hulika

Author Topic: That West Coast Sound  (Read 12390 times)

Offline dannygatton

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #25 on: October 06, 2013, 08:46:09 AM »
How about "MICHAEL FRANKS"?  His list of session musicians especially in his earlier albums are quite impressive. Sad to say that his artistry is identified with that sappy "Lady Wants to Know".

Self-titled 1st Album. Tommy Tedesco
ART OF TEA & SLEEPING GYPSY
•   Keyboards – Joe Sample
•   Guitar – Larry Carlton
•   Alto Sax on "Monkey See—Monkey Do" and "Mr. Blue" – Dave Sanborn
•   Drums – John Guerin
•   Bass – Wilton Felder
•   Congas – Jerry Seinholtz
•   String arrangement – Nick De Caro
•   Tenor saxophone on "Jive" – Michael Brecker
•   Vibraphone – Larry Bunker
BURCHFIELD NINES
•   Steve Gadd
•   Will Lee
•   Ralph MacDonald
•   Leon Pendarvis
•   John Tropea
•   Oscar Brashear
•   Bud Shank
•   Ernie Watts
« Last Edit: October 07, 2013, 08:06:37 AM by dannygatton »

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2013, 12:30:18 AM »
I'd give props to Michael Franks for picking out the best of the best session guys for his earlier albums.

The interplay between these guys on 'Sleeping Gypsy' and 'The Art of Tea,' for starters, is a textbook example of great arranging, making it the perfect backdrop for Franks' dreamy vocals.

You can listen to each song again and again, yet focus on something specific each time. There's Guerin's lovely brush work, Joe Sample's bluesy piano fills, Carlton's sparse chordal stabs, and a whole lot more.

While I may agree that his songs do tend to lean more on the 'sappy' side, I wouldn't say that that put a lid on his artistry.

He's got a lot of memorable songs besides, most of which have stood the test of time.

And his prose? Wow, they're literary gems.

Who else can come up with something like: "Well my baby cooks her eggplant about nineteen different ways. Sometimes I just have it raw with mayonnaise."

Tunes like 'Eggplant,' 'Popsicle Toes' and who can forget that classic Carlton solo on 'Down In Brazil?

« Last Edit: October 07, 2013, 12:40:08 AM by Deacon Blues »
"No static at all ..."

Offline dannygatton

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #27 on: October 07, 2013, 08:05:01 AM »
I'd give props to Michael Franks for picking out the best of the best session guys for his earlier albums.

The interplay between these guys on 'Sleeping Gypsy' and 'The Art of Tea,' for starters, is a textbook example of great arranging, making it the perfect backdrop for Franks' dreamy vocals.

You can listen to each song again and again, yet focus on something specific each time. There's Guerin's lovely brush work, Joe Sample's bluesy piano fills, Carlton's sparse chordal stabs, and a whole lot more.

While I may agree that his songs do tend to lean more on the 'sappy' side, I wouldn't say that that put a lid on his artistry.

He's got a lot of memorable songs besides, most of which have stood the test of time.

And his prose? Wow, they're literary gems.

Who else can come up with something like: "Well my baby cooks her eggplant about nineteen different ways. Sometimes I just have it raw with mayonnaise."

Tunes like 'Eggplant,' 'Popsicle Toes' and who can forget that classic Carlton solo on 'Down In Brazil?

In the "Art of Tea"--the sessionists really were a band, the Jazz Crusaders--thus the chemistry and tightness, as you said a perfect backup for M.Franks poetry.  I read somewhere that M. Franks has an M.A. Literature, and taught poetry thus the lyricism in tunes like 'Eggplant'.  Yes, I still enjoy playing Carlton's chord-changes in eggplant.  But the band swings best in Frank's "Don't be Blue." In "I Don't Why I'm So Happy-Sad" --love them clean 335 tone, yummy.   
« Last Edit: October 07, 2013, 09:43:48 AM by dannygatton »

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #28 on: October 07, 2013, 08:57:36 AM »
Well, whaddaya know...

Turns out the John en Marsha theme song was actually a tune from Quincy Jones called 'Rubber Ducky.'


Geez, we learn something new everyday, huh?

"Kaya ikaw John ... "  :-D

Hey coasters,

Been out for the weekend. It's great to see Franks' catalog crop up in the thread. That is also a personal favorite which contains countless gems. You guys also mentioned one thing that I just have recently noticed - Yeah, these are the Crusaders!

A little confession: I've been on a personal pursuit to woodshed Carlton's take on 'Down In Brazil' since, well college. I won't tell how long that has been - ha ha ha! But until now, I have not finished it. Put it together with Grant Geissman's phased out 'Feel So Good' part. Maybe this year, maybe next year - maybe never.

Franks' poetry is surely way up there, bar none.

Here's a 'Frank' question: You guys familiar of a local instrumental adaptation (kinda' whistling melody) that comes close to Michael Franks' Vivaldi's Song?. I'm sure I heard that somewhere as a kid listening to AM radio and dramas while playing tatsing.

As to the topic on music beds, Rubber Ducky is originally on the movie "$ (dollars)" with Goldie Hawn. I erroneously thought it was Dan Elliot, but Jones indeed.

Hanganda ng Rhodes talaga naman!  :drool:

I also remember that Egocentric Molecules ad, and the same track was also later used for Firestone's 'Firehawk' tire ad. Another TV ad also used Bob James' 'Touchdown'.

Here's a few more to kick the week:

Goin/Bad Bananas with Style Council's Mick Blessings  from the album Cafe Bleu: a great lesson on dom7ths and N'awlins piano:



If you guys remember NBC (Nation Broadcasting Company) in the 70s -80s, this track's highly recognizable: Session heavyweights M.F.S.B's Love is the Message:



ST: Reading your posts takes me back to a familiar zone: feels like reading the articles and journalism whatnots on Jingle mag. Yeah. :)
Well, yeah.

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #29 on: October 07, 2013, 08:22:47 PM »
Hey Klause!

There's actually a downloadable PDF transcription of the 'Feels So Good' solo on Grant's website (www.grantgeissman.com).

Hope that helps you in your quest.

As for the 'Down in Brazil' solo, there are quite a few Youtube vids of guys copping that.


+1 on the Style Council 'Mick's Blessings' tune. That sure sounds very N'awlinish.

I don't quite remember what you were saying about the instrumental version of 'Vivaldi's Song.'

You seem to have a pretty good memory bro. I don't recall that Firehawk tire ad. Maybe if I see it.

Yup, nostalgia is indeed a safe haven for some :-)
"No static at all ..."


Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #30 on: October 08, 2013, 08:46:52 AM »

I don't quite remember what you were saying about the instrumental version of 'Vivaldi's Song.'

You seem to have a pretty good memory bro. I don't recall that Firehawk tire ad. Maybe if I see it.

Yup, nostalgia is indeed a safe haven for some :-)

Okay here's the R-18 details ha ha ha, I'm not sure - but that 'instrumental version', as I've heard some adult guys sing, seems to be from some 70s Pinoy Adult Film. Now, I'm not really comfortable with the idea of having to google some [!%$] stuff  for the info quest. Ha ha ha  :-D

Thanks for the link! I'll get to that Geissman solo in a week.

At this point , all inputs have brought one clear thing - its the people- the musicians and producers that define the sound as opposed to having a template of the "west/east" sound.

Much like Charlie Parker would always sound like Parker either with an orchestra or a quartet.

I was listening to Collins-era Genesis this AM, and despite being lumped in the same category - AOR and Soft Rock - it just doesn't sound like it. Or say, Supertramp or 80s Starship. It rocks, but that's where it is more rooted - rock.

Speaking of Gadd, anybody who has a copy (or listened to the whole album) of The Gadd Gang with the track "Strength" on it?
« Last Edit: October 08, 2013, 11:07:08 AM by klause »
Well, yeah.

Offline Jaco D

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #31 on: October 09, 2013, 09:40:53 PM »
Well, well ... look who's here.

Welcome on board, Jaco!

Haven't seen you around for some time.


Hey Tinns, long time no chat!  Yeah, it's been a while - the usual "work gets in the way of life" case here.

Call it a nice coincidence that this thread came up just when my niece was asking me "what we listened to when we started getting musically conscious".  Apparently she's realized (her words not mine) that the current stuff she hears is so "meh".  Very mechanical daw, no artistry.  Just to whet her appetite, I lent her my copy of David Garfield's "Tribute to Jeff Porcaro" for a representation of how things were musically back in the day.  That was a few weeks back.  Now, whenever her folks visit my place she's always camped out in my library/practice corner going through my iPod/CD library.  Lately she's been surfing the web looking for current acts who have "carried the torch" for the stuff we listened to back then.  I'd love to sit down with her to see what she has found.  Maybe one of these days.

Offline 3650guy

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #32 on: October 10, 2013, 12:30:57 AM »
...hey I am a refugee from the pogi jazz thread - can I come in?....

yup I've also wondered about that love city intro. it was studio slick.

I have always like Dan Fogelbergs "Heart Hotels" specially that synth solo emulating a sax sound, only to find out that it was Tom Scott playing a lyricon.

yun lang muna.
"And then one day you find ten years have got behind you, No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun" DSOTM

Offline dannygatton

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #33 on: October 10, 2013, 07:01:12 AM »
Welcome 3650 guy. Your Jingle mag avatar is cool. Just like what Klause said-- our posts in this thread
feel like reading articles from Jingle mag. Join in ...
« Last Edit: October 10, 2013, 10:29:14 AM by dannygatton »

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #34 on: October 10, 2013, 09:16:09 AM »
Welcome 3650 guy. Your Jingle mag avatar is cool. Just like what Klause said-- our posts in this thread
feels like reading articles from Jingle mag. Join in ...

Right on danny,

Well well, 3650 and Jaco ha ha ha! Welcome. Just for info, allow me to introduce myself, a man of wealth...naah. I used to carry the handle Nancy Brew and accidentally locked myself out of my own account (how techie can you get?)

I remembered that Pogi Jazz thread! Jaco, as for your niece starting to dig, that's great - fruits don't fall far away from the tree indeed.    :)

Heart Hotels, yeah! The song captures that feel, very much like driving home after a long day.  And his tenor sax solo on  Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" kills.

Well, yeah.

Offline 3650guy

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #35 on: October 10, 2013, 12:30:17 PM »
thanks danny and klause (he he your former avatar was pong pagong) and tinnie.

there is a fb group for jingle mag which I created, un nga lang puro scanned pages he he.

anyway lots of things here to talk about...
"And then one day you find ten years have got behind you, No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun" DSOTM

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #36 on: October 10, 2013, 02:27:43 PM »
Hey, hey, hey!

Look who's where?

Birds of the same feather, no less. Haha!

Crank up the amps, bring out the beer!

And roll out the ...

What do we roll out?  :-D
"No static at all ..."

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #37 on: October 10, 2013, 02:35:20 PM »
Hey Gab!

Yeah, good to hear from you man!

Are you still in Toronto?

How are things back there? It's good that you're carrying the torch for our generation's music. Haha! Why does that make us sound like old geezers?

Well, at least, your niece is blessed with better tastes and more discerning ears.

Carry on, carry on.

How's bass life?

And let's hear those nostalgic stories, for old time's sake.


3650guy, are you still playing keys? What happened to your band?

Did Wendell text you about his birthday jam?
"No static at all ..."

Offline 3650guy

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #38 on: October 10, 2013, 06:30:57 PM »

3650guy, are you still playing keys? What happened to your band?    still playing with the moonstrucks  for a bout 2 years now. twice a month at rj - I am a golden boy now so this means retro/soul music. he he. 

Did Wendell text you about his birthday jam? yup on the 20th.

-------------------------------------------------------
"And then one day you find ten years have got behind you, No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun" DSOTM

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #39 on: October 11, 2013, 02:27:27 PM »
Hey 3650guy,

Yep that was the pagong avatar. So you're with the Moonstrucks? I've yet to hear you - Ill see when I can get a chance to travel there. :-)

Or, if there would be a big act lined up by the end of the year, It would be good if we can see each other there in Mla. for a Coastal party  :-D
Well, yeah.

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #40 on: October 18, 2013, 10:17:44 AM »
Hey all,

Unbelievably busy days (or months) for me, handling province wide projects for the office and still finishing 3 papers for final exams, then bam -

I hear Meet Me Halfway on FM. Tasty guitar solo comes - which I suspect, courtesy of Luke. Maybe, maybe not.  :-D

And while on a roll, I just have to hate Deacon Blues for being a very beautiful song.
Well, yeah.

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #41 on: October 18, 2013, 03:03:00 PM »
That would be Dan Huff for you bro...  :)
"No static at all ..."

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #42 on: October 18, 2013, 03:23:55 PM »
That would be Dan Huff for you bro...  :)

Got it, same album as with Forever then.  Thanks Deac.  :)

Now here's another killer bass work that's on my own Hall of Fame: Rupert Holmes' Touch and Go



And more of the classics:

That Girl is Gone

Take Me Back to Chicago:

Call on Me (Seraphine-Cetera Era Chicago)

Here's a little excerpt from a Cetera interview:

http://www.chicagohome.de/cgi-bin/sbb/sbb.cgi?&a=print&forum=16&beitrag=4

Why did bass take a backseat when you began your solo career?

There were several reasons, which tie in to why I left Chicago. As I mentioned, I was already uncomfortable with my playing in the studio. Plus, there was a growing faction of the band that wanted to be a jazz group—even though none of us were jazz musicians. I always felt we were a song band. When some of the more ambitious material fell short, and a ballad I contributed, “If You Leave Me Now,” became a No. 1 hit, that widened the chasm. I got pigeonholed as the soft-rock ballad writer, even though ballads weren’t the only thing I was writing.

What do you guys think?  :)






Well, yeah.

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #43 on: October 18, 2013, 04:37:01 PM »
Hey bro!

Funny you mentioned that 'Touch and Go' song...

I was wondering about that myself.

That's a fave from way, way back, and when I listened again to it recently, that's when I noticed the amazing bass lines.

Galing, diba?

Some guys could probably accuse him of laying too busy a bass line here and there, but I love how he fills up the spaces during the gaps between the verses.

I'll try googling that again ...

"No static at all ..."

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #44 on: October 18, 2013, 04:46:50 PM »
Hey Deac,

Yeah, kind of busy - very 70s nga ('yan ba ang flatwound sound?), always that almost double time feel that goes well with Rhodes, a monosynth hook and nice string arrangements.

The late Mang Roger Herrera always comes to mind pag naririnig ko ang ganyang lines - like Basil's "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika". Whew.

Well, yeah.

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #45 on: October 18, 2013, 04:48:29 PM »

And roll out the ...

What do we roll out?  :-D

I just noticed this. Ha ha ha!

I guess we roll what we gotta roll!  >:D
Well, yeah.

Offline Deacon Blues

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #46 on: October 18, 2013, 05:47:01 PM »
"When all is one and one is all ...

 To be a rock and not to roll ..."


Oops! Or is that blasphemous for a jazz thread? :-)
"No static at all ..."

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #47 on: October 21, 2013, 08:52:19 AM »
Well, I guess If we're in the Jazz and Blues thread, nothing's shocking and blasphemous anymore  :-D


And when Bill Champlin used to sing.

You guys watching this?

http://manilaconcertscene.blogspot.com/2013/10/davidpack2014.html

Karukas, Valentine, Phillips, Shcreuders and Paulo sounds too good to stay away from.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2013, 09:48:55 AM by klause »
Well, yeah.

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #48 on: July 30, 2014, 03:27:20 PM »
I was doing the dishes and "Should We Carry On" by Airplane plays on the radio.

I remembered this thread, and a thought crossed my mind.

Another sure mark of the sound came from the producers. Jay Graydon, Peter Asher, David Foster, etc. sure knew how use clever arrangements and colorful patches.

Some of the chord cycles were the usual pop ones, but the chord substitutions (from the jazz world) made the difference.


Well, yeah.

Offline klause

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Re: That West Coast Sound
« Reply #49 on: March 13, 2015, 09:00:54 AM »
Hey. Here!


TOTOXIV with David Hungate, Steve Porcaro and Michael McDonald.  :drool:
Well, yeah.