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Henry Mancini - Cop Show Themes

July 10th, 2012

Henry Mancini - Cop Show ThemesHENRY MANCINI

  • Cop show themes
  • RCA Victor
  • 1976
  • USA

1994 passed Henry Mancini is one of those composers who don’t need much of an introduction. There’s not that many people who hasn’t heard about him or at least something he has done. The Pink Panther is maybe the best know of his works. Mancini started his career in 1946 at the age of 22 when he joined the newly re-formed Glenn Miller orchestra. There he played piano and did arrangements. In 1952 he moved to work for the Universal Pictures music departments. He stayed there only six years but during that time he contributed music for over 100 movies, for example The Creature from the Black Lagoon, It Came from Outer Space, Tarantula and so on. In 1958 Mancini started to work as an independent composer and arranger composing music for films and television as well as did several other recordings too. While most of his over 90 albums are included in the easy listening, big band or light classical categories, he did of course some funkier albums too.

In 1976 was released Cop show themes and it’s not hard to figure by the name what is included in this album. It’s full of Mancini versions of well known detective series, of course there’s few of his own compositions included too. First up is a composition of Mancini himself, “The mystery movie theme” from the The NBC Mystery Movie series. Next is the Mancini’s version of the chase styled theme “The streets of San Francisco” from the police drama of the same name, originally composed by Patrick Williams. It’s followed by “Bumper’s theme” from the crime series The Blue Knight, also composed by Mancini. Then comes a medley of “Kojak” composed by Billy Goldenberg and “Theme from S.W.A.T.” by Barry De Vorzon. Latter being especially nice version. B-side opens with “Baretta’s theme” from the detective series Baretta, originally written by Dave Grusin. Then “The Rockford files” by Mike Post and Pete Carpenter. Last two tracks are originally composed by Morton Stevens; first legendary theme from “Hawaii five-0” and then the reason why people usually search for this record, “Police woman”. The opening break from “Police woman” was included in Cut Chemist’s “Lesson six” (from Jurassic 5’s EP). It’s of course very nice bboy break as well.

 
Henry Mancini - Cop Show Themes
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In the Japanese version of Cop show themes are included three bonus tracks that I want to mention too. Lalo Schifrin’s “Mission impossible theme” originally from The Big Latin Band Of Henry Mancini (1968), Mancini’s own compostion “Peter Gunn” from 1959 and Quincy Jones’ “The Ironside theme” originally from Mancini’s Big Screen Little Screen (1972)


Mystery Movie Theme


The streets of San Francisco


Bumper’s theme


Medley: Kojak / S.W.A.T.


Baretta’s theme (keep your eye on the sparrow)


The Rockford files


Hawaii five-0


Police woman


Mission impossible theme


Peter Gunn


The Ironside theme

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under cinematic funk, north america, soundtrack | No Comments »

Eero Koivistoinen Music Society - Wahoo!

July 4th, 2012

Eero Koivistoinen Music Society - Wahoo!EERO KOIVISTOINEN MUSIC SOCIETY

  • Wahoo!
  • RCA Victor
  • 1973
  • Finland

1946 born saxophone player Eero Koivistoinen is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in Finnish jazz scene. He has done a long career as a musician, composer, arranger, conductor and producer. His career started in the mid 1960s in an orchestra playing experimental avant-garde jazz. The first solo album of Eero Koivistoinen was a concept album of poems by well known Finnish poets sung by well known Finnish singers Eero Raittinen, Vesa-Matti Loiri and Seija Simola. That album was called Valtakunta (The Kingdom in English) and it was released in 1968. In the beginning of 1070s Koivistoinen moved to the United States to study in the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston for three years. After almost 50 years and dozens of albums he’s still an active character playing with the next generation of Finnish jazz cats today.

In 1973 was released the album Wahoo! with a one-off group called Eero Koivistoinen Music Society. Involved in this sort of a supergroup was many of the very same musicians that were playing in most of the Finnish jazz records that time. And what a line-up that was; Eero Koivistoinen on saxophones (tenor, soprano, sopranino and electric soprano), Juhani Aalto on trombone, Kaj Backlund on trumpet, Juhani Aaltonen and Unto Haapa-aho on reeds, Esa Helasvuo, Esko Linnavalli and Olli Ahvenlahti on Fender Rhodes, Ilpo Saastamoinen and Ilkka Willman on electric guitar, Heikki Virtanen and Ilkka Willman on bass and Edward Vesala, Esko Rosnell, Reiska Laine and Sabu Martinez on drums and percussion. The album sounds exactly what you expect with a line-up like that. Syncopated funky jazz fusion with really tight rhythms by the set of two drummers, two bassists and two guitarists.

The album starts with the strong midtempo saxophone driven jazz groover “Hot c”. Almost eight minutes of action is what you get here. It’s followed by “7 up”, more jazzy but at least equally heavy track. Next up is “6 down”. With it’s eight minutes of some serious wah-wah, funky Rhodes and drums it’s among the best tracks on the album. B-side starts with the epic almost 11 minutes long “Suite 19”. It starts with an experimental sounding four minute intro before turning into an uptempo wah-wah driven, percussive, almost blaxploitation sounding track. Next track, “Bells” is the only mellow track on the album. Last but not least is the downtempo funky fusion title track “Wahoo!”. Overall this album is really great but not that magnificent it’s often praised. And in my opinion it’s not worth the 300-400 euros people ask for it. Luckily for all the non purists it was reissued in 2001. The reissue – both cd and vinyl – come with the cover coloring it should’ve been. Originally the print messed up the cover and it’s colors were a little different what they were intended to be.


Hot c


7 Up


6 Down


Suite 19


Bells


Wahoo!

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under europe, jazzfunk | No Comments »

The Rob Franken Organization - Ob-la-di ob-la-da

November 11th, 2011

Rob Franken Organization - Ob-la-di Ob-la-daTHE ROB FRANKEN ORGANIZATION

  • Ob-la-di ob-la-da
  • RCA Camden
  • 1969
  • Netherlands

1941 born Rob Franken was one of the key figures of all European organ players in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the first European to master the Fender Rhodes electric piano and among the first to handle the Hammond B3 organ. Although he was mostly obsessed with the Fender Rhodes throughout the late 1960s, the Hammond was the instrument he was best remembered for. Rob Franken started his career with the folk duo Esther & Abi Ofarim, then he moved to play with Klaus Weiss Trio in the mid 1960s. Soon after he formed his legendary own small combo, The Rob Franken Organization. The Organization released two albums - ‘Pon my soul in 1967 and Ob-la-di ob-la-da in 1969. He also played as a pianist of Toots Thielemans and a permanent organist / keyboard played for Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination and Brass. During his relatively short career, Franken played in over 400 records and was a very much liked person among session musicians. His sudden and unexpected death due to an internal hemorrhage at the age of 42 in 1983 ended his glorious career - only three days after his last recording session with the Rhythm Combination and Brass.

This second album by The Rob Franken Organization was fully an instrumental album. And it consisted of both covers and of original material. It’s mostly Hammond driven uptempo breakbeat funk in a strong Mohawks manner. During this second album the line-up was the following: Rob Franken on organ, Piet Hein Veening on bass, Joop Scholten on guitar and Louis Deby on drums. Let’s start with the title track “Ob-la-di ob-la-da”. It’s a very funky uptempo version of this well known Beatles track, although that song always reminds me of that tv-series called Life goes on. Other uptempo funkers include titles like “Black jack”, “Bottle blue”, “Catch fire”, “Hunky dory”, “Lucky strike” and “Scintilla. The only midtempo track is the rough funk cut “Hop toad”. Few downtempo soul instrumentals are also included. Overall this is one of the tightest albums ever released in the Continental Europe.


Ob-la-di ob-la-da


Scintilla


Catch fire


Bottle blue


Black Jack


Hop toad

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under Uncategorized, asia, europe, funk, soul | No Comments »

Sugar Loaf - Soul strutting

October 21st, 2011

Sugar Loaf - Soul StruttingSUGAR LOAF

  • Soul strutting
  • RCA International Camden
  • 1970
  • UK

Sugar Loaf was a small, tight funk outfit from UK. It’s sound was quite close to those great UK hammond funk acts like Mohawks, Ugly Custard or The Power Pack and of course the sound of the funky British library companies like KPM, Themes, De Wolfe and Boosey & Hawkes for example. According to the sleeve notes, they played mostly at the American air force bases to entertain the US troops located in UK during the 1960s and 1970s.

Tracks vary from downtempo, gritty Memphis-funk to uptempo Brit-funk á la Alan Hawkshaw. Songs are mostly tough and funky covers of contemporary funk and soul songs and then there’s few original compositions by the Sugar Loaf headman Tony Evans. Especially “Hard down” (written by Evans) is a top class uptempo organ driven breakbeat track. Very similar is the organ driven cover of James Brown classic “Papa’s got a brand new bag”, a very funky version too. Third one to mention is the track called “Black”. It’s credited to be made by “Jackson” and “Love“, although I have no slightest idea who they are. Maybe members of the band or something. Last example song is the instrumental version of Barbara Acklin’s “Am I the same girl” called “Soulful strut” (originally recorded with that name by The Young-Holt Unlimited) that gets here a very nice treatment. I have to say this album is a really good one from the beginning to the end. Especially if you’re a fan of British hammond funk like me.


Black


Hard down


Papa’s got a brand new bag


Soulful strut

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under europe, funk | 3,613 Comments »

I Pyranas - Motivi di ieri, successi di oggi

March 1st, 2011

I Pyranas - Motivi Di Ieri, Successi Di OggiI PYRANAS

  • Motivi di ieri, successi di oggi
  • ARC
  • 1969
  • Italy

Beat and rhythm n’ blues group I pyranas was originally from France but spent most of it’s active time in Italy. When Miami born singer Rocky Roberts (who had moved to Italy to perform) separated from his backing band The airedales (who continued with their bassist Wess a the new leader), he contacted the French group Les pyranas to be his new band. Les pyranas had already released few 45s on a French label Barclay and after request from Rocky, they moved to Italy to record and perform under a name I pyranas. Together with Rocky Roberts they did total three 45s in Italy and France, and continued as an instrumental group. In 1969 their line-up consisted of André Laidli (trumpet), Albert Verrecchia (keyboards), Paul Nicolas (saxophone), André Ceccarelli (drums), Jean Claude Chavanat (guitar), Jean Costa (trombone), Christian Guisien (trombone) and Tony Bonfils (bass).

Their second album Motivi di ieri, successi di oggi was released in 1969 on an Italian RCA sublabel ARC, in a same year as their debut album Tanti successi per I pyranas. Musically they follow the same style as in their debut. Songs vary from bluesy r’n'b and soul to melancholic beat and uptempo funk and it’s all instrumental. There’s mellow downtempo groovers like “Un’ora sola ti vorrei”, there’s very bluesy stuff and then there’s uptempo beat-funk. The midtempo “Portami tante rose” sounds very much of those Italian soundtrack sounds from the same period with a slight easy listening feel. “Angeli negri” is an uptempo funky beat track with very melancholic horn melodies and it’s feelings are almost Finnish’ish. It reminds me of those funkier ones from Danish-Finnish trumpeter Jörgen Petersen. “Parlami d’amore mariu’” is also an uptempo track similar to “Angeli negri” but with more pace and less melancholy. The best track here is “Amor amor amor”, a bboy friendly funky breakbeat track with catchy horn stabs, nice organ and some percussion work.


Un’ora sola ti vorrei


Portami tante rose


Parlami d’amore mariu’


Angeli negri


Amor amor amor

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under beat, europe, funk | 1 Comment »

The Jimmy Castor bunch - Phase two

January 9th, 2011

Jimmy Castor bunch - Phase twoTHE JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH

  • Phase two
  • RCA
  • 1972
  • USA

In the same year, shortly after the release of their greatest success, It’s just begun, The Jimmy Castor bunch released another album called Phase two. It uses the very same formula as in It’s just begun - funk with social awareness, pop hooks, gonzo comedy, fuzz guitar and latin rock elements. Despite the occasional feeling of some uninspired moments - like in “Luther the anthropoid (ape man)” that sounds a lot more like a remake of “Troglodyte (cave man)” than a sequel - Phase two is still somewhat a great album. In the book “Stairway to hell” (Da Capo Press Inc 1998) Phase two was even voted as the #10 heavy metal album of all times.

Castor’s Leroy-saga continues with the fuzzed latin funk/rock song “Say Leroy (The creature from the black lagoon is your father)” that was a pop chart hit. There’s two massive rockfunk/percussion breakdowns in this track too. The socially aware bboy classic “When?” guides the listeners through the hard life of the ghetto and at the same time grooves with a fuzz guitar drenched breakbeat frenzy. Then there’s latin flavored “Party time” and two mellow tracks “Paradise” and “The first time I saw your face”. The last track is a tribute to the greatest rock guitarist of all times, Jimi Hendrix, that Castor befriended with in the late 1960s after his first album. “Tribute to Jimi: Purple haze / Foxey ladey” is a great medley of Hendrix classics with Castor’s uncompromising funk-style.


Luther the anthropoid (ape man)


Say Leroy (The creature from the black lagoon is your father)


When?


Party life


Tribute To Jimi: Purple Haze / Foxey Lady

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Written by Mista Tibbz, at 18.00, filed under latin funk, north america | No Comments »

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