Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,218 
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Post by Confessor on Jul 11, 2024 6:33:46 GMT -5
I'm super busy with work today and away from the computer now until tomorrow morning, so I hope Slam_Bradley won't mind if I take the lead today and post my next pick in my Top 10 albums of 1964... #9 - It's My Way! by Buffy Sainte-Marie In 2023, Cree folk singer Buffy Sainte-Marie was outed as a prize bullsh*tter, having claimed to have been of Indigenous Canadian heritage for over 60 years (actually, turns out she was born to English and Italian parents in Stoneham, Massachusetts). But back in the Sixties and Seventies, she was an important spokesperson for Native Americans and Canadians, while her songs often dealt with the issues facing those peoples or explored Indigenous mysticism. While it's obviously not cool for Sainte-Marie to have claimed Indigenous ancestry and spoken on those people's behalf, while collecting awards intended for them, it doesn't change the fact that she was a gifted singer-songwriter who brought the plight of Indigenous peoples to the attention of an awful lot of folks who otherwise wouldn't have thought about it. Anyway, controversy aside, what about this album? Well, it's Sainte-Marie's debut and it's the one that is still most likely to be cited by critics and fans as her best and most influential. The songs run the gamut from anti-war protest and drug addiction songs through to religious material and, of course, songs about the plight of the Native Americans (there's even a song here sung in Cree). I find It's My Way! to be a slightly uneven album overall, but when it's good it's very good. The self-penned "Universal Soldier" (which was later a hit for Donovan) and "Cod'ine" are the two stand-out tracks (I perform a rendition of "Cod'ine" myself on occasion). But even when some of the material is a bit mediocre, Saint-Marie's chilling, vibrato-laden voice gives all the songs a powerful and disturbing sheen. Here's the song "Cod'ine" for your enjoyment… |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2024 8:06:35 GMT -5
I'll post my next one as well before work gets busy for me today:
9) John Barry - Goldfinger Soundtrack
I love orchestral soundtracks, and at least the main title of this one needs no introduction. Shirley Bassey's performance is flat out legendary, I don't think anyone can hear the name of this movie without her singing instantly playing in their head.
So the bigger question is, do you just enjoy that track on a Bond greatest hits album (like I did for many years) or is the full soundtrack compelling as well? Personally I find it to be the latter, John Barry did a superb overall job with both the classic Bond theme as well as Goldfinger main theme weaving throughout the soundtrack in various tasteful reprises. If you enjoy these types of soundtracks in general, this one is pretty snazzy overall I must say.
It would be a crime not to post Shirley's performance in reference to the album even though we all know it, but I've followed with two more tracks that really highlight the wonderful instrumental aspects.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,218
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Post by Confessor on Jul 11, 2024 8:28:44 GMT -5
9) John Barry - Goldfinger Soundtrack Nice choice! I don't know the soundtrack album, but I love the film. Obviously Shirley Bassey's theme is fantastic, but those other two tracks are very cool too. I think one of the great things about a good soundtrack album is that it sort of allows you to "re-watch" the film in your mind's eye, as you listen. John Barry was a great talent, so I can quite believe this is a good album. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 11, 2024 9:56:52 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1964
#9 - Muddy Waters - Folk Singer
Waters' second studio album for Chess and the only all acoustic album of his career. Chess asked for Muddy to do the record following the success of his appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival and his U.S. tour. This is not the classic Muddy Waters band, though it does include the great Willie Dixon on bass (he also produced the album) and Buddy Guy on guitar. The response at the time was somewhat mixed, with Down Beat giving it a very tepid review, but it has since been lauded as a great album.
To me this is just a great set. It's quiet, only "Good Morning Little School Girl" is up-tempo. But Muddy's voice it great, the musicianship is on point and the production by Dixon is just outstanding. This album sounds phenomenal. Muddy's best stuff was done before the album era, there's just no disputing that. But he had a number of very high quality albums and this is near the top.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 11, 2024 9:59:15 GMT -5
I'll post my next one as well before work gets busy for me today: 9) John Barry - Goldfinger SoundtrackI love orchestral soundtracks, and at least the main title of this one needs no introduction. Shirley Bassey's performance is flat out legendary, I don't think anyone can hear the name of this movie without her singing instantly playing in their head. So the bigger question is, do you just enjoy that track on a Bond greatest hits album (like I did for many years) or is the full soundtrack compelling as well? Personally I find it to be the latter, John Barry did a superb overall job with both the classic Bond theme as well as Goldfinger main theme weaving throughout the soundtrack in various tasteful reprises. If you enjoy these types of soundtracks in general, this one is pretty snazzy overall I must say. It would be a crime not to post Shirley's performance in reference to the album even though we all know it, but I've followed with two more tracks that really highlight the wonderful instrumental aspects. I obviously know Shirley Bassey's theme song, but I'm pretty sure I've never actually sat down and listened to the entire soundtrack. Cool entry. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 11, 2024 10:06:55 GMT -5
I'm super busy with work today and away from the computer now until tomorrow morning, so I hope Slam_Bradley won't mind if I take the lead today and post my next pick in my Top 10 albums of 1964... #9 - It's My Way! by Buffy Sainte-MarieNot a problem at all. I'll cop to the fact that I'm not a big fan of Buffy Sainte-Marie. But an interesting choice. |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,218
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Post by Confessor on Jul 11, 2024 10:16:33 GMT -5
#9 - Muddy Waters - Folk Singer
Great pick! This won't be the only time we see this album in this 1964 run down. |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,218
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Post by Confessor on Jul 12, 2024 8:06:29 GMT -5
I'm gonna go first again today because I'm out all day with work. Continuing my Top 10 favourite albums of 1964... #8 - Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz & João Gilberto, featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim The '60s bossa nova craze starts here! Well, not quite, since jazz saxophonist Stan Getz had already released three successful bossa nova-flavoured albums in '62 and '63. But it was the Getz/Gilberto album that more than any other popularised bossa nova music worldwide. Of course, the album is most famous for having introduced the sultry-voiced chanteuse Astrud Gilberto to the public with the smash hit "The Girl from Ipanema", but there's lots of other good music here too. Overall, it's an effortlessly graceful, impeccably played album that manages to be both artistically adventurous and eminently accessible for casual listeners. There's a palpable tension throughout between Getz's strident, but seductive saxophone playing and Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto's gentle guitar rhythms and soft singing, which gives an air of veiled lustfulness to the album's overall mood of dreamy romanticism. Antônio Carlos Jobim contributes respectfully minimalist piano accompaniment, allowing Getz and Gilberto to bask in the musical spotlight. One slight criticism of the album would be that it is so laid back and dreamy that it can very easily become background music, if the listener's mind wonders. Likewise, except for "The Girl from Ipanema", a fair bit of the material here does tend to blur into one. But then again, the whole record is a mood piece that instantly conjures up images of the '60s jet set era; it's the aural equivalent of lounging by a Brazilian beach at dusk, sipping a martini, as cicadas chirp in the background. Rather than focus on the album's well-known mega-hit, "The Girl from Ipanema", here is the spirited "Só Danço Samba" instead… |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2024 8:52:57 GMT -5
Confessor , wonderful choice, just flat out beautiful music. I love everything going on here musically but oh that sax! Your write-up of the mood it captures was quite excellent as well 
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 12, 2024 9:17:21 GMT -5
I'm gonna go first again today because I'm out all day with work. #8 - Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz & João Gilberto, featuring Antônio Carlos JobimThis won't be the last time we will see this one. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2024 9:30:13 GMT -5
Today's choice: 8) Wes Montgomery - Movin' WesOf the great jazz guitar legends out there, Wes is considered amongst the greatest or some say WAS the greatest. He is certainly among my favorites, and I love that he was a self-taught player with an unorthodox picking style. Which may somewhat explain that "extra little something" when I listen to him. While he had considerable technique, there's something just so tasty with his melodic approach that sets him apart for me. His Movin' Wes album was his debut on the Verve label moving from Riverside, and it's a blistering big band affair with plenty of horns and decidedly more pop in certain aspects. So much so that some critics feel it's "not jazz enough" and even cheesy in parts. Well, a little cheesy maybe at times, but easy on the ears and Wes' actual playing is still stellar. I would not recommend this album as a starting point to explore Wes, but to me it's a fun one with a little different flavor. And while Wes produced a modest amount of recorded work in his lifetime, we sadly lost him at only 45 so I have a little extra appreciation for everything we do have to enjoy.  |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 12, 2024 9:38:36 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1964
#8 - Doc Watson - Doc WatsonDoc Watson burst on to the scene at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival and released this debut album the next year. The album set the tone for Watson's career with a mix of traditional folk, blues, murder ballads and the occasional original. He also influenced the course of folk guitar picking for the all time. The album shows Watson's mastery of pretty much all styles of folk music. His version of The Mississippi Sheiks' "Sittin on Top of the World" may well be definitive as is his version of the traditional "Deep River Blues." This is simply one of the finest and most important traditional folk albums of the folk revival era.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 12, 2024 9:48:19 GMT -5
Today's choice: 8) Wes Montgomery - Movin' WesCool choice. I'm a fairly big Wes Montgomery fan. This would not be super high on my list of favorite albums by him but it's a good listen. It was a huge loss that he died so incredibly young. |
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Post by Rob Allen on Jul 12, 2024 10:15:14 GMT -5
At one of the more recent cons Kurt & I attended, I overheard Jim Steranko telling someone that Stan Getz was the greatest tenor sax player ever.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,218
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Post by Confessor on Jul 12, 2024 11:38:28 GMT -5
8) Wes Montgomery - Movin' Wes Favorite albums of 1964
#8 - Doc Watson - Doc Watson I know little or nothing about Wes Montgomery's music, but I liked those two tracks you posted. There's a "showbizzy" flavour to the accompaniment that makes me think of movie soundtracks of the era. As for Doc Watson, I have only a passing knowledge of his music, but of course I know how influential he was among folk, bluegrass and rock guitarists. I really like the sound of those two tracks; I really must pick up some of his music. I know Jerry Garcia was a fan and the Grateful Dead did a nice cover of "Sittin' On Top of the World" on their debut album. |
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