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SOUL
Recommended smooth and mellow soul CDs |
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PHILLY SOUL
Recommended Gamble & Huff CDs |
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FUNK
Recommended funk and disco CDs |
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JAZZ/FUNK
Recommended jazz/funk fusion CDs |
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POP/SOUL
Recommended blue-eyed soul CDs |
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ELECTRONICA
Recommended chill out electronica CDs |
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CD WANT LIST
Care to help me track down some much sought-after CDs? |
Alessi
"Long Time Friends".
Benson,
George
Jazz-funk guitarist extraordinary.
Caldwell, Bobby
My own tribute to a smooth jazz a singer/songwriter extraordinary.
Champlin, Bill
Chicago
Cross, Christopher
What’s with the pink
flamingo?
Da Costa, Paulinho
Percussionist veteran.
Doobie Brothers
Duncan, Bryan
Dupree, Robbie
Earth,
Wind & Fire
My own tribute to
jazz/soul/funk’s finest. A 300 pages surfers guide!
Ford, Robben
Foster, David
Franks, Michael
Smooth jazz.
Graydon, Jay
Guidry, Greg
Hill, Dan
Jarreau,
Al
A unique vocalist.
Jones, Quincy
Truly the dude.
Jordan,
Marc
Matsui, Kazu &
Keiko
Jap. smooth jazz/Westcoast.
Scaggs,
Boz
Blue eyed R&B.
Steely Dan
"Turn that jungle music down. Just until we’re out of
town".
Vannelli,
Gino
The ultimate music experience! |
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Airplay: Airplay – 1980
Produced by: Jay Graydon & David Foster
Label: RCA
The mother of all "West Coast" albums. A must if you’re into
this genre. Here you’ll find the original recording of the EWF classic
"After the love has gone". The album has been remastered by
Graydon and will be re-issued by BMG Japan
in late July 2005 as a special 25th Anniversary edition. Feat. Bill Champlin, Jay Graydon, Tommy Funderburk, Jeff
and Steve Porcaro,
Steve Lukather, Pay Parker Jr. and Jerry Hey.
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Alessi:
Long Time
Friends – 1982
Produced by: Cristopher Cross & Michael Ostin
Label: Qwest
Great album from twins Billy and Bobby Alessi. Featuring most of the L.A. studio mafia, and additional
vocals by Christopher Cross and Patti Austin. Executive producer is Quincy Jones. Jap.
import CD. The brothers are still in fine form on their latest
offering, the 2003 "Hello Everyone". More on
www.alessibros.com.
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Bobby
Caldwell: Bobby Caldwell – 1978
Produced by: Ann Holloway
Label: Sin-Drome
Caldwell’s debut-album
containing the classic and much sampled "What You Won’t
Do For Love". Also check out his "Where Is
Love" from 1993. For more info, check www.homdrum.no/caldwell.
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Bill Cantos: Who Are You – 1995
Produced by: Bill Schnee and others
Label: Pioneer PICP 1051
This very talented piano player has worked with Brenda Russel, Jay Graydon and Howard
Hewett. Also check out his latest
release "Movie in the Night Sky".
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Bill Champlin: Runaway – 1981
Produced by: David Foster
Label: Elektra
Singer/songwriter/keyboard player/guitarist Bill Champlin first started out in 1966 as the
leader of the San Francisco-based group The Sons of Champlin. In 1981, Champlin became a
member of Chicago, with whom he has recorded and toured ever since, while releasing the
occasional solo album, sometimes only in Japan. He scored two singles chart entries in
1982 with "Tonight Tonight" and "Sara", both from "Runaway".
Also check out his 1978 release "Single". This is
produced by David Foster and has a more R&B feeling.
Extremely hard to find on CD!
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Christopher Cross:
Another Page – 1983
Produced by: Michael Omartian
Label: Warner Bros.
Cross (born Christopher Geppert) came out of the blue in 1980 with his self-titled debut
of slight soft pop. He managed to clean up at the following year’s Grammys, beating
out previous record-holder Frank Sinatra with a total of five awards. Another Page is his
second album, and features additional vocals by Michael McDonald, Don Henley and Art
Garfunkel. Cross also had a #1 hit with "Arthur’s Theme" from the movie Arthur.
Question: What’s with the pink flamingo? Anybody?
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Ned
Doheny:
Hard Candy
– 1976
Ned Doheny: Prone – 1978
Label: Sony Japan
Produced by: Steve Cropper
Two of my personally favorite "West Coast" albums. These two titles are not in
stock at amazon. Only available on import from Japan. Doheny
songs also recorded by such artists like Average White Band, Chaka
Khan, George Benson and Millie Jackson.
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Doobie Brothers:
Minute By Minute – 1978
Produced by: Ted Templeman
Label: Warner Bros.
The Doobie Brothers (after a slangterm for marijuana) was one of the most popular
Californian pop/rock bands of the ’70s. They evolved from a mellow, post-hippie boogie
band to a slick, soul-inflected pop band by the end of the decade. In 1979 the Doobies
released their most successful album, Minute By Minute, which spent five weeks at number
one on the strength of the number one single "What a Fool Believes". For more of
the same, check out "Livin’ on the Fault Line" from 1977.
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Bryan Duncan:
Blue
Skies – 1996
Produced by: Dan Posthuma & Dan Garcia
Label: Myrrh Records
A very good "West Coast" album from the former lead singer of Sweet Comfort
Band. Great songs and an excellent production.
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Donald
Fagen:
The Nightfly
– 1982
Produced by: Gary Katz
Label: Warner Bros.
Classic album from the one half of Steely Dan. Now also
available in multichannel DVD Audio format.
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Jay
Graydon:
Airplay
for the Planet – 1993
Produced by: Jay Graydon
Label: Insideout
Seems like this guitarist and producer has worked with about everybody in the business!
Jap. import CD.
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Greg Guidry:
Over the
Line – 1982
Produced by: John Ryan
Label: Columbia
Greg Guidry:
Soul’d Out – 2000
Produced by: Greg Guidry
Label: GMG Records
The first release from this very talented singer/songwriter and
pianist from St. Louisis in my opinion one of the best
"West Coast" albums from the early 80’s. Featuring
David Hungate (Toto) and David Sanborn. The original is very hard to find on
CD, but the album has now been remastered and released with new
cover on GMG Records in the US.
It took him about 18 years to release the second album Soul’d
Out, but this is definitely one to get you hands on! Excellent
songs and production with an early 80’s feeling.
There is also a Jap import album titled "Private
Session" for the die hard fans that can’t
get enough of that distinctive 80’s sound. The album is a
collection of previously unreleased material that was recorded
in the mid to late 80’s and the early 90’s. Most of these cuts
were originally intended for Greg’s sophomore offering, but
never made it to production.
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Adrian Gurvitz:
Sweet Vendetta – 1979
Produced by: Adrian Gurvitz
Label: Jet
Featuring Toto members Steve Porcaro, Jeff Porcaro and David
Paich plus a who’s who of WestCoast session musicians like Jerry Hey
etc.. Be sure to get the 2002 Jap. CD
release with 10 tracks. The 1995 Jap. release has a crap sound.
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Marc Jordan:
Blue
Desert – 1979
Produced by: Jay Graydon
Marc Jordan: Hole in the Wall – 1983
Produced by: Marc Jordan & Don Murry
Label: Warner Bros.
Originally a film student from Canada, Marc Jordan started out in 1970. He played with a
band for a short time, returned to school, but then left for good to travel outside
Canada. Warner Bros. signed him and released his 1978 debut
album "Mannequin".
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Ray Kennedy:
Ray
Kennedy – 1980
Produced by: David Foster
Label: Sony
Although better known for his country albums, this
Foster-produced "West Coast" album is really worth
checking out. Jap import CD only.
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Clif Magness:
Solo –
1994
Produced by: Clif Magness
Label: Empire
As far as I know, his only solo release and very hard to find on CD. (My copy
was released in Sweden).
Better known for his guitar-, keyboard-, songwriting and
production work for artists like Al Jarreau, George Benson,
Wilson Phillips and Barbra Streisand.
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Kazu Matsui Project:
Marine Fantasia – 1986
Produced by: Kazu Matsui
Label: Japan Record
A master of the shakuhachi (a Japanese traditional bamboo flute),
Matsui is more of a New Age artist, but his
"Marine…" album is excellent smooth "West
Coast". (Jap import CD only). He also contributed music to a series of major Hollywood features including Willow, Legends of the Fall and Jumanji,
and producing recordings for his wife, keyboardist Keiko Matsui.
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Pablo Cruise:
A Place
in the Sun – 1977
Pablo Cruise: World’s Away – 1978
Produced by: Bill Schnee
Label: A&M
Pablo Cruise achieved some measure of success during the latter part of the 70’s with its
mellow, easygoing California pop. The group was praised for the compositional and
instrumental skill on the albums "Pablo Cruise" and
"Lifeline", and were rewarded with the Top
Ten hit "Whatcha Gonna Do?"
in 1977 from "A Place in the Sun". "Worlds Away" went platinum,
as did its predecessor, and produced three hit singles,
including the Top Ten "Love Will Find a Way". Several of the group’s songs were used as soundtrack
material for sports programs on ABC, CBS and NBC.
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Lee
Ritenour:
Rit –
1981
Produced by: Harvey Mason, David Foster & Lee Ritenour
Label: Elektra
Lee Ritenour has long been a very busy studio guitarist in Los Angeles. He possesses an
impressive technique, and has mostly played instrumental pop throughout his career,
sometimes with a Brazilian flavor.
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Boz Scaggs:
Middle Man
– 1980
Produced by: Bill Schnee
Boz Scaggs: My Time – A Boz Scaggs
Anthology
– 1998
Produced by: Various
Label: Sony
Born William Royce Scaggs in Ohio 1944, singer/songwriter Boz Scaggs started out in the
60’s as a member of the Steve Miller Band. In 1963 after relocating to England, he sang on
street corners. He recorded "Boz" in Sweden in 1965, before returning to the U.S. where he
reunited with Miller two years later. After recording two acclaimed albums with the group,
"Children of the Future" and "Sailor", Scaggs exited in 1968 to mount a solo career. He didn’t
achieve a commercial breakthrough until 1976’s "Silk
Degrees", which reached #2 on the album charts and
including the hits "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle". 1977’s "Down Two, Then Left" was also a success, and 1980’s
"Middle Man" reached the Top Ten on the strength of the singles "Breakdown Dead
Ahead" and "JoJo".
However, Scaggs spent much of the 1980s in retirement, owning and operating the San
Francisco nightclub Slim’s and limiting his performances
primarily to the club’s annual black-tie New Year’s Eve party.
Also check out the 2001 release "Dig" on Virgin Records
including the excellent "Miss Riddle". Co-produced by David Paich and a very fine adult contemporary
take on R&B that showcases Scaggs in the finest voice in decades. For the ultimate Boz Scaggs collection, check out the
superb double CD-set "My Time – A Boz Scaggs
Anthology" on Sony.
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Steely Dan: The Royal Scam
– 1976
Steely Dan: Aja
– 1977
Steely Dan: Gaucho
– 1980
Produced by: Gary Katz
Label: MCA
Walter Becker & Donald Fagen are hard to place in a genre.
Steely Dan could just as easily been tagged jazz/rock. Anyway, these
three albums are in my opinion some of their best work. Excellent
songwriting and outstanding production. They’ve recently all been
remastered into any Hi-Fi freak’s wet dream! "Gaucho" is also available
in 5.1 channel DTS sound! For a good overview of the bands career, try
the compilation "A Decade Of Steely Dan".
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Gino
Vannelli:
Powerful People – 1974
Produced by: Gino & Joe Vannelli
Gino Vannelli: Brother to Brother – 1978
Produced by: Gino, Joe & Ross Vannelli
Label: A&M
Gino Vannelli: Nightwalker – 1981
Produced by: Gino, Joe & Ross Vannelli
Label: Arista
Maybe not that "West Coast", but I couldn’t resist recommending these 3
excellent titles by Gino Vannelli. He never really have got the recognition he definitely
deserves. Gino Vannelli learned to play the drums early in life and studied music theory
at McGill University. He formed an R&B band with brothers Joe and Ross in the late
60’s, but began recording solo material for RCA in 1970. Alternatively
you could go for the very good 18 track "Ultimate Collection".
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