Missionaria Protectiva

  JULIE TIPPETTS  Sunset Glow  (Utopia,1975) - Jazz       Julie first came to public attention under her maiden name of Julie Driscoll and had enjoyed commercial success with Brian Auger & the Trinity. Eager to break away from the heavy burden of being in the public spotlight, Julie wrote a series of fine compositions and collaborated with her soon-to-be husband Keith Tippett on the album ‘1969’ and also featuring in his band Centipede. In 1975 she recorded the stunning album ‘Sunset Glow’, a record of great emotion and beauty that defied classification. TRACKLIST : Mind Of A Child                          Ocean And Sky (And Questions Why?)                          Sunset Glow                          Now If You Remember            ...

  COMUS  First Utterance  (Dawn,1971) - Progressive folk       Comus  sweep you along through their immersive world of psychedelia with guile, never losing the plot despite all the contrasting moods it goes through, from bubbly folk passages like in “The Bite” to the suspenseful strumming with dramatic vocals of “Drip Drip” to the frequent psychedelic passages and skin-crawling atonal chords. Each song is replete with clever vocal lines, impactful lead melodies, and a well thought out musical story arc with a memorable climax. The song “Drip Drip” in particular is a whirlwind of moods that somehow still manages to be monumentally catchy and it delivers one of the greatest climaxes I have ever heard, and closer “The Prisoner” also ends the album with an absolute bang of a crescendo. TRACKLIST : Diana                        The Herald                 ...

  GRAVY TRAIN  Gravy Train  (Vertigo,1970) - Progressive rock       Their debut shows Gravy Train as a brave and daring underground band, heavily influenced by and derivative of other prog/hard acts of the time, yet actually trying to push the boundaries forward. Unfortunately, since the album bombed, the guys preferred to dump all the experimentation of these songs in favour of a smoother, more commercial sound later on, which totally destroyed their idiosyncrasy and forever nailed them as second-rate good-for-nothings. TRACKLIST : The New One                          Dedication To Sid                          Coast Road                          Enterprise                          Think Of Life  ...

  PETE SINFIELD  Still  (Manticore,1973) - Progressive rock       The name Pete Sinfield may not mean much to the casual prog observer but to aficionados his identity will always be linked to  King Crimson . As the band’s lyricist and, to a degree,  Robert Fripp ’s artistic muse, Sinfield contributed the lyrics to the first four Crimson albums.        For reasons unknown, the firm of Fripp and Sinfield ceased trading circa 1971 but, rather cunningly, former KC bassist  Greg Lake , perhaps sensing a lack of lyrical gravitas, created a similar role for him in the world-conquering  ELP .       Still , Sinfield’s first and only solo album was unveiled to the public in May 1973 and was quickly sidestepped by all but a very few discerning members of the progressive rock-buying public.  TRACKLIST : The Song Of The Sea Goat                        ...

  ARTHUR BROWN Dance  (Gull,1975) - Progressive pop     Dance With Arthur Brown  was written in 1974 and released the following year. The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown had been a one-hit (and one album) wonder back in 1968 but Brown had soldiered on, producing three albums as part of his next band, Kingdon Come, with music that offered flashes of progressive brilliance combined with moments of madness and deranged humour.  For his next outing he decided to produce an album of dance music. Keep in mind this was before the disco boom and Brown’s intention was, to use his own words, ‘to make an album of dance styles from all over the world’.  TRACKLIST: We've Got To Get Out Of This Place                         Helen With The Sun                         Take A Chance                     ...

        Tippett was a chorister, classical pianist and organist in childhood and a trad-jazz bandleader in his mid-teens, but he hit the 1970s as an exponent of a brand of jazz-rock fusion, played with prog pioneers King Crimson and ran the briefly high-profile 50-piece Centipede orchestra (1970-71).       In the decades following, Tippett led a variety of ensembles and developed unique improvising languages in duos with his poet-singer wife Julie Tippetts ( the former Julie Driscoll , his most enduring one-to-one dialogue), and with the British jazz stars  Stan Tracey   and Andy Sheppard. KEITH & JULIE TIPPETT Couple In Spirit EG,1987 https://www.sendspace.com/file/exim05

  MARLENA SHAW  Who Is This Bitch, Anyway?  (Blue Note,1975) - Jazz       After a two-album stint in the late-’60s at Chess’s Cadet imprint, in 1972 New York chanteuse  Marlena Shaw  became the first female singer to sign with the legendary American jazz label, Blue Note. She cut five albums for the company that Alfred Lion and Max Margulis founded in New York in 1939. It’s arguably Shaw’s best and most consistent album and certainly – evidenced by its perennial popularity in Japan – her most enduring. TRACKLIST : You, Me And Ethel                        You Taught Me How To Speak In Love                        Davy                        Feel Like Makin' Love                        The Lord Giveth And The Lord ...

  GROVER WASHINGTON Jr.  Inside Moves  (Elektra,1984) - Jazz       Although Grover Washington Jr. (on alto, tenor, soprano and baritone) puts on his usual strong effort, the forgettable material (which included no hits) and the emphasis on vocals (particularly those of Jon Lucien who is on five of the seven selections) makes this one of Washington's weaker efforts and the least essential of his four Elektra recordings. The background vocalists do not help much either. This was Grover Washington, Jr.'s only full-length album as a leader during the 1982-86 period. TRACKLIST : Inside Moves                       Dawn Song                       Watching You Watching Me                       Secret Sounds                       Jet Stream   ...

  TEMPTATIONS  House Party  (Gordy,1975) - Soul/Funk       Brothers Brian and Eddie Holland, collectively two-thirds of the  Holland–Dozier–Holland  hit-making stable, worked on the first track and only single, "Keep Holdin' On", while  Stax Records  stalwart  Steve Cropper  contributed to three songs as producer and/or writer. Vocal highlights include a rare lead performance by Otis Williams on his own composition, "Darling, Stand by Me (Song for My Woman)", the  Richard Street -led ballad, "If I Don't Love You This Way" (a cover of a song by  the Jackson 5  originally featured on their  Dancing Machine  album and named by the family group's lead singer  Michael Jackson  as one of his favourite songs ); Glenn Leonard's debut in the ensemble vocal of "What You Need Most (I Do Best of All)"; and fan-favorite bass singer  Melvin Franklin 's lead vocals on "Ways of a Grown-Up Man." TRACKLIST...

  Dr. JOHN  City Lights  (Horizon,1978) - R&B,Blues,Jazz       Whether you categorise Dr John as jazz, blues, rock, boogie or anything else, it actually encompasses all these (and more) to create a mix that simply invites you to lie back and listen. TRACKLIST : Dance The Night Away With You                          Street Side                          Wild Honey                          Rain                          Snake Eyes                          Wild Honey                          Sonata/He's A Hero                   ...

  MINNIE RIPERTON  Adventures In Paradise  (Epic,1975) - Soul,R&B       Produced with Stevie Wonder, Perfect Angel was a huge, much-loved success. Adventures in Paradise was its follow-up and, inevitably, comparisons with its predecessor were made. Co-produced by  The Crusaders ’ studio man Stewart Levine (with Riperton and her husband/co-writer Richard Rudloph), it’s an exceptionally well-played, well-made album. It was not as commercially successful as Perfect Angel and therefore was initially seen as something of a failure. It is anything but. TRACKLIST : Baby,This Love I Have                        Feelin' That The Feeling's Good                        When It Comes Down On It                        Minnie's Lament               ...

  JENNIFER WARNES  Shot Through The Heart  (Arista,1979) - Rock/Folk rock       With session stars like  Andrew Gold  aboard, Warnes succeeded in making what sounded like the great lost  Linda Ronstadt  album. Granted, she handled strong material like Dylan's "Sign on the Window" better than  Ronstadt  could, but  Ronstadt  had originated this kind of '70s L.A. country/pop/rock style, and it was impossible to do it without sounding like you were copying her. Maybe that was why, despite three chart singles, the album wasn't a big commercial success. In turn, the disappointing sales may have injured Warnes' relationship with Arista. Instead of releasing another new album, Arista followed with a best-of, and Warnes didn't release another new album until 1987. TRACKLIST : Shot Through The Heart                        I Know A Heartache When I See One   ...

        You probably know Karen Carpenter as one-half of the Carpenters. She’s widely remembered for her exceptional vocal skills, however, she was an excellent drummer, too!       As drummer of the Carpenters, Karen’s rhythmic skills provided the solid foundation for their iconic soft-rock sound. Her drumming style complemented the melodic compositions created by her brother Richard Carpenter. She possessed a natural sense of timing and an innate ability to create intricate rhythms that enhanced the emotional impact of their songs. CARPENTERS Carpenters  A&M,1971 https://www.sendspace.com/file/wlgzxv

  JEFFERSON AIRPLANE  Long John Silver  (Grunt/RCA,1972) - Psychedelic rock       The instrumental work is consistently fine, and Papa John Creach is simply one of the most brilliant, subtle violinists alive. The main problem seems to be the material the musicians are given to work with. There is not one true standout track on this album, and certainly nothing on it as good as the best of  Sunfighter  or even  Blows Against the Empire.  Some essential spark is gone, and what remains is a rote scream. But it is the most furious muzak available, and if you're really stoned it might even seem as good as the old days.  TRACKLIST : Long John Silver                    Aerie (Gang Of Eagles)                    Twilight Double Leader                    Milk Train         ...

  PATTI AUSTIN  End Of The Rainbow  (CTI,1976) - R&B       The ever-lovely Patti Austin is a doyenne of the soul and jazz scene. She made her debut way back in 1954, when, aged just four, she wowed the audience of the Harlem Apollo. Her brief appearance at the famed theatre was enough to secure her a deal with RCA Records – a child prodigy indeed. Mind you, with godparents like Quincy Jones and Dinah Washington, the auguries were long in place. By the late 60s Patti was the session singer and jingle/commercial maker of choice on the New York studio scene. At the same time she found time to make her own solo records with labels like ABC, United Artists and Columbia though major chart success just eluded her… maybe she was content enough to be “Queen Of The Jingles”! Then, after organising the backing vocalists for several CTI recordings, label boss, Creed Taylor, signed her up as a performer and the result was the acclaimed 1976 album ‘End Of Rainbow’ wh...

  BRAND X  Do They Hurt?  (Charisma, 1980) - Jazz fusion      "Do They Hurt?", the 1980 release from Brand X comprised of material recorded during the "Product" sessions, features compelling moments of collective improvisation, especially on the second half of the album. While technically not an all instrumental recording due to the two vocal tracks, the first is just Percy Jones' brief 'rap' over the bass heavy opener "Nobody Goes To Sweden", and the second is guitarist John Goodsall's instrument sounding 'space' vocal on "Act Of Will". Goodsall makes up for it on the balance of "Do They Hurt?", peppering the album with primal scream fusion guitar playing. Frenetic drumming and bass work lend an insistant feel to the work - the sum of the parts reveals another high quality fusion release. TRACKLIST : Noddy Goes To Sweden                          Voidarama           ...

  AUDIENCE  Lunch  (Charisma,1972) - Art rock       LUNCH is not a concept album, but simply a fun LP, and not one to take too seriously. This is perfect music for friends, good times and cold beer! I enjoy every song here, but some are particular standouts: The opener "Stand by the Door" is about as close as this album gets to "Progressive Rock," and gets under your skin (in a good way!) from the first listen, with its plaintive lyrics, infectious chorus, and superb harmony vocals. This magnificent song should have been a hit!       Highly recommended indeed, for those fans of classic British rock who like to smile! TRACKLIST : Stand By The Door                        Seven Sore Bruisers                        Hula Girl                        Ain't The Man You Need...

  CITY BOY  City Boy  (Vertigo,1976) - Progressive pop       City Boy's self-titled debut ranges from blues/funk tunes to mellow AOR songs to progressive, melodic tracks -- there's something on the album for most everyone to like. From the  Sweet -ish anthem "The Greatest Story Ever Told" to the quirky "Oddball Dance," City Boy is an eclectic, interesting and notable introduction. TRACKLIST : (Moonlight) Shake My Head And Leave                        Deadly Delicious                        Surgery Hours (Doctor Doctor)                        Sunset Boulevard                        Oddball Dance                        5000 Years / Don't Know Can't Tell  ...