Three 1965

One of the greatest debuts in the history of rock, Mr. Tambourine Man was nothing less than a significant step in the evolution of rock & roll itself, demonstrating that intelligent lyrical content could be wedded to compelling electric guitar riffs and a solid backbeat. It was also the album that was most responsible for establishing folk-rock as a popular phenomenon, its most alluring traits being Roger McGuinn's immediately distinctive 12-string Rickenbacker jangle and the band's beautiful harmonies. The material was uniformly strong, whether they were interpreting Bob Dylan (on the title cut and three other songs, including the hit single "All I Really Want to Do"), Pete Seeger ("The Bells of Rhymney"), or Jackie DeShannon ("Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe")…

The usual assumption is that the British-issued Rolling Stones albums of the mid-'60s are, like the Beatles' British LPs of the same era, more accurate representations of the group and its work than their American equivalents; the latter were tailored to the U.S. market and usually had singles that had been recorded and released separately added to their programming. The reality, however, is that the group's British LPs were almost as much of a hodgepodge, but just devised differently. The U.K. version of Out of Our Heads actually came out later than its American counterpart by about a month and opens with the roaring, frenetic "She Said Yeah" rather than the soulful slowie "Mercy Mercy" (which follows it here).

Ramsey Lewis staked his claim to fame with The In Crowd, an instrumental version of Dobie Gray's Top 40 hit. He also was one of the first soul jazz icons of the mid-'60s, based on the strength of the sales of this recording, done over three days during a club date at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington, D.C. What is not readily acknowledged over the years is that bassist Eldee Young is really the star of the show. He's the one who gets the crowd revved up with his vocalizing in tandem with the notes he is playing. It's on his Ray Charles-like take on "Tennessee Waltz" and a similar treatment of Gale Garnett's minor pop hit "You Been Talkin' 'Bout Me Baby" that gets the patrons off. Of course the quintessential hip shakin' introductory title track gets the groove in motion, but it's Young that lights the fuse…

The Three Sounds' return to Blue Note wasn't a celebrated event - no exact date even exists for these sessions, although in all likelihood it was recorded somewhere in October 1966. Even if the event was poorly documented, it was fairly important for the label, because it signaled that they were backing away from the adventurous hard bop and free jazz they had been recording, and were considering concentrating on the commercially oriented, mainstream soul-jazz the Three Sounds pioneered. Since Vibrations was recorded in 1965, not 1959, there were differences in the trio's approach. Pianist Gene Harris tried organ on a few tracks, and the group tackled contemporary R&B hits ("Let's Go Get Stoned," "Fever," "Yeh Yeh") as well as MOR pop ("It Was a Very Good Year")…

A super-sizing of this long-running but under-publicized group's productive years – from 1970 to 1979 – on Roulette, Philadelphia International, Epic, and Ariola Records. Only diehards will miss earlier (excluded) sides from 1965 to 1969 on Swan, ABC, Warner Bros., Metromedia, and Neptune. This set beams up their hits: "TSOP," "When Will I See You Again," "Maybe," "Dirty Old Man," "Long Lost Lover," etc, and spans to include scorching renditions of New York City's "I'm Doing Fine Now," Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," and Aretha Franklin's "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man." Essential for girl group fans, and a good buy for casual fans.

Sonny Rollins - On Impulse! & There Will Never Be Another You (1965, 1978) {2011 Impulse! 2-on-1 Remaster}
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 487 MB | Scans JPG - 299 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.98) - 180 MB
Genre: jazz | RAR 5% Rec. | Label: Impulse! / Verve | CAT # 06007 5334723 | 2011

This set combines two of Sonny Rollins' LPs for Impulse Records, There Will Never Be Another You and On Impulse!, both of which were originally issued in 1965. There Will Never Be Another You featured the saxophonist playing a live set (in the rain, apparently) with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and Billy Higgins and Mickey Roker on drums. Rollins is in fine form, playing standards including a nearly 17-minute version of the title tune.

Sonny Rollins - On Impulse! / There Will Never Be Another You (1965) {Impulse! 2-on-1 Series Remaster rel 2011}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 485 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 178 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 308 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1965, 2011 Impulse! / Verve / Universal Music | 06007 5334723
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

This set combines two of Sonny Rollins' LPs for Impulse Records, There Will Never Be Another You and On Impulse!, both of which were originally issued in 1965. There Will Never Be Another You featured the saxophonist playing a live set (in the rain, apparently) with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and Billy Higgins and Mickey Roker on drums. Rollins is in fine form, playing standards including a nearly 17-minute version of the title tune. He wanders off the microphone frequently, though, which is a problem, and it makes this otherwise very nice set less than essential.

“Qui c’est celui-là?” Many French asked themselves this question (“Who’s that guy?”) when the song bearing this title began to smash the hit parade in 1975. Some others already had parts of the answer: it’s the guy who sang “Amour amitié”! The guy who sang “La femme du sergent”! The guy who sang “Armand” in “Le Petit Conservatoire de Mireille”! To all those French, Vassiliu had always been reduced. Few were the real fans, who had explored all angles and taken the measure of the man.