Revisiting A&M Records No. 31
‘Roger Nichols & the Small Circle of Friends’ (January* ’68)
Ever since the year began and this chronological reexamination deepened almost bottomlessly, this enchanting obscurity has become my white whale, my new holy grail — which is my way of admitting that this photo is doctored.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 30
Cat Stevens: ‘Matthew & Son’ (March ’67)
Cat Stevens: ‘New Masters’ (December ‘67)
Technically these first two assortments from the future Yusuf Islam don’t belong in this series. His platinum tenure within Mr. A & Mr. M’s haven didn’t begin until he finally found his sound on third album ‘Mona Bone Jakon’ three years later.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 29
We Five: ‘You Were on My Mind’ (September ‘65)
We Five: ‘Make Someone Happy’ (December ‘67)
Backtracking here to pair this SF ensemble’s debut sensation with the overly delayed follow-up that didn’t arrive until the quintet was breaking up, at least temporarily. As the horribly written back-cover notes indicate, the latter album was reason for fans to be both glad for their return yet sad that ‘(t)here is this album and there will be no more albums because there is no more We 5 [sic].’
Revisiting A&M Records No. 33
Nat Adderley: ‘You, Baby’ (late winter ’68)
Sometimes these CTI albums impress immediately, seizing our attention with intricate compositions, remarkable interplay and an enveloping warmth that offsets bracing coolness. Other times it takes multiple spins before arrangements click, distinctive solos sink in and subtler charms emerge.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 28
Herbie Mann: ‘Glory of Love’ (December ‘67)
I must not be jazzbo enough to understand why this very enjoyable one-off the groundbreaking flutist cut for Creed Taylor’s CTI subsidiary isn’t held in nearly as high regard as albums that came before and after it.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 27
Various artists: ‘Million Dollar Sound Sampler’ (Nov ’67)
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass: ‘Herb Alpert’s Ninth’ (Dec ’67)
This is somewhat a housekeeping post as we near the end of the most crucial year yet in my more-or-less chronological look at A&M’s history. Certainly won’t be the last time we encounter Mr. A as a recording artist or take stock of these assortments his label compiled to entice buyers, but both topics have been addressed in previous installments.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 26
Tamba 4: ‘We and the Sea’ (November ’67)
Now this is serious shit. Makes Sérgio Mendes seem exactly like the lightweight he was — highly capable, yes, and plenty enjoyable, just nowhere near the heavyweight class that this prodigious quartet was punching at by the time sunset fell on the Summer of Love.
Revisiting A&M Records No. 25
Phil Ochs: ‘Pleasures of the Harbor’ (November ‘67)
In hindsight there couldn’t have been a more sadly ironic song for this under-appreciated folkie to choose as an opening statement for the next phase of his career.
[Measuring the marigold.]
Revisiting A&M Records No. 22
The Sandpipers: ‘The Sandpipers’ (May ’67)
