??
Incense and Peppermint
No, this track isn’t by some band called ‘??’; I really don’t know who it is. I taped this fantastic (and I think, superior) version of the Strawberry Alarm Clock psych classic off a late night radio programme about 13 years ago, missed the back announcement and have wondered who it was ever since. So if anyone reading this does know, please put me out of my misery.
Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson
Strings of Life
I don’t know much about Christian Prommer other than that he is:
Check it out:
‘Strings of Life’, Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson, 2007
Johnny Keating / The Keating Sound
Ticket to Ride
Once upon a time I was disdainful of cover versions. Then it suddenly hit me in my late teens that as a growing fan of jazz, folk and easy listening, this was a pretty stupid approach to take. So to kick off an occasional series on cover versions, I’d like to introduce one of the songs that lead to my change of heart - ‘Ticket to Ride’ by Johnny Keating from the album Keating… Straight Ahead.
This record is one of my Dads. Not one of the ones, mind you, which I wote about here that he was desparate to disassociate himself from. No, this one is one of his treasures that he won’t let me near, thereby forcing me to track down a copy for myself. But finally after a long search I’ve got my very own copy this week and, boy ‘Ticket to Ride’ sounds as good as ever.
To get straight to the point, Johnny Keating’s version kicks arse. It makes the Beatle’s original seem mild mannered and quite frankly, lacking in ooomph. The brass practically leaps out and grabs you, and the whole thing just swings. And that’s just ‘Ticket to Ride’ - the rest of the album contains stonking versions of classics like ’Wives and Lovers’, ‘On Broadway’ and ‘Spanish Harlem’.
Rather than continue to wax lyrical myself, I think that the liner notes say it all:
‘For raw power, no other band blowing can match the wallop and kick of thirteen brass, a drummer and two percussionists; for softness and sheer lyrical touch, there isn’t much around glowing with as much warmth as Keating’s spread of four french horns, six woodwind, guitars and harp…. Suitable for concentrated listening, dancing or for a happy background mood at a lively party, this LP should spend most of its time on your turntable.”
Indeed.
‘Ticket to Ride’ from Keating… Straight Ahead, Decca (Phase 4), 1965
