V.A. - "A New Sound From The Japanese Bach Scene" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1969 (RCA)

Exotica? As one approaches this album, one would think that's the destination.  But alas, it's more in the tradition of the jazz Bach hybrid recordings by The Swingle Singers and French Jazz pianist Jacques Loussier.  It's Bach most excellent melodies but arranged for two Kotos and a Shakuhachi, plus a stand-up bass, drums and jazz guitar. Norio Maeda arranges the album, and it's very much in the mood of the classic Jazz/Classical overtures of the 1950s. But there is nothing kitsch about the arrangements or the music on this album.

I have this fascination with arrangments of music, that I know, but presented in a new light. When you hear this one doesn't think 'ah, the Japanese take on Western music.'  More of a playful approach that is very organic and presented in a very straight forward manner. There are even some bosa-nova beats here and there — a cool album.

Les Swingle Singers - "Getting Romantic" Vinyl, LP, Album, Mono, 1965 (Philips)

My love for Michel Legrand led me to Les Swingle Singers, due that his sister Christiane Legrand is part of the ensemble.  Basically The (or Les) Swingle Singers are jazz scat singers, but mostly did classical compositions, and usually the very famous pieces such as Chopin's "Étude (Op.25 No. 2) and Beethoven's "Allegro (Sonate Op; 26) and so forth.  A mixture of tenor, bass, and alto vocals, with a backing of a stand-up bass and drums, gives a full-sound that is right in the middle of jazz and classical.  Too light to be jazz, and too low-brow for classical, it's the ultimate bachelor's pad music, yet the singing is unbelievable. 

As much as possible I try to follow the late great Christiane Legrand (1930-2011) as much as possible. It's her vocals on Procol Harum's "Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) off the classic "Grand Hotel" album that first got me started, and of course, when I found out the connection that Michel is her brother, I had to fulfill my collector's instinct.   She also has done work with her brother on some of the Jacques Demy soundtracks as well.   Still, for the beginner, I strongly recommend "Getting Romantic" which is a sampler of the more 'amour' melodies from Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Shubert. 

Procol Harum - "Shine On Brightly" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1968 (A&M)

Procol Harum couldn't do no wrong in my brain and ears.  It's the odd mixture of Gary Brooker's rhythm n' blues vocals singing the baroque type of classical orientated pop.  It's obvious that the band is schooled in classic black American music, but their sound is a twisted version of a mod like psychedelia yet grounded in great musicianship.   One can argue that perhaps they have a prog leanings, but they are more rooted in the arrangement of Bach-like melodies or the way that composer adds layers of melody on top of one another.  On a later album, they worked with Christiane Legrand who was a member of the Swingle Singers.  Not an odd choice of an artist to work with, because like the Swingle Singers who had a jazz background approaching the classics is very similar to Procol Harum, who have a strong R n' B foundation being sucked into something that is very Bach-like in fashion and sound. 

"Shine On Brightly" is Procol Harum's second album, and it's different from their first masterpiece album.  For one, the arrangements are more playful, and there is a certain aspect of joy in these set of songs.  Side two is a very piece called "In Held Twas I" that is similar to the second side of The Beatles "Abbey Road" album, in that it's a suite of miniature pop songs.  Not that far off from The Who's "A Quick One..."  

I always felt the secret weapon in Procol Harum was their drummer B.J. Wilson.  He's perfect for the majestic sound of the band, and there is such a powerful percussion presence on their albums, for instance like this one.   It makes perfect sense that he worked with Lou Reed on "Berlin" which I feel was very much influenced by Procol Harum's approach to dramatic orchestration.  The dynamic tension between Brooker's piano and Morgan Fisher's organ is another aspect of this musical relationship.   Brooker plays power cord piano, and the organ answers his call, in some fashion, its a conversation between these two, with Robin Trower's guitar and Wilson's drumming as sort of being the guys in between the discussion.   Everyone from The Bad Seeds to The Band I think was influenced by this band, not only due to the piano/organ relationship, but also the dramatic quality of telling a tale.  Keif Reid is their lyricist and his surrealistic or impressionistic lyrics adds another element to the package.  Brooker sings his words not with intense passion, but almost in a detached manner, which makes its own intensity between voice and the word.  "Shine On Brightly" is a great collection of songs, and I think it's criminally overlooked in our contemporary times.   

Luciano Berio / Swingle II -"A-Ronne" / "Cries of London" (Decca) Vinyl 1976

Not only am I a Swingle Singers fan, especially when they are performing Bach via only their voices - but also admire the fact that the group broke off, went to London, and became Swingle II.  Here they team up with composer Luciano Berio to do two vocal pieces.  

"A-Ronne" is based on words/poetry by Italian poet Edoardo Sanguineti.   But also includes works by Karl Marx, James Joyce, Dante, Goethe, the Bible, T.S. Eliot, Samuel Beckett, and a quotation of Roland Barthe on Georges Bataille.  According to Berio, this is a documentary on Sanguinity's poem.  Nevertheless, since the work is mostly in Italian, I may be missing key elements, but still, it's a great piece of work.  The layer of voices at times reminds me of classic Beach Boys, but of course, in a very different manner. There are moments of great beauty, and at times it has a Fluxus touch in being absurd.  Over-all, even though it is only voices, the piece is very melodic and one does not need to read or understand Italian to enjoy this recording.  Without stating the obvious, Swingle II is quite magnificent.  Their range and them being open-minded in approaching new music are pretty amazing.  

Side two is "Cries in London," and it is in English.  In fact, it's very much a documentary of sorts on London merchant life perhaps centuries ago - or in 1976 (the recording of this album)?  Merchant life on the streets of London hasn't changed that much.   I suspect that Berio had an interest in Marx, and I have to imagine that "Cries of London" deals with the merchant class, and their daily struggle to survive.   To quote the liner notes: "the text is essentially a free choice of well-known phrases of vendors in the streets of Old London." It's an amazing piece of music for 8 voices.