That Old Black Magic- The Tymes Philadelphia 1963 The Tymes began as the Latineers in 1956. This Philadelphia ensemble's founding members were Donald Banks, Albert Berry, Norman Burnett, and George Hilliard. After a four-year apprenticeship on the city's club circuit, they changed their name to The Tymes in 1960 and added lead singer George Williams. They were signed by Cameo-Parkway in 1963 following a successful appearance at a talent show sponsored by Philly radio station WDAS. The group scored its biggest hit with its debut single, "So Much in Love," a Williams composition rearranged by Roy Stragis and producer Billy Jackson. It topped the Billboard Hot 100. Their first LP, So Much in Love, contained both the title cut and follow-up hit, a cover of Johnny Mathis' "Wonderful, Wonderful." Those two songs were both crossover smashes as well as R&B winners, with "So Much in Love" topping the pop charts. But after a third hit, "Somewhere," the next year, the group faded. The Tymes tried issuing albums on their own label, Winchester, but had to fold it after two releases. They signed with MGM, but were dropped after two flops. They enjoyed a brief comeback on Columbia in 1968 with another remake; this time they covered "People" from the musical Funny Girl. But CBS also dropped them in 1969. They spent three years retooling their sound, while Hilliard departed. Their longtime producer, Billy Jackson, financed some sessions at Gamble & Huff's Sigma Sound studios in an attempt to get them on the Philadelphia International roster. Gamble & Huff passed on the unfinished demos, but RCA signed them. They scored three more hits from 1974-1976, the biggest being "It's Cool" in 1976, which reached number three on the R&B charts and number 18 pop. Various aggregations using the name remained active on the oldies/cabaret circuit in the '80s and '90s. Ron Wynn - Allmusic.com http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-tymes-mn0000478246/biography
I'm being tortured in surround sound. To my left; and numerous variants on the song. To my right; at least that is followed by little girl giggles, which are way too cute.
Raymond ScottThe Music of Raymond Scott: Reckless Nights and Turkish TwilightsThe name may not be immediately familiar, but the music itself certainly is; to anyone weaned on the legendary Warner Bros. cartoons of the 1940s and 1950s, Raymond Scott's deliriously inventive freak jazz is the soundtrack of childhood, with each and every note capable of conjuring up indelible images of such immortal characters as Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and Daffy Duck. The WB connection is both Scott's greatest legacy and his greatest curse, however; he never composed a note specifically for cartoons, and his most memorable and distinctive melodies were actually co-opted for animated use by Warner's brilliant music director, Carl Stalling. Reckless Nights and Turkish Twilights, then, restores Scott's work to its original, stand-alone setting, confirming his cult reputation as one of the most innovative and original musical thinkers of his era. Even free of cartoon mayhem, his music is remarkably visual and colorful, perfectly evocative of such surreal titles as "Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals" and "War Dance for Wooden Indians"; probably the best-known cut here is the opening "Powerhouse," a uniquely mechanized piece used in any number of cartoons and television commercials and a perfect summation of Scott's intricate arrangements, complex shifting rhythms, and formal lunacy. Recommended for listeners ages eight to 80. Jason Ankeny allmusic.com http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-m...ess-nights-and-turkish-twilights-mw0000088840
Donald Byrd - A New Perspective With his flair for innovation, Donald Byrd, in late 1963, put together a septet that was recorded with the Coleridge Perkinson Choir providing a capella Gospel support. Duke Pearson provided arrangements which carefully weave eight wordless voices in and out of the septet's blues-derived compositions. Byrd's father was a Methodist minister, so the trumpeter worked with Pearson at, as Byrd states in the liner notes, "approaching this tradition with respect and great pleasure." The recording, which was reissued on CD in 1988, is one of the first to be acknowledged in this manner. Besides Byrd and a 23-year-old Herbie Hancock, this session includes saxophonist Hank Mobley, vibraphonist Donald Best, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Butch Warren and drummer Lex Humphries. Frequently making use of a trumpet, tenor sax and vibes unison doubling, "Elijah" is an up-tempo number that features, among other things, some interesting and exciting piano work from Hancock. The slow, bluesy "Beast Of Burden" uses an interesting piano fill for the deliberate and soulful wordless vocals; alternately, the voices and vibes fill behind Byrd's trumpet solo in like manner. "The Black Disciple" features both Burrell and Hancock stretching out with stellar performances, and Mobley's tenor solo offers a fine example of his full tone and fluid technique. Pearson's compositions "Chant" and "Cristo Redentor" are perhaps the best remembered of the session, featuring Byrd's bold, clear, and deliberate trumpet melodies with the voices and piano adding a touch that showed the jazz world one more possibility among the many in improvised music. Record Label: Blue Note Records Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream By JIM SANTELLA, Published: May 1, 1997 http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2258
