🎵 AotW AOTW: David Spinozza - SPINOZZA* (SP-4677)

[Captain Bacardi]

David Spinozza
SPINOZZA*
A&M SP-4677

*David Spinozza appears courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.
Released 1978

Format: Vinyl/Cassette/8-Track

Produced by Mike Mainieri and David Spinozza for Airborne Productions

Songs & Musicians:

• 1. Superstar (Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett) - 5:44
  Arranged by David Spinozza and Mike Mainieri
  David Spinozza - Lead Guitar
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Rick Marotta - Drums
  Mike Mainieri - Polymoog Synthesizers
  Leon Pendarvis - Acoustic Piano
  Background Vocals: Luther Vandross, David Laskey & Diva Gray
  
  2. On My Way To The Liquor Store (Leon Pendarvis) - 6:52
  Arranged by Leon Pendarvis
  David Spinozza - Electric Guitar
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Steve Jordan - Drums
  Mike Mainieri - Synthesizer
  Rob Mounsey - Electric Piano
  Leon Pendarvis - Acoustic Piano
  
  3. Prelude To "The Ballerina" (David Spinozza) - 3:14
  Orchestrated and Conducted by David Spinozza
  Concert Master: David Nadien
  Violins: Sanford Allen, Guy Lumia, Gerald Tarack, Harold Kohon, Paul Gershman, Anahid Ajemian, John Pintavalle, Peter Dimitriades, Ora Shiran, Richard Hendrickson, Mathew Raimondi, Harry Lookofsky, Richard Sortomme, Lewis Eley, Tony Posk, Lucy Chapman Staltzman
  Violas: Barry Finclair, LaMar Alsap, Sue Pray, Emmanuel Vardi, Stewart R. Clarke, Theodore Israel
  Cellos: Charles McCracken, Beverly Lauridson, Jesse Levy
  Bass: Michael Moore, Eddie Gomez
  Harp: Margaret Ross
  Trumpets: Alan Rubin, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis
  Trombones: Wayne Andre, Barry Rogers, David Taylor
  Tuba: Tony Price
  French Horns: John Trevor Clark, Sharon Moe*
  English Horns & Flute: George Marge*
  Flutes: George Young, David Tofani
  Background Vocals: Kim Carlson, Gordon Grody
  * - Solos
  
  4. The Ballerina (David Spinozza) - 5:35
  Arranged by David Spinozza
  David Spinozza - Vocal, Acoustic Guitar
  Warren Bernhardt - Acoustic Piano
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Rick Marotta - Drums
  Gary Mure - Percussion
  David Carey - Percussion
  
  5. Edge Of The Sword (David Spinozza/Mike Mainieri) - 4:59
  Arranged by Mike Mainieri
  David Spinozza - Lead Guitar
  Warren Bernhardt - Clavinet, Fender Rhodes & Synthesizer
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Steve Jordan - Drums
  Rubens Bassini - Percussion
  
  6. Country Bumpkin (David Spinozza/Mike Mainieri) - 4:04
  Arranged by Mike Mainieri
  David Spinozza - Lead Guitar
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Don Grolnick - Acoustic Piano
  Leon Pendarvis - Electric Piano
  Rick Marotta - Drums
  Mike Mainieri - Percussion & Synthesizer
  Eric Weisberg - Banjo and Pedal Steel Guitar
  
  7. Doesn't She Know By Now (David Spinozza) - 4:43
  Arranged by David Spinozza
  David Spinozza - Acoustic Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Rick Marotta - Drums
  Leon Pendarvis - Piano
  Michael Brecker - Tenor Sax
  Background Vocals: - Luther Vandross, David Lasley & Diva Gray
  
  8. Airborne (David Spinozza) - 5:33
  Arranged by David Spinozza
  David Spinozza - Lead Guitar
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Mike Mainieri - Vibes
  Rick Marotta - Drums
  Rob Mounsey - Electric Piano
  Kim Carlson - Scat Vocal
  Trumpets: Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff
  Trombones: David Taylor, Wayne Andre, Barry Rogers
  Saxophones: David Sanborn, David Tofani, George Young, Ronald Cuber, Michael Brecker
  
  9. High Button Shoes (Rob Mounsey) - 3:21
  Arranged by Rob Mounsey
  David Spinozza - Lead Guitars
  Warren Bernhardt - Acoustic Piano
  Anthony Jackson - Bass
  Steve Jordan - Drums
  Joe Caro - Rhythm Guitar
  Mike Mainieri - Xylophone
  Rob Mounsey - Electric Piano

Recorded and Mixed at the House of Music, New Jersey
Recording and Mixing Engineer: Jeffrey Kawalek
Assistant Engineer: Peter Roulinavage
Synthesizer Programming: Larry Fast

Strings and Horns recorded at A&R Recording, New York
Recording Engineer: Leanne Unger
Assistant Engineer: Olie Cotton
Musical Contractor: Christine Martin

This album was mixed using the Aphex Aural Exciter

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Phil Shima and Vigon/Nahas/Vigon
Photography: Gary Heery (front cover) and Lynn Goldsmith (back cover and sleeve)



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

...Been looking forward to THIS AOTW...!:

1. Superstar -- This one Rocks!! Always play the "Lead Lick/Solo/Chorus" when trying out a New Axe! Done by Vikki Carr, Delaney & Bonnie Bramblett, Carpenters, etc.--this one Blows 'Em ALL Away...!

2. On My Way To The Liquor Store -- A Lil' Bit O' The Blues, and somethin' else Spinozza can "dooz"! Like the Fine Wine you'll probably buy there, there hasn't been Jazz like this in ages! :goofygrin:

3. Prelude To The Ballerina -- Eh, mostly shows off Spinozza's knack for orchestrations, which he demonstrated his ability of, on Paul Williams' first two albums... Good solos by the Orchestra members and David's Classical Guitar as omnipresent, as always!

4. The Ballerina -- OK, I don't want to knock Spinozza's singing, but it's not really one of his stregnths, but then again, why was he limited to just "These Few Minutes", and an OK paen to his daughter who "Advanced at Ballet"...?? Well, this album wouldn't be what it is without it, either...!

OK, here's where the album gravitates more towards a straight-Fusion, though "Fusion-Lite", and Dave finally ditches the experiments with the cover of a Rock Song, Classical Guitar Concertos, Orchestrations, Background Vocalists on Side 1, going more towards something "finished"...!:

5. Edge Of The Sword -- Very European Sounding; thought I had my Janne Schaffer (Swedish Guitarist for ABBA, et. al) Earmeal album on the turntable at times... And THIS is certainly what that outing should've been like, if not more like Janne's later Traffic...

6. Country Bumpkin -- Yep, a C&W tune here, Banjo, Steel Guitar and all...! Played by The Best String Instrument Extrordinaire, this side of David Lindley, Eric Weissberg! Swore I heard this played long ago, on a Radio Informercial of A&P Supermarket Specials...!

7. Doesn't She Know By Now -- The background vocalists carry this number, including the now-late-Luther Vandross, but a fine showcase of their talent, backed by Spinozza's Guitar...

8. Airborne -- A bit loopy, and backed by a Brass Section, much better than "Prelude..." on Side 1 with the strings... Kim Carlson's "scat" vocal and Mike Mainieri's vibes are a good feature and add a nice touch to this "uplifting" number...

9. High Button Shoes -- Almost like "Airborne", you wonder why Guitars were necessary, as ONE might have been enough, and this time, Mainieri plays Xylaphone... Certainly nothing you'd hear on Mike's Loveplay album he recorded the year before, with Spinozza playing on, but a good and firm closing piece...

Much like Spinozza's Best Back-Up Work, but at times, sounding TOO MUCH like stuff he "Backed Up"! ...Least where the "Jazz Quotient" is concerned, and would usually, except for his "trademarked solo", sometimes he'd be just an "accessory"... But where other types of music is played, Spinozza gives it good and very inventive chops, avoids "noodling" and steers away from the tendency to become "formulaic"... In conclusion, a good showcase of styles, in a bit of a 'whirling, swirling, wheel of fashion', with David as the 'Humble Hub'!

A Record That Belongs in Every Record Library! -- GUITAR PLAYER

There will never be another Jazz/Pop/Rock/EZ Listening/Fusion combination played by Spinozza and his Capable Combo ever again--!

*****: Five-Stars!


Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is a rather eclectic mix of sounds from the studio guitarist, which has its highs and lows throughout the album. The lows are pretty much all of Side 1, save the sprite "On My Way To The Liquor Store". But "The Ballerina" is just flat painful to listen to. Spinozza may be a good guitarist, but he can't sing at all! Fortunately Side 2 makes up for a lot of the flaws from the first side, starting with the romping "Edge Of The Sword", followed by the witty "Country Bumpkin". "Doesn't She Know By Now" is some more forgettable drivel. Spinozza gets into some real jazz chops with "Airborne", which at times sounds a bit like a Larry Carlton track. The album ends with some laid-back funk on "High Button Shoes". This is an okay album, but not spectacular. 3 stars from me.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

...I have him on the two Paul Williams albums and that's him on the Wayne Berry '45', "Beechwood Blues", which I have as a double-sided Promo; (on the flip should be "Two Lovers"), and of course, he played on that obscure Jim Carroll LP... ...I have him on David Batteau's Happy In Hollywood--and the Steve Marriott album he drove over from A&M on La Brea to The Record Plant on 3rd Street, to play the lead guitar on...

...And yes, the stuff he did in New York, including SPINOZZA* is good, too...!

Dave

Had to "Haul My Words Over Here" about the highlights of his career at A&M, leading up to this album (Leading me to believe that there MIGHT have been an attempt to have made a "Company-Sponsored Project", such as this) as he'd been always "Appearing Courtesy of A&M Records" before he appeared on Burt Bacharach's Futures album and Garland Jeffrey's Ghost Writer and One-Eyed Jack (both of which he also Produced), that came before this, among others...

He does "thank Herb Alpert & Jerry Moss" and even "Wes Montgomery" in the credits... Chances are Wes, if he had lived, would've made an album like this, too... In fact, a Florida-born Montgomery protegé, Little Beaver was sounding more like Wes Montgomery than Wes Montgomery...

The album, in whole, comes off as a "Group Effort": --The skillful drumming of Rick Marotta and Steve Jordan, the grandoise keyboard work of Warren Bernhardt, the fluffy background vocalists by Kim Carlson, Gordon Grody, Luther Vandross, David Lasley & Diva Gray, and the likelyhood that those "collecting albums Anthony Jackson played on" would appreciate his good bass... Percussionist/Vibist Mike Mainieri produced this outing and certainly takes the lead in a lot of instances, too...

Essential Listening for Guitarist Enthusiasts like me...!


Dave