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This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 241. Shelly Manne & His Men – At the Blackhawk Vol.1. Contemporary Records – S 7577 (1960), Craft Recordings – CR00601 (2024), Acoustic Sounds Series, 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard bop, cool jazz. As the title suggest, this is the first of four volumes of drummer Shelly... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 236. Charlie Mingus, Blues & Roots. Atlantic – SD 1305 (1960), 33 1/3 rpm, Analogue Productions – APA 001-45 (2023), Atlantic 75 Audiophile Series, (2x45 rpm). Genre: experimental big band, avant garde jazz, blues, hardbop, swing. Here is a great album featuring six tracks including the well... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 231. André Hodeir, American Jazzmen Play André Hodeir's Essais. Savoy Records – MG 12104 (mono 1957), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: cool jazz, third stream. French composer, arranger, violinist, and musicologist André Hodeir had two album releases signed under the Savoy label—this is the first, the other being... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 226. Prince, Dirty Mind. Warner Bothers Records – BSK 3478 (1980), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: funk, new wave, post disco, pop, dance-punk, Minneapolis sound. Recorded in May and June 1980 and released in October, Dirty Mind is Prince's third—and for my tastes—best album regarding composition, arrangements, performance,... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 221. Billie Holiday, Songs For Distingué Lovers. Verve Records – MG VS-6021 (1958), Classic Records MG VS-6021 (180g) (1995), Verve Records, UMe, Acoustic Sound Series B0036831-01 (2023) 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, vocal jazz, small-ensemble swing, bluesy ballads. If ever there was such a thing as a... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 216. Blondie, "Heart of Glass"/ "Heart of Glass (instrumental)." Chrysalis – CDS-2275 (1978), 12", 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, electro disco, new wave, pop rock. The five-member band fronted by singer Debbie Harry hailed from New York City. Along with Ramones, Television, and Talking Heads, they took part... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 211. Donald Byrd, At the Half Note Cafe (Volume 1). Blue Note – BLP 4060 (mono), BST 84060 (1961), Blue Note Tone Poet Series – B0033842-01 (2023), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop, bebop. Will that be black or with milk and sugar? From the patron's... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 206. Bionic Boogie, "Chains"/"Cream (Always Rises to the Top)." Polydor – PRO 066 (1978), 12" 33 1/3 rpm, promo. Genre: disco. Bionic Boogie was the brainchild of American disco producer, musician, and songwriter Gregg Diamond, who rose to prominence in early 1976 with "More, More, More" (Buddah... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 201. Elvis Costello with Burt Bacharach, Painted From Memory. Mercury – 314 538 002-2 (1998), CD HDCD only, MoFi – MFSL 1-475 (2017), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: sophisticated jazzy pop, baroque pop, easy listening. Burt Bacharach is the backbone behind some of the biggest hits from the... Read More »

Five Shades of "Gray" This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 196. Gerald Wilson Big Band, Moment of Truth. Pacific Jazz – ST-61-LA549-G (1962), Blue Note Tone Poet Series – B0033487-01 (2022), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: latin jazz, big band swing, blues, ballads, soul-jazz. Until recently Mississippi-born Gerald Wilson had totally passed under my... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 191. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Unlimited Love. Warner Records – 093624874720 – 093624880653 (2022), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: alternative rock, funk rock. First things first, even though this is the band's twelfth studio album, this is only the third 'Chili Peppers LP in my collection—the other two... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 186. Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Masterpieces by Ellington. Columbia Masterworks – ML 4418 Mono (1951), Analogue Productions – APJ 4418-45, 200g (2017), 180g (2021), (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, swing, orchestral big band. The title says it all, these are masterpieces by a master of music. I... Read More »

A ray of Sunshine! This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 181. Jimmy "Bo" Horne, "Get Happy"/"It's Your Sweet Love". T.K. Disco – 33 (1977), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco, Sunshine Sound. Jimmie Horace Horne, Jr.—better known as Jimmy "Bo" Horne—honed his singing style and success to Steve Alaimo and Henry Stone's Alston... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 176. Blood, Sweat & Tears, Blood, Sweat & Tears. Columbia – CS 9720 (1968), MoFi ‎– UD1S 2-016 Box (2021), (2x45 rpm), #004348 of 6000. Genre: rock- jazz, jazz passages, jazz rock fusion, groovy soul rock, art rock, psychedelic flirtings, blues, ballad, fanfare, classical. Quick. What is... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 171. Pink Floyd, Meddle. Harvest – SHVL 795, IE 064 o 04917 (UK) (1971), MoFi – MFSL 1-190 (1984), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: psychedelic, progressive, experimental rock, heavy rock, art rock, folk rock, acoustic rock, roots rock, space rock, ambient. Meddle may be considered the bridge between... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 166. The Doors, Strange Days. Elektra – EKS-74014 (1967), DCC Compact Classics – LPZ-2045 (1992), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: acid rock, psychedelia, psychedelic rock, blues rock, musique concrète (in small doses). The last track on The Doors debut album is titled "The End" but nothing could be... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 161. Diahann Carroll and The André Previn Trio, Porgy and Bess. United Artists Records UAS 5021, United Artists Records UAS 4021 (mono) (Can.) (1959), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, musical. I loves you Porgy... let me count the ways. There are several interpretations of Gershwin's work—originally considered by... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 156. Jackie McLean, It's Time!.  Blue Note – BST 84179 (1965), Tone Poet Series – B0031655-01 (2020), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: jazz, hard bop, post bop, free jazz leanings. Previously I had suggested that Tone Poet's remastering of Wayne Shorter's excellent Etcetera (Blue Note LT-1056, B0029357-01) pretty much... Read More »

Battle of the Big Bands! This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations The late-1930s to mid-1940s—it was the height of the big band era, as well as the second world war. Call me foolishly nostalgic perhaps but at least during that arduous period, we could lovingly hug and comfort each other, as opposed to... Read More »