Video Post: Barry White - Love Unlimited Orchestra: Love's Theme

Barry White - Love Unlimited Orchestra: Love's Theme

Video Post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPJTO7CG_Fs

Equipment Time-out: New Stylus Cartridge

Equipment Time-out: New Stylus Cartridge. It has been years (over 25) since I had to buy a replacement phono-graph needle, also known as a cartridge. Radio Shack does not carry them in their stores. Prices can range from $30 dollars on up to many hundreds of dollars. I bought an Audio-Technica AT90 Universal Replacement Magnetic Phono Cartridge, for $40. The specs are mind boggling. First off, my ancient (college era) turntable is a Sony belt drive and I love it.  It has a hydraulic tonearm lift lever that makes needle dropping easy and accurate.  For you phonophiles out there, the specs on the new cartridge are: frequency response: 20-20.000 Hz. Channel separation - at 1 kHz - 24 dB; at 10 kHz - 15 dB. Tracking Force Range: 1.0 to 1.5 grams. Output at 1 kHz, 5 cm/sec: 3.5 mV. And the business end - the Stylus Type is a 0.7 mil Conical Diamond. This is the record I used to try out the new cartridge.  It sounded great - what a difference. Prince's Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon, from 1986.  It has a hit single "Kiss" on it.  It was his last record with The Revolution.

Earl Scruggs Revue - Super Jammin'

Super Jammin' - The Earl Scruggs Review.  A rediculous number of awesome musicians play on this record.  I bought it years ago, new, in a the store.  On Earl's own website - they list the cassette tape version a $10.00 and Album (assuming vinyl) at $25.00 "while supplies last."  There is no other single-record studio-made album I know of that contains this many super stars.   Here there are:  his sons Gary Scruggs - electric bass and Randy Scruggs - banjo.  Jimmy Messina - electric and acoustic guitars.  Kenny Loggins - percussion.  Jim Keltner - drums.  Reggie Young - electric guitar.  David Briggs - piano and Kenny Buttrey - drums.  Doug Kershaw - fiddle, and Vocals - Loudon Wainwright III.  Roger McGuinn on electric 12-string guitar and Alvin Lee on electric guitar.  Billy Joel - piano.  Willie Hall on drums.  Vocals are Bonnie Bramlett and Waylon Jennings.  And Charlie Daniels on electric guitar.  Leon Pendarvis on organ and piano.  Who is Ron Cornelius, her's on electric guitar.   Pete Drake plasy some steel guitar.  Teddy Irwin, guitar, and Shane Keister on piano.  With Jody Maphis on drums.  Larry Gatlin on acoustic guitar, some guy Reggie Young on electric guitar and Bob Johnston on organ and bbackground vocals for Dan Fogelberg.   Tim Wipperman on trumpet and The Pointer Sisters and Jody Maphis on still more percussion  My main man George McCorkle on electric guitar and Reggie Young (agani), on fiddle plus Jack Lee on organ.  Shane Keister on piano.   MTB'er Jerry Eubanks on saxophone.  Background Vocals: Mylon LeFevre, Alvin Lee, Charlie Daniels.  Whew!  Oh - and it's a terrific-sounding album too!

True Grit - Billy Vaughn, plus Movie Reviews

Billy Vaughn - True Grit.  Richard "Billy" Vaughn (April 12, 1919 - September 26, 1991) was an American singer who also played numerous instruments, an orchestra leader, and and "A&R man" for Dot Records - whatever that term means.  I saw the new True Grit movie, by the Cohen Brothers, and liked it very much.  Yes, they stayed true to the genre, the western - and made the film with great care and reverence.  But - I liked the original better.  One cannot avoid comparing the two films.  The new one is gorgeous, with actors in the main roles spot on.  But the Duke fills up the screen in a way that The Dude can't.  Hailey Steinfeld gives the best young, debut acting performance since Tatum O'Neal ni Paper Moon - and we know how that came out.  No matter what you may have read, the Cohen Brothers did re-make the original movie.  They said they made the only referred to the book.  Fine, but after seeing how they made the new version, you can't tell me they did not closely watch the original.  The new one is quite good, but it is Urlacher to Butkus, to use an inside Chicago sports analogy.

Bob James - Heads

Bob James - Heads.  I have two Bob James records.  I think he does a great job of using his record covers for artwork.  I also have his record called Touchdown.  He uses the Buffalo nickel or Indian Head nickel, a copper-nickel five-cent piece struck by the United States Mint from 1913 to 1938. The coin was designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser.  The album Heads came out in 1977.  He does a cover version of Peter Frampton's I'm in You.  And he also does Billy Preston's You Are so Beautiful.  And what a great lineup he showcases on this album.  He are some of the greats who play on it: Steve Gadd, Dave Sanborn, Grover Washington, Jr., Patti Austin, Michael Brecker, and the genius (and personal favorite of mine) Jon Faddis, the former Music Director of our world-renowned Chicago Jazz Ensemble.

Melanie - Gather Me/Brand New Key

Melanie...Gather Me. "Brand New Key" is a catchy pop song written by folk singer Melanie, which became a novelty hit in 1971-72.  It is also known at "The Rollerskate Song."  It was her biggest hit, hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in Dec. 1971 and Jan. 1972.  Most important to me - Melanie played at Woodstock.   With that concert now over 40 years ago and some others having passed away, I predict those few performers left will be even more revered.  Her solo set was relaatively, she went on at 11 pm on opening day Friday, Aug. 15th.  Reports from then say she went on instead of The Incredible String Band who refused to play while it was raining.  In an interview with WAMC Radio in Albany, NY broadcast on December 20, 2007, Melanie stated that the producers (Michael Lang?) of the Woodstock Festival maintained offices in the same building that she did. Due to this, Melanie asked to be part of the Festival.  During her set the audience lit up candles to accompany her music. Later she wrote a song about that which was a hit called: "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)."  Her full name is Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk, born on February 3, 1947.