Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - "Nutcracker Suite/Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2" Vinyl, Album (Columbia)

The Duke 'duke-itze' Tchaikovsky and Grieg.   Co-arranged by Billy Strayhorn, this is a remarkable work by the Ellington Orchestra.  It's a work that is re-imagined by the composing genius. "Nutcracker Suite" is a work that most of us know from the Christmas Holiday, a ballet that as a schoolchild one had to see.  It's the "Louie Louie" of the ballet world. In Ellington's version, it becomes a subtle work of beauty, that is understated, and the hint of the well-known melodies makes it more of an aftertaste than a full meal.

My favorite is Grieg's "Peer Gynt" which has beautiful melodies, and the tasteful horns with a superb percussion make this work come alive.  I'm a huge fan of arrangements of familiar music and Ellington like Jack Nitzsche's Chopin album, he presents his arranging skills as a skilled translator. 

Buffalo Springfield - "Buffalo Springfield" Vinyl, Mono, Album, 1967 (ATCO Records)

Buffalo Springfield had so many pluses that it eventually erased what's good about the band and left the drab, which turned into disappointment. The solid songs mostly by Steve Stills and Neil Young, as well as Richie Furay's contributions,  is almost too good. Their first album "Buffalo Springfield" is my favorite among the three releases. For one, here they were focused and produced by one team: Brian Stone and Charles Greene. Those two worked with Sonny & Cher, as well as other acts on the label ATCO. I also believed they were the managers of Springfield as well. Still, the consistency is important, but on the negative side, their production is wimpy. I suspect Buffalo Springfield on the stage were guitar lunatics, and due to the egos of Stills and Young, probably a battle of the bands, even though they were in the same group. That's the problem with their next two releases where the sense of a band falling apart, and becoming various solo recordings, made the music limp. There are highlights throughout their existence, but I have always had the feeling that they could have been better in the recording studio. It's a shame that Jack Nitzsche didn't produce or arrange all the songs. He would have been a perfect producer for this band.

Having Richie Furay singing most of the material was a good idea at the time. His voice is heavenly clear, and although Stills and Young do have a 'sound' in their distinctive vocals, they come nowhere to the technical excellence of Furay's approach to the vocal. Again, I find the recording of this album very thin, and the production doesn't serve the masterful playing of the band. I feel that they are too contained in the format that's the studio.  For 50 something years, this album has been in and out of my record collection. I finally found a vintage mono edition, and still, not satisfied with the sound. Almost there, and you can even taste it, but still a distance. 

Gérard Manset - "Rien À Raconter" Vinyl, LP, Album, France, 1976 (EMI)

There is a thrill of discovering an artist that no one in the English language talks or knows about, and I suspect that Gérard Manset is such a songwriter/arranger/singer.   I can find very little information on Manset in English, and according to Discogs, he has at least 23 albums under his name.  From 1968 to this year, 2018.  I have heard his music I think through a drunk period on the Internet, and going through YouTube for music discoveries.   In my collection, I have two albums by Manset, including "Rein À Raconter" (Nothing to Tell).  

Generally speaking, and what I have heard, Manset's songs are all in French (duh!) and feature massive orchestrations, but usually with a loud electric guitar in the mix.  There's nothing pastoral about his sound, both his voice and instrumentation is forceful and not knowing what the songs are about, makes me (or the listener) get an emotional reaction.  I sense anger, and a typical album by him is at the very least eight songs.   So, there's room for the music to build up to tension or a release of some sort. In other words, his music is sexy.  

What impressed me the most is his melody writing, but also his arrangements which is masterful, and more intuned to classical than somewhat a 'wall of sound.'   Manset shares an intensity with Jack Nitzsche, but he doesn't work on a big canvas like Nitzsche.  The music or album sounds like a man alone dealing with a demon or two.  Manset does the production as well as the writing and arrangements, so he's very much a solo artist in that sense.   The sounds that stand out is his vocal delivery which reminds me a bit of Jacques Brel in its intensity, and the sound of his electric guitar against the grain of the lush strings.   A remarkable artist, who I gather is popular in France, due that his releases are on large record labels, and for sure needs to get more attention from the English speaking world.  

The Ronettes - "Be My Baby" b/w "Tedesco and Pitman" 45 rpm 7" single, 1963 (Philles)

It's sad that I bought this piece of vinyl masterpiece for $2.99 at my local second-hand record shop here in Los Angeles.  The feeling I get is exactly like when one finds a photo album in one's closet, and haven't seen it for years.    The drum pattern that starts off the song is probably one of the most identifying physical marks of any introduction for a recording.  The work is only 2:20 long, yet, it's after-effect lasts a lifetime.   

The beauty of a Phil Spector recording is not its perfection, but the violence and tragedy behind such recordings.  For those who try to place The Ronettes recordings as an oldie but goodie are missing the big landscape.  Spector represents not the teenager, but the idealized idea of a teenager, and the emotional pains that life gives them.  The truth is, even as an older fellow, Spector never really grew out of his childhood fears and passions.   Everything he did in the recording studio left a physical tattoo on the musicians, the aural sound, and how the audience (the listeners) respond to his productions.  "Be My Baby" is both a brilliant performance by Ronnie Spector, who captures that vulnerability in her vocals, but also brings up the drama between the instrumentation or arrangements (by Jack 'Specs' Nitzsche) and the strong presence of Phil Spector himself. 

For whatever reason, "Be My Baby" is not a happy-go-lucky love song.  It's almost a prayer during an emotional turmoil.   The melody is haunting, and seductive at the same moment.  Whenever I hear it as a soundtrack ("Mean Streets") or on a jukebox in some diner or bar, I immediately stop whatever I'm doing and I have to focus on the record.   It's a brilliant piece of work.   No doubt a masterpiece.  Many fingers are in the Phil Spector world, and in a sense, his name is like a company or a label like Motown or Factory Records.  He's not only a brand, but he's also a presence that is equally disturbing and profound.  

Serge Gainsbourg & Jean-Claude Vannier - "Les Chemins de Katmandou" Vinyl, LP, Album, OST, 1969/2017 (Finders Keepers)

It has been described as the lost soundtrack, due to the belief that the master tapes were burned in a fire, but alas, not the case. Just misplaced.   Finders Keepers, the great reissue label, have just put out this great gem of the Serge Gainsbourg world.  I suspect that the album is more Jean-Claude Vannier than Gainsbourg, but nevertheless, it has the traces of Serge's greatness and sleaziness as well since this is a soundtrack to a grade-Z film about French youth in Katmandou, and all the fun that goes with that journey.  

The album is very much in the same mode as the Gainsbourg/Vannier soundtracks of this period.  Funky workouts with traces of exotic percussion and of course, the sitar here and there.  The listener can hear the sounds that made up "Melody Nelson" as well as Vannier's great solo work "L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches." The beauty of the album is very much under the arrangement skills of Vannier, who is superb.  One is never sure what is going to be around the corner with respect to his arrangements.   He and Gainsbourg were a fantastic team, and this lost (but now found) soundtrack is essential to both fans of Serge's soundtrack work as well as with those who love Vannier's experimentation and sense of aural adventure.   Vannier to me is the French Jack Nitzsche.  Both were in tuned to their subject matter, whatever it was a film soundtrack, or arranging the instrumentation behind a singer - it's a classic mode of music-making, and one that I personally miss in contemporary music in 2017.   

Bob Lind - "Photographs of Feeling" Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, 1966 (World Pacific)

The third album by Bob Lind that was issued in 1966.  This album like the previous "Don't Be Concerned" is produced and arranged by Jack Nitzsche.  Lind must have signed a record contract made in hell, nevertheless the key thing for me at the very least, is not Lind, but Nitzsche.  "Photographs of Feeling" is very much the ultimate folk singer doing a pop album circa 1966.  If there is no Nitzsche here, I wouldn't be interested in Bob Lind's songs on this album.  I much prefer "Don't Be Concerned."  Still, as I listen to this album, I'm struck by the idea that we don't have the classic arranger doing a pop album anymore.  Well, at least one who works in the recording studio, with strings, guitars, various percussion instruments, and magnificent strings.  Nitzsche doesn't overwhelm the songs,  he accents and beautifully back up Lind's voice.  There are no backup vocals, it's Lind and his guitar - and of course, the remarkable noise that is Nitzsche supporting Lind's performance/songs. 

There is the electric bass sound that is very Nitzsche like, and I really don't hear it on any other recordings of that time.  Everything is contained, and this is the most 'mono' sounding record I have ever heard.  I hear traces of Stones' "Aftermath," but it's very much of an afterthought here.  There are only ten songs on this album, and time goes by quickly.  If you use the restroom while playing this record you can easily miss two songs.   There is something very light and airy about Lind's songs.  He is clearly a folk singer in a pop format. Nitzsche brings in another element or ingredient in the soup.  For those who must have everything by Jack Nitzsche, this album is a must.  It's neither the best Lind or Nitzsche record, still, it is a marvel to hear the master arranger at work. 

Buffalo Springfield - "Buffalo Springfield" 2 x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, 1973 (Atco)

The one word that comes to my mind when I hear the name "Buffalo Springfield" is frustration.  This is a band that should have gone to a higher level of greatness, but I suspect ego got in the way of the direction to go upwards.   Still, they left three albums that are very good, but this compilation of those three records are the best introduction to the Buffalo Springfield world.  

The beauty of the band was the perfect set-up or relationship between the dueling lead guitars of Steve Stills and Neil Young, and Richie Furay's superb vocals and rhythm guitar.  With the soul/Stax drumming of Dewey Martin, and who I suspect is the real star of the group, Bruce Palmer on bass.  Part of the sadness I feel is that this is a band that lost an opportunity of making a permanent presence on the stage.  What I have seen from one clip of them playing live on TV, is incredible.   The tension between the players reminds me of the original set-up of Television with Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd.  All play guitars, but at times it seems that they were having a communication between themselves, and us listeners were allowed to listen in.    The fact that Stills/Young tried to do something with the Springfield, and then with the terrible CSNY, and then the Stills/Young album/tour, well, I guess they tried.  The fact is these were two different type of musicians/songwriters, and I think they genuinely needed each other, to make their work more consistent and robust.   I'm not a fan of solo Neil or solo Stills, but when they combine their talents in Buffalo Springfield, it was magnificent.  The sad thing is that there is no film footage of them on stage, and worse, no live recordings.   Just hearing the extended version of Stills' "Bluebird" is fantastic.   One of the great guitar rave-ups in recorded history!

The band playing together was equal, but again, I think their recordings are a hit and miss.  The first album, produced by Greene and Stone, miss the intensity of the songs and their performance.  Still, "Mr. Soul" and "For What's it's Worth" are amazing records.  The other secret weapon is Richie Furay, who is an incredible singer.   Both in harmony and lead vocals.   And there should have been a full-use of the genius Jack Nitzsche, for instance, he should have arranged the entire works of Buffalo Springfield, not only on the Neil stuff but all the other material as well.   After the first album, it became a situation where each band member produced his composition and so forth.   So in a sense, you have a series of solo recordings within the Buffalo Springfield landscape.   

Buffalo Springfield was a super band, but due to its character, it burned itself out before doing something incredible.   This double compilation album is pretty great.  Still, I feel that there was more work to be done.  The story is not over yet. 

Jack Nitzsche - "The Lonely Surfer" LP, Album, Stereo, 1961 (Reprise)

More likely if one has Jack Nitzsche even in the studio while one is making a recording, there is a good chance that the record will be a masterpiece. Nitzsche was a brilliant arranger, producer, and on the classic Phil Spector recordings, the producer's right-handed man. It was his arrangements of "He's A Rebel," and "Da Doo Ron Ron" that gave it such magnificent power. "The Lonely Surfer" was Jack's first solo album, of his arrangments of various songs of that time. One can imagine "The Lonely Surfer" as a surf album, but it's surf as if it was arranged by a 19-century Russian composer. The fact is, I never heard such a sad sounding instrumental album before this one. Even an up-tempo "Baja" or "Puerto Vallarta" has a depressing aspect of exotica island music. The depth of feeling is Nitzsche's genius.

His version of "Da Doo Ron Ron," and as mentioned, he made the original arrangement, but here he slows it down that it's almost not identifiable. A sharp-suited man on the album cover, yet his eyes expose a certain hesitation or maybe even fear. There is a lot to read on this album, and it is one of my favorite records in my collection. I love all of Nitzsche's solo albums (three all together, then the soundtrack recordings, and of course production/arrangement works) and he gives any work that he's involved in a broad sense of feeling, which is unusual for a pop record of the 1960s. It's almost like he's giving the record a foot-note, giving it more depth or layer of emotion that is not yet settled. A classic Wrecking Crew era record album, but also one that I think is the best of the lot - including the Phil Spector recordings. Nitzsche was the real deal.

Darlene Love - "Stumble and Fall" / (He's A) Quiet Guy" 7" 45 rpm vinyl single, 1964 (Philles Records)

I just purchased this 45 rpm single at Rockaway Records.  Produced by Phil Spector and both the A and B side is arranged by the fantastic and great Jack Nitzsche.   There is the Wall of Sound, and then there is 'this' Wall of Sound.  Both songs, "Stumble and Fall" and "(He's a) Quiet Guy" is the iconic sound of Spector working with Nitzsche.  So much sound!  So many instruments!  Honestly, it's a fantastic record.  If the credit label is correct (and the songs are reversed, which makes this single a real collector's item) the songs are written by Phil Spector/V. Poncia/P. Andreoli.  According to Discogs, this single was pulled out of the market at the very last moment and replaced by The Ronettes "Walking in the Rain."  Using the same catalog number 123.   Not a bad find for $2.99.  But the music here is priceless.  

Crazy Horse - "Crazy Horse" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1971 (Reprise Records)

I can't stand the majority of Neil Young's music.  I pretty much liked everything by him through the Buffalo Springfield years - the first solo album not that much, and the second album a lot.  "After The Gold Rush"  a very good album.  Then the overrated years came upon us and still is, with respect to Young's albums.  On the other hand, his quasi-backing band Crazy Horse is great.   At least the first album. 

Once Jack Nitzsche left and the very talented Danny Whitten passed away, Crazy Horse lost their purpose.  Neil Young is very talented in surrounding himself with people who are better than him.  Nietzsche was a brilliant arranger who worked with The Rolling Stones and Phil Spector - both at their most iconic state of excellence.  Nitzsche also wrote and made superb soundtracks, for instance, "Performance."   What he added to the Crazy Horse landscape is a sense of professionalism intensity and mystique.  Every Nitzsche recording session seems to bring on a sense of urgency and energy.  Danny Whitten was the Johnny Thunders of his time/day.  Narcotics played its ugly hand against him, but a wonderful guitarist and a great songwriter, who was just getting himself started but died way too young. 

"Gone Dead Train" the opening cut on "Crazy Horse" was known to me on the "Performance" soundtrack, with Randy Newman on vocals, but here it's Danny Whitten on vocals and it sounds like bullets fired from a pistol, with respect to their rhythm section of Billy Talbot (bass) and Ralph Molina.   Young's "Dance Dance Dance" is great, but Whitten is the star here, with Nitzsche's, I think, guidance. 

There are a lot of guest players on this album:  Ry Cooder, Nils Lofgren, and I suspect Young as well (although not credited).   Probably the classic off this album is Whitten's "I Don't Want To Talk About It" which is a great song.  "Look At All The Things is totally fab as well.  The Nitzsche songs have a special magic for me.  I'm very fond of "Crow Jane Lady" which shows off the arranger's art.  A magnificent record and sadily this band didn't stay to make another album.  "Crazy Horse" is a way better album than any of Neil Young's solo efforts.  

Jack Nitzsche and his Orchestra - "Chopin '66" Vinyl LP (Reprise)

One of my favorite all - time albums.  Jack Nitzsche's arrangements for Chopin.  This on the surface sounds very kitsch, but the fact is this is a very moving album.   The Nitzsche touch is a golden one, and whoever he does arrangments for or production for that matter, is always the right touch.  Here he takes on the great piano music by Chopin and transforms these music pieces into an epic orchestration that is more pop orientated than classical.   

There is no written history of this album being made, so I'm not even sure why it exists.  "The modern sounds" that is stated on the cover, is the full-blown Nitzsche talent in making the perfect orchestration that is neither overblown or downtrodden the original score.   Yet it is very 1966 in that pop mode of perfection that came out of that year. Think of The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" and perhaps the last puff of the great Spector recordings.   Nitzsche takes Chopin on the route of pop but turns these beautiful melodies into a magnificent soundscape.   I love this album.  

Bob Lind - "Don't Be Concerned" Vinyl LP Mono

Bob Lind – Don't Be Concerned

Vinyl LP Mono, US, 1966

World Pacific

As an 11-year-old, I could care less about “Elusive Butterfly” which was pretty much tattooed on AM radio during 1966. Now that I am 63, I can't get enough of Bob Lind and this album. For one, I always loved Marianne Faithfull's version of “Counting” not realizing it was a Lind song. I bought this album only because, for at the last ten years, I became a fanatic Jack Nitzsche fan. Noticing that he produced and arranged this album – well, I had to give the Bob Lind world a more serious listen. But I was warned about the upcoming storm due to Jarvis Cocker and Pulp's recording of a song “Bob Lind.” So to me being the ultimate Pulp and Nitzsche fan, it was time for me to dive into the pool of Don't Be Concerned.

The first thing that strikes me is the delicate arrangements that cling to Lind's music and voice. Nitzsche just had the talent to take a piece of music and make it better. The beauty of a song like “Counting” which moves in a pattern that reminds me of (Buzzcocks) Pete Shelley's circular list songs – it moves in circles that strikes me mechanical, but that is what makes it such a great song – both the Lind and Faithfull's version. The other great song is “Cheryl's Goin' Home” which is incredible.

The pleasure I get from Lind is the tension or the marriage of his folkish background meeting the pop master's (Nitzsche) approach, which equals a sweet little 'wow' for me.