Spinning Today - What Are You Listening To Right Now? (Part 3)

[Pigmy Pony]

Alonso - 'Alonso'



There is no information about this CD on Discogs, as it was privately recorded and 'pressed'. All I can do is quote verbatim from the sleeve notes:

"This CD is a collection of covers and original songs. The covers and also 'Hey Mr. Postman' were recorded in Amsterdam in August 97, and feature Carlos Varnos on the electric guitar. The following five compositions were produced later the same year in Rio de Janeiro, my home town, with session musicians."

Tracks:

1 No woman no cry/Knocking on heaven's door
2 While my guitar gently weeps
3 Teach your children
4 All along the watchtower
5 Hey Mr. Postman
6 Glad to carry on
7 Holiday
8 In the maze of my heart
9 No matter what you say
10 Almost

Contacts:
Telephone: +44 (0)956 362 819
e-mail: alonsorio@hotmail.com

I have to say I rather like this disc, picked up in a charity shop. An example of pure Serendipity!

I can see only one copy of this on Ebay, on offer for over 13 quid, so you did pretty good there

[Pigmy Pony]

Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Band Group - 'Live'



Label: Epic – EPC 86025, Epic – S EPC 86025
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1977
Genre: Jazz, Rock
Style: Fusion, Jazz-Rock

I was reminded of this by Piggurs, as it was Jan Hammer's birthday yesterday. Haven't played it for a long time and I now know why - it's awful: Jeff Beck might as well have not been there; Jan Hammer's synthesisers dominating the whole sound . It's a live recording, so the performance might have been enjoyable and exciting, but on LP none of that comes across.

With less than 3 days to go, I'm still the highest bidder

[Macca]

I've always had doubts about Jeff Beck's later recordings and collaborations, so I played this to check:

Jeff Beck With Terry Bozzio And Tony Hymas – 'Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop'



Label: Epic – 463472 1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock, Fusion, Alternative Rock

Verdict - IMO much, much better than his collaboration with Jan Hammer, but not as good as his early recordings: 'Truth' and 'Beck-Ola'.

I've got that, it's not great is it? Mind you I've never really got into his stuff. 'Blow By Blow' is okay.

[Pigmy Pony]

Rickie Lee-Jones - 'Pirates'



Label: Warner Bros. Records – P-10900W
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Warner-Pioneer pressing with obi band
Country: Japan
Released: 1981
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Rhythm & Blues

Nice. I feel a "Rickie Lee Jones day" coming on I have no experience of albums with "Obi strips" on them - do they tend to be better pressings?

[Barry]

I've got that, it's not great is it? Mind you I've never really got into his stuff. 'Blow By Blow' is okay.

I agree, it's not bad, but not good either. And the same applies to 'Blow By Blow'; a couple of tracks are ruined IMO by the use of a 'voice box' (or is it a 'vocoder?), a sound processing device I detest with its horrible nasal sound.

I have come to the conclusion that the later Beck collaborations were almost becoming a sort of funky AOR.

His first two albums: 'Truth' and 'Beck-Ola' are the only two worth keeping - the rest are going to go to a charity shop (unless anyone here wants them).