Vinyl Vibrations with Brian Frederick podcast

In today’s VINYL VIBRATIONS podcast, we look at Part 2 of our program on the subject of SYMPHONIC ROCK. In Part one we focused on some of the vinyl records that featured a rock music format, and featured or incorporatedconcerto3-4  a symphonic or chamber accompanyment  – produced on vinyl records.  We heard Moody Blues, Yes, Led Zepplin, Tommy, Frank Zappa, and Jan Hammer / Jerry Goodman. Today we continue our exploration into artists that either dabbled in symphonic arrangement, or artists that infused their rock or pop sound with classical music orchestra sounds:

1 Twenty Small Cigars, album “King Kong, Jean-Luc Ponty plays the music of Frank Zappa”

2 Vision Is A Naked Sword, album Apocalypse, Mahavishnu Orchestra w London Symphony Orch, Michael Tilson Thomas Cond.

3 Concerto for Jazz Rock Orch, Mvt 1, album Journey To Love Nemperor 1975 composed conducted arranged Stanley Clarke,

4 Concerto for Jazz Rock Orch, Mvts 3+4, album Journey To Love Nemperor 1975 composed conducted arranged Stanley Clarke,

5 The Dick Hyman Concerto Electro, Mvt 1, album Concerto Electro,  Composer Arranger Pianist Dick Hyman

6 King Kong,  album “King Kong, Jean-Luc Ponty plays the music of Frank Zappa”

7 Overture, album Child is Father to the Man, Blood Sweat & Tears, BS&T String Ensemble,

M1 Jean-Luc Ponty and his solo album, featuring the electric violin and the Frank Zappa composition and arrangement of Twenty Small Cigars, from the album King Kong, Jean-Luc Ponty plays the music of Frank Zappa, or just … King Kong. Composed  for Jean Luc Ponty and this solo album, by World Pacific Jazz Records. The King Kong album was released 1970 Liberty Records label. Compositions and recording were completed in 1969. There are five parts on Twenty Small Cigars. Noteably, there is no guitar part.

Ponty was born in France in 1942 was about 27 at the time of this production. This was his 9th release in a long list of albums – – about 40 to date. His collaborations with FZ included these FZ albums – maybe you recognize the album titles –  Hot Rats, Over-Nite Sensation, Piquantique, Apostrophe – –  were albums on which Ponty played with FZ between 1969 and 1981. Also Ponty collaborated with Mahavishnu Orchestra, albums Apocalypse and Visions, 2 albums by the MO, in the 1970s,  featuring Jean-Luc Ponty.

M2 Vision Is A Naked Sword. Album Apocalypse, Artist is the Mahavishnu Orchestra w the London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Tilson Thomas Cond. Composed by  John McLaughlin. Produced George Martin. Featuring JLP on electric violin and electric baritone violin, And Mahavishnu (aka John McLaughlin) on guitars. And the LSO ( I count 6 LSO performers including KB, viola, violin2, cello, drum and bass parts) with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting, produced in 1974 CBS

M3 Concerto for Jazz Rock Orch, Mvt 1, album Journey To Love, composed conducted arranged Stanley Clarke, Produced on Nemperor 1975. One of those movements in this case the first, that seemed to jump out of the stereo, a stereo possessed. So peaceful, contemplative, driven by the drone of the high “G” note. That surreal opening sound. Starry-like.

M4 Concerto for Jazz Rock Orch, Mvts 3+4,  Album Journey To Love, composed conducted arranged Stanley Clark, produced on Nemperor in1975. Now on Movement 3 the energy level is much higher. A great transition into longer notes and the power of the David Sancious electric guitar lead part. A cooling off movement – movement 4 — drifts off into an “A”-note” drone.

M5 album Concerto Electro, song the Dick Hyman Concerto Electro, Mvt 1, 11:45, composed Dick Hyman, and recorded June 1969, “for Baldwin-Electro piano rock-jazz rhythm and symphony orchestra” . This is a crossover with many imbedded styles…from jazz and classics into a pop and rock genre. Dick Hyman as usual makes this sound seamless. Virtuoso jazz pianist, born in NYC in 1927, a 50+ year career as pianist, organist, arranger music director and composer. Classically trained, his performance days date back to pianist for the Benny Goodman Trio.Dick Hyman worked in the late 1960s with the Moog Synthesizer some covers and some original compositions. He has been active as a jazz session artist, classical composition, film work, and pop/electronic music. In the Concerto Electro, we hear the authoritative sound of the lower registers of the baldwin electric piano and the clear trumpet of Mel Davis.The piano rocks and provided the rhythmic foundation. How many musical styles can there be in one movement of one song ? I count seven styles:

Written in 1967 and recorded in 1969

M6  Jean-Luc Ponty and the title track from his solo album …King Kong . This is another Frank Zappa composition and arrangement. There are six parts on King Kong. Again, there is no guitar part.

M7 We conclude with … Overture, album Child is Father to the Man, Blood Sweat & Tears, BS&T String Ensemble, Al Kooper composition, Released Columbia Records 1968

The album introduced the idea of the big band to rock and roll and paved the way for such groups as Chicago. Kooper left the band after this album, changing the nature of the group. This is BS&T’s debut album.  This is track one side one. After hearing it the first time, I thought, now what is the REST of this album all about? The song fits logically with “I can’t quit her”, also composed by Al Kooper, but instead, “I can’t quit her” kicks off side 2 of the LP.

Today we will hear from these artists demonstrating SYMPHONIC ROCK:

1 The Moody Blues and Days of Future Passed with the London Festival Orchestra

2 Rick Wakeman’s rendition of “Cans and Brahms” the group Yes

3 “Your Time is Gonna Come” Led Zepplin

4 “I’m Free”, from Tommy, as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chambre Choir with Roger Daltry

5 “Cleetus Awreetus- AwrightUs”  Frank Zappa, and Grand Wazoo featuring a cast of characters…From the Grand Wazoo album

6 “I Remember Me”, From the Like Children (Jan Hammer and Jerry Goodman) album

M1 “The Day Begins” From the “Days  of Future Passed” album, the Moody Blues, with the London Festival Orchestra, conducted by Peter Knight.

This song is side one track one of the vinyl LP. This album paints the picture of everyman’s day, starting with The Day Begins, Dawn, The Morning, Lunch break, the Afternoon, Evening and the Night. One day of a man’s life, on 7 tracks, on vinyl LP ! The seven tracks on Days of Future Passed spawned two hit singles: “Tuesday Afternoon”  and “Nights in White Satin” which hit No. 2… five years after the LP’s original release!.

The lyrics from Days  of Future Passed are true to the band’s name, moody and blue  …such as this: “Cold hearted orb that rules the night, removes the colours from our sight, red is grey and yellow white. But we decide which is right. And which is an illusion?”

One description of this fusion of pop and poetry and the classics is taken from album’s liner notes, written by Hugh Mendl, the executive producer… he writes  …Moody Blues is “extending the range of pop music… and has found a point where it becomes one with the classics”…

“Days  of Future Passed” was Produced in 1967 by Decca Record Company Ltd., using the then-state of the art DERAM sound system. The DERAM or so-called DERAMIC Sound System was an early stereo “all round sound” technique, that allowed more space between instruments. How was this achieved? This capability came from the use of, not just one four-track recording machine, but TWO four-track recording machines. Imagine – eight discrete recorded tracks. Before this, stereo was recorded from one four-track tape recorder. The doubling of recorded tracks provided the ability to put more sound “space” or “spacial realism” between performers on up to 8 recorded tracks, creating more of a soundscape when played on a “stereo”, high fidelity sound system, and when you placed yourself between the two speakers. This was 1967 — the early days of consumer audio. If you had “good” component stereo system, you must have been an audiophile, as those early component systems were very expensive indeed! A good component system included a stereo amplifier, stereo preamp, the reel-to-reel tape deck, a “good” LP turntable, tonearm, massive speakers too…

This album credits the orchestral parts to “Redwave/Knight”.  Well, “Knight” was conductor Peter Knight, while “Redwave” was an imaginary name representing the Moody Blues themselves. Knight built the orchestral parts around themes written by Hayward, Thomas, Pinder & Lodge, the Moody Blues.

M2 Full: Cans and Brahms  YES and their 1972 album “Fragile”, Atlantic Recording Corp, . This is an extract from Brahms  Symphony No. 4 in E minor 3rd movement. A solo Rick Wakeman adaptation, on electric piano, grand piano, organ, electric harpsichord, and synthesizer. Rick Wakeman’s modern instruments replace those traditional ones used in the Brahms Symphony No. 4, —the strings, woodwind, brass, reeds, and contra bassoon, when the symphony was completed, in 1885. Some 87 years later, Rick Wakeman arranged this rendition. Even now… 126 years later….the 3rd is a catchy musical movement with left and right-hand parts for keyboard.

M3 “Your Time Is Gonna Come” by Led Zeppelin, released on their 1969 debut album, titled  “Led Zeppelin”. Jimmy Page played a Fender 10-string steel guitar. Bassist John Paul Jones played a church-style organ, using a pedal to generate the bass. Jimmy Page told Guitar Player magazine: “I had never played steel before, but I just picked it up for this recording”. Robert Plant is the vocal. So what do we have. A church organ with the quirky tune of church pipes, Jimmy Page on an out-of-tune 12-string guitar, and Robert Plant on vocals. What a mix !

M4 The song “I’m Free” from the rock opera Tommy, as written by Pete Townshend and The Who, as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chambre Choir, David Measham conductor. And guest soloist on the song “I’m Free”, Roger Daltry. This 2-LP set was beautifully produced.  Ode Records, distributed by A&M Records. Lou Reizner production. “I’m Free” tells of Tommy’s vision to spiritually enlighten others due to his miraculous cure, he becomes ‘evangelist’, his sermons bringing forth the multitudes at Tommy’s Holiday Camp. .  “I’m Free, and I’m waiting for you to follow me”. This London Symphony Orchestra version of Tommy is based on the Who album “Tommy”, released three years earlier, in 1969, Polydor / Decca

M5 Cleetus Awreetus- AwrightUs From the Grand Wazoo album, Frank Zappa. 1972 Warner Bros Records

This invention for small orchestra was composed and Arranged Frank Zappa. Ernie Watts and Mike Altshul on woodwinds. Sal Marquez and Ken Shroyer on brass. George Duke on KB. Vocals George Duke and Frank Zappa .Guitar Frank Zappa. Bass Erroneous. Drums Aynsley Dunbar

M6 I Remember Me From the Like Children album. Jerry Goodman on violin and viola and acoustric guitar. Jan Hammer on piano and moog synthesizer. There is no drum track. Composed by Jan Hammer. 1974 Nemperor Records

Today we look at four Solo Album Artists… These are solo albums in the sense that the music was composed, arranged, performed, often recorded /mixed and produced by the solo artist. These albums are all from the time period of 1970-1972.

1. Pete Townshend and his 1972 solo album, “Who Came First”, on MCA

M1 We know Pete Townshend as an english rock guitarist vocalist and songwriter — perhaps most famous for his rock opera “Tommy” — and for his over 100 songs composed and the dozen or so studio-produced albums of The Who. But Townshend is also an accomplished singer, keyboardist, synth, bass and accordion player as well as drummer. Amazing fact — he never had formal lessons on the instruments he plays! Here we are in 1972, and Pete Townshend comes out with this solo album ‘Who Came First’. We listen first to his song “Sheraton Gibson” from that solo album “Wh o Came First”, produced in 1972 by MCA –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M2 Stevie Wonder’s Music of My Mind album, on Tamla, came out in 1972, and is a gem in his series of classic albums full of pop hits in the 1970s. Music of My Mind was produced by Stevie Wonder and written by Wonder, the album is described as ‘virtually the work of one man’. Every single instrument is performed by Stevie Wonder. Compositions, arrangements, performances, production – all Stevie. in 1972 –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M3 Paul McCartney is one of the most influential songwriters of modern time. With Lennon Harrison and Starr, the Beatles changed the face of pop music forever. McCartney’s first solo album was an amazing work – released on Apple in 1970 – just two weeks before the last Beatles album “Let It Be” was released. On his solo album, McCartney plays the bass, and sings, of course, but he also plays the guitars, piano, drums and organ. The album credits indicate that all instruments and vocals are by Paul, and harmonies are by Linda McCartney. The album was written and produced by Paul. We listen now to “Maybe I’m Amazed” with a beautifully composed and skilled playing of his guitar solo, from the “McCartney” solo album LP in 1970 on Apple –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M4 Todd Rundgren and “I Saw The Light” from his solo album “Something/Anything” on Warner in 1972. A double album, Something/Anything was an amazing work – all instruments, all voices, all songs, arranged and produced by Todd Rundgren in 1972 on Warner. Rundgren provides all instruments and vocals on three of four sides of these 2-LP set. Instruments include: vocals, keyboard, drums, lead and bass guitars, and percussion. Rundgren is a solid rock lead guitarist, and to have the added talent to play all parts, – it’s amazing. –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M5 We listen now to On Breathless, Rundgren does overdubs on the keyboard parts, adds drums and percussion and sequencer /sample sounds, plays piano and guitar. In this instrumental composition we have a very colorful melody moving along with lots of musical harmonies –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M6  Paul McCartney and “Sing Along Junk” from the “McCartney” solo album LP in 1970 on Apple. Paul is on rhythm and lead guitars, piano, drum set and synth. There is a full song version with vocals on that same album, a song titled “Junk”. The song you just heard is the “Junk” version WITHOUT vocals, the “karaoke” version, or “music plus one” version, if you will, and it is titled “Singalong Junk”. What a beautiful composition and instrumental on its own from solo artist Paul McCartney –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

M7 We close out today’s show with Stevie Wonder’s hit song “Superwoman”, from his solo album ‘Music of My Mind’. Here Stevie plays the keyboards, drums and bass, composes the song and produces the album. NOTE that there is a lead guitar solo provided by stand-in Buzzy Feiton. I do remember seeing Stevie Wonder in about 1968, at the Rubber Bowl in Akron Ohio, where Stevie was opening for the Rolling Stones. I remember Stevie’s show, he moved from keyboard to drums back to keyboard and to bass, moving all around that stage. It was a sight to see, knowing Steve is himself blind. Again, the song is Superwoman”, from Stevie Wonder’s solo album ‘Music of My Mind’, in 1972, –here on Vinyl Vibrations.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Today in Part TWO of Jazz Fusion, we look at FIVE more Jazz Fusion artists on …VINYL VIBRATIONS !

M1 Miles Davis and his “Bitches Brew” album 1970 Columbia. Miles Davis experiments with electric instruments like electric piano and electric guitar. Also we see more of an improvisational style with a rock rhythm. a double album – a studio album.  We listen to the song titled “John McLaughlin” on Bitches Brew.  This is an all-star cast–Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul on two electric pianos, John McLaughlin on electric guitar, Jack DeJohnette and Don Alias on two drum sets, Dave Holland and Harbey Brooks on two electric basses and of course on trumpet, Miles Davis.

M2  Return to Forever,  featuring Chick Corea. The recording and title song is “Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy”. A phenomenal set of musicians — guitarist Bill Connors, Stan Clarke on Bass, Lenny White on Drums. This song provides examples of time changes, which Chick Corea thrives in, providing a high energy framework for Bill Connors to play lead guitar. A very mechanical song, with enough melodic component to to be interesting and tell a story about THE SEVENTH GALAXY —- The band is Return to Forever and the title song is “Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy”featuring Chick Corea, 1973, Polydor Records.

M3 Soft Machine and we listen to the album simply named “5”. On this 1972 CBS album, part 2 of the 2-part song “L.B.O., by John Marshall, the drummer.  The musicians are Elton Dean on Alto Sax, Saxello and Electric Piano, Hugh Hopper on Bass, Mike Ratlidge on Organ and Electric Piano, and John Marshall on Drums. Note the time changes, the improvisation, the use of electric saxello, electric piano, in a jazz format, with the rock beat.

M4 Pat Metheny and his 1976 album BRIGHT SIZE LIFE. We listened to UNQUITY ROAD, composed by Pat Metheny.  I remember seeing the very young Metheny back in 1977 at a small venue named Amazingrace, then  locatedat 845 Chicago Ave in Evanston IL. There, up on stage stood this white kid from Missouri, then 21, with huge a afro and and a very large hollow body electric guitar. This kid is really different. The guitar playing is like nothing I had heard before. Great technique, the scales, wide intervals, the melodic character of this music, the little excursions each of the songs take. And a very NEW sound with jazz “improvisation”  The bass sound is also new, because it is fretless and electric, that’s Jaco Pastorius on bass. Bob Moses Drums. Recorded in 1976, not in the US… but in Ludwigsburg, Germany, for ECM Records.

M5 SPACES. Next, we hear from the Band, Album, and title Song . . . all titled “SPACES”. Another all-star cast, featuring Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin on guitars, Billy Cobham on drums, Chick Corea electric piano, and Miroslav Vitous on bass….. Vitous playing a bowed bass, in this case, an electrified, acoustic bass. And the Coryell-McLaughlin guitar combination, works well … it’s surprising, as they have such different styles (Coryell’s fury and power vs McLaughlin’s texture and finesse). Much improvisation, much power in the guitar solo parts. This is a great instrumental album. The song SPACES was composed by Julie Coryell. This was originally recorded in 1971, and this release is 1974 from VANGUARD APOSTOLIC records.

M6 The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin and the album “The Inner Mounting Flame” and the most laid back song on that album, if you will, a track named “Dawn” with John McLaughlin on Guitar, Jerry Goodman on Violin, Jan Hammer on Piano, Rick Laird Bass and Billy Cobham on Drums. Original composition of John McLaughlin. This first studio album, released in 1971, by Columbia Records.

This is the first post of VINYL VIBRATIONS by Brian Frederick. In today’s podcast we look at Part ONE of a two-part program on JAZZ FUSION. Today, we focus on the decade of development of JAZZ FUSION during the late 1960s and into the 1970s — during the “Golden Age of Vinyl” when many of the early works we will hear are found in Vinyl LP format. Jazz Fusion maybe not as much a musical style, but more of a MUSICAL APPROACH.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

M1 Gary Burton Quartet, their first album DUSTER in 1967 on RCA Records, vibraphonist Gary Burton, the song “LITANY”. Gary Burton – the jazz vibraphonist from Anderson Indiana.  Burton plays with Larry Coryell [guitar], Roy Haynes [drums], Steve Swallow [bass].  Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. He is also known for pioneering fusion jazz.   In 1967 BURTON formed the Gary Burton Quartet.   Predating the jazz-rock fusion craze of the 1970s, the group’s first record, Duster, combined jazz, country and rock and roll elements.

M2 John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the album APOCALYPSE, 1974 on CBS. With the London Symphony Orchestra, with Michael Tilson Thomas conductor. The song titled WINGS OF KARMA track one side 2. This album is produced by George Martin. Recorded in London 1974. McLaughlin is flexing his creative muscles, demonstrating, convincingly, that he can compose and arrange in a symphonic format, and work in his electric instruments, the electric piano, guitar and bass, and the rock drum set with . Jean Luc-Ponty is featured on electric violin. John McLaughlin on electric guitar, Gayle Morgan on keyboards, plus 9 other members of the LSO. Very powerful, a very new musical dimension, this sound, in 1974.

M3 The MOTHERS, and the album ..The Grand Wazoo, and the song “EAT THAT QUESTION”, on Reprise Records, Warner Bros Records, 1972. Produced by Frank Zappa. On woodwinds Mike Altshul and Joel Peskin, Sal Marquez on all brass, George Duke on Keyboards, Frank Zappa percussion, and Guitar Frank Zappa, Drums Aynsley Dunbar and Bass-the credit shows as “erroneous”! All selections composed and arranged (and produced) by Frank Zappa.

M4 Jean-Luc Ponty on electric violin and the album King Kong, the song “IDIOT BASTARD SON” by Frank Zappa, The album cover indicates “music for electric violin and low budget orchestra – composed and arranged by Frank Zappa. The electric violin has a natural footing, a solid role as a solo instrument in this new JAZZ FUSION genre.

M5 Jerry Goodman and Jan Hammer  the song “Stepping Tones, composed by Rick Laird on the “Like Children” album, Nemporer Records 1974. This is an interesting album from the standpoint that all of the performance talent on this record is supplied by only two persons — Jerry Goodman on on violins, electric guitar, electric mandolin, acoustic guitar, viola and — Jan Hammer on piano, drums, moog bass, moog lead, percussion.

M6 The MOTHERS “Peaches en Regalia” live track from  The MOTHERS and the “Fillmore East, June 1971” album, distributed on Reprise (Warner Bros) Records. Zappa is on electric guitar, Ian Underwood on keyboards, Aynsley Dunbar on drums, Jim Pons on bass, Don Preston on the mini-moog, and Bob Harris on 2nd keyboard. “Peaches en Regalia” was written by Frank Zappa and published by Frank Zappa Music.