Lee Ritenour - Color Rit (1989)

For the most part, this album feeds Ritenour's love for Brazilian music and acoustic guitar (see also the earlier Ritenour albums Rio, Harlequin, & Festival. I haven't yet checked out his latest release, simply titled Brasil). However, there's a few cuts that, while good for what they are, seem somewhat out of place on a Brazilian album. Familiar names in the credits include Ernie Watts, Paulinho Da Costa, Russell Ferrante, Jerry Hey, and Phil Perry. Over at Allmusic, Richard S. Ginell writes "this CD represents a slight dip for Ritenour at a stage in his career when his albums were gradually becoming classier and more musical" and while that's true, there's still some good smooth jazz to be had here.

Ratings:

• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Contemporary Jazz: #4
• Billboard R&B: #62
• CashBox Contemporary Jazz: #7

Tracks: 7 Ritenour originals, 1 each from Brazilian musicians Ivan Lins and Gonzaguinha, plus a cover of an Isley Brothers tune. Vocals on four of the tracks. The good tracks that don't really fit the theme are Mister Reggae, I Can't Let Go, and Malibu (a remake of a track from Rit/2). My favorites are Bahia Funk, the title track, Tropical Storm, and Etude.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Amparo (2008)	Festival (1988)
Rit's House (2002)	Harlequin (1985)
Two Worlds (2000)	On The Line (1983)
This Is Love (1998)	Rit/2 (1982)
Larry & Lee (1995)	"Rit" (1981)
Stolen Moments (1990)	Rio (1979)

Curtis Fuller - The Opener (1957)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2008 Rudy Van Gelder Edition.

Fuller was 22 years old when this album was recorded, so I have to forgive him for sounding like other trombonists (J.J. Johnson & Kai Winding) and the fact that it's a trifle bland. However, the restrained cocktail music here is enjoyable in the right setting. Timmons really impresses on piano.

Original 1957 liner notes written by Robert Levin, writer of liner notes for over 100 Blue Note albums. Noted jazz critic Bob Blumenthal wrote additional notes for the 2008 reissue.

Fuller - trombone
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
Bobby Timmons - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Art Taylor - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★) : "Fuller manifests what seems to me to be an annoyingly limited sense of dynamics that lends a sameness of sound to his performances, regardless of tempo."
• Billboard (67 out of 100): "interesting, but the set won't be easy to sell "
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Of the 6 here, my favorites are the standards A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening,Here's To My Lady, and Soon. Also included are two blues-based originals by Fuller and a calypso number from bassist Oscar Pettiford appropriately titled Oscarlypso.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Various Artists - The Alamo Concert (2001)

This CD is a collection of classical and jazz pieces performed by various San Antonio-based artists/groups for a broadcast of National Pubic Radio's Performance Today classical music program. As described on the back insert:

I couldn't find much online about the disc - the website listed on the CD insert (www.alamoconcerts.org) is long gone if it ever truly existed - so the following data is about as reliable as a Wikipedia article. It appears the music was recorded on September 15-17, 1997 for broadcast on NPR stations in early November of that year (very brief descriptions of the broadcasts can be found here and here). The CD has a copyright date of 2001 and I'm guessing it was given as a premium to station members who donated a certain amount to the local classical music NPR station, KPAC.

The tracks that feature the San Antonio Symphony were recorded at the Watson Fine Arts Center Theatre on the campus of St. Philip's College. All others were recorded at Alamo Hall, a remodeled fire station deeded to the Alamo by the city of San Antonio in 1938 that currently serves as an event venue near the famous Alamo chapel. The latter probably chosen for historical location rather than acoustical reasons.

A nice mix of ensemble sizes, musical styles and eras. Composers hail from many locales with strong ties to the area: Peru, Spain, Mexico, and, of course, Texas. Performances are strong and the extensive liner notes detail each piece, performer, and composer. A well-executed endeavor.

Tracks:

My top picks are tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, & 15. There's some uncomfortable "Southern Pride" lyrics on track 10 plus I'm always uncomfortable hearing a classically trained voice singing folk songs, but that's the only skippable track.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When the San Antonio Symphony folded after 83 years, I went searching for any recordings by the orchestra. Turns out they are few and far between. However, the search led me to this CD, which features the SA Symphony on 4 of the disc's 15 tracks.

Various Artists - The Lost Boys: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987)

Typical '80s movie soundtrack: one "hit" single, a few covers, a couple of bands/artists you've never heard of before or since, a clip of original soundtrack score, and at least one tune that incorporates the title of the movie.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #15
• CashBox: #11

Tracks:

1. Good Times - INXS and Jimmy Barnes
   This cover of a 1968 Easybeats tune was supposed to be the hit single - and it indeed was a big hit in Australia and New Zealand - but it peaked at only #47 on the Hot 100 here in the U.S. Over on the Rock charts, it peaked at a much more respectable #3. Regardless of chart position, it's a energetic rocker and one of the top cuts on the album.
2. Lost In The Shadows (The Lost Boys) - Lou Gramm
   Those aggressive drums are like a sledgehammer on my brain. Why are they so high in the mix? And for over 6 minutes? A mostly forgettable track, but every now and then Gramm recaptures some of that old Foreigner magic.
3. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Roger Daltrey
   Cover #2. I understand why the producers might want a song with that title in a vampire movie and I guess they went with Daltrey for name recognition? It's just as you'd expect and longer than you'd want.
4. Laying Down The Law - INXS and Jimmy Barnes
   Sounds like a Rod Stewart b-side.
5. People Are Strange - Echo And The Bunnymen
   Cover #3. The best cut on the album. In fact, if E&TB want to record an entire album of Doors tunes, I'm here for it.
6. Cry Little Sister (Theme From The Lost Boys) - Gerald McMann
   Longtime readers of this blog are aware of my dislike for the use of children's choirs in pop music and that's what we've got here. I don't particularly like this tune, but I'll admit it perfectly captures the mood of the movie. As Theresa E. LaVeck writes over at Allmusic: "Singer Gerald McMann's pained phrasing and creepy lyrics, and a chilling chorus sung by what sounds like disembodied children, exemplify the best parts of the movie and the soundtrack." And I was shocked to read the credits and discover that this track was co-written and produced by jazz vibraphonist Mike Mainieri.
7. Power Play - Eddie And The Tide
   A nice enough filler tune, but nothing I'll be humming later this afternoon.
8. I Still Believe - Tim Cappello
   Cover #4. A fantastic tune completely ruined by the unholy screeching of what I'm led to believe is a saxophone.
9. Beauty Has Her Way - Mummy Calls
   Sounds like an ABC b-side.
10. To The Shock Of Miss Louise - Thomas Newman
    A brief excerpt of the original score utilizing a fairground organ.

Looks like a bootleg 2 CD reissue is available with bonus tracks on the first disc with the second disc dedicated to the Thomas Newman score.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In the Summer of 1987, I took a couple of classes at San Antonio College. I carpooled to campus each morning with a girl who lived nearby and whose parents attended the same church as mine. There was no spark between us, but we went out a couple of times out of boredom and familiarity. In any case, we went to see this movie and she snuck in a few beers in her purse. She instructed me to cough every time she opened one, so I did. That's certainly not the only time I've smuggled in contraband to a movie theater, but it is the only time that contraband was of an alcoholic nature. Until recently, I only vaguely remembered the movie as a campy vampire flick with a weak joke ending that left me feeling cheated. Thinking it surely must be better than I remembered, I watched it again this week and, even after 37 years, it is exactly as bad as remembered. Even Dianne Wiest couldn't save it. I know it is now considered a "cult classic;" I'm simply not a member of that particular cult. But it makes for a fun time capsule of mullets, denim jackets, video arcades, and Coreys.

As for the Second Summer Session at San Antonio College, I received a B in PHIL 1301: Introduction to Philosophy and a B in GOVT 1305: American Government - National, State, Local. I remember very little from either course, but what's more important is that both course credits transferred towards my degree.

Back when I was attending my son's JV baseball tournaments (2013-ish?), I once heard Cry Little Sister played over the PA between innings at a game in Carthage. Odd choice, no?

Earl Klugh - Solo Guitar (1989)

Klugh interpreting 14 standards on solo acoustic guitar, no accompaniment, no overdubs. And that's really all that needs to be said.

Reviews/ratings:

• Musician: "by far the best record Klugh's made."
• CashBox: "Pretty, but lightweight"
• Billboard: "delightfully unpretentious"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #4
• CashBox Traditional Jazz: #4

Tracks: They're all good, but I'll pick a few favorites (^★) this morning:

1. It's Only A Paper Moon - music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Yip Harburg and Billy Rose (1933)
2. So Many Stars - music by Sérgio Mendes, lyrics by Marilyn Bergman (1968)
3. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) - music by Chris Smith, lyrics by Al Neiburg (1930)
4. If I Only Had A Brain^★ - music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Yip Harburg (1939)
5. Emily - music by Johnny Mandel, lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1964)
6. Love Is Here To Stay^★ - music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1938)
7. Someday My Prince Will Come^★ - music by Frank Churchill, lyrics by Larry Morey (1937)
8. Any Old Time Of The Day - music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David (1964)
9. Embraceable You - music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin (1930)
10. I'm All Smiles - music by Michael Leonard and lyrics by Herbert Martin (1965)
11. You Make Me Feel So Young^★ - music by Josef Myrow, lyrics by Mack Gordon (1946)
12. Autumn Leaves - music by Joseph Kosma, French lyrics by Jacques Prévert, English lyrics by Johnny Mercer (1945)
13. The Way You Look Tonight^★ - music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Fields (1936)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Move (1994)	Cool (1992)
Midnight in San Juan (1991)	The Best of Earl Klugh (1991)
Volume One (1991)	Whispers & Promises (1989)
Soda Fountain Shuffle (1985)	Collaboration (1987)
Two of a Kind (1982)	Nightsongs (1984)
Late Night Guitar (1980)	How To Beat The High Cost Of Living (1980)
Dream Come True (1980)/Crazy For You (1981)/Low Ride (1983)
Finger Paintings (1977)/Heart String (1979)/Wishful Thinking (1984)

Bobby Caldwell - What You Won't Do For Love (1978)

Originally issued as a self-titled album in 1978, then retitled for compact disc reissue in 1992.

With the success Boz Scaggs was enjoying in the late '70s, you'd think this release would have hit bigger because it's very much in the same vein. Heck, to draw the obvious comparison, the label even used the word "lowdown" in print ads (see below). This album has a slightly more disco flavor to than say, Silk Degrees, but this one has more soul. A lot is made of Caldwell's voice - and rightfully so - but that seems to minimize Caldwell's songwriting talents and, as evident throughout this album, his guitar playing. Speaking of Silk Degrees, that album would make for a great pairing with this one and I'll be playing it next this morning.

Press of the time:

• CashBox: "a varied, soulful assortment which showcases his skills as a singer, songwriter and guitarist."
• Billboard: "an excellent showcase for Caldwell to display his multi-talents."
• Record World: "There is a very bright future for this talented new singer."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #21
• Billboard R&B: #7
• CashBox: #32
• Rolling Stone: #65

Tracks: Of course, the star here is What You Won't Do For Love (#9 pop, #6 R&B, #10 AC back in the '70s and, most recently, at #1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. This timeless hit is followed by two other minor hits, My Flame (#40 R&B) and Can't Say Goodbye (#36 R&B). And there's the deep cuts that are so good that there's instant familiarity: Come To Me, Take Me Back To Then, and the closer, Down For The Third Time. There's nothing to skip - the album is solid and it's over far too soon.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Not exactly a grail CD, but this was a tough one to find at a decent price. I'm happy to finally add it to the collection.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Where Is Love (1993)

Eddie Daniels - Breakthrough (1986)

I saw this CD in the used bin and thought to myself, "Hey! I remember a college friend having that CD back in '86 and there was a piece on it that caught my ear at the time. 25¢? I'll take it!" Turns out the clarinetist I was thinking of was Richard Stoltzman, the album was titled New York Counterpoint, and the piece I was remembering is titled Feast. So while both New York Counterpoint and Breakthrough are third stream releases featuring clarinet, both released in 1986, I'm left with this CD I've never heard before that I bought for purposes of nostalgia. Shrug.

blurbs from the liner notes

There's no denying the technical skills on display here, but if the "bastardized Bach" music doesn't hold interest, virtuosity doesn't really matter.

Reviews/ratings:

• Stereo Review: "Sad to say, there's a market for it."
• CashBox: "surprisingly successful"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• CashBox Jazz: #25
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay: #1

Tracks:

If I was pressed to pick a favorite, I'd go with the Daniels original, Circle Dance. The remainder reminds me of expertly performed, fairly generic film soundtrack music.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above