This is Sinatra! Captiol Records (1957)   Track listing: I’ve Got The World On A String/Three Coins In The Fountain/Love And Marriage/From Here To Eternity/South Of The Border/Rain (Falling From The Skies)/The Gal That Got Away/Young-At-Heart/Learnin’ The Blues/My One And Only Love/(Love Is) The Tender Trap/Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me (Nelson Riddle arranges and conducts all of the selections except for “South Of The Border” which was with Billy May)

Billed in the liner notes as “a dozen of his recent and best hits,” This Is Sinatra! rounds up the pick of his 1953-6 singles and B-sides; it was part of a running Capitol promotional series (other This Is… albums featuring Dean Martin, Nat “King” Cole and so forth).

About “”Learnin’ the Blues” the notes refer to “the rhythmic and torchy lesson Frank taught willing millions via juke boxes, record stores and disc jockeys”     Listen to Harry Edison’s trumpet and Red Norvo’s vibes.   It’s clear that Sinatra is suffering: “But you can’t forget her/Soon you even stop trying”

Here is 1955’s “Learnin’ The Blues”:  

(43 votes, average: 3.14 out of 5)

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“I Know Where I’m Going”     Becky and Sandy   Mission Records

(51 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5)

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Robo Arigo Sexy Thing Nigerian funk from 1982.   Check out Comb and Razor – a cool music site which has done posts on this and other rare grooves.

(48 votes, average: 3.44 out of 5)

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In honor of Ray’s 80th Birthday and John Coltrane’s 84th Birthday on September 23rd!  

Ray Charles At Newport Atlantic Records.   Newport, Rhode Island, July, 1958   — The Newport Jazz Festival was Ray’s initiation into the jazz circuit.   Even though he was slated to play on the Festival’s first “Blues Night,” the concert was recorded “live” on July 8, 1958.   The young boppers flocked to Ray who started out the set with jazz, moved onto his R&B hits and closed with the rockin’ “I’ve Got A Woman.” Many felt that Ray’s Newport appearance helped move jazz towards a “back to roots” movement. At the end of 1958, Downbeat Magazine named Ray Charles their “Best Male Star – New Singer”.

Ray Charles – keyboards, vocals, alto saxophone; Marcus Belgrave – trumpet; Lee Harper – trumpet; David Newman – tenor saxophone; Bennie (Hank) Crawford – baritone saxophone; Edgar Wills – bass; Richie Goldberg – drums; Marjorie Hendricks – vocals; The Raelettes – vocal group

(Night Time Is) The Right Time; In A Little Spanish Town; I’ve Got A Woman; Blues Waltz; Hot Rod (The Spirit – Feel); Talkin’ ‘Bout You; Sherry; A Fool For You

“New Thing at Newport”   Impulse Records (1965)   John Coltrane at the Newport Jazz Festival.   The title, “New Thing at Newport” refers to the avante garde style of jazz Coltrane and Shepp unleash throughout their sets.   The first two tracks “One Down, One Up” and “My Favorite Things” features Coltrane’s “classic” quartet of McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Jimmy Garrison on bass.   The second section features Archie Shepp, who managed to do something few tenors of the era did, develop his own sound outside of Coltrane’s influence.   The group Shepp fronts consists of the distinctive vibeist, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Chambers on drums, and Barre Phillips on bass.

(55 votes, average: 3.82 out of 5)

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Enoch Light Orchestra Presents “Spaced Out”   “Exploratory Trips Through the Music of Bach, Bacharach, The Beatles Integrating the Moog,   The Guitar Scene, Electric Harpsichord, French Horns, Etc.”   EMI / Columbia   UK

The Ted Heath Orchestra Plays Beatles, Bach & Bacharach   Phase 4 Stereo   Decca Records     Why the same three “B”s?!

Ron Goodman and His Orchestra ….Play Burt Bacharach   EMI/Columbia UK

Lennon & McCartney GO LATIN with Tony Osborne

(52 votes, average: 4.19 out of 5)

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The Temptations   “I Wish It Would Rain”/”I Truly, Truly Believe”   Tamla/Motown   The last of the classic lineup of David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams   (1968)   Produced by Norman Whitfield     Check out this performance clip with David Ruffin upfront. Bass Melvin steps up to the mic on this single’s B-Side “I Truly, Truly Believe”

(38 votes, average: 3.18 out of 5)

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Evangelist Lottie Adams   “Jesus is the Answer” This looks almost like a rockabilly record.   It’s not.

(45 votes, average: 2.60 out of 5)

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Bob Dylan   “Oh Mercy”   Columbia Records (1989)   Produced by Daniel Lanois   Street Art by Trotsky; Album Design by Christopher Austopchuk; Type Design by Mark Burdett; Photo: Suzie-Q

Bob Dylan — Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Daniel Lanois — Dobro
Malcolm Burn — Tambourine
Tony Hall — Bass
Willie Green — Drums
Brian Stoltz — Guitar
Daryl Johnson — Percussion

(48 votes, average: 2.81 out of 5)

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“I’d Rather Be Blind (In My Eyes Than In My Soul)”   Benny Dean   Erin Records

(50 votes, average: 2.54 out of 5)

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Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band   PYE Records UK   (1966)   Here’s one by the OTHER Gino Washington   that’s not on this 45 … but I really like it:

(41 votes, average: 2.71 out of 5)

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