AOTW: Gato Barbieri, "Passion & Fire"

[Rudy]

GATO BARBIERI
PASSION & FIRE
SP9-3029 (Released 1984)
Vinyl, Cassette and CD

Saxophones: Gato Barbieri

Produced by Herb Alpert

That's all I've got on this one!

 

[LPJim]

Here's the track list from CD 3029 (7502-13029-2):

I Want You 5:57/ Fiesta 4:00/ Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) 4:12/ Poinciana (Song of the Tree) 3:41/ Theme From Firepower 3:17/ She is Michelle 6:12/ Ruby 3:57/ Speak Low 6:33.

Herb Alpert produced Tracks 1,2,3 & 7.
David Rubinson and Friends produced tracks 4 & 6
Jay Chattaway produced and arranged tracks 5 & 8.

Michelle Barbieri was associate producer.
Photography by Mark Hanauer
Art Direction by Chuck Beeson

Music credits include Lenny White - drums, Gary King- bass, Eric Gale - guitar, David Spinozza- guitar, Joe Beck - guitar, Eddy Martinez -keyboards, Don Grolnick- keyboards & synth, Ralph MacDonald- percussion, Cachete Maldonado - percussion, Mtume -percussion, Neil Jason- bass, Alan Schwartzberg - drums, Jeff Layton- guitar, Lance Quinn - guitar, Pat Rebillot - keyboards, Jimmy Maelen -percussion, Miguel Valdez-Pomier, percussion, Eddie Watkins- bass, Leon Ndugu Chancler -drums, John Barnes - keyboards, Greg Poree - guitar, Melvin Wah-Wah Watson - guitar, Bill Summers - percussion and congas, Armando Peraza - bongos, Jose Cheito Areas - timbales, "The Waters" - background vocals, Bernard Purdie -drums, Paulinho de Costa - percussion, Lee Ritenour -guitar, Anthony Jackson - bass, Billy Cobham -drums, Richard Tee - keyboards.

This album's songs were recorded between 1976 and 1984.
JB

PS: Musician credits are listed after each song, and many overlap, so I tried not to repeat the names.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

GATO BARBIERI
PASSION & FIRE
SP9-3029 (Released 1984)
Vinyl, Cassette and CD

Not a bad compilation, but you sure can tell the difference between the Alpert-produced tracks and the other tracks. "Europa" is the song of Gato's career, and still sounds great to this day. I wouldn't say this was a definitive collection of Gato's, but it's good enough.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

"Europa" is HOT!! Wish I could say the same about his other A&M albums...I got a couple of his, and while there were a few good tracks, there wasn't much that would make me put them on the turntable any time soon. Give me the Last Tango in Paris soundtrack, though...good stuff. His last few albums have received great reveiws.

BTW: I've heard Santana's version...it's merely OK in comparison to this one.

 

[Harry]

This being a compilation album (which I don't own), I find that I have most of the tracks elsewhere on the original albums. The first three are from Caliente, while the fourth and sixth are from Tropico, both of which I have on CD. "Ruby" hails from the Ruby, Ruby album which I have on LP. The fifth and eighth I don't have. "Theme From Firepower" seems to come from another A&M album called Euphoria. The last track on this album is a mystery to me at this point. I see a song on the track list of Euphoria called "Speak", but this one's called "Speak Low". Are they the same?

Harry
...who really only got into the Gato albums at all because of Herb and Lani's involvements, online...

 

[jimac51]

"Europa",written by Carlos Santana, is the slow jam theme song of many $mooth jazz radio stations,including Philly's CC owned WJJZ. It's possibly their "Kind of Blue"-a centerpiece but there are few songs on their playlist that equal anything near the heat of this track. I don't own much Gato but his Impulse! Latin America Chapters have him a wailing,crazed mood that he rarely seemed to visit since. They are pretty intense and it's possible that anyone with that drive so early in a career he would have literally burned himself out. A note for Gato completists- the Flying Dutchman recordings have been largely ignored during the CD era but with RCA Bluebird without direction, they have started looking that area of their vault and it's possible that something may be in the works. Mac

 

[Rudy]

Those Impulse! sides are likely something I'd enjoy listening to. As for "Europa", I didn't listen to it very much on the CTi sampler until the TV show "Miami Vice" used it as the introduction to one of their episodes--a girl reclining, sunbathing, puts a t-shirt on over her bikini, dumps a bottle of Perrier over herself, then slips off the bikini top from under the shirt. Tasty use of the music! (If I look thru my videotapes, I can probably even give you an episode name and date. )

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The last track on this album is a mystery to me at this point. I see a song on the track list of Euphoria called "Speak", but this one's called "Speak Low". Are they the same?

"Speak Low" is the actual title, and is from Euphoria - a rather lackluster album IMHO. "Speak Low" has been performed by quite a few jazz artists over the years.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

Pete Jolly does a version of "Speak Low" on one of his recent VSOP CDs (I think it might be from Yours Truly, but don't quote me on it). Cal Tjader has recorded it at least twice.

 

[jimac51]

"Speak Low",music by Kurt Weill and lyric by Ogden Nash,is featured on the Hal Wilner produced A&M compilation,LOST IN THE STARS,performed by Sharon Freeman and Charlie Haden. The Pete Jolly version is indeed from YOURS TRULY, a 1993 Quartet/Bainbridge recording. According to AMG,a number of jazz musicians with A&M ties including Nat Adderley,Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan have recorded this standard from a 1943 show,ONE TOUCH OF VENUS. Mac

 

[mr J.]

I wouldn't recommend PASSION AND FIRE.Its cluttered with alot of lackluster disco tracks(although its worth buying just for the sizzling "She Is Michelle").Better yet,try to find a copy of Gato's A&M "Greatest Hits".(Backlot series).Its a better compilation,filled out with more sizzlers like "Behind The Rain" and "Latin Lady".It was released in 1998,but,believe it or not,it's already out of print!

 

[Mr Bill]

I have to wonder what album the number 3029 was origianlly scheduled to be way back when. It's around the time that CTI left A&M and is right in there (number-wise) with the unreleased (in US) third JJ and Kai LP and Hubert Laws debut LP... Any thoughts?

--Mr Bill