Aug 6, 2024
Gabor Szabo — Gabor Szabo 1969. 1969 : Skye.
! listen @ Apple Music ★ buy me a coffee !
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Gabor Szabo — Gabor Szabo 1969. 1969 : Skye.
! listen @ Apple Music ★ buy me a coffee !
(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XvjqXuGH3Y )
Wendy & Bonnie - By The Sea
(Genesis, 1969; Skye Records)
Okay everyone stop what you're doing and LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM NOW.
Would You Believe - Grady Tate (Windmills Of My Mind, 1968)
Listen to three tracks from 'Today' by Gary McFarland (Skye Records, SK-14, USA 1969).
I came across Gary McFarland when a friend of mine recommended his 1965 album 'The In Crowd' to me. It's a stunningly hip slice of jazz informed pop and comes in a wonderful pop art sleeve adorned with yellow polka dots, one of which turns out to be the yolk of a fried egg. By 1969 Gary's music had moved with the times, and the album covers had even jumped a few years ahead of themselves, landing in 1973 judging by the artwork for his 'Today' LP.
McFarland started out playing jazz and is always filed in that genre. He also ran Skye Records with fellow musicians Gabor Szabo and Cal Tjader and together they form, in my mind at least, the advanced guard of the smoother-than-smooth jazzers. You could even say 'easy', and I for one attach no negative connotations to that word when it's applied to music. By the time this record was recorded however, the jazz sensibility was simply forming a faded back drop for gorgeous, shimmering arrangements of 60s pop standards. We listen in awe as Gary strokes his vibraphone whilst softly singing, whispering or even whistling his magical takes on Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, Fred Neil and other big name song writers of the day. If he were any more relaxed he would probably stop breathing.
Sadly, that's exactly what he did do in November 1971, when he was mysteriously and fatally poisoned by a methadone spiked drink while frequenting a bar in Greenwich Viilage, NYC.
damn. this is so good it hurts. pardon my french, but this elicited an almost unheard of quadruple "FUCK!" or more like "fuuuuuuuck!" supposedly the last release on gary mcfarland's "skye" label. although apparently this was technically released on buddah. so nice, yr gonna listen twice. maybe twice again after that. woooooooooooooooow...
