jazzbo Posted February 26, 2004 Report Posted February 26, 2004 Received this reply back from my inquiring email: "Hi, yes, the Beatles CD will be released next month; e-mail Kevin Berg for date info. kberg@atl.jvcdiscusa.com Please let us know the release date..If we find out, we will e-mail you. Thanks It's a start. Allan for Helen Merrill" Yes, it's a start. I actually knew that was coming out. Not the title I'D HAVE started with. Release date appears to be March 16. Quote
mmilovan Posted March 4, 2004 Report Posted March 4, 2004 It would be a great joy, if someone will find Wilson/Merrill record with standards. Hey, people: Wilson and Merrill! Sounds so... beautifull and with lots of taste! Quote
jazzbo Posted March 4, 2004 Report Posted March 4, 2004 Well JVC let me know that "Helen Merrill Sings the Beatles" will appear as an XRCD possibly this month, and that "Screen Favorites" may be out this year as an XRCD. . . . Quote
jazzbo Posted March 18, 2004 Report Posted March 18, 2004 That Merrill XRCD is finally out; cduniverse mailed me a copy yesterday! May have it tomorrow. . . Quote
king ubu Posted March 19, 2004 Report Posted March 19, 2004 Lon, I love your new avatar, beautiful photo of her! Let me post it here big: (of course I never heard of any Alan Merrill before...) Tell us what you think of the Beatles album! I never could find much interest for them, but maybe when she's singing their songs? ubu Quote
king ubu Posted March 19, 2004 Report Posted March 19, 2004 And I never knew that H. Merrill and Aaron Sachs were a couple!! ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted March 19, 2004 Report Posted March 19, 2004 I pretty much feel that way about the Beatles too. . . I'll let you know about the XRCD. May arrive tonight or tomorrow. Got my monoblock tube amps back from the builder for upgrading last night, so I'll have lots of listening to do this weekend, whether my wife likes it or not (talking bold aren't I?) Quote
king ubu Posted March 19, 2004 Report Posted March 19, 2004 I pretty much feel that way about the Beatles too. . . I'll let you know about the XRCD. May arrive tonight or tomorrow. Got my monoblock tube amps back from the builder for upgrading last night, so I'll have lots of listening to do this weekend, whether my wife likes it or not (talking bold aren't I?) Yeah, really bold! It's not a wife here, but a girlfriend is enough... ubu Quote
BruceH Posted March 21, 2004 Report Posted March 21, 2004 I think it's time for a Helen Merrill Select. Quote
jazzbo Posted March 22, 2004 Report Posted March 22, 2004 I've been thinking about this proposed Select since you mentioned it. . . and can't imagine what they could include that was the right size. . . . Quote
king ubu Posted March 23, 2004 Report Posted March 23, 2004 No idea here for a Select, either. The most obvious might be the Landmark albums that were all relatively recently reissued on Gitanes/Universal/whatever-exactly. I mean the three albums with Dick Katz, then the tunes she sang on that Flanagan, Hanna and Haig records (I only have the Flanagan), and "Casa Forte". That would be a nice bunch, but then it would be the stuff most recently available, and thus it would not make much sense. Lon, care to comment on the Beatles album? I saw you have listened to it. ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted March 23, 2004 Report Posted March 23, 2004 (edited) I'm still processing it. . . . It is a wonderful sounding cd; this new XRCD24 process sure yields a bright but full presentation. If you are a Beatles fan, this is good stuff. I'm not much of a Beatles fan, but I like some of these arrangements a lot. . . and Helen sings well, and it is interesting to hear her vocals overdubbed in background role and chorus role for her as well. Some nice guitar and bass and drums by Japanese accompanists. . . this one rocks a bit on about half the tunes. Edited March 23, 2004 by jazzbo Quote
king ubu Posted March 23, 2004 Report Posted March 23, 2004 I'm still processing it. . . . It is a wonderful sounding cd; this new XRCD24 process sure yields a bright but full presentation. If you are a Beatles fan, this is good stuff. I'm not much of a Beatles fan, but I like some of these arrangements a lot. . . and Helen sings well, and it is interesting to hear her vocals overdubbed in background role for her as well. Well, I'm not a fan of the Beatles, either... I guess it would need some more to push me over the edge... ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted March 23, 2004 Report Posted March 23, 2004 I know what you mean. On the plus side, this is different, both the material and the treatment of the material are different for a Merrill date. And on another positive side, Merrill's singing is very solid. No surprise there! And it is the first time I've heard her voice overdubbed in harmony. . . which is interesting. I think I am going to grow into liking this one as I spin it more and more, and the sound is very good indeed. Quote
jazzbo Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) Here's a review of the "Helen Merrill Sings the Beatles" XRCD24 that I thought would be a nice thing to see on All About Jazz in the reviews, but their "guidelines" for style and mine are too incompatible, so I'll just put it here for those Merrill fans interested in this release. . . . "Helen Merrill Sings the Beatles" This is an odd, and for me and oddly satisfying compact disc. Now, I wouldn't call myself a Beatles fan. I was fifteen when Abbey Road was released, I can remember lying in my bed in my Waterford-Kamhlaba School dormitory as we all listened to the broadcast from BBC of portions of the lp in wonder. But in the ensuing decades I heard far too many Beatles recordings over and over, and I have some favorites, but I don't own any except a mono lp of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," and a stereo lp of "Revolver," two of my first lp purchases that I still have by some small miracle, but haven't spun in years. . . . But I AM a Helen Merrill fan. Her unique voice, delivery and interpretations of song have penetrated my listening world and brought me great joy. Due to the subject material, I deliberated whether to purchase this expensive XRCD release and finally decided that I would wonder and wonder about it if I did NOT. I pre-ordered it online for a good price, and sat back and waited for it to arrive. A few weeks later, I've spun this disc five times and I must admit I like it. At this time Merrill was a Tokyo resident, and a celebrity. Those Japanese recordings from this period I have been able to collect are quite different from her American output prior to settling in Japan. These are more "pop" records in a way, and yet, with Merrill fully participating, are interesting and intriguing efforts. Truly, "Helen Merrill sings the Beatles" is a freal "rock" record in many ways: rock compositions, with rock instrumentation augmented with big band and string (and vibraphone!) on occasion. Yet there is also a "fusion" feel to many selections; the rhythm section is very versatile, anchored by Arakawa's strong and nimble bass playing, and Inomata's drumming which captures the tom-tom and bass centered feel of Ringo Starr but spruces it all up with some Billy Cobham-like busyness (and some truly virtuoso hi-hat work). Merrill's voice is very well recorded, and this is the first recording I can remember hearing of hers where her voice is quite effectively double- and triple-tracked for harmony and layering. The arrangements are varied and suit the mood and message of each tune. I particularly like the psychedelic fusion sound of "Norwegian Wood," the gentle cello and violins and guitars of "Mother Nature's Son," and the sparse Fender-Rhodes piano dominated arrangement of "If I Fell in Love." A lot of work went into the writing, and yet the execution feels appropriately loose and unrestrained. At times the musical accompaniment reminded me of the Fab Four, but also of the San Francisco sound of the Dead and Airplane, mixed with the sophisticated fusion that Gary Burton and Keith Jarrett were bringing to jazz and rock together and separately around this time. The talents of Sato, Arakawa and Inomata and the uncredited other musicians are showcased and undeniable. Their participation brings a creative zest to the recording session that frames Merrill's vocals with interesting highlights and provides a solid bedrock for her interpreting craftwork. Finally I must say that at first I was not as grabbed by Merrill's singing on this release as I had anticipated. The music commanded my attention initially, and I thought that Merrill had done a fine but not particularly distinguished job. But on repeat listenings, it became clear to me that Merrill had used her expressive voice and her unique "feel" for melody and lyrics to deliver a fitting tribute to the Lennon and McCartney material, and offered a special view of these pop and rock tunes from her seasoned vantage point. I'm so glad that I took the chance on this release! As this is an "audiophile" and expensive release, I must note that the sound of this cd is exceptional! Clear, direct, and with a realism that can be spooky. Edited April 14, 2004 by jazzbo Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 14, 2004 Author Report Posted April 14, 2004 Thanks a lot for that review, Lon! Quote
king ubu Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 Lon, thanks a lot indeed! Seems like some Beatles I could really like! ubu Quote
mmilovan Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) Did someone of you, great people, found Merrill with Wilson in any form? Edited April 14, 2004 by mmilovan Quote
king ubu Posted April 16, 2004 Report Posted April 16, 2004 just wanted to make sure everyone here has seen this great cover of one of her best records. ubu Quote
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