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east of angel town

What can I say, I just like Peter Cincotti’s voice. “Always Watching You” from 2007/09 “East of Angel Town” 143/Records is just a nice tune. Not to mention his style of piano. He’s got a blues-jazz kind of pop vibe on this jam.

I guess the litmus test for me is: “If I saw these cats playing at a small club, would I be impressed?”. I think I would.

Musical embellishments include sexy sax riffs by Scott Kreitzer, addition vocals by Jochem Van Der Saag, David Foster-keyboards, Nathan East-bass, and Obed Calvaire-drums.

Blues seems to have an “everyman’s” quality about it which connects with the listener. And I’m sure the fellas out there can relate to his lyrics to a greater or lesser degree.

Track listing:

Angel Town
Lay Your Body Down (Goodbye Philadelphia)
Be Careful
Cinderella Beautiful
Make It Out Alive
December Boys
U B U
Another Falling Star
Broken Children
Man On A Mission
Always Watching You
Witch’s Brew
Country Life, The
Love Is Gone Bonus Track
Come Tomorrow Bonus Track

Personnel:

Peter Cincotti (vocals, piano); Keith Robinson (guitar); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar); Michael Landau, Michael Thompson (electric guitar); Scott Kreitzer (saxophone); David Foster (keyboard); Nathan East, Barak Mori (bass guitar); Obed Calvaire (drums); Jochem Van Der Saag (background vocals).

notes from the underground

Due to my love of the unpredictable and the piano, “Uncle Chubb” from “Notes from the Underground” 1992 on Amulet Records, is right up my alley.

Fusion, free jazz group Medeski, Martin and Wood have a deserved reputation for all of that and more which is typified by this track.

Their affinity for the atonal and seemingly dissonant melody and key signature makes this jam a true journey of musical revelation.

The personnel include: John Medeski - piano, Billy Martin - drums and Chris Wood - bass.

COP DIS JAM

watercolors

What separated Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes apart from the rest of the jazz/fusion/funk cats were the vocal tracks. His brother, Donald could not only play the flute, he could blow!

Yeah, yeah I know you’ve got your fusion vocal cats like Flora Purim, Milton Nasciemento, Tania Maria and the rest.
Donald Smith is home grown, and his voice is tinged with a kind of native sultry swagger giving him a place of his own among vocalists of the time.

The title track”Renaissance” on the RCA label 1977 is my favorite Lonnie/Donald tune.

What makes this tune work along with the vocals is the excellent bass groove by Al Anderson, and slammin’ synth “string” arrangement by Lonnie, Horace Ott, and Leon Pendarvis.

On top of all this is Lonnie on acoustic/electric keyboard fills.

I’m tellin’ you fellas, you can melt some babes with this jam.

Unofficial lyric:

Now the time has come
And we all want to change the world you see
Now you know the peace
Of warmth, of love, for Which you can be

And you wonder why the world
Hasn’t shared this feeling too
Now you know, now you see,
And wonder why you are one of so few

And you soar and flow and the colors peak and so
you find
That every answer you sow
Yes is in your mind

The love for which you feel can bring this world
to be

So free, so free, so free,

So Be It!

COP DIS JAM

Track Listing:

1. Space Lady
2. Mardi Gras
3. Starlight And You
4. Mongotee
5. A Song of Love
6. Between Here and There
7. Renaissance

Personnel:

Al Anderson Bass
Gene Bertoncini Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar
Kenneth Bichel Synthesizer, Moog Synthesizer
Wilby Fletcher Drums
Guilherme Franco Percussion
Harvey Goldberg Engineer, Mixing
Brendon Griffin Liner Notes
Dave Hubbard Flute, Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Lawrence Killian Conga
Acy Lehman Art Direction
Horace Ott Arranger
Leon Pendarvis Clavinet
Donald Smith Flute, Vocals
Lonnie Liston Smith Guitar, Piano, Piano (Electric), Vocals, Producer, Author, Mixing, Electronics
Bob Thiele Producer, Mixing

When the group recorded a live album for RCA in 1977, the lineup included Smith on piano and keyboards, his brother Donald on vocals, Dave Hubbard on tenor and soprano sax, Al Anderson on electric bass, Ronald Miller on electric guitar, and Hollywood Barker on drums — a lineup that, except for Lonnie Liston Smith himself, is totally different from the Cosmic Echoes lineup heard on 1973’s Astral Traveling.