestine to enter the family's banking business. (This temporary separation became permanent as a consequence of World War II.)

Hoffnung died of a cerebral haemorrhage only 20 years after arriving in England but filled those two decades with considerable achievements as - amongst other things - a cartoonist, tuba player, impresario, broadcaster and public speaker, much sought after by the Oxford and CambridgeUnions.

Hoffnung published a series of books of cartoons poking gentle fun at conductors and orchestral instrumentalists. After his death, some of these were turned into a short animated film by Halas and Batchelor under the title The Hoffnung Symphony Orchestra, which won a number of awards in 1965-66.

He created three Hoffnung Music Festivals held at the Royal Festival Hall in London. These featured contributions from distinguished "serious" musicians. Compositions specially commissioned for the Festivals included Malcolm Arnold's A Grand, Grand Overture, Op. 57 ^] which was dedicated to U.S. President Herbert Hoover and was scored for several vacuum cleaners and other domestic appliances. Franz Reizenstein'sConcerto Popolare was described as "The Piano Concerto to end all Piano Concertos". William Walton conducted a one-note excerpt from his oratorio Belshazzar's Feast: the word, "Slain!" shouted by the chorus."

Tracks are -

1. Excerpt from "Belshazzar's Feast (William Walton)

2. Horrortorio (Joseph Horovitz)

3. Mobile for Seven Orchestras (Lawrence leonard)

Hoffnung - Side Two

Will Fyffe

This LP on the World Record label is a compilation of songs by the scottish comedian Will Fyffe which I always get mixed up with Sir Harry Lauder. Mostly from the late 20's and early 30's.

"He started his career in childhood touring with his father's dramatic company and made his debut as Little Willie in East Lynne.
At 15 he played Polonius in Shakespeares Hamlet. He then moved to the Music Halls doing sketches featuring Scottish characters many of which were recorded on to 78 rpm records. He appeared at the London Pavilion in 1921 and also appeared in a number of films during the 1930's.

He was presented with the C.B.E. for entertaining the troops during World War 2. He is best known for his recording of "I Belong To Glasgow" but made many other fine recordings demonstrating that he had an excellent singing voice and in my opinion was a superior entertainer to the better known Sir Harry Lauder."

Tracks are as follows -

1. I'm 94 Today

2. He's been On The Bottle Since A Baby

3. The railway Guard

4. Uncle Mac

5. The Skipper Of The Mercantile Marine

6. Corporall McDougal

7. It Is'nt The Hen

8. Sailing Up The Clyde

Will Fyffe - Side Two

Henry Blair

Scratchy old 78's bought at a charity shop the other day. A frequently played song on the radio of my youth - particularly Childrens Favourites.

Wikipedia says-

"Sparky was portrayed in the first three episodes in the series by Henry Blair, but was later voiced by Lee LeDoux and June Foray. The series was produced by Alan Livingston with orchestration by Billy May. The piano pieces on Sparky's Magic Piano were performed by Ray Turner. The voice of the piano was generated by Sonovox, an early version of the talk box. The series also featured many voices familiar to fans of Disney and Warner Bros. cartoons, as well as notable Capitol music artists, such as Stan Kenton.

Sparky albums were originally released on standard shellac 10-inch 78 RPM records, usually with three discs in each album and sold in the book-like covers, whence the term “album” originates. These six-sided record albums had a total playing time of about 20 minutes. In later years, the series was reissued on vinyl 78, 45, LP, and CD.

Sparky’s Magic Piano was the most popular album in the series. It is one of the few children’s albums of the period to remain available. Therefore the original 78s have a relatively low collectors' value. However it is not easy to acquire a complete set of the original wax records. The wax records are distinguishable by their black Capitol labels. Vinyl 78 versions are more common, with purple Capitol labels and sometimes a “Bozo Approved” logo in the corner of the album cover.

The unusual popularity of Sparky’s Magic Piano can be attributed to the fact that the album is not only an excellent work of children’s fantasy; it also has a useful moral that was inspirational to any child practising a musical instrument or studying classical music. Thus the album is a practical teaching tool as well as entertainment.

Because of the success of Sparky’s Magic Piano, two of the subsequent Sparky albums (Sparky's Music Mix-up and Sparky's Magic Baton) also involved talking musical instruments giving lessons for music students. Therefore the series seems to have taken a different direction to that which may have been originally intended. (The first album about talking trains was not musical, and was more dramatic than educational.)"

Henry Blair - Sparky's magic Piano Pt. 1

Henry Blair - Sparky's Magic Piano Pt. 2

Henry Blair - Sparky's Magic Piano Pt. 3

Henry Blair - Sparky's Magic Piano Pt. 4

Henry Blair - Sparky's Magic Piano Pt. 5

Henry Blair - Sparky's Magic Piano Pt. 6

Rupert Clemendore

Another of those mysterious records from Brick Lane flea market I think that caught my eye. Though the sleeve art is pretty subdued - no palm trees and exotic looking dusky maidens just the words "Patois Jazz" is enough to make me wonder what this might sound like. I must admit the general ambience of the tunes here fall into the cocktail lounge variety. Here is the whole of side one for your listening pleasure..

Tracks -

1. Mambo Cop Suey
2. Mambo Metronome
3. Eastern Conga
4. Off Beat
5. If Sorrow Fills My Heart
6. Clem's Confusion

The sleeve notes by Red Camp say-
"Who else but Rupert would keep the same off-beat two measures going for three and a half minutes under his own vocal? What's more, almost everyone so far likes it; and that's what's so disturbing. Neither of the two vocals is sung. The one with the syncopated perpetual motion is a rather involved story called "Clem's Confusion" relating various adventures with a kind of international harem which descend on innocent him whilst walking down Park Street. Strictly speaking, this is more of a recitation than a song - but not to be confused with the school room type.
What Rupert does with his voice on "Chop Suey Mambo"(sic), the other one, must remain completely unclassified.


Rupert Clemendore - Side One

Wes McGhee

A double LP bought from the Hospice Shop today for a quid. On the TRP Records label circa. 1984. Recorded live in Austin Texas. I had vaguely heard of Wes but I dont think I have anything by him. Attracted by the name of the LP "Thanks For The Chicken". I was hoping for a Chicken Song on it but did spot Rory McLeod's name who plays harmonica on Train Time. Rory is a big favourite and we've seen him several times playing live - always a treat.

His home page says -

"Wes McGhee was born in Leicestershire, England, began playing guitar with a local band when he was only 13 years old, graduated to playing in German rock clubs by the age of 18 and secured his first major record deal - with a division of Pye Records - three years later. His determination to marry psychedelic rock with country music did not endear him to the company, however, and he spent seven frustrating years locked into a contract while no records were being released.

During this time Wes put together the first version of what became his long-time backing band and recorded his first album (Long Nights and Banjo Music) once he was free from his old deal. Having developed an aversion to big record companies, he formed his own Terrapin Records label and subsequently released four other albums during the next six years."

Find out more about Wes HERE.

Tracks are -

1. Whisky Is My Driver
2. Texas No. 1
3. (They Used To Say) Train Time
4. Tear Stained Letter


Wes McGhee - Side Two

Roy Hudd

An LP I found at a boot sale a while back from 1965- recorded before an invited audience on the World Record Club label. Roy is joined by Doug Fisher, Sheila Steafel and Jock Druncan. Musical arrangements and direction by Norman Percival. I love the Singing Postman inspired song here "Peeping Tom" that sounds exactly like him!

"A famous face in showbiz for thirty five years, Roy Hudd is natural comedy entertainer, a talented actor, playwright, sketch-writer, and performer.

He broke into TV appearing on Not So Much A Programme, More A Way of Life, but found wider fame with 1969’s The Roy Hudd Show.

Since 1975 The News Huddlines has had an amazing run on Radio 2, and is something of an institution. Although it's currently off-air, it will be back next year.

Roy's work as a dramatic actor in television has also won him praise. Dennis Potter's Lipstick on your Collar proved a huge success. This led to his most endearing dramatic role, again written for him by Potter, that of Spoonerism-afflicted Ben Baglin in Karaoke.

Roy was recently seen as Archie Shuttleworth in Coronation Street."

Tracks as follows -

1. Notice To Quit
2. Peeping Tom
3. Share My Garden With Me
4. Please Put A Penny
5. The Society Wedding Stakes
6. Bus Driver
7. A Stroll Down Memory Lane




Roy Hudd - Side One

Larry Grayson

Another boot sale find on the York Records label from 1972. Larry sings few oldies including the Marrow Song we heard recently from Billy Cotton and Co. Also some songs written especially for him featuring characters from his stage act.

Wikipedia says-

"Born in Banbury in 1923 to unmarried parents, (he never met his father), ten days after he was born he was adopted by Alice and Jim Hammond, a poor, coal mining family in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. His foster mother died when he was six years old and he was raised by his eldest foster sister, Flo. When he was eight he discovered that his mysterious aunt Ethel was in fact his natural mother, though he always considered Flo as his mother.
He left school at the age of 14, and was soon working professionally under the name of Billy Breen as a supporting drag act on the comedy club circuit, and over the next thirty years he toured the UK not only in male revues and drag shows, but also in variety shows.

Grayson was one of the first television comedians to suggest a openly gay persona. He did not achieve stardom until he was in his fifties and had his own television show. An early TV appearance in the 1950s had led to many complaints about his act being too outrageous and Grayson had resigned himself to a career off television. He was very popular in review and working men's clubs with a unique and very gentle anecdotal style of comedy. It was usually based around his various 'friends' such as Everard, Apricot Lil, Slack Alice and the postman 'Pop it in Pete'. A lot of this was observational. Grayson's family had had the only telephone on the street as a kid and he used to listen to his neighbours using the phone.
Following a hit run of guest spots on ATV variety shows in the 1970s, he was rewarded by Lew Grade with his own award winning show, Shut That Door! (1975).
Grayson's popularity peaked when he moved over to the BBC to present The Generation Game in 1978."

Discover more about Larry Grayson HERE.

Tracks are as follows -

1. Apricot Lil
2. I've Got It Here
3. Everard's Birthday Party
4. Just A Gigolo
5. Slack Alice
6. The Marrow


Larry Grayson - Side Two

The Palm Court Theatre Orchestra

I found this LP at a boot sale a few years ago. Released on the Chandos label in 1980. Sadly the gate-fold sleeve has been stuck together after being left in the rain so trying to read the sleeve notes is made quite difficult. No information about them could be gleaned from the internet so as far as can make out they were formed in 1978 by Mr. Anthony Godwin, bass clarinettist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. He had inherited a complete library of theatre music dating from 1880 to 1930 and it's from this that their repetoire is mainly drawn. They try and re-create the sound and atmostphere of those early days by using instruments of that era.

Myette Godwin (daughter of Anthony Godwin ) writes -

"When I was 14 years old my Father, Anthony Godwin and Mother, Patricia Godwin started the highly popular and successful Palm Court Theatre Orchestra. Our home became a constant theatre production line with all family members engaged in costume making, painting stage sets and making props. During School holidays I got to sing with these amazing musicians and performers and tour with the company. I got to perform as part of the Palm Court Theatre Orchestra for the opening of the Orient Express in Paris, The Barbican in London, The Park Lane and Savoy Hotels and many theatres up and down the country. My sister, Saskia Godwin (recently graduated from RADA and currently working as DSM for the Mouse Trap in Londons West End) and I sang as a duo on many of the occasions either dressed as Victorian maids or as 1920s,30s 40s girls. I also appear on one of the recordings as a peasant and roisterer. My parents started this highly theatrical Orchestra after inheriting a very rare library of music from 19th and 20th centuries. This library had belonged to my granddad Norman Herbert Godwin, a conductor of light orchestras in the West Country. His entire family were on the stage in one way or another including his mother Grandma Godwin. As soon as the children could walk they were given an instrument to play in the concert entertainment to put food on the table and prevent the fears of entering the workhouse. The Great Grandmothers show was called Grandmas Birthday and every child was involved, this became a countrywide touring company. There was a bit of snobbery later between family members who went into classical music rather than the Music Hall I am very proud of them all and think it amazing to have run a touring theatre company in the Victorian and Edwardian era all that washing costumes by hand and travelling by steam train!? "

Tracks are as follows -

1. Whistle For Me (1912) - Written by Arthur Fane
2. In The Shadows (1910) - : : Herman Finck
3. Polly (1926) - : : J. S. Zamecnik
4. Down In Zanzibar (1917) : : Charles W. Ancliffe
5. The Ragtime Bass Player-(1913) : Adolph Lotter
6. Two Little Sausages (1907) : : Lionel Monckton
7. In A Persian Market (1920) : : Albert W. Ketelbey



Palm Court Theatre Orch. - Side Two