Donovan - "Donovan in Concert" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1968 (Epic)

When this album was released in 1968, I was 14, and I remember that I avoided this album with a vengeance.  Which is strange, because I was a huge fan of his Mickie Most produced albums.  But even in 1968, the hippy-dippy version of Donovan was a turn-off to me. I can enjoy the studio albums from 1966 to 1968, but a live album at the height of flower power, no thanks. 

Decades later, and at the age of 64, I'm finally listening to "Donovan in Concert."  It's a great album, because one, his vocals are superb, and two, his minimal band behind him is fantastic.  At least in this show, he didn't do his 'hits but instead focused on his deep cuts from his studio albums from that era. What we have here is a jazz-orientated background, with Donovan coming off not so much as flower power child, but a torch singer for the Aquarius age.  "Young Girl Blues" is backed by piano, a bowed-standup bass, and light, gentle percussion and flute.  Strangely, it sort of reminds me of Nina Simone, in that like that iconic singer, can tear into the song, take it apart, and then put it back together toward the end of the piece. 

Donovan at this point in his career had the teenage female who loved the gentle folk singer, with the Scottish accent.   Still, I'm amazed that I never picked up on the sophistication of his arrangements, which to me is not all down to Mickie Most, but Donovan's sensitivity to his material, and not down-playing the hit song aspect of the material.   There's a sexual aspect, that is smokey, but one can understand that the flowers are part of the seduction of his image and sound.  Lyrically he has a journalist quality in placing the landscape to the listener.  "Donovan in Concert" is for sure very much a snapshot of that era, but years or decades later, I'm now admiring his daring of making dream music that transforms one into space, more likely a private place, but one that's in your own head. 

Donovan - "Barabajagal" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969 (Epic)

A very good, but not classic Donovan album.  "Barabajagal" is Donovan at his most hippie twee, with songs like "Happiness Runs" and "I Love My Shirt."  And even "Atlantis," still, there is really no such thing as a bad Donovan song or performance.  There is the image of Donovan as the universal folkie turned flower child, which is true.  On the flip of the other side of the coin is that Donovan is a brilliant stylist/singer who brings jazzy overtures to his melodies and arrangements.  Mickie Most produced the classic Donovan sides (like this album), but I'm never sure what Most brings to the sonic table to a Donovan session.  Most is/was comfortable working with the Jeff Beck Group (who back Donovan on two songs on this album) and Terry Reid at the time who had a "heavy" sound.  

One of my favorite Donovan songs is on this album, and it's "To Susan Waiting on the West Coast."   A tune about a soldier in Vietnam writing to his girl back home.   Simple narrative but Donovan can bring out the pathos with his overly British twee-Jazz, that works brilliantly with this song.  I'm also a fan of "Superlungs My Supergirl."  Terry Reid also did a fantastic cover of this song around the same time this album was released - again, the Mickie Most connection.   Beck and gang back Donovan on the title cut, and clearly the Beck aesthetic on guitar is very prominent on "Barabajagal."  He's riffing like crazy under the mix of rhythm and the backup singers.   Although not individually credited, I imagine Nicky Hopkins is on the album.  The piano playing is superb throughout the disc, and the only song besides the Beck group (none of the musicians besides Beck is clearly credited) is the song "Where Is She," with session great Alan Hawkshaw on piano.  The rest I think is Hopkins.  

In real time, I bought the Donovan albums when they originally released. This was the last Donovan album for me.  Perhaps due to the marketing of that time, or me moving on to my teenage years, I gave up on Donovan.  It wasn't until recently that I started to pick up on Donovan's great Epic albums to provide them with that serious re-listen.  I'm now a bigger fan of his work, looking back on material that is of course, charming, but also has elements and textures that was very much present in the late 1960s - the acceptance of music from other cultures.  In that sense, Donovan was or is a great traveler. 

Pierre Bachelet & Hervé Roy - "Emmanuelle: The Original Sound Track" CD, Album, Reissue, Japan, 1974 (Warner Brothers)

At the age of 62, I'm the ripe customer for Emmanuelle and that whole European soft-porn era of the 1970s.  Even as a teenager I found Emmanuelle sexy.  The combination of exotic locale with a white European woman being surrounded by danger and various men, including an older gentleman - it seemed so perfect to me.  Is it correct to feel this way?  I don't know.  I keep this pretty much in my head and rarely share this information, till now, of course.

Also "Emmanuelle" is the most absurd film track album ever.  It's basically the one theme done in various music styles over and over again.   Come to think of it, "Emmanuelle" the film is just as absurd.  I want to say it's fun, but it brings up too many issues.  Racism, sexism, and probably even more "ism" then that I am aware of.  On the other hand, I love it.  I don't say this with great pride, but with a tad amount of embarrassment. 

Oddly enough I was introduced to the soundtrack by a beautiful blonde girl that I went to Junior High School with.  This was in the early 1970s, and her main music interest was in Donovan (she owned and played the Live Donovan album all the time) and Joni Mitchell's "Blue" album.  She had sophisticated taste, and on top of that, she was a beauty.   She was a strange girl in that she kept her own company pretty much all of the time.  We shared another friend of hers, and that is why we became friends.  Beyond the Joni and Donovan record, she also had the Emmanuelle soundtrack.  She played it for me, and it was at that time, the weirdest album I have ever heard, but beyond that, I was sexually attracted to my blonde friend, and her playing this album for me was almost a sexual act.  We never connected on a physical level, but many years later I found this album in Tokyo, with additional songs.   Like one needs additional songs on this album!  It's the same song over and over again - but of course, different arrangements each time. 

The other great discovery is that there is an English version of the theme song on the CD, and the lyrics were written by Howard / Blaikley, who wrote all the classic Honeycombs album as well as Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich's material.  What a strange discovery that was!

Donovan - "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" Vinyl, LP, Mono, Album, 1968 (Epic)

You can never go wrong with an album that is credited "A Mickie Most Production."   Beyond that, you can't normally go wrong with a Donovan album.  "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" album is the Donovan album that people don't talk or write about.  It has two hit singles "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (amazing) and the charming "Jennifer Juniper."  Of the Mickie Most / Donovan albums, this one is his most Indian/world/exotic instrument LP.  

First of all, Donovan is the most underrated singer of his generation.  A superb stylist, with jazzy overtones.   Two songs that stand out for me on "The Hurdy Gurdy Man" is "Peregrine" and "Tangier."  Both have a strong Indian / drone influence, and yet, Donovan makes it very much his own.  His approach to his songs is very much him.  There is really no other Donovan.  It's not only his voice but the presence and style of his music that makes him a very unique artist.   

There is also the "twee" image Donovan has cultivated over the years, but when I hear his music, I don't think of the softness, but the beautiful arrangements.  His psychedelia is different from say someone like the band Traffic (but close...) or the Fab Four.  Some of the "drone" songs were co-written by David J. Mills, a close friend of Donovan's.  "Teas" reminds me a bit of George Harrison, but I also hear Dave Brubeck's piano running through the mix as well.  John Paul Jones, although not credited on the sleeve was very much part of the album through his talent as an arranger.  It is rumored that Jimmy Page is on the album as well, but not proven.  For sure Clem Cattini did the drumming.  Nice to have a Joe Meek reference here.  Clem was the drummer for The Tornados. 

Donovan - "Sunshine Superman" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Mono, 2005, Originally 1966 (Sundazed)

"Sunshine Superman," I think is the first Donovan album that I purchased in the year of its release 1966.   You can't get more 1966, than "Sunshine Superman."   The song was a big hit on the radio and very hard to avoid if one even dared to do so.  Everyone loved that song.  I clearly remember driving with my dad on Sunset Boulevard and hearing this song in another car's AM radio speaker.  Once on the radio, everyone put the volume up.   Very summer-like soundtrack. 

Donovan always had that ultimate hippie white robe thing going, but the truth is, he's a masterful pop songwriter and an incredible singer.  His appeal for me is that he has a jazzy vocal, but that is blended into his beautifully orchestrated pop music mode.  He has a very unique sound, that goes beyond the image of flute, guitar and bongo drum.  Even his earlier folk recordings had more of a jazz cafe quality than New York's Washington Square.   The other great ingredient in his overall sound of his albums is the talent of hitmaker Mickie Most.   He often used Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on his recordings, and I suspect (especially Jones) are on "Sunshine Superman."

"Season of the Witch" is the other outstanding track beside the title that is iconic like. Druggy, groovy, and hypnotic; one would think this would be the ultimate laid back garage rock recording of all time.  It hints of exotic overtures, which makes it irresistible.   The truth is, the whole album is on that train of thought.  It flows like pouring a beautiful glass of wine into a large wine glass.  The other highlight is the closing song "Celeste" which is Donovan's most beautiful melody and delivery.  

Noel Harrison - "Collage" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1967 (Reprise Records)

Noel Harrison is known for his role in "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., as well as being the son of Rex.  But he also made a series of albums, and had a huge hit with Michel Legrand's "The Windmills of Your Mind."   And he had been making recordings since the late 1950s.  A recording artist of good taste and his very last album was a recording of Jacques Brel songs - which makes perfect sense with what one thinks of Harrison's music career.  "Collage" is the ultimate 1967 folk/pop album from Harrison.  It's interesting to note that the songwriter/singer was in full bloom at this time, but Harrison is mostly a singer who covered songs.  But his taste was exquisite, and this is one of my favorite albums from that period of time.  Mostly due to his liking, but also he had that British/French attitude towards the craftsmanship of a good song, and '67 produced a lot of great music in that category.   

He covers Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" but also "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.  He also had the wisdom to do "Museum" by Donovan, which is a fantastic underappreciated piece of work.   A Bob Lind song (another underrated figure) and a great version of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.   And of course, it ends with "Strawberry Fields Forever."   The beauty of the album is how Harrison approaches the material.  It doesn't feel like he's just singing the hits of the day, but for sure he had an individual and real connection to these songs.