FunkFreak75
Recorded on February 18 & 19 of 1968, this is the album that caused such a stir in the public eye because of the record company (Columbia)'s massive mess up with its initial mastering and publication. Here' the story in Don's own words extracted from a letter he sent to the "Chords and Discords" forum of DownBeat magazine immediately following the magazine's review of (the first version) of the album: "Regarding the review of my record Shock Treatment by Harvey Pekar (DB, Sept. 19), I would like to set the record straight on some little known facts in connection with this album. The copy that was reviewed was one about which I am embarrassed and not proud. The story behind this is as follows:
Upon completion of the album, I did the mixing and editing here in California and then sent the finished product to New York. It wasn't until the album was already released that I heard a pressing. Much to my horror, I found that without consulting me the whole album had been changed around?rejected masters and unapproved takes were used (not the ones which I had selected and edited), the wrong tunes were on the album, unauthorized splices were made which disturbed the musical flow of some of the compositions (beats were even missing from bars), whole sections were cut out, some of these being the high points of the album. Therefore the liner notes, which were done to the original album, do not agree with what is actually on the album, calling attention to solos and high spots which are not there. I'm surprised that this wasn't mentioned in the review! Also, the wrong personnel is listed on the jacket. When I discovered what had happened I was, naturally, disturbed and asked Columbia to redo the album. They graciously consented and I was able to change the album back to its original form except that I left Mercy Maybe Mercy, which my producer particularly liked, in place of Zim, which I hope will appear in a future album. Unfortunately, they were not able to call back all the thousands of albums which had already been released. However, they did send a note to the reviewers telling them that the copy which they had received was defective, and to please not review it until they received the corrected copy. It looks as if Down Beat didn't get that letter. In conclusion, let me state that I have no quarrel with Harvey's review, but I do wish that he or someone else would review the correct album."
Great story: One that illustrates, once again, how obtuse record companies can be to the desires, preferences, and wishes of their artists as well as to how little say/control an artist has over the finished product of their work. What they think will sell is not always in line with the artist's creative vision for their finished product--in this case, not nearly in line.
I've decided to post my rating and ranking according to the version of music published in CD from in 2003 because this release offers the listener a fine cross-section of the two original releases.
2003 Koch Jazz (Sony Music)) CD RELEASE:
1. "A New Kind of Country" (Hank Levy) (4:10) sounds like a modernized big band standard (with some electrified instruments and recording techniques) waiting for a young crooner to sing over the top--like Don is here definitely taking advantage of all of the Latin-infused musics infiltrating the American music scene in the 1960s--especially and probably Stan Getz (and, to a lesser degree) Paul Desmond more than any others. Could have been a theme song to one of the game shows of the day--like The Dating Game or The Newlywed Game. (8.875/10)
2. "Night City" (Ellis, McFadden / arr. Don Ellis) (2:56) the co-composers must have been trying to reach the wider record-buying audiences of the day (1967) with this very LAWRENCE WELK-like song. Elaborately arranged MITCH MILLER-like choral vocals (male and female) are accompanied by a Latin rhythm to create this rather heavy-hearted song. I like it though it is not very progressive or particularly fusionary. Also could be a tribute to the great music being written for Broadway musicals by new artists like Burt Bacharach and Stephen Schwartz. (8.875/10)
3. "Homecoming" (3:02) sounds so familiar--like the more emotional old-time music that was so popular with moms and pops on the old porch settings. (Could've fit in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.) (8.75/10)
4. "Mercy Maybe Mercy" (Hank Levy) (3:20) sounds like a watered-down version of Billy Page's "The 'In' Crowd" (8.75/10)
5. "Zim" (John Magruder) (3:59) a fan favorite from the first release that Don grew to like specifically because of the enthusiastic feedback he received. Composer and, here, bandmate John Magruder came up with several memorable songs for Don and the Orchestra over the years. (9.25/10)
6. "Opus 5" (Howlett Smith) (9:19) nice polyrhythmic foundation over which muted horns play makes for a cool start. In the second minute a bridge serves as a kind of rewind so that everything starts over, only this time the full horn section--in two different lines--can recapitulate the superceding melody--and then piano and very odd upper-end bass make themselves known to be the soloists for the second half of the third and first half of the fourth minutes. Lead trumpet takes over at 3:30. Rest of horns slowly creep back in in the middle of the fifth minute before backing off to a softer bank, but, man! I keep getting lost in the rhythm lines! Congas and drums actually get some spotlight before horn banks bridge into more "team-sharing" section of rather complex multiple team-interplay. By the time we get to the eighth minute there are so many layers working together at the same time (like 9 or 10!) that it shocks me that they all can stay on their own path--and it all works incredibly well blended together! Amazing! What a design (composed by pianist/composer Howlett Smith)! (19.25/20)
7. "Star Children" (3:21) weird song with weird combination of sedate jazz with choral vocals. (8.666667/10)
8. "Beat Me, Daddy, Seven to the Bar" (6:12) this spirited blues-rock vamp makes me feel as if I'm at a party in a Peter Sellers movie from the day--maybe even a pool party--which gets kind of "serious" when the percussionist (conga player) is given sole occupancy of the recording tape. Supremely tight performances of yet-dated music. (8.75/10)
9. "Milo's Theme" (4:23) experimentation with echo effects on Don's trumpet and then all the instruments to follow. Weird but pretty cool! (And using very pretty and melodic cinematic music to do it). I love hearing artists take chances like this. The ensuing horn and then full band harmonized buildups are wonderful (if "Big Band Era" dated), but then we return to the modulation effects experimentation for the finish. Cool! (9/10)
10. "Seven Up" (Howlett Smith / arr. Joe Roccisano) (3:59) like a blast from the past with this one sounding like the soundtrack music for either "I Dream of Jeannie" or "Bewitched" (maybe that's why I love it: I grew up on those shows). Awesome jazz bass walking beneath Don's trumpet and his complex, multi-horn accompaniment. Again, to think that we're at an episode of some dance routine on the Lawrence Welk Show is not a far-off stretch of the imagination, but those big explosions of horns and alternating cutesie flute and muted-horn passages are so fun! (8.875/10)
11. "The Tihai" (8:44) Don's preferred edit and mix of this one sounds. There are moments where the melodic rhythm track feels and sounds like something from The Flinstones cartoon soundtracks of the day and others that feel like soundtrack music to an Elvis Presley (or Our Man Flint or Pink Panther) beach movie scene. And then, surprise of all surprises, there is the Konnakol Carnatic Indian percussive vocal exchange taken from the South Indian traditions at the six-minute mark. Odd use of minor keys at times where popular tradition would have made different choices. (18/20)
12. "Zim" (alternate take) (John Magruder) (4:00) a much more smooth-flowing "Take Five"-like version of the tune; this was not Don's preferred version of the song but he was serving popular demand from the response of listeners from those who had purchased or heard the original unapproved version on Columbia's initial release of the material. I can't say that I dislike it. The mix ius a bit muddier than the other one, but that almost gives it an era-appropriate psychedlic acid-trip feel! (9/10)
13. "I Remember Clifford" (Benny Golson / arr. Terry Woodson) (5:25) a more traditional lounge jazz tune like something you might have heard at Rick's Café in Casablanca. (8.875/10)
14. "Rasty" (2:52) another song that sounds like a Big Band remnant brought into the late 1960s for renovations. (8.666667/10)
Total Time 65:42
While most of music on this album does sound (almost laughably) out-dated and anachronistic one cannot the technical and compositional skills required put together and then pull with such tight (and professional) performances--captured in just two days in the recording studio!
B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of large-spectrum jazz and jazz-rock performances of cutting-edge compositions.
P.S. That girl photographed for the album cover has some long-ass toes!