THE JAZZ CHILL CORNER NEW RELEASES - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, MILES DAVIS, HUGH LAURIE

---

NEW RELEASES - THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, MILES DAVIS, HUGH LAURIE Posted: 24 Jul 2013 12:21 PM PDT THE DOOBIE BROTHERS - TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS This record represents the first recorded incarnation of the Doobies part II, the edition of the band featuring gravel-voiced keyboardist Michael MacDonald. It's clearly a transitional album, and a pretty big departure from the band's original style. You can hear the new direction most clearly on the album's two hit singles--the title tune and "It Keeps You Running." The closing track "Carry Me Away" marks the first appearance of the see-saw keyboard riffs later immortalized in "What A Fool Believes" (and later ripped off to good commercial effect by various MacDonald wannabes like Robbie Dupree). ... Full Description The rest of the album deals in various forms of funk. Japanese only SHM paper sleeve pressing. Features 2009 remastering. The SHM-CD [Super High Material CD] format features enhanced audio quality through the use of a special polycarbonate plastic. Using a process developed by JVC & Universal Music Japan discovered through the joint companies' research into LCD display manufacturing SHM-CDs feature improved transparency on the data side of the disc allowing for more accurate reading of CD data by the CD player laser head. SHM-CD format CDs are fully compatible with standard CD players. Warner.2009. Recorded at Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, California. The Memphis Horns: Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, James Mitchell, Lewis Collins, Jack Hale. The Doobie Brothers: Tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons (vocals, guitar); Michael McDonald (vocals, keyboards); Tiran Porter (vocals, bass); Keith Knudsen (vocals, drums); Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (guitar); John Hartman (drums). Additional personnel: Maria Muldaur (vocals); Novi (viola); Jesse Butler (organ); Richie Hayward (drums); Bobby LaKind (congas). ~cduniverse.com MILES DAVIS - ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS (5 ALBUMS) These five-disc box sets issued by the German arm of Sony BMG are for the most part a fine way to reissue original recordings en masse -- unlike their American counterparts who do the sloppiest job possible. If you already have these classic '50s sides by Miles Davis with his first great quintet and with Gil Evans, then don't bother reading further. If you don't, pick up these sides with Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain (the only complaint is that these weren't in this set instead of 58 Sessions and Miles Ahead, but there were reasons for that and some of them have to do with commerce).  ... Full Description In any case, these are the extended versions of the albums when they were reissued definitively on CD in the 1990s and early 2000s. They contain bonus cuts not on the original CDs, the sound is warm and balanced, and each disc comes in its own case. The other cool thing is for the consumer: if you look around online, you can find these boxes dirt cheap, for about six or seven dollars a disc, which is cheaper than their domestic counterparts would be. ~ Thom Jurek / cduniverse.com HUGH LAURIE - DIDN'T IT RAIN His blues bona fides buttressed by his 2011 debut album Let Them Talk, Hugh Laurie returns with Didn't It Rain, another collection of jazz and blues standards, usually of the New Orleans variety but not always (his heart will sometimes stray to Kansas City), produced by Joe Henry. If Let Them Talk had a slightly burnished, rich veneer, Didn't It Rain is a bit lighter, with Laurie content to let himself slip into the background as both pianist and vocalist, which is odd as he has considerably fewer guests here than he did on his debut. Apart from Taj Mahal, this is pretty self-contained, Laurie playing the boogie with his band, sometimes lying back and letting his backing singers steal the spotlight, which they do with ease. Nobody is concerned with reinterpreting the songs or surprising a listener, they just want to enjoy re-creating sounds and tunes they've loved, an attitude that's rarely alienating although it's never quite infectious, either. All involved love the boogie and love the swing, happy to hit the accents hard and draw out the eighth notes, and if there's never a compelling reason to listen to Laurie and crew tackle these well-loved tunes, nobody involved embarrasses themselves, and it's a pretty enjoyable way to while away a lazy Sunday afternoon. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine / cduniverse.com

NEW RELEASES - BOZ SCAGGS, DAVID PORTER, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD Posted: 24 Jul 2013 12:02 PM PDT BOZ SCAGGS - ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS (5 ALBUMS) This Sony UK entry in the Original Albums Classics series contains five Boz Scaggs recordings; one of which is a true classic, two more which should be, and two more middling albums. These are the remastered versions of these recordings. The inarguable standout in the pack is the legendary Silk Degrees album from 1976, which includes, as bonus cuts, three live versions of tunes on the album's track list: "What Can I Say," It's Over," and "Jump Street." Two very important recordings in Scaggs' catalog that are included here both preceded Silk Degrees: Moments, issued in 1971, reveals (whether he admits it or not) Van Morrison's influence on the singer and songwriter.  Scaggs is moving more directly into blue-eyed soul as evidenced by the stellar title cut, "We Were Always Sweethearts," and "Near You." Slow Dancer, issued in 1975, immediately preceded Silk Degrees and finds Scaggs digging deeper into the blue-eyed soul vein while actively seeking a bigger, more polished, and richer palette of sounds in his production. The tunes here somehow bridge the gap between the rootsier and grittier Morrison and the theatrical, sultry, groove master Isaac Hayes. Stand-out tracks include "You Make It So Hard (To Say No)," the title cut, and a killer cover of Allen Toussaint's "Hercules." The two albums issued after Silk Degrees, 1977's Down Two Then Left, and 1979's Middle Man (his last album for eight years), are slick disco and post-disco soul workouts with some rock tinges. While they are less successful than their monumental predecessor, they still contain more than their share of fine tunes, and as albums, are better appreciated in the 21st century than they were in the 20th. Stand-out tracks include "Still Fallin' for You," "Hollywood," and "1993" on the former, and "Jojo" and "Breakdown Dead Ahead" on the latter. In all, this Boz Scaggs entry in the Original Album Classics series is a fine value. ~ Thom Jurek / cduniverse.com DAVID PORTER - GRITTY, GROOVY & GETTIN' IT Digitally remastered and expanded edition. Gritty, Groovy And Gettin' It was the first of three album releases by Grammy award-winning songwriter David Porter, a singer before teaming up with Isaac Hayes to write songs including 'Soul Man', 'Hold On, I'm Comin' and 'When Something Is Wrong With My Baby' . Porter's debut album was released in the wake of Hayes massive success with Hot Buttered Soul. Although it was not as commercially successful, it proved that anything Hayes could do, David Porter could do as well, if not better, by taking mostly familiar Soul songs all personal favourites and rearranging (and sometimes extending) them creatively. The album gave Porter a Top 30 hit with 'Can't See You When I Want To' , a song he had recorded in very different form for Stax in the mid-60s. The rare earlier version is also included here, as one of five bonus songs, two of which have never been issued before. Recorded with many of the same musicians who played on Isaac Hayes best-selling albums, this album has never been reissued in the UK until now. ~ cdunverse.com DUSTY SPRINGFIELD - LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL This live date, recorded in 1979, shows British blue-eyed soul vocalist Dusty Springfield at the height of her powers. Not only was Springfield's voice in top shape, but she had also achieved an iconic status as England's premiere diva (as the rapturous response of the audience indicates). Energetic, polished, and full of professional flair, LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL contains many of Springfield's best-known songs, including "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" and "Son of a Preacher Man." A stirring set. ... Full Description Filmed in 1979, this audio-visual package captures Britain's Dusty at the height of her powers, performing a show packed with her signature songs - and not a few delightful surprises - in the presence of royalty - HRH Princess Margaret, Countess Of Snowdon. Indeed, it would be no exaggeration to say that Dusty herself was also royalty, pop royalty. The convent school-educated, blue-eyed soul singer with the uniquely affecting, longing timbre inspired a fervour that is almost palpable throughout this historic concert, filmed for British television by Mike Mansfield, with several audience members invading the stage to get even closer to their heroine towards the end of the show. ~ cduniverse.com