Mel And Friends: “Swingset Serenade” (2024) Vinyl Review

When I was a child, much of the children’s music that I heard and loved was jazz, though I didn’t know it at the time. Think of Vince Guaraldi’s music for the Peanuts television specials or a lot of the songs on The Muppet Show. Great stuff! My friends and I didn’t know it was jazz, we just knew we loved it. Melanie Dill and Tom Johnson were inspired by just that sort of music when creating the new album, Swingset Serenade, which is being released on vinyl as well as compact disc, another way this album takes me back to the music of my childhood. I think it’s excellent that kids these days will be able to start their own record collections, the way we did, and learn to handle the records with care. The record features all original material, written by Melanie Dill and Tom Johnson, and the music is a lot of fun. Joining them on this release are Chris Leopold on trumpet, Zak Pischnotte on saxophone, Mike Horan on guitar, Eric Mardis on guitar, Nick Weiser on piano, Will Dinkel on double bass, Danny Rojas on drums, J. Metz on percussion, and Danny O’Brien on trumpet, along with some guests on certain tracks.

Side A

The album opens with its title track, “Swingset Serenade,” which soon becomes absolutely adorable, as we hear a child asking to be pushed on the swing, while a delicious jazz rhythm is established. “Higher, higher,” the child says, and then, “That’s too high.” Then there is some great vocal work from Melanie Dill, her performance bright and joyous. The kids are still present at times, even delivering that wonderfully cheesy joke, when one child asks, “How do you feel about swings?” The other child answers, “I don’t know, I go back and forth on them.” This song is a total delight with a big band sound. Then we get into a Latin thing with “Jugo De Naranja,” with Kelfel Aqui on vocals. Sure, the lyrics are simple, but this is a totally enjoyable tune, with plenty of great percussion. Rhyno Hensley joins the group on drums on this track. Children’s voices are present on this one too, and on all this album’s tracks. I’ll be singing this song each morning as I pour myself a glass of orange juice and dance into my day. At least, I hope I start my day that way.

“Make A Garden” is totally delightful song. It’s great fun for adults as well as children, with that gypsy jazz vibe, featuring some excellent stuff on guitar. And the lyrics are delivered at a fast pace at the start. “So come on and grab a shovel on the double, here we go!” Children are on vocals for some of this track. And there is a wonderful sense of humor to it as well, heard when one child asks, “Is this a lemon or a lime?” and another answers, “That’s a potato.” Adorable! This track also features nice work on bass. Chris Shaw plays bass on this one, and Ashley Zeigenbein is on piano. Chris Shaw also plays bass on “Mariposa,” a song that is mostly sung in Spanish and features a pretty vocal performance. This short track also contains some really nice work on guitar. Bill Crahan plays guitar on this one, and Clark Jamison is on percussion. At the end, a child says, “Butterfly.”

There is some humor in “Ruth’s Couscous,” a song about having a potluck picnic, as one child says, “I’m feeling potlucky today.” I love those swells from the brass section. “What is couscous?” a child asks in the middle of the track, and another child provides information. This track gets wonderfully silly toward the end. This music will have you smiling, no matter your age. The band then slows things down with “Come Back Balloon,” which begins with a forlorn child’s entreaty to a wayward balloon. Then the adult vocals take on the character of the balloon itself. Shannon Savoie joins the band on vocals. The child is eventually cheered up by other children and by the balloon itself. This track ends with the child saying, “Goodbye, balloon” after the instruments have faded out.

Side B

“The Speed Of Light” has a snappy rhythm which works well with the song’s subject. Children provide the scientific facts about light on this track, not adults. When one says, “Most of our light comes from the sun,” they all shout “Yay, sun!” Yes, I feel that way myself sometimes, like cheering on the sun. “When you get closer to the speed of light, weird things start to happen,” a child says at one point. Oh, weird things happen everywhere, kid. And what other song gives you a group of children shouting “Einstein’s theory of relativity”? I love the drum work on this song. As the band continues to jam, the music fades out, while the sounds of night continue. That leads straight into “Me Gustan Las Estrellas,” which is perfect. And we are prepared for this track, for in “The Speed Of Light” one child asks, “How do you say ‘star’ in Spanish,” and another kid answers, “Estrella.” And actually another child says, “Me gustan las estrellas.” So we are ready for this one. This track has a relaxed vibe and features a really sweet vocal performance, the lyrics sung mainly in Spanish. A child comes in and sings a section in English. This one also ends with the sounds of night.

“Bunk Bed” is a fun, lively number, with a big band vibe. I love the percussion from the moment the song kicks in, and there is great percussion throughout this track. This track also contains a vibrant, fun vocal performance. “Be careful not to bump your head/Let your imagination fly/It’s easy if you really try.” And this song’s lyrics mention the speed of light. Things then get mellow with the album’s final track, “Bedtime.” This song will help your little ones relax, especially after the excitement of the previous track. “Bedtime/Everything’s quiet now.” This track features some gentle, pretty work on piano. At the end, it drifts off, and so do we. A sweet conclusion to a fun record.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Swingset Serenade
2. Jugo De Naranja
3. Make A Garden
4. Mariposa
5. Ruth’s Couscous
6. Come Back Balloon

Side B

1. The Speed Of Light
2. Me Gustan Las Estrellas
3. Bunk Bed
4. Bedtime

Swingset Serenade is available digitally now, and is scheduled to be released on vinyl and CD on May 3, 2024.

Love, LA (2024) Vinyl Review

I can’t help it, I still get excited every April as we approach Record Store Day. One thing in particular that I get excited about it is the selection of compilations offered on this day. There are always some delicious offerings, and this year those include Love, LA, a special record that features duets by artists based in Los Angeles, including Leslie Stevens, Poppy Jean Crawford and Sunny War. The songs are mostly covers of material by well-known artists, some based in Los Angeles, others from areas other than Los Angeles. The record contains some outstanding performances, with highlights including wonderful renditions of Love’s “Signed D.C.” and The Turtles’ “You Showed Me.” The record is presented in gold vinyl. Plus, the money raised from the sales of this record will benefit the Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center, so you can feel even better about your purchase.

Side A

The album opens “Arms Of Love” done by Emma Swift and Robyn Hitchcock. I mentioned that this is an album of covers, and on the record jacket it indicates that this song is by R.E.M., and indeed, R.E.M. recorded it. You can find that band’s version in the boxed set The Automatic Box, and also on a single from 1995. But for R.E.M. it was a cover. The song was actually written by Robyn Hitchcock, who included it on the 1993 Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians album Respect. Also, I don’t think Emma Swift and Robyn Hitchcock live in Los Angeles. So it is an odd choice to start this particular compilation. But it’s an excellent track. There is an intimate vocal delivery at the start, “Maybe tonight you’re aching/For someone you’re dreaming of,” and that delivery grabs us. Robyn Hitchcock sings the first lines, and then Emma Swift takes over, “Maybe tonight you’re crying.” And speaking of Los Angeles, here she sings “Down Sunset you’ll be flying” instead of the song’s original line, “Any time now you’re flying” (R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe delivered that line as “Tell me you’ll soon be flying”). Then their voices come together on these lines: “Maybe tonight you’re falling/For someone you don’t know enough.” This is a beautiful performance. And I’m realizing now that I still need to pick up Emma Swift’s Blonde On The Tracks, which also features Robyn Hitchcock.

“Arms Of Love” is followed by “Leather & Lace” done by Leslie Stevens (who does live in Los Angeles) and Jim James (who spends much of his time in L.A.). You likely know Jim James from his work in My Morning Jacket. “Leather And Lace” is a song from Stevie Nicks’ first solo album, Bella Donna, released in 1981. The song is a duet there too, Stevie Nicks joined by Don Henley. Here there is some sweet work on strings as the track starts, and Leslie Stevens does a fantastic job on the vocals, her approach having a similar vibe to Stevie Nicks’ original performance. Leslie Stevens impressed me the first time I saw her in concert in 2016, and she has a new album coming out soon. Jim James takes the second verse, just as Don Henley does on the original, and he also does a tremendous job. And they sound great together. Then Paige Stark and Marc Maron cover the song “Signed D.C.,” which is from the self-titled debut record by the band Love, released in 1966. It was written by Arthur Lee. Paige Stark, who is a member of the band Tashaki Miyaki, takes the first line, “Sometimes I feel so lonely.” Then she and Marc Maron trade lines, until they come together for “No one cares for me.” This is a powerful and striking rendition, featuring some nice work on guitar over a haunting rhythm (I do wish this release had some liner notes, listing the musicians who play on each track). This is one of the record’s best tracks.

Johanna Samuels was born in New York, but is now based in Los Angeles. On this record she teams up with Marlon Rabenreither, who performs under the name Gold Star. They cover “I Found A Reason,” written by Lou Reed and included on that fantastic Velvet Underground album Loaded, released in 1970. This track has a sweet folk and country vibe, with some nice work on harmonica at the start. This is the first of the album’s tracks to have a male voice on its first lines. They sing together throughout the track, which also features good stuff on steel guitar. There is a nice repetition of the line “What comes is better than what came before” near the end. The first side of the record wraps up with “Speak Your Mind” done by the group More, which is the duo of Kane Richotte and Malcolm McRae. The song comes from Marc Benno’s 1971 album Minnows. A steady beat provides the track’s pulse. There is something both soothing and uplifting here, particularly in those moments with the backing vocals, which have a certain beauty.

Side B

“You Showed Me” is a song that was written by Byrds members Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark, and originally recorded by The Byrds, though not released at the time. A few years later it became a big hit for The Turtles. Here it is performed by Poppy Jean Crawford with the band Tashaki Miyaki. I love that opening moment, setting the tone for this captivating, gorgeous rendition, that vocal work welcoming us, putting us into a strange, relaxed state, like a drug taking effect immediately. This is another of this collection’s highlights. In fact, it is perhaps the best version of this song I’ve ever heard, in large part because of their vocal performances. I need to look into the work of both Poppy Jean Crawford and Tashaki Miyaki, and add their albums to my collection. That’s followed by “Never Let Me Down Again.” Sunny War is the name that Sydney Lyndella Ward performs under, and on this track she teams up with J. Micah Nelson, who performs under the name Particle Kid. “Never Let Me Down Again” is a song from Depeche Mode’s 1987 album Music For The Masses. It was also released as a single. Particle Kid’s is the first voice we hear here. There is a strange beauty to this track too, and a haunting aspect as they tell us, “We’re watching the world pass us by.” The repetition of “Never let me down” near the end is like an entreaty, and like a mantra.

Cherry Glazerr is a band that formed a decade ago. Jeffertitti Moon is a musician who previously recorded under the band name Jeffertitti’s Nile. Together they cover the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dosed,” a song that band released in 2002. There is something almost magical and innocent in the sound of this track. And when it kicks in, it seems to envelop us. “Deep inside the canyon, I can’t hide/All I ever wanted was your life.” It is dreamlike. As it concludes, this track deposits us in a strange place. Then Joel Jerome and Paloma Parfrey combine forces to cover, appropriately, a song titled “Los Angeles.” It’s the Frank Black song of that name, included on the Pixies front man’s debut solo album in 1993. This track has a harder edge and sound, and the line “I want to live in Los Angeles” seems to come from some other realm, a darker, twisted place, their voices sounding like demons in human form expressing their own peculiar needs. There is a great raw power to this track, and we are left not entirely certain just which Los Angeles we’ve been talking about.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Arms Of Love – Emma Swift & Robyn Hitchcock
2. Leather & Lace – Leslie Stevens & Jim James
3. Signed D.C. – Marc Maron & Paige Stark
4. I Found A Reason – Gold Star & Johanna Samuels
5. Speak Your Mind – More

Side B

1. You Showed Me – Poppy Jean Crawford & Tashaki Miyaki
2. Never Let Me Down Again – Particle Kid & Sunny War
3. Dosed – Cherry Glazerr & Jeffertitti
4. Los Angeles – Joel Jerome & Paloma Parfrey

There is one thing I have to mention about the record jacket. Though I have use the ampersand in the track list, the record jacket puts an “X” between the artists’ names in place of the ampersand, as in “Emma Swift x Robyn Hitchcock,” which is just wrong. I’ve noticed people doing this recently, and it makes no sense. What, Emma Swift times Robyn Hitchcock? Or Emma Swift by Robyn Hitchcock, like the dimensions of a rectangle? Anyway, please stop that, everyone. If you don’t wish to use the word “and” or an ampersand, there is also the plus sign at your disposal.

Love, LA is scheduled to be released on April 20, 2024 through Org Music. This release is limited to 1,000 copies.

The Westbound Sound: Westbound Records Curated By Record Store Day (2024) Vinyl Review

Last year on Record Store Day we were treated to the release of A Decade In Love: Sun Records Curated By Record Store Day – Volume 10, which was perhaps the last in a great series of releases through Org Music, since I don’t see an eleventh volume on this year’s list. But don’t worry, this Record Store Day (which is this coming Saturday), Org Music is beginning a new series, Westbound Records Curated By Record Store Day. Like the Sun Records series, this series will feature songs selected by record store owners. I’d be curious to know just which record stores are taking part, and how they were chosen. But I suppose that doesn’t matter all that much. What matters is that the songs these unnamed folks have chosen, at least for this first entry in the new series, The Westbound Sound, are a lot of fun. Some of these songs you certainly know, songs like “I Bet You” and “Funky Worm.” Others you might not know. Westbound Records was founded in Detroit in 1968 by Armen Boladian, and the label’s roster included the great Funkadelic, Ohio Players and Denise LaSalle, among others. And now the label has joined forces with Org Music for a re-issue campaign. So let the funk and soul rain down on us and lift us up!

Side 1

This collection gets off to a great start with Funkadelic’s “I Bet You,” a song that has a delicious raw power and a wonderful guitar part. The record indicates the track is an “edit,” and while it’s not quite as long as the original six-minute version from the band’s debut album, it still contains a good amount of jamming. “Bet you never lose my love.” Oh yes, it always comes back to love. What else is there? Well, I love this track. That’s followed by “Rhythm Changes” by The Counts (also known as The Fabulous Counts), a track that is a lot of fun to dance to. No surprise, really, not with that title. Of course it would have a wonderful rhythm. This music is so alive, not only with that great work on percussion, but the horns. “We’re gonna turn the whole thing around.”

The record then goes more in the direction of rhythm and blues with Denise LaSalle’s “Hung Up, Strung Out.” “But every time I try to leave you, you laugh in my face,” she sings. Wow, that is rough. “You’ve got me hung up, strung out, and crazy about you, baby.” It’s a tough position to be in, but what a great vocal performance. And yes, this guy takes advantage of the woman, even as she realizes it. He cheats on her, and she runs back for more, turned on. Is she deluded when singing that someday he’ll need her? Maybe, maybe not. But what a wonderful song. It’s one of my personal favorites from this collection. It’s followed by “Do Me Right” from Detroit Emeralds. “Do me right/I’ll do you no wrong/Do me good/I’ll do you no harm.” This one has a smoother vibe, as he promises his woman he’ll treat her right. The lines about buying the woman a dress and an ironing board (“So you can keep your new dress pressed”) are kind of adorable. This song was the title track of the band’s 1971 album.

As soon as “Hot Rooster” starts, a funky, cool rhythm is established. And there is some playful guitar work, like little comments, which I love. This is a fun instrumental track from the Donald Austin’s 1973 album Crazy Legs. The first side of the record finishes with “Alvin Stone (The Birth And Death Of A Gangster)” by Fantastic Four. This song is from 1975, and the funk is taking on some elements of disco. I love the backing vocalists singing, “Whatcha doin’ with a gun in your hand/Don’t you know you’ll go to jail?” So good! “Don’t blame me for what I am/Blame it on society.” And toward the end, a violent scene plays out, complete with sound effects and screams, the vocalists taking on different roles.

Side 2

The second side also opens with a hit that starts with its beat, “Funky Worm” from Ohio Players. It’s a fun, playful, even silly number that features some unusual vocal work, like cartoon characters. “Oh, that’s funky, that’s funky/Like nine cans of shaving powder, that’s funky.” It sounds like he’s about to laugh when delivering the line “Don’t fight the feeling, don’t fight it.” And then he asks, “Do we get paid for this?” Once it’s established they will be paid, the track is suddenly over. This is the single mix. It is followed by “Tangarine Green” by Fuzzy Haskins. This is another fun song with a strong beat. Yes, this is a record you could play at a party and be sure of pleasing all your guests. Fuzzy Haskins was a member of Parliament-Funkadelic, and this song has that same kind of joy. I love how the music gets a bit weird at moments. This song comes from his 1976 album A Whole Nother Thang.

“Shake Your Head” was on a single that Spanky Wilson released in 1974. I believe it was released on Eastbound Records, which was a sister label to Westbound. “Some men just run around and do silly things/They say that they can give you all that money can bring/As soon as you believe them, you find out it’s wrong/‘Cause all the things they say is just a dance and a song.” This track features some really nice work on bass, plus some good backing vocal work. That’s followed by “Live Wire,” a fun number from Dennis Coffey’s 1975 LP Finger Lickin’ Good. There isn’t a whole lot happening lyrically here. It is mostly about that delicious rhythm, which will get you dancing. And there’s nothing wrong with that. “Get off your ass and dance.” This collection concludes with “Devil’s Gun,” the title track from C.J. & Co’s 1977 album. There is still a funky element, to be sure, but we are pretty firmly in disco territory now. “He’s watching us burn, he’s watching us burn/One day we’ll learn, one day we’ll learn.” This is the full-length album version, not the shorter single version.

Record Track List

Side 1

1. I Bet You – Funkadelic
2. Rhythm Changes – The Counts
3. Hung Up, Strung Out – Denise LaSalle
4. Do Me Right – Detroit Emeralds
5. Hot Rooster – Donald Austin
6. Alvin Stone (The Birth And Death Of A Gangster) – Fantastic Four

Side 2

1. Funky Worm (Single Mix) – Ohio Players
2. Tangarine Green – Fuzzy Haskins
3. Shake Your Head – Spanky Wilson
4. Live Wire – Dennis Coffey
5. Devil’s Gun – C.J. & Co.

The Westbound Sound: Westbound Records Curated By Record Store Day is scheduled to be released on April 20, 2024 through Org Music. It is a limited run of 2,500 copies.

Chet Baker & Jack Sheldon: “In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album” (2024) CD Review

In 1972, famed trumpeters and vocalists Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon recorded an album together in Orange County. Guitarist and producer Jack Marshall then took the tapes up to Los Angeles to find a suitable label to release the recording. But after Marshall’s sudden death from a heart attack, the tapes were packed away and forgotten. Jack Marshall’s son, Frank Marshall (known for producing films like Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Poltergeist, and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button), found the tapes in the garage, and now the album is finally getting a release, on both CD and vinyl, the latter for Record Store Day. It’s incredible and wonderful that unreleased gems like this are still being found. In addition to Baker, Sheldon and Marshall, these tracks feature Dave Frishberg on piano, Joe Mondragon on bass, and Nick Ceroli on drums. This session comes from an interesting time, particularly as Chet Baker’s comeback happened in 1973. Had this album come out promptly, would his comeback have occurred a year earlier?

The album opens with “This Can’t Be Love,” which begins with a nice introduction on piano. Jack Sheldon sings the first section of the song, and if you’re listening on headphones, you’ll hear him predominantly in your left ear. His emotional delivery is moving. “This can’t be love/I get no dizzy spell/My head ain’t way up in the skies/My heart does not stand still.” Then halfway through, Chet Baker comes in (mainly in your right ear), his voice in great contrast to Sheldon’s, more smooth and relaxed. And for his first several lines, he is supported mainly by the bass, which adds to the contrast with the first section. Two different approaches contained on the same track. What a wonderful start to the album. That’s followed by “Just Friends,” and it’s Chet Baker who sings this one, with some wonderful work on bass backing him. Joe Mondragon had played on some early Chet Baker albums, including Chet Baker And Strings, but is probably most loved for that seriously cool bass work on Peggy Lee’s version of “Fever.” This track also begins with a short introduction on piano, and it features some great stuff on trumpet.

“Too Blue” is a song written by Jack Sheldon, the only original composition on this album. Sheldon sings this one, and that voice is perfect to deliver lines like “You’re driving me insane/You fill my happy heart with pain/You messed up my brain.” And while everything he’s saying is undoubtedly true, this one has a fun vibe.  I love the way it moves. That rhythm is so appealing. There is also plenty of good stuff on trumpet, the two playing together in the second half, and it is that section that is my favorite. Jack Sheldon would include this song on his 1980 LP Singular and on his 1995 album Jack Is Back. They follow that with “But Not For Me.” I’ve said it many times, but you can never go wrong with Gershwin. This one also begins with some really nice work on piano, and soon the tone is established. Chet Baker sings this one, skipping the first lines and going right to the chorus. I love his delivery of that first line, “They’re writing songs of love, but not for me,” the way he holds onto the word of “love,” like he wants it, needs it, wishes to dwell within it. This track features some bright and exciting work on trumpet, and some nice work on drums. Nick Ceroni is known for his work with Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass in the 1960s, and he would play drums on Jack Sheldon’s Singular. This isn’t the first time Chet Baker recorded this song. He included it on his 1954 album Chet Baker Sings. On that version he also went right to the chorus, but delivered that first line differently.

Jack Sheldon sings “Historia De Un Amor” in Spanish, delivering a captivating performance. There is a beautiful ache in his voice, a need, a desire, a longing. There is that longing in his trumpet playing too, with Chet Baker’s trumpet sounding more soothing, comforting, which works so well. This track also features some wonderful guitar work. They follow that with a tune composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, “Once I Loved,” which has a good rhythm, and features some nice stuff by Chet Baker on trumpet. Jack Sheldon doesn’t come in until well into the second half of the track, and then the two trumpets engage in an interesting dance, over some delicious percussion work. Then Jack Sheldon seems to be having a great time vocally with “You Fascinate Me,” and the results are delightful. And Chet Baker gets loose on trumpet. This is such an enjoyable rendition. Jack Sheldon gets even more playful as he goes. Listen to his delivery of the song’s final line.

Things get mellow with “When I Fall In Love,” with Chet Baker’s soft, thoughtful and beautiful vocal approach. “In this crazy world we live in, love is over before it’s begun/And too many moonlight kisses seem to cool in the warmth of the sun.” This track also contains some pretty work on piano. Then the piano work at the beginning of “I Cried For You” lets us know this rendition is going to be hopping. And indeed it is, the bass and drums keeping everything moving. Jack Sheldon again delivers a somewhat playful vocal performance, and there are moments when both he and Chet Baker are playing trumpet, trading licks in an animated conversation. Jack Sheldon cuts loose vocally near the end: “You made me feel so bad when you came in with grass all over your skirt and your hair messed up and lipstick all over your teeth/Now you’re going to have cry over me.” Wonderful! This is one of the disc’s highlights. It is followed by “I’m Old Fashioned,” with Chet Baker delivering a sweet, cheerful vocal performance. “I’m old-fashioned/But I don’t mind it/That’s how I want to be/As long as you’ll agree/To stay old-fashioned with me.” This track also features some delicious work on trumpet. The album concludes with “Evil Blues,” which begins with some good work on piano before it digs into that rhythm. There is a prominent bass line. Jack Sheldon sings lead on this short, but totally enjoyable rendition.

CD Track List

1. This Can’t Be Love
2. Just Friends
3. Too Blue
4. But Not For Me
5. Historia De Un Amor
6. Once I Loved
7. You Fascinate Me
8. When I Fall In Love
9. I Cried For You
10. I’m Old Fashioned
11. Evil Blues

In Perfect Harmony: The Lost Album is scheduled to be released on CD on April 26, 2024. It will be released on vinyl on Record Store Day, April 20th.