Texas music
Marc Benno (1971) Minnows (LP) A&M 4303
Marc Benno
Minnows
1971
A&M 4303
Produced by David Anderle
Engineered by Bruce Botnick
*** noteworthy
This was likely the most successful outing from this Texas musician, likely for several reasons, including the people who helped make this record, including four crackerjack guitarists–Clarence White, Jesse Ed Davis, Bobby Womack, and Jerry McGee.
Of course, Benno himself deserves most of the credit, as he writes all the selections and plays several instruments–guitar, piano, organ and marxophone. Perhaps most importantly, (fresh from playing on the Doors’ L.A. Woman album) Benno exhibits a fraility on Minnows that doesn’t show on his other outings.
While this recording (and several like it by southern musicians from the early 70s) were overshadowed by the overhyped and more bombastic material by unions of British and American southern musicians, these often forgotten and more low-key recordings by southern musicians alone were often more honest, original, and enjoyable. While Benno’s Ambush LP, the follow up to Minnows, was likely his most successful outing commercially speaking, this 1971 offering was the closest Benno came to creating a timeless classic.
— winch
author of
Roy Clark & Gatemouth Brown (1979) Makin’ Music (LP) MCA 3161
Roy Clark & Gatemouth Brown
Makin‘ Music
MCA 3161
1979
Recorded October 31 – November 2, 1978 in Tulsa
**** recommended
This recording is clearly Gatemouth’s brand of American music, the sound he’d been focusing on for decades–leaving the sad delta blues for other folks and focusing on the good-time sound–but Roy is a big part of this outing as well. While some may see this as Roy doing something new, this is actually Roy getting back to his roots.
Throughout the set, the pair are unstoppable like a tag-team in the ring, with the girls and the Memphis horns helping punch it home, the group only slowing it down to let the sweat drip on a few cuts, mostly sticking with the rocking, rocking and rolling through Gatemouth, Roy Clark and producer Steve Ripley originals and a few takes on old standards, Ray Charles (and Johnny Cash’s) 1963 “Busted” (Harlan Howard), Ellington’s 1941 “Take the A Train” (Strayhorn) and Louis Jordan’s 1945 “Caledonia.”
Jordan would re-record “Caledonia” in 1956 with Mickey Baker on guitar and likely that was the version that provided at least some of the inspiration for the version on this album. (When Erskine Hawkins released “Caledonia” in 1945, Billboard referred to the song as rock and roll, probably the first time that phrase was used to describe music.)
It sounds like these two were having a blast, and while they strut their stuff and show off their chops, they keep a rein on the excess to make this record fun from go to whoa.
— winch (author of Kalamazoo: Growing Up Sideways in the 1970s and the two-part novel Junk Like That)
Billboard. April 21, 1945. p 66.
Bad Sports
bad sports photo by winch
OBN IIIs: The One & Only (LP) 2011
Tic Tac Totally Records 053
2011
Texas rocks, rock & roll, garage hard rock, influences perhaps Stones, AC/DC and Texas. Another recommended set.
— winch
OBN IIIs: S/T (LP) 2012
OBN IIIs
Tic Tac Totally Records
2012
Another noteworthy set of ROCK & roll from this Texas outfit.
Now Time Delegation Live in Portland
Johnny Nash
johnny nash
Johnny Nash
Hold Me Tight
JAD 1207
1968
Rating:**** (Recommended)
Nash is mostly known for bringing reggae to the mainland with his 1972 #1 hit “I Can See Clearly Now,” but his career went back to the 50s, and this 1968 offering played a part in bringing reggae to the States years before his #1 hit. The title track was a transatlantic #5 on the pop charts (#21 on U.S. R&B charts).
Of course, Nash was from Texas and reggae wasn’t a category known by most Americans at this time or even when they listened to his 1972 hit, and most simply saw his records as soul. But this set as much as any of his clearly came from Jamaica’s music traditions. In fact, it was recorded on the island after he’d toured there. While the Jamaica sound runs through the entire set, the songs come from a variety of sources, Sam Cooke (“Cupid”), the Rascals (“Groovin'”), Peter Tosh (“Love” and “You Got to Change Your Ways”), Jimmy Norman (“Don’t Cry”), and others–including Nash himself. This album isn’t great, but it’s enjoyable and has several highlights.
Johnny Nash
Soul Folk
JAD 1006
produced by Johnny Nash and Arthur Jenkins
1969
produced by Johnny Nash and Arthur Jenkins
1969
Rating:**** (Recommended)
Like 1968’s Hold Me Tight, this was recorded in Jamaica, but while the previous album had a reggae sound running through the entire set, this one is best described by the title. It’s a mix of soul and folk.
While the 1968 set found Nash excited about discovering the island sound, here he seems to be settling into the peaceful vibes of the island while staying completely aware of his own mainland roots.
The two-part “You Got Soul” opens and closes this set, and perhaps none of the other cuts stand up to that Nash original, but if you dig the laidback vibe of any of the other songs, you’ll likely enjoy the entire set. It features Nash interpreating Elvis’s “Love Me Tender,” Belafonte’s “Island in the Sun,” Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind,” a solid reading of Cooke’s “Chain Gang,” as well as some traditional folk songs. If you’re in the mood for some soulful laidback magic, put on this set and let Johnny take you to the islands.
— winch
Johnny Nash
I Can See Clearly Now
Epic 31607
arranged and produced by Johnny Nash
1972
arranged and produced by Johnny Nash
1972
Rating:***** (Good Shit)
After taking a break, Nash returned with this set, and with the hit title track, he became a household name. While others played a part in bringing reggae to the States, nobody played as big of a part as this Texan, and this was the album that delivered the news from Jamaica to the masses on the mainland.
While few likely noticed, this also introduced Marley to America. While Nash wrote the title track, this features musicians from Marley’s outfit, and includes numbers written by Bob, one co-written by Marley and Nash, and while most listeners simply saw this as soul music and wouldn’t know about reggae until a few years later, the success of this album helped pave the way for Marley’s breakthrough in the years that followed.
Fellow Houston man John “Bunny” Bundrick also contributes, offering keyboards and two songs. Bundrick, Marley and Nash had became roommates in 1972, and Bundrick would help Marley with Catch a Fire in 1973.
While Nash recorded some ignored but solid sets before and after 1972, he never quite matched this album. While nothing matches the title track, that number has been overplayed and this album has other stand-out cuts. It’sa consistent set, and in contrast with many reggae albums this offers many variations of the style. It’s essential listening for fans.
— winch
Johnny Nash
My Merry-Go-Round
Epic 32158
produced by Johnny Nash
1973
produced by Johnny Nash
1973
Rating:**** (Recommended)
With the title track to I Can See Clearly Nowriding high on the pop charts, Nash could have offered a copycat album, but instead he opens this follow-up with the ambitious title track, an 8+ minute swirling carnival ride complete with a children’s chorus and over-the-top arrangements, synthesizers and guitars spiraling up to a climax. If Nash had continued with this for the entire album, it would have been too much, but fortunately, it serves as a long intro to another strong album.
Following the title track, Marley’s “Nice Time” brings the set down to earth, allowing the listener to get her bearings after stepping off the carousel. After that, Nash gets down to some Memphis style soul with “You Better Stop (Messing Around),” Bundrick’s synthesizer making moments sound dated but not enough to interfere with the message. After that, the side remains strong, and the flipside continues the quality, at least until the last cut gets a bit over-the-top. While the album isn’t a copycat of the previous album, it sounds like a progression. Again, it’s mostly a mix of originals by Nash, Marley, and Bundrick, with “Loving You” credited to M. Stevenson.
This album marked a decline in Nash’s popularity, and like the patches on Nash’s jean jacket, the swatches of synthesizer make parts of this set come across as quite dated, but it’s still another near-classic from Nash and his gang, essential listening for fans.
— winch
(author of Kalamazoo: Growing Up Sideways in the 1970s)
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: The Hits of Nancy & Lee (1968) LP
Nancy Sinatra &Lee Hazlewood
The Hits of Nancy & Lee
Reprise 6273
1968
Produced by Lee Hazlewood
Rating:**** (Recommended)
Nancy strutted on the scene in 1966, but after two sets from that year, the albums were quite lacking. Hazlewood continued to provide the production, but it looked as if the best albums were behind them. This offering starts out like it’s not going to remedy the situation. Either the music is just not that convincing or I just don’t care about the things they have to say. (Or maybe I’m bitter because she’s not singing about me.)
“Summer Wine” (the first Hazlewood original of the album) finally grabs your attention, and things improve considerably on side two. “Jackson” jumpstarts the preceedings, the tempo getting things rolling and the theme setting Nancy free so she can hop right into my arms where she belongs. From there, she can holler in my ear, tell me how she’s going to be “dancing on a pony keg.” If that image doesn’t get your heart skipping along like a schoolgirl’s sneakers down the sidewalk, you better check your pulse and make sure you’re still living. The version might not match Cash & Carter’s, but it’s certainly in the running. This is followed by “Some Velvet Morning,” a Hazlewood original that fits like a pair of silk stockings. It makes me happy that I could be alive during a time that created such a song. The strength of that could have ruined the rest of the album, but it actually just pulls you into the experience and three more Hazlewood originals are more than enough to keep the listener engaged until the end of the set. While I’d love to switch the placements of “Summer Wine” and “Sundown Sundown” to create an classic side, this is still an essential set for fans.
— winch
(author of Kalamazoo: Growing Up Sideways in the 1970s)
http://www.eight-track.com/kalamazoo.html
Good Shit (episode 7): OBN III
Sounds Good 