Great stuff from a young Letta Mbulu. Her first recording, and with the good company of H.B. Barnum & David Axelrod, is a stunner. This is my favorite track from the LP. It's almost in a Mystic Moods kind of mode, with a thunderstorm recording used for effect, it may have something to do with the lyrics, but since she sings in Xhosa, I have no idea. Her voice is strong and smooth, at times she sounds influenced by Nina Simone, but on this one she is more in a traditional mode. The backing is great Axlerod, with his strong soul-jazz-rock crossover, much like he did for Lou Rawls during this period. Highly recommended for fans of heavier african grooves.
Got a haircut today (short, choppy, fab). Getting a haircut often makes me think of June because she did have the greatest barnet ever - that fringe!
So I've pulled out my June collection - a paltry 4 LPs but growing - and am lovin' a bit of this tonight. The instrumentation here reminds me a lot of Ella Mae Morse's corner of the market, someone I should really get around to recommending on this site.
How High The Moon opens gentle as duck down, moving into a light finger snappin' mood then onto a heavy big band scat rhythm. Christy's technique is superlative and you can almost hear her intuitively measuring the band, taking each note perfectly.
This LP is a set of re-interpretations of songs June originally sang with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Being a June novice, I'm not aware of the original version but I doubt I could like it more.
from June Christy Recalls Those Kenton Days (Capitol ST 1202)
totally amazing, swinging piece of japanese vocal-centered 60's big band sound. i�m especially fond of the tarzan-esque way her voice bends at about 2:54, and the uh! ah! sounds of the backup singers. this needs to get its own movie scene ala the big dance number in sabu's "monday", if anyone's seen that.
22 Oct 06 ·Sem Sinatra: I totally agree with the above. It's by far the best song I've heard by Jun Mayuzumi. Her later songs veer dangerously into Enka (Melodramatic and melancholy but largely very dull Japanese popular song) 22 Dec 07 ·sardonicsmile: oh, i own this 7" too! both sides are great, and so are her gutsy and fun vocals.
One of my favourite tracks off Coldplay's second LP, this song is definitely not "Clocks", but that's a good thing. This is a slow track, one that's good for listening to on a rainy afternoon when you're feeling lethargic, or in the dark when you're feeling pensive. The guitars and percussion on this one are plaintive and comforting at the same time; the lyrics are plain and simple, yet full of meaning; and anyone who has heard Chris Martin sing and has run out and bought a Coldplay album won't be turning this track off.
17 Jul 06 ·n-jeff: The One rose is (another) one of my favourite LP's. And In My Humble Opinion, one of the underated classics of Country and Rockabilly. This isn't the track song I would have chosen off it, preferring the twangier uptempo stuff. Which isn't to say its not a great song, it is.
