Monday's Song : 'You'll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry And The Pacemakers

 

It was January 3^rd, 2021 when English musician Gerry Marsden died age 78 after being diagnosed with a blood infection in his heart. With Gerry And The Pacemakers he had the 1963 UK No.1 single 'How Do You Do It' and the 1965 US No.6 single, 'Ferry Cross The Mersey'. In common with The Beatles they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin. Their cover of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' [written by Rogers-Hammerstein], was released in 1963, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks. After becoming a chart hit the song became the football anthem of Liverpool F.C., which adopted 'You'll Never Walk Alone' as its official motto on its coat of arms. [thisdayinmusic.com]

 

Sunday Listening #06 : Two Favorite Reissues

For the first Sunday listening of the new year, I chose two albums, reissued in 1998, which happen to be two of my favorites [I start believing that almost every record in my music library is among my favorites]

Willie Bobo – Juicy

Recorded January 1967 and reissued in 1998 with previously unissued tracks 13-16

 

 

Willie Bobo's music is triangulated between Latin jazz (Mongo Santamaria's division; the percussionist first gained notice in Santamaria's band), what by the mid-'60s had come to be called soul-jazz, and good old-fashioned lounge-act kitsch. None of the three influences overwhelms the others on 1967's Juicy, although from the lubricious title and cover photo on down, there's a certain "swingin' at Hef's pad" vibe to the proceedings that makes this album of particular interest to latter-day hipsters. Most of the song selection consists of soul-jazz covers of popular hits of the day, from a funky take on Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood" to a bossa nova-fied version of Bob Crewe's "Music to Watch Girls By," but the real standouts are the small handful of band originals, particularly the fiery groove of the title track, on which Bobo's timbales get their hardest workout. The 1998 CD reissue includes a full half-dozen extras, mostly less-than-revelatory alternate takes and leftovers, but the restored full-length version of the swell "La Descarga del Bobo" is a nice touch. [ Review by Stewart Mason – allmusic.com]

Hugh Masekela - The Boy's Doin' It

Recorded June 1975 and reissued in 1998 with six [7-12] extra tracks

No other work during Hugh Masekela's long and fruitful career blended all of his interests -- jazz, funk, pop, Afrobeat, and R&B, plus a little Latin and a lot of disco -- into such an exciting mixture as 1975's The Boy's Doin' It, his first record for Casablanca. Influenced by Kool & the Gang as well as the growing tendency for Latin artists (like Joe Bataan) to cross over toward contemporary dance trends (and labels), Masekela recruited a few veterans from the Ghanian highlife band Hedzoleh Soundz -- with whom he'd worked with on one album before. Recorded in Lagos, Nigeria and dedicated to Fela Kuti, The Boy's Doin' It has six extended jams, each of which does an excellent job of playing off deep grooves against ensemble vocals and catchy hooks, with plenty of room for Masekela's own trumpet and every note polished to a fine '70s sheen. It didn't matter what type of music fan you were: pop, disco, funk, world music, and any but the most hidebound jazz purist could get into these tracks. [Review by John Bush – allmusic.com]

 

Stay safe and begin enjoying 2022, today!!