Silver Convention: “Get Up & Boogie: The Worldwide Singles” (2024) CD Review

In March of this year, Omnivore Recordings released a special expanded edition of disco band Silver Convention’s 1975 debut album, Save Me. Two months later, the label put out Get Up & Boogie: The Worldwide Singles, which contains most of the singles that Silver Convention released in the band’s six-year career, just over an hour of music. This release includes liner notes written by Joe Marchese.

This collection opens with the single edit of “Save Me,” the group’s first single and title track from the first album. It is a fun disco tune with a good rhythm, basically everything you want from a disco number. As I mentioned in my review of the expanded edition of the album, there aren’t a whole lot of lyrics to this song, or to most of the band’s songs for that matter, but that’s fine. There is an undeniable joy to this song. That’s followed by another song that was included on that first album, “Fly Robin Fly,” one of my personal favorites from that disc, with its catchy rhythm and equally catchy vocal line and its great use of strings. It won’t take you long to learn all the lyrics to this one, and there is a good chance you’ll find yourself singing along. “Fly, Robin, fly/Fly, Robin, fly/Fly, Robin, fly/Up, up to the sky.” On this disc, we get the stereo single long version.

“Tiger Baby” was also included on the band’s first album, and is another of that record’s highlights, in part because of its playful nature, with those deep tiger growls, but also because it contains some excellent vocal work. This one is also seriously catchy. The version included here is single radio edit. Then we get the first of this collection’s songs that was included on the band’s second album, Get Up And Boogie. The song, “San Francisco Hustle,” invites us to “Come and dance.” And though it’s a slower number, it’s still a good song to groove to. We return to music from the first album with “(There’s) Always Another Girl,” which on the album was titled “Always Another Girl.” This one has more lyrical content than the previous tracks, including brief spoken word passages, helping it to stand out.

“Fancy Party” is a total delight, with some funky and delicious work on bass. This one was included on Madhouse, the band’s second 1976 album. It too contains more lyrics than the collection’s first few tracks. “Look, there comes a teacher dressed up like a clown/Over there’s a preacher wears a silver gown/And the ragged beggar there is the mayor of this town/Fancy party, funky ball.” This one will get you dancing and smiling and forgetting the world’s troubles. That’s followed by the special disco edit of “I Like It,” a song that was included on the first album. This version was originally released in the UK in 1975, and was featured as a bonus track on this year’s expanded edition of Save Me.

The fun continues with “Get Up And Boogie,” which was used as the title track for the band’s second album. Here we get the single version, which is listed as “Get Up And Boogie (That’s Right).” This song was a big hit for the band, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Like a lot of the band’s songs, there are very few lyrics. In fact, all the song’s words are contained within its title. On the LP, that song is the lead track, and is followed by “No, No, Joe.” Here it is likewise followed by “No, No, Joe,” a cool number with a funky element. “No, no, Joe/The party’s over and I gotta go/No, no, Joe/Oh no, you shouldn’t turn your lights down low/Mama won’t like it.” This is another highlight.

“Dancing in the aisle/On a 747,” the band sings at the beginning of “Dancing In The Aisles,” and I can’t help but think of that scene from A Very Brady Sequel when the Bradys sing “Good Time Music” on the plane. Until the flight attendant makes the announcement, “Would those of you dancing and singing in the aisles please sit down and shut up.” That scene is fun, and so is this song. This song was included on Madhouse, where it is titled “Dancing In The Aisle.” Here it is listed as “Dancing In The Aisles (Take Me Higher),” as it was on the single. On the LP, the song is followed by “Everybody’s Talking ‘Bout Love,” and so it is on this compilation. It begins with a spoken word section: “You know everybody’s talking about love these days/It’s just an everyday word/Turn on the radio and hear it/Buy a magazine and you read it/Why then is it so hard to find love in real life?” And the way they sing, “Love, love/Love, love” is adorable.

“Summernights,” which was used as the title track to the band’s first of two 1977 albums, finds them singing “Dancing in the streets,” which of course reminds us of the Martha And The Vandellas song. This song does have that carefree feeling of summer nights. “Summer nights, so sweet as wine/Summer nights, filled with music.” That’s followed by “Telegram,” which was also included on the Summernights album. Their vocal work on this one might remind you of ABBA, and this song, perhaps more so than the others, takes us back to a different time. Do young people even know what a telegram is? “Please forgive the things I said, stop/Didn’t mean to make you sad, stop/Operator, I’ll pay any rate/If my message will not be too late.” The version here is the single version, which is quite a bit shorter than the album version. Also included on Summernights was “Hot Shots,” which has a good, funky vibe, and features some great stuff from the string section. This single version is also significantly shorter than the album version.

“Spend The Night With Me” is a song that was included on the band’s final studio release, Love In A Sleeper, released in 1978. The version here is the promo single short version, approximately two minutes shorter than the album track. This is another totally catchy number, a pop song that features an excellent lead vocal performance, plus the addition of male vocals (that’s Jerry Rix). It also contains a nice lead on guitar. This is cheerful, enjoyable song, another of the disc’s highlights. It’s followed by “Café Au Lait,” which was not included on any of the band’s albums. It was released as a single in Germany. It’s a fun number, and it also has a bit more going on than many of the band’s songs. It’s one I hadn’t heard before, and I am seriously digging it. This compilation concludes with “Get It Up,” yet another fun number. This song was included on Love In A Sleeper, and it is a total delight. How was this one not a hit?

CD Track List

1. Save Me (Single Edit)
2. Fly Robin Fly (Stereo Single Long Version Edit)
3. Tiger Baby (Single Radio Edit)
4. San Francisco Hustle (Single Version)
5. (There’s) Always Another Girl
6. Fancy Party (Single Version)
7. I Like It (Special Disco Edit)
8. Get Up And Boogie (That’s Right) (Single Version)
9. No, No, Joe (Single Version)
10. Dancing In The Aisles (Take Me Higher) (Single Version)
11. Everybody’s Talking ‘Bout Love (Single Version)
12. Summernights
13. Telegram (Single Version)
14. Hotshot (Single Version)
15. Spend The Night With Me (Promo Single Short Version)
16. Café Au Lait
17. Get It Up

Get Up & Boogie: The Worldwide Singles was released on May 31, 2024 through Omnivore Recordings.

Little Richard: “Right Now!” (1973/2024) CD Review

Even though I’ve been a fan of Little Richard’s work since my childhood, Right Now! is an album I knew nothing about for a long time. It followed his 1972 record The Second Coming, which was released on Reprise Records and re-issued by Omnivore Recordings in 2020. But this one was not on Reprise, but rather on the United label, with no liner notes or information accompanying the record. It has now finally gotten a deserved re-issue, this time with liner notes (written by Bill Dahl), but there is still a general lack of information regarding the musicians who back Little Richards on this album. It was released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day back in April, and then made available on CD. The material is a mix of covers and original numbers. The re-issue contains no bonus tracks.

The album opens with “In The Name,” an original number that begins with some cool work on keys, first seeming to announce it as a rock tune, then getting a bit into the blues, before Little Richards’ vocals come in. Interestingly, this is a song he also recorded for his 1971 record King Of Rock And Roll, which was also re-issued by Omnivore Recordings in 2020, that disc containing a second version of the song. This 1973 rendition is wonderful. In addition to cool work on keys, this track features some good guitar work and some nice stuff from the horn section. Little Richard mentions himself in the lyrics, singing, “She said, ‘Little Richard, I’m moving on.’” That’s followed by another original composition, “Mississippi,” this one rocking and grooving from the moment it starts. There is a strong and prominent rhythm, and I love the way those keys are rocking. In this one, Little Richard sings, “You know people come from miles all around/To hear my music when the sun goes down/We rip it up on a Saturday night.” Well, apparently, this record was recorded at night, and of course those lines contain a nod to one of his earlier rock and roll hits, “Rip It Up.” This track is great fun. If you want to rip it up, no matter what day of the week it is, this is a good choice of songs to play.

Little Richard slows things down a bit with the soulful gem “Don’t You Know I,” also one of his original songs. “Don’t you know I/Don’t you know I’ll always care.” This track is completely wonderful, containing a great, raw vocal performance. At moments, he seems at the edge of losing his voice. But that could never happen, could it? There is a delicious gospel element to his performance. “I’m singing this song to you.” Then we get the album’s first cover, “Chain Of Fools,” which was listed as “Chain, Chain, Chain” on the original release of this album, and so here is listed as “Chain, Chain, Chain (Chain Of Fools).” Little Richard delivers an excellent, lively rendition, featuring a driving, forceful beat and some strong backing vocal work. It gets good and loose toward the end, just before fading out.

The energy is high on “Gerald Jones” (a song it is assumed Little Richard meant to call “Geraldine Jones,” since that seems to be what he’s singing over and over), with some of the lyrics shouted out in that glorious way Little Richard did so well. This track also contains a good lead on guitar. “Call me Geraldine Jones/I know how to get along/Now some people think that I’m a Playboy bunny/They look at me and they say that I’m funny.” Oh yes, this is another fun one. The band is jamming, and by the end, Little Richard seems again at the edge of losing his voice. “Don’t touch me, honey/Don’t you ever touch me.” That’s followed by the second of the album’s covers, Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay.” Little Richard delivers a rendition that pops and moves, featuring some good percussion. Though he sings about “Sitting here, resting my bones,” it doesn’t seem he’s resting at all here. And he is certainly not “wasting time.” Sure, he may be seated by the bay, but there is no introspection here. Little Richard is, as usual, pumped full of energy, and rocking everything he touches. I love that brief instrumental section in the middle. This one feels like it fades out prematurely.

Little Richard takes us firmly into the blues with a cover of “Chains Of Love.” Here he is determined to slow down, even giving direction to the drummer at the beginning, “Relax yourself, drummer.” He delivers such a cool vocal performance on this one. “Tell me what are you going to do/Are you going to leave me/Are you going to make, make me cry?” And check out that guitar work. Everything is working so well here. I’m digging that bass line. And I love how the band is given the space to really dig in. At more than eight minutes, this is the album’s longest track. It’s also one of the best. He then wraps up the album with an original tune titled “Hot Nuts,” which starts with some cool, funky work on drums. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,” Little Richard says in reaction to that rhythm, and his delivery is surprisingly gentle there. But don’t worry, soon he is belting out lyrics. You might expect this song’s lyrics to dip into the delightfully dirty, but it doesn’t, not really, though there are hints. “You get a nut/A red hot nut/You’d better get it while you can.” And is “peanut man” some kind of euphemism? Either way, this is a fun number to close out the album.

CD Track List

1. In The Name
2. Mississippi
3. Don’t You Know I
4. Chain, Chain, Chain (Chain Of Fools)
5. Gerald Jones
6. (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
7. Chains Of Love
8. Hot Nuts

This re-issue of Right Now! was released on April 26, 2024 through Omnivore Recordings.

Paul Kelly at Teragram Ballroom, 10-7-24 Concert Review'"

It had been seven years since Paul Kelly last toured the United States. Not since 2017 had he done shows here. In the meantime there was, as you might recall, a pandemic which made touring impossible for a while. There had been a fall tour planned with Keb’ Mo’ and Shawn Colvin, but that was postponed when Keb’ Mo’ needed surgery. After the tour was postponed, Paul Kelly scheduled just a few concerts: one in Los Angeles, one in Austin, and one in New York. The first of the three took place last night at the Teragram Ballroom in downtown L.A. Because there are only three shows, people traveled some distance to make it to last night’s concert. The folks in front of me in line were from Arizona, and the guy behind me was from Wisconsin. They had come to Los Angeles just for this concert. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Paul Kelly has such a devoted fan base, for he has decades’ worth of fantastic material, and always engages the audiences at his concerts. There is a warm feeling at his shows, like a sort of family gathering. And speaking of family, his nephew Dan Kelly opened the show and then played electric guitar and mandolin during Paul’s set.

Dan Kelly

The show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., and at 7:59 Dan Kelly took the stage, playing keyboard rather than guitar for his set. He focused on material from his new album Goldfeels, opening the show with “Back To The Garden.” Like his uncle, Dan quickly established a good rapport with the crowd, even before that first song, while he was adjusting his keyboard. He told some funny anecdotes between songs, like one about a nighttime kayaking trip which functioned as an introduction to “Sea Shepherd Cook,” also from his new album. “Burn Up With The Trees” he introduced as “a deeply cynical song, but with a very happy feeling.”  He concluded his set with a cover of World Party’s “Ship Of Fools.”

Then right at 9 p.m., the house music went off, and a minute later Paul Kelly came out on stage, followed by Dan. Without any introduction or banter, Paul began the set with “Letter In The Rain,” a song from his 2017 album Life Is Fine. The crowd was enthusiastic, and Paul Kelly was excited too, doing a little dance at the end of the song. “I can’t believe it’s been seven years,” he said. That sentiment was shared by those in the audience as well, who were not shy about speaking up. “Welcome back,” a guy shouted. And another guy said, “You killed it at the Troubadour.” “Aw, thank you,” Paul replied, and meant it. He then played “Gonna Be Good,” from his 2012 album Spring And Fall. He told the audience he was going to do some new songs and some old ones. “This is a pretty old one,” he said in introducing “Before Too Long.” The audience cheered the moment he started it. I appreciate the Shakespeare reference in this song, with Paul singing “Every dog will have his day,” referring to Hamlet’s line “The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.” That wasn’t the only bit of Shakespeare in the evening. After that song, Paul teased Dan a bit, saying he “could have been in the Beach Boys.”

"Houndstooth Dress"

Paul Kelly has a new album coming out soon, titled Fever Longing Still, and he played some material from it last night. One song that is on it, however, isn’t new. “Taught Be Experts” is a song that Paul Kelly included on his 1999 album Smoke, and also on Live, May 1992 and the soundtrack to the television series Fireflies, and which he revisits on Fever Longing Still.  And it is another song that received a cheer from the audience as he started it. Dan Kelly then switched from electric guitar to mandolin for “Northern Rivers,” which is also from the new album, and remained on mandolin also for “Stumbling Block.” It was great hearing this one. “First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, then there is.” Paul Kelly then moved to the keyboard for “Houndstooth Dress,” the cool lead-off track on the new album. He then went back to guitar for “When I First Met Your Ma,” a song he introduced as a love story “told by a father to his child.” It’s such a sweet song, and I noticed some folks in the front singing along. Paul Kelly also played harmonica on this one.

Dan Kelly stepped away for a couple of songs, Paul Kelly performing “They Thought I Was Asleep” and “Everything’s Turning To White” solo. “They Thought I Was Asleep” is a song that I love, and it was a highlight for me, featuring some pretty work on harmonica. Paul mentioned the influence of Raymond Carver’s short stories in the introduction to “Everything’s Turning To White.” Even if you haven’t read the story that inspired this song (and I highly recommend reading all of Raymond Carver’s work), you might know the story through Robert Altman’s Short Cuts. Dan then returned for “If I Could Start Today Again,” another of the set’s highlights. This song is so moving, so beautiful, so wonderfully sad. In introducing the next song, Paul said, “This is a happy one.” He then mentioned that sometimes he writes a happy song that people think to be sad. And indeed the song, “Going To The River With Dad,” from the new album, made me sad, though in a rather pleasant way. It’s been nearly two years, but thinking of my dad often brings tears to my eyes, and last night this song did just that, as I thought about how he used to take me fishing. I miss him, and I think he would appreciate this song. It’s another beautiful song.

I mentioned earlier that there was a bit more Shakespeare in the set, something I always appreciate, and after “Going To The River With Dad,” Paul gave us “Sonnet 18.” Even if you aren’t that familiar with Shakespeare’s work, you know this sonnet, or at least its first two lines. This is the one that begins “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?/Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” In 2016, Paul Kelly released Seven Sonnets & A Song, an album on which he set several of Shakespeare’s sonnets to music. Sonnets aren’t very long, so Paul sings Sonnet 18 twice through. Last night, before starting it the second time, he joked, “Second verse, same as the first,” a playful nod to Herman’s Hermits’ “I’m Henry VIII, I am.” (And not a reference to Shakespeare’s Henry The Eighth.) Dan was on mandolin for that one. Paul followed that with “All Those Smiling Faces,” another song from Fever Longing Still. Mine was one of the smiling faces during this song. This song also has its origins in poetry, for lines from Dana Gioia’s “Finding A Box Of Family Letters” made their way into it. (Dana Gioia was in the audience last night.) “Get out on the floor and dance/You don’t have forever.” The poem made me cry, but the song made me happy. Go figure.

"Dumb Things"

The last section of the set featured some classics, beginning with “To Her Door,” from his 1987 album Under The Sun. He followed that with “Josephina,” saying the song was “more about the guy that loves Josephina than Josephina.” Then, giving it another thought, he added, “Well, maybe both.” Dan’s backing vocal work on that one was particularly good. Then we got “Dumb Things,” still one of his most beloved songs. The crowd cheered when he started it. It’s always great to hear this one, and there was a good deal of energy to last night’s performance of it. “That was fun,” Paul said afterward. “Yes, it was,” a guy in the audience called out. Paul played harmonica on “Deeper Water,” the title track from his 1995 album. And he wrapped up the set with “How To Make Gravy,” which pleased everyone, perhaps especially the guy that shouted out a request for it. The set ended at 10:28 p.m., but Paul wasn’t quite done. He came back out for a two-song encore, “Petrichor” and “Careless,” the latter of which he played harmonica on. The show ended at 10:37 p.m. What a great night!  There aren’t many things better than enjoying live music, and Paul Kelly is among the best in the business. It’s no wonder people are willing to travel great distances to see him. If you are looking to do so yourself, his next show is on October 11th in Austin, Texas, as part of the Austin City Limits festival. And then he’s in New York on the 14th (though that show is sold out).

Set List

1. Letter In The Rain
2. Gonna Be Good
3. Before Too Long
4. Taught By Experts
5. Northern Rivers
6. Stumbling Block
7. Houndstooth Dress
8. When I First Met Your Ma
9. They Thought I Was Asleep
10. Everything’s Turning To White
11. If I Could Start Today Again
12. Going To The River With Dad
13. Sonnet 18
14. All Those Smiling Faces
15. To Her Door
16. Josephina
17. Dumb Things
18. Deeper Water
19. How To Make Gravy

Encore

1. Petrichor
2. Careless

"Northern Rivers"

"When I First Met Your Ma"

end of the set

The Teragram Ballroom is located at 1234 W. 7th St. in Los Angeles, California.

Hannah Gill: “Spooky Jazz Vol. 2” (2024) CD Review

It’s October, and that means the best holiday of the year is just around the corner. That’s right, we’re getting into spooky territory as we approach Halloween, and Hannah Gill offers some fantastic music to get us in the mood. There is plenty of Christmas jazz out there, as we all know, but there is not nearly enough Halloween jazz. Vocalist Hannah Gill does a phenomenal job helping to fill in that gap. In 2020, she released Spooky Jazz, a six-song EP of some delicious traditional numbers. Now she gives us Spooky Jazz Vol. 2, a full-length release. Joining her on this album are Gabe Terracciano on violin, Ricky Alexander on clarinet and saxophone, Mike Davis on trumpet and trombone, Justin Poindexter on guitar and organ, Gordon Webster on piano and organ, Philip Ambuel on bass, and Ben Zweig on drums. By the way, the cool album cover artwork is by Quentin Riguax.

Hannah Gill opens the album with “I’d Rather Be Burned As A Witch,” a song written by Betty Garret and Gerald Dolin, and recorded by Eartha Kitt for her 1959 album The Fabulous Eartha Kitt. This version by Hannah Gill begins by creating an eerie atmosphere, an unearthly wind and the sound of thunder and so on. And it is over that atmosphere that she delivers the song’s first lines: “They say that I’m a witch/And that I weave a spell.” Hannah gives a laugh after those first couple of lines, as Eartha Kitt did. The song then kicks in, and she says she’ll use her “lips to delight you.” Well, we are already delighted. We welcome her spell. And as she casts it over us, it gets us dancing and smiling. In the track’s second half, we are treated to wonderful leads on violin and piano. This track also contains some cool drumming. “And you never can tell/When I use my, my teeth to bite you.” She follows that with “My Man’s An Undertaker,” a song that Dinah Washington recorded in the early 1950s. The band is hopping here, and the horn section is particularly lively. Ricky Alexander and Mike Davis deliver some excellent stuff here. The piano is also rocking. This track is a whole lot of fun, a perfect choice to get your Halloween party cooking. “My man’s an undertaker/And he’s got a coffin just your size.”

“Love Is A Necessary Evil” is a song that Blossom Dearie recorded, including it on May I Come In, an album I still need to add to my collection. It was written by Marvin Fisher and Jack Segal. Hannah Gill does a wonderful job with it. “You want the pleasure, you’ve got to take the pain/Because love is a necessary evil.” Well, it’s all pleasure here. This track features some great stuff on bass, including a cool lead, as well as some delicious stuff on keys. That’s followed by “Hummin’ To Myself,” a song I still associate mainly with the Betty Boop cartoon. This one isn’t quite a Halloween-themed song, but the mood seems to fit quite well, and it features some really nice work on guitar and piano. “Won’t someone listen to me?” Hannah sings at one point. Absolutely! It is a joy to listen to her. I love Hannah Gill’s delivery. She is an extraordinarily talented vocalist who is able to create vivid characters with her voice, characters she seems to inhabit.

There is some striking work on violin at the beginning of “Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere (Transylvanian Lullaby)”, setting the tone, and Gabe Terracciona delivers wonderful stuff throughout the track. Again, Hannah Gill creates a strong and dynamic character with her voice, her approach tailored to each individual song. She delivers a gorgeous, haunting rendition, which then becomes a dance. I’m particularly fond of the work on clarinet. Hannah Gill then tackles a more recent number, “Oogie Boogie’s Song,” which was written by Danny Elfman for The Nightmare Before Christmas. The best thing about that movie is the music, and Hannah Gill gets totally into it, delivering an excellent rendition. Obviously, this one is largely about the character, and clearly there is something of an actor in Hannah Gill. And I love that drumming.

Hannah Gill then gets into the blues with “You Hurt Me,” which features some great stuff on guitar right from the start. But what really knocks us out in her passionate vocal performance. Yes, this one might not have quite a Halloween theme, but the vocal performance is so fantastic that it doesn’t matter. Besides, the song does mention a grave, so there’s that. “And if you don’t soon return/You’re going to drive me to my grave.” We are treated to more excellent guitar work during that lead in the middle. And then check out that delicious stuff on saxophone. Even though it’s not strictly a Halloween song, this is one of the disc’s highlights, no question. I’m a little sad when it begins to fade out. But then we get “Hard Hearted Hannah,” and of course she has fun with this one. How could it be otherwise? “Leather is tough, but Hannah’s heart is tougher/She’s a gal who loves to see men suffer/Tease ‘em, thrill ‘em, torture and kill ‘em/Is her delight, they say.” Oh yes, masochists everywhere rejoice! Here is the woman we’ve been looking for. So playful, this number, and I love that lead on keys. This track has the big finish it deserves.

Hannah Gill’s rendition of “That Old Black Magic” begins with a wonderful big band feel, like some of those classic records where the vocalist doesn’t come for a while. Here it’s approximately a minute and a half before Hannah enters. This is a bright, delightful rendition. She then returns to the blues with “Haunted House Blues,” which has a classic blues vibe. This track features another striking vocal performance. Hannah Gill is something special, no question about it. “I’m going to tell that undertaker/To fix that coffin of mine/Well, I’m scared to stay here/I’m scared to leave this town.” The album concludes with “Shine On Harvest Moon,” a song that Ruth Etting recorded in the early 1930s. This rendition establishes a seriously cool atmosphere at the start, and features wonderful stuff on guitar and clarinet while the organ maintains a somewhat eerie sound, which is great. “The night was mighty dark so you could hardly see/The moon refused to shine/Couple sitting underneath the willow tree/For love they pined.”

CD Track List

1. I’d Rather Be Burned As A Witch
2. My Man’s An Undertaker
3. Love Is A Necessary Evil
4. Hummin’ To Myself
5. Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere (Transylvanian Lullaby)
6. Oogie Boogie’s Song
7. You Hurt Me
8. Hard Hearted Hannah
9. That Old Black Magic
10. Haunted House Blues
11. Shine On Harvest Moon

Spooky Jazz Vol. 2 was released on October 4, 2024 on Turtle Bay Records. By the way, I believe the first volume was a digital-only release. I hope there will be a physical release of that one too.