"Blues ballads" by LaVern Baker (1959)

Hugely popular and influential in her days,LaVern Baker's discography had much more to offer than those embarrassing hit singles - the handful of LP albums she left behind are all very strong and have various approach.

Here,for example,she croons some serious ballads in a (mostly) doo wop style,with vocal choir behind her.

Interestingly,she borrows not one,but two Kay Starr's hits (and one of them Starr borrowed from Edith Piaf) probably showing off her versatility - if she can record gospel and Bessie Smith,she can surely sing white rock hits. Contrary to the title,not everything are ballads - there are some fierce,gospel-ish uptempo numbers where Baker's strong,muscular voice leves backing chorus in the dust..

Personally I find Baker far more appealing than overrated Ruth Brown who heavily relied on few vocal tricks repeated at nauseaum.

Earthy,passionate and commited (no matter was it "Humpty dumpty heart" or "St.Louis Blues") LaVern Baker was always joy to hear.

"I've never been to me" by Nancy Wilson (1977)

Long way from those early Jazz sessions with George Shearing or Cannobal Adderly,this 1977. album find chanteuse spreading her vocal mannerisms across bunch of anonymous songs not worthy anybody's attention.

Whatever appeal young Wilson had back in the day,she replaced it with her own take on Eartha Kitt,in other words she sounds annoying from the start to finish.

If young Wilson was happily swinging and bouncing across classy material,here she basically moans and sounds as barking orders - and even names album after that horrible,campy song where she claims to have been undressed by kings. If definition of "song stylist" means that artist twist everything to the point where even composers would not recognize it or that he/she relies of (limited) bag of tricks,than this describes Nancy Wilson perfectly.

Songs are either ballads or mid-tempo,comatose funk and Wilson sounds as she couldn't care less,because everything sound the same.

On "Moments" she sounds exactly like Dinah Washington and it makes me miss spirited Washington even more. "All by myself" is not a famous Eric Carmen's take on Rachamninov,but a blodless ballad where Wilson sounds like she has a terrible toothache (nothing new,than)

"Killing me softly" by Roberta Flack

Calm,soothing and elegant collection of songs that starts with Flack's magical interpretation of Lori Lieberman's "Killing me softly" (and do check the original - it's almost as powerful,in a different way) and from there it just floats in smoke circles.

Flack weaves magic around mostly ballad set,her mellow voice lulling listener into daydreaming - where others would scream and shout,she is 100% soul singer by the virtue of staying composed. The choice of songs is also very interesting because it hints at artists personality - instead of relying on hit-makers or trendy rock & soul covers, she reaches far into classy cabaret songbook (haunting "I am the girl" recorded decades ago by Sylvia Symms) or goes for mock-jazzy, quasi-1930s number "When you smile" that wouldn not be out of place in the movies like "Bonnie & Clyde" or "The Sting".

On the other hand,in the hands of Roberta Flack,Cohen's "Susanne" turns into hypnotizing,almost new-age dance - this is what covers should be,completely re-intventing originals and bringing a personal touch to them

The Raelettes compilation

Just like Ike & Tina's "Ikettes" , The Raelettes were known around the world for their backing vocals work but themselves never had a solo hit.

And it's not for ladies lack of talent- just check this brilliant compilation of their late 1960s-early 1970s work (cover photo is deceiving) to hear for yourself how passionate,committed and underrated these girls were. My guess is that constant changes of line-up + background work somehow kept them away from the charts,although music presented here is of such high quality,it is really a crime it didn't have proper exposure.

It sounds very much like Ray Charles best work (Genius himself can be heard either in the background or singing with the girls) with his recognizable brassy,funky sound and occasional downright blues thrown it. If we have to search for comparison,think about a cross between "The Sweet Inspirations" and early Pointer sisters and you will get the idea. Impossible to say who is singing where because girls were constantly changing,the only person easy to identify is Ray Charles.

Standout: "Many rivers to cross", "Come and get it,I got it"

"Half and half" by Vicki Sue Robinson (1977)

The irresistible,radiant opener "Feel so good (it must be wrong)" is such optimistic,wonderfully positive and well,feel-good number that it makes you wonder why it wasn't huge success of Gloria Gaynor/Donna Summer style.

Robinson was delightfully mad singer who liked to improvise from the top of her head and although I like her best in uptempo numbers,she obviously saw herself as some kind of Patty LaBelle and cluttered her albums with overlong ballads that stretch our patience to the limits.

To be honest,this is by far superior to her previous two albums because as collection of songs,it is not so uneven - everything goes smoothly and even ballads are not so boring as before. Trademark congas are still here,Robinson sings like madcap (as usual) and there are even some unexpected rock guitars in the title song,pointing at unexplored directions.

Very good album from the golden age of disco era.

Vicki Sue Robinson (1976)

Congas,swirling strings,passionate backing chorus,throbbing bass... it must be Vicki Sue Robinson!

it is really a pleasure to encounter album recorded in the golden age of disco,the original artifact - not just some nostalgic pastiché,but the real thing - and surely Robinson's mid-1970s LPs are joy.

The album starts strongly with one-to punch of "Daybreak" and "Should I stay" medley following right after,two irresistible dance-floor stompers with some backing choruses almost frightening in their intensity. If you ask me,I would continue album in the same style and had it filled with celebratory dance songs completely,alas,someone has decided that we need ballads here so ballads we got and they are - there's no way to put it nicely - simply boring.Everything that sounds original and passionate on disco numbers is just mannered and annoying on ballads.

Robinson's disco albums all share same characteristics - songs are either hands-in-the-air disco affairs or agonizingly slow and overlong ballads. Skip the ballads and go for disco.

The Ronettes Early Years '61-'62

Pre-Spector recordings showing that girls really needed better material and inspired producer next time around.

it is common now to throw mud at Phil Spector but the guy was genius and his magic touch made all the difference. Almost all of his singers (with few exceptions,like Ike & Tina Turner) were not known before he started working with them and Ronettes were just one of the many names from the list of hopeful wannabies.

Ronnie had appealing,sexy voice and and it's (almost) fun to hear her in this sub--par material,without earthquake going on around her. One cannot really hear other girls as Ronnie is front and center,and as for musicians,well to me it all sounds like demo anyway. Everything sounds like demo compared to Phil Spector!

What is truly fascinating is how bad these material is - even Supremes debut album had more depth - gimmicks,clichés,derivative ideas... you name it,it's here. Even girls squeaks have already been done (much better) by The Tammys. From historical perspective,it is interesting to hear Ronettes the way they were as "diamonds in rough" but from music standpoint this was just awful because there is nothing here that hasn't already been recorded by everybody else + songs themselves are offensive in their simpleness.

Girl-group era had a lot of inspired highlights,but this is not one of them.

"A bit of Liverpool" by The Supremes (1964)

If you can't beat them,join them.

While "british invasion" swept away some big stars,others managed to cope with changes - Supremes recorded the whole album of songs by british artists,toured UK and posed for the pictures in new british fashion. it smeels very much like jumping at the bandwagon to me - if it moves,cover it - and it makes me think what would they do in cause Josephine Baker with her banana dress came in fashion (surely they would all go bananas). Yes we know, it wasn't girls but big bosses telling them what to do and that is why Supremes 1960s discography thematically have nothing in common ,as they hit left & right,trying to outdo Connie Francis at the game. Supremes sings country... Supremes sings Sam Cooke... Supremes sing Christmas... Rodgers and Hart... Funny Girl... Supremes singing Yiddish,hell yeah.

How does it sound? Cutesy,as expected. Songs are well known and copied not for note,so it's not even a matter of different interpretation,more a matter of different voices. If you ever wanted to hear "House of a rising sun" sung by Minnie Mouse,this album is for you. Surprisingly,"You really got a hold on me" by Smokey Robinson is also here because he influenced british rock aristocracy.

Music is of course,nice,but we already know originals so this is a bit pointless.

Carl Spitzweg

Long,long ago and far away,when I was a teenager spending afternoons in the libraries (instead of being at school) I remember seeing certain paintings by some german painter and in the corner of my mind I registered him as somebody I liked. Now,decades later I decided to find him,but of course it was like searching for a needle in a haystack - the only things I remember were "german" and "painter".

Thanks to internet, I have finally traced him - Carl Spitzweg - surely he lived in different times and one might describe his paintings as cutesy,but to me he is clear spiritual ancestor of Norman Rockwell - they both love their subjects (paintings are always full of delightful little details). As opposite to some other artists who share their nightmares with everybody, Spitzweg and Rockwell deliberately and decidedly focus only on happy little everyday moments. Even when Spitzweg paints night watch sleeping alone in the middle of the square,with starry sky above him,he does it in such nice gently way that we are not laughing at him,we somehow feel for him.

Seeing Spitzweg's eccentric and likable characters (in mostly crowded paintings with lots of beautiful dreamy architecture) reminds me how much I always loved similar much older paintings by old dutch painters (you know,those with lot of people skating on frozen rivers and so on) so maybe this was connection between them,kind of torch pasing.

Hidden past of Ella Fitzgerald

The quintessential difference between two Jazz Goddesses who actually lived at the same time,knew same people and even performed at the same stages was that Billie Holiday surrounded herself with aura of melancholy,drama and suffering while Ella Fitzgerald somehow reflected happiness and optimism. It showed in their music,although it must be admitted that roles could occasionally swap - Billie could do uptempo,happy songs and Ella would surprise you with yearning ballads. However,they are remembered as dark and sunny oposites.

Recent discoveries about Fitzgerald's early start in life enlighten us about her personality - we all know that she had won that fateful amateur night contest at the famous "Apollo" but years between death of her mother and "Apollo" are usually not mentioned whatsoever. It is almost as she was born that night at the "Apollo" and come to think of it,Ella herself liked to remember it that way - but reality was somehow different,as police records showed that after being shuffled between relatives,the child run off on the streets (probably not without a reason!) and was arrested & placed in the reformatory for period of two years,where girls were regularly tortured and beaten.

Fitzgerald herself never spoke about these years and though she was undoubtedly deeply traumatized with them,she never allowed inner demons to show in her work. Quite opposite to Holiday who created "suffering diva" personae but apparently was strong-willed and high-living person,sunny and happy Fitzgerald had her share of problems but kept them in check.

Nothing is what it seems!

Carole King Early Recordings 1958-66

Woah,this is really an explosion of happy,bubbly 1960s pop - King's early recordings and demos are thrilling in their energy, earnestness and enthusiasm.

Long before "Tapestry" she was well known as a gifted composer,but this information doesn't really register until one hears this generous compilation of rarities recorded a full decade before superstardom - if "Tapestry" was gentle,melodic and melancholic,these early 1960s songs were all irresistibly happy,tuneful and danceable. It is also cute to note where king picked up her influences - doo wop,The Drifters,Neil Sedaka and others somehow mirrored in her music,clearly she tried a little bit of everything.

Downright funny (and good natured) answer song "Oh Neil" that starts this compilation,might suggest that this girl would turn into some gimmicky one-trick Pony and before you know it,King blossoms into irresistible (and instantly recognizable) weaver of magic melodies - surely,this is all based on 1960s girl-group sound but if you like music from this decade,this CD is Holy Grail. With a few over-cooked exceptions,most of these songs are highly enjoyable and King herself sounds much better than demo tracks singers.

"Loving and free" by Kiki Dee (1973)

Very pretty early 1970s album by now almost forgotten Kiki Dee.
Her life-long champion Elton John stands behind production and most of the material here,no wonder it sounds as it could have been Elton John's album with calm and sensitive female voice added later. It is very tuneful and melodic collection of folk-rock (Jackson Browne amongst many composers represented here) with only misstep being aggressive rock guitars of "Supercool" that somehow doesn't fit with the rest of the album.

Kiki Dee is a pleasure to hear here,that fine and clear voice reminding listener a bit of Dusty Springfield (but less theatrical and somehow more controlled). She might have been a bit buttoned-up but to me that's fine,I prefer collected and calm singer anytime to a over-souling of any of today's charted girls.

At the very end of the album are perhaps the strongest points: "Song for Adam" (Jackson Browne) that suits Kiki Dee to a T, and her own "Sugar on the floor" that was later turned into soul showpiece by Etta James. Overall one of the best studio works by very likable,sincere singer who deserved much better fate than to end up like one-hit wonder.

Seka Kojadinović 1973. single

Seka Kojadinović is my recent discovery and completely accidental one - helping a friend with covers of Dusty Springfield,we somehow stumbled upon this obscure singer who literary had 5 minutes of spotlight before she left music business. I am fairly familiar with all things retro and know all the forgotten singers of Ex Yu but Kojadinović was a surprise even for me.

Fairly competent singer who was at the right place in the right time,Kojadinović graced late 1960s rock scene of Belgrade and performed with some important & famous musicians ("Korni grupa", "Eclipse") before going solo,but this solo career never really took off. Either lady was not commercial enough or was it question of luck,promotion,determination,who knows.

However,Kojadinović did left several singles behind and this one (recorded in 1973) have interesting choice of songs - A side is wasted on something simple enough to get radio play (it didn't,although it was presented on Belgrade pop festival that year) but side B has a stunning ballad "A moje usne šapuću Tebi" with spiraling piano introduction,beautiful melody and some serious drama going on. This ballad was so good and strong that it could have been title of an album,instead of being forgotten and sentenced for B side of the single - honestly,it would not have been out of place on Dusty Springfield album!

Classic story of beautiful gem hidden on a B side of the forgotten single.

Catania & Cannoli

So,I have left South Africa behind - but so far,not really seeing much of Europe because new work is really overwhelming + to be honest,I have 365 days of continuous sailing behind me (without one single day off) so naturally right now at this point just show me the bed and I don't need any sunlight. The working hours are ridiculous but this is not a place to complain,just occasionally I feel sorry for myself and think of "normal life" where one works 8 hours and rest afterwards.

However I did go out in Catania,Sicily.

I know the place quite well - at least I am familiar with the centre and everything that one can walk through. Catania has a beautiful old architecture and obviously a lot of history. Unfortunately place is completely run-down and it just goes worse every year I visit,it's really a disgrace and whatever might look romantic in the night,looks really bad in the bright sunlight. All my colleagues say the same thing: the place looks post-apocaliptic and it needs to be seriously re-painted,re-built or simply saved because the way it is, it does not look pretty at all. I can imagine finances are the problem here but still,if things are done step by step maybe some kind of improvement could be done.

One saving grace for Catania are Cannoli,the most delicious sicilian dessert that looks almost obscene (like a huge cuban cigar,filled with riccota cheese cream and dipped in pistacchio)

and the best ones are to be found either in ancient cake-shop "Nona Vincenza" (the same family owns this shop for several centuries) or close to the main square, at the very beginning of famous Via Etna. In the both cases Cannoli are divine and definitely some of the best desserts I have ever tried in my life. One might search for Cannoli in other parts of Italy but nothing ever matches these beauties found in Catania - other Cannoli were always smaller,drier and lacked some special magic - these in Catania in particular are just sensational and when I'm there I gorge on them like there is no tomorrow. In fact,because of Cannoli I am (almost) ready to forgive them for not tiding up this old town just once.

Another curiosity: there is an elephant sculpture in the main square,apparently some kind of midget elephants used to live in Sicily long before the man and this little elephant is official protector of Catania. At some point,locals realized he lacks the male equipment and after much push & pull,they added testicles on the sculpture!

"Now Voyager" by Barry Gibb (1984)

Gibb's falsetto in an acquired taste,but we got used to it thanks to "Saturday night fever".

if you wonder does his solo album sound any different than Bee Gees,the answer is: not really.

Here he leaves disco behind and moves into 1980s synthesizers land,balancing between funk and mid-tempo ballads. Lots of multi-voiced songs,so if you are not really into his voice,better avoid Barry Gibb choir. It is had to take seriously somebody with such an odd collection of vocal tricks: Gibb squeaks, whines,growls and attempts to sound soulful but often ends being just downright funny. Even when he gets "passionate" on occasions, before you know it,he croons boring ballad with fellow Aussie Olivia Newton-John so he is neither artist stretching bravely beyond commercial horizons, neither hit maker here.

For some reason (perhaps because I was familiar with his work as successful composer for others) I really wanted to give this album a proper chance and listened it far more than I should have - there are a few interesting moments here,but the overall impression is that Gibb used his inspiration on other artist's albums and not much was left for his own project. Perhaps somebody like Quincy Jones could have done better and give production more appealing twists or perhaps Gibb should have just wait until he collects enough strong songs for the whole album.However,after this he quickly returned to the group.

"Lady of the night" by Donna Summer (1974)

Very interesting curiosity,a complete album recorded before her disco glory and apparently released only in The Netherlands.

Moroder and Belotte were on board even than,playing around with different music genres and trying new things all over the place. It's all very mild and relatively innocent (compared to what's around the corner), wholesome 1970s pop that appealed to locals who liked it well enough to chart the album high.

Summer uses her real voice,deep and powerful alto that blows the studio walls away - she was a really strong singer even than and it is a pity that producers very soon transformed her into moaning & groaning disco marionette who sings with "feminine" falsetto,before she got successful enough to go back to her real voice.

First disco hits like "Love to love you baby", "Try me I know we can make it" or "I feel love" were all done in annoying high register,because that is what producers probably wanted (whispering sex fantasy) but Summer did not need any gimmicks as she already had a strong talent and experience behind her, I am really glad that later she started singing normally again later.

Phil Spector - influenced "Lady of the night" and blaxploitation movie that-never-was "The Hostage" were hits.