Vacances

Guess where I'm going for a fortnight? I leave you with a batch of French recordings suitably compiled for my journey. See you soon...

Henny Vonk

Henny Vonk - Vonk's First!
Philips 855838 XPY (1969)

A great little album by songstress Henny Vonk on Dutch Philips. Her name crops up regularly for those Chris Hinze, John Lee/Gerry Brown albums of the 70s but she's hardly what I'd call prolific and you never see this one, her debut.

What lifts this for me is the slick backing of the Rob van den Broek Trio and the arrangements of Tony Vos who guests on sax. Cracking stuff!

Dany Montano Interpreta Bossa Nova

Music Hall 60011 (mid 60s?)

Been a while since I posted some bossa so (atrocious artwork aside) here's a rare Argentine EP of a subtly alternative vintage. Nothing earth-shattering but an authentic, laid back & cool listen.

1) Solo
2) El Barquito
3) Ten Pena De Mi
4) El Pato

Waldo De Los Rios

Waldo De Los Rios y su Quinteto ''Los Waldos'' - En Europa
Hispavox/Music Hall MH-12.653 (1967)

Altho' listed as a solo effort this LP features the Argentine band Los Waldos which was formed by and included Waldo de los Rios. Based in Spain they appear to have disbanded in the late sixties when Waldo started his solo career.

Waldo de los Rios (arranger, piano)
Cecar Gentili (keyboards)
Willy Rubio (guitars)
Roberto Stella (drums)
Alberto Carbia (Bass)

Not entirely sure what compels me to listen to this occasionally 'cos it's a strange beast. Modal jazz meets easy exotica, avant-garde meets lounge... all peppered with groovy electronics. Definitely a curiosity.

1) El Hacha Y El Quebracho
2) Zamba En Nueva York
3) Tero Tero
4) El Algarrobo Que Hablará Con Los Pájaros
5) Metamorfósis Folkórica Sobre...
6) Así Nació El Carnaval
7) De Dónde Vienen Las Guitarras
8) Fuera De Ritmo
9) El Último De Los Matacos
10) Tertulia

Memphis Jackson

Milt Jackson with The Ray Brown Big Band - Memphis Jackson Impulse AS-9193 (1969)

Here's a very groovy big band outing from Milt Jackson & Ray Brown, off the top of my head I can't think of another release by either of them that matches the sheer good-time funkiness this LP manages to generate without losing their jazz sensibilities.

Featuring an all-star line up including Ernie Watts, Harold Land, Mike Melvoin, Wilton Felder, Earl Palmer, Joe Sample, Howard Roberts, Paul Humphries & Victor Feldman amongst many others.

1) Uh-Huh
2) One Mint Julep (One Way)
3) Oh Happy Day
4) Memphis Junction
5) Queen Mother Stomp
6) Braddock Breakdown
7) A Sound For Sore Ears
8) Enchanted Lady
9) One Mint Julep (The Other Way)
10) Picking Up The Vibrations

Vocal Ease

B.J. Ward - Vocal Ease Catfish 5C 062-24323 (1974)

Solo outing from Ms. Ward of 'Inner Dialogue' fame. A melange of jazzy, funky soft-rock musings out of Holland, highly sought after and fetching crazy money for an original - I'll let you believe the hype or otherwise. That said, what we do have are some groovy, upbeat covers of the likes of Neil Young, Tom Jones, Gerry Rafferty, The Beach Boys & Rachmaninov! along side groovy originals and lushly arranged jazzy ballads. All odd but it works very well.

The Dutch band feature Henny Kluvers - Flute, Frank van Luin - Bass Trombone, Richard Pullin - Trombone, Carl Schultze - Vibes, Donn Trenner - Piano & Organ, Thijmen Hoolwerf - Guitar, Frank Noya - Bass, Eric Ineke & Cor van den Berg - Drums, George Souto - Percussion with a string section comprising Sem Nijveen, Bennie Behr, Lex Cachet, Lucien Grignard, Ronald Kok, Guus Valten, G. Gerritsen & Carlo Carcassoia.

1) Vocalise
2) Keep It To Yourself
3) Earth Child - Moon Child
4) Here We Are
5) The Loner
6) Try To Remember
7) That's How The World Is Made
8) The Music Of Love
9) Billy's Blues
10) I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
11) Words On Words
12) I Don't Know Where I'm Going

Il Killer

Gianni Ferrio - Il Killer CAM SAG-9012 (1969)
Colonna Sonora Originale

Here's a kookie but infinitely groovy score to the Italian TV comedy "Il Killer". Here Ferrio blurs the edges of jazzy cool to sixties cheese and everything in between. Take some uptempo jazz, elegant lounge, soothing bossa, a hint of psychedelia - serve liberally with Hammond and horns and sprinkle with sitar. Voila, Molto Hip!