Steve Allen featuring Gabor Szabo – Songs For Gentle People (1967)

Artist: Steve Allen featuring Gabor Szabo
Title: Songs For Gentle People
Year: 1967
Format: LP
Label: Dunhill

Brought To You By The Big “N”

Here, producer Bob Thiele concocted, perhaps, the least successful of his musical alliances. Thiele’s inspired pairings already included Ellington with Armstrong and Ellington with Coltrane.

He also arranged (around the same time) for Johnny Hodges to record with Lawrence Welk and would soon, more successfully, unite Allen with arranger Oliver Nelson. But Allen’s cocktail piano pop style stirred with Gabor Szabo’s edgier “in” sound seems like a miscalculation even in theory. Commercial intentions were no doubt considered, especially given many of the titles present and the brief running time of each.

SONGS FOR GENTLE PEOPLE fails, primarily, because Thiele shows his hand. There are at least two recordings here — a partially complete Steve Allen album and several outstanding Szabo leftovers.

Thiele has the guitarist drop in some doodles here and there over a series of Allen’s ‘summer of love’ recordings (“Here Comes Sgt. Pepper,” “So Nice,” “San Francisco,” “Something Stupid,” “Groovin’” and “59th Street Bridge”)

Despite pedestrian arrangements and Allen’s often cloying harpsichord, the guitarist seems game and shows how economically he can embellish a theme. As Szabo’s jagged sound waxes melodic, it becomes much missed when absent from such forgettable themes as “Here Comes Sgt. Pepper,” ” Something Stupid,” and “Green.”

Likewise, Allen seems dubbed on top of Szabo’s three utterly distinctive — and worthwhile — originals and, as a result, seems reduced to merely comping. At such stylistic odds with the rest of the material, these songs undoubtedly employ an alternative rhythm section (featuring Jimmy Stewart)

They certainly engage the listener in the way they open spaces for improvisation and hints of interaction lacking elsewhere on the record. “Fox” is an infectious melody built on a rhythmic electric-bass ostinato.

Allen surprises with a riveting harpsichord solo (suspended on well-used block chords). Szabo then spins a rousing, rolling cadenza into one of his hypnotic frenzies. (Allen added lyrics to this song, which produced a vocal version titled “Are You There” on Szabo’s WIND, SKY AND DIAMONDS album.).

“Flowers and Love,” though merely a vamp, is significant not only in spotlighting Gabor’s first recorded use of feedback, but Jimmy Stewart’s introduction provides what became the foundation for Szabo’s future presentations of his significant composition, “Mizrab.”

The 12-bar blues of “Flower Revolution” (Szabo probably had little to do with the “flower power” theme of these titles) lets the guitarist just have a good time and play. Even at tempos like this, Szabo’s melodicism is apparent.

His playing has a singing, almost story-like quality to it which becomes evident upon repeated listens. Allen’s support on piano is more aggressive and engaging here; yet his squeaky-clean approach is a bit forced.

A multitude of misjudgments will eradicate SONGS FOR GENTLE PEOPLE from ever achieving any sort of acknowledgment (not even producer Bob Thiele remembered it in 1995).

While both Steve Allen and Gabor Szabo have shown, elsewhere, talents history may endure, neither is considered significant enough in the final analysis to rate the resurrection of such doomed material.

As a result, rewarding Szabo performances like “Fox,” “Flowers and Love” and “Flower Revolution” endure a fate that keeps them unheard by many of Szabo’s admirers. (Doug Payne)

Track Listing

1. Here Comes Sgt. Pepper
2. So Nice
3. San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)
4. Something Stupid
5. Groovin’
6. Fox
7. Keep Telling Me
8. Flowers And Love
9. 59th Street Bridge
10. Green
11. Flower Revolution
    

Minnesoda – Minnesoda [Vinyl] (1972)

Artist: Minnesoda
Title: Minnesoda
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Capitol

Minnesoda did an obscure but fairly interesting self-titled jazz-rock album for Capitol in 1972. Produced by Bob Johnston (famous for his work with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Simon & Garfunkel, and numerous others).

The group consisted of John Elms (vocals), Ed Shaw (trumpet), Rick Warner (tenor sax), Don Lehnhoff (trombone), Dave Gustafson (tenor sax), Charles Dahl (guitar), Bob Anderson (drums) and Wayne Cafarella (bass).

The record was in limited respects like the first recordings of Chicago and, more distantly, Blood, Sweat & Tears in its jazz-rock-with-vocals format. Minnesoda however had a substantially greater funk flavor, and a speedier, more aggressive edge to their material, though they didn’t have the pop-friendly melodies of the more renowned bands.

Half of Minnesoda’s eight members were on horns, with tenor saxophonist Dave Gustafson playing flute as well, adding to the rock band-as-big-band feel.

A couple of the musicians in Minnesoda had performed with name acts prior to the album. Trombonist Don Lehnhoff had played with Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels.

Much more unexpectedly, trumpeter Eddie Shaw had in the 1960s been the bassist for the Monks, the 1960s band of ex-GIs who recorded an album of ludicrously minimalist, furious pre-punk in Germany in the mid-1960s, a record that was unknown by 1972, but which by the 1990s had an avid cult following.

Minnesoda were at first called Copperhead, but without the band’s knowledge, they were renamed Minnesoda (in a nod to their Minnesota origins) for the Capitol album. (They were no relation to another band called Copperhead, including ex-Quicksilver Messenger Service guitarist John Cipollina, that also recorded in the early 1970s.)

Johnston recorded a second album with the band that went a little further into jazz, and further away from any rough similarities with Chicago, although they were still present. But Johnston was unable to get the LP released, and Minnesoda remained their only issued LP. (Richie Unterberger)

Track Listing

1. Let’s Get It On
2. Smoking Bitch
3. Misery Isn’t Free
4. Shop Talk
5. When Is My Season
6. Flex
7. Child’s Play
8. Party
9. Maggie
   

The Section – The Section (1972)

Artist: The Section
Title: The Section
Year: 1972
Format: LP
Label: Warner Brothers

After leaving the west coast group The City (see their “Now That Everything Has Been Said” post of June 17, 2010), Danny Kortchmar had settled into the security of an in-demand L.A. session musician, and along with Lee Sklar (bass), Craig Doerge (keyboards) and Russ Kunkel (drums), they formed a backup band to accompany James Taylor on his first National tour.

The band decided to stay together afterwards, calling themselves the Section, putting out three records, “The Section” [1972] and “Forward Motion” [1973] on Warner Brothers and finally “Fork It Over” [1977] on Capitol.

On this, their first album, they are joined by Michael Brecker on soprano sax and flute. All the tracks are original compositions except a re-working of the Otis Redding hit”Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay”.

The music is quite surprising considering the source, and at times reminding me (at times) of a mellower Weather Report or the “Sleep Dirt” Frank Zappa” period, featuring some wonderful arrangements by the group. The album which has been long out of print, was released a few years ago on CD in Japan. (Prairie Prince Minsky)

Track Listing

1. Second Degree
2. Same Old Same Old
3. Sporadic Vacuums Of Thought
4. Sitting On the Dock Of The Bay
5. Holy Frijoles
6. Doing The Meatball
7. Swan Song
8. The Thing What Is
9. Mah-Hoo-Dah-Vah l)
10. Zippo Dippo
    

Shades Of Joy – Shades Of Joy (1969)

Artist: Shades Of Joy
Title: Shades Of Joy
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: Fontana

Shades Of Joy were Martin Fierro (Alto Tenor, Soprano Sax, Flute, Vocals), Edward Adams (Bass), Jose Rodriguez (Drums, Tambourine), Jackie King (Guitar, Sitar), Jymm Young (Piano, Flugelhorn), Lee Charlton (Sound Effects, One String Violin), and Millie Foster (Vocals).

Although based in San Francisco, California, the founders of this jazz rock unit were Texan émigrés. Leader Martin Fierro (horns,vocals) was a former member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and Mother Earth, while Millie Foster (vocals), Jackie King (San Antonio, Texas, USA; guitar, sitar), Jymm Young (keyboards), Edward Adams (bass) and Jose Rodrigues (drums) were veterans of various avant garde and blues bands. The band’s albums were undeniably competent with top notch players. (fcvinyl

Track Listing

1. Icarus Revealed
2. Come And Throw Rye Bread
3. Crying Bag
4. 4th Stride (Truncated)
5. 4th Stride
6. It’s Time
7. Bye, Bye Love
8. Andy’s Dream
9. Blues For Millie
10. Tada
    

Fountainhead – Fountainhead (1970)

Artist: Fountainhead
Title: Fountainhead
Year: 1970
Format: LP
Label: GWP

Fountainhead is a Southern Florida jazz-rock group consisting of Gus Mas (tenor saxophone), Eddie Crane (alto saxophone), Vinnie Tanno (lead trumpet), Phil Gilbert (trumpet), Ken Faulk (trumpet), Dolphe Castellano (piano), Lee Schwartz (drums) and David Glatts (bass).

The album, which only contains four selections, was arranged by Mike Lewis and produced by
Teo Macero and includes two Mike Lewis originals (“Orchestration 70″ and “Ballet”) which are the two long tracks, and two covers (“Mac Arthur Park” and “Honky Tonk Woman”). A short, but fantastic Lp. (Jack Dominilla)

Track Listing

1. Mac Arthur Park
2. Orchestration 70
3. Ballet
4. Honky Tonk Woman
   

Steve Marcus – Tomorrow Never Knows (1968)

Artist: Steve Marcus
Title: Tomorrow Never Knows
Year: 1968
Format: LP
Label: Vortex

Saxophonist Steve Marcus spent the late 60′s & early 70′s touring & recording with Gary Burton, Herbie Mann & Larry Coryell as well as playing with guitarist Sonny Sharrock & vibe man Roy Ayers. This album was originally released on Atlantic’s Vortex label in 1968.

Produced by Herbie Mann & featuring Larry Coryell on guitar – the ‘jazz’ band works its way thru free form psychedelic rock versions of songs by The Byrds (‘Eight Miles High’), Donovan (‘Mellow Yellow’), & the Beatles (an 11 minute freakout of ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ & 7 minutes of ‘Rain’).

Fans of lounge-core kitsch will enjoy these late 60′s pop music instrumental grooves, while modern jazz fans will love the Coltrane-like freak out of Marcus’ sax work & rock fans will dig some of Coryell’s most distorted & shredding guitar work. (Prairie Prince Minsky)

Track Listing

1. Eight Miles High
2. Mellow Yellow
3. Listen People
4. Rain
5. Tomorrow Never Knows
6. Half A Heart
   

Luis Gasca – For Those Who Chant (1971)

Artist: Luis Gasca
Title: For Those Who Chant
Year: 1971
Format: LP
Label: Blue Thumb

A sublime product of the convocation of bona-fide musical masters. Some call it the lost Santana album (the entire 1971 Santana lineup is present), and yes in a way it is…but it’s much more than that. Aside from the consummate trumpet maestro Gasca, we have Lenny White (additional drums), bass god Stanley Clarke, and the absolute icing on the cake….