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Friday, November 1, 2013

Meet The Brothers & Sisters

Kids Of America
Jean
Get Together
Meet The Brothers & Sisters

From the back cover: Last year in Las Vegas where superstars, roulette wheel and big wheels vie with slot machines for customer's attention, there were two acts that rated spontaneous standing ovations: Danny Thomas and Bob Simpson's "The Bothers and the Sisters".

If descriptions like "wholesome" and "clean-cut" sound too much like a Boy Scout rally, then substitute "swinging" and "kicky". After all, there's nothing campy about sex appeal and this troupe of ten gals and seven guys is loaded. Not excluding their 20-year old director, Gregg Perry, who paces them, according to more reviewer, "to come on like gangbusters and blast an audience into clapping, whistling, screaming appreciation."

Their average age is 19, but this youth-in-motion group is professionally seasoned by appearances at glossy spots like Caesar's Palace in the company of Sarah Vaughan and Red Buttons; state fairs where they shared the stage with such luminaries as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Jr.; TV spots with the likes of Tennessee Ernie Ford; and dozens of convention and club dates which evoked unsolicited written testimonials bristling with words like "exciting" and "inspiring".

In this album – a first edition which could conceivably become a collector's item – "The Brothers and the Sisters" prove they can move smoothly from far out arrangements of classic top tens to red-white-and-blue or solid rock. Their selections include originals from contemporary composers, including their own conductor.

This singing/dancing act has one further distinction: They are the only big league touring group with one home base. Swept together as a one-time act for a local newspaper promo in 1968, they have remained together to create the second product that make Milwaukee famous.


Kids Of Amercia
This Little Light Of Mine
Born Free
Natural Man
McArthur Park
Get Together
Jean
Suzanna
Scarborough Fair
Medley

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Reflections In A Golden Horn - Steve Douglas

Poet
Reflections In A Golden Horn
Steve Douglas
Mercury SR 61217
1969

From the back cover: In making this album, I tried to pick songs that I felt represented some of the better contemporary songs done over the past several years and songs that had not been recorded very much, if at all, as instrumentals. They also had to be songs that would lend themselves to being arranged for the qualities of the saxophone. I wanted to make a pretty album and still do some of the songs that had been recorded as harder rock songs vocally. I think you will find some interesting contrasts in this album.

And indeed you will. This album is packed with creative and somewhat trippy space age arrangements including "Poet... from the movie soundtrack Hell's Angels On Wheels."

Session musicians include: Dave Cohen - guitar, Hal Blaine - drums and Larry Knechtel - piano and organ.

Poet
This Guy's In Love With You
Caroline No
The Look Of Love
Good Vibrations
Wear You Love Like Heaven
Walk On By
Never My Love
God Only Knows
Leyanda

Monday, October 28, 2013

Let's Walk Together In This Land - Kittie Rippy

Never Grow Old
Let's Walk Together In This Land
Kittie Rippy
Mustard Seed Record Co.
BMC5081
1972(?)

Here is a sample from an obscure album featuring a gospel belter with a unique sound.

From the back cover: In the great tradition of Mahalia Jackson, Kittie Rippy of the Union Baptist Church Gospel Choir and the Episcopal Theological School staff in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "lives the life she sings about in her song." Born just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, the music capitol of the Southwest, Kittie Rippy has lived, worked, and sung God's praises in the Boston area since 1945. She and her accompanist, Mrs. Beatrice Scott, have toured the East from Montreal, Canada to Pennsylvania and into Ohio bringing the Gospel message in song to many congregations.

He Brought Me Out
What A Wonderful God He Is
Where Jesus Leads Me I Will Follow
Never Grow Old
Let's Walk Together In This Land
Tell The Angels
Lead Me, Guide Me
My Heavenly Father Watches Over Me
I Believe In God The Father And The Son
What Could I Do Without The Lord
Precious Lord

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Midnight Cowboy - Peter Nero

Hair
Midnight Cowboy
Peter Nero
Columbia CS 9907
1969

This album is filled with all your favorite space age audio whiz-bangs which accent Nero's keyboard mastery. Outstanding arrangements by Nero and Stan Applebaum. Conducted by Stan Applebaum.

From the back cover: The Moog synthesizer, heard on Midnight Cowboy, The Windmills or Your Mind, Let the Sunshine In and Be-In, is played by Peter Nero

Drum, Quica and Police Whistle solos on Be-In courtesy of Bobby Rosengarden, whose drumming also provides the only sound on The Windmills Of Your Mind not created by the synthesizer.

Midnight Cowboy/Everybody's Talkin'
Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet
The Windmills Of Your Mind
The April Fools
Theme From Picasso Summer
Aquarius
Let The Sunshine In
Be-In
Where Do I Go
Hair
Good Morning Starshine