Another great graphic cover from the Musart Record label in Mexico.  “Rock ‘n Roll”   Illustration looks to be by Alfonso Miquel.

“Boppin’ & Burnin’”  Don Patterson, Howard McGhee, Charles McPherson, Pat Martino, Billy James  Prestige Records  (1968)

American Folk Blues Festival 1964  Fontana Records (UK)   Recorded in the Musikhalle in Hamburg that year including Sonny Boy Williamson, Sugar Pie Desanto,  Howlin Wolf and others.  Courtesy of Chess Records.  GO Sugar go!

“THE SUPER SUPER BLUES BAND”  Checker Records  HOWLIN WOLF!  MUDDY WATERS!  BO DIDDLEY!  A Mount Rushmore of Blues Legends!   In early 1967, Chess Records decided to shore up its fortunes by placing three of its aging stars in the studio to record together.  Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Little Walter played off each other on the session that would result in the Super Blues album which, in turn, would sell enough copies to keep the ball rolling and merit a second all-star session.

Zoot Sims plays Alto, Tenor and Baritone  ABC-Paramount Records  (1956)  With John Williams (p), Knobby Totah (b), Gus Johnson (d)  Music by George Handy.  Bob Brookmeyer describes the power of Zoot’s playing:   “Zoot plays earthy.  He is direct, simple, logical, and above all, emotional”.   Here Zoot blows alto, tenor and baritone saxophones in unison, opening and closing passages, and soloing individually on each horn.  Dom Cerulli, in his highly enthusiastic review in Down beat, said: “Handy’s writing is as constantly alive and imaginative, as Zoot’s playing is forceful and swinging.”

I remember where I bought this LP as I surprisingly often do when pulling one down from the shelf.  Funny that.  This one came from the only used record store in Key West on a short trip I took there in 1986.  It was on the wall next to a Sun Ra on Saturn that I also picked up that day.  Then it was off to Duval street for a beer and Pepe’s for oysters.  Sometimes a record can bring it all back.

MMMM…The Mills Brothers!  Dot Records   (All the songs start with the letter M!  High concept!)  I love these guys!   This is from the sixties, but they were great from the 1930′s on.  I highly recommend you check them out.  Here’s just one:  “Be My Life’s Companion”

“Yes”   Yes   Atlantic Records   Debut outing from 1969.   “Progressive Rock” is born.       Lester Bangs favorably reviewed the album in Rolling Stone, writing that it was “the kind of album that sometimes insinuates itself into your routine with a totally unexpected thrust of musical power.”   (Led Zeppelin’s first, also on Atlantic, came out earlier that same year.)   Jon Anderson: vocals;   Chris Squire: bass and vocals;   Peter Banks: guitars and vocals;   Tony Kaye: keyboards;   Bill Bruford: drums .

Honky Tonk Percussion & Piano

GO!   The Treniers   Philips Records     What a beautiful car!!

“Scrambler”   World Pacific Records   (1964)   The Sandells first LP (The same group that scored the movie “Endless Summer”)