Foehn - Faëria (1985)

After some months of musical abstinence, it has been some times I wanted to post this unusual and rare lyric jazz fusion album recorded in 1985 by an obscure formation composed by some known french musicians as saxophonist Sylvain Beuf.
Nice bass lines, spacey keyboards and electric guitar, jazzy saxophone with various rhythmics (jazz, syncopation, latin, ...) accompanied with 'Cortexish' vocals make this album an intimate voyage into darkness of heaven.

Foehn


bass: Michel Boussiars, drums: Marcel Beaudry-Gal,guitar: Alain Blessin, keybooards: Philippe François, percussion: Jean-Manuel Belliard, saxophone: Sylvain Beuf, Vocals: Anou Belliard

A1 - Fœhn
A2 - Loreleï
A3 - Ludine
A4 - Licorne I
A5 - Nomade
B1 - Licorne II
B2 - Melba
B3 - Rétrodroïde
B4 - Faëria
B5 - Tadji's Song
B6 - Dernier Souffle

Fabriano Fuzion - Cosmic Sindika (1982)

Here is a nice afro latin jazz LP from West Indies recorded in 1982 for Safran records by the "Fuzion" band leaded by bassist Serge Fabriano.
Deep and hypnotic mood (as in Kaladja Vivilo) and fresh percussion, berimbau, etc. accompanied with bass and nice vocals.

Musicians :
Edouard Labor: sax (on A4) - Pierre Labor: sax (on B1, B2) - Mario Pierrecelas, Hector Ficadière: percussion - Alain Jean-Marie: piano, synthetizer - drums: Claude Vamur - Mario Canonge: piano, percussion [ti bwa] - Serge Fabriano: vocals, berimbau, bass - Roger Raspail: vocals, bells, bongos, percussion, percussion, triangle - Suly Cally: vocals, bells, whistle, percussion [ka, ti bwa, calebasse] - Marie-Reine Lamoureux: vocals, percussion [calebasse] - Marie-Céline Fontaine: vocals, percussion [ti bwa]

Kominiké


A1. Kaladja Vivilo 1
A2. Kaladja Vivilo 2
A3. Karibean Suite
A4. Métamorphose
A5. Sé Kon Sa
B1. Kominiké
B2. Kosmos 1
B3. Kosmos 2
B4. Manège

Audio Directions Presents The Grab Bag (1976)

This LP is a direct-to-disk recording released in 1976 on Direct Disc label. As it can be assumed each side was directly recorded to disk in one shot "from start to finish".
As explained in the liner notes, this kind of recording makes the task more difficult both for the musicians of course but also for the mastering and studio engineers who must take quick and good decisions on the cutting electronics in order to not screw up the artists' live studio performance and give the recording its deserved rendering. And the result is pretty nice.

Musicians :
Ron Oates: Acoustic piano, clavinette - Randy Goodrum: fender rhodes - Jack Williams: Bass - Kenny Malone: drums - Pete Bordonali: guitars - Farrell Morris & Billy Wiggins: percussion - Barry McDonald & George Tidwell: trumpet & fluegelhorn - Dennis Good: tenor & bass trombone - Dennis Solee: Soprano, alto, tenor & baritone sax, flute, bass clarinet - Billy Puet: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone sax, flute - Buddy Skipper: alto & tenor sax, flute, clarinet - Sheri Kramer & Diane Tidwell: vocals

Itutu


A1. Peace-Piece
A2. Itutu
A3. Can You Stand It
B1. We Can Fly
B2. And I Learned It From A Princess
B3. Emergence

Yuji Ohno - Chips (1981)

This set was released by Yuji Ohno & The Explosion Band in 1981 on RCA records for the TV series diffusion in Japan.
The famous theme composed by John Carl Parker is arranged in a very disco shape and music here has typically the Yuji-san touch.

Route 101


A1. Theme From "Chips"
A2. "Maquina" My Love
A3. I Love You "Chips"
A4. California Sunset
B1. Route 101
B2. Ventura Feeling
B3. Power Chase
B4. Moonlight Freeway

Toshiyuki Honda - Burnin' Waves (1978)

This classic LP by Japanese saxophonist and flutist Toshiyuki Honda was released in 1978 on Electric Bird label for Inner City records.
Of course it includes the breezy "747 Wind Flight" but also some nice breaks on the album's funky eponymous title, Sao Paulo and "Thunder Kiss".

Musicians :
Toshiyuki Honda: alto sax, soprano sax, flute, alto flute -Bob Wilson: drums, percussion - Pauline Wilson: vocal (side2-2) - Larry Williams: electric piano, mini moog, oberheim, polyphonic, percussion - Jerry Hey: trumpet, fluegelhorn, percussion - Gary Herbig: tenor sax, alto sax, alto flute - Ken Wild: electric bass - Bud Nuanez: electric guitar - Eiji Arai: trombone (side 1-4 / side 2-2,3) - Tadaomi Anai: percussion side 1-4 / side 2-2, 3 - Chikara Ueda: arrange, conduct

747 Wind Flight


A1. Burnin' Waves
A2. All-Night Rendez-Vous
A3. Thunder Kiss
A4. You Blow My Heart Away
B1. Just A Dream Away
B2. Havana Candy
B3. Sao Paulo
B4. 747 Wind Flight

Billy Foster - Reflections (1989)

Here is a solid and fresh jazz trio LP (with some nice vocals and trumpet on some tracks) recorded by pianist Billy Foster for Equistar label in 1989. That kind of disc that sounds so obvious at first listening. My favorite is the beautiful ballad "Dedication" sung by Sharmaine Congress but the whole album has a very cool flavour to me.

Musicians:
Billy Foster: piano - Bruce Evans: bass - Jeff Brown: drums - Glenda Eskew :vocal on B2 - Sharmaine Congress : vocal on A3 - Dr. Odies Williams III: trumpet on A4

Sunrise



1. A Swing Thing
2. Sunrise
3. Dedication
4. Straight Strut
5. Prism
6. Dreams
7. Just Now
8. Steps

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Vikings De La Guadeloupe - Dégagez Payez Impots (1976)

This quite rare lp from guadeloupean orchestra "Vikings De La Guadeloupe" was recorded in 1976 for Les 3A label. This group included bassist Pierre-Edouard Decimus and played both traditional music (let's say this band invented "zouk" music) and some more funk-oriented stuff. The two best pieces of this album are certainly the groovy and hypnotic "Funky Duke" and the latin "Ven A Comer".

Musicians :
Pierre-Edouard Decimus: bass - Camille "Soprann" Hildevert: saxophone - Max "Maxo" Severin : voice - Happy Lewis: trumpet - Guy Jacquet: guitar - Pierre Menade: piano

Funky Duke

Ven A Comer


1. Dégagez
2. Payez Impots
3. Goge A Yo Si Compte A Yo
4. Funky Duke
5. Magma Tension
6. Sauve Qui Peut
7. Pa Desesperé
8. Ven A Comer

Patsy Gallant - Patsy! (1978)

This 1978 album recorded for Attic label by Canadian singer Patsy Gallant is tainted with some disco and easy ballads. Stand out tracks are the groovy "It'll All Come Around" and the fast brazilian classic "Te Caliente".

It'll All Come Around


Te Caliente

Klaus Wuesthoff & Kurt Drabek Orchestra - Multivision 2000 (Selected Sound 9083)

Rare german library album recorded in 1980 on Selected Sound label by arrangers/composers Klaus Wuesthoff and Kurt Drabek.
Featuring short themes with nice instrumentations

Transformation (Samba Rock)


Sambaline (Soft Samba)


1. Multivision 2000 (Latin Rock)
2. Multivision 2000 (Soft Rock Waltz)
3. Sambaline (Samba)
4. Multivision 2000 (Medium Rock)
5. Clouds (Slow Rock)
6. Transformation (Samba Rock)
7. Multivision 2000 (Slow Rock)
8. Sambaline (Soft Samba)
9. Multivision 2000 (Blues Rock)
10. Light Reflections (Slow)
11. Multivision 2000 (Slow Rock)
12. Soft Line Theme (Slow)
13. Soft Line Theme (5/4 Rock)
14. Antique (Rock Waltz)
15. Soft Line Theme (Samba)
16. Soft Line Theme (Medium Rock)

Prophets Of Soul - Gregory James Edition (1972)

Not much time to post since several weeks and no internet at home (moving house ...), but this lp is worth to be known in the funk sphere.
It was recorded in 1972 on Dakar records by Prophets Of Soul, a band formed in the late 60's.
Funky keyboards sounds and a nice batch of various rhythms and atmospheres.
Features the nice ballad "Brother Marcus" dedicated to black activist Marcus Garvey, and some standards as "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Shaft". Just great.

Musicians :
Gregory Bibb: clarinet, combo organ, grand piano, fender rhodes - James Norris: guitar - Anthony McAllister: drums

Changing Things


1. Brother Marcus
2. Ain't No Sunshine
3. Grandma Heavy
4. Shaft
5. Changing Things
6. Love And Happiness
7. Make It Easy On yourself