The Sound Of Feeling – Spleen (1969)

Artist: The Sound Of Feeling
Title: Spleen
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: Limelight

An incredible record from this enigmatic vocal group! Sound Of Feeling were an ultra hip trio (2 gals, 1 guy) who recorded under the aegis of Leonard Feather at the end of the 60s — and who worked in a mode that combined sweet harmony vocals, sunshine pop, and some surprisingly experimental touches! The tunes on this set are a weird blend of dreamy numbers and other tunes that really push the boundaries of vocal expression — very tripped-out numbers that are a bit like some of the later experimental work by the Swingle II ensemble. Titles include “Mixolydian Mode”, “Spleen”, “Along Came Sam”, “The Time Has Come For Silence”, “Up Into Silence”, and “Hex”. (Dusty Groove)

The Sound of Feeling was a group initially consisting of multi-instrumentalist/arranger/singer Gary David and twin sister vocalists (Alyce Bielfeldt and Rhae Bielfeldt (later Alyce and Rhae Andrece), who met in Los Angeles in the mid-1960’s. The sisters had been trying to break as a singing duo, and had even done a stint in Las Vegas as showgirls, whilst David had been playing jazz in the area around San Francisco, following his discharge from the army in 1959. In addition to being proficient on bass, piano, and drums, he also sang and arranged. He and the Andreces, choosing the name The Sound of Feeling, moved into realms of avant-garde jazz that managed to incorporate elements of pop music, classical, and even folk sources, built around the sisters’ unique, soaring vocal sound.

Their music, a bolder variant of the kind of vocalise approach that the Swingle Singers had been burning up the charts with (and which the Manhattan Transfer would virtually patent in the 70’s), made them too cutting-edge to succeed as more than a cult act in mid-1960’s Los Angeles; a stint at a club called the Losers, on the Sunset Strip had them pegged as “too far out,” according to David in his notes to the 2007 reissue of their two albums. But by 1967, amid the burgeoning psychedelic boom, the Sound of Feeling were in exactly the right position in relation to pop and jazz — they were heard by jazz critic/scholar Leonard Feather, who took to their innovative approach to jazz vocalizing and put them together with Oliver Nelson.

The result was their debut album for Verve Records, with Feather producing, supported by Nelson on soprano sax, with Ray Neapolitan (bass), Chuck Domanico (bass) and Dick Fisher (drums), which earned a Grammy nomination. They were signed to Mercury Records following an appearance with Duke Ellington at the Newport Jazz Festival, which yielded their second album, Spleen, which — like its predecessor — got a Grammy Award nomination. The group continued working together until 1972 when David and the Andreces went their separate ways. (Bruce Eder, All Music Guide)

Track Listing

1. Hurdy Gurdy Man
2. Hex
3. Up Into Silence
4. The Time Has Come For Silence
5. Along Came Sam (The Morning Of The Mutations)
6. The Sound Of Silence
7. Spleen
8. Mixolydian Mode（From The Microcosmos Book Ⅱ)
   

The Aquarians – Jungle Grass (1970)

Artist: The Aquarians
Title: Jungle Grass
Year: 1969
Format: LP
Label: UNI

Part of the strange California zodiac pop funk scene, the Aquarians took astrology rock in several interesting and generally unexplored directions. While primarily the brainchild of composer, arranger, and pianist Vladimir Vassilieff, the Aquarians were actually a supergroup of talented jazz musicians. Featuring Stan Gilbert, a much in-demand bassist at the time, and the incomparable Afro-Cuban percussion of Francisco Aguabella, the Aquarians blended a one love hippie philosophy with smooth, Latin-tinged jazz.

Their first, and only, album, Jungle Grass sounds close to related astrology rockers Friends of Distinction (which also featured Stan Gilbert) and the 5th Dimension. While evidencing a nominal interest in astrology, the tracks on Jungle Grass are, at the core, jazz with a heavy Afro-Cuban (evident in the percussion), and possibly a Brazilian Tropicalia (evident in the vocals), influence. On an album packed with talent, there are few solos and no showboating — the performance of each member is subservient to the groove.

On the opener, “Bayu-Bayu,” Aguabella lays down several beautiful fills over the sing-song vocal. “Batakum” features nice sax work by Joe Roccisano playing under the sign of Pharoh Sanders. A solid but not explosive album, Jungle Grass is definitely an under appreciated effort and is currently sought after by certain DJs for its little sampled piano flourishes and percussion breaks. (Brian Whitener, All Music Guide)

Track Listing

1. Bayu-Bayu
2. Adela
3. The Aquarians
4. What Do You Mean ?, What Do I Mean
5. Excuses, Excuses
6. Batakum
7. The Head
8. Saja/Jungle Grass
9. Mucho Soul
   

Sandy Hurvitz – Sandy’s Album Is Here At Last! (1967)

Artist: Sandy Hurvitz
Title: Sandy’s Album Is Here At Last!
Year: 1967
Format: LP
Label: Verve

The teenage Hurvitz, prior to becoming Essra Mohawk, made this hit and miss recording for Frank Zappa’s Bizarre label. Zappa was the project’s original producer, before various disagreements saw him replaced by Ian Underwood. The results suggest that Underwood was narcoleptic, or a perpetual absentee — it’s hard to credit his input with a title so lofty as producer. Hurvitz’s songs — long, formless, intense creations — may in all likelihood be of the very finest, but it’s impossible to tell. All the cuts seem to have been recorded through a dense, woolen sock, and each is nearly impenetrable as a result.

Apart from the occasional intrusion of a small band, and a flautist, it’s essentially a solo recital — just Hurvitz and her piano — but even the songs most bare of instrumentation are clouded and marred by the rotten production job, which also succeeds in making Hurvitz’ lyrics completely unintelligible. The song titles — “Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic,” “Tree of Trees,” and “The Sun” point towards a bright, sparkling imagination, but the sound quality of Sandy’s Album means that even that cannot be verified. (Allmusic)

Track Listing

1. Child
2. Three Hawks
3. All This Time Going By
4. Woman
5. The Sun
6. Many Different Things
7. You’ll Dance Alone
8. Tree Of Trees
9. Arch Godliness Of Purplefull Magic
10. Love Is What I’ve Found