Hank Crawford - We Got A Good Thing Going (1972)

Of Hank Crawford's somewhat erratic output for Kudu during 1971-78, this is the album to get. The Don Sebesky arrangements for strings and an oversized rhythm section fit Crawford's soulful style well and the altoist performs consistently strong material that was also commercially successful. Of the nine numbers, Crawford is heard at his best on "Imagination," "The Christmas Song," "Alone Again (Naturally)" (the definitive version of that pop standard), "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" and "Winter Wonderland. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Kudu Records, KU-08, 1972

Columbia Records, ZK 40820, 1987

Recorded 21^st & 28^th September and 10^th October, 1972
At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Hank Crawford - Alto Saxophone

Bob James - Electric Piano (#A4,A5,B3)

Richard Tee - Organ, Electric Piano

George Benson - Guitar

Cornell Dupree - Guitar (#A4,A5,B3,10,11)

Ron Carter - Bass

Gordon Edwards - Bass (#A1,B1)

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums

Phil Kraus - Bells, Vibraphone

Arthur Jenkins - Conga, Tambourine

Margaret Ross - Harp

Charles McCracken, George Ricci, George Ricci - Cello

Harold Coletta, Theodore Israel - Viola

Tracks:

A1. We Got A Good Thing Going {The Corporation} (5:59)

A2. Imagination {Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke} (3:10)

A3. Down To Earth {Avery Vandenberg, Ronald Miller, William O'Malley} (3:27)

A4. The Christmas Song {Mel Tormé} (3:43)

A5. Alone Again [Naturally] {Ray O'Sullivan} (3:35)

B1. I Don't Know {Bill Withers} (4:23)

B2. I'm Just A Lucky So And So {Duke Ellington} (6:55)

B3. Winter Wonderland {Dick Smith, Felix Bernard} (3:35)

B4. A Little Tear {Don Sebesky} (3:36)

Bonus Tracks CD:

10. Dirt Dobbler {Alfred Ellis} (3:35)

11. Betcha By Golly Wow {Thomas Bell, Linda Creed} (5:13)

12. This Is All I Ask {Gordon Jenkins} (3:44)

13. Jazz Bridge {Don Sebesky} 2:52)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Don Sebesky

Conductor, Arranger [Strings] - Bob James (#A3,A5,B1,B2,B3)

Design - Bob Ciano

Photography - Mort Mace

Notes:

Liner Notes, Reissue Producer - Didier C. Deutsch

Digitally Remastering - Larry Keyes, 1987 (CBS Studios, NYC)

David Newman - Mr. Fathead (1976) [vinyl>flac]

A pretty sweet set from reedman David Newman - a record that has him working with larger instrumental backdrops, in a mode that's almost like the sound going on with Stanley Turrentine over at CTI! William S. Fischer handled all the arrangements - so although things are tight, there's still a cool creative undercurrent too - way more than just standard orchestrations behind Newman's sweet solo lines on alto, tenor, and soprano sax. A few cuts have backing vocals - used in ways you might hear on a Hank Crawford album - and titles include "Shiki", "Promise Me Your Love", "Ebo Man", "Groovin To The Music", "I Love Music", and "Mashooganah". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

David "Fathead" Newman plays alto sax, tenor sax & flute backed by Ron Carter, Anthony Jackson, Dom Um Romão, Jimmy Johnson, Pat Rebillot, Andy Newmark, Jerry Friedman, David Carey, Bill Salter, Ralph MacDonald, Keith Loving, Jimmie Young, Dave Valentin (playing percussion!) et al, plus brass section (featuring Burt Collins, Joe Shepley, Jim Bossy & Richard Peck), strings (feat. Selwart Clarke on viola) and backing vocals (including Patti Austin). My personal favorite tracks: "You Got Style" (a lush arrangement of the Ralph MacDonald/Bill Salter tune previously recorded by Phil Upchurch & Tennyson Stephens on Kudu), "Groovin' To The Music," "Ebo Man," "Promise Me Your Love" and "I Love Music". ~ Arnaldo Desouteiro.

Warner Bros. Records, BS 2917, 1976

Recorded At Regent Sound Studios, New York City

Personnel:

David Newman - Alto, Soprano & Tenor Saxophones, Flute

Jim Bossy, Burt Collins, Joseph Shepley - Trumpet

Buddy Morrow - Trombone

Jonathan Dorn - Tuba

Billy Slapin - Clarinet, Piccolo Flute

Richard Landry - Tenor Saxophone

Arthur Jenkins - Keyboards

Bill Fischer - Electric Piano, Synthesizer

Arthur Jenkins - Piano

Jose Cruz - Electric Piano

Pat Rebillot - Clavinet

Luis Cruz, Jerry Friedman, Keith Loving - Guitar

Bill Salter - Bass

Anthony Jackson - Bass Guitar

Ron Carter - Bass

Jimmy Johnson - Drums

Jimmie Young - Drums

Andy Newmark - Drums

John Rodrieguez, Ralph MacDonald - Percussion

David Valentin - Percussion

Dom Um Romão - Percussion

and others [See Info file]

Tracks:

A1. Dance With Me {John & Johanna Hall} (3:55)

A2. Groovin' To The Music {G. P. Coverdale, D. Cameron, D. McGriff} (5:51)

A3. You Got Style {Ralph MacDonald, William Salter} (4:32)

A4. Ebo Man {David Newman, Arthur Jenkins} (5:29)

B1. Shiki {Bill Fischer} (3:59)

B2. Promise Me Your Love {Ralph MacDonald, William Salter} (4:30)

B3. I Love Music {Leon Huff, Kenny Gamble} (6:12)

B4. Mashooganah {David Newman} (5:08)

Credits:

Producer - Joel Dorn, Jonathan Dorn

Arranger - William S. Fischer (#A1-A3,B1,B3,B4)

Engineer [Recording & Mixing] - Robert Liftin

Engineer [Mastering] - Vince McGarry

Art Direction - Ed Thrasher

Design - Brian Hagiwara, Rod Dyer Inc.

Photography [Front Cover] - H. E. Edgerton

Photography [Liner] - David Gahr

Liner Notes - Vernon Gibbs

Notes:

Mixed and Mastered At Regent Sound Studios, New York City