Black Woman !!

Yet another Jazz great who died relatively young; 53. Sonny started

musically in his teens singing Doo Wop, until he moved on to collaborate

with Pharoah Sanders, and Alexander Solla in the late 60s. He wanted to play

tenor saxophone from his youth after hearing John Coltrane on Davis's

Kind of Blue on the radio at age 19, but his asthma prevented this.

Sharrock said repeatedly, however, that he still considered himself "a

horn player with a really fucked up axe.". I posted this album some

years ago, but the link is dead, and I have recently listened to it again.

So, here we are haha. Anyway, read more about him, if you're

interested. Now, for the album ...

Bass – Norris Jones, Richard Pierce (tracks: B1 to B3)
Drums – Milford Graves
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Piano – Dave Burrell
Producer – Herbie Mann
Trumpet – Teddy Daniel* (tracks: B1 to B3)
Voice – Linda Sharrock

Sonny Sharrock

1969

Milt Ward And Virgo Spectrum !!

I can't find much of anything on

Milt. Nevertheless, this single album

that he did is worth your time. I also
don't remember where I got this
album; the rip is not my doing.

Alto Saxophone, Flute – Eddie Alex
Baritone Saxophone – Glenn Barbour
Bass – Cecil McBee
Drums – Hugh Peterson
Electric Bass – Coucho Martinez
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Delmar Brown
Tenor Saxophone – Carlos Garnett
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Billy Pierce
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Milt Ward

Milt Ward

circa 1976?

People Moving !!

This is a requested re-up, and I'm glad to do so because it

puts this album back into my ears. I mean, just look at the

lineup: Patricia Rushen, Lee Ritenour, Mtume ....It's fantastic!

To me, the best cut off of this is Gratitude, which is a nod to

God; Fitting into my recent Gospel theme. If you're unfamiliar

with Azar, his website provides an informative bio. Enjoy!

Cheryl Barnes Vocals
George Bohannon Trombone
Oscar Brashear Trumpet
John Brown Guitar, Synthesizer
Buddy Collette Sax (Tenor)
Chuck Findley Trumpet
Paul Jackson Guitar (Bass)
Paul Jackson, Jr. Bass (Electric)
Josie James Vocals
Azar Lawrence Primary Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Harvey Mason, Sr. Drums
Mtume Percussion
James Mtume Percussion
Jerry Peters Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer
Richie Ricardo Percussion
Lee Ritenour Guitar
John Rowin Guitar
Patrice Rushen Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Piano (Electric), Synthesizer, Vocals
Skip Scarborough Arranger, Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Synthesizer
Michael Stanton Arranger, Clavichord, Keyboards, Piano, Piano (Electric), Synthesizer
Ernie Watts Sax (Alto)
Michael Wright Vocals

Azar Lawrence

1976

A Request From Me

There is an album, or rather a series of albums that I am desperate to find. 

It's called American Giovane, and I'm looking specifically for the one

done by Daniela Casa. But I really want ANY of that series.

If any of you have it, please share it with me :)

Faith Is The Key !!

Founded by ordained bishop Larry H. Jordan and his brother-in-law

Frank Tinsley in the early 1980s, Enlightment was among the first groups

to fuse modern R&B production with gospel themes. Unfortunately, the

independent release of their 1984 debut album Faith Is The Key was

torpedoed when both their distributor and pressing plant went out of

business. After more than three decades as a lost classic, the debut album

by this Washington DC soul/gospel outfit has since been reissued; Once

unofficially, and now by Nature Sounds. However, Discogs reviews claim

that not only do some of the tracks have clicking sounds, but also the cover

art is blurred, leaving us to wonder if this too is unofficial or just poor

reproduction by the label. Regardless, enjoy!

Arranged By – Larry H. Jordan

Backing Vocals – Larry H. Jordan, Marilyn Monroe (2), Rhonda Lathon Holmes, Sheila Stubblefield

Drums – Harold Young

Guitar – Tony Harod

Horns – Tim Eyermann

Saxophone – Joe Garling

Synthesizer – Al Johnson

Enlightment

1984

Office Romance (Служебный роман) OST !!

USSR state label Мелодия (Melody) was founded in 1964. It was the only label

within the Soviet Union after that year. I recently came across six albums from

this label which were released in the 70's and 80's. This is by far the best of

those finds. In Cyrillic, the title is Служебный Роман, and it's soundtrack

meanders through Jazz, Library, and funky Pop. Mine is a 1979 reissue,

so I've provided both it's cover as well as the original.

Conductor – Э. Хачатурян*

Engineer [Uncredited] – Юрий Рабинович

Music By – Андрей Петров

Orchestra – Оркестр Госкино СССР*

Vocals – А. Фрейндлих* (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B10, B13), А. Мягков* (tracks: A6, B7, B9, B13)

Vocals [Вокальный Ансамбль] – Unknown Artist

Андрей Петров

(Andrey Petrov)

1977

**1979 reissue cover

**original cover

movie poster

The Music Library !!

The Music Library is a compilation of cover artwork from some

of the most important, and beautiful, library LPs made throughout

the 50s, 60s and 70s. It features a foreword by Dammers

and an exclusive CD of rare recordings. Library music (also known

as source music and, occasionally, mood music) was first made for people

who needed cheap, somewhat generic music as backgrounds for animations,

low-budget advertisements, and television programs. Unavailable commercially

to the public, this music was pressed beginning in the 1950s in limited

quantities, and then sent directly to production houses and

radio stations for use when necessary.

Various Artists

2005

Guitar Interludes !!

I ran across this album the other day for only a couple dollars,

so I had to get it. Little did I know that this 1977 reissue is worth

about $50. The original is in the couple hundred range. Joe is 

considered by many to be one of the greatest Jazz guitarists

of the 20th century. This was apparently the record which

bumped him out of a career slump.

Arranged By, Conductor – Robert C. Smale*

Bass – Monty Budwig

Cello – Jess Ehrlich*

Design [Album] – Dilleen Marsh

Drums – Colin Bailey

Engineer [Consulting] – Rod Nicas

Executive-Producer – Dennis Smith (4)

Graphics – Jeremy Kay (4)

Guitar – Joe Pass

Keyboards – Mike Melvoin

Percussion – Victor Feldman

Producer – Albert Marx

Rhythm Guitar – Vincent Terri

Vocals – Bob Tebow, Gene Merlino, Gwen Johnson, Jim Bryant, John Bahler, Nancy Adams, Vangie Carmichael

Joe Pass

1969

There Is A God Somewhere !!

Continuing with the theme of rare, yet killer Gospel-Soul,

this Nashville recorded God-revering album is considered

a Holy Grail of this subgenre. This vinyl rip is not my own,

and I can't remember what blog I originally got it from.

However, I came to know of the album through an episode of

Crate Diggers. At this point, there have been several reissues, so

grab a copy if you want it on wax

Earl Wright: lead guitar,Rhythm and Bass Guitars

Andre Watts: Rhythm and Bass Guitars

Jesse Jones ,Sr: Bass Guitar

Jesse Jones ,Jr:Drums

Dave Reece: Piano and Organ

Vocal background: John Neal,Jesse Jones, Earl Wright

Lead Vocals: Andre Watts, Earl Wright

Earl Wright (3)music with Oliver Sain

Andrew Wartts

and The Gospel Storytellers

1982

Everything - God Is Love '78 !!

Via Numero Group:
For outsider gospel visionary and Detroit native
Otis G. Johnson, the Holy Ghost was in the machine...
in this case a rhythm-equipped Hammond organ.
Everything - God Is Love 78, a singular 1978 mid-fi
document, features android percussion against chords of
Otis’s own invention, possessed by minor tonality and frequent
bum notes. Lifting it further are extemporaneous vocal
homilies to the rapture, love, and everything, plus occasional
“other” voicings that scratch at the periphery of the mix.
Homespun gospel rarely entered this dirge-like, intuitive
space, nor did it commonly achieve such a spectral and
captivating hymn to its darkest conventions.

A reissue can be found here

Arranged By, Composed By – Otis G. Johnson

Composed By – Otis G. Johnson

Engineer [Mix] – Danny Dallas

Producer – Otis G. Johnson

Otis G. Johnson

1978

It'll All Be Over !!

Sometimes, the worse the cover art...the greater the music.

Such is the result, here. I've read via Numero Group that much of the

underground Gospel covers were a result of using (and reusing)

affordable clip art made available by only a handful of companies;

then, simply adding the needed text, often haphazardly.

I've been on quite a kick for these types of albums

as of late, so expect many more.

Baritone Vocals – Joe Kingsby

Bass – Tim Sanders (5)

Design [Re-release] – Chunklet Graphic Control, Henry H. Owings

Drums – Philip Sanders (2)

Executive-Producer [Re-release] – David Haffner, Josh Wright, Matt Sullivan (4)

Guitar – Larry Price (6)

Keyboards – Len Sanders*

Lead Vocals – Dave Kingsby*

Liner Notes – Jessica Hundley

Photography [Archival Material] – David Haffner, The Supreme Jubilees

Proofreading – Hilary Staff

Reissue Producer – David Haffner, Matt Sullivan (4)

Remastered By – John Baldwin (5)

Tenor Vocals – David Kingsby, Jr.

Tenor Vocals [2nd] – Mel Sanders*

The Supreme Jubilees

1979

Mystery Album #1 !!

By now, I hope you all trust my taste in music. I thought
it'd be interesting to post an album without telling
you what it is other than the year it was released,
and the genre. Lemme know what you think

1973
(Gospel-Soul)

Jazz at Massey Hall !!

This live album is a meeting of the masters of Jazz:

Dizzy, Bird, Max Roach, Bud Powell, and Mingus

Alto Saxophone – Charlie Chan (5)

Bass – Charlie Mingus*

Cover – Parent*

Drums – Max Roach

Piano – Bud Powell

Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie

The Quintet

1953

The Watts Prophets !!

The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts

1969

Rappin' In A White World

1971

Dedicacion EP !!

If you're familiar with Lyman Woodard, then you know of the incredible

albums Saturday Night Special, and Live at J.J.'s Lounge.

Here's a later release which, although isn't as soulful

as the previous work, is still quite good

Lyman Woodard Organization

1985

The Will Come, Is Now !!

Described as "the pivot around which much of

Sun Ra's music revolved for 8 years", Ronnie

had quite a career as a sideman. He only

released a single lead album, though.

He passed too soon at the age of 44

Ronnie Boykins

1975