Eddie Hardin - Wizard's Convention (1976)

Format: ape + cue + log

Genre: Hard-, Blues-, Classic Rock

Release Date: 1976

Label: Repertoir Records

Eddie Hardin - vocals, various instruments

Ray Fenwick - vocals, guitar, backing vocals

David Coverdale - vocals

Roger Glover - bass

Glenn Hughes - vocals

Jon Lord - piano

Mark Nauseef - percussion, drums, bells

Tony Ashton - piano, vocals

Mo Foster - bass

Les Binks - drums

Henry Spinetti - drums

Ric Lee - drums

Rick van der Linden - piano, various instruments

Pete York - drums, percussion

Mike D'Abo - vocals

Mike Smith - vocals

Jimmy Helms - vocals

John Crocker - alto sax

John Slaughter - guitar

The Chris Barber Band - various instruments

Having witnessed first hand the enjoyment and musical freedom experienced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover during the making of his 'concept' "Butterfly Ball" album ex-Spencer Davis Group keyboardist Eddie Hardin felt sufficiently inspired to partially follow suit by inviting a variety of musicians who he'd always wanted to work with to contribute to a new studio
project he had in mind. Recalls Hardin "Basically I'd written quite a lot of songs which I felt maybe suited other peoples voices and styles rather then my own." Some of the 'other peoples voices' he enlisted to help him included ex-Manfred Mann vocalist Mike D'Abo, ex-Dave Clark Five man Mike Smith, future Londonbeat mainman Jimmy Helms and ex-Deep Purple members David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. "Glenn was great, he came to the studio, had a bottle of whiskey and some fish 'n' chips and then laid down his vocal".
Complementing Hardin's astute choice of vocalists was his equally canny choice of musicians. Roger Glover helped out on bass whilst Purples keyboardist Jon Lord appeared on "She's A Woman". Amongst the drummers featured were ex-Fancy / judas Priest man Les Binks, ex-Herd member Henry Spinetti, former Ten Years After member Ric Lee, future Ian Gillan sticksman Mark Nauseef and Hardin's old Spencer Davis Group / Hardin & York sidekick Pete York. Leading session bassist Mo Foster appeared throughout the album whilst guitarists included Chris Barber man John Slaughter and another ex-Spencer Davis Group member in Ray Fenwick. Mr. Hardin himself sang lead vocals on The Craig Song" and "Make If Soon" as well as tinkling the ivories on a variety of tracks whilst keyboardists Tony Ashton (ex Ashfon Gardner & Dyke and later in Paice Ashfon Lord) and Rick van der Linden (ex-Ekseption) also helped out.
With such an array of talent if seems incredible that the album never charted. However as the LP was originally released on Christmas Eve 1976 if made it impossible for people to buy it until stores reopened after the Xmas holidays by which time most record stores had forgotten about if whilst coping with the post Christmas rush of record tokens and demands for TV advertised compilations leaving "Wizards Convention" to sadly disappear from sight. Collectors, however, might like to note that we've added six bonus tracks from the original sessions for the "Wizards Convention" album to this CD.
"Looking Forward To Tomorrow" features lead vocals by Billy Ocean, Eddie Hardin handles the role on "Time For Another", "The Put Down Song" and "Goodnight Children" whilst on "Summer Days" and "Seems I'm Always Gonna Love You" he's joined by ex-Elf / Rainbow / Black Sabbath vocalist Ronnie James Dio.
Eddie Hardin recalls having had a lot of fun making the album and to this day regards if as "The best album I've ever recorded".
When you consider his involvement with the likes of the Spencer Davis Group and his work with people of the calibre of John Entwhistle and Roger Glover that is indeed praise of the highest order. - Review by Mark Brennan

Santana - Santana 1969 [2007 UDCD 773]

Genre: Rock/Pop/Soul

Style: Rock, Blues-Rock, Fusion, Latin Rock

Format: flac + cue + log

Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab [UDCD 773] 2007

Original Release Date: 1969

*The Santana legend on record starts here, a multi-million-seller that popped two great singles ( "Jingo," "Evil Ways" ) and became a concept album listening experience in the bargain. Released in-store the day after Woodstock (August 19, 1969), the LP mixed the classic Santana recipe: a rockin' bitches brew of Soul, R&B, Afro-Cuban, Mexican, blues and jazz, and cooked it through the free form jam mode that ruled the Fillmore West stage. The original 6-man lineup cut this LP in three weeks: Carlos Santana (guitar, vocals), Gregg Rolie (keyboards, vocals), Dave Brown (bass), Mike Shrieve (drums), Jose "Chepito"Areas and Mike Carabello (percussion).










1. Waiting
2. Evil Ways
3. Shades of Time
4. Savor
5. Jingo
6. Persuasion
7. Treat
8. You Just Don't Care
9. Soul Sacrifice

Carlos Santana - vocals, guitar, congas, percussion

Michael Shrieve - Drums

Neal Schon - Guitar

Tower of Power - Horn

Luis Gasca - Trumpet

Jose Chepitу Areas - Percussion, Conga, Timbales

Gregg Rolie - Organ, Organ, Piano, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals

Coke Escovedo - Percussion

David Brown - Bass

Mike Carabello - Percussion, Conga

Alberto Gianquinto - Arranger, Arranger

Before the arrival of Carlos Santana's eponymous band, the San Francisco rock scene drew the inspiration for its jam-oriented music mainly from blues, rock, and Eastern modalities. Santana added Latin music to the mix, forever changing the course of rock & roll history. On Santana's groundbreaking debut album, the group mixes Latin percussion with driving rock grooves. Santana's unique guitar style, alternately biting and liquid, vies with the multiple percussionists for the sonic focus. Unlike later efforts, Santana's first album features an abundance of loose collective compositions based on a couple of simple riffs ("Jingo," "Soul Sacrifice"). This approach allows for Santana and his bandmates to flex their improvisational muscles to fine effect. The high energy level on SANTANA is infectious--the laid-back feel of other '60s S.F. groups was clearly not for Carlos and company.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 150 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

The Sony Legacy Edition of Santana's 1969 self-titled debut album is exactly the kind of deluxe treatment that the repackaging and remastering of a classic album deserves. Fine liner notes by Hal Miller guide the listener through the historical journey of this record. First, there is a stunningly remastered version of the original album, front and center with alternate takes of "Savor" and "Soul Sacrifice" added, as well as a studio jam. Musically, Santana is the spot on the map marking the point where everything came together, mutated, and changed. Here Afro-Cuban son, blues, rock, jazz, and funk collided head on, and decided to become something else. Gregg Rolie's swirling, atmospheric organ provided the sonic root equation. Santana's guitar provided the frenzied flight, and Michael Shrieve's Elvin Jones/Roy Haynes-inspired driving kit work provided a dynamic commensurate with the visceral nature of rock. This was not aided, but made possible and furthered by the percussion work of Joe Areas and Michael Caravello, and anchored to earth only by David Brown's rock-solid, dirty-assed bassing. Sure, "Evil Ways" was a monster single, but it doesn't begin to tell the story of the album. Interestingly, with the all the bonus material added, the album doesn't even tell the story of the album. What does offer the key is disc two, which includes the band's original studio sessions for the album -- before the addition of Shrieve and Areas to the band. These tracks, almost all of which appeared in different form on the final version, revealed a talented, original, but loosely focused and slightly timid jamming ensemble that put together some compelling riffs and ideas, but hadn't jelled in a studio setting. Add to this Santana's complete Woodstock performance (with four previously unreleased tracks which took place before the album's release date) and the listener gets floored just contemplating the final release. That in four months, this band had gone from being green and naïve to becoming command performers. This is a remarkable, welcome, and definitive addition to the Santana catalog and raises the watermark for all reissues as well...T. Jurek